Capital Accumulation, External Restriction, Technology Gap and Structural Change: Theory and the Brazilian Experience

Brazilian economy was the most dynamic in terms of growth among developed and developing economies from post-War until 1980, when a severe external constraint interrupted this trend. We propose in this paper a model, based on Kaldor, where capital accumulation, technological gap and long run external constraint are connected. Our hypothesis is that capital accumulation, under certain circumstances, can overcome external constraint if the accumulation effort promotes structural change increasing the importance of sectors more technological-intensive. It is expected that the structural change in this direction will contribute to an increase in the income-elasticity of exports and to a decrease in income-elasticity of imports, resulting in the increase in the growth rate of real product compatible with the balance of payments equilibrium in the long period. The last part of the paper shows that the high investment rate observed in the Brazilian economy from the post-War until the end of the 1970s resulted in the deepening of the import substitution process, what, in our interpretation, contributed to partially increase the long run growth rate of the Brazilian economy compatible with the balance of payment equilibrium.structural change, technological progress, industrialization, external restriction

Recommending Influencers to Merchants using Matching Game Algorithm

The goal of this work was to apply the ``Gale-Shapley'' algorithm to a real-world problem. We analyzed the pairing of influencers with merchants, and after a detailed specification of the variables involved, we conducted experiments to observe the validity of the approach. We conducted an analysis of the problem of aligning the interests of merchants to have digital influencers promote their products and services. We propose applying the matching algorithm approach to address this issue. We demonstrate that it is possible to apply the algorithm and still achieve corporate objectives by translating performance indicators into the desired ranking of influencers and product campaigns to be advertised by merchants

Analysis of a pricing method for elastic services with guaranteed GoS

Service Providers (SPs), which offer services based on elastic reservations with a guaranteed Grade of Service (GoS), should know how to price these services and how to quantify the benefits in different scenarios. This paper analyzes a method for evaluating the price of a service based on elastic reservations with a guaranteed Grade of Service. The method works as follows: First, the SP determines the requirements of the service that wants to offer; Second, the SP evaluates the average rate of the accepted elastic reservations of the service with a guaranteed GoS; Third, the SP calculates the price that guarantees the GoS with an aggregate demand function that depends on a demand modulation factor of the elastic reservations that is the mean reserved bandwidth, Bres; and Finally, the SP obtains the optimum value of the elasticity of the reservations that gives the maximum revenue, and the required access bandwidth in this case. The paper not only applies the method to a class i of elastic reservations when a linear-based demand and a revenue function are selected, but it also analyzes the influence of each one of the considered parameters. This method could be extended to the case of multiple classes of independent and guaranteed elastic services, applying the method to each service with its estimated demand and revenue functions.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Generating demand functions for data plans from mobile network operators based on users’ profiles

The final publication is available at Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10922-018-9448-1The evaluation of pricing approaches for mobile data services proposed in the literature can rarely be done in practice. Evaluation by simulation is the most common practice. In these proposals demand and utility functions that describe the reaction of users to offered service prices, use traditional and arbitrary functions (linear, exponential, logit, etc.). In this paper, we present a new approach to construct a simulation model whose output can be used as an alternative method to create demand functions avoiding to use arbitrary and predefined demand functions. However, it is out of the scope of this paper to utilize them to propose pricing approaches, since the main objective of this article is to show the difference between the arbitrary demand functions used and our approach that come from users’ data. The starting point in this paper is to consider data offered from Eurostat, although other data sources could be used for the same purposes with the aim to offer more realistic values that could characterize more appropriately, what users are demanding. In this sense, some demographic and psychographic characteristics of the users are included and others such as the utilization of application usage profiles, as parameters that are included in the user`s profiles. These characteristics and usage profiles make up the user profile that will influence users’ behavior in the model. Using the same procedure, Mobile Network Operators could feed their customers’ data into the model and use it to validate their pricing approaches more accurately before their real implementation or simulate future or hypothetical scenarios. It also makes possible to segment users and make insights for decision-making. Results presented in this paper refer to a simple study case, since the purpose of the paper is to show how the proposal model works and to reveal its differences with arbitrary demand functions used. Of course, results depend on the set of parameters assigned to characterize each user’s profile.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Sensibilidad de una tarea de tiempo de reacción al procesamiento automático de estímulos neutros enmascarados

[Resumen] El objetivo de este experimento era estudiar si los estímulos neutros reciben procesamiento automático cuando son presentados eficazmente enmascarados en un paradigma de priming. Los primes consistían en las letras "o", "e", o "u". Las mismas letras "o" y "e" fueron utilizadas como target, dando lugar a tres condiciones de enmascaramiento, cada una de ellas con dos combinaciones prime/target (congruente: e/e y %; incongruente: o/e y e/o; neutra: u/e y u/o). Además, el target fue considerado como un estímulo imperativo para una tarea de tiempo de reacción (TR). Treinta y seis sujetos fueron expuestos a 20 ensayos de cada condición de enmascaramiento con una asincronía del estímulos de 23 milisegundos. Los resultados demuestran que la presentación eficazmente enmascarada de un estímulo neutro produce facilitación o interferencia con la tarea de TR, dependiendo de si el target es un estímulo congruente o incongruente con el prime.[Abstract] Sensitivity of a reaction time task to automatic processing of neutral masked stimu1i The purpose of this experiment was to study if the neutral stimuli receive automatic processing when presented effective1y masked in a priming paradigm. The primes consisted of the "o", "e", or "u" 1etters. The same "o" and "e" 1etters were used as target, giving three masking conditions, each with two prime/target combinations (congruent -e/e and 0/0-; incongruent -o/e and e/o-; neutral -u/e and u/o-). Furthennore, the target was considered an imperative stimu1us for a reaction time (RT) task. Thirty-six subjects were exposed to 20 tria1s of each masking conditions with a stimu1us- onset asynchrony of 23 milliseconds. The results demonstrate that an effective masking presentation of a neutral stimulus produces either facilitation or interference with the RT task, depending on whether the target is a congruent or an incongruent stimu1us with the prim

Effect of response interference on diminution of electrodermal unconditioned response

El propósito de este experimento es investigar si el fenómeno de disminución condicionada de la respuesta incondicionada (RI) es producido por el mecanismo fisiológico de la interferencia, o fusión, entre la respuesta condicionada (RC) y la RI, tal como sugieren las hipótesis de la interferencia de respuesta y de la inhibición de demora. Sesenta estudiantes voluntarios recibieron entrenamiento discriminativo en el que un estímulo condicionado (EC) era reforzado (EC+/EI) y un segundo EC no era reforzado (EC). El intervalo entre el EC y el estímulo incondicionado (EI; ruido blanco aversivo) era de 8 segundos. Fueron analizados únicamente los resultados de los sujetos que exhibieron control discriminativo. Los resultados muestran que ni la amplitud, ni la latencia de la RC precedente afectan a la amplitud de la RI. Puesto que estos resultados no pueden ser explicados por la hipótesis de la interferencia de respuesta ni de la inhibición de demora, se ofrece una explicación alternativa sugiriendo la existencia de una base asociativa del fenómenoThe purpose of this experiment was to study whether the phenomenon called —conditioned diminution of the unconditioned response (UR)— is produced by the physiological mechanism of response interference, or fusion, between the conditioned response (CR) and the UR, as suggested by the response interference and inhibition of delay hypotheses. Sixty volunteer subjects received discrimination training in which a CS was reinforced (CS+/US) and a second CS was not reinforced (CS-). The interval between the CS and unconditioned stimulus (US; aversive white-noise) was 8 seconds. Only the results of subjects exhibiting discriminative control were analyzed. The results show that neither the amplitude, nor the latency of the preceding CR affect the amplitude of the UR. Because these results cannot be explained by the response interference or inhibition of delay hypotheses, an alternative explanation is offered, suggesting the presence of an associative basis of the phenomenonS

Facilitación e interferencia del procesamiento automático de la información sobre una tarea de tiempo de reacción ante estímulos amenazantes

The purpose of this experiment was to study if the threat-relevant stimuli receive automatic processing when presented effectively masked in a priming paradigm. The prime consisted of an angry face (A) as threat-relevant stimulus and a face with neutral expression (N) as threat-irrelevant stimulus. The same stimuli (A and N) were used as target (or mask), giving four masking conditions (A/A, N/N, A/N and N/A). Furthermore, the target was considered an imperative stimulus for a reaction time (RT) task. Thirty-two subjects were exposed to 10 trials of each masking conditions with a stimulus-onset asynchrony (SOA) of 34 milliseconds (ms). The same number of subjects received the same trials, but with a SOA of 51 ms, this being an unmasking presentation of the stimulus. The results demonstrate that an effective masking presentation of a threat-relevant stimulus produces either facilitation or interference with the RT task, depending on whether the target (mask) is a threat-relevant or a threat-irrelevant stimulusEl objetivo de este experimento era estudiar si los estímulos amenazantes reciben procesamiento automático cuando son presentados eficazmente enmascarados en un paradigma de priming. El prime consistió en un rostro con expresión amenazante (A) y una cara con expresión neutra como estímulo irrelevante de amenaza (N). Los mismos estímulos fueron utilizados como target (o máscara), dando lugar a cuatro condiciones de enmascaramiento (A/A, N/N, A/N y N/A). Además, el target fue utilizado como un estímulo imperativo para una tarea de tiempo de reacción (TR). Treinta y dos sujetos fueron expuestos a 10 ensayos de cada condición de enmascaramiento con una asincronía del estímulo (SOA) de 34 milisegundos (ms). Otros tantos sujetos recibieron los mismos ensayos, pero con un SOA de 51 ms. Los resultados demuestran que la presentación eficazmente enmascarada de los estímulos amenazantes produce facilitación o interferencia con la tarea de TR, dependiendo de si el target (máscara) consiste en un estímulo relevante o irrelevante de amenazaS

The phylogenetic relationships of the Andean swamp rat genus Neotomys (Rodentia, Cricetidae, Sigmodontinae) based on mitochondrial and nuclear markers

The aim of this study was to assess the phylogenetic position of the South American cricetid genus Neotomys using two molecular markers: one nuclear (Irbp) and one mitochondrial (mt-cyb). This genus is currently considered as incertae sedis in the Sigmodontinae radiation. The phylogenetic relationships were estimated using three approaches: Bayesian inference, maximum likelihood and parsimony. We found the genus Neotomys closely related to the genera Euneomys and Irenomys, which are also considered incertae sedis. Our results suggest a common origin for this group of genera; this fact should be reflected in the taxonomy as a supra generic group with a tribal level. However, further and deeper analysis of both molecular and morphological data are needed to diagnose and formalize the proposed tribe. The relationships of this clade to the other members of Sigmodontinae were not clear as assessed by these data sets. The three genera are distributed around the Central and Southern Andes in South America evidencing that the Andes have played an important role in the diversification of several tribes of sigmodontine rodents.Fil: Martínez, Juan José. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Ferro, Luis Ignacio. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo; ArgentinaFil: Mollerach, Marcos Ismale. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo; ArgentinaFil: Barquez, Ruben Marcos. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin