cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Edinger-Westphal–Lateral Septum Urocortin Pathway and Its Relationship to Alcohol Consumption

Identifying and characterizing brain regions regulating alcohol consumption is beneficial for understanding the mechanisms of alcoholism. To this aim, we first identified brain regions changing in expression of the inducible transcription factor c-Fos in the alcohol-preferring C57BL/6J (B6) and alcohol-avoiding DBA/2J (D2) mice after ethanol consumption. Drinking a 5% ethanol/10% sucrose solution in a 30 min limited access procedure led to induction of c-Fos immunoreactivity in urocortin (Ucn)-positive cells of the Edinger-Westphal nucleus (EW), suppression of c-Fos immunoreactivity in the dorsal portion of the lateral septum (LS) of both strains of mice, and strain-specific suppression in the intermediate portion of the LS and the CA3 hippocampal region. Because the EW sends Ucn projections to the LS, and B6 and D2 mice differ dramatically in EW Ucn expression, we further analyzed the Ucn EW-LS pathway using several genetic approaches. We find that D2 mice have higher numbers of Ucn-immunoreactive processes than B6 mice in the LS and that consumption of ethanol/sucrose in the F2 offspring of a B6D2 intercross positively correlates with Ucn immunoreactivity in the EW and negatively correlates with Ucn immunoreactivity in the LS. In agreement with these findings, we find that alcohol-avoiding male B6.D2 Alcp1 line 2.2 congenic mice have lower Ucn immunoreactivity in the EW than male B6.B6 mice. Finally, we also find that HAP mice, selectively bred for high alcohol preference, have higher Ucn immunoreactivity in EW, than LAP mice, selectively bred for low alcohol preference. Taken together, these studies provide substantial evidence for involvement of the EW-LS Ucn pathway in alcohol consumption.
Initial far-field OTR images generated by 120-GeV protons at FNAL

We have successfully imaged for the first time the angular distribution patterns of optical transition radiation (OTR) generated by 120-GeV proton beams passing through an Al metal plane. These experiments were performed at Fermilab (FNAL) with the same chamber, foil, and camera design as with the near-field experiments previously reported. In this case the lens-to-CID-chip separation was remotely adjusted to provide the focus-at- infinity, or far-field optical imaging. Data have been obtained in transport lines both before the antiproton production target and before the NuMI target with particle intensities of about 5 to 22 times 1012. A two-foil interferometer calculation was also performed. Single-foil experimental and modeling results will be presented.
Large impact features on middle-sized icy satellites

Abstract All of the large impact features of the middle-sized icy satellites of Saturn and Uranus that were clearly observed by the Voyager spacecraft are described. New image mosaics and stereo-and-photoclinometrically-derived digital elevation models are presented. Landforms related to large impact features, such as secondary craters and possible antipodal effects are examined and evaluated. Of the large impacts, Odysseus on Tethys appears to have had the most profound effect on its “target” satellite of any of the impact features we examined. Our modeling suggests that the Odysseus impact may have caused the prompt formation of Ithaca Chasma, a belt of tectonic troughs that roughly follow a great circle normal to the center of Odysseus, although other hypotheses remain viable. We identify probable secondary cratering from Tirawa on Rhea. We attribute a number of converging coalescing crater chains on Rhea to a putative, possibly relatively fresh, ∼350 km-diameter impact feature. We examine the antipodes of Odysseus, the putative ∼350 km-diameter Rhean impact feature, and Tirawa, and conclude that evidence from Voyager data for damage from seismic focusing is equivocal, although our modeling results indicate that such damage may have occurred. We propose a number of observations and tests for Cassini that offer the opportunity to differentiate among the various explanations and speculations reviewed and evaluated in this study.
Are ICT Spillovers Driving the New Economy

Some observers have raised the possibility that production spillovers and network effects associated with information and communications technology (ICT) are an important part of the “New Economy.” Across U.S. manufacturing industries, however, ICT capital appears correlated with the acceleration of average labor productivity (ALP) growth as predicted by a standard production model, but not with total factor productivity (TFP) growth as these New Economy forces imply. Once one allows for productivity differences across industries, measured TFP growth is uncorrelated with all capital inputs, including ICT capital. This provides little evidence for a New Economy story of ICT-related spillovers or network effects driving TFP growth throughout U.S. manufacturing.
POINTWISE GREEN FUNCTION BOUNDS AND LONG-TIME STABILITY OF LARGE-AMPLITUDE NONCHARACTERISTIC BOUNDARY LAYERS

Using pointwise semigroup techniques of Zumbrun–Howard and Mascia–Zumbrun, we obtain sharp global pointwise Green function bounds for noncharacteristic boundary layers of arbitrary amplitude. These estimates allow us to analyze linearized and nonlinearized stability of noncharacteristic boundary layers of one-dimensional systems of conservation laws, showing that both follow from (and linearized stability is equivalent to) a numerically checkable Evans function condition. Our results extend to the large-amplitude case results obtained for small amplitudes by Matsumura, Nishihara, and others using energy estimates.
Optical Broadband Angular Selectivity

We tailor the overlap of the bandgaps of multiple one-dimensional photonic crystals, each with a different periodicity, in such a way we enables transparency throughout the visible spectrum at one angle, the generalized Brewster angle, and reflection at every other viewing angle.
Optical pseudocolor image enhancement with real-time large screen display

A real-time broadband pseudocolor image enhancement technique using a liquid crystal television spatial light modulator (LCTV SLM) is described. Three different schemes to modulate the gray-scale disribution of an input scene by an LCTV SLM through varying the orientations of its analyzer are presented. These schemes are incorporated into a compact white light optical projection system that is able to display, on a large screen, broadband pseudocolor images of real-world input scenes. Experimental results demonstrating the feasibility of the technique are reported.
Characterization and performance comparison of ripple-based control methods for voltage regulator modules

Three recently developed control methods for voltage regulator modules (VRM), namely, V/sup 2/ control, enhanced V/sup 2/ control, and enhanced V/sup 2/ control without output voltage dynamic feedback, are analyzed and compared in this paper. All three methods utilize the output voltage-switching ripple for pulse-width modulation, hence are collectively referred to as ripple-based control. A general modeling method based on the KBM (Krylov-Bogoliubov-Mitropolsky) ripple estimation technique is applied to develop averaged models for single-channel as well as multichannel buck converters utilizing each of the control methods. Unlike existing models that are limited to small-signal operation, the proposed models are valid for large signal and are capable of predicting sub harmonic instability without having to include an artificial sample-and-hold block as used in existing models. The paper also shows that adding parallel, high-quality ceramic capacitors at the output, which are ignored in previous works, can lead to pulse skipping and ripple instability, and a solution based on proper selection of the ceramic capacitors and/or ramp compensation at the pulse-width modulator is presented. The models are further applied to analyze and compare the performance of the three control methods in terms of ripple stability, effective load current feedforward gain, and output impedance.
Sensitivity analysis of unsteady aerodynamic loads in cascades

A method for computing the effect perturbations in the shape of airfoils in a cascade have on the steady and unsteady flow through the cascade is presented. First, the full potential equation is used to describe the behavior of the nonlinear steady flow and the small disturbance unsteady flow through the cascade. The steady flow and small disturbance unsteady flow versions of the full potential equation are then discretized on a computational grid of quadrilateral cells using a variational finite element technique. The resulting discretized equations describing the nonlinear steady flow are solved using Newton iteration with lower-upper decomposition at each iteration. Similarly, the discretized unsteady small disturbance equations, which are linear, are solved using a single lower-upper decomposition. Next, a sensitivity analysis is performed to determine the effect small changes in cascade and airfoil geometry have on the steady and unsteady flowfields. The sensitivity analysis makes use of the nominal steady and unsteady flow lower-upper decompositions so that no additional matrices need to be factored. Hence, the present method is computationally very efficient.
Shape-controlled orientation and assembly of colloids with sharp edges in nematic liquid crystals

The assembly of colloids in nematic liquid crystals via topological defects has been extensively studied for spherical particles, and investigations of other colloid shapes have revealed a wide array of new assembly behaviors. We show, using Landau-de Gennes numerical modeling, that nematic defect configurations and colloidal assembly can be strongly influenced by fine details of colloid shape, in particular the presence of sharp edges. For cylinder, microbullet, and cube colloid geometries, we obtain the particles' equilibrium alignment directions and effective pair interaction potentials as a function of simple shape parameters. We find that defects pin at sharp edges, and that the colloid consequently orients at an oblique angle relative to the far-field nematic director that depends on the colloid's shape. This shape-dependent alignment, which we confirm in experimental measurements, raises the possibility of selecting self-assembly outcomes for colloids in liquid crystals by tuning particle geometry.
Palladium‐Catalyzed Alkylation of 1,4‐Dienes by C ? H Activation

Activated: the title reaction proceeds with a broad range of nucleophiles and variously substituted 1,4-dienes under mild conditions, and provides direct access to the corresponding 1,3-diene-containing products with high regio- and stereocontrol (see scheme; 2,6-DMBQ=2,6-dimethylbenzoquinone, EWG=electron-withdrawing group). This is the first catalytic allylic C-H alkylation that proceeds in the absence of sulfoxide ligands.
Mixed-signal equalization architectures for printed circuit board channels

This paper develops mixed-signal equalization solutions for gigabit communications in printed circuit boards (PCBs). The PCB channel, composed by vias and interconnects, distorts, and produces signal reflections that deteriorate quality of high-speed data transmission. Analog signal processing architectures are necessary to combat the inter-symbol interference effects introduced by the channel since high-speed analog-to-digital conversion is a very expensive solution. A novel system implementation and circuit-level architecture that performs mixed-signal feedforward (FF) and feedback (FB) equalization in the transmit end is introduced. System level simulations show how this combined FF-FB transmit equalizer outperforms the conventional pre-emphasis structures presented in previous works, with a reasonable compromise in circuit area. In addition, practical constraints like the maximum output signal, the filter coefficients spread, and the sensitivity of the solution with respect to components variation are presented, demonstrating the robustness of the proposed architecture.
Synthesis of Tertiary α-Hydroxy Acids by Silylene Transfer to α-Keto Esters

α-Keto esters can be converted into α-hydroxy acids in a single flask involving metal-catalyzed silylene transfer, 6π-electrocyclization, Ireland−Claisen rearrangement, and hydrolysis. This reaction sequence is stereoselective and tolerates alkyl- and aryl-substituted α-keto ester substrates as well as an α-imino ester.
The Mythical Man-Month

The book, The Mythical Man-Month, Addison-Wesley, 1975 (excerpted in Datamation, December 1974), gathers some of the published data about software engineering and mixes it with the assertion of a lot of personal opinions. In this presentation, the author will list some of the assertions and invite dispute or support from the audience. This is intended as a public discussion of the published book, not a regular paper.
Developing countries and environmental protection: the effects of budget balance and pollution ceiling constraints

Abstract I analyze the problem faced by an asymmetrically informed supra-national governmental authority (SNGA) with limited financial resources who wishes to design an International Environmental Agreement (IEA). The SNGA cannot contract directly with polluting firms in the various LDCs, and he must deal with such firms through their governments. I study this tripartite hierarchical interaction and focus on the properties of the optimal ex post contracts (IEAs), which can be implemented by the SNGA, in turn, in the case where governments and firms in each nation do not collude and then in the case where governments and firms do collude. I find that the monetary transfers necessary to induce optimal behavior by governments and firms are not very sensitive to the presence of collusion. However, because the optimal contracts satisfy budget balance, and because there is a ceiling on the amount of pollution reduction that an IEA can require, the level and pattern of pollution abatement are typically not ideal. My analysis suggests that IEAs are not inherently doomed due to a basic monitoring and enforcement problem arising from national sovereignty. However, the success of IEAs is fundamentally contingent on the funds available for environmental protection and the pollution reduction ceiling negotiated by the SNGA and the LDC government.
Dynamical electric and magnetic metamaterial response at terahertz frequencies

Utilizing terahertz time domain spectroscopy, we characterized the electromagnetic response of planar split ring resonators fabricated on GaAs. Optical excitation is sufficient to turn off the electric resonance demonstrating the potential of SRR terahertz switches.
Employment-based health insurance for children: why did coverage increase in the mid-1990s?

Between 1994 and 1997 the percentage of children covered by an employment-based health plan increased from 58.1 percent to 59.7 percent, after years of a steady erosion in coverage. As a result of the increase in the percentage of children with employment-based coverage and population growth, 1.8 million more children were covered by an employment-based health plan in 1997 than in 1994. The percentage of adults, both working and nonworking, covered by an employment-based health plan remained virtually constant over this period. The increase in the percentage of children with employment-based coverage is important to understand, for a number of reasons. First, policymakers and others have been puzzled by the overall increase in the number of uninsured persons during the recent period of strong U.S. economic growth. For example, a recent study found that fewer small employers offered health benefits in 1998 than in 1996 but was unable to explain why offer rates have fallen. This paper presents evidence that the strong economy is having a positive effect on health insurance coverage for children.
Convergent mechanisms in etiologically-diverse dystonias.

Introduction: Dystonia is a neurological disorder associated with twisting motions and abnormal postures, which compromise normal movements and can be both painful and debilitating. It can affect a single body part (focal), several contiguous regions (segmental), or the entire body (generalized), and can arise as a result of numerous causes, both genetic and acquired. Despite the diversity of causes and manifestations, shared clinical features suggest that common mechanisms of pathogenesis may underlie many dystonias. Areas covered: Shared themes in etiologically-diverse dystonias exist at several biological levels. At the cellular level, abnormalities in the dopaminergic system, mitochondrial function and calcium regulation are often present. At the anatomical level, the basal ganglia and the cerebellum are frequently implicated. Global CNS dysfunction, specifically aberrant neuronal plasticity, inhibition and sensorimotor integration, are also observed in a number of dystonias. Using clinical data and d...
The 550‐au Mission: a critical discussion

We have studied the science rationale, goals and requirements for a mission aimed at using the gravitational lensing from the Sun as a way of achieving high angular resolution and high signal amplification. We find that such a mission concept is compromised by several practical problems. Most severe are the effects due to the plasma in the solar atmosphere which cause refraction and scattering of the propagating rays. These effects either limit the frequencies that can be observed to those above ∼1 THz, or they move the optical point outwards beyond the vacuum value of ≥550 au. (Thus for observing frequency of 300 GHz the optical point is moved outwards to ∼ 680 au.) Density fluctuations in the inner solar atmosphere will further cause random pathlength differences for different rays. The corrections for the radiation from the Sun itself will also be a major challenge at any wavelength used, but could be mitigated with coronographic techniques. Given reasonable constraints on the spacecraft (particularly in terms of size and propulsion), source selection as well as severe navigational constraints further add to the difficulties for a potential mission. Nevertheless, unbiased surveys of small-scale structure on the sky at short wavelengths might be the most promising application of such a mission.
Foreign Entanglements: Estimating the Source and Size of Spillovers Across Industrial Countries

Vector autoregressions of real growth since 1970 are used to estimate spillovers between the United States, the euro area, Japan, and an aggregate of smaller countries proxying for global shocks. U.S. and global shocks generate significant spillovers, but those from the euro area and Japan are small. This paper calculates the standard errors of impulse-response functions, including uncertainty over the proper Cholesky ordering. Extensions adding exports, commodity prices, and financial variables indicate that financial effects are the largest source of spillovers. The results by subperiod underline the importance of the great moderation in U.S. output fluctuations and associated financial stability in lowering output volatility elsewhere.
The value of estuarine and coastal ecosystem services

The global decline in estuarine and coastal ecosystems (ECEs) is affecting a number of critical benefits, or ecosystem services. We review the main ecological services across a variety of ECEs, including marshes, mangroves, nearshore coral reefs, seagrass beds, and sand beaches and dunes. Where possible, we indicate estimates of the key economic values arising from these services, and discuss how the natural variability of ECEs impacts their benefits, the synergistic relationships of ECEs across seascapes, and management implications. Although reliable valuation estimates are beginning to emerge for the key services of some ECEs, such as coral reefs, salt marshes, and mangroves, many of the important benefits of seagrass beds and sand dunes and beaches have not been assessed properly. Even for coral reefs, marshes, and mangroves, important ecological services have yet to be valued reliably, such as cross-ecosystem nutrient transfer (coral reefs), erosion control (marshes), and pollution control (mangroves). An important issue for valuing certain ECE services, such as coastal protection and habitat-fishery linkages, is that the ecological functions underlying these services vary spatially and temporally. Allowing for the connectivity between ECE habitats also may have important implications for assessing the ecological functions underlying key ecosystems services, such coastal protection, control of erosion, and habitat-fishery linkages. Finally, we conclude by suggesting an action plan for protecting and/or enhancing the immediate and longer-term values of ECE services. Because the connectivity of ECEs across land-sea gradients also influences the provision of certain ecosystem services, management of the entire seascape will be necessary to preserve such synergistic effects. Other key elements of an action plan include further ecological and economic collaborative research on valuing ECE services, improving institutional and legal frameworks for management, controlling and regulating destructive economic activities, and developing ecological restoration options.
Quantum and Fisher information from the Husimi and related distributions

The two principal/immediate influences—which we seek to interrelate here—upon the undertaking of this study are papers of Życzkowski and Slomczynski [J. Phys. A 34, 6689 (2001)] and of Petz and Sudar [J. Math. Phys. 37, 2262 (1996)]. In the former work, a metric (the Monge one, specifically) over generalized Husimi distributions was employed to define a distance between two arbitrary density matrices. In the Petz-Sudar work (completing a program of Chentsov), the quantum analog of the (classically unique) Fisher information (monotone) metric of a probability simplex was extended to define an uncountable infinitude of Riemannian (also monotone) metrics on the set of positive definite density matrices. We pose here the questions of what is the specific/unique Fisher information metric for the (classically defined) Husimi distributions and how does it relate to the infinitude of (quantum) metrics over the density matrices of Petz and Sudar? We find a highly proximate (small relative entropy) relationship bet...
K-theoretic rigidity and slow dimension growth

Let A be an approximately subhomogeneous (ASH) C∗-algebra with slow dimension growth. We prove that if A is unital and simple, then the Cuntz semigroup of A agrees with that of its tensor product with the Jiang-Su algebra \(\mathcal{Z}\). In tandem with a result of W. Winter, this yields the equivalence of \(\mathcal{Z}\)-stability and slow dimension growth for unital simple ASH algebras. This equivalence has several consequences, including the following classification theorem: unital ASH algebras which are simple, have slow dimension growth, and in which projections separate traces are determined up to isomorphism by their graded ordered K-theory, and none of the latter three conditions can be relaxed in general.
Rotaxanes and Catenanes by Click Chemistry

Copper(I)-catalyzed Huisgen 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition between terminal alkynes and azides – also known as the copper (Cu)-catalyzed Azide-Alkyne Cycloaddition (CuAAC) – has been used in the syntheses of molecular compounds with diverse structures and functions, owing to its functional group tolerance, facile execution, and mild reaction conditions under which it can be promoted. Recently, rotaxanes of four different structural types, as well as donor/acceptor catenanes, have been prepared using CuAAC, attesting to its tolerance to supramolecular interactions as well. In one instance of a rotaxane synthesis, the catalytic role of copper has been combined successfully with its previously documented ability to preorganize rotaxane precursors, i.e., form pseudorotaxanes. The crystal structure of a donor/acceptor catenane formed using the CuAAC reaction indicates that any secondary [p ··· p] interactions between the 1,2,3-triazole ring and the bipyridinium p-acceptor are certainly not destabilizing. Finally, the preparation of robust rotaxane and catenane molecular monolayers onto metal and semiconductor surfaces is premeditated based upon recent advances in the use of the Huisgen reaction for surface functionalization.
Recent Advances in the Mitsunobu Reaction: Modified Reagents and the Quest for Chromatography-Free Separation

Recent progress in synthetic approaches to the Mitsunobu reaction are reviewed. Efforts that have focused on the phase-switching modifications of phosphane, azodicarboxylate, and nucleophilic components are emphasized. An approach to product separation with fluorous compounds is reviewed in detail. Alternative reagents and recently introduced products are cited. (© Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2004)
Branching Law for Axons

What determines the caliber of axonal branches? We pursue the hypothesis that the axonal caliber has evolved to minimize signal propagation delays, while keeping arbor volume to a minimum. We show that for a general cost function the optimal diameters of mother (d0) and daughter (d1, d2) branches at a bifurcation obey a branching law: d0v+2 + d2v+2. The derivation relies on the fact that the conduction speed scales with the axon diameter to the power v (v = 1 for myelinated axons and v = 0.5 for non-myelinated axons). We test the branching law on the available experimental data and find a reasonable agreement.
Large N Elliptic Genus and AdS/CFT Correspondence

According to one of Maldacena's dualities, type IIB string theory on AdS{sub 3} x S{sup 3} x K3 is equivalent to a certain N = (4, 4) superconformal field theory. In this note we compute the elliptic genus of the boundary theory in the supergravity approximation. A finite quantity is obtained once we introduce a particular exclusion principle. In the regime where the supergravity approximation is reliable, we find exact agreement with the elliptic genus of a sigma model with target space K3{sup N}/S{sub N}.
On the geographic location of Internet resources

One relatively unexplored question about the Internet's physical structure concerns the geographical location of its components: routers, links, and autonomous systems (ASes). We study this question using two large inventories of Internet routers and links, collected by different methods and about two years apart. We first map each router to its geographical location using two different state-of-the-art tools. We then study the relationship between router location and population density; between geographic distance and link density; and between the size and geographic extent of ASes. Our findings are consistent across the two datasets and both mapping methods. First, as expected, router density per person varies widely over different economic regions; however, in economically homogeneous regions, router density shows a strong superlinear relationship to population density. Second, the probability that two routers are directly connected is strongly dependent on distance; our data is consistent with a model in which a majority (up to 75%-95%) of link formation is based on geographical distance (as in the Waxman (1988) topology generation method). Finally, we find that ASes show high variability in geographic size, which is correlated with other measures of AS size (degree and number of interfaces). Among small to medium ASes, ASes show wide variability in their geographic dispersal; however, all ASes exceeding a certain threshold in size are maximally dispersed geographically. These findings have many implications for the next generation of topology generators, which we envisage as producing router-level graphs annotated with attributes such as link latencies, AS identifiers, and geographical locations.
Envelope Theorems for Arbitrary Choice Sets

The standard envelope theorems apply to choice sets with convex and topological structure, providing sufficient conditions for the value function to be differentiable in a parameter and characterizing its derivative. This paper studies optimization with arbitrary choice sets and shows that the traditional envelope formula holds at any differentiability point of the value function. We also provide conditions for the value function to be, variously, absolutely continuous, left- and right-differentiable, or fully differentiable. These results are applied to mechanism design, convex programming, continuous optimization problems, saddle-point problems, problems with parameterized constraints, and optimal stopping problems.
Connection charges and electricity access in Sub-Saharan Africa

Sub-Saharan Africa trails other regions in providing access to electricity for poor urban and rural residents. This poor performance can be linked to various factors, including political interference in utility policy, higher investment costs and lower profitability of extending service to rural areas. But a major obstacle to wider access is the high charges consumers must pay to connect to the electricity network. The connection charges in Sub-Saharan Africa are among the highest in the world, which has resulted in low rates of electrification in many countries. This paper reviews ways to improve electrification rates by addressing the issue of high connection charges. Essential to the success of such efforts is concurrent political commitment to identify, examine, and implement various low-cost electrification approaches and financing solutions as part of a broad plan to improve access. Electricity companies can lower their connection-related costs, and thus consumer charges, by using a variety of low-cost technologies and materials in distribution networks and household connections; making bulk purchases of materials; and adjusting technical standards to reflect the lower loads of households that use a minimum amount of electricity. Strategies for lowering connection charges may also include spreading charges over a reasonable period, rolling them into monthly service payments, subsidizing connections, or amortizing them through loans. Lowering connection charges is not the only step, but it is an essential part of any strategy for addressing the electricity access gap between rich and poor households in Sub-Saharan Africa, a gap that denies millions of poor Africans the benefits of electricity.
Agricultural Markets as Relative Performance Evaluation

Relative performance schemes such as tournaments are commonly used in markets for a variety of livestock and processing commodities, while explicit versions of these schemes are rarely used in markets for fresh fruits and vegetables and specialty grains. We show how contracts for these latter commodities do in fact provide relative performance incentives, albeit indirectly, via a payment mechanism that depends on market prices. In such contracts, compensation is often an increasing function of revenue; this implements a relative performance scheme by making each grower’s payment an increasing function of his own output but a decreasing function of other’s output. In an important 1982 article, Holmstr ¨ om models the problem facing a group of agents, each of whom produces an observable quantity of some good by taking an unobservable action. A rather robust conclusion from this line of inquiry is that when the production of one agent is not independent of the production of another, then the compensation awarded to the first agent should depend not only on his own production but also on the output of others. In particular, if agents’ production is positively correlated (because of some common shock, for example) then an agent’s compensation should be larger when other agents’ output is smaller, a phenomenon which Holmstr ¨ om terms “relative performance evaluation.” Relative performance evaluation ought to be particularly important for agricultural producers and the various intermediaries who purchase their output. These producers face considerable common risk from aggregate production shocks, and so one would expect that relative performance evaluation could improve efficiency. In fact, certain types of agricultural intermediaries do use explicit relative performance schemes, as predicted by
Applications of matrix optics to acceptance studies in low-beta ion linacs

Four-gap superconducting resonators have been developed at Argonne for use in the low-beta positive ion injector (PII) for ATLAS. These structures have been used successfully for ion velocities as low as 0.007c with q/m=0.1. First order matrix optics and linear theory for the phase space transformations in accelerating systems are applied to the PII linac which includes low-beta heavy ion RF resonators and magnetic solenoids. These provide a new method to match initial phase space ellipses when used with higher order transfer maps or ray-tracing calculations. And also we present a quantitative measure of nonlinearities using the concept of RMS emittances and deviations of phase space coordinates between linear and nonlinear transformations. As a byproduct a way of identifying the dominant source of nonlinearity of system is indicated. >
Novel Synthons from Mucochloric Acid: The First Use of α,β-Dichloro-γ-butenolides and γ-Butyrolactams for Direct Vinylogous Aldol Addition

Novel 5-(1‘-hydroxy)-γ-butyrolactone and γ-butyrolactam subunits were synthesized by direct vinylogous aldol addition of α,β-dichloro γ-butyrolactones and γ-butyrolactams with aldehydes under basic conditions. Different bases and solvents were screened in the context of generating γ-butyrolactones. Diastereoselectivity was observed and γ-butenolides and γ-butyrolactams showed opposite diastereoselectivity under the same reaction condition.
Discovery of non-Zwitterionic GABAA receptor full agonists and a superagonist

Abstract Numerous previous studies of GABA A receptor ligands have suggested that GABA A receptor agonists must be zwitterionic and feature an intercharge separation similar to that of GABA (approx. 4.7–6 A). In this communication we demonstrate that appropriately functionalized GABA amides are partial, full, or superagonists, despite their non-zwitterionic structure.
Understanding Confinement From Deconfinement

We use effective magnetic SU(N) pure gauge theory with cutoff M and fixed gauge coupling g{sub m} to calculate the nonperturbative magnetic response in the deconfined phase of SU(N) Yang-Mills theory. We obtain the response to an external closed loop of electric current by reinterpreting and regulating the calculation of the one loop effective potential in Yang-Mills theory. This effective potential gives rise to a color magnetic charge density, the counterpart in the deconfined phase of color magnetic currents introduced in effective dual superconductor theories of the confined phase via magnetically charged Higgs fields. The resulting spatial Wilson loop has area law behavior. Using values of M and g{sub m} determined in the confined phase, we find SU(3) spatial string tensions compatible with lattice simulations in the temperature interval 1.5T{sub c}<T<2.5T{sub c}. Use of the effective theory to analyze experiments on heavy ion collisions will provide applications and further tests of these ideas.
A Three-Component, One-Pot Synthesis of Indolizidines and Related Heterocycles via the [3+2] Cycloaddition of Nonstabilized Azomethine Ylides

Nonstabilized azomethine ylides (i.e. those bearing only hydrogens or alkyl groups) can be generated from (2-azaallyl)stannanes and (2-azaallyl)silanes through an intramolecular N-alkylation/demetalation cascade. The resulting ylides undergo [3+2] cycloaddition with electron-poor or electron-rich dipolarophiles yielding indolizidines and related 1-aza[m.3.0]bicycloalkane systems in good yield. An in situ protocol allows for a one-pot, three-component synthesis of indolizidines. The (2-azaallyl)stannanes tolerate enolizable hydrogens in these cycloadditions, while (2-azaallyl)silanes do not. The mechanism of the cycloaddition cascade is clarified by a series of control experiments. The same (2-azaallyl)stannanes may be transmetalated by n-butyllithium to generate 2-azaallyllithiums, which also may undergo a [3+2] cycloaddition/N-alkylation cascade to form indolizidines.
Fundamental Arguments for Inflation

The mechanism of inflation is described, and the fundamental arguments in favor of inflation are summarized. It is claimed that the inflationary model provides a very plausible explanation for (1) the large number of particles in the universe, (2) the Hubble expansion, (3) the large-scale uniformity of the universe, (4) the nearness of the universe to a critical density, and (5) the absence of magnetic monopoles.
Study of Two-Dimensional Compressible Non-Acoustic Modeling of Stirling Machine Type Components

Starting with an existing two-dimensional incompressible e ow computer code, a two-dimensional code was developed for modeling enclosed gas volumes with oscillating boundaries. The incompressible code was modie ed to use compressible nonacoustic Navier‐ Stokes equations. The devices modeled have low Mach numbers and are sufe cientlysmallthatthetimerequiredforacousticstopropagateacrosstheinteriorsissmallcomparedtothecycle period.Therefore,acousticswereexcludedtominimizecomputingtime.Thecompressiblenonacousticassumptions are discussed. The governing equations are presented in transport equation format. The numerical methods are briee y described.Codepredictionsarecompared with experimentaldata.Compressiblenonacousticpredictionsof gas spring losses agreed well with 10-rpm test data, and »50- and 500-rpm calculated and experimental pressure‐ volume diagrams agreed well. For a heat-exchanger/piston-cylinder test rig, calculations of heat exchanger heat e uxes at various axial locations over the cycle agreed well qualitatively with the data, but quantitative agreement was not good.
Myocardial High Energy Phosphate Stores in Acutely Induced Hypoxic Heart Failure

In order to determine the relation between depression of myocardial function and the myocardial high energy phosphate stores during acute hypoxia, a technique for serial evaluation of these stores was developed. Acute hypoxia was induced in 18 anesthetized dogs and serial determinations of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and creatine phosphate (CP) were made while myocardial function was continuously measured. Myocardial concentrations of ATP were maintained even in the presence of severe hypoxia and myocardial failure. There was a small depression of the average myocardial CP concentration during early heart failure. However, in more than one-third of the dogs there was no significant depression of CP concentration at this time. It is concluded that hypoxic depression of myocardial function is not initiated by a decrease in the total myocardial high energy phosphate stores. The possibility could not be excluded that a particular fraction of the high energy phosphate store is decreased when myocardial failure is induced by hypoxia.
Modeling and Control of an Electrorheological Sandwich Beam

This paper introduces models for electrorheological (ER) structures based on viscoelasticity and sandwich beam theory. The partial differential equations describing the dynamics of an ER sandwich beam are derived and a modal analysis is performed. Feedback controllers, derived using Lyapunov theory, ensure stability of all modes of the beam. Feedback from an axial velocity sensor to the applied ER beam voltage provides an implementable approximation to the control law. Simulations ofa cantilevered ER beam show the stable response and improved transient decay provided by the control system.
Heuristic search value iteration for POMDPs

We present a novel POMDP planning algorithm called heuristic search value iteration (HSVI). HSVI is an anytime algorithm that returns a policy and a provable bound on its regret with respect to the optimal policy. HSVI gets its power by combining two well-known techniques: attention-focusing search heuristics and piecewise linear convex representations of the value function. HSVI's soundness and convergence have been proven. On some bench-mark problems from the literature, HSVI displays speedups of greater than 100 with respect to other state-of-the-art POMDP value iteration algorithms. We also apply HSVI to a new rover exploration problem 10 times larger than most POMDP problems in the literature.
X–ray spectroscopy of astrophysical plasmas

We provide a qualitative review of key X-ray spectral diagnostics of astrophysical plasmas. We begin with a brief discussion of the two major types of equilibria, collisional ionization and photoionization, and then consider the behaviour of hydrogen-like, helium-like, iron L-shell and iron K-shell transitions for these separate cases. Where possible, we discuss explicit examples using high-resolution spectra acquired by the grating instruments on the Chandra and XMM-Newton observatories.
Hydrogels for Biomedical Applications

This paper reviews the composition and synthesis of hydrogels, the character of their absorbed water, and permeation of solutes within their swollen matrices. The most important properties of hydrogels relevant to their biomedical applications are also identified, in particular for use of hydrogels as drug and cell carriers, and as tissue engineering matrices.
Bridging the Gap Between Quantum Mechanics and Large-Scale Atomistic Simulation

The prospect of modeling across disparate length and time scales to achieve a predictive multiscale description of real materials properties has attracted widespread research interest in the last decade [1]. To be sure, the challenges in such multiscale modeling are many, and in demanding cases, such as mechanical properties or dynamic phase transitions, multiple bridges extending from the atomic level all the way to the continuum level must be built. Although often overlooked in this process, one of the most fundamental and important problems in multiscale modeling is that of bridging the gap between first-principles quantum mechanics, from which true predictive power for real materials emanates, and the large-scale atomistic simulation of thousands or millions of atoms, which is usually essential to describe the complex atomic processes that link to higher length and time scales. For example, to model single-crystal plasticity at micron length scales via dislocation-dynamics simulations that evolve the detailed dislocation microstructure requires accurate large-scale atomistic information on the mobility and interaction of individual dislocations. Similarly, modeling the kinetics of structural phase transitions requires linking accurate large-scale atomistic information on nucleation processes with higher length and time scale growth processes.
On the L p norm of spectral clusters for compact manifolds with boundary

We use microlocal and paradifferential techniques to obtain L8 norm bounds for spectral clusters associated with elliptic second-order operators on two-dimensional manifolds with boundary. The result leads to optimal Lq bounds, in the range 2⩽q⩽∞, for L2 - normalized spectral clusters on bounded domains in the plane and, more generally, for two-dimensional compact manifolds with boundary. We also establish new sharp Lq estimates in higher dimensions for a range of exponents qn⩽q⩽∞.
The End of Moderate Inflation in Three Transition Economies

This paper examines the moderation of inflation in three transition economies, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland at the end of the 1990s. We argue that the institutions for the conduct of monetary policy in these countries were relatively weak and that monetary policy was unsupported by fiscal policy and hampered by multiple objectives. Using a VAR model of inflation, we show that, under a variety of assumptions, foreign prices and the persistence of inflation were the key determinants of inflation in these countries. From this finding we conclude that the moderation of inflation in the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland was due largely to the decline in import prices from 1997 on, and thus it is likely be a temporary phenomenon.
A dynamical characterization of Poisson-Dirichlet distributions

We show that a slight modification of a theorem of Ruzmaikina and Aizenman on competing particle systems on the real line leads to a characterization of Poisson-Dirichlet distributions $PD(\alpha,0)$. Precisely, let $\xi$ be a proper random mass-partition i.e. a random sequence $(\xi_i,i\in N)$ such that $\xi_1 \geq \xi_2 \geq \dots \geq 0$ and $\sum_i \xi_i =1$ a.s. Consider $\{W_i\}_{i\in N}$, an iid sequence of random positive numbers whose distribution is absolutely continuous with respect to the Lebesgue measure and $E[W^\lambda]<\infty$ for all $\lambda \in R$. It is shown that, if the law of $\xi$ is invariant under the random reshuffling $$( \xi_i , i \in N) \to \left(\frac{\xi_i W_i}{\sum_j \xi_jW_j } , i \in N \right)$$ where the weights are reordered after evolution, then it must be a mixture of Poisson-Dirichlet distributions $PD(\alpha,0), \alpha\in(0,1)$.
LLL 100-MeV Electron Linac: Design Considerations and Performance of the Beam-Transport Vacuum System

This paper describes the vacuum system for the beam-transport lines used with the Lawrence Livermore Laboratory 100-MeV electron-positron linear accelerator. It is operated in the high (10-4 to 10-5 Pa) range using standard ion pumps with turbomolecular pumps for roughdown. This paper also reviews the important factors considered during the initial design phases; these factors have contributed to the very reliable performance of the vacuum system since its startup five years ago. The cleaning and handling procedures used on the beam-transport lines, magnet vacuum chambers, and other vacuum components are discussed.
Debris Disks around Nearby Stars with Circumstellar Gas

We conducted a survey for infrared excess emission from 16 nearby main-sequence shell stars using the Multiband Imaging Photometer for Spitzer (MIPS) on the Spitzer Space Telescope. Shell stars are early-type stars with narrow absorption lines in their spectra that appear to arise from circumstellar (CS) gas. Four of the 16 stars in our survey showed excess emission at 24 and 70 μm characteristic of cool CS dust and are likely to be edge-on debris disks. Including previously known disks, it appears that the fraction of protoplanetary and debris disks among the main-sequence shell stars is at least 48% ± 14% . While dust in debris disks has been extensively studied, relatively little is known about their gas content. In the case of β Pictoris, extensive observations of gaseous species have provided insights into the dynamics of the CS material and surprises about the composition of the CS gas coming from young planetesimals. To understand the coevolution of gas and dust through the terrestrial planet formation phase, we need to study the gas in additional debris disks. The new debris disk candidates from this Spitzer survey double the number of systems in which the gas can be observed right now with sensitive line-of-sight absorption spectroscopy.
First Steps Towards Hearts and Minds? USAID's Countering Violent Extremism Policies in Africa

The United States government has adopted new approaches to counter violent extremist organizations around the world. “Soft security” and development programs include focused educational training for groups vulnerable to terrorist recruitment, norm messaging through local radio programming, and job creation in rural communities. This article evaluates the effectiveness of one set of these multi-vectored, community-level programs through data from 200 respondents in two similar, neighboring towns in northern Mali, Africa. The data show that residents in Timbuktu who were exposed to the programming for up to five years displayed measurably altered civic behavior and listening patterns in comparison with their counterparts in the control town of Dire, which had no programming (controlling for potential covariates including age, ethnicity, and political and socioeconomic conditions). However, there was little measurable difference between the groups in terms of their cultural identities and attitudes towards t...