cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Verifying atomic data types

Atomic transactions are a widely-accepted technique for organizing computation in fault-tolerant distributed systems. In most languages and systems based on transactions, atomicity is implemented through atomic objects, typed data objects that provide their own synchronization and recovery. Hence, atomicity is the key correctness condition required of a data type implementation. This paper presents a technique for verifying the correctness of implementations of atomic data types. The significant aspect of this technique is the extension of Hoare's abstraction function to map to a set of sequences of abstract operations, not just to a single abstract value. We give an example of a proof for an atomic queue implemented in the programming language Avalon/C++.
Histogram analysis of apparent diffusion coefficient within enhancing and nonenhancing tumor volumes in recurrent glioblastoma patients treated with bevacizumab

While patients with recurrent glioblastoma receiving anti-angiogenic therapy demonstrate significant response rates, the benefit on patient survival is less clear. We assessed whether histogram analysis of diffusion weighted MRI can stratify for progression-free and overall survival. Baseline and 3–6 week post-treatment MRI exams of 91 patients with recurrent glioblastoma treated with bevacizumab were retrospectively evaluated. Histograms of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) within the volume of contrast enhancing and nonenhancing T2/FLAIR lesions were analyzed using curve-fit analysis. Overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were assessed using ADC parameters in a Cox proportional hazards model adjusted for clinical variables. Baseline ADCL/ADCM within nonenhancing T2/FLAIR volume (> or ≤0.64) can stratify OS (HR = 2.24, p = 0.002) and PFS (HR = 1.90, p = 0.005). %ADCH within enhancing T1+C volume (> or ≤25 %) can also stratify OS (HR = 0.59, p = 0.034) and PFS (HR = 0.56, p = 0.01). Stratification of patient survival can be improved by merging these two ADC parameters into a single combined ADC factor (HR = 0.17, p < 0.0001). The median OS ratio of patient groups stratified by this combined factor was 2.03, larger than median OS ratio when stratifying by either %ADCH within T1+C volume alone (1.3) or ADCL/ADCM within T2/FLAIR alone (1.86). ADC histogram analysis within both enhancing and nonenhancing components of tumor can be used to stratify for PFS and OS in patients with recurrent glioblastoma.
Spirolactone syntheses through a rhodium-catalyzed intramolecular C–H insertion reaction: model studies towards the synthesis of syringolides

Abstract Model studies towards the total synthesis of syringolides using a rhodium-catalyzed intramolecular C–H insertion reaction as the key step are described. A highly stereospecific synthesis of spirolactones is achieved employing this methodology.
An optimal standard for solar heating systems

Control problems in solar heating systems are studied. Using a load temperature regulation specification based on minimum temperature, an optimal control problem is formulated to compute a lower bound on the amount of auxiliary energy needed, over a given cycle, for a fixed solar heating system. In order to estimate the sophistication of control necessary for achieving higher performance, a comparative study is made among several simple controllers with both proportional and on-off actuation.
Photonic Architectures for Performing Perfect Shuffle on a Time-Division Multiplexed Signal

Systems which permute the time-slots within a frame, called time-slot interchangers, are used in digital communications to map an incoming transmission associated with the i-th time-slot to an outgoing message for a receiver associated with the j-th time-slot. In a time-multiplexed optical computer environment, a time-slot interchanger corresponds to a multiprocessor interconnection network in a spatially parallel multiprocessor system. This work attempts to perform permutation among time-slots by deriving a time-domain version of the spatial shuffle-exchange network. In so doing, a new and a powerful structure called serial array architecture has been developed which has demonstrated very high potential for substantial hardware reduction. The shuffle permutation is the more interesting part of the stage and is the topic of this work. Detailed analysis and theory of time-slot interchange with specific reference to performing perfect shuffle has been developed. Different parameters for measurement based on time-slot shift have been presented and used in analysing the interchange problem and studying the power and limitation of a 2x2 photonic directional coupler. Three important classes of architectures using directional couplers have been presented for performing perfect shuffle on odd and even-sized frames of different lengths. Finally the basic relationship between ternary base and the 2x2 switch used in the feedback mode has been brought out and used to develop minimum switch architectures for perfect shuffle.© (1990) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Exercise, immunity and aging

In general population, many protective immune responses are impaired in old age, leading to an increased risk of infection. However, recent studies in SENIEUR subjects (healthy centenarians who are examples of successful aging) suggest that complex remodeling and reshaping of the immune system occurs with aging. An appropriate regular regimen of endurance exercise might help elderly to lead a quality of life by preserving immune function. However, very little is known regarding the interaction between exercise, aging and the immune system. Given that a number of age-related changes occur in many physiological systems which are known to alter the immune function both at rest and during exercise, it would be of value to learn the extent to which both acute and chronic exercise influence immune function in the elderly. The immune system response to exercise is multifaceted, depending on the nature of exercise. Significant interaction between the neuroendocrine and immune systems, and the role of lifestyle factors in immune function are known to occur. In theory, moderate exercise should help to reverse the adverse effects of aging upon the immune system by increasing the production of endocrine hormones which may contribute to less accumulation of autoreactive immune cells by enhancing the programmed cell death. Active elderly subjects demonstrated a significantly greater proliferative response to phytohemagglutinins (PHA) and to pokeweed mitogen (PWM), and higher rates of interleukin-2 (IL-2), interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and interleukin-4 (IL-4) production. A moderate training program can enhance the resting natural killer (NK) cell function of healthy elderly people, potentially increasing resistance to both viral infections and preventing the formation of malignant cells. Recent studies have suggested that endurance training in later life is associated with a lesser age-related decline in certain aspects of circulating T cell function and related cytokine production. It is important that the dose of physical activity needed to optimize immune function be defined more clearly at various points during the aging process both in females and males in order to optimize the immune function and to prevent any rise in adverse effects of exercise on the elderly population.
Dynamic Adjustment in the Japanese Livestock Industry Under Beef Import Liberalization

Dynamic adjustment of Japanese livestock markets is analyzed under two alternative import policies: the 1988 Japanese Beef Market Access Agreement (BMAA) and complete liberalization of Japanese beef import policies. Modeling problems associated with these policies include the change from a quota to a tariff, the incorporation of a meat demand system derived from utility-maximizing behavior into a livestock policy model, complementarity, and changes in the degree of producer supply responsiveness under alternative policies. An econometric model of the Japanese livestock industry is used to simulate and compare the impacts of the two policies from 1988 through 1997.
Safety of Anticoagulation Reversal in Patients Supported With Continuous-Flow Left-Ventricular Assist Devices

s S313 Conclusion: The risk of thrombosis after anticoagulation reversal in our cohort of CF-LVAD patients was acceptably low.
Institutions, Property Rights, and Growth

Ce modele presente un modele de croissance dans lequel les droits de propriete sont peu surs et couteux a faire appliquer. Les pertes de propriete incitent a la mise en place d’institutions qui ont pour but de faire appliquer les droits de propriete. Nous montrons que les institutions font appliquer des politiques qui protegent les droits de propriete. Le modele etablit que les economies dont la structure institutionnelle ne protege pas de facon adequate les droits de propriete ont une croissance faible ou nulle. Les economies dotees d’une meilleure protection des droits de propriete ont une croissance conforme au modele neoclassique standart. Etant donne que l’inegalite des revenus est une source majeure de la violation des droits de propriete, ce modele fournit egalement une theorie positive de la redistribution du revenu. Les tests empiriques des predictions du modele montrent que les depenses gouvernementales en matiere de protection des droits de propriete augmentent la croissance du revenu par tete.
A framework for estimating the safety effects of roadway lighting at intersections

National- and state-level guidance documents conclusively state that fixed lighting improves intersection safety. The sentiment is consistent with other design and safety manuals and is supported by a series of consistent safety findings; however, most published lighting-safety research is focused on rural, stop-controlled intersections and is limited by several methodological issues. The relationship between safety and intersection lighting at rural, signalized and urban locations is not as well documented. Methodological advancements in highway safety analysis justify new estimations of the safety effects of intersection lighting. This paper describes a proposed framework to estimate the safety effects of fixed lighting at a variety of intersection types and locations. Several key issues are explored including availability of relevant crash, lighting, and roadway inventory data; relevant data element structures; proposed analysis taxonomies to assess lighting-safety effects within and across different intersection classifications; specification and estimation of models to estimate expected crash frequencies during day and night; techniques to interpret model parameters, including variable elasticity; and tests of model transferability across states. A sample framework execution using Minnesota intersection data is provided. Results indicate a much lower overall safety benefit from lighting than published studies, but are consistent with estimates included in Highway Safety Manual research.
Decreased plasma fibronectin levels in children with hemolytic-uremic syndrome

Abstract Fibronectin is a normal plasma glycoprotein thought to have an important role in platelet aggregation and clot formation. Because of the participation of the coagulation system in hemolytic-uremic syndrome, the present study sought to determine if fibronectin plays a role in the pathogenesis of this disease. With this purpose in mind, plasma fibronectin levels were measured in 17 children with the clinical diagnosis of hemolytic-uremic syndrome and in 22 age-matched control subjects. Fibronectin levels were significantly deppressed in 13 of 17 (76 percent) patients with hemolytic-uremic syndrome during the acute phase of their illness. These levels did not correlate with age, sex, serum creatinine level, platelet count, or hemoglobin concentration. Serial plasma samples were available in eight of these patients: fibronectin remained depressed from two to 10 days and then returned toward the normal range concomitant with increasing platelet counts and improvement in renal function. During remission, fibronectin levels were normal in all nine patients tested. To try to determine if fibronectin is deposited in the kidney during hemolytic-uremic syndrome, kidney biopsy specimens from six patients with hemolytic-uremic syndrome were examined by immunofluorescence for the presence of fibronectin, fibrinogen, and platelet antigens. Extensive deposition of all three antigens was demonstrated along the glomerular capillary wall in all biopsy specimens. In conclusion, plasma fibronectin levels are decreased during the acute phases of hemolytic-uremic syndrome in the majority of patients. Kidney biopsy findings suggest that fibronectin is Intimately involved in the activation of the coagulation system in this disease and that decreased plasma fibronectin levels in hemolytic-uremic syndrome may be due, at least in part, to accelerated consumption of the protein at the sites of injury.
REGULATION OF TYROSINE HYDROXYLASE ACTIVITY IN MOUSE NEUROBLASTOMA CLONE N1E-115

— Mouse neuroblastoma (clone N1E-115) cells in the logarithmic growth phase were incubated for 12 days. From early log phase to late stationary phase, the specific activity of tyrosine hydroxylase (EC 1.14.3a) increased greater than 30-fold. The increase in tyrosine hydroxylase per cell and per dish was 12- and 2700-fold, respectively. When cell division was stopped by removing serum or by adding 0.1 mm-5-fluorodeoxyuridine and 0.1 mm-uridine, the enzyme activity was also found to increase. These results show that tyrosine hydroxylase is regulated in neuroblastoma clone N1E-115.
Postmodern personhood: a matter of consciousness.

The concept of person is integral to bioethical discourse because persons are the proper subject of the moral domain. Nevertheless, the concept of person has played no role in the prevailing formulation of human death because of a purported lack of consensus concerning the essential attributes of a person. Beginning with John Locke's fundamental proposition that person is a ‘forensic term’, I argue that in Western society we do have a consensus on at least one necessary condition for personhood, and that is the capacity for conscious experience. When we consider the whole brain formulation of death, and the most prominent defense of it by the President's Commission for the Study of Ethical Problems in Medicine and Biomedical and Behavioral Research, we can readily identify the flaws that grow out of the failure to define human death as the permanent loss of the capacity for conscious experience. Most fundamental among these flaws is a definition of human death that reduces persons to the capacity of the brain to regulate purely physiological functioning. Such a formulation would, in theory, apply to any member of the animal kingdom. I suggest that an appropriate concept of death should capture what it is about a particular living being that is so essential to it that the permanent loss of that thing constitutes death. What is essential to being a human being is living the life of a person, which derives from the capacity for conscious experience.
The international child poverty gap: does demography matter?

According to the Luxembourg Income Study data, the U.S. child poverty rate is the second highest among 15 high-income nations. The present work reveals that 55% of all American children living in a household headed by a single female with no other adult present live in poverty—the highest rate for any of the five living arrangements in the 15 countries examined in this study. While previous analyses have focused on market forces and governmental redistribution across households, we question the contribution of demographic factors that place children in family structures with different poverty risks relative to other factors such as differential market opportunities and governmental benefits for adults caring for children in various living arrangements. Applying a classic demographic decomposition technique to the overall poverty gap, we find that the distributional effect of demographic behavior contributes little to the U.S. poverty gap with other nations (and none with respect to the United Kingdom). Overall differences in labor markets and welfare schemes best explain the U.S. child poverty gap, although for some countries, the gap is accentuated by the gradient of governmental transfers, and for most countries, by the gradient of market earnings across living arrangements.
A variational method for weak resonant wave interactions

Whitham’s variational method is formulated so as to apply to weak second-order resonant interactions among waves whose amplitudes and phase angles vary slowly with position and time. The method is applied in detail to capillary-gravity wave interactions. An internal gravity waves problem is also discussed briefly. The method leads to new and substantial simplifications of the interaction equations. This makes possible the proof of local conservation of total mean wave energy and momentum laws. These, together with another integral of the motion, are found to be of central importance in classifying and characterizing the slow modulations of planewave-like form. Such a classification is given in detail for all initial values of phase angles and relative amplitudes. All progressive uniform waves in the capillary range are found to be unstable with perturbation growth rates which can be of first order in the wave slopes. In this formulation amplitude dependent first-order corrections of classical frequency and/or wave-number arise for all waves participating in a resonance. A few predictions which could be verified by simple experiments are made.
The Li-ion rechargeable battery: a perspective.

Each cell of a battery stores electrical energy as chemical energy in two electrodes, a reductant (anode) and an oxidant (cathode), separated by an electrolyte that transfers the ionic component of the chemical reaction inside the cell and forces the electronic component outside the battery. The output on discharge is an external electronic current I at a voltage V for a time Δt. The chemical reaction of a rechargeable battery must be reversible on the application of a charging I and V. Critical parameters of a rechargeable battery are safety, density of energy that can be stored at a specific power input and retrieved at a specific power output, cycle and shelf life, storage efficiency, and cost of fabrication. Conventional ambient-temperature rechargeable batteries have solid electrodes and a liquid electrolyte. The positive electrode (cathode) consists of a host framework into which the mobile (working) cation is inserted reversibly over a finite solid–solution range. The solid–solution range, which is...
Phase referencing and narrow-angle astrometry in current and future interferometers

Atmospheric turbulence is a serious problem for ground-based interferometers. It places tight limits on both sensitivity and measurement precision. Phase referencing is a method to overcome these limitations via the use of a bright reference star. The Palomar Testbed Interferometer was designed to use phase referencing and so can provide a pair of phase-stabilized starlight beams to a second (science) beam combiner. We have used this capability for several interesting studies, including very narrow angle astrometry. For close (1-arcsecond) pairs of stars we are able to achieve a differential astrometric precision in the range 20--30 micro-arcseconds.
A 2D inspired 4D theory of gravity

Abstract Coadjoint orbits of the Virasoro and affine Lie algebras provide geometric actions for matter coupled to gravity and gauge fields in two dimensions. However, the Gauss' law constraints that arise from these actions are not necessarily endemic to two-dimensional topologies. Indeed the constraints associated with Yang-Mills naturally arise from the coadjoint orbit construction of the WZW model. One may in fact use a Yang-Mills theory to provide dynamics to the otherwise fixed coadjoint vectors that define the orbits. In this letter we would like to exhibit an analogue of the Yang-Mills classical action for the diffeomorphism sector. With this analogue one may postulate a 4D theory of gravitation that is related to an underlying two dimensional theory. Instead of quadratic differentials, a (1, 3) pseudo tensor becomes the dynamical variable. We briefly discuss how this tensor may be classically coupled to matter.
Democratic Jurisprudence and Judicial Review: Waldron’s Contribution to Political Positivism

This article engages legal positivism conceived of as a political project rather than as a descriptive account of law. Jeremy Waldron’s ‘democratic jurisprudence’ represents such a politicized legal positivism—a normative argument for legal positivism rather than a non-normative claim that legal positivism is true. Unsurprisingly, the essential institutional elements of this democratic jurisprudence turn out to be the familiar features of classical legal positivism, and the case Waldron makes against judicial review grows out of his overarching political position. But, consequently, if there are reasons to doubt the strength of Waldron’s case against judicial review, there are surely reasons to doubt the normative bases of his case for positivism, and in turn, descriptive or conceptual positivism more generally. This article investigates this claim, noting that Waldron’s political case for positivism is based on Kantian notions about moral autonomy given circumstances of moral disagreement, but that Waldron’s conclusions about the role of judges undermine both these Kantian foundations and the aims of democratic jurisprudence. While Waldron’s arguments revive a tradition of political positivism that goes back to Bentham, engagement with those arguments suggests that legal positivism ultimately must embrace a radical democratic form of anti-constitutionalism.
Does executive compensation incentivize managers to create effective internal control systems

Abstract We examine the relation between CFO compensation and the effectiveness of internal control structures under SOX, Section 404. Given the growing evidence of an uncoupling of pay from performance, we conduct our analysis using a two-stage regression. In our first stage model, we decompose compensation into its fitted (i.e., explained by firms’ economic characteristics) and residual (i.e., unexplained) components. In our second stage model, we estimate a logit regression of internal control effectiveness on both the fitted and residual components of compensation. Overall, we find that internal control effectiveness is related to the fitted components of compensation, but unrelated to the residual components. These relations exist for aggregate compensation, as well as its individual components (i.e., salary, bonus, equity-based). Our findings suggest that fitted compensation increases the probability of effective internal controls. Conversely, residual compensation does not affect this probability, suggesting that it reflects pay without performance. Our findings inform regulators and standard setters of the often unforeseen costs of increased regulation.
The role of money in two alternative models: When is the Friedman rule optimal, and why?

Abstract In models of money with an infinitely lived representative agent (ILRA models), the optimal monetary policy is almost always the Friedman rule. In overlapping generations (OG) models, by contrast, the Friedman rule may not be optimal. In this paper, we use this difference in monetary policy prescriptions to help us identify and study the key difference between these two models as models of money. We study the welfare properties of monetary policy in a simple OG model under two very different money demand specifications and two alternative assumptions about the generational timing of taxes for money retirement. We conclude that the key difference between ILRA and OG monetary models is that in the latter, the standard method for constructing a monetary regime causes transactions involving money to become intergenerational transfers. Under alternative government fiscal/monetary regimes that offset these intergenerational transfers, the Friedman rule is always optimal.
Estimating air leakage through doors for smoke control

A generalized, nondimensional relationship for flow through defined narrow gaps is used to predict leakage flow past closed door assemblies. Typical gap shapes considered include straight-through; single or double sharp (90°) bends; baffle at leading edge; comb-type labyrinth; and filament brush seal. Applications for prediction and design appropriate to smoke control systems are indicated.
Square root law for communication with low probability of detection on AWGN channels

We present a square root limit on low probability of detection (LPD) communication over additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) channels. Specifically, if a warden has an AWGN channel to the transmitter with non-zero noise power, we prove that o(√n) bits can be sent from the transmitter to the receiver in n AWGN channel uses with probability of detection by the warden less than e for any ∊ > 0, and, if a lower bound on the noise power on the warden's channel is known, then O(√n) bits can be covertly sent in n channel uses. Conversely, trying to transmit more than O(√n) bits either results in detection by the warden with probability one or a non-zero probability of decoding error as n → ∞. Further, we show that LPD communication on the AWGN channel allows one to send a nonzero symbol on every channel use, in contrast to what might be expected from the square root law found recently in image-based steganography.
Approximating matrix p-norms

We consider the problem of computing the q ↦ p norm of a matrix A, which is defined for p, q ≥ 1, as[EQUATION]This is in general a non-convex optimization problem, and is a natural generalization of the well-studied question of computing singular values (this corresponds to p = q = 2). Different settings of parameters give rise to a variety of known interesting problems (such as the Grothendieck problem when p = 1 and q = ∞). However, very little is understood about the approximability of the problem for different values of p, q.Our first result is an efficient algorithm for computing the q ↦ p norm of matrices with non-negative entries, when q ≥ p ≥ 1. The algorithm we analyze is based on a natural fixed point iteration, which can be seen as an analog of power iteration for computing eigenvalues.We then present an application of our techniques to the problem of constructing a scheme for oblivious routing in the lp norm. This makes constructive a recent existential result of Englert and Racke [ER09] on O(log n) competitive oblivious routing schemes (which they make constructive only for p = 2).On the other hand, when we do not have any restrictions on the entries (such as non-negativity), we prove that the problem is NP-hard to approximate to any constant factor, for 2 0.
Imaging Single Cells in the Living Retina

Technologies including optical coherence tomography and adaptive optics scanning laser ophthalmoscopy have transformed the ophthalmoscope into a microscope, revealing not only structure but also function at a cellular spatial scale in the living eye. These devices offer new views of how the healthy eye works and the diseased eye fails.
Optimal-adaptive filters for modelling spectral shape, site amplification, and source scaling

Optimal filtering techniques have been used successfully in various areas in science and engineering. They are based on statistical properties of the signal and the noise, and stochastic approximation theory. In addition to filtering, optimal filters can also be used for smoothing, prediction, and system identification. This paper introduces some applications of optimal filtering techniques to earthquake engineering by using the so-called ARMAX models. Three applications are presented: (a) spectral modelling of ground accelerations, (b) site amplification (i.e., the relationship between two records obtained at different sites during an earthquake), and (c) source scaling (i.e., the relationship between two records obtained at a site during two different earthquakes). A numerical example for each application is presented by using recorded ground motions. The results show that the optimal filtering techniques provide elegant solutions to above problems, and can be a useful tool in earthquake engineering.
Plasma effects in the HCN laser.

The radial gain and refractive properties of an HCN amplifier using high current, short pulse excitation have been measured at 337 μm. The amplifier exhibits gain only after the electrons, which are produced at the wall, reach the amplifier axis, thus accounting for the delay normally observed between excitation and laser emission. Strong electron refractive effects, due to radial density gradients, are present that are associated with the gain and dynamics of the discharge. Weak magnetic fields can enhance or modulate the laser output. Strong fields, however, produce a current instability that destroys the symmetry of the gain profile and reduces the laser output.
How scale affects structure in Java programs

Many internal software metrics and external quality attributes of Java programs correlate strongly with program size. This knowledge has been used pervasively in quantitative studies of software through practices such as normalization on size metrics. This paper reports size-related super- and sublinear effects that have not been known before. Findings obtained on a very large collection of Java programs -- 30,911 projects hosted at Google Code as of Summer 2011 -- unveils how certain characteristics of programs vary disproportionately with program size, sometimes even non-monotonically. Many of the specific parameters of nonlinear relations are reported. This result gives further insights for the differences of ``programming in the small'' vs. ``programming in the large.'' The reported findings carry important consequences for OO software metrics, and software research in general: metrics that have been known to correlate with size can now be properly normalized so that all the information that is left in them is size-independent.
Effect of added metal chelating organosilane on mesoporous titanosilicate formation properties

We describe the effects of adding the organosilane n-(trimethoxysilylpropyl)ethylenediaminetriacetic acid (EDATAS) during hydrothermal synthesis on the formation properties of titanium containing SBA-15 mesoporous silica. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy revealed that the Si/Ti atomic ratio decreased significantly with the addition of the organosilane compared to the non-funtionalized silicates, showing that the EDATAS silicates contained more surface titanium. X-ray powder diffraction and nitrogen gas adsorption analysis revealed that the functionalized titanosilicates were ordered mesoporous materials with narrow pore size distributions with a BJH pore size of 92–96 A. Solid state CP/MAS NMR experiments demonstrated that addition of EDATAS during hydrothermal synthesis produced a mesoporous silica with 6-coordinated Ti(IV) coordination. Using the same synthesis without the EDATAS, mesoporous silicas with 4-coordinated Ti(IV) were produced.
On the Self-consistent Response of Stellar Systems to Gravitational Shocks

We study the reaction of a globular star cluster to a time-varying tidal perturbation (gravitational shock) using self-consistent N-body simulations and address two questions. First, to what extent is the cluster interior protected by adiabatic invariants? Second, how much further energy change does the postshock evolution of the cluster potential produce and how much does it affect the dispersion of stellar energies? We introduce the "adiabatic correction" as ratio of the energy change, ΔE, to its value in the impulse approximation. When the potential is kept fixed, the numerical results for the adiabatic correction for stars with orbital frequency ω can be approximated as (1+ω2τ2)−γ. For shocks with the characteristic duration of the order of the half-mass dynamical time of the cluster, τtdyn, h, the exponent γ=5/2. For more prolonged shocks, τ4tdyn, h, the adiabatic correction is shallower, γ=3/2. When we allow for self-gravity and potential oscillations that follow the shock, the energy of stars in the core changes significantly while the total energy of the system is conserved. Paradoxically, the postshock potential fluctuations reduce the total amount of energy dispersion, ΔE2. The effect is small but real and is due to the postshock energy change being statistically anticorrelated with the shock-induced heating. These results are to be applied to Fokker-Planck models of the evolution of globular clusters.
Type Ia Supernova Light Curve Inference: Hierarchical Bayesian Analysis in the Near Infrared

We present a comprehensive statistical analysis of the properties of Type Ia supernova (SN Ia) light curves in the near-infrared using recent data from Peters Automated InfraRed Imaging TELescope and the literature. We construct a hierarchical Bayesian framework, incorporating several uncertainties including photometric error, peculiar velocities, dust extinction, and intrinsic variations, for principled and coherent statistical inference. SN Ia light-curve inferences are drawn from the global posterior probability of parameters describing both individual supernovae and the population conditioned on the entire SN Ia NIR data set. The logical structure of the hierarchical model is represented by a directed acyclic graph. Fully Bayesian analysis of the model and data is enabled by an efficient Markov Chain Monte Carlo algorithm exploiting the conditional probabilistic structure using Gibbs sampling. We apply this framework to the JHKs SN Ia light-curve data. A new light-curve model captures the observed J-band light-curve shape variations. The marginal intrinsic variances in peak absolute magnitudes are ?(MJ ) = 0.17 ? 0.03, ?(MH ) = 0.11 ? 0.03, and ?(MKs ) = 0.19 ? 0.04. We describe the first quantitative evidence for correlations between the NIR absolute magnitudes and J-band light-curve shapes, and demonstrate their utility for distance estimation. The average residual in the Hubble diagram for the training set SNe at cz > 2000kms?1 is 0.10 mag. The new application of bootstrap cross-validation to SN Ia light-curve inference tests the sensitivity of the statistical model fit to the finite sample and estimates the prediction error at 0.15 mag. These results demonstrate that SN Ia NIR light curves are as effective as corrected optical light curves, and, because they are less vulnerable to dust absorption, they have great potential as precise and accurate cosmological distance indicators.
An easy case of sorting by reversals.

We show that sorting by reversals can be performed in polynomial time when the number of breakpoints is twice the distance. This result answers an open question in [KS95].
Adolescent Russian Roulette Deaths

Adolescence, between the ages of 10 and 19 years, is a unique period both physically and emotionally. During this time of life, individuals are known to experiment and engage in risky behavior, sometimes with unforeseen morbidity and mortality. We also see suicide emerge as a manner of death in this age group. The most common method is gunshot wound and sometimes in the form of Russian roulette. Few studies have looked at deaths by Russian roulette, the victims, and scenarios. In particular, no study examines the adolescent victim of Russian roulette. To better understand and classify this entity, adolescent Russian roulette autopsy cases over a 20-year period were examined looking at the victims, scenarios, autopsy findings, cause and manner of death, and the weapons. All victims were males, ages 13 to 19 years, with a Black-to-White ratio of 1:1. No victim had a previous psychiatric history. Toxicology was positive for alcohol and/or marijuana in 50% of the victims. Friends were present when the victim shot himself which occurred in the home the majority of the time. In all but 1 case, premeditation of the game was involved as the victim provided the weapon for the roulette. The cause of death was gunshot wound to the head (6 to the right side, 1 to the mouth, 1 to the forehead), and the manner of death was suicide in 6 cases and accident in 2 cases. A review of the literature discusses the adolescent victim, suicide, and Russian roulette.
Surface Rippling & Ion Etch Yields of Diamond Using a Focused Ion Beam: With or without Enhanced-Chemistry, Aspect Ratio Regulates Ion Etching

The Focused Ion Beam (FIB) instrument, originally designed for semiconductor circuit modification and repair, has found considerable utility as a tool for specimen preparation in several microscopy disciplines and for micromachining small parts. Essentially, a FIB makes very small and precise cuts into a target sample, which implies well-controlled etch rates and close tolerances of surface finish. However, redeposition can affect etch rate and final surface topographies. This work quantifies this redeposition as it modifies yields for different parameters of etching; models the influence of redeposition as applicable to all ion beam processing; and optimizes FIB processing parameters for enhanced yields.
Cementing - A Systematic Approach

A step-by-step approach in the form of a cementing process design chart, has been developed for use in Conoco's operating divisions worldwide. The design chart described in this paper includes cement and additive selection and associated hardware for casing and liner cementing operations. Each type of cementing operation is designed to insure the compatibility of hardware and cement slurry components. The process design chart is separated into two major categories: primary cementing; and liner cementing. These categories are separated further into design criteria for cementing each casing string in a well, conductor pipe through production string and each type of liner that is set. Conoco has realized reduced primary cementing costs, up to $35,000.00 per well in some cases, and fewer remedial cement jobs as a result of using practices included in this process design chart. These cost savings can be attributed to the proper cementing practices from many geographic regions which are consolidated into this easy to use cementing design chart. One example of how cement costs can be reduced is by limiting the amount of expensive synthetic cement additives that have been added to less critical pipe strings. These expensive cement additives have been replaced by less expensivemore » natural cement additives that perform just as well, and have resulted in a reduction in the cost per cubic foot of cement slurry.« less
GCRT J1745–3009 as a Transient White Dwarf Pulsar

A transient radio source in the direction of the Galactic center, GCRT J1745-3009, exhibited five peculiar consecutive outbursts at 0.33 GHz with a period of 77.13 minutes and a duration of ~10 minutes for each outburst. It has been claimed to be the prototype of a hitherto unknown class of transient radio sources. We interpret it as a transient white dwarf pulsar with a period of 77.13 minutes. The ~10 minute flaring duration corresponds to the epoch in which the radio beam sweeps our line of sight. The bursting epoch corresponds to the episodes in which stronger sunspot-like magnetic fields emerge into the white dwarf polar cap region during which the pair-production condition is satisfied and the white dwarf behaves like a radio pulsar. It switches off as the pair-production condition breaks down.
Computation of weakly ionized hypersonic flows in thermochemical nonequilibrium

A numerical method to compute a two-dimensional hypersonic flowfield that is weakly ionized and in thermochemical nonequilibrium has been developed. Such a flowfield is described by coupled partial differential equations for the conservation of species mass, mass-averaged momentum, vibrational energy of each diatomic species, electron energy, and total energy. The steady-state solution to these fully coupled equations has been obtained for a gas composed of seven chemical species and characterized by six temperatures using an implicit Gauss-Seidel line relaxation technique. The computed electron number densities in the flowfield of a sphere cone compare well with experimental results.
A Highly Effective Catalyst System for the Pd-Catalyzed Amination of Vinyl Bromides and Chlorides

A highly efficient synthesis of enamines and imines by Pd-catalyzed amination of vinyl bromides or chlorides with amines is described using the Pd2(dba)3/P(i-BuNCH2CH2)3N catalyst system.
The recording, checking, and printing of logic diagrams

In the design and development of today's complex computers, the ratio of routine and repetitive work to creative engineering is getting larger and larger. The factors which make the development of a large scale computer a lengthy and time-consuming process are more and more the sheer mass of detail work that must be performed; the drafting and checking of logic diagrams; the assignment of circuit components to printed cards, of printed cards to panels, of panels to gates and frames; the routing of signal and power wiring between the thousands of circuit components; the production of the many pieces of paper needed to convey to manufacturing, production control, cost engineering, maintenance engineering, etc., the details they require to do their work. There would be every reason to question the feasibility of embarking on a new development project were it not for the fact that a considerable number of these detail tasks are practical computer applications.
Efficient self-consistent viscous-inviscid solutions for unsteady transonic flow

An improved method is presented for coupling a boundary layer code with an unsteady inviscid transonic computer code in a quasi-steady fashion. At each fixed time step, the boundary layer and inviscid equations are successively solved until the process converges. An explicit coupling of the equations is described which greatly accelerates the convergence process. Computer times for converged viscous-inviscid solutions are about 1.8 times the comparable inviscid values. Comparison of the results obtained with experimental data on three airfoils are presented. These comparisons demonstrate that the explicitly coupled viscous-inviscid solutions can provide efficient predictions of pressure distributions and lift for unsteady two-dimensional transonic flows.
Sotto voce: exploring the interplay of conversation and mobile audio spaces

In addition to providing information to individual visitors, electronic guidebooks have the potential to facilitate social interaction between visitors and their companions. However, many systems impede visitor interaction. By contrast, our electronic guidebook, Sotto Voce, has social interaction as a primary design goal. The system enables visitors to share audio information - specifically, they can hear each other's guidebook activity using a technologically mediated audio eavesdropping mechanism. We conducted a study of visitors using Sotto Voce while touring a historic house. The results indicate that visitors are able to use the system effectively, both as a conversational resource and as an information appliance. More surprisingly, our results suggest that the technologically mediated audio often cohered the visitors' conversation and activity to a far greater degree than audio delivered through the open air
Historical, Entrepreneurial, and Supply Chain Management Perspectives on the Semiconductor Industry

This paper studies the semiconductor industry from three perspectives: historical, entrepreneurial and supply chain management. After a brief introduction, the paper begins by tracing the history and evolution of the semiconductor industry including the two seminal enterprises: Shockley Semiconductor Laboratory and Fairchild Semiconductor. Starting from the invention of the transfer resistor (transistor) by three Nobel laureates (John Bardeen, Walter Houser Brattain and William Shockley) and the founding of the "most successful failure" in Silicon Valley, Shockley Semiconductor Laboratory and the Fairchild Eight, the paper discusses some earliest entrepreneurial attempts in the industry and how these attempts influenced over seventy semiconductor companies in Silicon Valley, including Intel Corporation, National Semiconductor and Advanced Micro Devices. The paper then examines the industry's developing business models, from the vertically integrated model to the integrated device manufacturing model to the development of the foundry model. Finally, the paper looks at the industry's growing trend of globalization together with its outsourcing/off-shoring and supply chain management developments. The authors believe that such a multi-disciplinary approach to study an industry provides valuable insights into the evolution and development of an entire industry and the approach can be generalized to study other industries to enhance understanding at the industry level.
Optimal policy for batch operations: backup, checkpointing, reorganization, and updating

Many database maintenance operations are performed periodically in batches, even in real-time systems. The purpose of this paper is to present a general model for determining the optimal frequency of these batch operations. Specifically, optimal backup, checkpointing, batch updating, and reorganization policies are derived. The approach used exploits inventory parallels, by seeking the optimal number of items --- rather than a time interval --- to trigger a batch. The Renewal Reward Theorem is used to find the average long run costs for backup, recovery, and item storage, per unit time, which is then minimized to find the optimal backup policy. This approach permits far less restrictive assumptions about the update arrival process than did previous models, as well as inclusion of storage costs for the updates. The optimal checkpointing, batch updating, and reorganization policies are shown to be special cases of this optimal backup policy. The derivation of previous results as special cases of this model, and an example, demonstrate the generality of the methodology developed.
Radiation Heat Transfer in Multitube, Alkali-Metal Thermal-to-Electric Converter

Vapor anode, multitube Alkali-Metal Thermal-to-Electric Converters (AMTECs) are being considered for a number of space missions, such as the NASA Pluto/Express (PX) and Europa missions, scheduled for the years 2004 and 2005, respectively. These static converters can achieve a high fraction of Carnot efficiency at relatively low operating temperatures. An optimized cell can potentially provide a conversion efficiency between 20 and 30 percent, when operated at a hot-side temperature of 1000--1200 K and a cold-side temperature of 550--650 K. A comprehensive modeling and testing program of vapor anode, multitube AMTEC cells has been underway for more than three years at the Air Force Research Laboratory`s Power and Thermal Group (AFRL/VSDVP), jointly with the University of New Mexico`s Institute for Space and Nuclear Power Studies. The objective of this program is to demonstrate the readiness of AMTECs for flight on future US Air Force space missions. A fast, integrated AMTEC Performance and Evaluation Analysis Model (APEAM) has been developed to support ongoing vacuum tests at AFRL and perform analyses and investigate potential design changes to improve the PX-cell performance. This model consists of three major components (Tournier and El-Genk 1998a, b): (a) a sodium vapor pressure loss model, which describes continuum,more » transition and free-molecule flow regimes in the low-pressure cavity of the cell; (b) an electrochemical and electrical circuit model; and (c) a radiation/conduction heat transfer model, for calculating parasitic heat losses. This Technical Note describes the methodology used to calculate the radiation view factors within the enclosure of the PX-cells, and the numerical procedure developed in this work to determine the radiation heat transport and temperatures within the cell cavity.« less