On the role of heterogeneous and imperfect information in a laboratory financial market

In this paper, we analyze the behavior of a group of heterogeneously informed investors in an laboratory asset market. Our experimental setting is inspired by Huber et al. (On the benefit of information in markets with heterogeneously informed traders: an experimental study, 2004). However, instead of their system of cumulative and exogenously given information structure, we introduce an information market where the traders can buy an imperfect prediction of the future value of the dividend with a maximum anticipation of four periods. The accuracy of the prediction decreases with the chosen time horizon, whereas its price remains constant. Our results confirm a non-strictly monotonic increasing value of the information.     

Linear theory of wave generation by a moving bottom

The computation of long wave propagation through the ocean obviously depends on the initial condition. When the waves are generated by a moving bottom, a traditional approach consists in translating the ‘frozen’ sea bed deformation to the free surface and propagating it. The present study shows the differences between the classical approach (passive generation) and the active generation where the bottom motion is included. The analytical solutions presented here exhibit some of the drawbacks of passive generation. The linearized solutions seem to be sufficient to consider the generation of water waves by a moving bottom. To cite this article: D. Dutykh et al., C. R. Acad. Sci. Paris, Ser. I 343 (2006).     

Extraction of strontium using an irradiated extraction agent of crown structure

The partition coefficient of strontium upon its extraction from the aqueous solutions of picric acid into chloroform containing DC-18-crown-6, B-15-crown-5 after their exposition to gamma radiation has been studied. A significant decrease of the partition coefficient in the studied range of doses 10–70 kGy was observed. This effect can be attributed to the radiolytic products of chloroform. The radiation destruction as well as dehydrogenation of crown ethers were not observed.     

Advances in constant-velocity Mössbauer instrumentation

A prototype of a programmable constant-velocity scaler is presented. This instrument allows the acquisition of partial Mössbauer spectra in selected energy regions using standard drivers and transducers. It can be fully operated by a remote application, thus data acquisition can be automated. The instrument consists of a programmable counter and a constant-velocity reference. The reference waveform generator is amplitude modulated with 13-bit resolution, and is programmable in a wide range of frequencies and waveforms in order to optimize the performance of the transducer. The counter is compatible with most standard SCA, and is configured as a rate-meter that provides counts per selectable time slice at the programmed velocity. As a demonstration of the instrument applications, a partial Mössbauer spectrum of a natural iron foil was taken. Only positive energies were studied in 512 channels, accumulating 20 s per channel. A line width of 0.20 mm/s was achieved, performing with an efficiency of 80%.     

Fourier Analysis of Semistable Distributions

We consider the generalized convolution powers G _α ^*u (x) of an arbitrary semistable distribution function G _α (x) of exponent α∈(0,2), and prove that for all j, k∈{0,1,2,…} and u>0 the derivatives G _α ^(k,j)(x;u)=∂ ^k+j G _α ^*u (x)/∂ x ^k ∂ u ^j , x∈ℝ, are of bounded variation on the whole real line ℝ. The proof, along with an integral recursion in j, is new even in the special case of stable laws, and the result provides a framework for possible asymptotic expansions in merge theorems from the domain of geometric partial attraction of semistable laws. An erratum to this article can be found at     

Asymmetric hydrogenation of tri-substituted alkenes with Ir-NHC-thiazole complexes

An efficient chiral N-heterocyclic carbene ligand for the Ir-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of largely unfunctionalized tri-substituted olefins has been developed. The Ir-NHC-thiazole catalyst is able to reduce a large variety of substrates with excellent conversions and good enantioselectivities with ee’s ranging from 34% to 90%, depending on the geometry around the double bond of the substrates.     

Study of the spectrum of cherenkov light

It is pessible to study experimentally Cherenkov light spectra in a liquid scintillation spectrometer with colour filters. Cherenkov light spectra of⁶⁰Co,¹⁹⁸Au,¹¹⁵Cd,¹⁴³Ce,¹⁴⁰La,³²P,⁸⁶Rb,⁷⁶As,⁴²K and an external standard were studied in a Packard 3375 type liquid scintillation spectrometer, using 11 various Kodak Wratten filters. The absorption maxima of the filters ware in the 410–796 nm interval.     

Properties of (InGa)As/GaAs QW (λ ≈ 1.2 µm) facet-coated edge emitting diode laser

In this paper, we report on the design and optical properties of laser diodes with an emission wave-length of ～1170 nm based on an (InGa)As/GaAs double quantum well active layer. The back and front facet of the laser diodes were coated with SiO_x dielectric films that influence the output optical power by enhancing or lowering the facet reflectivity. The measurements show improvement of the facet-coated laser diode properties in the threshold-current-density reduction along with light output power enhancement. Furthermore, a narrow far field pattern and high side mode suppression have been observed.