Expansion-induced contribution to the precession of binary orbits

We point out the existence of new effects of global spacetime expansion on local binary systems. In addition to a possible change of orbital size, there is a contribution to the precession of elliptic orbits, to be added to the well-known general relativistic effect in static spacetimes, and the eccentricity can change. Our model calculations are done using geodesics in a McVittie metric, representing a localized system in an asymptotically Robertson-Walker spacetime; we give a few numerical estimates for that case, and indicate ways in which the model should be improved.Comment: revtex, 7 pages, no figures; revised for publication in Classical and Quantum Gravity, with minor changes in response to referees' comment

FORMULATING ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL INDICATORS FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT. ESRI Policy Research Series, 1996

The programme of the present government includes a commitment to "working towards a new set of indicators of sustainable economic development which will take account of environmental as well as social factors". The central concern is to go beyond existing measures of economic activity produced within the national accounting framework (such as GDP or national income) in order to develop a more complete picture of economic and social progress in Ireland. The present publication provides an overview of the issues and options which arise in connection with this commitment, and suggests steps which might be taken in pursuing it. The publication is set out in two largely separate essays, one dealing with environmental indicators, the other with social indicators. While it would be desirable to deal with those two topics together, the differences in the intellectual and institutional traditions from which they have developed are such that an integrated approach has not yet emerged. In the final section of the present summary, the recommendations emerging from the two essays are brought together, though they are presented separately in the body of the report

The Great Recession, Austerity and Inequality: Evidence from Ireland. ESRI WP499. April 2015

The advent of the Great Recession and the widespread adoption of fiscal austerity policies have heightened concern about inequality and its effects. We examine how the distribution of income in Ireland has evolved over the years 2008 to 2013, using data from the CSO’s Survey on Income and Living Conditions. Snapshots of the income distribution show that the greatest falls in income were for the bottom decile (poorest 10 per cent). Longitudinal analysis shows that these sharp falls were not due to decreasing income for those remaining in the bottom decile, but to falling income among those with somewhat higher incomes. Most of those falling into the bottom decile came from the bottom one third of the income distribution

TACKLING LOW INCOME AND DEPRIVATION: DEVELOPING EFFECTIVE POLICIES. RESEARCH SERIES NUMBER 1 JUNE 2008

This study examines options for the future development of the Irish welfare state, with a view to tackling low income and deprivation more effectively. It draws on existing national and cross-country evidence as well as providing new analyses to inform policy debate in this area. The impact of alternative policy choices is explored using SWITCH, the ESRI tax-benefit model

Crisis, Response and Distributional Impact: The Case of Ireland. ESRI WP456. May 2013

Ireland is one of the countries most severely affected by the Great Recession. National income fell by more than 10 per cent between 2007 and 2012, as a result of the bursting of a remarkable property bubble, an exceptionally severe banking crisis, and deep fiscal adjustment. This paper examines the income distribution consequences of the recession, and identifies the impact of a broad range of austerity policies on the income distribution. The overall fall in income was just under 8 per cent between 2008 and 2011, but the greatest losses were strongly concentrated on the bottom and top deciles. Tax, welfare and public sector pay changes over the 2008 to 2013 period gave rise to slightly lower than average losses for the bottom decile. Thus, the larger than average losses observed overall are not due to these policy changes; instead, the main driving factors are the direct effects of the recession itself. Policy changes do contribute to the larger than average losses at high income levels

A Rare Case Report of a Testicular Germ-Cell Tumor (GCT) Metastasis Mimicking Pancreatic Malignancy

Introduction: Testicular germ cell tumors (TGCT), evenly divided into two histologic types, seminomas and nonseminomas, are the most common malignancy among males between ages 15 to 44 years [1, 2]. The incidence of TGCT in the U.S. has increased over the past 20 years, being attributed to chronic exposure environmental risk factors (i.e. pesticides and plastic component polyvinyl chloride) in addition to genetic predisposition [1, 3-6]. Description: We report of an unusual case of retroperitoneal metastatic GCT clinically simulating a pancreatic lymphoma. A 31-year-old male presented with a 2-month history of abdominal pain in the right upper quadrant, 40-pound weight loss, nausea, episodes of emesis and decreased appetite. Abdominal computed tomography scan showed a large heterogenous mass measuring 11 x 8 cm in close proximity to the head and body of the pancreas. This tumor encased portions of the celiac trunk, superior mesenteric artery, splenic, superior mesenteric and portal veins. Additional solid masses measuring 8.2 cm and 10 x 8.8 cm were noted inferior to porta hepatis and medial to the left kidney, respectively. Given the tumor distribution, patient was suspected of having pancreatic lymphoma and underwent endoscopic ultrasound-guided tissue sampling of the tumor. Microscopic examination of the biopsy revealed solid nests of infiltrative malignant epitheloid cells characterized by nuclear pleomorphisms and hyperchromatic nuclei with focal necrotic and apoptotic debris. Immunohistochemical stains revealed positive pancytokeratin and SALL4, a transcription factor specific for embryonic cell pluripotency and an immunohistochemical marker for TGCT [7]. Laboratory tests revealed elevated serum levels of alpha fetoprotein (AFP = 57.8 ng/ml; reference: 10-20 ng/ml), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH = 2919 units/L; reference:106-242 units/L) and beta human chronic gonadotrophin (β-hCG =1458 IU/L; reference: 0-3 IU/L). Both microscopic and laboratory findings are consistent with metastatic retroperitoneal GCT. Subsequent clinical history and physical exam of the patient revealed a right testicular solid mass measuring 13.3 x 7.8 x 10.7 cm. Patient was aware of this progressively enlarging right testicular mass for the past 5-years, but had not undergone previous evaluation. Patient’s family history is negative for TGCT and denied undergoing orchiopexy for cryptorchidism during his childhood. Patient has been working in a plastic manufacturing company with exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals, a potential exogenous risk factor for his TGCT [5]. Conclusion: Final diagnosis was “Stage IIIA-Testicular GCT-Low-risk” based on the primary and metastatic sites involvement and serum tumor marker levels. The patient underwent radical orchiectomy of the right testicle followed by 4 cycles of chemotherapy with etoposide/cisplatin/bleomycin for the remaining retroperitoneal tumors. The five-year progression-free and overall survival rate for our patient are 89% and 92%, respectively [1]. This case highlights an unusual presentation of retroperitoneal GCT metastasis and the need to include the following differentials of lymphoma, sarcoma, and GCT for retroperitoneal masses with lymphadenopathy

On the time dependent Schwarzschild - de Sitter spacetime

An imperfect cosmic fluid with energy flux is analyzed. Even though its energy density $\rho$ is positive, the pressure $p = -\rho$ due to the fact that the metric is asymptotically de Sitter. The kinematical quantities for a nongeodesic congruence are computed. The scalar expansion is time independent but divergent at the singularity $r = 2m$. Far from the central mass $m$ and for a cosmic time $\bar{t} << H^{-1}$, the heat flux $q$ does not depend on Newton's constant $G$.Comment: 8 pages, no figures, Sections 3 and 5 enlarged, one reference adde

A Characterisation of Strong Wave Tails in Curved Space-Times

A characterisation of when wave tails are strong is proposed. The existence of a curvature induced tail (i.e. a Green's function term whose support includes the interior of the light-cone) is commonly understood to cause backscattering of the field governed by the relevant wave equation. Strong tails are characterised as those for which the purely radiative part of the field is backscattered. With this definition, it is shown that electromagnetic waves in asymptotically flat space-times and fields governed by tail-free propagation have weak tails, but minimally coupled scalar fields in a cosmological scenario have strong tails.Comment: 17 pages, Revtex, to appear in Classical and Quantum Gravit