e^+e^- Physics at LEP and a Future Linear Collider

A summary of results obtained from e^+e^- annihilations at LEP is given. The precision measurements around the Z resonance, the results from charged gauge boson production and searches for new particles are reviewed. Particular emphasis is devoted to the Higgs boson. The prospects of an e^+e^- linear collider in the energy range of about 1 TeV are discussed

Is Japan Special? Monetary Linkages and Price Stability

Empirical studies of central bank independence and inflation identify Japan as an outlier. By standard measures, the Bank of Japan is one of the least independent central banks in the world, and yet Japan enjoys some of the lowest inflation rates. This paper develops a model of monetary link; ages with implications for the institutional course stability. The model explains why price stability in the "old" Japan-- with its powerful bureaucracy and single-party rule--did not necessarily rely on monetary institutions. It predicts that the "new" Japan, in which power is shifting from the bureaucracy to elected politicians who compete with each other in the political marketplace, must make use of monetary institutions to achieve price stability.

Recent progress in the identification and determination of freshwater phytoplankton in the natural environment

The biomass of the phytoplankton and its composition is one of the most important factors in water quality control. Determination of the phytoplankton assemblage is usually done by microscopic analysis (Utermöhl's method). Quantitative estimations of the biovolume, by cell counting and cell size measurements, are time-consuming and normally are not done in routine water quality control. Several alternatives have been tried: computer-based image analysis, spectral fluorescence signatures, flow cytometry and pigment fingerprinting aided by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The latter method is based on the fact that each major algal group of taxa contains a specific carotenoid which can be used for identification and relative quantification of the taxa in the total assemblage. This article gives a brief comparative introduction to the different techniques available and presents some recent results obtained by HPLC-based pigment fingerprinting, applied to three lakes of different trophic status. The results show that this technique yields reliable results from different lake types and is a powerful tool for studying the distribution pattern of the phytoplankton community in relation to water depth. However, some restrictions should be taken into account for the interpretation of routine data

BRIAN (Brain image analysis): A toolkit for the analysis of multimodal brain datasets

The analysis of cognitive processes in man usually involves multiple examina­tion modalities which map different aspects of the brain. Among these proce­dures, at least one modality yielding anatomical information (i.e. MRI*) besidesone or more functional modalities (fMRI, PET, SPECT, EEG, MEG) are involved.Because these different examination methods yield complimentary informationabout the anatomical, metabolical and neurophysiological state of the brain, acombined data evaluation is highly desirable and will lead to results not achiev­able within one examination domain.Such studies are of importance in research (cognitive neuroscience) and ­ withan emphasis on pathological processes ­ in clinical disciplines like neurology,neurosurgery and psychiatry.We have developed a program package for the handling of image datasets(MRI, PET, SPECT, CCT) and signal datasets (EEG, MEG) which allows a com­bined analysis of these data sources in a four­dimensional coordinate space (x, y,z, and time)