4,488 research outputs found
Did the Euro Foster Online Price Competition? Evidence from an International Price Comparison Site
We study the impact of the Euro on prices charged by online retailers within the EU. Our data spans the period before and after the Euro was introduced, covers a variety of products, and includes countries inside and outside of the Eurozone. After controlling for cost, demand, and market structure effects, we show that the pure Euro changeover effect is to raise average prices in the Eurozone by 3% and average minimum prices by 7%. Finally, we develop a model of online pricing in the context of currency unions, and show that these price patterns are broadly consistent with clearinghouse models.Price competition, internet
Orbital periods of the binary sdB stars PG0940+068 and PG1247+554
We have used the radial velocity variations of two sdB stars previously
reported to be binaries to establish their orbital periods. They are
PG0940+068, (P=8.33d) and PG1247+554 (P=0.599d). The minimum masses of the
unseen companions, assuming a mass of 0.5 solar masses for the sdB stars, are
0.090 +/- 0.003 solar masses for PG1247+554 and 0.63 +/- 0.02 solar masses for
PG0940+068. The nature of the companions is not constrained further by our
data.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figure
Spatial correlations in hexagons generated via a Kerr nonlinearity
We consider the hexagonal pattern forming in the cross-section of an optical
beam produced by a Kerr cavity, and we study the quantum correlations
characterizing this structure. By using arguments related to the symmetry
broken by the pattern formation, we identify a complete scenario of six-mode
entanglement. Five independent phase quadratures combinations, connecting the
hexagonal modes, are shown to exhibit sub-shot-noise fluctuations. By means of
a non-linear quantum calculation technique, quantum correlations among the mode
photon numbers are demonstrated and calculated.Comment: ReVTeX file, 20 pages, 7 eps figure
Detection of sub-shot-noise spatial correlation in high-gain parametric down-conversion
Using a 1GW-1ps pump laser pulse in high gain parametric down-conversion
allows us to detect sub-shot-noise spatial quantum correlation with up to one
hundred photoelectrons per mode, by means of a high efficiency CCD. The
statistics is performed in single-shot over independent spatial replica of the
system. The paper highlights the evidence of quantum correlation between
symmetrical signal and idler spatial areas in the far field, in the high gain
regime. In accordance with the predictions of numerical calculations the
observed transition from the quantum to the classical regime is interpreted as
a consequence of the narrowing of the down-converted beams in the very high
gain regime.Comment: 4,2 pages, 4 figure
Polarization quantum properties in type-II Optical Parametric Oscillator below threshold
We study the far field spatial distribution of the quantum fluctuations in
the transverse profile of the output light beam generated by a type II Optical
Parametric Oscillator below threshold, including the effects of transverse
walk-off. We study how quadrature field correlations depend on the
polarization. We find spatial EPR entanglement in quadrature-polarization
components: For the far field points not affected by walk-off there is almost
complete noise suppression in the proper quadratures difference of any
orthogonal polarization components. We show the entanglement of the state of
symmetric intense, or macroscopic, spatial light modes. We also investigate
nonclassical polarization properties in terms of the Stokes operators. We find
perfect correlations in all Stokes parameters measured in opposite far field
points in the direction orthogonal to the walk-off, while locally the field is
unpolarized and we find no polarization squeezing.Comment: 16 pages, 18 figure
Macroscopic quantum fluctuations in noise-sustained optical patterns
We investigate quantum effects in pattern formation for a degenerate optical parametric oscillator with walk-off. This device has a convective regime in which macroscopic patterns are both initiated and sustained by quantum noise. Familiar methods based on linearization about a pseudoclassical field fail in this regime and new approaches are required. We employ a method in which the pump field is treated as a c-number variable but is driven by the c-number representation of the quantum subharmonic signal field. This allows us to include the effects of the fluctuations in the signal on the pump, which in turn act back on the signal. We find that the nonclassical effects, in the form of squeezing, survive just above the threshold of the convective regime. Further, above threshold, the macroscopic quantum noise suppresses these effects
Multi-photon, multi-mode polarization entanglement in parametric down-conversion
We study the quantum properties of the polarization of the light produced in
type II spontaneous parametric down-conversion in the framework of a multi-mode
model valid in any gain regime. We show that the the microscopic polarization
entanglement of photon pairs survives in the high gain regime (multi-photon
regime), in the form of nonclassical correlation of all the Stokes operators
describing polarization degrees of freedom
Effects of Zolpidem CR on Sleep and Nocturnal Ventilation in Patients with Heart Failure
Study Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of zolpidem CR (controlled release) on sleep and nocturnal ventilation in patients with congestive heart failure, a population at risk for insomnia and poor sleep quality. Methods: Fifteen patients with heart failure (ischemic cardiomyopathy) and ejection fraction <= 45% in NYHA functional class I or II were evaluated with full polysomnography in a placebo-controlled, double-blind, randomized trial. Patients underwent three tests: (1) baseline polysomnography and, after randomization, (2) a new test with zolpidem CR 12.5 mg or placebo, and after 1 week, (3) a new polysomnography, crossing the "medication" used. Results: A 16% increase in total sleep time was found with the use of zolpidem CR and an increase in stage 3 NREM sleep (slow wave sleep). The apnea hypopnea index (AHI) did not change with zolpidem CR even after controlling for supine positionhowever, a slight but significant decrease was observed in lowest oxygen saturation compared with baseline and placebo conditions (83.60 +/- 5.5184.43 +/- 3.8080.71 +/- 5.18, P = 0.002). Conclusion: Zolpidem CR improved sleep structure in patients with heart failure, did not change apnea hypopnea index, but slightly decreased lowest oxygen saturation.Associacao Fundo Incentivo a Pesquisa (AFIP), Sao Paulo, BrazilUniv Fed Sao Paulo, Sleep Div, Dept Psychobiol, Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilUniv Fed Sao Paulo, Div Cardiol, Dept Med, Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilUniv Fed Sao Paulo, Sleep Div, Dept Psychobiol, Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilUniv Fed Sao Paulo, Div Cardiol, Dept Med, Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilWeb of Scienc
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