Natural Language Syntax and First Order Preference

We have argued elsewhere that first order inference can be made more efficient by using non-standard syntax for first order logic. In this paper we show how a fragment of English syntax under Montague semantics provides the foundation of a new inference procedure. This procedure seems more effective than corresponding procedures based on either classical syntax of our previously proposed taxonomic syntax. This observation may provide a functional explanation for some of the syntactic structure of English.

Fixed Point vs. First-Order Logic on Finite Ordered Structures with Unary Relations

We prove that first order logic is strictly weaker than fixed point logic over every infinite classes of finite ordered structures with unary relations: Over these classes there is always an inductive unary relation which cannot be defined by a first-order formula, even when every inductive sentence (i.e., closed formula) can be expressed in first-order over this particular class. Our proof first establishes a property valid for every unary relation definable by first-order logic over these classes which is peculiar to classes of ordered structures with unary relations. In a second step we show that this property itself can be expressed in fixed point logic and can be used to construct a non-elementary unary relation.

A Characterization of First-Order Definable Subsets on Classes of Finite Total Orders

We give an explicit and easy-to-verify characterization for subsets in finite total orders (infinitely many of them in general) to be uniformly definable by a first-order formula. From this characterization we derive immediately that Beth's definability theorem does not hold in any class of finite total orders, as well as that McColm's first conjecture is true for all classes of finite total orders. Another consequence is a natural 0-1 law for definable subsets on finite total orders expressed as a statement about the possible densities of first-order definable subsets.

Statistical properties of first-order bang-bang Pll with nonzero loop delay

A method to solve the stationary state probability is presented for the first-order bang-bang phase-locked loop (BBPLL) with nonzero loop delay. This is based on a delayed Markov chain model and a state How diagram for tracing the state history due to the loop delay. As a result, an eigenequation is obtained, and its closed form solutions are derived for some cases. After obtaining the state probability, statistical characteristics such as mean gain of the binary phase detector and timing error variance are calculated and demonstrated.

Equilibrium polymerization of cyclic carbonate oligomers

A model of the polymerization of ring oligomers of bisphenol A polycarbonate (BPA-PC) is used to investigate the influence of dimensionality (2D or 3D), density and temperature on the size distribution of the polymer chains. The polymerization step is catalyzed by a single active particle, conserves the number and type of the chemical bonds, and occurs without a significant gain in either potential energy or configurational entropy. Monte Carlo and molecular dynamics simulations show that polymerization of cyclic oligomers occurs readily at high density and is driven by the entropy associated with the distribution of interparticle bonds. Polymerization competes at lower densities with long range diffusion, which favors small molecular species, and is prevented if the system is sufficiently dilute. Polymerization occurs in 2D via a weakly first order transition as a function of density and is characterized by low hysteresis and large fluctuations in the size of polymer chains. Polymerization occurs more readily in 3D than in 2D, and is favored by increasing temperature, as expected for an entropy-driven process. (C) 2001 American Institute of Physics.

First-Order Reversal Curve Probing of Spatially Resolved Polarization Switching Dynamics in Ferroelectric Nanocapacitors

Spatially resolved polarization switching In ferroelectric nanocapacitors was studied on the sub-25 nm scale using the first-order reversal curve (FORC) method. The chosen capacitor geometry allows both high-veracity observation of the domain structure and mapping of polarization switching in a uniform field, synergistically combining microstructural observations and probing of uniform-field polarization responses as relevant to device operation. A classical Kolmogorov-Avrami-Ishibashi model has been adapted to the voltage domain, and the individual switching dynamics of the FORC response curves are well approximated by the adapted model. The comparison with microstructures suggests a strong spatial variability of the switching dynamics inside the nanocapacitors.

The Irish High Court Issues its First Order on a Commitment Agreement between the NCA and an Undertaking (Fitflop)

The Irish Competition (Amendment) Act 2012 introduced court-endorsed commitment agreements to Irish competition law. The new section 14B of the principal Competition Act 2002 provides for making commitment agreements between the Irish Competition and undertakings an order of the Irish High Court. This piece, first, investigates the prior Irish practice regarding commitment or settlement agreements and its legal basis. It looks then into the newly introduced rules on court-endorsed commitment agreements. Finally, before concluding, it points to the first instance of their application — to an order issued by the High Court in the FitFlop case in December 2012, which came into effect in February 2013.

First-order characteristics of the person-to-vehicle channel at 5.8 GHz

In this paper we investigate the first order characteristics of the radio channel between a moving vehicle and a stationary person positioned by the side of a road at 5.8 GHz. The experiments considered a transmitter positioned at different locations on both the body and receivers positioned on the vehicle. The transmitter was alternated between positions on the central chest region, back and the wrist (facing the roadside) of the body, with the receivers placed on the outside roof, the outside rear window and the inside dashboard of the vehicle. The Rice fading model was applied to the measurement data to assess its suitability for characterizing this emerging type of wireless channel. The Ricean K factors calculated from the data suggest that a significant dominant component existed in the majority of the channels considered in this study.

An Extension of Estimation of Domain of Attraction for Fractional Order Linear System Subject to Saturation Control

This paper employs the Lyapunov direct method for the stability analysis of fractional order linear systems subject to input saturation. A new stability condition based on saturation function is adopted for estimating the domain of attraction via ellipsoid approach. To further improve this estimation, the auxiliary feedback is also supported by the concept of stability region. The advantages of the proposed method are twofold: (1) it is straightforward to handle the problem both in analysis and design because of using Lyapunov method, (2) the estimation leads to less conservative results. A numerical example illustrates the feasibility of the proposed method.

Study of Langmuir-Blodgett Films of Self-Assembled Diblock Copolymers

L'auto-assemblage des copolymères à bloc (CPBs) attire beaucoup d'intérêt grâce à leur capacité de générer spontanément des matériaux ordonnés avec des propriétés uniques. Les techniques Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) et Langmuir-Schaefer (LS) sont couramment utilisées pour produire des monocouches ou des films ultraminces à l'interface air/eau suivi de transfert aux substrats solides. Les films LB/LS de CPBs amphiphiles s'auto-assemblent dans des morphologies variables dépendamment de la composition du CPB ainsi que d'autres facteurs. Dans notre travail, nous avons étudié les films LB/LS de polystyrène-b-poly(4-vinyl pyridine) (PS-P4VP) et leurs complexes supramoléculaires avec le naphtol (NOH), l'acide naphtoïque (NCOOH) et le 3-n-pentadécylphenol (PDP). La première partie de ce mémoire est consacré à l'investigation du PS-P4VP complexé avec le NOH et le NCOOH, en comparaison avec le PS-P4VP seul. Il a été démontré qu'un plateau dans l'isotherme de Langmuir, indicatif d'une transition de premier ordre, est absent à des concentrations élevées des solutions d'étalement des complexes. Cela a été corrélé avec l'absence de morphologie en nodules avec un ordre 2D hexagonal à basse pression de surface. L'ordre au-delà de la pression de cette transition, lorsque présente, change à un ordre 2D carré pour tout les systèmes. La deuxième partie du la mémoire considère à nouveau le système PS-P4VP/ PDP, pour lequel on a démontré antérieurement que la transition dans l'isotherme correspond a une transition 2D d'un ordre hexagonal à un ordre carré. Cela est confirmé par microscopie à force atomique, et, ensuite, on a procédé à une étude par ATR-IR des films LB pour mieux comprendre les changements au niveau moléculaire qui accompagnent cette transition. Il a été constaté que, contrairement à une étude antérieure dans la littérature sur un autre système, il n'y a aucun changement dans l'orientation des chaînes alkyles. Au lieu de cela, on a découvert que, aux pressions au-delà de celle de la transition, le groupe pyridine, qui est orienté à basse pression, devient isotrope et qu'il y a une augmentation des liaisons hydrogènes phénol-pyridine. Ces observations sont rationalisées par un collapse partiel à la pression de transition de la monocouche P4VP, qui à basse pression est ordonné au niveau moléculaire. Cette étude a mené à une meilleure compréhension des mécanismes moléculaires qui se produisent à l'interface air/eau, ce qui fournit une meilleure base pour la poursuite des applications possibles des films LB/LS dans les domaines de nanotechnologie.