Analytical Expressions for Radiative Opacities of Low Z Plasmas

In this work we obtain analytical expressions for the radiative opacity of several low Z plasmas (He, Li, Be, and B) in a wide range of temperatures and densities. These formulas are obtained by fitting the proposed expression to mean opacities data calculated by using the code ABAKO/ RAPCAL. This code computes the radiative properties of plasmas, both in LTE and NLTE conditions, under the detailed-level-accounting approach. It has been successfully validated in the range of interest in previous works

An examination of bank risk measures and their relationship to systemic risk measurement : a dissertation presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctoral of Philosophy in Finance at Massey University, Manawatu (Turitea), New Zealand

This research explores ways of measuring bank risk, both individual bank risk and systemic risk, with the main focus on z-score. Z-score is a popular indicator of individual bank risk-taking. Despite its popularity among academics, there is a lack of consensus on a standard way to construct a time-varying z-score measure. Meanwhile, in the post-GFC period, increasing attention has been given to macro-prudential policy and its role in mitigating systemic risk. This research discusses major challenges in existing approaches to the construction of time-varying z-score measure. It empirically compares these approaches using quarterly data of New Zealand banks. Both conceptual discussions and empirical analyses support the use of a rolling window in the computation of time-varying z-score, which is consistent with changing bank risk profiles through time. This research is also the first study to propose a risk-weighted z-score measure. This research further proposes a new systemic risk measure based on z-score, which is developed on the concept of Leave-One-Out (LOO) approach. The systemic risk contribution of an individual bank can be captured by the variation of risk-taking of a banking system when excluding the particular bank. The LOO z-score measure can be computed using accounting information only, and is therefore applicable to both listed and unlisted banks. Empirical analysis on the LOO z-score measure in assessing banks’ systemic risk contribution is first applied to the New Zealand and Australian markets, and then extended to an international sample including 17 countries. The LOO z-score measure is proved to be useful for assessing banks’ systemic risk contribution, with a positive rank correlation with Marginal Expected Shortfall (MES) and Delta Conditional Value-at-Risk (ΔCoVaR). The LOO z-score measure provides a new approach to assess systemic risk contribution using accounting data, which can be used as a complement to market-based approaches. This measure is especially useful for systemic risk analyses of banks with limited or even no share market data at all, which is the key advantage. The ability to include both listed and unlisted banks in the evaluation of systemic risk is fundamental in macro-prudential policy frameworks

Is-summien

Tista’ tgħid li l-aqwa kaċċa li għandna Malta hi dik tas-summien u kull min għandu xkubetta ma joħlomx ħlief bil-passa ta’ Settembru u dik ta’ April. F’dan l-artiklu, l-awtur jagħtina ftit tagħrif dwar dan it-tajr.N/

Il-barriera l-qadima

Taħt il-Barriera t’isfel, in-naħa tax-xatt il-kbir, hemm dak moll f’tarf ix-xatt. Fejn jaqta’ l-moll hemm bħal maħżen kbir. Qabel tersaq lejn dan il-maħżen hemm imwaqqfa fl-art ħafna plieri li llum ma jfissru xejn. Din hi l-barriera l-qadima li fiha, fi żmien l-Ordni, il-bastimenti kienu jinżammu kwarantina meta jkunu ġejjin minn xi pajjiż bil-pesta jew b’xi mard ieħor.N/

Systematical, experimental investigations on LiMgZ (Z= P, As, Sb) wide band gap semiconductors

This work reports on the experimental investigation of the wide band gap compounds LiMgZ (Z = P, As, Sb), which are promising candidates for opto-electronics and anode materials for Lithium batteries. The compounds crystallize in the cubic (C1_b) MgAgAs structure (space group F-43m). The polycrystalline samples were synthesized by solid state reaction methods. X-ray and neutron diffraction measurements show a homogeneous, single-phased samples. The electronic properties were studied using the direct current (DC) method. Additionally UV-VIS diffuse reflectance spectra were recorded in order to investigate the band gap nature. The measurements show that all compounds exhibit semiconducting behavior with direct band gaps of 1.0 eV to 2.3 eV depending on the Z element. A decrease of the peak widths in the static 7Li nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra with increasing temperature was observed, which can directly be related to an increase of Li ion mobility.Comment: 8 page

Light Hadron Physics at the B Factories

We report measurements of hadronic final states produced in $e^+e^-$ annihilations from the BaBar and Belle experiments. In particular, we present cross sections measured in several different processes, including two-photon physics, Initial-State Radiation, and exclusive hadron productions at center-of-mass energies near 10.58 GeV. Results are compared with theoretical predictions.Comment: Parallel talk at ICHEP08, Philadelphia, USA, July 2008. 4 pages, LaTeX, 12 eps figure

Construction and optical-electrical properties of inorganic/organic heterojunction nanostructures

We have designed and synthesized a series of ordered inorganic/organic hybrid aggregate nanostructures of by self-assembly and self-organizing technique. The process and mechanism of growing hybrid aggregate nanostructures have been studied. The ability to tune the size and morphologies of hybrid aggregate nanostructures has been achieved by controlling reaction conditions. The effects of morphologies and size dependent on electrical and optical properties have been demonstrated. These semiconductor molecular hybrid aggregate nanostructures exhibit interesting electrical, optical, and optoelectronic properties for use in next-generation electronic and optoelectronic devices. REFERENCES [1] Liu, H. B.; Zuo, Z. C.; Guo, Y. B.; Li, Y. J.; Li, Y. L. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2010, 49, 2705. [2] Huang, C. S.; Li, Y. L.; Song, Y. L.; Li, Y. J.; Liu, H. B.; Zhu, D. B. Adv. Mater. 2010, 22, 3532. [3] Wang, K.; Yang, H.; Qian, X. M.; Xue, Z.; Li, Y. J.; Liu, H. B.; Li, Y. L. Dalton Trans. 2014, 43, 11542. [4] Liu, H. B.; Wang, K.; Zhang, L.; Qian, X. M.; Y. J.; Li, Y. L. Dalton Trans. 2014, 43, 432. [5] Guo, Y. B.; Xu, L.; Liu, H. B.; Li, Y. J.; Che, C.-M.; Li, Y. L. Adv. Mater. 2015, 27, 985