Extended linear-homothetic preferences and the Cournot-Bertrand profit differential

This paper introduces the �extended linear-homothetic� preferences to model consumer choice. Specifically, we extend Datta and Dixon�s (2000) �standard linear-homothetic� preferences by adding an additional term to the unit cost function. This term captures the relative importance of price interactions within sectors on the unit cost of utility. In an economy composed of a large number of sectors (K) with a suffciently large number of firms (n) in each, the �extended linear-homothetic� preferences yield (perceived) linear demands in own strategy and competitors� strategies - where goods are characterized as substitutes. Thus, the linearity and homotheticity properties of the preferences open the possibility to develop a tractable model of oligopoly in general equilibrium. An additional novelty introduced by the �extended linear-homothetic� preferences is the presence of a sectoral-specific price index in product demand. For n small, this implies that firms internalize the sectoral price effects of their individual pricing strategies. The latter, we argue, may provide us with a link between nonatomistic price and wage setters and the monetary authority.

Macroeconomic Effects of Oligopolistic Competition with Wage Bargaining

Modelling oligopoly in general equilibrium is about understanding the aggregate effects of the strategic behavior that nonatomistic agents may exhibit in their markets. Real-world economies appear to be characterized by (monopoly) power-endowed agents behaving strategically - namely, firms and unions. By abstracting from this behavior, we risk missing some important features of the macroeconomy. We develop a general equilibrium model of unionized oligopoly aimed at addressing this point. We evaluate the macroeconomic effects of supply-side shocks under alternative product and labor market structures. In addition, the micro foundations of the model capture an alternative channel for the development of strategic interactions among firms, unions and the monetary authority. This channel creates a transmission mechanism for real effects of monetary policy-related shocks, which we investigate. Finally, in the light of the predictions of the model, we discuss macroeconomic performance in Continental Europe over the 1990s.

Complete Polarization Control in Multimode Fibers with Polarization and Mode Coupling

Multimode optical fibers have seen increasing applications in communication, imaging, high-power lasers and amplifiers. However, inherent imperfections and environmental perturbations cause random polarization and mode mixing, making the output polarization states very different from the input one. This poses a serious issue for employing polarization sensitive techniques to control light-matter interactions or nonlinear optical processes at the distal end of a fiber probe. Here we demonstrate a complete control of polarization states for all output channels by only manipulating the spatial wavefront of a laser beam into the fiber. Arbitrary polarization states for individual output channels are generated by wavefront shaping without constraint on input polarizations. The strong coupling between spatial and polarization degrees of freedom in a multimode fiber enables full polarization control with spatial degrees of freedom alone, transforming a multimode fiber to a highly-efficient reconfigurable matrix of waveplates

Deterioration of willow seeds during storage

Willow (Salix spp.) seeds are able to tolerate desiccation, but differ from typical orthodox seeds in that they lose viability in a few days at room temperature, and in that the chloroplasts in embryo tissues do not dedifferentiate during maturation drying, thus retaining chlorophyll and maintaining intact their thylakoid membranes. In the present study, we investigated the damage generated in willow seeds during storage under appropriate conditions to exclude the eventual generation of reactive oxygen species by photooxidation. To this end, we measured different indicators of molecular damage, such as changes in the fatty acid profile, protein degradation, nuclease activities, and DNA damage, and evaluated normal germination and total germination in seeds stored for one, ten and sixteen years. We found: (i) a decrease in the fraction of unsaturated fatty acids; (ii) changes in the protein profile due to a decrease in protein solubility; (iii) activation of nucleases; and (iv) DNA fragmentation. Taken together, our findings identified programmed cell death as a key mechanism in seed deterioration during storage. We also found that, although the seeds maintained high percentages of total germination, the death program had already started in the seeds stored for ten years and was more advanced in those stored for sixteen years.Fil: Lopez Fernandez, Maria Paula. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental y Aplicada. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental y Aplicada; ArgentinaFil: Moyano, Laura. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental y Aplicada. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental y Aplicada; ArgentinaFil: Correa, María Daniela. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental; ArgentinaFil: Vasile, Franco Emanuel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Chaco Austral. Departamento de Industrias Alimentarias; ArgentinaFil: Burrieza, Hernán Pablo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental y Aplicada. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental y Aplicada; ArgentinaFil: Maldonado, Sara Beatriz. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental y Aplicada. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental y Aplicada; Argentin

Spanish generation from Spanish Sign Language using a phrase-based translation system

This paper describes the development of a Spoken Spanish generator from Spanish Sign Language (LSE – Lengua de Signos Española) in a specific domain: the renewal of Identity Document and Driver’s license. The system is composed of three modules. The first one is an interface where a deaf person can specify a sign sequence in sign-writing. The second one is a language translator for converting the sign sequence into a word sequence. Finally, the last module is a text to speech converter. Also, the paper describes the generation of a parallel corpus for the system development composed of more than 4,000 Spanish sentences and their LSE translations in the application domain. The paper is focused on the translation module that uses a statistical strategy with a phrase-based translation model, and this paper analyses the effect of the alignment configuration used during the process of word based translation model generation. Finally, the best configuration gives a 3.90% mWER and a 0.9645 BLEU

Microinjertación de naranja Valencia y lima Tahití

To determine the viability of micrografting of Valencia orange and Tahiti Lime plants on Cleopatra mandarin rootstocks for possible use in massive plant propagation, different steps o the micrografting procedure were evaluated. Seeds of Cleopatra mandarin were established in semisolid MS (Murashige and Skoog) with, or without, GA3 to evaluate the effect on percentage and time time of germination. Plants of Valencia and Tahiti were, either, treated with 1 mg l -1 BAP or manually pruned to evaluate the effect on vegetative shoot production, and the effect of three positions of the shoot tip meristem (Topping, sided and slant) onto the decapitated surface of the rootstock on the percentage of success were evaluated. Treatments for all experiments were distributed with a complete randomized design and data for vegetative shoot production were analyzed with ANOVA and means separated with Tukey test. Results evidenced that GA3 had no effect on increasing percentage and reducing time of germination, pruning statistically increased the number of vegetative shoots in plants. Micrografting success of 28% for Valencia orange and 14% for Tahiti lime are consistent with reported studies for recovery of disease-free plants; however, to increase success level for massive plant propagation, it is recommended for further studies to consider evaluation of in vitro conditions such as increased sucrose concentration, in vitro adaptation of shoot tip meristems and auxin supply, among others.Para determinar la viabilidad de microinjertación en plantas de naranja Valencia y lima Tahití como un método de propagación masiva de plantas, diferentes pasos del proceso de microinjertación fueron evaluados. Las semillas de mandarina Cleopatra fueron establecidas in vitro en medio semisólido MS (Murashige y Skoog) con, o sin, GA3, para evaluar su efecto en el porcentaje y el tiempo de germinación, las plantas de naranja Valencia y lima Tahití fueron tratadas con 1 mg l-1 BAP o podadas manualmente para evaluar el efecto sobre la producción de brotes vegetativos, y el efecto de tres posiciones del ápice meristemático en la superficie del patrón decapitado, en el centro, en un lado y en un corte inclinado, sobre el porcentaje de éxito fue evaluado. Las repeticiones de todos los experimentos fueron distribuidas con un diseño completamente al azar, los datos de brotes vegetativos fueron analizados con ANAVA y los promedios separados con la prueba de Tukey. Los resultados evidenciaron que el GA3 no afectó el porcentaje y tiempo de germinación y la poda incrementó estadísticamente el número de brotes vegetativos. Los porcentajes de éxito de microinjertos de naranja Valencia (28%) y lima Tahití (14%) son consistentes con los resultados de otros estudios para recuperar plantas libres de enfermedades; sin embargo, para propagación masiva, se recomienda en futuros estudios considerar la evaluación de condiciones in vitro como aumento en la concentración de sacarosa, adaptación in vitro de los ápices meristemáticos y adición de auxina, entre otros