Financial stability, target inflation as a monetary rule and concepts of money policy: Implications for the optimal analysis

In this article, basing on offensive lecturing research articles of famous authors on financial instability and monetary policy, we propose as aim of this paper to discuss the controversial rule vs. discretion in monetary policy and the new institutional framework of inflation targeting as a remedy for inflationary pressures after the cause of the intermediate target of monetary anchors and exchange rate policy, since the year 70's of the last Century. To do this, we treated a literature review in the field, assigning the work of various economists thus handling of monetary policy favors the discretion/rule to the new inflation target strategy in 90's and  2000. We put particular emphasis on the second step of this paper on the possibility of inflation targeting as an anti-inflationary objective defended for its main defendants.Keywords: monetary policy, rule, discretion, financial instability, inflation targeting. JEL Classification: E42, E43, E52, E58

Strong Purcell effect observed in single thick shell CdSe/CdS nanocrystals coupled to localized surface plasmons

High quality factor dielectric cavities designed to a nanoscale accuracy are mostly used to increase the spontaneous emission rate of a single emitter. Here we show that the coupling, at room temperature, between thick shell CdSe/CdS nanocrystals and random metallic films offers a very promising alternative approach. Optical modes confined at the nanoscale induce strong Purcell factors reaching values as high as 60. Moreover the quantum emission properties can be tailored: strong antibunching or radiative biexcitonic cascades can be obtained with high photon collection efficiency and extremely reduced blinking.Comment: 16 pages, 7 figure

Specific heat and magnetocaloric effect in Pr1-xAgxMnO3 manganites

The magnetocaloric effect in alternating magnetic fields has been investigated in Pr1-xAgxMnO3 manganites with x=0.05-0.25. The stepwise reversal of the sign of the magnetocaloric effect has been revealed in a weakly doped sample (x=0.05) at low temperatures (~80 K). This reversal is attributed to the coexistence of the ferromagnetic and canted antiferromagnetic phases with different critical temperatures.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

Modulation des propriétés ONL de ligands azobenzéniques par coordination de cations métalliques

National audienc

Clustering dynamics of Lagrangian tracers in free-surface flows

We study the formation of clusters of passive Lagrangian tracers in a non-smooth turbulent flow in a flat free-slip surface as a model for particle dynamics on free surfaces. Single particle and pair dispersion show different behavior for short and large times: on short times particles cluster exponentially rapidly until patches of the size of the divergence correlation length are depleted; on larger times the pair dispersion is dominated by almost ballistic hopping between clusters. We also find that the distribution of particle density is close to algebraic and can trace this back to the exponential distribution of the divergence field of the surface flow.Comment: 5 pages, 5 Postscript figure

Variation of Grain Yield, Grain Protein Content and Nitrogen Use Efficiency Components under Different Nitrogen Rates in Mediterranean Durum Wheat Genotypes

Nitrogen (N) is a crucial nutrient for plant growth and development. To optimize agricultural environments, N fertilizers represent a critical tool to regulate crop productivity. The improvement of nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) represents a promising tool that may enable cereal production to meet future food demand. Wheat reported contrasting behaviors in N utilization showing specific abilities depending on genotype. This study selected two landraces and two improved genotypes from Northern Africa to investigate grain yield (GY), grain protein content (GPC) and NUE. Plants were grown under three levels of N supply: 0, 75, 150 kg N ha−1 and for two consecutive years. Results reported a better NUE (0.40 kg.kg N−1) obtained under 150 kg N ha−1, while N utilization efficiency (NUtE) showed a 13% increase using 75 kg N ha−1 compared with 150 kg N ha−1. Under low nitrogen rate (0 N), crop N supply (CNS) and N uptake efficiency (NUpE) were shown as determinant factors for improved genotypes GY (R2 = 0.72), while NUtE represented the most determinant component for GPC in landraces (R2 = 0.92). Multivariate regression models explained the dependence in GPC on NUE, NUpE, and NUtE. In conclusion, our results recognize GPC and NUtE as suitable selection traits to identify durum wheat with higher NUE

A coupled viscoelastic-viscoplastic-damage model for short fibre reinforced composites

A constitutive model of viscous behaviour of short-fibre reinforced composites (SFRC) where complex distributions of fibre orientations are taken into account is proposed in this work. The approach considered for the computation of composite macroscopic behaviour is based on an additive decomposition of the state potential. The SFRC is assimilated to an assembly of several fibre media embedded in a polymeric matrix medium. One of the main assets of this approach is the possibility to model reinforcement with complex distributions of fibre orientations. Moreover, this decomposition allows the implementation of complex behaviour laws coupled with damage models. The polymeric matrix behaviour is typically strain-rate sensitive, i.e. viscoelastic-viscoplastic. This property has to be taken into account when the modelling of the composite behaviour over a large range of strain rate is intended. Therefore, a viscoelastic constitutive model, based on a generalised Maxwell model, and a viscoplastic correction scheme, based on an overstress approach, are implemented for matrix material. The developed constitutive model is then coupled to two damage laws. The first one is introduced in the framework of Continuum Damage Mechanics in order to model the ductile damage behaviour of the matrix material. The second one deals with fibre/matrix interfacial degradation through an interfacial debonding law. In order to identify the parameters involved in the present model, experimental tests are performed (case of polypropylene reinforced with short glass fibres). Micro-computed tomography is used for the characterisation of the fibres distribution of orientation. The efficiency of the proposed model is demonstrated by comparisons between numerical and experimental responses in different loading conditions, including dynamic loadings