Dynamic Efficiency, the Riskless Rate, and Debt Ponzi Games under Uncertainty.

In a dynamically efficient economy, can a government roll its debt forever and avoid the need to raise taxes? In a series of examples of economies with zero growth, this paper shows that such Ponzi games may be infeasible even when the average rate of return on bonds is negative, and may be feasible even when the average rate of return on bonds is positive. The paper then reveals the structure which underlies these examples.

Operations between sets in geometry

An investigation is launched into the fundamental characteristics of operations on and between sets, with a focus on compact convex sets and star sets (compact sets star-shaped with respect to the origin) in $n$-dimensional Euclidean space $\R^n$. For example, it is proved that if $n\ge 2$, with three trivial exceptions, an operation between origin-symmetric compact convex sets is continuous in the Hausdorff metric, GL(n) covariant, and associative if and only if it is $L_p$ addition for some $1\le p\le\infty$. It is also demonstrated that if $n\ge 2$, an operation * between compact convex sets is continuous in the Hausdorff metric, GL(n) covariant, and has the identity property (i.e., $K*\{o\}=K=\{o\}*K$ for all compact convex sets $K$, where $o$ denotes the origin) if and only if it is Minkowski addition. Some analogous results for operations between star sets are obtained. An operation called $M$-addition is generalized and systematically studied for the first time. Geometric-analytic formulas that characterize continuous and GL(n)-covariant operations between compact convex sets in terms of $M$-addition are established. The term "polynomial volume" is introduced for the property of operations * between compact convex or star sets that the volume of $rK*sL$, $r,s\ge 0$, is a polynomial in the variables $r$ and $s$. It is proved that if $n\ge 2$, with three trivial exceptions, an operation between origin-symmetric compact convex sets is continuous in the Hausdorff metric, GL(n) covariant, associative, and has polynomial volume if and only if it is Minkowski addition

A review of factors that influence individual compliance with mass drug administration for elimination of lymphatic filariasis.

BACKGROUND: The success of programs to eliminate lymphatic filariasis (LF) depends in large part on their ability to achieve and sustain high levels of compliance with mass drug administration (MDA). This paper reports results from a comprehensive review of factors that affect compliance with MDA. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Papers published between 2000 and 2012 were considered, and 79 publications were included in the final dataset for analysis after two rounds of selection. While results varied in different settings, some common features were associated with successful programs and with compliance by individuals. Training and motivation of drug distributors is critically important, because these people directly interact with target populations, and their actions can affect MDA compliance decisions by families and individuals. Other important programmatic issues include thorough preparation of personnel, supplies, and logistics for implementation and preparation of the population for MDA. Demographic factors (age, sex, income level, and area of residence) are often associated with compliance by individuals, but compliance decisions are also affected by perceptions of the potential benefits of participation versus the risk of adverse events. Trust and information can sometimes offset fear of the unknown. While no single formula can ensure success MDA in all settings, five key ingredients were identified: engender trust, tailor programs to local conditions, take actions to minimize the impact of adverse events, promote the broader benefits of the MDA program, and directly address the issue of systematic non-compliance, which harms communities by prolonging their exposure to LF. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: This review has identified factors that promote coverage and compliance with MDA for LF elimination across countries. This information may be helpful for explaining results that do not meet expectations and for developing remedies for ailing MDA programs. Our review has also identified gaps in understanding and suggested priority areas for further research

Canonical decomposition of linear differential operators with selected differential Galois groups

We revisit an order-six linear differential operator having a solution which is a diagonal of a rational function of three variables. Its exterior square has a rational solution, indicating that it has a selected differential Galois group, and is actually homomorphic to its adjoint. We obtain the two corresponding intertwiners giving this homomorphism to the adjoint. We show that these intertwiners are also homomorphic to their adjoint and have a simple decomposition, already underlined in a previous paper, in terms of order-two self-adjoint operators. From these results, we deduce a new form of decomposition of operators for this selected order-six linear differential operator in terms of three order-two self-adjoint operators. We then generalize the previous decomposition to decompositions in terms of an arbitrary number of self-adjoint operators of the same parity order. This yields an infinite family of linear differential operators homomorphic to their adjoint, and, thus, with a selected differential Galois group. We show that the equivalence of such operators is compatible with these canonical decompositions. The rational solutions of the symmetric, or exterior, squares of these selected operators are, noticeably, seen to depend only on the rightmost self-adjoint operator in the decomposition. These results, and tools, are applied on operators of large orders. For instance, it is seen that a large set of (quite massive) operators, associated with reflexive 4-polytopes defining Calabi-Yau 3-folds, obtained recently by P. Lairez, correspond to a particular form of the decomposition detailed in this paper.Comment: 40 page

Non-integrability of the generalised spring-pendulum problem

We investigate a generalisation of the three dimensional spring-pendulum system. The problem depends on two real parameters $(k,a)$, where $k$ is the Young modulus of the spring and $a$ describes the nonlinearity of elastic forces. We show that this system is not integrable when $k\neq -a$. We carefully investigated the case $k= -a$ when the necessary condition for integrability given by the Morales-Ramis theory is satisfied. We discuss an application of the higher order variational equations for proving the non-integrability in this case.Comment: 20 pages, 1 figur

Dileptons in a coarse-grained transport approach

We calculate dilepton spectra in heavy-ion collisions using a coarse-graining approach to the simulation of the created medium with the UrQMD transport model. This enables the use of dilepton-production rates evaluated in equilibrium quantum-field theory at finite temperatures and chemical potentials.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures, contribution to the proceedings of "The 15th International Conference on Strangeness in Quark Matter" (SQM 2015), 06-11 July in Dubna, Russi

Lateral-directional control of the x-15 airplane

Lateral directional control and stability characteristics of X-15 aircraf