Estimation and testing of time-varying coefficient regression models in the presence of linear restrictions

A linear regression model with random walk coefficients is extended to allow for linear restrictions between the coefficients to be satisfied at each point in time. Estimation in this model is shown to be no more involved than estimation in the standard model. It is also demonstrated how, after a slight modification to the testing problem, classical test procedures may be applied to the problem of testing for such restrictions. The performance of the Lagrange Multiplier test for a variety of different restrictions is then investigated via simulation. An empirical application involving testing for homogeneity in a random walk coefficient version of the AIDS model is given.     

MeV Pb离子在非晶Si中的射程离散──离子束混合和增强扩散的影响

１．０ＭｅＶ２０８Ｐｂ离子在非晶Ｓｉ中的投影射程ＲＰ和射程偏差ΔＲＰ作为注量和温度二者的函数用背散射法进行测定．注量的变化范围为５×１０１３～７×１０１４ｃｍ－２．注入是在室温和ｔ＝－１２０℃下完成的．由由实验所确定的投影射程，射程偏差与注量或温度无关，并且分别等于２９５和７２．２ｎｍ．与ＴＲＩＭ８６的计算结果相比较，发现ＲＰ的偏离为１８％，而ΔＲＰ的偏离为３６％．ＲＰ和ΔＲＰ二者与注量及温度的无关性，排除了所观察到的与ＴＲＩＭ的矛盾是由于注入期间辐射增强扩散或离子束混合效应而引起的解释。     

Reweighting the general household survey 1979-2007

We have calculated two new sets of weights applicable to the General Household Survey (GHS) from 1979 to 2007. One of these is for use with any general analysis of GHS topics and the second is designed for analyses of data collected in the Family Information section. The methods used follow closely those employed by ONS from 1996 onwards. The performance of the weights is assessed in estimating the Total Fertility Rate (TFR) from 1971-2007, an aggregate measure of fertility for which reliable figures are available at national level from vital registration statistics. Our weights improve the GHS estimates, reducing bias both in the TFR and in age-specific fertility rates.     

Systematic design of single carrier overlap frequency domain equalization

<正> This paper proposes a systematic design method of overlap frequency domain equalization(FDE) for single carrier (SC) transmission without a guard interval (GI).Based on the analysis of signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR) of the equalizer output for each symbol,the authors adaptivelydetermine the block of the overlap FDE,where the block is defined as a set of symbols at the equalizeroutput with sufficiently low error rate,for a certain fixed sliding window size,which corresponds toa fast Fourier transform (FFT) window size.The proposed method takes advantage of the fact thatthe utility part of the equalized signal is localized around the center of the FFT window.In addition,the authors also propose to adjust the block size in order to control the computational complexity ofthe equalization per processed sample associating with the average bit error rate (BER) of the system.Simulation results show that the proposed scheme can achieve comparable BER performance to theconventional SC-FDE scheme with sufficient GI insertion for both the coded and uncoded cases withvarious modulation levels,while requiring lower computational complexity compared to the SC overlapFDE transmission with the fixed block.     

State transfer control of quantum systems on the Bloch sphere

The state transfer under control fields is analyzed based on the Bloch sphere representation of a single qubit. In order to achieve the target from an arbitrary initial state to a target state, the conditions that parameters should satisfy are deduced separately in two different requirements: One is in the case of the rotation angle around the x-axis being fixed and another is in the situation with a given evolution time. Several typical states trajectories are demonstrated by numerical simulations on the Bloch sphere. The relations between parameters and the trajectories are analyzed.     

Comparing two clustering-based techniques to track mobile nodes in industrial wireless sensor networks

Tracking mobile nodes in dynamic and noisy conditions of industrial environments has provided a paradigm for many issues inherent in the area of distributed control systems in general and wireless sensor networks in particular. Due to the dynamic nature of the industrial environments, a practical tracking system is required that is adaptable to the changes in the environment. More specifically, given the limited resources of wireless nodes and the challenges created by harsh industrial environments there is a need for a technique that can modify the configuration of the system on the fly as new wireless nodes are added to the network and obsolete ones are removed. To address these issues, two cluster-based tracking systems, one static and the other dynamic, are proposed to organize the overall network field into a set of tracking zones, each composed of a sink node and a set of corresponding anchor nodes. To manage the wireless nodes activities and inter and intra cluster communications, an agent-based technique is employed. To compare the architectures, we report on a set of experiments performed in JADE (Java Agent Development Environment). In these experiments, we compare two agent-based approaches (dynamic and static) for managing clusters of wireless sensor nodes in a distributed tracking system. The experimental results corroborate the efficiency of the static clusters versus the robustness and effectiveness of the dynamic clusters.     

Systemic Indicators for Rural Communities in Developing Economies: Bringing the Shared Vision into Being

Community indicators have been a frequent focus of the scholarly literature. There has been little exploration, however, in relation to rural communities, especially in developing countries. This reflects the special challenges associated with the complexity of rural systems, and the difficulties involved in developing appropriate and systemic indicators for rural communities. Identifying indicators that help the community to monitor progress towards sustainable outcomes requires a framework that is both practical and holistic. This paper introduces a participatory systemic framework for identifying community indicators, which respects the principles of complexity and honours the sense of ownership present in the communities. This framework is an iterative, sharing, co-learning engagement process that extends from creating a shared vision and extracting its core messages, to identifying indicators of progress and determining what actions to try. Importantly, this framework enables us to rank the indicators identified by communities with reference to ‘leverage points’, the best places to intervene in the social-environmental system for transformational change. This framework provides a potential pathway for sustainable rural development and perhaps also for organisations and urban communities.     

Participatory Sustainability Impact Assessment: Scientific Policy Advice as a Social Learning Process

This paper deals with the development of scientific policy advice by providing a methodology to foster a social learning process. The methodology, called participatory Sustainability Impact Assessment (pSIA), aims to structure complex problem situations, to clarify interests and basic assumptions, to interpret scientific studies, to develop impact assessment, and to explore sensitivity of uncertainty and lack of information. In pSIA workshops the participants are supposed to build conceptual models with different modelling methods, like System Dynamics, Value Chain Analysis, and Morphological Analysis. A case study is presented that describes a workshop series with political as well as academic actors, applying the pSIA approach to an impact assessment of Economic Partnership Agreements between the European Union and the Eastern and Southern Africa Region.