cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evaluating the Effects of Screening for Telephone Service in Dual Frame RDD Surveys

The high costs and largely unknown error properties of cellular telephone interviews make screening for cell-only adults a po- tentially attractive option in dual frame RDD surveys. Screening out adults with landline telephones from the cellular sample does not affect the coverage properties of a dual frame survey, but it may affect other sources of error, especially nonresponse. In this study, data from a 2006 dual frame RDD survey conducted for the Pew Research Center, the As- sociated Press, and AOL are used to evaluate the effects of implementing a cell-only screener on both the bias and variance of weighted survey estimates. The effect of screening appears to be minimal so long as an adjustment for telephone service is included in the weighting method. Results of an attempt to correct for residual nonresponse due to inacces- sibility are also discussed. The potential for coverage error stemming from the exponential growth of the cell phone only population (Blumberg and Luke 2007) has led to the devel- opment of dual frame, random digit dial (RDD) surveys. In these dual frame designs, a traditional sample from the landline RDD frame is supplemented with an independent sample from the banks of numbers designated for cellular phones. The emergence of this new approach to telephone survey design has raised numerous statistical questions as well as operational ones. A critical decision, with implications for both survey costs and errors, is whether or not to screen for cell-only persons (or households) in the cellular sample (Fleeman 2006). A cell-only screener is implemented by asking respondents reached in the cellular sample whether or not they also have a landline. Persons with both
Large N 2D Yang-Mills Theory and Topological String Theory

We describe a topological string theory which reproduces many aspects of the 1/N expansion of SU(N) Yang-Mills theory in two spacetime dimensions in the zero coupling (A= 0) limit. The string theory is a modified version of topological gravity coupled to a topological sigma model with spacetime as target. The derivation of the string theory relies on a new interpretation of Gross and Taylor's “Ω-1 points ”. We describe how inclusion of the area, coupling of chiral sectors, and Wilson loop expectation values can be incorporated in the topological string approach.
Pax Asiatica versus Bella Levantina: The Foundations of War and Peace in East Asia and the Middle East

Athough turmoil characterized both the Middle East and East Asia in the two decades following World War II, the two regions looked dramatically different at the dawn of the twenty-first century. Since 1965 the incidence of interstate wars and militarized conflicts has been nearly five times higher in the Middle East, as was their severity, including the use of ballistic missiles and chemical weapons By contrast, declining militarized conflict and rising intraregional cooperation has replaced earlier patterns in East Asia. There are no systematic efforts explaining this contrast between Bella Levantina and an evolving Pax Asiatica. This article traces these diverging paths to competing domestic models of political survival East Asian leaders pivoted their political control on economic performance and integration in the global economy, whereas Middle East leaders relied on inward-looking self-sufficiency, state and military entrepreneurship, and a related brand of nationalism. I examine permissive and catalytic conditions explaining the models' emergence; their respective intended and unintended effects on states, military, and authoritarian institutions; and their implications for regional conflict. The final section distills conceptual and methodological conclusions.
Synthesis of pyridylstannanes from halopyridines and hexamethyldistannane with catalytic palladium

Abstract An easy method for direct stannylation of halopyridines and bipyridines by hexamethyldistannane is accomplished by Pd catalysis.
Pro–$p$ groups and towers of rational homology spheres

In the preceding paper, Calegari and Dunfield exhibit a sequence of hyperbolic 3‐manifolds which have increasing injectivity radius, and which, subject to some conjectures in number theory, are rational homology spheres. We prove unconditionally that these manifolds are rational homology spheres, and give a sufficient condition for a tower of hyperbolic 3‐manifolds to have first Betti number 0 at each level. The methods involved are purely pro‐p group theoretical. 20E18; 22E40
On the queueing behavior of random codes over a gilbert-elliot erasure channel

This paper considers the queueing performance of a system that transmits coded data over a time-varying erasure channel. In our model, the queue length and channel state together form a Markov chain that depends on the system parameters. This gives a framework that allows a rigorous analysis of the queue as a function of the code rate. Most prior work in this area either ignores block-length (e.g., fluid models) or assumes error-free communication using finite codes. This work enables one to determine when such assumptions provide good, or bad, approximations of true behavior. Moreover, it offers a new approach to optimize parameters and evaluate performance. This can be valuable for delay-sensitive systems that employ short block lengths.
A Bacterial Toxin Inhibits DNA Replication Elongation through a Direct Interaction with the β Sliding Clamp

Summary Toxin-antitoxin (TA) systems are ubiquitous on bacterial chromosomes, yet the mechanisms regulating their activity and the molecular targets of toxins remain incompletely defined. Here, we identify SocAB, an atypical TA system in Caulobacter crescentus . Unlike canonical TA systems, the toxin SocB is unstable and constitutively degraded by the protease ClpXP; this degradation requires the antitoxin, SocA, as a proteolytic adaptor. We find that the toxin, SocB, blocks replication elongation through an interaction with the sliding clamp, driving replication fork collapse. Mutations that suppress SocB toxicity map to either the hydrophobic cleft on the clamp that binds DNA polymerase III or a clamp-binding motif in SocB. Our findings suggest that SocB disrupts replication by outcompeting other clamp-binding proteins. Collectively, our results expand the diversity of mechanisms employed by TA systems to regulate toxin activity and inhibit bacterial growth, and they suggest that inhibiting clamp function may be a generalizable antibacterial strategy.
A hypervalent iodide-initiated fragment coupling cascade of N-allylhydrazones.

Allylic hydrazines react with aldehydes and alcohols to afford functionalized ether adducts.
PyRAD: assembly of de novo RADseq loci for phylogenetic analyses

Motivation: Restriction-site associated genomic markers are a powerful tool for investigating evolutionary questions at the population level, but are limited in their utility at deeper phylogenetic scales where fewer orthologous loci are typically recovered across disparate taxa. While this limitation stems in part from mutations to restriction recognition sites that disrupt data generation, an additional source of data loss comes from the failure to identify homology during bioinformatic analyses. Clustering methods that allow for lower similarity thresholds and the inclusion of indel variation will perform better at assembling RADseq loci at the phylogenetic scale. Results: PyRAD is a pipeline to assemble de novo RADseq loci with the aim of optimizing coverage across phylogenetic data sets. It utilizes a wrapper around an alignment-clustering algorithm which allows for indel variation within and between samples, as well as for incomplete overlap among reads (e.g., paired-end). Here I compare PyRAD with the program Stacks in their performance analyzing a simulated RADseq data set that includes indel variation. Indels disrupt clustering of homologous loci in Stacks but not in PyRAD, such that the latter recovers more shared loci across disparate taxa. I show through re-analysis of an empirical RADseq data set that indels are a common feature of such data, even at shallow phylogenetic scales. PyRAD utilizes parallel processing as well as an optional hierarchical clustering method which allow it to rapidly assemble phylogenetic data sets with hundreds of sampled individuals. Availability: Software is written in Python and freely available at http://www.dereneaton.com/software/ Supplement: Scripts to completely reproduce all simulated and empirical analyses are available in the Supplementary Materials.
Photochemistry within a water-soluble organic capsule.

ConspectusPhotochemistry along with life as we know it originated on earth billions of years ago. Supramolecular Photochemistry had its beginning when plants that sustain life began transforming water into oxygen by carrying out light initiated reactions within highly organized assemblies. Prompted by the efforts of J. Priestly (photosynthesis), F. Sestini, S. Cannizaro, and C. Liebermann (solid-state photochemistry of santonin, quinones, and cinnamic acid), orderly scientific investigations of the link between light absorption by matter and molecules and the chemical and physical consequences began in the mid-1700s. By 1970 when Molecular Photochemistry had matured, it was clear that controlling photochemical reactions by conventional methods of varying reaction parameters like temperature and pressure would be futile due to the photoreactions’ very low activation energies and enthalpies.During the last 50 years, the excited state behavior of molecules has been successfully manipulated with the use of co...
Inverse Scattering In The First Born Approximation

Wolf's formulation for inverse scattering in the first Born approximation is reviewed and discussed from an experimental point of view. Some of the experimental problems associated with obtaining enough data to satisfy the requirements of this theory are described, and a method for using symmetry to reduce the data requirements for a class of scatterers is explained. A successful experiment that employed this theory to reconstruct structure in an object with rectangular structure is reviewed. It appears that this theory is extremely difficult to apply to a more general scatterer with no simplifying symmetries.
Robust Control of Nonlinear Uncertain Systems Under Generalized Matching Conditions

This paper consider the problem of stabilizing nonlinear uncertain systems. First, we define for nonlinear uncertain systems the generalized matching conditions which encompass a larger class of uncertain systems than the existing matching conditions. Then, a systematic procedure of robust control design is developed for the class of systems satisfying the generalized matching conditions. The procedure is recursive and straightforward, and makes the stability results be easily established. The proposed control is a continuous and bounded function of the system state and requires only nonlinear bounding functions on the size of uncertainties. Global stability in terms of either asymptotic, exponential, or uniform ultimate bounded stability is guaranteed under the proposed control. Extension to tracking problem is shown to be trivial.
The surprise synthesis of α-GlcNAc 1-C-sulfonates

Abstract Oxidation of GlcNAc thiazoline in the presence of an alcohol affords no glycosidation products, but rather the alkyl α-GlcNAc 1-C-sulfonate. E2 cleavage of the sulfonate ester and then O -deacetylation gives the α-GlcNAc 1-C-sulfonic acid, a new type of carbohydrate derivative.
Two novel 1,2,4,5-tetrazines that participate in inverse electron demand Diels-Alder reactions with an unexpected regioselectivity.

Two new unsymmetrical 1,2,4,5-tetrazines, 3-methylsulfinyl-6-methylthio-1,2,4,5-tetrazine (4) and 3-(benzyloxycarbonyl)amino-6-methylsulfinyl-1,2,4,5-tetrazine (5), were prepared, and the scope of their participation in intermolecular inverse electron demand Diels−Alder reactions was defined. As anticipated, sulfoxides 4 and 5 (4 > 5) display a reactivity that is substantially greater than that of their corresponding sulfides (2 and 3), being derived from their enhanced electron-deficient character and resulting in a wider range of potential dienophile choices or the use of milder reaction conditions. The cycloaddition reactions were expectedly regioselective, typically producing a single cycloadduct, ensuring their synthetic utility, but both were found to proceed with a regioselectivity opposite what would be anticipated and complementary to that observed with 2 and 3.
On-line optimal wavelength assignment in WDM networks with shared wavelength converter pool

In this paper, we study on-line wavelength assignment in wavelength-routed WDM networks under both unicast and multicast traffic where nodes in the networks have wavelength conversion ability. Since wavelength converters are still expensive and difficult to implement, we consider the case where nodes in networks have only a limited number of converters that are shared by all input channels. We study the problem of setting up connections in such networks using minimum number of wavelength converters. For unicast traffic, we first study the problem of setting up a lightpath on a given link-path with minimum number of conversions. We give a simple algorithm that solves it in O(tk) time where t is the number of links on the path and k is the number of wavelengths per fiber, as compared to the best known existing method that needs to construct an auxiliary graph and apply the Dijkstra's algorithm. We also consider the problem of setting up a lightpath while using wavelength converters at nodes with fewer available converters only when necessary, and give an O(tk) time algorithm. We then generalize this technique to WDM networks with arbitrary topologies and give an algorithm that sets up an optimal lightpath network-wide in O(Nk+Lk) time, where N and L are the number of nodes and links in the network, respectively. We also consider multicast traffic in this paper. Finding an optimal multicast light-tree is known to be NP-hard and is usually solved by first finding a link-tree then finding a light-tree on the link-tree. Finding an optimal link-tree is also NP-hard and has been extensively studied. Thus, we focus on the second problem which is to set up a light-tree on a given link-tree with minimum number of conversions. We propose a new multicast conversion model with which the output of the wavelength converter is split-table to save the usage of converters. We show that under this model the problem of setting up an optimal light-tree is NP-hard and then give efficient heuristics to solve it approximately.
Particle-hole symmetry, many-body localization, and topological edge modes

We study the excited states of interacting fermions in one dimension with particle-hole symmetric disorder (equivalently, random-bond XXZ chains) using a combination of renormalization group methods and exact diagonalization. Absent interactions, the entire many-body spectrum exhibits infinite-randomness quantum critical behavior with highly degenerate excited states. We show that though interactions are an irrelevant perturbation in the ground state, they drastically affect the structure of excited states: Even arbitrarily weak interactions split the degeneracies in favor of thermalization (weak disorder) or spontaneously broken particle-hole symmetry, driving the system into a many-body localized spin glass phase (strong disorder). In both cases, the quantum critical properties of the noninteracting model are destroyed, either by thermal decoherence or spontaneous symmetry breaking. This system then has the interesting and counterintuitive property that edges of the many-body spectrum are less localized than the center of the spectrum. We argue that our results rule out the existence of certain excited state symmetry-protected topological orders.
Gamer Girls, Gold Farmers, and Activism In Real Life

This essay analyzes the graphic novel In Real Life as an example of Cory Doctorow and Jen Wang’s intention to raise young people’s awareness about gender and economic disparities within the gaming industry. Broadly, In Real Life combats the pervasive cultural anxiety that Jane McGonigal challenges in her book Reality is Broken–namely that young people’s growing connection to technology, and specifically to gaming, will cause them to spend their lives “wasting time, tuning out, and losing out on real life” (2011, p. 11). Specifically, it provides a realistic, accessible example of digital citizenship for twenty-first century youth. The innovative notions of digital citizenship Doctorow and Wang present in the text call for an end to gender and economic marginalization as facilitated by a gaming industry in which many young adults participate. By connecting gaming to activism, In Real Life offers a new avenue by which to use young adult literature to inspire civic engagement on the part of young people. The aim is to show that the imaginary activism depicted in literature not only has the potential to, but is actually designed to engage young people as active users, consumers, and shapers of technology.
Indistinguishability Obfuscation from the Multilinear Subgroup Elimination Assumption

We revisit the question of constructing secure general-purpose indistinguishability obfuscation, with a security reduction based on explicit computational assumptions over multilinear maps. Previous to our work, such reductions were only known to exist based on meta-assumptions and/or ad-hoc assumptions: In the original constructive work of Garg et al. (FOCS 2013), the underlying explicit computational assumption encapsulated an exponential family of assumptions for each pair of circuits to be obfuscated. In the more recent work of Pass et al. (Crypto 2014), the underlying assumption is a meta-assumption that also encapsulates an exponential family of assumptions, and this meta-assumption is invoked in a manner that captures the specific pair of circuits to be obfuscated. The assumptions underlying both these works substantially capture (either explicitly or implicitly) the actual structure of the obfuscation mechanism itself. In our work, we provide the first construction of general-purpose indistinguishability obfuscation proven secure via a reduction to a natural computational assumption over multilinear maps, namely, the Multilinear Subgroup Elimination Assumption. This assumption does not depend on the circuits to be obfuscated (except for its size), and does not correspond to the underlying structure of our obfuscator. The technical heart of our paper is our reduction, which gives a new way to argue about the security of indistinguishability obfuscation.
The Best of Both Worlds: Stochastic and Adversarial Bandits

We present a new bandit algorithm, SAO (Stochastic and Adversarial Optimal) whose regret is (essentially) optimal both for adversarial rewards and for stochastic rewards. Specifically, SAO combines the O( √ n) worst-case regret of Exp3 (Auer et al., 2002b) and the (poly)logarithmic regret of UCB1 (Auer et al., 2002a) for stochastic rewards. Adversarial rewards and stochastic rewards are the two main settings in the literature on multi-armed bandits (MAB). Prior work on MAB treats them separately, and does not attempt to jointly optimize for both. This result falls into the general agenda to design algorithms that combine the optimal worst-case performance with improved guarantees for “nice” problem instances.
Bottomonium Spectroscopy at CLEO

Results of the latest CLEO contribution to bottomonium spectroscopy is presented, the confirmation of the eta_b(1S0) ground state of bottomonium in the radiative decay Upsilon(3S) -> gamma eta_b. The bottomonium hyperfine splitting is determined to be Delta M_hf(1S) = 68.5+-6.6+-2.0 MeV and the branching fraction B(Upsilon(3S) -> gamma eta_b=(7.1+-1.8+-1.1)x10^-4. These results are in good agreement with those reported by BaBar.
Progress in Electroweak Symmetry Breaking

In this talk, I discuss theoretical advances in understanding the properties of the Higgs boson and the implications for models of electroweak symmetry breaking. I begin by reviewing some of the recent progress in Standard Model calculations for Higgs boson production and decay rates, followed by a lightning tour of the use of effective field theories in the search for new physics in the Higgs sector. I end with a discussion of the complementarity of precision Higgs coupling measurements and direct searches for heavy particles for the discovery of Beyond the Standard Model physics in the electroweak sector.
NATERGM: A Model for Examining the Role of Nodal Attributes in Dynamic Social Media Networks

Social media networks are dynamic. As such, the order in which network ties develop is an important aspect of the network dynamics. This study proposes a novel dynamic network model, the Nodal Attribute-based Temporal Exponential Random Graph Model (NATERGM) for dynamic network analysis. The proposed model focuses on how the nodal attributes of a network affect the order in which the network ties develop. Temporal patterns in social media networks are modeled based on the nodal attributes of individuals and the time information of network ties. Using social media data collected from a knowledge sharing community, empirical tests were conducted to evaluate the performance of the NATERGM on identifying the temporal patterns and predicting the characteristics of the future networks. Results showed that the NATERGM demonstrated an enhanced pattern testing capability and an increased prediction accuracy of network characteristics compared to benchmark models. The proposed NATERGM model helps explain the roles of nodal attributes in the formation process of dynamic networks.
Ocular surface disease in patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathy

Purpose To analyse clinical signs and symptoms of ocular surface disease in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM), based on severity of diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN). Methods This cross-sectional study included participants who were carefully phenotyped by a multidisciplinary team and categorised into groups based on severity of DPN. All study participants underwent ophthalmic evaluation and completed the Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) and Visual Function Questionnaire (VFQ-25). Results The 34 study participants were healthy controls (n=9), patients with DM and mild or no DPN (n=16) and patients with DM and severe DPN (n=9). Tear osmolarity was increased, and corneal nerve fibre length was decreased, with increasing severity of DPN. In addition, patients with DM were found to have decreased Schirmer9s test values when compared with healthy controls. No statistically significant differences were found between groups in OSDI, tear breakup time or corneal sensitivity. No statistically significant correlations were noted between the OSDI or VFQ-25 scores and clinical signs of dry eyes. Conclusion This study demonstrates some increased clinical signs of ocular surface disease but not an increase in subjective symptoms of dry eyes, with increasing severity of DPN. Furthermore, no significant correlation was found between OSDI scores and clinical signs of dry eye. A periodic evaluation of the ocular surface is important for patients with DM, in addition to retinopathy screening, as they may be asymptomatic but have severe dry eye disease, which can lead to further ocular surface complications such as corneal ulceration. Trial registration number NCT01695629.
THE NON-CEMENTED HUMERUS: THE OPTIMAL HYBRID SOLUTION – AFFIRMS

The humeral component has a long track record of a low rate of humeral loosening. Moreover, there are significant challenges associated with removal of a failed cemented component. Throckmorton reviewed the results of 76 total shoulder arthroplasties for osteoarthritis with minimum two year follow-up. There were incomplete lucent lines in 5/76 stems. None of the stem were judged to be at risk for loosening. Matsen published on the outcome of 131 shoulder arthroplasties for osteoarthritis with minimum two year follow-up. In this series, there were no components with shift or tilt. In addition to strong literature support for the use of an uncemented humeral component, revision of a cemented humeral component can be very difficult with a risk of significant destruction of the humerus. The cortex of the humerus tends to be thin and removing the cement can be similar to trying to remove concrete from an ice cream cone. Therefore, the extremely low rate of loosening and the challenges associated with cemented components makes the non-cemented component the ideal humeral solution.
THA IN PATIENTS WITH PROXIMAL FEMORAL DEFORMITY

The goal is to avoid letting femoral deformity force suboptimal implant position/fixation. Suboptimal implant position has an adverse effect on hip biomechanics and often on hip function and durability. Classification - Practical approach to femoral deformities: categorise into 3 main groups: 1.) Very proximal, 2.) Subtrochanteric, 3.) Distal. Management of distal deformities: Most can be ignored if there is sufficient room to place conventional femoral implant. Management of proximal deformities: Option 1: Use implants that allow satisfactory positioning despite deformity…or… Option 2: Remove the deformity. Management of subtrochanteric level deformities: These are the most difficult. Problems: 1.) Too proximal to ignore, 2.) Too distal to bypass. Main treatment options: 1.) Resurfacing THA, 2.) Short stem THA, 3.) Corrective osteotomy with THA. Corrective osteotomy with THA: 1.) Perform osteotomy at level of deformity, 2.) In most cases a corrective osteotomy that creates a transverse osteotomy junction is simplest, 3.) Use an implant that provides reliable fixation in the femur (usually uncemented), 4.) Use implant that provides fixation of the proximal and distal fragments. Majority of proximal femoral deformities managed with one-stage procedure: 1.) Excise deformity and replace with metal, 2.) Implants that allow ignoring deformity, 3.) Corrective osteotomy.
What types of people sort to which public services

We examine the characteristics of people who say they buy their houses for environmental quality, school quality, public safety and low taxes. We find, for example, that young people and people without school-aged children are more likely to buy their house for low taxes. We estimate a house price hedonic in a system of equations that models the public services people had in mind when they bought their house. We find a housing price elasticity of 0.53 for school spending, 0.23 for maths proficiency, –0.17 for the tax rate and –0.050 for the crime rate.
The link between volcanism and plutonism in epizonal magma systems; high-precision U–Pb zircon geochronology from the Organ Mountains caldera and batholith, New Mexico

The Organ Mountains caldera and batholith expose the volcanic and epizonal plutonic record of an Eocene caldera complex. The caldera and batholith are well exposed, and extensive previous mapping and geochemical analyses have suggested a clear link between the volcanic and plutonic sections, making this an ideal location to study magmatic processes associated with caldera volcanism. Here we present high-precision thermal ionization mass spectrometry U–Pb zircon dates from throughout the caldera and batholith, and use these dates to test and improve existing petrogenetic models. The new dates indicate that Eocene volcanic and plutonic rocks in the Organ Mountains formed from ~44 to 34 Ma. The three largest caldera-related tuff units yielded weighted mean 206Pb/238U dates of 36.441 ± 0.020 Ma (Cueva Tuff), 36.259 ± 0.016 Ma (Achenback Park tuff), and 36.215 ± 0.016 Ma (Squaw Mountain tuff). An alkali feldspar granite, which is chemically similar to the erupted tuffs, yielded a synchronous weighted mean 206Pb/238U date of 36.259 ± 0.021 Ma. Weighted mean 206Pb/238U dates from the larger volume syenitic phase of the underlying Organ Needle pluton range from 36.130 ± 0.031 to 36.071 ± 0.012 Ma, and the youngest sample is 144 ± 20 to 188 ± 20 ka younger than the Squaw Mountain and Achenback Park tuffs, respectively. Younger plutonism in the batholith continued through at least 34.051 ± 0.029 Ma. We propose that the Achenback Park tuff, Squaw Mountain tuff, alkali feldspar granite and Organ Needle pluton formed from a single, long-lived magma chamber/mush zone. Early silicic magmas generated by partial melting of the lower crust rose to form an epizonal magma chamber. Underplating of the resulting mush zone led to partial melting and generation of a high-silica alkali feldspar granite cap, which erupted to form the tuffs. The deeper parts of the chamber underwent continued recharge and crystallization for 144 ± 20 ka after the final eruption. Calculated magmatic fluxes for the Organ Needle pluton range from 0.0006 to 0.0030 km3/year, in agreement with estimates from other well-studied plutons. The petrogenetic evolution proposed here may be common to many small-volume silicic volcanic systems.
Shortest Paths and Distances with Differential Privacy

We introduce a model for differentially private analysis of weighted graphs in which the graph topology (υ,e) is assumed to be public and the private information consists only of the edge weights ω : e → R+. This can express hiding congestion patterns in a known system of roads. Differential privacy requires that the output of an algorithm provides little advantage, measured by privacy parameters e and δ, for distinguishing between neighboring inputs, which are thought of as inputs that differ on the contribution of one individual. In our model, two weight functions w,w' are considered to be neighboring if they have l1 distance at most one.We study the problems of privately releasing a short path between a pair of vertices and of privately releasing approximate distances between all pairs of vertices. We are concerned with the approximation error, the difference between the length of the released path or released distance and the length of the shortest path or actual distance.For the problem of privately releasing a short path between a pair of vertices, we prove a lower bound of Ω(|υ|) on the additive approximation error for fixed privacy parameters e,δ. We provide a differentially private algorithm that matches this error bound up to a logarithmic factor and releases paths between all pairs of vertices, not just a single pair. The approximation error achieved by our algorithm can be bounded by the number of edges on the shortest path, so we achieve better accuracy than the worst-case bound for pairs of vertices that are connected by a low-weight path consisting of o(|υ|) vertices.For the problem of privately releasing all-pairs distances, we show that for trees we can release all-pairs distances with approximation error $O(log2.5|υ|) for fixed privacy parameters. For arbitrary bounded-weight graphs with edge weights in [0,M] we can brelease all distances with approximation error O(√>(|υ|M).
Self-weighing in weight management interventions: A systematic review of literature.

Summary Background Self-weighing increases a person's self-awareness of current weight and weight patterns. Increased self-weighing frequency can help an individual prevent weight gain. Literature, however, is limited in describing variability in self-weighing strategies and how the variability is associated with weight management outcomes. Aim This review analyzed self-weighing in weight management interventions and the effects of self-weighing on weight and other outcomes. Methods Twenty-two articles from PubMed, CINAHL, Medline, PsychInfo, and Academic Search Premier were extracted for review. Results These 22 articles reported findings from 19 intervention trials, mostly on weight loss or weight gain prevention. The majority of the reviewed articles reported interventions that combined self-weighing with other self-monitoring strategies (64%), adopted daily self-weighing frequency (84%), and implemented interventions up to six months (59%). One-half of the articles mentioned that technology-enhanced or regular weight scales were given to study participants. Of the articles that provided efficacy data, 75% of self-weighing-only interventions and 67% of combined interventions demonstrated improved weight outcomes. No negative psychological effects were found. Conclusions Self-weighing is likely to improve weight outcomes, particularly when performed daily or weekly, without causing untoward adverse effects. Weight management interventions could consider including this strategy.
Strengthening cabinet office procedures

Located at the hub of Government’s decision-making system, center-of-government offices are crucial to a government’s capacity to define and implement their policies and programs. The work of coordination can be complex and demanding, especially where conflicting political imperatives are involved; and where capacity in the center-of-government office is lacking. For both reasons, standard procedures are essential to create a reliable, non-controversial framework within which to deal with competing priorities and demands. The procedures may be basic and simple in the first instance, gradually becoming more sophisticated over time as capacity increases. This note describes some of the basic procedures being developed and introduced in the Prime Minister’s Office of the Kingdom of Tonga, which serves both the Prime Minister and the Cabinet. Although the procedures are tailor-made for Tonga, they are based on generic models that can be observed in many differing administrations.
A price selective centralized algorithm for resource allocation with carrier aggregation in LTE cellular networks

In this paper, we consider a resource allocation with carrier aggregation optimization problem in long term evolution (LTE) cellular networks. In our proposed model, users are running elastic or inelastic traffic. Each user equipment (UE) is assigned an application utility function based on the type of its application. Our objective is to allocate multiple carriers resources optimally among users in their coverage area while giving the user the ability to select one of the carriers to be its primary carrier and the others to be its secondary carriers. The UE's decision is based on the carrier price per unit bandwidth. We present a price selective centralized resource allocation with carrier aggregation algorithm to allocate multiple carriers resources optimally among users while providing a minimum price for the allocated resources. In addition, we analyze the convergence of the algorithm with different carriers rates. Finally, we present simulation results for the performance of the proposed algorithm.
An analysis of the search spaces for generate and validate patch generation systems

We present the first systematic analysis of key characteristics of patch search spaces for automatic patch generation systems. We analyze sixteen different configurations of the patch search spaces of SPR and Prophet, two cur- rent state-of-the-art patch generation systems. The analysis shows that 1) correct patches are sparse in the search spaces (typically at most one correct patch per search space per defect), 2) incorrect patches that nevertheless pass all of the test cases in the validation test suite are typically orders of magnitude more abundant, and 3) leveraging information other than the test suite is therefore critical for enabling the system to successfully isolate correct patches.We also characterize a key tradeoff in the structure of the search spaces. Larger and richer search spaces that contain correct patches for more defects can actually cause systems to find fewer, not more, correct patches. We identify two reasons for this phenomenon: 1) increased validation times because of the presence of more candidate patches and 2) more incorrect patches that pass the test suite and block the discovery of correct patches. These fundamental properties, which are all characterized for the first time in this paper, help explain why past systems often fail to generate correct patches and help identify challenges, opportunities, and productive future directions for the field.
Specialization Slicing

This paper defines a new variant of program slicing, called specialization slicing, and presents an algorithm for the specialization-slicing problem that creates an optimal output slice. An algorithm for specialization slicing is polyvariant: for a given procedure r, the algorithm may create multiple specialized copies of r. In creating specialized procedures, the algorithm must decide for which patterns of formal parameters a given procedure should be specialized and which program elements should be included in each specialized procedure. We formalize the specialization-slicing problem as a partitioning problem on the elements of the possibly infinite unrolled program. To manipulate possibly infinite sets of program elements, the algorithm makes use of automata-theoretic techniques originally developed in the model-checking community. The algorithm returns a finite answer that is optimal (with respect to a criterion defined in the article). In particular, (i) each element replicated by the specialization-slicing algorithm provides information about specialized patterns of program behavior that are intrinsic to the program, and (ii) the answer is of minimal size (i.e., among all possible answers with property (i), there is no smaller one). The specialization-slicing algorithm provides a new way to create executable slices. Moreover, by combining specialization slicing with forward slicing, we obtain a method for removing unwanted features from a program. While it was previously known how to solve the feature-removal problem for single-procedure programs, it was not known how to solve it for programs with procedure calls.
Private Database Access with HE-over-ORAM Architecture

Enabling private database queries is an important and challenging research problem with many real-world applications. The goal is such that the client obtains the results of its queries without learning anything else about the database, while the outsourced server learns nothing about the queries or data, including access patterns. The secure-computation-over-ORAM architecture offers a promising approach to this problem, permitting sub-linear time processing of the queries (after pre-processing) without compromising security.
Light-Controlled Radical Polymerization: Mechanisms, Methods, and Applications

The use of light to mediate controlled radical polymerization has emerged as a powerful strategy for rational polymer synthesis and advanced materials fabrication. This review provides a comprehensive survey of photocontrolled, living radical polymerizations (photo-CRPs). From the perspective of mechanism, all known photo-CRPs are divided into either (1) intramolecular photochemical processes or (2) photoredox processes. Within these mechanistic regimes, a large number of methods are summarized and further classified into subcategories based on the specific reagents, catalysts, etc., involved. To provide a clear understanding of each subcategory, reaction mechanisms are discussed. In addition, applications of photo-CRP reported so far, which include surface fabrication, particle preparation, photoresponsive gel design, and continuous flow technology, are summarized. We hope this review will not only provide informative knowledge to researchers in this field but also stimulate new ideas and applications to further advance photocontrolled reactions.
Extrema property of the k-ranking of directed paths and cycles

Abstract A k -ranking of a directed graph G is a labeling of the vertex set of G with k positive integers such that every directed path connecting two vertices with the same label includes a vertex with a larger label in between. The rank number of G is defined to be the smallest k such that G has a k -ranking. We find the largest possible directed graph that can be obtained from a directed path or a directed cycle by attaching new edges to the vertices such that the new graphs have the same rank number as the original graphs. The adjacency matrix of the resulting graph is embedded in the Sierpinski triangle. We present a connection between the number of edges that can be added to paths and the Stirling numbers of the second kind. These results are generalized to create directed graphs which are unions of directed paths and directed cycles that maintain the rank number of a base graph of a directed path or a directed cycle.
Predicting Partner Enhancement in Marital Relationships The Family of Origin, Attachment, and Social Network Approval

Partner enhancement is an important relational process that has been linked to better relationship outcomes in existing research. However, little is known about variables that might be associated with the practice of partner enhancement. In this study, we utilized an ecosystemic model with a sample of 1,432 couples and an actor/partner interdependence model to explore whether the family of origin, attachment avoidance and anxiety, and social network approval predicted partner enhancement scores. The results indicated that the family of origin was only indirectly associated with partner enhancement through attachment and social network approval. The best predictors of partner enhancement were attachment avoidance and social network approval. Higher scores on actor attachment avoidance were related to higher scores on partner enhancement contrary to expectations. Curiously, partner effects for attachment avoidance were the opposite in that higher scores were associated with lower levels of partner enhanceme...
Export Agriculture and the Crisis in Central America

Before social unrest shook the region in the 1970s, Central America experienced more than a decade of rapid export growth by adding cotton and beef to the traditional coffee and bananas. Williams shows how the rapid growth contributed to the present social and political crisis, examines the causes of the export boom and who benefited from it, and shows the impact of the boom on land use, the ecology, and the conditions of life in the rural areas.
Modulation of Hematopoietic Chemokine Effects In Vitro and In Vivo by DPP-4/CD26.

Dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP4)/CD26 truncates certain proteins, and this posttranslational modification can influence their activity. Truncated (T) colony-stimulating factors (CSFs) are decreased in potency for stimulating proliferation of hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPCs). T-CXCL12, a modified chemokine, is inactive as an HPC chemotactic, survival, and enhancing factor for replating or ex-vivo expansion of HPCs. Moreover, T-CSFs and T-CXCL12 specifically downmodulates the positively acting effects of their own full-length molecule. Other chemokines have DPP4 truncation sites. In the present study, we evaluated effects of DPP4 inhibition (by Diprotin A) or gene deletion of HPC on chemokine inhibition of multicytokine-stimulated HPC, and on chemokine-enhancing effects on single CSF-stimulated HPC proliferation, as well as effects of DPP4 treatment of a number of chemokines. Myelosuppressive effects of chemokines with, but not without, a DPP4 truncation site were greatly enhanced in inhibitory potency by...
Aerobic organocatalytic oxidation of aryl aldehydes: flavin catalyst turnover by Hantzsch's ester.

The first Dakin oxidation fueled by molecular oxygen as the terminal oxidant is reported. Flavin and NAD(P)H coenzymes, from natural enzymatic redox systems, inspired the use of flavin organocatalysts and a Hantzsch ester to perform transition-metal-free, aerobic oxidations. Catechols and electron-rich phenols are achieved with as low as a 0.1 mol % catalyst loading, 1 equiv of Hantzsch ester, and O2 or air as the stoichiometric oxidant source.
Modular Instruction: Its Structure, Operation, and Implications:

The module is defined as the basic unit for accountability. How modules are organized to provide flexibility in a curriculum is described. The use of modules as an aspect of instructional technology implies changes in the structure of educational organizations and provides a practical way to achieve student-centered goals.
How Half-Coated Janus Particles Enter Cells

Janus particles possess functional asymmetry and directionality within a single entity and thus are predicted to enable many promising biomedical applications that are not offered by homogeneous particles. However, it remains elusive what role the Janus principle plays in Janus particle–cell interactions, particularly in cellular uptake. We studied how asymmetric distribution of ligands on half-coated Janus microparticles dictates the membrane dynamics during receptor-mediated particle uptake, and found key differences from those characteristic of homogeneous particles. Live-cell fluorescence imaging combined with single-particle level quantification of particle–cell membrane interactions shows that the asymmetric distribution of ligands leads to a three-step endocytic process: membrane cup formation on the ligand-coated hemisphere, stalling at the Janus interface, and rapid membrane protrusion on the ligand-absent hemisphere to complete the particle engulfment. The direct correlation between the spatial ...
COMPUTATION WITH INFORMATION DESCRIBED IN NATURAL LANGUAGE — THE CONCEPT OF GENERALIZED-CONSTRAINT-BASED COMPUTATION

What is computation with information described in natural language? Here are simple examples. I am planning to drive from Berkeley to Santa Barbara, with stopover for lunch in Monterey. It is about 10 am. It will probably take me about two hours to get to Monterey and about an hour to have lunch. From Monterey, it will probably take me about five hours to get to Santa Barbara. What is the probability that I will arrive in Santa Barbara before about six pm? Another simple example: A box contains about twenty balls of various sizes. Most are large. What is the number of small balls? What is the probability that a ball drawn at random is neither small nor large? Another example: A function, f, from reals to reals is described as: If X is small then Y is small; if X is medium then Y is large; if X is large then Y is small. What is the maximum of f? Computation with information described in natural language, or NLcomputation for short, is a problem of intrinsic importance because much of human knowledge is described in natural language. It is safe to predict that as we move further into the age of machine intelligence and mechanized decision-making, NLcomputation will grow in visibility and importance. Computation with information described in natural language cannot be dealt with through the use of machinery of natural language processing. The problem is semantic imprecision of natural languages. More specifically, a natural language is basically a system for describing perceptions. Perceptions are intrinsically imprecise, reflecting the bounded ability of sensory organs, and ultimately the brain, to resolve detail and store information. Semantic imprecision of natural languages is a concomitant of imprecision of perceptions. Our approach to NL-computation centers on what is referred to as generalizedconstraint-based computation, or GC-computation for short. A generalized constraint is expressed as X isr R, where X is the constrained variable, R is a constraining relation and r is an indexical variable which defines the way in which R constrains X. The principal constraints are possibilistic, veristic, probabilistic, usuality, random set, fuzzy graph and group. Generalized constraints may be combined, qualified, propagated, and counter propagated, generating what is called the Generalized Constraint Language, GCL. The key underlying idea is that information conveyed by a proposition may be represented as a generalized constraint, that is, as an element of GCL.