An Alternative Explanation for the Equality of Male and Female Unemployment Rates in the U.S. Labor Market in the Late 1980s

Given demographic trends, public policies in the future may be aimed at stimulating the availability of nursing home care in the U.S. This paper estimates how certificate of need laws, Medicaid reimbursement rates, and state corporate income tax rates affect the availability of nursing home care in markets throughout the U.S. The results indicate that the Medicaid reimbursement rate directly affects the availability of nursing home care. The findings also suggest that the state corporate tax rate inversely influences the provision of nursing care. Finally, the availability of nursing care is not affected by the presence of certificate of need laws.Female; Unemployment Rate; Unemployment

A new weighted NMF algorithm for missing data interpolation and its application to speech enhancement

In this paper we present a novel weighted NMF (WNMF) algorithm for interpolating missing data. The proposed approach has a computational cost equivalent to that of standard NMF and, additionally, has the flexibility to control the degree of interpolation in the missing data regions. Existing WNMF methods do not offer this capability and, thereby, tend to overestimate the values in the masked regions. By constraining the estimates of the missing-data regions, the proposed approach allows for a better trade-off in the interpolation. We further demonstrate the applicability of WNMF and missing data estimation to the problem of speech enhancement. In this preliminary work, we consider the improvement obtainable by applying the proposed method to ideal binary mask-based gain functions. The instrumental quality metrics (PESQ and SNR) clearly indicate the added benefit of the missing data interpolation, compared to the output of the ideal binary mask. This preliminary work opens up novel possibilities not only in the field of speech enhancement but also, more generally, in the field of missing data interpolation using NMF

Approximate MAP Decoding on Tail-Biting Trellises

We propose two approximate algorithms for MAP decoding on tail-biting trellises. The algorithms work on a subset of nodes of the tail-biting trellis, judiciously selected. We report the results of simulations on an AWGN channel using the approximate algorithms on tail-biting trellises for the $(24,12)$ Extended Golay Code and a rate 1/2 convolutional code with memory 6.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures, ISIT 200

A Voucher Supplement To Existing Anti-Discrimination Programs In The Job Market

This paper draws on literatures on vouchers and discrimination, and derives an optimal voucher scheme as a supplement to standard anti-discrimination policies, including affirmative action. Surveying current policy methods, it compares efficiency and distributional effects of vouchers to those of the standard enforcement policies. The motivation for vouchers is based on efficiency, equity, and on observed divergence of racial unemployment rates combined with convergence of wage rates.

Breeding, larval rearing and seed production of maroon clown Premnas biaculeatus under captive conditions

The maroon clown Premnas biaculeatus is the sole member in the genus Premnas. P. biaculeatus is commonly known as 'Spine-Cheek Anemone fish' because of the presence of a pair of long spines on its pre-operculum. In India, this species is abundant in the coral reef ecosystem of Andaman and Nicobar Islands situated in Bay of Bengal. Their most striking bright red to maroon colouration on entire body and fin, demarcated abruptly with white to golden yellow narrow bands make them as one of the most attractive species among the marine ornamental clown fishes. Most of the salt water ornamental fishes are collected from the wild and hence there is a serious concern in respect of their conservation. Recent studies also showed that wild collected specimens have a dismal survival history in captivity, whereas captivebred clownfish are generally hardier, more disease free, easily adjust to life in aquaria and retain normal colouration. Due to the very high demand of the species in the aquarium fish trade, development of an appropriate technology for its captive production is felt as an alternative means of providing fish for the trade rather than wild collection which may cause depletion of the stocks. In this juncture, a viable technique has been developed in the marine hatchery of CMFRI, Kochi for the captive breeding and juvenile production of P. biaculeatus for the first time in India