1,163 research outputs found
Creating composite indicators with DEA and robustness analysis: The case of the technology achievement index.
Composite indicators are regularly used for benchmarking countries’ performance, but equally often stir controversies about the unavoidable subjectivity that is connected with their construction. Data Envelopment Analysis helps to overcome some key limitations, viz., the undesirable dependence of final results from the preliminary normalization of sub-indicators, and, more cogently, from the subjective nature of the weights used for aggregating. Still, subjective decisions remain, and such modelling uncertainty propagates onto countries’ composite indicator values and relative rankings. Uncertainty and sensitivity analysis are therefore needed to assess robustness of final results and to analyze how much each individual source of uncertainty contributes to the output variance. The current paper reports on these issues, using the Technology Achievement Index as an illustration.Indexes; Indicators; Robustness; Technology;
Estimating Nuisance Parameters in Inverse Problems
Many inverse problems include nuisance parameters which, while not of direct
interest, are required to recover primary parameters. Structure present in
these problems allows efficient optimization strategies - a well known example
is variable projection, where nonlinear least squares problems which are linear
in some parameters can be very efficiently optimized. In this paper, we extend
the idea of projecting out a subset over the variables to a broad class of
maximum likelihood (ML) and maximum a posteriori likelihood (MAP) problems with
nuisance parameters, such as variance or degrees of freedom. As a result, we
are able to incorporate nuisance parameter estimation into large-scale
constrained and unconstrained inverse problem formulations. We apply the
approach to a variety of problems, including estimation of unknown variance
parameters in the Gaussian model, degree of freedom (d.o.f.) parameter
estimation in the context of robust inverse problems, automatic calibration,
and optimal experimental design. Using numerical examples, we demonstrate
improvement in recovery of primary parameters for several large- scale inverse
problems. The proposed approach is compatible with a wide variety of algorithms
and formulations, and its implementation requires only minor modifications to
existing algorithms.Comment: 16 pages, 5 figure
Effect of slaughter age on meat qualitative traits of veals calves
Scopo del presente lavoro è stato quello di verificare alcune caratteristiche organolettiche e chimico bromatologhe della carne di 15 vitelli di razza Frisona. I vitelli sono stati macellati a 140, 160 e 190 giorni. I parametri analizzati non sono stati significativamente influenzati dall'età di macellazione se non per una riduzione del tenore proteico della sostanza secca a 160 giorni. Pertanto la scelta dell'età di macellazione, per il periodo studiato, può essere fatta sulla base di criteri di natura economica piuttosto che riferita ad aspetti qualitativi della carn
Getting the Measure of the Flatness Problem
The problem of estimating cosmological parameters such as from noisy
or incomplete data is an example of an inverse problem and, as such, generally
requires a probablistic approach. We adopt the Bayesian interpretation of
probability for such problems and stress the connection between probability and
information which this approach makes explicit.
This connection is important even when information is ``minimal'' or, in
other words, when we need to argue from a state of maximum ignorance. We use
the transformation group method of Jaynes to assign minimally--informative
prior probability measure for cosmological parameters in the simple example of
a dust Friedman model, showing that the usual statements of the cosmological
flatness problem are based on an inappropriate choice of prior. We further
demonstrate that, in the framework of a classical cosmological model, there is
no flatness problem.Comment: 11 pages, submitted to Classical and Quantum Gravity, Tex source
file, no figur
Bifurcated polarization rotation in bismuth-based piezoelectrics
ABO3 perovskite-type solid solutions display a large variety of structural and physical properties, which can be tuned by chemical composition or external parameters such as temperature, pressure, strain, electric, or magnetic fields. Some solid solutions show remarkably enhanced physical properties including colossal magnetoresistance or giant piezoelectricity. It has been recognized that structural distortions, competing on the local level, are key to understanding and tuning these remarkable properties, yet, it remains a challenge to experimentally observe such local structural details. Here, from neutron pair-distribution analysis, a temperature-dependent 3D atomic-level model of the lead-free piezoelectric perovskite Na0.5Bi0.5TiO3 (NBT) is reported. The statistical analysis of this model shows how local distortions compete, how this competition develops with temperature, and, in particular, how different polar displacements of Bi3+ cations coexist as a bifurcated polarization, highlighting the interest of Bi-based materials in the search for new lead-free piezoelectrics
Imaging Three Dimensional Two-particle Correlations for Heavy-Ion Reaction Studies
We report an extension of the source imaging method for analyzing
three-dimensional sources from three-dimensional correlations. Our technique
consists of expanding the correlation data and the underlying source function
in spherical harmonics and inverting the resulting system of one-dimensional
integral equations. With this strategy, we can image the source function
quickly, even with the finely binned data sets common in three-dimensional
analyses.Comment: 13 pages, 11 figures, submitted to Physical Review
Effects of low doses of dexamethasone on productive traits and meat quality of veal calves
An experimental administration of dexamethasone was carried out on 15 veal calves in order to assess the rĂ´le of low doses of exogenous glucocorticoids on productive traits and meat quality. Three groups, of five veal calves each, were formed : one group received oral dexamethasone (0.4 mg per calf per day for 25 days), another intramuscular (i. m.) dexamethasone (2 mg at days 14 and 21), and the third was the control. Calves were slaughtered at 165 days of age (day 31). Food conversion ratio (FCR), hot dressing percentage (HDP), chilled dressing percentage (CDP) and shrinkage were determined. From all carcasses, samples of m. longissimus thoracis (between the 8th and 10th rib) were taken in order to evaluate the chemical composition and some organoleptic characteristics : meat colour, water-holding capacity and tenderness. The animals treated with oral dexamethasone showed the lowest daily weight gain (P < 0.05) and the poorest FCR (P < 0.05). Hot dressing percentage, cold dressing percentage and shrinkage were not affected by the oral treatment. The i. m. injections of dexamethasone did not influence the overall performance.
Muscle chemical composition and pH were not affected by the treatments; the meat of calves treated with oral dexamethasone was significantly lighter (P < 0.05) and tended to be paler, while i. m. treatment induced intermediate characteristics. The shear force of the meat was rather low. Shear force of cooked meat from animals treated with dexamethasone (both oral and i. m.) was significantly lower than the control (P < 0.05). Treatment with dexamethasone i. m. induced a decrease in water-holding capacity; the oral treatment had no effect on this parameter
Liquid Foam-Ethyl Vinyl Acetate Adhesive Systems for Lining Process of Paintings: Prospects of a User-Friendly, Harmless Alternative to Conventional Products
The lining of paintings is a process of conservation science and art restoration used to strengthen, flatten, or consolidate paintings on canvas by attaching by means of adhesives a second canvas to the back of the existing one. To this aim, the prospects of the use of ethyl vinyl acetate (EVA) resins in aqueous dispersion applied as an adhesive in a foam form have been investigated in the present study. The key physical properties of the foam have been investigated, with a deep focus on rheological behavior and the drying rate, comparing the results with those obtained using the liquid products that are commercially available. Dedicated mock-ups have been prepared to test the adhesive for the lining process, inspecting adhesion strength, colorimetric properties, and the influence on the possible chromatic and visual alteration of the surface, also looking at the chemical interaction with painting materials and the deterioration after an artificial ageing process. The results obtained clearly indicated that the proposed technology is very suitable for the targeted application, and an EVA water-based foamed dispersion can be used for paintings' lining, in view of the ease of application, being an appropriate adhesion, no chemical interaction, nor the deterioration of the painting
Tracing a relativistic Milky Way within the RAMOD measurement protocol
Advancement in astronomical observations and technical instrumentation
implies taking into account the general relativistic effects due the
gravitational fields encountered by the light while propagating from the star
to the observer. Therefore, data exploitation for Gaia-like space astrometric
mission (ESA, launch 2013) requires a fully relativistic interpretation of the
inverse ray-tracing problem, namely the development of a highly accurate
astrometric models in accordance with the geometrical environment affecting
light propagation itself and the precepts of the theory of measurement. This
could open a new rendition of the stellar distances and proper motions, or even
an alternative detection perspective of many subtle relativistic effects
suffered by light while it is propagating and subsequently recorded in the
physical measurements.Comment: Proceeding for "Relativity and Gravitation, 100 Years after Einstein
in Prague" to be published by Edition Open Access, revised versio
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