High net-worth individuals' portfolios : private real estate assets

Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Urban Studies and Planning, 2002.Vitae.Includes bibliographical references (leaves 132-136).The asset allocations of private real estate in the investment portfolios of High Net Worth Individuals (HNWIs) indicate that HNWIs' portfolio returns are not at optimum levels on a risk-adjusted basis. More specifically, utilizing Modem Portfolio Theory, existing allocations to private real estate should, arguably be increased by as much as twice its present allocation. This deficiency is due to insufficient conduits and products available at financial institutions for HNWIs. This mismatch has created a supply and demand problem of HNWI demand for and financial institutions' supply of private real estate assets. The current HNWIs allocations were examined using the "Survey of Consumer Finances" (Federal Reserve, 1998). HNWIs capable of private real estate investment were investors whose net worth was $25 million and above. The HNWI allocations and more than twenty years of historical investment returns and volatilities for financial assets and real estate, were the foundation for analyzing the variance between actual and optimum portfolio allocations of private real estate. This comparison highlighted how the entire HNWI segment could double its current real estate allocation to meet the optimal portfolio level. Along with this real estate allocation deficiency, the HNWI segment has grown substantially over the last 10 years. Since this is a growing segment and a potential source of capital for the real estate industry, this thesis specifically identifies the real estate asset allocation inefficiencies, recommends optimum real estate asset allocations, and lists the alternatives and characteristics of investment conduits and products for increased investment in private real estate by HNWIs.by Ramiro Juliá and Rachel Matthai.S.M

Threshold Limit Value for biomechanical risk factors (ACGIH-TLV®): a cohort study on carpal tunnel syndrome in manual workers

OBIETTIVI: Per esplorare il contributo dei fattori di rischio biomeccanico, ripetitività (hand activity level – HAL) e forza manuale (peak force - PF), nell’insorgenza della sindrome del tunnel carpale (STC), abbiamo studiato un’ampia coorte di lavoratori dell’industria, utilizzando come riferimento il valore limite di soglia (TLV©) dell’American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH). METODI: La coorte è stata osservata dal 2000 al 2011. Abbiamo classificato l’esposizione professionale rispetto al limite di azione (AL) e al TLV dell’ACGIH in: “accettabile” (sotto AL), “intermedia” (tra AL e TLV) e “inaccettabile” (sopra TLV). Abbiamo considerato due definizioni di caso: 1) sintomi di STC; 2) sintomi e positività allo studio di conduzione nervosa (SCN). Abbiamo applicato modelli di regressione di Poisson aggiustati per sesso, età, indice di massa corporea e presenza di patologie predisponenti la malattia. RISULTATI: Nell’intera coorte (1710 lavoratori) abbiamo trovato un tasso di incidenza (IR) di sintomi di STC di 4.1 per 100 anni-persona; un IR di STC confermata dallo SCN di 1.3 per 100 anni-persona. Gli esposti “sopra TLV” presentano un rischio di sviluppare sintomi di STC di 1.76 rispetto agli esposti “sotto AL”. Un andamento simile è emerso per la seconda definizione di caso [incidence rate ratios (IRR) “sopra TLV”, 1.37 (intervallo di confidenza al 95% (IC95%) 0.84–2.23)]. Gli esposti a “carico intermedio” risultano a maggior rischio per la STC [IRR per i sintomi, 3.31 (IC95% 2.39–4.59); IRR per sintomi e SCN positivo, 2.56 (IC95% 1.47–4.43)]. Abbiamo osservato una maggior forza di associazione tra HAL e la STC. CONCLUSIONI: Abbiamo trovato un aumento di rischio di sviluppare la STC all’aumentare del carico biomeccanico: l’aumento di rischio osservato già per gli esposti a “carico intermedio” suggerisce che gli attuali valori limite potrebbero non essere sufficientemente protettivi per alcuni lavoratori. Interventi di prevenzione vanno orientati verso attività manuali ripetitive.OBJECTIVES: To explore the role of workplace physical factors, particularly repetition (hand activity level – HAL) and manual force (normalized peak force – PF), in the development of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), we studied a large cohort of industrial workers with reference to a threshold limit value (TLV©) proposed by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH). METHODS: Industrial workers were followed from 2000-2011. We classified subjects with respect to action limit (AL) and TLV. Case definitions were: (i) self-reported symptoms; and (ii) a combination of symptoms and positive nerve conduction studies (NCS). Poisson regression models including age, gender, body mass index, and presence of predisposing pathologies were conducted to estimate incidence rate ratios (IRR) of CTS. RESULTS: There were 1710 subjects with complete information at baseline and with at least one follow-up. We found an incidence rate (IR) of 4.1 per 100 person-years for CTS symptoms, and an IR of 1.3 per 100 person-years for CTS confirmed by NCS. “Unacceptable overload” (above TLV) was associated with a 1.76-fold risk of CTS symptoms, as compared with “acceptable load” (below the AL). A similar trend also emerged for CTS confirmed by NCS, but was not significant [IRR above TLV, 1.37 (95% confidence interval ( 95% CI) 0.84–2.23)]. Workers exposed between AL and TLV appeared at higher risk for CTS [IRR for symptoms, 3.31 (95% CI 2.39–4.59); IRR for symptoms and positive NCS, 2.56 (95% CI 1.47–4.43)]. HAL was a strong predictor of the outcome variables. CONCLUSIONS: Workplace risk factors contribute to the risk for CTS. Our study shows an increased risk for workers exposed between AL and TLV, suggesting that the current limits might not be sufficiently protective for some workers. Preventive efforts should target repetitive movements

Macaulay style formulas for sparse resultants

We present formulas for computing the resultant of sparse polyno- mials as a quotient of two determinants, the denominator being a minor of the numerator. These formulas extend the original formulation given by Macaulay for homogeneous polynomials

Studies fo the microstructure of self-assembling peptides : effects of chemical cross-linking and growth characterization

Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, February 2005.Includes bibliographical references (p. 32-33).Peptide is a b iomaterial with great promise in tissue engineering because it has known to be capable of self-assembly. Also, the peptide scaffolds can support neuronal cell attachment, differentiation, and neuron outgrowth. They might therefore p lay a role as substrate for functional synapse formation between neurons. One important feature of peptide gel is that its modulus can modulate cell motility in combination with the observation that streptavidin and biotin can be used to increase the peptide gel's modulus as measured by rheometery that raises the prospect of controlling cell function by control of matrix physical properties. Atomic force microscope (AFM) was used to reveal the mechanism of modulus change at the nano and microscales. AFM images show that as the amount of biotinylated peptide increases, self-assembly effect is impeded and there are more but smaller aggregates. Streptavidin tethers to regular peptide as well as biotinylated peptide. Also, streptavidin and biotin can cross-link peptide fibrils. These AFM results can explain the increased modulus found by rheometry. To better describe the growth from individual monomers to filaments, and to exert a measure of control over the nature of network or characteristics of individual filaments requires a better fundamental understanding of the process of filament formation. Therefore, we observed the growth of RAD16- II by self-assembly in order to gain better understanding of process by which filaments grow. Through a combination of AFM and dynamic light scattering we are able to characterize peptide growth quickly and easily. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) provides a single and convenient means to follow peptide filament growth with time.by Woncheol Jeong.S.M

La tasca del traductor davant la uniformitat literària

La tasca del traductor en molts casos és determinant i pot tenir conseqüències en la sort literària de l'obra. La teoria literària i la literatura comparada intenten analitzar-les i sistematitzar-les, aprofundint així en l'estudi de la rellevància de la traducció en el sistema literari. Aquest article reflexiona sobre els equilibris i els desequilibris que es produeixen en un context cultural i literari i que són provocats per decisions que justifiquen una eventual traducció, tot analitzant les relacions entre els camps escandinau i català

Peak Transform for Efficient Image Representation and Coding

Digital Object Identifier 10.1109/TIP.2007.896599In this work, we introduce a nonlinear geometric transform, called peak transform (PT), for efficient image representation and coding. The proposed PT is able to convert high-frequency signals into low-frequency ones, making them much easier to be compressed. Coupled with wavelet transform and subband decomposition, the PT is able to significantly reduce signal energy in high-frequency subbands and achieve a significant transform coding gain. This has important applications in efficient data representation and compression. To maximize the transform coding gain, we develop a dynamic programming solution for optimum PT design. Based on PT, we design an image encoder, called the PT encoder, for efficient image compression. Our extensive experimental results demonstrate that, in wavelet-based subband decomposition, the signal energy in high-frequency subbands can be reduced by up to 60% if a PT is applied. The PT image encoder outperforms state-of-the-art JPEG2000 and H.264 (INTRA) encoders by up to 2-3 dB in peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR), especially for images with a significant amount of high-frequency components. Our experimental results also show that the proposed PT is able to efficiently capture and preserve high-frequency image features (e.g., edges) and yields significantly improved visual quality

A model of efficiency and trading opportunities in financial markets

Thesis (M.S.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Mathematics, 1996.Includes bibliographical references (leaves 40-42).by Chunyan Jennifer Huang.M.S

Are immigrants in Massachusetts accessing welfare? : an exploratory study of families in Boston and the Merrimack Valley

Thesis (M.C.P.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Urban Studies and Planning, 2000.Includes bibliographical references (p. 54-55).A survey was conducted of forty four immigrant heads of households in Boston and the Merrimack Valley to ascertain the employment status of household heads and the use of public benefits by immigrant headed families. The study surveyed Spanish and Portuguese speaking individuals at 300% or below of the poverty level with children under the age of 18. The survey measured demographic and employment characteristics of respondents, use of public benefits among all family members, and barriers individuals faced in accessing benefits for their families. The researcher hypothesized that immigrants with lower educational status and poor English proficiency would earn lower wages than individuals with higher educational status and better English proficiency. Additionally, it was also hypothesized that families headed by undocumented immigrants, despite the presence of citizen children, would be the least likely of all groups of immigrant headed households to access public benefits. Findings revealed that immigrants with low educational status and poor English proficiency indeed earned lower wages than individuals with higher educational status and better English proficiency. Results regarding benefits use among families revealed interesting patterns of benefits use. As hypothesized, families headed by undocumented immigrants had low rates of health benefits, food stamps, and cash aid usage. However, families headed by permanent residents and temporary visa holders also had low rates of welfare usage. Proposed reasons for these low rates of public benefits usage include linguistic barriers, fears of deportation among undocumented immigrants, confusion about eligibility criteria, and bureaucratic responses towards immigrant families. The conclusion includes policy recommendations for addressing these issues and suggestions for further research.by Reshma Shamasunder.M.C.P

Ideals de corbes mòbils i la seva interacció amb el disseny assistit per ordinador

Presentem un cas d'interacció fructífera entre l'àlgebra commutativa i el disseny assistit per ordinador. Els problemes en aquesta àrea aplicada i cada vegada més important de la informàtica s'han traslladat a l'estudi d'estructures algebraiques abstractes, i han enriquit la matemàtica amb múltiples resultats teòrics i problemes oberts que expliquem en aquest text

Admissible nilpotent coadjoint orbits of p-adic reductive Lie groups

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Mathematics, 1998.Includes bibliographical references (p. 52-53).by Monica Nevins.Ph.D