cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Estimating Portfolio and Consumption Choice: A Conditional Euler Equations Approach

This paper develops a nonparametric approach to examine how portfolio and consumption choice depends on variables that forecast time-varying investment opportunities. I estimate single-period and multiperiod portfolio and consumption rules of an investor with constant relative risk aversion and a one-month to 20year horizon. The investor allocates wealth to the NYSE index and a 30-day Treasury bill. I find that the portfolio choice varies significantly with the dividend yield, default premium, term premium, and lagged excess return. Furthermore, the optimal decisions depend on the investor's horizon and rebalancing frequency. How DOES PORTFOLIO AND CONSUMPTION CHOICE depend on variables that forecast time-varying investment opportunities? Prior studies that address this question assume a statistical model relating returns to forecasting variables and solve for an investor's portfolio and consumption choice using estimates of the implied conditional distribution of returns. As a result, their answers are shaped as much by modeling assumptions as by the data. An incorrect model of how returns relate to forecasting variables can yield inconsistent portfolio and consumption choice estimates and invalid inferences. This paper develops and implements an econometric approach that is robust to such model misspecification. Sample analogues of the conditional Euler equations, the first-order conditions of the investor's expected utility maximization, yield consistent estimates shaped by the data. I modify the method of moments approach of Hansen and Singleton (1982). I fix the parameters of an individual investor's utility function and estimate the optimal wealth and consumption process, and thereby the investor's portfolio and consumption rules, from sample analogues of the conditional Euler equations. In contrast, Hansen and Singleton use observations of the aggregate wealth and consumption process to estimate the parameters of the representative investor's utility function from otherwise identical moment conditions.
Synthesis and characterization of a new quaternary lanthanum oxythioantimonite: La6Sb4O12S3

Abstract A new lanthanum antimony chalcogenide compound has been synthesized by the combination of ZnO–Sb 2 S 3 –La 2 O 3 at 1150 °C and characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The compound La 6 Sb 4 O 12 S 3 crystallizes in the tetragonal space group I 4 1 / amd with a =10.860(3) A, c =15.316(5) A, and Z =4. The structure comprises a three-dimensional network of lanthanum oxysulfide polyhedra connected by antimony(III) oxide psi-tetrahedra. The structure forms around channels that are filled with a disordered sulfide anion that appears to be loosely held in the solid. Diffuse reflectance measurements showed that this compound has an optical band gap of 2.2 eV. Solid state Raman spectroscopy of this compound showed the vibrations expected for the [Sb III O 3 ] 3− unit. According to thermal analysis data, this material decomposes at temperatures over 1050 °C.
Optical, Ultraviolet, and Infrared Observations of SN 1993J

We review the existing set of optical/UV/IR observations of Supernova 1993J, concentrating heavily on optical data because these are by far the most plentiful. Some results from theoretical modeling of the observations are also discussed. SN 1993J has provided the best observational evidence for the transformation of a SN from one spectral type to another, thereby providing a link between Type II and Type Ib supernovae (SNe). This has strengthened the argument that SNe Ib (and, by extension, SNe Ic) are core-collapse events. SN 1993J has remained relatively bright for 10 years; its late-time emission comes from the collision of supernova ejecta with circumstellar gas that was released by the progenitor prior to the explosion. The circumstellar material shows strong evidence of CNO processing.
Sharpening the second law of thermodynamics with the quantum Bayes theorem

We prove a generalization of the classic Groenewold-Lindblad entropy inequality, combining decoherence and the quantum Bayes theorem into a simple unified picture where decoherence increases entropy while observation decreases it. This provides a rigorous quantum-mechanical version of the second law of thermodynamics, governing how the entropy of a system (the entropy of its density matrix, partial-traced over the environment and conditioned on what is known) evolves under general decoherence and observation. The powerful tool of spectral majorization enables both simple alternative proofs of the classic Lindblad and Holevo inequalities without using strong subadditivity, and also novel inequalities for decoherence and observation that hold not only for von Neumann entropy, but also for arbitrary concave entropies.
Atmospheric pressure dielectric barrier discharges interacting with liquid covered tissue

The interaction of plasmas with liquids is of increasing importance in biomedical applications. Tissues treated by atmospheric pressure dielectric barrier discharges (DBDs) in plasma medicine are often covered by a thin layer of liquid, typically a blood serum like water with dissolved gases and proteins up to hundreds of micrometres thick. The liquid processes the plasma-produced radicals and ions prior to their reaching the tissue. In this paper, we report on a computational investigation of the interaction of DBDs in humid air with a thin water layer covering tissue. The water layer, 50–400 µm thick, contains dissolved O2aq (aq means an aqueous species) and alkane-like hydrocarbons (RHaq). In the model, the DBDs are operated with multiple pulses at 100 Hz followed by a 1 s afterglow. Gas phase reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) intersect the water-vapour saturated air above the liquid and then solvate when reaching the water. The photolysis of water by plasma-produced UV/VUV plays a significant role in the production of radicals. Without RHaq ,O − , ONOO − ,N O − and hydronium (H3O +) dominate the water ions with H3O + determining the pH. The dominant RONS in the liquid are O3aq ,H 2O2aq, and HNOxaq. Dissolved O2aq assists the production of HNO3aq and HOONOaq during the afterglow. With RHaq, reactive oxygen species are largely consumed, leaving an R·aq (alkyl radical) to reach the tissue. These results are sensitive to the thickness of the water layer.
Demonstration of femtosecond-phase stabilization in 2 km optical fiber

Long-term phase drifts of less than a femtosecond per hour have been demonstrated in a 2 km length of single-mode optical fiber, stabilized interferometrically at 1530 nm. Recent improvements include a wide-band phase detector that reduces the possibility of fringe jumping due to fast external perturbations of the fiber and locking of the master CW laser wavelength to an atomic absorption line. Mode-locked lasers may be synchronized using two wavelengths of the comb, multiplexed over one fiber, each wavelength individually interferometrically stabilized.
An analytical calibration approach for microwave polarimetric radiometers

We present an analytical calibration approach for passive microwave polarimeters that is applicable where the instrument can be partitioned into distinct, functional radio-frequency blocks. The methodology is focused on polarimetric system characterization, not polarimetric measurements. It requires characterization of each major internal functional subsystem with a vector network analyzer to obtain a closed-form transfer function. The goals of this approach are to provide a transfer function describing the system in its entirety and to isolate the contribution of each subsystem to the uncertainty in the final modified Stokes parameters. Notably, the approach does not assume ideal polarization isolation in the radiometer system. A significant benefit of this approach is that the cascaded transfer functions serve as a realistic instrument simulator revealing where improvements in component performance would have greatest benefit for system performance over the dynamic range of the instrument. This systems-focused approach is applied to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Goddard Space Flight Center polarimetric Airborne C-band Microwave Radiometer (ACMR), whose architecture allows the necessary subsystem partitioning. The characteristics of each subsystem were extensively measured, converted to a transfer function, and imported into the overall closed-form system model. Inversion of the system model and error analysis inherent to this calibration approach are illustrated by a full Stokes parameter retrieval for a senescent cornfield.
Palladium-catalyzed intramolecular C-H arylation of arenes using tosylates and mesylates as electrophiles.

This paper describes a method for the palladium catalyzed intramolecular C–H arylation using tosylates and mesylates as electrophiles. The transformation is efficient for the synthesis of various heterocyclic motifs including furans, carbazoles, indoles, and lactams. Additionally, a protocol for the one-pot sequential tosylation/arylation of phenol derivatives is presented.
On the continuity of the Lyapunov functions in the converse stability theorems for discontinuous dynamical systems

Abstract In [H. Ye, A.N. Michel, L. Hou, Stability theory for hybrid dynamical systems, IEEE Transactions on Automatic Control 43 (4) (1998) 461–474] we established, among other results, a set of sufficient conditions for the uniform asymptotic stability of invariant sets for discontinuous dynamical systems (DDS) defined on metric space, and under some additional minor assumptions, we also established a set of necessary conditions (a converse theorem). This converse theorem involves Lyapunov functions which need not necessarily be continuous. In the present paper, we show that under some additional very mild assumptions, the Lyapunov functions for the converse theorem need actually be continuous.
Aerodynamic optimization of a morphing airfoil using energy as an objective

significantly change shape during flight. The research discussed in this paper focuses upon the shape design of morphing airfoil sections. In the efforts herein, the relative strain energy needed to change from one airfoil shape to another is presented as an additional design objective along with a drag design objective, while constraints are enforced on lift. Solving the resulting multi-objective problem generates a range of morphing airfoil designs that representthebesttradeoffsbetweenaerodynamicperformanceandmorphingenergyrequirements.Fromthemultiobjective solutions, a designer can select a set of airfoil shapes with a low relative strain energy that requires a small actuation cost and with improved aerodynamic performance at the design conditions.
Phases of N = 2 theories in two dimensions

By looking at phase transitions which occur as parameters are varied in supersymmetric gauge theories, a natural relation is found between sigma models based on Calabi-Yau hypersurfaces in weighted projective spaces and Landau-Ginzburg models. The construction permits one to recover the known correspondence between these types of models and to greatly extend it to include new classes of manifolds and also to include models with (0,2) world-sheet supersymmetry. The construction also predicts the possibility of certain physical processes involving a change in the topology of space-time.
Equation of state measurements by radiography provide evidence for a liquid-liquid phase transition in cerium

A pressure-volume isotherm in cerium metal at 1100 K was measured in a large volume press of the Paris-Edinburgh type up to 6 GPa. The volume was determined by imaging a rectangular shape of the sample via white X-ray radiography. Energy dispersive x-ray diffraction spectra were recorded to ensure that the highly reactive cerium in the cell assembly remained pure at this temperature. Even at 1100 K the p-V equation of state of liquid cerium shows a pronounced decrease of the bulk modulus above the y-phase region similar to the 775 K isotherm in the solid that also shows an inflection point between y- and a-type cerium. The inflection point in the 1100 K isotherm indicating the minimum in the bulk modulus separating the γ- from the α-type liquid is located at approximately 3.5 GPa.
The supply of information by a concerned expert

How much information should a policy maker pass on to a currently ill-informed citizen? In this paper, we address this classic question of Crawford and Sobel [1983] in a setting in which beliefs impact utility, as in Kreps and Porteus [1978]. We show that this simple amendment has far-reaching implications. In particular, our question cannot be answered using a utility function with standard revealed preference foundations: revealed preference cannot tell us whether in a particular state s a decision maker prefers to believe incorrectly that the state is t, or to know the truth. To solve the model, we go beyond the classical model in two respects, relying on the psychological expected utility model of Caplin and Leahy [2001] to capture preferences, and the psychological game model of Geanakoplos, Pearce, and Stacchetti [1989] to capture strategic interactions.
Doctors with borders: occupational licensing as an implicit barrier to high skill migration

Research on the political economy of immigration overlooks the specificity of human capital in skilled occupations and its implications for immigration preferences and policymaking. Conclusions that skilled Americans are unconcerned about labor market competition from skilled migrants build on a simple dichotomy between high and low skill migrants. In this article we show that natives turn to occupational licensing regulations as occupation-specific protectionist barriers to skilled migrant labor competition. In practice, high skill natives face labor market competition only from those high-skill migrants who share their occupation-specific skills. Licensure regulations ostensibly serve the public interest by certifying competence, but they can simultaneously be formidable barriers to entry by skilled migrants. From a collective action perspective, skilled natives can more easily secure sub-national, occupation-specific policies than influence national immigration policy. We exploit the unique structure of the American medical profession that allows us to distinguish between public interest and protectionist motives for migrant physician licensure regulations. We show that over the 1973–2010 period states with greater physician control over licensure requirements imposed more stringent requirements for migrant physician licensure and, as a consequence, received fewer new migrant physicians. By our estimates over a third of all US states could reduce their physician shortages by at least 10 percent within 5 years just by equalizing migrant and native licensure requirements. This article advances research on the political economy of immigration and highlights an overlooked dimension of international economic integration: regulatory rent-seeking as a barrier to the cross-national mobility of human capital, and the public policy implications of such barriers.
Pressure-Transient Responses of Horizontal and Curved Wells in Anticlines and Domes

This paper presents a discussion of the pressure-transient responses of horizontal wells in anticlinal structures and curved and undulating wells in slab reservoirs. It confirms that, in the absence of a gas cap, conventional horizontal-well models may be used to approximate the flow characteristics of the systems in which the trajectory of the well does not conform to the curvature of the producing structure. If a gas cap is present, however, the unconformity of the well trajectory and producing layer manifests itself, especially on derivative characteristics when the gas saturation increases around the well. In general, the most significant deviations from the conventional horizontal-well behavior are observed during the buildup periods following long drawdowns. In these cases, the pressure-transient analysis is complicated and requires detailed numerical modeling of the well trajectory and reservoir geometry in the vertical plane.
Rapid continuous tuning of a single-polarization fiber ring laser

We have developed and studied what we believe is the first fiber laser operating in a single polarization at 1550 nm with PM fiber output and capable of wavelength tuning over a 20-nm bandwidth in less than 50 /spl mu/s. The fast wavelength tuning speed in a fiber laser is achieved by incorporating an acousto-optic tunable filter into the laser. The same filter is used in an optoelectronic feedback loop to suppress the relaxation oscillations induced by wavelength transitions. >
The role of ultrasound evaluation in the detection of early-stage epithelial ovarian cancer.

Objective Epithelial ovarian cancer kills more women than all other gynecologic malignancies combined because of our inability to detect early-stage disease. Ultrasonography has demonstrated usefulness in the detection of ovarian cancer in asymptomatic women, but its value for the detection of early-stage epithelial ovarian cancer in women of increased risk is uncertain. We examined the usefulness of sonography in the detection of early-stage epithelial ovarian cancer in asymptomatic high-risk women who participated in the National Ovarian Cancer Early Detection Program. Study design Only asymptomatic women of increased risk for the development of ovarian cancer with initial normal gynecologic and ultrasound examinations were eligible to participate in the institutional review board–approved National Ovarian Cancer Early Detection Program. Participants underwent comprehensive gynecologic and ultrasound examinations every 6 months. Increased risk includes women with at least 1 affected first-degree relative with ovarian cancer; a personal history of breast, ovarian, or colon cancer; ≥1 affected first- and second-degree relatives with breast and or ovarian cancer; inheritance of a breast cancer mutation from an affected family member, or membership within a recognized cancer syndrome. Results The average age of the 4526 women who were evaluated was 46 years; 2610 women were premenopausal, and 1916 women were postmenopausal. A total of 12,709 scans have been performed since 1990. Visualization of both ovaries was noted in 98% of premenopausal and in 94% of postmenopausal women. Fourteen women had undergone unilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. Recall rates at less than the routine 6-month interval were 0.4% in the premenopausal and 0.3% in postmenopausal women. A total of 98 women with persistent adnexal masses were identified, and 49 invasive surgical procedures were performed that diagnosed 37 benign ovarian tumors and 12 gynecologic malignancies. All cancers were detected in asymptomatic women who had normal ultrasound and physical examinations 12 and 6 months before the cancer diagnosis. The detected malignancies were fallopian tube carcinoma (stage IIIC; n = 4 women), primary peritoneal carcinoma (n = 4 women; stage IIIA, 1 woman; stage IIIB, 2 women; stage IIIC, 1 woman), epithelial ovarian cancer (stages IIIA and IIIB; n = 2 women), and endometrial adenocarcinoma (stage IA; n = 2 women). Additionally 37 primary and 12 recurrent breast carcinomas were detected by physical examination. A total of 184 women with genetic predisposition (breast cancer positive) have undergone a prophylactic bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy; 23% of these procedures found atypical hyperplasia, and unexpectedly, 2 women (1%) were found to have stage III (A and B) primary peritoneal carcinoma. Conclusion This study demonstrates the limited value of diagnostic ultrasound examination as an independent modality for the detection of early-stage epithelial ovarian cancer in asymptomatic women who are at increased risk for disease.
Buried selectively oxidized AlGaAs structures grown on nonplanar substrates

We demonstrate a novel buried oxide-grating structure formed by selectively oxidized Al/sub x/Ga/sub 1-x/As grown on nonplanar substrates using low-pressure metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) for the first time. Localized aluminum content variation in AlGaAs is obtained with MOCVD growth on nonplanar substrate. Buried aluminum oxide/semiconductor-distributed-feedback structure is achieved with selective oxidation of these AlGaAs layers. We fabricated a resonant-cavity-enhanced photodetector with the imbedded buried-oxide structure and measured the photodetector responsivity spectrum.
A new hierarchy of integrable systems associated to Hurwitz spaces

In this paper, we introduce a new class of integrable systems, naturally associated to Hurwitz spaces (spaces of meromorphic functions over Riemann surfaces). The critical values of the meromorphic functions play the role of ‘times’. Our systems give a natural generalization of the Ernst equation; in genus zero, they realize the scheme of deformation of integrable systems proposed by Burtsev, Mikhailov and Zakharov. We show that any solution of these systems in rank 1 defines a flat diagonal metric (Darboux–Egoroff metric) together with a class of corresponding systems of hydrodynamic type and their solutions.
Hybrid silicon/silicone (polydimethylsiloxane) microsystem for cell culture

We discuss the design, fabrication and testing of a hybrid microsystem for stand-alone cell culture and incubation. The micro-incubator is engineered through the integration of silicon CMOS die for the heater and temperature sensor, with multilayer silicone PDMS (polydimethylsiloxane) structures namely, fluidic channels and a 4 mm diameter, 30/spl mu/L, culture well. A 25 micron thick PDMS membrane covers the top of the culture well, acting as barrier to contaminants while allowing the cells to exchange gases with the ambient environment. The packaging for the microsystem includes a flexible polyimide electronic ribbon cable and four fluidic ports that provide external interfaces to electrical energy, closed loop sensing and electronic control as well as solid and liquid supplies. The complete structure has a size of (2.5 /spl times/ 2.5 /spl times/ 0.6 cm/sup 3/). We have employed the device to successfully culture BHK-21 cells autonomously over a sixty hour period in ambient environment.
A Refined Analysis of the Poisson Channel in the High-Photon-Efficiency Regime

We study the discrete-time Poisson channel under the constraint that its average input power (in photons per channel use) must not exceed some constant \( \mathcal {E}\) . We consider the wideband, high-photon-efficiency extreme where \( \mathcal {E}\) approaches zero, and where the channel's dark current approaches zero proportionally with \( \mathcal {E}\) . Improving over a previously obtained first-order capacity approximation, we derive a refined approximation, which includes the exact characterization of the second-order term, as well as an asymptotic characterization of the third-order term with respect to the dark current. We also show that pulse-position modulation is nearly optimal in this regime.
Triple-point shear layers in gaseous detonation waves

Recent experiments have shown intriguing regions of intense luminescence or ‘hotspots’ in the vicinity of triple-point shear layers in propagating gaseous detonation waves. Localized explosions have also been observed to develop in these fronts. These features were observed in higher effective activation energy mixtures, but not in lower effective activation energy mixtures. The increased lead shock oscillation through a cell cycle in higher activation energy mixtures may result in a significantly increased disparity in the induction time on either side of the triple-point shear layer, and thus an enhanced mixing between reacted and non-reacted streams supported by Kelvin–Helmholtz instability. The relation between the shear-layer instability and the mixture effective activation energy is analysed by carrying out a spatial linear stability study for three mixtures with different activation energies and injection conditions that correspond to the experimental conditions. The role of vortical structures associated with Kelvin–Helmholtz instability in the formation of localized ignition is investigated by performing two-dimensional Navier–Stokes simulations with detailed chemical kinetics and transport. In the low activation energy mixture, large-scale vortical structures are observed to occur downstream of the induction distance; these structures do not have a noticeable effect on the reaction. In higher effective activation energy mixtures, a thin transverse ignition front develops near the interface between the two gas streams and results in a combustion structure decoupled from the entrainment region. The decoupling leads to attenuation of the instability growth rate when compared to frozen calculations, and a reduced heat release in the high vorticity region. The analysis indicates the instability plays a modest role in ignition events for high activation energy mixtures. The formation of localized explosions observed in high activation energy systems is instead linked to the impossibility of a one-dimensional reactive combustion wave supported by the injection conditions. In the absence of curvature effects and stream-tube divergence, a system of shock waves is formed which spreads the ignition to the cold gas stream.
A formal framework for linguistic annotation

Abstract `Linguistic annotation' covers any descriptive or analytic notations applied to raw language data. The basic data may be in the form of time functions – audio, video and/or physiological recordings – or it may be textual. The added notations may include transcriptions of all sorts (from phonetic features to discourse structures), part-of-speech and sense tagging, syntactic analysis, `named entity' identification, coreference annotation, and so on. While there are several ongoing efforts to provide formats and tools for such annotations and to publish annotated linguistic databases, the lack of widely accepted standards is becoming a critical problem. Proposed standards, to the extent they exist, have focused on file formats. This paper focuses instead on the logical structure of linguistic annotations. We survey a wide variety of existing annotation formats and demonstrate a common conceptual core, the annotation graph. This provides a formal framework for constructing, maintaining and searching linguistic annotations, while remaining consistent with many alternative data structures and file formats.
Analysis of the monoalkylation and cross-linking sequence specificity of bizelesin, a bifunctional alkylation agent related to (+)-CC-1065

The sequence specificity of bizelesin, an interstrand DNA-DNA cross-linker related to the monoalkylating compound (+)-CC-1065, was studied using restriction enzyme fragments. Bizelesin, like (+)-CC-1065, forms monoalkylation adducts through N3 of adenine but can also form DNA-DNA cross-links six base pairs apart on opposite strands. Compared to many other minor groove cross-linking compounds, bizelesin is very efficient at cross-linking DNA. There is a higher than expected proportion of cross-linked adducts based upon the relative number of cross-linked vs monoalkylated adducts. This is rationalized based upon the relative thermodynamic stability of the cross-linked vs monoalkylated species
Two-step synthesis of β-alkyl chalcones and their use in the synthesis of 3,5-diaryl-5-alkyl-4,5-dihydropyrazoles

We report a simple and efficient two-step synthesis of variously substituted β-alkyl chalcones (7) from the corresponding Weinreb amide and a terminal alkyne, and that these chalcones are useful intermediates for the synthesis of medicinally interesting 3,5-diaryl-5-alkyl-4,5-dihydropyrazoles (6). The current methodology allows for the incorporation of many substitution patterns not available from the few previously reported approaches to compounds in this class.
Muon colliders: the ultimate neutrino beamlines

It is shown that muon decays in straight sections of muon collider rings will naturally produce highly collimated neutrino beams that can be several orders of magnitude stronger than the beams at existing accelerators. We discuss possible experimental setups and give a very brief overview of the physics potential from such beamlines. Formulae are given for the neutrino event rates at both short and long baseline neutrino experiments in these beams.
Comparison of Optical Sensor-Based Spatial Data Collection Techniques for Civil Infrastructure Modeling

Infrastructure modeling refers to the process of collecting infrastructure spatial data and transforming them into structured representations. It is useful during all stages of the infrastructure life cycle, and plays an important role in infrastructure's development and rehabilitation applications. In order to facilitate infrastructure modeling, a variety of optical spatial data collection techniques are available. None of them is ideal for all infrastructure applications. Each has its own benefits and limitations. The main purpose of this paper is to select an appropriate technique based on the given infrastructure application requirements. To achieve this goal, the principles of these techniques are first investigated. Their benefits and limitations are identified by comparing them in aspects such as accuracy, automation of spatial data retrieval, instrument cost, and portability. This way, the relationships between techniques and the requirements of civil infrastructure applications are established and compiled in tables. Practitioners can easily select an appropriate technique for their own applications by consulting these tables.
Pay Cuts for the Boss: Executive Compensation in the 1940s

Executive pay fell during the 1940s, marking the last notable decrease in the past 70 years. We study this decline using a new panel data set on the remuneration of top executives in 246 firms. Government regulation—including explicit salary restrictions and taxation—had, at best, a modest effect on executive pay. By contrast, a decline in the returns to firm size and an increase in the power of labor unions contributed greatly to the reduction in executive compensation relative to other workers’ earnings from 1940 to 1946. The continued decrease in relative executive pay remains largely unexplained.
Dynamics of flux tubes in large N gauge theories

The gluonic field created by a static quark anti-quark pair is described via the AdS/CFT correspondence by a string connecting the pair which is located on the boundary of AdS. Thus the gluonic field in a strongly coupled large N CFT has a stringy spectrum of excitations. We trace the stability of these excitations to a combination of large N suppressions and energy conservation. Comparison of the physics of the N = ∞ flux tube in the = 4 SYM theory at weak and strong coupling shows that the excitations are present only above a certain critical coupling. The density of states of a highly excited string with a fold reaching towards the horizon of AdS is in exact agreement at strong coupling with that of the near-threshold states found in a ladder diagram model of the weak-strong coupling transition. We also study large distance correlations of local operators with a Wilson loop, and show that the fall off at weak coupling and N = ∞ (i.e. strictly planar diagrams) matches the strong coupling predictions given by the AdS/CFT correspondence, rather than those of a weakly coupled U(1) gauge theory.
Posing Polygonal Objects in the Plane by Pushing

This paper studies the use of pushing actions to orient and trans late objects in the plane. The authors use linear normal pushes, which are straight-line pushes in a direction normal to the pushing fence. These pushes are specified by the fence orientation and push distance. The authors show that a set of linear normal pushes can always be found to move any polygonal object from any initial con figuration to any goal configuration in the obstacle-free plane. The object configuration is specified by its pose; that is, its position and orientation. The authors formulate the search for such a sequence of pushes as a linear programming problem. They then describe an implemented pose planner that uses this formulation to identify a sequence of linear normal pushes given any polygonal object, any initial pose, and any goal pose. This planner is proven to be com plete and to have polynomial time complexity. The planner, which uses an analysis of the mechanics of pushing an object, generates open-loop plans that...
CIRCUMSTELLAR ENVIRONMENT AND EFFECTIVE TEMPERATURE OF THE YOUNG SUBSTELLAR ECLIPSING BINARY 2MASS J05352184-0546085

We present new Spitzer IRAC/PU/MIPS photometry from 3.6 to 24 μm, and new Gemini GMOS photometry at 0.48 μm, of the young brown dwarf eclipsing binary 2MASS J05352184–0546085, located in the Orion Nebula Cluster. No excess disk emission is detected. The measured fluxes at λ ≤ 8 μm are within 1σ (0.1 mJy) of a bare photosphere, and the 3σ upper limit at 16 μm is a mere 0.04 mJy above the bare photospheric level. Together with the known properties of the system, this implies the absence of optically thick disks around the individual components. It also implies that if any circumbinary disk is present, it must either be optically thin and extremely tenuous (10–10 M ☉) if it extends in to within ~0.1 AU of the binary (the approximate tidal truncation radius), or it must be optically thick with a large inner hole, >0.6-10 AU in radius depending on degree of flaring. The consequence in all cases is that disk accretion is likely to be negligible or absent. This supports the recent proposal that the strong Hα emission in the primary (more massive) brown dwarf results from chromospheric activity, and thereby bolsters the hypothesis that the surprising T eff inversion observed between the components is due to strong magnetic fields on the primary. Our data also set constraints on the T eff of the components independent of spectral type, and thereby on models of the aforementioned magnetic field effects. We discuss the consequences for the derived fundamental properties of young brown dwarfs and very low mass stars in general. Specifically, if very active isolated young brown dwarfs and very low mass stars suffer the same activity/field related effects as the 2M0535–05 primary, the low-mass stellar/substellar initial mass function currently derived from standard evolutionary tracks may be substantially in error.
Finance and Inequality: Theory and Evidence

This paper critically reviews the literature on finance and inequality, highlighting substantive gaps in the literature. Finance plays a crucial role in most theories of persistent inequality. Unsurprisingly, therefore, economic theory provides a rich set of predictions concerning both the impact of finance on inequality and about the relevant mechanisms. Although subject to ample qualifications, the bulk of empirical research suggests that improvements in financial contracts, markets, and intermediaries expand economic opportunities and reduce inequality. Yet, there is a shortage of theoretical and empirical research on the potentially enormous impact of formal financial sector policies, such as bank regulations and securities law, on persistent inequality. Furthermore, there is no conceptual framework for considering the joint and endogenous evolution of finance, inequality, and economic growth.
Ankyrin 3: genetic association with bipolar disorder and relevance to disease pathophysiology

Bipolar disorder (BD) is a multi-factorial disorder caused by genetic and environmental influences. It has a large genetic component, with heritability estimated between 59-93%. Recent genome-wide association studies (GWAS) using large BD patient populations have identified a number of genes with strong statistical evidence for association with susceptibility for BD. Among the most significant and replicated genes is ankyrin 3 (ANK3), a large gene that encodes multiple isoforms of the ankyrin G protein. This article reviews the current evidence for genetic association of ANK3 with BD, followed by a comprehensive overview of the known biology of the ankyrin G protein, focusing on its neural functions and their potential relevance to BD. Ankyrin G is a scaffold protein that is known to have many essential functions in the brain, although the mechanism by which it contributes to BD is unknown. These functions include organizational roles for subcellular domains in neurons including the axon initial segment and nodes of Ranvier, through which ankyrin G orchestrates the localization of key ion channels and GABAergic presynaptic terminals, as well as creating a diffusion barrier that limits transport into the axon and helps define axo-dendritic polarity. Ankyrin G is postulated to have similar structural and organizational roles at synaptic terminals. Finally, ankyrin G is implicated in both neurogenesis and neuroprotection. ANK3 and other BD risk genes participate in some of the same biological pathways and neural processes that highlight several mechanisms by which they may contribute to BD pathophysiology. Biological investigation in cellular and animal model systems will be critical for elucidating the mechanism through which ANK3 confers risk of BD. This knowledge is expected to lead to a better understanding of the brain abnormalities contributing to BD symptoms, and to potentially identify new targets for treatment and intervention approaches.
Reduced postoperative atrial fibrillation using multidrug prophylaxis.

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AFIB) is the most common complication following coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Despite three decades of recognition, efforts to reduce the high incidence reported (15%-30%) have been largely unsuccessful. Reasons for postoperative AFIB are likely multifactorial. As a result, we defined a multidrug prophylaxis based on agents known to be individually effective. This method was applied prospectively to a series of consecutive CABG patients with the goal of reducing the incidence of new-onset postoperative AFIB. Methods: Isolated CABG with cardiopulmonary bypass was performed on 517 consecutive patients. A rapid recovery protocol emphasizing AFIB multidrug prophylaxis was applied to all patients. All patients received 10 μ of triiodothyronine intraoperatively when the clamp on the aorta was released. Immediately following CABG, parenteral magnesium was administered to assure a serum magnesium > 2.2 mEq/dL. Thyroxine 200 μg was administered parenterally to all patients on postoperative days 1 and 2. Metoprolol (25 mg to 100 mg/day) was begun on all patients after extubation provided: heart rate > 85 beats/min and systolic blood pressure > 130 mmHg. Parenteral procainamide (12 mg/kg) loading dose, followed by a maintenance dose (2 mg/min), was used for patients who developed premature atrial contractions (> 1/min), nonsustained supraventricular tachycardia, or any episodes of atrial fibrillation. All patients also received postoperative digitalization, steroids, and aggressive diuresis. Results: The 30-day operative mortality was 3.7%. The overall incidence of new-onset postoperative AFIB was 10.3% (53 patients). There was no major difference in operative mortality (7.5% vs 3.2%, p = 0.23), Parsonnet risk score, or intraoperative variables between AFIB patients and the non-AFIB patients. Patients presenting with a preoperative acute myocardial infarction (p < 0.05), left main stenosis ≥ 70% (p < 0.01), and advanced age ≥ 70 years (p < 0.05) were at increased risk of developing AFIB. The length of stay for patients with AFIB was 9.9 ± 9.6 days versus 5.9 ± 5.2 days (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Application of a multidrug prophylaxis can reduce postoperative AFIB to a low incidence. Identification of associated clinical features can help predict patients at risk for postoperative AFIB. Additional strategies to target postoperative AFIB may include treatment at the earliest recognition of atrial rhythm instability.
Parallel electro-optical rule-based system for fast execution of expert systems.

The slow execution speed of current rule-based systems has restricted their application areas. Multiprocessor architectures have been proposed to overcome this limitation. However, as the number of processors in a multiprocessor system grows, so does the cost of communication between processors or between processor and memory units. The use of optics for a fast and parallel implementation of rule-based systems is proposed. The proposed optical system is hybrid in nature, using electronics for the user interface and optics for the rule-based inference engine. The proposed system uses two-dimensional planes as basic computational entities and is therefore able to provide concurrent rule processing. Furthermore, it provides highly efficient implementation of the basic operations needed in rule-based systems; namely, matching, selection, and rule firing. The execution speed of the proposed system is theoretically estimated and is shown to be potentially of orders of magnitude faster than current electronic systems.
BLACKBODY RADIATION: ROSETTA STONE OF HEAT BATH MODELS

The radiation field can be regarded as a collection of independent harmonic oscillators and, as such, constitutes a heat bath. Moreover, the known form of its interaction with charged particles provides a "rosetta stone" for deciding on and interpreting the correct interaction for the more general case of a quantum particle in an external potential and coupled to an arbitrary heat bath. In particular, combining QED with the machinery of stochastic physics, enables the usual scope of applications to be widened. We discuss blackbody radiation effects on: the equation of motion of a radiating electron (obtaining an equation of motion which is free from runaway solutions), anomalous diffusion, the spreading of a Gaussian wave packet, and decoherence effects due to zero-point oscillations. In addition, utilizing a formula we obtained for the free energy of an oscillator in a heat bath, enables us to determine all the quantum thermodynamic functions of interest (particularly in the areas of quantum information and nanophysics where small systems are involved) and from which we obtain temperature dependent Lamb shifts, quantum effects on the entropy at low temperature and implications for Nernst's law.
Relationship of environmental relative humidity with North Atlantic tropical cyclone intensity and intensification rate

[1] Quantifying the relationship of large-scale environmental conditions such as relative humidity with hurricane intensity and intensity change is important for statistical hurricane intensity forecasts. Our composite analysis of 9 years of Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) humidity data spanning 198 Atlantic tropical cyclones (TCs) shows that environmental relative humidity (ERH) above the boundary layer generally decreases with time as TCs evolve. Near the surface, ERH stays approximately constant. ERH generally increases with increasing TC intensity and intensification rate. Rapidly intensifying TCs are associated with free tropospheric ERH more than 10% (relative to the averaged ERH for all TCs) larger than that for weakening TCs. Substantial azimuthal asymmetry in ERH is also found, especially for the TCs attaining the highest intensities and largest intensification rates at distances greater than 400 km away from the TC center. In the front-right quadrant relative to TC motion, rapid intensification is associated with a sharp gradient of ERH in the upper troposphere, with a decrease from the near to the far environment between 400 hPa and 300 hPa. The ERH gradient weakens with the decrease of intensification rate. This radial ERH gradient might be a useful predictor for the statistical forecast of TC intensification.
Describing the epidemiology and associated age, gender and handicap comparisons of golfing injuries.

Injury is the most under-recognized public health problem facing the world community (Theriault and Lachance 1998). In addition to being an enormous public health issue, injuries continue to usurp ...
Education, Intelligence, and Attitude Extremity

Education and general intelligence both serve to inform opinions, but do they lead to greater attitude extremity? The potential civic returns to education include not only the sophistication of citizen opinions, but also their moderation. We use questions on economic policy, social issues, and environmental issues from the General Social Survey to test the impact of education on attitude extremity, as measured by deviation from centrist or neutral positions, while controlling for intelligence. We use quantile regression modeling to identify effects on both the most extreme beliefs as well as the most ambivalent. We find that intelligence is a moderating force across the entire distribution in economic, social, and environmental policy beliefs. Completing high school strongly correlates to reduced extremity, particularly in the upper quantiles. College education increases attitude extremity in the lower tail, while postgraduate education increases extremity in the upper tail. Results are discussed in the context of enlightenment and motivated-reasoning theories of beliefs and education. The relevance to political party core and swing voters is briefly discussed.
Network Effects Revisited: The Role of Strong Ties in Technology Selection

This paper extends the theory of network effects by moving beyond the traditional treatment of the installed base of a technology as composed of “N” identical users, each having the same effect on ...
Simulating point processes by intensity projection

Point processes with stochastic intensities are ubiquitous in many application areas, including finance, insurance, reliability and queuing. They can be simulated from standard Poisson arrivals by time-scaling with the cumulative intensity, whose path is typically generated with a discretization method. However, discretization introduces bias into the simulation results. This paper proposes a method for the exact simulation of point processes with stochastic intensities. The method leads to unbiased estimators. It is illustrated for a point process whose intensity follows an affine jump-diffusion process.
Obesity in Adult Lymphoma Survivors

As a result of therapeutic advances, survivors of lymphoma are now living longer. However, their mortality is higher when compared to the general population, probably due to multiple factors. Survivors of childhood leukemia and lymphoma appear to have an increased prevalence of obesity. The objectives of this retrospective study were to analyze weight change after lymphoma treatment in an adult population and determine factors predictive of weight gain. Data were collected from 219 patients and analyzed sequentially at the initial visit and at 6, 12 and 18 months. There was a progressive increase in weight from the initial visit to 6 months (1.5% increase of initial body weight), 12 months (4.5%) and 18 months (6.4%). More than 9% of patients experienced weight gain greater than 20% during follow-up. There was a statistically significant association between the percentage of increase in weight and age, B symptoms and body mass index (BMI) at presentation. Younger patients, those with B symptoms or those with lower BMI manifested more weight gain (p = 0.0008, p = 0.0440 and p = 0.0009, respectively). Other assessed factors had no effect on weight gain including sex, race, lymphoma histology, disease outcome, radiation therapy, number of treatment regimens and use of steroids. Further studies are needed to explore long-term weight trends and their impact on the health of lymphoma survivors.