cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Quantitative assessment of the upper airway in infants and children with subglottic stenosis.

Objectives/Hypothesis Determine whether quantitative geometric measures and a computational fluid dynamic (CFD) model derived from medical imaging of children with subglottic stenosis (SGS) can be effective diagnostic and treatment planning tools. Study Design Retrospective chart and imaging review in a tertiary care hospital. Methods Computed tomography scans (n = 17) of children with SGS were analyzed by geometric and CFD methods. Polysomnograms (n = 15) were also analyzed. Radiographic data were age/weight flow normalized and were compared to an atlas created from radiographically normal airways. Five geometric, seven CFD, and five polysomnography measures were analyzed. Statistical analysis utilized a two-sample t test with Bonferroni correction and area under the curve analysis. Results Two geometric indices (the ratio of the subglottic to midtracheal airway, the percent relative reduction of the subglottic airway) and one CFD measure (the percent relative reduction of the hydraulic diameter of the subglottic airway) were significant for determining which children with SGS received surgical intervention. Optimal cutoffs for these values were determined. Polysomnography, the respiratory effort-related arousals index, was significant only prior to Bonferroni correction for determining which children received surgical intervention. Conclusions Geometric and CFD variables were sensitive at determining which patients with SGS received surgical intervention. Discrete quantitative assessment of the pediatric airway was performed, yielding preliminary data regarding possible objective thresholds for surgical versus nonsurgical treatment of disease. This study is limited by its small, retrospective, single-institution nature. Further studies to validate these findings and possibly optimize treatment threshold recommendations are warranted. Level of Evidence 4 Laryngoscope, 2015
Foreclosure Echo: How Abandoned Foreclosures are Re-Entering the Market Through Debt Buyers

It is common knowledge that mortgage defaults increased steadily from 2006 through 2011. In some situations, lenders moved swiftly after default to foreclose the property; but for other homeowners the foreclosure process began and then stalled or was completely abandoned by the lender. The result of these abandoned foreclosures has been devastating to cities and consumers throughout the country. This article explores what is happening to homeowners caught up in the strange world of bank walkaways as the economy is beginning to improve. This second wave of collection activity, an echo of the original foreclosure crisis, could easily throw thousands of consumers back into financial hardship just as the economic recovery begins.Part I of this article explores the evidence of foreclosures started and then stalled or abandoned and their impact on consumers and communities. In Part II "the real zombie title" is introduced through evidence gathered in foreclosures in Indiana. This new form of "zombie loan" is a mortgage loan that has been foreclosed, but is suddenly and inexplicably "un-foreclosed." The effect of zombie loans on homeowner, judicial system and communities is also explored. Finally, Part III discusses the increased presence of debt buyers in both the buying of loans and the collection of deficiency judgment in relation to the overall concern currently being voiced regarding the debt buying industry. The clever ways banks are managing their foreclosure inventory make clear that the effects of zombie loans must be mitigated in order to avoid a second economic downturn, the "foreclosure echo."
The Effect of Right-to-Work Laws on Business and Economic Conditions: A Multivariate Approach

The 1947 Taft-Hartley amendments to the National Labor Relations Act (1935) authorized a state's right to prohibit unions from requiring a worker to pay dues, even when the worker is covered by a collective bargaining agreement. Within a short time of the amendment's passage, twelve (12) states passed "right-to-work" laws, as did ten (10) more states in the intervening years. Although there has been considerable research on the influence of right-to-work laws on union density, organizing efforts, industrial development and some study of wage differences, there has been no examination of the legislations’ effect on business and economic conditions across states. In this paper, the average differences in business conditions, personal income, and employment across states that have enacted right-to-work laws versus those that do not have this legislation are examined using a Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA). Our most notable result is the finding that although right-to-work states may be more attractive to business, this does not necessarily translate into enhanced economic viability for all sectors in the right-to-work state. Not only are personal income and employment lower, but there are no significant differences in the number of firms and business formations between right-to-work and non-right-to-work states.
Pure Samples of Quark and Gluon Jets at the LHC

Having pure samples of quark and gluon jets would greatly facilitate the study of jet properties and substructure, with many potential standard model and new physics applications. To this end, we consider multijet and jets + X samples, to determine the purity that can be achieved by simple kinematic cuts leaving reasonable production cross sections. We find, for example, that at the 7TeV LHC, the pp → γ+2jets sample can provide 98% pure quarkjets with 200 GeV of transverse momentum and a cross section of 5 pb. Toget 10 pb of 200 GeV jets with 90% gluon purity, the pp → 3jets sample can be used. b+2jets is also useful for gluons, but only if the b-tagging is very efficient.
On the Transaction Cost Determinants of Vertical Integration

The transaction cost approach to the organization of firms has been among the most significant advances in industrial organization in the last 25 years. Much of this work has taken the transaction cost economics view of Williamson (1975, 1979, 1985) and Klein, Crawford, and Alchian (1978) in which high levels of quasi-rents are taken to increase the likelihood of vertical integration. More recently, however, the more formal property rights theory of Grossman and Hart (1986) and Hart and Moore (1990) has received considerable attention as a theory of integration. This article explores the predictions of property rights theory to assess what the extensive supporting evidence on transaction cost economics tells us about the property rights theory’s empirical relevance. The article concludes that this evidence sheds little light on the relevance of the property rights theory and discusses how we might try to learn more.
New measurements of cosmic infrared background fluctuations from early epochs

Cosmic infrared background fluctuations may contain a measurable contribution from objects inaccessible to current telescopic studies, such as the first stars and other luminous objects in the first gigayear of the universe's evolution. In an attempt to uncover this contribution, we have analyzed the GOODS data obtained with the Spitzer Infrared Array Camera (IRAC). These data are deeper and cover larger scales than the Spitzer data that we have previously analyzed. Here we report these new measurements of the cosmic infrared background fluctuations remaining after removing cosmic sources to fainter levels than before. The remaining anisotropies on scales ~0.5'-10' have a significant clustering component with a low shot-noise contribution. We show that these fluctuations cannot be accounted for by instrumental effects or by the solar system and Galactic foreground emissions and that they must arise from extragalactic sources.
Study of Phase Relationships within the MgO‐CuO‐Cu2O‐P2O5 System

The formation of the known compound Cu + Cu 2+ Mg 3 (PO 4 ) 3 by alternate reactions and its thermal stability were studied. The formation of solid solutions of the types Mg 2-x Cu x P 2 O 7 and Mg 3-x Cu x (PO 4 ) 2 was reexamined, mainly to aid in the identification of the products of decomposition of Cu + Cu 2+ Mg 3 (PO 4 ) 3 . X-ray diffractometry patterns of Mg 2-x Cu x P 2 O 7 varied gradually in the range 0 ≤ x ≤ 2, which indicates complete miscibility.
Participation of high-risk subjects in colon cancer screening.

Abstract Siblings of colorectal cancer patients are estimated to be three times more likely to develop colorectal cancer. Although these high-risk siblings are appropriate candidates for colon cancer screening, the factors that affect their participation in screening programs are not known. A study was conducted to examine the factors that might influence participation in fecal occult blood test (FOBT) screening by high-risk siblings of recently diagnosed colon cancer patients and nonhigh-risk control siblings. Siblings were mailed a sample FOBT card, a letter informing them of their risk status, and an invitation to participate in the FOBT screening program. They were later interviewed by telephone about their intention to participate in FOBT screening. FOBT cards were returned by 52.2% of high-risk siblings compared with 37.7% of control siblings (P less than 0.005). Only 24.8% of the cancer siblings thought they were more likely to get colon cancer compared with others their own age, and 27.8% thought they were less likely. Perceived risk of cancer and demographic and health-related factors did not predict compliance beyond membership in the high-risk group. Siblings of colon cancer patients are more likely to participate in screening, and efforts to screen them could have a substantial impact on colorectal cancer. More work is needed to identify the factors responsible for compliance so that effective interventions can be developed.
A Stochastic Solution Concept for n-Person Games

Let X be a set of outcomes among which a set of N players, each having a preference relation on X, must choose. Let v: 2N\/O} → 2X be a game in generalized characteristic function form, where vC denotes the set of outcomes that a coalition C can guarantee its members regardless of actions by players outside of C. By letting cx, y denote the number of minimal coalitions via which y is directly accessible from x, a Markov chain model of outcome selection is developed. By establishing convergence results for both finite and spatial X ⊆ Rm outcome cases, a probability measure on X is obtained and referred to as the stochastic solution of the game. After presenting some initial results on the dependence of the stochastic solution on the initial outcome distribution, it is shown under reasonable assumptions that a strong core, if it exists, must occur with probability one. Generally, the results obtained have natural interpretations and proofs using the language and theory of Markov chains. Finally, some examples and previous experimental results are considered in terms of the model. Stochastic solution values obtained and their agreement with available experimental values appear to be very encouraging.
Critical examination of cohesive-zone models in the theory of dynamic fracture

Abstract We have examined a class of cohesive-zone models of dynamic mode-I fracture, looking both at steady-state crack propagation and its stability against out-of-plane perturbations. Our work is an extension of that of Ching, Langer and Nakanishi (CLN), who studied a non-dissipative version of this model and reported strong instability at all non-zero crack speeds. We have reformulated the CLN theory and have discovered, surprisingly, that their model is mathematically ill-posed. In an attempt to correct this difficulty and to construct models that might exhibit realistic behavior, we have extended the CLN analysis to include dissipative mechanisms within the cohesive zone. We have succeeded to some extent in finding mathematically well posed systems; and we even have found a class of models for which a transition from stability to instability may occur at a nonzero crack speed via a Hopf bifurcation at a finite wavelength of the applied perturbation. However, our general conclusion is that these cohesive-zone models are inherently unsatisfactory for use in dynamical studies. They are extremely difficult mathematically, and they seem to be highly sensitive to details that ought to be physically unimportant.
Synthetic studies on morphine: Racemization of biaryl intermediates

Abstract Benzofuroisoquinolines, projected intermediates for the synthesis of morphine, are racemized by ring opening to 8,9-dibenzo-4,5-dihydro-6,7-pyrido[4,3-d]oxanin-3(2H)-ones.
Edge-adaptive JPEG image compression

Digital image compression algorithms have become increasingly popular due to the need to achieve cost-effective solutions in transmitting and storing images. In order to meet various transmission and storage requirements, the compression algorithm should allow a range of compression ratios, thus providing images of different visual quality. This paper presents a modified JPEG algorithm that provides better visual quality than the Q-factor scaling method commonly used with JPEG implementations. The quantization step sizes are adapted to the activity level of the block, and the activity selection is based on an edge-driven quadtree decomposition of the image. This technique achieves higher visual quality than standard JPEG compression at the same bit rate.© (1996) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
1-Vinylazulene aus 1-Azulenylmethylen-triphenylphosphoran

Die Umsetzung von Aldehyden mit dem Ylid aus 1-Azulenylmethyl-triphenylphosphoniumjodid (2) in Benzol oder Dimethylformamid (DMF) liefert 1-Vinylazulene. Cis- und trans-1-Styrylazulene werden mit Benzaldehyd sowie mit anderen Aldehyden erhalten, wenn das Ylid mit Phenyllithium in DMF hergestellt wird. Bei der Reaktion mit Ketonen in DMF und N, N-Dimethylacetamid (DMA) entsteht nur 1-Methylazulen. Diese Ergebnisse sowie die Spektren der Vinylazulene werden diskutiert. 1′-Substituierte Vinylazulene konnten nach dieser Methode nicht hergestellt werden. Bei Einwirkung elektrophiler Reagenzien auf 1-Styrylazulene wird beobachtet: Substitution in 3-Stellung, cis-trans-Isomerisierung und Polymerisation. Einfache Addition an der Vinylgruppe findet nicht statt. 1-Vinylazulenes from 1-Azulenylmethylenetriphenylphosphorane The reaction of aldehydes with the ylid from 1-azulenylmethyltriphenylphosphonium iodide (2) in benzene or dimethylformamide (DMF) yields 1-vinylazulenes. Cis- and trans-1-styrylazulene were obtained with benzaldehyde, and with other aldehydes if the ylid was formed with phenyllithium in DMF. With ketones in DMF or N, N-dimethylacetamide (DMA) 1-methylazulene was the only product. These results and the spectra of the vinylazulenes are discussed. Attempts to prepare 1′-substituted vinylazulenes by this method failed. Reactions of 1-styrylazulene with electrophilic reagents gave 3-substitution, and/or isomerization of the cis to the trans isomer, plus polymerization. No simple addition to the vinyl double bond was observed.
Synthesis of the oxazole- and diene-containing C9–C23 fragment of the type a streptogramin antibiotics

Abstract The right-hand portion (3) of the type A streptogramin antibiotics was synthesized in non-racemic form through use of a Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons reaction for diene construction, an asymmetric aldol condensation, and a zinc-promoted oxazole addition reaction.
Molecular Dynamics Simulations of Polyelectrolyte-Polyampholyte Complexes. Effect of Solvent Quality and Salt Concentration

Complexation between polyelectrolyte and polyampholyte chains in poor solvent conditions for the polyelectrolyte backbone has been studied by molecular dynamics simulations. In a poor solvent a polyelectrolyte forms a necklace-like structure consisting of polymeric globules (beads) connected by strings of monomers. The simulation results can be explained by assuming the existence of two different mechanisms leading to the necklace formation. In the case of weak electrostatic interactions, the necklace formation is driven by optimization of short-range monomer-monomer attraction and electrostatic repulsion between charged monomers on the polymer backbone. In the case of strong electrostatic interactions, the necklace structure appears as a result of counterion condensation. While the short-range attractions between monomers are still important, the correlation-induced attraction between condensed counterions and charged monomers and electrostatic repulsion between uncompensated charges provide significant contribution to optimization of the necklace structure. Upon forming a complex with both random and diblock polyampholytes, a polyelectrolyte chain changes its necklace conformation by forming one huge bead. The collapse of the polyelectrolyte chain occurs due to the neutralization of the polyelectrolyte charge by polyampholytes. In the case of the random polyampholyte, the more positively charged sections of the chain mix with negatively charged polyelectrolyte forming the globular bead while more negatively charged chain sections form loops surrounding the collapsed core of the aggregate. In the case of diblock polyampholyte, the positively charged block, a part of the negatively charged block, and a polyelectrolyte chain form a core of the aggregate with a substantial section of the negatively charged block sticking out from the collapsed core of the aggregate. In both cases the core of the aggregate has a layered structure that is characterized by the variations in the excess of concentration of monomers belonging to polyampholyte and polyelectrolyte chains throughout the core radius. These structures appear as a result of optimization of the net electrostatic energy of the complex and short-range attractive interactions between monomers of the polyelectrolyte chain.
Derivation of invariant scene characteristics from images

To us, vision is an immediate experience, not subject to careful introspection. We cannot write down protocols of processing steps that lie between the raw image intensities and our vivid impression of the surrounding scenery. Furthermore, we find ourselves in possession of this faculty long before we learn to master the more sequential processing tasks involved in the use of language, for example. Consequently, the difficulties of the vision process are often not appreciated. This is as true today, when many inroads have been made on the problem of understanding this process, as it was earlier when it was thought that vision could be understood simply in terms of some general ideas of artificial intelligence.
Generation of Launch Vehicle Abort Trajectories Using a Hybrid Optimization Method

Modifications and extensions to a recently developed hybrid numerical–analytical method for optimization of future launch vehicles are presented, to allow for the real time generation of abort trajectories. A set of terminal constraints is formulated that targets an entry condition for the abort case and allows the vehicle to attach tangentially to a nominal entry path. The trajectories are optimal in the sense of maximizing terminal energy. In addition, the algorithm has been extended to include path constraints on both angle of attack and q ·α. A second issue addressed concerns the possibility of singular arcs, both for nominal ascent and aborts. It is proven that such arcs are not feasible, both within the atmosphere and in vacuum, when the control variables consist of body attitude and throttle. Finally, numerical results for different abort scenarios using a single-stage vehicle model illustrate both the capabilities and some of the deficiencies of the approach.
Teacher Practical Knowledge in Restructured High Schools.

Abstract The extent to which teacher practical knowledge (TPK) was student centered and practiced school-wide in three high schools nationally recognized as pioneers in school restructuring was assessed. Ten teachers reputed for their student-centered pedagogy in each school were interviewed to collect data on TPK. Randomly selected, matched pairs of teachers and their students were surveyed to determine schoolwide agreement on TPK. Smallwood had 60% schoolwide agreement, Fairview 30%, and Bluehill 26%. A national panel of experts then used a 5-point Likert-type scale to assess TPK items according to student-centered pedagogical criteria. Smallwood High School data were analyzed as moderately student centered (3.67), followed by Fairview (3.50) and Bluehill (3.15). Teacher practical knowledge in these schools may have been a by-product of the contexts within which restructuring occurred. The findings indicated that the pedagogy practiced in Fairview and Bluehill may differ little from that of typical subu...
Simulation of the behavior of supported metal catalysts in real reaction atmospheres by means of model catalysts

Abstract Model catalysts formed of small crystallites of Ni, Co, or Fe supported on thin, electron transparent films of nonporous alumina were heated in chemical atmospheres having compositions in the range encountered in the steam-reforming reaction. Electron microscopy and electron diffraction were used to investigate the physical and chemical changes that occurred. For a better understanding of the phenomena involved, the effect of the mixture is compared to the effects caused by the individual components and by their combinations. It is shown that, depending upon the nature of the catalyst as well as upon the composition of the mixture, sintering or/and coking can occur much more rapidly in mixtures than in single-component atmospheres. This suggests that a cooperative action of the reaction components is the cause of the early deactivation of the steam-reforming catalysts. Various phenomena such as carbon deposition (as films or patches on the surface of the catalyst and on the substrate or as filaments), deformation of the crystallites, severe sintering, and permanent loss of metal to the gas stream were observed. Explanations are provided for the behavior of the Ni Al 2 O 3 , Co Al 2 O 3 , and Fe Al 2 O 3 catalysts, in various atmospheres, by considering the competition between carbon deposition and its gasification, as well as the strength of the interactions between crystallites and substrate. Two kinds of filaments were observed: carbonaceous filaments and metal oxide filaments which probably contain some carbon. A thermodynamic condition for the formation of filamentous carbon is suggested. If the sum of the interfacial free energies between carbon and crystallite, and carbon and substrate is smaller than that between crystallite and substrate, then carbon could penetrate between crystallites and substrate and filaments would be generated. Indeed, carbonaceous filaments were identified only when the catalyst particles were present as metals. In such cases, the interfacial free energy between the metal crystallite and alumina is much greater than that between the oxidized metal and alumina and the above thermodynamic condition is more likely to be satisfied. Permanent loss of active metal to the gas stream occurred, either because of the disintegration of the crystallites caused by carbon precipitation inside the particles, and/or possibly because of the formation of volatile Carbonyls.
The disaggregated technology production function: A new model of university and corporate research

Abstract Technology and the process that produces it, research and development (R&D), are typically characterized as homogeneous entities. In reality, the typical industrial technology is composed of three elements: a generic technology base, supporting infratechnologies, and proprietary market applications (innovations). The first two have public good characteristics, and therefore, explicitly modeling them is essential for public policy purposes. The fundamental relationships among these elements require a technology production function that captures the supporting roles of the public good elements in creating proprietary applied technology. These critical quasi-public technology goods are supplied to a significant extent by exogenous (external) sources: central corporate research labs, government labs, and increasingly, universities. The expanding university role beyond basic research complicates the structure and functioning of the national R&D establishment and increases the need for a more accurate model of technological change to better inform R&D policy. Moreover, in assessing the resulting applied technology's impact on economic growth, both the general and partial equilibrium literatures enter the technology variable into a production function with the common “production” assets (physical capital and labor). Such models obscure an important distinction between technology and these production assets—namely, the fact that technology is primarily a “demand-shifting” asset. As such, its role is correctly specified only when combined with the other major demand-shifting asset, marketing. Allocations to these two assets vary across competing firms implying a spatial model of competition, while still providing traceability to the exogenous sources of public good technology elements, such as universities.
Chemical Kinetic and Thermal Aspects of Cellular Premixed Flames

Abstract The behavior of stationary and rotating polyhedral Bunsen flames of butane/air under systematic thermal and chemical modification of the reactive mixture is experimentally investigated. As the concentrations of additives CF3Br, N2 and O2 are gradually increased in the combustible mixture, the variation of the temperature in the trough and crest regions of the polyhedral flames is examined. It is found that addition of 0.36 (5.0) molar percentage of CF2 Br (N2) completely removes the cellular structure of the polyhedral flame. Also, in butane/air mixtures at different velocity, the critical temperatures corresponding to the onset of cell formation are found to be nearly identical. The results suggest that in conjunction to the hydrodynamics and thermodiffusive flame instability mechanisms, chemical-kinetic effects also play some role in the formation, amplification or sustenance of cellular flame structures. The observations are consistent with the recent flame stability theories which are based o...
Unified Model for Gas-Liquid Pipe Flow via Slug Dynamics—Part 2: Model Validation

In Zhang et al. [1], a unified hydrodynamic model is developed for prediction of gas-liquid (co-current) pipe flow behavior based on slug dynamics. In this study, the new model is validated with extensive experimental data acquired with different pipe diameters, inclination angles, fluid physical properties, gas-liquid flow rates and flow patterns. Good agreement is observed in every aspect of the two-phase pipe flow.
Multi-attribute tradespace exploration for survivability

Multi-attribute tradespace exploration for survivability is a system design and analysis methodology that incorporates survivability considerations into the tradespace exploration process (i.e., a solution-generating and decision-making framework that applies decision theory to model-based design). During the concept-generation phase of tradespace exploration, the methodology applies 17 empirically validated survivability design principles spanning susceptibility reduction, vulnerability reduction, and resilience enhancement. During subsequent concept evaluation, the methodology adds value-based survivability metrics to traditional architectural evaluation criteria of mission utility and life-cycle cost. Applied to a satellite radar mission, the methodology allowed operational survivability to be statistically evaluated across representative distributions of naturally occurring disturbances in the space environment and for survivability to be incorporated as a decision factor earlier in the design process...
Stabilization of the Hot-Electron Precessional Mode in a Symmetric Tandem Mirror by the Axial Variation of Radial Electric Field

The stability of the hot-electron precessional mode is investigated in the presence of a relative Earrow x Barrow precession between the end cell and the center cell, which is inherent to the tandem-mirror concept. It is found that a positive radial electric field in the end cell is favorable to stability. Under normal conditions, the stability of a hot-electron symmetric tandem mirror is not worse than a quadrupole tandem mirror with the same relative Earrow x Barrow precession.
The impact of soil reflectance on the quantification of the green vegetation fraction from NDVI

The green vegetation fraction (Fg) is an important climate and hydrologic model parameter. A common method to calculate Fg is to create a simple linear mixing rnodeP between two NDVI endmembers: bare soil NDVI (NDVI(sub o)) and full vegetation NDVI (NDVI(sub infinity)). Usually it is assumed that NDVI(sub o), is close to zero (NDVI(sub o) approx.-0.05) and is generally chosen from the lowest observed NDVI values. However, the mean soil NDVI computed from 2906 samples is much larger (NDVI=0.2) and is highly variable (standard deviation=O. 1). We show that the underestimation of NDVI(sub o) yields overestimations of Fg. The largest errors occur in grassland and shrubland areas. Using parameters for NDVI(sub o) and NDVI(sub infinity) derived from global scenes yields overestimations of Fg ((Delta) Fg*) that are larger than 0.2 for the majority of U.S. land cover types when pixel NDVI values are 0.2<NDVI(sub pixel)<0.4. Figure 1 shows how the Fg overestimation varies for the most common land cover types in the conterminous U.S. for typical seasonal NDVI values. When using conterminous U.S. scenes to derive NDV(sub o) and NDVI(sub infinity), the overestimation is less (0.10-0.17 for 0.2<NDVI(sub pixel)<0.4). As a result, parts of the conterminous U.S. are affected at different times of the year depending on the local seasonal NDVI cycle. We propose using global databases of NDVI(sub o) along with information on historical NDVI(sub pixel) values to compute a statistically most-likely estimate of Fg (Fg*). Using in situ measurements made at the Sevilleta LTER, we show that this approach yields better estimates of Fg than using global invariant NDVI(sub o) values estimated from whole scenes (Figure 2). At the two studied sites, the Fg estimate was adjusted by 52% at the grassland and 86% at the shrubland. More significant advances will require information on spatial distribution of soil reflectance.
Managing multiple vital rates to maximize greater sage‐grouse population growth

Despite decades of field research on greater sage-grouse, range-wide demographic data have yet to be synthesized into a sensitivity analysis to guide management actions. We reviewed range-wide demographic rates for greater sage-grouse from 1938 to 2011 and used data from 50 studies to parameterize a 2-stage, female-based population matrix model. We conducted life-stage simulation analyses to determine the proportion of variation in population growth rate (λ) accounted for by each vital rate, and we calculated analytical sensitivity, elasticity, and variance-stabilized sensitivity to identify the contribution of each vital rate to λ. As expected for an upland game bird, greater sage-grouse showed marked annual and geographic variation in several vital rates. Three rates were demonstrably important for population growth: female survival, chick survival, and nest success. Female survival and chick survival, in that order, had the most influence on λ per unit change in vital rates. However, nest success explained more of the variation in λ than did the survival rates. In lieu of quantitative data on specific mortality factors driving local populations, we recommend that management efforts for greater sage-grouse first focus on increasing female survival by restoring large, intact sagebrush-steppe landscapes, reducing persistent sources of human-caused mortality, and eliminating anthropogenic habitat features that subsidize species that prey on juvenile, yearling, and adult females. Our analysis also supports efforts to increase chick survival and nest success by eliminating anthropogenic habitat features that subsidize chick and nest predators, and by managing shrub, forb, and grass cover, height, and composition to meet local brood-rearing and nesting habitat guidelines. We caution that habitat management to increase chick survival and nest success should not reduce the cover or height of sagebrush below that required for female survival in other seasons (e.g., fall, winter). The success or failure of management actions for sage-grouse should be assessed by measuring changes in vital rates over long time periods to avoid confounding with natural, annual variation. © 2011 The Wildlife Society.
Strained silacycles in organic synthesis: the tandem aldol-allylation reaction.

Allyl(crotyl)enolsilanes, when constrained in a five-membered ring with a 1,2-diol, react with aldehydes in a tandem aldol−allylation reaction to give polyketide fragments. These experimentally trivial and efficient reactions establish two new carbon−carbon bonds and up to four new stereocenters. The silane reagents, which owe their reactivity to strain release Lewis acidity, are easily prepared and stable to storage.
Estimates of Invariant Metrics on Pseudoconvex Domains Near Boundaries with Constant Levi Ranks

Estimates of the Bergman kernel and the Bergman and Kobayashi metrics on pseudoconvex domains near boundaries with constant Levi ranks are given. As a consequence, a characterization of Levi-flatness in terms of boundary behavior of the Bergman and Kobayashi metrics is obtained.
Positivity aspects of the Fantappie transform

A Hilbert space approach to the classical Fantappie transform, based on the concept of Gel'fand triples of locally convex spaces, leads to a novel proof of Martineau-Aizenberg duality theorem. A study of Fantappie transforms of positive measures on the unit ball inC n relates ideas of realization theory of multivariate linear systems, locally convex duality and pluripotential theory. This is applied to obtain von Neumann type estimates on the joint numerical range of tuples of Hilbert space operators.
Zeolites from a Materials Chemistry Perspective

Zeolites and zeolite-like materials are continually finding new applications. Because of the uniformity of these solids, the expression of macroscale materials properties that are controlled by the materials chemistry at the atomic/molecular scale are achievable. In this Perspective, I discuss the following areas of current interest in zeolites and zeolite-like materials that rely on manipulation of the materials chemistry for their preparation and provide new opportunities for application: (i) exploitation of organic structure-directing agents (SDAs) for new materials, (ii) the synthesis of zeolites without SDAs, (iii) the synthesis of very hydrophobic materials, (iv) conversions of two-dimensional (2D) to 3D materials and vice versa, (v) hierarchically organized materials, (vi) chiral materials, and (vii) direction of tetrahedral atoms to specific framework positions.
Au(III)-Catalyzed Tandem Amination–Hydration of Alkynes: Synthesis of α-(N-2-Pyridonyl)ketones

A new Au(III)-catalyzed tandem amination–hydration reaction has been discovered, leading to the formation of α-(N-2-pyridonyl)ketones and heterocyclic analogues in good to excellent yields (14 examples, 48–90%). This reaction demonstrates the unusual use of a heterocyclic sp2 nitrogen nucleophile in a gold-catalyzed 6-endo-dig cyclization. The tandem process allows rapid access to α-(N-2-pyridonyl)ketones, making them a convenient building block for the synthesis of more complex N-alkyl pyridone targets.
Learning in the Presence of Finitely or Infinitely Many Irrelevant Attributes

This paper addresses the problem of learning boolean functions in query and mistake-bound models in the presence of irrelevant attributes. In learning a concept, a learner may observe a great many more attributes than those that the concept depends upon, and in some sense the presence of extra, irrelevant attributes does not change the underlying concept being learned. Because of this, we are interested not only in the learnability of concept classes, but also in whether the classes can be learned by an algorithm that is attribute-efficient in that the dependence of the mistake bound (or number of queries) on the number of irrelevant attributes is low. The results presented here apply to projection and embedding-closed (p.e.c.) concept classes. We show that if a p.e.c. class is learnable attribute-efficiently in the mistake-bound model, then it is learnable in the infinite-attribute mistake-bound model as well. We show in addition how to convert any algorithm that learns a p.e.c. dass in the mistake-bound model with membership queries into an algorithm that learns the class attribute-efficiently in that model, or even in the infinite attribute version. In the membership query only model we show that learnability does not always imply attribute-efficient learnability for deterministic algorithms. However, we describe a large class of functions, including the set of monotone functions, for which learnability does imply attribute-efficient learnability in this model.
Studies of the tandem Mukaiyama aldol-lactonization (TMAL) reaction: A concise and highly diastereoselective route to β-lactones applied to the total synthesis of the potent pancreatic lipase inhibitor, (−)-Panclicin D

Abstract A concise and highly diastereoselective route to β-lactones has been developed based on a tandem Mukaiyama aldol-lactonization employing thiopyridylsilylketene acetals and various aldehydes. (−)-Panclicin D, a potent pancreatic lipase inhibitor, was synthesized using this methodology. Recent optimization and extensions of this method are described which include variation of the silyl group and leaving group of the ketene acetal.
Industry product market competition and managerial incentives

Abstract While some studies suggest that industry product market competition can substitute for managerial incentives, other studies suggest a complementary relation. The underlying assumption behind these studies is that competition can be uni-dimensionally proxied for by industry concentration. However, recent studies suggest that competition can reflect several dimensions: product substitutability, market size, and entry costs, given the level of industry concentration. Using these determinants of competition, this study contributes to the literature by showing that (a) firms provide stronger incentives when industry competition is greater, (b) competition is multi-dimensional in its relation to incentives; and (c) industry characteristics play a major role in influencing incentives.
SnoopIB: interval-based event specification and detection for active databases

Detection-based semantics does not differentiate between event detection and event occurrence and has been used for detecting events in most of the active systems that support Event-Condition-Action rules. However, this is a limitation for many applications that require interval-based semantics. In this article, we formalize the detection of Snoop (an event specification language) event operators using interval-based semantics (termed SnoopIB) in various event consumption modes. We show how events are detected using event detection graphs, and present a few representative algorithms to detect SnoopIB operators and comment on their implementation in the context of Sentinel-an active object-oriented DBMS.
Signaling in Sensor Networks for Sequential Detection

Sequential detection problems in sensor networks are considered. The true state of nature/true hypothesis is modeled as a binary random variable $H$ with known prior distribution. There are $N$ sensors making noisy observations about the hypothesis; ${\cal N}=\{1,2,\ldots,N\}$ denotes the set of sensors. Sensor $i$ can receive messages from a subset ${\cal P}^{i}\subset{\cal N} $ of sensors and send a message to a subset ${\cal C}^{i}\subset{\cal N} $ . Each sensor is faced with a stopping problem. At each time $t$ , based on the observations, it has taken so far and the messages it may have received, sensor $i$ can decide to stop and communicate a binary decision to the sensors in ${\cal C}^{i} $ , or it can continue taking observations and receiving messages. After sensor ${i} $ 's binary decision has been sent, it becomes inactive. Sensors incur operational costs (cost of taking observations, communication costs, etc.) while they are active. In addition, the system incurs a terminal cost that depends on the true hypothesis $H$ , the sensors' binary decisions, and their stopping times. The objective is to determine decision strategies for all sensors to minimize the total expected cost. Even though sensors only communicate their final decisions, there is implicit communication every time a sensor decides not to stop. This implicit communication through decisions is referred to as signaling. The general communication structure results in complex signaling opportunities in our problem. Despite the generality of our model and the complexity of signaling involved, it is shown that the a sensor's posterior belief on the hypothesis (conditioned on its observations and received messages) and its received messages constitute a sufficient statistic for decision making and that all signaling possibilities are effectively captured by a 4-threshold decision rule where the thresholds depend on received messages.
Metal-catalyzed ylide formation and [2,3] sigmatropic rearrangement of allyl sulfides with trimethylsilyldiazomethane

Abstract Trimethylsilyldiazomethane is compared with ethyl diazoacetate for the rhodium, copper, and cobalt catalyzed formation and [2,3] rearrangement of allylsulfonium ylides. At room temperature, the reaction can be carried out using the allyl sulfide as the limiting reagent by slow addition of 3 equivalents of the diazo compound. Slightly better yields were obtained with trimethylsilyldiazomethane than with ethyl diazoacetate.
Estimating the HOV Model with Technology Differences Using Disaggregated Labor Skills for the United States and the United Kingdom

The paper develops a version of the Heckscher–Ohlin–Vanek (HOV) theorem of parametric technological differences for application to US and UK data on the factor contents of trade, output, and consumption. A matched set of input–output tables, consumption and trade vectors, and labor occupations is constructed. The data allow estimation of factor-specific and industry-specific productivity differences for incorporation into a second-stage econometric approach to assessing the HOV model. The data support a general model with technical differences and measurement error. The implied ratio of US-to-UK expenditure levels exceeds the ratio based on published GNP data.
A symmetry result for strictly convex domains

Citation: Ramm, A. G. (2015). A symmetry result for strictly convex domains. Analysis, 35(1), 29-32. doi:10.1515/anly-2014-1257
Skin penetration and kinetics of pristine fullerenes (C60) topically exposed in industrial organic solvents

Pristine fullerenes (C60) in different solvents will be used in many industrial and pharmaceutical manufacturing and derivatizing processes. This report explores the impact of solvents on skin penetration of C60 from different types of industrial solvents (toluene, cyclohexane, chloroform and mineral oil). Yorkshire weanling pigs (n=3) were topically dosed with 500 microL of 200 microg/mL C60 in a given solvent for 24 h and re-dosed daily for 4 days to simulate the worst scenario in occupational exposures. The dose sites were tape-stripped and skin biopsies were taken after 26 tape-strips for quantitative analysis. When dosed in toluene, cyclohexane or chloroform, pristine fullerenes penetrated deeply into the stratum corneum, the primary barrier of skin. More C60 was detected in the stratum corneum when dosed in chloroform compared to toluene or cyclohexane. Fullerenes were not detected in the skin when dosed in mineral oil. This is the first direct evidence of solvent effects on the skin penetration of pristine fullerenes. The penetration of C60 into the stratum corneum was verified using isolated stratum corneum in vitro; the solvent effects on the stratum corneum absorption of C60 were consistent with those observed in vivo. In vitro flow-through diffusion cell experiments were conducted in pig skin and fullerenes were not detected in the receptor solutions by 24 h. The limit of detection was 0.001 microg/mL of fullerenes in 2 mL of the receptor solutions.
On the distribution of tariff and import quota revenues

There have been many studies on the difference btween tariffs and import quotas after the publication of Professor Bhagwati's paper [Bhagwati, 1965] on the issue. The purpose of this paper is to compare tariffs and import quotas from the aspect of distributing tariff and import quota revenues. 1 It will be shown that the private sector in a tariff imposing country can be better off if the tariff revenue is spent by the government rather than if it is redistributed to the private sector. However, this never happens in the case of import quotas. The private sector will always be worse off if' the import quota revenue is spent by the government rather than being redistributed to the private sector. 2 Another point demonstrated in this paper is that in a small open economy, the welfare of the private sector will be the same regardless of how the tariff revenue is spent by the government. This is not so under import quotas. The welfare of the private sector will be higher, the more the government spends import quota revenues on the exportable good. This study will be based on the offer curve approach [Meade, t952; Lerner, 1936]. In Figure I, the vertical axis and horizontal axis measure the importable good M and the exportable good X of the home country, respectively. OA is the free trade offer curve of the home country. Draw any international price line, Or. Od will be the domestic price tine after a given tariffrate (measured by DF/EF or JD/DC) is imposed. Suppose that all the tariff revenue is spent by the government on the exportable good (FD amount of good X). Then, F will be
Are Fundamentals Priced in the Bond Market

To date, the discussion of the Lev and Thiagarajan 1993 fundamentals in the prior literature has been exclusively in the context of the stock market. Our study is the first to examine the value-relevance of these fundamentals for default risk. By focusing on the market for new bond issues, we examine the value-relevance of the fundamental score using expected rather than realized returns. Also, by focusing on the bond market we provide a different perspective than that brought by prior studies relying solely on stock prices. We find the fundamentals to be priced in the market for new bond issues as indicators of expected future earnings and to be value-relevant in enabling the market to discern differences in bond credit quality over and above the published bond ratings.
Carbon nanotubes as intracellular protein transporters: generality and biological functionality

Various proteins adsorb spontaneously on the sidewalls of acid-oxidized single-walled carbon nanotubes. This simple nonspecific binding scheme can be used to afford noncovalent protein-nanotube conjugates. The proteins are found to be readily transported inside various mammalian cells with nanotubes acting as the transporter via the endocytosis pathway. Once released from the endosomes, the internalized protein-nanotube conjugates can enter into the cytoplasm of cells and perform biological functions, evidenced by apoptosis induction by transported cytochrome c. Carbon nanotubes represent a new class of molecular transporters potentially useful for future in vitro and in vivo protein delivery applications.