Using MILP to plan holidays and working hours under an annualised hours agreement

Annualising work hours (AH) is a means of achievement flexibility in the use of human resources to face the seasonal nature of demand. In Corominas et al. (1) two MILP models are used to solve the problem of planning staff working hours with annual horizon. The costs due to overtime and to the employment of temporary workers are minimised, and the distribution of working time over the course of the year for each worker and the distribution of working time provided by temporary workers are regularised.In the aforementioned paper, the following is assumed: (i) the holiday weeks are fixed a priori and (ii) the workers are from different categories who are able to perform specific type of task have se same efficiency; moreover, the values of the binary variables (and others) in the second model are fixed to those in the first model (thus, in the second model these will intervene as constants and not as variables, resulting in an LP model).In the present paper, these assumptions are relaxed and a more general problem is solved. The computational experiment leads to the conclusion that MILP is a technique suited to dealing with the problem.

Description of a robotics-oriented relational positioning methodology

This paper presents a relational positioning methodology for flexibly and intuitively specifying offline programmed robot tasks, as well as for assisting the execution of teleoperated tasks demanding precise movements.In relational positioning, the movements of an object can be restricted totally or partially by specifying its allowed positions in terms of a set of geometric constraints. These allowed positions are found by means of a 3D sequential geometric constraint solver called PMF – Positioning Mobile with respect to Fixed. PMF exploits the fact that in a set of geometric constraints, the rotational component can often be separated from the translational one and solved independently.

Do parents and children know each other? A study about agreement on personality within families

Se estudiaron las relaciones entre autoevaluaciones y heteroevaluaciones de cuestionarios de personalidad en contextos familiares españoles. 336 matrimonios evaluaron la personalidad de uno de sus hijos. Al mismo tiempo, cada hijo se autoevaluaba. Se aplicaron los marcadores de Goldberg. En una segunda muestra, 120 estudiantes universitarios evaluaron la personalidad de ambos padres. Al mismo tiempo, ambos padres se autoevaluaron. Se aplicaron los marcadores de Goldberg y el NEO-PI-R. Se replica el grado de acuerdo encontrado en otras culturas, siendo las correlaciones entre autoevaluaciones y heteroevaluaciones de alrededor de 0.40, y con tamaños del efecto de las diferencias de medias no grandes. Se observa que: 1) los hijos son más acertados que los padres; 2) el grado de acuerdo es más alto para el NEO-PI-R que para los marcadores de Goldberg, especialmente en el factor de Apertura a la Experiencia; y 3) la variable sexo no afectó a los resultados. Se discuten las implicaciones y las limitaciones del presente estudio.

Interobserver agreement and validity of bedside 'positive signs' for functional weakness, sensory and gait disorders in conversion disorder: a pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Conversion disorder (CD) is no longer a diagnosis of exclusion. The new DSM-V criteria highlight the importance of 'positive signs' on neurological examination. Only few signs have been validated, and little is known about their reliability. OBJECTIVE: The aim was to examine the clinical value of bedside positive signs in the diagnosis of CD presenting with weakness, gait or sensory symptoms by assessing their specificity, sensitivity and their inter-rater reliability. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Standardised video recorded neurological examinations were performed in 20 consecutive patients with CD and 20 'organic' controls. Ten previously validated sensory and motor signs were grouped in a scale. Thirteen additional motor/sensory 'positive signs', 14 gait patterns and 1 general sign were assessed in a pilot validation study. In addition, two blinded independent neurologists rated the video recordings to assess the inter-rater reliability (Cohen's κ) of each sign. RESULTS: A score of ≥4/14 on the sensory motor scale showed a 100% specificity (CI 85 to 100) and a 95% sensitivity (CI 85 to 100). Among the additional tested signs, 10 were significantly more frequent in CD than controls. The interobserver agreement was acceptable for 23/38 signs (2 excellent, 10 good, 11 moderate). CONCLUSIONS: Our study confirms that six bedside 'positive signs' are highly specific for CD with good-excellent inter-rater reliability; we propose to consider them as 'highly reliable signs'. In addition 13 signs could be considered as 'reliable signs' and six further signs as 'suggestive signs' while all others should be used with caution until further validation is available.

Web-pohjaisen videoeditorin toteutus ja Object-Relational Mapping

Tässä insinöörityössä esitellään Stadian verkkoviestinnän VIDEOS-hankkeeseen liittyvän web-pohjaisen videoeditorin kehitys ja käytetyt teknologiat. Fooga-nimiseksi nimetty videoeditorin käyttämät tekniikat ovat Ruby, Ruby on Rails, FFmpeg, Mencoder, ImageMagick ja FLVTool2. Ruby on olio-pohjainen skriptikieli, Ruby on Rails on websovelluskehys ja muut tekniikat ovat komentorivipohjaisia työkaluja, jotka tarjoavat tärkeimmät toiminnallisuudet Foogalle. Tavoitteina oli tämän työn yhteydessä ohjelmoida Foogaan perustoiminnallisuudet, jotka mahdollistavat minimaaliset käyttömahdollisuudet kevääseen 2007 mennessä. Kehitystyö jatkuu vuoteen 2009 asti tarjoamalla samalla mahdollisuuden usealle insinöörityölle tekniikan ja liikenteen koulutusohjelmasta. Tämän lisäksi tässä insinöörityössä perehdytään Object-Relational Mapping-tekniikan perusteisiiin ja verrataan Ruby on Railsin ja Javan ORM-ominaisuuksia. Ruby on Railsin osalta esitellään ActiveRecord-luokka ja Javan osalta Hibernate, jonka johdantona on DAO/DTO-sunnittelumalli.

Hippocampal Theta-Phase Modulation of Replay Correlates with Configural-Relational Short-Term Memory Performance

Thereis now growing evidencethatthe hippocampus generatestheta rhythmsthat can phase biasfast neural oscillationsinthe neocortex, allowing coordination of widespread fast oscillatory populations outside limbic areas. A recent magnetoencephalographic study showed that maintenance of configural-relational scene information in a delayed match-to-sample (DMS) task was associated with replay of that information during the delay period. The periodicity of the replay was coordinated by the phase of the ongoing theta rhythm, and the degree of theta coordination during the delay period was positively correlated with DMS performance. Here, we reanalyzed these data to investigate which brain regions were involved in generating the theta oscillations that coordinated the periodic replay of configural- relational information. We used a beamformer algorithm to produce estimates of regional theta rhythms and constructed volumetric images of the phase-locking between the local theta cycle and the instances of replay (in the 13- 80 Hz band). We found that individual differences in DMS performancefor configural-relational associations were relatedtothe degree of phase coupling of instances of cortical reactivations to theta oscillations generated in the right posterior hippocampus and the right inferior frontal gyrus. This demonstrates that the timing of memory reactivations in humans is biased toward hippocampal theta phase

Respecting the deal: Economically sustainable management of open innovation among co-opeting companies

Platforms like eBay allow product seekers and providers to meet and exchange goods. On eBay, consumers can return a product if it does not correspond to expectations; eBay is the third-party firm in charge of assuring that the agreement among seekers and providers will be respected. Who provides the same service for what concerns open innovation, where specifications might not fully defined? This paper describes the business model of an organizational structure to support the elicitation and respect of agreements among agents, who have conflicting interests but that gain from cooperating together. Extending previous studies, our business model takes into account the economic dimensions concerning the needs of knowledge share and mutual control to allow a third-party to sustainably reinforce trust among untrusted partners and to lower their overall relational risk.

Tolerance and Relative Utility: Two Proposed Indices for Comparing Change in Clinical Measurement Noise Between Different Populations (Repeatability) or Measurement Methods (Agreement).

Reaching a consensus in terms of interchangeability and utility (i.e., disease detection/monitoring) of a medical device is the eventual aim of repeatability and agreement studies. The aim of the tolerance and relative utility indices described in this report is to provide a methodology to compare change in clinical measurement noise between different populations (repeatability) or measurement methods (agreement), so as to highlight problematic areas. No longitudinal data are required to calculate these indices. Both indices establish a metric of least to most effected across all parameters to facilitate comparison. If validated, these indices may prove useful tools when combining reports and forming the consensus required in the validation process for software updates and new medical devices.

Spatial radial maze procedures and setups to dissociate local and distal relational spatial frameworks in humans.

BACKGROUND: Radial maze tasks have been used to assess optimal foraging and spatial abilities in rodents. The spatial performance was based on a capacity to rely on a configuration of local and distant cues. We adapted maze procedures assessing the relative weight of local cues and distant landmarks for arm choice in humans. NEW METHOD: The procedure allowed testing memory of places in four experimental setups: a fingertip texture-groove maze, a tactile screen maze, a virtual radial maze and a walking size maze. During training, the four reinforced positions remained fixed relative to local and distal cues. During subsequent conflict trials, these frameworks were made conflictive in the prediction of reward locations. RESULTS: Three experiments showed that the relative weight of local and distal relational cues is affected by different factors such as cues' nature, visual access to the environment, real vs. virtual environment, and gender. A fourth experiment illustrated how a walking maze can be used with people suffering intellectual disability. COMPARISON WITH EXISTING METHODS: In our procedure, long-term (reference) and short-term (working) memory can be assessed. It is the first radial task adapted to human that enables dissociating local and distal cues, to provides an indication as to their relative salience. Our mazes are moveable and easily used in limited spaces. Tasks are performed with realistic and spontaneous though controlled exploratory movements. CONCLUSION: Our tasks enabled highlighting the use of different strategies. In a clinical perspective, considering the use of compensatory strategies should orient towards adapted behavioural rehabilitation.

A relational approach to the geography of innovation: a typology of regions

The aim of this study was to devise a method for computing a composite indicator that measures the regional degree of exposure to external knowledge sources. On the basis of this indicator, we propose a typology of regions according to their potential capacity to access extra-local items of knowledge, which might help them to recombine complementary elements of such an asset to produce a higher number of new ideas. Building on various research streams that have been relatively independent to date, we summarize a non-exhaustive instrumental list of recent studies that motivates our approach and the construction of our complex indicator, which can be used to appraise the extent to which each region is in an optimal position to access external innovative resources.

Treatment of Retinoblastoma in 2015: Agreement and Disagreement.

The management of intraocular retinoblastoma is rapidly changing, and even recent reviews on the subject are behind existing practices. The 4 authors of this report collectively represent their management strategies with an emphasis on areas of agreement and disagreement. Ophthalmic artery chemosurgery and intravitreous chemotherapy have completely replaced external beam radiotherapy, reduced the use of systemic chemotherapy, and diminished enucleations by 90% without evidence of compromising patient survival.

Incidental enchondromas at knee magnetic resonance imaging: intraobserver and interobserver agreement and prevalence of imaging findings

Objective To evaluate intra- and interobserver agreement in the identification of incidental enchondromas at knee magnetic resonance imaging, and to assess the prevalence of imaging findings. Materials and Methods Retrospective study reviewing 326 knee magnetic resonance images acquired in the period between November 2009 and September 2010. The images were independently and blindly analyzed by two specialists in musculoskeletal radiology, with the objective of identifying incidental enchondromas, presence of foci with signal similar to bone marrow and foci of signal absence suggestive of calcifications within the enchondromas. Inter- and intraobserver agreements were analyzed. Results Eleven lesions compatible with enchondromas (3.3%) were identified. The interobserver agreement for the presence of enchondroma was high. Prevalence of foci of bone marrow signal inside the enchondromas was of 54.55%, and foci suggestive of calcification corresponded to 36.36%. The intraobserver agreement for foci of bone marrow signal in enchondromas was perfect, and interobserver agreement was high. Conclusion The prevalence of incidental enchondromas in the current study was compatible with data in the literature. Excellent agreement was observed in the identification of enchondromas and in the assessment of imaging findings. A higher prevalence of fat signal foci was observed as compared with signal absence suggestive of calcifications.