cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Reverse fluorous solid-phase extraction: a new technique for rapid separation of fluorous compounds.

Fluorous-tagged compounds can rapidly be separated from organic (non-tagged) compounds by the new separation technique of reverse fluorous solid-phase extraction (r-fspe). In a reversal of the roles of solid and liquid phases in standard fluorous spe, a mixture is charged to a polar solid phase (standard silica gel) and then eluted with a fluorous solvent or solvent mixture. The organic components of the mixture are retained, while the fluorous components pass.
The serializability of network codes

Network coding theory is the most general study of transmission of information in networks whose vertices may perform nontrivial encoding and decoding operations on data as it passes through the network. A solution to a network coding problem is a specification of a coding function on each edge of the network. This specification is subject to constraints that ensure the existence of a protocol by which the messages on each vertex's outgoing edges can be computed from the data it received on its incoming edges. In directed acyclic graphs it is clear how to verify these causality constraints, but in graphs with cycles this becomes more subtle because of the possibility of cyclic dependencies among the coding functions. Sometimes the system of coding functions is serializable -- meaning that the cyclic dependencies (if any) can be "unraveled" by a protocol in which a vertex sends a few bits of its outgoing messages, waits to receive more information, then send a few more bits, and so on -- but in other cases, there is no way to eliminate a cyclic dependency by an appropriate sequencing of partial messages. How can we decide whether a given system of coding functions is serializable? When it is not serializable, how much extra information must be transmitted in order to permit a serialization? Our work addresses both of these questions. We show that the first one is decidable in polynomial time, whereas the second one is NP-hard, and in fact it is logarithmically inapproximable.
Study of concentration‐dependent dielectric properties of n‐type GaAs using variable angle spectroscopic ellipsometry

The dielectric function ∈ spectra of Si-doped n-type GaAs crystals at room temperature (296 K) have been determined between 1.53 and 5.01 eV, using variable angle spectroscopic ellipsometry (VASE). Samples with carrier concenhations ranging from 4.6×10 17 to 3.3×10 18 cm -3 were measured. The erects of surface microscopic roughness, native oxide overlayer and the subsurface damage were mathematically removed with an appropriate multilayer model
The Asymmetric Effects of Changes in Price and Income on Energy and Oil Demand

This paper estimates the effects on energy and oil demand of changes in income and oil prices, for 96 of the world’s largest countries, in per-capita terms. We examine three important issues: the asymmetric effects on demand of increases and decreases in oil prices; the asymmetric effects on demand of increases and decreases in income; and the different speeds of demand adjustment to changes in price and in income. Its main conclusions are the following: (1) OECD demand responds much more to increases in oil prices than to decreases; ignoring this asymmetric price response will bias downward the estimated response to income changes; (2) demand’s response to income decreases in many Non-OECD countries is not necessarily symmetric to its response to income increases; ignoring this asymmetric income response will bias the estimated response to income changes; (3) the speed of demand adjustment is faster to changes in income than to changes in price; ignoring this difference will bias upward the estimated response to income changes. Using correctly specified equations for energy and oil demand, the long-run response in demand for income growth is about 1.0 for Non-OECD Oil Exporters, Income Growers and perhaps all Non-OECD countries, and about 0.55 for OECD countries. These estimates for developing countries are significantly higher than current estimates used by the US Department of Energy. Our estimates for the OECD countries are also higher than those estimated recently by Schmalensee-Stoker-Judson (1998) and Holtz-Eakin and Selden (1995), who ignore the (asymmetric) effects of prices on demand. Higher responses to income changes, of course, will increase projections of energy and oil demand, and of carbon dioxide emissions.
Storage length, storage temperature, and lean formulation influence the shelf-life and stability of traditionally packaged ground beef

The effect of storage length and temperature on the shelf life of three ground beef formulations (lean:fat: 73:27, 81:19 and 91:9) was investigated. Coarsely ground beef was stored at − 1.7 or 2.3 °C for up to 28 d. Traditional overwrap packages were produced every 7 d prior to retail display for 24 h. Lipid oxidation (TBARS), subjective color, instrumental color, and aerobic bacteria were evaluated after 0 and 24 h of display. Formulation influenced initial L* and subjective color values (P < 0.05). Storage temperature did not affect initial color, but product stored at 2.3 °C was more discolored after 24 h (P < 0.05). Aerobic bacteria increased as storage d and temperature increased (P < 0.05). Initial TBARS increased through d 21, but were lower after 28 d. Overall, initial characteristics depended on formulation; however, ground beef shelf-life and stability were largely influenced by storage length and storage temperature.
Algebraic classification of numerical spacetimes and black-hole-binary remnants

In this paper we develop a technique for determining the algebraic classification of a numerically generated spacetime, possibly resulting from a generic black-hole-binary merger, using the Newman-Penrose Weyl scalars. We demonstrate these techniques for a test case involving a close binary with arbitrarily oriented spins and unequal masses. We find that, postmerger, the spacetime quickly approaches Petrov type II, and only approaches type D on much longer time scales. These techniques, in combination with techniques for evaluating acceleration and Newman-Unti-Tamburino parameters, allow us to begin to explore the validity of the ``no-hair theorem'' for generic merging-black-hole spacetimes.
Two-dimensional focusing of sonic boom noise penetrating an air-water interface

In the late 1960s and early 1970s research on supersonic aircraft determined that sonic boom noise would penetrate the surface of the ocean. It was assumed that the surface of the air-water interface was perfectly flat. Today, sonic boom noise is once again a topic of interest. The present work concentrates on two-dimensional focusing and defocusing, caused by ocean surface swell, of the penetrating sonic boom waveform. A finite difference algorithm is used to calculate tbe pressure levels underwater due to a rounded sonic boom waveform interacting with the water interface. Numerical results are consistent with the predictions of known theories involving 1) the existence of pressure disturbances underwater and 2) their penetration depth being a function of the aircraft's speed. These calculations also indicate that 1) the swell of the ocean surface focuses and defocuses the waveform with increasing effect as the ocean wave height increases and 2) the percent change (from a flat ocean interface to a wavy ocean interface) in pressure values due to the swell increases with increasing Mach number.
Geometric Programming for Aircraft Design Optimization

Formulating conceptual-stage aircraft design problems as geometric programs, which are a specific type of convex optimization problem, is proposed. Recent advances in convex optimization offer sign...
Robust detection of known signals in asymmetric noise

The detection of signals in noise with possibly asymmetric probability density functions is considered. The noise density model allows a symmetric contaminated-nominal central part and an arbitrary tail behavior. For detection of known signals, the robust nonlinear-correlator (NC) detector is obtained based on detector efficacy as performance criterion. The robust M -detector structure for constant-signal detection is also explicitly obtained.
Toward parts-based scene understanding with pixel-support parts-sparse pictorial structures

Scene understanding remains a significant challenge in the computer vision community. The visual psychophysics literature has demonstrated the importance of interdependence among parts of the scene. Yet, the majority of methods in scene understanding remain local. Pictorial structures have arisen as a fundamental parts-based model for some vision problems, such as articulated object detection. However, the form of classical pictorial structures limits their applicability for global problems, such as semantic pixel labeling. In this paper, we propose an extension of the pictorial structures approach, called pixel-support parts-sparse pictorial structures, or PS3, to overcome this limitation. Our model extends the classical form in two ways: first, it defines parts directly based on pixel-support rather than in a parametric form, and second, it specifies a space of plausible parts-based scene models and permits one to be used for inference on any given image. PS3 makes strides toward unifying object-level and pixel-level modeling of scene elements. In this paper, we implement the first half of our model and rely upon external knowledge to provide an initial graph structure for a given image. Our experimental results on benchmark datasets demonstrate the capability of this new parts-based view of scene modeling.
Are there too many safe securities? Securitization and the incentives for information production

We present a model that helps explain several past collapses of securitization markets. Originators issue too many informationally insensitive securities in good times, blunting investor incentives to become informed. The resulting endogenous scarcity of informed investors exacerbates primary market collapses in bad times. Ine¢ ciency arises because informed investors are a public good from the perspective of originators. All originators bene…t from the presence of additional informed investors in bad times, but each originator minimizes his reliance on costly informed capital in good times by issuing safe securities. Our model suggests regulations that limit the issuance of safe securities in good times.
A Low-Complexity Universal Scheme for Rate-Constrained Distributed Regression Using a Wireless Sensor Network

We propose a scheme for rate-constrained distributed nonparametric regression using a wireless sensor network. The scheme is universal across a wide range of sensor noise models, including unbounded and nonadditive noise; it has low complexity, requiring simple operations such as uniform scalar quantization with dither and message passing between neighboring nodes in the network, and attains minimax optimality for regression functions in common smoothness classes. We present theoretical results on the tradeoff between the compression rate, communication complexity of encoding, and the MSE and demonstrate empirical performance of the scheme using simulations.
Defense Expenditures, Economic Growth and the 'Peace Dividend"

Recent developments in Eastern Europe have created expectations of a “peace dividend” associated with reduced levels of U.S. defense expenditures. We present and empirically estimate a two-equation model for assessing the direct and indirect, immediate and delayed effects of changes in defense spending on economic growth in the United States.
Vaccinia Virus Expression Vectors

Infectious diseases remain a major problem throughout the world. It is clear, at least for viruses, that prevention is our best defense. Most successful vaccines (e.g., smallpox, rubella, Sabin poliomyelitis, measles, mumps, yellow fever) have consisted of live attenuated viruses. In general, they provide long-lasting immunity, high potency, and economy of manufacture and delivery. A few vaccines (e.g., Salk poliomyelitis, influenza, rabies) are killed viruses. One vaccine (hepatitis B) consists of a purified subunit protein. Developments in recombinant DNA technology have opened new possibilities for vaccine production. Genetic engineering can be used to produce subunit proteins, attenuate viruses by gene deletion or modification, or construct live recombinant vectors. As a potential vector, vaccinia virus has impressive credentials, as it was responsible for the eradication of smallpox. Studies suggest that vaccinia virus can be used for expression of genes from other microorganisms and that such recombinants retain infectivity, induce humoral and cell-mediated immunity, and provide significant disease protection to experimental animals.
An Occupation in Transition: Traditional and Modern Forms of Commercial Fishing

This study examines certain changes taking place within the occupational world of commercial fishermen in the United States. An ethnographic description of fishing in Bristol Bay, Alaska, is provided. This fishery is regarded as an exemplar of “modern” fishing and is shown to contrast sharply with “traditional” fishing. Some of the more critical social and economic features of fishing as an occupation are translated into analytic variables for comparative purposes. Finally, some consequences of observed variations within the occupation are discussed with attention directed to the prospective future faced by fishermen.
ON BENDS AND LENGTHS OF RECTILINEAR PATHS: A GRAPH-THEORETIC APPROACH

We consider the problem of finding a rectilinear path between two designated points in the presence of rectilinear obstacles subject to various optimization functions in terms of the number of bends and the total length of the path. Specifically we are interested in finding a minimum bend shortest path, a shortest minimum bend path or a least-cost path where the cost is defined as a function of both the length and the number of bends of the path. We provide a unified approach by constructing a path-preserving graph. guaranteed to preserve all these three kinds of paths and give an O(K+e log e) algorithm to find them, where e is the total number of obstacle edges, and K is the number of intersections between tracks from extreme point and other tracks (defined in the text). K is bounded by O(et), where t is the number of extreme edges. In particular, if the obstacles are rectilinearly convex, then K is O(ne), where n is the number of obstacles. Extensions are made to find a shortest path with a bounded number of bends and a minimum-bend path with a bounded length. When a source point and obstacles are pre-given, queries for the assorted paths from the source to given points can be handled in O(log e+k) time after O(K+e log e) preprocessing, where k is the size of the goal path. The trans-dichotomous algorithm of Fredman and Willard8 and the running time for these problems are also discussed.
An agent-based financial simulation for use by researchers

Regulators and policy makers, facing a complicated, fast-paced and quickly evolving marketplace, require new tools and decision aides to inform policy. Agent-based models, which are capable of capturing the organization of exchanges, intricacies of market mechanisms, and the heterogeneity of market participants, offer a powerful method for understanding the financial marketplace. To this end, we have worked to develop a flexible and adaptable agent-based model of financial markets that can be extended and applied to interesting policy questions. This paper presents the implementation of this model. In addition, it provides a small case study that demonstrates the possible uses of the model. The source code of the simulation has also been released and is available for use.
Is it worth it? Postsecondary education and labor market outcomes for the disadvantaged

In this paper we examine a range of postsecondary education and labor market outcomes, with a particular focus on minorities and/or disadvantaged workers. We use administrative data from the state of Florida, where postsecondary student records have been linked to UI earnings data and also to secondary education records. Our main findings can be summarized as follows: 1) Gaps in secondary school achievement can account for a large portion of the variation in postsecondary attainment and labor market outcomes between the disadvantaged and other students, but meaningful gaps also exist within achievement groups, and 2) Earnings of the disadvantaged are hurt by low completion rates in postsecondary programs, poor performance during college, and not choosing high-earning fields. In particular, significant labor market premia can be earned in a variety of more technical certificate and Associate (AA) programs, even for those with weak earlier academic performance, but instead many disadvantaged (and other) students choose general humanities programs at the AA (and even the BA level) with low completion rates and low compensation afterwards. A range of policies and practices might be used to improve student choices as well as their completion rates and earnings.
Computational study of a family of mixed-integer quadratic programming problems

We present computational experience with a branch-and-cut algorithm to solve quadratic programming problems where there is an upper bound on the number of positive variables. Such problems arise in financial applications. The algorithm solves the largest real-life problems in a few minutes of run-time.
The influence of 2,2′-dipyridyl on non-formaldehyde electroless copper plating

Abstract High electroless copper deposition rates can be achieved using hypophosphite as the reducing agent. However, the high deposition rate also results in dark deposits. In the hypophosphite baths, nickel ions (0.0057 M with Ni 2+ /Cu 2+ mole ratio 0.14) were used to catalyze hypophosphite oxidation. In this study, additives (e.g. 2,2′-dipyridyl) were investigated to improve the microstructure and properties of the copper deposits in the hypophosphite (non-formaldehyde) baths. The influence of 2,2′-dipyridyl on the deposit composition, structure, properties, and the electrochemical reactions of hypophosphite (oxidation) and cupric ion (reduction) have been investigated. The electroless deposition rate decreased with the addition of 2,2′-dipyridyl to the plating solution and the color of the deposits changed from dark brown to a semi-bright with improved uniformity. The deposits also had smaller crystallite size and higher (1 1 1) plane orientation with the use of 2,2′-dipyridyl. The resistivity and nickel content of the deposit were not affected by 2,2′-dipyridyl additions to the bath. The electrochemical current–voltage results show that 2,2′-dipyridyl inhibits the catalytic oxidation of hypophosphite at the active nickel site. This results in a more negative electroless deposition potential and lower deposition rate.
Comparison of the properties of oxycarbide and oxynitride glasses

Preparation de verres d'oxycarbure dans le systeme MG-Al-Si-O-C et d'oxynitrure dans le systeme Mg−Al−Si−O−N par les techniques de fusion habituelles et mesure des proprietes mecaniques en fonction de la teneur en azote ou en carbone
THEMIS measurements of quasi-static electric fields in the inner magnetosphere

We use 4 years of Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions during Substorms (THEMIS) double-probe measurements to offer, for the first time, a complete picture of the dawn-dusk electric field covering all local times and radial distances in the inner magnetosphere based on in situ equatorial observations. This study is motivated by the results from the CRRES mission, which revealed a local maximum in the electric field developing near Earth during storm times, rather than the expected enhancement at higher L shells that is shielded near Earth as suggested by the Volland-Stern model. The CRRES observations were limited to the duskside, while THEMIS provides complete local time coverage. We show strong agreement with the CRRES results on the duskside, with a local maximum near L = 4 for moderate levels of geomagnetic activity and evidence of strong electric fields inside L = 3 during the most active times. The extensive data set from THEMIS also confirms the day/night asymmetry on the duskside, where the enhancement is closest to Earth in the dusk-midnight sector, and is farther away closer to noon. A similar, but smaller in magnitude, local maximum is observed on the dawnside near L = 4. The noon sector shows the smallest average electric fields, and for more active times, the enhancement develops near L = 7 rather than L = 4. We also investigate the impact of the uncertain boom-shorting factor on the results and show that while the absolute magnitude of the electric field may be underestimated, the trends with geomagnetic activity remain intact.
On the Puzzle Surrounding Hans Kelsen's Basic Norm

Whereas fundamental norms in the juridico-philosophical tradition serve to impose constraints, Kelsen's fundamental norm—or basic norm (Grundnorm)—purports to establish the normativist character of the law. But how is the basic norm itself established? Kelsen himself rules out the appeals that are familiar from the tradition—the appeal to fact, and to morality. What remains is a Kantian argument. I introduce and briefly evaluate the Kantian and neo-Kantian positions, as applied to Kelsen's theory. The distinction between the two positions, I argue, is reflected in an ambiguity in the use of the term “regressive.”
Feedback Capacity of the Gaussian Interference Channel to Within 2 Bits

We characterize the capacity region to within 2 bits/s/Hz and the symmetric capacity to within 1 bit/s/Hz for the two-user Gaussian interference channel (IC) with feedback. We develop achievable schemes and derive a new outer bound to arrive at this conclusion. One consequence of the result is that feedback provides multiplicative gain at high signal-to-noise ratio: the gain becomes arbitrarily large for certain channel parameters. This finding is in contrast to point-to-point and multiple-access channels where feedback provides no gain and only bounded additive gain respectively. The result makes use of a linear deterministic model to provide insights into the Gaussian channel. This deterministic model is a special case of the El Gamal-Costa deterministic model and as a side-generalization, we establish the exact feedback capacity region of this general class of deterministic ICs.
Neural coding in the cat retina

The output of the cat retina is conveyed to the brain by the axons of /spl sim/170,000 retinal ganglion cells that together constitute an optic nerve. Ganglion cells come in a number of varieties with the result that the message conveyed along the nerve to the brain is partitioned into a number of components. In the paper some key discoveries about neural coding in the cat retina are reported and used to illustrate how efficient the retina is at encoding visual information.
On the First Eigenfunction of the Symmetric Stable Process in a Bounded Lipschitz Domain

We give a proof that the first eigenfunction of the α-symmetric stable process on a bounded Lipschitz domain in \(\mathbb {R}^{d}\), d≥1, is superharmonic for α=2/m, where m>2 is an integer. This result was first proved by M. Kasmann and L. Silvestre for the ball (private communication) and for C1,1 domains in Kasmann and Silvestre (http:// www.math.uchicago.edu/luis/preprints/cfe.pdf). For α=1, the result for Lipschitz domains was proved in Banuelos and Kulczycki (J. Funct. Anal. 211, 355–423, 2004, Theorem 4.7).
Where do ‘red and dead’ early-type void galaxies come from?

Void regions of the Universe offer a special environment for studying cosmology and galaxy formation, which may expose weaknesses in our understanding of these phenomena. Although galaxies in voids are observed to be predominately gas rich, star forming and blue, a subpopulation of bright-red void galaxies can also be found, whose star formation was shutdown long ago. Are the same processes that quench star formation in denser regions of the Universe also at work in voids? We compare the luminosity function of void galaxies in the 2dF Galaxy Redshift Survey, to those from a galaxy formation model built on the Millennium simulation. We show that a global star formation suppression mechanism in the form of low-luminosity 'radio-mode' active galactic nuclei (AGN) heating is sufficient to reproduce the observed population of void early types. Radio-mode heating is environment independent other than its dependence on dark matter halo mass, where, above a critical mass threshold of approximately M vir ∼ 10 12.5 M ⊙ , gas cooling on to the galaxy is suppressed and star formation subsequently fades. In the Millennium simulation, the void halo mass function is shifted with respect to denser environments, but still maintains a high-mass tail above this critical threshold. In such void haloes, radio-mode heating remains efficient and red galaxies are found; collectively these galaxies match the observed space density without any modification to the model. Consequently, galaxies living in vastly different large-scale environments but hosted by haloes of similar mass are predicted to have similar properties, consistent with observations.
The relationship between indoor and outdoor temperature, apparent temperature, relative humidity, and absolute humidity

Many studies report an association between outdoor ambient weather and health. Outdoor conditions may be a poor indicator of personal exposure because people spend most of their time indoors. Few studies have examined how indoor conditions relate to outdoor ambient weather. The average indoor temperature, apparent temperature, relative humidity (RH), and absolute humidity (AH) measured in 16 homes in Greater Boston, Massachusetts, from May 2011 to April 2012 was compared to measurements taken at Boston Logan airport. The relationship between indoor and outdoor temperatures is nonlinear. At warmer outdoor temperatures, there is a strong correlation between indoor and outdoor temperature (Pearson correlation coefficient, r = 0.91, slope, β = 0.41), but at cooler temperatures, the association is weak (r = 0.40, β = 0.04). Results were similar for outdoor apparent temperature. The relationships were linear for RH and AH. The correlation for RH was modest (r = 0.55, β = 0.39). Absolute humidity exhibited the strongest indoor-to-outdoor correlation (r = 0.96, β = 0.69). Indoor and outdoor temperatures correlate well only at warmer outdoor temperatures. Outdoor RH is a poor indicator of indoor RH, while indoor AH has a strong correlation with outdoor AH year-round.
The role of spirituality in the mediation process

This article shares the findings of a study that explored aspects of a spiritually integrated mediation process. Specifically, the study sought to describe what makes mediation spiritual in nature, and how spirituality may affect or influence the mediation process. Semistructured phenomenological interviews were conducted with sixteen mediators who self-identified as integrating spirituality in their work, and five observers of these mediators. The study relates experiences in which mediators have integrated spirituality in mediation, with suggested implications for practice.
π-Stacking interactions in some crystalline cisoid E,E-1,4-diaryl-1,3-butadienes

A cisoid E,E-1,4-diperfluorophenyl-1,3-butadiene has been prepared in which offset stacking between perfluorophenyl–perfluorophenyl rings occurs, and face-to-face stacking between phenyl–perfluorophenyl rings is found in crystals of its 1 : 1 complex with a cisoid E,E-1,4-diphenyl-1,3-butadiene.
Transesterification/Acylation of Secondary Alcohols Mediated by N-Heterocyclic Carbene Catalysts

N-Heterocyclic carbenes (NHC) are efficient catalysts for transesterification/acylation reactions involving secondary alcohols. The catalytic transformations are carried out employing low catalyst loadings in convenient reaction times at room temperature.
An Isolated Three-Port Bidirectional DC–DC Converter for Photovoltaic Systems With Energy Storage

This paper proposes a new isolated three-port bidirectional dc–dc converter for simultaneous power management of multiple energy sources. The proposed converter has the advantage of using the least number of switches and soft switching for the main switch, which is realized by using an inductor–capacitor–inductor ( $LCL$ ) -resonant circuit. The converter is capable of interfacing sources of different voltage–current characteristics with a load and/or a dc microgrid. The proposed converter is constructed for simultaneous power management of a photovoltaic (PV) panel, a rechargeable battery, and a load. Simulation and experimental results show that the proposed converter is capable of maximum power point tracking control for the PV panel, when there is solar radiation, and controlling the charge and discharge of the battery, when there is surplus energy and power deficiency with respect to the load, respectively.
Hedging under arbitrage

It is shown that delta hedging provides the optimal trading strategy in terms of minimal required initial capital to replicate a given terminal payoff in a continuous-time Markovian context. This holds true in market models in which no equivalent local martingale measure exists but only a square-integrable market price of risk. A new probability measure is constructed, which takes the place of an equivalent local martingale measure. In order to ensure the existence of the delta hedge, sufficient conditions are derived for the necessary differentiability of expectations indexed over the initial market configuration. The phenomenon of “bubbles,” which has recently been frequently discussed in the academic literature, is a special case of the setting in this paper. Several examples at the end illustrate the techniques described in this work.
Progress on Nonpoint Pollution: Barriers & Opportunities

Nonpoint source pollution is the runoff of pollutants (including soil and nutrients) from agri- cultural, urban, and other lands (as opposed to point source pollution, which comes directly from one outlet). Many efforts have been made to combat both types of pollution, so why are we making so little progress in improving water quality by reducing runoff of soil and nutrients into lakes and rivers? This essay exam- ines the challenges inherent in: 1) producing science to predict and assess nonpoint management and pol- icy effectiveness; and 2) using science for management and policy-making. Barriers to dem onstrating causality include few experimental designs, different spatial scales for behaviors and measured outcomes, and lags between when policies are enacted and when their effects are seen. Primary obstacles to using sci- ence as evidence in nonpoint policy include disagreements about values and preferences, disputes over validi- ty of assumptions, and institutional barriers to reconciling the supply and demand for science. We will illus- trate some of these challenges and present possible solutions using examples from the Yahara Watershed in Wisconsin. Overcoming the barriers to nonpoint-pollution prevention may require policy-makers to gain a better understanding of existing scienti½c knowledge and act to protect public values in the face of remaining scienti½c uncertainty.
Improvement in Control of the Tandem Hot Strip Mill

Our previous work has shown that the use of the state-dependent Riccati equation (SDRE) technique as a basis for the development of a suitable controller for the tandem hot metal rolling process has resulted in significant improvements in performance. However, the method of setting the controller parameters was left as a part of future efforts. In this paper, we show that improvements in the implementation of the SDRE method provide a method of easily setting initial control parameters and then making automatic adjustments to the controller as the strip is processed through the mill. This eliminates the need for an online solution of the SDRE or the need for lookup tables to make controller settings. These improvements greatly simplify the design and implementation of the controller and also make the SDRE technique even more attractive in the control of many similar complex industrial processes.
Fayet-Iliopoulos Terms in String Theory

For vacua of string theory which leave unbroken N = 1 supersymmetry in the leading approximation, non-renormalization theorems guarantee that higher order (string or sigma model) perturbative corrections do not modify the space-time superpotential. If the low energy gauge group contains U(1) factors, this is not enough to ensure that the low energy physics is perturbatively stable. It is still possible to generate a Fayet-Iliopoulos D -term. We show that under certain conditions such a term is generated, and destabilizes the vacuum. This is a counterexample to various claims about the universal absence of quantum tadpoles when expanding around a classical solution with unbroken supersymmetry. Whether, in a given model, the generation of a D -term will destabilize the vacuum (or merely change the pattern of symmetry breaking) can be determined from properties of the low energy effective action.
Coordinated Continual Planning Methods for Cooperating Rovers

Eight evaluation metrics are used to compare and contrast three coordination schemes for a system that continuously plans to control collections of rovers (or spacecraft) using collective mission goals instead of goals or command sequences for each spacecraft. These schemes use a central coordinator to either: 1) micromanage rovers one activity at a time; 2) assign mission goals to rovers; or 3) arbitrate mission goal auctions among rovers. A self-commanding collection of rovers would autonomously coordinate itself to satisfy high-level science and engineering goals in a changing partially understood environment - making the operation of tens or even a hundred spacecraft feasible
A Randomized Controlled Trial Translating the Diabetes Prevention Program to a University Worksite, Ohio, 2012–2014

INTRODUCTION Working adults spend much time at the workplace, an ideal setting for wellness programs targeting weight loss and disease prevention. Few randomized trials have evaluated the efficacy of worksite diabetes prevention programs. This study evaluated the efficacy of a worksite lifestyle intervention on metabolic and behavioral risk factors compared with usual care. METHODS A pretest-posttest control group design with 3-month follow-up was used. Participants with prediabetes were recruited from a university worksite and randomized to receive a 16-week lifestyle intervention (n = 35) or usual care (n = 34). Participants were evaluated at baseline, postintervention, and 3-month follow-up. Dietary intake was measured by a food frequency questionnaire and level of physical activity by accelerometers. Repeated measures analysis of variance compared the change in outcomes between and within groups. RESULTS Mean (standard error [SE]) weight loss was greater in the intervention (-5.5% [0.6%]) than in the control (-0.4% [0.5%]) group (P < .001) postintervention and was sustained at 3-month follow-up (P < .001). Mean (SE) reductions in fasting glucose were greater in the intervention (-8.6 [1.6] mg/dL) than in the control (-3.7 [1.6] mg/dL) group (P = .02) postintervention; both groups had significant glucose reductions at 3-month follow-up (P < .001). In the intervention group, the intake of total energy and the percentage of energy from all fats, saturated fats, and trans fats decreased, and the intake of dietary fiber increased (all P < .01) postintervention. CONCLUSION The worksite intervention improved metabolic and behavioral risk factors among employees with prediabetes. The long-term impact on diabetes prevention and program sustainability warrant further investigation.
Trends and Developments in Hog Manure Management: 1998-2009

In the past decade, hog production has increasingly become consolidated, with larger operations producing a greater volume of hog manure on smaller areas. With less cropland for spreading the manure, hog farmers may be compensating through more effective manure management. The authors use data from 1998 to 2009 collected in three national surveys of hog farmers. Over this period, structural changes in the hog sector altered how manure is stored and handled. Changes to the Clean Water Act, State regulations, and local conflicts over air quality also affected manure management decisions. The findings further suggest that environmental policy has influenced conservation-compatible manure management practices. The authors examine how the use of nutrient management plans and of practices such as controlled manure application rates vary with scale of production and how these practices changed over the study period. This report is an update of an earlier report, Changes in Manure Management in the Hog Sector: 1998-2004.
Sample Selection Approaches to Estimating House Price Cash Differentials

We extend the literature on house price cash differentials in important ways. First, our paper is the first to employ methods to correct for sample selection bias, using both switching regression and propensity score matching of cash vs. non-cash transactions. We use selection models to produce price counterfactuals for cash and noncash buyers. We also include both average treatment effect and a propensity score weighted selection models. From the selection models, we find that previous studies likely overstate the cash discount. Results from counterfactual tests examining cash discounts suggest amplified cash discounts in areas with close proximity to an environmental hazard; and also a pricing differential based on CBG level income, with purchasers in high income areas more likely to pay a cash premium compared to market participants in areas with comparably lower income, where a cash discount is detected. These results provide useful insights for market participants including real estate appraisers, brokers, and buyers and sellers of real estate.
Continuous matrix approximation on distributed data

Tracking and approximating data matrices in streaming fashion is a fundamental challenge. The problem requires more care and attention when data comes from multiple distributed sites, each receiving a stream of data. This paper considers the problem of "tracking approximations to a matrix" in the distributed streaming model. In this model, there are m distributed sites each observing a distinct stream of data (where each element is a row of a distributed matrix) and has a communication channel with a coordinator, and the goal is to track an e-approximation to the norm of the matrix along any direction. To that end, we present novel algorithms to address the matrix approximation problem. Our algorithms maintain a smaller matrix B, as an approximation to a distributed streaming matrix A, such that for any unit vector x: |||Ax||2 − ||Bx||2| ≤ e||A||2F. Our algorithms work in streaming fashion and incur small communication, which is critical for distributed computation. Our best method is deterministic and uses only O((m/e) log(βN)) communication, where N is the size of stream (at the time of the query) and β is an upperbound on the squared norm of any row of the matrix. In addition to proving all algorithmic properties theoretically, extensive experiments with real large datasets demonstrate the efficiency of these protocols.
Distribution Policies of Private Foundations

Private foundations must spend at least five percent of their assets each year on charitable purposes. This paper examines actual tax return data from a sample of private foundations between 1994 and 1998. It examines the amount and timeliness of their charitable expenditures. It also examines the level of charitable administrative expenses per dollar of grants. It finds that the amounts currently transferred to charitable beneficiaries is negatively correlated with the fraction of operating expenses paid to foundation officers, directors, and trustees, and is positively associated with the fraction of current revenues from new contributions.
Formica ex machina : ant swarm foraging from physical to virtual and back again

Ants use individual memory and pheromone communication to forage efficiently. We implement these strategies as distributed search algorithms in robotic swarms. Swarms of simple robots are robust, scalable and capable of exploring for resources in unmapped environments. We test the ability of individual robots and teams of three robots to collect tags distributed in random and clustered distributions in simulated and real environments. Teams of three real robots that forage based on individual memory without communication collect RFID tags approximately twice as fast as a single robot using the same strategy. Our simulation system mimics the foraging behaviors of the robots and replicates our results. Simulated swarms of 30 and 100 robots collect tags 8 and 22 times faster than teams of three robots. This work demonstrates the feasibility of programming large robot teams for collective tasks such as retrieval of dispersed resources, mapping, and environmental monitoring. It also lays a foundation for evolving collective search algorithms in silico and then implementing those algorithms in machina in robust and scalable robotic swarms.
Semantic specifications for the Rewrite Rule Machine

This paper presents three semantic specifications for the Rewrite Rule Machine. This machine consists of a large number of parallel rewrite processors operating independently, each implemented as a VLSI chip. The first specification, called parallel rewriting, provides an abstract operational semantics for the rewrite processor. The second specification, called the cell machine model, provides a more concrete operational semantics for this processor, using algebraic semantics (in OBJ) and set theory. The third specification, called concurrent rewriting, gives an abstract semantics for the Rewrite Rule Machine as a whole.
Shared moments: opportunities for mobile phones in religious participation

The near ubiquity of mobile phones in the world and in people's lives, have created new opportunities for reinterpretation of what these devices are and what they do. One area that has recently emerged is the use of mobile phones in religious practices. Researchers and designers have yet to develop a concrete framework or strategies for designing in this space.This research explores the appropriate role for a mobile phone in religious practice looking specifically at an American Soto Zen Buddhist community. Despite the assumed dysfunction between mobile technology and the Buddhist philosophy of "living in the here and now," we found many opportunities for the phone to help maintain and enhance the bonds between members of religious communities, helping them feel a stronger sense of participation.
Computer Solution of Pressure Distribution Problem

General computer method for solving vertical pressure distribution problems encountered in applied soil mechanics is presented; attempt is made to retain direct equivalence between physical problem and required computer notation and logic; possible computer flow diagram and specific Fortran program for use on computer used are given.
The Evolving Role of Food Sourced Outside the Home on Diets in the U.S.: 1977-2010

Food away from home (FAFH) is known to be of poorer nutritional quality. Given the increased prominence of FAFH over the past 35 years, some policymakers and health advocates seek to further regulate this market. This policy approach is only as strong as its expected impact. Using an individual fixed effects approach, we first document how FAFH (both fast food and restaurants) has had a relatively stable negative impact on dietary quality over 1977-2010. Yet, overall levels of dietary quality have increased over 20% during this period. To this end, we use an Oaxaca-Blinder decomposition approach to understand how changes in FAFH choices and observable characteristics of individuals have impacted the trajectory of dietary improvements. We find that increased consumption of FAFH plays a very small role in explaining changes in dietary quality (about 4%) as compared to changes in demographics (e.g., age and race/ethnicity -- about 5%) and human capital (e.g., education -- about 7.5%). We attribute the substantial residual, or unexplained, improvement to changes in unobservable factors (e.g., consumer preferences, the food environment, and overlapping nutrition policy initiatives).
Integrals of Lipschitz–Hankel type, Legendre functions and table errata

ABSTRACTThe complete Lipschitz–Hankel integrals (LHIs) include the Laplace transforms of the Bessel functions, multiplied by powers. Such Laplace transforms can be evaluated using associated Legendre functions. It is noted that there are errors in published versions of these evaluations, and a merged and emended list of seven transforms is given. Errata for standard reference works, such as the table of Gradshteyn and Ryzhik, are also given. Most of the errors are attributable to inconsistent normalization of the Legendre functions. These transforms can be viewed as limits of incomplete LHIs, which find application in communication theory.
Annotation and Classification of Argumentative Writing Revisions

This paper explores the annotation and classification of students’ revision behaviors in argumentative writing. A sentence-level revision schema is proposed to capture why and how students make revisions. Based on the proposed schema, a small corpus of student essays and revisions was annotated. Studies show that manual annotation is reliable with the schema and the annotated information helpful for revision analysis. Furthermore, features and methods are explored for the automatic classification of revisions. Intrinsic evaluations demonstrate promising performance in high-level revision classification (surface vs. text-based). Extrinsic evaluations demonstrate that our method for automatic revision classification can be used to predict a writer’s improvement.
Expedient Access to 2,3-Dihydropyridines from Unsaturated Oximes by Rh(III)-Catalyzed C–H Activation

α,β-Unsaturated oxime pivalates are proposed to undergo reversible C(sp2)–H insertion with cationic Rh(III) complexes to furnish five-membered metallacycles. In the presence of 1,1-disubstituted olefins, these species participate in irreversible migratory insertion to give, after reductive elimination, 2,3-dihydropyridine products in good yields. Catalytic hydrogenation can then be used to convert these molecules into piperidines, which are important structural components of numerous pharmaceuticals.