This paper presents a new growing neural network for cluster analysis and market segmentation, which optimizes the size and structure of clusters by iteratively checking them for multivariate normality. We combine the recently published SGNN approach [8] with the basic principle underlying the Gaussian-means algorithm [13] and the Mardia test for multivariate normality [18, 19]. The new approac...

This paper presents a new growing neural network for cluster analysis and market segmentation, which optimizes the size and structure of clusters by iteratively checking them for multivariate normality. We combine the recently published SGNN approach [8] with the basic principle underlying the Gaussian-means algorithm [13] and the Mardia test for multivariate normality [18, 19]. The new approac...

T he sovereignty of Hong Kong was handed over to the People’s Republic of China by the United Kingdom on July 1, 1997, after almost 150 years of British rule. Hong Kong became a special administrative region (Hong Kong SAR) of China, maintaining its own legal structure governed by law based on the principle of “1 country 2 systems.” The basic law continues to recognize the autonomy of medicine ...

In this paper I present an argument in favour of a parental duty to use preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD). I argue that if embryos created in vitro were able to decide for themselves in a rational manner, they would sometimes choose PGD as a method of selection. Couples, therefore, should respect their hypothetical choices on a principle similar to that of patient autonomy. My thesis show...

For at least 50 years informed consent in medicine has focused on the principle of autonomy. Recently, attention has been given to informed consent being a shared decision. A primary mandate to do what is in the best interest of the patient still remains. The shared view looks to expand beyond the dyadic image of doctor and patient, to acknowledge the essential contribution to be made to inform...

In this paper we propose DRMI, a fully decentralized, highly scalable and efficient resource management infrastructure, which is built on top of prefix-based DHT. DRMI provides large-scale resource monitoring and management for arbitrary metadata in variational Grid and peer-to-peer environment. DRMI monitors resources with their natural organizations and can trace them in a wide scope from lar...

INTRODUCTION ............................................................................ 174 I. A PRIVATE RIGHT OF ACTION FOR TREATMENT BUT NOT RESEARCH .......................................................................... 177 A. Informed Consent to Treatment ............................... 177 B. Informed Consent to Research .................................. 183 II. THE EVOLVING RESEARC...

The use of electrically-stimulated skeletal muscle as an endogenous power source is an attractive approach to long-term cardiac assistance. The principle advantage of this technique over current methods is that it obviates the need for extracorporeal power sources and provides a reliable, low-cost, self-sustaining source of energy without immune compromise or loss of patient autonomy. This arti...

This paper addresses the question whether all pregnant women should have an ultrasound examination. We used the methods of ethical analysis and argument to show that the principle of respect for autonomy creates an obligation to inform every pregnant woman about the availability of obstetric ultrasound in settings in which quality ultrasound is available. We considered two objections to this po...