Quenched and first unquenched lattice HQET determination of the Bs-Meson width difference

We present recent results for the prediction of the Bs lifetime difference from lattice Heavy Quark Effective Theory simulations. In order to get a next-to-leading order result we have calculated the matching between QCD and HQET and the two-loop anomalous dimensions in the HQET for all the \Delta B=2 operators, in particular for the operators which enter the width difference. We present results from quenched and, for the first time, from unquenched simulations. We obtain for the Bs lifetime difference, (\Delta\Gamma_Bs/\Gamma_Bs)^{(que.)}=(5.1+/- 1.9+/- 1.7)10^(-2) and (\Delta\Gamma_Bs/\Gamma_Bs)^{(unq.)}=(4.3+/- 2.0+/- 1.9)10^(-2) from the quenched and unquenched simulations respectivelyComment: Lattice 2000 (Heavy Quark Physics), 4 pages, LaTeX. Some misprints corrected. No result change

The impact of the patent system on the social welfare: A critical view

Purpose: This article offers a critical view of the impact of patents on economic activity. The article questions whether a strengthening of the patent system is optimal in economic terms, from a business and social perspective. Design/methodology/approach: We develop two analytic innovation models. They help us to understand how the strength of the patent system affects 1) the industry profits 2) the social welfare. Findings: The strengthening of patent systems could cause a decline in the activities of imitation and, therefore, a decrease in competition, a reduction in the production and assimilation of new technologies and could create barriers to entry into technology-intensive sectors, increasing the costs of production. We will show that a lower strength patent system and an increase in the activities of imitation can i) increase the benefits to industry as a whole ii) lead to greater social surplus. R e s e a r c h l i m i t a t i o n s / i m p l i c a t i o n s : The final set of sustainability-related issues (and drivers) presented aren’t exhaustive and are delimited by the particular scenario generated around Aqualogy’s business scope; therefore, it cannot be considered as a standard application mode. Originality/value: Much of the literature on innovation has traditionally seen imitation processes as harmful to the development of new technologies, and detrimental to the welfare of consumers, producers and society at large. That is why policies aimed at strengthening the patent system and discouraging imitation processes are associated with improvements in social welfare, -fostering innovation, trade, foreign investment and technology transfer-. However, our findings should lead us to rethink how optimal innovation policy should be designed. The problems associated with restrictions on the free market involve costs that outweigh the social benefits that patents can provide. Market mechanisms can effectively reward innovators for being the first to bring a product into the market, without the need to grant a monopoly.Peer Reviewe

Business cycle fluctuations and the cost of insurrance in computable heterogeneous agent economies

In this paper I study the business cycle implications of alternative insurance technologies using a computable general equilibrium heterogeneous agent environment. I find that the limited monetary arrangement entails larger fluctuations in hours relative to productivity than those that obtain in an identical economy where every risk is costlessly insurable. I also find that in the monetary economy the price level displays a markedly countercyclical behavior. Finally I evaluate the welafare costs of the monetary self-insurance arrangement

Supply chain management implementation in the Spanish grocery sector: An exploratory study

This paper explores the integration process that firms follow to implement Supply Chain Management (SCM) and the main barriers and benefits related to this strategy. This study has been inspired in the SCM literature, especially in the logistics integration model by Stevens [1]. Due to the exploratory nature of this paper and the need to obtain an in depth knowledge of the SCM development in the Spanish grocery sector, we used the case study methodology. A multiple case study analysis based on interviews with leading manufacturers and retailers was conducted. The results of this analysis suggest that firms seem to follow the integration process proposed by Stevens, integrating internally first, and then, extending this integration to other supply chain members. The cases also show that Spanish manufacturers, in general, seem to have a higher level of SCM development than Spanish retailers. Regarding the benefits that SCM can bring, most of the companies identify the general objectives of cost and stock reductions and service improvements. However, with respect to the barriers found in its implementation, retailers and manufacturers are not coincident: manufacturers seem to see more barriers with respect to aspects related to the other party, such as distrust and a lack of culture of sharing information, while retailers find as main barriers the need of a “know-how”, the company culture and the history and habits.Supply chain management, grocery sector, logistics integration process

Logistics integration processes in the food industry

This paper analyses the integration process that firms follow to implement Supply Chain Management (SCM). This study has been inspired in the integration model proposed by Stevens (1989). He suggests that companies internally integrate first and then extend integration to other supply chain members, such as customers and suppliers. To analyse the integration process a survey was conducted among Spanish food manufacturers. The results show that there are companies in three different integration stages. In stage I, companies are not integrated. In stage II, companies have a medium-high level of internal integration in the Logistics-Production interface, a low level of internal integration in the Logistics-Marketing interface, and a medium level of external integration. And, in stage III, companies have high levels of integration in both internal interfaces and in some of their supply chain relationships.Supply chain, management, food industry, logistics integration process

The Complexity of Planning Problems With Simple Causal Graphs

We present three new complexity results for classes of planning problems with simple causal graphs. First, we describe a polynomial-time algorithm that uses macros to generate plans for the class 3S of planning problems with binary state variables and acyclic causal graphs. This implies that plan generation may be tractable even when a planning problem has an exponentially long minimal solution. We also prove that the problem of plan existence for planning problems with multi-valued variables and chain causal graphs is NP-hard. Finally, we show that plan existence for planning problems with binary state variables and polytree causal graphs is NP-complete

Egyptian blue and/or atacamite in an ancient egyptian coffin

This work deals with the composition of the blue and green pigments used in the wooden sarcophagus studied by Abdelaal et al. and published in 2014 in this journal. From the published data, a degradation of the originally used Egyptian blue pigment is proposed. The presence of chlorine in the pigment deduced from SEM-EDS analyses and the greenish hue observed point to the formation of a certain amount of atacamite (or one of its polymorphs, paratacamite or clionoatacamite) because of the Egyptian blue degradation process named copper chloride cancer.Postprint (author's final draft

"Asiatic" copper in New Kingdom Egypt

This work presents a combination of Lead Isotope Analysis ( LIA ) and ancient Egyptian texts and depictions in order to describe the history of the ox -hide copper ingots presence in Egypt , which w ere called by the Egyptians “Asiatic copper”. Ox-hide ingots in Egypt represent a particular case where the information given by ancient sources and modern chemical analyses might be combined in order to establish the provenance of archaeological objects and the hist ory of a particular m aterial during the Bronze Age. Ox -hide ingots arrived to Egypt where the first kings of the Egyptian New Kingdom developed an impressive building program through the entire country and needed a supply of copper and other materials. The “Asiatic copper” was depicted in different tombs and temples from the 18 th to the 20 th dynasties in Thebes and Amarna. According to depictions and texts, three different regions supplied copper according to ancient Egyptians: Syria, Cyprus and Crete. Howe ver, the LIA of the lead present in mined copper permits to establish that the ingots were made of copper from Apliki mines, in Central Cyprus. The depictions in Egyptian tombs and temples probably represented not only the actual region of provenance but a lso the peoples involved in the trade, because t he ingots were traded by Syrian merchants following a route that passed Syria, Cyprus, Crete and GreecePostprint (published version