A generic operator over discrete time intervals

Author(s):  
Jérémie Blanc ◽  
Rachid Echahed
Keyword(s):  
Author(s):  
Gary P. Latham ◽  
Lorne M. Sulsky ◽  
Heather MacDonald

A distinguishing feature of performance management relative to performance appraisal is that the former is an ongoing process whereas the latter is done at discrete time intervals (e.g. annually). Ongoing coaching is an integral aspect of performance management. Performance appraisal is the time period in which to summarize the overall progress that an individual or team has made as a result of being coached, and to agree on the new goals that should be set. Common to the performance management/appraisal process are the four following steps. First, desired job performance must be defined. Second, an individual's performance on the job must be observed. Is the person or team's performance excellent, superior, satisfactory, or unacceptable? Third, feedback is provided and specific challenging goals are set as to what the person or team should start doing, stop doing, or be doing differently. Fourth, a decision is made regarding retaining, rewarding, training, transferring, promoting, demoting, or terminating the employmemt of an individual.


2009 ◽  
Vol 19 (11) ◽  
pp. 3829-3832
Author(s):  
ABRAHAM BOYARSKY ◽  
PAWEŁ GÓRA

We consider dynamical systems on time domains that alternate between continuous time intervals and discrete time intervals. The dynamics on the continuous portions may represent species growth when there is population overlap and are governed by differential or partial differential equations. The dynamics across the discrete time intervals are governed by a chaotic map and may represent population growth which is seasonal. We study the long term dynamics of this combined system. We study various conditions on the continuous time dynamics and discrete time dynamics that produce chaos and alternatively nonchaos for the combined system. When the discrete system alone is chaotic we provide a condition on the continuous dynamical component such that the combined system behaves chaotically. We also provide a condition that ensures that if the discrete time system has an absolutely continuous invariant measure so will the combined system. An example based on the logistic continuous time and logistic discrete time component is worked out.


1999 ◽  
Vol 122 (1) ◽  
pp. 191-197 ◽  
Author(s):  
Radha Sarma ◽  
Aarthi Rao

Discretization and interpolation of curves are two frequently adopted practices when machining complex curves using computer numerically controlled (CNC) machines. Both practices stem from the need to sample curves at discrete time intervals corresponding to the sampling period of the CNC machine. This paper proposes new techniques for discretization and interpolation that account for the change of tool orientations in five-axis machining. First, the method for discretization proposed in this paper is based on sampling the curves such that specified contour, feedrate, and orientation errors are not exceeded. Second, the interpolator proposed in this paper will be able to avoid excessive angular speeds arising from sampling the curves based on the feedrate alone. [S1087-1357(00)01401-5]


2013 ◽  
Vol 50 (04) ◽  
pp. 918-930 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marie-Anne Guerry

When a discrete-time homogenous Markov chain is observed at time intervals that correspond to its time unit, then the transition probabilities of the chain can be estimated using known maximum likelihood estimators. In this paper we consider a situation when a Markov chain is observed on time intervals with length equal to twice the time unit of the Markov chain. The issue then arises of characterizing probability matrices whose square root(s) are also probability matrices. This characterization is referred to in the literature as the embedding problem for discrete time Markov chains. The probability matrix which has probability root(s) is called embeddable. In this paper for two-state Markov chains, necessary and sufficient conditions for embeddability are formulated and the probability square roots of the transition matrix are presented in analytic form. In finding conditions for the existence of probability square roots for (k x k) transition matrices, properties of row-normalized matrices are examined. Besides the existence of probability square roots, the uniqueness of these solutions is discussed: In the case of nonuniqueness, a procedure is introduced to identify a transition matrix that takes into account the specificity of the concrete context. In the case of nonexistence of a probability root, the concept of an approximate probability root is introduced as a solution of an optimization problem related to approximate nonnegative matrix factorization.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer Todd ◽  
Farah Hina ◽  
Jane E Aspell

Previous research utilising a between-subjects design has indicated that the use of noise-dampening ear-protectors might enhance interoceptive accuracy (IAcc). In the present study, we further examined this effect using a repeated-measures, within-participants design, and investigated potential mechanisms that might explain the effect. 50 participants completed the heartbeat tracking task (HTT) with and without the use of industrial ear-protectors, in a counter-balanced order. Participants were asked to count the number of heartbeats occurring in five discrete time intervals of 25, 35, 45, 55 and 95 seconds, without feeling for a manual pulse. HTT scores were significantly higher when ear-protectors were worn, and the improvement in performance was greatest for participants with lower baseline IAcc. The ear-protectors were associated with significantly increased self-reported heartbeat audibility, task-related confidence and concentration, and decreased levels of distractibility. Heartbeat audibility was also correlated with HTT performance when the ear-protectors were worn. Because the use of industrial ear defenders resulted in increased heartbeat audibility, this manipulation should not be used to assess causal hypotheses related to changes in IAcc. However, it may serve as a simple, non-invasive manipulation to assess the effects of externalised interoceptive signals.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. e003188
Author(s):  
Mario Mandalá ◽  
James Larkin ◽  
Paolo A Ascierto ◽  
Michele Del Vecchio ◽  
Helen Gogas ◽  
...  

BackgroundSeveral therapeutic options are now available in the adjuvant melanoma setting, mandating an understanding of their benefit‒risk profiles in order to make informed treatment decisions. Herein we characterize adjuvant nivolumab select (immune-related) treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) and evaluate possible associations between safety and recurrence-free survival (RFS) in the phase III CheckMate 238 trial.MethodsPatients with resected stage IIIB–C or IV melanoma received nivolumab 3 mg/kg every 2 weeks (n=452) or ipilimumab 10 mg/kg every 3 weeks for four doses and then every 12 weeks (n=453) for up to 1 year or until disease recurrence, unacceptable toxicity, or consent withdrawal. First-occurrence and all-occurrence select TRAEs were analyzed within discrete time intervals: from 0 to 3 months of treatment, from >3–12 months of treatment, and from the last dose (regardless of early or per-protocol treatment discontinuation) to 100 days after the last dose. Possible associations between select TRAEs and RFS were investigated post randomization in 3-month landmark analyses and in Cox model analyses (including a time-varying covariate of select TRAE), within and between treatment groups.ResultsFrom the first nivolumab dose to 100 days after the last dose, first-occurrence select TRAEs were reported in 67.7% (306/452) of patients. First-occurrence select TRAEs were reported most frequently from 0 to 3 months (48.0%), during which the most common were pruritus (15.5%) and diarrhea (15.3%). Most select TRAEs resolved within 6 months. There was no clear association between the occurrence (or not) of select TRAEs and RFS by landmark analysis or by Cox model analysis within treatment arms or comparing nivolumab to the ipilimumab comparator arm.ConclusionResults of this safety analysis of nivolumab in adjuvant melanoma were consistent with its established safety profile. In the discrete time intervals evaluated, most first-occurrence TRAEs occurred early during treatment and resolved. No association between RFS and select TRAEs was evident.Trial registration numberNCT02388906.


Author(s):  
Aristotelis-Angelos Papadopoulos ◽  
Maged Dessouky ◽  
Petros Ioannou ◽  
Ioannis Kordonis

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tim Loossens ◽  
Francis Tuerlinckx ◽  
Stijn Verdonck

AbstractIntra-individual processes are thought to continuously unfold across time. For equally spaced time intervals, the discrete-time lag-1 vector autoregressive (VAR(1)) model and the continuous-time Ornstein–Uhlenbeck (OU) model are equivalent. It is expected that by taking into account the unequal spacings of the time intervals in real data between observations will lead to an advantage for the OU in terms of predictive accuracy. In this paper, this is claim is being investigated by comparing the predictive accuracy of the OU model to that of the VAR(1) model on typical ESM data obtained in the context of affect research. It is shown that the VAR(1) model outperforms the OU model for the majority of the time series, even though time intervals in the data are unequally spaced. Accounting for measurement error does not change the result. Deleting large abrupt changes on short time intervals (that may be caused by externally driven events) does however lead to a significant improvement for the OU model. This suggests that processes in psychology may be continuously evolving, but that there are factors, like external events, which can disrupt the continuous flow.


Author(s):  
Mark Matthias Trede ◽  
Thorsten Heimann

Most models of income dynamics are set in a discrete-time framework with an arbitrarily chosen accounting period. This article introduces a continuous-time stochastic model of income flows, without the need to define an accounting period. Our model can be estimated using unbalanced panel data with arbitrarily spaced observations. Although our model describes the stochastic properties of income flows, estimation is based on observed incomes accruing during time intervals of possibly varying length. Our model of income dynamics is close in spirit to the discrete-time two-stage models prevalent in the literature. We impose a parsimoniously parameterized continuous-time stochastic process (possibly containing a unit root) to model the deviation from a traditional earnings function. We illustrate our approach by estimating a simplified model using microeconomic data from the German social security agency from 1975 to 1995.


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