RECURSIVE ESTIMATION IN SWITCHING AUTOREGRESSIONS WITH A MARKOV REGIME

Abstract. A hidden Markov regime is a Markov process that governs the time or space dependent distributions of an observed stochastic process. We propose a recursive algorithm for parameter estimation in a switching autoregressive process governed by a hidden Markov chain. A common approach to the recursive estimation problem is to base the estimation on suboptimal modifications of Kalman filtering techniques. The main idea in this paper is to use the maximum likelihood method and from this develop a recursive EM algorithm.     

Protein quality and energy density of green peas as influenced by seed size and time of harvest

Green peas (Pisum sativum L) were harvested at three different time points—3 days apart—and subsequently sorted into four fractions according to seed size (diameter > 10.2 mm; 10.2–8.75 mm; 8.75–8.2 mm and 8.2–6.0 mm). Three varieties from two years were investigated. The study comprised a total of 31 green pea samples. The average protein content of the samples was 276 g kg^?1 DM with relatively low variation (SE = 5.7). Protein content was highest in the smallest seeds. The average energy content was 18.6 MJ kg^?1DM. Dietary fibre content was 226 g kg^?1 DM, the major part (77%) as insoluble fibre. Seeds of early harvest and seeds with the smallest diameter had the lowest fibre (IDF and TDF) content and at the same time the highest energy digestibility. The average energy digestibility was 83.2%. Protein digestibility was relatively high (average 92.1%), while biological value (BV) and net protein utilisation (NPU) were moderate to low (60.6% and 55.8% respectively) due to low contents of the essential amino acids (g per 16 g N), especially tryptophan, methionine + cystine and lysine. Contents of lysine, tryptophan and methionine + cystine were more than 20% higher in the smallest seeds compared to the larger seeds. Similar differences were observed in seeds of late harvest as compared with seeds of early harvest. Correlation coefficients revealed a strong positive correlation between lysine, tryptophan and methionine + cystine content and the biological value of green pea protein. The three varieties investigated showed no differences in the chemical parameters although small differences in BV and NPU were observed.     

Aerosol lidar intercomparison in the framework of the EARLINET project. 2. Aerosol backscatter algorithms

An intercomparison of aerosol backscatter lidar algorithms was performed in 2001 within the framework of the European Aerosol Research Lidar Network to Establish an Aerosol Climatology (EARLINET). The objective of this research was to test the correctness of the algorithms and the influence of the lidar ratio used by the various lidar teams involved in the EARLINET for calculation of backscatter-coefficient profiles from the lidar signals. The exercise consisted of processing synthetic lidar signals of various degrees of difficulty. One of these profiles contained height-dependent lidar ratios to test the vertical influence of those profiles on the various retrieval algorithms. Furthermore, a realistic incomplete overlap of laser beam and receiver field of view was introduced to remind the teams to take great care in the nearest range to the lidar. The intercomparison was performed in three stages with increasing knowledge on the input parameters. First, only the lidar signals were distributed; this is the most realistic stage. Afterward the lidar ratio profiles and the reference values at calibration height were provided. The unknown height-dependent lidar ratio had the largest influence on the retrieval, whereas the unknown reference value was of minor importance. These results show the necessity of making additional independent measurements, which can provide us with a suitable approximation of the lidar ratio. The final stage proves in general, that the data evaluation schemes of the different groups of lidar systems work well.     

Acquisition and reversal of taste/tactile discrimination after forebrain noradrenaline depletion.

Assessed the role of noradrenaline (NA) on the acquisition of an aversively motivated discrimination task and its reversal. A conditioned taste aversion procedure was used. NA depletions were achieved through 2 pharmacological means: systemic N-2 chloroethyl-N-ethyl-2-bromo-benzylamine (DSP4) and destruction of the dorsal noradrenergic bundle (DNAB) with 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA). Both procedures caused marked reductions of NA in the frontal cortex and hippocampus. In neither of the studies (Exp 1, DSP4 and Exp 2, DNAB) were there any significant changes between controls and NA-depleted rats in either the rate of acquisition of the original discrimination (Phase 1) or the subsequent reversal (Phase 2). This occurred irrespective of which of the 2 stimuli (a taste cue or a tongue-tactile cue) initially was used as the conditioned stimulus/stimuli (CS) (the stimulus first followed by contingent administration of lithium chloride and later, by saline injections). Thus NA does not appear to be critically involved in the acquisition and reversal of a taste/tactile discrimination task. The significance of forebrain NA for other discrimination tasks is discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

The factor structure and factorial invariance of the 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) across time: Evidence from two community-based samples.

This study provides new knowledge about the factor structure of the 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12; D. Goldberg, 1972) through the application of confirmatory factor analysis to longitudinal data, thereby enabling investigation of the factor structure, its invariance across time, and the rank-order stability of the factors. Two community-based longitudinal adult samples with 1-year (n = 640) and 6-year (n = 330) follow-up times were studied. As a result, the correlated 3-factor model (i.e., Anxiety/Depression, Social Dysfunction, and Loss of Confidence) showed a better fit with both samples than the alternative models. The correlated 3-factor structure was also relatively invariant across time in both samples, indicating that the scale has good construct validity. The rank-order stabilities of the factors were low across time, which suggests that the GHQ-12 measures temporal mental state. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

应用酶放大电极的免疫测定

该文评述了应用酶放大电极的免疫测定法的进展,从原理和应用两方面进行了探讨.着重介绍了作者所在实验室在90年代以来的相关工作.     

Study of lanthanum-deficient compositions in the systems La-Cu-O and La-Sr-Cu-O

The effect of varying lanthanum composition upon the formation of the nonsuperconducting La_1.67Sr_0.33Cu₂O_5– and the stoichiometry variation tolerance of the ternary system La_2–xSr_xCuO₄ (with x=0 and 0.15) were investigated using a variety of techniques. Results indicate that total conversion to La₂CuO₄ from freeze-dried precursors with an LaCu = 2.001 ratio is achieved after sintering (1253 K, 12 h) and annealing in oxygen (773 K, 6 h). Small variations in the stoichiometry of solids La_2–xSr_xCuO₄ with x=0 and 0.15 were detected. Lanthanum-deficient composition in the ternary system induces the formation of the non-superconducting phase whose stoichiometry is better represented by La_1.60Sr_0.40Cu₂O_5–. The temperature-programmed reduction profiles of the cuprates can be associated with the formation of more or less stable intermediates.     

Automation in future air traffic management: effects of decision aid reliability on controller performance and mental workload

Future air traffic management concepts envisage shared decision-making responsibilities between controllers and pilots, necessitating that controllers be supported by automated decision aids. Even as automation tools are being introduced, however, their impact on the air traffic controller is not well understood. The present experiments examined the effects of an aircraft-to-aircraft conflict decision aid on performance and mental workload of experienced, full-performance level controllers in a simulated Free Flight environment. Performance was examined with both reliable (Experiment 1) and inaccurate automation (Experiment 2). The aid improved controller performance and reduced mental workload when it functioned reliably. However, detection of a particular conflict was better under manual conditions than under automated conditions when the automation was imperfect. Potential or actual applications of the results include the design of automation and procedures for future air traffic control systems.