cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ruble overhang and ruble shortage : were they the same thing?

Abstract The Soviet Union was characterized in its last days by a ruble overhang. Its successor states experienced ruble shortages during their tenure within the ruble currency area that contributed to the final demise of that financial system. I demonstrate that these two phenomena were manifestations of the same economic imbalance: an inability of households to convert financial wealth into purchasing power over commodities. J. Comp. Econom., February 1997, 24 (1), pp. 1–24. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-3305.
Stereoselective glycosidation reactions of activated glycals with a c1-oxygenated allylsilane: Synthesis of a cis-pyrano[2,3-b]pyran

Abstract A highly stereoselective synthesis of a cis-pyrano[2, 3-b]pyran has been developed utilizing a BF 3 ·OEt 2 catalyzed glycosidation reaction of activated glycals with 1-hydroxy-2-propenyltrimethylsilane (1). The reaction resulted in incorporation of a 1-trimethylsilyl-2-propenyloxy-1-yl function. A subsequent fluoride ion promoted internal conjugate addition reaction was used for the construction of the cis-pyranopyran.
Structure and dynamics of modulated traveling waves in cellular flames

We describe the formation and evolution of spatial and temporal patterns in cylindrical premixed flames. We consider the cellular regime, Le < 1, where the Lewis number Le is the ratio of thermal to mass diffusivity of a deficient component of the combustible mixture. A transition from stationary, axisymmetric flames to stationary cellular flames is predicted analytically if Le is decreased below a critical value. We present the results of numerical computations to show that as Le is further decreased, with all other parameters fixed, traveling waves (TWs) along the flame front arise via an infinite-period bifurcation which breaks the reflection symmetry of the cellular array. Upon further decreasing Le we find the development of different kinds of periodically modulated traveling waves (MTWs) as well as a branch of quasiperiodically modulated traveling waves (QPMTWs). These transitions are accompanied by the development of different spatial and temporal symmetries including period doublings and period halvings in appropriate coordinate systems. We also observe the apparently chaotic temporal behavior of a disordered cellular pattern involving creation and annihilation of cells. We analytically describe the stability of the TW solution near its onset using suitable phase-amplitude equations. Within this framework one of the MTWs can be identified as a localized wave traveling through an underlying stationary, spatially periodic structure.
A relativistic symmetry in nuclei

Abstract We review the status of a quasi-degenerate doublets in nuclei, called pseudospin doublets, which were discovered about 30 years ago and the origins of which have remained a mystery, until recently. We show that pseudospin doublets originate from an SU(2) symmetry of the Dirac Hamiltonian which occurs when the scalar and vector potentials are opposite in sign but equal in magnitude. Furthermore, we survey the evidence that pseudospin symmetry is approximately conserved for a Dirac Hamiltonian with realistic scalar and vector potentials. We briefly discuss the relationship of pseudospin symmetry with chiral symmetry and the implications of pseudospin symmetry for the antinucleon spectrum in nuclei.
A Comment on the Absent-Minded Driver Paradox*

Piccione and Rubinstein 1996 present the ''absent-minded driver paradox,'' which shows that if a decision maker's information set is allowed to intersect a decision tree path in more than one node, inconsistencies may arise. Specifically, the decision maker may wish to change her choice without any ''intrinsic'' change in preferences and without receiving any new information, apart from the mere fact that she was called upon to act. I argue that decision problems can and should be formulated in such a way that information sets do not contain more than one decision node on each path. Such formulations will not be subject to the paradox. More importantly, they follow from the classical lore of decision theory. Differently put, the absent-minded driver paradox is a result of decision modeling which violates some of the basic, though often implicit, foundations of decision theory.
Convergence Properties of Donaldson's $T$-Iterations on the Riemann Sphere

In [Donaldson 05b], Donaldson gives three operators on a space of Hermitian metrics on a complex projective manifold: T, T ν , T K . Iterations of these operators converge to balanced metrics, and these themselves approximate constant scalar curvature metrics. In this paper we investigate the convergence properties of these iterations by examining the case of the Riemann sphere as well as higher-dimensional ℂℙ n .
On the Large Nc Expansion in Quantum Chromodynamics

I discuss methods based on the large Nc expansion to study nonperturbative aspects of quantum chromodynamics, the theory of the strong force. I apply these methods to the analysis of weak decay processes and the nonperturbative computation of the weak matrix elements needed for a complete evaluation of these decays in the Standard Model of elementary particle physics.
Decoding the final state in binary black hole mergers

We demonstrate that in binary black hole (BBH) mergers there is a direct correlation between the frequency of the gravitational wave at peak amplitude and the quasi-normal mode frequency and damping time of the final black hole. Since the ringing frequency and damping time of a black hole are related to its mass and spin, the correlation discovered also provides a connection between the parameters of the final black hole and the frequency of the gravitational wave at peak amplitude. This correlation could potentially assist with the analysis of gravitational wave observations from BBH mergers.
Mechanism-based design of simple, symmetrical, easily prepared, potent antimalarial endoperoxides

Abstract Mechanism-based design, two-step synthesis, and in vitro antimalarial testing showed thermally stable, crystalline, bicyclic endoperoxides 2a and 2b to be potent antimalarials. Their reduction by FeBr 2 proceeds via oxy-radicals and then carbon radicals that undergo β-scission to form an alkene and a high-valent FeO species.
The welfare cost of inflation under imperfect insurance

Abstract This paper examines the welfare cost of inflation in an economy where agents hold money in order to smooth consumption in the face of income variability for which there is no insurance. The findings indicate that, for the type of economies considered here, the area under the empirical money demand curve is a poor measure of the welfare cost of inflation. This area accounts for only one-fourth of the true costs in the case of 5% inflation.
Limits on Patient Responsibility

The medical profession and medical ethics currently place a greater emphasis on physician responsibility than patient responsibility. This imbalance is not due to accident or a mistake but, rather is motivated by strong moral reasons. As we debate the nature and extent of patient responsibility it is important to keep in mind the reasons for giving a relatively minimal role to patient responsibility in medical ethics. It is argued that the medical profession ought to be characterized by two moral asymmetries: (1) Even if some degree of responsible behavior from patients is called for, placing the dominant emphasis on professional responsibility over patient responsibility is largely correct. The value of protecting the right to refuse treatment and arguments against paternalism block a more expansive account of patient responsibility and support a strong notion of professional responsibility. (2) Insofar as we do want to encourage an increase in patient responsibility, we have good reasons to emphasize pr...
Molecular Characterization of Collagen Hydroxylysine O-Glycosylation by Mass Spectrometry: Current Status.

The most abundant proteins in vertebrates – the collagen family proteins – play structural and biological roles in the body. The predominant member, type I collagen, provides tissues and organs with structure and connectivity. This protein has several unique post-translational modifications that take place intra- and extra-cellularly. With growing evidence of the relevance of such post-translational modifications in health and disease, the biological significance of O-linked collagen glycosylation has recently drawn increased attention. However, several aspects of this unique modification – the requirement for prior lysyl hydroxylation as a substrate, involvement of at least two distinct glycosyl transferases, its involvement in intermolecular crosslinking – have made its molecular mapping and quantitative characterization challenging. Such characterization is obviously crucial for understanding its biological significance. Recent progress in mass spectrometry has provided an unprecedented opportunity for this type of analysis. This review summarizes recent advances in the area of O-glycosylation of fibrillar collagens and their characterization using state-of-the-art liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry-based methodologies, and perspectives on future research. The analytical characterization of collagen crosslinking and advanced glycation end-products are not addressed here.
From microfluidics to nanofluidics: DNA separation using nanofluidic entropic trap array device

Fluidic devices with sub-micrometer dimensions provide new opportunities in manipulation and analysis of various biomolecules, such as deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). As an example of such devices, a microchannel with an array of entropic traps is introduced. The existence of sub-100nm constriction causes long double-stranded DNA molecules to be entropically trapped, and the length-dependent escape of DNA from the trap enables a band separation of DNA. Entropic traps are also used to manipulate and collect many DNA molecules into a narrow, well-defined initial band for electrophoresis launching. In addition to its speed and compactness, another important advantage of this artifical separation device over conventional gel electrophoresis is the ability to modify and control the device precisely for the optimization of a separation process. The similar device could be used to analyze proteins or other biopolymers.
Hospice in the Nursing Home: Perspectives of Front Line Nursing Home Staff

Objective: Use of hospice has been associated with improved outcomes for nursing home residents and attitudes of nursing home staff toward hospice influences hospice referral. The objective of this study is to describe attitudes of certified nursing assistants (CNAs), nurses, and social workers toward hospice care in nursing homes. Design, setting, and participants: We conducted a survey of 1859 staff from 52 Indiana nursing homes. Measurements: Study data include responses to 6 scaled questions and 3 open-ended qualitative prompts. In addition, respondents who cared for a resident on hospice in the nursing home were asked how often hospice: (1) makes their job easier; (2) is responsive when a patient has symptoms or is actively dying; (3) makes care coordination smooth; (4) is needed; (5) taught them something; and (6) is appreciated by patients/families. Responses were dichotomized as always/often or sometimes/never. Results: A total of 1229 surveys met criteria for inclusion. Of the respondents, 48% were CNAs, 49% were nurses, and 3% were social workers; 83% reported caring for a nursing home patient on hospice. The statement with the highest proportion of always/often rating was ‘patient/family appreciate added care’ (84%); the lowest was ‘hospice makes my job easier’ (54%). More social workers responded favorably regarding hospice responsiveness and coordination of care compared with CNAs (P ¼ .03 and P ¼ .05, respectively). Conclusions: A majority of staff responded favorably regarding hospice care in nursing homes. About onethird of nursing home staff rated coordination of care lower than other aspects, and many qualitative comments highlighted examples of when hospice was not responsive to patient needs, representing important opportunities for improvement. 2014 AMDA e The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine.
Extension of the depth of field in integral imaging: an overview

Integral Imaging has emerged as one of the most promising techniques for realization of true three-dimensional imaging. One of main challenges in this road map is to increase the depth of field of integral imaging systems. We provide a technical overview of various methods for extending the depth of field in integral imaging systems along with a discussion of advantages and disadvantages of each approach. Furthermore, we address the key balance of keeping a reasonable resolution limit while extending the depth of field.
A STRATEGIC METAGAME PLAYER FOR GENERAL CHESS-LIKE GAMES

This paper introduces METAGAMER, the first program designed within the paradigm of Metagame-playing (Metagame). This program plays games in the class of symmetric chess-like games, which includes chess, Chinese chess, checkers, draughts, and Shogi. METAGAMER takes as input the rules of a specific game and analyzes those rules to construct an efficient representation and an evaluation function for that game; they are used by a generic search engine. The strategic analysis performed by METAGAMER relates a set of general knowledge sources to the details of the particular game. Among other properties, this analysis determines the relative value of the different pieces in a given game. Although METAGAMER does not learn from experience, the values resulting from its analysis are qualitatively similar to values used by experts on known games and are sufficient to produce competitive performance the first time METAGAMER plays a new game. Besides being the first Metagame-playing program, this is the first program to have derived useful piece values directly from analysis of the rules of different games. This paper describes the knowledge implemented in METAGAMER, illustrates the piece values METAGAMER derives for chess and checkers, and discusses experiments with METAGAMER on both existing and newly generated games.
A macromodular meta machine

The macromodular concept makes it possible to easily change the hardware design of a computer. However, a change in computer design usually implies that any existing software will no longer function correctly. It appears, then, that a flexibility in the software, equivalent to that now available in the hardware, must somehow be obtained. One possible partial solution to this problem is to separate some of the software activities, such as the compiling function, from the main computational machine. This suggests that what is needed is to add a "compiler module" to the set of available macromodules. That is, a small fixed macromodular computer is needed which would accept as input a source language specification and a target machine specification. It would then input a source language program for compilation. Its final output would be a machine language program for direct execution in the target machine. This paper describes in detail the results of an effort to design such a computer, called the "meta machine." It also illustrates the relative ease with which a new computer may be designed when the macromodular system is used.
Most Tensor Problems Are NP-Hard

We prove that multilinear (tensor) analogues of many efficiently computable problems in numerical linear algebra are NP-hard. Our list includes: determining the feasibility of a system of bilinear equations, deciding whether a 3-tensor possesses a given eigenvalue, singular value, or spectral norm; approximating an eigenvalue, eigenvector, singular vector, or the spectral norm; and determining the rank or best rank-1 approximation of a 3-tensor. Furthermore, we show that restricting these problems to symmetric tensors does not alleviate their NP-hardness. We also explain how deciding nonnegative definiteness of a symmetric 4-tensor is NP-hard and how computing the combinatorial hyperdeterminant is NP-, #P-, and VNP-hard.
Nonlinear optics: past, present, and future

A historic introduction, describing the emergence of a new subfield of optics in the years 1961 and 1962, is followed by an overview of topics in nonlinear optics, which enjoy particular scientific or technological interest in the year 2000 and which hold promise for further developments in the 21st century.
Definitions of cardiovascular insufficiency and relation to outcomes in critically ill newborn infants.

Background We previously reported on the overall incidence, management, and outcomes in infants with cardiovascular insufficiency (CVI). However, there are limited data on the relationship of the specific different definitions of CVI to short-term outcomes in term and late preterm newborn infants. Objective This study aims to evaluate how four definitions of CVI relate to short-term outcomes and death. Study Design The previously reported study was a multicenter, prospective cohort study of 647 infants ≥ 34 weeks gestation admitted to a Neonatal Research Network (NRN) newborn intensive care unit (NICU) and mechanically ventilated (MV) during their first 72 hours. The relationship of five short-term outcomes at discharge and four different definitions of CVI were further analyzed. Results All the four definitions were associated with greater number of days on MV and days on O 2 . The definition using a threshold blood pressure (BP) measurement alone was not associated with days of full feeding, days in the NICU or death. The definition based on the treatment of CVI was associated with all the outcomes including death. Conclusions The definition using a threshold BP alone was not consistently associated with adverse short-term outcomes. Using only a threshold BP to determine therapy may not improve outcomes.
Minimization of refrigeration power requirements for mechanical supports in cryogenic systems

Abstract A solution scheme is presented for minimization of the refrigeration power required for mechanical supports in cryogenic systems where refrigeration shields at intermediate temperatures are installed along the supports. The total refrigeration power requirement is minimized in terms of the temperatures and locations of the shields. The scheme involves the simultaneous solution of algebraic equations and is simpler than previous methods. Tabular solutions for optimal shield temperatures and locations are presented for several materials.
A novel radical cyclization of 2-bromoindoles. Synthesis of hexahydropyrrolo[3,4-b]indoles

Hexahydropyrrolo[3,4-b]indoles 6, 10, and 13 are obtained from 2-bromo-3-carboxamides 5, 9, and 12, respectively, by a 1,5-radical translocation process followed by 5-endo-trig cyclization to the indole C-2 position.
Dynamical Lie algebra and conditional operators for many fermion Green functions

Abstract A method is introduced to calculate thermodynamic Green functions. A powerful theorem by Masson is the motivation for expressing the Fourier-time transform of the Green function as a super space matrix element of the resolvent of the Liouville operator. The eigenvalues of the Liouville operator are then expressed in a form first suggested by Judd for atomic systems and which are shown to be members of a Lie group.
Impact of earthquake seismology on the geological community since the Benioff zone

For a small segment of a scientific community to make a significant impact on the broader community, the segment needs to gain strength by developing a consensus within itself. Earthquake seismologists reached a consensus about the existence of deep-focus earthquakes about 1930 and accepted the first quantitative measure of earthquake magnitude in the 1940s. Benioff (1949, 1954) was able to present this consensus to the geological community by publishing a coherent picture of deep tectonic processes in the Bulletin of the Geological Society of America. The next major impact from earthquake seismology after the Benioff zone came from the final acceptance of Reid9s elastic rebound theory in the early 1960s after two controversies were resolved. The mathematical framework for determining the earthquake fault process from observed seismograms was firmly established and has been extensively used in the past two decades. One outcome was the new measure of the size of an earthquake, seismic moment, which directly links geological observations of faults with the seismic ground motions. The latest impact which has begun to be felt by the geological community comes from the consensus about "seismic tomography" which represents the commitment of the seismological community to go beyond the classic one- dimensional earth model to search for a three-dimensional image of Earth9s interior.
Degradation of solar cell efficiency by sheet resistance

Abstract The efficiency degradation of solar cells due to sheet resistance-generated losses is computed as a function of light intensity and electrode spacing. The degradation derived by Heizer and Chu is shown to be 33 per cent too large at small electrode spacing. We give an approximate analytic relation for the efficiency degradation and derive from it the electrode spacing which minimizes the combined losses due to sheet resistance and electrode shading. An electrode configuration which prevents extreme power loss by local short circuits in the photojunction is described.
An analog baseband approach for designing full-duplex radios

Recent wireless testbed implementations have proven that full-duplex communication is in fact possible and can outperform half-duplex systems. Many of these implementations modify existing half-duplex systems to operate in full-duplex. To realize the full potential of full-duplex, radios need to be designed with self-interference in mind. In our work, we use an experimental setup with a patch antenna prototype to characterize the self-interference channel between two radios. In doing so, we form an analytical model to design analog baseband cancellation techniques. We show that our cancellation scheme can provide up to 10 dB improved signal strength, 2.5 bps/Hz increase in rate, and a 104 improvement in BER as compared to the RF only cancellation provided by the patch antenna.
THE JOINT CHOICE OF AN INDIVIDUAL'S OCCUPATION AND DESTINATION*

This study examines the relationship between an individual's occupation choice and destination choice. It portrays the relationship as an interaction between the supply of occupational skills by individuals and demand by different labor-market regions. The unusual merger of a multinomial logit model of occupational choice and the conditional logit model of destination choice in a simultaneous equation framework requires derivation of a unique variance–covariance matrix. Results indicate strong association between supply of (migration) and demand for (industry mix) an individual's occupational skills. These effects are especially strong for destinations experiencing slow economic growth, while relatively unimportant for high-growth locations.
Effect of centrifuge speed, refrigeration medium, and sperm washing medium on cryopreserved sperm quality after thawing.

Cryopreservation and subsequent thawing of semen for assisted reproductive procedures decreases sperm motility; motility further reduces when the cryoprotectant medium is removed because of the osmotic shock and centrifugation done to prepare the sperm. To compare motility and thus pregnancy rates, this study examined the effects of adding an additional refrigeration medium and three different centrifugation speeds for sperm preparation. Semen samples from 16 healthy normal volunteers were obtained by masturbation after 48 h of abstinence. Sperm motility and other motion characteristics were analyzed with a computer-assisted semen analyzer before freezing, after thawing, and after centrifugation. Each sample was divided into 6 aliquots and frozen using the liquid nitrogen vapor method. After thawing, human tubal fluid (HTF) with 5% human serum albumin was added to 3 aliquots, and refrigeration medium (identical to freezing medium without glycerol) was added to the remaining 3 tubes for each specimen. The tubes containing the two media were then washed by centrifugation at 100 g, 300 g, and 500 g for 10 min. Aliquots with refrigeration medium did not significantly differ from those with HTF for percent motility, curvilinear velocity, straight-line velocity, and amplitude of lateral head displacement at any centrifugation speed. Motile sperm count was significantly greater only at 100 g and 300 g for refrigeration medium (p = .02 and .01) and HTF (p = 0.001); at 300 g, average path velocity in refrigeration medium aliquots (p = .01) and linearity in HTF (p = .01) were greater. The results indicated that the reduction in motility and other motion characteristics probably cannot be overcome by changing factors such as the sperm preparation medium or centrifugation speed. More effective cryopreservation techniques or preparation methods that eliminate centrifugation need to be developed.
Direct access to functionalized benzotropones, azepanes, and piperidines by reductive cross-coupling of α-bromo enones with α-bromo enamides

The synthesis of functionalized azepenes and piperidines bearing an α-cycloheptenone or benzotropone derivative has been accomplished through direct reductive cross-coupling of α-bromo eneformamides or enecarbamates with highly versatile α-bromo benzotropone derivatives, under cobalt catalysis. The coupling products have been further elaborated to other synthetically useful aza-heterocyclic frameworks.
Quantifying the Amount of Verboseness

We study the fine structure of the classification of sets of natural numbers A according to the number of queries which are needed to compute the n-fold characteristic function of A. A complete characterization is obtained, relating the question to finite combinatorics. In order to obtain an explicit description we consider several interesting combinatorial problems.
Second primary tumors in laryngeal cancer: results of long-term follow-up.

Abstract Purpose: The development of second primary tumors (SPTs) is the most important factor determining the survival in early-stage head and neck cancer patients, whose first tumor has been successfully treated. New methods of examining genetic changes have raised doubts about the validity of the widely held field cancerization hypothesis as the cause of SPTs, and an alternative hypothesis of monoclonal origin has been proposed. The objectives of this study were to look at the pattern of development of SPTs and the possible factors influencing the incidence of SPTs and the survival in early-stage laryngeal cancer with long-term follow-up. Methods and Materials: One hundred forty-four consecutive patients of T1N0M0 squamous cell carcinoma of the true vocal cord treated with definitive radiotherapy between 1976 and 1992 were analyzed. The incidence, time to development, and survival of aerodigestive and other SPTs were noted. p53 overexpression indicating a mutated p53 gene was analyzed by immunohistochemistry. Results: With a median follow-up of 6 years (range 2–20 years), 42 patients developed a SPT, 24 in upper aerodigestive tract and lung and 18 at other sites. The actuarial incidence of developing a SPT at 5, 10, and 15 years was 23%, 44%, and 48.7% respectively. The median time interval for development of SPT in an upper aerodigestive tract was 21 months as opposed to 50 months for other sites ( p = 0.02). The most common sites of SPTs included lung for upper aerodigestive tract; and prostate, followed by colon, for other sites. The actuarial risk of developing a nonaerodigestive SPT at 5 and 10 years was 35% and 55% respectively. p53 status affected neither the incidence of SPT nor the survival. SPTs were the leading cause of death in these early-stage laryngeal cancer patients. Conclusion: The origin of SPTs seems to be multifactorial, involving both the field cancerization effect and an increased baseline genetic predisposition. Until more reliable genetic markers are developed, chemoprevention remains the best treatment option at preventing SPTs in these early-stage patients.
7-Silylcamptothecins (silatecans): A new family of camptothecin antitumor agents

Abstract The synthesis and biological evaluation of about one dozen 7-silylcamptothecin derivatives are described. Most new compounds show potencies comparable to or better than camptothecin itself. The best compound, 11-fluoro-10-amino-7-trimethylsilylcamptothecin, is more than 20 times more potent than camptothecin in cell assays.
The performance of privatized firms in the Czech Republic

Abstract With the growing importance of privatizations as a part of government policy, most empirical studies of these privatizations conclude that firm performance immediately improves following privatization. Privatization has been the most important part of the transition from the centrally planned economies of Central and Eastern Europe and has a larger impact on those economies than privatizations in other countries. However, few studies have looked at the performance of firms following mass privatization. This study uses 453 separate firms (101 firms privatized in both waves for a total of 554 observations), in the first and second waves of Czech voucher privatization. Using methodology from previous studies, we find that while the overall effects from privatization are positive, the effects vary by privatization wave, size, and industry. Firms privatized in the first wave performed worse (decline in performance following privatization) than firms privatized in the second wave. We also fail to find ownership concentration or debt as an important factor in restructuring the firm. I believe that the results are consistent with two hypotheses. First economic and political structure surrounding the privatization waves plays an important part in the success of privatization. Stable environments, both political and economic, help privatized firms restructure and improve operating performance as well as attract foreign investors and capital even in less developed countries, but in transitional economies undergoing mass privatization in rapidly changing and developing economic and political environments hinder firms from restructuring and improving performance following privatization. Results are also consistent with the hypothesis that firms with a longer preparation period prior to privatization, an “implicit seasoning”, improve performance following privatization.
A business data processing curriculum for community colleges

A business data processing curriculum must, of necessity, be both dynamic and flexible. We must constantly be seeking to fulfill the needs of industry in our environs.
Combining Tests for Correlation Coefficients

Abstract A linear combination test for combining several tests of the correlation coefficient in the bivariate normal distribution is proposed. The linear combination test is compared with the well-known Fisher method of combining tests. It is shown by a Monte Carlo study that the linear combination test has a larger power.
Synthesis of substituted quinolines via allylic amination and intramolecular Heck-coupling.

A new catalytic approach for the synthesis of substituted quinolines via C–N and C–C bond formation using 2-haloaryl hydroxylamines and allylic C–H substrates is described. Fe-catalyzed allylic C–H amination followed by Pd-catalyzed intramolecular Heck-coupling and aerobic dehydrogenation deliver the valuable quinoline and naphthyridine heterocycles in good to excellent overall yields. In this process, Pd(OAc)2 plays a dual role in catalyzing Heck coupling as well as aerobic dehydrogenation of dihydroquinolines.
Conformal Actions in Any Dimension

Biconformal gauging of the conformal group gives a scale-invariant volume form, permitting a single form of the action to be invariant in any dimension. We display several 2n-dim scale-invariant polynomial actions and a dual action. We solve the field equations for the most general action linear in the curvatures for a minimal torsion geometry. In any dimension n > 2, the solution is foliated by equivalent n-dim Ricci-flat Riemannian spacetimes, and the full 2n-dim space is symplectic. Two fields defined entirely on the Riemannian submanifolds completely determine the solution: a metric e a , and a symmetric
Categorical Aspects of Compact Quantum Groups

We show that either of the two reasonable choices for the category of compact quantum groups is nice enough to allow for a plethora of universal constructions, all obtained “by abstract nonsense” via the adjoint functor theorem. This approach both produces new objects (such as the coproduct of a family of compact quantum groups or the compact quantum group freely generated by a locally compact quantum space) and recovers in a uniform setting constructions which have appeared in the literature, such as the quantum Bohr compactification of a locally compact semigroup. We also provide Tannakian descriptions of these universal constructions, and characterize epimorphisms and monomorphisms in the category of compact quantum groups.
Transient Response Technique Applied to Active Magnetic Bearing Machinery During Rotor Drop

The active magnetic bearing (AMB) is a relatively new technology which has many advantages compared with conventional bearing design. In an AMB system. the rolling-element back-up bearings are indispensable to protect the magnetic bearing rotor and stator, and other stationary seals along the rotor shqft. In this paper, a theoretical formulation is proposed and solved numerically to examine the transient response of the flexible rotor, from the time just previous to when the AMB shuts down and including the rotor drop onto the back-up bearing. The backward whirl of the rotor, which may lead to the destructive damage of the machinery, has been analytically predicted at very light support damping and very high support damping. Also, the vibration due to the nonlinearity of the contact point geometry has been included in the analysis. The influence of the support damping on the displacement of the disk and also the contact force between the journal and the inner-race of the back-up bearing have been computed for various rotor system parameters. By comparing these results with the optimum support damping for the simple flexible rotor model, it is shown that this support damping optimization can be applicable for specifying the required optimum range of support damping for the back-up bearings of AMB systems.
Atypical Cystic Renal Masses

Atypical cystic renal masses continue to be a challenge to the radiologist despite advances in imaging technology. Renal masses that appear cystic on imaging studies include a large variety of lesions but, from a practical standpoint, the most important task for the radiologist is making the critical differentiation between atypical benign cysts and cystic tumors. Statistically, most cystic lesions of the kidney are simple benign cortical cysts with classic characteristics. Occasionally, however, these masses defy diagnosis because of overlap in appearance between benign and malignant lesions. The purpose of this article is to review the presentation of atypical cystic masses, discuss the appropriate use and limitations of diagnostic procedures in their evaluation, and discuss the controversies in managing these interesting lesions.
Excitation of g modes in Wolf—Rayet stars by a deep opacity bump

We examine the stability of � = 1 and � = 2 g modes in a pair of nitrogen-rich Wolf‐Rayet stellar models characterized by differing hydrogen abundances. We find that modes with intermediate radial orders are destabilized by a κ mechanism operating on an opacity bump at an envelope temperature of log T ≈ 6.25. This ‘deep opacity bump’ is due primarily to L-shell bound‐free transitions of iron. Periods of the unstable modes span ∼11‐21 h in the model containing some hydrogen, and ∼3‐12 h in the hydrogen-depleted model. Based on the latter finding, we suggest that self-excited g modes may be the source of the 9.8-h periodic variation of WR 123
On mapping systolic algorithms onto the hypercube

Consideration is given to the problem of mapping systolic array algorithms into efficient algorithms for a fixed-size hypercube architecture. The authors describe in detail several optimal implementations of algorithms given for one-way one- and two-dimensional systolic arrays. Since interprocessor communication is many times slower than local computation in parallel computers built to date, the problem of efficient communication is specifically addressed for these mappings. In order to validate the technique experimentally, five systolic algorithms were mapped in various ways onto a 64-node NCUBE/7 MIMD hypercube machine. The algorithms are for the following problems: the shuffle scheduling problem, finite impulse response filtering, linear context-free language recognition, matrix multiplication, and computing the Boolean transitive closure. Experimental evidence indicates that good performance is obtained for the mappings. >
Metallization for very-large-scale integrated circuits☆

Abstract Progress in patterning technologies and computer-aided circuit designs have brought us to the threshold of very-large-scale integrated (VLSI) circuits with 100 000 or more devices to be integrated on a silicon chip. In this paper we review thin film applications in the fabrication of contacts and interconnects for VLSI circuits. Device structures suitable for both bipolar and metal/oxide/semiconductor (MOS) VLSI circuit applications tend to have shallow junction depths and contact areas (silicon-metal interfaces) in the 0.2–0.5 μm and 1–2 μm 2 ranges respectively; also some of the circuits require Schottky barrier diodes. Consumption of silicon in the contact windows needs to be minimized with the use of silicide layers for silicon-metal contacts. The formation and use of platinum silicide layers for bipolar applications are reviewed. Our observations indicate that the carbon and oxygen present in Czochralski-grown silicon crystals interfere in platinum silicide formation and affect the electrical characteristics of the contacts. The use of barrier layers in VLSI metallization is illustrated. The interdependence of film microstructure, electromigration-induced failures and VLSI interconnection reliability is examined. The integration of a large number of components on a VLSI chip with a single level of interconnections consumes more chip area. Long interconnection paths adversely affect circuit performance. Multilevel interconnections (conductor/insulator/ conductor) offer an attractive solution to increase the packing density and circuit performance. The application of PtSi/(Ti:W)/(AlCu)/SiO 2 /(Ti:W)/Al film layers in the fabrication of a bipolar VLSI circuit with a minimum feature size of 1.25 μm is illustrated. As the complexity of VLSI circuits continues to grow with micron size device structures, three or more levels of interconnections compatible with shallow junctions on the substrates and complex packaging technologies are required. Areas of concern and desirable features in VLSI metallization are summarized.
Black holes, mergers and the entropy budget of the Universe

Vast amounts of entropy can be produced in black hole formation, and the amount of entropy stored in supermassive black holes at the centres of galaxies is now much greater than the entropy free in the rest of the Universe. Either mergers involved in forming supermassive black holes are rare, or the holes must be very efficient at capturing nearly all the visible entropy generated (while emitting a huge number of coherent quanta in the process). We give two models of entropy production in the Universe due to black hole mergers and argue that this information can be used to constrain supermassive black hole production. This may eventually provide a check on numerical results for mergers involving black holes.
π + − p Elastic Scattering at 310 Mev: Phase-Shift Analysis

A comprehensive phase-shift analysis of ${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{+}\ensuremath{-}p$ elastic-scattering data at 310-Mev incident-pion laboratory kinetic energy has been performed. The experimental data utilized include measurements of the differential and total cross sections and of the recoil-proton polarization. The $D$-wave phase shifts were found to be definitely needed in order to attain an adequate fit to the data. A general search for phase-shift solutions was carried out, using $S$-, $P$-, and $D$-wave phase shifts. One solution\char22{}of the Fermi type\char22{}was found that fits the data significantly better than any of the other solutions obtained. The calculated errors in the phase shifts of this set vary from 0.4 to 0.6 deg. Because it was felt that these errors might be deceivingly restrictive, the effects of small nuclear $F$-wave phase shifts on the results of the analysis were investigated and were found to be large: not only are the uncertainties in the original Fermi-type solution increased, but additional sets of phase shifts arise that fit the data well. One of these new solutions is similar to the original Fermi set except that the magnitudes of the phase shifts in this new fit are in general larger than those in the initial solution, and the signs of the $D$-wave phase shifts are reversed. The nuclear phase shifts in the original Fermi solution and their rms errors are (when $F$-wave phase shifts are allowed): ${S}_{3,1}=\ensuremath{-}17.2\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}2.6$ deg, ${P}_{3,1}=\ensuremath{-}2.9\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}4.0$ deg, ${P}_{3,3}=135.0\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.6$ deg, ${D}_{3,3}=3.1\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}2.6$ deg, ${D}_{3,5}=\ensuremath{-}4.9\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}2.1$ deg, ${F}_{3,5}=0.5\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.6$ deg, ${F}_{3,7}=\ensuremath{-}0.6\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}1.4$ deg. Although theory appears to favor this set, further theoretical and experimental evidence is desirable. The values given here for the first five phase shifts approximate the corresponding values obtained when the $F$-wave phase shifts were assumed negligible. However, all except ${P}_{3,3}$ fall outside the limits set by the small original errors. Inelastic-scattering processes were neglected during the phase-shift analysis. Calculations indicate that, if these processes could properly be taken into account, any changes in the quoted values of the phase shifts would probably be well within the corresponding errors given here. Extension of the phase-shift inquiries to include $G$ waves was attempted, but it was observed that the available data and theory do not allow the $G$-wave interaction to be significantly incorporated into the analysis.
Early preheating and galaxy formation

Winds from pregalactic starbursts and 'miniquasars' may pollute the intergalactic medium (IGM) with metals and raise its temperature to a much higher adiabat than expected from photoionization, and so inhibit the formation of early galaxies by increasing the cosmological Jeans mass. We compute the thermal history of the IGM when it experiences a period of rapid, homogeneous 'preheating' at high redshifts, and the impact of such a global feedback mechanism on the IGM ionization state and the subsequent galaxy formation and evolution. Measurements of the temperature of the Lyα forest at redshift z ∼ 3 constrain the redshift and energy of preheating, and rule out models that preheat too late or to too high a temperature, i.e. to T I G M ? 10 6 K at z? 10. The IGM thermal history is used to estimate the effects of preheating on the formation of galaxies at later epochs, allowing us to predict galaxy luminosity functions in preheated universes. The results depend crucially on whether the baryonic smoothing scale in the IGM is computed globally, or in a local, density-dependent fashion (since the IGM temperature can become highly inhomogeneous in the post-preheating epoch). Using a globally averaged smoothing scale, we find that models with excessive preheating produce too few L * and fainter galaxies, and are therefore inconsistent with observational data. More moderate preheating scenarios, with T I G M ? 10 5 K at z ∼ 10, are able to flatten the faint-end slope of the luminosity function, producing excellent agreement with observations, without the need for any local feedback mechanism within galaxies. A density-dependent smoothing scale requires more energetic preheating to achieve the same degree of suppression in the faint-end slope. All models, however, appear unable to explain the sharp cut-off in the luminosity function at bright magnitudes - a problem that is also common to more conventional local feedback prescriptions. Supernova-driven preheating scenarios tend to raise the mean metallicity of the universe well above the minimum levels observed in the Lya clouds. The high energies associated with preheating cause a sharp drop in the abundance of neutral hydrogen in the IGM and are often sufficient to double ionize helium at high redshift, well before the 'quasar epoch'. We find that ionizing photon escape fractions must be significantly higher than 10 per cent in order to explain the low inferred H I fraction at z 6, particularly when using a globally averaged smoothing scale. While early preheating causes strong suppression of dwarf galaxy formation, we show that it is not able to reproduce the observed abundance of satellite galaxies in the Local Group in detail. The detailed thermal history of the universe during the formative early stages around z = 10-15 remains one of the crucial missing links in galaxy-formation and evolution studies.
The alkali earth salts as catalyst supports and stabilizers

Abstract The alkali earths are only infrequently used as supports despite the fact that they have many properties favoring their use. This paper's objective is to enumerate these attributes while at the same time warning of the adverse factors which may be encountered. Among the attributes is the high melting point of the oxides with magnesia having a melting point well above alumina (2045°C) and silica or silica-aluminas and almost as high as thoria (2800°C vs. 3050°C). On the other hand the alkali earths are basic and may react with other oxides at rather low temperatures to form spinels; for example, Mg·Al2O4 or other ionic crystals. These may have desirable properties as well. The hydroxides are even more basic and may, as a consequence, temporarily adsorb or chemisorb an acidic gas for at-site catalytic action. This will be recognized as supportcatalyst-interaction and may beneficially be designed into a catalyst. The oxides can form a labile peroxide which in fact can also be exploited. Be and Ra are members of the family but well-known problems preclude their use so they will not be a part of the discussion.
Microscopic description of black rings in AdS/CFT

We discuss some aspects of the recently discovered BPS black ring solutions in terms of the AdS/CFT correspondence. In the type IIB frame in which the black ring carries the charges of the D1-D5-P system, we propose a microscopic description of the rings in the orbifold CFT governing this system. In our proposal, the CFT effectively splits into two parts: one part captures the supertube-like properties of the ring, and the other captures the entropy. We can also understand the black ring entropy by relating the geometry near the ring to BPS black holes in four dimensions, although this latter approach does not directly lead to an identification of black rings in terms of the D1-D5-P CFT.