cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Probing Motion of Fast Radio Burst Sources by Timing Strongly Lensed Repeaters

Given the possible repetitive nature of fast radio bursts (FRBs), their cosmological origin, and their high occurrence, detection of strongly lensed sources due to intervening galaxy lenses is possible with forthcoming radio surveys. We show that if multiple images of a repeating source are resolved with VLBI, using a method independent of lens modeling, accurate timing could reveal non-uniform motion, either physical or apparent, of the emission spot. This can probe the physical nature of FRBs and their surrounding environments, constraining scenarios including orbital motion around a stellar companion if FRBs require a compact star in a special system, and jet-medium interactions for which the location of the emission spot may randomly vary. The high timing precision possible for FRBs ($\sim {\rm ms}$) compared to the typical time delays between images in galaxy lensing ($\gtrsim 10\, {\rm days}$) enables the measurement of tiny fractional changes in the delays ($\sim 10^{-9}$), and hence the detection of time-delay variations induced by relative motions between the source, the lens, and the Earth. We show that uniform cosmic peculiar velocities only cause the delay time to drift linearly, and that the effect from the Earth's orbital motion can be accurately subtracted, thus enabling a search for non-trivial source motion. For a timing accuracy of $\sim 1\,$ms and a repetition rate (of detected bursts) $\sim 0.05$ per day of a single FRB source, non-uniform displacement $\gtrsim 0.1 - 1\,$AU of the emission spot perpendicular to the line of sight is detectable if repetitions are seen over a period of hundreds of days.
A detailed study of the lobes of eleven powerful radio galaxies

Radio lobes of a sample of 11 very powerful classical double radio galaxies were studied. Each source was rotated so that the symmetry axis of the source was horizontal, and vertical cross-sectional cuts were taken across the source at intervals of one beam size. These were used to study the cross-sectional surface brightness profiles, the width of each slice, radio emissivity as a function of position across each slice, the first and second moments, and the average surface brightness, minimum-energy magnetic field strength, and pressure of each slice. Typically, a Gaussian provides a good description of the surface brightness profile of cross-sectional slices. The Gaussian full width at half-maximum (FWHM) as a function of distance from the hot spot first increases and then decreases with increasing distance from the hot spot. The width as a function of distance from the hot spot is generally highly symmetric on each side of the source. The radio emissivity is often close to flat across a slice, indicating a roughly constant emissivity and pressure for that slice. Some slices show variations in radio emissivity that indicate an edge-peaked pressure profile for that slice. When this occurs, it is generally found in slices near the local maxima of the bridge width. The emissivity does not exhibit any signature of emission from a jet. The first moment is generally quite close to zero indicating only small excursions of the ridgeline from the symmetry axis of the source. The second moment indicates the same source shape as is found using the Gaussian FWHM. The average surface brightness is peaked at the hot spot, and is fairly flat across most of the radio lobes. The average magnetic field strength and pressure peak at the hot spot and gradually decrease with increasing distance from the hot spot, reaching a roughly constant value at a location that is typically just before the location of a local maximum of the bridge width. These results are interpreted in terms of a heuristic model for the radio lobes.
Projection and galaxy clustering Fourier spectra

Second-order perturbation theory predicts a specific dependence of the bispectrum, or three-point correlation function in the Fourier transform domain, on the shape of the configuration of its three wavevector arguments, which can be taken as a signature of structure formed by gravitational instability. Comparing this known dependence on configuration shape with the weak shape dependence of the galaxy bispectrum has been suggested as an indication of bias in the galaxy distribution. However, to interpret results obtained from projected catalogs, we must first understand the effects of projection on this shape dependence. We present expressions for the projected power spectrum and bispectrum in both Cartesian and spherical geometries, and we examine the effects of projection on the predicted bispectrum with particular attention to the dependence on configuration shape. Except for an overall numerical factor, for Cartesian projection with characteristic depth D* there is little effect on the shape dependence of the bispectrum for wavelengths small compared to D* or projected wavenumbers qD* 1. For angular projection, a scaling law is found for spherical harmonic index l 1, but there is always a mixing of scales over the range of the selection function. For large l it is sufficient to examine a small portion of the sky.
Sub-PeV neutrinos from TeV unidentified sources in the galaxy

The IceCube collaboration discovery of 28 high-energy neutrinos over the energy range 30 TeV eν 1 PeV, a 4.3σ excess over expected backgrounds, represents the first high-confidence detection of cosmic neutrinos at these energies. In light of this discovery, we explore the possibility that some of the sub-PeV cosmic neutrinos might originate in our Galaxy's TeV unidentified (TeV UnID) sources. While typically resolved at TeV energies, these sources lack prominent radio or X-ray counterparts, and so have been considered promising sites for hadron acceleration within our Galaxy. Modeling the TeV UnID sources as Galactic hypernova remnants, we predict sub-PeV neutrino fluxes and spectra consistent with their contributing a minority of n ν 2 of the observed events. This is consistent with our analysis of the spatial distribution of the sub-PeV neutrinos and TeV UnID sources, which finds that a best-fit of one, and maximum of 3.8 (at 90% confidence), of the 16 non-atmospheric sub-PeV neutrinos may originate in the TeV UnID sources, with the remaining 75%-95% of events being drawn from an isotropic background. If our scenario is correct, we expect excess sub-PeV neutrinos to accumulate along the Galactic plane, within |l| ± 30° of the Galactic center and in the Cygnus region, as observations by IceCube and other high-energy neutrino facilities go forward. Our scenario also has implications for radio, X-ray, and TeV observations of the TeV UnID sources.
Unbound particles in dark matter halos

We investigate unbound dark matter particles in halos by tracing particle trajectories in a simulation run to the far future (a = 100). We find that the traditional sum of kinetic and potential energies is a very poor predictor of which dark matter particles will eventually become unbound from halos. We also study the mass fraction of unbound particles, which increases strongly towards the edges of halos, and decreases significantly at higher redshifts. We discuss implications for dark matter detection experiments, precision calibrations of the halo mass function, the use of baryon fractions to constrain dark energy, and searches for intergalactic supernovae.
High Energy Neutrino Cross Sections

The theoretical status of the neutrino-nucleon cross section is reviewed for incident neutrino energies up to E ν = 10 12 GeV , including different approaches to high energy extrapolations. Nonstandard model or nonperturbative physics may play a role at ultrahigh energies. The cases of mini-black hole production and electroweak instanton contributions are discussed as examples in the context of ultrahigh energy neutrino scattering.
Non-planar coil winding angle optimization for compatibility with non-insulated high-temperature superconducting magnets

The rapidly emerging technology of high-temperature superconductors (HTS) opens new opportunities for the development of non-planar non-insulated HTS magnets. This type of HTS magnet offers attractive features via its simplicity and robustness, and is well suited for modest size steady-state applications such as a mid-scale stellarator. In non-planar coil applications the HTS tape may be subject to severe hard-way bending strain ( enables a reduction of the HTS tape length required to achieve a given design magnetic field or equivalently an increase in the achievable magnetic field for fixed HTS tape length. The distinct considerations for optimizing a stellarator coilset to further ease compatibility with non-insulated HTS magnets are also discussed, highlighting relaxed curvature limits and the introduction of limits to the allowable torsion.
Learning Intermediate Features of Object Affordances with a Convolutional Neural Network

Our ability to interact with the world around us relies on being able to infer what actions objects afford -- often referred to as affordances. The neural mechanisms of object-action associations are realized in the visuomotor pathway where information about both visual properties and actions is integrated into common representations. However, explicating these mechanisms is particularly challenging in the case of affordances because there is hardly any one-to-one mapping between visual features and inferred actions. To better understand the nature of affordances, we trained a deep convolutional neural network (CNN) to recognize affordances from images and to learn the underlying features or the dimensionality of affordances. Such features form an underlying compositional structure for the general representation of affordances which can then be tested against human neural data. We view this representational analysis as the first step towards a more formal account of how humans perceive and interact with the environment.
Ricci flow on asymptotically Euclidean manifolds

In this paper, we prove that if an asymptotically Euclidean manifold with nonnegative scalar curvature has long-time existence of Ricci flow, the ADM mass is nonnegative. We also give an independent proof of the positive mass theorem in dimension three.
Integrable nonlocal asymptotic reductions of physically significant nonlinear equations

Quasi-monochromatic complex reductions of a number of physically important equations are obtained. Starting from the cubic nonlinear Klein–Gordon (NLKG), the Korteweg–de Vries (KdV) and water wave equations, it is shown that the leading order asymptotic approximation can be transformed to the well-known integrable AKNS system (Ablowitz et al 1974 Stud. Appl. Math. 53 249) associated with second order (in space) nonlinear wave equations. This in turn establishes, for the first time, an important physical connection between the recently discovered nonlocal integrable reductions of the AKNS system and physically interesting equations. Reductions include the parity-time, reverse space-time and reverse time nonlocal nonlinear Schrodinger equations.
The penalized Lebesgue constant for surface spline interpolation

Problems involving approximation from scattered data where data is arranged quasi-uniformly have been treated by RBF methods for decades. Treating data with spatially varying density has not been investigated with the same intensity, and is far less well understood. In this article we consider the stability of surface spline interpolation (a popular type of RBF interpolation) for data with nonuniform arrangements. Using techniques similar to those recently employed by Hangelbroek, Narcowich and Ward to demonstrate the stability of interpolation from quasi-uniform data on manifolds, we show that surface spline interpolation on R^d is stable, but in a stronger, local sense. We also obtain pointwise estimates showing that the Lagrange function decays very rapidly, and at a rate determined by the local spacing of datasites. These results, in conjunction with a Lebesgue lemma, show that surface spline interpolation enjoys the same rates of convergence as those of the local approximation schemes recently developed by DeVore and Ron.
Chains of Planets in Mean Motion Resonances Arising from Oligarchic Growth

Exoplanet systems with multiple planets in mean motion resonances have often been hailed as a signpost of disk driven migration. Resonant chains like Kepler-223 and Kepler-80 consist of a trio of planets with the three-body resonant angle librating and/or with a two-body resonant angle librating for each pair. Here we investigate whether close-in super-Earths and mini-Neptunes forming in situ can lock into resonant chains due to dissipation from a depleted gas disk. We simulate the giant impact phase of planet formation, including eccentricity damping from a gaseous disk, followed by subsequent dynamical evolution over tens of millions of years. In a fraction of simulated systems, we find that planets naturally lock into resonant chains. These planets achieve a chain of near-integer period ratios during the gas disk stage, experience eccentricity damping that captures them into resonance, stay in resonance as the gas disk dissipates, and avoid subsequent giant impacts, eccentricity excitation, and chaotic diffusion that would dislodge the planets from resonance. Disk conditions that enable planets to complete their formation during the gas disk stage enable those planets to achieve tight period ratios <= 2 and, if they happen to be near integer period ratios, lock into resonance. Using the weighting of different disk conditions deduced by MacDonald et al. (2020) and forward modeling Kepler selection effects, we find that our simulations of in situ formation via oligarchic growth lead to a rate of observable trios with integer period ratios and librating resonant angles comparable to observed Kepler systems.
Quantum Enhancements via Tribracket Brackets

We enhance the tribracket counting invariant with tribracket brackets, skein invariants of tribracket-colored oriented knots and links analogously to biquandle brackets. This infinite family of invariants includes the classical quantum invariants and tribracket cocycle invariants as special cases, as well as new invariants. Wex provide explicit examples as well as questions for future work.
Nemchinov–Dyson solutions of the two-dimensional axisymmetric inviscid compressible flow equations

We investigate the two-dimensional (2D) inviscid compressible flow equations in axisymmetric coordinates, constrained by an ideal gas equation of state. Beginning with the assumption that the 2D velocity field is space–time separable and linearly variable in each corresponding spatial coordinate, we proceed to derive an infinite family of elliptic or hyperbolic, uniformly expanding or contracting “gas cloud” solutions. Construction of specific example solutions belonging to this family is dependent on the solution of a system of nonlinear, coupled, second-order ordinary differential equations and the prescription of an additional physical process of interest (e.g., uniform temperature or uniform entropy flow). The physical and computational implications of these solutions as pertaining to quantitative code verification or model qualification studies are discussed in some detail.
Variational Bayesian Quantization

We propose a novel algorithm for quantizing continuous latent representations in trained models. Our approach applies to deep probabilistic models, such as variational autoencoders (VAEs), and enables both data and model compression. Unlike current end-to-end neural compression methods that cater the model to a fixed quantization scheme, our algorithm separates model design and training from quantization. Consequently, our algorithm enables "plug-and-play" compression with variable rate-distortion trade-off, using a single trained model. Our algorithm can be seen as a novel extension of arithmetic coding to the continuous domain, and uses adaptive quantization accuracy based on estimates of posterior uncertainty. Our experimental results demonstrate the importance of taking into account posterior uncertainties, and show that image compression with the proposed algorithm outperforms JPEG over a wide range of bit rates using only a single standard VAE. Further experiments on Bayesian neural word embeddings demonstrate the versatility of the proposed method.
MTOR promotes basal cell carcinoma growth through atypical PKC.

Advanced basal cell carcinomas (BCCs) are driven by the Hedgehog (HH) pathway and often possess inherent resistance to SMO inhibitors. Identifying and targeting pathways that bypass SMO could provide alternative treatments for patients with advanced or metastatic BCC. Here, we use a combination of RNA-sequencing analysis of advanced human BCC tumor-normal pairs and immunostaining of human and mouse BCC samples to identify an MTOR expression signature in BCC. Pharmacological inhibition of MTOR activity in BCC cells significantly reduces cell proliferation without affecting HH signalling. Similarly, treatment of the Ptch1 fl / fl ; Gli1-CreERT2 mouse BCC tumor model with everolimus reduces tumor growth. aPKC, a downstream target of MTOR, shows reduced activity, suggesting that MTOR promotes tumor growth by activating aPKC and demonstrating that suppressing MTOR could be a promising target for BCC patients.
Personalized Demand Response via Shape-Constrained Online Learning

This paper formalizes a demand response task as an optimization problem featuring a known time-varying engineering cost and an unknown (dis)comfort function. Based on this model, this paper develops a feedback-based projected gradient method to solve the demand response problem in an online fashion, where: i) feedback from the user is leveraged to learn the (dis)comfort function concurrently with the execution of the algorithm; and, ii) measurements of electrical quantities are used to estimate the gradient of the known engineering cost. To learn the unknown function, a shape-constrained Gaussian Process is leveraged; this approach allows one to obtain an estimated function that is strongly convex and smooth. The performance of the online algorithm is analyzed by using metrics such as the tracking error and the dynamic regret. A numerical example is illustrated to corroborate the technical findings.
Scale-Dependent Relationships in Natural Language.

Language, like other natural sequences, exhibits statistical dependencies at a wide range of scales as discussed by Lin and Tegmark (2017). However, many statistical learning models applied to language impose a sampling scale while extracting statistical structure. For instance, Word2Vec creates vector embeddings by sampling context in a window around each word, the size of which defines a strong scale; relationships over much larger temporal scales would be invisible to the algorithm. This paper examines the family of Word2Vec embeddings generated while systematically manipulating the size of the context window. The primary result is that different linguistic relationships are preferentially encoded at different scales. Different scales emphasize different syntactic and semantic relations between words, as assessed both by analogical reasoning tasks in the Google Analogies test set and human similarity rating datasets WordSim–353 and SimLex–999. Moreover, the neighborhoods of a given word in the embeddings change considerably depending on the scale. These results suggest that sampling at any individual scale can only identify a subset of the meaningful relationships a word might have, and point towards the importance of developing scale-free models of semantic meaning.
Steinberg homology, modular forms, and real quadratic fields

We compare the homology of a congruence subgroup Gamma of GL_2(Z) with coefficients in the Steinberg modules over Q and over E, where E is a real quadratic field. If R is any commutative base ring, the last connecting homomorphism psi_{Gamma,E} in the long exact sequence of homology stemming from this comparison has image in H_0(Gamma, St(Q^2;R)) generated by classes z_\beta indexed by beta in E \ Q. We investigate this image. When R=C, H_0(Gamma, St(Q^2;C)) is isomorphic to a space of classical modular forms of weight 2, and the image lies inside the cuspidal part. In this case, z_beta is closely related to periods of modular forms over the geodesic in the upper half plane from beta to its conjugate beta'. Assuming GRH we prove that the image of $\psi_{\Gamma,E}$ equals the entire cuspidal part. When R=Z, we have an integral version of the situation. We define the cuspidal part of the Steinberg homology, H_0^cusp(Gamma, St(Q^2;Z)). Assuming GRH we prove that for any congruence subgroup, psi_{Gamma,E} always has finite index in H_0^cusp(Gamma, St(Q^2;Z)), and if Gamma=Gamma_1(N)^pm or \Gamma_1(N), then the image is all of H_0^cusp(Gamma, St(Q^2;Z)). If Gamma=Gamma_0(N)^pm or Gamma_0(N), we prove (still assuming GRH) an upper bound for the size of H_0^cusp(Gamma, St(Q^2;Z))/image(psi_{Gamma,E}). We conjecture that the results in this paragraph are true unconditionally. We also report on extensive computations of the image of psi_{Gamma,E} that we made for Gamma=Gamma_0(N)^pm and Gamma=Gamma_0(N). Based on these computations, we believe that the image of psi_{Gamma,E} is not all of H_0^cusp(Gamma, St(Q^2;Z)) for these groups, for general N.
Simple and efficient continuous data assimilation of evolution equations via algebraic nudging

We introduce, analyze and test a new interpolation operator for use with continuous data assimilation (DA) of evolution equations that are discretized spatially with the finite element method. The interpolant is constructed as an approximation of the L2 projection operator onto piecewise constant functions on a coarse mesh, but which allows nudging to be done completely at the linear algebraic level, independent of the rest of the discretization, with a diagonal matrix that is simple to construct. We prove the new operator maintains stability and accuracy properties, and we apply it to algorithms for both fluid transport DA and incompressible Navier Stokes DA. For both applications we prove the DA solutions with arbitrary initial conditions converge to the true solution (up to optimal discretization error) exponentially fast in time, and are thus long-time accurate. Results of several numerical tests are given, which both illustrate the theory and demonstrate its usefulness on practical problems.
Multiple overlapping dynamic patterns of the visual sensory network in schizophrenia

Although visual processing impairments have been explored in schizophrenia (SZ), their underlying neurobiology of the visual processing impairments has not been widely studied. Also, while some research has hinted at differences in information transfer and flow in SZ, there are few investigations of the dynamics of functional connectivity within visual networks. In this study, we analyzed resting-state fMRI data of the visual sensory network (VSN) in 160 healthy control (HC) subjects and 151 SZ subjects. We estimated 9 independent components within the VSN. Then, we calculated the dynamic functional network connectivity (dFNC) using the Pearson correlation. Next, using k-means clustering, we partitioned the dFNCs into five distinct states, and then we calculated the portion of time each subject spent in each state, which we termed the occupancy rate (OCR). Using OCR, we compared HC with SZ subjects and investigated the link between OCR and visual learning in SZ subjects. Besides, we compared the VSN functional connectivity of SZ and HC subjects in each state. We found that this network is indeed highly dynamic. Each state represents a unique connectivity pattern of fluctuations in VSN FNC, and all states showed significant disruption in SZ. Overall, HC showed stronger connectivity within the VSN in states. SZ subjects spent more time in a state in which the connectivity between the middle temporal gyrus and other regions of VNS is highly negative. Besides, OCR in a state with strong positive connectivity between the middle temporal gyrus and other regions correlated significantly with visual learning scores in SZ.
A Comment on Barnett and Block on Time Deposit and Bagus and Howden on Loan Maturity Mismatching

In Time Deposits, Dimension, and Fraud (2009), William Barnett and Walter Block argue that by borrowing short and lending long there is an over issuance of property rights. Their article, however, does not fully extend the consequences of their contribution. Once this is done, it becomes clearer that their argument suits a great impediment to banking, becoming a possible reason to support rather than to oppose fractional reserve banking. Bagus and Howden (J Bus Ethics 90(3):399–406, 2009) comment on Barnett and Block (J Bus Ethics 88(4):711–716, 2009), the authors claim that while maintaining the illegitimacy of fractional reserve deposits, borrowing short and lending long it is actually not illegitimate. An extension on Bagus and Howden (2009) will show that their line of argumentation can be applied as a defense of fractional reserve banking as well.
The Importance of Board Quality in the Event of a CEO Death

We examine board quality and executive replacement decisions around deaths of senior executives. Stock price reactions to executive deaths are positively related to board independence. Controlling for such factors as the deceased's stockholdings, outside blockholdings, board size, and whether the deceased was a founder, board independence is the most significant factor explaining abnormal returns. Board independence is particularly important when there is no apparent successor and firm performance is poor. The results are consistent with independent boards being reluctant to discipline poorly performing incumbent managers, but nevertheless using the opportunity of an executive death to improve the quality of management.
The Rise and Decline of General Laws of Capitalism

Economists have long been drawn to the ambitious quest of discovering the general laws of capitalism. David Ricardo, for example, predicted that capital accumulation would terminate in economic stagnation and inequality as a greater and greater share of national income accrued to landowners. Karl Marx followed him by forecasting the inevitable immiseration of the proletariat. Thomas Piketty’s (2014) tome, Capital in the Twenty-First Century, emulates Marx in his title, his style of exposition, and his critique of the capitalist system. Piketty is after general laws that will demystify our modern economy and elucidate the inherent problems of the system—and point to solutions. But the quest for general laws of capitalism is misguided because it ignores the key forces shaping how an economy functions: the endogenous evolution of technology and of the institutions and the political equilibrium that influence not only technology but also how markets function and how the gains from various different economic arrangements are distributed. Despite his erudition, ambition, and creativity, Marx was led astray because of his disregard of these forces. The same is true of Piketty’s sweeping account of inequality in capitalist economies. In the next section, we review Marx’s conceptualization of capitalism and some of his general laws. We then turn to Piketty’s approach to capitalism and his general laws. We will point to various problems in Piketty’s interpretation of the economic relationships underpinning inequality, but the most important shortcoming is that,
Gutenberg's Legacy: Copyright, Censorship, and Religious Pluralism

In this article, I argue that some recent developments in copyright law threaten to assist religious groups in using copyright law as a tool for suppressing what they view as heresy; and that this return to the seventeenth-century model of copyright as a tool of censorship is contrary to both sound copyright policy and, more importantly, the constitutional vision of religious pluralism. I begin with a discussion of some problems that can arise with respect to the copyrightability of religious works. Although the Establishment Clause poses no obstacle to the copyright status of these works, there are some interesting copyright issues that arise with respect to works that religious groups view as scriptural or revelatory in character. I argue that the way in which courts in some recent cases have addressed the copyright issues betrays an unwillingness to take seriously minority religious beliefs; and that a thoughtful application of the copyright estoppel and merger doctrines would result in some of these works falling outside the scope of copyright protection. In the latter half of the article, I discuss the courts' responsibility to accommodate the unauthorized use of copyrighted works for the purpose of religious practice. Although religious adherents are probably not entitled to an exemption from copyright liability under current Free Exercise jurisprudence, I argue that courts should be somewhat more willing to accommodate unauthorized uses of religious works under copyright's fair use doctrine. On the other hand, the one provision of the Copyright Act that expressly grants religious users a broad exemption from the copyright owner's public performance right arguably goes too far in permissively accommodating religious practice.
Demand heterogeneity in insurance markets: Implications for equity and efficiency

In many markets insurers are barred from price discrimination based on consumer characteristics like age, gender, and medical history. In this paper, I build on a recent literature to show why such policies are inefficient if consumers differ in their willingness‐to‐pay for insurance conditional on the insured losses they generate. Using administrative claims data, I then show that this type of demand heterogeneity is empirically relevant in a consumer health plan setting. Younger and older consumers and men and women reveal strikingly different demand for health insurance, conditional on their objective medical spending risk. This implies that these groups must face different prices so as to sort themselves efficiently across insurance contracts. The theoretical and empirical analysis highlights a fundamental trade‐off between equity and efficiency that is unique to selection markets. Community rating adverse selection demand heterogeneity D82 I11 I13 I18
Fahrenheit 59: An environmental decision support system for benchmarking global warming at Johnson Space Center

Purpose – The overwhelming majority of scientists agree the earth's temperature has risen during the past century. Nature maintains a balance to keep the earth's average surface temperature at 59 degrees Fahrenheit. About 59 degrees is to earth what 98.6 degrees is to our body. Although, the fact that the earth's temperature has risen is generally not in dispute by scientists, environmental decisions remain among the most difficult facing policy makers. Fahrenheit 59 is an environmental decision support system developed at Johnson Space Center for benchmarking global warming. This paper aims to present the details of the benchmarking model embedded in Fahrenheit 59. Design/methodology/approach – The model attempts to establish benchmark scores that are weighted sum measures of subjective and intrinsic weights and performance scores associated with a series of global warming opportunities and threats. Fahrenheit 59 has the potential to monitor continuous progress towards countering the threat of global warming worldwide. Findings – The European Union (EU) is at the forefront of international efforts to combat global warming. The EU has been taking serious steps to address its own greenhouse gas emissions and climate changes. A pilot study conducted resulted in a benchmarking scheme that shows of the 27‐member EU states, seven were global protectors, four were global remediators, 12 were global defectors, and four were global predators. Originality/value – Fahrenheit 59 assists policy makers concerned about global warming to compare environmental performance with “best‐in‐class” achievements. The proposed system bridges the gap between technology and decision making to stimulate environmental awareness and activism.
Inequality risk premia

Abstract Using a long time-series of U.S. income inequality, I find that the market pays higher prices for assets that hedge against increased inequality. This is consistent with the prediction of an incomplete-markets model incorporating preferences over both comparative and noncomparative consumption “goods” when the weight on the former is large. The model implies that the time-series properties of the premium can be used to identify the substitutability of these two sources of utility. There is evidence that the magnitude of the (negative) inequality risk premium is countercyclical, suggesting that agents care more about status when they are worse off.
Fear thy neighbor: Spillovers from economic policy uncertainty

High levels of economic policy uncertainty in various parts of the world revamped the de- bate about its impact on economic activity. With increasingly stronger economic, fi nancial, and political ties among countries, economic agents have more reasons to be vigilant of for- eign economic policy. Employing heterogeneous panel structural vector autoregressions, this paper tests for spillovers from economic policy uncertainty on other countries' economic ac- tivity. Furthermore, using local projections, the paper zooms in on shocks originating in the United States, Europe, and China. Our results suggest that economic policy uncertainty re- duces growth in real output, private consumption, and private investment, and that spillovers from abroad account for about two-thirds of the negative effect. Moreover, uncertainty in the United States, Europe, and China reduces economic activity in the rest of the world, with the effects being mostly felt in Europe and the Western Hemisphere.
La Silla-QUEST Variability Survey in the Southern Hemisphere

We describe the La Silla-QUEST (LSQ) Variability Survey. LSQ is a dedicated wide-field synoptic survey in the Southern Hemisphere, focussing on the discovery and study of transients ranging from low redshift (z < 0.1) SN Ia, Tidal Disruption events, RR Lyrae variables, CVs, Quasars, TNOs and others. The survey utilizes the 1.0-m Schmidt Telescope of the European Southern Observatory at La Silla, Chile, with the large-area QUEST camera, a mosaic of 112 CCDs with field of view of 9.6 square degrees. The LSQ Survey was commissioned in 2009, and is now regularly covering ~1000 square deg per night with a repeat cadence of hours to days. The data are currently processed on a daily basis. We present here a first look at the photometric capabilities of LSQ and we discuss some of the most interesting recent transient detections.
Behind the Scenes: Sources of Complementarity in R&D

Management consultants increasingly recommend that internal RD however, little is known about the substitution or complementarity between internal and external R&D. Through structural estimation of a flexible innovation production function we provide a deeper understanding of firm-level drivers of complementarity between these two types of investments. Our analysis is based on a unique panel data set on the R&D and in-licensing expenditures of pharmaceutical firms. Our results suggest that internal R&D and in-licensing are neither complements nor substitutes. We find that the degree of complementarity is enhanced for firms with stronger absorptive capacity, economies of scope, and licensing experience.
Immigration in the Supreme Court, 2009-13: A New Era of Immigration Law Unexceptionalism

Introduction 58 I. The 2009 Term 66 A. Padilla v. Kentucky: Ineffective Assistance of Counsel Based on Immigration Advice 66 B. Carachuri-Rosendo v. Holder: Removal for Misdemeanor Drug Possession 71 C. Kucana v. Holder: Judicial Review of Motions to Reopen 75 II. The 2010 Term 77 A. Chamber of Commerce v. Whiting: Federal Preemption of a State Immigration Enforcement Law 78 B. Flores-Villar v. United States: The Plenary Power Doctrine and Gender Distinctions in the Nationality Laws 82 C. Federal Preemption of State and Local Immigration Enforcement Laws 83 1. Lozano v. City of Hazleton: Federal Preemption of a Local Immigration Enforcement Ordinance 83
Imaginings of Space in Immigration Law

The law of immigration rests upon the space of the nation-state and on how the movement of bodies in and out of that space is legally imagined. Whether formal legal doctrine recognizes a human body as inside or outside a nation’s territory is deeply consequential. Yet this formal doctrine presumes the nation-state to be a natural and innocent space absent of systems of domination. Case studies of concrete spatial locations demonstrate the social production of space. The case of a Danish reform coupling restrictions on forced marriage with a minimum habitat requirement indicates how space and immigration are produced in relation to gendered notions of race, linking the micro-space of the home with the macro-space of the homeland. The case of African Americans and poor relief in late eighteenth century Massachusetts, whereby immigrant origins were invented to evade town fiscal responsibility, shows how governmental space and immigration are produced as legal fictions. The Commentary concludes with a discuss...
Examining the effectiveness of anti-scalping laws in a United States market

Abstract The secondary ticket market has existed for decades. Historically, this industry has been dominated by street scalpers located outside of venues and by local and regional ticket brokers. These individuals often took advantage of uninformed consumers and charged extremely high prices or sold fraudulent or misrepresented tickets. Subsequently, state governments created laws protecting consumers from such behavior. More recently, however, this industry has grown as the Internet has facilitated transactions in a safe and secure environment which has led to the increased legitimacy of the industry. Despite this growth in size and sophistication, existing anti-scalping laws remain. Given the significantly altered form of the industry, it is important to examine the appropriateness of these laws and their effect on current industry practices. The findings of the current study suggest that these laws do little to accomplish what they were originally set out to do: protect consumers. Instead, they serve as minor inconveniences for those engaging in ticket resale and major frustrations for those attempting to enforce the laws as written.
Role-reversibility, stochastic ignorance, and social cooperation

Abstract This paper studies the effect of role-reversibility and stochastic ignorance, conditions that minimize the strategic bias of individual choice, on social cooperation. Under role-reversibility, each agent maximizes her expected payoff, knowing the status quo at the time of the action as well as the ex ante probabilities about her future roles. In contrast, under stochastic ignorance, players make their choices under a Harsanyi-type veil of uncertainty. Without the role-specific context influencing the judgment of the individual, cooperative norms emerging under stochastic ignorance are more likely to be close to first-best than are norms chosen under conditions of role-reversibility.
Irredentism versus Secessionism: The Potential for International Conflict

Conventional wisdom suggests that irredentist causes, advanced by sovereign states whose politically dominant ethnic groups have access to large-scale armies, are more likely to lead to international conflict than secessionist ones, which are fought by underprivileged minorities lacking adequate military resources. This article challenges this general assumption in the literature by arguing that irredentist causes initiated by underprivileged minorities are unlikely to lead to war; likewise, secessionist causes supported by resource rich states are just as likely to escalate to international conflict. This argument is supported with evidence from the Basque and Kurdish conflicts.
Monetary equilibrium and price stickiness reconsidered: A reply to Bagus and Howden

Bagus and Howden (Review of Austrian Economics 24(4): 383–402, 2011) argue that price stickiness is a poor justification for advocating a flexible money supply through the issuing of fiduciary media under central or free banking. They view the contraction in output following an exogenous increase in money demand as an optimal response, worry about redistribution effects from the issuance of fiduciary media, and claim a changing money supply complicates economic calculation. Accepting their view that the contraction in output is an optimal response to an exogenous change in money demand, we still find a potentially beneficial role for monetary policy (under central banking) or fractional reserve note issue (under free banking). We show that even if all prices were perfectly flexible, changes in the money supply to offset changes in money demand might still be desirable. We point out several errors and mischaracterizations in their article, justify our decision to disregard wealth transfers, and discuss how a flexible money supply might facilitate economic calculation.
Does accounting quality change following a switch from U.S. GAAP to IFRS? Evidence from Germany

Abstract This study examines whether accounting quality changed following a switch from U.S. GAAP to IFRS. Using a sample of German high tech firms that transitioned to IFRS from U.S. GAAP in 2005, we find that accounting numbers under IFRS generally exhibit more earnings management, less timely loss recognition, and less value relevance compared to those under U.S. GAAP. In addition, after analyzing the accounting quality of firms that applied IFRS throughout the entire sample period, we find that, for the metrics suggesting a decline in accounting quality for both groups of firms, the change is significantly more pronounced for firms switching to IFRS from U.S. GAAP. Overall, our findings indicate that the application of U.S. GAAP generally resulted in higher accounting quality than application of IFRS, and a transition from U.S. GAAP to IFRS reduced accounting quality. Our findings provide the first evidence on the potential consequences of a switch from U.S. GAAP to IFRS.
The Illusion of Sustainability

This brief summarizes the results of a gender impact evaluation study, entitled The illusion of sustainability, conducted during the time period 1998 to 2001 in Kenya. The study observed that deworming is a public good since much of its social benefit comes through reduced disease transmission. People were less likely to take deworming if their direct first-order or indirect second-order social contacts were exposed to deworming. The introduction of a small fee for deworming drugs led to an 80 percent reduction in treatment rates. Take-up was not sensitive to the exact price level, suggesting that it is particularly counter-productive to charge small positive prices for the treatment of infectious diseases. An intensive school health education had no impact on worm prevention. Funding for the study derived from World Bank, NIH Fogarty International Center, Berkeley Center for Health Research.
Does Postsecondary Education Result in Civic Benefits

Public support for higher education depends in part on the idea that additional postsecondary education results in civic benefits including voting, volunteering, and donating to non-profit causes. ...
AUTHORITY, RISK, AND PERFORMANCE INCENTIVES: EVIDENCE FROM DIVISION MANAGER POSITIONS INSIDE FIRMS*

I show that performance incentives vary by decision-making authority of division managers. For division managers with broader authority, i.e., those designated as corporate officers, both the sensitivity of pay to global performance measures and the relative importance of global to local measures are larger, relative to non-officers. There is no difference in sensitivity of pay to local measures by officer status. These results support theories suggesting that authority over project selection combined with incentives designed to maximize firm performance, as well as induce effort for the division, are important in incentive design for division managers. Consistent with earlier findings, the evidence strongly supports one of the main predictions of the principal-agent model, that is, a negative tradeoff between risk and incentives.
Backsliding: The United States Supreme Court, Shelby County v. Holder and the Dismantling of Voting Rights Act of 1965

The Supreme Court, having found that certain states received unequal treatment under the Voting Rights Act, struck down the Act’s preclearance provision in its Shelby v. Holder holding. The Author, in an effort to critique the conclusion reached by the Court, argues that these states, historically responsible for obstructing the ability of African-Americans to vote, continue to engage in practices that result in voting irregularities and acts of discrimination in the electoral process. Today, this strategic disenfranchisement rears its head in the form of legislation making voting difficult or impossible for many minority voters, a criminal justice system that targets racial minorities, and a lack of representation for citizens of color in both federal and state offices. The Author argues that without a preclearance requirement, “second generation” barriers to voting — such as the passage of voter ID laws and the dilution of black voting power through gerrymandering — will be constructed. The Author cites statistics on hate crimes based on racial bias, the disproportionate imprisonment of minorities, and the limited representation of African Americans in politics to support the main argument that racial disenfranchisement has persisted into the present day. The Author concludes that while the Voting Rights Act has never addressed all of the strategies used to suppress the black vote, the Supreme Court should still consider them if it wants to consider fully the legacy of slavery and the persistence of racism.
Bark and Bite: The Environmental Sentencing Guidelines After Booker

The federal sentencing guidelines for environmental crimes bark loudly, calling for sentences of imprisonment for all but the most trivial of environmental offenses. Although the terms of imprisonment are not long, the prospect of even a short period of incarceration is doubtlessly capable of getting the attention of the white-collar professionals who typically commit environmental offenses. Research I conducted in 2004, however, indicated that the bark of the environmental guidelines was considerably worse than their bite. Judges “departed” below the applicable guidelines range in an unusually high percentage of environmental cases, barely one-third of convicted environmental defendants received prison sentences, and only about forty percent of prison sentences exceeded one year in length. Although the data contained in my 2004 study were striking at the time, ensuing developments might appropriately raise questions as to their reliability today. For instance, the Supreme Court fundamentally restructured federal sentencing law through its 2005 decision in United States v. Booker, which changed the status of the federal sentencing guidelines from mandatory to advisory. With Booker and other developments in mind, the present article updates the data from my earlier study, demonstrating a surprising level of continuity from the Clinton to the Bush eras, and from pre-Booker to post-Booker. Simply put, despite notable institutional and legal changes, the bark of the environmental guidelines remains considerably worse than their bite. Finally, the article considers normative implications of the bark/bite gap. In light of the overarching purposes and premises of the federal sentencing system, the data provide important support for a fundamental redesign of the environmental guidelines. Failing such a redesign by the Sentencing Commission, the data should be regarded by the courts as providing some support for arguments by individual defendants that particular provisions of the environmental guidelines should not be applied to them.