Effects of Inhomogeneity on the Causal Entropic prediction of Lambda

The causal entropic principle aims to predict the unexpectedly small value of the cosmological constant Lambda using a weighting by entropy increase on causal diamonds. The original work assumed a purely isotropic and homogeneous cosmology. But even the level of inhomogeneity observed in our universe forces reconsideration of certain arguments about entropy production. In particular, we must consider an ensemble of causal diamonds associated with one cosmology, and we can no longer immediately discard entropy production in the far future of the universe. Depending on our choices for a probability measure and our treatment of black hole evaporation, the prediction for Lambda may be left intact or dramatically altered.Comment: 9 pages, 5 figures. V2: appearing in Phys Rev. D, including additional discussion of generic late-time entropy sources and a more general calculation of their effects on the prediction for \Lambda, along with an updated figur

Landscaping with fluxes and the E8 Yukawa Point in F-theory

Integrality in the Hodge theory of Calabi-Yau fourfolds is essential to find the vacuum structure and the anomaly cancellation mechanism of four dimensional F-theory compactifications. We use the Griffiths-Frobenius geometry and homological mirror symmetry to fix the integral monodromy basis in the primitive horizontal subspace of Calabi-Yau fourfolds. The Gamma class and supersymmetric localization calculations in the 2d gauged linear sigma model on the hemisphere are used to check and extend this method. The result allows us to study the superpotential and the Weil-Petersson metric and an associated tt* structure over the full complex moduli space of compact fourfolds for the first time. We show that integral fluxes can drive the theory to N=1 supersymmetric vacua at orbifold points and argue that fluxes can be chosen that fix the complex moduli of F-theory compactifications at gauge enhancements including such with U(1) factors. Given the mechanism it is natural to start with the most generic complex structure families of elliptic Calabi-Yau 4-fold fibrations over a given base. We classify these families in toric ambient spaces and among them the ones with heterotic duals. The method also applies to the creating of matter and Yukawa structures in F-theory. We construct two SU(5) models in F-theory with a Yukawa point that have a point on the base with an $E_8$-type singularity on the fiber and explore their embeddings in the global models. The explicit resolution of the singularity introduce a higher dimensional fiber and leads to novel features.Comment: 150 page

A Quantile Regression Decomposition of Urban-Rural Inequality in Vietnam

We use the Vietnam Living Standards Surveys from 1992-93 and 1997-98 to examine inequality between urban and rural areas in Vietnam. Real per capita household consumption expenditure (RPCE) is our measure of well being. We apply a quantile regression decomposition technique to analyze the difference between the urban and rural distributions of log RPCE. Most of the difference between the upper tails of the distributions is due to differences in the marginal effects of covariates such as age or education rather than differences in the covariates themselves, but the opposite is true in the lower tails. Interesting regional and time effects are also identified.

Function of Song in Chipping Sparrows (Spizella passerina)

The functions most commonly ascribed to bird song are mate attraction and territory defense. These are combined into the dual function hypothesis. I tested this hypothesis to determine if these are the functions of song in chipping sparrows (Spizella passerina). I performed a series of neighbor/stranger song playbacks to test the territory defense portion of the dual function hypothesis. If song has a territorial function, songs of different individuals might be recognized by territory owners and might elicit different levels of response. However, territorial male chipping sparrows did not respond differently to neighbor and stranger song playbacks either early in the breeding cycle (n=!8) or after the onset of incubation (n=10). There was also no decrease in Urn ’cvel of response between the early and late playbacks. These experiments did not elicit the pattern of results predicted on the basis that song has a territorial function. I also attempted to determine sorig function by quantifying song output relative to reproductive status. High levels of singing were observed only in unmated males (n=27). Singing activity effectively ceased after pairing. This pattern of singing rejects the dual function hypothesis and supports an alternative that song has only a mate attraction function. Information from a limited number of studies has been used to develop assumptions about the relationship of song function and complexity. These assumptions relate the function of mate attraction to song complexity, while territorial song is expected to be short, simple, and stereotyped. However, chipping sparrow song appears to function solely in mate attraction, while its physical features resemble what could be considered typical territorial song. Possible relationships between the physical features and function of chipping sparrow song are discussed

The Life and Ministry of Carrie Judd Montgomery

If ever there was a woman whose life reflected the dynamic forces within key American religous movements of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Carrie Judd Montgomery was that woman. Before she died she participated in the rise and development of holiness, faith-healing, Christian and Missionary Alliance, and pentecostal movements. The thread of her life was interwoven into the living tapestry of these movements. A leader in her own right, she rubbed elbows with other prominent religious spokesmen of the day, such as A.B. Simpson, A.J. Gordon, Charles Cullis, W.E. Boardman, Aimee Simple McPherson, Smith Wigglesworth, Robert Craig, J.R. Flower, Mary Woodworth-Etter and a host of others. The story of Carrie Judd Montgomery\u27s life and leadership portrays the fervor and concerns that dominated the streams of evangelicalism in which she moved. The record of her development stands as an exceptional microcosm of those multitudes of people who flowed in similar channels

Composite Indicators measuring structural change, to monitor the progress towards a more knowledge-intensive economy in Europe

This report is the deliverable of the second work package (WP2) of the feasibility study entitled ERA MONITORING and financed by DG RTD. The objective of this work package is to explore the possibility to develop a composite indicator of structural change towards a more knowledge-intensive economy in Europe, coherently with the orientations of the EU 2020 strategy and the Innovation Union initiativeJRC.G.3-Econometrics and applied statistic

Composite Indicators measuring the progress in the construction and integration of a European Research Area

This report is the deliverable of the first work package (WP1) of the feasibility study entitled: ‘ERA monitoring: Composite Indicators measuring the progress in the construction and integration of a European Research Area’, financed by DG RTD. For this deliverable we developed a composite indicator to measure progress in the construction and integration of a European Research Area (ERA). The indicators required for this study and the theoretical framework have been drawn and adapted using the headline indicators proposed by the expert group report on ‘ERA indicators and monitoring’ 2009 EUR 24171 EN. The report combines economic and statistical expertise and presents a comprehensive and flexible framework for an evidence-based monitoring of progress towards the European Research Area.JRC.G.3-Econometrics and applied statistic