cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A low-cost, precise piezoelectric droplet-on-demand generator

We present the design of a piezoelectric droplet-on-demand generator capable of producing droplets of highly repeatable size ranging from 0.5 to 1.4 mm in diameter. The generator is low cost and simple to fabricate. We demonstrate the manner in which droplet diameter can be controlled through variation of the piezoelectric driving waveform parameters, outlet pressure, and nozzle diameter.
Using Credible Advice to Overcome Framing Effects

A framing effect occurs when different, but logically equivalent, words or phrases (e.g., 10% employment or 90% unemployment) cause individuals to alter their decisions. Demonstrations of framing effects challenge a fundamental tenet of rational choice theory and suggest that public opinion is so malleable that it cannot serve as a useful guide to policymakers. In this article I argue that most previous work overstates the ubiquity of framing effects because it forces experimental participants to make decisions in isolation from social contact and context. I present two experiments where I show that some widely known framing effects greatly diminish and sometimes disappear when participants are given access to credible advice about how to decide. I discuss the implications of my findings for rational choice theory, and public opinion and public policy.
Enantioselective Synthesis of anti-β-Substituted γ,δ-Unsaturated Amino Acids: A Highly Selective Asymmetric Thio-Claisen Rearrangement

A novel synthesis of optically active anti-1β-substituted γ,δ-unsaturated amino acids via a thio-Claisen rearrangement has been achieved. A 2,5-diphenylpyrrolidine was used as a C2-symmetric chiral auxiliary to control the stereochemistry, giving good yields and excellent diastereoselectivities and enantioselectivities.
A Mild and Efficient Method for Cleavage of C˭N Using Imidazolium Dichromate

Oximes, hydrazones, and semicarbazones are converted to their corresponding carbonyl compounds by using imidazolium dichromate (IDC).
Photochemically degradable polymers containing metal‐metal bonds along their backbones: the effect of stress on the rates of photochemical degradation

The syntheses of polymers that have metal-metal bonds along their backbones are described. The polymers are photodegradable because the metal-metal bonds homolyze when irradiated with visible light. The photochemical reactions of the polymers in solution are identical to the photochemical reactions of the discrete metal-metal bonded dimers. Typical reactions include metal-metal bond disproportionation and metal radical capture, for example, by chlorine atom abstraction from carbon tetrachloride. The polymers are also photochemically degradable in the solid state; thin films of the polymers degrade when irradiated with visible light in the presence of oxygen or in the absence of oxygen if the polymer backbone has a built-in radical trap. The origin of tensile stress-induced rate enhancements in the photodegradation of polymers was studied using the polymers with metal-metal bonds along their backbones and with built-in radical traps. By eliminating the need for external oxygen to act as a radical trap, the experimentally challenging problem of diffusion-controlled oxidation kinetics was avoided. Analysis of plots of quantum yields for degradation vs. stress reveals that stress increases the separation of the radical fragments produced by photolysis. An increased separation leads to less radical-radical recombination, which increases the efficiency of degradation. Quantitative knowledge of the factors that control polymer degradation rates will eventually allow synthesis of an ideal photodegradable polymer - one that has a tunable onset of degradation and that degrades quickly once degradation has started.
The cyclization route to the calcitriol A-ring: a formal synthesis of (+)-1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3

Abstract An efficient asymmetric synthesis of the A-ring of 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D 3 from α-bromoacrolein is described. The key steps of the synthesis are the Evans type syn -selective asymmetric aldol reaction of bromoacrolein with the boron enolate of 3-chloroacetyl-4(S)-isopropyl oxazolidinone and ring closure by Heck type reaction of a vinyl bromide onto an α,β-unsaturated ester in the exo-mode. This paper is warmly dedicated to Professor Sir Derek H.R. Barton, FRS, inventor of chemical reactions, scholar, teacher and mentor par excellence, on the happy occasion of his seventy-fifth birthday.
A comparison of the original and revised Basel market risk frameworks for regulating bank capital

Abstract Recognizing that many banks suffered trading losses that notably exceeded their minimum capital requirements during the recent crisis, the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (2011) revised its regulatory framework for trading portfolios. In this paper, we compare: (1) the relative effectiveness of risk management systems based on the original and revised frameworks in controlling tail risk; and (2) the relative adequacy of these frameworks in setting minimum capital requirements. Our main findings are as follows. First, both systems allow the selection of portfolios with substantive tail risk, but one based on the revised framework tends to be less effective in controlling tail risk. Second, the minimum capital requirements set by the revised framework are much less likely to be wiped out by trading losses than those set by the original framework. Hence, on balance, the revised framework improves upon the original framework. We also suggest further improvements for consideration by bank regulators.
Bounding Disagreements About Treatment Effects: A Case Study of Sentencing and Recidivism

Empirical inference on treatment effects is a core objective of social science research. The conventional practice is to obtain point estimates of treatment effects using models that make strong and thereby controversial assumptions about treatment selection and outcomes. In this paper we obtain bounds under weak nonparametric assumptions and explore how the bounds vary with the assumptions imposed. This mode of analysis clarifies the source of common disagreements about the magnitudes and signs of treatment effects. We use a treatment question facing the juvenile justice system to showcase the value of the approach in empirical social science research. We compare the impacts on recidivism of the two main sentencing options available to judges: confinement in residential treatment facilities and diversion to nonresidential treatment.
A distributed adaptive routing algorithm

Abstract An algorithm for minimum delay routing in packet-switched networks which is capable of adapting to changes in network input traffic, the addition of new links and nodes, and the failure of existing links and nodes is developed and illustrated. The development is based on theoretical results in Ref.[1] on distributed routing, Newton's method for convex minimization, and the formulation of two separate but cooperating distributed processes which constitute the algorithm itself. The first process, called the normal updating process, provides minimum delay routing given an initial loop-free routing assignment. The second, termed the disturbance adaptive process, generates a new loop-free routing for the first process in response to network changes. The algorithm is applied to a 10 node, 36 link network with 40 commodities, and response characteristics are presented and discussed.
Time-domain finite-element simulation of three-dimensional scattering and radiation problems using perfectly matched layers

An effective algorithm to construct perfectly matched layers (PMLs) for truncating time-domain finite-element meshes used in the simulation of three-dimensional (3-D) open-region electromagnetic scattering and radiation problems is presented. Both total- and scattered-field formulations are described. The proposed algorithm is based on the time-domain finite-element solution of the vector wave equation in an anisotropic and dispersive medium. The algorithm allows for the variation of the PML parameters within each element, which facilitates the efficient use of higher order vector basis functions. The stability of the resultant numerical procedure is analyzed, and it is shown that unconditionally stable schemes can be obtained. Numerical simulations of radiation and scattering problems based on both the zeroth- and higher order vector bases are presented to validate the proposed PML scheme.
Pharmacologic increase in HIF1α enhances hematopoietic stem and progenitor homing and engraftment

Hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) transplantation is a lifesaving therapy for a number of immunologic disorders. For effective transplant, HSCs must traffic from the peripheral blood to supportive bone marrow niches. We previously showed that HSC trafficking can be enhanced by ex vivo treatment of hematopoietic grafts with 16-16 dimethyl prostaglandin E2 (dmPGE2). While exploring regulatory molecules involved in dmPGE2 enhancement, we found that transiently increasing the transcription factor hypoxia-inducible factor 1-α (HIF1α) is required for dmPGE2-enhanced CXCR4 upregulation and enhanced migration and homing of stem and progenitor cells and that pharmacologic manipulation of HIF1α is also capable of enhancing homing and engraftment. We also now identify the specific hypoxia response element required for CXCR4 upregulation. These data define a precise mechanism through which ex vivo pulse treatment with dmPGE2 enhances the function of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells; these data also define a role for hypoxia and HIF1α in enhancement of hematopoietic transplantation.
Cyclic conjugated enediynes via elimination of a thionocarbonate in a latent Z-hex-3-ene-1,5-diyne unit

Abstract The common sugar dulcitol is transformed into a hex-1,5-diyne with 3,4-dihydroxyls modified as an acetonide; this serves as a building block for the cyclic ene-diynes and allows mild and efficient introduction of the key ene unit at a late stage in ene-diyne synthesis using the reactive Corey-Winter reagent.
Proper nouns in English-Arabic Cross Language Information Retrieval

One of the main issues faced by cross language information retrieval (CLIR) is out of vocabulary (OOV) words. Those are words not found in the dictionary. Bilingual dictionaries in general do not cover most proper nouns, which are usually primary keys in a query. As they are spelling variants of each other in most languages, using a string matching technique against the target database index is the common approach taken to find the target language correspondents of the original query keys. N-gram technique proved to be the most effective among other string matching techniques. The issue arises when the languages dealt with have different alphabets. Transliteration is then applied based on phonetic similarities between the languages involved. In this study, both transliteration and the n-gram technique are combined to generate possible transliterations in an English-Arabic CLIR system. We call this technique: transliteration n-gram (TNG).
Ethics and self-regulation for CPAs in the U.S.A.

This paper explores three questions: (1) Why should Certified Public Accountants (CPAs), as a group, adhere to their code of ethics? (2) Why should an individual CPA adhere to the code? (3) Of what significance are the answers to these questions in regards to possible changes in the accounting curriculum and the CPA profession's present concern for self-regulation through quality control reviews? The paper concludes that all college accounting majors should be required to take an ethics course and that the current quality review program should be mandatory, not voluntary.
Enabling energy efficient exascale computing applications with optical interconnects

The past few years has seen a sea change in computer architecture that will impact every facet of our society as every electronic device from cell phone to supercomputer will need to confront parallelism of unprecedented scale. Enabling future advances in sustained computational performance will require fundamental advances in computer architecture and programming models that are nothing short of reinventing computing. Photonic interconnect technologies will play an essential role to enable future progress in exascale computing.
Gas giant protoplanets formed by disk instability in binary star systems

Gas giant planets have been discovered in binary or triple star systems with a range of semimajor axes. We present a new suite of three-dimensional radiative gravitational hydrodynamics models suggesting that binary stars may be quite capable of forming planetary systems similar to our own. One difference between the new and previous calculations is the inclusion of artificial viscosity in the previous work, leading to significant conversion of disk kinetic energy into thermal energy in shock fronts and elsewhere. New models are presented showing how vigorous artificial viscosity can help to suppress clump formation. The new models with binary companions do not employ any explicit artificial viscosity and also include the third (vertical) dimension in the hydrodynamic calculations, allowing for transient phases of convective cooling. The new calculations of the evolution of initially marginally gravitationally stable disks show that the presence of a binary star companion may actually help to trigger the formation of dense clumps that could become giant planets. Earth-like planets would form much later in the inner disk regions by the traditional collisional accumulation of progressively larger, solid bodies. We also show that in models without binary companions, which begin their evolution as gravitationally stable disks, the disks evolve to form dense rings, which then break up into self-gravitating clumps. The latter models suggest that the evolution of any self-gravitating disk with sufficient mass to form gas giant planets is likely to lead to a period of disk instability, even in the absence of a trigger such as a binary star companion.
The Economic Effects of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) In Wisconsin

The major economic impacts of CWD have been on hunters rather than other sectors of the Wisconsin economy. This article shows that by using available data and plausible assumptions, hunter losses likely amounted to between $53 million and $79 million in 2002 and $45 million to $72 million in 2003. CWD has also likely caused deer hunters to spend less on their sport than they have in the past, but the net impact of reduced hunter spending on the Wisconsin economy as a whole probably did not total more than $5 million per year in 2002 and 2003. Losses in some rural areas, however, may have been substantial, but data are not available to estimate these losses. The State of Wisconsin absorbed costs of about $14.7 million in fiscal year 2002–2003. Data are not currently available to quantify losses to deer and elk farmers, feed dealers, and deer viewers.
Halo Structures of Gravitational Lens Galaxies

We explore the halo structure of four gravitational lenses with well-observed, thin Einstein rings. We find that the gravitational potentials are well described by ellipsoidal density distributions in the sense that the best-fit nonellipsoidal models have parameters consistent with their ellipsoidal counterparts. We find upper limits on the standard parameters for the deviation from an ellipse of |a_3/a_0|<0.023, 0.019, 0.037, and 0.035, and |a_4/a_0|<0.034, 0.041, 0.051, and 0.064 for SDSS J0924+0219, HE0435-1223, B1938+666, and PG1115+080, respectively. We find that the lens galaxies are at the centers of their dark matter halos, and obtain upper limits for the offset of each center of mass from the center of light of |Delta x|<0.004, 0.005, 0.009, and 0.005 arcsec, corresponding to 22, 29, 70, and 23 pc. These limits also exclude the possibility of any significant lopsidednessof the dark matter halos and set an upper limit of f_sat<sqrt(N)% on the mass fraction of massive substructures inside the Einstein ring if they are divided over N satellites. We also explore the properties of galaxies as substructures in groups for the lens PG1115+080, finding evidence for dark matter halos associated with the galaxies but no evidence for a clear distinction between satellite and central galaxies.
Quiescent H2 Emission From Pre-Main-Sequence Stars in Chamaeleon I

We report the discovery of quiescent emission from molecular hydrogen gas located in the circumstellar disks of six pre-main sequence stars, including two weak-line TTS, and one Herbig AeBe star, in the Chamaeleon I star forming region. For two of these stars, we also place upper limits on the 2 → 1 S(1)/1 → 0 S(1) line ratios of ∼ 0.4 and 0.5. Of the 11 pre-main sequence sources now known to be sources of quiescent near-infrared hydrogen emission, four possess transitional disks, which suggests that detectable levels of H2 emission and the presence of inner disk holes are correlated. These H2 detections demonstrate that these inner holes are not completely devoid of gas, in agreement with the presence of observable accretion signatures for all four of these stars and the recent detections of [Ne ii] emission from three of them. The overlap in [Ne ii] and H2 detections hints at a possible correlation between these two features and suggests a shared excitation mechanism of high energy photons. Our models, combined with the kinematic information from the H2 lines, locate the bulk of the emitting gas at a few tens of AU from the stars. We also find a correlation between H2 detections ··· ···
Harmonicity of Quasiconformal Measures and Poisson Boundaries of Hyperbolic Spaces

We consider a group Γ of isometries acting on a proper (not necessarily geodesic) δ -hyperbolic space X. For any continuous α-quasiconformal measure ν on ∂X assigning full measure to Λ r , the radial limit set of Γ, we produce a (nontrivial) measure μ on Γ for which ν is stationary. This means that the limit set together with ν forms a μ-boundary and ν is harmonic with respect to the random walk induced by μ. As a basic example, take $$X = {\mathbb{H}}^n$$ and Γ to be any geometrically finite Kleinian group with ν a Patterson-Sullivan measure for Γ. In the case when X is a CAT(−1) space and Γ is discrete with quasiconvex action, we show that (Λ r , ν) is the Poisson boundary for μ. In the course of the proofs, we establish sufficient conditions for a set of continuous functions to form a positive basis, either in the L 1 or L ∞ norm, for the space of uniformly positive lower-semicontinuous functions on a general metric measure space.
Photometry of Phoebe

The nonsynchronous rotational period and light curve for Phoebe are analyzed. The variations in CCD chip pixel response, the intensity of the images, the sky background level, and the atmospheric effects and color response of the detector are examined. Consideration is also given to brightness variations and the solar phase function at small phase angles (0.2-1.2 deg) of the light curve. The Phoebe surface is compared with asteroid surfaces by fitting the data to a linear phase function. It is determined that the Phoebe's sidereal rotational period is refined to 9.282 + or - 0.015 hr, the light curve in V filter exhibits 20 percent brightness variations with weaker higher-order harmonics, and the solar phase coefficient at angles less than 1.2 deg is 0.180 + or 0.035 mag/deg. The Phoebe data at small phase angles correlated well with a phase function for C-type asteroids.
Statistical Analysis of the High-Frequency Spectral Break of the Solar Wind Turbulence at 1 AU

The physical mechanism responsible for the dissipation of the solar wind turbulence and the resulting plasma heating is not completely understood. To be a viable means of dissipation, any mechanism has to reproduce several observational features of the turbulence spectra. One important characteristic of the spectrum is its high-frequency break, where the spectral slope becomes considerably steeper than the Kolmogorov-like scaling law observed in the inertial range. The onset of the spectral steepening can be inferred from the observations fairly accurately, and it is a good benchmark to test various theories of the turbulence dissipation. In this paper, a large database of magnetic field spectra and plasma parameters at 1 AU measured by the ACE spacecraft is used to determine the spectral break. The statistical correlation of the data points calculated according to existing theoretical formulae for the break is analyzed, and the least-squares fits to the data are compared with the theoretically predicted scalings. It is concluded that the position of the spectral break is not determined just by a scale of the turbulent fluctuations, but by a combination of their scale and the amplitude at that scale. This suggests that the dissipation of the solar wind turbulence is an essentially nonlinear process.
Development of a vibration isolation prototype system for microgravity space experiments

The presence of small levels of low-frequency accelerations on the Space Shuttle orbiters has degraded the microgravity environment for the science community. Growing concern about this microgravity environment has generated interest in systems that can isolate microgravity science experiments from vibrations. This interest has resulted primarily in studies of isolation systems with active methods of compensation. The development of a magnetically suspended, six-degree-of-freedom active vibration isolation prototype system capable of providing the needed compensation to the orbital environment is presented. A design for the magnetic actuators is described, and the control law for the prototype system that gives a nonintrusive inertial isolation respone to the system is also described. Relative and inertial sensors are used to provide an inertial reference for isolating the payload.
A new mechanism for neutralizing the cosmological constant

Abstract We propose a dynamical mechanism for neutralizing the cosmological constant in our universe. The analysis is wholly lorentzian, unlike most other mechanisms which rely on the problematic euclidean quantum gravity. Additionally, we do not have to assume any properties of a complete quantum gravity theory for our result. Quantum cosmology is an effective theory below the Planck scale, and it suffices for the purpose of our demonstration. The vacuum energy from particle physics is many orders of magnitude too great to explain the measured smallness of the cosmological constant. Any generic field that allows us to shift the vacuum energy has the possibility of neutralizing it. However, such a field has an infinity of possible vacuum states, and we have to be in exactly the right one to achieve the cancellation. We show that when we third quantize a cosmology containing such a field in its particle physics sector we do have the possibility of selecting one vacuum over another. (The field we use for the sake of demonstration is a four-form.) The essential result of our paper is that the dominant vacuum state for the field is indeed the one that exactly cancels the particle physics vacuum energy. This means that a large universe, such as ours, has a vanishing cosmological constant.
A holographic model of heavy-light mesons

We construct a holographic model of heavy-light mesons by extending the AdS/QCD to incorporate the behavior of the heavy quark limit. In that limit, the QCD dynamics is governed by the light quark and the heavy quark simply plays the role of a static color source. The heavy quark spin symmetry can be treated as a global symmetry in the AdS bulk. As a consequence, the heavy-light mesons are mapped to “fermions” in the AdS theory. The light flavor chiral symmetry is naturally built in by this construction, and its breaking produces the splitting of the parity-doubled heavy-light meson states. The scaling dependences of physical quantities on the heavy quark mass in the heavy quark effective theory are reproduced. The mass spectra and decay constants of the B and D mesons can be well fit by suitable choices of model parameters. The couplings between the heavy-light mesons and the pions are also calculated. The holographic model may capture the essence of the long distance effects of QCD and can serve as a useful tool for studying the non-perturbative hadronic matrix elements involving heavy-light mesons.
The epistemic stance between the author and reader: A driving force in the cohesion of text and writing:

This article explores the role of text cohesion in the comprehension and production of text. While most discourse models have considered the roles of the text features and the reader, the crucial role of writers’ epistemic stance has not been widely considered. The thesis explored here is that levels of cohesion emerge in text based on the epistemic stance of the author relative to the reader. Evidence is provided indicating that text genres (i.e. science, narrative) show compensatory relationships between different features related to text difficulty. For example, while science texts have more challenging words than do narratives, they tend to have higher cohesion and simpler syntax. These text profiles indicate that skilled writers have an awareness of readers’ needs. By contrast, less skilled writers seem to have less sensitivity to the interplay between textual dimensions and less audience awareness. For example, evidence is reviewed showing that more proficient essays are characterized by lower cohes...
Why reform happened.

Why, after nearly a century of defeat, did health care reform pass in 2010? Having written a book about the failure of the Clinton health plan, The Road to Nowhere, I recently penned a follow-up article titled "The Road to Somewhere (Hacker 2010). I cannot summarize the full argument here, but I can lay out what I see as the four biggest reasons why things were so differenct in 2010 - and where I see the debate going next.
The dynamical halo and the variation of cosmic-ray path length with energy

It is shown that the dynamical halo model offers a natural explanation for the form of the variation of the cosmic-ray path length with energy. The variation above approximately 1 GeV/nucleon can be understood as due to the variation of the diffusion coefficient, and hence the resident time, with energy. The flattening of the curve below 1 GeV/nucleon is seen to mark a transition to a convection dominated regime where coefficient is no longer the determining parameter. A fit to the observations yields a halo outflow velocity of 8 km sec/1. An attempt is made to determine the overall scale of the halo and the diffusion coefficient using recent Be-10 flux measurements but the data do not agree well enough to pin down these variables to within less than four or five orders of magnitude.
Rethinking the Role of the State in Technology Development: DARPA and the Case for Embedded Network Governance

This paper explores the role of the state in re-architecting social networks and thereby new technology directions in the United States. It draws on a case study of DARPA's Microsystems Technology Office from 1992 to 2008. Leveraging one of the most radical directorships in DARPA's history, I argue that the perceived “death” of DARPA under Tony Tether was because past analyses, by focusing on the organization's culture and structure, overlooked a set of lasting, informal institutions among DARPA program managers. I find that despite significant changes in the recipients and outcomes of DARPA attentions, these same institutions for directing technology were in place both before and during Tether's directorship. Drawing on these results, I suggest that we must add to technology policy-making a new option—embedded network governance.
Comparison of the techniques used for monitoring humoral immunity in cancer patients

The humoral immune response to tumor-associated antigens (TAA) in cancer patients undergoing immunotherapy can vary considerably. This variability is inherent from patient to patient and is also dependent on the type of assay used to measure patient antibody response to tumors. In this investigation four serological techniques, complement-dependent antibody-mediated cytotoxicity, immune adherence, complement fixation, and indirect membrane immunofluorescence, were used to assess the humoral immune response in melanoma patients receiving specific immunization with cultured allogeneic melanoma cell vaccine. Two different patterns of antibody response were elicited. One was directed against TAA and oncofetal antigens (OFA) and the other was against HLA antigens. The sensitivity and reactivity varied among the different techniques suggesting that one test or technique may not be sufficient to evaluate critically a patient's response to immunotherapy.
Ordinary Least Squares Regression of Ordered Categorical Data: Inferential Implications for Practice

Ordered categorical variables are frequently encountered as response variables in many disciplines. Agricultural examples include quality assessments of soil or food products, and evaluation of lesion severity, such as teat ends status in dairy cattle. Ordered categorical responses (OCR) are characterized by multiple levels recorded on a ranked scale, whereby levels appraise order but may not be informative of relative magnitude or proportionality between levels. A number of statistically sound methods are available in the standard toolbox to deal with OCR, such as constrained cumulative logit and probit models; however, these are commonly underutilized in practice. Instead, ordinary least squares linear regression (OLSLR) is often employed to infer upon OCR, despite violation of basic model assumptions. In this study, we investigate the inferential implications of OLSLR-based inference on OCR using simulated data to explore realized Type I error rate and realized statistical power under a variety of scenarios. The design of the simulation study was motivated by a data application, thus considering increasing number of levels and various frequency distributions of the OCR. We then illustrate inferential performance of OLSLR relative to a probit regression model fitted to an OCR using a survey dataset of veterinarian antimicrobial use in cattle feedlots. This article has supplementary material online.
Facile and highly selective 5′-desilylation of multisilylated nucleosides

Efficient methods for selective 5'-desilylation of multisilylated nucleosides are described.
PC/FRAM: a code for the nondestructive measurement of the isotopic composition of actinides for safeguards applications

The Nuclear Safeguards Program at the Los Alamos National Laboratory has developed and fielded techniques for the gamma-ray spectrometry measurement of the isotopic composition of plutonium and other actinides for over 20 years, ever since Parker and Reilly first proposed a practical method for the measurement of the arbitrary sample. Their procedures, incorporating internal (to the measured gamma-ray spectrum) or ‘intrinsic’ self-determination of the relative efficiency function of the sample-detector measurement system, are widely applied today. The PC/FRAM code is the most recent and most highly developed Los Alamos code developed specifically for the nuclear safeguards applications of this technique. We will describe the measurement principles that allow accurate measurements to be taken on samples of arbitrary size, shape, and measurement geometry—and of arbitrary physical and chemical composition—through the use of known nuclear decay data (half-lives and branching intensities). Subsequently, we will describe the analysis methodology, which is driven by an easily edited parameter file that frees the user from dependence on a dedicated programmer for analyses of special cases. This methodology relies on internal gamma-ray peaks from the spectrum under analysis to self-calibrate the unknown spectrum for energy and peak shape (energy dependence of full width at half maximum (FWHM) and tailing parameters). The program uses these parameters to calculate response functions that are fit to the analysis peaks requested in the parameter file. The structure of the code and its Windows 3.1 user interface allows use with equal ease by the experienced spectroscopist or operator-level personnel in a working facility. The code has been applied primarily to the analysis of gamma-ray spectra from plutonium with the isotopic results used to calculate the parameters 240Pueff for interpretation of neutron coincidence counting assays and Peff (W/g Pu) for the interpretation of calorimetry measurements. These measurement combinations form the backbone of nondestructive assay measurements for materials control and accountability both domestically and internationally. We will present examples of the results of measurements of these parameters with PC/FRAM and discuss the wide range of materials measured, including uranium samples and samples with lead shielding.
Comparison of MASW and MSOR for Surface Wave Testing of Pavements

This paper presents a computational and experimental study on seismic stiffness profiling of layered pavement systems using the multi-channel analysis of surface waves (MASW) and multi-channel simulation with one receiver (MSOR) testing procedures. Development of a new custom-programmed data acquisition system for MASW and MSOR testing using MATLAB software and National Instruments hardware are detailed. A receiver coupling method is presented, which was found to perform the best among several methods examined by the authors. The cross-correlation function is employed to statistically quantify the repeatability of impacts, which is critical for MSOR tests in which multi-channel records are simulated by performing multiple impacts over a range of incremental offsets from a single fixed receiver. Experimental dispersion data from MASW and MSOR tests performed at the same asphalt pavement site with the same testing system are compared, and MASW is found to enable measurement of dispersion data to much higher frequencies using the authors’ methods than MSOR. Inversion results from the MASW and MSOR data at the same asphalt pavement site also are compared, and it is found that MASW is able to provide measurements of the stiffness of the pavement surface layer with reduced variability.
A practical guide to assessing the value of training in your company

Organizations need all the help they can get to be efficient, productive, and effective. Educators of adults in the workplace must play a new, more critical cost-benefit role. Procedures such as cost-benefit analysis not only help decision making about training programs, but also help to get the job done faster, modify programs to increase value, eliminate programs that do not pay off, and generally improve the HR function and the organization that it serves. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Unsteady aerodynamic model of flapping wings

Propulsive forces can be generated with flapping or heaving wings traveling through a fluid, as demonstrated in animal flight. To examine the flowfield around variable geometry bodies, with specific application to the unsteady flow associated with flapping wings, an unsteady, three-dimensional, incompressible, potential flow model was developed. The problem is formulated in an inertial reference frame such that the body moves through an otherwise quiescent fluid. Results were compared with the limited experimental results available and analytical methods. In one case the model was applied to a flapping wing in a wind tunnel at high advance ratios (J = 4.31) where the computed average lift and thrust were within the error bounds of the experimental data. The model was also applied to high-frequency flapping flight (J = 0.76) of a pigeon flying in a wind tunnel, where the predicted lift matched the weight of the bird.
Synthetic duplex oligomers: optimizing interstrand affinity through the use of a noncovalent constraint

Abstract The covalent casting of a one-dimensional hydrogen-bonding motif permits the design of oligomers possessing a predetermined duplex mode of aggregation. In this account, studies on the hydrogen bond mediated self-assembly of dimeric duplex oligomers 2 in solution are described. Two-fold self-association in solution is established by 1 H NMR, and the intended mode of assembly is further corroborated via X-ray crystallographic analysis. An increase in interstrand affinity of over three orders of magnitude is observed upon substitution of nitrogen for oxygen in the oligomer backbone, owing to preorganization of the molecular strand in the binding effective conformation as directed by the formation of an internal hydrogen bond. These data provide insight into the structural and interactional features of the oligomers required for high affinity/specificity binding in organic media.
Application of impedance spectroscopy to problems in solid state ionics

Abstract Some applications of impedance spectroscopy to solid state ionics are reviewed. Particular emphasis is given to the effect of statistical distributions of bulk properties on the observed impedance, and to sources of “anomalous” frequency dispersion in bulk and interfacial reponse.
Exotic hybrid mesons with light quarks.

Abstract Hybrid mesons, made from a quark, an antiquark and gluons, can have quantum numbers inaccessible to conventional quark-antiquark states. Confirmation of such states would give information on the role of “dynamical” color in low energy QCD. We present preliminary results for hybrid meson masses using light Wilson valence quarks.
Steric hindrance is a key factor in the coupling reaction of (acyloxy) alkyl-α-halides with phenols to make a new promoiety for prodrugs

A convenient and mild method for the synthesis of various (acyloxy) alkyl-α-ethers of phenols was described. (Acyloxy) alkyl-α-halides were conjugated with phenols in acetone in the presence of cesium carbonate to give (acyloxy) alkyl-α-ethers of phenols. Steric hindrance is a key factor governing this reaction and greater steric hindrance favors the alkylation product over the acylation product.
Can Children Catch Curiosity from a Social Robot

Curiosity is key to learning, yet school children show wide variability in their eagerness to acquire information. Recent research suggests that other people have a strong influence on children’s exploratory behavior. Would a curious robot elicit children’s exploration and the desire to find out new things? In order to answer this question we designed a novel experimental paradigm in which a child plays an education tablet app with an autonomous social robot, which is portrayed as a younger peer. We manipulated the robot’s behavior to be either curiosity-driven or not and measured the child’s curiosity after the interaction. We show that some of the child’s curiosity measures are significantly higher after interacting with a curious robot, compared to a non-curious one, while others do not. These results suggest that interacting with an autonomous social curious robot can selectively guide and promote children’s curiosity. Categories and Subject Descriptors K.3.1 [Computers and Education]: Computer Uses in Education; I.2.9 [Artificial Intelligence]: Robotics
Ring expansion by in situ tethering of hydroxy azides to ketones: The boyer reaction

Abstract Although alkyl azides can react with ketones to form ring-expanded lactams, the reaction suffers from poor generality and the need to use powerful Lewis acid promotion. The reactions of 1,2- and 1,3-hydroxyalkyl azides with ketones yield N -hydroxyalkyl lactams in high yields under the action of protic or Lewis acids such as BF 3 ·OEt 2 . The reaction appears to succeed due to the initial formation of a hemiketal, which then renders the attack of azide on an oxonium ion intramolecular. The scope of this reaction vis a vis ketone and hydroxyalkyl azide structure is discussed.
Replicating Default Risk in a Defined-Benefit Plan

A stock-bonus plan with a provision to permit diversification can come close to replicating the classic default risks in defined-benefit pension plans. The diversification formula is a function of a worker's service in the company and the particular features of the defined-benefit (DB) plan that are being reproduced. The diversifiable stock-bonus (DSB) plan still gives workers a stake in the financial performance of the company, but the diversification formula eliminates the extreme downside of a traditional stock-bonus plan, namely, the possibility that workers could lose up to all of their retirement accounts after long years of service. Because the DSB plan imposes about the same default risks on workers as a DB plan, workers' compensation levels with a DSB plan need not be any higher than in a traditional pension plan.
Moving NRQCD for B form factors at high recoil

Abstract We derive the continuum and lattice tree-level moving NRQCD (mNRQCD) through order1/m2. mNRQCD is a generalization of NRQCD for dealing with hadrons with nonzero velocityuμ. The quark's total momentum is written asPμ = Muμ + kμwherekμ ≪ Muμ is discretized andMuμ is treated exactly. Radiative corrections to couplings on the lattice are discussed. mNRQCD is particularly useful for calculatingB → π andB → D form factors since errors are similar at low and high recoil.
Using Probability Estimates to Identify Environmental Features for a Nonholonomic Control System

A third-order set of nonlinear, ordinary differential equations models the relationship between internally measurablewheel rotationsand the position and orientation of an automatically guided vehicle, buttheserelationships areimprecise, growing increasingly inadequateastheirintegrals, and thevehicle,proceedfrom pointofdeparture. An extended Kalman e lter (EKF) is used to combine video observations of features on that portion of the environment that does not move, together with the sensed wheel rotations, to produce the ongoing estimates needed for navigation. The experimental usefulness is examined of a byproduct of the e lter, the estimate error covariance matrix, to an integrally related process: the process of identifying video observations with features of known location within the environment; these identities are required for application of new vision observations to the stateestimates. Thegoodnessof theEKF’ sprobability density functions isexperimentally examined by comparing them against actual, accumulated data; experimental results are presented from the use of an extensive theoretical developmentthatassesses, basedonrelativeprobabilitiesinferredfrom thesedistributions, theidentitiesofdensely occurring, nondistinct cues.
A Model for the Nova Outburst

Models for a 0·75 M⨀ hydrogen-exhausted star that is approaching the white-dwarf state have been computed. It has been assumed that the star is in a close binary system and therefore can accrete small amounts of hydrogen-rich material (≈ 7 × 10-8 M⨀/yr). Hydrogen burning commences when the mass of the hydrogen-rich envelope exceeds about 10-4 M⨀. Eventually the mass accretion causes the non-degenerate hydrogen-burning shell to become thermally unstable, and therefore the nuclear reaction rate increases very dramatically. Pulsational instability is found to develop as a consequence of the very high rate of nuclear-energy generation.
Charge transfer in the electron donor-acceptor complex BH3NH3

As a simple yet strongly binding electron donor−acceptor (EDA) complex, BH3NH3 serves as a good example to study the electron pair donor−acceptor complexes. We employed both the ab initio valence bond (VB) and block-localized wave function (BLW) methods to explore the electron transfer from NH3 to BH3. Conventionally, EDA complexes have been described by two diabatic states: one neutral state and one ionic charge-transferred state. Ab initio VB self-consistent field (VBSCF) computations generate the energy profiles of the two diabatic states together with the adiabatic (ground) state. Our calculations evidently demonstrated that the electron transfer between NH3 and BH3 falls in the abnormal regime where the reorganization energy is less than the exoergicity of the reaction. The nature of the NH3−BH3 interaction is probed by an energy decomposition scheme based on the BLW method. We found that the variation of the charge-transfer energy with the donor−acceptor distance is insensitive to the computation l...
Rhythms and testosterone metabolism

Abstract We have reviewed our data and others with regard to the diurnal variation in plasma testosterone and some of the factors which may affect the metabolism of the steroid and thus alter its plasma concentration.
Displacement and Strain Statistics of Thermally Buckled Plates

Previously, we used the single-mode Fokker-Planck distribution to predict displacement histograms of the numerical simulations and strain histograms of the plate experiments. Such an elemental distribution has proven effective in capturing the overall behavior of numerical displacement histograms. This is because the Fokker-Planck distribution is realizable. On the other hand, there are two possible equilibrium strain distributions derived from the Fokker-Planck distribution, one of which drops out when the forcing power input is small. By restricting the other strain distribution to a small forcing range, we have exhibited the skewing of experimental strain histograms toward the negative strain. We show here that the actual strain histograms of numerical simulation are neither one of the equilibrium strain distributions, but can be modeled by a linear combination of them. Hence, the unequal strain peaks may not be entirely due to a temperature gradient across the plate thickness, as previously proposed.
Offensive performance, omitted variables, and the value of speed in baseball

Abstract This paper critiques from an economic perspective published results on the value of base stealing in baseball. Augmenting previous specifications for the “production function” for runs parallels the control—a simulation study imposed on teams' overall footspeed, recovering economically sensible results.
Exhaust emissions of a H2-enriched heavy-duty diesel engine equipped with cooled EGR and variable geometry turbocharger

Abstract This paper investigates the impact of hydrogen (H 2 ) addition on the exhaust emissions of a 2004 Mack MP7 355E heavy-duty diesel engine. As expected, the addition of H 2 reduced substantially the emissions of particulate matter (PM), unburned hydrocarbon (HC), and carbon dioxide (CO 2 ). However, the effects of H 2 addition on the emissions of carbon monoxide (CO) and oxides of nitrogen (NO x ) depended on the amount of H 2 added and engine load. For measurements using the 13-mode European Stationary Cycle (ESC), the addition of 2% and 4% H 2 (vol.% in intake mixture) increased substantially the nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ) emissions but reduced the emissions of nitric oxide (NO). The addition of H 2 only minimally affected NO x emissions. The detailed effects of H 2 addition on the exhaust emissions were investigated for various loads at 1200 rpm. The addition of H 2 at low load mildly influenced NO x emissions, with the exception of 10% load. Adding over 4% H 2 at 10% load began to reduce NO x emissions. When operated at medium to high loads, the addition of a relatively small amount of H 2 slightly reduced NO x emissions. The expected increase in NO x emissions was observed only with the addition of a large amount of H 2 at medium to high loads. When operated at full load, the addition of H 2 had a negligible effect on NO x emissions. In a few cases, a minor change in H 2 flow rate suddenly increased NO x emissions. By further increasing or reducing the amount of H 2 added, NO x emissions resumed to the expected values. This discrepancy was attributed to the unexpected change in the flow rate of the recirculated exhaust gas. Based on the data obtained, it seems infeasible to substantially reduce the exhaust emissions of this diesel engine through the addition of a small amount of H 2 such as that produced on-board using a small H 2 O electrolyzer, or diesel fuel reformer.