Reform Redux: Measurement, Determinants and Reversals

We construct objective measures of privatization, internal and external liberalization reform efforts, across countries over time, and investigate their determinants, reversals and macroeconomic impacts. We find that GDP growth determines external liberalization and privatization, concentration of political power drives internal liberalization, and democracy underpins all three. We find that FDI inflows reduce the probability of privatization reversals, labour strikes increase that of internal liberalization reversals, and terms of trade shocks increase that of external liberalization reversals. We replicate previous studies and find that the macroeconomic effects of reform (when measured objectively) tend to be larger and more precisely estimated.reform; liberalization; privatization; political economy; transition

Low-Dimensional Long-Range Topological Charge Structure in the QCD Vacuum

While sign-coherent 4-dimensional structures cannot dominate topological charge fluctuations in the QCD vacuum at all scales due to reflection positivity, it is possible that enhanced coherence exists over extended space-time regions of lower dimension. Using the overlap Dirac operator to calculate topological charge density, we present evidence for such structure in pure-glue SU(3) lattice gauge theory. It is found that a typical equilibrium configuration is dominated by two oppositely-charged sign-coherent connected structures (``sheets'') covering about 80% of space-time. Each sheet is built from elementary 3-d cubes connected through 2-d faces, and approximates a low-dimensional curved manifold (or possibly a fractal structure) embedded in the 4-d space. At the heart of the sheet is a ``skeleton'' formed by about 18% of the most intense space-time points organized into a global long-range structure, involving connected parts spreading over maximal possible distances. We find that the skeleton is locally 1-dimensional and propose that its geometrical properties might be relevant for understanding the possible role of topological charge fluctuations in the physics of chiral symmetry breaking.Comment: 4 pages RevTeX, 4 figures; v2: 6 pages, 5 figures, more explanations provided, figure and references added, published versio

Classical Limits of Scalar and Tensor Gauge Operators Based on the Overlap Dirac Matrix

It was recently proposed by the second author to consider lattice formulations of QCD in which complete actions, including the gauge part, are built explicitly from a given Dirac operator D. In a simple example of such theory, the gauge action is proportional to the trace of Ginsparg-Wilson operator D chosen to define the quark dynamics. This construction relies on the proposition that the classical limit of lattice gauge operator tr D(x,x) is proportional to tr F.F(x) (up to an additive constant). Here we show this for the case of the overlap Dirac operator using both analytical and numerical methods. We carry out the same analysis also for the tensor component of D, which is similarly related to the field-strength tensor F, and obtain results identical to our previous derivation that used different approach. The corresponding proportionality constants are computed to high precision for wide range of the negative mass parameter values, and it is verified that they are the same in finite and infinite volumes.Comment: 31 pages, 7 figures; v2: 28 pages, 5 figures, some simplification and new references, version to be published in PR

On the reversibility of structural reforms

What are the factors that explain reversals in the implementation of structural reforms? Our main hypothesis is that reversals in different reforms are driven by different factors. This paper uses new reform indicators and presents novel evidence showing that (a) FDI inflows reduce the likelihood of privatization reversals, (b) worsened terms of trade increase the probability of external liberalization reversals and (c) labour strikes propel reversals in the liberalization of wages and prices

Automated multi-paradigm analysis of extended and layered queueing models with LINE

LINE is an open source MATLAB library for performance and relia-bility analysis of systems that can be modeled by means of queueingtheory. Recently, a new major release of the tool (version 2.0.0) hasintroduced several novel features, which are the focus of this demon-stration. These include, among others, an object-oriented modelinglanguage aligned with the abstraction of the Java Modelling Tools( JMT) simulator and a set of native solvers based on state-of-the-artanalytical and simulation-based solution paradigms

Linear IgA bullous dermatosis

Linear IgA bullous dermatosis (LABD) is group of heterogeneous autoimmune subepidermal blistering diseases characterized by exclusively IgA autoantibodies targeting a component of the epidermal basement membrane zone. The laminina-lucida-type LABD, also known as chronic bullous dermatosis of childhood, is a rare disease, yet the most common autoimmune blistering disease among childeren with a peak incidence at 4-5 years of age. The major target antigens in laminina-lucida-type LABD are 120 kDa LAD-1 antigen, and its carboxyterminal proteolysed form 97 kDa LABD antigen 1 (LABD97). Both proteins are produced by cleavage of the extracellular domain of BP180, one of the main structural components of the hemidesmosome. The autoantigen targeted by IgA in the sublamina densa-type LABD, also known as IgA epidermolysis bullosa acquisita, is type VII collagen. In adults, LABD may also be drug-induced.</p

Dermatological examination of bullous diseases

Physical examination in bullous diseases always comprises looking at skin and mucous membranes. Examine the skin not only for the presence of vesicles or bullae but also for other efflorescence's and typical distribution pattern. Nikolsky sign tests the resilience of the healthy-lookig skin. The mucous membranes of mouth, nose, eyes and genitals need to be examined systematically. Disease activity and extent of skin and mucous membranes can be assessed using disease activity outcome measures that are validated for pemphigus, bullous pemphigoid and mucous membrane pemphigoid.</p