cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The effect of income and immigration policies on international migration

This article makes two contributions to the literature on the determinants of international migration flows. First, we compile a new dataset on annual bilateral migration flows covering 15 OECD destination countries and 120 sending countries for the period 1980–2006. The dataset also contains data on time-varying immigration policies that regulate the entry of immigrants in our destination countries over this period. Second, we present an empirical model of migration choice across multiple destinations that allows for unobserved individual heterogeneity and derive a structural estimating equation. Our estimates show that international migration flows are highly responsive to income per capita at destination. This elasticity is twice as high for within-European Union (EU) migration, reflecting the higher degree of labor mobility within the EU. We also find that tightening of laws regulating immigrant entry reduce rapidly and significantly their flow.
A General Method for the Formation of Aryl-Sulfur bonds Using Copper(I) Catalysts

We report a mild, palladium-free synthetic protocol for the cross-coupling reaction of aryl iodides and thiols using 10 mol % CuI and 10 mol % neocuproine, with NaOt-Bu as the base, in toluene at 110 °C. Using this protocol, we have shown that a variety of aryl sulfides can be synthesized in excellent yields from readily available iodides and thiols.
Ultrafilters with property (s)

A set X ⊆ 2 ! has property (s) (Marczewski (Szpilrajn)) iff for every perfect set P ⊆ 2 ! there exists a perfect set Q ⊆ P such that Q ⊆ X or Q∩X = ∅. Suppose U is a nonprincipal ultrafilter on !. It is not difficult to see that ifU is preserved by Sacks forcing, i.e., it generates an ultrafilter in the generic extension after forcing with the partial order of perfect sets, then U has property (s) in the ground model. It is known that selective ultrafilters or even P-points are preserved by Sacks forcing. On the other hand (answering a question raised by Hrusak) we show that assuming CH (or more generally MA) there exists an ultrafilter U with property (s) such that U does not generate an ultrafilter in any extension which adds a new subset of !.
Magic with a Message: The Poetics of Christian Conjuring

This article examines the performance practices of U.S. gospel magicians, evangelical Christians who convey religious messages with conjuring tricks. Emphatically denying that they possess supernatural powers and scrupulously avoiding effects that resemble biblical miracles, they take pains to present their tricks as unambiguously skillful performances intended to entertain, uplift, and instruct. When patterned on a Christian motif, otherwise self-referential magic tricks constitute a versatile signifying medium. Addressing the poetics of gospel magic in the setting of instructional workshops, this analysis explores a variety of ways performers utilize iconic resemblances between conjuring effects and Christian referents to produce complex and evocative expressions of faith. At the same time, they carefully manage signifiers of virtuosic agency that are intrinsic to the efficacy of gospel magic performance, but that also threaten to undermine their Christian message.
Management of the Older Person With Atrial Fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with a higher incidence of mortality, stroke, and coronary events than is sinus rhythm. AF with a rapid ventricular rate may cause a tachycardia-related cardiomyopathy. Immediate direct-current (DC) cardioversion should be performed in patients with AF and acute myocardial infarction, chest pain due to myocardial ischemia, hypotension, severe heart failure, or syncope. Intravenous beta blockers, verapamil, or diltiazem may be given to slow immediately a very rapid ventricular rate in AF. An oral beta blocker, verapamil, or diltiazem should be used in persons with AF if a fast ventricular rate occurs at rest or during exercise despite digoxin. Amiodarone may be used in selected patients with symptomatic life-threatening AF refractory to other drugs. Nondrug therapies should be performed in patients with symptomatic AF in whom a rapid ventricular rate cannot be slowed by drugs. Paroxysmal AF associated with the tachycardia-bradycardia syndrome should be treated with a permanent pacemaker in combination with drugs. A permanent pacemaker should be implanted in patients with AF and with symptoms such as dizziness or syncope associated with ventricular pauses greater than 3 seconds that are not drug-induced. Elective DC cardioversion has a higher success rate and a lower incidence of cardiac adverse effects than does medical cardioversion in converting AF to sinus rhythm. Unless transesophageal echocardiography has shown no thrombus in the left atrial appendage before cardioversion, oral warfarin should be given for 3 weeks before elective DC or drug cardioversion of AF and should be continued for at least 4 weeks after maintenance of sinus rhythm. Many cardiologists prefer, especially in older persons, ventricular rate control plus warfarin rather than maintaining sinus rhythm with antiarrhythmic drugs. Digoxin should not be used to treat patients with paroxysmal AF. Patients with chronic or paroxysmal AF at high risk for stroke should be treated with long-term warfarin to achieve an International Normalized Ratio of 2.0 to 3.0. Patients with AF at low risk for stroke or with contraindications to warfarin should receive 325 mg of aspirin daily.
Optimal energy management of hybrid power system with two-scale dynamic programming

Hybrid power system (HPS) is the power system consists of renewable energy sources and traditional energy sources used together to increase system efficiency and reduce operation cost. Energy management is one of the main issues in operating the HPS, which needs to be optimized with respect to the current and future change in generation, demand, and market price, particularly for HPS with strong renewable penetration. Optimal energy management strategies such as dynamic programming (DP) may become significantly suboptimal under strong uncertainty in prediction of renewable generation and utility price. In order to reduce the impact of such uncertainties, a two-scale dynamic programming scheme is proposed in this study to optimize the operational benefit based on multi-scale prediction. The proposed idea is illustrated with a simple HPS which consists of wind turbine and battery storage with grid connection. The system is expected to satisfy certain load demand while minimizing the cost via peak-load shaving. First, a macro-scale dynamic programming (MASDP) is performed for the long term period, based on long term ahead prediction of hourly electricity price and wind energy (speed). The battery state-of-charge (SOC) is thus obtained as the macro-scale reference trajectory. The micro-scale dynamic programming (MISDP) is then applied with a short term interval, based on short term-hour ahead auto-regressive moving average (ARMA) prediction of hourly electricity price and wind energy. The nodal SOC values from the MASDP result are used as the terminal condition for the MISDP. The simulation results show that the proposed method can significantly decrease the operation cost, as compared with the single scale DP method.
Globalization and the labor market

Does globalization affects labor market outcomes? Can labor market policies mitigate or offset the effects? Would these polices have important side effect on efficiency this article addresses these questions through an analytical survey of the literature, including several studies under preparation. Some of the studies use new cross-country database of wages and other labor market indicators. Although all the answer should be considered tentative some patterns emerge. Different aspects of globalization have different consequence. In the short run wages fall with openness to trade and rise with foreign direct investment also increase (substantially) the returns to education. Social protection programs are effective in reducing inequality. Minimum wages, public sector employment, and core labor standards are not. Between these two extremes, collective bargain works mainly for the middle class. Social protection programs do not adversely affect efficiency, but high public sector employment and trade union membership are associated with weaker performance in the context of adjustment.
Potential of MOS technologies for analog integrated circuits

Reviews the rapid progress in MOS analog circuit techniques over the past three years, and attempts to estimate the near-term attainable characteristics of MOS LSI circuits which incorporate both analog and digital functions.
Why Did the Democrats Lose the South? Bringing New Data to an Old Debate

After generations of loyalty, Southern whites left the Democratic party en masse in the second half of the twentieth century. To what extent did Democrats' 1960s Civil Rights initiatives trigger this exodus, versus Southern economic development, rising political polarization or other trends that made the party unattractive to Southern whites? The lack of data on racial attitudes and political preferences spanning the 1960s Civil Rights era has hampered research on this central question of American political economy. We uncover and employ such data, drawn from Gallup surveys dating back to 1958. From 1958 to 1961, conservative racial views strongly predict Democratic identification among Southern whites, a correlation that disappears after President Kennedy introduces sweeping Civil Rights legislation in 1963. We find that defection among racially conservative whites explains all (three-fourths) of the decline in relative white Southern Democratic identification between 1958 and 1980 (2000). We offer corroborating quantitative analysis—drawn from sources such as Gallup questions on presidential approval and hypothetical presidential match-ups as well as textual analysis of newspapers—for the central role of racial views in explaining white Southern dealignment from the Democrats as far back as the 1940s.
Five Planets Orbiting 55 Cancri

Wereport18yearsof Dopplershiftmeasurementsof anearbystar,55Cancri,thatexhibitsstrongevidenceforfive orbiting planets. The four previously reported planets are strongly confirmed here. Afifth planet is presented, with an apparent orbital period of 260 days, placing it 0.78 AU from the star in the large empty zone between two other planets. The velocity wobble amplitude of 4.9 m s � 1 implies a minimum planet massM sini ¼ 45:7 M� . The orbital eccentricity is consistent with a circular orbit, but modest eccentricity solutions give similar � 2 fits. All five planets resideinlow-eccentricityorbits,fourhavingeccentricitiesunder0.1.Theoutermostplanetorbits5.8AUfromthestar andhasaminimummassM sini ¼ 3:8 MJup,makingitmoremassivethantheinnerfourplanetscombined.Itsorbital distance is the largest for an exoplanet with a well-defined orbit. The innermost planet has a semimajor axis of only 0.038 AU and has a minimum mass, M sini, of only 10.8 M� , making it one of the lowest mass exoplanets known. The five known planets within 6 AU define a minimum-mass protoplanetary nebula to compare with the classical minimum-masssolarnebula.NumericalN-bodysimulationsshowthissystemoffiveplanetstobedynamicallystable and show that the planets with periods of 14.65 and 44.3 days are not in a mean motion resonance. Millimagnitude photometry during 11 years reveals no brightness variations at any of the radial velocity periods, providing support for their interpretation as planetary. Subject headingg planetary systems — stars: individual (55 Cancri, HD 75732, � 1 Cancri)
The discrepancy of the lex-least de Bruijn sequence

We answer the following question: What is the discrepancy of the lexicographically least binary de Bruijn sequence? Here, ''discrepancy'' refers to the maximum (absolute) difference between the number of ones and the number of zeros in any initial segment of the sequence. We show that the answer is @Q(2^nlogn/n).
Patterns of Treatment Failure in Pediatric and Young Adult Patients With Hodgkin's Disease: Local Disease Control With Combined-Modality Therapy

Purpose Refinement in managing pediatric Hodgkin's disease (HD) requires understanding of factors associated with local treatment failure. This study defines the cumulative incidence (CI) of local failure (LF) and prognostic factors for pediatric patients treated for HD with combined-modality therapy (CMT). Patients and Methods We enrolled 195 patients onto two prospective studies at St Jude Children's Research Hospital between 1990 and 2000. Patients received CMT with chemotherapy (vinblastine, doxorubicin, methotrexate, and prednisone [VAMP]; vinblastine, etoposide, prednisone, and doxorubicin; or VAMP/cyclophosphamide, vincristine, and procarbazine) and involved-field radiation therapy delivered to initial site(s) of disease on the basis of early response. Sites of disease involvement, treatment, and sites of failure were confirmed from the patients' medical record, imaging, and radiotherapy treatment records. We estimated the overall survival, event-free survival, and CI of LF. Results With a median f...
Multi-terminal source coding with action dependent side information

We consider multi-terminal source coding with a single encoder and multiple decoders where either the encoder or the decoders can take actions which affect the quality or availability of the side information present at the decoders, subjected to an additional cost constraint on the actions taken. For the scenario where a joint action is taken at the decoders, we characterize the rate-cost trade-off region for lossless source coding, and give an achievability scheme for lossy source coding for two decoders which is optimum for several special cases. For the case where the encoder takes actions, we characterize the rate-cost trade-off for a class of lossless source coding scenarios with multiple decoders.
Gold‐Catalyzed Diastereoselective Cycloisomerization of Alkylidene‐Cyclopropane‐Bearing 1,6‐Diynes

An unprecedented gold-catalyzed diastereoselective cycloisomerization of 1,6-diynes bearing an alkylidene cyclopropane moiety has been developed. This methodology enables rapid access to a variety of 1,2-trimethylenenorbornanes, which are important building blocks in the preparations of abiotic and sesquiterpene core structures.
Remote activation of ICs for piracy prevention and digital right management

We introduce a remote activation scheme that aims to protect integrated circuits (IC) intellectual property (IP) against piracy. Remote activation enables designers to lock each working IC and to then remotely enable it. The new method exploits inherent unclonable variability in modern manufacturing for unique identification (ID) and integrated the IDs into the circuit functionality. The objectives are realized by replication of a few states of the finite state machine (FSM) and adding control to the state transitions. On each chip, the added control signals are a function of the unique IDs and are thus unclonable. On standard benchmark circuits, the experimental results show that the novel activation method is stable, unclonable, attack-resilient, while having a low overhead and a unique key for each IC.
Hemodynamic environments from opposing sides of human aortic valve leaflets evoke distinct endothelial phenotypes in vitro.

The regulation of valvular endothelial phenotypes by the hemodynamic environments of the human aortic valve is poorly understood. The nodular lesions of calcific aortic stenosis (CAS) develop predominantly beneath the aortic surface of the valve leaflets in the valvular fibrosa layer. However, the mechanisms of this regional localization remain poorly characterized. In this study, we combine numerical simulation with in vitro experimentation to investigate the hypothesis that the previously documented differences between valve endothelial phenotypes are linked to distinct hemodynamic environments characteristic of these individual anatomical locations. A finite-element model of the aortic valve was created, describing the dynamic motion of the valve cusps and blood in the valve throughout the cardiac cycle. A fluid mesh with high resolution on the fluid boundary was used to allow accurate computation of the wall shear stresses. This model was used to compute two distinct shear stress waveforms, one for the ventricular surface and one for the aortic surface. These waveforms were then applied experimentally to cultured human endothelial cells and the expression of several pathophysiological relevant genes was assessed. Compared to endothelial cells subjected to shear stress waveforms representative of the aortic face, the endothelial cells subjected to the ventricular waveform showed significantly increased expression of the “atheroprotective” transcription factor Kruppel-like factor 2 (KLF2) and the matricellular protein Nephroblastoma overexpressed (NOV), and suppressed expression of chemokine Monocyte-chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1). Our observations suggest that the difference in shear stress waveforms between the two sides of the aortic valve leaflet may contribute to the documented differential side-specific gene expression, and may be relevant for the development and progression of CAS and the potential role of endothelial mechanotransduction in this disease.
Correlated jamming on MIMO Gaussian fading channels

A zero-sum mutual information game on MIMO Gaussian Rayleigh fading channels is considered in this paper. The players are an encoder-decoder pair as the maximizer, and a jammer as the minimizer, of the mutual information between the input and the output of the channel. There are total power constraints on both the jammer and the encoder. Also, the jammer has access to the encoder output. We find the unique saddle point of this game, and prove the somewhat surprising result that the knowledge of the channel input is useless to the jammer.
General Linearized Polynomial Interpolation and Its Applications

In this paper we propose a general interpolation algorithm in a free module of a linearized polynomial ring, and apply this algorithm to decode two families of subspace codes, K\"{o}tter--Kschischang (KK) codes and Mahdavifar--Vardy (MV) codes. When applied to decode KK codes, our algorithm is equivalent to the Sudan-style list-1 decoding algorithm proposed by K\"{o}tter and Kschischang. Our algorithm also obtains the multivariate linearized polynomial for the list decoding of MV codes, and has a much lower complexity than solving linear equations.
Optimal exploitation of renewable resources under uncertainty and the extinction of species

We consider an optimally managed renewable resource with stochastic non-concave growth function. We characterize the conditions under which the optimal policy leads to global extinction, global conservation and the existence of a safe standard of conservation. Our conditions are specified in terms of the economic and ecological primitives of the model: the biological growth function, the welfare function, the distribution of shocks and the discount rate. Our results indicate that, unlike deterministic models, extinction and conservation in stochastic models are not determined by a simple comparison of the growth rate and the discount rate; the welfare function plays an important role.
Assessing optimal assignment under uncertainty: An interval-based algorithm

We consider the problem of multi-robot task-allocation when robots have to deal with uncertain utility estimates. Typically an allocation is performed to maximize expected utility; we consider a means for measuring the robustness of a given optimal allocation when robots have some measure of the uncertainty (e.g. a probability distribution, or moments of such distributions). We introduce the interval Hungarian algorithm, a new algorithm that extends the classic KuhnâMunkres Hungarian algorithm to compute the maximum interval of deviation, for each entry in the assignment matrix, which will retain the same optimal assignment. The algorithm has a worst-case time complexity of O(n4); we also introduce a parallel variant with O(n3) running time, which is able to exploit the concurrent computing capabilities of distributed multi-robot systems. This provides an efficient measurement of the tolerance of the allocation to the uncertainties and dynamics, for both a specific interval and a set of interrelated intervals. We conduct experiments both in simulation and with physical robots to validate the approach and to gain insight into the effect of location uncertainty on allocations for multi-robot multi-target navigation tasks.
Photometric Variability at the L/T Dwarf Boundary

We have monitored the photometric variability of nine field L and T brown dwarfs for 10 nights during the course of 1 month. Observations were obtained in the K_s band with the Palomar 60 inch (1.5 m) telescope Near-Infrared Camera. Results of statistical analyses indicate that at least three of the nine targets show significant evidence for variability, and three more are possibly variable. Fractional deviations from the median flux vary from 5% to 25%. Two of the variable targets, 2MASS 0030-14 (L7) and SDSS 0151+12 (T1), have marginally significant peaks in their periodograms. The phased light curves show evidence for periodic behavior on timescales of 1.5 and 3.0 hr, respectively. No significant correlations between variability amplitude and spectral type or J-K_s color are found. While it is clear that variability exists in objects near the L/T dwarf boundary, we find no evidence that variability near the L/T boundary is more likely than it is for early L dwarfs.
Frequency Tuning of a Disk Resonator Gyro Via Mass Matrix Perturbation

Electrostatic tuning of the resonant modes in microelectromechanical vibratory gyroscopes is often suggested as a means for compensating manufacturing aberrations that produce detuned resonances. In high performance sensors, however, this approach places very stringent requirements on the stability of the bias voltages used for tuning. Furthermore, the bias voltage stability must be maintained over the operating environment, especially with regard to temperature variations. An alternative solution to this problem is to use mass perturbations of the sensor’s resonant structure for resonant mode tuning. This paper presents a new mass perturbation technique that only relies on the sensor’s integrated actuators and pick-offs to guide the mass perturbation process. The algorithm is amenable to automation and eliminates the requirement that the modal nodes of the resonator be identified by direct measurement.
Economic resilience: definition and measurement

The welfare impact of a disaster does not only depend on the physical characteristics of the event or its direct impacts in terms of lost lives and assets. Welfare impacts also depend on the ability of the economy to cope, recover, and reconstruct and therefore to minimize aggregate consumption losses. This ability can be referred to as the macroeconomic resilience to natural disasters. Macroeconomic resilience has two components: instantaneous resilience, which is the ability to limit the magnitude of immediate production losses for a given amount of asset losses, and dynamic resilience, which is the ability to reconstruct and recover. Welfare impacts also depend on micro-economic resilience, which depends on the distribution of losses; on households' vulnerability, such as their pre-disaster income and ability to smooth shocks over time with savings, borrowing, and insurance, and on the social protection system, or the mechanisms for sharing risks across the population. The (economic) welfare disaster risk in a country can be reduced by reducing the exposure or vulnerability of people and assets (reducing asset losses), increasing macroeconomic resilience (reducing aggregate consumption losses for a given level of asset losses), or increasing microeconomic resilience (reducing welfare losses for a given level of aggregate consumption losses). The paper proposes rules of thumb to estimate macroeconomic and microeconomic resilience based on the relevant parameters in the economy. It also provides a toolbox of policies to increase macro- or micro-economic resilience and a list of indicators that can be used to build a resilience indicator.
CONGRUENCE PROPERTIES OF TAYLOR COEFFICIENTS OF MODULAR FORMS

In their work, Serre and Swinnerton-Dyer study the congruence properties of the Fourier coefficients of modular forms. We examine similar congruence properties, but for the coefficients of a modified Taylor expansion about a CM point τ. These coefficients can be shown to be the product of a power of a constant transcendental factor and an algebraic integer. In our work, we give conditions on τ and a prime number p that, if satisfied, imply that pm divides the algebraic part of all the Taylor coefficients of f of sufficiently high degree. We also give effective bounds on the largest n such that pm does not divide the algebraic part of the nth Taylor coefficient of f at τ that are sharp under certain additional hypotheses.
A multilevel voltage-source converter system with balanced DC voltages

In this paper, a multilevel voltage-source converter system is proposed for high-voltage, high-power applications such as back-to-back interconnection of power systems, large induction motor drives, and electrical traction drives. Multilevel voltage-source converters have a voltage unbalance problem in the DC capacitors. The problem may be solved by use of additional voltage regulators or separate DC sources. However, these solutions are found not to be practicable for most applications. The proposed converter system can solve the voltage unbalance problem of the conventional multilevel voltage-source converters, without using any additional voltage balance circuits or separate voltage sources. The mechanism of the voltage unbalance problem is analyzed theoretically in this paper. The voltage unbalance problem of multilevel converters in the DC capacitors has been solved by the proposed internal connections of the AC/DC and DC/AC converters. The validity of the new converter system is demonstrated by simulation and experiment. >
What Do Property Values Really Tell Us?: A Hedonic Study of Underground Storage Tanks

Hedonic property value models are widely used but are susceptible to potentially invalid conjectures based on the assumed measure of environmental quality. This paper focuses on an application where this is of particular concern: leaking underground storage tanks. I estimate a hedonic model using quasi-experimental and spatial econometric techniques. Similar to previous studies, I examine how house prices vary with distance to the disamenity. This approach yields little evidence that prices are adversely impacted. However, to better measure risks I utilize home-specific data on groundwater well tests and correspondence from regulators, and find an 11% depreciation when households are well informed.
Experimental and Theoretical Results in Output-Trajectory Redesign for Flexible Structures

In this paper we study the optimal redesign of output trajectories for linear invertible systems. This is particularly important for tracking control of flexible structures because the input-state trajectories, that achieve tracking of the required output, may cause excessive vibrations in the structure, Therefore, a trade-off is required between tracking and vibration reduction. We pose and solve this problem, in the context of linear systems, as the minimization of a quadratic cost function. The theory is developed and applied to the output tracking of a flexible structure and experimental results are presented.
Single-shot optical sampling oscilloscope for ultrafast optical waveforms

We have successfully demonstrated a system capable of performing real time measurements of 100 GHz low-energy optical waveforms. Provided that the key components can be integrated, this system shows the potential to be used for practical waveform measurements in the future. A retarding pulse replicator and an ultrafast sampling device were used in a terahertz optical asymmetric demultiplexer (TOAD).
The phoneless in the broadband age: A pilot study in Massachusetts

Questions about universal service continue to evolve as information and communication technology advances, bringing new platforms, services, and business models. Concerns about exclusion remain, particularly in times of transition to new technologies and platforms. While the universal service literature is rich in econometric studies that indicate the drivers of household telephone penetration, without qualitative data directly from those households that experience phonelessness, we cannot understand the causes well enough to design effective policy. This research explores why people are phoneless in the current environment of increased platform and business model choices. Particular focus is placed on understanding the relationship between new technology, platforms and business models and phonelessness. Data is obtained from surveys completed by approximately 100 individuals in Massachusetts who are currently without any voice connection, either landline or mobile, or have been sometime in the past ten years. The survey includes questions about different platforms and communication services in order to learn how they have led to phonelessness. The results of the pilot study show that the vast majority of phoneless households do not choose to be phoneless. The study also shows that the most frequent causes of phonelessness in this population are unemployment and unpredictable bills. Many instances of unpredictable bills leading to phonelessness occur with wireless service or bundled services but are the result of business models for service provision rather than the platforms themselves. Prepaid wireless service is a market-based solution that helps households prevent phonelessness by reducing unpredictability. Universal service policy for voice and broadband can better reduce exclusion with greater attention to business models and practices versus technologies and platforms, and increased emphasis on prepaid service to reduce unpredictability.
Adiabatic charge transport and the Kubo formula for Landau‐type Hamiltonians

The adiabatic charge transport is investigated in a two-dimensional Landau model perturbed by a bounded potential at zero temperature. We show that if the Fermi level lies in a spectral gap, then in the adiabatic limit the accumulated excess Hall charge is given by the linear response Kubo-Streda formula. The proof relies on the expansion of Nenciu, some generalized phase space estimates, and a bound on the speed of propagation. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Superstrings from supergravity

Abstract We study the origins of the five ten-dimensional “matrix superstring” theories, supplementing old results with new ones, and find that they all fit into a unified framework. In all cases the matrix definition of the string in the limit of vanishingly small coupling is a trivial 1+1-dimensional infrared fixed point (an orbifold conformal field theory) characterized uniquely by matrix versions of the appropriate Green-Schwarz action. The Fock space of the matrix string is built out of winding T-dual strings. There is an associated dual supergravity description in terms of the near-horizon geometry of the fundamental string solution of those T-dual strings. The singularity at their core is related to the orbifold target space in the matrix theory. At intermediate coupling, for the IIB and SO(32) systems, the matrix string description is in terms of non-trivial 2 + 1-dimensional fixed points. Their supergravity duals involve anti de-Sitter space (or an orbifold thereof) and are well defined everywhere, providing a complete description of the fixed point theory. In the case of the type IIB system, the two extra organizational dimensions normally found in F-theory appear here as well. The fact that they are non-dynamical has a natural interpretation in terms of holography.
Practical catalytic method for synthesis of sterically hindered anilines.

A practical catalytic method for the synthesis of sterically hindered anilines is described. The amination of aryl and heteroaryl boronic esters is accomplished using a catalyst prepared in situ from commercially available and air-stable copper(I) triflate and diphosphine ligand. For the first time, the method can be applied to the synthesis of both secondary and tertiary anilines in the presence of a wide range of functional groups. Esters, aldehydes, alcohols, aryl halides, ketones, nitriles, and nitro arenes are all compatible with the reaction conditions. Finally, even the most sterically hindered anilines can be successfully prepared under mild reaction conditions. Overall, the new method addresses significant practical limitations of a transformation previously developed in our lab, and provides a valuable complement to the existing methods for the synthesis of anilines.
The surgery obstruction groups of the infinite dihedral group

This paper computes the quadratic Witt groups (the Wall L-groups) of the polynomial ring Z(t) and the integral group ring of the infinite dihedral group, with various involutions. We show that some of these groups are infinite direct sums of cyclic groups of order 2 and 4. The techniques used are quadratic linking forms over Z(t) and Arf invariants.
Analytic controllability of time-dependent quantum control systems

The question of controllability is investigated for a quantum control system in which the Hamiltonian operator components carry explicit time dependence which is not under the control of an external agent. We consider the general situation in which the state moves in an infinite-dimensional Hilbert space, a drift term is present, and the operators driving the state evolution may be unbounded. However, considerations are restricted by the assumption that there exists an analytic domain, dense in the state space, on which solutions of the controlled Schrodinger equation may be expressed globally in exponential form. The issue of controllability then naturally focuses on the ability to steer the quantum state on a finite-dimensional submanifold of the unit sphere in Hilbert space—and thus on analytic controllability. A relatively straightforward strategy allows the extension of Lie-algebraic conditions for strong analytic controllability derived earlier for the simpler, time-independent system in which the drift Hamiltonian and the interaction Hamiltonian have no intrinsic time dependence. Enlarging the state space by one dimension corresponding to the time variable, we construct an augmented control system that can be treated as time independent. Methods developed by Kunita can then be implemented to establish controllability conditions for the one-dimension-reduced system defined by the original time-dependent Schrodinger control problem. The applicability of the resulting theorem is illustrated with selected examples.
CONSTRUCTING SYNCHRONOUSLY ROTATING DOUBLE WHITE DWARF BINARIES

We have developed a self-consistent-field (SCF) technique similar to the one described by Hachisu et al. in 1986 that can be used to construct detailed force-balanced models of synchronously rotating, double white dwarf (DWD) binaries that have a wide range of total masses, mass ratios, and separations. In addition to providing a computational tool that can be used to provide quiet initial starts for dynamical studies of the onset of mass transfer in DWD systems, we show that this SCF technique can be used to construct model sequences that mimic the last portion of the detached inspiral phase of DWD binary evolutions, and semi-detached model sequences that mimic a phase of conservative mass transfer.
Missing Women and the Price of Tea in China: The Effect of Sex-Specific Earnings on Sex Imbalance

Economists have long argued that the sex imbalance in developing countries is caused by underlying economic conditions. This paper uses exogenous increases in sex-specific agricultural income caused by post-Mao reforms in China to estimate the effects of total income and sex-specific income on sex-differential survival of children. Increasing female income, holding male income constant, improves survival rates for girls, whereas increasing male income, holding female income constant, worsens survival rates for girls. Increasing female income increases educational attainment of all children, whereas increasing male income decreases educational attainment for girls and has no effect on boys' educational attainment.
Highly Regioselective Radical Cyclizations of Allenamides

The first radical cyclizations of allenamides are described. These reactions are highly regioselective for the central carbon of the allenic moiety, leading to an efficient preparation of nitrogen heterocycles such as isoquinolines, and carbocycles such as indane and naphthalene derivatives. The exo-cyclization mode could also be achieved in some cases, leading to the synthesis of isoindoles. The feasibility of a tandem radical cyclization using allenamide is also established.
Computation of Neutron Multiplicity Statistics Using Deterministic Transport

Nuclear nonproliferation efforts are supported by measurements that are capable of rapidly characterizing special nuclear materials (SNM). Neutron multiplicity counting is frequently used to estimate properties of SNM, including neutron source strength, multiplication, and generation time. Different classes of models have been used to estimate these and other properties from the measured neutron counting distribution and its statistics. This paper describes a technique to compute statistics of the neutron counting distribution using deterministic neutron transport models. This approach can be applied to rapidly analyze neutron multiplicity counting measurements without relying on the point reactor kinetics model.
HUMAN IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS PREVENTION: APPLYING THE LESSONS LEARNED*

Because most new human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections world-wide result from unprotected sexual intercourse with an HIV-infected person, the continued development, evaluation, and implemen...
Decentralization, economic development, and growth in Turkish provinces

There have been important developments in the decentralization of the government structure in Turkey since the early 1980s. This paper examines economic development and growth in Turkish provinces. Although there is a rich literature on the economic effects of government decentralization from both developed and developing countries, these effects have not been examined widely in the context of Turkish local governments. The authors first describe changes since the early 1980s and recent reform efforts. They then provide an empirical analysis of the effects of decentralization in Turkish provinces using cross-sectional and panel data approaches. The panel dataset consists of 67 provinces from 1976 to 2001. The analysis examines whether variations in local decentralization across these provinces and across time have had a significant impact on economic development and growth in those provinces. The findings suggest a weak negative economic effect of decentralization through a number of municipalities per capita. However, the findings do not show any significant impact from the creation of new provinces by separation from the existing ones.
Effects of elasticity on the Rayleigh-Taylor instability: implications for large-scale geodynamics

SUMMARY Although parts of the lithosphere may be expected to behave elastically over certain timescales, this effect is commonly ignored in models of large-scale mantle dynamics. Recently it has been demonstrated that elasticity, and in particular viscoelasticity, may have a significant effect on the buckling instability and on the creation of lithospheric-scale shearzones. It is, however, less clear whether elasticity also has an effect on mantle convection and density-driven lithospheric instabilities. The focus of this work is, therefore, to study the effects of elasticity on the twolayer Rayleigh‐Taylor (RT) instability, consisting of a Maxwell viscoelastic layer overlying a viscous layer of lower density. We analyse this problem by performing systematic numerical simulations that are compared with newly derived analytical solutions. It is demonstrated that elasticity can be important for certain parameter combinations; it leads to a speedup of the RT instability. The cause for this speedup is that the RT instability is only sensitive to the viscous fraction of deformation in the viscoelastic layer. Elasticity reduces the viscous fraction of deformation at timescales shorter than the Maxwell relaxation time t M (t M = µ/G, where µ is the viscosity and G the elastic shear module). For plate tectonics on Earth, the parameters are such that the effect of elasticity on instability growth is negligible for most boundary conditions. Whereas elasticity does not (or only slightly) change the timescales for lithospheric detachment of the upper mantle, it does significantly alter the response and stress build-up in the overlying crust. Numerical simulations illustrate this effect for lithospheric detachment and show that peak stresses in a viscoelastic crust are smaller than stresses that develop in a viscous crust. Moreover, if the timescale for delamination of the mantle lithosphere is equal or smaller than the Maxwell relaxation time of the crust, the topography of the crust is increased compared to viscous models.
Countercyclical Price Movements during Periods of Peak Demand: Evidence from Grocery Retail Price for Avocados

Using a unique micro dataset and advanced panel models, this study examines the effects of demand shocks on grocery retail price for avocados, a key Californian fresh produce commodity. Retail prices for avocados exhibited countercyclical movements over seasonal demand shocks for avocados associated with some holidays and events. Demand for avocados is shown to be higher during some holidays/events, e.g., Christmas/New Year, Super Bowl Sunday, and Cinco de Mayo. Super Bowl Sunday and Cinco de Mayo are identified as holidays/events associated with idiosyncratic demand peaks for avocados, but not associated with high aggregate consumer demand. Retail price and margin were significantly lower during some holidays/events associated with high demand for avocados, e.g., Christmas/New Year, Super Bowl Sunday, and Cinco de Mayo. The study also shows that the increase in demand and decrease in retail price during holidays/events with demand peaks for avocados was present for both large and small sizes of avocados, and the size of demand increases and the size of price reductions were not statistically different between large and small size of avocados. Furthermore, shipping price did not change or increased slightly, and hence moved opposite from retail the price during most holidays/events with high demand for avocados. We examine and test the predictions by four classes of theories that put forward to explaining countercyclical price movements over demand peaks. Overall, the evidence provides support for the Lal and Matutes (1994) model that retailers reduce retail prices and/or margins during a commodity's high-demand periods, but does not support alternative explanations for countercyclical price movements, such as Bernheim and Whinston (1990), Warner and Barskey (1995), or Nevo and Hatzitaskos (2006). The findings are consistent with the findings by Chevalier, Kashyap, and Rossi (2003). The study estimates the effects of the CAC's promotion programs on retail sales, retail price, and shipping price at disaggregate level. The analysis demonstrates that the CAC's promotion programs were associated with positive retail sales. In particular, the evidence from the long-panel data suggests that the CAC's promotion programs were successful in raising avocado sales. There is no evidence that retailers charged higher prices during the CAC's promotions.
Tap tips: lightweight discovery of touchscreen targets

We describe tap tips, a technique for providing touchscreen target location hints. Tap tips are lightweight in that they are non-modal, appear only when needed, require a minimal number of user gestures, and do not add to the standard touchscreen gesture vocabulary. We discuss our implementation of tap tips in an electronic guidebook system and some usability test results.
Application of chaos theory in identification of two-phase flow patterns and transitions in a small, horizontal, rectangular channel

Various measurement tools of chaos theory were applied to analyze two-phase pressure signals with the objective to identify and interpret flow pattern transitions for two-phase flows in a small, horizontal rectangular channel. These measurement tools included power spectral density function, autocorrelation function, pseudo-phase-plane trajectory, Lyapunov exponents, and fractal dimensions. It was demonstrated that the randomlike pressure fluctuations characteristic of two-phase flow in small rectangular channels are chaotic in nature. As such, they are governed by a high-order deterministic system. The correlation dimension is potentially a new approach for identification of certain two-phase flow patterns and transitions.
Sensor networks for cabled ocean observatories

An infrastructure for global, regional, and coastal sub-sea observatories is being planned to support individual and networked sensors. Secondary cables and junction boxes, moorings, and downbore tools could extend the horizontal reach by tens to hundreds of km from the primary cable and nodes throughout the water column and down boreholes into the crust. The support infrastructure could include navigation and communications systems, free-swimming AUV's, and bottom rovers that could carry sensors and could provide data and energy "tanker" service.
A dynamic equilibrium of electricity consumption and GDP in Hong Kong: An empirical investigation

Abstract Public debates on electricity policy in Hong Kong focus on the regulation regime but seldom discuss the macroeconomic impact. In this paper, we use the novel dataset on electricity consumption and report the following findings: (1) there is a long run equilibrium relationship between real GDP and electricity consumption; (2) a one-way causal effect exists from electricity consumption to real GDP; (3) a significant adjustment process occurs when equilibrium is interrupted; (4) there exists possible structural change in the relationship between electricity consumption and economic activities in 1990s.
Multivariate Survival Analysis

Multivariate survival analysis deals with methods designed for the study of correlated failure time observations taken on a single individual or a group of individuals. Examples of applications include epidemiologic studies on the familial tendency in chronic disease incidence, follow-up studies of recurrent diseases, litter-matched carcinogenicity experiments on animals, or clinical trials on paired human organs. We give an overview of common approaches to nonparametric estimation of survival function in the presence of censoring and truncation, testing dependencies, and semiparametric regression modeling. Keywords: bivariate censoring and truncation; survival function estimation; independence tests; frailty models; multistate models
Relaxation matrix analysis of 2D NMR data

In this article we will survey some of the approaches taken to derive structural information from the 2D NOE experiment. The underlying physical basis for the methods will be discussed and their limitations will be highlighted. In so doing, we will try to develop guidelines for obtaining the most accurate and realistic structural parameters from the spectral data