cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Despots Masquerading as Democrats

Today, virtually every government wants to be seen as a democracy, but many resist allowing the basic human rights that would make democracy meaningful because that might jeopardize their grasp on power. Instead, governments use a variety of subterfuges to manage or undermine the electoral process. Their task is facilitated by the lack of a broadly accepted definition of ‘democracy’ akin to the detailed rules of international human rights law. But much of the problem lies in the fact that, because of commercial or strategic interests, the world’s established democracies often close their eyes to electoral manipulation, making it easier for sham democrats to pass themselves off as the real thing. That acquiescence undermines the efforts to promote human rights because it can be more difficult for human rights organizations to stigmatize a government for its human rights violations when that government can hold itself up as an accepted ‘democracy.’ The challenge facing the human rights movement is to highlight the ploys used by dictatorial regimes to feign democratic rule and to build pressure on the established democracies to refuse to admit these pretenders into the club of democracies on the cheap.
Opportunistic Wireless Relay Networks: Diversity-Multiplexing Tradeoff

The performance of many opportunistic relay networks has been unknown in part because opportunistic analysis relies on independence assumptions that break down in many interesting and useful network topologies. This paper develops techniques that expand opportunistic analysis to a broader class of networks, proposes new opportunistic methods for several network geometries, and analyzes them in the high-SNR regime. For each of the geometries studied in the paper, we analyze the opportunistic DMT of several relay protocols, including amplify-and-forward, decode-and-forward, compress-and-forward, nonorthogonal amplify-forward, and dynamic decode-forward. Among the highlights of the results: In a variety of multi-user single-relay networks, simple selection strategies are developed and shown to be DMT-optimal. It is shown that compress-forward relaying achieves the DMT upper bound in the opportunistic multiple-access relay channel as well as in the opportunistic n×n user network with relay. Other protocols, e.g., dynamic decode-forward, are shown to be near optimal in several cases. Finite-precision feedback is analyzed for the opportunistic multiple-access relay channel, the opportunistic broadcast relay channel, and the opportunistic gateway channel, and is shown to be almost as good as full channel state information.
A resolution comparison of several time-frequency representations

Two signal components are considered resolved in a time-frequency representation when two distinct peaks can be observed. The time-frequency resolution limit of two Gaussian components, alike except for their time and frequency centers, is determined for the Wigner distribution, the pseudo-Wigner distribution, the smoother Wigner distribution, the squared magnitude of the short-time Fourier transform, and the Choi-Williams distribution. The relative performance of the various distributions depends on the signal. The pseudo-Wigner distribution is best for signals of this class with only one frequency component at any one time, the Choi-Williams distribution is most attractive for signals in which all components have constant frequency content, and the matched filter short-time Fourier transform is best for signal components with significant frequency modulation. A relationship between the short-time Fourier transform and the cross-Wigner distribution is used to argue that, with a properly chosen window, the short-time Fourier transform of the cross-Wigner distribution must provide better signal component separation that the Wigner distribution. >
Automatic checking of aggregation abstractions through state enumeration

Aggregation abstraction is a way of defining a desired correspondence between an implementation of a transaction-oriented protocol and a much simpler idealized version of the same protocol. This relationship can be formally verified to prove the correctness of the implementation. We present a technique for checking aggregation abstractions automatically using a finite-state enumerator. The abstraction relation between implementation and specification is checked on-the fly and the verification requires examining no more states than checking a simple invariant property. This technique can be used alone for verification of finite-state protocols, or as preparation for a more general aggregation proof using a general-purpose theorem-prover. We illustrate the technique on the cache coherence protocol used in the FLASH multiprocessor system.
Development and characterization of metal-diboride-based composites toughened with ultra-fine SiC particulates

Abstract Two metal-diboride-based ceramics containing up to 15 vol%. ultra-fine α-SiC particulates were developed from commercially available powders. The primary matrix of the composites was ZrB2 or a mixture of ZrB2 and HfB2. With the assistance of 4.5 vol%. ZrN as a sintering aid, both the compositions achieved nearly full density after hot-pressing at 1,900 °C. The microstructure was characterized by fine diboride grains ( ≈ 3 μm average size) and SiC particles dispersed uniformly. Limited amounts of secondary phases like MO2 and M(C,N), M = Zr or Zr/Hf, were found. The thermo-mechanical data of both the materials offered a promising combination of properties: about 16 GPa of micro-hardness, 5 MPa√m of fracture toughness and Young's moduli exceeding 470 GPa. The ZrB2 SiC composite showed values of strength in air of 635 ± 60 and 175 ± 15 MPa at 25 and 1,500 °C, respectively. Likewise, the (ZrB2 + HfB2) SiC composite exhibited values of strength in air of 590 ± 25 and 190 ± 20 MPa at 25 and 1,500 °C, respectively. The composites also displayed good tolerance of conditions of repeated short exposures, 10 minutes each, at 1,700 °C in stagnant air. In such oxidizing conditions, the resistance to oxidation was provided by the formation of a protective silica-based glass coating, the primary oxidation product of SiC. Such a coating encapsulated the specimen coherently, and provided protection to the faces exposed to the hot atmosphere.
Zeros of some level 2 Eisenstein series

The zeros of classical Eisenstein series satisfy many intriguing properties. Work of F. Rankin and Swinnerton-Dyer pinpoints their location to a certain arc of the fundamental domain, and recent work by Nozaki explores their interlacing property. In this paper we extend these distribution proper- ties to a particular family of Eisenstein series on (2) beca use of its elegant connection to a classical Jacobi elliptic function cn(u) which satisfies a differ- ential equation (see formula (1.2)). As part of this study we recursively define a sequence of polynomials from the differential equation mentioned above that allow us to calculate zeros of these Eisenstein series. We end with a result linking the zeros of these Eisenstein series to an L-series.
Quality-Based Financial Incentives in Health Care: Can We Improve Quality by Paying for It?

This article asks whether financial incentives can improve the quality of health care. A conceptual framework drawn from microeconomics, agency theory, behavioral economics, and cognitive psychology motivates a set of propositions about incentive effects on clinical quality. These propositions are evaluated through a synthesis of extant peer-reviewed empirical evidence. Comprehensive financial incentives—balancing rewards and penalties; blending structure, process, and outcome measures; emphasizing continuous, absolute performance standards; tailoring the size of incremental rewards to increasing marginal costs of quality improvement; and assuring certainty, frequency, and sustainability of incentive payoffs—offer the prospect of significantly enhancing quality beyond the modest impacts of prevailing pay-for-performance (P4P) programs. Such organizational innovations as the primary care medical home and accountable health care organizations are expected to catalyze more powerful quality incentive models: ...
Genetic Privacy and Confidentiality: Why They are So Hard to Protect:

Genetic privacy and confidentiality have both intrinsic and consequential value. Although general agreement exists about the need to protect privacy and confidentiality in the abstract, most of the concern has focused on preventing the harmful uses of this sensitive information. I hope to demonstrate in this article that the reason why genetic privacy and confidentiality are so difficult to protect is that any effort to protect them inevitably implicates broader and extremely contentious issues, such as the right of access to health care. Moreover, the tentative legislative and policy steps undertaken and proposed thus far have been, for the most part, misguided, simplistic, and ineffective.
Bit error probability calculations for convolutional codes with short constraint lengths on very noisy channels

A technique for estimating convolutional code performance on very noisy channels is considered. Specifically, the performance of short constraint length codes operating near the channel cutoff rate is estimated. Decoding convolutional codes with a sliding window decoder (SWD) are considered. This decoder is an optimal (maximum likelihood) symbol decoder as the window size grows toward infinity, while the Viterbi decoder is the maximum-likelihood sequence estimator. The difference in the decoded BERs (bit error rates) between the two decoders is very small and approaches zero asymptotically as the channel BER decreases. Therefore, an estimate on the decoded BER for the SWD can also be used as an estimate of the decoded BER for Viterbi decoding. >
High-resolution imaging of the dust disk around 49 Ceti

Subarcsecond scale Keck images of the young A1 V star, 49 Ceti, resolve emission at λ = 12.5 and 17.9 μm from a disk with long axis at position angle (P.A.) 125° ± 10° and inclination ф = 60° ± 15°. At 17.9 μm, the emission is brighter and more extended toward the northwest (NW) than the southeast (SE). Modeling of the mid-infrared images combined with flux densities from the literature indicate that the bulk of the mid-infrared emission comes from very small grains (a ~ 0.1 μm) confined between 30 and 60 AU from the star. This population of dust grains contributes negligibly to the significant excess observed in the spectral energy distribution. Most of the nonphotospheric energy is radiated at longer wavelengths by an outer disk of larger grains (a ~ 15 μm), inner radius ~60 AU, and outer radius ~900 AU. Global properties of the 49 Cet disk show more affinity with the β Pic and HR 4796A disks than with other debris disks. This may be because they are all very young (t < 20 Myr), adding strength to the argument that they are transitional objects between Herbig Ae and "Vega-like" A stars with more tenuous circumstellar disks.
Calogero-Moser systems in SU(N) Seiberg-Witten theory

Abstract The Seiberg-Witten curve and differential for N = 2 supersymmetric SU(N) gauge theory, with a massive hypermultiplet in the adjoint representation of the gauge group, are analyzed in terms of the elliptic Calogero-Moser integrable system. A new parametrization for the Calogero-Moser spectral curves is found, which exhibits the classical vacuum expectation values of the scalar field of the gauge multiplet. The one-loop perturbative correction to the effective prepotential is evaluated explicitly, and found to agree with quantum field theory predictions. A renormalization group equation for the variation with respect to the coupling is derived for the effective prepotential, and may be evaluated in a weak-coupling series using residue methods only. This gives a simple and efficient algorithm for the instanton corrections to the effective prepotential to any order. The one- and two-instanton corrections are derived explicitly. Finally, it is shown that certain decoupling limits yield N = 2 supersymmetric theories for simple gauge groups SU(N1) with hypermultiplets in the fundamental representation, while others yield theories for product gauge groups SU(N1) ×…× SU(Np), with hypermultiplets in fundamental and bi-fundamental representations. The spectral curves obtained this way for these models agree with the ones proposed by Witten using D-branes and M-theory.
A temporary phosphorus tether/ring-closing metathesis strategy to functionalized 1,4-diamines.

The synthesis of 1,4-diamines containing the (Z)-1,4-diaminobut-2-ene subunit via a temporary phosphorus tether/RCM strategy is described. We have developed a new method utilizing phosphorus nuclei as suitable temporary tethers for the coupling of nonracemic allylic amines. This approach allows for the generation of C2-symmetric and unsymmetric 1,4-diamines 1−3, which may have considerable synthetic and biological utility. This represents the first synthetic pathway for the expedient coupling of two amines via a temporary tether approach.
Odd Binary Asynchronous Counters

This paper describes a general method for modifying conventional binary asynchronous counters such that the counting register advances by any desired odd integer for each received count. The pertinent design features of conventional additive and subtractive asynchronous counters are reviewed. Simplification of the design of a counter which advances by an odd integer is achieved through use of a set of alternately additive and subtractive subcounters. An example of the logical design of a counter which advances by 13 is presented.
Access to Nitriles from Aldehydes Mediated by an Oxoammonium Salt

A scalable, high yielding, rapid route to access an array of nitriles from aldehydes mediated by an oxoammonium salt (4-acetylamino-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxoammonium tetrafluoroborate) and hexamethyldisilazane (HMDS) as an ammonia surrogate has been developed. The reaction likely involves two distinct chemical transformations: reversible silyl-imine formation between HMDS and an aldehyde, followed by oxidation mediated by the oxoammonium salt and desilylation to furnish a nitrile. The spent oxidant can be easily recovered and used to regenerate the oxoammonium salt oxidant.
Precision cosmology with voids: definition, methods, dynamics

We propose a new definition of cosmic voids based on methods of Lagrangian orbit reconstruction as well as an algorithm to find them in actual data called DIVA. Our technique is intended to yield results which can be modeled sufficiently a to create a new probe of precision cosmology. We then develop an analytical model of the ellipticity of voids found by our method based on Zel’dovich approximation. We measure in N-body simulation that this model is precise at the �0.1% level for the mean ellipticity of voids of size greater than �4h 1 Mpc. We estimate that at this scale, we are able to predict the ellipticity with an accuracy of �" � 0.02. Finally, we compare the distribution of void shapes in N-body simulation for two different equations of state w of the dark energy. We conclude that our method is far more accurate than Eulerian methods and is therefore promising as a precision probe of dark energy phenomenology.
Interleaved practice improves mathematics learning.

A typical mathematics assignment consists primarily of practice problems requiring the strategy introduced in the immediately preceding lesson (e.g., a dozen problems that are solved by using the Pythagorean theorem). This means that students know which strategy is needed to solve each problem before they read the problem. In an alternative approach known as interleaved practice, problems from the course are rearranged so that a portion of each assignment includes different kinds of problems in an interleaved order. Interleaved practice requires students to choose a strategy on the basis of the problem itself, as they must do when they encounter a problem during a comprehensive examination or subsequent course. In the experiment reported here, 126 seventh-grade students received the same practice problems over a 3-month period, but the problems were arranged so that skills were learned by interleaved practice or by the usual blocked approach. The practice phase concluded with a review session, followed 1 or 30 days later by an unannounced test. Compared with blocked practice, interleaved practice produced higher scores on both the immediate and delayed tests (Cohen’s ds 0.42 and 0.79, respectively).
Counting, enumerating, and sampling of execution plans in a cost-based query optimizer

Testing an SQL database system by running large sets of deterministic or stochastic SQL statements is common practice in commercial database development. However, code defects often remain undetected as the query optimizer's choice of an execution plan is not only depending on the query but strongly influenced by a large number of parameters describing the database and the hardware environment. Modifying these parameters in order to steer the optimizer to select other plans is difficult since this means anticipating often complex search strategies implemented in the optimizer.In this paper we devise algorithms for counting, exhaustive generation, and uniform sampling of plans from the complete search space. Our techniques allow extensive validation of both generation of alternatives, and execution algorithms with plans other than the optimized one—if two candidate plans fail to produce the same results, then either the optimizer considered an invalid plan, or the execution code is faulty. When the space of alternatives becomes too large for exhaustive testing, which can occur even with a handful of joins, uniform random sampling provides a mechanism for unbiased testing.The technique is implemented in Microsoft's SQL Server, where it is an integral part of the validation and testing process.
An efficient total synthesis of 9-methoxycarbazole-3-carbaldehyde based on a novel methodology for the preparation of methoxyindoles

A direct synthesis of naturally occurring 9-methoxycarbazole-3-carbaldehyde 1, based on our methodology for the synthesis of 1-methoxyindoles, is reported. A novel benzannulation strategy was employed using ring closing metathesis as the key step in this total synthesis. The synthesis of the natural product 1 has been achieved in seven steps in 14% overall yield from commercial materials and in only four steps from a methoxyindole compound obtained using the new methodology.
An upper bound on multi-hop transmission capacity with dynamic routing selection

This paper develops an upper bound on the end-to-end transmission capacity of multi-hop wireless networks, in which all nodes are randomly distributed. Potential source-destination paths are dynamically selected from a pool of randomly located relays, from which a closed-form bound on the outage probability is derived in terms of the number of potential paths. This in turn gives an upper bound on the number of successful transmissions that can occur per unit area, which is known as the transmission capacity. The upper bound results from assuming independence among the potential paths, and can be viewed as the maximum diversity case. A useful aspect of the upper bound is its simple form for an arbitrary-sized network, which allows us to immediately observe how the number of hops and other network traits affect spatial throughput. Our analysis indicates that predetermined routing approach (such as nearest-neighbor) cannot achieve optimal throughput: more hops are not necessarily helpful in interference-limited networks compared with single-hop direct transmission.
On Heuristic Time Hierarchies

We study the existence of time hierarchies for heuristic algorithms. We prove that a time hierarchy exists for heuristic algorithms in such syntactic classes as NP and co-NP, and also in semantic classes AM and MA. Further, we present an alternative approach to proving time hierarchies for heuristic algorithms in BPP. This leads to a simpler proof than the one known before.
Temporal Homogenization of Linear ODEs, with Applications to Parametric Super-Resonance and Energy Harvest

We consider the temporal homogenization of linear ODEs of the form ẋ =Ax+ϵP(t)x+f(t), where P(t) is periodic and ϵ is small. Using a 2-scale expansion approach, we obtain the long-time approximation x(t)≈exp(At) (Ω(t)+∫^t_0exp(−Aτ)f(τ)dτ), where Ω solves the cell problem Ω=ϵBΩ+ϵF(t) with an effective matrix B and an explicitly-known F(t). We provide necessary and sufficient conditions for the accuracy of the approximation (over a O(ϵ^(−1)) time-scale), and show how B can be computed (at a cost independent of ϵ). As a direct application, we investigate the possibility of using RLC circuits to harvest the energy contained in small scale oscillations of ambient electromagnetic fields (such as Schumann resonances). Although a RLC circuit parametrically coupled to the field may achieve such energy extraction via parametric resonance, its resistance R needs to be smaller than a threshold κ proportional to the fluctuations of the field, thereby limiting practical applications. We show that if n RLC circuits are appropriately coupled via mutual capacitances or inductances, then energy extraction can be achieved when the resistance of each circuit is smaller than nκ. Hence, if the resistance of each circuit has a non-zero fixed value, energy extraction can be made possible through the coupling of a sufficiently large number n of circuits (n≈1000 for the first mode of Schumann resonances and contemporary values of capacitances, inductances and resistances). The theory is also applied to the control of the oscillation amplitude of a (damped) oscillator.
New performance bounds for turbo codes

We derive a new upper bound on the word- and bit-error probabilities of turbo codes with maximum-likelihood decoding by using the Gallager bound. Since the derivation of the bound for a given interleaver is intractable, we assume uniform interleaving as in the derivation of the standard union bound for turbo codes. The result is a generalization of the transfer function bound and remains useful for a wider range of signal-to-noise ratios, particularly for some range below the channel cutoff rate. The new bound is also applicable to other linear codes.
A comparison of various models in predicting ignition delay in single-particle coal combustion

In this paper, individual coal particle combustion under laminar conditions is simulated using models with various levels of complexity for the particle and gas phase chemical kinetics. The mass, momentum and energy governing equations are fully coupled between the particle and the gas phase. In the gas phase, detailed chemical kinetics based on GRI3.0 and infinitely-fast chemistry are considered and compared. For the particle phase, models for vaporization, devolatilization and char oxidation/gasification are considered, and the Kobayashi–Sarofim devolatilization model is compared to the Chemical Percolation Devolatilization (CPD) model. Ignition delay is used as a quantitative metric to compare the simulation prediction with experimental data, with careful attention given to the definition of ignition delay in the simulations. The effects of particle size, coal type and gas-phase temperature on the ignition delay are studied and compared with experimental data.
The design of wide angle head up displays for synthetic vision

With the current interest by aircraft manufacturers and operators in both enhanced and synthetic vision, has come increased interest by industry in designing and producing suitable head up displays to help realise such systems. >
Organizing Distribution Channels for Information Goods on the Internet

Rapid technological developments and deregulation of the telecommunications industry have changed the way in which content providers distribute and price their goods and services. Instead of selling a bundle of content and access through proprietary networks, these firms are shifting their distribution channels to the Internet. In this new setting, the content and Internet service providers find themselves in a relationship that is simultaneously cooperative and competitive. We find that proprietary content providers prefer the Internet channels to direct channels only if the access market is sufficiently competitive. Furthermore, maintaining a direct channel in addition to the Internet channels changes the equilibrium enough that the proprietary content providers prefer having the Internet channels, regardless of the level of competition in the access market. Telecommunications technology developments uniformly increase content providers' profit. On the other hand, the technology impact on Internet service provider profits is nonmonotonic: Their profits may increase or decrease as a result of lower telecommunication costs. While initially the ISP profit increases as more customers are drawn to the Internet, it eventually decreases as the spatial competition becomes more intense. We also show that proprietary content providers should benefit from having some free content available at the Internet service providers' sites to induce more customers to join the Internet.
Distributed adaptive algorithms for large dimensional MIMO systems

An algorithm for multi-input multi-output (MIMO) adaptive filtering is introduced that distributes the adaptive computation over a set of linearly connected computational modules. Each module has an input and an output and transmits data to and receives data from its nearest neighbor. A gradient-based algorithm for adapting the parameters in each module to minimize the global mean-squared error is derived using principles of back propagation. The performance surface is explored to understand the characteristics of the adaptive algorithm. The minimum mean-squared error is a many to one function of the parameters; therefore, upper bounds on each parameter are used to prevent excessive parameter drift and ensure stability with fixed step sizes. Guidelines for choosing the LMS algorithm step sizes and initial conditions are developed. Several examples illustrate the performance of the algorithm.
A superhigh-frequency optoelectromechanical system based on a slotted photonic crystal cavity

We develop an all-integrated optoelectromechanical system that operates up to 4.20 GHz. The in-plane bulk acoustic modes of a photonic crystal membrane are electrocapacitively actuated and optically detected by a high-Q slotted photonic crystal cavity.
The secreted AdamTS-A metalloprotease is required for collective cell migration

Members of the ADAMTS family of secreted metalloproteases play crucial roles in modulating the extracellular matrix (ECM) in development and disease. Here, we show that ADAMTS-A, the Drosophila ortholog of human ADAMTS 9 and ADAMTS 20, and of C. elegans GON-1, is required for cell migration during embryogenesis. AdamTS-A is expressed in multiple migratory cell types, including hemocytes, caudal visceral mesoderm (CVM), the visceral branch of the trachea (VBs) and the secretory portion of the salivary gland (SG). Loss of AdamTS-A causes defects in germ cell, CVM and VB migration and, depending on the tissue, AdamTS-A functions both autonomously and non-autonomously. In the highly polarized collective of the SG epithelium, loss of AdamTS-A causes apical surface irregularities and cell elongation defects. We provide evidence that ADAMTS-A is secreted into the SG lumen where it functions to release cells from the apical ECM, consistent with the defects observed in AdamTS-A mutant SGs. We show that loss of the apically localized protocadherin Cad99C rescues the SG defects, suggesting that Cad99C serves as a link between the SG apical membrane and the secreted apical ECM component(s) cleaved by ADAMTS-A. Our analysis of AdamTS-A function in the SG suggests a novel role for ADAMTS proteins in detaching cells from the apical ECM, facilitating tube elongation during collective cell migration.
Ecology of Disease in Relation to Environmental Trace Elements—Particularly Iron

Many people are saying, this is the age of Aquarius. Many people are also saying this is the age in which we must express our concern for the biosphere or perish. Biosphere has such far-reaching connotations, however, that it is beyond the comprehension of most of us, including the great majority of those who have recently discovered it, and who so vigorously assert their willingness for deep personal involvement in efforts to save it. With respect to human health and disease, I have found it useful to think of ecology at three levels of operation: (1) As it involves the biosphere. Admittedly there is an essential interrelationship among all things: everything has an effect on everything else. Unfortunately, I do not know how to formulate, much less solve, the infinite number of equations that would be required to handle this infinite number of variables. (2) As it involves macroecology, which I relate to man. In the sense that I am using it, macroecology includes those factors that have a demonstrably significant effect on man's external environment. The distinction between biosphere and macroecology (of man) is a device of communication that makes it convenient to select from the former those factors that have a more direct effect upon man and, thus, deserve priority in our concern. (3) As it involves microecology, which, as I am using the term, concentrates on those factors that affect man's internal environment.
Optimizing Product Launches in the Presence of Strategic Consumers

A technology firm launches newer generations of a given product over time. At any moment, the firm decides whether to release a new version of the product that captures the current technology level at the expense of a fixed launch cost. Consumers are forward-looking and purchase newer models only when it maximizes their own future discounted surpluses. We start by assuming that consumers have a common valuation for the product and consider two product launch settings. In the first setting, the firm does not announce future release technologies and the equilibrium of the game is to release new versions cyclically with a constant level of technology improvement that is optimal for the firm. In the second setting, the firm is able to precommit to a schedule of technology releases and the optimal policy generally consists of alternating minor and major technology launch cycles. We verify that the difference in profits between the commitment and no-commitment scenarios can be significant, varying from 4% to 12...
Synthesis of 2-Substituted-3-phytyl-1,4-naphthoquinone Epoxides

Abstract Hydroxymethylation of 2-phytyl-1,4-naphthohydroquinone followed by epoxidation gives 2-hydroxymethyl-3-phytyl-1,4-naphthoquinone epoxide, which is converted to the corresponding 2-fluoromethyl-, 2-chloromethyl-, and 2-difluoromethyl-analogues. The latter compound is prepared from the 2-formyl analogue.
Ladybug Hypersensitivity Among Residents of Homes Infested with Ladybugs in Kentucky

Background There have been isolated case reports of hypersensitivity to the ladybug species Harmonia axyridis . Entomologists now report a rapid increase in ladybug numbers, giving rise to increasing complaints of residential infestations. Objectives To determine whether ladybug infestation of homes causes hypersensitivity among residents and to estimate the prevalence of self-reported ladybug allergy in this population. Methods This pilot observational study was conducted using an anonymous survey. Results The participation rate was 59% (99/167). The incidence of self-reported allergy symptoms in this population was 77% (95% confidence interval [CI], 67%–85%). The prevalence of self-reported ladybug allergy was 50% (95% CI, 39%–60%). Of all the respondents, 19% (95% CI, 12%–28%) reported allergy symptoms on direct contact with ladybugs and 31% (95% CI, 22%–41%) reported the use of extra allergy medications during times of infestation. The correlation between worsening of allergy symptoms and time of infestation was significant for spring, fall, and winter infestations ( P = .02, P = .001, and P Conclusions To our knowledge, this is the first study to estimate the prevalence of ladybug hypersensitivity, which was found to be 50% by self-report among people with home infestations. These results suggest that the ladybug could be a significant cause of respiratory allergy in heavily infested homes. Further studies using diagnostic testing to confirm allergy are now indicated. We recommend that patients with spring, fall, and winter allergies be asked about ladybug infestation and that ladybug reagents be made available for diagnostic testing.
The galaxy cluster outskirts probed by Chandra

We studied the physical properties of the intracluster medium in the virialization region of a sample of 320 clusters ($0.056 3$ keV) in the Chandra archive. With the emission measure profiles from this large sample, the typical gas density, gas slope and gas fraction can be constrained out to and beyond $R_{200}$. We observe a steepening of the density profiles beyond $R_{500}$ with $\beta \sim 0.68$ at $R_{500}$ and $\beta \sim 1$ at $R_{200}$ and beyond. By tracking the direction of the cosmic filaments approximately with the ICM eccentricity, we report that galaxy clusters deviate from spherical symmetry, with only small differences between relaxed and disturbed systems. We also did not find evolution of the gas density with redshift, confirming its self-similar evolution. The value of the baryon fraction reaches the cosmic value at $R_{200}$: however, systematics due to non-thermal pressure support and clumpiness might enhance the measured gas fraction, leading to an actual deficit of the baryon budget with respect to the primordial value. This study has important implications for understanding the ICM physics in the outskirts.
The Principles of and Reasons for Using Water as a Solvent for Green Chemistry

Water is an environmentally benign solvent. It also has special properties useful in chemical and biochemical reactions: the hydrophobic effect can lead to altered selectivities and rate accelerations. Although these are commonly seen in water solutions – which require water solubility of the reactants – we have reported one example in which such effects were seen in the water suspension of a poorly soluble reactant. Here we describe examples, chiefly from our own work, in which the hydrophobic effect was used in substrate binding, in aromatic chlorination, in acylations by esters, in mimics of metalloenzymes and of ribonuclease, and amino acid syntheses and reactions, heterocyclic carbene chemistry, aldol condensations, Diels–Alder reactions, carbonyl reductions, and selective oxidations. The hydrophobic effect was also used to determine the geometries of transition states for some important reactions. With these attractive special advantages, including the green chemistry advantages, water should become a more usual solvent in chemical manufacturing. Keywords: water; solvent; hydrophobic; enzyme mimics; reduction; oxidation; mechanism; green chemistry
Ricci measure for some singular Riemannian metrics

We define the Ricci curvature, as a measure, for certain singular torsion-free connections on the tangent bundle of a manifold. The definition uses an integral formula and vector-valued half-densities. We give relevant examples in which the Ricci measure can be computed. In the time dependent setting, we give a weak notion of a Ricci flow solution on a manifold.
Expedient Synthesis of (±)-Bipinnatin J

A nine-step, stereoselective synthesis of bipinnatin J is described, which features a ruthenium-catalyzed Alder-ene reaction, a Stille cross coupling, and an intramolecular Nozaki−Hiyama−Kishi allylation as key steps. The biosynthetic relationship between bipinnatin J and complex polycyclic diterpenes isolated from gorgonian corals is discussed.
Fingerprints of entangled states in reactions with rare isotopes

We study the presence of entangled states of nucleon pairs from nuclear decays and in reactions with exotic nuclei, e.g., 11Li, or 6He. It is shown that the fingerprints of entangled states in these subsystems are visible in correlation measurements and can be accessed with present experimental techniques. This shows that not only atomic and optical systems, but also nuclear systems serve as important tools to obtain dichotomic outcomes for tests of the Einstein–Podolsky–Rosen paradox.
High order conservative finite difference scheme for variable density low Mach number turbulent flows

The high order conservative finite difference scheme of Morinishi et al. Y. Morinishi, O.V. Vasilyev, T. Ogi, Fully conservative finite difference scheme in cylindrical coordinates for incompressible flow simulations, J. Comput. Phys. 197 (2004) 686] is extended to simulate variable density flows in complex geometries with cylindrical or cartesian non-uniform meshes. The formulation discretely conserves mass, momentum, and kinetic energy in a periodic domain. In the presence of walls, boundary conditions that ensure primary conservation have been derived, while secondary conservation is shown to remain satisfactory. In the case of cylindrical coordinates, it is desirable to increase the order of accuracy of the convective term in the radial direction, where most gradients are often found. A straightforward centerline treatment is employed, leading to good accuracy as well as satisfactory robustness. A similar strategy is introduced to increase the order of accuracy of the viscous terms. The overall numerical scheme obtained is highly suitable for the simulation of reactive turbulent flows in realistic geometries, for it combines arbitrarily high order of accuracy, discrete conservation of mass, momentum, and energy with consistent boundary conditions. This numerical methodology is used to simulate a series of canonical turbulent flows ranging from isotropic turbulence to a variable density round jet. Both direct numerical simulation (DNS) and large eddy simulation (LES) results are presented. It is observed that higher order spatial accuracy can improve significantly the quality of the results. The error to cost ratio is analyzed in details for a few cases. The results suggest that high order schemes can be more computationally efficient than low order schemes.
The Efficacy of Decentralization in the Republic of Macedonia

Decentralization has been an integral part of the political reform process in former socialist countries throughout Central and Eastern Europe. The rationale behind decentralizing government services and responsibilities to the local units of government is that they are closer to the clientele they serve and, therefore, can better understand their needs to respond more efficiently and effectively. Since gaining independence from Yugoslavia in 1991, the Republic of Macedonia has instituted a number of legislative changes that transferred a significant number of competencies from the central government to the municipalities. This study examines the decentralization process in the Republic of Macedonia and assesses whether the decentralization process has created local units of government that are more efficient, effective, and accountable. The study looks at the interaction between the central government and the municipalities to investigate the degree to which the proper competencies have or have not been transferred to the lower level of government.
Penalized Composite Quasi-Likelihood for Ultrahigh-Dimensional Variable Selection

In high-dimensional model selection problems, penalized least-square approaches have been extensively used. This paper addresses the question of both robustness and efficiency of penalized model selection methods, and proposes a data-driven weighted linear combination of convex loss functions, together with weighted L1-penalty. It is completely data-adaptive and does not require prior knowledge of the error distribution. The weighted L1-penalty is used both to ensure the convexity of the penalty term and to ameliorate the bias caused by the L1-penalty. In the setting with dimensionality much larger than the sample size, we establish a strong oracle property of the proposed method that possesses both the model selection consistency and estimation efficiency for the true non-zero coefficients. As specific examples, we introduce a robust method of composite L1-L2, and optimal composite quantile method and evaluate their performance in both simulated and real data examples.
Synthesis of highly enantiomerically enriched N-Boc-α-amino ketones from pseudoephedrine N-Boc-α-amino acid amides

Abstract N -Boc-α-amino ketones are synthesized efficiently and in high enantiomeric excess by the addition of organolithium and Grignard reagents to pseudoephedrine amides of N -Boc-α-amino acids, themselves available by the alkylation of pseudoephedrine glycinamide followed by N - protection.
Characterization of the Rossler System in Parameter Space

We characterize the Rossler system by means of a map associating colors to various intervals of largest Lyapunov exponent values in parameter space. This color map allows quick access to quantitative information about the dynamics of the system. The map also permits parameter space navigation while intentionally maintaining the system in a desired state, and avoiding regions where the system's behavior would be undesirable. In addition, the map exhibits a rich structure of stability clusters composed of affine-similar repetitions of basic elementary cells called "swallows." These cells, until recently, have been known to be associated with discrete maps only.
Expansions of finite algebras and their congruence lattices

In this paper, we present a novel approach to the construction of new finite algebras and describe the congruence lattices of these algebras. Given a finite algebra \({\langle B_0, \ldots \rangle}\), let \({B_1,B_2, \ldots , B_K}\) be sets that either intersect B0 or intersect each other at certain points. We construct an overalgebra\({\langle A, FA \rangle}\), by which we mean an expansion of \({\langle B_0, \ldots \rangle}\) with universe \({A = B_0 \cup B_1 \cup \ldots \cup B_K}\), and a certain set FA of unary operations that includes mappings ei satisfying \({e^2_i = e_i}\) and ei(A) = Bi, for \({0 \leq i \leq K}\). We explore two such constructions and prove results about the shape of the new congruence lattices Con\({\langle A, F_A \rangle}\) that result. Thus, descriptions of some new classes of finitely representable lattices is one contribution of this paper. Another, perhaps more significant, contribution is the announcement of a novel approach to the discovery of new classes of representable lattices, the full potential of which we have only begun to explore.
Blood concentration of methylmercury in relation to food consumption.

OBJECTIVE Dietary fish is the main source of methylmercury (MeHg) for man, and fish consumption has been used as a measure of MeHg exposure. However, other dietary sources of exposure exist and MeHg metabolism may also be modified by nutritional factors. The aim of the present study was to examine the association between blood MeHg concentration and consumption of different foods in a Finnish population with high fish consumption. DESIGN Blood samples, a detailed FFQ and additional frequency data on fish consumption were collected. MeHg was analysed from whole blood by the isotope dilution method with high-resolution MS. The consumption of different foods was calculated by MeHg quartiles and tested for linear trend. SETTING Finnish southern and south-western coast of the Baltic Sea. SUBJECTS Two hundred and ninety-nine professional fishermen, their spouses and other family members. RESULTS Mean (range) blood MeHg concentration was 4·6 (0·21-22) μg/l among men and 2·8 (<0·15-20) μg/l among women. Fish had the strongest positive association with MeHg (P for linear trend <0·001 among both men and women). Among men, positive associations were also observed for fruit vegetables, wheat and wine. Among women, positive associations were observed for root vegetables, legumes, potato and game, but adjustment for fish consumption attenuated these trends. CONCLUSIONS The study shows that, besides fish, MeHg may have other dietary sources that should be taken into account in risk assessment studies. Due to the observed high blood MeHg concentration, a thorough exposure assessment among the general Finnish population is recommended.
A note on Ramsey numbers for books

The book with n pages Bn is the graph consisting of n triangles sharing an edge. The book Ramsey number r(Bm,Bn) is the smallest integer r such that either Bm ⊂ G or Bn ⊂ G for every graph G of order r. We prove that there exists a positive constant c such that r(Bm,Bn) = 2n + 3 for all n ≥ cm. Our proof is based mainly on counting; we also use a result of Andrasfai, Erdos, and Sos stating that triangle-free graphs of order n and minimum degree greater than 2n-5 are bipartite. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Graph Theory
Rate maximization in multi-antenna broadcast channels with linear preprocessing

The sum rate capacity of the multi-antenna broadcast channel has recently been computed. However, the search for efficient practical schemes that achieve it is still ongoing. In this paper, we focus on schemes with linear preprocessing of the transmitted data. We propose two criteria for the preceding matrix design: one maximizing the sum rate and the other maximizing the minimum rate among all users. The latter problem is shown to be quasiconvex and is solved exactly via a bisection method. In addition to preceding, we employ a signal scaling scheme that minimizes the average bit-error-rate (BER). The signal scaling scheme is posed as a convex optimization problem, and thus can be solved exactly via efficient interior-point methods. In terms of the achievable sum rate, the proposed technique significantly outperforms traditional channel inversion methods, while having comparable (in fact, often superior) BER performance
Tunable near-infrared optical gain and amplified spontaneous emission using PbSe nanocrystals

Here, for the first time, we demonstrate amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) from PbSe nanocrystals (NCs) with emission energies tunable in the near-infrared (IR). We show that despite complications associated with a high, 8-fold degeneracy of the lowest quantized states and fast, nonradiative Auger recombination, optical gain parameters of PbSe NCs are comparable to those of CdSe NCs used for light amplification in the visible. These results indicate that previous unsuccessful attempts to realize the lasing regime in NCs of lead salts were not due to intrinsic physical reasons but likely resulted from material quality issues. By using a novel sol−gel procedure that provides both good quality surface passivation and high NC filling factors (>15%), we fabricate PbSe NC/sol−gel nanocomposites that produce ASE, which is tunable via NC size, in the near-IR. This finding indicates the feasibility of NC-based amplifiers and lasers tunable in the near-IR range and, in particular, in the range of telecommunicati...
Controller coefficient truncation using Lyapunov performance certificate

We describe a method for truncating the coefficients of a linear controller while guaranteeing that a given set of relaxed performance constraints is met. Our method sequentially and greedily truncates individual coefficients, using a Lyapunov certificate, typically in linear matrix inequality (LMI) form, to guarantee the performance. Numerical examples show that the method is surprisingly effective at finding controllers with aggressively truncated coefficients, which meet typical performance constraints. We give an example showing that how the basic method can be extended to handle nonlinear plants and controllers. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.