We consider the topological susceptibility for an SU(N) gauge theory in the limit of a large number of colors, N → ∞. At nonzero temperature, the behavior of the topological susceptibility depends upon the order of the deconfining phase transition. The most interesting possibility is if the deconfining transition, at T = Td, is of second order. Then we argue that Witten’s relation implies that ...

We investigate the effects of fiscal transparency and political polarization on the prevalence of electoral cycles in fiscal balance. The recent political economy literature on electoral cycles identifies such cycles mainly in weak and recent democracies. In contrast, we show, conditioning on a new index of institutional fiscal transparency, that electoral cycles in fiscal balance are a feature...

We give the n! permutations of [n] = {1,2, . . . , n} a cyclic order inspired by the children’s game of Hot Potato. Our order is a transposition Gray code, meaning that consecutive permutations differ by a single transposition. Furthermore, each transposition is restricted in two ways: (1) It must transpose value n (the “hot potato”); (2) It must transpose positions that are circularly adjacent...

Technological innovations create an increasing sense of strategic uncertainty. Executives are concerned about failure to implement the infrastructure that they might need and the opportunity costs that this might entail as a result of missed market opportunities. They are equally concerned with avoiding any unnecessary investments in technology infrastructure in support of market opportunities ...

Two hundred forty-one undergraduates described their experiences with unrequited love, both as pursuers (actors) and love interests (targets). As expected, targets and actors perspectives differed. As targets, participants reported being on the receiving end of more unwanted courtship tactics, violent and nonviolent, than they reported using as pursuers. Further, participants in the actor role—...

In this talk, I present the status of attempts to analyze the behavior of the so-called spatial ’t Hooft loop, which can be taken as an order parameter for the deconfinement phase transition in pure SU(N) gauge theory. While lattice data show a strikingly universal scaling of extracted k–string tensions for various values of k and N , the analytic approach to these observables might need some r...

The Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (F1NPP) accident in 2011 released radionuclides into the atmosphere in both aerosol and gaseous form. Subsequent studies of contamination in the environment have focused on the bulk radioactivity in samples. Comparatively little is known about the relative contribution and patterns of soluble versus particulate deposition of the radionuclides. We invest...

Due to its open characteristic, the Web is being posted with vast amount of new information changes continuously. Consequently, at any time, it is conceivable that there will be hot issues (emerging topics) being discussed in any information area on the Web. However, it is not practical for the user to browse the Web manually all the time for the changes. Thus, we need this Emerging Topic Track...

As regularly and as certainly, as century succeeds century, or progeny progenitors; we find it difficult to account for that secret principle which prompts us to expend so much labopr, learning, health, wealth, and irrevocable time, in the construction of literary edifices, which, however majestic or beautiful in themselves, have their foundations necessarily washed by an ever-moving tide that ...