cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparison of innate immune responses and somatotropic axis components of Holstein and Montbéliarde-sired crossbred dairy cows during the transition period

Objectives were to compare parameters related to innate immune responses and somatotropic axis of Holstein (HO) and Montbeliarde (MO)-sired crossbred cows during the transition from late gestation to early lactation. Cows (40 HO and 47 MO-sired crossbred) were enrolled in the study 45d before expected calving date (study d 0=calving). Polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNL) isolated from blood samples collected weekly from study d -7 to 21 and on study d 42 were used for determination of percentage of PMNL positive for phagocytosis (PA+) and oxidative burst (OB+), intensity of PA and OB, percentage of PMNL expressing CD18 (CD18+) and L-selectin (LS+), and intensity of CD18 and LS expression. Blood was sampled weekly from study d -7 to 14 and on study d 28, 42, and 56 for determination of insulin, growth hormone (GH), leptin, and insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1 concentrations. Blood sampled weekly from study d -14 to 21 and on study d 42 was used to determine cortisol concentration. Liver biopsies were performed on study d -14, 7, 14, and 28 for determination of mRNA expression for insulin receptor B (IRB), total GH receptor (GHRtot), GHR variant 1A (GHR1A), and IGF-1. Data were analyzed by ANOVA for repeated measures or by ANOVA using the GLM procedure of SAS (SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC). Intensity of CD18 expression was greater in PMNL from crossbred cows compared with PMNL from HO cows [1,482.1 ± 82.3 vs. 1,286.6 ± 69.8 geometric mean fluorescence intensity (GMFI)]. Furthermore, among HO cows, the percentage of PA+ PMNL on study d -7 (64.4 ± 5.2%) tended to be greater than on study d 0 (57.1 ± 5.1%), but no differences in percentage of PA+ PMNL between study d -7 and 0 were observed in crossbred cows. Similarly, intensity of PA in PA+ PMNL from HO cows decreased from study d -7 to 0 (4,750.6 ± 1,217.0 vs. 1,964.7 ± 1,227.9 GMFI), but no changes in intensity of PA in PA+ PMNL from crossbred cows were observed. On study d 0, intensity of PA tended to be reduced in PA+ PMNL from HO cows compared with PA+ PMNL from crossbred cows (1,964.7 ± 1,227.9 vs. 4,688.1 ± 1,271.8 GMFI). Concentrations of GH (7.4 ± 0.4 vs. 5.1 ± 0.4 ng/mL) and cortisol (9.5 ± 0.8 vs. 7.1 ± 0.8 ng/mL) were greater for HO than for crossbred cows. Crossbred cows had improved innate immune responses compared with HO cows, as determined by a lack of decrease in intensity of PA on the day of calving, which may result in improved health. Furthermore, HO cows appeared to be less sensitive to the negative feedback of IGF-1 on GH secretion because cows from both breeds had similar IGF-1 concentrations but MO-sired crossbred cows had greater GH concentrations.
Self-assembly for three-dimensional integration of functional electrical components

Current microelectronics manufacturing and packaging rely on pick-and-place methods, which are serial manufacturing processes. Self-assembly (SA) is a parallel manufacturing process that can be three dimensional and as such could improve the manufacture of systems that require diverse integration of sensors, actuators, electronics and power sources. This paper describes SA of millimeter-scale parts in which functional electronic components and electrical interconnects were cast into 5 mm cubes of polymethylmethacrylate. Surface forces induced both gross and fine alignment of the cubes. The cubes were bonded using low-melting-temperature alloy, resulting in a self- assembled three-dimensional circuit. This technique could be expanded for assembly of systems having more than 104 components. The ultimate goal is to combine a large number of diverse active components to allow the manufacture of systems having dense integrated functionality.
All-Fiber-Optic Gyroscopes

The development of all-fiber-optic gyroscopes at Stanford University is reviewed. Fiber-optic components for the gyroscopes are described. Techniques to suppress various error sources, and different approaches to a linear scale factor with wide dynamic range, are discussed. Fiber-optic single sideband frequency shifters for closed-loop operation of gyroscopes are described. A new approach to high birefringence fiber gyroscopes, with broadband optical source and birefringence modulation, is presented. Other approaches, including the pulsed reentrant fiber gyro, are shown.
Nonabelian Hodge theory in characteristic p

Given a scheme in characteristic p together with a lifting modulo p 2, we construct a functor from a category of suitably nilpotent modules with connection to the category of Higgs modules. We use this functor to generalize the decomposition theorem of Deligne-Illusie to the case of de Rham cohomology with coefficients.
Thermolysis of alkyl(aquo)- and alkyl(pyridine)cobaloximes in the solid state. Influence of the alkyl group on axial cobalt-ligand bond stability and correlation with solution properties

Abstract The solid state thermolysis of a series of 24 organo(aquo)cobaloximes and 19 organo(pyridine)cobaloximes has been investigated by differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis. In the most favorable cases three distinct transitions are observed by both techniques which may be assigned to loss of the axial (aquo or pyridine) ligand, loss of the organic ligand, and decomposition of the ‘core’ bis(dimethylglyoximato)cobalt complex. The temperatures for the first transition for the aquo complexes correlate reasonably well with the Taft polar substituent constant, σ*. In addition, a number of highly significant correlations were found between the temperature of the first transition and rate constants for ligand exchange processes in solution.
Pointing Accuracy and Dynamic Range in a Steered Beam Adaptive Array

The performance of a steered beam adaptive array as a function of the beam pointing error is examined. The purpose is to determine how close the steered beam has to be to the actual desired signal arrival angle for good performance. It is shown that the beam pointing error that can be tolerated is essentially a question of dynamic range. The greater the desired signal dynamic range that must be accommodated by the array, the more accurate the beam pointing angle must be.
Robust Classification for Imprecise Environments

In real-world environments it usually is difficult to specify target operating conditions precisely, for example, target misclassification costs. This uncertainty makes building robust classification systems problematic. We show that it is possible to build a hybrid classifier that will perform at least as well as the best available classifier for any target conditions. In some cases, the performance of the hybrid actually can surpass that of the best known classifier. This robust performance extends across a wide variety of comparison frameworks, including the optimization of metrics such as accuracy, expected cost, lift, precision, recall, and workforce utilization. The hybrid also is efficient to build, to store, and to update. The hybrid is based on a method for the comparison of classifier performance that is robust to imprecise class distributions and misclassification costs. The ROC convex hull (ROCCH) method combines techniques from ROC analysis, decision analysis and computational geometry, and adapts them to the particulars of analyzing learned classifiers. The method is efficient and incremental, minimizes the management of classifier performance data, and allows for clear visual comparisons and sensitivity analyses. Finally, we point to empirical evidence that a robust hybrid classifier indeed is needed for many real-world problems.
Differential inequalities for Riesz means and Weyl-type bounds for eigenvalues

We derive differential inequalities and difference inequalities for Riesz means of eigenvalues of the Dirichlet Laplacian, Rσ(z) := X k (z − �k) σ.
Factors influencing quantitative liquid (scanning) transmission electron microscopy

One of the experimental challenges in the study of nanomaterials in liquids in the (scanning) transmission electron microscope ((S)TEM) is gaining quantitative information. A successful experiment in the fluid stage will depend upon the ability to plan for sensitive factors such as the electron dose applied, imaging mode, acceleration voltage, beam-induced solution chemistry changes, and the specifics of solution reactivity. In this paper, we make use of a visual approach to show the extent of damage of different instrumental and experimental factors in liquid samples imaged in the (S)TEM. Previous results as well as new insights are presented to create an overview of beam-sample interactions identified for changing imaging and experimental conditions. This work establishes procedures to understand the effect of the electron beam on a solution, provides information to allow for a deliberate choice of the optimal experimental conditions to enable quantification, and identifies the experimental factors that require further analysis for achieving fully quantitative results in the liquid (S)TEM.
Forward and midrapidity charmonium production at RHIC

J/ψ production at forward and midrapidity at the Relativistic Heavy-Ion Collider (RHIC) is calculated within a previously constructed rate-equation approach accounting for both direct production and regeneration from c and \(\bar{c}\) . The results are compared to the experimental data. The observed stronger suppression at forward rapidity can be qualitatively explained by a smaller statistical regeneration component together with stronger cold nuclear matter induced suppression compared to midrapidity. The χc over J/ψ ratio and ψ′ over J/ψ ratio are also calculated.
Inequalities in health: definitions, concepts, and theories

Individuals from different backgrounds, social groups, and countries enjoy different levels of health. This article defines and distinguishes between unavoidable health inequalities and unjust and preventable health inequities. We describe the dimensions along which health inequalities are commonly examined, including across the global population, between countries or states, and within geographies, by socially relevant groupings such as race/ethnicity, gender, education, caste, income, occupation, and more. Different theories attempt to explain group-level differences in health, including psychosocial, material deprivation, health behavior, environmental, and selection explanations. Concepts of relative versus absolute; dose–response versus threshold; composition versus context; place versus space; the life course perspective on health; causal pathways to health; conditional health effects; and group-level versus individual differences are vital in understanding health inequalities. We close by reflecting on what conditions make health inequalities unjust, and to consider the merits of policies that prioritize the elimination of health disparities versus those that focus on raising the overall standard of health in a population. Keywords: health disparities; inequality; inequity; theory (Published: 24 June 2015) Citation: Glob Health Action 2015, 8 : 27106 - http://dx.doi.org/10.3402/gha.v8.27106
Rearrangement of epoxidized benzyne/furan cycloadducts: a convenient route to α-formyl and α-acyl-2-indanones

Abstract The Lewis acids, LiClO 4 and BF 3 ·Et 2 O, promote carbocation driven ring contracting rearrangements of epoxides derived from the Diels-Alder adducts of benzyne and furans. This unprecedented transformation provides moderate to excellent yields of novel α-formyl and α-acyl-2-indanones.
The Limits to Growth Management: Development Regulation in Montgomery County, Maryland

This paper offers a review and critique of the growth management system in Montgomery County, Maryland, with the intent of finding generalizable lessons. The author writes from his experience working for the Montgomery County Planning Department managing growth from 1989 to 1994, documents produced by various agencies and agents, public hearings, and discussions with present and former staff members, citizens, and members of the development community. First, the author discusses the decision frameworks that influence the implementation of a regulatory system, in particular, growth management. This is followed by an overview of the American context of growth management systems, and Montgomery's place within it. The author summarizes the history of Montgomery's growth management rules and policies. The author also discusses developer-funded infrastructure options that have been proposed and implemented in the county, the impacts of the system, setting growth limits, and the interaction of transportation and land use in the county. The author concludes that the system fails to provide effective price signals, relying instead on proactive command and control policies from the county government. Moreover the system fails to raise sufficient revenue for new infrastructure. The author suggests that an alternative reactive approach, which links the threads of infrastructure financing and adequate public facilities by replacing quotas with a market-based approach of cost-based prices, would be more equitable, efficient, and effective in implementing county goals.
Travelling, Non-Periodic Patterns in Nonlinear Stability Problems

In this short note we present results on the existence of several classes of travelling, non- periodic solutions of the complex Ginzburg-Landau equation. First we give a very short introduction to the G-L equation and show its importance in nonlinear stability theory. We then study the G-L equation with complex coefficients and establish the existence of a 2-parameter family of quasi-periodic solutions and two different types of one-parameter families of heteroclinic orbits; all members of these families travel with a well-defined wave-speed. The heteroclinic solutions correspond to (travelling) soliton-like ‘localized structures’ which connect different (stable) periodic patterns. Mathematically, these families of travelling solutions (quasi-periodic and heteroclinic) are continuations into the complex case of the stationary solutions of the real G-L equation.
Nosocomial pneumonia in elderly patients following cardiac surgery

Summary Objective To identify modifiable risk factors of nosocomial pneumonia (NP) in elderly patients post-cardiac surgery. Design A case-control study. Setting Post-operative intensive care unit of a tertiary-level university affiliated hospital. Subjects Seventy three case-control pairs. Case patients referred to elderly patients who developed pneumonia post-cardiac surgery. Controls subjects were matched for age, gender, type of surgery, forced expiratory volume in 1s (FEV 1 ), and ejection fraction. Measurements Baseline sociodemograpahic information, Charlson Comorbidity Index score, intra- and post-operative data were collected. When suspected, the presence of NP was confirmed by quantitative culture of protected bronchoalveolar lavage fluid ⩾10 3 colony forming unit/ml or positive blood/pleural fluid culture identical to that recovered from respiratory samples. Results The incidence of NP in elderly post-heart surgery was 8.3%. The mean duration after heart surgery to the occurrence of pneumonia was 7.2±4.9 days. Four variables were found to be significantly related to the development of NP by multivariate analysis: Charlson Index >2 (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 4.7; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.9–11.4; P 0.001 ), reintubation (AOR 6.2; 95% CI, 1.1–36.1; P = 0.04 ), transfusion ⩾4 units of PRBC (AOR 2.8; 95% CI, 1.2–6.3; P = 0.01 ), and the mean equivalent daily dose of morphine (AOR 4.6; 95% CI, 1.4–14.6; P = 0.01 ). Conclusions Although there are limited effective measures to lessen the burden of comorbidities, avoiding reintubation, finding a substitute to allogenic blood transfusion, and improved assessment of pain management could reduce the rate of NP in the post-operative period of cardiac surgery in the elderly population.
An X-field micro-gap head for high density magnetic recording

As the gap in a magnetic recording head is made smaller a point is reached where the gap cannot supply adequate bias field for undistorted low frequency response without erasing the high frequencies. In the X-field head a vertical component of magnetization is superposed on the conventional semicircular pattern at the head-gap, to give a field which has more rapid decay at the trailing edge and at the same time has a more uniform intensity through the thickness of the tape coating. A new X-field design overcomes objections to previous models, and can be produced economically.
Dicationic electrophilic systems: the activation of carbocations and carboxonium ions by pyridinium groups and related heterocycles

Abstract N -Heterocycles can be alkylated with cinnamyl bromide to give the cationic salts 6 – 10 and subsequent reactions with C 6 H 6 and superacidic CF 3 SO 3 H provide the addition products in good yields. Reactions of N -acetonylpyridinium salts give the condensation product from C 6 H 6 and CF 3 SO 3 H and the dicationic intermediate can be directly observed using low temperature 13 C NMR spectroscopy.
Expressive Power of the Schematic Protection Model

In this paper we show that the Schematic Protection Model (SPM) subsumes several well-known protection models as particular instances. We show this for a diverse collection of models including the Bell-LaPadula multilevel security model, take-grant models, and grammatical protection systems. Remarkably SPM subsumes these models within its known efficiently decidable cases for safety analysis (i.e., the determination or whether or not a given privilege can possibly be acquired by a particular subject). Therefore SPM subsumes these models not only in terms of its expressive power but also in terms of safety analysis. This is in sharp contrast to the Harrison-Ruzzo-Ullman (HRU) access-matrix model. HRU does subsume all the models discussed in this paper in terms of expressive power. However, all known constructions of these models in HRU require multi-conditional commands (i.e., commands whose conditions have two or more terms), whereas safety is undecidable in HRU even for bi-conditional commands (i.e., commands whose conditions have exactly two terms).
The Making of a Continental Financial System: Lessons for Europe from Early American History

Alexander Hamilton was the first US Treasury Secretary from 1789 to 1795. When he started, the federal government was in default. During his tenure, US Treasuries became the ultimate safe asset. He successfully managed expectations, achieved debt service reduction, and stabilized financial panics. He delivered sound public finances and financial stability. In the end, the US possessed a modern financial system able to finance innovation and growth. At a time when Europe is working its way out of the sovereign debt crisis and implementing banking union and financial union, it is worthwhile to search for lessons from early US history.
Delay efficient 32-bit carry-skip adder

The design of a 32-bit carry-skip adder to achieve minimum delay is presented in this paper. A fast carry look-ahead logic using group generate and group propagate functions is used to speed up the performance of multiple stages of ripple carry adders. The group generate and group propagate functions are generated in parallel with the carry generation for each block. The optimum block sizes are decided by considering the critical path into account. The new architecture delivers the sum and carry outputs in lesser unit delays than existing carry-skip adders. The adder is implemented in 0.25 µm CMOS technology at 3.3V. The critical delay for the proposed adder is 3.4 nanoseconds. The simulation results show that the proposed adder is 18% faster than the current fastest carry-skip adder.
Solving convex programs by random walks

Minimizing a convex function over a convex set in n-dimensional space is a basic, general problem with many interesting special cases. Here, we present a simple new algorithm for convex optimization based on sampling by a random walk. It extends naturally to minimizing quasi-convex functions and to other generalizations.
On the existence and characterization of the maxent distribution under general moment inequality constraints

A broad set of sufficient conditions that guarantees the existence of the maximum entropy (maxent) distribution consistent with specified bounds on certain generalized moments is derived. Most results in the literature are either focused on the minimum cross-entropy distribution or apply only to distributions with a bounded-volume support or address only equality constraints. The results of this work hold for general moment inequality constraints for probability distributions with possibly unbounded support, and the technical conditions are explicitly on the underlying generalized moment functions. An analytical characterization of the maxent distribution is also derived using results from the theory of constrained optimization in infinite-dimensional normed linear spaces. Several auxiliary results of independent interest pertaining to certain properties of convex coercive functions are also presented.
Formation of Hydrogen, Oxygen, and Hydrogen Peroxide in Electron-irradiated Crystalline Water Ice

Water ice is abundant both astrophysically, for example, in molecular clouds, and in planetary systems. The Kuiper belt objects, many satellites of the outer solar system, the nuclei of comets, and some planetary rings are all known to be water-rich. Processing of water ice by energetic particles and ultraviolet photons plays an important role in astrochemistry. To explore the detailed nature of this processing, we have conducted a systematic laboratory study of the irradiation of crystalline water ice in an ultrahigh vacuum setup by energetic electrons holding a linear
Electron transfer mediated addition of methanol to benzobicyclo[3.1.0]hex-2-ene.

Abstract The photochemically-prepared cation radical of benzobicyclo[3.1.0]hex-2-ene undergoes nucleophilic addition of methanol at C 5 and C 6 in a ratio of approximately 5:3.
A Practical Sulfenylation of 2,5‐Diketopiperazines

Sulfurs in action A practical and simple method for the introduction of sulfur atoms into 2,5-diketopiperazines (I) under mild conditions has been developed leading to more or less complex epidithiodiketopiperazines (II) and bis-methylthiodiketopiperazines (III).
A theory of cross-validation error

Abstract This paper presents a theory of error in cross-validation testing of algorithms for predicting real-valued attributes. The theory justifies the claim that predicting real-valued attributes requires balancing the conflicting demands of simplicity and accuracy. Furthermore, the theory indicates precisely how these conflicting demands must be balanced, in order to minimize cross-validation error. A general theory is presented, then it is developed in detail for linear regression and instance-based learning
A spatial operator algebra for manipulator modeling and control

A spatial operator algebra for modeling, control, and trajectory design of manipulators is discussed. The elements of this algebra are linear operators whose domain and range spaces consist of forces, moments, velocities, and accelerations. The operators themselves are elements in the algebra of linear bounded operators. The effect of these operators when operating on elements in the domain is equivalent to a spatial recursion along the span of a manipulator. Inversion of operators can be efficiently obtained via techniques of spatially recursive filtering and smoothing. The operator algebra provides a high-level framework for describing the dynamic and kinematic behavior of a manipulator and for developing corresponding control and trajectory design algorithms. Expressions interpreted within the operator algorithm framework led to enhanced conceptual and physical understanding of manipulator dynamics and kinematics. Furthermore, implementable recursive algorithms can be immediately derived from the high-level operator expressions by inspection. Thus, the transition from an abstract problem formulation and solution to the detailed mechanization of specific algorithms has been greatly simplified. The analytical formulation of the operator algebra and its implementation in Ada are discussed. >
Information diffusion and external influence in networks

Social networks play a fundamental role in the diffusion of information. However, there are two different ways of how information reaches a person in a network. Information reaches us through connections in our social networks, as well as through the influence external out-of-network sources, like the mainstream media. While most present models of information adoption in networks assume information only passes from a node to node via the edges of the underlying network, the recent availability of massive online social media data allows us to study this process in more detail.We present a model in which information can reach a node via the links of the social network or through the influence of external sources. We then develop an efficient model parameter fitting technique and apply the model to the emergence of URL mentions in the Twitter network. Using a complete one month trace of Twitter we study how information reaches the nodes of the network. We quantify the external influences over time and describe how these influences affect the information adoption. We discover that the information tends to "jump" across the network, which can only be explained as an effect of an unobservable external influence on the network. We find that only about 71% of the information volume in Twitter can be attributed to network diffusion, and the remaining 29% is due to external events and factors outside the network.
Risk Tuning with Generalized Linear Regression

A framework is set up in which linear regression, as a way of approximating a random variable by other random variables, can be carried out in a variety of ways, which, moreover, can be tuned to the needs of a particular model in finance, or operations research more broadly. Although the idea of adapting the form of regression to the circumstances at hand has already found advocates in promoting quantile regression as an alternative to classical least-squares approaches, it is carried here much farther than that. Axiomatic concepts of error measure, deviation measure, and risk measure are coordinated with certain “statistics” that likewise say something about a random variable. Problems of regression utilizing these concepts are analyzed and the character of their solutions is explored in a range of examples. Special attention is paid to parametric forms of regression which arise in connection with factor models. It is argued that when different aspects of risk enter an optimization problem, different forms of regression ought to be invoked for each of those aspects.
Depth-first-search and dynamic programming algorithms for efficient CMOS cell generation

An algorithmic framework is presented for mapping CMOS circuit diagrams into area-efficient, high-performance layouts in the style of one-dimensional transistor arrays. Using efficient search techniques and accurate evaluation methods, the huge solution space that is typical to such problems is transversed extremely fast, yielding designs of hand-layout quality. In addition to generating circuits that meet prespecified layout constraints in the context of a fixed target image, on-the-fly optimizations are performed to meet secondary optimization criteria. A practical dynamic programming routing algorithm is utilized to accommodate the special conditions that arise in this context. This algorithm has been implemented and is currently used at IBM for cell-library generation. >
NEW DATA ON THE GENUS EA DISTANT, 1911 (HEMIPTERA: HETEROPTERA: ACANTHOSOMATIDAE), WITH DESCRIPTION OF A NEW SPECIES FROM CHILE

Se entregan nuevos datos distribucionales para Ea australis Distant, 1911 en Chile y Argentina. Se confirma la presencia de esta especie en Magallanes y se anaden nuevas localidades y se entrega la localidad mas septentrional para Argentina. Se provee el primer registro de planta hospedadora ( Nothofagus pumilio y Nothofagus sp., Nothofagaceae) para Ea australis . Se describe Ea septentrionalis n. sp. proveniente de zonas de altitud de las regiones del Biobio y la Araucania en Chile; extendiendo el limite norte de la distribucion Ea . Abstract New distributional data is provided for Ea australis Distant, 1911 in Chile and Argentina. The presence of this species in the Magallanes Region of southern Chile is confirmed. On the other hand the northernmost record for this species is provided, from Neuquen Province in Argentina. The first hostplant records ( Nothofagus pumilio and Nothofagus sp., Nothofagaceae) for Ea australis are provided. Ea septentrionalis n. sp. is described from the highlands in Biobio and Araucania regions in Chile; thus extending the northern distributional limit known for Ea .
THE EVOLUTION OF PROTOPLANETARY DISK EDGES

We investigate gap formation in gaseous protostellar disks by a planet in a circular orbit in the limit of low disk viscosity. This regime may be appropriate to an aging disk after the epoch of planet formation. We find that the distance of the planet to the gap outer boundary can be between the location of the m = 2 and 1 outer Lindblad resonances. This distance is weakly dependent on both the planet's mass and disk viscosity. We find that the evolution of the disk edge takes place on two timescales. The first timescale is set by the spiral density waves driven by the planet. The second timescale depends on the viscosity of the disk. The disk approaches a state in which the outward angular momentum flux caused by the disk viscosity is balanced by the dissipation of spiral density waves that are driven at the Lindblad resonances. This occurs inefficiently, however, because of the extremely low gas density near the planet. We find that the distance between the planet and the peak density at the disk outer edge is only weakly dependent on the viscosity and planet mass; however, the ratio of the gas density near the planet to that in the disk (or the slope of density along the disk edge) is strongly dependent on both quantities. We find that the disk density profile along the edge scales approximately with the disk viscosity divided by the square of the planet mass. We account for this behavior with a simple scenario in which the dissipation of angular momentum from the spiral density waves is balanced against the diffusion in the steep edge of the disk.
A forecasting metric for evaluating DSGE models for policy analysis

This paper evaluates the strengths and weaknesses of dynamic stochastic general equilibrium (DSGE) models from the standpoint of their usefulness in doing monetary policy analysis. The paper isolates features most relevant for monetary policymaking and uses the diagnostic tools of posterior predictive analysis to evaluate these features. The paper provides a diagnosis of the observed flaws in the model with regards to these features that helps in identifying the structural flaws in the model. The paper finds that model misspecification causes certain pairs of structural shocks in the model to be correlated in order to fit the observed data.
Copper‐Catalyzed Rearrangement of N‐Aryl Nitrones into Epoxyketimines

a,b-Epoxyaldimines are densely functionalized intermediates that combine the reactivity of an epoxide with the electrophilicity of an aldimine within a three-carbon fragment. Accordingly, these compounds have been shown to be valuable precursors for the diastereoselective preparation of epoxy-substituted b-lactams, a-hydroxyaziridines, amino alcohols, oxazolidinones, and phytosphingosine lipid backbones (Scheme 1). a,b-Epoxyaldimines are usually pre-
OPTIMAL DAIRY POLICY WITH BOVINE SOMATOTROPIN

A control model of the U.S. dairy sector was constructed to determine optimal policy when bovine somatotropin is released. Social welfare, defined as consumer plus producer surplus minus adjustment and net government costs, was maximized. Control variables were the milk support price and government purchases of cows. Compared to previous simulation research where government policy and adoption are modeled exogenously, the results show that decreases in milk prices and farm profits are not as severe.
Modeling the Impact of Diversity Management

Public management research on diversity suffers from a lack of coherence and little theory building. There have been few attempts to establish a comprehensive theoretical framework through which st...
Augmented Expression and Activity of Extracellular Matrix-Degrading Enzymes in Regions of Low Endothelial Shear Stress Colocalize With Coronary Atheromata With Thin Fibrous Caps in Pigs

Background—The molecular mechanisms that determine the localized formation of thin-capped atheromata in the coronary arteries remain unknown. This study tested the hypothesis that low endothelial s...
Specification and Analysis of Dynamic Authorisation Policies

This paper presents a language, based on transaction logic, for specifying dynamic authorisation policies, i.e., rules governing actions that may depend on and update the authorisation state. The language is more expressive than previous dynamic authorisation languages, featuring conditional bulk insertions and retractions of authorisation facts, non-monotonic negation, and nested action definitions with transactional execution semantics. Two complementary policy analysis methods are also presented, one based on AI planning for verifying reachability properties in finite domains, and the second based on automated theorem proving, for checking policy invariants that hold for all sequences of actions and in arbitrary, including infinite, domains. The combination of both methods can analyse a wide range of security properties, including safety, availability and containment.
On the Emergence of RNA

Whether there was an RNA world or not, it is indisputable that there was RNA; when, where, and how is yet to be settled. The question of whether “pristine” RNA assembled directly from its components (“prebiotic clutter”), or whether it was a descendant of “simpler” ancestral system(s), is central to the ongoing debate about RNA’s origins. In this review, we look at the facts that suggest RNA is an emergent system and that each component of RNA may have been decided at the level of the oligomer/polymer, and not at the level of the prebiotic clutter, nor at the level of monomer nucleotides. The critical interdependence of RNA’s components – ribofuranose, phosphodiester backbone, and purine-pyrimidine base-pairing – for the functioning of RNA seems to be evident, and manifests itself only at the level of the polymer. Based on the power of such nuanced selections at the polymer level, and coupling it with the reality of the prebiotic mixtures at the monomer level, a scenario is presented wherein the combinatorial interactions of diverse prebiotic (systems) chemistry leads first to chimeric-heterogeneous (aka “pre-RNA”) systems, which can usher in a homogeneous system (RNA), capable of further evolution.
Determination and correlation of diffusion coefficients of some dyes in organic solvents of high viscosity

Diffusion coefficients of three dyes at low concentrations in a range of liquids of different viscosities have been measured by a capillary method, and the validity of various empirical equations for predicting diffusion coefficients has been assessed. The inverse relationship between diffusion coefficient and viscosity was found to apply only in mobile liquids, the product Dη being greater in viscous liquids. For a given viscosity, the difference between predicted and experimental values was greatest for hydrogen-bonded liquids. Comparison with other results suggests that the diffusivity varies inversely as some power of the molar volume of the solute, the exponent varying from about 0.7 for mobile liquids, through 1.1 to 1.4 for viscous liquids, to a literature value of 1.7 for solid rubber.
Glucose metabolism in obesity: influence of body fat distribution.

The dose-response relationships between portal venous insulin concentrations and hepatic glucose production and between peripheral insulin concentrations and peripheral glucose utilization were determined in 8 nonobese and 17 obese premenopausal women with either upper or lower body fat localization. The glucose production dose-response curves for the two obese groups were shifted to the right at all levels of portal insulinemia. The upper body obese women had a greater rightward shift compared to the lower body obese women. The peripheral glucose utilization dose-response curve was shifted to the right in the lower body obese women, but maximal glucose utilization was normal. The upper body obese women had both a greater rightward shift and a marked reduction in maximal glucose utilization. The insulin concentrations that had halfmaximal effects on glucose production and utilization were similar in each group. These results indicate that the liver is not inherently more sensitive to insulin than peripher...
Optical Films For Solar Energy Applications

Stratified optical materials and coatings play an important role in improving the efficiency of solar conversion processes. At present the best-known stratified media are multilayer and graded-index films. Stratified media are used as heat mirrors, selective absorbers, antireflective films, and transparent insulation. Graded-index films can be homogenous materials, spatially oriented structures, or etched materials. Such films and materials improve efficiency and allow for innovation in energy-efficient windows, passive and active energy conversion, and photovoltaics. The horizons of invention can be expanded by considering new materials, techniques, and concepts that can increase the efficiency of energy utilization in buildings and transform solar energy into heat, light and electrical power. The stability requirements for materials to effectively collect and transmit solar energy are extremely demanding. This, coMbined with the need for inexpensive production methods, creates a broad area for innovative scientific research. We describe several approaches and materials systems for two broad application categories: 1) low-conductance, high-transmittance systems and 2) solar absorbers.
Dynamic optimization of stochastic systems using in situ adaptive tabulation

The problem of efficient formulations for the optimization of stochastic dynamical systems modeled by timestep-per based descriptions is investigated. The issue of computational requirements for the system evolution is circumvented by extending the notion of in situ adaptive tabulation to stochastic systems. Conditions are outlined that allow unbiased estimation of the mapping gradient matrix and, subsequently, expressions to compute the ellipsoid of attraction are derived. The proposed approach is applied towards the solution of dynamic optimization problems for a bistable reacting system describing catalytic oxidation of CO and an illustrative homogeneous chemically reacting system describing dimerization of a monomer. The dynamic evolution of both systems is modeled using kinetic Monte Carlo simulations. In both cases, tabulation resulted in significant reduction in the solution time of the optimization problem.
A new level-set based approach to shape and topology optimization under geometric uncertainty

Geometric uncertainty refers to the deviation of the geometric boundary from its ideal position, which may have a non-trivial impact on design performance. Since geometric uncertainty is embedded in the boundary which is dynamic and changes continuously in the optimization process, topology optimization under geometric uncertainty (TOGU) poses extreme difficulty to the already challenging topology optimization problems. This paper aims to solve this cutting-edge problem by integrating the latest developments in level set methods, design under uncertainty, and a newly developed mathematical framework for solving variational problems and partial differential equations that define mappings between different manifolds. There are several contributions of this work. First, geometric uncertainty is quantitatively modeled by combing level set equation with a random normal boundary velocity field characterized with a reduced set of random variables using the Karhunen---Loeve expansion. Multivariate Gauss quadrature is employed to propagate the geometric uncertainty, which also facilitates shape sensitivity analysis by transforming a TOGU problem into a weighted summation of deterministic topology optimization problems. Second, a PDE-based approach is employed to overcome the deficiency of conventional level set model which cannot explicitly maintain the point correspondences between the current and the perturbed boundaries. With the explicit point correspondences, shape sensitivity defined on different perturbed designs can be mapped back to the current design. The proposed method is demonstrated with a bench mark structural design. Robust designs achieved with the proposed TOGU method are compared with their deterministic counterparts.
A novel and simple method to prepare γ-hydroxy-α, β-(E)-alkenoic esters from γ-keto-alkynoic esters

Abstract A method to convert γ-keto-alkynoic esters to γ-hydroxy-α,β-( E )-alkenoic esters is described. This functional group transformation was accomplished in one step by means of NaBH 4 reduction in methanol.
Walkthrough—a dynamic graphics system for simulating virtual buildings

As part of our graphics research into virtual worlds, we are building a tool for an architect and his client to use for rapid prototyping of buildings by visually “walking through” them in order to refine specifications.Our first prototype simulated the new UNC Computer Science building with some 8000 polygons. BSP-tree software on the Adage Ikonas gave a colored, shaded perspective view every 3-5 seconds while the user moved a cursor in real-time over floorplans shown on the Vector-General 3300.The current (third) version uses Pixel-Planes to generate 9 updates/second, view images shown 4' x 6' by projector.Active short- and long-term research questions include speed-up, stereo, a 6-DoF interface with eye-level defaults, and an interactive model-building, model-changing system.
The Economics of Art and Culture

Part I: 1. An overview of the arts sector 2. Growth of the arts sector 3. Audiences for the arts Part II. The Microeconomics of Demand and Supply: 4. Consumer demand: an introduction 5. The characteristics of arts demand and their policy implications 6. Production in the performing arts 7. Firms and markets in the performing arts 8. Productivity lag and the financial problem of the arts 9. The market in works of art 10. The economics of art museums 11. Should the government subsidize the arts? 12. Public and/or private support for the arts in the US, Canada, and Western Europe 13. Direct public support for the arts in the US 14. The arts as a profession: education, training, and employment 15. The role of the arts in a local economy 16. The mass media, public broadcasting, and the cultivation of taste 17. Conclusion: innovation, arts education, and the future of art and culture in the United States.
Homotopy fiber products of homotopy theories

Given an appropriate diagram of left Quillen functors between model categories, one can define a notion of homotopy fiber product, but one might ask if it is really the correct one. Here, we show that this homotopy pullback is well-behaved with respect to translating it into the setting of more general homotopy theories, given by complete Segal spaces, where we have well-defined homotopy pullbacks.
Congestion games with malicious players

Abstract We study the equilibria of non-atomic congestion games in which there are two types of players: rational players, who seek to minimize their own delay, and malicious players, who seek to maximize the average delay experienced by the rational players. We study the existence of pure and mixed Nash equilibria for these games, and we seek to quantify the impact of the malicious players on the equilibrium. One counterintuitive phenomenon which we demonstrate is the “windfall of malice”: paradoxically, when a myopically malicious player gains control of a fraction of the flow, the new equilibrium may be more favorable for the remaining rational players than the previous equilibrium.
Single‐chamber silicic magma system inferred from shear wave discontinuities of the crust and uppermost mantle, Coso geothermal area, California

[1] Analysis of seismograms from teleseismic rays traversing the Coso geothermal area near Ridgecrest, California, suggests the geothermal system lies over a single shallow magma reservoir (∼5 km below the surface) that also plays a crucial role in the local change in deformation style from areas to the north and west. The character of the magma reservoir and the absence of a lower crustal magma reservoir is inferred from three crustal P-to-S conversions observed using receiver function analysis: (1) A high-amplitude, shallow, negative arrival, Ps-P time of 0.7–0.9 s (3–5 km below sea level (bsl)), (2) a moderate amplitude, positive conversion, Ps-P time of 2.1–2.5 s (14–17 km bsl), and (3) the Moho conversion, Ps-P time of 4.0–4.2 s (30–32 km bsl). Observations of Moho converted arrivals indicate that the interface is mostly flat and uncomplicated throughout the study area, while the midcrustal conversion is laterally variable in amplitude and depth. The absence of the large negative amplitude conversion on waveforms recorded at stations outside the geothermal area strongly suggests that the feature lies only underneath the modern geothermal area. In addition, rays sampling the shallow converter also contain later arrivals with retrograde moveout consistent with an origin as reverberations above the conversion. Receiver functions calculated from synthetic data using a single isotropic layer over a half-space indicates that the shear velocity decreases by 30% across the interface (VS1 = 2.6 km/s; VS2 = 1.8 km/s; layer one thickness 4.9 km), further supporting the presence of shallow magma.
Biases in Macroeconomic Forecasts: Irrationality or Asymmetric Loss?

Empirical studies using survey data on expectations have frequently observed that forecasts are biased and have concluded that agents are not rational. We establish that existing rationality tests are not robust to even small deviations from symmetric loss and hence have little ability to tell whether the forecaster is irrational or the loss function is asymmetric. We quantify the exact trade-off between forecast inefficiency and asymmetric loss leading to identical outcomes of standard rationality tests and explore new and more general methods for testing forecast rationality jointly with flexible families of loss functions that embed quadratic loss as a special case. An empirical application to survey data on forecasts of nominal output growth demonstrates the empirical significance of our results and finds that rejections of rationality may largely have been driven by the assumption of symmetric loss.
Machine health monitoring and life management using finite-element-based neural networks

This paper demonstrates a novel approach to condition-based health monitoring for rotating machinery using recent advances in neural network technology and rotordynamic, finite-element modeling. A desktop rotor demonstration rig was used as a proof of concept tool. The approach integrates machinery sensor measurements with detailed, rotordynamic, finite-element models through a neural network that is specifically trained to respond to the machine being monitored. The advantage of this approach over current methods lies in the use of an advanced neural network. The neural network is trained to contain the knowledge of a detailed finite-element model whose results are integrated with system measurements to produce accurate machine fault diagnostics and component stress predictions. This technique takes advantage of recent advances in neural network technology that enable real-time machinery diagnostics and component stress prediction to be performed on a PC with the accuracy of finite-element analysis. The availability of the real-time, finite-element-based knowledge on rotating elements allows for real-time component life prediction as well as accurate and fast fault diagnosis.