cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Type-specific reproducibility of the Roche linear array HPV genotyping test.

Abstract Background Type-specific detection of human papillomavirus (HPV) is increasingly important for monitoring temporal and age-specific changes in type-specific prevalence in support of HPV vaccination efforts. The impact of sampling, extraction and assay characteristics on HPV results is increasingly recognized. Inter-assay comparability studies have been performed, but the robustness of type-specific results has neither been emphasized nor has the degree of intra-assay reproducibility been addressed. Objectives Here we describe the general and type-specific reproducibility of the linear array HPV genotyping test (Roche Molecular Diagnostics, Indianapolis, IN). Study design Extracts of 276 cervical samples from two ongoing epidemiologic HPV studies were retested while blinded to prior results. The testing involved five different reagent lots and three technologists. Results Concordance for HPV detection (sample positive versus negative for any of the 37 types) was high (98.2%, kappa = 0.959). Type-specific concordance for individual HPV types was also high (99.4%, kappa = 0.915), and most samples (83.0%) showed complete concordance for all types. Conclusions Type-specific reproducibility of the linear array HPV genotyping test is good but not perfect. The results suggest that type-specific performance should be included in the evaluation of HPV typing formats.
Patterned Nanoparticle Assembly as Novel Chemical and Biological Platforms

The ability to self-assemble nanoparticles into thin films and subsequently characterize the structural or morphological responses to interfacial chemical/biological reactivity is increasingly important. Surface patterning and tailoring us ing nanoparticle assemblies are expected to provide such abilities for selective immobilization and chemical and biological recognition. We describe herein recent results of an investigation of hydrogen-bonding based self-assembly of core-shell nanoparticles onto monolayer-patterned surfaces, and its potential utility for in-situ atomic force microscopic characterizations of interfacial chemical and biological reactivities. This system is potentially useful for immunoassays based on topographical height changes with well-defined internal morphological standard.
Legal Status and Earnings of Agricultural Workers

Agricultural workers who work in the United States earn 15% more on average than do undocumented workers. These earnings differentials vary substantially with demographic characteristics. For example, much of the weekly earnings loss from not having legal status can be offset by language ability. Most of the earnings differential is due to wage differentials rather than hours differentials.
Language, Literacy, and Learning in Primary Schools: Implications for Teacher Development Programs in Nigeria

Language, Literacy, and Learning in Primary Schools is a synthesis of the findings arising from four years of policy research and development in Nigeria's primary schools that focused on the gap between what teachers should know and be able to do, and the realities of teaching and learning in classrooms. It begins by critically examining the outcomes of primary schooling as measured by learning achievement results from national assessments, and by identifying some core learning problems for Nigerian primary school children. It reviews the findings from recent research reports that studied teaching and learning processes in primary school classrooms, and it identifies the pedagogical issues in primary classrooms that contribute to poor learning achievements. This report describes a research and development program that set out to improve teaching and learning in core learning skill areas of the curriculum.
The benefit and sacrifice principles of taxation: A synthesis

The implications of equal sacrifice taxation have only been pursued in a very narrow context. This note applies this principle to the problem of levying taxes to provide public goods. Its purpose is to determine how taxes used to finance public goods must be structured in order to benefit each agent equally. This tax structure may be viewed as a benchmark against which to compare tax regimes with redistributive intent. Equality of taxation, therefore, as a maxim of politics, means equality of sacrifice. . . This standard, like other standards of perfection, cannot be completely realized; but the first object in every practical discussion should be to know what perfection is. J. S. Mill
NMR studies of the structural development of high-speed melt-spun poly (ethylene terephthalate) fibers

Lineshape simulation of 13C nuclear magnetic resonances was employed to characterize the structural development of poly (ethylene terephthalate) (PET) during fiber formation and subsequent processing. In all spectra the carbonyl (CA) and glycoethylene (GE) resonances can be simulated with two components. The intensity variation of these components has been interpreted quantitatively on the basis of four morphological components in the solid-state structure, with clearly defined differences in order between them. The four components are, in decreasing structural order, (i) crystalline (C), (ii) noncrystalline with order in both CA and GE environments (NC1), (iii) noncrystalline with order only in the GE environment (NC2), and (iv) amorphous (NCA). The crystalline component has been taken here to correspond to the high-density component which has been estimated from flotation and optical density measurements. Such an analysis reveals a smooth pattern of evolution of order within a range of conditions in melt spinning and subsequent thermomechanical processing of PET fibers. Cold drawing at room temperature was seen to induce substantial ordering only in the GE environment. In contrast, annealing at a temperature significantly above glass transition temperature (Tg) for 2 h appears to cause the conversion of amorphous component to crystalline from with little accumulation of the intermediate components.
Identification of cascaded systems with linear and quantized observations

This paper studies identification of systems that can be decomposed into cascaded subsystems. The benefits of using additional sensors for identifying subsystems are investigated in terms of identification accuracy and time complexity. Identification algorithms, input design, and time complexity are first developed for subsystems, under various sensor types and locations. Overall reduction in estimation errors and time complexity is then analyzed to understand optimal selection of sensor locations and impact of sensor types on identification accuracy and time complexity. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley and Sons Asia Pte Ltd and Chinese Automatic Control Society
An instrument for differentiating programs in prevention: Primary, secondary, and tertiary

An instrument developed to identify critical dimensions in prevention programs and to clarify complex issues underlying design of such programs is described.
Are Overall Journal Rankings a Good Mapping for Article Quality in Specialty Fields

Overall journal rankings, which are generated with sample articles in different research fields, are commonly used to measure the research productivity of academic economists. In this article, we investigate a growing concern in the profession that the use of the overall journal rankings to evaluate scholars’ relative research productivity may exhibit a downward bias toward researchers in some specialty fields if their respective field journals are under-ranked in the overall journals rankings. To address this concern, we constructed new journal rankings based on the intellectual influence of research in 8 specialty fields using a sample consisting of 26,401 articles published across 60 economics journals from 1998 to 2007. We made various comparisons between the newly constructed journal rankings in specialty fields and the traditional overall journal ranking. Our results show that the overall journal ranking provides a considerably good mapping for the article quality in specialty fields. Supplementary ...
Using Scenarios for Contextual Design in Agent-Oriented Information Systems

In this position paper, we argue that current agent-oriented development methodologies are limited in their ability to model social aspects of the agents and human-software agent interactions. We identify how these limitations can be rectified using scenarios for contextual design in agent-oriented information systems (AOIS).
Optimal lower bounds on the local stress inside random thermoelastic composites

A methodology is presented for bounding all higher moments of the local hydrostatic stress field inside random two phase linear thermoelastic media undergoing macroscopic thermomechanical loading. The method also provides a lower bound on the maximum local stress. Explicit formulae for the optimal lower bounds are found that are expressed in terms of the applied macroscopic thermal and mechanical loading, coefficients of thermal expansion, elastic properties, and volume fractions. These bounds provide a means to measure load transfer across length scales relating the excursions of the local fields to the applied loads and the thermal stresses inside each phase. These bounds are shown to be the best possible in that they are attained by the Hashin-Shtrikman coated sphere assemblage.
Do Survey Data Estimate Earnings Inequality Correctly? Measurement Errors among Black and White Male Workers.

Few studies have considered how earnings inequality estimates may be affected by measurement error in self-reported earnings in surveys. Utilizing restricted-use data that links workers in the Survey of Income and Program Participation with their W-2 earnings records, we examine the effect of measurement error on estimates of racial earnings inequality. Results show that varying levels of mean-reverting error causes underestimation of earnings inequality. Notably, mean reversion is steeper for Black men than for White men, bringing about substantial downward bias in the estimated earnings gaps between Whites and Blacks at lower percentiles as well as large underestimation of within-racial group inequality for Black men. Together, our results call attention to the potential distortions generated by systematic measurement error on economic inequality estimates.
Theoretical issues in international borrowing

The current crisis in international lending points up a lesson re-learned several times in the past 150 years: the international loan markets function very differently from the textbook model of competitive lending. This paper discusses various extensions of the basic model.First, we amend the textbook model to show how limitations on a government'staxing authority may greatly affect its optimal borrowing strategy.Second, we explore the implications of adebtor country's option to repudiate debt.Third, we show that efficient lending may require collective actions by bank syndicates, and that a breakdown in collective action can result in serious inefficiencies and even financial panics.
Life after charge noise: recent results with transmon qubits

We review the main theoretical and experimental results for the transmon, a superconducting charge qubit derived from the Cooper pair box. The increased ratio of the Josephson to charging energy results in an exponential suppression of the transmon's sensitivity to 1/f charge noise. This has been observed experimentally and yields homogeneous broadening, negligible pure dephasing, and long coherence times of up to 3 μs. Anharmonicity of the energy spectrum is required for qubit operation, and has been proven to be sufficient in transmon devices. Transmons have been implemented in a wide array of experiments, demonstrating consistent and reproducible results in very good agreement with theory.
Preparation and decarboxylative rearrangement of (Z)-enyne esters

A method to assemble (Z)-enyne esters via palladium-catalyzed cross coupling reactions of enol tosylates is reported. A base-mediated one-pot decarboxylative rearrangement of the enynes to enones is described. The scope of this process is examined.
Bi-isotropic mixtures

Bi-isotropic heterogeneous media are analyzed. Bi-isotropic materials are characterized by four scalar parameters in the constitutive relations: permittivity, permeability, chirality, and nonreciprocity. These contain the reciprocal chiral (Pasteur) medium and nonreciprocal nonchiral (Tellegen) medium as special cases. The polarizabilities of general bi-isotropic spheres and ellipsoids are derived, and these results are used in the analysis of bi-isotropic mixtures. The generalized Maxwell-Garnett formulae are derived for mixtures with spherical or ellipsoidal inclusions in isotropic background medium. The ellipsoids are allowed also to have any orientation distribution. Rayleigh mixing rules are also presented and they are seen to be a natural extension of the Rayleigh rule in the dielectric case. Numerical illustrations show the effect of shape, amount, and nature of inclusions on the bi-isotropic mixture parameters; this is essential information in the engineering problem of tailoring bi-isotropic composite materials. >
Design Optimization of a Space Launch Vehicle Using a Genetic Algorithm

This paper describes an effort to optimize the design of an entire space launch vehicle to lowEarth (circular) orbit, consisting of multiple stages using a genetic algorithm with the goal of minimizing vehicle weight and ultimately vehicle cost. The entire launch vehicle system is analyzed using various multistage configurations to reach low Earth orbit. Specifically, threeand four-stage solid propellant vehicles have been analyzed. The vehicle performance modeling requires that analysis from four separate disciplines be integrated into the design optimization process. The disciplines of propulsion characteristics, aerodynamics,mass properties, andflight dynamics have been integrated to produce a high-fidelity systemmodel of the entire vehicle. In addition, the systemmodel has been validated using the existing launch vehicle data. The cost model is mass based and uses extensive historical data to produce a cost estimating relationship for a solid propellant vehicle. For the design optimization, the goal is for the genetic algorithm tominimize the differences between thedesired andactual orbital parameters. This ensures that thepayload achieves the desired orbit. One final goal is to minimize the overall vehicle mass, thus minimizing the system cost per launch. This paper will represent the first effort of its kind to minimize the solid propellant launch vehicle cost at the preliminary design level using a genetic algorithm.
The Fog of Victory

What does victory mean today? How do we know who "won" the war and what does the winner win by winning? This article uses the prism of victory to view the transformation of the goals, means, and targets of war, and assesses the applicability of the conventional Just War doctrine (through the traditional laws of war) to the modern battlefield. Specifically, the article claims that the military and civilian components of war have grown so intertwined in both the conduct and ending of hostilities that the laws of war, with their emphasis on combat, are hard-pressed to offer a normative yardstick for a just modern war.
Latino immigrant men and the deportation crisis: A gendered racial removal program

This article reviews how US deportations ballooned between 1997 and 2012, and underscores how these deportations disproportionately targeted Latino working class men. Building on Mae Ngai's (2004) concept of racial removal, we describe this recent mass deportation as a gendered racial removal program. Drawing from secondary sources, surveys conducted in Mexico, the U.S. Department of Home- land Security published statistics, and interviews with deportees conducted by the first author in Guatemala, the Dominican Republic, Brazil and Jamaica, we argue that: (1) deportations have taken on a new course in the aftermath of 9/11 and in the wake of the global economic crisis - involving a shift towards interior enforcement; (2) deportation has become a gendered and racial removal project of the state; and (3) deportations will have lasting consequences with gendered and raced effects here in the United States. We begin by examining the mechanisms of the new deportation regime, showing how it functions, and then examine the legislation and administrative decisions that make it possible. Next, we show the concentration of deportations by nation and gender. Finally, we discuss the causes of this gendered racial removal program, which include the male joblessness crisis since the Great Recession, the War on Terror, and the con- tinued criminalization of Black and Latino men by police authorities. Latino Studies (2013) 11, 271-292. doi:10.1057/lst.2013.14
Light) Stop Signs

Stop squarks with a mass just above the top’s and which decay to a nearly massless LSP are difficult to probe because of the large SM di-top background. Here we discuss search strategies which could be used to set more stringent bounds in this difficult region. In particular, we note that both the rapidity difference Δy(t, $ \overline t $ ) and spin correlations (inferred from, for example, Δϕ(l + , l −)) are sensitive to the presence of stops. We emphasize that systematic uncertainties in top quark production can confound analyses looking for stops, making theoretical and experimental progress on the understanding of Standard Model top production at high precision a very important task. We estimate that spin correlation alone, which is relatively robust against such systematic uncertainties, can exclude a 200 GeV stop at 95% confidence with 20 fb−1 at the 8 TeV LHC.
Spacecraft gravitational wave experiments

Doppler tracking of distant spacecraft is discussed, with emphasis on use in broadband (frequencies approximately 10/sup -4/-10/sup -1/ Hz) searches for low-frequency gravitational radiation. A short review is given of ideas about astrophysical sources, radiation times scales, and associated gravitational wave amplitudes at the Earth. The current and near-future space-based detection approaches and sensitivities are then summarized, along with a discussion of the major noise sources in space-based experiments. Finally, possible improvements in space-based detectors, including approaches that depart significantly from the current prototype systems, are briefly discussed. >
Hydrozirconation/transmetalation of acetylenic stannanes. New 1,1-dimetallo reagents

Abstract Treatment of 1-tributylstannylalkynes with Cp2Zr(H)CI affords olefinic intermediates substituted by both Bu3Sn and Cp2ZrCI groups on the terminal sp2-1ike carbon. These stereodefined reagents can be selectively transmetalated at zirconium to afford cuprates which deliver product vinyl stannanes in both substitution and Michael addition reactions.
A Bayesian Approach to Tackling Hard Computational Problems

We describe research and results centering on the construction and use of Bayesian models that can predict the run time of problem solvers. Our efforts are motivated by observations of high variance in the time required to solve instances for several challenging problems. The methods have application to the decision-theoretic control of hard search and reasoning algorithms. We illustrate the approach with a focus on the task of predicting run time for general and domain-specific solvers on a hard class of structured constraint satisfaction problems. We review the use of learned models to predict the ultimate length of a trial, based on observing the behavior of the search algorithm during an early phase of a problem session. Finally, we discuss how we can employ the models to inform dynamic run-time decisions.
The Hartley series and its application to power quality assessment

An analog to the Fourier series based on the cosine-and-sine function is considered. The new series is related to the Hartley transform and thus it is termed the Hartley series. Properties and applications of the Hartley series are discussed in general. It is pointed out that the technique is valuable for the assessment of power quality in industrial and commercial power distribution systems. In particular, the impact of switched and pulse-modulated loads and AC/DC converters may be analyzed. An example is presented in which an industrial distribution system impacted by a six-pulse rectifier is analyzed. >
Wave-equation traveltime inversion

This paper presents a new traveltime inversion method based on the wave equation. In this new method, designated as wave-equation traveltime inversion (WT), seismograms are computed by any full-wave forward modeling method (we use a finite-difference method). The velocity model is perturbed until the traveltimes from the synthetic seismograms are best fitted to the observed traveltimes in a least squares sense. A gradient optimization method is used and the formula for the Frechet derivative (perturbation of traveltimes with respect to velocity) is derived directly from the wave equation. No traveltime picking or ray tracing is necessary, and there are no high frequency assumptions about the data. Body wave, diffraction, reflection and head wave traveltimes can be incorporated into the inversion. In the high-frequency limit, WT inversion reduces to ray-based traveltime tomography. It can also be shown that WT inversion is approximately equivalent to full-wave inversion when the starting velocity model is 'close' to the actual model.Numerical simulations show that WT inversion succeeds for models with up to 80 percent velocity contrasts compared to the failure of full-wave inversion for some models with no more than 10 percent velocity contrast. We also show that the WT method succeeds in inverting a layered velocity model where a shooting ray-tracing method fails to compute the correct first arrival times. The disadvantage of the WT method is that it appears to provide less model resolution compared to full-wave inversion, but this problem can be remedied by a hybrid traveltime + full-wave inversion method (Luo and Schuster, 1989).
Does Reinsurance Need Reinsurers

The reinsurance market is the secondary market for insurance risks. It has a very specific organization. Direct insurers rarely trade risks with each other. Rather, they cede part of their primary risks to specialized professional reinsurers who have no primary business. This article offers a model of equilibrium in reinsurance and capital markets in which professional reinsurers arise endogenously. Their role is to monitor primary insurers credibly, so that insurers can raise capital more easily. In equilibrium, the financial structure of primary insurers consists of a mix of reinsurance and outside capital. The comparative statics yield empirical predictions which are broadly in line with a number of stylized facts from the reinsurance market.
Overview of the Working Group for the Development of Regional Earthquake Likelihood Models (RELM)

Seismic hazard analysis (SHA) requires two different types of models: (1) an earthquake rupture forecast, which gives the probability of all possible earthquake ruptures of concern throughout the region over a given time span; and (2) a ground-motion model that provides an estimate of shaking at a site for each earthquake rupture. This special issue of Seismological Research Letters ( SRL ) presents a variety of the first type—earthquake rupture forecasts. But let's begin with some history. The 30-year, time-dependent forecast published by the 1995 Working Group on California Earthquake Probabilities (WGCEP 1995), also known as the Phase-2 report of the Southern California Earthquake Center (SCEC), predicted twice as many magnitude 6.5 to 7.0 earthquakes as had been observed historically. This apparent earthquake deficit was not good news for an insurance industry still licking its wounds from the 1994 M 6.7 Northridge earthquake. In fact, the report presumably contributed to the “insurance availability crisis” where, faced with a legal requirement to offer an earthquake option with any homeowners policy, 93 percent of companies doing business in California decided to restrict or halt coverage altogether (http://www.earthquakeauthority.com/CEAFactSheet.htm). In the lively debate that ensued over the earthquake deficit problem, it's interesting to note that the first shot was fired by the primary author of the report itself (Jackson 1996), and that another author of the report fired back with an opposing view (Schwartz 1996). This exchange served to highlight an even more fundamental problem—that there is no agreement on how to build a time-dependent earthquake forecast, and it is therefore impossible to define a single, consensus model. Faced with this reality, SCEC decided to take a different approach by forming a southern California working group for the development of Regional Earthquake Likelihood Models (RELM). Rather than trying to build a single, consensus model, working …
Average-Case Performance of Rollout Algorithms for Knapsack Problems

Rollout algorithms have demonstrated excellent performance on a variety of dynamic and discrete optimization problems. Interpreted as an approximate dynamic programming algorithm, a rollout algorithm estimates the value-to-go at each decision stage by simulating future events while following a heuristic policy, referred to as the base policy. While in many cases rollout algorithms are guaranteed to perform as well as their base policies, there have been few theoretical results showing additional improvement in performance. In this paper, we perform a probabilistic analysis of the subset sum problem and 0---1 knapsack problem, giving theoretical evidence that rollout algorithms perform strictly better than their base policies. Using a stochastic model from the existing literature, we analyze two rollout methods that we refer to as the exhaustive rollout and consecutive rollout, both of which employ a simple greedy base policy. We prove that both methods yield a significant improvement in expected performance after a single iteration of the rollout algorithm, relative to the base policy.
Bell's Inequalities, Superquantum Correlations, and String Theory

We offer an interpretation of superquantum correlations in terms of a “doubly” quantum theory. We argue that string theory, viewed as a quantum theory with two deformation parameters, the string tension α', and the string coupling constant gs, is such a superquantum theory that transgresses the usual quantum violations of Bell's inequalities. We also discuss the ℏ→∞ limit of quantum mechanics in this context. As a superquantum theory, string theory should display distinct experimentally observable supercorrelations of entangled stringy states.
Sonochemical Preparation of Hollow Nanospheres and Hollow Nanocrystals

Ceramic hollow spheres of MoS2 and MoO3 were obtained by sonochemical synthesis of MoS2 and MoO3 templated on silica nanoparticles (diameters 50−500 nm) followed by acid etching to remove the silica core. The resulting hollow materials have been characterized by elemental analysis, XPS, SEM, TEM, optical absorption, and hydrodesulfurization (HDS) studies. The TEM studies on the hollow ceramic materials indicate the formation of dispersed free spheres with a hollow core. The hollow materials obtained from thermally treated MoS2/SiO2 (450−700 °C) show the formation of layered MoS2 (lattice fringes ∼6.2 A) with a wall thickness of 6−8 layers. The MoS2 hollow spheres are extremely active catalysts for the HDS of thiophene. Hollow spheres of MoO3 are prepared in a similar fashion. Surprisingly, upon heating, hollow crystals of MoO3 with sharp-edged truncated cubes containing inner voids are formed from the initial spheres.
Making Economic Knowledge: Review of Jan Golinski's Making Natural Knowledge

When I went through my graduate training in economics at Stanford University, I learned that economics consists of ideas. These are often expressed in mathematical terms and can be found in books and articles. To become a successful economist, you have to understand these ideas and come up with variations on them. So, during my first year of graduate studies, I spent the majority of my time working my way through the many books and articles assigned for my classes in microeconomics, macroeconomics, and econometrics. During their lectures, our instructors would walk us through any difficult mathematical manipulations that we encountered in our readings. Surely, I thought, I was on my way to becoming a respected economist. Still, I needed to specialize in a few fields, which I did in my second year.
Stakeholder Red Tape: Comparing Perceptions of Public Managers and Their Private Consultants

Despite the abundance of red tape literature and the growing popularity of outsourcing in the public sector, no study has yet investigated red tape in consulting relationships. Using survey data from public managers and the contractors with whom they work, the authors investigate public managers’ and private consultants’ perceptions of organizational and contracting red tape. Th ey identify the determinants of red tape perceptions, variation in those perceptions, and the characteristics of respondents with stronger divergent views of contracting red tape. Th e results indicate that government managers perceive higher levels of organizational red tape and contracting red tape than their consultants. Public managers’ perceptions of red tape are associated with job satisfaction and time spent managing and communicating with consultants. Consultants’ perceptions of red tape are associated with perceptions of the appropriateness of the government agency’s rules, the number of years the fi rm has worked with the agency, and the percentage of the fi rm’s cost-plus contracts. S
THE ROLE OF MEDIA VIOLENCE IN VIOLENT BEHAVIOR

Media violence poses a threat to public health inasmuch as it leads to an increase in real-world violence and aggression. Research shows that fictional television and film violence contribute to both a short-term and a long-term increase in aggression and violence in young viewers. Television news violence also contributes to increased violence, principally in the form of imitative suicides and acts of aggression. Video games are clearly capable of producing an increase in aggression and violence in the short term, although no long-term longitudinal studies capable of demonstrating long-term effects have been conducted. The relationship between media violence and real-world violence and aggression is moderated by the nature of the media content and characteristics of and social influences on the individual exposed to that content. Still, the average overall size of the effect is large enough to place it in the category of known threats to public health.
Achievable rate and optimal physical layer rate allocation in interference-free wireless networks

We analyze the achievable rate in interferencefree wireless networks with physical layer fading channels and orthogonal multiple access. As a starting point, the point-to-point channel is considered. We find the optimal physical and network layer rate trade-off which maximizes the achievable overall rate for both a fixed rate transmission scheme and an improved scheme based on multiple virtual users and superposition coding. These initial results are extended to the network setting, where, based on a cut-set formulation, the achievable rate at each node and its upper bound are derived. We propose a distributed optimization algorithm which allows to jointly determine the maximum achievable rate, the optimal physical layer rates on each network link, and an opportunistic back-pressure-type routing strategy on the network layer. This inherently justifies the layered architecture in existing wireless networks. Finally, we show that the proposed layered optimization approach can achieve almost all of the ergodic network capacity in high SNR.
Thermal issues in next-generation integrated circuits

The drive for higher performance has led to greater integration and higher clock frequency of microprocessor chips. This translates into higher heat dissipation and, therefore, effective cooling of electronic chips is becoming increasingly important for their reliable performance. We systematically explore the limits for heat removal from a model chip in various configurations. First, the heat removal from a bare chip by pure heat conduction and convection is studied to establish the theoretical limit of heat removal from a bare die bound by an infinite medium. This is followed by an analysis of heat removal from a packaged chip by evaluating the thermal resistance due to individual packaging elements. The analysis results allow us to identify the bottlenecks in the thermal performance of current generation packages, and to motivate lowering of thermal resistance through the board-side for efficient heat removal to meet ever increasing reliability and performance requirements.
Redox-Neutral Copper (II) Carboxylate Catalyzed α-Alkynylation of Amines

A new strategy for iminium ion isomerization was applied to the direct, redox-neutral α-alkynylation of amines. Cu(II) 2-ethylhexanoate was identified as the optimal catalyst for this three-component coupling reaction of secondary amines, aldehydes and alkynes.
Facilitating the task for second language processing research: A comparison of two testing paradigms

This study considers the effects of experimental task demands in research on second language sentence processing. Advanced learners and native speakers of French were presented with the same experimental sentences in two different tasks designed to probe for evidence of trace reactivation during processing: cross-modal priming (Nicol & Swinney, 1989) and probe classification during reading (Dekydtspotter, Miller, Schaefer, Chang, & Kim, 2010). Although the second language learners produced nontargetlike results on the cross-modal priming task, the probe classification during reading task revealed results suggestive of trace reactivation, which point to detailed structural representations during online sentence processing. The implications for current theories of second language sentence processing and for future research in this domain are discussed.
Explaining Ethnic, Racial, and Immigrant Differences in Private School Attendance

Using 1990 Census microdata, we explore ethnic, racial and immigrant differences in private school attendance. We find high rates of private school attendance among white natives, white immigrants, and Asian natives. In contrast, we find low private school rates among black and Hispanic natives and immigrants, Asian immigrants, and other natives. Variations in income per capita and especially parental education account for over 70% of the gap in private school attendance rates between white natives and all other groups. We discuss ramifications for racial, language, and socioeconomic segregation in America's schools, and possible effects of school vouchers on segregation.
Extended definition TV over an analog FM satellite channel

The performance of several extended definition TV (EDTV) formats are compared in terms of signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) operation in an analog FM satellite channel. The formats considered are the National Television System Committee (NTSC), extended NTSC (ENTSC), multiplexed analog components (MAC), and extend MAC (EMAC). These formats are compared in terms of SNR above and below the FM threshold. Analytically derived curves which show the luminance and chrominance SNR as a function of horizontal resolution for the above-threshold operation are presented. The effect of group delay on the composite video formats is determined for an actual satellite channel. The below-threshold performances for NTSC and MAC are compared in the luminance channel. >
Dynamics of triple black hole systems in hierarchically merging massive galaxies

Galaxies with stellar bulges are generically observed to host supermassive black holes (SMBHs). The hierarchical merging of galaxies should therefore lead to the formation of SMBH binaries. Merging of old massive galaxies with little gas promotes the formation of low-density nuclei where SMBH binaries are expected to survive over long times. If the binary lifetime exceeds the typical time between mergers, then triple black hole (BH) systems may form. We study the statistics of close triple SMBH encounters in galactic nuclei by computing a series of three-body orbits with physically motivated initial conditions appropriate for giant elliptical galaxies. Our simulations include a smooth background potential consisting of a stellar bulge plus a dark matter halo, drag forces due to gravitational radiation and dynamical friction on the stars and dark matter, and a simple model of the time evolution of the inner density profile under heating and mass ejection by the SMBHs. We find that the binary pair coalesces as a result of repeated close encounters in ∼85 per cent of our runs, and in ∼15 per cent of cases a new eccentric binary forms from the third SMBH and binary remnant and coalesces during the run time. In about 40 per cent of the runs the lightest BH is left wandering through the galactic halo or escapes the galaxy altogether, but escape of all three SMBHs is exceedingly rare. The triple systems typically scour out cores with mass deficits ∼one‐two times their total mass, which can help to account for the large cores observed in some massive elliptical galaxies, such as M87. The high coalescence rate, prevalence of very high-eccentricity orbits, and gravitational radiation ‘spikes’ during close encounters in our runs, may provide interesting signals for the future Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA).
Unsupervised search-based structured prediction

We describe an adaptation and application of a search-based structured prediction algorithm "Searn" to unsupervised learning problems. We show that it is possible to reduce unsupervised learning to supervised learning and demonstrate a high-quality un-supervised shift-reduce parsing model. We additionally show a close connection between unsupervised Searn and expectation maximization. Finally, we demonstrate the efficacy of a semi-supervised extension. The key idea that enables this is an application of the predict-self idea for unsupervised learning.
Product Innovation by Incumbent Firms in Developing Economies : The Roles of Research and Development Expenditures, Trade Policy, and the Investment Climate

A model of firm innovation illustrates the effects of the threat of imitation and product varieties on a representative firm's decision to invest in research and development to produce new product varieties. The model motivates two empirical questions: (1) Is research and development partially correlated with firms' propensity to introduce new products or product innovation in developing countries? (2) Do trade policies and the national investment climate affect firms' propensity for product innovation? The econometric evidence suggests that the answers are yes and yes, but the investment climate affects product innovation in a manner that is consistent with the presence of market failures and state capture. National trade-policy distortions appear to reduce the probability of product innovation, and the density of exporting firms at the national level also seems to positively affect the propensity to introduce new products by individual firms. The paper discusses some policy implications.
Sharing control system software

Building a custom accelerator control system requires effort in the range of 30-100 person-years. This represents a significant investment of time, effort, and risk, as well as challenges for management. Even when the system is successful, the software has not yet been applied to the particular project; no custom control algorithms, either engineering or physics-based, have been implemented; and the system has not been documented for long-term maintenance and use. This paper reviews the requirements for sharing software between accelerator control system projects. It also reviews the three mechanisms by which control system software has been shared in the past and is being shared now, as well as some of the experiences. After reviewing the mechanisms and experiences, one can conclude there is no one best solution. The right software sharing mechanism depends upon the needs of the client site, the client resources available, and the services the provider can give. >
The language of “sexual minorities” and the politics of identity: a position paper

In any highly contested political domain, language can be a potent force for change or an obstacle to understanding and coalition building across difference. This is surely the case in the global d...
Noisy input/output system identification using cumulants and the Steiglitz-McBride algorithm

We consider the problem of identifying a linear, time-invariant system from its noisy input/output data. The input and output are assumed to be non-Gaussian, while the input and output noises are assumed to be mutually correlated, colored, and Gaussian. Using third-order cross- and auto-cumulants, we extend the well-known Steiglitz-McBride (1965) identification method to cumulant domains, and show that it is consistent under a certain "third-order" persistency of excitation condition. By comparison, the Steiglitz-McBride method is not consistent when either input noise is present or when the output noise is colored. For an empirical assessment, we provide simulations that demonstrate the proposed method's usefulness.
Social–Emotional Factors and Academic Outcomes Among Elementary‐Aged Children

Social–emotional comprehension involves encoding, interpreting, and reasoning about social–emotional information, and self-regulating. This study examined the mediating pathways through which social–emotional comprehension and social behaviour are related to academic outcomes in two ethnically and socioeconomically heterogeneous samples totaling 340 elementary-aged children. In both samples, social–emotional comprehension, teacher report of social behaviour, and academic outcomes were measured in a single school year. In both samples, structural equation models showed that the relationship between social–emotional comprehension and reading was mediated by socially skilled behaviour. In one sample, but not the other, the relationship between social–emotional comprehension and math was mediated by socially skilled behaviour. This paper advances our understanding of the mechanisms through which social–emotional factors are associated with academic outcomes. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Catalytic, Enantioselective Alkylation of α-Imino Esters Using Late Transition Metal Phosphine Complexes as Catalysts

Over the past several years, highly effective methods for enantioselective aldol additions catalyzed by Lewis acids have been developed.1 Analogous alkylations of imines, however, have not been nearly as well studied nor as successful.2 R-Imino esters are almost unstudied in Lewis acid-catalyzed reactions,3 but are especially attractive imine substrates for the efficient syntheses of natural product precursors,4 pharmaceutically active compounds,5 and nonnatural amino acids;6 the last category has recently received much attention as peptidomimetics7 and in sitedirected mutagenesis studies.8 In a recent report, we demonstrated that select late transition metals can catalyze the cis-trans isomerization of prolyl peptides through simultaneous coordination of the metal to the amide nitrogen (Na) and the side chain carbonyl group (Figure 1, a).9 Catalysis fails to occur on simple amides that do not contain an additional binding site. These results prompted us to investigate whether analogous coordination of a transition metal to the nitrogen of a functionalized imine and a chelating carbonyl group could activate the substrate toward a highly enantioselective addition of nucleophiles (Figure 1, b). From our point of view, activated R-imino esters 1 seemed ideal substrates for Lewis acid catalyzed asymmetric alkylations for several reasons: (1) alkylation occurs readily at the imine carbon with a variety of nucleophiles, (2) the electron-withdrawing R-ester group provides additional activation of the imino group to nucleophilic attack, (3) the imine N and carbonyl O can form a stable five-membered chelate ring with a chiral Lewis acid catalyst (eq 1),10 providing additional rigidity to an activated complex and potentially enhanced product selectivity, and (4) alkylation of imine derivatives 1 with enol silane nucleophiles can lead to substituted γ-oxo R-amino acids (aspartic acid analogues) that comprise a class of interesting and useful biologically active natural compounds.11 We report herein a means to alkylate R-imino esters enantioselectively in up to 98% ee and in high chemical yields with enol silanes using chiral catalytic late transition metal phosphine complexes selected from Ag(I), Cu(I), Ni(II), and Pd(II) (eq 2).
Unravelling the Extraterritorial Riddle An Analysis of R (Hassan) v. Secretary of State for Defence

The European Convention on Human Rights imposes an obligation on contracting states to secure the rights of persons within their ‘jurisdiction’. Yet, the meaning of ‘jurisdiction’ is contested, with the result that the extent of states’ extraterritorial obligations is unclear. R (Hassan) v. Secretary of State for Defence is the latest in a series of English cases to examine the obligations of the British forces in Iraq. This comment critically assesses the High Court's reasoning, as well as the House of Lords’ decision in Al-Skeini on which it relies, and in so doing proposes a more nuanced understanding of ‘jurisdiction’.
How much might human capital policies affect earnings inequalities and poverty

Economic inequality and poverty have persisted in Latin America despite important changes in political and policy regimes. This paper explores the relationsh...
Entrainment of marginally stable excitation waves by spatially extended sub-threshold periodic forcing

We introduce a novel approach of stabilizing the dynamics of excitation waves by spatially extended sub-threshold periodic forcing. Entrainment of unstable primary waves has been studied numerically for different amplitudes and frequencies of additional sub-threshold stimuli. We determined entrainment regimes under which excitation blocks were transformed into consistent 1:1 responses. These responses were spatially homogeneous and synchronized in the entire excitable medium. Compared to primary pulses, pulses entrained by secondary stimulations were stable at considerably shorter periods which decreased at higher amplitudes and greater number of secondary stimuli. Our results suggest a practical methodology for stabilization of excitation in reaction-diffusion media such as nerve tissue with regions of reduced excitability.
A Sulfur Dioxide Climate Feedback on Early Mars

Ancient Mars had liquid water on its surface and a CO2-rich atmosphere. Despite the implication that massive carbonate deposits should have formed, these have not been detected. On the basis of fundamental chemical and physical principles, we propose that climatic conditions enabling the existence of liquid water were maintained by appreciable atmospheric concentrations of volcanically degassed SO2 and H2S. The geochemistry resulting from equilibration of this atmosphere with the hydrological cycle is shown to inhibit the formation of carbonates. We propose an early martian climate feedback involving SO2, much like that maintained by CO2 on Earth.