High frequency Scanning Gate Microscopy and local memory effect of carbon nanotube transistors

We use impedance spectroscopy to measure the high frequency properties of single-walled carbon nanotube field effect transistors (swCN-FETs). Furthermore, we extend Scanning Gate Microscopy (SGM) to frequencies up to 15MHz, and use it to image changes in the impedance of swCN-FET circuits induced by the SGM-tip gate. In contrast to earlier reports, the results of both experiments are consistent with a simple RC parallel circuit model of the swCN-FET, with a time constant of 0.3 ms. We also use the SGM tip to show the local nature of the memory effect normally observed in swCN-FETs, implying that nanotube-based memory cells can be miniaturized to dimensions of the order of tens of nm.Comment: 7 pages, 3 figures, to appear in Nano Letter

Forensic Disciplines for Objective Global Strategic Analysis

The global nature of investing requires a thorough analysis of the firm to determine the strategic viability of the firm for investment purposes. In addition, businesses are being held more accountable for the statements they make and the actions they take concerning their business. Several forensic disciplines have recently emerged that may supply subjective and objective data that can assist investors in making their final investment decisions and determining if ongoing businesses are truly doing what is in the best interest of their shareholders. Another factor influencing the increase forensic analyses of national and multinational corporations is the increase in criminal activity within these corporations. Laws have recently been passed to better protect the individual and corporate investor, but other precautions such as a more thorough pre-investment analysis may be necessary. In the past, forensic methodologies have been used to reveal criminal activities after they have occurred. These same methods may be able to provide investment firms with knowledge regarding possible criminal activities before they occur and, just as importantly, before the individual or firm invests in the questionable organization. Because of the relative newness of forensic methodologies in business, it would be valuable to have a model that illustrates the tools used in these relatively new fields of study. This paper will discuss the emerging fields of forensic accounting, forensic economics, forensic finance, forensic marketing, forensic psychology, and other concepts, and their relationships in analyzing business cases

Purchasing power of credit, social mobility, and economic mobility

Because barriers to wealth and limitations on purchasing power have a negative effect on career mobility, individuals planning their careers need to understand the factors that may influence their long term job prospects and attainable career goals. This paper takes a qualitative approach to examine how purchasing power can limit social and economic mobility. While occupational choice provides a primary path to wealth accumulation and access to social networks, financial decisions and other influences can limit career, social, and wealth building opportunities

The Evolution of Financial Instruments and the Legal Protection Against Counterfeiting: A Look at Coin, Paper, and Virtual Currencies

This essay discusses the requirements for the long-term acceptance of virtual currency as a financial medium of exchange by examination of fundamental criteria associated with the historical development of common tender and selected virtual currencies. The relatively recent appearance of Internet-based transactions have necessitated developing virtual forms of payment such as virtual currencies. According to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (“FinCEN”) of the United States Treasury,5 virtual currencies are subject to regulation if that virtual currency has a substitutive purpose for facilitating the exchange of goods and services. Although governments can place stipulations on currencies, users of common tender, including virtual currencies, expect at least three basic privileges for a virtual currency to evolve from conception to realization. First, a virtual currency must be considered intangible personal property similar to trademarks, copyrights, and patents. Second, ownership disputes must be subject to a system such as a judicial proceeding or binding arbitration to resolve property as well as interest conflicts. Finally, a virtual currency must be subject to similar regulation as other financial instruments (e.g., legal tender, scrip, and credit cards) used in facilitating transactions. One of the most common and critical aspects of safeguarding currency is protection against illegitimate representations of assets—that is, primarily against counterfeiting. We discuss the regulatory authority and/or lack of authority, of the sovereign States of the United States to regulate the counterfeiting of financial instruments used as currency, including virtual currency. Moreover, federal and foreign (non-U.S.) currencies are explicitly examined, but some virtual currencies are not regulated or authorized specifically by any government. Can a currency without formal codification from a government be regulated by a sovereign State? As financial transactions have shifted historically from various governments’ legal tender to combinations of government and private issuances and from the hard currency of coins and paper to electronic transactions, many States’ counterfeiting statutes are unclear or fail to consider that technological changes can impact legal and common tender. The rise of transactions facilitated by virtual currencies and regulations protecting states from virtual counterfeiting is examined and discussed

Self-Inflicted Injuries: Designation for Risk Assessment or Cost Avoidance

This paper considers the denial of health insurance benefits based on a participant\u27s high-risk behaviors such as self-inflicted injuries. In many instances, healthcare benefits can be denied if patients are injured while engaging in criminal activities, from a self-infliction, and from injuries relating to the consumption of alcohol. With increases in healthcare expenditures and government regulation, the necessity for benefit reductions is directed at individuals engaging in high-risk behaviors. The belief is that high-risk behaviors can be modified by individuals. Unfortunately, modification of behaviors may not be available to everyone

Reducing dependence on big brother: Higher education looks for innovative funding opportunities

This paper presents innovative programs that business schools can utilize to reduce dependence on public funds. A review of the literature shows the theoretical and empirical foundation of higher education funding dilemmas. While higher education is moving towards a global ambition, scarcity hinders governments to fully support programs long-term; thus, cost-sharing and cost-shifting measures must occur for higher education to support current programs. In this study, we examine two universities (one U.S. and one UK.) and provide practical summaries of programs that have provided additional funds. We show that diversity of funding sources is essential for survival of higher education institutions. Market forces require competition to reduce higher education operational costs while providing students and corporate clients an a la carte educational experience

On the treatment of solid boundary in smoothed particle hydrodynamics

As a popular meshfree particle method, the smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) has suffered from not being able to directly implement the solid boundary conditions. This influences the SPH approximation accuracy and hinders its further development and application to engineering and scientific problems. In this paper, a coupled dynamic solid boundary treatment (SBT) algorithm has been proposed, after investigating the features of existing SPH SBT algorithms. The novelty of the coupled dynamic SBT algorithm includes a new repulsive force between approaching fluid and solid particles, and a new numerical approximation scheme for estimating field functions of virtual solid particles. The new SBT algorithm has been examined with three numerical examples including a typical dam-break flow, a dam-break flow with a sharp-edged obstacle, and a water entry problem. It is demonstrated that SPH with this coupled dynamic boundary algorithm can lead to accurate results with smooth pressure field, and that the new SBT algorithm is also suitable for complex and even moving solid boundaries.</div

Constraining mass ratio and extinction in the FU Orionis binary system with infrared integral field spectroscopy

We report low resolution near infrared spectroscopic observations of the eruptive star FU Orionis using the Integral Field Spectrograph Project 1640 installed at the Palomar Hale telescope. This work focuses on elucidating the nature of the faint source, located 0.5" south of FU Ori, and identified in 2003 as FU Ori S. We first use our observations in conjunction with published data to demonstrate that the two stars are indeed physically associated and form a true binary pair. We then proceed to extract J and H band spectro-photometry using the damped LOCI algorithm, a reduction method tailored for high contrast science with IFS. This is the first communication reporting the high accuracy of this technique, pioneered by the Project 1640 team, on a faint astronomical source. We use our low resolution near infrared spectrum in conjunction with 10.2 micron interferometric data to constrain the infrared excess of FU Ori S. We then focus on estimating the bulk physical properties of FU Ori S. Our models lead to estimates of an object heavily reddened, A_V =8-12, with an effective temperature of ~ 4000-6500 K . Finally we put these results in the context of the FU Ori N-S system and argue that our analysis provides evidence that FU Ori S might be the more massive component of this binary syste