A method to obtain the integrated contour image in colour scenes

This paper describes a method to achieve the most relevant contours of an image. The presented method proposes to integrate the information of the local contours from chromatic components such as H, S and I, taking into account the criteria of coherence of the local contour orientation values obtained from each of these components. The process is based on parametrizing pixel by pixel the local contours (magnitude and orientation values) from the H, S and I images. This process is carried out individually for each chromatic component. If the criterion of dispersion of the obtained orientation values is high, this chromatic component will lose relevance. A final processing integrates the extracted contours of the three chromatic components, generating the so-called integrated contours image

Dynamic bandwidth management as part of an integrated network management system based on distributed agents

We present a system for dynamic network resource configuration in environments with bandwidth reservation and path restoration mechanisms. Our focus is on the dynamic bandwidth management results, although the main goal of the system is the integration of the different mechanisms that manage the reserved paths (bandwidth, restoration, and spare capacity planning). The objective is to avoid conflicts between these mechanisms. The system is able to dynamically manage a logical network such as a virtual path network in ATM or a label switch path network in MPLS. This system has been designed to be modular in the sense that in can be activated or deactivated, and it can be applied only in a sub-network. The system design and implementation is based on a multi-agent system (MAS). We also included details of its architecture and implementation

I-SS: integrated supervision systems approach based on interactive components

Process supervision is the activity focused on monitoring the process operation in order to deduce conditions to maintain the normality including when faults are present Depending on the number/distribution/heterogeneity of variables, behaviour situations, sub-processes, etc. from processes, human operators and engineers do not easily manipulate the information. This leads to the necessity of automation of supervision activities. Nevertheless, the difficulty to deal with the information complicates the design and development of software applications. We present an approach called "integrated supervision systems". It proposes multiple supervisors coordination to supervise multiple sub-processes whose interactions permit one to supervise the global process

The interactional space in CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning) and EFL (English as a Foreign Language) classrooms

Aquest estudi pretén investigar els intercanvis verbals mestre/a – aprenent(s) en dos contextos d'instrucció diferents: classes amb un enfocament AICLE (Aprenentatge Integrat de Continguts Curriculars i Llengua Estrangera) on s’aprenen continguts no lingüístics a través de l’anglès, per una banda, i classes 'tradicionals' d'anglès com a llengua estrangera, on l’anglès és alhora objecte d’estudi i vehicle de comunicació, per una altra banda. Més concretament, les preguntes que formula el/la mestre/a, la producció oral dels aprenents i el 'feedback' del/de la mestre/a en els episodis d’atenció a la forma s’han estudiat a la llum de les principals teories provinents del camp de l’Adquisició de Segones Llengües (SLA) per tal de demostrar el seu paper en l’aprenentatge de l’anglès. El corpus de dades prové de l’enregistrament de 7 sessions AICLE i d'11 sessions EFL enregistrades en format àudio i vídeo en dos centres públics d’Educació Primària (EP) de Catalunya. A cadascuna de les escoles, el/la mateix/a mestre/a és l’encarregat/da dels dos tipus d’instrucció amb el mateix grup d’aprenents (10-11 anys d’edat), fet que permet eliminar variables individuals com l'aptitud dels aprenents o l'estil del/de la mestre/a.Els resultats mostren un cert nombre de similituds discursives entre AICLE i EFL donat que ambdós enfocaments tenen lloc en el context-classe amb unes característiques ben definides. Tal com apunta la recerca realitzada en aquest camp, la instrucció AICLE reuneix un seguit de condicions idònies per un major desenvolupament dels nivells de llengua anglesa més enllà de les classes ‘tradicionals’ d’anglès. Malgrat això, aquest estudi sembla indicar que el potencial d'AICLE pel que fa a facilitar una exposició rica a l’anglès i una producció oral significativa no s’explota degudament. En aquest sentit, els resultats d’aquest estudi poden contribuir a la formació dels futurs professors d'AICLE si es busca l’assoliment d’una complementarietat d’ambdós contextos amb l’objectiu últim de millorar els nivells de domini de la llengua anglesa.

The framework for specifying, reusing and implementing educational settings. Level 1 & 2 integrated

This file includes the ontology of patterns of educational settings adapted to a given organization as part of a formal framework for specifying, reusing and implementing educational settings. It includes a description of such an ontology.

An integrated approach for the assessment of HAB dynamics in two NW Mediterranean bays from a GEOHAB perspective

Alfacs and Fangar Bay in the Ebro Delta, NW Mediterranean are the major sites in Catalonia for shellfish cultivation. These bays are subject to occasional closures in shellfish harvesting due to the presence of phycotoxins. Fish kills have also been associated with harmful algal blooms. The comparison of phytoplankton dynamics in both bays offers the opportunity to reveal differences in bloom patterns of species known to be harmful for the ecosystem and aquaculture activities. Field research is underway under the GEOHAB framework within the Core Research Project on HABs in Fjords and Coastal Embayments. The overall objective of this study is to improve our understanding of HAB biogeographical patterns, and key elements driving bloom dynamics in time and space within these semi-constrained embayments. Via the comparative approach we aim to improve the prediction for monitoring purposes, with a focus on Karlodinium spp. associated with massive kills of aquaculture species. This objective is addressed by incorporating long-term time series of phytoplankton identification and enumeration with the first results of recent field work in both bays. The latter includes the application of optical sensors, to yield a complementary view with enhanced spatial and temporal resolution of bloom phenomena.

Improved earthquake response via simulation and integrated space- and ground-based technologies: the TREMOR proposal

Earthquakes occurring around the world each year cause thousands ofdeaths, millions of dollars in damage to infrastructure, and incalculablehuman suffering. In recent years, satellite technology has been asignificant boon to response efforts following an earthquake and itsafter-effects by providing mobile communications between response teamsand remote sensing of damaged areas to disaster management organizations.In 2007, an international team of students and professionals assembledduring theInternational Space University’s Summer Session Program in Beijing, Chinato examine how satellite and ground-based technology could be betterintegrated to provide an optimised response in the event of an earthquake.The resulting Technology Resources for Earthquake MOnitoring and Response(TREMOR) proposal describes an integrative prototype response system thatwill implement mobile satellite communication hubs providing telephone anddata links between response teams, onsite telemedicine consultation foremergency first-responders, and satellite navigation systems that willlocate and track emergency vehicles and guide search-and-rescue crews. Aprototype earthquake simulation system is also proposed, integratinghistorical data, earthquake precursor data, and local geomatics andinfrastructure information to predict the damage that could occur in theevent of an earthquake. The backbone of these proposals is a comprehensiveeducation and training program to help individuals, communities andgovernments prepare in advance. The TREMOR team recommends thecoordination of these efforts through a centralised, non-governmentalorganization.

A fractionally integrated approach to monetary policy and inflation dynamics

This paper relaxes the standard I(0) and I(1) assumptions typically stated in the monetary VAR literature by considering a richer framework that encompasses the previous two processes as well as other fractionally integrated possibilities. First, a timevarying multivariate spectrum is estimated for post WWII US data. Then, a structural fractionally integrated VAR (VARFIMA) is fitted to each of the resulting time dependent spectra. In this way, both the coefficients of the VAR and the innovation variances are allowed to evolve freely. The model is employed to analyze inflation persistence and to evaluate the stance of US monetary policy. Our findings indicate a strong decline in the innovation variances during the great disinflation, consistent with the view that the good performance of the economy during the 80’s and 90’s is in part a tale of good luck. However, we also find evidence of a decline in inflation persistence together with a stronger monetary response to inflation during the same period. This last result suggests that the Fed may still play a role in accounting for the observed differences in the US inflation history. Finally, we conclude that previous evidence against drifting coefficients could be an artifact of parameter restriction towards the stationary region. Keywords: monetary policy, inflation persistence, fractional integration, timevarying coefficients, VARFIMA. JEL Classification: E52, C32

Dialogic learning and interactive groups: an IMS LD template integrated in runtime systems

Dialogic learning and interactive groups have proved to be a useful methodological approach appliedin educational situations for lifelong adult learners. The principles of this approach stress theimportance of dialogue and equal participation also when designing the training activities. This paperadopts these principles as the basis for a configurable template that can be integrated in runtimesystems. The template is formulated as a meta-UoL which can be interpreted by IMS Learning Designplayers. This template serves as a guide to flexibly select and edit the activities at runtime (on the fly).The meta-UoL has been used successfully by a practitioner so as to create a real-life example, withpositive and encouraging results

Toward integrated management of cerebral aneurysms

In the last few years, some of the visionary concepts behind the virtual physiological human began to be demonstrated on various clinical domains, showing great promise for improving healthcare management. In the current work, we provide an overview of image- and biomechanics-based techniques that, when put together, provide a patient-specific pipeline for the management of intracranial aneurysms. The derivation and subsequent integration of morphological, morphodynamic, haemodynamic and structural analyses allow us to extract patient-specific models and information from which diagnostic and prognostic descriptors can be obtained. Linking such new indices with relevant clinical events should bring new insights into the processes behind aneurysm genesis, growth and rupture. The development of techniques for modelling endovascular devices such as stents and coils allows the evaluation of alternative treatment scenarios before the intervention takes place and could also contribute to the understanding and improved design of more effective devices. A key element to facilitate the clinical take-up of all these developments is their comprehensive validation. Although a number of previously published results have shown the accuracy and robustness of individual components, further efforts should be directed to demonstrate the diagnostic and prognostic efficacy of these advanced tools through large-scale clinical trials.

The Persistence of Inflation in OECDCountries: a Fractionally Integrated Approach

The statistical properties of inflation and, in particular, its degree of persistence and stability over time is a subject of intense debate and no consensus has been achieved yet. The goal of this paper is to analyze this controversy using a general approach, with the aim of providing a plausible explanation for the existing contradictory results. We consider the inflation rates of 21 OECD countries which are modelled as fractionally integrated (FI) processes. First, we show analytically that FI can appear in inflation rates after aggregating individual prices from firms that face different costs of adjusting their prices. Then, we provide robust empirical evidence supporting the FI hypothesis using both classical and Bayesian techniques. Next, we estimate impulse response functions and other scalar measures of persistence, achieving an accurate picture of this property and its variation across countries. It is shown that the application of some popular tools for measuring persistence, such as the sum of the AR coefficients, could lead to erroneous conclusions if fractional integration is present. Finally, we explore the existence of changes in inflation inertia using a novel approach. We conclude that the persistence of inflation is very high (although non-permanent) in most post-industrial countries and that it has remained basically unchanged over the last four decades.

Strategies for an integrated distribution problem

The problems arising in the logistics of commercial distribution are complexand involve several players and decision levels. One important decision isrelated with the design of the routes to distribute the products, in anefficient and inexpensive way.This article explores three different distribution strategies: the firststrategy corresponds to the classical vehicle routing problem; the second isa master route strategy with daily adaptations and the third is a strategythat takes into account the cross-functional planning through amulti-objective model with two objectives. All strategies are analyzed ina multi-period scenario. A metaheuristic based on the Iteratetd Local Search,is used to solve the models related with each strategy. A computationalexperiment is performed to evaluate the three strategies with respect to thetwo objectives. The cross functional planning strategy leads to solutions thatput in practice the coordination between functional areas and better meetbusiness objectives.

The persistence of inflation in OECD countries: A fractionally integrated approach

The statistical properties of inflation and, in particular, its degree of persistence and stability over time is a subject of intense debate and no consensus has been achieved yet. The goal of this paper is to analyze this controversy using a general approach, with the aim of providing a plausible explanation for the existing contradictory results. We consider the inflation rates of 21 OECD countries which are modelled as fractionally integrated (FI) processes. First, we show analytically that FI can appear in inflation rates after aggregating individual prices from firms that face different costs of adjusting their prices. Then, we provide robust empirical evidence supporting the FI hypothesis using both classical and Bayesian techniques. Next, we estimate impulse response functions and other scalar measures of persistence, achieving an accurate picture of this property and its variation across countries. It is shown that the application of some popular tools for measuring persistence, such as the sum of the AR coefficients, could lead to erroneous conclusions if fractional integration is present. Finally, we explore the existence of changes in inflation inertia using a novel approach. We conclude that the persistence of inflation is very high (although non-permanent) in most post-industrial countries and that it has remained basically unchanged over the last four decades.

Motivation and content Language Integrated Learning : an impulse for Second Language Teaching

“Estudiantes motivados producen profesores motivados y viceversa” (Lesley Denham)La cita refleja el efecto recíproco que tiene el comportamiento del profesor en el compromiso de los estudiantes a lo largo del año y viceversa. Es sorprendente como, destacando las fortalezas de cada estudiante en lugar de sus debilidades, nunca comparándolos entre ellos sino con su propio rendimiento, puede despertar una motivación intrínseca en el estudiante, y una merecida satisfacción personal para el profesor.Sin embargo, no existen botones motivacionales mágicos que podamos pulsar y hacer que el alumno quiera aprender. Como profesores, tomar la iniciativa será crucial: dar a nuestros estudiantes el espacio suficiente para experimentar, realzar su autonomía, e intuir las respuestas a través de un proceso inductivo. En definitiva, hacerles protagonistas de su proceso de aprendizaje.Incluir AICLE en la clase de inglés es una metodología que nos ayudará a conseguirlo. Los estudiantes asocian AICLE con algo interesante y divertido, diferente a las sesiones teóricas. Como resultado, al utilizar la lengua, lo hacen movidos por sus sentimientos, aprendiendo de forma implícita.“Estudiants motivats produeixen professors motivats i viceversa” (Lesley Denham)La cita reflecteix l'efecte recíproc que té el comportament del professor en el compromís dels estudiants al llarg de l'any i viceversa. És sorprenent com, destacant les fortaleses de cada estudiant en lloc de les seves debilitats, mai comparant-los entre ells sinó amb el seu propi rendiment, pot despertar una motivació intrínseca a l'estudiant, i una merescuda satisfacció personal per al professor.No obstant això, no existeixen botons motivacionals màgics que puguem prémer i fer que l'alumne vulgui aprendre. Com a professors, prendre la iniciativa serà crucial: donar als nostres estudiants l'espai suficient per experimentar, realçar la seva autonomia, i intuir les respostes a través d'un procés inductiu. En definitiva, fer-los protagonistes del seu procés d'aprenentatge.Incloure AICLE en la classe d'anglès és una metodologia que ens ajudarà a aconseguir-ho. Els estudiants consideren AICLE interessant i divertit, diferent a les sessions teòriques. Com a resultat, en utilitzar la llengua, ho fan moguts pels seus sentiments, aprenent de forma implícita.

A physical frequency-dependent compact model for RF integrated inductors

A frequency-dependent compact model for inductors in high ohmic substrates, which is based on an energy point-of-view, is developed. This approach enables the description of the most important coupling phenomena that take place inside the device. Magnetically induced losses are quite accurately calculated and coupling between electric and magnetic fields is given by means of a delay constant. The later coupling phenomenon provides a modified procedure for the computation of the fringing capacitance value, when the self-resonance frequency of the inductor is used as a fitting parameter. The model takes into account the width of every metal strip and the pitch between strips. This enables the description of optimized layout inductors. Data from experiments and electromagnetic simulators are presented to test the accuracy of the model.