cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Extended HST Supernova Survey: The Rate of SNe Ia at z > 1.4 Remains Low

We use the HST ACS imaging of the two GOODS fields during Cycles 11, 12, and 13 to derive the Type Ia supernova rate in four redshift intervals in the range -->0.2 . The sample now consists of 56 Type Ia supernovae. The rates we derive are consistent with our results based on the Cycle 11 observations. In particular, the small number of supernovae detected at -->z > 1.4 supports our previous result that there is a drop in the Type Ia supernova rate at high redshift, suggesting a long time delay between the formation of the progenitor star and the explosion of the supernova. If described by a simple one-parameter model, we find a characteristic delay time of 2-3 Gyr. However, a number of recent results based on, e.g., low-redshift supernova samples and supernova host galaxy properties suggest that the supernova delay-time distribution is bimodal. In this model a major fraction of the Type Ia supernova rate are prompt and follow the star formation rate, while a smaller fraction of the rate have a long delay time, making this channel proportional to mass. While our results are fully consistent with the bimodal model at low redshifts, the low rate we find at -->z > 1.4 appears to contradict these results. Models that correct for star formation hidden by dust may explain at least part of the differences. Here we discuss this possibility together with other ways to reconcile data and models.
Role of nitrates in acute myocardial infarction.

Management of patients after myocardial infarction includes several therapeutic options. Lysis of the coronary thrombosis with intravenous or intracoronary administration of streptokinase or intravenous administration of one of the newer, currently experimental agents, such as tissue plasminogen activation or prourokinase, can directly restore oxygen and substrate delivery to potentially salvageable myocardium. Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty can likewise restore vessel patency with potential salvage of ischemic myocardium, if perfused sufficiently early after symptom onset. Another strategy is to administer intravenous thrombolytic therapy and then perform early angioplasty on patients with acute myocardial infarction who reach the hospital within 4 hours of symptom onset. These patients should have intravenous nitroglycerin begun before or simultaneously with beginning thrombolytic therapy. The infusion is titrated to lower systolic arterial pressure by 10% to 15%, and then maintained at a constant rate for up to 48 hours. Patients seen more than 4 hours after symptom onset, with evidence of viable myocardium (e.g., persistent R waves in those electrocardiographic leads demonstrating ST-segment elevation) may also receive intravenous nitroglycerin and thrombolytic or percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty therapy. The combined results of the several clinical trials of intravenous nitroglycerin in acute myocardial infarction would support its use in patients seen 4 to 12 hours after onset of symptoms or in patients seen earlier, in whom thrombolytic or percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty therapy cannot be utilized.
Analysis of curved thin-walled shells of revolution.

Boundary value problem solution governed by system of partial differential equations applied to analysis of curved thin walled shells of revolution
Blind channel estimation and deconvolution in colored noise using higher-order cumulants

Abstract Existing approaches to blind channel estimation and deconvolution (equalization) focus exclusively on channel or inverse-channel impulse response estimation. It is well-known that the quality of the deconvolved output depends crucially upon the noise statistics also. Typically it is assumed that the noise is white and the signal-to-noise ratio is known. In this paper we remove these restrictions. Both the channel impulse response and the noise model are estimated from the higher-order (fourth, e.g.) cumulant function and the (second-order) correlation function of the received data via a least-squares cumulant/correlation matching criterion. It is assumed that the noise higher-order cumulant function vanishes (e.g. Gaussian noise, as is the case for digital communications). Consistency of the proposed approach is established under certain mild sufficient conditions. The approach is illustrated via simulation examples involving blind equalization of digital communications signals.
Chronic lymphocytic leukemia

Much progress has been made over the past year in our understanding of the cytogenesis, biology, and therapy of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Further definition of common cytogenetic abnormalities in CLL make it appear that the identification of a new tumor suppressor gene is close at hand. Recent studies have also defined relationships between genetic abnormalities and leukemia cell phenotype and drug resistance that may assist in assessing prognosis or assigning therapy. We have achieved a better understanding of the surface antigens that help govern the pattern of tissue infiltration of leukemia cells in vivo. Studies of the immune pathophysiology of CLL are providing clues to potential mechanisms leading to the autoimmunity and immunodeficiency associated with this disease. The efficacy of purine analogues in CLL has been verified in multicenter clinical trials. Finally, new therapies incorporating bone marrow transplantation, and possibly gene therapy, are being considered more frequently for the therapy of patients with this disease.
A consumption-based measure of the monetary rewards to entrepreneurship

Purpose – Recent findings by Hamilton (Journal of Political Economy, 2000) suggest that the self-employed do not receive a monetary premium for the risk and uncertainty associated with business ownership. The purpose of this paper is to show that income underreporting by entrepreneurs can explain the lack of evidence for monetary premia. Using a large national data set (Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID)), the author first document evidences of underreporting, and then proceed to make alternative comparisons using measures of consumption. The author finds that the self-employed enjoy large earnings premia that are reflected in their consumption. Design/methodology/approach – Using PSID the author creates and analyzes a household level data set comparing monetary rewards of self-employment to those of wage work. The author employs previous findings about entrepreneurial saving behavior to show, via quintile regression analysis, consumption rewards to entrepreneurship, and compare those rewards to income...
Physics of white dwarf stars

White dwarf stars, compact objects with extremely high interior densities, are the most common end product in the evolution of stars. The authors review the history of their discovery, and of the realisation that their structure is determined by the physics of the degenerate electron gas. Spectral types and surface chemical composition show a complicated pattern dominated by diffusion processes and their interaction with accretion, convection and mass loss. While this interaction is not completely understood in all its detail at present, the study may ultimately lead to important constraints on the theory of stellar evolution in general. Variability, caused by nonradial oscillations of the star, is a common phenomenon and is shown to be a powerful probe of the structure of deeper layers that are not directly accessible to observation. Very strong magnetic fields detected in a small fraction of white dwarfs offer a unique opportunity to study the behaviour of atoms under conditions that cannot be simulated in terrestrial laboratories.
Diagnostic engineering requirements

There is a maze of diagnostic techniques in use today: Diagnostic Programs, Micro Programs, Test Panels, On-Line Diagnostics, Error Recording Techniques, Automatic Recovery Procedures; and the list goes on. The purpose of this paper is to take a look at the basic concepts applicable to Error Detection and diagnosis, in order to put into perspective the value of the various techniques for satisfying future requirements.
Indentability of Conventional and Negative Poisson's Ratio Foams

The indentation resistance of foams, both of conventional structure and of a novel re-entrant structure giving rise to negative Poisson's ratio, was studied using holo graphic interferometry. In holographic indentation tests, re-entrant foams had higher yield strengths σy and lower stiffness E than conventional foams of the same original relative density. Damage in both kinds of foam occurred primarily directly under the indenter. Calculated energy absorption for dynamic impact is considerably higher for re-entrant foam than conventional foam
Inverse reinforcement learning with Gaussian process

We present new algorithms for inverse reinforcement learning (IRL, or inverse optimal control) in convex optimization settings. We argue that finite-space IRL can be posed as a convex quadratic program under a Bayesian inference framework with the objective of maximum a posteriori estimation. To deal with problems in large or even infinite state space, we propose a Gaussian process model and use preference graphs to represent observations of decision trajectories. Our method is distinguished from other approaches to IRL in that it makes no assumptions about the form of the reward function and yet it retains the promise of computationally manageable implementations for potential real-world applications. In comparison with an establish algorithm on small-scale numerical problems, our method demonstrated better accuracy in apprenticeship learning and a more robust dependence on the number of observations.
Diels-alder reactions enhanced diastereofacial selectivity in 5.0 M LiClO4-Et2O approach to the construction of the isoindolone nucleus of cytochalasans

Dienes of type 2 undergo highly diastereoselective Diels-Alder reactions with maleic anhydride in 5.0 M lithium perchlorate-diethyl ether giving rise to isobenzofurandiones which upon exposure to trifluoroacetic acid generate tetrahydroisoindolones.
A Unified Approach to Strategy-Proofness for Single-Peaked Preferences

This article establishes versions of Moulin’s (Public Choice 35:437–455, 1980) characterizations of various classes of strategy-proof social choice functions when the domain consists of all profiles of single-peaked preferences on an arbitrary subset of the real line. Two results are established that show that the median of 2n + 1 numbers can be expressed using a combination of minimization and maximization operations applied to subsets of these numbers when either these subsets or the numbers themselves are restricted in a particular way. These results are used to show how Moulin’s characterizations of generalized median social choice functions can be obtained as corollaries of his characterization of min–max social choice functions.
Discursive Institutionalism: The Explanatory Power of Ideas and Discourse

The newest “new institutionalism,” discursive institutionalism, lends insight into the role of ideas and discourse in politics while providing a more dynamic approach to institutional change than the older three new institutionalisms. Ideas are the substantive content of discourse. They exist at three levels—policies, programs, and philosophies—and can be categorized into two types, cognitive and normative. Discourse is the interactive process of conveying ideas. It comes in two forms: the coordinative discourse among policy actors and the communicative discourse between political actors and the public. These forms differ in two formal institutional contexts; simple polities have a stronger communicative discourse and compound polities a stronger coordinative discourse. The institutions of discursive institutionalism, moreover, are not external-rule-following structures but rather are simultaneously structures and constructs internal to agents whose “background ideational abilities” within a given “meanin...
Computation and Simulation of Wake-Generated Unsteady Pressure and Boundary Layers in Cascades: Part 2—Simulation of Unsteady Boundary Layer Flow Physics

The unsteady pressure and boundary layers on a turbomachinery blade row arising from periodic wakes due to upstream blade rows are investigated. Numerical simulations are carried out to understand the effects of the wake velocity defect and the wake turbulence intensity on the development of unsteady blade boundary layers. The boundary layer transition on the blade is found to be strongly influenced by the unsteady wake passing. Periodic transitional patches are generated by the high turbulence intensity in the passing wakes and transported downstream. The time-dependent transition results in large unsteadiness in the instantaneous local skin friction coefficient and a smoother time-averaged transition curve than the one observed in the steady boundary layer. A parametric study is then carried out to determine the influence of wake parameters on the development of the unsteady blade boundary layers. It is shown that the unsteadiness in the blade boundary layer increases with a decrease in the axial gap, an increase in wake/blade count ratio, or an increase in the wake traverse speed. The time-averaged boundary layer momentum thickness at the trailing edge of the blade is found to increase significantly for higher wake/blade count ratio and larger wake traverse speed.
Reporting standards for endovascular repair of saccular intracranial cerebral aneurysms.

Background and Purpose The goal of this article is to provide consensus recommendations for reporting standards, terminology, and written definitions when reporting on the radiological evaluation and endovascular treatment of intracranial, cerebral aneurysms. These criteria can be used to design clinical trials, to provide uniformity of definitions for appropriate selection and stratification of patients, and to allow analysis and meta-analysis of reported data. Methods This article was written under the auspices of the Joint Writing Group of the Technology Assessment Committee, Society of NeuroInterventional Surgery, Society of Interventional Radiology; Joint Section on Cerebrovascular Neurosurgery of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons and Congress of Neurological Surgeons; and Section of Stroke and Interventional Neurology of the American Academy of Neurology. A computerized search of the National Library of Medicine database of literature (PubMed) from January 1991 to December 2007 was conducted with the goal to identify published endovascular cerebrovascular interventional data about the assessment and endovascular treatment of cerebral aneurysms useful as benchmarks for quality assessment. We sought to identify those risk adjustment variables that affect the likelihood of success and complications. This article offers the rationale for different clinical and technical considerations that may be important during the design of clinical trials for endovascular treatment of cerebral aneurysms. Included in this guidance article are suggestions for uniform reporting standards for such trials. These definitions and standards are primarily intended for research purposes; however, they should also be helpful in clinical practice and applicable to all publications. Conclusions The evaluation and treatment of brain aneurysms often involve multiple medical specialties. Recent reviews by the American Heart Association have surveyed the medical literature to develop guidelines for the clinical management of ruptured and unruptured cerebral aneurysms. Despite efforts to synthesize existing knowledge on cerebral aneurysm evaluation and treatment, significant inconsistencies remain in nomenclature and definition for research and reporting purposes. These operational definitions were selected by consensus of a multidisciplinary writing group to provide consistency for reporting on imaging in clinical trials and observational studies involving cerebral aneurysms. These definitions should help different groups to publish results that are directly comparable.
Tight Bounds for Permutation Flow Shop Scheduling

In flow shop scheduling there are m machines and n jobs, such that every job has to be processed on the machines in the fixed order 1,...,m. In the permutation flow shop problem, it is also required that each machine process the set of all jobs in the same order. Formally, given n jobs along with their processing times on each machine, the goal is to compute a single permutation of the jobs σ: [n] → [n] that minimizes the maximum job completion time (makespan) of the schedule resulting from σ. The previously best known approximation guarantee for this problem was O((m log m)1/2) [Sviridenko, M. 2004. A note on permutation flow shop problem. Ann. Oper. Res.129 247--252]. In this paper, we obtain an improved O(min{m1/2,n1/2}) approximation algorithm for the permutation flow shop scheduling problem, by finding a connection between the scheduling problem and the longest increasing subsequence problem. Our approximation ratio is relative to the lower bounds of maximum job length and maximum machine load, and is the best possible such result. This also resolves an open question from Potts et al. [Potts, C., D. Shmoys, D. Williamson. 1991. Permutation vs. nonpermutation flow shop schedules. Oper. Res. Lett.10 281--284], by algorithmically matching the gap between permutation and nonpermutation schedules. We also consider the weighted completion time objective for the permutation flow shop scheduling problem. Using a natural linear programming relaxation and our algorithm for the makespan objective, we obtain an O(min{m1/2,n1/2}) approximation algorithm for minimizing the total weighted completion time, improving on the previously best known guarantee of em for any constant e > 0 [Smutnicki, C. 1998. Some results of the worst-case analysis for flow shop scheduling. Eur. J. Oper. Res.109 66--87]. We give a matching lower bound on the integrality gap of our linear programming relaxation.
Synthesis of the Glycopeptidolipid of Mycobacterium avium Serovar 4: First Example of a Fully Synthetic C-Mycoside GPL

The preparation of the glycopeptidolipid (GPL) present in the cell wall of Mycobacterium aviumSerovar 4, namely 3,4-di-O-Me-alpha-L-Rhap-(1-->1)[R-C(21)H(43)CH(OH)CH(2)CO-D-Phe-[4-O-Me-alpha-L-Rhap-(1-->4)-2-O-Me-alpha-L-Fucp-(1-->3)-alpha-L-Rhap-(1-->2)-6-deoxy-alpha-L-Talp-(1-->3)]-D-allo-Thr-D-Ala-L-Alaol] (1), is described. The synthesis was based on the disconnection of the final structure into four building blocks, an L-rhamnosyl pseudodipeptide, a 6-deoxy-L-talosyl dipeptide, a trisaccharide donor, and a 3-hydroxyalkanoic acid. The key steps are the creation of the glycosidic linkage between the trisaccharide donor, used as a pentenyl glycoside, and the 6-deoxy-L-talose unit of an appropriate D-Phe-O-(6-deoxy-L-talosyl)-D-allo-Thr derivative and the final coupling of the two glycodipeptide fragments. Pentenyl glycosides were shown to provide useful donors in several glycosylation steps. This work constitutes the first synthesis of the full structure of a so-called "polar mycoside C" GPL.
Redesigning inpatient care: Testing the effectiveness of an accountable care team model.

BACKGROUND US healthcare underperforms on quality and safety metrics. Inpatient care constitutes an immense opportunity to intervene to improve care. OBJECTIVE Describe a model of inpatient care and measure its impact. DESIGN A quantitative assessment of the implementation of a new model of care. The graded implementation of the model allowed us to follow outcomes and measure their association with the dose of the implementation. SETTING AND PATIENTS Inpatient medical and surgical units in a large academic health center. INTERVENTION Eight interventions rooted in improving interprofessional collaboration (IPC), enabling data-driven decisions, and providing leadership were implemented. MEASUREMENTS Outcome data from August 2012 to December 2013 were analyzed using generalized linear mixed models for associations with the implementation of the model. Length of stay (LOS) index, case-mix index–adjusted variable direct costs (CMI-adjusted VDC), 30-day readmission rates, overall patient satisfaction scores, and provider satisfaction with the model were measured. RESULTS The implementation of the model was associated with decreases in LOS index (P < 0.0001) and CMI-adjusted VDC (P = 0.0006). We did not detect improvements in readmission rates or patient satisfaction scores. Most providers (95.8%, n = 92) agreed that the model had improved the quality and safety of the care delivered. CONCLUSIONS Creating an environment and framework in which IPC is fostered, performance data are transparently available, and leadership is provided may improve value on both medical and surgical units. These interventions appear to be well accepted by front-line staff. Readmission rates and patient satisfaction remain challenging. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2015;10:773–779. © 2015 Society of Hospital Medicine
Valuing Attributes of Fluid Milk Using Choice-Based Conjoint Experimental Design

A choice-based conjoint (CBC) experiment was employed to analyze Chinese consumers preferences for fluid milk defined by four choice attributes: production processing method, fat content level, taste, and price. The results from two analysis approaches (counting and multinomial logit models) indicated that Chinese consumers are willing to pay a premium for pasteurized, low fat content, and natural tasting milk, but that they require a discount for choosing ultra high temperature (UHT), high fat content, and flavored milk. In addition, this study estimated the trade-offs among attributes levels and simulated the effects of income on the probabilities of choosing attribute-specified milk.
Polling games and information revelation in the Downsian framework

Abstract We investigate the incentives faced by poll respondents when candidates use polling data to inform their selection of policy platforms. Focusing on models with a unidimensional policy space, single peaked preferences and two office-seeking candidates observing a summary statistic from polls that ask respondents their preferences, we find that for most environments honest poll response cannot occur in a perfect Bayesian equilibrium. However, simple partially-revealing equilibria exist when the poll only asks respondents which party or candidate they prefer. When the candidates learn the sample average or see all the data, there are partially revealing equilibria that mimic those of the binary message game. Interpretation of polling data requires knowledge of the equilibrium played as the meanings of poll responses are endogenously determined. The analysis suggests that naive use of polling data may be misleading.
Computation of three-dimensional turbulent shear flows in corners

A numerical technique developed for the solution of the steady Navier-Stokes equations using a "space marching" algorithm has been used to predict a complex, three-dimensional turbulent flow. The scheme has been designed to calculate flows with a dominant flow direction, in three-dimensional geometries, and has been used successfully to predict laminar flows. This paper is concerned with the extension of this technique to calculate turbulent flows in the corner region of the wingbody junction using both the algebraic eddy viscosity and the A>e turbulence models. The effects of different boundary conditions for the streamwise velocity at a solid boundary, used in many turbulent flow computations, are also considered. In the flow cases computed in this paper using a law of the wall boundary condition at solid boundaries, the A>e model showed no distinct advantages over the simpler algebraic viscosity model. However, the k-€ model provided much better results for the cases computed with the more realistic no-slip boundary condition.
Accounting Accruals and Auditor Reporting Conservatism

Accounting accruals are managers' subjective estimates of future outcomes and cannot, by definition, be objectively verified by auditors prior to occurrence. This causes audits of high-accrual firms to pose more uncertainty than audits of low-accrual firms because of potential estimation error and a greater chance that high-accrual firms have undetected asset realization and/or going concern problems that are related to the high level of accruals. One way that auditors can compensate for this risk exposure is to lower their threshold for issuing modified audit reports, an action that will increase modified reports and, therefore, lessen the likelihood of failing to issue a modified report when appropriate. We call this auditor reporting conservatism and test if high-accrual firms in the United States, are more likely to receive modified audit reports for asset realization uncertainties and going concern problems. Empirical results for a large sample of U.S. publicly listed companies support the hypothesis that auditors are more conservative, that is, more likely to issue both types of modified audit reports for high-accrual firms. Further analyses show that income-increasing accruals are somewhat more likely to result in reporting conservatism than income-decreasing accruals, and that only the Big Six group of auditors show evidence of reporting conservatism. These findings add to our understanding of the audit report formation process and the potentially important role played by accounting accruals in that process.
Managing personal files across independent file management units

This paper presents the design and implementation of the PFS personal file management system. PFS provides transparent and reliable access to personal files that are dispersed across reliable independent file servers. PFS is unique and practical since it runs on variations of the Unix system, it does not modify the operating system kernel, and more importantly, it operates in environments in which a user lacks administrative control. By means of the PFS, a user creates a global structure of personal files that appear identical despite the server that the user accesses. Since each file is replicated once, the system provides transparent access to files despite one failure at any server. >
Multi-Modality Phantom Development

Multi-modality imaging has an increasing role in the diagnosis and treatment of a large number of diseases, particularly if both functional and anatomical information are acquired and accurately co-registered. Hence, there is a resulting need for multi-modality phantoms in order to validate image co-registration and calibrate the imaging systems. We present our PET-ultrasound phantom development, including PET and ultrasound images of a simple prostate phantom. We use agar and gelatin mixed with a radioactive solution. We also present our development of custom multi-modality phantoms that are compatible with PET, transrectal ultrasound (TRUS), MRI and CT imaging. We describe both our selection of tissue mimicking materials and phantom construction procedures. These custom PET-TRUS-CT-MRI prostate phantoms use agar-gelatin radioactive mixtures with additional contrast agents and preservatives. We show multi-modality images of these custom prostate phantoms, as well as discuss phantom construction alternatives. Although we are currently focused on prostate imaging, this phantom development is applicable to many multi-modality imaging applications.
Sustainability in water resources management: changes in meaning and perception

The meaning of sustainability in water resources management has changed through the time. Initially, meeting water demand was the dominant concern. While later quality issues became more important followed by wider water reuse, today sustainability must include a whole range of aspects (e.g., energy, pollution, persistent chemicals) on various spatial and time scales. New approaches to define sustainability metrics are needed that include three essential elements: the sphere of sustainability, its time horizon and its metric.
Crystal structure and magnetic properties of the new ternary compound Ce3MnBi5

Abstract The crystal structure of the newly discovered compound Ce3MnBi5 was determined from X-ray single crystal diffraction data. The space group is P63/mcm with the lattice parameters a=9.627(3), c=6.456(1) A. The compound crystallizes in the Ga4Ti5 structure type. There are no isostructural compounds in ternary systems with Sb and Pb substituted for Bi. The Ce3MnBi5 remains paramagnetic down to ∼4.2 K, even though the paramagnetic Curie temperature (θp=−53 K) suggests an antiferromagnetic ground state. The value of effective magnetic moment (ρeff=5.85 μB) per formula unit could be accounted for by two different electronic configurations of Ce and Mn atoms: 3Ce3+ and 1Mn4+ or 3Ce4+ and 1Mn2+. Bond distances arguments favor the first possibility. Magnetization measurements at 5 K indicate two metamagnetic (field-induced) transitions at ∼1.3 and ∼5 T, which we believe are due to impurities in the sample.
Piezotronics and Piezo-Phototronics

Piezoelectricity, a phenomenon known for centuries, is an effect that is about the production of electrical potential in a substance as the pressure on it changes. The most well known material that has piezoelectric effect is the provskite structured Pb(Zr, Ti)O 3 (PZT), which has found huge applications in electromechanical sensors, actuators and energy generators. But PZT is an electric insulator and it is less useful for building electronic devices. Wurtzite structures, such as ZnO, GaN, InN and ZnS, also have piezoelectric properties but they are not extensively used as much as PZT in piezoelectric sensors and actuators due to their small piezoelectric coefficients. In fact, due to the polarization of ions in a crystal that has non-central symmetry, a piezoelectric potential (piezopotential) is created in the crystal by applying a stress. For materials such as ZnO, GaN, InN in the wurtzite structure family, the effect of piezopotential to the transport behavior of charge carriers is significant due to their multiple functionalities of piezoelectricity, semiconductor and photon excitation. By utilizing the advantages offered by these properties, a few new fields have been created. Electronics fabricated by using inner-crystal piezopotential as a “gate” voltage to tune/control the charge transport behavior is named piezotronics, with applications in strain/force/pressure triggered/controlled electronic devices, sensors and logic units. Piezo-phototronic effect is a result of three-way coupling among piezoelectricity, photonic excitation and semiconductor transport, which allows tuning and controlling of electro-optical processes by strain induced piezopotential. The objective of this talk is to introduce the fundamentals of piezotronics and piezo-phototronics and to give an updated progress about their applications in energy science (LED, solar cell), electronics and sensors.
Evaluation of the Woman With Postmenopausal Bleeding: Society of Radiologists in Ultrasound–Sponsored Consensus Conference Statement

ObjectivesA panel of 14 physicians practicing medicine in the United States with expertise in radiology, obstetrics and gynecology, gynecologic oncology, hysteroscopy, epidemiology, and pathology was convened by the Society of Radiologists in Ultrasound to discuss the role of sonography in women wit
Characters, genericity, and multiplicity one for U(3)

Let r : U ~ C x be a generic character of the unipotent radical U of a Borel subgroup of a quasisplit p-adic group G. The number (0 or 1) of ~-Whittaker models on an admissible irreducible representation 7r of (7 was expressed by Rodier in terms of the limit of values of the trace of 7r at certain measures concentrated near the origin. An analogous statement holds in the twisted case. This twisted analogue is used in (F, p. 47) to provide a local proof of the multiplicity one theorem for U(3). This asserts that each discrete spectrum automorphic representation of the quasisplit unitary group U(3) associated with a quadratic extension E/F of number fields occurs in the discrete spectrum with multiplicity one. It is pointed out in (F, p. 47) that a proof of the twisted analogue of Rodier's theorem does not appear in print. It is then given below. Detailing this proof is necessitated in particular by the fact that the attempt in (F, p. 48) at a global proof of the multiplicity one theorem for U(3), although widely quoted, is incomplete, as we point out here.
On the topology of the Kasparov groups and its applications

Abstract In this paper we establish a direct connection between stable approximate unitary equivalence for * -homomorphisms and the topology of the KK-groups which avoids entirely C * -algebra extension theory and does not require nuclearity assumptions. To this purpose we show that a topology on the Kasparov groups can be defined in terms of approximate unitary equivalence for Cuntz pairs and that this topology coincides with both Pimsner's topology and the Brown–Salinas topology. We study the generalized Rordam group KL ( A , B ) = KK ( A , B ) / 0 ¯ , and prove that if a separable exact residually finite dimensional C * -algebra satisfies the universal coefficient theorem in KK-theory, then it embeds in the UHF algebra of type 2 ∞ . In particular such an embedding exists for the C * -algebra of a second countable amenable locally compact maximally almost periodic group.
Epibatidine structure-activity relationships.

Epibatidine is a potent but nonselective nAChR agonist. Its biological effects appear to be mediated largely by α4β2 nAChRs. Surprisingly, only a limited number of epibatidine analogues have been synthesized and evaluated in in vitro assays. Even fewer analogues have received in vivo pharmacological evaluation. In this paper, SAR studies directed toward epibatidine analogues will be reviewed.
Generalization of the geometrical optics scattering limit for a rough conducting surface

Scattering cross sections for randomly rough surfaces such as the ocean are often computed using geometrical optics for near-normal incidence or the composite surface model for higher incidence angles. Several obstacles limit the applicability of these methods. Since geometrical optics is exact only in the infinite frequency limit, it breaks down for surfaces with roughness on scales much smaller than a wavelength for which the correlation function is not analytic at the origin. Physically, surface features which are much smaller than the electromagnetic wavelength cannot influence the backscatter, but a rigorous understanding of the cutoff in sensitivity to surface features has lacked. For surfaces having roughness at all scales, the choice of separation parameter required to implement the composite model has been unclear. It has also been difficult to match composite model cross sections to geometrical optics at the transition from near-normal to mid-range incidence angles. In this paper, the authors overcome these difficulties by extending the geometrical optics limit to finite frequencies and deriving the composite model as an approximation to the finite frequency generalization. In the infinite frequency limit, the scattering cross section in the physical optics approximation can be evaluated asymptotically to yield the usual geometrical optics result with Gaussian dependence on incidence angle. At finite frequencies, this dependence generalizes to an a-stable distribution, where the parameter a is determined by the asymptotic decay of the surface height power spectral density. This stable distribution is insensitive to surface features smaller than a rigorously derivable cutoff size. The composite model arises as an approximation to the tails of the stable distribution, and a smooth transition from near-normal to mid-range incidence angles is obtained.
No pain, no gain: market reform, unemployment, and politics in Bulgaria

In 1997, a new center-right government came to power in Bulgaria with a mandate to accelerate market reforms. By the time of the next elections in 2001, 75 percent of GDP was produced in the private sector, compared to 45 percent in 1996. The government however lost the elections. This paper uses unique survey data to examine whether the high unemployment associated with market reform contributed to the election outcome. High unemployment did have an effect but it was small and does not explain the election loss. In fact, many in the population, including the unemployed, believed that high unemployment was the necessary price for future prosperity.
Selective conversion of diallylanilines and arylimines to quinolines.

A variety of diallylanilines are shown to undergo cobalt−carbonyl catalyzed rearrangement to quinolines. Diallylanilines are also used as allyl transfer reagents to convert benzaldimines into quinolines. Substitution in the 2- and 3-positions of the quinoline is featured in all transformations.
Computations under time constraints: Algorithms developed for fuzzy computations can help

In usual computers — that use binary representation of real numbers — an irrational real number (and even a rational number like 1.3 or 1.2) can only be computed with a finite accuracy. The more accuracy we need, the larger the computation time. It is therefore reasonable to characterize the complexity of computing a real number a by the accuracy Δ a (t) that we can achieve in time t. Once we know this characteristic for two numbers a and b, how can we compute a similar characteristic for, e.g., c = a + b? In this paper, we show that the problem of computing this characteristic can be reduced to the problem of computing the membership function for the sum — when we use Zadeh's extension principle with algebraic product as the “and”-operation. Thus, known algorithms for computing this membership function can be used to describe computations under time constraints.
A FAST NEW PUBLIC CODE FOR COMPUTING PHOTON ORBITS IN A KERR SPACETIME

Relativistic radiative transfer problems require the calculation of photon trajectories in curved spacetime. We present a novel technique for rapid and accurate calculation of null geodesics in the Kerr metric. The equations of motion from the Hamilton-Jacobi equation are reduced directly to Carlson's elliptic integrals, simplifying algebraic manipulations and allowing all coordinates to be computed semianalytically for the first time. We discuss the method, its implementation in a freely available FORTRAN code, and its application to toy problems from the literature.
Evidence That Epoxide-Opening Cascades Promoted by Water Are Stepwise and Become Faster and More Selective After the First Cyclization

A detailed kinetic study of the endo-selective epoxide-opening cascade reaction of a diepoxy alcohol in neutral water was undertaken using 1H NMR spectroscopy. The observation of monoepoxide intermediates resulting from initial endo and exo cyclization indicated that the cascade proceeds via a stepwise mechanism rather than through a concerted one. Independent synthesis and cyclization of these monoepoxide intermediates demonstrated that they are chemically and kinetically competent intermediates in the cascade. Analysis of each step of the reaction revealed that both the rate and regioselectivity of cyclization improve as the cascade reaction proceeds. In the second step, cyclization of an epoxy alcohol substrate templated by a fused diad of two tetrahydropyran rings proceeds with exceptionally high regioselectivity (endo:exo = 19:1), the highest we have measured in the opening of a simple trans-disubstituted epoxide. The origins of these observations are discussed.
Model-based identification of dominant congested links

In this paper, we propose a model-based approach that uses periodic end-end probes to identify whether a "dominant congested link" exists along an end-end path. Informally, a dominant congested link refers to a link that incurs the most losses and significant queuing delays along the path. We begin by providing a formal yet intuitive definition of dominant congested link and present two simple hypothesis tests to identify whether such a link exists. We then present a novel model-based approach for dominant congested link identification that is based on interpreting probe loss as an unobserved (virtual) delay. We develop parameter inference algorithms for hidden Markov model (HMM) and Markov model with a hidden dimension (MMHD) to infer this virtual delay. Our validation using ns simulation and Internet experiments demonstrate that this approach can correctly identify a dominant congested link with only a small amount of probe data. We further provide an upper bound on the maximum queuing delay of the dominant congested link once we identify that such a link exists.
Radial Quantization for Conformal Field Theories on the Lattice

We consider radial quantization for conformal quantum field theory with a lattice regulator. A Euclidean field theory on $\mathbb R^D$ is mapped to a cylindrical manifold, $\mathbb R\times \mathbb S^{D-1}$, whose length is logarithmic in scale separation. To test the approach, we apply this to the 3D Ising model and compute $\eta$ for the first $Z_2$ odd primary operator.
Women's Mental Health Research: The Emergence of a Biomedical Field *

This review surveys the field of women's mental health, with particular emphasis on its evolution into a distinct area of biomedical research. The field employs a biomedical disease model but it also emphasizes social and cultural influences on health outcomes. In recent years, its scope has expanded beyond studies of disorders occurring in women at times of reproductive transitions and it now encompasses a broader study of sex and gender differences. Historical and conceptual influences on the field are discussed. The review also surveys gender differences in the prevalence and clinical manifestations of mental disorders. Epidemiological findings have provided a rich resource for theory development, but without research tools to test theories adequately, findings of gender differences have begged the question of their biological, social, and cultural origins. Clinical depression is used to exemplify the usefulness of a sex/gender perspective in understanding mental illness; and major theories proposed to...
Multilateralism à la carte: the consequences of unilateral 'pick and pay' approaches

The 1999 Congressional season, the penultimate of the century, ended with President Clinton's grudging acquiescence to the terms set by House Republicans for forwarding the bulk of money claimed due by the United Nations. In return, the Clinton Administration agreed not to veto a rider to the UN funding bill which would withhold US funding to organizations urging foreign governments to adopt birth control measures. Lost in the shuffle of domestic politics was the issue of whether the United States in fact owed the United Nations what it claimed, and whether America's efforts at selective withholding indeed constituted a fall from grace, as critics charged. The legal issues were always far from clear. The UN dues standoff does not represent the hijacking of the American multilateralist vision by isolationist-minded Republicans on Capitol Hill. In fact, the United States has never claimed unwavering loyalty to a literalist interpretation of the principle of 'collective financial responsibility' of Article 19 of the UN Charter insofar as that meant acquiescence to the will, no matter how unreasonable, of the UN General Assembly majority on budgetary matters. Here, rhetonic impeded a negotiated solution.
Diffusion and spatial equilibrium of a social norm: voting participation in the United States, 1920–2008

Social conformity can spread social norms and behaviors through a society. This research examines such a process geographically and over time for voting, which is strongly influenced by the norm that citizens should vote. A mathematical model for the spread of voting participation under the influence of social conformity is developed based on the diffusion equation, and predictions are tested with spatial analysis of state-level voter turnout in American presidential elections from 1920 to 2008. Results show that voter turnout has converged to a stable equilibrium in its geographical distribution across the states—but it is an equilibrium that results in persistent differences at the state level. Results are compared to individual-level and agent-based models. The model may be applied to other types of social diffusion that depend on specific geographical location.
Smartphone fluorescence spectroscopy

We demonstrate the first use of smartphone spectrophotometry for readout of fluorescence-based biological assays. We evaluated the smartphone fluorimeter in the context of a fluorescent molecular beacon (MB) assay for detection of specific nucleic acid sequences in a liquid test sample and compared performance against a conventional laboratory fluorimeter. The capability of distinguishing a one-point mismatch is also demonstrated by detecting single-base mutation in target nucleic acids. Our approach offers a route toward portable biomolecular assays for viral/bacterial pathogens, disease biomarkers, and toxins.
Demand collapse or credit crunch to firms? Evidence from the World Bank's financial crisis survey in Eastern Europe

Abstract This paper assesses whether the primary effect of the global crisis on Eastern European firms took the form of an adverse demand shock or a credit crunch. Using a unique firm survey conducted by the World Bank in six Eastern European countries during the 2008–2009 financial crisis, the paper shows that the drop in demand for firms' products and services was overwhelmingly reported as the most damaging adverse effect of the crisis. Other “usual suspects”, such as rising debt or reduced access to credit, were reported as minor. The paper also finds that the changes in firms' sales and installed capacity are significantly and robustly correlated with different demand sensitivity measures of the sector in which the firms operate. However, they are not robustly correlated with various proxies for firms' credit needs.
Free fatty acid analysis in ascitic fluid improves diagnosis in malignant abdominal tumors.

The fasting concentration of free fatty acids (FFA) in the ascitic fluid was determined in 14 patients with malignant ascites and in 19 patients with liver cirrhosis. In malignant ascites FFA levels were increased more than three times when compared with the levels in cirrhotic ascites (5.241 ± 0.493 vs. 1.558 ± 0.170 μmol/ml; P < 0.0001). Palmitic acid was the most representative saturated FFA (which together accounted for 2.499 ± 0.323 vs. 0.833 ± 0.064 μmol/ml; P < 0.0001), while unsaturated FFA (2.741 ± 0.298 vs. 0.725 ± 0.111 μmol/ml; P < 0.001) were represented, in decreasing order, by oleic, linoleic and arachidonic acids. The ratio of unsaturated to saturated FFA was higher in neoplastic patients (1.35 ± 0.29 vs. 0.826 ± 0.065 P < 0.05). Albumin concentration in ascitic fluid of neoplastic patients was 22.44 ± 1.35 g/l, while that of cirrhotic patients was 8.19 ± 0.32 g/l, P < 0.0001. A close relationship (R2 = 95.14%) between albumin concentration in ascitic fluid and levels of total FFA was found. These data support the hypothesis that the elevation of FFA in ascitic fluid allows discrimination between malignant and non-malignant ascites.