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A review of portfolio planning: Models and systems
In this chapter, we first provide an overview of a number of portfolio planning models
which have been proposed and investigated over the last forty years. We revisit the
mean-variance (M-V) model of Markowitz and the construction of the risk-return
efficient frontier. A piecewise linear approximation of the problem through a
reformulation involving diagonalisation of the quadratic form into a variable
separable function is also considered. A few other models, such as, the Mean
Absolute Deviation (MAD), the Weighted Goal Programming (WGP) and the
Minimax (MM) model which use alternative metrics for risk are also introduced,
compared and contrasted. Recently asymmetric measures of risk have gained in
importance; we consider a generic representation and a number of alternative
symmetric and asymmetric measures of risk which find use in the evaluation of
portfolios. There are a number of modelling and computational considerations which
have been introduced into practical portfolio planning problems. These include: (a)
buy-in thresholds for assets, (b) restriction on the number of assets (cardinality
constraints), (c) transaction roundlot restrictions. Practical portfolio models may also
include (d) dedication of cashflow streams, and, (e) immunization which involves
duration matching and convexity constraints. The modelling issues in respect of these
features are discussed. Many of these features lead to discrete restrictions involving
zero-one and general integer variables which make the resulting model a quadratic
mixed-integer programming model (QMIP). The QMIP is a NP-hard problem; the
algorithms and solution methods for this class of problems are also discussed. The
issues of preparing the analytic data (financial datamarts) for this family of portfolio
planning problems are examined. We finally present computational results which
provide some indication of the state-of-the-art in the solution of portfolio optimisation
problems
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Assessment of sexual difficulties associated with multi-modal treatment for cervical or endometrial cancer: A systematic review of measurement instruments
Background: Practitioners and researchers require an outcome measure that accurately identifies the range of common treatment-induced changes in sexual function and well-being experienced by women after cervical or endometrial cancer. This systematic review critically appraised the measurement properties and clinical utility of instruments validated for the measurement of female sexual dysfunction (FSD) in this clinical population.
Methods: A bibliographic database search for questionnaire development or validation papers was completed and methodological quality and measurement properties of selected studies rated using the Consensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement Instrument (COSMIN) checklist.
Results: 738 articles were screened, 13 articles retrieved for full text assessment and 7 studies excluded, resulting in evaluation of 6 papers; 2 QoL and 4 female sexual morbidity measures.
Five of the six instruments omitted one or more dimension of female sexual function and only one instrument explicitly measured distress associated with sexual changes as per DSM V (APA 2013) diagnostic criteria.
None of the papers reported measurement error, responsiveness data was available for only two instruments, three papers failed to report on criterion validity, and test-retest reliability reporting was inconsistent. Heterosexual penile-vaginal intercourse remains the dominant sexual activity focus for sexual morbidity PROMS terminology and instruments lack explicit reference to solo or non-coital sexual expression or validation in a non-heterosexual sample. Four out of six instruments included mediating treatment or illness items such as vaginal changes, menopause or altered body image.
Conclusions: Findings suggest that the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) remains the most robust sexual morbidity outcome measure, for research or clinical use, in sexually active women treated for cervical or endometrial cancer
Consistent Gravitationally-Coupled Spin-2 Field Theory
Inspired by the translational gauge structure of teleparallel gravity, the
theory for a fundamental massless spin-2 field is constructed. Accordingly,
instead of being represented by a symmetric second-rank tensor, the fundamental
spin-2 field is assumed to be represented by a spacetime (world) vector field
assuming values in the Lie algebra of the translation group. The flat-space
theory naturally emerges in the Fierz formalism and is found to be equivalent
to the usual metric-based theory. However, the gravitationally coupled theory,
with gravitation itself described by teleparallel gravity, is shown not to
present the consistency problems of the spin-2 theory constructed on the basis
of general relativity.Comment: 16 pages, no figures. V2: Presentation changes, including addition of
a new sub-section, aiming at clarifying the text; version accepted for
publication in Class. Quantum Grav
A Submillimeter HCN Laser in IRC+10216
We report the detection of a strong submillimeter wavelength HCN laser line
at a frequency near 805 GHz toward the carbon star IRC+10216. This line, the
J=9-8 rotational transition within the (04(0)0) vibrationally excited state, is
one of a series of HCN laser lines that were first detected in the laboratory
in the early days of laser spectroscopy. Since its lower energy level is 4200 K
above the ground state, the laser emission must arise from the inner part of
IRC+10216's circumstellar envelope. To better characterize this environment, we
observed other, thermally emitting, vibrationally excited HCN lines and find
that they, like the laser line, arise in a region of temperature approximately
1000 K that is located within the dust formation radius; this conclusion is
supported by the linewidth of the laser. The (04(0)0), J=9-8 laser might be
chemically pumped and may be the only known laser (or maser) that is excited
both in the laboratory and in space by a similar mechanism.Comment: 11 pages, 3 figure
Soliton dual comb in crystalline microresonators
We present a novel compact dual-comb source based on a monolithic optical
crystalline MgF multi-resonator stack. The coherent soliton combs generated
in two microresonators of the stack with the repetition rate of 12.1 GHz and
difference of 1.62 MHz provided after heterodyning a 300 MHz wide
radio-frequency comb. Analogous system can be used for dual-comb spectroscopy,
coherent LIDAR applications and massively parallel optical communications.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figure
Measurement and control systems for an imaging electromagnetic flow meter
Electromagnetic flow metres based on the principles of Faraday's laws of induction have been used successfully in many industries. The conventional electromagnetic flow metre can measure the mean liquid velocity in axisymmetric single phase flows. However, in order to achieve velocity profile measurements in single phase flows with non-uniform velocity profiles, a novel imaging electromagnetic flow metre (IEF) has been developed which is described in this paper. The novel electromagnetic flow metre which is based on the âweight valueâ theory to reconstruct velocity profiles is interfaced with a âMicrorobotics VM1â microcontroller as a stand-alone unit. The work undertaken in the paper demonstrates that an imaging electromagnetic flow metre for liquid velocity profile measurement is an instrument that is highly suited for control via a microcontroller
Evaluation of the ALMA Prototype Antennas
The ALMA North American and European prototype antennas have been evaluated
by a variety of measurement systems to quantify the major performance
specifications. Nearfield holography was used to set the reflector surfaces to
17 microns RMS. Pointing and fast switching performance was determined with an
optical telescope and by millimeter wavelength radiometry, yielding 2 arcsec
absolute and 0.6 arcsec offset pointing accuracies. Path length stability was
measured to be less than or approximately equal to 20 microns over 10 minute
time periods using optical measurement devices. Dynamical performance was
studied with a set of accelerometers, providing data on wind induced tracking
errors and structural deformation. Considering all measurements made during
this evaluation, both prototype antennas meet the major ALMA antenna
performance specifications.Comment: 83 pages, 36 figures, AASTex format, to appear in PASP September 2006
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Experimental recovery of a qubit from partial collapse
We describe and implement a method to restore the state of a single qubit, in
principle perfectly, after it has partially collapsed. The method resembles the
classical Hahn spin-echo, but works on a wider class of relaxation processes,
in which the quantum state partially leaves the computational Hilbert space. It
is not guaranteed to work every time, but successful outcomes are heralded. We
demonstrate using a single trapped ion better performance from this recovery
method than can be obtained employing projection and post-selection alone. The
demonstration features a novel qubit implementation that permits both partial
collapse and coherent manipulations with high fidelity.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure
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