CMB Neutrino Mass Bounds and Reionization

Current cosmic microwave background (CMB) bounds on the sum of the neutrino masses assume a sudden reionization scenario described by a single parameter that determines the onset of reionization. We investigate the bounds on the neutrino mass in a more general reionization scenario based on a principal component approach. We found the constraint on the sum of the neutrino masses from CMB data can be relaxed by a $\sim$40% in a generalized reionization scenario. Moreover, the amplitude of the r.m.s. mass fluctuations $\sigma_8$ is also considerably lower providing a better consistency with a low amplitude of the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich signal

What does anticipated monetary policy do?

Forward rate guidance, which has been used with increasing regularity by monetary policymakers, relies on the manipulation of expectations of future short-term interest rates. We identify shocks to these expectations at short and long horizons since the early 1980s and examine their effects on contemporaneous macroeconomic outcomes. Our identification uses sign restrictions on survey forecasts incorporated in a structural VAR model to isolate expected deviations from the monetary- policy rule. We find that expectations of future policy easing that materialize over the subsequent four quarters - similar to those generated by credible forward guidance - .have immediate and persistent stimulative effects on output, inflation, and employment. The effects are larger than those produced by an identical shift in the policy path that is not anticipated. Our results are broadly consistent with the mechanism underlying forward guidance in New Keynesian models, but they suggest that those models overstate the persistence of the inflation response. Further, we find that changes in short-rate expectations farther in the future have weaker macroeconomic effects, the opposite of what most New Keynesian models predict

Pengaruh Efikasi Diri Dan Kemandirian Belajar Terhadap Hasil Belajar Mata Kuliah Geometri Dasar Pada Mahasiswa Program Studi Pendidikan Matematika Universitas Flores

Kesuksesan mahasiswa belajar diperguruan tinggi sangat dipengaruhi oleh semangat hidup yang tinggi, dan rasa optimis yang besar terhadap kesuksesan. Kesuksesan akan diraih oleh mahasiswa jika mahasiswa tersebut mampu untuk mengatasi kesulitan-kesulitan yang mungkin terjadi pada saat perkuliahan. Salah satu kesulitan yang juga berperan penting bagi mahasiswa untuk meraih kesuksesan adalah efikasi diri dan kemandirian belajar. Setiap mahasiswa mempunyai kesulitan yang berbeda-beda, baik dalam hal mata kuliah maupun dalam hal penerimaan metode pembelajaran yang diberikan.  Oleh karena itu penelitian ini bertujuan untuk melihat sejauh mana Pengaruh efikasi diri dan kemandirian belajar siswa terhadap hasil belajar mata kuliah geometri dasar program studi pendidikan matematika universitas Flores. Penelitian ini merupakan penelitian explanatory yang menjelaskan hubungan kausal antara variable-variabel yang mempengaruhi hipotesis atau teori yang menjelaskan mengapa suatu fenomena terjadi. Fenomena dalam penelitian ini adalah efikasi diri dan kemandirian belajar mahasiswa. Hasil penelitian ini menunjukkan Efikasi Diri (X1) dan Kemandirian Belajar (X2) mempunyai pengaruh yang positif terhadap Hasil Belajar (Y) diketahui dari hasil analisis korelasi diperoleh dari nilai R hitung untuk X1 terhadap Y sebesar 0.607 dan X2 terhadap Y nilai R hitung diperoleh sebesar 0.583 dan nilai signifikansi antara X1 dan X2 terhadap Y diperoleh dua tanda bintang (**) sehingga ada pengaruh positif dengan taraf signifikansi 1 %.. Dengan kata lain semakin meningkatnya atau semakin baiknya Efikasi Diri dan Kemandirian Belajar maka akan meningkat pula hasil belajar dari mahasiswa itu sendiri. Kata kunci : Efikasi Diri; Hasil Belajar; Geometri Dasa

High-resolution multiphoton tomography and fluorescence lifetime imaging of UVB-induced cellular damage on cultured fibroblasts producing fibres

Background: Multiphoton tomography (MPT) is suitable to perform both ex vivo and in vivo investigations of living skin and cell cultures with submicron resolution. Fluorescence lifetime imaging (FLIM) generates image contrast between different states of tissue characterized by various fluorescence decay rates. Our purpose was to combine MPT and FLIM to evaluate fibroblasts and collagen fibres produced in vitro. Methods: Fibroblast cultures, 2-4 days old, at a subconfluent stage, were evaluated before and after irradiation with a single UVB dose. One month old cultures stimulated with ascorbic acid were also assessed. Results: After UVB radiation, fibroblasts appear irregular in size, lose their alignment and show a decrease in fluorescence lifetime. One month-old fibroblasts, producing collagen fibres after stimulation with ascorbic acid, appear as small roundish structures intermingled by filaments showing a granular arrangement. Conclusion: The combination of MPT and FLIM may be useful for the in vitro study of cell modifications induced by injurious or protective agents and drugs. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S

Harrison-Z'eldovich primordial spectrum is consistent with observations

Inflation predicts primordial scalar perturbations with a nearly scale-invariant spectrum and a spectral index approximately unity (the Harrison--Zel'dovich (HZ) spectrum). The first important step for inflationary cosmology is to check the consistency of the HZ primordial spectrum with current observations. Recent analyses have claimed that a HZ primordial spectrum is excluded at more than 99% c.l.. Here we show that the HZ spectrum is only marginally disfavored if one considers a more general reionization scenario. Data from the Planck mission will settle the issue.Comment: 4 Pages, 2 Figure

Impact of general reionization scenarios on extraction of inflationary parameters

Determination of whether the Harrison--Zel'dovich spectrum for primordial scalar perturbations is consistent with observations is sensitive to assumptions about the reionization scenario. In light of this result, we revisit constraints on inflationary models using more general reionization scenarios. While the bounds on the tensor-to-scalar ratio are largely unmodified, when different reionization schemes are addressed, hybrid models are back into the inflationary game. In the general reionization picture, we reconstruct both the shape and amplitude of the inflaton potential. We find a broader spectrum of potential shapes when relaxing the simple reionization restriction. An upper limit of $10^{16}$ GeV to the amplitude of the potential is found, regardless of the assumptions on the reionization history.Comment: 10 Pages, 9 figure

Augmented Exercise Biking with Virtual Environments for Elderly Users:Considerations on the use of auditory feedback

Virtual reality (VR) has been shown to function well as an assistive technology to physical therapy for elderly users. Elderly users, and more specifically retirement home residents, form a unique user group in this field, due to their characteristics and demands. In a case study, retirement home residents used an audio-visual virtual environment (VE) augmentation for an exercise bike. Besides a visual display, a soundscape was played to the subjects using headphones. The soundscape was not no- ticed wand the headphones were found to be obtrusive. In this paper, we consider and discuss possible approaches to alternative auditory and haptic delivery methods for future studies. These nonvisual displays need to fit the requirements and limitations of the retirement home subjects who are to exercise using the VE-based augmenta- tion from the case study

Perturbative approach to the structure of rapidly rotating neutron stars

We construct models of rotating stars using the perturbative approach introduced by J. Hartle in 1967, and a set of equations of state proposed to model hadronic interactions in the inner core of neutron stars. We integrate the equations of stellar structure to third order in the angular velocity and show, comparing our results to those obtained with fully non linear codes, to what extent third order corrections are needed to accurately reproduce the moment of inertia of a star which rotates at rates comparable to that of the fastest isolated pulsars.Comment: 17 pages, 5 figures, minor changes to match version accepted by Phys. Rev.