Construction of Fuzzy Map for Autonomous Mobile Robots Based on Fuzzy Confidence Model

This paper presents the use of fuzzy models to explicitly consider sensor uncertainty and finite resolution in solving the SLAM (simultaneous localization and mapping) problem for autonomous mobile robots. The approach establishes fuzzy confidence models in describing occupied obstacles and available space. The problem is transformed into an optimization task of minimizing the alignment error between newly scanned local fuzzy maps and selected parts of a developing global fuzzy map. In aligning local fuzzy maps into a global fuzzy map, we developed a prediction strategy to crop the most potential part from the sensed local fuzzy maps to be overlapped with the global fuzzy map. A mobile vehicle equipped with a laser range finder, the Hokuyo URG-04LX, is used to demonstrate the procedure of fuzzy map building. Experimental results show that the proposed architecture is effective in generating a comprehensive global fuzzy map, which is suitable for both human comprehension and path design during real-time navigation

The relations between 3-year changes in physical fitness and academic performance in nationally representative sample of junior high school students

Abstract The objective of the current study was to examine the relationship between different components of physical fitness across 3 years of junior high school with academic performance assessed at the end of the period. Two nationwide representative datasets were used. The first was the physical fitness profile assessed at the beginning of each of the three school years. The second contained the scores on a standardized test administered at the end of the third year. All data were standardized by calculating percentile rank (PR). Students were classified as “High-fit” if their fitness scores ≧ top 25% PR on the age- and sex-adjusted norms. All other students were classified as “not high-fit”. The relationships between fitness and exam performance were tested adjusting for sex, body mass index, and level of urbanization. Students who were in the high-fit group in both years 1 and 3 academically outperformed those who were outside this classification during both assessments. The degree of outperformance was greatest for those who were aerobically fit, followed by those who were high-fit in terms of muscular endurance, muscular strength, and flexibility, respectively. It is therefore concluded that the relationship between physical fitness and academic performance in Taiwanese junior high school students is strongest in the case of aerobic fitness

Longitudinal stage profiles forecasting in rivers for flash floods

Copyright © 2010 Elsevier. NOTICE: this is the author’s version of a work that was accepted for publication in Journal of Hydrology. Changes resulting from the publishing process, such as peer review, editing, corrections, structural formatting, and other quality control mechanisms may not be reflected in this document. Changes may have been made to this work since it was submitted for publication. A definitive version was subsequently published in Journal of Hydrology Vol. 388 (2010), DOI: 10.1016/j.jhydrol.2010.05.028A flash flood routing model with artificial neural networks predictions was developed for stage profiles forecasting. The artificial neural network models were used to predict the 1-3 h lead time river stages at gauge stations along a river. The predictions were taken as interior boundaries in the flash flood routing model for the forecast of longitudinal stage profiles, including the un-gauged sites of a whole river. The flash flood routing model was based on the dynamic wave equations with discretization processes of the four-point finite difference method. Five typhoon events were applied to calibrate the rainfall-stage model and the other three events were simulated to verify the model's capability. The results revealed that the flash flood river routing model conjunction with artificial neural networks can provide accurate river stages for flood forecasting.National Science Council of Taiwa

Women with endometriosis have higher comorbidities: Analysis of domestic data in Taiwan

AbstractEndometriosis, defined by the presence of viable extrauterine endometrial glands and stroma, can grow or bleed cyclically, and possesses characteristics including a destructive, invasive, and metastatic nature. Since endometriosis may result in pelvic inflammation, adhesion, chronic pain, and infertility, and can progress to biologically malignant tumors, it is a long-term major health issue in women of reproductive age. In this review, we analyze the Taiwan domestic research addressing associations between endometriosis and other diseases. Concerning malignant tumors, we identified four studies on the links between endometriosis and ovarian cancer, one on breast cancer, two on endometrial cancer, one on colorectal cancer, and one on other malignancies, as well as one on associations between endometriosis and irritable bowel syndrome, one on links with migraine headache, three on links with pelvic inflammatory diseases, four on links with infertility, four on links with obesity, four on links with chronic liver disease, four on links with rheumatoid arthritis, four on links with chronic renal disease, five on links with diabetes mellitus, and five on links with cardiovascular diseases (hypertension, hyperlipidemia, etc.). The data available to date support that women with endometriosis might be at risk of some chronic illnesses and certain malignancies, although we consider the evidence for some comorbidities to be of low quality, for example, the association between colon cancer and adenomyosis/endometriosis. We still believe that the risk of comorbidity might be higher in women with endometriosis than that we supposed before. More research is needed to determine whether women with endometriosis are really at risk of these comorbidities

Tokyo Guidelines 2018: initial management of acute biliary infection and flowchart for acute cholangitis

The initial management of patients with suspected acute biliary infection starts with the measurement of vital signs to assess whether or not the situation is urgent. If the case is judged to be urgent, initial medical treatment should be started immediately including respiratory/circulatory management if required, without waiting for a definitive diagnosis. The patient's medical history is then taken; an abdominal examination is performed; blood tests, urinalysis, and diagnostic imaging are carried out; and a diagnosis is made using the diagnostic criteria for cholangitis/cholecystitis. Once the diagnosis has been confirmed, initial medical treatment should be started immediately, severity should be assessed according to the severity grading criteria for acute cholangitis/cholecystitis, and the patient's general status should be evaluated. For mild acute cholangitis, in most cases initial treatment including antibiotics is sufficient, and most patients do not require biliary drainage. However, biliary drainage should be considered if a patient does not respond to initial treatment. For moderate acute cholangitis, early endoscopic or percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage is indicated. If the underlying etiology requires treatment, this should be provided after the patient's general condition has improved; endoscopic sphincterotomy and subsequent choledocholithotomy may be performed together with biliary drainage. For severe acute cholangitis, appropriate respiratory/circulatory management is required. Biliary drainage should be performed as soon as possible after the patient's general condition has been improved by initial treatment and respiratory/circulatory management. Free full articles and mobile app of TG18 are available at: http://www.jshbps.jp/modules/en/index.php?content_id=47 . Related clinical questions and references are also include

TG18 management strategies for gallbladder drainage in patients with acute cholecystitis: Updated Tokyo Guidelines 2018 (with videos)

Since the publication of the Tokyo Guidelines in 2007 and their revision in 2013, appropriate management for acute cholecystitis has been more clearly established. Since the last revision, several manuscripts, especially for alternative endoscopic techniques, have been reported; therefore, additional evaluation and refinement of the 2013 Guidelines is required. We describe a standard drainage method for surgically high-risk patients with acute cholecystitis and the latest developed endoscopic gallbladder drainage techniques described in the updated Tokyo Guidelines 2018 (TG18). Our study confirmed that percutaneous transhepatic gallbladder drainage should be considered the first alternative to surgical intervention in surgically high-risk patients with acute cholecystitis. Also, endoscopic transpapillary gallbladder drainage or endoscopic ultrasound-guided gallbladder drainage can be considered in high-volume institutes by skilled endoscopists. In the endoscopic transpapillary approach, either endoscopic naso-gallbladder drainage or gallbladder stenting can be considered for gallbladder drainage. We also introduce special techniques and the latest outcomes of endoscopic ultrasound-guided gallbladder drainage studies. Free full articles and mobile app of TG18 are available at: . Related clinical questions and references are also include

INTEGRATED HOLOGRAPHIC READ-WRITE SYSTEM

本發明揭露一種應用積體化光學模組之技術於同軸全像儲存系統之新式設計架構，此光學架構具有讀寫全像多功能碟片(holographic versatile disk,HVD)與反相讀寫CD及DVD碟片的功能。光學模組中包含有一全像光學元件(holographic optical element)用以分離光束與產生伺服訊號、一具有中心資料區與外環參考區用以調變入射光束的穿透型空間光調制器(spatial light modulator,SLM)、以及一搭配此SLM之新式外環狀偏光片。此外，模組中並包含有兩分別用以讀寫HVD之綠或藍光雷射與用以讀寫CD/DVD之紅光雷射，另有一偵測綠或藍光讀取光束之影像感測器與一偵測紅光讀取光束之光偵測器

RECORDABLE MULTIPLE-BEAM INTEGRATED OPTICAL PICKUP HEAD

本發明提出可寫入型多光束積體化光學讀寫頭之架構,設計一具有偏光選擇性之多光束液晶光柵,此光柵可應用於積體化光學模組以製作可寫入型之微型化光學讀寫頭,此光學讀寫頭具有使用單一光束寫入資料與多道光束讀取資料之功能。利用液晶光調變器之技術來建構此多光束液晶光柵以達到切換單一穿透光束與多道繞射光束之繞射效應。本發明所設計之多光束積體化光學模組包含有一雷射二極體、一光偵測器、一多光束液晶光柵與一全像光學元件,並且多光束液晶光柵與全像光學元件之光軸互相垂直以使其來回之光效率為最大