Weak value amplification: a view from quantum estimation theory that highlights what it is and what isn't

Weak value amplification (WVA) is a concept that has been extensively used in a myriad of applications with the aim of rendering measurable tiny changes of a variable of interest. In spite of this, there is still an on-going debate about its true nature and whether is really needed for achieving high sensitivity. Here we aim at solving the puzzle, using some basic concepts from quantum estimation theory, highlighting what the use of the WVA concept can offer and what it can not. While WVA cannot be used to go beyond some fundamental sensitivity limits that arise from considering the full nature of the quantum states, WVA can notwithstanding enhance the sensitivity of real detection schemes that are limited by many other things apart from the quantum nature of the states involved, i.e. technical noise. Importantly, it can do that in a straightforward and easily accessible manner.Comment: 2 pages, 5 figure

Increasing the Operating Consistency of the Finckh Pressurized Screen

The purpose of this study was to increase the operating consistency of The FINCKH pressurized screen. The main objective was to obtain good, efficient pulp cleaning at consistencies greater than 0.8%, and to observe the fractionating ability of the screen. Cleaning efficiencies based on the removal of shives present in Groundwood were obtained in the order of 45%. Control runs were made at 0.7% consistency. Installation of a linoleum volute - shaped element on the feed side of the screening zone, increased the velocity of the stock at low consistency (0.7%) without affecting the cleaning efficiency. At high consistency (1.26%) the volute induced excessive dewatering of the feed stock which led to total screen blinding. Different approaches to inducing high shear forces in the inlet side of the screening zone are recommended

Low-pay higher pay and job satisfaction within the European Union: empirical evidence from fourteen countries

We examine differences in job satisfaction between low- and higher-paid workers within the European Union (EU). To do so The European Community Household Panel Data covering the period 1994-2001 is used. Then we test for differences in reported job satisfaction between low- and higher-paid workers. We also explain the existence of differences in the determinants of job satisfaction between these two types of workers and across countries. Our results indicate that low paid workers report a lower level of job satisfaction when compared with their higher paid counterparts in most countries, except in the UK. This supports the idea that low-wage employment in these countries mainly comprises low quality. The results also indicate that gap in average job satisfaction between low- and higher-paid workers is markedly wider in the Southern European countries than in the rest of EU. Finally, there are significant differences in the determinants of job satisfaction across countries. It seems then that a homogeneous policy may be inappropriate to increase satisfaction, and hence labour productivity, in the EU as a whole. Hence, an improvement of the quality of the jobs in the EU may require different policies. In particular, in some countries such as the United Kingdom removing low employment, namely through regulation, may worsen the workers’ well-being, although in other cases such a policy may lead to a totally different outcome.Job satisfaction,job quality,low-wage employment

Statistical Properties and Economic Implications of Jump-Diffusion Processes with Shot-Noise Effects

This paper analyzes the Shot-Noise Jump-Diffusion model of Altmann, Schmidt and Stute (2008), which introduces a new situation where the effects of the arrival of rare, shocking information to the financial markets may fade away in the long run. We analyze several economic implications of the model, providing an analytical expression for the process distribution. We also prove that certain specifications of this model can provide negative serial persistence. Additionally, we find that the degree of serial autocorrelation is related to the arrival and magnitude of abnormal information. Finally, a GMM framework is proposed to estimate the model parameters.Filtered Poisson Process, Characteristic Function, Generalized Method of Moments

Inclusión multidisciplinar en Tercer Ciclo

La inclusión multidisciplinar en el tercer ciclo será en muchas Universidades españolas una necesidad, si quieren ofertar Doctorado bajo las directrices del R. D. 99/2011. En este trabajo, se expone la experiencia de un doctorado en el que participan como docentes y/o tutores de investigación doctores de distintas áreas de conocimiento y el que están realizando sus estudios de doctorado titulados de distintas facultades, con las condiciones de que tengan vinculación con la docencia y que los temas de sus tesis sean de investigación educativaUniversidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

La reputación del puerto de escala de cruceros: un análisis de antecedentes y consecuencias

Actualmente, el turismo de cruceros está teniendo un fuerte impacto económico en la región mediterránea. Los destinos de cruceros pueden ganar reputación dependiendo de las intenciones de los pasajeros de volver a visitarlos y recomendarlos. La literatura previa sugiere que la reputación percibida puede influir en el comportamiento futuro de los pasajeros y puede ayudar a identificar los factores que afectan a dicho comportamiento. Sin embargo, los estudios actuales sobre este tema sólo ofrecen un enfoque inicial sobre el rol de la reputación en esta industria. Este estudio investiga la reputación de un puerto de escala del Mediterráneo (Málaga, España) entre los pasajeros de cruceros. Con este objetivo, se utiliza un modelo basado en los antecedentes y en las consecuencias de la reputación y una muestra de pasajeros de cruceros que han visitado el destino en el período 2015-2018. Los resultados muestran que una buena experiencia de pasajeros en el puerto de escala es un factor explicativo de su reputación, y que la reputación percibida determina la intención de volver a visitar y recomendar el puerto. También sugieren que los administradores de puertos deberían implementar estrategias que influyan en las respuestas emocionales de los pasajeros de cruceros, que mejoren su experiencia, y que diferencien la oferta en el destino para cada segmento de crucero.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Complementarity between human capital and trade in regional technological progress

The effect of openness and trade orientation on economic growth remains a highly contentious issue. Trade facilitates knowledge diffusion and the adoption of more advanced and efficient technologies which faster total factor productivity (TFP) growth and, hence, per capita income. New technologies that diffuse by trade require a sufficiently qualified labour force to adapt them into the domestic productive environment. Thus, openness and human capital accumulation will lead to TFP growth, and the larger the complementarity between both variables the higher TFP growth. The paper discusses the implications of these assumptions and tests their empirical validity using a pool of data for the industrial sector in the Spanish regions in a period in which both the stock of human capital and openness experienced a not able improvement. Key words: trade, human capital, technological progress and regions. JEL category: C23, D24, O33.

Chiaroscuro: the uses of ‘homophobia’ and homophobic violence in armed conflicts and political transitions

This research connects studies of gender and sexualities with studies of political conflicts, conflict resolution and democratisation, using two in-depth case studies (Colombia and South Africa). It explores the hypothesis that homophobia, or the set of hatreds bundled under that term, plays a fundamental role in the dispute for hegemony between antagonists during political transitions. The study shows how homophobia, as a form of gender and sexual violence, has both a constructive and deconstructive character in political transitions. It contributes to the transformation of gender and sexual orders required by warfare and deployed by armed groups. It also reinforces the creation of consensus around the projects of change implemented by them. From the perspective of individuals and their organisations such hatreds are part of the embodied experience of violence caused by protracted conflicts and social inequalities. In their struggles for dignity, such violence becomes a reason to mobilise and to transform themselves into political activists. This PhD research is important for theoretical, methodological and political reasons. Theoretically, it creates links between fields of study that have been developed separately from each other, reading concepts applied in one field with the lens of the other. Debates on ‘non-normative’ sexualities are useful in discussing normative concepts such as ‘conflict resolution’. Methodologically, the research analyses issues of documentation, memory and case construction that are of relevance in the field of human rights and gender in post-conflict reconstruction. In terms of political significance, this research is developed at a time in which discrimination against individuals and collectives, because of their sexual orientation and gender identities, is being increasingly recognised in the international arena. This research provides information that has not yet been collected and provides a systematic analysis useful for NGOs and state institutions