cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Scalable and Unified Multiplier Architecture for Finite Fields GF(p) and GF(2m)

We describe a scalable and unified architecture for a Montgomery multiplication module which operates in both types of finite fields GF(p) and GF(2m). The unified architecture requires only slightly more area than that of the multiplier architecture for the field GF(p). The multiplier is scalable, which means that a fixed-area multiplication module can handle operands of any size, and also, the wordsize can be selected based on the area and performance requirements. We utilize the concurrency in the Montgomery multiplication operation by employing a pipelining design methodology. The upper limit on the precision of the scalable and unified Montgomery multiplier is dictated only by the available memory to store the operands and internal results, and the module is capable of performing infinite-precision Montgomery multiplication in both types of finite fields.
Optimizing I/O for big array analytics

Big array analytics is becoming indispensable in answering important scientific and business questions. Most analysis tasks consist of multiple steps, each making one or multiple passes over the arrays to be analyzed and generating intermediate results. In the big data setting, I/O optimization is a key to efficient analytics. In this paper, we develop a framework and techniques for capturing a broad range of analysis tasks expressible in nested-loop forms, representing them in a declarative way, and optimizing their I/O by identifying sharing opportunities. Experiment results show that our optimizer is capable of finding execution plans that exploit nontrivial I/O sharing opportunities with significant savings.
Antitrust Economic Analysis in Food Marketing Channels

Antitrust laws, or alternatively competition laws, are now in place in over 100 nations. (UNCTAD, 2004, p. 12). Many countries have enacted such since 1990 with China’s coming on line in 1994 (Brumfield 2005) and formally codified as an antimonopoly law in 2007 (Blumenthal, et. al., 2007). Globally there has been considerable convergence in content and enforcement. This has been especially true over the past ten years. Virtually every country has antitrust statutes regarding monopoly, mergers, and cartels. The economics underpinning these laws are common across all countries. Enforcement procedures, however, vary with significant implications for antitrust economic analysis.
Influence of Some Design Variables on the Thermal Behavior of a Lithium‐Ion Cell

A mathematical model that includes an anode (carbon) decomposition reaction has been used to predict the temperature of a lithium-ion cell during medium- and high-rate discharge conditions. This work describes how various design parameters and the activation energy for the decomposition reaction of the anode (carbon) affect the predicted temperature of a Li{sub x}C{sub 6}/Li{sub y}NiO{sub 2} cell. The predicted results show that the particle size in the negative electrode (assumed here to be petroleum coke) is an important parameter for predicting the temperature of the cell.
Analysis of microstrip antenna structures using the 'add-on' technique

Microstrip antennas and antenna arrays are analyzed using the add-on technique. The goal of this work is to provide a way of handling more than 1000 unknowns while maintaining agreement with the moment method. The problem of a 1008-unknown finite array, with 11 elements and connecting and feeding lines, is an example of the capability of the method. In a CPU time of 1.5 h for each frequency point, accurate impedance results are obtained from the resultant standing-wave pattern along the feeding microstripline. The accuracy of the method is established by comparison with published results when possible, and by the computation of the root mean square (RMS) error in the boundary condition on the conductor. >
Diagnostic Breast MR Imaging: Current Status and Future Directions

Breast MRI has become an integral component in breast imaging. Indications have become clearer and better defined. Guidelines and recommendations are evolving and many are recognized and published. Future applications are exciting and may possibly improve our ability to diagnose breast cancer, improving the patient's treatment options and ultimately patient outcome.
Diameters of Homogeneous Spaces

Let G be a compact connected Lie group with trivial center. Using the action of G on its Lie algebra, we define an operator norm | |G which induces a bi-invariant metric dG(x, y) = |Ad(yx 1 )|G on G. We prove the existence of a constant β ≈ .12 (independent of G) such that for any closed subgroup H ( G, the diameter of the quotient G/H (in the induced metric) is ≥ β.
Soft-limiter receivers for coded DS/DPSK systems

The performance of a soft-limiter metric and a quantized soft-limiter metric is evaluated for coded DS/DPSK (direct sequence/differential phase shift keying) in the presence of worst case pulse jamming and background noise. The metrics are easy to implement and do not require jammer state information. Instead they rely on the use of receiver thresholds, which must be adjusted according to the code rate and the received bit-energy-to-background-noise ratio. The performance of the metrics is evaluated by using the cutoff rate criterion and a number of specific convolutional and block codes. It is shown that the metrics can offer a significant soft-decision decoding gain and can perform to within 0.5-1.5 dB of the maximum-likelihood soft-decision metric with perfect jammer state information. >
Oxonitriles: a grignard addition-acylation route to enamides.

Sequential addition of three different Grignard reagents and pivaloyl chloride to 3-oxo-1-cyclohexene-1-carbonitrile installs four new bonds to generate a diverse array of cyclic enamides. Remarkably, formation of the C-magnesiated nitrile intermediate is followed by preferential acylation by pivaloyl chloride rather than consumption by an in situ Grignard reagent. Rapid N-acylation of the C-magnesiated nitrile generates an acyl ketenimine that reacts readily with Grignard reagents or a trialkylzincate, effectively assembling highly substituted, cyclic enamides.
Room-temperature reductive dialkylation of diethyl naphthalenedicarboxylate

ABSTRACT The reductive dialkylation of diethyl 1,4-naphthalenedicarboxylate is achieved in high yield and moderate diastereoselectivity. In liquid ammonia at −78°C, a 5.6 : 1 ratio of trans- to cis-1,4-dimethyl-1,4-naphthalenedicarboxylates is obtained. The reductive dialkylation can also be carried out under more convenient conditions in THF at room temperature with no loss in yield, but a two-fold loss in diastereoselectivity. The alternate method is also used to synthesize 1,4-dialkylated products from ethyl bromide and allyl bromide.
Fully automatic wiggler-field test and correction

Abstract The pulsed-wire field measuring technique has been integrated with a series of field-correcting dipole coils using computer control. The combined system performs a rapid, on-line measurement of field errors in FEL wiggler magnets and makes an automatic correction.
The Probability Index

Abstract The clinical study of the treatment of a sample of Class II malocclusions was made. This information from both successful and unsuccessful Class II malocclusion correction was recorded. The objective of the study was to determine whether there are predictive characteristics of Class II cases that could give, with reasonable accuracy, an indication of those Class II malocclusions that would more readily respond to treatment and those that would have less chance of conventional treatment being successful. This information could give the orthodontist differential diagnostic guidance before starting treatment to determine whether alternative treatment strategy should be considered. The study used five very important cranial and dental cephalometric measurements that individually had significance, but no predictive value. However, these measurements, when combined, and given a weighted value that reflected a relative importance of each criteria, were found to collectively give a predictive capability in determining whether the case was favorable for Class II correction. The five angles selected were (1) the Frankfort mandibular plane angle (FMA); (2) the point A nasion point B, (ANB) angle; (3) the occlusal plane, Frankfort plane angle; (4) the Frankfort-mandibular incisor (FMIA) angle; (5) the sella-nasion-point B, (SNB) angle. The Probability Index is the sum of the weighted values of the five cranial, and dental angles and seems to have significant predictive value in the differential diagnosis and treatment planning of the Class II malocclusion. (A M J O RTHOD D ENTOFAC O RTHOP 1995;107:165-71.)
Synthetic studies of antitumor natural products superstolides A and B. Construction of C20-C26 fragment of superstolide A.

The C20−C26 portion of the antitumor macrolide superstolide A was synthesized by employing Brown's asymmetric crotylboronate methodology.
Surcharges and Seller Reputation

We propose that consumers buying from low- (vs. high-) reputation sellers pay greater attention to surcharges. Thus, reputation moderates the effect of surcharges on purchase. Data from eBay show that consumers adjust bids to account for surcharges when buying from low-reputation sellers but not when buying from high-reputation sellers (study 1). Study 2 replicates this effect with partitioned versus consolidated prices. Study 3 reveals that consumers take longer to make purchasing decisions when buying from low-reputation sellers and that response times mediate the moderating role of reputation. Furthermore, the effect of surcharges levied by low-reputation sellers is attenuated for consumers with low (vs. high) need for cognition (study 4).
Developing pedagogically-guided algorithms for intelligent writing feedback

Various computer tools have been developed to support educators' assessment of student writing, including automated essay scoring and automated writing evaluation systems. Research demonstrates that these systems exhibit relatively high scoring accuracy but uncertain instructional efficacy. Students' writing proficiency does not necessarily improve as a result of interacting with the software. One question is whether these systems offer appropriate or sufficient formative feedback to students about their writing. To motivate further research in this area, we present a straightforward methodology for constructing automated feedback algorithms that are grounded in writing pedagogy and assessment. The resulting threshold algorithms are demonstrated to be meaningfully related to essay quality and informative regarding individualised, formative feedback for writers. Potential applications and extensions of this methodology are discussed.
Controlled Chemical Routes to Nanotube Architectures, Physics, and Devices

This article presents our recent work in the controlled synthesis of multiwalled (MWNT) and single-walled nanotubes (SWNT) with ordered architectures. The general synthesis approach involves chemical vapor deposition using rationally designed catalyst and substrates. The results include self-oriented MWNTs, individual SWNTs grown from controlled surface sites, and structures of suspended SWNTs along well-defined directions. The chemically derived nanotube architectures have opened up new possibilities in fundamental characterization and potential applications of nanotube materials. Systematic electron transport measurements are carried out to elucidate the electrical properties of various classes of SWNTs and to explore the physics in one-dimensional systems. High-performance electrical devices based on individual SWNTs are enabled by combining synthesis and microfabrication approaches.
Algorithms for Counting 2-Sat Solutions and Colorings with Applications

An algorithm is presented for exactly counting the number of maximum weight satisfying assignments of a 2- Cnf formula. The worst case running time of O( 1.246n) for formulas with nvariables improves on the previous bound of O( 1.256n) by Dahllof, Jonsson, and Wahlstrom. The algorithm uses only polynomial space. As a direct consequence we get an O(1.246n) time algorithm for counting maximum weighted independent sets in a graph.
Silver tetrafluoroborate induced reaction of trimethylsilyl enol ethers with 2,3-diiodo-1-(phenylsulfonyl)-1-propene as a method for preparing substituted furans

Abstract Treatment of 2,3-diiodo-1-(phenylsulfonyl)-1-propene (DIP) with various trimethylsilyl enol ethers in the presence of silver tetrafluoroborate gives alkylation products derived from S N 2 displacement of the terminal halide. These compounds readily cyclize with base to produce substituted furans.
Thyroid hormone receptor α and regulation of type 3 deiodinase

Mice deficient in thyroid hormone receptor α (TRα) display hypersensitivity to thyroid hormone (TH), with normal serum TSH but diminished serum T(4). Our aim was to determine whether altered TH metabolism played a role in this hypersensitivity. TRα knockout (KO) mice have lower levels of rT(3), and lower rT(3)/T(4) ratios compared with wild-type (WT) mice. These alterations could be due to increased type 1 deiodinase (D1) or decreased type 3 deiodinase (D3). No differences in D1 mRNA expression and enzymatic activity were found between WT and TRαKO mice. We observed that T(3) treatment increased D3 mRNA in mouse embryonic fibroblasts obtained from WT or TRβKO mice, but not in those from TRαKO mice. T(3) stimulated the promoter activity of 1.5 kb 5'-flanking region of the human (h) DIO3 promoter in GH3 cells after cotransfection with hTRα but not with hTRβ. Moreover, treatment of GH3 cells with T(3) increased D3 mRNA after overexpression of TRα. The region necessary for the T(3)-TRα stimulation of the hD3 promoter (region -1200 to -1369) was identified by transfection studies in Neuro2A cells that stably overexpress either TRα or TRβ. These results indicate that TRα mediates the up-regulation of D3 by TH in vitro. TRαKO mice display impairment in the regulation of D3 by TH in both brain and pituitary and have reduced clearance rate of TH as a consequence of D3 deregulation. We conclude that the absence of TRα results in decreased clearance of TH by D3 and contributes to the TH hypersensitivity.
Phase Diffusion in Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube Josephson Transistors

We investigate electronic transport in Josephson junctions formed by individual single-walled carbon nanotubes coupled to superconducting electrodes. We observe enhanced zero-bias conductance (up to 10e2/h) and pronounced sub-harmonic gap structures in differential conductance, which arise from the multiple Andreev reflections at superconductor/nanotube interfaces. The voltage-current characteristics of these junctions display abrupt switching from the supercurrent branch to the resistive branch, with a gate-tunable switching current ranging from 65 pA to 2.5 nA. The finite resistance observed on the supercurrent branch and the magnitude of the switching current are in good agreement with the classical phase diffusion model for resistively and capacitively shunted junctions.
Simple Efficient Load-Balancing Algorithms for Peer-to-Peer Systems

Load balancing is a critical issue for the efficient operation of peer-to-peer (P2P) networks. We give two new load-balancing protocols whose provable performance guarantees are within a constant factor of optimal. Our protocols refine the consistent hashing data structure that underlies the Chord (and Koorde) P2P network. Both preserve Chord's logarithmic query time and near-optimal data migration cost.Consistent hashing is an instance of the distributed hash table (DHT) paradigm for assigning items to nodes in a P2P system: items and nodes are mapped to a common address space, and nodes have to store all items residing closeby in the address space.Our first protocol balances the distribution of the key address space to nodes, which yields a load-balanced system when the DHT maps items "randomly" into the address space. To our knowledge, this yields the first P2P scheme simultaneously achieving O(log n) degree, O(log n) look-up cost, and constant-factor load balance (previous schemes settled for any two of the three).Our second protocol aims to balance directly the distribution of items among the nodes. This is useful when the distribution of items in the address space cannot be randomized. We give a simple protocol that balances load by moving nodes to arbitrary locations "where they are needed." As an application, we use the last protocol to give an optimal implementation of a distributed data structure for range searches on ordered data.
An M-matrix and majorant approach to robust stability and performance analysis for systems with structured uncertainty

Uncertain multiinput multioutput systems described in the frequency domain are discussed. The theory of nonnegative matrices and M-matrices is used along with majorant bounding techniques to develop robust stability and performance results for two types of uncertainty. The first type is uncertainty with norm-bounded subblocks. The second type is uncertainty that has subblocks with known patterns but unknown gains. This latter uncertainty representation allows the elements of a given uncertainty block to be correlated. For uncertainties of this type a recursive analysis methodology is developed which yields increasingly nonconservative results. Throughout this paper the performance analysis determines norm bounds on the deviations of the outputs from their nominal values. The results are illustrated by a numerical example. >
PERSISTENTLY LAMINAR TANGLES

We show how to build tangles T in a 3-ball with the property that any knot obtained by tangle sum with T has a persistent lamination in its exterior, and therefore has property P. The construction is based on an example of a persistent lamination in the exterior of the twist knot 61, due to Ulrich Oertel. We also show how the construction can be generalized to n-string tangles.
Linear bubble model of abnormal grain growth

A linear bubble model of grain growth is introduced to study the conditions under which an isolated grain can grow to a size much larger than the surrounding matrix average (abnormal growth). We first consider the case of bubbles of two different types such that the permeability of links joining unlike bubbles is larger than that of like bubbles (a simple model of grain boundary anisotropy). Stable abnormal growth is found both by mean field analysis and direct numerical solution. We next study the role of grain boundary pinning (e.g., due to impurities or precipitate phases) by introducing a linear bubble model that includes lower and upper thresholds in the driving force for bubble growth. The link permeability is assumed finite for driving forces above the upper threshold, zero below the lower threshold, and hysteretic in between. Abnormal growth is also observed in this case.
Delaunay-triangulation based complete coverage in wireless sensor networks

One of the major issues in a wireless sensor network (WSN) is how to cover an interested area. In this paper, we consider the area coverage problem for variable sensing radii WSN. With variable sensing range, the difficulties to cover a continuous space in the area coverage problem becomes exceptionally harder than covering discrete points in the target (or point) coverage problem. Very few papers have paid effort for the former problem. Wang and Medidi have solved the area coverage problem based on Delaunay triangulation structure [2]. However, due to the boundary effect their proposed algorithms cannot always provide complete surveillance for the whole network. In this work, we improve the work in [2] so that the monitored area can be completely covered. A theorem confirms that our improved algorithm provides complete coverage for all the cases. In addition, the simulation further shows that our energy-efficient algorithm has an obvious improvement on coverage status with very small compensation of network lifetime.
The interdisciplinary study of coordination

This survey characterizes an emerging research area, sometimes called coordination theory, that focuses on the interdisciplinary study of coordination. Research in this area uses and extends ideas about coordination from disciplines such as computer science, organization theory, operations research, economics, linguistics, and psychology.A key insight of the framework presented here is that coordination can be seen as the process of managing dependencies among activities. Further progress, therefore, should be possible by characterizing different kinds of dependencies and identifying the coordination processes that can be used to manage them. A variety of processes are analyzed from this perspective, and commonalities across disciplines are identified. Processes analyzed include those for managing shared resources, producer/consumer relationships, simultaneity constraints, and task/subtask dependencies.Section 3 summarizes ways of applying a coordination perspective in three different domains:(1) understanding the effects of information technology on human organizations and markets, (2) designing cooperative work tools, and (3) designing distributed and parallel computer systems. In the final section, elements of a research agenda in this new area are briefly outlined.
On the relationship between capacity and distance in an underwater acoustic communication channel

Path loss of an underwater acoustic communication channel depends not only on the transmission distance, but also on the signal frequency. As a result, the useful bandwidth depends on the transmission distance, a feature that distinguishes an underwater acoustic system from a terrestrial radio one. This fact influences the design of an acoustic network: a greater information throughput is available if messages are relayed over multiple short hops instead of being transmitted directly over one long hop. We asses the bandwidth dependency on the distance using an analytical method that takes into account physical models of acoustic propagation loss and ambient noise. A simple, single-path time-invariant model is considered as a first step. To assess the fundamental bandwidth limitation, we take an information-theoretic approach and define the bandwidth corresponding to optimal signal energy allocation -- one that maximizes the channel capacity subject to the constraint that the transmission power is finite. Numerical evaluation quantifies the bandwidth and the channel capacity, as well as the transmission power needed to achieve a pre-specified SNR threshold, as functions of distance. These results lead to closed-form approximations, which may become useful tools in the design and analysis of acoustic networks.
Singularly Perturbed Monotone Systems and an Application to Double Phosphorylation Cycles

The theory of monotone dynamical systems has been found very useful in the modeling of some gene, protein, and signaling networks. In monotone systems, every net feedback loop is positive. On the other hand, negative feedback loops are important features of many systems, since they are required for adaptation and precision. This paper shows that, provided that these negative loops act at a comparatively fast time scale, the main dynamical property of (strongly) monotone systems, convergence to steady states, is still valid. An application is worked out to a double-phosphorylation “futile cycle” motif which plays a central role in eukaryotic cell signaling.
Imitation and Correction in Foreign Language Learning.

T HE AIM of this article is to explore the degree to which accepted methods of correction may contribute to poor student performance and suggest modifications of current practices. Our suggestions rest on the conviction that student communication in the foreign language may be actively discouraged by the instructor who insists upon grammatical accuracy. Recent linguistic data supports the thesis that overt correction is unnecessary and, indeed, inadvisable. The approach we present is based on recent studies of first language acquisition coupled with conclusions based on evaluation of video tapes. The tapes in question were made in conjunction with a graduate course in applied linguistics and the teaching of German.2
Learning to place new objects

The ability to place objects in an environment is an important skill for a personal robot. An object should not only be placed stably, but should also be placed in its preferred location/orientation. For instance, it is preferred that a plate be inserted vertically into the slot of a dish-rack as compared to being placed horizontally in it. Unstructured environments such as homes have a large variety of object types as well as of placing areas. Therefore our algorithms should be able to handle placing new object types and new placing areas. These reasons make placing a challenging manipulation task. In this work, we propose using a supervised learning approach for finding good placements given point-clouds of the object and the placing area. Our method combines the features that capture support, stability and preferred configurations, and uses a shared sparsity structure in its the parameters. Even when neither the object nor the placing area is seen previously in the training set, our learning algorithm predicts good placements. In robotic experiments, our method enables the robot to stably place known objects with a 98% success rate and 98% when also considering semantically preferred orientations. In the case of placing a new object into a new placing area, the success rate is 82% and 72%.1
Does advertising spending really work? The intermediate role of analysts in the impact of advertising on firm value

Both managers and investors are increasingly concerned with the impact of advertising spending on shareholder returns. This study investigates the analyst-based processes by which advertising may create firm value. Using a large longitudinal dataset with 1,052 firms over 20 years, we find that firms decreasing from the top 20% to the bottom 20% of advertising spending group when compared to all industry competitors would experience a drop of abnormal return by 4.08% in 1 year and a cumulative total of 81.6% in 20 years. Also, analyst activities partially mediate the impact of advertising on firm return and risk. These findings indicate that analysts may act to externally validate the business logic underlying the advertising expense. The more analysts factor in firm advertising spending and reflect it in their earnings forecasts, the more likely the benefits of advertising are channeled into firm value. The results bridge research interests across marketing, accounting, and finance disciplines and help managers understand how product and financial markets are united. Main Street could better align with Wall Street via corporate disclosure of advertising spending to equity analysts.
The cortical underpinnings of context-based memory distortion

Everyday contextual settings create associations that later afford generating predictions about what objects to expect in our environment. The cortical network that takes advantage of such contextual information is proposed to connect the representation of associated objects such that seeing one object (bed) will activate the visual representations of other objects sharing the same context (pillow). Given this proposal, we hypothesized that the cortical activity elicited by seeing a strong contextual object would predict the occurrence of false memories whereby one erroneously “remembers” having seen a new object that is related to a previously presented object. To test this hypothesis, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging during encoding of contextually related objects, and later tested recognition memory. New objects that were contextually related to previously presented objects were more often falsely judged as “old” compared with new objects that were contextually unrelated to old objects. This phenomenon was reflected by activity in the cortical network mediating contextual processing, which provides a better understanding of how the brain represents and processes context.
A semantics for web services authentication

We consider the problem of specifying and verifying cryptographic security protocols for XML web services. The security specification WS-Security describes a range of XML security elements, such as username tokens, public-key certificates, and digital signatures, amounting to a flexible vocabulary for expressing protocols. To describe the syntax of these elements, we extend the usual XML data model with symbolic representations of cryptographic values. We use predicates on this data model to describe the semantics of security elements and of sample protocols distributed with the Microsoft WSE implementation of WS-Security. By embedding our data model within Abadi and Fournet's applied pi calculus, we formulate and prove security properties with respect to the standard Dolev-Yao threat model. Moreover, we informally discuss issues not addressed by the formal model. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first approach to the specification and verification of security protocols based on a faithful account of the XML wire format.
Coupled Three-Dimensional Flow and Electrical Calculations for Faraday MHD Generators

A three-dimensio nal model fully incorporating the interaction between the flow and electrical fields in MHD channels is presented. The model consists of Navier-Stokes equations in parabolic form, Maxwell and Ohm's law equations as they apply to the MHD situation, and a two-equation turbulence model. The model predictions are first compared against the supersonic flow experimental data from the AEDC facility; these data reflect weak MHD interaction in that the flowfield is little affected by the electrical power extraction. The model is then applied to high-interact ion subsonic flow in the AEDC channel to show the emergence of velocity overshoots, secondary flow, and the asymmetries in flow and electrical fields. Nomenclature B = magnetic field CD = turbulence constant E = electric field G = generation h = enthalpy H = channel height / = current density k = kinetic energy of turbulence K — load factor p = pressure field p = average pressure Pt = electrode pitch q = heat flux R( = load resistance u = velocity in x direction v = velocity in y direction w = velocity in z direction W = channel width x = axial direction y = electrode direction Z — sidewall direction o = electrical conductivity o = Prandtl or Schmidt number 0 = Hall coefficient /x = viscosity e - dissipation rate of turbulence energy p = density T — shear stress = two-dimensional potential ^ = three-dimensional potential Subscripts eff = laminar plus turbulent k = turbulence energy £ = laminar / = turbulent e = dissipation x,y,z = directions A — ( ^
Chronic Progressive Nephropathy in Aging Rats

Chronic progressive nephropathy (CPN) is a commonly encountered lesion in aging laboratory rats. CPN has been given a variety of names, based upon its complex nature. It is a lesion that occurs pri...
Computing an Aggregate Edge-Weight Function for Clustering Graphs with Multiple Edge Types

We investigate the community detection problem on graphs in the existence of multiple edge types. Our main motivation is that similarity between objects can be defined by many different metrics and aggregation of these metrics into a single one poses several important challenges, such as recovering this aggregation function from ground-truth, investigating the space of different clusterings, etc. In this paper, we address how to find an aggregation function to generate a composite metric that best resonates with the ground-truth. We describe two approaches: solving an inverse problem where we try to find parameters that generate a graph whose clustering gives the ground-truth clustering, and choosing parameters to maximize the quality of the ground-truth clustering. We present experimental results on real and synthetic benchmarks.
Examining the efficiency of the U.S. courts of appeals: Pathologies and prescriptions

Until recently (e.g. Lindquist, 2007), few studies have examined the factors that might affect aspects of judicial efficiency, including the time it takes a court to decide a case. In our analysis of a sample of U.S. Courts of Appeals decisions from 1971 to 1996, we examined a variety of potential causes of inefficiency, or pathologies, before suggesting a series of prescriptions.
Best wavelet packet bases using rate-distortion criteria

For a given hierarchy of admissible quantizers, the authors show an efficient scheme for coding adaptive trees whose individual nodes spawn off descendants forming a disjoint and complete basis cover for the space spanned by their parent nodes. The scheme presented guarantees operation on the convex hull of the operational R-D curve for the admissible hierarchy of quantizers. Applications for this coding technique include the CMQW (Coifman, Meyer, Quake, and Wickerhauser, 1990) generalized multiresolution wavelet packet decomposition, iterative subband coders, and quadtree structures. An application to image processing involving quadtrees with a family of DCT (discrete cosine transform) bases has been demonstrated in a JPEG-like coding environment with good improvement shown over the static JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) coding scheme. >
Optimal multicast communication in wormhole-routed torus networks

This paper presents efficient algorithms that implement one-to-many, or multicast, communication in wormhole-routed torus networks. By exploiting the properties of the switching technology and the use of virtual channels, a minimum-time multicast algorithm is presented for n-dimensional torus networks that use deterministic, dimension-ordered routing of unicast messages. The algorithm can deliver a multicast message to m-1 destinations in [log/sub 2/ m] message-passing steps, while avoiding contention among the constituent unicast messages. Performance results of a simulation study on torus networks with up to 4096 nodes are also given. >
Asymmetric Conjugate Addition for the Preparation of syn-1,3-Dimethyl Arrays: Synthesis and Structure Elucidation of Capensifuranone

The synthesis of capensifuranone (1) has been achieved by the application of developments for asymmetric conjugate addition reactions of organocopper reagents with nonracemic N-enoyl-4-phenyl-1,3-oxazolidinones for the preparation of 1,3-syn-dimethyl arrays. The assignment of relative and absolute stereochemistry of 1 has been made following the high-field NMR characterizations of synthetic diol derivatives. The previously unassigned C4 stereochemistry of 1 was determined to be of the (S)-configuration. The thermodynamic equilibration of capensifuranone and its C4 diastereomer has been examined.
A General Linear Sequential Filter

A Kalman filter that accounts for time-correlated noise without augmenting the state vector or differencing the measurements is derived. The resulting filter equations demand less computer storage space and computation time than previously derived equations based upon state augmentation and measurement differencing. Solving the matrix Wiener-Hopf equation under the constraint that the noise states are not solved for gives the required formulation. For completeness the derivation also emphasizes the treatment in the estimation process of unsolved-for model parameters in the dynamic model and in the measurement model. Rather than solving for certain model parameters, the statistics of the modeling errors are accounted for in the filter weighting. Although this approach is not strictly optimal, computer sizing requirements are less when compared to an optimal filter that necessitates solving for the model parameters. The equations degenerate to the standard Kalman filter form when it is assumed that the modeling errors are nonexistent and that the measurement noise is white. Nomenclature A = t>h/ZT\X = Xnln-l, T = f B == E(8TdTT) Cn = D ==
Automatic generation of staged geometric predicates

Algorithms in Computational Geometry and Computer Aided Design are often developed for the Real RAM model of computation, which assumes exactness of all the input arguments and operations. In practice, however, the exactness imposes tremendous limitations on the algorithms --- even the basic operations become uncomputable, or prohibitively slow. When the computations of interest are limited to determining the sign of polynomial expressions over floating point numbers, faster approaches are available. One can evaluate the polynomial in floating-point first, together with some estimate of the rounding error, and fall back to exact arithmetic only if this error is too big to determine the sign reliably. A particularly efficient variation on this approach has been used by Shewchuk in his robust implementations of Orient and InSphere geometric predicates. We extend Shewchuk's method to arbitrary polynomial expressions. The expressions are given as programs in a suitable source language featuring basic arithmetic operations of addition, subtraction, multiplication and squaring, which are to be perceived by the programmer as exact. The source language also allows for anonymous functions, and thus enables the common functional programming technique of staging. The method is presented formally through several judgments that govern the compilation of the source expression into target code, which is then easily transformed into SML or, in case of single-stage expressions, into C.
Patients providing the answers: narrowing the gap in data quality for emergency care

Objective The authors examined the validity of documentation produced during paediatric emergency care to determine if a patient-driven health information technology called ParentLink produced higher-quality data than documentation completed by nurses and physicians. Design The authors analysed the quality of information across elements of allergies to medications and the history of present illness (HPI) collected during a quasiexperimental intervention study where control periods with usual care alternated with intervention periods when ParentLink was operational. Documentation by emergency department (ED) providers was abstracted and compared with information generated through ParentLink. The criterion standard for the history of allergies to medications was a structured telephone interview with parents after the ED visit. A valid report for a medication allergy was one that was both accurate and complete. Completeness of the HPI for acute head trauma was evaluated across seven elements relevant to an evidence-based risk assessment. Results Of 1410 enrolled parents, 1111/1410 (79%) completed the criterion standard interview. Parents’ valid reports of allergies to medications were higher than those of nurses (parents 94%, nurses 88%, p<0.0001). Parents’ valid reports of allergies to medications were greater than those of physicians (parent 94%, physicians 83%, p<0.0001). ParentLink produced more complete information on HPI for head trauma than the medical record for five of seven elements. Conclusion ParentLink provided electronic information that met or exceeded the quality of data documented by ED nurses and physicians.
“And They Got Married by the Church …”: “Crazy Stories” and the Possibilities of Collaborative Textual Transformations

This article is informed by multiliteracies pedagogy which recognizes the dynamic nature of reading and writing, particularly in relation to the multiple languages, literacy practices, texts, modalities, and interactions that are part of our world. This framework offers educators a greater appreciation of students' collaborations and text productions in music, image, movement, and voice, as well as print texts. It also provides opportunities to highlight and learn from students' diverse knowledges. Collaborations extend the potential to expand cultural knowledges, an aspect evident in the story creation of 4 urban girls presented in this article. Also evident, however, is the ease with which collaborations lead to inequitable reproductions that privilege dominant discourses while labeling others problematic or “crazy.” These findings demonstrate the need for educators to explicitly recognize and support learners' diverse knowledges. Specific steps educators can take in order to create educational contexts...
SYNTHESIS OF GLYCOSAMINOGLYCANS

The glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) are an important family of highly functionalized, linear, and negatively charged bioactive oligosaccharides that are ubiquitous components of animal connective tissue....
Approximation Algorithms for Requirement Cut on Graphs

In this paper, we unify several graph partitioning problems including multicut, multiway cut, and k-cut, into a single problem. The input to the requirement cut problem is an undirected edge-weighted graph G=(V,E), and g groups of vertices X 1,…,X g ⊆V, with each group X i having a requirement r i between 0 and |X i |. The goal is to find a minimum cost set of edges whose removal separates each group X i into at least r i disconnected components. We give an O(log n⋅log (gR)) approximation algorithm for the requirement cut problem, where n is the total number of vertices, g is the number of groups, and R is the maximum requirement. We also show that the integrality gap of a natural LP relaxation for this problem is bounded by O(log n⋅log (gR)). On trees, we obtain an improved guarantee of O(log (gR)). There is an Ω(log g) hardness of approximation for the requirement cut problem, even on trees.
The Magnetothermal Instability in the Intracluster Medium

The electron mean free path in the intracluster medium (ICM) of galaxy clusters is much larger than the gyroradius; thus, heat is transported anisotropically along magnetic field lines. We show that the intracluster medium is unstable to the magnetothermal instability (MTI) where the temperature declines with radius using MHD simulations with anisotropic thermal conduction. As a result of the MTI, we find that the temperature profile of the ICM can be substantially modified on timescales of several billion years, while the magnetic field is amplified by dynamo action up to more than 50 times the original energy. We also show that the instability drives field lines to become preferentially radial, leading to conduction that is a highly efficient fraction of the Spitzer conductivity.
Cheap-Talk Advertising and Misrepresentation in Vertically Differentiated Markets

I consider a cheap-talk model in which a firm has a chance to communicate its product quality to consumers. The model describes how advertising can be both informative to consumers and profitable for the firm through its content in a vertically differentiated market. I find that advertising content may be effective in inducing search even if incentives for misrepresentation exist. In particular, a firm with an undesirable low-quality product is able to attract consumers who would have not incurred a search cost had they known its true quality. In this case, a semiseparating equilibrium occurs where the lowest firm types pool upward in order to increase the expected product quality while simultaneously signaling that the product is affordable. Although consumers always benefit from truth in advertising, total welfare may decrease if an undesirable firm is required to reveal its type. Finally, I show that the extent to which misrepresentation can take place increases with the cost of advertising coverage.
Direct Hydrolytic Route to Molecular Oxo−Hydroxo Lanthanide Clusters

Direct hydrolysis of Er(NO3)3, Nd(ClO4)3, and Gd(ClO4)3 with aqueous NaOH afforded three hexanuclear lanthanide clusters with a common octahedral core of [Ln6(μ6-O)(μ3-OH)8]8+ whose six lanthanide ions center on a μ6-oxo ligand. Each of the triangular faces of the octahedron is capped by a μ3-OH ligand, and the coordination sphere of the metal is completed by both aqua and NO3- ligands (1), aqua ligands only (2), and both aqua and ClO4- ligands (3).
Decentralized adaptive control: structural conditions for stability

Decentralized adaptive control schemes are presented for a class of large-scale interconnected systems. These schemes have the advantage that in addition to the standard assumption about the uncertainty of the subsystems, the strength of interconnection is assumed unknown. Provided certain structural constraints are satisfied, the adaptation gains automatically adjust to levels that assure stability of the overall system. Simulations of a spring-coupled dual pendulum showed that for high interconnection strengths, the proposed algorithm exhibits better tracking performance than existing algorithms. >
“Smoker’s Paradox” in Patients Treated for Severe Injuries: Lower Risk of Mortality After Trauma Observed in Current Smokers

BACKGROUND: Studies evaluating the effect of smoking status on mortality outcomes in trauma patients have been limited, despite the fact that survival benefits of smoking have been reported in other critical care settings. The phenomenon "smoker's paradox" refers to the observation that following acute cardiovascular events, such as acute myocardial infarction and cardiac arrest, smokers often experience decreased mortality in the hospital setting. The objective of our study was to determine whether smoking imparts a survival benefit in patients with traumatic injuries. METHODS: We performed a retrospective cohort study that analyzed cases included in the National Trauma Data Bank (NTDB) research dataset. Hierarchical logistic regression analyses were used to determine whether smoking alters the risk of mortality and complications in patients who smoke. RESULTS: The percentage of patients experiencing mortality differed significantly between smokers (n=38,564) and non-smokers (n=319,249) (1.8% vs. 4.3%, pCONCLUSIONS: Patients who smoke appear to have a much lower risk of in-hospital mortality than non-smokers. Further investigation into biological mechanisms responsible for this effect should be carried out in order to potentially develop therapeutic applications. Language: en
Breaking Cosmological Degeneracies in Galaxy Cluster Surveys with a Physical Model of Cluster Structure

It has been shown that in an idealized galaxy cluster survey, containing � 10,000 clusters, statistical errors on dark energy and other cosmological parameters will be at the percent level. Furthermore, through “self–calibration”, parameters describing the mass–observable relation and cosmology can be simultaneously determined, though at a loss in accuracy by about an order of magnitude. Here we examine an alternative approach to self–calibration, in which a parametrized ab–initio physical model is used to compute theoretical mass–observable relations from the cluster structure. As an example, we use a modified–entropy (“preheating”) model of the intracluster medium, with the history and magnitude of entropy injection as unknown input parameters. Using a Fisher matrix approach, we evaluate the expected simultaneous statistical errors on cosmological and cluster model parameters. We find that compared to a phenomenological parametrization of the mass–observable relation, our physical model yields significantly tighter constraints in both surveys, and offers substantially improved synergy when the two surveys are combined. In a mock X–ray survey, we find statistical errors on the dark energy equation of state are a factor of two tighter than the phenomenological model , with
A preparation of benzylic and allylic boronates: Cross-coupling of aryl- and alkenylstannanes with bromomethylboronates

Abstract Palladium catalyzed cross-coupling of aryl- or alkenylstannanes with pinacol and pinanediol bromomethylboronates affords the corresponding homologated benzylic or allylic boronates in moderate to good yields.