cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Fitting MA models to linear non-Gaussian random fields using higher order cumulants

A general (possibly nonminimum phase and/or asymmetric noncausal) two-dimensional (2-D) moving average (MA) model driven by a zero-mean i.i.d. 2-D sequence is considered. The input sequence is not observed. The signal observations may be noisy. We consider the problems of model order determination and model parameter estimation using the higher order (third- or fourth-order, for example) cumulants of the 2-D signal. Second-order statistics of the data can consistently identify only a smaller class of MA models. The proposed approaches are illustrated via computer simulations.
US FDI flows to ASEAN-5: Do Geographic Neighbors Matter?

This paper investigates the possibility of interdependence between flows of US FDI to the ASEAN region. The study incorporates information asymmetry into an FDI model to examine the influence of geographic neighbors on new flows of FDI from the United States. Spillovers are modeled using the cost structure of a multinational investing in a region where US firms are already present. The results show that there are negative spillovers of US FDI in the ASEAN region affecting mostly the non-manufacturing sector.
ON RESTRICTING SUBSETS OF BASES IN RELATIVELY FREE GROUPS

Let G be a finitely generated free, free abelian of arbitrary exponent, free nilpotent, or free solvable group, or a free group in the variety AmAn, and let A = {a1,…, ar} be a basis for G. We prove that, in most cases, if S is a subset of a basis for G which may be expressed as a word in A without using elements from {al+1,…, ar} for some l < r, then S is a subset of a basis for the relatively free group on {a1,…, al}.
Crystallography and Riemann surfaces

The level set of an elliptic function is a doubly periodic point set in ?. To obtain a wider spectrum of point sets, we consider, more generally, a Riemann surface S immersed in ?2 and its sections ("cuts") by ? More specifically, we consider surfaces S defined in terms of a fundamental surface element obtained as a conformai map of triangular domains in ?. The discrete group of isometries of ?2 generated by reflections in the triangle edges leaves S invariant and generalizes double-periodicity. Our main result concerns the special case of maps of right triangles, with the right angle being a regular point of the map. For this class of maps we show that only seven Riemann surfaces, when cut, form point sets that are discrete in ?. Their isometry groups all have a rank 4 lattice subgroup, but only three of the corresponding point sets are doubly periodic in ?. The remaining surfaces form quasiperiodic point sets closely related to the vertex sets of quasiperiodic tilings. In fact, vertex sets of familiar tilings are recovered in all cases by applying the construction to a piecewise flat approximation of the corresponding Riemann surface. The geometry of point sets formed by cuts of Riemann surfaces is no less "rigid" than the geometry determined by a tiling, and has the distinct advantage in having a regular behavior with respect to the complex parameter which specifies the cut.
One Shot Schemes for Decentralized Quickest Change Detection

This work considers the problem of quickest detection with N distributed sensors that receive sequential observations either in discrete or in continuous time from the environment. These sensors employ cumulative sum (CUSUM) strategies and communicate to a central fusion center by one shot schemes. One shot schemes are schemes in which the sensors communicate with the fusion center only once, via which they signal a detection. The communication is clearly asynchronous and the case is considered in which the fusion center employs a minimal strategy, which means that it declares an alarm when the first communication takes place. It is assumed that the observations received at the sensors are independent and that the time points at which the appearance of a signal can take place are different. Both the cases of the same and different signal distributions across sensors are considered. It is shown that there is no loss of performance of one shot schemes as compared to the centralized case in an extended Lorden min-max sense, since the minimum of N CUSUMs is asymptotically optimal as the mean time between false alarms increases without bound. In the case of different signal distributions the optimal threshold parameters are explicitly computed.
Reaching within a dynamic virtual environment

Planning and execution of reaching requires a series of computational processes that involve localization of both the target and initial arm position, and the translation of this spatial information into appropriate motor commands that bring the hand to the target. We have investigated the effects of shifting the visual field on visuomotor control using a virtual visual environment in order to determine how changes in visuo-spatial relations alter motor planning during a reach. Five healthy subjects were seated in front of an immersive, stereo virtual scene while reaching for a visual target that remained stationary in space or unpredictably shifted to a second position (either to the right or left of the first target) with different inter-stimulus intervals. Motion of the scene either matched the motion of their head or was rotated counter clockwise at 130 deg/s in the roll plane. Initial results suggested that both the temporal and spatial aspects of reaching were affected by a rolling visual field. Subjects were able to amend ongoing motion to match target position regardless of scene motion, but the presence of visual field motion produced significantly longer pauses during the reach movement when the target was shifted in space. In addition, terminal arm posture exhibited a drift in the direction opposite to the roll motion. These findings suggest that roll motion of the visual field of view interfered with the ability to imultaneously process two consecutive stimuli. Observed changes in arm position following the termination of the reach suggest that subjects were compensating for a perceived change in their visual reference frame.
Heavy Flavor Production in CDF II Detector

For data collected with the CDF Run II detector, measurements of the charm and bottom production cross-sections are presented. The results are based both on large samples of fully reconstructed hadron decay products of charm and bottom made available by the tracking triggers and on a calorimeter jet triggered sample tagged by the presence of a secondary vertex. The experimental data are compared with theoretical predictions from recent next-to-leading order (NLO) QCD calculations.
Wave spreading evaluation of interconnect systems

This paper derives general multiport interconnect constraints and presents a new approach, wave spreading evaluation (WSE), which uses S-parameter based network techniques to analyze coupled, multiconductor interconnect systems for high speed analog and digital integrated circuits. WSE is based on the spreading process of voltage waves with initial spreading waves created by the sources. The spreading process is independent of input sources, and every step of wave spreading meets the constrains of KCL and KVL. The continual spreading of voltage waves will create accurate results. Since the spreading voltage waves is the process of energy attenuation, the WSE method is always convergent for passive networks. >
Developing a decision support system for optimizing automated wafer fabrication

A decision support system (DSS) was developed to help managers and engineers select the most appropriate solutions to strategic and operational problems that are encountered when they try to automate wafer fabrication processes. The primary objective of the DSS was to help identify and select from among the many alternatives those options that provide the highest manufacturing improvements and cost effectiveness for automation. The DSS was developed by a project team drawn from various disciplines of design, manufacturing, automation and finance. The team first identified critical issues that influence manufacturing. A sensitivity analysis was performed on the influencing factors, and the variations in results were interpreted. The results were evaluated using risk analysis and value engineering principles, which caused some alternatives to be discarded. The team recommended manufacturing plans based only on the remaining, viable alternatives. The steps carried out for the development of the decision support system are explained. >
An Experimental Study of Belief Learning Using Elicited Beliefs

This paper investigates belief learning. Unlike other investigators who have been forced to use observable proxies to approximate unobserved beliefs, we have, using a belief elicitation procedure (proper scoring rule), elicited subject beliefs directly. As a result we were able to perform a more direct test of the proposition that people behave in a manner consistent with belief learning. What we find is interesting. First to the extent that subjects tend to "belief learn," the beliefs they use are the stated beliefs we elicit from them and not the "empirical beliefs" posited by fictitious play or Cournot models. Second, we present evidence that the stated beliefs of our subjects differ dramatically, both quantitatively and qualitatively, from the type of empirical or historical beliefs usually used as proxies for them. Third, our belief elicitation procedures allow us to examine how far we can be led astray when we are forced to infer the value of parameters using observable proxies for variables previously thought to be unobservable. By transforming a heretofore unobservable into an observable, we can see directly how parameter estimates change when this new information is introduced. Again, we demonstrate that such differences can be dramatic. Finally, our belief learning model using stated beliefs outperforms both a reinforcement and EWA model when all three models are estimated using our data.
DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A P2P COOPERATIVE PROXY CACHE SYSTEM

In this paper, we design and implement a P2P cooperative proxy caching system based on a novel P2P cooperative proxy caching scheme. To effectively locate the cached web documents, a TTL-based routing protocol is proposed to manage the query and response messages in the P2P cooperative proxy cache system. Furthermore, we design a predict query-route algorithm to improve the TTL-based routing protocol by adding extra information in the query message packets. To select a suitable cache replacement algorithm for the P2P cooperative proxy cache system, three different cache replacement algorithms, LRU, LFU and SIZE, are evaluated using web trace based performance studies on the implemented P2P cooperative proxy cache system. The experimental results show that LRU is an overall better cache replacement algorithm for the P2P proxy cache system although SIZE based cache replacement approach produces slightly better cache hit ratio when cache size is very small. The performance studies also demonstrate that the proposed message routing protocols significantly improve the performance of the P2P cooperative proxy cache system, in terms of cache hit ratio, byte hit ratio, user request latency, and the number of query messages generated in the proxy cache system, compared to the flooding based message routing protocol.
Employee stock option exercises an empirical analysis

This paper describes the exercise behavior of over 50,000 employees who hold longterm options on employer stock at eight corporations. Employees typically exercise options years before expiration, commonly sacrificing half of the Black-Scholes value. Exercise is strongly associated with recent stock price movements, the market-to-strike ratio, proximity to vesting dates, time to maturity, volatility, and the employee's level within the company. These findings have implications for compensation planners, the FASB as it develops a new accounting standard for options, and financial statement users and preparers who apply and interpret the new FASB standard.
Transient diffusion, sorption, and desorption of cyclopropane in NaX zeolite

Abstract Transient diffusion, sorption, and desorption experiments of cyclopropane in Nax zeolite at 1 bar in a flow microreactor reveal that the nature of the diluent gas used in the sorbate mixture affects the kinetics of intracrystalline mass transport of cyclopropane in the zeolite. The rate of intracrystalline mass transport and the equilibrium uptake are strongly dependent on temperature. The outward mass transport of cyclopropane into 1 bar Ar gas is found to be an activated process with an apparent activation energy of 7.4 kcal/mol. Rates of diffusion are affected by the gas phase pressure. The enthalpy of sorption for cyclopropane at loadings approaching zero is found to be −9.0 kcal/mol, and the entropy of sorption is −18.2 cal/mol-K.
FLILO (FLying Infrared for Low-level Operations) an enhanced vision system

The advanced avionics and flight controls group of advanced airlift and tanker systems is dedicated to integrating, prototyping, demonstrating, evaluating and testing advanced state-of-the-art technologies Vv that are candidates for future aircraft use (for new and in-service aircraft), or that are solutions to old or new/upcoming requirements and needs. The group's mission is to transition the applicable technologies into Boeing platforms. One of the research areas investigated is that of Enhanced Vision Systems (EVS).
Modified Numerals as Post-Suppositions

The paper provides a compositional account of cumulative readings with non-increasing modified numerals (aka van Benthem's puzzle), e.g., Exactly three boys saw exactly five movies. The main proposal is that modified numerals make two kinds of semantic contributions. Their asserted/at-issue contribution is a maximization operator that introduces the maximal set of entities that satisfies their restrictor and nuclear scope. The second contribution is a post-supposition, i.e., a cardinality constraint that needs to be satisfied relative to the context that results after the at-issue meaning is evaluated. We take contexts to be sets of variable assignments relative to which quantificational expressions are interpreted and which are updated as a result of their interpretation.
Study of a detuned accelerating section with the computer program PROGON

The longitudinal coupling impedance for a number of lower passbands, bunch to bunch energy variation due to longitudinal wake fields, the beam loading compensation, some effects of production errors, and the rf pulse transmission through a detuned disk loaded accelerating section with finite wall conductivity have been studied using the computer program PROGON. >
Synthesis of 3-iodoindoles by electrophilic cyclization of N,N-dialkyl-2-(1-alkynyl)anilines.

A wide variety of N-alkyl-3-iodoindoles are readily prepared under very mild reaction conditions by the palladium/copper-catalyzed cross-coupling of N,N-dialkyl-o-iodoanilines and terminal alkynes, followed by electrophilic cyclization by I2. Alkyl-, aryl-, and vinylic-substituted alkynes all undergo iodocyclization in excellent yields.
ON GEOMETRICALLY EQUIVALENT S-ACTS

In this paper, considering the geometric equivalence for algebras of a variety of S-acts over a monoid S, we obtain representation theorems describing all types of the equivalence classes of geometrically equivalent S-acts of varieties over groups S.
Simple low-voltage high-speed high-linearity V-I converter with S/H for analog signal processing applications

This paper presents a simple, high-speed, high-linearity V-I converter that has a sample/hold (S/H) function and can be operated under low voltage supply. The converter can be used as the "front end" of current-mode signal processors. The proposed V-I converter circuit is comprised of a current copier and a small resistor that can be realized on chip by using polysilicon. The current copier employed in this implementation has a very small input impedance (/spl cong/50 /spl Omega/) and is settled within 0.1% in 15 ns under a power supply of 3.3 V. The high-linearity V-I conversion is achieved by using a small resistor (2 k/spl Omega/). Simulation results show that, with the transistor parameters of MOSIS 2 /spl mu/m CMOS technology, the converter achieves a small low-frequency THD (<-65 dB) at a sample rate of 25 MSamples/s, and consumes about 2.5 mW under a power supply of 3.3 V.
Actionable information in vision

I propose a notion of visual information as the complexity not of the raw images, but of the images after the effects of nuisance factors such as viewpoint and illumination are discounted. It is rooted in ideas of J. J. Gibson, and stands in contrast to traditional information as entropy or coding length of the data regardless of its use, and regardless of the nuisance factors affecting it. The non-invertibility of nuisances such as occlusion and quantization induces an “information gap” that can only be bridged by controlling the data acquisition process. Measuring visual information entails early vision operations, tailored to the structure of the nuisances so as to be “lossless” with respect to visual decision and control tasks (as opposed to data transmission and storage tasks implicit in traditional Information Theory). I illustrate these ideas on visual exploration, whereby a “Shannonian Explorer” guided by the entropy of the data navigates unaware of the structure of the physical space surrounding it, while a “Gibsonian Explorer” is guided by the topology of the environment, despite measuring only images of it, without performing 3D reconstruction. The operational definition of visual information suggests desirable properties that a visual representation should possess to best accomplish vision-based decision and control tasks.
Metal overlayer on metal carbide substrate: unique bimetallic properties for catalysis and electrocatalysis

Transition metal carbides often display electronic and catalytic properties that are similar to Pt-group metals. In this tutorial review, we describe the feasibility of replacing the Pt-group metal component in bimetallic systems with metal carbides. By supporting a metal monolayer on a carbide substrate, these bimetallic surfaces exhibit similar catalytic and electrocatalytic activity to the corresponding Pt-based bimetallic systems while demonstrating the advantages of lower cost and higher thermal stability. Another promising aspect is that the carbide substrates often promote the formation of small, flat metal particles with novel catalytic properties. We review the synthesis, characterization, and utilization of carbide-supported metal surfaces in heterogeneous catalysis and electrocatalysis. An overview is given for both theoretical and experimental investigations, and trends are drawn from the literature. We also discuss opportunities for future research on carbide-supported metal surfaces.
Market Power in Direct Marketing of Fresh Produce: Community Supported Agriculture Farms

CSA farms establish a loyal customer base and, potentially, market power. A new empirical industrial organization (NEIO) approach and survey data from Northeast CSA farms are used to determine whether CSA farms have market power and the extent to which they exercise their market power. Results suggest CSA farms exert about two percent of their potential monopoly power.
North–South Trade and Occupational Wages: Some Evidence from North America

The issue of trade and wages in general, and of North‐South trade and wages in particular, has recently received a great deal of attention by economists and public policy analysts. This paper offers some empirical evidence of the effects of North‐South trade on occupational wages in North America. Using a detailed, applied general equilibrium model, results are obtained indicating that it is possible for trade liberalization among the North American countries to entail real wage benefits for most occupational groups in all three countries. An exception to this general pattern is the case of agricultural laborers in Mexico.
Envy-Free Cake Divisions Cannot be Found by Finite Protocols

We show that no finite protocol (even if unbounded) can guarantee an envy-free division of a cake among three or more players, if each player is to receive a single connected piece.
Sensitivity of MEG and EEG to Source Orientation

An important difference between magnetoencephalography (MEG) and electroencephalography (EEG) is that MEG is insensitive to radially oriented sources. We quantified computationally the dependency of MEG and EEG on the source orientation using a forward model with realistic tissue boundaries. Similar to the simpler case of a spherical head model, in which MEG cannot see radial sources at all, for most cortical locations there was a source orientation to which MEG was insensitive. The median value for the ratio of the signal magnitude for the source orientation of the lowest and the highest sensitivity was 0.06 for MEG and 0.63 for EEG. The difference in the sensitivity to the source orientation is expected to contribute to systematic differences in the signal-to-noise ratio between MEG and EEG.
Asymmetric catalysis by 1,1′-binaphthyl compounds with conformation-defined 3,3′-aryl substituents

Abstract Three 1,1′-binaphthyl-based diastereomeric chiral ligands containing conformation-defined 3,3′-aryl substituents are synthesized and characterized. These compounds are isolated from the product mixture of the Suzuki coupling of (S)-3,3′-diiodo-2,2′-bis-methoxymethoxy-[1,1′]binaphthalenyl with 2-methoxy-1-naphthylboronic acid. The absolute structures of these compounds are determined by a single crystal X-ray analysis of the (S,S,S)-diastereomer. Among the three diastereomers, i.e. (S,S,S), (R,S,S) and (R,S,R), the (S,S,S) compound shows the highest catalytic activity as well as the highest enantioselectivity for the diethylzinc addition to aldehydes. At 0°C in toluene solution, 5 mol% of the (S,S,S) isomer catalyzed the reaction of diethylzinc with both aromatic and aliphatic aldehydes with up to 96% ee and 90% yield. The other two isomers show quite a low catalytic activity and enantioselectivity. This demonstrates that the 3,3′-aryl conformation of the 1,1′-binaphthyl ligands plays a very important role in the catalytic process. The study of these diastereomeric compounds provides new insights into the design of chiral 1,1′-binaphthyl-based monomer as well as polymer catalysts for asymmetric catalysis.
The Globoseries Glycosphingolipid Sialosyl Galactosyl Globoside is Found in Urinary Tract Tissues and is a Preferred Binding Receptor In Vitro for Uropathogenic Escherichia Coli Expressing Pap-Encoded Adhesins

Women with a history of recurrent Escherichia coli urinary tract infections (UTIs) are significantly more likely to be nonsecretors of blood group antigens than are women without such a history, and vaginal epithelial cells (VEC) from women who are nonsecretors show enhanced adherence of uropathogenic E. coli isolates compared with cells from secretors. We previously extracted glycosphingolipids (GSLs) from native VEC and determined that nonsecretors (but not secretors) selectively express two extended globoseries GSLs, sialosyl galactosyl globoside (SGG) and disialosyl galactosyl globoside (DSGG), which specifically bound uropathogenic E. coli R45 expressing a P adhesin. In this study, we demonstrated, by purifying the compounds from this source, that SGG and DSGG are expressed in human kidney tissue. We also demonstrated that SGG and DSGG isolated from human kidneys bind uropathogenic E. coli isolates expressing each of the three classes of pap-encoded adhesins, including cloned isolates expressing PapG from J96, PrsG from J96, and PapG from IA2, and the wild-type isolates IA2 and R45. We metabolically 35 S labeled these five E. coli isolates and measured their relative binding affinities to serial dilutions of SGG and DSGG as well as to globotriaosylceramide (Gb3) and globotetraosylceramide (Gb4), two other globoseries GSLs present in urogenital tissues. Each of the five E. coli isolates bound to SGG with the highest apparent avidity compared with their binding to DSGG, Gb3, and Gb4, and each isolate had a unique pattern of GSL binding affinity. These studies further suggest that SGG likely plays an important role in the pathogenesis of UTI and that its presence may account for the increased binding of E. coli to uroepithelial cells from nonsecretors and for the increased susceptibility of nonsecretors to recurrent UTI.
Ultra-low dose CT attenuation correction for PET/CT

A challenge for positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) quantitation is patient respiratory motion, which can cause an underestimation of lesion activity uptake and an overestimation of lesion volume. Several respiratory motion correction methods benefit from longer duration CT scans that are phase matched with PET scans. However, even with the currently available, lowest dose CT techniques, extended duration cine CT scans impart a substantially high radiation dose. This study evaluates methods designed to reduce CT radiation dose in PET/CT scanning. We investigated selected combinations of dose reduced acquisition and noise suppression methods that take advantage of the reduced requirement of CT for PET attenuation correction (AC). These include reducing CT tube current, optimizing CT tube voltage, adding filtration, CT sinogram smoothing and clipping. We explored the impact of these methods on PET quantitation via simulations on different digital phantoms. CT tube current can be reduced much lower for AC than that in low dose CT protocols. Spectra that are higher energy and narrower are generally more dose efficient with respect to PET image quality. Sinogram smoothing could be used to compensate for the increased noise and artifacts at radiation dose reduced CT images, which allows for a further reduction of CT dose with no penalty for PET image quantitation. When CT is not used for diagnostic and anatomical localization purposes, we showed that ultra-low dose CT for PET/CT is feasible. The significant dose reduction strategies proposed here could enable respiratory motion compensation methods that require extended duration CT scans and reduce radiation exposure in general for all PET/CT imaging.
Optimal Joint Inventory and Transshipment Control Under Uncertain Capacity

In this paper, we address the optimal joint control of inventory and transshipment for a firm that produces in two locations and faces capacity uncertainty. Capacity uncertainty (e.g., due to downtime, quality problems, yield, etc.) is a common feature of many production systems, but its effects have not been explored in the context of a firm that has multiple production facilities. We first characterize the optimal production and transshipment policies and show that uncertain capacity leads the firm to ration the inventory that is available for transshipment to the other location and characterize the structure of this rationing policy. Then, we characterize the optimal production policies at both locations, which are defined by state-dependent produce-up-to thresholds. We also describe sensitivity of the optimal production and transshipment policies to problem parameters and, in particular, explain how uncertain capacity can lead to counterintuitive behavior, such as produce-up-to limits decreasing for locations that face stochastically higher demand. We finally explore, through a numerical study, when the optimal policy is most likely to yield significant benefits compared to simple policies.
Hilbert space quantum mechanics is noncontextual

Abstract It is shown that quantum mechanics is noncontextual if quantum properties are represented by subspaces of the quantum Hilbert space (as proposed by von Neumann) rather than by hidden variables. In particular, a measurement using an appropriately constructed apparatus can be shown to reveal the value of an observable A possessed by the measured system before the measurement took place, whatever other compatible ( [ B , A ] = 0 ) observable B may be measured at the same time.
The structure of scientific collaboration networks

The structure of scientific collaboration networks is investigated. Two scientists are considered connected if they have authored a paper together and explicit networks of such connections are constructed by using data drawn from a number of databases, including MEDLINE (biomedical research), the Los Alamos e-Print Archive (physics), and NCSTRL (computer science). I show that these collaboration networks form “small worlds,” in which randomly chosen pairs of scientists are typically separated by only a short path of intermediate acquaintances. I further give results for mean and distribution of numbers of collaborators of authors, demonstrate the presence of clustering in the networks, and highlight a number of apparent differences in the patterns of collaboration between the fields studied.
Application of the Pauson–Khand reaction to the synthesis of pentalenic acid

Abstract A substituted penthynylcyclopentene precursor for the synthesis of pentalenic acid by intramolecular Pauson–Khand cycloaddition reaction has been prepared in high yield. Reaction with Co2(CO)8 produces triquinane econes in an overall yield of 33%. Three of the four possible stereoisomeric products are formed, with two of them, making up ca. 80% of the product mixture, possessing the necessary exo-methyl stereochemistry at C-9 for further elaboration into pentalenic acid. A formal synthesis of the latter was completed by reduction of one of the enone isomers into a ketone which had previously been carried on to the natural product.
The diffusion of accreditation among Florida police agencies

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine how the adoption of state accreditation has diffused or spread among Florida municipal police law enforcement agencies.Design/methodology/approach – The study group consists of all municipal police departments operating continuously in the State of Florida from 1997 through 2006. Independent variables are taken from an annual survey, sponsored by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, to compare agencies that became accredited (n=81) with agencies that did not gain state accreditation (n=189).Findings – While accredited agencies differ from non‐accredited agencies on a host of indicators at the zero‐order, it does not appear that the state accreditation process itself is responsible for nurturing organizational change. Having received national accreditation is an important predictor of gaining state accreditation.Research limitations/implications – Instead of looking at organizational details, future researchers might wish to conceive of accreditation ...
Profiling hot and dense nuclear medium with high transverse momentum hadrons produced in d+Au and Au+Au collisions by the PHENIX experiment at RHIC

PHENIX measurements of high transverse momentum (pT ) identified hadrons in d+Au and Au+Au collisions are presented. The nuclear modification factors ( RdA and RAA) for � 0 andare found to be very consistent in both collision systems, respectively. Using large amount of p + p and Au+Au datasets, the fractional momentum loss (S loss) and the path-length dependent yield of � 0 in Au+Au collisions are obtained. The hadron spectra in the most central d+Au and the most peripheral Au+Au collisions are studied. The spectra shapes are found to be similar in both systems, but the yield is suppressed in the most peripheral Au+Au collisions.
Peritoneal dialysis glossary III.

Peritoneal dialysis regimens, flow techniques, and prescriptions are presented as drawings depicting intraperitoneal fluid volumes versus time. The following terms are illustrated: (1) continuous, ...
Supermassive black holes or boson stars? Hair counting with gravitational wave detectors

The evidence for supermassive Kerr black holes in galactic centers is strong and growing, but only the detection of gravitational waves will convincingly rule out other possibilities to explain the observations. The Kerr space–time is completely specified by the first two multipole moments: mass and angular momentum. This is usually referred to as the "no-hair theorem," but it is really a "two-hair" theorem. If general relativity is the correct theory of gravity, the most plausible alternative to a supermassive Kerr black hole is a rotating boson star. Numerical calculations indicate that the space–time of rotating boson stars is determined by the first three multipole moments ("three-hair theorem"). The Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) could accurately measure the oscillation frequencies of these supermassive objects. We propose to use these measurements to "count their hair," unambiguously determining their nature and properties.
Application layer error-correction coding for rate-distortion optimized streaming to wireless clients

This paper addresses the problem of streaming packetized media over a lossy packet network to a wireless client, in a rate-distortion optimized way. We introduce an incremental redundancy error-correction scheme that combats the effects of both packet loss and bit errors in an end-to-end fashion, without support from the underlying network or from an intermediate base station. The scheme is employed within an optimization framework that enables the sender to compute which packets it should send, out of all the packets it could send at a given transmission opportunity, in order to meet an average transmission-rate constraint while minimizing the average end-to-end distortion. Experimental results show that our system is robust and maintains quality of service over a wide range of channel conditions. Up to 8 dB performance gains are registered over systems that are not rate-distortion optimized, at bit-error rates as large as 10/sup -2/.
Disruptive communication: stealth signaling in the toadfish

Male oyster toadfish, Opsanus tau, produce long duration (250 to 650 ms) sexual advertisement calls or 'boatwhistles' during the breeding season. When males are in close proximity, the fishes alternate the production of boatwhistles with other males to avoid call overlap. However, males can also produce a number of different sounds, including a single, short duration pulse or 'grunt' (~100 ms). The vocalizations of competing males were recorded in situ with multiple hydrophones to examine intraspecific interactions. These short grunts were emitted almost exclusively during the boatwhistle of a conspecific male. The fundamental frequency (or pulse repetition rate) of the boatwhistles were modified by this disruptive grunt, 'jamming' the signal and decreasing its frequency. The disruptive grunt specifically targeted the second stage or tonal portion of the boatwhistle, believed to be the primary acoustic attractant for females, and its brevity and precision may allow its emitter to remain undetectable. While the acoustic repertoire of teleost fishes may be less diverse compared with terrestrial species, the disruptive grunts indicate fish have the capacity for complex acoustic interactions.
Epistemology of Wave Function Collapse in Quantum Physics

Abstract Among several possibilities for what reality could be like in view of the empirical facts of quantum mechanics, one is provided by theories of spontaneous wave function collapse, the best ...
A Framework for Reconciling Attribute Values from Multiple Data Sources

Because of the heterogeneous nature of different data sources, data integration is often one of the most challenging tasks in managing modern information systems. While the existing literature has focused on problems such as schema integration and entity identification, it has largely overlooked a basic question: When an attribute value for a real-world entity is recorded differently in different databases, how should the “best” value be chosen from the set of possible values? This paper provides an answer to this question. We first show how a probability distribution over a set of possible values can be derived. We then demonstrate how these probabilities can be used to solve a given decision problem by minimizing the total cost of type I, type II, and misrepresentation errors. Finally, we propose a framework for integrating multiple data sources when a single “best” value has to be chosen and stored for every attribute of an entity.
Robotic single-site myomectomy: a step-by-step tutorial

Objective To provide a step-by-step description of our published technique of single-site robot-assisted laparoscopic myomectomy with the goal of promoting its safe adoption. Design Surgical video tutorial. Setting University medical center. Patient(s) Ten women undergoing single-site robot-assisted laparoscopic myomectomy between November 2014 and March 2015. Intervention(s) A 2.5-cm vertical incision is made within the umbilicus, through which a multilumen single-site port (da Vinci Single-Site; Intuitive Surgical) is seated. An 8.5-mm 0-degree laparoscope is introduced, and the teleoperator (da Vinci Si Surgical Platform; Intuitive Surgical) is docked, allowing subsequent placement of two curved 5-mm instrument cannulae. Two wristed, semirigid needle drivers are loaded onto robotic arms 1 and 2. An 8-mm assistant cannula is also placed through the multilumen single-site port; a flexible 2-mm CO 2 laser fiber and all conventional 5-mm laparoscopic instruments are introduced through this cannula as needed. Intramyometrial dilute vasopressin is injected, and fibroid enucleation is performed. The hysterotomy is repaired in layers with unidirectional barbed suture (Stratafix; Ethicon). The teleoperator is undocked. The single-site port is exchanged for a self-retaining wound retractor with gel-sealed cap. An endoscopic pouch is placed in the abdomen, and the specimen is placed within the pouch. The edges of the pouch are exteriorized. Extracorporeal tissue extraction is performed with a scalpel. A running mass closure of the fascia and peritoneum is performed, followed by a subcuticular closure of the skin. Main Outcome Measure(s) Median number and size of fibroids removed, specimen weight, operative time, estimated blood loss, and perioperative complications. Result(s) The technique described in our video was successfully employed in our first 10 patients. The median number of fibroids removed was 2.5 (range: 1–8); the median size of the largest myoma was 6 cm (range: 4–8 cm); the median specimen weight was 70 g (range: 26–154 g); the median operating time was 202 minutes (range: 141–254 minutes); the median blood loss was 87.5 mL (range: 10–300 mL). No conversions to multiport robotic or open myomectomy occurred. No major complications occurred, and no patients required blood transfusion. Conclusion(s) Robot-assisted laparoscopic single-site myomectomy employing a multilumen port and wristed, semirigid needle drivers is a safe and reproducible technique. Our technique allows surgeons to offer myomectomy and contained, extracorporeal tissue extraction via a single 2.5-cm umbilical incision in select patients with low tumor burden.
Longitudinal beam transfer function diagnostics in the ALS

We describe the technique of longitudinal beam transfer function (BTF) for measuring several properties of longitudinal oscillations in a electron storage ring such as the synchrotron frequency, radiation damping time, and bunch length. The technique takes advantage of the Gaussian distribution of longitudinal oscillation amplitudes within the bunch at very low current and the dependence of synchrotron frequency on amplitude. Results of measurements made at the Advanced Light Source (ALS) are presented.
Angstrom resolution optical profilometry for microscopic objects

An instrument capable of recording the amplitude and phase of reflected light with a phase resolution of better than λ/3000 and the lateral resolution of a confocal scanning microscope was built. The instrument is based on a commercial microscope body and uses the regular interference contrast optics. The modifications consisted of adding a coherent (heterodyne) detector and a confocal laser scanning system. Two-dimensional surface images of amplitude, slope, and profile were taken with a step height resolution of typically 0.5–2 A. The instrument is described, and its characteristics for surface profilometry are discussed.
Blind surveys for radio pulsars and transients

The main reasons for searching for pulsars are to: (i) get an accurate census of the neutron star population and its origin and evolution; (ii) connect neutron stars to other stellar populations in the Galaxy and globular clusters; (iii) study Galactic astronomy (the interstellar medium and magnetic field); (iv) find and study new interesting individual objects; (v) study pulsar phenomenology; (vi) find pulsars to add to the sensitivity of pulsar timing arrays. This review focuses on blind (i.e. large area) searches for radio pulsars. I’ll summarize the methods we use, some of the challenges they present, look at some of the recent and current efforts going on. I will also look at outreach of this area to groups outside the traditional area of pulsar research, highlight the discoveries of radio transients and look ahead to the future. Pulsars found at other wavelengths will be reviewed elsewhere in this volume.
Limiting density distribution for charged particle beams in free space

An analytical solution to the Vlasov equation describing the time evolution of an axially symmetric beam of charged particles spreading radially under the influence of self fields is given. The marginal densities as a function of radius and of radial velocity are found to be flat out to the expanding edges of the beam. This solution is shown to have the maximum entropy for a given phase space area. Thus, an arbitrary initial distribution will evolve toward this solution as a limiting distribution. >
Fluoride-induced nucleophilic (phenylthio)difluoromethylation of carbonyl compounds with [difluoro(phenylthio)methyl]trimethylsilane (TMS-CF2SPh)

Abstract A fluoride-induced nucleophilic (phenylthio)difluoromethylation method using TMS–CF 2 SPh has been achieved. This new methodology efficiently transfers “PhSCF 2 ” group into both enolizable and non-enolizable aldehydes and ketones to give corresponding (phenylthio)difluoromethylated alcohols in good to excellent yields. Diphenyldisulfide can also be (phenylthio)difluoromethylated into PhSCF 2 SPh in high yield. The reaction with methyl benzoate, however, gives only low yield of (phenylthio)difluoromethyl phenyl ketone. The above-obtained PhSCF 2 -containing alcohols can be further transformed into difluoromethyl alcohols using an oxidation–desulfonylation procedure. This new type of nucleophilic (phenylthio)difluoromethylation methodology may have other potential applications in the medicinal and agrochemical fields.
Advanced plasma etch technologies for nanopatterning

Advances in patterning techniques have enabled the extension of immersion lithography from 65/45 nm through 14/10 nm device technologies. A key to this increase in patterning capability has been innovation in the subsequent dry plasma etch processing steps. Multiple exposure techniques, such as litho-etch-litho-etch, sidewall image transfer, line/cut mask, and self-aligned structures, have been implemented to solution required device scaling. Advances in dry plasma etch process control across wafer uniformity and etch selectivity to both masking materials have enabled adoption of vertical devices and thin film scaling for increased device performance at a given pitch. Plasma etch processes, such as trilayer etches, aggressive critical dimension shrink techniques, and the extension of resist trim processes, have increased the attainable device dimensions at a given imaging capability. Precise control of the plasma etch parameters affecting across-design variation, defectivity, profile stability within wafer, within lot, and across tools has been successfully implemented to provide manufacturable patterning technology solutions. IBM has addressed these patterning challenges through an integrated total patterning solutions team to provide seamless and synergistic patterning processes to device and integration internal customers. We will discuss these challenges and the innovative plasma etch solutions pioneered by IBM and our alliance partners.
Angler Heterogeneity and the Species-Specific Demand for Marine Recreational Fishing

Abstract In this study we assess the ability of the Marine Recreational Fishery Statistics Survey (MRFSS) to support single-species recreation demand models. We use the 2000 MRFSS southeast intercept data combined with the economic add-on. We determine that the MRFSS data will support only a few species-specific recreation demand models. Considering species of management interest in the Southeast, we focus on dolphinfish, king mackerel, red snapper, and red drum. We examine single-species recreational fishing behavior using random utility models of demand. We explore mixed logit (i.e., random parameter logit) and finite mixture (i.e., latent class logit) models for dealing with angler heterogeneity. We compare these to the commonly used conditional and nested logit models in terms of the value of catching (and keeping) one additional fish. Mixed logit models illustrate that the value of catch can be highly heterogeneous and, in some cases, can include both positive and negative values. The finite mixture ...
Carbon-Rich Molecular Objects from Multiply Ethynylated π-Complexes

The synthesis and properties of a series of multiply ethynylated π-complexes of iron, manganese, and cobalt are described. These complexes were shown to be useful as modules for the construction of larger organometallic carbon-rich molecular objects which can be regarded as segments out of either a planar organometallic all-carbon net or an expanded fullerene, a fullerenyne. Screening of the material properties of these objects showed that some of them form organometallic liquid crystalline phases or stable Langmuir-Blodgett films at the air-water interface. The methodology for the construction of these organometallic modules should lead to the future synthesis of larger segments of organometallic all-carbon nets of different topologies.
Low for random reals and positive-measure domination

The low for random reals are characterized topologically, as well as in terms of domination of Turing functionals on a set of positive measure.
Liberia's Infrastructure : A Continental Perspective

Liberia's power generating capacity and national grid were completely demolished during 14 years of civil war. Piped water access fell from 15 percent of the population in 1986 to less than 3 percent in 2008. War also left the national road network in a state of severe disrepair. Since the return of peace, the port of Monrovia has resumed normal operations under private management, and progress has been made in securing donor finance for road reconstruction. Liberia has also successfully liberalized its mobile telephone markets, with low-priced access surging to 40 percent in 2009. Liberia's starkest challenge lies in funding a more cost-effective power sector. The country's generation capacity is barely one-tenth of the benchmark level of Africa's other low-income countries. The cost of generating power is exorbitant, and the power tariff is three times the regional average. Addressing Liberia's public infrastructure needs will require sustained expenditures of between $350 million and $600 million annually, mostly to fund power and transport. In the mid-2000s, with all sources of spending taken into account, Liberia spent around $90 million a year on infrastructure. An additional $17 million was lost to inefficiencies, such as underpricing of power. Because Liberia suffers an annual funding gap of between $250 million and $500 million per year, it will need a combination of increased finance, improved efficiency, and cost-reducing innovations to reach its infrastructure targets in a reasonable time. Without these, Liberians may have to wait for up to 40 years to achieve the targets.