Covariance estimation via Fourier method in the presence of asynchronous trading and microstructure noise

We analyze the effects of market microstructure noise on the Fourier estimator of multivariate volatilities. We prove that the estimator is consistent in the case of asynchronous data and robust in the presence of microstructure noise. This result is obtained through an analytical computation of the bias and the mean squared error of the Fourier estimator and con¯rmed by Monte Carlo experiments.

The Affordable Care Act and State Charities Regulators

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (the “Affordable Care Act”) was enacted almost three years ago in March 2010. Certain of its provisions became effective shortly after enactment, and others have been ramping up in advance of the full implementation of most of the remaining provisions of the Affordable Care Act on January 1, 2014. The Affordable Care Act is probably one of, if not the most, comprehensive reform of the healthcare sector, which represents the largest percentage of this nation’s gross domestic product. Because of the extent of the reforms, the depth of impact on the entire healthcare system, and the costs and increased revenues associated with the Affordable Care Act, numerous challenges will be presented to state charities regulators as implementation of the Affordable Care Act continues to take place. This paper will focus on the intersection between the federal healthcare reforms enacted as part of the Affordable Care Act and state charities regulators. Part II discusses the duty of care and oversight issues concerning compliance with the new section 501(r) requirements applicable to nonprofit and governmental hospitals that are or seek tax exemption under section 501(c)(3). Part III focuses on the dynamics of a consolidating marketplace for hospitals and health systems and the expected mergers, acquisitions and other transactions that are taking place and will take place in the coming years in response to or as a result of the law changes contained in the Affordable Care Act. Finally, with the increased funding that will result from full implementation of the Affordable Care Act, there will be greater competition for an increasingly scarce commodity – physicians. Part IV discusses how nonprofit hospitals may be compelled to push the limits of the anti-kickback and self-referral laws, thereby creating financial exposures for the hospitals and concomitant questions about compliance with fiduciary duties of oversight as the Delaware Supreme Court spelled out in the CareMark litigation

Experimental method for measuring classical concurrence of generic beam shapes

Classical entanglement is a powerful tool which provides a neat numerical estimate for the study of classical correlations. Its experimental investigation, however, has been limited to special cases. Here, we demonstrate that the experimental quantification of the level of classical entanglement can be carried out in more general instances. Our approach enables the extension to arbitrarily shaped transverse modes and hence delivering a suitable quantification tool to describe concisely the modal structure

Orchard Management Practices and Handbook

The purpose of this project was to develop an SAE start-up handbook for the Hollister FFA program\u27s orchard. The orchard was being underutilized by the chapter and the hopes are that the chapter will supply students with this handbook allowing for a more diverse group of SAE projects within the chapter. Implementing the steps outlined in this handbook would also create a more competitive chapter in the areas of proficiencies and degrees

Nonequilibrium readiness and precision of Gaussian quantum thermometers

The dimensionality of a thermometer is key in the design of quantum thermometry schemes. In general, the phenomenology that is typical of qubit-based quantum thermometry does not apply to infinite-dimensional ones. We analyze the dynamical and metrological features of nonequilibrium Gaussian quantum thermometers: On one hand, we highlight how quantum entanglement can enhance the readiness of composite Gaussian thermometers; on the other hand, we show that nonequilibrium conditions do not guarantee the best sensitivities in temperature estimation, thus suggesting the reassessment of some of the working principles underpinning quantum thermometry

Early suppression of lymphoproliferative response in dogs with natural infection by Leishmania infantum.

Dogs are the domestic reservoirs of zoonotic visceral leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania infantum. Early detection of canine infections evolving to clinically patent disease may be important to leishmaniasis control. In this study we firstly investigated the peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) response to leishmanial antigens and to polyclonal activators concanavalin A, phytohemagglutinin and pokeweed mitogen, of mixed-breed dogs with natural L. infantum infection, either in presymptomatic or in patent disease condition, compared to healthy animals. Leishmania antigens did not induce a clear proliferative response in any of the animals examined. Furthermore, mitogen-induced lymphocyte proliferation was found strongly reduced not only in symptomatic, but also in presymptomatic dogs suggesting that the cell-mediated immunity is suppressed in progressive canine leishmaniasis. To test this finding, naive Beagle dogs were exposed to natural L. infantum infection in a highly endemic area of southern Italy. Two to 10 months after exposure all dogs were found to be infected by Leishmania, and on month 2 of exposure they all showed a significant reduction in PBMC activation by mitogens. Our results indicate that suppression of the lymphoproliferative response is a common occurrence in dogs already at the beginning of an established leishmanial infection. # 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved