Demand and Determinants of FDI: A Knowledge-Capital Approach

This dissertation seeks to reinforce our understanding of an important role of demand-side in determining foreign direct investment (FDI). To do so, it both theoretically and empirically extends the standard Knowledge-Capital (KC) approach, which is now a widely-adopted comprehensive framework to analyze overseas investment decisions of multinational enterprises (MNEs). It provides theoretical foundation and empirical evidence on main topic of the dissertation that per-capita income is closely related to location and production decisions of MNEs. Chapter 2 develops a theoretical model to examine the roles of demand-driven factors and provides testable predictions driven from numerical simulation results. Therefore, it plays a role of producing theoretical explanation for a link between per-capita income and overseas investment decisions of MNEs. Chapter 3 tests the hypotheses from the chapter 2, particularly the Linder hypothesis for FDI, for Korean multinationals\u27 experiences. It shows that empirical results from System GMM estimation technique are consistent with the theoretical predictions driven from the chapter 2. It is estimated that a 10% decrease in per-capita income divergences between Korea and an average host country leads to a 8.6% rise in Korean overseas direct investment. There was no change in the main results both across different specifications and for the U.S. FDI experiences. The final chapter empirically examines the determinants for sectoral FDI and compares their influences in the manufacturing and services sectors. It shows distinct features of each sector makes a difference in relative importance of FDI determinants between the two sectors

Venus cloud bobber mission: A long term survey of the Venusian surface

We have examined the Venus Balloon concept in order to further develop the ideas and concepts behind it, and to creatively apply them to the design of the major Venus Balloon components. This report presents our models of the vertical path taken by the Venus Balloon and the entry into Venusian atmosphere. It also details our designs of the balloon, gondola, heat exchanger, power generator, and entry module. A vehicle is designed for a ballistic entry into the Venusian atmosphere, and an atmospheric model is created. The model is then used to set conditions. The shape and material of the vehicle are optimized, and the dimensions of the vehicle are then determined. Equipment is chosen and detailed that will be needed to collect and transmit information and control the mission. A gondola is designed that will enable this sensitive electronic equipment to survive in an atmosphere of very high temperature and pressure. This shape and the material of the shell are optimized, and the size is minimized. Insulation and supporting structures are designed to protect the payload equipment and to minimize mass. A method of cooling the gondola at upper altitudes was established. Power needs of the gondola equipment are determined. Power generation options are discussed and two separate thermoelectric generation models are outlined

Curve and Surface Smoothing Using a Modified Cahn-Hilliard Equation

We present a new method using the modified Cahn-Hilliard (CH) equation for smoothing piecewise linear shapes of two- and three-dimensional objects. The CH equation has good smoothing dynamics and it is coupled with a fidelity term which keeps the original given data; that is, it does not produce significant shrinkage. The modified CH equation is discretized using a linearly stable splitting scheme in time and the resulting scheme is solved by using a Fourier spectral method. We present computational results for both curve and surface smoothing problems. The computational results demonstrate that the proposed algorithm is fast and efficient

Basic Principles and Practical Applications of the Cahn–Hilliard Equation

The celebrated Cahn–Hilliard (CH) equation was proposed to model the process of phase separation in binary alloys by Cahn and Hilliard. Since then the equation has been extended to a variety of chemical, physical, biological, and other engineering fields such as spinodal decomposition, diblock copolymer, image inpainting, multiphase fluid flows, microstructures with elastic inhomogeneity, tumor growth simulation, and topology optimization. Therefore, it is important to understand the basic mechanism of the CH equation in each modeling type. In this paper, we review the applications of the CH equation and describe the basic mechanism of each modeling type with helpful references and computational simulation results

Efficient 3D Volume Reconstruction from a Point Cloud Using a Phase-Field Method

We propose an explicit hybrid numerical method for the efficient 3D volume reconstruction from unorganized point clouds using a phase-field method. The proposed three-dimensional volume reconstruction algorithm is based on the 3D binary image segmentation method. First, we define a narrow band domain embedding the unorganized point cloud and an edge indicating function. Second, we define a good initial phase-field function which speeds up the computation significantly. Third, we use a recently developed explicit hybrid numerical method for solving the three-dimensional image segmentation model to obtain efficient volume reconstruction from point cloud data. In order to demonstrate the practical applicability of the proposed method, we perform various numerical experiments

Office Automated Delivery Robot System

 Our robot encourages workers use their work hours more efficiently. It helps workers focus on their works by processing unnecessary works such as delivery for them. It also facilitates exchange of office materials such as prototypes and classified materials between departments. Our robot is like a background process in operating systems; it handles its job silently but effectively that its users – primarily the office workers- can go on about doing their works without having to leave their stations and lose focus. The potential that this robot is capable of are not limited to just within office space delivering documents and mails. It could be also used to deliver specimens and supplies at hospitals and also act as a way-finding aid in building complexes.&nbsp

Measurement of the top quark forward-backward production asymmetry and the anomalous chromoelectric and chromomagnetic moments in pp collisions at √s = 13 TeV

Abstract The parton-level top quark (t) forward-backward asymmetry and the anomalous chromoelectric (d̂ t) and chromomagnetic (μ̂ t) moments have been measured using LHC pp collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV, collected in the CMS detector in a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 35.9 fb−1. The linearized variable AFB(1) is used to approximate the asymmetry. Candidate t t ¯ events decaying to a muon or electron and jets in final states with low and high Lorentz boosts are selected and reconstructed using a fit of the kinematic distributions of the decay products to those expected for t t ¯ final states. The values found for the parameters are AFB(1)=0.048−0.087+0.095(stat)−0.029+0.020(syst),μ̂t=−0.024−0.009+0.013(stat)−0.011+0.016(syst), and a limit is placed on the magnitude of | d̂ t| < 0.03 at 95% confidence level. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

MUSiC : a model-unspecific search for new physics in proton-proton collisions at root s=13TeV

Results of the Model Unspecific Search in CMS (MUSiC), using proton-proton collision data recorded at the LHC at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 35.9 fb(-1), are presented. The MUSiC analysis searches for anomalies that could be signatures of physics beyond the standard model. The analysis is based on the comparison of observed data with the standard model prediction, as determined from simulation, in several hundred final states and multiple kinematic distributions. Events containing at least one electron or muon are classified based on their final state topology, and an automated search algorithm surveys the observed data for deviations from the prediction. The sensitivity of the search is validated using multiple methods. No significant deviations from the predictions have been observed. For a wide range of final state topologies, agreement is found between the data and the standard model simulation. This analysis complements dedicated search analyses by significantly expanding the range of final states covered using a model independent approach with the largest data set to date to probe phase space regions beyond the reach of previous general searches.Peer reviewe