SkiMap: An Efficient Mapping Framework for Robot Navigation

We present a novel mapping framework for robot navigation which features a multi-level querying system capable to obtain rapidly representations as diverse as a 3D voxel grid, a 2.5D height map and a 2D occupancy grid. These are inherently embedded into a memory and time efficient core data structure organized as a Tree of SkipLists. Compared to the well-known Octree representation, our approach exhibits a better time efficiency, thanks to its simple and highly parallelizable computational structure, and a similar memory footprint when mapping large workspaces. Peculiarly within the realm of mapping for robot navigation, our framework supports realtime erosion and re-integration of measurements upon reception of optimized poses from the sensor tracker, so as to improve continuously the accuracy of the map.Comment: Accepted by International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA) 2017. This is the submitted version. The final published version may be slightly differen

Herd Mobility and Waterpoint Use in Northern Kenya

In many regions of the world, property rights to natural resources are held under various forms of communal ownership, which often exhibit flexibility for users to access different resources depending on relative need. Here, we analyze the impact of climatic variability on resource use, and examine the transactions cost of access in these flexible systems.Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,

The Impact of Euro-Mediterranean Partnerships on the Agricultural Sector of the Mediterranean Area

In 1995, the Barcelona Conference Inter-government Euro-Mediterranean, through the plan of the creation of the partnership Euro-Mediterranean, has marked the start of a phase of collaboration between the European Union and the Mediterranean Partner Countries (MPCs) that has origin in the importance that these last ones cover in order to assure conditions of stability and peace in the Mediterranean area. Draft of an ambitious plan turned to the creation of solid report and long-lasting relationships between the countries of the north banks and those of the south. Agricultural sector is one of the most important sectors in the economies of the MPCs.Mediterranean Partner Countries (MPC), free trade area, import, export, International Relations/Trade, Q17,

Rural Development and Wine Tourism in Southern Italy

Tourism provides communities with an opportunity to display their region’s distinct and unique cultural and natural assets while creating employment and diversifying the regional economy. A diverse economy is one that can cope with the changes experienced in our current environment. Tourism is an industry like any other and requires sound planning and a firm commitment from the community to make it work. Like all economic activities the benefits of tourism may create social and environmental impacts which need to be managed through a partnership approach and appropriate planning at a local level. Wine sector has shown significant growth in the last decade and the related tourism activity has also increased, particularly in the Mediterranean countries. Wine tourism is defined as tourism in which the opportunity for wine related experiences contributes significantly to the reason for travel to the destination or to itinerary planning while at the destination. Wine tourism has been identified as sector that could be drivers for increased tourism in the Mediterranean region, both by attracting more visitors and extending the length of stay and spending of current visitors. The general purpose of the paper is to undertake a review of existing wine tourism activities, identify areas for growth and make recommendations with respect to an action plan that will develop wine, tourism and expand tourism growth in the Mediterranean region. Historically, in fact, in southern Italy viticulture has had role of great importance in agricultural field. From over 2000 years wine is made by traditional methods and especially in this area have place most of the autochthonous grape varieties. The development of wine tourism in conjunction with the spread of the industry has become important to the viability of regional economies and the industry's many smaller businesses. The policies that lie behind the development of the wine industry have important implications for the development of other industries in the Mediterranean area, notably: - as a model for the development of high-value industries on a sustainable basis in the agricultural sector; - as a model of collaborative development for other manufacturing industries

Overview

This brief defines property rights and collective action and discusses the links to sustainability of natural resource management and agricultural systems and to poverty reduction, as well as the implications for policy and practice.Property rights ,Collective action ,Agricultural systems ,

International conference on policy and institutional options for the management of rangelands in dry areas: workshop summary paper

"The System-wide Program for Collective Action and Property Rights (CAPRi) sponsored an International Conference on Policy and Institutional Options for the Management of Rangelands in Dry Areas, May 7-11, 2001 in Hammamet, Tunisia. The conference focused on institutional aspects of rangeland management and brought together policy makers and researchers from North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa and West Asia to discuss sustainable rangeland production strategies and livelihood of pastoral communities in dry areas. This conference summary paper contains summaries of the CAPRi sponsored research findings on institutional options for rangeland, policy makers' interventions and reactions as well as the synthesis of discussion groups. These working groups evaluated outcomes of policies and institutions guiding rangeland management in terms of their impact on livelihoods and environmental sustainability, and explored alternative policies and institutional strategies in light of their capacity to reduce poverty and enhance food security. " Author's AbstractDry areas, Rangelands, Pastoralism, Livelihoods, Environmental sustainability, Poverty reduction, food security, natural resources management, Collective action, case studies, Institutions, Property rights, Capacity,

The use of non-selective beta-blockers in patients with cirrhosis: more doubts than certainties

In conclusion, prospective RCT would be needed on the use of NSBBs in decompensated cirrhotic patients with ascites however these trials are difficult to organize and will need a large sample size. A case control study could be useful if the two groups were patients matched for MELD, MELD Na, creatinine, mean arterial pressure, with the same type of ascites (refractory, recurrent, severe) taking or not taking NSBBs. The better and more relevant end pointshould probably be survival. In the meanwhile, the Baveno recommendations can be utilized in clinical practice to remind that severe hypotension is a well-known contraindication for NSBBs which may suggest dose reduction or even therapy discontinuation. Last but not least, NSBBs may have several beneficial effects in patients with cirrhosis beyond the reduction in portal hypertension. They reduce markers of intestinal permeability, bacterial translocation and systemic inflammation, and also the risk of SBP (15,16). The risk to enlarge the indication to stop NSBBs in cirrhotic patients without a real evidence could be as to “throw the baby out with the bath water

The European Conditionality and the Legislation on Lobbying, Conflicts of Interest and the Fight against Corruption in the Balkans

The aim of this paper is to outline the general characteristics of the legislation on lobbying and the fight against corruption in the decision-making process. This analysis – applied to the candidate countries of the Balkans – will be carried out based on two main reference points; first, the requirements of the European conditionality (which take into account international best practices) and secondly, the experience of the ‘new’ member States of the European Union. In particular, we intend to determine how the pressures of democratic conditionality have encouraged the adoption of a legal framework in line with European standards, even if the gap between the rules and their practical enforcement is quite significant. Also, we will reveal critical aspects of democratic conditionality, while at the same time emphasizing the cultural features of the Republics of the former Yugoslavia. These include not only their negative aspects and traits but also some powerful positive ones such as some interesting measures for ensuring civic participation in the decision-making process that were in place during the socialist era