cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Linear Coherent Estimation With Spatial Collaboration

A power-constrained sensor network that consists of multiple sensor nodes and a fusion center (FC) is considered, where the goal is to estimate a random parameter of interest. In contrast to the distributed framework, the sensor nodes may be partially connected, where individual nodes can update their observations by (linearly) combining observations from other adjacent nodes. The updated observations are communicated to the FC by transmitting through a coherent multiple access channel. The optimal collaborative strategy is obtained by minimizing the expected mean-square error subject to power constraints at the sensor nodes. Each sensor can utilize its available power for both collaboration with other nodes and transmission to the FC. Two kinds of constraints, namely the cumulative and individual power constraints, are considered. The effects due to imperfect information about observation and channel gains are also investigated. The resulting performance improvement is illustrated analytically through the example of a homogeneous network with equicorrelated parameters. Assuming random geometric graph topology for collaboration, numerical results demonstrate a significant reduction in distortion even for a moderately connected network, particularly in the low local signal-to-noise ratio regime.
An active, microfabricated, scalp electrode array for EEG recording

Abstract We describe the microfabrication, packaging, and testing of an active, dry, scalp electroencephalogram (EEG) electrode. The electrode consists of a silicon sensor substrate and a custom circuit substrate (2 μm CMOS technology). A via-hole technology has been developed using reactive ion etching with SF 6 O 2 gas mixture to make electrical contacts between the sensor and circuit substrates. These substrates and batteries (power source) are then assembled in a custom package for testing on bench and human subjects.
How Do Foreclosures Exacerbate Housing Downturns

The recent housing bust precipitated a wave of mortgage defaults, with over seven percent of the owner-occupied housing stock experiencing a foreclosure. This paper presents a model that shows how foreclosures can exacerbate a housing bust and delay the housing market’s recovery. By raising the ratio of sellers to buyers, by making buyers more selective, and by changing the composition of houses that sell, foreclosures freeze up the market for retail (non-foreclosure) sales and reduce both price and
Estimating mixture models via mixtures of polynomials

Mixture modeling is a general technique for making any simple model more expressive through weighted combination. This generality and simplicity in part explains the success of the Expectation Maximization (EM) algorithm, in which updates are easy to derive for a wide class of mixture models. However, the likelihood of a mixture model is non-convex, so EM has no known global convergence guarantees. Recently, method of moments approaches offer global guarantees for some mixture models, but they do not extend easily to the range of mixture models that exist. In this work, we present Polymom, an unifying framework based on method of moments in which estimation procedures are easily derivable, just as in EM. Polymom is applicable when the moments of a single mixture component are polynomials of the parameters. Our key observation is that the moments of the mixture model are a mixture of these polynomials, which allows us to cast estimation as a Generalized Moment Problem. We solve its relaxations using semidefinite optimization, and then extract parameters using ideas from computer algebra. This framework allows us to draw insights and apply tools from convex optimization, computer algebra and the theory of moments to study problems in statistical estimation. Simulations show good empirical performance on several models.
Unipotent representations as a categorical centre

Let G(F_q) be the group of rational points of a split connected reductive group G defined over the finite field F_q. In this paper we show that the category of representations of G(F_q) which are finite direct sums of unipotent representations in a fixed two-sided cell is equivalent to the centre of a certain monoidal category of sheaves on the product of two copies of the flag manifold of G. We also consider a version of this for nonsplit groups.
Shock Isolation in Finite-Length Dimer Chains With Linear, Cubic, and Hertzian Spring Interactions

A numerical investigation to mitigate the effects of shock in finite 1:1 dimer chains is performed. Dimer chains consist of alternating light and heavy masses. Changing the mass ratio has provided interesting results in previous research. In particular, in the case of Hertzian contacts with zero-preload, certain mass ratios have revealed minimal levels of transmitted force. This paper examines this phenomena from the perspective of utilizing it in practical isolation systems. The zero-preload Hertzian contact case is contrasted with chains connected by linear or cubic springs. Through numerical simulations, tradeoffs are examined between displacement and transmitted force.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Novel scoring functions comprising QXP, SASA, and protein side-chain entropy terms.

Novel scoring functions that predict the affinity of a ligand for its receptor have been developed. They were built with several statistical tools (partial least squares, genetic algorithms, neural networks) and trained on a data set of 100 crystal structures of receptor−ligand complexes, with affinities spanning 10 log units. The new scoring functions contain both descriptors generated by the QXP docking program and new descriptors that were developed in-house. These new descriptors are based on solvent accessible surface areas and account for conformational entropy changes and desolvation effects of both ligand and receptor upon binding. The predictive r2 values for a test set of 24 complexes are in the 0.712−0.741 range and RMS prediction errors in the 1.09−1.16 log Kd range. Inclusion of the new descriptors led to significant improvements in affinity prediction, compared to scoring functions based on QXP descriptors alone. However, the QXP descriptors by themselves perform better in binding mode predi...
ISIS vs. the U.S. government: A war of online video propaganda

The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) relies heavily on propaganda in the form of videos distributed over social media to recruit supporters and new members to its cause, including from the U.S. The U.S. government has countered with anti-ISIS propaganda videos; however, sources claim that the U.S. is losing the propaganda war. We evaluate that claim through a comparative multimodal content analysis of the ISIS video Flames of War and the videos posted in response on the U.S. Department of State’s (USDS) Think Again Turn Away YouTube channel. Our findings shed light on some of the reasons why the USDS anti-propaganda videos are less rhetorically effective than the ISIS videos, including a one-dimensional narrative, a stance that could appear inauthentic, and a lack of sensitivity to Islamic culture. In concluding, we advance recommendations that the USDS could follow to strengthen its online propaganda defense against ISIS, and extend the implications of our findings to other social media fronts where the ISIS vs. USDS propaganda war is being waged.
Quantum Rigidity of Negatively Curved Manifolds

We show that an isometric action of a compact quantum group on the underlying geodesic metric space of a compact connected Riemannian manifold (M, g) with strictly negative curvature is automatically classical, in the sense that it factors through the action of the isometry group of (M, g). This partially answers a question by D. Goswami.
Understanding Agricultural Price Range Systems as Trade Restraints: Peru - Agricultural Products

An agricultural price range system (PRS) aims to stabilize local prices in an open economy via the use of import duties that vary with international prices. The policy is inherently distortionary and welfare-reducing for a small open economy, at least according to the canonical economic model. We offer an explanation for why a government concerned with national welfare may nevertheless implement such a policy when faced with risk aversion and imperfect insurance markets. We also highlight open questions arising out of the Peru â Agricultural Products dispute for the WTO's Appellate Body to address in order to clarify how a PRS consistent with WTO rules could be designed. Finally, we discuss the possibility that a WTO member might resort to a free trade agreement (FTA) to preserve its flexibility to implement a PRS and how an FTA provision of this sort ought to be treated in WTO litigation.
Low-Rank Approximation of a Matrix: Novel Insights, New Progress, and Extensions

Empirical performance of the celebrated algorithms for low-rank approximation of a matrix by means of random sampling has been consistently efficient in various studies with various sparse and structured multipliers, but so far formal support for this empirical observation has been missing. Our new insight into this subject enables us to provide such an elusive formal support. Furthermore, our approach promises significant acceleration of the known algorithms by means of sampling with more efficient sparse and structured multipliers. It should also lead to enhanced performance of other fundamental matrix algorithms. Our formal results and our initial numerical tests are in good accordance with each other, and we have already extended our progress to the acceleration of the Fast Multipole Method and the Conjugate Gradient algorithms.
Efficacy of newer medications for treating depression in primary care patients

PURPOSE: Several medications have recently been introduced for the treatment of depression. We reviewed the literature to summarize their efficacy in the treatment of depression in adult patients in primary care settings. METHODS: We searched the literature published from 1980 to January 1998 using the Cochrane Collaboration Depression Anxiety and Neurosis Group’s specialized registry of 8,451 clinical trials, references from trials and 46 pertinent meta-analyses, and consultation with experts. We included randomized controlled trials of at least 6 weeks’ duration that measured clinical outcomes and compared one of 32 newer medications with another newer antidepressant, an older antidepressant, a placebo, or a psychosocial intervention for the treatment of depressed patients in primary care settings. The primary outcome was response rate, defined as the proportion of patients experiencing a 50% or greater improvement in depressive symptoms. RESULTS: There were 28 randomized controlled trials involving 5,940 adult primary care patients with major depression, depression requiring treatment, dysthymia, or mixed anxiety depression. Newer agents, including selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors, serotonin norepinephrine inhibitors, reversible inhibitors of monoamine oxidase, and dopamine antagonists, were usually compared with tricyclic agents. Average response rates were 63% for newer agents, 35% for placebo, and 60% for tricyclic agents. Newer agents were significantly more effective than placebo [risk ratio 5 1.6; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.2 to 2.1), but similar to tricyclic agents (risk ratio 5 1.0; 95% CI, 0.9 to 1.1). Response rates were similar in the different types of depressive disorders, except that two small trials in frail older patients showed no significant effects of newer agents compared with placebo. Dropout rates as a result of adverse effects were 8% with newer agents and 13% with tricyclic agents (P ,0.05). CONCLUSIONS: In primary care settings, newer antidepressants are more effective than placebo and have similar efficacy compared with tricyclic agents in the acute treatment of depression. Dropout rates as a result of adverse effects are lower with newer compared with tricyclic agents. Future studies should compare the effectiveness of different therapies among primary care patients with less severe depression and greater medical and psychiatric comorbidity. Am J Med. 2000;108:54 ‐ 64.
Welcome to the Club: The Returns to an Elite Degree for American Lawyers

Competition for seats in elite U.S. graduate school programs has intensified dramatically over the past 40 years. In this paper, we study the market for young attorneys to illuminate the role that elite graduate programs play in human capital development. We find that attorneys who graduate from law schools ranked in the top ten nationally earn considerably more than those without such a qualification, even compared to attorneys who graduate from schools ranked 11-20. The premium to an elite education carries over to an attorney's undergraduate institution as well, and we find that elite bachelors and elite law degrees appear to be close substitutes in terms of their effects on salaries. We compare our findings to the broader literature on the returns to attending a selective college, and find that the elite-law-school premium is more robust to various methods for correcting for selection on ability than the broader premium to attending a selective college. We discuss several potential reasons for why an elite school premium may exist in this labor market.
Two-Dimensional Model of a Space Station Freedom Thermal Energy Storage Canister

The Solar Dynamic Power Module being developed for Space Station Freedom uses a eutectic mixture of LiF-CaF[sub 2] phase-change salt contained in toroidal canisters for thermal energy storage. This paper presents results from heat transfer analyses of the phase-change salt containment canister. A two-dimensional, axisymmetric finite difference computer program which models the canister walls, salt, void, and heat engine working fluid coolant was developed. Analyses included effects of conduction in canister walls and solid salt, conduction and free convection in liquid salt, conduction and radiation across salt vapor-filled void regions, and forced convection in the heat engine working fluid. Void shape and location were prescribed based on engineering judgment. The salt phase-change process was modeled using the enthalpy method. Discussion of results focuses on the role of free convection in the liquid salt on canister heat transfer performance. This role is shown to be important for interpreting the relationship between ground-based canister performance (in 1-g) and expected on-orbit performance (in micro-g). Attention is also focused on the influence of void heat transfer on canister wall temperature distributions. The large thermal resistance of void regions is shown to accentuate canister hot spots and temperature gradients.
Wikipedia Tools for Google Spreadsheets

In this paper, we introduce the Wikipedia Tools for Google Spreadsheets. Google Spreadsheets is part of a free, Web-based software office suite offered by Google within its Google Docs service. It allows users to create and edit spreadsheets online, while collaborating with other users in realtime. Wikipedia is a free-access, free-content Internet encyclopedia, whose content and data is available, among other means, through an API. With the Wikipedia Tools for Google Spreadsheets, we have created a toolkit that facilitates working with Wikipedia data from within a spreadsheet context. We make these tools available as open-source on GitHub [https://github.com/tomayac/wikipedia-tools-for-google-spreadsheets], released under the permissive Apache 2.0 license.
Conformal vector fields on some Finsler manifolds

We study conformal vector fields on a Finsler manifold whose metric is defined by a Riemannian metric, a $1$-form and its norm. We find PDEs characterizing conformal vector fields. Then we obtain the explicit expressions of conformal vector fields for certain spherically symmetric metrics on $\mathbb R^n$.
Wide-stopband aperiodic phononic filters

We demonstrate that a phonon stopband can be synthesized from an aperiodic structure comprising a discrete set of phononic filter stages. Each element of the set has a dispersion relation that defines a complete bandgap when calculated under a Bloch boundary condition. Hence, the effective stopband width in an aperiodic phononic filter (PnF) may readily exceed that of a phononic crystal with a single lattice constant or a coherence scale. With simulations of multi-moded phononic waveguides, we discuss the effects of finite geometry and mode-converting junctions on the phonon transmission in PnFs. The principles described may be utilized to form a wide stopband in acoustic and surface wave media. Relative to the quantum of thermal conductance for a uniform mesoscopic beam, a PnF with a stopband covering 1.6-10.4 GHz is estimated to reduce the thermal conductance by an order of magnitude at 75 mK.
A New Framework for Estimation of Quantile Treatment Effects: Nonseparable Disturbance in the Presence of Covariates

This paper introduces a new framework for quantile estimation. Quantile regression techniques have proven to be extremely valuable in understanding the relationship between explanatory variables and the conditional distribution of the outcome variable. Quantile regression allows the effect of the explanatory variables to vary based on a nonseparable disturbance term, frequently interpreted as “unobserved proneness” for the outcome, and provides conditional quantile treatment effects. Researchers are typically interested in the impact of the treatment variables on the unconditional distribution of the outcome. Additional covariates may be necessary (or simply desirable) for identification but adding these variables alters the interpretation of the resulting estimates as some of the “unobserved proneness” becomes observed and the disturbance term is separated. The Generalized Quantile Regression (GQR) estimator provides unconditional quantile treatment effects - the impact of the treatment variables on the unconditional distribution of the outcome variables. The control variables are conditioned on for identification or variance reduction but without altering the interpretation of the estimates. This property parallels mean regression. An IV version (IV-GQR) is also introduced. The estimator is extremely straightforward to implement using standard statistical software. Quantile Regression and Instrumental Variables Quantile Regression are special cases of the introduced estimation technique, but the proposed technique provides additional flexibility in the estimation of quantile treatment effects.
Troublesome Transcendence: The Supernatural in the Scientific Study of Religion

Social theorists have encountered considerable difficulties in dealing with the troublesome phenomenon of religious transendence in their effort to generate a scientifically cogent understanding of religious ideas and behavior. This paper groups the various approaches of major theorists to the transcendent religious phenomenon under three types which are described as scientific reductionism, symbolic functionalism, and phenomenological numinalism. A critical evaluation of each type reveals that only the last type, phenomenological numinalism, is capable of taking seriously the numinal or transcendent element in religion while simultaneously protecting the scientific objectivity of the observer.
On the efficiency and accuracy of the single equivalent moving dipole method to identify sites of cardiac electrical activation.

We have proposed an algorithm to guide radiofrequency catheter ablation procedures. This algorithm employs the single equivalent moving dipole (SEMD) to model cardiac electrical activity. The aim of this study is to investigate the optimal time instant during the cardiac cycle as well as the number of beats needed to accurately estimate the location of a pacing site. We have evaluated this algorithm by pacing the ventricular epicardial surface and inversely estimating the locations of pacing electrodes from the recorded body surface potentials. Two pacing electrode arrays were sutured on the right and left ventricular epicardial surfaces in swine. The hearts were paced by the electrodes sequentially at multiple rates (120–220 bpm), and body surface ECG signals from 64 leads were recorded for the SEMD estimation. We evaluated the combined error of the estimated interelectrode distance and SEMD direction at each time instant during the cardiac cycle, and found the error was minimum when the normalized root mean square (RMS n ) value of body surface ECG signals reached 15 % of its maximum value. The beat-to-beat variation of the SEMD locations was significantly reduced (p < 0.001) when estimated at 15 % RMS n compared to the earliest activation time (EAT). In addition, the 5–95 % interval of the estimated interelectrode distance error decreased exponentially as the number of beats used to estimate a median beat increased. When the number of beats was 4 or larger, the 5–95 % interval was smaller than 3.5 mm (the diameter of a commonly used catheter). In conclusion, the optimal time for the SEMD estimation is at 15 % of RMS n , and at that time instant a median beat estimated from 4 beats is associated with a beat-to-beat variability of the SEMD location that is appropriate for catheter ablation procedures.
Development of hyperactivity and anxiety responses in dopamine transporter-deficient mice

Dopamine (DA) is a catecholamine neurotransmitter that regulates many aspects of motivated behavior in animals. Extracellular DA is highly regulated by the presynaptic high-affinity dopamine transporter (DAT), and drug- or genetically induced deficiencies in DAT function result in loss of DA reuptake. Mice in which DAT expression has been ablated have been previously proposed to be a relevant model of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and have led to mechanistic insights regarding psychostimulant drug actions. However, very little previous work has emphasized the biobehavioral development of DAT-deficient mice. We therefore examined motoric, emotional and cognitive phenotypes in preadolescent (P22-26) DAT mutant mice. Consistent with previous reports in adult DAT(-/-) mice, we observed a hyperlocomotive phenotype in preadolescent mice across multiple assays. Somewhat surprisingly, spatial working memory in a Y-maze appeared intact, suggesting that cognitive phenotypes may emerge relatively late in development following hyperdopaminergia. Anxiety levels appeared to be reduced in DAT(-/-) mice, as defined by elevated plus maze and light-dark preference assays. No significant differences were observed between wild-type and heterozygous mice, suggesting a minimal impact of DAT haploinsufficiency on neurobehavioral status. Taken together, these data for the first time establish behavioral phenotypes of DAT mutant mice during development and suggest complex developmental stage-dependent effects of DA signaling on cognitive and emotional behaviors.
Microwave Thermoradiotherapy for Intraocular Melanoma

We evaluated the use of microwave hyperthermia as an adjuvant to ophthalmic plaque radiotherapy for patients with intraocular tumors. Forty-eight patients were offered combined microwave plaque thermoradiotherapy (TRT) as a primary treatment for their uveal melanomas. A dish-shaped microwave antenna was placed on the sclera beneath the tumor at the time of plaque brachytherapy. While temperatures were measured at the sclera, the tumor's apex was targeted to receive a minimum of 42 degrees C for a 45-min duration. Patients were also given full or reduced doses of plaque radiotherapy (125I or 103Pd). We reduced the minimum tumor radiation dose (apex dose) for 42 (88%) of our patients to <70 Gy (mean, 52.5 Gy). The 48 TRT patients were followed for < or =8 years (average, 45 months). To date, there has been one documented postoperative tumor enlargement, for a 97.2% local control rate. Two patients were lost to follow-up. Four eyes have been enucleated: two due to neovascular glaucoma, one to glaucoma secondary to intraocular inflammation, and one for progressive tumor enlargement. Although 13 patients have died, only four deaths were due to metastatic melanoma. Thirty-five patients (73%) have maintained within two lines or had better than their preoperative visual acuity. Side effects attributable to heating included chorioretinal scar formation within and around the targeted zone and decreased intraocular pressures without hypotony. Our experience with this heat delivery system suggests that adjuvant microwave thermotherapy can be used with plaque radiotherapy for the treatment of uveal melanoma.
Electric shock hazards in cardiac catheterization

1. These studies demonstrate that ventricular fibrillation can be produced in anesthetized, mechanically ventilated dogs by a current as low as 35 microamperes and a voltage as low as 0.06 volt. 2. Analysis of circuits of medical electronic equipment which is usually considered safe indicates that such low current levels may exist in the heart during catheterization. 3. The safety procedures established for our laboratory to minimize the hazard of electric shock are presented.
Rayleigh/Raman/LIF measurements in a turbulent lean premixed combustor

Much of the industrial electrical generation capability being added worldwide is gas-turbine engine based and is fueled by natural gas. These gas-turbine engines use lean premixed (LP) combustion to meet the strict NO{sub x} emission standards, while maintaining acceptable levels of CO. In conventional, diffusion flame gas turbine combustors, large amount of NO{sub x} forms in the hot stoichiometric zones via the Zeldovich (thermal) mechanism. Hence, lean premixed combustors are rapidly becoming the norm, since they are specifically designed to avoid these hot stoichiometric zones and the associated thermal NO{sub x}. However, considerable research and development are still required to reduce the NO{sub x} levels (25-40 ppmvd adjusted to 15% O{sub 2} with the current technology), to the projected goal of under 10 ppmvd by the turn of the century. Achieving this objective would require extensive experiments in LP natural gas (or CH{sub 4}) flames for understanding the combustion phenomena underlying the formation of the exhaust pollutants. Although LP combustion is an effective way to control NO{sub x}, the downside is that it increases the CO emissions. The formation and destruction of the pollutants (NO{sub x} and CO) are strongly affected by the fluid mechanics, the finite-rate chemistry, and their (turbulence-chemistry) interactions. Hence, a thorough understanding of these interactions is vital for controlling and reducing the pollutant emissions. The present research is contributing to this goal by providing a detailed nonintrusive laser based data set with good spatial and temporal resolutions of the pollutants (NO and CO) along with the major species, temperature, and OH. The measurements reported in this work, along with the existing velocity data on a turbulent LP combustor burning CH{sub 4}, would provide insight into the turbulence-chemistry interactions and their effect on pollutant formation.
Let Me Relax: Toward Automated Sedentary State Recognition and Ubiquitous Mental Wellness Solutions

Advances in ubiquitous computing technology improve workplace productivity, reduce physical exertion, but ultimately result in a sedentary work style. Sedentary behavior is associated with an increased risk of stress, obesity, and other health complications. Let Me Relax is a fully automated sedentary-state recognition framework using a smartwatch and smartphone, which encourages mental wellness through interventions in the form of simple relaxation techniques. The system was evaluated through a comparative user study of 22 participants split into a test and a control group. An analysis of NASA Task Load Index pre- and post- study survey revealed that test subjects who followed relaxation methods, showed a trend of both increased activity as well as reduced mental stress. Reduced mental stress was found even in those test subjects that had increased inactivity. These results suggest that repeated interventions, driven by an intelligent activity recognition system, is an effective strategy for promoting healthy habits, which reduce stress, anxiety, and other health risks associated with sedentary workplaces.
Performance Limits Projection of Black Phosphorous Field-Effect Transistors

Ballistic device performance of monolayer black phosphorous (BP) field-effect transistors (FETs) is investigated in this letter. Due to the anisotropic effect mass of the carriers, the ON-state current is dependent on the transport direction. The effective masses are lower in the armchair direction, which provides higher drive current at the same biasing. The degree of anisotropy is higher for the holes, which improves the performance of p-type devices. The intrinsic delay of 20-nm BP FETs is in the range of 50 fs at ON-/OFF-current ratio of four orders. Monolayer BP FETs outperform both MoS 2 and Si FETs for both nand p-type devices in terms of ballistic performance limits, due to highly anisotropic band structure.
Why Mutant Allele Frequencies in Oncogenes Peak Around 0.40 and Rapidly Decrease

The mutant allele frequencies in oncogenes peak around 0.40 and rapidly decrease. In this article, we explain why this is the case. Invoking a key result from mathematical analysis in our model, namely, the inverse function theorem, we estimate the selection pressures of the mutations as a function of germline allele frequencies. Under complete dominance of oncogenic mutations, this selection function is expected to be linearly correlated with the distribution of the mutant alleles. We demonstrate that this is the case by investigating the allele frequencies of mutations in oncogenes across various cancer types, validating our model for mean effective selection. Consistent with the population genetics model of fitness, the selection function fits a gamma distribution curve that accurately describes the trend of the mutant allele frequencies. While existing equations for selection explain evolution at low allele frequencies, our equations are general formulas for natural selection under complete dominance operating at all frequencies. We show that selection exhibits linear behavior at all times, favoring dominant alleles with respect to the change in recessive allele frequency. Also, these equations show, selection behaves like power-law against the recessive alleles at low dominant allele frequency.
Heat transport in the Hadean mantle: From heat pipes to plates

Plate tectonics is a unique feature of Earth, and it plays a dominant role in transporting Earth's internally generated heat. It also governs the nature, shape, and the motion of the surface of Earth. The initiation of plate tectonics on Earth has been difficult to establish observationally, and modeling of the plate breaking process has not consistently accounted for the nature of the preplate tectonic Earth. We have performed numerical simulations of heat transport in the preplate tectonic Earth to understand the transition to plate tectonic behavior. This period of time is dominated by volcanic heat transport called the heat pipe mode of planetary cooling. These simulations of Earth's mantle include heat transport by melting and melt segregation (volcanism), Newtonian temperature-dependent viscosity, and internal heating. We show that when heat pipes are active, the lithosphere thickens and lithospheric isotherms are kept flat by the solidus. Both of these effects act to suppress plate tectonics. As volcanism wanes, conduction begins to control lithospheric thickness, and large slopes arise at the base of the lithosphere. This produces large lithospheric stress and focuses it on the thinner regions of the lithosphere resulting in plate breaking events.
Discovery of a Makemakean Moon

We describe the discovery of a satellite in orbit about the dwarf planet (136472) Makemake. This satellite, provisionally designated S/2015 (136472) 1, was detected in imaging data collected with the Hubble Space Telescope's Wide Field Camera 3 on UTC 2015 April 27 at 7.80 +/- 0.04 mag fainter than Makemake and at a separation of 0farcs57. It likely evaded detection in previous satellite searches due to a nearly edge-on orbital configuration, placing it deep within the glare of Makemake during a substantial fraction of its orbital period. This configuration would place Makemake and its satellite near a mutual event season. Insufficient orbital motion was detected to make a detailed characterization of its orbital properties, prohibiting a measurement of the system mass with the discovery data alone. Preliminary analysis indicates that if the orbit is circular, its orbital period must be longer than 12.4 days and must have a semimajor axis > or approx. = 21,000 km. We find that the properties of Makemake's moon suggest that the majority of the dark material detected in the system by thermal observations may not reside on the surface of Makemake, but may instead be attributable to S/2015 (136472) 1 having a uniform dark surface. This dark moon hypothesis can be directly tested with future James Webb Space Telescope observations. We discuss the implications of this discovery for the spin state, figure, and thermal properties of Makemake and the apparent ubiquity of trans-Neptunian dwarf planet satellites.
Enantioselective Alcohol C–H Functionalization for Polyketide Construction: Unlocking Redox-Economy and Site-Selectivity for Ideal Chemical Synthesis

The development and application of stereoselective and site-selective catalytic methods that directly convert lower alcohols to higher alcohols are described. These processes merge the characteristics of transfer hydrogenation and carbonyl addition, exploiting alcohols and π-unsaturated reactants as redox pairs, which upon hydrogen transfer generate transient carbonyl–organometal pairs en route to products of C–C coupling. Unlike classical carbonyl additions, stoichiometric organometallic reagents and discrete alcohol-to-carbonyl redox reactions are not required. Additionally, due to a kinetic preference for primary alcohol dehydrogenation, the site-selective modification of glycols and higher polyols is possible, streamlining or eliminating use of protecting groups. The total syntheses of several iconic type I polyketide natural products were undertaken using these methods. In each case, the target compounds were prepared in significantly fewer steps than previously achieved.
Legislative prediction with dual uncertainty minimization from heterogeneous information

Voting on legislative bills to form new laws serves as a key function of most legislature. Predicting the votes of such deliberative bodies leads to better understanding of government policies and generates actionable strategies for social good. In this paper, we present a novel prediction model that maximizes the usage of publicly accessible heterogeneous data, i.e., bill text and lawmakers’ profile data, to carry out effective legislative prediction. In particular, we propose to design a probabilistic prediction model which achieves high consistency with past vote records while ensuring the minimum uncertainty of the vote prediction reflecting the firm legal ground often held by the lawmakers. In addition, the proposed legislative prediction model enjoys the following properties: inductive and analytical solution, abilities to deal with the prediction on new bills and new legislators, and robustness to the missing vote issue. We conduct extensive empirical study using the real legislative data and compare with other representative methods in both quantitative political science and data mining communities. The experimental results clearly corroborate that the proposed method provides superior prediction accuracy with visible performance gain.
Early Postpartum Glucose Testing in Women with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus.

Objective Given that most women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) never undergo the recommended 6 to 12 weeks postpartum glucose tolerance test (GTT), we assessed the feasibility of performing GTTs on postpartum day 2. Study Design We conducted a prospective cohort study in which women with GDM received a 75-g 2-hour GTT on postpartum day 2. We assessed the feasibility of this GTT and compared the results to the standard of care GTT at 6 to 12 weeks postpartum. We also evaluated maternal and pregnancy characteristics of women who return for 6 to 12 weeks GTTs compared with those lost to follow-up. Results In this study, 98 of 106 participants (92%) completed the postpartum day 2 GTT; 59% had normal glucose values at that time. Only 49 women returned at 6 to 12 weeks postpartum. Among women who had testing at both time points, the 2 days postpartum GTT were 100% sensitive and 94% specific for diabetes mellitus but less sensitive and specific for milder forms of abnormal glucose. Women who did not complete the 6 to 12 weeks postpartum GTT were less educated (p Conclusion Performing GTTs on postpartum day 2 is feasible and should be further investigated as an alternative postpartum testing regimen in GDM.
Strategic evolution of adversaries against temporal platform diversity active cyber defenses

Adversarial dynamics are a critical facet within the cyber security domain, in which there exists a co-evolution between attackers and defenders in any given threat scenario. While defenders leverage capabilities to minimize the potential impact of an attack, the adversary is simultaneously developing countermeasures to the observed defenses. In this study, we develop a set of tools to model the adaptive strategy formulation of an intelligent actor against an active cyber defensive system. We encode strategies as binary chromosomes representing finite state machines that evolve according to Holland's genetic algorithm. We study the strategic considerations including overall actor reward balanced against the complexity of the determined strategies. We present a series of simulation results demonstrating the ability to automatically search a large strategy space for optimal resultant fitness against a variety of counter-strategies.
Molybdenum Disulfide as a Protection Layer and Catalyst for Gallium Indium Phosphide Solar Water Splitting Photocathodes

Gallium indium phosphide (GaInP2) is a semiconductor with promising optical and electronic properties for solar water splitting, but its surface stability is problematic as it undergoes significant chemical and electrochemical corrosion in aqueous electrolytes. Molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) nanomaterials are promising to both protect GaInP2 and to improve catalysis because MoS2 is resistant to corrosion and also possesses high activity for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). In this work, we demonstrate that GaInP2 photocathodes coated with thin MoS2 surface protecting layers exhibit excellent activity and stability for solar hydrogen production, with no loss in performance (photocurrent onset potential, fill factor, and light-limited current density) after 60 h of operation. This represents a 500-fold increase in stability compared to bare p-GaInP2 samples tested in identical conditions.
On the auto Igusa-zeta function of an algebraic curve

We study endomorphisms of complete Noetherian local rings in the context of motivic integration. Using the notion of an auto-arc space, we introduce the (reduced) auto-Igusa zeta series at a point, which appears to measure the degree to which a variety is not smooth that point. We conjecture a closed formula in the case of curves with one singular point, and we provide explicit formulas for this series in the case of the cusp and the node. Using the work of Denef and Loeser, one can show that this series will often be rational. These ideas were obtained through extensive calculations in Sage. Thus, we include a Sage script which was used in these calculations. It computes the affine arc spaces ź n X provided that X is affine, n is a fat point, and the ground field is of characteristic zero. Finally, we show that the auto Poincare series will often be rational as well and connect this to questions concerning new types of motivic integrals.
The Value of Country-of-Origin and Wild-Caught Labels: A Hedonic Analysis of Shrimp Retail Prices in the United States

The retail market for shrimp is dynamic with substantial competition between imports and domestic products. Country of origin and method of production (wild and/or farm-raised) labels are required for all seafood since April 4, 2005. But little is known about how these and other credence attributes are valued in the retail market. To estimate the value of these attributes, we use weekly store scanner data of unbreaded frozen shrimp products in 2013. An estimated hedonic model shows a premium for both home (product of USA), and price premium for fishing method (wild-caught), and a premium for the organic claim. The results contribute new insights regarding opportunities for differentiation by credence attributes which may lead to more sustainable and effective resource use along the value chain for shrimp.
Chiral Bimetallic Catalysts Derived from Chiral Metal Phosphates: Enantioselective Three-Component Asymmetric Aza-Diels-Alder Reactions of Cyclic Ketones.

A new type of chiral bimetallic catalyst is disclosed. These chiral bimetallic catalysts are easily formed through mixing a metal Lewis acid and a metal binaphthyl phosphate (MLA/M[P]3) in solution. 1H and 31P NMR spectroscopy, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy, matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry, and X-ray crystallographic analysis reveal a bimetallic structure of the Y(Yb)III/Y[P]3 complexes with bridging binaphthyl phosphate ligands. The Lewis acidity of these chiral bimetallic catalysts is readily tuned by changing either the metal Lewis acid or the chiral metal phosphate. Through cooperative metal Lewis acid–enamine catalysis, asymmetric three-component aza-Diels–Alder reactions of 5-, 6-, and 7-membered cyclic ketones, unsaturated ketoesters, and arylamines were successfully achieved to afford fused bicyclic dihydropyridines in high yields (up to 94%) with high enantioselectivity (up to 99% enantiomeric excess) and excellent chem...
Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.

SUMMARY Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis is an idiopathic disorder characterized by chronic inflammatory arthritis with onset prior to the age of 16 years. Three major types—systemic, polyarticular, and pauciarticular—have been identified. They differ in their manifestations, number of joints involved, course, complications, and outcome. Although severe musculoskeletal disabilities, visual loss, and even death can occur, the majority of patients do well, entering remission after 1 or 2 years. High-dose aspirin therapy is usually sufficient to control fever if present and to reduce the degree of joint inflammation in the majority of patients. However, some patients with polyarthritis may require the addition of gold or similar agents. Asymptomatic ocular involvement is a common complication in the pauciarticular type, requiring ophthalmologic examination for early detection and corticosteroid and mydriatic therapy. Physical therapy is extremely important and must be individualized for each patient. Every effort must be made to maintain normal childhood activities in their usual environmental settings. The psychosocial development of the patient and the psychodynamics of the family unit must be considered. Management should be optimistic, and it is essential to have good rapport and communication with the parents as well as the child.
Institutional Constraints, Managerial Choices, and Conflicts in Public Sector Supply Chains

ABSTRACTIn this research, we compare the governance mechanisms that public sector managers and private sector managers leverage when responding to conflict in supply chain relationships. We find evidence that public sector managers are more likely than private sector managers to rely on written (formal) contract mechanisms, but that both public and private managers use relational (informal) governance mechanisms to similar extents. We also find that managers from both sectors perceive an improvement to the quality of the exchange relationship when a relational approach is emphasized in managing the conflict. Our research provides an important contribution to our understanding about the actions public managers take in dealing with supply chain conflicts and suggests potential policy alternatives to foster contracting efficiency and effectiveness.
Existence and non-existence of transition fronts for bistable and ignition reactions

Abstract We study reaction–diffusion equations in one spatial dimension and with general (space- or time-) inhomogeneous mixed bistable–ignition reactions. For those satisfying a simple quantitative hypothesis, we prove existence and uniqueness of transition fronts, as well as convergence of “typical” solutions to the unique transition front (the existence part even extends to mixed bistable–ignition–monostable reactions). These results also hold for all pure ignition reactions without the extra hypothesis, but not for all pure bistable reactions. In fact, we find examples of either spatially or temporally periodic pure bistable reactions (independent of the other space–time variable) for which we can prove non-existence of transition fronts. The latter are the first such examples in periodic media which are non-degenerate in a natural sense, and they also prove a conjecture from [7] .
HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE CONSTRAINTS ON THE WINDS AND ASTROSPHERES OF RED GIANT STARS

We report on an ultraviolet spectroscopic survey of red giants observed by the Hubble Space Telescope, focusing on spectra of the Mg II h & k lines near 2800 A in order to study stellar chromospheric emission, winds, and astrospheric absorption. We focus on spectral types between K2 III and M5 III, a spectral type range with stars that are noncoronal, but possessing strong, chromospheric winds. We find a very tight relation between Mg II surface flux and photospheric temperature, supporting the notion that all K2-M5 III stars are emitting at a basal flux level. Wind velocities (V_w) are generally found to decrease with spectral type, with V_w decreasing from ~40 km/s at K2 III to ~20 km/s at M5 III. We find two new detections of astrospheric absorption, for Sigma Pup (K5 III) and Gamma Eri (M1 III). This absorption signature had previously only been detected for Alpha Tau (K5 III). For the three astrospheric detections the temperature of the wind after the termination shock correlates with V_w, but is lower than predicted by the Rankine-Hugoniot shock jump conditions, consistent with the idea that red giant termination shocks are radiative shocks rather than simple hydrodynamic shocks. A full hydrodynamic simulation of the Gamma Eri astrosphere is provided to explore this further.