2,793 research outputs found
Efficient Coordination in Weakest-Link Games
Existing experimental research on behavior in weakest-link games shows overwhelmingly the inability of people to coordinate on the efficient equilibrium, especially in larger groups. We hypothesize that people will be able to coordinate on efficient outcomes, provided they have sufficient freedom to choose their interaction neighborhood. We conduct experiments with medium sized and large groups and show that neighborhood choice indeed leads to coordination on the fully efficient equilibrium, irrespective of group size. This leads to substantial welfare effects. Achieved welfare is between 40 and 60 percent higher in games with neighborhood choice than without neighborhood choice. We identify exclusion as the simple but very effective mechanism underlying this result. In early rounds, high performers exclude low performers who in consequence ‘learn’ to become high performers.efficient coordination, weakest-link, minimum effort, neighborhood choice, experiment
Combined Heat And Lass Transfer In Mixed Confection Ower A Horizontal Flat Plate
The combined effects of buoyancy forces from thermal and species diffusion on the heat and mass transfer characteristics are analyzed for laminar boundary layer flow over a horizontal flat plate. The analysis is restricted to processes with low concentration levels such that the interfacial velocities due to mass diffusion and the diffusion-thermo/thermo-diffusion effects can be neglected. Numerical results for friction factor, Nusselt number, and Sherwood number are presented for gases having a Prandtl number of 0.7, with Schmidt numbers ranging from 0.6 to 2.0. In general, it is found that, for the thermally assisting flow, the surface heat and mass transfer rates as well as the wall shear stress increase with increasing thermal buoyancy force. These quantities are further enhanced when the buoyancy force from species diffusion assists the thermal buoyancy force but are reduced when the two buoyancy forces oppose each other. While a higher heat transfer rate is found to be associated with a lower Schmidt number, a higher mass transfer rate occurs at a higher Schmidt number. © 1980 by ASME
HLA-G: expression in human keratinocytes in vitro and in human skin in vivo
Classical, polymorphic major histocompatibility complex class I molecules are
expressed on most nucleated cells.They present peptides at the cell surface and,
thus, enable the immune system to scan peptides for their antigenicity. The
function of the other, nonclassical class I molecules in man is controversial.
HLA-G which has been shown by transfection experiments to be expressed at the
cell surface, is only transcribed in placental tissue and in the fetal eye.Therefore, a
role of HLA-G in the control of rejection of the allogeneic fetus has been
discussed. We found that HLA-G expression is induced in keratinocytes by
culture in vitro. Three different alternative splicing products of HLA-G can be
detected: a full length transcript, an mRNA lacking exon 3 and a transcript devoid
of exon 3 and 4. Reverse transcription followed by polymerase chain reaction also
revealed the presence of HLA-G mRNA in vivo in biopsies of either diseased or
healthy skin
Titan's Atomic and Molecular Nitrogen Tori
Shematovich et al. (2003) recently showed plasma induced sputtering in
Titan's atmosphere is a source of neutral nitrogen in Saturn's magnetosphere
comparable to the photo-dissociation source. These sources form a toroidal
nitrogen cloud roughly centered at Titan's orbital radius but gravitationally
bound to Saturn. Once ionized, these particles contribute to Saturn's plasma.
When Titan is inside Saturn's magnetopause, newly formed ions can diffuse
inward becoming inner magnetospheric energetic nitrogen where they can sputter
and be implanted into icy satellite surfaces. Our 3-D simulation produces the
first consistent Titan generated N and N2 neutral clouds; solar UV radiation
and magnetospheric plasma subject these particles to dissociation and
ionization. The cloud morphologies and associated nitrogen plasma source rates
are predicted in anticipation of Cassini data. Since the amount of molecular
nitrogen ejected from Titan by photo-dissociation is small, molecular nitrogen
ions detection by Cassini will be an indicator of atmospheric sputtering.Comment: Accepted for Publication in Geophysical Research Letter
The extended star formation history of omega Centauri
For the first time, the abundances of a large sample of subgiant and turn-off
region stars in omega Centauri have been measured, the data base being medium
resolution spectroscopy from FORS2 at the VLT. Absolute iron abundances were
derived for about 400 member stars from newly defined line indices with an
accuracy of +/-0.15 dex. The abundances range between -2.2<[Fe/H]<-0.7 dex,
resembling the large metallicity spread found for red giant branch stars. The
combination of the spectroscopic results with the location of the stars in the
colour magnitude diagram has been used to estimate ages for the individual
stars. Whereas most of the metal-poor stars are consistent with a single old
stellar population, stars with abundances higher than [Fe/H]=-1.3 dex are
younger. The total age spread in omega Cent is about 3 Gyr. The monotonically
increasing age-metallicity relation seems to level off above [Fe/H]=-1.0 dex.
Whether the star formation in omega Cen occured continuously or rather
episodically has to be shown by combining more accurate abundances with highest
quality photometry.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication in Astronomy &
Astrophysics (Letters
Io: IUE observations of its atmosphere and the plasma torus
Two of the main components of the atmosphere of Io, neutral oxygen and sulfur, were detected with the IUE. Four observations yield brightnesses that are similar, regardless of whether the upstream or the downstream sides of the torus plasma flow around Io is observed. A simple model requires the emissions to be produced by the interaction of O and S columns in the exospheric range with 2 eV electrons. Cooling of the 5 eV torus electrons is required prior to their interaction with the atmosphere of Io. Inconsistencies in the characteristics of the spectra that cannot be accounted for in this model require further analysis with improved atomic data. The Io plasma torus was monitored with the IUE. The long-term stability of the warm torus is established. The observed brightnesses were analyzed using a model of the torus, and variations of less than 30 percent in the composition are observed, the quantitative results being model dependent
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