Minimum Map Research Articles

Perfil do apoio social de idosos no município de Natal, Estado do Rio Grande do Norte, Brasil, 2010-2011

Objective: to describe social support for elderly residents in a community in the city of Natal, state of Rio Grande do Norte. Methods: a descriptive study conducted between November/2010 and July/2011 with a convenience sample of 300 elderly people. We used a structured questionnaire to obtain sociodemographic, economic and physical health data. The ‘Health, Welfare and Aging’ survey questionnaire and the ‘Minimum Map of Elderly Connections’ were used to assess social support. The data underwent descriptive statistical analysis. Results: 26.3% of the elderly were found to have low frequency of aid received and 25.7% had low frequency of aid provided. Family members were seen to be the principal aid providers. Conclusion: the elderly support network is completed through expressive ties with family, friends and community members. The absence of aid provided by health services stood out.

Robust suppression of background reflections in PIV images

Strong background reflections in PIV images are known to bias velocity estimates and their concomitant statistical ensembles. Many methods have been developed to eliminate background reflections, with the common premise of generating a reference background intensity map that is then subtracted from each individual PIV image prior to interrogation. This reference background intensity map can be generated in several ways, including acquiring a background image without particles, calculating the average or minimum intensity map based on an ensemble of PIV images, generating a reference intensity map for each individual PIV realization by means of various local sliding filters or considering the second frame of any PIV realization as its reference intensity map. Motivated by the need to suppress background reflections in a PIV study of flow over highly irregular surface roughness that generated significant diffuse background reflections from the complex topography, the efficacy of these methods was studied. It was found that all failed to adequately suppress such reflections, rendering the resulting velocity fields biased. A local-median normalization algorithm was developed to further suppress background reflections and this note reports the performance of this modified algorithm compared to those previously reported in the literature.

Sub-Map Dividing and Realignment FastSLAM by Blocking Gibbs MCEM for Large-Scale 3-D Grid Mapping

In this article, we propose a novel Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) method by using a sampling-based approach. FastSLAM is well-known approach as a sampling-based SLAM method. FastSLAM utilizes a theorem that map errors are decidable under a sample of trajectories. From this theorem, FastSLAM samples many trajectories and maps to find a minimum error map. However, in case of constructing a large-scale grid map, FastSLAM becomes unuseful since the method requires huge memory to generate many grid maps. Our proposed method requires only one map that is deformable corresponding to a trajectory. In order to find a minimum error map, our method only generates trajectories. Our method enables construction of a minimum error map by little memory in comparison with original FastSLAM. Experimental results demonstrate our method is able to construct a large-scale 3-D grid map by low memory usage in comparison with original FastSLAM.

Characteristics of sea surface temperature retrieved from MTSAT-1R and in-situ data

Multi-channel sea surface temperature (MCSST) data were retrieved from the Japanese geostationary satellite, MTSAT-1R, for East Asia in western North Pacific. The coefficients used to calculate the MCSST data were estimated by assuming a linear relationship between the brightness temperatures obtained from the satellite and the in-situ buoy SST. It is important to remove cloud contamination pixels to retrieve meaningful information from infrared data. Therefore, the cloud detection algorithm was improved by using a 10-day maximum or minimum composite map for infrared and visible channels. The RMSE of the MCSST in comparison with the two-year buoy SST was about 0.89oC. The error was the largest at mid-latitudes in summer. Additionally, the error between the two SSTs showed that diurnal variation had a positive bias during daytime and a negative bias during nighttime. Furthermore, in 2007, both SSTs showed seasonal and spatial diurnal variation. The magnitude of the daily variation in the MCSST was two times larger than that in the buoy SST, and this was attributed to diurnal heating with a weak surface wind speed.

Effects of different target remifentanil concentrations on MACBAR of sevoflurane and catecholamineRAR in gynecological patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery

Objective To investigate the effects of different targeted plasma remifentanil concentrations on the minimum alveolar concentration of sevoflurane (MACBAR) and minimum plasma catecholamine concentration for blocking adrenergic response (CatecholamineBAR: NEBR, EBAR) in gynecological patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery using carbon dioxide pneumoperitoneum.Methods Seventy five gynecological patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery, ASA physical status Ⅰ -Ⅱ, were randomly assigned to three groups: control group (R0) and 2 remifentanil groups (R1, R2). Anesthesia was induced by target controlled infusion with remifentanil (plasma concentration 2 μg/L), and intravenous infection with 0.3 mg/kg etomidate. Vecuronium 0.1 mg/kg was administered to facilitate tracheal intubation. After intubation anesthesia was maintained with sevoflurane in all groups. But in R0, R1and R2, the targeted plasma concentration of remifentanil was adjusted to 0, 1 μg/L and 2 μg/L, respectively. The MACBAR of sevoflurane was determined by using a sequential design and pneumoperitoneum stimulation in each group, while blood samples were collected at corresponding time points to determinate catecholamine concentrations and the values of NEBAR, EBAR were calculated.Results In group R0, R1 and R2, the MACBARs of sevoflurane were (4.60±0.30)％, (2.37±0.21) ％ and(1.70±0.28) ％, respectively.No significant differences were found in NEBAR, EBAR and minimum MAP among the three groups. Conclusion The targeted plasma concentrations of remifentanil at 1 μg/L and 2 μg/L can significantly reduce MACBAR of sevoflurane by 48％ and 63％ respectively in gynecological patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery. However, the value of catecholamineBAR was not influenced by the changes of remifentanil's target plasma concentration and the end-tidal sevoflurane concentration. Key words: Sevoflurane; Remifentanil; MAC ; Adrenergic response; Catecholamine; Pneumoperitoneum

Increased dispersion of atrial repolarization in Brugada syndrome

Patients with Brugada syndrome (BS) often experience atrial fibrillation (AF) and atrial vulnerability, as measured by increased atrial conduction time. To date, however, dispersion of atrial repolarization has not been reported in these patients. Monophasic action potentials (MAPs) recorded from four sites of the right atrium were analysed in 11 patients (10 men, 1 woman; mean age, 40 ± 9 years) with BS and in 10 controls (8 men, 2 women; mean age, 35 ± 8 years). None of these patients had a history of AF. Monophasic action potentials were recorded during right atrial pacing at a drive cycle length of 600 ms after continuous pacing. Dispersion of MAP duration (D-MAPD90) was defined as the difference between the maximum and minimum MAP duration measured at 90% repolarization (MAPD90). Inducibility of AF and repetitive atrial firing were also determined. The MAPD90 did not differ significantly between the BS and control groups (245 ± 42 vs. 228 ± 24 ms, P = ns), but D-MAPD90 was significantly higher in the BS group (69.1 ± 35.0 vs. 41.4 ± 10.3 ms, P < 0.05). Atrial fibrillation was induced in six BS patients and repetitive atrial firing in four, but neither was induced in any of the control subjects. The significantly increased dispersion of MAPD90 observed in patients with BS suggests that the heterogeneity of atrial repolarization may contribute to the development of atrial fibrillation in patients with BS.

Generation of high-resolution East Antarctic landfast sea-ice maps from cloud-free MODIS satellite composite imagery

A method to generate high spatio-temporal resolution maps of landfast sea ice from cloud-free MODIS composite imagery is presented. Visible (summertime) and thermal infrared (wintertime) cloud-free 20-day MODIS composite images are used as the basis for these maps, augmented by AMSR-E ASI sea-ice concentration composite images (when MODIS composite image quality is insufficient). The success of this technique is dependent upon efficient cloud removal during the compositing process. Example wintertime maximum (~ 374,000 km 2) and summertime minimum (~ 112,000 km 2) fast-ice maps for the entire East Antarctic coast are presented. The summertime minimum map provides the first high-resolution indication of multi-year fast-ice extent, which may be used to help assess changes in Antarctic sea-ice volume. The 2 σ errors in fast-ice extent are estimated to be ± 2.98% when ≥ 90% of the fast-ice pixels in a 20-day period are classified using the MODIS composite, or ± 8.76 otherwise (when augmenting AMSR-E or the previous/next MODIS composite image is used to classify > 10% of the fast ice). Imperfect composite image quality, caused by persistent cloud, inaccurate cloud masking or a highly dynamic fast-ice edge, was the biggest impediment to automating the fast-ice detection procedure.

Minimum variance performance map for constrained model predictive control

A minimum variance performance map is introduced for constrained linear model predictive control (MPC). The minimum variance performance map provides a demonstration of the effect of constraints in an MPC on the best achievable controller performance. The constrained minimum variance controller is formulated for the MPC system to be monitored. Using multi-parametric quadratic programming (mp-QP), the linear, piecewise control law is obtained for the constrained minimum variance controller. The linear, piecewise control law is used with a Kalman filter to obtain the minimum output variance in each region of the state space partition. The minimum variance performance map is demonstrated on a second order process with a constraint on the input amplitude.

Using the low-level aerial survey method to identify Marbled Murrelet nesting habitat

Identifying and managing nesting habitat for the threatened Marbled Murrelet (Brachyramphus marmoratus) is difficult because it nests secretively, high in the canopies of large, old conifers of the Pacific Northwest. In British Columbia, low-level surveying from a helicopter is now a recommended standard method of assessing forested landscapes for key microhabitat features—such as availability of potential platforms and developed moss pads for nests, foliage cover above the nest, and accessibility—that are not distinguishable on air photos, satellite images, or forest cover maps. Using a sample of 111 nest sites and 139 random sites within forests greater than 140 years old and distributed across three study areas in south coastal British Columbia, we confirmed the effectiveness of the aerial survey method for classifying overall habitat quality of murrelet nesting habitat. The minimum map units were 3-ha patches. Overall, 40% of the 111 nest sites were in patches classed as Very High, 36% were in High, 15% were in Moderate, 6% were in Low, and 3% were in Very Low. Our ranking of habitat quality was most strongly influenced by estimates of platform availability and moss development. Using an information-theoretic approach, we identified that the Resource Selection Function scores of nest patches improved as elevation decreased, slope grade increased, and the proportion of emergent and canopy trees with mossy pads increased. We also confirmed that study area location affected the strength of model application. Our findings support the potential utility of the low-level aerial survey method for identifying or confirming Marbled Murrelet nesting habitat for land-management purposes.

Habitat Mapping in Rugged Terrain Using Multispectral Ikonos Images

Due to the significant time and cost requirements of traditional mapping techniques, accurate and detailed habitat maps for large areas are uncommon. This study investigates the application of Ikonos Very High Resolution (VHR) images to habitat mapping in the rugged terrain of Hong Kong’s country parks. A required mapping scale of 1:10 000, a minimum map object size of 150 m 2 on the ground, and a minimum accuracy level of 80 percent were set as the mapping standards. Very high quality aerial photographs and digital topographic maps provided accurate reference data for the image processing and habitat classification. A comparison between manual stereoscopic aerial photographic interpretation and image classification using pixel-based and object-based classifiers was carried out. The Multi-level Object Oriented Segmentation with Decision Tree Classification (MOOSC) was devised during this study using a suite of image processing techniques to integrate spectral, textural, and spatial criteria with ancillary data. Manual mapping from air photos combined with fieldwork obtained the best result, with 95 percent overall accuracy, but both this and the MOOSC method, with 94 percent, easily met the 80 percent specified accuracy standard. The MOOSC method was able to achieve similar accuracy aerial photographs, but at only one third of the cost.

Using Vorticity as an Indicator for the Generation of Optimal Coarse Grid Distribution

An improved vorticity-based gridding technique is presented and applied to create optimal non-uniform Cartesian coarse grid for numerical simulation of two-phase flow. The optimal coarse grid distribution (OCGD) is obtained in a manner to capture variations in both permeability and fluid velocity of the fine grid using a single physical quantity called “vorticity”. Only single-phase flow simulation on the fine grid is required to extract the vorticity. Based on the fine-scale vorticity information, several coarse grid models are generated for a given fine grid model. Then the vorticity map preservation error is used to predict how well each coarse grid model reproduces the fine-scale simulation results. The coarse grid model which best preserves the fine-scale vorticity, i.e. has the minimum vorticity map preservation error is recognized as an OCGD. The performance of vorticity-based optimal coarse grid is evaluated for two highly heterogeneous 2D formations. It is also shown that two-phase flow parameters such as mobility ratio have only minor impact on the performance of the predicted OCGD.

Breaking the cycle of poverty in achieving the MDGs

A bold and ambitious agenda was set forth in the Millennium Development Goals to raise the quality of life of all individuals and promote human development. The MDGs represent our collective aspirations for a better life and provide a minimum road map on how to get there. However, they can only be achieved if Governments, civil society and international agencies work together to address population issues as a development priority, in particular to secure the reproductive health and rights of people, especially the poor and particularly women. This vision is contained in the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), which was adopted by 179 Governments in 1979. The ICPD goal of universal access to reproductive health by 2015 is a target in the MDG monitoring framework, under MDG 5 to improve maternal health. Access to reproductive health can have a powerful impact on development, not only to improve maternal health but also to achieve all the MDGs.

The effects of minimum map unit in coral reefs maps generated from high resolution side scan sonar mosaics

Changes in coral habitats from benthic maps at two minimum mapping units (4 and 400 m2) were examined across 600 ha at the Puerto Rico insular shelf. The maps were produced by visually interpreting high resolution side scan sonar seafloor mosaics. Comparisons were performed by using published spatial indices based on patch size and abundance. At the fine scale, small coral patches were dominant and had more complex shapes, while coarse scale maps lost information on small or rare habitats, but included new mixed habitat categories that helped conserve estimates of total habitat area. Variations in spatial indices occurred across spatial scales, but trends were not necessarily predictable. For instance, habitat diversity increased at the coarse scale maps, but habitat richness remained unchanged. Differences were related as much to the peculiarities of the abundance, shape and arrangement of habitats at the two sites as to changes in grain size.

Modeling the complexity of different, recently deglaciated soil landscapes as a function of map scale

The scale at which a soil landscape (soilscape) is viewed has a significant impact on soil pattern and interpretations made from those patterns. Recently deglaciated soilscapes are particularly spatially complex. In order to understand how scale impacts pattern on complex soilscapes, we used a GIS to examine soil maps for 13 counties in the northern United States, all affected by Late Wisconsinan glaciation. We used an Arc™ macro language script to change the map scale and, when the change was to a smaller scale, group/dissolve soil map units based on similarities to a prescribed list of neighboring map unit characteristics. Similarity criteria included drainage class, taxonomic great group, parent material and slope. Soilscape complexity was measured at nine different scales and is based on various pattern metrics: number of punctate soil units km −2, map unit polygons km −2, map unit boundary length km −2, and boundary length polygon −1 km −2. Soilscape complexity as a function of scale was then examined by regressing pattern metric data against the size of the minimum map unit for each of the nine scales. Extrapolation of the regression lines to 1:10,000 (a scale larger than is typically mapped) illustrated how much additional information might accrue if these counties were to be mapped at that larger scale. In most cases, 2–10 times more map units would have been recognized and delineated at the two times larger map scale, but map unit boundary lengths would have increased by only about 1.5 times. Whether this additional information is of such a magnitude that it could justify remapping some of these complex landscapes at larger scales is an economic decision; our study provides much needed data on the magnitude of information gained by mapping soilscapes at larger scales.

Orderability and continuous selections for Wijsman and Vietoris hyperspaces

&lt;p&gt;Bertacchi and Costantini obtained some conditions equivalent to the existence of continuous selections for the Wijsman hyperspace of ultrametric Polish spaces. We introduce a new class of hypertopologies, the macro-topologies. Both the Wijsman topology and the Vietoris topology belong to this class. We show that subject to natural conditions, the base space admits a closed order such that the minimum map is a continuous selection for every macro-topology. In the setting of Polish spaces, these conditions are substantially weaker than the ones given by Bertacchi and Costantini. In particular, we conclude that Polish spaces satisfying these conditions can be endowed with a compatible order and that the minimum function is a continuous selection for the Wijsman topology, just as it is for [0; 1]. This also solves a problem implicitely raised in Bertacchi and Costantini's paper.&lt;/p&gt;

Dynamic Cluster Recognition with Multiple Self-Organising Maps

A neural architecture, based on several self-organising maps, is presented which counteracts the parameter drift problem for an array of conducting polymer gas sensors when used for odour sensing. The neural architecture is named mSom, where m is the number of odours to be recognised, and is mainly constituted of m maps; each one approximates the statistical distribution of a given odour. Competition occurs both within each map and between maps for the selection of the minimum map distance in the Euclidean space. The network (mSom) is able to adapt itself to new changes of the input probability distribution by repetitive self-training processes based on its experience. This architecture has been tested and compared with other neural architectures, such as RBF and Fuzzy ARTMAP. The network shows long-term stable behaviour, and is completely autonomous during the testing phase, where re-adaptation of the neurons is needed due to the changes of the input probability distribution of the given data set.

A Map-Making algorithm for the Planck Surveyor

We present a parallel implementation of a map-making algorithm for CMB anisotropy experiments which is both fast and efficient. We show for the first time a Maximum Likelihood, minimum variance map obtained by processing the entire data stream expected from the Planck Surveyor, under the assumption of a symmetric beam profile. Here we restrict ourselves to the case of the 30 GHz channel of the Planck Low Frequency Instrument. The extension to Planck higher frequency channels is straightforward. If the satellite pointing periodicity is good enough to average data that belong to the same sky circle, then the code runs very efficiently on workstations. The serial version of our code also runs on very competitive time-scales the map-making pipeline for current and forthcoming balloon borne experiments.

Bayesian signal processing in acoustics: detection, estimation and tracking

A tutorial introductory lecture on Bayesian signal processing for detection, estimation, and tracking is presented. After a brief historical overview, Bayes rule and risk are defined and used for development of detectors that minimize Bayes risk. Detectors that minimize Bayes risk are called Bayes detectors. Bayes risk in statistical signal processing is the expected cost of making a wrong decision. The decision process of deciding between to mutually exclusive and exhaustive alternatives (i.e., an echo and noise are present versus noise only is present) is a binary hypothesis test or detector. We show how Bayes detectors are related to the maximum likelihood test and Neyman–Pearson and minimax criteria. Multiple hypotheses tests are also reviewed. Estimate of random parameters that minimize the risk are called Bayes estimates and the resulting risk, the Bayes risk. Minimum mean square error (MMSE), MAP (mode of the posteriori density) and other estimates can be derived using appropriate cost functions. Sequential application of Bayes rule can be used to derive Wiener and Kalman filters. Some of the basic difficulties and issues of Bayesian signal processing will be discussed. [Supported by ONR, Code 333, Les Jacobi, Program Officer.]

Minimum description length criterion and segmentation map coding for region-based video compression

This paper presents a new technique for region-oriented video compression based on the minimization of a minimum description length (MDL) criterion. The proposed scheme is based on a region-based motion compensation approach, in which the displaced frame difference (DFD) is coded together with the segmentation map and the motion parameters. The region-based segmentation is approximated by a polygonal representation which permits us to significantly reduce the segmentation coding cost. The polygonal approximation, which minimizes the MDL criterion, is considered the optimal approximation in terms of compression performance. In this contest, the MDL criterion has been developed and tested for the three following DFD coding techniques: (1) entropy coding of the quantized DFD image; (2) entropy coding of the quantized DFD values obtained after morphological filtering of the DFD image; and (3) DCT-based coding of the DFD image. The experimental results, presented on real video sequences, validate the proposed approach.

Evaluation of free energy landscape for base-amino acid interactions using ab initio force field and extensive sampling.

Structural data of protein-DNA complex show redundancy and flexibility in base-amino acid interactions. To understand the origin of the specificity in protein-DNA recognition, we calculated the interaction free energy, enthalpy, entropy, and minimum energy maps for AT-Asn, GC-Asn, AT-Ser, and GC-Ser by means of a set of ab initio force field with extensive conformational sampling. We found that the most preferable interactions in these pairs are stabilized by hydrogen bonding, and are mainly enthalpy driven. However, minima in the free energy maps are not necessarily the same as those in the minimum energy map or enthalpy maps, due to the entropic effect. The effect of entropy is particularly important in the case of GC-Asn. Experimentally observed structures of base-amino acid interactions are within preferable regions in the calculated free energy maps, where there are many different interaction configurations with similar energy. The full geometry optimization procedure using ab initio molecular orbital method was applied to get the optimal interaction geometries for AT-Asn, GC-Asn, AT-Ser, and GC-Ser. We found that there are various base-amino acid combinations with similar interaction energies. These results suggest that the redundancy and conformational flexibility in the base-amino acid interactions play an important role in the protein-DNA recognition.