Initial Launch Research Articles

Two-Stage Guidance Law With Constrained Impact via Circle Involute

The mission of simultaneous attack and warhead lethality enhancement requires the constraints on impact time and angle in the guidance design. To this end, a two-stage guidance law considering constrained impact as well as the robustness against external disturbances and heading errors is proposed. The first stage is based on a circle involute geometrical rule that guarantees the desired velocity direction at the involute's end. With this goal achieved, the involute guidance is switched to the guidance of nullifying line-of-sight rate such that near-zero maneuver in the second stage is ensured. To achieve both impact time and angle constraints, a simple parameter determination approach is provided to find explicit solutions for the desired two-stage trajectory. Meanwhile, a robust two-stage guidance law is constructed to implement the geometrical rule, guarantee terminal constraints, and ensure robustness. The proposed technique is easy to implement, in that it does not involve model linearization, time-to-go estimation, and numerical optimization routine. Additionally, the achievable range of different constraints is analyzed considering practical issues such as initial launch angles, initial line-of-sight angles, and acceleration limits. Extensive simulations are carried out in various engagement scenarios under uncertainties and disturbances to validate the effectiveness and robustness of the proposed guidance law.

Lunar Exploration as a Probe of Ancient Venus

Abstract An ancient Venusian rock could constrain that planet’s history and reveal the past existence of oceans. Such samples may persist on the Moon, which lacks an atmosphere and significant geological activity. We demonstrate that, if Venus’ atmosphere was at any point thin and similar to Earth’s, then asteroid impacts transferred potentially detectable amounts of Venusian surface material to the lunar regolith. Venus experiences an enhanced flux, relative to Earth, of asteroid collisions that eject lightly shocked (≲40 GPa) surface material. Initial launch conditions plus close encounters and resonances with Venus evolve ejecta trajectories into Earth-crossing orbits. Using analytic models for crater ejecta and N-body simulations, we find that more than 0.07% of the ejecta lands on the Moon. The lunar regolith will contain up to 0.2 ppm Venusian material if Venus lost its water in the last 3.5 Gyr. If water was lost more than 4 Gyr ago, 0.3 ppm of the deep megaregolith is of Venusian origin. About half of collisions between ejecta and the Moon occur at ≲6 km s−1, which hydrodynamical simulations have indicated is sufficient to avoid significant shock alteration. Therefore, recovery and isotopic analyses of Venusian surface samples would determine with high confidence both whether and when Venus harbored liquid oceans and/or a lower-mass atmosphere. Tests on brecciated clasts in existing lunar samples from Apollo missions may provide an immediate resolution. Alternatively, regolith characterization by upcoming lunar missions may provide answers to these fundamental questions surrounding Venus’ evolution.

The influence of 5-iron clubhead mass distribution on clubhead presentation and initial ball launch conditions: Part I: Golf robot tests

It is well accepted that iron clubhead properties affect shot outcomes in golf. However, the mechanisms that contribute to this relationship have not received recent scientific study. The purpose of this study was to determine how the different clubhead mass distributions in a blade 5-iron and a cavity-back 5-iron affect clubhead presentation and ball launch conditions. Nine clubhead presentation variables and four ball launch variables were measured for ten discrete impact locations and five face angles during swings using a golf robot. Group means were analysed statistically using an independent samples approach to identify differences and linear regression was used to indicate relationships between key launch variables. The cavity-back showed higher effective clubhead loft with greater total ball spin than the blade, despite having matched static lofts, whilst also providing more consistent launch outcomes across a range of impact locations. Evidence of the phenomenon known as the ‘gear effect’ was found for the cavity-back, but not the blade, suggesting that the threshold at which the clubhead’s centre of gravity (CG) is deep enough to detect the gear effect lies between the CGs of the two 5-iron types. These novel robot test findings lend support to the perceived performance benefits of perimeter-weighted irons; whether these effects translate to human golfer swings is reported in Part II of this paper.

Study on the oblique water entry impact performance of AUV under different launch conditions based on coupled FEM-ALE method

In this study, the hydrodynamic response of an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) subjected to oblique water entry impact is investigated by employing an explicit FEM technique with arbitrary Lagrangian–Eulerian formulation. The predictive ability of the employed numerical model is validated by correlating the cavity evolution of AUV and peak impact accelerations with the experimental outcomes of the previous research work. The influence of advection algorithms on the water entry phenomenon is studied. It is found that the first order donor cell advection scheme is more suitable for low speed impact problems as it is computationally more efficient. However, for high speed water entry simulations, the van Leer advection scheme gives more accurate results. Moreover, using different water entry angles, the effect of the angle of attack (AOA) and length of AUV and its head shape on the impact performances are investigated and discussed. The results show that the radial impact load is more likely to be influenced by AOA and the effect of AOA on the radial impact load is more significant for a small water entry angle, i.e., 30°, as compared to a large entry angle, i.e., 60°. It is also observed that AUV of a smaller length shows the ricochet behavior at a water entry angle of 30°. It is seen that the head shape has a substantial effect on the axial and radial impact loads and velocity attenuation of a vehicle under water. The conclusions drawn in this research work will be beneficial for the selection of appropriate initial launch conditions and for the designing of an AUV structure.

Optical trapping with non-diffracting Airy beams array using a holographic optical tweezers

In this work, we present the experimental optical trap of microparticles with an Airy beams array using holographic optical tweezers. The Airy beams array is attractive for optical manipulation of particles owing to their non–diffracting and autofocusing properties. An Airy beams array is composed of N Airy beams which accelerate mutually and symmetrically in opposite direction, for different ballistic trajectories, that is, with different initial launch angles. Based on this, we developed a holographic optical tweezers system for the generation of non–diffracting beams and with it, we investigate the distribution of optical forces acting on microparticles of an Airy beams array. The results show that the gradient and scattering force on microparticles can be controlled through a launch angle parameter of Airy beams. In addition, it is possible to obtain greater stability for optical trap using an Airy beams array, with interesting possibilities for trapping and guiding of microparticles in a controllable way that can be applied in optical, biological, and atmospheric sciences.

Cooperative guidance law for active aircraft defense with intercept angle constraint

In this paper, the three-body engagement scenario is considered where a target aircraft fires a defender missile to intercept the attacker missile. A cooperative guidance law with the intercept angle constraint for both of the defender missile and target has been presented. With the assumption that the attacker missile uses augmented proportional navigation guidance law, the nonlinear relative motion model of target-attacker-defender engagement is built. Considering the requirement of miss distance and satisfying the intercept angle constraint, the function index is established. The cooperative guidance law is derived based on optimal control theory. Moreover, given initial launch condition, the feasible intercept angle region of defender is analyzed, considering the limited maneuverability of defender and target and the intercept time constraint which means the attacker must be intercepted by the defender prior to hitting the target. Similarly, the feasible launch region of defender is obtained with the given designated intercept angle, variable overload of defender and target, and intercept time constraint. The simulation results further demonstrate that within the feasible region of designated intercept angle and launching condition, the defender can intercept the attacker with designated intercept angle successfully despite of the limited maneuverability. Compared with conventional uncooperative situation, the target-defender cooperation could significantly reduce the maneuverability requirements for the defender.

Across the Great Wall: E-commerce Joint Statement Initiative Negotiation and China

On 13 December 2017, 71 Members of the World Trade Organization (“WTO”) led by the US, EU and Japan issued a “Joint Statement on Electronic Commerce” at the 11th WTO Ministerial Conference in Buenos Aires, Argentina. In the Joint Statement, the Members announced that they would “initiate exploratory work together toward future WTO negotiations on trade related aspects of electronic commerce”. At the World Economic Forum on 25 January 2019, 76 WTO Members issued another Joint Statement, which announced their intention to “commence WTO negotiations on trade-related aspects of electronic commerce”. The most notable new participant in the second Joint Statement is China, which has so far resisted the electronic commerce initiative. Why was China reluctant to participate in the e-commerce negotiation at first? Why did it change the position in 2019? What will be the main issues in the negotiation? What are the positions of China and how will its participation shape the negotiation? By answering these questions, this paper provides a critical analysis to the data regulation of China, a world leader in AI and data-driven economy. This paper will proceed in four parts. The first part reviews the development of the internet and e-commerce in China, as well as China’s experiences on e-commerce issues in WTO and beyond, especially in free trade agreements. The second part discusses the history of the e-commerce negotiations in the WTO, from the 1998 e-commerce Declaration and the Doha Declaration, to the joint statement in 2017 and the launch of the plurilateral Joint Statement Initiative (“JSI”) negotiations in 2019, with China joining at the last minute. The third part analyses in detail China’s three submissions in the negotiations, as well as the most problematic issues for China. The paper will conclude with reflections on how the negotiations will unfold, especially how the main sticking points in China’s internet and data regulatory regime could be addressed.

An Urban District’s Struggle to Preserve School Turnaround Change

Leading school turnaround has been conceptualized as a school-level issue focused on immediate change. There has been little consideration about how district leaders change systems to sustain school turnaround successes. This case study research conducted through the lens of Change Theory explores the leadership struggles of one mid-sized urban district’s effort to build on its successful launch of a school turnaround initiative for a subset of underperforming schools. The results suggest that the same pressures that spur initial action can interfere with sustaining success. The dual issues of systems leadership and a sustainable change process are considered as implications.

Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition Criteria as a Nutrition Assessment Tool for Cancer Patients in China: How and What

Background: Since the launch of the Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition (GLIM) core consensus, there has been an urgent need to validate the newly released framework criteria among cancer patients. To determine 4 questions about the performance of the GLIM system in the nutrition assessment of cancer patients. Methods: This multicenter retrospective study compared the GLIM, various combinations of the GLIM, the GLIM with or without the NRS-2002, and the GLIM based on the Malnutrition Screening Tool (MST) or the Age, Intake, Weight and Walk (AIWW) screening tool against the scored Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment (sPG-SGA) in 8 patient subgroups. Findings: By applying the GLIM, 49.1% of 3777 cancer patients were diagnosed with malnutrition. Compared with the sPG-SGA, the GLIM presented moderate consistency (k= 0.54; P <0.001), fair sensitivity (70.5%) and specificity (88.3%), moderate diagnostic value (AUCROC of 0.79). The “weight loss and cancer” combination showed better performance than other phenotypic combinations. The GLIM without screening increased the sensitivity but decreased the specificity. The performance of MST-GLIM and AIWW-GLIM were as good as the NRS2002-GLIM. Interpretation: GLIM criteria have moderate consistency in comparison with the sPG-SGA, taking this together with less items and easier to use, we drew the conclusion that the GLIM is therefore not inferior to sPG-SGA in the nutrition assessment of patients with cancer. The “weight loss and cancer” was the best combination. Risk screening should be done before GLIM diagnosis and the NRS 2002, MST or AIWW can be used as the screening tool. Funding Statement: This work was supported by the National Key Research and Development Program (to Dr. Hanping Shi; No.2017YFC1309200). Declaration of Interests: All authors have completed the ICMJE uniform disclosure form (www.icmje.org/coi_disclosure.pdf) and declare that they have no conflicts of interest. Ethics Approval Statement: The participating institutions that provided the data had passed a review by their institutional review boards and obtained ethical approval from the ethics committees of the academic hospitals. Informed consent was obtained from each participant.

Comments on Total Factor Productivity Changes in Japanese Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises in 1982–2016: Suggestive Indications of an IT Revolution?

October 01 2020 Comments on Total Factor Productivity Changes in Japanese Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises in 1982–2016: Suggestive Indications of an IT Revolution? Author and Article Information Online Issn: 1536-0083 Print Issn: 1535-3516 © 2020 by the Asian Economic Panel and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology2020Asian Economic Panel and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Asian Economic Papers (2020) 19 (3): 38–39. https://doi.org/10.1162/asep_a_00782 Cite Icon Cite Permissions Share Icon Share Twitter LinkedIn Views Icon Views Article contents Figures & tables Video Audio Supplementary Data Peer Review Search Site Citation Comments on Total Factor Productivity Changes in Japanese Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises in 1982–2016: Suggestive Indications of an IT Revolution?. Asian Economic Papers 2020; 19 (3): 38–39. doi: https://doi.org/10.1162/asep_a_00782 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Reference Manager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu nav search search input Search input auto suggest search filter All ContentAll JournalsAsian Economic Papers Search Advanced Search Somkiat Tangkitvanich, Thailand Development Research Institute: The paper measures total factor productivity (TFP) of Japanese manufacturing and service firms, most of which were small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), before and after the year 2000. The year was chosen as it was the timing around the implementation of the Basic Law for the Formation of an Advanced Information and Communication Network Society (2000), the launch of the e-Japan initiative (2001) and the rapid rise in information and communications technology (ICT) adoption among Japanese households and SMEs. By dividing the time around the year, the paper aims to measure the impacts of “ICT revolution” on productivity of Japanese firms. The paper finds that TFP rose across the studied sectors, although there was only slight improvement in some, such as finance and insurance, and leasing. It also found that ICT product manufacturing firms achieved much more productivity growth than those in the ICT... You do not currently have access to this content.

Disability Focal Point Persons and Policy Implementation Across Sectors: A Qualitative Examination of Stakeholder Perspectives in Zambia.

Background: Zambia has created new disability policies and updated existing policies to be consistent with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. These initiatives require the widespread engagement of ministries and departments to achieve effective policy development and implementation. To pursue widespread engagement, the Government of Zambia developed a structure of disability focal point persons (FPPs). The Zambian disability FPP structure has not yet been explored systematically.Objective: To explore disability policy stakeholder perspectives about FPPs as a feature of disability policy development and implementation.Methods: We conducted semi-structured interviews with 24 disability policy stakeholders (10 policymakers, 2 researchers, and 12 disability advocates) as part of a larger study about the development and implementation of disability-related policies in Zambia. Interviews were audio recorded and transcribed. Data were analyzed using content analysis.Results: Participants presented FPPs as a promising way to mainstream disability within the government. According to participants, the initial launch of the FPP structure was ineffective, with a lack of clarity about the structure and an initial cohort of FPPs that wielded minimal influence. The FPP structure has since been revised. Participants express promise that the improved second launch will achieve mainstreaming.Discussion: Zambian disability policy stakeholders describe a disability FPP structure that is different from the models suggested for treaty implementation. Pre-established commitments to mainstreaming among stakeholders might have stimulated interest in following the cyclical development of the disability FPP structure, encouraging a whole-of-government approach to disability policy implementation.

Reflection and Refraction of an Airy Pulse at a Moving Temporal Boundary

AbstractReflection and refraction of Airy pulses at a moving step refractive‐index boundary are investigated. A comb‐like reflected spectrum and an Airy‐like transmitted spectrum are formed as an Airy pulse crosses a temporal boundary without initial group velocity mismatch or initial central frequency shift. The reflected and refracted pulses are significantly influenced by the location of temporal boundary and time‐dependent refractive index change. The energy of each lobe of the comb‐like reflected spectra can be controlled by changing the value of decay factor of the Airy pulse. In the case of an Airy pulse with an initial launch frequency shift, the reflected and refracted frequency shifts depend on the dispersion relation of the medium. The results can be used in potential applications involving optical manipulation.

Is sharing truly caring? Environmental data value chains and policymaking in Europe and Central Asia

Access to high-quality, timely and comparable data is a prerequisite for any effective decision-making process and having such data available for the environment is absolutely fundamental to efficient and evidence-based policymaking. This article reviews the establishment of a Shared Environmental Information System (SEIS) in Europe and Central Asia to improve our understanding of how environmental data value chains are being employed to produce, share and use reliable data on the environment and whether this data is used in policymaking. Three sources of data are utilised to analyse whether relevant environmental data and information are being drawn upon by policymakers, namely, the 2019 SEIS mid-term review, SEIS Factsheets and SEIS Gap Analysis Reports. The results reveal that the pan-European region still faces significant data harmonisation problems, owing in part to differences in types and methods of data collection, data definitions and legislation. Whilst problems in some individual country’s participation have persisted since the launch of the SEIS initiative in the pan-European region, the development and successful piloting of the SEIS self-assessment framework is considered as evidence of positive progress. However, it remains difficult to adequately assess to what extent the data flows covered by this study impact on policymaking, nevertheless, the analysis serves to highlight the inter-linkages between environmental data flows, policymakers and environmental governance. In practical terms, the paper demonstrate a disconnect between data production and data use in policymaking and emphasises the need to both improve our understanding of the political determinants of data use and to further investigate how the uptake of environmental data and information can be facilitated in policymaking.

Anational strategy to engage medical students in otolaryngology-head and neck surgery medical education: the LearnENT ambassador program.

BackgroundIn the realm of medical education, student-led ambassador programs represent an innovative approach to increase awareness about medical education resources. LearnENT is an internationally recognized otolaryngology-head and neck surgery (OHNS) smartphone app and website designed for medical trainees to learn about OHNS. However, upon the initial launch of the app, there was a lack of medical student awareness and engagement.ApproachIn this article, we highlight the process and lessons learned from developing an ambassador program to increase the national presence and uptake of LearnENT. Medical students from across Canada were recruited and trained to promote the app at their respective institutions.EvaluationAmbassadors hosted events and spearheaded initiatives around the country with the goal of showcasing LearnENT. Furthermore, ambassadors were engaged in scholarly initiatives such as creating educational content for LearnENT and giving presentations at national conferences.ReflectionsCritical factors in the success of a student-led ambassador program include ensuring widespread dissemination of the program, establishing clear expectations for ambassadors, equipping ambassadors with standardized promotional material, and promoting collaboration to collectively work towards addressing challenges. When creating a national student-led group such as an ambassador program, outreach to senior stakeholders can be an effective way to involve students at different institutions, provide mentorship opportunities for students and provide opportunities for educational scholarship. With new medical education innovations constantly surfacing, the LearnENT ambassador program model can be applied in other contexts to increase awareness of medical education resources.

Tiny Happy People: New resources for the early years

The launch of the BBC's Tiny Happy People initiative adds a wealth of resources in various formats to help parents support their children in the development of language and communication skills

Evaluative Frameworks and Scientific Knowledge for Undergraduate STEM Students: An Illustrative Case Study Perspective

ABSTRACT COVID-19 gives an important focal point to the increasingly complex and overwhelming amounts, types, and availability of information undergraduate STEM students are faced with. The world at large is being asked to seek information around serious infectious diseases and find information that can help facilitate decision-making in both personal and academic settings. Much of the available information lacks a fundamental scientific basis but is often masquerading as ‘truth’. This is translated both into how society at large seeks information to make decisions, as well as how STEM undergraduate students are finding information to build their scientific skill set. This paper uses two case study examples of publications in scientific journals to examine the concept of using RADAR to determine validity. STEM librarians should focus on using evaluative frameworks as an initial launch point for critique, but a conversation must begin around how to encourage student realization of broader context and specifically awareness of what is still unknown.

The role of the Stop Transmission of Polio (STOP) program in developing countries: the experience of Kenya

BackgroundIn 1988, the 41st World Health Assembly (WHA) marked the launch of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) for the eradication of polio. A key component of the GPEI has been the development and deployment of a skilled workforce to implement eradication activities. In 1989, the Stop Transmission of Polio (STOP) was initiated to address skilled human resource gaps and strengthen poliovirus surveillance. This paper describes the role of the STOP 52 team in technical capacity building and health system strengthening in the implementation of polio eradication strategies in Kenya following the outbreak of Circulating Vaccine-derived Poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2).MethodsOverview of the STOP program, deployment, and the modality of support are described. Descriptive analysis was conducted using data collected by the STOP 52 team during integrated supportive supervisory visits conducted from July 2018 to September 2019. Analyses were carried out using Epi-Info statistical software (Version 7.0) and maps were developed using Quantum Geographic Information System (Q-GIS) (version 3.12.0).ResultsThe STOP 52 team supportively supervised 870 health facilities on Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI), and Acute Flaccid Paralysis (AFP) and other Vaccine-Preventable Diseases (VPDs) surveillance in 16 (34.1%) of the 47 counties during the study period. AFP surveillance was conducted in all health facilities supervised leading to the detection and investigation of 11 unreported AFP cases. The STOP 52 team, as part of the outbreak response, provided technical support to five successive rounds of polio Supplementary Immunization Activities (SIAs) conducted during the study period. Moreover, in addressing programmatic data needs, the STOP 52 Data Manager played a valuable role in enhancing the quality and use of data for evidence-based planning and decision-making. The STOP 52 team contributed to the development of operational plans, guidelines and training manuals, and participated in the delivery of various Training of Trainers (TOT) and On-the-Job Training (OJT) on EPI, AFP and other VPDs surveillance including data management.ConclusionThe STOP 52 team has contributed to polio eradication efforts in Kenya by enhancing AFP and other VPDs surveillance, supporting polio SIAs, strengthening EPI, use of quality EPI, AFP and other VPDs data, and capacity building of Frontline Health Workers (FLWs). The use of Open Data Kit (ODK) technology during supportive supervision, and AFP and other VPDs surveillance was found to be advantageous. A national STOP program should be modeled to produce a homegrown workforce to ensure the availability of more sustainable technical support for polio eradication efforts in Kenya and possibly other polio-affected countries.

Laboratory measurements of initial launch velocities of electrostatically lofted dust on airless planetary bodies

Electrostatic dust lofting may play an important role in surface evolution of airless bodies as indicated from a number of unexplained observations, including the lunar horizon glow and dust ponding on asteroids, for example. The initial launch velocity of a charged dust particle determines its range of motion, hence it is a critical quantity to assess the dynamics of electrostatic dust transport. Here we report on laboratory measurements of the launch velocity of electrostatically lofted dust and its relationship with the dust size. For irregularly-shaped dust, similar-sized particles show a large velocity dispersion, indicating a large variation in the inter-particle cohesive force. The maximum launch velocity is shown to decrease with the increase in the dust radius and it is on the order of ~0.7 m/s for 15 μm radius particles. Derived from the patched charge model (Wang et al., 2016a. Geophys. Res. Lett. 43, 6103–6110), the theoretical expectation of an inverse velocity-size relationship of lofted dust is shown to be consistent with the maximum launch velocity measurements. The dust shape is found to have a significant effect on the lofting process, showing that irregularly-shaped particles are lofted with much larger velocities than spherical particles. The initial launch angle relative to the surface shows a broad distribution.

Thirty days are enough: what determines the crowd's cash time in agri-food crowdfunding?

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the factors influencing quick cash by crowd in agri-food crowdfunding campaigns; this paper utilizes prospect theory to analyze the value and weighting functions of the crowd's cash.Design/methodology/approachUsing samples of crowdfunding campaigns launched in the Zhongchou (www.Zhongchou.cn) platform's agriculture and food category, this paper employs a multivariate linear regression model to investigate factors that motivate the crowd to make quick investment decisions.FindingsThe results demonstrate that lowering the investment threshold, improving publicity, and increasing the benefits of a campaign can increase the decision weight assigned to a campaign, thereby motivating the crowd to make quick investment decisions. Improving the product's reputation, enhancing campaign promotion, and diversifying the reward scheme can increase the crowd's expected value of the campaign – another motivation for a quicker cash decision.Practical implicationsThis paper can help initiators, platforms and regulators better fulfil their roles in promoting the rapid, healthy development of crowdfunding in the agri-food industry, especially in the context of the Chinese launch of significant initiatives to develop crowdfunding aimed at rural e-commerce and poverty alleviation.Originality/valueThis paper extends the behavioral finance concept of prospect theory to agri-food crowdfunding campaigns and investigates factors that motivate the crowd to make quick investment decisions. Additionally, this paper demonstrates that the backers of crowdfunding are not perfectly rational and can be motivated to invest by increasing mean decision weight and expected value of a campaign.

Pairwise influences in dynamic choice: network-based model and application

ABSTRACT In this paper, we study the problem of network discovery and influence propagation, and propose an integrated approach for the analysis of lead-lag synchronization in multiple choices. Network models for the processes by which decisions propagate through social interaction have been studied before, but only a few consider unknown structures of interacting agents. In fact, while individual choices are typically observed, inferring individual influences – who influences who – from sequences of dynamic choices requires strong modeling assumptions on the cross-section dependencies of the observed panels. We propose a class of parametric models which extends the vector autoregression to the case of pairwise influences between individual choices over multiple items and supports the analysis of influence propagation. After uncovering a collection of theoretical properties (conditional moments, parameter sensitivity, identifiability and estimation), we provide an economic application to music broadcasting, where a set of songs are diffused over radio stations; we infer station-to-station influences based on the proposed methodology and assess the propagation effect of initial launching stations to maximize songs diffusion. Both on the theoretical and empirical sides, the proposed approach connects fields which are traditionally treated as separated areas: the problem of network discovery and the one of influence propagation.