cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An empirical investigation of direct and iterated multistep conditional forecasts

When constructing unconditional point forecasts, both direct- and iterated-multistep (DMS and IMS) approaches are common. However, in the context of producing conditional forecasts, IMS approaches based on vector autoregressions (VAR) are far more common than simpler DMS models. This is despite the fact that there are theoretical reasons to believe that DMS models are more robust to misspecification than are IMS models. In the context of unconditional forecasts, Marcellino, Stock, and Watson (MSW, 2006) investigate the empirical relevance of these theories. In this paper, we extend that work to conditional forecasts. We do so based on linear bivariate and trivariate models estimated using a large dataset of macroeconomic time series. Over comparable samples, our results reinforce those in MSW: the IMS approach is typically a bit better than DMS with significant improvements only at longer horizons. In contrast, when we focus on the Great Moderation sample we find a marked improvement in the DMS approach relative to IMS. The distinction is particularly clear when we forecast nominal rather than real variables where the relative gains can be substantial.
Relativistic corrections to nonrelativistic effective field theories

In this paper we develop a formalism for studying the nonrelativistic limit of relativistic field theories in a systematic way. By introducing a simple, nonlocal field redefinition, we transform a given relativistic theory, describing a real, self-interacting scalar field, into an equivalent theory, describing a complex scalar field that encodes at each time both the original field and its conjugate momentum. Our low-energy effective theory incorporates relativistic corrections to the kinetic energy as well as the backreaction of fast-oscillating terms on the behavior of the dominant, slowly varying component of the field. Possible applications of our new approach include axion dark matter, though the methods developed here should be applicable to the low-energy limits of other field theories as well.
Understanding the Relationship between Public and Private Commercial Real Estate Markets

This paper provides a modelling framework to examine the very low correlation at short horizons and high correlation at long horizons between private and public commercial real estate returns. For ...
The welfare costs of unreliable water service.

Throughout the developing world, many water distribution systems are unreliable. As a result, it becomes necessary for each household to store its own water as a hedge against this uncertainty. Since arrivals of water are not synchronized across households, serious distributional inefficiencies arise. We develop a model describing the optimal intertemporal depletion of each household’s private water storage when it is uncertain when water will next arrive to replenish supplies. The model is calibrated using survey data from Mexico City, a city where many households store water in sealed rooftop tanks known as tinacos. The calibrated model is used to evaluate the potential welfare gains that would occur if alternative modes of water provision were implemented. We estimate that most of the potential distributional inefficiencies can be eliminated simply by making the frequency of deliveries the same across households which now face haphazard deliveries. This would require neither costly investments in infrastructure nor price increases.
Conceptualizing academic entrepreneurship ecosystems: a review, analysis and extension of the literature

Policy-related discussions increasingly view universities as so-called “engines of economic growth”. Recognizing that the economic impact of universities is dependent, at least in part, on the success of university-affiliated entrepreneurial ventures, this paper reviews the extant literature to understand how academic entrepreneurship is conceptualized and the extent to which it adopts an ecosystem approach. We find that scholars have largely focused on individual ecosystem elements and characteristics, eschewing strategic and systemic conceptualizations of entrepreneurship ecosystems. As a result, we argue that the ecosystem perspective has not been fully leveraged to influence policy decisions. We conclude by offering several concrete recommendations on future research directions that, if pursued, would further enhance our understanding of the economic impact of universities.
Morphodynamics of Fluid-Fluid Displacement in Three-Dimensional Deformable Granular Media

The simultaneous displacement of fluids through a porous medium and deformation of that host medium are crucial in applications as varied as hydraulic fracturing, methane venting from organic-rich sediments, volcanic eruptions, and desiccation cracking of soil. The authors present quantitative three-dimensional imaging of a deforming porous pack under immiscible fluid-fluid displacement. The data are modeled as the onset and evolution of cavity formation by overcoming the frictional resistance in the granular pack. These findings connect pore-scale observations to macroscopic behavior, and elucidate the physics at play in important natural processes and engineering applications.
Los estudios masónicos estadounidense y su impacto en la masonería latinoamericana. Una aproximación historiográfica

This paper provides a state of matter on the study of Latin American Freemasonry from the U.S. academy. In general there has been no interest for this study because the focus has been on Freemasonry of the United States, the United Kingdom and continental Europe, mainly France. This is because some scholars have regarded Freemasonry in Latin America as different, displaying it with the lens of otherness and providing a cultural otherness based on the difference. However, in the last two decades, a generation of scholars, already established in their respective universities, began to venture to publish on Freemasonry, directing thesis and promoting the study of this organization from the university halls. This has allowed the development of new trends for the study of Freemasonry in Latin America as well as creating opportunities for exchange and dialogue between Latin American scholars and scholars from the United States.
Video Object Detection with an Aligned Spatial-Temporal Memory

We introduce Spatial-Temporal Memory Networks for video object detection. At its core, a novel Spatial-Temporal Memory module (STMM) serves as the recurrent computation unit to model long-term temporal appearance and motion dynamics. The STMM’s design enables full integration of pretrained backbone CNN weights, which we find to be critical for accurate detection. Furthermore, in order to tackle object motion in videos, we propose a novel MatchTrans module to align the spatial-temporal memory from frame to frame. Our method produces state-of-the-art results on the benchmark ImageNet VID dataset, and our ablative studies clearly demonstrate the contribution of our different design choices. We release our code and models at http://fanyix.cs.ucdavis.edu/project/stmn/project.html.
Scanned Probe Microscopy in Biology

Numerous scanned probe microscopes (SPM) have been developed over the past decade. Most are based on the precise positioning of sample and probe using piezoelectric transducers, and some have the capability of imaging flat surfaces with atomic resolution. The first atomic resolution SPM applied to biological samples was the scanning tunneling microscope (STM). The atomic force microscope (AFM) was subsequently developed and over the past few years has become the instrument of choice for biological applications.
Design of high-strength refractory complex solid-solution alloys

Nickel-based superalloys and near-equiatomic high-entropy alloys containing molybdenum are known for higher temperature strength and corrosion resistance. Yet, complex solid-solution alloys offer a huge design space to tune for optimal properties at slightly reduced entropy. For refractory Mo-W-Ta-Ti-Zr, we showcase KKR electronic structure methods via the coherent-potential approximation to identify alloys over five-dimensional design space with improved mechanical properties and necessary global (formation enthalpy) and local (short-range order) stability. Deformation is modeled with classical molecular dynamic simulations, validated from our first-principle data. We predict complex solid-solution alloys of improved stability with greatly enhanced modulus of elasticity (3× at 300 K) over near-equiatomic cases, as validated experimentally, and with higher moduli above 500 K over commercial alloys (2.3× at 2000 K). We also show that optimal complex solid-solution alloys are not described well by classical potentials due to critical electronic effects. Combining first-principle calculations with electronic alloy design criteria lead to the identification of desirable complex alloys. A team led by Duane Johnson at Iowa State University, USA, applied density functional theory to explore the design space formed by five refractory elements (molybdenum, tungsten, tantalum, titanium, and zirconium) and identified optimal molybdenum-rich alloy compositions for high temperature strength and corrosion resistance. By predicting structural properties such as the Young’s modulus as well as the short-range atomic order, a lattice constant identified the global stability of each composition and allowed for the fast screening of the design space to select the best compositions. Both molecular dynamics and experimental testing confirmed the predicted mechanical properties. This electronic structure approach can help optimize complex solution alloys for enhanced mechanical properties.
A holistic approach to merger models with an emphasis on heterogeneity

Abstract Though mergers and acquisitions comprise a significant share of aggregate economic activity in the US, researchers disagree on the effect and importance of M&A determinants. Such disagreement stems from adherence to disparate theoretical models that preclude the use of significant explanatory variables. Our paper contributes to this scattered literature by demonstrating the presence of significant bias in the most common approaches to this question. We do so by comparing the Neoclassical, behavioral, and macro approaches to explaining M&A activity. Finding that the assumptions of these respective paradigms have inhibited individual researchers from including important determinants of M&A, we show that these constraints have generated misleading point estimates. By constructing a more holistic model of M&A activity, we produce more accurate estimates of merger determinants and reveal the bias of previous estimation techniques. Additionally, we relax the common, yet unrealistic, assumption that firms are homogeneous, showing that the determinants of M&A vary by firm size, region, and sector. These results demonstrate that an aggregated approach to merger determinants conceals important variation.
Finite sample inference for quantile regression models

Abstract Under minimal assumptions, finite sample confidence bands for quantile regression models can be constructed. These confidence bands are based on the “conditional pivotal property” of estimating equations that quantile regression methods solve and provide valid finite sample inference for linear and nonlinear quantile models with endogenous or exogenous covariates. The confidence regions can be computed using Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) methods. We illustrate the finite sample procedure through two empirical examples: estimating a heterogeneous demand elasticity and estimating heterogeneous returns to schooling. We find pronounced differences between asymptotic and finite sample confidence regions in cases where the usual asymptotics are suspect.
3D Printing of a Leaf Spring: A Demonstration of Closed-Loop Control in Additive Manufacturing

3D printing is rapidly becoming a commodity. However, the quality of the printed parts is not always even nor predictable. Feedback control is demonstrated during the printing of a plastic object using additive manufacturing as a means to improve macroscopic mechanical properties of the object. The printed object is a leaf spring made of several parts of different infill density values, which are the control variables in this problem. In order to achieve a desired objective stiffness, measurements are taken after each part is completed and the infill density is adjusted accordingly in a closed-loop framework. With feedback control, the absolute error of the measured part stiffness is reduced from 11.63% to 1.34% relative to the specified stiffness. This experiment is therefore a proof of concept to show the relevance of using feedback control in additive manufacturing. By considering the printing process and the measurements as stochastic processes, we show how stochastic optimal control and Kalman filtering can be used to improve the quality of objects manufactured with rudimentary printers.
Reinforcement Learning with Budget-Constrained Nonparametric Function Approximation for Opportunistic Spectrum Access

Opportunistic spectrum access is one of the emerging techniques for maximizing throughput in congested bands and is enabled by predicting idle slots in spectrum. We propose a kernel-based reinforcement learning approach coupled with a novel budget-constrained sparsification technique that efficiently captures the environment to find the best channel access actions. This approach allows learning and planning over the intrinsic state-action space and extends well to large state spaces. We apply our methods to evaluate coexistence of a reinforcement learning-based radio with a multi-channel adversarial radio and a single-channel carrier-sense multiple-access with collision avoidance (CSMA-CA) radio. Numerical experiments show the performance gains over carrier-sense systems.
Transition Induced by Tandem Rectangular Roughness Elements on a Supersonic Flat Plate

The flow behind two rectangular roughness elements with a height approximately 38-41 percent of the boundary layer thickness was examined with a hot-wire probe. The rectangular roughness elements are oriented so that one element was at a plus 45-degree angle relative to the leading edge of the plate. A second roughness element was placed 7.16 millimeters downstream of the first one with either the same orientation relative to the leading edge of the plate, or an opposing orientation of minus 45 degrees from the leading edge. Mean mass-flux and total-temperature profiles of the flow field downstream of the tandem roughness elements were examined for mean-flow distortion. Using streak strength as a measure of mean-flow distortion, the tandem roughness elements had approximately the same amount of distortion, regardless of their relative orientation. Mass-flux fluctuation profiles show that the dominant mode downstream of the tandem roughness elements with the same orientation was similar to that of a single roughness element and centered at a frequency of approximately 55 kilohertz (kHz). The dominant instability downstream of the tandem roughness elements with opposing orientation was centered at a frequency of 65 kHz and grew more slowly than the instabilities behind the single roughness element.
Determinants of Deposit-Insurance Adoption and Design

The authors seek to identify factors that influence decisions about a country's financial safety net, using a new dataset on 170 countries covering the 1960-2003 period. Specifically, they focus on how outside influences, economic development, crisis pressures, and political institutions affect deposit insurance adoption and design. Controlling for the influence of economic characteristics and events such as macroeconomic shocks, occurrence and severity of crises, and institutional development, they find that pressure to emulate developed-country regulatory frameworks and power-sharing political institutions dispose a country toward adopting design features that inadequately control risk-shifting.
An Approach to Simulation model Development for Improved Planning

This paper proposes an approach to planning which relies on involving the manager in the development of a simulation model. The purpose of this involvement is to improve the manager's understanding of his environment; and therefore, the appropriateness of his plans. The approach is based upon the premise that active planning is a learning process. This premise is the result of experience in several modeling projects and a clinical study of a manager developing a simulation model.
Perfect counterfactuals for epidemic simulations.

Simulation studies are often used to predict the expected impact of control measures in infectious disease outbreaks. Typically, two independent sets of simulations are conducted, one with the inte...
Linking Endoplasmic Reticular Stress and Alternative Splicing

RNA splicing patterns in antibody-secreting cells are shaped by endoplasmic reticulum stress, ELL2 (eleven-nineteen lysine-rich leukemia gene 2) induction, and changes in the levels of snRNAs. Endoplasmic reticulum stress induces the unfolded protein response comprising a highly conserved set of genes crucial for cell survival; among these is Ire1, whose auto-phosphorylation drives it to acquire a regulated mRNA decay activity. The mRNA-modifying function of phosphorylated Ire1 non-canonically splices Xbp1 mRNA and yet degrades other cellular mRNAs with related motifs. Naive splenic B cells will activate Ire1 phosphorylation early on after lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation, within 18 h; large-scale changes in mRNA content and splicing patterns result. Inhibition of the mRNA-degradation function of Ire1 is correlated with further differences in the splicing patterns and a reduction in the mRNA factors for snRNA transcription. Some of the >4000 splicing changes seen at 18 h after LPS stimulation persist into the late stages of antibody secretion, up to 72 h. Meanwhile some early splicing changes are supplanted by new splicing changes introduced by the up-regulation of ELL2, a transcription elongation factor. ELL2 is necessary for immunoglobulin secretion and does this by changing mRNA processing patterns of immunoglobulin heavy chain and >5000 other genes.
Phase field simulation of dendritic microstructure in additively manufactured titanium alloy

Additive manufacturing (AM) processes for metals, such as selective laser sintering and electron beam melting, involve rapid solidification process. The microstructure of the fabricated material and its properties strongly depend on the solidification. Therefore, in order to control and optimize the AM process, it is important to understand the microstructure evolution. In this work, using Ti-6Al-4V as a model system, the phase field method is applied to simulate the microstructure evolution in additively manufactured metals. First, the fundamental governing equations are presented. Then the effects of various processing related parameters, including local temperature gradient, scan speed and cooling rate, on dendrites’ morphology and growth velocity are studied. The simulated results show that the dendritic arms grow along the direction of the heat flow. Higher temperature gradient, scan speed and cooling rate will result in small dendritic arm spacing and higher growth velocity. The simulated dendritic morphology and arm spacings are in good agreement with experimental data and theoretical predictions.
Association Between Residential Greenness and Cardiovascular Disease Risk.

Background Exposure to green vegetation has been linked to positive health, but the pathophysiological processes affected by exposure to vegetation remain unclear. To study the relationship between...
Why did carbon become the pseudo-limiting factor in aquatic closed ecological systems?

Abstract Closure from the earth's atmosphere is a critical test of an ecosystem's ability to function. In our earlier testing of autotrophic Closed Ecological Systems (CESs), a C:N ratio of 26.4 (3.3 mM NaHCO3 and 0.125 mM NaNO3) supported algal and Daphnia populations for months, but developed extreme pH values (∼11 ungrazed, >10, grazed), suggesting that the systems were carbon-limited. Only approximately half the HCO3- (bicarbonate) would be expected to be available to green algae, the other portion becoming CO3−2 (carbonate). In an experiment described here, CESs were developed to explore a greater range of C:N ratios. To keep the medium from becoming too osmotically concentrated, NaNO3 was reduced to 0.0312 mM and NaHCO3 tested at 3.3, 13.2, and 26.4 mM, resulting in nominal C:N ratios of 105, 422, and 845. However, additional carbon was not beneficial to long-term survival of the organisms. The algal abundance was relatively insensitive to C:N ratio; greater concentrations of C were not beneficial. Daphnia populations were sensitive to C:N ratio and persisted longer at the lowest C:N ratio of 105. All of the C:N ratios tested in these CESs are outside of the expected range suggested from ecological studies, which is based on the Redfield Ratio of 6.625 C:N, the expected chemical composition of algae. Two potential explanations for the apparent high C demand in our CESs are suggested by the literature. The first is production of fatty algal cells, e.g., one of the algal species, Scenedesmus obliquus, is reported to produce high-lipid cells that could have a higher C:N ratio than the Redfield Ratio. The second is “carbon overconsumption,” which has been suggested for N-limited marine phytoplankton communities dominated by diatoms or nutrient deficient algal communities dominated by small cells that are under-represented by chlorophyll a measurements. The unexpected C dynamics found in our CES tests could be relevant to the design of biological life support systems that must be provisioned with adequate elements for long-term ecosystem functionality. If the actual demand for C is underestimated, its storage may be inadequate.
An extra year to learn English? Early grade retention and the human capital development of English learners

Abstract In this study, we use microdata from 12 Florida county-level school districts to examine the effects of early grade retention on the short-, medium-, and long-term outcomes of English learners in a regression discontinuity design. We find that retention in the third grade coupled with instructional support substantially improves the English skills of these students, reducing the time to proficiency by half and decreasing the likelihood of taking a remedial English course in middle school by one-third. Grade retention also roughly doubles the likelihood of taking an advanced course in math and science in middle school, and triples the likelihood of taking college credit-bearing courses in high school for English learners. We do not find any adverse effects of the policy on disciplinary problems or absences among English learners.
Micro-mechanical modeling of the stress softening in double-network hydrogels

Abstract While single network hydrogels show limited extensibility and low strength, double-network (DN) hydrogels benefit from significantly high stretch-ability and toughness due to their reinforcing mechanism of combining two soft and brittle networks. Here, a micro-mechanical model is developed to characterize the constitutive behavior of DN hydrogels in quasi-static large deformation. In particular, we focused on describing the permanent damage in DN gels under large deformations. Irreversible chain detachment and decomposition of the first network are explored as the underlying reasons for the nonlinear inelastic phenomenon. The proposed model enables us to describe the damage and the way it influences the micro-structure of the gel. The model is validated with uni-axial loading and unloading experiments of DN gels. The proposed model contains a few material constants and shows a good agreement with cyclic uni-axial test data.
Advancing the state-of-the-art in hardware Trojans design

Electronic Design Automation (EDA) industry heavily reuses third party IP cores which are vulnerable to insertion of Hardware Trojans (HTs) at design time by third party IP core providers. State of the art research has shown that existing HT detection techniques, which claim to detect all publicly available HT benchmarks, can still be defeated by carefully designing new sophisticated HTs. The reason being that these techniques consider the HT landscape to be limited only to the publicly known HT benchmarks. However the adversary is not limited to these HTs and may devise new HT design principles to bypass these countermeasures. In this paper, we discover certain crucial properties of trigger activated HTs which lead to the definition of an exponentially large class of Deterministic Hardware Trojans H D that an adversary can (but is not limited to) design. The discovered properties serve as HT design principles which help us understand the tremendous ways available to an adversary to design a HT, and show that the existing publicly known HT benchmarks are just the tip of the iceberg on this huge landscape.
Tau as a mediator of neurotoxicity associated to cerebral amyloid angiopathy

Cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) is typified by the cerebrovascular deposition of amyloid. Currently, there is no clear understanding of the mechanisms underlying the contribution of CAA to neurodegeneration. Despite the fact that CAA is highly associated with accumulation of Aβ, other types of amyloids have been shown to associate with the vasculature. Interestingly, in many cases, vascular amyloidosis is accompanied by significant tau pathology. However, the contribution of tau to neurodegeneration associated to CAA remains to be determined. We used a mouse model of Familial Danish Dementia (FDD), a neurodegenerative disease characterized by the accumulation of Danish amyloid (ADan) in the vasculature, to characterize the contribution of tau to neurodegeneration associated to CAA. We performed histological and biochemical assays to establish tau modifications associated with CAA in conjunction with cell-based and electrophysiological assays to determine the role of tau in the synaptic dysfunction associated with ADan. We demonstrated that ADan aggregates induced hyperphosphorylation and misfolding of tau. Moreover, in a mouse model for CAA, we observed tau oligomers closely associated to astrocytes in the vicinity of vascular amyloid deposits. We finally determined that the absence of tau prevents synaptic dysfunction induced by ADan oligomers. In addition to demonstrating the effect of ADan amyloid on tau misfolding, our results provide compelling evidence of the role of tau in neurodegeneration associated with ADan-CAA and suggest that decreasing tau levels could be a feasible approach for the treatment of CAA.
Standard enthalpies of formation of some 4d transition metal gallides by high temperature direct synthesis calorimetry

Abstract The standard enthalpies of formation of some 4d transition metal gallides have been measured by high temperature, direct synthesis calorimetry at 1373±2 K. The following results (in kJ/mol of atoms) are reported: YGa (−71.4±1.7); YGa 2 (−68.1±2.3); Zr 2 Ga (−53.4±2.1); Nb 5 Ga 3 (−26.5±1.7); Mo 3 Ga (−16.6±2.5); RuGa (−35.4±2.3); RuGa 2 (−41.0±1.6); RhGa 3 (−44.9±1.2); RhGa (−73.2±2.3). The results are compared with some earlier values obtained by solution calorimetry or derived from emf measurements. They are also compared with predicted values from the semi-empirical model of Miedema and coworkers. We compare the enthalpies of formation of the 3d and 4d gallides and the heats of formation of the 4d gallides with available values for the 4d transition metal aluminides and germanides.
Comprehensive survey of combinatorial library synthesis: 2004.

The annual review provides listings of 388 chemical libraries, solid-phase reagents and scavengers, linkers, and polymer-supported chiral ligands reported during the year 2004.
Rapid Prediction of Electron–Ionization Mass Spectrometry Using Neural Networks

When confronted with a substance of unknown identity, researchers often perform mass spectrometry on the sample and compare the observed spectrum to a library of previously collected spectra to identify the molecule. While popular, this approach will fail to identify molecules that are not in the existing library. In response, we propose to improve the library's coverage by augmenting it with synthetic spectra that are predicted from candidate molecules using machine learning. We contribute a lightweight neural network model that quickly predicts mass spectra for small molecules, averaging 5 ms per molecule with a recall-at-10 accuracy of 91.8%. Achieving high-accuracy predictions requires a novel neural network architecture that is designed to capture typical fragmentation patterns from electron ionization. We analyze the effects of our modeling innovations on library matching performance and compare our models to prior machine-learning-based work on spectrum prediction.
Are Management Practices Failing or Aiding the Private Sector in South America

An expanding body of literature has shown that better management practices can offer significant boosts to firms' productivity; this research illustrates that firms in South America are no exception. Using recent Enterprise Survey data from seven countries in South America (Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, and Uruguay), the paper explores the various dimensions and drivers of management practices and analyzes how they are related to productivity. This is an important topic to investigate, given the lagging levels of productivity growth in the region. If management practices can boost firms’ productivity, this may be a cost-effective way to accelerate economic growth. The results show that improved management practices are associated with higher levels of productivity in all countries, and it is the impact of improved management specifically in larger firms that is driving the overall results. Indeed, in some countries, specifically Argentina, Paraguay, and Peru, it is only among larger firms that there is a positive link between management practices and productivity.
The Structural Determinants of the Labor Share in Europe

The labor share in Europe has been on a downward trend. This paper finds that the decline is concentrated in manufacture and among low- to mid-skilled workers. The shifting nature of employment away from full-time jobs and a rollback of employment protection, unemployment benefits and unemployment benefits have been the main contributors. Technology and globalization hurt sectors where jobs are routinizable but helped others that require specialized skills. High-skilled professionals gained labor share driven by productivity aided by flexible work environments, while low- and mid-skilled workers lost labor share owing to globalization and the erosion of labor market safety nets.
Cavitation and ventilation modalities during ditching

The flow taking place in the rear part of the fuselage during the emergency landing on water is investigated experimentally in realistic conditions. To this aim, tests on a double curvature specimen have been performed at horizontal velocities ranging from 21 m/s to 45 m/s. Test data highlight different cavitation and/or ventilation modalities which are strongly dependent on the horizontal velocity, with substantial changes in the flow features occurring with velocity variations of few meters per second. For the specimen considered here, the inception of the cavitation is found at about 30 m/s, confirming that scaled model tests performed at small horizontal velocities are unable to capture the hydrodynamics correctly. By analyzing pressure data, underwater movies, and force measurements, it is shown that the transition from the cavitation to ventilation condition has a significant effect on the longitudinal distribution of the loading which, together with inertia, aerodynamic loads, and engine thrust, governs the aircraft dynamics.
Have greenhouse gas emissions from US energy production peaked? State level evidence from six subsectors

Analyses of the Environmental Kuznet’s Curve (EKC) hypothesis have largely focused on economy level data with occasional analyses exploring sector level data. This paper exploits a new data set which contains sector level data on greenhouse gas emissions from the US energy sector as well as subsector data from six disjoint subsectors which together comprise the entire energy sector. The data contained in this data set is annual data at the state level from 1990 through 2011. Using differenced data, we specify an econometrically sound EKC model and compare it against a model containing only a linear GDP per capita term. We find that using a subsector level modeling approach, evidence for the EKC hypothesis is virtually nonexistent. Moreover, we find that aggregated subsector level estimates outperform sector-level estimate on in-sample accuracy. These estimated models are then used to forecast emissions for the energy sector. We find evidence that US greenhouse gas emissions from energy production are at or near a peak.
Mixed Message on Formula Mixing.

* Abbreviations: CDC — : Centers for Disease Control WHO — : World Health Organization One of the most basic and important things we do as parents is feed our children. As pediatricians, one of the most frequent conversations we have with parents revolves around how to do that. During the first few days and weeks of life, feeding is often the main focus of conversations both in the hospital and at subsequent office visits. Although our emphasis, shaped by Healthy People 2020 goals, is often on breastfeeding and breast milk, a significant proportion of infants are formula fed. In fact, by the age of 6 months, only approximately half of infants still receive any breast milk.1 The choice to use formula either primarily or in conjunction with breast milk is multifactorial and can include maternal factors, parental or partner preference, barriers to personal or lactation support, difficulties sustaining pumping after returning to work, or the need for increased caloric intake. Given the number of infants who receive formula at some point in their life, it is frustrating that the guidelines from various national and international organizations detailing how to make formula often blatantly contradict one another. They differ primarily when it comes to the temperature of water: whether one should add formula powder to boiling water, add formula powder to water that has been boiled … Address correspondence to Tracey A. Wilkinson, MD, MPH, Department of Pediatrics, Children’s Health Services Research, Indiana University School of Medicine, 410 W 10th St, Suite 2000, Indianapolis, IN 46202. E-mail: tracwilk{at}iu.edu
A Method of Fault Signature Extraction for Improved Diagnosis

Efficient extraction of fault signatures from sensory data is a major concern in fault diagnosis. This paper introduces a self-tuning method of fault signature extraction that enhances fault detection, minimizes false alarms, improves diagnosability, and reduces fault signature variability. The proposed method uses a Flagging Unit to convert the processed measurements to binary vectors, and utilizes nonparametric pattern classification techniques to estimate the fault signatures. The performance of the Flagging Unit, which relies on its adaptation algorithms to optimize its performance based upon a sample batch of measurement-fault vectors, is demonstrated in simulation.
Synthesis, Crystallographic Studies, and Characterization of K2Bi8Se13—xSx Solid Solutions

The detailed crystal structures of selected members of solid solutions of the thermoelectric compounds K2Bi8Se13xSx with x 4, x 6a nd x 10 were determined. The purpose of this study was to understand the nature of Se/S mass fluctuations introduced when β-K2Bi8Se13 is alloyed with isostructural K2Bi8S13. The details of the K/Bi disorder and Se/S distribution
SOLID STATE CLEAVAGE OF SEMICARBAZONES AND PHENYLHYDRAZONES WITH AMMONIUM PERSULFATE-CLAY USING MICROWAVE OR ULTRASONIC IRRADIATION

Abstract Adsorbed on clay, semicarbazone and phenylhydrazone derivatives are oxidatively cleaved in solid state to generate the corresponding ketones by ammonium persulfate using microwave or ultrasonic irradiation. © 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.
HySA: a Hybrid Structural variant Assembly approach using next-generation and single-molecule sequencing technologies

Achieving complete, accurate, and cost-effective assembly of human genomes is of great importance for realizing the promise of precision medicine. The abundance of repeats and genetic variations in human genomes and the limitations of existing sequencing technologies call for the development of novel assembly methods that can leverage the complementary strengths of multiple technologies. We propose a Hybrid Structural variant Assembly (HySA) approach that integrates sequencing reads from next-generation sequencing and single-molecule sequencing technologies to accurately assemble and detect structural variants (SVs) in human genomes. By identifying homologous SV-containing reads from different technologies through a bipartite-graph-based clustering algorithm, our approach turns a whole genome assembly problem into a set of independent SV assembly problems, each of which can be effectively solved to enhance the assembly of structurally altered regions in human genomes. We used data generated from a haploid hydatidiform mole genome (CHM1) and a diploid human genome (NA12878) to test our approach. The result showed that, compared with existing methods, our approach had a low false discovery rate and substantially improved the detection of many types of SVs, particularly novel large insertions, small indels (10-50 bp), and short tandem repeat expansions and contractions. Our work highlights the strengths and limitations of current approaches and provides an effective solution for extending the power of existing sequencing technologies for SV discovery.
Gold-catalyzed heterocycle synthesis using homopropargylic ethers as latent electrophiles.

Homopropargylic ethers with pendent nucleophiles, when subjected to Au catalysts in aqueous solvent, provide heterocyclic ketones. The reactions are efficient, tolerant of functionality and ambient atmosphere, and operationally simple. Diastereoselectivity can be predicted on the basis of product thermodynamics. This process demonstrates the viability of homopropargylic ethers to serve as latent electrophiles that can be unraveled under highly selective conditions to promote heterocycle formation through nucleophilic additions to α,β-unsaturated ketones.
Chemoselective deprotection of N-Boc group in amino acids and peptides by bismuth(III) trichloride

Selective deprotection of N-Boc group was achieved in excellent yields using bismuth(III) trichloride in a mixed solvent of acetonitrile and water (50:1, v/v) at 55 °C. Acid-labile groups such as Pmc and tert-butyl ester were not affected and no alkylation of tryptophan, methionine, and cysteine residues was observed under the deprotection conditions.
Improvement and renormalization constants in O(a) improved lattice QCD

Abstract We present results at β = 6.0 and 6.2 for the O ( a ) improvement and renormalization constants for bilinear operators using axial and vector Ward identities. We discuss the extraction of the mass dependence of the renormalization constants and the coefficients of the equation of motion operators.
Regioselective synthesis of 3,3‐diethyl‐4‐(methylene)‐1‐quinol‐2‐ones by an intramolecular microwave assisted heck reaction

A protocol for the intramolecular Heck cyclization to afford 3,3-diethyl-4-(methylene)-1-quinol-2-ones is described. We observed that the use of microwave irradiation increased the efficiency of the reaction. Several examples are presented which show the versatility of the reaction.
Human cytomegalovirus intrahost evolution - a new avenue for understanding and controlling herpesvirus infections

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is exquisitely adapted to the human host, and much research has focused on its evolution over long timescales spanning millennia. Here, we review recent data exploring the evolution of the virus on much shorter timescales, on the order of days or months. We describe the intrahost genetic diversity of the virus isolated from humans, and how this diversity contributes to HCMV spatiotemporal evolution. We propose mechanisms to explain the high levels of intrahost diversity and discuss how this new information may shed light on HCMV infection and pathogenesis.
Application of a Domino Intramolecular Enyne Metathesis/Cross Metathesis Reaction to the Total Synthesis of (+)-8-epi-Xanthatin

The first total synthesis of the novel sesquiterpene lactone (+)-8-epi-xanthatin (1) has been achieved starting from the commercially available ester 8. The synthesis features an asymmetric aldol reaction and palladium-catalyzed carbonylation/lactonization sequence leading to 4 and a domino ring-closing enyne metathesis/cross metathesis reaction to afford 1.
Bifunctional cyclodextrin metalloenzyme mimics

Abstract A variety of regioisomeric bifunctionalized β-cyclodextrins derivatized with an imidazole and a metal ligand tris(2-aminoethyl)amine (tren) group were prepared. As their Zn2+ complexes, these compounds show bifunctional catalysis of phosphate hydrolysis with a regioisomeric preference.
HALOGEN-METAL EXCHANGE REACTIONS OF BROMOARYL- SUBSTITUTED β-LACTAMS

Abstract β-Lactams are quite susceptible to ring opening when exposed to nucleophilic reagents. The robustness of a variety of bromo- and iodoarenes containing electrophilic functional groups toward alkyllithium reagents during the halogen–lithium exchange process was first described by Parham, Bradsher, and co-workers. These observations led us to consider the behavior of bromoaryl-substituted β-lactams when treated with n-butyllithium at −100 °C in tetrahydrofuran. The work discussed herein describes successful halogen–metal exchange reactions on haloarene-substituted β-lactams thereby permitting a method for aromatic ring elaborations in the presence of the highly electrophilic β-lactam ring.
Substoichiometric TiCl4-mediated vicinal difunctionalization of α,β-acetylenic ketones for the synthesis of β-halo Baylis–Hillman olefins

A substoichiometric amount of titanium tetrachloride was found to be effective to promote and participate in the tandem α-hydroxyalkylation/β-chlorination of α,β-acetylenic ketones in the presence of (n-Bu)4NI. This method provides the concise synthesis of (E)-β-halo Baylis–Hillman adducts. No β-iodo products were detected when using this combination of halogen sources. The reaction process involves 1,4-addition of chloro anion released from TiCl4 onto α,β-acetylenic ketones to give TiCl3–allenolate intermediates followed by the titanium Lewis acid-promoted carbonyl addition. Modest to good yields (53–77%) and excellent E/Z stereoselectivity (>95%) have been obtained for 10 examples.
Engaging narratives evoke similar neural activity and lead to similar time perception

It is said that we lose track of time - that “time flies” - when we are engrossed in a story. How does engagement with the story cause this distorted perception of time, and what are its neural correlates? People commit both time and attentional resources to an engaging stimulus. For narrative videos, attentional engagement can be represented as the level of similarity between the electroencephalographic responses of different viewers. Here we show that this measure of neural engagement predicted the duration of time that viewers were willing to commit to narrative videos. Contrary to popular wisdom, engagement did not distort the average perception of time duration. Rather, more similar brain responses resulted in a more uniform perception of time across viewers. These findings suggest that by capturing the attention of an audience, narrative videos bring both neural processing and the subjective perception of time into synchrony.
Gold-Catalyzed, SN1-Type Reaction of Alcohols to Afford Ethers and Cbz-Protected Amines

The use of a gold-catalyzed, microwave protocol to activate alcohols through an intermolecular, SN1-type reaction to directly form unsymmetrical ethers and N-benzyloxy carbamate- (Cbz) protected amines is reported. Results have shown this reaction to be highly reproducible and tolerant of moisture, and moderate to high product yields (53–99%) were obtained. Significantly, the intermolecular catalytic amination of alcohols to directly afford Cbz-protected amines is heretofore unprecedented using gold catalysis.
MAGNETIC PROPERTIES OF METAL-INTERCALATED LAYERED VANADYL PHOSPHATES

Variable-temperature magnetic susceptibility shows that electrons on the vanadium centers of the Na+, K+, and Rb+ intercalates of layered vanadyl phosphate are ferromagnetically coupled via V(OPO)2...
Syntheses of Functionalized 1,4-Disubstituted γ-Carbolines

We report the complete synthesis of a variety of 1,4-disubstituted γ-carbolines. These compounds are of particular interest for their involvement in many biological processes and are believed to possess various medicinal activities. A large number of N-tosylaldimines were condensed with indoles affording an array of 3-aminomethyl indoles. Subsequent additions, followed by intramolecular cyclization, afforded an array of 1,2-dihydro-3H-γ-carbolones in good yield. Upon subsequent aromatization, the corresponding fully aromatic functionalized 1-aryl-4-hydroxy-γ-carbolines resulted.
Synthesis and crystal structure of a new oxynitride, Ba3ZnN2O

Abstract A new oxynitride, Ba3ZnN2O, was prepared as single crystals by slow cooling from 750°C using a starting mixture of Ba, ZnO, NaN3 and Na. The NaN3 and Na were respectively the nitrogen source and flux for the crystal growth. The structure was determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction and is tetragonal, space group P4/mmm with Z = 1, a = 4.088(1), c = 9.272(2)A, and R1 = 0.0288. The structure is composed of {Ba2ZnN2} units and {BaO} layers. The zinc atom is linearly coordinated by two nitrogen atoms to form a nitridometallate anion, [N=Zn=N]4−, as in Ba2ZnN2.
Short-term effectiveness of HIV care coordination among persons with recent HIV diagnosis or history of poor HIV outcomes.

The New York City HIV Care Coordination Program (CCP) combines multiple evidence-based strategies to support persons living with HIV (PLWH) at risk for, or with a recent history of, poor HIV outcomes. We assessed the comparative effectiveness of the CCP by merging programmatic data on CCP clients with population-based surveillance data on all New York City PLWH. A non-CCP comparison group of similar PLWH who met CCP eligibility criteria was identified using surveillance data. The CCP and non-CCP groups were matched on propensity for CCP enrollment within four baseline treatment status groups (newly diagnosed or previously diagnosed and either consistently unsuppressed, inconsistently suppressed or consistently suppressed). We compared CCP to non-CCP proportions with viral load suppression at 12-month follow-up. Among the 13,624 persons included, 15∙3% were newly diagnosed; among the 84∙7% previously diagnosed, 14∙2% were consistently suppressed, 28∙9% were inconsistently suppressed, and 41∙6% were consistently unsuppressed in the year prior to baseline. At 12-month follow-up, 59∙9% of CCP and 53∙9% of non-CCP participants had viral load suppression (Relative Risk = 1.11, 95%CI:1.08–1.14). Among those newly diagnosed and those consistently unsuppressed at baseline, the relative risk of viral load suppression in the CCP versus non-CCP participants was 1.15 (95%CI:1.09–1.23) and 1.32 (95%CI:1.23–1.42), respectively. CCP exposure shows benefits over no CCP exposure for persons newly diagnosed or consistently unsuppressed, but not for persons suppressed in the year prior to baseline. We recommend more targeted case finding for CCP enrollment and increased attention to viral load suppression maintenance.