Constructing banking networks under decreasing costs of link formation

The structure of networks plays a central role in the behavior of financial systems and their response to policy. Real-world networks, however, are rarely directly observable: banks’ assets and liabilities are typically known, but not who is lending how much and to whom. This paper adds to the existing literature in two ways. First, it shows how to simulate realistic networks that are based on balance-sheet information. To do so, we introduce a model where links cause fixed-costs, independent of contract size; but the costs per link decrease the more connected a bank is (scale economies). Second, to approach the optimization problem, we develop a new algorithm inspired by the transportation planning literature and research in stochastic search heuristics. Computational experiments find that the resulting networks are not only consistent with the balance sheets, but also resemble real-world financial networks in their density (which is sparse but not minimally dense) and in their core-periphery and disassortative structure.

     

Convergence of higher order upwind finite volume schemes on unstructured grids for scalar conservation laws in several space dimensions

Summary. We prove convergence of a class of higher order upwind finite volume schemes on unstructured grids for scalar conservation laws in several space dimensions. The result is applied to the discontinuous Galerkin method due to Cockburn, Hou and Shu. Received April 15, 1993 / Revised version received March 13, 1995     

A Multidimensional Branch-and-Prune Method for Interval Global Optimization

In this paper a new multidimensional extension of the recently developed one-dimensional enclosure method called kite is given for interval global optimization. A more sophisticated version of the pruning technique based on the kite method is introduced. By the new componentwise approach all the one-dimensional theoretical results and procedures can be used in the higher-dimensional case. The possibilities in the implementation of the new algorithm together with numerical results on 40 standard test problems are presented.     

Monotone iterative scheme for nonlinear hyperbolic boundary value problem

Monotone iterative scheme for nonlinear hyperbolic boundary value problem is established.     

Systematic investigations of anthocyanin–metal interactions by Raman spectroscopy

The FT‐Raman spectra of the chloride salts of pelargonidin‐3‐glucoside, cyanidin‐3‐glucoside and delphinidin‐3‐glucoside, their structures at pH 5.0 and their interaction with aluminium and ferric ions are presented for the first time and discussed with regard to their spectroscopic response. Two marker bands at approximately 1510 and 1330/1350 cm⁻¹ and one band at approximately 1330/1350 cm⁻¹ were identified being characteristic for the formation of ferric and aluminium chelates, respectively, of cyanidin‐3‐glucoside and delphinidin‐3‐glucoside. In contrast, pelargonidin‐3‐glucoside, exhibiting one single hydroxyl group in the B‐ring, did not form metal chelates, which could be clearly demonstrated by missing marker bands. The formation of anthocyanin–metal chelates was also verified in model systems containing commercial sugar beet pectin and a pectic polysaccharide fraction isolated thereof, respectively. In addition, the absence of anthocyanin–metal chelates in systems prepared with citrate buffer was confirmed, and the effects of low and high methoxylated citrus pectins on chelate formation were studied. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The influence of a γ-oxygen in the spacer of liquid crystal side group polysiloxanes on their ferroelectric properties

Two types of side group polysiloxanes which differ in their spacer between backbone and mesogenic part were synthesized via polymer analogous reaction. The impact of an oxygen atom localized in the γ position to the siloxane main chain on the ferroelectric properties was investigated. In addition, the link between the terminal chiral moiety and the mesogenic part in each series was varied. The phase transition behaviour, spontaneous polarization and the electro-optical response time for the two series of polymers are compared. The mesophase structures were determined by X-ray measurements on magnetically oriented samples at different temperatures. The additional oxygen atom in the spacer near to the main chain leads to broader range smectic C* phases and shorter electro-optical response times, which suggests that the ether linkage promotes a better decoupling between main chain and mesogenic side group.     

Liquid crystalline side group polymers with azo-chromophores and fluorinated tails of varying length

A series of side group liquid crystalline polymethacrylates with 4'-(1H,1H-perfluoroalkoxy)-azobenzene mesogenic units was synthesized and characterized by differential scanning calorimetry, polarizing optical microscopy and X-ray diffraction methods depending on the tail length. The phase behaviour is discussed as a function of the length of the tail groups. Very high clearing temperatures up to 290°C were observed for the polymers with long tail groups.