Currency futures volatility during the 1997 East Asian crisis: an application of Fourier analysis

We analyze a recently proposed method to estimate volatility and correlation when prices are observed at a high frequency rate. The method is based on Fourier analysis and does not require any data manipulation, leading to more robust estimates than the traditional methodologies proposed so far. In the first part of the paper, we evaluate the performance of the Fourier algorithm to reconstruct the time volatility of simulated univariate and bivariate models; in the second part, the Fourier method is used to investigate the volatility and correlation dynamics of futures markets over the Asian crisis period, with the purpose of detecting possible interdependencies and volatility transmissions across countries amid a period of financial turmoil

Waste heat to power conversion by means of thermomagnetic hydrodynamic energy harvester

Energy harvesting from extremely low enthalpy sources can play an important role in increasing the sustainability of future energy applications: low temperature differences are common and offer an abundant source, available both in the natural environment and as the result of a many industrial process. This paper presents the first closed-loop thermomagnetic hydrodynamic energy harvester, based on thermomagnetic advection and exploiting a commercial ferrofluid. The lab-scale prototype has a toroidal geometry adopted from the well-known tokamak inertial machines. Peltier modules are used to control the thermal gradient that is harvested and converted directly to electric energy, while permanent magnets trigger the advection. Temperature sensors are installed along the toroidal walls (thermistors) and are placed in contact with the rotating fluid (thermocouples). To extract and ensure the electrical energy output, the structure is wrapped-up with induction coils. Two coil configurations (purely poloidal and mixed poloidal/toroidal windings) are tested, in a heterogeneous two-phase flow from the combination of water carrier and ferrofluid packets, reaching a maximum extracted electrical power per unit of temperature difference of 10.4 μW/K. This positions the device close to 20% of the ideal Carnot efficiency of a thermal machine working on the same temperature drop. Numerical analysis of the system has been performed developing a Fortran™ code in a Eulerian framework, using a mixed Fourier-Galerkin/finite difference spatial discretization. The harvester is suitable for producing electricity from running engines, appliances, warm gas exhausts, exothermic processes

Open-ended evolution to discover analogue circuits for beyond conventional applications

This is the author's accepted manuscript. The final publication is available at Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10710-012-9163-8. Copyright @ Springer 2012.Analogue circuits synthesised by means of open-ended evolutionary algorithms often have unconventional designs. However, these circuits are typically highly compact, and the general nature of the evolutionary search methodology allows such designs to be used in many applications. Previous work on the evolutionary design of analogue circuits has focused on circuits that lie well within analogue application domain. In contrast, our paper considers the evolution of analogue circuits that are usually synthesised in digital logic. We have developed four computational circuits, two voltage distributor circuits and a time interval metre circuit. The approach, despite its simplicity, succeeds over the design tasks owing to the employment of substructure reuse and incremental evolution. Our findings expand the range of applications that are considered suitable for evolutionary electronics

On the equivalence between hierarchical segmentations and ultrametric watersheds

We study hierarchical segmentation in the framework of edge-weighted graphs. We define ultrametric watersheds as topological watersheds null on the minima. We prove that there exists a bijection between the set of ultrametric watersheds and the set of hierarchical segmentations. We end this paper by showing how to use the proposed framework in practice in the example of constrained connectivity; in particular it allows to compute such a hierarchy following a classical watershed-based morphological scheme, which provides an efficient algorithm to compute the whole hierarchy.Comment: 19 pages, double-colum

On morphological hierarchical representations for image processing and spatial data clustering

Hierarchical data representations in the context of classi cation and data clustering were put forward during the fties. Recently, hierarchical image representations have gained renewed interest for segmentation purposes. In this paper, we briefly survey fundamental results on hierarchical clustering and then detail recent paradigms developed for the hierarchical representation of images in the framework of mathematical morphology: constrained connectivity and ultrametric watersheds. Constrained connectivity can be viewed as a way to constrain an initial hierarchy in such a way that a set of desired constraints are satis ed. The framework of ultrametric watersheds provides a generic scheme for computing any hierarchical connected clustering, in particular when such a hierarchy is constrained. The suitability of this framework for solving practical problems is illustrated with applications in remote sensing

Proteome-wide identification of poly(ADP-ribose) binding proteins and poly(ADP-ribose)-associated protein complexes

Poly(ADP-ribose) (pADPr) is a polymer assembled from the enzymatic polymerization of the ADP-ribosyl moiety of NAD by poly(ADP-ribose) polymerases (PARPs). The dynamic turnover of pADPr within the cell is essential for a number of cellular processes including progression through the cell cycle, DNA repair and the maintenance of genomic integrity, and apoptosis. In spite of the considerable advances in the knowledge of the physiological conditions modulated by poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation reactions, and notwithstanding the fact that pADPr can play a role of mediator in a wide spectrum of biological processes, few pADPr binding proteins have been identified so far. In this study, refined in silico prediction of pADPr binding proteins and large-scale mass spectrometry-based proteome analysis of pADPr binding proteins were used to establish a comprehensive repertoire of pADPr-associated proteins. Visualization and modeling of these pADPr-associated proteins in networks not only reflect the widespread involvement of poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation in several pathways but also identify protein targets that could shed new light on the regulatory functions of pADPr in normal physiological conditions as well as after exposure to genotoxic stimuli

Exhausted poultry beddings: from environmental issues to resources

Given the relevance in food production of poultry farms, it is required to pursue technical solutions to cope with the environmental issues due to the exhausted poultry beddings disposal, as received by the European Directive EEC/91/676, which limits beddings\u2019 traditional spreading on soils. Alternative disposal routes are thus needed. The most promising option is the energy conversion for heat and/or power production. Small and medium size plants are here presented, to be installed inside the farm premises. Furthermore, synergies with the farm towards BAT\u2019s improving are pursued. Eventually, an economic analysis of the various plant sizes is hereby presented, considering some economic indexes (NPV, PBA, IRR, PI) and provided with a sensitivity analysis. The memoir also reports a series of charts for the technical and economic evaluation of plant size depending on specific farming type and farm siz

Meja: guerre di confine.

Attraverso la proiezione del docu-film "Meja-Guerre di confine" si analizza la storia del confine orientale d'Italia nel corso dei secoli XIX e XX