cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The rest-frame ultraviolet properties of radio-loud broad absorption line quasars

We recently presented radio observations of a large sample of radio-loud broad absorption line (BAL) quasars from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) and Faint Images of the Radio Sky at Twenty-cm surveys, as well as a well matched sample of unabsorbed quasars, primarily to measure their radio spectral indices and estimate ensemble orientations. Here, we analyse the SDSS spectra of these samples and compare the rest-frame ultraviolet properties of radio-loud BAL and non-BAL quasars. Ultraviolet properties include the continuum shape, emission-line measurements of C iv, Al iii, C iii], Fe ii and Mg ii, and BAL properties including the balnicity index, absorption index and minimum and maximum outflow velocities. We find that radio-loud BAL quasars have similar ultraviolet properties compared to radio-loud non-BAL sources, though they do appear to have redder continua and stronger Fe ii emission, which is consistent with what is found for radio-quiet BAL sources. No correlations exist between outflow properties and orientation (radio spectral index), suggesting that BAL winds along any line of sight are driven by the same mechanisms. There are also few correlations between spectral index and other properties. We conclude that BAL outflows occur along all lines of sight with similar strengths and velocities.
Supersymmetric D3/D7 for holographic flavors on curved space

We derive a new class of supersymmetric D3/D7 brane configurations, which allow to holographically describe $$ \mathcal{N}=4 $$ SYM coupled to massive $$ \mathcal{N}=2 $$ flavor degrees of freedom on spaces of constant curvature. We systematically solve the κ-symmetry condition for D7-brane embeddings into AdS4-sliced AdS5×S5, and find supersymmetric embeddings in a simple closed form. Up to a critical mass, these embeddings come in surprisingly diverse families, and we present a first study of their (holographic) phenomenology. We carry out the holographic renormalization, compute the one-point functions and attempt a field-theoretic interpretation of the different families. To complete the catalog of supersymmetric D3/D7 configurations, we construct analogous embeddings for flavored $$ \mathcal{N}=4 $$ SYM on S4 and dS4.
Stochastic nonlinear Schrödinger equations driven by a fractional noise - Well posedness, large deviations and support

We consider stochastic nonlinear Schrodinger equations driven by an additive noise. The noise is fractional in time with Hurst parameter $H \in (0,1)$ and colored in space with a nuclear space correlation operator. We study local well-posedness. Under adequate assumptions on the initial data, the space correlations of the noise and for some saturated nonlinearities, we prove sample path large deviations and support results in a space of Holder continuous in time until blow-up paths. We consider Kerr nonlinearities when $H > 1/2$.
Crime and Violence in Development : A Literature Review of Latin America and the Caribbean

The authors review the recent literature on crime and violence in Latin America and the Caribbean and present a broad overview of the main ideas and empirical findings. They provide estimates of the magnitude of the problem, trends, and the manifestations of crime and violence in Latin America. They also discuss the ways in which violence affects development, the root causes of violence, and the empirical evidence on the determinants of crime. The authors conclude by stressing that preventive measures and innovative social policies are efficient and underutilized strategies to address the problem and call for both more research and operational experimentation.
A novelty detection approach for foreground region detection in videos with quasi-stationary backgrounds

Detecting regions of interest in video sequences is one of the most important tasks in many high level video processing applications. In this paper a novel approach based on support vector data description is presented, which detects foreground regions in videos with quasi-stationary backgrounds. The main contribution of this paper is the novelty detection approach which automatically segments video frames into background/foreground regions. By using support vector data description for each pixel, the decision boundary for the background class is modeled without the need to statistically model its probability density function. The proposed method is able to achieve very accurate foreground region detection rates even in very low contrast video sequences, and in the presence of quasi-stationary backgrounds. As opposed to many statistical background modeling approaches, the only critical parameter that needs to be adjusted in our method is the number of background training frames.
Painful Subungal Dyskeratotic Tumors in Incontinentia Pigmenti

A 65-year-old woman presented with multiple subungal lesions for the past forty years. These were associated with increasing pain with growth, relieved only by destruction. They were treated as subungal warts by electrocautery and surgical excision. A biopsy of one lesion was interpreted as squamous cell carcinoma with subsequent partial amputation of the affected digit. She continued to develop painful subungal growths involving all her fingers, requiring repeated surgeries. On physical examination, subungal tumors associated with hyperkeratosis and erythema of the nail bed were found on the right thumb and ring finger. Subungal hyperkeratosis involved all other fingers. On histological examination, there was marked dyskeratosis with features of subungal keratoacanthoma or squamous cell carcinoma. This patient has a history of incontinentia pigmenti (IP) since childhood and she has three daughters with IP. We report a case of painful subungal dyskeratotic tumors in IP, considered as keratoacanthomas by some, as they grow rapidly and may demonstrate spontaneous resolution, albeit rarely. The distinguishing features of subungal tumor in IP are its occurrence in young women with multiple lesions and signs of IP, and its tendency to erupt persistently over a course of several years.
Generalized Model-Checking Problems for First-Order Logic

Descriptive complexity theory provides a convenient and intuitive way to model a large variety of computational problems. The basic problem studied in descriptive complexity is of the following form:
Three‐Dimensional Echocardiography in Congenital Heart Disease

Complex intracardiac anatomy and spatial relationships are inherent to congenital heart defects. Beginning over 30 years ago and until recently, the clinician’s ability to image the heart non-invasively was limited to 2DE.1 However, 2D imaging has fundamental limitations. The very nature of a 2DE slice, which has no thickness, necessitates the use of multiple orthogonal “sweeps.” The imager then mentally reconstructs the anatomy, and uses the structure of the report to express this mentally reconstructed vision. This means that the only 3D image of the heart is the “virtual image” that exists in the mind of the imager, who then translates this vision into words. It is not easy for an untrained observer to understand the images obtained in the course of a sweep; expert interpretation is required. Importantly, since myocardial motion occurs in 3D, 2D techniques inherently do not lend themselves to accurate quantitation. Recognition of these limitations of 2DE has led to burgeoning research and clinical interest in 3D imaging.
UCHL1 is a biomarker of aggressive multiple myeloma required for disease progression

The success of proteasome inhibition in multiple myeloma highlights the critical role for the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) in this disease. However, there has been little progress in finding more specific targets within the UPS involved in myeloma pathogenesis. We previously found the ubiquitin hydrolase UCH-L1 to be frequently over-expressed in B-cell malignancies, including myeloma, and showed it to be a potent oncogene in mice. Here we show that UCH-L1 is a poor prognostic factor that is essential for the progression of myeloma. We found high levels of UCHL1 to predict early progression in newly diagnosed patients; a finding reversed by the inclusion of bortezomib. We also found high UCHL1 levels to be a critical factor in the superiority of bortezomib over high-dose dexamethasone in relapsed patients. High UCHL1 partially overlaps with, but is distinct from, known genetic risks including 4p16 rearrangement and 1q21 amplification. Using an orthotopic mouse model, we found UCH-L1 depletion delays myeloma dissemination and causes regression of established disease. We conclude that UCH-L1 is a biomarker of aggressive myeloma that may be an important marker of bortezomib response, and may itself be an effective target in disseminated disease.
Flexible Indeterminate Factor-Based Asset Allocation

Asset allocation represents a fundamental strategic decision for every institutional investor. Although many asset allocation approaches have been recommended and implemented in various forms, each has its own strengths and weaknesses. A careful review of current asset allocation frameworks motivated the authors to design a hybrid approach that addresses many of these perceived individual shortcomings. The authors’ guiding principle was to use several familiar elements to create a flexible process that incorporates lessquantifiable investment ideas around a rigorous foundation. The result, which they call flexible indeterminate factor-based asset allocation (FIFAA), is an adaptive four-step asset allocation synthesis that remains quantitatively and theoretically well grounded. To achieve this goal, FIFAA overlays informed judgment about investment opportunities onto an objectively derived set of core factor exposures.
Referendum, Response, and Consequences for Sudan : The Game between Juba and Khartoum

This paper presents a game theory model of the strategic interaction between Khartoum and Juba leading up to the referendum on Sudan's partition in 2011. The findings show that excessive militarization and brinksmanship is a rational response for both actors, neither of which can credibly commit to lower levels of military spending under the current status quo. This militarization is often at the expense of health and education expenditures, suggesting that the opportunity cost of militarization is foregone economic development. These credibility issues might be resolved by democratization, increased transparency, reduction of information asymmetries, and efforts to promote economic and political cooperation. The paper explores these devices, demonstrating how they can contribute to Pareto preferred outcomes in equilibrium. The authors characterize the military expenditure associated with the commitment problem experienced by both sides, estimate its costs from data for Sudan, and identify the opportunity cost of foregone development implied by continued, excessive, and unsustainable militarization.
Tensor tilt from primordial B modes

A primordial cosmic microwave background B mode is widely considered a ‘smoking gun’ signature of an early period of inflationary expansion. However, competing theories of the origin of structure, including string gases (SG) and bouncing cosmologies, also produce primordial tensor perturbations that give rise to a B mode. These models can be differentiated by the scale dependence of their tensor spectra: inflation predicts a red tilt (nT 0), while a non-singular matter bounce gives a zero tilt (nT = 0). We perform a Bayesian analysis to determine how far |nT| must deviate from zero before a tilt can be detected with current and future B-mode experiments. We find that Planck in conjunction with Q/U Imaging Experiment II will decisively detect nT � 0i f |nT| > 0.3, too large to distinguish either single-field inflation or SG from the case nT = 0. While a future mission like CMBPol will offer improvement, only an ideal satellite mission will be capable of providing sufficient Bayesian evidence to distinguish between each model considered.
The Cathedral at Twenty-Five: Citations and Impressions

It was twenty-five years ago that Guido Calabresi and Douglas Melamed published their article on property rules, liability rules, and inalienability1 Calabresi, then a law professor, later a dean, is now a federal judge. Melamed, formerly a student of Calabresi's, is now a seasoned Washington attorney. Their article?which, thanks to its subtitle, we shall call The Cathedral?has had a remarkable influence on our own thinking, as we tried to show in a recent paper.2 This is not the place to rehash what we said then, but a summary might be in order. First, we demonstrated that the conventional wisdom about liability (damage) rules, that judges should use them when transaction costs are high, is incorrect, because the costs of assessing damages might in fact be higher still; if they are, property (injunction) rules are superior, at least from the standpoint of efficiency. Second, and relatedly, we identified problems of correlation and syneigy that come into play as one tries to choose between damages and injunctive relief. Correlation problems arise because the same considerations that yield high transaction costs usually yield high assessment costs as well; syneigy problems arise because the use of damage rules can inhibit the development of more effective bargaining practices. Third, we showed that Calabresi and Melamed's celebrated Rule 4 (reverse damages) contains a paradox, which we went on to resolve by inventing reverse-reverse damages (the "double reverse twist"). The trick of the double reverse twist relates to our fourth point, having to do with a "best-chooser axiom" which can be used to illuminate matters of institutional (not just judicial) design generally. Finally, we suggested in conclusion the relationship of much of the foregoing to relevant literature in other disciplines.
Neutron And Gamma Irradiation Effects On Power Semiconductor Switches

The performance characteristics of high power semiconductor switches subjected to high levels of neutron fluence and gamma dose must be known by the designer of the power conditioning, control and transmission subsystem of space nuclear power systems. Location and the allowable shielding mass budget will determine the level of radiation tolerance required by the switches to meet performance,and reliability requirements. Neutron and gamma ray interactions with semiconductor materials and how these interactions affect the electrical and switching characteristics of solid state power switches is discussed. The experimental measurement system and radiation facilities are described. Experimental data showing the effects of neutron and gamma irradiation on the performance characteristics are given for power-type NPN Bipolar Junction Transistors (BJTs), and Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field Effect Transistors (MOSFETs). BJTs show a rapid decrease in gain, blocking voltage, and storage time for neutron irradiation and MOSFETs show a rapid decrease in the gate threshold voltage for gamma irradiation.
Ethanol increases glutamate neurotransmission in the posterior ventral tegmental area of female wistar rats.

Background: The posterior ventral tegmental area (pVTA) mediates the reinforcing and stimulating effects of ethanol (EtOH). Electrophysiological studies indicated that exposure to EtOH increased glutamate synaptic function in the VTA. This study determined the neurochemical effects of both acute and repeated EtOH exposure on glutamate neurotransmission in the pVTA. Methods: Adult female Wistar rats were implanted with microdialysis probes in the pVTA. During microdialysis, rats received acute intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of saline or EtOH (0.5, 1.0, or 2.0 g/kg), and extracellular glutamate levels were measured in the pVTA. The effects of repeated daily injections of EtOH (0.5, 1.0, or 2.0 g/kg) on basal extracellular glutamate concentrations in the pVTA and on glutamate response to a subsequent EtOH challenge were also examined. Results: The injection of 0.5 g/kg EtOH significantly increased (120 to 125% of baseline), whereas injection of 2.0 g/kg EtOH significantly decreased (80% of baseline) extracellular glutamate levels in the pVTA. The dose of 1.0 g/kg EtOH did not alter extracellular glutamate levels. Seven repeated daily injections of each dose of EtOH increased basal extracellular glutamate concentrations (from 4.1 ± 0.5 to 9.2 ± 0.5 μM) and reduced glutamate clearance in the pVTA (from 30 ± 2 to 17 ± 2%), but failed to alter glutamate response to a 2.0 g/kg EtOH challenge. Conclusions: The results suggest that the low dose of EtOH can stimulate the release of glutamate in the pVTA, and repeated EtOH administration increased basal glutamate transmission in the pVTA, as a result of reduced glutamate clearance.
The Political Economy of Terrorism

The Political Economy of Terrorism presents a widely accessible political economy approach to the study of terrorism. It applies economic methodology – theoretical and empirical – combined with political analysis and realities to the study of domestic and transnational terrorism. In so doing, the book provides both a qualitative and quantitative investigation of terrorism in a balanced up-to-date presentation that informs students, policy makers, researchers and the general reader of the current state of knowledge. Included are historical aspects, a discussion of watershed events, the rise of modern-day terrorism, examination of current trends, the dilemma of liberal democracies, evaluation of counterterrorism, analysis of hostage incidents and much more. The new edition expands coverage of every chapter, adds a new chapter on terrorist network structures and organization, accounts for changes in the Department of Homeland Security and the USA Patriot Act and insurance against terrorism. Rational-actor models of terrorist and government behavior and game-theoretic analysis are presented for readers with no prior theoretical training. Where relevant, the authors display graphs using data from International Terrorism: Attributes of Terrorist Events (ITERATE), the Global Terrorism Database (GTD), and other public-access data sets.
The emerging legal framework for private sector development in Viet Nam's transitional economy

Private (especially foreign) investors find Vietnam's legal framework the most serious impediment to investment. Policy changes to reverse the former command system may be enough to initiate the transition. But without an appropriate legal framework, they will be insufficient for long-term development. A major objective of Vietnam's transition to a market economy has been to reactivate the private sector in a mixed economy. Several new laws have been introduced in the past five years to implement this policy and to create an enabling environment for the private sector. Thuyet reviews some of the more important laws and regulations that affect Viet Nam's private sector activities, including laws on real property, intellectual property, companies, domestic investment, foreign investment, bankruptcy, contracts, and dispute resolution. Anti-monopoly law has not yet been introduced in Vietnam. The issue of competition is addressed in the context of trade law, the relative roles of the state and private sector, and restrictions in company law. These areas all establish the foundation of a legal framework for a market economy. Among Thuyet's conclusions: Vietnam's legal framework, like China's, is still influenced by ideology, which causes problems in such areas as private ownership of real property and with such fundamental legal concepts as due process of law. The private sector is constrained by the lack of an independent judiciary, the absence of private land ownership, other uncertainties in property law that limit the development of financial markets, and the inherent bias of the system in favor of the state sector (and collective ownership). A law-abiding attitude, equally important to development, has been slow to develop. Vietnam's foreign investment process is too complicated, and its company law too restrictive. A first priority should be to streamline regulations. Vietnam has been slow to privatize its state enterprises, another step essential for development. Trade policy also needs to be liberalized. Export processing zones may be a useful interim instrument to attract foreign investment but should be phased out over time. More important in the long term is a good investment climate resting on a strong legal foundation. This paper - a product of the Transition Economics Division, Policy Research Department - is part of a larger effort in the department to understand the legal and institutional requirements for transition from socialism to a market economy.
Multilateral trade liberalization and Mexican households : the effect of the Doha development agenda

Empirical evidence suggests that global trade reforms are unlikely to produce analogous results across countries, especially when analyzing their effect on poverty. This implies that the analysis of trade reform on social welfare cannot be generalized and needs to be conducted on a country by country basis. Moreover, even within the same country, geographic areas, households, and individuals are likely to be differentially affected, some of them benefiting more than others, while others might lose. With this in mind, the author provides a quantitative estimate of the effect on Mexican households from the implementation of the Doha development agenda. His analysis uses a two-step approach for which changes in prices and factors are estimated through a CGE model (GTAP) and then mapped into the welfare function of the household using household survey data. The empirical approach the author uses aims to measure the impact of Doha implementation by tracing changes in the household prices of goods and factors and their impact on household welfare, taking particular account the role of domestic price transmission. The findings suggest that multilateral trade liberalization alone would have a negative effect on Mexican households, even though very small. However, when the implementation of the Doha development agenda is complemented by domestic policies aimed at increasing productivity and improving domestic price transmission, the overall effects become positive. The results point to the importance of domestic price transmission in determining the variance of the effects across households.
Compositions of Random Transpositions

LetY=(y1,y2, ...),y1≥y2≥..., be the list of sizes of the cycles in the composition ofcn transpositions on the set {1, 2, ...,n}. We prove that ifc>1/2 is constant andn → ∞, the distribution off(c)Y/n converges toPD(1), the Poisson-Dirichlet distribution with parameter 1, where the functionf is known explicitly. A new proof is presented of the theorem by Diaconis, Mayer-Wolf, Zeitouni and Zerner stating that thePD(1) measure is the unique invariant measure for the uniform coagulation-fragmentation process.
Geometry of the tetrahedron space

Abstract Let X ∘ be the space of all labeled tetrahedra in P 3 . In [E. Babson, P.E. Gunnells, R. Scott, A smooth space of tetrahedra, Adv. Math. 165(2) (2002) 285–312] we constructed a smooth symmetric compactification X ˜ of X ∘ . In this article we show that the complement X ˜ ⧹ X ∘ is a divisor with normal crossings, and we compute the cohomology ring H * ( X ˜ ; Q ) .
Synthesis of novel 3′-C-methyl-apionucleosides: an asymmetric construction of a quaternary carbon by Claisen rearrangement

The synthesis of 2,3-dideoxy-3-C-(hydroxymethyl)-3-C-methyl-D-glycero-tetrofuranosyl++ + nucleosides was accomplished in high enatiomeric purity (98.5% ee) via [3,3]-sigmatropic Claisen rearrangement of (E)(S)-5-benzyloxy-1-tert-butyldimethylsilanyloxy-4-methyl-pent-3- en-2-ol prepared from 2,3-O-isopropylidene-D-glyceraldehyde. The synthesized nucleosides were assayed against human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis B virus in human peripheral blood mononuclear (PBM) and 2.2.15 cells, respectively. 6-Amino-9-[2,3-dideoxy-3-C-(hydroxymethyl)-3-C-methyl-beta-D-glycero- tetrofuranosyl]-2-fluoropurine shows moderate antiviral activity (EC50 = 2.55 microM) against HIV-1 strains and 6-amino-9-[3-deoxy-3-C-(hydroxymethyl)-3-methyl-alpha-D-glycero-tetro furanosyl]-2-fluoropurine exhibits potent anti-HIV activity (EC50 = 0.073 microM) with significant cytotoxicity (IC50 = 1.0 microM).
Testing the mechanism of QGP-induced energy loss

We present an analytic model of jet quenching, based on the (D)GLV energy loss formalism, to describe the system size dependence of QGP-induced parton absorption in relativistic heavy ion collisions. Numerical simulations of the transverse momentum dependence of jet quenching are given for central Au+Au and Cu+Cu reactions. Low p Tdijet correlations are shown to be sensitive to the reappearance of the lost energy as soft hadrons. At high p Twe find that the attenuation of dihadrons is similar to that of single inclusive particles. Comparison to recent data from PHENIX and STAR is given as a test of the jet quenching theory.
Existence and Weyl’s law for spherical cusp forms

Let G be a split adjoint semisimple group over $${\user2{\mathbb{Q}}} $$ and $$ K _\infty \subset \mathbf{G} \user2{\mathbb{(R)}} $$ a maximal compact subgroup. We shall give a uniform, short and essentially elementary proof of the Weyl law for cusp forms on congruence quotients of $$ {\mathbf{G}}({\user2{\mathbb{R}}})/K_{\infty } $$ . This proves a conjecture of Sarnak for $$ \user2{\mathbb{Q}} $$ -split groups, previously known only for the case G = PGL(n). The key idea amounts to a new type of simple trace formula.
Equatorial X-rays and their effect on the lower mesosphere

Equatorial regions are well suited for studies of lower mesospheric response to X-rays because cosmic ray background effects are low there. In a sequence of rocket and balloon-borne observations conducted in Peru (12.5 S, 76.8 W), a direct measurement of a galactic X-ray source was made at an altitude of 65 km. Although no unusual X-ray activity was found above and below the region studied, the 65 km observations were consistent with known data for Sco X-1, i.e., its position and energy spectrum. In addition to showing that stellar X-rays do indeed affect the lower mesosphere, their transient nature leads also to the conclusion that the equatorial energetic electron belt is not a permanent feature of that region.
CESIUM PROMOTED O-ALKYLATION OF ALCOHOLS FOR THE EFFICIENT ETHER SYNTHESIS

Abstract Efficient Williamson type O-alkylation of alcohols was developed using cesium bases in the presence of tetrabutylammonium iodide (TBAI) and molecular sieves. Various substrates including unreactive primary and secondary alcohols were converted smoothly to the corresponding ethers. Electrophiles used herein encompass primary bromides and reactive halides such as benzyl bromide and MPMCl.
Multi-airfoil Navier-Stokes simulations of turbine rotor-stator interaction

An accurate numerical analysis of the flows associated with rotor-stator configurations in turbomachinery can be extremely helpful in optimizing the performance of turbomachinery. In this study the unsteady, thin-layer, Navier-Stokes equations in two spatial dimensions are solved on a system of patched and overlaid grids for a rotor-stator configuration from an axial turbine. The governing equations are solved using a finite-difference, upwind algorithm that is set in an iterative, implicit framework. Results in the form of pressure contours, time-averaged pressures, unsteady pressure amplitudes and phase are presented. The numerical results are compared with experimental data and the agreement is found to be good. The results are also compared with those of an earlier study which used only one rotor and one stator. The current study uses multiple rotors and stators and a pitch ratio that is much closer to the experimental ratio. Consequently the results of this study are found to be closer to the experimental data.
Accurate byzantine agreement with feedback

The Byzantine Agreement (BA) problem requires non-faulty processes to agree on a common value. In many applications, it is important that the processes agree on the correct value. In this paper, we present a problem called Accurate Byzantine Agreement with Feedback (ABAF) in which all processes receive common feedback from the environment indicating if the value they agreed upon was correct or not (accuracy). We present an algorithm that solves the ABAF problem based on a standard solution to the BA problem and a multiplicative method to maintain and update process weights indicative of how often they are correct. We make guarantees on the accuracy of the algorithm based on assumptions on the accuracy of the processes and the proportion of faulty and non-faulty processes in the system. For each iteration, if the weight of accurate processes is at least 3/4th the weight of the non-faulty processes, the algorithm always decides on the correct value. When the non-faulty processes are accurate with probability greater than 1/2, the algorithm decides on the correct value with very high probability after some initial number of mistakes. In fact, among n processes, if there exists even one process which is accurate for all iterations, the algorithm is wrong only O(log n) times for any large number of iterations of the algorithm.
Turbulent drag reduction by transverse wall oscillations

Skin-friction drag reduction by transverse wall oscillations has received significant attention of flow control community. Both experiments and simulations have demonstrated that oscillations with properly selected amplitude and frequency can reduce turbulent drag by as much as 40 percent. For a turbulent channel flow, we develop a model-based approach to design oscillations that suppress turbulence. We show that judiciously selected linearization of the flow with control can be used to determine turbulent viscosity in a computationally efficient manner. The resulting correction to the turbulent mean velocity is then used to identify optimal frequency of oscillations, which is in close agreement with previously conducted experimental and numerical studies. This demonstrates the predictive power of our simulation-free approach to controlling turbulent flows.
High density behaviour of nuclear symmetry energy and high energy heavy-ion collisions

Abstract High energy heavy-ion collisions are proposed as a novel means to obtain information about the high density (HD) behaviour of nuclear symmetry energy. Within an isospin-dependent hadronic transport model using phenomenological equations of state (EOS) for dense neutron-rich matter, it is shown that the isospin asymmetry of the HD nuclear matter formed in high energy heavy-ion collisions is determined mainly by the HD behaviour of nuclear symmetry energy. Experimental signatures in several sensitive probes, i.e., π − to π + ratio, transverse collective flow and its excitation function as well as neutron-proton differential flow, are investigated. A precursor of the possible isospin separation instability in dense neutron-rich matter is predicted to appear as the local minima in the excitation functions of the transverse flow parameter for both neutrons and protons above the pion production threshold. Because of its qualitative nature unlike other quantitative observables, this precursor can be used as a unique signature of the isospin dependence of the nuclear EOS. Measurements of these observables will provide the first terrestrial data to constrain stringently the HD behaviour of nuclear symmetry energy and thus also the EOS of dense neutron-rich matter. Implications of our findings to neutron star studies are also discussed.
Evidence for Evolution Among Primordial Disks in the 5 Myr Old Upper Scorpius OB Association

Moderate-resolution, near-infrared spectra between 0.8 and 5.2 μm were obtained for 12 late-type (K0-M3) disk-bearing members of the ~5 Myr old Upper Scorpius OB association using SpeX on the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility. For most sources, continuum excess emission first becomes apparent between ~2.2 and 4.5 μm and is consistent with that produced by single-temperature blackbodies having characteristic temperatures ranging from ~500 to 1300 K. The near-infrared spectra for 5 of 12 Upper Scorpius sources exhibit Paγ, Paβ, and Brγ emission, indicators of disk accretion. Using a correlation between Paβ and Brγ emission line luminosity and accretion luminosity, mass accretion rates are derived for these sources that range from to 1.5 × 10–8 M ☉ yr–1. Merging the SpeX observations with Spitzer Space Telescope mid-infrared (5.4-37.0 μm) spectroscopy and 24 and 70 μm broadband photometry, the observed spectral energy distributions (SEDs) are compared with those predicted by two-dimensional, radiative transfer accretion disk models. Of the nine Upper Scorpius sources examined in this analysis, three exhibit SEDs that are most consistent with models having inner disk radii that substantially exceed their respective dust sublimation radii. The remaining Upper Scorpius members possess SEDs that either show significant dispersion among predicted inner disk radii or are best described by models having inner disk rims coincident with the dust sublimation radius.
MetaWire: Using FPGA configuration circuitry to emulate a network-on-chip

Although there have been many reported implementations of networks-on-chip (NoCs) on FPGAs, they have not seen the same acceptance as NoCs on ASICs. One reason is that communication on a field programmable gate array (FPGA) is already costly because of the die resources and time delays inherent in the reconfigurable structure. Layering another general-purpose network on top of the reconfigurable network simply incurs too many performance penalties. There is, however, already a largely unused, global network available in FPGAs. As a proof-of-concept, we demonstrate that the Xilinx FPGA configuration circuitry, which is normally idle during system operation, can function as a relatively high-performance NoC. MetaWire performs transfers through an overclocked Virtex-4 internal configuration access port and is shown to provide a bandwidth exceeding 200 MB/s.
Data Envelopment Analysis of space and terrestrially-based large scale commercial power systems for earth: A prototype analysis of their relative economic advantages

Abstract Society must develop a large new source of electric power to adequately meet human needs in the 21st Century. The Lunar Solar Power system (LSP) is a new option that is independent of the biosphere. LSP captures sunlight on the moon, converts the solar power to microwaves, and beams the power to receivers on Earth that output electricity. The collimated microwave beams are low in intensity (
ANALYSIS OF VECTOR AUTOREGRESSIONS IN THE PRESENCE OF SHIFTS IN MEAN

This paper considers the implications of mean shifts in a multivariate setting. It is shown that under the additive outlier type mean shift specification, the intercept in each equation of the vector autoregression (VAR) will be subject to multiple shifts when the break dates of the mean shifts to the univariate series do not coincide. Conversely, under the innovative outlier type mean shift specification, both the univariate and the multivariate time series are subject to multiple shifts when mean shifts to the innovation processes occur at different dates. We consider two procedures, the first removes the shifts series by series before forming the VAR, and the second removes intercept shifts in the VAR directly. The pros and cons of both methods are discussed.
Total Synthesis and Structural Revision of (+)-Muironolide A

Muironolide A is a fascinating tetrachlorinated marine polyketide isolated from the sponge of Phorbas sp. Only 90 μg had been isolated, and the structure was established by nanoscale NMR techniques. Herein we report the total synthesis of the substance with the assigned structure of muironolide A, propose a revised structure based on NMR data, and complete the enantioselective total synthesis of muironolide A.
Board structure: an empirical study of firms in Anglo-American governance environments

Purpose – With boards of directors playing both monitoring and guidance roles, the purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of board structure on firm value in large US and UK firms using the lenses of agency and resource dependence theories. Design/methodology/approach – Using a sample of firms in the USA and the UK from 2000 to 2007, the paper conducts a panel data analysis of the impact of board structure on firm value and examine the nuances of different governance environments. Findings – The paper finds distinct differences in the impact of board independence, board size, and outside director busyness on firm value between UK and US firms. Specifically, the paper finds that board independence, board size, and board busyness all have a significant positive impact on firm value in the UK. However, the paper finds no significant relationship between board independence and firm value among US firms. Both board size and board busyness are found to be positively associated with firm value in the USA...
Electronic structure of hydrogen-like impurities in nearly-free-electron metals

Recent developments in our understanding of the electronic structure of hydrogen and its isotopes in simple metals is reviewed. The role of nonlinear electron density distribution in the interpretation of the electronic properties of hydrogen-like impurities is emphasized. Calculated Knight shifts and hyperfine fields at μ+ site and electric field gradients at cubic host nuclear sites due to interstitial μ+ are compared with recent experimental data. The feasibility of using positive muon as a probe of defect structure is discussed. Future experiments and theoretical investigations aimed at a deeper understanding of the electronic properties of μ+ are suggested.
Germanium p-n-junction-tunnel-junction combination devices

Abstract Semiconductor devices employing both normal p-n junctions and tunnel junctions (designed p t -n ) can utilize properties of a tunnel junction to impart new or improved characteristics to the overall structure. A p t -n junction, in the low-voltage region preceding the negative resistance, has current carried across the junction barrier primarily by electron tunneling, with very little minority-carrier injection. In the higher-current region following the negative resistance, minority-carrier injection occurs. Germanium p t -n-p transistors, having a tunnel-junction emitter and a normal-junction collector, were made by a combination of diffusion and alloying processes. They exhibit a current gain of essentially zero at low emitter currents, jumping abruptly to a finite value at the tunnel-junction peak current. This effect was applied to control the characteristics of four region switches, for which p t -n-p-n structures were used. The p t -n-p-n triode can be made to have its switching current equal to the tunnel-junction peak current, and its hold current equal to the tunnel-junction valley current. A base current equal to the peak current may be used to turn the devices on. These structures can be made to have quite stable properties from −70°C to +100°C, since germanium tunnel diodes show little change in characteristics over this temperature range.
Catalytic asymmetric rearrangement of allylic trichloroacetimidates. A practical method for preparing allylic amines and congeners of high enantiomeric purity.

COP−Cl catalyzes the rearrangement of (E)-allylic trichloroacetimidates to provide transposed allylic trichloroacetamides of high enantiopurity, a transformation that underlies the first truly practical method for transforming prochiral allylic alcohols to enantioenriched allylic amines and congeners. The high functional group compatibility of this asymmetric rearrangement and the demonstrated broad utility in synthesis of the allylic trichloroacetimidate to allylic trichloroacetamide conversion are singular features of this new catalytic asymmetric reaction.
Simultaneous nonunique decoding is rate-optimal

It is shown that simultaneous nonunique decoding is rate-optimal for the general K-sender, L-receiver discrete memoryless interference channel when encoding is restricted to randomly generated codebooks, superposition coding, and time sharing. This result implies that the Han-Kobayashi inner bound for the two-user-pair interference channel cannot be improved simply by using a better decoder such as the maximum likelihood decoder. It also generalizes and extends previous results by Baccelli, El Gamal, and Tse on Gaussian interference channels with point-to-point Gaussian random codebooks and shows that the Cover-van der Meulen inner bound with no common auxiliary random variable on the capacity region of the broadcast channel can be improved to include the superposition coding inner bound simply by using simultaneous nonunique decoding. The key to proving the main result is to show that after a maximal set of messages has been recovered, the remaining signal at each receiver is distributed essentially independently and identically.
Biomolecular Electronics: Vectorial Arrays of Photosynthetic Reaction Centers

Two-dimensional vectorial arrays of functional Photosystem I reaction centers have been prepared on atomically flat derivatized gold surfaces. The nature and extent of orientation were controlled by chemical modification of the surface derivative. For mercaptoacetic acid, 83% of the electron transport vectors were parallel to the surface, whereas with 2-mercaptoethanol 70% were oriented perpendicularly in the ``up'' position and only 2% were in the ``down'' position. No preferential orientation was observed with 2-dimethylaminoethanethiol.
m=1 ideal internal kink modes in a line-tied screw pinch

It is well known that the radial displacement of the m=1 internal kink mode in a periodic screw pinch has a steep jump at the resonant surface where k∙B=0 [Rosenbluth, Dagazian, and Rutherford, Phys. Fluids 16, 1894 (1973)]. In a line-tied system, relevant to solar and astrophysical plasmas, the resonant surface is no longer a valid concept. It is then of interest to see how line-tying alters the aforementioned result for a periodic system. If the line-tied kink also produces a steep gradient, corresponding to a thin current layer, it may lead to strong resistive effects even with weak dissipation. Numerical solution of the eigenmode equations shows that the fastest growing kink mode in a line-tied system still possesses a jump in the radial displacement at the location coincident with the resonant surface of the fastest growing mode in the periodic counterpart. However, line-tying thickens the inner layer and slows down the growth rate. As the system length L approaches infinity, both the inner layer thi...
ENTEROBIUS VERMICULARIS: A POSSIBLE CAUSE OF SYMPTOMS RESEMBLING APPENDICITIS

The role of Enterobius vermicularis in appendicitis has been disputed. The aims of this retrospective study were to determine the prevalence of E. vermicularis in surgically removed appendices and to relate this to the age and sex of the patient, the time of the year, the presence of symptoms and the histological findings. The study included all appendices received in this laboratory during the 5 year period from 1984 through to 1988. There were 1867 appendices during this period of which 1108 were acutely inflamed and 759 were not inflamed (although 149 of these showed other pathological changes). The mean age distribution of all patients was 22.8 years. Enterobius vermicularis was identified in 63 appendices (3.4%). Infestation was more frequent in female (4.6%) than in male (1.9%) patients. The peak age was 12.8 years in females and 12.1 years in males. Of 63 patients who had E. vermicularis, 98% presented with symptoms of acute or recurrent appendicitis, yet 40 had no histological evidence of appendicitis or mucosal invasion by the parasite and only four had other possible explanations for abdominal pain. In an analysis of the subgroup of 147 patients who had incidental appendectomy at the time of laparotomy for other reasons, only one had E. vermicularis. It is concluded that E. vermicularis occurs more frequently in uninflamed appendices. It may be a cause of symptoms resembling acute appendicitis although the mechanism for this does not involve mucosal invasion by the parasite.
A new series of pillared uranyl-vanadates based on uranophane-type sheets in the uranium-vanadium-linear alkyl diamine systems

Abstract A new family of three-dimensional (3D) uranyl vanadates (C3N2H12){[(UO2)(H2O)][(UO2)(VO4)]4}·1H2O (C3UV), (C4N2H14){[(UO2)(H2O)][(UO2)(VO4)]4}·2H2O (C4UV), (C5N2H16) {[(UO2)(H2O)][(UO2)(VO4)]4} (C5UV), (C6N2H20) {[(UO2)(H2O)][(UO2)(VO4)]4} (C6UV) and (C7N2H22) {[(UO2)(H2O)][(UO2)(VO4)]4} (C7UV) was prepared from mild-hydrothermal reactions using 1,3-diaminopropane, 1,4-diaminobutane, 1,5-diaminopentane, 1,6-diaminohexane and 1,7-diaminoheptane as structure directing agents. The five compounds are orthorhombic, space group Cmc21, with a≈15.6, b≈14.1, c≈13.6 A. The structures were solved using single-crystal X-ray diffraction data. The compounds contain the same three-dimensional inorganic framework built from uranyl-vanadate layers of uranophane-type anion topology pillared by [UO6(H2O)] pentagonal bipyramids. The doubly protonated diamines reside in the cavities created by the inorganic framework and are linked to the inorganic framework through hydrogen bonds involving one nitrogen atom. The structure is compared with that of uranyl-phosphates and uranyl-arsenates containing alkaline metals. The use of alkaline metals for the synthesis of uranyl-vanadates leads to carnotite-type compounds.
Understanding gender differences in online learning

As virtual learning has become increasingly more popular and even more common within both two and four-year institutions, the question of student engagement within these courses remains a critical factor for both administrators and faculty. Determining how students respond and participate in online courses has been studied to some degree, but what has not specifically been addressed is the factor of gender. So simply asked: Does gender play a significant role in how students engage with online courses? This question directed a two year study that sought to determine if gender does play a role in the engagement and student success in one online sophomore-level ethical decision-making course taught at the School of Engineering and Technology at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis. This paper will outline the various phases of the project including initial set-up and planning, the pilot study, and then the full launch to all sections each semester. The data examined includes students' gender, total site activity and usage, total site visits, chat room activity, message activity, course letter grade, and course letter grade percentage earned. Basic demographics will be determined and statistical analysis will be performed at each stage of the study with a final conclusion drawn at the end of the two years. This two-year study is organized into four phases. Currently, phases one and two are complete with phase two, the pilot study, garnering some interesting results for the research team. Phase three, the full launch to all sections in two semesters, is now underway and the researchers hope the full launch will determine if the pilot results were correct or if a larger sample provides a clearer determination in regards to gender.
Selective enhancement effects of silver salts on the transition metal-catalyzed synthesis of gem-difluorinated heterocyclics using 2,2-difluorohomopropargyl amides

Abstract The addition of silver salts had an effect on the catalyst activity in the Pd(0)-catalyzed cyclization-coupling tandem reaction, as well as in the Rh(I)-catalyzed Pauson–Khand reaction. The cationic palladium complex generated from Pd(PPh 3 ) 4 (2.5 mol%) with AgSbF 6 (1.5 equiv.) activates the triple bond of 2,2-difluoropropargylic amides to give the 4,5-disubstituted 3,3-difluoro-γ-lactams, through a sequential 5- endo-dig cyclization and cross-coupling reaction. The γ-lactam was transformed into ring-opened monofluorovinylic compounds after silica-gel chromatography. Pauson–Khand reaction of fluorinated 1,7-enyne amides using catalytic amounts of [Rh(COD) 2 ] 2 (5 mol%) and AgOTf (20 mol%) gave the corresponding gem -difluorinated bicyclic lactam.