Some Evidence on Finite Sample Behavior of an Instrumental Variables Estimator of the Linear Quadtratic Inventory Model

We evaluate some aspects of the finite sample distribution of an instrumental variables estimator of a first order condition of the Holt et al. (1960) linear quadratic inventory model. We find that for some but not all empirically relevant data generating processes and sample sizes, asymptotic theory predicts a wide dispersion of parameter estimates, with a substantial finite sample probability of estimates with incorrect signs. For such data generating processes, simulation evidence suggests that different choices of left hand side variables often produce parameter estimates of an opposite sign. More generally, while the asymptotic theory often provides a good approximation to the finite sample distribution, sometimes it does not

Alternative strategies for aggregating prices in the CPI

Consumer price indexes ; Prices

Progress in turbulence modeling for complex flow fields including effects of compressibility

Two second-order-closure turbulence models were devised that are suitable for predicting properties of complex turbulent flow fields in both incompressible and compressible fluids. One model is of the "two-equation" variety in which closure is accomplished by introducing an eddy viscosity which depends on both a turbulent mixing energy and a dissipation rate per unit energy, that is, a specific dissipation rate. The other model is a "Reynolds stress equation" (RSE) formulation in which all components of the Reynolds stress tensor and turbulent heat-flux vector are computed directly and are scaled by the specific dissipation rate. Computations based on these models are compared with measurements for the following flow fields: (a) low speed, high Reynolds number channel flows with plane strain or uniform shear; (b) equilibrium turbulent boundary layers with and without pressure gradients or effects of compressibility; and (c) flow over a convex surface with and without a pressure gradient

Cosmological constant and Euclidean space from nonperturbative quantum torsion

Heisenberg's nonperturbative quantization technique is applied to the nonpertrubative quantization of gravity. An infinite set of equations for all Green's functions is obtained. An approximation is considered where: (a) the metric remains as a classical field; (b) the affine connection can be decomposed into classical and quantum parts; (c) the classical part of the affine connection are the Christoffel symbols; (d) the quantum part is the torsion. Using a scalar and vector fields approximation it is shown that nonperturbative quantum effects gives rise to a cosmological constant and an Euclidean solution.Comment: title is changed. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:1201.106

Quality Improvement in Health Care: A Framework for Price and Output Measurement

The durability of health care treatment, the substantial technical change in health care treatment, and the prevalence of third-party payment interact to create substantial difficulty in measuring the price and output of health care. This paper provides a framework for analyzing the demand for health care taking into account these difficulties. It then suggests how this framework might be used to improve measurement of health care prices and output.

Decay Resistance in Redwood: (Sequoia Sempervirens) Heartwood as Related To Color and Extractives

Decay resistance and water-soluble and ethanol-soluble extractive contents were determined for redwood heartwood boards having a full range of natural color variation. Decay resistance and ethanol-soluble extractive content were greatest in the darkest boards. Water-soluble extractives varied inconsistently with board color and decay resistance. Correlation analysis showed that as much as 69% of the variation in weight loss could be accounted for by ethanol-soluble extractive concentration

Control of Brown Stain in Sugar Pine with Environmentally Acceptable Chemicals

Because of the hazards in using sodium azide for controlling brown stain, a less hazardous chemical was sought. Phosphoric acid was found to be the most successful treatment of the chemicals screened. A sufficient concentration of an iron chelating agent, in conjunction with lowered pH, resulted in a reduction in brown stain. Antioxidants were found to be ineffective

Particle Swarm Optimization and gravitational wave data analysis: Performance on a binary inspiral testbed

The detection and estimation of gravitational wave (GW) signals belonging to a parameterized family of waveforms requires, in general, the numerical maximization of a data-dependent function of the signal parameters. Due to noise in the data, the function to be maximized is often highly multi-modal with numerous local maxima. Searching for the global maximum then becomes computationally expensive, which in turn can limit the scientific scope of the search. Stochastic optimization is one possible approach to reducing computational costs in such applications. We report results from a first investigation of the Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) method in this context. The method is applied to a testbed motivated by the problem of detection and estimation of a binary inspiral signal. Our results show that PSO works well in the presence of high multi-modality, making it a viable candidate method for further applications in GW data analysis.Comment: 13 pages, 5 figure

A preliminary analysis of the data from experiment 77-13 and final report on glass fining experiments in zero gravity

Thermal fining, thermal migration of bubbles under reduced gravity conditions, and data to verify current theoretical models of bubble location and temperatures as a function of time are discussed. A sample, sodium borate glass, was tested during 5 to 6 minutes of zero gravity during rocket flight. The test cell contained a heater strip; thermocouples were in the sample. At present quantitative data are insufficient to confirm results of theoretical calculations