Risk-Sharing in Retiree Medical Benefits

Retiree medical care expenditures in the United States are growing at a rapid rate, while and the retired portion of the population is increasing. This puts pressure on government and employer programs providing retiree health care coverage. Retirees also face increasing challenges in gaining access to affordable coverage, particularly before eligibility for Medicare. In this chapter we assess prospects for US retiree health coverage and the challenges, risks, and roles of employers, Medicare, and retirees in providing and financing it. We discuss both traditional approaches to retiree health benefits, where the employer assumes most risk, and new defined contribution approaches, where significant risk is shifted to the retiree. We also review government benefits for retirees including new Medicare prescription drug benefits. We model future retiree health care costs and opportunities to save before retiring, highlighting public policy obstacles and issues for employer-provided retiree health benefit

The Deuteron Confronts Big Bang Nucleosynthesis

Recent determinations of the deuterium abundance, $^2$H/H, in high redshift Lyman limit hydrogen clouds challenge the usual picture of primordial nucleosynthesis based on \lq\lq concordance\rq\rq\ of the calculated light element ($^2$H, $^3$He, $^4$He, $^7$Li) nucleosynthesis yields with the observationally-inferred abundances of these species. Concordance implies that all light element yields can be made to agree with the observationally-inferred abundances (within errors) for single global specifications of the baryon-to-photon ratio, $\eta$; lepton number; neutron lifetime; and expansion rate (or equivalently, effective number of light neutrino degrees of freedom $N_{\nu}$). Though one group studying Lyman limit systems obtains a high value of $^2$H/H ($\sim 2\times {10}^{-4}$), another group finds consistently low values ($\sim 2\times {10}^{-5}$). In the former case, concordance for $N_{\nu} =3$ is readily attained for the current observationally-inferred abundances of $^4$He and $^7$Li. But if the latter case represents the primordial deuterium abundance, then concordance for {\it any} $N_{\nu}$ is impossible unless the primordial value of $^7$Li/H is considerably larger than the abundance of lithium as measured in old, hot Pop II halo stars. Furthermore, concordance with $N_{\nu}=3$ is possible for low $^2$H/H only if either (1) the primordial $^4$He abundance has been significantly underestimated, or (2) new neutrino sector physics is invoked. We argue that systematic underestimation of both the $^7$Li and $^4$He primordial abundances is the likely resolution of this problem, a conclusion which is strengthened by new results on $^4$He.Comment: To be published in Nucl. Phys. B (Proc. Suppl.), in the proceedings of "Sources and Detection of Dark Matter in the Universe", held in Santa Monica, Feb. 14-16 1996. 5 pages. Replaced version has a TeX command removed that apparently caused some latex compilers to fai

Analytic Inversion of Emission Lines of Arbitrary Optical Depth for the Structure of Supernova Ejecta

We derive a method for inverting emission line profiles formed in supernova ejecta. The derivation assumes spherical symmetry and homologous expansion (i.e., $v(r) \propto r$), is analytic, and even takes account of occultation by a pseudo-photosphere. Previous inversion methods have been developed which are restricted to optically thin lines, but the particular case of homologous expansion permits an analytic result for lines of {\it arbitrary} optical depth. In fact, we show that the quantity that is generically retrieved is the run of line intensity $I_\lambda$ with radius in the ejecta. This result is quite general, and so could be applied to resonance lines, recombination lines, etc. As a specific example, we show how to derive the run of (Sobolev) optical depth $\tau_\lambda$ with radius in the case of a pure resonance scattering emission line.Comment: 6 pages, no figures, to appear in Astrophysical Journal Letters, requires aaspp4.sty to late

The Ursinus Weekly, October 4, 1973

Freshman class energetic; Brings new atmosphere to U.C. • Open dorm extension refused, frosh cuts limited to 6 • Bomberger Hall finally opens after lengthy renovations • Professor publishes • Union plans discussed • Editorial: And the train keeps a-rollin’ • Philadelphia Folk Festival presents music and workshops • Letter to the editor: Give us a chance • Presenting Mr. Gaglio • U.C. coeds travel to France • Hockey Bearettes on their way to successful season • Hopeful hoopla • New tennis courts ready for use • Bears drop twohttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/weekly/1000/thumbnail.jp

Limits on Active-Sterile Neutrino Mixing and the Primordial Deuterium Abundance

Studies of limits on active-sterile neutrino mixing derived from big bang nucleosynthesis considerations are extended to consider the dependance of these constraints on the primordial deuterium abundance. This study is motivated by recent measurements of D/H in quasar absorption systems, which at present yield discordant results. Limits on active-sterile mixing are somewhat relaxed for high D/H. For low D/H ($\approx 2 \times 10^{-5}$), no active-sterile neutrino mixing is allowed by currently popular upper limits on the primordial $^4$He abundance $Y$. For such low primordial D/H values, the observational inference of active-sterile neutrino mixing by upcoming solar neutrino experiments would imply that $Y$ has been systematically underestimated, unless there is new physics not included in standard BBN.Comment: 10 pages + 2 figures, uses revtex macros, submitted to Phys. Rev. D. Corrected figure captions and an added referenc

The Ursinus Weekly, November 1, 1973

UN Day held at UC • USGA-Union lock horns over new rep. position • SFARC elections held; warning system set • Protheatre productions scheduled for weekend • Musicians initiated into Pi Nu Epsilon • Editorial: The American Film Theatre; New furniture in Wilkinson lounge • Letters to the editor: Jazz fan responds; Starving student complains; Mr. Self speaks • Alumni corner • Jazz: Herman Herd in motion • Faculty Portrait: Dr. Peter G. Jessup • A discourse on mental divorce • Billy Jack • Ursinus downs U of P; then falls to Rams • Bears lose fifth game to a tough Widener teamhttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/weekly/1004/thumbnail.jp

The Ursinus Weekly, February 14, 1974

Week-long festival of arts slated to begin February 22 • Ursinus, at mid-winter, continues coping with problems of energy conservation • Forums set for semester • ProTheatre to present evening of avant-garde • Villanova University to sponsor tenth law review symposium • Editorial: The Myrin follies; Situation wanted: Hero • First semester Dean’s List • Letters to the editor: Union anniversary; Madison Avenue\u27s effect • Student teachers respond to experiences in area schools • SFARC News • Film Review: The Exorcist • Alumni Corner: Mike Hunter: Society drop-in • De-horn the Rams! • Jazz: Thad Jones, Mel Lewis • USGA holds elections, makes amendments and forms committees • 9-5 and still alive!https://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/weekly/1009/thumbnail.jp

The Ursinus Weekly, October 18, 1973

U.S.G.A. initiates tough new policy, vows good supervision of open houses • Ursinus admission requirements, unlike national trends, maintain standards • Cooperative atmosphere at education banquet • Ursinus karate club holds demonstration • Chapel program begins • College Union calendar full • Debating club forming; Mr. Perreten will head group • Editorial: On the outside looking in; Autumn at Ursinus • Letters to the Editor: Early riser protests; Declaration of independence; Compromise called for • Alumni Corner • Film: “Heavy Traffic” • Bagpiper Bud Hamilton plays at first College Union program • Ornithology - flocking together Supersax plays Bird • Library staff portrait: Mr. James Rue • Bearettes down Glassboro, F&M, and Bucks County • Another game, another loss • Cross country wins roll on • Soccer team now 3-2https://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/weekly/1002/thumbnail.jp

The Ursinus Weekly, November 15, 1973

First SFARC meeting yields suggestions for parking, Wismer • Banana split rated big success as news spreads across the country • Philadelphia soloists will play at forum • Career day planned for English majors • New Sturgis portrait dedicated at ceremony • Editorial: All that shivers is not cold • Spotlight: Mr. Scott Dempsey • Letters to the editor: SFARC member pledges interest; Faculty digs banana split • Alumni corner: U.C. graduate now holds position as ambassador • Tolstoy’s War and peace to be shown on PBS starting next Tuesday • Jazz: Buddy Rich strikes out • Believe it or not • A splendid time was guaranteed for all • The Zodiac: A preview to real astrology • Guard hired to check I.D.’s during open dorms • Ursinus women athletes make better lovers • Booters stand 6-6-1 • X-country wrap-up • Bears upset Grove Cityhttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/weekly/1006/thumbnail.jp

Measurement of the branching fraction and CP content for the decay B(0) -> D(*+)D(*-)

This is the pre-print version of the Article. The official published version can be accessed from the links below. Copyright @ 2002 APS.We report a measurement of the branching fraction of the decay B0→D*+D*- and of the CP-odd component of its final state using the BABAR detector. With data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 20.4  fb-1 collected at the Υ(4S) resonance during 1999–2000, we have reconstructed 38 candidate signal events in the mode B0→D*+D*- with an estimated background of 6.2±0.5 events. From these events, we determine the branching fraction to be B(B0→D*+D*-)=[8.3±1.6(stat)±1.2(syst)]×10-4. The measured CP-odd fraction of the final state is 0.22±0.18(stat)±0.03(syst).This work is supported by DOE and NSF (USA), NSERC (Canada), IHEP (China), CEA and CNRS-IN2P3 (France), BMBF (Germany), INFN (Italy), NFR (Norway), MIST (Russia), and PPARC (United Kingdom). Individuals have received support from the A.P. Sloan Foundation, Research Corporation, and Alexander von Humboldt Foundation