Cointegration and Asymmetric Adjustment between Output and Unemployment: an Application to the U.S. Economy

This paper focuses on the properties of the adjustment between the real output and the unemployment rate for the U.S. economy in the period from 1975 to 2006. It starts by checking the order of integration of the two series and then tests for the presence of asymmetry in the Okun’s law relationship through a cyclical equation, a first differences equation and an ADL(p,q). Using the threshold cointegration approach this study also accounts for the possible existence of a long-run equilibrium relationship and it is ability to test for the asymmetric adjustment hypothesis. It is found that Okun’s coefficient ranges between -0.41 and -0.59, being the latter estimated by the cointegrating equation. Furthermore, the unemployment rate behaves differently along the business cycle and increases faster in recessions than it recovers in expansions. A long-run equilibrium relationship is established where adjustment is made asymmetrically. Positive deviations away from equilibrium are corrected slightly faster than negative ones. Our explanation concerns the higher speed of flows within the labor market during a recession than during an expansion which may also be related to the existence of nominal rigidities in the US economy that causes imperfectly flexible prices.Okun’s Law, Threshold Cointegration, Asymmetric Adjustment, Monte Carlo Simulations, U.S. Economy

Completion problems for real matrices, II

Thirty years ago, G.N. de Oliveira has proposed the following completion problems: Describe the possible characteristic polynomials of [C-ij], i,j is an element of {1, 2}, where C-1,C-1 and C-2,C-2 are square submatrices, when some of the blocks C-ij are fixed and the others vary. Several of these problems remain unsolved. This paper gives the solution, over the field of real numbers, of Oliveira's problem where the blocks C-1,C-1, C-2,C-2 are fixed and the others vary

Análise de Indicadores Esqueléticos para a Reconstituição de Padrões de Actividade em Populações Humanas Antigas

O estudo dos esqueletos das populações antigas fornece dados acerca da sua demografia, saúde e bem-estar, dieta, violência, parentesco e padrões de actividade. Os ossos adaptam-se em forma e em tamanho, em resposta activa a estímulos mecânicos, os quais, se forem prolongados e/ou intensos, traduzem-se em determinados indicadores que incluem: patologias degenerativas relacionadas com efeitos mecânicos sobre as articulações, estrutura e biomecânica dos ossos longos e morfologia dos locais de inserção dos músculos (enteses). Pretende-se com a presente revisão avaliar a utilização de entesopatias como indicadores esqueléticos na reconstituição de padrões de actividade em populações antigas

Dynamical matrix for arbitrary quadratic fermionic bath Hamiltonians and non-Markovian dynamics of one and two qubits in an Ising model environment

We obtain the analytical expression for the Kraus decomposition of the quantum map of an environment modeled by an arbitrary quadratic fermionic Hamiltonian acting on one or two qubits, and derive simple functions to check the non-positivity of the intermediate map. These functions correspond to two different sufficient criteria for non-Markovianity. In the particular case of an environment represented by the Ising Hamiltonian, we discuss the two sources of non-Markovianity in the model, one due to the finite size of the lattice, and another due to the kind of interactions.Comment: 11 pages, 10 figure

/I/ velarisation as a continuum

In this paper, we present a production study to explore the controversial question about /l/ velarisation. Measurements of first (F1), second (F2) and third (F3) formant frequencies and the slope of F2 were analysed to clarify the /l/ velarisation behaviour in European Portuguese (EP). The acoustic data were collected from ten EP speakers, producing trisyllabic words with paroxytone stress pattern, with the liquid consonant at the middle of the word in onset, complex onset and coda positions. Results suggested that /l/ is produced on a continuum in EP. The consistently low F2 indicates that /l/ is velarised in all syllable positions, but variation especially in F1 and F3 revealed that /l/ could be “more velarised” or “less velarised” dependent on syllable positions and vowel contexts. These findings suggest that it is important to consider different acoustic measures to better understand /l/ velarisation in EP.</div

Fractional order calculus on the estimation of short-circuit impedance of power transformers

This paper reports investigation on the use of fractional order calculus to analytically estimate the inlfuence of skin and proximity effects in the short circuit impedance of power transformers. The aim is to better characterize the medium frequency range behavior of leakage inductances of power transformer models, which include terms to represent the magnetic field diffusion process in the windigns. Comparisons between calculated and measured values are shown and discussed.N/

On the Estimation of the Short-Circuit Impedance of Power Transformers Using Fractional Order Calculus

This paper reports investigation on the estimation of the short circuit impedance of power transformers, using fractional order calculus to analytically study the influence of the diffusion phenomena in the windings. The aim is to better characterize the medium frequency range behavior of leakage inductances of power transformer models, which include terms to represent the magnetic field diffusion process in the windings. Comparisons between calculated and measured values are shown and discussed

Production and characterization of green and black olive paste using cream of animal and vegetable origins

Now-a-days the quest for foods with high flavonoid polyphenols content, lower fat concentration and relative high proportion of monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fatty acids is increasing. Following this tendency green and black olive pastes applying soy cream or cream of animal origin were produced equating a subsequent industrial output, and the rheological, physicochemical and sensory characteristics of were characterized. It was found that the cohesiveness, adhesiveness and hardness of the black olive paste having cream of animal origin showed minimal values. Among samples the moisture varied between 67.15 -72.16% and the inorganic residue of the black olive pastes were also significantly lower from the green olive pastes. Minimum and maximum pH values were measured in green olive paste having soy cream and black paste with cream of animal origin, respectively. The crude fat showed significant differences among the olive pastes, whereas the protein content did not vary significantly. The colour of the black paste with cream of animal origin and soy were slightly orange, whereas the green paste remained green. The sensory analysis of the black olive paste including cream of animal origin showed lower average values for consistency and appearance attributes but the opposite occurred with the salty taste and overall assessment. Concerning to the aroma, the black olive pastes showed the highest values, while the green olive pastes kept similar values. It is concluded that the higher pH of the black olive pastes in conjunction with the water contents limits the shelf life and clearly pointed the need a careful microbial control. Considering that the colour parameters of a food is the first contact point of the consumer, these descriptors in the green olive pastes also seemed to have better acceptance, whereas preferences did not followed healthy options

Study on Demographic Background of Potential Buyers: With Reference to Luxury Condominium Apartments in Colombo

AbstractPurchasing a home is considered as the largest investment done in one's life and would be a long-time commitment. In order to understand the house purchase decision; it is important to identify house buyers’ demographic factors such as age, household composition, income etc. Such factors will initially influence buyers’ decision to buy a house. By understanding the demographic background of buyers’ real demand in the market for luxury condominiums could be identified by the developers. As well as luxury condominium is a type of product which is affordable to a very limited number of buyers as the price levels of the product is very high. So, real estate marketers and sales personals find it very difficult to find the prospective buyers for these apartments as there are no evidence about the demographic background of the people who demand these luxury condominiums. But if this information is available for them they would have a clear idea about the target group of the buyers so that they can do their particular marketing and promotional campaigns specially targeting them which will result in increased number of sales. Hence, the objective of this study is to identify the demographic background of potential buyers of luxury condominium apartments in Colombo. The population of the study is potential buyers who demand luxury condominium apartments in Colombo. The sampling method was judgmental sampling and the sample was considered as potential buyers who visited Astoria condominium apartment. Data was collected using questionnaire survey method and data analysis was done using SPSS software.House buying decision is a collective family decision even though the first phase of information collection and final phase of decision process dealing with payments and company is mostly done by males. It shows that mostly the purchase decision is a collective decision done with their family members. Major age categories of buyers are from30-50 years which confirms that this is the age that potential buyers make their purchase decision. Most of the respondents are Sri Lankans while there is a mix of other nationalities, and a higher portion of Sri Lankan potential buyers are living abroad. Majority of buyers’ income lays in between (LKR) 1-5 million. Further, the majority of the respondents are well educated and are business owners while average household size of these respondents was 4 members.Keywords: Demography, Potential buyers, Luxury Condominiu

Heat capacity anomalies of the molecular crystal 1-fluoro-adamantane at low temperatures

Disorder–disorder phase transitions are rare in nature. Here, we present a comprehensive low-temperature experimental and theoretical study of the heat capacity and vibrational density of states of 1-fluoro-adamantane (C10H15F), an intriguing molecular crystal that presents a continuous disorder–disorder phase transition at T¿=¿180 K and a low-temperature tetragonal phase that exhibits fractional fluorine occupancy. It is shown that fluorine occupancy disorder in the low-T phase of 1-fluoro-adamantane gives rise to the appearance of low-temperature glassy features in the corresponding specific heat (i.e., “boson peak” -BP-) and vibrational density of states. We identify the inflation of low-energy optical modes as the main responsible for the appearance of such glassy heat-capacity features and propose a straightforward correlation between the first localized optical mode and maximum BP temperature for disordered molecular crystals (either occupational or orientational). Thus, the present study provides new physical insights into the possible origins of the BP appearing in disordered materials and expands the set of molecular crystals in which “glassy-like” heat-capacity features have been observed.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version