6,359 research outputs found

    Expectation-Maximization Binary Clustering for Behavioural Annotation

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    We present a variant of the well sounded Expectation-Maximization Clustering algorithm that is constrained to generate partitions of the input space into high and low values. The motivation of splitting input variables into high and low values is to favour the semantic interpretation of the final clustering. The Expectation-Maximization binary Clustering is specially useful when a bimodal conditional distribution of the variables is expected or at least when a binary discretization of the input space is deemed meaningful. Furthermore, the algorithm deals with the reliability of the input data such that the larger their uncertainty the less their role in the final clustering. We show here its suitability for behavioural annotation of movement trajectories. However, it can be considered as a general purpose algorithm for the clustering or segmentation of multivariate data or temporal series.Comment: 34 pages main text including 11 (full page) figure

    Revolution was not in accounting

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    Collateral Bar and Contempt: Challenging a Court Order after Disobeying It

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    Collateral Bar and Contempt: Challenging a Court Order after Disobeying It

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    The maternal health behaviours of non-Irish nationals during pregnancy and the effect of time living in Ireland

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    Objectives Maternal health behaviours (MHBs) can influence pregnancy outcomes. Despite efforts internationally to encourage positive MHBs, women often fail to comply with pregnancy guidelines. International studies show differences in MHBs between nationalities and an effect of time spent in the host country. There is limited Irish data in this area, with no previous research relating to the effect of time in Ireland. Study design This study is a cross-sectional analysis of the Growing Up in Ireland infant cohort, a nationally representative longitudinal study. Methods Examination of the MHBs of non-Irish nationals during pregnancy and the effect of time in Ireland on the said behaviours. Results An association was found between time spent in Ireland and increased alcohol consumption prevalence. Those living in Ireland for ≤5 years were 60.8% less likely to consume alcohol during pregnancy (0.000) and 29.3% less likely to take folic acid before conception (0.021). Those who smoked during pregnancy were 98.6% more likely to consume alcohol (0.000) and those who consumed alcohol were 95.2% more likely to smoke during pregnancy (0.000). Conclusions The results demonstrate differences in MHBs and the influence of time living in Ireland. These findings are of relevance for policy and intervention planning to optimise pregnancy outcomes among non-nationals

    Simple Calculations to Reduce Litigation Costs in Personal Injury Cases: Additional Empirical Support for the Offset Rule

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    This article demonstrates that if the nominal rate of interest equals the growth rate of nominal earnings, then a strong case can be made for calculating lump-sum damage awards by using the offset rule, i.e., by simply multiplying the annual loss by the number of years the loss is expected to continue. An examination of the Canadian data not only supports the offset rule, but also suggests that plaintiffs are being systematically undercompensated by rules currently in use

    UROLOGÍA: Carúncula ureteral

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    Acoustic, psychophysical, and neuroimaging measurements of the effectiveness of active cancellation during auditory functional magnetic resonance imaging

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    Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is one of the principal neuroimaging techniques for studying human audition, but it generates an intense background sound which hinders listening performance and confounds measures of the auditory response. This paper reports the perceptual effects of an active noise control (ANC) system that operates in the electromagnetically hostile and physically compact neuroimaging environment to provide significant noise reduction, without interfering with image quality. Cancellation was first evaluated at 600 Hz, corresponding to the dominant peak in the power spectrum of the background sound and at which cancellation is maximally effective. Microphone measurements at the ear demonstrated 35 dB of acoustic attenuation [from 93 to 58 dB sound pressure level (SPL)], while masked detection thresholds improved by 20 dB (from 74 to 54 dB SPL). Considerable perceptual benefits were also obtained across other frequencies, including those corresponding to dips in the spectrum of the background sound. Cancellation also improved the statistical detection of sound-related cortical activation, especially for sounds presented at low intensities. These results confirm that ANC offers substantial benefits for fMRI research

    Experimental Tests of Invariant Set Theory

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    We identify points of difference between Invariant Set Theory and standard quantum theory, and evaluate if these would lead to noticeable differences in predictions between the two theories. From this evaluation, we design a number of experiments, which, if undertaken, would allow us to investigate whether standard quantum theory or invariant set theory best describes reality.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figure
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