Energy-efficient adaptive wireless network design

Energy efficiency is an important issue for mobile computers since they must rely on their batteries. We present an energy-efficient highly adaptive architecture of a network interface and novel data link layer protocol for wireless networks that provides quality of service (QoS) support for diverse traffic types. Due to the dynamic nature of wireless networks, adaptations are necessary to achieve energy efficiency and an acceptable quality of service. The paper provides a review of ideas and techniques relevant to the design of an energy efficient adaptive wireless networ

Reconfigurable Mobile Multimedia Systems

This paper discusses reconfigurability issues in lowpower hand-held multimedia systems, with particular emphasis on energy conservation. We claim that a radical new approach has to be taken in order to fulfill the requirements - in terms of processing power and energy consumption - of future mobile applications. A reconfigurable systems-architecture in combination with a QoS driven operating system is introduced that can deal with the inherent dynamics of a mobile system. We present the preliminary results of studies we have done on reconfiguration in hand-held mobile computers: by having reconfigurable media streams, by using reconfigurable processing modules and by migrating functions

Neonatal morbidities and developmental delay in moderately preterm-born children

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Children born moderately preterm (32-35(6/7) weeks' gestation) are at increased risk of both neonatal morbidities and developmental delays in early childhood. It is unknown whether neonatal morbidities contribute to the increased risk of developmental delay. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of neonatal morbidities after moderately preterm birth on development at preschool age. METHODS: In a community-based, stratified cohort, parents of 832 moderately preterm children born in 2002 or 2003 completed the Ages and Stage Questionnaire when their child was 43 to 49 months old. Data on Apgar scores, asphyxia, tertiary NICU admission, hospital transfer, circulatory insufficiency, hypoglycemia, septicemia, mechanical ventilation, continuous positive airway pressure, apneas, caffeine treatment, and hyperbilirubinemia were obtained from medical records. We assessed associations of neonatal characteristics with developmental delay, adjusted for gender, small-for-gestational-age status, gestational age, and maternal education. RESULTS: Hypoglycemia and asphyxia were associated with developmental delay; odds ratios (ORs) were 2.42 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.23-4.77) and 3.18 (95% CI: 1.01-10.0), respectively. Tertiary NICU admission and hyperbilirubinemia had positive but statistically borderline nonsignificant associations with developmental delay: ORs were 1.74 (95% CI: 0.96-3.15) and 1.52 (95% CI: 0.94-2.46), respectively. No other neonatal morbidities were associated with developmental delay. In multivariate analyses, only hypoglycemia was associated with developmental delay (OR: 2.19; 95% CI: 1.08-4.46). CONCLUSIONS: In moderately preterm-born children, only hypoglycemia increased the risk of developmental delay at preschool age. A concerted effort to prevent hypoglycemia might enhance developmental outcome in this group

On the identity of broad-shelled mussels (Mollusca, Bivalvia, Mytilus) from the Dutch delta region

Late Quaternary (Eemian) deposits of the Netherlands contain shells that resemble those of living Mytilus galloprovincialis. Similar broad-shelled mytilids also occur in estuaries of the southwestern Netherlands together with slender individuals typical of M. edulis. We sampled living mussels along a depth gradient in the Oosterschelde to a) investigate whether a relation exists between shell shape and depth, b) test if the broad-shelled specimens might represent M. galloprovincialis (or a hybrid with M. edulis) and c) assess by inference if the Quaternary specimens might be attributed to M. galloprovincialis as well. In order to do so, we compared genetic (length polymorphism of Me 15/16, COIII sequences and AFLPs) and shell-morphological characteristics (juvenile L/W ratios and so-called Verduin parameters) of the same specimens. The obtained dataset indicates that all studied mussels from the Oosterschelde should be attributed to M. edulis, including those with broad shell outlines. No correlation of shell-morphology and depth-distribution was found. The worn and generally damaged state of the Eemian specimens precluded measurement of the Verduin parameters, while juvenile L/W ratios turned out not to be diagnostic. Therefore the shell characters examined in this study are insufficient to demonstrate the possible presence of M. galloprovincialis shells in Quaternary deposits of the Netherlands

Сущность и виды операций перестрахования

В статье проанализированы сущность и понятие перестрахования, рассмотрены участники перестраховочных операций и их функции. Подробно описана страховая терминология, которая используется в перестраховании. Выделены преимущества перестраховочных отношений при развитии страхового рынка, их роль при осуществлении страховых операций. Рассмотрены особенности типов перестраховочных договоров и существующих форм перестрахования, их положительные и отрицательные стороны для страховщиков и перестраховщиков, сфера использования.У статті проаналізовані сутність та поняття перестрахування, розглянуті учасники перестрахувальних операцій та їх функції. Докладно описана страхова термінологія, що використовується в перестрахуванні. Виділені переваги перестрахувальних відносин при розвитку страхового ринку, їх роль при здійсненні страхових операцій. Розглянуті особливості типів перестрахувальних договорів та існуючих форм перестрахування, їх позитивні і негативні сторони для страховиків і перестрахувальників, сфера використання.Essence and conception of reassurance, members of reassurance operations had been analyzed and examined in the article. Insurance terminology, which used in reassurance, had been described in details. The author of the article had picked out the advantages of reassurance operations and their role in it under the development of the insurance market. Properties of types of reassurance contracts and relevant forms of reassurance, their positive and negative sides for insurers and reinsures, the field of their using had been described in this article

A quality control framework for digital fabrication with concrete

The quality control of digital fabrication with concrete has more stringent requirements than traditional casting. Firstly, since formwork is typically absent, or removed at an early stage in production, the material is exposed to external influences that can result in deformations, collapse, or deterioration. Therefore, the evolution of properties during the process has to be controlled. Secondly, the fabrication systems are typically more sensitive to dosing fluctuations, and the produced, optimized objects are more sensitive to defects, which requires the process variations to be controlled at a higher resolution. A framework is presented that categorizes quality control experiments into destructive and non-destructive, according to their systematic error, and according to the location of testing with respect to the process. This framework is applied to the fresh state mechanical performance of concrete and quality control strategies are derived from it. Lastly, research gaps are identified that are critical for the further development and adoption of these quality control strategies in digitally fabricated concrete

A quality control framework for digital fabrication with concrete

The quality control of digital fabrication with concrete has more stringent requirements than traditional casting. Firstly, since formwork is typically absent, or removed at an early stage in production, the material is exposed to external influences that can result in deformations, collapse, or deterioration. Therefore, the evolution of properties during the process has to be controlled. Secondly, the fabrication systems are typically more sensitive to dosing fluctuations, and the produced, optimized objects are more sensitive to defects, which requires the process variations to be controlled at a higher resolution. A framework is presented that categorizes quality control experiments into destructive and non-destructive, according to their systematic error, and according to the location of testing with respect to the process. This framework is applied to the fresh state mechanical performance of concrete and quality control strategies are derived from it. Lastly, research gaps are identified that are critical for the further development and adoption of these quality control strategies in digitally fabricated concrete

Risk bounds for deep learning

In this thesis, deep learning is studied from a statistical perspective. Convergence rates for the worst case risk bounds of neural network estimators are obtained in the classification, density estimation and linear regression model. Special attention is given to the role of input dimension since in practice, neural networks have shown promising results for high dimensional input settings. First, the estimation of conditional class probabilities under the cross-entropy loss is studied. A challenge with this loss is that it becomes unbounded near zero. To deal with this, the loss is truncated. Convergence rates are obtained for a neural network estimator under this truncated loss. The second problem considered is density estimation. A two step procedure is proposed. The first step transforms the density estimation problem into a regression problem by constructing response variables using a kernel density estimator on half of the data. In the second step, a neural network is fitted to this constructed data. Convergence rates for this method are obtained using existing approximation results for compositional functions. Finally, forward gradient descent is studied. This is a biologically motivated alternative for gradient descent. Convergence rates are derived for this method in the linear regression model with random design.NWO/STAR, NWOAnalysis and Stochastic