CEO Pay-for-Performance Heterogeneity Using Quantile Regression (CRI 2009-002)

We provide some examples of how quantile regression can be used to investigate heterogeneity in pay–firm size and pay-performance relationships for U.S. CEOs. For example, do conditionally (predicted) high-wage managers have a stronger relationship between pay and performance than conditionally low-wage managers? Our results using data over a decade show, for some standard specifications, there is considerable heterogeneity in the returns to firm performance across the conditional distribution of wages. Quantile regression adds substantially to our understanding of the pay-performance relationship. This heterogeneity is masked when using more standard empirical techniques

Feasibility of therapeutic pneumoperitoneum in a large animal model using a microvaporisator

Background: Multimodal therapy is used increasingly in advanced gastrointestinal tumors. Potential benefits of using an intraoperative adjuvant therapy during laparoscopy for cancer have been documented in animal studies. The aim of this study was to develop a device that could deliver such an intraoperative drug therapy. Methods: We developed a micropump suitable for minimally invasive surgery procedures that allowed microdroplets of therapeutic substance to be distributed into the pneumoperitoneum (CO2), creating a "therapeutic pneumoperitoneum.” A closed-loop control system regulates drug delivery according to the gas flow. In vitro, the micropump is able to aerosolize various aqueous and ethanol solutions, including cytostatic and bacteriostatic drugs and adhesionmodulating agents. The size of the microdroplets has been optimized to prevent visual artifacts. Results: The micropump was tested in an animal model (pig). The system was inserted into a 5-mm trocar. After insufflation of a 12-mm CO2 pneumoperitoneum, laparoscopic sigmoid colon resections could be performed with no special difficulties. No fog developed, and no systemrelated complication was observed. At autopsy, the active principle was distributed to all exposed peritoneal surfaces. Conclusions: As opposed to conventional peritoneal washing, therapeutic pneumoperitoneum reaches the entire peritoneal surface, allowing an optimal drug distribution. Drug diffusion into the tissues is enhanced by the intraperitoneal pressure. Precise determination of the instantaneous and total drug quantity is possible. Therefore, this drug delivery system has several advantages over conventional irrigation. Its potential domains of application are locoregional cancer therapy, prevention of port-site recurrences, immunomodulation, analgesia, peritonitis, and prevention of postoperative adhesion

No-hidden-variables proof for two spin-1/2 particles preselected and postselected in unentangled states

It is a well-known fact that all the statistical predictions of quantum mechanics on the state of any physical system represented by a two-dimensional Hilbert space can always be duplicated by a noncontextual hidden-variables model. In this paper, I show that, in some cases, when we consider an additional independent (unentangled) two-dimensional system, the quantum description of the resulting composite system cannot be reproduced using noncontextual hidden variables. In particular, a no-hidden-variables proof is presented for two individual spin-1/2 particles preselected in an uncorrelated state AB and postselected in another uncorrelated state aB, B being the same state for the second particle in both preselection and postselection.Comment: LaTeX, 8 page

Amphiphilic block copolymers as stabilizers in emulsion polymerization: Effects of molecular weight dispersity and evidence of self-folding behavior

Emulsion polymerizations, used to produce many commodity materials, require stabilizing agents to prevent phase separation. Incorporation of these stabilizers in the final polymer may have negative effects on product properties, so the design of new stabilizers is being actively pursued. Amphiphilic diblock copolymers are a promising type of emulsion polymerization stabilizer and are the focus of this work (Fig. 1). First, the tolerance of an amphiphilic diblock copolymer stabilizer’s performance to high molecular weight dispersity and homopolymer impurity has been investigated. Polystyrene-b-poly(acrylic acid) block copolymers were studied due to their previously demonstrated efficacy as stabilizers in emulsion polymerization, and their similarity to commercially important polystyrene-r-poly(acrylic acid) stabilizers. Neither greater molecular weight dispersity nor homopolymer impurity was found to negatively impact the stabilization performance of these block copolymers, suggesting that the economically unfavorable conditions required to achieve low molecular weight dispersity and homopolymer impurity may be avoided. We then examined novel polystyrene-b-[polystyrene-r-poly(acrylic acid)] block-random copolymers which were shown to stabilize emulsion polymerizations with up to 50 weight percent solids content, exceeding what was possible using the polystyrene-b-poly(acrylic acid) block copolymers. Of even greater significance and scientific value is that the block-random copolymers were also observed to have unusual solution behavior, self-folding rather than self-assembling, to give single chain nanoparticles. Emulsion polymerizations stabilized by these block-random copolymers had a total particle surface area which was directly proportional to the stabilizer concentration and was unaffected by polymerization kinetics. A novel “seeded-coagulative” emulsion polymerization mechanism has been proposed to explain these results, which were unexplainable by any known emulsion polymerization mechanism. Please click Additional Files below to see the full abstrac

Generalized quantum measurements and local realism

The structure of a local hidden variable model for experiments involving sequences of measurements rigorously is analyzed. Constraints imposed by local realism on the conditional probabilities of the outcomes of such measurement schemes are explicitly derived. The violation of local realism in the case of ``hidden nonlocality'' is illustrated by an operational example.Comment: Revtex, 12 pages; Some modifications of introduction has been made; a note stating that part of results had been obtained earlier by other authors, has been added; one postscript figure available at request from [email protected]

Preparation of polarization entangled mixed states of two photons

We propose a scheme for preparing arbitrary two photons polarization entangled mixed states via controlled location decoherence. The scheme uses only linear optical devices and single-mode optical fibers, and may be feasible in experiment within current optical technology.Comment: 3 pages, 5 figs. The article has been rewritten. Discussion about experiment are added. To appear in Phys. Rev.

Quantum walks of correlated particles

Quantum walks of correlated particles offer the possibility to study large-scale quantum interference, simulate biological, chemical and physical systems, and a route to universal quantum computation. Here we demonstrate quantum walks of two identical photons in an array of 21 continuously evanescently-coupled waveguides in a SiOxNy chip. We observe quantum correlations, violating a classical limit by 76 standard deviations, and find that they depend critically on the input state of the quantum walk. These results open the way to a powerful approach to quantum walks using correlated particles to encode information in an exponentially larger state space

Successful Implementation of a Window for Routine Antimicrobial Prophylaxis Shorter than That of the World Health Organization Standard

Objective. To evaluate the feasibility of implementation of the refined window for routine antimicrobial prophylaxis (RAP) of 30-74 minutes before skin incision compared to the World Health Organization (WHO) standard of 0-60 minutes. Design. Prospective study on timing of routine antimicrobial prophylaxis in 2 different time periods. Setting. Tertiary referral university hospital with 30,000 surgical procedures per year. Methods. In all consecutive vascular, visceral, and trauma procedures, the timing was prospectively recorded during a first time period of 2 years (A; baseline) and a second period of 1 year (B; after intervention). An intensive intervention program was initiated after baseline. The primary outcome parameter was timing; the secondary outcome parameter was surgical site infection (SSI) rate in the subgroup of patients undergoing cholecystectomy/colon resection. Results. During baseline time period A (3,836 procedures), RAP was administered 30-74 minutes before skin incision in 1,750 (41.0%) procedures; during time period B (1,537 procedures), it was administered in 914 (56.0%; P < .001). The subgroup analysis did not reveal a significant difference in SSI rate. Conclusions. This bundle of interventions resulted in a statistically significant improvement of timing of RAP even at a shortened window compared to the WHO standar

Collective tests for quantum nonlocality

Pairs of spin-1/2 particles are prepared in a Werner state (namely, a mixture of singlet and random components). If the random component is large enough, the statistical results of spin measurements that may be performed on each pair separately can be reproduced by an algorithm involving local ``hidden'' variables. However, if several such pairs are tested simultaneously, a violation of the Clauser-Horne-Shimony-Holt inequality may occur, and no local hidden variable model is compatible with the results.Comment: 14 pages, LaTeX, 1 figure on separate pag