Observation of anomalous decoherence effect in a quantum bath at room temperature

Decoherence of quantum objects is critical to modern quantum sciences and technologies. It is generally believed that stronger noises cause faster decoherence. Strikingly, recent theoretical research discovers the opposite case for spins in quantum baths. Here we report experimental observation of the anomalous decoherence effect for the electron spin-1 of a nitrogen-vacancy centre in high-purity diamond at room temperature. We demonstrate that under dynamical decoupling, the double-transition can have longer coherence time than the single-transition, even though the former couples to the nuclear spin bath as twice strongly as the latter does. The excellent agreement between the experimental and the theoretical results confirms the controllability of the weakly coupled nuclear spins in the bath, which is useful in quantum information processing and quantum metrology.Comment: 22 pages, related paper at http://arxiv.org/abs/1102.557

Predicting Homework Effort: Support for a Domain-Specific, Multilevel Homework Model

To date, homework research has been only loosely tied to theories of educational psychology and has relied mainly on time-on-task measures. The two studies (414 and 1,501 eighth graders) presented in this paper provide support for a domain-specific, multilevel model that includes an expanded effort measure, motivational predictors (expectancy and value components), learning environment variables, parental behavior variables, and stable personal characteristics such as cognitive ability and conscientiousness. Homework effort was found to be positively related to achievement. Only moderate intercorrelations were observed between the corresponding constructs of homework motivation and behavior in math and English as a foreign language. Conscientiousness and homework motivation (expectancy and value components) proved to be the strongest predictors of homework effort in math, English, and French. Perceived homework quality varied considerably between classes and impacted on homework motivation and behavior

Cricket interruptus: Fairness and incentive in interruped cricket matches

We present a new adjustment rule for interrupted cricket matches that equalizes the probability of winning before and after the interruption. Our proposal differs from existing rules in the quantity preserved (the probability of winning), and also in the point at which it is measured (the time of interruption). We claim this is both fair and free of incentive effects. We give several examples of how our rule could have been applied in past matches, including some in which the ultimate result might have been different.

Poverty in Indian cities during the reforms era

This paper seeks to understand temporal changes in poverty and well-being in Indian cities during the era of economic reforms. The evidence on improvements in well being is mixed. During this period, there was an increase in the number of urban poor. Using two nationally representative samples, we compare the joint distribution of monthly per capita expenditure (a private good) and access to drainage (a public good) in slums and non-slum areas of Indian cities to understand changes in well being. A comparison at two points in time, 1993 and 2002, suggests that the share of slum dwellers in urban poor has declined. However, we do not find evidence for improvement in the well-being of slum dwellers over time. We do find that non-slum urban dwellers are better off in 2002 compared to 1993

Transcriptional factor PU.1 regulates decidual C1q expression in early pregnancy in human

"Copyright: © 2015 Madhukaran, Kishore, Jamil, Teo, Choolani and Lu. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms."C1q is the first recognition subcomponent of the complement classical pathway, which in addition to being synthesized in the liver, is also expressed by macrophages and dendritic cells (DCs). Trophoblast invasion during early placentation results in accumulation of debris that triggers the complement system. Hence, both early and late components of the classical pathway are widely distributed in the placenta and decidua. In addition, C1q has recently been shown to significantly contribute to feto-maternal tolerance, trophoblast migration, and spiral artery remodeling, although the exact mechanism remains unknown. Pregnancy in mice, genetically deficient in C1q, mirrors symptoms similar to that of human preeclampsia. Thus, regulated complement activation has been proposed as an essential requirement for normal successful pregnancy. Little is known about the molecular pathways that regulate C1q expression in pregnancy. PU.1, an Ets-family transcription factor, is required for the development of hematopoietic myeloid lineage immune cells, and its expression is tissue-specific. Recently, PU.1 has been shown to regulate C1q gene expression in DCs and macrophages. Here, we have examined if PU.1 transcription factor regulates decidual C1q expression. We used immune-histochemical analysis, PCR, and immunostaining to localize and study the gene expression of PU.1 transcription factor in early human decidua. PU.1 was highly expressed at gene and protein level in early human decidual cells including trophoblast and stromal cells. Surprisingly, nuclear as well as cytoplasmic PU.1 expression was observed. Decidual cells with predominantly nuclear PU.1 expression had higher C1q expression. It is likely that nuclear and cytoplasmic PU.1 localization has a role to play in early pregnancy via regulating C1q expression in the decidua during implantation

Group-lending: Sequential financing, lender monitoring and joint liability

We develop a simple model of group-lendingbased on peer monitoring and moral hazard. We find that, in the absence of sequential financing or lender monitoring, group-lending schemes may involve under-monitoring with the borrowers investing in undesirable projects. Moreover, under certain parameter configurations, group-lending schemes involving either sequential financing, or a combination of lender monitoringand joint liability are feasible. In fact, group-lending schemes with sequential financing may succeed even in the absence of joint liability, though the repayment rate will be lower. In the absence of joint liability, however, group-lending with lender monitoring is unlikely to be feasible.Group-lending, joint liability, peer monitoring, sequential financing, under-monitoring, lender monitoring

V-Factor: Distribution, timing and correlates of the the great Indian growth turnaround

The ratio of Indian to US per capita output over the past 45 years has displayed a distinctive "V"-shaped pattern. We show that a strikingly similar V-shaped pattern is visible not just in aggregate output figures, but also as the primary determinant of long-term movements in the cross-sectional distribution within the All-India total, at both sectoral and state output levels. We also carry out preliminary investigations of correlates of the "VFactor", using a new panel data set for Indian states from 1960 to 2005 that extends and encompasses all previous datasets relevant to macroeconomic analysis of the Indian states.Principal Components, Convergence, Divergence, Indian states

Ownership form and contractual ineficiency: Comparing performance of cooperatives and private factories in the Indian sugar industry.

This paper explores the role of differing contractual relationships between sugarcane farmers and sugar factories in india resulting from differing ownership structures. In Maharashtra most sugar factories are cooperatively owned by cane farmers, while in Utter Pradesh most factories are privately owned and purcahse cane from independent peasant farmers. The key incetive problem is that residual claimants to factory profits are inclined to exploit their monopsony power and underprice cane supplied by farmers. This results in undersupply of cane to factories, the extent of which depends on who owns the factory, besides the distribution of land between small and big growers. Predictions of the model are empirically verified from panel data spanning 1982-95 for private and coop factories in the two states. We find that the respective cane price distortions overwhelm the effect of changes in cane quality, technological change, prices or irrigation in accounting for differences in growth of the industry between different ownership forms and regions over this period.