cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Late Gadolinium Enhancement in Cardiac MRI in Patients with Severe Aortic Stenosis and Preserved Left Ventricular Systolic Function Is Related to Attenuated Improvement of Left Ventricular Geometry and Filling Pressure after Aortic Valve Replacement

Results: The group with LGE (LGE+) showed greater wall thickness (septum, 14.3±2.6 mm vs. 11.5±2.0 mm, p=0.001, posterior; 14.3±2.5 mm vs. 11.4±1.6 mm, p<0.001), lower tissue Doppler image (TDIS’, 4.4±1.4 cm/s vs. 5.5±1.2 cm/s, p=0.021; TDI E’, 3.2±0.9 cm/s vs. 4.8±1.4 cm/s, p=0.002), and greater E/e’ (21.8±10.3 vs. 15.4±6.3, p=0.066) than those without LGE (LGE-). Multivariate analysis show that TDI e’ (odds ratio=0.078, 95% confidence interval=0.007–0.888, p=0.040) was an independent determinant of LGE+. In an analysis of the 6- and 12-month follow-up compared with pre-AVR, LGE- showed decreased LV end-diastolic diameter (48.3±5.0 mm vs. 45.8±3.6 mm, p=0.027; 48.3±5.0 mm vs. 46.5±3.4 mm, p=0.019). Moreover, E/e’ (at 12 months) showed further improved LV filling pressure (16.0 ±6.6 vs. 12.3±4.3, p=0.001) compared with pre-AVR. However, LGE+ showed no significant improvement. Conclusion: The absence of LGE is associated with favorable improvements in LV geometry and filling pressure. TDI E’ is an independent determinant of LGE in patients with severe AS and preserved LV systolic function. (Korean Circ J 2014;44(5):312-319)
Efficient eigenvalue assignment for large space structures

A novel and efficient approach for the eigenvalue assignment of large, first-order, time-invariant systems is developed using full-state feedback and output feedback. The full-state feedback approach basically consists of three steps. First, a Schur decomposition is applied to triangularize the state matrix. Second, a series of coordinate rotations (Givens rotations) is used to move the eigenvalue to be reassigned to the end of the diagonal of its Schur form. Third, the eigenvalue is moved to the desired location by a full-state feedback without affecting the remaining eigenvalues. The second and third steps can be repeated until all the assignable eigenvalues are moved to the desired locations. Given the freedom of multiple inputs, the feedback gain matrix is calculated to minimize an objective function composed of a gain matrix norm and/or a robustness index of the closed-loop system. An output feedback approach is also developed using similar procedures as for the full-state feedback wherein the maximum allowable number of eigenvalues may be assigned. Numerical examples are given to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed approach.
Growing Pains: The School Consolidation Movement and Student Outcomes

Between 1930 and 1970, average school size in the United States increased from 87 to 440 students and average district size increased from 170 to 2300 students, as over 120,000 schools and 100,000 districts were eliminated through consolidation. We exploit variation in the timing of consolidation across states to estimate the effects of changing school and district size on student outcomes using data from the Public-Use Micro-Sample of the 1980 US census. Students educated in states with smaller schools obtained higher returns to education and completed more years of schooling. Reduced form estimates confirm that students from states with larger schools earned significantly lower wages later in life. Although larger districts were associated with modestly higher returns to education and increased educational attainment in most specifications, any gains from the consolidation of districts were far outweighed by the harmful effects of larger schools. (JEL I2, H7, H4) The Author 2008. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Yale University. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org, Oxford University Press.
Hydrogen reduction of Ga-Pt loaded HZSM-5

Abstract Catalysts containing 1.2, 3.1, 6.1, and 10.0 g Ga as Ga(NO3) per 100 g HZSM-5 prepared by incipient wetness impregnation have been subjected to hydrogen reduction at 848 K in a microbalance and the reduction rates and capacities compared with identical materials further impregnated with 0.5 g Pt as Pt(NH3)4 (N03)2 per 100 g HZSM-5. Weight loss stoichiometry suggests that supported Ga(N03)3 is converted to Ga203 upon calcination in 3% O2 in He while weight loss stoichiometry upon hydrogen reduction at 848 K in all cases can be correlated (within certain bounds which are discussed) as Ga203 + 2H+Z− → 2Ga+Z− + 3H20, where Z− is the anionic zeolitic framework. The addition of Pt does not increase the total amount of Ga203 which can be reduced even in cases where the cation capacity of the zeolite limits the reduction reaction but does increase the maximum rate of Ga203 reduction.
Impact of a price premium on sales of branded, low fat, fresh beef.

A laboratory test was conducted in the San Francisco Bay area during July 1987 to study the impact of a price premium (25%) on sales of branded, low fat, and natural beef. The effect of a 25% price premium was a 38% reduction in trial purchases. While price resistance was significant, there is a consumer segment willing to pay a premium for a product low in fat and free of artificial ingredients.
IS MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS AN AGE-DEPENDENT HOST RESPONSE TO MEASLES?

Several lines of evidence support the possibility that multiple sclerosis (M.S.) may be an age-dependent host response to measles. In animals, measles evokes different responses depending upon age at inoculation. In man, measles is already known to produce at least two age-dependent responses: risk of subacute sclerosing panencephalitis is increased among those who have had measles before 2 years of age and risk of measles encephalitis increases with age, at least during adolescence. Studies of immigrant populations indicate that an event at or before adolescence but not infancy affects risk of M.S. In the tropics where M.S. is rare, measles tends to be acquired very early in life, usually before the age of 3, whereas in temperate areas, measles tends to be acquired later, after the age of 5. A retrospective study has shown that M.S. patients tend to have had measles later than controls. Mechanisms which might underlie an age-dependent host response to measles include maturation of an immune system (k.g., number of available B cells) or change in the metabolic state of a target cell (e.g., oligocytes which change from laying down myelin to maintaining it). If the hypothesis that M.S. is a host response to later measles infection is valid, then mass measles vaccination programmes should produce a decline in the rate of M.S., but the effect may not be discernible before 1980.
Auditory recognition memory is inferior to visual recognition memory

Visual memory for scenes is surprisingly robust. We wished to examine whether an analogous ability exists in the auditory domain. Participants listened to a variety of sound clips and were tested on their ability to distinguish old from new clips. Stimuli ranged from complex auditory scenes (e.g., talking in a pool hall) to isolated auditory objects (e.g., a dog barking) to music. In some conditions, additional information was provided to help participants with encoding. In every situation, however, auditory memory proved to be systematically inferior to visual memory. This suggests that there exists either a fundamental difference between auditory and visual stimuli, or, more plausibly, an asymmetry between auditory and visual processing.
Non-perturbative Heavy-Flavor Transport at RHIC and LHC

Abstract We calculate open heavy-flavor (HF) transport in relativistic heavy-ion collisions by applying a strong-coupling treatment in both macro- and microscopic dynamics (hydrodynamics and non-perturbative diffusion interactions). The hydrodynamic medium evolution is quantitatively constrained by bulk and multi-strange hadron spectra and elliptic flow. The heavy quark transport coefficient is evaluated from a non-perturbative T -matrix approach in the Quark–Gluon Plasma which, close to the critical temperature, leads to resonance formation and feeds into the recombination of heavy quarks on a hydrodynamic hypersurface. In the hadronic phase, the diffusion of HF mesons is obtained from effective hadronic theory. We compute observables at RHIC and LHC for non-photonic electrons and HF mesons, respectively.
Solventless Synthesis of Bi2S3 (Bismuthinite) Nanorods, Nanowires, and Nanofabric

Orthorhombic Bi2S3 (bismuthinite) nanorods and nanowires are synthesized by the solventless thermolysis of bismuth alkylthiolate precursors. Reactions carried out in air at ∼225 °C in the presence of a capping ligand species, octanoate, produce high aspect ratio (>100) nanowires. Lower aspect ratio nanowires (∼7) are produced by the same approach with the addition of elemental sulfur at lower reaction temperature (∼160 °C). Both the nanowires and nanorods are oriented with their long axes in the [002] crystallographic direction. Higher reaction temperatures (∼250 °C) produce crossed nanowire networks, or fabrics, with highly oriented growth as a result of heterogeneous nanowire nucleation and epitaxial elongation off the surface of existing wires.
Streptomycin therapy in oral tuberculosis.

SCHATZ, Bugie and Waksman 1 introduced streptomycin in January 1944 and reported the definite suppressive action of this new agent, among others, on cultures of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. In the same year Feldman and Hinshaw noted the therapeutic effect of streptomycin in experimental tuberculosis and followed this in 1945 with a preliminary report on the use of this antibiotic in the treatment of clinical tuberculosis. 2 Since that time the literature on streptomycin therapy has become voluminous. The indications for the use of streptomycin in pulmonary tuberculosis have become more or less uniformly standardized, and the favorable results of this treatment on tuberculosis of numerous extrapulmonary organs have been acknowledged. However, while its beneficial action, particularly on lesions of the mucous membranes, has been observed, only very few reports of the therapeutic value of streptomycin or dihydrostreptomycin in oral tuberculosis have been published so far. This paucity of available data may justify the
Design and synthesis of heterocyclic analogues of mycophenolic acid as potential chemotherapeutic agents

Abstract A series of heterocyclic analogues 3–10 of mycophenolic acid were designed as metabolically stable congeners possibly targeted for inosine monophosphate dehydrogenase. The synthesis, cytotoxic and anti-HIV activity of these compounds are described.
COUNTS-IN-CYLINDERS IN THE SLOAN DIGITAL SKY SURVEY WITH COMPARISONS TO N-BODY SIMULATIONS

Environmental statistics provide a necessary means of comparing the properties of galaxies in different environments, and a vital test of models of galaxy formation within the prevailing hierarchical cosmological model. We explore counts-in-cylinders, a common statistic defined as the number of companions of a particular galaxy found within a given projected radius and redshift interval. Galaxy distributions with the same two-point correlation functions do not necessarily have the same companion count distributions. We use this statistic to examine the environments of galaxies in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 4 (SDSS DR4). We also make preliminary comparisons to four models for the spatial distributions of galaxies, based on N-body simulations and data from SDSS DR4, to study the utility of the counts-in-cylinders statistic. There is a very large scatter between the number of companions a galaxy has and the mass of its parent dark matter halo and the halo occupation, limiting the utility of this statistic for certain kinds of environmental studies. We also show that prevalent empirical models of galaxy clustering, that match observed two- and three-point clustering statistics well, fail to reproduce some aspects of the observed distribution of counts-in-cylinders on 1, 3, and 6 h –1 Mpc scales. All models that we explore underpredict the fraction of galaxies with few or no companions in 3 and 6 h –1 Mpc cylinders. Roughly 7% of galaxies in the real universe are significantly more isolated within a 6 h –1 Mpc cylinder than the galaxies in any of the models we use. Simple phenomenological models that map galaxies to dark matter halos fail to reproduce high-order clustering statistics in low-density environments.
Using short-term postseismic displacements to infer the ambient deformation conditions of the upper mantle

[1] To interpret short-term postseismic surface displacements in the context of key ambient conditions (e.g., temperature, pressure, background strain rate, water content, creep mechanism), we combined steady state and transient flow into a single constitutive relation that can explain the response of a viscoelastic material to a change in stress. The flow law is then used to investigate mantle deformation beneath the Eastern California Shear Zone following the 1999 M7.1 Hector Mine earthquake. The flow law parameters are determined using finite element models of relaxation processes, constrained by surface displacement time series recorded by 55 continuous GPS stations for 7 years following the earthquake. Results suggest that postseismic flow following the Hector Mine earthquake occurs below a depth of � 50 km and is controlled by dislocation creep of wet olivine. Diffusion creep models can also explain the data, but require a grain size (3.5 mm) that is smaller than the inferred grain size (10–20 mm) based on the mantle conditions at these depths. In addition, laboratory flow laws predict dislocation creep would dominate at the stress/grain size conditions that provide the best fit to diffusion creep models. Model results suggest a transient creep phase that lasts � 1 year and has a viscosity � 10 times lower than subsequent steady state flow, in general agreement with laboratory observations. The postseismic response is best explained as occurring within a relatively hot upper mantle (e.g., 1200–1300°C at 50 km depth) with a long-term background mantle strain rate of 0.1–0.2 mstrain/yr, consistent with the observed surface strain rate. Long-term background shear stresses at the top of the mantle are � 4 MPa, then decrease with depth to a minimum of 0.1–0.2 MPa at 70 km depth before increasing slowly with depth due to the pressure dependence of viscosity. These conditions correspond to a background viscosity of 10 21 Pa s within a thin mantle lid that decreases to � 5 � 10 19 Pa s within the underlying asthenosphere. This study shows the utility of using short-term postseismic observations to infer long-term mantle conditions that are not readily observable by other means.
Legal regulation of the use of race in medical research

In this article, we discuss current legal restrictions governing the use of race in medical research. In particular, we focus on whether the use of race in various types of research is presently permitted under federal law and the federal constitution. We also discuss whether federal restrictions on the use of race in research ought to be expanded, and whether federal policies that encourage the use of race ought to be abandoned.
Should all newborns who undergo patent ductus arteriosus ligation be examined for vocal fold mobility

Objectives/Hypothesis: To determine the incidence of left vocal fold paralysis (LVFP) in premature infants who undergo patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) ligation. Study Design: Prospective cohort. Methods: The study was carried out in the newborn intensive care unit (NICU) of a tertiary academic medical center. Eighty-six premature newborns who underwent ligation of a PDA were examined postextubation with fiberoptic laryngoscopy to assess vocal fold mobility, regardless of laryngeal symptom status. Results: Fourteen infants (16%) had LVFP. All were <28 weeks postmenstrual age (PMA) at birth and <1,250 g at PDA ligation, and were significantly less mature and smaller than infants without LVFP. Infants <28 weeks PMA at birth and <1,250 g at ligation had an incidence of LVFP of 23% and 24%, respectively. Fourteen percent of the infants with LVFP did not have laryngeal symptoms and would have been missed had these been the sole criteria for assessing vocal fold mobility. Conclusions: The incidence of LVFP after PDA ligation in the NICU is high, and some cases may be missed if laryngoscopy is performed only when laryngeal symptoms are present. Infants <28 weeks PMA at birth and <1,250 g at ligation are at especially high risk. Vocal fold mobility should be documented by laryngoscopy on all high-risk infants undergoing a PDA ligation in the NICU regardless of laryngeal symptom status, and on all infants with relevant symptoms. The high incidence of this complication warrants greater efforts to prospectively assess vocal fold mobility status in high-risk infants who undergo PDA ligation. Laryngoscope, 2009
The Range of Masses and Periods Explored by Radial Velocity Searches for Planetary Companions

Radial velocity measurements have proven a powerful tool for finding planets in short-period orbits around other stars. In this paper we develop an analytical expression relating the sensitivity to a periodic signal to the duration and accuracy of a given set of data. The effects of windowing and the sensitivity to periods longer than the total length of observations are explored. We show that current observations are not yet long or accurate enough to make unambiguous detection of planets with the same mass and period as Jupiter. However, if measurements are continued at the current levels of accuracy (5 m s-1) for a decade, then planets of Jovian mass and brown dwarfs will either be detected or ruled out for orbits with periods less than ~15 yr. As specific examples, we outline the performance of our technique on large-amplitude and large-eccentricity radial velocity signals recently discussed in the literature, and we delineate the region explored by the measurements of 14 single stars made over a 12 yr period by Walker et al. Had any of these stars shown motion like that caused by the exoplanets recently detected, it would have been easily detected. The data set interesting limits on the presence of brown dwarfs at orbital radii of 5-10 AU. The most significant features in the Walker et al. data are apparent long-term velocity trends in 36 UMa and β Vir, consistent with super planets of mass of 2 MJ in a 10 yr period, or 20-30 MJ in a 50 yr period. If the data are free of long-term systematic errors, the probability of just one of the 14 stars showing this signal by chance is about 15%. Finally, we suggest an observing strategy for future large radial velocity surveys that, if implemented, will allow coverage of the largest range of parameter space with the smallest amount of observing time per star. We suggest that about 10-15 measurements be made of each star in the first 2 yr of the survey, then 2-3 measurements yr-1 thereafter, provided no (or slow) variation is observed. More frequent observations would of course be indicated if such variations were present.
Saturation physics and angular correlations at RHIC and LHC

We investigate the angular correlation between pions and photons produced in deuteron–gold collisions at RHIC and proton–lead collisions at LHC using the color glass condensate formalism. We make predictions for the dependence of the production cross section on the angle between the pion and the photon at different rapidities and transverse momenta. Measuring this dependence would shed further light on the role of the high gluon-density effects and saturation dynamics at RHIC and LHC.
Preparation of aryl-substituted 2-oxyindoles by superelectrophilic chemistry

Abstract A series of pyridyl-substituted 3-hydroxy-2-oxyindoles have been prepared and reacted with arenes in superacid promoted Friedel–Crafts reactions. The product aryl-substituted 2-oxyindoles are formed in generally good yields. With substituted arenes such as toluene, bromobenzene, or ethyl salicylate, the Friedel–Crafts reactions occur with excellent regioselectivity. A mechanism is proposed involving dicationic, superelectrophilic species leading to the electrophilic aromatic substitution chemistry.
Warped functional regression

A characteristic feature of functional data is the presence of phase variability in addition to amplitude variability. Existing functional regression methods do not handle time variability in an explicit and efficient way. In this paper we introduce a functional regression method that incorporates time warping as an intrinsic part of the model. The method achieves good predictive power in a parsimonious way and allows unified statistical inference about phase and amplitude components. The asymptotic distribution of the estimators is derived and their finite-sample properties are studied by simulation. An application involving ground-level ozone trajectories is presented.
THE BARE DIFFUSION COEFFICIENT AND THE PECULIAR VELOCITY AUTO-CORRELATION FUNCTION

The bare diffusion coefficient is given as the time integral of the peculiar velocity autocorrelation function or PVACF and this result is different from the well known Green-Kubo formula. The bare diffusion coefficient characterizes the diffusion process on a length scale lambda. The PVACF is given here for the first time in terms of the positions and velocities of the N particles of the system so the PVACF is in a form suitable for evaluation by molecular dynamics simulations. The computer simulations show that for the two dimensional hard disk system, the PVACF decays increasingly rapidly in time as lambda is reduced and this is probably a general characteristic. Finally, the Einstein formula for Brownian motion is a bit different for the bare diffusion coefficient.
Groundwater Pumping and Spatial Externalities in Agriculture

Abstract We investigate the behavior of farmers who share an underground aquifer. In the case where seepage may occur the resource is nonexclusive, giving rise to a spatial externality whereby pumping by one user affects others nearby. Theoretically, these externalities are potentially important causes of welfare loss. Using a unique spatial data set of groundwater users in western Kansas, we are able to empirically measure the physical and behavioral effects of groundwater pumping by neighbors. To address the simultaneity of neighbors' pumping, we use the neighbors' permitted water allocation as an instrument for their pumping. We estimate that 2.5% of the total groundwater extracted each year in western Kansas is over-extraction due to the effects of spatial externalities. Individuals who own multiple wells internalize their own externality by trading off pumping at one well for pumping at another.
Background estimation under rapid gain change in thermal imagery

We consider detection of moving ground vehicles in airborne sequences recorded by a thermal sensor with automatic gain control, using an approach that integrates dense optic flow over time to maintain a model of background appearance and a foreground occlusion layer mask. However, the automatic gain control of the thermal sensor introduces rapid changes in intensity that makes this difficult. In this paper we show that an intensity-clipped affine model of sensor gain is sufficient to describe the behavior of our thermal sensor. We develop a method for gain estimation and compensation that uses sparse flow of corner features to compute the affine background scene motion that brings pairs of frames into alignment prior to estimating change in pixel brightness. Dense optic flow and background appearance modeling is then performed on these motion-compensated and brightness-compensated frames. Experimental results demonstrate that the resulting algorithm can segment ground vehicles from thermal airborne video while building a mosaic of the background layer, despite the presence of rapid gain changes.
Rank and genus of 3-manifolds

We construct a counterexample to the Rank versus Genus Conjecture, i.e. a closed orientable hyperbolic 3-manifold with rank of its fundamental group smaller than its Heegaard genus. Moreover, we show that the discrepancy between rank and Heegaard genus can be arbitrarily large for hyperbolic 3-manifolds. We also construct toroidal such examples containing hyperbolic JSJ pieces.
Simulation of charge–discharge cycling of lithium-ion batteries under low-earth-orbit conditions

Abstract Charge–discharge behavior of SONY 18650 lithium-ion batteries for aerospace applications was simulated under low-earth-orbit (LEO) conditions, by using a first-principles based mathematical model. The model determines the capacity fade on the basis of the irreversible loss of active lithium ions due to electrolyte reduction. The capacity fade during LEO cycling was studied for 5 years of continuous operation with 20% depth of discharge as a function of the cycling parameters such as the end of charge voltage and the charging rate.
Public Spending Management and Macroeconomic Interdependence

This paper studies the domestic and international effects of “public competition policies” aimed at improving the efficiency of public spending. Such measures are modeled as an increase in the price elasticity of public consumption. The paper finds that public competition policies significantly affect macroeconomic interdependence across countries, both through the impact of the international elasticity of substitution and of mark-up effects. The paper also develops an extension in which fiscal shocks are stochastic. In welfare terms, countries with a larger government sector have an incentive to promote global public competition policies regardless of whether fiscal policy is modeled as deterministic or stochastic.
Quality loss functions and performance measures for a mixed bivariate response

Mixed bivariate vectors occur when a sampling unit has two different types of responses. This is a common occurrence in many manufacturing processes. The traditional optimization approach for such a problem is to analyze each response separately and to determine vital factors for that response, then choose optimal factor settings by making trade-off adjustments among all factors. The objective of this paper is to develop a general mixed bivariate model that will consider the correlation between the two responses. A general quality loss function is first developed to evaluate societal losses for a vector response. Then signal-to-noise ratios as performance measures are developed for the three different mixed responses (Smaller the better, Larger the better) (STB, LTB), (Smaller the better, Nominal the best) (STB, NTB), and (Larger the better, Nominal the best) (LTB, NTB). Simulation is introduced to evaluate the efficiency of performance measures that are developed herein.
Extraordinarily high spectral sensitivity in refractive index sensors using multiple optical modes

We show that high spectral sensitivity in surface plasmon resonance sensor is due to the multi-mode nature of the sensing scheme. Multi-mode sensing can be applied to dielectric systems to achieve similar extraordinary spectral sensitivity.
A simplified model for the viscous crossflow in a slotted test section

A simplified physical model was constructed which simulates the viscous crossflow in a fluid layer near the slots at a fixed streamwise location in a slotted wind tunnel. For low to moderate Reynolds numbers, numerical solutions of the two dimensional, incompressible Navier-Stokes equations in stream function and vorticity, which govern the model flow, were obtained. Fairly general slot geometry was incorporated by means of the Thompson-Thames-Mastin transformation. An approximate factorization scheme with cyclic acceleration parameters was employed to solve a finite difference analog of the stream function equation. The vorticity equation was numerically solved with a modified version of the classical alternating direction implicit scheme. Although no quantitative assessment of solution accuracy can be made, numerical results for variations in incremental wall pressure around the slat are at least qualitatively similar to some experimental results.
Reliability based structural optimization: A simplified safety index approach

Abstract A probabilistic optimal design methodology for complex structures modelled with finite element methods is presented. The main emphasis is on developing probabilistic analysis tools suitable for optimization. An advanced second-moment method is employed to evaluate the failure probability of the performance function. The safety indices are interpolated using the information at the mean and most probable failure point. The minimum weight design with an improved safety index limit is achieved by using the extended interior penalty method of optimization. Numerical examples covering beam and plate structures are presented to illustrate the design approach. The results obtained by using the proposed approach are compared with those obtained by using the existing probabilistic optimization techniques.
Increasing Network Resiliency by Optimally Assigning Diverse Variants to Routing Nodes

Networks with homogeneous routing nodes are constantly at risk as any vulnerability found against a node could be used to compromise all nodes. Introducing diversity among nodes can be used to address this problem. With few variants, the choice of assignment of variants to nodes is critical to the overall network resiliency. We present the Diversity Assignment Problem (DAP), the assignment of variants to nodes in a network, and we show how to compute the optimal solution in medium-size networks. We also present a greedy approximation to DAP that scales well to large networks. Our solution shows that a high level of overall network resiliency can be obtained even from variants that are weak on their own. We provide a variation of our problem that matches the specific communication requirements of applications run over the network (e.g., Paxos and BFT). Also, we analyze the loss in resiliency when optimally assigning variants based on inaccurate information about compromises.
Global Prospects for Development and Human Security

It is a great honour to be invited to present this keynote address in Calgary. Canada has an admirable record of constructive concern with broad issues of international development and this country has historically been a generous donor of foreign aid. Canada has also been much concerned with measures intended to improve the lot of the poor directly and has been among the few to provide a warm welcome to immigrants from developing countries and elsewhere. This Association deserves much credit for contributing to the global research effort on the problems faced by developing countries and to public education on those problems in this country. The theme of this year’s conference — violence, human security and development — is very apposite, for it touches upon hitherto neglected topics which suddenly have come to the forefront of international debate. There are multiple connections between violence, security and development which are being explored in some depth during the conference. My ambition in this presentation is a modest one: to scan a small part of the terrain from the perspective of an economist.
GIANT CELL ARTERITIS AND POLYMYALGIA RHEUMATICA

Giant cell arteritis and polymyalgia rheumatica are linked conditions that frequently occur in the same patient. They are more common in northern Europe and persons of European descent than in other populations. Recent investigations have begun to provide information about the pathogenesis of both syndromes. Both respond to corticosteroids but at different dose levels. Although a number of vascular complications may occur, the outlook is excellent.
Universal procedure for enforcing quantum constraints

Abstract An abstract formulation of quantum dynamics in the presence of a general set of quantum constraints is developed. Our constructive procedure is such that the relevant projection operator onto the physical Hilbert space is obtained with a single, common integration procedure over the original Lagrange multiplier variables that is completely independent of the general nature of the constraints. In the associated lattice-limit formulation it is demonstrated that expansion of the constraint operator contribution to second order in the lattice spacing is necessary while, as usual, only a first-order expansion is needed for the dynamical operator contribution. Among various possibilities, coherent state path integrals are used to illustrate a completely functional representation of the abstract quantization procedure.
Synthesis and antiviral activity of amino acid carbamate derivatives of AZT.

Abstract Lipophilic amino acid methyl ester and methyl amide carbamates of 3′-azido-3′-deoxythymidine (AZT) were synthesized and their anti-HIV-1 activity in PBMCs was determined. The methyl amides were more potent (EC50S = 1.8 - 4.0 μM) than the methyl esters (EC50s = 2.0 - 20 μM). Carbamate hydrolysis by cell lysates and liberation of AZT was not observed for representative methyl ester or methyl amide AZT carbamates. No evidence of direct inhibition of HIV reverse transcriptase or integrase was observed.
Chemometrics in pharmaceutical analysis

Abstract Chemometrics is now a well established discipline prompting independent research and development in its own right but, for their continuing success, chemometric developments must be relevant to the real needs of analysis. Pharmaceutical analysis, i.e., physical and chemical assessment of drugs and their dosage forms, needs more formal application of mathematical and statistical methods. The organisation of the laboratory, the development, optimization, assessment and interpretation of methods, and the evaluation of the data produced can all benefit from the application of chemometrics. Here, a selection of the more challenging problems facing the pharmaceutical analyst is presented, the potential for chemometrics is considered and some consequent implications for utilisation, against a background of control and regulation are discussed.
Enantioselective Formal Aza-Diels–Alder Reactions of Enones with Cyclic Imines Catalyzed by Primary Aminothioureas

A highly enantio- and diastereoselective synthesis of indolo- and benzoquinolizidine compounds has been developed through the formal aza-Diels–Alder reaction of enones with cyclic imines. This transformation is catalyzed by a new bifunctional primary aminothiourea that achieves simultaneous activation of both the enone and imine reaction components.
Mesoscopic Kondo problem

We study the effect of mesoscopic fluctuations on a magnetic impurity coupled to a spatially confined electron gas with a temperature in the mesoscopic range (i.e. between the mean level spacing Δ and the Thouless energy ETh). Comparing "poor-man's scaling" with exact Quantum Monte Carlo, we find that for temperatures larger than the Kondo temperature, many aspects of the fluctuations can be captured by the perturbative technique. Using this technique in conjunction with semi-classical approximations, we are able to calculate the mesoscopic fluctuations for a wide variety of systems. For temperatures smaller than the Kondo temperature, we find large fluctuations and deviations from the universal behavior.
Synthesis of Carbocyclic and Heterocyclic Fused Quinolines by Cascade Radical Annulations of Unsaturated N-Aryl Thiocarbamates, Thioamides, and Thioureas

Tandem radical cyclizations of suitably substituted N-aryl thiocarbamates, thioamides, and thioureas are induced by exposure to tris(trimethylsilyl)silane (TTMSH) and UV light and provide furoquinolines, isofuroquinolines, cyclopentaquinolines, indoloquinolines, and related ring systems. The intermediacy of an α-thioalkylamino radical, which is the synthetic equivalent of an imidoyl radical, is invoked.
Temperature and violence

Author(s): Cane, Mark A; Miguel, Edward; Burke, Marshall; Hsiang, Solomon M; Lobell, David B; Meng, Kyle C; Satyanath, Shanker
Reliable computation with cellular automata

Abstract We construct a one-dimensional array of cellular automata on which arbitrarily large computations can be implemented reliably, even though each automaton at each step makes an error with some constant probability. In statistical physics, this construction leads to the refutation of the “positive probability conjecture,” which states that any one-dimensional infinite particle system with positive transition probabilities is ergodic. Our approach takes its origin from Kurdyumov's ideas for this refutation. To compute reliability with unreliable components, von Neumann proposed Boolean circuits whose intricate interconnection pattern (arising from the error-correcting organization) he had to assume to be immune to errors. In a uniform cellular medium, the error-correcting organization exists only in “software,” therefore errors threaten to disable it. The real technical novelty of the paper is therefore the construction of a self-repairing organization .
Coherent Optical Implementation Of Generalized Two-Dimensional Transforms

A coherent optical method capable of performing arbitrary two-dimensional linear transformations has recently been studied, in which transform coefficients are given by two-dimensional inner products of the input image and a set of basis functions. Since the inner product of two functions is equal to the value of their correlation when there is zero shift between the functions, it is possible to use an optical correlator to solve for the coefficients of the transform. By using random phase masks in the input and the filter planes of the correlator, we have been able to pack many coefficients close together in the output plane, and thus take better advantage of the space-bandwidth product of the optical system. Both the input random phase mask and the spatial filter are computer-generated holographic elements, created by a computer-controlled laser beam scanner. The system can be "pro-grammed" to perform arbitrary two-dimensional linear transformations. For demonstration, the set of two-dimensional Walsh functions was chosen as a transform basis. When the resolution of the Walsh functions was limited to 128 x 128, up to 256 transform coefficients were obtained in parallel. The signal-to-noise and accuracy of the transform coefficients were compared to the theory.
A characterization of efficient, bayesian incentive compatible mechanisms

A mechanism that is both efficient and incentive compatible in the Bayesian-Nash sense is shown to be payoff-equivalent to a Groves mechanism at the point in time when each agent has just acquired his private information. This equivalence result simplifies the question of whether or not an efficient, Bayesian incentive compatible mechanism can satisfy other desired objectives, for the search for an appropriate mechanism can be restricted to the family of Groves mechanisms. The method is used to extend the result of Myerson and Satterthwaite on the inefficiency of bilateral bargaining to a multilateral setting.
Computational Analyses of Offset-Stream Nozzles for Noise Reduction

The W ind c omputational fluid dyn amics code was used to perform a series of simulations on two offset stream nozzle concepts for jet noise reduction. The first concept used an S -duct to direct the secondary stream to the lower side of the nozzle. The second concept used vanes to turn th e secondary flow downward. The analyses were completed in preparation of tests conducted in the NASA Glenn Research Center Aeroacoustic Propulsion Laboratory. The offset stream nozzles demonstrated good performance and reduced the amount of turbulence on the lower side of the jet plume. The computer analyses proved instrumental in guiding the development of the final test configurations and giving insight into the flow mechanics of offset stream nozzles. The computational predictions were compared with flowfield results from the jet rig testing and showed excellent agreement.
A numerical study of the correspondence between paths in a causal set and geodesics in the continuum

This paper presents the results of a computational study related to the pathgeodesic correspondence in causal sets. For intervals in flat spacetimes, and in selected curved spacetimes, we present evidence that the longest maximal chains (the longest paths) in the corresponding causal set intervals statistically approach the geodesic for that interval in the appropriate continuum limit.
Dynamic cost-per-action mechanisms and applications to online advertising

We study the Cost-Per-Action or Cost-Per-Acquisition (CPA) charging scheme in online advertising. In this scheme, instead of paying per click, the advertisers pay only when a user takes a specific action (e.g. fills out a form) or completes a transaction on their websites.We focus on designing efficient and incentive compatible mechanisms that use this charging scheme. We describe a mechanism based on a sampling-based learning algorithm that under suitable assumptions is asymptotically individually rational, asymptotically Bayesian incentive compatible and asymptotically ex-ante efficient.In particular, we demonstrate our mechanism for the case where the utility functions of the advertisers are independent and identically-distributed random variables as well as the case where they evolve like independent reflected Brownian motions.
Moral hazard in nursing home use.

Nursing home expenditures are a rapidly growing share of national health care spending with the government functioning as the dominant payer of services. Public insurance for nursing home care is tightly targeted on income and assets, which imposes a major tax on savings; moreover, low state reimbursement for Medicaid patients has been shown to lower treatment quality, and bed supply constraints may deny access to needy individuals. However, expanding eligibility, increasing Medicaid reimbursement, or allowing more nursing home bed slots has the potential to induce more nursing home use, increasing the social costs of long-erm care. A problem in evaluating this tradeoff is that we know remarkably little about the effects of government policy on nursing home utilization. We attempt to address this shortcoming using multiple waves of the National Long-Term Care Survey, matched to changing state Medicaid rules for nursing home care. We find consistent evidence of no effect of Medicaid policies on nursing home utilization, suggesting that demand for nursing home care is relatively inelastic with respect to public program generosity. From a policy perspective, this finding indicates that changes in overall Medicaid generosity will not have large effects on utilization.
ALGORITHM FOR FINDING BOUNDARY LINK SEIFERT MATRICES

We explain an algorithm for finding a boundary link Seifert matrix for a given multivariable Alexander polynomial. The algorithm depends on several choices and therefore makes it possible to find non-equivalent Seifert matrices for a given Alexander polynomial.
A generic lookup cache architecture for network processing applications

In this paper, we introduce a novel architecture for constructing caches for lookup operations that are used in a variety of network processing applications. The distinguishing feature of the cache is the ability to match on keys that of arbitrary lengths. We show through an FPGA implementation, that the proposed design can speed up lookup operations significantly compared to a software implementation. In conjunction with a network processor, the use of such a cache can greatly improve the response time of lookup intensive applications such as DNS resolution, directory lookup in network storage, and LDAP queries.
Synthesis of sceptrin alkaloids.

A concise synthetic route to the marine alkaloids (±)-sceptrin and (±)-dibromosceptrin has been developed.
Production of pseudoscalar Higgs bosons in e gamma collisions.

We investigate the production of a pseudoscalar Higgs boson {ital A}{sup 0} using the reaction {ital e}{gamma}{r_arrow}{ital eA}{sup 0} at an {ital e{bar e}} collider with a center-of-mass energy of 500 GeV. Supersymmetric contributions are included which provide a substantial enhancement to the cross section for most values of the symmetry-breaking parameters. We find that, despite the penalty incurred in converting one of the beams into a source of backscattered photons, the {ital e}{gamma} process is a promising channel for the detection of the {ital A}{sup 0}. {copyright} {ital 1996 The American Physical Society.}
Interannual variability and trends in tropical ozone derived from SAGE II satellite data and SHADOZ ozonesondes

[1] Long-term observations of stratospheric ozone from the Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment II (SAGE II) satellite (1984–2005) are combined with ozonesonde measurements from the Southern Hemisphere Additional Ozonesondes (SHADOZ) network (1998–2009) to study interannual variability and trends in tropical ozone. Excellent agreement is found comparing the two data sets for the overlap period 1998–2005, and the data are combined to form a continuous time series covering 1984–2009. SHADOZ measurements also provide temperature profiles, and interannual changes in ozone and temperature are highly correlated throughout the tropical lower stratosphere (16–27 km). Interannual variability in stratospheric ozone is dominated by effects of the quasi-biennial oscillation and El Nino–Southern Oscillation, and there are also significant negative trends (−2 to −4% per decade) in the tropical lower stratosphere (over 17–21 km). These tropical ozone trends are consistent with results from chemistry-climate model simulations, wherein the trends result from increases in upwelling circulation in the tropical lower stratosphere.
FLC design for bounded separable functions with linear input-output relations as a special case

A systematic procedure is presented for designing a knowledge base which exactly implements a specified bounded separable function in fuzzy logic. The design of a fuzzy logic control (FLC) for locally linear control is a special case of the result. Examples, including controller design for a nonlinear process control application, are presented.
From x-ray telescopes to neutron scattering: Using axisymmetric mirrors to focus a neutron beam

Abstract We demonstrate neutron beam focusing by axisymmetric mirror systems based on a pair of mirrors consisting of a confocal ellipsoid and hyperboloid. Such a system, known as a Wolter mirror configuration, is commonly used in X-ray telescopes. The axisymmetric Wolter geometry allows nesting of several mirror pairs to increase collection efficiency. We implemented a system containing four nested Ni mirror pairs, which was tested by the focusing of a polychromatic neutron beam at the MIT Reactor. In addition, we have carried out extensive ray-tracing simulations of the mirrors and their performance in different situations. The major advantages of the Wolter mirrors are nesting for large angular collection and aberration-free performance. We discuss how these advantages can be utilized to benefit various neutron scattering methods, such as imaging, SANS, and time-of-flight spectroscopy.
Evidence for enzyme complexes in the phenylpropanoid and flavonoid pathways

A growing body of evidence indicates that phenylpropanoid and flavonoid metabolism is catalyzed, not by free-floating ‘soluble’ enzymes, but via one or more membrane-associated multienzyme complexes. This type of macromolecular organization has important implications for the overall efficiency, specificity, and regulation of these pathways. Classical biochemical studies of phenylpropanoid and flavonoid metabolism have laid a solid foundation for this model, providing evidence of the channeling of intermediates between enzyme active sites and co-localization of enzymes in cell membranes. This work is now being extended using transgenic plants to determine how the partitioning of metabolites within these pathways is controlled, as well as applying sensitive methods to define specific interactions among the individual enzymes. Information from these studies promises to provide new insights into the structuring of biosynthetic pathways within cells, which should lead to more effective means for engineering the production of plant metabolites with nutritional and agronomic importance.