Visualizing Online Auctions

Online auctions have been the subject of many empirical research efforts in the fields of economics and information systems. These research efforts are often based on analyzing data from Web sites such as eBay.com which provide public information about sequences of bids in closed auctions, typically in the form of tables on HTML pages. The existing literature on online auctions focuses on tools like summary statistics and more formal statistical methods such as regression models. However, there is a clear void in this growing body of literature in developing appropriate visualization tools. This is quite surprising, given that the sheer amount of data that can be found on sites such as eBay.com is overwhelming and can often not be displayed informatively using standard statistical graphics. In this article we introduce graphical methods for visualizing online auction data in ways that are informative and relevant to the types of research questions that are of interest. We start by using profile plots that reveal aspects of an auction such as bid values, bidding intensity, and bidder strategies. We then introduce the concept of statistical zooming (STAT-zoom) which can scale up to be used for visualizing large amounts of auctions. STAT-zoom adds the capability of looking at data summaries at various time scales interactively. Finally, we develop auction calendars and auction scene visualizations for viewing a set of many concurrent auctions. The different visualization methods are demonstrated using data on multiple auctions collected from eBay.com.     

Investigation on shape variation of Au nanocrystals

A variety of shapes, such as rod, tripod, -shape and cube, of Au nanocrystals were synthesized by employing different reaction conditions. The nanocrystals and their shape variation were characterized by transmission electron microscopy and UV–vis spectrophotometry. The evolution of shape was accomplished by controlling the parameters used in their synthesis, the concentration of reducing agent and surface capping agent. The effect of synthetic parameters on shape was explored, to determine suitable conditions for producing each shape of nanocrystals. Nanocrystals with different shapes have different plasmon bands in the visible region of the spectrum, which is a valuable property for sensor applications.     

Approximation theorems for localized szsz–Mirakjan operators

In the present paper, we investigate the convergence and the approximation order of the localized Szsz–Mirakjan operators, and obtain some new results to improve the results due to Omey [Note on operators of Szsz–Mirakjan type, J. Approx. Theory 47 (1986) 246–254].     

The SC property of an expected residual function arising from stochastic complementarity problems

The stochastic nonlinear complementarity problem has been recently reformulated as an expected residual minimization problem which minimizes an expected residual function defined by an NCP function. In this work, we show that the expected residual function defined by the Fischer–Burmeister function is an function.     

Wavelength dependence of matrix-assisted laser desorption and ionization using a tunable mid-infrared laser

Matrix-assisted laser desorption and ionization by infrared laser (IR-MALDI) is expected to be an effective methods for soft-ionization of high-molecular weight proteins and intracellular proteins. IR-MALDI is not widely used because its low sensitivity, complexity, high cost, and as it does not work well on commercial MALDI time-of-flight mass spectrometers (TOFMSs). We employed a tunable mid-infrared (MIR) laser as a light source for MALDI to investigate the IR-MALDI. The laser wavelength can be tuned within a range from 5.5 to 10.0 μm, and included several biomaterial group vibration modes. We evaluated the wavelength dependence of ionization in IR-MALDI for four matrices: succinic acid, urea, 3,5-dimethoxy-4-hydroxycinnamic acid (sinapic acid) and 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid (DHB). These matrices contained various groups of vibration modes, and absorbed an infrared (IR) energy at a specific wavelength. The mass spectra of angiotensin II was obtained at a specific wavelength corresponding to the CO stretching and benzene ring vibration mode. In IR-MALDI, we considered the strong molecular bond attracting an electron from a neighboring hydrogen atom, possibly protonating the hydrogen atom.     

Majorization of regular measures and weights with finite and positive critical exponent

For the sets , 1?p<∞, of positive finite Borel measures μ on the real axis with the set of algebraic polynomials P dense in Lp(R,dμ), we establish a majorization principle of their “boundaries,” i.e. for every there exists such that dμ/dν?1. A corresponding principle holds for the sets , p>0, of non-negative upper semi-continuous on R functions (weights) w such that P is dense in the space : For every there exists such that w?ω.     

A remark on Andrews-Askey integral

In this paper, we use the Andrews-Askey integral and the q-Chu-Vandermonde formula to derive a more general integral formula. Applications of the new integral formula are also given, which include to derive the q-Pfaff-Saalschütz formula and the terminating Sears's transformation formula.     

Pyrolysis of poly(phenylene vinylene)s with polycaprolactone side chains

The thermal degradation characteristics of a new macromonomer poly(-caprolactone) with central 4,4′-dicarbaldehyde terphenyl moieties and poly(phenylene vinylene)s with well defined (-caprolactone), (PPV/PCL) as lateral substituents were investigated via direct pyrolysis mass spectrometry. The unexpectedly high thermal stability of the macromonomer was attributed to intermolecular acetylation of benzaldehyde yielding a hemiacetal and causing a crosslinked structure during the pyrolysis. Increased thermal stability of the PCL chains was detected for all samples. The increase in stability of PCL chains was much more pronounced than was detected for poly(p-phenylene)-graft-poly(-caprolactone) copolymer (PPP/PCL); the upward temperature shift was about 100 °C for PPV/PCL and only 20 °C for PPP/CL. This pronounced effect may be due to higher thermal stability of PPV compared to PPP and the decrease in steric hindrance for PPV with PCL side chains.     

Functionalized fluoroalkyl and alkenyl silanes: Preparations, reactions, and synthetic applications

Preparations, reactions, and synthetic applications of functionalized fluoroalkyl and alkenyl silanes have been summarized. This review focuses mainly on the chemistries of (1) 1-substituted difluoromethylsilanes (XCF₂SiR₃), (2) 1-substituted 2,2-difluorovinylsilanes (CF₂CXSiR₃), (3) trifluoroisopropenyl, trifluoroacetimidoyl, and trifluoroacetyl silanes [CF₃C(SiR₃)X, XCH₂, NAr, O] and (4) other fluorinated alicyclic silanes.     

Reactions of (Me2C)(Me2Si)[(η-C5H3)Mo(CO)3]2 with nitrile and subsequent cleavage of the CN bond by cooperation of molybdenum and ruthenium

Reaction of the doubly bridged dinuclear molybdenum complex (Me₂C)(Me₂Si)[(η⁵-C₅H₃)Mo(CO)₃]₂ (1) with benzonitrile in refluxing xylene afforded complexes (Me₂C)(Me₂Si)[(η⁵-C₅H₃)₂Mo₂(CO)₄(μ-η²-η²(⊥)-NCPh)] (2) (50%) and (Me₂C)(Me₂Si)[(η⁵-C₅H₃)₂Mo₂(CO)₄(μ-η¹-η²-NCPh)] (3) (6%) with different coordination of nitrile. The corresponding μ-η²-η² acetonitrile and propionitrile complexes 4 and 5 could be obtained from the reactions of (Me₂C)(Me₂Si)(C₅H₄)₂ with (RCN)₃Mo(CO)₃ (R = Me, Et) in refluxing xylene. Reactions of 1 with isonitriles generated μ-η¹-η²-CNR (R = ^tBu, Ph, C₆H₁₁) bridged complexes 6-8 in 53-63% yields. Subsequent reaction of 4 with Ru₃(CO)₁₂ yielded two CN bond cleavaged MoRu clusters (Me₂C)(Me₂Si)(η⁵-C₅H₃)₂Mo₂Ru₃(CO)₁₀(μ-CO)(μ₃-CMe)(μ₄-N) (9) (7%) and [(Me₂C)(Me₂Si)(η⁵-C₅H₃)₂]₂Mo₄Ru₆(CO)₁₆(μ-CO)(μ₄-CO)₂(μ₃-η¹-η²-η²-NCMe)(μ₃-CMe)(μ₅-N) (10) (8%). All the new complexes have been fully characterized. The molecular structures of 2, 4, 6, 9, and 10 have been determined by X-ray diffraction analysis.