Efficient approximations of the multi-sensor labelled multi-Bernoulli filter

In this paper, we propose two efficient, approximate formulations of the multi-sensor labelled multi-Bernoulli (LMB) filter, which both allow the sensors' measurement updates to be computed in parallel. Our first filter is based on the direct mathematical manipulation of the multi-sensor, multi-object Bayes filter's posterior distribution. Unfortunately, it requires the division of probability distributions and its extension beyond linear Gaussian applications is not obvious. Our second filter is based on covariance intersection and it approximates the multi-sensor, multi-object Bayes filter's posterior distribution using the geometric mean of each sensor's measurement-updated distribution. This filter can be used for distributed fusion under non-linear conditions; however, it is not as accurate as our first filter. In both cases, we approximate the LMB filter's measurement update using an existing loopy belief propagation algorithm, which we adapt to account for object existence. Both filters have a constant complexity in the number of sensors, and linear complexity in both number of measurements and objects. This is an improvement on an iterated-corrector LMB filter, which has linear complexity in the number of sensors. We evaluate both filters' performances on simulated data and the results indicate that the filters are accurate

Paradigm shift in higher education in the context of the Fourth Industrial Revolution

Abstract: The Future of Work is upon us and has rapidly and profoundly influenced many professions and industries. Alongside this, we argue that it is essential for the landscape of post-school education and training (PSET) both in South Africa and globally to adapt to the changing nature of work, and ideally lead this change. In this paper we will summarize learning the nexus between teaching, research and innovation as a service in the context of the fourth industrial revolution (4IR), given the innovative technologies that are increasingly penetrating the mainstream. We discuss the transition towards an augmented approach, University 4.0, and the associated challenges, both technological and societal that accompanies the shift

Tuberculous meningitis in children: a forgotten public health emergency

Tuberculous meningitis (TBM) remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality in children with tuberculosis (TB), yet there are currently no estimates of the global burden of paediatric TBM. Due to frequent non-specific clinical presentation and limited and inadequate diagnostic tests, children with TBM are often diagnosed late or die undiagnosed. Even when diagnosed and treated, 20% of children with TBM die. Of survivors, the majority have substantial neurological disability with significant negative impact on children and their families. Surveillance data on this devastating form of TB can help to quantify the contribution of TBM to the overall burden, morbidity and mortality of TB in children and the epidemiology of TB more broadly. Paediatric TBM usually occurs shortly after primary infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis and reflects ongoing TB transmission to children. In this article we explain the public health importance of paediatric TBM, discuss the epidemiology within the context of overall TB control and health system functioning and the limitations of current surveillance strategies. We provide a clear rationale for the benefit of improved surveillance of paediatric TBM using a TB care cascade framework to support monitoring and evaluation of paediatric TB, and TB control more broadly. Considering the public health implications of a diagnosis of TBM in children, we provide recommendations to strengthen paediatric TBM surveillance and outline how improved surveillance can help us identify opportunities for prevention, earlier diagnosis and improved care to minimize the impact of TBM on children globally

Open defecation and childhood stunting in India: an ecological analysis of new data from 112 districts.

Poor sanitation remains a major public health concern linked to several important health outcomes; emerging evidence indicates a link to childhood stunting. In India over half of the population defecates in the open; the prevalence of stunting remains very high. Recently published data on levels of stunting in 112 districts of India provide an opportunity to explore the relationship between levels of open defecation and stunting within this population. We conducted an ecological regression analysis to assess the association between the prevalence of open defecation and stunting after adjustment for potential confounding factors. Data from the 2011 HUNGaMA survey was used for the outcome of interest, stunting; data from the 2011 Indian Census for the same districts was used for the exposure of interest, open defecation. After adjustment for various potential confounding factors--including socio-economic status, maternal education and calorie availability--a 10 percent increase in open defecation was associated with a 0.7 percentage point increase in both stunting and severe stunting. Differences in open defecation can statistically account for 35 to 55 percent of the average difference in stunting between districts identified as low-performing and high-performing in the HUNGaMA data. In addition, using a Monte Carlo simulation, we explored the effect on statistical power of the common practice of dichotomizing continuous height data into binary stunting indicators. Our simulation showed that dichotomization of height sacrifices statistical power, suggesting that our estimate of the association between open defecation and stunting may be a lower bound. Whilst our analysis is ecological and therefore vulnerable to residual confounding, these findings use the most recently collected large-scale data from India to add to a growing body of suggestive evidence for an effect of poor sanitation on human growth. New intervention studies, currently underway, may shed more light on this important issue

Collaborative custodianship through collaborative cloud mapping : challenges and opportunities

Collaborative custodianship refers to an arrangement where a number of custodians work together to produce integrated datasets for a spatial data infrastructure (SDI), e.g. local authorities contributing address or street data to a national SDI dataset. Collaborative cloud mapping allows for ubiquitous, convenient, on-demand, configured and tailor-made mapping with resources shared between various entities collaborating on a specific initiative, such as an SDI or for disaster management. This paper presents the results of a workshop in South Africa during which case studies from the Netherlands, Belgium and Austria of collaborative custodianship of address data were presented, and OpenStreetMap as a case study of collaborative cloud mapping. Subsequently, challenges and opportunities for implementing similar initiatives in the context of the South African SDI were debated in break-away sessions. The results from these sessions were analysed using the PESTEL framework

Bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccine and the COVID-19 pandemic : responsible stewardship is needed

CITATION: Schaaf, H. S. et al. 2020. Bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccine and the COVID-19 pandemic : responsible stewardship is needed. International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, 4(7):732-734, doi:10.5588/ijtld.20.0267.The original publication is available at https://www.theunion.org/what-we-do/journals/ijtldWe believe that responsible stewardship of the bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine in the context of the COVID-19 epidemic is urgently needed. Live attenuated BCG is currently the only licensed vaccine to protect against tuberculosis (TB). Neonatal BCG vaccination has proven efficacy in protecting infants and young children against life-threatening disseminated forms of TB, including TB meningitis and miliary TB.Post-prin

Microbial monitoring of surface water in South Africa: an overview

Infrastructural problems force South African households to supplement their drinking water consumption from water resources of inadequate microbial quality. Microbial water quality monitoring is currently based on the Colilert®18 system which leads to rapidly available results. Using Escherichia coli as the indicator microorganism limits the influence of environmental sources on the reported results. The current system allows for understanding of long-term trends of microbial surface water quality and the related public health risks. However, rates of false positive for the Colilert®18-derived concentrations have been reported to range from 7.4% to 36.4%. At the same time, rates of false negative results vary from 3.5% to 12.5%; and the Colilert medium has been reported to provide for cultivation of only 56.8% of relevant strains. Identification of unknown sources of faecal contamination is not currently feasible. Based on literature review, calibration of the antibiotic-resistance spectra of Escherichia coli or the bifidobacterial tracking ratio should be investigated locally for potential implementation into the existing monitoring system. The current system could be too costly to implement in certain areas of South Africa where the modified H2S strip test might be used as a surrogate for the Colilert®18

A Global Portrait of Counselling Psychologists’ Characteristics, Perspectives, and Professional Behaviors

Counselling psychologists in eight countries (Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, South Korea, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, and the United States) responded to survey questions that focused on their demographics as well as their professional identities, roles, settings and activities. As well, they were asked about satisfaction with the specialty and the extent to which they endorsed 10 core counselling psychology values. This article reports those results, focusing both on areas in which there were between-country similarities as well as on those for which there were differences. These data provide is a snapshot of counselling psychology globally and establish a foundation for the other articles in this special issue of the journal

Global shortages of BCG vaccine and tuberculous meningitis in children

Correspondence - No abstract available