Impact of aviation highway-in-the-sky displays on pilot situation awareness Thirty-six pilots -LRB- 31 men , 5 women -RRB- were tested in a flight simulator on their ability to intercept a pathway depicted on a highway-in-the-sky -LRB- HITS -RRB- display . While intercepting and flying the pathway , pilots were required to watch for traffic outside the cockpit . Additionally , pilots were tested on their awareness of speed , altitude , and heading during the flight . Results indicated that the presence of a flight guidance cue significantly improved flight path awareness while intercepting the pathway , but significant practice effects suggest that a guidance cue might be unnecessary if pilots are given proper training . The amount of time spent looking outside the cockpit while using the HITS display was significantly less than when using conventional aircraft instruments . Additionally , awareness of flight information present on the HITS display was poor . Actual or potential applications of this research include guidance for the development of perspective flight display standards and as a basis for flight training requirements

O O O O O O O B I O B O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O B O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O B I I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O

flight simulator
pilots
cockpit
flight guidance
situation awareness
flight path awareness

highway-in-the-sky display
human factors
aircraft display


Extending Kamp 's theorem to model time granularity In this paper , a generalization of Kamp 's theorem relative to the functional completeness of the until operator is proved . Such a generalization consists in showing the functional completeness of more expressive temporal operators with respect to the extension of the first-order theory of linear orders MFO -LSB- < -RSB- with an extra binary relational symbol . The result is motivated by the search of a modal language capable of expressing properties and operators suitable to model time granularity in omega - layered temporal structures

O O O O O B I I O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O B I O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O B I I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I I O O O O O O

functional completeness
until operator
temporal operators
linear orders
binary relational symbol
model time granularity

kamp's theorem
first-order theory
omega -layered temporal structures


Axioms for branching time Logics of general branching time , or historical necessity , have long been studied but important axiomatization questions remain open . Here the difficulties of finding axioms for such logics are considered and ideas for solving some of the main open problems are presented . A new , more expressive logical account is also given to support Peirce 's prohibition on truth values being attached to the contingent future

B O B I O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O


Assessment of prehospital chest pain using telecardiology Two hundred general practitioners were equipped with a portable electrocardiograph which could transmit a 12-lead electrocardiogram -LRB- ECG -RRB- via a telephone line . A cardiologist was available 24 h a day for an interactive teleconsultation . In a 13 month period there were 5073 calls to the telecardiology service and 952 subjects with chest pain were identified . The telecardiology service allowed the general practitioners to manage 700 cases -LRB- 74 % -RRB- themselves ; further diagnostic tests were requested for 162 patients -LRB- 17 % -RRB- and 83 patients -LRB- 9 % -RRB- were sent to the hospital emergency department . In the last group a cardiological diagnosis was confirmed in 60 patients and refuted in 23 . Seven patients in whom the telecardiology service failed to detect a cardiac problem were hospitalized in the subsequent 48 h . The telecardiology service showed a sensitivity of 97.4 % , a specificity of 89.5 % and a diagnostic accuracy of 86.9 % for chest pain . Telemedicine could be a useful tool in the diagnosis of chest pain in primary care

O O O O O O B O O B I O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O B I O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O B O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O B I I O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O B O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O B O O O O O B O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I

telecardiology
general practitioners
portable electrocardiograph
telephone line
interactive teleconsultation
patients
diagnostic tests
hospital emergency department
sensitivity
specificity
diagnostic accuracy
primary care
13 month

prehospital chest pain assessment
electrocardiogram transmission


Utilizing Web-based case studies for cutting-edge information services issues This article reports on a pilot study conducted by the Academic Libraries of the 21st Century project team to determine whether the benefits of the case study method as a training framework for change initiatives could successfully transfer from the traditional face-to-face format to a virtual format . Methods of developing the training framework , as well as the benefits , challenges , and recommendations for future strategies gained from participant feedback are outlined . The results of a survey administered to chat session registrants are presented in three sections : -LRB- 1 -RRB- evaluation of the training framework ; -LRB- 2 -RRB- evaluation of participants ' experiences in the virtual environment ; and -LRB- 3 -RRB- a comparison of participants ' preference of format . The overall participant feedback regarding the utilization of the case study method in a virtual environment for professional development and collaborative problem solving is very positive

O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O B I O B I I O O O

academic libraries
training
change initiatives
survey
virtual environment
professional development
collaborative problem solving

web-based case studies
cutting-edge information services
internet


Formal verification of human-automation interaction This paper discusses a formal and rigorous approach to the analysis of operator interaction with machines . It addresses the acute problem of detecting design errors in human-machine interaction and focuses on verifying the correctness of the interaction in complex and automated control systems . The paper describes a systematic methodology for evaluating whether the interface provides the necessary information about the machine to enable the operator to perform a specified task successfully and unambiguously . It also addresses the adequacy of information provided to the user via training materials -LRB- e.g. , user manual -RRB- about the machine 's behavior . The essentials of the methodology , which can be automated and applied to the verification of large systems , are illustrated by several examples and through a case study of pilot interaction with an autopilot aboard a modern commercial aircraft . The expected application of this methodology is an augmentation and enhancement , by formal verification , of human-automation interfaces

B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O

formal verification
automated control systems
autopilot
commercial aircraft

human-automation interaction
man-machine interaction
user interface


Adaptive multiresolution approach for solution of hyperbolic PDEs This paper establishes an innovative and efficient multiresolution adaptive approach combined with high-resolution methods , for the numerical solution of a single or a system of partial differential equations . The proposed methodology is unconditionally bounded -LRB- even for hyperbolic equations -RRB- and dynamically adapts the grid so that higher spatial resolution is automatically allocated to domain regions where strong gradients are observed , thus possessing the two desired properties of a numerical approach : stability and accuracy . Numerical results for five test problems are presented which clearly show the robustness and cost effectiveness of the proposed method

O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I I O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O B I O O O O

multiresolution adaptive approach
numerical solution
spatial resolution
strong gradients
stability
accuracy
robustness
cost effectiveness

hyperbolic partial differential equations


Non-linear analysis of nearly saturated porous media : theoretical and numerical formulation A formulation for a porous medium saturated with a compressible fluid undergoing large elastic and plastic deformations is presented . A consistent thermodynamic formulation is proposed for the two-phase mixture problem ; thus preserving a straightforward and robust numerical scheme . A novel feature is the specification of the fluid compressibility in terms of a volumetric logarithmic strain , which is energy conjugated to the fluid pressure in the entropy inequality . As a result , the entropy inequality is used to separate three different mechanisms representing the response : effective stress response according to Terzaghi in the solid skeleton , fluid pressure response to compressibility of the fluid , and dissipative Darcy flow representing the interaction between the two phases . The paper is concluded with a couple of numerical examples that display the predictive capabilities of the proposed formulation . In particular , we consider results for the kinematically linear theory as compared to the kinematically non-linear theory

B I O B I I I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O B I I O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I I O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O B I I O O O O O O O B I O O B I O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O B I I O O O O O B I O B I O O O O O O O O B I I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I I O O O O B I I

nearly saturated porous media
nonlinear analysis
compressible fluid
consistent thermodynamic formulation
robust numerical scheme
fluid compressibility
volumetric logarithmic strain
fluid pressure
entropy inequality
effective stress response
solid skeleton
dissipative darcy flow
predictive capabilities
kinematically linear theory
kinematically nonlinear theory

large elastic deformations
large plastic deformations
two-phase mixture problem
fluid pressure response


Hypothesis-based concept assignment in software maintenance Software maintenance accounts for a significant proportion of the lifetime cost of a software system . Software comprehension is required in many parts of the maintenance process and is one of the most expensive activities . Many tools have been developed to help the maintainer reduce the time and cost of this task , but of the numerous tools and methods available one group has received relatively little attention : those using plausible reasoning to address the concept assignment problem . We present a concept assignment method for COBOL II : hypothesis-based concept assignment -LRB- HB-CA -RRB- . An implementation of a prototype tool is described , and results from a comprehensive evaluation using commercial COBOL II sources are summarised . In particular , we identify areas of a standard maintenance process where such methods would be appropriate , and discuss the potential cost savings that may result

O O O O B I B I O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O

software maintenance
lifetime cost
cobol ii

hypothesis-based concept assignment
scalability


Hand-held digital video-camera for eye examination and follow-up We developed a hand-held digital colour video-camera for eye examination in primary care . The device weighed 550 g . It featured a charge-coupled device -LRB- CCD -RRB- and corrective optics . Both colour video and digital still images could be taken . The video-camera was connected to a PC with software for database storage , image processing and telecommunication . We studied 88 normal subjects -LRB- 38 male , 50 female -RRB- , aged 7-62 years . It was not necessary to use mydriatic eye drops for pupillary dilation . Satisfactory digital images of the whole face and the anterior eye were obtained . The optic disc and the central part of the ocular fundus could also be recorded . Image quality of the face and the anterior eye were excellent ; image quality of the optic disc and macula were good enough for tele-ophthalmology . Further studies are needed to evaluate the usefulness of the equipment in different clinical conditions

O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O B I O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O B I I O O O O O O O O O O B O B O B I O B I O B O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O B I O O O O B I O O O O O O B I O O O O O B I O O O O O B I O O O B I O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I

eye examination
primary care
corrective optics
digital still images
pc
software
database storage
image processing
telecommunication
normal subjects
whole face
anterior eye
optic disc
ocular fundus
image quality
clinical conditions

hand-held digital colour video camera
charge-coupled device
colour video images
tele-ophthalmology
follow-up


LR parsing for conjunctive grammars The generalized LR parsing algorithm for context-free grammars , introduced by Tomita in 1986 , is a polynomial-time implementation of nondeterministic LR parsing that uses graph-structured stack to represent the contents of the nondeterministic parser 's pushdown for all possible branches of computation at a single computation step . It has been specifically developed as a solution for practical parsing tasks arising in computational linguistics , and indeed has proved itself to be very suitable for natural language processing . Conjunctive grammars extend context-free grammars by allowing the use of an explicit intersection operation within grammar rules . This paper develops a new LR-style parsing algorithm for these grammars , which is based on the very same idea of a graph-structured pushdown , where the simultaneous existence of several paths in the graph is used to perform the mentioned intersection operation . The underlying finite automata are treated in the most general way : instead of showing the algorithm 's correctness for some particular way of constructing automata , the paper defines a wide class of automata usable with a given grammar , which includes not only the traditional LR -LRB- k -RRB- automata , but also , for instance , a trivial automaton with a single reachable state . A modification of the SLR -LRB- k -RRB- table construction method that makes use of specific properties of conjunctive grammars is provided as one possible way of making finite automata to use with the algorithm

O O O B I O B I I I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O B I I O B I O O O O O O O O O B I I O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O B I I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O

conjunctive grammars
generalized lr parsing algorithm
computation
computational linguistics
natural language processing
explicit intersection operation
grammar rules
finite automata
trivial automaton
single reachable state

graph-structured stack
nondeterministic parser pushdown
context-free grammars
boolean closure
deterministic context-free languages


Developing Web-enhanced learning for information fluency-a liberal arts college 's perspective Learning is likely to take a new form in the twenty-first century , and a transformation is already in process . Under the framework of information fluency , efforts are being made at Rollins College to develop a Web-enhanced course that encompasses information literacy , basic computer literacy , and critical thinking skills . Computer-based education can be successful when librarians use technology effectively to enhance their integrated library teaching . In an online learning environment , students choose a time for learning that best suits their needs and motivational levels . They can learn at their own pace , take a nonlinear approach to the subject , and maintain constant communication with instructors and other students . The quality of a technology-facilitated course can be upheld if the educational objectives and methods for achieving those objectives are carefully planned and explored

O O O O O O B I I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O B I O O B I I O O O O O O O B O O O O O O B I I O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O

information fluency
liberal arts college
information literacy
computer literacy
critical thinking skills
librarians
integrated library teaching
online learning

web-enhanced learning
computer-based education


E-commerce-resources for doing business on the Internet There are many different types of e-commerce depending upon who or what is selling and who or what is buying . In addition , e-commerce is more than an exchange of funds and goods or services , it encompasses an entire infrastructure of services , computer hardware and software products , technologies , and communications formats . The paper discusses e-commerce terminology , types and information resources , including books and Web sites

O O O B O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O B I O O B O B I

business
internet
terminology
information resources
books
web sites


An eight-year study of Internet-based remote medical counselling We carried out a prospective study of an Internet-based remote counselling service . A total of 15,456 Internet users visited the Web site over eight years . From these , 1500 users were randomly selected for analysis . Medical counselling had been granted to 901 of the people requesting it -LRB- 60 % -RRB- . One hundred and sixty-four physicians formed project groups to process the requests and responded using email . The distribution of patients using the service was similar to the availability of the Internet : 78 % were from the European Union , North America and Australia . Sixty-seven per cent of the patients lived in urban areas and the remainder were residents of remote rural areas with limited local medical coverage . Sixty-five per cent of the requests were about problems of internal medicine and 30 % of the requests concerned surgical issues . The remaining 5 % of the patients sought information about recent developments , such as molecular medicine or aviation medicine . During the project , our portal became inaccessible five times , and counselling was not possible on 44 days . There was no hacking of the Web site . Internet-based medical counselling is a helpful addition to conventional practice

O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O B I I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O

internet users
web site
email
urban areas
remote rural areas
surgical issues
portal

internet-based remote medical counselling


When reference works are not books-the new edition of the Guide to Reference Books The author considers the history of the Guide to Reference Books -LRB- GRB -RRB- and its importance in librarianship . He discusses the ways in which the new edition is taking advantage of changing times . GRB has become a cornerstone of the literature of U.S. librarianship . The biggest change GRB will undergo to become GRS -LRB- Guide to Reference Sources -RRB- will be designing it primarily as a Web product

O B I O O O O O O O B I I I O O O O B O O B I I I O B O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O B O O O O B O O O O B O B I I I O O O O O O O O B I

reference works
guide to reference books
history
librarianship
grb
grs
guide to reference sources
web product


Telemedicine in the management of a cervical dislocation by a mobile neurosurgeon Neurosurgical teams , who are normally located in specialist centres , frequently use teleradiology to make a decision about the transfer of a patient to the nearest neurosurgical department . This decision depends on the type of pathology , the clinical status of the patient and the prognosis . If the transfer of the patient is not possible , for example because of an unstable clinical status , a mobile neurosurgical team may be used . We report a case which was dealt with in a remote French military airborne surgical unit , in the Republic of Chad . The unit , which provides health-care to the French military personnel stationed there , also provides free medical care for the local population . It conducts about 100 operations each month . The unit comprises two surgeons -LRB- an orthopaedic and a general surgeon -RRB- , one anaesthetist , two anaesthetic nurses , one operating room nurse , two nurses , three paramedics and a secretary . The civilian patient presented with unstable cervical trauma . A mobile neurosurgeon operated on her , and used telemedicine before , during and after surgery

B O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I I I I I O O O B I I O O O O O O O O O B I I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O B I I O O B I O O O O O O B O O O O O B

remote french military airborne surgical unit

cervical dislocation management
health care


Relation between glare and driving performance The present study investigated the effects of discomfort glare on driving behavior . Participants -LRB- old and young ; US and Europeans -RRB- were exposed to a simulated low - beam light source mounted on the hood of an instrumented vehicle . Participants drove at night in actual traffic along a track consisting of urban , rural , and highway stretches . The results show that the relatively low glare source caused a significant drop in detecting simulated pedestrians along the roadside and made participants drive significantly slower on dark and winding roads . Older participants showed the largest drop in pedestrian detection performance and reduced their driving speed the most . The results indicate that the de Boer rating scale , the most commonly used rating scale for discomfort glare , is practically useless as a predictor of driving performance . Furthermore , the maximum US headlamp intensity -LRB- 1380 cd per headlamp -RRB- appears to be an acceptable upper limit

O O B O B I O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O

discomfort glare
simulated low-beam light source
road traffic
urban road
rural road
deboer rating scale


P systems with symport/antiport rules : the traces of objects We continue the study of those P systems where the computation is performed by the communication of objects , that is , systems with symport and antiport rules . Instead of the -LRB- number of -RRB- objects collected in a specified membrane , as the result of a computation we consider the itineraries of a certain object through membranes , during a halting computation , written as a coding of the string of labels of the visited membranes . The family of languages generated in this way is investigated with respect to its place in the Chomsky hierarchy . When the -LRB- symport and antiport -RRB- rules are applied in a conditional manner , promoted or inhibited by certain objects which should be present in the membrane where a rule is applied , then a characterization of recursively enumerable languages is obtained ; the power of systems with the rules applied freely is only partially described

B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O

p systems
antiport rules
itineraries
halting computation
languages
chomsky hierarchy

object communication
object traces
symport rules
label string coding
recursively enumerable languages


Computational complexity of probabilistic disambiguation Recent models of natural language processing employ statistical reasoning for dealing with the ambiguity of formal grammars . In this approach , statistics , concerning the various linguistic phenomena of interest , are gathered from actual linguistic data and used to estimate the probabilities of the various entities that are generated by a given grammar , e.g. , derivations , parse-trees and sentences . The extension of grammars with probabilities makes it possible to state ambiguity resolution as a constrained optimization formula , which aims at maximizing the probability of some entity that the grammar generates given the input -LRB- e.g. , maximum probability parse-tree given some input sentence -RRB- . The implementation of these optimization formulae in efficient algorithms , however , does not always proceed smoothly . In this paper , we address the computational complexity of ambiguity resolution under various kinds of probabilistic models . We provide proofs that some , frequently occurring problems of ambiguity resolution are NP-complete . These problems are encountered in various applications , e.g. , language understanding for textand speech-based applications . Assuming the common model of computation , this result implies that , for many existing probabilistic models it is not possible to devise tractable algorithms for solving these optimization problems

B I O B I O O O B I I O B I O O O O O O B I O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I I O O B I I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O

natural language processing
statistical reasoning
formal grammars
statistics
computational complexity
probabilistic disambiguation
state ambiguity resolution
constrained optimization formula
probabilistic models
language understanding

np-completeness results
parsing problems
speech processing


Social presence in telemedicine We studied consultations between a doctor , emergency nurse practitioners -LRB- ENPs -RRB- and their patients in a minor accident and treatment service -LRB- MATS -RRB- . In the conventional consultations , all three people were located at the main hospital . In the teleconsultations , the doctor was located in a hospital 6 km away from the MATS and used a videoconferencing link connected at 384 kbit/s . There were 30 patients in the conventional group and 30 in the telemedical group . The presenting problems were similar in the two groups . The mean duration of teleconsultations was 951 s and the mean duration of face-to-face consultations was 247 s . In doctor-nurse communication there was a higher rate of turn taking in teleconsultations than in face-to-face consultations ; there were also more interruptions , more words and more ` backchannels ' -LRB- e.g. ` mhm ' , ` uh-huh ' -RRB- per teleconsultation . In doctor-patient communication there was a higher rate of turn taking , more words , more interruptions and more backchannels per teleconsultation . In patient-nurse communication there was . relatively little difference between the two modes of consulting the doctor . Telemedicine appeared to empower the patient to ask more questions of the doctor . It also seemed that the doctor took greater care in a teleconsultation to achieve coordination of beliefs with the patient than in a face-to-face consultation

B I O B O O O O O B O B I I O O O O O B O O B I I I I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O B I O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O B I O B O O O O O O O O O B O O B O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O B O O B O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O B O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O

social presence
telemedicine
doctor
emergency nurse practitioners
patients
minor accident and treatment service
teleconsultations
videoconferencing link
interruptions
backchannels
words
turn taking
951 s
247 s

face-to-face consultations
doctor-nurse communication
patient-nurse communication
belief coordination
384 kbit/s


A parareal in time procedure for the control of partial differential equations We have proposed in a previous note a time discretization for partial differential evolution equation that allows for parallel implementations . This scheme is here reinterpreted as a preconditioning procedure on an algebraic setting of the time discretization . This allows for extending the parallel methodology to the problem of optimal control for partial differential equations . We report a first numerical implementation that reveals a large interest

O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O B I O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O

time procedure
evolution equation
preconditioning procedure
algebraic setting
time discretization
optimal control

partial differential equation control
hilbert space


Control performance with three translational degrees of freedom For multiple degree-of-freedom -LRB- DOF -RRB- systems , it is important to determine how accurately operators can control each DOF and what influence perceptual , information processing , and psychomotor components have on performance . Sixteen right-handed male students participated in 2 experiments : 1 involving positioning and 1 involving tracking with 3 translational DOFs . To separate perceptual and psychomotor effects , we used 2 control-display mappings that differed in the coupling of vertical and depth dimensions to the up-down and fore-aft control axes . We observed information processing effects in the positioning task : Initial error correction on the vertical dimension lagged in time behind the horizontal dimension . The depth dimension error correction lagged behind both , which was ascribed to the poorer perceptual information . We observed this perceptual effect also in the tracking experiment . Motor effects were also present , with tracking errors along the up-down axis of the hand controller being 1.1 times larger than along the fore-aft axis . These results indicate that all 3 components contribute to control performance . Actual applications of this research include interface design

B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O B O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O B I I O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I I I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O B I

control performance
positioning
tracking
psychomotor effects
initial error correction
depth dimension error correction
interface design

multi-dof systems
perceptual effects
remote control
virtual reality


Agreeing with automated diagnostic aids : a study of users ' concurrence strategies Automated diagnostic aids that are less than perfectly reliable often produce unwarranted levels of disuse by operators . In the present study , users ' tendencies to either agree or disagree with automated diagnostic aids were examined under conditions in which : -LRB- 1 -RRB- the aids were less than perfectly reliable but aided-diagnosis was still more accurate that unaided diagnosis ; and -LRB- 2 -RRB- the system was completely opaque , affording users no additional information upon which to base a diagnosis . The results revealed that some users adopted a strategy of always agreeing with the aids , thereby maximizing the number of correct diagnoses made over several trials . Other users , however , adopted a probability-matching strategy in which agreement and disagreement rates matched the rate of correct and incorrect diagnoses of the aids . The probability-matching strategy , therefore , resulted in diagnostic accuracy scores that were lower than was maximally possible . Users who adopted the maximization strategy had higher self-ratings of problem-solving and decision-making skills , were more accurate in estimating aid reliabilities , and were more confident in their diagnosis on trials in which they agreed with the aids . The potential applications of these findings include the design of interface and training solutions that facilitate the adoption of the most effective concurrence strategies by users of automated diagnostic aids

O O B I I O O O O O O O O B I I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I I

automated diagnostic aids
disagreement rates
maximization

user concurrence strategy
probability-matching
problem-solving
reliability
complex systems
fault diagnosis


Portfolio optimization and the random magnet problem Diversification of an investment into independently fluctuating assets reduces its risk . In reality , movements of assets are mutually correlated and therefore knowledge of cross-correlations among asset price movements are of great importance . Our results support the possibility that the problem of finding an investment in stocks which exposes invested funds to a minimum level of risk is analogous to the problem of finding the magnetization of a random magnet . The interactions for this `` random magnet problem '' are given by the cross-correlation matrix C of stock returns . We find that random matrix theory allows us to make an estimate for C which outperforms the standard estimate in terms of constructing an investment which carries a minimum level of risk

B I O O B I I O O O B O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O B O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O B I I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O

portfolio optimization
fluctuating assets
price movements
investment
stocks
invested funds
magnetization
random magnet problem

cross-correlations
cross-correlation matrix
minimum risk level
spin glasses


The necessity of real-time-fact and fiction in digital reference systems Current discussions and trends in digital reference have emphasized the use of real-time digital reference services . Recent articles have questioned both the utility and use of asynchronous services such as e-mail . This article uses data from the AskERIC digital reference service to demonstrate that asynchronous services are not only useful and used , but may have greater utility than real-time systems

O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O

real-time digital reference services
e-mail
personalized internet-based service
digital library


Embedded Linux and the law The rising popularity of Linux , combined with perceived cost savings , has spurred many embedded developers to consider a real-time Linux variant as an alternative to a traditional RTOS . The paper presents the legal implications for the proprietary parts of firmware

B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O


Ecological interface design : progress and challenges Ecological interface design -LRB- EID -RRB- is a theoretical framework for designing human-computer interfaces for complex socio-technical systems . Its primary aim is to support knowledge workers in adapting to change and novelty . This literature review shows that in situations requiring problem solving , EID improves performance when compared with current design approaches in industry . EID has been applied to industry-scale problems in a broad variety of application domains -LRB- e.g. , process control , aviation , computer network management , software engineering , medicine , command and control , and information retrieval -RRB- and has consistently led to the identification of new information requirements . An experimental evaluation of EID using a full-fidelity simulator with professional workers has yet to be conducted , although some are planned . Several significant challenges remain as obstacles to the confident use of EID in industry . Promising paths for addressing these outstanding issues are identified . Actual or potential applications of this research include improving the safety and productivity of complex socio-technical systems

B I I O O O O B I I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O

ecological interface design
industry
productivity

human-computer interfaces
complex social technical systems
user interface
human factors


The effects of work pace on within-participant and between-participant keying force , electromyography , and fatigue A laboratory study was conducted to determine the effects of work pace on typing force , electromyographic -LRB- EMG -RRB- activity , and subjective discomfort . We found that as participants typed faster , their typing force and finger flexor and extensor EMG activity increased linearly . There was also an increase in subjective discomfort , with a sharp threshold between participants ' self-selected pace and their maximum typing speed . The results suggest that participants self-select a typing pace that maximizes typing speed and minimizes discomfort . The fastest typists did not produce significantly more finger flexor EMG activity but did produce proportionately less finger extensor EMG activity compared with the slower typists . We hypothesize that fast typists may use different muscle recruitment patterns that allow them to be more efficient than slower typists at striking the keys . In addition , faster typists do not experience more discomfort than slow typists . These findings show that the relative pace of typing is more important than actual typing speed with regard to discomfort and muscle activity . These results suggest that typists may benefit from skill training to increase maximum typing speed . Potential applications of this research includes skill training for typists

O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O B I O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O B O O O B O O O O O B I B I O O O O O O O B I O O O O B O O O O O B O O O B I I O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O B O O O O B O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O B O O O O O O O O B O O O B I O O O B I O O O O O O O B I O B

emg activity
subjective discomfort
finger flexor
typing speed
discomfort
typists
muscle recruitment patterns
keying force
skill training


Contrast sensitivity in a dynamic environment : effects of target conditions and visual impairment Contrast sensitivity was determined as a function of target velocity -LRB- 0 degrees -120 degrees / s -RRB- over a variety of viewing conditions . In Experiment 1 , measurements of dynamic contrast sensitivity were determined for observers as a function of target velocity for letter stimuli . Significant main effects were found for target velocity , target size , and target duration , but significant interactions among the variables indicated especially pronounced adverse effects of increasing target velocity for small targets and brief durations . In Experiment 2 , the effects of simulated cataracts were determined . Although the simulated impairment had no effect on traditional acuity scores , dynamic contrast sensitivity was markedly reduced . Results are discussed in terms of dynamic contrast sensitivity as a useful composite measure of visual functioning that may provide a better overall picture of an individual 's visual functioning than does traditional static acuity , dynamic acuity , or contrast sensitivity alone . The measure of dynamic contrast sensitivity may increase understanding of the practical effects of various conditions , such as aging or disease , on the visual system , or it may allow improved prediction of individuals ' performance in visually dynamic situations

B I O O B I O O O B I O B I B I O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O B I O B I O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O

contrast sensitivity
dynamic environment
target conditions
visual impairment
target velocity
target size
target duration
acuity scores
aging
disease


Surface textures improve the robustness of stereoscopic depth cues This research develops design recommendations for surface textures -LRB- patterns of color on object surfaces -RRB- rendered with stereoscopic displays . In 3 method-of-adjustment procedure experiments , 8 participants matched the disparity of a circular probe and a planar stimulus rendered using a single visible edge . The experiments varied stimulus orientation and surface texture . Participants more accurately matched the depth of vertical stimuli than that of horizontal stimuli , consistent with previous studies and existing theory . Participants matched the depth of surfaces with large pixel-to-pixel luminance variations more accurately than they did surfaces with a small pixel-to-pixel luminance variation . Finally , they matched the depth of surfaces with vertical line patterns more accurately than they did surfaces with horizontal-striped texture patterns . These results suggest that designers can enhance depth perception in stereoscopic displays , and also reduce undesirable sensitivity to orientation , by rendering objects with surface textures using large pixel-to-pixel luminance variations

B I O O B O B I I O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I I O O O O B I O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O

surface textures
robustness
stereoscopic depth cues
single visible edge
stimulus orientation
surface texture
vertical line patterns
depth perception
stereoscopic displays

circular probe disparity
planar stimulus disparity
pixel-to-pixel luminance variations
horizontal-striped texture patterns
orientation sensitivity reduction
object rendering


Feldkamp-type image reconstruction from equiangular data The cone-beam approach for image reconstruction attracts increasing attention in various applications , especially medical imaging . Previously , the traditional practical cone-beam reconstruction method , the Feldkamp algorithm , was generalized into the case of spiral/helical scanning loci with equispatial cone-beam projection data . In this paper , we formulated the generalized Feldkamp algorithm in the case of equiangular cone-beam projection data , and performed numerical simulation to evaluate the image quality . Because medical multi-slice/cone-beam CT scanners typically use equiangular projection data , our new formula may be useful in this area as a framework for further refinement and a benchmark for comparison

O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I I O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O

equiangular data
medical imaging
generalized feldkamp algorithm
numerical simulation
image quality

medical multi-slice/cone-beam ct scanners


The perceived utility of human and automated aids in a visual detection task Although increases in the use of automation have occurred across society , research has found that human operators often underutilize -LRB- disuse -RRB- and overly rely on -LRB- misuse -RRB- automated aids -LRB- Parasuraman-Riley -LRB- 1997 -RRB- -RRB- . Nearly 275 Cameron University students participated in 1 of 3 experiments performed to examine the effects of perceived utility -LRB- Dzindolet et al. -LRB- 2001 -RRB- -RRB- on automation use in a visual detection task and to compare reliance on automated aids with reliance on humans . Results revealed a bias for human operators to rely on themselves . Although self-report data indicate a bias toward automated aids over human aids , performance data revealed that participants were more likely to disuse automated aids than to disuse human aids . This discrepancy was accounted for by assuming human operators have a `` perfect automation '' schema . Actual or potential applications of this research include the design of future automated decision aids and training procedures for operators relying on such aids

O O O O O O B I O O B I I O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O B I I O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I I O O O O O O O O O

automated aids
visual detection task
human operators
automated decision aids
automation


Using DEVS formalism to operationalize ELP models for diagnosis in SACHEM This paper describes an original approach to discrete event control of continuous processes by means of expert knowledge . We present an application of this approach on the SACHEM diagnosis subsystem . The SACHEM system is a large-scale knowledge-based system that aims in helping a set of operators to control the dynamics of complex continuous systems -LRB- e.g. , blast furnaces -RRB- . The proposed method is based on : -LRB- i -RRB- The definition of a language facilitating the acquisition and representation of expert knowledge , called ELP -LRB- Expert Language Process -RRB- ; -LRB- ii -RRB- The use of the DEVS formalism to make ELP models operational ; -LRB- iii -RRB- Algorithms for exploiting operational models

O B O O O B I O O O B O O O O O O O B I I O B I O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O

sachem
elp models
discrete event control
continuous processes
expert knowledge
complex continuous systems
devs

sachem system
knowledge representation
knowledge acquisition


Laptops zip to 2 GHz-plus Intel 's Pentium 4-M processor has reached the coveted 2-GHz mark , and speed-hungry mobile users will be tempted to buy a laptop with the chip . However , while our exclusive tests found 2-GHz P4-M notebooks among the fastest units we 've tested , the new models failed to make dramatic gains compared with those based on Intel 's 1.8-GHz mobile chip . Since 2-GHz notebooks carry a hefty price premium , buyers seeking both good performance and a good price might prefer a 1.8-GHz unit instead

O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O


Estimation of the gradient of the solution of an adjoint diffusion equation by the Monte Carlo method For the case of isotropic diffusion we consider the representation of the weighted concentration of trajectories and its space derivatives in the form of integrals -LRB- with some weights -RRB- of the solution to the corresponding boundary value problem and its directional derivative of a convective velocity . If the convective velocity at the domain boundary is degenerate and some other additional conditions are imposed this representation allows us to construct an efficient ` random walk by spheres and balls ' algorithm . When these conditions are violated , transition to modelling the diffusion trajectories by the Euler scheme is realized , and the directional derivative of velocity is estimated by the dependent testing method , using the parallel modelling of two closely-spaced diffusion trajectories . We succeeded in justifying this method by statistically equivalent transition to modelling a single trajectory after the first step in the Euler scheme , using a suitable weight . This weight also admits direct differentiation with respect to the initial coordinate along a given direction . The resulting weight algorithm for calculating concentration derivatives is especially efficient if the initial point is in the subdomain in which the coefficients of the diffusion equation are constant

O O O O O O O O O B I I O O B I I O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O B I I O O B I O O B I O O O B I O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O B I O O O O O B I O O O O O O B I I O O O B I O O O B I O O O O O O O O B I I O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O B O O B O O B I O O O O B I O O O O O O O B O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O

isotropic diffusion
space derivatives
integrals
boundary value problem
directional derivative
convective velocity
domain boundary
adjoint diffusion equation
monte carlo method
diffusion trajectories
euler scheme
dependent testing method
parallel modelling
statistically equivalent transition
weight
direct differentiation
initial coordinate
concentration derivatives

random walk by spheres and balls algorithm


Dependence graphs : dependence within and between groups This paper applies the two-party dependence theory -LRB- Castelfranchi , Cesta and Miceli , 1992 , in Y. Demazeau and E. Werner -LRB- Eds . -RRB- Decentralized AI-3 , Elsevier , North Holland -RRB- to modelling multiagent and group dependence . These have theoretical potentialities for the study of emerging groups and collective structures , and more generally for understanding social and organisational complexity , and practical utility for both social-organisational and agent systems purposes . In the paper , the dependence theory is extended to describe multiagent links , with a special reference to group and collective phenomena , and is proposed as a framework for the study of emerging social structures , such as groups and collectives . In order to do so , we propose to extend the notion of dependence networks -LRB- applied to a single agent -RRB- to dependence graphs -LRB- applied to an agency -RRB- . In its present version , the dependence theory is argued to provide -LRB- a -RRB- a theoretical instrument for the study of social complexity , and -LRB- b -RRB- a computational system for managing the negotiation process in competitive contexts and for monitoring complexity in organisational and other cooperative contexts

B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O B I O B I O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O

dependence graphs
group dependence
emerging groups
collective structures
organisational complexity
social complexity
agent systems
dependence networks

two-party dependence theory
multiagent dependence
multiagent systems


DAML+OIL : an ontology language for the Semantic Web By all measures , the Web is enormous and growing at a staggering rate , which has made it increasingly difficult-and important-for both people and programs to have quick and accurate access to Web information and services . The Semantic Web offers a solution , capturing and exploiting the meaning of terms to transform the Web from a platform that focuses on presenting information , to a platform that focuses on understanding and reasoning with information . To support Semantic Web development , the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency launched the DARPA Agent Markup Language -LRB- DAML -RRB- initiative to fund research in languages , tools , infrastructure , and applications that make Web content more accessible and understandable . Although the US government funds DAML , several organizations-including US and European businesses and universities , and international consortia such as the World Wide Web Consortium-have contributed to work on issues related to DAML 's development and deployment . We focus on DAML 's current markup language , DAML+OIL , which is a proposed starting point for the W3C 's Semantic Web Activity 's Ontology Web Language -LRB- OWL -RRB- . We introduce DAML+OIL syntax and usage through a set of examples , drawn from a wine knowledge base used to teach novices how to build ontologies

O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O B I I I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O B I I O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O B I I O O O O O O O O

semantic web
darpa agent markup language
ontology web language
syntax
wine knowledge base


John McCarthy : father of AI If John McCarthy , the father of AI , were to coin a new phrase for `` artificial intelligence '' today , he would probably use `` computational intelligence . '' McCarthy is not just the father of AI , he is also the inventor of the Lisp -LRB- list processing -RRB- language . The author considers McCarthy 's conception of Lisp and discusses McCarthy 's recent research that involves elaboration tolerance , creativity by machines , free will of machines , and some improved ways of doing situation calculus

B I O B I I O B I O O B I I O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O B I I O O O O O O O O B O B I O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O B I O B O O O B I O O O O O O O O O B I

john mccarthy
father of ai
artificial intelligence
computational intelligence
lisp
list processing
elaboration tolerance
creativity
free will
situation calculus


Modeling and simulating practices , a work method for work systems design Work systems involve people engaging in activities over time-not just with each other , but also with machines , tools , documents , and other artifacts . These activities often produce goods , services , or-as is the case in the work system described in this article-scientific data . Work systems and work practice evolve slowly over time . The integration and use of technology , the distribution and collocation of people , organizational roles and procedures , and the facilities where the work occurs largely determine this evolution

O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O

work practice simulation
work practice modeling
work system design method
complex system interactions
human activity
communication
collaboration
teamwork
tool usage
workspace usage
problem solving
learning behavior


Explicit matrix representation for NURBS curves and surfaces The matrix forms for curves and surfaces were largely promoted in CAD/CAM . In this paper we have presented two matrix representation formulations for arbitrary degree NURBS curves and surfaces explicitly other than recursively . The two approaches are derived from the computation of divided difference and the Marsden identity respectively . The explicit coefficient matrix of B-spline with equally spaced knot and Bezier curves and surfaces can be obtained by these formulae . The coefficient formulae and the coefficient matrix formulae developed in this paper express non-uniform B-spline functions of arbitrary degree in explicit polynomial and matrix forms . . They are useful for the evaluation and the conversion of NURBS curves and surfaces , in CAD/CAM systems

B I I O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I I O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O B I O O O B I I O O O B I I O B I O O O O O O O O O O B I O O B I I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O

explicit matrix representation
nurbs curves
matrix representation formulations
divided difference
marsden identity
explicit coefficient matrix
equally spaced knot
bezier curves
coefficient formulae
coefficient matrix formulae

nurbs surfaces
cad/cam
b-spline
bezier surfaces
nonuniform b-spline functions
explicit polynomial forms
explicit matrix forms


Using duality to implicitize and find cusps and inflection points of Bezier curves A planar algebraic curve C has an implicit equation and a tangential equation . The tangential equation defines a dual curve to C. Starting with a parametrization of C , we find a parametrization of the dual curve , and the tangential equation and implicit equation of C in a novel way . We also find equations whose roots are the parameter values of the cusps and inflection points of C. Methods include polar reciprocation and the theory of envelopes

O O O O O O B O B I O B I O B I I O O O B I O O B I O O B I O O B I O O O O O B O O O O O O B O O B I O O O B I O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O B I O O O O B I O O O O O

planar algebraic curve
implicit equation
tangential equation
dual curve
parametrization
cusps
inflection points
polar reciprocation
bezier curves


Mining open answers in questionnaire data Surveys are important tools for marketing and for managing customer relationships ; the answers to open-ended questions , in particular , often contain valuable information and provide an important basis for business decisions . The summaries that human analysts make of these open answers , however , tend to rely too much on intuition and so are n't satisfactorily reliable . Moreover , because the Web makes it so easy to take surveys and solicit comments , companies are finding themselves inundated with data from questionnaires and other sources . Handling it all manually would be not only cumbersome but also costly . Thus , devising a computer system that can automatically mine useful information from open answers has become an important issue . We have developed a survey analysis system that works on these principles . The system mines open answers through two statistical learning techniques : rule learning -LRB- which we call rule analysis -RRB- and correspondence analysis

O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I I O O O O O O O B I O O B I

survey analysis
questionnaire data
statistical learning techniques
rule analysis
correspondence analysis

natural language response analysis
text mining system
open answer mining


Organizational design , information transfer , and the acquisition of rent-producing resources Within the resource-based view of the firm , a dynamic story has emerged in which the knowledge accumulated over the history of a firm and embedded in organizational routines and structures influences the firm 's ability to recognize the value of new resources and capabilities . This paper explores the possibility of firms to select organizational designs that increase the likelihood that they will recognize and value rent-producing resources and capabilities . A computational model is developed to study the tension between an organization 's desire to explore its environment for new capabilities and the organization 's need to exploit existing capabilities . Support is provided for the proposition that integration , both externally and internally , is an important source of dynamic capability . The model provides greater insight into the tradeoffs between these two forms of integration and suggests when one form may be preferred over another . In particular , evidence is provided that in uncertain environments , the ability to explore possible alternatives is critical while in more certain environments , the ability to transfer information internally is paramount

B I O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O

organizational design
information transfer
computational model
uncertain environments
certain environments

rent-producing resources
probability
social networks
business strategy
investments


Ethnography , customers , and negotiated interactions at the airport In the late 1990s , tightly coordinated airline schedules unraveled owing to massive delays resulting from inclement weather , overbooked flights , and airline operational difficulties . As schedules slipped , the delayed departures and late arrivals led to systemwide breakdowns , customers missed their connections , and airline work activities fell further out of sync . In offering possible answers , we emphasize the need to consider the customer as participant , following the human-centered computing model . Our study applied ethnographic methods to understand the airline system domain and the nature of airline delays , and it revealed the deficiencies of the airline production system model of operations . The research insights that led us to shift from a production and marketing system perspective to a customer-as-participant view might appear obvious to some readers . However , we do not know of any airline that designs its operations and technologies around any other model than the production and marketing system view . Our human-centered analysis used ethnographic methods to gather information , offering new insight into airline delays and suggesting effective ways to improve operations reliability

B O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O B I

ethnography
negotiated interactions
airline delays
operations reliability

airline production system operations model


Universal parametrization in constructing smoothly-connected B-spline surfaces In this paper , we explore the feasibility of universal parametrization in generating B-spline surfaces , which was proposed recently in the literature -LRB- Lim , 1999 -RRB- . We present an interesting property of the new parametrization that it guarantees Go continuity on B-spline surfaces when several independently constructed patches are put together without imposing any constraints . Also , a simple blending method of patchwork is proposed to construct C/sup n-1 / surfaces , where overlapping control nets are utilized . It takes into account the semi-localness property of universal parametrization . It effectively helps us construct very natural looking B-spline surfaces while keeping the deviation from given data points very low . Experimental results are shown with several sets of surface data points

B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I I O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I I

universal parametrization
patches
overlapping control nets
surface data points

smoothly-connected b-spline surface generation


Solution of the reconstruction problem of a source function in the coagulation-fragmentation equation We study the problem of reconstructing a source function in the kinetic coagulation-fragmentation equation . The study is based on optimal control methods , the solvability theory of operator equations , and the use of iteration algorithms

O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I I O O B O O B I O O O O O B I

optimal control methods
solvability
operator equations
iteration algorithms


Neural networks for web content filtering With the proliferation of harmful Internet content such as pornography , violence , and hate messages , effective content-filtering systems are essential . Many Web-filtering systems are commercially available , and potential users can download trial versions from the Internet . However , the techniques these systems use are insufficiently accurate and do not adapt well to the ever-changing Web . To solve this problem , we propose using artificial neural networks to classify Web pages during content filtering . We focus on blocking pornography because it is among the most prolific and harmful Web content . However , our general framework is adaptable for filtering other objectionable Web material

O O O B I I O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O

artificial neural networks
web content filtering
violence
harmful web content

pornographic/nonpornographic web page differentiation


Waltzing through Port 80 -LSB- Web security -RSB- Web services follow the trusting model of the Internet , but allow ever more powerful payloads to travel between businesses and consumers . Before you leap online , the author advises to scan the security concerns and the available fixes . He looks at how we define and store Web services and incorporate them into business processes

O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O B I

web services
internet
business processes


Research challenges and perspectives of the Semantic Web Accessing documents and services on today 's Web requires human intelligence . The interface to these documents and services is the Web page , written in natural language , which humans must understand and act upon . The paper discusses the Semantic Web which will augment the current Web with formalized knowledge and data that computers can process . In the future , some services will mix human-readable and structured data so that both humans and computers can use them . Others will support formalized knowledge that only machines will use

O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O

semantic web
web page
natural language
formalized knowledge

document access
internet
artificial intelligence


Optimal multi-degree reduction of Bezier curves with constraints of endpoints continuity Given a Bezier curve of degree n , the problem of optimal multi-degree reduction -LRB- degree reduction of more than one degree -RRB- by a Bezier curve of degree m -LRB- m < n-1 -RRB- with constraints of endpoint continuity is investigated . With respect to L/sub 2 / norm , this paper presents an approximate method -LRB- MDR by L/sub 2 / -RRB- that gives an explicit solution to deal with it . The method has good properties of endpoint interpolation : continuity of any r , s -LRB- r , s > or = 0 -RRB- orders can be preserved at two endpoints respectively . The method in the paper performs multi-degree reduction at one time and does not need stepwise computing . When applied to multi-degree reduction with endpoint continuity of any order , the MDR by L/sub 2 / obtains the best least squares approximation . Comparison with another method of multi-degree reduction -LRB- MDR by L/sub infinity / -RRB- , which achieves the nearly best uniform approximation with respect to L/sub infinity / norm , is also given . The approximate effect of the MDR by L/sub 2 / is better than that of the MDR by L/sub infinity / . Explicit approximate error analysis of the multi-degree reduction methods is presented

O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I I I O O O O O O O

bezier curves
approximate method
explicit solution
endpoint interpolation
least squares approximation
uniform approximation
explicit approximate error analysis

optimal multi-degree reduction
endpoint continuity constraints


Mathematical modelling of the work of the system of wells in a layer with the exponential law of permeability variation and the mobile liquid interface We construct and study a two-dimensional model of the work of the system of wells in a layer with the mobile boundary between liquids of various viscosity . We use a ` plunger ' displacement model of liquids . The boundaries of the filtration region of these liquids are modelled by curves of the Lyapunov class . Unlike familiar work , we solve two-dimensonal problems in an inhomogeneous layer when the mobile boundary and the boundaries of the filtration region are modelled by curves of the Lyapunov class . We show the practical convergence of the numerical solution of the problems studied

B I O O B O O O O O O O O O O B I O B I O O B I I O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O B I O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O B I O O O O

work
mathematical modelling
exponential law
permeability variation
mobile liquid interface
mobile boundary
viscosity
inhomogeneous layer
convergence
numerical solution

2d model
well system
plunger displacement model
filtration region boundaries
lyapunov class curves


Efficient algorithms for stiff elliptic problems with large parameters We consider a finite element approximation and iteration algorithms for solving stiff elliptic boundary value problems with large parameters in front of a higher derivative . The convergence rate of the algorithms is independent of the spread in coefficients and a discretization parameter

B I O O O O O B I O O O B I I O B I O O B I I I I O B I O O O O B I O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O

finite element approximation
iteration algorithms
stiff elliptic boundary value problems
large parameters
higher derivative
efficient algorithms
convergence rate


p-Bezier curves , spirals , and sectrix curves We elucidate the connection between Bezier curves in polar coordinates , also called p-Bezier or focal Bezier curves , and certain families of spirals and sectrix curves . p-Bezier curves are the analogue in polar coordinates of nonparametric Bezier curves in Cartesian coordinates . Such curves form a subset of rational Bezier curves characterized by control points on radial directions regularly spaced with respect to the polar angle , and weights equal to the inverse of the polar radius . We show that this subset encompasses several classical sectrix curves , which solve geometrically the problem of dividing an angle into equal spans , and also spirals defining the trajectories of particles in central fields . First , we identify as p-Bezier curves a family of sinusoidal spirals that includes Tschirnhausen 's cubic . Second , the trisectrix of Maclaurin and their generalizations , called arachnidas . Finally , a special class of epi spirals that encompasses the trisectrix of Delanges

O O O B O O B I O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O B I I O O O O O B O B I O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I I O O B I O B I O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O B O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O B O O O O B O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O B O O O B O O

spirals
sectrix curves
polar coordinates
focal bezier curves
rational bezier curves
control points
radial directions
polar angle
equal spans
central fields
cubic
arachnidas
trisectrix

p-bezier curves
geometry
angle division
particle trajectories
sinusoidal spirals
epi spirals


On the relationship between omega - automata and temporal logic normal forms We consider the relationship between omega - automata and a specific logical formulation based on a normal form for temporal logic formulae . While this normal form was developed for use with execution and clausal resolution in temporal logics , we show how it can represent , syntactically , omega - automata in a high-level way . Technical proofs of the correctness of this representation are given

O O O O O O O O B I I I O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O

temporal logic normal forms
logical formulation
clausal resolution


Computational challenges in cell simulation : a software engineering approach Molecular biology 's advent in the 20th century has exponentially increased our knowledge about the inner workings of life . We have dozens of completed genomes and an array of high-throughput methods to characterize gene encodings and gene product operation . The question now is how we will assemble the various pieces . In other words , given sufficient information about a living cell 's molecular components , can we predict its behavior ? We introduce the major classes of cellular processes relevant to modeling , discuss software engineering 's role in cell simulation , and identify cell simulation requirements . Our E-Cell project aims to develop the theories , techniques , and software platforms necessary for whole-cell-scale modeling , simulation , and analysis . Since the project 's launch in 1996 , we have built a variety of cell models , and we are currently developing new models that vary with respect to species , target subsystem , and overall scale

O O O B I O O B I O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O B I O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O

cell simulation
software engineering
molecular biology

object-oriented design
e-cell project
whole-cell-scale modeling


Structural invariance of spatial Pythagorean hodographs The structural invariance of the four-polynomial characterization for three-dimensional Pythagorean hodographs introduced by Dietz et al. -LRB- 1993 -RRB- , under arbitrary spatial rotations , is demonstrated . The proof relies on a factored-quaternion representation for Pythagorean hodographs in three-dimensional Euclidean space-a particular instance of the `` PH representation map '' proposed by Choi et al. -LRB- 2002 -RRB- - and the unit quaternion description of spatial rotations . This approach furnishes a remarkably simple derivation for the polynomials u -LRB- t -RRB- , upsilon -LRB- t -RRB- , p -LRB- t -RRB- , q -LRB- t -RRB- that specify the canonical form of a rotated Pythagorean hodograph , in terms of the original polynomials u -LRB- t -RRB- , upsilon -LRB- t -RRB- , p -LRB- t -RRB- , q -LRB- t -RRB- and the angle theta and axis n of the spatial rotation . The preservation of the canonical form of PH space curves under arbitrary spatial rotations is essential to their incorporation into computer-aided design and manufacturing applications , such as the contour machining of free-form surfaces using a ball-end mill and realtime PH curve CNC interpolators

B I O B I I O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I I O O O O O O O O O O O O B I I O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O

structural invariance
spatial pythagorean hodographs
arbitrary spatial rotations
ph representation map
unit quaternion description
spatial rotations
contour machining

four-polynomial characterization
3d pythagorean hodographs
factored quaternion representation
3d euclidean space
cad/cam
free-form surfaces
ball-end mill
real-time ph curve cnc interpolators


Intelligent control of life support for space missions Future manned space operations will include a greater use of automation than we currently see . For example , semiautonomous robots and software agents will perform difficult tasks while operating unattended most of the time . As these automated agents become more prevalent , human contact with them will occur more often and become more routine , so designing these automated agents according to the principles of human-centered computing is important . We describe two cases of semiautonomous control software developed and fielded in test environments at the NASA Johnson Space Center . This software operated continuously at the JSC and interacted closely with humans for months at a time

B I O B I O B I O B I I O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O B I O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I I O O O O O O O O B I I I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O

life support
software agents
semiautonomous robots
space missions
intelligent control
manned space operations
automation
automated agents
semiautonomous control software
nasa johnson space center

crew air regeneration
crew water recovery
human intervention


Mathematical aspects of computer-aided share trading We consider problems of statistical analysis of share prices and propose probabilistic characteristics to describe the price series . We discuss three methods of mathematical modelling of price series with given probabilistic characteristics

O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O B I O O O B I O O O O O O B I O B I O O B I

statistical analysis
probabilistic characteristics
price series
mathematical modelling

computer-aided share trading
share price


Model checking games for branching time logics This paper defines and examines model checking games for the branching time temporal logic CTL * . The games employ a technique called focus which enriches sets by picking out one distinguished element . This is necessary to avoid ambiguities in the regeneration of temporal operators . The correctness of these games is proved , and optimizations are considered to obtain model checking games for important fragments of CTL * . A game based model checking algorithm that matches the known lower and upper complexity bounds is sketched

B I I O B I I O O O O O B I I O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O

model checking games
branching time logics
temporal logic
temporal operators
complexity bounds


Quantized-State Systems : A DEVS-approach for continuous system simulation A new class of dynamical systems , Quantized State Systems or QSS , is introduced in this paper . QSS are continuous time systems where the input trajectories are piecewise constant functions and the state variable trajectories - being themselves piecewise linear functions - are converted into piecewise constant functions via a quantization function equipped with hysteresis . It is shown that QSS can be exactly represented and simulated by a discrete event model , within the framework of the DEVS-approach . Further , it is shown that QSS can be used to approximate continuous systems , thus allowing their discrete-event simulation in opposition to the classical discrete-time simulation . It is also shown that in an approximating QSS , some stability properties of the original system are conserved and the solutions of the QSS go to the solutions of the original system when the quantization goes to zero

O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O B I I O O O O O O O O O O O B I I O O O O O B I I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O

dynamical systems
quantized state systems
continuous time systems
piecewise constant functions
discrete event model


Client satisfaction in a feasibility study comparing face-to-face interviews with telepsychiatry We carried out a pilot study comparing satisfaction levels between psychiatric patients seen face to face -LRB- FTF -RRB- and those seen via videoconference . Patients who consented were randomly assigned to one of two groups . One group received services in person -LRB- FTF from the visiting psychiatrist -RRB- while the other was seen using videoconferencing at 128 kbit/s . One psychiatrist provided all the FTF and videoconferencing assessment and follow-up visits . A total of 24 subjects were recruited . Three of the subjects -LRB- 13 % -RRB- did not attend their appointments and two subjects in each group were lost to follow-up . Thus there were nine in the FTF group and eight in the videoconferencing group . The two groups were similar in most respects . Patient satisfaction with the services was assessed using the Client Satisfaction Questionnaire -LRB- CSQ-8 -RRB- , completed four months after the initial consultation . The mean scores were 25.3 in the FTF group and 21.6 in the videoconferencing group . Although there was a trend in favour of the FTF service , the difference was not significant . Patient satisfaction is only one component of evaluation . The efficacy of telepsychiatry must also be measured relative to that of conventional , FTF care before policy makers can decide how extensively telepsychiatry should be implemented

B I O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O

client satisfaction
telepsychiatry
videoconference

face-to-face interviews
psychiatric patient satisfaction
human factors
client satisfaction questionnaire
telemedicine
128 kbit/s


Extending CTL with actions and real time In this paper , we present the logic ATCTL , which is intended to be used for model checking models that have been specified in a lightweight version of the Unified Modelling Language -LRB- UML -RRB- . Elsewhere , we have defined a formal semantics for LUML to describe the models . This paper 's goal is to give a specification language for properties that fits LUML ; LUML includes states , actions and real time . ATCTL extends CTL with concurrent actions and real time . It is based on earlier extensions of CTL by R. De Nicola and F. Vaandrager -LRB- ACTL -RRB- -LRB- 1990 -RRB- and R. Alur et aL -LRB- TCTL -RRB- -LRB- 1993 -RRB- . This makes it easier to adapt existing model checkers to ATCTL . To show that we can check properties specified in ATCTL in models specified in LUML , we give a small example using the Kronos model checker

O O O B O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O B I I O O O O O O O O O O B I I O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I I

actions
logic atctl
model checking models
unified modelling language
formal semantics
specification language
kronos model checker


Evaluation of videoconferenced grand rounds We evaluated various aspects of grand rounds videoconferenced from a tertiary care hospital to a regional hospital in Nova Scotia . During a five-month study period , 29 rounds were broadcast -LRB- 19 in medicine and 10 in cardiology -RRB- . The total recorded attendance at the remote site was 103 , comprising 70 specialists , nine family physicians and 24 other health-care professionals . We received 55 evaluations , a response rate of 53 % . On a five-point Likert scale -LRB- on which higher scores indicated better quality -RRB- , mean ratings by remote-site participants of the technical quality of the videoconference were 3.0-3 .5 , with the lowest ratings being for ability to hear the discussion -LRB- 3.0 -RRB- and to see visual aids -LRB- 3.1 -RRB- . Mean ratings for content , presentation , discussion and educational value were 3.8 or higher . Of the 49 physicians who presented the rounds , we received evaluations from 41 , a response rate of 84 % . The presenters rated all aspects of the videoconference and interaction with remote sites at 3.8 or lower . The lowest ratings were for ability to see the remote sites -LRB- 3.0 -RRB- and the usefulness of the discussion -LRB- 3.4 -RRB- . We received 278 evaluations from participants at the presenting site , an estimated response rate of about 55 % . The results indicated no adverse opinions of the effect of videoconferencing -LRB- mean scores 3.1-3 .3 -RRB- . The estimated costs of videoconferencing one grand round to one site and four sites were C$ 723 and C$ 1515 , respectively . The study confirmed that videoconferenced rounds can provide satisfactory continuing medical education to community specialists , which is an especially important consideration as maintenance of certification becomes mandatory

O O B I I O O O O O O O O O O B I I O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I I O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O

videoconferenced grand rounds
tertiary care hospital
regional hospital
cardiology
remote sites
continuing medical education
certification

telemedicine
health-care professionals
five-point likert scale


Where have all the PC makers gone ? PC makers are dwindling . If you are planning to make a PC purchase soon , here are a few things to look out for before you buy

O O O O B I O O B I O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O


Process specialization : defining specialization for state diagrams A precise definition of specialization and inheritance promises to be as useful in organizational process modeling as it is in object modeling . It would help us better understand , maintain , reuse , and generate process models . However , even though object-oriented analysis and design methodologies take full advantage of the object specialization hierarchy , the process specialization hierarchy is not supported in major process representations , such as the state diagram , data flow diagram , and UML representations . Partly underlying this lack of support is an implicit assumption that we can always specialize a process by treating it as `` just another object . '' We argue in this paper that this is not so straightforward as it might seem ; we argue that a process-specific approach must be developed . We propose such an approach in the form of a set of transformations which , when applied to a process description , always result in specialization . We illustrate this approach by applying it to the state diagram representation and demonstrate that this approach to process specialization is not only theoretically possible , but shows promise as a method for categorizing and analyzing processes . We point out apparent inconsistencies between our notion of process specialization and existing work on object specialization but show that these inconsistencies are superficial and that the definition we provide is compatible with the traditional notion of specialization

B I O O O O B I O O O O O O B O O O O O O B I I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I I O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O

process specialization
state diagrams
inheritance
organizational process modeling
object specialization hierarchy

object-oriented analysis
process representation
object-oriented design


DEVS simulation of distributed intrusion detection systems An intrusion detection system -LRB- IDS -RRB- attempts to identify unauthorized use , misuse , and abuse of computer and network systems . As intrusions become more sophisticated , dealing with them moves beyond the scope of one IDS . The need arises for systems to cooperate with one another , to manage diverse attacks across networks . The feature of recent attacks is that the packet delivery is moderately slow , and the attack sources and attack targets are distributed . These attacks are called `` stealthy attacks . '' To detect these attacks , the deployment of distributed IDSs is needed . In such an environment , the ability of an IDS to share advanced information about these attacks is especially important . In this research , the IDS model exploits blacklist facts to detect the attacks that are based on either slow or highly distributed packets . To maintain the valid blacklist facts in the knowledge base of each IDS , the model should communicate with the other IDSs . When attack level goes beyond the interaction threshold , ID agents send interaction messages to ID agents in other hosts . Each agent model is developed as an interruptible atomic-expert model in which the expert system is embedded as a model component

O O O O O O O O B I I O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O

intrusion detection system
ids
intrusions
expert system

distributed intrusion detection system
cooperative intrusion detection
warning threshold


Optimal and safe ship control as a multi-step matrix game The paper describes the process of the safe ship control in a collision situation using a differential game model with j participants . As an approximated model of the manoeuvring process , a model of a multi-step matrix game is adopted here . RISKTRAJ computer program is designed in the Matlab language in order to determine the ship 's trajectory as a certain sequence of manoeuvres executed by altering the course and speed , in the online navigator decision support system . These considerations are illustrated with examples of a computer simulation of the safe ship 's trajectories in real situation at sea when passing twelve of the encountered objects

O O O B I O O B I I O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I I O O O O B I I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O

ship control
risktraj computer program
multistep matrix game
differential game
decision support system

collision avoidance
trajectory tracking
optimal control
online navigation


Minimizing blossoms under symmetric linear constraints In this paper , we show that there exists a close dependence between the control polygon of a polynomial and the minimum of its blossom under symmetric linear constraints . We consider a given minimization problem P , for which a unique solution will be a point delta on the Bezier curve . For the minimization function f , two sufficient conditions exist that ensure the uniqueness of the solution , namely , the concavity of the control polygon of the polynomial and the characteristics of the Polya frequency-control polygon where the minimum coincides with a critical point of the polynomial . The use of the blossoming theory provides us with a useful geometrical interpretation of the minimization problem . In addition , this minimization approach leads us to a new method of discovering inequalities about the elementary symmetric polynomials

O O O B I I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O B O O O O O O O B I I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O B I O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O B O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B O O B I I

control polygon
polynomial
symmetric linear constraints
bezier curve
concavity
critical point
geometrical interpretation
inequalities
elementary symmetric polynomials

blossom minimization
polya frequency-control polygon


GK-DEVS : Geometric and kinematic DEVS formalism for simulation modeling of 3-dimensional multi-component systems A combined discrete/continuous simulation methodology based on the DEVS -LRB- discrete event system specification -RRB- formalism is presented in this paper that satisfies the simulation requirements of 3-dimensional and dynamic systems with multi-components . We propose a geometric and kinematic DEVS -LRB- GK-DEVS -RRB- formalism that is able to describe the geometric and kinematic structure of a system and its continuous state dynamics as well as the interaction among the multi-components . To establish one model having dynamic behavior and a particular hierarchical structure , the atomic and the coupled model of the conventional DEVS are merged into one model in the proposed formalism . For simulation of the continuous motion of 3-D components , the sequential state set is partitioned into the discrete and the continuous state set and the rate of change function over the continuous state set is employed . Although modified from the conventional DEVS formalism , the GK-DEVS formalism preserves a hierarchical , modular modeling fashion and a coupling scheme . Furthermore , for the GK-DEVS model simulation , we propose an abstract simulation algorithm , called a GK-Simulator , in which data and control are separated and events are scheduled not globally but hierarchically so that an object-oriented principle is satisfied . The proposed GK-DEVS formalism and the GK-Simulator algorithm have been applied to the simulation of a flexible manufacturing system consisting of a 2-axis lathe , a 3-axis milling machine , and a vehicle-mounted robot

O O O O B I O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I O O O O O B I I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O B I I O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O

kinematic devs
simulation modeling
simulation requirements
continuous state dynamics
dynamic behavior
continuous motion
sequential state set
abstract simulation algorithm
flexible manufacturing system