The Relative Efficiency of Automatic and Discretionary Industrial Aid

For the last two decades, the primary instruments for UK regional policy have been discretionary subsidies. Such aid is targeted at “additional” projects - projects that would not have been implemented without the subsidy - and the subsidy should be the minimum necessary for the project to proceed. Discretionary subsidies are thought to be more efficient than automatic subsidies, where many of the aided projects are non-additional and all projects receive the same subsidy rate. The present paper builds on Swales (1995) and Wren (2007a) to compare three subsidy schemes: an automatic scheme and two types of discretionary scheme, one with accurate appraisal and the other with appraisal error. These schemes are assessed on their expected welfare impacts. The particular focus is the reduction in welfare gain imposed by the interaction of appraisal error and the requirements for accountability. This is substantial and difficult to detect with conventional evaluation techniques.

Joint estimates of automatic and discretionary fiscal policy for the OECD

Official calculations of automatic stabilizers are seriously flawed since they rest on the assumption that the only element of social spending that reacts automatically to the cycle is unemployment compensation. This puts into question many estimates of discretionary fiscal policy. In response, we propose a simultaneous estimate of automatic and discretionary fiscal policy. This leads us, quite naturally, to a tripartite decomposition of the budget balance between revenues, social spending and other spending as a bare minimum. Our headline results for a panel of 20 OECD countries in 1981-2003 are .59 automatic stabilization in percentage-points of primary surplus balances. All of this stabilization remains following discretionary responses during contractions, but arguably only about 3/5 of it remains so in expansions while discretionary behavior cancels the rest. We pay a lot of attention to the impact of the Maastricht Treaty and the SGP on the EU members of our sample and to real time data.

Joint estimates of automatic and discretionary fiscal policy: the OECD 1981-2003

Official calculations of automatic stabilizers are seriously flawed since they rest on the assumption that the only element of social spending that reacts automatically to the cycle is unemployment compensation. This puts into question many estimates of discretionary fiscal policy. In response, we propose a simultaneous estimate of automatic and discretionary fiscal policy. This leads us, quite naturally, to a tripartite decomposition of the budget balance between revenues, social spending and other spending as a bare minimum. Our headline results for a panel of 20 OECD countries in 1981-2003 are .59 automatic stabilization in percentage-points of primary surplus balances. All of this stabilization remains following discretionary responses during contractions, but arguably only about 3/5 of it remains so in expansions while discretionary behavior cancels the rest. We pay a lot of attention to the impact of the Maastricht Treaty and the SGP on the EU members of our sample and to real time data.

Joint estimates of automatic and discretionary fiscal policy: the OECD 1981-2003

Official calculations of automatic stabilizers are seriously flawed since they rest on the assumption that the only element of social spending that reacts automatically to the cycle is unemployment compensation. This puts into question many estimates of discretionary fiscal policy. In response, we propose a simultaneous estimate of automatic and discretionary fiscal policy. This leads us, quite naturally, to a tripartite decomposition of the budget balance between revenues, social spending and other spending as a bare minimum. Our headline results for a panel of 20 OECD countries in 1981-2003 are .59 automatic stabilization in percentage-points of primary surplus balances. All of this stabilization remains following discretionary responses during contractions, but arguably only about 3/5 of it remains so in expansions while discretionary behavior cancels the rest. We pay a lot of attention to the impact of the Maastricht Treaty and the SGP on the EU members of our sample and to real time data.

Intraobserver and interobserver variability of ascending aorta diameter measurements as assessed by ECG-gated MDCT : automatic versus manual measurements : P15

Purpose: Revolutionary endovascular treatments are on the verge of being available for management of ascending aortic diseases. Morphometric measurements of the ascending aorta have already been done with ECG-gated MDCT to help such therapeutic development. However the reliability of these measurements remains unknown. The objective of this work was to compare the intraobserver and interobserver variability of CAD (computer aided diagnosis) versus manual measurements in the ascending aorta. Methods and materials: Twenty-six consecutive patients referred for ECG-gated CT thoracic angiography (64-row CT scanner) were evaluated. Measurements of the maximum and minimum ascending aorta diameters at mid-distance between the brachiocephalic artery and the aortic valve were obtained automatically with a commercially available CAD and manually by two observers separately. Both observers repeated the measurements during a different session at least one month after the first measurements. Intraclass coefficients as well the Bland and Altman method were used for comparison between measurements. Two-paired t-test was used to determine the significance of intraobserver and interobserver differences (alpha = 0.05). Results: There is a significant difference between CAD and manual measurements in the maximum diameter (p = 0.004) for the first observer, whereas the difference was significant for minimum diameter between the second observer and the CAD (p <0.001). Interobserver variability showed a weak agreement when measurements were done manually. Intraobserver variability was lower with the CAD compared to the manual measurements (limits of variability: from -0.7 to 0.9 mm for the former and from -1.2 to 1.3 mm for the latter). Conclusion: In order to improve reproductibility of measurements whenever needed, pre- and post-therapeutic management of the ascending aorta may benefit from follow-up done by a unique observer with the help of CAD.

Nondictatorial Arrovian Social Welfare Functions: An Integer Programming Approach

In the line opened by Kalai and Muller (1997), we explore new conditions on prefernce domains which make it possible to avoid Arrow's impossibility result. In our main theorem, we provide a complete characterization of the domains admitting nondictorial Arrovian social welfare functions with ties (i.e. including indifference in the range) by introducing a notion of strict decomposability. In the proof, we use integer programming tools, following an approach first applied to social choice theory by Sethuraman, Teo and Vohra ((2003), (2006)). In order to obtain a representation of Arrovian social welfare functions whose range can include indifference, we generalize Sethuraman et al.'s work and specify integer programs in which variables are allowed to assume values in the set {0, 1/2, 1}: indeed, we show that, there exists a one-to-one correspondence between solutions of an integer program defined on this set and the set of all Arrovian social welfare functions - without restrictions on the range.

Integer Programming on Domains Containing Inseparable Ordered Paris

Using the integer programming approach introduced by Sethuraman, Teo, and Vohra (2003), we extend the analysis of the preference domains containing an inseparable ordered pair, initiated by Kalai and Ritz (1978). We show that these domains admit not only Arrovian social welfare functions \without ties," but also Arrovian social welfare functions \with ties," since they satisfy the strictly decomposability condition introduced by Busetto, Codognato, and Tonin (2012). Moreover, we go further in the comparison between Kalai and Ritz (1978)'s inseparability and Arrow (1963)'s single-peak restrictions, showing that the former condition is more \respectable," in the sense of Muller and Satterthwaite (1985).

Automatic front-crawl temporal phase detection using adaptive filtering of inertial signals

This study introduces a novel approach for automatic temporal phase detection and inter-arm coordination estimation in front-crawl swimming using inertial measurement units (IMUs). We examined the validity of our method by comparison against a video-based system. Three waterproofed IMUs (composed of 3D accelerometer, 3D gyroscope) were placed on both forearms and the sacrum of the swimmer. We used two underwater video cameras in side and frontal views as our reference system. Two independent operators performed the video analysis. To test our methodology, seven well-trained swimmers performed three 300 m trials in a 50 m indoor pool. Each trial was in a different coordination mode quantified by the index of coordination. We detected different phases of the arm stroke by employing orientation estimation techniques and a new adaptive change detection algorithm on inertial signals. The difference of 0.2 +/- 3.9% between our estimation and video-based system in assessment of the index of coordination was comparable to experienced operators' difference (1.1 +/- 3.6%). The 95% limits of agreement of the difference between the two systems in estimation of the temporal phases were always less than 7.9% of the cycle duration. The inertial system offers an automatic easy-to-use system with timely feedback for the study of swimming.

Aging and motor programming: differential effects according to the selection of action

There are controversial reports about the effect of aging on movement preparation, and it is unclear to which extent cognitive and/or motor related cerebral processes may be affected. This study examines the age effects on electro-cortical oscillatory patterns during various motor programming tasks, in order to assess potential differences according to the mode of action selection. Twenty elderly (EP, 60-84 years) and 20 young (YP, 20-29 years) participants with normal cognition underwent 3 pre-cued response tasks (S1-S2 paradigm). S1 carried either complete information on response side (Full; stimulus-driven motor preparation), no information (None; general motor alertness), or required free response side selection (Free; internally-driven motor preparation). Electroencephalogram (EEG) was recorded using 64 surface electrodes. Alpha (8-12 Hz) desynchronization (ERD)/synchronization (ERS) and motor-related amplitude asymmetries (MRAA) were analyzed during the S1-S2 interval. Reaction times (RTs) to S2 were slower in EP than YP, and in None than in the other 2 tasks. There was an Age x Task interaction due to increased RTs in Free compared to Full in EP only. Central bilateral and midline activation (alpha ERD) was smaller in EP than YP in None. In Full just before S2, readiness to move was reflected by posterior midline inhibition (alpha ERS) in both groups. In Free, such inhibition was present only in YP. Moreover, MRAA showed motor activity lateralization in both groups in Full, but only in YP in Free. The results indicate reduced recruitment of motor regions for motor alertness in the elderly. They further show less efficient cerebral processes subtending free selection of movement in elders, suggesting reduced capacity for internally-driven action with age.

Automatic DVB signal analyser

El problema de controlar les emissions de televisió digital a tota Europa pel desenvolupament de receptors robustos i fiables és cada vegada més significant, per això, sorgeix la necessitat d’automatitzar el procés d’anàlisi i control d’aquests senyals. Aquest projecte presenta el desenvolupament software d’una aplicació que vol solucionar una part d’aquest problema. L’aplicació s’encarrega d’analitzar, gestionar i capturar senyals de televisió digital. Aquest document fa una introducció a la matèria central que és la televisió digital i la informació que porten els senyals de televisió, concretament, la que es refereix a l’estàndard "Digital Video Broadcasting". A continuació d’aquesta part, l’escrit es concentra en l’explicació i descripció de les funcionalitats que necessita cobrir l'aplicació, així com introduir i explicar cada etapa d’un procés de desenvolupament software. Finalment, es resumeixen els avantatges de la creació d’aquest programa per l’automatització de l’anàlisi de senyal digital partint d’una optimització de recursos.

On the automatic application of inequality indexes in the analysis of the international distribution of environmental indicators

In recent years traditional inequality measures have been used to quite a considerable extent to examine the international distribution of environmental indicators. One of its main characteristics is that each one assigns different weights to the changes that occur in the different sections of the variable distribution and, consequently, the results they yield can potentially be very different. Hence, we suggest the appropriateness of using a range of well-recommended measures to achieve more robust results. We also provide an empirical test for the comparative behaviour of several suitable inequality measures and environmental indicators. Our findings support the hypothesis that in some cases there are differences among measures in both the sign of the evolution and its size. JEL codes: D39; Q43; Q56. Keywords: international environment factor distribution; Kaya factors; Inequality measurement

Intraobserver and interobserver variability of ascending aorta diameter as assessed with ECG-gated MDCT: automatic versus manual measurements

Purpose: Recently morphometric measurements of the ascending aorta have been done with ECG-gated MDCT to help the development of future endovascular therapies (TCT) [1]. However, the variability of these measurements remains unknown. It will be interesting to know the impact of CAD (computer aided diagnosis) with automated segmentation of the vessel and automatic measurements of diameter on the management of ascending aorta aneurysms. Methods and Materials: Thirty patients referred for ECG-gated CT thoracic angiography (64-row CT scanner) were evaluated. Measurements of the maximum and minimum ascending aorta diameters were obtained automatically with a commercially available CAD and semi-manually by two observers separately. The CAD algorithms segment the iv-enhanced lumen of the ascending aorta into perpendicular planes along the centreline. The CAD then determines the largest and the smallest diameters. Both observers repeated the automatic measurements and the semimanual measurements during a different session at least one month after the first measurements. The Bland and Altman method was used to study the inter/intraobserver variability. A Wilcoxon signed-rank test was also used to analyse differences between observers. Results: Interobserver variability for semi-manual measurements between the first and second observers was between 1.2 to 1.0 mm for maximal and minimal diameter, respectively. Intraobserver variability of each observer ranged from 0.8 to 1.2 mm, the lowest variability being produced by the more experienced observer. CAD variability could be as low as 0.3 mm, showing that it can perform better than human observers. However, when used in nonoptimal conditions (streak artefacts from contrast in the superior vena cava or weak lumen enhancement), CAD has a variability that can be as high as 0.9 mm, reaching variability of semi-manual measurements. Furthermore, there were significant differences between both observers for maximal and minimal diameter measurements (p<0.001). There was also a significant difference between the first observer and CAD for maximal diameter measurements with the former underestimating the diameter compared to the latter (p<0.001). As for minimal diameters, they were higher when measured by the second observer than when measured by CAD (p<0.001). Neither the difference of mean minimal diameter between the first observer and CAD nor the difference of mean maximal diameter between the second observer and CAD was significant (p=0.20 and 0.06, respectively). Conclusion: CAD algorithms can lessen the variability of diameter measurements in the follow-up of ascending aorta aneurysms. Nevertheless, in non-optimal conditions, it may be necessary to correct manually the measurements. Improvements of the algorithms will help to avoid such a situation.