cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Organ Transplantation (Re)Examined

level. Anthropological analyses of organ transplantation could benefit from a broader, cross-cultural understanding of the body in death (Bloch and Parry 1982; Conklin 1995). Finally, Joralemon and Sharp do not take ethnographic accounts of transplantation to the next level; that is, they do not situate local practices in a web of broader socioeconomic forces. In fact, there is almost no mention of the enormously high cost of transplantation, nor its potential to create public policy chaos if the current high demand for transplant procedures is no longer kept in check by the supply-side constraint of organ availability. Who profits from and who is benefited by the transplant industry? These questions seem unavoidable in a discussion of commodification of body parts. Although the transplant community is described as engaged in manipulating ideologies, in fact health care providers, policy makers, and funders are curiously absent from these accounts. Yet there is little doubt that the "demand" for transplant is created by the commercially attractive promise of yet another technique for pushing back the boundary between life and death.
The Spectral Density Function for the Laplacian on High Tensor Powers of a Line Bundle

For a symplectic manifold with quantizing line bundle, a choice of almost complex structure determines a Laplacian acting on tensor powers of the bundle. For high tensor powers Guillemin–Uribe showed that there is a well-defined cluster of low-lying eigenvalues, whose distribution is described by a spectral density function. We give an explicit computation of the spectral density function, by constructing certain quasimodes on the associated principle bundle.
Large Eddy Simulation of Turbulent Heat Transfer in a Rotating Square Duct

Large eddy simulations of turbulent mixed convection heat transfer in a variable-property thermally developing rotating square duct are presented. A finite volume lower–upper symmetric Gauss–Seidel (LU-SGS) scheme coupled with time derivative preconditioning is used to simulate low Mach number compressible three-dimensional turbulent flow. A localized dynamic subgrid-scale (SGS) model is used to evaluate the unresolved stresses. Characteristic outflow conditions are employed so that the flow can develop further as it responds to the heating as well as rotating conditions. Several isothermal rotating duct cases were calculated and compared with previous DNS results to validate the numerical procedure. Then heated rotating ducts under constant wall heat flux are simulated. The wall heat flux is strong enough to cause the flow to separate in the outward mixed convections. A vanishing inviscid flux derivative method is designed to overcome the difficulty caused by the velocity reversal at the duct outlet when the flow separates. The Reynolds number varies from 4500 to 10,000; The rotation number changes from 0.0133 to 0.176; The Grashof number ranges from � 2.2 · 10 6 to 2.2 · 10 6 . Simulation of forced and mixed convection cases shows that the flow is strongly influenced by the Coriolis and centrifugal buoyancy forces through complex and delicate mechanisms.
Methodological considerations for global analysis of cellular FLIM/FRET measurements

Global algorithms can improve the analysis of fluorescence energy transfer (FRET) measurement based on fluorescence lifetime microscopy. However, global analysis of FRET data is also susceptible to experimental artifacts. This work examines several common artifacts and suggests remedial experimental protocols. Specifically, we examined the accuracy of different methods for instrument response extraction and propose an adaptive method based on the mean lifetime of fluorescent proteins. We further examined the effects of image segmentation and a priori constraints on the accuracy of lifetime extraction. Methods to test the applicability of global analysis on cellular data are proposed and demonstrated. The accuracy of global fitting degrades with lower photon count. By systematically tracking the effect of the minimum photon count on lifetime and FRET prefactors when carrying out global analysis, we demonstrate a correction procedure to recover the correct FRET parameters, allowing us to obtain protein interaction information even in dim cellular regions with photon counts as low as 100 per decay curve.
Virtual Repeated Implementation

We show that in the context of repeated implementation, any social choice rule which realizes all alternatives for a positive (yet arbitrarily small) amount of time is Nash implementable. The results complement those of the virtual implementation literature.
The main conjecture for CM elliptic curves at supersingular primes

At a prime of ordinary reduction, the Iwasawa "main conjecture" for elliptic curves relates a Selmer group to a p-adic L-function. In the supersingular case, the statement of the main conjecture is more complicated as neither the Selmer group nor the p-adic L-function is well-behaved. Recently Kobayashi discovered an equivalent formulation of the main conjecture at supersingular primes that is similar in structure to the ordinary case. Namely, Kobayashi's conjecture relates modified Selmer groups, which he defined, with modified padic L-functions defined by the first author. In this paper we prove Kobayashi's conjecture for elliptic curves with complex multiplication.
Flight Dynamics and Simulation of Laser Propelled Lightcraft

A seven degree-of-freedom (DOF) dynamic model was developed to provide insight into the flight behavior of Type 200 and other related Lightcraft, and to serve as a research tool for developing future engine-vehicle configurations for laser launching of nano-satellites (1–10+ kg). Accurate engine, beam, and aerodynamics models are included to improve the predictive capability of the 7-DOF code. The aerodynamic forces of lift, drag, and aerodynamic pitching moment were derived from Fluent computational fluid dynamics predictions, and calibrated against limited existing wind tunnel data. To facilitate 7-DOF model validation, simulation results are compared with video analysis of actual flights under comparable conditions. Despite current limitatations of the 7-DOF model, the results compared well with experimental flight trajectory data.
Securitization and Mortgage Renegotiation: Evidence from the Great Depression

We use loan-level data from the New York City metropolitan area to examine the extent to which lenders attempted to prevent foreclosures with concessionary modifications during the Great Depression. We find no principal forgiveness in the sample and only a handful of concessionary mortgage modifications of other types. Far more mortgages terminated through foreclosure than received any sort of concessionary modification. The results indicate that there are significant impediments to renegotiation of residential mortgages beyond securitization. As such, less renegotiation seems unlikely to be a major cost of securitization of residential mortgages. The Author 2011. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Society for Financial Studies. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com., Oxford University Press.
Development of Diamidophosphite Ligands and Their Application to the Palladium-Catalyzed Vinyl-Substituted Trimethylenemethane Asymmetric [3 + 2] Cycloaddition

A palladium-catalyzed asymmetric [3 + 2] cycloaddition of a vinyl-substituted trimethylenemethane (TMM) donor with α,β-unsaturated acyl imidazoles is described. A newly designed bisdiamidophosphite ligand derived from (S,S)-trans-1,2-cyclohexanediamine and (2R,4R)-pentanediol has been instrumental for the development of this process. This transformation generates tetrasubstituted cyclopentanes bearing three contiguous stereocenters in high yields, with good diastereo- and enantioselectivity.
Aerobic, Palladium-Catalyzed Dioxygenation of Alkenes Enabled by Catalytic Nitrite

Catalytic nitrite was found to enable carbon–oxygen bond-forming reductive elimination from unstable alkyl palladium intermediates, providing dioxygenated products from alkenes. A variety of functional groups were tolerated, and high yields (up to 94 %) were observed with many substrates, also for a multigram-scale reaction. Nitrogen dioxide, which could form from nitrite under the reaction conditions, was demonstrated to be a potential intermediate in the catalytic cycle. Furthermore, the reductive elimination event was probed with ^(18)O-labeling experiments, which demonstrated that both oxygen atoms in the difunctionalized products were derived from one molecule of acetic acid.
Extinction and Near-Extinction Instability of Non-Premixed Tubular Flames

Tubular non-premixed flames are formed by an opposed tubular burner, a new tool to study the effects of curvature on extinction and flame instability of non-premixed flames. Extinction of the opposed tubular flames generated by burning diluted H{sub 2}, CH{sub 4} or C{sub 3}H{sub 8} with air is investigated for both concave and convex curvature. To examine the effects of curvature on extinction, the critical fuel dilution ratios at extinction are measured at various stretch rates, initial mixture strengths and flame curvature for fuels diluted in N{sub 2}, He, Ar or CO{sub 2}. In addition, the onset conditions of the cellular instability are mapped as a function of stretch rates, initial mixture strengths, and flame curvature. For fuel mixtures with Lewis numbers much less than unity, such as H{sub 2}/N{sub 2}, concave flame curvature towards the fuel suppresses cellular instabilities. (author)
The External Auditor’s Role in Bank Regulation and Supervision: A Comparative Analysis Between the UK, Germany, Italy and the US (Second/Old Edition)

Up until 1989, there existed “the Big Eight” accountancy firms namely the eight major international accountancy firms, Arthur Young (AY), Ernst & Whinney (EW), Deloitte Haskins & Sells (DHS) ,Touche Ross (TR), Price Waterhouse, Coopers and Lybrand, Arthur Andersen and KPMG. At present, there remain only four; these four comprise of Ernst & Young, Deloitte & Touche, Pricewaterhouse Coopers and KPMG. Four of the Big Eight accounting firms merged to create two firms in 1989. The four firms consisted of Arthur Young (AY) and Ernst & Whinney (EW), which merged to form Ernst & Young (EY), and Deloitte Haskins & Sells (DHS) and Touche Ross (TR), which merged to form Deloitte & Touche (DT). This resulted in the “Big Six”. The merger between Price Waterhouse and Coopers & Lybrand which resulted in Pricewaterhouse Coopers and the Enron debacle which lead to Arthur Andersen being made defunct have resulted in the “the Big Four”. Whilst the existence of the present “Big Four” that is, Pricewaterhouse Coopers, KPMG, Ernst & Young and Deloitte & Touche, occurred mainly as a result of mergers between these accountancy firms, the demise of Arthur Andersen, its role in the collapse of Enron, and the devastating effects on so many lives, cannot be ignored.This publication considers through a comparative analysis of selected jurisdictions, how the external auditor can assist regulators in carrying out their regulatory and supervisory functions. It also considers how regulators could implement their supervisory and enforcement tools in addressing the issue of audit liability.
Performance Metrics for Electric Warship Integrated Engineering Plant Battle Damage Response

In military applications, it is important for a platform (warship, aircraft, etc.) or an installation (airbase, etc.) to maintain war-fighting ability after being damaged. In particular if the unit requires electric power, cooling, or other resources to perform its mission, then these resources must be available following a weapon detonation event. The integrated engineering plant (IEP) is responsible for providing these services to the mission-critical loads in a unit. Novel continuity-of-service metrics for IEPs are set forth herein. These metrics provide a means of predicting the average and worst-case level of service the plant can provide as well as the worst-case scenario over a class of disruptions. This provides a method of making meaningful comparisons between different designs. The computation and meaning of the proposed metrics are explored using a notional warship IEP.
Black Hole Entropy from Loop Quantum Gravity.

We study the idea that the statistical entropy governing thermal interactions of a black hole with its exterior is determined by the microstates of the hole having distinct effects on the exterior, and over which a hole in a given macroscopic configuration thermally fluctuates. We argue that for a (macroscopically) Schwarzschild black hole this ensemble is formed by horizons with the same area. We compute the number of states in this ensemble from first principles using nonperturbative loop quantum gravity. We obtain a statistical entropy proportional to the area, as in the Bekenstein-Hawking formula.
On the ergodic sum-rate performance of CDD in multi-user systems

The main focus of space-time coding design and analysis for MIMO systems has been so far focused on single-user systems. For single-user systems, transmit diversity schemes suffer a loss in spectral efficiency if the receiver is equipped with more than one antenna, making them unsuitable for high rate transmission. One such transmit diversity scheme is the cyclic delay diversity code (CDD). The advantage of CDD over other diversity schemes such as orthogonal space-time block codes (OSTBC) is that a code rate of one and delay optimality are achieved independent of the number of transmit antennas. In this work we analyze the ergodic rate of a multi-user multiple access channel (MAC) with each user applying such a cyclic delay diversity (CDD) code. We derive closed form expressions for the ergodic sum-rate of multi-user CDD and compare it with the sum-capacity. We study the ergodic rate region and show that in contrast to what is conventionally known regarding the single-user case, transmit diversity schemes are viable candidates for high rate transmission in multi-user systems. Finally, our theoretical findings are illustrated by numerical simulation results.
Sport, gender and society in a transatlantic Victorian perspective

Following the America Civil War (1861–1865) organized sport became a major vehicle for defining and acting out gender roles. This was especially so with regard to the middle class – a considerably broader category than was the case in Great Britain, the nation from which Americans derived many of their sporting practices. Much of what Americans read also was either of English origin or patterned after that country's journals and books. Tom Brown's Schooldays sold more copies than any book except Little Dorrit in 1858, and as late as 1893 David Copperfield, Jane Eyre and Charles Kingsley's Hypatia were among the 25 novels most frequently circulated by major American libraries. Many British authors who had visited the United States were of the opinion that the reason that American men paid their women ‘exaggerated chivalry’ was to compensate for the fact that ‘the female was not granted equality’ in a nation that boasted of being egalitarian. This lack of equality deeply troubled leaders of the American ‘wo...
Absenteeism and Beyond : Instructional Time Loss and Consequences

Studies have shown that learning outcomes are related to the amount of time students engage in learning tasks. However, visits to schools have revealed that students are often taught for only a fraction of the intended time, particularly in lower-income countries. Losses are due to informal school closures, teacher absenteeism, delays, early departures, and sub-optimal use of time in the classroom. A study was undertaken to develop an efficient methodology for measuring instructional time loss. Thus, instructional time use was measured in sampled schools in Tunisia, Morocco, Ghana, and the Brazilian state of Pernambuco. The percentage of time that students were engaged in learning vis-a-vis government expectations was approximately 39 percent in Ghana, 63 percent in Pernambuco, 71 percent in Morocco, and 78 percent in Tunisia. Instructional time use is a mediator variable that is challenging to measure, so it often escapes scrutiny. Research suggests that merely financing the ingredients of instruction is not enough to produce learning outcomes; students must also get sufficient time to process the information. The quantity-quality tradeoff that often accompanies large-scale enrollments may be partly due to instructional time restrictions. Time wastage also distorts budgetary outlays and teacher salary rates. To achieve the Millennium Development Goals students must get more of the time that governments, donors, and parents pay for.
Negative differential resistance in graphene-nanoribbon---carbon-nanotube crossbars: a first-principles multiterminal quantum transport study

We simulate quantum transport between a graphene nanoribbon (GNR) and a single-walled carbon nanotube (CNT) where electrons traverse vacuum gap between them. The GNR covers CNT over a nanoscale region while their relative rotation is 90?, thereby forming a four-terminal crossbar where the bias voltage is applied between CNT and GNR terminals. The CNT and GNR are chosen as either semiconducting (s) or metallic (m) based on whether their two-terminal conductance exhibits a gap as a function of the Fermi energy or not, respectively. We find nonlinear current-voltage (I---V) characteristics in all three investigated devices--mGNR-sCNT, sGNR-sCNT and mGNR-mCNT crossbars--which are asymmetric with respect to changing the bias voltage from positive to negative. Furthermore, the I---V characteristics of mGNR-sCNT crossbar exhibits negative differential resistance (NDR) with low onset voltage V NDR?0.25 V and peak-to-valley current ratio ?2.0. The overlap region of the crossbars contains only ?460 carbon and hydrogen atoms which paves the way for nanoelectronic devices ultrascaled well below the smallest horizontal length scale envisioned by the international technology roadmap for semiconductors. Our analysis is based on the nonequilibrium Green function formalism combined with density functional theory (NEGF-DFT), where we also provide an overview of recent extensions of NEGF-DFT framework (originally developed for two-terminal devices) to multiterminal devices.
Fault tolerant algorithms for broadcasting on the star graph network

Fault tolerant algorithms are presented for broadcasting on the star graph. In our algorithm, fault tolerance is achieved by constructing an isomorphism of the star network, such that the faulty nodes minimally disrupt the message passing sequence. It is shown that, in the presence of r(1/spl les/r/spl les/k-2) faults, at most r extra steps are required by our algorithm to perform a one-to-all broadcasting in the k-star network. Our algorithm has the same time complexity as an optimal broadcasting algorithm, and, since it takes advantage of the hierarchical nature of the star graph network, it can be implemented easily. Our algorithm can also be used to perform all-to-all broadcasting in a faulty star graph.
Four Facets of Privacy and Intellectual Freedom in Licensing Contracts for Electronic Journals

This is a study of the treatment of library patron privacy in licenses for electronic journals in academic libraries. We begin by distinguishing four facets of privacy and intellectual freedom based on the LIS and philosophical literature. Next, we perform a content analysis of 42 license agreements for electronic journals, focusing on terms for enforcing authorized use and collection and sharing of user data. We compare our findings to model licenses, to recommendations proposed in a recent treatise on licenses, and to our account of the four facets of intellectual freedom. We find important conflicts with each.
Alternating groups and moduli space lifting Invariants

The genus of a curve discretely separates decidely different alge- braic relations in two variables to focus us on the connected moduli space Mg. Yet, modern applications also require a data variable (function) on the curve. The resulting spaces are versions, depending on our needs for this data variable, of Hurwitz spaces. A Nielsen class (§1.1) consists of r � 3 conjugacy classes C in the data variable monodromy G. It generalizes the genus. Some Nielsen classes define connected spaces. To detect, however, the components of others requires further subtler invariants. We regard our Main Result (MR) as level 0 of Spin invariant information on moduli spaces. In the MR, G = An (the alternating group), r counts the data variable branch points and C = C3r is r repetitions of the 3-cycle conjugacy class. This Nielsen class defines two spaces called absolute and inner: H(An, C3r)abs of degree n, genus g = r (n 1) > 0 covers and H(An, C3r)in parametrizing Galois closures of such covers. The parity of a spin invariant precisely identifies the two components of each space. The inner result is the deeper. We examine the effect of combining the MR, (ArP05) and 1 -canonical classes on Mg. First: §5.2 considers an analog of a famous conjecture of Sha- farevich: With H the composite group of all Galois extensions K/Q with group some alternating group, does the canonical map GQ ! H have pro-free kernel. Second: Thm. 6.15 produces nonzero automorphic (�-null power) functions on the reduced Hurwitz spaces H+(An, C3r) abs,rd (resp. H (An, C3r) abs,rd ) when r is even (resp. odd), for either g = 1 or n � 12g + 4 .
Whistleblowing in Audit Firms: Organizational Response and Power Distance

ABSTRACT: This paper investigates auditors' likelihood to report observations of colleagues' unethical behavior. We consider whether two characteristics that are particularly relevant to the audit environment, prior organizational response and power distance, affect willingness to report. Data collected from 106 senior-level auditors suggest auditors are more likely to report on their peers than on their superiors, but they are more likely to report superiors when prior organizational response is strong than when it is weak. Additionally, men appear to be relatively less sensitive to variations in power distance or prior organization response than women. Moral intensity of the case is significantly related to reporting likelihood, and power distance moderates this effect such that those who perceive this scenario to be of lower moral intensity are much more influenced by power distance than are those who perceive it to be of high moral intensity. These results contribute to the existing literature on acco...
The Dallas school accountability and incentive program: an evaluation of its impacts on student outcomes

Consistent with the current emphasis on performance-based accountability in K-12 education, several states and a few local districts have introduced school-based incentive programs. This paper provides one of the few evaluations of the effects of such programs on student outcomes. Using a panel data set for schools in large Texas cities, it measures the gains in student performance in Dallas relative to those in other cities. It finds positive and relatively large effects for Hispanic and white seventh graders, but not for black students. Potentially positive effects also emerge for dropout rates and principal turnover rates.[ JEL I20] © 1998 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
The numerical frontier of the high-redshift Universe

The first stars are believed to have formed a few hundred million years after the big bang in so-called dark matter minihalos with masses $\sim 10^{6}\mbox{ M}_{\odot}$ . Their radiation lit up the Universe for the first time, and the supernova explosions that ended their brief lives enriched the intergalactic medium with the first heavy elements. Influenced by their feedback, the first galaxies assembled in halos with masses $\sim10^{8}\mbox{ M}_{\odot}$ , and hosted the first metal-enriched stellar populations. In this review, I summarize the theoretical progress made in the field of high-redshift star and galaxy formation since the turn of the millennium, with an emphasis on numerical simulations. These have become the method of choice to understand the multi-scale, multi-physics problem posed by structure formation in the early Universe. In the first part of the review, I focus on the formation of the first stars in minihalos - in particular the post-collapse phase, where disk fragmentation, protostellar evolution, and radiative feedback become important. I also discuss the influence of additional physical processes, such as magnetic fields and streaming velocities. In the second part of the review, I summarize the various feedback mechanisms exerted by the first stars, followed by a discussion of the first galaxies and the various physical processes that operate in them.
A Practical Protocol for Carbohydrate Microarrays

We have established a high-throughput biochip platform for constructing carbohydrate microarrays. Using this technology, carbohydrate-containing macromolecules of diverse structures, including polysaccharides, natural glycoconjugates, and mono- and oligosaccharides coupled to carrier molecules, can be stably immobilized on a glass chip without chemical modification. Here, we describe a practical protocol for this technology. We hope that anyone who has access to a standard cDNA microarray facility will be able to explore this technology for his or her own research interest. We also provide an example to illustrate that the carbohydrate microarray is also a discovery tool; this is particularly useful for identifying immunologic sugar moieties, including complex carbohydrates of cancer cells and sugar signatures of previously unrecognized microbial pathogens.
Data Volume and Power of Multiple Tests with Small Sample Size Per Null

In multiple hypothesis testing, the volume of data, defined as the number of replications per null times the total number of nulls, usually defines the amount of resource required. On the other hand, power is an important measure of performance for multiple testing. Due to practical constraints, the number of replications per null may not be large enough. For the case where the population fraction of false nulls is constant, we show that, as the difference between false and true nulls becomes increasingly subtle while the number of replications per null cannot increase fast enough: (1) in order to have enough chance that the data to be collected will yield some trustworthy findings, as measured by a conditional version of the positive false discovery rate (pFDR), the volume of data has to grow at a rate much faster than in the case where the number of replications per null can be large enough; and (2) in order to control the pFDR asymptotically, power has to decay to 0 in a rate highly sensitive to reject...
Metacarpophalangeal pattern profile analysis in clinical genetics: An applied anthropometric method

The hand is a complex anatomical structure with the component bones susceptible to a combination of environmental and genetic factors that may affect the bone length and width. The alterations may involve a single bone or specific group of bones. The metacarpophalangeal pattern profile (MCPP) developed by Poznanski, Garn, and others (Poznanski et al. Birth Defects VIII (5): 125-131, 1972) is a graphic representation of the relative lengthening and shortening of the 19 tubular bones of the hand useful for diagnosis, comparison of dissimilar patients, and gene carrier detection. The profile hand bone measurements are derived from posteroanterior hand radiographs and are standardized for age and sex. Specific profiles have been developed for several syndromes. Therefore, MCPP analysis has developed from a method of describing changes in the hand to a technique useful in assigning a diagnosis to a specific syndrome and evaluation of skeletal development. The current status of MCPP analysis in clinical genetics, particularly with the Prader-Labhart-Willi and Sotos syndromes, is discussed.
Strategic control in decision-making under uncertainty.

Complex economic decisions – whether investing money for retirement or purchasing some new electronic gadget – often involve uncertainty about the likely consequences of our choices. Critical for resolving that uncertainty are strategic meta-decision processes, which allow people to simplify complex decision problems, to evaluate outcomes against a variety of contexts, and to flexibly match behavior to changes in the environment. In recent years, substantial research implicates the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC) in the flexible control of behavior. However, nearly all such evidence comes from paradigms involving executive function or response selection, not complex decision making. Here, we review evidence that demonstrates that the dmPFC contributes to strategic control in complex decision making. This region contains a functional topography such that the posterior dmPFC supports response-related control while the anterior dmPFC supports strategic control. Activation in the anterior dmPFC signals changes in how a decision problem is represented, which in turn can shape computational processes elsewhere in the brain. Based on these findings, we argue both for generalized contributions of the dmPFC to cognitive control, and for specific computational roles for its subregions depending upon the task demands and context. We also contend that these strategic considerations are also likely to be critical for decision making in other domains, including interpersonal interactions in social settings.
Acid-doped polybenzimidazoles : a new polymer electrolyte

Polybenzimidazole films doped with phosphoric acid are being investigated as potential polymer electrolytes for use in hydrogen/air and direct methanol fuel cells. In this paper, we present experimental findings on the proton conductivity, water content, and methanol vapor permeability of this material, as well as preliminary fuel cell results. The low methanol vapor permeability of these electrolytes significantly reduces the adverse effects of methanol crossover typically observed in direct methanol polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells.
Immigration and International Trade: A Semiparametric Empirical Investigation

This paper examines the effect of immigration on the US trade flows. The model hypothesizes that immigration facilitates international trade with home countries by lowering transaction costs. Immigrants also demand products from their country of origin and thus stimulate trade. Using a panel data set we estimate a dynamic semiparametric fixed-effect model. The immigrant stock, a proxy for transaction costs, enters the model non-parametrically, whereas other variables enter the model log-linearly, as implied by the gravity model of international trade. To estimate this semiparametric model, we develop a new instrumental variable estimator with desirable asymptotic properties. The results indicate that the immigration effect on imports is positive for both finished and intermediate goods, but the effect on exports is positive only for finished goods. The findings supports the hypothesis that for finished goods where country specific information is crucial for trading, immigrants have a pro trade effect for ...
Metal-Catalyzed One-Pot Synthesis of Tetrazines Directly from Aliphatic Nitriles and Hydrazine

There is rapidly growing interest in the use of 1,2,4,5-tetrazines as bioorthogonal coupling agents.[1-3] Recent applications of tetrazine cycloadditions include intracellular small molecule imaging, genetically targeted protein tagging, post-synthetic DNA labeling, nanoparticle based clinical diagnostics, and in-vivo imaging.[4-7] In addition, tetrazines have seen significant use in materials science[8,9], coordination chemistry, [10,11] and specialty explosives research.[12,13] They are also valuable synthetic intermediates, and have been elegantly deployed on route to several natural product syntheses.[14-16] Despite the promise of tetrazines, the lack of convenient synthetic methods is a significant roadblock to their broader use and study by the scientific community.[17] Here we report that Lewis acid transition metal catalysts, most notably divalent nickel and zinc salts, can catalyze the formation of 1,2,4,5-tetrazines directly from nitriles. To our knowledge, this is the first method utilizing homogenous catalysis to directly synthesize tetrazines from a wide range of unactivated aliphatic nitriles and hydrazine. Symmetric and asymmetric tetrazines were conveniently prepared from multiple precursors including alkyl nitriles, aromatic nitriles, and formamidine salts. This methodology should greatly improve the accessibility of tetrazines and lead to further exploration of their applications, particularly with respect to bioorthogonal conjugations.
Development of intelligent robots: Achievements and issues

A flexible, intelligent robot is regarded as a general purpose machine system that may include effectors, sensors, computers, and auxiliary equipment and, like a human, can perform a variety of tasks under unpredictable conditions. Development of intelligent robots is essential for increasing the growth rate of today's robot population in industry and elsewhere. Robotics research and development topics include manipulation, end effectors, mobility, sensing (noncontact and contact), adaptive control, robot programming languages, and manufacturing process planning. Past achievements and current issues related to each of these topics are described briefly.
Adult BMI change and risk of Breast Cancer: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2005-2010.

Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer mortality among women in the developed world. This study assessed the association between occurrence of breast cancer and body mass index (BMI) change from age 25 to age closest to breast cancer diagnosis while exploring the modifying effects of demographic variables. The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data were used. Women included were ≥50 years, not pregnant and without a diagnosis of any cancer but breast. The total sample included 2895 women (172 with breast cancer and 2723 controls with no breast cancer diagnosis). Multivariate logistic regression was used to estimate the OR and 95 % CIs and interaction evaluated by including an interaction term in the model. Women whose BMI increased from normal or overweight to obese compared to those who remained at a normal BMI were found to have a 2 times higher odds (OR = 2.1; 95 % CI 1.11–3.79) of developing breast cancer. No significant association was observed for women who increased to overweight. However, a more pronounced association was observed in non-Hispanic black women (OR = 6.6; 95 % CI 1.68–25.86) and a significant association observed when they increased from normal to overweight (OR = 4.2; 95 % CI 1.02–17.75). Becoming obese after age 25 is associated with increased risk of breast cancer in women over 50 years old, with non-Hispanic black women being at greatest risk.
Higher-order electroweak corrections to the partial widths and branching ratios of the Z boson

Recently, the calculation of fermionic electroweak two-loop corrections to the total width of the Z boson and hadronic Z-peak cross-section in the Standard Model has been presented, where “fermionic” refers to diagrams with closed fermion loops. Here, these results are complemented by presenting contributions of the same order for the Z-boson partial widths, which are the last missing pieces for a complete description of Z-pole physics at the fermionic two-loop order. The definition of the relevant observables and the calculational techniques are described in detail. Numerical results are presented conveniently in terms of simple parametrization formulae. Finally, the remaining theoretical uncertainties from missing higher-order corrections are analyzed and found to be small compared to the current experimental errors.
On the usefulness of the constrained planning problem in a model of money

In this paper, we study a decentralized monetary economy with a specified set of markets, rules of trade, an equilibrium concept, and a restricted set of policies and derive a set of equilibrium (monetary) allocations generated by these policies. Next we set up a simpler constrained planning problem in which we restrict the planner to choose from a set that contains the set of equilibrium allocations in the decentralized economy. If there is a government policy that allows the decentralized economy to achieve the constrained planner's allocation, then it is the optimal policy choice. To illustrate the power of such analyses, we solve such planning problems in three monetary environments with limited communication. The upshot is that solving constrained planning problems is potentially an extremely “efficient” (easy and quick) way of deriving optimal policies for the corresponding decentralized economies.
25th Anniversary Article: MXenes: A New Family of Two‐Dimensional Materials

Recently a new, large family of two-dimensional (2D) early transition metal carbides and carbonitrides, called MXenes, was discovered. MXenes are produced by selective etching of the A element from the MAX phases, which are metallically conductive, layered solids connected by strong metallic, ionic, and covalent bonds, such as Ti2AlC, Ti3AlC2, and Ta4AlC3. MXenes ­combine the metallic conductivity of transition metal carbides with the hydrophilic nature of their hydroxyl or oxygen terminated surfaces. In essence, they behave as “conductive clays”. This article reviews progress—both ­experimental and theoretical—on their synthesis, structure, properties, intercalation, delamination, and potential applications. MXenes are expected to be good candidates for a host of applications. They have already shown promising performance in electrochemical energy storage systems. A detailed outlook for future research on MXenes is also presented.
Divide-and-Conquer Learning by Anchoring a Conical Hull

We reduce a broad class of fundamental machine learning problems, usually addressed by EM or sampling, to the problem of finding the k extreme rays spanning the conical hull of a1 data point set. These k "anchors" lead to a global solution and a more interpretable model that can even outperform EM and sampling on generalization error. To find the k anchors, we propose a novel divide-and-conquer learning scheme "DCA" that distributes the problem to O(k log k) same-type sub-problems on different low-D random hyperplanes, each can be solved independently by any existing solver. For the 2D sub-problem, we instead present a non-iterative solver that only needs to compute an array of cosine values and its max/min entries. DCA also provides a faster subroutine inside other algorithms to check whether a point is covered in a conical hull, and thus improves these algorithms by providing significant speedups. We apply our method to GMM, HMM, LDA, NMF and subspace clustering, then show its competitive performance and scalability over other methods on large datasets.
Royalty Rates and Upfront Fees in Share Contracts: Evidence from Franchising

This article provides evidence on the determinants of royalties and upfront fees in share contracts by examining how state franchise termination laws affect franchise contracts. The results are consistent with the joint hypothesis that the two-sided moral hazard model explains the terms in franchise contracts and that termination laws increase the relative importance of franchisor effort (due to the extra effort that is required to control system quality). I find that franchise companies that are headquartered in termination-law states charge significantly higher royalty rates than companies headquartered in other states (around 1% higher). Correspondingly, the initial franchise fees are lower for companies headquartered in termination states. Overall, franchisees appear to pay a higher price for franchises in states with protection laws. Consistent with a basic tenet of law and economics, price adjustments appear to offset at least some of the transfers that would otherwise be implied by the laws. Copyright 2002, Oxford University Press.
Robust adaptive regulation without persistent excitation

A globally convergent adaptive regulator for minimum or nonminimum phase systems subject to bounded disturbances is presented. The control strategy is designed for a particular input-output representation obtained from the state-space representation of the system. The leading coefficient of the novel representation is the product of the observability and controllability matrices of the system. The controller scheme uses a least-squares identification algorithm with a dead zone. The dead zone is chosen to obtain convergence properties on the estimates and on the covariance matrix as well. This allows the definition of modified estimates which secure well-conditioned matrices in the adaptive control law. Explicit bounds on the plant output are given. >
Analysis and Modeling of Advanced PIM Architecture Design Tradeoffs

A major trend in high performance computer architecture over the last two decades is the migration of memory in the form of high speed caches onto the microprocessor semiconductor die. Where temporal locality in the computation is high, caches prove very effective at hiding memory access latency and contention for communication resources. However where temporal locality is absent, caches may exhibit low hit rates resulting in poor operational efficiency. Vector computing exploiting pipelined arithmetic units and memory access address this challenge for certain forms of data access patterns, for example involving long contiguous data sets exhibiting high spatial locality. But for many advanced applications for science, technology, and national security at least some data access patterns are not consistent to the restricted forms well handled by either caches or vector processing. An important alternative is the reverse strategy; that of migrating logic in to the main memory (DRAM) and performing those operations directly on the data stored there. Processor in Memory (PIM) architecture has advanced to the point where it may fill this role and provide an important new mechanism for improving performance and efficiency of future supercomputers for a broad range of applications. One important project considering both the role of PIM in supercomputer architecture and the design of such PIM components is the Cray Cascade Project sponsored by the DARPA High Productivity Computing Program. Cascade is a Petaflops scale computer targeted for deployment at the end of the decade that merges the raw speed of an advanced custom vector architecture with the high memory bandwidth processing delivered by an innovative class of PIM architecture. The work represented here was performed under the Cascade project to explore critical design space issues that will determine the value of PIM in supercomputers and contribute to the optimization of its design. But this work also has strong relevance to hybrid systems comprising a combination of conventional microprocessors and advanced PIM based intelligent main memory.
What can we learn from the Dutch cannabis coffeeshop system

Aims To examine the empirical consequences of officially tolerated retail sales of cannabis in the Netherlands, and possibleimplicationsforthelegalizationdebate.Methods AvailableDutchdataontheprevalenceandpatternsof use, treatment, sanctioning, prices and purity for cannabis dating back to the 1970s are compared to similar indicators in Europe and the United States. Results The available evidence suggests that the prevalence of cannabis use among Dutch citizens rose and fell as the number of coffeeshops increased and later declined, but only modestly. The coffeeshops do not appear to encourage escalation into heavier use or lengthier using careers, although treatment rates for cannabis are higher than elsewhere in Europe. Scatterplot analyses suggest that Dutch patterns of use are very typical for Europe, and that the ‘separation of markets’ may indeed have somewhat weakened the link between cannabis use andtheuseof cocaineoramphetamines.Conclusions CannabisconsumptionintheNetherlandsislowerthanwould be expected in an unrestricted market, perhaps because cannabis prices have remained high due to production-level prohibitions. The Dutch system serves as a nuanced alternative to both full prohibition and full legalization.
Estimating the uncertainty in underresolved nonlinear dynamics

The Mori-Zwanzig formalism of statistical mechanics is used to estimate the uncertainty caused by underresolution in the solution of a nonlinear dynamical system. A general approach is outlined and applied to a simple example. The noise term that describes the uncertainty turns out to be neither Markovian nor Gaussian. It is argued that this is the general situation.
Dynamics and processing in finite self-similar networks

A common feature of biological networks is the geometrical property of self-similarity. Molecular regulatory networks through to circulatory systems, nervous systems, social systems and ecological trophic networks show self-similar connectivity at multiple scales. We analyse the relationship between topology and signalling in contrasting classes of such topologies. We find that networks differ in their ability to contain or propagate signals between arbitrary nodes in a network depending on whether they possess branching or loop-like features. Networks also differ in how they respond to noise, such that one allows for greater integration at high noise, and this performance is reversed at low noise. Surprisingly, small-world topologies, with diameters logarithmic in system size, have slower dynamical time scales, and may be less integrated (more modular) than networks with longer path lengths. All of these phenomena are essentially mesoscopic, vanishing in the infinite limit but producing strong effects at sizes and time scales relevant to biology.
Internet Exchanges for Used Books: An Empirical Analysis of Product Cannibalization and Welfare Impact

Information systems and the Internet have facilitated the creation of used-product markets that feature a dramatically wider selection, lower search costs, and lower prices than their brick-and-mortar counterparts do. The increased viability of these used-product markets has caused concern among content creators and distributors, notably the Association of American Publishers and Authors Guild, who believe that used-product markets will significantly cannibalize new product sales. This proposition, while theoretically possible, is based on speculation as opposed to empirical evidence. In this paper, we empirically analyze the degree to which used products cannibalize new-product sales for booksone of the most prominent used-product categories sold online. To do this, we use a unique data set collected from Amazon.coms new and used book marketplaces to measure the degree to which used products cannibalize new-product sales. We then use these estimates to measure the resulting first-order changes in publisher welfare and consumer surplus. Our analysis suggests that used books are poor substitutes for new books for most of Amazons customers. The cross-price elasticity of new-book demand with respect to used-book prices is only 0.088. As a result, only 16 of used-book sales at Amazon cannibalize new-book purchases. The remaining 84 of used-book sales apparently would not have occurred at Amazons new-book prices. Further, our estimates suggest that this increase in book readership from Amazons used-book marketplace increases consumer surplus by approximately 67.21 million annually. This increase in consumer surplus, together with an estimated 45.05 million loss in publisher welfare and a 65.76 million increase in Amazons profits, leads to an increase in total welfare to society of approximately 87.92 million annually from the introduction of used-book markets at Amazon.com.