Productivity Differences in OECD Countries

This paper investigates cross-country productivity convergence at a sectoral level using multivariate unit-root tests. Our empirical analysis counts with three distinctive features. First, it allows all the coefficients in the panel specification to vary across countries. Second, it accounts for the presence of significant cross-country correlations found in the data. Third, when the null hypothesis of non convergence is rejected, a second test determines the number of converging countries. Based on a sample of thirteen OECD countries our results show evidence of convergence in three out of six sectors, namely, agriculture, construction, and transportation and communication services.Convergence, panel data, productivity

Plasmon-enhanced generation of non-classical light

Strong light-matter interactions enabled by surface plasmons have given rise to a wide range of photonic, optoelectronic and chemical functionalities. In recent years, the interest in this research area has focused on the quantum regime, aiming to developing ultra-compact nanoscale instruments operating at the single (few) photon(s) level. In this perspective, we provide a general overview of recent experimental and theoretical advances as well as near-future challenges towards the design and implementation of plasmon-empowered quantum optical and photo-emitting devices based on the building blocks of nanophotonics technology: metallo-dielectric nanostructures and microscopic light sources

The Transition from School to Jail: Youth Crime and High School Completion Among Black Males, Second Version

In this paper, we study the relationship among schooling, youth employment and youth crime. The framework, a multinomial discrete choice vector autoregression, provides a comprehensive analysis of the dynamic interactions among a youth’s schooling, work and crime decisions and arrest and incarceration outcomes. We allow for observable initial conditions, unobserved heterogeneity, measurement error and missing data. We use data from the NLSY97 on black male youths starting from age 14. The estimates indicate important roles both for heterogeneity in initial conditions and for stochastic events that arise during one’s youth in determining outcomes as young adults.crime, schooling, work, VAR

The Transition from School to Jail: Youth Crime and High School Completion Among Black Males

In this paper, we propose a new approach to the empirical study of the relationships among schooling, youth employment and youth crime which provides a comprehensive analysis of the dynamic interactions among these choices and exposure to the criminal justice system. The empirical framework takes the form of a multinomial discrete choice vector autoregression of a youth’s schooling, work and crime decisions as well as arrest and incarceration outcomes. We allow for observable initial conditions, unobserved heterogeneity, the possibility of measurement error and for missing data. We use data from the NLSY97 on black male youths starting from age 14. The estimates indicate an important role for heterogeneity in initial conditions. We also find that stochastic events that arise during one’s youth can be important in determining outcomes as young adults.crime, schooling, work, VAR

Connected Floer homology of covering involutions

Using the covering involution on the double branched cover of the three-sphere branched along a knot, and adapting ideas of Hendricks-Manolescu and Hendricks-Hom-Lidman, we define new knot invariants and apply them to deduce novel linear independence results in the smooth concordance group of knots.Comment: 21 pages, 5 figure

Quantization of the universe as a black hole

It has been shown that black holes can be quantized by using Bohr's idea of quantizing the motion of an electron inside the atom. We apply these ideas to the universe as a whole. This approach reinforces the suggestion that it may be a way to unify gravity with quantum theory.Comment: 7 pages. Accepted for publication in Astrophysics & Space Science in 25th Octuber 201