cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Shareholder Activism A Multidisciplinary Review

Shareholder activism has become a dynamic institutional force, and its associated, rapidly increasing body of scholarly literature affects numerous disciplines within the organization science academy. In addition to equivocal results concerning the impact of shareholder activism on corporate outcomes, the separation of prior research into financial and social activism has left unanswered questions critical for both the scholarly discourse on shareholder activism and the normative debate on shareholder empowerment. The heterogeneity of factors in shareholder activism, such as the firm, activist, and environmental characteristics that promote or inhibit activism, along with the breadth of activism’s issues, methods, and processes, provide a plethora of theoretical and methodological opportunities and challenges for activism researchers. Our multidisciplinary review incorporates the financial and social activism streams and explores shareholder activism heterogeneity and controversy, seeking to provide an im...
Micellar effects on the regiochemistry of a Diels-Alder reaction

The Diels-Alder reaction of surfactant 1,3-diene 1 and surfactant dienophile 2 under aqueous micellar conditions gave up to a 3.0:1 ratio of cycloadducts 11 and 12. The regioselectivity of the reaction was controlled by the alignment of reactants at the micelle-H2O interface.
Batch, conversational, and incremental compilers

Compiler-writing techniques have received a great deal of pragmatic and academic attention and are now fairly well-defined. It was and still is generally felt that the compiler is independent of the operating system in which it resides, if it resides in one at all. The invention of time-sharing systems with conversational capability, however, has required that compiler experts re-evaluate existing concepts to make better use of external facilities. This was done and conversational and incremental compilers have evolved. A generalized and consolidated discussion of these relatively new concepts is the subject of this paper. First, a model of a batch compiler is introduced. The concepts are then modified and extended for a conversational programming environment. Finally, a recent development termed "incremental" compilation, which satisfies the needs of both batch and conversational compiling as well as interactive computing, is presented. First, some introductory material is required.
Postwar Reconstruction: Some Insights from Public Choice and Institutional Economics

A successful reconstruction is characterized by a widespread coordination problem, combined with potential pockets of conflict. We analyze the array of relationships that take place in the recon- struction process - political, economic and social - by considering under what circumstances they are situations of conflict or coordination. Historical attempts at reconstruction provide further understanding of how to achieve success. Reconstruction is a vast topic, both theoretically and historically, and we do not pretend to cover all of its nuances or angles. Nonetheless we seek to provide some basic conceptual categories. In particular, we seek to outline under what conditions a reconstruction achieves peace, stability and growth. Toward this end, we apply some simple ideas from game theory to a topic that has received little theoretical attention. We define reconstruction as involving the rebuilding of both formal and informal institutions (Kumar 1997). In particular this involves the restoration of physical infrastructure and facilities, minimal social services, and structural reform in the political, economic, social and security sectors. Reconstruction efforts can be cate- gorized depending on the nature of the conflict that precedes the reconstruction. Categories would include civil wars (i.e., Kosovo) or international wars (i.e., Ger- many and Japan). Within the category of ''international wars'' one can further classify the role of the occupying power. At one extreme is long-term colonization while the other extreme is liberation, with a range of possibilities in between. These distinctions will influence the issues involved in the reconstruction process, and we will return to them later in the paper.
An empirical evaluation of three post Keynesian models

Structuralist and post-Keynesian models differ in their assumptions about firms' investment behavior and pricing/output decisions. This paper compares three benchmark models: Kaleckian, Robinsonian and Kaldorian. We analyze the implications of these models for the steady growth path and the cyclical properties of the economy, and evaluate the consistency of the theoretical predictions with empirical evidence for the US. Our regression results and the stylized cyclical pattern of key variables are consistent with the Kaldorian model. The Kaleckian investment function and the Robinsonian pricing behavior find no support in the data.Classification-JEL: Â E12, E32, O41
Globally Integrated Measurements of the Earth’s Visible Spectral Albedo

We report spectroscopic observations of the earthshine reflected from the Moon. By applying our well-developed photometry methodology to spectroscopy, we are able to precisely determine the Earth's reflectance and its variation as a function of wavelength through a single night as the Earth rotates. These data imply that planned regular monitoring of earthshine spectra will yield valuable new inputs for climate models, which would be complementary to those from the more standard broadband measurements of satellite platforms. For our single night of reported observations, we find that Earth's albedo decreases sharply with wavelength from 500 to 600 nm, while being almost flat from 600 to 900 nm. The mean spectroscopic albedo over the visible is consistent with simultaneous broadband photometric measurements. Unlike previous reports, we find no evidence for either an appreciable "red" or "vegetation" edge in the Earth's spectral albedo, or for changes in this spectral region (700-740 nm) over the 40° of Earth's rotation covered by our observations. Whether or not the absence of a vegetation signature in disk-integrated observations of the Earth is a common feature awaits the analysis of more earthshine data and simultaneous satellite cloud maps at several seasons. If our result is confirmed, it would limit efforts to use the red edge as a probe for Earth-like extrasolar planets. Water vapor and molecular oxygen signals in the visible earthshine, and carbon dioxide and methane in the near-infrared, are more likely to be powerful probes.
Mudslide: A Spatially Anchored Census of Student Confusion for Online Lecture Videos

Educators have developed an effective technique to get feedback after in-person lectures, called "muddy cards." Students are given time to reflect and write the "muddiest" (least clear) point on an index card, to hand in as they leave class. This practice of assigning end-of-lecture reflection tasks to generate explicit student feedback is well suited for adaptation to the challenge of supporting feedback in online video lectures. We describe the design and evaluation of Mudslide, a prototype system that translates the practice of muddy cards into the realm of online lecture videos. Based on an in-lab study of students and teachers, we find that spatially contextualizing students' muddy point feedback with respect to particular lecture slides is advantageous to both students and teachers. We also reflect on further opportunities for enhancing this feedback method based on teachers' and students' experiences with our prototype.
New devices using ferroelectric thin films

Recent developments in the fabrication technologies of ferroelectric thin films in general and of PZT (lead zirconate titanate) and PLZT (lead lanthanum zirconate titanate) thin films in particular have suggested the feasibility of several devices. Integrated optical devices for information processing and high-speed switching, high-density optical information processing and storage devices, and spatial light modulators are some of the applications currently being investigated for these films. Ongoing studies of the longitudinal electrooptic effects and the photosensitivities of PZT and PLZT thin films have established the feasibility of erasable/rewritable optical memories with fast switching and potentially long lifetimes compared to current magnetooptic thin-film devices. Some properties of PZT thin films and of devices based on those properties are described. >
The networked practice of online political satire in China: Between ritual and resistance

Online political satire is an important aspect of Chinese Internet culture and politics. Current scholarship focuses on its contents and views it primarily from the perspective of resistance. By re...
Is color-flow duplex a good diagnostic test for detection of isolated calf vein thrombosis in high-risk patients?

Color-flow duplex scanning (CDS) is a good diagnostic test for lower extremity proximal deep vein thrombosis (DVT). This report aims to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of CDS in detecting isolated...
A note on convex renorming and fragmentability

Using the game approach to fragmentability, we give new and simpler proofs of the following known results: (a) If the Banach space admits an equivalent Kadec norm, then its weak topology is fragmented by a metric which is stronger than the norm topology. (b) If the Banach space admits an equivalent rotund norm, then its weak topology is fragmented by a metric. (c) If the Banach space is weakly locally uniformly rotund, then its weak topology is fragmented by a metric which is stronger than the norm topology.
Efficacy and safety of a new salicylic acid derivative as a complement of vitamin a acid in acne treatment

For beginning or localised forms of acne, the first line treatment is most often topical. The therapeutic classes available are the retinoids (tretinoin and adapalene), benzoyl peroxide, topical antibiotics (erythromycin, clindamycin), azelaic acid. These treatments often result in local irritation phenomena (erythema, desquamation, various discomfort sensations), especially during the initial weeks of use. The objective of the present study is to evaluate in vivo in human the efficacy and safety of a cream containing 2% of a new lipophilic derivative of salicylic acid a (cream A) associated with a vitamin A acid (0.05%)b (cream B) treatment versus a vitamin A acid treatment alone, on 2 groups of patients presenting a retentional acne, after repeated use for 8 weeks.
Fossil fuel decarbonization technology for mitigating global warming

Abstract It has been understood that production of hydrogen from fossil and carbonaceous fuels with reduced CO2 emission to the atmosphere is key to the production of hydrogen-rich fuels for mitigating the CO2 greenhouse gas climate change problem. The conventional methods of hydrogen production from fossil fuels (coal, oil, gas and biomass) include steam reforming and water gas shift mainly of natural gas (SRM). In order to suppress CO2 emission from the steam reforming process, CO2 must be concentrated and sequestered either in or under the ocean or in or underground (in aquifers, or depleted oil or gas wells). Up to about 40% of the energy is lost in this process. An alternative process is the pyrolysis or the thermal decomposition of methane, natural gas (TDM) to hydrogen and carbon. The carbon can either be sequestered or sold on the market as a materials commodity or used as a fuel at a later date under less severe CO2 restraints. The energy sequestered in the carbon amounts to about 42% of the energy in the natural gas resource which is stored and not destroyed. A comparison is made between the well developed conventional SRM and the less developed TDM process including technological status, efficiency, carbon management and cost. The TDM process appears to have advantages over the well developed SRM process. It is much easier to sequester carbon as a stable solid than CO2 as a reactive gas or low temperature liquid. It is also possible to reduce cost by marketing the carbon as a filler or construction material. The potential benefits of the TDM process justifies its further efficient development. The hydrogen can be used as a transportation fuel or converted to methanol by reaction with CO2 from fossil fuel fired power plant stack gases, thus allowing reuse of the carbon in conventional IC automobile engines or in advanced fuel cell vehicles.
Harmful events in crashes

This study examined objects struck in motor vehicle crashes which cause injury or property damage--called harmful events on national accident data files. The percentage of loss due to fatalities was found to differ greatly by harmful event type. Comprehensive costs were used to combine data on fatalities, injuries, and property damage only (PDO) vehicles into a single economic measure of crash loss. Use of comprehensive costs can reduce distortions that may occur in analyses limited to fatal events. Large differences were identified in average injury costs by harmful event type, indicating the need to use specific harmful event injury costs in analyses whenever possible. Major differences found between first and most harmful events in ran-off-road crashes indicate a need for states to collect both data elements on their police accident report forms.
Potluck: Data mash-up tool for casual users

As more and more reusable structured data appears on the Web, casual users will want to take into their own hands the task of mashing up data rather than wait for mash-up sites to be built that address exactly their individually unique needs. In this paper, we present Potluck, a Web user interface that let's casual users-those without programming skills and data modeling expertise-mash up data themselves. Potluck is novel in its use of drag and drop for merging fields, its integration and extension of the faceted browsing paradigm for focusing on subsets of data to align, and its application of simultaneous editing for cleaning up data syntactically. Potluck also lets the user construct rich visualizations of data in-place as the user aligns and cleans up the data. This iterative process of integrating the data while constructing useful visualizations is desirable when the user is unfamiliar with the data at the beginning-a common case-and wishes to get immediate value out of the data without having to spend the overhead of completely and perfectly integrating the data first. A user study on Potluck indicated that it was usable and learnable, and elicited excitement from programmers who, even with their programming skills, previously had great difficulties performing data integration.
A New “Contact-Based” First Year Engineering Course*

A new first year, engineering orientation course has been put in place at NCSU. The course stresses integration with other first year courses, writing, team building, critical thinking, disciplinary thinking, and has a strong problem-solving component. Students were randomly selected to participate in the course. Students' attitudes about engineering and the first year experience were assessed using an instrument developed at the University of Pittsburgh and compared with the normal introduction to engineering course. Students in this course were more positive about their learning experience in the first semester, reported a higher satisfaction with all their courses, and were less likely to think that the first year courses were designed to “weed” students out of the program.
Ethernet topology discovery for networks with incomplete information

In this paper, we investigate the problem of finding the layer-2 network topology of large, heterogeneous multisubnet Ethernet networks that may include uncooperative network nodes. We prove that finding a layer-2 network topology for a given incomplete input is an NP-hard problem, even for single subnet networks, and that deciding whether a given input defines a unique network topology is a co-NP-hard problem. We design several heuristic algorithms to find network topology, evaluate their complexity, and provide criteria for instances in which the input guarantees a unique network topology. We have implemented one of our algorithms and conducted extensive experiments on the Kent State University Computer Science network. Our experiments demonstrate that our approach is quite practical and discovers the accurate network topology of multisubnet networks whose input may not necessarily be complete.
The 2- Ranks of Hyperelliptic Curves with Extra Automorphisms

This paper examines the relationship between the automorphism group of a hyperelliptic curve defined over an algebraically closed field of characteristic two and the 2-rank of the curve. In particular, we exploit the wild ramification to use the Deuring–Shafarevich formula in order to analyze the ramification of hyperelliptic curves that admit extra automorphisms and use this data to impose restrictions on the genera and 2-ranks of such curves. We also show how some of the techniques and results carry over to the case where our base field is of characteristic p > 2.
Classical interaction cannot replace a quantum message

We demonstrate a two-player communication problem that can be solved in the one-way quantum model by a 0-error protocol of cost O(log n) but requires exponentially more communication in the classical interactive (bounded error) model.
Flexible versus rigid intrauterine insemination catheters: a prospective, randomized, controlled study.

Objective To prospectively compare pregnancy rates for couples undergoing IUI by a single healthcare provider with random assignment to either rigid (Tomcat; Kendall Sovereign, Mansfield, MA) or flexible (Soft Pass; Cook, Spencer, IN) catheters. Design Randomized, controlled study. Setting Tertiary care infertility practice. Patient(s) One hundred infertile women enrolled from a single infertility practice who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria for IUI were enrolled. Of the 100 patients, 95 underwent ovarian stimulation before IUI: 35 with clomiphene citrate alone, 60 with clomiphene citrate combined with a single dose of gonadotropins. Intervention(s) Timed IUI was performed with either rigid (Tomcat) or flexible (Cook) insemination catheters. Main Outcome Measure(s) Pregnancy rate per cycle. Result(s) No differences were noted between groups for the following: age, length of infertility, day-3 FSH level, number of prior IUI cycles, total motile sperm count, days of abstinence, infertility diagnoses, insemination ratings, and stimulation protocols. No difference in pregnancy rates was observed between rigid and flexible catheter groups. Conclusion(s) There is no statistically significant difference between flexible and rigid catheters for IUI.
Restless Legs Syndrome

Restless legs syndrome is a symptomatic urge to move the legs, usually accompanied or caused by uncomfortable/ unpleasant sensations deep within the legs that begin or are worsened during periods o...
Nucleophilic and electrophilic substitutions of difluoropropargyl bromides

Fundamental organic reactions like nucleophilic and electrophilic substitutions have seldom been studied on fluorinated propargyl or allenyl modules, when the carbon atom undergoing substitution is bonded to two fluorine atoms. Herein we report a practical synthesis of difluoropropargyl bromides from substituted acetylenes and dibromodifluorometane using a wide variety of alkyl, aryl or silyl substrates. The synthesis of O-, S- and carboxylic acid derivatives of difluoropropargyl bromide is also described. These compounds are suitable starting materials for the synthesis of electrophilically substituted difluoropropargyl derivatives via magnesium and fluoride promoted reactions. An indium-mediated reaction of silyldifluoropropargyl bromide, followed by electrophilic trapping with bromine led to a very useful bromoallene, which was then used in reactions with nucleophiles (C, O, N, P, S, Hal) to yield a de facto bimolecular nucleophilic substitution of a difluoropropargyl bromide.
Implications Of Severe Economic Decline & Demographic Pressures On Youth Literacy In Sub-Saharan Africa

Although literacy rates have improved somehow in recent years, there are still large numbers of people that are illiterates in developing countries. This paper examines the impact of severe economic decline and demographic pressures on youth literacy rate in Sub-Saharan Africa. In this study, a cross-sectional data of 39 Sub-Saharan African countries with adequate data information were analyzed. The results from the ANOVA tests indicate that economic decline is statistically significant in explaining youth literacy, while the results from demographic pressures and movement of refugees are inconclusive in explaining youth literacy.
Sufficient information for the adaptive stabilization of delay systems

Abstract A sufficient condition for the adaptive stabilization of a large class of delay systems modeled by functional differential equations is given. Knowledge of the order of a finite dimensional controller, such that for every system in the class there exists a stabilizing controller of that order, is shown to constitute sufficient a priori information. The results of this paper generalize the recent result for finite dimensional systems.
An Optical System for an Automatic Eye Refractor

Various instruments to measure the refractive state of the eye have been built based on a servosystem concept. This paper describes the optical system of the Dioptron automatic objective refractor. This autorefractor measures the modulation of a grating image formed on the retina while being controlled by a digital computer. The optical subsystems include the image projecting system, the image detecting system, the patient fixation target, and the patient alignment system. Accuracy is obtained by controlling the patient's accommodation and eliminating "instrument" myopia. The overall system is designed to be compact while maintaining very good signal-to-noise ratio and minimum operator controls.
Particle simulation on heterogeneous distributed supercomputers

We describe the implementation and performance of a three dimensional particle simulation distributed between a Thinking Machines CM-2 and a Cray Y-MP. These are connected by a combination of two high-speed networks: a high-performance parallel interface (HIPPI) and an optical network (UltraNet). This is the first application to use this configuration at NASA Ames Research Center. We describe our experience implementing and using the application and report the results of several timing measurements. We show that the distribution of applications across disparate supercomputing platforms is feasible and has reasonable performance. In addition, several practical aspects of the computing environment are discussed.
Service selection algorithms for Web services with end-to-end QoS constraints

Web services are new forms of Internet software that can be universally deployed and invoked using standard protocols. Services from different providers can be integrated into a composite service regardless of their locations, platforms, and/or execution speeds to implement complex business processes and transactions. In this paper, we study the end-to-end QoS issues of composite services by utilizing a QoS broker that is responsible for selecting and coordinating the individual service component. We design the service selection algorithms used by QoS brokers to construct the optimal composite service. The objective of the algorithms is to maximize the user-defined utility function value while meeting the end-to-end delay constraint. We propose two solution approaches to the service selection problem: the combinatorial approach, by modeling the problem as the Multiple Choice Knapsack Problem (MCKP), and the graph approach, by modeling the problem as the constrained shortest path problem in the graph theory. We study efficient solutions for each approach.
Unique Group Signatures

We initiate the study of unique group signature such that signatures of the same message by the same user will always have a large common component (i.e., unique identifier). It enables an efficient detection algorithm, revealing the identities of illegal users, which is fundamentally different from previous primitives. We present a number of unique group signature schemes (without random oracles) under a variety of security models that extend the standard security models of ordinary group signatures. Our work is a beneficial step towards mitigating the well-known group signature paradox, and it also has many other interesting applications and efficiency implications.
The ATLAS Diboson Resonance in Non-Supersymmetric SO(10)

SO(10) grand unication accommodates intermediate gauge symmetries with which gauge coupling unication can be realized without supersymmetry. In this paper, we discuss the possibility that a new massive gauge boson associated with an intermediate gauge symmetry explains the excess observed in the diboson resonance search recently reported by the ATLAS experiment. The model we nd has
Multi-user scheduling in the 3GPP LTE cellular uplink

We consider resource allocation in the 3GPP Long Term Evolution (LTE) cellular uplink, which will be the most widely deployed next generation cellular uplink. The key features of the 3GPP LTE uplink (UL) are that it is based on a modified form of the orthogonal frequency division multiplexing based multiple acess (OFDMA), which enables channel dependent frequency selective scheduling, and that it allows for multi-user (MU) scheduling wherein multiple users can be assigned the same time-frequency resource. In addition to the considerable spectral efficiency improvements that are possible by exploiting these two features, the LTE UL allows for transmit antenna selection together with the possibility of employing advanced receivers at the base-station, which promise further gains. However, several practical constraints that seek to maintain a low signaling overhead, are also imposed. In this paper, we show that the resulting resource allocation problem is APX-hard and then propose a local ratio test (LRT) based constant-factor deterministic polynomial-time approximation algorithm which can accommodate all the practical constraints. Detailed evaluations reveal that the proposed algorithm together with its proposed enhancements offers significant gains.
Recent Developments in Roadside Crash Cushions

Collision with a fixed object is the leading source of fatalities on the Interstate Highway System and other freeways. Among the efforts to reduce this toll has been the development and installation of impact attenuators in a number of states at elevated exit ramps. Design criteria presently used by the Federal Highway Administration are intended to result in barriers which will result in survivable impacts for the vast majority of high speed collisions. Field data relating to these design criteria are presented. Accident experience to date with these barriers is presented and has confirmed the expectation of their potential to significantly reduce accident severity. Further research is underway to extend the list of roadside conditions for which such barriers would be a cost effective lifesaving tool.
Democracy in product design: Consumer participation and differentiation strategies

An increasing number of firms use social media to allow their customers to vote on new product designs. This paper studies the implications of employing such a democratic product design (DPD). A linear city model is used with random locations to capture uncertainty about consumer preferences and to study strategic forces in monopoly and duopoly settings. The results indicate that a monopolist will use market research to resolve the demand uncertainty, unless DPD provides a cost advantage. In a duopoly, an asymmetric equilibrium emerges with exactly one firm using DPD. Commitment to following consumer votes proves to be a strategic advantage, therefore at least one firm promises not to deviate from the product design consumers voted for. A subtle way to influence the outcome of the vote for firms is to generate product candidates instead of soliciting ideas from consumers. Employing such a tactic allows firms to differentiate and they will be more likely to use DPD. Finally, the paper studies the level of consumer engagement in DPD and shows that a monopolist always benefits from a higher positive engagement and is hurt by negative engagement, although to a lesser extent. The results are reversed for a duopolist as negative sentiments can serve as an additional differentiator.
Wound Debridement: Therapeutic Options and Care Considerations

Wound debridement is a critical component of promoting optimal healing for a wound with necrotic tissue. Although much is known about the multiple barriers to healing that necrotic detritus presents, much is still unknown about the best ways, timing, and approaches to constructing a healthy wound bed. Falanga's "black box," a metaphor for the unknown components of wound healing and debridement, should remind all practitioners that future research needs to address the continuing questions and issues associated with promotion of quality chronic wound healing outcomes.
Two-particle approach to the electronic structure of solids: I: Scattering in the presence of the Coulomb interaction

Abstract Based on an extension of Hubbard’s treatment of the electronic structure of correlated electrons in matter we propose a methodology that incorporates the scattering off the Coulomb interaction through the determination of a two-particle propagator. The Green function equations of motion are then used to obtain single-particle Green functions and related properties such as densities of states. The solutions of the equations of motion in two- and single-particle spaces are accomplished through applications of the coherent potential approximation. The formalism is illustrated by means of calculations for a single-band model system representing a linear arrangement of sites with nearest neighbor hopping and an one-site repulsion when two electrons of opposite spin occupy the same site in the lattice in the manner described by the so-called Hubbard Hamiltonian.
A lower bound on the performance of dynamic curing policies for epidemics on graphs

We consider an SIS-type epidemic process that evolves on a known graph. We assume that a fixed curing budget can be allocated at each instant to the nodes of the graph, towards the objective of minimizing the expected extinction time of the epidemic. We provide a lower bound on the optimal expected extinction time as a function of the available budget, the epidemic parameters, the maximum degree, and the CutWidth of the graph. For graphs with large CutWidth (close to the largest possible), and under a budget which is sublinear in the number of nodes, our lower bound scales exponentially with the size of the graph.
Microbubbles as a Contrast Agent for Neurosonography and Ultrasound-Guided Catheter Manipulation: In Vitro Studies

Tissue-equivalent ultrasound phantoms, including models of the ventricular system and cyst phantoms, may be useful for developing expertise in both biopsy procedures and shunt catheter placement that use ultrasound guidance. These phantoms have been constructed (1) to assess the ability to position biopsy needles and manipulate shunt catheters with conventional angiographic guidewires and (2) to evaluate the usefulness of microbubbles as an ultrasound contrast agent. Optimal catheter and needle position and catheter patency are demonstrated with microbubbles generated by hand injection of small volumes of saline, a safe ultrasound contrast agent that, to our knowledge, has not been previously exploited in neurosonography. Microbubbles can define biopsy needle location without direct imaging of the biopsy needle; they can also define the extent of communication or separation of fluid-filled or loculated spaces.
Task Segregation as a Mechanism for Within-job Inequality: Women and Men of the Transportation Security Administration

In this article, we examine a case of task segregation—when a group of workers is disproportionately allocated, relative to other groups, to spend more time on specific tasks in a given job—and arg...
Random homogenization of coercive Hamilton–Jacobi equations in 1d

In this paper, we prove the random homogenization of general coercive non-convex Hamilton–Jacobi equations in the one dimensional case. This extends the result of Armstrong, Tran and Yu when the Hamiltonian has a separable form \(H(p,x,\omega )=H(p)+V(x,\omega )\) for any coercive H(p).
Abstractions of Hamiltonian control systems

Given a control system and a desired property, an abstracted system is a reduced system that preserves the property of interest while ignoring modeling detail. In previous work, abstractions of linear and nonlinear control systems were considered while preserving reachability properties. In this paper, we consider the abstraction problem for Hamiltonian control systems, where, in addition to the property of interest we also preserve the Hamiltonian structure of the control system. We show how the Hamiltonian structure of control systems can be exploited to simplify the abstraction process. We then focus on local accessibility preserving abstractions, and provide conditions under which local accessibility properties of the abstracted Hamiltonian system are equivalent to the local accessibility properties of the original Hamiltonian control system.
Low Starting Electron Beam Current in Degenerate Band Edge Oscillators

We propose a new principle of operation in vacuum electron-beam-based oscillators that leads to a low beam current for starting oscillations. The principle is based on supersynchronous operation of an electron beam interacting with four degenerate electromagnetic modes in a slow-wave structure (SWS). The four-mode supersynchronous regime is associated with a very special degeneracy condition in the dispersion diagram of a cold periodic SWS called degenerate band edge (DBE). This regime features a giant group delay in the finite-length SWS and low starting-oscillation beam current. The starting beam current is at least an order of magnitude smaller compared with a conventional backward-wave oscillator of the same length. As a representative example, we consider an SWS conceived by a periodically loaded metallic waveguide supporting a DBE and investigate starting-oscillation conditions using the Pierce theory generalized to coupled transmission lines. The proposed supersynchronism regime can be straightforwardly adapted to waveguide geometries others than the periodically loaded waveguide considered here since DBE is a general property that can be realized in a variety of structures.
Proof of conjecture regarding the level of Rose’s generalized sum-of-divisor functions

In a recent paper, Rose proves that certain generalized sum-of-divisor functions are quasi-modular forms for some congruence subgroup and conjectures that these forms are quasi-modular for Γ 1(n). Here, we prove this conjecture.
Structured message passing

In this paper, we present structured message passing (SMP), a unifying framework for approximate inference algorithms that take advantage of structured representations such as algebraic decision diagrams and sparse hash tables. These representations can yield significant time and space savings over the conventional tabular representation when the message has several identical values (context-specific independence) or zeros (determinism) or both in its range. Therefore, in order to fully exploit the power of structured representations, we propose to artificially introduce context-specific independence and determinism in the messages. This yields a new class of powerful approximate inference algorithms which includes popular algorithms such as cluster-graph Belief propagation (BP), expectation propagation and particle BP as special cases. We show that our new algorithms introduce several interesting bias-variance trade-offs. We evaluate these trade-offs empirically and demonstrate that our new algorithms are more accurate and scalable than state-of-the-art techniques.
A mechanism‐denial study on the Madden‐Julian Oscillation with reduced interference from mean state changes

Mechanism-denial experiments using Superparameterized Community Atmosphere Model are conducted to investigate the importance of extratropical and circumnavigating waves, wind-evaporation feedback, and radiative-convective feedback to the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO). A common issue with mechanism-denial studies is the interference from mean state changes when processes are turned off in the model. Here time-invariant forcing and nudging on effective timescales longer than the intraseasonal timescale are implemented to maintain the mean state. The MJO activity remains largely unchanged with suppressed extratropical and circumnavigating waves when the mean state is maintained to be close to that of the control run, suggesting that excitation of MJO by extratropical and circumnavigating waves is not necessary for the existence of MJO in this model. It is also shown that the wind-evaporation feedback slows down eastward propagation of the MJO, and the radiative-convective feedback amplifies the MJO.
Dynamic Ridesharing: Exploration of Potential for Reduction in Vehicle Miles Traveled:

It is widely recognized that new vehicle and fuel technologies are necessary but not sufficient to meet deep greenhouse gas reduction goals in the United States. Demand management strategies, such ...
The crunch effect: Food sound salience as a consumption monitoring cue

While a growing body of research explores the impact of normative and environmental extrinsic factors on food consumption quantity, less attention is given to the intrinsic cues, or sensory properties, of the food being consumed. Our research contributes to this growing literature by examining the effect of food sound salience (i.e., the sound that a food makes during mastication) on consumption quantity. Specifically, we show that increased attention to the sound the food makes, or food sound salience, may serve as a consumption monitoring cue leading to reduced consumption. Across three studies, we show a consistent negative relationship between the salience of a food’s sound and food intake. Our research highlights the importance of intrinsic auditory food cues on consumption. Our findings are valuable to both researchers interested in understanding how sensory cues are connected to consumption and marketers utilizing sound in their communications to consumers.
Cognitive and Situational Precipitants of Loneliness Among Patients With Cancer: A Qualitative Analysis

Purpose/Objectives To identify situations and thoughts that may precipitate or protect against cancer patients’ loneliness.
Towards a Theoretical Understanding of the XYZ Mesons from QCD

The XYZ mesons are mesons that contain a heavy quark and antiquark but have properties that seem to require additional constituents. Some of them are electrically charged, so they must be tetraquark mesons whose additional constituents are a light quark and antiquark. The list of XYZ mesons has grown to about two dozen over the last decade. A promising approach to understanding these mesons within QCD is the Born-Oppenheimer approximation, which reduces the problem to the solution of the Schrodinger equation in potentials that can be calculated using lattice QCD. The Born-Oppenheimer approximation has not yet revealed the pattern of the XYZ mesons, but it provides a compelling framework for understanding them from the fundamental theory.
Rise-Rover: A wall-climbing robot with high reliability and load-carrying capacity

Based on our previous City-Climber wall-climbing robot, this paper presents Rise-Rover, with high reliability and load-carrying capacity for Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) and autonomous surveillance on vertical surfaces. An innovative high-speed vacuum suction module is designed as the adhesion system to support heavy load. The suction cups are embedded in the wheel track so that the robot can maintain good mobility performance and stability when crossing small grooves. Using the high-speed blushless DC motor controller and pressure sensor, PID control is designed on board to provide stable suction force for the wall-climbing robot. Rise-Rover is remotely connected and controlled by Android platform via WiFi, and User Interface (UI) provides good usability and convenience. With the compactable dimension of each drivetrain module: 8 inches × 21 inches × 5.5 inches, Rise-Rover (with two modules, self-weight 24 lbs) is able to carry 16 lbs on vertical wall under locomotion speed 30 meters/minute.
Charge carrier relaxation processes in TbAs nanoinclusions in GaAs measured by optical-pump THz-probe transient absorption spectroscopy

Rare-earth materials epitaxially codeposited with III-V semiconductors form small, spherical rare-earth-monopnictide nanoparticles embedded within the III-V host. The small size of these particles (approximately 1.5 nm diameter) suggests that interesting electronic properties might emerge as a result of both confinement and surface states. However, ErAs nanoparticles do not exhibit any signs of quantum confinement or an emergent band gap, and these experimental observations are understood theoretically. We use ultrafast pump-probe spectroscopy to investigate the electronic structure of TbAs nanoparticles embedded in a GaAs host, which were expected to be similar to ErAs. We study the dynamics of carrier relaxation into the TbAs states, which essentially act as traps, using optical-pump terahertz-probe transient absorption spectroscopy. By analyzing how the carrier relaxation rates depend on pump fluence and sample temperature, we conclude that the TbAs states are saturable. Saturable traps suggest the existence of a band gap for TbAs nanoparticles, in sharp contrast with the results for ErAs.
Polarization Effects of Dielectric Nanoparticles in Aqueous Charge-Asymmetric Electrolytes

Small nanoparticles, globular proteins, viral capsids, and other nanoscopic biomolecules usually display dielectric properties that are different from those of the medium in which they are dispersed. These dielectric heterogeneities can significantly influence the surrounding ion distribution, which determines the self-assembly and colloidal stability of these nanoparticles in solution. Here, we study the impact of a dielectric discontinuity in the structural and thermodynamic properties of a spherical nanoparticle made of different dielectric materials when it is immersed in a charge-asymmetric 1:z supporting electrolyte. The mean electrostatic potential, integrated charge, and ionic profiles are analyzed as a function of both the salt concentration and the nanoparticle’s valence via Monte Carlo simulations and the nonlinear Poisson–Boltzmann theory. We observe that the electrostatic screening and charge neutralization near the surface of a nanoparticle increase when the nanoparticle’s dielectric permitt...
Labor Pains in the Academy

This piece offers autoethnographic reflections on crossroads to which many academics come: whether to seek (or postpone or avoid) parenthood and when. The author deeply explores the personal (her own trajectories from daughter and sister to potential mother and from graduate student to full professor) to reflect on structural constraints associated with graduate education, the academic job market, and institutional policies and politics.
Inhibition of Crystallization of Rubber by High Pressure

Abstract Bekkedahl has shown that crude rubber at atmospheric pressure freezes in the temperature range from −40° to + 10°C. and melts in the temperature range from 6° to 16° C. The transition is from amorphous rubber to crystalline rubber which is the stable modification between −72° and 6° C. His measurements of the freezing at 0° C. showed that about 280 hours were necessary for completion of the transition, the volume decreasing by 2.2 per cent in such a manner that the volume-time curve was S-shaped. This communication reports the inhibition of crystallization at high pressure. Crude smoked sheets were packed tightly in a pressure chamber and isopropyl alcohol was used to transmit the pressure. The chamber was kept at 0° C. in a well-circulated ice bath. A pressure of 8000 kg. per sq. cm. was applied, and its constancy observed over a period of 14 days. The sensitivity of the manganin gauge used for pressure measurement was such that changes of 5 kg. per sq. cm. were detectable. Outside of slight err...
Palladium-Catalyzed Alkylation of ortho-C(sp2)–H Bonds of Benzylamide Substrates with Alkyl Halides

A highly efficient and generally applicable method has been developed to functionalize the ortho-C(sp2)–H bonds of picolinamide (PA)-protected benzylamine substrates with a broad range of β-H-containing alkyl halides. Sodium triflate has been identified as a critical promoter for this reaction system. The PA group can be easily installed and removed under mild conditions. This method provides a new strategy to prepare highly functionalized benzylamines for the synthesis of complex molecules.
Catalyst Design with Atomic Layer Deposition

Atomic layer deposition (ALD) has emerged as an interesting tool for the atomically precise design and synthesis of catalytic materials. Herein, we discuss examples in which the atomic precision has been used to elucidate reaction mechanisms and catalyst structure–property relationships by creating materials with a controlled distribution of size, composition, and active site. We highlight ways ALD has been utilized to design catalysts with improved activity, selectivity, and stability under a variety of conditions (e.g., high temperature, gas and liquid phase, and corrosive environments). In addition, due to the flexibility and control of structure and composition, ALD can create myriad catalytic structures (e.g., high surface area oxides, metal nanoparticles, bimetallic nanoparticles, bifunctional catalysts, controlled microenvironments, etc.) that consequently possess applicability for a wide range of chemical reactions (e.g., CO2 conversion, electrocatalysis, photocatalytic and thermal water splitting...
Coulometric Titration Studies of Nonstoichiometric Nanocrystalline Ceria

Oxygen nonstoichiometry measurements in nanocrystalline ceria, x in CeO 2-x , were performed using coulometric titration. The measurements reveal large apparent deviations from stoichiometry, of the order of 10 −3 − 10 −4 at T = 405 − 455 °C and Po 2 = 0.21 − 10 −5 atm, as compared to levels of ∼10 −9 for coarsened materials under the same conditions. The level of nonstoichiometry is, however, larger then expected from previous electrical conductivity data of nanocrystalline ceria. In addition, x ∝ Po 2 −½ while Σ ∝po 2 −1/6 . The observed dependence of x(Po 2 , T) can be explained by either the formation of neutral oxygen vacancies at or near the interface, or by surface adsorption.
The Optical Properties of Rubber

The optical properties of rubber are discussed under four main headings: absorption, scattering, refractive index, and double refraction. A general survey of the results of previous work in each of these fields is given. Some of the possibilities for future investigation are indicated. New experimental data are presented for the transmission values of milled pale crepe and a soft vulcanized rubber compound at wave‐lengths from 400 to 750 mμ. The results of some measurements on scattering are also included. The variation of refractive index with wave‐length is given, as calculated from unpublished measurements of the angles of minimum deviation of prisms of unvulcanized and of vulcanized rubber.