An Economist´s guide to the Kalman filter

Almost since its appearance, the Kalman Filter (KF) has been successfully used in control engineering. Unfortunately, most of its important results have been published in engineering journals with language, notation and style proper of engineers. In this paper, we want to present the KF in an attractive way to economists by using information theory and Bayesian inference.

Independence and matching numbers of some token graphs

Let $G$ be a graph of order $n$ and let $k\in\{1,\ldots,n-1\}$. The $k$-token graph $F_k(G)$ of $G$, is the graph whose vertices are the $k$-subsets of $V(G)$, where two vertices are adjacent in $F_k(G)$ whenever their symmetric difference is an edge of $G$. We study the independence and matching numbers of $F_k(G)$. We present a tight lower bound for the matching number of $F_k(G)$ for the case in which $G$ has either a perfect matching or an almost perfect matching. Also, we estimate the independence number for bipartite $k$-token graphs, and determine the exact value for some graphs.Comment: 16 pages, 4 figures. Third version is a major revision. Some proofs were corrected or simplified. New references adde

Inversion of multiconfiguration complex EMI data with minimum gradient support regularization: A case study

Frequency-domain electromagnetic instruments allow the collection of data in different configurations, that is, varying the intercoil spacing, the frequency, and the height above the ground. Their handy size makes these tools very practical for near-surface characterization in many fields of applications, for example, precision agriculture, pollution assessments, and shallow geological investigations. To this end, the inversion of either the real (in-phase) or the imaginary (quadrature) component of the signal has already been studied. Furthermore, in many situations, a regularization scheme retrieving smooth solutions is blindly applied, without taking into account the prior available knowledge. The present work discusses an algorithm for the inversion of the complex signal in its entirety, as well as a regularization method that promotes the sparsity of the reconstructed electrical conductivity distribution. This regularization strategy incorporates a minimum gradient support stabilizer into a truncated generalized singular value decomposition scheme. The results of the implementation of this sparsity-enhancing regularization at each step of a damped Gauss-Newton inversion algorithm (based on a nonlinear forward model) are compared with the solutions obtained via a standard smooth stabilizer. An approach for estimating the depth of investigation, that is, the maximum depth that can be investigated by a chosen instrument configuration in a particular experimental setting is also discussed. The effectiveness and limitations of the whole inversion algorithm are demonstrated on synthetic and real data sets

Identity and Belonging in Hiromi Goto’s Chorus of Mushrooms

[Abstract] Because immigration and movement are woven into the histories of so many countries, and are such extended and present day phenomena, this paper aims at analysing, through the study of Hiromi Goto’s Chorus of Mushrooms, the specific problematics of identity and belonging of racialized minorities in the presupposedly multicultural background of twentieth-century Canada, focusing on the different ways of adapting (or not) to this ‘new reality’ that the characters in the narrative exemplify

Abordaje enfermero en padres de niños con síndrome de Down. Dando sentido a la adversidad

Trabajo fin de grado en EnfermeríaObjetivo: la elaboración de esta revisión, tiene como objetivo, clarificar el rol enfermero en el proceso de adaptación de padres y madres de niños y niñas con Síndrome de Down y revisar los factores que influyen en este proceso. Método: se han llevado a cabo búsquedas en diferentes bases de datos (Pubmed, Cinahl, Cuiden, Cochrane, Scielo, Dialnet, PsychoInfo y Psicodoc) con términos de lenguaje libre y con términos MeSH y DeCS de lenguaje controlado. Resultados: Se revisaron 18 artículos cuyas principales aportaciones fueron: el primer contacto familiar con el Síndrome de Down, la influencia de los factores de protección y de riesgo y cómo específicamente la cultura es clave en la adaptación a la discapacidad, la adaptación parental en el desarrollo de los niños y niñas, y el papel del profesional enfermero en este proceso. Conclusiones: el profesional de enfermería tiene un papel relevante en la adaptación de los padres, y debe conocer la cultura y factores que influyen para poder adaptar los cuidados. Sin embargo, la falta de estudio del tema y la escasa evidencia científica, ponen de manifiesto la necesidad de investigar más sobre este tema, así como de establecer protocolos de actuación de enfermería para reorientar el enfoque hacia un modelo de cuidados centros en la familia.Objetive: The aim of this review is to provide a better understanding of the role of nursing in the adaptation process of parents with Down Syndrome children and review the influence of factors in this adaptation process. Method: Free indexing language terms and MeSH and DeCS controlled vocabulary terms, have been searched in several databases (Pubmed, Cinahl, Cuiden, Cochrane, Scielo, Dialnet, PsycInfo and Psicodoc). Results: 18 articles have been used in this literature review which main result were: the initial contact the family have with Down Syndrome, the influence of protection and risk factors in the adaptation process, and how specifically culture is a key construct in the adaptation to disability, the importance of parental adaptation on children development and the role of nursing in this process. Conclusions: Nurses have a significant role in parent’s adaptation and must know the culture and factors influencing it, in order to adequate the care. However, the lack of research in this topic and the limited scientific evidence, highlight the necessity of further research, as well as establish nursing action procedures to meet the parents needs over the whole adaptation process

A Methodological Approach to the Study of Urban Memory: Narratives about Mexico City

Mit diesem Artikel verfolge ich zwei Ziele: Zum einen geht es darum, soziale Repräsentationen und das kollektive Gedächtnis einer spezifischen Untersuchungsgruppe zu rekonstruieren, nämlich von älteren Erwachsenen, die in den innerstädtischen Regionen von Mexiko-Stadt leben. Zum anderen geht es mir um die Reflexion der Methodologie, die hierfür zum Einsatz gekommen ist, wobei vor allem die Kombination zweier komplementärer Werkzeuge von Interesse ist: erstens die Software Atlas.ti, die ich für die semantische Analyse der Interviews genutzt habe, zweitens Alceste, ein Programm, das die Untersuchung von Klassifikationen von Begriffen, die in den Interviews gebraucht wurden, auf Grundlage einer statistischen Kookkurrenzanalyse erlaubt.Im Folgenden werden zunächst die theoretischen Grundannahmen der Studie erläutert. Danach werden die Forschungsmethodologie, die Gründe für die Auswahl der Softwarepakete und das Auswertungsverfahren vorgestellt. Am Ende werden die Ergebnisse skizziert, gefolgt von einer Diskussion der Bedeutung einer angemessenen Methodologie zur Untersuchung städtischen Gedächtnisses.Die Ergebnisse verweisen auf unterschiedliche Analyseebenen für die teilweise extensiven Erzählungen über rückliegende Erfahrungen (in) einer großen Stadt wie Mexiko-Stadt – eine eher individuelle Ebene im Fall von Atlas.ti bis hin zu einer kollektiven Analyseebene (z.B. Gender, Ort,  sozioökonomischer Status) bei Alceste. Diskutiert werden auch Begrenzungen, die aus der Nutzung von Software resultieren, wenn es um Erfahrungen geht, die sich in Zeit und Raum erstrecken oder wenn Raum als komplexe Kategorie untersucht werden soll.URN: http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs1202276Este artículo tiene una doble finalidad. Por un lado, busco comprender las representaciones sociales y la memoria colectiva de una muestra de adultos mayores residentes en la zona metropolitana de la ciudad de México. Por el otro, reflexionar sobre la metodología empleada para cubrir ese objetivo, poniendo especial énfasis en la combinación de dos técnicas complementarias: Atlas.ti, herramienta usada para realizar análisis semántico de las entrevistas, y Alceste, programa que permite observar una clasificación de los términos empleados por los entrevistados a partir de un análisis estadístico de co-ocurrencias.El artículo se estructura de acuerdo al siguiente orden: en un primer momento expongo los presupuestos teóricos que sustentan la investigación. Enseguida abordo la metodología empleada, las razones por las cuales decido usar el software mencionado y las estrategias de análisis de las entrevistas. Finalmente, presento los resultados obtenidos y cierro con una discusión final sobre la pertinencia de la metodología general de estudio para el análisis de la memoria urbana.Los resultados indican distintos niveles de análisis de narrativas extensas con respecto a la experiencia pasada de una gran urbe como la ciudad de México, desde el plano individual que permite Atlas.ti, hasta el nivel colectivo (diferencias de género, por barrio, o estrato socioeconómico) que prioriza Alceste. Se discuten las limitantes de estos programas para analizar experiencias que tienen una continuidad en el tiempo, así como para incorporar al espacio como categoría de análisis compleja.URN: http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs1202276This article serves a dual purpose. On the one hand, I seek to understand social representations and the collective memory of a sample of older adults, resident in the metropolitan area of Mexico City. On the other hand, I wish to reflect on the methodology used to achieve that objective, placing special emphasis on the combination of two complementary techniques: Atlas.ti, a tool used to carry out a semantic analysis of the interviews, and Alceste, a program that makes it possible to observe a classification of the terms used by respondents based on a statistical analysis of co-occurrences.The article is structured in the following order. Firstly, I explain the theoretical presuppositions that sustain the study. Secondly, I look at the methodology used, the reasons why I decided to use the software in question, and the analysis strategies for the interviews. Finally, I present the results obtained, and close with a final discussion on the relevance of the general methodology of the study for analyzing urban memory.The results indicate different levels of analysis of extensive narratives about the past experience of a great city like Mexico City; from the individual level that allows Atlas.ti up to a collective level (gender differences, location or socioeconomic status) that prioritizes Alceste. I discuss the limitations of these software tools to analyze experiences that have continuity in time and space, as well in the incorporation of space as a complex category of analysis.URN: http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs120227