cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Chiral Lagrangian approach to exchange vector currents in nuclei

Abstract Nuclear exchange vector currents applicable to any finite nucleus are calculated up to one-loop order (corresponding to next-to-next-to-leading order) in chiral perturbation theory. As an illustration of the power of the approach, we apply the formalism to the classic nuclear process n + p → d + γ at thermal energy. The exchange current correction comes out to be (4.5 ± 0.3) % in amplitude giving a predicted cross section σ = (334 ± 3) mb in excellent agreement with the experimental value (334.2 ± 0.5) mb. Together with the axial charge transitions computed previously, this result provides strong support for the power of chiral Lagrangians in nuclear physics. Certain aspects pertinent to heavy nuclei are also discussed. A by-product of our results is an open problem only partially addressed in the paper in the application of the chiral Lagrangian approach to nuclear processes that has to do with giving a physical meaning to the short-range correlations that play an important role in nuclei.
Iodocyclopropanes as versatile intermediates for the synthesis of substituted cyclopropanes

Abstract Iodocyclopropanes are versatile synthetic intermediates that have been used to prepare a variety of alkyl, aryl and acyl substituted cyclopropanes via organometallic reactions.
The Dust Content of Galaxy Clusters

We report on the detection of reddening toward z ~ 0.2 galaxy clusters. This is measured by correlating the Sloan Digital Sky Survey cluster and quasar catalogs and by comparing the photometric and spectroscopic properties of quasars behind the clusters to those in the field. We find mean E(B − V) values of a few × 10−3 mag for sight lines passing ~Mpc from the clusters' centers. The reddening curve is typical of dust but cannot be used to distinguish between different dust types. The radial dependence of the extinction is shallow near the cluster center suggesting that most of the detected dust lies at the outskirts of the clusters. Gravitational magnification of background z ~ 1.7 sources seen on Mpc (projected) scales around the clusters is found to be of order a few percent, in qualitative agreement with theoretical predictions. Contamination by different spectral properties of the lensed quasar population is unlikely but cannot be excluded.
A deterministic annealing approach to optimization of zero-delay source-channel codes

This paper studies optimization of zero-delay source-channel codes, and specifically the problem of obtaining globally optimal transformations that map between the source space and the channel space, under a given transmission power constraint and for the mean square error distortion. Particularly, we focus on the setting where the decoder has access to side information, whose cost surface is known to be riddled with local minima. Prior work derived the necessary conditions for optimality of the encoder and decoder mappings, along with a greedy optimization algorithm that imposes these conditions iteratively, in conjunction with the heuristic “noisy channel relaxation” method to mitigate poor local minima. While noisy channel relaxation is arguably effective in simple settings, it fails to provide accurate global optimization results in more complicated settings including the decoder with side information as considered in this paper. We propose a global optimization algorithm based on the ideas of “deterministic annealing” — a non-convex optimization method, derived from information theoretic principles with analogies to statistical physics, and successfully employed in several problems including clustering, vector quantization and regression. We present comparative numerical results that show strict superiority of the proposed algorithm over greedy optimization methods as well as over the noisy channel relaxation.
The Main Area Claymore Reservoir: A Review of Geology and Reservoir Management

The Main Area Claymore Reservoir (MACR) is the major reservoir of the Claymore Field, located 110 miles northeast of Aberdeen in UK Block 14/19, offshore North Sea. An integrated team effort by geologists, geophysicists and engineers had led to an increase in recoverable oil for the MACR. Concurrently, the MACR production has increased from 47 to 57 MSTBPD from mid 1984 to the end of 1986. The MACR is of Late Jurassic age. Fine-coarse grained sandstones of the Sgiath and Piper Formation are succeeded by the very fine - medium grained sandstones of the Claymore Sandstone Member (CSM) of the Kimmeridge Clay Formation. The CSM comprises the bulk of the MACR and is divided into two informal reservoir units: the Low Gammay Ray Sands and the High Gam a Ray Sands. The principal early field problems were: lack of sufficient pressure support; uneven water advancement in both the horizontal and vertical directions; and a large pressure gradient across the reservoir. Thus, more offtake and selective injection points were required to improve oil recovery. Growth of geological and engineering knowledge of the MACR has resulted from infill drilling and the integration of the RFT pressures, flow meters, well logs, detailed coremore » studies and 3D seismic. Increased current oil production and recoverable reserves are the consequence of this work.« less
Computation of optimal feedback strategies for interception in a horizontal plane

The problem of minimum-time interception of a target moving in a horizontal plane is studied. The target may fly a trajectory that is known at the start of the interception or try to evade the intercepting aircraft. The interceptor's optimal motion is described independently of the target in terms of an extremal trajectory map. The latter is used to develop guidelines for suboptimal approximations to the extremals. A method of constructing the feedback solution by drawing isochrones (constant minimum-time loci) is developed. Sections of the feedback solution for the interception of a straight-flying target are presented, and the construction of an isochrone for the interception of an actively evading target is demonstrated.
On non-Abelian Thomas-Fermi screening

Abstract The Thomas-Fermi screening of non-Abelian gauge fields by fermions or screening of gluon fields in quark matter is discussed. It is described by an effective mass term which is, as with hard thermal loops, related to the eikonal for a Chern-Simons theory and the Wess-Zumino-Witten action.
The effect of high intensity focused ultrasound treatment on metastases in a murine melanoma model

This study aims to assess the risk of high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) therapy on the incidence of distant metastases and to investigate its association with HIFU-elicited anti-tumor immunity in a murine melanoma (B16-F10) model. Tumor-bearing legs were amputated immediately after or 2 days following HIFU treatment to differentiate the contribution of the elicited anti-tumor immunity. In mice undergoing amputation immediately after mechanical, thermal, or no HIFU treatment, metastasis rates were comparable (18.8%, 13.3%, and 12.5%). In contrast, with a 2-day delay in amputation, the corresponding metastasis rates were 6.7%, 11.8%, and 40%, respectively. Animal survival rate was higher and CTL activity was enhanced in the HIFU treatment groups. Altogether, our results suggest that HIFU treatment does not increase the risk of distant metastasis. Instead, HIFU treatment can elicit an anti-tumor immune response that may be harnessed to improve the overall effectiveness and quality of cancer therapy.
Disability Insurance and Health Insurance Reform: Evidence from Massachusetts

Abstract As health insurance becomes available outside of the employment relationship as a result of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the cost of applying for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)—potentially going without health insurance coverage during a waiting period totaling 29 months from disability onset —will decline for many people with employer-sponsored health insurance. At the same time, the value of SSDI and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) participation will decline for individuals who otherwise lacked access to health insurance. We study the 2006 Massachusetts health insurance reform to estimate the potential effects of the ACA on SSDI and SSI applications.
Exploiting semantics for sensor re-calibration in event detection systems

Event detection from a video stream is becoming an important and challenging task in surveillance and sentient systems. While computer vision has been extensively studied to solve different kinds of detection problems over time, it is still a hard problem and even in a controlled environment only simple events can be detected with a high degree of accuracy. Instead of struggling to improve event detection using image processing only, we bring in semantics to direct traditional image processing. Semantics are the underlying facts that hide beneath video frames, which can not be "seen" directly by image processing. In this work we demonstrate that time sequence semantics can be exploited to guide unsupervised re-calibration of the event detection system. We present an instantiation of our ideas by using an appliance as an example--Coffee Pot level detection based on video data--to show that semantics can guide the re-calibration of the detection model. This work exploits time sequence semantics to detect when re-calibration is required to automatically relearn a new detection model for the newly evolved system state and to resume monitoring with a higher rate of accuracy.© (2008) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
The ethics and aesthetics of the image interface

Now that we have developed and are introducing media-rich computer human interfaces, it is important to develop a taxonomy that can help us appreciate the power and value of computer systems in order to better quantify them and assess their creative and ethical impact. To date the application of semiosis has been to natural languages and human-human communications. The author suggests that this can now be applied to artificial languages and in particular, their use in human computer interactions, imaging and visualization. The semiology of Charles Sanders Peirce can be applied to this field and may be used to assess the aesthetic (creative) and ethical implications of computer human interface (CHI), imaging and visualization technology and the way it is being developed and used.
A new approach to design low cost, low complexity phased arrays

This paper presents a new design for a low cost, low complexity phased array. The proposed design allows control of the phase progression in the entire phased array by using only two phase shifters. As a result, cost and complexity of the phased arrays based on this approach can be significantly reduced. The proposed phased array is composed of directional couplers, amplifying stages, power combiners and two phase shifters. The phase shifters are simple and compact consisting of varactor diodes and inductors. As proof-of-principle, a 2 GHz eight-element phased array with an approximate scan angle of 25 degrees is presented.
DISTORTION IN FREE NILPOTENT GROUPS

We prove that a subgroup of a finitely generated free nilpotent group F is undistorted if and only if it is a retract of a subgroup of finite index in F.
Improving the Effectiveness of Introductory Physics Service Courses: Bridging to Engineering Courses

A simple model to help students see the connections between a physics course and their engineering major is described. Bridging“had positive effects on performance, attitude, and motivation, as measured by grade analyses, surveys, and student and faculty comments. In addition to the improved performance, enrollment in the physics course was also found to increase considerably during the two years of the bridging. The bridging model can be applied to a variety of courses and suggested components are discussed here.
Numerical simulation of viscous flow over rotors using a distributed computing strategy

An existing Navier-Stokes solver has been modified using the PVM software to compute flowfields in parallel using the network-based parallel computer.Excellent speedup in computation time was obtained using the parallel computations on a network of three workstations.
RECENT ADVANCES IN THE CHEMISTRY OF SMALL CAGE MAIN GROUP METALLACARBORANES

Abstract This overview presents our significant recent findings in the area of small cage Main Group metallacarboranes during the past several years. The highlights of these findings are as follows. (1) The study on the C 4 B 8 -carborane led to the introduction of an unusual ‘ carbons - apart ’ carborane species that acts as a restricted electron-acceptor by removing only the valence electrons of a Group 1 or Group 2 metal thus forming the corresponding alkali and alkaline earth metal compounds. Further reactivity studies of these species in solvent extraction of radioactive cesium ion ( 137 Cs + ) from nuclear wastes has rekindled our interest to explore new avenues in this area of Main Group metallocarboane research. (2) The syntheses and structures of fully sandwiched anionic lithia- and magnesacarboranes and half-sandwich lithia-, cesia- and magnesacarboranes have exemplified their rich structural and coordination chemistry beyond their existence as versatile synthons for the production of other metallacarboranes of d-block and f-block elements. (3) Synthesis and reactivity studies on half- and full-sandwich gallacarboranes opened up the possibility of using such compounds as precursors in the formation of conducting materials. (4) Even though two germanium atoms are present, the reactivity study on the mixed-valence digermacarboranes with Lewis bases shows no indication of exo -polyhedral Ge(IV) atoms being the Lewis acid site. On the contrary, the donor N atoms of the Lewis bases bond exclusively with the apical Ge(II) atom.
Conversion of saturated ketones into 2-lithiodienes via N,N-bis-tosylhydrazone derivatives

Abstract Saturated N -tosylhydrazones can be converted into 2-lithiodienes via N,N-bis-tosylhydrazones and elimination to an α,β-unsaturated N -tosylhydrazone, followed by the Shapiro reaction.
Superconductivity as a synchronous spatial alternation of valence bonds

Abstract A new theoretical model for superconductivity is proposed which depends on a pairing in real space (valence bonds). Pair-pair correlations establish an ordered array of such pairs and a synchronous alternation among equivalent coherent spatial arrays of valence bonds is considered as the origin of superconductivity. Simple metals with two valence electrons (e.g., Be, Zn, etc.) are used to illustrate the ideas. The new high T c materials (based on substitutions in La 2 CuO 4 ) will be considered elsewhere.
Time Response of Anodized Aluminum Pressure-Sensitive Paint

The response time of anodized aluminum pressure-sensitive paint (AA-PSP) was studied to develop the capability of making global pressure measurements in unsteady flow conditions. This pressure-sensitive paint (PSP) uses anodized aluminum as a porous supporting matrix, which improves the response time by increasing the oxygen diffusion process in the PSP layer. A response time of 34.8 μs was obtained from AA-PSP with 4.3-μm matrix thickness. Response times of PSPs were measured from a step change of pressure created by a normal shock wave in a shock tube. The response time of AA-PSP is dependent on the matrix thickness, with a thin supporting matrix giving a fast response time. The increase in surface temperature of the paint caused by shock waves was also measured using a temperature-sensitive paint (rhodamine-B on anodized aluminum) to understand the temperature effect of AA-PSP
Transforming network interconnection and transport

Argues regulations should establish a geographically comprehensive lattice of competing, independently owned, network interconnection points from which telephony operators are required to provide zero‐price telephony call termination. Concludes that intrusive regulation of intercompany interconnection and access, such as mandatory co‐location, loop unbundling and line sharing, should be avoided or rapidly phased out.
Forced-convection heat transfer in a spherical annulus heat exchanger

Results are presented of a combined numerical and experimental study of steady, forced-convection heat transfer in a spherical annulus heat exchanger with 53 /sup 0/C water flowing in an annulus formed by an insulated outer sphere and a 0 /sup 0/C inner sphere. The inner sphere radius is 139.7 mm, the outer sphere radius is 168.3 mm. The transient laminar incompressible axisymmetric Navier-Stokes equations and energy equation in spherical coordinates are solved by an explicit finite-difference solution technique. Turbulence and buoyancy are neglected in the numerical analysis. Steady solutions are obtained by allowing the transient solution to achieve steady state. Numerically obtained temperature and heat-flux rate distributions are presented for gap Reynolds numbers from 41 to 465. Measurements of inner sphere heat-flux rate distribution, flow separation angle, annulus fluid temperatures, and total heat transfer are made for Reynolds numbers from 41 to 1086. The angle of separation along the inner sphere is found to vary as a function of Reynolds number. Measured total Nusselt numbers agree with results reported in the literature to within 2.0 percent at a Reynolds number of 974, and 26.0 percent at a Reynolds number of 66.
Biology's next revolution

The emerging picture of microbes as gene-swapping collectives demands a revision of such concepts as organism, species and evolution itself. Will the traditional units of biology — the organism and the species — be swept away in the flood of new genomics data? In the first of a new Essay series, Nigel Goldenfeld and Carl Woese argue that, for microbes at least, it could happen. Free-living marine microbes, unlike their lab-grown 'clonal' cousins, are adept at acquiring useful characteristics from a shared pool of genetic material. It's beginning to look as if a genetic continuum, rather than a series of discrete species, is the natural condition in many instances.
Quantifying non‐circular streaming motions in disc galaxies

High-quality velocity maps of galaxies frequently exhibit signatures of non-circular streaming motions. We here apply the software tool, velfit, recently proposed by Spekkens and Sellwood, to five representative galaxies from the The H i Nearby Galaxy Survey sample. We describe the strengths and weaknesses of the tool and show that it is both more powerful and yields results that are more easily interpreted than the commonly used procedure. We demonstrate that it can estimate the magnitudes of forced non-circular motions over a broad range of bar strengths from a strongly barred galaxy through cases of mild bar-like distortions to placing bounds on the shapes of haloes in galaxies having extended rotation curves. We identify mild oval distortions in the inner parts of two dwarf galaxies, NGC 2976 and 7793, and show that the true strength of the non-axisymmetric gas flow in the strongly barred galaxy, NGC 2903, is revealed more clearly in our fit to an optical Hα map than to the neutral hydrogen data. The method can also yield a direct estimate of the ellipticity of a slowly rotating potential distortion in the flat part of a rotation curve, and we use our results to place tight bounds on the possible ellipticity of the outer haloes of NGC 3198 and 2403.
Testing the Role of Radiation in Determining Tropical Cloud-Top Temperature

AbstractA cloud-resolving model is used to test the hypothesis that radiative cooling by water vapor emission is the primary control on the temperature of tropical anvil clouds. The temperature of ice clouds in the simulation can be increased or decreased by changing only the emissivity of water vapor in the upper troposphere. The effect of the model’s fixed ozone profile on stability creates a pressure-dependent inhibition of convection, leading to a small warming in cloud-top temperature as SST is increased. Increasing stratospheric water vapor also warms the cloud-top temperature slightly. Changing the latent heat of fusion reduces the cloud fraction at high altitudes, but does not significantly change temperature at which cloud fraction peaks in the upper troposphere. The relationship between radiatively driven horizontal mass convergence and cloud fraction that causes cloud temperature to be insensitive to surface temperature is preserved when a large model domain is used so that convection aggregate...
Holographic Measurement Of Ejecta From Shocked Metal Surfaces

We describe a holographic system that measures the size distribution of particles ejected from a shocked lead surface at speeds up to 2.8 mm/..mu..s. Observed diameters range from 3 ..mu..m to 50 ..mu..m. The three-dimensional distribution of the particles permits inferences about the uniformity of their distribution and velocity. Comparison of the holographic results for the mass with those obtained using a momentum transfer technique show general agreement but indicate that further refinement of both techniques may be necessary. 5 refs., 5 figs.
Commercialization of Genetically Engineered Crops

More abundant harvests from insect- and disease-resistant crops, vine-ripened tomatoes, or less oily potato chips or french fries are some of the benefits that will result from single gene improvements under development today. These single gene traits will be combined with the best new varieties produced by traditional plant breeding and will accelerate the pace and the scope of our ability to develop even better and more productive crops in the future. The initial group of genetic improvements were first field tested in 1987, improved upon over the past 6 years, and are finally approaching the first commercial sales over the next 3 to 4 years. The key hurdles from discovery of a promising lead to a commercial product trait include: (i) gene cloning and expression; (ii) product development; (iii) field testing; (iv) breeding into multiple elite varieties; (v) product characterization and regulatory review; (vi) public acceptance; and (vii) marketing. The expense and risk to bring transformed crops to market successfully is significantly higher than for traditionally developed new varieties. The high value of some single gene targets and the possibility for patent protection of the processes and final products provide the incentive for private investment in this area. The value to farmers, consumers, the environment and society in general is very high because the problems being solved are those that have resisted previous attempts through conventional means. Public investment in basic plant science research and private investment in product development is a powerful combination for continual improvement in lowering the cost and improving the quality of the world's food supply.
A paradigm of open/closed duality Liouville D-branes and the Kontsevich model

We argue that topological matrix models (matrix models of the Kontsevich type) are examples of exact open/closed duality. The duality works at finite N and for generic 't Hooft couplings. We consider in detail the paradigm of the Kontsevich matrix integral for two-dimensional topological gravity. We demonstrate that the Kontsevich model arises by topological localization of cubic open string field theory on N stable branes. Our analysis is based on standard worldsheet methods in the context of non-critical bosonic string theory. The stable branes have Neumann (FZZT) boundary conditions in the Liouville direction. Several generalizations are possible.
Transition Metal Catalyzed Reactions of Olefins in Water: Olefin Metathesis and Isomerization

Water can play a number of roles in organometallic chemistry related to catalysis. Water can either be a critical ligand on the active catalytic species or can serve only as a convenient reaction medium. In all cases the catalyst must be able to function in the presence of water. This water stability makes possible a variety of new processes and materials. Our research into the development of new metathesis catalysts provides examples of many of these applications.
Walnuts (Juglans regia L): proximate composition, protein, solubility, protein amino acid composition and protein in vitro digestibility

Walnuts contained 16.66% protein and 66.90% lipids on a dry weight basis. Non-protein nitrogen values ranged from 6.24 to 8.45% of the total nitrogen when the trichloroacetic acid concentration was varied within the range 0.25–1.0 M. Albumin, globulin, prolamin and glutelin respectively accounted for 6.81, 17.57, 5.33 and 70.11% of the total walnut proteins. Walnut proteins were minimally soluble at pH 4.0. The majority of total walnut protein polypeptides had estimated molecular weights in the range 12 000–67 000. The Stokes radius of the major protein in walnuts (glutelin fraction) was 66.44 ± 1.39 A. Lysine was the first limiting essential amino acid in total walnut proteins as well as in the globulin and glutelin fractions. Leucine and methionine plus cysteine were the second limiting essential amino acids respectively for the prolamin and albumin fractions. Hydrophobic and acidic amino acids dominated the amino acid composition in all protein fractions. Native and heat-denatured walnut glutelins were easily hydrolysed by trypsin, chymotrypsin and pepsin in vitro. © 2000 Society of Chemical Industry
Stress-Strain Isotherms and Stress-Temperature Coefficients of Poly(Dimethylsiloxane) Networks in Compression

Abstract Stress-strain isotherms at 30, 45, 60, 75, and 90°C have been determined for compressed, unswollen poly(dimethylsiloxane) networks which had been prepared either in the undiluted state or in solution. For these networks in compression, deviations of the dependence of stress on strain from that predicted by the statistical theory of rubberlike elasticity are much less than is the case for polymer networks in elongation. The present data nonetheless give a value for the temperature coefficient of the unperturbed dimensions of the network chains which is in good agreement with published results on networks of poly(dimethylsiloxane) in elongation. This agreement thus seems to validate the intentional disregard of such deviations in analyses of stress-temperature measurements.
The Effects of Some Design Parameters of an Isolated Rotor on Inlet Flow Distortions

A study of the effects of rotor-blade geometry, steady loading, and distortion wavelength on the distortion flow field upstream and downstream of an unstalled isolated rotor shows that the attenuation of the distortion as it passes through the rotor is a function of the blade stagger angle and the distortion-reduced frequency or the ratio of rotor blade spacing to the distortion wavelength s/l . Maximum attenuation occurs when s/l = 0.5 and increases with increasing stagger angle. Little influence of rotor incidence angle or steady loading was observed.
A Numerical Method for Constructing the Hyperbolic Structure of Complex Henon Mappings

For complex parameters a,c, we consider the Henon mapping $H_{a,c}: {\Bbb C}^2 \rightarrow {\Bbb C}^2,$ given by $(x,y) \mapsto (x^2 +c -ay, x),$ and its Julia set, J. In this paper we describe a rigorous computer program for attempting to construct a cone field in the tangent bundle over J, which is preserved by DH, and a continuous norm in which $DH \ (\rm{and }\ DH^{-1})$ uniformly expands the cones (and their complements). We show a consequence of a successful construction is a proof that H is {hyperbolic} on J. We give several new examples of hyperbolic maps, produced with our computer program, Hypatia, which implements our methods.
Statistical process control in semiconductor manufacturing

Abstract This paper summarizes the basic concepts and tools of Statistical Process Control as used today in semiconductor manufacturing. After their introduction, important concepts are illustrated with the help of application examples drawn from the area of yield control, photolithography and plasma etching. Time series modeling and the impact of computer integrated manufacturing will also be discussed.
A Carleman type theorem for proper holomorphic embeddings

We denote by C the field of complex numbers and by R the field of real numbers. To motivate our main result we recall the Carleman approximation theorem [4], [11]: For each continuous function /~: R--~C and positive continuous function ~1: R--*(0, c~) there exists an entire function f on C such that If(t)-)~(t)l l :
The Role of Games in Security Design

We contend that security design should be approached as a problem of game design. That is, contracts should specify the procedures that govern the behavior of contract participants in determining outcomes as well as the allocations resulting from those outcomes. We characterize optimal contracts in two nested classes: all contracts including those that depend on the state) and state-independent contracts. We demonstrate that, in situations in which the dependence of contracts on the state is limited, contracts designed as games can improve the allocation of resources relative to nonstrategic allocation rules. Article published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Financial Studies in its journal, The Review of Financial Studies.
Subquadratic Algorithms for 3SUM

We obtain subquadratic algorithms for 3SUM on integers and rationals in several models. On a standard word RAM with w-bit words, we obtain a running time of $O(n^{2}/\max\{\frac{w}{\lg^{2}w},\frac{\lg^{2}n}{(\lg\lg n)^{2}}\})$. In the circuit RAM with one nonstandard AC0 operation, we obtain $O(n^{2}/\frac{w^{2}}{\lg^{2}w})$. In external memory, we achieve O(n2/(MB)), even under the standard assumption of data indivisibility. Cache-obliviously, we obtain a running time of $O(n^{2}/\frac{MB}{\lg^{2}M})$. In all cases, our speedup is almost quadratic in the “parallelism” the model can afford, which may be the best possible. Our algorithms are Las Vegas randomized; time bounds hold in expectation, and in most cases, with high probability.
Supersymmetric Vertex Algebras

We define and study the structure of SUSY Lie conformal and vertex algebras. This leads to effective rules for computations with superfields.
Giant polarization in high polymers

In the course of studying the properties of highly conjugated polymers we found that long range orbital delocalization conferred unexpected properties. The presence of giant electronic orbitals made these materials electroactive yet very stable. A new mode of electronic polarizability resulted, a giant nomadic polarization, making these organic polymers among the most polarizable materials ever encountered. In addition, yet other attributes could be found, such as remanent magnetization, or metallic conductivity, or unusual pressure sensitivity. The giant orbital concept opens up new vistas of materials properties. We note that one can tailor giant orbital polymers to produce pure and highly stable super-dielectrics with high dielectric constants, from 6 to 100,000. Such materials will be useful in the electric power control, as in large motor starting capacitors and in power factor correction. They will doubtless also be useful in low visibility coatings, in obscuration, in EMP shielding, in microcircuitry, in transducers, and in parametric circuits. It remains to be proven if this new molecular mode, nomadic polarization, proves superior in energy storage and loss to that of the conventional “dipole orientation” mode. Preliminary results indicate an advantage for the new giant orbital materials.
Theology's Great Sin: Silence in the Face of White Supremacy

Drawing on the legacies of Malcolm X, Martin Luther King, Jr, Dietrich Bonhoeffer and others, this essay calls academic theologians to break the silence about white racism within their discipline. Four realities are identified that have contributed and continue to create this silence. (1) Whites do not talk about racism because they do not have to. (2) White theologians avoid racial dialogue because talk about white supremacy arouses deep feelings of guilt. (3) Whites avoid talking with African Americans about race because Whites fear engaging Black peoples' rage. (4) Whites do not say much about racial justice because they are not prepared for a radical redistribution of wealth and power. Confronting these realities gives theologians an opportunity to develop antiracist theologies that go beyond simply condemning racism because they engage the histories, cultures and theologies of people of color. This is the work of love and justice because it is work that enhances our humanity.
Laboratory characterization of a CCD camera system for retrieval of bi-directional reflectance distribution function

The Remote Sensing Group of the Optical Science Center at the University of Arizona has developed a four-band, multi- spectral, wide-angle, imaging radiometer for the retrieval of the bi-directional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) for vicarious calibration applications. The system consists of a fisheye lens with four interference filters centered at 470 nm, 575 nm, 660 nm, and 835 nm for spectral selection and an astronomical grade 1024 X 1024-pixel, silicon CCD array. Data taken by the system fit in the array as a nominally 0.2 degree per pixel image. This imaging radiometer system has been used in support of the calibration of Landsat-5 and SPOT- satellite sensors. This paper presents the results of laboratory characterization of the system to determine linearity of the detector, point spread function (PSF) and polarization effects. The linearity study was done on detector array without the lens, using a spherical-integrating source with a 1.5-mm aperture. This aperture simulates a point source for distances larger than 60 cm. Data were collected as both a function of exposure time and distance from the source. The results of these measurements indicate that each detector of the array is linear to better than 0.5%. Assuming a quadratic response improves this fit to better than 0.1% over 88% of the upper end of the detector's dynamic range. The point spread function (PSF) of the lens system was measured using the sphere source and aperture with the full camera system operated at a distance of 700 mm from the source, thus the aperture subtends less than the field of view of one pixel. The PSF was measured for several field angles and the signal level was found to fall to less than 1% of the peak signal within 1.5-degrees (10 pixels) for the on-axis case. The effect of this PSF on the retrieval of modeled BRDFs is shown to be less than 0.2% out to view angles of 70 degrees. The final test presented is one to assess the polarization effects of the lens system by illuminating the camera system with the same spherical-integrating source with a 50-mm aperture with a linear polarizing filter. The degree of polarization of the system is shown to be negligible for on-axis imaging but to have up to a 20% effect for field angles of 70 degrees. The effect of the system polarization on the retrieval of modeled BRDFs is shown to be up to 3% for field angles of 70 degrees off nadir and solar zenith angle of 70 degrees. Polarization response is therefore found to be the greatest source of error in the system. A method to account for polarization effects in digital camera imagery is proposed.
Can consumers enforce environmental regulations? The role of the market in hazardous waste compliance

We examine the U.S. hazardous waste management industry to assess the role that consumers play in encouraging environmental compliance. We first examine whether environmental performance affects consumer demand and find that noncompliance does decrease demand, at least in the short term. Next we consider whether market characteristics affect compliance behavior. While we do not find evidence that market size affects behavior, local competition does appear to increase compliance. However, as competition becomes less localized, it has a smaller effect. Finally, regardless of the pressures exerted by consumers to comply, commercial managers are less likely to be in compliance than on-site managers.
Phases of a bilayer Fermi gas

We investigate a two-species Fermi gas in which one species is confined in two parallel layers and interacts with the other species in the three-dimensional space by a tunable short-range interaction. Based on the controlled weak coupling analysis and the exact three-body calculation, we show that the system has a rich phase diagram in the plane of the effective scattering length and the layer separation. Resulting phases include an interlayer s-wave pairing, an intralayer p-wave pairing, a dimer Bose-Einstein condensation, and a Fermi gas of stable Efimov-like trimers. Our system provides a widely applicable scheme to induce long-range interlayer correlations in ultracold atoms.
A simple method to polyhydroxylated olefinic molecules using ring-closing olefin metathesis

Abstract This paper describes the ring-closing metathesis of silyl ether connected dienes using molybdenum and ruthenium alkylidene catalysts. The cyclizations proceed to afford the corresponding cyclic silyloxy olefins in good to excellent yields. Subsequent oxidative ring cleavage yields highly functionalized olefins.
Acute monocular visual loss in carcinomatous hypertrophic pachymeningitis mimicking giant cell arteritis

This report describes a 69-year-old woman who presented with acute monocular visual loss, ipsilateral headache, and elevated sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP). Both temporal artery biopsies were negative. Neuroimaging, dural biopsy, and breast biopsy all confirmed the diagnosis of carcinomatous hypertrophic pachymeningitis associated with metastatic breast carcinoma. After treatment with corticosteroids, her vision improved. Her clinical presentation initially mimicked the symptoms and signs of giant cell arteritis. Acute monocular visual loss without other cranial nerve palsies may be an uncommon presentation of hypertrophic pachymeningitis from metastatic breast carcinoma.
TURBULENCE SUPPRESSION IN FREE SHEAR FLOWS BY CONTROLLED EXCITATION.

Turbulence suppression in the near field of a free shear flow under controlled excitation is investigated in four circular jets, a plane jet, and a plane mixing layer. The suppression is a consequence of an excitation-induced modification of the shear layer structure and occurs at the excitation frequency corresponding to the maximally unstable disturbance frequency of the initial free shear layer. The most pronounced suppression occurs when the shear layer is excited at a frequency 40% higher than the natural roll-up frequency. Excitation at a Strouhal number of about 0.017 produces a rapid roll-up and early breakdown of the shear layer, and thus inhibits the formation of the energetic large-scale vortices which otherwise survive farther downstream, grow to larger sizes, and undergo successive pairings in the corresponding unexcited flow.
On the Structural Basis of Modal Gating Behavior in K+ Channels

Modal-gating shifts represent an effective regulatory mechanism by which ion channels control the extent and time course of ionic fluxes. Under steady-state conditions, the K+ channel KcsA displays three distinct gating modes, high-Po, low-Po and a high-frequency flicker mode, each with about an order of magnitude difference in their mean open times. In KcsA, the hydrogen bond network between Glu71, Asp80 and Trp67 that surrounds the selectivity filter has been shown to regulate C-type inactivation, with the Glu71-Asp80 pair having the strongest influence on selectivity filter stability. Here, we show that in the absence of C-type inactivation, mutations at the pore-helix position Glu71 unmask a series of kinetically distinct modes of gating in a side-chain-specific way which mirror those seen in wild-type channels. Results from high-resolution crystal structures along with molecular dynamic simulations suggest that specific interactions in the side-chain network surrounding the selectivity filter, in concert with ion occupancy, alter the relative stability of pre-existing conformational states of the pore. These findings highlight the key role of the selectivity filter in regulating modal gating behavior in K+ channels.
Systematic Raman study on Tl-based superconductors with Tc variation due to oxygen deficiency

Using a Raman microprobe technique, we have measured the Raman spectra of singile crystaillites of Ti2Ba2Ca-lCu02fl+4-d (n1,2 and 3) with Tc varied by oxygen removal or addition. It is found in Ti2Ba2CuO6-d that the phonon modes associated with the vibrations of bridging 02 in Ba-0 planes (-"485 cnr') and 03 in 11-0 pianes (--600 cm ' ) increase i n frequency and become broader as the Ic increases from 0 to 70 K with oxygen removai, whiie the Ba and TIE vibration modes do not change appreciabily. The observations are attributed to the vallence change of TI., resuilting from a change in the charge transfer between H and (Cu-Ol), and to the distortion and/or disorder in 11-0 planes due to the oxygen removal.. In TI2Ba2CaCu2O8d and TlI2Ba2Ca2Cu3OlOd, the frequencies of 02 and 03 vibration modes increase with Tc raised by oxygen addition, while the Iow-frequency modes do not change. There is a ciear correlEation between Tc and phonon frequencies in fl-based superconductors. We suggest that a change in charge distribution in (Cu-01)-02-(fl-03) complexes is responsibEe for the phonon frequency shifts observed in 02 and 03 vibration modes.© (1990) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Synthesis and thermal stability studies of a series of metastable Dion–Jacobson double-layered neodymium-niobate perovskites

The Dion–Jacobson double-layered perovskite, RbNdNb{sub 2}O{sub 7}, is used as a precursor to synthesize the series ANdNb{sub 2}O{sub 7} (A=H, Li, Na, K, NH{sub 4}, Ag), and (MCl)NdNb{sub 2}O{sub 7} (M=Mn, Fe, Cu) through ion-exchange reactions ≤400 °C. Thermal stability studies indicated that most of these compounds are metastable. A combination of X-ray powder diffraction and differential thermal analysis were used to determine various low temperature decomposition pathways; these pathways were very dependent on the interlayer species. Overall the ANdNb{sub 2}O{sub 7} series was found to be less stable than the corresponding lanthanides, ALaNb{sub 2}O{sub 7}. - Graphical abstract: A new series of topochemically-prepared metastable neodymium-containing layered perovskites are studied. - Highlights: • A series of new layered neodymium containing perovskites were synthesized by ion exchange. • Products were studied by variable temperature X-ray diffraction and thermal analysis. • Most of the series are metastable showing exothermic transitions on decomposition. • The Nd compounds are less stable due to the smaller size of the Nd relative to La.
Charge ordering via electron-electron interactions in the colossal-magnetoresistive manganites

The coupled magnetic and charge-order transition observed in the manganites of the type R1-xMxMnO3 near half filling (x similar or equal to 1/2) is shown to be the result of the interplay between the double-exchange, superexchange, and the Coulomb interaction terms in an electronic Hamiltonian. At half tilling and temperature T=0 we find, as we increase the strength of the extended-Hubbard repulsion, a first-order transition from a charge-nonordered ferromagnetic metal (FN) to a charge-ordered antiferromagnetic and insulating (AFO) ground state. The AFO-FN transition is also obtained by increasing T: however, a small degree of charge order remains ill the ferromagnetic phase. The charge-ordered state also ''melts,'' as observed, on the application of a magnetic field, which causes a rapid drop in the transition temperature. Qualitative differences ill behavior between members of the manganite series can be understood in terms of small variations in the interaction parameters.
Political censorship: A different view

convention. Indeed the 1988 platform counsels against "discriminatory quota systems and preferential treatment." It states that "quotas are the most insidious form of reverse discrimination against the innocent." Nonetheless, the rules of the Republican party have traditionally provided for sex quotas in party and convention committees, though these provisions have been occasionally eroded. In 1924, the Republican National Committee was expanded to include one man and one woman from each state. In 1952, over the vocal opposition of women delegates to that convention, state chairmen were made automatic RNC members. Vir-
SIBLING Family Genes and Bone Mineral Density: Association and Allele-specific Expression in Humans

Abstract Osteoporosis is a common complex disorder with reduced bone mineral density (BMD) and increased susceptibility to fracture. Peak BMD is one of the primary determinants of osteoporotic fracture risk, and is under substantial genetic control. Extracellular matrix, a major component of the bone, influences BMD by regulating mineral deposition and maintaining cellular activity. It contains several SIBLING family proteins, null mutations of which cause mineralization defects in humans. In this study, we tested 59 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) located in the 5 SIBLING family genes (DSPP, DMP1, IBSP, MEPE and SPP1) for association with normal variation in peak BMD in healthy men and women. We measured femoral neck (FN) and lumbar spine (LS) areal BMD by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) in 1692 premenopausal European-American women, 512 premenopausal African-American women and 715 European-American men. SNPs were tested for association with FN and LS-BMD in the 3 subsamples. In the European-American women, we observed association (p ≤ 0.005) with LS-BMD for SNPs in DSPP, IBSP and MEPE, and for FN-BMD with SNPs in DMP1 and IBSP. Allele-specific regulation of gene expression (ASE) is an important mechanism in which an allele giving rise to modest influence in transcript abundance might result in a predisposition to disease. To identify whether there was ASE of SIBLING family genes at these SNPs, we examined 52 human bone samples obtained from the femoral neck during surgical hip replacement (27 female, 25 male; 44 European-American and 8 African-American). We observed unidirectional ASE for the IBSP gene, with lower expression of the G allele compared to the A allele for SNP rs17013181. Our data suggest that SNPs within the SIBLING genes may contribute to normal variation of peak BMD. Further studies are necessary to identify the functional variants and to determine the mechanisms underlying the differences in ASE and how these differences relate to the pathophysiology of osteoporosis.
Ultrasonic Inspection of Bridge Hanger Pins

Ultrasonic inspection is currently one of the most common and reliable methods used in the inspection of hanger pins in pin-and-hanger bridge structures. Recently, a pin-and-hanger connection on a heavily traveled truck route in the Midwest showed visual indications of being deficient. Field contact ultrasonic inspections were performed on the remaining pin connections. The field inspections indicated that a number of the pins contained cracks or significant wear grooves at the pin shear planes, or both. These pins were replaced and sent to the FHWA's Nondestructive Evaluation Validation Center for further testing in an ultrasonic immersion tank. The results of the contact and immersion tank ultrasonic studies were nearly identical. Both methods found two pins that contained transverse cracks at the level of a shear plane, with one of these cracks encompassing a majority of the pin cross section. Clearly, for the conditions found in the study, field contact ultrasonics can accurately locate defects in han...