Measuring the natural output gap using actual and expected output data

An output gap measure is suggested based on the Beveridge-Nelson decomposition of output using a vector-autoregressive model that includes data on actual output and on expected output obtained from surveys. The paper explains the advantages of using survey data in business cycle analysis and the gap is provided economic meaning by relating it to the natural level of output defined in Dynamic Stochastic General Equilibrium models. The measure is applied to quarterly US data over the period 1970q1-2007q4 and the resultant gap estimates are shown to have sensible statistical properties and perform well in explaining inflation in estimates of New Keynesian Phillips curves

Real-time representations of the output gap

Methods are described for the appropriate use of data obtained and analysed in real time to represent the output gap. The methods employ cointegrating VAR techniques to model real-time measures and realizations of output series jointly. The model is used to mitigate the impact of data revisions; to generate appropriate forecasts that can deliver economically meaningful output trends and that can take into account the end-of-sample problems encountered in measuring these trends; and to calculate probability forecasts that convey in a clear way the uncertainties associated with the gap measures. The methods are applied to data for the United States 1965q4–2004q4, and the improvements over standard methods are illustrated

Beginning of malignant tumor cells

Despite advances in cancer treatments, cancer is still ranked the second leading cause of death. Cancers are started by cancer stem cells (CSCs). CSCs, also called tumor-initiating cells, are found in tumors and are responsible for the growth of tumors and the spread of cancer to other parts of the body. CSCs are very resistant, and cannot be killed by chemotherapy or radiation treatments. These cells can come from healthy stem cells. The environment surrounding the healthy stem cells and mature cells can cause mutations in the cell’s genetics, resulting in development of CSCs. The environment can also increase tumor resistance to drugs. During preliminary experiments in our laboratory, we have found how the culture environment leads to mutation of human brain cancer cells. The cancer cells were also found to be drug-resistant and have the ability to change shape to resemble colonies of other stem cells. In this project, we hypothesized that stressful conditions cause normal cells to change into CSCs capable of travelling throughout the body. To test the hypothesis, we attempted to examine which environmental changes cause conversion of cancer cells to CSCs. A U87 cell line was cultured in a MEM-FBS solution and concentrations of the antibiotic G418 were administered. The response of the cells to the G418 dosages was quantified by recording the cell confluency over several days. Changes in cell morphology were also recorded. This work did not result in any CSC-like cells. Cells not treated with G418 proliferated to 100% confluency, but all dosages of G418 resulted in at most 8% cell confluency. Cell clusters formed in some of the wells of the cell plates. Future work should use different antibiotic concentrations to find where the cell confluency eventually remains constant

Considering EcoJustice and place-based responses to market-oriented schooling

The politics of neoliberalism fester within education behind discourses of success, deficit, and normalcy. They intersect with discourses such as anthropocentrism, individualism, racism, ability, and others to organize society in a hierarchal manner and prioritize unfettered competition within an economic framework. The power of these discourses resides in their ability to communicate systemic ideology—masking the systemic oppression inherent to neoliberalism. These discourses can be traced to a mechanized worldview that understands matter, relationships, and knowledge through the metaphor of a machine. This study was designed to investigate how discursive meanings combine to create alternative discourses and to answer the research question: What kind of discourse is produced by a pedagogy that challenges competition as a common sense assumption, challenges mechanized ways of understanding relationships, and understands humans and the other-than-human world to be interrelated? One objective of this inquiry was to bridge EcoJustice and place-based education theory and practice. Another was to explore how these pedagogical approaches challenged neoliberal relationality. The last goal was to bring attention to the imbalance of educational aims that disproportionately focus on skills needed for economic prowess and skills needed to maintain ethical and sustainable relationships. Critical discourse analysis was the best methodological fit given the question and objectives. Data were generated via interviews. The socio-cognitive and three-dimensional approaches to analyzing discourse were used to understand the significance of discursive exchanges and how they communicate meaning. The findings revealed that participants used an ecocentric perspective of relational exchanges to guide their students through a systemic critique of injustice. They defined competition through a frame of mutuality and used affection to enact politically charged care agendas. They used place as a tool to teach lessons of affection and membership. Students were taught to find and appreciate the uniqueness of their place and how to frame differences as assets. Teachers used a nonjudgmental awareness to engage students in a way that decentered humans and flattened the hierarchy. They provided students with tools that allowed for immediate change. Lastly, they used post-inquiry instructional approaches to show students an alternative way to make meaning and assess unethical situations

Collecting Data from Children Ages 9-13

Provides a summary of literature on common methods used to collect data, such as diaries, interviews, observational methods, and surveys. Analyzes age group-specific considerations, advantages, and drawbacks, with tips for improving data quality

Early diagenetic mobilization of rare earth elements and implications for the Ce anomaly as a redox proxy

The Rare Earth Elements (REE) archived in carbonate rocks retain a wealth of information on paleo-seawater chemistry and local-regional redox conditions. However, interpretations are often ambiguous due to the potential for REE remobilization in marine environments. In this regard, many carbonate rocks that retain primary seawater isotopic signatures exhibit non-seawater-like REE patterns, implying either unusual REE behaviour in seawater or diagenetic overprinting of otherwise well-preserved rock samples. Here, we apply sequential leaching to constrain the possible effects of different REE-bearing phases on measured carbonate REE patterns in order to address this quandary. Our results show that the exchangeable phase contains negligible REE, but could be an important host phase for other elements such as Sr, Ba and K. The acidified hydroxylamine hydrochloride leach is shown here not only to dissolve Fe–Mn oxides but also phosphate minerals, which induces middle REE enrichment in corresponding leachates of dolostone samples in our study. The demonstrable Fe–Mn oxide phase in limestone samples is characterized by middle and/or light REE enrichment and positive Eu anomalies, which are attributed to hydrothermal processes and continuing exchange with marine fluids after initial precipitation. The non-seawater-like REE patterns observed in the carbonate phase of otherwise well-preserved limestones resemble those of the co-existing Fe–Mn oxide fraction, and are interpreted to reflect the dissolution of REE carrier phases during early diagenesis. This view is supported by fluid-rock interaction modelling, which shows how REE can be mobilized at relatively low fluid/rock ratios in shallow porewaters. Non-seawater-like REE patterns may therefore be caused by the incorporation of REE from shallow porewaters before final lithification due to an elevated flux of particulate REE carrier phases, e.g. Fe–Mn oxides and organic matter, to the seafloor. In spite of the sensitivity of carbonate REE patterns to early diagenetic exchange, the co-occurrence of non-seawater-like patterns with primary strontium and carbon isotope values suggests that REE should not be viewed as a general indicator for the preservation of other geochemical proxies. Importantly, Ce anomalies of the carbonate phase will also be affected by porewaters, masking primary seawater values. Our results favour a reevaluation of redox interpretations by taking into account REE patterns as a whole

Controlling the polarisation correlation of photon pairs from a charge-tuneable quantum dot

Correlation between the rectilinear polarisations of the photons emitted from the biexciton decay in a single quantum dot is investigated in a device which allows the charge-state of the dot to be controlled. Optimising emission from the neutral exciton states maximises the operating efficiency of the biexciton decay. This is important for single dot applications such as a triggered source of entangled photons. As the bias on the device is reduced correlation between the two photons is found to fall dramatically as emission from the negatively charged exciton becomes significant. Lifetime measurements demonstrate that electronic spin-scattering is the likely cause.Comment: 3 figure

Double-Peaked Narrow-Line Active Galactic Nuclei. II. The Case Of Equal Peaks

Active galactic nuclei (AGNs) with double-peaked narrow lines (DPAGNs) may be caused by kiloparsec-scale binary AGNs, bipolar outflows, or rotating gaseous disks. We examine the class of DPAGNs in which the two narrow-line components have closely similar intensity as being especially likely to involve disks or jets. Two spectroscopic indicators support this likelihood. For DPAGNs from Smith et al., the "equal-peaked" objects (EPAGNs) have [Ne V]/[O III] ratios lower than for a control sample of non-double-peaked AGNs. This is unexpected for a pair of normal AGNs in a galactic merger, but may be consistent with [O III] emission from a rotating ring with relatively little gas at small radii. Also, [O III]/H beta ratios of the redshifted and blueshifted systems in the EPAGN are more similar to each other than in a control sample, suggestive of a single ionizing source and inconsistent with the binary interpretation.University Cooperative Society of the University of Texas at AustinJane and Roland Blumberg Cenntenial Professorship in AstronomyAlfred P. Sloan FoundationNational Aeronautics and Space AdministrationNational Science FoundationU.S. Department of EnergyJapanese MonbukagakushoMax Planck SocietyUniversity of ChicagoInstitute for Advanced StudyJapan Participation GroupJohns Hopkins UniversityKorean Scientist GroupLos Alamos National LaboratoryMax-Planck-Institute for Astronomy (MPIA)Max-Planck-Institute for Astrophysics (MPA)New Mexico State UniversityUniversity of PittsburghUniversity of PortsmouthPrinceton UniversityUnited States Naval ObservatoryUniversity of WashingtonFermilabAstronom

The Jet-Driven Outflow In The Radio Galaxy SDSS J1517+3353: Implications For Double-Peaked Narrow-Line Active Galactic Nucleus

We report on the study of an intriguing active galaxy that was selected as a potential multiple supermassive black hole merger in the early-type host SDSS J151709.20+335324.7 (z = 0.135) from a complete search for double-peaked [O III] lines from the SDSS spectroscopic quasi-stellar object (QSO) database. Ground-based SDSS imaging reveals two blue structures on either side of the photometric center of the host galaxy, separated from each other by about 5.7 kpc. From a combination of SDSS fiber and Keck/HIRES long-slit spectroscopy, it is demonstrated that, in addition to these two features, a third distinct structure surrounds the nucleus of the host galaxy. All three structures exhibit highly ionized line emission with line ratios characteristic of Seyfert II active galactic nuclei. The analysis of spatially resolved emission-line profiles from the HIRES spectrum reveal three distinct kinematic subcomponents, one at rest and the other two moving at -350 km s(-1) and 500 km s(-1) with respect to the systemic velocity of the host galaxy. A comparison of imaging and spectral data confirm a strong association between the kinematic components and the spatial knots, which implies a highly disturbed and complex active region in this object. A comparative analysis of the broadband positions, colors, kinematics, and spectral properties of the knots in this system lead to two plausible explanations: (1) a multiple active galactic nucleus (AGN) produced due to a massive dry merger, or (2) a very powerful radio jet-driven outflow. Subsequent VLA radio imaging reveals a clear jet aligned with the emission-line gas, confirming the latter explanation. We use the broadband radio measurements to examine the impact of the jet on the interstellar medium of the host galaxy, and find that the energy in the radio lobes can heat a significant fraction of the gas to the virial temperature. Finally, we discuss tests that may help future surveys distinguish between jet-driven kinematics and true black-hole binaries. J1517+3353 is a remarkable laboratory for AGN feedback and warrants deeper follow-up study. In the Appendix, we present high-resolution radio imaging of a second AGN with double-peaked [O III] lines, SDSS J112939.78+605742.6, which shows a sub-arcsecond radio jet. If the double-peaked nature of the narrow lines in radio-loud AGNs are generally due to radio jet interactions, we suggest that extended radio structure should be expected in most of such systems.NSF AST-0507483, AST-0808133University of Texas at AustinAlfred P. Sloan FoundationParticipating InstitutionsNational Aeronautics and Space AdministrationU.S. Department of EnergyJapanese MonbukagakushoMax Planck SocietyAstronom