The Takeover and Selection Effects of Foreign Ownership in Germany : An Analysis Using Linked Worker-Firm Data

We use a linked employer-employee data set from Germany to estimate the wage effect of foreign-affiliates in East and West Germany. In addition, the wage effects of the large number of West German affiliates which are located in East Germany are also considered. The implemented techniques allow us to control both for worker- and plant-level unobserved components of earnings. We find large selection effects both in terms of worker and firm unobserved components of wages. The selection effect is larger for East German plants. Once it is taken into account, the genuine takeover effect is small and in some cases insignificantly different from zero. In contrast to the selection effect, the takeover effect is slightly larger in West Germany, where it amounts to 2.7 %. -- Mit einem deutschen kombinierten Betriebs-Beschäftigten-Datensatz wird analysiert, ob Betriebe im ausländischen Eigentum höhere Löhne zahlen. Auch werden Lohndifferentiale von ostdeutschen Betrieben in westdeutschem Eigentum untersucht. Die verwendeten Schätzmethoden erlauben es, für jeweils unbeobachtbare Personen- und Betriebsheterogenitäten zu kontrollieren. Bezüglich beider Komponenten werden große Selektionseffekte gefunden, wobei diese für ostdeutsche Betriebe größer sind. Der verbleibende (wahre) Übernahmeeffekt ist gering und teilweise nicht signifikant von Null verschieden. Im Gegensatz zum Selektionseffekt ist der Übernahmeeffekt etwas größer für Westdeutschland, wo er 2,7% beträgt.foreign ownership,wages,linked employer-employee data

Mental Training as a Tool in the Neuroscientific Study of Brain and Cognitive Plasticity

Although the adult brain was once seen as a rather static organ, it is now clear that the organization of brain circuitry is constantly changing as a function of experience or learning. Yet, research also shows that learning is often specific to the trained stimuli and task, and does not improve performance on novel tasks, even very similar ones. This perspective examines the idea that systematic mental training, as cultivated by meditation, can induce learning that is not stimulus or task specific, but process specific. Many meditation practices are explicitly designed to enhance specific, well-defined core cognitive processes. We will argue that this focus on enhancing core cognitive processes, as well as several general characteristics of meditation regimens, may specifically foster process-specific learning. To this end, we first define meditation and discuss key findings from recent neuroimaging studies of meditation. We then identify several characteristics of specific meditation training regimes that may determine process-specific learning. These characteristics include ongoing variability in stimulus input, the meta-cognitive nature of the processes trained, task difficulty, the focus on maintaining an optimal level of arousal, and the duration of training. Lastly, we discuss the methodological challenges that researchers face when attempting to control or characterize the multiple factors that may underlie meditation training effects

Calcium carbonate dissolution rates in hydrothermal vent fields of the Guaymas Basin

Analysis of bivalve shell fragments that were embedded in epoxy blocks, mounted on titanium stakes, and deployed by DSRV Alvin at 5 sites in the Southern Trough of the Guaymas Basin (27°00′N, 111°24.55′W; depth 2012 m) indicates significant variation of calcium carbonate dissolution in in situ exposures of more than 900 days. Arrays of shell fragments of six bivalve species (i.e., Bathymodiolus thermophilus, Calyptogena magnifica, Calyptogena sp., Corbicula fluminea, Crassostrea virginica and Mytilus edulis) were positioned −17 cm, −7 cm and −2.5 cm below the sediment-water interface and 2.5 cm, 7 cm and 17 cm above the sediment-water interface in hydrothermal vent fields of the basin. Maximum dissolution rates for both calcite (mean = 86 μm/yr) and aragonite (mean = 312 μm/yr) were found in epoxy blocks located at the deepest point sampled in the sediment column (depth = 17 cm). Minimum dissolution rates of calcite and aragonite were found 7 cm (mean = 26 μm/yr) and 2.5 cm (mean = 96 μm/yr) above the sediment-water interface, respectively. Intermediate rates of dissolution were recorded 17 cm above the sediment-water interface (mean = 40 μm/yr for calcite and 126 μm/yr for aragonite). Mean rates of aragonite dissolution ranged from 59 μm/yr (site 5; clam area) to 227 μm/yr (site 3; clam area), and those of calcite dissolution ranged from 13 μm/yr (site 3; clam area) to 94 μm/yr (site 4; bacterial mat area). Dissolution rates were consistently highest in the bacterial mat area (site 4; mean = 94 μm/yr for calcite and 223 μm/yr for aragonite). Rates of calcium carbonate dissolution reported here for hydrothermal vent fields of the Guaymas Basin compare favorably with those of Rose Garden (Galapagos Rift) and 21N (East Pacific Rise) hydrothermal vent sites. These results have important implications for assessing biological rate processes in deep-sea hydrothermal vent environments

CO and C_2 Absorption Toward W40 IRS 1a

The H II region W40 harbors a small group of young, hot stars behind roughly 9 magnitudes of visual extinction. We have detected gaseous carbon monoxide (CO) and diatomic carbon (C_2) in absorption toward the star W40 IRS 1a. The 2-0 R0, R1, and R2 lines of 12CO at 2.3 micron were measured using the CSHELL on the NASA IR Telescope Facility (with upper limits placed on R3, R4, and R5) yielding an N_CO of (1.1 +/- 0.2) x 10^18 cm^-2. Excitation analysis indicates T_kin > 7 K. The Phillips system of C_2 transitions near 8775 Ang. was measured using the Kitt Peak 4-m telescope and echelle spectrometer. Radiative pumping models indicate a total C_2 column density of (7.0 +/- 0.4) x 10^14 cm^-2, two excitation temperatures (39 and 126 K), and a total gas density of n ~ 250 cm^-3. The CO ice band at 4.7 micron was not detected, placing an upper limit on the CO depletion of delta < 1 %. We postulate that the sightline has multiple translucent components and is associated with the W40 molecular cloud. Our data for W40 IRS 1a, coupled with other sightlines, shows that the ratio of CO/C_2 increases from diffuse through translucent environs. Finally, we show that the hydrogen to dust ratio seems to remain constant from diffuse to dense environments, while the CO to dust ratio apparently does not.Comment: To appear in The Astrophysical Journal 17 pages total, 5 figures Also available at http://casa.colorado.edu/~shuping/research/w40/w40.htm

Red Imported Fire Ants: Impact on Biodiversity

The red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta Buren (hereafter referred to as imported fire ant), long considered a regional problem, is receiving renewed attention nationwide, with infestations found in Arizona, Maryland, Nevada, New Mexico, and Virginia (Mitchell 1996). Recently, infestations discovered in several regions of California caused great public concern (Brennan 1999, Schrader 1999). Initially, infestations appeared to be isolated in almond groves in Kern County; presumably these infestations originated from bee hives transported interstate for the purpose of pollinating crops. Separately, ornamental plants arriving in Las Vegas, NV, were infested with fire ants, and records showed that the point of origin was a nursery in Orange County, CA. Further inspections revealed infestations in over 16,000 acres of Orange County. Finally, infestations were identified in some desert irrigated agricultural regions of the Coachella Valley in Riverside County, CA. Subsequently, a toll-free telephone number was established for reporting fire ant mounds in the state of California (800-491-1899)

Mergers and Mass Accretion Rates in Galaxy Assembly: The Millennium Simulation Compared to Observations of z~2 Galaxies

Recent observations of UV-/optically selected, massive star forming galaxies at z~2 indicate that the baryonic mass assembly and star formation history is dominated by continuous rapid accretion of gas and internal secular evolution, rather than by major mergers. We use the Millennium Simulation to build new halo merger trees, and extract halo merger fractions and mass accretion rates. We find that even for halos not undergoing major mergers the mass accretion rates are plausibly sufficient to account for the high star formation rates observed in z~2 disks. On the other hand, the fraction of major mergers in the Millennium Simulation is sufficient to account for the number counts of submillimeter galaxies (SMGs), in support of observational evidence that these are major mergers. When following the fate of these two populations in the Millennium Simulation to z=0, we find that subsequent mergers are not frequent enough to convert all z~2 turbulent disks into elliptical galaxies at z=0. Similarly, mergers cannot transform the compact SMGs/red sequence galaxies at z~2 into observed massive cluster ellipticals at z=0. We argue therefore, that secular and internal evolution must play an important role in the evolution of a significant fraction of z~2 UV-/optically and submillimeter selected galaxy populations.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, Accepted for publication in Ap

LUVMI: an innovative payload for the sampling of volatiles at the Lunar poles

The ISECG identifies one of the first exploration steps as in situ investigations of the moon or asteroids. Europe is developing payload concepts for drilling and sample analysis, a contribution to a 250kg rover as well as for sample return. To achieve these missions, ESA depends on international partnerships. Such missions will be seldom, expensive and the drill/sample site selected will be based on observations from orbit not calibrated with ground truth data. Many of the international science community’s objectives can be met at lower cost, or the chances of mission success improved and the quality of the science increased by making use of an innovative, low mass, mobile robotic payload following the LEAG recommendations. LUVMI provides a smart, low mass, innovative, modular mobile payload comprising surface and subsurface sensing with an in-situ sampling technology capable of depth-resolved extraction of volatiles, combined with a volatile analyser (mass spectrometer) capable of identifying the chemical composition of the most important volatiles. This will allow LUVMI to: traverse the lunar surface prospecting for volatiles; sample subsurface up to a depth of 10 cm (with a goal of 20 cm); extract water and other loosely bound volatiles; identify the chemical species extracted; access and sample permanently shadowed regions (PSR). The main innovation of LUVMI is to develop an in situ sampling technology capable of depth-resolved extraction of volatiles, and then to package within this tool, the analyser itself, so as to maximise transfer efficiency and minimise sample handling and its attendant mass requirements and risk of sample alteration. By building on national, EC and ESA funded research and developments, this project will develop to TRL6 instruments that together form a smart modular mobile payload that could be flight ready in 2020. The LUVMI sampling instrument will be tested in a highly representative environment including thermal, vacuum and regolith simulant and the integrated payload demonstrated in a representative environment

Ubiquitous giant Ly α\alpha nebulae around the brightest quasars at z∼3.5z\sim3.5 revealed with MUSE

Direct Ly $\alpha$ imaging of intergalactic gas at $z\sim2$ has recently revealed giant cosmological structures around quasars, e.g. the Slug Nebula (Cantalupo et al. 2014). Despite their high luminosity, the detection rate of such systems in narrow-band and spectroscopic surveys is less than 10%, possibly encoding crucial information on the distribution of gas around quasars and the quasar emission properties. In this study, we use the MUSE integral-field instrument to perform a blind survey for giant Ly $\alpha$ nebulae around 17 bright radio-quiet quasars at $3<z<4$ that does not suffer from most of the limitations of previous surveys. After data reduction and analysis performed with specifically developed tools, we found that each quasar is surrounded by giant Ly $\alpha$ nebulae with projected sizes larger than 100 physical kpc and, in some cases, extending up to 320 kpc. The circularly averaged surface brightness profiles of the nebulae appear very similar to each other despite their different morphologies and are consistent with power laws with slopes $\approx-1.8$. The similarity between the properties of all these nebulae and the Slug Nebula suggests a similar origin for all systems and that a large fraction of gas around bright quasars could be in a relatively "cold" (T$\sim$10$^4$K) and dense phase. In addition, our results imply that such gas is ubiquitous within at least 50 kpc from bright quasars at $3<z<4$ independently of the quasar emission opening angle, or extending up to 200 kpc for quasar isotropic emission.Comment: 19 pages, 9 figures, 3 Tables, accepted to Ap

The SINS Survey: Broad Emission Lines in High-Redshift Star-Forming Galaxies

High signal-to-noise, representative spectra of star-forming galaxies at z~2, obtained via stacking, reveal a high-velocity component underneath the narrow H-alpha and [NII] emission lines. When modeled as a single Gaussian, this broad component has FWHM > 1500 km/s; when modeled as broad wings on the H-alpha and [NII] features, it has FWHM > 500 km/s. This feature is preferentially found in the more massive and more rapidly star-forming systems, which also tend to be older and larger galaxies. We interpret this emission as evidence of either powerful starburst-driven galactic winds or active supermassive black holes. If galactic winds are responsible for the broad emission, the observed luminosity and velocity of this gas imply mass outflow rates comparable to the star formation rate. On the other hand, if the broad line regions of active black holes account for the broad feature, the corresponding black holes masses are estimated to be an order of magnitude lower than those predicted by local scaling relations, suggesting a delayed assembly of supermassive black holes with respect to their host bulges.Comment: 11 pages, 5 figures. Accepted version, incorporating referee comments, including changes to title, abstract, figures, and discussion sectio

Browsing Space Weather Data and Models with the Integrated Space Weather Analysis (iSWA) System

The Integrated Space Weather Analysis (iSWA) System is a comprehensive web-based platform for space weather information that combines data from solar, heliospheric and geospace observatories with forecasts based on the most advanced space weather models. The iSWA system collects, generates, and presents a wide array of space weather resources in an intuitive, user-configurable, and adaptable format - thus enabling users to respond to current and future space weather impacts as well as enabling post-impact analysis. iSWA currently provides over 200 data and modeling products, and features a variety of tools that allow the user to browse, combine, and examine data and models from various sources. This presentation will consist of a summary of the iSWA products and an overview of the customizable user interfaces, and will feature several tutorial demonstrations highlighting the interactive tools and advanced capabilities