108,914 research outputs found
Gross Job Flows in Ukraine: Size, Ownership and Trade Effects
This paper documents and analyses gross job flows and their determinants in Ukraine using a unique data set of more than 2200 Ukrainian firms operating in both the manufacturing and the non-manufacturing sector for the years 1998-2000. There are several important findings in the paper. Job destruction is dominating job creation in both 1999 and 2000. In connection with other evidence we infer from this that Ukraine is only at the beginning of the restructuring process. The most clear-cut result of our analysis is the strong positive effect of new private firms on net employment growth, a finding established for other transition economies as well. At the same time, we do not find differences in the employment growth of state-owned and privatised firms. Apart from ownership effects we also find, at the firm level, an inverse correlation of size and net employment growth and of size and job reallocation. Finally, we establish that strong foreign trade links force firms to shed labour more aggressively and to engage in more restructuring when trade is directed to and originating from Western economies. This disciplining function is absent when the trade flows are confined to CIS countries.http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/39906/3/wp521.pd
Configurations of Handles and the Classification of Divergences in the String Partition Function
The divergences that arise in the regularized partition function for closed
bosonic string theory in flat space lead to three types of perturbation series
expansions, distinguished by their genus dependence. This classification of
infinities can be traced to geometrical characteristics of the string
worldsheet. Some categories of divergences may be eliminated in string theories
formulated on compact manifolds.Comment: 24 pages, DAMTP-R/94/1
Cosmic Strings, Zero Modes and SUSY breaking in Nonabelian N=1 Gauge Theories
We investigate the microphysics of cosmic strings in Nonabelian gauge
theories with N=1 supersymmetry. We give the vortex solutions in a specific
example and demonstrate that fermionic superconductivity arises because of the
couplings and interactions dictated by supersymmetry. We then use supersymmetry
transformations to obtain the relevant fermionic zero modes and investigate the
role of soft supersymmetry breaking on the existence and properties of the
superconducting strings.Comment: 12 pages, RevTex, submitted to Phys. Rev.
Decomposition unit Patent
Unit for generating thrust from catalytic decomposition of hydrogen peroxide, for high altitude aircraft or spacecraft reaction contro
Modeling, synthesis, and characterization of thin film copper oxide for solar cells
The modeling, growth, and characterization of
Copper Oxide thin films for solar cell applications are
reported. Cu_2O has several attractive properties which
include its direct band gap (Eg=2.17 eV) for use in photoelectrolysis
of water and use in tandem multi-junction
cells. Detailed balance calculations predict efficiencies on
the order of 20% while Cu_2O cells have yet to even pass
2% efficiency. The device physics model reveals that
defects, particularly at the heterojunction interface, are the
main reason for lowered efficiencies. Epitaxial Cu_2O (100)
thin films on MgO are fabricated using RF Oxygen plasma
MBE. The films are quite smooth and showed mobilites in
the range of 10-100 cm^2/V*sec and carrier concentrations
in the range of 10^(14)-10^(17). Finally, the epitaxial growth of
Cu_2O on a MgO template is demonstrated
Solar energy in buildings: Implications for California energy policy
An assessment of the potential of active solar energy systems for buildings in California is summarized. The technology used for solar heating, cooling, and water heating in buildings is discussed. The major California weather zones and the solar energy designs are described, as well as the sizing of solar energy systems and their performance. The cost of solar energy systems is given both at current prices and at prices consistent with optimistic estimates for the cost of collectors. The main institutional barriers to the wide spread use of solar energy are summarized
Perspective distortion modeling for image measurements
A perspective distortion modelling for monocular view that is based on the fundamentals of perspective projection is presented in this work. Perspective projection is considered to be the most ideal and realistic model among others, which depicts image formation in monocular vision. There are many approaches trying to model and estimate the perspective effects in images. Some approaches try to learn and model the distortion parameters from a set of training data that work only for a predefined structure. None of the existing methods provide deep understanding of the nature of perspective problems. Perspective distortions, in fact, can be described by three different perspective effects. These effects are pose, distance and foreshortening. They are the cause of the aberrant appearance of object shapes in images. Understanding these phenomena have long been an interesting topic for artists, designers and scientists. In many cases, this problem has to be necessarily taken into consideration when dealing with image diagnostics, high and accurate image measurement, as well as accurate pose estimation from images. In this work, a perspective distortion model for every effect is developed while elaborating the nature of perspective effects. A distortion factor for every effect is derived, then followed by proposed methods, which allows extracting the true target pose and distance, and correcting image measurements
Chiral Vortons and Cosmological Constraints on Particle Physics
We investigate the cosmological consequences of particle physics theories
that admit stable loops of current-carrying string - vortons. In particular, we
consider chiral theories where a single fermion zero mode is excited in the
string core, such as those arising in supersymmetric theories with a D-term.
The resulting vortons formed in such theories are expected to be more stable
than their non-chiral cousins. General symmetry breaking schemes are considered
in which strings formed at one symmetry breaking scale become current-carrying
at a subsequent phase transition. The vorton abundance is estimated and
constraints placed on the underlying particle physics theories from
cosmological observations. Our constraints on the chiral theory are
considerably more stringent than the previous estimates for more general
theories.Comment: minor corrections made. This version will appear in PR
The design, kinematics and torque analysis of the self-bending soft contraction actuator
This article presents the development of a self-bending contraction actuator (SBCA) through analysis of its structure, kinematics, and torque formulas, and then explores its applications. The proposed actuator has been fabricated by two methods to prove the efficiency of the human body inspiration, which represents the covering of human bones by soft tissues to protect the bone and give the soft texture. The SBCA provides bending behaviour along with a high force to-weight ratio. As with the simple pneumatic muscle actuator (PMA), the SBCA is soft and easy to implement. Both the kinematics and the torque formula presented for the SBCA are scalable and can be used with different actuator sizes. The bending actuator has been tested under an air pressure up to 500 kPa, and the behaviour of its bending angle, parameters, dimensions, and the bending torques have been illustrated. On the other hand, the experiments showed the efficient performances of the actuator and validate the proposed kinematics. Therefore, the actuator can be used in many different applications, such as soft grippers and continuum arms
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