Psychologically Inspired Sensory-Motor Development in Early Robot Learning

Lee, M., Meng, Q. (2005). Psychologically Inspired Sensory-Motor Development in Early Robot Learning. International Journal of Advanced Robotic Systems, 325-334.

Psychologically Inspired Sensory-Motor Development in Early Robot Learning

M.H. Lee and Q. Meng, 'Psychologically Inspired Sensory-Motor Development in Early Robot Learning', in proceedings of Towards Autonomous Robotic Systems 2005 (TAROS-05), Nehmzow, U., Melhuish, C. and Witkowski, M. (Eds.), Imperial College London, 157-163, September 2005. See published version: http://hdl.handle.net/2160/485

A trait specific model of competition in a spatially structured plant community

John Warren and Chris Topping (2004). A trait specific model of competition in a spatially structured plant community. Ecological Modelling, 180 pp.477-485 RAE2008

Cancer mortality in IBM endicott plant workers, 1969-2001: An update on a NY production plant

BACKGROUND: In response to concerns expressed by workers at a public meeting, we analyzed the mortality experience of workers who were employed at the IBM plant in Endicott, New York and died between 1969-2001. An epidemiologic feasibility assessment indicated potential worker exposure to several known and suspected carcinogens at this plant. METHODS: We used the mortality and work history files produced under a court order and used in a previous mortality analysis. Using publicly available data for the state of New York as a standard of comparison, we conducted proportional cancer mortality (PCMR) analysis. RESULTS: The results showed significantly increased mortality due to melanoma (PCMR = 367; 95% CI: 119, 856) and lymphoma (PCMR = 220; 95% CI: 101, 419) in males and modestly increased mortality due to kidney cancer (PCMR = 165; 95% CI: 45, 421) and brain cancer (PCMR = 190; 95% CI: 52, 485) in males and breast cancer (PCMR = 126; 95% CI: 34, 321) in females. CONCLUSION: These results are similar to results from a previous IBM mortality study and support the need for a full cohort mortality analysis such as the one being planned by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.

VAMP - a vision based sensor network for health care hygiene

Adequate hand-washing has been shown to be a critical activity in preventing the transmission of infections such as MRSA in health-care environments. Hand-washing guidelines published by various health-care related institutions recommend a technique incorporating six hand-washing poses that ensure all areas of the hands are thoroughly cleaned. In this paper, an embedded wireless vision system (VAMP) capable of accurately monitoring hand-washing quality is presented. The VAMP system hardware consists of a low resolution CMOS image sensor and FPGA processor which are integrated with a microcontroller and ZigBee standard wireless transceiver to create a wireless sensor network (WSN) based vision system that can be retargeted at a variety of health care applications. The device captures and processes images locally in real-time, determines if hand-washing procedures have been correctly undertaken and then passes the resulting high-level data over a low-bandwidth wireless link. The paper outlines the hardware and software mechanisms of the VAMP system and illustrates that it offers an easy to integrate sensor solution to adequately monitor and improve hand hygiene quality. Future work to develop a miniaturized, low cost system capable of being integrated into everyday products is also discussed.

The cloud personal assistant for providing services to mobile clients

This paper introduces the original concept of a cloud personal assistant, a cloud service that manages the access of mobile clients to cloud services. The cloud personal assistant works in the cloud on behalf of its owner: it discovers services, invokes them, stores the results and history, and delivers the results to the mobile user immediately or when the user requests them. Preliminary experimental results that demonstrate the concept are included.

Broadband cavity-enhanced absorption spectroscopy with incoherent light

Although broadband incoherent light does not efficiently couple into a high-finesse optical cavity, its transmission is readily detectable and enables applications in cavity-enhanced absorption spectroscopy in the gas phase, liquid phase and on surfaces. This chapter gives an overview of measurement principles and experimental approaches implementing incoherent light sources in cavity-enhanced spectroscopic applications. The general principles of broadband CEAS are outlined and general “pros and cons” discussed, detailing aspects like cavity mirror reflectivity calibration or the establishment of detection limits. Different approaches concerning light sources, cavity design and detection schemes are discussed and a comprehensive overview of the current literature based on a methodological classification scheme is also presented.

A theory of buyer-seller networks

This paper introduces a new model of exchange: networks, rather than markets, of buyers and sellers. It begins with the empirically motivated premise that a buyer and seller must have a relationship, a "link," to exchange goods. Networks - buyers, sellers, and the pattern of links connecting them - are common exchange environments. This paper develops a methodology to study network structures and explains why agents may form networks. In a model that captures characteristics of a variety of industries, the paper shows that buyers and sellers, acting strategically in their own self-interests, can form the network structures that maximize overall welfare.

Cultural life scripts structure recall from autobiographical memory.

Three classes of evidence demonstrate the existence of life scripts, or culturally shared representations of the timing of major transitional life events. First, a reanalysis of earlier studies on age norms shows an increase in the number of transitional events between the ages of 15 and 30 years, and these events are associated with narrower age ranges and more positive emotion than events outside this period. Second, 1,485 Danes estimated how old hypothetical centenarians were when they had been happiest, saddest, most afraid, most in love, and had their most important and most traumatic experiences. Only the number of positive events showed an increase between the ages of 15 and 30 years. Third, undergraduates generated seven important events that were likely to occur in the life of a newborn. Pleasantness and whether events were expected to occur between the ages of 15 and 30 years predicted how frequently events were recorded. Life scripts provide an alternative explanation of the reminiscence bump. Emphasis is on culture, not individuals.

Allopregnanolone Levels Are Inversely Associated with Self-Reported Pain Symptoms in U.S. Iraq and Afghanistan-Era Veterans: Implications for Biomarkers and Therapeutics.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Pain symptoms are common among Iraq/Afghanistan-era veterans, many of whom continue to experience persistent pain symptoms despite multiple pharmacological interventions. Preclinical data suggest that neurosteroids such as allopregnanolone demonstrate pronounced analgesic properties, and thus represent logical biomarker candidates and therapeutic targets for pain. Allopregnanolone is also a positive GABAA receptor modulator with anxiolytic, anticonvulsant, and neuroprotective actions in rodent models. We previously reported inverse associations between serum allopregnanolone levels and self-reported pain symptom severity in a pilot study of 82 male veterans. METHODS: The current study investigates allopregnanolone levels in a larger cohort of 485 male Iraq/Afghanistan-era veterans to attempt to replicate these initial findings. Pain symptoms were assessed by items from the Symptom Checklist-90-R (SCL-90-R) querying headache, chest pain, muscle soreness, and low back pain over the past 7 days. Allopregnanolone levels were quantified by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. RESULTS: Associations between pain ratings and allopregnanolone levels were examined with Poisson regression analyses, controlling for age and smoking. Bivariate nonparametric Mann–Whitney analyses examining allopregnanolone levels across high and low levels of pain were also conducted. Allopregnanolone levels were inversely associated with muscle soreness [P = 0.0028], chest pain [P = 0.032], and aggregate total pain (sum of all four pain items) [P = 0.0001]. In the bivariate analyses, allopregnanolone levels were lower in the group reporting high levels of muscle soreness [P = 0.001]. CONCLUSIONS: These findings are generally consistent with our prior pilot study and suggest that allopregnanolone may function as an endogenous analgesic. Thus, exogenous supplementation with allopregnanolone could have therapeutic potential. The characterization of neurosteroid profiles may also have biomarker utility.

Evaluación de la fenología, el rendimiento y la calidad granométrica de tres variedades de maní (Arachis hypogaea L.), en condiciones de campo para la zona central de Córdoba

El desplazamiento del área de siembra hacia el sur y los requerimientos del mercado obligaron a la introducción de nuevas variedades de maní en reemplazo de las tradicionales. Sin embargo no se han evaluado las tres variedades más difundidas en relación a su comportamiento a campo. El objetivo de este trabajo fue comparar tres variedades comerciales de maní (Arachis hypogaea L.) en términos de fenología, rendimiento y calidad granométrica en condiciones de campo para la zona central de Córdoba. Se llevó a cabo la siembra a campo de las variedades GRANOLEICO, ASEM 484 y ASEM 485. Se evaluaron: a) parámetros fenológicos: emergencia de plántulas, ciclo de las variedades (R1 y R5), estado de madurez de las variedades, b) parámetros productivos: rendimiento (kg/ha) y calidad granométrica, c) análisis económico. De acuerdo a los resultados obtenidos se concluye que la variedad GRANOLEICO requiere mayor tiempo térmico (ºCdía) para cumplir las mismas etapas fenológicas, si bien el rendimiento es similar al obtenido por las variedades ASEM 484 y 485. Sin embargo estas variedades presentan mayor calidad granométrica. La variedad GRANOLEICO obtuvo un (- 16,30 por ciento) y la variedad ASEM 485 un (- 0,46 por ciento) de ingreso ($/ha) respecto de la variedad ASEM 484. Por lo expuesto se sugiere la correcta elección de las variedades de maní, de acuerdo al área y fecha de siembra.

El análisis de las redes sociales: una herramienta matemática aplicada a una situación educativa

En este trabajo se presenta una aplicación del Análisis de Redes Sociales (ARS) al estudio de las relaciones entre alumnos de segundo año de una Escuela Técnica. El ARS se apoya en la teoría de grafos cuyo bagaje matemático permite analizar y medir, en términos generales, propiedades de las estructuras sociales en particular la escuela. La vida escolar es una trama compleja de factores que influirían en el rendimiento académico de los alumnos, tales como: tiempo de estudio que comparten, desde cuándo se conocen entre los compañeros, la proximidad de sus domicilios, sexo, edad, entre otros. Los factores sexo y edad no son relevantes dado que el grupo bajo estudio está formado por varones alrededor de los 16 años. En este trabajo se mostrarán los resultados obtenidos por el primer factor mencionado que fueron procesados a través de los software Ucinet 6 y Netdraw.

Concepciones de los estudiantes acerca de la gráfica de una función lineal de dominio discreto

Se reporta un estudio de casos realizado con estudiantes de 16-17 años en relación con sus concepciones sobre la gráfica de una función lineal de dominio discreto. En este estudio detectamos que los alumnos presentan dificultades en concebir la gráfica de una función cuando su dominio no es el conjunto de los números reales pues no consideran como gráficas de funciones a aquellas que sean un conjunto de “puntos” y que no formen una “línea continua”.

El uso de las TIC: una apuesta a la diversidad

Este proyecto de investigación tiene como finalidad diseñar situaciones en las que se vinculen procesos de aprendizaje en las áreas de matemáticas y lenguaje, para la población con limitación visual y auditiva, en Instituciones Educativas Distritales Inclusivas; utilizando tecnologías que optimicen y enriquezcan procesos de aprendizaje que hagan referencia a los números enteros en el caso de las matemáticas; y de la narrativa y la argumentación en el área de lenguaje. Propiciando así el pleno desarrollo y participación de los estudiantes ciegos y sordos para lograr el perfeccionamiento de sus competencias matemáticas y lingüísticas.