cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Characterization of potassium agrominerals: Correlations between petrographic features, comminution and leaching of ultrapotassic syenites

Abstract Growth of world population and consequent growth of food demand are drivers of expansion and intensification of agriculture. High-yield agriculture relies on fertilizers that, therefore, become a key focus to address concerns on global food security. Currently, potassium fertilizers are produced in the northern hemisphere. These fertilizers do not suit the deep leached soils of tropical countries, partly due to their high solubility. The use of geological materials (agrominerals) such as K-bearing silicates could be an option to develop slow release potassium fertilizers from abundant and readily available geologic sources. Thus far, both laboratory and agronomic field tests on such materials have been inconclusive, meaning that a clear relationship between the application of agrominerals to soil and the fertilizing effect could not be established. Novel interdisciplinary approaches are needed to predict the release of nutrients from agrominerals. This study presents one such approach, proposing a detailed analysis of the relationship between petrographic characteristics of twelve samples of ultrapotassic syenite (K-feldspar ore), and the leaching of potassium from their powders. The correlation between petrographic features, comminution and leaching proposed here, is expected to play a major role in the assessment of the fertilizing properties of agrominerals in the field.
Ordered probability spaces

Abstract Let C be an open cone in a Banach space equipped with the Thompson metric with closure a normal cone. The main result gives sufficient conditions for Borel probability measures μ , ν on C with finite first moment for which μ ≤ ν in the stochastic order induced by the cone to be order approximated by sequences { μ n } , { ν n } of uniform finitely supported measures in the sense that μ n ≤ ν n for each n and μ n → μ , ν n → ν in the Wasserstein metric. This result is the crucial tool in developing a pathway for extending various inequalities on operator and matrix means, which include the harmonic, geometric, and arithmetic operator means on the cone of positive elements of a C ⁎ -algebra, to the space P 1 ( C ) of Borel measures of finite first moment on C. As an illustrative and important particular application, we obtain the monotonicity of the Karcher geometric mean on P 1 ( A + ) for the positive cone A + of a C ⁎ -algebra A .
THE EFFECT OF VARIABILITY ON X-RAY BINARY LUMINOSITY FUNCTIONS: MULTIPLE-EPOCH OBSERVATIONS OF NGC 300 WITH CHANDRA

We have obtained three epochs of Chandra ACIS-I observations (totaling $\sim$184 ks) of the nearby spiral galaxy NGC~300 to study the logN-logS distributions of its X-ray point source population down to $\sim$2$\times$10$^{-15}$ erg s$^{-1}$ cm$^{-2}$ in the 0.35-8 keV band (equivalent to $\sim$10$^{36}$ erg s$^{-1}$). The individual epoch logN-logS distributions are best described as the sum of a background AGN component, a simple power law, and a broken power law, with the shape of the logN-logS distributions sometimes varying between observations. The simple power law and AGN components produce a good fit for "persistent" sources (i.e., with fluxes that remain constant within a factor of $\sim$2). The differential power law index of $\sim$1.2 and high fluxes suggest that the persistent sources intrinsic to NGC~300 are dominated by Roche lobe overflowing low mass X-ray binaries. The variable X-ray sources are described by a broken power law, with a faint-end power law index of $\sim$1.7, a bright-end index of $\sim$2.8-4.9, and a break flux of $\sim$8$\times10^{-15}$ erg s$^{-1}$ cm$^{-2}$ ($\sim$4$\times10^{36}$ erg s$^{-1}$), suggesting they are mostly outbursting, wind-fed high mass X-ray binaries, although the logN-logS distribution of variable sources likely also contains low-mass X-ray binaries. We generate model logN-logS distributions for synthetic X-ray binaries and constrain the distribution of maximum X-ray fluxes attained during outburst. Our observations suggest that the majority of outbursting X-ray binaries occur at sub-Eddington luminosities, where mass transfer likely occurs through direct wind accretion at $\sim$1-3% of the Eddington rate.
Temperature dependence of Kr precipitation in Ni

Abstract The precipitation of Kr injection into Ni at temperatures between room temperature and 560°C has been studied with transmission electron microscopy. Kr condenses within cavities which increase in size with Kr fluence. Small Kr precipitates are solid, fcc crystals whose axes are aligned with each other and the Ni lattice. The Kr is held in the solid state by the pressure generated by the cavity walls, and this pressure decreases with increasing cavity size. For implantations at temperatures less than 300°C, the average Kr lattice parameter, determined from electron diffraction at room temperature, increases with increasing Kr fluence from 0.515 nm toward an asymptotic value of 0.545 nm. The mismatch between the aligned Kr and Ni lattices is as large as 55%. The lattice parameter increase towards an asymptotic limit is due to a decrease in the pressure as precipitates grow. Eventually the decrease in cavity pressure allows melting of solid Kr in large cavities. Electron scattering was observed from liquid Kr in large precipitates. Implantations at temperatures of 400 ° C or higher result in a bimodal size distribution containing small solid precipitates and an additional population of larger, faceted precipitates; a larger average Kr lattice parameter for a given Kr fluence; and a larger asymptotic lattice parameter of 0.550 nm. It is suggested that solid Kr inhibits motion of small precipitates, and that Kr melting is a precursor to both faceting and growth by coalescence due to precipitate migration.
A knowledge-based analysis of global function computation

Consider a distributed system N in which each agent has an input value and each communication link has a weight. Given a global function, that is, a function f whose value depends on the whole network, the goal is for every agent to eventually compute the value f (N). We call this problem global function computation. Various solutions for instances of this problem, such as Boolean function computation, leader election, (minimum) spanning tree construction, and network determination, have been proposed, each under particular assumptions about what processors know about the system and how this knowledge can be acquired. We give a necessary and sufficient condition for the problem to be solvable that generalizes a number of well-known results (Attyia et al. in J ACM 35(4):845–875, 1988; Yamashita and Kameda in IEEE Trans Parallel Distrib Syst 7(1):69–89, 1996; Yamashita and Kameda in IEEE Trans Parallel Distrib Syst 10(9):878–887, 1999). We then provide a knowledge-based (kb) program (like those of Fagin et al. (Reasoning about knowledge, MIT Press, Cambridge, 1995, Distrib Comput 10(4):199–225, 1997)) that solves global function computation whenever possible. Finally, we improve the message overhead inherent in our initial kb program by giving a counterfactual belief-based program (Halpern and Moses in Distrib Comput 17(2):91–106, 2004) that also solves the global function computation whenever possible, but where agents send messages only when they believe it is necessary to do so. The latter program is shown to be implemented by a number of well-known algorithms for solving leader election.
Mass-Production of Professional Services and Pseudo-Professional Identity in Tax Preparation Work

How is mass-production of professional services possible? Since professional services are credence goods, consumers rely on signals of expertise, like credentials and professional behavior of the s...
Economic Shocks and Crime: Evidence from the Brazilian Trade Liberalization

This paper studies the effect of changes in economic conditions on crime. We exploit the 1990s trade liberalization in Brazil as a natural experiment generating exogenous shocks to local economies. We document that regions exposed to larger tariff reductions experienced a temporary increase in crime following liberalization. Next, we investigate through what channels the trade-induced economic shocks may have affected crime. We show that the shocks had significant effects on potential determinants of crime, such as labor market conditions, public goods provision, and income inequality. We propose a novel framework exploiting the distinct dynamic responses of these variables to obtain bounds on the effect of labor market conditions on crime. Our results indicate that this channel accounts for 75 to 93 percent of the effect of the trade-induced shocks on crime.
Nucleosome positioning in the regulatory region of SV40 chromatin correlates with the activation and repression of early and late transcription during infection.

Abstract The location of nucleosomes in SV40 virions and minichromosomes isolated during infection were determined by next generation sequencing (NGS). The patterns of reads within the regulatory region of chromatin from wild-type virions indicated that micrococcal nuclease-resistant nucleosomes were specifically positioned at nt 5223 and nt 363, while in minichromosomes isolated 48 h post-infection we observed nuclease-resistant nucleosomes at nt 5119 and nt 212. The nucleosomes at nt 5223 and nt 363 in virion chromatin would be expected to repress early and late transcription, respectively. In virions from the mutant cs1085, which does not repress early transcription, we found that these two nucleosomes were significantly reduced compared to wild-type virions confirming a repressive role for them. In chromatin from cells infected for only 30 min with wild-type virus, we observed a significant reduction in the nucleosomes at nt 5223 and nt 363 indicating that the potential repression by these nucleosomes appeared to be relieved very early in infection.
Estimating Density and Temperature Dependence of Juvenile Vital Rates Using a Hidden Markov Model

Organisms in the wild have cryptic life stages that are sensitive to changing environmental conditions and can be difficult to survey. In this study, I used mark-recapture methods to repeatedly survey Anaea aidea (Nymphalidae) caterpillars in nature, then modeled caterpillar demography as a hidden Markov process to assess if temporal variability in temperature and density influence the survival and growth of A. aidea over time. Individual encounter histories result from the joint likelihood of being alive and observed in a particular stage, and I have included hidden states by separating demography and observations into parallel and independent processes. I constructed a demographic matrix containing the probabilities of all possible fates for each stage, including hidden states, e.g., eggs and pupae. I observed both dead and live caterpillars with high probability. Peak caterpillar abundance attracted multiple predators, and survival of fifth instars declined as per capita predation rate increased through spring. A time lag between predator and prey abundance was likely the cause of improved fifth instar survival estimated at high density. Growth rates showed an increase with temperature, but the preferred model did not include temperature. This work illustrates how state-space models can include unobservable stages and hidden state processes to evaluate how environmental factors influence vital rates of cryptic life stages in the wild.
Interconnected capacitors for effective power delivery noise suppression across domains

Optimal power delivery network design relies on decoupling capacitors that consume significant package and board real estate, which is becoming scarce due to shrinking chip sizes and overall system form factors. This paper addresses noise reduction via capacitor interconnection between different voltage domains to leverage decoupling capacitors across domains. Novel structures that integrate decoupling and interconnection capacitor are then proposed. The complete solution delivers more than 40% noise reduction per unit capacitor area. Simulation results are provided for illustration.
The Black Hole information problem: past, present, and future

We give a brief overview of the black hole information problem emphasizing fundamental issues and recent proposals for its resolution. The focus is on broad perspective and providing a guide to current literature rather than presenting full details. We concentrate on resolutions restoring naive unitarity.
Do Medial Pivot Kinematics Correlate With Patient-Reported Outcomes After Total Knee Arthroplasty?

Abstract Background Many total knee arthroplasty (TKA) implants are designed to facilitate a medial pivot kinematic pattern. The purpose of this study was to determine whether intraoperative medial pivot kinematic patterns are associated with improved patient outcomes. Methods A retrospective review of consecutive primary TKAs was performed. Sensor-embedded tibial trials determined kinematic patterns intraoperatively. The center of rotation (COR) was identified from 0° to 90° and from 0° to terminal flexion, and designated medial-pivot or non-medial pivot based on accepted criteria. Patient-reported outcomes were measured preoperatively and at minimum one-year follow-up. Results The analysis cohort consisted of 141 TKAs. Mean age and median BMI were 63.7 years and 33.8 kg/m 2 , respectively. Forty-percent of TKAs demonstrated a medial pivot kinematic pattern intraoperatively. A medial pivot pattern was more common with posterior cruciate-retaining (CR) and posterior cruciate-substituting/anterior lipped (CS) implants when compared to posterior stabilized (PS) TKAs ( P ≤.0150). Regardless of bearing type, minimum one-year Knee Society scores and UCLA activity level did not significantly differ based on medial vs non-medial pivot patterns ( P ≥.292). For patients with posterior cruciate-sacrificing implants, there were trends for greater median improvement in Knee Society objective (46 vs 31.5 points, P =.057) and satisfaction (23 vs 14 points, P =.067) scores in medial pivot knees. Conclusion A medial pivot pattern may not significantly govern clinical success after TKA based on intraoperative kinematics and modern outcome measures. Further research is warranted to determine if a particular kinematic pattern promotes optimal clinical outcomes.
Spontaneous labor curves in women with pregnancies complicated by diabetes

Objective: To test the hypothesis that the first stage of labor will be longer in nulliparous and multiparous women with diabetes compared to non-diabetic counterparts. Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed from 228,668 deliveries between 2002–2008 from the Consortium of Safe Labor (National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health). Patients with spontaneous onset of labor from 37 0/7–41 6/7 weeks gestation were included (71,282) and classified as nulliparous or multiparous. Pregnancies were further subdivided regarding presence of preexisting diabetes (preDM) or gestational diabetes (GDM) and normal controls. Labor curves were created matching for body mass index (BMI) and neonatal birth weight. Statistical analysis was performed on descriptive variables using χ2 with significance designated as p < 0.05. Results: Among nulliparous patients, there were 118 women with preDM and 475 women with GDM; 25,771 patients served as normal controls. Among multiparous ...
Interaction of a Fin Trailing Vortex with a Downstream Control Surface

A subscale experiment has been constructed using fins mounted on one wall of a transonic wind tunnel to investigate the influence of fin trailing vortices upon downstream control surfaces. Data were collected using a fin balance instrumenting the downstream fin to measure the aerodynamic forces of the interaction, combined with stereoscopic particle image velocimetry to determine vortex properties. The fin balance data show that the response of the downstream fin essentially is shifted from the baseline single-fin data dependent upon the angle of attack of the upstream fin. FreestreamMach number and the spacing between fins have secondary effects. The velocimetry shows the increase in vortex strength with upstream fin angle of attack, but no variation with Mach number can be discerned in the normalized velocity data. Correlations between the force data and the velocimetry indicate that the interaction is fundamentally a result of an angle of attack superposed upon the downstream fin by the vortex shed from the upstream fin tip. The Mach number influence arises from differing vortex lift on the leading edge of the downstream fin even when the impinging vortex is Mach invariant.
Guided Proofreading of Automatic Segmentations for Connectomics

Automatic cell image segmentation methods in connectomics produce merge and split errors, which require correction through proofreading. Previous research has identified the visual search for these errors as the bottleneck in interactive proofreading. To aid error correction, we develop two classifiers that automatically recommend candidate merges and splits to the user. These classifiers use a convolutional neural network (CNN) that has been trained with errors in automatic segmentations against expert-labeled ground truth. Our classifiers detect potentially-erroneous regions by considering a large context region around a segmentation boundary. Corrections can then be performed by a user with yes/no decisions, which reduces variation of information 7.5A— faster than previous proofreading methods. We also present a fully-automatic mode that uses a probability threshold to make merge/split decisions. Extensive experiments using the automatic approach and comparing performance of novice and expert users demonstrate that our method performs favorably against state-of-the-art proofreading methods on different connectomics datasets.
No Malibu Surfer Left Behind: Three Tales About Market Coercion

This article examines the question of private coercion in market societies, arguing for an unconditional basic income guarantee from a classical liberal viewpoint. It proposes three main arguments. First, classical liberals view the purpose of government to be the reduction of coercion, both public and private. Second, a proper understanding of the nature of coercion indicates that parties subject to certain types of hardship are being coerced. Third, where the total amount of coercion is reduced by eliminating the hardship, the classical liberal state must do so as to fulfill its purpose. Hence, this article argues that if the total amount of coercion in society can be reduced by the state employing the amount of coercion necessary to maintain an unconditional basic income guarantee, then the classical liberal state is obligated to maintain such a guarantee by its underlying justification.
Visual Tools and Narratives: New Ways to Improve Financial Literacy

We developed and experimentally evaluated four novel educational programs delivered online: an informational brochure, a visual interactive tool, a written narrative, and a video narrative. The programs were designed to inform people about risk diversification, an essential concept for financial decision-making. The effectiveness of these programs was evaluated using the American Life Panel. Participants were exposed to one of the programs, and then asked to answer questions measuring financial literacy – in particular, risk literacy – and self-efficacy. All of the programs were found to be effective at increasing self-efficacy, and several improved financial literacy, providing new evidence for the value of programs designed to improve financial decision-making.
Disentangling niche competition from grazing mortality in phytoplankton dilution experiments

The dilution method is the principal tool used to infer in situ microzooplankton grazing rates. However, grazing is the only mortality process considered in the theoretical model underlying the interpretation of dilution method experiments. Here we evaluate the robustness of mortality estimates inferred from dilution experiments when there is concurrent niche competition amongst phytoplankton. Using a combination of mathematical analysis and numerical simulations, we find that grazing rates may be overestimated-the degree of overestimation is related to the importance of niche competition relative to microzooplankton grazing. In response, we propose a conceptual method to disentangle the effects of niche competition and grazing by diluting out microzooplankton, but not phytoplankton. Our theoretical results suggest this revised "Z-dilution" method can robustly infer grazing mortality, regardless of the dominant phytoplankton mortality driver in our system. Further, we show it is possible to independently estimate both grazing mortality and niche competition if the classical and Z-dilution methods can be used in tandem. We discuss the significance of these results for quantifying phytoplankton mortality rates; and the feasibility of implementing the Z-dilution method in practice, whether in model systems or in complex communities with overlap in the size distributions of phytoplankton and microzooplankton.
A prospectus on kinetic heliophysics

Under the low density and high temperature conditions typical of heliospheric plasmas, the macroscopic evolution of the heliosphere is strongly affected by the kinetic plasma physics governing fundamental microphysical mechanisms. Kinetic turbulence, collisionless magnetic reconnection, particle acceleration, and kinetic instabilities are four poorly understood, grand-challenge problems that lie at the new frontier of kinetic heliophysics. The increasing availability of high cadence and high phase-space resolution measurements of particle velocity distributions by current and upcoming spacecraft missions and of massively parallel nonlinear kinetic simulations of weakly collisional heliospheric plasmas provides the opportunity to transform our understanding of these kinetic mechanisms through the full utilization of the information contained in the particle velocity distributions. Several major considerations for future investigations of kinetic heliophysics are examined. Turbulent dissipation followed by particle heating is highlighted as an inherently two-step process in weakly collisional plasmas, distinct from the more familiar case in fluid theory. Concerted efforts must be made to tackle the big-data challenge of visualizing the high-dimensional (3D-3V) phase space of kinetic plasma theory through physics-based reductions. Furthermore, the development of innovative analysis methods that utilize full velocity-space measurements, such as the field-particle correlation technique, will enable us to gain deeper insight into these four grand-challenge problems of kinetic heliophysics. A systems approach to tackle the multi-scale problem of heliophysics through a rigorous connection between the kinetic physics at microscales and the self-consistent evolution of the heliosphere at macroscales will propel the field of kinetic heliophysics into the future.
The Untapped Power of Soda Taxes: Incentivizing Consumers, Generating Revenue, and Altering Corporate Behavior

Globally, soda taxes are gaining momentum as powerful interventions to discourage sugar consumption and thereby reduce the growing burden of obesity and non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Evidence from early adopters including Mexico and Berkeley, California, confirms that soda taxes can disincentivize consumption through price increases and raise revenue to support government programs. The United Kingdom’s new graduated levy on sweetened beverages is yielding yet another powerful impact: soda manufacturers are reformulating their beverages to significantly reduce the sugar content. Product reformulation – whether incentivized or mandatory – helps reduce overconsumption of sugars at the societal level, moving away from the long-standing notion of individual responsibility in favor of collective strategies to promote health. But as a matter of health equity, soda product reformulation should occur globally, especially in low- and middleincome countries (LMICs), which are increasingly targeted as emerging markets for soda and junk food and are disproportionately impacted by NCDs. As global momentum for sugar reduction increases, governments and public health advocates should harness the power of soda taxes to tackle the economic, social, and informational drivers of soda consumption, driving improvements in food environments and the public’s health.
Direct Numerical Design of Reduced Order Controllers from Experimental Data

Abstract An iterative numerical algorithm for designing robust controllers using experimental data models is presented. This numerical approach has several advantages over standard analytical approaches. First, design constraints of many types can be specified. Also, the controller order is pre-specified by the designer. Finally, no analytical model of the system to be controlled is required; instead, experimental frequency response data can be used. The algorithm has been successfully applied to the design of a controller for disturbance rejection and vibration suppression in a flexible structure test facility. This application involved satisfying a variety of design goals, resulted in a low order controller, and experimental data were used as the sole plant model.
Currency Crises and Exchange Rate Instability

Abstract Currency crises are usually modelled as an outgrowth of government policy imposed on an otherwise stable environment. This paper presents an alternative view in which government policy holds an economy in an unstable environment through controls on portfolio choice. As a result, the economies we model are subject to recurrent crises and the imposition of a bang-bang policy controls. This gives rise to a natural interpretation of pervasive exchange market intervention in small open economies.
Reoperation for Primary Hyperparathyroidism

Between 1960 and April, 1980, 302 patients were explored for primary hyperparathyroidism at Emory University Hospital. Seventeen of these 302 patients had undergone initial surgical exploration elsewhere, and were referred for persistent hypercalcemia. Of the 285 patients who were operated on at our institution, 14 subsequently had persistent hypercalcemia, and two had recurrent hypercalcemia. Twenty-eight of these 33 patients had had re-exploration, and 23 (82%) are now normocalcemic. Twenty-eight abnormal glands were found; 22 (79%) were retrievable via the neck and six (21%) required sternotomy. Of those glands removed via the neck, nine were in a near normal location and 13 in a subnormal or abnormal location. The causes of initial surgical failures were abnormally located glands, in ten patients, insufficient explorations of the neck in eight patients, hyperfunctioning parathyroid remnants in three patients, inadequate plans for hyperplasia in two patients, and carcinoma in one patient. In 57% of our patients who underwent successful re-exploration, the glands were correctly localized before operation by angiographic examination or selective venous sampling for parathormone. Thorough exploration and obtainment of biopsy specimens of all parathyroid glands are recommended in order to keep initial failures to a minimum. If reoperation is required, localization using CT scan, angiography and selective venous sampling are recommended.
Idiopathic Hypercalciuria: Renal and Absorptive Subtypes in Children

• Twelve children with urolithiasis or unexplained episodes of gross hematuria, hypercalciuria, and normal serum calcium levels were examined with an oral calcium loading test. Eight patients displayed elevated fasting urinary calcium excretion, consistent with renal hypercalciuria; four exhibited normal fasting calcium excretion, which increased excessively with calcium loading, suggesting hyperabsorption of intestinal calcium. Evidence of secondary hyperparathyroidism was detected in three children with renal hypercalciuria on the basis of urinary cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) excretion. Serum calcium concentrations obtained four hours after loading increased significantly in children with renal hypercalciuria and were directly correlated with fasting urinary calcium excretion. Among patients with renal hypercalciuria, serum calcium level was higher in patients with normal fasting cAMP excretion. These results suggest that hyperabsorption of intestinal calcium occurs in renal hypercalciuria and may account for the lower-than-predicted incidence of secondary hyperparathyroidism in these patients. Idiopathic hypercalciuria may arise from one fundamental metabolic disturbance with varying degrees of expression, rather than from two separate pathogenic mechanisms. ( AJDC 1984;138:176-180)
Anesthesia for Intraoperative Radiation Therapy in Children

Intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT) is a relatively new mode of cancer treatment which is being used with increasing frequency. IORT presents several challenges to the anesthesiologist, including patients who are debilitated from their disease or chemotherapy, operations involving major tumor resections, intraoperative interdepartmental transport of patients, and remote monitoring of patients during electron beam therapy. This report discusses the anesthetic management of ten children undergoing IORT. With adequate preparation and interdepartmental communication, complications can be avoided during these challenging cases.
Mechanism of Genome Interrogation: How CRISPR RNA-Guided Cas9 Proteins Locate Specific Targets on DNA

The ability to precisely edit and modify a genome opens endless opportunities to investigate fundamental properties of living systems as well as to advance various medical techniques and bioengineering applications. This possibility is now close to reality due to a recent discovery of the adaptive bacterial immune system, which is based on clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-associated proteins (Cas) that utilize RNA to find and cut the double-stranded DNA molecules at specific locations. Here we develop a quantitative theoretical approach to analyze the mechanism of target search on DNA by CRISPR RNA-guided Cas9 proteins, which is followed by a selective cleavage of nucleic acids. It is based on a discrete-state stochastic model that takes into account the most relevant physical-chemical processes in the system. Using a method of first-passage processes, a full dynamic description of the target search is presented. It is found that the location of specific sites on DNA by CRISPR Cas9 proteins is governed by binding first to protospacer adjacent motif sequences on DNA, which is followed by reversible transitions into DNA interrogation states. In addition, the search dynamics is strongly influenced by the off-target cutting. Our theoretical calculations allow us to explain the experimental observations and to give experimentally testable predictions. Thus, the presented theoretical model clarifies some molecular aspects of the genome interrogation by CRISPR RNA-guided Cas9 proteins.
The wave of jihadist insurgency in West Africa: Global ideology, local context, individual motivations

The recent rise of jihadist movements in West Africa, including Boko Haram in the Lake Chad region and Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb and its affiliates in the Sahel-Saharan region, has puzzled many observers. The easy spread of the jihadist ideology, the jihadist movements’ success in massively recruiting followers among local populations as well as their ability to conquer and administer territories, are unprecedented in the region’s contemporary history. This paper sheds light on the factors and processes that contribute to the emergence of these movements. It argues that the phenomenon of jihadist insurgencies in West Africa emerges as a result of a series of processes at the global, local, and individual level. At the global level, there is the formation and dissemination of the global ideology of jihadism, conceptualised by Muslim activists and scholars based on a particular understanding of Islam and the challenges that are facing contemporary Muslim societies. At the local level, the appropriation of jihadist ideologies by “Muslim activists” who then use it to formulate a discourse which taps into local social and political demands in order to mobilise followers, is key. For a wide range of reasons, certain regions of Africa have experienced weakened state capacity and increased local conflict, and it is in these areas that jihadist insurgencies have emerged. At the individual level, the process by which African individuals decide to enrol in jihadist groups include ideological, situational, and strategic motivations, and these have all been facilitated by deteriorating conditions of life in marginalised areas.
F MAX /V MIN and noise margin impacts of aging on domino read, static write, and retention of 8T 1R1W SRAM arrays in 22nm high-k/metal-gate tri-gate CMOS

Progressive impacts of aging on Fmax & noise margin of the precharge-evaluate domino read, and VMIN for differential static write & retention are demonstrated via statistical measurements over the operational lifetime of a 14KB 1R1W 8T SRAM array in 22nm high-k/metal-gate tri-gate CMOS.
Device-level early floorplanning algorithms for RF circuits

High-frequency circuits are notoriously difficult to lay out because of the tight coupling between device-level placement and wiring. Given that successful electrical performance requires careful control of the lowest-level geometric features—wire bends, precise length, proximity, planarity, etc.—we suggest a new layout strategy for these circuits: early floorplanning at the device level. This paper develops a floorplanner for RF circuits based on a genetic algorithm (GA) that supports fully simultaneous placement and routing. The GA evolves slicing-style floorplans comprising devices and planned areas for wire meanders. Each floorplan candidate is fully routed with a gridless, detailed maze-router which can dynamically resize the floorplan as necessary. Experimental results demonstrate the ability of this approach to successfully optimize for wire planarity, realize multiple constraints on net lengths or phases, and achieve reasonable area in modest CPU times.
Effects of temperature on the frictional behavior of material from the Alpine Fault Zone, New Zealand

Abstract Temperature is widely believed to act as a primary control on fault rheology, and therefore on the distribution of seismicity along plate boundary faults. However, there are few detailed measurements of the frictional strength and stability of natural fault gouges at elevated temperatures. Here, we report on a suite of shearing experiments designed to investigate the frictional behavior of fault rocks sampled from depths of 111.5–142.9 m along the Alpine Fault in New Zealand obtained by the International Continental Scientific Drilling Program (ICDP) Deep Fault Drilling Project (DFDP). We tested five samples from the DFDP-1B pilot hole: two hanging wall chloritic cataclasites, two footwall granitic cataclasites, and a fault gouge from the principal slip zone (PSZ-1). Each sample was sheared at a range of temperatures from 23 to 500 °C and at an effective normal stress of 80 MPa. The wall rock cataclasites exhibit an increase in the friction coefficient (μ) with temperature, from μ = 0.45–0.64 at 23 °C to μ = 0.87 at 500 °C. The PSZ-1 gouge exhibits lower friction coefficient values than the wall rock at temperatures ≤180 °C (μ = 0.35–0.46 vs 0.45–0.65), but comparable values (μ = 0.87–0.90) at 500 °C. The variation in frictional strength is accompanied by a transition from velocity-strengthening to velocity-weakening behavior at temperatures ≥180 °C for all materials. Extrapolation of the experimentally defined rheological critical stiffness of the fault material and the estimated in situ stiffness of the surrounding crust suggests upper and lower stability boundaries at ~1.8–2.5 km and ~8.5–8.8 km depth, respectively. The upper stability boundary is also consistent with the observed depth-frequency distribution of earthquakes.
Stability of MRI metrics in the advanced research core of the NCAA-DoD concussion assessment, research and education (CARE) consortium

The NCAA-DoD Concussion Assessment, Research, and Education (CARE) consortium is performing a large-scale, comprehensive study of sport related concussions in college student-athletes and military service academy cadets. The CARE "Advanced Research Core" (ARC), is focused on executing a cutting-edge investigative protocol on a subset of the overall CARE athlete population. Here, we present the details of the CARE ARC MRI acquisition and processing protocol along with preliminary analyzes of within-subject, between-site, and between-subject stability across a variety of MRI biomarkers. Two experimental datasets were utilized for this analysis. First, two "human phantom" subjects were imaged multiple times at each of the four CARE ARC imaging sites, which utilize equipment from two imaging vendors. Additionally, a control cohort of healthy athletes participating in non-contact sports were enrolled in the study at each CARE ARC site and imaged at four time points. Multiple morphological image contrasts were acquired in each MRI exam; along with quantitative diffusion, functional, perfusion, and relaxometry imaging metrics. As expected, the imaging markers were found to have varying levels of stability throughout the brain. Importantly, between-subject variance was generally found to be greater than within-subject and between-site variance. These results lend support to the expectation that cross-site and cross-vendor advanced quantitative MRI metrics can be utilized to improve analytic power in assessing sensitive neurological variations; such as those effects hypothesized to occur in sports-related-concussion. This stability analysis provides a crucial foundation for further work utilizing this expansive dataset, which will ultimately be freely available through the Federal Interagency Traumatic Brain Injury Research Informatics System.
Mapping and confirmation of loci for salt tolerance in a novel soybean germplasm, Fiskeby III

The confirmation of a major locus associated with salt tolerance and mapping of a new locus, which could be beneficial for improving salt tolerance in soybean. Breeding soybean for tolerance to high salt conditions is important in some regions of the USA and world. Soybean cultivar Fiskeby III (PI 438471) in maturity group 000 has been reported to be highly tolerant to multiple abiotic stress conditions, including salinity. In this study, a mapping population of 132 F2 families derived from a cross of cultivar Williams 82 (PI 518671, moderately salt sensitive) and Fiskeby III (salt tolerant) was analyzed to map salt tolerance genes. The evaluation for salt tolerance was performed by analyzing leaf scorch score (LSS), chlorophyll content ratio (CCR), leaf sodium content (LSC), and leaf chloride content (LCC) after treatment with 120 mM NaCl under greenhouse conditions. Genotypic data for the F2 population were obtained using the SoySNP6K Illumina Infinium BeadChip assay. A major allele from Fiskeby III was significantly associated with LSS, CCR, LSC, and LCC on chromosome (Chr.) 03 with LOD scores of 19.1, 11.0, 7.7 and 25.6, respectively. In addition, a second locus associated with salt tolerance for LSC was detected and mapped on Chr. 13 with an LOD score of 4.6 and an R 2 of 0.115. Three gene-based polymorphic molecular markers (Salt-20, Salt14056 and Salt11655) on Chr.03 showed a strong predictive association with phenotypic salt tolerance in the present mapping population. These molecular markers will be useful for marker-assisted selection to improve salt tolerance in soybean.
CEO internal experience and voluntary disclosure quality: Evidence from management forecasts

Internally‐promoted CEOs should have a deep understanding of their firm's products, supply chain, operations, business climate, corporate culture, and how to navigate among employees to get the information they need. Thus, we argue that internally‐promoted CEOs are likely to produce higher quality disclosure than outsider CEOs. Using a sample of US firms from the S&P1500 index from 2001 to 2011, we hand‐collect whether a CEO is hired from inside the firm and, if so, the number of years they worked at the firm before becoming CEO. We then examine whether managers with more internal experience issue higher quality disclosures and offer three main findings. First, CEOs with more internal experience are more likely to issue voluntary earnings forecasts than those managers with less internal experience as well as those managers hired from outside the firm. Second, CEOs with more internal experience issue more accurate earnings forecasts than those managers with less internal experience as well as those managers hired from outside the firm. Finally, investors react more strongly to forecasts issued by insider CEOs than to those issued by outsider CEOs. In additional analysis, we find no evidence that these results extend to mandatory reporting quality (i.e., accruals quality, restatements, or internal control weaknesses), perhaps because mandatory disclosure is subjected to heavy oversight by the board of directors, auditors, and regulators. Overall, our findings suggest that when managers have work experience with the firm prior to becoming the CEO, the firm's voluntary disclosure is of higher quality.
Sovereign default resolution through maturity extension

Abstract Sovereign default episodes are resolved by restructuring the debt through renegotiations and implemented by bond swaps and resumption of debt service payments. This process provides debt relief for the sovereign and partially compensates lenders for their losses. In the data, the bulk of such debt relief is implemented by extending the maturity of the debt rather than changing its face value. We augment a standard maturity choice model with a post-default renegotiation phase and study whether it can replicate this observed maturity extension. The model is successful in generating this and other key features of renegotiations and maturity choice, but critically only when we assume that sovereigns continue to be excluded temporarily from financial markets after renegotiation, consistent with the observation that countries do not immediately resume borrowing. In contrast, a version of the model where market access is restored promptly features a counterfactual reduction in maturity, a puzzle for the standard model.
System learning in an urban school district: A case study of intra-district learning

This paper presents evidence from a unique reform model that allowed teachers and other educators in a large urban district to collaborate with one another in the development of an innovation meant to improve student ownership and responsibility. In this longitudinal case study, we describe school stakeholders’ learning about the design, the process of knowledge-transfer to school teams, and how school teams shared their ongoing learning with one another. School implementation teams were initially reluctant to share their learning with one another. By engaging in a shared innovation development process with structures for routine sharing, over time, implementation team members were increasingly interested in sharing their learning with one another. We discuss the implications for school improvement efforts.
Persistent Effects of Teacher-Student Gender Matches

Many existing studies find that females perform better when they are taught by female teachers. However, there is little evidence on what the long-run impacts may be and through what mechanisms these impacts may emerge. We exploit panel data from middle schools in Seoul, South Korea, where students and teachers are randomly assigned to classrooms. We replicate the existing literature that examines contemporaneous effects and find that female students taught by a female versus a male teacher score higher on standardized tests compared to male students even five years later. We also find that having a female math teacher in seventh grade increases the likelihood that female students attend a STEM-focused high school, take higher-level math courses, and aspire to a STEM degree. These effects are driven by changes in students' attitudes and choices.
A Warning Propagation-Based Linear-Time-and-Space Algorithm for the Minimum Vertex Cover Problem on Giant Graphs

A vertex cover (VC) of a graph \(G\) is a subset of vertices in \(G\) such that at least one endpoint vertex of each edge in \(G\) is in this subset. The minimum VC (MVC) problem is to identify a VC of minimum size (cardinality) and is known to be NP-hard. Although many local search algorithms have been developed to solve the MVC problem close-to-optimally, their applicability on giant graphs (with no less than 100,000 vertices) is limited. For such graphs, there are two reasons why it would be beneficial to have linear-time-and-space algorithms that produce small VCs. Such algorithms can: (a) serve as preprocessing steps to produce good starting states for local search algorithms and (b) also be useful for many applications that require finding small VCs quickly. In this paper, we develop a new linear-time-and-space algorithm, called MVC-WP, for solving the MVC problem on giant graphs based on the idea of warning propagation, which has so far only been used as a theoretical tool for studying properties of MVCs on infinite random graphs. We empirically show that it outperforms other known linear-time-and-space algorithms in terms of sizes of produced VCs.
RELATIVISTIC QUARK PHYSICS

We present a brief survey of the development of nuclear physics towards relativistic quark physics. This is followed by a thorough discussion of the quest for the observation of the dissolution of nuclear matter into the deconfined quark matter (QGP) in relativistic nuclear collisions. Use of strange particle signatures in search for QGP is emphasized.
Letter on Scholactivism: To Graduate Students and Young Colleagues

As I try to define “scholactivism” for myself, I’m immediately mindful of the distinction between the master versus the specific intellectual, sometimes loosely coded as the traditional versus the organic intellectual. The one is a spokesperson for and to humanity; the other addresses issues within his or her competence and milieu. On this occasion I’m addressing activism as a scholar in the context of the American university and the academic profession during my lifetime, the post-Welfare State period (1970s-2010s).