Market Discipline in Emerging Economies: Beyond Bank Fundamentals

This paper studies how institutional factors and systemic risks (driven by macroeconomic conditions) prevalent in emerging economies may impact market discipline among banks (traditionally understood as market responses to bank fundamentals). First, we discuss how certain institutional features of emerging economies (underdeveloped capital markets, pervasive government ownership of banks, greater guarantees, inadequate disclosure and transparency) may affect market responses to bank risk. Second, using the recent Argentine crisis as an illustration, we argue that systemic risks may exert an overwhelming impact on market behavior, overshadowing the link between the latter and bank fundamentals. Thus, market discipline, while missing in the traditional sense, may be indeed quite robust once systemic risks are factored in. We conclude that in emerging economies the analysis of market discipline should take into account the importance of institutional and systemic factors.

Community Structure in Industrial SAT Instances

Modern SAT solvers have experienced a remarkable progress on solving industrial instances. Most of the techniques have been developed after an intensive experimental process. It is believed that these techniques exploit the underlying structure of industrial instances. However, there are few works trying to exactly characterize the main features of this structure. The research community on complex networks has developed techniques of analysis and algorithms to study real-world graphs that can be used by the SAT community. Recently, there have been some attempts to analyze the structure of industrial SAT instances in terms of complex networks, with the aim of explaining the success of SAT solving techniques, and possibly improving them. In this paper, inspired by the results on complex networks, we study the community structure, or modularity, of industrial SAT instances. In a graph with clear community structure, or high modularity, we can find a partition of its nodes into communities such that most edges connect variables of the same community. In our analysis, we represent SAT instances as graphs, and we show that most application benchmarks are characterized by a high modularity. On the contrary, random SAT instances are closer to the classical Erd\"os-R\'enyi random graph model, where no structure can be observed. We also analyze how this structure evolves by the effects of the execution of a CDCL SAT solver. In particular, we use the community structure to detect that new clauses learned by the solver during the search contribute to destroy the original structure of the formula. This is, learned clauses tend to contain variables of distinct communities

Fundamentos de un modelo de formación permanente del profesorado de ciencias centrado en la reflexión dialógica sobre las concepciones y las prácticas

In this article, principles of one model for male and female Science teacher formation are discussed, considering as its basis the dialogical and critical reflection on concepts and practices, between the teacher and his/her tutor. The dialogical reflection takes place due to problems located in a concrete environment, which are scrutinized in the light of modern theoretical references regarding to the learning-teaching process of Sciences. The model is based on socioconstructivist currents and, very specially, on studies about the role of self-regulation and learning metacognition. The principles discussed are illustrated with transcription fragments of dialogues obtained through model experiencing in a progressive formation project for Biology secondary teachers in Rio Grande (RS), Brazil

Polynomial Calculus for MaxSAT

MaxSAT is the problem of finding an assignment satisfying the maximum number of clauses in a CNF formula. We consider a natural generalization of this problem to generic sets of polynomials and propose a weighted version of Polynomial Calculus to address this problem. Weighted Polynomial Calculus is a natural generalization of MaxSAT-Resolution and weighted Resolution that manipulates polynomials with coefficients in a finite field and either weights in ? or ?. We show the soundness and completeness of these systems via an algorithmic procedure. Weighted Polynomial Calculus, with weights in ? and coefficients in ??, is able to prove efficiently that Tseitin formulas on a connected graph are minimally unsatisfiable. Using weights in ?, it also proves efficiently that the Pigeonhole Principle is minimally unsatisfiable

Antismoking campaigns’ perception and gender differences: a comparison among EEG Indices

Human factors’ aim is to understand and evaluate the interactions between people and tasks, technologies, and environment. Among human factors, it is possible then to include the subjective reaction to external stimuli, due to individual’s characteristics and states of mind. These processes are also involved in the perception of antismoking public service announcements (PSAs), the main tool for governments to contrast the first cause of preventable deaths in the world: tobacco addiction. In the light of that, in the present article, it has been investigated through the comparison of different electroencephalographic (EEG) indices a typical item known to be able of influencing PSA perception, that is gender. In order to investigate the neurophysiological underpinnings of such different perception, we tested two PSAs: one with a female character and one with a male character. Furthermore, the experimental sample was divided into men and women, as well as smokers and nonsmokers. The employed EEG indices were the mental engagement (ME: the ratio between beta activity and the sum of alpha and theta activity); the approach/withdrawal (AW: the frontal alpha asymmetry in the alpha band); and the frontal theta activity and the spectral asymmetry index (SASI: the ratio between beta minus theta and beta plus theta). Results suggested that the ME and the AW presented an opposite trend, with smokers showing higher ME and lower AW than nonsmokers. The ME and the frontal theta also evidenced a statistically significant interaction between the kind of the PSA and the gender of the observers; specifically, women showed higher ME and frontal theta activity for the male character PSA. This study then supports the usefulness of the ME and frontal theta for purposes of PSAs targeting on the basis of gender issues and of the ME and the AW and for purposes of PSAs targeting on the basis of smoking habits

Imposter Phenomenon and Dunning-Kruger Effect: Leveraging Internal Conflicts for Professional Growth and Wellness

Working together as a team, we all came to realize that addressing uncomfortable topics such as imposter phenomenon is important to build resilience among faculty and students

Variáveis edáficas que condicionam o habitat de ácaros oribatídeos em Phaeozems Lúvicos sob plantações florestais (Buenos Aires, Argentina)

The soil is a complex three-dimensional habitat and any changes in its structure and porosity are likely to affect the type and abundance of soil biota. Oribatid mites play an important role in the decomposition and mineralization of soil organic matter and their abundance depends on diverse soil parameters, including soil texture, organic matter content, pH, moisture, and the pore system. The aim of the present work is to analyze some of the edaphic variables that condition the habitat of oribatid mites in Luvic Phaeozems under Pinus radiata (site P) and Eucalyptus globulus (site E) plantations, in the Southeast of Buenos Aires, Argentina. Bulk density, penetration resistance, pH, moisture, pore system parameters, and oribatid abundance and species composition were analyzed. Site E had a greater total porosity than site P. The high tortuosity of the pores in both sites generates a complex habitat architecture for the development of oribatid mites. In both sites, oribatids of 70-400 μm in size predominated and were more abundant in site E. A positive correlation between the abundance of oribatids and the pore size in both sites was observed. In site E this correlation was lower for 70-600 µm (R = 0.13) or negative for 70-400 µm (R = -0.78). Therefore, the oribatid abundance could be explained by a greater complexity of the structure of the organic horizon, lower bulk density and lower penetration resistance. These conditions favor the mineralization of organic matter, and therefore food availability. On the other hand, in site P, oribatid abundance is mainly influenced by the porous system, which conditions the access to food, competition between organisms and refuge from predators. Two new species were registered for Argentina: Mesotritia elegantula and Acrogalumna longipluma.El suelo es un hábitat tridimensional altamente complejo. Los cambios en su estructura y porosidad pueden afectar el tipo y la abundancia de la biota del suelo. Los ácaros oribátidos juegan un papel fundamental en la descomposición y mineralización de la materia orgánica del suelo, y su abundancia depende de la textura, la materia orgánica, el pH, la humedad, el sistema poroso, entre otros. El objetivo del presente trabajo es analizar algunas de las variables edáficas que condicionan el hábitat de los ácaros oribátidos en Phaeozems Lúvicos bajo plantaciones de Pinus radiata(P) y Eucalyptus globulus (E), en el sudeste de la provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina. Se analizaron la densidad aparente, la resistencia a la penetración, el pH, la humedad, los parámetros del sistema poroso y la abundancia de oribátidos. Ambos sitios presentaron suelos bien estructurados con propiedades edáficas similares. La porosidad total fue mayor en el sitio E con respecto al sitio P. En ambos sitios la tortuosidad de los poros fue alta, lo que genera un hábitat de arquitectura compleja para el desarrollo de los ácaros oribátidos. Tanto en el sitio E como en el P predominaron oribátidos de 70-400 μm de tamaño y, en general, fueron más abundantes en el sitio E. Se observó una correlación positiva entre la abundancia de oribátidos y el tamaño de poros en ambos sitios. En el sitio E, esta correlación fue menor (70-600 μm) o negativa (70-400 μm). Por lo tanto, la abundancia de oribátidos podría explicarse por una mayor complejidad de la estructura del horizonte orgánico, menor densidad aparente y menor resistencia a la penetración. Estas condiciones favorecen la mineralización de la materia orgánica y, por lo tanto, la disponibilidad de alimento. Mientras, en el sitio P, la abundancia de oribátidos está influenciada principalmente por el sistema poroso, que condiciona el acceso al alimento, la competencia entre organismos y el refugio ante predadores. Se registration dos nuevas especies en Argentina, Mesotritia elegantula y Acrogalumna longipluma.O solo é um habitat tridimensional altamente complexo. As mudanças na estrutura e na porosidade podem afetar o tipo e quantidade da biota do solo. Os ácaros oribatídeos têm um papel fundamental na decomposição e mineralização da matéria orgânica do solo, e a sua abundância depende da textura, teor de matéria orgânica, pH, humidade, sistema poroso, entre outros parâmetros do solo. O objetivo do presente trabalho é analisar algumas das variáveis edáficas que condicionam o habitat dos ácaros oribatídeos em Phaeozems Luvicos com plantações de Pinus radiata (P) e Eucalyptus globulus (E) no sudeste da província de Buenos Aires, Argentina. Foram analisados no solo a ddensidade aparente, resistência à penetração, pH, humidade, parâmetros do sistema poroso e a abundancia e espécies dos ácaros oribatídeos. Ambos os sítios apresentaram solos bem estruturados e com propriedades edáficas semelhantes. A porosidade total foi maior no sítio E quando comparado com o sítio P. Em ambos os sítios a tortuosidade dos poros foi alta, o que propicia um habitat de arquitetura complexa para o desenvolvimento dos ácaros oribatídeos. Tanto em E como em P, predominaram ácaros oribatídeos com 70-400 μm de tamanho e, em geral, foram mais abundantes em E. Foi observada uma correlação positiva entre a abundância de oribatídeos e o tamanho dos poros em ambos os sítios. Em E, esta correlação foi menor (70-600 μm) ou negativa (70-400 μm). Portanto, a abundância de oribatídeos poderia ser explicada pela maior complexidade da estrutura do horizonte orgânico, menor densidade do solo e menor resistência à penetração. Estas condições favorecem a mineralização da matéria orgânica e, consequentemente, a disponibilidade de alimento. Por outro lado, em P a abundância de oribatídeos é principalmente influenciada pelo sistema poroso que condiciona o acesso a alimento, a competição entre organismos e refúgio de predadores. Registaram-se duas novas espécies na Argentina, Mesotritia elegantula y Acrogalumna longipluma