Procedurally Rational Volunteers

The mixed-strategy equilibrium applied to the volunteer's dilemma (Diekmann, 1985 Diekmann , A. ( 1985 ). Volunteer's dilemma . Journal of Conflict Resolution , 29 , 605 – 610 .[Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]) predicts that the probability that at least 1 bystander volunteers decreases, if the number of bystander increases. I argue that this prediction lacks empirical support and demonstrate that an alternative solution concept from the literature on bounded rationality, the procedurally rational equilibrium (Osborne &; Rubinstein, 1998 Osborne , M. J. &; Rubinstein , A. ( 1998 ). Games with procedurally rational players . American Economic Review , 88 , 834 – 847 .[Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]), yields alternative predictions. I supply some empirical evidence that the alternative solution concept fares better in explaining observed behavior in the volunteer's dilemma.     

Error estimates and extrapolation for the numerical solution of Mellin convolution equations

In this paper we consider a quadrature method for the numericalsolution of a second-kind integral equation over the interval,where the integral operator is a compact perturbation of a Mellinconvolution operator. This quadrature method relies upon a singularitysubtraction and transformation technique. Stability and convergenceorder of the approximate solution are well known. We shall derivethe first term in the asymptotics of the error which shows that,in the interior of the interval, the approximate solution convergeswith higher order than over the whole interval. This implieshigher orders of convergence for the numerical calculation ofsmooth functionals to the exact solution. Moreover, the asymptoticsallows us to define a new approximate solution extrapolatedfrom the dilated solutions of the quadrature method over mesheswith different mesh sizes. This extrapolated solution is designedto improve the low convergence order caused by the non-smoothnessof the exact solution even when the transformation techniquecorresponds to slightly graded meshes. Finally, we discuss theapplication to the double-layer integral equation over the boundaryof polygonal domains and report numerical results.     

Spin-orbit matrix elements for internally contracted multireference configuration interaction wavefunctions

An efficient method for the calculation of Breit-Pauli spin-orbit matrix elements for internally contracted multireference configuration interaction wavefunctions is presented. Instead of taking all two-electron contributions of the wavefunction explicitly into account, the most important two-electron contributions of the spin-orbit operator are incorporated by means of an effective one-electron Fock operator. As a further refinement, explicit two-electron contributions can be reinstated for the dominant all-internal parts of the wavefunctions.     

Charged-lepton flavour physics

This write-up on a talk at the 2011 Lepton?CPhoton symposium in Mumbai, India, summarizes recent results in the charged-lepton flavour sector. Searches for charged-lepton flavour violation, lepton electric dipole moments and flavour-conserving CP violation are reviewed here. Recent progress in ??-lepton physics and in the Standard Model prediction of the muon anomalous magnetic moment is also discussed.     

Triarylmethanol Host Compounds. Synthesis, Crystalline Complex Formation and X-Ray Crystal Structures of Three Inclusion Species

A variety of triarylmethanol compounds including benzo condensed and laterally substituted derivatives 1–10 have been prepared and shown to act as crystallinehosts for the inclusion of organic solvents involving protic polar, aprotic dipolar and apolar molecules. The inclusion ability is ratherhigh for aprotic dipolar solvents while protic polarcompounds are only rarely enclathrated. Host 9 is an exception, being also efficient with alcohols and amines. Compound3 displays no inclusion formation under theexperimental conditions. X-ray crystal structures of the inclusion compound 1acetone (2:1) and of two amineinclusion compounds of host 9 [9 n-propylamine(1:1), 9di-n-propylamine (1:1)] are reported showing the formation of H-bondedhost-guest associates as the common feature of supramolecular association.Supplementary data relating to this article have beendeposited with the British Library, No. SUP 82226 (10 pages).at Boston Spa, Wetherby, West Yorkshire, U.K., as Supplementary Publication.     

USING NETWORK ANALYSIS TO CHARACTERIZE FOREST STRUCTURE

Abstract Network analysis quantifies different structural properties of systems of interrelated parts using a single analytical framework. Many ecological phenomena have network‐like properties, such as the trophic relationships of food webs, geographic structure of metapopulations, and species interactions in communities. Therefore, our ability to understand and manage such systems may benefit from the use of network‐analysis techniques. But network analysis has not been applied extensively to ecological problems, and its suitability for ecological studies is uncertain. Here, we investigate the ability of network analysis to detect spatial patterns of species association in a tropical forest. We use three common graph‐theoretic measures of network structure to quantify the effect of understory tree size on the spatial association of understory species with trees in the canopy: the node degree distribution (NDD), characteristic path length (CPL), and clustering coefficient (CC). We compute the NDD, CPL, and CC for each of seven size classes of understory trees. For significance testing, we compare the observed values to frequency distributions of each statistic computed from randomized data. We find that the ability of network analysis to distinguish observed patterns from those representing randomized data strongly depends on which aspects of structure are investigated. Analysis of NDD finds no significant difference between random and observed networks. However, analysis of CPL and CC detected nonrandom patterns in three and one of the seven size classes, respectively. Network analysis is a very flexible approach that holds promise for ecological studies, but more research is needed to better understand its advantages and limitations.     

Core-halogenated,helical-chiral triphenylene-based columnar liquid crystals

It is shown that chlorination and even bromination of the mesogenic hexahexyloxytriphenylene 1 can take place at the sterically congested tetracyclic core delivering the respective monohalogenated, sevenfold substituted enantiotropic mesogens 3 and 4 in 32 and 17% yields, respectively, giving mesophases over greater temperature ranges. Miscibility tests among all mesogenic compounds of this study prove formation of the columnar hexagonal type of phase. The steric and electronic effects of those substituents, different from the six equal alkoxy groups, on the mesophase are discussed in detail. In our hands and to our surprise, the sterically hindered acceptor (nitro or halogeno) substituents of 2, 3, or 4 could not be replaced by an alkylthio group in nucleophilic aromatic substitution reactions using the aprotic polar solvent DMEU. Semi-empirical calculations on numerous hexaethers with one or two substituents, e.g. halogens or others, in one of the three bay regions of the triphenylene core reveal that these molecules are helically deformed due to the crowding in the molecule. In this new case of atropisomerism, the 1,12-disubstituted derivatives should offer the possibility of resolution into enantiomers and, therefore, of studying disc-like mesomorphic compounds possessing for the first time the origin of chirality within their molecular centre.     

High resolution spectroscopy of the ν3 band of the van der Waals complex Ar—DCOOH

The vibrational-rotational spectrum of the van der Waals complex Ar-DCOOH has been recorded in the spectral region of the carbonyl stretch band. This work represents the first rotationally resolved vibrational spectrum for this complex. A full set of molecular constants could be deduced by fitting 105 lines with a standard S-reduced Watson Hamiltonian. The band origin was determined to be 1725.8440(1)cm^?1 which corresponds to a small red shift of 0.0309cm^?1 compared to the monomer band. The rotational constants deviate only slightly from the rotational constants in the ground state, as determined by microwave spectroscopy (I. I. Ioannou and R. L. Kuczkowski, 1993, J. phys. Chem., 98, 2231).     

Effect of surface modification on the pore condensation of fluids: experimental results and density functional theory

The physisorption and pore condensation of a polar fluid (CHF₃) in a series of MCM-41 type mesoporous silica materials with native and chemically modified pore walls has been studied over the temperature range 168–293 K, corresponding to reduced temperatures T/T_c in the range 0.56-0.98, where T_c is the critical temperature of the fluid. Chemical modification of the pore walls by attachment of Si(CH₃)₃ groups causes a shift in pore condensation to higher relative pressures p/p0. This effect is most pronounced for materials with narrow pores (2.9 nm) at low temperatures. In the theoretical part of the work density functional theory based on a simple cubic lattice model of the confined fluid has been used to analyse the combined effect of a reduced pore width and weaker fluid-wall interaction caused by the surface coating. For realistic values of the model parameters it is found that the effect of the lower pore width is outweighed by the opposing effect of the lower fluid-wall interactions. The weaker temperature dependence of the pore existence curve observed experimentally for the surface modified materials can be traced back to a crossover from a two-step to a single-step process of pore filling predicted by the model.