Trade opening, fiscal reforms, poverty, and inequality: a CGE analysis for Bangladesh

We assess the short- and long-run impacts of tariff reform policies on Bangladeshi households' poverty and income distribution by developing an 86-sector, four-factor, and nine-household-group computable general equilibrium (CGE) model. The main findings are that the complete removal of tariffs leads to a decrease in overall poverty with rich household groups in a relatively better position. In the short run poverty incidence increases for rural landless, urban illiterate, and low-educated household groups whereas rural large farmer and urban medium household groups enjoy improvements in all poverty indicators. In terms of income distribution, trade liberalization enhances inequality slightly, but there is a tendency towards more equitable distribution in the long run. The choice of a fiscal compensatory mechanism with consumption tax is likely to play a negative role in terms of poverty and inequality in the short run; however, interestingly, the results are pro-poor in the long run

Measurement of W gamma and Z gamma production in pp collisions at root s=7 TeV

A measurement of W gamma and Z gamma production in proton-proton collisions at root s = 7 TeV is presented. Results are based on a data sample recorded by the CMS experiment at the LHC, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 36 pb(-1). The electron and muon decay channels of the W and Z are used. The total cross sections are measured for photon transverse energy E-T(gamma) > 10 GeV and spatial separation from charged leptons in the plane of pseudorapidity and azimuthal angle Delta R(l.gamma) > 0.7, and with an additional dilepton invariant mass requirement of M-ll > 50 GeV for the Z gamma process. The following cross section times branching fraction values are found: sigma(pp -> W gamma + X) x B(W -> lv) = 56.3 +/- 5.0(stat.) +/- 5.0(syst.) +/- 2.3(lumi.) pb and sigma(pp -> Z gamma + X) x B(Z -> ll) = 9.4 +/- 1.0(stat.) +/- 0.6(syst.) +/- 0.4(lumi.) pb. These measurements are in agreement with standard model predictions. The first limits on anomalous WW gamma, ZZ gamma, and Z gamma gamma trilinear gauge couplings at root s = 7 TeV are set. (C) 2011 CERN. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Search for a heavy bottom-like quark in pp collisions at root s=7 TeV

A search for pair-produced bottom-like quarks in pp collisions at root s = 7 TeV is conducted with the CMS experiment at the LHC. The decay b' -> tW is considered in this search. The b'(b) over bar' tW-(t) over barW(+) process can be identified by the distinctive signature of trileptons and same-sign dileptons. With a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 34 pb(-1), no excess above the standard model background predictions is observed and a b' quark with a mass between 255 and 361 GeV/c(2) is excluded at the 95% confidence level. (C) 2011 CERN. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved