A Primal-Dual Algorithm for Link Dependent Origin Destination Matrix Estimation

Origin-Destination Matrix (ODM) estimation is a classical problem in transport engineering aiming to recover flows from every Origin to every Destination from measured traffic counts and a priori model information. In addition to traffic counts, the present contribution takes advantage of probe trajectories, whose capture is made possible by new measurement technologies. It extends the concept of ODM to that of Link dependent ODM (LODM), keeping the information about the flow distribution on links and containing inherently the ODM assignment. Further, an original formulation of LODM estimation, from traffic counts and probe trajectories is presented as an optimisation problem, where the functional to be minimized consists of five convex functions, each modelling a constraint or property of the transport problem: consistency with traffic counts, consistency with sampled probe trajectories, consistency with traffic conservation (Kirchhoff's law), similarity of flows having close origins and destinations, positivity of traffic flows. A primal-dual algorithm is devised to minimize the designed functional, as the corresponding objective functions are not necessarily differentiable. A case study, on a simulated network and traffic, validates the feasibility of the procedure and details its benefits for the estimation of an LODM matching real-network constraints and observations

Recent Saccadic Eye Movement Research Uncovers Patterns of Cognitive Dysfunction in Schizophrenia.

The frontal cortex and the subcortical areas of the brain play a major role in the control of thought and action. Eye movements are increasingly used in neuropsychological research to explore the executive and sensorimotor functions of such neural networks. This interface links the control of action, at the fundamental levels of neurophysiological and neurochemical processes, with the high-level cognitive operations that underlie visual orienting. Patients with schizophrenia have neurocognitive impairments that can be readily investigated with novel saccadic eye movement paradigms. Animal, human lesion, and neuroimaging studies have identified the cerebral centers that underlie saccadic eye movements. The areas of the prefrontal cortex include the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, the frontal eye fields, the supplementary eye fields, and the anterior cingulate gyrus. Pathology of saccadic eye movements therefore provides information on the functional status of the underlying neural circuitry in brain disorders such as schizophrenia

Resource Utilization in Dementia a Question of Collaboration

This doctoral thesis investigates one disease management program in dementia located in Kalmar, Sweden with regard to the resource utilization. Dementia is a devastating disease which mainly affects the elderly. As the disease progresses the need for support increases. Dementia is one of the most costly diseases in our society. Although our understanding of dementia has advanced we have yet to discover a cure for the disease. Nevertheless with our current knowledge we can accomplish a great deal. The challenge is to incorporate this knowledge in order to provide high quality care for the patients and the caregivers without creating an economic burden for the society. It is therefore of interest to evaluate this dementia management program which supports the patient and caregiver from diagnosis to death. In Study I, the dementia management program in Kalmar was assessed. The program defined most of the expected new patients per year. And it was introduced within the existing budget, after reallocation of resources In Study II, examined costs of dementia diagnose assessment. Further was the true cost per diagnosed patient. Identified for primary care and specialist level. The study found that the cost of diagnosing dementia is small compared to the total budget required to care for persons with dementia, estimated to be approximately 1% of the total yearly cost of dementia in Sweden. In Study III, the use of selective psychotropic drugs in the elderly in Kalmar was compared with Swedish national data. The study found that after the introduction of the dementia management program, the use of dementia drugs increased, and the use of neuroleptics decreased. Furthermore the use of sedatives and drugs with anticholinergic effects was lower in Kalmar as compared to the whole of Sweden. In Study IV, examined resource utilization in dementia management in the Kalmar municipality. The Älvsjö municipality and the whole of Sweden were used for comparisons. The results suggest that the cost of dementia care in the Kalmar municipality did not increase due to implementation of the dementia program. Furtherer suggest the cost for dementia to be from neutrally to lower for the municipality of Kalmar compare to the municipality s in all of Sweden. The results from this investigation of the dementia management program in Kalmar, suggest that most of the new cases of dementia were diagnosed, treated and followed up. The cost of the program fell within the existing budget and no extra funding was required

Radio occultation techniques for probing the ionosphere

GPS radio occultation measurements establish the basis for a new remote sensing technique for vertical profile information on the electron density of the entire ionosphere from satellite orbit heights down to the bottomside. No other profiling technique such as vertical sounding or incoherent scatter, unifies vertical profiling through the entire ionosphere with global coverage. Inversion methods are described both for vertical profiling as well as for tree dimensional electron density reconstructions of the ionosphere. In three dimensional electron density reconstructions using signals from Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), the Ionospheric Radio Occultation (IRO) measurements provide vertical information which is complementary to the information obtained by ground based measurements. Assessment of achievable accuracy and spatial resolution are addressed by simulation studies. IRO measurements have been carried out onboard the German CHAMP satellite since 11 April 2001 on a routine basis. Assuming a spherically layered ionosphere, up to about 150 Electron Density Profiles (EDPs) per day are retrieved within a latency of 3 h. Validation results obtained by using independent data sources are reported. The validation with vertical sounding data in mid-latitudes indicates a small positive bias in the plasma frequency of up to about 0.5 MHz throughout the entire profile. Averages of the numerous EDPs show wellknown ionospheric phenomena such as the equatorial anomaly, the winter anomaly and the expansion of the profile with increasing solar energy input. It is concluded that CHAMP-IRO measurements have the potential to establish global data sets of vertical electron density profiles for developing and improving global ionospheric models and to provide operational space weather information

On the Combination of Remote Sensing and Geophysical Methods for the Digitalization of the San Lázaro Middle Paleolithic Rock Shelter (Segovia, Central Iberia, Spain)

This paper is focused on the Middle Paleolithic rock shelter called “Abrigo de San Lázaro”, placed in the Eresma River valley (Segovia, Spain). In this area, a multisource geomatic approach is used. On the one hand, the external envelope of the shelter has been digitalized by the means of an efficient combination between aerial photogrammetry and laser scanning (static and mobile). On the other hand, the ground penetrating radar and the electric tomography were used with the aim of evaluating the inner disposition of the shelter. The combination of both digitalization (external and internal) has allowed for improving the knowledge of the site characteristics that, in turn, will facilitate the future excavation works. The results of these studies allow archaeologists to know new data for a better understanding of the site formation (geology of the site, sedimentary potential, rock shelter dimensions, etc.) and the events that took place in it (knowing its historical evolution, especially the interaction between man and the environment). Additionally, the information obtained from these studies is very useful to plan future excavation works on the site

A WAIS-III marker for depression in older adults?

Depression is a common and disabling condition in older adults associated with increased medical complaint and mortality. Depression in late-life may be accompanied by significant cognitive deficit, at least in a proportion of individuals. The basis ofthis deficit is unclear but permanent structural brain change and/or reversible mood-state deficiency have been suggested.Three groups ofolder adults comprising currently depressed individuals, individuals previously depressed but now recovered and individuals with no previous history of depression were assessed and compared using the WAIS-III.Difficulties relating to accurate definitions of change points across illness are highlighted and, in particular, the consistent measurement ofrecovery from depression. It was however tentatively proposed that recovery from depression is associated with the reversal ofcognitive deficit, at least in the majority of cases.Depressed older adults demonstrated a WAIS-III profile indicative of broad cognitive deficit across the Verbal Comprehension, Perceptual Organisation, Working Memory and Processing Speed Indices. Processing speed appeared to be particularly impaired by the presence of depression.Results are considered in relation to explanations of such deficit previously offered in the research. Suggestions are offered for future research and, in particular, the areas ofprocessing speed, attention and formal classification ofbehavioural observations on assessment

50 anos de sinergia entre geodésia espacial e meteorologia: do erro no posicionamento GNSS a aplicações de previsão de precipitação de curtíssimo prazo

The neutral atmosphere (or troposphere) causes refraction in radio frequency signals, which results in errors in Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) measurements. In meteorology, this effect can represent important measurements of the concentration of atmospheric constituents, especially in regions where conventional high-altitude atmospheric sounding (radiosondes) cannot be performed. There are two GNSS techniques used for this. In the first one, GNSS receivers are located on terrestrial stations that provide estimates of the vertically integrated moisture content (Precipitable Water Vapor - PWV). In the second case, receivers are in space platforms, which obtains profiles of atmospheric pressure, temperature and humidity, known as GNSS radio occultation. These measurements have significant potential for nowcasting applications (30 minutes in advance) of extreme precipitation events (>35 mm). This paper presents a review of the state of the art in the synergy between Geodesy and Meteorology for modeling the neutral atmosphere (neutrosphere), its effect on GNSS positioning and in the estimation of atmospheric constituents, and their applications. Furthermore, it offers the improvements and new challenges developed in modeling the delay for high accuracy positioning.A atmosfera neutra (ou troposfera) causa refração nos sinais de radiofrequência, que resulta em erros nas medidas do Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) empregadas no posicionamento geodésico. Já para a Meteorologia esse efeito pode representar medidas importantes da concentração dos constituintes atmosféricos, principalmente em regiões onde não se pode realizar sondagem atmosférica convencional, por meio de radiossondas acopladas a balões. Duas técnicas GNSS podem ser empregadas para isso. A primeira utiliza receptores em estações terrestres que fornecem estimativas do conteúdo integrado verticalmente de umidade na atmosfera neutra (Precipitable Water Vapor - PWV). A segunda, com receptores localizados em plataformas espaciais, com os quais obtém perfis atmosféricos de pressão, temperatura e umidade, na técnica conhecida como Rádio-ocultação GNSS. Essas medidas têm um potencial significativo para aplicações em previsões de curtíssimo prazo (30 minutos) de eventos extremos de precipitação (>35 mm). O objetivo principal deste artigo é realizar uma revisão do estado da arte da sinergia entre a Geodésia e a Meteorologia na modelagem da atmosfera neutra (neutrosfera), seu efeito no posicionamento GNSS e na estimativa dos constituintes atmosféricos e suas aplicações. Além disso, apresenta os aprimoramentos e novos desafios desenvolvidos na modelagem do atraso para o posicionamento de alta acurácia