ppxscal/embedding_network huggingface dataset:
Prestimulus cortical activity is correlated with speed of visuomotor processing
Authors: Yan Zhang, Xue Wang, Steven L. Bressler, Yonghong Chen, Mingzhou Ding
Venue: Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience (2008)

Response time (RT) is an important behavioral measure of the overall efficacy of sensorimotor processing and is known to vary significantly from trial to trial. Past work on how stimulus evoked cortical responses contribute to RT variability has helped delineate the stages of neuronal information processing. Much less is known about how the state of the brain immediately preceding the stimulus onset (prestimulus) affects RT. We addressed this problem by analyzing data from three macaque monkeys trained to perform a visuomotor pattern discrimination task. Local field potentials were recorded from up to 16 bipolar surface-to-depth electrodes widely distributed over one cerebral hemisphere in each monkey. The degree of linear correlation between RT and prestimulus spectral power was determined over a wide range of frequencies. In the prefrontal cortex, prestimulus power in the beta range (14--30 Hz) was negatively correlated with RT in two monkeys, suggesting a possible role of activity in this frequency range in the mediation of top-down control of visuomotor processing. In the sensorimotor cortex, prestimulus power in the beta range was positively correlated with RT in two monkeys, consistent with the hypothesis that oscillations in this range support the maintenance of steady-state motor output. In visual occipital and temporal lobe areas, prestimulus power in the alpha/low beta range (8--20 Hz) showed positive correlations with RT in three monkeys, possibly reflecting a spatially specific disengagement of visual anticipatory attention. Through measurement of prestimulus spectral coherence, it was further determined that sites showing similar patterns of correlation between spectral power and RT were also linked together in synchronized networks.
Optimal approximations for risk measures of sums of lognormals based on conditional expectations
Authors: S. Vanduffel, X. Chen, J. Dhaene, M. Goovaerts, L. Henrard, R. Kaas
Venue: Journal of Computational and Applied Mathematics (2008)

In this paper we investigate the approximations for the distribution function of a sum S of lognormal random variables. These approximations are obtained by considering the conditional expectation E[S|@L] of S with respect to a conditioning random variable @L. The choice of @L is crucial in order to obtain accurate approximations. The different alternatives for @L that have been proposed in the literature to date are 'global' in the sense that @L is chosen such that the entire distribution of the approximation E[S|@L] is 'close' to the corresponding distribution of the original sum S. In an actuarial or a financial context one is often only interested in a particular tail of the distribution of S. Therefore in this paper we propose approximations E[S|@L] which are only locally optimal, in the sense that the relevant tail of the distribution of E[S|@L] is an accurate approximation for the corresponding tail of the distribution of S. Numerical illustrations reveal that local optimal choices for @L can improve the quality of the approximations in the relevant tail significantly. We also explore the asymptotic properties of the approximations E[S|@L] and investigate links with results from [S. Asmussen, Rojas-Nandayapa, Sums of dependent lognormal random variables: Asymptotics and simulation, Stochastic Series at Department of Mathematical Sciences, University of Aarhus, Research Report number 469, 2005]. Finally, we briefly address the sub-optimality of Asian options from the point of view of risk averse decision makers with a fixed investment horizon.
Execution Model for Heterogeneous Web Services
Authors: Tomas Vitvar, Maciej Zaremba, Adrian Mocan
Venue: Proceedings of the 2008 IEEE Congress on Services - Part I (2008)

Integration of heterogeneous services is often hard-wired in service or workflow implementations. In this paper we define an execution model operating on semantic descriptions of services allowing flexible integration of services with solving data and process conflicts where necessary. We implement the model using ourWSMO technology and a case scenario from the B2B domain.% and evaluate the model according to the SWS Challenge criteria.
Profiling Robot-Mediated Play for Children with Disabilities through ICF-CY: The Example of the European Project IROMEC
Authors: Serenella Besio, Francesca Caprino, Elena Laudanna
Venue: Proceedings of the 11th international conference on Computers Helping People with Special Needs (2008)

This paper, from the description of the research activities of the ongoing European project IROMEC, discusses the potential role of the brand new version Children and Youth of ICF (International Classification of Functioning and Disability) as an useful resource in the design development and outcomes evaluation of robotic toys used as play mediators in educational and therapy settings with children with physical and/or cognitive impairments. ICF-CY has been used as a methodological framework in users' needs assessment, in building appropriate task analysis of play activities, in robot requirements definition and in outcomes analysis will be examined. Further and deeper researches are needed to better understand strengths and weaknesses of such an approach.
A novel class-dependence feature analysis method for face recognition
Authors: Yan Yan, Yu-Jin Zhang
Venue: Pattern Recognition Letters (2008)

This paper develops a novel Class-dependence Feature Analysis (CFA) method for robust face recognition. A new correlation filter called Optimal Origin Correlation output Tradeoff Filter (OOCTF) is designed in the two-dimensional (2-D) feature space obtained by Second-order Tensor Subspace Analysis (STSA). Designing correlation filters in the 2-D feature space makes them more tolerant to distortions in illumination and facial expression etc. Moreover, by focusing on the correlation outputs at the origin, OOCTF is very effective for feature vector extraction. Experimental results on three benchmark face databases show the superiority of the proposed method over traditional face recognition methods.
Soft sensor - based artificial neural networks and fuzzy logic: application to quality monitoring in hot rolling
Authors: Salah Bouhouche, Mostefa Yahi, Benjam Hocine, Jürgen Bast
Venue: Proceedings of the 10th WSEAS International Conference on Automatic Control, Modelling & Simulation (2008)

On line quality monitoring is an important domain particularly in the complex processes where the characteristic of the product quality is difficult to measure directly. Soft sensor based modelling and monitoring techniques can be considered as an alternative to solve such complex problem. We consider in this work a contribution for product quality monitoring in hot rolling. Data mining and modelling based Artificial Neural Network (ANN) is used to determine optimal model. Deviations between optimal and actual conditions characterised by dynamic properties of residual are used as a tool to compute a quality index in basis of fuzzy reasoning. Application in hot rolling shows that this approach can be recommended as part of a tool of on line quality monitoring and classification.
Uncovering Hidden Spatial Patterns by Hidden Markov Model
Authors: Ruihong Huang, Christina Kennedy
Venue: Proceedings of the 5th international conference on Geographic Information Science (2008)

Many spatial data mining and spatial modeling approaches use Euclidean distance in modeling spatial dependence. Although meaningful and convenient, Euclidean distance has weaknesses. These include providing an over simplified representation of spatial dependence, being limited to certain spatial pattern and symmetrical relationships, being unable to account for cross-class dependencies, and unable to work with categorical especially multinomial data. This paper introduces Hidden Markov Model (HMM) as an attractive approach to uncovering hidden spatial patterns. The HMM assumes that a hidden state (factor or process) generates observable symbols (indicators). This doubly embedded stochastic approach uncovers hidden states based on observed symbol sequences using two integrated sets of probabilities, transition probability and emission probability. As an alternative to Euclidean distance based approaches, the HMM measures spatial dependency by transition probabilities and cross-class correlation better capturing geographic context. HMM works with data of any measurement scale and dimension. To demonstrate the method, we assume urban spatial structure as a hidden spatial factor underlying single family housing unit prices in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, we then use the HMM to uncover four hidden spatial states from home sale prices.
Parameter Control Methods for Selection Operators in Genetic Algorithms
Authors: Péter Vajda, Agoston E. Eiben, Wiebe Hordijk
Venue: Proceedings of the 10th international conference on Parallel Problem Solving from Nature: PPSN X (2008)

Parameter control is still one of the main challenges in evolutionary computation. This paper is concerned with controlling selection operators on-the-fly. We perform an experimental comparison of such methods on three groups of test functions and conclude that varying selection pressure during a GA run often yields performance benefits, and therefore is a recommended option for designers and users of evolutionary algorithms.
Internet-Scale Sensor Systems: Design and Policy
Authors: Scott F. Midkiff
Venue: IEEE Pervasive Computing (2003)

In Spring 2003, Carnegie Mellon University offered an innovative course called Internet-Scale Sensor Systems: Design and Policy. The advanced graduate course combined a study of current research in technical and societal issues in sensor networks with projects based on the IrisNet project at Intel Research Pittsburgh. This column includes overviews of course requirements and student projects.
Design of Embedded Multimodal Biometric Systems
Authors: Jang-Hee Yoo, Jong-Gook Ko, Yun-Su Chung, Sung-Uk Jung, Ki-Hyun Kim, Ki-Young Moon, Kyoil Chung
Venue: Proceedings of the 2007 Third International IEEE Conference on Signal-Image Technologies and Internet-Based System (2007)

The embedded devices in biometrics have gained increasing attention due to the demand for reliable and cost-effective personal identification systems. However, the current available embedded devices are not suitable for the real-time implementation of a biometric application system because of the limited computational resource and memory space. In this paper, we describe the design of embedded biometric systems that identify person by using face-fingerprint or iris-fingerprint multimodal biometrics technology. To implement real-time system, the biometric algorithms are efficiently enhanced for fixed-point representation and optimized for memory and computational capacity. In addition, the most time consuming components of each biometric algorithm are implemented in a Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGA).
Automatic Prefetching with Binary Code Rewriting in Object-Based DSMs
Authors: Jean Christophe Beyler, Michael Klemm, Michael Philippsen, Philippe Clauss
Venue: Proceedings of the 14th international Euro-Par conference on Parallel Processing (2008)

Dynamic optimizers modify the binary code of programs at runtime by profiling and optimizing certain aspects of the execution. We present a completely software-based framework that dynamically optimizes programs for object-based Distributed Shared Memory (DSM) systems. In DSM systems, reducing the number of messages between nodes is crucial. Prefetching transfers data in advance from the storage node to the local node so that communication is minimized. Our framework uses a profiler and a dynamic binary rewriter that monitors the access behavior of the application and places prefetches where they are beneficial to speed up the application. In addition, we adapt the number of prefetches per request to best fit the application's behavior. Evaluation shows that the performance of our system is better than manual prefetching. The number of messages sent decreases by up to 89%. Performance gains of up to 73% can be observed on the benchmarks.
Implications of Shared Interactive Displays for Work at a Surgery Ward: Coordination, Articulation Work and Context-Awareness
Authors: Claus Bossen, Lis Witte Kjær Jensen
Venue: Proceedings of the 2008 21st IEEE International Symposium on Computer-Based Medical Systems (2008)

We report on experiences gained from the use of large, shared interactive displays to support coordination and communication at a surgery ward. The displays combine on-line, updated surgery schedules, video feed, RFID tags, chat and mobile phones to improve the coordination and articulation of work tasks and enhance the context-awareness of collaborating physicians, nurses and surgery technicians. Implementing the system implied creating a fit, i.e. adapting technology and work processes to each other, attributing appropriate meaning to new clues for interpretation and action, and learning new ways of cooperating. We describe the implications of the system for work processes and focus on changes in coordination, articulation work and context-awareness. Trade-offs had to be made, since work and benefits were differentially redistributed. We propose that computer support for medical work should support flexible appropriation and learning.
The Complexity Ecology of Parameters: An Illustration Using Bounded Max Leaf Number
Authors: Michael Fellows, Frances Rosamond
Venue: Proceedings of the 3rd conference on Computability in Europe: Computation and Logic in the Real World (2007)

In the framework of parameterized complexity, exploring how one parameter affects the complexity of a different parameterized (or unparameterized problem) is of general interest. A well-developed example is the investigation of how the parameter treewidth influences the complexity of (other) graph problems. The reason why such investigations are of general interest is that real-world input distributions for computational problems often inherit structure from the natural computational processes that produce the problem instances (not necessarily in obvious, or well-understood ways). The max leaf number of a connected graph G is the maximum number of leaves in a spanning tree for G. Exploring questions analogous to the well-studied case of treewidth, we can ask: how hard is it to solve 3-Coloring or Hamilton Path or Minimum Dominating Set for graphs of bounded max leaf number? We do two things:(1) We describe much improved FPT algorithms for a large number of graph problems, for input of bounded max leaf number, based on the polynomial-time extremal structure theory associated to the parameter max leaf number.(2) The way that we obtain these concrete algorithmic results is general and systematic. We describe the approach.
Resource Management through Resource Virtualization in Distributed Network Environments
Authors: Jongbae Moon, Sangjoon Park, Jongchan Lee
Venue: Proceedings of the international conference on Computational Science and Its Applications, Part II (2008)

As distributed network has become a large-scale environment such as grid computing, software resource management is rising as the key issue. There are a lot of solutions to manage hardware and task resources in distributed computing environments. There also are many other types of resources such as software resources. However there are few solutions to manage these resources. In this paper, we propose to design, implement, and evaluate a new resource management system, which manages software resources effectively. This system uses application virtualization technology to manage software resources. This system greatly reduces traditional software deployment costs and associated installation problems in distributed computing environments. We conducted an experiment to show how the system works well. In this system, an added node can also execute a requested job without installation of applications.
Digital Therapy: The Role of Digital Positive Psychotherapy in Successful Self-regulation
Authors: Elin Olsen, Pål Kraft
Venue: Proceedings of the 3rd international conference on Persuasive Technology (2008)

We are currently developing a digital positive psycho-therapy intervention. The intervention will be presented at the 3rd International Conference on Persuasive Technology 2008. By means of installing positive emotions, digital positive psycho-therapy may help prevent ego-depletion and hence increase the chances for successful self-regulation. This may turn out to be an important component in many health behaviour interventions. The current paper discusses some basic insights regarding how digital psychotherapy interventions can be designed and why they hold the potential to make a valuable contribution.
Plenary lecture II: 3D level set anysotropic etching profile evolution simulations
Authors: Branislav Radjenovic
Venue: Proceedings of the 7th WSEAS International Conference on Application of Electrical Engineering (2008)

Level set method, introduced by Osher and Sethian, is a highly robust and accurate computational technique for tracking of moving interfaces in etching, deposition and photolithography processes. It originates from the idea to view the moving front as a particular level set of a higher dimensional function, so the topological merging and breaking, sharp gradients and cusps can form naturally, and the effects of curvature can be easily incorporated. The corresponding equations of motion for the propagating surfaces, which resemble Hamilton-Jacobi equations with parabolic right-hand sides, can be solved using methods for solving hyperbolic conservation laws, ensuring in that the way correct entropy-satisfying solution. In this lecture we describe an application of the sparse field method for solving level set equations in 3D plasma etching simulations. Also, some examples of the profile evolution during anisotropic wet etching of silicon with potassium hydroxide (KOH) etchant are presented.
Would you share? Predicting the potential use of a new technology
Authors: Lidwien van de Wijngaert, Harry Bouwman
Venue: Telematics and Informatics (2009)

In this paper, we describe the case of wireless grids, an emerging technology that enables ad hoc sharing of resources (such as screen, signal and microphone) on edge devices (such as PDA's, laptops and mobile phones). We look at the circumstances under which people are willing to share the resources on their edge devices using a technology with which they are not yet familiar. We collected data among students from a University in the North-Eastern USA (N=284) through a policy capturing design (also known as factorial design or conjoint measurement), and analyzed the information via multilevel regression analysis. This approach allowed us to explore factors that explain the use of emerging peer-to-peer technologies among consumers as well as context-related characteristics. Context-related characteristics, in particular trust in communication partners, explain the willingness to share and, consequently, the use of wireless grids.
Flexible and Efficient Workflow Deployment of Data-Intensive Applications On Grids With MOTEUR
Authors: Tristan Glatard, Johan Montagnat, Diane Lingrand, Xavier Pennec
Venue: International Journal of High Performance Computing Applications (2008)

Workflows offer a powerful way to describe and deploy applications on grid infrastructures. Many workflow management systems have been proposed but there is still a lack of a system that would allow both a simple description of the dataflow of the application and an efficient execution on a grid platform. In this paper, we study the requirements of such a system, underlining the need for well-defined data composition strategies on the one hand and for a fully parallel execution on the other. As combining those features is not straightforward, we then propose algorithms to do so and we describe the design and implementation of MOTEUR, a workflow engine that fulfills those requirements. Performance results and overhead quantification are shown to evaluate MOTEUR with respect to existing comparable workflow systems on a production grid.
Code Conjurer: Pulling Reusable Software out of Thin Air
Authors: Oliver Hummel, Werner Janjic, Colin Atkinson
Venue: IEEE Software (2008)

Accelerating the software development process by assembling new applications from existing software assets has been a goal of the IT industry for many years. However, most of today's systematic software reuse uses heavyweight approaches such as product-line engineering. Now, with the explosion in open source software repositories and the advent of a new generation of powerful software search engines, this is set to change. Code Conjurer is an Eclipse plug-in that extracts interface and test information from a developer's coding activities and uses this information to issue test-driven searches to a code-search engine. It presents components matching the developer's needs as reuse recommendations without disturbing the development work. Automated dependency resolution then allows selected components to be woven into the current project with minimal manual effort.
Graphic Rendering Considered as a Compilation Chain
Authors: Benjamin Tissoires, Stéphane Conversy
Venue: Interactive Systems. Design, Specification, and Verification: 15th International Workshop, DSV-IS 2008 Kingston, Canada, July 16-18, 2008 Revised Papers (2008)

Graphical rendering must be fast enough so as to avoid hindering the user perception/action loop. Traditionally, programmers interleave descriptions and optimizations to achieve such performances, thus compromising modularity. In this paper, we consider graphic rendering as a compilation chain: we designed a static and dynamic graphical compiler that enables a designer to clearly separate the description of an interactive scene from its implementation and optimization. In order to express dependencies during run-time, the compiler builds a dataflow that can handle user input and data. We successfully used this approach on both a WIMP application and on a demanding one in terms of computing power: description is completely separated from implementation and optimizations while performances are comparable to manually optimized applications.
The Practice and Experience Sharing of Three-Year Peer Coaching Program in Taiwan
Authors: Ya-Ting Carolyn Yang, Wan-Chi Wu, Pei-Yun Chung, Chi-Sung Laih, Jia-Rong Wen, Chi-San Lin, Jian-Bin Gao
Venue: Proceedings of the 7th international conference on Advances in Web Based Learning (2008)

The Peer Coaching Program has been in place in Taiwan for more than two years. We have not only trained 165 local facilitators, but also held 92 training courses for the coaches. In addition, we have established the website, PBL.NET, which provides personal experience sharing, online materials search, and online courses. Currently, more than 7,000 elementary, junior, and senior high school teachers and students participate in the program. PBL.NET includes more than 2,100 WebQuest lessons and provides more than 1,180 online courses. The evaluation results indicate that the Peer Coaching Program is very successful in Taiwan. Our ultimate goals are to implement a professional development model so as to provide an excellent digital learning environment, to advance teachers' skills, to enhance standards-based instruction through engaged learning and technology, and finally, to increase students' learning achievements.