cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Optimal adaptive estimation of a quadratic functional

Minimax mean-squared error estimates of quadratic functionals of smooth functions have been constructed for a variety of smoothness classes. In contrast to many nonparametric function estimation problems there are both regular and irregular cases. In the regular cases the minimax mean-squared error converges at a rate proportional to the inverse of the sample size, whereas in the irregular case much slower rates are the rule. We investigate the problem of adaptive estimation of a quadratic functional of a smooth function when the degree of smoothness of the underlying function is not known. It is shown that estimators cannot achieve the minimax rates of convergence simultaneously over two parameter spaces when at least one of these spaces corresponds to the irregular case. A lower bound for the mean squared error is given which shows that any adaptive estimator which is rate optimal for the regular case must lose a logarithmic factor in the irregular case. On the other hand, we give a rather simple adaptive estimator which is sharp for the regular case and attains this lower bound in the irregular case. Moreover, we explicitly describe a subset of functions where our adaptive estimator loses the logarithmic factor and show that this subset is relatively small.
Newer methods for evaluating thyroid nodules.

The usefulness of classifying thyroid nodules according to their capacity for accumulating radioiodine as revealed by scintiscans is well established; thyroid cancer occurs much more frequently in nonfunctioning or "cold" nodules than in "hot" nodules. Nonfunctioning thyroid nodules, however, constitute a heterogeneous group that includes adenomas, cysts, subacute and chronic thyroiditis, multinodular goiter, various fibrotic, hemorrhagic and necrotic processes, in addition to thyroid neoplasia; cancer, indeed, accounts for only a minority of hypofunctioning or nonfunctioning nodules. Characterization of "cold" nodules to provide better discrimination between benign and malignant disorders has been attempted in several ways, including measurement of uptake of . . .
Visuoperception test predicts pathologic diagnosis of Alzheimer disease in corticobasal syndrome

Objective: To use the Visual Object and Space Perception Battery (VOSP) to distinguish Alzheimer disease (AD) from non-AD pathology in corticobasal syndrome (CBS). Methods: This clinicopathologic study assessed 36 patients with CBS on the VOSP. All were autopsied. The primary dependent variable was a binary pathologic outcome: patients with CBS who had primary pathologic diagnosis of AD (CBS-AD, n = 10) vs patients with CBS without primary pathologic diagnosis of AD (CBS-nonAD, n = 26). We also determined sensitivity and specificity of individual VOSP subtests. Results: Patients with CBS-AD had younger onset (54.5 vs 63.6 years, p = 0.001) and lower memory scores on the Mattis Dementia Rating Scale–2 (16 vs 22 points, p = 0.003). Failure on the VOSP subtests Incomplete Letters (odds ratio [OR] 11.5, p = 0.006), Position Discrimination (OR 10.86, p = 0.008), Number Location (OR 12.27, p = 0.026), and Cube Analysis (OR 45.71 p = 0.0001) had significantly greater odds of CBS-AD than CBS-nonAD. These associations remained when adjusting for total Mattis Dementia Rating score, disease laterality, education, age, and sex. Receiver operating characteristic curves demonstrated significant accuracy for Incomplete Letters and all VOSP spatial subtests, with Cube Analysis performing best (area under the curve 0.91, p = 0.0004). Conclusions: In patients with CBS, failure on specific VOSP subtests is associated with greater odds of having underlying AD. There may be preferential involvement of the dorsal stream in CBS-AD. Classification of evidence: This study provides Class II evidence that some subtests of the VOSP accurately distinguish patients with CBS-AD from those without AD pathology (e.g., Cube Analysis sensitivity 100%, specificity 77%).
Line segment based image registration

This paper proposes a line segment based image registration method. Edges are detected and partitioned into line segments. Line-fitting is applied onto every line segment to rule out those segments of high fitting error. For each segment in a reference image, putative matching segments in a test image are picked with the constraints obtained by analyzing affine transformations. Putative segment correspondences result in the correspondences of intersections of segments, which are used as matching points. An affine matrix is derived from those point correspondences and evaluated by the similarity metric. The segment correspondences ending up with higher similarity metrics are used to compute the final transformation. Experimental results show that the proposed method is robust especially when salient points can not be detected accurately.
Recent Developments In The Growth Of Chalcopyrite Crystals For Nonlinear Infrared Applications

Improvements in crystal growth technology have made it possible to grow crack- and twin-free boules of AgGaS2 and AgGaSe2 in comparatively large dimensions, AgGaS2 to 28 mm diameter by 100 mm length and AgGaSe2 to 37 mm diameter by 100 mm length. Although the crystals grow with optical defects (micrometer-size scattering centers), postgrowth heat treatment procedures have been used to successfully eliminate the defects and produce material of near-theoretical transparency. High optical quality, oriented single crystals of AgGaS2 1 cm in cross section and more than 2 cm in length and of AgGaSe, 1 cm in cross section and more than 3.5 cm in length have been produced and are leading to new advances in IR frequency generation. The optical and phase equilibrium studies as well as details of the crystal growth technology that led to this advance in materials technology are described.
Parametric studies of electrohydrodynamic spraying.

whole motor still could sustain detonation. Secondly, since the jet velocity appears to decrease with increasing core diameter, it takes longer for the jet to reduce the web thickness by the postulated high burning-rate process, because it is more closely followed by the reaction in the propellant. The pressure in the core should be dependent on the velocity of the jet, so that the propellant surface would burn more slowly under the conditions imposed by a slower jet. These considerations suggest less interference by jet formation in large-core motors. In summation, the conclusion regarding detonability of a hollow motor grain is that if it exceeds the predicted critical size, it should be expected to sustain detonation over the entire length of the motor. The contingencies on this assumption approach negligible importance as the hollow grain is scaled up from the small sizes that have been tested. In criticaldiameter studies, it was established that the critical diameter of unadulterated PBAN propellant, ANB-3226, is between 5 and 6 ft. This means that a large, hollow-core rocket motor of this propellant will be supercritical if its web exceeds 26-32 in. It is very important that one remembers that after detonability has been established, it is necessary to know under what conditions the grain can be initiated. The concern of Project SOPHY is to determine the initiation criterion as well as the sustainment criterion. Progress in this area has been reported.' The possibility that large motors cast with composite propellant can be detonable brings a high priority to increased investigation and comprehension of the initiation process.
Metric Diophantine approximation over a local field of positive characteristic

Abstract The conjectures of Sprindžuk in the metric theory of Diophantine approximation are established over a local field of positive characteristic. In the real case, these were settled by D. Kleinbock and G.A. Margulis using a new technique which involved nondivergence estimates for quasi-polynomial flows on the space of lattices. We extend their technique to the positive characteristic setting.
Numerical calculations for the asymptotic, diffusion dominated mass-transfer coefficient in packed bed reactors

For deep beds, the effective Sherwood number approaches a proportional relationship to the Peclet number as the Peclet number tends to zero. A sinusoidal periodically constricted tube model for the voids in the bed has been used to predict the constant of proportionality. This constant depends upon the dimensionless ratios of three lengths: the average tube radius, the oscillation amplitude, and wavelength.
Observations of Rapid Disk-Jet Interaction in the Microquasar GRS 1915+105

We present evidence that ~30 minute episodes of jet formation in the Galactic microquasar GRS 1915+105 may sometimes entirely be a superposition of smaller, faster phenomena. We base this conclusion on simultaneous X-ray and infrared observations in 2002 July, using the Rossi X-Ray Timing Explorer and the Palomar 5 m telescope. On two nights, we observed quasi-periodic infrared flares from GRS 1915+105, each accompanied by a set of fast oscillations in the X-ray light curve (indicating an interaction between the jet and accretion disk). In contrast to similar observations in 1997, we find that the duration of each X-ray cycle matches the duration of its accompanying infrared flare, and we observed one instance in which an isolated X-ray oscillation occurred at the same time as a faint infrared subflare (of duration ~150 s) superimposed on one of the main flares. From these data, we are able to conclude that each X-ray oscillation had an associated faint infrared flare and that these flares blend together to form, and entirely comprise, the ~30 minute events we observed. Part of the infrared emission in 1997 also appears to be due to superimposed small flares, but it was overshadowed by infrared-bright ejections associated with the appearance of a sharp trigger spike in each X-ray cycle that were not present in 2002. We also study the evolution of the X-ray spectrum and find significant differences in the high-energy power-law component, which was strongly variable in 1997 but not in 2002. Taken together, these observations reveal the diversity of ways in which the accretion disk and jet in black hole systems are capable of interacting and solidify the importance of the trigger spike for large ejections to occur on ~30 minute timescales in GRS 1915+105.
Experimental investigation of torque noise in satellite bearings

Abstract : Many spin-stabilized spacecraft use precision ball bearings to support and to align an antenna or instrument platform relative to the rotor. The pointing accuracy of the instrument platform is affected by the dynamic fluctuations in running torque or torque noise of the bearings. Although many previous investigations have been concerned with average (or dc) torque, there is a lack of information on the spectral distribution of the torque noise of lightly loaded, large-diameter bearings at slow speeds. This paper summarizes experiments performed on seven pairs of bearings of two bore sizes. Limited measurements of bearing profilometry were made. A special fixture was used to measure torque noise over a range of preload, rotational speed, and temperature. (Modified author abstract)
Expedient Synthesis of t -Butyl Azide

Abstract A simple, economical synthesis of bulk (1 to 10,000 moles) quantities of t-butyl azide is described, utilizing only t-butyl alcohol, water, sodium azide, and sulfuric acid.
Auditory induction of discrete tones in signal detection tasks

Auditory induction is the apparent continuation of a fainter sound when alternated rapidly with a more intense interrupting sound. In the present study, induction of discrete (nonalter­ nating) tones by "contextual" tones was examined in three experiments using signal detection methods. Listeners were asked to detect pure tone signals of constant, rising, or falling fre­ quency embedded in noise bursts. The noise bursts were preceded and followed by contextual tones that were designed to produce a constant or changing frequency context. The results of the first two experiments showed that detection of "in-context" signals (e.g., a rising-frequency signal in a rising-frequency context) was associated with an increased false-alarm rate and lowered sensitivity, as compared with "out-of-context" signals (e.g., a falling-frequency signal in a rising-frequency context], To examine the possible influence of peripheral masking, a third experiment was conducted in which signals and contextual tones were presented to different ears. The same pattern of selective contextual impairment of detection performance was ob­ tained. The results indicated that auditory induction can occur with discrete presentation of tones: the contextual tones are perceived as continuing through the noise bursts, and this illu­ sion degrades detection performance. However, the effect occurs only when a signal to be de­ tected is consistent with its context. The results suggest that auditory induction and peripheral masking are independent processes that can cumulatively degrade detection performance with nonspeech sounds. Perception of speech and of other environmental sounds can reflect the influence of either bottom-up (sensory) or top-down (cognitive) factors. Bottom-up factors, such as the acoustic waveform and peripheral auditory mechanisms, determine the initial input, and top-down factors related to a listener's skills, in­ tentions, and knowledge act upon this input to con­ struct a perceptual representation. Since auditory perception usually reflects the joint or interactive in­ fluence of both bottom-up and top-down factors (e.g., Samuel, 1981a), a strict division of factors that
Readily Accessible Chiral Diene Ligands for Rh-Catalyzed Enantioselective Conjugate Additions of Boronic Acids

Enabled by the broad scope of the Pd-catalyzed asymmetric alkylation of meso- and d,l-divinylethylene carbonate, several chiral diene ligands were prepared in two steps from commercial materials. Subsequently, these ligands were evaluated in the Rh-catalyzed asymmetric conjugate addition of boronic acids to enones.
Bayesian Quickest Signal Detection in a Discrete-Time Observation

This paper deals with the problem of quickest detection of a signal in discrete-time observations where the noise is not necessarily additive. By introducing a new cost function, penalizing the decision delay, in addition to penalizing wrong decisions as in the classical case, a global risk function is derived for use in a Bayesian framework. The minimization of the average risk leads to the optimum Bayesian decision regions, giving the structure of the optimum receiver. Some simplifications for elementary costs and some applications are investigated. The optimum receiver is shown to be a parallel bank of classical optimum filters, each one matched to a particular delay of the signal to be detected. Our approach is shown to apply to the detection of certain changes in a stochastic process.
The Fixed Irreducible Bridge Ensemble for Self-Avoiding Walks

We define a new ensemble for self-avoiding walks in the upper half-plane, the fixed irredicible bridge ensemble, by considering self-avoiding walks in the upper half-plane up to their $$n$$ -th bridge height, $$Y_n$$ , and scaling the walk by $$1/Y_n$$ to obtain a curve in the unit strip, and then taking $$n\rightarrow \infty $$ . We then conjecture a relationship between this ensemble to $${SLE}_{8/3}$$ in the unit strip from 0 to a fixed point along the upper boundary of the strip, integrated over the conjectured exit density of self-avoiding walk spanning a strip in the scaling limit. We conjecture that there exists a positive constant $$\sigma $$ such that $$n^{-\sigma }Y_n$$ converges in distribution to that of a stable random variable as $$n\rightarrow \infty $$ . Then the conjectured relationship between the fixed irreducible bridge scaling limit and $${SLE}_{8/3}$$ can be described as follows: If one takes a SAW considered up to $$Y_n$$ and scales by $$1/Y_n$$ and then weights the walk by $$Y_n$$ to an appropriate power, then in the limit $$n\rightarrow \infty $$ , one should obtain a curve from the scaling limit of the self-avoiding walk spanning the unit strip. In addition to a heuristic derivation, we provide numerical evidence to support the conjecture and give estimates for the boundary scaling exponent.
The Happiness Premium: The Impact of Emotion on Individuals' Willingness to Pay in Online Auctions

Individuals' bidding behavior in online auctions has been the subject of research in multiple disciplines. Emotion has been shown to be an important factor affecting individual behavior and decision making but we know little about its effects on online bidding. A lab experiment was conducted to investigate the impact of positive emotion on individuals' willingness to pay in online auctions. We found that individuals with mildly positive emotion bid more than those with neutral emotion, that is, they paid a "happiness premium" of about 10%. The effect size is medium (Cohen's d=.41). This study contributes to electronic commerce literature by identifying emotion as an important factor affecting individual online auction behavior. The findings provide guidance to auction websites interface design. By incorporating emotion content, websites can increase bids by influencing consumers' positive emotion.
Investor pricing of CEO equity incentives

The main purpose of this paper is to explore CEO compensation in the form of stock and options. The objective of CEO compensation is to better align CEO-shareholder interests by inducing CEOs to make more optimal (albeit risky) investment decisions. However, recent research suggests that these incentives have a significant down-side (i.e., they motivate executives to manipulate reported earnings and lower information quality). Given the conflict between the positive CEO-shareholder incentive alignment effect and the dysfunctional information quality effect, it is an open empirical question whether CEO equity incentives increase firm value. We examine whether CEO equity incentives are priced in the firm-specific ex ante equity risk premium over the 1992–2007 time period. Our analysis controls for two potential structural changes over this time period. The first is the 1995 Delaware Supreme Court ruling which increased protection from takeovers (and decreased risk) for Delaware incorporated firms. The second is the 2002 Sarbanes–Oxley Act which impacted corporate risk taking, equity incentives, and earnings management. Collectively, our findings suggest that CEO equity incentives, despite being associated with lower information quality, increase firm value through a cost of equity capital channel.
Analysis of Diagnostic Tasks in Accounting Research Using Signal Detection Theory

Many accounting judgments are diagnostic tasks in which accountants, auditors, managers, or investors discriminate among possible states and decide which one exists. To measure the accuracy of such decisions, most accounting research employs percentage correct, a measure proven to be invalid and unreliable, primarily because it does not control for response bias. This paper describes Signal Detection Theory (SDT), a theoretical model of diagnostic tasks that has been supported empirically in many fields. SDT provides superior measures of accuracy and response bias. We discuss the benefits of employing SDT in accounting research and describe an SDT‐based reanalysis of data related to two published accounting studies that results in revised conclusions and important additional insights.
The Effects of Planets and Brown Dwarfs on Stellar Rotation and Mass Loss

We examine the effects of the engulfment of planets by giant stars on the evolution of late-type stars. We show that the rate at which dynamo-generated magnetic energy is being released exceeds 10% of the wind kinetic energy when the orbital angular momentum of the engulfed planet is more than 10 times the angular momentum of the star as it leaves the main sequence. A significant enhancement in the mass-loss rate may be expected in this case, owing to the formation of cool magnetic spots. We use the existing sample of extrasolar planets to estimate that at least 3.5% of the evolved solar-type stars will be significantly affected by the presence of planetary companions.
A Generalized Representation Formula for Systems of Tensor Wave Equations

In this paper, we generalize the Kirchhoff-Sobolev parametrix of Klainerman and Rodnianski (Hyperbolic Equ. 4(3):401–433, 2007) to systems of tensor wave equations with additional first-order terms. We also present a different derivation, which better highlights that such representation formulas are supported entirely on past null cones. This generalization of (Hyperbolic Equ. 4(3):401–433, 2007) is a key component for extending Klainerman and Rodnianski’s breakdown criterion result for Einstein-vacuum spacetimes in (J. Amer. Math. Soc. 23(2):345–382, 2009) to Einstein-Maxwell and Einstein-Yang-Mills spacetimes.
Maximums on trees

Abstract We study the minimal/endogenous solution R to the maximum recursion on weighted branching trees given by R = D ( ⋁ i = 1 N C i R i ) ∨ Q , where ( Q , N , C 1 , C 2 , … ) is a random vector with N ∈ N ∪ { ∞ } , P ( | Q | > 0 ) > 0 and nonnegative weights { C i } , and { R i } i ∈ N is a sequence of i.i.d. copies of R independent of ( Q , N , C 1 , C 2 , … ) ; = D denotes equality in distribution. Furthermore, when Q > 0 this recursion can be transformed into its additive equivalent, which corresponds to the maximum of a branching random walk and is also known as a high-order Lindley equation. We show that, under natural conditions, the asymptotic behavior of R is power-law, i.e., P ( | R | > x ) ∼ H x − α , for some α > 0 and H > 0 . This has direct implications for the tail behavior of other well known branching recursions.
Mixed Strategy Play and the Minimax Hypothesis

Abstract This paper reports on a set of experiments designed to discriminate among the possible sources of the failure of the unique mixed strategy minimax equilibrium of the O'Neill (1987) game. This is accomplished by introducing a new methodology for eliciting mixed strategies, which overcomes some of the difficulties encountered by previous experimental studies. The results clearly show that subjects' choices do not coincide with their minimax strategies, and that players' intended behavior is not minimax. Journal of Economic Literature Classification Numbers: C72, C92.
137Cs and 210Po in Pacific walrus and bearded seal from St. Lawrence Island, Alaska.

Abstract The activity concentration of Cesium-137 ( 137 Cs) and naturally-occurring Polonium-210 ( 210 Po) were measured in the muscle tissue, kidney and liver of Pacific walrus ( Odobenus rosmarus divergens ) and bearded seal ( Erignathus barbatus ) collected by native hunters from the Bering Sea during May 1996. The mean 137 Cs concentrations in muscle, liver and kidney of Pacific walrus were 0.07, 0.09 and 0.07 Bq kg −1 ( n = 5, wet weight), respectively, and 0.17, 0.10, and 0.17 Bq kg −1 ( n = 2, wet weight), respectively, in bearded seal. In general, 137 Cs tissue concentrations are significantly lower than those previously reported for mammals from other regions. By comparison, 210 Po activity concentrations are more variable and appear to be higher level compared with mammal data from other regions. The mean 210 Po concentration in the muscle tissue, liver and kidney of Pacific walrus ( n = 5, wet weight) were 28.7, 189, and 174 Bq kg −1 , respectively. This compares with 210 Po concentration values ( n = 2, wet weight) of 27, 207 and 68 Bq kg −1 measured in the muscle tissue, liver and kidney, of bearded seal, respectively. Estimated concentration factors—as defined by the radionuclide concentration ratio between the target tissue to that in sea water—were two to three orders of magnitude higher for 210 Po that those of 137 Cs. We conclude from radiological dose estimates that ingestion of 137 Cs in foods derived from walrus and seal will pose no threat to human health. This work has important implications for assessment of risks of Alaskan coastal communities concerned about the dumping of nuclear waste in the Russia Arctic.
Axial characterization of catalytic activity in close-coupled lightoff and underfloor catalytic converters

Abstract A exhaust system consisting of a close-coupled Pd technology 32 in3 lightoff converter and Pt/Rh technology 170 in3 underfloor converter was vehicle-aged for 56000 miles on a vehicle equipped with a 3.8 l engine. Following this aging, the converters were taken off the vehicle and cut into 1″ thick sections along their axis and characterized for lightoff and warmed-up activity using a laboratory reactor to simulate vehicle exhaust. Each section was also analyzed for the quantity of oil additive poisons (phosphorus and zinc) deposited. Following this initial characterization, the phosphorus and zinc deposits were removed, and the sections were characterized again for lightoff and warmed-up activity. This procedure was used to qualitatively determine the relative contribution of oil additive poisoning and thermal sintering to the total activity deterioration as a function of axial position in the catalyst monoliths. Analysis of the lightoff converter as taken from the vehicle showed a dramatic axial gradient in the lean and stoichiometric lightoff and warmed-up (600°C) performance for HC, CO and NOx, with most of the deterioration having taken place in the forward-most 1″ section of the converter, which was consistent with the gradient in the deposition of phosphorus (P) and zinc (Zn) in this converter. Comparison of these data sets with those obtained after removal of the P and Zn poisons indicates that most of the total deterioration of lean HC and CO activity can be attributed to P and Zn poisoning of the forwardmost 1″ section. When tested under stoichiometric conditions, most of the deterioration of HC activity is attributable to P and Zn poisoning, while most of the deterioration of CO and NOx activity is attributable to thermal deterioration. A similar activity and poison deposition gradient was detected in the underfloor converter, but to a smaller extent.
Detection and quantification limits: origins and historical overview

Detection and quantification capabilities represent fundamental performance characteristics of measurement processes, yet there have been decades of confusion and miscommunication regarding the underlying concepts and terminology. New, coordinated documents prepared for the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) [L.A. Currie, IUPAC Commission on Analytical Nomenclature, Recommendations in Evaluation of Analytical Methods including Detection and Quantification Capabilities, Pure Appl. Chem. 67 (1995) 1699–1723] and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) [P. Wilrich, Chairman, ISO/DIS 11843-1,2 (1995), Capability of Detection, ISO/TC69/SC6, ISO Standard, 11843-1, 1977] promise to alleviate this situation by providing, for the first time, a harmonized position on standards and recommendations for adoption by the international scientific community. The text begins with (1) a brief historical summary of detection limits in chemistry, illustrating the critical need for the development of a sound and uniform system of terms and symbols; and (2) a review of the ISO–IUPAC deliberations and the ensuing harmonized position on concepts and nomenclature. In the following text a number of special topics are introduced, including: specification of the measurement process, attention to the meaning and evaluation of “sigma”, special considerations for calibration (or regression)-based detection and quantification limits, the central role of the blank, and finally, some challenges for the future.
Tetraflic Acid (1,1,2,2‐Tetrafluoroethanesulfonic Acid, HC2F4SO3H) and Gallium Tetraflate as Effective Catalysts in Organic Synthesis

Tetraflic acid offers ample acidity for various organic reactions that require high acidity. Its gallium(III) salt is an efficient catalyst under mild condtions for synthetic transformations such as the ketonic Strecker reaction for the synthesis of fluorinated α-amino nitriles and condensation–cyclzation reactions using suitable fluoro ketones and 1,2-disubstituted benzenes for the direct preparation of 5-membered or 6-membered fluorinated heterocycles.
On foundation of the generalized Nambu mechanics

We outline basic principles of a canonical formalism for the Nambu mechanics—a generalization of Hamiltonian mechanics proposed by Yoichiro Nambu in 1973. It is based on the notion of a Nambu bracket, which generalizes the Poisson bracket—a “binary” operation on classical observables on the phase space—to the “multiple” operation of higher ordern≧3. Nambu dynamics is described by the phase flow given by Nambu-Hamilton equations of motion—a system of ODE's which involvesn−1 “Hamiltonians.” We introduce the fundamental identity for the Nambu bracket—a generalization of the Jacobi identity—as a consistency condition for the dynamics. We show that Nambu bracket structure defines a hierarchy of infinite families of “subordinated” structures of lower order, including Poisson bracket structure, which satisfy certain matching conditions. The notion of Nambu bracket enables us to define Nambu-Poisson manifolds—phase spaces for the Nambu mechanics, which turn out to be more “rigid” than Poisson manifolds—phase spaces for the Hamiltonian mechanics. We introduce the analog of the action form and the action principle for the Nambu mechanics. In its formulation, dynamics of loops (n−2-dimensional chains for the generaln-ary case) naturally appears. We discuss several approaches to the quantization of Nambu mechanics, based on the deformation theory, path integral formulation and on Nambu-Heisenberg “commutation” relations. In the latter formalism we present an explicit representation of the Nambu-Heisenberg relation in then=3 case. We emphasize the role ternary and higher order algebraic operations and mathematical structures related to them play in passing from Hamilton's to Nambu's dynamical picture.
Hidden SUSY at the LHC: the light higgsino-world scenario and the role of a lepton collider

While the SUSY flavor, CP and gravitino problems seem to favor a very heavy spectrum of matter scalars, fine-tuning in the electroweak sector prefers low values of superpotential mass μ. In the limit of low μ, the two lightest neutralinos and light chargino are higgsino-like. The light charginos and neutralinos may have large production cross sections at LHC, but since they are nearly mass degenerate, there is only small energy release in three-body sparticle decays. Possible dilepton and trilepton signatures are difficult to observe after mild cuts due to the very soft pT spectrum of the final state isolated leptons. Thus, the higgsino-world scenario can easily elude standard SUSY searches at the LHC. It should motivate experimental searches to focus on dimuon and trimuon production at the very lowest pT (μ) values possible. If the neutralino relic abundance is enhanced via non-standard cosmological dark matter production, then there exist excellent prospects for direct or indirect detection of higgsino-like WIMPs. While the higgsino-world scenario may easily hide from LHC SUSY searches, a linear e+e− collider or a muon collider operating in the $ \sqrt {s} \sim 0.{5} - {1}\;{\text{TeV}} $ range would be able to easily access the chargino and neutralino pair production reactions.
Relativistic Accretion Mediated by Turbulent Comptonization

Black hole and neutron star accretion flows display unusually high levels of hard coronal emission in comparison to all other optically thick, gravitationally bound, turbulent astrophysical systems. Since these flows sit in deep relativistic gravitational potentials, their random bulk motions approach the speed of light, therefore allowing turbulent Comptonization to be an important effect. We show that the inevitable production of hard X-ray photons results from turbulent Comptonization in the limit where the turbulence is trans-sonic and the accretion power approaches the Eddington limit. In this regime, the turbulent Compton y-parameter approaches unity and the turbulent Compton temperature is a significant fraction of the electron rest mass energy, in agreement with the observed phenomena.
Pointlike probes of superstring-theoretic superfluids

In analogy with an experimental setup used in liquid helium, we use a pointlike probe to study superfluids which have a gravity dual. In the gravity description, the probe is represented by a hanging string. We demonstrate that there is a critical velocity below which the probe particle feels neither drag nor stochastic forces. Above this critical velocity, there is power-law scaling for the drag force, and the stochastic forces are characterized by a finite, velocity-dependent temperature. This temperature participates in two simple and general relations between the drag force and stochastic forces. The formula we derive for the critical velocity indicates that the low-energy excitations are massless, and they demonstrate the power of stringy methods in describing strongly coupled superfluids.
Quantum strain sensor with a topological insulator HgTe quantum dot

We present a theory of electronic properties of HgTe quantum dot and propose a strain sensor based on a strain-driven transition from a HgTe quantum dot with inverted bandstructure and robust topologically protected quantum edge states to a normal state without edge states in the energy gap. The presence or absence of edge states leads to large on/off ratio of conductivity across the quantum dot, tunable by adjusting the number of conduction channels in the source-drain voltage window. The electronic properties of a HgTe quantum dot as a function of size and applied strain are described using eight-band Luttinger and Bir-Pikus Hamiltonians, with surface states identified with chirality of Luttinger spinors and obtained through extensive numerical diagonalization of the Hamiltonian.
Thermodynamically consistent relations involving plasticity, internal energy and thermal effects

Experimental data associated with plastic deformations indicate that the temperature is less than that predicted from dissipation based on plastic work. To obtain reasonable correlation between the...
Radio Wavelength Constraints on the Sources of the Far-Infrared Background

The cosmic far-infrared background detected recently by the COBE-DIRBE team is presumably due, in large part, to the far-infrared (FIR) emission from all galaxies. We take the well-established correlation between FIR and radio luminosity for individual galaxies and apply it to the FIR background. We find that these sources make up about half of the extragalactic radio background, the other half being due to active galactic nuclei (AGNs). This is in agreement with other radio observations, which leads us to conclude that the FIR-radio correlation holds well for the very faint sources making up the FIR background and that the FIR background is indeed due to star formation activity (not AGNs or other possible sources). If these star-forming galaxies have a radio spectral index between 0.4 and 0.8 and make up 40%-60% of the extragalactic radio background, we find that they have redshifts between roughly 1 and 2, which is in agreement with recent estimates by Madau et al. of the redshift of peak star formation activity. We compare the observed extragalactic radio background to the integral over the log${r log}$ -->${r log}$ -->N-log${r log}$ -->${r log}$ -->S curve for star-forming radio sources and find that the slope of the curve must change significantly below about 1 μJy. At 1 μJy, the faint radio source counts predict about 25 sources per square arcminute, and these will cause the Space Infrared Telescope Facility to be confusion limited at 160 μm.
Mouse and cockroach exposure in rural Arkansas Delta region homes

Abstract Background Home characteristics and aeroallergen exposure in rural US children with asthma are poorly described. Objective To examine the relationship between cockroach and mouse allergen concentrations and home characteristics of children with asthma in the rural Arkansas Delta. Methods The home environments of rural children with asthma were examined using home environment questionnaire and home inspection. Bedroom and kitchen dust was analyzed for cockroach and mouse allergen concentrations. Results The median age of participants was 9 years, and 84% were African American. Most participants (78%) resided in single-family homes. Evidence of cockroaches was detected in 13% of homes and evidence of rodents was detected in 23% of homes. Detectable Bla g 1 was found in 58% of kitchens and 43% of bedrooms, Bla g 2 was detected in 37% of kitchens and 28% of bedrooms, and Mus m 1 was found in 81% of kitchens and 97% of bedrooms. Evidence of cockroaches in any room was associated with Bla g 1 concentrations of ≥2 U/g (odds ratio 21.71, 95% confidence interval 4.26–118.39) and Bla g 2 concentrations of ≥2 U/g (odds ratio 21.90 95% confidence interval 4.30–138.91). Multifamily vs single-family dwellings were more likely to have Bla g 2 concentrations of ≥2 U/g (odds ratio 3.52, 95% confidence interval 1.0–11.82). Home characteristics were not associated with Mus m 1. Conclusion Mouse and cockroach allergens were detected in most rural homes; however, concentrations were relatively low compared with those previously reported in inner-city homes. Few home characteristics predicted allergen concentrations. Further studies are needed to establish clinically relevant associations that might place rural children with asthma at risk for poor clinical outcomes. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00590304 .
A moderate space mission for optical interferometry

The Orbiting Stellar Interferometer (OSI) is a proposed space-based observatory which will open exciting new vistas in astronomy and address fundamental scientific questions by making extremely accurate (3 - 30 microarcsecond) astrometric measurements of the positions of stars, quasars, and other astronomical objects as faint as magnitude 20. In addition, it will be able to image objects with a resolution of 5 milliarcseconds. As the first optical interferometer in space, OSI will provide major advances in astrophysics while demonstrating a powerful concept applicable to major space-based observations of the future. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory has developed a preliminary design of OSI to establish its feasibility and to estimate performance that can be achieved in a mission of moderate scale. In this first publication of the results of the first year of study, the science objectives are presented, and the design of the mission, instrument, and spacecraft are discussed.
Impedance Spectroscopy Of Biological Cells

A six-electrode impedance chamber is used to perform wide-bandwidth (10 Hz − 3 MHz), sensitive impedance measurements to evaluate the electrical properties of living cells under normal physiologic conditions. The high sensitivity in these measurements, compared to cell suspension techniques, is accomplished by embedding the cells into the pores of a filter, creating a “pseudoepithelium” and markedly reducing the current shunt pathways around the cells. The shunt resistance for each cell is between 6 − 7 × 10 7 Ω. The cellular geometry and the portion of cell membrane under measurement are precisely controlled in this method. This technique produces a multi-parallel, whole-cell, patch-clamp like structure for 3.3 × 10 5 cells. The advantages of this technique, general insights, and improvements in impedance measurements will be discussed. Effects of bandwidth mismatch between high-input impedance amplifiers, reference point drift due to solution resistivity changes, and the use of porous electrodes will be covered. Lastly, the ability to electroporate the cell membrane contributes another unique way to study the impedance of living cells.
HISTORY OF THE DISCOVERY OF PERIODIC REVERSAL OF HEART-BEAT IN INSECTS.

Malpighi's discovery of periodic reversal of direction in the heart-beat of the silkworm pupa and moth has remained almost in oblivion for nearly 260 years. Reaumur held that in the pupa and adult moth the heart beats backward; in the caterpillar, forward. Cornalia confirmed Malpighi's observations regarding the pupa, but made no observations on the adult. Bataillon's description of periodic reversal during and around metamorphosis is mainly correct, but he wrongly held that inverse (backward) circulation exclusively occurs in the pupa after the first few hours and forward circulation exclusively in the adult. Fischer and Gerould independently discovered periodic reversal in the chrysalids of various Lepidoptera (Colias, etc.). Bataillon and Fischer regarded reversal and slow backward beating as due chiefly to increased acidity of the blood at metamorphosis. Gerould later found that periodic reversal is not transitory but characteristic of the adult in Lepidoptera generally, as well as of the prepupa and pupa, and that, as in Ascidians, it cannot be explained by the back-pressure hypothesis which he at first advanced. Its explanation must be sought in chemical conditions, and these conditions persist to the end of adult life.
A Harmonic Wavelets Approach for Extracting Transient Patterns From Measured Rotor Vibration Data

Vibration analysis is a powerful diagnostic tool for rotating machinery problems. Traditional approaches to vibration signature analysis have focused on the Fourier transform. which tends to average out transient effects. Recent work in the area of wavelets has allowed for the characterization of signals in frequency and in time, which, if properly interpreted, can provide substantial insight, particularly with regard to transient behaviors. There are many different types of wavelets, but the harmonic wavelet was developed specifically for vibration analysis. It uses an algorithm based upon the fast Fourier transform (FFT), which makes it particularly attractive to many in the vibration analysis community. This paper considers the harmonic wavelet as a tool for extracting transient patterns from measured vibration data. A method for characterizing transient behaviors using the harmonic wavelet is described and illustrated with simulation and experimental results.
How much did droughts matter? Linking rainfall and GDP growth in Zimbabwe

ABSTRACTSince 2000, Zimbabwe's government, as well as other international aid organizations, have repeatedly blamed the country's sharp economic downturn on persistent and severe droughts. Indeed, past research has shown strong links between rainfall and maize yields in sub-Saharan Africa, suggesting that the lack of rainfall is an attractive culprit for the recent collapse of Zimbabwe's agriculture-based economy. This article probes this hypothesis further, by examining primary data from 38 countrywide rainfall stations during the 1960-1961/2002-2003 time-frame, in order to put the recent economic decline in better historical context. The article finds little evidence that Zimbabwe's recent economic difficulties were caused by either low or erratic rainfall, suggesting that the recent collapse of the economy is far more likely a result of government mismanagement.
Triviality bounds in two-doublet models

Abstract We examine perturbatively the two-Higgs-doublet extension of the standard model in the context of the suspected triviality of theories with fundamental scalars. Requiring the model to define a consistent effective theory for scales below a cutoff of 2 π times the largest mass of the problem, as motivated by lattice investigations of the one-Higgs-doublet model, we obtain combined bounds for the parameters of the model. We find upper limits of 470 GeV for the mass of the light CP -even neutral scalar and 650–700 GeV for the other scalar masses.
Excited-state thermodynamics

Abstract In the last several years, the Casimir energy for a variety of (1 + 1)-dimensional integrable models has been determined from the exact S-matrix. It is shown here how to modify the boundary conditions to project out the lowest-energy state, which enables one to find excited-state energies. This is done by calculating thermodynamic expectation values of operators which generate discrete symmetries. This is demonstrated with a number of perturbed conformal field theories, including the Ising model, the three-state Potts model, Z n parafermions, Toda S-matrices, and massless goldstinos.
Water-Accelerated Organometallic Chemistry: Alkyne Carboalumination - Sulfinimine Addition and Asymmetric Synthesis of Allylic Amines

Carboalumination of alkynes in the presence of catalytic Cp2ZrCl2 and H2O affords vinyl-alane intermediates, which serve as nucleophiles in the subsequent addition to enantiomerically enriched (tert-butyl)- and (para-tolyl)sulfinimines. This new in situ protocol produces two new CC bonds. Chiral allylic sulfinamides are obtained in high diastereoselectivity and in good yield. Cleavage of the chiral auxiliary leads to synthetically useful allylic amine building blocks, and facile oxidative degradation of the alkene moiety can be used as an approach toward amino acid derivatives and for assignment of absolute configuration.
The Geology of Earthquakes

The Geology of Earthquakes is a major contribution that brings together under one cover the many and complex elements of geology that are fundamental to earthquakes and seismology. Here are described and analyzed the basic causes of earthquakes, the resulting effects of earthquakes and faulting on the surface of the Earth, techniques of analyzing these effects, and engineering and public policy considerations for earthquake hazard mitigation. The three authors have played major roles in developing the fundamentals in both scientific and policy matters; thus they speak with an authority that few others could.
The Selective Allure of Neuroscientific Explanations

Some claim that recent advances in neuroscience will revolutionize the way we think about human nature and legal culpability. Empirical support for this proposition is mixed. Two highly-cited empirical studies found that irrelevant neuroscientific explanations and neuroimages were highly persuasive to laypersons. However, attempts to replicate these effects have largely been unsuccessful. Two separate experiments tested the hypothesis that neuroscience is susceptible to motivated reasoning, which refers to the tendency to selectively credit or discredit information in a manner that reinforces preexisting beliefs. Participants read a newspaper article about a cutting-edge neuroscience study. Consistent with the hypothesis, participants deemed the hypothetical study sound and the neuroscience persuasive when the outcome of the study was congruent with their prior beliefs, but gave the identical study and neuroscience negative evaluations when it frustrated their beliefs. Neuroscience, it appears, is subject to the same sort of cognitive dynamics as other types of scientific evidence. These findings qualify claims that neuroscience will play a qualitatively different role in the way in which it shapes people’s beliefs and informs issues of social policy.