EVN detection of a compact radio source as a counterpart to Fermi J1418+3541

Fermi J1418+3541 is a suspected blazar recently detected as a flaring gamma-ray point source, identified with likely radio, optical and infrared counterparts within the Fermi LAT error circle. We detected the proposed radio counterpart of Fermi J1418+3541 with the European VLBI Network (EVN), in real-time e-VLBI mode at 5 GHz on 2013 Jan 16 (project code RSF07). The source is dominated by a compact radio core, practically unresolved on intercontinental baselines from Europe to South Africa

Static QˉQ\bar{Q}Q pair free energy and screening masses from correlators of Polyakov loops: continuum extrapolated lattice results at the QCD physical point

We study the correlators of Polyakov loops, and the corresponding gauge invariant free energy of a static quark-antiquark pair in 2+1 flavor QCD at finite temperature. Our simulations were carried out on $N_t$ = 6, 8, 10, 12, 16 lattices using Symanzik improved gauge action and a stout improved staggered action with physical quark masses. The free energies calculated from the Polyakov loop correlators are extrapolated to the continuum limit. For the free energies we use a two step renormalization procedure that only uses data at finite temperature. We also measure correlators with definite Euclidean time reversal and charge conjugation symmetry to extract two different screening masses, one in the magnetic, and one in the electric sector, to distinguish two different correlation lengths in the full Polyakov loop correlator

QCD finite T transition -- Comparison between Wilson and staggered results

A quantitative comparison between the finite temperature behaviour of the staggered and Wilson fermion formulations are performed. The comparison is based on a physical quantity that is expected to be quite sensitive to the fermionic features of the action. For that purpose we use the height of the peak for $d\chi_s/dT$, where $\chi_s$ is the quark number susceptibility.Comment: 6 pages. Talk presented at Lattice 200

Quasi-random simulation of discrete choice models

We describe the properties of (t,m,s)-nets and Halton draws. Four types of (t,m,s)-nets, two types of Halton draws, and independent draws are compared in an application of maximum simulated likelihood estimation of a mixed logit model. All of the quasi-random procedures are found to perform far better than independent draws. The best performance is attained by one of the (t,m,s)-nets. The properties of the nets imply that two of them should outperform the other two, and our results confirm this expectation. The two more-accurate nets perform better than both types of Halton draws, while the two less-accurate nets perform worse than the Halton draws

Climate or rural development policy?

Being heavily energy dependent, it is not much of a surprise that Europe pays special attention to reducing the use of fossil fuels. Each one of the ten new member states is characterized by relatively low per capita energy consumption and relatively low energy efficiency, and the share of renewables in their energy mix tends to be low, too. The paper examines the problem when policy measures create a decrease in environmental capital instead of an increase. In this case it hardly seems justified to talk about environmental protection. The authors describe a case of a Hungarian rapeseed oil mill which would not be of too much interest on its own but given that almost all similar plants went bankrupt, there are some important lessons to learn from its survival. The enterprise the authors examined aimed at establishing a micro-regional network. They completed a brown-field development to establish a small plant on the premises of a former large agricultural cooperative. By partnering with the former employees and suppliers of the sometime cooperative, they enjoyed some benefits which all the other green-field businesses focusing on fuel production could not. The project improved food security, energy security and population retention as well