cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Model group indexing for recognition

It is shown that an index space can be a powerful tool for reducing the image-model match search by a factor of k/sup G-3/, but only when accompanied by some mechanism, such as grouping, that prevents the system from having to consider all matches between image groups of size G and model groups of size G. It is also shown that if image groups are to index a single point at recognition time, then the index space must contain pointers to each model group over a 2-D sheet, and should therefore be 2G-4 dimensional. A simple indexing system has been implemented to demonstrate these concepts, and a series of experiments have been conducted to investigate the tradeoffs between space and time. They indicate that the speedups are achievable, but require a large amount of space. >
Thin position and essential planar surfaces

Abby Thompson proved that if a link K is in thin position but not in bridge position, then the knot complement contains an essential meridional planar surface, and she asked whether some thin level surface must be essential. This note is to give a positive answer to this question, showing that if a link is in thin position but not bridge position, then a thinnest level surface is essential. A theorem of Rieck and Sedgwick follows as a consequence, which says that thin position of a connected sum of small knots comes in the obvious way.
Myoglobin-catalyzed intermolecular carbene N-H insertion with arylamine substrates.

Engineered variants of the heme-containing protein myoglobin can efficiently catalyze the insertion of α-diazo esters into the N–H bond of arylamines, featuring a combination of high chemoselectivity, elevated turnover numbers, and broad substrate scope.
Thermodynamic analysis of pure and impurity doped pentaerythritol tetranitrate crystals grown at room temperature

Pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN) powders are used to initiate other explosives. During long-term storage, changes in powder properties can cause changes in the initiation performance. Changes in the morphology and surface area of aging powders are observed due to sublimation and growth of PETN crystals through coarsening mechanisms, (e.g. Ostwald ripening, sintering, etc.). In order to alleviate the sublimation of PETN crystals under service conditions, stabilization methods such as thermal cycling and doping with certain impurities during or after the crystallization of PETN have been proposed.
Idiosyncratic Variation of Treasury Bill Yields

I document a dramatic increase in the importance of two types of variation in Treasury bill yields beginning in the early 1980s. The first is idiosyncratic variation in individual short-maturity (less than three months) bill yields. The second is a common component in Treasury bill yields that is not shared by yields on other instruments, such as short-maturity privately-issued instruments or longer-maturity Treasury notes and bonds. Some evidence suggests the first type reflects increased market segmentation. These results have important implications for the calibration and testing of no-arbitrage term structure models and interpreting tests of the expectations hypothesis. UNITED STATES TREASURY bill yields play a central role in economists' efforts to understand the behavior of financial markets. The focus on Treasury bills is driven by the belief that bill yields can be viewed as benchmarks from which yields on other debt instruments are derived. For example, in no-arbitrage models of the default-free term structure, the stochastic properties of the (hypothetical) instantaneous interest rate determine bond prices. Researchers often construct and evaluate these models using short-maturity bill yields as proxies for instantaneous interest rates.' Similarly, bill yields are frequently used to test the expectations hypothesis of the term structure.2 Economists' standard pricing models for default-risky securities also view Treasury yields as building blocks. In such models, yields on default-risky securities depend, at least in part, on the yields of default-free securities and the underlying stochastic default process. Therefore, yields on Treasury bills have been used in studies of the effects of monetary policy on the business cycle-not because bills are intrinsically critical to the economy, but because
High yield room temperature syntheses of KAgF4 and AgF3 and the preparation and unit cell of LiAgF4

Abstract AgF 2 dissolves at ∼ 20°C in liquid anhydrous hydrogen fluoride (aHF), containing either LiF or KF, with sunlight or ultraviolet (UV)-irradiated F 2 . Concentrated KF-aHF solutions quickly give a nearly quantitative conversion to KAgF 4 . Preparation of LiAgF 4 is less efficient, but it can be prepared in high purity. It is isomorphous with LiAuF 4 , and has a monoclinic unit cell: a = 4.87 (1)_; b = 5.93 (1) ; c = 10.08 (1) A; β = 93.0(1)°; V = 291 (1) A 3 ; z = 4. KHF 2 impurity in KAgF 4 can be removed as KPF 6 with PF s at 0°C. Preparation of AgF 3 , with minimum contamination by Ag 3 F 8 , is achieved at 0°C using GeF 4 as F − acceptor. The high solubility of the salt K 2 GeF 6 makes this possible.
USE OF PHOTOSTRESS TO CHARACTERIZE THE MECHANICAL BEHAVIOR OF WELDMENTS

Welded aluminum is an important part of many space structures. Knowledge of the properties and behavior of weld material and the material surrounding the weld is important for modeling and design of the structures. Photoelastic coatings (Photostress) and strain gages were used to determine behavior of heat treated and as welded joints made from 2219T87 parent material and 2319 weld material subjected to tensile loads. TIG welds of 1/8, 1/2, and 1.4 inches thickness were investigated. Discontinuous yielding was observed in all tests and highly non-uniform behavior through the weld thickness was observed in joints having welds 1.4 inches thick. Joints having welds 1/8 and 1/2 inches thick had only small differences in behavior through the thickness of the weld. Joints in the 1/2 inch thick material contained distinct zones of constant strain within the normal strain gradient extending outward from the weld centerline. These zones had different thickness and locations. Points at the weld centerline, and for a distance of nearly one inch from the centerline, exhibited very nonlinear behavior during the first loading but exhibited near perfect strain hardening during the second loading.
Mechanisms of pulsed laser ablation of biological tissues.

Author(s): Vogel, Alfred; Venugopalan, Vasan | Abstract: The mechanisms of pulsed laser ablation of biological tissues were studied. The transiently empty space created between the fiber tip and the tissue surface improved the optical transmission to the target and thus increased the ablation efficiency. It was found that the structure and morphology also affect the energy transport among tissue constituents.
DEUTERIUM FLUORIDE CW CHEMICAL LASERS

This article summarizes the current performance and understanding of deuterium fluoride (DF) cw chemical lasers. The fundamental principles of the laser are explained. The advantages and disadvantages of the laser system are discussed. The characteristics of the DF laser beam, the performance parameters and operating characteristics are enumerated.© (1976) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Optimal ranking regime analysis of TreeFlow dendrohydrological reconstructions

Abstract. The optimal ranking regime (ORR) method was used to identify 6–100-year time windows containing significant ranking sequences in 55 western US streamflow reconstructions, and reconstructions of the level of the Great Salt Lake and San Francisco Bay salinity during 1500–2007. The method's ability to identify optimally significant and non-overlapping runs of low- and high-rankings allows it to re-express a reconstruction time series as a simplified sequence of regime segments marking intra- to multi-decadal (IMD) periods of low or high streamflow, lake level, and salinity. Those ORR sequences, referred to here as Z-lines, can be plotted to identify consistent regime patterns in the analysis of numerous reconstructions. The Z-lines for the 57 reconstructions evaluated here show a common pattern of IMD cycles of drought and pluvial periods during the late 16th and 17th centuries, a relatively dormant period during the 18th century, and the reappearance of alternating dry and wet IMD periods during the 19th and early 20th centuries. Although this pattern suggests the possibility of similarly active and inactive oceanic modes in the North Pacific and North Atlantic, such centennial-scale patterns are not evident in the ORR analyses of reconstructed Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO), El Nino–Southern Oscillation, and North Atlantic sea-surface temperature variation. However, given the inconsistency in the analyses of four PDO reconstructions, the possible role of centennial-scale oceanic mechanisms is uncertain. In future research the ORR method might be applied to climate reconstructions around the Pacific Basin to try to resolve this uncertainty. Given its ability to compare regime patterns in climate reconstructions derived using different methods and proxies, the method may also be used in future research to evaluate long-term regional temperature reconstructions.
Conversation protocols: a formalism for specification and verification of reactive electronic services

This paper focuses on the realizability problem of a framework for modeling and specifying the global behaviors of reactive electronic services (e-services). In this framework, Web accessible programs (peers) communicate by asynchronous message passing, and a virtual global watcher silently listens to the network. The global behavior is characterized by a "conversation", which is the infinite sequence of messages observed by the watcher. We show that given a Buchi automaton specifying the desired set of conversations, called a "conversation protocol", it is possible to realize the protocol using a set of finite state peers if three realizability conditions are satisfied. In particular, the synthesized peers will conform to the protocol by generating only those conversations specified by the protocol. Our results enable a top-down verification strategy where (1) A conversation protocol is specified by a realizable Buchi automaton, (2) The properties of the protocol are verified on the Buchi automaton specification, and (3) The peer implementations are synthesized from the protocol via projection.
Transesophageal atrial pacing reduces phenylephrine needed for blood pressure support during carotid endarterectomy.

Abstract Objective: To determine whether transesophageal atrial pacing reduces phenylephrine requirement for blood pressure support during general anesthesia for carotid endarterectomy. Design: Prospective randomized clinical study. Setting: University hospital. Participants: Thirty-six patients undergoing elective carotid endarterectomy under general anesthesia. Interventions: Adults of either sex (n = 36) received general anesthesia using a standardized anesthetic regimen for elective carotid endarterectomy. Phenylephrine requirements were measured in patients having carotid endarterectomy and randomized to phenylephrine infusion (group 1, 19 patients) or phenylephrine infusion plus transesophageal atrial pacing (group 2, 17 patients) to maintain systolic blood pressure within ± 20% of baseline systolic blood pressure. Measurements and Main Results: Measurements included (1) the amount of phenylephrine required in each group, (2) the variance of systolic blood pressure outside the desired range, and (3) the occurrence of postoperative electrocardiogram or myocardial enzyme changes suggesting myocardial ischemia. The average requirement for phenylephrine was less for group 2 (0.28 ± 0.16 μkg/kg/min) than for group 1 patients (0.46 ± 0.23 μkg/kg/min) (p = 0.02 by t-test). Conclusions: Under controlled conditions of general anesthesia for carotid endarterectomy, transesophageal atrial pacing reduced by 40% the amount of phenylephrine needed for blood pressure support and helped in the treatment of disadvantageous sinus bradycardia. Copyright © 2000 by W.B. Saunders Company
TRIANGULAR BASES IN QUANTUM CLUSTER ALGEBRAS

A lot of recent activity has been directed toward various constructions of “natural” bases in cluster algebras. We develop a new approach to this problem which is close in spirit to Lusztig’s construction of a canonical basis, and the pioneering construction of the Kazhdan–Lusztig basis in a Hecke algebra. The key ingredient of our approach is a new version of Lusztig’s Lemma that we apply to all acyclic quantum cluster algebras. As a result, we construct the “canonical” basis in every such algebra that we call the canonical triangular basis.
Computationally Efficient Estimators for Dimension Reductions Using Stable Random Projections

The method of stable random projections is an efficient tool for computing the lalpha distances using low memory, where 0 1. We derive its theoretical error bound and establish the explicit (i.e., no hidden constants) sample complexity bound.
Spatially-varying IIR filter banks for image coding

The application of spatially variant IIR (infinite impulse response) filter banks to subband image coding is reported. The new filter bank is based on computationally efficient recursive polyphase decompositions that dynamically change in response to the input signal. In the absence of quantization, reconstruction can be made exact. However, by proper choice of an adaptation scheme, it is shown that subband image coding based on time-varying filter banks can yield improvement over the use of conventional filter banks. Simulation results are presented. >
Women Helping Women in Agricultural Economics? Same-Gender Mentoring and Early Career Research Productivity for Agricultural Economics Ph.D.s

This paper is the first to empirically examine the degree to which student outcomes differ across gender-mentorship configurations for agricultural economics Ph.D. recipients. Using a Negative Binomial regression model, we find that female students working with male advisors average statistically fewer total publications in their early careers than men working with male advisors.
Projective duality of arrangements with quadratic logarithmic vector fields

In these notes we study hyperplane arrangements having at least one logarithmic derivation of degree two that is not a combination of degree one logarithmic derivations. It is well-known that if a hyperplane arrangement has a linear logarithmic derivation not a constant multiple of the Euler derivation, then the arrangement decomposes as the direct product of smaller arrangements. The next natural step would be to study arrangements with non-trivial quadratic logarithmic derivations. On this regard, we present a computational lemma that leads to a full classification of hyperplane arrangements of rank 3 having such a quadratic logarithmic derivation. These results come as a consequence of looking at the variety of the points dual to the hyperplanes in such special arrangements.
PRECISION FARMING IN IRRIGATED CORN PRODUCTION: AN ECONOMIC PERSPECTIVE

A dynamic optimization model is used to assess the profitability of precision and whole-field farming in corn production. Yield, on the average, was higher under whole-field farming practices, while net present value of returns was higher under precision farming, on the average, by 7.41% and 8.15%, respectively.
Fractional dynamics and the TeV regime of field theory

Abstract Fractional dynamics offers a reliable tool for the study of far-from equilibrium processes that display scale-invariant properties, dissipation and long-range correlations. This is particularly attractive when dealing with the complex dynamics generated in the deep ultraviolet regime of quantum field theory. We analyze a simple scalar field Lagrangian using Caputo derivatives and the approximation of low-level fractionality. Results may be extrapolated to more realistic field models and suggest a series of surprising implications regarding phenomena that are expected to emerge beyond the range of the standard model for particle physics.
Power quality indices for transient disturbances

For reasonable power quality assessment of transient disturbances in electric power systems, new transient power quality indices are developed based on a signal processing technique, time-frequency analysis. Based on the time-frequency distribution of a transient disturbance, a set of time-frequency based power quality indices are developed. In this paper, the instantaneous disturbance energy ratio, normalized instantaneous disturbance energy ratio, instantaneous frequency, and instantaneous K-factor are suggested for transient power quality assessment. Time-frequency based power quality indices allow one to quantify the effects of transient disturbances with high-resolution and accuracy.
On the genesis of Post constraint in modern electromagnetism

Abstract The genesis of the Post constraint is premised on two attributes of modern electromagnetism: (i) its microscopic nature, and (ii) the status of e ˜ ( x , t ) and b ˜ ( x , t ) as the primitive electromagnetic fields. This constraint can therefore not arise in EH-electromagnetism, wherein the primitive electromagnetic fields are the macroscopic fields e ˜ ( x , t ) and H ˜ ( x , t ) . Available experimental evidence against the Post constraint is incomplete and inconclusive.
Inference from Streaks in Random Outcomes: Experimental Evidence on Beliefs in Regime Shifting and the Law of Small Numbers

Using data generated from laboratory experiments, we test and compare the empirical accuracy of two models that focus on judgment errors associated with processing information from random sequences. We test for regime-shifting beliefs of the type theorized in Barberis et al. (Barberis, N., A. Shleifer, R. Vishny. 1998. A model of investor sentiment. J. Financial Econom.49(3) 307--343) and for beliefs in the “law of small numbers” as modeled in Rabin (Rabin, M. 2002. Inference by believers in the law of small numbers. Quart. J. Econom.117(3) 775--816). In our experiments, we show subjects randomly generated sequences of binary outcomes and ask them to provide probability assessments of the direction of the next outcome. Inconsistent with regime-shifting beliefs, we find that subjects are not more likely to predict that the current streak will continue the longer the streak. Instead, consistent with Rabin (2002), subjects are more likely to expect a reversal following short streaks and continuation after long streaks. Results of a “test-of-fit” analysis based on structural estimation of each model also favor the model in Rabin. To provide more insight on Rabin, we use an additional experimental treatment to show that as the perception of the randomness of the outcome-generating process increases, subjects are more likely to predict reversals of current streaks.
Modeling growth paths of interacting crack pairs in elastic media

The problem of predicting the growth of a system of cracks, each crack influencing the growth of the others, arises in multiple fields. We develop an analytical framework toward this aim, which we apply to the ‘En-Passant’ family of crack growth problems, in which a pair of initially parallel, offset cracks propagate nontrivially toward each other under far-field opening stress. We utilize boundary integral and perturbation methods of linear elasticity, linear elastic fracture mechanics, and common crack opening criteria to calculate the first analytical model for curved En-Passant crack paths. The integral system is reduced under a hierarchy of approximations, producing three methods of increasing simplicity for computing crack paths. The last such method is a major highlight of this work, using an asymptotic matching argument to predict crack paths based on superposition of simple, single-crack fields. Within the corresponding limits of the three methods, all three are shown to agree with each other. We provide comparisons to exact results and existing experimental data to verify certain approximation steps.
Efficient Stille cross-coupling reaction using aryl chlorides or bromides in water.

An efficient Stille cross-coupling reaction using a variety of aryl halides in neat water has been developed. Employing palladium−phosphinous acid catalyst [(t-Bu)2P(OH)]2PdCl2 allows formation of biaryls from aryl chlorides and bromides in good to high yields. Functional groups such as ketones and nitriles are tolerated, and organic cosolvents are not required. The air stability and solubility in water of the palladium complexes used in this study facilitate operation of the coupling reaction and product isolation. The feasibility of catalyst recycling has also been demonstrated.
Two-and-One-Half Dimensional In-Plane Wave Propagation.

Abstract : The purpose of this paper is to collect certain wave propagation results in two-and-one-half dimensions -- defined as three dimensional propagation in a medium that has variations in two dimensions only. The results of interest are for sources and receivers in the plane determined by the two directions of parameter variation. The objective of this work is to reduce the analysis of the in-plane propagation to two dimensional analysis while retaining -- at least asymptotically -- the proper three dimensional geometrical spreading. We do this for the free space Green's function and for the Kirchhoff approximate upward scattered field from a single reflector. In both cases, we carry out a derivation under the assumption of a background velocity with two dimensional -- c(x,z) -- variation; we specialize the results to a constant background velocity and a depth dependent background velocity. For the convenience of the user we have included a glossary and two tables of equation numbers to help in finding specific results. Keywords include: Ray method; Geometrical optics; Wave propagation; Green's function; Jacobian; Travel time; and WKB.
Geographic and Industrial Corporate Diversification: The Level and Structure of Executive Compensation

We explore the relation between corporate diversification and CEO compensation. We document that geographic diversification provides a compensation premium, while industrial diversification is associated with lower levels of CEO pay. We also examine the effect of corporate diversification on the structure and performance criteria of CEO compensation contracts. We find that both diversification strategies are associated with a greater use of incentive-based compensation and with a greater reliance on market-based, rather than accounting-based measures of firm performance. Finally, we address the question of whether shareholders reward CEOs for corporate diversification. We document that while value-enhancing geographic diversification is rewarded, non-value-enhancing industrial diversification is penalized.
Toward Understanding the Lattice QCD Results from the Strong Coupling Analysis

This is a review of strong coupling approaches to grasp the nature of the phase transition in finite temperature and density QCD. We commence with classics of the center symmetry and the Polyakov loop in pure gauge theories. The effective action derived in the strong coupling limit gives qualitatively plausible behavior for the deconfinement transition at finite temperature. We can apply the strong coupling analysis to describe the chiral phase transition with the help of large dimensional expansion. In order to make this article as self-contained as possible, we elucidate the computational procedure and its physical meaning in detail. Also the relation between the Polyakov loop behavior and the chiral dynamics, the phase structure of two-color QCD, and future possibilities to be pursued in the strong coupling analysis are discussed.
SECULAR ORBITAL DYNAMICS OF HIERARCHICAL TWO-PLANET SYSTEMS

The discovery of multi-planet extrasolar systems has kindled interest in using their orbital evolution as a probe of planet formation. Accurate descriptions of planetary orbits identify systems that could hide additional planets or be in a special dynamical state, and inform targeted follow-up observations. We combine published radial velocity data with Markov Chain Monte Carlo analyses in order to obtain an ensemble of masses, semimajor axes, eccentricities, and orbital angles for each of the five dynamically active multi-planet systems: HD 11964, HD 38529, HD 108874, HD 168443, and HD 190360. We dynamically evolve these systems using 52,000 long-term N-body integrations that sample the full range of possible line-of-sight and relative inclinations, and we report on the system stability, secular evolution, and the extent of the resonant interactions. We find that planetary orbits in hierarchical systems exhibit complex dynamics and can become highly eccentric and maybe significantly inclined. Additionally, we incorporate the effects of general relativity in the long-term simulations and demonstrate that it can qualitatively affect the dynamics of some systems with high relative inclinations. The simulations quantify the likelihood of different dynamical regimes for each system and highlight the dangers of restricting simulation phase space to a single set of initial conditions or coplanar orbits.
Signal interception: a unifying theoretical framework for feature detection

The unifying framework of the spectral-correlation theory of cyclostationary signals is used to present a broad treatment of weak, random signal detection for interception purposes. The relationships among a variety of previously proposed ad hoc detectors, optimum detectors, and newly proposed detectors are established. The spectral-correlation-plane approach to the interception problem is put forth as especially promising for detection, classification, and estimation in particularly difficult environments involving unknown and changing noise levels and interference activity. A fundamental drawback of the popular radiometric methods in such environments is explained. >
Pharmacogenomics for neurohormonal intervention in heart failure.

Neurohormonal activation is an important driver of heart failure progression, and all pharmacologic interventions that improve clinical outcomes inhibit this systemic response to myocardial injury. Functional polymorphisms affecting mediator levels and signal transduction are present in genetic loci critical to renin-angiotensin and sympathetic activation. Clinical investigations have demonstrated that these neurohormonal polymorphisms influence heart failure outcomes and alter the effectiveness of drug therapy. Genetic variation of disease modifiers such as angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) and β-adrenergic receptors influences ACE inhibitor and β-blocker effectiveness. The investigation of functional genomics will allow pharmacologic therapeutics to be tailored to an individual's specific genetic background. This article explores how genetic variation in genes involved in neurohormonal activation influence heart failure outcomes and the impact of pharmacotherapy.
Sustainability under siege: Transport costs and corruption on West Africa's trade corridors

We use recent data on transport costs in West Africa, including the added burden of bribes and enforced delays, to show how such costs represent a deterrent to investment in — and therefore the sustainability of — agricultural assets. We focus on data for two important tree crops in West Africa, cashew and shea. We also have data for the transport of onions between Niger and the urban market in Accra, Ghana. Our data allow us to predict plausible increases in farm-gate prices from a reduction in transport costs and bribes. A 10% reduction in the total transport costs (actual costs plus corruption costs) of onions from Niger could result in a 12-13% price increase to onion farmers. Similar elasticities are 2% for cashew in Ghana and 7% for shea in Mali. These feasible price increases would encourage farmers to improve onion production, and to protect and improve production from cashew and shea trees, thereby enhancing the sustainability of agro-forestry in West Africa. We call these price increases the “sustainability dividend”. narf_1342
Simple interpretation of time-domain electromagnetic sounding using similarities between wave and diffusion propagation

By using similarities between EM sounding in dielectric and conductive media, it is shown that one can transform between solutions in one type of propagation to the other. The method is based on the similarities of the Laplace transform between diffusive and nondiffusive cases. In the diffusive case, the equation involves the Laplace variable s in the first power, while for the nondiffusive cases, similar equations occur with s2. Three alternative implementations are developed, and their use is demonstrated. The first implementation is based on substituting s2 for the Laplace transform variable s using forward and inverse numerical Laplace transforms. The second implementation is based on expanding the diffusive time response on an exponential time base and replacing it with its image function in the wave case, namely, a sinusoidal function. The third implementation is based on direct transformation in the time domain using exponential time interval sampling. The performance of the techniques on synthetic...
Microbiologically Influenced Corrosion

Abstract : The term microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) is used to designate corrosion due to the presence and activities of microorganisms, i.e., those organisms that cannot be seen individually with the unaided human eye, including microalgae, archaea, bacteria, and fungi. Microorganisms can accelerate rates or partial reactions in corrosion processes or shift the mechanism for corrosion. Microorganisms can influence pitting, dealloying, enhanced erosion corrosion, enhanced galvanic corrosion, stress corrosion cracking, and hydrogen embrittlement. Microbiologically influenced corrosion has been reported for all engineering metal and alloys with the exception of predominantly titanium and high chromium -nickel alloys. It has been documented for metals and nonmetals exposed to seawater, freshwater, distilled/demineralized water, crude and distillate hydrocarbon fuels, process chemicals, foodstuffs, soils, human plasma, saliva, and sewage. The following sections describe the estimated costs of MIC, mechanisms, and causative microorganisms contributing to MIC; techniques for diagnosing, measuring, and monitoring; engineering practices that influence MIC and strategies to prevent or mitigate MIC.
INTROSPECTION, REVEALED PREFERENCE, AND NEOCLASSICAL ECONOMICS: A CRITICAL RESPONSE TO DON ROSS ON THE ROBBINS-SAMUELSON ARGUMENT PATTERN

Don Ross' recent book Economic Theory and Cognitive Science (2005) provides an elaborate philosophical defense of neoclassical economics. He argues that the central features of neoclassical theory are associated with what he calls the Robbins-Samuelson argument pattern (RASP) and that it can be reconciled with recent developments in experimental and behavioral economics, as well as contemporary cognitive science. This paper argues that Ross' Robbins-Samuelson argument pattern is not in the work of either Robbins or Samuelson and in many ways is in conflict with their own versions, and defenses, of neoclassical theory.
Regarding the Line-of-Sight Baryonic Acoustic Feature in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey and Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey Luminous Red Galaxy Samples

We analyze the line-of-sight baryonic acoustic feature in the two-point correlation function ξ of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) luminous red galaxy (LRG) sample (0.16 < z < 0.47). By defining a narrow line-of-sight region, rp < 5.5 h −1 Mpc, where rp is the transverse separation component, we measure a strong excess of clustering at ∼ 110 h −1 Mpc, as previously reported in the literature. We also test these results in an alternative coordinate system, by defining the line-of-sight as θ < 3 ◦ , where θ is the opening angle. This clustering excess appears much stronger than the feature in the better-measured monopole. A fiducialCDM non-linear model in redshift-space predicts a much weaker signature. We use realistic mock catalogs to model the expected signal and noise. We find that the line-of-sight measurements can be explained well by our mocks as well as by a featureless ξ = 0. We conclude that there is no convincing evidence that the strong clustering measurement is the line-of-sight baryonic acoustic feature. We also evaluate how detectable such a signal would be in the upcoming Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey LRG volume (BOSS). Mock LRG catalogs (z < 0.6) suggest that: (i ) the narrow line- of-sight cylinder and cone defined above probably will not reveal a detectable acoustic feature in BOSS; (ii ) a clustering measurement as high as that in the current sample can be ruled out (or confirmed) at a high confidence level using a BOSS-sized data set; and (iii ) an analysis with wider angular cuts, which provide better signal-to-noise ratios, can nevertheless be used to compare line-of-sight and transverse distances, and thereby constrain the expansion rate H(z) and diameter distance DA(z). Subject headings: cosmology: observation - distance scale - galaxies: elliptical and lenticular, cD - large scale structure of universe
Facile syntheses and rearrangements of peptide derived β-lactams

Abstract Stereoselective aldol condensation of a 4, 5-diphenyl-oxazolin-2-one (Ox) glycine provided α-amino- β-hydroxy acid 4 , which, after coupling with phenylglycine derivatives, was directly cyclized to β lactams. Ozonolysis cleaved both the Ox and isopropylidene groups and initiated a Chapman rearrangement to the corresponding α-benzamido-β-acyl-2 azetidinone 8 . Subsequent reduction induced a diastereoselective rearrangement to the corresponding γ-lactone 13 .
ECOWAS's Infrastructure: A Regional Perspective

Infrastructure improvements boosted growth in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) by one percentage point per capita per year during 1995-2005, primarily thanks to growth in information and communication technology. Deficient power infrastructure held growth back by 0.1 percent. Raising the region's infrastructure to the level of Mauritius could boost growth by 5 percentage points. Overall, infrastructure in the 15 ECOWAS countries ranks consistently behind southern Africa across many indicators. However, there is parity in access to household services -- water, sanitation, and power. ECOWAS has a well-developed regional road network, though sea corridors and ports need attention. Surface transport is expensive and slow, owing to cartelization, restrictive regulations, and delays. There is no regional rail network. Air transport has improved despite the lack of a strong hub-and-spoke structure. Safety remains a concern. Electrical power, the most expensive and least reliable in Africa, reaches 50 percent of the population but meets just 30 percent of demand. Regional power trading would bring substantial benefits if Guinea could become a hydropower exporter. Prices for critical ICT services are relatively high. Recent panregional initiatives have improved roaming. New projects are underway to provide access and improved services to unconnected countries. Completing and maintaining ECOWAS's infrastructure will require sustained spending of $1.5 billion annually for a decade, with one-third going to power. Although the necessary spending is only 1 percent of regional GDP, some countries' share is between 5 and 25 percent of national GDP. Clearly, external assistance will be needed.
Performance Incentives in the Public Sector: Evidence From the Job Training Partnership Act

It is curious that more government programs do not use performance based contracts for human-resource-oriented programs. Theoretical explanations for their limited use are that agents' risk aversion limits the effectiveness of performance incentives, and moral hazard can restricted the efficacy of performance incentives if the performance measures do not fully reflect program goals. This article examines the validity of these explanations by studying the performance management system used in the major federal job training program, the Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA). Existing JTPA performance measures lead to problems of moral hazard. This article provides empirical evidence for the notion that unless performance standards are carefully designed, problems of moral hazard may preclude the widespread use of performance incentives in government programs. Copyright 1997 by Oxford University Press.
The packing of soft materials : Molecular asymmetry, geometric frustration and optimal lattices in block copolymer melts

Block copolymer systems are well known for their ability to self-assemble into a wide array of periodic structures. Due to the abundance and adaptability of physical theories describing polymers, this system is ideal for the development of robust and testible predictions about amphiphilic self-assembly phenomena at large. We review the results of field-theoretic treatments of block copolymer melts, with the aim of understanding how self-assembly in this system can be understood in terms of optimal lattice geometry. The self-consistent (mean) field theory of block copolymer melts as well as its low temperature limit, strong-segregation theory, are presented in detail, highlighting the special role played by asymmetry in the copolymer architecture. Special attention is paid to micellar configurations, where a well-defined and simple notion of optimal lattice geometry emerges from a particular asymptotic limit of the full self-consistent field theory. In this limit, the stability of competing arrangements of copolymer micelles can be assessed in terms of two discrete measures of the lattice geometry, emphasizing the non-trivial coupling between the internal configurations of the fundamentally soft micelles and the periodic symmetry of the lattice.
Hyperthermal chemistry in the gas phase and on surfaces: Theoretical studies

We review recent theoretical studies aimed at understanding gas/surface and gas-phase collisions at hyperthermal energies. The review is restricted to interactions between neutral species, and particular attention is given to the interactions of hyperthermal ground-state atomic oxygen (O(3P)) with hydrocarbons. Quantum mechanical and molecular dynamics calculations are used to simulate collisions of O(3P) with gas-phase methane, ethane, and propane molecules and with condensed-phase alkanethiolate self-assembled monolayers. The results of such studies are examined in the light of atomic-oxygen degradation of polymeric materials in low Earth orbit (LEO).
Multiple control for feedback tuning of the Advanced Photon Source storage ring/booster RF cavities

A method for tuning RF cavities that has fewer RF reflected power conditions and is easier for accelerator operators to use is presented. This method will also prepare the RF cavity tuning for future higher beam currents. The results and installation methods are discussed.
TOWARD A CLASSIFICATION OF FINITE QUANDLES

This paper summarizes substantive new results derived by a student team (the first three authors) under the direction of the fourth author at the 2005 session of the KSU REU "Brainstorming and Barnstorming". The main results are a decomposition theorem for quandles in terms of an operation of "semidisjoint union" showing that all finite quandles canonically decompose via iterated semidisjoint unions into connected subquandles, and a structure theorem for finite connected quandles with prescribed inner automorphism group. The latter theorem suggests a new approach to the classification of finite connected quandles.
Malnutrition and Child Labor

In pre-industrial and developing economies, it is common to find (i) entire families, including children, working together in family farms or urban factories; and (ii) a positive link between a person's consumption and her productivity. This paper argues that there is a natural reason for the concurrence of (i) and (ii). As a rule, households are characterized by intra-household altruism: an increase in the income of an individual increases the consumption of all household members. Hence, when an employer pays an adult worker a high wage to enhance her productivity, part of it ends up augmenting her children's consumption and productivity. One way for the employer to prevent this leakage and internalize the externality is to employ the children as well. This explains the higher incidence of family labor in poor societies where (ii) is more likely to be true.
Dimension and height for posets with planar cover graphs

We show that for each integer h>=2, there exists a least positive integer c"h so that if P is a poset having a planar cover graph and the height of P is h, then the dimension of P is at most c"h. Trivially, c"1=2. Also, Felsner, Li and Trotter showed that c"2 exists and is 4, but their proof techniques do not seem to apply when h>=3. We focus on establishing the existence of c"h, although we suspect that the upper bound provided by our proof is far from best possible. From below, a construction of Kelly is easily modified to show that c"h must be at least h+2.
Human-friendly robotics

Robotics is rapidly expanding into the human environment and vigorously engaged in its new emerging challenges. Interacting, exploring, and working with humans, the new generation of robots will increasingly touch people and their lives. The successful introduction of robots in human environments will rely on the development of competent and practical systems that are dependable, safe, and easy to use. This presentation focuses on our ongoing effort to develop human-friendly robotic systems that combine the essential characteristics of safety, human-compatibility, and performance. In human-friendly robot design, our effort has focused on new design concepts for the development of intrinsically safe robotic systems that possess the requisite capabilities and performance to interact and work with humans.
The distribution of integers with a divisor in a given interval

We determine the order of magnitude of H(x;y;z), the number of integers n x having a divisor in (y;z], for all x;y and z. We also study Hr(x;y;z), the number of integers n x having exactly r divisors in (y;z]. Whenr = 1 we establish the order of magnitude ofH1(x;y;z) for allx;y;z satisfying z x 1=2 " . For every r 2, C > 1 and " > 0, we determine the order of magnitude of Hr(x;y;z) uniformly for y large and y +y=(logy) log 4 1 " z min(y C ;x 1=2 " ). As a consequence of these bounds, we settle a 1960 conjecture of Erd} os and some conjectures of Tenenbaum. One key element of the proofs is a new result on the distribution of uniform order statistics.
Instrumentation for laser physics and spectroscopy using 32-bit microcontrollers with an Android tablet interface

Several high-performance lab instruments suitable for manual assembly have been developed using low-pin-count 32-bit microcontrollers that communicate with an Android tablet via a USB interface. A single Android tablet app accommodates multiple interface needs by uploading parameter lists and graphical data from the microcontrollers, which are themselves programmed with easily modified C code. The hardware design of the instruments emphasizes low chip counts and is highly modular, relying on small “daughter boards” for special functions such as USB power management, waveform generation, and phase-sensitive signal detection. In one example, a daughter board provides a complete waveform generator and direct digital synthesizer that fits on a 1.5 in. × 0.8 in. circuit card.
Active virtual network management protocol

This paper introduces a novel algorithm, the Active Virtual Network Management Protocol (AVNMP), for predictive network management. It explains how the Active Virtual Network Management Protocol facilitates the management of an active network by allowing future predicted state information within an active network to be available to network management algorithms. This is accomplished by coupling ideas from optimistic discrete event simulation with active networking. The optimistic discrete event simulation method used is a form of self-adjusting Time Warp. It is self-adjusting because the system adjusts for predictions which are inaccurate beyond a given tolerance. The concept of a streptichron and autoanaplasis are introduced as mechanisms which take advantage of the enhanced flexibility and intelligence of active packets. Finally, it is demonstrated that the Active Virtual Network Management Protocol is a feasible concept.
Copyright as a Rule of Evidence

Author(s): Lichtman, Doug | Abstract: This paper has been published in the Duke Law Journal. The Citation is 52 Duke L.J. 683 (2003).Many copyright doctrines serve to exclude from the copyright regime cases particularly prone to evidentiary complexity. The implicit logic is that for these cases the social costs of litigation would likely outweigh the social benefits derived from offering copyright protection in the first place. Doctrines that serve this evidentiary function include some doctrines where an evidentiary purpose is readily apparent, for example the requirement that eligible works be fixed in tangible form, and some where the link is quite subtle, for example the rule against protecting work that lacks creativity. Understanding these doctrines in this light helps to refine their proper scope and application. It also makes clear a problem facing copyright law more generally: the increasing divergence between the logical justifications for various copyright doctrines and their actual use by courts and commentators.
Analysis of ancient atmospheres

In 1967 and 1968, ice samples were taken from various depths in the ice caps of Greenland and Antarctica and transported to the Stanford Research Institute laboratories in the frozen state. These samples ranged in age from 100 to 2500 years. After the ice samples had been melted in the laboratory, the air trapped as compressed bubbles in the glacial ice during the transition from firn to ice was collected and removed by a novel technique developed for this specific purpose. Carbon monoxide and methane analyses were made on a large number of samples by using gas chromatography. Major components were also measured in a few samples by mass spectrometry. The measured methane concentration appear to be about half of present-day concentrations. The measured CO concentrations were high in value by severalfold, and initially the validity of the approach was doubted. However, in the light of recent evidence suggesting that the largest global source of CO is oxidized methane, our CO and CH4 measurements can be reinterpreted. They suggest that the background CO concentration in the atmosphere has been near current concentrations of about 0.1 ppm for many centuries. It can be inferred, therefore, that no large increase in CO concentration accompanied the advent of the Industrial Revolution.
Prospects of CMOS technology for high-speed optical communication circuits

This paper describes the capabilities of deep-submicron CMOS technologies for the realization of highly integrated optical communication transceivers in the range of tens of gigabits per second. Following an overview of a CMOS process, the design of traditional and modern transceivers is presented and speed and integration issues are discussed. Next, the problem of equalization is addressed. Finally, the design of critical building blocks such as broadband amplifiers and high-speed oscillators is described and a method of estimating the jitter is introduced.