Stochastic dominance and absolute risk aversion

In this paper we propose the infimum of the Arrow-Pratt index of absolute risk aversion as a measure of global risk aversion of a utility function. We then show that, for any given arbitrary pair of distributions, there exists a threshold level of global risk aversion such that all increasing concave utility functions with at least as much global risk aversion would rank the two distributions in the same way. Furthermore, this threshold level is sharp in the sense that, for any lower level of global risk aversion, we can find two utility functions in this class yielding opposite preference relations for the two distributions.

Absolute and relative deprivation and the measurement of poverty

This paper develops the link between poverty and inequality by focussing on a class of poverty indices (some of them well-known) which aggregate normative concerns for absolute and relative deprivation. The indices are distinguished by a parameter that captures the ethical sensitivity of poverty measurement to ``exclusion'' or ``relative-deprivation'' aversion. We also show how the indices can be readily used to predict the impact of growth on poverty. An illustration using LIS data finds that he United States show more relative deprivation than Denmark and Belgium whatever the percentiles considered, but that overall deprivation comparisons of the four countries considered will generally necessarily depend on the intensity of the ethical concern for relative deprivation. The impact of growth on poverty is also seen to depend on the presence of and on the attention granted to concerns over relative deprivation. }

Absolute type shaft encoding using LFSR

Maximal-length binary sequences have been known for a long time. They have many interesting properties, one of them is that when taken in blocks of n consecutive positions they form 2ⁿ-1 different codes in a closed circular sequence. This property can be used for measuring absolute angular positions as the circle can be divided in as many parts as different codes can be retrieved. This paper describes how can a closed binary sequence with arbitrary length be effectively designed with the minimal possible block-length, using linear feedback shift registers (LFSR). Such sequences can be used for measuring a specified exact number of angular positions, using the minimal possible number of sensors that linear methods allow.

Known and new results on absolute convergence of Fourier integrals

New sufficient conditions for representation of a function via the absolutely convergent Fourier integral are obtained in the paper. In the main result, Theorem 1.1, this is controlled by the behavior near infinity of both the function and its derivative. This result is extended to any dimension d &= 2.

Absolute convergence of Fourier integrals

In this survey, results on the representation of a function as an absolutely convergent Fourier integral are collected, classified and discussed. Certain applications are also given.

GNSS signal detection based on first-order absolute statistics

Aquest projecte es centra principalment en el detector no coherent d’un GPS. Per tal de caracteritzar el procés de detecció d’un receptor, es necessita conèixer l’estadística implicada. Pel cas dels detectors no coherents convencionals, l’estadística de segon ordre intervé plenament. Les prestacions que ens dóna l’estadística de segon ordre, plasmada en la ROC, són prou bons tot i que en diferents situacions poden no ser els millors. Aquest projecte intenta reproduir el procés de detecció mitjançant l’estadística de primer ordre com a alternativa a la ja coneguda i implementada estadística de segon ordre. Per tal d’aconseguir-ho, s’usen expressions basades en el Teorema Central del Límit i de les sèries Edgeworth com a bones aproximacions. Finalment, tant l’estadística convencional com l’estadística proposada són comparades, en termes de la ROC, per tal de determinar quin detector no coherent ofereix millor prestacions en cada situació.

Tres notes sobre l’Ars predicandi populo de Francesc Eiximenis (autoria, datació i contingut) = Three notes on the Ars Predicandi populo of Francesc Eiximenis (authorship, date and content)

In spite of the fact that the Ars predicandi populo is attributed to Eiximenis in only one of the three extant manuscripts, there is no doubt that it is one of his works.First of all, the internal references to this treatise in the pages of Terç and Dotzè del Crestià are an irrefutable testimony and, secondly, the presence of an autographvolume of sermons which begins with the Ars in the inventory of the Eiximenis library made shortly after his death. The writing of the Ars and the collection of sermons which introduces it must be dated prior to the beginning of the Crestià encyclopedia (1379) because of the complexity that entailed the writing of a collection of three perhaps four volumes of sermons. Due to a series of formal and codicological reasons it must be concluded that the chapter entitled De consiliis circa predicacionem cannot be attributed to Eiximenis and thus be excluded from the Ars

Stochastic dominance and absolute risk aversion

In this paper we proose the infimum of the Arrow-Pratt index of absoluterisk aversion as a measure of global risk aversion of a utility function.We then show that, for any given arbitrary pair of distributions, thereexists a threshold level of global risk aversion such that all increasingconcave utility functions with at least as much global risk aversion wouldrank the two distributions in the same way. Furthermore, this thresholdlevel is sharp in the sense that, for any lower level of global riskaversion, we can find two utility functions in this class yielding oppositepreference relations for the two distributions.

Measurement and explanation of socioeconomic inequality in health with longitudinal data

This paper presents a method for the measurement of changes in health inequality and income-related health inequality over time in a population.For pure health inequality (as measured by the Gini coefficient) andincome-related health inequality (as measured by the concentration index),we show how measures derived from longitudinal data can be related tocross section Gini and concentration indices that have been typicallyreported in the literature to date, along with measures of health mobilityinspired by the literature on income mobility. We also show how thesemeasures of mobility can be usefully decomposed into the contributions ofdifferent covariates. We apply these methods to investigate the degree ofincome-related mobility in the GHQ measure of psychological well-being inthe first nine waves of the British Household Panel Survey (BHPS). Thisreveals that dynamics increase the absolute value of the concentrationindex of GHQ on income by 10%.

Period-Luminosity-Colour distribution and classification of Galactic oxygen-rich LPVs I. Luminosity calibrations

The absolute K magnitudes and kinematic parameters of about 350 oxygen-rich Long-Period Variable stars are calibrated, by means of an up-to-date maximum-likelihood method, using HIPPARCOS parallaxes and proper motions together with radial velocities and, as additional data, periods and V-K colour indices. Four groups, differing by their kinematics and mean magnitudes, are found. For each of them, we also obtain the distributions of magnitude, period and de-reddened colour of the base population, as well as de-biased period-luminosity-colour relations and their two-dimensional projections. The SRa semiregulars do not seem to constitute a separate class of LPVs. The SRb appear to belong to two populations of different ages. In a PL diagram, they constitute two evolutionary sequences towards the Mira stage. The Miras of the disk appear to pulsate on a lower-order mode. The slopes of their de-biased PL and PC relations are found to be very different from the ones of the Oxygen Miras of the LMC. This suggests that a significant number of so-called Miras of the LMC are misclassified. This also suggests that the Miras of the LMC do not constitute a homogeneous group, but include a significant proportion of metal-deficient stars, suggesting a relatively smooth star formation history. As a consequence, one may not trivially transpose the LMC period-luminosity relation from one galaxy to the other.

Movement evaluation of overerupted upper molars with absolute anchorage: An in-vitro study

Introduction: The overeruption of upper molars due to the premature loss of antagonist teeth can be treated with the help of miniscrews. The aim of this study was to evaluate the movement of a typodont molar according to the biomechanical approach used with miniscrews. Study design: The study was conducted with four plaster models filled with typodont wax. In each model we used one absolute anchorage on the palatal side and another on the buccal side in different positions, thus generating four different biomechanical systems. A force of 150 g was applied to each side of the resin tooth. Periapical radiographs were taken preintrusion and immediately after completion of the intrusion. Photographs were taken in both the sagittal and occlusal planes every 3 min. The radiographic films and photographs were measured and compared. Results: A vertical movement of the molar was observed in all the models, with system 4 showing the greatest movement. Rotation in the occlusal plane only occurred in system 2, while in system 1 there was a change in the axial axis of 37 degrees. Conclusions: The anchorage site and the combination of forces applied may determine the resulting tooth movement

The Intonation of absolute questions of Brazilian Portuguese

In this paper we describe three melodic patterns of absolute interrogatives from a phonetic point of view, obtained from a corpus in Goiás (Brazil). The patterns are: a) Rising Final Inflection (30% to 52%), b) Rising-Falling Final Inflection, c) High Nucleus Final Inflection. These patterns have been established from the acoustic analysis and standardisation of 55 questions and from the verification of their validity in a perception test. We compared them with interrogative patterns obtained in different parts of Brazil and also in two Romance languages, Spanish and Catalan.

Una visión actualizada de la didáctica de la matemática en educación infantil = An up-to-date vision of pre-school mathematics teaching

This article aims to investigate pre-school mathematics teaching from an uptodate perspective. To pursue this contemporary vision we focus on four key questions: what kind of maths is being worked on, who is doing it, how it is being done, and why it is being done