cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Binding and activation of N2O at transition-metal centers: recent mechanistic insights.

No laughing matter, nitrous oxide's role in stratospheric ozone depletion and as a greenhouse gas has stimulated great interest in developing and understanding its decomposition, particularly through the use of transition-metal promoters. Recent advances in our under- standing of the reaction pathways for N 2 O reduction by metal ions in the gas phase and in heterogeneous, homogeneous, and biological catalytic systems have provided provocative ideas about the structure and properties of metal N 2 O adducts and derived intermediates. These ideas are likely to inform efforts to design more effective catalysts for N 2 O remediation.
Discussion of Detecting Earnings Management: A New Approach

Despite the large number of papers purporting to identify earnings management, the current techniques used to identify it are sorely lacking. In general, they are based on the assumption that accruals unexplained by a linear projection on firm-level observables (i.e., discretionary accruals) represent either explicit earnings management or poor quality earnings.1 Namely, these techniques assume that the residual from a linear regression represents earnings management. They suffer from measurement error and correlated omitted variables, which lead to Type 1 errors (i.e., rejection of a true null hypothesis of no earnings management) and Type 2 errors (i.e., failure to reject a false null hypothesis of no earnings management). Furthermore, they are typically estimated in the cross section and therefore do not take into account the fact that earnings (and its components) are best described by dynamic processes. These techniques have not
A highly selective protocol for the deprotection of BOC-protected amides and carbamates

Abstract A BOC-protected amide or carbamate undergoes mild and selective deprotection by treatment with catalytic Mg(ClO 4 ) 2 in acetonitrile. Simple BOC-protected amines are not affected by these conditions.
Low complexity orientation detection algorithm for real-time implementation

In this paper we describe a low complexity image orientation detection algorithm which can be implemented in real-time on embedded devices such as low-cost digital cameras, mobile phone cameras and video surveillance cameras. Providing orientation information to tamper detection algorithm in surveillance cameras, color enhancement algorithm and various scene classifiers can help improve their performances. Various image orientation detection algorithms have been developed in the last few years for image management systems, as a post processing tool. But, these techniques use certain high-level features and object classification to detect the orientation, thus they are not suitable for implementation on a capturing device in real-time. Our algorithm uses low-level features such as texture, lines and source of illumination to detect orientation. We implemented the algorithm on a mobile phone camera device with a 180 MHz, ARM926 processor. The orientation detection takes 10 ms for each frame which makes it suitable to use in image capture as well as video mode. It can be used efficiently in parallel with the other processes in the imaging pipeline of the device. On hardware, the algorithm achieved an accuracy of 92% with a rejection rate of 4% and a false detection rate of 8% on outdoor images.
Some recent developments in the chemical synthesis of inorganic nanotubes

Inorganic nanotubes have been a subject of intensive research in the past decade. We recently developed a number of synthetic strategies for generating nanotubes from inorganic materials that do not have a layered structure. It is the intention of this contribution to provide a brief account of these research activities.
Collaborative Quickest Spectrum Sensing via Random Broadcast in Cognitive Radio Systems

Quickest detection is applied in spectrum sensing in cognitive radio systems when multiple secondary users collaborate with limited communication time slots. When the transmissions of sensing results are not coordinated to avoid confliction, random broadcast is used to exchange information. A necessary condition for the optimal broadcast probability, as a function of the log likelihood ratio of local observation, is obtained using variational analysis. To alleviate the difficulty of computing the optimal broadcast probability, a simple threshold broadcast scheme is proposed. Simulation shows that the proposed threshold broadcast scheme can achieve substantial performance gain (less than 60% in detection delay for the same false alarm rate) over schemes of random broadcast without regulation and single-user spectrum sensing.
Effect of Powder Purity and Second Phases on the Dielectric Properties of Lead Magnesium Niobate Ceramics

The dielectric properties of lead magnesium niobate ceramics have been studied as a function of powder purity and microstructure. Starting powder purity was shown to have d pronounced effect on the resultant dielectric properties. Values of Kmax as high as 20 000 were obtained using starting powders of exceptionally high purity (99.999%), despite the formation of a pyrochlore phase. The pyrochlore phase formed as large isolated grains in the microstructure. It was found to be a cubic-type pyrochlore with a composition of Pb2Nb1.75Mg0.25O6.62. Much lower dielectric constants were obtained with samples of lower reagent-grade purity. This was partially explained by the presence of an intergranular second phase. Other factors such as lattice impurities and grain-boundary chemistry were also argued to be important.
Economic Risk and Political Risk in Fiscal Unions

A fiscal programme that redistributes income from rich to poor individuals indirectly redistributes tax revenues from regions hit by a favou-rable shock to regions hit by an unfavourable one. Centralised fiscal redistribution has therefore been advocated as a way to insure individuals against region-specific shocks. In this paper, we argue that a centralised fiscal policy, while reducing the uncertainty on the tax base, may create additional uncertainty on the tax rate. Using a simple model we show that the higher uncertainty on the policy instrument might more than offset the lower uncertainty on the tax base. Several countries around the world are breaking up (e.g., the former Soviet Union), and in others regional movements are becoming more vocal in demanding more autonomy (e.g., Italy, Spain); at the same time, several Western European countries are integrating in a supernational community. Fiscal policy issues, and, in particular, the level of centralisation of fiscal decisions are important considerations in the formation or collapse of political jurisdictions or of federations of regions and countries. 1 A long tradition in public finance argues that a centralised fiscal system can reach more efficient outcomes by better internalising the numerous externalities associated with both the expenditure and the revenue sides of fiscal policy, particularly when factors are mobile. This line of argument applies to both the provision of public goods (Gordon, 1983) and to redistributive fiscal policy (Pauli, 1973; Ladd and Doolittle, 1982; Brown and Oates, 1987). A counter argument to this conclusion is developed in Perotti (1997), who shows that in the presence of differences in, say, labour markets or the administration of fiscal policy, centralised redistribution can lead to a more inefficient allocation of resources. A second argument in favour of centralised fiscal policy is based on the insurance properties of redistribution. When different countries are hit by
Trial by Battle

For over a century England’s judicial system decided land disputes by ordering disputants’ legal representatives to bludgeon one another before an arena of spectating citizens. The victor won the property right for his principal. The vanquished lost his cause and, if he were unlucky, his life. People called these combats trials by battle. This paper investigates the law and economics of trial by battle. In a feudal world where high transaction costs confounded the Coase theorem, I argue that trial by battle allocated disputed property rights efficiently. It did this by allocating contested property to the higher bidder in an all-pay auction. Trial by battle’s ‘‘auctions’’ permitted rent seeking. But they encouraged less rent seeking than the obvious alternative: a first-price ascending-bid auction. ‘‘When man is emerging from barbarism, the struggle between the rising powers of reason and the waning forces of credulity, prejudice, and custom, is full of instruction.’’ —Henry C. Lea, Superstition and Force (1866, 73).
Ice grain size and the rheology of the martian polar deposits

The history and dynamics of the martian polar deposits (MPD), the largest known water reservoirs on Mars, are of great interest, but estimates of ice grain size are required before detailed modeling can be performed. We clarify the microphysical processes that may control grain size in the MPD. If the MPD are ∼2% dust by mass, the maximum ice grain size is ∼1 mm due to grain boundary pinning by silicate microparticles. Relatively dusty layers in the MPD will have smaller grain sizes. If MPD ice has a very low impurity content and has experienced a significant amount of strain, grains may reach a steady state size of ∼1.5 to 3 mm due to dynamic recrystallization, wherein a steady state grain size is maintained due to the balance of grain growth and destruction during flow. If the near-bed ice in the MPD is warmed close to its melting point and has been extensively sheared, grain sizes at its base may be between 10 and 40 mm, by analogy with warm, dirty, near-bed ice in terrestrial ice sheets.
Analysis of a Dynamic Adverse Selection Model with Asymptotic Efficiency

This paper studies an infinite horizon adverse selection model with an underlying two-state Markov decision process. It introduces a novel approach that constructs the continuation payoff frontier exactly, as the fixed point of a functional operator. If the model supports an incentive-compatible first-best (ICFB) contract, the continuation payoff frontier can be efficiently constructed, and the principal's optimal contracts converge to ICFB contracts over time. The existence of an ICFB contract is implied by the common assumption of private values and is a fairly general scenario. The paper generalizes some key findings in the dynamic adverse selection literature to this scenario.
Reading about the Financial Crisis: A Twenty-One-Book Review

The recent financial crisis has generated many distinct perspectives from various quarters. In this article, I review a diverse set of twenty-one books on the crisis, eleven written by academics, and ten written by journalists and one former Treasury Secretary. No single narrative emerges from this broad and often contradictory collection of interpretations, but the sheer variety of conclusions is informative, and underscores the desperate need for the economics profession to establish a single set of facts from which more accurate inferences and narratives can be constructed. (JEL E32, E44, E52, G01, G21, G28)
On the Change of Absorption Produced by Fluorescence

About two years ago, in the spring of 1895, in the course of a conversation with Professor J. H. Poynting on the nature of the phenomenon of fluorescence, in the study of which I was at the time beginning to engage, the suggestion was thrown out by him that possibly fluorescent bodies absorb differently, according as they are fluorescing or not, the rays which they give out whilst fluorescing, thus that a body A would absorb differently, according as it is fluorescing or not, the rays from a similar body B in a state of fluorescence. Some fluorescent bodies undoubtedly do, others do not, absorb, except to a very small extent, the rays which they emit. A strong solution of fluorescin or eosin, for instance, hardly permits its fluorescent light to penetrate even a very small thickness. Glass coloured with oxide of uranium is much more transparent, but sulphate of quinine hardly absorbs these rays at all. The question was whether during the act of fluorescing any change is produced in the nature of the absorption itself, that is, whether during fluorescence there is an increase or diminution of absorption in that part of the spectrum where the emitted rays lie. For instance, with uranium glass the radiation takes place chiefly between the D and E lines, so that the absorption power for rays may be different according as the body is examined in the dark or in daylight in this part of the spectrum. Of the five bright bands of which the radiation consists, three lie between the D and E lines, the other two being of less refrangibility and of less intensity in the red and orange (Stokes, ‘Phil. Trans.,' 1852). With the spectroscope I have used I have not been able to see the band in the red, but the other four were quite distinct. The spectrum seemed to me to be of the nature of maxima and minima.
Strategic Instruments: Legal Structure and Political Games in Administrative Law

This article presents models of strategic behavior by agencies and courts where the ability to manipulate the instruments of decision making, rather than merely selecting policy choices, allows actors to insulate their policy choices from higher level review. The theory is based on the notion that decision instruments (for example, rulemaking and adjudication for agencies, statutory interpretation and reasoning process review for courts) pose differential costs and payoffs for both the initiating and reviewing actors, each of whom have resource constraints. Because the initiating actor has the choice among instruments to make a decision (and to which a higher level reviewing actor is tied), the initiating actor can manipulate decision costs in a strategic fashion (choosing high-cost instruments to discourage higher level review, in particular). This article adds new insight into how judges and agencies engage in strategic decision making.
The role of social science in action-guiding philosophy: The case of educational equity:

Education policy decisions are both normatively and empirically challenging. These decisions require the consideration of both relevant values and empirical facts. Values tell us what we have reaso...
Lower bounds on the performance of polynomial-time algorithms for sparse linear regression

Under a standard assumption in complexity theory (NP 6⊂P/poly), we demonstrate a gap between the minimax prediction risk for sparse linear regression that can be achieved by polynomial-time algorithms, and that achieved by optimal algorithms. In particular, when the design matrix is ill-conditioned, the minimax prediction loss achievable by polynomial-time algorithms can be substantially greater than that of an optimal algorithm. This result is the first known gap between polynomial and optimal algorithms for sparse linear regression, and does not depend on conjectures in average-case complexity.
On extractors and exposure‐resilient functions for sublogarithmic entropy

We study resilient functions and exposure-resilient functions in the low-entropy regime. A resilient function (a.k.a. deterministic extractor for oblivious bit-xing sources) maps any distribution on n-bit strings in which k bits are uniformly random and the rest are xed into an output distribution that is close to uniform. With exposure-resilient functions, all the input bits are random, but we ask that the output be close to uniform conditioned on any subset of n k input bits. In this paper, we focus on the case that k is sublogarithmic in n. We simplify and improve an explicit construction of resilient functions for k sublogarithmic in n due to Kamp and Zuckerman (SICOMP 2006), achieving error exponentially small in k rather than polynomially small in k. Our main result is that when k is sublogarithmic in n, the short output length of this construction (O(logk) output bits) is optimal for extractors computable by a large class of space-bounded streaming algorithms. Next, we show that a random function is a resilient function with high probability if and only if k is superlogarithmic in n, suggesting that our main result may apply more generally. In contrast, we show that a random function is a static (resp. adaptive) exposure-resilient function with high probability even if k is as small as a constant (resp. log logn). No explicit exposure-resilient functions achieving these parameters are known.
Effects of Temperature and Strain Rate on the Plastic Deformation of Fully Dense Polycrystalline Y1Ba2Cu3O7−x Superconductor

The knowledge of the steady-state stress for plastic deformation as a function of temperature and strain rate is essential for hot-forming superconducting material into commercially useful shapes. In this paper, results are presented on the experimental determination of the rheology of fully dense polycrystalline Y1Ba2Cu3O7−x superconducting material at temperatures ranging from 750° to 950°C and strain rates of 10−4, 10−5, and 10−6 s−1. The data are best fitted by a power law: e(s−1)=8.9 × 10−17. (s−1) σ2.5 (Pa) exp [−2.01 × 105(J·mol−1)|RT]. X-ray analysis shows that the superconducting material retains its phase composition after nearly 70% total strain of the sample. A strong anisotropy in the resistivity of the deformed samples is observed because of the development of a preferred orientation of the a or b axis of Y1Ba2Cu3O7−x orthorhombic perovskite single crystals perpendicular to the principal maximum compressive stress.
Successive Coding of Correlated Sources

The rate-distortion (RD) problem for two-layer coding of a pair (X,Y) of correlated sources is considered. The first layer information enables reconstruction of X within a certain distortion DX, while reception of both layers additionally enables reconstruction of Y within distortion DY. Although this problem is a special case of the successive refinement problem, the computation of the RD region for this scenario is nontrivial. Using a general class of outer bounds (analogous to Shannon lower bound in the classical RD theory) to the successive refinement rate-distortion region, the successive coding RD region for the case where (X,Y) is a jointly Gaussian pair and the distortion measure is squared-error is explicitly characterized.
A Fabrication Method for Integrated Filter Elements With Inductance Cancellation

This paper outlines a fabrication method for integrated filter elements. An integrated filter element is a three- (or more) terminal device comprising a capacitor and coupled air-core magnetic windings, in which the magnetic windings cancel the effects of capacitor parasitic inductance. This provides greatly enhanced filtration performance over a capacitor alone. Methods for designing and forming cancellation windings are described, along with means for repeatable interconnection with the capacitor and encapsulation of the filter element. The high performance and repeatability of filter elements fabricated with the proposed method are demonstrated with several examples.
Revisiting the oil curse: are oil rich nations really doomed to autocracy and inequality?

expect that nations rich in natural resources, and particularly those with large deposits of oil – a clear absolute advantage – would shine far beyond all others as beacons of democracy and freedom. Unfortunately, nothing seems further from the truth. Among the world’s top ten oil exporters, only Norway and Mexico can be realistically described as democracies, while three others, Nigeria, Russia, and Venezuela, demonstrate a mere semblance of freedom. Making matters worse, technological advances and energy driven politics are forcing major Western consumers to seek out new sources of petroleum. Reserves are increasingly being found, and exploited, in the world’s poorest countries. Today, oil and gas constitute at least thirty percent of total export revenues in some thirty-four less developed economies, none of which can be classified as democratic or free. As Martina Ottaway wrote in the New York Times, “oil and democracy do not mix.” 2 Indeed, studies undoubtedly show that oil dependence leads to a skewing of political forces. It concentrates producti on to geographic enclaves and concentrates power into the hands of a few elites. It be comes a fisherman’s market for rent-seeking behavior, where those with money jockey for positions and influence to acquire lucrative contracts, the revenues from which are used to further bribe and manipulate those in power. Consequently, those in power secure the positions of their benefactors, creating a vicious circle of corruption and patronage, secured from open inspection of a free press, public accountability, or standa rds of international business and political practice.
Aberration by gravitational lenses in motion

It is known that a fully relativistic integration of the null geodesics of a weak perturbation of flat space-time leads to a correction of order v/c to the bending angle and time delay clue to a gravitational lens in slow motion with small acceleration. The existence of the v/c correction was verified by the very long baseline interferometry experiment of the bending of light by Jupiter on 2002 September 8. Here the v/c correction is interpreted by means of standard aberration of light in an optically active medium with an effective index of refraction induced by the gravitational field of a lens in motion.
Comparison of Vastus Medialis Obliquus:Vastus Lateralis Muscle Integrated Electromyographic Ratios Between Healthy Subjects and Patients with Patellofemoral Pain

The purpose of this study was to compare vastus medialis obliquus:vastus lateralis muscle (VMO:VL) integrated electromyographic (IEMG) ratios of healthy subjects and patients with unilateral patellofemoral pain (PFP) under isotonic and isometric quadriceps femoris muscle contraction conditions. Subjects ranging in age from 18 to 35 years (mean = 28.06, SD = 5.97) were assigned to one of three groups on the basis of type of knee condition. In group 1, which consisted of seven healthy control subjects with no history of knee pathology, both knees were tested. In group 2, which consisted of nine patients with unilateral PFP, only the painful knee was tested. In group 3, which consisted of the same nine patients who comprised group 2, only the nonpainful knee was tested. Nonnormalized and normalized VMO:VL IEMG ratios were computed for ascending stairs, descending stairs, submaximal isometric contraction, and maximal isometric contraction (nonnormalized only). A two-way analysis of variance for repeated measures indicated VMO:VL ratios for isotonic stair-climbing activities were significantly greater than VMO:VL ratios for isometric contractions. Nonnormalized VMO:VL ratios in group 1 were significantly greater than nonnormalized VMO:VL ratios in the other two groups. Patients with PFP may have abnormal VMO:VL activation patterns, and isotonic quadriceps femoris muscle exercise may elicit more favorable muscle activation patterns than isometric exercise for patients with PFP.
Agribusiness firms: Location determinants and economic contribution

This article assesses factors influencing the location of agribusiness firms and evaluates their economic contribution to the local economy vis-a-vis other types of firms. Data are from a survey of 297 basic-sector firms (70 of which were agribusiness) in the Upper Midwest region. Factors affecting location decisions were found to differ significantly, both between agribusinesses and other firms and among agribusinesses of different types (e.g., food processors vs. farm machinery manufacturers). Agribusinesses employed fewer workers directly, but through their higher level of in-state purchases, they generated greater secondary (multiplier) effects. © 1992 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Combinatorial Limitations of Average-Radius List-Decoding

We study certain combinatorial aspects of list-decoding, motivated by the exponential gap between the known upper bound (of O(1/γ)) and lower bound (of Ω p (log(1/γ))) for the list-size needed to list decode up to error fraction p with rate γ away from capacity, i.e., 1 − h(p) − γ (here \(p\in (0, \frac{1}{2})\) and γ > 0). Our main result is the following:
A short proof of the equivalence of left and right convergence for sparse graphs

There are several notions of convergence for sequences of bounded degree graphs. One such notion is left convergence, which is based on counting neighborhood distributions. Another notion is right convergence, based on counting homomorphisms to a (weighted) target graph. Borgs, Chayes, Kahn and Lovasz showed that a sequence of bounded degree graphs is left convergent if and only if it is right convergent for certain target graphs H with all weights (including loops) close to 1. We give a short alternative proof of this statement. In particular, for each bounded degree graph G we associate functions f G , k for every positive integer k , and we show that left convergence of a sequence of graphs is equivalent to the convergence of the partial derivatives of each of these functions at the origin, while right convergence is equivalent to pointwise convergence. Using the bound on the maximum degree of the graphs, we can uniformly bound the partial derivatives at the origin, and show that the Taylor series converges uniformly on a domain independent of the graph, which implies the equivalence.
Prions are a common mechanism for phenotypic inheritance in wild yeasts

The self-templating conformations of yeast prion proteins act as epigenetic elements of inheritance. Yeast prions might provide a mechanism for generating heritable phenotypic diversity that promotes survival in fluctuating environments and the evolution of new traits. However, this hypothesis is highly controversial. Prions that create new traits have not been found in wild strains, leading to the perception that they are rare 'diseases' of laboratory cultivation. Here we biochemically test approximately 700 wild strains of Saccharomyces for [PSI(+)] or [MOT3(+)], and find these prions in many. They conferred diverse phenotypes that were frequently beneficial under selective conditions. Simple meiotic re-assortment of the variation harboured within a strain readily fixed one such trait, making it robust and prion-independent. Finally, we genetically screened for unknown prion elements. Fully one-third of wild strains harboured them. These, too, created diverse, often beneficial phenotypes. Thus, prions broadly govern heritable traits in nature, in a manner that could profoundly expand adaptive opportunities.
Synthesis of amino sugars through a highly diastereoselective dipolar cycloaddition. Enantioselective synthesis of the carbohydrate segment of Sch 38516

Abstract A concise and stereoselective route for the synthesis of the carbohydrate moiety of the antifungal agent Sch 38516 is described. The synthesis scheme includes a dipolar cycloaddition, which is rendered diastereoselective through the use of a readily available and easily removable chiral auxiliary.
AUTOMORPHIC BLACK HOLE ENTROPY

Over the past few years the understanding of the microscopic theory of black hole entropy has made important conceptual progress by recognizing that the degeneracies are encoded in partition functions which are determined by higher rank automorphic representations, in particular in the context of Siegel modular forms of genus two. In this review, some of the elements of this framework are highlighted. One of the surprising aspects is that the Siegel forms that have appeared in the entropic context are geometric in origin, arising from weight two cusp forms, hence from elliptic curves.
Causation entropy from symbolic representations of dynamical systems

Identification of causal structures and quantification of direct information flows in complex systems is a challenging yet important task, with practical applications in many fields. Data generated by dynamical processes or large-scale systems are often symbolized, either because of the finite resolution of the measurement apparatus, or because of the need of statistical estimation. By algorithmic application of causation entropy, we investigated the effects of symbolization on important concepts such as Markov order and causal structure of the tent map. We uncovered that these quantities depend nonmonotonically and, most of all, sensitively on the choice of symbolization. Indeed, we show that Markov order and causal structure do not necessarily converge to their original analog counterparts as the resolution of the partitioning becomes finer.
Characterizing Long-Period Transiting Planets Observed by Kepler

Kepler will monitor a sufficient number of stars that it is likely to detect single transits of planets with periods longer than the mission lifetime. We show that by combining the exquisite Kepler photometry of such transits with precise radial velocity observations taken over a reasonable timescale (~6 months) after the transits and assuming circular orbits, it is possible to estimate the periods of these transiting planets to better than 20%, for planets with radii greater than that of Neptune, and the masses to within a factor of 2, for planets with masses larger than or about equal to the mass of Jupiter. Using a Fisher matrix analysis, we derive analytic estimates for the uncertainties in the velocity of the planet and the acceleration of the star at the time of transit, which we then use to derive the uncertainties for the planet mass, radius, period, semimajor axis, and orbital inclination. Finally, we explore the impact of orbital eccentricity on the estimates of these quantities.
Brownian Motion in a Magnetic Field

Diffusion of electrons and ions in a plasma across a magnetic field with the interplay of an anisotropic dynamical friction is formulated in terms of the methods of Brownian motion. For a special symmetry of the dynamical friction matrix it is found that for Larmor periods of the order of the relaxation time across the magnetic field the diffusion takes place as an ordinary Brownian motion uninhibited by the external magnetic field.
Spin waves in random spin chains

We study quantum spin-1/2 Heisenberg ferromagnetic chains with dilute random antiferromagnetic impurity bonds with the modified spin-wave theory. By describing thermal excitations in the language of spin waves, we observe a low-temperature Curie susceptibility due to the formation of large spin clusters first predicted by the real-space renormalization-group approach, as well as a crossover to a pure ferromagnetic spin-chain behavior at intermediate and high temperatures. We compare our results of the modified spin-wave theory to quantum Monte Carlo simulations.
Inhibition of N-linked glycosylation.

Treatment of cells with inhibitors of the enzymes that synthesize N-linked oligosaccharide chains results in production of glycoproteins containing missing or altered chains. This approach is useful for examining potential functional role(s) of this class of oligosaccharides on specific proteins or intact cells. This unit describes the use of inhibitors to prevent N-linked glycosylation of proteins in cultured cells. First, the optimal concentration of inhibitor for the experiment (i.e., highest nontoxic concentration) is determined by monitoring [35S]methionine incorporation as a measure of protein biosynthesis. The inhibitor's ability to inhibit oligosaccharide processing is then determined by analyzing cells labeled with [(H)H]mannose using TCA precipitation or endo H digestion (UNIT 13). Further suggestions are given on how to use methods for identifying a specific glycoprotein (if available) to measure the effect of the inhibitor on its N-linked oligosaccharide chains. A support protocol details a method for concentrating proteins by acetone precipitation.
Maximal p-norms of entanglement breaking channels

It shown that when one of the components of a product channel is entanglement breaking, the output state with maximal p-norm is always a product state. This result complements Shor's theorem that both minimal entropy and Holevo capacity are additive for entanglement breaking channels. It is also shown how Shor's results can be recovered from the p-norm results by considering their behavior for p close to one.
Mechanisms of motivational interviewing in health promotion: a Bayesian mediation analysis

Counselor behaviors that mediate the efficacy of motivational interviewing (MI) are not well understood, especially when applied to health behavior promotion. We hypothesized that client change talk mediates the relationship between counselor variables and subsequent client behavior change. Purposeful sampling identified individuals from a prospective randomized worksite trial using an MI intervention to promote firefighters’ healthy diet and regular exercise that increased dietary intake of fruits and vegetables (n = 21) or did not increase intake of fruits and vegetables (n = 22). MI interactions were coded using the Motivational Interviewing Skill Code (MISC 2.1) to categorize counselor and firefighter verbal utterances. Both Bayesian and frequentist mediation analyses were used to investigate whether client change talk mediated the relationship between counselor skills and behavior change. Counselors’ global spirit, empathy, and direction and MI-consistent behavioral counts (e.g., reflections, open questions, affirmations, emphasize control) significantly correlated with firefighters’ total client change talk utterances (rs = 0.42, 0.40, 0.30, and 0.61, respectively), which correlated significantly with their fruit and vegetable intake increase (r = 0.33). Both Bayesian and frequentist mediation analyses demonstrated that findings were consistent with hypotheses, such that total client change talk mediated the relationship between counselor’s skills—MI-consistent behaviors [Bayesian mediated effect: αβ = .06 (.03), 95% CI = .02, .12] and MI spirit [Bayesian mediated effect: αβ = .06 (.03), 95% CI = .01, .13]—and increased fruit and vegetable consumption. Motivational interviewing is a resource- and time-intensive intervention, and is currently being applied in many arenas. Previous research has identified the importance of counselor behaviors and client change talk in the treatment of substance use disorders. Our results indicate that similar mechanisms may underlie the effects of MI for dietary change. These results inform MI training and application by identifying those processes critical for MI success in health promotion domains.
GC×GC temperature programming requirements to produce bilinear data for chemometric analysis

A diaphragm valve-based comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GC x GC) instrument with the two columns under independent temperature control is demonstrated. A fifteen-component mixture of alkanes, alkyl aromatics, ketones, and alcohols was separated using this system in only 45 s. Independent temperature control of the two columns allows for high-speed analysis of complex samples while retaining the bilinear data structure that is necessary to apply many chemometric peak-resolving methods. An important part of high-speed GC x GC is sharp injections onto the second column. In this work, 10-ms peak widths on the second column are demonstrated. A peak capacity per time of 240 peaks/min was readily achieved. This work is aimed at providing a high-speed GC system for the quantitative and qualitative analysis of complex process streams, such as natural products.
CONTROLLED CONNECTIVITY FOR SEMI-DIRECT PRODUCTS ACTING ON LOCALLY FINITE TREES

In 2003 Bieri and Geoghegan generalized the Bieri- Neuman-Strebel invariant � 1 by defining � 1 (�), � an isometric action by a finitely generated group G on a proper CAT(0) space M. In this paper, we show how the natural and well-known connec- tion between Bass-Serre theory and covering space theory provides a framework for the calculation of � 1 (�) whenis a cocompact action by G = B ⋊ A, A a finitely generated group, on a locally finite Bass-Serre tree T for A. This framework leads to a theorem providing conditions for including an endpoint in, or excluding an endpoint from, � 1 (�). When A is a finitely generated free group acting on its Cayley graph, we can restate this theorem from a more algebraic perspective, which leads to some general results on � 1 for such actions.
Bargaining and reputation

.The paper develops a reputation based theory of bargaining. The idea is to investigate and highlight the influence of bargaining ‘‘postures’’ on bargaining outcomes. A complete information bargaining model a la Rubinstein is amended to accommodate ‘‘irrational ` types’’ who are obstinate, and indeed for tractability assumed to be completely inflexible in their offers and demands. A strong ‘‘independence of procedures’’ result is derived: after initial postures have been adopted, the bargaining outcome is independent of the fine details of the bargaining protocol so long as both players have the opportunity to make offers frequently. The latter analysis yields a unique continuous-time limit with a war of attrition structure. In the continuous-time game, equilibrium is unique, and entails delay, consequently inefficiency. The equilibrium outcome reflects the combined influence of the rates of time preference of the players and the ex ante probabilities of different irrational types. As the probability of irrationality goes to zero, delay and inefficiency disappear; furthermore, if there is a rich set of types for both agents, the limit equilibrium payoffs are inversely proportional to their rates of time preference.
Three decades of Martian surface changes

[1] The surface of Mars has changed dramatically during the three decades spanned by spacecraft exploration. Comparisons of Mars Global Surveyor images with Viking and Mariner 9 pictures suggest that more than one third of Mars' surface area has brightened or darkened by at least 10%. Such albedo changes could produce significant effects on solar heating and the global circulation of winds across the planet. All of the major changes took place in areas of moderate to high thermal inertia and rock abundance, consistent with burial of rocky surfaces by thin dust layers deposited during dust storms and subsequent exposure of the rocky surfaces by aeolian erosion. Several distinct mechanisms contribute to aeolian erosion on Mars. Prevailing winds dominate erosion at low latitudes, producing diffuse albedo boundaries and elongated wind streaks generally oriented in the direction of southern summer winds. Dust devils darken the mid to high latitudes from 45 to 70 degrees during the summer seasons, forming irregular albedo patterns consisting of dark linear tracks. Dust storms produce regional albedo variations with distinct but irregular margins. Dark sand dunes in southern high latitudes appear to be associated with regional darkening that displays diffuse albedo boundaries. No surface changes were observed to repeat regularly on an annual basis, but many of the changes took place in areas that alternate episodically between high- and low-albedo states as thin mantles of dust are deposited and later stripped off. Hence the face of Mars remains recognizable after a century of telescopic observations, in spite of the enormous extent of alteration that has taken place during the era of spacecraft exploration.
Synthesis of 3-hydroxyspermidine: An unusual polyamine constituent of cytotoxic marine compounds

Abstract A short, convergent synthesis of the title compound, (±)-N 1 -(3-aminopropyl)-1,4-diamino-2-butanol 6 , was accomplished in 42% overall yield by means of a highly regioselective 1,3-dipolar nitrone cycloaddition.
Bidding up, buying out and cooling-off: an examination of auctions with withdrawal rights

This paper considers a model in which bidders in an auction are faced with uncertainty as to their final valuation of the auctioned object. This uncertainty is resolved after the auction has taken place. It is argued that the inclusion of a cooling-off right raises the expected revenue to the seller when bidders face a risk of the object being a strict ‘bad’, in that owning the object incurs negative utility to the winner of the auction. The model is then tested in a laboratory setting. The evidence from this experiment supports the predictions of the theory.
Engineering of markets and artifacts

Abstract In this paper, we continue the dialog started by Roth [The Economist as Engineer: Game theory, Experimentation, and Computation as Tools for Design Economics, Fisher Schultz lecture, Econometrica 70 (2002) (4) 1341–1378] between economics and engineering in the context of design of markets. We take the position that markets and engineered artifacts are the products of a social process of design formulation. Our perspective is that designing of markets and artifacts follow the same kind of problem formulation and solution testing process. Further, we show using two case studies that the design of engineered artifacts and markets are often interdependent. In light of their similarities, methodologies for modeling and testing using theoretical, analytical, computation and physical models in engineering can inform the development of methods for testing in the design of markets. We also illustrate an example of devising a test and results of its execution thorough the use of a simple computational model of an electric power market. We conclude by summarizing the similarities between the designing of markets and artifacts and call for a continued dialogue between engineers and economists.
How robust are the constraints on cosmology and galaxy evolution from the lens-redshift test?

The redshift distribution of galaxy lenses in known gravitational lens systems provides a powerful test that can potentially discriminate amongst cosmological models. However, applications of this elegant test have been curtailed by two factors: our ignorance of how galaxies evolve with redshift, and the absence of methods to deal with the effect of incomplete information in lensing systems. In this paper, we investigate both issues in detail. We explore how to extract the properties of evolving galaxies, assuming that the cosmology is well determined by other techniques. We propose a new nested Monte Carlo method to quantify the effects of incomplete data. We apply the lens-redshift test to an improved sample of seventy lens systems derived from recent observations, primarily from the SDSS, SLACS and the CLASS surveys. We find that the limiting factor in applying the lens-redshift test derives from poor statistics, including incomplete information samples and biased sampling. Many lenses that uniformly sample the underlying true image separation distribution will be needed to use this test as a complementary method to measure the value of the cosmological constant or the properties of evolving galaxies. Planned future surveys by missions like the SNAP satellite or LSST are likely to usher in a new era for strong lensing studies that utilize this test. With expected catalogues of thousands of new strong lenses, the lens-redshift test could offer a powerful tool to probe cosmology as well as galaxy evolution.
Vasodilator-stimulated Phosphoprotein (VASP) Regulates Actin Polymerization and Contraction in Airway Smooth Muscle by a Vinculin-dependent Mechanism *

Vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP) can catalyze actin polymerization by elongating actin filaments. The elongation mechanism involves VASP oligomerization and its binding to profilin, a G-actin chaperone. Actin polymerization is required for tension generation during the contraction of airway smooth muscle (ASM); however, the role of VASP in regulating actin dynamics in ASM is not known. We stimulated ASM cells and tissues with the contractile agonist acetylcholine (ACh) or the adenylyl cyclase activator, forskolin (FSK), a dilatory agent. ACh and FSK stimulated VASP Ser157 phosphorylation by different kinases. Inhibition of VASP Ser157 phosphorylation by expression of the mutant VASP S157A in ASM tissues suppressed VASP phosphorylation and membrane localization in response to ACh, and also inhibited contraction and actin polymerization. ACh but not FSK triggered the formation of VASP-VASP complexes as well as VASP-vinculin and VASP-profilin complexes at membrane sites. VASP-VASP complex formation and the interaction of VASP with vinculin and profilin were inhibited by expression of the inactive vinculin mutant, vinculin Y1065F, but VASP phosphorylation and membrane localization were unaffected. We conclude that VASP phosphorylation at Ser157 mediates its localization at the membrane, but that VASP Ser157 phosphorylation and membrane localization are not sufficient to activate its actin catalytic activity. The interaction of VASP with activated vinculin at membrane adhesion sites is a necessary prerequisite for VASP-mediated molecular processes necessary for actin polymerization. Our results show that VASP is a critical regulator of actin dynamics and tension generation during the contractile activation of ASM. Background: The function of vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP) in regulating actin polymerization during airway smooth muscle contraction is unknown. Results: VASP activity requires phosphorylation at Ser157, recruitment to the membrane, and interaction with activated vinculin. Conclusion: VASP regulates actin polymerization and contraction in smooth muscle by a unique mechanism. Significance: The mechanism of VASP function is important for understanding actin dynamics in cells.
Symmetry of Information and Bounds on Nonuniform Randomness Extraction via Kolmogorov Extractors

We prove a strong Symmetry of Information relation for random strings (in the sense of Kolmogorov complexity) and establish tight bounds on the amount on nonuniformity that is necessary for extracting a string with randomness rate $1$ from a single source of randomness. More precisely, as instantiations of more general results, we show:\begin{itemize}\item For all $n$-bit random strings $x$ and $y$, $x$ is random conditioned by $y$ if and only if $y$ is random conditioned by $x$;\item While $O(1)$ amount of advice regarding the source is not enough for extracting a string with randomness rate $1$ from a source string with constant random rate, $\omega(1)$ amount of advice is.\end{itemize}The proofs use Kolmogorov extractors as the main technical device.
On the optimality of ideal binary time-frequency masks

The concept of ideal binary time-frequency masks has received attention recently in monaural and binaural sound separation. Although often assumed, the optimality of ideal binary masks in terms of signal-to-noise ratio has not been rigorously addressed. In this paper we give a formal treatment on this issue and clarify the conditions for ideal binary masks to be optimal. We also experimentally compare the performance of ideal binary masks to that of ideal ratio masks on a speech mixture database and a music database. The results show that ideal binary masks are close in performance to ideal ratio masks which are closely related to the Wiener filter, the theoretically optimal linear filter.