Approximating the Distribution of the Median and other Robust Estimators on Uncertain Data

Robust estimators, like the median of a point set, are important for data analysis in the presence of outliers. We study robust estimators for locationally uncertain points with discrete distributions. That is, each point in a data set has a discrete probability distribution describing its location. The probabilistic nature of uncertain data makes it challenging to compute such estimators, since the true value of the estimator is now described by a distribution rather than a single point. We show how to construct and estimate the distribution of the median of a point set. Building the approximate support of the distribution takes near-linear time, and assigning probability to that support takes quadratic time. We also develop a general approximation technique for distributions of robust estimators with respect to ranges with bounded VC dimension. This includes the geometric median for high dimensions and the Siegel estimator for linear regression.Comment: Full version of a paper to appear at SoCG 201

System Simulations of DSTRD and TH-PPM for Ultra Wide Band (UWB) Wireless Communications

Following FCC approval of Ultra-Wide Band (UWB) radio rules for commercial applications in 2002, a UWB radio physical layer standard is currently under development within the IEEE 802 LAN/MAN Standard Committee. Although the UWB transmitter and UWB band are spelled out by the FCC, neither UWB signal forms nor modulation schemes are defined by the regulations [1]. This paper illustrates two types of impulse UWB radio modulation systems and their simulation performance. They are direct sequence UWB (DS-UWB) and time modulated (TM- UWB) or so called time hopping UWB (TH-UWB). Unique ways of coding and positioning the impulses, as in Transmitted- Reference Delay (TRD) modulation and Pulse-Position Modulation (PPM), can result in the simple UWB radio architectures. Systems of TRD for DSUWB and PPM for TH-UWB are simulated under the same data and under the same AWGN channel conditions. TRD-DS-UWB system presents superior performance over PPM- TH-UWB system, which is shown in the comparison chart of the paper. The simulation was verified with ideal calculated performance for TRD modulation. The UWB applications are also discussed

Biological Assessments of Six Selected Fishes, Amphibians, and Mussels in Illinois

ID: 8758; issued November 1, 1996INHS Technical Report prepared for Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Division of Natural Heritag

Paying the Price for Our Children’s Torts: Exploring Parental Liability Statutes Employed in the South

The accompanying manuscript explores the historical foundations for the common law imposition of liability upon parents for their child’s torts. The manuscript explores the adoption of the common law rules by Southern states with the exception of Louisiana and illustrates the different approaches employed in the common law versus the civil code. The manuscript then explores the growth of parental liability statutes and the alarming trend towards raising the amount of compensation even to unlimited liability coupled with almost strict liability in some Southern states. Parental liability statutes continue to grow in importance and controversy. The present manuscript is especially timely as children are committing serious crimes with serious costs. This manuscript explores the real world consequences of these statutes upon the family and suggests changes which should make statutes fair and responsive to the needs of society and the family

Nutation damping in a dual-spin spacecraft

A dual-spin spacecraft having a momentum wheel spinning relative to a platform to provide bias momentum utilizes cross products of inertia (POI) existing in the platform between the spinning axis and the transverse axes to achieve nutation damping. When the platform is rotating or is displaced from a reference the cross products of inertia are also rotating or are displaced causing thereby degradation of the optimum nutation damping time constant. Two or more phase shifting networks are provided to be sequentially coupled into a control loop to shift nutation signals to effect optimum nutation damping at selected positions of the rotating or displaced platform without substantial nutation damping time constant degradation

TRA-914: TDM TO PROMOTE SUSTAINABLE COMMUTING – AN EMPLOYER’S PERSPECTIVE

There is a comprehensive transportation consulting industry across Canada that provides engineering services for highway and roadway design, environmental assessments, traffic engineering, etc. that all contribute to the development of our transportation infrastructure. However, as leaders in transportation planning and engineering, these transportation consultants must also strive to ‘practice what we preach’ in terms of promoting sustainable transportation solutions in our communities and in our daily lives. The purpose of this presentation is to examine the Travel Demand Management (TDM) initiatives that our AECOM Richmond Hill office has implemented to promote more sustainable work related commuting, and to present a discussion on successes and lessons learned through the application of these programs

Effects of Company Size, Profitability and Auditor's Reputation on Audit Delay And its Impact on Abnormal Return

The purpose of this research is to study the effect of firm size, profitability, auditor's reputation for delays in audit completion and its effect on abnormal returns in companies listed on the LQ45 Index. Secondary data for 2017-2019 from 25 companies used in this study were selected using a purposive sampling method according to research needs by selecting companies as samples. The technique of analyzing data in this study uses two regressions, namely multiple linear regression and standard linear regression which is processed using SPSS version 25. This study gives the results that company size (X1) and profitability (X2) partially have a negative and significant influence on delays. completion of the audit, while the reputation of the auditor (X3) in a partial way does not affect the delay in the completion of the audit (AD). Simultaneously, the three independent variables have a significant effect on the delay in audit completion. This study also provides results that the delay in audit completion has no effect on abnormal returns (Y) on LQ45 index companies in 2017-201

The Use of Web-Based Support Groups Versus Usual Quit-Smoking Care for Men and Women Aged 21-59 Years: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial (Preprint)

BACKGROUND Existing smoking cessation treatments are challenged by low engagement and high relapse rates, suggesting the need for more innovative, accessible, and interactive treatment strategies. Twitter is a Web-based platform that allows people to communicate with each other throughout the day using their phone. OBJECTIVE This study aims to leverage the social media platform of Twitter for fostering peer-to-peer support to decrease relapse with quitting smoking. Furthermore, the study will compare the effects of coed versus women-only groups on women’s success with quitting smoking. METHODS The study design is a Web-based, three-arm randomized controlled trial with two treatment arms (a coed or women-only Twitter support group) and a control arm. Participants are recruited online and are randomized to one of the conditions. All participants will receive 8 weeks of combination nicotine replacement therapy (patches plus their choice of gum or lozenges), serial emails with links to Smokefree.gov quit guides, and instructions to record their quit date online (and to quit smoking on that date) on a date falling within a week of initiation of the study. Participants randomized to a treatment arm are placed in a fully automated Twitter support group (coed or women-only), paired with a buddy (matched on age, gender, location, and education), and encouraged to communicate with the group and buddy via daily tweeted discussion topics and daily automated feedback texts (a positive tweet if they tweet and an encouraging tweet if they miss tweeting). Recruited online from across the continental United States, the sample consists of 215 male and 745 female current cigarette smokers wanting to quit, aged between 21 and 59 years. Self-assessed follow-up surveys are completed online at 1, 3, and 6 months after the date they selected to quit smoking, with salivary cotinine validation at 3 and 6 months. The primary outcome is sustained biochemically confirmed abstinence at the 6-month follow-up. RESULTS From November 2016 to September 2018, 960 participants in 36 groups were recruited for the randomized controlled trial, in addition to 20 participants in an initial pilot group. Data analysis will commence soon for the randomized controlled trial based on data from 896 of the 960 participants (93.3%), with 56 participants lost to follow-up and 8 dropouts. CONCLUSIONS This study combines the mobile platform of Twitter with a support group for quitting smoking. Findings will inform the efficacy of virtual peer-to-peer support groups for quitting smoking and potentially elucidate gender differences in quit rates found in prior research. CLINICALTRIAL ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02823028; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT0282302