bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Tests of the Efficient Markets Hypothesis
Authors: Reschenhofer Erhard , Hauser Michael A.
Published: September 2017

This paper surveys various statistical methods that have been proposed for the examination of the efficiency of financial markets and proposes a novel procedure for testing the predictability of a time series. For illustration, this procedure is applied to Austrian stock return series.
Die Anwendung statistischer Methoden in der Marktund Meinungsforschung in Österreich
Authors: Wagner Udo , Reisinger Heribert
Published: September 2017

Der rasanten Entwicklung des statistischen Instrumentariums in der akademischen Forschung steht eine erhebliche Diskrepanz bei der Anwendung dieser Methoden in der Praxis von österreichischen Markt- und Meinungsforschungsinstituten gegenüber. Der vorliegende Beitrag möchte dies einerseits nachweisen; andererseits wird an Hand konkreter Beispiele aufgezeigt, daß statistische Untersuchungen wertvolle Erkenntnissefür die betriebliche Entscheidungsfindung liefern können. Das oben angesprocheneMißverhältnis dürfte auf Gründe wie etwa eine generelle Reserviertheit der potentiellen Anwender bedingt durch negative Erfahrungen im Rahmen der bisherigen Tätigkeit oder der Ausbildung zurückzuführen sein. Schließlich werden einige Vorschläge zur Verbesserung der gegenwärtigen Situation unterbreitet.
Buchbesprechungen
Authors: Pfanzagl Johann , Quatember Andreas , Böhm Bernhard , Leopold-Wildburger Ulrike , Kusolitsch Norbert , Duller Christine , Katzenbeisser Walter , Schableger Karl , Dutter Rudolf
Published: September 2017

Mathematische Statistik II. (H. Witting, U. Müller-Funk)Schließende Statistik. (W. Polasek)The New Statistical Analysis of Data. (T.W. Anderson, J.D. Finn)Grundbegriffe der Biometrie. (R.J. Lorenz)Vorlesungen über Wahrscheinlichkeitstheorie. (N. Schmitz)Life Insurance Mathematics. (H.G. Gerber )Methodes of Moments and Semiparametric Econometrics for Limited DependentVariable Models. (M. Lee)Introduction to Time Series and Forecasting. (P.J. Brockwell, R.A. Davis)Soft Stat ’95. Advances in Statistical Software 5. (F. Faulbaum, W. Bandilla)Kurzbesprechungen
Finding Structures of Interest in a Large Data Set Using Factor Analysis
Authors: Filzmoser Peter
Published: September 2017

In this paper we introduce a statistical method which can be used in combination with principal component analysis or factor analysis. Certain variables of a large data set which are of interest can be selected in order to calculate loadings and scores of these variables. We describe how the remaining variables of the data set can be presented in the previously extracted factor space. Furthermore, a possibility for the representation of the results is shown which is helpful for the interpretation.
Die Absatzprognose einer Biermarke
Authors: Martens Jul
Published: September 2017

Die Absatzprognose einer Biermarke stellt die Anwendung eines saisonalen ARIMA-Modells dar, bei dem auch externe Effekte berücksichtigt werden. Dieses Modell wird aufgrund dervorliegenden Daten konstruiert und im weiteren Verlauf mit sparsameren Modellen verglichen. Die Prognosen haben sich in der Praxis als sehr gut erwiesen.
Gibt es einen Markt für Wahrheit? Über die Meßqualität von Umfragedaten
Authors: Gehmacher Ernst
Published: September 2017

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Analysis of Air Pressure Distributions with Wavelets
Authors: Baierl Andreas
Published: September 2017

The article constitutes an alternative approach to transform air pressure distributions for downscaling climate parameters. The objectives include a low-parametric approximation of original pressure surfaces and, in the following, the analysis of the dependence structure of temporal successive distributions for simulation purpose. Wavelets are applied to carry outthe transformation of the distributions. Based on these results, time series analysis is used for the further investigations.The underlying air pressure data covers the relevant region for the central Europeanweather. Daily historical data is available for the time period between 1946 and 1994.
Interesting Properties of Variation Characteristics
Authors: Stepniak Czesław
Published: September 2017

As yet the statistical literature does not provide sufficient information on the upper and lower bounds of variation characteristics in descriptive statistics. Our aim is to fill this gap and to give precise answers to some questions regarding the problem.
Estimating the Parameters of Degradation Models when Error Terms are Autocorrelated
Authors: Al-Jararha Jehad , Al-Haj Ebrahem Mohammed , Al-Masri Abedel-Qader
Published: September 2017

The need of autocorrelation models for degradation data comes from the facts that the degradation measurements are often correlated, since such measurements are taken over time. Time series can exhibit autocorrelation caused by modeling error or cyclic changes in ambient conditions in the measurement errors or in degradation process itself. Generally, autocorrelation becomes stronger when the times between measurements are relativelyshort and becomes less noticeable when the times between process are longer. In this paper, we assume that the error terms are autocorrelated and have an autoregressive of order one, AR(1). This case is a more general case of the assumption that the error terms are identically and independently normally distributed. Since when the error terms are uncorrelated over the time, the estimate of the parameter of AR(1) is approximately zero.If the parameter of AR(1) is unknown, one can estimate it from the data set. Using two real data sets, the model parameters are estimated and compared with the case when the error terms are independent and identically distributed. Such computations are available by using procedures AUTOREG and model in SAS. Computations show that an AR(1) can be used as a useful tool to remove the autocorrelation between the residuals.
Determinants of Demand for Theatre Tickets in Austria and Switzerland
Authors: Zieba Marta
Published: September 2017

This paper presents a short, comparative analysis of the determinants of theatre attendance using a novel panel data set for Austrian and Swiss non-profit theatres. The results of the econometric analysis suggest that price and income have significant effects on theatre attendance, the first effect being negative and the second positive. However, both price and income elasticities are not greater than one in absolute values. This reinforces the findings of previous studies on the determinants of demand for theatre. Furthermore, the results indicate that total theatre capacity and in some cases objective output characteristics are also important determinants of attendance, in line withsome previous studies.
Book Reviews: Norbert KUSOLITSCH (2011). Maß- und Wahrscheinlichkeitstheorie. Eine Einführung.
Authors: Jirak Moritz
Published: September 2017

Norbert KUSOLITSCH (2011). Maß- und Wahrscheinlichkeitstheorie. Eine Einführung.Springer, Wien New York, 320 Seiten, ISBN 978-3-7091-0684-6. (e34.00)
Comparing Spike and Slab Priors for Bayesian Variable Selection
Authors: Malsiner-Walli Gertraud , Wagner Helga
Published: September 2017

An important task in building regression models is to decide which regressors should be included in the final model. In a Bayesian approach, variable selection can be performed using mixture priors with a spike and a slab component for the effects subject to selection. As the spike is concentrated at zero, variable selection is based on the probability of assigning the corresponding regression effect to the slab component. These posterior inclusion probabilities can be determined by MCMC sampling. In this paper we compare the MCMC implementations for several spike and slab priors with regard to posterior inclusion probabilities and their sampling efficiency for simulated data. Further, we investigate posterior inclusion probabilities analytically for different slabs in two simple settings. Application of variable selection with spike and slab priors is illustrated on a data set of psychiatric patients where the goal is to identify covariates affecting metabolism.
Widmung: O. Univ.-Prof. Dipl.-Ing. Dr. techn. Rudolf Dutter als Wissenschaftler, Kollege und Persönlichkeit
Authors: Viertl Reinhard
Published: September 2017

Die unermüdliche Arbeitskraft und der Einsatz für das Fach Statistik von Herrn Prof.Dutter sowie seine menschlichen Ansichten haben ihn zu einem geschätzten Kollegenund durch private Kontakte auch zu einem Freund werden lassen. Ihm und seinen Liebenwünsche ich alles Gute für die Zukunft.
Domain-Based Benchmark Experiments: Exploratory and Inferential Analysis
Authors: Eugster Manuel J. A. , Hothorn Torsten , Leisch Friedrich
Published: September 2017

Benchmark experiments are the method of choice to compare learning algorithms empirically. For collections of data sets, the empirical performance distributions of a set of learning algorithms are estimated, compared, and ordered. Usually this is done for each data set separately. The present manuscript extends this single data set-based approach to a joint analysis for the complete collection, the so called problem domain. This enablesto decide which algorithms to deploy in a specific application or to compare newly developed algorithms with well-known algorithms on established problem domains.Specialized visualization methods allow for easy exploration of huge amounts of benchmark data. Furthermore, we take the benchmark experiment design into account and use mixed-effects models to provide a formal statistical analysis. Two domain-based benchmark experiments demonstrate our methods: the UCI domain as a well-known domain when one is developing a new algorithm; and the Grasshopper domain as a domain where we want to find the  best learning algorithm for a prediction component in an enterprise application software system.
Bayesian Inference in the Multinomial Logit Model
Authors: Frühwirth-Schnatter Sylvia , Frühwirth Rudolf
Published: September 2017

The multinomial logit model (MNL) possesses a latent variable representation in terms of random variables following a multivariate logistic distribution. Based on multivariate finite mixture approximations of the multivariate logistic distribution, various data-augmented Metropolis-Hastings algorithms are developed for a Bayesian inference of the MNL model.
Double Kernel Method Using Line Transect Sampling
Authors: Eidous Omar , Shakhatreh M.K.
Published: September 2017

A double kernel method as an alternative to the classical kernel method is proposed to estimate the population abundance by using line transect sampling. The proposed method produces an estimator that is essentially a kernel type of estimator use the kernel estimator twice to improve the performances of the classical kernel estimator. The feasibility of using bootstrap techniques to estimate the bias and variance of the proposed estimator is also addressed. Some numerical examples based on simulated and real data are presented. The results show that the proposed estimator outperforms existingclassical kernel estimator in most considered cases.
A Ratio Estimator Under General Sampling Design
Authors: Al-Jararha Jehad , Al-Haj Ebrahem Mohammed
Published: September 2017

Recently, many authors introduced ratio-type estimators for estimating the mean, or the ratio, for a finite populations. Most of the articles are discussing this problem under simple random sampling design, with more assumptions on the auxiliary variable such as the coefficient of variation, and kurtosis are assumed to be known. Gupta and Shabbir (2008) have suggested an alternative form of ratio-type estimators and they assumed the coefficient of variation of the auxiliary variable must be known; this assumption is crucialfor this estimator.An estimator of the population ratio, under general sampling design, is proposed.Further, exact and an unbiased variance estimator of this estimator are obtained, and the Godambe-Joshi lower bound is asymptotically attainable for this estimator. The assumption on the coefficient of variation of the auxiliary variable is not needed for the proposed estimator. Simulation results from real data set and simulations from artificial population, show that the performance of the proposed estimator is better than Gupta and Shabbir (2008) and Hartley and Ross (1954) estimators.
Modelling the Income Distributions in the Czech Republic since 1992
Authors: Bílková Diana , Malá Ivana
Published: September 2017

The goal of this article is to study incomes in the Czech Republic and their development since 1992. The net annual per capita income of Czech households is analysed for all households and their respective subpopulations. Data from the microcensus 1992, 1996, 2002, and EU-SILC 2005–2008 surveys carried out by the Czech Statistical Office are used. The subpopulations are defined by a household’s location (Bohemia or Moravia), and education and age of the head of the household in order to compare the distributions ofthe income in Bohemia and Moravia and to quantify the impact of education and age on incomes. The three-parameter lognormal distribution is chosen as a probability distribution to model the per capita income distribution for the whole population and for subpopulations. To estimate the unknown parameters, the maximum likelihood method and that of L-moments are employed. The medians of equalised incomes are given for the EU members and the average growth in the 2004–2007 period is compared. For the Czech Republic, a comparison of the medians of per capita and equivalised income is made.
Book Reviews
Authors: Richter Josef , Leisch Friedrich , Stadlober Ernst
Published: September 2017

Heinz GROHMANN, Walter KRÄMER, und Almut STEGER (Herausgeber) (2011).Statistik in Deutschland; 100 Jahre Deutsche Statistische Gesellschaft. Springer Verlag,Heidelberg, Dordrecht, London, New York, 262 Seiten, gebunden, ISBN 978-3-642-15634-2 (e46.21)Johann BACHER, Andreas PÖGE und Knut WENZIG (2010). Clusteranalyse: Anwendungsorientierte Einführung in Klassifikationsverfahren (3. Auflage). OldenbourgVerlag München, 538 Seiten, Broschur, ISBN 978-3-486-58457-8 (e39.80)Amit D. ACZEL (2010). Der ganz normal verteilte Zufall. Mathematische Glücksspieleund Orakel. Spektrum, Akademischer Verlag, XVI+184 Seiten, ISBN 978-3-8274-2500-3 (e18.64)Raimund ALT (2010). Statistik. Eine Einführung für Wirtschaftswissenschaftler. LindeInternational Wien, XIV+396 Seiten, ISBN 978-3-7143-0180-9 (e38.00)
A Central Limit Theorem for Spatial Observations
Authors: Fazekas István , Karácsony Zsolt , Vas Renáta
Published: September 2017

The Central Limit Theorem is proved for m-dependent random fields. The random field is observed in a sequence of irregular domains. The sequence of domains is increasing and at the same time the locations of the observations become more and more dense in the domains.
Testing Statistical Hypotheses Based on Fuzzy Confidence Intervals
Authors: Chachi Jalal , Taheri Seyed Mahmoud , Viertl Reinhard
Published: September 2017

A fuzzy test for testing statistical hypotheses about an imprecise parameter is proposed for the case when the available data are also imprecise. The proposed method is based on the relationship between the acceptance region of statistical tests at level ? and confidence intervals for the parameter of interest at confidence level 1 ? ?. First, a fuzzy confidence interval is constructed for the fuzzy parameter of interest. Then, using such a fuzzy confidence interval, a fuzzy test function is constructed. The obtained fuzzytest, contrary to the classical approach, leads not to a binary decision (i.e. to reject or to accept the given null hypothesis) but to a fuzzy decision showing the degrees of acceptability of the null and alternative hypotheses. Numerical examples are given to demonstrate the theoretical results, and show thepossible applications in testing hypotheses based on fuzzy observations.
Forecasting of Daily PM10 Concentrations in Brno and Graz by Different Regression Approaches
Authors: Stadlober Ernst , Hübnerová Zuzana , Michálek Jaroslav , Kolář Miroslav
Published: September 2017

Brno and Graz, the second largest cities of their countries, observe in each winter season PM10 concentrations of daily means which regularly exceed the limit value of 50 ?g/m3. This is mainly caused by unfavorable dissemination conditions of the ambient air. Hence, partial regulation measureshave to be taken in Brno and Graz where specific decisions for certain regulations may be based on the average PM10 concentration of the next day provided that reliable forecasts of these values are available. For several sites in the two cities we establish forecasts of daily PM10 concentrations based onmultiple linear regression and generalized linear models utilizing both measured covariates of the present day and meteorological forecasts of the next day. The comparisons, based on different quality measures demonstrate the usefulness of both model approaches as they yield results of similar quality.Our prediction models may support future decisions concerning possible traffic restrictions or other regulations.
Designing Degradation Experiments Using a Log-Logistic Distribution
Authors: Dandis Rana Azmi , Al-Haj Ebrahem Mohammed
Published: September 2017

Assessing the reliability of a product is very important to improve the product’s quality and to get the trust of customers. Degradation experiments are usually used to assess the reliability of highly reliable products,which are not expected to fail under the traditional life tests. Several decision variables, such as the sample size, the inspection frequency, and the termination time, have a direct influence on the experimental cost and the estimation precision of lifetime information. This paper deals with the optimal design of a degradation experiment where the degradation rate follows a log-logistic distribution. Under the constraint that the total experimental cost does not exceed a predetermined budget, the optimal decision variables are obtained by minimizing the mean squared error of the estimated 100pth percentile of thelifetime distribution of the product. A simulation study and a real example of drug potency data are provided to illustrate the proposed method.
Distances Based on the Perimeter of the Risk Set of a Testing Problem
Authors: Österreicher Ferdinand
Published: September 2017

At the core of this paper is a simple geometric object, namely the risk set of a statistical testing problem on the one hand and f-divergences, which were introduced by Csiszár (1963) on the other hand. f-divergences are measures for the hardness of a testing problem depending on a convexreal valued function f on the interval [0,?). The choice of this parameter f can be adjusted so as to match the needs for specific applications.One of these adjustments of the parameter f is exemplified in Section 3 of this paper. There it is illustrated that the appropriate choice of f for the construction of least favourable distributions in robust statistics is the convex function f(u) =?(1 + u^2) ?(1+u)/?2 yielding the perimeter of the risk setof a testing problem.After presenting the definition, mentioning the basic properties of a risk set and giving the integral geometric representation of f-divergences the paper will focus on the perimeter of the risk set.All members of the class of f-divergences of perimeter-type introduced and investigated in Österreicher and Vajda (2003) and Vajda (2009) turn out to be metric divergences corresponding to a class of entropies introduced by Arimoto (1971).Without essential loss of insight we restrict ourselves to discrete probability distributions and note that the extension to the general case relies strongly on the Lebesgue-Radon-Nikodym Theorem.
Transmuted Rayleigh Distribution
Authors: Merovci Faton
Published: September 2017

In this article, we generalize the Rayleigh distribution using the quadratic rank transmutation map studied by Shaw et al. (2009) to develop a transmuted Rayleigh distribution. We provide a comprehensive description of the mathematical properties of the subject distribution along with its reliabilitybehavior. The usefulness of the transmuted Rayleigh distribution for modeling data is illustrated using real data.
The HS-SAS and GSH-SAS Distribution as Model for Unconditional and Conditional Return Distributions
Authors: Fischer Matthias , Herrmann Klaus
Published: September 2017

We introduce two new skewed and leptokurtic distributions derived from the hyperbolic secant distribution and from Vaughan (2002)’s generalized hyperbolic distribution by use of the sinh-arcsinh transformation introduced in Jones and Pewsey (2009). Properties of these new distribution are given. Their flexibility for modeling financial return data is comparable to that of their most advanced peers. Contrary to the latter for both distributions a closed-form solution for the density, cumulative distribution and quantile function can be given.
Statistical Modeling of Hunting Success Using Hunter Surveys
Authors: Martinez Avila Jose Carlos , Filzmoser Peter , Neykov Neyko M.
Published: September 2017

Different methods are available to estimate the wildlife population development. In this paper a method based on hunter surveys of a Spanish game preserve is proposed. A Poisson model is fitted to estimate the relationship between hunting success and other independent variables. In order to find the most appropriate model, a model selection procedure based on repeated cross validation is used to determine which explanatory variables describe the hunting success better in terms of prediction ability. The estimatedmodel is successful in the case of the red legged partridge (Alectoris rufa). The model can be used for applying different management criteria in a game preserve. Some possibilities are demonstrated for particular scenarios.
On the Transmuted AdditiveWeibull Distribution
Authors: Elbatal Ibrahim , Aryal Gokarna
Published: September 2017

In this article a continuous distribution, the so-called transmuted additive Weibull distribution, that extends the additive Weibull distribution and some other distributions is proposed and studied. We will use the quadratic rank transmutation map proposed by Shaw and Buckley (2009) in order to generate the transmuted additiveWeibull distribution. Various structural properties of the new distribution including explicit expressions for the moments, random number generation and order statistics are derived. Maximum likelihood estimation of the unknown parameters of the new model for completesample is also discussed. It will be shown that the analytical results are applicable to model real world data.
Inference on Downton’s Bivariate Exponential Distribution Based on Moving Extreme Ranked Set Sampling
Authors: Hanandeh Ahmed Ali , Al-Saleh Mohammad Fraiwan
Published: September 2017

The purpose of this paper is to estimate the parameters of Downton’sbivariate exponential distribution using moving extreme ranked set sampling(MERSS). The estimators obtained are compared via their biases andmean square errors to their counterparts using simple random sampling (SRS).Monte Carlo simulations are used whenever analytical comparisons are difficult.It is shown that these estimators based on MERSS with a concomitantvariable are more efficient than the corresponding ones using SRS. Also,MERSS with a concomitant variable is easier to use in practice than RSS witha concomitant variable. Furthermore, the best unbiased estimators among allunbiased linear combinations of the MERSS elements are derived for someparameters.
Optical properties of lowest-energy carbon allotropes from the first-principles calculations
Authors:   Samara National Research University, Saleev V. , Shipilova A. ,   Samara National Research University
Published: September 2017

We study optical properties of lowest-energy carbon allotropes in the infrared, visible and ultraviolet spectral ranges in the general gradient approximation of the density functional theory. In our calculations we use an all-electron approach as well as a pseudo-potential approximation. In the infrared range, complex dielectric functions, infrared and Raman spectra have been calculated using a CRYSTAL14 program. Electronic properties and energy-dependent dielectric functions in the visible and ultraviolet spectral ranges are calculated using a VASP program. We describe with good accuracy the experimentally known optical properties of a cubic diamond crystal. Using the obtained set of relevant calculation parameters, we predict the optical constants, dielectric functions and Raman spectra of the lowest-energy hypothetical carbon allotropes and lonsdaleite.
Conditions of a single-mode rib channel waveguide based on dielectric TiO2/SiO2
Authors:   Samara National Research University, Butt M. , Kozlova E. ,   Samara National Research University,   Image Processing Systems Institute оf RAS – Branch of the FSRC “Crystallography and Photonics” RAS, Khonina S. ,   Samara National Research University,   Image Processing Systems Institute оf RAS – Branch of the FSRC “Crystallography and Photonics” RAS
Published: September 2017

In this paper, we propose conditions for the design of a single-mode rib channel waveguide based on dielectric materials such as titanium dioxide (TiO2) and silicon dioxide (SiO2) for the 0.633-µm visible light. We also design Y-splitter structures, which show high-degree optical confinement and low bend losses at various radii of curvatures. Small radii of curvatures are extremely desirable in integrated photonics as they permit decreasing the dimensions but can also potentially reduce power consumption in the active devices.
Nanophotonic structure formation by dry e-beam etching of the resist: resolution limitation origins
Authors:   Institute of Physics and Technology of RAS, Rogozhin A. ,   Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Bruk M. ,   Institute of Physics and Technology of RAS, Zhikharev E. ,   Institute of Physics and Technology of RAS, Sidorov F. ,   Institute of Physics and Technology of RAS,   Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology
Published: September 2017

A wide range of structures for nanophotonics and optoelectronics can be formed by dry e-beam etching of the resist (DEBER). High resist sensitivity due to chain depolymerization reaction provides efficient etching with high throughput of the method. The structures obtained by the DEBER in this research are well-rounded diffraction gratings, binary gratings and staircase profiles. The major disadvantage of DEBER is poor lateral resolution, which may be caused by different physical mechanisms. Four groups of possible mechanisms leading to the resolution limitation are determined and the influence of some mechanisms is estimated.
Integrated fiber-based transverse mode converter
Authors:   Image Processing Systems Institute оf RAS – Branch of the FSRC “Crystallography and Photonics” RAS, Gavrilov A. ,   Samara National Research University, Pavelyev V. ,   Image Processing Systems Institute оf RAS – Branch of the FSRC “Crystallography and Photonics” RAS,   Samara National Research University
Published: September 2017

A transverse mode converter based on a binary microrelief implemented directly on the end-face of a few-mode fiber was numerically investigated. The results of numerical simulation demonstrated the converter to form LP-11 and LP-21 modes with high efficiency, providing a more-than 92 % mode purity. Transformations of modes excited by a fiber microbending were also numerically investigated. The excited beams were shown to save their mode purity even in a strong bending as the arising parasitical modes were mostly unguided by the fiber. The resulting beam power and mode content were also demonstrated to depend on the beam and bending mutual orientation for beams with strong rotational symmetry.
Focal-plane field when lighting double-ring phase elements
Authors:   Image Processing Systems Institute оf RAS – Branch of the FSRC “Crystallography and Photonics” RAS, Ustinov A. ,   Samara National Research University
Published: September 2017

The focal-plane field amplitude is calculated when lighting double-ring phase elements by flat and Gaussian beams. Emerging conditions in the minimum or maximum centers, including flat-top maxima, are given. For the field amplitude, we obtain equations that define the radius of the first zero-intensity ring based on the deduced expressions. The root values are listed for several parameters of optical elements and incident beams due to the lack of analytical solutions. Numerical simulation results are given for flat incident beams; they are fully consistent with the theoretical calculations.
An efficient block-based algorithm for hair removal in dermoscopic images
Authors:   Department of Information Technology, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology Al-Azhar University, Zaqout I.
Published: September 2017

Hair occlusion in dermoscopy images affects the diagnostic operation of the skin lesion. Segmentation and classification of skin lesions are two major steps of the diagnostic operation required by dermatologists. We propose a new algorithm for hair removal in dermoscopy images that includes two main stages: hair detection and inpainting. In hair detection, a morphological bottom-hat operation is implemented on Y-channel image of YIQ color space followed by a binarization operation. In inpainting, the repaired Y-channel is partitioned into 256 non-overlapped blocks and for each block, white pixels are replaced by locating the highest peak, using a histogram function and a morphological close operation. The proposed algorithm reports a true positive rate (sensitivity) of 97.36 %, a false positive rate (fall-out) of 4.25 %, and a true negative rate (specificity) of 95.75 %. The diagnostic accuracy achieved is recorded at a high level of 95.78 %.
Optimal calibration of a prism-based videoendoscopic system for precise 3D measurements
Authors:   Scientific and Technological Center of Unique Instrumentation, Russian Academy of Sciences, Gorevoy A. ,   Bauman Moscow State Technical University,   Moscow Power Engineering University, Machikhin A. ,   Scientific and Technological Center of Unique Instrumentation, Russian Academy of Sciences,   Moscow Power Engineering University
Published: September 2017

Modern videoendoscopes are capable of performing precise three-dimensional (3D) measurements of hard-to-reach elements. An attachable prism-based stereo adapter allows one to register images from two different viewpoints using a single sensor and apply stereoscopic methods. The key condition for achieving high measurement accuracy is the optimal choice of a mathematical model for calibration and 3D reconstruction procedures. In this paper, the conventional pinhole camera models with polynomial distortion approximation were analyzed and compared to the ray tracing model based on the vector form of Snell’s law. We, first, conducted a series of experiments using an industrial videoendoscope and utilized the criteria based on the measurement error of a segment length to evaluate the mathematical models considered. The experimental results confirmed a theoretical conclusion that the ray tracing model outperforms the pinhole models in a wide range of working distances. The results may be useful for the development of new stereoscopic measurement tools and algorithms for remote visual inspection in industrial and medical applications.
Hyperspectral image segmentation using dimensionality reduction and classical segmentation approaches
Authors:   Samara National Research University, Myasnikov E.
Published: September 2017

Unsupervised segmentation of hyperspectral satellite images is a challenging task due to the nature of such images. In this paper, we address this task using the following three-step procedure. First, we reduce the dimensionality of the hyperspectral images. Then, we apply one of classical segmentation algorithms (segmentation via clustering, region growing, or watershed transform). Finally, to overcome the problem of over-segmentation, we use a region merging procedure based on priority queues. To find the parameters of the algorithms and to compare the segmentation approaches, we use known measures of the segmentation quality (global consistency error and rand index) and well-known hyperspectral images.
Three-dimensional model of quantum dots' self-assembly under the action of laser radiation
Authors:   Siberian Federal University, Tkachenko V. , Tsipotan A. ,   Siberian Federal University, Aleksandrovsky A. ,   Siberian Federal University,   Kirensky Institute of Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Slabko V. ,   Siberian Federal University
Published: September 2017

This study considered a process of quantum dots' self-assembly into nanostructure arrays with predefined geometry, which proceeds in the external resonant laser field. We considered the simplest case of assembling a stable structure of two particles. The problem was solved numerically using a three-dimensional model of Brownian dynamics. The idea of the method is that the attraction of the dots occurs due to the interaction of resonantly induced dipole moments, with the dots being then captured by the Van der Waals force. Finally, a three-dimensional model was considered; the average nanoparticle aggregation time as a function of the laser radiation wavelength was calculated; the probability of such structures' being formed was estimated for the calculated average aggregation time and for the laser pulse duration used in the experiment. The wavelength of the maximum probability was found to be shifted from the single particle resonance wavelength of 525 nm to the red area of 535 nm, which is in qualitative agreement with the redshift of the resonance wavelength of interacting particles.
Diffractive elements for imaging optics of mobile communication devices
Authors:   Penza State University of Architecture and Construction, Greisukh G. , Ezhov E. ,   Penza State University of Architecture and Construction, Kazin S. ,   Penza State University of Architecture and Construction, Stepanov S. ,   Penza State University of Architecture and Construction
Published: September 2017

An estimate of the permissible width of the working spectral range of optical systems with diffractive elements is given. It takes into account the interval of the angles of incidence of the radiation on the microstructure of the element and it proceeds from the requirement that there is no halo in the image that is visualized by the LCD monitor. It is shown that the design parameters of diffractive elements intended for mobile device cameras are quite achievable for today's technologies of mass production of plastic optics.
Parallel implementation of the informative areas generation method in the spatial spectrum domain
Authors:   Samara National Research University, Kravtsova N. , Paringer R. ,   Samara National Research University,   Image Processing Systems Institute оf RAS – Branch of the FSRC “Crystallography and Photonics” RAS, Kupriyanov A. ,   Samara National Research University,   Image Processing Systems Institute оf RAS – Branch of the FSRC “Crystallography and Photonics” RAS
Published: September 2017

This paper proposes a parallel implementation of the image informative segments extraction method. The images are segmented in the spatial spectrum domain. The median energy in each selected segment is viewed upon as an area. For purposes of time savings, a parallel implementation of the algorithm for calculating the areas is developed. The developed approach to the parallel algorithm implementation is tested on a high performance multicore computing system. The experiments have shown that the parallel implementation of the method allows us to obtain a three-fold speedup, which is a good result.
O CLIMA ORGANIZACIONAL E O SEU ALINHAMENTO COM A FUNÇÃO DE GESTÃO DE PESSOAS
Authors: Da Silva Ramos Jessica , Da Silva Wegner Roger , Sagrillo Pereira Murilo , Pentiado Godoy Leoni , Rei Prato Neto Cyro
Published: September 2017

A presente pesquisa refere-se a um estudo realizado em uma organização localizada na região central do Rio grande do Sul. A área de recursos humanos tem como princípio desenvolver os colaboradores, pois quanto mais se aproxima deste conceito maior é a chance de se obter um melhor resultado diante ao mercado competitivo. Para alcançar os objetivos propostos, busca-se por meio deste trabalho compreender a percepção dos colaboradores, referente ao tema clima organizacional, utilizando as ferramentas básicas da qualidade para melhor entendimento da situação da área. Desta maneira, a pesquisa caracterizou-se como um estudo de caso, considerando-o exploratório-descritivo, com abordagem qualitativa e qualitativa. O universo da população foi representado por 20 colaboradores, sendo nestes, aplicados os questionários. Para análise dos dados, utilizou-se o software Microsoft Excel®, através do uso de estatística descritiva, seguida pelo Diagrama de Pareto e o Diagrama de Ishikawa. De acordo com os resultados, foi possível perceber que a empresa necessita investir na área de gestão de pessoas, pois, conforme as respostas do questionário, 55% dos colaboradores se sentem insatisfeitos, parcialmente, diante ao tema. O investimento e a atenção dos gestores vêm a contribuir para a satisfação e desenvolvimento dos colaboradores. Como sugestão recomenda-se a realização de novas pesquisas tais como: endomarketing e liderança.
O PROCESSO DE DESERTIFICAÇÃO NO MUNICÍPIO DE ACARI/RN E AS ALTERNATIVAS DE PERMANÊNCIA PARA SEUS MUNÍCIPES
Authors: Amaro Girlene Edson de Oliveira , Galvão Maria Luiza De Medeiros , Maracajá Kettrin Farias Bem
Published: September 2017

O presente trabalho analisa o meio ambiente no município de Acari/RN, com foco na desertificação. Aborda o conceito de desertificação na visão de ACCIOLY (2011), ROSA (1974) e GALVÃO (2012) que identificam suas possíveis causas. Ainda, elenca as possíveis alternativas para permanência dos habitantes no município. Apresenta aspectos ambientais inerentes ao processo de desertificação do município de Acari, identificando algumas de suas potencialidades e fragilidades. A discussão teórica reflete sobre os núcleos de desertificação no Semiárido brasileiro que é formado pelo Polígono das Secas. Também, permite pensar no núcleo de desertificação Seridó e em sua vegetação caatinga. Proporciona uma visão do município de Acari, sua localização, povoamento e atividades econômicas. Por fim, apresenta os resultados da pesquisa de campo realizada com pessoas que trabalham em olarias, cerâmicas e facções.
O DESENVOLVIMENTO NA PERSPCETIVA DA PARTICIPAÇÃO: CAMPINA GRANDE-PB E O CENTRO DE AÇÃO CULTURAL (CENTRAC)
Authors: Souza Dellany Maria Dantas , Mota Leonardo De Araujo e , Ramalho Ângela Maria Cavalcanti
Published: September 2017

Desenvolvimento na perspectiva da participação social nas decisões públicas advém da noção de que a essência do desenvolvimento está relacionada diretamente à realização das potencialidades humanas, e a participação social seria uma forma de expressão da potencialidade do sujeito, de sua autonomia, de seu desenvolvimento. Assim, o objetivo deste estudo consiste em analisar a atuação do CENTRAC para a promoção do desenvolvimento local, mediante o fomento à participação social nas decisões da gestão pública em Campina Grande – PB.  É um estudo exploratório descritivo com abordagem qualitativa. A coleta de dados ocorreu mediante realização de entrevistas semi-estruturadas e observação participante. Os resultados indicam que o CENTRAC busca formar e assessorar a sociedade civil na participação das decisões públicas em Campina Grande-Pb, porém de maneira menos intensa do que já foi no passado. Conclui-se que o CENTRAC, mesmo não estando atualmente se dedicando exclusiva ou majoritariamente a isso, promove o desenvolvimento mediante este fomento à participação social nas decisões públicas no município.
THE INTERNATIONALIZATION OF EDUCATION PROCESS IN A PUBLIC HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTION OF NORTHEASTERN BRAZIL
Authors: Martins Daniel Felipe Victor , Santos Alexandre Rodrigues
Published: September 2017

The aim of this research is to promote an evaluation of the strategic positioning of the Federal University of Piauí (FUP) in relation to the internationalization of education process. Therefore, it was done a review of the literature about the proposed theme, which was carried out until a case study done in the institution mentioned. By a research in the strategies and internationalized actions used by FUP, the research provoked a critical positioning with the theoretical references. As a result, it was verified that FUP has academic actions of embryonic internationalization contemplated from issues such as: education, research, technical cooperation and exchange. Then, it is necessary that FUP has created more effective strategic actions in order to consolidate its internationalization project as a public higher education institution.
FATORES QUE INFLUENCIAM AS MULHERES NO CONSUMO DE MODA ONLINE: UM ESTUDO POR MEIO DAS EQUAÇÕES ESTRUTURAIS
Authors: Mariano Ari Melo , Ávila Paldês Roberto , Neumann Clovis , Nogueira Stefany
Published: September 2017

A utilização do meio digital para transações no mercado já é fator regular no cotidiano das pessoas. Por vezes, o setor de moda lidera o ranking de crescimento em lojas virtuais, sendo as mulheres grandes responsáveis por esse índice. Neste contexto, é importante para as empresas que atuam em vendas virtuais entender quais são os fatores influenciam o consumo do segmento feminino. O objetivo geral deste estudo é apresentar os fatores que influenciam as mulheres de Brasília no consumo de moda via e-commerce. Para atingir o objetivo foi utilizada a metodologia descritiva quantitativa com base no modelo de equações estruturais. O estudo utilizou uma adaptação dos modelos já validados dos autores Salinas et. al. (2014) e Veiga e Monteiro (2008). A pesquisa obteve 130 respostas com um índice de confiabilidade composta de 0,91, analisadas a partir do software SmartPLS. Os resultados demonstram que os construtos apresentados, quais são inovação em moda, confiança e risco percebido, impactam em 62% o consumo online de moda, onde a inovação em moda é o fator de maior influência.
Undergraduate Research Experience For STEM Students: Efforts And Outcomes
Authors: Zhang Chuanlei , Swaid Samar
Published: September 2017

Undergraduate research for STEM students involves students who are attending college or universities pursuing a bachelor's degree, majoring in fields related to Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics(STEM).  Research experience for STEM undergraduates has been viewed as a positive experience that has several benefits such as developing intellectual mentality, enhancing teamwork skills and improving preparation for graduate study.  In this paper, we provide an overview of HBCU-UP research experience with STEM students at Philander Smith College for the last few years. Projects in Bioinformatics and Human-Computer Interaction of two Computer Science faculty and their teams are shared.  Efforts in implementing research experiences and outcomes of these efforts are discussed.
Comparative Study Of Preschool Children’s Current Health Issues And Health Education In New Zealand And Japan
Authors: Watanabe Kanae , Dickinson Annette
Published: September 2017

In New Zealand and Japan, despite health education on food, exercise, and hygiene, children’s health is an important concern in preschools. This study investigated the relationship between children’s health and health education in New Zealand and Japan using a qualitative interpretative descriptive design method and semi-structured interviews with preschool teachers. Major children’s health issues identified by preschool teachers in New Zealand were asthma, allergies, and dental hygiene. Although few preschool children are overweight in New Zealand, it becomes a serious concern in primary school. Identified as a suspected cause of children’s health problems was parents providing their children with sweet and/or unhealthy foods. Preschool teachers want parents to understand and implement health education, and they stated that parents’ education was necessary. In Japan, children’s health problems identified by teachers were allergies, food preferences, and sleep deprivation. The suspected causes included too much convenience, parents’ irregular lifestyles because they were busy, and parents’ depending on preschools to discipline children in ways that should be done at home. The goals for preschool health education were similar in New Zealand and Japan. The goals should be to obtain lifelong health knowledge, an ability to make wise health-related decisions in adulthood, and healthy lifestyle choices for themselves and their families. Some children’s health issues were beyond the scope of the abilities of individual preschools. Therefore, the entire nation and government should work together to cope with children’s health issues and health education.
Cohort-Specific Online Discussion Experiences: A Collaborative And Multidisciplinary Approach To Improving Student Learning
Authors: Selhorst Adam L. , Klein Eric , Harrison Justin
Published: September 2017

Research addressing the effects of cohort size on student success in asynchronous online discussions is sparse.  As such, the following study attempted to determine an optimal student cohort size to enhance success and engagement within online discussions in general education courses at a large post-secondary university consisting of predominately adult learners.  Experimental courses split mandatory discussions into one, two, or three cohorts to maintain a discussion size of no more than ten students per cohort per week.  The effects of cohort size on student grade-point-average (GPA), withdraw rate, fail rate, and progression rate was evaluated in addition to effects on student satisfaction as measured by end-of-course surveys (EoCS).  Results showed no significant difference in either student success or student satisfaction between courses with one, two, or three online discussion cohorts.  Future online education research should focuses on upper division courses where students might benefit from smaller group discussions.
Faith’s Country Primitives: An Excel Project In Flexible Budgeting And Standard Cost Analysis
Authors: Silvester Katherine J.
Published: September 2017

Cost accounting textbooks typically contain extensive technical coverage of standard costing and variance analysis in a manufacturing context.  Covering the material adequately usually requires multiple class lectures, due to the complexity of the material. The calculations involved are detailed, multi-step, and can be numerically intensive.  In order to make the material accessible to the learner, most textbook problems focus on the individual steps inherent in the budgeting, calculation, analysis, and interpretation process of standard costing and variance analysis. This simplification makes it feasible to deliver the material efficiently in the classroom.  However, this pedagogical efficiency occurs at a cost, in that students may fail to understand the overall process and how the individual steps are interrelated.  

 

This case has been used over the course of 10 semesters with over 500 students in a junior level Cost Accounting class for accounting majors.  It has proven to be an effective tool for both reinforcing the variance analysis content that is delivered in the classroom, as well as for giving students an opportunity to practice and extend their Excel skills.