Robust Multi-Sensor Fusion: A Decision-Theoretic Approach

Many tasks in active perception require that we be able to combine different information from a variety of sensors that relate to one or more features of the environment. Prior to combining these data, we must test our observations for consistency. The purpose of this paper is to examine sensor fusion problems for linear location data models using statistical decision theory (SDT). The contribution of this paper is the application of SDT to obtain: (i) a robust test of the hypothesis that data from different sensors are consistent; and (ii) a robust procedure for combining the data that pass this preliminary consistency test. Here, robustness refers to the statistical effectiveness of the decision rules when the probability distributions of the observation noise and the a priori position information associated with the individual sensors are uncertain. The standard linear location data model refers to observations of the form: Z = ϴ + V, where V represents additive sensor noise and ϴ denotes the sensed parameter of interest to the observer. While the theory addressed in this paper applies to many uncertainty classes, the primary focus of this paper is on asymmetric and/or multimodal models, that allow one to account for very general deviations from nominal sampling distributions. This paper extends earlier results in SDT and multi-sensor fusion obtained by [Zeytinoglu and Mintz, 1984], [Zeytinoglu and Mintz, 1988], and [McKendall and Mintz, 1988]

TORNADO1 and TORNADO2 are required for the specification of radial and circumferential pattern in the Arabidopsis root

The cell layers of the Arabidopsis primary root are arranged in a simple radial pattern. The outermost layer is the lateral root cap and lies outside the epidermis that surrounds the ground tissue. The files of epidermal and lateral root cap cells converge on a ring of initials (lateral root cap/epidermis initial) from which the epidermal and lateral root cap tissues of the seedling are derived, once root growth is initiated after germination. Each initial gives rise to a clone of epidermal cells and a clone of lateral root cap cells. These initial divisions in the epidermal/lateral root cap initial are defective in tornado1 (trn1) and trn2 plants indicating a requirement for TRN1 and TRN2 for initial cell function. Furthermore, lateral root cap cells develop in the epidermal position in trn1 and trn2 roots indicating that TRN1 and TRN2 are required for the maintenance of the radial pattern of cell specification in the root. The death of these ectopic lateral root cap cells in the elongation zone (where lateral root cap cells normally die) results in the development of gaps in the epidermis. These observations indicate that TRN1 and TRN2 are required to maintain the distinction between the lateral root cap and epidermis and suggest that lateral root cap fate is the default state. It also suggests that TRN1 and TRN2 repress lateral root cap fate in cells in the epidermal location. Furthermore, the position-dependent pattern of root hair and non-root hair cell differentiation in the epidermis is defective in trn1 and trn2 mutants. Together these results indicate that TRN1 and TRN2 are required for the maintenance of both the radial pattern of tissue differentiation in the root and for the subsequent circumferential pattern within the epidermis

Insuring Against Hunger? The Long-Term Political Consequences of Exposure to the Dutch Famine

Does experiencing a shock alter one's voting behavior? We explore how a specific shock to individuals’ health and human capital accumulation -- in-utero malnutrition -- prompted by the sudden onset of the 1944/45 Dutch Famine affected insurance demand and voting behavior later in life. Given similar socialization patterns, we find conglomerations of affected individuals to be associated with higher support for Left parties more than 50 years after the exposure. Relying on rich administrative data and leveraging the Dutch Famine as a natural experiment, this paper represents an initial effort to investigate and confirm the long-term effects of shocks on political behavior

Multivariate Data Fusion Based on Fixed-Geometry Confidence Sets

The successful design and operation of autonomous or partially autonomous vehicles which are capable of traversing uncertain terrains requires the application of multiple sensors for tasks such as: local navigation, terrain evaluation, and feature recognition. In applications which include a teleoperation mode, there remains a serious need for local data reduction and decision-making to avoid the costly or impractical transmission of vast quantities of sensory data to a remote operator. There are several reasons to include multi-sensor fusion in a system design: (i) it allows the designer to combine intrinsically dissimilar data from several sensors to infer some property or properties of the environment, which no single sensor could otherwise obtain; and (ii) it allows the system designer to build a robust system by using partially redundant sources of noisy or otherwise uncertain information. At present, the epistemology of multi-sensor fusion is incomplete. Basic research topics include the following task-related issues: (i) the value of a sensor suite; (ii) the layout, positioning, and control of sensors (as agents); (iii) the marginal value of sensor information; the value of sensing-time versus some measure of error reduction, e.g., statistical efficiency; (iv) the role of sensor models, as well as a priori models of the environment; and (v) the calculus or calculi by which consistent sensor data are determined and combined

Local Responses to Development Pressures : Conflictual Politics of Sprawl and Environmental Conservation

There is an increasing opposition to the absorption of farmland and natural habitats by housing subdivisions and infrastructure, a symptom of urban sprawl. Through an analysis of these challenges at a regional scale, we address the contradictions and tensions in the politics of sprawl and environmental conservation. This article compares environmental conservation on the Oak Ridges Moraine in Richmond Hill and Caledon (two towns in the Greater Toronto Area) and argues that local political cultures, geography, and the density and political influence of citizens and social movements can have an impact on local responses to pressures of development. In the end, however, environmental activism in both towns is subjected to and shaped by an overall growth agenda.L’envahissement des terres agricoles et des milieux naturels par des lotissements et des infrastructures résidentiels suscite de plus en plus d’opposition. Il en résulte des tensions et des contradictions entre les pratiques d’urbanisation et les politiques de conservation de l’environnement. Cet article compare la gestion à des fins de conservation de la moraine Oak Ridges à Richmond Hill et Caledon (deux municipalités de la région métropolitaine de Toronto). Il est constaté que la culture politique locale, la géographie, la densité et l’influence politique des mouvements sociaux peuvent avoir à l’échelle locale un impact sur les pratiques d’urbanisation. Il reste que les mobilisations environnementales dans les deux municipalités deviennent, malgré tout, subjugées par des objectifs de croissance

Differential characteristics of young and midlife adult users of psychotherapy, psychotropic medications, or both: information from a population representative sample in São Paulo, Brazil

Mutu pelayanan di rumah sakit tak lepas dari kinerja sumber daya manusia keperawatan. Setiap organisasi memiliki budaya yang merupakan faktor penting yang menentukan keberhasilan organisasi  dalam mencapai tujuannya. Penelitian yang bertujuan untuk mengidentifikasi hubungan antara persepsi perawat pelaksana tentang budaya organisasi dengan kinerjanya di ruang rawat inap sebuah RS di Bogor ini, merupakan penelitian cross sectional yang melibatkan 113 perawat. Instrumen yang digunakan adalah instrumen budaya organisasi dan kinerja yang telah dimodifikasi. Sebanyak 79.6% perawat pelaksana mempersepsikan kinerjanya baik dan 85% mempersepsikan budaya organisasinya baik. Perawat pelaksana yang berpersepsi baik terhadap organisasinya, mereka juga berkinerja lebih baik. Karakteristik perawat pelaksana dan persepsi perawat pelaksana terhadap budaya organisasi tidak berhubungan dengan kinerja. Budaya organisasi yang sudah baik dankinerja yang optimalperlu dipertahankan dengan selalu mengevaluasi tiap komponennya,baik oleh manajemen maupun individu keperawatan. Abstract The Nurse Practitioners’ Perception on OrganizationalCulture and Work Performance. The quality of hospital services is supported by several aspects, including the work performance of human resources in nursing. Every organization has a culture which is an important factor that determines the success of the organization in achieving its goals. The research aimed to identify the relationship between the perceptions of nurses about the organizational culture with theirwork performance in inpatient ward at a hospital in Bogor, a cross-sectional study involving 113 nurses. The instrument used was the modified instrument of organizational culture and work performance. A total of 79.6% of nurses perceiving good performance and 85% perceive the organizational culture good. Nurses who have good perception for the organizational cultura, they also perform better. Characteristics of nurses and nurses’ perceptions of the organizational culture is not related to the work performance.Good organizational and optimum work performance need to maintain with evaluating each its component. Keyword: nurse practitioners, organizational culture, work performanceMutu pelayanan di rumah sakit tak lepas dari kinerja sumber daya manusia keperawatan. Setiap organisasi memiliki budaya yang merupakan faktor penting yang menentukan keberhasilan organisasi dalam mencapai tujuannya. Penelitian yang bertujuan untuk mengidentifikasi hubungan antara persepsi perawat pelaksana tentang budaya organisasi dengan kinerjanya di ruang rawat inap sebuah Rumah Sakit di Bogor ini, merupakan penelitian cross sectional yang melibatkan 113 perawat. Instrumen yang digunakan adalah instrumen budaya organisasi dan kinerja yang telah dimodifikasi. Sebanyak 79.6% perawat pelaksana mempersepsikan kinerjanya baik dan 85% mempersepsikan budaya organisasinya baik. Perawat pelaksana yang berpersepsi baik terhadap organisasinya, mereka juga berkinerja lebih baik. Karakteristik perawat pelaksana dan persepsi perawat pelaksana terhadap budaya organisasi tidak berhubungan dengan kinerja. Budaya organisasi yang sudah baik dankinerja yang optimal perlu dipertahankan dengan selalu mengevaluasi tiap komponennya,baik oleh manajemen maupun individu keperawatan. Abstract The Nurse Practitioners’ Perception on Organizational Culture and Work Performance. The quality of hospital services is supported by several aspects, including the work performance of human resources in nursing. Every organization has a culture which is an important factor that determines the success of the organization in achieving its goals. The research aimed to identify the relationship between the perceptions of nurses about the organizational culture with theirwork performance in inpatient ward at a hospital in Bogor, a cross-sectional study involving 113 nurses. The instrument used was the modified instrument of organizational culture and work performance. A total of 79,6% of nurses perceiving good performance and 85% perceive the organizational culture good. Nurses who have good perception for the organizational cultura, they also perform better. Characteristics of nurses and nurses’ perceptions of the organizational culture is not related to the work performance. Good organizational and optimum work performance need to maintain with evaluating each its component. Keyword: nurse practitioners, organizational culture, work performanc

Robust benchmark dose determination based on profile score methods.

We investigate several methods commonly used to obtain a benchmark dose and show that those based on full likelihood or profile likelihood methods might have severe shortcomings. We propose two new profile likelihood-based approaches which overcome these problems. Another contribution is the extension of the benchmark dose determination to non full likelihood models, such as quasi-likelihood, generalized estimating equations, which are widely used in settings such as developmental toxicity where clustered data are encountered. This widening of the scope of application is possible by the use of (robust) score statistics. Benchmark dose methods are applied to a data set from a developmental toxicity study.clustered binary data; generalized estimating equations; likelihood ratio; profile likelihood; score statistic; toxicology; clustered binary data; quantitative risk assessment; longitudinal data-analysis; generalized linear-models; developmental toxicity; likelihood; tests; misspecification; outcomes;

Urban Design Project Focused On River Sports

Touristic activities are growing all-over the world. The number of people traveling abroad to visit places and having adventures is increasing. Even though the most popular cities and countries in touristic terms are the most visited places, the small cities in rural areas are also defining strategies in order to improve their performances in tourism. The Portuguese city of São Pedro do Sul, very well-known because of its thermal baths with roots in the Roman times, is not an exception on this domain. This is a high potential area for touristic purposes linking the consolidated urban fabric of the city with the river Vouga banks. Therefore, it has all required features to become a touristic spot focused on river sport activities. In this sense this paper aims to present an urban design project having has pivotal goal to promote the sport activities related with the river. This solution was the result of an international team background (Portugal, Slovakia, Brazil, Greece, Poland and Lithuania) with their different understandings about the sensitive areas such as the river banks in an urban context. The conclusions show that the historical buildings can have a new life and use, which was the case of the nineteen-century train station transformed into a multicultural centre. The proposal main strategy is the creation of a set of facilities and public spaces such as the camping or a nautical centre in order to promote the touristic activities related with the river.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Reliability of center of pressure measures during successive ski-simulated squat tasks

Laboratory assessments of alpine ski tasks have the potential to be an effective initial investigation method prior to more intensive on-snow testing. Research questions involving acute changes elicited by sport-essential equipment would be an ideal application for such investigations. The purpose of the current study was to determine the reliability of a ski-simulated squat task on centre of pressure indices. Successive squat tasks were performed in skis at a ski-simulated rhythm and analysed during four experimental conditions. Reliability analysis via repeated measures ANOVAs and intraclass correlation coefficients resulted in good to excellent reliability of centre of pressure outputs. The current study proposes a laboratory test that is reliable and encompasses biomechanical challenges presented by the alpine ski boot-binding complex

Prevalence and Concomitants of Arthritis in the Elderly in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

Objectives: Information on the prevalence and concomitants of arthritis in developing countries is sparse. It is unclear whether they are comparable to findings in developed countries. To ascertain the prevalence, demographic characteristics, and health-related concomitants of arthritis in older persons in the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, a middle income country.Methods: the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, was subdivided into nine regions. Stratified random sampling was used to identify 880 community residents age >= 60 years in each region. One region with suspect data was excluded. of 7040 community residents contacted in eight regions, 6963 participated (1.1% refusal rate). in 1995, trained, monitored interviewers, using structured questionnaires, conducted in-home interviews gathering information on demographic characteristics (age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, income, living arrangements, employment status), health behaviors (physical activity, tobacco use, social activity), functional limitations, depression, and 15 self-reported health conditions, including arthritis. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and logistic regression.Results: Arthritis, reported by 43% of the sample, was more prevalent in women, among the less educated, those with lower income, and higher age. Severity, but not prevalence, differed by race/ethnicity. Controlled analyses indicated significant association with female gender, lower education, and less social activity. Arthritis was associated with reduced odds of stroke, but increased odds of hypertension, varicosities, bronchitis, renal problems, headache, gastrointestinal disorders, and depression. Arthritis was not significantly associated with age or functional limitations, and associations did not differ by gender.Conclusions: the prevalence, demographic and health characteristics associated with self-reported arthritis in this southern state in Brazil are similar to findings elsewhere in Brazil, and in developed countries.Conselho Estadual do Idoso, Secretaria do Trabalho, Cidadania e Assistencia SocialGoverno do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul, the National Council for Scientific and Technological DevelopmentNational Institute on AgingUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Psychiat, Escola Paulista Med UNIFESP, São Paulo, BrazilDuke Univ, Med Ctr, Ctr Study Aging & Human Dev, Durham, NC 27710 USAVet Adm Med Ctr, Geriatr Res Educ & Clin Ctr, Durham, NC USAProject Sci Comm, Porto Alegre, RS, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Psychiat, Escola Paulista Med UNIFESP, São Paulo, BrazilGoverno do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul, the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development: 470724/2011-0Governo do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul, the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development: 306156/2011-3National Institute on Aging: 1P30 AG028716-02Web of Scienc