cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
State Laws Restricting Driver Use of Mobile Communications Devices: Distracted-Driving Provisions, 1992–2010

BACKGROUND: State laws limiting the use of mobile communications devices (MCDs) by drivers are being enacted at an accelerating pace. Public health law research is needed to test various legislative models and guide future legal innovation. PURPOSE: To define the current state of the law, facilitate new multi-state evaluations, and demonstrate the utility of systematic, scientific legal research methods to improve public health services research. METHODS: Westlaw and Lexis-Nexis were used to create a 50-state, open-source data set of laws restricting the use of any form of MCD while operating a motor vehicle that were in effect between January 1, 1992, and November 1, 2010. Using an iterative process, the search protocol included the following terms: cellphone, cell phone, cellular phone, wireless telephone, mobile telephone, text, hands-free, cell! and text! The text and citations of each law were collected and coded across 22 variables, and a protocol and code book were developed to facilitate future public use of the data set. RESULTS: Thirty-nine states and the District of Columbia have at least one form of restriction on the use of MCDs in effect. The laws vary in the types of communication activities and categories of driver regulated, as well as enforcement mechanisms and punishments. No state completely bans use of MCDs by all drivers. CONCLUSIONS: State distracted-driving policy is diverging from evidence on the risks of MCD use by drivers. An updatable data set of laws is now available to researchers conducting multistate evaluations of the impact of laws regulating MCDs by drivers. If this data set is shown to be useful for this public health problem, similar rigorously developed and regularly updated data sets might be developed for other public health issues that are subject to legislative interventions. Keywords: Driver distraction; Language: en
Hierarchical Conditional Random Fields for GPS-Based Activity Recognition

Learning patterns of human behavior from sensor data is extremely important for high-level activity inference. We show how to extract a person’s activities and significant places from traces of GPS data. Our system uses hierarchically structured conditional random fields to generate a consistent model of a person’s activities and places. In contrast to existing techniques, our approach takes high-level context into account in order to detect the significant locations of a person. Our experiments show significant improvements over existing techniques. Furthermore, they indicate that our system is able to robustly estimate a person’s activities using a model that is trained from data collected by other persons.
Efficacy of intermittent ventilation for providing acceptable indoor air quality.

Ventilation standards and guidelines typically treat ventilation as a constant and specify its value. In many circumstances a designer wishes to use intermittent ventilation, rather than constant ventilation, but there are no easy equivalencies available. This report develops a model of efficacy that allows one to calculate how much intermittent ventilation one needs to get the same indoor air quality as a the continuous value specified. We have found that there is a simple relationship between three dimensionless quantities: the temporal ventilation effectiveness (which we call the efficacy), the nominal turn-over and the under-ventilation fraction. This relationship allows the calculation of intermittent ventilation for a wide variety of parameters and conditions. We can use the relationship to define a critical time that separates the regime in which ventilation variations can be averaged over from the regime in which variable ventilation is of low effectiveness. We have found that ventilation load-shifting, temporary protection against poor outdoor air quality and dynamic ventilation strategies can be quite effective in low-density buildings such as single-family houses or office spaces. The results of this work enable ventilation standards and guidelines to allow this extra flexibility and still provide acceptable indoor air quality.
Fertility Responses of High-Skilled Native Women to Immigrant Inflows

Despite debate regarding the magnitude of the impact, immigrant inflows are generally understood to depress wages and increase employment in immigrant-intensive sectors. In light of the overrepresentation of the foreign-born in the childcare industry, this article examines whether college-educated native women respond to immigrant-induced lower cost and potentially more convenient childcare options with increased fertility. An analysis of U.S. Census data between 1980 and 2000 suggests that immigrant inflows are indeed associated with native women's increased likelihoods of having a baby, and responses are strongest among women who are most likely to consider childcare costs when making fertility decisions-namely, married women and women with a graduate degree. Given that native women also respond to immigrant inflows by working long hours, this article concludes with an analysis of the types of women who have stronger fertility responses versus labor supply responses to immigration.
MYCOTOXINS. II. THE BIOLOGICAL ASSAY OF AFLATOXIN IN PEKING WHITE DUCKLINGS.

Summary The Peking White duckling is suitable for the bioassay of aflatoxin. Aflatoxin causes liver damage in the birds 1–2 days after oral administration. The LD 50 of our aflatoxin sample A16A was 1.40 mg/kg. The lower limit of liver damage detection after a single dose is 0.1 mg/kg; it can be reduced by a factor of 10 with multiple dosage. The multiple dosage protocol is suitable for qualitative screening, but an LD 50 determination is recommended for quantitative measurements. We recommend that mycological, chemical, and toxicologic results be considered in a qualitative interpretation of aflatoxin poisoning.
Training to reduce postural sway and increase functional reach in the elderly.

Poor balance is one of the most common risk factors for falling, a common cause of work-related injury and death. To evaluate the effects of a 10-week intervention program on balance in older adults, 12 participants aged 61–77 years (age = 70.4 ± 5.4 years; mean ± SD) completed an exercise program (60 min, 2 days · week−1 for 10 weeks) performed while laying/sitting on large air-filled exercise balls (Thera-Band®). Several postural sway composite scores (determined while standing with feet apart and semitandem, eyes open and closed) improved (p ≤ 0.05) including medial–lateral amplitude and speed of sway (reduced by ∼9%), and instantaneous speed (reduced by ∼13%). Reductions in XY area approached (p = 0.06) statistical significance and anterior–posterior amplitude and speed of sway did not change. Functional reach also improved (20.3%). These results suggest that challenging the physiological systems involved in balance control while on the nonstable support surface of the exercise balls improves both static and dynamic balance in older adults and may reduce the risk for falling.
Information Systems that Really Support Decision-Making

Decision makers are expected to make decisions which have a positive effect on the future of their enterprises. We expect that intelligent information systems support their activities. Today, databases and web-based resources, accessed through effective communications, make information about the past rapidly available. To project the future the decision makers either have to use intuition or employ tool for prediction, and initialize such tools with information obtained from an information system to such tools. An effective information system should integrate forecasting the future, and because there choices have been made, such a system must also support the comparative assessment of the effects of alternate decisions. The complexity of an information system handling the past, and multiple futures will be great, and must be modularized with effective interfaces. We recommend the use of an SQL-like interface language to access existing tools to assess the future, as spreadsheets and simulations. Making results of simulations accessible as another contribution to integrated information systems has the potential of greatly augmenting their effectiveness and really support decision-making.
Perfect state transfer on quotient graphs

We prove new results on perfect state transfer of quantum walks on quotient graphs. Since a graph G has perfect state transfer if and only if its quotient G/π, under any equitable partition π, has perfect state transfer, we exhibit graphs with perfect state transfer between two vertices but which lack automorphism swapping them. This answers a question of Godsil (Discrete Mathematics 312(1):129-147, 2011). We also show that the Cartesian product of quotient graphs kGk/πk is isomorphic to the quotient graph kGk/π, for some equitable partition π. This provides an algebraic description of a construction due to Feder (Physical Review Letters 97, 180502, 2006) which is based on many-boson quantum walk.
Skill Development in Middle Level Occupations: The Role of Apprenticeship Training

Concerns about the polarization of the labor market are widespread. However, countries vary widely in strategies for strengthening jobs at intermediate levels of skill. This paper examines the diversity of approaches to apprenticeship and related training for middle-level occupations. We begin by defining and describing middle-skills occupations, largely in terms of education and experience. The next step is to describe skill requirements and alternative approaches to preparing and upgrading the skills of individuals for these occupations. Programs of academic education and apprenticeship programs emphasizing work-based learning have often competed for the same space but the full picture reveals significant numbers of complementarities. Third, we consider the evidence on the costs and effectiveness of apprenticeship training in several countries. The final section highlights empirical and policy research results concerning the advantages of apprenticeship training for intermediate level skills, jobs, and careers.
A Numerical Method for Computing Time-Periodic Solutions in Dissipative Wave Systems

A numerical method is proposed for computing time-periodic and relative time-periodic solutions in dissipative wave systems. In such solutions, the temporal period, and possibly other additional internal parameters such as the propagation constant, are unknown priori and need to be determined along with the solution itself. The main idea of the method is to first express those unknown parameters in terms of the solution through quasi-Rayleigh quotients, so that the resulting integrodifferential equation is for the time-periodic solution only. Then this equation is computed in the combined spatiotemporal domain as a boundary value problem by Newton-conjugate-gradient iterations. The proposed method applies to both stable and unstable time-periodic solutions; its numerical accuracy is spectral; it is fast-converging; its memory use is minimal; and its coding is short and simple. As numerical examples, this method is applied to the Kuramoto–Sivashinsky equation and the cubic-quintic Ginzburg–Landau equation, whose time-periodic or relative time-periodic solutions with spatially periodic or spatially localized profiles are computed. This method also applies to systems of ordinary differential equations, as is illustrated by its simple computation of periodic orbits in the Lorenz equations. MATLAB codes for all numerical examples are provided in the Appendices to illustrate the simple implementation of the proposed method.
Compound Semiconductor Device Structures

The sections in this article are Introduction Key Material Properties Group III–V Materials Preparation Field-Effect Transistors (FETs) Metal-Semiconductor FETs (MESFETs) Heterostructure FETs High Electron Mobility Transistors Heterojunction Bipolar Transistors Novel Semiconductor Laser Diodes Introduction The Cascade Semiconductor Laser The Blue-Green Semiconductor Diode Laser
Natural Resource-Based Economic Development in History

The role of natural resources in fostering economic development is examined for key historical epochs, from the agricultural revolution in 8,000 BC to the present. Natural resource exploitation has been important to development for most of global history. Depending on which epoch is examined, resource-based development could be viewed as â€œsuccessfulâ€ and sometimes not. Simply because a developing economy or region was endowed with abundant natural resources does not guarantee that its natural wealth is exploited efficiently and generates productive investments. Institutional factors also matter, and environmental conditions may also determine whether or not countries develop â€œgoodâ€ institutions.
CapEst: A Measurement-Based Approach to Estimating Link Capacity in Wireless Networks

Estimating link capacity in a wireless network is a complex task because the available capacity at a link is a function of not only the current arrival rate at that link, but also of the arrival rate at links which interfere with that link as well as of the nature of interference between these links. Models which accurately characterize this dependence are either too computationally complex to be useful or lack accuracy. Further, they have a high implementation overhead and make restrictive assumptions, which makes them inapplicable to real networks. In this paper, we propose CapEst, a general, simple yet accurate, measurement-based approach to estimating link capacity in a wireless network. To be computationally light, CapEst allows inaccuracy in estimation; however, using measurements, it can correct this inaccuracy in an iterative fashion and converge to the correct estimate. Our evaluation shows that CapEst always converged to within 5 percent of the correct value in less than 18 iterations. CapEst is model-independent; hence, it is applicable to any MAC/PHY layer and works with autorate adaptation. Moreover, it has a low implementation overhead, can be used with any application which requires an estimate of residual capacity on a wireless link and can be implemented completely at the network layer without any support from the underlying chipset.
Magnetization and Critical Currents of NbTi Wires with Fine Filaments

In high energy accelerators such as the SSC, the magnetization of the superconductor is an important component in determining the harmonic fields at injection (~0.3T). In an effort to reduce these residual fields, interest has focused on NbTi conductors with fine filaments which are expected to have a reduced magnetization as dictated by the critical state model. With this in view, the magnetization and critical currents were measured at 4.3K for a set of NbTi wires with filament diameters, d, ranging from 1.0 to 5.0 microns. The data show that, although the magnetization scales linearly with d, it does not do so with the product Jc d for d less than 3 μm. However, at these d values, the critical transport current density, Jc, of NbTi was observed to decrease rapidly as a function of d. The origin of this Jc degradation and its effect on the scaling of magnetization within the framework of the critical state model is explored. We also examine the question of the observed asymmetry of the hysteretic magnetization.
Recognizing Critical Behavior amidst Minijets at the Large Hadron Collider

The transition from quarks to hadrons in a heavy-ion collision at high energy is usually studied in two different contexts that involve very different transverse scales: local and nonlocal. Models that are concerned with the spectra and azimuthal anisotropy belong to the former, that is, hadronization at a local point in space, such as the recombination model. The nonlocal problem has to do with quark-hadron phase transition where collective behavior through near-neighbor interaction can generate patterns of varying sizes in the space. The two types of problems are put together in this paper both as brief reviews separately and to discuss how they are related to each other. In particular, we ask how minijets produced at LHC can affect the investigation of multiplicity fluctuations as signals of critical behavior. It is suggested that the existing data from LHC have sufficient multiplicities in small intervals to make the observation of distinctive features of clustering of soft particles, as well as voids, feasible that characterize the critical behavior at phase transition from quarks to hadrons, without any ambiguity posed by the clustering of jet particles.
DESIGN, SYNTHESIS AND CONFORMATIONS OF NOVEL TRIPLE HELICAL COLLAGEN MIMETIC STRUCTURES

We have synthesized collagen-like monodisperse structures. A series of single chain Ac-(Gly-Pro-Hyp) n -NH2 wheren=1, 3, 5, 6, 9 and template-assembled KTA-[Gly-(Gly-Pro-Hyp) n -NH2]3 analogs (n=1, 3, 5, 6), where KTA is the Kemp triacid (cis-1,3,5-trimethyl cyclohexane-1,3,5-tricarboxylic acid), were assessed for triple helicity by CD, thermal denaturation and NMR spectroscopy. The KTA-based template induces a significant gain in free energy and reduces the critical chain length for triple helix formation over the acyl terminated single chain structures. Our approach also includes the incorporation of the peptoid residueN-isobutylglycine into the design for novel collagen-like sequences. We have synthesized and characterized acetylated single chain and template-assembled analogs composed of Gly-Pro-Nleu and Gly-Nleu-Pro sequences. The achiral trimeric unit Gly-Nleu-Nleu was included as a guest sequence in a host structure such as Ac-(Gly-Pro-Hyp)3-(Gly-Nleu-Nleu)3-(Gly-Pro-Hyp)3-NH2 which retains triple helicity. A series of guest-host collagen mimetics composed of Gly-Nleu-Pro sequences as the host were synthesized and assessed for triple helicity. Guest sequences include Gly-Nleu-Nleu and Gly-Nx-Pro units, where Nx is the guest peptoid residue with alkyl and aralkyl side chains. We have continued to investigate functionalized template motifs and sequence variations. We are examining the effects of functionalization and sequence variation on triple helical stabilities and molecular properties in order to design novel collagen-based biomaterials.
Export Commodity Production and Broad-Based Rural Development: Coffee and Cocoa in the Dominican Republic

An estimated 80,000-100,000 Dominican farmers produce coffee and cocoa, nearly 40 percent of all agricultural producers. The sectors also provide employment for tens of thousands of field laborers and persons employed in linked economic activities. The majority of coffee and cocoa producers are small-scale and most are located in environmentally sensitive watersheds. Recent trends in international commodity markets have challenged the survival of both sectors. Production is characterized by low yields and uneven quality, while periodic hurricanes have contributed to a lackluster and unstable record of output and exports. Despite these conditions, most experts acknowledge the fact that appropriate agro-ecological conditions exist in Dominican Republic for production of high-quality coffee and cocoa. To be competitive and sustainable, some changes must take place in the coffee and cocoa sectors. The objective of this study is to provide an overview of the coffee and cocoa sectors, to identify major problems, and to suggest possible strategies to deal with these problems. The authors conclude that if the objectives of the government are poverty reduction, environmental protection and overall well-being of rural society, it is critical to move beyond a commodity-specific approach to a broader rural development focus on households, regions and environments where coffee and cocoa are currently being grown.
The illiquidity of water markets

We explore a particular historical episode that switched from a market institution (auctions) to a non-market institution (fixed quotas with a ban on trading) to allocate water. This water is used by farmers for agricultural purposes; some of the farmers are liquidity constraints. We present a model in which farmers face liquidity constraints to explain why the change took place. From a positive perspective, we show that demand is underestimated if these liquidity constraints are not taken into account. We use a dynamic discrete choice model to estimate demand during the auction period; we also estimate the probability of being liquidity constrained by a farmer. From a normative perspective, auctions achieve the first-best allocation only in the absence of liquidity constraints; the quota achieves the first best allocation only if farmers are homogeneous in productivity. We compute the welfare under both institutions using the estimated parameters of the structural model.
Ten Things Everyone Should Know About Inflation

These lecture notes are organized into ten lessons that summarize the status of inflationary cosmology.
The Rest-Frame Optical Spectrum of MS 1512–cB58*

Moderate-resolution, near-IR spectroscopy of MS 1512-cB58 is presented, obtained during commissioning of the near-infrared spectrometer (NIRSPEC) on the Keck II telescope. The strong lensing of this z = 2.72 galaxy by the foreground cluster MS 1512+36 makes it the best candidate for detailed study of the rest-frame optical properties of Lyman-break galaxies. In 80 minutes of on-source integration, we have detected Hα, [N II] λλ6583, 6548, [O I] λ6300, He I λ5876, [O III] λλ5007, 4959, Hβ, Hγ, [O II] λ3727, and a strong continuum signal in the range of 1.29-2.46 μm. A redshift of z = 2.7290 ± 0.0007 is inferred from the emission lines, in contrast to the z = 2.7233 calculated from UV observations of interstellar absorption lines. Using the Balmer line ratios, we find an extinction of E(B-V) = 0.27. Using the line strengths, we infer a star formation rate (SFR) of 620 ± 18 M☉ yr-1 (H0 = 75, q0 = 0.1, and Λ = 0), which is a factor of 2 higher than that measured from narrowband imaging observations of the galaxy but is a factor of almost 4 lower than the SFR inferred from the UV continuum luminosity. The width of the Balmer lines yields a mass of Mvir = 1.2 × 1010 M☉. We find that the oxygen abundance is solar, in good agreement with other estimates of the metallicity. However, we infer a high nitrogen abundance, which may argue for the presence of an older stellar population.
Impact of turbulence modeling on numerical accuracy and efficiency of compressible flow simulations

Discussed is the numerical implementation of turbulence models used in viscous compressible flow simulations and their performance described with respect to numerical accuracy, efficiency and stability. The basic approach utilizes the Reynolds-averaged compressible Navier-Stokes equations in which the Reynolds stresses and heat fluxes are mathematically modeled by suitable turbulence models. The turbulence models investigated include zero-, one-, and two-equation eddy viscosity models. The flow fields investigated include theoretical and supersonic flows about two-dimensional and axisymmetric bodies. Discussions concerning the numerical implementation of models include differencing procedures and boundary conditions used to assume numerical stability and accuracy. Numerical performance is also evaluated by comparing computations with experimental results.
Gear tooth stress measurements of two helicopter planetary stages

Two versions of the planetary reduction stages from U.S. Army OH-58 helicopter main rotor transmissions were tested at NASA Lewis. One sequential and one nonsequential planetary were tested. Sun gear and ring gear teeth strains were measured, and stresses were calculated from the strains. The alternating stress at the fillet of both the loaded and unloaded sides of the teeth and at the root of the sun gear teeth are reported. Typical stress variations as the gear tooth moves through mesh are illustrated. At the tooth root location of the thin rimmed sun gear, a significant stress was produced by a phenomenon other than the passing of a planet gear. The load variation among the planets was studied. Each planet produced its own distinctive load distribution on the ring and sun gears. The load variation was less for a three planet, nonsequential design as compared to that of a four planet, sequential design. The reported results enhance the data base for gear stress levels and provide data for the validation of analytical methods.
A Review of Disk-Corona Oscillations

Low frequency (≈ 0.1 − 35 Hz) quasi-periodic oscillations of the X-ray flux characterize many of the black hole candidates, in particular those which have radio evidence for jets. These QPO have amplitudes of up to 20% in the states of black hole novae which are called very high and intermediate and are correlated with the break frequency of the band-limited low frequency white noise. With transition to the state called the soft high state, both the QPO and the noise disappear. While the noise is strong in the low hard states like that of Cyg X-1, the QPO, when present, are weak and broad. In their strong manifestations, these QPO have the curious property of appearing to have the spectrum of the power-law component which dominates in the low state, while correlations between their frequency and the disk component in the spectrum imply control by the disk. The correlations, the harmonic structure of the QPO, and the phase lags have complex behavior in the same source (GRS 1915+105, XTE J1550-564). The phenomena point to interaction between the disk and the corona, for which there are several interesting ideas.
Sequences of Symmetric Functions of Binomial Type

We take advantage of the combinatorial interpretations of many sequences of polynomials of binomial type to define a sequence of symmetric functions corresponding to each sequence of polynomials of binomial type. We derive many of the results of Umbral Calculus in this context including a Taylor's expansion and a binomial identity for symmetric functions. Surprisingly, the delta operators for all the sequences of binomial type correspond to the same operator on symmetric functions. On s'appuie ici sur les interpretations combinatoires de nombreuses suites de polynomes de type binomial pour definir une suite de fonctions symetriques associee a chque suite de polynomes de type binomial. On retrouve dans ce cadre, de nombreaux resultats du calcul ombral, en particulier une version de la formule de Taylor et la formule d'identite du binome pour les fonctions symetriques. On s'aper\oit que les operateurs differentiels de degre un pour toutes les suite de polynomes de type a binomial correspondent a un operateur unique sur les fonction symetriques.
Boundary-layer transition and global skin friction measurement with an oil-fringe imaging technique

A new oil-fringe imaging fkin friction (FISF) technique to measure skin friction on wind tunnel models is presented. In the method used to demonstrate the technique, lines of oil are applied on surfaces that connect the intended sets of measurement points, and then a wind tunnel is run so that the oil thins and forms interference fringes that are spaced proportional to local skin friction. After a run the fringe spacings are imaged with a CCD-array digital camera and measured on a computer. Skin friction and transition measurements on a two-dimensional wing are presented and compared with computational predictions.
On the Complexity of the Set of Unconditional Convex Bodies

We show that for any $$1 \le t \le \tilde{c} n^{1/2} \log ^{-5/2} n$$1≤t≤c~n1/2log-5/2n, the set of unconditional convex bodies in $$\mathbb {R}^n$$Rn contains a t-separated subset of cardinality at least $$\begin{aligned} \exp \Big (\exp \Big (\frac{c}{t^2 \log ^4 (1+t)} \, n \Big ) \Big ). \end{aligned}$$exp(exp(ct2log4(1+t)n)).This implies the existence of an unconditional convex body in $$\mathbb {R}^n$$Rn which cannot be approximated within the distance d by a projection of a polytope with N faces unless $$N \ge \exp (c(d) n)$$N?exp(c(d)n). We also show that for $$t \ge 2$$t?2, the cardinality of a t-separated set of completely symmetric bodies in $$\mathbb {R}^n$$Rn does not exceed $$\begin{aligned} \exp \Big (\exp \Big (C \frac{\log ^2 n}{\log t} \Big ) \Big ). \end{aligned}$$exp(exp(Clog2nlogt))..
Numerical Field Theory on the Continuum

An approach to calculating approximate solutions to the continuum Schwinger-Dyson equations is outlined, with examples for φ4 in D=1. This approach is based on the source Galerkin methods developed by Garcia, Guralnik and Lawson. Numerical issues and opportunities for future calculations are also discussed briefly.
Motivating Company Personnel by Applying the Semi-self-organized Teams Principle

The only way nowadays to improve stability of software development process in the global rapidly evolving world is to be innovative and involve professionals into projects motivating them using both material and non material factors. In this paper self-organized teams are discussed. Unfortunately not all kind of organizations can benefit directly from agile method including applying self-organized teams. The paper proposes semi-self-organized teams presenting it as a new and promising motivating factor allowing deriving many positive sides of been self-organized and partly agile and been compliant to less strict conditions for following this innovating process. The semi-self organized teams are reliable at least in the short-term perspective and are simple to organize and support.
APPLICATIONS OF MOLECULAR QUANTUM MECHANICS TO PROBLEMS IN CHEMISTRY

The past decade has witnessed remarkable progress in the development of rigorous quantum mechanical methods for the study of molecular electronic structure. Key developments include the emergence of large scale configuration interaction methods (including more than one million variational parameters) and of analytic first and second energy derivative techniques. These advances have greatly increased the scope of current applications of quantum mechanics to chemistry. Present and anticipated future developments with respect to the fields of physical, organic, and inorganic chemistry are surveyed.
Nonparametric Estimation of Renyi Divergence and Friends

We consider nonparametric estimation of L2, Renyi-α and Tsallis-α divergences between continuous distributions. Our approach is to construct estimators for particular integral functionals of two densities and translate them into divergence estimators. For the integral functionals, our estimators are based on corrections of a preliminary plug-in estimator. We show that these estimators achieve the parametric convergence rate of n-1/2 when the densities' smoothness, s, are both at least d/4 where d is the dimension. We also derive minimax lower bounds for this problem which confirm that s > d/4 is necessary to achieve the n-1/2 rate of convergence. We validate our theoretical guarantees with a number of simulations.
Comments on TEC trends

A technology assessment of thermionic energy conversion research and technology is presented.
Antichains of monomial ideals are finite

The main result of this paper is that all antichains are finite in the poset of monomial ideals in a polynomial ring, ordered by inclusion. We present several corollaries of this result, both simpler proofs of results already in the literature and new results. One natural generalization to more abstract posets is shown to be false.
On privacy-preserving histograms

We advance the approach initiated by Chawla et al. for sanitizing (census) data so as to preserve the privacy of respondents while simultaneously extracting "useful" statistical information. First, we extend the scope of their techniques to a broad and rich class of distributions, specifically, mixtures of high-dimensional balls, spheres, Gaussians, and other "nice" distributions. Second, we randomize the histogram constructions to preserve spatial characteristics of the data, allowing us to approximate various quantities of interest, e. g., cost of the minimum spanning tree on the data, in a privacy-preserving fashion.
Comparison geometry for the Bakry-Emery Ricci tensor

For Riemannian manifolds with a measure (M, g, edvolg) we prove mean curvature and volume comparison results when the ∞-Bakry-Emery Ricci tensor is bounded from below and f is bounded or ∂rf is bounded from below, generalizing the classical ones (i.e. when f is constant). This leads to extensions of many theorems for Ricci curvature bounded below to the Bakry-Emery Ricci tensor. In particular, we give extensions of all of the major comparison theorems when f is bounded. Simple examples show the bound on f is necessary for these results.
Inferring transient particle transport dynamics in live cells

Live-cell imaging and particle tracking provide rich information on mechanisms of intracellular transport. However, trajectory analysis procedures to infer complex transport dynamics involving stochastic switching between active transport and diffusive motion are lacking. We applied Bayesian model selection to hidden Markov modeling to infer transient transport states from trajectories of mRNA-protein complexes in live mouse hippocampal neurons and metaphase kinetochores in dividing human cells. The software is available at http://hmm-bayes.org/.
Octonion X-product orbits

The octonionic X-product gives to the octonions a flexibility not found in the other real division algebras (reals, complexes, quaternions). The pattern of this flexibility is investigated here.
Dimensionality reduction via genetic value clustering

Feature extraction based on evolutionary search offers new possibilities for improving classification accuracy and reducing measurement complexity in many data mining and machine learning applications. We present a family of genetic algorithms for feature synthesis through clustering of discrete attribute values. The approach uses new compact graph-based encoding for cluster representation, where size of GA search space is reduced exponentially with respect to the number of items in partitioning, as compared to original idea of Park and Song. We apply developed algorithms and study their effectiveness for DNA fingerprinting in population genetics and text categorization.
Agimone: middleware support for seamless integration of sensor and IP networks

The scope of wireless sensor network (WSN) applications has traditionally been restricted by physical sensor coverage and limited computational power. Meanwhile, IP networks like the Internet offer tremendous connectivity and computing resources. This paper presents Agimone, a middleware layer that integrates sensor and IP networks as a uniform platform for flexible application deployment. This layer allows applications to be deployed on the WSN in the form of mobile agents which can autonomously discover and migrate to other WSNs, using a common IP backbone as a bridge. Agimone is the first system that allows mobile agents to migrate between sensor and IP networks. It facilitates data sharing between WSNs and the IP network through remote tuple space operations, allowing sensors to easily defer expensive computations to more-powerful devices. We demonstrate the expressiveness of Agimone's programming model by examining a prototype cargo-tracking application. We also provide an empirical evaluation that demonstrates the efficiency of Agimone using two WSNs consisting of Mica2 motes connected by an IP network.
Super-Kamiokande 0.07 eV Neutrinos in Cosmology: Hot Dark Matter and the Highest Energy Cosmic Rays

Relic neutrinos with mass in the range indicated by Super-Kamiokande results if neutrino masses are hierarchial (about 0.07 eV) are many times deemed too light to be cosmologically relevant. Here we remark that these neutrinos may significantly contribute to the dark matter of the Universe (with a large lepton asymmetry L) and that their existence might be revealed by the spectrum of ultra high energy cosmic rays (maybe even in the absence of a large L).
KeyQuery: A front end for the automatic translation of keywords into structured queries

We demonstrate an approach to transform keyword queries automatically into queries that combine keywords appropriately by boolean operations, such as and and or. Our approach is based on an analysis of relationships between the keywords using a taxonomy. The transformed queries will be sent to a search engine, and the returned results will be presented to the user. We evaluate the effectiveness of our approach by comparing the precision of the results returned for the generated query with the precision of the result for the original query. Our experiments indicate that our approach can improve the precision of the results considerably.
Facile synthesis of 1-trifluoromethylalkenes via the decarboxylation of α-trifluoromethyl-β-lactones

DCC-mediated cyclodehydration of α-trifluoromethyl-β-hydroxy acids provides α-trifluoromethylated β-lactone intermediates, without loss of stereoselectivity. These lactones undergo facile decarboxylation providing a simple route to obtain both alkyl and aryl trifluoromethylated alkenes in excellent yields and stereoselectivity.
Testing for unit roots with stationary covariates

We derive the family of tests for a unit root with maximal power against a point alternative when an arbitrary number of stationary covariates are modeled with the potentially integrated series. We show that very large power gains are available when such covariates are available. We then derive tests which are simple to construct (involving the running of vector autoregressions) and achieve at a point the power envelopes derived under very general conditions. These tests have excellent properties in small samples. We also show that these are obvious and internally consistent tests to run when identifying structural VARs using long run restrictions.
On Minimal Valid Inequalities for Mixed Integer Conic Programs

We study disjunctive conic sets involving a general regular (closed, convex, full dimensional, and pointed) coneK such as the nonnegative orthant, the Lorentz cone, or the positive semidefinite cone. In a unified framework, we introduce K-minimal inequalities and show that, under mild assumptions, these inequalities together with the trivial cone-implied inequalities are sufficient to describe the convex hull. We focus on the properties ofK-minimal inequalities by establishing algebraic necessary conditions for an inequality to beK-minimal. This characterization leads to a broader algebraically defined class ofK-sublinear inequalities. We demonstrate a close connection betweenK-sublinear inequalities and the support functions of convex sets with a particular structure. This connection results in practical ways of verifyingKsublinearity and/orK-minimality of inequalities. Our study generalizes some of the results from the mixed integer linear case. It is well known that the minimal inequalities for mixed integer linear programs are generated by sublinear (positively homogeneous, subadditive, and convex) functions which are also piecewise linear. Our analysis easily recovers this result. However, in the case of general regular cones other than the nonnegative orthant, our study reveals that such a cut-generating function view that treats the data associated with each individual variable independently is far from sufficient.
Observing turbulent fragmentation in simulations: predictions for CARMA and ALMA

Determining the initial stellar multiplicity is a challenging problem since protostars are faint and deeply embedded at early times; once formed, multiple protostellar systems may significantly dynamically evolve before they are optically revealed. Interferometers such as CARMA and ALMA make it possible to probe the scales at which turbulent fragmentation occurs in dust continuum emission, potentially constraining early stellar multiplicity. In this Letter we present synthetic observations of starless and protostellar cores undergoing fragmentation on scales of a few thousand AU to produce wide binary systems. We show that interferometric observations of starless cores by CARMA should be predominantly featureless at early stages, although wide protostellar companions should be apparent. The enhanced capabilities of ALMA improve the detection of core morphology so that it may be possible to detect substructure at earlier times. In either case, spatial filtering from interferometry reduces the observed core substructure and often eradicates traces of existing filamentary morphology on scales down to 0.025 pc. However, some missing structure may be recaptured by combining data from the ALMA full science and Atacama compact arrays.
A New Lower Bound on the Density of Vertex Identifying Codes for the Infinite Hexagonal Grid

Given a graph $G$, an identifying code ${\cal D}\subseteq V(G)$ is a vertex set such that for any two distinct vertices $v_1,v_2\in V(G)$, the sets $N[v_1]\cap{\cal D}$ and $N[v_2]\cap{\cal D}$ are distinct and nonempty (here $N[v]$ denotes a vertex $v$ and its neighbors). We study the case when $G$ is the infinite hexagonal grid $H$. Cohen et.al. constructed two identifying codes for $H$ with density $3/7$ and proved that any identifying code for $H$ must have density at least $16/39\approx0.410256$. Both their upper and lower bounds were best known until now. Here we prove a lower bound of $12/29\approx0.413793$.
Employment and the business cycle

The Great Recession of 2007-2009 has not only caused a large wealth loss, it was also followed by a sluggish subsequent recovery. Two years after officially emerging from the recession, the economy was still growing at a low pace and payroll employment was far from reaching its previous peak. However, assessment of the employment situation was markedly different across different series. The two most important employment series, payroll employment (ENAP) and civilian employment (TCE), have recently been displaying divergent patterns. This has been a source of great uncertainty regarding labor market conditions. This paper investigates the differences in the cyclical dynamics of these series and the implications for monitoring business cycle on a current basis. Univariate and multivariate Markov switching models are applied to revised and real time unrevised data. We find that the main differences across these series occur around recessions. The employment measures have diverged considerably around the last three recessions in 1990-1991, in 2001, and in 2007-2009, but especially during their subsequent recoveries. In particular, while the probabilities of recession for models that include ENAP depict jobless recoveries, the probabilities of recessions from models with TCE fall right around the trough of the last three recessions, as determined by the NBER. This significantly impacts the identification of turning points in multivariate models in sample and in recursive real time analysis, with models that use TCE being more accurate compared to the NBER dating, and delivering faster call of troughs in real time. Models that include ENAP series, on the other hand, yield delays in signaling business cycle troughs, especially the most recent ones.
Poverty, malnutrition and vulnerability in Mali

This paper provides new insight into the poverty, malnutrition and vulnerability issues in Mali, using existing household survey data. First, it presents a profile of households that are poor, "food poor," or have malnourished children. Second, it explores the impact of recent weather and price shocks on household welfare and identifies those affected most by the shocks. Finally, it estimates vulnerability to poverty by modeling both households' expected consumption and their consumption volatility, and by distinguishing between idiosyncratic and covariate risks. The basic results of the analysis match conventional knowledge about poverty, food poverty, and malnutrition. The prevalence of chronic malnutrition is high in Mali, with 44 percent of Malian households and 66 percent of food poor Malian households having at least one stunted child. A 25 percent increase in cereal prices and a 25 percent decrease in cereal production are estimated to increase the number of food poor by 610,000 people. An estimated US$ 5.4 million of extra aid per year will be needed to lift the newly food poor above the food poverty line. About US$ 182 million is needed to do this for all existing and new food poor. Vulnerability incidence is in general two to three times higher among the poor than the non-poor, except in urban areas and in the region of Sikasso where the vulnerability incidence is five to six times higher among the poor. Overall, vulnerability is mostly driven by poverty induced vulnerability, except in the capital, Bamako, where vulnerability is more driven by risk induced vulnerability.
Upper bounds on mixing rates

We prove upper bounds on the rate, called "mixing rate", at which the von Neumann entropy of the expected density operator of a given ensemble of states changes under non-local unitary evolution. For an ensemble consisting of two states, with probabilities of p and 1 - p, we prove that the mixing rate is bounded above by 4√p(1-p) for any Hamiltonian of norm 1. For a general ensemble of states with probabilities distributed according to a random variable X and individually evolving according to any set of bounded Hamiltonians, we conjecture that the mixing rate is bounded above by a Shannon entropy of a random variable X. For this general case we prove an upper bound that is independent of the dimension of the Hilbert space on which states in the ensemble act.
Click with a boronic acid handle: a neighboring group-assisted click reaction that allows ready secondary functionalization

The feasibility of a neighboring boronic acid-facilitated facile condensation of an aldehyde is described. This reaction is bio-orthogonal, complete at room temperature within minutes, and suitable for bioconjugation chemistry. The boronic acid group serves the dual purpose of catalyzing the condensation reaction and being a handle for secondary functionalization.
Clinical Trials, Early Cancer and Heart Disease

Early developments in controlled clinical trials at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) took place mainly at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and what was then the National Heart Institute (NHI) (subsequently the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI))beginning in the 1950s. This article reviews the developments from the early 1950s to the late 1960s at both institutes, summarizing the early efforts in clinical trials, the organizations set up to conduct and monitor the clinical trials, and the developments in statistical methodology that have formed the basis for conducting many of the present day randomized controlled trials. The early history of clinical trials at these institutes has been reviewed in more detail at NCI by Gehan & Schneiderman and at NHLBI by Halperin et al. Keywords: clinical trials; early cancer and heart disease: clinical trials; National Cancer Institute; National Heart Lung and Blood Institute; cooperative groups
Rotation of Axes

In both principal component analysis and factor analysis, it is sometimes desirable to perform a linear transformation of the original components or factors. This operation is performed to arrive at simple structure where the coefficients of the vectors related to these new transformed variables are either as large as possible or close to zero. These new coefficients may be used either to aid in the interpretation of the original components or factors, or to cluster the original variables. This linear transformation amounts to a rotation of the axes related to the components or factors. The rotation may be orthogonal in which case the resultant new set of vectors are still at right angles to each other or oblique in which they are not. Loss of orthogonality may result in better interpretation of the original vector sets or clustering of the original variables. Several numerical examples are given to illustrate these procedures including one where rotation is not appropriate. Keywords: principal component analysis; factor analysis; rotation; simple structure