Nonlinear trend stationarity of real exchange rates: the case of the Mediterranean countries

The aim of this article is to provide additional evidence on the fulfilment of the Purchasing Power Parity hypothesis in the so-called Mediterranean countries. In order to test for the empirical validity of such hypothesis, we have applied two types of unit root tests. The first group is due to Bierens (1997) who generalizes the alternative hypothesis to nonlinear trend stationariry and, the second is the Leybourne, Newbold and Vougas (1998) approach that uses a nonlinear specification for the intercept and slope in order to detrend the series. The results suggest that the evidence in favour of the Purchasing Power Parity hypothesis increases when we allow for nonlinear alternatives

Real convergence in Europe: a cluster analysis

In this paper we analyse real convergence in GDP per worker in the EU member states. The aim is to test whether there is evidence of club convergence in the EU, i.e. divergence in GDP per worker. Evidence in favour of cluster or club convergence may be an indication of significant productivity divergences between countries, which may also explain the current turmoil in the euro zone. The results show evidence of different economic growth rates within Europe, which also converge to different steady states, implying divergence in the EU-14. Within the EU-14 member states we observe two convergence clubs, which are not related to the fact that some countries belong to the euro area. Furthermore, Eastern European countries are also divided in two clubs, with a more direct effect of belonging to the euro zone in the composition of the clubs

BV analysis for covariant and non-covariant actions

The equivalence between the covariant and the non-covariant version of a constrained system is shown to hold after quantization in the framework of the field-antifield formalism. Our study covers the cases of Electromagnetism and Yang-Mills fields and sheds light on some aspects of the Faddeev-Popov method, for both the coratiant and non-covariant approaches, which had not been fully clarified in the literature.Comment: 21 pages, preprint # UTTG-02-93, UB-ECM-PF 93/5. To appear in Phys. Rev.

Efficient geometric framework for 3D images modeling

El objetivo de este artículo es explorar la implementación de una reconstrucción real de imágenes en 3D utilizando el álgebra geométrica (AG). Con ello queremos mostrar la utilidad del AG para la representación de estructuras y el desarrollo de algoritmos para las aplicaciones de computer graphics , y especialmente para otras aplicaciones de ingeniería, como el modelado de imágenes en 3D. Una primera consecuencia es la obtención de un eficiente entorno de modelado para su implementación en un hardware programable. Los resultados obtenidos muestran que utilizando AG, los cálculos son menos complejos y se materializan como simples operaciones geométricas. El modelo obtenido para el hardware puede ser implementado como un paso siguiente en la reconstrucción de imágenes en 3D. Este artículo pone de manifiesto el potencial del AG para optimizaciones e implementaciones altamente eficientes.The objective of this paper is exploring implementation of a realistic images reconstruction 3D using geometric algebra (GA). We illustrate the suitability of GA for representing structures and developing algorithms in computer graphics, especially for engineering applications as 3D images modeling. A first consequence is to propose an efficient framework model to be implemented in hardware programmable. The obtained results showed that using GA, the computations are less complex and shows as simple computations geometrical operations. The obtained model to hardware can be implemented as a next step in 3D image reconstruction. We also include the potential of GA for optimizations and highly efficient implementations.Peer Reviewe

An Assessment on the Use of Stationary Vehicles as a Support to Cooperative Positioning

In this paper, we consider the use of stationary vehicles as tools to enhance the localisation capabilities of moving vehicles in a VANET. We examine the idea in terms of its potential benefits, technical requirements, algorithmic design and experimental evaluation. Simulation results are given to illustrate the efficacy of the technique.Comment: This version of the paper is an updated version of the initial submission, where some initial comments of reviewers have been taken into accoun

Nonlinear Stochastic Resonance with subthreshold rectangular pulses

We analyze the phenomenon of nonlinear stochastic resonance (SR) in noisy bistable systems driven by pulsed time periodic forces. The driving force contains, within each period, two pulses of equal constant amplitude and duration but opposite signs. Each pulse starts every half-period and its duration is varied. For subthreshold amplitudes, we study the dependence of the output signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and the SR gain on the noise strength and the relative duration of the pulses. We find that the SR gains can reach values larger than unity, with maximum values showing a nonmonotonic dependence on the duration of the pulses.Comment: 7 pages, 2 figure

Summary Conclusions on Computational Experience and the Explanatory Value of Condition Measures for Linear Optimization*

The modern theory of condition measures for convex optimization problems was initially developed for convex problems in conic format, and several aspects of the theory have now been extended to handle non-conic formats as well. In this theory, the (Renegar-) condition measure C(d) for a problem instance with data d=(A,b,c) has been shown to be connected to bounds on a wide variety of behavioral and computational characteristics of the problem instance, from sizes of optimal solutions to the complexity of algorithms. Herein we test the practical relevance of the condition measure theory, as applied to linear optimization problems that one might typically encounter in practice. Using the NETLIB suite of linear optimization problems as a test bed, we found that 71% of the NETLIB suite problem instances have infinite condition measure. In order to examine condition measures of the problems that are the actual input to a modern IPM solver, we also computed condition measures for the NETLIB suite problems after pre-preprocessing by CPLEX 7.1. Here we found that 19% of the post-processed problem instances in the NETLIB suite have infinite condition measure, and that log C(d) of the post-processed problems is fairly nicely distributed. Furthermore, there is a positive linear relationship between IPM iterations and log C(d) of the post-processed problem instances (significant at the 95% confidence level), and 42% of the variation in IPM iterations among the NETLIB suite problem instances is accounted for by log C(d) of the post-processed problem instances.Singapore-MIT Alliance (SMA

Statistical Mechanics of finite arrays of coupled bistable elements

We discuss the equilibrium of a single collective variable characterizing a finite set of coupled, noisy, bistable systems as the noise strength, the size and the coupling parameter are varied. We identify distinct regions in parameter space. The results obtained in prior works in the asymptotic infinite size limit are significantly different from the finite size results. A procedure to construct approximate 1-dimensional Langevin equation is adopted. This equation provides a useful tool to understand the collective behavior even in the presence of an external driving force