Systematic event generator tuning for the LHC

In this article we describe Professor, a new program for tuning model parameters of Monte Carlo event generators to experimental data by parameterising the per-bin generator response to parameter variations and numerically optimising the parameterised behaviour. Simulated experimental analysis data is obtained using the Rivet analysis toolkit. This paper presents the Professor procedure and implementation, illustrated with the application of the method to tunes of the Pythia 6 event generator to data from the LEP/SLD and Tevatron experiments. These tunes are substantial improvements on existing standard choices, and are recommended as base tunes for LHC experiments, to be themselves systematically improved upon when early LHC data is available.     

The first and second cinchona rearrangement. Two fundamental transformations of alkaloid chemistry

Stereochemistry, products, and driving forces of the "first and second Cinchona rearrangement" have been investigated and a unified theory is presented. The first cage expansion affords [3.2.2]azabicyclic alpha-amino ether and is formulated via a configurationally stable bridgehead iminium ion and quasiequatorial nucleophilic attack. The second cage expansion affords beta-functionalized [3.2.2]azabicycles. In this case a nonclassical nitrogen-bridged cation is postulated to account for retention of configuration and potential reversibility of the cage expansion. The second rearrangement is favored for the so-called cinch bases (6'-R = H) in trifluoroethanol. Stereoelectronic factors, electron demand at C9, ground state conformation, and solvent type are crucial in all cases. A two-step protocol for preparing 9-epi-configured Cinchona alkaloids from 9-nat precursors is described.     

An efficient method for the fabrication of temperature-sensitive hydrogel microactuators

In this article a new method for the photolithographical deposition of temperature-sensitive hydrogels is presented. The method can be used in conjunction with standard 365 nm UV-photolithography to accurately dimension and position temperature-sensitive hydrogel microactuators in a highly parallel fashion. A number of characteristics of the hydrogels were investigated. These include: the photolithographical reproduction quality, the effect of the crosslinking density in the hydrogels on their swelling behavior, the swelling hysteresis behavior, the effect of dimensional constraints on the swelling of the hydrogels and the effect of copolymerization with an ionizable comonomer on the temperature behavior of the hydrogels. The method presents a considerable improvement in the microfabrication of temperature-sensitive hydrogel microactuators and has potential for the mass-fabrication of these interesting microactuators.     

Does ignorance promote norm compliance?

A large extent of undetected norm violations may have positive effects for society. If many norm violations are hidden, society seems to be in good order so that actors are more willing to comply with the norms themselves. In this sense, ignorance promotes norm compliance. We challenge this view by arguing that in scenarios, in which norms are controlled and enforced by third parties who receive rewards for their success, the opposite is true: Ignorance promotes norm violations. The reason is that unsuspicious inspectors who believe that little hidden norm violations are committed will spend less effort for detection, some formerly detected norm violations will go undetected, norm targets will be less deterred from the lower detection probability and will commit more norm violations over time. This article develops a respective mathematical model and confirms the above described intuition.