2,169 research outputs found
Assessing Consistency and Fairness in Sentencing: A Comparative Study in Three States
Summarizes a study of sentencing guidelines in Michigan, Minnesota, and Virginia comparing levels of predictability and judicial discretion under different guideline systems, effectiveness in limiting discriminatory disparities, and lessons learned
1020 steel coated with Ti/TiN by Cathodic Arc and Ion Implantation
TiN coatings have been widely studied in order to improve mechanical properties of steels. In this work, thin Ti/TiN films were prepared by plasma based immersion ion implantation and deposition (PBII&D) with a cathodic arc on AISI 1020 steel substrates. Substrates were exposed to the discharge during 1 min in vacuum for the deposition of a Tiunderlayer with the aim of improving the adhesion to the substrate. Then, a TiN layer was deposited during 6 min in a nitrogen environment at a pressure of 3xl0-4 mbar. Samples were obtained at room temperature and at 300 °C, and with or without ion implantation in order to analyze differences between the effects of each treatment on the tribological properties. The mechanical and tribological properties of the films were characterized. The coatings deposited by PBII&D at 300 °C presented the highest hardness and young modulus, the best wear resistance and corrosion performance.Fil: Bermeo, Diego Fernando. Universidad Santiago de Cali; ColombiaFil: Quintana, Juan Pablo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones CientĂficas y TĂ©cnicas. Oficina de CoordinaciĂłn Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de FĂsica del Plasma. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de FĂsica del Plasma; ArgentinaFil: Kleiman, Ariel Javier. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones CientĂficas y TĂ©cnicas. Oficina de CoordinaciĂłn Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de FĂsica del Plasma. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de FĂsica del Plasma; ArgentinaFil: Sequeda, F.. Universidad del Valle; ColombiaFil: Márquez, A.. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones CientĂficas y TĂ©cnicas. Oficina de CoordinaciĂłn Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de FĂsica del Plasma. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de FĂsica del Plasma; Argentin
Nonlinear Micromechanical Casimir Oscillator
The Casimir force between uncharged metallic surfaces originates from quantum
mechanical zero point fluctuations of the electromagnetic field. We demonstrate
that this quantum electrodynamical effect has a profound influence on the
oscillatory behavior of microstructures when surfaces are in close proximity
(<= 100 nm). Frequency shifts, hysteretic behavior and bistability caused by
the Casimir force are observed in the frequency response of a periodically
driven micromachined torsional oscillator.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures; added and rearranged references; added comments
on sensitivit
Theory of Neutron Diffraction from the Vortex Lattice in UPt3
Neutron scattering experiments have recently been performed in the
superconducting state of UPt3 to determine the structure of the vortex lattice.
The data show anomalous field dependence of the aspect ratio of the unit cell
in the B phase. There is apparently also a change in the effective coherence
length on the transition from the B to the C phases. Such observations are not
consistent with conventional superconductvity. A theory of these results is
constructed based on a picture of two-component superconductivity for UPt3. In
this way, these unusual observations can be understood. There is a possible
discrepancy between theory and experiment in the detailed field dependence of
the aspect ratio.Comment: 11 pages; uses REVTEX, APS and PRABIB styles; 2 Postscript figure
files include
Inclusion-exclusion and Segre classes
We propose a variation of the notion of Segre class, by forcing a naive
`inclusion-exclusion' principle to hold. The resulting class is computationally
tractable, and is closely related to Chern-Schwartz-MacPherson classes. We
deduce several general properties of the new class from this relation, and
obtain an expression for the Milnor class of a scheme in terms of this class.Comment: 8 page
Countervailing Effects: What the FDA Would Have to Know to Evaluate Tobacco Regulations
The Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act [P.L. 111-31] gives the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) the authority to regulate tobacco products, including placing restrictions on product composition, sale, and distribution. A complete accounting of the costs and benefits of any tobacco regulation includes harms from possible illicit trade in tobacco products (ITTP): costs of enforcement, violence, incarceration, etc. Indeed, the law instructs the FDA to take into account the “countervailing effects” of regulation on public health, “such as the creation of a significant demand for contraband or other tobacco products that do not meet the requirements.” While the law’s narrow focus on public health may limit the scope of an inquiry by the FDA compared to a full benefit-cost analysis, aspects of ITTP such as violence and incarceration have substantial health impacts. Illicit markets in drugs such as cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine, not to mention the grand experiment of alcohol Prohibition in the early 20th century, illustrate the substantial risks of unwanted side effects of drug prohibition. But taxes, product limitations, access restrictions, and narrowly defined product bans constitute “lesser prohibitions,” and are subject to the same kind (if not degree) of risks. All tobacco policy-making should therefore consider ITTP. This article sets forth a research agenda for the FDA to consider in order to estimate the effects of contemplated tobacco-product regulation and ITTP. We argue that, to carry out fully its legislative mandate, the FDA would have to determine the current size and impact of ITTP, analyze how these may be expected to change under new regulations, and look for interdependencies among tobacco-product markets that may complicate single-product regulation. A more challenging element of the research agenda would be to develop a better theoretical groundwork for the prediction of the emergence, size, and side effects of illicit markets
Targeted Enforcement against Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products
Illicit trade in tobacco is a substantial and growing problem in the U.S., causing loss of tax revenue, damage to public health, and threats to public safety. Decisions about enforcement against ITTP involve tradeoffs among competing objectives. Good policy design can improve the terms of those tradeoffs but cannot eliminate them. We examine questions about the allocation of enforcement resources against ITTP, and its distribution across activities, individuals, and organizations: in particular, whether and how to differentially target ITTP that involves violence or support for terrorism. We consider the problem of developing effective strategies for enforcement, applying both lessons from experience with markets for illicit drugs and theoretical insights about enforcement targeting and dynamic concentration. We show that targeted enforcement and focused deterrence are more efficient than unfocused enforcement, and that – when other policy changes increase the potential rewards to illicit activity – enforcement resources applied earlier (before illicit markets have grown) will have greater impact than enforcement resources applied later (and therefore to larger markets). We discuss additional considerations, ranging from real-world complications left out of the simple models to examination of how insights from behavioral law and economics may modify conclusions based on a theory of deterrence designed for homo economicus
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