cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
SPECKLE SUPPRESSION THROUGH DUAL IMAGING POLARIMETRY, AND A GROUND-BASED IMAGE OF THE HR 4796A CIRCUMSTELLAR DISK

We demonstrate the versatility of a dual imaging polarimeter working in tandem with a Lyot coronagraph and adaptive optics to suppress the highly static speckle noise pattern—the greatest hindrance to ground-based direct imaging of planets and disks around nearby stars. Using a double difference technique with the polarimetric data, we quantify the level of speckle suppression, and hence improved sensitivity, by placing an ensemble of artificial faint companions into real data, with given total brightness and polarization. For highly polarized sources within 0. 5, we show that we achieve 3 to 4 mag greater sensitivity through polarimetric speckle suppression than simply using a coronagraph coupled to a high-order adaptive optics system. Using such a polarimeter with a classical Lyot coronagraph at the 3.63 m Advanced Electro-Optical System telescope, we have obtained a 6.5! detection in the H band of the 76 AU diameter circumstellar debris disk around the star HR 4796A. Our data represent the first definitive ground-based near-IR polarimetric image of the HR 4796A debris disk and clearly show the two outer ansae of the disk, evident in Hubble Space Telescope NICMOS/STIS imaging. Comparing our peak linearly polarized flux with the total intensity in the lobes as observed by NICMOS, we derive a lower limit to the fractional linear polarization of >29% caused by dust grains in the disk. In addition, we fit simple morphological models of optically thin disks to our data allowing us to constrain the dust disk scale height (2.5 +5.0 # 1.3 AU) and scattering asymmetry parameter (g =$ cos" %= 0.20 +.07 # .10 ). These values are consistent with several lines of evidence suggesting that the HR 4796A disk is dominated by a micron-sized dust population, and are indeed typical of disks in transition between those surrounding the Herbig Ae stars to those associated with Vega-like stars.
On locally conformally flat gradient steady Ricci solitons

In this paper, we classify n-dimensional (n>2) complete noncompact locally conformally flat gradient steady solitons. In particular, we prove that a complete noncompact non-flat conformally flat gradient steady Ricci soliton is, up to scaling, the Bryant soliton.
Structurally Complex Cobalt Intermetallics Grown from Liquid Aluminum: Co19Al45Si10-x (x = 0.13) and Co5Al14Si2

The cobalt aluminum silicides Co19Al45Si(10-x) (x = 0.13) and Co5Al14Si2 were synthesized in liquid aluminum and characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Co19Al45Si(10-x) (x = 0.13) crystallizes in the monoclinic space group C2/c with lattice parameters a = 19.991(2) A, b = 19.143(2) A, c = 12.8137(15) A, beta = 123.583(2) degrees. Co5Al14Si2 adopts the orthorhombic space group Pnma with cell parameters a = 13.8948(19) A, b = 23.039(3) A, c = 7.3397(10) A. Both structures are exceptionally complex with the Co2Si2 rhombus being a common building motif. The coordination environments of cobalt atoms resemble those of the transition metals in typical quasi-crystal approximants. Co5Al14Si2 shows oxidation resistance in air up to 1000 degrees C by forming a dense-packed Al2O3 layer on the surface of the crystal.
Interacting Quantum Spin Chains

A brief review of recent advances in neutron scattering studies of low-dimensional quantum magnets is followed by a particular example. The separation of single-particle and continuum states in the weakly coupled S=1/2 chains system BaCu2Si2O7 is described in some detail.
Date stamping bubbles in Real Estate Investment Trusts

Abstract We test for the existence of single and multiple bubble periods in four Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) indices using the Supremum Augmented Dickey–Fuller (SADF) and the Generalized SADF. These methods allow us to estimate the beginning and the end of bubble periods. Our results provide statistically significant evidence of speculative bubbles in the REIT index and its three components: Equity, Mortgage and Hybrid REITs. These results may be valuable for real estate financial managers and for investors in REITs.
Do Side Payments Help? Collective Decisions and Strategic Delegation

I investigate when side payments facilitate cooperation in a context with strategic delegation. On the one hand, allowing side payments may be necessary when one party's participation con- straint otherwise would be violated. On the other, with side payments each principal appoints a delegate that values the project less, because this increases her bargaining power. Reluctant agents, in turn, implement too few projects. I show that side payments are bad if the hetero- geneity is small while the uncertainty and the typical value of the project are large. With a larger number of parties there may be a stalemate without side payments, but delegation becomes more strategic as well, and cooperation decreases in either case. (JEL: C78, D78, F53, H77)
Analysis of systems subject to parameter uncertainties: application of interval analysis

The use of interval analysis techniques is proposed to establish estimates of system performance (e.g. envelopes of time response and frequency response). The results constitute generalizations of previously established work. Systems described by linear or nonlinear ordinary difference equations endowed with more than one parameter belonging to intervals are addressed. >
Theory of melting and the optical properties of gold/DNA nanocomposites

We describe a simple model for the melting and optical properties of a DNA/gold nanoparticle aggregate. The optical properties at fixed wavelength change dramatically at the melting transition, which is found to be higher and narrower in temperature for larger particles, and much sharper than that of an isolated DNA link. All these features are in agreement with available experiments. The aggregate is modeled as a cluster of gold nanoparticles on a periodic lattice connected by DNA bonds, and the extinction coefficient is computed using the discrete dipole approximation. Melting takes place as an increasing number of these bonds break with increasing temperature. The melting temperature corresponds approximately to the bond percolation threshold.
Altered translation of GATA1 in Diamond-Blackfan anemia

Ribosomal protein haploinsufficiency occurs in diverse human diseases including Diamond-Blackfan anemia (DBA), congenital asplenia and T cell leukemia. Yet, how mutations in genes encoding ubiquitously expressed proteins such as these result in cell-type- and tissue-specific defects remains unknown. Here, we identify mutations in GATA1, encoding the critical hematopoietic transcription factor GATA-binding protein-1, that reduce levels of full-length GATA1 protein and cause DBA in rare instances. We show that ribosomal protein haploinsufficiency, the more common cause of DBA, can lead to decreased GATA1 mRNA translation, possibly resulting from a higher threshold for initiation of translation of this mRNA in comparison with other mRNAs. In primary hematopoietic cells from patients with mutations in RPS19, encoding ribosomal protein S19, the amplitude of a transcriptional signature of GATA1 target genes was globally and specifically reduced, indicating that the activity, but not the mRNA level, of GATA1 is decreased in patients with DBA associated with mutations affecting ribosomal proteins. Moreover, the defective hematopoiesis observed in patients with DBA associated with ribosomal protein haploinsufficiency could be partially overcome by increasing GATA1 protein levels. Our results provide a paradigm by which selective defects in translation due to mutations affecting ubiquitous ribosomal proteins can result in human disease.
Van Kampen's embedding obstruction for discrete groups

We give a lower bound to the dimension of a contractible mani- fold on which a given group can act properly discontinuously. In particular, we show that the n-fold product of nonabelian free groups cannot act prop- erly discontinuously on R 2n−1 .
New possibilities for QCD at finite density

Abstract I review the growing theoretical indications that at high densities color SU(3) gauge symmetry is spontaneously broken by the formation of a quark pair condensate. This leads to a rich phase structure for QCD as a function of temperature and chemical potential. I also discuss the prospects for lattice QCD calculations at finite density, including the Glasgow algorithm and imaginary chemical potential.
High-resolution terrain map from multiple sensor data

The authors present 3-D vision techniques for incrementally building an accurate 3-D representation of rugged terrain using multiple sensors. They have developed the locus method to model the rugged terrain. The locus method exploits sensor geometry to efficiently build a terrain representation from multiple sensor data. The locus method is used to estimate the vehicle position in the digital elevation map (DEM) by matching a sequence of range images with the DEM. Experimental results from large-scale real and synthetic terrains demonstrate the feasibility and power of the 3-D mapping techniques for rugged terrain. In real world experiments, a composite terrain map was built by merging 125 real range images. Using synthetic range images, a composite map of 150 m was produced from 159 images. With the proposed system, mobile robots operating in rugged environments can build accurate terrain models from multiple sensor data. >
Federal nutrition programs and childhood obesity: inside the black box

In response to the dramatic rise in childhood obesity, particularly among low income individuals, federal nutrition assistance programs have come under scrutiny. However, the vast majority of this research focuses on the direct relationship between these programs and child health, while little is known about the mechanisms by which such relationships arise. Using the 2007 American Time Use Survey and the Eating and Health Module, we explore differences in time use—albeit in a non-causal framework—across families that participate in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, the School Breakfast Program, and the National School Lunch Program to better understand behavioral differences across participants and non-participants. These differences have important implications for future research and policy.
The Effects of International Remittances on Poverty and Inequality in Ethiopia

AbstractThe article studies the effects of international remittances on poverty and inequality in Ethiopia using an urban household survey from 2004. Counterfactual consumption in the hypothetical case of no remittance is estimated in a selection-corrected estimation framework. Inequality and poverty values in the hypothetical and actual cases are then compared. There is a significant reduction in poverty, while inequality does not change. The head count, the poverty gap and the squared poverty gap ratios decreased from 0.41 to 0.38, 0.14 to 0.13, and 0.064 to 0.057 respectively.
Impact of Value of Time (VOT) on toll roads

This paper provides a brief overview of the concept of value of time (VOT), in the context of toll road schemes. VOT analysis determines the tradeoffs travelers make between time and tolls. The analysis is very important when considering the choice between tolled and un-tolled alternatives. Using travel demand model of Fresno, CA, I provide a sensitivity analysis showing how the outcomes of tolling schemes can change with varying VOT levels.
Taking TRIPS to India — Novartis, Patent Law, and Access to Medicines

Many have protested Novartis' efforts to obtain an Indian patent on Gleevec. Janice Mueller writes that the Gleevec challenge is the latest controversy facing India since its implementation of substantially enhanced patent protection for pharmaceuticals. Janice Mueller discusses changes in Indian patent law, effects on the pharmaceutical industry, and the availability of essential drugs.
Rapid, Stable, Chemoselective Labeling of Thiols with Julia–Kocieński‐like Reagents: A Serum‐Stable Alternative to Maleimide‐Based Protein Conjugation

Cysteine-maleimide chemistry is widely used for peptide and protein modification. However, the formed succinimide linkage is readily hydrolyzed and is susceptible to an exchange reaction in vivo. We demonstrate that methylsulfonyl phenyloxadiazole compounds react specifically with cysteine under various buffer conditions and found that the resulting protein conjugates had superior stability to cysteine-maleimide conjugates in human plasma. This Thiol-Click chemistry promises a new approach to stable protein conjugates and pegylated proteins.
INSIDE THE IMPOSSIBLE TRIANGLE: MONETARY POLICY AUTONOMY IN A CREDIBLE TARGET ZONE

This paper examines the trade-off between exchange rate stability and monetary autonomy for a target zone. Using the guilder-mark target zone in the pre-Economic and Monetary Union period as a case study, we empirically estimate how much policy discretion the Dutch central bank still enjoyed and how much had been ceded to the German central bank. The sum of these two measures is an estimate of the policy autonomy under a free float. We find that the narrow guilder-mark target zone still permitted a modest degree of policy independence. This result suggests that intermediate exchange rate regimes may offer an attractive trade-off compared to the corner solutions (free float and monetary union), which is consistent with the “fear of floating” phenomenon. (JEL E52, F33, F41, F42)
Knowledge base refinement using apprenticeship learning techniques

This paper describes how apprenticeship learning techniques can be used to refine the knowledge base of an expert system for heuristic classification problems. The described method is an alternative to the long-standing practice of creating such knowledge bases via induction from examples. The form of apprenticeship learning discussed in this paper is a form of learning by watching, in which learning occurs by completing failed explanations of human problem-solving actions. An apprenticeship is the most powerful method that human experts use to refine their expertise in knowledge-intensive domains such as medicine; this motivates giving such capabilities to an expert system. A major accomplishment in this work is showing how an explicit representation of the strategy knowledge to solve a general problem class, such as diagnosis, can provide a basis for learning the knowledge that is specific to a particular domain, such as medicine.
A Facile and Efficient Method for the Rearrangement of Aryl-substituted Epoxides to Aldehydes and Ketones using Bismuth Triflate

Abstract Aryl-substituted epoxides undergo smooth rearrangement in the presence of 0.01–0.1 mol% Bi(OTf) 3 · x H 2 O. The rearrangement is regioselective with aryl-substituted epoxides, and products arise from cleavage of the benzylic CO bond. The highly catalytic nature of this method coupled with the fact that the reagent is relatively non-toxic, easy to handle and inexpensive make it an attractive alternative to more corrosive and toxic Lewis acids, such as BF 3 ·Et 2 O, currently used to effect epoxide rearrangements.
Fast Parsing Using Pruning and Grammar Specialization

We show how a general grammar may be automatically adapted for fast parsing of utterances from a specific domain by means of constituent pruning and grammar specialization based on explanation-based learning. These methods together give an order of magnitude increase in speed, and the coverage loss entailed by grammar specialization is reduced to approximately half that reported in previous work. Experiments described here suggest that the loss of coverage has been reduced to the point where it no longer causes significant performance degradation in the context of a real application.
Description and results of the NIST/NOAA 2005 Interlaboratory Comparison Exercise for Trace Elements in Marine Mammals

The National Institute of Standards and Technology’s (NIST) National Marine Analytical Quality Assurance Program (NMAQAP) is dedicated to improving the quality of analytical measurements of trace elements, organic contaminants and emerging compounds of concern in marine and environmental systems, through various quality assurance mechanisms, including analytical method development and value assignment, quality assurance materials production, cryogenic marine specimen archival and the coordination of interlaboratory comparison exercises. This report focusses on the description and results of the 2005 Interlaboratory Comparison Exercise for Trace Elements in Marine Mammals. This program is co-sponsored by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries Service, Office of Protected Resources, specifically, the Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program. Two quality control materials derived from fresh-frozen marine mammal livers were produced and characterised at the NIST and were then distributed to over 30 laboratories. A maximum likelihood solution model was used to assign consensus data that served as a benchmark for comparison, and a series of group metrics were generated to assist the laboratories with the interpretation of performance and analytical assessment.
Volume Growth and the Topology of Manifolds with Nonnegative Ricci Curvature

Let Mn be a complete, open Riemannian manifold with Ric≥0. In 1994, Grigori Perelman showed that there exists a constant δn>0, depending only on the dimension of the manifold, such that if the volume growth satisfies \(\alpha_{M}:=\lim_{r\rightarrow \infty}\frac{\operatorname{Vol}(B_{p}(r))}{\omega_{n}r^{n}}\geq 1-\delta_{n}\), then Mn is contractible. Here we employ the techniques of Perelman to find specific lower bounds for the volume growth, α(k,n), depending only on k and n, which guarantee the individual k-homotopy group of Mn is trivial.
Scalloped beam amplification

Scalloped beam amplification occurs when an rf signal propagates along an electron beam of periodically varying diameter whose scallop wavelength is adjusted to be one-half the effective plasma wavelength in the beam. The dependence of this gain mechanism on frequency, magnetic field, voltage, and current has been investigated experimentally, and over two db gain per scallop has been measured. In the particular setup used, positive ion oscillations caused smearing of true scalloped beam amplification effects.
Statistical earthquake focal mechanism forecasts

Forecasts of the focal mechanisms of future earthquakes are important for seismic hazard estimates and Coulomb stress and other models of earthquake occurrence. Here we report on a high-resolution global forecast of earthquake rate density as a function of location, magnitude, and focal mechanism. In previous publications we reported forecasts of 0.5 degree spatial resolution, covering the latitude range magnitude, and focal mechanism. In previous publications we reported forecasts of 0.5 degree spatial resolution, covering the latitude range from -75 to +75 degrees, based on the Global Central Moment Tensor earthquake catalog. In the new forecasts we've improved the spatial resolution to 0.1 degree and the latitude range from pole to pole. Our focal mechanism estimates require distance-weighted combinations of observed focal mechanisms within 1000 km of each grid point. Simultaneously we calculate an average rotation angle between the forecasted mechanism and all the surrounding mechanisms, using the method of Kagan & Jackson proposed in 1994. This average angle reveals the level of tectonic complexity of a region and indicates the accuracy of the prediction. The procedure becomes problematical where longitude lines are not approximately parallel, and where earthquakes are so sparse that an adequate sample spans very large distances. North or south of 75 degrees, the azimuths of points 1000 km away may vary by about 35 degrees. We solved this problem by calculating focal mechanisms on a plane tangent to the earth's surface at each forecast point, correcting for the rotation of the longitude lines at the locations of earthquakes included in the averaging. The corrections are negligible between -30 and +30 degrees latitude, but outside that band uncorrected rotations can be significantly off.
Urban Growth and Climate Change

Between 1950 and 2030, the share of the world's population that lives in cities is predicted to grow from 30% to 60%. This urbanization has consequences for the likelihood of climate change and for the social costs that climate change will impose on the world's quality of life. This paper examines how urbanization affects greenhouse gas production, and it studies how urbanites in the developed and developing world will adapt to the challenges posed by climate change.
Accurate Position Control of a Pneumatic Actuator

We propose a new control strategy for on-off valve controlled pneumatic actuators and robots with focus on the position accuracy. A mathematical model incorporating pneumatic process nonlinearities and nonlinear mechanical friction has been developed to characterize the actuator dynamics; this model with a few simplifications is then used to design the controller. In our control scheme, one valve is held open and the other is operated under the pulse width modulation mode to simulate the proportional control. An inner loop utilizing proportional-plus-integral control is formed to control the actuator pressure, and an outer loop with displacement and velocity feedbacks is used to control the load displacement. Also, a two staged feedforward force is implemented to reduce the steady state error due to the nonlinear mechanical friction. Experimental results on a single degree of freedom pneumatic robot indicate that the proposed control system is better than the conventional on-off control strategy as it is effective in achieving the desired position accuracy without using any mechanical stops in the actuator.
Microphysical dissipation, turbulence and magnetic fields in hyper-accreting discs

Hyper-accreting discs occur in compact-object mergers and in collapsed cores of massive stars. They power the central engine of y -ray bursts in most scenarios. We calculate the microphysical dissipation (the viscosity and resistivity) of plasma in these discs, and discuss the implications for their global structure and evolution. At the temperatures (k B T > m e c 2 ) and densities (p ∼ 10 9 -10 12 g cm -3 ) characteristic of the neutrino-cooled innermost regions, the viscosity is provided mainly by mildly degenerate electrons, while the resistivity is modified from the Spitzer value due to the effects of both relativity and degeneracy. Under these conditions the magnetic Reynolds number is very large (Re M ∼ 10 19 ) and the plasma behaves as an almost ideal magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) fluid. Among the possible non-ideal MHD effects the Hall term is relatively the most important, while the magnetic Prandtl number, Pm (the ratio of viscosity to resistivity), is typically larger than unity: 10 ≤ Pm ≤ 6 x 10 3 . Inspection of the outer radiatively inefficient regions indicates similar properties, with magnetic Prandtl numbers as high as ∼10 4 . Numerical simulations of the magnetorotational instability (MRI) indicate that the saturation level and angular momentum transport efficiency may be greatly enhanced at high Prandtl numbers. If this behaviour persists in the presence of a strong Hall effect we would expect that hyper-accreting discs should be strongly magnetized and highly variable. The expulsion of magnetic field that cannot be dissipated at small scales may also favour a magnetic outflow. We note that there are limited similarities between hyper-accreting discs and X-ray binary discs - which also have a high magnetic Prandtl number close to the black hole - which suggests that a comparison between late-time activity in γ-ray bursts and X-ray binary accretion states may be fruitful. More generally, our results imply that the possibly different character of high Prandtl number MHD flows needs to be considered in studies and numerical simulations of hyper-accreting discs.
Magnetar-driven bubbles and the origin of collimated outflows in gamma-ray bursts

We model the interaction between the wind from a newly formed rapidly rotating magnetar and the surrounding supernova shock and host star. The dynamics is modelled using the two-dimensional, axisymmetric thin-shell equations. In the first ∼10-100 s after core-collapse the magnetar inflates a bubble of plasma and magnetic fields behind the supernova shock. The bubble expands asymmetrically because of the pinching effect of the toroidal magnetic field, even if the host star is spherically symmetric, just as in the analogous problem of the evolution of pulsar wind nebulae. The degree of asymmetry depends on E mag /E tot , the ratio of the magnetic energy to the total energy in the bubble. The correct value of E mag /E tot is uncertain because of uncertainties in the conversion of magnetic energy into kinetic energy at large radii in relativistic winds; we argue, however, that bubbles inflated by newly formed magnetars are likely to be significantly more magnetized than their pulsar counterparts. We show that for a ratio of magnetic to total power supplied by the central magnetar E mag /E tot ≤0.1 the bubble expands relatively spherically. For E mag /E tot ≥0.3, however, most ofthe pressure in the bubble is exerted close to the rotation axis, driving a collimated outflow out through the host star. This can account for the collimation inferred from observations of long-duration gamma-ray bursts (GRBs). Outflows from magnetars become increasingly magnetically dominated at late times, due to the decrease in neutrino-driven mass loss as the young neutron star cools. We thus suggest that the magnetar-driven bubble initially expands relatively spherically, enhancing the energy of the associated supernova, while at late times it becomes progressively more collimated, producing the GRB. The same physical processes may operate in more modestly rotating neutron stars to produce asymmetric supemovae and lower energy transients such as X-ray flashes.
Long-term Changes in Handgrip Strength in Men and Women—Accounting the Effect of Right Censoring Due to Death

BACKGROUND: Age-related decline in muscle strength is among of the most important factors in the aging process leading to disability. This study examines age-related changes in handgrip strength through a 22-year follow-up in men and women. Because handgrip strength is associated with mortality, this study also accounts for the selection effect of right censoring by comparing the estimates of handgrip strength decline based either on only the handgrip strength data or on the data of both the handgrip strength and survival times. METHODS: Data are from 1,890 men and women aged 30 years or more at baseline participating in the population-based Mini-Finland Health Examination Survey (1978-1980) with repeated handgrip strength measurement in 2000-2001. RESULTS: In men aged 31-41 years, the annual decrease in handgrip strength was approximately 3.5 Newtons (N). After that, the decrease accelerated and stabilized around the age of 75 years, being approximately 7.3 N per year. In women, respectively, prior to 45 years, the annual decrease was approximately 2 N and after age 80 years approximately 4 N per year. The estimates for the handgrip strength decline were more pronounced when the right censoring due to death was accounted for, especially for persons aged 65 years and older. CONCLUSIONS: Our work confirms that the right censoring, which depends on the outcome of interest, should be accounted for in analyses.
Double or binary: on the multiplicity of open star clusters

Context. Observations indicate that the fraction of potential binary star clusters in the Magellanic Clouds is about 10%. In contrast, it is widely accepted that the binary cluster frequency in the Galaxy disk is much lower.Aims. Here we investigate the multiplicity of clusters in the Milky Way disk to either confirm or disprove this dearth of binaries.Methods. We quantify the open cluster multiplicity using complete, volume-limited samples from WEBDA and NCOVOCC.Results. At the Solar Circle, at least 12% of all open clusters appear to be experiencing some type of interaction with another cluster; i.e., are possible binaries. As in the Magellanic Clouds, the pair separation histogram hints at a bimodal distribution. Nearly 40% of identified pairs are probably primordial. Most of the remaining pairs could be undergoing some type of close encounter, perhaps as a result of orbital resonances. Confirming early theoretical predictions, the characteristic time scale for destruction of bound pairs in the disk is 200 Myr, or one galactic orbit.Conclusions. Our results show that the fraction of possible binary clusters in the Galactic disk is comparable to that in the Magellanic Clouds.
When is Fiscal Decentralization Good for Governance

Many developing countries are seeking to improve governance with fiscal decentralization. It is therefore worth revisiting what we know about political and economic institutions to understand how and under what circumstances decentralization can be beneficial. In an effort to do that, I review past research on the governance implications of devolving power to subnational authorities. Based on this review, I find that the gains from decentralization depend sensitively on how subnational authorities and intergovernmental relations are structured. I therefore conclude the paper by drawing nine lessons from theory and experience to help improve the design of decentralized institutions. Copyright 2009, Oxford University Press.
Linguistics and ‘Ordinary Meaning’ Determinations

Undoubtedly the most fundamental axiom of legal interpretation is that words in texts should receive their “ordinary meaning.” Notwithstanding its talismanic invocation by the judiciary, the ordinary meaning concept has been poorly developed by courts. In particular, courts rely on a meaning postulate approach where they define words without regard to critical sentential (i.e., sentence level) context. The reality, though, is that meaning is distributed in nature. By ignoring semantic regularities, courts risk determining the “possible” meaning of text rather than its ordinary meaning. Particularly in the area of statutory interpretation, such an approach contravenes many of the judiciary’s other interpretive tools, which consistently favor stability, though narrow interpretations, over change. This Article examines a paradigmatic set of Supreme Court cases that illustrate the judiciary’s unsystematic approach to ordinary meaning determinations and advocates an interdisciplinary approach to ordinary meaning that incorporates developing cognitive science and linguistic insights. Specifically, this Article argues that courts should consider the Generative Lexicon (“GL”) theory of lexical semantics when attempting to define the ordinary meaning of text. GL focuses on capturing valid generalizations about words, and its generative mechanisms seek to produce interpretations that reflect words’ combinatorial properties. Instead of the judiciary’s current ad hoc approach, GL should be used to generate default ordinary meaning interpretations that would be subject to shaping by the judiciary’s other interpretive tools. By adopting GL, and thereby taking seriously cognitive science and linguistic advances, courts would be embracing a true “linguistic turn” in legal interpretation.
On Polynomials of Least Deviation from Zero in Several Variables

A polynomial of the form xa – p(x), where the degree of p is less than the total degree of xa , is said to be least deviation from zero if it has the smallest uniform norm among all such polynomials. We study polynomialsof least deviation from zero over the unit ball, the unit sphere, and the standard simplex. For d = 3, extremal polynomial for (x 1 x 2 x 3) k on the ball and the sphere is found for k = 2 and 4. For d ≥ 3, a family of polynomials of the form (x l… xd )2 – p(x) is explicitly given and proved to be the least deviation from zero for d = 3, 4, 5, and it is conjectured to be the least deviation for all d.
Off-Axis Afterglow Emission from Jetted Gamma-Ray Bursts

We calculate gamma-ray burst (GRB) afterglow light curves from a relativistic jet as seen by observers at various viewing angles, θobs, relative to the jet axis. We describe three increasingly more realistic models and compare the resulting light curves. An observer at θobs θ0 sees a rising light curve at early times, peaking when the jet Lorentz factor is ~1/θobs, and approaching that seen by an on-axis observer, at later times. A strong linear polarization (40%) may occur near the peak in the light curve and slowly decay with time. We show that, if GRB jets have a universal energy, then orphan afterglows are detectable up to a maximum offset angle that is independent of the jet initial aperture and thus at a rate proportional to the true GRB rate. We also discuss the implications of the proposed connection between SN 1998bw and GRB 980425.
The New Open Economy Macroeconomics of Government Debt

In this paper we introduce an overlapping generations structure of the Blanchard type in a New Open Economy Macroeconomics model. This allows us to study a wider range ofscal shocks compared to the traditional Mundell-Fleming and to the baseline Redux models. One important policy implication of our model is that the tax cut imple- mented in the US in 2001 might have contributed to the appreciation of the Dollar vis-a-vis the Euro. In contrast, the imposition ofscal constraint such as the \Golden Rule" proposed by the UK government can have opposite exchange rate e®ects.
Determination of the Planck constant using a watt balance with a superconducting magnet system at the National Institute of Standards and Technology

For the past two years, measurements have been performed with a watt balance at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to determine the Planck constant. A detailed analysis of these measurements and their uncertainties has led to the value h = 6.626 069 79(30) × 10−34 J s. The relative standard uncertainty is 45 × 10−9. This result is 141 × 10−9 fractionally higher than h90. Here h90 is the conventional value of the Planck constant given by , where KJ-90 and RK-90 denote the conventional values of the Josephson and von Klitzing constants, respectively.
Turbulence measurements in hypersonic shock-wave boundary-layer interaction flows

Turbulent intensity and Reynolds shear stress measurements are presented for two nonadiabatic hypersonic shock-wave boundary-layer interaction flows, one with and one without separation. These measurements were obtained using a new hot-wire probe specially designed for heated flows. Comparison of the separated and attached flows shows a significant increase above equilibrium values in the turbulent intensity and shear stress downstream of the interaction region for the attached case, while for the separated case, the turbulent fluxes remain close to equilibrium values. This effect results in substantial differences in turbulence lifetime for the two flows. We propose that these differences are due to a coupling between the turbulent energy and separation bubble unsteadiness, a hypothesis supported by the statistical properties of the turbulent fluctuations.
Acid-stable peroxoniobophosphate clusters to make patterned films.

Two new peroxoniobophosphate clusters were isolated as tetramethylammonium (TMA) salts having the stoichiometries: TMA5[HNb4P2O14(O2)4]⋅9 H2O and TMA3[H7Nb6P4O24(O2)6]⋅7 H2O. The former is stable over the pH range: 3<pH<12 and the latter is stable only below pH 3. These two molecules interconvert as a function of solution pH. The [H7Nb6P4O24(O2)6](3-) cluster can be used to fabricate patterned niobium phosphate films by electron-beam lithography after solution deposition.
Emotion recognition using a hierarchical binary decision tree approach

Automated emotion state tracking is a crucial element in the computational study of human communication behaviors. It is important to design robust and reliable emotion recognition systems that are suitable for real-world applications both to enhance analytical abilities to support human decision making and to design human-machine interfaces that facilitate efficient communication. We introduce a hierarchical computational structure to recognize emotions. The proposed structure maps an input speech utterance into one of the multiple emotion classes through subsequent layers of binary classifications. The key idea is that the levels in the tree are designed to solve the easiest classification tasks first, allowing us to mitigate error propagation. We evaluated the classification framework on two different emotional databases using acoustic features, the AIBO database and the USC IEMOCAP database. In the case of the AIBO database, we obtain a balanced recall on each of the individual emotion classes using this hierarchical structure. The performance measure of the average unweighted recall on the evaluation data set improves by 3.37% absolute (8.82% relative) over a Support Vector Machine baseline model. In the USC IEMOCAP database, we obtain an absolute improvement of 7.44% (14.58%) over a baseline Support Vector Machine modeling. The results demonstrate that the presented hierarchical approach is effective for classifying emotional utterances in multiple database contexts.
Stochastic mean-square performance analysis of an adaptive Hammerstein filter

This paper presents an almost sure mean-square performance analysis of an adaptive Hammerstein filter for the case when the measurement noise in the desired response signal is a martingale difference sequence. The system model consists of a series connection of a memoryless nonlinearity followed by a recursive linear filter. A bound for the long-term time average of the squared a posteriori estimation error of the adaptive filter is derived using a basic set of assumptions on the operating environment. This bound consists of two terms, one of which is proportional to a parameter that depends on the step size sequences of the algorithm and the other that is inversely proportional to the maximum value of the increment process associated with the coefficients of the underlying system. One consequence of this result is that the long-term time average of the squared a posteriori estimation error can be made arbitrarily close to its minimum possible value when the underlying system is time-invariant.
Using the Brain as a Metaphor to Model Flexible Production Systems

Manufacturing flexibility is critical for survival in industries characterized by rapid change and diverse product markets. Although new manufacturing technologies make it possible to accomplish flexibility, their potential remains unrealized by firms whose organizational elements do not possess adaptive capabilities. We use the brain as a metaphor to generate insights on how firms might design flexible production systems. We chose the brain as a metaphor because it is a self-organizing system capable of responding rapidly to a broad range of external stimuli. The brain as a metaphor suggests that flexibility can be enhanced by employing practices that promote distributed processes occurring in a parallel manner. Such practices lie in contrast to those employed by production systems built on scientific management principles that promote localized processes in a sequential manner. By exploring these contrasting modes of operation, we argue that the brain as a metaphor opens up new avenues for theory develo...
Sensitivity to Timing and Order in Human Visual Cortex.

Visual recognition takes a small fraction of a second and relies on the cascade of signals along the ventral visual stream. Given the rapid path through multiple processing steps between photorecep...
Some Observations in High Pressure Rheology of Lubricants

Experimental data are presented on viscosity, elastic shear modulus, and limiting shear stress of 12 liquid lubricants. It is shown that transition histories do affect the limiting shear stress of the materials in the form of isothermal compression resulting in a lower density and lower limiting stress than isobaric cooling. The measured limiting shear stress agrees with EHD traction data at slide-to-roll ratios of 0.1 or more. In pressure viscosity measurements of the polymer solutions, it is found that for some temperatures, the pressure viscosity coefficient of the blend is slightly less than that of the base, which results in the crossing of the viscosity-pressure isotherms at high pressures.
A Low Temperature Nonlinear Optical Rotational Anisotropy Spectrometer for the Determination of Crystallographic and Electronic Symmetries

Nonlinear optical generation from a crystalline material can reveal the symmetries of both its lattice structure and underlying ordered electronic phases and can therefore be exploited as a complementary technique to diffraction based scattering probes. Although this technique has been successfully used to study the lattice and magnetic structures of systems such as semiconductor surfaces, multiferroic crystals, magnetic thin films, and multilayers, challenging technical requirements have prevented its application to the plethora of complex electronic phases found in strongly correlated electron systems. These requirements include an ability to probe small bulk single crystals at the μm length scale, a need for sensitivity to the entire nonlinear optical susceptibility tensor, oblique light incidence reflection geometry, and incident light frequency tunability among others. These measurements are further complicated by the need for extreme sample environments such as ultra low temperatures, high magnetic fields, or high pressures. In this review we present a novel experimental construction using a rotating light scattering plane that meets all the aforementioned requirements. We demonstrate the efficacy of our scheme by making symmetry measurements on a μm scale facet of a small bulk single crystal of Sr2IrO4 using optical second and third harmonic generation.
Long-term prognosis of transient cerebral ischemic attacks.

A 15-year follow-up of 140 patients who had transient cerebral ischemic attacks and were first seen at the Mayo Clinic for this complaint in 1950 through 1954 is reported. There was no significant difference in mortality related to sex or location of residence. Patients hypertensive at onset of symptoms had no significant increase in mortality compared to normotensive patients but the survival trend favored normotensive patients. Probability of surviving 15 years was significantly less than expected for patients less than 65 years old. Patients who were 65 or older at their first attack had a survival similar to that of the standard population. The difference between the expected and observed 15-year survivals for patients with primarily motor symptoms was about the same as that difference for patients with primarily sensory symptoms. Information concerning stroke occurrence was incomplete but 37% of local residents are known to have had a stroke, a higher rate than expected. Among patients who died during this study, 50% died of a cardiac cause and 36% died of a stroke.
Numerical simulation of leading-edge vortex flows

Steady flowfields describing respectively the distinguished structure for subsonic, sonic, and supersonic leading-edge flow about a thin delta wing at angle of attack in a supersonic freestream are calculated numerically. Solutions of the steady three-dimensional compressible laminar Navier-Stokes equations are obtained by time integration. Details of these solutions demonstrate that the essential physical behavior of such flows, including both primary and secondary vortex motions, has been simulated. For purposes of comparison, a corresponding inviscid numerical solution was generated for the case of a subsonic leading edge. It is shown that, although the secondary features are absent, the gross dominant characteristics of the flowfield have been reproduced by the Euler equations. Effects of turbulence are assessed by incorporating a simple closure model in the viscous computation. Comparison between the numerical solutions and experimental data is provided for all flow regimes.
INVARIANT OBJECT RECOGNITION BASED ON A NEURAL NETWORK OF CASCADED RCE NETS

A neural network of cascaded Restricted Coulomb Energy (RCE) nets is constructed for the recognition of two-dimensional objects. A number of RCE nets are cascaded together to form a classifier where the overlapping decision regions are progressively resolved by a set of cascaded networks. Similarities among objects which have complex decision boundaries in the feature space are resolved by this multi-net approach. The generalization ability of an RCE net recognition system, referring to the ability of the system to correctly recognize a new pattern even when the number of learning exemplars is small, is increased by the proposed coarse-to-fine learning strategy. A feature extraction technique is used to map the geometrical shape information of an object into an ordered feature vector of fixed length. This feature vector is then used as an input to the neural network. The feature vector is invariant to object changes such as positional shift, rotation, scaling, illumination variance, variation of camera setup, perspective distortion, and noise distortion. Experimental results for recognition of several objects are also presented. A correct recognition rate of 100% was achieved for both the training and the testing input patterns.
Investigating the Robustness of Macroeconomic Inference to Measurement Errors: The Case of the Consumer Decision Interval

That economists know next to nothing about measurement errors is not a good reason to assume them away. A more meaningful approach might be to investigate under which classes of measurement errors a given null hypothesis is rejected or not rejected. This paper illustrates this approach for the question of whether consumers make decisions at high or low frequency. It is shown that, with monthly data and assuming no measurement errors, a model of consumer behaviour that takes into account the durability of non-durable goods corroborates the low-frequency hypothesis. The paper then investigates the classes of measurement errors for which this conclusion does and does not hold.
Entity-Relationship Queries over Wikipedia

Wikipedia is the largest user-generated knowledge base. We propose a structured query mechanism, entity-relationship query, for searching entities in the Wikipedia corpus by their properties and interrelationships. An entity-relationship query consists of multiple predicates on desired entities. The semantics of each predicate is specified with keywords. Entity-relationship query searches entities directly over text instead of preextracted structured data stores. This characteristic brings two benefits: (1) Query semantics can be intuitively expressed by keywords; (2) It only requires rudimentary entity annotation, which is simpler than explicitly extracting and reasoning about complex semantic information before query-time. We present a ranking framework for general entity-relationship queries and a position-based Bounded Cumulative Model (BCM) for accurate ranking of query answers. We also explore various weighting schemes for further improving the accuracy of BCM. We test our ideas on a 2008 version of Wikipedia using a collection of 45 queries pooled from INEX entity ranking track and our own crafted queries. Experiments show that the ranking and weighting schemes are both effective, particularly on multipredicate queries.