Inflation Convergence Across Countries

Ball and Sheridan (forthcoming) show that OECD countries with a history of high inflation before the 1990s have subsequently experienced a larger degree of disinflation than countries with a history of low inflation. They label this process ‘regression to the mean’, and argue that it explains why those OECD countries which adopted inflation targeting experienced larger falls in inflation compared to other OECD countries. This paper explores further this phenomenon of convergence of inflation rates across countries. An extension of the analysis used by Ball and Sheridan finds that convergence in inflation rates also occurs in a much larger sample of countries over the same time period that they study. However, tests using data from the 1960s to the 1980s show that inflation convergence across OECD countries does not occur consistently over time. In contrast, when this analysis is repeated with data for US metropolitan regions, convergence occurs consistently since the early 1960s. Interpreted in the context of historical developments in monetary policy, the evidence suggests that rather than just being a mechanical occurrence, the convergence in national inflation rates experienced in the 1990s was brought about by monetary policy becoming more similar across countries, with authorities becoming more focused on achieving low inflation, especially in those countries which had been less successful in reducing inflation in the 1980s. In other words, the adoption of inflation targeting at least partly contributed to inflation convergence in the 1990s.inflation; monetary policy

Play in the School Context? The Perspectives of Finnish Teachers

Playful learning environments (PLEs) have been constructed in schoolyards in Finland with the aim of increasing learning through play in curriculum-based education. In order to better understand and inform this development, the Hyvönen sets out to ascertain how teachers view and use play in kindergarten and elementary education. Fourteen teachers were interviewed, and the data obtained were analyzed using the grounded theory approach. Eight play types were distinguished, with the teacher having the roles of leader, allower, and afforder. Play types were found to be either curriculum-driven, or seen as facilitating friendship or integrating play and learning as a process. ‘Playful teaching’ was characterized in terms of the roles assumed by teachers and students in different play situations, the design of playful learning processes, the emphasis on developing and using children’s creativity, and the importance of fun and enjoyment. The Hyvönen concludes that teacher education should develop teachers’ pedagogical thinking through the theoretical understanding of play and learning, as well as through discussions and the modeling of play and playful teaching within teacher education program

The host galaxies of radio-quiet quasars at 0.5<z<1.0

We present near-infrared H-band imaging of 15 intermediate redshift (0.5<z<1) radio quiet quasars (RQQ) in order to characterize the properties of their host galaxies. We are able to clearly detect the surrounding nebulosity in 12 objects, whereas the object remains unresolved in three cases. For all the resolved objects, we find that the host galaxy is well represented by a de Vaucouleurs r^{1/4} surface brightness law. This is the first reasonably sized sample of intermediate redshift RQQs studied in the near-infrared. The RQQ host galaxies are luminous (average M_H=-26.3+-0.6) and large giant elliptical galaxies (average bulge scale length R_e = 11.3\pm5.8 kpc). RQQ hosts are about 1 mag brighter than the typical low redshift galaxy luminosity L^*, and their sizes are similar to those of galaxies hosting lower redshift RQQs, indicating that there is no significant evolution at least up to z=1 of the host galaxy structure. We also find that RQQ hosts are about 0.5-1 mag fainter than radio-loud quasars (RLQ) hosts at the similar redshift range. The comparison of the host luminosity of intermediate redshift RQQ hosts with that for lower z sources shows a trend that is consistent with that expected from the passive evolution of the stars in the host galaxies. The nuclear luminosity and the nucleus/host galaxy luminosity ratio of the objects in our sample are intermediate between those of lower redshift RQQs and those of higher redshift (z>1) RQQs.Comment: A&A, accepted, 15 pages, 6 figures. Fig. 2 will only be published in the electronic version of A&

Internal transcribed spacer (ITS) evolution in populations of the hyperparasitic European mistletoe pathogen fungus, Sphaeropsis visci (Botryosphaeriaceae) : The utility of ITS2 secondary structures

We investigated patterns of nucleotide polymorphism in the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region for Sphaeropsis visci, a hyperparasitic fungus that causes the leaf spot disease of the hemiparasite European mistletoe (Viscum album). Samples of S. visci were obtained from Hungary covering all major infected forest areas. For obtaining PCR products we used a fast and efficient direct PCR approach based on a high fidelity DNA polymerase. A total of 140 ITS sequences were subjected to an array of complementary sequence analyses, which included analyses of secondary structure stability, nucleotide polymorphism patterns, GC content, and presence of conserved motifs. Analysed sequences exhibited features of functional rRNAs. Overall, polymorphism was observed within less conserved motifs, such as loops and bulges, or, alternatively, as non-canonical G–U pairs within conserved regions of double stranded helices. The secondary structure of ITS2 provides new opportunities for obtaining further valuable information, which could be used in phylogenetic analyses, or at population level as demonstrated in our study. This is due to additional information provided by secondary structures and their models. The combined score matrix was used with the methods implemented in the programme 4SALE. Besides the pseudoprotein coding method of 4SALE, the molecular morphometric character coding also has potential for gaining further information for phylogenetic analyses based on the geometric features of the sub-structural elements of the ITS2 RNA transcriptPeer reviewe

Significance of Supplier Selection Criteria Evolvement in IT Outsourcing to Emerging Economies - Lessons from a Global IT Outsourcing Project

In line with the increasing significance of the acceleration of information technology (IT) advancement and also of harnessing the vigor of emerging economies, IT outsourcing to emerging economies has become global concerns. This enables global companies to enjoy a critical competitive edge by choosing the best option in outsourcing strategy and supplier selection. Consequently, supplier selection criteria have become critical issues for both suppliers and customers. This paper attempts to provide insightful suggestions to these issues. An empirical analysis was conducted taking supplier selection criteria evolvement in global IT outsourcing project focusing on action research in a multinational company. Noteworthy findings include impacts of manager’s change, identification of creative moment and weighting of supplier selection criteria

The luminous host galaxies of high redshift BL Lac objects

(abridged) We present near-infrared Ks-band imaging of 13 high redshift (0.6 < z < 1.3) BL Lac objects. We clearly detect the host in eight objects, and marginally in three others. In all cases, the host galaxy is well represented by an r^1/4 surface brightness law. The host galaxies of high redshift BL Lacs are large ( ~7 kpc) and very luminous ( = -27.9+-0.7), ~3 mag brighter than L*, and ~1 mag brighter than brightest cluster galaxies. They are also ~1 mag brighter than low redshift radio galaxies and appear to deviate from their K-z relationship. On the other hand, the high luminosities agree with the few optical studies of high redshift BL Lac hosts. The nuclear luminosity and the nucleus-galaxy luminosity ratio of the high redshift BL Lacs are much larger than those in low redshift BL Lacs. This may be due to either a higher intrinsic nuclear luminosity, or enhanced luminosity because of strong beaming. Contrary to what is observed in low redshift BL Lacs, the luminosities of the host galaxy and of the nucleus are fairly well correlated, as expected from the black hole mass - bulge luminosity relationship. High redshift BL Lacs radiate with a wide range of power with respect to their Eddington luminosity, and this power is intermediate between those in nearby BL Lacs and in luminous radio-loud quasars. The high redshift BL Lac host galaxies appear to be ~2 mag brighter than those at low redshift. This is likely due to a strong selection effect in the surveys of BL Lacs that makes observable only the most luminous sources at z > 0.5 and produces a correlation between the nuclear and the host luminosity. However, this may also suggest strong luminosity evolution which is inconsistent with a simple passive evolution of the host galaxies, and requires a contribution from relatively recent star formation episodes.Comment: A&A, accepted, 17 pages, 7 figures. The Appendix will only be published in the electronic version of A&

Analyzing biography collections historiographically as Linked Data : Case National Biography of Finland

Biographical collections are available on the Web for close reading. However, the underlying texts can also be used for data analysis and distant reading, if the documents are available as data. Such data is usable for creating intelligent user interfaces to biographical data, including Digital Humanities tooling for visualizations, data analysis, and knowledge discovery in biographical and prosopographical research. In this paper, we re-use biographical collection data from a historiographical perspective for analyzing the underlying collection. For example: What kind of people have been included in the collection? Does the language used for describing female biographees differ from that for men? As a case study, the Finnish National Biography, available as part of the Linked Open Data service and semantic portal BiographySampo - Finnish Biographies on the Semantic Web is used. The analyses show interesting results related to, e.g., how specific prosopographical groups, such as women or professional groups are represented and portrayed. Various novel statistics and network analyses of the biographees are presented. Our analyses give new insights to the editors of the National Biography as well as to researchers in biography, prosopography, and historiography. The presented approach can be applied also to similar biography collections in other countries.Peer reviewe

The legitimacy of result-oriented and action-oriented agri-environmental schemes : A comparison of farmers’ and citizens’ perceptions

Farmers’ and citizens’ perceptions of the legitimacy of the current action-oriented and the proposed result- oriented agri-environmental schemes (AES) are poorly known. To help fill this gap, this study analysed such perceptions in the context of Finnish citizens and farmers. Hypotheses on legitimacy, ecosystem service per-ceptions and environmental values were developed and empirically tested with nationwide surveys of Finnish citizens (n =1,744) and farmers (n =1,215) using t-test and multiple linear regression. The results demonstrated that Finnish citizens perceive the proposed result-oriented AES as more legitimate, whereas Finnish farmers attribute greater legitimacy to the current action-oriented AES. Among both groups, a preference for action- oriented AES, and reluctance to change them, was associated with the perception that Finnish agriculture has been successful in producing ecosystem services. Among both groups, environmental preferences were associated with the legitimation of both AES. The conclusion is that in order for a change in AES to be legitimate, that change should be perceived as necessary, justified and based on the values considered important by farmers and citizens.Peer reviewe

Global climate change and tree nutrition: effects of elevated CO2 and temperature

Although tree nutrition has not been the primary focus of large climate change experiments on trees, we are beginning to understand its links to elevated atmospheric CO2 and temperature changes. This review focuses on the major nutrients, namely N and P, and deals with the effects of climate change on the processes that alter their cycling and availability. Current knowledge regarding biotic and abiotic agents of weathering, mobilization and immobilization of these elements will be discussed. To date, controlled environment studies have identified possible effects of climate change on tree nutrition. Only some of these findings, however, were verified in ecosystem scale experiments. Moreover, to be able to predict future effects of climate change on tree nutrition at this scale, we need to progress from studying effects of single factors to analysing interactions between factors such as elevated CO2, temperature or water availability