cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Development of a Weather‐based Crop Disaster Program

Panel regressions are used to relate standardized county weather variables to yield outcomes in order to develop a crop disaster program for the top producing states of corn, soybeans, wheat, and cotton. Farm‐level simulations are used to draw yield realizations and provide realistic consistency between county, district, and state yields and national prices. The proposed crop disaster program is estimated to save between $3 and $4 billion per year relative to the current crop insurance program, a reduction of approximately 30% compared to the $10.06 billion in federal expenditures on the crop insurance program in 2016. The savings are realized though two main mechanisms: (1) Focusing agricultural support on systemic weather risk and excluding idiosyncratic risk; and (2) Reducing the administrative cost of the program by eliminating underwriting gains accruing to private companies currently participating in the delivery of crop insurance. The disadvantage of the crop disaster product from the producers’ perspective is the basis risk associated with the program being tied to a simulated and aggregate index rather than field‐level yields, with a decrease in downside revenue risk protection relative to the current Revenue Protection (RP) policies available for crops with well‐functioning futures markets.
Abiotic Bromination of Soil Organic Matter

Biogeochemical transformations of plant-derived soil organic matter (SOM) involve complex abiotic and microbially mediated reactions. One such reaction is halogenation, which occurs naturally in the soil environment and has been associated with enzymatic activity of decomposer organisms. Building on a recent finding that naturally produced organobromine is ubiquitous in SOM, we hypothesized that inorganic bromide could be subject to abiotic oxidations resulting in bromination of SOM. Through lab-based degradation treatments of plant material and soil humus, we have shown that abiotic bromination of particulate organic matter occurs in the presence of a range of inorganic oxidants, including hydrogen peroxide and assorted forms of ferric iron, producing both aliphatic and aromatic forms of organobromine. Bromination of oak and pine litter is limited primarily by bromide concentration. Fresh plant material is more susceptible to bromination than decayed litter and soil humus, due to a labile pool of mainly aliphatic compounds that break down during early stages of SOM formation. As the first evidence of abiotic bromination of particulate SOM, this study identifies a mechanistic source of the natural organobromine in humic substances and the soil organic horizon. Formation of organobromine through oxidative treatments of plant material also provides insights into the relative stability of aromatic and aliphatic components of SOM.
Principles and applications of stereoencephalotomy

Les auteurs decrivent un appareil stereotaxique qu'ils ont utilise pour porter une seule ou une serie de lesions en correspondance des nucleus du thalamus et de l'hypothalamus, ou pour interrompre le faisceau spino-thalamique en correspondance du colliculus superieur.
Spatial Aggregation of Holistically-Nested Networks for Automated Pancreas Segmentation

Accurate automatic organ segmentation is an important yet challenging problem for medical image analysis. The pancreas is an abdominal organ with very high anatomical variability. This inhibits traditional segmentation methods from achieving high accuracies, especially compared to other organs such as the liver, heart or kidneys. In this paper, we present a holistic learning approach that integrates semantic mid-level cues of deeply-learned organ interior and boundary maps via robust spatial aggregation using random forest. Our method generates boundary preserving pixel-wise class labels for pancreas segmentation. Quantitative evaluation is performed on CT scans of 82 patients in 4-fold cross-validation. We achieve a (mean ± std. dev.) Dice Similarity Coefficient of 78.01 %±8.2 % in testing which significantly outperforms the previous state-of-the-art approach of 71.8 %±10.7 % under the same evaluation criterion.
Estimation from indirect supervision with linear moments

In structured prediction problems where we have indirect supervision of the output, maximum marginal likelihood faces two computational obstacles: non-convexity of the objective and intractability of even a single gradient computation. In this paper, we bypass both obstacles for a class of what we call linear indirectly-supervised problems. Our approach is simple: we solve a linear system to estimate sufficient statistics of the model, which we then use to estimate parameters via convex optimization. We analyze the statistical properties of our approach and show empirically that it is effective in two settings: learning with local privacy constraints and learning from low-cost count-based annotations.
NATIONAL TRENDS AND PERI-OPERATIVE OUTCOMES FOR NAVIGATED VERSUS UNNAVIGATED TOTAL KNEE ARTHROPLASTY

Summary Statement Navigated total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is becoming increasingly popular in the United States. Compared to traditional unnavigated TKA, the use of navigation is associated with decreased blood transfusions and shorter hospital stays. Introduction Navigated total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is a recent modification to standard TKA with many purported benefits in regards to component positioning. Controversy currently exists though regarding its clinical benefits. The purpose of this study was to assess recent national trends in navigated and unnavigated total knee arthroplasty and to evaluate perioperative outcomes for each group. Methods International Classification of Disease - 9th Revision (ICD-9) procedure codes were used to search the National Hospital Discharge Survey (NHDS) for all patients admitted to US hospitals after navigated and unnavigated TKA for each year between 2005 and 2010. Data regarding patient demographics, hospitalization length, discharge disposition, blood transfusions, deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, mortality, and hospital location were gathered from the NHDS. Trends were evaluated by linear regression with Pearson9s correlation coefficient (r) and statistical comparisons were made using Student9s t-test, z-test for proportions, and chi-square analysis with a significance level of 0.05. Results 22,443 patients admitted for TKA were identified. 578 (2.6%) of these patients had a TKA utilizing navigation. After adjusting for fluctuations in annual TKA performed, the use of navigation in TKA demonstrated a strong positive correlation with time (r=0.71), significantly increasing from an average utilization rate of 2.2% between 2005–2007 to 3.2% between 2008–2010 (p The mean age of navigated patients was 66.0 years. This group included 211 men and 367 women. The unnavigated group had a mean patient age that was insignificantly higher at 66.4 years (p=0.37) and included 7,815 men and 14,047 women. Gender was also not significantly different (p=0.71) between those with navigated TKA and those with unnavigated TKA. The number of medical co-morbidities was significantly higher in those with navigation (mean 5.4 diagnoses) than those without navigation (mean 5.1 diagnoses, p=0.01). Average hospitalization length also varied based on navigation status, with significantly shorter stays for those with navigation (3.3 days, range 1–11) compared to those without (3.6 days, range 1–73, p Discussion/Conclusion This study demonstrates that the use of navigated TKA in the US is rising. Additionally, despite having more medical co-mobidities, the navigated population required less blood transfusions and shorter lengths of stay. Interestingly, navigation utilization demonstrated variability based on hospital region. The reasons for this are not immediately clear, but may be related to differences in regional training.
Desert Amplification in a Warming Climate

Here I analyze the observed and projected surface temperature anomalies over land between 50°S-50°N for the period 1950–2099 by large-scale ecoregion and find strongest warming consistently and persistently seen over driest ecoregions such as the Sahara desert and the Arabian Peninsula during various 30-year periods, pointing to desert amplification in a warming climate. This amplification enhances linearly with the global mean greenhouse gases(GHGs) radiative forcing and is attributable primarily to a stronger GHGs-enhanced downward longwave radiation forcing reaching the surface over drier ecoregions as a consequence of a warmer and thus moister atmosphere in response to increasing GHGs. These results indicate that desert amplification may represent a fundamental pattern of global warming associated with water vapor feedbacks over land in low- and mid- latitudes where surface warming rates depend inversely on ecosystem dryness. It is likely that desert amplification might involve two types of water vapor feedbacks that maximize respectively in the tropical upper troposphere and near the surface over deserts, with both being very dry and thus extremely sensitive to changes of water vapor.
Stability analysis of wholesale electricity markets under dynamic consumption models and real-time pricing

This paper analyzes stability conditions for wholesale electricity markets under real-time retail pricing and realistic consumption models with memory, which explicitly take into account previous electricity prices and consumption levels. By passing on the current retail price of electricity from supplier to consumer and feeding the observed consumption back to the supplier, a closed-loop dynamical system for electricity prices and consumption arises whose stability is to be investigated. Under mild assumptions on the generation cost of electricity and consumers' backlog disutility functions, we show that, for consumer models with price memory only, market stability is achieved if the ratio between the consumers' marginal backlog disutility and the suppliers' marginal cost of supply remains below a fixed threshold. Further, consumer models with price and consumption memory can result in greater stability regions and faster convergence to the equilibrium compared to models with price memory alone, if consumption deviations from nominal demand are adequately penalized.
An Interim Analysis of an Advance Care Planning Intervention in the Nursing Home Setting.

Objectives To describe processes and preliminary outcomes from the implementation of a systematic advance care planning (ACP) intervention in the nursing home setting. Design Specially trained project nurses were embedded in 19 nursing homes and engaged in ACP as part of larger demonstration project to reduce potentially avoidable hospitalizations. Setting Nursing homes. Participants Residents enrolled in the demonstration project for a minimum of 30 days between August 2013 and December 2014 (n = 2,709) and residents currently enrolled in March 2015 (n = 1,591). Measurements ACP conversations were conducted with residents, families, and the legal representatives of incapacitated residents using a structured ACP interview guide with the goal of offering ACP to all residents. Project nurses reviewed their roster of currently enrolled residents in March 2015 to capture barriers to engaging in ACP. Results During the initial implementation phase, 27% (731/2,709) of residents had participated in one or more ACP conversations with a project nurse, resulting in a change in documented treatment preferences for 69% (504/731). The most common change (87%) was the generation of a Physician Orders for Scope of Treatment form. The most frequently reported barrier to ACP was lack of time. Conclusion The time- and resource-intensive nature of robust ACP must be anticipated when systematically implementing ACP in the nursing home setting. The fact that these conversations resulted in changes over 2/3 of the time reinforces the importance of deliberate, systematic ACP to ensure that current treatment preferences are known and documented so that these preferences can be honored.
The Binary Group 4 Azides [PPh4 ]2 [Zr(N3 )6 ] and [PPh4 ]2 [Hf(N3 )6 ].

The binary zirconium and hafnium polyazides [PPh4]2[M(N3)6] (M=Zr, Hf) were obtained in near quantitative yields from the corresponding metal fluorides MF4 by fluoride–azide exchange reactions with Me3SiN3 in the presence of two equivalents of [PPh4][N3]. The novel polyazido compounds were characterized by their vibrational spectra and their X-ray crystal structures. Both anion structures provide experimental evidence for near-linear M-N-N coordination of metal azides. The species [M(N3)4], [M(N3)5]− and [M(N3)6]2− (M=Ti, Zr, Hf) were studied by quantum chemical calculations at the electronic structure density functional theory and MP2 levels.
The Promise and Challenge of Archaeological Data Integration

This forum reports the results of a National Science Foundation—funded workshop that focused on the integration and preservation of digital databases and other structured data derived from archaeological contexts. The workshop concluded that for archaeology to achieve its potential to advance long-term, scientific understandings of human history, there is a pressing need for an archaeological information infrastructure that will allow us to archive, access, integrate, and mine disparate data sets. This report provides an assessment of the informatics needs of archaeology, articulates an ambitious vision for a distributed disciplinary information infrastructure (cyberinfrastructure), discusses the challenges posed by its development, and outlines initial steps toward its realization. Finally, it argues that such a cyberinfrastructure has enormous potential to contribute to anthropology and science more generally. Concept-oriented archaeological data integration will enable the use of existing data to answer compelling new questions and permit syntheses of archaeological data that rely not on other investigators' conclusions but on analyses of meaningfully integrated new and legacy data sets.
Machine Learning Force Fields: Construction, Validation, and Outlook

Force fields developed with machine learning methods in tandem with quantum mechanics are beginning to find merit, given their (i) low cost, (ii) accuracy, and (iii) versatility. Recently, we proposed one such approach, wherein, the vectorial force on an atom is computed directly from its environment. Here, we discuss the multistep workflow required for their construction, which begins with generating diverse reference atomic environments and force data, choosing a numerical representation for the atomic environments, down selecting a representative training set, and lastly the learning method itself, for the case of Al. The constructed force field is then validated by simulating complex materials phenomena such as surface melting and stress–strain behavior, that truly go beyond the realm of ab initio methods, both in length and time scales. To make such force fields truly versatile an attempt to estimate the uncertainty in force predictions is put forth, allowing one to identify areas of poor performance...
Hybrid Multiscale Finite Volume Method for Advection-Diffusion Equations Subject to Heterogeneous Reactive Boundary Conditions

We present a hybrid scheme for the coupling of macro- and microscale continuum models for reactive contaminant transport in fractured and porous media. The transport model considered is the advection-diffusion equation, subject to linear heterogeneous reactive boundary conditions. The multiscale finite volume method (MsFV) is employed to define an approximation to the microscale concentration field defined in terms of macroscopic or global degrees of freedom, together with local interpolator and corrector functions capturing microscopic spatial variability. The macroscopic mass balance relations for the MsFV global degrees of freedom are coupled with the macroscopic model, resulting in a global problem for the simultaneous time-stepping of all macroscopic degrees of freedom throughout the domain. In order to perform the hybrid coupling, the micro- and macroscale models are applied over overlapping subdomains of the simulation domain, with the overlap denoted as the handshake subdomain $\Omega^{hs}$, over which continuity of concentration and transport fluxes between models is enforced. Continuity of concentration is enforced by posing a restriction relation between models over $\Omega^{hs}$. Continuity of fluxes is enforced by prolongating to microscopic resolution the macroscopic model fluxes across the boundary of $\Omega^{hs}$. The microscopic interpolator and corrector functions are solutions to local microscopic advection-diffusion problems decoupled from the global degrees of freedom and from each other by virtue of the MsFV decoupling ansatz. The error introduced by the decoupling ansatz is reduced iteratively by the preconditioned GMRES algorithm, with the hybrid MsFV operator serving as the preconditioner.
Frequency Estimate for Multicomponent Crystalline Compounds

Among crystal structures of N-component metal alloys, far fewer examples are known with $$N\ge 4$$ than with $$N=2$$ or 3, in apparent contradiction to the exponentially growing number of possible combinations of elements. Two effects contribute to this shortfall. Since the N-component composition space resides within a d-dimensional simplex with $$d=N-1$$ , the vanishing volume in high dimensions reduces the distinct N-component compositions. Additionally, the increasing surface area makes it more probable that stable structures reside on the surface of the simplex (containing fewer than N components) as opposed to its interior. Specific estimates are developed through application of the empirical Miedema enthalpy model. Despite their rarity, we propose that the actual number of $$N=4$$ - and 5-component alloys greatly exceeds the number that are currently known.
Optimal Local Approximation Spaces for Component-Based Static Condensation Procedures

In this paper we introduce local approximation spaces for component-based static condensation (sc) procedures that are optimal in the sense of Kolmogorov. To facilitate simulations for large structures such as aircraft or ships, it is crucial to decrease the number of degrees of freedom on the interfaces, or “ports,” in order to reduce the size of the statically condensed system. To derive optimal port spaces we consider a (compact) transfer operator that acts on the space of harmonic extensions on a two-component system and maps the traces on the ports that lie on the boundary of these components to the trace of the shared port. Solving the eigenproblem for the composition of the transfer operator and its adjoint yields the optimal space. For a related work in the context of the generalized finite element method, we refer the reader to [I. Babuska and R. Lipton, Multiscale Model. Simul., 9 (2011), pp. 373--406]. We further introduce a spectral greedy algorithm to generalize the procedure to the parameter...
Imaging electronic states on topological semimetals using scanning tunneling microscopy

Following the intense studies on topological insulators, significant efforts have recently been devoted to the search for gapless topological systems. These materials not only broaden the topological classification of matter but also provide a condensed matter realization of various relativistic particles and phenomena previously discussed mainly in high energy physics. Weyl semimetals host massless, chiral, low-energy excitations in the bulk electronic band structure, whereas a symmetry protected pair of Weyl fermions gives rise to massless Dirac fermions. We employed scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy to explore the behavior of electronic states both on the surface and in the bulk of topological semimetal phases. By mapping the quasiparticle interference (QPI) and emerging Landau levels at high magnetic field in Dirac semimetals Cd3As2 and Na3Bi, we observed extended Dirac-like bulk electronic bands. QPI imaged on Weyl semimetal TaAs demonstrated the predicted momentum dependent delocalization of Fermi arc surface states in the vicinity of the surface-projected Weyl nodes.
Approximate partial order reduction

We present a new partial order reduction method for reachability analysis of nondeterministic labeled transition systems over metric spaces. Nondeterminism arises from both the choice of the initial state and the choice of actions, and the number of executions to be explored grows exponentially with their length. We introduce a notion of \(\varepsilon \)-independence relation over actions that relates approximately commutative actions; \(\varepsilon \)-equivalent action sequences are obtained by swapping \(\varepsilon \)-independent consecutive action pairs. Our reachability algorithm generalizes individual executions to cover sets of executions that start from different, but \(\delta \)-close initial states, and follow different, but \(\varepsilon \)-independent, action sequences. The constructed over-approximations can be made arbitrarily precise by reducing the \(\delta ,\varepsilon \) parameters. Exploiting both the continuity of actions and their approximate independence, the algorithm can yield an exponential reduction in the number of executions explored. We illustrate this with experiments on consensus, platooning, and distributed control examples.
Subquadratic submodular function minimization

Submodular function minimization (SFM) is a fundamental discrete optimization problem which generalizes many well known problems, has applications in various fields, and can be solved in polynomial time. Owing to applications in computer vision and machine learning, fast SFM algorithms are highly desirable. The current fastest algorithms [Lee, Sidford, Wong, 2015] run in O(n2lognM· EO + n3logO(1)nM) time and O(n3log2n· EO +n4logO(1)n)time respectively, where M is the largest absolute value of the function (assuming the range is integers) and is the time taken to evaluate the function on any set. Although the best known lower bound on the query complexity is only Ω(n) [Harvey, 2008], the current shortest non-deterministic proof [Cunningham, 1985] certifying the optimum value of a function requires Ω(n2) function evaluations. The main contribution of this paper are subquadratic SFM algorithms. For integer-valued submodular functions, we give an SFM algorithm which runs in O(nM3logn· EO) time giving the first nearly linear time algorithm in any known regime. For real-valued submodular functions with range in [-1,1], we give an algorithm which in O(n5/3· EO/e2) time returns an e-additive approximate solution. At the heart of it, our algorithms are projected stochastic subgradient descent methods on the Lovasz extension of submodular functions where we crucially exploit submodularity and data structures to obtain fast, i.e. sublinear time, subgradient updates. The latter is crucial for beating the n2 bound - we show that algorithms which access only subgradients of the Lovasz extension, and these include the empirically fast Fujishige-Wolfe heuristic [Fujishige, 1980; Wolfe, 1976]
Value and capital: Austrian capital theory, retrospect and Prospect

The time is right for a reexamination of Austrian capital-theory. We attempt to capture the essence of Carl Menger’s approach to capital, highlighting the important distinction between goods and the valuable services they yield (implying that goods are valuable only because they yield valuable services) and highlighting also the importance of money in facilitating exchange and production and in providing the means to value them. We look at the capital-theory of Bohm-Bawerk and suggest that, in many respects, this was a wrong turn, although it did set in motion valuable efforts to clarify the importance of the heterogeneity of productive-resources and their growing complexity over time. We examine the production-function, micro and macro, and show that it is logically untenable and useless as an instrument for empirical investigation, and that this has been known for decades. Of the Austrians after Menger, only Mises followed Irving Fisher in focusing on valuation. He did so in the context of explaining the importance of calculation. Mises’s approach to capital has been insufficiently understood and appreciated. By way of conclusion we draw from our considerations to provide a research agenda in Austrian capital theory.
A modified Bridge-Type Fault Current Limiter for Fault Ride-Through capacity enhancement of fixed speed wind generator

Fault Ride-Through (FRT) is a common requirement to abide by grid code all over the world. In this work, to enhance the fault ride-through capability of fixed speed wind generator system, a modified configuration of Bridge-Type Fault Current Limiter (BFCL) is proposed. To check the effectiveness of the proposed BFCL, its performance is compared with that of the Series Dynamic Braking Resistor (SDBR). A harmonic performance improvement by the proposed method is also analyzed. A three-phase-to-ground (3LG) fault was applied to one of the double circuit transmission lines connected to the wind generator system. Simulation was carried out by using Matlab/Simulink software. Simulation results show that the proposed BFCL is a very effective device to achieve the FRT and suppress fault current that eliminates the need for circuit breaker replacement. Also, the BFCL improves the harmonic performance and helps follow harmonic grid code. Moreover, it was found that the BFCL works better than the SDBR and has some distinct advantages over the SDBR.
A retrospective analysis of the merits and challenges associated with simultaneous bilateral THA using the direct anterior approach.

Introduction15%-20% of patients presenting for total hip arthroplasty (THA) have bilateral disease. While simultaneous bilateral THA is of interest to patients and surgeons, debate persists regardi...
High-Pressure Synthesis of a Pentazolate Salt

The pentazolates, the last all-nitrogen members of the azole series, have been notoriously elusive for the last hundred years despite enormous efforts to make these compounds in either gas or condensed phases. Here, we report a successful synthesis of a solid state compound consisting of isolated pentazolate anions N5–, which is achieved by compressing and laser heating cesium azide (CsN3) mixed with N2 cryogenic liquid in a diamond anvil cell. The experiment was guided by theory, which predicted the transformation of the mixture at high pressures to a new compound, cesium pentazolate salt (CsN5). Electron transfer from Cs atoms to N5 rings enables both aromaticity in the pentazolates as well as ionic bonding in the CsN5 crystal. This work provides critical insight into the role of extreme conditions in exploring unusual bonding routes that ultimately lead to the formation of novel high nitrogen content species.
Duality Codes and the Integrality Gap Bound for Index Coding

This paper considers a base station that delivers packets to multiple receivers through a sequence of coded transmissions. All receivers overhear the same transmissions. Each receiver may already have some of the packets as side information, and requests another subset of the packets. This problem is known as the index coding problem and can be represented by a bipartite digraph. An integer linear program is developed that provides a lower bound on the minimum number of transmissions required for any coding algorithm. Conversely, its linear programming relaxation is shown to provide an upper bound that is achievable by a simple form of vector linear coding. Thus, the information theoretic optimum is bounded by the integrality gap between the integer program and its linear relaxation. In the special case when the digraph has a planar structure, the integrality gap is shown to be zero, so that exact optimality is achieved. Finally, for non-planar problems, an enhanced integer program is constructed that provides a smaller integrality gap. The dual of this problem corresponds to a more sophisticated partial clique coding strategy that time-shares between Reed-Solomon erasure codes. This work illuminates the relationship between index coding, duality, and integrality gaps between integer programs and their linear relaxations.
You're the Camera!: Physical Movements For Transitioning Between Environments in VR

Virtual reality (VR) enables unusual experiences, including the physically impossible, in an immersive environment. As new media such as VR are developed, designers tend to remediate aspects from previous media, but not every aspect fits. Several areas in VR design warrant scientific investigation in that regard. This paper specifically addresses transitioning between environments: when transitioning in a virtual world, will camera movements made simultaneously and in sync with movements from the user produce a preferred scene transition experience compared to virtual camera movement that is less directly coupled? We report on a within-subject experiment where participants were tasked with transitioning between different environments. One set of transitions required the full physical motion of the user to complete, for the other set completing the transition was triggered after a part of the physical movement was performed up to a threshold. Results showed a clear preference for the second variant and thus for less control over the virtual camera.
Vibrations and static responses of asymmetric bimorph disks of piezoelectric ceramics

In an earlier article, the flexural vibrations in bimorph disks and extensional vibrations in homogeneous disks of piezoelectric ceramics were studied. In the present paper, the coupled flexural and extensional vibrations and static responses in an asymmetric bimorph disk, which is formed by bonding together two piezoelectric ceramic disks of unequal thickness and opposite polarization, are investigated. Governing equations of coupled motions for asymmetric bimorphs are deduced from the recently derived 2-D, first-order equations for piezoelectric crystal plates with thickness-graded material properties. Then, closed form solutions of these equations for circular disks are obtained for free vibrations, piezoelectrically forced vibrations, and responses under static voltage difference. Resonance frequencies, distribution of displacements and surface charges, impedances, and static responses are calculated for asymmetric bimorph disks of various thickness ratios and diameter-to-thickness ratios. Experimental data on resonances and impedances are obtained for asymmetric bimorph disks of PZT-857 for different thickness ratios. Comparisons of predicted and measured results show that the agreements are close.
Long-range charge transfer and oxygen vacancy interactions in strontium ferrite

The high oxygen non-stoichiometry (δ) in many mixed ionic conductors does not translate into high ionic conductivity due to strong interactions between oxygen vacancies. In this study, the charge states of Fe in various phases of SrFeO3−δ were determined by interpreting the density functional theory (DFT) predicted magnetic moment on Fe. The charge on Fe in square pyramidal (SP) was shown to always remain +4 while the Fe in distorted octahedral (Oh) varied from +4 to +3 with δ, due to the different d-orbital splitting of SP and Oh Fe. Furthermore, a new ‘long-range charge transfer’ mechanism was observed where the electrons left by the charge-neutral oxygen vacancy were transferred to the second nearest neighbor Fe (instead of the Fe directly connected to the vacancy) and resulted in extended lattice distortions that promoted strong oxygen vacancy interactions. A DFT-based thermodynamics model for interacting vacancies was also developed to predict the δ and oxygen vacancy site fraction (X) at high temperatures. The δ and X values calculated with this model showed good agreement with experiments. These calculations resolve a long-standing debate in the literature on the mixed charge states of Fe in SrFeO3−δ and identify a new mechanism for oxygen vacancy interactions.
Adaptive Walk Intervals

If the vehicular phase concurrent with a pedestrian phase is running under fully actuated control or is a noncoordinated phase under coordinated-actuated control, the length of its green is not known when the phase begins; it could run anywhere between a (known) minimum and maximum green, depending on when a gap is detected. In such a case, walk intervals are generally kept to a minimum length to prevent the pedestrian phase from constraining the ending of green that can lead to situations in which the pedestrian phase has cleared yet the concurrent phase continues its green for 20 more seconds. Proposed is the concept of an adaptive walk interval whose length is based on the predicted length of the concurrent phase’s green, which in turn is calculated cycle by cycle with data from recently past cycles. That way, during heavy traffic periods in which the vehicular phase usually goes well beyond its minimum, a longer-than-minimum walk interval can be provided with very little impact on signal operation or ...
Virus-driven Inflammation Is Associated With the Development of bNAbs in Spontaneous Controllers of HIV.

Understanding the mechanism(s) by which broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs) emerge naturally following infection is crucial for the development of a protective vaccine against human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Although previous studies have implicated high viremia and associated immune activation as potential drivers for the development of bNAbs, here we sought to unlink the effect of these 2 parameters by evaluating the key inflammatory predictors of bNAb development in HIV-infected individuals who spontaneously control HIV in the absence of antiretroviral therapy ("controllers").
Estimating the Relative Benefits of Agricultural Growth on the Distribution of Expenditures

Does the sectoral composition of aggregate economic growth affect poverty? We ask whether agricultural growth in developing countries increases the expenditures of poorer households more than growth in other sectors. While some reduced form analyses have tackled this question using either country-level time series data, regional panel data for one country, or cross-sectional country data, this paper is unusual in using panel data for many countries. We improve on much of the existing literature by devising an instrumental variables strategy to correct for the endogeneity of sectoral GDP growth, involving averaging over sectoral income growth rates for neighboring countries. Our principal finding from our instrumental variable estimator is that the estimated elasticities associated with growth in agricultural income are significantly greater than for non-agricultural income for all but the extreme top and bottom deciles. In the middle range of the income distribution the effect of a given GDP growth due to agriculture is 3–4 times larger than if it was due to non-agricultural activities. Having established that on average growth in GDP originating in agriculture is more beneficial for poorer deciles, we finally explore whether this is a pattern which holds across different groupings of countries. A second important finding is that there is heterogeneity across some groupings. Most particularly, we find that it is the poorest people in the poorest countries for whom agricultural income growth is the most beneficial.
Traces of Hecke operators in level 1 and Gaussian hypergeometric functions

We provide formulas for traces of p-th Hecke operators in level 1 in terms of values of finite field 2F1-hypergeometric functions, extending previous work of the author to all odd primes p, instead of only those p=1 (mod 12). We first give a general level 1 trace formula in terms of the trace of Frobenius on a family of elliptic curves, and then we draw on recent work of Lennon to produce level 1 trace formulas in terms of hypergeometric functions for all primes p >3.
Cosmic Chandlery with Thermonuclear Supernovae

Thermonuclear (Type Ia) supernovae are bright stellar explosions, the light curves of which can be calibrated to allow for use as "standard candles" for measuring cosmological distances. Contemporary research investigates how the brightness of an event may be influenced by properties of the progenitor system that follow from properties of the host galaxy such as composition and age. The goals are to better understand systematic effects and to assess the intrinsic scatter in the brightness, thereby reducing uncertainties in cosmological studies. We present the results from ensembles of simulations in the single-degenerate paradigm addressing the influence of age and metallicity on the brightness of an event and compare our results to observed variations of brightness that correlate with properties of the host galaxy. We also present results from "hybrid" progenitor models that incorporate recent advances in stellar evolution.
The influence of cylindrical inclusions on the stability of a directionally solidified interface

It is well known that the presence of an inclusion in the melt near a solidifying front induces a local deformation in the latter provided that the melt’s thermal conductance differs from that of the inclusion [1, 2, 3, 4]. This local interfacial deflection is caused by the modification of the thermal gradient in the melt near the particle. The long time evolution of this local disturbance of the interface has been investigated for the case of a spherical particle in a pure substance [5], and in a binary alloy [6]. It is discovered that, provided that the particle-interface distance falls below a critical value, the induced perturbation grows and destabilizes the whole solid-liquid interface. This newly uncovered morphological instability is manifested only for some combination of the physical and processing parameters, and its onset is attributed to the reversal of the thermal gradient in the liquid gap between the particle and the interface [6]. This instability, whose characteristic size is of the order of the particle’s diameter, occurs at pulling speeds that are below the threshold for the onset of the Mullins-Sekerka instability.
Being, Becoming and the Undivided Universe: A Dialogue Between Relational Blockworld and the Implicate Order Concerning the Unification of Relativity and Quantum Theory

In this paper two different approaches to unification will be compared, Relational Blockworld (RBW) and Hiley’s implicate order. Both approaches are monistic in that they attempt to derive matter and spacetime geometry ‘at once’ in an interdependent and background independent fashion from something underneath both quantum theory and relativity. Hiley’s monism resides in the implicate order via Clifford algebras and is based on process as fundamental while RBW’s monism resides in spacetimematter via path integrals over graphs whereby space, time and matter are co-constructed per a global constraint equation. RBW’s monism therefore resides in being (relational blockworld) while that of Hiley’s resides in becoming (elementary processes). Regarding the derivation of quantum theory and relativity, the promises and pitfalls of both approaches will be elaborated. Finally, special attention will be paid as to how Hiley’s process account might avoid the blockworld implications of relativity and the frozen time problem of canonical quantum gravity.
Benchmarking the International Compulsory Education Performance of 65 Countries and Economies: Findings from PISA 2006, 2009, and 2012

Purpose The Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) measured 15-year-olds’ performance in mathematics, reading, and science. The purpose of this paper is to use the assessment results of PISA 2006, 2009, and 2012 to benchmark the compulsory education performance of 65 countries and economies with emphasis on two benchmarking steps: identifying benchmarks and determining performance gaps. Design/methodology/approach The authors use a multi-criterion and multi-period performance categorization method to identify a group of best performers as benchmarks. Then, the authors use two-sample t-tests to detect against benchmarks whether each country or economy has significant performance gaps on individual performance measures. Findings Based on the mean scores of three assessment subjects in PISA 2006, 2009, and 2012, six best performers (Top-6) are identified from 65 participating countries and economies. In comparison with Top-6’s weighted averages, performance gaps are found for most countries and economies on the mean score of each subject, the percentage of top-performing students in all three subjects, and the percentage of lowest-performing students in each subject. Originality/value For compulsory education systems around the world, this paper provides an original categorization of performance based on the results of three PISA cycles, and provides new insights for countries and economies to prioritize improvement efforts to increase average performance, pursue excellence, and tackle low performance. For benchmarking applications involving multi-criterion and multi-period data, this paper presents a novel method of using statistical control charts to identify benchmarks and then using two-sample t-tests to determine performance gaps on individual performance measures.
A heterotic standard model

Within the context of the E8 × E8 heterotic superstring compactified on a smooth Calabi-Yau threefold with an SU(4) gauge instanton, we show the existence of simple, realistic N = 1 supersymmetric vacua that are compatible with low energy particle physics. The observable sector of these vacua has gauge group SU(3)C × SU(2)L × U(1)Y × U(1)B-L, three families of quarks and leptons, each with an additional right-handed neutrino, two Higgs-Higgs conjugate pairs, a small number of uncharged moduli and no exotic matter.
A Preferred Mass Range for Primordial Black Hole Formation and Black Holes as Dark Matter Revisited

Bird et al. [1] and Sasaki et al. [2] have recently proposed the intriguing possibility that the black holes detected by LIGO could be all or part of the cosmological dark matter. This offers an alternative to WIMPs and axions, where dark matter could be comprised solely of Standard Model particles. The mass range lies within an observationally viable window and the predicted merger rate can be tested by future LIGO observations. In this paper, we argue that non-thermal histories favor production of black holes near this mass range — with heavier ones unlikely to form in the early universe and lighter black holes being diluted through late-time entropy production. We discuss how this prediction depends on the primordial power spectrum, the likelihood of black hole formation, and the underlying model parameters. We find the prediction for the preferred mass range to be rather robust assuming a blue spectral index less than two. We consider the resulting relic density in black holes, and using recent observational constraints, establish whether they could account for all of the dark matter today.
Effects of External Field Orientation on Permanent Magnet Demagnetization

This paper investigates how the orientation of the applied demagnetizing magnetomotive force (MMF) affects the demagnetization behavior of Nd-Fe-B magnets that are widely used for permanent-magnet synchronous machines (PMSMs). This paper designs and builds a customized test fixture that can produce a magnetic field with varying orientation and intensity to demagnetize magnet samples. A computer-controlled 2-D mapping device is used to record the flux density above the test samples. The measurement results are compared with the 3-D finite-element analysis simulations. The understanding and insights obtained from this paper will be used to improve the robustness of magnet design for high power density PMSMs with improved capability of withstanding demagnetization during overcurrent faults.
The Appeal of Social Accelerators: What do Social Entrepreneurs Value?

ABSTRACTAre the most-publicized benefits of social accelerators also the ones most valued by social entrepreneurs? Does the social entrepreneur human capital – such as education, professional background and experience – shape the attractiveness of value propositions of different social accelerator benefits? These important questions are examined in this study by drawing upon a large and unique database of more than 4,000 social entrepreneurs worldwide who have applied to social accelerator programmes. Study findings are of value not only to social entrepreneurship scholars but also to social entrepreneurs, social accelerators, funders of accelerators and other entities in the social entrepreneurship ecosystem.
Free resolutions over short Gorenstein local rings

Let R be a local ring with maximal ideal $${\mathfrak{m}}$$ admitting a non-zero element $${a\in\mathfrak{m}}$$ for which the ideal (0 : a) is isomorphic to R/aR. We study minimal free resolutions of finitely generated R-modules M, with particular attention to the case when $${\mathfrak{m}^4=0}$$ . Let e denote the minimal number of generators of $${\mathfrak{m}}$$ . If R is Gorenstein with $${\mathfrak{m}^4=0}$$ and e ≥ 3, we show that $${{\rm P}_{M}^{R}(t)}$$ is rational with denominator H R (−t) = 1 − et + et 2 − t 3, for each finitely generated R-module M. In particular, this conclusion applies to generic Gorenstein algebras of socle degree 3.
THE BI-CRUCIATE RETAINING KNEE: A BRIDGE TOO FAR – AFFIRMS

Multiple contemporary TKA designs that sacrifice the anterior cruciate ligament and then either retain or substitute for the posterior cruciate ligament have demonstrated-records of good durability and good function across joint registries worldwide. In recent years there has been an emphasis on improving function in TKA and to that end various strategies including changes in surgical alignment targets (kinematic alignment), the addition of advanced technologies such as computer navigation and sensors in trial components, the expansion of indications for unicompartmental knee arthroplasty and the re-introduction of total knee implants that preserve both the ACL and PCL have been championed. Early ACL/PCL retaining total knee implants had mixed results with some designs failing while others championed by Cloutier and by Pritchett have had some success in regard to reasonable durability. Unfortunately those early designs, despite decent durability, did not conclusively demonstrate better function. More recently a new bi-cruciate retaining TKA was introduced with some substantial fanfare. Unfortunately, the widely touted theoretical or potential benefits of bi-cruciate preservation (in regard to better function) have failed to materialise or have been offset by a higher than expected re-operation rate. Even some of the initial proponents of the bi-cruciate implants have noted that the short-term findings are not very encouraging. The largest report to date shows 5% vs. 1.6% all-cause revision at 1 year (BCR vs. CR, respectively) and no improvement in standardised patient reported outcome measures. Some have placed their hopes for BCR TKA on the introduction of robotic technologies or advanced sensor devices but whether those prove to be meaningful enabling technologies remains to be determined. In 2017 it appears that while bi-cruciate retaining TKA is intellectually intriguing it does require the practicing surgeon to cross “a bridge too far.”
Curriculum Design for Machine Learners in Sequential Decision Tasks

Existing machine-learning work has shown that algorithms can benefit from curricula---learning first on simple examples before moving to more difficult examples. While most existing work on curriculum learning focuses on developing automatic methods to iteratively select training examples with increasing difficulty tailored to the current ability of the learner, relatively little attention has been paid to the ways in which humans design curricula. We argue that a better understanding of the human-designed curricula could give us insights into the development of new machine-learning algorithms and interfaces that can better accommodate machine- or human-created curricula. Our work addresses this emerging and vital area empirically, taking an important step to characterize the nature of human-designed curricula relative to the space of possible curricula and the performance benefits that may (or may not) occur.