A geometric perspective on the piecewise polynomiality of double Hurwitz numbers

We describe double Hurwitz numbers as intersection numbers on the moduli space of curves. Assuming polynomiality of the Double Ramification Cycle (which is known in genera 0 and 1), our formula explains the polynomiality in chambers of double Hurwitz numbers, and the wall crossing phenomenon in terms of a variation of correction terms to the {\psi} classes. We interpret this as suggestive evidence for polynomiality of the Double Ramification Cycle.Comment: 15 pages, 5 figure

The Accuracy and Efficiency of the Consensus Forecasts: A Further Application and Extension of the Pooled Approach

In this paper we analyze the macroeconomic forecasts of the Consensus Forecasts for 12 countries over the period from 1996 to 2006 regarding bias and information efficiency. A pooled approach is employed which permits the evaluation of all forecasts for each target variable over 24 horizons simultaneously. It is shown how the pooled approach needs to be adjusted in order to accommodate the forecasting scheme of the Consensus Forecasts. Furthermore, the pooled approach is extended by a sequential test with the purpose of detecting the critical horizon after which the forecast should be regarded as biased. Moreover, heteroscedasticity in the form of year-specific variances of macroeconomic shocks is taken into account. The results show that in the analyzed period which was characterized by pronounced macroeconomic shocks, several countries show biased forecasts, especially with forecasts covering more than 12 months. In addition, information efficiency has to be rejected in almost all cases. --business cycle forecasting,forecast evaluation,Consensus Forecasts

Minocycline is cytoprotective in human corneal endothelial cells and induces anti-apoptotic B-cell CLL/lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) and X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis (XIAP)

Introduction Loss of corneal endothelial cells (CECs) is one major factor limiting transplant clarity and survival after keratoplasty. Amongst other factors, apoptosis due to cellular stress is responsible for these problems. This study investigates the possible anti-apoptotic and cytoprotective effects of minocycline on a human corneal endothelial cell line (HCEC-SV40) cultured under oxidative stress and with transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta). Methods CECs were treated with 1-150 mM minocycline. Cell viability and the median inhibitory concentration (IC(50)) were evaluated after 48 h and after H(2)O(2) treatment (tetrazolium dye reduction assay and liveedead assay). Expression of B-cell CLL/lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) and X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis (XIAP) and their mRNA were assessed by reverse transcriptase (RT)-PCR and western blot analysis after treatment with minocycline alone and consecutive incubation with 200 mM H(2)O(2) and TGF-beta 2. A quantitative detection of histone-associated DNA fragmentation by ELISA was performed. Results Minocycline concentrations from 1-50 mM showed no toxic effects on CECs. Pre-treatment with 10-40 mM minocycline led to an increase in viability after H(2)O(2) treatment. In addition, minocycline pretreatment attenuated the increase of histone-associated DNA fragmentation after treatment with H(2)O(2) and TGF-beta 2 significantly. When CECs were treated with minocycline and then consecutively with H(2)O(2) or TGF-beta 2, RT-PCR and western blot analysis yielded an overexpression of Bcl-2 and XIAP. Conclusion In this study minocycline prevented apoptotic cell death in cultured CECs in vitro. Our results suggest that minocycline might offer cytoprotective properties that might help to prevent loss of corneal endothelial cells in vivo

Shape: A 3D Modeling Tool for Astrophysics

We present a flexible interactive 3D morpho-kinematical modeling application for astrophysics. Compared to other systems, our application reduces the restrictions on the physical assumptions, data type and amount that is required for a reconstruction of an object's morphology. It is one of the first publicly available tools to apply interactive graphics to astrophysical modeling. The tool allows astrophysicists to provide a-priori knowledge about the object by interactively defining 3D structural elements. By direct comparison of model prediction with observational data, model parameters can then be automatically optimized to fit the observation. The tool has already been successfully used in a number of astrophysical research projects.Comment: 13 pages, 11 figures, accepted for publication in the "IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics

Direct emission of multiple strange baryons in ultrarelativistic heavy-ion collisions from the phase boundary

We discuss a model for the space-time evolution of ultrarelativistic heavy-ion collisions which employs relativistic hydrodynamics within one region of the forward light-cone, and microscopic transport theory (i.e. UrQMD) in the complement. Our initial condition consists of a quark-gluon plasma which expands hydrodynamically and hadronizes. After hadronization the solution eventually changes from expansion in local equilibrium to free streaming, as determined selfconsistently by the interaction rates between the hadrons and the local expansion rate. We show that in such a scenario the inverse slopes of the mT -spectra of multiple strange baryons ( Xi,Omega) are practically una ected by the purely hadronic stage of the reaction, while the flow of p's and Lambda's increases. Moreover, we find that the rather soft transverse expansion at RHIC energies (due to a first-order phase transition) is not washed out by strong rescattering in the hadronic stage. The earlier kinetic freeze-out as compared to SPS-energies results in similar inverse slopes (of the mT -spectra of the hadrons in the final state) at RHIC and SPS energies