cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evolutionary design of photometric systems and its application to Gaia

How do I find the optimal photometric system for a survey? Designing a photometric system to best fulfil a set of scientific goals is a complex task, demanding a compromise between often conflicting scientific requirements, and being subject to various instrumental constraints. A specific example is the determination of stellar astrophysical parameters (APs) -e ffective temperature, surface gravity, metallicity etc. - across a wide range of stellar types. I present a novel approach to this problem which makes minimal assumptions about the required filter system. By considering a filter system as a set of free parameters (central wavelengths, profile widths etc.), it may be designed by optimizing some figure-of-merit (FoM) with respect to these parameters. In the example considered, the FoM is a measure of how well the filter system can "separate" stars with different APs. This separation is vectorial in nature, in the sense that the local directions of AP variance are preferably mutually orthogonal to avoid AP degeneracy. The optimization is carried out with an evolutionary algorithm, a population-based approach which uses principles of evolutionary biology to efficiently search the parameter space. This model, HFD (Heuristic Filter Design), is applied to the design of photometric systems for the Gaia space astrometry mission. The optimized systems show a number of interesting features, not least the persistence of broad, overlapping filters. These HFD systems perform as least as well as other proposed systems for Gaia - as measured by this FoM - although inadequacies in all of these systems at removing degeneracies remain. Ideas for improving the model are discussed. The principles underlying HFD are quite generic and may be applied to filter design for numerous other projects, such as the search for specific types of objects or photometric redshift determination.
Globalizing manufacturing engineering education

The discipline of manufacturing engineering in the U.S. was established in the 1960s, a period when U.S. corporations and products dominated the global economy. Any form of engineering education that ignores the reality of multinational corporations, global supply chains, and international markets looks increasingly outmoded and provincial. The need to acknowledge the global aspects of engineering activity is beginning to be recognized in engineering education, and the need is especially acute in manufacturing engineering education. The shrinkage of the U. S. manufacturing sector portrayed by popular media is an supported by more intensive manufacturing engineering work in order to maintain the status quo of product value produced. The demand for well-educated manufacturing engineers worldwide is likely to increase in the long term. Very few U.S. manufacturing engineering programs explicitly recognize the global aspects of manufacturing at the course level.
Offshore transport of sediment during cyclonic storms: Hurricane Ike (2008), Texas Gulf Coast, USA

Extreme storms can have a large impact on coastal sediment budgets and the character of strata preserved in the geologic record. Here, we investigate the impact of a cyclonic storm-surge flood and ebb on sediment transport in a microtidal beach barrier–shelf system. Hurricane Ike made landfall on the Texas (United States) coast on 13 September 2008. The accompanying storm surge flooded Galveston Bay with up to 5 m of water above sea level. The surge flood and ebb preferentially flowed over a low-elevation, bay-fronting spit known as the Bolivar Peninsula, destroying buildings and eroding sediments. Surge waters also flowed through Bolivar Roads tidal inlet, the main passageway through the barrier system that separates the gulf and the bay. Bathymetry, Chirp data, and samples were collected in Bolivar Roads tidal inlet 9 to 10 d after the storm, and we compare them here to data collected 4 mo prior. Additional data were collected offshore of Bolivar Peninsula in October 2008. Our results document the dominance of the storm-surge ebb in forcing sediment transport through the inlet, which is not considered in models of beach-barrier evolution. Shoreface sands appear to have been incised by the storm, and advected with beach-barrier sediments sufficiently offshore by the storm-surge ebb that they cannot be reincorporated, indicating a significant loss to the barrier system9s sediment budget as a result of a single storm.
Outer Product Expansions and Their Uses in Digital Image Processing

This paper is intended as a tutorial review of certain digital image processing transform techniques utilizing the notion of outer product expansions. Examples from Fourier, Walsh, Haar, and other well known transforms are reviewed in the notation of matrix-vector outer products; and implementation of the singular value decomposition (SVD) of large sized images is presented. The use of the SVD as an aid in image restoration utilizing the pseudoinverses is presented. Conditions on the point spread matrix are investigated in the light of singular value decomposition, Kronecker products, and general imaging conditions.
Hartmann’s Colectomy and Reversal in Diverticulitis: A Population-Level Assessment

This study was designed to assess the costs and outcomes of colostomy and colostomy reversal in patients with diverticulitis and examine the impact of such procedures on the health care system. We employed a retrospective design and used a Washington State administrative database to identify patients undergoing operations with colostomy (1987–2002) who were followed over time. Descriptive and comparative analysis was performed, focusing on patients with diverticulitis. There were 16,556 patients who underwent colostomy and 5,420 (32.7 percent) were for diverticulitis and its related complications (mean age, 64.8 ± 15.1 years; 53.2 percent female). In patients with diverticulitis, the rate of colostomy reversal was 56.3 percent (80 percent in patients less than 50 years, and 30 percent in patients over 77 years). The in-hospital mortality rate after colostomy reversal was 0.36 percent, and was 2.6 percent in those over 77 years of age. After colostomy reversal a second stoma was used in 3.4 percent, reoperation was required for bleeding complications in 0.6 percent, and infectious complications were noted in 2 percent. The length of time from colostomy to its reversal was approximately five months (138.1 ± 164 days; interquartile range, 72–156). The relationship between the length of time from colostomy to reversal was evaluated and the adjusted odds of a second stoma being used at the time of colostomy reversal were 45 percent higher (odds ratio, 1.45; 95 percent confidence interval, 1.22, 1.73) for each increase in time interval ( 12 months). One-third of all colostomies were related to diverticulitis and only 56 percent were reversed. We identified a higher than expected mortality rate among older patients undergoing colostomy reversal. The impact of colostomy and reversal operations on both patients and the health care system is significant.
Economic Growth in an Interdependent World Economy

In this article we address the question: what is the best way to characterise the lowfrequency movements of major macroeconomic aggregates in a group of countries? In an influential paper, Mankiw, Romer and Weil (MRW) (1992) argued that an amended form of the Solow (1956)-Swan (1956) model provides a good description of the facts. Examining recently available data for a large set of countries, we find that saving and population growth affect income distribution in the directions that Solow predicted. Moreover, more than half of the cross-country variation in income per capita can be explained by these two variables alone. (MRW, p. 407) A possible alternative to the Solow-Swan model is some variant of a model of endogenous growth either in the form of the AK model developed by Romer (1986), Lucas (1988) and Rebelo (1991) or in the subsequent group of models by Romer (1990), Grossman and Helpman (1991a, b), and Aghion and Howitt (1992) that focus more explicitly on the determinants of technological change. In this article we study a two-sector two-country version of the AK model and we argue that this model is a more attractive paradigm for the study of a collection of interdependent national economies than the MRW variant of the Solow-Swan model. Endogenous growth models have been criticised byJones (1995) who points to an important prediction of the AK model; periods with high investment ratios should be periods of high growth rates. Jones examines postwar data from the US and from a sample of eight OECD countries: He finds that while investment to GDP ratios have risen in many countries over the postwar period, GDP growth rates have stayed roughly constant or have fallen. McGrattan (1998) argued that Jones overstates the case in favour of the Solow-Swan model. She points to evidence from longer time series for a larger panel than that examined byJones. McGrattan finds, using data from Maddison (1992, 1995) for 18701989, that
An interactive design system to be taught 3D graphical-mathematical procedures☆

Abstract A designer doing 3D mechanical layout needs to mix graphical and mathematical operations, as for example: point to a 3D object displayed on the screen and use its location to compute a position to insert another object. It would be desirable to teach complex new procedures to the system by performing the procedure once. This would free the designer to develop procedures tailored to his own needs without relying on programming support. Thus new design applications could be readily generated. We are presently completing such a system.
Clapping modes in unconventional superconductors

Abstract We consider a superconducting state with a mixed symmetry order parameter components, e.g. d + is or d + id′ with d′ = d xy . We argue for the existence of the new orbital magnetization mode which corresponds to the oscillations of relative phase φ between two components around an equilibrium value of φ = π 2 . It is similar to the so called “clapping” mode in superfluid 3 He - A . We estimate the frequency of this mode ω 0 ( B, T ) depending on the field and temperature for the specific case of magnetic field induced d′ state. We find that this mode is tunable with an applied magnetic field with ω 0 ( B, T ) ∝ B Δ 0 , where Δ 0 is the magnitude of the d-wave order parameter. We argue also that similar filed induced clapping mode should be present in an organic p-wave superconductors.
Global structure of evaporating black holes

Abstract By extending the charged Vaidya metric to cover all of spacetime, we obtain a Penrose diagram for the formation and evaporation of a charged black hole. In this construction, the singularity is time-like. The entire spacetime can be predicted from initial conditions if boundary conditions at the singularity are known.
Atrazine and water quality : An evaluation of alternative policy options

Atrazine is one of the most effective and inexpensive herbicides used in corn and sorghum production. Atrazine is also one of the most frequently detected chemicals in water systems. This paper uses the CEEPES model to evaluate the benefit-risk tradeoffs associated with five policies to restrict atrazine use. Banning atrazine completely would cost $240 million, with no improvement in water quality. Banning all triazines would improve water quality, but it would cost nearly $740 million. Restricting atrazine use to only post emergent applications had similar effects as a complete ban. The most effective policies appear to be atrazine restrictions based on federal health standards of 3 ppb or 100 ppb—water quality was greatly improved at a cost of between $160–$230 million. These results must be conditional, however, since monitoring and enforcement costs are not included explicitly in CEEPES.
Luminosity Profiles of Merger Remnants

Using published luminosity and molecular gas profiles of the late-stage mergers NGC 3921, NGC 7252, and Arp 220, we examine the expected luminosity profiles of the evolved merger remnants, especially in light of the massive CO complexes that are observed in their nuclei. For NGC 3921 and NGC 7252, we predict that the resulting luminosity profiles will be characterized by an r 1/4 law. In view of previous optical work on these systems, it seems likely that they will evolve into normal elliptical galaxies as regards their optical properties. Due to a much higher central molecular gas column density, Arp 220 might not evolve such a “seamless” light profile. We conclude that ultraluminous infrared mergers such as Arp 220 either evolve into elliptical galaxies with anomalous luminosity profiles or do not produce many low-mass stars out of their molecular gas complexes. Subject headings: galaxies: evolution — galaxies: individual (Arp 220, NGC 3921, NGC 7252) — galaxies: interactions — infrared: galaxies — ISM: molecules
Strings, textures, inflation and spectrum bending

Abstract We discuss the relationship between inflation and various models of production of density inhomogeneties due to strings, global monopoles, textures and other topological and non-topological defects. Neither of these models leads to a consistent cosmological theory without the help of inflation. However, each of these models can be incorporated into inflationary cosmology. We propose a model of inflationary phase transitions, which, in addition to topological and non-topological defects, may provide adiabatic density perturbations with a sharp maximum between the galaxy scale l g and the horizon scale l H .
Systematic Rotation and Receiver Location Error Effects on Parabolic Trough Annual Performance

This report deals with the effects of certain systematic errors on performance and, therefore, their influence on the design of troughs. Systematic rotation error is the angle between the reflector vertex-focus axis and the vertex-sun axis; systematic receiver location error is the vectorial deviation of a receiver from focus. The existence of systematic rotation errors and systematic receiver location errors can have a significant effect on the annual performance of parabolic trough collectors. These systematic errors can exist in addition to errors which are random in nature and which, therefore, can be treated statistically. Systematic rotation errors of 16 milliradians result in annual performance degradation of greater than 30 percent. Systematic receiver location errors can have a similar effect depending upon magnitude. The technique for calculating the influence of systematic errors on performance is outlined and methods of identifying and minimizing these errors are suggested.
Independence of the Total Reflexivity Conditions for Modules

We show that the conditions defining total reflexivity for modules are independent. In particular, we construct a commutative Noetherian local ring R and a reflexive R-module M such that Ext R i (M,R)=0 for all i>0, but Ext R i (M*,R)≠0 for all i>0.
High-field pulsed microwigglers

Abstract Conventional wigglers made with periods of less than a few centimeters generate light of short wavelength, but usually have low gain because of their low fields. Iron-free electromagnets driven by high pulsed currents can generate the high fields needed. We will discuss the design and construction of such magnets.
European integration: the third step

A perception of declining EU competitiveness has intensified calls for structural reforms within the EU. This paper examines recent evidence on changes in relative EU competitiveness and considers the observed changes in relation to the evolving competitive environment facing EU firms. Our analysis suggests that recent declines in EU competitiveness reflect changes (or lack thereof) within the EU in response to an evolutionary “Third Step” in the process of EU integration: global market integration. Starting from the mid-1990s, we find that the EU began to face unprecedented increases in external sources of competition. The rising competition from external sources and declining export market competitiveness created pressures for EU firms to alter their organizational and product market strategies to meet the challenge of a globally integrating market. While many leading EU firms have responded to this challenge, most EU firms remain hampered by anachronistic EU product and labor market regulations that have inhibited adjustments that could better restore the competitiveness of EU based firms. In particular, our analysis points to labor market rigidities and limited growth in the services sector as factors limiting adjustment to the realities of a global market. The growing calls for structural reforms therefore reflect the rising external competitive pressures on EU firms as they attempt to respond to growing global competition.
Determining Microscopic Viscoelasticity in Flexible and Semiflexible Polymer Networks from Thermal Fluctuations

We have developed a new technique to measure viscoelasticity in soft materials such as entangled polymer solutions, by monitoring thermal fluctuations of embedded probe particles using laser interferometry in a microscope. Interferometry allows us to obtain power spectra of fluctuating beads from 0.1 Hz to 20 kHz, with subnanometer spatial resolution. Using linear response theory, we determined the frequency-dependent loss and storage shear moduli up to frequencies on the order of a kilohertz. Our technique measures local values of the viscoelastic response, without actively straining the system, and is especially suited to soft biopolymer networks. We studied semiflexible F-actin solutions and, as a control, flexible poly(acrylamide) (PAAm) gels, the latter close to their gelation threshold. With small particles, we could probe the transition from macroscopic viscoelasticity to more complex microscopic dynamics. In the macroscopic limit we find shear moduli at 0.1 Hz of G‘ = 0.11 ± 0.03 and 0.17 ± 0.07 P...
THE ORBITAL STRUCTURE OF TRIAXIAL GALAXIES WITH FIGURE ROTATION

We survey the properties of all orbit families in the rotating frame of a family of realistic triaxial potentials with central supermassive black holes (SMBHs). In such galaxies, most regular box orbits (vital for maintaining triaxiality) are associated with resonances which occupy two-dimensional surfaces in configuration space. For slow figure rotation all orbit families are largely stable. At intermediate pattern speeds a significant fraction of the resonant box orbits as well as inner long-axis tubes are destabilized by the "envelope doubling" that arises from the Coriolis forces and are driven into the destabilizing center. Thus, for pattern rotation periods 2 x 10 8 yr ≲ T p ≲ 5 x 10 9 yr, the two orbit families that are most important for maintaining triaxiality are highly chaotic. As pattern speed increases there is also a sharp decrease in the overall fraction of prograde short-axis tubes and a corresponding increase in the retrograde variety. At the highest pattern speeds (close to that of triaxial bars), box-like orbits undergo a sudden transition to a new family of stable retrograde loop-like orbits, which resemble orbits in three-dimensional bars, and circulate about the short axis. Our analysis implies that triaxial systems (with central cusps and SMBHs) could either be very rapidly rotating like fast bars or slowly rotating like triaxial elliptical galaxies or dark matter halos found in N-body simulations. Collisionless triaxial systems that remain in stable dynamical equilibrium are unlikely to have intermediate pattern speeds which produce a high level of stochasticity in both the box and inner long-axis tube orbit families.
THE INTER-ERUPTION TIMESCALE OF CLASSICAL NOVAE FROM EXPANSION OF THE Z CAMELOPARDALIS SHELL

The dwarf nova Z Camelopardalis is surrounded by the largest known classical nova shell. This shell demonstrates that at least some dwarf novae must have undergone classical nova eruptions in the past, and that at least some classical novae become dwarf novae long after their nova thermonuclear outbursts. The current size of the shell, its known distance, and the largest observed nova ejection velocity set a lower limit to the time since Z Cam's last outburst of 220 years. The radius of the brightest part of Z Cam's shell is currently ~880 arcsec. No expansion of the radius of the brightest part of the ejecta was detected, with an upper limit of ≤0.17 arcsec yr^(–1). This suggests that the last Z Cam eruption occurred ≥5000 years ago. However, including the important effect of deceleration as the ejecta sweeps up interstellar matter in its snowplow phase reduces the lower limit to 1300 years. This is the first strong test of the prediction of nova thermonuclear runaway theory that the interoutburst times of classical novae are longer than 1000 years. The intriguing suggestion that Z Cam was a bright nova, recorded by Chinese imperial astrologers in October-November 77 B.C.E., is consistent with our measurements. If Z Cam was indeed the nova of 77 B.C.E. we predict that its ejecta are currently expanding at 85 km s^(–1), or 0.11 arcsec yr^(–1). Detection and measurement of this rate of expansion should be possible in just a few years.
Long-range rapidity correlations in heavy ion collisions at strong coupling from AdS/CFT

We use AdS/CFT correspondence to study two-particle correlations in heavy ion collisions at strong coupling. Modeling the colliding heavy ions by shock waves on the gravity side, we observe that at early times after the collision there are long-range rapidity correlations present in the two-point functions for the glueball and the energy-momentum tensor operators. We estimate rapidity correlations at later times by assuming that the evolution of the system is governed by ideal Bjorken hydrodynamics, and find that glueball correlations in this state are suppressed at large rapidity intervals, suggesting that late-time medium dynamics can not “wash out” the long-range rapidity correlations that were formed at early times. These results may provide an insight on the nature of the “ridge” correlations observed in heavy ion collision experiments at RHIC and LHC, and in proton-proton collisions at LHC.
Truncated singular value decomposition method for calibrating a Stokes polarimeter

We present a method for calibrating polarimeters that uses a set of well-characterized reference polarizations and makes no assumptions about the optics contained in the polarimeter other than their linearity. The method requires that a matrix be constructed that contains the data acquired for each of the reference polarization states and that this matrix be pseudo-inverted. Since this matrix is usually singular, we improve the method by performing the pseudo-inversion by singular value decomposition, keeping only the four largest singular values. We demonstrate the calibration technique using an imaging polarimeter based upon liquid crystal variable retarders and with light emitting diode (LED) illumination centered at 472 nm, 525 nm, and 630 nm. We generate the reference polarizations by an unpolarized source, a single polarizer, and a Fresnel rhomb. This method is particularly useful when calibrations are performed on field-grade instruments at a centrally maintained facility and when a traceability chain needs to be maintained.
American murder mystery revisited: do housing voucher households cause crime?

Potential neighbors often express worries that Housing Choice Voucher holders heighten crime. Yet, no research systematically examines the link between the presence of voucher holders in a neighborhood and crime. Our article aims to do just this, using longitudinal, neighborhood-level crime, and voucher utilization data in 10 large US cities. We test whether the presence of additional voucher holders leads to elevated crime, controlling for neighborhood fixed effects, time-varying neighborhood characteristics, and trends in the broader sub-city area in which the neighborhood is located. In brief, crime tends to be higher in census tracts with more voucher households, but that positive relationship becomes insignificant after we control for unobserved differences across census tracts and falls further when we control for trends in the broader area. We find far more evidence for an alternative causal story; voucher use in a neighborhood tends to increase in tracts that have seen increases in crime, suggesti...
Complexity of computing with extended propositional logic programs

In this paper we introduce the notion of anF-program, whereF is a collection of formulas. We then study the complexity of computing withF-programs.F-programs can be regarded as a generalization of standard logic programs. Clauses (or rules) ofF-programs are built of formulas fromF. In particular, formulas other than atoms are allowed as “building blocks” ofF-program rules. Typical examples ofF are the set of all atoms (in which case the class of ordinary logic programs is obtained), the set of all literals (in this case, we get the class of logic programs with classical negation [9]), the set of all Horn clauses, the set of all clauses, the set of all clauses with at most two literals, the set of all clauses with at least three literals, etc. The notions of minimal and stable models [16, 1, 7] of a logic program have natural generalizations to the case ofF-programs. The resulting notions are called in this paperminimal andstable answer sets. We study the complexity of reasoning involving these notions. In particular, we establish the complexity of determining the existence of a stable answer set, and the complexity of determining the membership of a formula in some (or all) stable answer sets. We study the complexity of the existence of minimal answer sets, and that of determining the membership of a formula in all minimal answer sets. We also list several open problems.
A Simple, Modular Synthesis of Substituted Pyridines

A simple, modular method to prepare highly substituted pyridines is disclosed. The method employs a cascade reaction comprising (1) a novel N-iminative, Cu-catalyzed cross-coupling of alkenylboronic acids at the N-O bond of alpha,beta-unsaturated ketoxime O-pentafluorobenzoates, (2) electrocyclization of the resulting 3-azatriene, and (3) air oxidation affording highly substituted pyridines in moderate to excellent isolated yields (43-91%). Starting materials are readily available, and functional group tolerance is very good.
Optimal wiresizing for interconnects with multiple sources

In this paper, we study the optimal wiresizing problem for nets with multiple sources under the RC tree model and the Elmore delay model. We decompose the routing tree for a multisource net into the source subtree (SST) and a set of loading subtrees (LSTs), and show that the optimal wiresizing solution satisfies a number of interesting properties, including: LST separability, the LST monotone property, the SST local monotone property, and the dominance property. Furthermore, we study the optimal wiresizing problem using a variable segment-division rather than an a priori fixed segment-division as in all previous works and reveal the bundled refinement property. These properties lead to efficient algorithms to compute the optimal solutions. We have tested our algorithm on nets extracted from the multilayer layout for a high-performance Intel microprocessor. Accurate SPICE simulation shows that our methods reduce the average delay by up to 23.5% and the maximum delay by up to 37.8%, respectively, for the submicron CMOS technology when compared to the minimal wire width solution. In addition, the algorithm based on the variable segment-division yields a speedup of over 100× time and does not lose any accuracy, when compared with the algorithm based on the a priori fixed segment-division.
An improved procedure for the ireland-claisen rearrangement of allyl fluoroacetates

Abstract The Ireland-Claisen rearrangement of allyl flouroacetates was effected by treatment of the starting esters with trialkylsilyltriflates in the presence of tertiary amines. The stereoselective formation of the products was rationalized as resulting from equilibration of the stereochemistry of the silyl ester products under the reaction conditions.
Recent Highlights from IceCube

The ~1 km 3 IceCube neutrino observatory was completed in December, 2010 and is taking data on cosmic-ray muons and neutrinos, extraterrestrial neutrinos, and setting limits on a variety of exotic phenomena. This proceeding will cover recent IceCube results, with an emphasis on cosmic rays and on searches for extraterrestrial neutrinos, with a stress on results presented at the 2013 International Cosmic Ray Conference.
Cosmic rays and the emission line regions of active galactic nuclei

The effects that the synchrotron emitting relativistic electrons could have on the emission line regions which characterize active nuclei are discussed. Detailed models of both the inner, dense, broad line region and the outer, lower density, narrow line region are presented, together with the first models of the optically emitting gas often found within extended radio lobes. If the relativistic gas which produces the synchrotron radio emission is mixed with the emission line region gas then significant changes in the emission line spectrum will result. The effects of the synchrotron emitting electrons on filaments in the Crab Nebula are discussed in an appendix, along with a comparison between the experimental calculations, which employ the mean escape probability formalism, and recent Hubbard and Puetter models.
On Transverse Knots and Branched Covers

We study contact manifolds that arise as cyclic branched covers of transverse knots in the standard contact 3-sphere. We discuss properties of these contact manifolds and describe them in terms of open books and contact surgeries. In many cases we show that such branched covers are contactomorphic for smoothly isotopic transverse knots with the same self-linking number. These pairs of knots include most of the nontransversely simple knots of Birman-Menasco and Ng-Ozsvath-Thurston.
High pressure effects on thermal properties of MgO

Using the non-empirical Variational Induced Breathing (VIB) model, the thermal properties of periclase (MgO) under high pressures and temperatures are investigated using molecular dynamics, which includes all anharmonic effects. Equations of state for temperatures up to 3000K and pressures up to 310 GPa were calculated. Bulk modulus, thermal expansivity, Anderson-Gruneisen parameter, thermal pressure, Gruneisen parameter and their pressure and temperature dependencies are studied in order to better understand high pressure effects on thermal properties. The results agree very well with experiments and show that the thermal expansivity decreases with pressure up to about 100 GPa (η=0.73), and is almost pressure and temperature independent above this compression. It is also effected by anharmonicity at zero pressure and temperatures above 2500K. The thermal pressure changes very little with increasing pressures and temperatures, and the Gruneisen parameter is temperature independent and decreases slightly with pressure.
The Dirichlet series for the exterior square L-function on GL(n)

We present an elementary derivation of the Jacquet–Shalika construction for the exterior square L-function on GL(n), as a classical Dirichlet series in the Fourier coefficients A(m1,…,mn−1).
Who Offers Tax-Based Business Development Incentives?

Abstract Many American communities seek to attract or retain businesses with tax abatements, tax credits, or tax increment financing of infrastructure projects (TIFs). The evidence for 1999 indicates that communities are most likely to offer one or more of these business development incentives if their residents have low incomes, if they are located close to state borders, and if their states have troubled political cultures. Ten percent greater median household income is associated with a 3.2% lower probability of offering incentives; 10% greater distance from a state border is associated with a 1.0% lower probability of offering incentives; and a 10% higher rate at which government officials are convicted of federal corruption crimes is associated with a 1.2% greater probability of offering business incentives. TIFs are the preferred incentive of communities whose residents have household incomes between $25,000 and $75,000; whereas TIFs are much less commonly offered by communities whose residents have household incomes below $25,000. The need to finance TIFs out of incremental tax revenues may make it infeasible for many of the poorest of communities to use TIFs for local business development.
Immigrant Generation and Diabetes Risk Among Mexican Americans: The Sacramento Area Latino Study on Aging

Objectives. We examined whether acculturation and immigrant generation, a marker for assimilation, are associated with diabetes risk in an aging Mexican-origin population.Methods. We analyzed data on 1789 adults aged 60 to 101 years from the Sacramento Area Latino Study on Aging. We ascertained type 2 diabetes on the basis of diabetic medication use, self-report of physician diagnosis, or a fasting glucose of 126 milligrams/deciliter or greater. Logistic regression modeled prevalent diabetes.Results. Adjusting for age and gender, we observed significant but divergent associations between immigrant generation, acculturation, and diabetes risk. Relative to first-generation adults, second-generation adults had an odds ratio (OR) of 1.8 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.4, 2.4) and third-generation adults had an OR of 2.1 (95% CI = 1.4, 3.1) of having diabetes. Greater US acculturation, however, was associated with a slightly decreased diabetes rate. In the full model adjusting for socioeconomic and lifestyle...
Color palette restoration

To build inexpensive image display hardware, designers severely restrict the number of colors which can be displayed simultaneously on a device. A color image of a natural scene typically has tens or hundreds of thousands of different colors in it. To display such an image on a reduced palette display device requires the image to be mapped from the full resolution color space to the reduced color space allowed by the device. Over the years, many algorithms for both selecting the reduced palette and for mapping the full resolution color space image to the reduced palette have been developed. This mapping is lossy and degrades the original image information. If the reduced color space image is processed using common image-processing algorithms, or if the image is viewed on a device with a higher resolution color space, this degradation is very noticeable. In these cases, much better results can be obtained by first reconstructing a full color image from the reduced palette image. This creates a need for a palette restoration algorithm. This paper develops an algorithm for reconstructing high-color-resolution image data from reduced color palette images. The algorithm is based on stochastic regularization using a non-Gaussian Markov random field model for the image data. This results in a constrained optimization algorithm which is solved using an iterative constrained gradient descent computational algorithm. Results of the proposed palette restoration algorithm have indicated that it is effective for the reconstruction of palettized images. Visual results of several experiments are presented.
Resolving Gas Dynamics in the Circumnuclear Region of a Disk Galaxy in a Cosmological Simulation

Using a hydrodynamic adaptive mesh refinement code, we simulate the growth and evolution of a galaxy, which could potentially host a supermassive black hole, within a cosmological volume. Reaching a dynamical range in excess of 10 million, the simulation follows the evolution of the gas structure from supergalactic scales all the way down to the outer edge of the accretion disk. Here we focus on global instabilities in the self-gravitating, cold, turbulence-supported, molecular gas disk at the center of the model galaxy, which provide a natural mechanism for angular momentum transport down to subparsec scales. The gas density profile follows a power law --> r−8/3, consistent with an analytic description of turbulence in a quasi-stationary circumnuclear disk. We analyze the properties of the disk which contribute to the instabilities and investigate the significance of instability for the galaxy's evolution and the growth of a supermassive black hole at the center.
Oxidative dehydrogenation of ethylbenzene over lanthanide oxide-promoted catalysts

Abstract The oxidative dehydrogenation of ethylbenzene (EB) to styrene (S) has been studied over molybdena-alumina promoted with lanthana, ceria, praseodymia or neodymia, as well as the unpromoted catalyst Reaction variables were: temperature, 450–550°C; space velocity, 360–1600 h−1; mole ratio of EB:02 = 1.7-3.0. There is an induction period of 2–3 hours at 500°C, during which conversion and selectivity increase to steady-state values which remain constant during 18 hours on stream. Air regeneration of the used catalyst results in a renewed induction period but identical steady-state values of conversion and selectivity. Pre-reduction of fresh catalyst does not eliminate the induction period and, surprisingly, steady-state conversion is lower for pre-reduced than for unreduced catalyst. The lanthanide oxide-promoted catalysts show 2–6% higher conversion, and 1–4% higher selectivity, than the unpromoted catalyst. Of the lanthanide oxides tested, praseodymia exhibits the highest promoting effect; it is also the most labile of these oxides in redox reactions. In the absence of oxygen (i.e., in non-oxidative dehydrogenation of ethylbenzene), conversions are substantially lower and the lanthanide oxides show no promoter effect. Coke is deposited during reaction of EB but does not result in deactivation or loss of surface area.
Electrocatalysis of CO tolerance in hydrogen oxidation reaction in PEM fuel cells

Abstract The electrocatalysis of CO tolerance in the hydrogen oxidation reaction was investigated for Pt/C, PtSn/C and PtRu/C electrocatalysts in proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells. Both half and single cell polarization characteristics were studied at several temperatures and CO partial pressures. It is proposed that the CO adsorption step occurs predominantly through a displacement path for PtSn/C and through a free site attack path for CO on both Pt/C and PtRu/C. The data are more consistent with the participation of linear (PtSn/C, and PtRu/C [T≤55°C]) and bridged bonded adsorbed CO on Pt/C and PtRu/C [T≥70°C]. The CO oxidation process occurs at different potentials depending on the nature of the electrode material. The oxidation of CO by the alloy catalysts is not the only contributor to CO tolerance. Changes in the thermodynamics and the kinetics of the CO adsorption process, induced by the alloy catalysts, also contribute to CO tolerance.
Spin-the-bottle sort and annealing sort: oblivious sorting via round-robin random comparisons

We study sorting algorithms based on randomized round-robin comparisons. Specifically, we study Spin-the-bottle sort, where comparisons are unrestricted, and Annealing sort, where comparisons are restricted to a distance bounded by a temperature parameter. Both algorithms are simple, randomized, data-oblivious sorting algorithms, which are useful in privacy-preserving computations, but, as we show, Annealing sort is much more efficient. We show that there is an input permutation that causes Spin-the-bottle sort to require Ω(n2 log n) expected time in order to succeed, and that in O(n2 log n) time this algorithm succeeds with high probability for any input. We also show there is an specification of Annealing sort that runs in O(n log n) time and succeeds with very high probability.
The application of vinylogous iminium salts and related synthons to the regiocontrolled preparation of 2,3- and 2,5-disubstituted pyrroles

Abstract The reaction of 1-substituted vinamidinium salts with sarcosine ethyl ester produced 2,3-disubstituted pyrroles; a similar reaction with glycine ethyl ester gave 2,5-disubstituted pyrroles. Reactions of related three-carbon synthons with sarcosine and glycine were studied under basic, neutral and acidic conditions which demonstrated the utility of these derivatives for the regiocontrolled preparation of disubstituted pyrroles.
Optical Properties Of Model Aerosols Growing Into Fogs

Model calculations of the time development of the ontical properties of maritime, urban and rural aerosols growing into fogs are given The calculations are carried out for several different ultimate temperatures and rates of change of temperature which lead to different degrees of supersaturation and conseouent optical properties. Different initial temperatures and relative humidities are examined. In the cases of lowest ultimate temperature the fog development and its optical properties are carried to the point at which a single mode distribution oceanic origin maritime aerosol 'becomes bimodal with a well separated heavy fog distribution. The time development of the aerosol near and through the supersaturation phase is obtained using the non-eouilibriun growth equations. The growth of sample point of each component distribution mode of the aerosol are tracked with time. Extinction coefficients are given for A = 0.55μm, 3.7 μm and 10.7μm.
Effect of geometry on ignition of a reactive solid - Acute angles

The ignition characteristics of a reactive solid having a wedge-shaped geometry of included angle ^0, with interrupted heating applied to the exposed sides, were determined by numerical integration. The equations were solved over a wide range of physiochemical parameters using an explicit finite-difference scheme for 0 = ir/4 and ir/8. The results are compared to previously reported results to delineate the effect of geometry and system parameters. These comparisons indicate that: 1) ignition delays are reduced by a factor of 3 to 4 for each halving of the wedge angle 0; 2) reactant consumption becomes increasingly important as 0 becomes more acute; and 3) geometry has a significant effect on, first, the value of the computed results and, second, on the ability to achieve ignition. Current results can be interpreted as a quantitative evaluation of geometrically induced ignition initiated at surface irregularities or "hotspots" that may be present on solid propellant surfaces. In addition, these results specifically apply to ignition at the tips of sharp arms of a finned region; the inverse effect would apply to the junction of the fin arms and main propellant body.
Prenatal prediction in myotonic dystrophy: guidelines for genetic counseling.

Prenatal prediction of myotonic dystrophy (Dm) is feasible because Dm is closely linked to the secretor (Se) locus and the Se status of the. fetus can be determined by examination of the amniotic fluid. A pregiiant woman with Dm and her husband presented a favorable mating for prenatal diagnosis. A Se-negative fetus would have been at high risk for Dm (92%, allowing for recombination). The fetus was found to he Se-positive and pregnancy was not terminated. Overall, 37.5% of matings are potentially favorable for prenatal prediction by linkage. The affected parent must be heterozygous at the secretor locus; the spouse must he either se/se or potentially Se/se. Otherwise, prenatal diagnosis is impossible. Guidelines have been prepared for intrauterine prediction of myotonic dystrophy in matings of various Se genotypes.
Properties of four partial orders on standard Young tableaux

Let SYTn be the set of all standard Young tableaux with n cells. After recalling the definitions of four partial orders, the weak, KL, geometric and chain orders on SYTn and some of their crucial properties, we prove three main results: • Intervals in any of these four orders essentially describe the product in a Hopf algebra of tableaux defined by Poirier and Reutenauer. • The map sending a tableau to its descent set induces a homotopy equivalence of the proper parts of all of these orders on tableaux with that of the Boolean algebra 2[n-1]. In particular, the Mobius function of these orders on tableaux is (-1)n-3. • For two of the four orders, one can define a more general order on skew tableaux having fixed inner boundary, and similarly analyze their homotopy type and Mobius function.
Frequency-domain simulations of a negative-index material with embedded gain

We solve the equations governing light propagation in a negative-index material with embedded nonlinearly saturable gain material using a frequency-domain model. We show that available gain materials can lead to complete loss compensation only if they are located in the regions where the field enhancement is maximal. We study the increased enhancement of the fields in the gain composite as well as in the metal inclusions and show analytically that the effective gain is determined by the average near-field enhancement.
Influences and conflicts of federal policies in academic–industrial scientific collaboration

This paper examines the role of the federal government in shaping the relationship between academics scientists and industry. There exists a potential conflict between government policies encouraging collaboration within academia and the policies encouraging collaboration between academia and industry. To test and model these potential conflicts, this paper uses data collected in a 2004–2005 survey by the Research Valuing Mapping Project (a project based at Georgia Tech and led by Barry Bozeman) of more than 2000 academically based research scientists and engineers. The major finding in this paper shows that academic scientists working with industry collaborate more (with all types of collaborators) than those that do not collaborate with industry. However, when examining only those scientist that collaborate with industry, the results reveal a negative relationship between the amount of time spent collaborating with industry and the number of collaborators; implying that increasing collaboration with industry leads to less academic–academic collaboration.
Inventing the axial age: the origins and uses of a historical concept

The concept of the axial age, initially proposed by the philosopher Karl Jaspers to refer to a period in the first millennium BCE that saw the rise of major religious and philosophical figures and ideas throughout Eurasia, has gained an established position in a number of fields, including historical sociology, cultural sociology, and the sociology of religion. We explore whether the notion of an “axial age” has historical and intellectual cogency, or whether the authors who use the label of a more free-floating “axiality” to connote varied “breakthroughs” in human experience may have a more compelling case. Throughout, we draw attention to ways in which uses of the axial age concept in contemporary social science vary in these and other respects. In the conclusion, we reflect on the value of the concept and its current uses and their utility in making sense of human experience.
Magnetic Susceptibility as a Biosignature

INTRODUCTION One of the goals of geobiology is to understand the early evolution of life by examining the nature of the most primitive organisms, the environment in which they evolved, and the way in which they influenced that environment. Such endeavors assume that it is easy to differentiate the biotic from the abiotic, whether in ancient rocks on Earth or elsewhere in our solar system. But what constitutes a robust biosignature? What may seem straightforward in theory is difficult in practice. Therefore, determining what is, or is not, a biosignature represents one of the most significant challenges in geobiology today. The focus of this research is on developing a new biosignature, based on magnetic susceptibility of microbialites, taking advantage of recent technological advances applied in a novel way to geobiological questions. Microbialites are macroscopic sedimentary structures built by or influenced by microorganisms— stromatolites, presumed to constitute some of the oldest evidence for life on Earth (Allwood et al., 2006; Hoffman et al., 1999)—are probably the “celebrity” of the microbialite world. Stromatolites are most commonly defined as laminated organo-sedimentary structures built by the trapping and binding and/or precipitation of minerals by microbial mats (Riding and Awramik, 2000; Walter et al., 1976). By this