Conditions for suboptimal filter stability in SLAM

IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS), 2004, Sendai (Japón)In this article, we show marginal stability in SLAM, guaranteeing convergence to a non-zero mean state error estimate bounded by a constant value. Moreover, marginal stability guarantees also convergence of the Riccati equation of the one-step ahead state error covariance to at least one psd steady state solution. In the search for real time implementations of SLAM, covariance inflation methods produce a suboptimal filter that eventually may lead to the computation of an unbounded state error covariance. We provide tight constraints in the amount of decorrelation possible, to guarantee convergence of the state error covariance, and at the same time, a linear-time implementation of SLAM.This work was supported by the project 'Supervised learning of industrial scenes by means of an active vision equipped mobile robot.' (J-00063).Peer Reviewe

Examining the efficacy of six published time-lapse imaging embryo selection algorithms to predict implantation to demonstrate the need for the development of specific, in-house morphokinetic selection algorithms.

OBJECTIVE: To study the efficacy of six embryo-selection algorithms (ESAs) when applied to a large, exclusive set of known implantation embryos. DESIGN: Retrospective, observational analysis. SETTING: Fertility treatment center. PATIENT(S): Women undergoing a total of 884 in vitro fertilization (IVF) or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) treatment cycles (977 embryos) between September 2014 and September 2015 with embryos cultured using G-TL (Vitrolife) at 5% O2, 89% N2, 6% CO2, at 37°C in EmbryoScope instruments. INTERVENTION(S): None. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Efficacy of each ESA to predict implantation defined using specificity, sensitivity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), and likelihood ratio (LR), with differences in implantation rates (IR) in the categories outlined by each ESA statistically analyzed (Fisher's exact and Kruskal-Wallis tests). RESULT(S): When applied to an exclusive cohort of known implantation embryos, the PPVs of each ESA were 42.57%, 41.52%, 44.28%, 38.91%, 38.29%, and 40.45%. The NPVs were 62.12%, 68.26%, 71.35%, 76.19%, 61.10%, and 64.14%. The sensitivity was 16.70%, 75.33%, 72.94%, 98.67%, 51.19%, and 62.33% and the specificity was 85.83%, 33.33%, 42.33%, 2.67%, 48.17%, and 42.33%, The AUC were 0.584, 0.558, 0.573, 0.612, 0.543, and 0.629. Two of the ESAs resulted in statistically significant differences in the embryo classifications in terms of IR. CONCLUSION(S): These results highlight the need for the development of in-house ESAs that are specific to the patient, treatment, and environment. These data suggest that currently available ESAs may not be clinically applicable and lose their diagnostic value when externally applied

Preliminary investigation of the prevalence and implantation potential of abnormal embryonic phenotypes assessed using time-lapse imaging.

This retrospective, single site observational study aimed to delineate five abnormal embryonic developmental phenotypes, assessing their prevalence, development potential and suitability for inclusion in embryo selection models for IVF. In total, 15,819 embryos from 4559 treatment cycles cultured in EmbryoScope® incubators between January 2014 and January 2016 were included. Time-lapse images were assessed retrospectively for five abnormal embryo phenotypes: direct cleavage, reverse cleavage, absent cleavage, chaotic cleavage and cell lysis. The prevalence of each abnormal phenotype was assessed. Final embryo disposition, embryo quality and implantation rate were determined and compared with a control embryo cohort. The collective prevalence for the five abnormal phenotypes was 11.4%; chaotic cleavage and direct cleavage together constituted 9.7%. Implantation rates were 17.4%, 0%, 25%, 2.1% and 0% for direct, reverse, absent, chaotic cleavage and cell lysis, respectively. The overall implantation rate for all abnormal embryos with known implantation status was significantly lower compared with the control population (6.9% versus 38.7%, P < 0.0001). The proportion of good quality embryos in each category of abnormal cleavage remained below 25%. Embryos exhibiting an abnormal phenotype may have reduced developmental capability, manifested in both embryo quality and implantation potential, when compared with embryos of normal phenotype

Simple Estimation of X- Trion Binding Energy in Semiconductor Quantum Wells

A simple illustrative wave function with only three variational parameters is suggested to calculate the binding energy of negatively charged excitons (X-) as a function of quantum well width. The results of calculations are in agreement with experimental data for GaAs, CdTe and ZnSe quantum wells, which differ considerably in exciton and trion binding energy. The normalized X- binding energy is found to be nearly independent of electron-to-hole mass ratio for any quantum well heterostructure with conventional parameters. Its dependence on quantum well width follows an universal curve. The curve is described by a simple phenomenological equation.Comment: 8 pages, 3 Postscript figure

In vitro growth environment produces lipidomic and electron transport chain abnormalities in mitochondria from non-tumorigenic astrocytes and brain tumours

The mitochondrial lipidome influences ETC (electron transport chain) and cellular bioenergetic efficiency. Brain tumours are largely dependent on glycolysis for energy due to defects in mitochondria and oxidative phosphorylation. In the present study, we used shotgun lipidomics to compare the lipidome in highly purified mitochondria isolated from normal brain, from brain tumour tissue, from cultured tumour cells and from non-tumorigenic astrocytes. The tumours included the CT-2A astrocytoma and an EPEN (ependymoblastoma), both syngeneic with the C57BL/6J (B6) mouse strain. The mitochondrial lipidome in cultured CT-2A and EPEN tumour cells were compared with those in cultured astrocytes and in solid tumours grown in vivo. Major differences were found between normal tissue and tumour tissue and between in vivo and in vitro growth environments for the content or composition of ethanolamine glycerophospholipids, phosphatidylglycerol and cardiolipin. The mitochondrial lipid abnormalities in solid tumours and in cultured cells were associated with reductions in multiple ETC activities, especially Complex I. The in vitro growth environment produced lipid and ETC abnormalities in cultured non-tumorigenic astrocytes that were similar to those associated with tumorigenicity. It appears that the culture environment obscures the boundaries of the Crabtree and the Warburg effects. These results indicate that in vitro growth environments can produce abnormalities in mitochondrial lipids and ETC activities, thus contributing to a dependency on glycolysis for ATP production

Clomifene citrate or low-dose FSH for the first-line treatment of infertile women with anovulation associated with polycystic ovary syndrome : a prospective randomized multinational study

BACKGROUND: Clomifene citrate (CC) is accepted as the first-line method for ovulation induction (OI) in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) associated with infertility owing to anovulation. Low-dose FSH has been reserved for women failing to conceive with CC. In this RCT, we tested the hypothesis that pregnancy rate (PR) and live birth rates (LBR) are higher after OI with low-dose FSH than with CC as first-line treatment. METHODS: Infertile women (<40 years old) with PCOS-related anovulation, without prior OI treatment, attending 10 centres in Europe/South America were randomized to OI with either CC (50-150 mg/day for 5 days) or FSH (starting dose 50 IU) for up to three treatment cycles. The primary outcome was clinical PR. RESULTS: Patients (n = 302) were randomized to OI with FSH (n = 132 women; 288 cycles) or CC (n = 123; 310 cycles). Per protocol analysis revealed that reproductive outcome was superior after OI with FSH than with CC with respect to PR per first cycle [30 versus 14.6%, respectively, 95 confidence interval (CI) 5.3-25.8, P = 0.003], PR per woman, (58 versus 44% of women, 95% CI 1.5-25.8, P = 0.03), LBR per woman (52 versus 39%, 95% CI 0.4-24.6, P = 0.04), cumulative PR (52.1 versus 41.2%, P = 0.021) and cumulative LBR (47.4 versus 36.9%, P = 0.031), within three cycles of OI. CONCLUSIONS: Pregnancies and live births are achieved more effectively and faster after OI with low-dose FSH than with CC. This result has to be balanced by convenience and cost in favour of CC. FSH may be an appropriate first-line treatment for some women with PCOS and anovulatory infertility, particularly older patients.peer-reviewe

Organizational linkages for new product development: Implementation of innovation projects

Effective external and internal organization linkage characterizes new product development. Although prior research covers the external linkages to gain operational efficiencies and develop new products, the current body of scholarship on internal cross-functional linkages requires further attention. This study provides a certain level of inquiry into the antecedents of such internal linkages and presents a framework to establish the relationship between two internal functions at major fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG). The study examines the implementation of 150 innovation projects in 6 different countries over a period of three years. The objective is to study the influence of trust dimension on the perceived effectiveness of cross-functional linkage to highlight how organizational mechanisms like the amount and quality of shared communication affect trust and relationship between two functions