cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Diagenesis of Upper Carboniferous rocks in the Ouachita foreland shelf in mid-continent USA: an overview of widespread effects of a Variscan-equivalent orogeny

Diagenesis of Upper Carboniferous foreland shelf rocks in southeastern Kansas took place at temperatures as high as 100–150° C at a depth of less than 2 km. High temperatures are the result of the long distance (hundreds of kilometers) advection of groundwater related to collisional orogeny in the Ouachita tectonic belt to the south. Orogenic activity in the Ouachita area was broadly Late Carboniferous, equivalent to the Variscan activity of Europe. Mississippi Valley-type Pb-Zn deposits and oil and gas fields in the US midcontinent and elsewhere are commonly attributed to regional groundwater flow resulting from such collisional events. This paper describes the diagenesis and thermal effects in sandstone and limestone of Upper Carboniferous siliciclastic and limestone-shale cyclothems, the purported confining layer of a supposed regional aquifer. Diagenesis took place in early, intermediate, and late stages. Many intermediate and late stage events in the sandstones have equivalents in the limestones, suggesting that the causes were regional. The sandstone paragenesis includes siderite cement (early stage), quartz overgrowths (intermediate stage), dissolution of feldspar and carbonates, followed by minor Fe calcite, pore-filling kaolinite and sub-poikilotopic Ca ankerite (late stage). The limestone paragenesis includes calcite cement (early stage); megaquartz, chalcedony, and Fe calcite spar (intermediate stage); and dissolution, Ca-Fe dolomite and kaolinite (late stage). The R m value of vitrinite shows a regional average of 0.6–0.7%; Rock-Eval T maX suggests a comparable degree of organic maturity. The T h of aqueous fluid inclusions in late stage Ca-Fe-Mg carbonates ranges from 90 to 160° and T mice indicates very saline water (>200000 ppm NaCl equivalent); δ18O suggests that the water is of basinal origin. Local warm spots have higher R m, T max, and T h. The results constrain numerical models of regional fluid migration, which is widely viewed as an artesian flow from recharge areas in the Ouachita belt across the foreland basin onto the foreland shelf area. Such models must account for heating effects that extend at least 500 km from the orogenic front and affect both supposed aquifer beds and the overlying supposed confining layer. Warm spots indicate either more rapid or more prolonged flow locally. T h and T mice data show the highest temperatures coincided with high salinity fluids.
A generalized methodology for computer simulation of numerically controlled production systems

Numerical control (N/C) is generally acclaimed as the largest single advance made in the techniques of industrial production in the last decade. It represents a key technical innovation that has significant effects on productivity, engineering design, product marketing, factory organization, employment and industrial relations.
Property rights, productivity, and the nature of noncontractible actions in a franchise system

Viewing ownership as bargaining power when some actions cannot be contracted upon, we explore the role of property rights in franchising, paying particular attention to complementary franchisor and franchisee noncontractibles, and cases of franchisor scale economies. Then, and regardless of ownership, franchise system performance increases with the number of franchises and with productivity innovations. Performance also increases if the franchisor can visibly commit to actions. Limits on scale economies suggest that the franchise system may perform better when assets are franchisee-owned. The strategic environment is more complex when noncontractibles substitute. Then all parties may be immiserized by a productivity innovation.
THE Pan-STARRS1 PHOTOMETRIC SYSTEM

The Pan-STARRS1 survey is collecting multi-epoch, multi-color observations of the sky north of declination –30° to unprecedented depths. These data are being photometrically and astrometrically calibrated and will serve as a reference for many other purposes. In this paper, we present our determination of the Pan-STARRS1 photometric system: g P1, r P1, i P1, z P1, y P1, and w P1. The Pan-STARRS1 photometric system is fundamentally based on the Hubble Space Telescope Calspec spectrophotometric observations, which in turn are fundamentally based on models of white dwarf atmospheres. We define the Pan-STARRS1 magnitude system and describe in detail our measurement of the system passbands, including both the instrumental sensitivity and atmospheric transmission functions. By-products, including transformations to other photometric systems, Galactic extinction, and stellar locus, are also provided. We close with a discussion of remaining systematic errors.
QCD spectrum — 1996

Abstract Progress on the calculation of the spectrum from lattice calculations is reviewed. Particular emphasis is placed on discussing our ability to control possible systematic errors coming from finite volume, and extrapolations in quark mass and lattice spacing. Recent approaches based on improved actions are compared.
Interacting spin-2 fields

We construct consistent theories of multiple interacting spin-2 fields in arbitrary spacetime dimensions using a vielbein formulation. We show that these theories have the additional primary constraints needed to eliminate potential ghosts, to all orders in the fields, and to all orders beyond any decoupling limit. We postulate that the number of spin-2 fields interacting at a single vertex is limited by the number of spacetime dimensions. We then show that, for the case of two spin-2 fields, the vielbein theory is equivalent to the recently proposed theories of ghost-free massive gravity and bi-metric gravity. The vielbein formulation greatly simplifies the proof that these theories have an extra primary constraint which eliminates the Boulware-Deser ghost.
Spontaneous generation and propagation of chiral asymmetry

Significant enantiomeric excesses and chiral symmetry breaking can be generated by chirally autocatalytic systems. Although several theoretical models were proposed some time ago, chirally autocatalytic systems have been hard to find. During the 1990's, however, several chirally autocatalytic systems have been identified. A survey of these systems points to the general fact that chiral selectivity near a chiral surface could be substantial. In our effort to identify the mechanisms that could have produced the amino acid enantiomeric excess observed in meteorites, such processes should be taken into account. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2004
Pathways into and out of Poverty: A Study of Rural Household Wealth Dynamics in Kenya

This study identifies the factors associated with smallholder farm households that have risen out of poverty or descended into poverty between 1997 and 2007 in Kenya. The study uses data from a nationwide balanced panel of 1,275 households and data from detailed retrospective ‘life history’ survey of 84 households that had experienced either an appreciable improvement or decline in their asset wealth over the 10-year panel period. The results indicate that household welfare dynamics are associated with a disparate set of idiosyncratic and unexpected shocks, such as death and chronic illness, demographic factors, proximity to infrastructural facilities, as well as intergenerational wealth transfers.
Compressed polytopes and statistical disclosure limitation

We provide a characterization of the compressed lattice polytopes in terms of their facet defining inequalities and prove that every compressed lattice polytope is affinely isomorphic to a 0/1-polytope. As an application, we characterize those graphs whose cut polytopes are compressed and discuss consequences for studying linear programming relaxations in statistical disclosure limitation.
The First Substellar Subdwarf? Discovery of a Metal-poor L Dwarf with Halo Kinematics

We present the discovery of the first L-type subdwarf, 2MASS J05325346+8246465. This object exhibits enhanced collision-induced H2 absorption, resulting in blue near-infrared (NIR) colors (J-Ks = 0.26 ± 0.16). In addition, strong hydride bands in the red optical and NIR, weak TiO absorption, and an optical/J-band spectral morphology similar to the L7 DENIS 0205-1159AB imply a cool, metal-deficient atmosphere. We find that 2MASS 0532+8246 has both a high proper motion, μ = 260 ± 015 yr-1, and a substantial radial velocity, vrad = -195 ± 11 km s-1, and its probable proximity to the Sun (d = 10-30 pc) is consistent with halo membership. Comparison to subsolar-metallicity evolutionary models strongly suggests that 2MASS 0532+8246 is substellar, with a mass of 0.077 M 0.085 M☉ for ages 10-15 Gyr and metallicities Z = 0.1-0.01 Z☉. The discovery of this object clearly indicates that star formation occurred below the hydrogen burning mass limit at early times, consistent with prior results indicating a flat or slightly rising mass function for the lowest mass stellar subdwarfs. Furthermore, 2MASS 0532+8246 serves as a prototype for a new spectral class of subdwarfs, additional examples of which could be found in NIR proper-motion surveys.
The analytics of continuing conflict

Individuals, groups, or nations — if rational and self-interested — will be balancing on the margin between two alternative ways of generating income: (1) “peaceful” production and exchange, versus (2) ‘appropriative” efforts designed to seize resources previously controlled by others (or to defend against such invasions). Both production and appropriation, on the assumption here, are entirely normal lines of activity engaged in to the extent that doing so seems profitable. The general-equilibrium steady-state model involves a resource partition function, a social production function, a combat power function, and an income distribution equation. Solutions were obtained under thesymmetrical Cournot protocol and two alternativeasymmetrical assumptions: the familiar Stackelberg condition and a more novel hierarchical protocol called Threat-and-Promise. The analysis demonstrates that, in contrast with the harmonistic bias of orthodox economic theory, a general-equilibrium model can also encompass the hostile and destructive interactions that characterize real-world social relations.
The end of one big deflation

Abstract This paper provides a new account of the recovery from the Great Depression in the second quarter of 1933. Our argument is that President Roosevelt established a new macroeconomic policy regime shortly after his inauguration in March 1933 that altered expectations and stimulated investment. The key to this change was Roosevelt's devaluation of the dollar and the resulting rise in farm prices and incomes. Hoover had been a financial conservative, adhering to the gold standard, a strong dollar, and fiscal orthodoxy. Roosevelt broke with this ideology, devaluing the dollar within 6 weeks of his inauguration, promoting the New Deal, and championing the virtues of inflation. The devaluation of the dollar was the single biggest signal that the iron grip of the gold standard had been broken. The New Deal emerged in the course of 1933 and reinforced the change in regime symbolized by devaluation.
MR imaging of salivary glands

Diagnostic imaging of salivary glands has been revolutionized with the advent of cross-sectional imaging modalities like CT and MR imaging. In the era before CT, imaging of the salivary glands was relatively unrewarding and was used uncommonly by ear-nose-throat surgeons. Early diagnostic tests like plain films and sialography evaluated dilated parotid ducts and calculus disease within ducts or glands. Full evaluation of salivary glands, especially deep lobes of parotid gland and masses of minor salivary glands, was not possible by these methods, however. Imaging of the parotid glands has developed significantly since that time. CT and MR imaging greatly compliment physical and endoscopic examinations (and previous favorites like sialography) by direct visualization of previously blind areas of the salivary glands and extension of the disease process in surrounding tissue planes.
The graphs of planar soap bubbles

We characterize the graphs formed by two-dimensional soap bubbles as being exactly the 3-regular bridgeless planar multigraphs. Our characterization combines a local characterization of soap bubble graphs in terms of the curvatures of arcs meeting at common vertices, a proof that this characterization remains invariant under Mobius transformations, an application of Mobius invariance to prove bridgelessness, and a Mobius-invariant power diagram of circles previously developed by the author for applications in graph drawing.
Green Buildings: Similar to Other Premium Buildings?

The statistics, finance, and real estate literature regularly rely on propensity score matching techniques to balance samples of data where randomized treatment assignment is not possible. In the sustainable commercial real estate literature the technique has seen substantive use. To analyze price and rent premiums for green buildings, several studies have used propensity scores to ensure samples that contains eco-labeled and un-labeled buildings reflect a randomized assignment of the treatment. Underpinning the argument for the use of propensity scores is the notion that green buildings contain similar attributes to non-green buildings. However, if the green labels were ignored, would premium buildings be otherwise statistically similar to premium buildings in the market? Here, we analyze a research question focusing on the extent to which propensity scores can predict a green building using the standard building attributes and whether propensity scoring is an econometric necessity?
Synthesis of chiral 4-nitrophenyl alkyl methylphosphonothioates: BF3·Et2O-catalyzed alcoholysis of phosphonamidothioates

Abstract Facile and highly enantioselective synthesis of 4-nitrophenyl alkyl methylphosphonothioates 5a – f was achieved in high yields via BF 3 ·Et 2 O-catalyzed alcoholysis of resolved phosphonamidothioates 4a and 4b .
Palladium(II)- and mercury(II)-catalyzed rearrangements of propargyl acetates

The scope and utility of the metal-catalyzed rearrangement of propargyl acetates first reported by Rautenstrauch were expanded. Treatment of a series of appropriate acetate substrates with Pd(II)- and Hg(II)-catalysts afforded synthetically useful fused 5,6-bicyclic-1,4-cyclopentadienyl acetates and 2-cyclopentenones. It was found that the substituents at the terminal alkynyl and alkenyl positions of the acetate substrate had a significant impact on the outcome of the reaction.
Cobalt-catalyzed arylation of azole heteroarenes via direct C-H bond functionalization.

We herein report a new cobalt-catalyzed method for arylation of azole heteroarenes, including thiazole, oxazole, imidazole, benzothiazole, benzoxazole, and benzimidazole. The direct arylation of thiazole and oxazole was achieved both with iodo- and bromoarenes as the aryl donors in the presence of cobalt catalyst [Co(OAc)2/IMes] and cesium carbonate, while imidazole required the use of zinc oxide as the base. A complete reversal of arylation from C-5 to C-2 was accomplished using the bimetallic Co/Cu/IMes system. A direct comparison of the new cobalt method and the previously developed palladium protocol revealed significant differences, in terms of both chemical yield and selectivity.
Astrometry Survey Missions beyond the Magnitude Limit

Three planned astrometry survey satellites, the Full-Sky Astrometric Mapping Explorer (FAME), DIVA, and GAIA, aim at observing magnitude-limited samples. We argue that substantial additional scientific opportunities are within the reach of these missions if they devote a modest fraction of their catalogs to selected targets that are fainter than their magnitude limits. We show that the addition of (106) faint (R > 15) targets to the 40 × 106 object FAME catalog can improve the precision of the reference frame by a factor of 2.5, to 7 μas yr-1, increase the Galactocentric distance at which halo rotation can be precisely (2 km s -1) measured by a factor of 4, to 25 kpc, and increase the number of late M dwarfs, L dwarfs, and white dwarfs with good parallaxes by an order of magnitude. In most cases, the candidate quasars, horizontal-branch stars, and dim dwarfs that should be observed to achieve these aims are not yet known. We present various methods to identify candidates from these classes and assess the efficiencies of these methods. The analysis presented here can be applied to DIVA with modest modifications. Application to GAIA should be deferred until the characteristics of potential targets are better constrained.
The Nature of Arbitral Authority: A Comment on Lesotho Highlands

FOR PURE intellectual challenge, few endeavours match the task of setting principled standards to distinguish an arbitrator's good faith mistakes from an excess of authority. In bargaining for out-of-court dispute resolution, parties to arbitration agreements commit themselves to respect the result regardless of who wins. The award is intended to be final even if one side thinks that the arbitrator got it wrong. Arbitration is a consensual process, however, unfolding within an enclosure created by the contract and applicable arbitration law. The litigants accept the risk of arbitrator mistake only for decisions falling within the borders of arbitral authority. Great practical importance attaches to how lines are drawn between arbitrator mistake and excess of authority. Indeed, the distinction that goes to the heart of what arbitration is all about. A simple error is normally not subject to appeal, since the litigants have asked an arbitrator, not a judge, to decide the legal and factual merits of their disputes. By contrast, no court should recognize an award falling beyond the arbitrator's authority. Thus some measure of judicial scrutiny over arbitral jurisdiction remains a vital safeguard to the integrity of the process, and constitutes an essential corollary to enforcement of legitimate awards. ### (a) Error of Law or Excess of Powers? The House of Lords decision in Lesotho Highlands v. Impreglio 1 serves as a prism through which to separate several of the themes that inhere in the nature of arbitral authority. In rejecting arguments that an error about the currency of an award represented an excess of jurisdiction, their Lordships confirmed a healthy appreciation that arbitrators do not exceed their powers simply by making a mistake. Construction of a dam in the African nation of Lesotho gave rise to a dispute between the builder and the owner. The dispute was submitted to arbitration by a three member tribunal sitting in …
Grain Boundary Defect Elimination in a Zeolite Membrane by Rapid Thermal Processing

Microporous molecular sieve catalysts and adsorbents discriminate molecules on the basis of size and shape. Interest in molecular sieve films stems from their potential for energy-efficient membrane separations. However, grain boundary defects, formed in response to stresses induced by heat treatment, compromise their selectivity by creating nonselective transport pathways for permeating molecules. We show that rapid thermal processing can improve the separation performance of thick columnar films of a certain zeolite (silicalite-1) by eliminating grain boundary defects, possibly by strengthening grain bonding at the grain boundaries. This methodology enables the preparation of silicalite-1 membranes with high separation performance for aromatic and linear versus branched hydrocarbon isomers and holds promise for realizing high-throughput and scalable production of these zeolite membranes with improved energy efficiency.
NUCLEOSYNTHESIS IN OUTFLOWS FROM THE INNER REGIONS OF COLLAPSARS

We consider nucleosynthesis in outflows originating from the inner regions of viscous accretion disks formed after the collapse of a rotating massive star. We show that windlike outflows driven by viscous and neutrino heating can efficiently synthesize Fe group elements moving at near-relativistic velocities. The mass of 56Ni synthesized and the asymptotic velocities attained in our calculations are in accord with those inferred from observations of SN 1998bw and SN 2003dh. These steady windlike outflows are generally proton-rich, characterized by only modest entropies, and consequently synthesize essentially nothing heavier than the Fe group elements. We also discuss bubble-like outflows resulting from rapid energy deposition in localized regions near or in the accretion disk. These intermittent ejecta emerge with low electron fraction and are a promising site for the synthesis of the A = 130 r-process peak elements.
Contingent valuation studies and health policy

I am glad to have the opportunity to respond to the fine paper by Professors Smith and Sach (2009). They raise both foundational questions concerning the justification of contingent valuation studies in the health policy area, and important implementation questions concerning the appropriate design of such studies. I will focus my attention on the question of justification. The debate about contingent valuation in health policy is part and parcel of the debate between those who favour cost–benefit analysis (CBA), and those who favour cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA) (Adler, 2006: 1–17). CBA values all well-being impacts, including health and longevity, in dollar terms, and aggregates. Technically, CBA evaluates policies by aggregating willingness-to-pay/willingnessto-accept amounts (WTPs). Standard techniques for estimating WTPs are twofold: revealed preference techniques, which estimate them based on market behaviour (such techniques have been widely used to estimate WTPs for fatality risk reduction, known as the ‘value of statistical life’); and survey techniques. ‘Contingent valuation’ is just the technical term for such survey techniques. CEA, like CBA, values non-health impacts (‘costs’) in dollar terms; but it values health impacts on some non-monetary ‘effectiveness’ scale. It then examines the incremental cost-effectiveness ratios of policies in order to determine which policies to adopt. Techniques for estimating WTPs for health impacts – in particular, contingent valuation studies of health effects – therefore have no direct role in CEA. So one can take a first crack at the question of justification for health care contingent valuation studies by asking, should CBA or CEA be used to evaluate health policies? Now, this question is often seen in the health policy literature as just a choice between ‘welfarism’ and ‘extrawelfarism’. Welfarism favours CBA, extrawelfarism favours CEA – or so it is often assumed. I think the assumption is doubly mistaken. First – although I cannot pursue the point at length here – I think that CEA should be seen by extrawelfarists as little better than CBA. To adequately develop the point, we would need to get clear about the content of extrawelfarism – a large task (Brouwer et al., 2008).
The Intra-Regional Economy Of Veracruz Province: What Can The Municipios Tell Us?

A stochastic production function analysis of the 212 regions of Veracruz province in southern Mexico reveals some inefficiency in manufacturing, mining, trade and service sectors in recent years. Poverty indices appear to influence a region’s ability to combine capital and labor to create output and value added in some years indicating a reduction in poverty could contribute to job growth and putting idle capital back to work at the local level. With the agricultural crisis in the province, high population centers have been able to absorb some of the workers and exhibit relative higher productivity in both goods and services. Efficiency indices by county can be used to guide tax sharing and expenditure responsibilities within provinces.
New results and applications for the quasioptical gyrotron

The quasioptical gyrotron (QOG), which features an open resonator formed by a pair of spherical mirrors instead of the conventional gyrotron waveguide cavity, has been under development at the U. S. Naval Research Laboratory as a tunable high power millimeter‐wave source for tokamak plasma heating, advanced radars, and power beaming. Results have recently been obtained for a quasioptical gyroklystron (QOGK) realized by the addition of an open‐mirror prebunching resonator driven by an 85 GHz, 1.5 kW extended interaction oscillator. Efficiency enhancement by mode priming has been investigated, and efficiencies up to 19% have been obtained by increasing the frequency detuning of the operating mode. An overall efficiency of 30% was obtained by the addition of a simple depressed collector. Phase‐locked operation was demonstrated at a power of 57 kW and efficiency of 16%. The high circulating power in the QOG resonator is currently being considered for use as an electromagnetic wiggler for compact infrared free‐electron lasers. The QOG is also promising as a source for an active sensor of upper atmosphere trace impurities.
Transmural heterogeneity of cellular level power output is reduced in human heart failure.

Abstract Heart failure is associated with pump dysfunction and remodeling but it is not yet known if the condition affects different transmural regions of the heart in the same way. We tested the hypotheses that the left ventricles of non-failing human hearts exhibit transmural heterogeneity of cellular level contractile properties, and that heart failure produces transmural region-specific changes in contractile function. Permeabilized samples were prepared from the sub-epicardial, mid-myocardial, and sub-endocardial regions of the left ventricular free wall of non-failing (n = 6) and failing (n = 10) human hearts. Power, an in vitro index of systolic function, was higher in non-failing mid-myocardial samples (0.59 ± 0.06 μW mg − 1 ) than in samples from the sub-epicardium (p = 0.021) and the sub-endocardium (p = 0.015). Non-failing mid-myocardial samples also produced more isometric force (14.3 ± 1.33 kN m − 2 ) than samples from the sub-epicardium (p = 0.008) and the sub-endocardium (p = 0.026). Heart failure reduced power (p = 0.009) and force (p = 0.042) but affected the mid-myocardium more than the other transmural regions. Fibrosis increased with heart failure (p = 0.021) and mid-myocardial tissue from failing hearts contained more collagen than matched sub-epicardial (p Non-failing human hearts exhibit transmural heterogeneity of contractile properties. In failing organs, region-specific fibrosis produces the greatest contractile deficits in the mid-myocardium. Targeting fibrosis and sarcomeric proteins in the mid-myocardium may be particularly effective therapies for heart failure.
4,7-Dimethoxy-1,10-phenanthroline: An Excellent Ligand for the Cu-Catalyzed N-Arylation of Imidazoles

[reaction: see text] 4,7-Dimethoxy-1,10-phenanthroline (L) was found to be an efficient ligand for the copper-catalyzed N-arylation of imidazole with aryl iodides and bromides under mild conditions. A variety of hindered and functionalized imidazoles and aryl halides were transformed in good to excellent yields.
Spatial trigger waves: positive feedback gets you a long way

Trigger waves are a recurring biological phenomenon involved in transmitting information quickly and reliably over large distances. Well-characterized examples include action potentials propagating...
Geotechnical Studies in the Baltimore Canyon Trough Area

This study presents the results of a site investigation, the onshore laboratory testing program, and the interpretation of data from the standpoint of application and hazard. The study site was generally between the Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) exploration leases in the Baltimore Canyon trough and potential markets on the U.S. east coast. Conclusions indicate that the shallow marine sediments from the Baltimore Canyon trough corridor area are typical of terrestrial soils from adjacent shore areas. 17 refs.
Characterizing the cluster lens population

We present a detailed investigation into which properties of CDM halos make them effective strong gravitational lenses. Strong-lensing cross sections of 878 clusters from an N-body simulation are measured by ray-tracing through 13,594 unique projections. We measure concentrations, axis ratios, orientations, and the substructure of each cluster, and compare the lensing-weighted distribution of each quantity to that of the cluster population as a whole. The concentrations of lensing clusters are on average 34% larger than the typical cluster in the universe. Despite this bias, the anomalously high concentrations (c > 14) recently measured by several groups appear to be inconsistent with the concentration distribution in our simulations, which predict that 0.6) lenses is in good agreement with ΛCDM, although our simulations predict more low-redshift (z < 0.6) lenses than observed.
Lattice Study of the O(3) Supersymmetric Sigma Model

We present preliminary numerical results from a lattice study of the two-dimensional O(3) non-linear sigma model. In the continuum this model possesses N =2 supersymmetry. The lattice formulation we use retains an exact (twisted) supersymmetry except for a soft breaking associated with a Wilson mass term needed to remove the doubles. Our numerical results show that the partition function is independent of coupling as predicted by supersymmetry.
Optical NMR from Single Quantum Dots

Abstract Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) from constituent Ga and As nuclei was optically detected on excitonic recombination in single GaAs quantum dots formed by interface fluctuations in GaAs/Al 0.3 Ga 0.7 As quantum wells. Orientation of the nuclear spin system by optical pumping causes an Overhauser shift of the excitonic energy levels proportional to the degree of nuclear orientation. NMR was subsequently detected by monitoring changes in the combined Overhauser plus Zeeman splitting of excitons localized in single quantum dots as the RF frequency was swept through a nuclear resonance. The NMR signals originate from ∼10 5 nuclei in the quantum dot—with dimensions of approximately 4 nm×10 nm×100 nm—illustrating the extreme sensitivity and spatial resolution of the technique. NMR from such small structures provides a chemically specific probe of the local environment on the nanometer scale.
Electron and optical beam testing of integrated circuits using CIVA, LIVA, and LECIVA

Abstract Charge-Induced Voltage Alteration (CIVA), Light-Induced Voltage Alteration, (LIVA), and Low Energy CIVA (LECIVA) are three new failure analysis imaging techniques developed to quickly localize defects on ICs [1–3]. All three techniques utilize the voltage fluctuations of a constant current power supply as an electron or photon beam is scanned across an IC. CIVA and LECIVA yield rapid localization of open interconnections on ICs. LIVA allows quick localization of open-circuited and damaged semiconductor junctions. LIVA can also be used to image transistor logic states and can be performed from the backside of ICs with an infrared laser source. The physics of signal generation for each technique and examples of their use in failure analysis are described.
Understanding the dynamics of new venture top management teams: cohesion, conflict, and new venture performance

Abstract Research conducted under the upper echelon perspective has produced consistent evidence of a relationship between top management team (TMT) interaction and firm performance. We draw upon and extend this research in an effort to explain new venture performance as a function of cohesion and conflict within the top management team. Based upon data collected from a sample of 70 new ventures, we find that TMT cohesion is negatively related to affective conflict and positively related to cognitive conflict. As expected then, we also find that TMT cohesion is positively related to new venture growth.
Multiplexed detection methods for profiling microRNA expression in biological samples

The recent discovery of short, non-protein coding RNA molecules, such as microRNA molecules (miRNAs), that can control gene expression has unveiled a whole new layer of complexity in the regulation of cell function. Since 2001, there has been a surge of interest in understanding the regulatory role of the hundreds to thousands of miRNAs expressed in both plants and animals. Significant progress in this area requires the development of quantitative bioanalytical methods for the rapid, multiplexed detection of all miRNAs that are present in a particular cell or tissue sample. In this Minireview, we discuss some of the latest methods for high-throughput miRNA profiling and the unique technological challenges that must be surmounted in this endeavor.
Array Operators Using Multiple Dispatch: A design methodology for array implementations in dynamic languages

Arrays are such a rich and fundamental data type that they tend to be built into a language, either in the compiler or in a large low-level library. Defining this functionality at the user level instead provides greater flexibility for application domains not envisioned by the language designer. Only a few languages, such as C++ and Haskell, provide the necessary power to define n-dimensional arrays, but these systems rely on compile-time abstraction, sacrificing some flexibility. In contrast, dynamic languages make it straightforward for the user to define any behavior they might want, but at the possible expense of performance.As part of the Julia language project, we have developed an approach that yields a novel trade-off between flexibility and compile-time analysis. The core abstraction we use is multiple dispatch. We have come to believe that while multiple dispatch has not been especially popular in most kinds of programming, technical computing is its killer application. By expressing key functions such as array indexing using multi-method signatures, a surprising range of behaviors can be obtained, in a way that is both relatively easy to write and amenable to compiler analysis. The compact factoring of concerns provided by these methods makes it easier for user-defined types to behave consistently with types in the standard library.
Clindamycin therapy for Chlamydia trachomatis in women.

The population for this study consisted of 4013 sexually active women seen for family planning. Culture for Chlamydia trachomatis yielded an isolation rate of 6.1%. Women aged 16 to 25 accounted for 81.7% of the C. trachomatis infections, while those younger than 16 or older than 35 accounted for only 2.4% of the infections. Of the 246 patients whose cultures were positive for C. trachomatis , 159 (65%) were asymptomatic. The incidence of C. trachomatis was 11.2% among those with symptoms but only 6.4% among the asymptomatic group. Among 63 patients with Neisseria gonorrhoeae (who were excluded from the study), 26 (41.3%) also were infected by C. trachomatis . There were no microbiologic drug failures with erythromycin or clindamycin. Of 56 patients who enrolled in the clindamycin arm of the protocol, 48 (85.7%) completed therapy and experienced microbiologic and clinical cures. In contrast, erythromycin therapy was completed by only 25 of 57 women (43.9%) enrolled. The number of side effect failures for erythromycin was 22 of 57 (38.6%). This was more than five times the number of side effect failures for clindamycin (4 of 56, or 7.1%).
Intrinsically n-linked Complete Bipartite Graphs

We prove that every embedding of K2n+1,2n+1 into ℝ3 contains a non-split link of n components. Further, given an embedding of K2n+1,2n+1 in ℝ3, every edge of K2n+1,2n+1 is contained in a non-split n-component link in K2n+1,2n+1.
Differential operator specializations of noncommutative symmetric functions

Abstract Let K be any unital commutative Q -algebra and z = ( z 1 , … , z n ) commutative or noncommutative free variables. Let t be a formal parameter which commutes with z and elements of K. We denote uniformly by K 《 z 》 and K 〚 t 〛 《 z 》 the formal power series algebras of z over K and K 〚 t 〛 , respectively. For any α ⩾ 1 , let D [ α ] 《 z 》 be the unital algebra generated by the differential operators of K 《 z 》 which increase the degree in z by at least α − 1 and A t [ α ] 《 z 》 the group of automorphisms F t ( z ) = z − H t ( z ) of K 〚 t 〛 《 z 》 with o ( H t ( z ) ) ⩾ α and H t = 0 ( z ) = 0 . First, for any fixed α ⩾ 1 and F t ∈ A t [ α ] 《 z 》 , we introduce five sequences of differential operators of K 《 z 》 and show that their generating functions form an N CS (noncommutative symmetric) system [W. Zhao, Noncommutative symmetric systems over associative algebras, J. Pure Appl. Algebra 210 (2) (2007) 363–382] over the differential algebra D [ α ] 《 z 》 . Consequently, by the universal property of the N CS system formed by the generating functions of certain NCSFs (noncommutative symmetric functions) first introduced in [I.M. Gelfand, D. Krob, A. Lascoux, B. Leclerc, V.S. Retakh, J.-Y. Thibon, Noncommutative symmetric functions, Adv. Math. 112 (2) (1995) 218–348, MR1327096; see also hep-th/9407124 ], we obtain a family of Hopf algebra homomorphisms S F t : N Sym → D [ α ] 《 z 》 ( F t ∈ A t [ α ] 《 z 》 ) , which are also grading-preserving when F t satisfies certain conditions. Note that the homomorphisms S F t above can also be viewed as specializations of NCSFs by the differential operators of K 《 z 》 . Secondly, we show that, in both commutative and noncommutative cases, this family S F t (with all n ⩾ 1 and F t ∈ A t [ α ] 《 z 》 ) of differential operator specializations can distinguish any two different NCSFs. Some connections of the results above with the quasi-symmetric functions [I. Gessel, Multipartite P-partitions and inner products of skew Schur functions, in: Contemp. Math., vol. 34, 1984, pp. 289–301, MR0777705; C. Malvenuto, C. Reutenauer, Duality between quasi-symmetric functions and the Solomon descent algebra, J. Algebra 177 (3) (1995) 967–982, MR1358493; Richard P. Stanley, Enumerative Combinatorics II, Cambridge University Press, 1999] are also discussed.
Compression algorithms for flexible video decoding

We investigate compression techniques to support flexible video decoding. In these, encoders generate a single compressed bit-stream that can be decoded in several different ways, so that users or decoders can choose among several available decoding paths. Flexible decoding has several advantages, including improved accessibility of the compressed data for emerging applications (e.g., multiview video) and enhanced robustness for video communication. Flexible decoding, however, makes it difficult for compression algorithms to exploit temporal redundancy: when the decoder can choose among different decoding paths, the encoder no longer knows deterministically which previously reconstructed frames will be available for decoding the current frame. Therefore, to support flexible decoding, encoders need to operate under uncertainty on the decoder predictor status. This paper extends our previous work on video compression with decoder predictor uncertainty using distributed source coding (DSC). We present a thorough discussion of flexible decoding, including its theoretical performance. The main advantage of a DSC approach to flexible decoding is that the information communicated from the encoder to the decoder (namely, the parity bits) is independent of a specific predictor. By "decoupling" the compressed information from the predictor, we will demonstrate that, theoretically and experimentally, DSC can lead to a solution that compares favorably to one based on conventional "closed loop" prediction (CLP), where multiple prediction residues are sent, one for each possible predictor available at the decoder. The main novelties of the proposed algorithm are that it incorporates different macroblock modes and significance coding within the DSC framework. This, combined with a judicious exploitation of correlation statistics, allows us to achieve competitive coding performance. Experimental results using multiview video coding and forward/backward video playback suggest the proposed DSC-based solution can outperform flexible decoding techniques based on CLP coding.
Maintaining Optimal Communication Chains in Robotic Sensor Networks using Mobility Control

This paper presents a decentralized mobility control algorithm for the formation and maintenance of an optimal cascaded communication chain between a lead sensor-equipped robot and a control station, using a team of robotic vehicles acting as communication relays in an unknown and dynamic RF environment. The gradient-based controller presented uses measurements of the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) field of neighbor communication links, as opposed to relative position between nodes, as input into a localized performance function. By using the SNR field as input into the control system, the controller is reactive to unexpected and unpredictable changes in the RF environment that is not possible with range-based controllers. Since the operating environment is not known a priori to deployment of a robotic sensor network, an adaptive model-free extremum seeking (ES) algorithm, that uses the motion of the relays to estimate the performance function gradient, is presented to control the motion of 2D nonholonomic vehicles acting as communication relays using the gradient-based controller. Even without specific knowledge of the SNR field, simulations show that the ES decentralized chaining controller using measurements of the SNR field, will drive a team of robotic vehicles to locations that achieve the global objective of maximizing capacity of a cascaded communication chain, even in the presence of an active jamming source.
Comparison of All-Inside Meniscal Repair Devices With Matched Inside-Out Suture Repair

Background: All-inside meniscal repairs are performed with increasing frequency because of the availability of newly developed devices. A comparison of their biomechanical characteristics may aid physicians in selecting a method of meniscal repair.Hypothesis: All-inside meniscal repairs will be superior to their inside-out controls in response to cyclic loading and load-to-failure testing.Study Design: Controlled laboratory study.Methods: Sixty-six bucket-handle tears in matched porcine menisci were repaired using the Ultra FasT-Fix, Meniscal Cinch, Ultrabraid No. 0, and FiberWire 2-0 sutures. Initial displacement, cyclic loading (100, 300, and 500 cycles), and load-to-failure testing were performed. The displacement, response to cyclic loading, and mode of failure were recorded. The stiffness was calculated.Results: The Meniscal Cinch demonstrated a significantly higher initial displacement than the other methods tested (P = .04). No significant difference was found among the methods in response to cycli...
The Disadvantaged Incumbents: Estimating Incumbency Effects in Indian State Legislatures

This paper estimates the incumbency effects using a large dataset on state legislative elections in India during 1975–2003. I use a Regression Discontinuity Design (RDD) that estimates the causal effect of incumbency by comparing candidates in closely fought elections. I find that there is a significant disadvantage to incumbency in Indian State legislative elections, and the adverse effect of incumbency has increased after 1991. Also, the incumbency disadvantage is higher in states that have lower availability of public goods such as health centers, and lower employment, poverty and per capita income.
Multivariate linear recursions with Markov-dependent coefficients

We study a linear recursion with random Markov-dependent coefficients. In a ''regular variation in, regular variation out'' setup we show that its stationary solution has a multivariate regularly varying distribution. This extends results previously established for i.i.d. coefficients.
Développement du soudage faisceau d’électrons de l’alliage d’aluminium 6061-T6 pour le réacteur Jules Horowitz

L’alliage d’aluminium 6061-T6 est retenu pour la fabrication du caisson coeur du reacteur experimental Jules Horowitz (RJH). Le caisson RJH est un equipement nucleaire sous pression. L’utilisation de alliage a durcissement structural 6061-T6, sur des pieces d’epaisseurs superieures a 20 mm, soudees bout a bout a pleine penetration, a necessite une validation de sa mise en oeuvre en soudage ainsi qu’une verification de la coherence les dispositions de conception, dimensionnement, soudage et controles selon les prescriptions du RCC-MX edition 2005 (aujourd’hui repris dans l’edition 2008).Cette phase de mise au point a permis de developper un procede de soudage permettant de maitriser de la reduction des caracteristiques mecaniques du joint soude et le risque de fissuration a chaud, ainsi que de limiter le taux de soufflures.Le procede de soudage retenu est le faisceau d’electrons pour les raisons suivantes :- soudage sans prechauffage,- soudage sous vide permettant de s’affranchir de la sensibilite des alliages d’aluminiums a l’hydrogene,- soudage 100 % de l’epaisseur en une passe,- soudage tres peu deformant,- tres faibles dimensions et densite de soufflures,- possibilite de soudage en surepaisseur endroit et envers permettant de supprimer les defauts de formes,- ZF etroites (5 a 6 mm pour 40 mm d’epaisseur soudee) et ZAT faibles, d’ou l’obtention d’une soudure ayant un coefficient d’efficacite de joint superieur a 0,8,- procede automatique qui presente une tres bonne stabilite, permettant ainsi une parfaite reproductibilite,Le soudage faisceau d’electrons (avec insert en alliage d’aluminium 4047 pour les zones de recouvrement et d’evanouissement) permet de repondre aux exigences de qualite du code de construction RCC-MX.
Dynamic output feedback variable structure control for system stabilization

Simplex type dynamic output feedback variable structure control for stabilizing multivariable linear time-invariant plants is analysed. Two types of controllers are considered; a compensator type and an observer type. It is shown that while the compensator-type controller stabilizes the plant only if the plant is minimum-phase, the observer-type controller does not face the same restriction. The design of low-order (less than the order of the plant) observer-type controllers is also considered.
KNOT ADJACENCY AND FIBERING

It is known that the Alexander polynomial detects fibered knots and 3-manifolds that fiber over the circle. In this note, we show that when the Alexander polynomial becomes inconclusive, the notion of knot adjacency can be used to obtain obstructions to the fibering of knots and of 3-manifolds. As an application, given a fibered knot K', we construct infinitely many non-fibered knots that share the same Alexander module with K'. Our construction also provides, for every n ∈ N, examples of irreducible 3-manifolds that cannot be distinguished by the Cochran-Melvin finite type invariants of order < n.