cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
House Prices, Borrowing Constraints, and Monetary Policy in the Business Cycle

I develop a general equilibrium model with sticky prices, credit constraints, nominal loans and asset prices. Changes in asset prices modify agents’ borrowing capacity through collateral value; changes in nominal prices affect real repayments through debt deflation. Monetary policy shocks move asset and nominal prices in the same direction, and are amplified and propagated over time. The “financial accelerator” is not constant across shocks: nominal debt stabilises supply shocks, making the economy less volatile when the central bank controls the interest rate. I discuss the role of equity, debt indexation and household and firm leverage in the propagation mechanism. Finally, I find that monetary policy should not target asset prices as a means of reducing output and inflation volatility.
Online updating appearance generative mixture model for meanshift tracking

This paper proposes an appearance generative mixture model based on key frames for meanshift tracking. Meanshift tracking algorithm tracks an object by maximizing the similarity between the histogram in tracking window and a static histogram acquired at the beginning of tracking. The tracking therefore could fail if the appearance of the object varies substantially. In this paper, we assume the key appearances of the object can be acquired before tracking and the manifold of the object appearance can be approximated by piece-wise linear combination of these key appearances in histogram space. The generative process is described by a Bayesian graphical model. An Online EM algorithm is proposed to estimate the model parameters from the observed histogram in the tracking window and to update the appearance histogram. We applied this approach to track human head motion and to infer the head pose simultaneously in videos. Experiments verify that our online histogram generative model constrained by key appearance histograms alleviates the drifting problem often encountered in tracking with online updating, that the enhanced meanshift algorithm is capable of tracking object of varying appearances more robustly and accurately, and that our tracking algorithm can infer additional information such as the object poses.
Financial inclusion in the Middle East and North Africa : analysis and roadmap recommendations

The paper provides an assessment of the state of financial inclusion in the MENA region, and identifies constraints, opportunities, and priorities for significantly improving access to finance. Practical recommendations for improving financial inclusion are outlined. Firstly, governments could agree a Financial Inclusion Strategy that is underpinned by improved data, that has both public and private sector commitment, and that scales up financial access on a large scale, principally through bank accounts. Secondly, the regulators should provide a legal and supervisory framework that enables access to finance to be expanded primarily through banks, but with regulatory space for the use of agents, mobile phone technology, and for a finance company model for microcredit and leasing. Interest rate caps on microloans should be removed, and instead consumer protection and supervisory capacity for microfinance should be strengthened, while prudent competition between financial service providers should be promoted. Thirdly, financial infrastructure needs to continue to be a focus area, and in particular credit information and secured transactions. Finally, barriers to the growth of Islamic financial services should be removed so that they can better meet market demand.
Modularity of nearly ordinary 2-adic residually dihedral Galois representations

We prove modularity of some two dimensional 2-adic Galois representations over a totally real field that are nearly ordinary at all places above 2 and that are residually dihedral. We do this by employing the strategy of Skinner and Wiles using Hida families together with the 2-adic patching method of Khare and Wintenberger. As an application we deduce modularity of some elliptic curves over totally real fields that have good ordinary or multiplicative reduction at places above 2.
Intermolecular rhodium-catalyzed [2+2+2] carbocyclization reactions of 1,6-enynes with symmetrical and unsymmetrical alkynes

The crossed intermolecular rhodium-catalyzed [2 + 2 + 2] carbocyclization of carbon and heteroatom tethered 1,6-enynes can be accomplished with symmetrical and unsymmetrical alkynes, to afford the corresponding bicyclohexadienes in an efficient and highly selective manner.
Total synthesis of floresolide B and Δ6,7-Z-floresolide B

The total syntheses of the cytotoxin marine natural product floresolide B (1) and its Δ6,7-Z isomer (2) have been achieved through an olefin metathesis-based strategy.
Predicativity, the Russell-Myhill Paradox, and Church’s Intensional Logic

This paper sets out a predicative response to the Russell-Myhill paradox of propositions within the framework of Church’s intensional logic. A predicative response places restrictions on the full comprehension schema, which asserts that every formula determines a higher-order entity. In addition to motivating the restriction on the comprehension schema from intuitions about the stability of reference, this paper contains a consistency proof for the predicative response to the Russell-Myhill paradox. The models used to establish this consistency also model other axioms of Church’s intensional logic that have been criticized by Parsons and Klement: this, it turns out, is due to resources which also permit an interpretation of a fragment of Gallin’s intensional logic. Finally, the relation between the predicative response to the Russell-Myhill paradox of propositions and the Russell paradox of sets is discussed, and it is shown that the predicative conception of set induced by this predicative intensional logic allows one to respond to the Wehmeier problem of many non-extensions.
The Centrality of RNA

New roles for RNAs in biology continue to emerge, and a glance at the history of RNAs may prepare molecular biologists for future discoveries about these powerful molecules. A striking new role for RNAs is their widespread involvement in the regulation of numerous genes, suggesting that there is much yet to discover about these amazing cellular components.
Waiving legal rights in research

The US federal research regulations prohibit informed consent, whether written or oral, from including provisions in which human subjects waive or appear to waive legal rights. We argue that policies that prevent human subjects from waiving legal rights in research can be ethically justified under the rationale of group, soft paternalism. These policies protect competent adults from making adverse decisions about health and legal matters that they may not understand fully. However, this rationale is less defensible if there is a comprehensive compensation for injury programme available in which subjects are asked to waive some legal rights in order to participate in the programme. In this situation, subjects should be allowed to waive some legal rights to obtain the benefits of the programme.
Light and electron microscopy of laser microirradiated nucleoli and nucleoplasm in tissue culture cells.

This manuscript describes in precise detail the ultrastructural alterations produced as a result of laser microirradiation of nucleoli and nucleoplasm of tissue culture cells. Because of the general difficulty of single cell recovery, flat embedding, and serial sectioning, very few studies have ever been conducted on microbeam irradiated cells; yet the use of the microbeam technique has become widespread in functional studies of the nucleus. The results presented here demonstrate two classes of lesion material: small spherical electron dense bodies 0.05-0.02 μm in diameter and a larger, more irregular electron dense material up to 1 μm in length. The occurrence of these different types of lesion materials is described in control irradiated nucleoli and nucleoplasm, irradiated nucleoli and nucleoplasm in quinacrine treated cells, irradiated nucleoli and nucleoplasm in actinomycin D treated cells, and irradiated nucleoli and nucleoplasm in combined actinomycin D and quinacrine treated cells. In all the cells in which actinomycin D was employed, nucleoli were selectively irradiated in either their granular or fibrillar zones. The results of the ultrastructural studies are discussed in light of earlier functional studies.
Open-air, broad-bandwidth trace gas sensing with a mid-infrared optical frequency comb

A mid-infrared frequency comb is produced via an optical parametric oscillator pumped by an amplified 100 MHz Yb:fiber mode-locked laser. We use this source to make measurements of the concentration of the atmospherically relevant species of CH4 and H2O over a bandwidth of 100 nm centered at 3.25 μm. Multiple absorption lines for each species are detected with millisecond acquisition time using a virtual-image phased array spectrometer. The measured wavelength-dependent absorption profile is compared to and fitted by a model, yielding quantitative values of the atmospheric concentration of both CH4 and H2O in a controlled indoor environment, as well as over a 26-m open-air outdoor path .
A Method for the Preparation of Differentiated trans-1,2-Diol Derivatives with Enantio- and Diastereocontrol

We describe a synthetic sequence that allows for the preparation of optically active trans-1,2-diol monosilyl ether derivatives from ketones, providing a new means for retrosynthetic simplification of differentiated diol and polyol targets. The sequence involves silyl enol ether formation, Shi asymmetric epoxidation, and then regio- and stereospecific addition of hydride, methide, or higher alkylide. The tactical combination presented has not been integrated in synthetic problem solving, so far as we are aware, but has promise for broad application.
Anisotropic Locations of Satellite Galaxies: Clues to the Orientations of Galaxies within their Dark Matter Halos

We investigate the locations of the satellites of relatively isolated host galaxies in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey and the Millennium Run simulation. Provided we use two distinct prescriptions to embed luminous galaxies within the simulated dark matter halos (ellipticals share the shapes of their halos, while disks have angular momenta that are aligned with the net angular momenta of their halos), we find a fair agreement between observation and theory. Averaged over scales rp ≤ 500 kpc, the satellites of red, high-mass hosts with low star formation rates are found preferentially near the major axes of their hosts. In contrast, the satellites of blue, low-mass hosts with low star formation rates show little to no anisotropy when averaged over the same scale. The difference between the locations of the satellites of red and blue hosts cannot be explained by the effects of interlopers in the data. Instead, it is caused primarily by marked differences in the dependence of the mean satellite location, , on the projected distance at which the satellites are found. We also find that the locations of red, high-mass satellites with low star formation rates show considerably more anisotropy than do the locations of blue, low-mass satellites with high star formation rates. There are two contributors to this result. First, the blue satellites have only recently arrived within their hosts' halos, while the red satellites arrived in the far distant past. Second, the sample of blue satellites is heavily contaminated by interlopers, which suppresses the measured anisotropy compared to the intrinsic anisotropy.
A laboratory plasma experiment for studying magnetic dynamics of accretion discs and jets

This work describes a laboratory plasma experiment and initial results which should give insight into the magnetic dynamics of accretion discs and jets. A high-speed multiple-frame CCD camera reveals images of the formation and helical instability of a collimated plasma, similar to MHD models of disc jets, and also plasma detachment associated with spheromak formation, which may have relevance to disc winds and flares. The plasmas are produced by a planar magnetized coaxial gun. The resulting magnetic topology is dependent on the details of magnetic helicity injection, namely the force-free state eigenvalue αgun imposed by the coaxial gun.
Programming a damping matrix for error-corrective assembly

The author considers the situation in which the response of a manipulator to forces imposed on it is given by a user-selectable damping matrix (a six-by-six matrix which maps forces and torques into translational and rotational velocities). He then seeks to determine whether it is possible to choose the 36 matrix elements so that the forces which characterize every error condition map into the motions that correct it. He proposes three desired properties of the damping matrix: the bounded-forces, error-reduction, and nonorthogonal-motion properties. It is shown how the damping matrix most closely attaining these properties under all contact configurations can be constructed. For some tasks a 'perfect' damping matrix possessing all three properties exists, and under its direction assembly must necessarily proceed to completion. For some tasks a perfect damping matrix does not exist, and it is conjectured that the three properties may still be useful as heuristics; the damping matrix most closely attaining them will likely be appropriate to the task. To test this conjecture, the author considers the canonical peg-into-chamfered-hole task and finds that no 'perfect' damping matrix is possible. >
International Trade and Labor-Demand Elasticities

Abstract In this paper I try to determine whether international trade has been increasing the own-price elasticity of demand for U.S. labor in recent decades. The empirical work yields three main results. First, from 1961 through 1991 demand for U.S. production labor became more elastic in manufacturing overall and in five of eight industries within manufacturing. Second, during this time U.S. nonproduction-labor demand did not become more elastic in manufacturing overall or in any of the eight industries within manufacturing. If anything, demand seems to be growing less elastic over time. Third, the hypothesis that trade contributed to increased elasticities has mixed support, at best. For production labor many trade-related variables have the predicted effect for specifications with only industry controls, but these predicted effects disappear when time controls are included as well. For nonproduction labor things are somewhat better, but time continues to be a very strong predictor of elasticity patterns. Thus the time series of labor–demand elasticities are explained largely by a residual, time itself. This result parallels the common finding in studies of rising wage inequality. Just as there seems to be a large unexplained residual for changing factor prices over time, there also seems to be a large unexplained residual for changing factor demand elasticities over time.
New firm registration and the business cycle

This paper uses new panel data on the number of new firm registrations in 109 countries during 2002-2012 to study the relationship between entrepreneurship and economic growth. The data show strong evidence of a pro-cyclical pattern in entrepreneurship. An examination of heterogeneous relationships between new firm registration and the business cycle finds that higher levels of financial development and better business environments are associated with stronger pro-cyclicality of entrepreneurship both across countries and within countries over time. The results are robust to various measures of business regulation, such as the cost and time of starting a new firm and closing an insolvent firm. These findings suggest that fostering an efficient regulatory environment for the financial and private sector is important for encouraging a speedier recovery in the formation of new firms during economic expansions and aiding the efficient wind-down of insolvent firms during economic slowdowns.
OBSERVABLE CONSEQUENCES OF MERGER-DRIVEN GAPS AND HOLES IN BLACK HOLE ACCRETION DISKS

We calculate the observable signature of a black hole (BH) accretion disk with a gap or a hole created by a secondary BH embedded in the disk. We find that for an interesting range of parameters of BH masses (∼10 6 ‐10 9 M� ), orbital separation (∼ 1A U to∼0.1 pc), and gap width (10‐190 disk scale heights), the missing thermal emission from a gap manifests itself in an observable decrement in the spectral energy distribution (SED). We present observational diagnostics in terms of power-law forms that can be fit to line-free regions in active galactic nucleus (AGN) spectra or in fluxes from sequences of broad filters. Most interestingly, the change in slope in the broken power law is almost entirely dependent on the width of the gap in the accretion disk, which in turn is uniquely determined by the mass ratio of the BHs, such that it scales roughly as q 5/12 . Thus, one can use spectral observations of the continuum of bright AGNs to infer not only the presence of a closely separated BH binary, but also the mass ratio. When the BH merger opens an entire hole (or cavity) in the inner disk, the broadband SED of the AGNs or quasar may serve as a diagnostic. Such sources should be especially luminous in optical bands but intrinsically faint in X-rays (i.e., not merely obscured). We briefly note that viable candidates may have already been identified, though extant detailed modeling of those with high-quality data have not yet revealed an inner cavity.
Bank Reputation, Bank Commitment, and the Effects of Competition in Credit Markets

This article discusses the effects of credit market competition on a bank’s incentive to keep its commitment to lend to a borrower when the borrower’s credit quality deteriorates. It is shown that, unlike in the borrower’s commitment problem to keep borrowing from the same bank in “good” times, the increased competition may strengthen a bank’s incentive to keep its commitment. Banks offer loans with commitment to the highest quality borrowers but, when faced with competition from bond markets, they also give these loans to lower quality borrowers. An increase in the number of banks has a nonmonotonic effect; new banks reinforce a bank’s incentive only if there are small number of banks. The inability to contract across all contingencies may result in inefficiencies in bank lending. The borrower may not undertake efficient investments if future refinancing is difficult to obtain in the case of temporary distress. The lender may not provide funds when the borrower is in distress if the surplus cannot be shared in the long run. 1 This problem can be mitigated, however, if the lender and the borrower interact repeatedly. For example, a bank’s concern to maintain a “good” reputation can induce the bank to keep its commitment to a costly action [see, e.g., Sharpe (1990), Boot, Greenbaum, and Thakor (1993), Aoki (1994), Chemmanur and Fulghieri (1994)]. Indeed, the use of bank reputation as an enforcement mechanism seems to be widespread. 2
Exact tensor closures for the three-dimensional Jeffery's equation

This paper presents an exact formula for calculating the fourth-moment tensor from the second-moment tensor for the three-dimensional Jeffery's equation. Although this approach falls within the category of a moment tensor closure, it does not rely upon an approximation, either analytic or curve fit, of the fourth-moment tensor as do previous closures. This closure is orthotropic in the sense of Cintra & Tucker (J. Rheol., vol. 39, 1995, p. 1095), or equivalently, a natural closure in the sense of Verleye & Dupret (Developments in Non-Newtonian Flow, 1993, p. 139). The existence of these explicit formulae has been asserted previously, but as far as the authors know, the explicit forms have yet to be published. The formulae involve elliptic integrals, and are valid whenever fibre orientation was isotropic at some point in time. Finally, this paper presents the fast exact closure, a fast and in principle exact method for solving Jeffery's equation, which does not require approximate closures nor the elliptic integral computation.
Numerical calculation of the fidelity for the Kondo and the Friedel-Anderson impurities

The fidelities of the Kondo and the Friedel-Anderson (FA) impurities are calculated numerically. The ground states of both systems are calculated with the FAIR (Friedel artificially inserted resonance) theory. The ground state in the interacting systems is compared with a nullstate in which the interaction is zero. The different multi-electron states are expressed in terms of Wilson states. The use of N Wilson states simulates the use of a large effective number Neff of states. A plot of ln(F) versus N ∝ ln(Neff) reveals whether one has an Anderson orthogonality catastrophe at zero energy. The results are at first glance surprising. The ln(F) – ln(Neff) plot for the Kondo impurity diverges for large Neff. On the other hand, the corresponding plot for the symmetric FA impurity saturates for large Neff when the level spacing at the Fermi level is of the order of the singlet-triplet excitation energy. The behavior of the fidelity allows one to determine the phase shift of the electron states in this regime.
Inside Ownership, Risk Sharing and Tobin's q -Ratios: Evidence from REITs

∗∗∗ We investigate relations among inside ownership, managerial expenses, risk sharing and equity valuations. Our engine of analysis—Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)—provides a unique and rich framework for analysis since we can calculate extremely accurate measures of asset replacement costs, and hence relative valuation (Tobin’s q). Further, the nature of the financial statements allows us to examine the impact of insider ownership on agency costs since we can accurately measure the costs of the entire management team. Our results show that firms with greater insider holdings tend to invest in assets with lower systematic risk and use less debt in their capital structure. At the same time, managerial expenses are lower as inside ownership increases. Finally, higher levels of insider ownership are associated with higher relative valuation as measured by both higher premiums to net asset value and higher multiples of cash flows. The results have implications for the design of optimal management contracts for both REITs and firms in general. One of the more contentious issues in the finance literature concerns the relation between ownership structure and firm valuation or financial performance. Since at least Jensen and Meckling (1976), it has been well understood that managers have incentives to make decisions that are in their, but not necessarily their shareholders’, best interests. These agency conflicts can be eliminated by simply requiring that managers retain the entire equity stake in the assets they manage. Unfortunately this solution leads to inefficient risk sharing. Wealth-constrained owner‐managers are likely to be assuming large amounts of idiosyncratic risk when their wealth is concentrated in the firm they manage. Risk-averse managers will have to be compensated for bearing the additional idiosyncratic risk as their ownership share increases. Clearly, fractional outside owners can more easily and efficiently diversify. One consequence to allocating a greater ownership share to managers may be that they choose to reduce the risk level of the firm in order to reduce their
Conics in the Grothendieck ring

Abstract The subring of the Grothendieck ring of k-varieties generated by smooth conics is described, giving many zero divisors. The proof uses only elementary projective geometry.
Plane partition polynomial asymptotics

The plane partition polynomial $$Q_n(x)$$ is the polynomial of degree $$n$$ whose coefficients count the number of plane partitions of $$n$$ indexed by their trace. Extending classical work of E. M. Wright, we develop the asymptotics of these polynomials inside the unit disk using the circle method.
Legislative sanctions and the strategic environment of judicial review

The independence of the judiciary cannot be assumed. The creation and maintenance of an independent judiciary are difficult political problems, chiefly because independent social and political institutions necessarily make life more difficult for those holding political power. Powerful political actors constantly face the temptation to subvert judicial independence and transform the court system into a more malleable political instrument serving their own immediate needs. Such temptations may be particularly great when the courts become obstructive and the means for overpowering the courts seem readily at hand. The constitutional response to this difficult problem is to attempt to insulate the courts from political pressure. The U.S. Constitution employs various devices to this end, including giving federal judges lifetime appointments and prohibiting the reduction of their salaries. Of course, there are limits as to how independent the courts can or should be. It must be possible to hold even independent judges accountable for their actions, through impeachment, for example. Given the political power entrusted to judges, it would seem prudent to ensure that they are at least somewhat responsive politically, a goal typically achieved through a political appointment process. Nonetheless, protecting a judge’s autonomy is of paramount importance. In a variety of other ways, the formal protections of the constitutional text are only the first step toward securing effective judicial independence. There remain myriad loopholes that determined elected officials might use to punish the judiciary for its actions and reduce its independence.1 The American federal judiciary, therefore, may be better understood as “interdependent,” rather than truly independent, and the degree of independence that federal judges enjoy is, in fact, a function of the cooperation of elected officials and the degree of judicial independence they are willing to tolerate. Judicial independence is not “grounded so firmly in the Constitution that it cannot be threatened by politicians or interest groups.”2
Comparative advantage and the welfare impact of European integration

This paper investigates the welfare gains from European trade integration, and the role of comparative advantage in determining the magnitude of those gains. We use a multi-sector Ricardian model implemented on 79 countries, and compare welfare in the 2000s to a counterfactual scenario in which East European countries are closed to trade. For West European countries, the mean welfare gain from trade integration with Eastern Europe is 0.16%, ranging from zero for Portugal to 0.4% for Austria. For East European countries, gains from trade are 9.23% at the mean, ranging from 2.85% for Russia to 20% for Estonia. For Eastern Europe, comparative advantage is a key determinant of the variation in the welfare gains: countries whose comparative advantage is most similar to Western Europe tend to gain less, while countries with technology most different from Western Europe gain the most. — Andrei A. Levchenko and Jing Zhang
O’SOAP – A Web Services Framework for DDDAS Applications

Because of the continued development of web services protocols and the apparent convergence of Grid services with web services, it is becoming evident that web services will be an important enabling technology for future computational science applications. This is especially true for Dynamic Data-Driven Application Systems (DDDAS’s). In this paper, we argue that the current systems for web services development are ill-suited for DDDAS applications. We describe O’SOAP, a new framework for web service applications that addresses the specific needs of computation science. We discuss a multi-physics simulation developed using O’SOAP and show that O’SOAP is able to deliver excellent performance for a range of problem sizes.
The Formation of Low Mass Stars: Theory

We consider the interrelationships among the structure of molecular clouds; the collapse of rotating cloud cores; the formation of stars and disks; the origin of molecular outflows, protostellar winds, and highly collimated jets; the birth of single and binary stars; and the dynamics of star/disk/satellite interactions. Our discussion interweaves theory with the results of observations that span from millimeter wavelengths to X-rays.
Using cold atoms to measure neutrino mass

We propose a -decay experiment based on a sample of ultracold atomic tritium. These initial conditions enable detection of the helium ion in coincidence with the . We construct a two-dimensional fit incorporating both the shape of the -spectrum and the direct reconstruction of the neutrino mass peak. We present simulation results of the feasible limits on the neutrino mass achievable in this new type of tritium -decay experiment.
Attitudes, beliefs, behavioral intentions, and behaviors of women and men toward regular jogging.

Abstract Fishbein's Behavioral Intention Model was examined in a study of the beliefs, attitudes, and behavioral intentions of women and men toward regular jogging. Data were collected from 296 female and male joggers and nonexercisers who were 30 years of age and older using a mail questionnaire which was constructed according to Fishbein's specifications. Significant and meaningful differences were found between joggers' and nonexercisers' beliefs. Nonexercisers thought jogging would require too much discipline, take too much time, and make them too tired. Joggers were more likely than nonexercisers to believe that regular jogging would have positive effects, and joggers evaluated being in good physical and mental condition more positively than nonexercisers. Nonexercisers indicated it was unlikely their referents (particularly physicians) thought they should jog regularly. The results supported the theory upon which the model was based: the relationship between the intention to jog and jogging behavior...
Advantages of the LV100 as a Power Producer in a Hybrid Propulsion System for Future Fighting Vehicles

The core of any hybrid propulsion system is a high power density, low weight, and fuel efficient electric energy producer. The LV100 recuperated turbine engine is such a system. This engine is well suited to provide electric power efficiently at a volume and weight significantly lower than current systems. Originally designed for vehicular use and environment to drive a Hydrokinetic transmission, the turbine's high output speed lends itself to incorporate into the engine design an advanced generating device. This LV100 engine-based electric energy producer will provide in excess of 1MW of electric power in a volume of under one cubic meter at a weight of about 2500 pounds at fuel efficiencies comparable to advanced vehicular diesel engines. Recent state-of-the-art improvements in materials and component technology will permit further reductions in volume/weight and increase the system fuel efficiency. The technologies required to reach a volume of under one cubic meter, the system performance projections obtainable by technology upgrades and the program achievements to date are discussed.
Measurement of two particle pseudorapidity correlations in Pb+Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 2.76 TeV with the ATLAS detector

Abstract Two-particle pseudorapidity correlations, measured using charged particles with p T > 0.5 GeV and | η | 2.4 , from s N N = 2.76 TeV Pb+Pb collisions collected in 2010 by the ATLAS experiment at the LHC are presented. The correlation function C N ( η 1 , η 2 ) is measured for different centrality intervals as a function of the pseudorapidity of the two particles, η 1 and η 2 . The correlation function shows an enhancement along η − ≡ η 1 − η 2 ≈ 0 and a suppression at large η − values. The correlation function also shows a quadratic dependence along the η + ≡ η 1 + η 2 direction. These structures are consistent with a strong forward-backward asymmetry of the particle multiplicity that fluctuates event to event. The correlation function is expanded in an orthonormal basis of Legendre polynomials, T n ( η 1 ) T m ( η 2 ) , and corresponding coefficients a n , m are measured. These coefficients are related to mean-square values of the Legendre coefficients, a n , of the single particle longitudinal multiplicity fluctuations: a n , m = 〈 a n a m 〉 . Significant values are observed for the diagonal terms 〈 a n 2 〉 and mixed terms 〈 a n a n + 2 〉 . Magnitude of 〈 a 1 2 〉 is the largest and the higher order terms decrease quickly with increase in n. The centrality dependence of the leading coefficient 〈 a 1 2 〉 is compared to that of the mean-square value of the asymmetry of the number of participating nucleons between the two colliding nuclei, and also to the 〈 a 1 2 〉 calculated from HIJING.
Health perceptions in Latin America

The influence of cultural patterns and economic conditions on health perceptions in Latin America is studied using the results of the 2007 Gallup World Poll. The differences in health satisfaction between countries around the world have a robust association with variables that may reflect cultural differences rather than with aggregate economic variables or traditional health indicators. Simple health self-rating indicators reveal huge cultural differences in health perceptions in Latin America. However, within each country, differences correlate strongly with individuals' economic and health conditions. Lower-income groups recognize more health problems, but are less tolerant of some of them than the rich.
The influence of metal oxides on the activity and selectivity of transition metal catalysts

Abstract The catalytic activity and selectivity of transition metals are known to be affected by metal oxides deposited on their surface. Such deposits can result from the transfer of portions of the support during catalyst preparation or be introduced intentionally. The structure and composition of both monolayer and multilayer deposits of metal oxides on Rh and Pt are discussed and the effects of oxide composition and coverage on the rate of CO and CO 2 hydrogenation are examined. It is shown that the effectiveness of an oxide correlates with its Lewis acidity, and that the later property can be described by the Pauling electronegativity of the cations in the oxide. The effects of oxide deposits on other reactions are also reviewed.
Transaction Frequency, Inventories and Hedging in Commodity Processing

This study examines hedging strategies for commodity processors generally and soybean crushers specifically. Processors require hedging strategies built around processing multiple batches each year. Each batch requires the purchase of inputs, transformation of inputs into outputs, and sale of the resulting output. The more batches processed, the greater the transaction frequency, the smaller each batch's size. Increased transaction frequency reduces risk because of the smaller batch size. This study distinguishes between batch (accounting) profits and periodic profits (cash flows). Traditional hedging models have focused on batch profits but we argue that hedging cash flows are also a legitimate hedging target because (a) discounted cash flow is the capital investment decision criterion, (b) costs are associated with managing working capital, (c) cash flow and profits converge in annual aggregation, and (d) stabilizing periodic cash flow stabilizes annual profits but the converse does not hold. Weekly cash and futures prices from 1990 through 2003 are used to compare averages and standard deviations of direct-hedged and unhedged profits and cash flows with transaction frequencies of 1, 2, 4, 13, 26 and 52 weeks. Our findings are as follows. (1) Increased transaction frequency reduces the variance of unhedged profits and cash flows. Two effects account for this. Both profit and cash flow risks are reduced by smaller batch size associated with increased transaction frequency but only profit risk is reduced by closer integration of input and output markets as transaction frequency increases. (2) As transaction frequency increases, the amount of hedgeable risk declines (finding 1) and the effectiveness of traditional hedges also declines. (3) Anticipatory hedging of soybean processing does not offer much risk protection. (4) Traditional hedging of batch profits tends to destabilize periodic cash flows. Several areas meriting additional investigation are also discussed.
The Formation of 7-Oxabicyclo[4.2.0]octanes and 6-Oxabicyclo[3.2.1]octanes via Cationic Iodocyclization

Several 2-cyclohexenemethanol derivatives were subjected to cationic iodocyclization. Two product types were formed: the fused 7-oxabicyclo[4.2.0]octane, and the bridged 6-oxabicyclo[3.2.1]octane. The degree of substitution in the alkenol determined the ratio of the products, with aromatic substituents leading to the formation of the fused system as the major product.
Relativistic quaternionic wave equation. II

Further results are reported for the one-component quaternionic wave equation recently introduced. A Lagrangian is found for the momentum-space version of the free equation, and another, nonlocal in time, is found for the complete equation. Further study of multiparticle systems has us looking into the mathematics of tensor products of Hilbert spaces. The principles of linearity and superposition are also clarified to good effect in advancing the quaternionic theory.
Long-correlation image models for textures with circular and elliptical correlation structures

A class of random field model having long-correlation characteristics is introduced. Unlike earlier approaches in long-correlation models, the correlation structure is isotropic or elliptical in this new class of random field model. The new model has an advantage of modeling diverse real textures with less than five model parameters. Further, the model parameters match with intuitive attributes of textures, such as smoothness, pattern size, elongation or orientation of patterns. The new long-correlation models are based on the fractional differencing of a two-dimensional (2-D) autoregressive polynomial defined by eight symmetric neighbors, and they are either persistent or periodic models depending whether the roots of the polynomial are real or imaginary. A comprehensive three-step algorithm for parameter estimation is developed, and the statistical properties of the estimators are also discussed. The validity of the new model in modeling textures is tested by synthesizing images from manually selected parameters as well as parameters estimated from real textures. It is shown that an image with desired attributes can be synthesized by selecting proper values of the parameters. Further, it is shown that the models introduced can be used in modeling wide range of textures by synthesizing images resembling real textures from estimated parameters
Ideas in Transverse Spin Physics

Three simple ideas about transverse spin observables are presented for the purpose of stimulating discussion. The manuscript is based on a presentation at the Transversity 2014 Workshop in Torre Chia, Sardinia, Italy on June 9-13, 2014 where approximately sixty experts on transverse spin physics had gathered to share recent results in an atmosphere of sun-drenched intensity.
Catalysis and Mechanistic Insights into Sirtuin Activation

SIRT1 is a member of the Sir2 family of NAD+ dependent protein deacetylases. The central role of SIRT1 in multiple metabolic and aging-related pathways has pushed SIRT1 to the forefront for the discovery of small molecule activators. Promising compounds including resveratrol and SRT1720 have been reported, however whether these compounds are direct activators and the mechanism by which they activate remains poorly defined. This review will examine the current debate surrounding purported activators, focusing on the assays used in screening compounds, Sirtuin catalysis and the mechanistic basis for their actions. We discuss the potential pathways of SIRT1 activation that could be exploited for the development of novel therapeutics for treating type II diabetes, neurodegeneration and diseases associated with aging.
Metric Characterizations of Superreflexivity in Terms of Word Hyperbolic Groups and Finite Graphs

We show that superreexivity can be characterized in terms of bilipschitz embeddability of word hyperbolic groups. We compare characterizations of super- reexivity in terms of diamond graphs and binary trees. We show that there exist sequences of series-parallel graphs of increasing topological complexity which admit uniformly bilipschitz embeddings into a Hilbert space, and thus do not characterize superreexivity.
Initial conditions for parabolic calculation of reacting flows

A parabolic combustion code called CHARNAL was run for a variety of measured and estimated inlet boundary conditions. A parametric study was carried out to determine what compromises in accuracy would occur if estimated, rather than experimentally measured, inlet conditions were used and what values of the dissipation length scale would give the best results. The conclusions were that a dissipation length scale of approximately 0.03 gave the best results regardless of the type of inlet conditions used. Both subsonic and supersonic flow were examined and the effect of finite-rate versus equilibrium-chemistry calculations was briefly considered. No significant compromises in accuracy were found when estimated inlet boundary conditions were used.
A Note on Perceptions of Finance Journal Quality

Finance journal quality is a critical issue for faculty annual elevations, for the tenure and promotion process, and for the administration of faculty workload plans. Unlike other studies that use objective measures (such as citation frequencies) to rate journals, this study focuses on the opinions of chairpersons about the relative quality of 55 finance, insurance, and real estate journals. A sample of 218 finance department chair- persons at AACSB accredited business schools were surveyed, and 125 responses were received (57.34% response rate). Besides overall aggregate scores, responses are segregated and tested for differences across several dimensions. The results offer interesting and current insight on general perceptions of journal quality.
Using Parameterized Pareto Sets to Model Design Concepts

Decisions made during conceptual design can have a major impact on the success of a design project, and designers must take care to select a concept that leads to desirable design solutions. However, the inherently imprecise nature of design concepts complicates decision making. A single concept relates to a large set of specific design implementations, each of which has a different level of desirability based on the tradeoffs designers are willing to make. Thus, designers must consider tradeoffs across the many possible implementations of a design concept in order to decide between concepts rigorously. To accomplish this efficiently, designers require an abstract understanding of the characteristics of a design concept. In this paper, we describe an approach to modeling design concepts that is based on an extension of the notion of a Pareto set, called a parameterized Pareto set. Using this construct, designers can generate a model based on information about prior implementations of a design concept in a way that includes tradeoff information while being independent of implementation details and reusable for different design problems. We demonstrate the approach on the conceptual design of a gearbox. The example involves two different design scenarios that serve to demonstrate the reusability of the model and effectiveness of the overall approach.
A Hydrogen Bond Surrogate Approach for Stabilization of Short Peptide Sequences in α-Helical Conformation

α-Helices constitute the largest class of protein secondary structures and play a major role in mediating protein−protein interactions. Development of stable mimics of short α-helices would be invaluable for inhibition of protein−protein interactions. This Account describes our efforts in developing a general approach for constraining short peptides in α-helical conformations by a main-chain hydrogen bond surrogate (HBS) strategy. The HBS α-helices feature a carbon−carbon bond derived from a ring-closing metathesis reaction in place of an N-terminal intramolecular hydrogen bond between the peptide i and i + 4 residues. Our approach is centered on the helix−coil transition theory in peptides, which suggests that the energetically demanding organization of three consecutive amino acids into the helical orientation inherently limits the stability of short α-helices. The HBS method affords preorganized α-turns to overcome this intrinsic nucleation barrier and initiate helix formation. The HBS approach is an a...
Carbon monoxide poisoning

CO is an ubiquitous poison with many sources of exposure. CO poisoning produces diverse signs and symptoms that are often subtle and may be easily misdiagnosed. Failure to diagnose CO poisoning may result insignificant morbidity and mortality and permit continued exposure to a dangerous environment. Treatment of CO poisoning begins with inhalation of supplemental oxygen and aggressive supportive care. HBOT accelerates dissociation of CO from hemoglobin and may also prevent DNS. Absolute indications forHBOT for CO poisoning remain controversial, although most authors would agree that HBOT is indicated in patients who are comatose or neurologically abnormal, have a history of LOC with their exposure, or have cardiac dysfunction. Pregnancy with an elevated CO-Hgb level(>15%-20%) is also widely, considered an indication for treatment.HBOT may be considered in patients who have persistent symptoms despite NBO, metabolic acidosis, abnormalities on neuropsychometric testing, or significantly elevated levels. The ideal regimen of oxygen therapy has yet to be determined, and significant controversy exists regarding HBOTtreatment protocols. Often the local medical toxicologist, poison control center, or hyperbaric unit may assist the treating physician with decisions regarding therapy.
Willingness-to-Pay, Compensating Variation, and the Cost of Commitment

Hicksian welfare theory is static in nature, but many decisions are made in a dynamic environment. We present a dynamic model of an agent’s decision to purchase or sell a good under the realistic conditions of uncertainty, irreversibility, and learning over time. Her willingness to pay (WTP) contains both the intrinsic value of the good as in Hicksian theory plus a commitment cost associated with delaying to obtain more information. The Hicksian equivalence between WTP/Willingness to accept (WTA) and compensating and equivalent variations no longer holds. The WTP and WTA divergence may arise and observed WTP values are not always appropriate for welfare analysis. (JEL D60, D83)