cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hierarchical Identity Based Encryption with Polynomially Many Levels

We present the first hierarchical identity based encryption (HIBE) system that has full security for more than a constant number of levels. In all prior HIBE systems in the literature, the security reductions suffered from exponential degradation in the depth of the hierarchy, so these systems were only proven fully secure for identity hierarchies of constant depth. (For deep hierarchies, previous work could only prove the weaker notion of selective-ID security.) In contrast, we offer a tight proof of security, regardless of the number of levels; hence our system is secure for polynomially many levels. Our result can very roughly be viewed as an application of Boyen's framework for constructing HIBE systems from exponent-inversion IBE systems to a (dramatically souped-up) version of Gentry's IBE system, which has a tight reduction. In more detail, we first describe a generic transformation from "identity based broadcast encryption with key randomization" (KR-IBBE) to a HIBE, and then construct KR-IBBE by modifying a recent construction of IBBE of Gentry and Waters, which is itself an extension of Gentry's IBE system. Our hardness assumption is similar to that underlying Gentry's IBE system.
Self-concordance is NP-hard

We show that deciding whether a convex function is self-concordant is in general an intractable problem.
Spatial Variation in Flood Risk Perception: A Spatial Econometric Approach

We use hedonic property models to estimate the spatial variation in flood risk perception in the city of Albany, GA. In addition to knowing whether a property lies in the floodplain, we have a unique dataset with actual inundation maps from tropical storm Alberto that hit Albany in 1994. In the absence of information on the structural damages caused by a flood, having information on the actual inundated area can be useful to tease out the information effect of a flood shock from potential reconstruction or other costs. We find that the discount for properties in the inundated area is substantially larger than in comparable properties in the floodplain areas that did not get inundated. Our results suggest that not accounting for whether properties in the floodplains are also in the inundated area may overestimate the informational effect of large flood events. In addition of capturing an information effect, the larger discount in inundated properties captures potential reconstruction costs, and supports a hypothesis that homeowners respond better to what they have visualized (“seeing is believing”).
Algorithms and models for turbulence not at statistical equilibrium

Standard eddy viscosity models, while robust, cannot represent backscatter and have severe difficulties with complex turbulence not at statistical equilibrium. This report gives a new derivation of eddy viscosity models from an equation for the evolution of variance in a turbulent flow. The new derivation also shows how to correct eddy viscosity models. The report proves the corrected models preserve important features of the true Reynolds stresses. It gives algorithms for their discretization including a minimally invasive modular step to adapt an eddy viscosity code to the extended models. A numerical test is given with standard and over diffusive eddy viscosity models. The correction (scaled by 1 0 - 8 ) does exhibit intermittent backscatter.
Energy Prices and Productivity Growth

The sharp decline in economic growth since 1973 presents a problem comparable in scientific interest and social importance to the problem of unemployment in the Great Depression of the 1930s. Conventional methods of economic analysis have been tried and have been found to be inadequate. This paper outlines a new framework for understanding the slowdown in economic growth. We find that the fall in U.S. economic growth since 1973 has been due to the dramatic decline in productivity growth. Within the new framework we identify higher energy prices as an important determinant of the productivity slowdown.
Variability of the Vela Pulsar Wind Nebula Observed with Chandra

The observations of the pulsar wind nebula (PWN) around the Vela pulsar with the Advanced CCD Imaging Spectrometer aboard the Chandra X-Ray Observatory, taken on 2000 April 30 and November 30, reveal its complex morphology reminiscent of that of the Crab PWN. Comparison of the two observations shows changes up to 30% in the surface brightness of the PWN features. Some of the PWN elements show appreciable shifts, up to a few arcseconds (~1016 cm), and/or spectral changes. Such variations hold the potential to provide a new diagnostics for the study of PWNe.
Observable Properties of q-Deformed Physical Systems

Examples are given of q-deformed systems that may be interpreted by the standard rules of quantum theory in terms of new degrees of freedom and supplementary quantum numbers.
Imperfect Information and Political Economy

We study the provision of dynamic incentives to self-interested politicians in an environment in which politicians cannot commit to policies and have private information about the size of government resources. In this environment, citizens discipline politicians by threatening to remove them from power. We consider a setting in which the best policies for citizens can be sustained in the absence of private information by the off-equilibrium threat of replacement. We present three results which emerge once private information is introduced. First, politicians are replaced along the equilibrium path as a means of inducing good performance. Second, if rents to politicians are paid along the equilibrium path, then intratemporal distortions to production emerge as a means of minimizing these rents and backloading incentives to politicians. Third, all politicians are eventually replaced and distortions never disappear in the long run.
Social Competence Intervention Program

The Social Competence Intervention Program (SCIP) is an innovative, manualized, group intervention for children on the autism spectrum (Guli et al. in Social Competence Intervention Program, Champaign, Research Press, 2008). It uses fun and cooperative creative drama techniques to address skills that make social interactions difficult for this population. These include the giving and taking of nonverbal cues, perspective taking, and cognitive flexibility. The group format allows social difficulties to be addressed in the moment they occur, and so children in the program begin to experience the feelings of social success. SCIP is founded on several models of social competence and social perception described in following sections.
Factor Score Estimation

Factors scores are measures of principal components or common factors. Under the principal components model, the factor scores are uniquely determined; under the common factor model, they are not. In the latter situation, the factor scores are indeterminate, potentially having an infinite number of solution sets, and thus their true values can only be estimated. Three methods of factor score estimation are discussed: (a) regression, (b) Bartlett's method, and (c) Anderson and Rubin's method. Although the properties and values of the factor score estimates produced by the three methods differ, the estimates are in general highly correlated. Keywords: latent variables; factor analysis; principal components model; common factor model; underidentification
Quark substructure and isobar effects on deuteron form-factors

Publisher Summary The R-matrix boundary condition method provides a hybrid quark/gluon and hadron model. Elastic ed scattering, with deuteron polarization, up to high momentum transfer provides detailed information on the deuteron wave function. This determines the rangedependence of the orbital and spin components of the one- and two-body currents, restricting contributions of isobar and meson-exchange currents and of quark/gluon degrees of freedom, as well as the nucleon component. The R-matrix boundary condition model combines all these effects, predicting nucleon-nucleon (NN) reactions and the deuteron form factors simultaneously. A few of the parameters are not predetermined by data independent of the NN interaction and symmetry requirements. The remaining few are almost all determined by NN scattering data. Following a review of the R-matrix method and its application to the NN system, three specific models of different levels of completeness are compared with the NN scattering and electron-deuteron form-factors data. From these one can extrapolate to a model that represents all the data.
Effects of China's Antidumping Tariffs on U.S-China Bilateral Poultry Trade

In recent years, the United States has taken the lion’s share of the Chinese broiler meat import market, ranging from 53.0% to 84.9%. Under the threat of rising poultry imports from the United States Chinese producers asked for an investigation into chicken prices, accusing American poultry firms of dumping. The investigation led to antidumping duties on U.S. chicken imports as of February 13, 2010, ranging from 43.1% to 105.4%. This study is designed to evaluate U.S.-China poultry bilateral trade relations under the new tariff using an excess-supply-excess-demand model. The structural model is estimated using GMM with HAC (heteroskedasticity-autocorrelation) robust standard errors to obtain structural coefficients. The analysis focuses on chicken wings, legs, and feet. Monthly data for 2005 to 2009 are used in the analysis and reflect recent events.
Design of a gas spin-up system for an electrostatically supported cryogenic gyroscope.

This paper describes a method of spinning an electrostatically supported cryogenic gyroscope to speeds in excess of 200 cps. The gyroscope has been designed as part of the preliminary work on a satellite experiment to test general relativity originally suggested by Schiff [1]. The gyro, shown schematically in Fig. 1, consists of a 1.5-in.-diameter quartz ball with a homogeneity of 1 part in 105, which is coated with a thin film of superconducting niobium and supported in a vacuum by three orthogonal pairs of electrodes.† The spacing between the electrodes and the ball is approximately 0.0038 cm, and the support voltage in the earth’s gravitational field is approximately 500 V rms. The use of a superconducting ball is dictated by the readout system of the gyroscope, which locates the axis by measuring the direction of the magnetic field associated with the “London moment” of a spinning superconductor [2]. An operating speed approaching 200 cps is required to give adequate drift performance and readout sensitivity. The operating speed is made somewhat lower than that in other types of precision gyroscopes in order to limit the centrifugal distortion of the ball.
Comparisons of Calculated and Measured Spectral Distributions of Neutrons from a 14-MeV Neutron Source Inside the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor

A recent paper presented neutron spectral distributions (energy greater than or equal to 0.91 MeV) measured at various locations around the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor (TFTR) at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory. The neutron source for the series of measurements was a small deuterium-tritium generator placed at various positions in the TFTR vacuum chamber. The results of neutron transport calculations are presented and compared with these experimental data. Applications to breeding blankets are discussed.
Quantum Brain States

If conscious observers are to be included in the quantum mechanical universe, we need to find the rules that engage observers with quantum mechanical systems. The author has proposed five rules that are discovered by insisting on empirical completeness; that is, by requiring the rules to draw empirical information from Schrodinger's solutions that is more complete than is currently possible with the (Born) probability interpretation. I discard Born's interpretation, introducing probability solely through probability “current.” These rules tell us something about brains. They require the existence of observer brain states that are neither conscious nor unconscious. I call them “ready” brain states because they are on stand-by, ready to become conscious the moment they are stochastically chosen. Two of the rules are selection rules involving ready brain states. The place of these rules in a wider theoretical context is discussed.
A mapping of labor mobility costs in developing countries

Estimates of labor mobility costs are needed to assess the responses of employment and wages to trade shocks when factor adjustment is costly. Available methods to estimate those costs rely on panel data, which are seldom available in developing countries. The authors propose a method to estimate mobility costs using readily obtainable data worldwide. The estimator matches the changes in observed sectoral employment allocations with the predicted allocations from a model of costly labor adjustment. This paper estimates a world map of labor mobility costs and uses those estimates to explore the response of labor markets to trade policy.
Noise Methods for Flavor Singlet Quantities

A discussion of methods for reducing the noise variance of flavor singlet quantities (“disconnected diagrams”) in lattice QCD is given. After an introduction, the possible advantage of partitioning the Wilson fermion matrix into disjoint spaces is discussed and a numerical comparison of the variance for three possible partitioning schemes is carried out. The measurement efficiency of lattice operators is examined and shown to be strongly influenced by the Dirac and color partitioning choices. Next, the numerical effects of an automated subtraction algorithm on the noise variance of various disconnected loop matrix elements are examined It is found that there is a dramatic reduction in the variance of the Wilson point-split electromagnetic currents and that this reduction persists at small quark mass.
Godunov methods and adaptive algorithms for unsteady fluid dynamics

Higher-order versions of Godunov's method have proven highly successful for high-Mach-number compressible flow. One goal of the research being described in this paper is to extend the range of applicability of these methods to more general systems of hyperbolic conversion laws such as magnetohydrodynamics, flow in porous media and finite deformations of elastic-plastics solids. A second goal is to apply Godunov methods to problems involving more complex physical and solution geometries than can be treated on a simple rectangular grid. This requires the introduction of various adaptive methodologies: global moving and body-fitted meshes, local adaptive mesh refinement, and front tracking. 11 refs., 6 figs.
An extension of the work of V. Guillemin on complex powers and zeta functions of elliptic pseudodifferential operators

The purpose of this note is to extend the methods and results of Guillemin on elliptic self-adjoint pseudodifferential operators of order one, from operators defined on smooth functions on a closed manifold to operators defined on smooth sections in a vector bundle. The case of bundles of Hilbert modules of finite type over a finite von Neumann algebra will also be treated.
Minimal Links and a Result of Gaeta

If Vis an equidimensional codimension c subscheme of an n-dimensional projective space, and V is linked to V′ by a complete intersection X, then we say that V is minimally linked to V′ if Xis a codimension c complete intersection of smallest degree containing V. Gaeta showed that if V is any arithmetically Cohen-Macaulay (ACM) subscheme of codimension two then there is a finite sequence of minimal links beginning with V and arriving at a complete intersection. Gaeta’s result leads to two natural questions.
Baryon-baryon interactions from the lattice

I discuss the latest progress in calculating baryon-baryon interactions with lattice QCD. The latest results from the NPLQCD collaboration for nucleon-nucleon scattering along with preliminary calculations of hyperon-nucleon scattering are presented.
A tracial quantum central limit theorem

We prove a central limit theorem for non-commutative random variables in a von Neumann algebra with a tracial state: Any non-commutative polynomial of averages of i.i.d. samples converges to a classical limit. The proof is based on a central limit theorem for ordered joint distributions together with a commutator estimate related to the Baker-Campbell-Hausdorff expansion. The result can be considered a generalization of Johansson's theorem on the limiting distribution of the shape of a random word in a fixed alphabet as its length goes to infinity [math.CO/9906120,math.PR/9909104].
Tektites and their origin

Questions concerning the tektite distribution are examined, taking into account the Australasian strewn field, the Ivory Coast strewn field, the Moldavite strewn field, the North American strewn field, the Libyan desert glass, the Aouelloul crater glass, and amerikanites. Attention is given to the shapes of tektites, the internal structure of tektites, the physical properties of tektite glass, the chemical composition of tektites, isotopes, fission tracks, cosmic ray tracks, and arguments in favor and against the terrestrial origin of tektites. It is concluded that tektites cannot be terrestrial in origin. They are probably volcanic ejects, of geologically recent epochs, from one or a number of lunar volcanoes.
On describing the routing capacity regions of networks

The routing capacity region of networks with multiple unicast sessions can be characterized using Farkas lemma as an infinite set of linear inequalities. In this paper this result is sharpened by exploiting properties of the solution satisfied by each rate-tuple on the boundary of the capacity region, and a finite description of the routing capacity region which depends on network parameters is offered. For the special case of undirected ring networks additional results on the complexity of the description are provided.
Multilevel Preconditioners for Reaction-Diffusion Problems with Discontinuous Coefficients

In this paper, we extend some of the multilevel convergence results obtained by Xu and Zhu in [Xu and Zhu, M3AS 2008], to the case of second order linear reaction-diffusion equations. Specifically, we consider the multilevel preconditioners for solving the linear systems arising from the linear finite element approximation of the problem, where both diffusion and reaction coefficients are piecewise-constant functions. We discuss in detail the influence of both the discontinuous reaction and diffusion coefficients to the performance of the classical BPX and multigrid V-cycle preconditioner.
Angular Size Measurements of Mira Variable Stars at 2.2 Microns. II.

We present angular size measurements of 22 oxygen-rich Mira variable stars. These data are part of a long-term observational program using the Infrared Optical Telescope Array to characterize the observable behavior of these stars. Complementing the infrared angular size measurements, values for variable star phase, spectral type, bolometric flux, and distance were established for stars in the sample; flux and distance led to values for effective temperature (Teff) and linear radius, respectively. Additionally, values for the K-[12] color excess were established for these stars, which is indicative of dusty mass loss. Stars with higher color excess are shown to be systematically 120 R⊙ larger than their low color excess counterparts, regardless of period. This analysis appears to present a solution to a long-standing question presented by the evidence that some Mira angular diameters are indicative of first-overtone pulsation, while other diameters are more consistent with fundamental pulsation. A simple examination of the resultant sizes of these stars in the context of pulsation mode is consistent with at least some of these objects pulsating in the fundamental mode.
ON THE PLANAR TRANSLATION OF TWO BODIES IN A UNIFORM FLOW

The general planar translation of two bodies of revolution through an inviscid and incompressible fluid is considered. The moving trajectories and the hydrodynamic interactions are computed based on the generalised Lagrange equations of motion, including the effects of solid constraints, external forces in the plane of motion, and a uniform stream in any direction parallel to the plane of motion. In a relative co-ordinate system moving with the stream, the kinetic energy of the fluid is expressed as a function of six added masses due to motions parallel and perpendicular to the line joining the centres of two bodies. Analytical solutions of added masses in series form are obtained for the motion of two spheres. A new iterative formula based on the analysis of velocity potentials around each body is developed for added masses and their derivatives with respect to the separation distance due to the transverse motion. The method of successive images and Taylor's added-mass formula are applied to determine the added masses and their derivatives due to the centroidal motion. These results are compared with the numerical solution of added masses computed by the boundary0integral method and the generalised Taylor added-mass formula. The integral equations, in terms of surface-source distributions on both surfaces, are modified for obtaining accurate numerical solutions. Numerical results are given for several practical engineering problems.
On the Mass Profile of Galaxy Cluster Cl 0024+1654 Inferred from Strong Lensing

Observations of a flat-density profile in the cores of dark matter-dominated halos on the two extremes of mass for virialized objects in the universe, dwarf galaxies and galaxy clusters, present a serious challenge to the current standard theory of structure formation involving cold dark matter (CDM). By contrast, N-body simulations of halo formation in the latter indicate density profiles that are singular and steeply rising toward the center. A flat-density core on the cluster scale is indicated by gravitational lensing observations, most significantly by the strong-lensing measurements of Cl 0024+1654 by the Hubble Space Telescope. A recent reanalysis of this cluster has suggested that a uniform-density core is not demanded by the data, thereby eliminating a significant piece of the conflict between the observations and the CDM theoretical predictions. We show here, however, that the singular mass profile that that analysis reports as consistent with the lensing measurements of Cl 0024+1654 implies a velocity dispersion that is much higher than the measured value for this cluster.
A Generalization of Multiple Choice Balls-into-Bins: Tight Bounds

This paper investigates a general version of the multiple choice model called the (k, d)-choice process in which n balls are assigned to n bins. In the process, $$kn$$m>n balls are placed into n bins is also presented for the case $$d \ge 2k$$d?2k. Potential applications are discussed such as distributed storage as well as parallel job scheduling in a cluster.
Mixing actions of countable groups are almost free

A measure preserving action of a countably infinite group \Gamma is called totally ergodic if every infinite subgroup of \Gamma acts ergodically. For example, all mixing and mildly mixing actions are totally ergodic. This note shows that if an action of \Gamma is totally ergodic then there exists a finite normal subgroup N of \Gamma such that the stabilizer of almost every point is equal to N. Surprisingly the proof relies on the group theoretic fact (proved by Hall and Kulatilaka as well as by Kargapolov) that every infinite locally finite group contains an infinite abelian subgroup, of which all known proofs rely on the Feit-Thompson theorem. As a consequence we deduce a group theoretic characterization of countable groups whose non-trivial Bernoulli factors are all free: these are precisely the groups that posses no finite normal subgroup other than the trivial subgroup.
Interval Influence Diagrams

We describe a mechanism for performing probabilistic reasoning in influence diagrams using interval rather than point valued probabilities. We derive the procedures for node removal (corresponding to conditional expectation) and arc reversal (corresponding to Bayesian conditioning) in influence diagrams where lower bounds on probabilities are stored at each node. The resulting bounds for the transformed diagram are shown to be optimal within the class of constraints on probability distributions that can be expressed exclusively as lower bounds on the component probabilities of the diagram. Sequences of these operations can be performed to answer probabilistic queries with indeterminacies in the input and for performing sensitivity analysis on an influence diagram. The storage requirements and computational complexity of this approach are comparable to those for point-valued probabilistic inference mechanisms, making the approach attractive for performing sensitivity analysis and where probability information is not available. Limited empirical data on an implementation of the methodology are provided.
Europe’s Southeastern Gateway: Romania’s Public Policy Respose to Changing Patterns of World Shipping

This article is a follow-up to one published in December of 2012 (Hamlin and Lazar, 2012). Global trade and related transportation are changing dramatically. Trends are diff cult to fol-low, but important in the effect on cities, coun-tries and continents. Over the past two decades, rising energy prices, rising wages, environmen-tal concerns and other factors have produced a shift back to ocean shipping as an important transportation mode. While slower than other modes, ocean freighter transport can be lower in cost and create lower carbon emissions. These advantages continue to improve as container freighters are becoming larger. The purpose of the article is to look more closely at the public and private sector response in the key Romania port of Constanţa. The f rst part will lay out the current situation. The second will update and evaluate the Eastern European responses to the current situation, looking closely at the Port of Constanţa.
Visible light assisted photocatalytic hydrogen generation by Ta2O5/Bi2O3, TaON/Bi2O3, and Ta3N5/Bi2O3 composites

Composites comprised of two semiconducting materials with suitable band gaps and band positions have been reported to be effective at enhancing photocatalytic activity in the visible light region of the electromagnetic spectrum. Here, we report the synthesis, complete structural and physical characterizations, and photocatalytic performance of a series of semiconducting oxide composites. UV light active tantalum oxide (Ta2O5) and visible light active tantalum oxynitride (TaON) and tantalum nitride (Ta3N5) were synthesized, and their composites with Bi2O3 were prepared in situ using benzyl alcohol as solvent. The composite prepared using equimolar amounts of Bi2O3 and Ta2O5 leads to the formation of the ternary oxide, bismuth tantalate (BiTaO4) upon calcination at 1000 °C. The composites and single phase bismuth tantalate formed were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area measurement, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), UV–Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, and photoluminescence. The photocatalytic activities of the catalysts were evaluated for generation of hydrogen using aqueous methanol solution under visible light irradiation (λ ≥ 420 nm). The results show that as-prepared composite photocatalysts extend the light absorption range and restrict photogenerated charge-carrier recombination, resulting in enhanced photocatalytic activity compared to individual phases. The mechanism for the enhanced photocatalytic activity for the heterostructured composites is elucidated based on observed activity, band positions calculations, and photoluminescence data.
Asteroseismological Analysis of Rich Pulsating White Dwarfs

We present the results of the asteroseismological analysis of two rich DAVs, G38‐29 and R808, recent targets of the Whole Earth Telescope. 20 periods between 413 s and 1089 s were found in G38‐29’s pulsation spectrum, while R808 is an even richer pulsator, with 24 periods between 404 s and 1144 s. Traditionally, DAVs that have been analyzed asteroseismologically have had less than half a dozen modes. Such a large number of modes presents a special challenge to white dwarf asteroseismology, but at the same time has the potential to yield a detailed picture of the interior chemical make‐up of DAVs. We explore this possibility by varying the core profiles as well as the layer masses. We use an iterative grid search approach to find best fit models for G38‐29 and R808 and comment on some of the intricacies of fine grid searches in white dwarf asteroseismology.
Weathering the storm : investing in port infrastructure to lower trade costs in East Asia

The world economic crisis of 2008 presents clear challenges to prospects for economic growth in developing countries. This is particularly true for emerging economies in East Asia that have relied to a great extent over the past decade on export-led growth. What steps to facilitate trade promise a relatively strong return on investment for East Asia to help sustain trade and growth? The authors examine how port infrastructure affects trade and the role of transport costs in driving exports and imports for the region. They find that port congestion has significantly increased the transport costs to East Asia from both of the United States and Japan. The analysis suggests that cutting port congestion by 10 percent could cut transport costs in East Asia by up to 3 percent. This translates into a 0.3 to 0.5 percent across-the-board tariff cut. In addition, the estimates suggest that the trade cost reduction of investment in port infrastructure in East Asia that translates into higher consumer welfare would far outweigh the cost for physical expansion of the ports in the region.
Overlaying Time Scales and Persistence Estimation in GARCH(1,1) Models

A common finding in the empirical literature is that financial volatility exhibits high persistence, or slow mean reversion of the order of months. We present evidence that financial volatility data contains more than a single time scale. After showing that the expectation of the sum of the estimates of the autoregressive coefficients of a GARCH(1,1) model is one when there are unknown parameter changes, we explore the phenomenon in simulations. For parameter changes within realistic ranges for stock-price volatility we obtain global estimates close to integration while the average data-generating mean reversion is of the order of a few days. Spectral analysis of the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the S&P500 index between 1985 and 2001 reveals a short time scale of the magnitude of 5-10 days present in the data. Thus, two different time scales exist in the data, one of the order of months corresponding to different volatility regimes, and one of the order of days corresponding to the average mean reversion within regimes.
A non-ribbon plumbing of fibered ribbon knots

A closer look at an example introduced by Livingston and Melvin and later studied by Miyazaki shows that a plumbing of two fibered ribbon knots (along their fiber surfaces) may be algebraically slice yet not ribbon.
Generalized Direct Sampling for Hierarchical Bayesian Models

We develop a new method to sample from posterior distributions in hierarchical models without using Markov chain Monte Carlo. This method, which is a variant of importance sampling ideas, is generally applicable to high-dimensional models involving large data sets. Samples are independent, so they can be collected in parallel, and we do not need to be concerned with issues like chain convergence and autocorrelation. Additionally, the method can be used to compute marginal likelihoods.
Foreign Capital and Labor Productivity Growth in Chile: An Empirical Anaysis

This paper examines the impact of foreign direct investment (FDI) on labor productivity growth in Chile during the 1960-2001 period. Using co-integration analysis, the paper estimates an error correction model (ECM) that suggests that increases in FDI flows had a positive and significant effect on labor productivity growth. The lagged public investment variable, as well as outward-oriented policies and economic crises (captured by dummies) were also found to have the expected sign and to be statistically significant. The error correction terms are negative and statistically significant, suggesting that contemporaneous shocks to the longrun labor productivity relationship are corrected in subsequent periods.
GraphEx: An Improved Graph Translation Service

The Internet-based translation service GraphEX automatically converting between different graph formats, making it easier for users to take advantage of the full variety of graph drawing tools. GraphEx builds on the prototype translation component of the Graph Drawing Server [2], improving the handling of information mismatch problems and adding support for user-defined formats.
Sex-Selective Abortions, Fertility, and Birth Spacing

Previous research on sex-selective abortions has ignored the interactions between fertility, birth spacing, and sex selection, despite both fertility and birth spacing being important considerations for parents when deciding on the use of sex selection. This paper presents a novel approach that jointly estimates the determinants of sex-selective abortions, fertility, and birth spacing, using data on Hindu women from India's National Family and Health Surveys. Women with eight or more years of education in urban and rural areas are the main users of sex-selective abortions and they also have the lowest fertility. Predicted lifetime fertility for these women declined 11 percent between the 1985-1994 and 1995-2006 periods, which correspond to the periods of time before and after sex selection became illegal. Fertility is now around replacement level. This decrease in fertility has been accompanied by a 6 percent increase in the predicted number of abortions during the childbearing years between the two periods, and sex selection is increasingly used for earlier parities. Hence, the legal steps taken to combat sex selection have been unable to reverse its use. Women with fewer than eight years of education have substantially higher fertility and do not appear to use sex selection.
Multilateralism beyond Doha

There is a fundamental shift taking place in the world economy to which the multilateral trading system has failed to adapt. The Doha process focused on issues of limited significance while the burning issues of the day were not even on the negotiating agenda. This paper advances five propositions: (i) the traditional negotiating dynamic, driven by private sector interests largely in the rich countries, is running out of steam; (ii) the world economy is moving broadly from conditions of relative abundance to relative scarcity, and so economic security has become a paramount concern for consumers, workers, and ordinary citizens; (iii) international economic integration can contribute to enhanced security; (iv) addressing these new concerns - relating to food, energy, and economic security - requires a wider agenda of multilateral cooperation, involving not just the WTO but other multilateral institutions; and (v) despite shifts in economic power across countries, the commonality of interests and scope for give-and-take on these new issues make multilateral cooperation worth attempting.
Hecke operators and Hilbert modular forms

Let F be a real quadratic field with ring of integers O andwith class number 1. Let Γ be a congruence subgroup of GL2(O). Wedescribe a technique to compute the action of the Hecke operators on thecohomology H3(Γ;C). For F real quadratic this cohomology group containsthe cuspidal cohomology corresponding to cuspidal Hilbert modularforms of parallel weight 2. Hence this technique gives a way to computethe Hecke action on these Hilbert modular forms.
One Dollar, One Vote

This paper revisits the relationship between inequality and redistribution in a panel of advanced OECD countries. Using panel data methods that hold constant a variety of determinants of redistributive spending, I find a non-monotonic relationship between pre-tax-and transfer distribution of income and redistribution. Relative to mean income, a more affluent rich and middle class are associated with less redistribution and a richer poor class is associated with more redistribution. These results are consistent with a one dollar, one vote politico-economic equilibrium: When the income of a group of citizens increases, aggregate redistributive policies tilt towards this group’s most preferred policies.
THE SYSTEM BaO–B2O3*

A phase-equilibrium diagram of the system BaO–B2O3 has been constructed from data obtained essentially by the quenching method. Four congruently melting compounds were identified: BaO·4B2O3, melting at 879 ± 5°C.; BaO·2B2O3, melting at 900 · 5°C.; BaO·B2O3, melting at 1095 ± 5°C.; and 3BaO·B2O3, melting at 1383 ± 5°C. Some optical properties of these compounds were determined with the petrographic microscope, and X-ray diffraction data suitable for their identification were obtained. Barium metaborate, BaO·B2O3, showed an inversion occurring between 100° and 400°C. Mixtures containing less than 30% BaO were found to separate, on fusion, into two liquid layers; one layer contained 30% BaO and the other was nearly pure B2O3. A curve showing indices of refraction of the quenched glasses is presented.
Strained-layer InGaAs-GaAs-AlGaAs buried heterostructure lasers by three-step selective-area metalorganic chemical vapor deposition

In this talk, we present the fabrication process and laser results for narrow stripe, index-guided strained layer lasers with low threshold currents and good spectral characteristics. Threshold currents as low as 11 mA for uncoated devices and single longitudinal mode operation are obtained for the three step growth buried heterostructure laser, indicating high quality device performance for devices fabricated with an AlGaAs regrowth step. >
An Algorithm for Two-Dimensional Mesh Generation Based on the Pinwheel Tiling

We propose a new two-dimensional meshing algorithm called PINW able to generate meshes that accurately approximate the distance between any two domain points by paths composed only of cell edges. This technique is based on an extension of pinwheel tilings proposed by Radin and Conway (see [C. Radin, Ann.of Math. (2), 139 (1994), pp. 661-702]). We prove that the algorithm produces triangles of bounded aspect ratio. This kind of mesh would be useful in cohesive interface finite element modeling when the crack propagation path is an outcome of a simulation process.
Info-Bio-Nano Interface: High-Performance Computing & Visualization

Follow the advances in computing technologies from teraflop to petaflop (hardware, software, and algorithms) to : . Perform realistic simulations of nanosystems and devices . Demonstrate the feasibility of simulating systems not yet attempted . Incorporate simulation and parallel computing & visualization in physical sciences and engineering education
Resolving the complexity of some data privacy problems

We formally study two methods for data sanitation that have been used extensively in the database community: k-anonymity and l- diversity. We settle several open problems concerning the difficulty of applying these methods optimally, proving both positive and negative results: - 2-anonymity is in P. - The problem of partitioning the edges of a triangle-free graph into 4-stars (degree-three vertices) is NP-hard. This yields an alternative proof that 3-anonymity is NP-hard even when the database attributes are all binary. - 3-anonymity with only 27 attributes per record is MAX SNP-hard. - For databases with n rows, k-anonymity is in O(4n ċ poly(n)) time for all k > 1. - For databases with l attributes, alphabet size c, and n rows, k- Anonymity can be solved in 2O(k2(2c)l) + O(nl) time. - 3-diversity with binary attributes is NP-hard, with one sensitive attribute. - 2-diversity with binary attributes is NP-hard, with three sensitive attributes.
Combinatorial pair testing: distinguishing workers from slackers

We formalize a problem we call combinatorial pair testing (CPT), which has applications to the identification of uncooperative or unproductive participants in pair programming, massively distributed computing, and crowdsourcing environments. We give efficient adaptive and nonadaptive CPT algorithms and we show that our methods use an optimal number of testing rounds to within constant factors. We also provide an empirical evaluation of some of our methods.
Bank regulation and supervision around the world : a crisis update

This paper presents the latest update of the World Bank Bank Regulation and Supervision Survey, and explores two questions. First, were there significant differences in regulation and supervision between crisis and non-crisis countries? Second, what aspects of regulation and supervision changed significantly during the crisis period? The paper finds significant differences between crisis and non-crisis countries in several aspects of regulation and supervision. In particular, crisis countries (a) had less stringent definitions of capital and lower actual capital ratios, (b) faced fewer restrictions on non-bank activities, (c) were less strict in the regulatory treatment of bad loans and loan losses, and (d) had weaker incentives for the private sector to monitor banks' risks. Survey results also suggest that the overall regulatory response to the crisis has been slow, and there is room to improve regulation and supervision, as well as private incentives to monitor risk-taking. Specifically, comparing regulatory and supervisory practices before and after the global crisis, the paper finds relatively few changes: capital ratios increased (primarily among non-crisis countries), deposit insurance schemes became more generous, and some reforms were introduced in the area of bank governance and bank resolution.
Aid and Dutch Disease : Evidence from Moroccan and Tunisian Time-Series Data

We examine aid-induced Dutch Diseaseâ€“after controlling for the effects of remittances and FDI flowsâ€“in the context of two North African countries, Morocco and Tunisia. We do so by performing a multivariate time series analysis of aggregated annual dat
Deceit: a flexible distributed file system

Deceit, a distributed file system that provides flexibility in the fault-tolerance and availability of files, is described. Deceit provides many capabilities to the user: file replication with concurrent reads and writes, a range of update propagation strategies, automatic disk load balancing and the ability to have multiple versions of a file. Deceit provides Sun Network File Server (NFS) protocol compatibility; no change in NFS client software is necessary in order to use Deceit. The purpose of Deceit is to replace large collections of NFS servers. NFS suffers from several problems in an environment where most clients mount most servers. First, if any one server crashes, clients will block or fail when they try to access that server, and, as the number of servers increases, this problem becomes more likely. Second, servers have a (roughly) fixed capacity, yet it is difficult to move files from one NFS server to another without disrupting clients. Third, replicating a file to increase its availability must be managed by the user. Deceit addresses these three problems. >
Diseases attributable to asbestos exposure: years of potential life lost, United States, 1999-2010.

Background Although asbestos use has been restricted in recent decades, asbestos-associated deaths continue to occur in the United States. Objectives We evaluated premature mortality and loss of potentially productive years of life attributable to asbestos-associated diseases. Methods Using 1999–2010 National Center for Health Statistics mortality data, we identified decedents aged ≥25 years whose death certificate listed asbestosis and malignant mesothelioma as the underlying cause of death. We computed years of potential life lost to life expectancy (YPLL) and to age 65 (YPLL65). Results During 1999–2010, a total of 427,005 YPLL and 55,184 YPLL65 were attributed to asbestosis (56,907 YPLL and 2,167 YPLL65), malignant mesothelioma (370,098 YPPL and 53,017 YPLL65). Overall and disease-specific asbestos-attributable total YPLL and YPLL65 and median YPLL and YPLL65 per decedent did not change significantly from 1999 to 2010. Conclusions The continuing occurrence of asbestos-associated diseases and their substantial premature mortality burden underscore the need for maintaining prevention efforts and for ongoing surveillance to monitor temporal trends in these diseases. Am. J. Ind. Med. 57:38–48, 2014. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Treating electrostatics with Wolf summation in combined quantum mechanical and molecular mechanical simulations

The Wolf summation approach [D. Wolf et al., J. Chem. Phys. 110, 8254 (1999)], in the damped shifted force (DSF) formalism [C. J. Fennell and J. D. Gezelter, J. Chem. Phys. 124, 234104 (2006)], is extended for treating electrostatics in combined quantum mechanical and molecular mechanical (QM/MM) molecular dynamics simulations. In this development, we split the QM/MM electrostatic potential energy function into the conventional Coulomb r(-1) term and a term that contains the DSF contribution. The former is handled by the standard machinery of cutoff-based QM/MM simulations whereas the latter is incorporated into the QM/MM interaction Hamiltonian as a Fock matrix correction. We tested the resulting QM/MM-DSF method for two solution-phase reactions, i.e., the association of ammonium and chloride ions and a symmetric SN2 reaction in which a methyl group is exchanged between two chloride ions. The performance of the QM/MM-DSF method was assessed by comparing the potential of mean force (PMF) profiles with those from the QM/MM-Ewald and QM/MM-isotropic periodic sum (IPS) methods, both of which include long-range electrostatics explicitly. For ion association, the QM/MM-DSF method successfully eliminates the artificial free energy drift observed in the QM/MM-Cutoff simulations, in a remarkable agreement with the two long-range-containing methods. For the SN2 reaction, the free energy of activation obtained by the QM/MM-DSF method agrees well with both the QM/MM-Ewald and QM/MM-IPS results. The latter, however, requires a greater cutoff distance than QM/MM-DSF for a proper convergence of the PMF. Avoiding time-consuming lattice summation, the QM/MM-DSF method yields a 55% reduction in computational cost compared with the QM/MM-Ewald method. These results suggest that, in addition to QM/MM-IPS, the QM/MM-DSF method may serve as another efficient and accurate alternative to QM/MM-Ewald for treating electrostatics in condensed-phase simulations of chemical reactions.
Optimal quantum measurements for spin-1 and spin-3/2 particles

Positive operator valued measures (POVMs) are presented that allow an unknown pure state of a spin-1 particle to be determined with optimal fidelity when 2 to 5 copies of that state are available. Optimal POVMs are also presented for a spin-3/2 particle when 2 or 3 copies of the unknown state are available. Although these POVMs are optimal they are not always minimal, indicating that there is room for improvement.