cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Efficiently tolerating failures in asynchronous real-time distributed systems

We present a proactive resource allocation algorithm, called BEA, for fault-tolerant asynchronous real-time distributed systems. BEA considers an application model where trans-node application timeliness requirements are expressed using benefit functions, and anticipated workload during future time intervals are expressed using adaptation functions. Furthermore, BEA considers an adaptation model where subtasks of application tasks are replicated at run-time for tolerating failures as well as for sharing workload increases. Given such models, the objective of the algorithm is to maximize the aggregate real-time benefit and the ability to tolerate host failures during the time window of adaptation functions. Since determining the optimal solution is computationally intractable, BEA heuristically computes suboptimal resource allocations in polynomial-time. We show that BEA can achieve almost the same fault-tolerance ability as full replication, and accrue most of real-time benefit that full replication can accrue. In the meanwhile, BEA requires much fewer replicas than full replication, and hence is cost effective.
Cluster Editing: Kernelization Based on Edge Cuts

Kernelization algorithms for the cluster editing problem have been a popular topic in the recent research in parameterized computation. Most kernelization algorithms for the problem are based on the concept of critical cliques. In this paper, we present new observations and new techniques for the study of kernelization algorithms for the cluster editing problem. Our techniques are based on the study of the relationship between cluster editing and graph edge-cuts. As an application, we present a simple algorithm that constructs a 2k-vertex kernel for the integral-weighted version of the cluster editing problem. Our result matches the best kernel bound for the unweighted version of the cluster editing problem, and significantly improves the previous best kernel bound for the weighted version of the problem. For the more general real-weighted version of the problem, our techniques lead to a simple kernelization algorithm that constructs a kernel of at most 4k vertices.
Dialogue Act Tagging with Transformation-Based Learning

For the task of recognizing dialogue acts, we are applying the Transformation-Based Learning (TBL) machine learning algorithm. To circumvent a sparse data problem, we extract values of well-motivated features of utterances, such as speaker direction, punctuation marks, and a new feature, called dialogue act cues, which we find to be more effective than cue phrases and word n-grams in practice. We present strategies for constructing a set of dialogue act cues automatically by minimizing the entropy of the distribution of dialogue acts in a training corpus, filtering out irrelevant dialogue act cues, and clustering semantically-related words. In addition, to address limitations of TBL, we introduce a Monte Carlo strategy for training efficiently and a committee method for computing confidence measures. These ideas are combined in our working implementation, which labels held-out data as accurately as any other reported system for the dialogue act tagging task.
An elevated serum beta-2-microglobulin level is an adverse prognostic factor for overall survival in patients with early-stage Hodgkin disease

BACKGROUND The relative importance of prognostic factors in patients with early-stage Hodgkin disease remains controversial. The purpose of this study was to evaluate prognostic factors among patients who received chemotherapy before radiotherapy. METHODS From 1987 to 1995, 217 consecutive patients ranging in age from 16 to 88 years (median, 28 years) with Ann Arbor Stage I (n = 55) or II (n = 162) Hodgkin disease underwent chemotherapy before radiotherapy at a single center. Most were treated on prospective studies. Patients received a median of three cycles of induction chemotherapy. Mitoxantrone, vincristine, vinblastine, and prednisone (NOVP), doxorubicin, bleomycin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine (ABVD), mechlorethamine, vincristine, procarbazine, and prednisone (MOPP), cyclophosphamide, vinblastine, procarbazine, prednisone, doxorubicin, bleomycin, dacarbazine, and CCNU (CVPP/ABDIC), or other chemotherapeutic regimens were given to 160, 18, 15, 10, and 14 patients, respectively. The median radiotherapy dose was 40 Gy. Serum β-2-microglobulin (β-2M) levels ranged from 1.0 to 4.1 mg/L (median, 1.7 mg/L; upper limit of normal, 2.0 mg/L). We studied univariate and multivariate associations between survival and the following clinical features: serum β-2M level above 1.25 times the upper limit of normal (n = 12), male gender (n = 113), hypoalbuminemia (n = 11), and bulky mediastinal disease (n = 94). RESULTS Follow-up of surviving patients ranged from 0.9 to 13.4 years (median, 6.6 years) and 92% were observed for 3.0 or more years. Nineteen patients have died. Only elevation of the serum β-2M level was an independent adverse prognostic factor for overall survival (P = 0.0009). CONCLUSIONS The prognostic significance of a simple, widely available, and inexpensive blood test, β-2M, has not been studied routinely in patients with Hodgkin disease and should be tested prospectively in large, cooperative group trials. Cancer 2002;95:2534–8. © 2002 American Cancer Society. DOI 10.1002/cncr.10998
Sparse signal recovery in the presence of intra-vector and inter-vector correlation

This work discusses the problem of sparse signal recovery when there is correlation among the values of nonzero entries. We examine intra-vector correlation in the context of the block sparse model and inter-vector correlation in the context of the multiple measurement vector model, as well as their combination. Algorithms based on the sparse Bayesian learning are presented and the benefits of incorporating correlation at the algorithm level are discussed. The impact of correlation on the limits of support recovery is also discussed highlighting the different impact intra-vector and inter-vector correlations have on such limits.
Auto-localization system for indoor mobile robot using RFID fusion

Autonomous mobile robots need accurate localization techniques to perform assigned task. Radio Frequency Identification Technology (RFID) has become one of the main means to construct a real-time localization system. Localization techniques in RFID rely on accurate estimation of the read range between the reader and the tags. This paper proposes an auto-localization system for indoor mobile robot using passive RFID. The proposed system reads any three different RFID tags which have a known location. The current location can be estimated using the Time Difference of Arrival (TDOA) scheme. In order to improve the system accuracy, the proposed system fuses the TDOA scheme for the three tags. A Kalman filter is used to minimize the estimated error and predict the next location. The simulation results validate the proposed framework.
GENETICS OF MODERN HUMAN ORIGINS AND DIVERSITY

▪ Abstract A major and continuing debate in anthropology concerns the question of whether modern Homo sapiens emerged as a separate species roughly 200,000 years ago in Africa (recent African origin model) or as the consequence of evolution within a polytypic species spread across several regions of the Old World (multiregional model). Genetic data have been used to address this debate, focusing on the analysis of gene trees, genetic diversity within populations, and genetic differences between populations. Although the genetic data do provide support for the recent African origin model, they also are compatible with the multiregional model. The genetic evidence provides little direct inference regarding phylogeny, but it can tell us a great deal about ancient demography. Currently, neither model of modern human origins is unequivocally supported to the exclusion of the other.
THE STAR FORMATION RATE-DENSE GAS RELATION IN GALAXIES AS MEASURED BY HCN(3-2) EMISSION

We present observations made with the 10 m Heinrich Hertz Submillimeter Telescope of HCN(3-2) emission from a sample of 30 nearby galaxies ranging in infrared luminosity from 1010 to 1012.5 L☉ and HCN(3-2) luminosity from 106 to 109 K km s−1 pc2. We examine the correlation between the infrared luminosity and HCN(3-2) luminosity and find that the best-fit linear regression has a slope (in log-log space) of 0.74 ± 0.12. Including recently published data from Gracia-Carpio et al. tightens the constraints on the best-fit slope to 0.79 ± 0.09. This slope below unity suggests that the HCN(3-2) molecular line luminosity is not linearly tracing the amount of dense gas. Our results are consistent with predictions from recent theoretical models that find slopes below unity when the line luminosity depends on the average gas density with a power-law index greater than a Kennicutt-Schmidt index of 1.5.
Total synthesis of the hydroxyketone kurasoin A using asymmetric phase-transfer alkylation

The total synthesis of the farnesyltransferase inhibitor kurasoin A has been achieved using a novel asymmetric phase-transfer-catalyzed glycolate alkylation reaction. 2,5-Dimethoxyacetophenone 7 with cinchonidinium catalyst 9(10 mol %) and hydroxide base with pivaloyl benzyl bromide 8 provided S-alkylation product 10 in high yield (80-99%) and excellent enantioselectivity. Baeyer-Villiger oxidation, Weinreb amide formation, and benzyl Grignard addition to the TES-ether 17 gave the protected target. Lithium hydroxide and peroxide generated kurasoin A ([alpha](D) +8.4 degrees ) without isomerization.
Ocean Acidification: The Other CO 2 Problem

Rising atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2), primarily from human fossil fuel combustion, reduces ocean pH and causes wholesale shifts in seawater carbonate chemistry. The process of ocean acidification is well documented in field data, and the rate will accelerate over this century unless future CO2 emissions are curbed dramatically. Acidification alters seawater chemical speciation and biogeochemical cycles of many elements and compounds. One well-known effect is the lowering of calcium carbonate saturation states, which impacts shell-forming marine organisms from plankton to benthic molluscs, echinoderms, and corals. Many calcifying species exhibit reduced calcification and growth rates in laboratory experiments under high-CO2 conditions. Ocean acidification also causes an increase in carbon fixation rates in some photosynthetic organisms (both calcifying and noncalcifying). The potential for marine organisms to adapt to increasing CO2 and broader implications for ocean ecosystems are not well known; both are high priorities for future research. Although ocean pH has varied in the geological past, paleo-events may be only imperfect analogs to current conditions.
State Firearm Sales and Criminal Activity: Evidence from Firearm Background Checks

The FBI has reported the number of monthly firearm background checks in every state since November 1998. This article uses data on background checks at the state level to explore the relationship between guns and crime. The background checks capture an individual's intention to purchase a firearm and explain 96% of the variation in gun manufacturing at a national level. Fixed effect negative binomial regressions show a positive, but insignificant, relationship between background checks and violent crimes. Property crimes are negatively related to background checks and statistically significant at the 10% level. The results suggest that gun control policies should be coupled with other initiatives if policy makers intend to reduce gun-related crime.
Educating Main Street Lawyers

Discussion about the value of a law degree has focused on the financial success of lawyers. Both defenders and critics of the existing legal education model1 largely ignore the implications that the cost of legal education and high lawyer fees have on access to justice.2 While a lawyer’s ability to make a decent living must be addressed when determining the value of a legal education, we fail to take into account the fact that there are millions of individuals in the U.S. who cannot find a lawyer to represent them when they need one. For advocates who believe that our legal system must provide alternatives other than pro bono and market-rate fee models, the current conversation about the future of legal education offers an opportunity to advance the case for an agenda that promotes affordable legal services to keep Main Street lawyers solvent and to expand access to justice for the masses. This article argues that the value of a legal education for most law school graduates can be enhanced by their ability to earn a decent living and also help to address the unmet legal needs of individuals who cannot afford the prevailing cost of legal representation. To determine whether a legal education is worth it, prospective lawyers must be better informed about where the majority of lawyers work, whom they represent and how they make a living. This picture may be a different reality than contemporary media portrayals of “successful lawyers” which primarily portray courtroom snapshots or law as practiced in the downtown offices of corporate America. For many lawyers, this reality will mean planning for the economic challenges posed by high
Unusual condensation of 1,1,1,5,5,5-hexafluoropentane-2,4-dione with (R)-phenylglycinol

The reaction of 1,1,1,5,5,5-hexafluoropentane-2,4-dione with ( R )-phenylglycinol proceeds via the intermediate formation of ( R ,4 E ,6 Z )-5,7-bis(trifluoromethyl)-2,3-dihydro-3-phenyl-1,4-oxazepine, which further undergoes a base-catalysed 1,3-proton shift followed by [1,2] Wittig rearrangement giving rise to 2,4-bis(trifluoromethyl)-6-phenylpyridine.
España en "Cecilia Valdés"

Como Cuba todavia no se habia independizado en el siglo diecinueve, el surgimiento de una literatura nacional siguio una ruta diferente, tal y como lo ejemplifica la novela Cecilia Valdes (1882). Su autor, Cirilo Villaverde, participo en la lucha contra el dominio espanol y sufrio prision y exilio por ello; su novela presenta al gobierno metropolitano y a los espanoles bajo una luz negativa pero estaba en contacto con la literatura espanola del momento. La obra de Villaverde muestra que la naciente literatura nacional cubana estaba contra Espana en terminos politicos, pero que no aspiraba a romper con la literatura peninsular para establecer su independencia.
Computational Analysis of Scroll Tongue Shapes to Compressor Performance by Using Different Turbulence Models

A scroll is used to collect and transport swirling fluid produced by impeller and diffuser. Scroll or volute is one of the key components of centrifugal compressors. Design of the scroll not only impacts compressor efficiency but also influences operating range of the compressor. In this study, Navier-Stokes equations with both the zero-equation turbulence model and the k-e turbulence model were used to simulate flows inside a single stage compressor. Detailed flow simulations for a large cut back tongue scroll are presented and discussed. Studies showed that a large cut back rounded tongue scroll provided good operating range without dropping compressor peak efficiency dramatically. The turbulence model influences to the calculation were discussed and some suggestions for scroll flow modeling are made. The numerical results obtained using two turbulence models were compared and showed agreement reasonably well with experiments in overall compressor performance. Although the k-e model behaves well inside ...
Low-noise kinetic inductance traveling-wave amplifier using three-wave mixing

We have fabricated a wide-bandwidth, high dynamic range, low-noise cryogenic amplifier based on a superconducting kinetic inductance traveling-wave device. The device was made from NbTiN and consisted of a long, coplanar waveguide on a silicon chip. By adding a DC current and an RF pump tone, we are able to generate parametric amplification using three-wave mixing (3WM). The devices exhibit gain of more than 15 dB across an instantaneous bandwidth from 4 to 8 GHz. The total usable gain bandwidth, including both sides of the signal-idler gain region, is more than 6 GHz. The noise referred to the input of the devices approaches the quantum limit, with less than 1 photon excess noise. We compare these results directly to the four-wave mixing amplification mode, i.e., without DC-biasing. We find that the 3WM mode allows operation with the pump at lower RF power and at frequencies far from the signal. We have used this knowledge to redesign the amplifiers to utilize primarily 3WM amplification, thereby allowing for direct integration into large scale qubit and detector applications.
Cross-Buying After Product Failure Recovery? Depends on How You Feel About It

Cross-selling to customers during product failure recovery (PFR) encounters can be challenging as customers are reluctant to cross-buy after having recently experienced a failure, despite it being recovered. We examine several models of cross-buying and failure/recovery characteristics using a large-scale experiment and secondary transaction data from a Fortune 100 computer systems firm. We find that customers’ integral-affective responses dominate their cognitive responses. Further, customers are more willing to cross-buy when the firm’s recovery effort increases for more severe product failures or those with unstable attributions. Yet, greater recovery effort does little to diminish the negative effect of attributing the failure to the firm. Overall, understanding the relative dominance of a sequence of affective versus cognitive factors and the critical role that contextual factors play in customer cross-buying decisions will help managers design PFR encounters to increase the odds of cross-selling.
Nd8Co4−xAlxGe2C3: A case study in flux growth of lanthanide-rich intermetallics

Abstract The intermetallic Nd 8 Co 4− x Al x Ge 2 C 3 ( x ≈0.65) was prepared from reaction of germanium and carbon in Nd/Co eutectic flux in an alumina crucible. This phase exhibits a new structure type in orthorhombic space group Pbcm , with unit cell parameters a =8.001(1) A, b =11.696(2) A, c =15.020(3) A ( Z =4; R 1 =0.0234). The structure features germanium-centered neodymium clusters Ge@Nd 9 which share faces to form layers separated by zigzag chains of cobalt atoms capped by carbon. Density of states calculations confirm that this compound is metallic, and indicate that the cobalt should not have a magnetic moment. This is supported by magnetic susceptibility measurements which show a low temperature ferromagnetic ordering at T C =50 K due to the Nd 3+ ions. Magnetization field dependence studies on single crystals indicate this compound is a strong ferromagnet with large anisotropy; the Nd 3+ magnetic moments align along the a -axis.
Matter in transition

We explore a novel type of transition in certain 6D and 4D quantum field theories, in which the matter content of the theory changes while the gauge group and other parts of the spectrum remain invariant. Such transitions can occur, for example, for SU(6) and SU(7) gauge groups, where matter fields in a three-index antisymmetric representation and the fundamental representation are exchanged in the transition for matter in the two-index antisymmetric representation. These matter transitions are realized by passing through superconformal theories at the transition point. We explore these transitions in dual F-theory and heterotic descriptions, where a number of novel features arise. For example, in the heterotic description the relevant 6D SU(7) theories are described by bundles on K3 surfaces where the geometry of the K3 is constrained in addition to the bundle structure. On the F-theory side, non-standard representations such as the three-index antisymmetric representation of SU(N) require Weierstrass models that cannot be realized from the standard SU(N) Tate form. We also briefly describe some other situations, with groups such as Sp(3), SO(12), and SU(3), where analogous matter transitions can occur between different representations. For SU(3), in particular, we find a matter transition between adjoint matter and matter in the symmetric representation, giving an explicit Weierstrass model for the F-theory description of the symmetric representation that complements another recent analogous construction.
Advances in organometallic synthesis with mechanochemical methods

Solvent-based syntheses have long been normative in all areas of chemistry, although mechanochemical methods (specifically grinding and milling) have been used to good effect for decades in organic, and to a lesser but growing extent, inorganic coordination chemistry. Organometallic synthesis, in contrast, represents a relatively underdeveloped area for mechanochemical research, and the potential benefits are considerable. From access to new classes of unsolvated complexes, to control over stoichiometries that have not been observed in solution routes, mechanochemical (or ‘M-chem’) approaches have much to offer the synthetic chemist. It has already become clear that removing the solvent from an organometallic reaction can change reaction pathways considerably, so that prediction of the outcome is not always straightforward. This Perspective reviews recent developments in the field, and describes equipment that can be used in organometallic synthesis. Synthetic chemists are encouraged to add mechanochemical methods to their repertoire in the search for new and highly reactive metal complexes and novel types of organometallic transformations.
ProtoMD: A prototyping toolkit for multiscale molecular dynamics

Abstract ProtoMD is a toolkit that facilitates the development of algorithms for multiscale molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. It is designed for multiscale methods which capture the dynamic transfer of information across multiple spatial scales, such as the atomic to the mesoscopic scale, via coevolving microscopic and coarse-grained (CG) variables. ProtoMD can be also be used to calibrate parameters needed in traditional CG-MD methods. The toolkit integrates ‘GROMACS wrapper’ to initiate MD simulations, and ‘MDAnalysis’ to analyze and manipulate trajectory files. It facilitates experimentation with a spectrum of coarse-grained variables, prototyping rare events (such as chemical reactions), or simulating nanocharacterization experiments such as terahertz spectroscopy, AFM, nanopore, and time-of-flight mass spectroscopy. ProtoMD is written in python and is freely available under the GNU General Public License from github.com/CTCNano/proto_md . Program summary Program title: ProtoMD Catalogue identifier: AEZN_v1_0 Program summary URL: http://cpc.cs.qub.ac.uk/summaries/AEZN_v1_0.html Program obtainable from: CPC Program Library, Queen’s University, Belfast, N. Ireland Licensing provisions: GNU General Public License, version 3 No. of lines in distributed program, including test data, etc.: 281345 No. of bytes in distributed program, including test data, etc.: 3706191 Distribution format: tar.gz Programming language: Python 2.7.3. Computer: x86/x86 64. Operating system: Linux. RAM: Depends on the size of the system being simulated and duration of the simulation (few MBs to TBs) Classification: 3, 4.12, 16.9, 23. External routines: GROMACS (tested with versions 4.6x and 5.0x), MDAnalysis, GromacsWrapper, numpy, scipy, MPI Nature of problem: Prototyping multiscale coarse-grained algorithms for molecular dynamics. Solution method: Combining the open-source GROMACS molecular dynamics package and the python-based MDAnalysis library for running, debugging, and analyzing multiscale simulations Restrictions: The system under study must be characterized by a clear separation of timescales; otherwise, the multiscale algorithm fails to capture the slowly-varying modes. Running time: Depending on the problem size, simulations can take few hours to months.
Asymptotic analysis of a three state quantum cryptographic protocol

In this paper we consider a three-state variant of the BB84 quantum key distribution (QKD) protocol. We derive a new lower-bound on the key rate of this protocol in the asymptotic scenario and use mismatched measurement outcomes to improve the channel estimation. Our new key rate bound remains positive up to an error rate of 11%, exactly that achieved by the four-state BB84 protocol.
Substring-Searchable Symmetric Encryption

In this paper, we consider a setting where a client wants to outsource storage of a large amount of private data and then perform substring search queries on the data – given a data string s and a search string p, find all occurrences of p as a substring of s. First, we formalize an encryption paradigm that we call queryable encryption, which generalizes searchable symmetric encryption (SSE) and structured encryption. Then, we construct a queryable encryption scheme for substring queries. Our construction uses suffix trees and achieves asymptotic efficiency comparable to that of unencrypted suffix trees. Encryption of a string of length n takes O(λn) time and produces a ciphertext of size O(λn), and querying for a substring of length m that occurs k times takes O(λm + k) time and three rounds of communication. Our security definition guarantees correctness of query results and privacy of data and queries against a malicious adversary. Following the line of work started by Curtmola et al. (ACM CCS 2006), in order to construct more efficient schemes we allow the query protocol to leak some limited information that is captured precisely in the definition. We prove security of our substring-searchable encryption scheme against malicious adversaries, where the query protocol leaks limited information about memory access patterns through the suffix tree of the encrypted string.
Versatile Donor-Acceptor Cyclopropenes in Metal Carbene Transformations

Select transition metal compounds catalyze metal vinylcarbene formation from cyclopropenes, and their documented reactions include both intermolecular and intramolecular CH insertion and cyclopropanation, as well as [3+3]-cycloaddition. Although known to undergo carbene-like transformations for decades, the uses of cyclopropenes as reactive alternatives to diazo compounds under mild conditions has been limited. However, recently developed donor-acceptor cyclopropenes that are conveniently accessed from enoldiazoacetates and enoldiazoacetamides are effective metallo-vinylcarbene precursors. They provide entry to highly stereoselective metal carbene transformations under reaction conditions that are milder than those required for dinitrogen extrusion from diazo compounds.
Holding Internet Service Providers Accountable.

Internet service providers are today largely immune from liability for their role in the creation and propagation of worms, viruses, and other forms of malicious computer code. In this essay, we question that state of affairs. Our purpose is not to weigh in on the details-for example, whether liability should sound in negligence or strict liability, or whether liability is in this instance best implemented by statute or via gradual common law development. Rather, our aim is to challenge the recent trend in the courts and Congress away from liability and toward complete immunity for Internet service providers. In our view, such immunity is difficult to defend on policy grounds and sharply inconsistent with conventional tort law principles. Internet service providers control the gateway through which Internet pests enter and reenter the public network. Service providers should therefore bear some responsibility not only for stopping malicious code, but also for helping to identify individuals who originate it.
Globalization and Technological Capabilities: Evidence from Mexico’s Patent Records ca. 1870-1911

Using a new database of all patents issues in Mexico between 1870 and 1911, this paper explores the impact of the vast wave of technology imports into Mexico during the nineteenth century period of globalization. Historians have established that massive technology imports made possible sustained economic growth and early industrialization during this period, but have not systematically explored the degree to which the skills and know-how embodied in new imported technologies stimulated adaptive and inventive activity in Mexico. Did imported technologies stimulate local technological creativity, or were Mexican technicians largely isolated from the adoption and use of imported techniques? The evidence shows that imports did stimulate patenting activity by Mexicans, although this response was modest in relation to increased patenting by inventors from North Atlantic countries. In general, Mexican inventors focused on activities outside the core technical advances on the global frontier, and often on activities that were more entrepreneurial than technical, although we can observe several important exceptions. These findings support the argument that technological capabilities were scarce in Mexico and local technicians had few opportunities to engage with and learn from imported know-how.
PATELLA RESURFACING: RARELY, IF EVER NECESSARY – OPPOSES

To resurface or not to resurface the patella… that is the question. It all comes down to where you practice. It is controversial in that there is a risk of possible complications from resurfacing versus the potential for simply having complaints of pain which may supposedly arise from the anterior knee stemming from the unresurfaced patella. The evolution of more favorable anatomic femoral component designs which are very friendly to the patellofemoral articulation have resulted in lower patella resurfacing complications. The insertion of appropriately externally rotated tibial and femoral components, if not reducing anterior knee pain, have certainly minimised the risk of resurfaced patella complications. Also, with current surgical techniques of component insertion, the lateral release rate is extremely low, thus avoiding the possibility of avascularity developing in the resurfaced patella. This complication will almost completely be eliminated if the patella thickness is kept greater than 13 mm after patella resection. In my experience, patella complications from the resurfaced patella are extremely rare. Many unicompartmental knees require re-operation because of the development of progressive patellofemoral arthritis. Re-operation from anterior knee pain from progressive arthritis from the unresurfaced patella has given inferior results. Overall, meta-analysis data demonstrates decreased satisfaction, increased anterior knee pain and higher early revision rates in the unresurfaced group. National joint registries, especially the Australian registry support routine resurfacing; complications are low and outcomes are improved. Even though there exists controversy as to whether the patella should be resurfaced or not, there is an overwhelming consensus in the U.S. that there is little downfall nowadays with respect to resurfacing the patella.
Responsiveness of Crop Yield and Acreage to Prices and Climate

We investigate the effect of crop price and climate variables on rainfed corn and soybean yields and acreage in the United States using a large panel dataset for the 1977–2007 period. Instrumental variables are used to control for endogeneity of prices in yield and acreage regressions, while allowing for spatially auto-correlated errors. We find that an increase in corn price has a statistically significant positive impact on corn yield, but the effect of soybean price on soybean yields is not statistically significant. The estimated price elasticities of corn yield and acreage are 0.23 and 0.45, respectively. Of the increase in corn supply caused by an increase in corn price, we find that 33.8% is due to price-induced yield enhancement and 66.2% is due to price-induced acreage expansion. We also find that the impact of climate change on corn production ranges from $-$7% to $-$41% and on soybean ranges from $-$8% to $-$45%, depending on the climate change scenarios, time horizon, and global climate models used to predict climate change. We show that the aggregate net impact of omitting price variables is an overestimation of the effect of climate change on corn yield by up to 9% and on soybean yield by up to 15%.
Estimating Danish Consumers' Preference for Organic Foods: Application of a Generalized Differential Demand System.

A generalized differential demand system is used to provide a detailed demand system analysis of the organic food industry in Denmark to estimate conditional expenditure and price elasticities. The results suggest that cereals, dairy and other organic food aggregates are highly price-inelastic with the exception of the group, fruits and vegetables (FV), which is almost price unitary-elastic holding real income constant or price elastic holding nominal income constant. Also, cereals, FV, and other organic food aggregates are expenditure elastic. Dairy on the other hand is expenditure inelastic. Further, our calculated Morishima elasticity of substitution from the conditional compensated price elasticity estimates suggest that Danish organic consumers are more willing to substitute away from FV given a change in its relative price. The policy implications of the results are then addressed in the face of Danish organic conversion subsidy program.
ABANDONMENT OF MODULAR NECKS: THE BABY AND THE BATH WATER – OPPOSES

Modular necks arrived in North America in the late 1970s. The purpose was to allow ceramic balls to be attached to metal stems. The advantages of modularity were so obvious that it was universally adopted with almost no untoward consequences. A double-taper neck was developed in Italy by the Cremascoli Company and was used extensively with few reports of problems. Recently, problems have been reported not only with double-taper necks, but also with head-neck junction tapers. Something would appear to have changed recently. Some of these changes were shortening of the taper, lengthening of the neck, version angles were increased, and head sizes bigger than 32mm were introduced. Surface finish on some of the tapers was changed and they were ridged. This produces a better fit for a ceramic ball, but facilitates crevice corrosion with a metal ball. The author used the original OTI cemented stem with a double-taper neck between 2002 and 2005. It was a cobalt chrome construct. The Cremascoli was a titanium hip. The OTI used the classic Morse taper with cogs for increased rotational resistance. One hundred forty five stems were inserted. The neck stem taper broke in two cases and dislocated in one. All of these cases had a long neck and long heads and thus produced maximum moment arm. The stem was withdrawn from the market, the taper lengthened and the strength doubled. It was reintroduced in 2007. From 2007 to 2011, the author has done 188 cases, all cemented stems. No taper problems have occurred. The conclusion is that a properly designed double taper neck does not appear to have a downside. The upside is the ability to change neck length and especially version after head insertion. Leg length and hip centering can, therefore, be fine-tuned as never before. The author continues to use this stem enthusiastically for all cemented cases.
Game chromatic index of graphs with given restrictions on degrees

Given a graph G and an integer k, two players alternatively color the edges of G using k colors so that adjacent edges get different colors. The game chromatic [email protected]"g^'(G) is the minimum k for which the first player has a strategy that ensures that all edges of G get colored. The trivial bounds are @D(G)@[email protected]"g^'(G)@[email protected](G)-1, where @D(G) denotes the maximal degree of G. Lam, Shiu, and Xu and, independently, Bartnicki and Grytczuk asked whether there is a constant C such that @g"g^'(G)@[email protected](G)+C for every graph G. We show that the answer is in the negative by constructing graphs G such that @g"g^'(G)>[email protected](G) and @D(G)->~. On the other hand, we show that for every @m>0 there is @e>0 such that for any graph G with @D(G)>=(1/[email protected])v(G), we have @g"g^'(G)@?([email protected])@D(G), where v(G) denotes the number of vertices of G.
Origins of Large Voltage Hysteresis in High-Energy-Density Metal Fluoride Lithium-Ion Battery Conversion Electrodes.

Metal fluorides and oxides can store multiple lithium ions through conversion chemistry to enable high-energy-density lithium-ion batteries. However, their practical applications have been hindered by an unusually large voltage hysteresis between charge and discharge voltage profiles and the consequent low-energy efficiency (<80%). The physical origins of such hysteresis are rarely studied and poorly understood. Here we employ in situ X-ray absorption spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, density functional theory calculations, and galvanostatic intermittent titration technique to first correlate the voltage profile of iron fluoride (FeF3), a representative conversion electrode material, with evolution and spatial distribution of intermediate phases in the electrode. The results reveal that, contrary to conventional belief, the phase evolution in the electrode is symmetrical during discharge and charge. However, the spatial evolution of the electrochemically active phases, which is controlled by...
Preserving Genome Privacy in Research Studies

As the cost of genome sequencing continues to fall, whole genome sequencing data have become a viable alternative for improving diagnostic accuracy and supporting personalized medicine. Although they have the potential to advance public health and accelerate scientific discoveries, massive collections of genomic data also raise significant concerns about individual privacy. Like traditional clinical information, human genomes may reveal information about individuals (e.g., identity, ethnic group, disease association, predisposition to diseases such as diabetes or cancer, etc.) Even more concerning is the fact that the information is shared with ancestors and descendants, and thus loss of privacy may put the privacy of the entire family at risk. Genome privacy is a big challenge for the entire biomedical community, particularly since scientific discoveries depend on data sharing and obfuscation of data is not a good option to protect privacy. Multiple factors are involved in genomic privacy research. The components that can be used to better protect genome privacy include, but are not limited to, legal, ethical and technical aspects, e.g., federal laws, policies and regulations, informed consent policies, data use agreements, secure data repositories, as well as privacy-preserving data analysis methods. However, genome privacy challenges cannot be addressed by any single component alone. We envision that better privacy protection can be achieved through the incorporation of multiple components. The goal of this chapter to introduce the state-of-the-art in genome privacy research. This chapter begins with an introduction of genome privacy followed by an overview of the legal, ethical and technical aspects of genome privacy. After formalizing the genome privacy problem, we will review existing attack models on genomic data. The techniques for mitigating these attacks are discussed. This chapter concludes with the discussion of the challenges and the future directions in genome privacy research.
Pricing strategies in advance selling: Should a retailer offer a pre-order price guarantee?

I consider a retailer who sells a new product over two periods: advance and regular selling seasons. Experienced consumers learn their valuations for the product in the advancesellingseason,whileinexperiencedconsumerslearnonlywhentheproductbecomes availableintheregularsellingseason. Theretailerisuncertainaboutthenumberofinexperienced consumers. Production takes place between the periods. Unsold units are scrapped at a price that is below the retailers marginal cost, which makes it costly to produce and notsell. Ishowthat whenconsumersare lessheterogeneousin theirvaluations, theretailer shouldimplementadvancesellingandofferapre-orderpriceguarantee. Forsomeparameter con?gurations a pre-order price guarantee acts as a commitment device not to decrease thepriceintheregularsellingseason. Inothersituations,itenablesthesellertoreacttothe information that is obtained from pre-orders by increasing or decreasing the price. When consumersaremoreheterogeneousintheirvaluations,themarketsizeuncertaintyissmall, or the scrap value is high, the retailer should not implement advance selling.
Optimizing memory-bounded controllers for decentralized POMDPs

We present a memory-bounded optimization approach for solving infinite-horizon decentralized POMDPs. Policies for each agent are represented by stochastic finite state controllers. We formulate the problem of optimizing these policies as a nonlinear program, leveraging powerful existing nonlinear optimization techniques for solving the problem. While existing solvers only guarantee locally optimal solutions, we show that our formulation produces higher quality controllers than the state-of-the-art approach. We also incorporate a shared source of randomness in the form of a correlation device to further increase solution quality with only a limited increase in space and time. Our experimental results show that nonlinear optimization can be used to provide high quality, concise solutions to decentralized decision problems under uncertainty.
Synthesis of trisubstituted isoxazoles by palladium(II)-catalyzed cascade cyclization-alkenylation of 2-alkyn-1-one O-methyl oximes.

A palladium-catalyzed, cascade 5-endo-dig cyclization–alkenylation synthesis of isoxazoles has been developed. The addition of 1 equiv of n-Bu4NBr significantly increases the yield of the desired 4-alkenyl-3,4,5-trisubstituted isoxazoles. A variety of trisubstituted isoxazoles are prepared in moderate to excellent yields. One example of the synthesis of a naphthoisoxazole is reported by a cascade cyclization–alkenylation-Heck reaction.
Inorganic Particles Produced by Microorganisms

The processes by which microorganisms, particularly bacteria, produce inorganic mineral particles are reviewed.
First-principles prediction of new complex transition metal hydrides for high temperature applications.

Metal hydrides with high thermodynamic stability are desirable for high-temperature applications, such as those that require high hydrogen release temperatures or low hydrogen overpressures. First-principles calculations have been used previously to identify complex transition metal hydrides (CTMHs) for high temperature use by screening materials with experimentally known structures. Here, we extend our previous screening of CTMHs with a library of 149 proposed materials based on known prototype structures and charge balancing rules. These proposed materials are typically related to known materials by cation substitution. Our semiautomated, high-throughput screening uses density functional theory (DFT) and grand canonical linear programming (GCLP) methods to compute thermodynamic properties and phase diagrams: 81 of the 149 materials are found to be thermodynamically stable. We identified seven proposed materials that release hydrogen at higher temperatures than the associated binary hydrides and at high ...
Dynamics of Polystyrene in Confining Geometry: Transition from Dilute to Semidilute

Dynamics of polystyrene molecules inside controlled pore glasses, a typical confining geometry, was studied by dynamic light scattering over a wide range of concentrations of polystyrene in solutions in equilibrium with the porous glasses. Index-matching of the solvent to the silica glasses effectively facilitates the acquisition of information on the dynamics of polymer chains inside the pore without compromising that information by multiple light scattering. When the concentration outside the pore is much smaller than the overlap concentration v*, the apparent diffusion coefficient Dpore of polymers within the pore shows little dependence on concentration. As the outside concentration increases and approaches v*, Dpore rapidly increases. This tendency is more pronounced for polystyrene samples that have higher molecular weights and are predicted to have a lower concentration inside the pore. With further increases of concentration beyond v*, Dpore approaches the apparent diffusion coefficient outside the pore. Moreover, Dpore becomes almost the same for the three different molecular weights of polystyrene fractions studied and depends primarily on the weight concentration of the solute outside the pore. These features are typical of a semidilute solution regime for flexible polymers. The rapid increase in Dpore is ascribed to a drastic increase of the polymer concentration inside the pore, which results from an equilibration of the chemical potential of the polymer molecule between the interior of the pore and the exterior. Thus, a rapid increase in the osmotic pressure outside the pore drives the polymers into pore channels even at the expense of reduced entropy. We present a quantitative analysis of this highly nonlinear partitioning of polymer molecules.
Manganese-Catalyzed Late-Stage Aliphatic C–H Azidation

We report a manganese-catalyzed aliphatic C–H azidation reaction that can efficiently convert secondary, tertiary, and benzylic C–H bonds to the corresponding azides. The method utilizes aqueous sodium azide solution as the azide source and can be performed under air. Besides its operational simplicity, the potential of this method for late-stage functionalization has been demonstrated by successful azidation of various bioactive molecules with yields up to 74%, including the important drugs pregabalin, memantine, and the antimalarial artemisinin. Azidation of celestolide with a chiral manganese salen catalyst afforded the azide product in 70% ee, representing a Mn-catalyzed enantioselective aliphatic C–H azidation reaction. Considering the versatile roles of organic azides in modern chemistry and the ubiquity of aliphatic C–H bonds in organic molecules, we envision that this Mn-azidation method will find wide application in organic synthesis, drug discovery, and chemical biology.
Resilience Analytics of a Future Supply Chain for Aviation Biofuels

Capacity-building plans for transportation systems must be resilient to disruptions and erroneous assumptions to protect performance outcomes as well as schedule and cost. An example is the future supply chain of aviation biofuels for industry, government, and military applications. The challenges include balancing the aims and assumptions of diverse stakeholders, including regulators, agencies, manufacturers, airlines, fuel companies, and agricultural and husbandry producers. Resilience analytics of the strategic plans should characterize both the influential trends and stressors and the robust initiatives. This paper demonstrates resilience analytics to address varied, evolving, and potentially conflicting stakeholder preferences in the life cycle of supply chains for aviation biofuels. Heterogeneous feedstocks can be converted to aviation biofuel, although several are more attractive across technological, environmental, and economic criteria. The choice of feedstocks for conversion to biofuel depends o...
Cross-Electrophile Coupling: Principles of Reactivity and Selectivity

A critical overview of the catalytic joining of two different electrophiles, cross-electrophile coupling (XEC), is presented with an emphasis on the central challenge of cross-selectivity. Recent synthetic advances and mechanistic studies have shed light on four possible methods for overcoming this challenge: (1) employing an excess of one reagent; (2) electronic differentiation of starting materials; (3) catalyst–substrate steric matching; and (4) radical chain processes. Each method is described using examples from the recent literature.
α7-Containing nicotinic acetylcholine receptors on interneurons of the basolateral amygdala and their role in the regulation of the network excitability

The basolateral amygdala (BLA) plays a key role in fear-related learning and memory, in the modulation of cognitive functions, and in the overall regulation of emotional behavior. Pathophysiologica...