Validating DEA as a ranking tool: An application of DEA to assess performance in higher education

There is a general interest in ranking schemes applied to complex entities described by multiple attributes. Published rankings for universities are in great demand but are also highly controversial. We compare two classification and ranking schemes involving universities; one from a published report, ‘Top American Research Universities’ by the University of Florida's TheCenter and the other using DEA. Both approaches use the same data and model. We compare the two methods and discover important equivalences. We conclude that the critical aspect in classification and ranking is the model. This suggests that DEA is a suitable tool for these types of studies.     

A study of the static yield stress in a binary Lennard-Jones glass

The stress-strain relations and the yield behavior of a model glass (a 80:20 binary Lennard-Jones mixture) is studied by means of molecular dynamics simulations. In a previous paper it was shown that, at temperatures below the glass transition temperature, Tg, the model exhibits shear banding under imposed shear. It was also suggested that this behavior is closely related to the existence of a (static) yield stress (under applied stress, the system does not flow until the stress sigma exceeds a threshold value sigmay). A thorough analysis of the static yield stress is presented via simulations under imposed stress. Furthermore, using steady shear simulations, the effect of physical aging, shear rate and temperature on the stress-strain relation is investigated. In particular, we find that the stress at the yield point (the "peak"-value of the stress-strain curve) exhibits a logarithmic dependence both on the imposed shear rate and on the "age" of the system in qualitative agreement with experiments on amorphous polymers, and on metallic glasses. In addition to the very observation of the yield stress which is an important feature seen in experiments on complex systems like pastes, dense colloidal suspensions and foams, further links between our model and soft glassy materials are found. An example is the existence of hysteresis loops in the system response to a varying imposed stress. Finally, we measure the static yield stress for our model and study its dependence on temperature. We find that for temperatures far below the mode coupling critical temperature of the model (Tc = 0.435 in Lennard-Jones units), sigmay decreases slowly upon heating followed by a stronger decrease as Tc is approached. We discuss the reliability of results on the static yield stress and give a criterion for its validity in terms of the time scales relevant to the problem.     

New insights into ethene epoxidation on two oxidized Ag[111] surfaces

Reaction mechanisms and activation energies for the complete conversion of ethene to ethene epoxide on two recently characterized oxidized Ag{111} surfaces have been determined from density functional theory. On both surfaces, epoxidation proceeds through a two-step nonconcerted mechanism via an oxametallacycle intermediate. The key implications are that both surfaces are active and that epoxidation can take place over a wide O coverage regime.     

Intein-mediated biotinylation of proteins and its application in a protein microarray

We report here the first example using an intein-mediated expression system to generate biotinylated proteins suitable for immobilization onto avidin-functionalized glass slides. With this novel array, proteins are site-specifically immobilized on the glass surface and are able to retain their native activity. The advantage of the avidin/biotin linkage over his-tag/Ni-NTA strategies for protein immobilization is highlighted by its ability to withstand a variety of chemical conditions, which makes this new protein array compatible with most biological assays.     

The level scheme of133Sb

Nuclear spectroscopy studies of ₅₁ ¹³³ Sb₈₂ have been performed at the recoil fission product separators JOSEF and LOHENGRIN. A tentative level scheme has been established for this nucleus with one proton in addition to the doubly closed shell core¹³²Sn. Two isomeric states with half-lives of 3 and 16 μs have been found at excitation energies of >4300 keV and 4526 keV, respectively. Lower limits of 15/2 are deduced for the spins of these levels. The h_11/2 proton state is suggested at 2792 keV in agreement with the systematics of the lighter Z=51 isotopes and the heavier N=82 isotones. Several states have been observed between 4300 and 4600 keV which are probably due to the coupling of the single proton to core-excited states which have energies between 4000 and 4800 keV.     

Prompt fission induced by antiproton annihilation at rest on heavy nuclei

Antiproton induced fission probabilities of U²³⁸, Bi²⁰⁹, Pb²⁰⁸ and Au¹⁷⁷ are reported together with the mass distribution of the fission fragments in the U²³⁸ and Bi²⁰⁹ cases. The charged particles multiplicities observed in co-incidence with fission have, also, been measured for U and Bi and are presented.Dedicated to Peter Armbruster on the occasion of his 60th birthday in recognition of his important contribution to modern Nuclear Physics     

Evidence for a 10+ state in132Te

A new isomeric state witht _1/2=3.9±0.3μs has been observed in the nucleus ₅₂ ¹³² Te₈₀ which has two protons more and two neutrons less than the doubly magic isobar ₅₀ ¹³² Sn₈₂. The deexcitation pattern suggests spin and parity 10⁺ for this level near 2,700 keV which is populated in fission. The energy and the half-life of the isomer can be understood with the assumption that it is the 10⁺ level based on theh ₁₁ ^2/?2 neutron hole configuration.