cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY OF VISUAL AND PERCEPTUAL ACTIVITY

THE STUDY of vision is an ongoing process in which knowledge accumulated through experimentation serves both as a basis and as a stimulus for further investigations. The purposes of this article are to review some of the visual research conducted in the Division of Neuropsychiatry at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research under the leadership of Dr. David Rioch and to describe some of the results of current projects* which have been a direct outcome of the earlier work. In review, the research appears to follow a regular, logical order with one experiment leading sensibly to the next. At the time the experiments were conducted, however, this trend was less evident. It was not always clear what step to take next; some experiments did not lead to a successful outcome; and in fact, the general direction being taken by a series of experiments was often forgotten because of the pressure of immediate technical problems. The data selected for presentation here were chosen not just because they are representative of visual research but because they seem to fit together with common purpose. Early research in vision at Walter Reed was characterized by several goals. The primary one was to investigate transfer of visual information through the nervous system taking into account as many factors as possible from stimulus to ultimate response. In addition, however, there was an interest in retinal function in its own right, an interest in developing improved and more sensitive recording systems, and an interest in discovering the neural correlates of visual perception. As an attack upon these goals, steady efforts were directed towards developing a means of monitoring the action of the intact human visual system at several of its levels. Furthermore, an attempt was made to use quantitative procedures whenever possible in order to obtain results which could be compared with the psychophysics of vision and perception. At first, electrophysiological observations could only be made conveniently at the retina. Later, as more advanced techniques became available, activity could also be studied successfully at the cortex. Progress was not merely a matter of designing new experiments, of investigating new stimulus parameters nor of investigating old parameters more thoroughly. Progress was
Asymptotic strength limit of hydrogen-bond assemblies in proteins at vanishing pulling rates.

We develop a fracture-mechanics-based theoretical framework that considers the free energy competition between entropic elasticity of polypeptide chains and rupture of peptide hydrogen bonds, which we use here to provide an explanation for the intrinsic strength limit of protein domains at vanishing rates. Our analysis predicts that individual protein domains stabilized only by hydrogen bonds cannot exhibit rupture forces larger than $\ensuremath{\approx}200\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{pN}$ in the asymptotic limit. This result explains earlier experimental and computational observations that indicate an asymptotical strength limit at vanishing pulling rates.
An Inflation-Proof Tax System?: Some Lessons from Israel

When the effect of high inflation on the tax system is taken into account, the overall revenues from inflationary finance may well be negative. The strength of this contention is weighed against measures taken in Israel in an attempt to construct an inflation-proof tax system. The paper concludes that, despite these measures, the Israeli experience suggests that it is more appropriate to talk about the "inflation subsidy," rather than the "inflation tax."
Too Many to Fail? Evidence of Regulatory Forbearance When the Banking Sector Is Weak

This paper studies bank failures in 21 emerging market countries in the 1990s. By using a competing risk hazard model for bank survival, we show that a government is less likely to take over or close a failing bank if the banking system is weak. This Too- Many-to-Fail effect is robust to controlling for macroeconomic factors, financial crises, the Too-Big-To-Fail effect, domestic financial development, and concerns due to systemic risk and information spillovers. The paper also shows that the Too-Many-to-Fail effect is stronger for larger banks and when there is a large government budget deficit.
Proxies for the corporate marginal tax rate

Abstract This paper focuses on how best to measure the corporate marginal tax rate, which is an important input into financial analysis of the cost of capital, financing policy, corporate hedging, and corporate reorganizations. The results indicate that the simulated tax rate used by Shevlin (1990) and Graham (1996), although difficult to calculate, is the best available proxy for the ‘true’ marginal tax rate. If the simulated rate is unavailable, an easy-to-calculate trichotomous variable or the statutory marginal tax rate (which captures the progressivity in the tax schedule) are reasonable alternatives, better than most commonly used tax variables.
First principles investigations of complex hydrides AMH4 and A3MH6 (A = Li, Na, K, M = B, Al, Ga) as hydrogen storage systems

Using ab initio computations the stability of complex hydrides related to the alanates NaAlH4 and Na3AlH6 is investigated. We find that Li substitution for Na reduces the hydrogen affinity of these materials, while K increases it. Substitution on the Al site by B or Ga markedly reduces the stability of the intermediate Na3AlH6 compound. The results indicate that both the overall stability, and as a consequence the hydriding temperatures and rehydriding pressures, can be tailored by combined substitution on the Na and Al site of the complex hydride NaAlH4. This may lead to a larger amount of hydrogen being released in a narrower range of temperature and pressure.
Groups with a Polynomial Dimension Growth

We show that finitely generated groups with a polynomial dimension growth have Yu’s property A and give an example of such groups.
ON GENERALIZED KNOT GROUPS

Generalized knot groups Gn(K) were introduced first by Wada and Kelly independently. The classical knot group is the first one G1(K) in this series of finitely presented groups. For each natural number n, G1(K) is a subgroup of Gn(K) so the generalized knot groups can be thought of as extensions of the classical knot group. For the square knot SK and the granny knot GK, we have an isomorphism G1(SK) ≅ G1(GK). From the presentations of Gn(SK) and Gn(GK), for n > 1, it seems unlikely that Gn(SK) and Gn(GK) would be isomorphic to each other. Curiously, we are able to show that for any finite group H, the numbers of homomorphisms from Gn(SK) and Gn(GK) to H, respectively, are the same. Moreover, the numbers of conjugacy classes of homomorphisms from Gn(SK) and Gn(GK) to H, respectively, are also the same. It remains a challenge to us to show, as we would like to conjecture, that Gn(SK) and Gn(GK) are not isomorphic to each other for all n > 1.
The First Example of the Stereoselective Synthesis of 7β-Carbamoyl-4,5α-epoxymorphinan via a Novel and Reactive γ-Lactone

7beta-Carbamoyl-4,5alpha-epoxymorphinans 5 were stereoselectively synthesized from the 7alpha-carboxylate intermediate 3 in the presence of 1,8-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec-7-ene (DBU) and amines under reflux conditions in mesitylene via a novel and reactive gamma-lactone 7. These were the first examples of the stereoselective syntheses of 7beta-substituted 4,5alpha-epoxymorphinans. The mechanism of the reaction process was elucidated as follows: 1) epimerization of 7alpha-carboxylate 3, 2) intramolecular lactonization of 7beta-carboxylate 6, and 3) aminolysis of the resultant gamma-lactone 7. The aminolysis of the isolated reactive gamma-lactone 7 with allylamine and the alcoholysis with MeOH in the presence of NaBH(4) proceeded at room temperature. The gamma-lactone 7 can be a useful intermediate for the preparation of 7beta-substituted 4,5alpha-epoxymorphinans that would be potent selective delta opioid receptor ligands. The stereoselective syntheses of the 7alpha-carbamoyl-4,5alpha-epoxymorphinans 9 from 7alpha-carboxylate 3 via 7alpha-carboxylic acid were also successful.
7-Chloro-7-cyanobicyclo[4.2.0]octan-8-one (Prepared from Chlorocyanoketene)

Abstract The synthesis of 7-chloro-7-cyanobicyclo[4.2.0]octan-8-one is described. This compound was prepared in 73% yield from the cycloaddition of chlorocyanoketene to cyclohexene. The ketene, in turn, was generated from the thermolysis of 4-azido-3-chloro-5-isopropoxy-2(5H)-furanone.
Results from the High-z Supernova Search Team

Abstract We review the use of Type Ia supernovae for cosmological distance determinations. Low-redshift SNe Ia (z≲0.1) demonstrate that (a) the Hubble expansion is linear, (b) H0=65±2 (statistical) km s −1 Mpc −1 , (c) the bulk motion of the Local Group is consistent with the COBE result, and (d) the properties of dust in other galaxies are similar to those in the Milky Way. We find that the light curves of high-redshift SNe Ia are stretched in a manner consistent with the expansion of space; similarly, their spectra exhibit slower temporal evolution (by a factor of 1+z) than those of nearby SNe Ia. The luminosity distances of our 16 high-redshift SNe Ia are, on average, 10–15% farther than expected in a low mass-density ( Ω M =0.2 ) universe without a cosmological constant. Our analysis strongly supports eternally expanding models with positive cosmological constant and a current acceleration of the expansion. We address many potential sources of systematic error; at present, none of them reconciles the data with Ω Λ =0 and q0≥0. The dynamical age of the Universe is estimated to be 14.2±1.7 Gyr, consistent with the ages of globular star clusters.
Non-Boltzmann distribution of free electrons under high space charge conditions

Abstract The density distribution of electrons in a uniformly heated thermionic diode consisting of two electrodes with different work functions is non-Boltzmannian under high space charge conditions because of the repulsive forces between the electrons leading to an electronic non-equilibrium in the diode.
Stereoselective C-Glycosidations with Achiral and Enantioenriched Allenylsilanes

Allenylsilanes are used as carbon nucleophiles in highly stereoselective Lewis acid-promoted C-glycosidations, resulting in the introduction of an internal alkyne with an adjacent stereocenter. Both achiral and chiral allenylsilanes form the desired products with high diastereoselectivity, where the nucleophile adds exclusively to the α-face of the intermediate oxonium ion. Reactions with glucal and galactal afford dihydropyran products, while reactions with a ribose derivative yield dihydrofuran products.
RT-PCR Increases Detection of Submicroscopic Peritoneal Metastases in Gastric Cancer and Has Prognostic Significance

Positive peritoneal cytology confers the same prognosis as clinical stage IV disease in gastric cancer. Conventional cytology examination, however, has low sensitivity. We hypothesize that real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) may have increased sensitivity and provide more accurate staging information. From February 2007 to April 2009, peritoneal lavage samples were collected prospectively from 156 patients with biopsy-proven gastric cancer undergoing staging laparoscopy. These washings were analyzed by both Papanicolaou staining and RT-PCR for the tumor marker carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA). Visible peritoneal disease was seen at laparoscopy in 38 patients (LAP+, 24%). Cytology was positive (CYT+) in 23 patients, while RT-PCR was positive (PCR+) in 30. The sensitivity of CYT for the detection of visible disease was 61% compared to 79% for PCR (P = 0.02). No visible peritoneal disease was seen at laparoscopy (LAP−) in 118 (76%) patients. Eight (7%) were CYT+, while 28 (24%) were PCR+. Predictors of PCR positivity included advanced-stage disease (T3–4 vs. T1–2 tumors) and poor pathologic features such as vascular or perineural invasion. Long-term follow-up demonstrated a worse survival of LAP−CYT−PCR+ (P = 0.0003) and LAP−CYT+PCR+ (P = 0.0004) compared to LAP−CYT−PCR− patients. There was no significant difference in survival between CYT−PCR+ and CYT+PCR+ patients. PCR positivity also predicted a higher likelihood of disease recurrence after resection. An R0 resection was performed in 85 LAP− patients (54%): only 1 (1%) was CYT+, while 13 (15%) were PCR+. Of this group, PCR+ demonstrated a worse survival than PCR− patients (P = 0.02). Further analysis showed that, in R0 resection, stage III/IV, CYT− subgroup, PCR+ was associated with a trend towards worse survival (P = 0.09) compared to PCR− patients. RT-PCR for CEA increases the detection of subclinical peritoneal disease and is more sensitive than cytology. Predictors of positive PCR included advanced-stage disease, vascular invasion, and perineural invasion. PCR positivity was associated with increased disease recurrence and decreased survival. Further follow-up is required to determine if PCR positivity alone is an independent predictor of poor survival in gastric cancer.
Adsorption of oxygen and nitrogen on surface-modified carbons

Abstract Saran carbon adsorbs more N2 than O2 at 25°C due to stronger interaction of the larger nitrogen molecule with adsorbent pore walls. Exchange of H ions on carboxylic acid groups located on the surface of oxidized Saran carbons and Carbolac-1 by calcium ions increases the extent of chemisorption of O2 and physisorption of N2, if the carbons are outgassed to at least 180°C. The higher uptake of N2 has been attributed to interaction of the nitrogen quadrupole moment with the electrostatic field gradient. It is suggested that the chemisorption of oxygen on the Ca-exchanged carbons is due to carbanion formation upon decarboxylation of the calcium salt of surface carboxylic acid groups. The addition of large amounts of chlorine to Saran carbon has a negligible effect on the ratio of N2 to O2 which is adsorbed.
Neural Network Approach Predicts U.S. Natural Gas Production

The industrial and residential market for natural gas produced in the United States has become increasingly significant. Within the past 10 years, the wellhead value of produced natural gas has rivaled and sometimes exceeded the value of crude oil. Forecasting natural gas supply is an economically important and challenging endeavor. This paper presents a new approach to predict natural gas production for the United States with an artificial neural network (NN). We developed an NN model to forecast the U.S. natural gas supply to 2020. Our results indicate that the U.S. will maintain its 1999 production of natural gas until 2001, after which production increases. The network model indicates that natural gas production will increase by an average rate of 0.5%/yr from 2002 to 2012. This increase will more than double from 2013 to 2020. The NN was developed with a large initial pool of input parameters. The input pool included exploratory, drilling, production, and econometric data. Preprocessing the input data involved normalization and functional transformation. Dimension-reduction techniques and sensitivity analysis of input variables were used to reduce redundant and unimportant input parameters and to simplify the NN. The remaining parameters included data from gas exploratory wells, oil/gas exploratory wells, oil exploratory wells, gas depletion rate, proved reserves, gas wellhead prices, and growth rate of the gross domestic product. The three-layer NN was successfully trained with yearly data from 1950 to 1989 using the quick-propagation learning algorithm. The NN's target output is the production rate of natural gas. The agreement between predicted and actual production rates was excellent. A test set not used to train the network and containing data from 1990 to 1998 was used to verify and validate the network prediction performance. Analysis of the test results showed that the NN approach provides an excellent match with actual gas production data. An econometric approach, called stochastic modeling or time-series analysis, was used to develop forecasting models for NN input parameters. A comparison of forecasts between this study and another is presented. The NN model has use as a short-term as well as a long-term predictive tool for natural gas supply. The model can also be used to quantitatively examine the effects of the various physical and economic factors on future gas production.
Tandem Use of Cobalt-Mediated Reactions to Synthesize (+)-Epoxydictymene, a Diterpene Containing a Trans-Fused 5−5 Ring System

The diterpene (+)-epoxydictymene has been synthesized in 20 steps using the asymmetry of (R)-pulegone and several substrate-controlled diastereoselective reactions to prepare the natural product in its natural configuration. Three of the four rings were assembled with two consecutive intramolecular reactions involving dicobalt hexacarbonyl complexes of alkynes: a Lewis acid-promoted Nicholas reaction and a Pauson−Khand reaction. The construction of the strained trans-3-oxabicyclo[3.3.0]octane ring system of the natural product presented a significant challenge. To this end, several radical and anionic cyclizations were studied, the latter leading to (+)-epoxydictymene.
Variable Infrared Emission from the Supermassive Black Hole at the Center of the Milky Way

We report the detection of a variable point source, imaged at L' (3.8 μm) with the Keck II 10 m telescope's adaptive optics system, that is coincident to within 18 mas (1 σ) of the Galaxy's central supermassive black hole and the unique radio source Sgr A*. While in 2002 this source (Sgr A* IR) was confused with the stellar source S0-2, in 2003 these two sources are separated by 87 mas, allowing the new source's properties to be determined directly. On four separate nights, its observed L' magnitude ranges from 12.2 to 13.8, which corresponds to a dereddened flux density of 4-17 mJy; no other source in this region shows such large variations in flux density—a factor of 4 over a week and a factor of 2 over 40 minutes. In addition, it has a K-L' color greater than 2.1, which is at least 1 mag redder than any other source detected at L' in its vicinity. Based on this source's coincidence with the Galaxy's dynamical center, its lack of motion, its variability, and its red color, we conclude that it is associated with the central supermassive black hole. The short timescale for the 3.8 μm flux density variations implies that the emission arises quite close to the black hole, within 5 AU, or 80Rs. We suggest that both the variable 3.8 μm emission and the X-ray flares arise from the same underlying physical process, possibly the acceleration of a small population of electrons to ultrarelativistic energies. In contrast to the X-ray flares, which are only detectable ~2% of the time, the 3.8 μm emission provides a new, constantly accessible window into the physical conditions of the plasma in close proximity to the central black hole.
Product Creation and Destruction: Evidence and Price Implications

This paper describes the extent of product creation and destruction in a large sector of the US economy. We find four times more entry and exit in product markets than is found in labor markets because most product turnover happens within firms. Net product creation is strongly procyclical and primarily driven by creation rather than destruction. We find that a cost-of-living index that takes product turnover into account is 0.8 percentage points per year lower than a “fixed goods” price index like the CPI. The procyclicality of the bias implies that business cycles are more volatile than indicated by official statis tics. (JEL E31, E32, L11, O31)
Affine pavings of Hessenberg varieties for semisimple groups

In this paper, we consider certain closed subvarieties of the flag variety, known as Hessenberg varieties. We prove that Hessenberg varieties corresponding to nilpotent elements which are regular in a Levi factor are paved by affines. We provide a partial reduction from paving Hessenberg varieties for arbitrary elements to paving those corresponding to nilpotent elements. As a consequence, we generalize results of Tymoczko asserting that Hessenberg varieties for regular nilpotent elements in the classical cases and arbitrary elements of \(\mathfrak{gl }_n(\mathbb C )\) are paved by affines. For example, our results prove that any Hessenberg variety corresponding to a regular element is paved by affines. As a corollary, in all these cases, the Hessenberg variety has no odd dimensional cohomology.
Immediate intraocular pressure changes following intravitreal injections of triamcinolone, pegaptanib, and bevacizumab

To assess the intraocular pressure (IOP) changes, within the first 30 min after intravitreal injection of 0.1 ml (4 mg) triamcinolone, 0.09 ml (0.3 mg) pegaptanib, and 0.05 ml (1.25 mg) bevacizumab. Records of patients who received intravitreal triamcinolone, pegaptanib, and bevacizumab and who had their IOP measured post-injection were reviewed. A total of 212 injections were performed (76 bevacizumab in 63 patients, 42 triamcinolone in 41 patients, 94 pegaptanib in 74 patients). At 10 min, over 87% of eyes receiving each drug had an IOP of less than 35 mmHg. Three of the 42 eyes receiving intravitreal triamcinolone were treated with IOP-lowering drops for pressures of 44, 46, and 60 mmHg. No patients treated with intravitreal bevacizumab or pegaptanib received IOP-lowering drops. The number of eyes in each injection group that had an IOP rise >10 mmHg within 30 min after injection was 27.6% of eyes receiving bevacizumab, 33.3% of eyes receiving triamcinolone, and 36.2% of eyes receiving pegaptanib. At 10 min, eyes with glaucoma were less likely to have an IOP<35 mmHg, but this difference became less marked with time. In our series, most patients receiving intravitreal injections did not require IOP-lowering drops after injection, and none required a paracentesis.
DISCOVERY OF BLUE LUMINESCENCE IN THE RED RECTANGLE: POSSIBLE FLUORESCENCE FROM NEUTRAL POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBON MOLECULES?

Here we report our discovery of a band of blue luminescence (BL) in the Red Rectangle nebula. This enigmatic proto-planetary nebula is also one of the brightest known sources of extended red emission as well as of unidentified infrared (UIR) band emissions. The spectrum of this newly discovered BL is most likely fluorescence from small neutral polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) molecules. PAH molecules are thought to be widely present in many interstellar and circumstellar environments in our Galaxy as well as in other galaxies and are considered likely carriers of the UIR band emission. However, no specific PAH molecule has yet been identified in a source outside the solar system because the set of mid-infrared emission features attributed to these molecules between the wavelengths of 3.3 and 16.4 μm is largely insensitive to molecular sizes. In contrast, near-UV/blue fluorescence of PAHs is more specific as to size, structure, and charge state of a PAH molecule. If the carriers of this near-UV/blue fluorescence are PAHs, they are most likely neutral PAH molecules consisting of three to four aromatic rings such as anthracene (C14H10) and pyrene (C16H10). These small PAHs would then be the largest molecules specifically identified in the interstellar medium.
Gauged N=2 supergravity in nine dimensions and domain wall solutions

Abstract We present massive N=2 supergravity with SO(2)-gauging in nine dimensions by direct construction. A full Lagrangian and transformation rules are fixed, respectively, up to quartic and quadratic fermion terms. Corresponding to the generalized Scherk–Schwarz dimensional reduction utilizing SL(2, R ) symmetry, this theory allows three arbitrary mass parameters m0, m1 and m2 in addition to the minimal gauge coupling g, so that our system has the most general form compared with other results in the past. Unlike ordinary gauged maximal supergravity theories in other dimensions, the scalar potential is positive definite for arbitrary values of the mass parameters. As an application, we also analyze the stability and supersymmetry for 7-brane domain wall solutions for this gauged maximal supergravity, keeping the three mass parameters.
Mass spectra of 3(2H)-cinnolinone and 2-substituted derivatives

The mass spectrum of 3(2H)-cinnolinone indicates that it undergoes fragmentation in a fashion similar to other heterocyclic systems containing two vicinal nitrogens. The initial fragmentation, loss of CO, gives a 1H-indazole radical cation, as was shown by deuterium labelling and metastable ion spectra. Four 2-substituted-3(2H)-cinnolinones were also studied and it was found that their fragmentation patterns are highly influenced by the substituent groups.
Quasitriangularity of quantum groups at roots of $1$

An important property of a Hopf algebra is its quasitriangularity and it is useful for various applications. This property is investigated for quantum groupssl2 at roots of 1. It is shown that different forms of the quantum groupsl2 at roots of 1 are either quasitriangular or have similar structure which will be called braiding. In the most interesting cases this property means that “braiding automorphism” is a combination of some Poisson transformation and an adjoint transformation with a certain element of the tensor square of the algebra.
Grain boundaries in nanophase materials

Abstract Among the atoms in nanophase materials (with grain sizes less than 100 nm) a significant fraction are associated with grain boundaries. Properties of these new materials are thus affected not only by their reduced grain-size scale, but also by the nature of their grain boundary structures. High-resolution electron microscopy observations combined with image simulations, as well as complementary results from Raman spectroscopy and small-angle neutron scattering experiments, indicate that nanophase boundaries are similar in structure to those normally encountered in conventional coarse-grained polycrystals. They are commonly observed to be relatively flat and faceted with well-ordered localized structures. The available information on grain boundary structures in nanophase materials is briefly reviewed and future opportunities for measuring grain boundary properties are considered.
Relationship of health-related quality of life to health care utilization and mortality among older adults.

Background and aims: This investigation examined the ability of a four-item Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQOL) scale to predict short-term (30-day) and long-term (1-year) physician visits, hospitalization, and mortality among older adults. Methods: Subjects included 84065 individuals aged 65 and older who completed a mail version of the Centers for Diseases Control’s Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) Core HRQOL Module. HRQOL dimensions represented by the module include global self-rated general health, recent physical health, recent mental health, and recent activity limitation. Results: In analysis of covariance models controlling for demographic factors and comorbidity, the number of physician visits within 30 days and 1 year differed significantly across categories of each HRQOL item. In Cox regression models controlling for the same covariates, all four HRQOL questions were significant predictors of 30-day and 1-year hospitalization and mortality. Conclusions: These results signify that all four dimensions of HRQOL represented by the BRFSS Core HRQOL Module are important predictors of both short-term and long-term adverse health events among older adults. This brief scale may be particularly useful for assessing the health of older adults in clinical settings and large-scale epidemiological studies.
A general expression for bimolecular association rates with orientational constraints

We present a general expression for the association rate for partially diffusion-controlled reactions between spherical molecules with an asymmetric reactive patch on each surface. Reaction can occur only if the two patches are in contact and properly aligned to within specified angular tolerances. This extends and generalizes previous approaches that considered only axially symmetric patches; the earlier solutions are shown to be limiting cases of our general expression. Previous numerical results on the rate of protein -protein association with high steric specificity are in very good agreement with the value computed from our analytic expression. Using the new expression, we investigate the influence of orientational constraints on the rate constant. We find that for angular constraints of 5°-15°, a typical range for example in the case of protein-protein interactions, the reaction rate is about 2 to 3 orders of magnitude higher than expected from a naive geometric model.
NS5-Branes, T-Duality and Worldsheet Instantons

The equivalence of NS5-branes and ALF spaces under T-duality is well known. However, a naive application of T-duality transforms the ALF space into a smeared NS5-brane, de-localized on the dual, transverse, circle. In this paper we re-examine this duality, starting from a two-dimensional = (4, 4) gauged linear sigma model describing Taub-NUT space. After dualizing the S1 fiber, we find that the smeared NS5-brane target space metric receives corrections from multi-worldsheet instantons. These instantons are identified as Nielsen-Olesen vortices. We show that their effect is to break the isometry of the target space, localizing the NS5-brane at a point. The contribution from the k-instanton sector is shown to be proportional to the weighted integral of the Euler form over the k-vortex moduli space. The duality also predicts the, previously unknown, asymptotic exponential decay coefficient of the BPS vortex solution.
Certifying convergence of Lasserre’s hierarchy via flat truncation

Consider the optimization problem of minimizing a polynomial function subject to polynomial constraints. A typical approach for solving it globally is applying Lasserre’s hierarchy of semidefinite relaxations, based on either Putinar’s or Schmudgen’s Positivstellensatz. A practical question in applications is: how to certify its convergence and get minimizers? In this paper, we propose flat truncation as a certificate for this purpose. Assume the set of global minimizers is nonempty and finite. Our main results are: (1) Putinar type Lasserre’s hierarchy has finite convergence if and only if flat truncation holds, under some generic assumptions; the same conclusion holds for the Schmudgen type one under weaker assumptions. (2) Flat truncation is asymptotically satisfied for Putinar type Lasserre’s hierarchy if the archimedean condition holds; the same conclusion holds for the Schmudgen type one if the feasible set is compact. (3) We show that flat truncation can be used as a certificate to check exactness of standard SOS relaxations and Jacobian SDP relaxations.
Is There a Link between Executive Equity Incentives and Accounting Fraud

We compare executive equity incentives of firms accused of accounting fraud by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) during the period 1996‐2003 with two samples of firms not accused of fraud. We measure equity incentives in a variety of ways and employ a battery of empirical tests. We find no consistent evidence that executive equity incentives are associated with fraud. These results stand in contrast to assertions by policy makers that incentives from stock-based compensation and the resulting equity holdings increase the likelihood of accounting fraud.
Local false nearest neighbors and dynamical dimensions from observed chaotic data.

The time delay reconstruction of the state space of a system from observed scalar data requires a time lag and an integer embedding dimension. The minimum necessary global embedding dimension ${\mathit{d}}_{\mathit{E}}$ may still be larger than the actual dimension of the underlying dynamics ${\mathit{d}}_{\mathit{L}}$. The embedding theorem only guarantees that the attractor of the system is fully unfolded using ${\mathit{d}}_{\mathit{E}}$ greater than 2${\mathit{d}}_{\mathit{A}}$, with ${\mathit{d}}_{\mathit{A}}$ the fractal attractor dimension. Using the idea of local false nearest neighbors, we discuss methods for determining the integer-valued ${\mathit{d}}_{\mathit{L}}$.
Constant-time convexity problems on reconfigurable meshes

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate that the versatility of the reconfigurable mesh can be exploited to devise constant-time algorithms for a number of important computational tasks relevant to robotics, computer graphics, image processing, and computer vision. In all our algorithms, we assume that one or two n -vertex (convex) polygons are pretiled, one vertex per processor, onto a reconfigurable mesh of size √ n × √ n . In this setup, we propose constant-time solutions for testing an arbitrary polygon for convexity, solving the point location problem, solving the supporting lines problem, solving the stabbing problem, determining the minimum area/perimeter corner triangle for a convex polygon, determining the k -maximal vertices of a restricted class of convex polygons, constructing the common tangents of two separable convex polygons, deciding whether two convex polygons intersect, answering queries concerning two convex polygons, and computing the smallest distance between the boundaries of two convex polygons. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that O (1) time algorithms to solve dense instances of these problems are proposed on reconfigurable meshes.
Euler-like recurrences for smallest parts functions

We obtain recurrences for smallest parts functions which resemble Euler’s recurrence for the ordinary partition function. The proofs involve the holomorphic projection of non-holomorphic modular forms of weight \(2\).
MD-11 automatic flight system

The overall architecture and redundancy of the highly integrated MD-11 automatic flight system for commercial aircraft are summarized, and the application of the flight control computer capabilities to each of the system functions is detailed. The automatic flight system interface with other primary systems and subsystems is described. >
A Generalized Fellegi–Sunter Framework for Multiple Record Linkage With Application to Homicide Record Systems

We present a probabilistic method for linking multiple datafiles. This task is not trivial in the absence of unique identifiers for the individuals recorded. This is a common scenario when linking census data to coverage measurement surveys for census coverage evaluation, and in general when multiple record systems need to be integrated for posterior analysis. Our method generalizes the Fellegi–Sunter theory for linking records from two datafiles and its modern implementations. The goal of multiple record linkage is to classify the record K-tuples coming from K datafiles according to the different matching patterns. Our method incorporates the transitivity of agreement in the computation of the data used to model matching probabilities. We use a mixture model to fit matching probabilities via maximum likelihood using the Expectation–Maximization algorithm. We present a method to decide the record K-tuples membership to the subsets of matching patterns and we prove its optimality. We apply our method to th...
The mTORC1/4E-BP pathway coordinates hemoglobin production with L-leucine availability

In multicellular organisms, the mechanisms by which diverse cell types acquire distinct amino acids and how cellular function adapts to their availability are fundamental questions in biology. We found that increased neutral essential amino acid (NEAA) uptake was a critical component of erythropoiesis. As red blood cells matured, expression of the amino acid transporter gene Lat3 increased, which increased NEAA import. Inadequate NEAA uptake by pharmacologic inhibition or RNAi-mediated knockdown of LAT3 triggered a specific reduction in hemoglobin production in zebrafish embryos and murine erythroid cells through the mTORC1 (mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1)/4E-BP (eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E-binding protein) pathway. CRISPR-mediated deletion of members of the 4E-BP family in murine erythroid cells rendered them resistant to mTORC1 and LAT3 inhibition and restored hemoglobin production. These results identify a developmental role for LAT3 in red blood cells and demonstrate that mTORC1 serves as a homeostatic sensor that couples hemoglobin production at the translational level to sufficient uptake of NEAAs, particularly L-leucine.
Effect of aspect ratio on the electroelastic properties of piezoelectric nanocomposites

Piezoelectric materials offer exceptional sensing and actuation properties however are prone to breakage and difficult to apply to curved surfaces in their monolithic form. One method of alleviating these issues is through the use of 0-3 nanocomposites, which are formed by embedding piezoelectric particles into a polymer matrix. This class of material offers certain advantages over monolithic materials, however has seen little use due to its low coupling. Here we develop a micromechanics and finite element models to study the electroelastic properties of an active nanocomposite as a function of the aspect ratio and alignment of the piezoelectric inclusions. Our results show the aspect ratio is critical to achieving high electromechanical coupling and with an increase from 1 to 10 at 30% volume fraction of piezoelectric filler the coupling can increase by 60 times and achieve a bulk composite coupling as high as 90% of a pure PZT-7A piezoelectric constituent.
The Effect of ERP System Implementations on the Management of Earnings and Earnings Release Dates

ABSTRACT: ERP systems have become the system of choice for the majority of publicly traded companies and have radically changed the way accounting information is processed, prepared, audited, and disseminated. In this study, we examine whether ERP system implementations have affected the extent to which firms manage earnings amounts and release dates. We find, for a sample of ERP adopters, that implementations led to increases in the absolute value of discretionary accruals (i.e., greater earnings management). We also find a positive relationship between the extent of ERP module adoption and the extent of earnings management. With respect to earnings release dates, firms with incentives to increase the timeliness of their release dates experienced a decrease in reporting lag after implementing ERP systems. These results should be of interest to financial statement preparers initially adopting or implementing new versions of ERP applications, auditors serving clients with ERP systems, and regulators overse...
Protostar Formation in Magnetic Molecular Clouds beyond Ion Detachment. II. Typical Axisymmetric Solution

We follow the ambipolar-diffusion-driven formation and evolution of a fragment in a magnetically supported molecular cloud, until a hydrostatic protostellar core forms at its center. This problem was formulated in Paper I. We determine the density, velocity, and magnetic field as functions of space and time, and the contribution of ambipolar diffusion and Ohmic dissipation to the resolution of the magnetic flux problem of star formation. The issue of whether the magnetic field ever decouples from the (neutral) matter is also addressed. We also find that the electrons do not decouple from the field lines before thermal ionization becomes important and recouples the magnetic field to the neutral matter. Ohmic dissipation becomes more effective than ambipolar diffusion as a flux reduction mechanism only at the highest densities (a few × 1012 cm-3). In the high-density central parts of the core, the magnetic field acquires an almost spatially uniform structure, with a value that, at the end of the calculation (nn ≈ 5 × 1014 cm-3), is found to be in excellent agreement with meteoritic measurements of magnetic fields in the protosolar nebula. Outside the hydrostatic protostellar core, a concentration of magnetic flux (a "magnetic wall") forms, which gives rise to a magnetic shock. This magnetic shock is the precursor of the repeated shocks previously found by Tassis & Mouschovias, which cause spasmodic accretion onto the hydrostatic core at later times.
A new method for the synthesis of ketones: The palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling of acid chlorides with arylboronic acids

The cross-coupling reaction of acid chlorides with arylboronic acids, using catalytic amounts of Pd(PPh3)4 and five equivalents Cs2CO3, under anhydrous conditions provides a new method for the synthesis of ketones in good to moderate yields.
International Geomagnetic Reference Field, 1991 Revision: International Association of Geomagnetism and Aeronomy (IAGA) Division V, Working Group 8: Analysis of the main field and secular variation

The International Geomagnetic Reference Field (IGRF) is a series of mathematical models of the main geomagnetic field and its secular variation. Each model consists of a set of spherical harmonic (or Gauss) coefficients, g and h in a series expansion of the geomagnetic potential V=a∑n=1N∑m=0n(a/r)n+1[gnmcosmϕ+hnmsinmϕ]Pnm(cosθ), where a is the mean radius of the Earth (6371.2 km); r the radial distance from the center of the Earth; ϕ the east longitude measured from Greenwich; θ the geocentric colatitude; and Pnm(cosθ) the associated Legendre function of degree n and order m, normalized according to the convention of Schmidt [see, e.g., Langel (1987)]. In principle, N should be ∞ but the Working Group is of the opinion that in practice the available data for most epochs do not justify N greater than 10. This value is chosen to maintain consistency between models at different epochs. The coefficients are in units of nanotesla (nT).
Experiences in batch trajectory alignment for pharmaceutical process improvement through multivariate latent variable modelling

Abstract The primary objective of batch data as trajectory alignment (or synchronization) is to standardize the data sampling per batch according to the evolution of the process, and secondarily to homogenize the samples per run. The use of an indicator variable performs both objectives well. Two examples from the pharmaceutical sector are discussed to illustrate the different ways to deal with uneven samples across batches and across variables in the same batch. Since trajectory alignment requires large time investment, a simple triage approach is proposed to assess the need to analyze the dynamics of a given process and hence perform alignment. The presented examples are representative of a broad variety of batch processes that are operated by recipe in the pharmaceutical sector. In our experience, the variables associated with the automation triggers in these recipes are the best indicator variables to use for alignment. This is due to (i) the fact that the trigger variables are easy to identify from the automation of the recipe, (ii) operators are familiar with these, (iii) the target values for triggers are known a priori and hence the resulting alignment scheme can be performed in real-time for monitoring applications and (iv) it makes the monitoring scheme easy to understand and justify around the design-space since the design-space may originally be defined in terms of the trigger variables for each phase of the batch.
Fluid interface in two dimensions close to the critical point

Theoretical and computer simulation results for the equilibrium structure of the interface between two-dimensional fluid phases near the critical point are described. In the theoretical analysis, the equilibrium interface is assumed, in accord with current ideas, to consist of an intrinsic interface of the nonclassical van der Waals type, broadened by long-wavelength capillary wave fluctuations. It is found that in two dimensions of space, the interfacial thickness is very sensitive to the choices of the external field and of the intrinsic interface. For an intrinsic interface with a thickness proportional to the bulk correlation length ξ, the critical exponent ω describing the divergence of the interfacial thickness as the critical point is approached depends on the scale of the external field relative to ξ, and ranges from ω = 9/32 to ω = 17/32, in contrast to the prediction ω = 1 of nonclassical van der Waals theory. For a linear external field (gravity), the interfacial thickness is found to exhibit a crossover with change of critical exponent from capillary wave behavior at low and near critical temperatures to van der Waals behavior at temperatures very close to the critical temperature. An estimate of the order of magnitude of the crossover temperature is made by combining available experimental data and theory. In the currently accessible temperature range, the capillary wave prediction prevails, in contrast to the case of three-dimensional fluids. Computer simulations are performed for continuous fluids using the method of molecular dynamics. The interfacial thickness between two-dimensional fluid phases, in which the particles interact with a Lennard-Jones potential, is determined as a function of temperature in the absence of an external field. The number of particles ranges from 242 to 1024. Due to the smallness of the interfacial areas studied, long-wavelength capillary waves are strongly suppressed, and the results for the interfacial thickness are found to be consistent with the prediction of the nonclassical van der Waals theory of the intrinsic interface.
Testing the covariance stationarity of heavy-tailed time series: An overview of the theory with applications to several financial datasets

Abstract We investigate methods of testing the proposition that the unconditional variance of a time series is constant over time. Motivated by the observation that many financial datasets are “heavy-tailed,” we focus on the properties of statistical tests of covariance stationarity when unconditional fourth and second moments of the data are not finite. We find that sample split prediction tests and cusum of squares tests have nonstandard limiting distributions when fourth unconditional moments are infinite. These tests are consistent provided that variances are finite. However, the rate of divergence under the alternative hypothesis and hence the power of these tests is sensitive to the index of tail thickness in the data. We estimate the maximal moment exponent (which measures tail thickness) for a number of stock market return and exchange rate return series, and conclude that fourth unconditional moments of these series do not appear to be finite. In our formal tests of covariance stationarity, we reject the null hypothesis of constancy of the unconditional variance of these series. This raises questions about the nature of the observed volatility in economic time series, and about appropriate methods of statistically modeling this volatility.
Instructional information and breast self-examination practice.

The effects of four interventions on frequency and thoroughness of breast self-examination (BSE) were compared. The interventions provided different types of information, as derived from a self-regulation framework, to promote BSE practice. Women seeking BSE instruction (N = 204) were randomly assigned to interventions. No intervention effects on frequency were observed. However, exam frequency increased from pre- to postintervention and remained constant over 3 and 6 months follow-up. Interaction effects observed on thoroughness suggested that a positive effect of sensory information about the breast was. conditional upon having had prior experience with BSE. Implications for research, theory, and practice are drawn.
Capillary effects in steady-state flow in heterogeneous cores

Effects of capillary heterogeneity at the macroscopic scale have previously been analyzed for static conditions or in the context of outflow end-effects. This paper presents a systematic study for the case of one-dimensional, steady-state flow, that complements recent work on transient displacement. We consider the saturation response to various forms of heterogeneity. Included are analytical results for certain model cases, some general results, and numerical solutions for variously correlated spatial variations. The sensitivity to process parameters, such as rate, heterogeneity length scale and correlation, is studied. Physical interpretations are offered and potential applications in the estimation of heterogeneity are discussed.