Reconciling Consumer Confidence and Permanent Income Consumption

The forecasting power of consumer confidence indexes for consumption spending runs counter to the predictions of the permanent income hypothesis (PIH). This paper resolves this discrepancy by developing a “confidence augmented” permanent income hypothesis (CAPIH). While it does not radically alter the estimated extent of permanent income consumption, the CAPIH model predicts a significantly smaller intertemporal elasticity of substitution than a standard PIH model. In addition, the results are largely invariant to the measure of consumer confidence used and the choice of instrumental variables.

Field-Induced Magnetic and Structural Domain Alignment in PrO2

We present a neutron diffraction study of the magnetic structure of single crystal PrO2 under applied fields of 0-6 T. As the field is increased, changes are observed in the magnetic Bragg intensities. These changes are found to be irreversible when the field is reduced, but the original intensities can be recovered by heating to T > 122 K, then re-cooling in zero field. The antiferromagnetic ordering temperature TN = 13.5 K and the magnetic periodicity are unaffected by the applied field. We also report measurements of the magnetic susceptibility of single crystal PrO2 under applied fields of 0-7 T. These show strong anisotropy, as well as an anomaly at T = 122 +/- 2 K which coincides with the temperature TD = 120 +/- 2 K at which a structural distortion occurs. For fields applied along the [100] direction the susceptibility increases irreversibly with field in the temperature range TN < T < TD. However, for fields along [110] the susceptibility is independent of field in this range. We propose structural domain alignment, which strongly influences the formation of magnetic domains below TN, as the mechanism behind these changes.Comment: 11 pages, 13 figures, 5 tables. Minor typographical changes in v

Sub-micron, Metal Gate, High-к Dielectric, Implant-free, Enhancement-mode III-V MOSFETs

The performance of 300nm, 500nm and 1μm metal gate, implant free, enhancement mode III-V MOSFETs are reported. Devices are realised using a 10nm MBE grown Ga2O3/(GaxGd1-x)2O3 high-κ (κ=20) dielectric stack grown upon a δ-doped AlGaAs/InGaAs/AlGaAs/GaAs heterostructure. Enhancement mode operation is maintained across the three reported gate lengths with a reduction in threshold voltage from 0.26 V to 0.08 V as the gate dimension is reduced from 1 μm to 300 nm. An increase in transconductance is also observed with reduced gate dimension. Maximum drain current of 420 μA/μm and extrinsic transconductance of 400 µS/µm are obtained from these devices. Gate leakage current of less than 100pA and subthreshold slope of 90 mV/decade were obtained for all gate lengths. These are believed to be the highest performance submicron enhancement mode III-V MOSFETs reported to date

Order Flow and the Bitcoin Spot Rate

Bitcoin is a decentralized, open-source cryptocurrency used to make private, peer-to-peer transactions anywhere across the world. Although the individuals involved are (mostly) anonymous, every Bitcoin transaction is a matter of public record; anyone can view every Bitcoin transaction ever made. Following the methodology developed by Evans and Lyons (2002), this paper adapts and estimates a FX microstructure model that emphases order flow, the difference between buyer- and seller-initiated trading volume, to the Bitcoin market Using a data set consisting of all major currency transactions occurring on the Mt. Gox exchange, our results are quite similar to prior microfinance research on traditional currencies insofar order flow is a significant determinant of Bitcoin spot rates

LOW ENERGY SUPERSYMMETRY PHENOMENOLOGY

We summarize the current status and future prospects for low energy (weak scale) supersymmetry. In particular, we evaluate the capabilities of various $e^+e^-$, $p\bar p$ and $pp$ colliders to discover evidence for supersymmetric particles. Furthermore, assuming supersymmetry is discovered, we discuss capabilities of future facilities to dis-entangle the anticipated spectrum of super-particles, and, via precision measurements, to test mass and coupling parameters for comparison with various theoretical expectations. We comment upon the complementarity of proposed hadron and $e^+e^-$ machines for a comprehensive study of low energy supersymmetry.Comment: 74 page (Latex) file; a PS or uuencoded manuscript with embedded figures is available via anonymous ftp at ftp://hep.fsu.edu/preprints/baer/FSUHEP950401.ps or .uu . Contributed chapter to DPF study group on Electroweak Symmetry Breaking and Beyond the Standard Model

Rubidium atomic funnel

A low-velocity beam of rubidium atoms is produced from a two-dimensional magneto-optic trap or atomic funnel. Atoms from a thermal beam are slowed by chirped laser cooling and then loaded into the funnel. The cold atoms are ejected by moving molasses formed with frequency-shifted laser beams. The resultant atomic beam has a controllable velocity in the range of 3 to 10 m/s, a temperature of 500 μK, and a flux of 1010 atoms/s

Predictors of preeclampsia in women in the metformin in gestational diabetes (MiG) study

Background: Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM), maternal obesity and pregnancy weight gain are associated with an increased risk of developing Preeclampsia (PE). The aim of this study was to examine the predictors of PE in women commencing pharmacotherapy for GDM in the Metformin in Gestational diabetes trial.Methods: Descriptive and logistic regression analyses examined the relationship between maternal enrolment characteristics and later development of PE.Results: 46 (6.3%) of 703 women developed PE. At enrolment ((30 (SD3.2) weeks gestation), women who later developed PE had higher HbA1c (6.14% (95% CI 5.84, 6.45) vs. 5.73% (95% CI 5.67, 5.78), P = 0.003), fasting triglycerides (2.93 mmol/L (95% CI 2.57, 3.29) vs. 2.55mmol/L (95% CI 2.47, 2.62), P = 0.03) and blood pressure. Their infants were born 9 days earlier (P < 0.001) but were otherwise not different. In univariate analysis, the strongest positive predictors for PE were Polynesian ethnicity (OR 2.75 (95% CI 1.48, 5.09), P= 0.001), personal or family history of PE (OR 2.65 (95% CI 1.36, 5.16), P=0.004), maternal HbA1c (OR 1.96 (95% CI 1.35, 2.89), P< 0.001), triglycerides (OR 1.45 (95% CI 1.07,1.97), P=0.002), and weight gain from early pregnancy (OR 1.09 (95% CI 1.03,1.17), P=0.01). HDL-C was a negative predictor of PE (OR 0.29 (95% CI 0.09, 0.94), P= 0.04).Following adjustment for Polynesian ethnicity and personal or family history of PE, and when further adjusted for HbA1c or early pregnancy BMI, these variables remained significant.Conclusion: Treatment allocation and BMI were not associated with risk of PE. Personal or family history of PE, Polynesian ethnicity, degree of hyperglycemia, maternal triglycerides and weight gain prior to treatment signal increased risk of subsequent PE in women needing pharmacotherapy for GDM

The association of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy with weight gain over the subsequent 21 years: Findings from a prospective cohort study

Obesity is an important risk factor for hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, but most cases of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy occur in women of normal weight. There may be predisposing factors to both hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and obesity. To test this hypothesis, the authors compared changes in body mass index (weight (kg)/height (m)(2)) overtime in women with and without hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. They used data from 3,572 women who received antenatal care at a major public hospital in Brisbane, Australia, between 1981 and 1984 and who were followed up for 21 years. A total of 318 women (8.9%) had experienced hypertensive disorders in the index pregnancy, and 233 of them (73.3%) had a baseline body mass index of = 5 kg/m(2) were 59% greater for women who experienced hypertensive disorders of pregnancy compared with those who did not (odds ratio = 1.59, 95% confidence interval: 1.24, 2.04). The authors concluded that hypertensive disorders of pregnancy are associated with increased weight gain over 21 years

Report of the ICES\NAFO Joint Working Group on Deep-water Ecology (WGDEC), 11–15 March 2013, Floedevigen, Norway.

On 11 February 2013, the joint ICES/NAFO WGDEC, chaired by Francis Neat (UK) and attended by ten members met at the Institute for Marine Research in Floedevi-gen, Norway to consider the terms of reference (ToR) listed in Section 2. WGDEC was requested to update all records of deep-water vulnerable marine eco-systems (VMEs) in the North Atlantic. New data from a range of sources including multibeam echosounder surveys, fisheries surveys, habitat modelling and seabed imagery surveys was provided. For several areas across the North Atlantic, WGDEC makes recommendations for areas to be closed to bottom fisheries for the purposes of conservation of VMEs