cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The UCLA Surgical Approach to Sphincteric Incontinence in Women

Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) in the female may be treated by a variety of non-surgical and surgical therapies. However, once the patient has chosen to undergo operative repair the ideal procedure is based on three considerations: the degree of anterior vaginal wall prolapse, the degree of incontinence and associated anatomic abnormalities requiring surgical repair. In the vast majority of cases vaginal wall sling is our procedure of choice for the surgical treatment of SUI in the female. Vaginal wall sling is based on sound anatomic principles, may be performed as an outpatient procedure and is equally efficacious for the treatment of SUI due to anatomic incontinence (urethral hypermobility) and intrinsic sphincter deficiency. Since vaginal wall sling is performed through a transvaginal approach, other associated manifestations of pelvic floor prolapse such as rectocele can be addressed and repaired simultaneously. When necessary the vaginal wall sling can be easily modified to repair large grade cystoceles.
On the Jahn-Teller effect in ReF6

New experimental and theoretical work has led to a re-evaluation of the Jahn-Teller effect in ReF6. Low temperature neat and mixed crystal Raman and absorption spectra have been taken. The theory applicable to two Jahn-Teller active vibrations and to a Jahn-Teller molecule in a low symmetry crystalline field is discussed. The main conclusions of the study are that (1) the standard linear Jahn-Teller treatment of vibronically active modes as independent motions characterized by a given vibronic angular momentum is in general inadequate ; (2) Renner-Teller (quadratic) or higher-order vibronic coupling terms are important ; (3) crystal-field splitting of the vibronic levels is not observed ; and (4) vibrational exciton band widths of the Jahn-Teller active vibrations are substantially reduced.
Cell manipulation using magnetic nanowires

The use of magnetic nanowires is demonstrated as a method for the application of force to mammalian cells. Magnetic separations were carried out on populations of NIH-3T3 mouse fibroblast cells using ferromagnetic Ni wires 350 nm in diameter and 35 μm long. Separation purities in excess of 90% and yields of 49% are obtained. The nanowires are shown to outperform magnetic beads of comparable volume.
Density matrix purification due to continuous quantum measurement

Abstract We consider the continuous quantum measurement of a two-level system, for example, a single-Cooper-pair box measured by a single-electron transistor or a double-quantum dot measured by a quantum point contact. While the approach most commonly used describes the gradual decoherence of the system due to the measurement, we show that when taking into account the detector output, we get the opposite effect: gradual purification of the density matrix. The competition between purification due to measurement and decoherence due to interaction with the environment can be described by a simple Langevin equation which couples the random evolution of the system density matrix and the stochastic detector output. The gradual density matrix purification due to continuous measurement may be verified experimentally using present-day technology. The effect can be useful for quantum computing.
Euclidean partitions optimizing noise stability

The Standard Simplex Conjecture of Isaksson and Mossel asks for the partition $\{A_{i}\}_{i=1}^{k}$ of $\mathbb{R}^{n}$ into $k\leq n+1$ pieces of equal Gaussian measure of optimal noise stability. That is, for $\rho>0$, we maximize$$\sum_{i=1}^{k}\int_{\mathbb{R}^{n}}\int_{\mathbb{R}^{n}}1_{A_{i}}(x)1_{A_{i}}(x\rho+y\sqrt{1-\rho^{2}})e^{-(x_{1}^{2}+\cdots+x_{n}^{2})/2}e^{-(y_{1}^{2}+\cdots+y_{n}^{2})/2}dxdy.$$Isaksson and Mossel guessed the best partition for this problem and proved some applications of their conjecture. For example, the Standard Simplex Conjecture implies the Plurality is Stablest Conjecture. For $k=3,n\geq2$ and $0<\rho<\rho_{0}(k,n)$, we prove the Standard Simplex Conjecture. The full conjecture has applications to theoretical computer science and to geometric multi-bubble problems (after Isaksson and Mossel).
A hybrid fiat—Commodity monetary system

In this paper I describe a ?monetary? system in which backing is provided for the government?s liabilities by way of contingent resort to taxes. The system has some of the features of a commodity money system with a large seignorage spread between bid and ask prices. It is studied within the context of a one-good, pure exchange model of two-period-lived overlapping generations in which, aside from various uniform boundedness assumptions, considerable diversity is allowed both within and across generations. Two results are established: (i) the existence of at least one perfect foresight competitive equilibrium, and (ii) the Pareto optimality of any such equilibrium.
K-band Spectroscopy of (Pre-)Cataclysmic Variables: Are Some Donor Stars Really Carbon Poor?

We present a new sample of K-band spectral observations for cataclysmic variables (CVs): non-magnetic and magnetic as well as present-day and pre-CVs. The purpose of this diverse sample is to address the recent claim that the secondary stars in dwarf novae are carbon deficient, having become so through a far more evolved evolution than the current paradigm predicts. Our new observations, along with previous literature results, span a wide range of orbital period and CV type. In general, dwarf novae in which the secondary star is seen show weak to no CO absorption while polar and pre-CV donor stars appear to have normal CO absorption for their spectral type. However, this is not universal. The presence of normal looking CO absorption in the dwarf nova SS Aur and the hibernating CV QS Vir and a complete lack of CO absorption in the long-period polar V1309 Ori cloud the issue. A summary of the literature pointing to non-solar abundances including enhanced N V/C IV ratios is presented. It appears that some CVs have non-solar abundance material accreting onto the white dwarf suggesting an evolved secondary star while for others CO emission in the accretion disk may play a role. However, the exact mechanism or combination of factors causing the CO absorption anomaly in CVs is not yet clear.
Chiral gravity as a covariant formulation of massive gravity

We present a covariant nonlinear completion of the Fierz–Pauli (FP) mass term for the graviton. The starting observation is that the FP mass is immediately obtained by expanding the cosmological constant term, i.e. the determinant of the vielbein, around Minkowski space to second order in the vielbein perturbations. Since this is an unstable expansion in the standard case, we consider an extended theory of gravity which describes two vielbeins that give rise to chiral spin-connections (consequently, fermions of a definite chirality only couple to one of the gravitational sectors). As for Einstein gravity with a cosmological constant, a single fine-tuning is needed to recover a Minkowski background; the two sectors then differ only by a constant conformal factor. The spectrum of this theory consists of a massless and a massive graviton, with FP mass term. The theory possesses interesting limits in which only the massive graviton is coupled to matter at the linearized level.
Formation of Reaction‐Bonded Silicon Nitride from Silane‐Derived Silicon Powders: Nucleation and Growth Mechanisms

The nucleation and growth of Si3N4 on silane-derived Si powders was investigated with transmission electron microscopy and FTIR spectroscopy. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) was also used to monitor the process through different stages of the reaction. The FTIR and TEM results provide clear evidence that the nucleation of crystalline Si3N4 coincides with the onset of rapid nitridation. Electron diffraction indicates that Si3N4 forms heteroepitaxially on the Si powder surfaces, with Si (111) || Si3N4(0001) and Si || Si3N4. Also, flat interfaces between the Si and Si3N4 (compared to the initial spherical surface of the Si powders) indicate that a significant rearrangement of the particle surface occurs during the initial stages of nitridation. The results reported here demonstrate that the rapid, low-temperature nitridation observed with silane-derived powders is possible because the Si/vapor surfaces are not covered with a continuous Si3N4 product layer. The measured nitridation rates are comparable to Si evaporation rates, which suggests that Si vaporization is rate limiting. This is significantly different from conventional RBSN, where nitridation is limited by solid-state diffusion through a Si3N4 product layer.
Magnetic holes in the solar wind

An analysis is presented of high resolution interplanetary magnetic field measurements from the magnetometer on Explorer 43 which showed that low magnetic field intensities in the solar wind at 1 AU occur as distinct depressions or 'holes'. These magnetic holes are new kinetic-scale phenomena, having a characteristic dimension on the order of 20,000 km. They occurred at a rate of 1.5/day in the 18-day time span (March 18 to April 6, 1971) that was analyzed. Most of the magnetic holes are characterized by both a depression in the absolute value of the magnetic field, and a change in the magnetic field direction; some of these are possibly the result of magnetic merging. However, in other cases the magnetic field direction does not change; such holes are not due to magnetic merging, but might be a diamagnetic effect due to localized plasma inhomogeneities.
Probing spin-charge separation using spin transport

Abstract Pedagogical discussions are given on what constitutes a signature of spin-charge separation. A proposal is out-lined to probe spin-charge separation in the normal state of the high Tc cuprates using spin transport. Specifically, the proposal is to compare the temperature dependences of the spin resistivity and electrical resistivity: Spin-charge separation will be manifested in the different temperature dependences of these two resistivities. We also estimate the spin diffusion length and spin relaxation time scales, and we argue that it should be experimentally feasible to measure the spin transport properties in the cuprates using the spin-injection technique. The on-going spin-injection experiments in the cuprates and related theoretical issues are also discussed.
Performance of a Broadbanded Ultrasonic Transducer with Coaxially-Mounted, Nondirectional Receiver

For a majority of ultrasonic nondestructive testing applications, the ultrasonic transducer used for transmission is also used for reception. When separate transducers are used, the receiving element is usually a duplicate of the transmitting element. In this situation, the directivity pattern of the transducer(s) is the same for transmission and reception.
Application of a New Chiral Phosphepine to the Catalytic Asymmetric Synthesis of Highly Functionalized Cyclopentenes That Bear an Array of Heteroatom-Substituted Quaternary Stereocenters

Through the design and synthesis of a new chiral phosphepine, the first catalytic asymmetric method for the [3 + 2] cycloaddition of allenes with olefins has been developed that generates cyclopentenes that bear nitrogen-, phosphorus-, oxygen-, and sulfur-substituted quaternary stereocenters. A wide array of racemic γ-substituted allenes can be employed in this stereoconvergent process, which occurs with good enantioselectivity, diastereoselectivity, regioselectivity, and yield. Mechanistic studies, including a unique observation of a (modest) kinetic resolution of a racemic allene, are consistent with addition of the phosphepine to the allene being the turnover-limiting step of the catalytic cycle.
Asymptotics in ASEP with Step Initial Condition

In previous work the authors considered the asymmetric simple exclusion process on the integer lattice in the case of step initial condition, particles beginning at the positive integers. There it was shown that the probability distribution for the position of an individual particle is given by an integral whose integrand involves a Fredholm determinant. Here we use this formula to obtain three asymptotic results for the positions of these particles. In one an apparently new distribution function arises and in another the distribution function F2 arises. The latter extends a result of Johansson on TASEP to ASEP, and hence proves KPZ universality for ASEP with step initial condition.
Dwarf Galaxies of the Local Group

XMM-Newton and Chandra have ushered in a new era for the study of dwarf galaxies in the Local Group. We provide an overview of the opportunities, challenges, and some early results. The large number of background sources relative to galaxy sources is a major theme. Despite this challenge, the identification of counterparts has been possible, providing hints that the same mechanisms producing X-ray sources in larger galaxies are active in dwarf galaxies. A supersoft X-ray source within 2″ of the supermassive black hole in M32 may be a remnant of the tidal disruption of a giant, although other explanations cannot be ruled out.
¿Limitando la soberanía o produciendo gobermentalidad? Dos modelos de Derechos Humanos en el discurso político de Estados Unidos

The sociology of international activism has often focused on human rights in order to illustrate the ‘power of ideas’ in the design of public policy. According to this view, the successful institutionalization of human rights principles under the Carter administration forced the Reagan administration to adjust its policies to principles it could neither ignore nor use for purely instrumental purposes. The paper argues that these approaches ignore the disputed and controversial nature of political-legal concepts and the fact that their very definition is at stake in struggles between competing sets of actors seeking to use these concepts to legitimate different policy approaches. Mapping out the field of producers of the human rights discourse in the late 1970s-early 1980s, both in their civil and governmental components, the paper shows that the concept of human rights has been constructed along two main principles, each corresponding to specific social and political interest groups. The first bases human rights in international law and is promoted mainly by lawyers and activists linked to international organizations. The second, conceived mainly by neoconservatives, has an anti-legal approach to the concept of human rights, linking it instead to democracy promotion.
The Minimal Complexity of Adapting Agents Increases with Fitness

What is the relationship between the complexity and the fitness of evolved organisms, whether natural or artificial? It has been asserted, primarily based on empirical data, that the complexity of plants and animals increases as their fitness within a particular environment increases via evolution by natural selection. We simulate the evolution of the brains of simple organisms living in a planar maze that they have to traverse as rapidly as possible. Their connectome evolves over 10,000s of generations. We evaluate their circuit complexity, using four information-theoretical measures, including one that emphasizes the extent to which any network is an irreducible entity. We find that their minimal complexity increases with their fitness.
Synthesis and reactions of amino acid-derived benziodazole oxides: new chiral oxidizing reagents

Abstract The novel benziodazole oxides (3) can be prepared by oxidation of the readily available 2-iodobenzamides (5 or 6) with potassium bromate. Benziodazole oxides can find practical application as selective oxidizing reagents analogous to the widely used Dess–Martin periodinane (1) and benziodoxole oxide (2). Preliminary results indicate that reagents 3 can oxidize primary alcohols to aldehydes, while non-symmetric sulfides are oxidized to chiral sulfoxides with moderate enantioselectivity.
Petrologic model of the northern Mississippi Embayment based on satellite magnetic and ground-based geophysical data

Magnetization, derived from gravity-seismic data from the northern Mississippi Embayment, is evaluated relative to magnetization values obtained from satellite magnetic data. A magnetization contrast of approximately -0.54 A/m determined from the geophysical model compares favorably to a value of approximately -0.47 A/m from MAGSAT United States Apparent Magnetization contrast map. The negative magnetization contrast, required by the MAGSAT data, is unusual as rift zones with the exception of those which are currently active are associated with positive magnetization. The model presented favors an intrusion of low Curie temperature mafic rock at the base of the crust. Alternate possibilities, a shallow Curie isotherm or remanence in a direction other than that of the current main field, seem less likely as reported regional heat flow values are too low and remanence is attenuated at depth.
Decentralized adaptive controller design for large-scale systems with higher order interconnections

Decentralized robust adaptive controller designs for large-scale interconnected systems are investigated. Motivated by real mechanical systems, the authors consider a general representation of interconnections when the strength of the interconnections is bounded by a pth-order polynomial in states. This is in contrast to other studies which have made simpler assumptions about the strength of the interconnections. The authors investigate several scenarios as the control computations become more distributed until the controllers are completely decentralized. The possible bound of the interconnections is assumed to be known for the decentralized semiadaptive controller. Without the knowledge of these bounds, two adaptive controllers are designed: a decentralized adaptive controller with partially centralized compensation and a fully adaptive decentralized controller. >
The role of soft information in a dynamic contract setting: Evidence from the home equity credit market

Credit underwriting is a dynamic process involving multiple interactions between borrower and lender. During this process, lenders have the opportunity to obtain hard and soft information from the borrower. We analyze more than 108,000 home equity loans and lines-of-credit applications to study the role of soft and hard information during underwriting. Our data set allows us to distinguish lender actions that are based strictly on hard information from decisions that involve the collection of soft information. Our analysis confirms the importance of soft information and suggests that its use can be effective in reducing overall portfolio credit losses ex post.
Selling Labor Low: Wage Responses to Productivity Shocks in Developing Countries

Productivity risk is pervasive in underdeveloped countries. This paper highlights a way in which underdevelopment exacerbates productivity risk. Productivity shocks cause larger changes in the wage when workers are poorer, less able to migrate, and more credit‐constrained because of such workers’ inelastic labor supply. This equilibrium wage effect hurts workers. In contrast, it acts as insurance for landowners. Agricultural wage data for 257 districts in India for 1956–87 are used to test the predictions, with rainfall as an instrument for agricultural productivity. In districts with fewer banks or higher migration costs, the wage is much more responsive to fluctuations in productivity.
The Impacts of Change in Local Industrial Composition on Off-Farm Labor Supply

Most U.S. farm households have either the operator or spouse working off-farm for wages and salaries or proprietorships. Additionally, off-farm income continues to grow as a share of total household income. Little is known about how changes in local industrial composition impact off-farm labor decisions. Using a household utility maximization framework, this analysis employs a two-stage process to 1) predict joint off-farm labor participation of operators and spouses, and 2) measure the impact of farm and household characteristics, and changes in county-level industry on levels of off-farm labor supply. Results show that labor participation decisions are jointly determined. Human capital is among the most significant individual characteristics impacting labor supply. The most important factors are the industrial sector of the off-farm job, and whether that sector is growing or in decline. Growth in retail trade and service employment is associated with increases in labor supply for the operator and spouse.
Maximum-Likelihood Sequence Detector for Dynamic Mode High Density Probe Storage

There is an increasing need for high density data storage devices driven by the increased demand of consumer electronics. In this work, we consider a data storage system that operates by encoding information as topographic profiles on a polymer medium. A cantilever probe with a sharp tip (few nm radius) is used to create and sense the presence of topographic profiles, resulting in a density of few Tb per in.2. The prevalent mode of using the cantilever probe is the static mode that is harsh on the probe and the media. In this article, the high quality factor dynamic mode operation, that is less harsh on the media and the probe, is analyzed. The read operation is modeled as a communication channel which incorporates system memory due to inter-symbol interference and the cantilever state. We demonstrate an appropriate level of abstraction of this complex nanoscale system that obviates the need for an involved physical model. Next, a solution to the maximum likelihood sequence detection problem based on the Viterbi algorithm is devised. Experimental and simulation results demonstrate that the performance of this detector is several orders of magnitude better than the performance of other existing schemes.
A step response based mixed-signal BIST approach

A new mixed-signal built-in self-test approach that is based upon the step response of a reconfigurable (or multifunction) analog block is presented in this paper. The technique requires the overlapping step response of the Circuit Under Test (CUT) for two circuit configurations. Each configuration can be realized by changing the topology of the CUT or by sampling two CUT nodes with differing step responses. The technique can effectively detect both soft and hard faults and does not require an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) and/or digital-to-analog converter ( DAC). It also does not require any precision voltage sources or comparators. The approach does not require any additional analog circuits to realize the test signal generator and a two input analog multiplexer for CUT test node sampling. The paper concludes with the application of the proposed approach to a circuit found in the work of Epstein et al. (see IEEE Trans. on CAD, vol. 12, no. 1, p. 102-113, 1993) and two ITC'97 analog benchmark circuits.
Supramolecular organic photochemistry: Control of covalent bond formation through noncovalent supramolecular interactions and magnetic effects

Supramolecular organic photochemistry, a field concerned with the interaction of light with supramolecular assemblies of organic molecules, has been inspired by the remarkable structural and dynamic features of guest@host chemistry, particularly as exemplified by enzymes. Exemplars of supramolecular organic photochemistry from soft-matter hosts (micelles) and hard-matter hosts (porous solids) are discussed with an emphasis on how noncovalent interactions, which are at the heart of supramolecular chemistry, can be systematically exploited to control the catalytic and magnetic effects on the formation of covalent bonds from photochemically produced pairs of radicals.
Adaptive Control of Aeroelastic Instabilities in Transonic Flow and Its Scaling

A two-dimensional aeroservoelastic study in the time domain is described. The model, based on exact inviscid aerodynamics, correctly represents the large amplitude motions and the associated strong shock dynamics in the transonic regime. The aeroservoelastic system consists of a two-degree-of-freedom airfoil with a trailing-edge control surface. Active e utter suppression in the presence of nonlinear aeroelastic phenomena is achieved using e rst-order actuator dynamics and a digital adaptive controller. A relation between actuator dynamics and limits on the e ap dee ection angle to guarantee the effectiveness of the adaptive controller is illustrated by the results. Hingemomentcalculationsandpowerrequirementsfore uttersuppressionarealsocarriedout. Aeroelasticscaling requirements for the governing parameters, including actuator moment and control power, are established.
Current dark matter annihilation constraints from CMB and low-redshift data

Updated constraints on the dark matter cross section and mass are presented combining cosmic microwave background (CMB) power spectrum measurements from Planck, WMAP9, ACT, and SPT as well as several low-redshift data sets (BAO, HST, and supernovae). For the CMB data sets, we combine WMAP9 temperature and polarization data for $l\ensuremath{\le}431$ with Planck temperature data for $432\ensuremath{\le}l\ensuremath{\le}2500$, ACT and SPT data for $lg2500$, and Planck CMB four-point lensing measurements. We allow for redshift-dependent energy deposition from dark matter annihilation by using a ``universal" energy absorption curve. We also include an updated treatment of the excitation, heating, and ionization energy fractions and provide an updated deposition efficiency factors (${f}_{\text{eff}}$) for 41 different dark matter models. Assuming perfect energy deposition (${f}_{\text{eff}}=1$) and a thermal cross section, dark matter masses below 26 GeV are excluded at the $2\ensuremath{\sigma}$ level. Assuming a more generic efficiency of ${f}_{\text{eff}}=0.2$, thermal dark matter masses below 5 GeV are disfavored at the $2\ensuremath{\sigma}$ level. These limits are a factor of $\ensuremath{\sim}2$ improvement over those from WMAP9 data alone. These current constraints probe, but do not exclude, dark matter as an explanation for reported anomalous indirect detection observations from AMS-02/PAMELA and the Fermi gamma-ray inner-Galaxy data. They also probe relevant models that would explain anomalous direct detection events from CDMS, CRESST, CoGeNT, and DAMA, as originating from a generic thermal weakly interacting massive particle. Projected constraints from the full Planck release should improve the current limits by another factor of $\ensuremath{\sim}2$ but will not definitely probe these signals. The proposed CMB Stage IV experiment will more decisively explore the relevant regions and improve upon the Planck constraints by another factor of $\ensuremath{\sim}2$.
Macrodiversity power control in hierarchical CDMA cellular systems

Hierarchical code division multiple access (CDMA) cellular systems, consisting of macrocells with underlying microcells, are studied. We seek power control schemes which will allow both hierarchical layers to share the same spectrum. For the reverse link, hierarchical maximal ratio combining (HMRC) is applied where each mobile station (MSs) is received and coherently combined by base stations (BSs) in both layers. For the forward link, selective transmit diversity (STD) is applied where each BS provides multiple transmit paths for MSs to choose. We show that both HMRC and STD are effective in hierarchical CDMA architectures. We conclude that hierarchical architectures are a viable solution for improving CDMA cellular system capacity, and a significant performance gain can be achieved without assigning disjoint spectrum between the layers, by utilizing macrodiversity schemes such as HMRC and STD.
Cancer burden and trends in the asian pacific RIM region

Purpose With the control of infectious diseases in the countries of the Asian Pacific Rim, the importance of noncommunicable diseases such as cancer is sure to increase. Our aim is to estimate the current and future burden of cancer in this region. Methods Current cancer burden (incidence, mortality, prevalence) and future trend estimates were obtained from the GLOBOCAN 2000 database. The future cancer trends through to the year 2050 are projected based on population dynamics, including population growth and aging. Results Currently, the top eight cancers in the Asian Pacific Rim region are cancer of the stomach, lung, liver, colon or rectum, esophagus, breast, cervix, and leukemia. In 2000, the Asian Pacific Rim had more than 3 million new cancer cases, more than 2 million cancer deaths, and 5.4 million people living with cancer. For 2050, 7.8 million new cancer cases and 5.7 million deaths from cancer are projected. Conclusion The current cancer burden and the future projection reveal that cancer is and will be a very serious public health problem in the Asian Pacific Rim region. These data can assist public health officers and cancer researchers in the design and establishment of public health policies, prioritization of future research, and application of current knowledge in the prevention and control of cancer.
Chemical Vapor Deposition of B13C2 from BCl3-CH4-H2-Argon Mixtures

The deposition of boron carbide (B13C2) onto graphite substrates was accomplished by using a hot-wall chemical vapor deposition (CVD) reactor at a pressure of 10.1 kPa in the temperature range of 1000°–1400°C. A modified impinging-jet geometry was used to simplify the mass-transfer analysis. Coatings were characterized using X-ray diffractometry (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The surface morphology was composed of well-defined facets, the size of which was dependent on the growth rate and deposition time, as would be expected from a competitive growth mechanism. TEM micrographs of the coating showed long, columnar grains that emanated from a narrow nucleation zone. The growth rate could be adequately described by a first-order kinetic expression, with respect to the bulk gas phase boron chloride (BCl3) concentration. The activation energy of the kinetic expression was estimated to be 93.1 kJ/mol. It was proposed that the deposition was limited by the adsorption of (BCl3) onto the substrate surface.
A Test Device for Premixed Gas Turbine Combustion Oscillations

This paper discusses the design and operation of a test combustor suitable for studying combustion oscillations caused by a commercial-scale gas turbine fuel nozzle. Aside from the need to be conducted at elevated pressures and temperatures, it is desirable for the experimental device to be flexible in its geometry so as to provide an acoustic environment representative of the commercial device. The combustor design, capabilities, and relevant instrumentation for such a device are presented, along with initial operating experience and preliminary data that suggests the importance of nozzle reference velocity and air temperature.
Logics of Mental Attitudes in AI

There has been a growing interest in AI in formal, qualitative models of various mental attitudes, starting with the well-researched concepts of knowledge and belief, and continuing with more exotic notions such as goals and intentions. In this initial survey we take stock of the work carried out so far in this field, including the motivation for this line of research, the mental attitudes considered, those not, the (primarily logical) tools used, and some of the outstanding problems.
Optimal startup control of a jacketed tubular reactor

The optimal startup policy of a jacketed tubular reactor, in which a first-order, reversible, exothermic reaction takes place, is presented. A distributed maximum principle is presented for determining weak necessary conditions for optimality of a diffusional distributed parameter system. A numerical technique is developed for practical implementation of the distributed maximum principle. This involves the sequential solution of the state and adjoint equations, in conjunction with a functional gradient technique for iteratively improving the control function.
Vein visualization: patient characteristic factors and efficacy of a new infrared vein finder technology

Background We investigated the patient characteristic factors that correlate with identification of i.v. cannulation sites with normal eyesight. We evaluated a new infrared vein finding (VF) technology device in identifying i.v. cannulation sites. Methods Each subject underwent two observations: one using the conventional method (CM) of normal, unassisted eyesight and the other with the infrared VF device, VueTek's Veinsite™ (VF). A power analysis for moderate effect size (β=0.95) required 54 samples for within-subject differences. Results Patient characteristic profiles were obtained from 384 subjects (768 observations). Our sample population exhibited an overall average of 5.8 [95% confidence interval (CI) 5.4–6.2] veins using CM. As a whole, CM vein visualization were less effective among obese [4.5 (95% CI 3.8–5.3)], African-American [4.6 (95% CI 3.6–5.5 veins)], and Asian [5.1 (95% CI 4.1–6.0)] subjects. Next, the VF technology identified an average of 9.1 (95% CI 8.6–9.5) possible cannulation sites compared with CM [average of 5.8 (95% CI 5.4–6.2)]. Seventy-six obese subjects had an average of 4.5 (95% CI 3.8–5.3) and 8.2 (95% CI 7.4–9.1) veins viewable by CM and VF, respectively. In dark skin subjects, 9.1 (95% CI 8.3–9.9) veins were visible by VF compared with 5.4 (95% CI 4.8–6.0) with CM. Conclusions African-American or Asian ethnicity, and obesity were associated with decreased vein visibility. The visibility of veins eligible for cannulation increased for all subgroups using a new infrared device.
Apollo video photogrammetry estimation of plume impingement effects

Abstract Future missions to the Moon may require numerous landings at the same site. Since the top few centimeters are loosely packed regolith, plume impingement from the Lander ejects the granular material at high velocities. Much work is needed to understand the physics of plume impingement during landing to protect hardware surrounding the landing sites. While mostly qualitative in nature, the Apollo Lunar Module landing videos can provide a wealth of quantitative information using modern photogrammetry techniques. The authors have used the digitized videos to quantify plume impingement effects of the landing exhaust on the lunar surface. The dust ejection angle from the plume is estimated at 1°–3°. The lofted particle density is estimated at 108–1013 particles/m3. Additionally, evidence for ejection of large 10–15 cm sized objects and a dependence of ejection angle on thrust are presented. Further work is ongoing to continue quantitative analysis of the landing videos.
Lasing in Single Cadmium Sulfide Nanowire Optical Cavities

The mechanism of lasing in single cadmium sulfide (CdS) nanowire cavities was elucidated by temperature-dependent and time-resolved photoluminescence (PL) measurements. Temperature-dependent PL studies reveal rich spectral features and show that an exciton-exciton interaction is critical to lasing up to 75 K, while an exciton-phonon process dominates at higher temperatures. These measurements together with temperature and intensity dependent lifetime and threshold studies show that lasing is due to formation of excitons and, moreover, have implications for the design of efficient, low threshold nanowire lasers.
Heterogeneous catalysis with nickel-on-graphite (Ni/Cg).

Impregnation of nickel(II) onto graphite, upon reduction in situ, leads to a reagent that catalyzes both C–H and C–C bond formations between aryl halides, or aryl pseudo-halides, and various organometallics. Cross-couplings, most notably with tosylates, can lead to either reduced aromatics, biaryls, or styrenes as products under the influence of Ni/Cg. The catalyst is inexpensive, non-pyrophoric, and reusable.
Integral geometry and holography

We present a mathematical framework which underlies the connection be- tween information theory and the bulk spacetime in the AdS3/CFT2 correspondence. A key concept is kinematic space: an auxiliary Lorentzian geometry whose metric is defined in terms of conditional mutual informations and which organizes the entanglement pattern of a CFT state. When the field theory has a holographic dual obeying the Ryu-Takayanagi proposal, kinematic space has a direct geometric meaning: it is the space of bulk geodesics studied in integral geometry. Lengths of bulk curves are computed by kinematic volumes, giving a precise entropic interpretation of the length of any bulk curve. We explain how basic geometric concepts - points, distances and angles - are reflected in kinematic space, allowing one to reconstruct a large class of spatial bulk geometries from boundary entan- glement entropies. In this way, kinematic space translates between information theoretic and geometric descriptions of a CFT state. As an example, we discuss in detail the static slice of AdS3 whose kinematic space is two-dimensional de Sitter space.
Thermal-Aware Task Allocation and Scheduling for Embedded Systems

Temperature affects not only the reliability but also the performance, power, and cost of the embedded system. This paper proposes a thermal-aware task allocation and scheduling algorithm for embedded systems. The algorithm is used as a sub-routine for hardware/software co-synthesis to reduce the peak temperature and achieve a thermally even distribution while meeting real time constraints. The paper investigates both power-aware and thermal-aware approaches to task allocation and scheduling. The experimental results show that the thermal-aware approach outperforms the power-aware schemes in terms of maximal and average temperature reductions. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first task allocation and scheduling algorithm that takes temperature into consideration.
Modularity in a connectionist model of morphology acquisition

This paper describes a modular connectionist model of the acquisition of receptive inflectional morphology. The model takes inputs in the form of phones one at a time and outputs the associated roots and inflections. In its simplest version, the network consists of separate simple recurrent subnetworks for root and inflection identification; both networks take the phone sequence as inputs. It is shown that the performance of the two separate modular networks is superior to a single network responsible for both root and inflection identification. In a more elaborate version of the model, the network learns to use separate hidden-layer modules to solve the separate tasks of root and inflection identification.
Continuous phase transition in Ba3BiRuIrO9

Abstract A study of the structural properties of Ba 3 BiRuIrO 9 between 298 and 873 K has been carried out using high-temperature X-ray diffraction. A temperature-induced structural phase transition, involving a loss of octahedral rotations, occurs near 675 K.
Multiple vesicle recycling pathways in central synapses and their impact on neurotransmission

Short-term synaptic depression during repetitive activity is a common property of most synapses. Multiple mechanisms contribute to this rapid depression in neurotransmission including a decrease in vesicle fusion probability, inactivation of voltage-gated Ca2+ channels or use-dependent inhibition of release machinery by presynaptic receptors. In addition, synaptic depression can arise from a rapid reduction in the number of vesicles available for release. This reduction can be countered by two sources. One source is replenishment from a set of reserve vesicles. The second source is the reuse of vesicles that have undergone exocytosis and endocytosis. If the synaptic vesicle reuse is fast enough then it can replenish vesicles during a brief burst of action potentials and play a substantial role in regulating the rate of synaptic depression. In the last 5 years, we have examined the impact of synaptic vesicle reuse on neurotransmission using fluorescence imaging of synaptic vesicle trafficking in combination with electrophysiological detection of short-term synaptic plasticity. These studies have revealed that synaptic vesicle reuse shapes the kinetics of short-term synaptic depression in a frequency-dependent manner. In addition, synaptic vesicle recycling helps maintain the level of neurotransmission at steady state. Moreover, our studies showed that synaptic vesicle reuse is a highly plastic process as it varies widely among synapses and can adapt to changes in chronic activity levels.
Does The Price Puzzle Exist in Colombia? Empirical Evidence and Policy Implications *

The price puzzle has been the focus of many studies, however, most of these studies have focused on developed economies and especially on the U.S. Owing to this tendency; we do not know if there is existence of a price puzzle in developing economies. This is an important topic of research as it facilitates the understanding on the different channels of monetary policy. It also helps our understanding regarding monetary policy effectiveness and in the context of the Colombian economy, this is a main issue as the basic long-term target of Colombia’s monetary policy is price stability. This study investigates the existence of the price puzzle for the period 1980:5-2003:12 in Colombia by using Vector Error Correction Model (VECM). Since the sample period of study is not characterized with a uniform monetary policy regime, following Balke and Emery (1994) we divide our sample period according to existent structural breaks. We test for the price puzzle by dividing our sample into pre-1991 period (before inflation targeting started) and during inflation targeting period. We employ impulse response functions as our main tolos to investigate the price puzzle. The impulse response functions show that during both the pre-1991 and post 1991 periods, prices don’t rise in response to positive shocks in short term interest rates. Therefore we conclude that Colombia does not exhibit the price puzzle. In fact, during both periods as well as the whole sample period, prices are not responsive to short-term interest rate shocks. The unresponsiveness of prices to positive interest rate shocks is not expected since we would anticipate prices to decrease due to a positive interest rate shock
A Nonrelativistic Chiral Soliton in One Dimension

Abstract I analyze the one-dimensional, cubic Schrodinger equation with a nonlinearity constructed from the current density rather than, as is usual, from the charge density. A soliton solution is found, where the soliton moves only in one direction. Relation to the higher-dimensional Chern–Simons theory is indicated. The theory is quantized and results for the two-body quantum problem agree at weak coupling with those coming from a semiclassical quantization of the soliton.
Captive Supplies and Cash Market Prices for Fed Cattle: The Role of Delivery Timing Incentives

The use of non-cash methods of procuring fed cattle for slaughter has led to concern about the effect of these so-called “captive” supplies on cash market prices. Some empirical evidence suggests that there is a negative short-run relationship between the two: Cash market prices tend to be low in weeks in which captive supply shipments are high. We advance a different perspective on the relationship between captive deliveries and cash prices, arguing that the incentives that influence cattle delivery-scheduling decisions could lead to a negative relationship, not between the contemporaneous levels of captive shipments and price, but between the volume of captive deliveries, on the one hand, and an ex ante expectation of a week-to-week price change, on the other. Econometric testing provides some evidence of this empirical regularity in the cattle procurement activities of four large packing plants in Texas in the mid-1990s.
Demand Spillovers and Market Outcomes in the Mutual Fund Industry

When consumers concentrate their purchases at a single firm, firms that offer more products than their rivals gain market share for all their products. These spillovers induce firms to offer a greater variety of products rather than lower prices, and a concentrated industry with few large firms can arise if spillovers are strong enough. This article presents a simple model that illustrates this mechanism explicitly. The empirical analysis documents strong demand spillovers in the retail segment of the U.S. mutual fund industry, in which fees are nontrivial, families offer many funds, and the market is quite concentrated. Instead, spillovers are weaker, fees are lower, families offer fewer funds, and the market structure is more fragmented in the institutional segment.
The Profits of Power: Land Rights and Agricultural Investment in Ghana

We examine the impact of ambiguous and contested land rights on investment and productivity in agriculture in Akwapim, Ghana. We show that individuals who hold powerful positions in a local political hierarchy have more secure tenure rights and that as a consequence they invest more in land fertility and have substantially higher output. The intensity of investments on different plots cultivated by a given individual corresponds to that individual’s security of tenure over those specific plots and, in turn, to the individual’s position in the political hierarchy relevant to those specific plots.
Syngeneic donor hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is associated with high rates of engraftment syndrome.

Engraftment syndrome (ES), typically characterized by noninfectious fever, rash, and/or noncardiogenic pulmonary edema, is a complication of autologous and allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). There are no data on ES after syngeneic HSCT. We retrospectively analyzed syngeneic HSCT outcomes and determined ES incidence, risk factors, and prognostic impact. Thirty-two adult patients with a median age of 46 years (range: 22-60) underwent syngeneic HSCT at our institution between July 1986 and April 2009, primarily for hematologic malignancies (65% lymphoid-including 15% plasma cell; 31% myeloid). The median duration of follow-up was 6.1 years (range: 3.7 months to 18.1 years). Five-year progression-free and overall survival (PFS, OS) was 52% and 67%, respectively. Five-year overall cumulative incidence of relapse and nonrelapse mortality (NRM) was 37.6% and 10.2%, respectively; with increased relapse incidence of 76.3% in myeloid disease (P = .002). Fifteen patients (47%) met diagnostic criteria for ES, 10 (67%) of whom received systemic steroids. Five-year PFS was 47% in patients with ES versus 56% in those without (P = .37). Five-year OS was 63% with ES versus 71% without (P = .80). Five-year cumulative incidence of NRM was 21% with ES versus 0% without (P = .06). Five-year cumulative incidence of relapse was 32% with ES and 44% without (P = .68). Older age (P = .05) and possibly total body irradiation–based conditioning (P = .09) were risk factors for developing ES. In multivariable Cox models only diagnosis (myeloid disease) impaired OS and PFS. In summary, we document a high incidence of ES after syngeneic HSCT. The trend of increased NRM after ES requires reevaluation in a larger syngeneic HSCT cohort.
Positioning Inventory in Clinical Trial Supply Chains

As a result of slow patient recruitment and high patient costs in the United States, clinical trials are increasingly going global. While recruitment efforts benefit from a larger global footprint, the supply chain has to work harder at getting the right drug supply to the right place at the right time. Certain clinical trial supply chains, especially those supplying biologics, have a combination of unique attributes that have yet to be addressed by existing supply chain models. These attributes include a fixed patient horizon, an inflexible supply process, a unique set of service-level requirements, and an inability to transfer drug supplies among testing sites. We provide a new class of multi-echelon inventory models to address these unique aspects. The resulting mathematical program is a nonlinear integer programming problem with chance constraints. Despite this complexity, we develop a solution method that transforms the original formulation into a linear integer equivalent. By analyzing special cases and through numerical study of both real-life and simulated examples, we demonstrate the effectiveness of the solution and develop insights into inventory positioning and the cost drivers in clinical trial supply chains