Fiscal Policy in Brazil through the Lens of an Estimated DSGE Model

This paper takes Brazilian data to an open economy DSGE model that features realistic aspects of fiscal policy in Brazil. The model incorporates primary surplus targets, cyclical expenditures and social programs in the form of public transfers, public investment and distortive taxation. We test for two competing specifications of the role of public capital in the real economy. Bayesian model comparison favors the infrastructure approach to public capital. The presence of non-Ricardian households allows fiscal policy shocks to affect real economy aggregates and distribution. The model is used to address questions regarding the effect of shocks to different fiscal policy instruments upon the business cycle. We also investigate whether recent fiscal policy in Brazil has exerted significant inflationary pressures.

Double Exchange model for nanoscopic clusters

We solve the double exchange model on nanoscopic clusters exactly, and specifically consider a six-site benzene-like nanocluster. This simple model is an ideal testbed for studying magnetism in nanoclusters and for validating approximations such as the dynamical mean field theory (DMFT). Non-local correlations arise between neighboring localized spins due to the Hund's rule coupling, favoring a short-range magnetic order of ferro- or antiferromagnetic type. For a geometry with more neighboring sites or a sufficiently strong hybridization between leads and the nanocluster, these non-local correlations are less relevant, and DMFT can be applied reliably.Comment: 9 pages, 9 figures, 1 tabl

Shear viscosity of neutron matter from realistic nucleon-nucleon interactions

The calculation of transport properties of Fermi liquids, based on the formalism developed by Abrikosov and Khalatnikov, requires the knowledge of the probability of collisions between quasiparticles in the vicinity of the Fermi surface. We have carried out a numerical study of the shear viscosity of pure neutron matter, whose value plays a pivotal role in determining the stability of rotating neutron stars, in which these processes are described using a state-of-the-art nucleon-nucleon potential model. Within our approach medium modifications of the scattering cross section are consistently taken into account, through an effective interaction obtained from the matrix elements of the bare interaction between correlated states. Inclusion of medium effects lead to a large increase of the viscosity at densities larger than $\sim 0.1$ fm^{-3}.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures. Corrected typo

Efficacy of first-line sodium thiosulphate administration in a case of potassium cyanide poisoning

Cyanide poisoning may occur following accidental fire-smoke inhalation or deliberate ingestion of salts. Hydroxocobalamin represents a first-line life-saving antidote. Although hydroxocobalamin represents a first-line lifesaving antidote, it is still not promptly available in the emergency department. Sodium thiosulfate can be administered in association with hydroxocobalamin whereas the delayed onset of clinical response makes sodium thiosulfate less suitable for emergency use. We describe a case of cyanide intoxication of a 43-year-old man who ingested an unknown amount of potassium cyanide, purchased via the Internet, in an attempted suicide. At admission to the emergency department, the patient presented GCS 3 with severe lactic acidosis. Orotracheal intubation, gastric lavage and oral activated charcoal were applied. Sodium thiosulfate was available in the emergency department and 10 grams were infused over a 30 minute period. Hydroxocobalamin was prescribed by the poison control centre and 5 grams were infused 2 hours after admission. Following sodium thiosulfate administration the patient was arousable and lactate concentration improved. No adverse effects were noted. Metabolic acidosis completely resolved 12 hours later. Cyanide concentration performed on blood samples collected at admission confirmed high cyanide blood levels (15 mg/L). This report highlights as the first-line administration of sodium thiosulfate, in rapid infusion, resulted effective and safe for cyanide poisoning. Our report suggests that sodium thiosulfate should be considered when hydroxocobalamin is not promptly available in an emergency settin

Realistic theory of electronic correlations in nanoscopic systems

Nanostructures with open shell transition metal or molecular constituents host often strong electronic correlations and are highly sensitive to atomistic material details. This tutorial review discusses method developments and applications of theoretical approaches for the realistic description of the electronic and magnetic properties of nanostructures with correlated electrons. First, the implementation of a flexible interface between density functional theory and a variant of dynamical mean field theory (DMFT) highly suitable for the simulation of complex correlated structures is explained and illustrated. On the DMFT side, this interface is largely based on recent developments of quantum Monte Carlo and exact diagonalization techniques allowing for efficient descriptions of general four fermion Coulomb interactions, reduced symmetries and spin-orbit coupling, which are explained here. With the examples of the Cr (001) surfaces, magnetic adatoms, and molecular systems it is shown how the interplay of Hubbard U and Hund's J determines charge and spin fluctuations and how these interactions drive different sorts of correlation effects in nanosystems. Non-local interactions and correlations present a particular challenge for the theory of low dimensional systems. We present our method developments addressing these two challenges, i.e., advancements of the dynamical vertex approximation and a combination of the constrained random phase approximation with continuum medium theories. We demonstrate how non-local interaction and correlation phenomena are controlled not only by dimensionality but also by coupling to the environment which is typically important for determining the physics of nanosystems.Comment: tutorial review submitted to EPJ-ST (scientific report of research unit FOR 1346); 14 figures, 26 page

Reducing Interconnect Cost in NoC through Serialized Asynchronous Links

This work investigates the application of serialization as a means of reducing the number of wires in NoC combined with asynchronous links in order to simplify the clocking of the link. Throughput is reduced but savings in routing area and reduction in power could make this attractiv