Bias from ignoring price dispersion in demand estimation

Consumers often pay different prices for the same product bought in the same store at the same time. However, the demand estimation literature has ignored that fact using, instead, aggregate measures such as the “list” or average price. In this paper we show that this will lead to biased price coefficients. Furthermore, we perform simple comparative statics simulation exercises for the logit and random coefficient models. In the “list” price case we find that the bias is larger when discounts are higher, proportion of consumers facing discount prices is higher and when consumers are more unwilling to buy the product so that they almost only do it when facing discount. In the average price case we find that the bias is larger when discounts are higher, proportion of consumers that have access to discount are similar to the ones that do not have access and when consumers willingness to buy is very dependent on idiosyncratic shocks. Also bias is less problematic in the average price case in markets with a lot of bargain deals, so that prices are as good as individual. We conclude by proposing ways that the econometrician can reduce this bias using different information that he may have available.

Analysis of the four wave mixing effect (FWM) in a dispersion decreasing fiber (DDF) for a WDM system

We did a numerical investigation of the propagation of short light pulses in the region of 1.55 mu m and the conversion efficiency (CE) for the four wave mixing generation (FWM) of ordinary and dispersion decreasing fibers for use in wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) systems, Our simulations studies three different profiles, linear, hyperbolic. and constant, One conclude that for all the profiles there is decrease of the conversion efficiency with the increase in the channel separation. The hyperbolic profile present a higher efficiency of around 1000 above in magnitude compared with the others profiles at 0.2 nm of channel separation. We calculate the conversion efficiency versus the fiber length for the three profiles. The conversion efficiency for the hyperbolic profile is higher when compared to the constant and linear profiles. The other interesting point of the hyperbolic profile is that the increase of the CE in the beginning of the fiber does not show my oscillation in the CE value (log eta), which was observed for the constant and linear profiles. For all the profiles there is an increase of the conversion efficiency with the increase of the pump power. The compression factor C-i for the generated FWM signal at omega(3) was measured along the DDF's and the constant profile fibers. One can conclude that with the use of decreasing dispersion profile (DDF) fibers one can have a control of the (CE) conversion efficiency and the compression factor of the four wave mixing (FWM) generation in WDM systems. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Rheological Properties of a Sodium Bentonite and Lactose Aqueous Dispersion

Aim of this paper is show the viscosity measure of a sodium bentonite-water-lactose mixture and your rheological behaviour. This analysis showed the formation of tridimensional structure type and formation of stratified silicate/lactose, this occurred due to different concentrations of organic products into mixture and due to a difference of rotation during viscosity measument. Formation of networks is a consequence of the attraction between the silicate layers in water-lactose mixture. In the present work aqueous solutions of lactose with concentration of 7%, 5%, 3%, 1% and 0% (wt %) were used.

Dynamics and Heterogeneity of Pb(II) Binding by SiO2 Nanoparticles in an Aqueous Dispersion

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

A Learning Function for Parameter Reduction in Spiking Neural Networks with Radial Basis Function

Spiking neural networks - networks that encode information in the timing of spikes - are arising as a new approach in the artificial neural networks paradigm, emergent from cognitive science. One of these new models is the pulsed neural network with radial basis function, a network able to store information in the axonal propagation delay of neurons. Learning algorithms have been proposed to this model looking for mapping input pulses into output pulses. Recently, a new method was proposed to encode constant data into a temporal sequence of spikes, stimulating deeper studies in order to establish abilities and frontiers of this new approach. However, a well known problem of this kind of network is the high number of free parameters - more that 15 - to be properly configured or tuned in order to allow network convergence. This work presents for the first time a new learning function for this network training that allow the automatic configuration of one of the key network parameters: the synaptic weight decreasing factor.

Retrievals of a size parameter for phytoplankton and spectral light absorption by colored detrital matter from water-leaving radiances at SeaWiFS channels in a continental shelf region off Brazil

Many efforts are currently oriented toward extracting more information from ocean color than the chlorophyll a concentration. Among biological parameters potentially accessible from space, estimates of phytoplankton cell size and light absorption by colored detrital matter (CDM) would lead to an indirect assessment of major components of the organic carbon pool in the ocean, which would benefit oceanic carbon budget models. We present here 2 procedures to retrieve simultaneously from ocean color measurements in a limited number of bands, magnitudes, and spectral shapes for both light absorption by CDM and phytoplankton, along with a size parameter for phytoplankton. The performance of the 2 procedures was evaluated using different data sets that correspond to increasing uncertainties: ( 1) measured absorption coefficients of phytoplankton, particulate detritus, and colored dissolved organic matter ( CDOM) and measured chlorophyll a concentrations and ( 2) SeaWiFS upwelling radiance measurements and chlorophyll a concentrations estimated from global algorithms. In situ data were acquired during 3 cruises, differing by their relative proportions in CDM and phytoplankton, over a continental shelf off Brazil. No local information was introduced in either procedure, to make them more generally applicable. Over the study area, the absorption coefficient of CDM at 443 nm was retrieved from SeaWiFS radiances with a relative root mean square error (RMSE) of 33%, and phytoplankton light absorption coefficients in SeaWiFS bands ( from 412 to 510 nm) were retrieved with RMSEs between 28% and 33%. These results are comparable to or better than those obtained by 3 published models. In addition, a size parameter of phytoplankton and the spectral slope of CDM absorption were retrieved with RMSEs of 17% and 22%, respectively. If these methods are applied at a regional scale, the performances could be substantially improved by locally tuning some empirical relationships.

Analysis of the Priestley-Taylor alpha parameter for a bean crop

This work deals with the Priestley-Taylor model for evapotranspiration in different grown stages of a bean crop. Priestley and Taylor derived a practical Formulation for energy partitioning between the sensible and latent heat fluxes through the a parameter. Bowen ratio energy balance (BREB) was carried out for daily sensible and latent heat flux estimations in three different crop stages. Mean daily values of Priestley-Taylor a parameter were determined for eleven days during the crop cycle. Diurnal variation patterns of a are presented for the growing, flowering and graining periods. The mean values of 1.13 +/- 0.33, 1.26 +/- 0.74, 1.22 +/- 0.55 were obtained for a day in the growing, in the flowering and for graining periods, respectively. Eleven days values of a are shown and gave a mean value of 1.23 +/- 0.10 which agree on the reported literature.

Dispersion of Seeds of Tree Species by the Leaf-Cutting Ant Acromyrmex subterraneus molestans (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Vicosa, Minas Gerais State, Brazil

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Selection of surfactant compounds to enhance the dispersion of Beauveria bassiana

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Genetic parameter estimates for buffalo milk yield, milk quality and mozzarella production and Bayesian inference analysis of their relationships

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Bayesian inference in genetic parameter estimation of visual scores in Nellore beef-cattle

The aim of this study was to estimate the components of variance and genetic parameters for the visual scores which constitute the Morphological Evaluation System (MES), such as body structure (S), precocity (P) and musculature (M) in Nellore beef-cattle at the weaning and yearling stages, by using threshold Bayesian models. The information used for this was gleaned from visual scores of 5,407 animals evaluated at the weaning and 2,649 at the yearling stages. The genetic parameters for visual score traits were estimated through two-trait analysis, using the threshold animal model, with Bayesian statistics methodology and MTGSAM (Multiple Trait Gibbs Sampler for Animal Models) threshold software. Heritability estimates for S, P and M were 0.68, 0.65 and 0.62 (at weaning) and 0.44, 0.38 and 0.32 (at the yearling stage), respectively. Heritability estimates for S, P and M were found to be high, and so it is expected that these traits should respond favorably to direct selection. The visual scores evaluated at the weaning and yearling stages might be used in the composition of new selection indexes, as they presented sufficient genetic variability to promote genetic progress in such morphological traits.

Effect of lactation length adjustment procedures on genetic parameter estimates for buffalo milk yield

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Milk fatty acid characterization and genetic parameter estimates for milk conjugated linoleic acid in buffaloes

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Genetic parameter estimates for live weight and daily live weight gain obtained for Nellore bulls in a test station using different models

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Dispersion capacity of Triatoma sherlocki, Triatoma juazeirensis and laboratory-bred hybrids

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)