On the role of pre and post-processing in environmental data mining

The quality of discovered knowledge is highly depending on data quality. Unfortunately real data use to contain noise, uncertainty, errors, redundancies or even irrelevant information. The more complex is the reality to be analyzed, the higher the risk of getting low quality data. Knowledge Discovery from Databases (KDD) offers a global framework to prepare data in the right form to perform correct analyses. On the other hand, the quality of decisions taken upon KDD results, depend not only on the quality of the results themselves, but on the capacity of the system to communicate those results in an understandable form. Environmental systems are particularly complex and environmental users particularly require clarity in their results. In this paper some details about how this can be achieved are provided. The role of the pre and post processing in the whole process of Knowledge Discovery in environmental systems is discussed

Families of Q-balls in a deformed O(4)O(4) linear sigma model

In this paper the existence of analytical solutions describing $Q$-balls in a family of deformed $O(4)$ sigma models in (1+1) dimensions has been investigated. These models involve two complex scalar fields whose coupling breaks the $O(4)$ symmetry group to $U(1)\times U(1)$. It has been shown that there are two types of single $Q$-balls rotating around each of the components of the internal space and a one-parameter family of composite $Q$-balls. These composite solutions consist of two single $Q$-balls (separated by a distance determined by the family parameter) spinning around each complex field with the same internal rotation frequency.Comment: 22 pages, 8 figure

Digitalisation and intermediaries in the Music Industry: The rise of the entrepreneur?

Prior to digitalisation, the vertical structure of the market for recorded music could be described as a large number of creators (composers, lyricists and musicians) supplying creative expressions to a small number of larger record labels and publishers. These funded, produced, and marketed the resulting recorded music and subsequently sold these works to consumers through a fragmented retail sector. We argue that digitalisation has led to a new structure in which the retail segment has also become concentrated. Such a structure, with successive oligopolistic segments, can lead to higher consumer prices through double marginalisation. We further question whether a combination of disintermediation of the record labels function combined with ‘self-publishing’ by creators, will lead to the demise of powerful firms in the record label segment. If so, this would shift market power from the record label and publisher segment to the retail segment (and new intermediaries such as ISPs), rather than increasing the number of segments with market power

From publishers to self-publishing: The disruptive effects of digitalisation on the book industry

This paper explores the structure of the book publishing industry postdigitalisation. We argue that the introduction of successful e-book readers has belatedly given digitalisation the characteristics of a disruptive technology by making self-publishing a serious option for authors. This has been supported by the entry of new types of intermediaries and the strengthening of others. These changes have reduced the overall complexities for an author to get a book self-published. As a result, a larger share of the surplus from the book industry is likely going to authors, explaining the significant increase in the supply of books. The potential over-supply of books has created a new problem by making consumer search more difficult. We argue that digitalisation has shifted the potential market failure from inadequate supply of books to asymmetric information about quality. It remains to be seen whether the market will provide appropriate intermediaries to solve the associated asymmetric information problem and, if not, what appropriate interventions should be contemplated

Digitalisation and intermediaries in the music industry

Prior to digitalisation, the vertical structure of the market for recorded music could be described as a large number of artists [composers, lyricists and musicians] supplying creative expressions to a small number of larger record labels and publishers who funded, produced, and marketed the resulting recorded music to subsequently sell these works to consumers through a fragmented retail sector. We argue that digitalisation has led to a new structure in which the retail segment has also become concentrated. Such a structure, with successive oligopolistic segments, can lead to higher consumer prices through double marginalisation. We further question whether a combination of disintermediation of the record labels function combined with “self-publishing” by artists, will lead to the demise of powerful firms in the record label segment, thus shifting market power from the record label and publisher segment to the retail segment, rather than increasing the number of segments with market power

Managing the supply of short-life products. A duration analysis approach using the UK film industry

Movies are uncertain products. Nobody knows much about them prior to their screening and their attempt to survive in the risky motion picture market week by week. This paper studies short-life products using the UK film industry as an example, with a larger database than employed previously, including high and low-budget films. Two effects not previously taken into account in the empirical literature are considered: cross-subsidisation and opportunity cost. Using a clog-log methodology and a sample of 552 films released in the UK, the empirical results highlight the importance of the distributor’s strategy and word-of-mouth for success in experience goods industries

Aplicación de un programa de talleres motivacionales para mejorar la satisfacción laboral en los docentes de la I.E.P. “El Regalado” Tumbaden – en la provincia de San Pablo - Cajamarca 2017.

La investigadora observó, que en la ejecución de la labor educativa, los docentes de la I.E.P. “El Regalado” Tumbadén – de la provincia de San Pablo, de la Región Cajamarca – Perú manifiestan desmotivación, esto se evidencia en el desgano para la realización de las reuniones de trabajo, lo mismo que redunda en el descuido de los estudiantes para cumplir con el trabajo educativo; ante tal situación propone la aplicación de un programa de talleres motivacionales para mejorar la satisfacción laboral en los docentes, sustentada en la teoría del factor dual de Herzberg y la teoría de la jerarquía de necesidades de Abraham Maslow. Considera que si se planifica, implementa y aplica un programa de talleres motivacionales mejorará la satisfacción laboral de los docentes de la I.E.P. “El Regalado” Tumbadén – de la Provincia de San Pablo de la Región Cajamarca - Perú. Para lograr sus propósitos planificó e implementó un programa de talleres motivacionales que fue aplicado en cinco reuniones de trabajo en las cuales se utilizó una ficha de observación denominada Escala de Satisfacción Laboral SL / SPC, analizó e interpretó los resultados los mismos que se presentan en el Capítulo III de este informe en el que se evidencia el cambio de los docentes de desmotivados a motivados. Considera como conclusiones haber realizado de manera objetiva el diagnóstico correspondiente, y haber elaborado el Marco Teórico con el que se describe y explica el problema de manera correcta, además de haber desarrollado de manera científica, integral y coherente la propuesta

Substitution between leisure activities: a quasi-natural experiment using sports viewing and cinema attendance

The allocation of time between leisure activities and work has been extensively analysed in academic literature. However, leisure time is limited and there may not be sufficient time to enjoy all the leisure activities desired. Hence, this paper considers the allocation of time between substitute leisure activities. International football tournaments provide an opportunity to consider consumers’ preferences for watching football and films in a quasi-natural experimental setting. A trade-off between these leisure activities is identified using a Difference-in-Difference methodology. Using an original, four country dataset, a large and robust negative effect of mega sports events on cinema admissions is identified

Pansharpening of High and Medium Resolution Satellite Images Using Bilateral Filtering

We provide and evaluate a fusion algorithm of remotely sensed images, i.e. the fusion of a panchromatic (PAN) image with a multi-spectral (MS) image using bilateral filtering, applied to images of three different sensors: SPOT 5, Landsat ETM+ and Quickbird. To assess the fusion process, we use six quality indexes, that confirm, along with visual analysis, good overall results for the three sensors