cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A stochastic approximation for fully nonlinear free boundary parabolic problems

We present a stochastic numerical method for solving fully nonlinear free boundary problems of parabolic type and provide a rate of convergence under reasonable conditions on the nonlinearity. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Numer Methods Partial Differential Eq 30: 902–929, 2014
Thermodynamic Properties of Moist Air: -40 to 400 Degrees Celsius

The formulations are presented for the thermodynamic properties of moist air at temperatures from −40 to 400 ◦ C, humidity ratios from 0 to 1 kg/kgda, and pressures ranging from 5529.3 Pa (20-km altitude) to 2 MPa. Moist air is modeled as a real gas using the virial equation of state. Up-to-date values for the virial coefficients of both air and water vapor are used. Equations are derived and results are presented for humidity ratio, specific volume, enthalpy, entropy, wet and dry bulb temperatures, relative humidity, and compressibility. Saturation data are presented for humidity ratio, specific volume, enthalpy, entropy, and compressibility. Results are presented in tabular and graphical form. This work extends the current moist air data to higher temperatures, higher humidity ratios, and a larger range of pressures.
Integrating sensor placement and visual tracking strategies

Real-time visual feedback is an important capability that many robotic systems must possess if these systems are to operate successfully in dynamically varying and imprecisely calibrated environments. An eye-in-hand system is a common technique for providing camera motion to increase the working region of a visual sensor. Although eye-in-hand robotic systems have been well-studied, several deficiencies in proposed systems make them inadequate for actual use. Typically, the systems fail if manipulators pass through singularities or joint limits. Objects being tracked can be lost if the objects become defocused, occluded, or if features on the objects lie outside the field of view of the camera. In this paper, a technique is introduced for integrating a visual tracking strategy with dynamically determined sensor placement criteria. This allows the system to automatically determine, in real-time, proper camera motion for tracking objects successfully while accounting for the undesirable, but often unavoidable, characteristics of camera-lens and manipulator systems. The sensor placement criteria considered include focus, field-of-view spatial resolution, manipulator configuration, and a newly introduced measure called resolvability. Experimental results are presented. >
Freely independent random variables with non-atomic distributions

Author(s): Shlyakhtenko, D; Skoufranis, P | Abstract: We examine the distributions of non-commutative polynomials of non-atomic, freely independent random variables. In particular, we obtain an analogue of the Strong Atiyah Conjecture for free groups, thus proving that the measure of each atom of any n × n matricial polynomial of nonatomic, freely independent random variables is an integer multiple of n−1. In addition, we show that the Cauchy transform of the distribution of any matricial polynomial of freely independent semicircular variables is algebraic, and thus the polynomial has a distribution that is real-analytic except at a finite number of points.
Investigation of mode coupling in normal-dispersion silicon nitride microresonators for Kerr frequency comb generation

Kerr frequency combs generated from microresonators are the subject of intense study for potential applications ranging from short pulse generation to frequency metrology to radiofrequency signal processing. Most research employs microresonators with anomalous dispersion, for which modulation instability is believed to play a key role in initiation of the comb. Comb generation in normal-dispersion microresonators has also been reported but is less well understood. Here, we report a detailed investigation of few-moded, normal-dispersion silicon nitride microresonators, showing that mode coupling can strongly modify the local dispersion, even changing its sign. We demonstrate a link between mode coupling and initiation of comb generation by showing experimentally the pinning of one of the initial comb sidebands near a mode-crossing frequency. Associated with this route to comb formation, we observe direct generation of coherent, bandwidth-limited pulses at repetition rates down to 75 GHz, without the need to first pass through a chaotic state. Our results with normal-dispersion devices highlight mode interactions as a beneficial tool for comb initiation and pulse formation.
Role of Cell Culture for Virus Detection in the Age of Technology

Viral disease diagnosis has traditionally relied on the isolation of viral pathogens in cell cultures. Although this approach is often slow and requires considerable technical expertise, it has been regarded for decades as the “gold standard” for the laboratory diagnosis of viral disease. With the development of nonculture methods for the rapid detection of viral antigens and/or nucleic acids, the usefulness of viral culture has been questioned. This review describes advances in cell culture-based viral diagnostic products and techniques, including the use of newer cell culture formats, cryopreserved cell cultures, centrifugation-enhanced inoculation, precytopathogenic effect detection, cocultivated cell cultures, and transgenic cell lines. All of these contribute to more efficient and less technically demanding viral detection in cell culture. Although most laboratories combine various culture and nonculture approaches to optimize viral disease diagnosis, virus isolation in cell culture remains a useful approach, especially when a viable isolate is needed, if viable and nonviable virus must be differentiated, when infection is not characteristic of any single virus (i.e., when testing for only one virus is not sufficient), and when available culture-based methods can provide a result in a more timely fashion than molecular methods.
Functional latching devices for LSI

One important route to higher functional densities for LSI is through consolidation of more components within a given region. This paper repots on studies of integrated "latch" devices made by incorporating transistor flip-flops within a single isolation island and using the bulk resistivity of the epitaxial layer for resistive elements. Although most components are distinguishable, complex interaction makes a device approach to design and evaluation the most applicable technique. Principles of design and optimization are approached by a point-by-point analogy with the p-n-p-n switch. Comparable V-I plots are used to study effects of various parameters and geometries on stability and noise sensitivity. It is shown that a minimum bulk resistivity is required for positive latch-up at a given current and that "probe" contacts and buried layers at the output transistor also have a profound effect. Supporting experimental data are presented on switching characteristics as well. Several configurations have been fabricated and studied, with near counterparts in direct coupled as well as resistor, diode, transistor, and emitter-follower coupled circuits, plus several means of triggering them. Some counter applications will be described that are greatly simplified through this approach.
Continua without sets

Initially, we perceive an indefinite extension imprecisely, a spread C ; this perception can be visual, aural, or tactile.
Power electronics-an emerging technology

The author presents a tutorial review of power electronics and drives in which the status of the technology and its future are discussed. He focuses on power semiconductor devices, converter circuits, AC machine control, and microcomputer applications in power electronics systems. He examines the impact of computer-aided design and artificial intelligence, and he summarizes the technological trends. He predicts that the technology will grow with increasing momentum as component technologies continue to grow. >
RETURN POSTAGE IN MAIL SURVEYS A META-ANALYSIS

This paper describes a five-step procedure for meta-analysis. Especially important was the contacting of authors of prior papers. This was done primarily to improve the accuracy of the coding; it also helped to identify unpublished research and to supply missing information. Application of the five-step procedure to the issue of return postage in mail surveys yielded significantly more papers and produced more definitive conclusions than those derived from traditional reviews. This meta-analysis indicated that business reply postage is seldom costeffective because first class postage yields an additional 9% return. Business reply rates were lower than for other first class postage in each of the 20 comparisons. This paper describes a procedure for meta-analysis and applies it to a problem in survey research. The conclusions from conventional literature reviews are contrasted with those from meta-analysis. Meta-analysis appears to be a more rigorous method by which to integrate results from prior research, especially when previous studies have led to conflicting results. The experiment by Cooper and Rosenthal (1980) suggests that meta-analysis provides larger estimates of effects and better-supported conclusions than a conventional reviewing process. Meta-analysis differs from the traditional literature review in that it emphasizes formal procedures for the search, selection, and analysis of prior studies. Detailed discussions of the procedures for meta-analysis are provided in Glass, McGaw, and Smith (1981), Hunter, Schmidt, and Jackson (1982), and Green and Hall (1984).
Highly-educated immigrants and native occupational choice

Economic debate about the consequences of immigration in the US has largely focused on how influxes of foreign-born labor with little educational attainment have affected similarly-educated native-born workers. Fewer studies analyze the effect of immigration within the market for highly-educated labor. We use O*NET data on job characteristics to assess whether native-born workers with graduate degrees respond to an increased presence of highly-educated foreign-born workers by choosing new occupations with different skill content. We find that immigrants with graduate degrees specialize in occupations demanding quantitative and analytical skills, whereas their native-born counterparts specialize in occupations requiring interactive and communication skills. When the foreign-born proportion of highly educated employment within an occupation rises, native employees with graduate degrees choose new occupations with less analytical and more communicative content. For completeness, we also assess whether immigration causes highly educated natives to lose their jobs or move across state boundaries. We find no evidence that either occurs.
Reconciling the supply of and demand for carbon cycle science in the U.S. agricultural sector

Abstract When asking the question, “How can institutions design science policies for the benefit of decision makers?” Sarewitz and Pielke [Sarewitz, D., Pielke Jr., R.A., this issue. The neglected heart of science policy: reconciling supply of and demand for science. Environ. Sci. Policy 10] posit the idea of “reconciling supply and demand of science” as a conceptual tool for assessment of science programs. We apply the concept to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) carbon cycle science program. By evaluating the information needs of decision makers, or the “demand”, along with the supply of information by the USDA, we can ascertain where matches between supply and demand exist, and where science policies might miss opportunities. We report the results of contextual mapping and of interviews with scientists at the USDA to evaluate the production and use of current agricultural global change research, which has the stated goal of providing “optimal benefit” to decision makers on all levels. We conclude that the USDA possesses formal and informal mechanisms by which scientists evaluate the needs of users, ranging from individual producers to Congress and the President. National-level demands for carbon cycle science evolve as national and international policies are explored. Current carbon cycle science is largely derived from those discussions and thus anticipates the information needs of producers. However, without firm agricultural carbon policies, such information is currently unimportant to producers.
Henry Kandrup's Ideas About Relaxation of Stellar Systems

: Henry Kandrup wrote prolifically on the problem of relaxation of stellar systems. His picture of relaxation was significantly more refined than the standard description in terms of phase mixing and violent relaxation. In this article, I summarize Henry's work in this and related areas.
QUAOAR: A ROCK IN THE KUIPER BELT

Here we report Wide-Field Planetary Camera 2 observations of the Quaoar-Weywot Kuiper Belt binary. From these observations, we find that Weywot is on an elliptical orbit with an eccentricity of 0.14 ± 0.04, a period of 12.438 ± 0.005 days, and a semimajor axis of 1.45 ± 0.08 × 10^4 km. The orbit reveals a surprisingly high-Quaoar-Weywot system mass of (1.6 ± 0.3) × 10^(21) kg. Using the surface properties of the Uranian and Neptunian satellites as a proxy for Quaoar's surface, we reanalyze the size estimate from Brown & Trujillo. We find, from a mean of available published size estimates, a diameter for Quaoar of 890 ± 70 km. We find Quaoar's density to be ρ = 4.2 ± 1.3 g cm^(-3), possibly the highest density in the Kuiper Belt.
The Prospects for Sustained Growth in Africa: Benchmarking the Constraints

A dozen countries had weak institutions in 1960 and yet sustained high rates of growth subsequently. This paper uses data on their characteristics early in the growth process to create benchmarks with which to evaluate potential constraints on sustained growth for sub-Saharan Africa. This analysis suggests that what are usually regarded as first-order problems—broad institutions, macroeconomic stability, trade openness, education, and inequality—may not now be binding constraints, although the extent of ill-health, internal conflict, and societal fractionalization do stand out as problems in contemporary Africa. A key question is to what extent Africa can rely on manufactured exports as a mode of “escape from underdevelopment,” a strategy successfully deployed by almost all the benchmark countries. The benchmarking comparison specifically raises two key concerns as far as a development strategy based on expanding exports of manufactures is concerned: micro-level institutions that affect the costs of exporting, and the level of the real exchange rate—especially the need to avoid overvaluation.
Employee Reactions to Leader Reward Behavior

Relationships between positive and punitive leader rewards and employee role conflict and ambiguity, expectancies, and job satisfaction were investigated. The data showed positive leader rewards to...
Internally oxidized Ag/1.2 at.% Mg sheaths for Bi-2223 tapes

Bi-2223 tapes sheathed in dispersion-hardened Ag alloys that contain Mg have not generally achieved superconducting properties comparable to those of tapes sheathed in pure Ag, factors involved in the internal oxidation process, such as oxygen diffusion and evolution of the grain structure of the sheath, appear to affect phase development of the Bi-2223 superconductor, Ag and Ag/1.2 at.% Mg sheaths, and alloy/Bi-2223 composite tapes, have been prepared and heat treated, thermal processing procedures were optimized with respect to the diffusion of oxygen and strength profiles of the sheaths.
Melting rho meson and thermal dileptons

We first give a brief survey of theoretical evaluations of light vector mesons in hadronic matter, focusing on results from hadronic many-body theory. We emphasize the importance of imposing model constraints in obtaining reliable results for the in-medium spectral densities. The latter are subsequently applied to the calculation of dilepton spectra in high-energy heavy-ion collisions, with comparisons to recent NA60 data at the CERN-SPS. We discuss aspects of space-time evolution models and the decomposition of the excess spectra into different emission sources.
Justifying public health surveillance: basic interests, unreasonable exercise, and privacy.

Surveillance plays a crucial role in public health and for obvious reasons conflicts with individual privacy. This article argues that the predominant approach to the conflict—relying on a conceptual distinction between research and practice—is problematic and then offers an alternative. It outlines a basic interests approach to public health measures and an unreasonable exercise argument, which sets forth conditions under which individuals may justifiably exercise individual privacy claims that conflict with public health goals. The view articulated is compatible with a broad range of conceptions of the value of health.
Data stability in clustering: A closer look

We consider the model introduced by Bilu and Linial (2010) [13], who study problems for which the optimal clustering does not change when distances are perturbed. They show that even when a problem is NP-hard, it is sometimes possible to obtain efficient algorithms for instances resilient to certain multiplicative perturbations, e.g. on the order of O(n) for max-cut clustering. Awasthi et al. (2012) [6] consider center-based objectives, and Balcan and Liang (2012) [9] analyze the k-median and min-sum objectives, giving efficient algorithms for instances resilient to certain constant multiplicative perturbations. Here, we are motivated by the question of to what extent these assumptions can be relaxed while allowing for efficient algorithms. We show there is little room to improve these results by giving NP-hardness lower bounds for both the k-median and min-sum objectives. On the other hand, we show that constant multiplicative resilience parameters can be so strong as to make the clustering problem trivial, leaving only a narrow range of resilience parameters for which clustering is interesting. We also consider a model of additive perturbations and give a correspondence between additive and multiplicative notions of stability. Our results provide a close examination of the consequences of assuming stability in data.
An aberration-free lens with zero F-number

Starting from the Luneberg lens index profile, we apply the transformation design method to the problem of far-field imaging of (infinitely) distant objects.
Ozonolysis of Unsaturated Organotrifluoroborates

Organotrifluoroborates are robust reagents capable of withstanding ozonolysis of remote alkenes, thus providing a new route to oxo-substituted organotrifluoroborates. The primary ozonides initially generated upon ozonolysis can be reduced with Zn/AcOH to afford the carbonyl compounds. Alternatively, capture of the carbonyl oxides with either an appropriate N-oxide or H2O easily gives the desired oxo-substituted organotrifluoroborates. Both unsaturated alkyltrifluoroborates and aryltrifluoroborates effectively participate in the reaction. The process provides oxo-functionalized organotrifluoroborates that cannot be prepared directly via either transmetalation or hydroboration protocols.
Dynamic neural networks for output feedback control

A dynamic neural network is designed to estimate velocities from displacement measurements for a nonlinear system. A linear-in-parameters NN is used for state reconstruction. Conditions are provided under which the estimation error is guaranteed to be ultimately bounded. Subsequently, this observer is integrated into an adaptive controller architecture. The controller is based on model inversion and is augmented with a second learning-while-controlling neural network. Conditions are derived which guarantee ultimate boundedness of all the errors in the combined observer–controller feedback system. Open- and closed-loop simulations for a Van Der Pol oscillator are used to illustrate the results. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Single-Cell Migration in Complex Microenvironments: Mechanics and Signaling Dynamics

Cells are highly dynamic and mechanical automata powered by molecular motors that respond to external cues. Intracellular signaling pathways, either chemical or mechanical, can be activated and spatially coordinated to induce polarized cell states and directional migration. Physiologically, cells navigate through complex microenvironments, typically in three-dimensional (3D) fibrillar networks. In diseases, such as metastatic cancer, they invade across physiological barriers and remodel their local environments through force, matrix degradation, synthesis, and reorganization. Important external factors such as dimensionality, confinement, topographical cues, stiffness, and flow impact the behavior of migrating cells and can each regulate motility. Here, we review recent progress in our understanding of single-cell migration in complex microenvironments.
State-Level Variations in Hospital Expenditures: An Application of Spatial Regression

Hospitalizations have resurfaced as one of the primary concern for the United States healthcare system and the health planners due to their increasing share of total medical expenses, illness and mortality problems. Approximately, 30-38% of the total healthcare costs is due to hospitalizations. While there are many reasons for hospitalization, an estimated 25% to 40% of all admissions are for treating alcohol-related complications. Furthermore, it is plausible that the hospital spending in one state can affect the hospital expenditures of the neighboring states. This is because 1) hospital prices, practices and policies of the adjacent states influence the hospital expenditures of one state, and 2) presence of hospital facilities in a Hospital Referral Region (HRR) which serve patients across state lines. Therefore, using a Spatial Durbin Fixed Effect Model, this paper examines the state-level variations in hospital expenditures. This research used panel data from 2000 through 2009, extracted from publicly available data files. Results highlighted that rate of binge drinking, the total number of hospital beds and hospitals per 1,000 residents, the unemployment rate, the percentage of African-Americans, proportion of active physicians and state gross domestic product (GDP) had positive impacts on its neighboring states’ rates of hospital expenses. Moreover, the increasing rate of male population, Hispanic population and the rate of un-insurance of a state had adverse impacts on its own rate of hospital costs but positive effects on its bordering states’ rate of hospital spending.
On action algebras

Action algebras have been proposed by Pratt as an alternative to Kleene algebras Their chief advantage over Kleene algebras is that they form a nitely based equational variety so the essential properties of iteration are captured purely equationally However unlike Kleene algebras they are not closed under the formation of matrices which renders them inapplicable in certain constructions in automata theory and the design and analysis of algorithms In this paper we consider a class of action algebras called action lat tices An action lattice is simply an action algebra that forms a lattice under its natural order Action lattices combine the best features of Kleene algebras and action algebras like action algebras they form a nitely based equational variety like Kleene algebras they are closed under the formation of matrices Moreover they form the largest sub variety of action algebras for which this is true All common examples of Kleene algebras appearing in automata theory logics of programs relational algebra and the design and analysis of algorithms are action lattices Presented at the workshop Logic and the Flow of Information Amsterdam De cember sponsored by NFI project NF Structural and Semantic Parallels in Natural Languages and Programming Languages Supported by the Danish Research Academy the National Science Foundation and the John SimonGuggenheimFoundation On sabbatical from Computer Science Department Cornell University Ithaca New York USA Email kozen cs cornell edu
The Creation of Dominant Firm Market Power in the Coconut Oil Export Market

Legal and institutional changes that centralized control of the Philippine coconut oil refining and exporting industries enabled the Philippines to exercise some of its potential dominant-firm market power. If the elasticity of demand for coconut oil continues to increase. in part due to concerns about the health risks from eating saturated fats. Philippine exports will increase slightly while the price and Philippine revenue will fall significantly within the next decade.
The Petasis-Ferrier rearrangement: developments and applications

In the mid-1990s, Petasis reexamined a promising but infrequently used rearrangement strategy, the so-called Ferrier-type-II reaction, and provided it with a modern update. Previously, Ferrier had developed a strategy where carbohydrate derivatives would undergo a fragmentation/aldol-type recombination sequence, generating a carbocycle, albeit under the promotion of stoichiometric mercury salts. Petasis' new variant showed the promise to effectively and stereoselectively convert a range of cyclic vinyl acetals to useful tetrahydrofurans and tetrahydropyrans, using less toxic promoters. Since these first reports, the 'Petasis-Ferrier rearrangement' has represented a vibrant area of research and innovation for organic chemists. With numerous applications in complex natural product total synthesis, the utility of the reaction has been resoundingly established. Recent developments have extended the reaction to a broader synthetic context, allowing for in situ generation of rearrangement substrates and more liberal interpretation of what fragmentation/recombination reactions warrant the designation of a Petasis-Ferrier rearrangement.
Lewis Base Activation of Silyl Acetals: Iridium-Catalyzed Reductive Horner–Wadsworth–Emmons Olefination

A Lewis base promoted deprotonative pronucleophile addition to silyl acetals has been developed and applied to the iridium-catalyzed reductive Horner–Wadsworth–Emmons (HWE) olefination of esters and the chemoselective reduction of the resulting enoates. Lewis base activation of silyl acetals generates putative pentacoordinate silicate acetals, which fragment into aldehydes, silanes, and alkoxides in situ. Subsequent deprotonative metalation of phosphonate esters followed by HWE with aldehydes furnishes enoates. This operationally convenient, mechanistically unique protocol converts the traditionally challenging aryl, alkenyl, and alkynyl esters to homologated enoates at room temperature within a single vessel.
Non-Prussian Blue Structures and Magnetic Ordering of Na2MnII[MnII(CN)6] and Na2MnII[MnII(CN)6]·2H2O

The aqueous reaction of MnII and NaCN leads to the isolation of the 3-D Prussian blue analogue (PBA) Na2Mn[Mn(CN)6]·2H2O (1·H2O), which under careful dehydration forms 1. 1·H2O is monoclinic [P21/n, a = 10.66744(32) A, b = 7.60223(23) A, c = 7.40713(22) A, β = 92.4379(28)°], while 1 is rhombohedral [R3, a = 6.6166(2) A, c = 19.2585(6) A], and both structures are atypical for PBAs, which are typically face centered cubic. Most notably, the average ∠Mn–N–C angles are 165.3(3)° and 142.4(4)° for 1·H2O and 1, respectively, which are significantly reduced from linearity. This is attributed to the ionic nature of high-spin MnII accommodating a reduced ∠Mn–N–C to minimize void space. Both 1 and 1·H2O magnetically order as ferrimagnets below their ordering temperature, Tc, of 58 and 30 K, respectively, as determined from the average of several independent methods. 1 and 1·H2O are hard magnets with 5 K coercive fields of 15 300 and 850 Oe, and remnant magnetizations of 9075 and 102 emu·Oe/mol, respectively. These...
Characteristic classes of Higgs bundles and Reznikov's theorem

We introduce Dolbeault cohomology valued characteristic classes of Higgs bundles over complex manifolds. Flat vector bundles have characteristic classes lying in odd degree de Rham cohomology and a theorem of Reznikov says that these must vanish in degrees three and higher over compact Kahler manifolds. We provide a simple and independent proof of Reznikov’s result and show that our characteristic classes of Higgs bundles and the characteristic classes of flat vector bundles are compatible via the nonabelian Hodge theorem.
Cash-Flow Based Dynamic Inventory Management

Small-to-medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), including many startup firms, need to manage interrelated flows of cash and inventories of goods. In this study, we model a firm that can finance its inventory (ordered or manufactured) with loans in order to meet random demand which in general may not be time stationary. The firm earns interest on its cash on hand and pays interest on its debt. The objective is to maximize the expected value of the firm's capital at the end of a finite planning horizon. The firm's state at the beginning of each period is characterized by the inventory level and the capital level measured in units of the product, whose sum represents the 'net worth' of the firm. Our study shows that the optimal ordering policy is characterized by a pair of threshold parameters as follows. (i) If the net worth is less than the lower threshold, then the firm employs a base stock order up to the lower threshold. (ii) If the net worth is between the two thresholds, then the firm orders exactly as many units as it can afford, without borrowing. (iii) If the net worth is above the upper threshold, then the firm employs a base stock order up to the upper threshold. Further, upper and lower bounds for the threshold values are developed using two simple-to-compute myopic ordering policies which yield lower bounds for the value function. We also derive an upper bound for the value function by considering a sell-back policy. Subsequently, it is shown that policies of similar structure are optimal when the loan and deposit interest rates are piecewise linear functions, when there is a maximal loan limit and when unsatisfied demand is backordered. Finally, further managerial insights are provided with extensive numerical studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Domestic Trade Frictions and Agriculture

I develop a model of agriculture on heterogeneous land to study the relation between trade, productivity, and welfare in Peru, where farmers face high internal and external trade costs. I quantify ...
Using Competitive Intelligence Instruction to Develop Practice-Ready Legal Professionals

Competitive intelligence is the identification and use of internal and external information to inform business decisions. Integrating competitive intelligence instruction into the law school curriculum is another option to use when preparing “practice-ready” legal professionals. First, it broadens the curriculum experience beyond the courtroom with its introduction of basic corporate, regulatory, and transactional documents, and second, introduces students to the critical decision-making and business-development skills lawyers use to identify, investigate, and develop business leads necessary for a financially viable legal practice.
Order-reduction abstractions for safety verification of high-dimensional linear systems

Order-reduction is a standard automated approximation technique for computer-aided design, analysis, and simulation of many classes of systems, from circuits to buildings. To be used as a sound abstraction for formal verification, a measure of the similarity of behavior must be formalized and computed, which we develop in a computational way for a class of asymptotic stable linear systems as the main contributions of this paper. We have implemented the order-reduction as a sound abstraction process through a source-to-source model transformation in the HyST tool and use SpaceEx to compute sets of reachable states to verify properties of the full-order system through analysis of the reduced-order system. Our experimental results suggest systems with thousand of state variables can be reduced to systems with tens of state variables such that the order-reduction overapproximation error is small enough to prove or disprove safety properties of interest using current reachability analysis tools. Our results illustrate this approach is effective in tackling the state-space explosion problem for verification of high-dimensional linear systems.
The implications of small stem cell niche sizes and the distribution of fitness effects of new mutations in aging and tumorigenesis

Somatic tissue evolves over a vertebrate's lifetime due to the accumulation of mutations in stem cell populations. Mutations may alter cellular fitness and contribute to tumorigenesis or aging. The distribution of mutational effects within somatic cells is not known. Given the unique regulatory regime of somatic cell division, we hypothesize that mutational effects in somatic tissue fall into a different framework than whole organisms; one in which there are more mutations of large effect. Through simulation analysis, we investigate the fit of tumor incidence curves generated using exponential and power-law distributions of fitness effects (DFE) to known tumorigenesis incidence. Modeling considerations include the architecture of stem cell populations, that is, a large number of very small populations, and mutations that do and do not fix neutrally in the stem cell niche. We find that the typically quantified DFE in whole organisms is sufficient to explain tumorigenesis incidence. Further, deleterious mutations are predicted to accumulate via genetic drift, resulting in reduced tissue maintenance. Thus, despite there being a large number of stem cells throughout the intestine, its compartmental architecture leads to the accumulation of deleterious mutations and significant aging, making the intestinal stem cell niche a prime example of Muller's Ratchet.
On the stability of a class of non-monotonic systems of parallel queues

We investigate, under general stationary e`rgodic assumptions, the stability of systems of S parallel queues in which any incoming customer joins the queue of the server having the p + 1-th shortest workload (p
The Evolution of Commercial Law Norms: Lessons to be Learned from Electronic Commerce

Commercial law in the United States is the product of centuries of development. For many years, apart from the common law influences of our mother country, the development of commercial norms and commercial laws in the United States occurred with relatively little regard for international norms and international commercial law developments. Indeed, for many scholars in the United States looking at the development of commercial law norms, the study of commercial law had been primarily inwardly focused, for example, on the role of entities such as the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws and the American Law Institute in the process, or the appropriate allocation of responsibility between the states and the federal government.
Unlabeled equivalence for matroids representable over finite fields

Two r X n matrices A and A' representing the same matroid M over GF(q), where q is a prime power, are projective equivalent representations of M if one can be obtained from the other by elementary row operations and column scaling. Bounds for projective inequivalence are difficult to obtain and are known for only a few special classes of matroids. In this paper we define two matrices A and A' to be geometric equivalent if, in addition to row operations and column scaling, column permutations are also allowed. We show that the number of geometric inequivalent representations is at most the number of projective inequivalent representions and we give a polynomial time algorithm for determining if two projective inequivalent representations are geometrically equivalent. Thus, from a computational perspective there is no additional cost to altering the definition of equivalence in this manner. The benefit is that it could lead to a new set of theorems for inequivalence with better bounds.
Prediction with a generalized cost of error function

Classical prediction theory limits itself to quadratic cost functions, and hence least-square predictors. However, the cost functions that arise in practice in economics and management situations are not likely to be quadratic in form, and frequently will be non-symmetric. It is the object of this paper to throw light on prediction in such situations and to suggest some practical implications. It is suggested that a useful, although sub-optimal, manner of taking into account generalized cost functions is to add a constant bias term to the predictor. Two theorems are proved showing that under fairly general conditions the bias term can be taken to be zero when one uses a symmetric cost function. If the cost function is a non-symmetric linear function, an expression for the bias can be simply obtained.
Measuring and modeling diffuse scattering in protein X-ray crystallography.

X-ray diffraction has the potential to provide rich information about the structural dynamics of macromolecules. To realize this potential, both Bragg scattering, which is currently used to derive macromolecular structures, and diffuse scattering, which reports on correlations in charge density variations, must be measured. Until now, measurement of diffuse scattering from protein crystals has been scarce because of the extra effort of collecting diffuse data. Here, we present 3D measurements of diffuse intensity collected from crystals of the enzymes cyclophilin A and trypsin. The measurements were obtained from the same X-ray diffraction images as the Bragg data, using best practices for standard data collection. To model the underlying dynamics in a practical way that could be used during structure refinement, we tested translation–libration–screw (TLS), liquid-like motions (LLM), and coarse-grained normal-modes (NM) models of protein motions. The LLM model provides a global picture of motions and was refined against the diffuse data, whereas the TLS and NM models provide more detailed and distinct descriptions of atom displacements, and only used information from the Bragg data. Whereas different TLS groupings yielded similar Bragg intensities, they yielded different diffuse intensities, none of which agreed well with the data. In contrast, both the LLM and NM models agreed substantially with the diffuse data. These results demonstrate a realistic path to increase the number of diffuse datasets available to the wider biosciences community and indicate that dynamics-inspired NM structural models can simultaneously agree with both Bragg and diffuse scattering.
Gold-Catalyzed Dearomative Spirocyclization of Aryl Alkynoate Esters

Aryl alkynoate esters undergo gold-catalyzed spirocyclization under mild conditions, affording spirolactones in high yields. This approach obviates the need for stoichiometric halogenating reagents typically employed for alkyne activation in related transformations. Water was found to play a critical role in governing the product selectivity. Anhydrous conditions lead selectively to coumarin products, as has previously been observed for aryl alkynoate esters, while the addition of 1 equiv of water leads selectively to spirocycle formation.
Remote Sensing With Ambient Noise

Ambient noise is ubiquitous in the ocean. For many years, this noise has been considered the unwanted part of the acoustic signal. However, recent studies have shown that the noise itself contains valuable information about properties of the ocean, Earth, and atmosphere. For example, distant storms have been observed using measurements of low‐frequency (0.1‐Hz) noise that has propagated through the Earth’s core. Wind speed over the ocean has also been determined hundreds of kilometers away using noise measurements at coastal observing stations. At higher frequencies, surface wave noise due to breaking waves has been used to image the seabed and reveal details of the sub‐bottom structure. In general, these techniques are based on cross‐correlations of noise signals measured at different locations. These cross‐correlations produce an estimate of the Green’s function (impulse response) between the two points which can be used to characterize the medium. With concerns over the impact of anthropogenic sound on...
C-130 Aerodynamic Loads Assessment for the USN/USMC Part I: P-3C CFD Verification

The flow solver USM3D verified during the P-3 Service Life Assessment Program (SLAP) in 2000 was evaluated and used to predict aerodynamic loads of the C130 aircraft with propeller and engine exhaust effects in support of the US Navy/Marine Corps structural analysis program. Reverification of the flow solver was needed due to improvements made on the code since the last application to a propeller-driven aircraft. The lack of wind tunnel or flight test data for the C-130 necessitated use of the P-3C as an alternative due to their geometric similarities that include the presence of four similar propellers and power output. Efforts were made to select flight conditions similar to those of planned computations for the C-130, and the calculations were made for takeoff, cruise and landing conditions at low and medium speeds. The forces and moments predicted by the flow solver USM3D CFD code that included the effects of propellers and flap settings compared very reasonably with the wind-tunnel data for the regime where the flow is linear. This is where stress analysis is most concerned with the accuracy of the surface pressure distribution and forces and moments. In addition to the analysis using the half-body geometries, effects of the unidirectional propeller rotations using the full-body simulation was investigated. Considering the improved engines used in the C-130, the computationally predicted P-3C force & moment characteristics showed similar trends to those of the C-130, further ensuring the P-3C to be a good choice as the verification platform for the C-130 air loads analysis.
New Absolute Molecular Weight Method—Linear High Polymers

Abstract It has been shown that the shear-rate dependence of the viscosity of concentrated polymer solutions can be explained in terms of known parameters of the solution. If the concentration, temperature, zero shear viscosity, and molecular weight of the polymer are known, the decrease in viscosity with increasing shear rate can be predicted. Conversely, if one measures the shear-rate dependence of the viscosity, the molecular weight may be computed. We believe this provides a convenient method for the absolute determination of molecular weights of linear, coiling, high polymers.
Strong electron-phonon interaction effects in modulated transient reflectance spectra of Ga.50In.50P☆

Abstract Time-resolved modulated reflection spectrum near the fundamental edge of MBE-grown direct-gap GaxIn1−xP (x = 0.5) has been studied by using sensitive picosecond excite-probe methods. The spectrum at 77K shows considerable structure in comparison with steady-state photoluminescence data. In particular, a strong optical phonon coupling effect has been observed in the transient spectra, suggestive of impurity intermediated bound polaron behavior.
Polynomial Time Algorithm for Area and Power Efficient Adder Synthesis in High-Performance Designs

Adders are the most fundamental arithmetic units, and often on the timing critical paths of microprocessors. Among various adder configurations, parallel prefix adders provide the best performance vs. power/area trade-off, especially for higher bit-widths. With aggressive technology scaling, the performance of a parallel prefix adder, in addition to the dependence on the logic-level, is determined by wire-length and congestion which can be mitigated by adjusting fan-out. This paper proposes a polynomial-time algorithm to synthesize ${n}$ bit parallel prefix adders targeting the minimization of the size of the prefix graph with ${\log _{2} n}$ logic level and any arbitrary fan-out restriction. A structure aware prefix node cloning is then applied to the resultant prefix adder solutions to further optimize the size of the prefix graphs. The design space exploration by our approach provides a set of pareto-optimal solutions for delay vs. power trade-off, and these pareto-optimal solutions can be used in high-performance designs instead of picking from a fixed library (Kogge–Stone, Sklansky, etc.). Experimental results demonstrate that our approach: 1) excels highly competitive industry standard Synopsys design compiler adder, regular adders such as Sklansky adder and Kogge–Stone adder, and a highly run-time/memory intensive recent algorithm in 32 nm technology node and 2) improves performance/area over even 64 bit custom designed adders targeting 22 nm technology library and implemented in an industrial high-performance design.
The XL-mHG test for enrichment: Algorithms, bounds, and power.

8 The XL-mHG test is a semiparametric test for enrichment in ranked lists with boolean (0/1-valued) entries. It is a generalization of the nonparametric mHG test, designed to provide some control over the kind of enrichment that is being tested for, and to allow a flexible trade-off between the sensitivity and robustness of the test. Here, I describe an improved algorithm to efficiently calculate the XL-mHG p-value p, and discuss upper and lower bounds for p. Furthermore, I perform simulations to show that the mHG test is a significantly more powerful alternative to the Kolmogorov-Smirnov (KS) test for detecting enrichment in scenarios that are frequently encountered in biological applications. An open-source Python/Cython implementation of the XL-mHG test is provided in the xlmhg package, available from PyPI and GitHub (https://github.com/flo-compbio/xlmhg) under an OSI-approved license. 9
Radiography of Trigeminal Neuralgia and Hemifacial Spasm

Radiographic findings in 68 patients with trigeminal neuralgia and 24 patients with hemifacial spasm are reviewed. The relative value of various radiographic diagnostic procedures is discussed. Trigeminal neuralgia and hemifacial spasm are usually caused by vascular compression of the trigeminal root entry zone and facial nerve exit zone respectively. Computed tomography (CT) of the posterior fossa is the only radiographic screening procedure required. Angiography should be reserved for patients in whom CT findings suggest an aneurysm or tumor.