1859 MAUA’S GAS COMPANY FINANCIAL REPORT: A CORNERSTONE OF BRAZILIAN PRIVATE ACCOUNTING

The 1859 Financial Report of Viscount of Maua’s Gas Company surfaced as a great finding in the subject of Brazilian Accounting History

A High Bandwidth Non-Destructive Method for Characterizing Simple Media

The relative complex permittivity can be extracted with time domain data from a perfect electrical conductor (PEC) backed sample of a low-loss, non-dispersive dielectric using dual ridged waveguide aperture probes with attached PEC flange plates of the same geometry and different dimensions. The temporal domain measurement of interest is the ability to detect the reflection from the edge of the flange plate in the parallel region created by the flange plate and the PEC backing on the dielectric sample. Signal processing windows are applied to the data in order to exploit this edge reflection. The types of signal processing methods used and the geometry and size of the flange plate help identify the edge reflection. Measurements are taken using square and circular flange plates of different dimensions. Measured data is then processing using Kaiser and Blackman-Harris windows to show the edge reflection. A simple extraction technique for the permittivity is used and compared with industry standard values

Blob Extraction Algorithm in Detection of Convective Cells for Data Fusion, Journal of Telecommunications and Information Technology, 2019, nr 4

Earth’s atmosphere is monitored by a multitude of sensors. It is the troposphere that is of crucial importance for human activity, as it is there that the weather phenomena take place. Weather observations are performed by surface sensors monitoring, inter alia, humidity, temperature and winds. In order to observe the developments taking place in the atmosphere, especially in the clouds, weather radars are commonly used. They monitor severe weather that is associated with storm clouds, cumulonimbuses, which create precipitation visible on radar screens. Therefore, radar images can be utilized to track storm clouds in a data fusion system. In this paper an algorithm is developed for the extraction of blobs (interesting areas in radar imagery) used within data fusion systems to track storm cells. The algorithm has been tested with the use of real data sourced from a weather radar network. 100% of convection cells were detected, with 90% of them being actual thunderstorm

Discrete Globalised Dual Heuristic Dynamic Programming in Control of the Two-Wheeled Mobile Robot

Network-based control systems have been emerging technologies in the control of nonlinear systems over the past few years. This paper focuses on the implementation of the approximate dynamic programming algorithm in the network-based tracking control system of the two-wheeled mobile robot, Pioneer 2-DX. The proposed discrete tracking control system consists of the globalised dual heuristic dynamic programming algorithm, the PD controller, the supervisory term, and an additional control signal. The structure of the supervisory term derives from the stability analysis realised using the Lyapunov stability theorem. The globalised dual heuristic dynamic programming algorithm consists of two structures: the actor and the critic, realised in a form of neural networks. The actor generates the suboptimal control law, while the critic evaluates the realised control strategy by approximation of value function from the Bellman’s equation. The presented discrete tracking control system works online, the neural networks’ weights adaptation process is realised in every iteration step, and the neural networks preliminary learning procedure is not required. The performance of the proposed control system was verified by a series of computer simulations and experiments realised using the wheeled mobile robot Pioneer 2-DX

Mariculture and marine spatial planning: integrating local ecological knowledge at Kaledupa Island, Indonesia

Economic development on Indonesia’s numerous small islands faces a number of challenges stemming from the islands’ isolation and resource limitations. Mariculture has been promoted as a viable development strategy in these areas, and this research assesses a marine spatial planning approach to support net-cage grouper mariculture development in waters surrounding Kaledupa Island located southeast of Sulawesi. Data collection focused on 15 biophysical capability parameters, plus an additional 7 suitability parameters assessed through interviews with villagers and local experts. Capability analysis identified 4,511 hectares capable of sustaining grouper mariculture within the 8,582 hectares study area. Suitability analysis identified 2,667 suitable hectares based on villager opinions and 4,083 suitable hectares based on local expert opinions. Reliance on villager opinions and resolution of fragmentation issues reduced the final area deemed suitable to 2,423 hectares. This study highlights the importance of utilizing local ecological knowledge in marine spatial planning, and emphasizes the need for follow-up studies, monitoring and enforcement of environmental regulations to ensure that negative impacts do not emerge in island communities as a result of mariculture development

Nationwide monitoring and surveillance data requirements for health: Physical activity

© Commonwealth of Australia 2003This paper sets out the current situation in trends in the physical activity of Australians based on the most recent national surveys. It summarises the body of evidence and costings which set out the benefits of physical activity, identify physical inactivity as a major risk factor involved in preventable disease, disability and death, and estimated human and health system costs arising from these preventable events. Some of the current national multisectoral alliances and strategies to address the general goal of increasing levels of physical activity in the population are overviewed, together with the work being undertaken to underpin the strategies (such as work on measurements and standardisation of surveillance questions). It examines the identified characteristics of subgroups of the currently surveilled population and argues for an extension of surveillance to other subgroups (such as children, older people and indigenous populations) and to environmental factors. Possible national performance indicators are set out in long and short term frameworks, and related concepts are briefly discussed in terms of their inclusion in population surveillance and monitoring instruments

Nationwide monitoring and surveillance concepts: Physical activity

© Commonwealth of Australia 2003This paper sets out the current situation in trends in the physical activity of Australians based on the most recent national surveys. It summarises the body of evidence and costings which set out the benefits of physical activity, identify physical inactivity as a major risk factor involved in preventable disease, disability and death, and estimated human and health system costs arising from these preventable events. Some of the current national multisectoral alliances and strategies to address the general goal of increasing levels of physical activity in the population are overviewed, together with the work being undertaken to underpin the strategies (such as work on measurements and standardisation of surveillance questions). It examines the identified characteristics of subgroups of the currently surveilled population and argues for an extension of surveillance to other subgroups (such as children, older people and indigenous populations) and to environmental factors. Possible national performance indicators are set out in long and short term frameworks, and related concepts are briefly discussed in terms of their inclusion in population surveillance and monitoring instruments

Nationwide monitoring and surveillance question development: Physical activity

© Commonwealth of Australia 2003Physical activity has long been identified as a key issue related to an individual's health and well-being. In the recent discussion paper prepared for the National Public Health Partnership on Preventing Chronic Disease - A Strategic Framework physical activity, along with diet, smoking, alcohol, personal control/self efficacy, social support and early life experience, was identified as a key behavioural, environmental and protective factor. The principal behavioural risk factors to be targeted in this strategic framework are smoking, diet and physical activity. This discussion paper examines a number of issues related to physical activity and the instruments that have been used to measure physical activity in the population. In particular, the paper looks at health surveillance data collection