Equilibrium selection in multi-leader-follower games with vertical information

We consider two-stage multi-leader-follower games, called multi-leader-follower games with vertical information, where leaders in the first stage and followers in the second stage choose simultaneously an action, but those chosen by any leader are observed by only one “exclusive” follower. This partial unobservability leads to extensive form games that have no proper subgames but may have an infinity of Nash equilibria. So it is not possible to refine using the concept of subgame perfect Nash equilibrium and, moreover, the concept of weak perfect Bayesian equilibrium could be not useful since it does not prescribe limitations on the beliefs out of the equilibrium path. This has motivated the introduction of a selection concept for Nash equilibria based on a specific class of beliefs, called passive beliefs, that each follower has about the actions chosen by the leaders rivals of his own leader. In this paper, we illustrate the effectiveness of this concept and we investigate the existence of such a selection for significant classes of problems satisfying generalized concavity properties and conditions of minimal character on possibly discontinuous data.     

Well-posedness for Optimization Problems with Constraints defined by Variational Inequalities having a unique solution

We introduce various notions of well-posedness for a family of variational inequalities and for an optimization problem with constraints defined by variational inequalities having a unique solution. Then, we give sufficient conditions for well-posedness of these problems and we present an application to an exact penalty method.     

Analysis of the M/M/1 Queue with Processor Sharing via Spectral Theory

We show in this paper that the computation of the distribution of the sojourn time of an arbitrary customer in a M/M/1 with the processor sharing discipline (abbreviated to M/M/1 PS queue) can be formulated as a spectral problem for a self-adjoint operator. This approach allows us to improve the existing results for this queue in two directions. First, the orthogonal structure underlying the M/M/1 PS queue is revealed. Second, an integral representation of the distribution of the sojourn time of a customer entering the system while there are n customers in service is obtained.     

Sojourn Times in the <Emphasis Type="Italic">M</Emphasis>/<Emphasis Type="Italic">PH</Emphasis>/1 Processor Sharing Queue

We give in this paper an algorithm to compute the sojourn time distribution in the processor sharing, single server queue with Poisson arrivals and phase type distributed service times. In a first step, we establish the differential system governing the conditional sojourn times probability distributions in this queue, given the number of customers in the different phases of the PH distribution at the arrival instant of a customer. This differential system is then solved by using a uniformization procedure and an exponential of matrix. The proposed algorithm precisely consists of computing this exponential with a controlled accuracy. This algorithm is then used in practical cases to investigate the impact of the variability of service times on sojourn times and the validity of the so-called reduced service rate (RSR) approximation, when service times in the different phases are highly dissymmetrical. For two-stage PH distributions, we give conjectures on the limiting behavior in terms of an M/M/1 PS queue and provide numerical illustrative examples.This revised version was published online in June 2005 with corrected coverdate     

The Role of Field Experience in Elementary Preservice Teachers' Self‐Efficacy and Ability to Connect Research to Practice

Though the importance of including practicum experiences in programs for the preparation of elementary preservice teachers is generally accepted, the nature of these experiences on the development of skills in teaching science can vary greatly. This study compares the effect of variations in field experiences at two institutions, one which included a practicum that was not connected to the science methods course and instructor and the other where the practicum was concurrent with and taught by the methods instructor. Interview data and results of the STEBI‐B were collected across four years, with a total n = 129. The concurrent, embedded practicum yielded consistent increases in self‐efficacy across the semesters. Also after the embedded practicum, preservice teachers showed greater understanding in research‐based science teaching practices.     

Lower semicontinuity for approximate social Nash equilibria

We introduce a suitable concept of approximate social Nash equilibrium and we determine sufficient conditions of minimal character which guarantee, for a parametric social Nash equilibrium problem, the lower semicontinuity of the set-valued function defined by these approximate solutions. Received: December 2001     

Synthesis of 5-substituted-1H-indol-2-yl-1H-quinolin-2-ones: a novel class of KDR kinase inhibitors

[reaction: see text] A number of approaches for the synthesis of the 1H-indol-2-yl-1H-quinolin-2-one ring system found in the potent and selective KDR kinase inhibitor 1 are described. The preparation and reaction of trimethylsilylnitrobenzene 26 with 2-methoxy-3-quinolinecarboxaldehyde 28 afforded alcohol 30, which was the key intermediate for the preparation of the target compounds. Conversion of alcohol 30 to either nitroketone 36 or nitrostyrene 45 set the stage for reductive cyclization and the formation of indole 25. The quinolin-2-one functionality was unmasked in the last step to provide compound 1 in 56-60% overall yield from readily available starting materials.     

Coordination chemistry of the hexavacant tungstophosphate [H2P(2W12O48]12-: synthesis and characterization of iron(III) complexes derived from the unprecedented {P2W14O54} fragment

Clusters which display the rare cubic Fe8 topology have been obtained by reaction of the metastable hexavacant polyoxotungstate [H2P2W12O48]12- with basic trinuclear metal acetates.     

Pseudoephedrine as a chiral auxiliary for asymmetric Michael reactions: synthesis of 3-aryl-delta-lactones

[reaction: see text] The asymmetric Michael reaction of pseudoephedrine amides is reported. The 1,5-dicarbonyl products are converted to 3-aryl-delta-lactones in a two-step reduction/lactonization sequence. This method provides access to enantiomerically enriched trans-3,4-disubstituted delta-lactones.