cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Slepian-Wolf Code Design via Source-Channel Correspondence

We consider Slepian-Wolf code design based on LDPC (low-density parity-check) coset codes for memoryless source-side information pairs. A density evolution formula, equipped with a concentration theorem, is derived for Slepian-Wolf coding based on LDPC coset codes. As a consequence, an intimate connection between Slepian-Wolf coding and channel coding is established. Specifically we show that, under density evolution, design of binary LDPC coset codes for Slepian-Wolf coding of an arbitrary memoryless source-side information pair reduces to design of binary LDPC codes for binary-input output-symmetric channels without loss of optimality. With this connection, many classic results in channel coding can be easily translated into the Slepian-Wolf setting.
An Empirical Analysis of Trade-Related Redistribution and the Political Viability of Free Trade *

Even if free trade creates net welfare gains for a country as a whole, the associated distributional implications can undermine the political viability of free trade. We show that trade-related redistribution—as presently constituted—modestly increases the political viability of free trade in the US. We do so by assessing the causal effect of expected redistribution associated with the US Trade Adjustment Assistance program on US Congressional voting behavior on eleven Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) between 2003 and 2011. We find that a one standard deviation increase in expected redistribution leads to an average increase in the probability of voting in favor of an FTA of 1.8 percentage points. Although this is a modest impact on average, we find significant heterogeneities; in particular, the effect is larger when a representative's constituents are more at risk or the representative faces greater re-election risk.
Hydraphiles: design, synthesis and analysis of a family of synthetic, cation-conducting channels

The concept of channels has been with us more than a century. For half a century, biologists have studied the remarkable workings of protein and peptide channels that permit various cations and small molecules to pass through the phospholipid bilayer membrane. During the past decade, attempts have been made by chemists and biochemists to examine the action of channel compounds from the chemical point of view and to model their function using synthetic structures. What follows is a description of our own efforts to design, synthesize, and characterize a cation transporter that functions in a phospholipid bilayer.
Dynamic matrix factorization: A state space approach

Matrix factorization from a small number of observed entries has recently garnered much attention as the key ingredient of successful recommendation systems. One unresolved problem in this area is how to adapt current methods to handle changing user preferences over time. Recent proposals to address this issue are heuristic in nature and do not fully exploit the time-dependent structure of the problem. As a principled and general temporal formulation, we propose a dynamical state space model of matrix factorization. Our proposal builds upon probabilistic matrix factorization, a Bayesian model with Gaussian priors. We utilize results in state tracking, i.e. the Kalman filter, to provide accurate recommendations in the presence of both process and measurement noise. We show how system parameters can be learned via expectation-maximization and provide comparisons to current published techniques.
Extending the Web3D: design of conventional GUI libraries in X3D

Extensible 3D (X3D) modeling language is one of the leading Web3D technologies. Despite the rich functionality, the language does not currently provide tools for rapid development of conventional graphical user interfaces (GUIs). Every X3D author is responsible for building---from primitives---a purpose-specific set of required interface components, often for a single use.We address the challenge of creating consistent, efficient, interactive, and visually appealing GUIs by proposing the X3D User Interface (X3DUI) library. This library includes a wide range of cross-compatible X3D widgets, equipped with configurable appearance and behavior. With this library, we attempt to standardize the GUI construction across various X3D-driven projects, and improve the reusability, compatibility, adaptability, readability, and flexibility of many existing applications.
Visualization of Cosmological Particle-Based Datasets

We describe our visualization process for a particle-based simulation of the formation of the first stars and their impact on cosmic history. The dataset consists of several hundred time-steps of point simulation data, with each time-step containing approximately two million point particles. For each time-step, we interpolate the point data onto a regular grid using a method taken from the radiance estimate of photon mapping [21]. We import the resulting regular grid representation into ParaView [24], with which we extract isosurfaces across multiple variables. Our images provide insights into the evolution of the early universe, tracing the cosmic transition from an initially homogeneous state to one of increasing complexity. Specifically, our visualizations capture the build-up of regions of ionized gas around the first stars, their evolution, and their complex interactions with the surrounding matter. These observations will guide the upcoming James Webb Space Telescope, the key astronomy mission of the next decade.
When does negative brand publicity hurt? The moderating influence of analytic versus holistic thinking

Negative publicity can diminish positive consumer perceptions of a brand. We explore the impact of processing style on mitigating the effects of negative publicity. We hypothesize that holistic thinkers are less susceptible to negative publicity information than are analytic thinkers. Holistic thinkers are more likely to consider external context-based explanations for the negative publicity, resulting in little or no revision of beliefs about the parent brand. Analytic thinkers, in contrast, are less likely to consider contextual factors, attributing negative information to the parent brand and updating their brand beliefs accordingly. Across three studies, we find support for our predictions.
Sensor-based self-localization for wheeled mobile robots

In this article, we demonstrate a reliable, robust, and computationally efficient algorithm that uses inexpensive hardware to localize a mobile robot in a rather structured environment that is relatively consistent to an a priori map. Furthermore, the incorporation of thresholding makes possible the localization of the robot even in the presence of objects not depicted in the a priori map. An Extended Kalman Filter is used to combine dead-reckoning, ultrasonic, and infrared sensor data to estimate current position and orientation. Implementation issues and experimental results from experience with a mobile robot, Nomad 200, are also presented. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Exact equations for smoothed Wigner transforms and homogenization of wave propagation

Abstract The Wigner transform (WT) has been extensively used in the formulation of phase-space models for a variety of wave propagation problems including high-frequency limits, nonlinear and random waves. It is well known that the WT features counterintuitive ‘interference terms,’ which often make computation impractical. In this connection, we propose the use of the smoothed Wigner transform (SWT), and derive new, exact equations for it, covering a broad class of wave propagation problems. Equations for spectrograms are included as a special case. The ‘taming’ of the interference terms by the SWT is illustrated, and an asymptotic model for the Schrodinger equation is constructed and numerically verified.
Distributing Intelligence and Organizing Diversity in New-Media Projects:

In this paper we examine how web-design firms in the new-media industry probe and experiment with possible forms and sources of value that give shape to the new economy. Focusing on the collaborative engineering of cross-disciplinary web-design project teams, we examine how websites emerge as provisional settlements among heterogeneous disciplines as they negotiate working compromises across competing performance criteria.
Einselection and Decoherence from an Information Theory Perspective

We introduce and investigate a simple model of conditional quantum dynamics. It allows for a discussion of the information-theoretic aspects of quantum measurements, decoherence, and environment-induced superselection (einselection).
Thermoresponsive microgel-based materials

With the continued development of thermoresponsive colloidal hydrogel particles, a number of groups have begun to exploit their properties to create dynamic materials self-assembled from those components. The fundamental details of how those building blocks are assembled, the component functionality, and the geometry or length-scales present in the assemblies contribute to the behavior of the resultant material. In this tutorial review, we examine recent progress in the assembly of responsive hydrogel colloids in two and three dimensions, highlighting their potential applications, especially in the domain of biotechnology.
Experimental and Numerical Characterization of Non-Fickian Moisture Diffusion in Electronic Packages

This study investigates moisture diffusion characteristics of electronic packaging materials exhibiting Fickian and non-Fickian behaviors. The experimental investigation involves moisture absorption and desorption tests of homogenous underfill materials and inhomogeneous organic substrates representing Fickian and non-Fickian solids, respectively. In absorption tests, samples are dried out in an oven prior to testing in a humid environmental chamber. In desorption tests, samples are saturated in an environmental chamber under a specified temperature and relative humidity prior to the moisture desorption inside an oven. Samples in both tests are removed from the test environments and weighed frequently to obtain moisture weight change data. Using the test measurements of several different Fickian and non-Fickian materials, diffusivity/moisture concentration relationships are constructed. These relationships are implemented into a customized finite element simulation tool under the ANSYS platform. This tool is validated by using the experimental measurements on multimaterial samples prepared from underfill and substrates.
SYNTHESIS OF TETRAHEDRAL CARBOXAMIDE HYDROGEN BOND ACCEPTORS

(2004). SYNTHESIS OF TETRAHEDRAL CARBOXAMIDE HYDROGEN BOND ACCEPTORS. Organic Preparations and Procedures International: Vol. 36, No. 4, pp. 353-359.
Decentralizing Egypt: Not Just Another Economic Reform

In this paper we take stock of what the current system of sub-national governments is like in Egypt and then build on this assessment to suggest the form of decentralization that may be both effective and politically feasible. Practically every aspect of intergovernmental relations in Egypt seems to suffer from the lack of clarity and general vagueness. The all pervasive ambiguity is likely to be the outcome of an explicit policy design and has several main manifestations. A successful decentralization reform will require the political empowerment of local communities and this is a step that some in the current regime are unsure can be taken. At the same time there are others that feel that this is a step that the regime cannot afford not to take. Overall, there are reasons to be moderately optimistic about the prospects for fiscal decentralization reform, even if the obstacles remain formidable.
SNOOZE: toward a stateful network protocol fuzZEr

Fuzzing is a well-known black-box approach to the security testing of applications. Fuzzing has many advantages in terms of simplicity and effectiveness over more complex, expensive testing approaches. Unfortunately, current fuzzing tools suffer from a number of limitations, and, in particular, they provide little support for the fuzzing of stateful protocols. In this paper, we present SNOOZE, a tool for building flexible, security-oriented, network protocol fuzzers. SNOOZE implements a stateful fuzzing approach that can be used to effectively identify security flaws in network protocol implementations. SNOOZE allows a tester to describe the stateful operation of a protocol and the messages that need to be generated in each state. In addition, SNOOZE provides attack-specific fuzzing primitives that allow a tester to focus on specific vulnerability classes. We used an initial prototype of the SNOOZE tool to test programs that implement the SIP protocol, with promising results. SNOOZE supported the creation of sophisticated fuzzing scenarios that were able to expose real-world bugs in the programs analyzed.
Measurement of the fusion probability, PCN, for hot fusion reactions

Background: The cross section for forming a heavy evaporation residue in fusion reactions depends on the capture cross section, the fusion probability, PCN, i.e., the probability that the projectile-target system will evolve inside the fission saddle point to form a completely fused system rather than reseparating (quasifission), and the survival of the completely fused system against fission. PCN is the least known of these quantities. Purpose: We want to determine PCN for the reactions of 101.2 MeV 18 O, 147.3 MeV 26 Mg, 170.9 MeV 30 Si, and 195.3 MeV 36 Sw ith 197 Au. Methods: We measured the fission fragment angular distributions for these reactions and used the formalism of Back to deduce the fusion-fission and quasifission cross sections. From these quantities we deduced PCN for each reaction. Results: The values of PCN for the reactions of 101.2 MeV 18 O, 147.3 MeV 26 Mg, 170.9 MeV 30 Si, and 195.3 MeV 36 S with 197 Au are 0.66, 1.00, 0.06, and 0.13, respectively. Conclusions: The new measured values of PCN agree roughly with the semiempirical systematic dependence of PCN upon fissility for excited nuclei.
Contracting for management: Assessing management capacity under alternative service delivery arrangements

Contracting critics suggest that when governments outsource, they reduce their capacity to produce services and manage service delivery. In this paper, we decompose the service delivery decision into service production and service management components. When governments contract for service production, they may also choose to contract for a portion of service delivery management. Studies that only compare the management activities of contracting and direct service delivery governments, without examining the management activities contracted to vendors, are likely to be incomplete and biased. Drawing on a unique survey of governmental refuse collection service directors, matched with a survey of refuse collection vendors operating under municipal contracts, we show that the vendors' management activities offset the decline in management capacity that occurs when governments contract for service delivery for this particular service. Governments can “buy” management activities when contracting for service production. © 2006 by the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management
Machine Intentionality, the Moral Status of Machines, and the Composition Problem

According to the most popular theories of intentionality, a family of theories we will refer to as “functional intentionality,” a machine can have genuine intentional states so long as it has functionally characterizable mental states that are causally hooked up to the world in the right way. This paper considers a detailed description of a robot that seems to meet the conditions of functional intentionality, but which falls victim to what I call “the composition problem.” One obvious way to escape the problem (arguably, the only way) is if the robot can be shown to be a moral patient – to deserve a particular moral status. If so, it isn’t clear how functional intentionality could remain plausible (something like “phenomenal intentionality” would be required). Finally, while it would have seemed that a reasonable strategy for establishing the moral status of intelligent machines would be to demonstrate that the machine possessed genuine intentionality, the composition argument suggests that the order of precedence is reversed: The machine must first be shown to possess a particular moral status before it is a candidate for having genuine intentionality.
Linear progress in the complex of curves

We show that a random walk on the mapping class group of an orientable surface of finite type makes linear progress in the relative metric, which is quasi-isometric to the complex of curves.
Pylon-Based Jet Noise Suppressors

This investigation examined the potential of pylon-based, deployable flaps to reduce noise of separate-flow turbofan engines with bypass ratio 8. The main function of the flap deflectors is to thicken the low-speed region surrounding the core jet in the downward and sideline directions. The study encompassed acoustic measurements, noise source imaging, mean velocity surveys, and aerodynamic estimates. Three types of deflectors were tested: solid flaps, porous flaps made of coarse perforation, and porous flaps made of fine perforation. It is shown that all the deflectors reduce noise sources near the end of the primary potential core. However, the solid flaps create excess noise in the vicinity of their location that can overwhelm this noise benefit, particularly at large polar angles. Porous flaps significantly reduce velocity gradients that cause excess noise. Noise generation from the perforations themselves can be shifted to very high frequency (rapidly attenuated by atmospheric absorption) by reducing the size of the perforation. Accordingly, the fineperforation flaps provided superior acoustic results yielding estimated EPNL benefits of 2.1 dB in the downward direction and 1.0 dB in the sideline direction. The static-thrust loss of these flaps is estimated at 0.7%.
Enzymatic resolution of amines and amino alcohols using pent-4-enoyl derivatives

Abstract Racemic amines and amino alcohols were enzymatically resolved by enantioselective acylation using cyanomethyl pent-4-enoate or by enantioselective enzymatic hydrolysis of the dipent-4-enoyl derivatives of amino alcohols to afford chiral pent-4-enamides which can be deacylated chemically to their chiral amines under mild conditions.
When do venture capitalists add value

Abstract Venture capitalists functioning as lead investors and the entrepreneur-CEOs of their portfolio companies responded to questionnaire surveys that asked them to rate the venture capitalists' involvement in the ventures. The perceived effectiveness of the investor's involvement weighted by its perceived importance was used as a proxy for the investor's value to the venture. The survey was administered in the early part of 1988. Eighty percent of venture capitalists and 85% of entrepreneurs surveyed responded; in all, 51 matched pairs of lead investor-CEO surveys were completed and returned. Over 50 hours of interviews were also conducted to help clarify information derived through the surveys. CEOs and venture capitalists rated the nature and intensity of their interaction as well as the performance of the venture over a one-year period. CEOs also provided data on strategy, level of innovation, environmental uncertainty, and their level of experience. Regression analyses indicated that a significant portion of variation in the value of venture capitalist involvement was explained by these factors. Specifically, the greater the innovation pursued by the venture, the more frequent the contact between the lead investor and the CEO, the more open the communication, and the less conflict of perspective in the venture capitalist-CEO pair, the greater was the value of the involvement. Neither the stage of the venture nor the CEO's experience had a significant impact on value added. The value of venture capitalists' involvement was also strongly positively correlated with venture performance. The implications for the venture capitalists include the following: (1) the value of involvement varies with circumstances; (2) the most effective venture capitalists are those who maintain frequent, open communications while minimizing conflict; (3) opportunities exist for adding value in all venture stages; and (4) both experienced and inexperienced CEOs can benefit. For entrepreneurs, three key findings are: (1) because venture capitalists can add value beyond the money supplied, choosing the right one at the outset is very important; (2) once in, it is important to keep communication channels open; and (3) high innovation ventures benefit most from venture capitalist involvement. The results are important because they provide insight into controllable circumstances that impact the value of venture capitalist involvement in their portfolio companies. Given the general economic conditions now facing entrepreneurs and the degree of cut-throat competition in the venture capital industry, such information may prove extremely useful to both as they plan strategies for the 1990s.
An integrated approach to system design, reliability, and diagnosis

Two tools for engineering analyses of highly reliable systems, one for quantitative reliability evaluation and the other for fault diagnosis, have been developed based on an object-oriented representation of fault trees. The fault trees serves as a central knowledge base for the integrated tool set, ensuring that consistent design information is used in both procedures. The tools have a graphical interface for data entry and the display of results, and enable the engineer to modify system models easily and understand the effects of the changes quickly. The availability of the models in an accessible form improves the design process by eliminating redundant model development in various stages of the lifecycle. The object-oriented models are particularly useful since they are easily modified to characterize various aspects of system behavior, promoting the development of additional analysis tools that will access the same knowledge base. The proposed approach is illustrated with reference to a representative subset of the Space Station Freedom data management system, which consists of three subsystems connected by a token ring network. >
The Maslov class of Lagrangian tori and quantum products in Floer cohomology

We use Floer cohomology to prove the monotone version of a conjecture of Audin: the minimal Maslov number of a monotone Lagrangian torus in ℝ2n is 2. Our approach is based on the study of the quantum cup product on Floer cohomology and in particular the behavior of Oh's spectral sequence with respect to this product. As further applications, we prove existence of holomorphic disks with boundaries on Lagrangians as well as new results on Lagrangian intersections.
Valuation in the environmental policy process

Expert valuation, a process used to determine how much stakeholders value eco-system aspects, places experts as intermediaries for public-preference input into the environmental policy process. While the rise and refinement of expert valuation might capture ecosystem values more comprehensively, two dilemmas are also worth of consideration: (1) will expert valuation and benefit cost analysis supplant democratic expression; and (2) will refinement of expert valuation still leave the ecosystem under valued? This article reorients the current problem from focusing on the need to refine methods to capture more ecosystem benefits to consider how valuation can contribute to a set of more democratic processes that allow the public to contribute to and consider a broader range of policy options.
Protoplanetary Disk Mass Distribution in Young Binaries

We present millimeter-wave continuum images of four wide (separations 210-800 AU), young stellar binary systems in the Taurus-Auriga star-forming region. For all four sources, the resolution of our observations is sufficient to determine the millimeter emission from each of the components. In all four systems, the primary star's disk has stronger millimeter emission than the secondary's, and in three of the four the secondary is undetected; this is consistent with predictions of recent models of binary formation by fragmentation. The primaries' circumstellar disk masses inferred from these observations are comparable to those found for young single stars, confirming that the presence of a wide binary companion does not prevent the formation of a protoplanetary disk. Some of the secondaries show signatures of accretion (Hα emission and K-L excesses), yet their millimeter fluxes suggest that very little disk mass is present.
Unsteady Aerodynamics of Deformable Thin Airfoils

The paper presents a theory for the unsteady aerodynamics of deformable thin airfoils. It extends the theory developed by Theodorsen and Garrick, which is restricted to rigid body motion. Frequency-domain lift, pitching moment, and thrust expressions are derived for an airfoil undergoing harmonic oscillations and deformation in the form of the Chebychev polynomials. The first two polynomials give the rigid body motion, whereas the rest represent the deformation. The results are verified with the time-domain unsteady aerodynamic theory of Peters. Numerical results are presented for several combinations of airfoil motion, which identify various possibilities for thrust generation using a deformable airfoil.
The mean value theorem and basic properties of the obstacle problem for divergence form elliptic operators

In 1963, Littman, Stampacchia, and Weinberger proved a mean value theorem for elliptic operators in divergence form with bounded measurable coefficients. In the Fermi lectures in 1998, Caffarelli stated a much simpler mean value theorem for the same situation, but did not include the details of the proof. We show all of the nontrivial details needed to prove the formula stated by Caffarelli, and in the course of showing these details we establish some of the basic facts about the obstacle problem for general elliptic divergence form operators, in particular, we show a basic quadratic nondegeneracy property.
Laboratory courses focused on tissue engineering applications

Two new laboratory courses focused on tissue engineering have been developed and implemented in the Bioengineering Department at Rice University. The content of these courses is quite unique, yet fully supports the department's emphasis on biomedical engineering at the molecular, cellular, and tissue levels. This sequence or required undergraduate laboratory courses is designed to teach students mammalian tissue culture techniques, to develop their ability to design and conduct experiments, and to meet department-specific ABET Program Outcomes. In BIOE 342, students learn sterile technique, develop their ability to visually assess cell morphology and confluency, and learn how to maintain cells in culture. Using fibroblast cells, students conduct viability, attachment, and proliferation assays. In BIOE 441 students apply their tissue culture techniques to a tissue engineering challenge. Students assess the physical and chemical properties of two polymers. Students design and conduct experiments to quantify the viability, attachment, and proliferation of fibroblast cells on polymer films. Students are not given protocols for these experiments; they must develop new protocols or adapt protocols from BIOE 342 and make adjustments for experimental differences. Most students repeat experiments with a redesigned protocol. Because of the open-ended nature of the assignment, students develop unique approaches and protocols.
Bundles on non-proper schemes: representability

Let X be a proper scheme over a field k which satisfies Serre's condition S2 and G a reductive group over k. We prove that the functor of principal G-bundles, defined away from a non-fixed closed subset in X of codimension at least 3, is an algebraic stack in the sense of Artin.
Thermal conductivity correlations for minor constituent fluids in natural gas: n-octane, n-nonane and n-decane

Natural gas, although predominantly comprised of methane, often contains small amounts of heavier hydrocarbons that contribute to its thermodynamic and transport properties. In this manuscript, we review the current literature and present new correlations for the thermal conductivity of the pure fluids n-octane, n-nonane, and n-decane that are valid over a wide range of fluid states, from the dilute-gas to the dense liquid, and include an enhancement in the critical region. The new correlations represent the thermal conductivity to within the uncertainty of the best experimental data and will be useful for researchers working on thermal conductivity models for natural gas and other hydrocarbon mixtures.
Implementation of generalized optimality criteria in a multidisciplinary environment

Generalized optimally criteria methods can alleviate the computational burden of designing for many hundreds or thousands of design variables. The implementation in an Automated Structural Optimization System (ASTROS) for preliminary design of aerospace structures is described. A dual mathematical programming method is used in conjuction with a compound scaling technique. Both are applied together to minimize structural weight in example problems, including a wing model with constraints on its structural behavior and aerodynamic performance.
Stability of periodic orbits in the elliptic, restricted three-body problem.

A systematic study has been made of periodic orbits in the two-dimensional, elliptic, restricted three-body problem. All ranges of eccentricities, from 0 to 1, and mass-ratios, from 0 to J, have been investigated. Eleven hundred periodic orbits have been obtained. It is concluded that the elliptic problem behaves in a way which is completely different from the circular problem. The main difference is in the stability properties of the periodic orbits. Because of the nonexistence of the Jacobi integral (the elliptic problem is not conservative), the characteristic equation of the monodromy matrix does not have a pair of unit roots, in general. The stability is denned by two real numbers (stability indices) rather than one. Because of that, there are seven general classes of periodic orbits, according to their stability properties. The stability of the periodic orbits has been determined by numerically integrating the variational equations with a recurrent power series method. The results are in contrast with the circular problem, where there are only three classes of orbits (stability, even instability, and odd instability): in the elliptic problem there are one stable class and six unstable classes. The elliptic, restricted three-body problem can be considered as the prototype of all nonintegrable, nonconservative Hamiltonian systems, and in this paper, probably for the first time, a classification of the multipliers is given for these systems. I. Introduction
Status of the nuclear powered airplane

Nuclear powered long distance aircraft engines, discussing high burnup fuel, weight factors and safety problems
VLBA Imaging of Central Engines in Radio-Quiet Quasars

We have used the Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) to image five radio-quiet quasars (RQQs) at milliarcsecond resolution, at frequencies between 1.4 and 5 GHz. These quasars have typical total flux densities of a few millijanskys at gigahertz frequencies and are compact on arcsecond scales. The VLBA images reveal that four of the quasars are dominated by unresolved radio cores, while the fifth has an apparent two-sided jet. Typical core brightness temperatures range from 108 to at least 109 K. The compact radio morphologies and X-ray luminosities of many objects in the RQQ sample seem to indicate classical accretion onto black holes as massive as 109 M☉, with emission physics in many ways similar to their radio-loud counterparts. Therefore, the relatively small amount of radiative energy emerging at radio wavelengths in the RQQs may simply be due to the presence of less powerful radio jets.
Feasibility of Contact Elimination of a Mechanical Face Seal Through Clearance Adjustment

The feasibility of eliminating contact in a noncontacting flexibly mounted rotor (FMR) mechanical face seal is studied. The approach for contact elimination is based on a parametric study using FMR seal dynamics. Through clearance adjustment it is possible to reduce the maximum normalized relative misalignment between seal faces and, therefore, eliminate seal face contact. Clearance is measured by proximity probes and varied through a pneumatic adjustment mechanism. Contact is determined phenomenologically from pattern recognition of probe signals and their power spectrum densities as well as angular misalignment orbit plots, all calculated and displayed in real-time. The contact elimination strategy is experimentally investigated for various values of stator misalignment and initial rotor misalignment. Contrary to intuition but compliant with the parametric study, the experimental results show that for the seal under consideration contact can be eliminated through clearance reduction.
Do Women Shy Away From Competition? Do Men Compete Too Much? : A (Failed) Replication

Niederle and Vesterlund (2007) document a large disparity between male and female choices in payment scheme in a simple addition task. This note describes a pure replication conducted at Purdue University in 2008 that fails to replicate these results. Analysis suggests that, although other studies have replicated the previous result, a difference in confidence which is correlated with student status (i.e. undergraduate, graduate or other) is the main contributor to the non-replication. These results are in line with recent research which suggests that much of the gender difference for competition is attributed to differences in confidence and risk preferences and proposes a valuable policy avenue which may help to attenuate the gender competition divide.
HANDLE OPERATORS OF COSET MODELS

Several interesting features of coset models “without fixed points” are easily understood via Chern-Simons theory. In this paper we derive explicit formulae for the handle-squashing operator in these cosets. These operators are fixed, linear combinations of the irreducible representations of the coset. As a simple application of these curious formulae, we compute the traces of all genus-one operators for several common cosets.
Cannabis abuse as a risk factor for depressive symptoms.

OBJECTIVE: This study sought to estimate the degree to which cannabis abuse is a risk factor for depressive symptoms rather than an effort to self-medicate depression. METHOD: Participants (N=1,920) in the 1980 Baltimore Epidemiologic Catchment Area (ECA) study who were reassessed between 1994 and 1996 as part of a follow-up study provided the data. The analysis focused on two cohorts: those who reported no depressive symptoms at baseline (N=849) and those with no diagnosis of cannabis abuse at baseline (N=1,837). Symptoms of depression, cannabis abuse, and other psychiatric disorders were assessed with the Diagnostic Interview Schedule. RESULTS: In participants with no baseline depressive symptoms, those with a diagnosis of cannabis abuse at baseline were four times more likely than those with no cannabis abuse diagnosis to have depressive symptoms at the follow-up assessment, after adjusting for age, gender, antisocial symptoms, and other baseline covariates. In particular, these participants were more...
The effect of over-the-wing nacelles on wing-body aerodynamics

An investigation was conducted in the Langley 16-ft transonic tunnel to further study benefits in climb and cruise performance due to blowing the jet over the wing for a transport-type wing-body configuration. In this investigation, a wing-body model powered-nacelle test rig combination was tested at Mach numbers of 0.5 and 0.8 at angles of attack from — 2-4 deg and jet total-pressure ratios from jet off to 3 or 4 (depending on Mach number) for a variety of nacelle locations relative to the wing. Results from this investigation show that positioning of the nacelles can have very large effects on the wing-body drag (nacelles were nonmetric). Some positions yielded much higher drag than the baseline wing-body, while others yielded drag somewhat lower than the baseline. Nomenclature CD = drag coefficient CL = lift coefficient Cm = pitching moment coefficient D — jet-exit diameter JO - jet off LE = leading edge M = Mach number NPR = nozzle pressure ratio—ratio of jet total-pressure to freestream static pressure x — position of nacelle exit with respect to wing leading edge-positive aft W-B = wing-body wrt = with respect to z = height of centerline of nacelle exit above wing chord plane a = angle of attack
Electromagnetic transmission through apertures in a cavity in a thick conductor

The problem of electromagnetic coupling from one region to another through an aperture-to-cavity-to-aperture system is specialized to the case of electrically small circular apertures on the axis of a cylindrical cavity of circular cross section for the transverse electromagnetic (TEM) and transverse electric (TE) cases. A simple equivalent circuit for the coupling system is developed. It is found that for certain cavity depths an exceptionally large amount of electromagnetic energy can be transmitted, and that for identical apertures the transmission cross section of the system is independent of the common radius of the apertures as well as the radius of the cavity.
Synthesis of 4‐Substituted‐ and 1,4‐Disubstituted‐4‐Hydroxypyrrolidin‐2‐ones

Abstract This report describes the synthesis of 4‐substituted‐ and 1,4‐disubstituted‐4‐hydroxypyrrolidin‐2‐ones by cyclization of intermediate γ‐aminoesters prepared from alkylbenzylamines, α‐bromoketones, and lithio ethyl acetate.
Prophylactic total gastrectomy for individuals with germline CDH1 mutation.

Background Germline mutation of the CDH1 gene, which encodes for the E-cadherin adhesion protein, is rare but confers an estimated lifetime risk of hereditary diffuse gastric cancer of 87%. Fewer than 100 prophylactic total gastrectomies have been reported for this condition. Methods Patients with germline CDH1 mutation who underwent multidisciplinary counseling followed by prophylactic total gastrectomy were reviewed. Results Ten patients (6 male, 4 female) with a median age of 42 years (range, 26–51) underwent prophylactic total gastrectomy between 2006 and 2009. Of the 6 families represented, there were 4 missense, 1 frameshift, and 1 splice site mutation. Median time from genetic testing to surgery was 3 months (range, 1–7). All patients had an upper endoscopy before surgery, identifying only 1 patient with a focus of diffuse gastric cancer. After prophylactic total gastrectomy, extensive pathologic analysis demonstrated that 9 patients had up to 77 foci of noninvasive cancer, and 2 of these patients had 4–12 foci of T1 invasive cancer. Median operative time was 213 minutes; there were no anastomotic leaks, and the length of stay was 7–8 days. One patient had a complication within 30 days (pulmonary embolism), and 3 patients had late complications (2 small bowel obstructions and 1 anastomotic stricture). Median weight loss at 6 months was 19%. Conclusion The majority of patients with germline CDH1 mutation have foci of noninvasive or invasive gastric cancer by middle age. Serial upper endoscopies provide inadequate screening. Prophylactic total gastrectomy is the procedure of choice for definitive treatment.
A-Site Diffusion in La1 − xSrxMnO3: Ab Initio and Kinetic Monte Carlo Calculations

We have investigated the migration of La3+ and Sr2+ by an A-site vacancy (VA) mechanism in La1-xSrxMnO3 (LSMO). Ab initio calculations determine migration barriers of 2.96 eV and 2.42 eV, for La3+ and Sr2+, respectively, and that repulsion between Sr2+ and VA is well-described by a screened electrostatic potential of the form E = 2.8 exp(-0.2r)/r eV, (r being separation in A). Using these results to parameterize kinetic Monte Carlo (KMC) and analytical calculations for diffusion coefficients we find good agreement with experiment observations of A-site diffusivity in other perovskites. We use these results to consider the tendency for Sr2+ to kinetically demix.
Minimal state space search in parallel production systems

A methodology for transforming the original search space into an equivalent but minimal search space is proposed. First, the concept of dependences leads to a procedure for reduction of the search space. The search procedure using this method can produce a minimal and complete search space. It is shown that this method is applicable to parallel search as well. An added advantage of this method is that it does not exclude the use of heuristics. pi - lambda transformation is introduced to reduce the parallel search space. >
Funding Self-Sustaining Development: The Role of Aid, FDI and Government in Economic Success

This article challenges a long-held development-policy assumption that aid and foreign-direct investment (FDI) serve as substitutes or complements in accelerating the development of the world's poorer countries. We show both theoretically and empirically that aid and FDI affect development differently. Aid contributes powerfully to both economic growth and human development, and the higher the level of human capital in a country, the more aid contributes. By contrast, FDI, at best, has no effect on economic growth and actually slows the rate of human development in less-developed countries. We find no evidence that the degree of democratic responsiveness in government conditions the effectiveness of either aid or FDI, although we do find that democracy independently increases human development in all but the most developed countries. Our results demonstrate that FDI and aid are not, and cannot be, substitutes in the development of the world's poorer countries. Nor even can they be thought of as complements—certainly not at mid to low levels of development. In the end, poor countries need democracy and aid, not FDI.We are extremely grateful to Susan Rose-Ackerman, Gustav Ranis, Frances Rosenbluth, Kenneth Scheve, and participants at the Leitner Political Economy Seminar at Yale University in December 2003 for very helpful comments. We also received valuable suggestions from two anonymous reviewers. Stephen Kosack would like to thank the National Science Foundation for the support of a Graduate Research Fellowship.
Three-dimensional contact imaging with an actuated whisker

Contact sensors can provide high-information-density object surface sensing in harsh and/or opaque environments. This paper describes the design, modeling, control, and data processing of a contact imager consisting of a flexible whisker mounted on a two-axis robot through a load cell. The whisker sweeps around and into contact with unknown objects, determining the three-dimensional location of contact points to within a specified position resolution. During contact, the whisker bends along the surface normal, producing large deflections. The joint angles and load cell signals are numerically processed to determine the whisker shapes. Comparison of whisker shapes during bending determines contact point location. Experimental results for several objects with wide ranging surface curvature and roughness demonstrate 1.51-cm resolution for a 45.5-cm whisker
World Bank lending and regulation

Abstract Does World Bank lending promote deregulation with stronger incentives and critical resources or slow the process by blunting the impact of crises and indirectly promoting state control? This paper analyzes empirical links between aid flows and regulatory burden. Econometric estimates based on panel data for 83 aid receiving countries over 5 year periods from 1970 to 2000 find that World Bank lending, while not specifically targeting high or low regulatory states, is linked to lower subsequent regulation. This link holds for multilateral donors more broadly while bilateral donor funds apparently fail to influence the level of regulation.
Nonlinear model reference adaptive control using tap-delay filters

A model reference adaptive control (MRAC) technique realized with tap delay (TD) filters is presented. For the purposes of exposition, the technique is applied to the control of a simple two-link, planar robot with revolute joints. The adaptive logic is based on Lyapunov stability. The TD filter allows a straightforward implementation of an inverse modeling control scheme that can be used in the initiation of motion, before the MRAC system can effectively compensate. The resulting control system is, computationally, very simple and requires adaptation of as few as five weights per joint and measurement of only link angular orientation and rate. The control scheme is evaluated in simulation. The effects of disturbance torques and large payload variations are examined, and it is demonstrated that the system yields excellent performance in a series of large-amplitude step-response tasks. >
Dispute Settlement in the WTO. Mind over Matter

Abstract The basic point I advocate in this chapter is that the WTO dispute settlement system aims to curb unilateral punishment. Sanctions can be imposed only in accordance with the outcome of a multilateral process that has been established in order to decide on the (il)legality of actions by WTO members, and the legal consequences thereof. The purpose of this process is to ensure that reciprocal commitments entered should not be unilaterally undone through the commission of illegal acts. There are good reasons though, to doubt whether reciprocity, its statutory underpinnings notwithstanding has also been observed in practice. The insistence on calculating remedies prospectively, and not as of the date when an illegality has been committed, and the ensuing losses for everybody that could or could not be symmetric lend support to the claim that the WTO regime serves “diffuse” as opposed to “specific” reciprocity. Still, WTO members continue to routinely submit their disputes to the WTO adjudicating fora, showing through their behavior that, if necessary, they would rather live in a world where punishment is curbed, than in a world where punishment acts as deterrent.
X-RAY DUST SCATTERING AT SMALL ANGLES: THE COMPLETE HALO AROUND GX13+1

The exquisite angular resolution available with Chandra should allow precision measurements of faint diffuse emission surrounding bright sources, such as the X-ray scattering halos created by interstellar dust. However, the ACIS CCDs suffer from pileup when observing bright sources, and this creates difficulties when trying to extract the scattered halo near the source. The initial study of the X-ray halo around GX13+1 using only the ACIS-I detector done by Smith, Edgar & Shafer (2002) suffered from a lack of sensitivity within 50" of the source, limiting what conclusions could be drawn. To address this problem, observations of GX13+1 were obtained with the Chandra HRC-I and simultaneously with the RXTE PCA. Combined with the existing ACIS-I data, this allowed measurements of the X-ray halo between 2-1000". After considering a range of dust models, each assumed to be smoothly distributed with or without a dense cloud along the line of sight, the results show that there is no evidence in this data for a dense cloud near the source, as suggested by Xiang et al. (2005). In addition, although no model leads to formally acceptable results, the Weingartner & Draine (2001) and all but one of the composite grain models from Zubko, Dwek & Arendt (2004) give particularly poor fits.
Synthesis of (+)-sulcatine G.

The total synthesis of (+)-sulcatine G is described. A key structural feature of sulcatine G is the highly functionalized, enantiomerically pure cyclobutane ring. We have prepared (+)-sulcatine G using a new strategy for bicyclic ring construction, Rh-mediated intramolecular C−H insertion followed by intramolecular alkylation.