cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Toward Human Level Machine Intelligence - Is It Achievable? The Need for a Paradigm Shift

Officially, AI was born in 1956. Since then, very impressive progress has been made in many areas - but not in the realm of human level machine intelligence. During much of its early history, AI "was rife "with exaggerated expectations. A headline in an article published in the late forties of last century was headlined, "Electric brain capable of translating foreign languages is being built". Today, more than half a century later, we do have translation software, but nothing that can approach the quality of human translation. Clearly, achievement of human level machine intelligence is a challenge that is hard to meet. A prerequisite to achievement of human level machine intelligence is mechanization of these capabilities and, in particular, mechanization of natural language understanding. To make significant progress toward achievement of human level machine intelligence, a paradigm shift is needed. More specifically, what is needed is an addition to the armamentarium of AI of two methodologies: (a) a nontraditional methodology of computing with words (CW) or more generally, NL-Computation; and (b) a countertraditional methodology "which involves a progression from computing with numbers to computing with words. The centerpiece of these methodologies is the concept of precisiation of meaning. Addition of these methodologies to AI would be an important step toward the achievement of human level machine intelligence and its applications in decision-making, pattern recognition, analysis of evidence, diagnosis, and assessment of causality. Such applications have a position of centrality in our infocentric society.
Quinolinium salt as a potent inhibitor of lymphocyte apoptosis.

Abstract The synthesis of several quinolinium salts and related compounds and their ability to inhibit glucocorticoid-induced apoptosis in murine thymocytes are described. Interestingly, 1-[2-methoxyimino-2-(4-pyrrolidin-1-yl-phenyl)ethyl]quinolinium bromide ( 11 ) showed a potent protective effect with an EC 50 of 0.013 μM, which was at least 300-fold more potent than the reference compound pifithrin-α.
Asymmetric Carbon−Carbon Bond Formations in Conjugate Additions of Lithiated N-Boc Allylic and Benzylic Amines to Nitroalkenes: Enantioselective Synthesis of Substituted Piperidines, Pyrrolidines, and Pyrimidinones

(-)-Sparteine mediated lithiations of N-Boc-allylic and benzylic amines provide configurationally stable intermediates which on conjugate additions to nitroalkenes provide highly enantioenriched enecarbamate products in good yields, and with high diastereoselectivities. Straightforward transformations of these adducts offer general routes to substituted 3,4-substituted piperidines, 3,4-substituted pyrrolidines, and 4,5-substituted pyrimidinones. Diastereoselective substitutions of intermediate lactams followed by reduction provide 3,4,5-substituted piperidines and 3,4-trisubstituted pyrrolidines. Lithiation adjacent to nitrogen of 3,4-substituted piperidines and pyrrolidines followed by diastereoselective substitution opens a route to 2,4,5- and 2,4,5,6-substituted piperidines as well as 2,3,4- and 2,3,4,5-substituted pyrrolidines. The enantiomers of the enecarbamate and 3,4-substituted piperidine products may be accessed by stannylation/transmetalation sequences as well as by further manipulation of 4-substituted piperidones. The methodology is used to synthesize both enantiomers of an aspartic peptidase inhibitor intermediate, 3-hydroxy-4-phenylpiperidine, as well as the antidepressant (+)-femoxetine.
DMTP: Controlling spam through message delivery differentiation

Unsolicited commercial email, commonly known as spam, has become a pressing problem in today's Internet. In this paper, we re-examine the architectural foundations of the current email delivery system that are responsible for the proliferation of email spam. We argue that the difficulties in controlling spam stem from the fact that the current email system is fundamentally sender-driven and distinctly lacks receiver control over email delivery. Based on these observations we propose a Differentiated Mail Transfer Protocol (DMTP), which grants receivers greater control over how messages from different senders should be delivered on the Internet. In addition, we also develop a simple mathematical model to study the effectiveness of DMTP in controlling spam. Through numerical experiments we demonstrate that DMTP can effectively reduce the maximum revenue that a spammer can gather. Moreover, compared to the current SMTP-based email system, the proposed email system can force spammers to stay online for longer periods of time, which may significantly improve the performance of various real-time blacklists of spammers. In addition, DMTP provides an incremental deployment path from the current SMTP-based system in today's Internet.
Human Capital Accounting in the United States: Context, Measurement, and Application

This study updates Christian's (2010) human capital account for the United States to the year 2009, refining the underlying data and putting the account into international context by reviewing applications in the rest of the world. It also measures the sensitivity of human capital measures to alternative assumptions about income growth rates, discount rates, the treatment of taxes, smoothing and imputation of labor force and school enrollment data, and the valuation of non-market time. It concludes with an application to the measurement of the output of the education sector.
The Structured Finance Market: An Investor's Perspective

The largest sector of the U.S. investment-grade fixed-income market is structured products—mortgage-backed securities and asset-backed securities. Issues and challenges currently facing investors who participate in this market sector include legal issues (e.g., consumer lending legislation), market structure (e.g., the role of the government-sponsored enterprises), and analytical methods (e.g., prepayment modeling). An important current concern is the need for education and training in the structured products area—particularly for investment policy compliance staff and for equity analysts.
Pregnancy prevention, reproductive health risk and morality: a perspective from public-sector women's clinics in St. Petersburg, Russia

The use of reliable contraception in Russia remains lower and rates of induced abortion higher than in Western Europe, even though reliable contraception has been accessible for nearly two decades now. Due to the organisation of women's health services in Russian cities, gynaecologists can have a major influence on women's contraceptive choices, but little is known about their attitudes and practices in terms of contraception promotion. This study draws on qualitative observation and interview data of gynaecologists in public-sector women's clinics in St. Petersburg, Russia's second largest city in order to investigate their perceptions of various birth control methods and contraception counselling. Also in focus are clinical counselling practices. The results reveal that gynaecologists in St. Petersburg had up-to-date knowledge of the latest contraception methods and that they were willing to promote their use. They took an active role in counselling, although the coverage was not full. The depth of coun...
Covariant magnetoionic theory — I. Ray propagation

Accretion on to compact objects plays a central role in high-energy astrophysics. In these environments, both general relativistic and plasma effects may have a significant impact upon the propagation of photons. We present a fully general relativistic magnetoionic theory, capable of tracing rays in the geometrical optics approximation through a magnetized plasma in the vicinity of a compact object. We consider both the cold and warm, ion and pair plasmas. When plasma effects become large the two plasma eigenmodes follow different ray trajectories, resulting in a large observable polarization. This has implications for accreting systems ranging from pulsars and X-ray binaries to active galactic nuclei.
Does temporary migration have to be permanent

The choice between temporary and permanent migration is today central to the design of migration policies. The authors draw a distinction between the two types of migration on the basis of the associated social cost and the dynamics of learning by migrants. They find that unilateral migration policies are globally inefficient because they lead to too much permanent migration and too little temporary and overall migration. Existing international agreements on labor mobility, such as the World Trade Organization's General Agreement on Trade in Services, have failed to do better because they seek primarily to induce host countries to make commitments to allow entry. Instead, Pareto gains and more liberal migration could be achieved through multilateral agreements that enable host countries to commit to repatriation.
Vitamin D and the Immune System: New Perspectives on an Old Theme

SUMMARY It is almost 30 years since an interaction between vitamin D and the immune systemwas first documented. Although this was initially proposed as a nonclassic effect ofvitamin D associated with granulomatous diseases, our current view is now changedconsiderably. Recent studies have shown a potential physiologic role for vitamin D inregulating normal innate and adaptive immunity. Future studies now need to focus onthe clinical implications of vitamin Dmediated immunity and, in particular, thepossible beneficial effects of supplementary vitamin D with respect to infectiousand autoimmune diseases. REFERENCES 1. Eisman JA, Martin TJ, MacIntyre I, et al. 1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin-D-receptor inbreast cancer cells. Lancet 1979;2:1335.2. Manolagas SC, Haussler MR, Deftos LJ. 1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 receptors incancer. Lancet 1980;1:828.3. Abe E, Miyaura C, Sakagami H, et al. Differentiation of mouse myeloid leukemiacells induced by 1alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A1981;78:4990.4. Colston K, Colston MJ, Feldman D. 1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 and malignantmelanoma: the presence of receptors and inhibition of cell growth in culture.Endocrinology 1981;108:1083.5. Abe E, Miyaura C, Tanaka H, et al. 1 alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 promotesfusion of mouse alveolar macrophages both by a direct mechanism and bya spleen cell-mediated indirect mechanism. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 1983;80:5583.6. Bhalla AK, Amento EP, Serog B, et al. 1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 inhibits antigen-induced T cell activation. J Immunol 1984;133:1748.
The estimated effect of mass or footprint reduction in recent light-duty vehicles on U.S. societal fatality risk per vehicle mile traveled

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recently updated its 2003 and 2010 logistic regression analyses of the effect of a reduction in light-duty vehicle mass on US societal fatality risk per vehicle mile traveled (VMT; Kahane, 2012). Societal fatality risk includes the risk to both the occupants of the case vehicle as well as any crash partner or pedestrians. The current analysis is the most thorough investigation of this issue to date. This paper replicates the Kahane analysis and extends it by testing the sensitivity of his results to changes in the definition of risk, and the data and control variables used in the regression models. An assessment by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) indicates that the estimated effect of mass reduction on risk is smaller than in Kahane's previous studies, and is statistically non-significant for all but the lightest cars (Wenzel, 2012a). The estimated effects of a reduction in mass or footprint (i.e. wheelbase times track width) are small relative to other vehicle, driver, and crash variables used in the regression models. The recent historical correlation between mass and footprint is not so large to prohibit including both variables in the same regression model; excluding footprint from the model, i.e. allowing footprint to decrease with mass, increases the estimated detrimental effect of mass reduction on risk in cars and crossover utility vehicles (CUVs)/minivans, but has virtually no effect on light trucks. Analysis by footprint deciles indicates that risk does not consistently increase with reduced mass for vehicles of similar footprint. Finally, the estimated effects of mass and footprint reduction are sensitive to the measure of exposure used (fatalities per induced exposure crash, rather than per VMT), as well as other changes in the data or control variables used. It appears that the safety penalty from lower mass can be mitigated with careful vehicle design, and that manufacturers can reduce mass as a strategy to increase their vehicles’ fuel economy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions without necessarily compromising societal safety.
Magnetic detachment and plume control in escaping magnetized plasma

The model of two-fluid, axisymmetric, ambipolar magnetized plasma detachment from thruster guide fields is extended to include plasmas with non-zero injection angular velocity profiles. Certain plasma injection angular velocity profiles are shown to narrow the plasma plume, thereby increasing exhaust efficiency. As an example, we consider a magnetic guide field arising from a simple current ring and demonstrate plasma injection schemes that more than double the fraction of useful exhaust aperture area, more than halve the exhaust plume angle, and enhance magnetized plasma detachment.
Capital Controls, Risk, and Liberalization Cycles

The paper presents an overlapping-generations model where agents vote on whether to open or close the economy to international capital flows. Political decisions are shaped by the risk over capital and labor returns. In an open economy, the capitalists (old) completely hedge their savings income. In contrast, in a closed economy, the workers (young) partially insulate wages from the productivity shocks. There are three possible equilibrium outcomes: economies that eventually remain open; those that eventually remain closed; and those that cycle between open and closed. In line with the stylized facts, cycles are more common in economies with intermediate development levels.
Information theory in molecular biology

This article introduces the physics of information in the context of molecular biology and genomics. Entropy and information, the two central concepts of Shannon’s theory of information and communication, are often confused with each other but play transparent roles when applied to statistical ensembles (i.e., identically prepared sets) of symbolic sequences. Such an approach can distinguish between entropy and information in genes, predict the secondary structure of ribozymes, and detect the covariation between residues in folded proteins. We also review applications to molecular sequence and structure analysis, and introduce new tools in the characterization of resistance mutations, and in drug design.  2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Meth math: modeling temperature responses to methamphetamine

Methamphetamine (Meth) can evoke extreme hyperthermia, which correlates with neurotoxicity and death in laboratory animals and humans. The objective of this study was to uncover the mechanisms of a complex dose dependence of temperature responses to Meth by mathematical modeling of the neuronal circuitry. On the basis of previous studies, we composed an artificial neural network with the core comprising three sequentially connected nodes: excitatory, medullary, and sympathetic preganglionic neuronal (SPN). Meth directly stimulated the excitatory node, an inhibitory drive targeted the medullary node, and, in high doses, an additional excitatory drive affected the SPN node. All model parameters (weights of connections, sensitivities, and time constants) were subject to fitting experimental time series of temperature responses to 1, 3, 5, and 10 mg/kg Meth. Modeling suggested that the temperature response to the lowest dose of Meth, which caused an immediate and short hyperthermia, involves neuronal excitation at a supramedullary level. The delay in response after the intermediate doses of Meth is a result of neuronal inhibition at the medullary level. Finally, the rapid and robust increase in body temperature induced by the highest dose of Meth involves activation of high-dose excitatory drive. The impairment in the inhibitory mechanism can provoke a life-threatening temperature rise and makes it a plausible cause of fatal hyperthermia in Meth users. We expect that studying putative neuronal sites of Meth action and the neuromediators involved in a detailed model of this system may lead to more effective strategies for prevention and treatment of hyperthermia induced by amphetamine-like stimulants.
The Influence of Culture and Corporate Governance on the Characteristics That Distinguish Superior Analysts

We identify characteristics of financial analysts that have been shown to be associated with relative forecast accuracy in the United States and examine these characteristics within 10 countries. We find that relative forecast accuracy is influenced by years of experience, size of the analyst's employer, and frequency of forecast issuance for many of these countries and show that the significance of experience and employer is conditional on the type of culture and corporate governance of the country.
Compressing totally geodesic surfaces

In this paper we prove that one can find surgeries arbitrarily close to infinity in the Dehn surgery space of the figure eight knot complement for which some immersed totally geodesic surface compresses.
Fully General Relativistic Simulation of Merging Binary Clusters Spatial Gauge Condition

We have carried out simulations of the coalescence between two relativistic clusters of collisionless particles using a 3D numerical relativity code. We have adopted a new spatial gauge condition obtained by slightly modifying the minimum distortion gauge condition proposed by Smarr and York and resulting in a simpler equation for the shift vector. Using this gauge condition, we have performed several simulations of the merger between two identical clusters in which we have varied the compaction, the type of internal motion in the clusters, and the magnitude of the orbital velocity. As a result of the coalescence, either a new rotating cluster or a black hole is formed. In the case in which a black hole is not formed, simulations could be carried out for a time much longer than the dynamical time scale, and the resulting gravitational waveforms were calculated fairly accurately: In these cases, the amplitude of gravitational waves emitted can be $\sim 10^{-18}(M/10^6M_{\odot})$ at a distance 4000Mpc, and $\sim 0.5%$ of the rest mass energy may be dissipated by the gravitational wave emission in the final phase of the merger. These results confirm that the new spatial gauge condition is promising in many problems at least up to the formation of black holes. In the case in which a black hole is formed, on the other hand, the gauge condition seems to be less adequate, but we suggest a strategy to improve it in this case. All of the results obtained confirm the robustness of our formulation and the ability of our code for stable evolution of strong gravitational fields of compact binaries.
The ‘Photometric Plane’ of elliptical galaxies

The Sersic (r 1 / n ) index n of an elliptical galaxy (or bulge) has recently been shown to correlate strongly (r = 0.8) with the central velocity dispersion of a galaxy. This index could therefore prove extremely useful and cost-effective (in terms of both telescope time and data reduction) for many fields of extragalactic research. It is a purely photometric quantity which apparently not only traces the mass of a bulge but has additionally been shown to reflect the degree of bulge concentration. This paper explores the affect of replacing the central velocity dispersion term in the Fundamental Plane with the Sersic index n. Using a sample of early-type galaxies from the Virgo and Fornax clusters, various (B-band) 'Photometric Planes' were constructed and found to have a scatter of 0.14-0.17 dex in log r e , or a distance error of 38-48 per cent per galaxy (the higher values arising from the inclusion of the S0 galaxies). The corresponding Fundamental Plane yielded a 33-37 per cent error in distance for the same galaxy samples (i.e. ∼15-30 per cent less scatter). The gains in using a hyperplane (i.e. adding the Sersic index to the Fundamental Plane as a fourth parameter) were small, giving a 27-33 per cent error in distance, depending on the galaxy sample used. The Photometric Plane has been used here to estimate the Virgo-Fornax distance modulus; giving a value of 0.62 ′ 0.30 mag [cf. 0.51 ′ 0.21, Hubble Space Telescope (HST) Key Project on the Extragalactic Distance Scale]. The prospects for using the Photometric Plane at higher redshifts appears promising. Using published data on the intermediate redshift cluster Cl 1358 + 62 (z = 0.33) gave a Photometric Plane distance error of 35-41 per cent per galaxy.
eVALUATInG HISTORIcAL VIeWS On TRAnSLATIOn: A cASe STUdY OF MOTOKI RYOeI, eARLY JAPAneSe THeORIST

The first part of this paper revisits the rationale for examining historical views on translation and offers examples of questions that can help researchers—particularly those new to the study of translation history—contextualize and evaluate historical writings on translation. The second part applies some of these questions to a study of the relatively unknown writings of Motoki Ryōei, an eighteenth-century Japanese translator of European scientific works, in an indirect attempt to demonstrate how such questions, although best combined with a more holistic framework, can help researchers delve beyond the obvious historical facts.
From the Margins to the Mainstream? Disaster Research at the Crossroads

AbstractThe sociology of disasters has developed in ways that have weakened its ties with mainstream sociology. It has remained remarkably resistant to changes in the broader sociological landscape, and its strong applied focus has been a barrier to theoretical innovation. This situation is changing, as indicated by critiques of traditional ways of conceptualizing and explaining disasters; greater acceptance of constructivist formulations; willingness to acknowledge that disasters are accompanied by both social solidarity and social conflict; and recognition of the significance of the interaction of disasters and risk with gender, class, and other axes of inequality. However, the field is unlikely to overcome its marginal status without significant efforts to link the sociology of disasters with the related fields of risk and environmental sociology and, more broadly, to focus on core sociological concerns, such as social inequality, diversity, and social change.
PARAMETER ESTIMATION FROM TIME-SERIES DATA WITH CORRELATED ERRORS: A WAVELET-BASED METHOD AND ITS APPLICATION TO TRANSIT LIGHT CURVES

We consider the problem of fitting a parametric model to time-series data that are afflicted by correlated noise. The noise is represented by a sum of two stationary Gaussian processes: one that is uncorrelated in time, and another that has a power spectral density varying as 1/f γ. We present an accurate and fast [O(N)] algorithm for parameter estimation based on computing the likelihood in a wavelet basis. The method is illustrated and tested using simulated time-series photometry of exoplanetary transits, with particular attention to estimating the mid-transit time. We compare our method to two other methods that have been used in the literature, the time-averaging method and the residual-permutation method. For noise processes that obey our assumptions, the algorithm presented here gives more accurate results for mid-transit times and truer estimates of their uncertainties.
Machine protection system algorithm compiler and simulator

The Machine Protection System (MPS) component of the SLC's beam selection system, in which integrated current is continuously monitored and limited to safe levels through careful selection and feedback of the beam repetition rate, is described elsewhere. The novel decision making mechanism by which that system can evaluate "safe levels", and choose an appropriate repetition rate in real-time, is described here. The algorithm that this mechanism uses to make its decision is written in text files and expressed in states of the accelerator and its devices, one file per accelerator region. Before being used, a file is "compiled" to a binary format which can be easily processed as a forward-chaining decision tree. It is processed by distributed microcomputers local to the accelerator regions. A parent algorithm evaluates all results, and reports directly to the beam control microprocessor. Operators can test new algorithms, or changes they make to them, with an online graphical MPS simulator. >
Sensitivity Estimates from Characteristic Functions

The likelihood ratio method (LRM) is a technique for estimating derivatives of expectations through simulation. LRM estimators are constructed from the derivatives of probability densities of inputs to a simulation. We investigate the application of the likelihood ratio method for sensitivity estimation when the relevant densities for the underlying model are known only through their characteristic functions or Laplace transforms. This problem arises in financial applications, where sensitivities are used for managing risk and where a substantial class of models have transition densities known only through their transforms. We quantify various sources of errors arising when numerical transform inversion is used to sample through the characteristic function and to evaluate the density and its derivative, as required in LRM. This analysis provides guidance for setting parameters in the method to accelerate convergence.
Universality of asymptotically Ewens measures on partitions

We give a criterion for functionals of partitions to converge to a universal limit under a class of measures that "behaves like" the Ewens measure. Various limit theorems for the Ewens measure, most notably the Poisson-Dirichlet limit for the longest parts, the functional central limit theorem for the number of parts, and the Erdos-Turan limit for the product of parts, extend to these asymptotically Ewens measures as easy corollaries. Our major contributions are: (1) extending the classes of measures for which these limit theorems hold; (2) characterising universality by an intuitive and easily-checked criterion; and (3) providing a new and much shorter proof of the limit theorems by taking advantage of the Feller coupling.
20-fs pulse shaping with a 512-element phase-only liquid crystal modulator

We report pulse shaping experiments in the 20-fs range using a 512-element phase-only liquid crystal modulator array. The results demonstrate the potential for significantly improved spectral resolution compared to 128-element liquid crystal modulators previously used for pulse shaping. Furthermore, we show that subtle nonlinear spatial dispersion has a profound effect on replica pulses arising due to the pixellated nature of the liquid crystal modulator and may dramatically reduce their (already low) peak intensity.
Eight‐Step Synthesis of Routiennocin

Routiennocin is a member of a family of polycyclic pyrrole ether antibiotics that simultaneously uncouple oxidative phosphorylation and inhibit ATPase as a result of selective complexation of divalent metal ions. We describe a concise synthesis of routiennocin with the longest linear sequence of 8 steps. Our synthesis features a unique bi-directional strategy, which entails a sequential ring-opening/cross metathesis of a highly strained cyclopropenone acetal. This approach enables rapid and highly convergent assembly of the fully extended polyketide subunit of this natural product from readily available homoallylic alcohol precursors.
INFRARED ABSORPTION INVESTIGATIONS CONFIRM THE EXTRATERRESTRIAL ORIGIN OF CARBONADO DIAMONDS

The first complete infrared FTIR absorption spectra of carbonado diamond confirm the interstellar origin of this most enigmatic diamond. All previous attempts failed to measure the absorption of carbonado diamond in the most important IR range of 1000-1300 cm-1 (10.00-7.69 μm) because of silica inclusions. In our investigation, KBr pellets were made from crushed silica-free carbonado diamond, and thin sections were also prepared. The 100-1000 times brighter synchrotron infrared radiation permits a greater spatial resolution. Inclusions and pore spaces were avoided and/or sources of chemical contamination were removed. The FTIR spectra of carbonado diamond mostly depict the presence of single nitrogen impurities and hydrogen. The lack of identifiable nitrogen aggregates in the infrared spectra, the presence of features related to hydrocarbon stretch bonds, and the resemblance of the spectra to CVD and presolar diamonds indicate that carbonado diamonds formed in a hydrogen-rich interstellar environment. This is consistent with carbonado diamond being sintered and porous, with extremely reduced metals, metal alloys, carbides, and nitrides, light carbon isotopes, surfaces with glassy melt-like patinas, deformation lamellae, and a complete absence of primary, terrestrial mineral inclusions. The 2.6-3.8 billion year old fragmented body was of asteroidal proportions.
5-Substituted-1H-tetrazoles as carboxylic acid isosteres: medicinal chemistry and synthetic methods

5-Substituted-1H-tetrazoles (RCN4H) are often used as metabolism-resistant isosteric replacements for carboxylic acids (RCO2H) in SAR-driven medicinal chemistry analogue syntheses. This review provides a brief summary of the medicinal chemistry of tetrazolic acids and highlights some examples of tetrazole-containing drug substances in the current literature. A survey of representative literature procedures for the preparation of 5-substituted-1H-tetrazoles, focusing on preparations from aryl and alkyl nitriles, is presented in sections by generalized synthetic methods.
Spongian furanoditerpenes: An intramolecular radical approach

Abstract An oxidative free-radical cyclization of polyene 3 , derived from farnesyl acetate, has been utilized in the construction of 4 containing six chiral centers. The direct conversion of 4 to the intact spongian skeleton 9 is also reported.
Impacts of bulk power system reliability constraints on power market price volatility

The paper presents a market simulation approach for investigating the impacts of power system reliability constraints on the volatility of electricity prices. A locational marginal price (LMP) based power market is considered under a full AC power flow model with voltage constraints and postulated contingency tests. The paper outlines a formulation of the security and reliability constrained AC optimal power flow for modeling pool-based power market and provides a case study examining how the volatility of LMPs varies with uncertainties in loads, voltage stability bounds and transmission outages on a 7-bus system.
A numerical method to solve the Boltzmann equation for a spin valve

We present a numerical algorithm to solve the Boltzmann equation for the electron distribution function in magnetic multilayer heterostructures with non-collinear magnetizations. The solution is based on a scattering matrix formalism for layers that are translationally invariant in plane so that properties only vary perpendicular to the planes. Physical quantities like spin density, spin current, and spin-transfer torque are calculated directly from the distribution function. We illustrate our solution method with a systematic study of the spin-transfer torque in a spin valve as a function of its geometry. The results agree with a hybrid circuit theory developed by Slonczewski for geometries typical of those measured experimentally.
Conditional Preference for Flexibility: Eliciting Beliefs from Behavior

Following Kreps (1979), we consider a decision maker with uncertain beliefs about her own future taste. This uncertainty leaves the decision maker with preference for ‡exibility: When choosing among menus containing alternatives for future choice, she weakly prefers larger menus. Existing representations accommodating this choice pattern cannot distinguish tastes (indexed by a subjective state space) and beliefs (a � � ;
Nucleophilic additions to a spiro[2,4]hepta-4,6-diene 4-nitrile: Synthesis of 1,2-disubstituted cyclopentenes

Abstract Organocuprates react with spiro[2,4]heptadiene 4-nitrile to furnish ring-opened cyclopentadiene adducts which can be chemoselectively monohydrogenated to the corresponding unsaturated cyclopentene nitriles. The use of optically active spiro[2,4]heptadiene allows for the asymmetric synthesis of chiral cyclopentadienes and cyclopentenes that may serve as useful starting materials for asymmetric synthesis.
A Galaxy in Transition: Structure, Globular Clusters, and Distance of the Star-Forming S0 Galaxy NGC 1533 in Dorado*

We use two-band imaging data from the Advanced Camera for Surveys onboard the Hubble Space Telescope for a detailed study of NGC 1533, an SB0 galaxy in the Dorado group surrounded by a ring of H I. NGC 1533 appears to be completing a transition from late to early type: it is red, but not quite dead. Faint spiral structure becomes visible following galaxy subtraction, and luminous blue stars can be seen in isolated areas of the disk. Dust is visible in the color map in the region around the bar, and there is a linear color gradient throughout the disk. We determine an accurate distance from the surface brightness fluctuation (SBF) method, finding (m − M) = 31.44 ± 0.12 mag, or d = 19.4 ± 1.1 Mpc. We then study the globular cluster (GC) colors, sizes, and luminosity function (GCLF). Estimates of the distance from the median of the GC half-light radii and from the peak of the GCLF both agree well with the SBF distance. The GC specific frequency is SN = 1.3 ± 0.2, typical for an early-type disk galaxy. The color distribution is bimodal, as commonly observed for bright galaxies. There is a suggestion of the redder GCs having smaller sizes, but the trend is not significant. The sizes do increase significantly with galactocentric radius, in a manner more similar to the Milky Way GC system than to those in Virgo. This difference may be an effect of the steeper density gradients in loose groups as compared to galaxy clusters. Additional studies of early-type galaxies in low-density regions can help determine if this is indeed a general environmental trend.
Near-Optimal Signal Recovery From Random Projections: Universal Encoding Strategies?

Suppose we are given a vector f in a class FsubeRopfN , e.g., a class of digital signals or digital images. How many linear measurements do we need to make about f to be able to recover f to within precision epsi in the Euclidean (lscr2) metric? This paper shows that if the objects of interest are sparse in a fixed basis or compressible, then it is possible to reconstruct f to within very high accuracy from a small number of random measurements by solving a simple linear program. More precisely, suppose that the nth largest entry of the vector |f| (or of its coefficients in a fixed basis) obeys |f|(n)lesRmiddotn-1p/, where R>0 and p>0. Suppose that we take measurements yk=langf# ,Xkrang,k=1,...,K, where the Xk are N-dimensional Gaussian vectors with independent standard normal entries. Then for each f obeying the decay estimate above for some 0<p<1 and with overwhelming probability, our reconstruction ft, defined as the solution to the constraints yk=langf# ,Xkrang with minimal lscr1 norm, obeys parf-f#parlscr2lesCp middotRmiddot(K/logN)-r, r=1/p-1/2. There is a sense in which this result is optimal; it is generally impossible to obtain a higher accuracy from any set of K measurements whatsoever. The methodology extends to various other random measurement ensembles; for example, we show that similar results hold if one observes a few randomly sampled Fourier coefficients of f. In fact, the results are quite general and require only two hypotheses on the measurement ensemble which are detailed
A constant spectral index for sagittarius A* during infrared/X-ray intensity variations

We report the first time-series of broadband infrared color m easurements of Sgr A*, the variable emission source associated with the supermassive black hole at the Galactic Center. Using the laser and natural guide star adaptive optics systems on the Keck II telescope, we imaged Sgr A* in multiple near-infrared broadband filters with a typical cycle time of ∼3 min during 4 observing runs (2005‐2006), two of which were simultaneous with Chandra X-ray measurements. In spite of the large range of dereddened flux densities for Sgr A* (2 to 30 mJy), all of our near-infrared measurements are consistent with a constant spectral index of � = -0.6 ± 0.2 (F� ∝ � � ). Furthermore, this value is consistent with the spectral i ndices observed at X-ray wavelengths during nearly all outbursts; which is consistent with the sy nchrotron self-Compton model for the production of the X-ray emission. During the coordinated observations, one infrared outburst occurs ≤36 min after a possibly associated X-ray outburst, while several similar infrared outbursts show no elevated X-ray emission. A variable X-ray to IR ratio and constant infrared spectral i ndex challenge the notion that the infrared and X-ray emission are connected to the same electrons. We, therefore, posit that the population of elec trons responsible for both the IR and X-ray emission are generated by an acceleration mechanism that leaves the bulk of the electron energy distribution responsible for the infrared emission unchanged, but has a variable high-energy cutoff. Occasionally a tail of electrons & 1 GeV is generated, and it is this high-energy tail that gives rise to the X-ray outbursts. One possible explanation for this ty pe of variation is from the turbulence induced by a magnetorotational instability, in which the outer scal e length of the turbulence varies and changes the high-energy cutoff. Subject headings:Galaxy: center — infrared: stars — black hole physics — techniques: high angular resolution
Writing quality software specifications: the engineer's challenge

The authors present a methodology, a computer tool set, and writing guidelines that can assist the engineer in developing software specifications. The improved methodology addresses all types of specification inadequacies; the use of special tool sets addresses the technically deficient type of specification; and the adoption of writing guidelines addresses both technically deficient and poorly written types. The authors also discuss future challenges in making software specifications responsive to the needs of a rapidly changing avionics environment. >
TRIANGULATING POLYGONS WITHOUT LARGE ANGLES

We show how to triangulate polygonal regions—adding extra vertices as necessary— with triangles of guaranteed quality. Using only O(n) triangles, we can guarantee that the smallest height (shortest dimension) of a triangle in a triangulation of an n-vertex polygon (with holes) is a constant fraction of the largest possible. Using O(n log n) triangles for simple polygons or O(n3/2) triangles for polygons with holes, we can guarantee that the largest angle is no greater than 150°. We can add the guarantee on smallest height to these no-large-angle results, without increasing the asymptotic complexity of the triangulation. Finally we give a nonobtuse triangulation algorithm for convex polygons that uses O(n1.85) triangles.
Another Veech triangle

We show that the triangle with angles Pi/12, Pi/3 and 7*Pi/12 has the lattice property and compute this triangle's Veech group.
Ranking large temporal data

Ranking temporal data has not been studied until recently, even though ranking is an important operator (being promoted as a first-class citizen) in database systems. However, only the instant top-k queries on temporal data were studied in, where objects with the k highest scores at a query time instance t are to be retrieved. The instant top-k definition clearly comes with limitations (sensitive to outliers, difficult to choose a meaningful query time t). A more flexible and general ranking operation is to rank objects based on the aggregation of their scores in a query interval, which we dub the aggregate top-k query on temporal data. For example, return the top-10 weather stations having the highest average temperature from 10/01/2010 to 10/07/2010; find the top-20 stocks having the largest total transaction volumes from 02/05/2011 to 02/07/2011. This work presents a comprehensive study to this problem by designing both exact and approximate methods (with approximation quality guarantees). We also provide theoretical analysis on the construction cost, the index size, the update and the query costs of each approach. Extensive experiments on large real datasets clearly demonstrate the efficiency, the effectiveness, and the scalability of our methods compared to the baseline methods.
Distributed Detection in UWB Wireless Sensor Networks

In this paper, we study distributed detection in ultrawideband (UWB) wireless sensor networks (WSNs) over frequency selective channels. Several schemes with different requirements on channel state information (CSI) are proposed, analyzed, and compared. We study the error exponent and asymptotic optimality for these schemes under different energy, and time-bandwidth product requirements. Our study shows that to achieve a nonzero error exponent, the no-feedback scheme requires large energy and time-bandwidth product but has advantages of no synchronization requirement and no feedback overhead. On the other hand, schemes requiring feedback are suitable for energy and bandwidth limited settings but require quasi-synchronization.
Encounter-based worms: Analysis and defense

An encounter-based network is a frequently disconnected wireless ad hoc network requiring immediate neighbors to store and forward aggregated data for information disseminations. Using traditional approaches such as gateways or firewalls to deter worm propagation in encounter-based networks is inappropriate. We propose a worm interaction approach that relies upon automated beneficial worm generation to alleviate problems of worm propagations in such networks. To understand the dynamics of worm interactions and their performance, we mathematically model worm interactions based on major worm interaction factors, including worm interaction types, network characteristics, and node characteristics using ordinary differential equations and analyze their effects on our proposed metrics. We validate our proposed model using extensive synthetic and trace-driven simulations. We find that all worm interaction factors significantly affect the pattern of worm propagations. For example, immunization linearly decreases the infection of susceptible nodes, while on-off behavior only impacts the duration of infection. Using realistic mobile network measurements, we find that encounters are ''bursty'', multi-group, and non-uniform. The trends from the trace-driven simulations are consistent with the model, in general. Immunization and timely deployment seem to be most effective in countering worm attacks in such scenarios, while cooperation may help in a specific case. These findings provide insight that we hope would aid in the development of counter-worm protocols in future encounter-based networks.
Electro-statically stricted polymers (ESSP)

Miniature, lightweight, miser actuators that operate similar to biological muscles can be used to develop robotic devices with unmatched capabilities and impact many technology areas. Electroactive polymers (EAP) offer the potential to producing such actuators and their main attractive feature is their ability to induce relatively large bending or longitudinal strain. EAP actuators can change the paradigm about the complexity of robots, where robotic components such as motors, gears, bearings, and others can be eliminated with simple drive mechanisms. Generally, these materials produce a relatively low force and the applications that can be considered at the current state of the art are relatively limited. While improved material are being developed there is a need for methods to develop longitudinal actuators that can contract similar to muscles. In this study, the authors began investigating the electromechanical behavior of polymers in reaction to a complex configuration of electric fields. A computer model was used to simulate the electromechanical response. Efforts were made to develop both the material basis as well as the electromechanical modeling of the actuator.
A review of credit guarantee schemes in the Middle East and North Africa Region

Many countries in the MENA region have established partial credit guarantee schemes to facilitate SME access to finance. These schemes can play an important role, especially in a period where MENA governments are making efforts to improve the effectiveness of credit registries and bureaus and strengthen creditor rights. This paper reviews the design of partial credit guarantee schemes in MENA, and assesses their preliminary outcomes. The paper is based on a survey conducted in 10 MENA countries in early 2010. The authors find that the average size of guarantee schemes in MENA (measured by the total value of outstanding guarantees) is in line with the international average, although there are wide differences across countries, and some schemes seem too small to make any significant impact. Most importantly, the number of guarantees looks generally small while their average value looks large. This suggests that guarantee schemes are not yet reaching the smaller firms. Guarantee schemes in MENA look financially sound and most schemes have room to grow. However, this growth should be accompanied by an improvement of some key design and management features, as well as the introduction of systematic impact evaluation reviews.
GEOMETRIC PRESENTATIONS FOR THE PURE BRAID GROUP

We give several new positive finite presentations for the pure braid group that are easy to remember and simple in form. All of our presentations involve a metric on the punctured disc so that the punctures are arranged "convexly", which is why we describe them as geometric presentations. Mo- tivated by a presentation for the full braid group that we call the "rotation presentation", we introduce presentations for the pure braid group that we call the "twist presentation" and the "swing presentation". From the point of view of mapping class groups, the swing presentation can be interpreted as stating that the pure braid group is generated by a finite number of Dehn twists and that the only relations needed are the disjointness relation and the lantern relation.
FORMATION OF SINGULARITY AND SMOOTH WAVE PROPAGATION FOR THE NON-ISENTROPIC COMPRESSIBLE EULER EQUATIONS

We define the notion of compressive and rarefactive waves and derive the differential equations describing smooth wave steepening for the compressible Euler equations with a varying entropy profile and general pressure laws. Using these differential equations, we directly generalize Lax's singularity (shock wave) formation results (established in 1964 for hyperbolic systems with two variables) to the 3 × 3 compressible Euler equations for a polytropic ideal gas. Our results are valid globally without restriction on the size of the variation of initial data.