cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Orbiting Geophysical Observatories

The Orbiting Geophysical Observatories are systems designed to fulfill a primary objective of conducting large numbers of significant, diversified experiments for making scientific and technological measurements within the earth's atmosphere, the magnetosphere, and cislunar space to obtain a better understanding of earth-sun relationships and the earth as a planet. Configured to meet scientific requirements, the observatories include six appendages of different lengths for experiments requiring locations at a distance from the main body. Five degrees of freedom allow the capability of continuously orienting solar and antisolar, geocentric and antigeocentric, and orbital experiments within relatively close limits. Designed to include five basic subsystems of structure, stabilization and control, power, communications and data handling, and thermal control, the observatories have well-defined interfaces for experiments. Five of the six observatories in the program have already been launched and have returned significant scientific information. The last observatory is scheduled for launch in Spring 1969. Weights of the observatories range from 1073 to 1400 lb, including as many as 390 lb of experiments. One hundred six experiments have already been orbited on the five spacecraft, with 26 experiments scheduled for the last mission. Orbits have included three highly eccentric orbits inclined initially approximately 31° and two low-altitude nearly circular polar orbits. The orbit for the last mission, OGO-F, is of the latter type.
A liquidity-based model of security design

We consider the problem of the design and sale of a security backed by specified assets. Given access to higher-return investments, the issuer has an incentive to raise capital by securitizing part of these assets. At the time the security is issued, the issuer’s or underwriter’s private information regarding the payoff of the security may cause illiquidity, in the form of a downward-sloping demand curve for the security. The severity of this illiquidity depends upon the sensitivity of the value of the issued security to the issuer’s private information. Thus, the security-design problem involves a tradeoff between the retention cost of holding cash flows not included in the security design, and the liquidity cost of including the cash flows and making the security design more sensitive to the issuer’s private information. We characterize the optimal security design in several cases. We also demonstrate circumstances under which standard debt is optimal and show that the riskiness of the debt is increasing in the issuer’s retention costs for assets.
Metal Nanowires: Quantum Transport, Cohesion, and Stability

Metal nanowires exhibit a number of interesting properties: their electrical conductance is quantized, their shot-noise is suppressed by the Pauli principle, and they are remarkably strong and stable. We show that many of these properties can be understood quantitatively using a nanoscale generalization of the free-electron model. Possible technological applications of nanowires are also discussed.
Segmentation of Natural Images by Texture and Boundary Compression

We present a novel algorithm for segmentation of natural images that harnesses the principle of minimum description length (MDL). Our method is based on observations that a homogeneously textured region of a natural image can be well modeled by a Gaussian distribution and the region boundary can be effectively coded by an adaptive chain code. The optimal segmentation of an image is the one that gives the shortest coding length for encoding all textures and boundaries in the image, and is obtained via an agglomerative clustering process applied to a hierarchy of decreasing window sizes as multi-scale texture features. The optimal segmentation also provides an accurate estimate of the overall coding length and hence the true entropy of the image. We test our algorithm on the publicly available Berkeley Segmentation Dataset. It achieves state-of-the-art segmentation results compared to other existing methods.
Frank Knight and pragmatism

Abstract One of many controversies surrounding the work of Frank Knight involves the question of whether, or to what degree, his ideas were consistent with those of American pragmatism. Substantive textual evidence can be found to support almost any simple answer to the question. This paper argues that while Knight was quite (often aggressively) opposed to a particular set of pragmatic ideas alive in the scholarly and social debates of his day, this fact says more about Knight's historical context than it does about the broader relationship between his philosophical position and pragmatism. Knight was opposed to the social control pragmatism of his day, but at the same time his general philosophical position has much in common with the features of the pragmatic tradition that are most emphasized in the recent philosophical literature.
The Sex Lives of Sex Researchers

Sociologist Janice M. Irvine examines biographies of Alfred Kinsey in order to explore stigma attached to sexuality research.
Metalated Nitriles: Organolithium, -magnesium, and -copper Exchange of α-Halonitriles

α-Halonitriles react with alkyllithium, organomagnesium, and lithium dimethylcuprate reagents generating reactive, metalated nitriles. The rapid halogen−metal exchange with alkyllithium and Grignard reagents allows selective exchange in the presence of reactive carbonyl electrophiles, including aldehydes, providing a high-yielding alkylation protocol. Lithiated and magnesiated nitriles react with propargyl bromide by SN2 displacement whereas organocopper nitriles react by SN2‘ displacement, correlating with the formation of a C-metalated nitrile.
Did galaxy assembly and supermassive black-hole growth go hand-in-hand?

In this paper, we address whether the growth of supermassive black-holes has kept pace with the process of galaxy assembly. For this purpose, we first searched the Hubble Ultra Deep Field (HUDF) for ‘‘tadpole galaxies’’, which have a knot at one end plus an extended tail. They appear dynamically unrelaxed—presumably early-stage mergers—and make up � 6% of the field galaxy population. Their redshift distribution follows that of field galaxies, indicating that—if tadpole galaxies are indeed dynamically young—the process of galaxy assembly generally kept up with the reservoir of field galaxies as a function of epoch. Next, we present a search for HUDF objects with point-source components that are optically variable (at the J 3.0r level) on timescales of weeks–months. Among 4644 objects to i 0 ’ 28:0 mag (10r), 45 have variable point-like components, which are likely weak AGN. About � 1% of all field objects show variability for 0.1 [ z [ 4.5, and their redshift distribution is similar to that of field galaxies. Hence, supermassive black-hole growth in weak AGN likely also kept up with the process of galaxy assembly. However, the faint AGN sample has almost no overlap with the tadpole sample, which was predicted by recent hydrodynamical numerical simulations. This suggests that tadpole galaxies are early-stage mergers, which likely preceded the ‘‘turn-on’’ of the AGN component and the onset of visible point-source variability by J1 Gyr. � 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Effect of robot-assisted and unassisted exercise on functional reaching in chronic hemiparesis

A common therapeutic approach for the rehabilitation of patients with hemiparesis involves repetitive voluntary movements with manual assistance from a therapist ("active-assist therapy"). We used a novel robotic device to deliver a controlled form of active-assist therapy in chronic stroke patients (N=7). To examine the utility of direct mechanical assistance in rehabilitation of voluntary arm movements, a matched group of subjects with chronic hemiparesis (N=7) performed the same repetitive exercises without the aid of the robotic device. Each group performed 24 therapy sessions over 8 weeks. We found that both groups demonstrated significant improvements in straightness of voluntary reaching movements, with limited improvements in range. Only the group that received robotic therapy significantly improved the smoothness of reaching. Improvements in both groups transferred to an unpracticed reaching movement and the timed performance of functional tasks. There were no significant differences in the magnitude of improvements between the two groups. These results suggest that it is the action of repetitively attempting to move, rather than the mechanical assistance provided by the robot, that stimulates arm movement recovery. However, imposing a smooth trajectory during practice of the reaching movements may help subjects learn how to produce smoother movements. In addition, practicing robot-assisted or unassisted reaching movements apparently improves control processes that generalize to other functional movements.
Application of mechanism design to electric power markets

As competition is introduced across the electric power industry around the world, market design for the industry is urgently needed to shape its future structure and performance. When generator companies compete with one another in a deregulated market, they may not be willing to share the information needed to perform an economic dispatch of the generation. Using game theory, this paper designs a new mechanism that achieves efficiency (economic dispatch) in spite of this information problem. In this mechanism, when each company acts in the best of its own interests, the outcome is efficient. The paper demonstrates the merits of the mechanism by simulations including the IEEE 14-bus case.
Network centric interoperability - using a variable message format (VMF) based data-link to improve situational awareness and close air support (CAS)

Clearly demonstrated in the recent military deployments in Afghanistan and Iraq, one of the most significant challenges now facing the warfighter is how to seamlessly interface the myriad of disparate stand-alone situational awareness (SA) and close air support (CAS) systems into the DoD's Network Centric Warfare (NCW) infrastructure. This point was recently highlighted in the Secretary of Defense's testimony to the Senate Armed Services Committee. Referring to mission critical shortfalls that occurred during the IRAQ deployment, the Secretary discussed the state of the current warfighting environment (Rumsfeld and Franks, 2003). Although tremendous progress has been made in the integration of new and emerging technologies and their applications on the battlefield, there is still a significant lack of interoperability between various communication systems. To address these battlespace management environment issues, Raytheon Technical Services Company's Engineering and Production Support facility underwent a product development effort to provide a network centric interoperability demonstration for CAS. This demonstration utilized various Raytheon-fielded SA and CAS products in a representative CAS scenario interfacing to variable message format (VMF) based data links. This paper addresses the systems and software issues encountered during this successful demonstration of CAS battlespace connectivity. This presentation will also discuss lessons learned during our product development from both a systems and a software engineering perspective.
Market responses to coordinated central bank intervention

The scale of unilateral and coordinated intervention in the foreign exchange market by the G-5 countries has become considerably larger over the last few years, following a period in which official U.S. policy was opposed to intervention. This paper examines market responses to official sterilized central bank intervention policy over the period 1985 through 1987. The efficacy of sterilized intervention is hypothesized to depend on the market's belief that central banks both have "inside" information about future monetary policy and the incentive to reveal that information truthfully through intervention signals. Central banks may agree to coordinate their intervention operations in order to influence the market's perception of the relative importance and credibility of own signals. Market responses to intervention over the period 1985 through 1987 are examined econometrically using heretofore unavailable daily data on G-3 unilateral and coordinated intervention operations. The empirical evidence indicates that: (1) even though daily intervention data are not published, market participants were generally able to comtemporaneously observe the source and magnitude of central bank intervention operations, (2) unilateral intervention significantly influenced market expectations in some periods, and (3) coordinated intervention had a significantly different and longer-term influence on market expectations than did unilateral intervention over the three year period examined.
Stata: The language of choice for time-series analysis?

This paper discusses the use of Stata for the analysis of time series and panel data. The evolution of time-series capabilities in Stata is reviewed. Facilities for data management, graphics, and econometric analysis from both official Stata and the user community are discussed. A new routine to provide moving-window regression estimates—rollreg—is described, and its use illustrated.
A topological view of Gromov-Witten theory

Abstract We study relative Gromov–Witten theory via universal relations provided by the degeneration and localization formulas. We find relative Gromov–Witten theory is completely determined by absolute Gromov–Witten theory. The relationship between the relative and absolute theories is guided by a strong analogy to classical topology. As an outcome, we present a mathematical determination of the Gromov–Witten invariants (in all genera) of the Calabi–Yau quintic 3-fold in terms of known theories.
Effects of Control Power and Inceptor Sensitivity on Lunar Lander Handling Qualities

A piloted simulation studied the handling qualities for a precision lunar landing task from final approach to touchdown. A core model of NASA’s Altair Lunar Lander was used to explore the design space around the nominal vehicle configuration; details of the control and propulsion systems not available for that vehicle were derived from Apollo Lunar Module data. The experiment was conducted on a large motion base simulator. Eleven Space Shuttle and Apollo pilot astronauts and one test pilot served as evaluation pilots, providing Cooper-Harper ratings, Task Load Index ratings, Bedford workload ratings and qualitative comments. Following attitude guidance cues, the pilots evaluated control powers ranging from 1.1 to 4.3 deg/s 2 , maximum rate commands from 3 to 20 deg/s, which is equivalent to a range of inceptor sensitivities, and two magnitudes of disturbance moment arising from propellant slosh. The handling qualities were satisfactory for the highest control powers and low inceptor sensitivities, with reduced sensitivity both improving handling qualities and reducing propellant use for a given control power. Pilots used low attitude rates regardless of the maximum rate available or control power. Propellant slosh degraded handling qualities approximately one Cooper-Harper Rating.
Disorder and interactions in quantum Hall ferromagnets: effects of disorder in Skyrmion physics

We present a Hartree–Fock study of the competition between disorder and interactions in quantum Hall ferromagnets near � = 1. We 1nd that the ground state at � = 1 evolves with increasing interaction strength from a quasi-metallic paramagnet, to a partially spin-polarized ferromagnetic Anderson insulator, and to a fully spin-polarized ferromagnet with a charge gap. Away from � = 1, the ground state evolves from a conventional Anderson insulator, to a conventional quasiparticle glass, and 1nally to a ferromagnetic Skyrmion quasiparticle glass. These di%erent regimes can be measured in low-temperature transport and NMR experiments. We present calculations for the NMR spectra in di%erent disorder regimes. ? 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
A longitudinal test of video game violence influences on dating and aggression: A 3-year longitudinal study of adolescents

Abstract Background In 2011 the field of video game violence experienced serious reversals with repudiations of the current research by the US Supreme Court and the Australian Government as non-compelling and fundamentally flawed. Scholars too have been calling for higher quality research on this issue. The current study seeks to answer this call by providing longitudinal data on youth aggression and dating violence as potential consequences of violent video game exposure using well-validated clinical outcome measures and controlling for other relevant predictors of youth aggression. Method A sample of 165, mainly Hispanic youth, were tested at 3 intervals, an initial interview, and 1-year and 3-year intervals. Results Results indicated that exposure to video game violence was not related to any of the negative outcomes. Depression, antisocial personality traits, exposure to family violence and peer influences were the best predictors of aggression-related outcomes. Interpretation The current study supports a growing body of evidence pointing away from video game violence use as a predictor of youth aggression. Public policy efforts, including funding, would best be served by redirecting them toward other prevention programs for youth violence.
Environmental restoration of invaded ecosystems: How much versus how often?

This paper derives the optimal level of restorative efforts required to restore environments degraded by invasive species invasion. Specific attention is focused on a case when restoration faces the risk of failure through relapse of the restored environment caused by repeat invasions. The level of restored environment may also play a role in its future improvement or susceptibility to failure. The tradeoff between the optimal level of environmental quality and number of restorative efforts required to attain that given environmental quality is highlighted.
Estimation of Sample Selection Models with Spatial Dependence

We consider the estimation of sample selection (type II Tobit) models that exhibit spatial error dependence or spatial autoregressive errors (SAE). The method considered is motivated by a two-step strategy analogous to the popular heckit model. The first step of estimation is based on a spatial probit model following a methodology proposed by Pinkse and Slade (1998) that yields consistent estimates. The consistent estimates of the selection equation are used to estimate the inverse Mills ratio (IMR) to be included as a regressor in the estimation of the outcome equation (second step). Since the appropriate IMR turns out to depend on a parameter from the second step under SAE, we propose to estimate the two steps jointly within a generalized method of moments (GMM) framework. We explore the finite sample properties of the proposed estimator using a Monte Carlo experiment; discuss the importance of the spatial sample selection model in applied work, and illustrate the application of our method by estimating the spatial production within a fishery with data that is censored for reasons of confidentiality.
Application of the tree-cotree splitting for improving matrix conditioning in the full-wave finite-element analysis of high-speed circuits

In recent years the development of high-speed circuits leads to a demand in accurate and reliable full-wave electromagnetic analysis from high frequencies all the way to DC, and thus brings a challenge to current full-wave techniques. A full-wave solver yields solutions with deteriorated accuracy or even breakdowns at low frequencies due to ill-conditioned system matrices. The same situation also happens when very small elements (compared to the wavelength) exist in the finite-element discretization, which is similar to a low-frequency case [1]. This is actually very common in circuit problems since there are very dense meshes both inside and outside conductors for modeling the conductor loss and the field singularity, respectively. In this case an element may not only be very small, but also have a high aspect ratio, which make a system matrix very ill-conditioned even at not too low frequencies.
When knowing early matters: Gossip, percolation and Nash equilibria

Continually arriving information is communicated through a network of n agents, with the value of information to the j’th recipient being a decreasing function of j ∕ n, and communication costs paid by recipient. Regardless of details of network and communication costs, the social optimum policy is to communicate arbitrarily slowly. But selfish agent behavior leads to Nash equilibria which (in the n → ∞ limit) may be efficient (Nash payoff = social optimum payoff) or wasteful (0 < Nash payoff < social optimum payoff) or totally wasteful (Nash payoff = 0). We study the cases of the complete network (constant communication costs between all agents), the grid with only nearest-neighbor communication, and the grid with communication cost a function of distance. The main technical tool is analysis of the associated first passage percolation process or SI epidemic (representing spread of one item of information) and in particular its “window width”, the time interval during which most agents learn the item. In this version (written in July 2007) many arguments are just outlined, not intended as complete rigorous proofs. One of the topics herein (first passage percolation on the N ×N torus with short and long range interactions; Sect. 6.2) has now been studied rigorously by Chatterjee and Durrett[4].
Anyons in an exactly solved model and beyond

A spin-1/2 system on a honeycomb lattice is studied. The interactions between nearest neighbors are of XX, YY or ZZ type, depending on the direction of the link; different types of interactions may differ in strength. The model is solved exactly by a reduction to free fermions in a static Z2 source gauge field. A phase diagram in the parameter space is obtained. One of the phases has an energy gap and carries excitations that are Abelian anyons. The other phase is gapless, but acquires a gap in the presence of magnetic field. In the latter case excitations are non-Abelian anyons whose braiding rules coincide with those of conformal blocks for the Ising model. We also consider a general theory of free fermions with a gapped spectrum, which is characterized by a spectral Chern number ν. The Abelian and non-Abelian phases of the original model correspond to ν = 0 and ν = ±1, respectively. The anyonic properties of excitation depend on ν mod 16, whereas ν itself governs edge thermal transport. The paper also provides mathematical background on anyons as well as an elementary theory of Chern number for quasidiagonal matrices.
A Mild Method for the Preparation of 1,3,4-Oxadiazoles: Triflic Anhydride Promoted Cyclization of Diacylhydrazines

Abstract Diacylhydrazines undergo cyclization upon treatment with triflic anhydride and pyridine to form the corresponding 1,3,4-oxadiazoles in yields ranging from 70--95%.
Ramjet Powered Missile Design Using a Genetic Algorithm

A methodology for developing optimized designs for symmetric - centerbody ramjet powered missiles, using genetic algorithms as the central driver for the system optimization process, has been developed. This paper contains discussion of that methodology and shows results for a typical design scenario.
Regioselective reductions of β,β-disubstituted enones catalyzed by nonracemically ligated copper hydride

Abstract CuH-catalyzed 1,2-additions to β,β-disubstituted α,β-unsaturated ketones have been further explored. Asymmetric reductions of enones lacking an α-substituent can be achieved with CuH complexed by DTBM-SEGPHOS in Et 2 O at −25 °C leading to the generation of highly valuable nonracemic allylic alcohols. The corresponding 1,4-reductions can also be achieved using the same reaction conditions by switching the ligand to a JOSIPHOS analog affording nonracemic β,β-disubstituted ketones. DFT calculations of the enone conformations and transition-state energies for model 1,2- and 1,4-additions were carried out to clarify the factors affecting the product ratios.
Love in the Time of the Depression: The Effect of Economic Conditions on Marriage in the Great Depression

I examine the impact of the Great Depression on marriage outcomes and find that marriage rates and local economic conditions are positively correlated. Specifically, poor labor market opportunities for men negatively impact marriage. Conversely, there is some evidence that poor female labor markets actually increase marriage in the period. While the Great Depression did lower marriage rates, the effect was not long lasting: marriages were delayed, not denied. The primary long-run effect of the downturn on marriage was stability: Marriages formed in tough economic times were more likely to survive compared to matches made in more prosperous time periods.
Reactions of bridgehead halides. A synthesis of modhephene, isomodhephene, and epi-modhephene

A synthesis of modhephene has been achieved, the key feature of which is the use of a novel nucleophilic addition/rearrangement reaction to develop the carbon framework. Stereochemical control of the stereogenic center bearing the methyl group was accomplished by variation of the hydrogenation conditions. As a byproduct of this work, we have clarified structural assignments of intermediates from previous syntheses
Design and implementation of an inverter output LC filter used for dv/dt reduction

This paper presents the design and analysis of a LC output filter for use with IGBT-based motor drive inverters. The LC filter is used to limit the rate of rise of the inverter output voltage and reduce common mode noise to the motor. In typical applications where dv/dt is limited to 100-500 V//spl mu/s, the resonant frequency of the filter is above the switching frequency. A diode bridge must therefore be used to clamp the resonant voltage. Resistors are also used to help dissipate the energy stored in the resonant circuit. Crucial to the design of the filter is the handling of the additional losses in the filter. The paper describes the design considerations for such a filter for use in a 460 V induction motor drive. The losses in the circuit are estimated to show the limitations of the filter. Experimental results illustrate the control of dv/dt at the inverter terminals, and the reduced peak voltage at the motor end of a long cable.
SECONDARY ECLIPSE PHOTOMETRY OF WASP-4b WITH WARM SPITZER

We present photometry of the giant extrasolar planet WASP-4b at 3.6 and 4.5 μm taken with the Infrared Array Camera on board the Spitzer Space Telescope as part of Spitzer's extended warm mission. We find secondary eclipse depths of 0.319% ± 0.031% and 0.343% ± 0.027% for the 3.6 and 4.5 μm bands, respectively, and show model emission spectra and pressure-temperature profiles for the planetary atmosphere. These eclipse depths are well fit by model emission spectra with water and other molecules in absorption, similar to those used for TrES-3 and HD 189733b. Depending on our choice of model, these results indicate that this planet has either a weak dayside temperature inversion or no inversion at all. The absence of a strong thermal inversion on this highly irradiated planet is contrary to the idea that highly irradiated planets are expected to have inversions, perhaps due the presence of an unknown absorber in the upper atmosphere. This result might be explained by the modestly enhanced activity level of WASP-4b's G7V host star, which could increase the amount of UV flux received by the planet, therefore reducing the abundance of the unknown stratospheric absorber in the planetary atmosphere as suggested in Knutson et al. We also find no evidence for an offset in the timing of the secondary eclipse and place a 2σ upper limit on |ecos ω| of 0.0024, which constrains the range of tidal heating models that could explain this planet's inflated radius.
The Heated Core of the Radio-quiet Galaxy Cluster A644

We present an analysis of a Chandra ACIS-I observation of the massive galaxy cluster A644. This cluster was previously classified as a cooling flow, but no radio emission has been detected from its cD galaxy. Outside the core (R ~ 75 kpc ~ 0.03rvir) the hot ICM has properties consistent with a (relaxed) cool-core cluster out to the largest radii investigated (R ~ 415 kpc ~ 0.14rvir). Over this region the gravitating mass profile is described well by a Navarro-Frenk-White (NFW) profile with concentration parameter c = 6.1 ± 1.2 and virial radius rvir = 2.9 ± 0.4 Mpc. However, inside the core the temperature and entropy profiles reverse their inward radial decline and rise at the center; the inner temperature profile is inconsistent with a constant at the 2.3 σ level. Although the core region does not display X-ray cavities or filamentary structures characteristic of radio-loud, cool-core clusters, the peak of the X-ray emission is offset from that of the centroid of the global X-ray halo by ≈60 kpc. The position of the cD galaxy lies approximately between the X-ray peak and centroid, further testifying to a merger origin for the properties of the X-ray emission in the core. We discuss the implications of A644 and the small number of radio-quiet, cool-core clusters for the AGN feedback paradigm to suppress cooling flows in clusters.
Power optimization for network localization

Reliable and accurate localization of mobile objects is essential for many applications in wireless networks. In range-based localization, the position of the object can be inferred using the distance measurements from wireless signals exchanged with active objects or reflected by passive ones. Power allocation for ranging signals is important since it affects not only network lifetime and throughput but also localization accuracy. In this paper, we establish a unifying optimization framework for power allocation in both active and passive localization networks. In particular, we first determine the functional properties of the localization accuracy metric, which enable us to transform the power allocation problems into second-order cone programs (SOCPs). We then propose the robust counterparts of the problems in the presence of parameter uncertainty and develop asymptotically optimal and efficient near-optimal SOCP-based algorithms. Our simulation results validate the efficiency and robustness of the proposed algorithms.
A Model of the Consumption Response to Fiscal Stimulus Payments

A wide body of empirical evidence, based on randomized experiments, finds that 20-40 percent of fiscal stimulus payments (e.g. tax rebates) are spent on nondurable household consumption in the quarter that they are received. We develop a structural economic model to interpret this evidence. Our model integrates the classical Baumol-Tobin model of money demand into the workhorse incomplete-markets life-cycle economy. In this framework, households can hold two assets: a low-return liquid asset (e.g., cash, checking account) and a high-return illiquid asset (e.g., housing, retirement account) that carries a transaction cost. The optimal life-cycle pattern of wealth accumulation implies that many households are “wealthy hand-to-mouth”: they hold little or no liquid wealth despite owning sizeable quantities of illiquid assets. They therefore display large propensities to consume out of additional income. We document the existence of such households in data from the Survey of Consumer Finances. A version of the model parameterized to the 2001 tax rebate episode is able to generate consumption responses to fiscal stimulus payments that are in line with the data.
PT -Symmetric Quantum Field Theory

In the context of the PT-symmetric version of quantum electrodynamics, it is argued that the C-operator introduced in order to define a unitary inner product has nothing to do with charge conjugation.
The guardianship dilemma: Regime security through and from the armed forces

Author(s): Blake McMahon, R; Slantchev, BL | Abstract: Armed forces strong enough to protect the state also pose a threat to the state. We develop a model that distills this Guardianship Dilemma to its barest essentials, and show that the seemingly ironclad logic underlying our existing understanding of civil-military relations is flawed. Militaries contemplating disloyalty must worry about both successfully overthrowing the government and defeating the state's opponent. This twin challenge induces loyalty as the state faces increasingly strong external threats, and can be managed effectively by rulers using a number of policy levers. Disloyalty can still occur when political and military elites hold divergent beliefs about the threat environment facing the state, since militaries will sometimes have less incentive to remain loyal than the ruler suspects. Consequently, it is not the need to respond to external threats that raises the risk of disloyalty - as conventional wisdom suggests - but rather uncertainty about the severity of these threats.
Robotic manifold tracking of coherent structures in flows

Tracking Lagrangian coherent structures in dynamical systems is important for many applications such as oceanography and weather prediction. In this paper, we present a collaborative robotic control strategy designed to track stable and unstable manifolds. The technique does not require global information about the fluid dynamics, and is based on local sensing, prediction, and correction. The collaborative control strategy is implemented on a team of three robots to track coherent structures and manifolds on static flows as well as a noisy time-dependent model of a wind-driven double-gyre often seen in the ocean. We present simulation and experimental results and discuss theoretical guarantees of the collaborative tracking strategy.
Locally axisymmetric turbulence

The failure of local isotropy to describe the experimentally obtained derivative moments in turbulent shear flows has previously been well-documented, but is briefly reviewed. The same data are then used to evaluate the hypothesis that the turbulence is locally axisymmetric. Locally axisymmetric turbulence is defined herein as turbulence which is locally invariant to rotations about a preferred axis.The derivative moment relations are derived from the general form of the two-point velocity correlation tensor near the origin for axisymmetric turbulence. These are used to derive relations for the rate of dissipation of kinetic energy, the mean-square vorticity, and the components of each. Almost all of the experimental derivative moment data are shown to be consistent with these equations, and thus with local axisymmetry.
Sparsifying defaults: Optimal bailout policies for financial networks in distress

We propose a quantitative framework for constructing optimal policies to manage systemic risk in financial networks. We analyze borrower-lender networks where all the loan amounts and cash flows are known, and where some nodes may default in the absence of external intervention. Given a fixed amount of cash to be injected into the system, we address the problem of allocating it among the nodes to minimize the overall amount of unpaid liabilities. We show that this problem is equivalent to a linear program. In addition, we address the problem of allocating the cash injection amount so as to minimize the number of nodes in default. For this problem, we develop an approximate algorithm which uses reweighted l1 minimization. We illustrate this algorithm using two synthetic network structures for which the optimal solution can be calculated exactly. We show through numerical simulations that the solutions calculated by our algorithm are close to optimal.
Detecting weakly simple polygons

A closed curve in the plane is weakly simple if it is the limit (in the Frechet metric) of a sequence of simple closed curves. We describe an algorithm to determine whether a closed walk of length n in a simple plane graph is weakly simple in O(n log n) time, improving an earlier O(n3)-time algorithm of Cortese et al. [Discrete Math. 2009]. As an immediate corollary, we obtain the first efficient algorithm to determine whether an arbitrary n-vertex polygon is weakly simple; our algorithm runs in O(n2 log n) time. We also describe algorithms that detect weak simplicity in O(n log n) time for two interesting classes of polygons. Finally, we discuss subtle errors in several previously published definitions of weak simplicity.
Decentralization, stabilization, and estimation of large-scale linear systems

In this short paper we consider three closely related aspects of large-scale systems: decentralization, stabilization, and estimation. A method is proposed to decompose a large linear system into a number of interconnected subsystems with decentralized (scalar) inputs or outputs. The procedure is preliminary to the hierarchic stabilization and estimation of linear systems and is performed on the subsystem level A multilevel control scheme based upon the decomposition-aggregation method is developed for stabilization of input-decentralized linear systems. Local linear feedback controllers are used to stabilize each decoupled subsystem, while global linear feedback controllers are utilized to minimize the coupling effect among the subsystems. Systems stabilized by the method have a tolerance to a wide class of nonlinearities in subsystem coupling and high reliability with respect to structural perturbations. The proposed output-decentralization and stabilization schemes can be used directly to construct asymptotic state estimators for large linear systems on the subsystem level. The problem of dimensionality is resolved by constructing a number of low-order estimators, thus avoiding a design of a single estimator for the overall system.
Open Courseware and STEM Initiatives in Career and Technical Education.

The past several decades have been times of widespread change in world economies. The 21 century has witnessed scientific technological innovations that have had an impact on almost every sector of our social institutions and the way we do things. To succeed in these changing economies and secure meaningful employment, STEM literacy and education is viewed as a priority. This essay reviews STEM initiatives and curriculums that support integration of Science, Technology, Mathematics and Engineering in Career and Technical Education (CTE) curriculum. A variety of open course software that can be directed to address different aspects of enriching STEM activities in CTE curricular subjects is presented. Paul Asunda is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Workforce Education and Development at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. He can be reached at pasun07@siu.edu. Open Courseware and STEM Initiatives in CTE 7
Sharing Supermodular Costs

We study cooperative games with supermodular costs. We show that supermodular costs arise in a variety of situations; in particular, we show that the problem of minimizing a linear function over a supermodular polyhedron---a problem that often arises in combinatorial optimization---has supermodular optimal costs. In addition, we examine the computational complexity of the least core and least core value of supermodular cost cooperative games. We show that the problem of computing the least core value of these games is strongly NP-hard and, in fact, is inapproximable within a factor strictly less than 17/16 unless P = NP. For a particular class of supermodular cost cooperative games that arises from a scheduling problem, we show that the Shapley value---which, in this case, is computable in polynomial time---is in the least core, while computing the least core value is NP-hard.
Scalability of Atomic-Thin-Body (ATB) Transistors Based on Graphene Nanoribbons

A general solution for the electrostatic potential in an atomic-thin-body field-effect transistor (ATB-FET) geometry is presented. The effective electrostatic scaling length λeff is extracted from the analytical model, which cannot be approximated by the lowest order eigenmode as traditionally done in SOI-MOSFETs. An empirical equation for the scaling length that depends on the geometry parameters is proposed. It is shown that, even for a thick SiO2 back oxide, λeff can be improved efficiently by a thinner top oxide thickness and, to some extent, with high-k dielectrics. The model is then applied to a self-consistent simulation of graphene nanoribbon (GNR) Schottky-barrier FETs (SB-FETs) at the ballistic limit. In the case of GNR SB-FETs, for a large λeff, the scaling is limited by the conventional electrostatic short-channel effects. On the other hand, for a small λeff, the scaling is limited by direct source-to-drain tunneling. A subthreshold swing below 100 mV/dec is still possible with a sub-10-nm gate length in GNR SB-FETs.
Placental growth hormone is increased in the maternal and fetal serum of patients with preeclampsia

Objectives. Placental growth hormone (PGH) is a pregnancy-specific protein produced by syncytiotrophoblast and extravillous cytotrophoblast. No other cells have been reported to synthesize PGH Maternal. PGH Serum concentration increases with advancing gestational age, while quickly decreasing after delivery of the placenta. The biological properties of PGH include somatogenic, lactogenic, and lipolytic functions. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the maternal serum concentrations of PGH change in women with preeclampsia (PE), women with PE who deliver a small for gestational age neonate (PE + SGA), and those with SGA alone.Study design. This cross-sectional study included maternal serum from normal pregnant women (n = 61), patients with severe PE (n = 48), PE + SGA (n = 30), and SGA alone (n = 41). Fetal cord blood from uncomplicated pregnancies (n = 16) and PE (n = 16) was also analyzed. PGH concentrations were measured by ELISA. Non-parametric statistics were used for analysis.Results. ...
A genome-wide analysis of Cas9 binding specificity using ChIP-seq and targeted sequence capture

Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR) RNA-guided nucleases have gathered considerable excitement as a tool for genome engineering. However, questions remain about the specificity of target site recognition. Cleavage specificity is typically evaluated by low throughput assays (T7 endonuclease I assay, target amplification followed by high-throughput sequencing), which are limited to a subset of potential off-target sites. Here, we used ChIP-seq to examine genome-wide CRISPR binding specificity at gRNA-specific and gRNA-independent sites for two guide RNAs. RNA-guided Cas9 binding was highly specific to the target site while off-target binding occurred at much lower intensities. Cas9-bound regions were highly enriched in NGG sites, a sequence required for target site recognition by Streptococcus pyogenes Cas9. To determine the relationship between Cas9 binding and endonuclease activity, we applied targeted sequence capture, which allowed us to survey 1200 genomic loci simultaneously including potential off-target sites identified by ChIP-seq and by computational prediction. A high frequency of indels was observed at both target sites and one off-target site, while no cleavage activity could be detected at other ChIP-bound regions. Our results confirm the high-specificity of CRISPR endonucleases and demonstrate that sequence capture can be used as a high-throughput genome-wide approach to identify off-target activity.
The Reconciliation of Humanism and Positivism in the Practice of Consumer Research: A View from the Trenches

Consumer researchers commonly assert that humanism differs from positivism (what is referred to here as naturalism) on a number of dimensions. However, it is shown here that once terminological differences and methodological similarities are recognized, the remaining differences between humanism and naturalism within consumer research are few. While arguments persist at the philosophical extremes, it appears that practicing researchers have achieved considerable reconciliation.
Efficient accelerating structures for low-energy light IONS

The radio-frequency quadrupole (RFQ) accelerator is the best structure immediately after an ion source for accelerating light-ion beams with considerable currents. On the other hand, the higher-energy part of the RFQ is known to be not a very efficient accelerator. We consider alternative room-temperature RF accelerating structures for the beam velocities in the range of a few percent of the speed of light - including H-mode cavities and drift-tube linacs - and compare them with respect to their efficiency, compactness, ease of fabrication, and overall cost. Options for the beam transverse focusing in such structures are discussed. Possible applications include a compact deuteron-beam accelerator up to the energy of a few MeV for homeland defense.
Asymmetric Hydrovinylation of Unactivated Linear 1,3-Dienes

Monosubstituted acyclic (E)-1,3-dienes undergo efficient hydrovinylation giving (Z)-3-alkylhexa-1,4-dienes upon treatment with catalytic amounts of bidentate phosphine-CoCl2 complexes {[P∼P](CoCl2)} and Me3Al in an atmosphere of ethylene. The regioselectivity of the reaction (i.e., 1,4- or 1,2-addition) depends on the nature of the ligand and temperature at which the reaction is carried out. Complexes derived from (RR)-DIOP and (SS)-BDDP at −45 °C give very high enantioselectivities for several prototypical 1,3-dienes. In sharp contrast to the corresponding Ni(II)-catalyzed hydrovinylation, 1-aryl-substituted 1,3-dienes give almost exclusively achiral linear 1,4-addition products, unless the 2-position is also substituted. Solid-state structures of the precatalysts are presented.
On adding a list of numbers (and other one-dependent determinantal processes)

Adding a column of numbers produces "carries" along the way. We show that random digits produce a pattern of carries with a neat probabilistic description: the carries form a one-dependent determinantal point process. This makes it easy to answer natural questions: How many carries are typical? Where are they located? We show that many further examples, from combinatorics, algebra and group theory, have essentially the same neat formulae, and that any one-dependent point process on the integers is determinantal. The examples give a gentle introduction to the emerging fields of one-dependent and determinantal point processes.
Transatlantic Transfers in Social Work: Contributions of Three Pioneers

SummaryInternationalism has been a prominent theme in the transatlantic history of social reform, and many pioneering social workers championed the causes of peace, war relief, human rights, and international avenues for dispute resolution. For some, internationalism was inseparable from social welfare. Jane Addams in the United States, Alice Masaryk of Czechoslovakia, and Alice Salomon of Germany were central figures during the early 20th century in transatlantic campaigns for social reform and international co-operation, as well as in the emergence of social work. This article draws from letters, autobiographies, and published works of these three pioneers to reconstruct their social networks and to examine their contributions to the transatlantic transfer of knowledge. International diffusion of thought and practice has high salience for a profession embracing change in the 21st century.