Using Analysis of Gini (ANoGi) for Detecting Whether Two Sub-Samples Represent the Same Universe: The SOEP Experience

A particular shortcoming of panel surveys is potential bias arising from selective attrition. Based on data from the German Socio-Economic Panel Study (SOEP) we analyze potential artifacts (level, structure, inequality of income) by comparing results from two independently drawn panel sub-samples, started in 1984 and 2000, respectively. Both sub-samples carried on using the same set of follow-up rules. We apply ANOGI (ANalysis Of GIni) techniques, the equivalent of ANOVA (ANalysis Of VAriance) performed on the basis of the Gini coefficient. The decomposition followed is presented in Yitzhaki (1994). We rearrange, reinterpret and use the decomposition in the comparison of sub-populations from which the different subsamples were drawn. Taking into account indicators for income, and for control purposes those for education and satisfaction as well, significant differences between these two subsamples with respect to (income) inequality are found in the first year, which start to fade away in wave 2 and disappear in wave 3. We find credible indication for these differences to be driven by changes in response behavior of short term panel members rather than by attrition among members of the longer running sub-sample

Atherosclerosis of the ascending aorta is a predictor of renal dysfunction after cardiac operations

AbstractObjectives: Renal dysfunction occurring after cardiac operations has been attributed to various factors, but the importance of an atherosclerotic thoracic aorta has not been previously evaluated. The purpose of this study was to identify predictors of postoperative renal dysfunction (50% or more increase from preoperative values) and to evaluate the importance of atherosclerosis of the ascending aorta as a predictor of this complication. Methods: Nine hundred seventy-eight consecutive patients, 50 years of age and older with normal preoperative renal function (serum creatinine level of 1.5 mg/dL or less), who were scheduled to undergo cardiac surgery were prospectively evaluated. Atherosclerosis of the ascending aorta was assessed during the operation (with epiaortic ultrasound), and patients were divided into 3 groups according to its severity (normal-to-mild, moderate, and severe). Results: Univariate predictors of renal dysfunction at postoperative day 1 were atherosclerosis of the ascending aorta (P < .045) and postoperative low cardiac output (P = .05); at postoperative day 6 they were atherosclerosis of the ascending aorta (P < .0001), postoperative low cardiac output (P < .0001), advanced age (P = .001), decreased preoperative left ventricular function (P = .01), and female gender (P = .03). Multivariate analysis showed that atherosclerosis of the ascending aorta (odds ratio, 3.06; P = .04) was the only independent predictor of postoperative renal dysfunction at day 1 and that postoperative low cardiac output (odds ratio, 4.83; P < .0001), atherosclerosis of the ascending aorta (odds ratio, 2.13; P = .0006), and preoperative left ventricular dysfunction (odds ratio, 1.48; P = .028) were independent predictors of postoperative renal dysfunction at day 6. Conclusions: An atherosclerotic ascending aorta is an important predictor of postoperative renal dysfunction, possibly because atheroembolism to the kidneys occurs in the perioperative period (ie, during surgical manipulation of an atherosclerotic aorta) or because the diseased aorta may be a marker of widespread atherosclerotic disease that may predispose to perioperative renal dysfunction. (J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 1999;117:111-6

Using Analysis of Gini (ANOGI) for Detecting Whether Two Subsamples Represent the Same Universe: The German Socio-Economic Panel Study (SOEP) Experience

A wildly discussed shortcoming of panel surveys is a potential bias arising from selective attrition. Based on data of the German Socio-Economic Panel Study (SOEP), the authors analyze potential artifacts (level, structure, income inequality) by comparing results for two independently drawn panel subsamples started in 1984 and 2000. They apply ANOGI (analysis of Gini) techniques, the equivalent of ANOVA performed with the Gini coefficient. They rearrange, reinterpret, and use the decomposition in the comparison of subpopulations from which the different samples were drawn. Taking into account indicators for income, significant differences between these two samples with respect to income inequality are found in the first year, which start to fade away in Wave 2 and disappear in Wave 3. The authors find credible indication for these differences to be driven by changes in response behavior of short-term panel members rather than by attrition among members of the longer running sample.Dieser Beitrag ist mit Zustimmung des Rechteinhabers aufgrund einer (DFG-geförderten) Allianz- bzw. Nationallizenz frei zugänglich. - This publication is with permission of the rights owner freely accessible due to an Alliance licence and a national licence (funded by the DFG, German Research Foundation) respectively

Quantum W-algebras and Elliptic Algebras

We define quantum W-algebras generalizing the results of Reshetikhin and the second author, and Shiraishi-Kubo-Awata-Odake. The quantum W-algebra associated to sl_N is an associative algebra depending on two parameters. For special values of parameters it becomes the ordinary W-algebra of sl_N, or the q-deformed classical W-algebra of sl_N. We construct free field realizations of the quantum W-algebras and the screening currents. We also point out some interesting elliptic structures arising in these algebras. In particular, we show that the screening currents satisfy elliptic analogues of the Drinfeld relations in U_q(n^).Comment: 26 pages, AMSLATE

Almost-Euclidean subspaces of ℓ1N\ell_1^N via tensor products: a simple approach to randomness reduction

It has been known since 1970's that the N-dimensional $\ell_1$-space contains nearly Euclidean subspaces whose dimension is $\Omega(N)$. However, proofs of existence of such subspaces were probabilistic, hence non-constructive, which made the results not-quite-suitable for subsequently discovered applications to high-dimensional nearest neighbor search, error-correcting codes over the reals, compressive sensing and other computational problems. In this paper we present a "low-tech" scheme which, for any $a > 0$, allows to exhibit nearly Euclidean $\Omega(N)$-dimensional subspaces of $\ell_1^N$ while using only $N^a$ random bits. Our results extend and complement (particularly) recent work by Guruswami-Lee-Wigderson. Characteristic features of our approach include (1) simplicity (we use only tensor products) and (2) yielding "almost Euclidean" subspaces with arbitrarily small distortions.Comment: 11 pages; title change, abstract and references added, other minor change

Critical points and resonance of hyperplane arrangements

If F is a master function corresponding to a hyperplane arrangement A and a collection of weights y, we investigate the relationship between the critical set of F, the variety defined by the vanishing of the one-form w = d log F, and the resonance of y. For arrangements satisfying certain conditions, we show that if y is resonant in dimension p, then the critical set of F has codimension at most p. These include all free arrangements and all rank 3 arrangements.Comment: revised version, Canadian Journal of Mathematics, to appea

Geometry of q-Hypergeometric Functions as a Bridge between Yangians and Quantum Affine Algebras

The rational quantized Knizhnik-Zamolodchikov equation (qKZ equation) associated with the Lie algebra $sl_2$ is a system of linear difference equations with values in a tensor product of $sl_2$ Verma modules. We solve the equation in terms of multidimensional $q$-hypergeometric functions and define a natural isomorphism between the space of solutions and the tensor product of the corresponding quantum group $U_q(sl_2)$ Verma modules, where the parameter $q$ is related to the step $p$ of the qKZ equation via $q=e^{pi i/p}$. We construct asymptotic solutions associated with suitable asymptotic zones and compute the transition functions between the asymptotic solutions in terms of the trigonometric $R$-matrices. This description of the transition functions gives a new connection between representation theories of Yangians and quantum loop algebras and is analogous to the Kohno-Drinfeld theorem on the monodromy group of the differential Knizhnik-Zamolodchikov equation. In order to establish these results we construct a discrete Gauss-Manin connection, in particular, a suitable discrete local system, discrete homology and cohomology groups with coefficients in this local system, and identify an associated difference equation with the qKZ equation.Comment: 66 pages, amstex.tex (ver. 2.1) and amssym.tex are required; misprints are correcte

Independent individual addressing of multiple neutral atom qubits with a MEMS beam steering system

We demonstrate a scalable approach to addressing multiple atomic qubits for use in quantum information processing. Individually trapped 87Rb atoms in a linear array are selectively manipulated with a single laser guided by a MEMS beam steering system. Single qubit oscillations are shown on multiple sites at frequencies of ~3.5 MHz with negligible crosstalk to neighboring sites. Switching times between the central atom and its closest neighbor were measured to be 6-7 us while moving between the central atom and an atom two trap sites away took 10-14 us.Comment: 9 pages, 3 figure

Chamber basis of the Orlik-Solomon algebra and Aomoto complex

We introduce a basis of the Orlik-Solomon algebra labeled by chambers, so called chamber basis. We consider structure constants of the Orlik-Solomon algebra with respect to the chamber basis and prove that these structure constants recover D. Cohen's minimal complex from the Aomoto complex.Comment: 16 page