cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Vulvar acanthosis nigricans: a marker for insulin resistance in hirsute women

Objective To determine the frequency of acanthosis nigricans (AN) in a group of hirsute, hyperandrogenic women and to determine the body site most frequently affected. Design Cross-sectional observational study. Setting University teaching hospital. Patients, Participants Reproductive age, nonhypertensive, nondiabetic women referred for evaluation of hirsutism, documented to have hyperandrogenism, without medications known to influence lipid, carbohydrate, or hormonal metabolism. Interventions None Main Outcome Measures Presence of AN. Insulin resistance was assessed by measuring fasting glucose, fasting insulin, and nadir glucose after a 0.1U/kg IV insulin bolus in both obese and nonobese, hirsute, hyperandrogenic women. Results Twenty-four of 43 women were found to have AN. Although AN was identified at several body sites including the axilla (n=14), on the nape of the neck (n=13), below the breasts (n=7), and on the inner thigh (n=7), it was always present on the vulva in women who displayed one or more lesions. Acanthosis nigricans was found only in the obese, hirsute, hyperandrogenic women. These women were the most insulin resistant. Conclusions Acanthosis nigricans and insulin resistance are found frequently in obese, hirsute, hyperandrogenic women. The vulva is the most likely place to find this marker.
A Novel Stochastic Combination of 3D Texture Features for Automated Segmentation of Prostatic Adenocarcinoma from High Resolution MRI

In this work, we present a new methodology for fully automated segmentation of prostatic adenocarcinoma from high resolution MR by using a novel feature ensemble of 3D texture features. This work represents the first attempt to solve this difficult problem using high resolution MR. The difficulty of the problem stems from lack of shape and structure in the adenocarcinoma. Hence, in our methodology we compute statistical, gradient and Gabor filter features at multiple scales and orientations in 3D to capture the entire range of shape, size and orientation of the tumor. For an input scene, a classifier module generates Likelihood Scenes for each of the 3D texture features independently. These are then combined using a weighted feature combination scheme. The ground truth for quantitative evaluation was generated by an expert pathologist who manually segmented the tumor on the MR using registered histologic data. Our system was quantitatively compared against the performance of the individual texture features and against an expert’s manual segmentation based solely on visual inspection of the 4T MR data. The automated system was found to be superior in terms of Sensitivity and Positive Predictive Value.
Remote sensing of agricultural crops and soils.

Research results and accomplishments of sixteen tasks in the following areas are described: (1) corn and soybean scene radiation research; (2) soil moisture research; (3) sampling and aggregation research; (4) pattern recognition and image registration research; and (5) computer and data base services.
International Decisions. European Communities -- Measures Affecting Asbestos and Asbestos-Containing Products

Response to the World Trade Organization dispute European Communities — Measures Affecting Asbestos and Asbestos-Containing Products.
On transformations between probability and spohnian disbelief functions

In this paper, we analyze the relationship between probability and Spohn's theory for representation of uncertain beliefs. Using the intuitive idea that the more probable a proposition is, the more believable it is, we study transformations from probability to Spohnian disbelief and vice-versa. The transformations described in this paper are different from those described in the literature. In particular, the former satisfies the principles of ordinal congruence while the latter does not. Such transformations between probability and Spohn's calculi can contribute to (1) a clarification of the semantics of nonprobabilistic degree of uncertain belief, and (2) to a construction of a decision theory for such calculi. In practice, the transformations will allow a meaningful combination of more than one calculus in different stages of using an expert system such as knowledge acquisition, inference, and interpretation of results.
The Astro Mission

The Astro Mission, an attached pay load dedicated to astronomy, is now scheduled to fly May 9, 1990 in the shuttle Columbia. Four instruments make up the complement. Broad Band X-Ray Telescope (BBXRT, Peter Serlemitsos, Principal Investigator GSFC) utilizes the Two Axis Pointing System (TAPS). The three ultraviolet instruments are Hopkins Ultraviolet Telescope (HUT, Arthur Davidson, JHU), Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (UIT, Ted Steccher, GSFC) and Wisconsin Ultraviolet Photopolarimeter Experiment (WUPPE, Art Code, UWI). The instruments are co-aligned in the Spacelabs Instrument Pointing System (IPS). Five of the seven astronauts are professional astronomers. Mission Specialists Mike Lounge, Jeff Hoffman, and Robert Parker, and Payload Specialists Samuel Durrance and Ron Parise. During the planned ten-day mission, over 290 shuttle manoeuvres will enable approximately 1000 individual instrument observations of 230 separate astronomical objects. The Astro mission is designed for multiple flights.
Agnostic insurability of model classes

Motivated by problems in insurance, our task is to predict finite upper bounds on a future draw from an unknown distribution p over natural numbers. We can only use past observations generated independently and identically distributed according to p. While p is unknown, it is known to belong to a given collection P of probability distributions on the natural numbers. The support of the distributions p ∈ P may be unbounded, and the prediction game goes on for infinitely many draws. We are allowed to make observations without predicting upper bounds for some time. But we must, with probability 1, start and then continue to predict upper bounds after a finite time irrespective of which p ∈ P governs the data. If it is possible, without knowledge of p and for any prescribed confidence however close to 1, to come up with a sequence of upper bounds that is never violated over an infinite time window with confidence at least as big as prescribed, we say the model class P is insurable. We completely characterize the insurability of any class P of distributions over natural numbers by means of a condition on how the neighborhoods of distributions in P should be, one that is both necessary and sufficient.
Building Reusable Testing Assets for a Software Product Line

Testing consumes a significant percentage of the resources required to produce software intensive products. The exact impact on the project is often hard to evaluate because testing activities are distributed over the entire scope of the development effort. In this tutorial we take a comprehensive end-to-end view of the testing activities and roles that should be present in a software product line organization.
Self-duality in nonlinear electromagnetism

We discuss duality invariant interactions between electromagnetic fields and matter. The case of scalar fields is treated in some detail.
Reasoning with qualitative probabilities can be tractable

We recently described a formalism for reasoning with if-then rules that are expressed with different levels of firmness [18]. The formalism interprets these rules as extreme conditional probability statements, specifying orders of magnitude of disbelief, which impose constraints over possible rankings of worlds. It was shown that, once we compute a priority function Z+ on the rules, the degree to which a given query is confirmed or denied can be computed in O(log n) propositional satisfiability tests, where n is the number of rules in the knowledge base. In this paper, we show that computing Z+ requires O(n2 × log n) satisfiability tests, not an exponential number as was conjectured in [18], which reduces to polynomial complexity in the case of Horn expressions. We also show how reasoning with imprecise observations can be incorporated in our formalism and how the popular notions of belief revision and epistemic entrenchment are embodied naturally and tractably.
Determinants of foreign direct investment

Empirical studies of bilateral foreign direct investment (FDI) activity show substantial differences in specifications with little agreement on the set of included covariates. We use Bayesian statistical techniques that allow one to select from a large set of candidates those variables most likely to be determinants of FDI activity. The variables with consistently high inclusion probabilities include traditional gravity variables, cultural distance factors, relative labour endowments and trade agreements. There is little support for multilateral trade openness, most host-country business costs, host-country infrastructure and host-country institutions. Our results suggest that many covariates found significant by previous studies are not robust.
Bayesian Variable Selection on Model Spaces Constrained by Heredity Conditions

This article investigates Bayesian variable selection when there is a hierarchical dependence structure on the inclusion of predictors in the model. In particular, we study the type of dependence found in polynomial response surfaces of orders two and higher, whose model spaces are required to satisfy weak or strong heredity conditions. These conditions restrict the inclusion of higher-order terms depending upon the inclusion of lower-order parent terms. We develop classes of priors on the model space, investigate their theoretical and finite sample properties, and provide a Metropolis–Hastings algorithm for searching the space of models. The tools proposed allow fast and thorough exploration of model spaces that account for hierarchical polynomial structure in the predictors and provide control of the inclusion of false positives in high posterior probability models.
Mapping explosive residues on galvanized pipe bomb fragments using total vaporization solid phase microextraction (TV-SPME)

Solid phase microextraction (SPME) is a popular sampling technique whereby analytes are sorbed to a coated fiber and subsequently desorbed into an analytical instrument. In headspace SPME, analytes partition between the sample, the headspace above the sample, and the SPME fiber coating. In total vaporization SPME (TV-SPME), sample extracts are heated until both the solvent and analytes completely vaporize, whereupon the analytes partition between the vapor phase and the SPME fiber. In this study, TV-SPME using a polyethylene glycol fiber was coupled with fast gas chromatography/mass spectrometry to identify components of double-base smokeless powder (DBSP). Nitroglycerin (NG), diphenylamine (DPA) and ethyl centralite (EC) were separated in under 5 min. For NG, the optimal sample volume (70 μL), extraction temperature (60 °C) and extraction time (20 min) resulted in a method that was over twelve fold more sensitive than traditional liquid injection and with a detection limit below 1 ppb. This method was then used to quantify DBSP residue on post-blast debris from five galvanized steel pipe bombs. The mean concentration of NG on the fragments was 0.25 ppm (w/w). An average of 1.01 mg of NG was recovered from the devices. Finally, the distribution of NG could be “mapped” by tracking the original locations of each fragment within the device. These maps showed that the distribution of NG was far from uniform. In fact, the concentration of the NG on fragments originating from the end caps was several fold higher than in other locations. This finding can help guide the selection of bomb fragments for chemical analyses in real-world scenarios.
How To Sign Given Any Trapdoor Function

We present a digital signature scheme based on trapdoor permutations. This scheme is secure against existential forgery under adaptive chosen message attack. The only previous scheme with the same level of security was based on factoring.
Usability of Mobile Phones in Physical Activity–Related Research: A Systematic Review

Background: The use of mobile phones for physical activity (PA) promotion and assessment represents an attractive research area because this technology is characterized by a widespread reach and dynamic features. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to conduct a systematic review of mobile phone–based approaches for encouraging and assessing PA. Methods: Eligible studies were identified through a search of PubMed and PsycINFO and required to address the usability of mobile phones for PA promotion and/or measurement, be written in English, and be published in a peer-reviewed journal between 2010 and 2013. Results: Fifty-two studies were included in this review. The use of mobile phones for PA promotion, assessment, and both promotion and assessment were addressed by 27, 19, and 6 studies, respectively. Out of 26 studies that reported a PA behavior change outcome, 13 observed favorable PA changes, 3 found mixed results, and 10 found no improvements. Ten studies examined the validity of mobile phones for P...
Military Ethics and Moral Blame across Agency Lines

ABSTRACTIn this article, I examine the extent to which military officers are morally responsible for the actions of others by virtue of shared membership in various groups. I argue that career military officers share membership in morally relevant groups that include their branch of service, Department of Defense and the entire Executive Branch of Government, and I outline the circumstances under which career officers bear moral culpability for the actions of members of this group. A number of implications arise from these findings. The first and most important is that military officers have an interest in ensuring the moral rectitude of government agents specifically as it pertains to their official capacities. Additionally, military officers have a duty not only to be informed about problematic government policies but also to educate themselves on the pertinent legal jurisprudence or ethical considerations. Finally, the Constitutional Paradigm of Military Ethics may be an insufficient guide for the part...
Dynamic Trading When You May Be Wrong

I analyze a model with heterogeneous investors who have incorrect beliefs about fundamentals. Investors think that they are right at first, but over time realize that they are wrong. The speed of the realization depends on investor confidence in own beliefs and arrival of new information. The model provides a tractable and clear link for how changing opinions translate into equilibrium dynamics for price, holdings, and expected profits. I am able to generate a wide range of realistic market behaviors, including momentum and reversals, as well as support and resistance levels in prices due to investors being reluctant to admit they are wrong.
Online Learning With Predictable Sequences

We present methods for online linear optimization that take advantage of benign (as opposed to worst-case) sequences. Specically if the sequence encountered by the learner is described well by a known \predictable process", the algorithms presented enjoy tighter bounds as compared to the typical worst case bounds. Additionally, the methods achieve the usual worst-case regret bounds if the sequence is not benign. Our approach can be seen as a way of adding prior knowledge about the sequence within the paradigm of online learning. The setting is shown to encompass partial and side information. Variance and path-length bounds [11, 9] can be seen as particular examples of online learning with simple predictable sequences. We further extend our methods and results to include competing with a set of possible predictable processes (models), that is \learning" the predictable process itself concurrently with using it to obtain better regret guarantees. We show that such model selection is possible under various assumptions on the available feedback. Our results suggest a promising direction of further research with potential applications to stock market and time series prediction.
An alternative Markov property for chain graphs

Graphical Markov models use graphs, either undirected, directed, or mixed, to represent possible dependences among statistical variables. Applications of undirected graphs (UDGs) include models for spatial dependence and image analysis, while acyctic directed graphs (ADGs), which are especially convenient for statistical analysis, arise in such fields as genetics and psychometrics and as models for expert systems and Bayesian belief networks. Lauritzen, Wermuth, and Frydenberg (LWF) introduced a Markov property for chain graphs, which are mixed graphs that can be used to represent simultaneously both causal and associative dependencies and which include both UDGs and ADGs as special cases. In this paper an alternative Markov property (AMP) for chain graphs is introduced, which in some ways is a more direct extension of the ADG Markov property than is the LWF property for chain graph.
Mango: pulp fiction?

Keywords: contact dermatitis; cross-reactivity; delayed hypersensitivity; mango; patch testing; urushiol
Shimura curves for level-3 subgroups of the (2,3,7) triangle group, and some other examples

The (2,3,7) triangle group is known to be associated with a quaternion algebra A/K ramified at two of the three real places of K=Q(cos2π/7) and unramified at all other places of K. This triangle group and its congruence subgroups thus give rise to various Shimura curves and maps between them. We study the genus-1 curves ${{\cal X}_0}(3)$, ${{\cal X}_1}(3)$ associated with the congruence subgroups Γ0(3), Γ1(3). Since the rational prime 3 is inert in K, the covering ${{\cal X}_0}(3)/{{\cal X}(1)}$ has degree 28, and its Galois closure ${\cal X}(3)/{{\cal X}(1)}$ has geometric Galois group PSL2(F27). Since ${{\cal X}(1)}$ is rational, the covering ${{\cal X}_0}(3)/{{\cal X}(1)}$ amounts to a rational map of degree 28. We compute this rational map explicitly. We find that ${{\cal X}_0}(3)$ is an elliptic curve of conductor 147=372 over Q, as is the Jacobian ${{\cal J}_1}(3)$ of ${{\cal X}_1}(3)$; that these curves are related by an isogeny of degree 13; and that the kernel of the 13-isogeny from ${{\cal J}_1}(3)$ to ${{\cal X}_0}(3)$ consists of K-rational points. We also use the map ${{\cal X}_0}(3) \rightarrow {{{\cal X}}(1)}$ to locate some complex multiplication (CM) points on ${{\cal X}(1)}$. We conclude by describing analogous behavior of a few Shimura curves associated with quaternion algebras over other cyclic cubic fields.
IS ENTREPRENEURSHIP A CHANNEL OF SOCIAL MOBILITY IN LATIN AMERICA

This paper summarizes the findings in this special issue of the Latin American Journal of Economics on entrepreneurship’s role in upward social mobility in Latin America, especially for the middle class, often considered the cradle of entrepreneurship. The income-persistent coef ficients estimated with pseudo-panel data for Colombia, Ecuador, and Uruguay indicate that entrepreneurship is a channel of intergenerational mobility, while asset persistence estimates for Mexico show that entrepreneurship increases mobility across generations. Although persistence coef ficients don’t indicate the direction of such mobility, estimates of income dif ferentials between entrepreneurs and non-entrepreneurs for Ecuador and Mexico support the hypothesis that upward mobility dominates.
On a Conjecture of Thomassen

In 1989, Thomassen asked whether there is an integer-valued function $f(k)$ such that every $f(k)$-connected graph admits a spanning, bipartite $k$-connected subgraph. In this paper we take a first, humble approach, showing the conjecture is true up to a $\log n$ factor.
Absence of C9ORF72 expanded or intermediate repeats in autopsy-confirmed Parkinson's disease

Background We have reported that intermediate repeat lengths of the C9ORF72 repeat are a risk factor for Parkinson's disease (PD) in a clinically diagnosed data set. Because 10% to 25% of clinically diagnosed PD have different diagnoses upon autopsy, we hypothesized that this may reflect phenotypic heterogeneity or concomitant pathology of other neurodegenerative disorders. Methods We screened 488 autopsy-confirmed PD cases for expansion haplotype tag rs3849942T. In 196 identified haplotype carriers, the C9ORF72 repeat was genotyped using the repeat-primed polymerase chain reaction assay. Results No larger (intermediate or expanded) repeats were found in these autopsy-confirmed PD samples. This absence of larger repeats is significantly different from the frequency in clinically diagnosed datasets (P = 0.002). Conclusions Our results suggest that expanded or intermediate C9ORF72 repeats in clinically diagnosed PD or parkinsonism might be an indication of heterogeneity in clinically diagnosed PD cases. Further studies are needed to elucidate the potential contribution of the C9ORF72 repeat to autopsy-confirmed PD. © 2014 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society
Psychopharmacologic treatment of children prenatally exposed to drugs of abuse

Objective This pilot study compared the pharmacologic treatment history and clinical outcomes observed in pediatric outpatients with psychiatric disorders exposed to drugs of abuse in utero to those of an age-matched, sex-matched and psychiatric disorder-matched, non-drug-exposed group. Methods In this matched cohort study, medical records of children treated at an academic, child and adolescent psychiatry outpatient clinic were reviewed. Children with caregiver-reported history of prenatal drug exposure were compared with a non-drug-exposed control group being cared for by the same providers. Patients were rated with the Clinical Global Impressions—Severity scale (CGI-S) throughout treatment. The changes in pre-treatment and post-treatment CGI-S scores and the total number of medication trials were determined between groups. Results The drug-exposed group (n = 30) had a higher total number of lifetime medication trials compared with the non-drug-exposed group (n = 28) and were taking significantly more total medications, at their final assessment. Unlike the non-drug-exposed group, the drug-exposed group demonstrated a lack of clinical improvement. Conclusions These results suggest that in utero drug-exposed children may be more treatment-refractory to or experience greater side effects from the pharmacologic treatment of psychiatric disorders than controls, although we cannot determine if early environment or drugs exposure drives these findings. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Constraints on First-Light Ionizing Sources from Optical Depth of the Cosmic Microwave Background

We examine the constraints on high-redshift star formation, ultraviolet and X-ray preionization, and the epoch of reionization at redshift -->zr, inferred from the recent WMAP-5 measurement, -->τe = 0.084 ± 0.016, of the electron-scattering optical depth of the cosmic microwave background (CMB). Half of this scattering can be accounted for by the optical depth, -->τe = 0.04-0.05, of a fully ionized intergalactic medium (IGM) at -->z ≤ zGP ≈ 6-7, consistent with Gunn-Peterson absorption in neutral hydrogen. The required additional optical depth, -->Δ τe = 0.03 ± 0.02 at -->z > zGP, constrains the ionizing contributions of first light sources. WMAP-5 also measured a significant increase in small-scale power, which lowers the required efficiency of star formation and ionization from minihalos. Early massive stars (UV radiation) and black holes (X-rays) can produce a partially ionized IGM, adding to the residual electrons left from incomplete recombination. Inaccuracies in computing the ionization history, -->xe(z) , and degeneracies in cosmological parameters ( -->Ωm, -->Ωb, -->σ8, -->ns) add systematic uncertainty to the measurement and modeling of -->τe. From the additional optical depth from sources at -->z > zGP, we limit the star formation efficiency, the rate of ionizing photon production for Population III and Population II stars, and the photon escape fraction, using standard histories of baryon collapse, minihalo star formation, and black hole X-ray preionization.
TIME-INDEPENDENT ANISOTROPIC PLASTIC BEHAVIOR BY MECHANICAL SUBELEMENT MODELS

The paper describes a procedure for modelling the anisotropic elastic-plastic behavior of metals in plane stress state by the mechanical sub-layer model. In this model the stress-strain curves along the longitudinal and transverse directions are represented by short smooth segments which are considered as piecewise linear for simplicity. The model is incorporated in a finite element analysis program which is based on the assumed stress hybrid element and the viscoplasticity theory.
Enzymatic cyclization of 1,N6-etheno-nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide

Abstract The ADP-ribosyl cyclase from Aplysia californica catalyzed the transformation of 1,N 6 -etheno-nicotinamide-adenine dinucleotide ( 2 ) into a novel cyclic nucleotide, 3 . The newly formed glycosyl linkage is attached onto the N-1 position of the etheno-adenine ring corresponding to the N-7 position of the adenine nucleus. This alternative mode of cyclization gives more versatility in the biosynthesis of novel analogs of cADPR ( 1 ).
Dissecting cosmic-ray electron-positron data with Occam’s razor: the role of known pulsars

We argue that both the positron fraction measured by PAMELA and the peculiar spectral features reported in the total electron-positron flux measured by ATIC have a very natural explanation in electron-positron pairs produced by nearby pulsars. While this possibility was pointed out a long time ago, the greatly improved quality of current data potentially allow to reverse-engineer the problem: given the regions of pulsar parameter space favored by PAMELA and by ATIC, are there known pulsars that explain the data with reasonable assumptions on the injected electron-positron pairs? In the context of simple benchmark models for estimating the electron-positron output, we consider all known pulsars, as listed in the most complete available catalogue. We find that it is unlikely that a single pulsar be responsible for both the PAMELA positron fraction anomaly and for the ATIC excess, although two single sources are in principle enough to explain both experimental results. The PAMELA excess positrons likely come from a set of mature pulsars (age ∼ × 106 yr), with a distance of 0.8–1 kpc, or from a single, younger and closer source like Geminga. The ATIC data require a larger (and less plausible) energy output, and favor an origin associated to powerful, more distant (1–2 kpc) and younger (age ∼ × 5 × 105 yr) pulsars. We list several candidate pulsars that can individually or coherently contribute to explain the PAMELA and ATIC data. Although generally suppressed, we find that the contribution of pulsars more distant than 1–2 kpc could contribute for the ATIC excess. Finally, we stress the multi-faceted and decisive role that Fermi-LAT will play in the very near future by (1) providing us with an exquisite measurement of the electron-positron flux, (2) unveiling the existence of as yet undetected gamma-ray pulsars, and (3) searching for anisotropies in the arrival direction of high-energy electrons and positrons.
Transfer or adapt business practices internationally? Some answers from Southeast Asia

International organizations have long been torn between transferring their existing practices into new locations or adapting to local conditions. A major miscalculation can have extremely negative consequences for companies as they expand internationally. An examination of business practices in the Theravada Buddhist countries of Southeast Asia illustrates how breaking down business practices into their strategic, tactical, and operational levels may provide a useful guide for setting up initial operations in a foreign environment. It is proposed that strategic principles can be transferred but strategic practices should adapt to local conditions; tactical-level business practices will generally need to adapt to the local environment, while it is likely that best practices at the operational level can be transferred across international borders with little need to adapt to local conditions. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Signature Testing of Sequential Machines

A new approach to the testing of sequential machines is presented which employs signature analysis. In the conventional scheme of testing sequential finite state machines, distinguishing and transfer sequences are used. For the purposes of testing sequential machines by signature analysis, a signature distinguishing sequence is defined. An algorithm for augmenting a sequential machine by introducing an extra input is presented. This yields a sequential machine that has a signature distinguishing sequence. The additional cost in terms of the chip area for a programmable logic array (PLA) implementation is calculated.
Bailing Out the World's Poorest

While the 2008 financial crisis is global in nature, it is likely to have heterogeneous welfare impacts within the developing world, with some countries, and some people, more vulnerable than others. It also threatens to have lasting impacts for some of those affected, notably through the nutrition and schooling of children in poor families. These features point to the need for a differentiated social policy response, aiming to provide rapid income support to those in most need, while preserving the key physical and human assets of poor people and their communities. The paper points out some mistakes in past crisis responses and identifies key design features for safety net programs that can help compensate for the likely welfare losses in the short-term while also promoting longer-term recovery.
Democracy in Global Environmental Governance: Issues, Interests, and Actors in the Mekong and the Rhine

This paper presents a study of the Mekong River Commission (MRC) and the International Commission for Protection of the Rhine (ICPR). The primary focus of this study is to analyze and explain how the issues, interests, and participation of local communities and non-state actors, such as industries and non-governmental organizations, are incorporated or not incorporated into transnational environmental governance in the MRC and ICPR regimes. Analyzing issues, interests and actors across three layers—local, national, and transnational—of the MRC and ICPR, this paper argues that the spirit of democracy can be enhanced in global environmental governance. Although states remain central players in the governance of global environmental resources, non-state actors have made striking advances both in the creation of environmental regimes and in efforts to make these regimes function effectively once they are in place. This phenomenon of increased
Symplectic 4-manifolds with fixed point free circle actions

We show that recent results of Friedl-Vidussi and Chen imply that a symplectic manifold admits a fixed point free circle action if and only if it admits a symplectic circle action and we give a complete description of the symplectic cone in this case. This then completes the characterisation of symplectic 4-manifolds that admit non-trivial circle actions.
A non-newtonian flow model for coal-ash slag

The performance of high-temperature slagging coal-utilization systems depend on the collection of coal ash on the reactor surfaces and the flow of the slag out of the reactor through a slag-tap hole. In order to develop an analytical model for flow of the slag on a reactor wall, existing data for slag viscosity were reviewed in light of new emerging-process conditions. A Bingham model was selected for viscosity and the flow characteristics along a reactor wall are developed.
Discovery of Hot Supergiant Stars near the Galactic Center

We report new results of a campaign to find Wolf-Rayet and O (WR/O) stars and high-mass X-ray binaries (HMXBs) in the Galactic center. We searched for candidates by cross-correlating the Two Micron All Sky Survey with a deep Chandra X-Ray Observatory catalog of point sources in the Radio Arches region. Following up with K-band spectroscopy, we found two massive stellar counterparts to CXOGC J174555.3-285126 and CXOGC J174617.0-285131, which we classify as a broad-lined WR star of subtype WN6b and an O Ia supergiant, respectively. Their X-ray properties are most consistent with those of known colliding-wind binaries in the Galaxy and the Large Magellanic Cloud, although a scenario involving low-rate accretion onto a compact object is also possible. The O Ia star lies 4.4 pc in projection from the Quintuplet cluster and has a radial velocity consistent with that of the Quintuplet, suggesting that this star might have escaped from the cluster. We also present the discovery of a B2 Ia supergiant, which we identified as a candidate massive star using 8 μm Spitzer maps of the Galactic center in a region near the known massive X-ray-emitting star CXOGC J174516.1-290315. We discuss the origin of these stars in the context of evolving stellar clusters in the Galactic center.
Market efficiency, competition, and communication in electric power markets: experimental results

Abstract Economic theory gives no clear indication of the minimum number of producers necessary for a market to define competitive price-quantity equilibria, which approximate price equal to marginal cost. Previous work and Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) guidelines generally suggest that 6–10 suppliers may be workably competitive. Our experiments with PowerWeb suggest that a higher number of suppliers may be necessary to approximate competitive market solutions, this in the absence of any communication among producers. As communications rules are altered to parallel differing types of antitrust enforcement, market results with 24 participants approach pure monopoly values.
Use of the Carolina HPV Immunization Attitudes and Beliefs Scale (CHIAS) in Young Adult Women

Background Validated measures that can accurate describe young adults’ HPV vaccination attitudes and how these relate to vaccination intention and receipt are needed for developing interventions to improve low HPV vaccination levels. The Carolina HPV Immunization Attitudes Scale (CHIAS) is a validated measure of these outcomes that was originally designed for parents. Objective To assess the performance of the CHIAS among young adult women using an exploratory factor analysis. Methods A convenience sample of 139 young adult women (age 18–26 years) were given the CHIAS measure at baseline. Factor analysis was used to determine attitudinal factor groupings and the association of these factors with HPV vaccination intention. A 6-month follow up assessment examined the stability of the CHIAS over time and the association of baseline vaccine factors with vaccine receipt. Results Five factors loaded on to the CHIAS in young adults - “Barriers,” “Harms,” “Effectiveness,” “Risk Denial” and “Uncertainty,” - which was similar to the factor loadings of CHIAS for parents. “Harms” was the factor most consistently associated with vaccination intention at all time points assessed. Only 5 women had received or made an appointment to receive the vaccine at the 6-month follow-up. Conclusions In terms of categorizing HPV vaccination attitudes, the CHIAS appears to have similar performance among young adults as in parents. However, additional studies are needed to assess the utility of the CHIAS for predicting HPV vaccine receipt among the young adult population.
“Fullerene fragments:” Synthesis and crystal structure determination of 1,4,5,6,7,10,11,12-octamethylindeno[1,2,3-cd]fluoranthene

Abstract The title C 30 H 28 hydrocarbon, a potential precursor for the synthesis of buckybowls and carbon cages, is synthesized from 2,3,6,7-tetramethylnaphthalene in eight steps. X-ray crystal structure determination shows a significant distortion of its molecular framework due to steric hindrance of the attached methyl groups. The twisted conformation, present in the solid state, is also predicted to be preferred in the gas phase according to semiempirical AM1 calculations.
Experimental demonstration of near-infrared epsilon-near-zero multilayer metamaterial slabs

Near-infrared epsilon-near-zero (ENZ) metamaterial slabs based on silver-germanium (Ag-Ge) multilayers are experimentally demonstrated. Transmission, reflection and absorption spectra are characterized and used to determine the complex refractive indices and the effective permittivities of the ENZ metamaterial slabs, which match the results obtained from both the numerical simulations and the optical nonlocalities analysis. A rapid post-annealing process is used to reduce the collision frequency of silver and therefore decrease the optical absorption loss of multilayer metamaterial slabs. Furthermore, multilayer grating structures are studied to enhance the optical transmission and also tune the location of ENZ wavelength. The demonstrated near-infrared ENZ multilayer metamaterial slabs are important for realizing many exotic applications, such as phase front shaping and engineering of photonic density of states.
Persistent cohomology and circular coordinates

Nonlinear dimensionality reduction (NLDR) algorithms such as Isomap, LLE and Laplacian Eigenmaps address the problem of representing high-dimensional nonlinear data in terms of low-dimensional coordinates which represent the intrinsic structure of the data. This paradigm incorporates the assumption that real-valued coordinates provide a rich enough class of functions to represent the data faithfully and efficiently. On the other hand, there are simple structures which challenge this assumption: the circle, for example, is one-dimensional but its faithful representation requires two real coordinates. In this work, we present a strategy for constructing circle-valued functions on a statistical data set. We develop a machinery of persistent cohomology to identify candidates for significant circle-structures in the data, and we use harmonic smoothing and integration to obtain the circle-valued coordinate functions themselves. We suggest that this enriched class of coordinate functions permits a precise NLDR analysis of a broader range of realistic data sets.
Regimes of Pulsar Pair Formation and Particle Energetics

We investigate the conditions required for the production of electron-positron pairs above a pulsar polar cap (PC) and the influence of pair production on the energetics of the primary particle acceleration. Assuming space-charge limited flow acceleration including the inertial frame-dragging effect, we allow both one-photon and two-photon pair production by either curvature radiation (CR) photons or photons resulting from inverse-Compton scattering of thermal photons from the PC by primary electrons. We find that,, while only the younger pulsars can produce pairs through CR, nearly all known radio pulsars are capable of producing pairs through non-resonant inverse-Compton scatterings. The effect of the neutron star equations of state on the pair death lines is explored. We show that pair production is facilitated in more compact stars and more a massive stars. Therefore accretion of mass by pulsars in binary systems may allow pair production in most of the millisecond purser population. We also find that two-photon pair production may be important in millisecond pursers if their surface temperatures are above approx. or equal to three million degrees K. Pursers that produce pairs through CRT wilt have their primary acceleration limited by the effect of screening of the electric field. In this regime, the high-energy luminosity should follow a L(sub HE) proportional to dot-E(sup 1/2, sub rot) dependence. The acceleration voltage drop in pursers that produce pairs only through inverse-Compton emission will not be limited by electric field screening. In this regime, the high-energy luminosity should follow a L(sub HE) proportional to dot-E(sub rot) dependence. Thus, older pursers will have significantly lower gamma-ray luminosity.
2MASS Reveals a Large Intrinsic Fraction of BALQSOs

The intrinsic fraction of broad absorption line quasars (BALQSOs) is important in constraining geometric and evolutionary models of quasars. We present the fraction of BALQSOs in 2MASS-detected quasars within the SDSS DR3 sample in the redshift range of 1.7 ≤ z ≤ 4.38. The fraction of BALQSOs is 40.4+ 3.4−3.3% in the 2MASS 99% database Ks-band completeness sample, and 38.5+ 1.7−1.7% in the larger 2MASS sample extending below the completeness limit. These fractions are significantly higher than the 26% reported in the optical bands for the same parent sample. We also present the fraction of BALQSOs as functions of apparent magnitudes, absolute magnitudes, and redshift in the 2MASS and SDSS bands. The 2MASS fractions are consistently higher than the SDSS fractions in every comparison, and the BALQSO fractions steadily increase with wavelength from the SDSS u to the 2MASS Ks bands. Furthermore, the i − Ks color distributions of BALQSOs and non-BALQSOs indicate that BALQSOs are redder than non-BALQSOs, with a K-S test probability of 2 × 10−12. These results are consistent with the spectral difference between BALQSOs and non-BALQSOs including both the absorption troughs and dust extinction in BALQSOs, which leads to significant selection biases against BALQSOs in the optical bands. Using a simple simulation incorporating the luminosity function of quasars and the amount of obscuration for BALQSOs, we simultaneously fit the BALQSO fractions in the SDSS and 2MASS bands. We obtain a true BALQSO fraction of (43 ± 2)% for luminous quasars (MKs −30.1 mag).
Global Distribution of Water Vapor and Cloud Cover—Sites for High-Performance THz Applications

Absorption of terahertz radiation by atmospheric water vapor is a serious impediment for radio astronomy and for long-distance communications. Transmission in the THz regime is dependent almost exclusively on atmospheric precipitable water vapor (PWV). Though much of the Earth has PWV that is too high for good transmission above 200 GHz, there are a number of dry sites with very low attenuation. We performed a global analysis of PWV with high-resolution measurements from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MODIS) on two NASA Earth Observing System (EOS) satellites over the year of 2011. We determined PWV and cloud cover distributions and then developed a model to find transmission and atmospheric radiance as well as necessary integration times in the various windows. We produced global maps over the common THz windows for astronomical and satellite communications scenarios. Notably, we show that, up through 1 THz, systems could be built in excellent sites of Chile, Greenland, and the Tibetan Plateau, while Antarctic performance is good to 1.6 THz. For a ground-to-space communication link up through 847 GHz, we found several sites in the Continental United States where mean atmospheric attenuation is less than 40 dB, which is not an insurmountable challenge for a link.
Oncostatin M Is Produced in Adipose Tissue and Is Regulated in Conditions of Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes

Context: Adipose tissue is a highly active endocrine organ that secretes many factors that affect other tissues and whole-body metabolism. Adipocytes are responsive to several glycoprotein 130 (gp130) cytokines, some of which have been targeted as potential antiobesity therapeutics. Objective: Oncostatin M (OSM) is a gp130 family member known to inhibit adipocyte differentiation in vitro, but its effects on other adipocyte properties are not characterized. The expression of OSM in white adipose tissue (WAT) has not been evaluated in the context of obesity. Thus, our objective was to examine the expression of adipose tissue OSM in obese animals and humans. Design: OSM expression was examined in adipose tissues from mice with diet-induced and genetic obesity and in obese humans as well as in fractionated adipose tissue from mice. Murine adipocytes were used to examine OSM receptor expression and the effects of OSM on adipocytes, including the secretion of factors such as plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 an...
A homological recipe for pseudo-Anosovs

We give a simple explicit construction of pseudo-Anosov mapping classes using an improvement of the homological criterion of Casson--Bleiler.
Partitioning Methods for Satisfiability Testing on Large Formulas

Methods for partitioning large propositional formulas are investigated, with the goal of producing a set of smaller formulas whose satisfiability can be determined within reasonable time frames by known algorithms. CNF formula partitioning can be viewed as hypergraph partitioning, which has been studied extensively in VLSI design. Although CNF formulas have been considered as hypergraphs before, we found that this viewpoint was not productive for partitioning, and we introduce a new viewpoint in the dual hypergraph. Hypergraph partitioning technology from VLSI design is adapted to this problem. The overall goal of satisfiability testing requires criteria different from those used in VLSI design. Several heuristics are described and investigated experimentally. Some formulas from circuit applications that were extremely difficult or impossible for existing algorithms have been solved. However, the method is not useful on formulas with little or no structure, such as randomly generated formulas.
Application of a radiative transfer model to bright icy satellites

A radiative transfer model, derived largely from the work of Hapke (1981) and Goguen (1981), is fit to Voyager imaging observations of Europa, Mimas, Enceladus, and Rhea. It is possible to place constraints on the single-scattering albedo, the porosity of the optically active upper regolith, the single-particle phase function, and, in the cases of Europa and Mimas, the mean-slope angle of macroscopic surface features. The texture of the surfaces of the Saturnian satellites appears to be similar to the earth's moon. However, Europa is found to have a distinctly more compact regolith and a more forward-scattering single-particle phase function.
Light Higgs bosons in three-generation Calabi-Yau superstring theory.

An analysis of the Higgs sector is given in three-generation superstring models which arise via Calabi-Yau compactifications where the flux breaking at the compactification scale reduces the E{sub 6} grand unified group to (SU(3)){sup 3} and a further spontaneous breaking at an intermediate scale {ital M}{sub {ital I}} reduces this symmetry down to the standard-model gauge group symmetry SU(3){sub {ital C}}{times}SU(2){sub {ital L}}{times}U(1){sub {ital Y}}. The analysis is carried out within the framework of matter parity invariance which is needed for proton stability and the assumption that spontaneous breaking at the intermediate scale is triggered by supersymmetry breaking. Conditions for the existence of a pair of light Higgs doublets needed for the further breaking of the SU(2){sub {ital L}}{times}U(1){sub {ital Y}} electroweak symmetry are obtained. These conditions act as constraints on the moduli space of the theory in order that the (27){sup 3} interactions accommodate light Higgs bosons below the intermediate mass scale.