Equivalence of consistency and bilateral consistency through converse consistency

In the framework of (set-valued or single-valued) solutions for coalitional games with transferable utility, the three notions of consistency, bilateral consistency, and converse consistency are frequently used to provide axiomatic characterizations of a particular solution (like the core, prekernel, prenucleolus, Shapley value, and EANSC-value). Our main equivalence theorem claims that a solution satisfies consistency (with respect to an arbitrary reduced game) if and only if the solution satisfies both bilateral consistency and converse consistency (with respect to the same reduced game). The equivalence theorem presumes transitivity of the reduced game technique as well as difference independence on payoff vectors for two-person reduced games. Moulin's complement reduced game, Davis and Maschler's maximum reduced game and Yanovskaya and Driessen's linear reduced game versions are evaluated

Two axiomatizations of the kernel of TU games: bilateral and converse reduced game properties

We provide two axiomatic characterizations of the kernel of TU games by means of both bilateral consistency and converse consistency with respect to two types of two-person reduced games. According to the first type, the worth of any single player in the two-person reduced game is derived from the difference of player's positive (instead of maximum) surpluses. According to the second type, the worth of any single player in the two-person reduced game either coincides with the two-person max reduced game or refers to the constrained equal loss rule applied to an appropriate two-person bankruptcy problem, the claims of which are given by the player's positve surpluses

A solution defined by fine vectors

Bumb and Hoede have shown that a cooperative game can be split into two games, the reward game and the fine game, by considering the sign of quantities $c_v^S$ in the c-diagram of the game. One can then define a solution $x$ for the original game as $x = x_r - x_f$ , where $x_r$ is a solution for the reward game and $x_f$ is a solution for the fine game. Due to the distinction of cooperation rewards and fines, for allocating the fines one may use another solution concept than for the rewards. In this paper, a fine vector is introduced and a solution is defined by fine vectors. The structure and properties of this solution are studied. And the solution is characterized as the unique solution having efficiency and f-potential property (resp. f-balanced contributions property)

Continuous production of glycerol by catalytic high pressure hydrogenolysis of sucrose

Several continuous reactor systems have been discussed for the catalytic high pressure hydrogenolysis of sucrose to glycerol. Theoretically and actually, continuous reactors lead to lower glycerol yields than in a batch process. Two continuous stirred tank reactors in cascade constitute a reasonable compromise. An economic evaluation of the sucrose route to glycerol in comparison with other synthetic glycerol processes based on allyl chloride and acrolein suggests that the sucrose process can be competitive if a sales potential is developed for the by-products propane-l,2-diol, ethylene glycol, and a mixture of higher polyhydric alcohols containing tetritol, pentitol, methyl fructoside, and hexitol

Syndromic craniosynostosis: sleeping with the enemy

Craniosynostosis refers to the premature fusion of one or several calvarian sutures. For transient skull distortion during birth, as well as to facilitate growth of the brain, the seven bones of the calvarian are separated by six major calvarian sutures (Figure 1). The sutures function as growth centers. The center of the suture deposits proliferating cells, which gradually undergo osteogenetic differentiation. Migration towards the skull bone results in growth of the cranial vault. This is an important requisite to allow the brain quadrupling its volume during the first two years of life. The posterior fontanel will close first at an age of two months. The metopic suture will close next within the first year of life, followed by closure of the anterior fontanel at the age of two years. Although the other sutures only close in adulthood, they lose their function in skull growth after the age of six years

Nd-complex-doped polymer channel waveguide laser

Laser operation at 1060 nm with slope efficiency of 0.95% and 440 μW output power for 2% outcoupling was demonstrated in Nd-complex-doped FDA/epoxy channel waveguides, in what to our knowledge is the first report of a rare-earth-ion-doped polymer waveguide laser. The threshold was 45 mW of absorbed pump power

Epidemiology of dark leaf spot caused by Alternaria brassicicola in organic seed production of cauliflower

Dark leaf spot caused by Alternaria brassicicola is a seed-borne disease of Brassicae. Production of healthy seed is essential for the organic vegetable production. Literature on the epidemiology of the disease in organic seed production of Brassica was reviewed and an epidemiological field experiments was carried out. External and internal contamination of seeds with A. brassicicola increased steadily during their development. Colonisation of pod tissues as quantified by TaqMan-PCR increased exponentially. The developed knowledge can be used for optimizing cropping systems for organic seed production with lower risks for seed contamination by Alternaria spp. and to develop critical control points for disease management

Continuous-wave Lasers in Polymer waveguides

Channel waveguides based on a polymer, 6-fluorinated-dianhydride/epoxy, which is actively doped with a rare-earth-ion-doped complex, Nd(thenoyltrifluoroacetone)3 1,10-phenanthroline, have been fabricated. Photoluminescence peaks at 880 nm, 1060 nm, and 1330 nm have been experimentally observed. By optimization of the fabrication\ud procedure of both, host material and optical structure, continuous-wave laser operation on both, the four-level and quasi-three-level transitions near 1060 nm and 880 nm, respectively, has been demonstrated in channel waveguides

Ultrafast all-optical wavelength conversion in silicon waveguides using femtosecond pump-probe pulses

Experimental results on ultrafast all-optical wavelength conversion in silicon-on-insulator waveguides are presented. Red and blue shifts of 10nm have been observed in femtosecond pump-probe experiments. Alloptical switching and the importance of waveguide dispersion are discussed