Reconstruction of planar surfaces behind occlusions in range images

Analysis and reconstruction of range images usually focuses on complex objects completely contained in the field of view; little attention has been devoted so far to the reconstruction of simply shaped wide areas like parts of a wall hidden behind furniture pieces in an indoor range image. The work presented in the paper is aimed at such reconstruction. First of all, the range image is partitioned based on depth discontinuities and fold edges. Next, the planes best fitting each of the regions constituting the partition of the image are determined. A third step locates potentially contiguous surfaces, while a final step reconstructs the hidden regions. The paper presents results for reconstruction of the shape of planar surfaces behind arbitrary occluding surfaces. The system proved to be effective and the reconstructed surfaces appear to be reasonable. Some examples of results are presented from the Bornholm church range images     

Relationships between nocturnal activity, parental ratings of daytime activity and measues from the Children's Sleep Behaviour Scale.

Monitored the nocturnal activity levels of 20 boys and 20 girls (mean age 10.46 yrs) from 12:00 AM to 6:00 AM over 2 consecutive nights in their homes. Frequency of sleep-related behaviors based on retrospective parental ratings was assessed by the Children's Sleep Behavior Scale (CSBS). Children who were rated high on sleep behaviors with an observable motor component were also more active during the night, thereby validating the motor subscale of the CSBS. Nocturnal activity was associated with another CSBS-derived sleep score that included items with positive affective content, such as laughing and smiling while asleep. Children who showed bedtime resistance behaviors and complained of difficulty going to sleep were not more active during the night. Gender, age, and parental perception of daytime activity levels were not related to objective measures of nocturnal activity. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Group therapy for adult women survivors of child sexual abuse: Differentiation of completers versus dropouts.

Examined intake profiles of 54 depressed women survivors of child sexual abuse presenting for a specialized group therapy program at a community mental health center. The 32 therapy completers were compared with the 22 dropouts. Both groups possessed extensive and severe childhood and adult abuse histories. Both were extremely socially disadvantaged and clinically impaired as measured on the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory (MCMI). Dropouts were more likely to have been battered as children and to have been sexually abused only within the family. Completers were more likely to have been multiply offended both by intrafamilial and extrafamilial perpetrators. The groups differed in terms of marital status and extent of economic dependence on spouse. Dropouts appeared to be more actively enmeshed in the abuse cycle at the time of therapy. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Process control: An overview and personal perspective

This paper presents an overview and personnal perspective on recent developments and current practice in computer process model. The basic concepts behind conventional process control are reviewed to provide a starting point for the non-control specialist and process engineer. The ensuing sections on Internal Model Control (IMC), Model Predictive Control (MPC) and adaptive control illustrate the evolution of control technology from the traditional multiloop strategies to the modern, multivariable, model-based, computer control systems now being used in industry. The paper does not provide a complete, critical review of process control. However, the discussion and the recommended references should provide a good starting point for anyone wanting to become familiar with current practice and some of the new directions of process control.     

Potentially avoidable hospitalizations: inequalities in rates between US socioeconomic groups

OBJECTIVES: The National Hospital Discharge Survey (NHDS) was used to evaluate potentially avoidable hospital conditions as an indicator of equity and efficiency in the US health care system. METHODS: With the use of 1990 data from the NHDS, the National Health Interview Survey, and the census, national rates of hospitalization were calculated for avoidable conditions by age, race, median income of zip code, and insurance status. RESULTS: An estimated 3.1 million hospitalizations were for potentially avoidable conditions. This was 12% of all hospitalizations in 1990 (excluding psychiatric admissions, women with deliveries, and newborns). Rates of potentially avoidable hospitalizations were higher for persons living in middle- and low-income areas than for persons living in high-income areas, and were higher among Blacks than among Whites. These class and racial differences were also found among the privately insured. Differences among income and racial groups for persons aged 65 and over were not significant. CONCLUSIONS: Inequalities in potentially avoidable hospitalizations suggest inequity and inefficiency in the health care delivery system. Avoidable hospital conditions are a useful national indicator to monitor access to care.     

Thermal Analysis of Sulphamethoxazole - Sugar Physical Mixes

Differential scanning calorimetry and hot stage microscopy have been used to study the interactions between sulphamethoxazole and the sugars maltose, glucose, sucrose and mannitol. Only the sulphamethoxazole-mannitol system appeared to be stable and presented a eutectic containing 90.3% sulphamethoxazole. Heats of fusion for sulphamethoxazole, mannitol and their eutectic were 33.4, 73.6 and 39.9 cal g respectively.     

MetateM: An introduction

In this paper a methodology for the use of temporal logic as an executable imperative language is introduced. The approach, which provides a concrete framework, calledMetateM, for executing temporal formulae, is motivated and illustrated through examples. In addition, this introduction provides references to further, more detailed, work relating to theMetateM approach to executable logics.