First addendum to the Leafhoppers and Planthoppers of Germany: (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha)

Es werden neuere Ergänzungen zur Zikadenfauna Deutschlands mitgeteilt. Cixidia lapponica (Zett.), Empoasca decedens Paoli, Kyboasca maligna (Walsh), Ribautiana cruciata (Rib.), Synophropsis lauri (Horv.) und Paralimnus lugens (Horv.) sind neu für das Land. Neue Verbreitungsdaten, die für eine jüngere Arealausweitung sprechen, werden für Chloriona sicula Mats., Zygina lunaris (M. & R.), Orientus ishidae (Mats.) sowie für den bisher übersehenen und wenig bekannten Paralimnus rotundiceps (Leth.) aufgeführt. Paralimnus zachvatkini Em. wird als jüngeres Synonym von P. lugens (Horv.) vorgeschlagen.Recent additions to the fauna of leafhoppers and planthoppers of Germany are communicated. Cixidia lapponica (Zett.), Empoasca decedens Paoli, Kyboasca maligna (Walsh), Ribautiana cruciata (Rib.), Synophropsis lauri (Horv.) and Paralimnus lugens (Horv.) are new for the country. New distribution data which indicate a recent range expansion are given for Chloriona sicula Mats., Zygina lunaris (M. & R.), Orientus ishidae (Mats.), as well as for the previously overlooked and little known Paralimnus rotundiceps (Leth.). Paralimnus zachvatkini Em. is proposed as a younger synonym of P. lugens (Horv.)

Committee Governance after the Enlargement of the EU: the Institutionalisation of Cooperation within the Social Protection Committee

Specialised committees form an important part of the policy-making process in the European Union. After the 2004 enlargement of the EU, the institutional setup of these committees and the practice of Ôcommittee governanceÕ have been considerably challenged. The Open Method of Co-ordination (OMC) is a mode of governance in which the work of expert committees is essential. Open and consensus-oriented discussions in committee meetings are regarded as a precondition of the success of the OMC and as a basis of its legitimacy. However, with ten new member states joining OMC committees, the institutional conditions of discussions change. This article provides a discursive conceptual framework for analysing the undergoing changes, and applies it to the case of the Social Protection Committee.committee governance, EU enlargement, Open Method of Co-ordination, discursive institutionalisation

Monetary Policy Strategies before Euro Adoption: The Art of Chasing Many Rabbits

This policy paper deals with the main strategic issues for monetary policy in new EU member states before their euro adoption. These are typically rooted in the challenge of fulfilling concurrently of the Maastricht inflation and exchange rate criteria. In this paper we first put forward that these criteria are vaguely defined and distinguish between the wording, written interpretation and ’revealed’ interpretation (by the European authorities) of these criteria. Next, the paper contain the comprehensive discussion of the strategic options for monetary policy in the period of fulfilment of these criteria in terms of (i) its transparency, (ii) its continuity with the previous monetary policy regime, (iii) the choice of central parity for the ERM II, (iv) the setting of the fluctuation bandwidth, (v) the probability of fulfilment of both criteria and (vi) the impact on the autonomy of monetary policy.Monetary policy, euro adoption, ERM II, EU

Study of the neutron quantum states in the gravity field

We have studied neutron quantum states in the potential well formed by the earth's gravitational field and a horizontal mirror. The estimated characteristic sizes of the neutron wave functions in the two lowest quantum states correspond to expectations with an experimental accuracy. A position-sensitive neutron detector with an extra-high spatial resolution of ~2 microns was developed and tested for this particular experiment, to be used to measure the spatial density distribution in a standing neutron wave above a mirror for a set of some of the lowest quantum states. The present experiment can be used to set an upper limit for an additional short-range fundamental force. We studied methodological uncertainties as well as the feasibility of improving further the accuracy of this experiment

Second addendum to the Leafhoppers and Planthoppers of Germany (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha)

This paper presents new faunistic and ecological data on 21 species of planthoppers and leafhoppers in Germany. Delphax armeniacus An., Javesella bottnica Huld., Micantulina teucrii (Cer.), Ficocyba ficaria (Horv.), Placotettix taeniatifrons (Kbm.), Allygidius furcatus (Ferr.), Phlogotettix cyclops (M. & R.) and Thamnotettix exemtus Mel. are new to the country. New distributional and ecological data are given for Megamelodes lequesnei W. Wg., Cercopis arcuata Fieb., Macropsis mulsanti (Fieb.), Dryodurgades antoniae (Mel.), Hishimonus hamatus Kuoh, Maiestas horvathi (Then), Anoplotettix fuscovenosus (Ferr.), Cicadula placida (Horv.), Ederranus discolor (J. Shlb.), Paralimnus lugens (Horv.), Psammotettix albomarginatus W. Wg., Pinumius areatus (St.l) and Cosmotettix evanescens Oss. An analysis of 28 species recorded as new for Germany in the last two decades showed that the increase is caused in equal shares by better taxonomic and faunistic knowledge on the one hand and real ecological changes through anthropogenic introductions and northward range expansions (presumably driven by climatic factors) on the other hand.This paper presents new faunistic and ecological data on 21 species of planthoppers and leafhoppers in Germany. Delphax armeniacus An., Javesella bottnica Huld., Micantulina teucrii (Cer.), Ficocyba ficaria (Horv.), Placotettix taeniatifrons (Kbm.), Allygidius furcatus (Ferr.), Phlogotettix cyclops (M. & R.) and Thamnotettix exemtus Mel. are new to the country. New distributional and ecological data are given for Megamelodes lequesnei W. Wg., Cercopis arcuata Fieb., Macropsis mulsanti (Fieb.), Dryodurgades antoniae (Mel.), Hishimonus hamatus Kuoh, Maiestas horvathi (Then), Anoplotettix fuscovenosus (Ferr.), Cicadula placida (Horv.), Ederranus discolor (J. Shlb.), Paralimnus lugens (Horv.), Psammotettix albomarginatus W. Wg., Pinumius areatus (St.l) and Cosmotettix evanescens Oss. An analysis of 28 species recorded as new for Germany in the last two decades showed that the increase is caused in equal shares by better taxonomic and faunistic knowledge on the one hand and real ecological changes through anthropogenic introductions and northward range expansions (presumably driven by climatic factors) on the other hand

Evaluating Changes in the Monetary Transmission Mechanism in the Czech Republic

We investigate the evolution of the monetary policy transmission mechanism in the Czech Republic over the 1996-2010 period by employing a time-varying parameters Bayesian vector autoregression model with stochastic volatility. We evaluate whether the response of GDP and the price level to exchange rate or interest rate shocks changes over time, with a focus on the period of the recent financial crisis. Furthermore, we augment the estimated system with a lending rate and credit growth to shed light on the relative importance of financial shocks for the macroeconomic environment. Our results suggest that output and prices have become increasingly responsive to monetary policy shocks, probably reflecting financial sector deepening, more persistent monetary policy shocks, and overall economic development associated with disinflation. On the other hand, exchange rate pass-through has weakened somewhat over time, suggesting improved credibility of inflation targeting in the Czech Republic with anchored inflation expectations. We find that credit shocks had a more sizeable impact on output and prices during the period of bank restructuring with difficult access to credit. In general, our results show that financial shocks are less important for the aggregate economy in an environment of a stable financial system.Monetary policy transmission, sign restrictions, time-varying parameters.