New Keynesian Model Features that Can Reproduce Lead, Lag and Persistence Patterns

This paper uses a new method for describing dynamic comovement and persistence in economic time series which builds on the contemporaneous forecast error method developed in den Haan (2000). This data description method is then used to address issues in New Keynesian model performance in two ways. First, well known data patterns, such as output and inflation leads and lags and inflation persistence, are decomposed into forecast horizon components to give a more complete description of the data patterns. These results show that the well known lead and lag patterns between output and inflation arise mostly in the medium term forecasts horizons. Second, the data summary method is used to investigate a rich New Keynesian model with many modeling features to see which of these features can reproduce lead, lag and persistence patterns seen in the data. Many studies have suggested that a backward looking component in the Phillips curve is needed to match the data, but our simulations show this is not necessary. We show that a simple general equilibrium model with persistent IS curve shocks and persistent supply shocks can reproduce the lead, lag and persistence patterns seen in the data.

Cyclical Features of Uzawa-Lucas Endogenous Growth Model

This paper analyzes the cyclical properties of a generalized version of Uzawa-Lucas endogenous growth model. We study the dynamic features of different cyclical components of this model characterized by a variety of decomposition methods. The decomposition methods considered can be classified in two groups. On the one hand, we consider three statistical filters: the Hodrick-Prescott filter, the Baxter-King filter and Gonzalo-Granger decomposition. On the other hand, we use four model-based decomposition methods. The latter decomposition procedures share the property that the cyclical components obtained by these methods preserve the log-linear approximation of the Euler-equation restrictions imposed by the agent’s intertemporal optimization problem. The paper shows that both model dynamics and model performance substantially vary across decomposition methods. A parallel exercise is carried out with a standard real business cycle model. The results should help researchers to better understand the performance of Uzawa-Lucas model in relation to standard business cycle models under alternative definitions of the business cycle.

Interim report on the hydrologic features of the Green Swamp area in Central Florida

The Green Swamp area in central Florida is another area where man is developing agricultural land from marginal land. Though the area is by no means as extensive as that of the Everglades, the present efforts for its development are similar to the early efforts for developing the Everglades in that many miles of canals and ditches have been constructed to improve the drainage. Lest the early mistakes of the Everglades be repeated, the Florida Department of Water Resources considered that an appraisal of the physical and hydrologic features of the area was needed to determine the broad effects of draining and developing the swamp. This reconnaissance provides information required by the State of Florida for determining its responsibility and policy in regard to the Green Swamp area and for formulating future plans for water management of the area. Some of the features that have been determined are: the amount of rainfall on the area; the pattern of surfacewater drainage; the amount and direction of surface-water runoff; the direction of ground-water movement; the interrelationship of rainfall, surface water, and ground water; the effects of improved drainage facilities'; and the effects of the hydrologic environment on the chemical quality of water of the area.(PDF contains 106 pages.)

Some features of the autecology and distribution of chaetognatha in the Eastern Tropical Pacific

ENGLISH: The Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission, in cooperation with the Tuna Oceanography Research program of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, is studying in the Eastern Tropical Pacific Ocean methods of identifying waters of different characteristics that may influence the distribution and behavior of the tropical tunas. One method of attacking the problem has been to attempt to use zooplankton species as biological indicators of water masses. It has been demonstrated that certain zooplankters have ecological affinities that make them useful for identifying and tracing the movements of water masses. In the Eastern Pacific Ocean, Bieri (1957), Lea (1955), Le Brasseur (1959), Sund (1959), and Sund and Renner (1959) have presented evidence that certain species of Chaetognatha possibly can serve as indicators. The present work reports on a study of the distributions of species of Chaetognatha, obtained from various depths by means of horizontal closing-net hauls, in relation to concurrent measurements of temperature, salinity, and dissolved oxygen. Analyses of these data have provided a basis for determining which species are of potential use as biological indicators within the area of the Eastern Pacific considered in this study. SPANISH: La Comisión Interamericana del Atún Tropical, en cooperación con el programa de la "Tuna Oceanography Research" de la Institución Scripps de Oceanografía, viene estudiando en el Océano Pacífico Oriental Tropical métodos para identificar aguas de características diferentes que podrían influir en la distribución y en el comportamiento de los atunes tropicales. Uno de los métodos para abordar el problema ha sido el de intentar la utilización de especies zooplanctónicas como índices biológicos de masas de agua. Se ha demostrado que ciertos organismos del zooplancton tienen afinidades ecológicas, merced a las cuales son útiles para identificar y trazar los movimientos de las masas de agua. Bieri (1957), Lea (1955), Le Brasseur (1959), Sund (1959) y Sund y Renner (1959) presentaron evidencia de que ciertas especies de quetognatos pueden servir, posiblemente, como tales índices en el Océano Pacífico Oriental. El presente trabajo informa sobre un estudio de la distribución de las especies de quetognatos obtenidos de distintas profundidades por medio de la red de plancton que se cierra en lanzamientos horizontales y en relación con mediciones concomitantes de la temperatura, la salinidad y el oxígeno disuelto. El análisis de estos datos ofreció una base para la determinación de las especies que son potencialmente aptas para ser usadas como índices biológicos dentro del área del Pacífico Oriental a la cual se refiere este estudio.

Multi-drug resistance profiles and the genetic features of Acinetobacter baumannii isolates from Bolivia

Introduction: Acinetobacter baumannii is opportunistic in debilitated hospitalised patients. Because information from some South American countries was previously lacking, this study examined the emergence of multi-resistant A. baumannii in three hospitals in Cochabamba, Bolivia, from 2008 to 2009. Methodology: Multiplex PCR was used to identify the main resistance genes in 15 multi-resistant A. baumannii isolates. RT-PCR was used to measure gene expression. The genetic environment of these genes was also analysed by PCR amplification and sequencing. Minimum inhibitory concentrations were determined for key antibiotics and some were determined in the presence of an efflux pump inhibitor, 1-(1-napthylmethyl) piperazine. Results: Fourteen strains were found to be multi-resistant. Each strain was found to have the bla(OXA-58) gene with the ISAba3-like element upstream, responsible for over-expression of the latter and subsequent carbapenem resistance. Similarly, ISAba1, upstream of the bla(ADC) gene caused over-expression of the latter and cephalosporin resistance; mutations in the gyrA(Ser83 to Leu) and parC (Ser-80 to Phe) genes were commensurate with fluoroquinolone resistance. In addition, the adeA, adeB efflux genes were over-expressed. All 15 isolates were positive for at least two aminoglycoside resistance genes. Conclusion: This is one of the first reports analyzing the multi-drug resistance profile of A. baumannii strains isolated in Bolivia and shows that the over-expression of thebla(OXA-58), bla(ADC) and efflux genes together with aminoglycoside modifying enzymes and mutations in DNA topoisomerases are responsible for the multi-resistance of the bacteria and the subsequent difficulty in treating infections caused by them.

Tracing the Basque presence in eastern Canada during the 16th and 17th centuries, through ceramic remains: the example of the glazed pottery produced in Bilbao

Poster presentado en Society for Post-Medieval Archaeology Conference, in St John's, Newfoundland,(Canadá)(June 2010)

A scheme for multiple sequences alignment optimization-an improvement based on family representative mechanics features

As a basic tool of modern biology, sequence alignment can provide us useful information in fold, function, and active site of protein. For many cases, the increased quality of sequence alignment means a better performance. The motivation of present work is to increase ability of the existing scoring scheme/algorithm by considering residue–residue correlations better. Based on a coarse-grained approach, the hydrophobic force between each pair of residues is written out from protein sequence. It results in the construction of an intramolecular hydrophobic force network that describes the whole residue–residue interactions of each protein molecule, and characterizes protein's biological properties in the hydrophobic aspect. A former work has suggested that such network can characterize the top weighted feature regarding hydrophobicity. Moreover, for each homologous protein of a family, the corresponding network shares some common and representative family characters that eventually govern the conservation of biological properties during protein evolution. In present work, we score such family representative characters of a protein by the deviation of its intramolecular hydrophobic force network from that of background. Such score can assist the existing scoring schemes/algorithms, and boost up the ability of multiple sequences alignment, e.g. achieving a prominent increase (50%) in searching the structurally alike residue segments at a low identity level. As the theoretical basis is different, the present scheme can assist most existing algorithms, and improve their efficiency remarkably.

Earthquake geology of Myanmar

This thesis describes the active structures of Myanmar and its surrounding regions, and the earthquake geology of the major active structures. Such investigation is needed urgently for this rapidly developing country that has suffered from destructive earthquakes in its long history. To archive a better understanding of the regional active tectonics and the seismic potential in the future, we utilized a global digital elevation model and optical satellite imagery to describe geomorphologic evidence for the principal neotectonic features of the western half of the Southeast Asia mainland. Our investigation shows three distinct active structural systems that accommodate the oblique convergence between the Indian plate and Southeast Asia and the extrusion of Asian territory around the eastern syntaxis of the Himalayan mountain range. Each of these active deformation belts can be further separated into several neotectonic domains, in which structures show distinctive active behaviors from one to another.

In order to better understand the behaviors of active structures, we focused on the active characteristics of the right-lateral Sagaing fault and the oblique subducting northern Sunda megathrust in the second part of this thesis. The detailed geomorphic investigations along these two major plate-interface faults revealed the recent slip behavior of these structures, and plausible recurrence intervals of major seismic events. We also documented the ground deformation of the 2011 Tarlay earthquake in remote eastern Myanmar from remote sensing datasets and post-earthquake field investigations. The field observation and the remote sensing measurements of surface ruptures of the Tarlay earthquake are the first study of this kind in the Myanmar region.

The diagnostic morphological features of British Sigara striata, S. dorsalis and intermediate specimens (Corixidae), with a new key for identification of adult males

There are 34 species of the family Corixidae (Hemiptera Heteroptera) in Britain and Ireland of which Sigara striata and Sigara dorsalis are the only two British representatives. In this article the authors briefly consider a range of diagnostic features that may be used to separate British specimens of striata from dorsalis. Most of these morphological features have been used in keys to the British species of the subgenus Sigara sensu strictu. A scoring system has also been devised to facilitate the identification of individuals from the southeast of England, although it is applicable to the whole of the British Isles, and a new (short) key is presented.

International communication strategy followed by Ikea : analysis of campaigns in different countries, features and possible justifications of the differences

International communication strategy followed by Ikea analysis of campaigns in different countries, features and possible justifications of the differerences.