Credible monetary policy to sustain growth

Despite the fact that the U.S. economy has been performing very well recently, monetary policymakers have been the targets of some criticism. In the speech reprinted here, which was delivered to a group of bankers in June 1997, St. Louis Federal Reserve President Thomas C. Melzer responds to the critics and outlines some ideas for maintaining sustaining, noninflationary economic growth. In his assessment, credibility is a key aspect of successful monetary policy.Monetary policy ; Monetary policy - United States ; Inflation (Finance)

To conclude: keep inflation low and, in principle, eliminate it

The U.S. economy performed well across the board in 1997, with low unemployment, robust economic growth, and the lowest sustained inflation in decades. Nevertheless, the current framework for monetary policymaking does not ensure that inflation is down for the count, says Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis president Thomas C. Melzer in a speech reprinted here. In this speech, Melzer argues that the Federal Reserve ought to secure the best environment for economic growth by adopting multi-year inflation targets to reduce the trend rate of inflation and keep inflation low.Inflation (Finance) ; Monetary policy - United States ; Economic conditions - United States

Existence and Vanishing of the Breathing Mode in Strongly Correlated Finite Systems

One of the fundamental eigenmodes of finite interacting systems is the mode of {\em uniform radial expansion and contraction} -- the ``breathing'' mode (BM). Here we show in a general way that this mode exists only under special conditions: i) for harmonically trapped systems with interaction potentials of the form $1/r^\gamma$ $(\gamma\in\mathbb{R}_{\neq0})$ or $\log(r)$, or ii) for some systems with special symmetry such as single shell systems forming platonic bodies. Deviations from the BM are demonstrated for two examples: clusters interacting with a Lennard-Jones potential and parabolically trapped systems with Yukawa repulsion. We also show that vanishing of the BM leads to the occurence of multiple monopole oscillations which is of importance for experiments

Low Energy Turnover of Physically Inactive Participants as a Determinant of Insufficient Mineral and Vitamin Intake in NHANES.

Micronutrient requirements do not scale linearly with physical activity-related energy expenditure (AEE). Inactive persons may have insufficient micronutrient intake because of low energy intake (EI). We extracted data from NHANES 2003-2006 on 4015 adults (53 ± 18 years (mean ± SD), 29 ± 6 kg/m², 48% women) with valid physical activity (accelerometry) and food intake (2 × 24 h-dietary recall) measures. Total energy expenditure (TEE) was estimated by summing the basal metabolic rate (BMR, Harris-Benedict), AEE, and 10% of TEE for the thermic effect of food, to calculate the physical activity levels (PAL = TEE/BMR). Energy intake (EI) was scaled to match TEE assuming energy balance. Adjusted food intake was then analyzed for energy and micronutrient content and compared to estimated average requirements. The NHANES population was physically insufficiently active. There were 2440 inactive (PAL < 1.4), 1469 lightly to moderately active (PAL1.4 < 1.7), 94 sufficiently active (PAL1.7 < 2.0), and 12 very active participants (PAL ≥ 2.0). The inactive vs. active had significantly lower intake for all micronutrients apart from vitamin A, B12, C, K, and copper ( <i>p</i> < 0.05). The inactive participants had insufficient intake for 6/19 micronutrients, while the active participants had insufficient intake for 5/19 ( <i>p</i> < 0.05) micronutrients. Multiple linear regression indicated a lower risk for insufficient micronutrient intake for participants with higher PAL and BMI ( <i>p</i> < 0.001). Symmetrical up-scaling of PAL and EI to recommended physical activity levels reduced the frequency of micronutrient insufficiencies. It follows that prevalence of insufficient micronutrient intake from food in NHANES might be partly determined by low energy turnover from insufficient PAL

Self-consistent model of unipolar transport in organic semiconductor diodes: accounting for a realistic density-of-states distribution

A self-consistent, mean-field model of charge-carrier injection and unipolar transport in an organic semiconductor diode is developed utilizing the effective transport energy concept and taking into account a realistic density-of-states distribution as well as the presence of trap states in an organic material. The consequences resulting from the model are discussed exemplarily on the basis of an indium tin oxide/organic semiconductor/metallic conductor structure. A comparison of the theory to experimental data of a unipolar indium tin oxide/poly-3-hexyl-thiophene/Al device is presented.Comment: 6 pages, 2 figures; to be published in Journal of Applied Physic

Economic inequalities in burden of illness, diagnosis and treatment of five long-term conditions in England: panel study

We compared the distribution by wealth of self-reported illness burden (estimated from validated scales, biomarker and reported symptoms) for angina, cataract, depression, diabetes and osteoarthritis, with the distribution of self-reported medical diagnosis and treatment. We aimed to determine if the greater illness burden borne by poorer participants was matched by appropriately higher levels of diagnosis and treatment

Identification, Genotyping and Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing of Brucella spp. Isolated from Livestock in Egypt

Brucellosis is a highly contagious zoonosis worldwide with economic and public health impacts. The aim of the present study was to identify Brucella (B.) spp. isolated from animal populations located in different districts of Egypt and to determine their antimicrobial resistance. In total, 34-suspected Brucella isolates were recovered from lymph nodes, milk, and fetal abomasal contents of infected cattle, buffaloes, sheep, and goats from nine districts in Egypt. The isolates were identified by microbiological methods and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). Differentiation and genotyping were confirmed using multiplex PCR for B. abortus, Brucella melitensis, Brucella ovis, and Brucella suis (AMOS) and Bruce-ladder PCR. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing against clinically used antimicrobial agents (chloramphenicol, ciprofloxacin, erythromycin, gentamicin, imipenem, rifampicin, streptomycin, and tetracycline) was performed using E-Test. The antimicrobial resistance-associated genes and mutations in Brucella isolates were confirmed using molecular tools. In total, 29 Brucella isolates (eight B. abortus biovar 1 and 21 B. melitensis biovar 3) were identified and typed. The resistance of B. melitensis to ciprofloxacin, erythromycin, imipenem, rifampicin, and streptomycin were 76.2%, 19.0%, 76.2%, 66.7%, and 4.8%, respectively. Whereas, 25.0%, 87.5%, 25.0%, and 37.5% of B. abortus were resistant to ciprofloxacin, erythromycin, imipenem, and rifampicin, respectively. Mutations in the rpoB gene associated with rifampicin resistance were identified in all phenotypically resistant isolates. Mutations in gyrA and gyrB genes associated with ciprofloxacin resistance were identified in four phenotypically resistant isolates of B. melitensis. This is the first study highlighting the antimicrobial resistance in Brucella isolated from different animal species in Egypt. Mutations detected in genes associated with antimicrobial resistance unravel the molecular mechanisms of resistance in Brucella isolates from Egypt. The mutations in the rpoB gene in phenotypically resistant B. abortus isolates in this study were reported for the first time in Egypt

Heavy Scalar Top Quark Decays in the Complex MSSM: A Full One-Loop Analysis

We evaluate all two-body decay modes of the heavy scalar top quark in the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model with complex parameters (cMSSM) and no generation mixing. The evaluation is based on a full one-loop calculation of all decay channels, also including hard QED and QCD radiation. The renormalization of the complex parameters is described in detail. The dependence of the heavy scalar top quark decay on the relevant cMSSM parameters is analyzed numerically, including also the decay to Higgs bosons and another scalar quark or to a top quark and the lightest neutralino. We find sizable contributions to many partial decay widths and branching ratios. They are roughly of O(10%) of the tree-level results, but can go up to 30% or higher. These contributions are important for the correct interpretation of scalar top quark decays at the LHC and, if kinematically allowed, at the ILC. The evaluation of the branching ratios of the heavy scalar top quark will be implemented into the Fortran code FeynHiggs.Comment: 86 pages, 38 figures; minor changes, version published as Phys. Rev. D86 (2012) 03501

Serological and Molecular Identification of Brucella spp. in Pigs from Cairo and Giza Governorates, Egypt

Brucellosis is considered as endemic disease of animals and humans since thousands of years in Egypt. However, brucellosis in pigs has never been reported in Egypt. Thus, serological and molecular assays were applied to detect anti-Brucella antibodies and DNA in serum samples collected from pigs. In total 331 blood samples collected from male and female pigs at slaughterhouses of Cairo and Giza governorates were investigated using Brucella c- and i-ELISA and Brucella real-time PCR. Anti-Brucella antibodies were detected in 16 (4.83%) and 36 (10.8%) sera by i-ELISA and c-ELISA, respectively. Brucella DNA was detected in 10 (3.02%) seropositive samples and identified as Brucella melitensis (7/10) and Brucella suis (3/10). A higher prevelance was found in boars. This is the first study investigating pig brucellosis in Egypt. The results of this study will raise awareness for brucellosis in these farm animals and will help to develop effective control strategies

Non-Simplified SUSY: Stau-Coannihilation at LHC and ILC

If new phenomena beyond the Standard Model will be discovered at the LHC, the properties of the new particles could be determined with data from the High-Luminosity LHC and from a future linear collider like the ILC. We discuss the possible interplay between measurements at the two accelerators in a concrete example, namely a full SUSY model which features a small stau_1-LSP mass difference. Various channels have been studied using the Snowmass 2013 combined LHC detector implementation in the Delphes simulation package, as well as simulations of the ILD detector concept from the Technical Design Report. We investigate both the LHC and ILC capabilities for discovery, separation and identification of various parts of the spectrum. While some parts would be discovered at the LHC, there is substantial room for further discoveries at the ILC. We finally highlight examples where the precise knowledge about the lower part of the mass spectrum which could be acquired at the ILC would enable a more in-depth analysis of the LHC data with respect to the heavier states.Comment: 42 pages, 18 figures, 12 table