cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Optimal control with regular objectives using an abstraction-refinement approach

This paper presents a method to synthesize a sequence of control inputs for a discrete-time piecewise linear system equipped with a cost function, such that the controlled system behavior satisfies a finite-word linear-time temporal objective with minimal cost. An abstract finite state weighted transition system is constructed, such that the cost of the optimal control on the abstract system provides an upper bound on the cost of the optimal control for the original system. Specifically, the abstract system is constructed from finite partitions of the state and input spaces by solving optimization problems, and a sequence of suboptimal controllers is obtained by considering a sequence of uniformly refined partitions. Furthermore, the costs achieved by the sequence of suboptimal controllers converge to the optimal cost for the piecewise linear system. The abstraction refinement algorithm is implemented in the tool OptCAR. The feasibility of this approach is illustrated on an example, by constructing automatically, sub-optimal controllers with improving optimal costs.
Reactions of arynes promoted by silver ions

Arynes are unique aromatic species that display versatile reactivity in a variety of transformations. It has been demonstrated that the reaction profiles of arynes can be altered by transition metal additives, and one of the earliest examples of the metal additive effect was observed with silver ions (Ag+). Especially, in the presence of Ag+, benzyne showed distinctive reactivity and selectivity toward π-nucleophiles compared to the corresponding reaction in its absence. Although more experimental data need to be accumulated to accurately define the Ag+ additive effect, based on its role displayed in various transformations, we can infer that Ag+ interacts with arynes to form a reactive intermediate, which behaves like a silver-bound aryl cation or 1,2-carbene-silver carbenoid. In this tutorial review, various aryne-mediated reactions involving Ag+ or other organosilver species are discussed, which show a bird's-eye view on the Ag+ effect in aryne chemistry such that further explorations of the unique reactivity of arynes under the influence Ag+ will be inspired.
SecureFind: Secure and Privacy-Preserving Object Finding via Mobile Crowdsourcing

The plummeting cost of Bluetooth tags and the ubiquity of mobile devices are revolutionizing the traditional lost-and-found service. This paper presents SecureFind, a secure and privacy-preserving object-finding system via mobile crowdsourcing. In SecureFind, a unique Bluetooth tag is attached to every valuable object, and the owner of a lost object submits an object-finding request to many mobile users via the SecureFind service provider. Each mobile user involved searches his vicinity for the lost object on behalf of the object owner who can infer the location of his lost object based on the responses from mobile users. SecureFind is designed to ensure strong object security such that only the object owner can discover the location of his lost object as well as offering location privacy to mobile users involved. The high efficacy and efficiency of SecureFind are confirmed by extensive simulations.
One-shot generalization in deep generative models

Humans have an impressive ability to reason about new concepts and experiences from just a single example. In particular, humans have an ability for one-shot generalization: an ability to encounter a new concept, understand its structure, and then be able to generate compelling alternative variations of the concept. We develop machine learning systems with this important capacity by developing new deep generative models, models that combine the representational power of deep learning with the inferential power of Bayesian reasoning. We develop a class of sequential generative models that are built on the principles of feedback and attention. These two characteristics lead to generative models that are among the state-of-the art in density estimation and image generation. We demonstrate the one-shot generalization ability of our models using three tasks: unconditional sampling, generating new exemplars of a given concept, and generating new exemplars of a family of concepts. In all cases our models are able to generate compelling and diverse samples-- having seen new examples just once--providing an important class of general-purpose models for one-shot machine learning.
TUBERCULOSIS OF THE PATELLA: A SEVEN-YEAR FOLLOW-UP

In the knee, involvement is mainly synovial, with local extension eroding the bone. Pure tuberculous osteitis is rare, with a few occasional reports. Patella tuberculosis is extremely rare. We report the case of patella tuberculosis with 7-years decline. A 10-years old boy suffered from knee siftness and pain. The patient had correct BCG vaccination. Clinical examination was relatively unrevealing, with tenderness on palpation of the medial joint surface of the patella, patellar crepitation, and slight effusion. On standard X-ray, the lateral view showed a circumferential rosette form with a light peripheral halo. The patient underwent open surgery with a medial parapatellar approach and arthrotomy. Joint fluid was sampled. Direct exploration of the medial side of the patella found soft but continuous cartilage on palpation. The histoligical examination confirmed the diagnosis of tuberculosis. The patient had 12 month anti-tuberculosis chemotherapy. After 7 years of the treatement, the patient had no recurrence and good clinical result. Bone tuberculosis remains difficult to diagnose. Certain locations should always be borne in mind, however rare, in case of pandemic or immunodeficiency. In case of osteolysis, associated with abscess or not, infectious etiology is to be considered and appropriate samples should be taken. Diagnosis is confirmed by histology and bacteriology. The slow evolution of bone tuberculosis requires local treatment of lesions and abscesses. Antibiotherapy regularly ensures recovery.
Electric load forecasting with recency effect: A big data approach

Temperature plays a key role in driving the electricity demand. We adopt the “recency effect”, a term drawn from psychology, to represent the fact that the electricity demand is affected by the temperatures of the preceding hours. In the load forecasting literature, the temperature variables are often constructed in the form of lagged hourly temperatures and moving average temperatures. In the past, computing power has limited the amount of temperature variables that can be used in a load forecasting model. In this paper, we present a comprehensive study to model the recency effect using a big data approach. We take advantage of modern computing power to answer a fundamental question: how many lagged hourly temperatures and/or moving average temperatures are needed in a regression model in order to capture the recency effect fully without compromising the forecasting accuracy? Using a case study based on data from the load forecasting track of the Global Energy Forecasting Competition 2012, we first demonstrate that a model with the recency effect outperforms its counterpart (a.k.a. Tao’s Vanilla Benchmark Model) by 18% to 21% for forecasting the load series at the top (aggregated) level. We then model the recency effect in order to customize load forecasting models at the bottom level of a geographic hierarchy, again showing a superiority over the benchmark model of 12% to 15% on average. Finally, we discuss four different implementations of the recency effect modeling by hour of a day. In addition, this paper also presents two interesting findings: 1) the naive models are not useful for benchmark purposes in load forecasting at aggregated level due to their lack of accuracy; and 2) slicing the data into 24 pieces to develop one model for each hour is not necessarily better than building one interaction regression model using all 24 hours together.
Toward the synthesis of more reactive S = 2 non-heme oxoiron(IV) complexes.

Conspectus2003 marked a banner year in the bioinorganic chemistry of mononuclear non-heme iron enzymes. The first non-heme oxoiron(IV) intermediate (called J) was trapped and characterized by Bollinger and Krebs in the catalytic cycle of taurine dioxygenase (TauD), and the first crystal structure of a synthetic non-heme oxoiron(IV) complex was reported by Munck, Nam, and Que. These results stimulated inorganic chemists to synthesize related oxoiron(IV) complexes to shed light on the electronic structures and spectroscopic properties of these novel intermediates and gain mechanistic insights into their function in biology. All of the biological oxoiron(IV) intermediates discovered since 2003 have an S = 2 ground spin state, while over 90% of the 60 or so synthetic oxoiron(IV) complexes reported to date have an S = 1 ground spin state. This difference in electronic structure has fueled an interest to more accurately model these enzymatic intermediates and synthesize S = 2 oxoiron(IV) complexes.This Account ...
Enzymatic inactivation of serum vasoconstrictor.

SummarySaline extraction of ground lung tissue (beef or dog) followed by ammonium sulfate fractionation, dialysis, and isoelectric precipitation at pH 5.1 yields a protein extract which catalyzes the inactivatiom of a purified preparation of serum vasoconstrictor.
Fluorinated retinoids and carotenoids.

Methods of preparing fluorinated retinoids with labels located on odd-numbered carbons as well on even-numbered carbons and those containing trifluoromethyl groups are reviewed. The use of such ret...
Therapeutic Options to Minimize Free Radical Damage and Thrombogenicity in Ischemic/Reperfused Myocardium

Abstract The evidence supporting the toxicity of oxygen-derived free radicals in the setting of myocardial ischemia has grown considerably during the past few years. 1,2 There is also increasing evidence showing benefit from early myocardial reperfusion during acute myocardial infarction, and a growing acceptance and routine use of thrombolytic agents. Consequently, the contribution of free radical injury during reperfusion has become a focus of concern. Both the cardiac myocyte and the vascular endothelial cell are involved as sources and/or targets of free radical generation during myocardial ischemia, infarction, and subsequent reperfusion. The purpose of this article is to examine the mechanisms of free radical production in the context of acute coronary thrombosis and successful thrombolysis, and discuss the implications for future therapy.
Remote air pollution measurement

The availability of high energy tunable laser sources has extended the possibilities for remote air pollution measurement. This paper presents a discussion and comparison of the Raman method, the resonance and fluorescence backscatter method, long path absorption methods and the differential absorption method. A comparison of the above remote detection methods shows that the absorption methods offer the most sensitivity at the least required transmitted energy. Topographical absorption provides the advantage of a single ended measurement, and differential absorption offers the additional advantage of a fully depth resolved absorption measurement. Recent experimental results confirming the range and sensitivity of the methods are presented.
The Best Shape for a Tin Can

Some time ago, I came across a book intended to popularise mathematics, whose last chapter dealt with the calculus of one variable. Its final section, evidently intended to climax the whole work, solved the problem of designing the proportions of a tin can so as to obtain the greatest volume out of a given amount of material.
Pd-Catalyzed α-Arylation of Trimethylsilyl Enolates of α,α-Difluoroacetamides

We report the arylation and heteroarylation of α,α-difluoro-α-(trimethylsilyl)acetamides with aryl and heteroaryl bromides catalyzed by an air- and moisture-stable palladacyclic complex containing P(t-Bu)2Cy as ligand. A broad range of electronically varied aryl and heteroaryl bromides underwent this transformation to afford α-aryl-α,α-difluoroacetamides in high yields. Due to the electrophilicity of the fluorinated amide, this palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reaction provides a versatile platform to generate a range of α,α-difluoro carbonyl compounds, such as α-aryl-α,α-difluoroketones, -acetaldehydes, -acetates, and acetic acids, and difluoroalkyl derivatives, such as 2-aryl-2,2-difluoroethanols and -ethylamines, under mild conditions.
Scaling limits of rectangular and trapezoidal channel FinFETs

Here we present a complete analytical model that characterizes all the variations of multi-gate MOSFETs including the Tri-gate FinFET (Figure 1), all-around gate FinFET, Trapezoidal FinFET, Double-gate MOSFET, etc. Next we present a complete comparison between ideal rectangular FinFETs and trapezoidal FinFETs. Finally, for the first time, we present the ultimate limit for scaling of rectangular and trapezoidal FinFETs.
Non-Sequential Monte Carlo Simulation for Cyber-Induced Dependent Failures in Composite Power System Reliability Evaluation

Cyber-induced dependent failures are important to be considered in composite system reliability evaluation. Because of the complexity and dimensionality, Monte Carlo simulation is a preferred method for composite system reliability evaluation. The non-sequential Monte Carlo or sampling generally requires less computational and storage resources than sequential techniques and is generally preferred for large systems where components are independent or only a limited dependency exists. However, cyber-induced events involve dependent failures, making it difficult to use sampling methods. The difficulties of using sampling with dependent failures are discussed and a solution is proposed. The basic idea is to generate a representative state space from which states can be sampled. The probabilities of representative state space provide an approximation of the joint distribution and are generated by a sequential simulation in this paper but it may be possible to find alternative means of achieving this objective. The proposed method preserves the dependent features of cyber-induced events and also improves the efficiency. Although motivated by cyber-induced failures, the technique can be used for other types of dependent failures as well. A comparative study between a purely sequential methodology and the proposed method is presented on an extended Roy Billinton Test System.
Rule-based Behavioral Reasoning on Semantic Business Processes

We propose a rule-based framework for representing and reasoning about business processes from both the procedural and ontological point of views. To this end we define a rule-based procedural semantics for a relevant fragment of BPMN, a very popular graphical notation for specifying business processes. Our semantics defines a state transition system by following an approach similar to the Fluent Calculus, and allows us to specify state change in terms of preconditions and effects of the enactment of activities. Then we show how the procedural process knowledge can be seamlessly integrated with the domain knowledge specified by using the OWL-RL rule-based ontology language. Our framework provides a wide range of reasoning services by using standard logic programming inference engines. In particular, we can perform very sophisticated reasoning tasks by combining both procedural and domain dependent knowledge. A preliminary implementation shows that our approach is effective in practice.
Optimal Auctions with Restricted Allocations

We study the problem of designing optimal auctions under restrictions on the set of permissible allocations. In addition to allowing us to restrict to deterministic mechanisms, we can also indirectly model non-additive valuations. We prove a strong duality result, extending a result due to Daskalakis et al. [2015], that guarantees the existence of a certificate of optimality for optimal restricted mechanisms. As a corollary of our result, we provide a new characterization of the set of allocations that the optimal mechanism may actually use. To illustrate our result we find and certify optimal mechanisms for four settings where previous frameworks do not apply, and provide new economic intuition about some of the tools that have previously been used to find optimal mechanisms.
Molecular Trojan horses for blood-brain barrier drug delivery

Molecular Trojan horses are genetically engineered proteins that cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB) via endogenous receptor-mediated transport processes. Molecular Trojan horses provide a brain drug targeting technology that allows for the non-invasive delivery of large molecule therapeutics to the human brain. The development of BBB drug targeting technology is an arcane area of discovery medicine that suffers from chronic under-development.
Digital Subtraction Angiography with Intravenous Injection: Assessment of 1,000 Carotid Bifurcations

Digital subtraction angiography (DSA) with intravenous contrast injection was performed on 500 consecutive adult patients and evaluated for image quality of the carotid artery bifurcations. Diagnostic quality examinations were obtained in 974 common, 925 internal, and 904 external carotid artery segments. Sixty-two patients had standard carotid arteriography around the same time as DSA. Agreement of standard arteriograms with diagnostic quality DSA examinations was noted in 97 of 98 common, 94 of 95 internal, and 79 of 91 external carotid artery segments. All cases of complete carotid occlusion (14 of 14) were correctly interpreted by DSA. To identify a population with clinically significant stenosis, a 60% or greater reduction in diameter of the internal carotid was defined as a positive examination. Applying this criterion, the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of DSA as compared with standard arteriography was about 94%.
Public school consolidation: a partial observability spatial bivariate probit approach

Summary A pair of municipalities may consolidate services if they are contiguous. Traditional estimation methods assume that each voting process is independent. Instead we propose a new estimation procedure that allows the probability of consolidation to be influenced by neighbouring decisions. We extend a model of local interaction by allowing consolidation effort of neighbours to be either strategic substitutes or strategic complements. We disentangle direct effects arising from a change in one's own characteristics from indirect or spillover effects associated with a change in the other municipalities’ characteristics. Results reveal that the endogenous peer effect coming from neighbours is a primary determinant of willingness to consolidate.
Thermal sensation and comfort models for non-uniform and transient environments, part III: Whole-body sensation and comfort

Abstract A three-part series presents the development of models for predicting the local thermal sensation (Part I) and local thermal comfort (Part II) of different parts of the human body, and also the whole-body sensation and comfort (Part III) that result from combinations of local sensation and comfort. The models apply to sedentary activities in a range of environments: uniform and non-uniform, stable and transient. They are based on diverse findings from the literature and from body-part-specific human subject tests in a climate chamber. They were validated against a test of automobile passengers. The series is intended to present the models’ rationale, structure, and coefficients, so that others can test them and develop them further as additional empirical data becomes available. A) The whole-body (overall) sensation model has two forms, depending on whether all of the body's segments have sensations effectively in the same direction (e.g warm or cool), or whether some segments have sensations opposite to those of the rest of the body. For each, individual body parts have different weights for warm versus cool sensations, and strong local sensations dominate the overall sensation. If all sensations are near neutral, the overall sensation is close to the average of all body sensations. B) The overall comfort model also has two forms. Under stable conditions, people evaluate their overall comfort by a complaint-driven process, meaning that when two body parts are strongly uncomfortable, no matter how comfortable the other body parts might be, the overall comfort will be near the discomfort level of the two most uncomfortable parts. When the environmental conditions are transient, or people have control over their environments, overall comfort is better than that of the two most uncomfortable body parts. This can be accounted for by adding the most comfortable vote to the two most uncomfortable ones.
Grounding language models in spatiotemporal context.

Natural language is rich and varied, but also highly structured. The rules of grammar are a primary source of linguistic regularity, but there are many other factors that govern patterns of language use. Language models attempt to capture linguistic regularities, typically by modeling the statistics of word use, thereby folding in some aspects of grammar and style. Spoken language is an important and interesting subset of natural language that is temporally and spatially grounded. While time and space may directly contribute to a speaker’s choice of words, they may also serve as indicators for communicative intent or other contextual and situational factors. To investigate the value of spatial and temporal information, we build a series of language models using a large, naturalistic corpus of spatially and temporally coded speech collected from a home environment. We incorporate this extralinguistic information by building spatiotemporal word classifiers that are mixed with traditional unigram and bigram models. Our evaluation shows that both perplexity and word error rate can be significantly improved by incorporating this information in a simple framework. The underlying principles of this work could be applied in a wide range of scenarios in which temporal or spatial information is available. Index Terms: language modeling, multimodal, spatial, temporal, context
Rules of Three for commutation relations

Abstract We study the phenomenon in which commutation relations for sequences of elements in a ring are implied by similar relations for subsequences involving at most three indices at a time.
Comparison of automated and manual shielding block fabrication

This work reports the results of a study comparing computer controlled and manual shielding block cutting. The general problems inherent in automated block cutting have been identified and minimized. A system whose accuracy is sufficient for clinical applications has been developed. The relative accuracy of our automated system versus experienced technician controlled cutting was investigated. In general, it is found that automated cutting is somewhat faster and more accurate than manual cutting for very large fields, but that the reverse is true for most smaller fields. The relative cost effectiveness of automated cutting is dependent on the percentage of computer designed blocks which are generated in the clinical setting. At the present time, the traditional manual method is still favored.
Genetic modification of Francisella tularensis LVS for use as a novel live vaccine platform

August 20-22, 2012 F tularensis LVS is an attenuated bacterium that has been used as a live vaccine. Patients immunized with this organism show a very long-term memory response (over 30 years post vaccination) indicated by a strong cell-mediated immune response. Based on the fact that F. tularensis LVS is such a potent vaccine, we propose to use this organism as a novel vaccine platform. We have developed numerous molecular tools to modify the genome of F. tularensis and to facilitate exogenous gene expression including mutagenesis strategies and promoter identification. Interestingly, introducing attenuating mutations that enhance the stimulatory nature of LVS do not necessarily enhance this strain’s protective efficacy. Currently, licensed vaccines against important bacterial pathogens such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus are not available. Because many pathogenic strains of these organisms are also drug resistant, the need for effective vaccines is magnified. Ongoing investigations involve engineering F. tularensis LVS to express genes encoding protective epitopes of either P. aeruginosa or S. aureus.
Implicit Hedonic Pricing Using Mortgage Payment Information

Hedonic pricing, estimating the value of housing characteristics through the use of transactions data, is one of the most common tasks performed by real estate researchers. However, transaction frequency varies over time, locations, and other factors. In contrast, two-thirds of homeowners have mortgages that they pay each month. This manuscript explores the use of mortgage payment data as an alternative or supplemental means to derive the value of housing characteristics. Insofar as price affects default and housing characteristic values determine price, housing characteristic values affect default. The implicit housing characteristic values come from parameter values that fit observed patterns of payments and defaults. We find a strong correlation (0.74−0.92) between the transaction-based and the implicit approaches. In addition, the Monte Carlo simulation indicates that the mortgage based pricing model has potential to help reveal housing market information especially during low sales activity and/or high default rate situations.
Strength Tests and the Strong Men of Harvard

(1897). Strength Tests and the Strong Men of Harvard. American Physical Education Review: Vol. 2, No. 2, pp. 108-119.
Novel methods for characterizing algogenic organic matter and associated nanofiltration membrane fouling

Algogenic organic matter (AOM) has been extracted from blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) by various means and analyzed by UV absorbance scanning, HPSEC-UV-fluorescence-DOC, FTIR, and fluorescence excitation emission matrix (EEM). AOM extracted in water as a solvent showed a high hydrophilic fraction (57.3%) with a low SUVA (1.0 L/m-mg). The molecular weight (MW) distribution showed a significant heterogeneity (high value of polydispersivity) and high protein content (as indicated by specific fluorescence). A significant amount of proteinaceous components such as mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs, UV-screening components) and phycobilins (light-harvesting pigment) was detected by UV/visible absorption. The confirmation of proteins was proven by FTIR (at 1,661 cm -1 and 1,552 cm -1 ) and EEM spectra (EX: 278-282 nm and EM: 304-353 nm). A bench-scale cross-flow unit, employing a flat-sheet membrane specimen, was used to examine nanofiltration (NF) membrane fouling and removal of natural organic matter (NOM) derived from different blends of Suwannee River humic acid (SRHA) and AOM. The flux decline and organic matter rejection as a function of delivered DOC showed significantly different results depending on the organic matter composition of samples even though the test conditions were the same (organic matter concentration, pH, temperature, inorganic salt composition and concentration, and recovery). A higher flux decline was observed with increasing proportions of AOM. Organic matter rejections also decreased with higher AOM contributions to the samples, indicating that lower MW AOM components were not well rejected by the NF 200 membrane having a 360 dalton molecular weight cutoff (MWCO). However, SRHA that shows a relatively high MW (5,000-1,000 daltons) and high SUVA (7.4 L/m-mg) was preferentially rejected through electrostatic repulsion/size exclusion by the NF 200 membrane, having a high negative charge (zeta potential: -15.6 mV), low MWCO, and relatively low hydrophobicity. Even though the DOC concentration of feed water is a decisive factor for membrane fouling along with membrane properties and operating conditions, the characteristics of organic matter are more influential in fouling potential. Protein-like and polysaccharide-like substances were found as major foulants by FTIR.
Dynamic mesh adaptation for front evolution using discontinuous Galerkin based weighted condition number relaxation

A new mesh smoothing method designed to cluster cells near a dynamically evolving interface is presented. The method is based on weighted condition number mesh relaxation with the weight function computed from a level set representation of the interface. The weight function is expressed as a Taylor series based discontinuous Galerkin projection, which makes the computation of the derivatives of the weight function needed during the condition number optimization process a trivial matter. For cases when a level set is not available, a fast method for generating a low-order level set from discrete cell-centered fields, such as a volume fraction or index function, is provided. Results show that the low-order level set works equally well as the actual level set for mesh smoothing. Meshes generated for a number of interface geometries are presented, including cases with multiple level sets. Dynamic cases with moving interfaces show the new method is capable of maintaining a desired resolution near the interface with an acceptable number of relaxation iterations per time step, which demonstrates the method's potential to be used as a mesh relaxer for arbitrary Lagrangian Eulerian (ALE) methods.
Turbulence/chemistry interactions in a ramp-stabilized supersonic hydrogen–air diffusion flame

Abstract Hybrid large-eddy / Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes simulations of turbulence / chemistry interactions occurring within a ramp-injected, hydrogen-fueled scramjet combustor are presented in this work. The experimental geometry is one of several studied at the Universty of Virginia as part of the National Center for Hypersonic Combined Cycle Propulsion and consists of an isolator, a combustor, and an extender section. Data collected includes coherent anti-Stokes Raman spectroscopy (CARS) measurements of major species composition and temperature at several streamwise planes, stereoscopic particle image velocimetry (PIV) measurements, hydroxyl planar-induced fluorescence (OH-PLIF) imagery, wall pressure distributions, and line-of-sight profiles of temperature and water concentration obtained using tunable diode laser spectroscopy (TDLAS). This paper focuses on an equivalence ratio of 0.17, which does not produce enough heat release to force a shock train into the isolator. The computational methods utilize a hybrid fourth-order central-difference / upwind strategy to enable accurate resolution of turbulent structures and employ a nine-species hydrogen oxidation mechanism. Generally accurate predictions of temperature, velocity, and nitrogen mole fraction are achieved through a ‘laminar chemistry’ assumption for the filtered species production rates, though results do improve slightly with the use of a simple turbulence / chemistry subgrid closure model. The predictions are most sensitive to the choice of isolator inflow boundary condition, with the use of a recycling / rescaling technique to sustain turbulent fluctuations resulting in an ‘over-mixing’ effect immediately downstream of the fuel injector. Turbulence–chemistry interactions in the flameholding region are examined from the standpoint of laminar flamelet theory. A region of high scalar dissipation rate, coincident with the breakdown of the fuel plume and the interaction of a reflected shock wave with the plume, inhibits flame propagation, forming a ‘hole’ in the flame. Advection of cooler fluid downstream into regions of moderate scalar dissipation enlarges the ‘hole’, but eventually the flame reconnects. These results point to one potential disadvantage of fuel-air mixing technologies that enhance axial vorticity – even if conditions for combustion are favorable, high strain rates generated by the interaction and breakdown of vortex pairs can lead to flame suppression.
High-speed tomography using pink beam at GeoSoilEnviroCARS

Synchrotron microtomography typically uses monochromatic beams, because these avoid beam-hardening artifacts and allow imaging above and below the absorption edges of specific elements. However, the monochromator greatly reduces the flux on the sample, and thus increases the data collection time. An alternative is to eliminate the monochromator, instead using absorbers to remove low-energy x-rays and reflection from a mirror to remove high-energy x-rays. This produces a pink beam with a large energy bandwidth and more than 1000 times greater flux. This is useful for dynamic studies, where an entire 3-D dataset can be collected in just a few seconds. We have implemented pink beam tomography at the 13-BM-D beamline at the GeoSoilEnviroCARS sector 13 at the Advanced Photon Source. A key component of such a system is a high-speed detector that can collect over 100 frames/s with excellent signal/noise. We are using a new generation of inexpensive CMOS detectors with very low read noise, large full-well capacity, and high speed. The system performs well, and first experiments in studying fluid imbibition and drainage are presented.
Enhancer Sharing Promotes Neighborhoods of Transcriptional Regulation Across Eukaryotes.

Enhancers physically interact with transcriptional promoters, looping over distances that can span multiple regulatory elements. Given that enhancer–promoter (EP) interactions generally occur via common protein complexes, it is unclear whether EP pairing is predominantly deterministic or proximity guided. Here, we present cross-organismic evidence suggesting that most EP pairs are compatible, largely determined by physical proximity rather than specific interactions. By reanalyzing transcriptome datasets, we find that the transcription of gene neighbors is correlated over distances that scale with genome size. We experimentally show that nonspecific EP interactions can explain such correlation, and that EP distance acts as a scaling factor for the transcriptional influence of an enhancer. We propose that enhancer sharing is commonplace among eukaryotes, and that EP distance is an important layer of information in gene regulation.
Understanding the non-convergence of agricultural futures via stochastic storage costs and timing options

Abstract This paper studies the market phenomenon of non-convergence between futures and spot prices in the grains market. We postulate that the positive basis observed at maturity stems from the futures holder's timing options to exercise the shipping certificate delivery item and subsequently liquidate the physical grain. In our proposed approach, we incorporate stochastic spot price and storage cost, and solve an optimal double stopping problem to give the optimal strategies to exercise and liquidate the grain. Our new models for stochastic storage rates lead to explicit no-arbitrage prices for the shipping certificate and associated futures contract. We calibrate our models to empirical futures data during the periods of observed non-convergence, and illustrate the premium generated by the shipping certificate.
Multiparty Key Exchange, Efficient Traitor Tracing, and More from Indistinguishability Obfuscation

In this work, we show how to use indistinguishability obfuscation (iO) to build multiparty key exchange, efficient broadcast encryption, and efficient traitor tracing. Our schemes enjoy several interesting properties that have not been achievable before: Our multiparty non-interactive key exchange protocol does not require a trusted setup. Moreover, the size of the published value from each user is independent of the total number of users. Our broadcast encryption schemes support distributed setup, where users choose their own secret keys rather than be given secret keys by a trusted entity. The broadcast ciphertext size is independent of the number of users. Our traitor tracing system is fully collusion resistant with short ciphertexts, secret keys, and public key. Ciphertext size is logarithmic in the number of users and secret key size is independent of the number of users. Our public key size is polylogarithmic in the number of users. The recent functional encryption system of Garg, Gentry, Halevi, Raykova, Sahai, and Waters also leads to a traitor tracing scheme with similar ciphertext and secret key size, but the construction in this paper is simpler and more direct. These constructions resolve an open problem relating to differential privacy. Generalizing our traitor tracing system gives a private broadcast encryption scheme (where broadcast ciphertexts reveal minimal information about the recipient set) with optimal size ciphertext. Several of our proofs of security introduce new tools for proving security using indistinguishability obfuscation.
Recent advances in lithotripsy technology and treatment strategies: A systematic review update

Abstract Introduction Shock wave lithotripsy (SWL) is a well – established treatment option for urolithiasis. The technology of SWL has undergone significant changes in an attempt to better optimize the results while reducing failure rates. There are some important limitations that restrict the use of SWL. In this review, we aim to place these advantages and limitations in perspective, assess the current role of SWL, and discuss recent advances in lithotripsy technology and treatment strategies. Methods A comprehensive review was conducted to identify studies reporting outcomes on ESWL. We searched for literature (PubMed, Embase, Medline) that focused on the physics of shock waves, theories of stone disintegration, and studies on optimising shock wave application. Relevant articles in English published since 1980 were selected for inclusion. Results Efficacy has been shown to vary between lithotripters. To maximize stone fragmentation and reduce failure rates, many factors can be optimized. Factors to consider in proper patient selection include skin – to – stone distance and stone size. Careful attention to the rate of shock wave administration, proper coupling of the treatment head to the patient have important influences on the success of lithotripsy. Conclusion Proper selection of patients who are expected to respond well to SWL, as well as attention to the technical aspects of the procedure are the keys to SWL success. Studies aiming to determine the mechanisms of shock wave action in stone breakage have begun to suggest new treatment strategies to improve success rates and safety.
Overmold technology applied to cavity down ultrafine pitch PBGA package

The transfer molding technology is normally used for leadframe type packages and chip-up plastic ball grid array (PBGA) packages. This technology has been applied to cavity down PBGA packages where, normally, a liquid epoxy is dispensed by a needle in the cavity in order to cover the device and gold wires without exceeding the solder ball height plane. The new encapsulation approach using transfer molding process as well as the debug/qualification method and results using an ultrafine pitch wirebond PBGA process will be described.
The role of defect and splitting in finite generation of extensions of associated graded rings along a valuation

Suppose that $R$ is a 2 dimensional excellent local domain with quotient field $K$, $K^*$ is a finite separable extension of $K$ and $S$ is a 2 dimensional local domain with quotient field $K^*$ such that $S$ dominates $R$. Suppose that $\nu^*$ is a valuation of $K^*$ such that $\nu^*$ dominates $S$. Let $\nu$ be the restriction of $\nu^*$ to $K$. The associated graded ring ${\rm gr}_{\nu}(R)$ was introduced by Bernard Teissier. It plays an important role in local uniformization. We show that the extension $(K,\nu)\rightarrow (K^*,\nu^*)$ of valued fields is without defect if and only if there exist regular local rings $R_1$ and $S_1$ such that $R_1$ is a local ring of a blow up of $R$, $S_1$ is a local ring of a blowup of $S$, $\nu^*$ dominates $S_1$, $S_1$ dominates $R_1$ and the associated graded ring ${\rm gr}_{\nu^*}(S_1)$ is a finitely generated ${\rm gr}_{\nu}(R_1)$-algebra. We also investigate the role of splitting of the valuation $\nu$ in $K^*$ in finite generation of the extensions of associated graded rings along the valuation. We will say that $\nu$ does not split in $S$ if $\nu^*$ is the unique extension of $\nu$ to $K^*$ which dominates $S$. We show that if $R$ and $S$ are regular local rings, $\nu^*$ has rational rank 1 and is not discrete and ${\rm gr}_{\nu^*}(S)$ is a finitely generated ${\rm gr}_{\nu}(R)$-algebra, then $\nu$ does not split in $S$. We give examples showing that such a strong statement is not true when $\nu$ does not satisfy these assumptions. We deduce that if $\nu$ has rational rank 1 and is not discrete and if $R\rightarrow R'$ is a nontrivial sequence of quadratic transforms along $\nu$, then ${\rm gr}_{\nu}(R')$ is not a finitely generated ${\rm gr}_{\nu}(R)$-algebra.
Modifier Coordination and Phosphate Glass Networks

The addition of up to ∼16 mol% Cs2O to vitreous P2O5 reduces the glass transition temperature (Tg) by 150 K, whereas further additions up to 60 mol% increases Tg by ∼20 K. 31P magic angle spinning (MAS) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra indicate that the phosphate network is progressively depolymerized over the entire range of compositions. The property trend is explained by a transition in the Cs+ coordination environment, from isolated Cs-polyhedra below ∼16 mol% Cs2O to a corner-sharing Cs-polyhedral sub-structure in the glasses with greater Cs2O contents. This ‘modifier transition’ does not occur in Al phosphate glasses. 27Al MAS NMR spectra indicate that the average Al coordination number decreases with increasing Al2O3 content to avoid the formation of Al–O–Al bonds in these binary phosphate glasses.
Liftings and Stresses for Planar Periodic Frameworks

We formulate and prove a periodic analog of Maxwell's theorem relating stressed planar frameworks and their liftings to polyhedral surfaces with spherical topology. We use our lifting theorem to prove deformation and rigidity-theoretic properties for planar periodic pseudo-triangulations, generalizing features known for their finite counterparts. These properties are then applied to questions originating in mathematical crystallography and materials science, concerning planar periodic auxetic structures and ultrarigid periodic frameworks.
Charge Influences Substrate Recognition and Self-Assembly of Hydrophobic FG Sequences.

Abstract The nuclear pore complex controls the passage of molecules via hydrophobic phenylalanine-glycine (FG) domains on nucleoporins. Such FG domains consist of repeating units of FxFG, FG, or GLFG sequences, many of which are interspersed with highly charged amino acid sequences. Despite the high density of charge in certain FG domains, if and how charge influences FG-domain self-assembly and selective binding of nuclear transport receptors is largely unexplored. Using rationally designed short peptide sequences, we determined that the charge type and identity of amino acids surrounding FG sequences impact the structure and selectivity of FG-based gels. Moreover, we showed that spatial localization of the charged amino acids with respect to the FG sequence determines the degree to which charge influences hydrophobic interactions. Taken together, our study highlights that charge type and placement of amino acids regulate FG-sequence function and are important considerations when studying the mechanism of nuclear pore complex transport in vivo.
New Physics Searches from Nucleon Matrix Elements in Lattice QCD

In this paper we review recent progress in hadron structure using lattice QCD simulations, with main focus in the evaluation of nucleon matrix elements. We highlight developments that may guide new Physics searches, such as the scalar and tensor charges, as well as, the neutron electric dipole moment.
Toggling Independent Sets of a Path Graph

This paper explores the orbit structure and homomesy (constant averages over orbits) properties of certain actions of toggle groups on the collection of independent sets of a path graph. In particular we prove a generalization of a homomesy conjecture of Propp that for the action of a "Coxeter element" of vertex toggles, the difference of indicator functions of symmetrically-located vertices is 0-mesic. Then we use our analysis to show facts about orbit sizes that are easy to conjecture but nontrivial to prove. Besides its intrinsic interest, this particular combinatorial dynamical system is valuable in providing an interesting example of (a) homomesy in a context where large orbit sizes make a cyclic sieving phenomenon unlikely to exist, (b) the use of Coxeter theory to greatly generalize the set of actions for which results hold, and (c) the usefulness of Striker's notion of generalized toggle groups.
Configuration Analysis and Design of a Wind Turbine With Hydrostatic Transmission System

This paper presents a methodology for designing and dimensioning of hydrostatic transmission system (HTS) configurations for wind turbines. HTS provides an alternative method to the gearbox in wind power applications. It decouples the turbine and the generator such that the generator can be driven at synchronous speed regardless of wind speed variation. A comparison of different HTS configurations shows that the functionality and performance of the proposed system depends on proper dimensioning of hydraulic components and the circuit configuration. Practical constraints of wind turbine and hydraulic technologies are considered in the design to configure an industrial scale system. The design objectives include obtaining the maximum system efficiency at the rated and high efficiency at partial load. Different hydrostatic systems were designed and simulated to show potentials for improving the overall efficiency of wind power using HTS. It was shown that the larger swept area and moderate speed generator improve efficiency of hydrostatic drivetrain. Optimization of the entire HTSWT can improve output power from a HTSWT to an extent that its annual energy production (AEP) becomes closely equal to AEP of a geared WT.Copyright © 2016 by ASME
The word problem for some classes of Adian inverse semigroups

We show that all of the Schutzenberger complexes of an Adian inverse semigroup are finite if the Schutzenberger complex of every positive word is finite. This enables us to solve the word problem for certain classes of Adian inverse semigroups (and hence for the corresponding Adian semigroups and Adian groups).
Accelerated Durability Testing of Electrochromic Windows

Abstract Prototype electrochromic windows made by several different US companies have been tested in our laboratory for their long-term durability. Samples were subjected to alternate coloring and bleaching voltage cycles while exposed to simulated 1-sun irradiance in a temperature-controlled environmental chamber with low relative humidity. The samples inside the chamber were tested under a matrix of different conditions. These conditions include: cycling at different temperatures (65, 85 and 107°C) under the irradiance, cycling versus no-cycling under the same irradiance and temperature, testing with different voltage waveforms and duty cycles with the same irradiance and temperature, cycling under various filtered irradiance intensities, and simple thermal exposure with no irradiance or cycling. The electro-optical characteristics of the samples were measured between 350 and 1,100 nm every 4,000 cycles for up to 20,000 cycles. Photographs of the samples were taken periodically with a digital camera to record cosmetic defects, the extent of residual coloration, and overall coloration and bleaching uniformity of the samples. Our results indicate that the most important cause of degradation is the combination of continuous cycling, elevated temperature and irradiance. The relative importance of these variables, when considered synergistically or separately, depends on the particular device materials and design.