cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Patterns theory and geodesic automatic structure for a class of groups

We introduce a theory of patterns in order to study geodesics in a certain class of group presentations. Using patterns we show that there does not exist a geodesic automatic structure for certain group presentations, and that certain group presentations are almost convex.
EFFECTS OF CATECHOLAMINES ON SUPRA-OPTIC NUCLEUS NEURONES IN ORGAN CULTURE

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the effects of catecholamines on supra-optic nucleus neurons in organ culture. The effect of catecholamines was examined on cultures in which a high spike frequency was generated by continuous exposure either to glutamate, or to nicotine 10−6 M. Under these conditions, concentration- dependent inhibition of spike frequency is produced by concentrations of norepinephrine (NE) between IO-7 to 10−4M. The upper tracing illustrates the inhibition of nicotine spiking produced by exposure to norepinephrine. The same norepinephrine response is observed if glutamate is used to initiate membrane activity. It is noteworthy that during the period in which norepinephrine is inhibiting spiking activity, the configuration of those action potentials which do occur is not significantly different from the action potentials that develop during the control period with nicotine or with glutamate. It is found that only the frequency of spike generation is altered. This is in contrast to the effect of gamma-amino butyric acid, which also reduces the spike frequency with concentration dependence much like that of norepinephrine.
Dynamic Models of Reputation and Competition in Job-Market Matching

A fundamental decision faced by a firm hiring employees --- and a familiar one to anyone who has dealt with the academic job market, for example --- is deciding what caliber of candidates to pursue. Should the firm try to increase its reputation by making offers to higher-quality candidates, despite the risk that the candidates might reject the offers and leave the firm empty-handed? Or is it better to play it safe and go for weaker candidates who are more likely to accept the offer? The question acquires an added level of complexity once we take into account the effect one hiring cycle has on the next: hiring better employees in the current cycle increases the firm's reputation, which in turn increases its attractiveness for higher-quality candidates in the next hiring cycle. These considerations introduce an interesting temporal dynamic aspect to the rich line of research on matching models for job markets, in which long-range planning and evolving reputational effects enter into the strategic decisions made by competing firms.The full set of ingredients in such recruiting decisions is complex, and this has made it difficult to model the fundamental strategic tension at the core of the problem. Here we develop a model based on two competing firms to try capturing as cleanly as possible the elements that we believe constitute this strategic tension: the trade-off between short-term recruiting success and long-range reputation-building; the inefficiency that results from underemployment of people who are not ranked highest; and the influence of earlier accidental outcomes on long-term reputations.Our model exhibits all these phenomena in a stylized setting, governed by a parameter $q$ that captures the difference in strength between the top candidate in each hiring cycle and the next best. Building on an economic model of competition between parties of unequal strength, we show that when $q$ is relatively low, the efficiency of the job market is improved by long-range reputational effects, but when $q$ is relatively high, taking future reputations into account can sometimes reduce the efficiency. While this trade-off arises naturally in the model, the multi-period nature of the strategic reasoning it induces adds new sources of complexity, and our analysis reveals interesting connections between competition with evolving reputations and the the dynamics of urn processes.
Changing the Competitive Landscape: Continuous Innovation Through IT-Enabled Knowledge Capabilities

We theoretically and empirically investigate the relationship between information technology (IT) and firm innovation. Invoking absorptive capacity (ACAP) theory, we introduce and develop the concepts of three types of IT-enabled knowledge capabilities. Firm innovation is examined through two observable innovation outcomes: patents, and new product and service introductions. These innovation outcomes are often labeled as competitive actions aggressively undertaken by firms to gain market share or to achieve profitability. We use secondary data about IT-enabled knowledge capabilities and innovation outcomes of 110 firms. Our data results provide strong support for our main assertion that knowledge capabilities that are enhanced through the use of IT contribute to firm innovation. The study's findings suggest that the three types of IT-enabled knowledge capabilities have differential effects on firm innovation. This study substantially contributes to the information systems (IS) research, methodology, and practice in multiple ways.
String homology of spheres and projective spaces

The free loop space LM D Map.S;M / of a closed n–manifold, M , admits an action of the circle S by rotation of loops. This space and the homotopy orbit space (or Borel construction) LMhS1 DLM S1 ES 1 were shown in Chas and Sullivan’s article [4] on string topology to admit remarkable multiplicative structures inspired by conformal field theory. Furthermore, both spaces are entwined in the definition of topological cyclic homology given by Bokstedt, Hsiang and Madsen [1].
The Role of Middle Management in the Strategy Process: Group Affiliation, Structural Holes, and Tertius Iungens

This study explores the relationship between eight distinct brokerage roles of middle managers and their involvement in achieving different strategic goals. The authors argue that each role contributes to different aspects of middle managers’ strategic goals and that some roles are more likely to realize brokerage advantages than others. They further suggest that bridging structural holes may not be an optimal strategy in all situations. Important implications of their model are discussed and several future research directions are proposed.
Language-motivated approaches to action recognition

We present language-motivated approaches to detecting, localizing and classifying activities and gestures in videos. In order to obtain statistical insight into the underlying patterns of motions in activities, we develop a dynamic, hierarchical Bayesian model which connects low-level visual features in videos with poses, motion patterns and classes of activities. This process is somewhat analogous to the method of detecting topics or categories from documents based on the word content of the documents, except that our documents are dynamic. The proposed generative model harnesses both the temporal ordering power of dynamic Bayesian networks such as hidden Markov models (HMMs) and the automatic clustering power of hierarchical Bayesian models such as the latent Dirichlet allocation (LDA) model. We also introduce a probabilistic framework for detecting and localizing pre-specified activities (or gestures) in a video sequence, analogous to the use of filler models for keyword detection in speech processing. We demonstrate the robustness of our classification model and our spotting framework by recognizing activities in unconstrained real-life video sequences and by spotting gestures via a one-shot-learning approach.
Metric Based Multi-Timescale Control for Reducing Power in Embedded Systems

Digital control for embedded systems often requires low-power, hard real-time computation to satisfy high control-loop bandwidth, low latency, and low-power requirements. In particular, the emerging applications of Micro Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) sensors, and their increasing integration, presents a challenging requirement to embed ultra-low power digital control architectures for these lithographically formed micro-structures. Controlling electromechanical structures of such a small scale, using naive digital controllers, can be prohibitively expensive (both in power and cost for portable or battery operated applications.) In this paper, we describe the potential for control systems to be transformed into a set of co-operating parallel linear systems and demonstrate, for the first time, that this parallelization can reduce the total number of instructions executed, thereby reducing power, at the expense of controlled loss in control fidelity. Since the error tolerance of linear feedback control systems is mathematically well-posed, this technique opens up a new, independent dimension for system optimization. We present a novel Computer-Aided Design (CAD) method to evaluate control fidelity, with varying timescales on the controller, and analyze the trade-off between performance and power dissipation. A CAD Metric for control fidelity is proposed and we demonstrate the potential for power savings using this decomposition on two different control problems.
SYMMETRY OF EVIDENCE WITHOUT EVIDENCE OF SYMMETRY

The de Finetti Theorem is a cornerstone of the Bayesian approach. Bernardo (1996, p. 5) writes that its “message is very clear: if a sequence of observations is judged to be exchangeable, then any subset of them must be regarded as a random sample from some model, and there exists a prior distribution on the parameter of such model, hence requiring a Bayesian approach.” We argue that although exchangeability, interpreted as symmetry of evidence, is a weak assumption, when combined with subjective expected utility theory, it also implies complete confidence that experiments are identical. When evidence is sparse and there is little evidence of symmetry, this implication of de Finetti’s hypotheses is not intuitive. This motivates our adoption of multiple-priors utility as the benchmark model of preference. We provide two alternative generalizations of the de Finetti Theorem for this framework. A model of updating is also provided.
Markov counting models for correlated binary responses

We propose a class of continuous-time Markov counting processes for analyzing correlated binary data and establish a correspondence between these models and sums of exchangeable Bernoulli random variables. Our approach generalizes many previous models for correlated outcomes, admits easily interpretable parameterizations, allows different cluster sizes, and incorporates ascertainment bias in a natural way. We demonstrate several new models for dependent outcomes and provide algorithms for computing maximum likelihood estimates. We show how to incorporate cluster-specific covariates in a regression setting and demonstrate improved fits to well-known datasets from familial disease epidemiology and developmental toxicology.
Beliefs about Exchange-rate Stability: Survey Evidence from the Currency Board in Bulgaria

Abstract Currency pegs seldom achieve full credibility even after delivering low inflation and a stable exchange rate for many years. We use unique survey data from Bulgaria’s currency board to investigate the origins of incomplete credibility. We show that the limitations imposed by the currency board on output stabilization policies are a major source of concern. Many people view the financial stabilization policies as a reason for high unemployment and therefore as unsustainable. Another important factor for low credibility is the concern over potential international shocks. Conversely, past instability does not seem to translate strongly into expectations of future instability.
Growth landscape formed by perception and import of glucose in yeast

An important challenge in systems biology is to quantitatively describe microbial growth using a few measurable parameters that capture the essence of this complex phenomenon. Two key events at the cell membrane – extracellular glucose sensing and uptake – initiate the budding yeast’s growth on glucose. However, conventional growth models focus almost exclusively on glucose uptake. Here we present results from growth-rate experiments that cannot be explained by focusing on glucose uptake alone. By imposing a glucose uptake rate independent of the sensed extracellular glucose level, we show that despite increasing both the sensed glucose concentration and uptake rate, the cell’s growth rate can decrease or even approach zero. We resolve this puzzle by showing that the interaction between glucose perception and import, not their individual actions, determines the central features of growth and characterize this interaction using a quantitative model. Disrupting this interaction by knocking out two key glucose sensors significantly changes the cell’s growth rate, yet uptake rates are unchanged. This is due to a decrease in burden that glucose perception places on the cells. Our work shows that glucose perception and import are separate and pivotal modules of yeast growth whose interplay can be precisely tuned and measured.
WHAT WORKS, AND WHAT REMAINS TO BE DONE, IN HIV PREVENTION IN THE UNITED STATES

Since the beginning of the HIV epidemic in the United States, HIV prevention programs have prevented hundreds of thousands of HIV infections, and the investment in these programs has actually been cost-saving to society in terms of medical costs averted. A substantial body of evidence exists (including randomized controlled trials and careful meta-analyses) which demonstrates that various HIV prevention services are effective; an increasingly large body of data also demonstrates the cost-effectiveness of these interventions. However, the efforts to utilize these interventions in a comprehensive HIV prevention program are hampered by insufficient funding, imperfect targeting strategies, and a problematic policy environment that creates barriers to the use of some of these life-saving interventions. Progress toward reducing new HIV infections will likely be as much a function of improvements in funding and policies as it will in the development of new tools for HIV prevention.
Agglutination of vertebrate erythrocytes by the granulosis virus of Plodia interpunctella.

Abstract The granulosis virus (GV) of the Indian meal moth, Plodia interpunctella (Hubner), was found to agglutinate several species of vertebrate erythrocytes with differential specificity. Optimal conditions for hemagglutination of rabbit cells were established and used to study interactions between GV and vertebrate cells. Electron microscopy and hemagglutination-inhibition studies indicated that aggregated enveloped nucleocapsids were involved in the agglutination phenomenon. Enzymatic treatments of erythrocytes suggested that GV interacted with neuraminidase and trypsin-sensitive cell membrane components. Furthermore, binding studies demonstrated that adsorption of 125I-labeled GV to cells occurred not only under acidic conditions but also under alkaline conditions where hemagglutination was not observed. It is believed that although GV binds to cells under both acidic and alkaline conditions, hemagglutination is facilitated by aggregation of GV at low pH.
Mobility of Taxol in Microtubule Bundles

Mobility of taxol inside microtubules was investigated using fluorescence recovery after photobleaching on flow- aligned bundles. Bundles were made of microtubules with either GMPCPP or GTP at the exchangeable site on the tubulin dimer. Recovery times were sensitive to bundle thickness and packing, indicating that taxol molecules are able to move laterally through the bundle. The density of open binding sites along a microtubule was varied by controlling the concentration of taxol in solution for GMPCPP samples. With (63% sites occupied, recovery times were independent of taxol concentration and, therefore, inversely proportional to the microscopic dissociation rate, koff. It was found that 10k GMPCPP off ! k GTP off ; consistent with, but not fully accounting for, the difference in equilibrium constants for taxol on GMPCPP and GTP microtubules. With \63% sites occupied, recovery times decreased as ;(Tax) " 1/5 for both types of microtubules. We conclude that the diffusion of taxol inside the microtubule bundle is hindered by rebinding events when open sites are within ;7 nm of each other.
Why Is the Crowd Divided? Attribution for Dispersion in Online Word of Mouth

The widespread availability of online word of mouth (WOM) enables modern consumers to assess not only the opinions of others about products and services, but also the extent to which those opinions are consistent or dispersive. Despite longstanding calls for greater understanding of mixed opinions, existing evidence is inconclusive regarding effects of WOM dispersion, and theoretical accounts have relied primarily on the notion of reference dependence. Extending prior work, this research proposes an attribution-based account, in which consumer interpretation of WOM dispersion depends on the extent to which tastes in a product domain are perceived to be dissimilar, so that dispersion can be attributed to inconsistency in reviewer preferences rather than the product itself. Across four experimental studies, participants presented with online rating distributions were more tolerant of dispersion in taste-dissimilar product domains than taste-similar product domains, and the difference was driven by underlying attributions. Together, these findings expand current understanding of WOM, social distributions, and risk perception, by revealing distinct pathways through which consumers respond to differences of opinion. In addition, they suggest the opportunity to proactively influence the manner in which dispersion is perceived, highlighting its positive connotations while diminishing its association with risk.
The use of protocol analysis in philosophy

A description of the author's application of protocol analysis in the teaching of philosophy.
Universality of intermittent convective transport in the scrape-off layer of magnetically confined devices

This article describes briefly recent results on the universality of intermittent convective transport reported in the scrape-off layer. We show that the statistical properties of turbulence are identical for four different magnetic fusion devices. The four devices are the PISCES linear plasma device, the Tore Supra tokamak with limiter configuration, the Alcator C-MOD with divertor configuration and high magnetic field, and the MAST spherical tokamak where the walls are far from the last closed flux surface (LCFS). These four devices do not only have different magnetic configurations but also have four different probes designs. Nine different types of statistical analyses are used, here we present just a few. (C) 2004 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA. Weinheim
Oxazaborolidines as functional monomers: Ketone reduction using polymer-supported Corey, Bakshi, and Shibata catalysts

The first two polymer-supported versions of the Corey, Bakshi, and Shibata (CBS) catalyst have been prepared. Functional monomers based structurally upon the original B-methylated catalyst have been used to prepare catalytic polymers containing the CBS moiety bound both in a pendant fashion and in the form of a cross-link. Enantioselective reductions of two prochiral ketones have been carried out using the original catalyst in the solution phase as well as the two solid-state systems. While the pendant-bound system shows reduced stereoselectivity, the cross-linked version affords enantioselectivities almost identical to those of the solution-phase model.
The influence of sex and obesity phenotype on meal fatty acid metabolism before and after weight loss

Background Regional differences in meal fat storage may explain the preservation of fat accumulation in obese persons. Objective The objective was to determine whether meal fatty acid (FA) metabolism differs by sex and obesity phenotypes before and after weight loss. Design A [(3)H]triolein-containing meal was given to trace meal FA oxidation ((3)H(2)O generation) and adipose tissue uptake (abdominal subcutaneous and gluteal biopsy samples) in 13 upper-body obese (UOb) men, 9 UOb women, and 8 lower-body obese (LOb) women (study 1). Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and abdominal computed tomography were used to measure fat distribution. The subjects participated in a diet and exercise weight-loss program, after which 23 subjects returned for an identical study (study 2). Results In study 1, the storage of meal FA (mg meal fat/g adipose lipid) was greater in gluteal than in abdominal fat (P = 0.022) in LOb women, but not in UOb women or UOb men. UOb men stored a lesser percentage of meal FAs in both upper- and lower-body subcutaneous fat than did the LOb and UOb women (P = 0.001 and P = 0.044, respectively). The participants who returned for study 2 had lost 14.1 +/- 1.1 kg. Changes in the uptake of meal FAs followed a pattern indicative of obesity phenotype maintenance by group. The uptake of meal FAs increased in upper-body subcutaneous fat (P = 0.028) in weight-reduced UOb women and UOb men (P = 0.046) and decreased in lower-body fat (P = 0.025) in UOb men. Conclusion The differences in meal FA trafficking by obesity phenotype suggest that meal FA storage may play a role in regulating body fat distribution in obese persons.
Self-control in decision-making involves modulation of the vmPFC valuation system

Every day, individuals make dozens of choices between an alternative with higher overall value and a more tempting but ultimately inferior option. Optimal decision-making requires self-control. We propose two hypotheses about the neurobiology of self-control: (i) Goal-directed decisions have their basis in a common value signal encoded in ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC), and (ii) exercising self-control involves the modulation of this value signal by dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). We used functional magnetic resonance imaging to monitor brain activity while dieters engaged in real decisions about food consumption. Activity in vmPFC was correlated with goal values regardless of the amount of self-control. It incorporated both taste and health in self-controllers but only taste in non–self-controllers. Activity in DLPFC increased when subjects exercised self-control and correlated with activity in vmPFC.
Performance measurement: an investor's perspective

This article discusses the role of GAAP accounting from an investor's perspective. For all its flaws, a historical-based system of accounting is vital to the investment community, and I believe the moves toward fair value accounting should proceed with great caution. Framing the discussion in terms of valuation theory, I argue that investors are typically more interested in assessing the present value of residual income than the value of assets-in-place. I also provide examples of how historical accounting numbers can be (and are being) used by professional investors. A simple residual-income framework succinctly captures the essence of value investing. In fact, what academics have learned about fundamental investing in recent years dovetails nicely with the strategies used by legendary investors such as Ben Graham, Warren Buffett, and Joel Greenblatt.
Support Needs of Children with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: Age-Related Implications for Assessment.

The Supports Intensity Scale–Children's Version (SIS-C) was developed to assess the support needs of children and youth aged 5 to 16 years with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Data from the standardization sample of the SIS-C were analyzed to evaluate the impact of the age cohorts (5–6, 7–8, 9–10, 11–12, 13–14, and 15–16 years) used to stratify the sample on the measurement model, as well as the latent means, standard deviations, and correlations. The findings confirmed measurement invariance across age cohorts, but suggested that at the latent level, younger children, generally, have more intensive support needs and that as students with intellectual disability age, their support needs decrease. In addition, the 15- to 16-year-old cohort displayed differences in terms of the strength of correlations between support need domains, with stronger correlations than the other age groups. Implications for future research and practice are described.
Assessing Efficiency Gains from Individual Transferable Quotas: An Application to the Mid-Atlantic Surf Clam and Ocean Quahog Fishery

Delayed fishing fleet restructuring complicates the assessment of efficiency gains from individual transferable quota (ITQ) fisheries management programs. This article presents a methodology to estimate harvest sector efficiency gains in lieu of incomplete fleet restructuring. The methodology is applied to assess the efficiency gains in the Mid-Atlantic surf clam and ocean quahog fishery ITQ program. While roughly 128 vessels harvested clams under the previous management regime, the analysis suggests that 21–25 vessels will remain under lTQs. The efficiency gains are estimated to be between $11.1 million and $12.8 million annually (1990 dollars).
Infrared and raman spectroscopy of stressed polyethylene

Polyethylene films were stressed in uniaxial tension at room temperature while the infrared (FTIR) or Raman spectra were simultaneously measured. The purpose of these experiments was to gain an understanding of the molecular origins of the stress-induced vibrational frequency shifts Δν and determine the mechanisms of molecular deformation and fracture of PE molecules with stress σ. The PE samples consisted of ultradrawn, high-density, ultrahigh-molecular-weight, solid-state-extruded films and the stress was applied parallel to the nearly perfectly oriented orthorhombic crystal c-axis direction. The experimental frequency shifting coefficients α = (∂ν/∂σ)σ→0 were compared with calculated α values determined from a vibrational analysis of an isolated PE chain using conformational energy minimization methods in which both harmonic and anharmonic (Morse) potential energy functions were used for the CC stretching modes in the valence force field. The following α values were obtained and are compared with theory (anharmonic case in parentheses, in cm−1/GPa): CC symmetric stretch, α(1127) = −5.9 (−5.3); CC asymmetric stretch, α(1059) = −11.2 to −5.7 (−5.8); CH2 rock, α(730/720) = −2.0 to −3.0 (−2.2); CH2 scissors, α(1472/1462) = −1.0 to −1.2 (−1.1); CH2 twist, α(1295) ≃ 0(0.8); CH2 wag, α(1370) undetermined owing to weak bands (−4.6); CH2 stretch α(3000) ≈ 0. The largest negative frequency shifts were observed for the CC stretching modes, in agreement with the calculations using the Morse potential. The harmonic potential for CC stretching resulted in small positive α values for both the CC stretching and CH2 wagging modes, while the other modes were unaffected by this choice of potential. The relative contribution of CC bond stretching and CĈC valence angle bending to the c-axis strain was about 1:1, in agreement with experiment. The Young's tensile modulus of a PE chain was calculated as Ec = 267 GPa.
Following the expression of a kidney-specific gene from early development to adulthood.

Ksp-cadherin (Cadherin 16) is a unique, tissue-specific member of the cadherin family of cell adhesion proteins that is expressed exclusively in tubular epithelial cells in the adult kidney and developing genitourinary (GU) tract. Since its original identification in 1995, Ksp-cadherin has proven to be a useful experimental model for studies of kidney-specific and developmental gene regulation. These investigations have led to the creation of new strains of transgenic mice that will be useful for studies of renal cell lineage and tissue-specific gene targeting. Recent studies have also identified Ksp-cadherin as the first kidney-specific promoter that it is regulated by HNF-1beta (hepatocyte nuclear factor-1beta), a transcription factor that has been implicated in human renal cystic disease.
Ownership Structure, Speculation, and Shareholder Intervention

An institution holding shares in a firm can use information about the firm both for trading ("speculation") and for deciding whether to intervene to improve firm performance. Intervention increases the value of the institution's existing shareholdings, but intervention only increases the institution's trading profits if it; enhances the precision of the institution's information relative to that of uninformed traders. Thus, the ability to speculate can increase or decrease institutional intervention. We examine key factors that affect the intervention decision, the usefulness of "short-swing" provisions and restricted shares in encouraging institutional intervention, and implications for ownership structure across different firms. INSTITUTIONAL INVESTORS HOLD an ever-greater fraction of Corporate America's equity. Traditionally, these institutions were "stock pickers" who tried to beat the market through trading; if a firm whose stock they held seemed headed for trouble, these investors headed for the door ("the Wall Street rule"). More recently, some of these institutions have been using the ownership rights attached to their shares to pressure firms to act in the shareholders' interest. Some have even argued that there is a synergy between gathering information for use in trading shares ("speculation") and intelligently pressuring firms to improve performance ("intervention"). We argue that these motives can also conflict. Analyzing these motives allows us to predict which firms are most likely to attract institutional intervention, which in turn has crosssectional implications for firm ownership structure. Recent examples suggest that institutional investors with large stakes sometimes intervene and sometimes follow the Wall Street rule, so that there is indeed a choice to be studied. In the early 1990s, there was a wave of activism by a variety of large institutional investors, among them CalPERS, the California public employees pension fund, Putnam Management, a mutual fund manager, and J.P. Morgan, a bank holding company.' These institu
Formation Flying Design and Applications in Weak Stability Boundary Regions

: Weak stability regions serve as superior locations for interferomertric scientific investigations. These regions are often selected to minimize environmental disturbances and maximize observation efficiency. Designs of formations in these regions are becoming ever more challenging as more complex missions are envisioned. The development of algorithms to enable the capability for formation design must be further enabled to incorporate better understanding of weak stability boundary solution space. This development will improve the efficiency and expand the capabilities of current approaches. The Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) is currently supporting multiple formation missions in weak stability boundary regions. This end-to-end support consists of mission operations, trajectory design, and control. It also includes both algorithm and software development. The Constellation-X, Maxim, and Stellar Imager missions are examples of the use of improved numeric methods to attain constrained formation geometries and control their dynamical evolution. This paper presents a survey of formation missions in the weak stability boundary regions and a brief description of formation design using numerical and dynamical techniques.
Public Preferences for Environmental Policy Responsibility

Analyzing survey data from the 2007 Cooperative Congressional Election Study, this article examines citizens’ preferences for assigning policy responsibility for environmental problems to different levels of government. I find that the public generally prefers the federal government to take the lead in addressing most issues, particularly those that relate to pollution and those that have a national or global scale. The public, however, prefers to give more responsibility to state and local governments to handle local-level issues. These results suggest a desire among many in the public to match governmental policy assignment with the geographic scale of the problem. The best predictor of individual’s choice of government level is political orientation, and to a lesser extent one’s general confidence in each level of government.
“Cultures of Inequality”: Ethnicity, Immigration, Social Welfare, and Imprisonment

The authors discuss the shift from classic culture of poverty arguments to more contemporary uses of cultural variables in explaining criminal justice practices in Western industrialized countries. The authors use “cultures of inequality” to refer to the increasing taste or tolerance for inequality in the general population across nations. They also elaborate a potential link between perceived threat of others and growing tastes for inequality, thereby extending the classic threat hypothesis. Using country-level data and data from the World Values Survey, the authors find that countries with higher than average tastes for inequality also have higher income inequality, more population heterogeneity, and higher percentages of others in prison. However, people in these countries do not necessarily have more hostile attitudes toward others . The United States shares several characteristics with other Western countries but appears to be driving the difference in the mean taste for inequality between countries ...
Rate adaptation via link-layer feedback for goodput maximization over a time-varying channel

We consider adapting the transmission rate to maximize the goodput, i.e., the amount of data transmitted without error, over a continuous Markov flat-fading wireless channel. In particular, we consider schemes in which transmitter channel state is inferred from degraded causal error-rate feedback, such as packet-level ACK/NAKs in an automatic repeat request (ARQ) system. In such schemes, the choice of transmission rate affects not only the subsequent goodput but also the subsequent feedback, implying that the optimal rate schedule is given by a partially observable Markov decision process (POMDP). Because solution of the POMDP is computationally impractical, we consider simple suboptimal greedy rate assignment and show that the optimal scheme would itself be greedy if the error-rate feedback was non-degraded. Furthermore, we show that greedy rate assignment using non-degraded feedback yields a total goodput that upper bounds that of optimal rate assignment using degraded feedback. We then detail the implementation of the greedy scheme and propose a reduced-complexity greedy scheme that adapts the transmission rate only once per block of packets. We also investigate the performance of the schemes numerically, and show that the proposed greedy scheme achieves steady-state goodputs that are reasonably close to the upper bound on goodput calculated using non-degraded feedback. A similar improvement is obtained in steady-state goodput, drop rate, and average buffer occupancy in the presence of data buffers. We also investigate an upper bound on the performance of optimal rate assignment for a discrete approximation of the channel and show that such quantization leads to a significant loss in achievable goodput.
The difference in strength of BF3-complexes of aromatic and aliphatic aldehydes

Abstract ab initio MO computations have shown that the difference in energy between syn and anti complexation is much larger for benzaldehyde/BF3 than for acetaldehyde/BF3. The BO bond strength is much greater for the anti PhCHO·BF3 than for its syn isomer and for all the CH3CHO·BF3 complexes.
HIGH-DIMENSIONAL REGRESSION

This is an entry for The Encyclopedia of Statistics in Be- havioral Science, to be published by Wiley in 2005. In regression analysis there are n observations yi on a dependent vari- able(also known as outcome or criterion) that are related to n corresponding observations xi on p independent variables (also known as inputs or predic- tors). Fitting regression models of some form or another is by far the most common uses of statistics in the sciences (crossref). Statistical theory tells us to assume that the observed outcomes yi are real- izations of n random variables y i . We model the conditional expectation of y i given xi , or, to put it differently, we model the expected value of y i as a function of xi
A hybrid method for generator tripping

Summary form only given, as follows. Generator tripping is one of the most effective approaches to enhance the transient stability of a power system. In this paper, an online prediction method of transient stability and an off-line analysis method of generator tripping are studied respectively. Firstly, a polynomial curve fitting technique is employed to Improve the online prediction accuracy of system stability. Then a shell program is developed to automatically generate and update look-up tables for generator tripping. Based on these, a hybrid method is proposed. It uses the look-up tables to determine generator tripping requirements, and before sending out generator tripping signals, instability is confirmed by online prediction of system stability. Simulation results show this hybrid method can avoid unnecessary generation shedding.
Functional relationship to describe temporal statistics of soil moisture averaged over different depths

Detailed simulation studies, highly resolved in space and time, show that a physical relationship exists among instantaneous soil-moisture values integrated over different soil depths. This dynamic relationship evolves in time as a function of the hydrologic inputs and soil and vegetation characteristics. When depth-averaged soil moisture is sampled at a low temporal frequency, the structure of the relationship breaks down and becomes undetectable. Statistical measures can overcome the limitation of sampling frequency, and predictions of mean and variance for soil moisture can be defined over any soil averaging depth d. For a water-limited ecosystem, a detailed simulation model is used to compute the mean and variance of soil moisture for different averaging depths over a number of growing seasons. We present a framework that predicts the mean of soil moisture as a function of averaging depth given soil moisture over a shallow d and the average daily rainfall reaching the soil.
ACCOUNTING FOR THE RECENT DECLINE IN THE NAIRU

This paper confirms that the unemployment rate associated with stable inflation, the socalled “NAIRU,” probably has declined in recent years, after having risen sharply during the late 1970s and early 1980s. Although a demographic shift toward a less experienced workforce and an unexpected slowdown in trend productivity growth are able to explain the earlier rise in the NAIRU, a reversal of these effects does not adequately explain the timing of the apparent decline in the NAIRU during the 1990s. I propose that an additional element needs to be incorporated into the assessment. I argue that the degree of integration of regional labor markets across the United States has accelerated over the recent past, leading to a greater degree of synchronization in the pattern of regional labor market conditions and regional business-cycle conditions. I provide evidence of this greater synchronization, and suggest that it may have led to a drift downward in the NAIRU.
An empirical investigation of the usefulness of ARFIMA models for predicting macroeconomic and financial time series

Abstract This paper addresses the notion that many fractional I ( d ) processes may fall into the “empty box” category, as discussed in Granger (Aspects of research strategies for time series analysis, Presentation to the Conference on New Developments in Time Series Economics, Yale University, 1999). We present ex ante forecasting evidence which suggests that ARFIMA models estimated using a variety of standard estimation procedures yield “approximations” to the true unknown underlying DGPs that sometimes provide significantly better out-of-sample predictions than AR, MA, ARMA, GARCH, and related models, based on analysis of point mean-square forecast errors (MSFEs), and based on the use of predictive accuracy tests. The strongest evidence in favor of ARFIMA models arises when various transformations of 5 major stock index returns are examined. Additional evidence based on analysis of the Stock and Watson (J. Bus. Econom. Stat. 20 (2002) 147–162) data set, the returns series data set examined by Ding et al. (J. Empirical Finance 1 (1993) 83–106), and based on a series of Monte Carlo experiments is also discussed.
Chiral Nonracemic α-Alkylidene and α-Silylidene Cyclopentenones from Chiral Allenes Using an Intramolecular Allenic Pauson−Khand-Type Cycloaddition

We have successfully effected a transfer of chirality from a chiral nonracemic allene to an α-alkylidene and an α-silylidene cyclopentenone. The molybdenum-mediated examples possessing a silyl group on the terminus of the allene show good facial selectivities, but isomerization of the (E)-silylidene cyclopentenone to the (Z)-silylidene cyclopentenone occurs upon purification of these products. Alternatively, an alkyl group on the terminus of the allene undergoes cycloaddition with moderate selectivities but gives products that undergo an isomerization of the (Z)-alkylidene cyclopentenone to the (E)-alkylidene cyclopentenone when exposed to acidic conditions. Thus, erosion of the enantiomeric excesses is observed for one of the two products as a result of this isomerization. The allenic Pauson−Khand-type cycloaddition has also been effected by first isolation the (η6-arene)molybdenum tricarbonyl complex, demonstrating for the first time that this is most likely the active complex in the molybdenum-mediated...
Directed Reduction of β-Amino Ketones to Syn or Anti 1,3-Amino Alcohol Derivatives

The reduction of β-amino ketones with samarium(II) iodide has been investigated. Either the syn or anti 1,3-amino alcohols can be obtained as the major product due to a divergence in selectivity with different N-protecting groups.
Belief-Free Equilibria in Repeated Games

We introduce a class of strategies that generalizes examples constructed in two-player games under imperfect private monitoring. A sequential equilibrium is belief-free if, after every private history, each player's continuation strategy is optimal independently of his belief about his opponents' private histories. We provide a simple and sharp characterization of equilibrium payoffs using those strategies. While such strategies support a large set of payoffs, they are not rich enough to generate a folk theorem in most games besides the prisoner's dilemma, even when noise vanishes.
Efficient Exploration and Value Function Generalization in Deterministic Systems

We consider the problem of reinforcement learning over episodes of a finite-horizon deterministic system and as a solution propose optimistic constraint propagation (OCP), an algorithm designed to synthesize efficient exploration and value function generalization. We establish that when the true value function Q* lies within the hypothesis class Q, OCP selects optimal actions over all but at most dimE[Q] episodes, where dimE denotes the eluder dimension. We establish further efficiency and asymptotic performance guarantees that apply even if Q* does not lie in Q, for the special case where Q is the span of pre-specified indicator functions over disjoint sets.
About the Efficiency of Input vs. Output Quotas

Output quotas are known to be more efficient than input quotas in transferring surplus from consumers to producers. Input quotas, by distorting the shadow prices of inputs, lead to inefficient production and generate larger deadweight losses, for a given amount of surplus transferred. Yet, input quotas have been a ubiquitous tool in agricultural policy. Practicality considerations, as well as the difficulty to control outputs that heavily depend on stochastic weather conditions, are arguments that help understand why policy makers may favor input quotas over output quotas. In this paper, we offer an additional explanation that rests on efficiency considerations. Assuming that the regulator only has limited knowledge about the market fundamentals (supply and demand elasticities, among others), seeks to transfer at least a given amount of surplus to producers and is influenced by the industry in his choice of the quota level, we show that an input quota becomes the optimal policy.
RTSPM: Real-time Linux control software for scanning probe microscopy

Real time computer control is an essential feature of scanning probe microscopes, which have become important tools for the characterization and investigation of nanometer scale samples. Most commercial (and some open-source) scanning probe data acquisition software uses digital signal processors to handle the real time data processing and control, which adds to the expense and complexity of the control software. We describe here scan control software that uses a single computer and a data acquisition card to acquire scan data. The computer runs an open-source real time Linux kernel, which permits fast acquisition and control while maintaining a responsive graphical user interface. Images from a simulated tuning-fork based microscope as well as a standard topographical sample are also presented, showing some of the capabilities of the software.
Thermodynamics with dynamical clover fermions

Abstract We investigate the finite temperature behavior of nonperturbatively improved clover fermions on lattices with temporal extent N t =4 and 6. Unfortunately in the gauge coupling range, where the clover coefficient has been determined nonperturbatively, the finite temperature crossover/transition occurs at heavy pseudoscalar masses and large pseudoscalar to vector meson mass ratios. However, on an N t =6 lattice the thermal crossover for the improved fermions is much smoother than for unimproved Wilson fermions and no strange metastable behavior is observed.
Learning is planning: near Bayes-optimal reinforcement learning via Monte-Carlo tree search

Bayes-optimal behavior, while well-defined, is often difficult to achieve. Recent advances in the use of Monte-Carlo tree search (MCTS) have shown that it is possible to act near-optimally in Markov Decision Processes (MDPs) with very large or infinite state spaces. Bayes-optimal behavior in an unknown MDP is equivalent to optimal behavior in the known belief-space MDP, although the size of this belief-space MDP grows exponentially with the amount of history retained, and is potentially infinite. We show how an agent can use one particular MCTS algorithm, Forward Search Sparse Sampling (FSSS), in an efficient way to act nearly Bayes-optimally for all but a polynomial number of steps, assuming that FSSS can be used to act efficiently in any possible underlying MDP.
Casimir effect for the sphere revisited

In a recent work Brevik et al. have offered formal proofs of two results which figure prominently in calculations of the Casimir pressure on a sphere. It is shown by means of simple counterexamples that each of those proofs is necessarily incorrect.
Little inflatons and gauge inflation

Cosmological inflation gives a natural answer for a variety of cosmological questions, including the horizon problem, the flatness problem, and others. However, inflation yields new questions relating to the flatness of the inflaton potential. Recent studies of `little' fields, a special class of pseudo-Goldstone bosons, have shown it is possible to protect the mass of a field while still yielding order-one interactions with other fields. In this paper, we will show that `little inflatons' are natural candidates for the slow-roll field of hybrid inflation models. We consider both supersymmetric and non-supersymmetric models, and give a simple examples based on approximate Abelian symmetries which solve the inflaton flatness problem of supergravity. We also present hybrid models in which components of gauge fields in higher dimensions play the role of the inflaton. Protected by higher-dimensional gauge symmetry, they, too, naturally have large couplings while suppressed mass terms. We summarize the implications of the new WMAP data on such models.
Area preserving group actions on surfaces

Suppose G is an almost simple group containing a subgroup isomorphic to the three-dimensional integer Heisenberg group. For example any nite index subgroup of SL(3;Z) is such a group. The main result of this paper is that every action of G on a closed oriented surface by area preserving dieomorphisms factors through a nite group.