cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Price Regulation, Price Discrimination, and Equality of Opportunity in Higher Education: Evidence from Texas

This paper assesses the importance of price regulation and price discrimination to low-income students' access to opportunities in public higher education. Following a policy change in the state of Texas that shifted tuition-setting authority away from the state legislature to the governing board of each public university, most institutions raised sticker prices and many began charging more for high-return undergraduate majors, such as business and engineering. We use administrative data on Texas public university students from 2000 to 2009 matched to earnings records, financial aid, and new measures of tuition and resources at a program level to assess how deregulation affected the representation of disadvantaged students in high-return institutions and majors in the state. We find that poor students actually shifted towards higher-return programs following deregulation, relative to non-poor students. Deregulation facilitated more price discrimination by increasing grant aid for low-income students and also enabled supply-side enhancements such as more spending per student, which may have partially offset the detrimental effects of higher sticker price. The Texas experience suggests that providing institutions more autonomy over pricing and increasing sticker prices need not diminish the opportunities available to disadvantaged students.
The impact of quality rating and improvement systems on families’ child care choices and the supply of child care labor

Abstract Quality Rating and Improvement Systems (QRIS) are increasingly deployed by U.S. states to monitor and improve the quality of non-parental child care settings. By making information on program quality accessible to the public, QRIS attempts to alter parental preferences for quality-related attributes and encourage competition between providers. This paper draws on a variety of datasets to empirically characterize the way in which families and providers respond to the enactment of QRIS. Specifically, it exploits the differential timing in states’ QRIS roll-out to examine two sets of outcomes: (i) families’ child care choices and maternal employment and (ii) the supply and compensation of child care labor. Estimates from difference-in-differences models reveal several noteworthy findings. First, although QRIS induces families to shift from parental to non-parental care, economically disadvantaged families are more likely to use informal care, while their advantaged counterparts are more likely to use formal care. Second, QRIS increases the supply of high-skilled labor, particularly within the center-based sector. Third, all but the most highly-skilled child care workers experience rising compensation levels but also greater turnover. Finally, states that administer a wage compensation program alongside their QRIS experience larger increases in child care supply and compensation as well as lower turnover rates than states operating a QRIS in isolation.
A compatible high-order meshless method for the Stokes equations with applications to suspension flows

Abstract A stable numerical solution of the steady Stokes problem requires compatibility between the choice of velocity and pressure approximation that has traditionally proven problematic for meshless methods. In this work, we present a discretization that couples a staggered scheme for pressure approximation with a divergence-free velocity reconstruction to obtain an adaptive, high-order, finite difference-like discretization that can be efficiently solved with conventional algebraic multigrid techniques. We use analytic benchmarks to demonstrate equal-order convergence for both velocity and pressure when solving problems with curvilinear geometries. In order to study problems in dense suspensions, we couple the solution for the flow to the equations of motion for freely suspended particles in an implicit monolithic scheme. The combination of high-order accuracy with fully-implicit schemes allows the accurate resolution of stiff lubrication forces directly from the solution of the Stokes problem without the need to introduce sub-grid lubrication models.
Metric Distortion of Social Choice Rules: Lower Bounds and Fairness Properties

We study social choice rules under the utilitarian distortion framework, with an additional metric assumption on the agents' costs over the alternatives. In this approach, these costs are given by an underlying metric on the set of all agents plus alternatives. Social choice rules have access to only the ordinal preferences of agents but not the latent cardinal costs that induce them. Distortion is then defined as the ratio between the social cost (typically the sum of agent costs) of the alternative chosen by the mechanism at hand, and that of the optimal alternative chosen by an omniscient algorithm. The worst-case distortion of a social choice rule is, therefore, a measure of how close it always gets to the optimal alternative without any knowledge of the underlying costs. Under this model, it has been conjectured that Ranked Pairs, the well-known weighted-tournament rule, achieves a distortion of at most 3 (Anshelevich et al. 2015). We disprove this conjecture by constructing a sequence of instances which shows that the worst-case distortion of Ranked Pairs is at least 5. Our lower bound on the worst-case distortion of Ranked Pairs matches a previously known upper bound for the Copeland rule, proving that in the worst case, the simpler Copeland rule is at least as good as Ranked Pairs. And as long as we are limited to (weighted or unweighted) tournament rules, we demonstrate that randomization cannot help achieve an expected worst-case distortion of less than 3. Using the concept of approximate majorization within the distortion framework, we prove that Copeland and Randomized Dictatorship achieve low constant factor fairness-ratios (5 and 3 respectively), which is a considerable generalization of similar results for the sum of costs and single largest cost objectives. In addition to all of the above, we outline several interesting directions for further research in this space.
Geodesic Lagrangian Monte Carlo over the space of positive definite matrices: with application to Bayesian spectral density estimation

We present geodesic Lagrangian Monte Carlo, an extension of Hamiltonian Monte Carlo for sampling from posterior distributions defined on general Riemannian manifolds. We apply this new algorithm to Bayesian inference on symmetric or Hermitian positive definite matrices. To do so, we exploit the Riemannian structure induced by Cartan's canonical metric. The geodesics that correspond to this metric are available in closed-form and-within the context of Lagrangian Monte Carlo-provide a principled way to travel around the space of positive definite matrices. Our method improves Bayesian inference on such matrices by allowing for a broad range of priors, so we are not limited to conjugate priors only. In the context of spectral density estimation, we use the (non-conjugate) complex reference prior as an example modeling option made available by the algorithm. Results based on simulated and real-world multivariate time series are presented in this context, and future directions are outlined.
Intellectual Property Rights and the Ascent of Proprietary Innovation in Agriculture

Biological innovations in agriculture did not enjoy protection by formal intellectual property rights (IPRs) for a long time, but the recent trend has been one of considerable broadening and strengthening of these rights. We document the nature and evolution of these IPRs and provide an assessment of their impacts on innovation. We integrate elements of the institutional history of plant IPRs with a discussion of the relevant economic theory and a review of applicable empirical evidence. Throughout this review, we highlight how the experience of biological innovation mirrors or differs from the broader literature on IPRs and innovation. We conclude with some considerations on the relationship between IPRs, market structure, and the pricing of proprietary inputs in agriculture.
Comprehensive analysis of wrong-way driving crashes on Alabama interstates

Crash data on Alabama Interstates were collected for a 5-year period from 2009 to 2013. True wrong-way driving (WWD) crashes were identified from the hard copy of crash reports and existing maps. The crash data contained 18 explanatory variables representing the driver, the temporal, vehicle, and environmental information. A Firth’s penalized likelihood logistic regression model was developed to examine the influence of the explanatory variable on the dichotomous dependent variable (type of crash, i.e., WWD versus non-WWD). This model was an appropriate tool for controlling the influence of all confounding variables on the probability of WWD crashes while considering the rareness of the event (i.e., WWD). A separate model that used the standard binary logistic regression was also developed. Two information criteria (the Akaike information criterion and the Bayesian information criterion) obtained from both developed models indicated that for this database, Firth’s model outperformed the standard binary lo...
Characteristics of load resonant converters operated in a high-power factor mode

The performance of the parallel resonant power converter and the combination series/parallel resonant power converter (LCC converter) when operated above resonance in a high power factor mode are determined and compared for single phase applications. When the DC voltage applied to the input of these converters is obtained from a single phase rectifier with a small DC link capacitor, a relatively high power factor inherently results, even with no active control of the input line current. This behavior is due to the pulsating nature of the DC link and the inherent capability of the converters to boost voltage during the valleys of the input AC wave. With no active control of the input line current, the power factor depends on the ratio of operating frequency to tank resonant frequency. With active control of the input line current, near-unity power factor and low-input harmonic currents can be obtained. >
THE CEMENTLESS KNEE: INTERMEDIATE TERM GUARANTEE ON PARTS AND LABOUR – AFFIRMS

Over the past 30 years, cemented, cementless, and hybrid fixation options have been utilised with various total knee arthroplasty (TKA) implant systems. While cemented components are widely used and considered the most reliable method of fixation, historical results may not be applicable to contemporary patients, who are increasingly younger than 65 years of age. Moreover, the literature is not definitive on which method of TKA fixation obtains the best clinical, functional, and radiographic results. A recent Cochrane meta-analysis on roentgen stereophotogrammetric analysis (RSA) included five randomised clinical trials (RCTs) in 297 participants. The authors observed that cemented fixation of tibial components demonstrated smaller displacement in relation to cementless fixation. However, the risk of future aseptic loosening with uncemented fixation was approximately half that of cemented fixation (risk ratio = 0.47, 95% CI 0.24 to 0.92) with a 16% absolute risk difference between groups. Almost all included studies recorded functional measures of Knee Society and Hospital for Special Surgery knee scores, but the authors of each study found no significant difference between the groups. Recently, highly porous metals have become an attractive fixation option in TKA due to their biomechanical properties. In a large RCT of 397 patients, Pulido et al. found that uncemented highly porous metal tibias provided comparably durable fixation and reliable pain relief and restoration of function when compared with traditional cemented modular tibias. While longer-term studies are needed, cementless TKAs may be a durable and reliable alternative with highly porous metals, particularly in younger patients.
Abnormal Elasticity of Single-Crystal Magnesiosiderite across the Spin Transition in Earth's Lower Mantle.

Measurements of the elastic constants of magnesiosiderite at room temperature and pressures up to 70 GPa show changes in the shear and compressive stress moduli around the material's spin transition.
The Effect of Online College Attendance on Job Obtainment Through Social Connections

ABSTRACTAttending college online has implications for students’ ability to make social connections and eventually obtain jobs by means of social capital. Previous academic work has tested employer callback rates to fictitious resumes treated by indications of either online or face-to-face college attendance but such methods overlook the networking aspect of job obtainment. This article uses data from a national survey to examine if online college attendance reduces the likelihood that a student uses a social connection to obtain his or her first job out of college. Using an instrumental variables approach to account for the nontraditional characteristics of online students, the author found that attending college exclusively online reduces the likelihood of obtaining a job through social connections, independent of personality and other relevant characteristics of the college setting.
Real-Time Bidding in Online Display Advertising

Display advertising is a major source of revenue for many online publishers and content providers. Historically, display advertising impressions have been sold through prenegotiated contracts, know...
Electrocorticographic dynamics predict visually guided motor imagery of grasp shaping

Identification of intended movement type and movement phase of hand grasp shaping are critical features for the control of volitional neuroprosthetics. We demonstrate that neural dynamics during visually-guided imagined grasp shaping can encode intended movement. We apply Procrustes analysis and LASSO regression to achieve 72% accuracy (chance = 25%) in distinguishing between visually-guided imagined grasp trajectories. Further, we can predict the stage of grasp shaping in the form of elapsed time from start of trial (R2=0.4). Our approach contributes to more accurate single-trial decoding of higher-level movement goals and the phase of grasping movements in individuals not trained with brain-computer interfaces. We also find that the overall time-varying trajectory structure of imagined movements tend to be consistent within individuals, and that transient trajectory deviations within trials return to the task-dependent trajectory mean. These overall findings may contribute to the further understanding of the cortical dynamics of human motor imagery.
Stability and Dichotomy of Positive Semigroups on $L_p$

A new proof of a result of Lutz Weis is given, that states that the stability of a positive strongly continuous semigroup $(e^{tA})_{t \ge 0}$ on $L_p$ may be determined by the quantity $s(A)$. We also give an example to show that the dichotomy of the semigroup may not always be determined by the spectrum $\sigma(A)$.
A charge amplification approach for photoacoustic tomography (PAT) with parallel acoustic delay line (PADL) arrays

This paper reports the development of a new charge amplification approach for photoacoustic tomography (PAT) based on parallel acoustic delay line (PADL) arrays. By using a PADL array to create different time delays, multiple-channel PA signals can be received simultaneously with a single-element transducer followed by single-channel DAQ electronics for image reconstruction. Unlike the conventional voltage amplifiers whose output voltage drops with increasing transducer capacitance, both theoretical analysis and experimental results have shown that the charge amplification can provide almost constant transducer-amplifier gain, which is not affected by the transducer capacitance. Therefore, it allows the use of a large single-element transducer to interface many PADLs without sacrificing the SNR of each channel. This opens the possibility of using large PADL arrays to achieve PAT with a wide field of view and high lateral resolution.
Novel de-embedding method with look-up table for characterization of interconnects

A new de-embedding technique is introduced in this paper with pre-established Look-Up Table (LUT) for accurate characterization of high speed interconnects, particularly for printed circuit board (PCB). The method de-embeds the test fixture effects from the measurement or/and simulation results. It improves the accuracy and reduces the PCB layout area comparing to one line method. It reduces the PCB layout area and improves the measurement efficiency comparing to two line method.
The Number of Generators of the First Koszul Homology of an Artinian Ring

We study the conjecture that, if I, J are μ −primary in a regular local ring (R, μ) with dim(R) = n, then needs at least n generators, and a related conjecture about the number of generators of the first Koszul homology module of an Artinian local ring (A, m). In this manuscript, we focus our attention on the complete intersection defect of the Artinian ring and its quotient by the Koszul elements. We prove that the number of generators of the first Koszul homology module of x1,…, xn ∈ m on an Artinian local ring (A, m) is at least , where cidA denotes the complete intersection defect of the Artinian local ring A.
A numerical analysis of supersonic flow over an axisymmetric afterbody

The performance of a pressure-based algorithm and the k-epsilon type turbulence models, including the original formulation proposed by Jones and Launder (1972), model extensions for refined treatment of time scales, and model corrections developed for treating compressible flows is assessed by analyzing the near-wake region of a Mach 2.5 flow over an axisymmetric cylindrical afterbody. The mechanisms responsible for the different levels of performance of the various turbulence models for the flow are investigated. It is shown that the k-epsilon models extended to allow for better response to the mean strain rate and corrected for compressibility result in better flowfield predictions than the original k-epsilon model.
Depomedroxyprogesterone-induced hypoestrogenism and changes in vaginal flora and epithelium

Objective: To identify the effects of depomedroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA) on vaginal microbial flora and epithelium. Methods: Women who desired DMPA for contraception were evaluated before and at 3 and 6 months after initiation of 150-mg DMPA injections every 3 months. At each visit we assessed genital symptoms vaginal signs vaginal microflora and histopathology by vaginal biopsies. Results: Among 38 women observed for 6 months there was significant reduction in mean serum estradiol level (99.9 +or- 9.3 pg/mL to 26.6 +or- 1.6 pg/mL P < .001). The number of subjects with any Lactobacillus did not change but the number with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-positive Lactobacillus decreased from 20% before to 12% after 6 months of DMPA (P = .005). The log concentration in colony-forming units per milliliter of vaginal fluid of H2O2-positive Lactobacillus decreased in a linear manner from 4.0 +or- 0.6 at baseline to 2.5 +or- 0.6 after 6 months of DMPA use (P = .006). The mean number of cell layers in the epithelium was reduced slightly from 28.1 +or- 0.7 to 25.9 +or- 0.9 (P = .05) epithelial thickness decreased from 1.02 +or- 0.04 mm to 0.89 +or- 0.05 mm (P = .005) and the glycogen-positive thickness decreased from 0.81 +or- 0.04 mm at baseline to 0.66 +or- 0.05 after 6 months of DMPA use (P = .005). Conclusion: Depomedroxyprogesterone acetate produced a systemic hypoestrogenic state associated with decreased H2O2-positive Lactobacillus colonization and slight thinning of the glycogen vaginal epithelial layer. Such changes possibly compromise the vaginal barrier to infection.
Enabling robots to communicate their objectives

The overarching goal of this work is to efficiently enable end-users to correctly anticipate a robot's behavior in novel situations. And since a robot's behavior is often a direct result of its underlying objective function, our insight is that end-users need to have an accurate mental model of this objective function in order to understand and predict what the robot will do. While people naturally develop such a mental model over time through observing the robot act, this familiarization process may be lengthy. Our approach reduces this time by having the robot model how people infer objectives from observed behavior, in order to then show those behaviors that are maximally informative. We introduce two factors to define candidate models of human inference, and show that certain models indeed produce example robot behaviors that better enable users to anticipate what it will do in novel situations. Our results also reveal that choosing the appropriate model is key, and suggest that our candidate models do not fully capture how humans extrapolate from examples of robot behavior. We leverage these findings to propose a stronger model of human learning in this setting, and conclude by analyzing the impact of different ways in which the assumed model of human learning may be incorrect.
Higher order topological invariants from the Chern-Simons action

It is well known that for a field theory with Chern-Simons action, expectation values of Wilson line operators are topological invariants. The standard result is expressed in terms of the Gaussian linkings of closed curves defining the operators. We show how a judicious choice of Wilson lines leads to higher order topological linkings.
The NCA-1 and NCA-2 Ion Channels Function Downstream of Gq and Rho To Regulate Locomotion in Caenorhabditis elegans

The heterotrimeric G protein Gq positively regulates neuronal activity and synaptic transmission. Previously, the Rho guanine nucleotide exchange factor Trio was identified as a direct effector of Gq that acts in parallel to the canonical Gq effector phospholipase C. Here, we examine how Trio and Rho act to stimulate neuronal activity downstream of Gq in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Through two forward genetic screens, we identify the cation channels NCA-1 and NCA-2, orthologs of mammalian NALCN, as downstream targets of the Gq-Rho pathway. By performing genetic epistasis analysis using dominant activating mutations and recessive loss-of-function mutations in the members of this pathway, we show that NCA-1 and NCA-2 act downstream of Gq in a linear pathway. Through cell-specific rescue experiments, we show that function of these channels in head acetylcholine neurons is sufficient for normal locomotion in C. elegans. Our results suggest that NCA-1 and NCA-2 are physiologically relevant targets of neuronal Gq-Rho signaling in C. elegans.
INFLUENCE OF LEVEL 1 EVIDENCE ON MANAGEMENT OF CLAVICLE AND DISTAL HUMERUS FRACTURES: A NATIONWIDE COMPARATIVE STUDY OF RECORDS FROM 2005 TO 2014

Background Level 1 studies for fracture management of upper extremity fractures remains rare. The influence of these studies on management trends has yet to be evaluated. The purpose of this study was to examine alterations in national trends managing mid-shaft clavicle and intra-articular distal humerus fractures (DHF) surrounding recent Level 1 publications. Methods We retrospectively reviewed a comprehensive Medicare (2005–2012) and Humana (2007–2014) patient population database within the PearlDiver supercomputer (Warsaw, IN, USA) for DHF and mid-shaft clavicle fractures, respectively. Non-operative management and open reduction internal fixation (ORIF) were reviewed for mid-shaft clavicle fractures. ORIF and total elbow arthroplasty (TEA) were reviewed for DHF. Total use and annual utilization rates were investigated using age limits defined in the original Level 1 studies. Results A total of 4,929 clavicle patients between 15 and 59 years, and 106,535 DHF patients greater than 65 years of age were coded. There was no significant change in annual volume of mid-shaft clavicle fractures and DHF coded (p=0.078 and p=0.614, respectively). Among clavicle patients there was a significant increase in ORIF utilization following the publication of the Level 1 study (p=0.002), and a strong, positive correlation was evident (p=0.007). No significant change in annual TEA (p=0.515) utilization for DHF was seen. Conclusion A significant increase in the utilization of ORIF for clavicular fractures was observed following the publication of supporting Level 1 evidence. This was not observed following similar evidence in managing DHF, as no increase in utilization of TEA was observed.
Shocking Outflows in Seyfert Galaxies: An Imaging Perspective

Representative results of a search for structures suggestive of shocked gas in the circumnuclear regions of Seyfert galaxies are presented. At issue is whether we can identify regions that appear to be shocked by outflows from the active nucleus. Such regions will be good targets for future spectrophotometric studies to determine what role shocks play in the physics of the AGN/host galaxy interaction.
Clarifying Values and Preferences for Care Near the End of Life: The Role of a New Lay Workforce

Community health workers (CHWs) can engage elderly persons in advance care planning (ACP) conversations. We report how trained CHWs used Go Wish cards (GW R cards) to identify patients’ highest priority preferences and evaluated whether engaging in ACP conversations was associated with subsequent health care utilization. A one-year long, pre-post longitudinal design was used to evaluate our educational intervention using mixed-methods. 392 patients (mean of 73.3 years, 82% women, 48% African American, 43% Caucasian) enrolled in the Aging Brain Care (ABC) program and participated in ACP discussions with CHWs. We expanded the role of the ABC’s CHW, who work directly with individuals and caregivers during home visits to monitor bio-psycho-social needs, to include ACP conversations. The CHWs received ACP training, practice with tools such as GW R cards, and support from an electronic health record (EHR) clinical decision support tool. Quantitative measures of patients’ ACP preferences and health care utilization were abstracted from the EHR. Qualitative data about patients’ perceptions of CHWs in facilitating ACP discussions was obtained through semi-structured interviews. Eighty-six patients’ data indicated that they had engaged in a preferences-for-care process using GW R cards. The top-three card choices by patients was attending to spirituality and religious concerns, preparing for end of life, and maintaining personal wholeness. CHWs were able to effectively engage in ACP conversations with patients and GW R cards were a positive way to stimulate discussion of issues previously undiscussed.
Motif statistics and spike correlations in neuronal networks

Motifs are patterns of subgraphs of complex networks. We studied the impact of such patterns of connectivity on the level of correlated, or synchronized, spiking activity among pairs of cells in a recurrent network of integrate and fire neurons. For a range of network architectures, we find that the pairwise correlation coefficients, averaged across the network, can be closely approximated using only three statistics of network connectivity. These are the overall network connection probability and the frequencies of two second order motifs: diverging motifs, in which one cell provides input to two others, and chain motifs, in which two cells are connected via a third intermediary cell. Specifically, the prevalence of diverging and chain motifs tends to increase correlation. Our method is based on linear response theory, which enables us to express spiking statistics using linear algebra, and a resumming technique, which extrapolates from second order motifs to predict the overall effect of coupling on network correlation. Our motif-based results seek to isolate the effect of network architecture perturbatively from a known network state.
Knockoff: cheap versions in the cloud

Cloud-based storage provides reliability and ease-of-management. Unfortunately, it can also incur significant costs for both storing and communicating data, even after using techniques such as chunk-based deduplication and delta compression. The current trend of providing access to past versions of data exacerbates both costs. In this paper, we show that deterministic recomputation of data can substantially reduce the cost of cloud storage. Borrowing a well-known dualism from the fault-tolerance community, we note that any data can be equivalently represented by a log of the nondeterministic inputs needed to produce that data. We design a file system, called Knockoff, that selectively substitutes nondeterministic inputs for file data to reduce communication and storage costs. Knockoff compresses both data and computation logs: it uses chunk-based deduplication for file data and delta compression for logs of nondeterminism. In two studies, Knockoff reduces the average cost of sending files to the cloud without versioning by 21% and 24%; the relative benefit increases as versions are retained more frequently.
Charged dilaton black hole in 2 + 1 dimensions as a particle accelerator

In this paper, we have studied particle collisions around a charged dilaton black hole in 2 + 1 dimensions. This black hole is a solution to the low energy string action in 2 + 1 dimensions. Time-like geodesics for charged particles are studied in detail. The center-of-mass energy for two charged particles colliding closer to the horizon is calculated and shown to be infinite if one of the particles has the critical charge.
Reparations for Victims at the International Criminal Court: A New Way Forward?

ABSTRACTReparations at the International Criminal Court (ICC) raise victims’ expectations that they would have an avenue of redress in the face of domestic impunity. This article examines the purpose of reparations at the ICC, which notably move away from the international-law state-centric modes of liability for reparations to more private-law individual liability and even developmental or subsidiary responsibility when provided by the Trust Fund for Victims. At the crux of the debate on reparations at the ICC rests the challenge of delivering justice to victims of international crimes against the limited capacity and jurisdiction of the Court. To overcome these limitations and to better realise expectations of reparations at the ICC, this article explores the promise of transformative reparations in trying to widen the benefits of reparations beyond those victims who suffer crimes by a convicted person, as well as tackling the causes of such crimes. Likewise this article will posit the role of complemen...
How to Make Our Ideas Clear

Self-consciousness was to furnish us with our fundamental truths, and to decide what was agreeable to reason. But since, evidently, not all ideas are true, Descartes was led to note, as the first condition of infallibility, that they must be clear. It was quite therefore, that on observing that the method of Descartes labored under the difficulty that we may seem to ourselves to have clear apprehensions of ideas which in truth are very hazy, no better remedy Occurred to him than to require an abstract definition of every important term. A nation, it is true, may, in the course of generations, overcome the disadvantage of an excessive wealth of language and its natural concomitant, a vast, unfathomable deep of ideas. It is noticeable that where different faiths flourish side by side, renegades are looked upon with contempt even by the party whose belief they adopt; so completely has the idea of loyalty replaced that of truth-seeking.
Projective Arithmetic Functional Encryption and Indistinguishability Obfuscation from Degree-5 Multilinear Maps

In this work, we propose a variant of functional encryption called projective arithmetic functional encryption (PAFE). Roughly speaking, our notion is like functional encryption for arithmetic circuits, but where secret keys only yield partially decrypted values. These partially decrypted values can be linearly combined with known coefficients and the result can be tested to see if it is a small value.
ÉTIENNE GILSON IN CHARLOTTESVILLE

Francuz, Etienne Gilson (1884–1978), i Amerykanin, Albert G.A. Balz (1887–1957), chociaz urodzeni po dwu roznych stronach Atlantyku, mieli wiele wspolnego, jeśli chodzi o wyksztalcenie i dzialalnośc akademicką. Przez swoją prace naukową wywarli na siebie niemaly wplyw i stali sie przyjaciolmi na cale zycie. Obaj studiowali filozofie: Gilson w Lycee Henri le Grand i w Uniwersytecie Paryskim, Balz w Uniwersytecie Wirginii i w Uniwersytecie Columbii. Obydwaj uzyskali doktorat na podstawie rozpraw o wybitnych filozofach XVII wieku—Gilson o Kartezjuszu, Balz o Hobbesie i Spinozie. Po obronie doktoratu Balz rozpocząl prace na Wydziale Filozofii Uniwersytetu Wirginii w 1913 roku, a w 1920 zostal profesorem. Gilson, po kilku latach nauczania w liceach (1907–1913), uczyl przez rok w Uniwersytecie w Lille. W 1914 roku, gdy wybuchla I wojna światowa, zostal zmobilizowany i przydzielony do piechoty. W 1916 roku dostal sie do niewoli niemieckiej. Do 1918 roku byl jencem wojennym, potem wrocil do pracy nauczyciela akademickiego na Uniwersytecie w Strasburgu. W 1921 roku odszedl stamtąd, poniewaz powolano go na stanowisko profesora filozofii na Sorbonie i kierownika Katedry Teologii i Filozofii Średniowiecznej w Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes w Paryzu.
A Coq library for internal verification of running-times

Abstract This paper presents a Coq library that lifts an abstract yet precise notion of running-time into the type of a function. Our library is based on a monad that counts abstract steps. The monad's computational content, however, is simply that of the identity monad so programs written in our monad (that recur on the natural structure of their arguments) extract into idiomatic OCaml code. We evaluated the expressiveness of the library by proving that red-black tree insertion and search, merge sort, insertion sort, various Fibonacci number implementations, iterated list insertion, various BigNum operations, and Okasaki's Braun Tree algorithms all have their expected running times.
Using First-Order Logic to Reason about Policies

A policy describes the conditions under which an action is permitted or forbidden. We show that a fragment of (multi-sorted) first-order logic can be used to represent and reason about policies. Because we use first-order logic, policies have a clear syntax and semantics. We show that further restricting the fragment results in a language that is still quite expressive yet is also tractable. More precisely, questions about entailment, such as “May Alice access the file?”, can be answered in time that is a low-order polynomial (indeed, almost linear in some cases), as can questions about the consistency of policy sets.
Role of temperature in the physics of metallic clusters

The finite temperature of the ionic degrees of freedom plays either a determining or an important role in a large variety of cluster properties. We briefly review here the role played by the temperature in different cluster phenomena, such as: occurrence of phase transitions, shape fluctuations, detailed properties of the static and dynamic structure formfactors, of the electron single-particle spectra and of the optical response, and the emergence of the 1/f-noise in ionic dynamics.
Defining Identity during Revitalization: Taki Onqoy in the Chicha-Soras Valley (Ayacucho, Peru)

Sixteenth-century Spanish evangelization was initially haphazard and varied, producing a patchwork of Andean Catholic converts whose formalized commitment to the new religion (baptisms, marriage rites, funerals) hinged on regional priests. In the 1560s CE, a revitalization movement known as Taki Onqoy (Quechua: “dancing sickness”) fostered a population of highland Andean peoples who preached for the rejection of Spanish traditions, religious beliefs, and practices. This article presents results from the first archaeological study of Taki Onqoy. Ceramic, faunal, and mortuary data suggest that rather than a monolithic body of individuals who denied or rejected Catholicism, Andeans were entangled within the two religious sects.
Child Labor Trafficking in the United States: A Hidden Crime

Emerging research brings more attention to labor trafficking in the United States. However, very few efforts have been made to better understand or respond to labor trafficking of minors. Cases of children forced to work as domestic servants, in factories, restaurants, peddling candy or other goods, or on farms may not automatically elicit suspicion from an outside observer as compared to a child providing sexual services for money. In contrast to sex trafficking, labor trafficking is often tied to formal economies and industries, which often makes it more difficult to distinguish from "legitimate" work, including among adolescents. This article seeks to provide examples of documented cases of child labor trafficking in the United States, and to provide an overview of systemic gaps in law, policy, data collection, research, and practice. These areas are currently overwhelmingly focused on sex trafficking, which undermines the policy intentions of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (2000), the seminal statute criminalizing sex and labor trafficking in the United States, its subsequent reauthorizations, and international laws and protocols addressing human trafficking.
Minimal Time Change Detection Algorithm for Reconfigurable Control System and Application to Aerospace

Abstract System parameters should be tracked on-line to build a reconfigurable control systems even though there exists an abrupt change. For this purpose, a new performance index that we are studying is the speed of adaptation - how quickly does the system determine that a change has occurred? In this paper, a new, robust algorithm that is optimized to minimize the time delay in detecting a change for fixed false alarm probability is proposed. Simulation results for the aircraft lateral motion with a known or unknown change in control gain matrices, in the presence of doublet input, indicate that the algorithm works fairly well. One of its distinguishing properties is that detection delay of this algorithm is superior to that of Whiteness Test.
Pursuit of the Renal Mass. Is Ultrasound Enough

The accuracy of ultrasonography in evaluating renal masses was assessed retrospectively in 260 renal lesions detected by intravenous urography in 242 patients. The ultrasonographic diagnosis was confirmed by cyst puncture, surgery, or autopsy. Of the lesions, 168 were benign cysts, and all were diagnosed correctly by ultrasonography. The remaining 92 lesions were renal carcinomas, and 90 were diagnosed correctly by ultrasonography. In retrospect, it was clear that the two missed cancers did not fulfill all the ultrasonographic criteria for a cyst. An algorithm is presented for the differential diagnosis of renal masses primarily by ultrasonography, and the arguments in favor of operative diagnosis of renal masses are rebutted. With the approach described, invasive studies such as cyst puncture and arteriography will be required for a definitive diagnosis in fewer than 10 percent of patients, and the morbidity and expense of the diagnostic approach will be minimized, with no decrease in accuracy.
Prediction of the Progression of Chronic Renal Failure in Children: Are Current Models Accurate?

Mathematical models have been used since 1976 in an attempt to predict the progression of chronic renal failure. These models have used the serum creatinine level as either a reciprocal or logarithmic plot against time. The accuracy of such predictions are characterized by either a correlation coefficient (r value) or prediction error (time at which dialysis was predicted minus time at which dialysis actually occurred). Retrospectively, we analyzed 37 children who progressed to end-stage renal disease, grouped them by their respective primary diseases, and calculated both r values and prediction error for each individual and group. Although r values for each group (with the exception of patients less than 1 year of age) were comparable, prediction errors were widely disparate among the various groupings. Individuals within each of the groups had disparate values even though identical r values were present. These observations indicate that predictive models using serum creatinine levels are of limited clinical use and are least useful for patients younger than 1 year of age.
Third Generation Cephalosporin Antibiotics in Surgical Practice

The new third generation cephalosporins have a significantly greater spectrum of action against gram-negative bacteria likely to be encountered in surgical infections. This expanded spectrum may permit these drugs to be used in place of combination therapy in patients with polymicrobial infections; however, current evidence does not indicate superior results with these agents over earlier generation choices for surgical prophylaxis. The toxicity profile of these drugs warrants close monitoring for serious complications.
Accuracy of Immunoglobulin M Immunoassay for Diagnosis of Chlamydial Infections in Infants and Adults

An improved solid-phase enzyme immunoassay (EIA) with Chlamydia trachomatis L2 434/Bu elementary bodies was developed for the measurement of immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibody to C. trachomatis in serum. Comparison of EIA and microimmunofluorescence IgM antibody titers of 156 serum samples revealed an EIA sensitivity and specificity of 100% for infants, but reduced sensitivity (85%) and specificity (76%) for sera from adults. Sera containing IgM class rheumatoid factor produced false-positive IgM results which could easily be eliminated by pretreatment of the sera with anti-human IgG. Analysis of sera from infants with chlamydial infections revealed that 17 of 17 infants with C. trachomatis pneumonia had high IgM antibody titers (geometric mean titer, 1:64,812), whereas two infants with conjunctivitis only lacked detectable IgM antibody. EIA detected IgM antibody to several serovar groups in serum, including serovars B, BDE, FG, and J. IgM antibody to C. trachomatis in serum was detected as early as 5 days after the infection that was acquired at delivery and persisted for 3 months. The availability of an EIA possessing good sensitivity and specificity for the detection of IgM antibody to C. trachomatis may permit more laboratories to diagnose perinatal chlamydial infections.
Animal Models and Treatment of Prostate Cancer

Model systems for prostate cancer in rats have been developed and used for investigations on tumor biology and therapy. The "Pollard tumors" provide a combination of in vitro and in vivo attributes by which investigations can be directed at local tumor development and spontaneous metastasis. The evolution and early applications of this model system are reviewed, and the therapeutic benefits of delayed release of cyclophosphamide are presented.
Flow Cytometric Analysis of the Response of the R3327-G Rat Prostatic Adenocarcinoma to Endocrine Manipulation

The technique of flow cytometric DNA histogram analysis (FCM) shows there to be two distinct cell populations (diploid vs aneuploid) in the poorly differentiated R3327-G rat prostatic adenocarcinoma. The following study compares tumor weight measurements with several FCM computer-based methods designed to determine rapidly the proliferative status of tumors. Hypophysectomy, bilateral adrenalectomy, orchiectomy, sham operations, or diethyl-stilbestrol treatments were initiated when the tumors were palpable (day 21) and continued until the tumors were excised (day 52). Hypophysectomy, orchiectomy, adrenalectomy, and diethylstilbestrol treatments all resulted in significant inhibition by tumor weight. Quantitation of the percentage of mid-S phase aneuploid cells by summation gave the best correlation with tumor weight. Tumors grown in hypophysectomized, orchiectomized, adrenalectomized, or diethylstilbestrol-treated animals showed a significant reduction in the proportion of mid-S phase cells as compared with controls. The calculation of the percentage of all aneuploid cells was significantly reduced in hypophysectomy, orchiectomy, and diethylstilbestrol-treated animals. However, tumors grown in adrenalectomized animals were not significantly different from controls by this method. Adrenalectomy was found to be the least effective form of therapy, and this was reflected in all of the parameters measured. These data show that FCM analysis may be useful in the quantitation of prostatic carcinoma response to therapy.
The Ability of Participant Laboratories to Detect Penicillin-Resistant Pneumococci. A Report From the Microbiology Portion of the College of American Pathologists (CAP) Surveys

To assess the ability of clinical laboratories to identify penicillin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae, a challenge sample was distributed to CAP Special Bacteriology surveys participants in 1981. Their performance was excellent (greater than 99%) for organism identification, but less than 15% of surveys subscribers that use the standardized disk diffusion test detected penicillin resistance. The recommendations of the NCCLS M2-A2S for 1-microgram oxacillin disk screening are discussed. The screening and dilution tests for detecting drug resistant S. pneumoniae seem to be accurate and the use of other disks, such as methicillin and nafcillin, also appear efficacious. Due to the clinical frequency of serious pneumococcal disease, all microbiology laboratories should be applying these screening procedures to appropriate patient isolates.
The Use of Antirefluxing Intestinal Segments in Pediatric Urinary Reconstruction

Because of inadequate ureteral length or disease preventing direct ureterovesical anastomoses, antirefluxing intestinal segments were used in eight children during reconstruction of their urinary tracts. Previous urinary diversions by either ileal conduit or cutaneous ureterostomy had been done in six of the eight. In five of the children, bladder augmentation was also required because of nondistensible fibrotic bladders secondary to disuse or prior obstruction. The intestinal segments used were ileal (4), ileocecal (4), and sigmoid (1). The ileal segments were tapered along the antimesenteric border and reimplanted into the bladder with long submucosal tunnels to prevent reflux. Reflux was prevented in the ileocecal segments by plication of the normal ileocecal valve. Reflux has not developed postoperatively in any of these patients. In one patient in whom an ileal segment was used. In one patient in whom an ileal segment was used, partial obstruction occurred at the new bladder hiatus. The serum creatinine rose from 2.8 mg/dl to 3.5 mg/dl necessitating a secondary repair. Renal function and serum electrolytes have improved or remained stable in all other patients. For children who have undergone multiple previous procedures resulting in inadequate ureteral length and/or abnormal bladders, these techniques offer excellent alternatives to permanent urinary diversion.