cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Enabling cleanup technology transfer.

Technology transfer in the environmental restoration or cleanup area has been challenging. Whilst there is little doubt that innovative technologies are needed to reduce the times, risks, and costs associated with the cleanup of federal sites, particularly those of the Departments of Energy (DOE) and Defence (DoD), the use of such technologies in actual cleanups has been relatively limited. There are, of course, many reasons why technologies do not reach the implementation phase or do not get transferred from developing entities to the user community. For example, many past cleanup contracts provided few incentives for performance that would compel a contractor to seek improvement via technology applications. Whilst performance-based contracts are becoming more common, they alone will not drive increased technology applications. This paper focuses on some applications of cleanup methodologies and technologies that have been successful and are illustrative of a more general principle. The principle is at once obvious and not widely practiced. It is that, with few exceptions, innovative cleanup technologies are rarely implemented successfully alone but rather are implemented in the context of enabling processes and methodologies. And, since cleanup is conducted in a regulatory environment, the stage is better set for technology transfer when the context includes substantive interactions with the relevant stakeholders. Examples of this principle are drawn from the experiences of Argonne National Laboratory in adaptive sampling and analysis programs (ASAPs), precise excavation, and the DOE technology connection (TechCon) programme. The lessons learned may be applicable to the continuing challenges posed by the cleanup and emerging challenges of the long-term stewardship of residual contaminants and unexploded ordnance (UXO) at federal sites.
In Search of New Sulfur Transfer Agents

The chemistry of various sulfur-transfer agents is studied. The reaction of aromatic sulfenyl chloride 5 in the presence of imidazole and/or triethylamine gives the aryl disulfides 7 in 14–85 percent yield, whereas in the case of the corresponding benzylsulfenyl chlorides 9 in the presence of triethylamine and/or caprolactam, both disulfide 10 and benzyl chlorides 11 are formed in 0–81 percent and 10–72 percent yield, respectively. – The transfer reactions of 3-sulfenylated hydantoins 18 with amines are useful for the preparation of the unsymmetric sulfenamides 20 in 31–61% yield. Analogous transfer reactions of compounds 23 and 24 with piperidine give N,N′-thiodipiperidine (3, X = CH2) in 71–80%. Untersuchungen uber neue Schwefelubertragungs-Reagenzien Die Reaktionen verschiedener Schwefelubertragungs-Reagenzien werden untersucht. Die Reaktionen von aromatischen Sulfenylchloriden 5 ergeben in Gegenwart von Imidazol und/oder Triethylamin die Aryldisulfide 7 mit 14–85% Ausbeute, wahrend bei den entsprechenden Benzylsulfenylchloriden 9 in Gegenwart von Triethylamin und/oder Caprolactam sowohl die Disulfide 10 als auch die Benzylchloride 11 mit 0–81 % bzw. 10–72% Ausbeute entstehen. – Ubertragungsreaktionen zwischen 3-Sulfenohydantoinen 18 und Aminen sind fur die Darstellung von unsymmetrischen Sulfenamiden 20 brauchbar (31–61 % Ausbeute). Entsprechende Reaktionen von 23 und 24 mit Piperidin liefern N,N′-Thiodipiperidin (3, X = CH2) mit 71–80% Ausbeute.
Quantum cluster characters of Hall algebras

The aim of the present paper is to introduce a generalized quantum cluster character, which assigns to each object $$V$$ of a finitary Abelian category $${\mathcal {C}}$$ over a finite field $${\mathbb {F}}_q$$ and any sequence $$\mathbf {i}$$ of simple objects in $${\mathcal {C}}$$ the element $$X_{V,\mathbf {i}}$$ of the corresponding algebra $$P_{{\mathcal {C}},\mathbf {i}}$$ of $$q$$ -polynomials. We prove that if $${\mathcal {C}}$$ was hereditary, then the assignments $$V\mapsto X_{V,\mathbf {i}}$$ define algebra homomorphisms from the (dual) Hall–Ringel algebra of $${\mathcal {C}}$$ to the $$P_{{\mathcal {C}},\mathbf {i}}$$ , which generalize the well-known Feigin homomorphisms from the upper half of a quantum group to $$q$$ -polynomial algebras. If $${\mathcal {C}}$$ is the representation category of an acyclic valued quiver $$(Q,\mathbf {d})$$ and $$\mathbf {i}=(\mathbf {i}_0,\mathbf {i}_0)$$ , where $$\mathbf {i}_0$$ is a repetition-free source-adapted sequence, then we prove that the $$\mathbf {i}$$ -character $$X_{V,\mathbf {i}}$$ equals the quantum cluster character $$X_V$$ introduced earlier by the second author in Rupel (Int Math Res Not 14:3207–3236, 2011; Quantum cluster characters of valued quivers, arXiv:1109.6694 ). Using this identification, we deduce a quantum cluster structure on the quantum unipotent cell corresponding to the square of a Coxeter element. As a corollary, we prove a conjecture from the joint paper Berenstein and Zelevinsky (Adv Math 195(2):405–455, 2005) of the first author with A. Zelevinsky for such quantum unipotent cells. As a by-product, we construct the quantum twist and prove that it preserves the triangular basis introduced by A. Zelevinsky and the first author in Berenstein and Zelevinsky (Int Math Res Not. doi: 10.1093/imrn/rns268 , 2014).
Chemistry of the Oxocarbons

The chemistry of the oxocarbons is reviewed, with emphasis on findings published within the last ten years.
Family Planning and Women’s and Children’s Health: Long-Term Consequences of an Outreach Program in Matlab, Bangladesh

We analyze the impact of an experimental maternal and child health and family planning program that was established in Matlab, Bangladesh, in 1977. Village data from 1974, 1982, and 1996 suggest that program villages experienced a decline in fertility of about 17 %. Household data from 1996 confirm that this decline in “surviving fertility” persisted for nearly two decades. Women in program villages also experienced other benefits: increased birth spacing, lower child mortality, improved health status, and greater use of preventive health inputs. Some benefits also diffused beyond the boundaries of the program villages into neighboring comparison villages. These effects are robust to the inclusion of individual, household, and community characteristics. We conclude that the benefits of this reproductive and child health program in rural Bangladesh have many dimensions extending well beyond fertility reduction, which do not appear to dissipate rapidly after two decades.
Edge Reconfigurable Optical Network (ERON): Enabling dynamic sharing of static lightpaths

In this paper, we propose an edge reconfigurable optical network as an intermediate step toward fully dynamic optical core network. ERON is an overlay-control network created by installing GMPLS-enabled MEMs optical switches at the edge of a core optical network composed of static lightpaths. We propose a network design algorithm that takes as input the key resource locations dispersed globally and a realistic traffic matrix from end-users and outputs a virtual topology comprised of the minimum required static lightpaths interconnected via ERON switches. This paper describes the key concepts involved in the design of an efficient ERON network combined with routing and reservation algorithms to assure low blocking probabilities. We also describe the management and control architecture and protocols required to provide end-user/application control of the dynamic lightpaths.
Black hole entropy calculations based on symmetries

Symmetry-based approaches to the black hole entropy problem have a number of attractive features; in particular, they are very general and do not depend on the details of the quantization method. However, we point out that, of the two available approaches, one faces conceptual problems (also emphasized by others), while the second contains certain technical flaws. We correct these errors and, within the new, improved scheme, calculate the entropy of three-dimensional black holes. We find that, while the new symmetry vector fields are well defined on the `stretched horizon', and lead to well defined Hamiltonians satisfying the expected Lie algebra, they fail to admit a well defined limit to the horizon. This suggests that, although the formal calculation can be carried out at the classical level, its real, conceptual origin probably lies in the quantum theory.
The Interface between Quantum Mechanics and General Relativity

The generation, as well as the detection, of gravitational radiation by means of charged superfluids is considered. One example of such a “charged superfluid” consists of a pair of Planck-mass-scale, ultracold “Millikan oil drops”, each with a single electron on its surface in a strong magnetic field, in which the oil of the drop is replaced by superfluid helium. When levitated in a magnetic trap, and subjected to microwave-frequency electromagnetic radiation, a pair of such “Millikan oil drops” separated by a microwave wavelength can become an efficient quantum transducer between quadrupolar electromagnetic and gravitational radiation. This leads to the possibility of a Hertz-like experiment, in which the source of microwave-frequency gravitational radiation consists of one pair of “Millikan oil drops” driven by microwaves, and the receiver of such radiation consists of another pair of “Millikan oil drops” in the far field driven by the gravitational radiation generated by the first pair. The second pair...
Tracing parallel vectors

Feature tracking algorithms usually rely on operators for identifying regions of interest. One of these commonly used operators is to identify parallel vectors introduced by Peikert and Roth.4 In this paper, we propose a new and improved method for finding parallel vectors in 3D vector fields. Our method uses a two-stage approach where in the first stage we extract solution points from 2D faces using Newton-Raphson method, and in the second stage, we use analytical tangents to trace solution lines. The distinct advantage of our method over the previous method lies in the fact that our algorithm does not require a very fine grid to find all the important topological features. As a consequence, the extraction phase does not have to be at the same resolution as the original dataset. More importantly, the feature lines extracted are topologically consistent. We demonstrate the tracing algorithm with results from several datasets.
Evaluating strategic alternatives: an analytical model

The amount of information involved in strategic decision making and the computational limitations of human decision makers makes strategy selection a difficult task. Various approaches from sheer intuition to computerized decision systems have been proposed for strategy selection. In this paper we present an analytical model which systematically evaluates a series of strategic alternatives by decomposing environmental opportunities and threats into internal, transactional, and contextual segments. Judgments about opportunities and threats are used to obtain two composite weighted scores measuring the risk and return associated with each strategic alternative. The proposed system puts the decision maker and the computer into an interactive partnership by providing a formal and systematic approach to strategy selection while using the computer to manage complex logical processes and vast amounts of information.
Dynamics of Br Electrosorption on Single-Crystal Ag(100): A Computational Study

Abstract We present dynamic Monte Carlo simulations of a lattice-gas model for bromine electrodeposition on single-crystal silver (100). This system undergoes a continuous phase transition between a disordered phase at low electrode potentials and a commensurate c (2×2) phase at high potentials. The lattice-gas parameters are determined by fitting simulated equilibrium adsorption icsotherms to chronocoulometric data, and free-energy barriers for adsorption/desorption and lateral diffusion are estimated from ab-initio data in the literature. Cyclic voltammograms in the quasi-static limit are obtained by equilibrium Monte Carlo simulations, while for nonzero potential scan rates we use dynamic Monte Carlo simulation. The butterfly shapes of the simulated voltammograms are in good agreement with experiments. Simulated potential-step experiments give results for the time evolution of the Br coverage, as well as the c (2×2) order parameter and its correlation length. During phase ordering following a positive potential step, the system obeys dynamic scaling. The disordering following a negative potential step is well described by random desorption with diffusion. Both ordering and disordering processes are strongly influenced by the ratio of the time scales for desorption and diffusion. Our results should be testable by experiments, in particular cyclic voltammetry and surface X-ray scattering.
Scope of the Suzuki-Miyaura Cross-Coupling Reactions of Potassium Heteroaryltrifluoroborates

A wide variety of bench-stable potassium heteroaryltrifluoroborates were prepared, and general reaction conditions were developed for their cross-coupling to aryl and heteroaryl halides. The cross-coupled products were obtained in good to excellent yields. This method represents an efficient and facile installation of heterocyclic building blocks onto preexisting organic substructures.
Telecommunications technology development for the Deep Space Network

The telecommunications technology that is currently being developed for the Deep Space Network (DSN), a system providing communications and navigation support for NASA's deep space missions, is discussed. The major areas of development include Ka-band (32 GHz) technology, beam waveguide antennas, low-noise amplifiers, coding, navigation techniques, high-power transmitters, and optical technology. The expected payoffs of the new technology during the mid-1990's and later are examined.
A Model for Patchy Reconnection in Three Dimensions

We show, theoretically and via MHD simulations, how a short burst of localized reconnection on a current sheet creates a pair of reconnected flux tubes. We focus on the post-reconnection evolution of these flux tubes, studying their velocities and shapes. We find that slow-mode shocks propagate along these reconnected flux tubes, releasing magnetic energy as in steady state Petschek reconnection. The geometry of these three-dimensional shocks, however, differs significantly from the classical two-dimensional geometry. They propagate along the flux tube legs in four isolated fronts, whereas in the two-dimensional Petschek model, they form a continuous, stationary pair of V-shaped fronts. We find that the cross sections of these reconnected flux tubes appear as teardrop-shaped bundles of flux propagating away from the reconnection site. Based on this, we argue that the descending coronal voids seen by Yohkoh SXT, LASCO, and TRACE are reconnected flux tubes descending from a flare site in the high corona, for example after a coronal mass ejection. In this model, these flux tubes would then settle into equilibrium in the low corona, forming an arcade of postflare coronal loops.
Molecular rotors: Synthesis and evaluation as viscosity sensors

It has been shown that compounds containing the p-N,N-dialkylaminobenzylidene cyanoacetate motif can serve as fluorescent non-mechanical viscosity sensors. These compounds, referred to as molecular rotors, belong to a class of fluorescent probes that are known to form twisted intramolecular charge-transfer complexes in the excited state. In this study we present the synthesis and spectroscopic characterization of these compounds as viscosity sensors. The effects of the molecular structure and electronic density of these rotors to the emission wavelength, fluorescence intensity, and viscosity sensitivity are discussed.
Connecting Galaxies, Halos, and Star Formation Rates Across Cosmic Time

A simple, observationally motivated model is presented for understanding how halo masses, galaxy stellar masses, and star formation rates are related, and how these relations evolve with time. The relation between halo mass and galaxy stellar mass is determined by matching the observed spatial abundance of galaxies to the expected spatial abundance of halos at multiple epochs, i.e., more massive galaxies are assigned to more massive halos at each epoch. This 'abundance matching' technique has been shown previously to reproduce the observed luminosity and scale dependence of galaxy clustering over a range of epochs. Halos at different epochs are connected by halo mass accretion histories estimated from N-body simulations. The halo-galaxy connection at fixed epochs in conjunction with the connection between halos across time provides a connection between observed galaxies across time. With approximations for the impact of merging and accretion on the growth of galaxies, one can then directly infer the star formation histories of galaxies as a function of stellar and halo mass. This model is tuned to match both the observed evolution of the stellar mass function and the normalization of the observed star formation rate (SFR)-stellar mass relation to z {approx} 1. The data demands, formore » example, that the star formation rate density is dominated by galaxies with M {sub star} {approx} 10{sup 10.0-10.5} M {sub sun} from 0 < z < 1, and that such galaxies over these epochs reside in halos with M {sub vir} {approx} 10{sup 11.5-12.5} M {sub sun}. The SFR-halo mass relation is approximately Gaussian over the range 0 < z < 1 with a mildly evolving mean and normalization. This model is then used to shed light on a number of issues, including (1) a clarification of {sup d}ownsizing{sup ,} (2) the lack of a sharp characteristic halo mass at which star formation is truncated, and (3) the dominance of star formation over merging to the stellar buildup of galaxies with M {sub star} {approx}< 10{sup 11} M {sub sun} at z < 1.« less
Marx's Theory of Ground Rent: A Critical Assessment

This critical essay provides the reader with an up-to-date assessment of Marx's relatively neglected theory of absolute ground rent by bringing together in a coherent manner his scattered observations and arguments contained primarily in Capital, Vol. III and Theories of Surplus Value, Vol. II. It also reviews the extant secondary literature which suggests that within Marx's theory of rent is an embryonic theory of monopoly from which scholars can draw important insights into the history of economic thought and the workings of mature capitalism. The paper is organized as follows. After an introductory section, Section II provides the reader with an overview of Marx's theory of differential rent and compares it to that of Ricardo, particularly Marx's discussion of differential rent II and whether nature is productive of exchange value. Section III discusses Marx's theory of absolute rent in light of recent criticisms by prominent scholars and suggests that what determines whether rent is paid on the marginal land is not technical backwardness or lower productivity of labor per se, but a social relation, viz., the monopoly created by the private ownership of land. The last section summarizes the main arguments and suggests some avenues for future research.
Perspective on “Density functional approach to the frontier-electron theory of chemical reactivity”

The Fukui function, f(→), was proposed as a tool for deducing the relative reactivity of different positions in a molecule by Parr and Yang in 1984. Herein we sketch the theory of the Fukui function, with special emphasis on its logical motivation, interpretation, qualitative characteristics, and practical computation. We conclude with some words about the Fukui function's extensions, limitations, and importance.
Bad Credit and Intergroup Differences in Loan Denial Rates

Research has found wide disparities in loan denial rates among different racial/ethnic groups. Two competing explanations for these gaps arise. One argument is that these disparities result from underlying racial disparities in credit worthiness. A competing view is that the disparities arise from a pattern of racial discrimination among mortgage lenders. This paper adopts a stratification economics approach to evaluate these competing claims. Using Freddie Mac’s Consumer Credit Survey dataset, we test the hypothesis that measures of discrimination disappear when one accounts for racial differences in credit scores. A novel contribution of the paper, built upon the premise that inter-group inequalities sustain themselves through self-fulfilling mechanisms, is to test the hypothesis that loan denials explain misperceptions of credit worthiness. We demonstrate that one cause of the appearance of poor credit risk among black applicants is that blacks with good credit risk underestimate their credit worthiness and apply for loans in lower numbers. Our findings suggest that even nondiscriminatory lending behavior has the unintended effect of screening out low-risk blacks and thereby yields higher denial rates among blacks. This in turn confirms prior beliefs about the poor credit of average black applicants. Much, but not all, of the racial disparity in loan outcomes can be explained by racial differences in credit scores and the resulting racial disparity in loan outcomes explains much of the racial difference in false perceptions about bad credit. Thus, a possible self-fulfilling mechanism remains within the credit market that perpetuates views about black bad credit.
Convergence and Stability in Distributed Design of Large Systems

Decentralized systems constitute a special class of design under distributed environments. They are characterized as large and complex systems divided into several smaller entities that have autonomy in local optimization and decision-making. The mechanisms behind this network of decentralized design decisions create difficult management and coordination issues. Standard techniques to modeling and solving decentralized design problems typically fail to understand the underlying dynamics of the decentralized processes and therefore result in suboptimal solutions. This paper aims to model and understand the mechanisms and dynamics behind a decentralized set of decisions within a complex design process. This paper builds on already existing results of convergence in decentralized design for simple problems to extend them to any kind of quadratic decentralized system. This involves two major steps: developing the convergence conditions for the distributed optimization problem, and finding the equilibrium points of the design space. Illustrations of the results are given in the form of hypothetical decentralized examples.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
Counting value sets: algorithm and complexity

Let p be a prime. Given a polynomial in Fpm[x] of degree d over the finite field Fpm, one can view it as a map from Fpm to Fpm, and examine the image of this map, also known as the value set. In this paper, we present the first non-trivial algorithm and the first complexity result on computing the cardinality of this value set. We show an elementary connection between this cardinality and the number of points on a family of varieties in affine space. We then apply Lauder and Wan’s p-adic point-counting algorithm to count these points, resulting in a non-trivial algorithm for calculating the cardinality of the value set. The running time of our algorithm is (pmd) O(d) . In particular, this is a polynomial time algorithm for fixed d if p is reasonably small. We also show that the problem is #P-hard when the polynomial is given in a sparse representation, p = 2, and m is allowed to vary, or when the polynomial is given as a straight-line program, m = 1 and p is allowed to vary. Additionally, we prove that it is NP-hard to decide whether a polynomial represented by a straight-line program has a root in a prime-order finite field, thus resolving an open problem proposed by Kaltofen and Koiran in [4, 5].
Regioselective Synthesis of Tetraalkynylarenes by Consecutive Dual Sonogashira Coupling Reactions of the Bis(triflate) of 4,5-Diiodobenzene-1,2-diol

The regioselective synthesis of nonsymmetric tetraalkynylarenes has been readily achieved through consecutive sets of Sonagashira cross-coupling reactions of the bis(triflate) derivative of 4,5-diiodobenzene-1,2-diol. The initial coupling reactions proceeded with nearly complete selectivity for the reaction at the Ar–I linkages. Subsequent coupling reactions at the Ar–OTf linkages were efficiently conducted. The tetraalkynylarene products are of interest as components of organic molecular materials.
Time-series coefficient variation in value-relevance regressions: a discussion of Core, Guay, and Van Buskirk and new evidence☆

Abstract Many claim that GAAP financial information has become largely irrelevant to explaining valuations. Core et al. compare financial information's value relevance for the New Economy stocks with other stocks. We supplement their analysis with new evidence on the economic determinants of the time-series variation in the coefficients mapping financial information into prices. We document significant variation in the coefficients related to proxies for changing market growth expectations and discount rates and additional variation consistent with time-varying correlated omitted variables. Such findings make it difficult to draw unambiguous inferences about the relevance and reliability of financial information from value-relevance regressions.
Interconversion of Functional Motions between Mesophilic and Thermophilic Adenylate Kinases

Dynamic properties are functionally important in many proteins, including the enzyme adenylate kinase (AK), for which the open/closed transition limits the rate of catalytic turnover. Here, we compare our previously published coarse-grained (double-well Gō) simulation of mesophilic AK from E. coli (AKmeso) to simulations of thermophilic AK from Aquifex aeolicus (AKthermo). In AKthermo, as with AKmeso, the LID domain prefers to close before the NMP domain in the presence of ligand, but LID rigid-body flexibility in the open (O) ensemble decreases significantly. Backbone foldedness in O and/or transition state (TS) ensembles increases significantly relative to AKmeso in some interdomain backbone hinges and within LID. In contact space, the TS of AKthermo has fewer contacts at the CORE-LID interface but a stronger contact network surrounding the CORE-NMP interface than the TS of AKmeso. A “heated” simulation of AKthermo at 375K slightly increases LID rigid-body flexibility in accordance with the “corresponding states” hypothesis. Furthermore, while computational mutation of 7 prolines in AKthermo to their AKmeso counterparts produces similar small perturbations, mutation of these sites, especially positions 8 and 155, to glycine is required to achieve LID rigid-body flexibility and hinge flexibilities comparable to AKmeso. Mutating the 7 sites to proline in AKmeso reduces some hinges' flexibilities, especially hinge 2, but does not reduce LID rigid-body flexibility, suggesting that these two types of motion are decoupled in AKmeso. In conclusion, our results suggest that hinge flexibility and global functional motions alike are correlated with but not exclusively determined by the hinge residues. This mutational framework can inform the rational design of functionally important flexibility and allostery in other proteins toward engineering novel biochemical pathways.
Monoamine oxidase in schizophrenia and other behavioral disorders

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses themonoamine oxidase (MAO) in schizophrenia and other behavioral disorders. Oxidative deamination by MAO represents a major degradative metabolic pathway for such biogenic amines as serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine. The concentration of these putative neurotransmitter amines within neurons and othercells is partially regulated by this enzyme. In addition, MAO functions in the intra and extra neuronal deactivation of other amines that accumulate in cells. The enzyme is widely distributed in the body, being present in most human tissues. It occurs in several molecular forms which possessdifferent substrate and inhibitor-related characteristics.
Multicomponent prestack depth migration by scalar wavefield extrapolation

We present a new multicomponent prestack depth migration methodology based on successive application of conventional scalar wave equation migration. We do not separate the data into PP‐ and PS‐waves; rather, we migrate each x‐, y‐, and z‐component of the data using both P and S propagation velocities, followed by polarization filtering in the depth domain. By generating intermediate images in the depth domain, we can account for polarity reversals of the PS reflection for all dips. Since the polarization angles are calculated from the data, it is straightforward to accommodate anisotropic effects (quasi‐P and quasi‐S) into multicomponent migration.The multicomponent migration results in our synthetic examples demonstrate that even for a single shot gather, we can obtain clean PP‐ and PS‐wave images over complex structures and resolve the problem of PS‐wave polarity reversals.
Growth and inequality in a small open economy

Abstract This paper employs an endogenous growth model to analyze the growth and inequality relation for a small open economy where agents differ in their initial endowments of capital stock and international bond-holdings. We analyze the impacts of different structural shocks through their effects on agents’ relative wealth and their labor supply decisions. Both theoretical analysis and numerical simulations demonstrate that openness – access to an international capital market – enriches the growth-inequality relations from those of the corresponding closed economy. Specifically, we show that the growth and distributional consequences of structural shocks depend crucially on whether the underlying heterogeneity originates with the initial endowment of domestic capital or foreign bonds.
STABILITY STUDIES OF CABLED CONDUCTORS IN He I AND He II

Etude experimentale des principes physiques qui gouvernent la stabilite des supraconducteurs composites câbles refroidis par un bain HeI ou HeII
Labor turnover in the U.S. federal bureaucracy

This paper presents an empirical analysis of labor turnover in the U.S. federal bureaucracy. The results indicate that job experience in politically important federal agencies is valued by the private sector. Hence (high-level) bureaucrats employed in these agencies have high turnover probabilities. The analysis also shows that equalization of federal sector and private sector wage rates would lead to a relatively small increase in turnover, but to substantial savings in federal payroll costs.
The PLO and the Jordan option

The Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) stands at a crossroads. The battle of Beirut has revealed the valiant and tenacious character of Palestinian nationalism and the corresponding paralysis of the Arab state system. But the forced withdrawal of the PLO from Lebanon presented the organisation with the most serious challenge to its cohesion and vitality in its twenty years of existence. There have been discernible and nearly immediate consequences for the Palestinian national movement: first, the institutional infrastructure of the PLO has been dealt a crippling blow; second, the movement has been reduced to a second-level player in the diplomatic configuration of the region; third, long-standing discord within the movement has erupted into a full-fledged civil war.1 As a result, the political gains of the past decade are suddenly endangered. The period since the movement's departure from Beirut in late August 1982 began as a search for readjustment and accommodation, shifting between reconstruction of a shattered consensus and defining a new one more relevant to the tasks of the movement and conditions in the region. A new urgency had arisen to re-examine the politics of consensus, to make hard and unprecedented choices. No longer could the movement afford a cloak of multiple ideological coloration. The future path of the movement needed to be clarified and refined. The announcement on 11 February, 1985, that King Hussein and Yasir Arafat had agreed on a joint approach to resolve the Palestine-Israel conflict is bound to sharpen the strategy debate under way within the Palestinian national movement. As the first substantive follow-up to the Seventeenth Palestine National Council (PNC) meeting of November 1984, the accord endorsed the principle of exchanging territory for peace, the right of self-determination for the Palestinian people within the framework of a Palestinian state and a Jordanian-Palestinian confederation, and a comprehensive settlement under the umbrella of an international conference at which the Palestinians would be
Ethical Frameworks and Farmer Participation in Controversial Farming Practices

There are a number of agricultural farming practices that are controversial. These may include using chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides, and planting genetically modified crops, as well as the decision to dehorn cattle rather than raise polled cattle breeds. We use data from a survey of Missouri crop and livestock producers to determine whether a farmer’s ethical framework affects his or her decision to engage in these practices. We find that a plurality of farmers prefer an agricultural policy that reflects principles based on rights rather than principles of utilitarianism or justice. Furthermore, after controlling for personal and farm characteristics, we find a positive correlation between farmers preferring a rights-based policy and a farmer’s use of chemical farm inputs and polled rather than horned cattle. We also find that a combination of ethical framework and farm and farmer characteristics correlate with decisions to use farm chemicals, while only farm and farmer characteristics affect the decision to plant GM crops and only a farmer’s ethical framework affects the decision to use polled cattle.
An input/output approach to the optimal transition control of a class of distributed chemical reactors

An input/output approach to the optimal concentration transition control problem of a certain type of distributed chemical reactors is proposed based on the concept of residence time distribution, which can be determined in practice by using data from experimental measurements or computer simulations. The main assumptions for the proposed control method to apply are that the thermal and fluid flow fields in the reactor are at pseudo-steady-state during transition and that the component whose concentration is to be controlled participates only in first-order reactions. Using the concept of cumulative residence time distribution, the output variable is expressed as the weighted sum of discretized inputs or input gradients in order to construct an input/output model, on the basis of which a constrained optimal control problem, penalizing a quadratic control energy functional in the presence of input constraints, is formulated and solved as a standard least squares problem with inequality constraints. The effectiveness of the proposed optimal control scheme is demonstrated through a continuous-stirred-tank-reactor (CSTR) network and a tubular reactor with axial dispersion and a first-order reaction. It is demonstrated through computer simulations that the proposed control method is advantageous over linear quadratic regulator (LQR) and proportional-integral (PI) control in terms of control cost minimization and input constraint satisfaction.
Tandem carbolithiation/cyclization of 2-(3-phenyl-2-propen-1-yl) oxazolines. A novel route to cyclobutane derivatives

Abstract Reaction of the 2-(3-phenyl-2-propen-1-yl) oxazolines 1 and 3 with organolithium reagents leads to cyclobutane ring formation by a novel tandem carbolithiation/cyclization sequence. The products (e.g., 2a and 4a) may be hydrolyzed to the corresponding substituted cyclobutanones (e.g., 7 and 8).
Support Recovery of Sparse Signals in the Presence of Multiple Measurement Vectors

This paper studies the performance limits in the support recovery of sparse signals based on multiple measurement vectors (MMV). An information-theoretic analytical framework inspired by the connection to the single-input multiple-output multiple-access channel communication is established to reveal the performance limits in the support recovery of sparse signals with fixed number of nonzero entries. Sharp sufficient and necessary conditions for asymptotically successful support recovery are derived in terms of the number of measurements per vector, the number of nonzero rows, the measurement noise level, and the number of measurement vectors. Through the interpretations of the results, the benefit of having MMV for sparse signal recovery is illustrated, thus providing a theoretical foundation to the performance improvement enabled by MMV as observed in many existing simulation results. In particular, it is shown that the structure (rank) of the matrix formed by the nonzero entries plays an important role in the performance limits of support recovery.
Database Searching for Compounds with Similar Biological Activity Using Short Binary Bit String Representations of Molecules

In an effort to identify biologically active molecules in compound databases, we have investigated similarity searching using short binary bit strings with a maximum of 54 bit positions. These “minifingerprints” (MFPs) were designed to account for the presence or absence of structural fragments and/or aromatic character, flexibility, and hydrogen-bonding capacity of molecules. MFP design was based on an analysis of distributions of molecular descriptors and structural fragments in two large compound collections. The performance of different MFPs and a reference fingerprint was tested by systematic “one-against-all” similarity searches of molecules in a database containing 364 compounds with different biological activities. For each fingerprint, the most effective similarity cutoff value was determined. An MFP accounting for only 32 structural fragments showed less than 2% false positive similarity matches and correctly assigned on average ∼40% of the compounds with the same biological activity to a query ...
Process model-free analysis for thermodynamic efficiencies of sulfur–iodine processes for thermochemical water decomposition

Material, energy, and entropy balances, which depend only on stream conditions and flows entering and leaving a system, have been used to evaluate different scenarios for thermochemical decomposition of water to manufacture hydrogen using the Sulfur–Iodine cycle. Energy efficiencies have been found for idealized systems with variable stream amounts, as well as for a common flowsheet, to locate the greatest effects on energy requirements and inefficiencies. Aspen Plus®, OLI Engine, and ProSimPlus property models have been used on the sections of a General Atomics process to reveal the effects of differences in computed energies and entropy generation. While the calculated efficiencies are generally consistent with those of the literature, differences in stream properties and phase behaviors suggest that optimal process configurations from simulations may have significant uncertainties.
A Comparison of Stellar and Gaseous Kinematics in the Nuclei of Active Galaxies

To investigate the relationship between black holes and their host galaxies, many groups have used the width of the [O III] λ5007 line as a substitute for the stellar velocity dispersion (σ*) of galaxy bulges. We directly test this assumption with a large and homogeneous sample of narrow-line active galactic nuclei from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. We consider multiple transitions ([O II] λ3727, [O III] λ5007, and [S II] λλ6716, 6731) and various techniques for quantifying the line width in order to obtain a calibration between the gas velocity dispersion, σg, and σ*. We find that σg of the low-ionization lines traces σ*, as does σg for the core of [O III] after its asymmetric blue wing is properly removed, although in all cases the correlation between σg and σ* has considerable scatter. While the gas kinematics of the narrow-line region of active galaxies are primarily governed by the gravitational potential of the stars, the accretion rate, as traced by the Eddington luminosity ratio, seems to play an important secondary role. Departures from virial motions correlate systematically with accretion rate. We discuss the implications of these results for previous studies that use [O III] line widths to infer stellar velocity dispersions in quasars and narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxies.
Integrated silicon-based chemical microsystem for portable sensing applications

Abstract This paper presents a chemical microsystem based on the integration of a silicon-based resonant microsensor and a CMOS ASIC for portable sensing applications in air. Two types of resonant microstructures are used as mass-sensitive microsensors: cantilever-based and disk-shape microresonators. Based on the characteristics of the microsensors, CMOS-integrated interface and control electronics have been designed and implemented. The CMOS ASIC utilizes the self-oscillation method in which a main feedback loop starts and sustains oscillation at or close to the desired resonance frequency of the microresonators. For stable oscillation, an automatic gain control loop regulates the oscillation amplitude by controlling the gain of the main feedback loop. In addition, an automatic phase control loop has been included to adjust the phase of the main feedback loop to ensure an operating point as close as possible to the resonance frequency, which results in improved frequency stability. To improve the long-term stability, a method to compensate for frequency drift has been proposed and implemented on the CMOS chip. The performance of the implemented microsystem as a chemical sensor has been evaluated experimentally by detecting different concentrations of volatile organic compounds such as benzene, toluene and m-xylene with microresonators coated with chemically sensitive polymer films.
Rechargeable hydrogen batteries using rare-earth-based hydrogen storage alloys

Abstract Electrochemical properties of low cost MmNi 5 -based-hydrogen storage alloys (Mm ≡ mischmetal) were extensively examined. The alloy MmNi 3.5 Co 0.7 Al 0.8 showed a very long cycle life with reasonable discharge capacity (250 mA h g −1 ) and rate capability. An ingot with a very high endurance and low lattice strain was obtained under controlled conditions, including high rate cooling in the casting process for obtaining a columnar structure, no heat treatment and prevention of stoichiometric deviation. A columnar structure was formed so that the c -axis of the hexagonal structure was oriented parallel to the cooling plane. This alloy was significantly distinguished in crystal growth from a manganese-containing alloy (MmNl 3.5 Co 0.5 Al 0.3 Mn 0.4 ) which had an equiaxial structure with considerable lattice strain, which needed conventional heat treatment. Deviation from stoichiometric composition to the nickel-rich side caused a significant decrease in capacity and cycle life owing to the precipitation of AlNi 3 at grain boundaries. The decay in capacity of the MH electrode using MmNi 3.6 Co 0.7 Al 0.8 was only 10% after 2000 cycles. The cylindrical sealed cell also showed a very long cycle life (a capacity decay of 6% after 2000 cycles). The high capacity sealed cell had a 1.5–2 times higher energy density (210 W h dm −3 ; 65 W h kg −1 ) with a longer cycle life and better rate capability than the high capacity Ni-Cd battery.
Single versus dual venous drainage of the radial forearm free flap

Abstract Purpose: To compare single versus dual venous drainage of radial forearm free flaps (RFFF) and its impact on flap survival. Design: A retrospective case series of 43 consecutive patients undergoing radial forearm free flap reconstruction for head and neck cancer defects, combined with a meta-analysis of 218 reported cases. Setting: Two academic, tertiary referral medical centers. Intervention: All 43 RFFF's were harvested and inset in a similar fashion. In 16 patients (group 1), two venous anastomoses were performed. In 27 patients (group 2) one anastomosis was created. The arterial anastomosis was similar in both groups. Outcome Measures: Clinically noted viability of the radial forearm free flap over the first 6 postoperative weeks. Results: All 43 RFFFs maintained complete viability. No flap loss, complete or partial, was identified. Two patients in group 1 and one patient in group 2 developed postoperative pharyngocutaneous fistulae, but complete healing occurred with local wound care. One patient in group 2 developed a postoperative neck hematoma, which was evacuated with no insult to the free flap. Single venous anastomosis shortened operative time by 21 to 36 minutes. Conclusion: Though two venous anastomoses may provide a more fail-safe mechanism for adequate venous drainage, a single venous anastomosis employing a subcutaneous vein provides adequate drainage with reduced operative time and no additional morbidity. Meta-analysis statistically confirmed the equivalency of single and dual venous amastimoses with respect to flap survival.
Resistive Solutions for Pulsar Magnetospheres

The current state of the art in the modeling of pulsar magnetospheres invokes either the vacuum or force-free limits for the magnetospheric plasma. Neither of these limits can simultaneously account for both the plasma currents and the accelerating electric fields that are needed to explain the morphology and spectra of high-energy emission from pulsars. To better understand the structure of such magnetospheres, we combine accelerating fields and force-free solutions by considering models of magnetospheres filled with resistive plasma. We formulate Ohm's law in the minimal velocity fluid frame and construct a family of resistive solutions that smoothly bridges the gap between the vacuum and the force-free magnetosphere solutions. The spin-down luminosity, open field line potential drop, and the fraction of open field lines all transition between the vacuum and force-free values as the plasma conductivity varies from zero to infinity. For fixed inclination angle, we find that the spin-down luminosity depends linearly on the open field line potential drop. We consider the implications of our resistive solutions for the spin-down of intermittent pulsars and sub-pulse drift phenomena in radio pulsars.
Optimal Entrepreneurial Decisions in a Completely Stochastic Environment

This paper develops a normative model of the entrepreneur's decision problem in which the following elements are stochastic: the entrepreneur's preferences, his lifetime, the returns from investments, and the process obeyed by the interest rate. Furthermore, the entrepreneur's preferences are assumed to be sensitive to the opportunities facing him at each decision point as well as other environmental factors. At each decision point the entrepreneur must decide how to allocate his resources between consumption, life insurance, various investment opportunities, and lending/borrowing. His objective is postulated to be the maximization of expected utility from consumption as long as he lives and from the bequest left upon his death. Optimal decision functions are obtained in closed form for a class of utility functions; their properties are examined and compared to those of the optimal strategies of less general models.
New asymmetric syntheses with boronic esters and fluoroboranes

Efficient cleavage of sterically hindered boronic esters of asymmetric diols to re- cover both the diol and a more reactive borane derivative has been a challenging problem. A remarkable borosilicate glass-catalyzed cleavage with thionyl chloride and imidazole proved less useful than hoped for. Potassium bifluoride converts boronic esters to diols and alkyltri- fluoroborates. These with chlorosilanes yield alkyldifluoroboranes, which with alkyl azides form secondary amines in high enantiopurity.