375 research outputs found
How To: Avoid Common 401(k) Plan Errors
No full textThe author outlines five errors to avoid in creating a 401(k) plan: not following the plan document, failing to follow the definition of eligible compensation, not monitoring the service provider, untimely remittance to the plan, and not being diligent and having a backup
Theory of the electronic states of semiconductor heterostructures
No full textThis thesis is concerned with theoretical calculations of the properties of electronic bound states in semiconductor heterostructures. The complex band structure empirical pseudopotential method (EPM) is used as the foundation of the work. Spin orbit coupling and strain effects (due to lattice mismatch) are included in familiar ways, as is the transfer matrix method, allowing the study of arbitrarily configured heterostructures. These techniques are used to investigate the unusually deep InAs/AlSb conduction band well. The strong possibility of intraband transitions at electro magnetic wavelengths around 1.55µm is predicted, with corresponding enhanced momentum matrix elements and joint density of states over interband transitions. An InAs/GaSb/AlSb asymmetric well is investigated, paying particular attention to the bound states in the vicinity of the InAs/GaSb band overlap. The electron-like states are found to cross with heavy hole and anti-cross with light hole-like states, as a function of heterostructure dimension or applied electrostatic field. This is analogous to the hybridisation of states in the in-plane band structure, except that for zero in-plane wave vector there can be no appreciable hybridisation of electron and heavy hole states. A technique is described that has been developed to extract envelope functions from heterostructure wavefunctions calculated using the realistic complex band structure EPM approach. These envelope functions conform to Burt’s theory (M. G. Burt, J. Phys.: Condens. Matt. 4, 6651 (1992)) in that they are uniquely defined, continuous and smooth over all space. Comparisons with traditional effective mass envelope functions are made. The extracted envelope functions are used to demonstrate conclusively Burt's predictions (M. G. Burt, Superlatt. Mi- crostruct. 17, 335 (1995)) concerning the inadequacy of certain approximations for the calculation of interband dipole matrix elements and charge oscillation. Finally, the issue of k • p operator ordering is convincingly settled, in favour of 'ordered' over 'symmetrised' Hamiltonians, by comparison to EPM calculations, and using EPM derived k • p parameters
The XMM-Newton long look of NGC 1365: uncovering of the obscured X-ray source
No full textWe present an analysis of the extreme obscuration variability observed during an XMM–Newton 5-d continuous monitoring of the active galactic nuclei (AGN) in NGC 1365. The source was in a reflection-dominated state in the first ∼1.5 d, then a strong increase in the 7–10 keV emission was observed in ∼10 h, followed by a symmetric decrease. The spectral analysis of the different states clearly shows that this variation is due to an uncovering of the X-ray source. From this observation, we estimate a size of the X-ray source DS < 1013 cm, a distance of the obscuring clouds R∼ 1016 cm and a density n∼ 1011 cm−3. These values suggest that the X-ray absorption/reflection originates from the broad-line region clouds. This is also supported by the resolved width of the iron narrow Kα emission line, consistent with the width of the broad Hβ line
X-ray polarization in relativistic jets
No full textWe investigate the polarization properties of Comptonized X-rays from relativistic jets in active galactic nuclei (AGN) using Monte Carlo simulations. We consider three scenarios commonly proposed for the observed X-ray emission in AGN: Compton scattering of blackbody photons emitted from an accretion disc; scattering of cosmic microwave background (CMB) photons and self-Comptonization of intrinsically polarized synchrotron photons emitted by jet electrons. Our simulations show that for Comptonization of disc and CMB photons, the degree of polarization of the scattered photons increases with the viewing inclination angle with respect to the jet axis. In both cases, the maximum linear polarization is ≈20 per cent. In the case of synchrotron self-Comptonization (SSC), we find that the resulting X-ray polarization depends strongly on the seed synchrotron photon injection site, with typical fractional polarizations P≈ 10–20 per cent when synchrotron emission is localized near the jet base, while P≈ 20–70 per cent for the case of uniform emission throughout the jet. These results indicate that X-ray polarimetry may be capable of providing unique clues to identify the location of particle acceleration sites in relativistic jets. In particular, if synchrotron photons are emitted quasi-uniformly throughout a jet, then the observed degree of X-ray polarization may be sufficiently different for each of the competing X-ray emission mechanisms (synchrotron, SSC or external Comptonization) to determine which is the dominant process. However, X-ray polarimetry alone is unlikely to be able to distinguish between disc and CMB Comptonization
K-2SO: A Science Fiction Novel
No full textabstract: K-2SO: A Science Fiction Novel consists of three separate narratives all connected by one singular event: the choice to save a life. Told in three parts, each narrative explores the story of a different character in a different time, both before the end of the world and after. Dubbed “The Fracture” by the characters of the novel, the repercussions of this cataclysmic event are felt throughout each narrative, but it is not the focus of their stories. The characters and their connections to one another, how each one influences the lives of others, and the choices they make in an effort to rebuild that which they’ve lost and hold onto that which they love, is the heart of the novel, and the titular character, a robot born into a strange new world, is the thread that binds them all together
Online Trust: An International Study Of Subjects' Willingness to Shop at Online Merchants, Including The Effects of Promises and of Third Party Guarantees
No full textSignificant differences exist among consumers' online shopping behavior in different international markets. This paper compares consumer behavior in four different markets: (1) The US, the largest and most mature market, (2) Germany, a similarly advanced western market (3) China, the fastest growing online market, but one where consumers are plagued by incidents of counterfeits, forgeries, and spoiled or defective items, and (4) Singapore, an advanced market, culturally similar in some ways to China, but with a strong legal system. We performed laboratory experiments simultaneously in all four countries. We used three experimental treatments: (1) No assurances of product quality or authenticity, (2) promises of quality and authenticity, and (3) promises backed up by third party assurances. We examined subjects' responses for all three treatments, and for vendors' with different degrees of riskiness. We confirmed that significant differences exist in consumer behavior, but these differences were not always what we expected. Chinese consumers do appear to have trust in their best online vendors. US consumers appear to treat online shopping very similarly to the way they treat shopping in physical venues.EICPCI-S(ISTP)[email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]
2013 Kansas Performance Tests with Cotton Varieties
No full textThis publication presents the results of performance tests with cotton varieties. Descriptive information is presented with the results for each test. This information, including soil type, establishment methods, fertilization, pest control, irrigation, harvest dates, and growing conditions unique to that location, can help explain test and/or variety performance.
Contributors
Main Station, Manhattan, KS
Lucas Haag, Senior Author
Stewart Duncan
Kraig Roozeboom
Jason Waite
Cooperators
Stuart Briggeman, Cullison
Gary Cramer, Hutchinson
Lahey Farms, Moscow
Matt Smith, Winfiel
Fast identification of biological pathways associated with a quantitative trait using group lasso with overlaps.
No full textWhere causal SNPs (single nucleotide polymorphisms) tend to accumulate within biological pathways, the incorporation of prior pathways information into a statistical model is expected to increase the power to detect true associations in a genetic association study. Most existing pathways-based methods rely on marginal SNP statistics and do not fully exploit the dependence patterns among SNPs within pathways.We use a sparse regression model, with SNPs grouped into pathways, to identify causal pathways associated with a quantitative trait. Notable features of our "pathways group lasso with adaptive weights" (P-GLAW) algorithm include the incorporation of all pathways in a single regression model, an adaptive pathway weighting procedure that accounts for factors biasing pathway selection, and the use of a bootstrap sampling procedure for the ranking of important pathways. P-GLAW takes account of the presence of overlapping pathways and uses a novel combination of techniques to optimise model estimation, making it fast to run, even on whole genome datasets.In a comparison study with an alternative pathways method based on univariate SNP statistics, our method demonstrates high sensitivity and specificity for the detection of important pathways, showing the greatest relative gains in performance where marginal SNP effect sizes are small
Physical properties of amorphous Al-Gd-transition metal alloys
No full textAmorphous alloys of the composition Al65Gd15Cu20 and Al1Gd1Fe1 have been prepared by rapid quenching from the melt. The alloys have been studied by X-ray diffraction, thermal analysis and SQUID magnetization methods. Thermal analysis results show crystallization temperatures of 647 and 945 K for Al-Gd-Cu and Al-Gd-Fe, respectively. For Al-Gd-Cu, magnetization measurements show Curie-like behaviour with a localized Gd magnetic moment of 8.0mu(B). Magnetic measurements of Al-Gd-Fe show conventional ferromagnetic behaviour. The Curie temperature is found to be 275 K and a saturation magnetization of 124 emu/g is measured at 4.2 K in an applied magnetic field of 1 T.PT: J; CR: DUNLAP RA, 1989, PHYS REV B, V39, P4808 DUNLAP RA, 1990, J PHYS CONDENS MATT, V2, P4315 DUNLAP RA, 1990, UNPUB HE Y, 1988, SCIENCE, V241, P1640 INOUE A, 1981, J MATER SCI, V16, P1989 INOUE A, 1988, JPN J APPL PHYS, V27, P1796 INOUE A, 1988, JPN J APPL PHYS, V27, L1579 INOUE A, 1988, JPN J APPL PHYS, V27, L479 OHANDLEY RC, 1991, HDB MAGNETIC MATERIA, V6, P453 SRINIVAS V, 1990, J APPL PHYS, V67, P5879 SUZUKI RO, 1985, J MATER SCI, V18, P1195 YEWONDWOSSEN M, 1990, THESIS DALHOUSIE U YEWONDWOSSEN M, 1992, J PHYS-CONDENS MAT, V4, P461; NR: 13; TC: 1; J9: J NON-CRYST SOLIDS; PN: Part 1; PG: 3; GA: LC964Source type: Electronic(1
Big Data, Big Libraries, Big Problems?: the 2014 LibTech Anti-talk?
No full textThe desire to create automatons is a familiar theme in human history, and during the age of the Enlightenment mechanical automatons became not only an “emblem of the cosmos”, but a symbol of man’s confidence that he would unlock nature’s greatest mysteries and fully harness her power. And yet only a century later, automatons had begun to represent human repression and servitude, a theme later picked up by writers of science fiction. Man’s confidence undeterred, the endgame of the modern scientific and technological mindset, or MSTM, seems to be increasingly coming into view with the rise of “information technology” in general and “Big data” in particular. Along with those who wield them, these can be seen as functioning together as a “mechanical muse” of sorts – surprisingly alluring – and, like a physical automaton can serve as a symbol – a microcosm – of what the MSTM sees (at the very least in practice) as the cosmic machine, our “final frontier”. And yet, individuals who unreflectively participate in these things – giving themselves over to them and seeking the powers afforded by the technology apart from technology’s rightful purposes – in fact yield to the same pragmatism and reductionism those wielding them are captive to. Thus, they ultimately nullify themselves philosophically, politically, and economically – their value increasingly being only the data concerning their persons, and its perceived usefulness. Likewise libraries, the time-honored place of, and symbol for, the intellectual flowering of the individual, will, insofar as they spurn the classical liberal arts (with the idea that things are intrinsically good, and in the case of humans, special as well) in favor of the alluring embrace of MSTM-driven “information technology” and Big data - unwittingly contribute to their irrelevance and demise as they find themselves increasingly less needed, valued, wanted. Likewise for the liberal arts as a whole, and in fact history itself, if the acid of a “science” untethered from what is, in fact, good (intrinsically), continues to gain strengt
- …
