cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A review of whole cell wall NMR by the direct-dissolution of biomass

To fully realize the potential of lignocellulosic biomass as a renewable resource for the production of fuels, chemicals, and materials, an improved understanding of the chemical and molecular structures within biomass and how those structures are formed during biosynthesis and transformed during (thermochemical and biological) conversion must be developed. This effort will require analytical techniques which are not only in-depth, rapid, and cost-effective, but also leave native cell wall features intact. Whole plant cell wall nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analysis facilitates unparalleled structural characterization of lignocellulosic biomass without causing (or with minimal) structural modification. The objective of this review is to summarize research pertaining to solution- or gel-state whole plant cell wall NMR analysis of biomass, demonstrating the capability of NMR to delineate the structural features and transformations of biomass. In particular, this review will focus on the application of a two-dimensional solution-state NMR technique and perdeuterated ionic liquid based organic electrolyte solvents for the direct dissolution and analysis of biomass. We believe this type of analysis will be critical to advancing biofuel research, improving bioprocessing methodology, and enhancing plant bioengineering efforts.
Algebraic evaluation of matrix elements in the Laguerre function basis

The Laguerre functions constitute one of the fundamental basis sets for calculations in atomic and molecular electron-structure theory, with applications in hadronic and nuclear theory as well. While similar in form to the Coulomb bound-state eigenfunctions (from the Schrodinger eigenproblem) or the Coulomb-Sturmian functions (from a related Sturm-Liouville problem), the Laguerre functions, unlike these former functions, constitute a complete, discrete, orthonormal set for square-integrable functions in three dimensions. We construct the SU(1, 1) × SO(3) dynamical algebra for the Laguerre functions and apply the ideas of factorization (or supersymmetric quantum mechanics) to derive shift operators for these functions. We use the resulting algebraic framework to derive analytic expressions for matrix elements of several basic radial operators (involving powers of the radial coordinate and radial derivative) in the Laguerre function basis. We illustrate how matrix elements for more general spherical tensor operators in three dimensional space, such as the gradient, may then be constructed from these radial matrix elements.
Catalyst-Free Synthesis of Borylated Lactones from Esters via Electrophilic Oxyboration.

A catalyst-free oxyboration reaction of alkynes is developed. The resulting borylated isocoumarins and 2-pyrones are isolated as boronic acids, pinacolboronate esters, or potassium organotrifluoroborate salts, providing a variety of bench-stable organoboron building blocks for downstream functionalization. This method has functional group compatibility, is scalable, and proceeds with readily available materials: B-chlorocatecholborane and methyl esters. Mechanistic studies indicate that the B-chlorocatecholborane acts as a carbophilic Lewis acid toward the alkyne, providing a mechanistically distinct pathway for oxyboration that avoids B–O σ bond formation and enables this catalyst-free route.
Application of Ionic Liquids in Pot-in-Pot Reactions

Pot-in-pot reactions are designed such that two reaction media (solvents, catalysts and reagents) are isolated from each other by a polymeric membrane similar to matryoshka dolls (Russian nesting dolls). The first reaction is allowed to progress to completion before triggering the second reaction in which all necessary solvents, reactants, or catalysts are placed except for the starting reagent for the target reaction. With the appropriate trigger, in most cases unidirectional flux, the product of the first reaction is introduced to the second medium allowing a second transformation in the same glass reaction pot—albeit separated by a polymeric membrane. The basis of these reaction systems is the controlled selective flux of one reagent over the other components of the first reaction while maintaining steady-state catalyst concentration in the first “pot”. The use of ionic liquids as tools to control chemical potential across the polymeric membranes making the first pot is discussed based on standard diffusion models—Fickian and Payne’s models. Besides chemical potential, use of ionic liquids as delivery agent for a small amount of a solvent that slightly swells the polymeric membrane, hence increasing flux, is highlighted. This review highlights the critical role ionic liquids play in site-isolation of multiple catalyzed reactions in a standard pot-in-pot reaction.
Speed of Sound of a Spin-Balanced Fermi Gas with s- and d-Wave Pairings Across the BCS–BEC Evolution

The authors of a recent paper (Phys Rev A 87:013613, 2013) argued that in fermionic systems with d-wave pairing the speed of sound is nonanalytic across the BCS–BEC crossover at the point where the chemical potential vanishes, regardless of the specific details of the interaction potential. On the contrary, the numerical results reported here suggest that the speed of sound across the BCS–BEC evolution of atomic Fermi gases with s- and d-wave pairings in two-dimensional square lattices is a smooth analytic function at the vanishing chemical potential.
Practical quantum teleportation of an unknown quantum state

We present our model to teleport an unknown quantum state using entanglement between two distant parties. Our model takes into account experimental limitations due to contribution of multi-photon p...
Effects of Sensemaking Translucence on Distributed Collaborative Analysis

Collaborative sensemaking requires that analysts share their information and insights with each other, but this process of sharing runs the risks of prematurely focusing the investigation on specific suspects. To address this tension, we propose and test an interface for collaborative crime analysis that aims to make analysts more aware of their sensemaking processes. We compare our sensemaking translucence interface to a standard interface without special sensemaking features in a controlled laboratory study. We found that the sensemaking translucence interface significantly improved clue finding and crime solving performance, but that analysts rated the interface lower on subjective measures than the standard interface. We conclude that designing for distributed sensemaking requires balancing task performance vs. user experience and real-time information sharing vs. data accuracy.
Non-detection of nova shells around asynchronous polars

Asynchronous polars (APs) are accreting white dwarfs (WDs) that have different WD and orbital angular velocities, unlike the rest of the known polars, which rotate synchronously (i.e., their WD and orbital angular velocities are the same). Past nova eruptions are the predicted cause of the asynchronicity, in part due to the fact that one of the APs, V1500 Cyg, was observed to undergo a nova eruption in 1975. We used the Southern African Large Telescope 10m class telescope and the MDM 2.4m Hiltner telescope to search for nova shells around three of the remaining four APs (V1432 Aql, BY Cam, and CD Ind) as well as one Intermediate Polar with a high asynchronicity (EX Hya). We found no evidence of nova shells in any of our images. We therefore cannot say that any of the systems besides V1500 Cyg had nova eruptions, but because not all post-nova systems have detectable shells, we also cannot exclude the possibility of a nova eruption occurring in any of these systems and knocking the rotation out of sync.
Democratic Pluralism: Placing African-American Student-Athletes in the Context of a New Agenda for Higher Education

Harry Edwards delivered the NACADA Journal symposium lecture at the 1990 NACADA National Conference. He was invited by the Journal's editors to expand the ideas he presented into an article to give the entire membership an opportunity to examine these ideas. We have also included responses from several professionals who are actively involved in exploring the issues that Edwards deals with. The editors welcome further responses to this article. The character and dynamics of developments at the interface of intergroup relations, education, and sport are shown to be deeply embedded in the historical evolution and intertwined with the contemporary complexities and contradictions of race and ethnic relations more generally in American society. The proposition is developed that African-American student-athletes' patterned negative outcomes can be reliably understood and effectively addressed only if due consideration is given social, cultural, and political forces that serious-impact but that emanate far beyond...
Grain Boundary Segregation in Titanium Dioxide: Evaluation of Relative Driving Forces for Segregation

Solute segregation to grain boundaries is a fundamental phenomenon in polycrystalline metal-oxide electroceramics that has enormous implications for the macroscopic dielectric behavior of the materials. This paper presents a systematic study of solute segregation in a model dielectric, titanium dioxide. We investigate the relative role of the electrostatic versus strain energy driving forces for segregation by studying yttrium-doped specimens. Through analytical transmission electron microscopy studies, we quantitatively determine the segregation behavior of the material. The measured Gibbsian interfacial excesses are compared to thermodynamic predictions.
Aberrant Adult Neurogenesis in the Subventricular Zone-Rostral Migratory Stream-Olfactory Bulb System Following Subchronic Manganese Exposure

Adult neurogenesis occurs in brain subventricular zone (SVZ). Our recent data reveal an elevated proliferation of BrdU(+) cells in SVZ following subchronic manganese (Mn) exposure in rats. This study was designed to distinguish Mn effect on the critical stage of adult neurogenesis, ie, proliferation, migration, survival and differentiation from the SVZ via the rostral migratory stream to the olfactory bulb (OB). Adult rats received a single ip-dose of BrdU at the end of 4-week Mn exposure to label proliferating cells. Immunostaining and cell-counting showed a 48% increase of BrdU(+) cells in Mn-exposed SVZ than in controls (P< .05). These BrdU(+) cells were identified as a mixed population of mainly GFAP(+) type-B neural stem cells, Nestin(+) type-C transit progenitor cells, DCX(+) migratory neuroblasts and Iba1(+) microglial cells. Another group of adult rats received 3 daily ip-injections of BrdU followed by subchronic Mn exposure. By 4-week post BrdU labeling, most of the surviving BrdU(+) cells in the OB were differentiated into NeuN(+) matured neurons. However, survival rates of BrdU/NeuN/DAPI triple-labeled cells in OB were 33% and 64% in Mn-exposed and control animals, respectively (P< .01). Infusion of Cu directly into the lateral ventricle significantly decreased the cell proliferation in the SVZ. Taken together, these results suggest that Mn exposure initially enhances the cell proliferation in adult SVZ. In the OB, however, Mn exposure significantly reduces the surviving adult-born cells and markedly inhibits their differentiation into mature neurons, resulting in an overall decreased adult neurogenesis in the OB.
Role of the inhomogeneity angle in anisotropic attenuation analysis

The inhomogeneity angle the angle between the real and imaginary parts of the wave vector is seldom taken into account in estimating attenuation coefficients from seismic data. Wave propagation through the subsurface, however, can result in relatively large inhomogeneity angles , especially for models with significant attenuation contrasts across layer boundaries. Here we study the influence of the angle on phase and group attenuation in arbitrarily anisotropic media using the first-order perturbation theory verified by exact numerical modeling. Application of the spectral-ratio method to transmitted or reflected waves yields the normalized group attenuation coefficient Ag, which is responsible for amplitude decay along seismic rays. Our analytic solutions show that for a wide range of inhomogeneity angles, the coefficient Ag is close to the normalized phase attenuation coefficient A computed for 0° A0°. The coefficient A0° can be inverted directly for the attenuation-anisotropy parameters, so no knowledge of the inhomogeneity angle is required for attenuation analysis of seismic data. This conclusion remains valid even for uncommonly high attenuation with the quality factor Q less than 10 and strong velocity and attenuation anisotropy. However, the relationship between group and phase attenuation coefficients becomes more complicated for relatively large inhomogeneity angles approaching so-called ‘‘forbidden directions.’’ We also demonstrate that the velocity function remains practically independent of attenuation for a wide range of small and moderate angles . In principle, estimation of the attenuation-anisotropy parameters from the coefficient A0° requires computation of the phase angle, which depends on the anisotropic velocity field. For moderately anisotropic models, however, the difference between the phase and group directions should not significantly distort the results of attenuation analysis.
Contextual effects in human visual cortex depend on surface structure.

Neural responses in early visual cortex depend on stimulus context. One of the most well-established context-dependent effects is orientation-specific surround suppression: the neural response to a...
Absence of collective decay in a cold Rydberg gas

We have studied the decay of Rydberg excitations in a cold Rb gas. A 10 ns, pulsed-dye-amplified diode laser excites Rb atoms at $70\phantom{\rule{0.28em}{0ex}}\ensuremath{\mu}\mathrm{K}$ in a magneto-optical trap to $ns$ or $np$ Rydberg states with principal quantum numbers $26\ensuremath{\le}n\ensuremath{\le}40$. Time-delayed state-selective field ionization is used to directly monitor the population in the initial and neighboring Rydberg levels. The measured time dependence of the Rydberg population is well described by numerical simulations which consider only spontaneous emission and population transfer by blackbody radiation. No evidence for collective decay is found at atom densities up to $3\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{9}\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}{\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}3}$. This result is in contrast to a previous study [Wang et al., Phys. Rev. A 75, 033802 (2007)], in which superradiant decay was theoretically predicted and experimentally inferred for atom density and laser focal volume conditions very similar to those considered here. Suppression of collective emission is likely due to variations in transition energies within the atom sample, dominated by inhomogeneities in dipole-dipole exchange interactions for initial $s$ states, or by a combination of dipole-dipole and electric field inhomogeneities for the initial $p$ states.
Phosphine/palladium-catalyzed syntheses of alkylidene phthalans, 3-deoxyisoochracinic acid, isoochracinic acid, and isoochracinol.

In this study we used sequential catalysis—PPh3-catalyzed nucleophilic addition followed by Pd(0)-catalyzed Heck cyclization—to construct complex functionalized alkylidene phthalans rapidly, in high yields, and with good stereoselectivities (E/Z ratios of up to 1:22). The scope of this Michael–Heck reaction includes substrates bearing various substituents around the alkylidene phthalan backbone. Applying this efficient sequential catalysis, we accomplished concise total syntheses of 3-deoxyisoochacinic acid, isoochracinic acid, and isoochracinol.
Self-Replicating Distributed Virtual Machines

Recent work showed how an expression in a functional programming language can be compiled into a massively redundant asynchronous spatial computation called a distributed virtual machine. A DVM is comprised of bytecodes reified as actors undergoing diffusion and communicating via messages containing encapsulated virtual machine states. Significantly, it was shown that both the efficiency and the robustness of expression evaluation by DVM increase with redundancy. In the present work, spatial computations that become more efficient and robust over time are described. They accomplish this by self-replication, which increases the redundancy of the elements of which they are comprised. The first and simplest of these self-replicating DVMs copies itself by reflection; it reads itself from a contiguous range of memory. The remainder are quines. As such, they reproduce by translating and transcribing self-descriptions. The nature of the self-descriptions and of the translation and transcription processes differ in each case. The most complex selfreplicating DVM described represents a fundamentally new kind of artificial organism–a machine language program reified as a spatial computation that reproduces by compiling its own source-code.
Offsetting risks: High school gay-straight alliances and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) youth.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) youth are at risk for engaging in negative health behaviors and for experiencing at-school victimization. Specific benefits of attending a high school with a gay-straight alliance (GSA), including lower levels of suicidality, have been published; however, it is unclear whether GSAs are related to lower levels of problematic substance use, depressive symptoms, and psychological distress. Using a sample of 145 LGBT youth recruited from college and university organizations for LGBT students, we examined whether attending a high school with a GSA was related to more positive school experiences and mental health outcomes for LGBT youth. The results indicate that youth who attended a high school with a GSA report significantly more favorable outcomes related to school experiences, alcohol use, and psychological distress. The implications of the findings are discussed as they relate to school psychologists. Important limitations of this study are reviewed.
The Local Impact of Mining on Poverty and Inequality: Evidence from the Commodity Boom in Peru

Summary This paper studies the impact of mining activity on socioeconomic outcomes in local communities in Peru. In the 1990s and 2000s, the value of Peruvian mining exports grew by 15 times; and since the early 2000s, one-half of fiscal revenues from mining have been devolved to local governments. Has this boom benefitted people in local communities? Using the district-level “poverty map” of 2007 (the latest available with accurate data on consumption, poverty, and inequality) together with district-level data on mining production and fiscal transfers to local governments, we present some evidence to answer this question. We find that mining districts have larger average consumption per capita and lower poverty rates than otherwise similar districts. These positive impacts, however, decrease drastically with administrative and geographic distance from mining centers. Moreover, consumption inequality within mining districts is higher than in comparable nonproducing districts. This dual effect of mining is accounted for by, first, the better educated immigrants required and attracted by mining activity and, second, the jobs that some community natives obtain in industries and services related to mining. The inequalizing impact of mining, both across and within districts, may help explain the social discontent with mining in Peru, despite its enormous revenues. An area for future research highlighted in the paper regards the usefulness of fiscal transfers to local governments (the Mining Canon ), a key component of the fiscal decentralization reform of 2002. We find neither a detrimental nor a beneficial effect from the Mining Canon in Peru. Whether this is explained by our early measurement of results (5 years into the decentralization program) or by the lack of implementation capacity of local governments remains to be answered.
Entropy and Entanglement Bounds for Reduced Density Matrices of Fermionic States

Unlike bosons, fermions always have a non-trivial entanglement. Intuitively, Slater determinantal states should be the least entangled states. To make this intuition precise we investigate entropy and entanglement of fermionic states and prove some extremal and near extremal properties of reduced density matrices of Slater determinantal states.
New Product Design under Channel Acceptance: Brick-and-Mortar, Online-Exclusive, or Brick-and-Click

In recent years, an increasing number of brick-and-mortar retailers have entered into the new brick-and-click era. Within this context, when a manufacturer presents a new product offering to a retailer, the ultimate decision is often made by the retailer regarding (1) whether to carry the new product, and (2) the channel outlet the product will be carried in (i.e., in-store only, online-exclusive, or brick-and-click). In response to this trend, we examine how a manufacturer may use product design to influence a dual-channel retailer's outlet designation decision. This is the first study to investigate a manufacturer's optimal product design strategy when a brick-and-mortar retailer expands online. We demonstrate that, to induce the retailer to carry a new product both offline and online, it may not always be optimal for the manufacturer to enhance product quality (compared with when the retailer only operates offline). With the online store addition, the retailer may also be incentivized to adjust his participation criterion to a level less than what is determined by his outside option.
Ligand-controlled gold-catalyzed cycloisomerization of 1,n-enyne esters toward synthesis of dihydronaphthalene

We describe herein a gold-catalyzed rearrangement of propargyl esters followed by allene–ene cyclization to afford substituted bicyclic [4.4.0] dihydronaphthalene compounds. This method is also applied to vinylethers and vinylamines of 1,7-enyne esters to form dihydroquinoline and dihydrobenzopyran structures. The basis of this transformation is the ligand-controlled preferential activation of the alkene over the allene, affording the desired aromatic bicyclic structures in moderate to excellent yields.
Apparent Resistivity Correction for Tensor Induction Well Logging in a Deviated Well in an Anisotropic Medium

In this paper we study the principles of tensor induction well logging (TIWL) in a deviated well in an anisotropic medium. We examine the theoretical formulae for the tensor apparent conductivities of the transverse anisotropic medium, developed for an ideal tensor induction instrument with coinciding positions of three mutually orthogonal transmitters at one point and all three receivers at the other point in a borehole. We demonstrate that these formulae can be corrected for practical instrument design, where, due to technical reasons, transmitter coils with different orientations are spatially separated and receiver coils are spatially separated as well. We introduce the corrected formulae for a practical TIWL instrument. The numerical study shows that, for different deviation angles and for different anisotropy values, the corrected apparent conductivities are practically the same as the theoretical apparent parameters.
2-Aminophenyl-1H-pyrazole as a Removable Directing Group for Copper-Mediated C-H Amidation and Sulfonamidation.

2-Aminophenyl-1H-pyrazole was discovered as a removable bidentate directing group for copper-mediated aerobic oxidative C(sp2–H) bond amidation and sulfonamidation. When Cu(OAc)2 was employed as the copper source and 1,1,3,3-tetramethylguanidine as an organic base, the reaction, optimally carried out overnight in DMSO at 80 °C in open air, produced a variety of amides and sulfonamides in moderate to excellent yields. This directing group has proven to be particularly efficient in C–H sulfonamidation.
The management of fulminant meningitis in the intensive care unit.

SUMMARY Fulminant meningitis requires aggressive management in an intensive care unit setting. The pathophysiology of the various factors that damage the central nervous system in this disease have been reviewed, as well as the management of the many complications of this serious, often devastating, infection. The etiologic agents according to age group have been discussed, and recommendations for empiric therapy have been made.
Direct analysis for familial adenomatous polyposis mutations.

The spectrum of disease causing mutations is immense. It just so happens that the overwhelming majority of genetic alterations in the APC gene with leads to adenomatous polyposis coli generate truncated gene products. This observation lead to the development of the in vitro synthesis protein assay (protein truncation test) which is a sensitive method to detect these truncated gene products from patient samples. This article describes the assay to detect truncated proteins for the APC gene, which can also be applied to other disease causing genetic alterations which commonly lead to truncations such in HNPCC, von Hippel-Lindau, osteogenesis imperfecta, retinoblastoma, BCRA1, beta-thalassemia, hemophilia B, Duchenene and Becker muscular dystrophy.
The Chemistry of Hapalindoles, Fischerindoles, Ambiguines, and Welwitindolinones

Isolated from diverse cyanobacteria, the hapalindole family of indole alkaloids comprises over 80 interrelated natural products. The family is further divided into several subclasses including the hapalindoles, fischerindoles, ambiguines, and welwitindolinones, each sharing one or more of the many common structural motifs, including an indole or oxindole core, a highly functionalized cyclohexane unit fused to the indole at C-3, and the uncommon isonitrile or isothiocyanate functionalities. Reported here is a comprehensive review covering the isolation of all currently known hapalindole-type alkaloids, the biological activity for several members of the family, and the proposed biosyntheses that give rise to the intricate structural diversity within the family. Finally, the major thrust of this chapter is a comprehensive outline of decades of cutting edge synthetic chemistry toward these complex alkaloids. To date, only a small fraction of the hapalindole-type alkaloids have yielded to chemical synthesis, yet the strategies and methodologies developed showcase the state of the art in synthetic chemistry and provide access to new compounds that can be evaluated for their biological activities.
Pseudo-Centroid Clustering

Pseudo-centroid clustering replaces the traditional concept of a centroid expressed as a center of gravity with the notion of a pseudo-centroid (or a coordinate free centroid) which has the advantage of applying to clustering problems where points do not have numerical coordinates (or categorical coordinates that are translated into numerical form). Such problems, for which classical centroids do not exist, are particularly important in social sciences, marketing, psychology and economics, where distances are not computed from vector coordinates but rather are expressed in terms of characteristics such as affinity relationships, psychological preferences, advertising responses, polling data and market interactions, where distances, broadly conceived, measure the similarity (or dissimilarity) of characteristics, functions or structures. We formulate a K-PC algorithm analogous to a K-Means algorithm and focus on two key types of pseudo-centroids, MinMax-centroids and (weighted) MinSum-centroids, and describe how they, respectively, give rise to a K-MinMax algorithm and a K-MinSum algorithm which are analogous to a K-Means algorithm. The K-PC algorithms are able to take advantage of problem structure to identify special diversity-based and intensity-based starting methods to generate initial pseudo-centroids and associated clusters, accompanied by theorems for the intensity-based methods that establish their ability to obtain best clusters of a selected size from the points available at each stage of construction. We also introduce a regret-threshold PC algorithm that modifies the K-PC algorithm together with an associated diversification method and a new criterion for evaluating the quality of a collection of clusters.
Policy-Driven configuration and management of agent based distributed systems

In this paper, we demonstrate a policy-driven approach for building and managing large scale agent based systems. We identify different classes of policies for agent based component integration. We also identify the system services and mechanisms that are required for policy-driven integration of components and their management. Policies are derived from the application level requirements and are used in dynamic configuration of agent based systems. Through case studies of two applications we demonstrate the utility of the policy-driven component integration approach in distributed agent systems.
The capacity achievable with a broadband CDMA microcell underlay to an existing cellular macrosystem

The paper addresses whether the broadband-CDMA overlay concept can be applied to creating a CDMA microcell underlaying an existing analog macrocell. It is shown that indeed high capacity can be achieved in the microcell on both forward and reverse links, largely independently of the separation between microcell and macrocell bases. Furthermore, in the forward link the effect of neighboring base stations is shown to be negligible. In order to achieve maximum capacity it is found that transmit and receive notch filters at the microcell base station are invaluable at small separations between micro and macrocells. >
Mixed mode brittle fracture analysis of high strength cement mortar using strain-based criteria

Abstract Strain based fracture criteria are employed to predict the brittle fracture of a cracked high strength cement mortar subjected to combined tensile/shear loading. Theoretical background of a traditional and extended versions of maximum tangential strain criteria are introduced, and the mixed mode fracture toughness and crack propagation angle are calculated for centrally cracked Brazilian disk specimens with various dimensions. In addition to the strain based criteria, a traditional stress based criterion and strain energy based criteria are used to predict the crack propagation conditions of the Brazilian disk specimens. The validity of the fracture criteria are evaluated by comparing the predicted fracture conditions to the previously published experimental data. The comparisons show that the extended version of the maximum tangential strain criterion, which takes into account the effect of both the first nonsingular strain term and the singular strain terms in Williams series expansion for strain field near crack tip, provides highly accurate predictions for the crack propagation conditions. The results indicate that the T-strain, the first non-singular term, plays an important role in the crack propagation of the cement mortar.
How Do Extreme Global Shocks Affect Foreign Portfolio Investment? An Event Study for India

AbstractForeign portfolio flows in and out of India are relevant for policymakers, and are often portrayed in the media as having a destabilizing effect on the domestic market. We use an event study approach to examine whether extreme global shocks trigger abnormal responses in foreign equity flows in and out of India, or abnormal responses in the Indian stock market. We do not find strong evidence of abnormal responses, even for the case of the global crisis of 2008.
The Perils of Panic: Ebola, HIV, and the Intersection of Global Health and Law.

This Article explores the connections between emerging infectious diseases, domestic disease panics, global health, and the law by comparing the American response to Ebola to the initial American response to the AIDS epidemic. We demonstrate that in both cases the arrival of a new deadly disease was initially met with fear, stigma and the use of law to “other” those associated with the disease. We begin by reviewing the initial responses to the AIDS epidemic. We then offer a brief history of emerging infectious disease scares over the past few decades, highlighting the problematic rhetoric that paved the way for the Ebola panic. We then review the 2014 Ebola outbreak, noting its similarities and distinctions from the early AIDS epidemic. Finally, we examine United States policies regarding HIV and Ebola in Africa. We conclude with some tentative observations about the relationship between germ panics, law, and public health.
Charm Decays Within the Standard Model and Beyond

The charm quark has unique properties that make it a very important probe of many facets of the Standard Model. New experimental information on charm decays is becoming available from dedicated experiments at charm factories, and through charm physics programs at the b-factories and hadron machines. In parallel, theorists are working on matrix element calculations based on unquenched lattice QCD, that can be validated by experimental measurements and affect our ultimate knowledge of the quark mixing parameters. Recent predictions are compared with corresponding experimental data and good agreement is found. Charm decays can also provide unique new physics signatures; the status of present searches is reviewed. Finally, charm data relevant for improving beauty decay measurements are presented.
ACETABULAR DISTRACTION: ALTERNATIVE APPROACH TO PELVIC DISCONTINUITY

Stabilisation of a pelvic discontinuity with a posterior column plate with or without an associated acetabular cage sometimes results in persistent micromotion across the discontinuity with late fatigue failure and component loosening. Acetabular distraction offers an alternative technique for reconstruction in cases of severe bone loss with an associated pelvic discontinuity. We describe the technique of acetabular distraction with porous tantalum components and evaluate its survival, function and complication rate in patients undergoing revision surgery for chronic pelvic discontinuity. Between 2002 and 2006, we treated 28 patients with a chronic pelvic discontinuity acetabular reconstruction using acetabular distraction. A porous tantalum elliptical acetabular component was used alone or with an associated modular porous tantalum augment in all patients. Three patients died and five patients were lost to follow-up before two years. The remaining twenty patients were followed semiannually for a minimum of two years (average, 4.5 years; range, 2–7 years) with clinical pain and walking scores as well as radiographic evaluation for loosening, migration or failure. In the remaining twenty patients available for follow-up, one patient did require re-revision for aseptic loosening. Fifteen patients remained radiographically stable at last follow-up. Four patients had early migration of their acetabular component but thereafter remained radiographically stable and clinically asymptomatic. The average improvement using the modified Merle d9Aubigne – Postel pain and ambulation score was 6.6 (range, 3.3–9.6). There were no postoperative dislocations; however, we did encounter one infection, one vascular injury and one bowel injury. In this series, the use of acetabular distraction with porous tantalum components provides a biologic alternative to cage constructs with more predictable clinical results (average follow-up 4.5 years) for reconstruction of severe acetabular defects with associated pelvic discontinuity.
Accelerated Evaluation of Automated Vehicles in Car-Following Maneuvers

The safety of automated vehicles (AVs) must be assured before their release and deployment. The current approach to evaluation relies primarily on 1) testing AVs on public roads or 2) track testing with scenarios defined in a test matrix. These two methods have completely opposing drawbacks: the former, while offering realistic scenarios, takes too much time to execute and the latter, though it can be completed in a short amount of time, has no clear correlation to safety benefits in the real world. To avoid the aforementioned problems, we propose accelerated evaluation, focusing on the car-following scenario. The stochastic human-controlled vehicle (HV) motions are modeled based on 1.3 million miles of naturalistic driving data collected by the University of Michigan Safety Pilot Model Deployment Program. The statistics of the HV behaviors are then modified to generate more intense interactions between HVs and AVs to accelerate the evaluation procedure. The importance sampling theory was used to ensure that the safety benefits of AVs are accurately assessed under accelerated tests. Crash, injury and conflict rates for a simulated AV are simulated to demonstrate the proposed approach. Results show that test duration is reduced by a factor of 300 to 100 000 compared with the non-accelerated (naturalistic) evaluation. In other words, the proposed techniques have great potential for accelerating the AV evaluation process.
Rate optimal denoising of simultaneously sparse and low rank matrices

We study minimax rates for denoising simultaneously sparse and low rank matrices in high dimensions. We show that an iterative thresholding algorithm achieves (near) optimal rates adaptively under mild conditions for a large class of loss functions. Numerical experiments on synthetic datasets also demonstrate the competitive performance of the proposed method.
A quantile correlated random coefficients panel data model

Abstract We propose a generalization of the linear quantile regression model to accommodate possibilities afforded by panel data. Specifically, we extend the correlated random coefficients representation of linear quantile regression (e.g., Koenker, 2005; Section 2.6). We show that panel data allows the econometrician to (i) introduce dependence between the regressors and the random coefficients and (ii) weaken the assumption of comonotonicity across them (i.e., to enrich the structure of allowable dependence between different coefficients). We adopt a “fixed effects” approach, leaving any dependence between the regressors and the random coefficients unmodeled. We motivate different notions of quantile partial effects in our model and study their identification. For the case of discretely-valued covariates we present analog estimators and characterize their large sample properties. When the number of time periods ( T ) exceeds the number of random coefficients ( P ), identification is regular, and our estimates are N -consistent. When T = P , our identification results make special use of the subpopulation of stayers – units whose regressor values change little over time – in a way which builds on the approach of Graham and Powell (2012). In this just-identified case we study asymptotic sequences which allow the frequency of stayers in the population to shrink with the sample size. One purpose of these “discrete bandwidth asymptotics” is to approximate settings where covariates are continuously-valued and, as such, there is only an infinitesimal fraction of exact stayers, while keeping the convenience of an analysis based on discrete covariates. When the mass of stayers shrinks with N , identification is irregular and our estimates converge at a slower than N rate, but continue to have limiting normal distributions. We apply our methods to study the effects of collective bargaining coverage on earnings using the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 (NLSY79). Consistent with prior work (e.g., Chamberlain, 1982; Vella and Verbeek, 1998), we find that using panel data to control for unobserved worker heterogeneity results in sharply lower estimates of union wage premia. We estimate a median union wage premium of about 9 percent, but with, in a more novel finding, substantial heterogeneity across workers. The 0.1 quantile of union effects is insignificantly different from zero, whereas the 0.9 quantile effect is of over 30 percent. Our empirical analysis further suggests that, on net, unions have an equalizing effect on the distribution of wages.
Neumann problem for p-Laplace equation in metric spaces using a variational approach: Existence, boundedness, and boundary regularity

We employ a variational approach to study the Neumann boundary value problem for the p-Laplacian on bounded smooth-enough domains in the metric setting, and show that solutions exist and are bounded. The boundary data considered are Borel measurable bounded functions. We also study boundary continuity properties of the solutions. One of the key tools utilized is the trace theorem for Newton–Sobolev functions, and another is an analog of the De Giorgi inequality adapted to the Neumann problem.
Global stability and uniform persistence of the reaction-convection-diffusion cholera epidemic model

We study the global stability issue of the reaction-convection-diffusion cholera epidemic PDE model and show that the basic reproduction number serves as a threshold parameter that predicts whether cholera will persist or become globally extinct. Specifically, when the basic reproduction number is beneath one, we show that the disease-free-equilibrium is globally attractive. On the other hand, when the basic reproduction number exceeds one, if the infectious hosts or the concentration of bacteria in the contaminated water are not initially identically zero, we prove the uniform persistence result and that there exists at least one positive steady state.
Applications of nuclear resonance fluorescence

Nuclear Resonance Fluorescence (NRF) has the potential of addressing a wide variety of applications, which require isotopic and/or elemental information about a sample. We have investigated a variety of non-proliferation applications that may be addressed by NRF. From these applications, we have selected two, measuring uranium enrichment in UF 6 cylinders and material verification in dismantlement, to investigate in more detail. Analytical models have been developed to evaluate these applications, and test measurements have been conducted to validate those models. We found that it is unlikely with current technology to address the requirements for UF6 cylinder enrichment measurements. In contrast, NRF is a very promising approach for material verification for dismantlement.
Relative Chow stability and extremal metrics

Abstract We prove that the existence of extremal metrics implies asymptotically relative Chow stability. An application of this is the uniqueness, up to automorphisms, of extremal metrics in any polarization.
High-dimensional adaptive function-on-scalar regression

Abstract Applications of functional data with large numbers of predictors have grown precipitously in recent years, driven, in part, by rapid advances in genotyping technologies. Given the large numbers of genetic mutations encountered in genetic association studies, statistical methods which more fully exploit the underlying structure of the data are imperative for maximizing statistical power. However, there is currently very limited work in functional data with large numbers of predictors. Tools are presented for simultaneous variable selection and parameter estimation in a functional linear model with a functional outcome and a large number of scalar predictors; the technique is called AFSL for Adaptive Function-on-Scalar Lasso. It is demonstrated how techniques from convex analysis over Hilbert spaces can be used to establish a functional version of the oracle property for AFSL over any real separable Hilbert space, even when the number of predictors, I, is exponentially large compared to the sample size, N. AFSL is illustrated via a simulation study and data from the Childhood Asthma Management Program, CAMP, selecting those genetic mutations which are important for lung growth.
MULTIMODAL PAIN MANAGEMENT: GROWING ROLE OF PERI-ARTICULAR INJECTIONS

The entirety of the patient experience after contemporary total knee and total hip replacements in 2016 is markedly different from that encountered by patients just a decade ago. Ten years ago most patients were treated in a traditional sick-patient model of care and because they were assumed to require substantial hospital intervention, many cumbersome and costly interventions (e.g. indwelling urinary catheters, patient-controlled-analgesic pumps, autologous blood transfusion, continuous passive motion machines) were a routine part of the early post-operative experience. Today the paradigm has shifted to a well-patient model with a working assumption that once a patient has been medically optimised for surgery then the intervention itself, hip or knee replacement, will not typically create a sick-patient. Instead it is expected that most patients can be treated safely and more effectively with less intensive hospital intervention. While as orthopaedic surgeons we are enamored with the latest surgical techniques or interesting technologies most busy surgeons recognise that advances in peri-operative pain management, blood management, and early-mobilization therapy protocols account for the greatest share of improvements in patient experience over the past decade. One can think pragmatically to get ahead and stay ahead of 3 predictable physiologic disturbances that adversely impact rapid recovery after knee and hip replacement: fluid/blood loss; pain; and nausea. The modern orthopaedic surgeon and his/her care team needs a simple strategy to proactively, not reflexively, manage each of those 3 predictable impediments to early recovery. Those surgical teams that routinely get ahead and stay ahead in each of those areas will routinely witness faster recovery, lower costs and greater patient satisfaction and that is clearly a win for patient and surgeon alike. Effective pain management improves patient satisfaction, decreases hospital stay, and facilitates discharge to home. Today9s emphasis is on a multi-modal strategy that minimises the use of opioids. Most protocols use pre-operative medications including an NSAID, acetaminophen, an oral opioid and some include gabapentin. Regional anaesthesia is typically preferred over general. Both peripheral nerve blocks and periarticular local anesthetic cocktail injections have proved as effective adjuncts in decreasing early post-operative pain. Post-operative oral medications delivered on a schedule, not just as needed, often include acetaminophen, an NSAID and some included gabapentin. Oral and parenteral opioids are reserved for breakthrough pain.
Preface: special issue on biliary cancer.

Welcome to this special issue of Chinese Clinical Oncology ( CCO ) dedicated to biliary cancer.
Sales Concessions in the US Housing Market

This article examines the use of concessions in the US housing market, specifically payments for closing costs, home warranties, and structural repairs. This is the first study to examine the motivations and characteristics of homeowners that utilize concessions. It also examines the impact concessions have on transaction prices and marketing durations. While the literature has attempted to determine if concessions can reduce marketing durations or increase transaction prices, the evidence is tainted by endogeneity and sample issues. Additionally, we find that relative bargaining power between buyers and sellers has a fundamental effect on how concessions alter prices and marketing durations. This aspect has been considered only narrowly in the extant literature. Our results demonstrate that when sellers have bargaining power, transactions including concessions exhibit higher prices and shorter marketing durations. Conversely, when buyers have greater negotiation leverage, transactions including concessions experience lower prices and longer marketing periods.