cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Shape representation and image segmentation using deformable surfaces

Abstract We present a technique for constructing shape representation from images using free-form deformable surfaces. We model an object as a closed surface that is deformed subject to attractive fields generated by input data points and features. Features affect the global shape of the surface or unstructured environments. The algorithm is general in that it makes few assumptions on the type of features, the nature of the data and the type of objects. We present results in a wide range of applications: reconstruction of smooth isolated objects such as human faces, reconstruction of structured objects such as polyhedra, and segmentation of complex scenes with mutually occluding objects. We have successfully tested the algorithm using data from different sensors including grey-coding range finders and video cameras, using one or several images.
Instabilities of the sidewall boundary layer in a rapidly rotating split cylinder

Abstract The instabilities of the sidewall boundary layer in a rapidly rotating split cylinder are studied numerically. Axisymmetric results are studied extensively where a variety of different states are found. In the basic state, the interior flow is in solid-body rotation with the mean rotation rate of the two cylinder halves. The sidewall boundary layer of the basic state is compared with theoretical results. For sufficiently fast mean rotation and large enough differential rotation between the two halves, instabilities in the boundary layer appear. These instabilities result in periodic and quasi-periodic states in different parameter regimes. The instabilities are localized in the boundary layer, but they may transport shear into the interior if their associated frequencies are less than twice the mean rotation frequency, and then only in the form of inertial wave beams along directions determined by their frequencies.
Limits on pseudoscalar bosons from rare Z decays at LEP

Abstract Current LEP data on rare Z decays constrain nonminimal technicolor models that contain light neutral pseudo-Nambu-Goldstone boson (Pa). We discuss the production and decay of such particles, and show how LEP data on γγγ, γ+ E and γ+hadrons constrain the size of the technicolor gauge group and the strength of the ZγPa coupling. The limits are then applied to several specific technicolor scenarios.
REFORMA EDUCATIVA Y TEORÍA DE LA ARGUMENTACIÓN

La ensenanza de la argumentacion a los escolares plantea, entre otros, el problema de definir los fundamentos teoricos que la animan. En el presente estudio, se analiza el discurso de la propuesta pedagogica de la reforma educacional en Chile con un doble proposito: por un lado, confirmar la hipotesis acerca de la teoria de la argumentacion que subyace en dicho discurso y, por otro, justificar la inclusion de la perspectiva pragmadialectica en una propuesta pedagogica. Los documentos analizados son el proyecto de programa de estudio de "Lengua Castellana y Comunicacion" (Carreno et al., 2000) para tercero medio y el correspondiente "Manual del Estudiante", publicado por el Ministerio de Educacion de Chile. El analisis se llevo a cabo segun una pauta que permite cuantificar en los textos seleccionados la presencia de tres posturas teoricas, a saber, la logica, la nueva retorica y la pragmadialectica, segun cinco categorias o dimensiones analiticas. Los resultados confirman que la teoria predominante es la nueva retorica y que la pragmadialectica esta presente solo en uno de los documentos, de manera muy limitada, y referida en lo esencial a una de las categorias.
Hydrodynamic Calculations of General-Relativistic Collapse

The general-relativistic equations governing the motion of a large mass under the influence of its own gravitational field and its own pressure have been approximated by finite-difference equations. A spherically symmetric, co-moving frame of reference was used. The pressure was assumed to be zero at the outer boundary. Rest mass was assumed to be conserved and heat transfer by neutrinos, radiation, etc., was not taken into account. Numerical solutions were obtained on a computer for several simplified equations of state, chosen to bracket the behavior of stellar material in late stages of collapse, and several masses. The maximum stable masses obtained were of the same order of magnitude, but somewhat larger than the maximum stable masses calculated statically. The behavior of light signals, of the metric coefficients, and of the hydrodynamic quantities as functions of time is described for collapse past the Schwarzchild radius. Such collapse leads to regions where the surface area of concentric spheres decreases as the rest mass contained by the spheres increases.
Tube Formulas and Complex Dimensions of Self-Similar Tilings

We use the self-similar tilings constructed in (Pearse in Indiana Univ. Math J. 56(6):3151---3169, 2007) to define a generating function for the geometry of a self-similar set in Euclidean space. This tubularzeta function encodes scaling and curvature properties related to the complement of the fractal set, and the associated system of mappings. This allows one to obtain the complex dimensions of the self-similar tiling as the poles of the tubularzeta function and hence develop a tube formula for self-similar tilings in ?d. The resulting power series in ?is a fractal extension of Steiner's classical tube formula for convex bodies K?? d . Our sum has coefficients related to the curvatures of the tiling, and contains terms for each integer i=0,1,?,d?1, just as Steiner's does. However, our formula also contains a term for each complex dimension. This provides further justification for the term "complex dimension". It also extends several aspects of the theory of fractal strings to higher dimensions and sheds new light on the tube formula for fractals strings obtained in (Lapidus and van Frankenhuijsen in Fractal Geometry, Complex Dimensions and Zeta Functions: Geometry and Spectra of Fractal Strings, 2006).
Organomercurial lyase and mercuric ion reductase: nature's mercury detoxification catalysts

Concern over our increasingly polluted environment, with its potentially deleterious effects on organisms, including humans, has sparked considerable research into the strategies by which living systems contend with toxic compounds. One area of research that has been especially prolific in recent years deals with the mechanisms by which bacteria cope with increased heavy metal burdens. Heavy metals are prevalent throughout the biosphere, and while some (e.g., Co, Cu, Mo, Ni, and Zn) are required in trace amounts, elevated concentrations of most are deleterious by virtue of their avid ligation to cellular components, particularly proteins. Especially toxic to higher organisms are organometallics, whose lipophilic nature gives them a strong tendency toward bioaccumulation in the food chain.
Linear free energy relations for multielectron transfer kinetics: a brief look at the Brønsted/Tafel analogy

Abstract : A comparison is made between electrochemical and homogeneous redox reactivity for species involving the transfer of multiple electrons at a single thermodynamic potential. In the electrochemical case the co-reactant is the electrode; in the homogeneous case it is any of several members of a homologous series of one-electron reagents. In the latter case it is shown that the slope of a plot of the observed pseudo first order rate constant (one-electron reagent in excess) versus the thermodynamic driving force rate constant identify the cross reaction's rate-determining step. It is noted that the proposed use of a homogeneous linear free energy relation (Bronsted plot) for mechanistic purpose is closely analogous to the well known Tafel approach (log current vs. potential) in electrochemical kinetics. (JHD)
Azomethine ylide generation via the dipole cascade

Abstract A series of N-acyl 2-diazo-3-oxobutanoates, when treated with a catalytic quantity of a rhodium(II) carboxylate, were found to afford substituted pyrroles derived from an azomethine ylide intermediate. The initial reaction involves generation of the expected carbonyl ylide dipole by intramolecular cyclization of the keto carbenoid onto the oxygen atom of the neighboring amide group. The primary cycloadduct undergoes a subsequent rearrangement-fragmentation reaction to give the pyrrole derivative. When the α-position of the α-diazoketone was blocked with two methyl groups, the rhodium(II)-catalyzed cycloaddition with dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate led to the carbonyl vlide cycloadduct in high yield. MNDO calculations show that the cyclic carbonyl ylide derived from ethyl 2-diazo-4-dibenzoylamino-3-oxobutyrate is 3.3 kcal lower in its heat of formation than the corresponding azomethine ylide. This thermodynamic difference in stability of dipoles nicely accounts for why the carbonyl ylide cycloadduct is the major product from the rhodium(II) catalyzed reaction of ethyl 2-diazo-4-dibenzoylamino-3-oxobutyrate.
Resistance of multilayers with long length scale interfacial roughness

The resistance of multilayers with interface roughness on a length scale which is large compared to the atomic spacing is computed in several cases via the Boltzmann equation. When the electronic mean free paths are small compared to the layer thicknesses, the current flow is non-uniform, and the resistance decreases in the current-perpendicular-to-plane (CPP) configuration and increases in the current-in-plane (CIP) configuration. For mean free paths much longer than the layer thicknesses, the current flow is uniform, and the resistance increases in both the CPP and CIP configurations due to enhanced surface scattering. In both the CPP and CIP geometries, the giant magnetoresistance can be either enhanced or reduced by the presence of long length scale interface roughness depending on the parameters.
Consistency of sparse PCA in High Dimension, Low Sample Size contexts

Sparse Principal Component Analysis (PCA) methods are efficient tools to reduce the dimension (or number of variables) of complex data. Sparse principal components (PCs) are easier to interpret than conventional PCs, because most loadings are zero. We study the asymptotic properties of these sparse PC directions for scenarios with fixed sample size and increasing dimension (i.e. High Dimension, Low Sample Size (HDLSS)). We consider the previously studied single spike covariance model and assume in addition that the maximal eigenvector is sparse. We extend the existing HDLSS asymptotic consistency and strong inconsistency results of conventional PCA in an entirely new direction. We find a large set of sparsity assumptions under which sparse PCA is still consistent even when conventional PCA is strongly inconsistent. The consistency of sparse PCA is characterized along with rates of convergence. Furthermore, we clearly identify the mathematical boundaries of the sparse PCA consistency, by showing strong inconsistency for an oracle version of sparse PCA beyond the consistent region, as well as its inconsistency on the boundaries of the consistent region. Simulation studies are performed to validate the asymptotic results in finite samples.
Reliability of pediobarographs for paediatric foot deformity.

Abstract Purpose Dynamic pediobarograph measures foot–floor contact pressure during walking and provides a quantitative functional assessment. The goal of this study was to assess the reliability of pediobarograph measurements in normal children and in those with cerebral palsy (CP). Materials and methods During the first investigation, five non-disabled children and four with CP had three pediobarograph measurements taken of each foot, repeated five times. The pediobarographs were analysed by dividing the foot into five segments; the heel, the lateral midfoot, the medial midfoot, the lateral forefoot and the medial forefoot. A measure of valgus/varus foot posture was defined as the relative medial–lateral difference of combined mid- and forefoot impulse, named valgus/varus index. During the second investigation, 50 children (100 feet) with spastic diplegic CP were studied to calculate the standard error of measurements (SEM), to investigate the number of pediobarograph measurements necessary to obtain ac...
Dynamic behavior of shortest path routing algorithms for communication networks

Several proposed routing algorithms for store and forward communication networks, including one currently in operation in the ARPANET route messages along shortest paths computed by using some set of link lengths. When these lengths depend on current traffic conditions as they must in an adaptive algorithm, dynamic behavior questions such as stability, convergence, and speed of convergence are of interest. This paper is the first attempt to analyze systematically these issues. It is shown that minimum queuing delay path algorithms tend to exhibit violent oscillatory behavior in the absence of a damping mechanism. The oscillations can be damped by means of several types of schemes two of which are analyzed in this paper. In the first scheme a constant bias is added to the queuing delay thereby providing a preference towards paths with a small number of links. In the second scheme the effects of several past routings are averaged as for example when the link lengths are computed and communicated asynchronously throughout the network.
Real Estate Brokers, Nonprice Competition and the Housing Market

Given a fixed commission rate and easy entry, economic profits must be competed away on some nonprice margin in the real estate brokerage market. This paper focuses on nonprice competition in the level or quality of services offered buyers and sellers in the market, examining the equilibrium adjustment process, comparative static predictions and efficiency implications. In contrast with earlier studies focusing on wasteful advertising, this paper demonstrates that higher commission rates can either increase or decrease deadweight loss, depending upon how broker services affect buyer and seller transaction costs.
Crossing the line(s): A dual threshold model of anger in organizations

We present a theoretical model of contextualized anger expression to challenge prominent antisocial, aggression, and individual actor perspectives reflected in the current literature, and we assert that organizational observers' judgments and reactions help determine whether anger results in more negative or positive outcomes. The dual threshold model includes an expression threshold, which is crossed when individuals communicate rather than suppress anger, and an impropriety threshold, which is crossed if expressed anger violates organizational emotion display norms.
Fault Models for Quantum Mechanical Switching Networks

In classical test and verification one develops a test set separating a correct circuit from a circuit containing any considered fault. Classical faults are modelled at the logical level by fault models that act on classical states. The stuck fault model, thought of as a lead connected to a power rail or to a ground, is most typically considered. A classical test set complete for the stuck fault model propagates both binary basis states, 0 and 1, through all nodes in a network and is known to detect many physical faults. A classical test set complete for the stuck fault model allows all circuit nodes to be completely tested and verifies the function of many gates. It is natural to ask if one may adapt any of the known classical methods to test quantum circuits. Of course, classical fault models do not capture all the logical failures found in quantum circuits. The first obstacle faced when using methods from classical test is developing a set of realistic quantum-logical fault models (a question which we address, but will likely remain largely open until the advent of the first quantum computer). Developing fault models to abstract the test problem away from the device level motivated our study. Several results are established. First, we describe typical modes of failure present in the physical design of quantum circuits. From this we develop fault models for quantum binary quantum circuits that enable testing at the logical level. The application of these fault models is shown by adapting the classical test set generation technique known as constructing a fault table to generate quantum test sets. A test set developed using this method will detect each of the considered faults.
Boratabenzenes: from chemical curiosities to promising catalysts

Abstract Boratabenzenes ( 4 ) are six π-electron aromatic anions which can serve as versatile ligands towards Zr(IV) and Zr(II). The reaction of 4 with ZrCl 4 affords bis(boratabenzene)zirconium(IV) dichlorides ( 11 ), which on treatment with BuLi and excess PMe 3 give bis(boratabenzene)bis(trimethylphosphine)zirconium(II) ( 27 ). On activation by excess methylaluminoxane 11 are the catalysts for the polymerization or oligomerization of ethylene. Bridged boratabenzene zirconium dichlorides 19 , 20 , and 21 , which closely resemble the corresponding ansa-zirconocenes, can be similarly activated for polymerization of ethylene. Compound 27 reacts with 1,3-diynes to afford zirconacycles 31 and with acetylene by ring annulation to afford 32 .
Labor Market Effects of the World Cup: A Sectoral Analysis

This paper provides an empirical examination of impact the 1994 FIFA World Cup in the United States on local employment. In contrast to ex ante economic impact reports that suggest large increases in employment due to the tournament, an ex post examination of employment in 9 host metropolitan areas finds no significant impact on employment from hosting World Cup games. Furthermore, an analysis of employment in specific sectors of the economy finds no impact from hosting games on employment in the leisure and hospitality and professional and business services sectors but a statistically significant negative impact on employment in the retail trade sector.
Serum vitamin C and the prevalence of vitamin C deficiency in the United States: 2003–2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES)

Background: Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) may be the most important water-soluble antioxidant in human plasma. In the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III, 1988– 1994), ’13% of the US population was vitamin C deficient (serum concentrations ,11.4 lmol/L). Objective: The aim was to determine the most current distribution of serum vitamin C concentrations in the United States and the prevalence of deficiency in selected subgroups. Design: Serum concentrations of total vitamin C were measured in 7277 noninstitutionalized civilians aged 6 y during the crosssectional, nationally representative NHANES 2003–2004. The prevalence of deficiency was compared with results from NHANES III. Results: The overall age-adjusted mean from the square-root transformed (SM) concentration was 51.4 lmol/L (95% CI: 48.4, 54.6). The highest concentrations were found in children and older persons. Within each race-ethnic group, women had higher concentrations than did men (P , 0.05). Mean concentrations of adult smokers were one-third lower than those of nonsmokers (SM: 35.2 compared with 50.7 lmol/L and 38.6 compared with 58.0 lmol/L in men and women, respectively). The overall prevalence (6SE) of age-adjusted vitamin C deficiency was 7.1 6 0.9%. Mean vitamin C concentrations increased (P , 0.05) and the prevalence of vitamin C deficiency decreased (P , 0.01) with increasing socioeconomic status. Recent vitamin C supplement use or adequate dietary intake decreased the risk of vitamin C deficiency (P , 0.05). Conclusions: In NHANES 2003–2004, vitamin C status improved, and the prevalence of vitamin C deficiency was significantly lower than that during NHANES III, but smokers and low-income persons were among those at increased risk of deficiency. Am J Clin Nutr 2009;90:1252–63.
Modeling, simulation, and open-loop control of a continuous facesheet MEMS deformable mirror

We introduce a coupled system of nonlinear partial differential equations (PDEs) to model a particular microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) deformable mirror consisting of a continuous facesheet coupled with electrostatic plate-driven actuators. To make the problem computationally tractable, we reduced the system to a single linear PDE for the facesheet coupled with nonlinear algebraic constraints for each of the actuators. We also introduce a nonlinearly constrained quadratic optimization problem for open-loop control of the MEMS mirror. Numerical simulation and control results are presented, and shortcomings of the model are discussed.
The Weak Tie Between Natural Gas and Oil Prices

Several recent studies establish that crude oil and natural gas prices are cointegrated. Yet at times in the past, and very powerfully in the last two years, many voices have noted that the two price series appear to have “decoupled”. We explore the apparent contradiction between these two views. We find that recognition of the statistical fact of cointegration needs to be tempered with two additional points. First, there is an enormous amount of unexplained volatility in natural gas prices at short horizons. Hence, any simple formulaic relationship between the prices will leave a large portion of the natural gas price unexplained. Second, the cointegrating relationship does not appear to be stable through time. The prices may be tied, but the relationship can shift dramatically over time. Therefore, although the two price series may be cointegrated, the confidence intervals for both short and long time horizons are large.
Thermal Conductivity of III-V Semiconductor Superlattices

This paper presents a semiclassical model for the anisotropic thermal transport in III-V semiconductor superlattices (SLs). An effective interface rms roughness is the only adjustable parameter. Thermal transport inside a layer is described by the Boltzmann transport equation in the relaxation time approximation and is affected by the relevant scattering mechanisms (three-phonon, mass-difference, and dopant and electron scattering of phonons), as well as by diffuse scattering from the interfaces captured via an effective interface scattering rate. The in-plane thermal conductivity is obtained from the layer conductivities connected in parallel. The cross-plane thermal conductivity is calculated from the layer thermal conductivities in series with one another and with thermal boundary resistances (TBRs) associated with each interface; the TBRs dominate cross-plane transport. The TBR of each interface is calculated from the transmission coefficient obtained by interpolating between the acoustic mismatch model (AMM) and the diffuse mismatch model (DMM), where the weight of the AMM transmission coefficient is the same wavelength-dependent specularity parameter related to the effective interface rms roughness that is commonly used to describe diffuse interface scattering. The model is applied to multiple III-arsenide superlattices, and the results are in very good agreement with experimental findings. The method is both simple and accurate, easy to implement, and applicable to complicated SL systems, such as the active regions of quantum cascade lasers. It is also valid for other SL material systems with high-quality interfaces and predominantly incoherent phonon transport.
Cortical Excitation and Inhibition Following Focal Traumatic Brain Injury

Cortical compression can be a significant problem in many types of brain injuries, such as brain trauma, localized brain edema, hematoma, focal cerebral ischemia, or brain tumors. Mechanical and cellular alterations can result in global changes in excitation and inhibition on the neuronal network level even in the absence of histologically significant cell injury, often manifesting clinically as seizures. Despite the importance and prevalence of this problem, however, the precise electrophysiological effects of brain injury have not been well characterized. In this study, the changes in electrophysiology were characterized following sustained cortical compression using large-scale, multielectrode measurement of multiunit activity in primary somatosensory cortex in a sensory-evoked, in vivo animal model. Immediately following the initiation of injury at a distal site, there was a period of suppression of the evoked response in the rat somatosensory cortex, followed by hyper-excitability that was accompanied by an increase in the spatial extent of cortical activation. Paired-pulse tactile stimulation revealed a dramatic shift in the excitatory/inhibitory dynamics, suggesting a longer term hyperexcitability of the cortical circuit following the initial suppression that could be linked to the disruption of one or more inhibitory mechanisms of the thalamocortical circuit. Together, our results showed that the use of a sensory-evoked response provided a robust and repeatable functional marker of the evolution of the consequences of mild injury, serving as an important step toward in vivo quantification of alterations in excitation and inhibition in the cortex in the setting of traumatic brain injury.
Relationship of solar flare accelerated particles to solar energetic particles (SEPs) observed in the interplanetary medium

Abstract Observations of hard X-ray (HXR)/γ-ray continuum and γ-ray lines produced by energetic electrons and ions, respectively, colliding with the solar atmosphere, have shown that large solar flares can accelerate ions up to many GeV and electrons up to hundreds of MeV. Solar energetic particles (SEPs) are observed by spacecraft near 1 AU and by ground-based instrumentation to extend up to similar energies as in large SEP events, but it appears that a different acceleration process, one associated with fast coronal mass ejections is responsible. Much weaker SEP events are observed that are generally rich in electrons, 3 He, and heavy elements. The energetic particles in these events appear to be similar to those accelerated in flares. The Ramaty high energy solar spectroscopic imager (RHESSI) mission provides high-resolution spectroscopy and imaging of flare HXRs and γ-rays. Such observations can provide information on the location, energy spectra, and composition of the flare accelerated energetic particles at the Sun. Here, preliminary comparisons of the RHESSI observations with observations of both energetic electron and ion near 1 AU are reviewed, and the implications for the particle acceleration and escape processes are discussed.
Structure-function correlations in oxygen activating non-heme iron enzymes

A large group of mononuclear non-heme iron enzymes exist which activate dioxygen to catalyze key biochemical transformations, including many of medical, pharmaceutical and environmental significance. These enzymes utilize high-spin FeII active sites and additional reducing equivalents from cofactors or substrates to react with O2 to yield iron-oxygen intermediates competent to transform substrate to product. While FeII sites have been difficult to study due to the lack of dominant spectroscopic features, a spectroscopic methodology has been developed which allows the elucidation of the geometric and electronic structures of these active sites and provides molecular level insight into the mechanisms of catalysis. This review provides a summary of this methodology with emphasis on its application to the determination of important active site structure–function correlations in mononuclear non-heme iron enzymes. These studies provide key insight into the mechanisms of oxygen activation, active site features that contribute to differences in reactivity and, combined with theoretical calculations and model studies, the nature of oxygen intermediates active in catalysis.
O impacto da rotatividade e do absenteísmo de pessoal sobre o custo do produto: um estudo em uma indústria gaúcha.

O objetivo deste estudo e analisar o impacto da rotatividade e absenteismo de pessoal sobre o custo do produto em uma industria gaucha. Para tanto, realizou-se um estudo de caso, que envolveu a participacao de uma empresa multinacional, com unidade produtiva no estado do Rio Grande do Sul. Os dados foram coletados no periodo de 2011, por meio de entrevista semiestruturada com a responsavel pelo setor de recursos humanos e tambem com supervisora de controladoria da empresa. Alem das entrevistas foram analisados documentos contabeis e relatorios gerenciais de custos e de recursos humanos. O estudo limitou-se a analisar o produto de maior giro e o setor com maior indice de rotatividade e absenteismo na empresa. Neste estudo foi possivel demonstrar que a rotatividade e o absenteismo apresentados pelo setor tiveram impacto relevante sobre o custo do produto analisado, diminuindo os resultados proporcionados pela venda deste produto nos periodos em que o custo apresentou maior elevacao.
NetSci High: Bringing Network Science Research to High Schools

We present NetSci High, our NSF-funded educational outreach program that connects high school students who are underrepresented in STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics), and their teachers, with regional university research labs and provides them with the opportunity to work with researchers and graduate students on team-based, year-long network science research projects, culminating in a formal presentation at a network science conference. This short paper reports the content and materials that we have developed to date, including lesson plans and tools for introducing high school students and teachers to network science; empirical evaluation data on the effect of participation on students’ motivation and interest in pursuing STEM careers; the application of professional development materials for teachers that are intended to encourage them to use network science concepts in their lesson plans and curriculum; promoting district-level interest and engagement; best practices gained from our experiences; and the future goals for this project and its subsequent outgrowth.
Total synthesis of the angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor A58365A: On the use of pyroglutamate as a chiral educt

Abstract Annulation of the known vinylogous urethane 4 with α-methyleneglutaric anhydride ( 3 ) is the key reaction in a seven step enantiospecific synthesis of the ACE inhibitor, A58365A ( 1 ). Annulation of a pyroglutamate derived vinylogous urethane with α-methyleneglutaric anhydride is the key reaction in a seven step enantiospecific synthesis of the ACE inhibitor, A58365A ( 1 ).
Managing evacuation routes

This paper shows that evacuation routes, such as a building's stairwell or an urban freeway, may discharge inefficiently if left unmanaged, and that setting priority rules can speed up egress. Therefore, a simple control strategy is proposed. The strategy is decentralized and adaptive, based on readily available real-time data. The strategy is shown to be optimal in two senses: (i) it evacuates the maximum number of people at all times, and (ii) it finishes the evacuation in the least possible time. In both cases, it favors the people most at risk. The results shed light on other traffic problems.
A new approach to four- and five-component Ugi condensations starting from nitriles

New four- and five-component Ugi condensations have been developed based on the reaction of organometallic reagents with nitriles. These variations expand both the range of inputs and overall dimensionality of the method.
Decentralized learning in finite Markov chains

The principal contribution of this paper is a new result on the decentralized control of finite Markov chains with unknown transition probabilities and rewords. One decentralized decision maker is associated with each state in which two or more actions (decisions) are available. Each decision maker uses a simple learning scheme, requiring minimal information, to update its action choice. It is shown that, if updating is done in sufficiently small steps, the group will converge to the policy that maximizes the long-term expected reward per step. The analysis is based on learning in sequential stochastic games and on certain properties, derived in this paper, of ergodic Markov chains. A new result on convergence in identical payoff games with a unique equilibrium point is also presented.
Further evidence for variable synchrotron emission in XTE J1118+480 in outburst

We present simultaneous multicolor infrared and optical photometry of the black hole X-ray transient XTE J1118+480 during its short 2005 January outburst, supported by simultaneous X-ray observations. The variability is dominated by short timescales, ~10 s, although a weak superhump also appears to be present in the optical. The optical rapid variations, at least, are well correlated with those in X-rays. Infrared JHK_s photometry, as in the previous outburst, exhibits especially large-amplitude variability. The spectral energy distribution (SED) of the variable infrared component can be fitted with a power law of slope α = -0.78 ± 0.07, where F_ν ∝ ν_α. There is no compelling evidence for evolution in the slope over five nights, during which time the source brightness decayed along almost the same track as seen in variations within the nights. We conclude that both short-term variability and longer timescale fading are dominated by a single component of constant spectral shape. We cannot fit the SED of the IR variability with a credible thermal component, either optically thick or thin. This IR SED is, however, approximately consistent with optically thin synchrotron emission from a jet. These observations therefore provide indirect evidence to support jet-dominated models for XTE J1118+480 and also provide a direct measurement of the slope of the optically thin emission, which is impossible, based on the average spectral energy distribution alone.
Remote protection prevents unwanted cyclizations with 2-aminopyridines

The pyridine nitrogen of the 2-aminopyridine group is sufficiently nucleophilic to undergo intramolecular cyclizations, thereby preventing competing Mitsunobu and other substitution reactions from proceeding at a remote site. Double protection of the 2-amino group effectively blocked reaction at the pyridine nitrogen. This is a rare example of the use of a remote protecting group to block another group from reacting.
Relating magnetic reconnection to coronal heating

It is clear that the solar corona is being heated and that coronal magnetic fields undergo reconnection all the time. Here we attempt to show that these two facts are related—i.e. coronal reconnection generates heat. This attempt must address the fact that topological change of field lines does not automatically generate heat. We present one case of flux emergence where we have measured the rate of coronal magnetic reconnection and the rate of energy dissipation in the corona. The ratio of these two, , is a current comparable to the amount of current expected to flow along the boundary separating the emerged flux from the pre-existing flux overlying it. We can generalize this relation to the overall corona in quiet Sun or in active regions. Doing so yields estimates for the contribution to coronal heating from magnetic reconnection. These estimated rates are comparable to the amount required to maintain the corona at its observed temperature.
Anomalous Stoichiometry, Layered Structure, and Magnetic Ordering for the Prussian Blue Analogue [NEt4]2[MnII3(CN)8]

Atypical of Prussian blue structured materials, Mn{sup II} and [NEt{sub 4}]CN react to form [NEt{sub 4}]{sub 2}Mn{sub 3}(CN){sub 8} possessing layers of octahedral [Mn{sup II}(CN){sub 6}]{sup 4-} bonded to two high-spin tetrahedral Mn{sup II} sites.
Markets, Morals, and Practices of Trade: Jurisdictional Disputes in the U.S. Commerce in Cadavers:

This study examines the U.S. commerce in human cadavers for medical education and research to explore variation in legitimacy in trades involving similar goods. It draws on archival, interview, and observational data mainly from NewYork State to analyze market participants' efforts to legitimize commerce and resolve a jurisdictional dispute. Building on literature on professions, the study shows that how goods are traded, not only what is traded, proves integral to constructing legitimacy, thus suggesting a practice-based view of moral markets. The professionals, including a group of “gatekeepers,” construct a narrative distinction between their own commerce and an implicitly less moral alternative and geographically insulate their trades from the broader commerce, creating in effect two circuits. Yet the professionals also promote specific practices of trade within their circuit to help them distinguish their own pursuit from an alternative course of action. The study's findings shed light on the micro-f...
D-brane construction of the 5D NHEK dual

Extremal but non-supersymmetric charged black holes with SU(2) L spin in IIB string theory compactified to five dimensions on K 3 × S 1 are considered. These have a near-horizon or NHEK region with an enhanced SL(2, R) L conformal symmetry. It is shown that the NHEK geometry has a second, inequivalent, asymptotically flat extension in which the radius of the S 1 becomes infinite but the radius of the angular circles of SU(2) L orbits approach a constant. The asymptotic charges associated to the second solution identify it as a 5D D1-D5-Taub-NUT black string with certain nonzero worldvolume charge densities, temperatures and chemical potentials. The dual of the NHEK geometry is then identified as an IR limit of this wrapped brane configuration.
The Evolution of Agricultural Education and Training: Global Insights of Relevance for Africa

In 1959, on the eve of Africa’s independence, Africa exported modest food surpluses while India confronted a food crisis. Facing the threat of a 28 million ton shortfall in food grain supplies, the Government of India requested Ford Foundation funding for an international team of agricultural experts to prepare an emergency report recommending measures to address India’s projected food shortfall. The ensuing report, India’s Food Crisis and Steps to Meet It, became one of the most influential reports in Asian development circles in the 1960s (Ford Foundation 1959). The team called for an increase in the number of trained scientists, stepped-up research on food crop production and the import of new technology as key drivers of agricultural development. With strong political leadership, continuity of government funding and donor guarantees of food aid to feed the cities for a decade, India began a sixteen year march to push up wheat and rice yields until it became self-sufficient in 1981.
K-shell x-ray spectroscopy of atomic nitrogen.

Absolute $K$-shell photoionization cross sections for atomic nitrogen have been obtained from both experiment and state-of-the-art theoretical techniques. Because of the difficulty of creating a target of neutral atomic nitrogen, no high-resolution $K$-edge spectroscopy measurements have been reported for this important atom. Interplay between theory and experiment enabled identification and characterization of the strong $1s\ensuremath{\rightarrow}np$ resonance features throughout the threshold region. An experimental value of $409.64\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.02\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{eV}$ was determined for the $K$-shell binding energy.
Degrees of freedom in adaptive modulation: a unified view

We examine adaptive modulation schemes for flat-fading channels where the data rate, transmit power, and instantaneous BER are varied to maximize spectral efficiency, subject to an average power and BER constraint. Both continuous-rate and discrete-rate adaptation are considered, as well as average and instantaneous BER constraints. We find the general form of power, BER and data rate adaptation that maximizes spectral efficiency for a large class of modulation techniques and fading distributions. The optimal adaptation of these parameters is to increase the power and data rate and decrease the BER as the channel quality improves. Surprisingly, little spectral efficiency is lost when the power or rate is constrained to be constant. Hence, the spectral efficiency of adaptive modulation is relatively insensitive to which degrees of freedom are adapted.
Tangent sequences in Orlicz and rearrangement invariant spaces

Let (fn) and (gn) be two sequences of random variables adapted to an increasing sequence of σ-algebras (ℱn) such that the conditional distributions of fn and gn given ℱn coincide. Suppose further that the sequence (gn) is conditionally independent. Then it is known that where the number C is a universal constant. The aim of this paper is to extend this result to certain classes of Orlicz and rearrangement invariant spaces. This paper includes fairly general techniques for obtaining rearrangement invariant inequalities from Orlicz norm inequalities.
Hybridization Gap and Dresselhaus Spin Splitting in EuIr4In2Ge4

EuIr4In2Ge4 is a new intermetallic semiconductor that adopts a non-centrosymmetric structure in the tetragonal space group with unit cell parameters a=6.9016(5) A and c=8.7153(9) A. The compound features an indirect optical band gap Eg=0.26(2) eV, and electronic-structure calculations show that the energy gap originates primarily from hybridization of the Ir 5d orbitals, with small contributions from the Ge 4p and In 5p orbitals. The strong spin–orbit coupling arising from the Ir atoms, and the lack of inversion symmetry leads to significant spin splitting, which is described by the Dresselhaus term, at both the conduction- and valence-band edges. The magnetic Eu2+ ions present in the structure, which do not play a role in gap formation, order antiferromagnetically at 2.5 K.
Radial structure of the Internet

The structure of the Internet at the autonomous system (AS) level has been studied by the physics, mathematics and computer science communities. We extend this work to include features of the core and the periphery, taking a radial perspective on AS network structure. New methods for plotting AS data are described, and they are used to analyse datasets that have been extended to contain edges missing from earlier collections. The average distance from one vertex to the rest of the network is used as the baseline metric for investigating radial structure. Common vertex-specific quantities are plotted against this metric to reveal distinctive characteristics of central and peripheral vertices. Two datasets are analysed
One-pot synthesis of 1,4-naphthoquinones and related structures with laccase

The one-pot synthesis of 1,4-naphthoquinones by the Diels–Alder reaction of dienes with para-quinones generated in situ with laccase (EC 1.10.3.2, p-diphenol:dioxygen oxidoreductase) in an aqueous medium was developed in this study. The para-quinones were generated in situ by the laccase oxidation of the corresponding 1,4-hydroquinones and subsequently underwent the Diels–Alder reaction with dienes, and further oxidation to finally generate 1,4-naphthoquinones, in good yields. This reaction methodology provides unique green chemistry synthesis for isolation of the naphthoquinones, and without relying on organic solvents or hazardous heavy metal reagents. In this paper, the effects of laccase dose, temperature, and substrate sensitivity on the overall reaction were investigated.
Theoretical analysis of dynamic processes for interacting molecular motors

Biological transport is supported by the collective dynamics of enzymatic molecules that are called motor proteins or molecular motors. Experiments suggest that motor proteins interact locally via short-range potentials. We investigate the fundamental role of these interactions by carrying out an analysis of a new class of totally asymmetric exclusion processes, in which interactions are accounted for in a thermodynamically consistent fashion. This allows us to explicitly connect microscopic features of motor proteins with their collective dynamic properties. A theoretical analysis that combines various mean-field calculations and computer simulations suggests that the dynamic properties of molecular motors strongly depend on the interactions, and that the correlations are stronger for interacting motor proteins. Surprisingly, it is found that there is an optimal strength of interactions (weak repulsion) that leads to a maximal particle flux. It is also argued that molecular motor transport is more sensitive to attractive interactions. Applications of these results for kinesin motor proteins are discussed.
Microstructure and Electrical Property Correlations in Ga:ZnO Transparent Conducting Thin Films

We report the correlations between processing, microstructure and electrical properties of Ga doped ZnO films. Films with varying grain size were grown on amorphous glass by changing the substrate and pulsed laser deposition variables. The results corresponding to these films were compared with those from epitaxial single crystal films grown on (0001) sapphire. Microstructural characteristics were analyzed in detail by using X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. Electrical properties were evaluated by resistivity measurements in the temperature range of 15-300K and Hall measurements at room temperature. It was observed that the grain boundaries and orientation of grains (texture characteristics) affected the carrier concentration and the mobility considerably in nanocrystalline films deposited on glass substrates. This effect is envisaged to occur as a result of trapping of electrons and build up of a potential barrier across the grain boundaries. However, the resistivity in nanocrystalline films could be decreased significantly by carefully controlling the deposition conditions. For a film deposited on glass at 2000C and 1 mtorr of oxygen partial pressure, we attained a minimum resistivity value of 1.8 × 10-4Ω-cm. As a comparison, the epitaxial films on sapphire substrates showed a resistivity of 1.4 × 10-4 Ω-cm, deposited at 4000C and pressure of 2.4 × 10-2 torr. Role of grain boundaries and defects in controlling the carrier generation and transport is considered in detail and possible mechanisms limiting the electrical conductivity in films with different microstructures are identified.
INDUCED INNOVATION TESTS ON WESTERN AMERICAN AGRICULTURE: A COINTEGRATION ANALYSIS

The Induced Innovation Hypothesis (IIH) is tested for Western US agriculture by means of a cointegration test. An ECM model is used to separate the short-run and long-run effects of relative price changes. A difference in the elasticities of factor substitution along the isoquant curve and the innovation possibility curve implies IIH. The estimated results showed that the induced innovation hypothesis was supported for the three regions of Washington, PNW, and the West, but not for the nation. However, while changes in relative input prices induced innovation, changes in output level or R&E investments did not. The empirical tests failed to find any significant impact of changes in the latter variables on agricultural technology in any of the geographic units.
Toward a General Model of Knowledge Creation in Virtual Teams

Virtual teams have made such an impact on organisations' knowledge management. As a result, the phenomenon of knowledge creation in virtual teams obviously deserves researchers' attention. Nonetheless, literature on virtual teams has not been much theory-grounded. Thus, to explore the influence of virtual teams on knowledge creation and fill the scarcity of theoretical foundation in the literature, this paper firstly proposes a theoretical model of knowledge creation process in virtual teams called Adaptive Social-Externalisation by primarily drawing from Nonaka's Organisational Knowledge Creation theory as well as Adaptive Structuration theory and Agency theory. Secondly, the characteristics of the process are also derived as Adaptiveness, Simultaneity, and Goal Congruency and Information Symmetry and can be used to determine the effectiveness of both knowledge creation and overall performance of a virtual team. Both theoretical and practical implications are then discussed.
Dispersive shock waves with negative pressure

We experimentally observe a spatial optical shock with negative pressure/self-focusing nonlinearity on a partially-spatially-incoherent light. We examine its basic nonlinear properties and observe statistical wave damping.