cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Enantioselective Multicomponent Condensation Reactions of Phenols, Aldehydes, and Boronates Catalyzed by Chiral Biphenols

Chiral diols and biphenols catalyze the multicomponent condensation reaction of phenols, aldehydes, and alkenyl or aryl boronates. The condensation products are formed in good yields and enantioselectivities. The reaction proceeds via an initial Friedel–Crafts alkylation of the aldehyde and phenol to yield an ortho-quinone methide that undergoes an enantioselective boronate addition. A cyclization pathway was discovered while exploring the scope of the reaction that provides access to chiral 2,4-diaryl chroman products, the core of which is a structural motif found in natural products.
Discipline and Development

Perhaps the most commonly held assumption in the field of development is that middle classes are the bounty of economic modernization and growth. As countries gradually transcend their agrarian past and become urbanized and industrialized, so the logic goes, middle classes emerge and gain in number, complexity, cultural influence, social prominence, and political authority. Yet this is only half the story. Middle classes shape industrial and economic development, they are not merely its product; the particular ways in which middle classes shape themselves - and the ways historical conditions shape them - influence development trajectories in multiple ways. This is the story of South Korea's and Taiwan's economic successes and Argentina's and Mexico's relative 'failures' through an examination of their rural middle classes and disciplinary capacities. Can disciplining continue in a context where globalization squeezes middle classes and frees capitalists from the state and social contracts in which they have been embedded?
Increased Graft-Versus-Host Susceptibility of Thymectomized Recipients.∗:

SummaryThymectomy performed immediately after birth increases the susceptibility of (C3H X A)F1 recipients to development of splenomegaly following the injection of spleen cells from A and C3H mice, and of C3H recipients to produce splenomegaly following the injection of spleen cells from A mice. In view of current knowledge, that much of the splenomegaly in grait-versus-host reaction is due to proliferation of host cells, our experiments indicate that this proliferation does not involve thymus dependent im-munocompetent cells of the host. These findings stress once again the susceptibility of the neonatally thymectomized recipient mouse to the development of homologous disease after injection of homologous cells which are readily rejected by the intact recipients. The findings have important implication in efforts to design and execute replacement therapy for humans genetically or developmentally lacking in thymic system of lymphocytes.
Statistical Analysis of Plasticity Measurements of Natural and Synthetic Rubber

Abstract The reliability of plasticity data on rubber is affected by (1) variance in precision of measurement by the instrument used and (2) heterogeneity of the rubber. While the relative precision of the instrument and observer error must be considered, the problem is somewhat complicated by the fact that each sample is used only once. Thus a single measurement is made on n like things rather than n like measurements on a single thing. Methods commonly used are the Williams parallel-plate, Dillon and Johnston extrusion, and Mooney shear. Rather meager data have been published on plasticity measurements of large numbers of samples (200–300) of elastomers. Riebl and Martin, Davey and Baker have reported no dispersion values, only averages of D30 plasticity values of smoked sheet and crepe being shown, using a parallel-plate plastometer. Aside from Mooney plasticity values of GR-S on 45–50 samples given in recent papers by Heide and Vila and Gross no statistical data for GR-S plasticity are available in th...
THE ROLE OF CONDITIONAL HETEROSKEDASTICITY IN IDENTIFYING AND ESTIMATING LINEAR TRIANGULAR SYSTEMS, WITH APPLICATIONS TO ASSET PRICING MODELS THAT INCLUDE A MISMEASURED FACTOR

SUMMARY A new estimator is proposed for linear triangular systems, where identification results from the model errors following a bivariate and diagonal GARCH(1,1) process with potentially time-varying error covariances. This estimator applies when traditional instruments are unavailable. I demonstrate its usefulness on asset pricing models like the capital asset pricing model and Fama–French three-factor model. In the context of a standard two-pass cross-sectional regression approach, this estimator improves the pricing performance of both models. Set identification bounds and an associated estimator are also provided for cases where the conditions supporting point identification fail. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Experimental and Computational Aeroelastic Analysis of a Composite Material Delta Wing in Low Subsonic Flow

An experimental and computational study of the flutter and limit cycle oscillations (LCOs) of a three layer, carbon fiber composite material 45° delta wing is presented. The computational aeroelastic model utilizes a set of nonlinear structural dynamics (modal) equations which are coupled to a vortex lattice aerodynamic model. The nonlinear modal equations for the structure are formulated using a system identification methodology. To reduce the computational time needed in the computation of the strain energy needed to construct the reduced order structural dynamics model, a new algorithm which uses a Smolyak sparse grid technique is proposed to perform the sampling of strain energy data used for generation of the equations of motion. Experiments and computations are performed, and compared, for a number of layup configuration angles. The qualitative agreement between experimental flutter and limit cycle results is good with both sets of results displaying similar trends with respect to variations in layup angle and a non-dimensional parameter which gives a measure of the bending-torsion coupling in the laminate.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Effect of a Ge Barrier on the Microstructure of BaTiO3 Deposited on Silicon by Pulsed Laser Ablation

BaTiO 3 (BT) thin films deposited using pulsed laser ablation on substrates of (100) Si and (100) Si with 0.3 μm Ge were examined. For one set of samples, approximately 2000 A of BT was deposited at 70°C at O 2 pressures of 0, 1.0 and 10.0 mT. In a second set, O 2 pressures of 0 and 1.0 mT were used during deposition of 200 A of BT at 450°C followed by a 5 minute anneal and deposition of an additional 2000 A at 750°C. This gave a total sample matrix of 10 samples. Cross-sectional TEM revealed that an interfacial layer formed in the BT on Si samples but not in the BT on Ge samples. HREM analysis of the interfaces showed that the interfacial layer was amorphous. On Ge, the BT films were found to have large areas of epitactic growth along the interface. This was confirmed by diffraction tilt angle experiments which showed a strong preferred orientation of BT on Ge. No preferred orientation was found for BT on Si. Statistical grain size analysis of the films using multiple regression showed that the film microstructures were affected most strongly by the substrate type (Ge or Si) followed by the deposition temperature of the substrate. Only a weak effect of O 2 pressure was observed.
Price Discovery in Futures and Options Markets

We evaluate price discovery in the natural gas futures and futures options markets using a transaction-based approach. By sampling market maker prices, we allow for a distinction between market maker buy and sell futures prices, both directly from trades in the futures market, and futures prices implied by trades in the options market. Information shares are compared between futures and options markets as well as within the options market. Given the common architecture of the two markets, as expected we find little price information generated in the options market. Within the options market, the highly levered out-of-the-money options offer less price discovery than other options. We attribute this to the higher transaction costs of out-of-the-money options. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Jrl Fut Mark 34:853–867, 2014
Real-time verification of network properties using atomic predicates

Network management will benefit from automated tools based upon formal methods. Several such tools have been published in the literature. We present a new formal method for a new tool, Atomic Predicates (AP) Verifier, which is much more time and space efficient than existing tools. Given a set of predicates representing packet filters, AP Verifier computes a set of atomic predicates, which is minimum and unique. The use of atomic predicates dramatically speeds up computation of network reachability. We evaluated the performance of AP Verifier using forwarding tables and ACLs from three large real networks. The atomic predicate sets of these networks were computed very quickly and their sizes are surprisingly small. Real networks are subject to dynamic state changes over time as a result of rule insertion and deletion by protocols and operators, failure and recovery of links and boxes, etc. In a software-defined network, the network state can be observed in real time and thus may be controlled in real time. AP Verifier includes algorithms to process such events and check compliance with network policies and properties in real time. We compare time and space costs of AP Verifier with Header Space and NetPlumber using datasets from the real networks.
Automating Biomedical Data Science Through Tree-Based Pipeline Optimization

Over the past decade, data science and machine learning has grown from a mysterious art form to a staple tool across a variety of fields in academia, business, and government. In this paper, we introduce the concept of tree-based pipeline optimization for automating one of the most tedious parts of machine learning—pipeline design. We implement a Tree-based Pipeline Optimization Tool (TPOT) and demonstrate its effectiveness on a series of simulated and real-world genetic data sets. In particular, we show that TPOT can build machine learning pipelines that achieve competitive classification accuracy and discover novel pipeline operators—such as synthetic feature constructors—that significantly improve classification accuracy on these data sets. We also highlight the current challenges to pipeline optimization, such as the tendency to produce pipelines that overfit the data, and suggest future research paths to overcome these challenges. As such, this work represents an early step toward fully automating machine learning pipeline design.
Are Muslims Obligated to Engage in Holy War

In the early twenty-first century, some—Muslims and non-Muslims alike—believe that Islam requires Muslims to engage in holy war or Jih d. This article concludes that this early twenty-first century notion that Muslims are obligated to wage holy war is based on a failure to appreciate that Jih d was never a universally agreed upon concept in Islam nor was there ever a universal obligation to participate in Jih d. In order to support the assertion that Muslims are not obligated to engage in holy war, this article looks to canonical texts from the anaf School of Islamic Law from the ninth through the fourteenth century CE. These texts are called Fatw collections because they compile legal opinions on a wide variety of matters. The first observation that the article presents is that some of these canonical Fatw collections do not even address the question of Jih d while other Fatw collections treat Jih d in at least three different ways. Thus the article demonstrates that the earliest Muslim legal scholars of the anaf School did not share a uniform understanding of what constitutes holy war nor did they agree on who is obligated to become a holy warrior. Indeed, the article concludes that early legal scholars especially disagreed on the obligation to engage in Jih d and on who qualifies to call for Jih d. Hence it is false to claim that Muslims are obligated now (or have ever been obligated) to engage in Jih d. * Professor of Law and Professor of Sociology, Vanderbilt University. ** Doctoral Candidate, Emory University. The authors would like to acknowledge Professor Devin Stewart for his valuable insights and comments on this article. 377fiu_11-1 S heet N o. 5 S de B 048/2016 1011:02 37792-fiu_11-1 Sheet No. 5 Side B 04/28/2016 10:11:02
Evaluation of downscaled CMIP5 model skill in simulating daily maximum temperature over the southeastern United States

Downscaled CMIP5 (Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5) climate projections of maximum daily temperature from the Downscaled CMIP3 and CMIP5 Climate and Hydrology Projections archive are examined regionally over the southeastern United States. Three measures of model skill (means-based, distribution-based, extreme-based) are utilized to assess the ability of 15 downscaled models to simulate daily maximum temperature observations. A new test is proposed to determine statistical significance of the probability density function-based skill measures. Skill scores are found to be generally high for all three measures throughout the study region, but lower scores are present in coastal and mountainous areas. Application of the significance test shows that while the skill scores may be high, they are not significantly higher than could be expected at random in some areas. The distribution-based skill scores are not significant in much of Florida and the Appalachians. The extreme-based skill scores are not significant in more than 90% of the region for all models investigated. The findings suggest that although the downscaled models have simulated observed means well and are a good match to the entire distribution of observations, they are not simulating the occurrence of extreme (above 90th percentile) maximum daily temperatures.
The use of neuroscience evidence in criminal proceedings

While law and neuroscience has been an increasingly popular topic in academic discourse, until now, little systematic research had examined how neuroscience evidence has actually been used in court. Do courts actually admit and consider evidence of brain trauma that might indicate that an individual did not have the capacity to achieve the mental state required for conviction of particular crime? Do they use such evidence to consider the relative culpability for the crime in the event of conviction? Do they consider or understand brain scan data? For much of the life of this infant field, we have only been able to guess as to the answers to these questions. The four papers discussed here begin to fill that gap in the literature. Each provides a critically important window into use of neuroscience evidence in a large sample of criminal cases of a particular jurisdiction. Importantly, this work provides a guidepost for neuroscientists and legal scholars as to what types of neuroscience evidence courts find relevant and useful—critically important information that should allow scholars to target theirwork if they hope for it to have practical effects in the courts. Essentially, this type of research provides the critical link between producers of the law and neuroscience product (i.e., researchers producing scholarship) and the most important consumers of that product (i.e., courts applying that research to more fairly resolve cases). In this peer commentary, I briefly provide a summary of what I think are the most important aspects shared between four papers, and discuss critical differences between them. I also provide some suggestions for follow-up work, building on the framework laid out by these authors, andmake some predictions as to how neuroscience evidence might be used in the future.
Capturing Spontaneous Membrane Insertion of the Influenza Virus Hemagglutinin Fusion Peptide.

Hemagglutinin (HA) is a protein located on the surface of the influenza virus that mediates viral fusion to the host cellular membrane. During the fusion process the HA fusion peptide (HAfp), formed by the first 23 N-terminal residues of HA and structurally characterized by two alpha helices (Helix A and Helix B) tightly packed in a hairpin-like arrangement, is the only part of the virus in direct contact with the host membrane. After encountering the host cell, HAfp is believed to insert into the membrane, thereby initiating the fusion of the viral and host membranes. Detailed characterization of the interactions between the HAfp and cellular membrane is therefore of high relevance to the mechanism of viral entry into the host cell. Employing HMMM membrane representation with enhanced lipid mobility, we have performed a large set of independent simulations of unbiased membrane binding of HAfp. We have been able to capture spontaneous binding and insertion of HAfp consistently in nearly all the simulation...
Neuropsychological impairment in soccer athletes.

Background. Soccer reportedly places participants at risk for neuropsychological impairment, although it is unknown if the risk is associated primarily with concussion, subconcussive blows from heading the ball, or some combination thereof. Moreover, the extent to which younger versus older athletes are at risk for soccer-related cognitive impairment is unclear. We hypothesized that soccer athletes, especially older ones, would show poorer neuropsychological test performance than comparable swimmers. Methods. Thirty-two soccer (26 college and 6 professional) and 29 swimmers (22 college and 7 masters level), all involved for at least 4 years in their sport at collegiate or national levels, participated. In a 2 X 2 (sport X age category) factorial design, all participants underwent 4 neuropsychological tests with 11 outcome measures assessing motor speed, attention, concentration, reaction time, and conceptual thinking. Results. Soccer athletes performed worse than swimmers on measures of conceptual thinking. The older soccer group in particular performed poorly on measures of conceptual thinking, reaction time, and concentration. Among non-goaltender soccer athletes, estimates of career exposure to brain trauma (based on length of career and level of play) predicted significantly poorer test performance on 6 of 11 measures, even after statistically controlling for age. Conclusions. Results provide additional evidence that participation in soccer may be associated with poorer neuropsychological performance, although the observed pattern of findings does not specifically implicate heading as the cause. Although deficits were most apparent among older soccer players, serial neuropsychological testing for early detection of impairment is recommended for younger players as well.
Multivariate Synthesis of Tin Phosphide Nanoparticles: Temperature, Time, and Ligand Control of Size, Shape, and Crystal Structure

Tin phosphides make up a class of materials that have received a noteworthy amount of interest in photocatalysis, charge storage, and thermoelectric devices. Dual stable oxidation states of tin (Sn2+ and Sn4+) allow tin phosphides to exhibit different stoichiometries and crystal phases. However, the synthesis of such nanostructures with control over morphology and crystal structure has proven to be a challenging task. Herein, we report the first colloidal synthesis of size-, shape-, and phase-controlled, narrowly disperse rhombohedral Sn4P3, hexagonal SnP, and trigonal Sn3P4 nanoparticles (NPs) displaying tunable morphologies and size-dependent physical properties. The control over NP morphology and crystal phase was achieved by tuning the nucleation/growth temperature, Sn/P molar ratio, and incorporation of additional coordinating solvents (alkylphosphines). The absorption spectra of Sn3P4 NPs (3.0 ± 0.4 to 8.6 ± 1.8 nm) exhibit size-dependent blue shifts in energy gaps (1.38–0.88 eV) compared to the the...
Extremal chiral \( \mathcal{N} \) = 4 SCFT with c = 24

We construct an extremal chiral $$ \mathcal{N} $$ = 4 superconformal field theory with central charge 24 from a $$ {\mathbb{Z}}_2 $$ orbifold of the chiral bosonic theory with target $$ {\mathbb{R}}^{24}/\varLambda $$ , where Λ is the Niemeier lattice with root system A 2 12 . This construction is analogous to constructions of extremal chiral $$ \mathcal{N} $$ = 1 and $$ \mathcal{N} $$ = 2 CFTs with c = 24, where Λ = ΛLeech and the Niemeier lattice with root system A 1 24 , respectively. The theory has a discrete symmetry group related to the sporadic group M 11.
Language and hope in schizophrenia-spectrum disorders

Hope is integral to recovery for those with schizophrenia. Considering recent advancements in the examination of clients' lexical qualities, we were interested in how clients' words reflect hope. Using computerized lexical analysis, we examined social, emotion, and future words' relations to hope and its pathways and agency components. Forty-five clients provided detailed narratives about their life and mental illness. Transcripts were analyzed using the Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count program (LIWC), which assigns words to categories (e.g., "anxiety") based on a pre-existing dictionary. Correlations and linear multiple regression were used to examine relationships between lexical qualities and hope. Hope and its subcomponents had significant or trending bivariate correlations in expected directions with several emotion-related word categories (anger and sadness) but were not associated with expected categories such as social words, positive emotions, optimism, achievement, and future words. In linear multiple regressions, no LIWC variable significantly predicted hope agency, but anger words significantly predicted both total hope and hope pathways. Our findings indicate lexical analysis tools can be used to investigate recovery-oriented concepts such as hope, and results may inform clinical practice. Future research should aim to replicate our findings in larger samples.
Cytotoxic Escherichia coli strains encoding colibactin colonize laboratory mice.

Escherichia coli strains have not been fully characterized in laboratory mice and are not currently excluded from mouse colonies. Colibactin (Clb), a cytotoxin, has been associated with inflammation and cancer in humans and animals. We performed bacterial cultures utilizing rectal swab, fecal, and extra intestinal samples from clinically unaffected or affected laboratory mice. Fifty-one E. coli were isolated from 45 laboratory mice, identified biochemically, and selected isolates were serotyped. The 16S rRNA gene was amplified and sequenced for specific isolates, PCR used for clbA and clbQ gene amplification, and phylogenetic group identification was performed on all 51 E. coli strains. Clb genes were sequenced and selected E. coli isolates were characterized using a HeLa cell cytotoxicity assay. Forty-five of the 51 E. coli isolates (88%) encoded clbA and clbQ and belonged to phylogenetic group B2. Mouse E. coli serotypes included: O2:H6, O-:H-, OM:H+, and O22:H-. Clb-encoding O2: H6 mouse E. coli isolates were cytotoxic in vitro. A Clb-encoding E. coli was isolated from a clinically affected genetically modified mouse with cystic endometrial hyperplasia. Our findings suggest that Clb-encoding E. coli colonize laboratory mice and may induce clinical and subclinical diseases that may impact experimental mouse models.
Radiation hardened PowerPC 603e/sup TM/ based single board computer

Honeywell is developing a product line of standard electronics boards for on-orbit payload processing applications. This product line is based on commercial standards for instruction sets, form factors, back plane busses, I/O and software tools. This architecture is based on a data flow model. The radiation hardened, Single Board Computer (SBC) is based on PowerPC 603e/sup TM/ technology licensed from Motorola. The SBC is one building block for realizing a space computing solution. Other building blocks offered by Honeywell are a radiation hardened vector processor (RHVP), mass memory, sensor interface electronics, and I/O suite. The RHPPC SBC provides enough throughput to enable on-board payload processing or can be used for spacecraft control functions. The current generation of space computers is based on R3000 class architectures and offer 20 MIPS performance. The RHPPC SBC offers 222 MIPS performance.
Rh(III)-Catalyzed C–H Bond Addition/Amine-Mediated Cyclization of Bis-Michael Acceptors

A Rh(III)-catalyzed C–H bond addition/primary amine-promoted cyclization of bis-Michael acceptors is reported. The C–H bond addition step occurs with high chemoselectivity, and the subsequent intramolecular Michael addition, mediated by a primary amine catalyst, sets three contiguous stereocenters with high diastereoselectivity. A broad range of directing groups and both aromatic and alkenyl C–H bonds were shown to be effective in this transformation, affording functionalized piperidines, tetrahydropyrans, and cyclohexanes.
Synthetic biology of antimicrobial discovery

Antibiotic discovery has a storied history. From the discovery of penicillin by Sir Alexander Fleming to the relentless quest for antibiotics by Selman Waksman, the stories have become like folklore used to inspire future generations of scientists. However, recent discovery pipelines have run dry at a time when multidrug-resistant pathogens are on the rise. Nature has proven to be a valuable reservoir of antimicrobial agents, which are primarily produced by modularized biochemical pathways. Such modularization is well suited to remodeling by an interdisciplinary approach that spans science and engineering. Herein, we discuss the biological engineering of small molecules, peptides, and non-traditional antimicrobials and provide an overview of the growing applicability of synthetic biology to antimicrobials discovery.
Trust-Based Development Framework for Distributed Systems and IoT

Trust is a critical factor when dealing with the distributed systems and Internet of Things (IoT). Therefore, in developing, enhancing, and modifying such systems trust has to be considered as a major factor in all stages of system development. On the other hand, trust-based design and development would need a framework to guide system developers into extracting set of comprehensive requirements and simultaneously preventing any possible conflicts. The diversity of users, devices, and systems along with the complexity of the interactions between the system components are demanding a framework capable of dynamically addressing trust and development issues. This work is an attempt to model such framework.
THE FINANCIAL IMPACT OF LENDER‐OF‐LAST‐RESORT BORROWING FROM THE FEDERAL RESERVE DURING THE FINANCIAL CRISIS

The U.S. Federal Reserve (Fed) was reluctant to release the names of firms that borrowed, and the amounts borrowed, from the emergency loan facilities during the financial crisis. We show that when the details of this information were finally made public by the Fed, there was no stock market reaction, contrary to the thought that this was valuable information. However, further investigation shows that stock returns for publicly traded borrowing institutions declined significantly and almost immediately after the Fed borrowing was initiated, although the information had not been made public by the Fed at the time. The underperformance of borrowing institutions was greatest for those that received the largest loans or had the largest amount of loans outstanding. This evidence is consistent with the idea that investors were able to trade on the information about the Fed’s emergency loan program, although the Fed purposely tried to keep the information private.
Generating Videos with Scene Dynamics

We capitalize on large amounts of unlabeled video in order to learn a model of scene dynamics for both video recognition tasks (e.g. action classification) and video generation tasks (e.g. future prediction). We propose a generative adversarial network for video with a spatio-temporal convolutional architecture that untangles the scene's foreground from the background. Experiments suggest this model can generate tiny videos up to a second at full frame rate better than simple baselines, and we show its utility at predicting plausible futures of static images. Moreover, experiments and visualizations show the model internally learns useful features for recognizing actions with minimal supervision, suggesting scene dynamics are a promising signal for representation learning. We believe generative video models can impact many applications in video understanding and simulation.
Inkjet Printed Wire-Grid Polarizers for the THz Frequency Range

We have investigated the use of inkjet printing technology for the production of THz range wire-grid polarizers using time-domain terahertz spectroscopy (TDTS). Such technology affords an inexpensive and reproducible way of quickly manufacturing THz range metamaterial structures. As a proof-of-concept demonstration, numerous thin silver-nanoparticle ink lines were printed using a Dimatix DMP-2831 printer. We investigated the optimal printing geometry of the polarizers by examining a number of samples with printed wires of varying thickness and spacing. We also investigated the polarization properties of multiply-stacked polarizers.
Vertical plasmonic mach-zehnder interferometer for sensitive optical sensing

By observing the wavelength shift of the peaks or valleys of the SPP interference pattern, a highly compact vertical plasmonic MZI with a potential to achieve a very high sensitivity is proposed.
On cusp solutions to a prescribed mean curvature equation

Click on the DOI link to access the article (may not be free). All articles published by MSP become open access after five years past publication (meaning on the fifth January 1st after the publication date).
Doubly robust matching estimators for high dimensional confounding adjustment

Valid estimation of treatment effects from observational data requires proper control of confounding. If the number of covariates is large relative to the number of observations, then controlling for all available covariates is infeasible. In cases where a sparsity condition holds, variable selection or penalization can reduce the dimension of the covariate space in a manner that allows for valid estimation of treatment effects. In this article, we propose matching on both the estimated propensity score and the estimated prognostic scores when the number of covariates is large relative to the number of observations. We derive asymptotic results for the matching estimator and show that it is doubly robust in the sense that only one of the two score models need be correct to obtain a consistent estimator. We show via simulation its effectiveness in controlling for confounding and highlight its potential to address nonlinear confounding. Finally, we apply the proposed procedure to analyze the effect of gender on prescription opioid use using insurance claims data.
The Decay of Disease Association with Declining Linkage Disequilibrium: A Fine Mapping Theorem.

Several important and fundamental aspects of disease genetics models have yet to be described. One such property is the relationship of disease association statistics at a marker site closely linked to a disease causing site. A complete description of this two-locus system is of particular importance to experimental efforts to fine map association signals for complex diseases. Here, we present a simple relationship between disease association statistics and the decline of linkage disequilibrium from a causal site. Specifically, the ratio of Chi-square disease association statistics at a marker site and causal site is equivalent to the standard measure of pairwise linkage disequilibrium, r2. A complete derivation of this relationship from a general disease model is shown for very large sample sizes. Quite interestingly, this relationship holds across all modes of inheritance. Extensive Monte Carlo simulations using a disease genetics model applied to chromosomes subjected to a standard model of recombination are employed to better understand the variation around this fine mapping theorem due to sampling effects. We also use this relationship to provide a framework for estimating properties of a non-interrogated causal site using data at closely linked markers. Lastly, we apply this way of examining association data from high-density genotyping in a large, publicly-available data set investigating extreme BMI. We anticipate that understanding the patterns of disease association decay with declining linkage disequilibrium from a causal site will enable more powerful fine mapping methods and provide new avenues for identifying causal sites/genes from fine-mapping studies.
Interneuronal mechanisms of hippocampal theta oscillations in a full-scale model of the rodent CA1 circuit

The hippocampal theta rhythm plays important roles in information processing; however, the mechanisms of its generation are not well understood. We developed a data-driven, supercomputer-based, full-scale (1:1) model of the rodent CA1 area and studied its interneurons during theta oscillations. Theta rhythm with phase-locked gamma oscillations and phase-preferential discharges of distinct interneuronal types spontaneously emerged from the isolated CA1 circuit without rhythmic inputs. Perturbation experiments identified parvalbumin-expressing interneurons and neurogliaform cells, as well as interneuronal diversity itself, as important factors in theta generation. These simulations reveal new insights into the spatiotemporal organization of the CA1 circuit during theta oscillations.
Evidence on the relationship between recruiting and the starting wage

Using data from the Employment Opportunity Pilot Project, we examine the relationship between the starting wage paid to the worker filling a vacancy, the number of applications attracted by the vacancy, the number of candidates interviewed for the vacancy, and the duration of the vacancy. We find that the wage is positively related to the duration of a vacancy and negatively related to the number of applications and interviews per week. We show that these surprising findings are consistent with a view of the labor market in which firms post wages and workers direct their search based on these wages if workers and jobs are heterogeneous and the interaction between the worker's type and the job's type in production satisfies some rather natural assumptions.
Dependence measures bounding the exploration bias for general measurements

We propose a framework to analyze and quantify the bias in adaptive data analysis. It generalizes that proposed by Russo and Zou'15, applying to measurements whose moment generating function exists, measurements with a finite p-norm, and measurements in general Orlicz spaces. We introduce a new class of dependence measures which retain key properties of mutual information while more effectively quantifying the exploration bias for heavy tailed distributions. We provide examples of cases where our bounds are nearly tight in situations where the original framework of Russo and Zou'15 does not apply.
Theoretical evaluation of electrochemical cell architectures using cation intercalation electrodes for desalination

Abstract Water scarcity is a dilemma facing much of the global population. Cation intercalation desalination (CID) cells, which use intercalation host compounds (IHCs) in combination with ion-exchange membranes (IEMs), could aid in addressing this challenge by treating saline water sources. Originally, the performance of such cells was predicted utilizing continuous flow of saline water through porous IHC electrodes. Here, we use two-dimensional porous-electrode theory with concentrated solution transport to evaluate the performance of various cell architectures where flow occurs through open flow channels (OFCs) when two IHC electrodes comprised of nickel hexacyanoferrate (NiHCF) are used to store Na+ ions. We show that, when two OFCs are used, cation exchange membranes (CEMs) are adjoined at flow-channel/electrode interfaces, and an anion exchange membrane (AEM) is arranged between flow channels, salt removal increases relative to the original design with flow-through (FT) electrodes. The IEM stacking sequence within such a membrane flow-by (MFB) cell is the fundamental repeat unit for electrodialysis (ED) stacks using many IEMs (CEM/AEM/…/CEM/AEM/CEM) with many diluate streams. Accordingly, we simulate the performance of such ED stacks using NiHCF IHCs, and we predict that salt adsorption capacity (per unit NiHCF mass) is amplified by twenty-fold relative to MFB and FT cells, while simultaneously decreasing 0.7 M NaCl feed water to 0.2-0.3 M within diluate streams. The generality of these findings is further supported by simulations using Na0.44MnO2 IHC instead of NiHCF. Thus, we propose the use of cation IHCs as alternatives to the gas-evolution reactions used in conventional ED.
Scientific issues in future induction linac accelerators for heavy-ion fusion

Abstract The worldwide heavy-ion fusion effort has made a large amount of progress over almost three decades of research on the intense beam physics and concepts needed for an inertial fusion driver. In the 1970s, ‘80s, and ‘90s in the US, most experiments used driver parameters scaled to low energy and low line charge density in order to study, most often with a single beam, the physics of high-perveance beams. More recently, the US program has introduced higher line charge density experiments, where the beam space charge potential is significant. This allows investigation of the production, and effect on the beam, of stray electrons. Increasingly, the possibilities for neutralizing plasmas are also being investigated, both just upstream and in the target chamber. This talk will outline the scientific issues that remain to be examined. These include issues of longitudinal compression, dynamic aperture, electron/ion instabilities, effect of electrons and gas on the beam, longitudinal emittance evolution, halo production, inductive effects at high energy, multiple beams, innovative final focus approaches, and driver issues for solenoidal transport. An outline of future experiments to address these issues will be presented and discussed.
Analysis of disposition alternatives for radioactively contaminated scrap metal

Abstract Millions of tons of slightly radioactive scrap iron and steel, stainless steel, and copper are likely to become available as nuclear and other facilities and equipment are withdrawn from service. Disposition of this material is an international policy issue under consideration currently. The major alternatives for managing this material are either to develop a regulatory process for decontamination and recycling that will safeguard human health or to dispose of the scrap and replace the metal stocks. To evaluate the alternatives, we estimate quantities of scrap arising from nuclear power plant decommissioning, evaluate potential price impacts of recycling on regional markets, and assess the health and environmental impacts of the management alternatives. We conclude that decontaminating and recycling the scrap is the superior alternative.
Prison Work Programs in a Model of Deterrence

This article considers the social desirability of prison work programs in a model in which the function of imprisonment is to deter crime. Two types of prison work programs are studied—voluntary ones and mandatory ones. A voluntary work program is socially beneficial: if prisoners are paid a wage that just compensates them for their disutility from work, the deterrent effect of the prison sentence is unaffected, but society obtains the product of the work program. But a mandatory work program is superior to a voluntary work program: if prisoners are forced to work without compensation, the deterrent effect of the prison sentence rises, allowing society to restore deterrence and save resources by reducing the probability of detection or the sentence length, and also to obtain greater output than under the optimal voluntary work program. In an extension of the basic analysis, however, in which prisoners vary in their disutility from work, a voluntary work program may be superior to a mandatory work program because prisoners with relatively high disutility from work can elect not to work.
RESPIRATORY FUNCTION IN IDIOPATHIC SCOLIOSIS PATIENTS AGED 8–11 YEARS BEFORE AND AFTER POSTERIOR INSTRUMENTED FUSION

Aim: To Determine The Effect Of Posterior Instrumented Fusion On Lung Function In Patients With Idiopathic Scoliosis Aged 8–11. Method: Lung Function (Fvc And Fev1) Was Measured Before Surgery In 13 Patients (Aged 8 To 11) With Idiopathic Scoliosis. All Patients Had Curves Greater Than 50 And Had Undergone Posterior Instrumented Scoliosis Correction And Fusion With (3 Patients) Or Without (10 Patients) Same Day Anterior Convex Growth Arrest. Lung Function Tests Were Repeated 1–8 Years (Mean 5.3 Years) After Surgery. The Data Was Normalised To Take Into Account Standing Height And Loss Of Stature Due To Lateral Curvature, Allowing A Direct Comparison Of Percent Predicted Fev1 And Fvc Before And After Surgery. Results: Mean Fvc Was 75% Before Surgery And 79% At Longest Follow-Up (1.9l To 2.7l). Mean Fev1 Was 73% Before Surgery And 76% At Longest Follow-Up (1.7 To 2.4). The Change In Lung Function After Surgery Did Not Correlate With Length Of Time To Longest Follow-Up. The Ratio Of Fev1 To Fvc Was 0.86 Before And After Surgery. Discussion: In Idiopathic Scoliosis Below The Age Of 8 Years, Most Would Accept That Instrumentation Should Allow Spinal Growth To Try And Maintain Lung Function. Above The Age Of 11, Lung Function Is Probably Sufficient To Allow Instrumented Fusion With Its Reduced Complication Rate And Reduced Need For Further Surgery. Between The Ages Of 8 And 11 Controversy Exists. This Pilot Study Suggests That A Larger (Possibly Rct) Study Should Be Performed To Evaluate This Group Of Patients As Fusion May Be Appropriate As Percent Lung Function Corrected For Loss Of Height Due To Curvature Appears To Be Maintained. Conflict Of Interest Statement: No conflict of interest.
Current-Induced Dynamics of Multiple Skyrmions With Domain-Wall Pair and Skyrmion-Based Majority Gate Design

As an intriguing, ultrasmall, particle-like magnetic texture, skyrmions have attracted a lot of research interest for next-generation, ultradense, low-power magnetic memory/logic designs. Previous studies have demonstrated a single skyrmion domain-wall pair collision in a specially designed magnetic racetrack junction. We investigate the dynamics of multiple skyrmions with a domain-wall pair in a magnetic racetrack. The numerical micromagnetic simulation results indicate that the domain-wall pair could be pinned or depinned by a rectangular notch pinning site depending on both the number of skyrmions in the racetrack and the magnitude of driving current density. Such an emergent dynamical property could be used to implement a threshold-tunable step function in which the inputs are skyrmions and the threshold may be tuned by the driving current density. Threshold-tunable step functions are widely used in logic and neural network applications. We also present a three-input skyrmion-based majority logic gate design to demonstrate the potential application of such dynamic interactions of multiple skyrmions and domain-wall pairs.
The role of preservation on the quantification of morphology and patterns of disparity within Paleozoic echinoderms

The loss of information resulting from taphonomic degradation could represent a significant bias in the study of morphological diversity. This potential bias is even more concerning given the uneven effect of taphonomy across taxonomic groups, depositional facies, and stratigraphic successions and in response to secular changes through the Phanerozoic. The effect of taphonomic degradation is examined using character-based morphological data sets describing disparity in Paleozoic crinoids and blastozoans. Characters were sequentially excluded from the analyses following progressive taphonomic loss to determine how morphologic metrics, such as the relative distribution of taxa in morphospace and partial disparity, changed with increasing taphonomic alteration. Blastozoans showed very little change in these metrics with decreasing preservational quality, which is a result of characters that create distance in morphospace being recognizable in isolated plates. The opposite result is present in crinoids as the characters that are important in structuring the morphospace require intact modules (i.e., the calyx) to accurately assess. Temporal and stratigraphic trends produced encouraging results in that patterns could be largely recovered even with exaggerated taphonomic biases. However, certain parts of a stratigraphic sequence should be avoided and morphological outliers could potentially play a larger role through time, though both of these biases can be easily identified and avoided. The methods presented in this study provide a way to assess potential taphonomic biases in character-based studies of morphological diversity.
The Impact of the Minimum Wage on Male and Female Employment and Earnings in India

This study examines how employment and wages for men and women respond to changes in the minimum wage in India, a country known for its extensive system of minimum wage regulations across states and industries. Using repeated cross sections of India's National Sample Survey Organization employment survey data for the period 1983–2008 merged with a newly created database of minimum wage rates, we find that, regardless of gender, minimum wages in urban areas have little to no impact on labor market outcomes. However, minimum wage rates increase earnings in the rural sector, especially for men, without any employment losses. Minimum wage rates also increase the residual gender wage gap, which may be explained by weaker compliance among firms that hire female workers.
Use of Metal Hydrides for Handling Tritium

Savannah River Laboratory is developing new technology to improve the safety, reliability, and flexibility of processing tritium at the Savannah River Plant. This technology, based on metal hydride...
On the Power of Learning from k-Wise Queries

Several well-studied models of access to data samples, including statistical queries, local differential privacy and low-communication algorithms rely on queries that provide information about a function of a single sample. (For example, a statistical query (SQ) gives an estimate of Ex_{x ~ D}[q(x)] for any choice of the query function q mapping X to the reals, where D is an unknown data distribution over X.) Yet some data analysis algorithms rely on properties of functions that depend on multiple samples. Such algorithms would be naturally implemented using k-wise queries each of which is specified by a function q mapping X^k to the reals. Hence it is natural to ask whether algorithms using k-wise queries can solve learning problems more efficiently and by how much. Blum, Kalai and Wasserman (2003) showed that for any weak PAC learning problem over a fixed distribution, the complexity of learning with k-wise SQs is smaller than the (unary) SQ complexity by a factor of at most 2^k. We show that for more general problems over distributions the picture is substantially richer. For every k, the complexity of distribution-independent PAC learning with k-wise queries can be exponentially larger than learning with (k+1)-wise queries. We then give two approaches for simulating a k-wise query using unary queries. The first approach exploits the structure of the problem that needs to be solved. It generalizes and strengthens (exponentially) the results of Blum et al.. It allows us to derive strong lower bounds for learning DNF formulas and stochastic constraint satisfaction problems that hold against algorithms using k-wise queries. The second approach exploits the k-party communication complexity of the k-wise query function.
Borel structurability by locally finite simplicial complexes

We show that every countable Borel equivalence relation structurable by n-dimensional contractible simplicial complexes embeds into one which is structurable by such complexes with the further property that each vertex belongs to at most M_n : = 2^(n-1)(n^2 + 3n + 2) - 2 edges; this generalizes a result of Jackson-Kechris-Louveau in the case n = 1. The proof is based on that of a classical result of Whitehead on countable CW-complexes.