Haptic space processing--Allocentric and egocentric reference frames.

In this paper a haptic matching task is used to analyze haptic spatial processing. In various conditions, blindfolded participants were asked to make a test bar parallel to a reference bar. This always resulted in large but systematic deviations. It will be shown that the results can be described with a model in which an egocentric reference frame biases the participants' settings: What a participant haptically perceives as parallel is a weighted average of parallel in allocentric space and parallel in egocentric space. The basis of the egocentric reference frame is uncertain. There is strong evidence that at least a hand-centred reference frame is involved, but possibly a body-centred reference frame also plays a role. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Efficient Parallel Implementation of Hybrid Optimization Approaches for Solving Groundwater Inverse Problems

Inverse problems that are constrained by large-scale partial differential equation (PDE) systems demand very large computational resources. Solutions to these problems generally require the solution of a large number of complex PDE systems. Three-dimensional groundwater inverse problems fall under this category. In this paper, we describe the implementation of a parallel simulation-optimization framework for solving PDE-based inverse problems and demonstrate it for the solution of groundwater contaminant source release history reconstruction problems that are of practical importance. The optimization component employs several optimization algorithms, including genetic algorithms (GAs) and several local search (LS) approaches that can be used in a hybrid mode. This hybrid GA-LS optimizer is used to drive a parallel finite-element (FEM) groundwater forward transport simulator. Parallelism is exploited within the transport simulator (fine grained parallelism) as well as the optimizer (coarse grained parallelism) through the exclusive use of the Message Passing Interface (MPI) communication library. Algorithmic and parallel performance results are presented for an IBM SP3 supercomputer. Simulation and performance results presented in this paper illustrate that an effective combination of efficient optimization algorithms and parallel computing can enable solution to three-dimensional groundwater inverse problems of a size and complexity not attempted before.     

Transit Route Network Design Using Parallel Genetic Algorithm

A transit route network design (TRND) problem for urban bus operation involves the determination of a set of transit routes and the associated frequencies that achieve the desired objective. This can be formulated as an optimization problem of minimizing the total system cost, which is the sum of the operating cost and the generalized travel cost. A review of previous approaches to solve this problem reveals the deficiency of conventional optimization techniques and the suitability of genetic algorithm (GA) based models to handle such combinatorial optimization problems. Since GAs are computationally intensive optimization techniques, their application to large and complex problems is limited. The computational performance of a GA model can be improved by exploiting its inherent parallel nature. Accordingly, two parallel genetic algorithm (PGA) models are proposed in this study. The first is a global parallel virtual machine (PVM) parallel GA model where the fitness evaluation is done concurrently in a parallel processing environment using PVM libraries. The second is a global message passing interface (MPI) parallel GA model where an MPI environment substitutes for the PVM libraries. An existing GA model for TRND for a large city is used as a case study. These models are tested for computation time, speedup, and efficiency. From the study, it is observed that the global PVM model performed better than the other model.     

Parallel Computing Framework for Optimizing Construction Planning in Large-Scale Projects

Available construction optimization models can be used to generate optimal tradeoffs between construction time and cost, however their application in optimizing large-scale projects is limited due to their extensive and impractical computational time requirements. This paper presents the development of a parallel computing framework in order to circumvent this limitation. The framework incorporates a multi-objective genetic algorithm module that identifies optimal trade-offs between construction time and cost; and a parallel computing module that distributes genetic algorithm computations over a network of processors. The performance of the framework is evaluated using 150 experiments that represent various combinations of project sizes and numbers of processors. The results of this analysis illustrate the robust capabilities of the developed parallel computing framework in terms of its efficiency in reducing the computational time requirements for large-scale construction optimization problems, and its effectiveness in obtaining high quality solutions identical to those generated by a single processor.     

Salutary effects of myocardial ischemia in coronary artery disease

A novel fine wire bone transport system for use with Ilizarov frames has been used in Bristol. It uses parallel wires instead of crossed wires. Its stiffness has been tested and compared with a crossed wire construct. In its basic form it is not as stiff to bending and shear loading, however, by modification it can be made at least as stiff. A parallel wire construct does not transfix as much soft tissue as a crossed wire construct when used in the leg. This is advantageous, because soft tissue transfixion causes pain and limb swelling, which impair patient mobilization.     

Application of minimum energy formalism in a multiple slip band model for fatigue—II. Crack nucleation and derivation of a generalised Coffin-Manson law

A situation of multiple parallel slip bands is considered. Each slip band is modelled as an accumulation of edge dipoles. The dislocation dipole density within the slip bands continually increases with fatigue cycling. The strain energy density within the slip bands consequently builds up with cycling until a critical cycle number when it becomes energetically favorable to nucleate a microcrack within one of the slip bands. This is proposed to be the crack nucleation cycle number. The above criterion based on the strain energy density is used to derive an explicit expression for the number of cycles for crack nucleation. It is shown that there is a parallel between this criterion for crack nucleation and other criteria that are based on the accumulation of a certain critical amount of damage. A generalised Coffin-Manson law for crack initiation is also derived. The size and most likely site of the just-nucleated crack is discussed.     

Strategies of flanker coprocessing in single and dual tasks.

In this study, the authors used a dual-task flanker paradigm to investigate the degree to which flankers are coprocessed with the target as a function of whether flankers have to be used as stimuli for a second task. A series of experiments, in which performance in dual tasks was compared with that in single tasks, revealed that participants had a strong tendency to coprocess flankers to a large degree in dual tasks, even if this impaired performance. Coprocessing of flankers was reduced only when totally irrelevant flankers were presented at the beginning of a trial or single tasks were performed on the great majority of trials within a block. The results suggest that it was demanding to process targets and flankers serially when both had to be used for a dual task. As a consequence, target and flankers were processed in parallel, even if this was nonoptimal for target selection. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Optimizing the use of information: Strategic control of activation of responses.

Recent studies indicate that Ss may respond to visual information during either an early parallel phase or a later focused phase and that the selection of the relevant phase is data driven. Using the noise-compatability paradigm, the hypothesis that this selection may also be strategic and context driven was tested. At least part of the interference effect observed in this paradigm is due to response activation during the parallel-processing phase. Ss' expectancies for compatible and incompabile noise were manipulated in 4 experiments, and the interference effect was effectively modulated. The results suggest that expectancies about the relative utility of the information extracted during the parallel and focused phases determine which phase is used to activate responses. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Workload Distribution Framework for the Parallel Solution of Large Structural Models on Heterogeneous PC Clusters

One of the main problems of substructure-based parallel solution methods is the imbalances in the condensation times of substructures when direct solvers are used. Such imbalances usually decrease the performance of the parallel solution. Thus, in this study, a workload distribution framework for such methods at heterogeneous computing environment is presented. The main idea behind this framework is to iteratively adjust the shapes of substructures so that the imbalance in their condensation times is minimized. Both generated and actual structural models were solved to illustrate the applicability and the efficiency of this approach. In these examples, a PC cluster having eight different computers was used.     

Locus and persistence of capacity limitations in visual information processing.

Although there is considerable evidence that stimuli such as digits and letters are extensively processed in parallel and without capacity limitations, recent data suggest that only the features of stimuli are processed in parallel. In an attempt to reconcile this discrepancy, the simultaneously/successive detection paradigm was used with stimuli from experiments indicating parallel processing and with stimuli from experiments indicating that only features can be processed in parallel. In Exp I, with 30 undergraduates, large differences between simultaneous and successive presentations were obtained with an R target among P and Q distractors and among P and B distractors, but not with digit targets among letter distractors. As predicted by the feature integration theory of attention, false-alarm rates in the simultaneous condition were much higher than in the successive condition with the R/PQ stimuli. In Exp II, with 10 Ss, the possibility that attention is required for any difficult discrimination was ruled out as an explanation of the discrepancy between the digit/letter results and the R/PQ and R/PB results. Exp III (40 Ss) replicated the R/PQ and R/PB results of Exp I and extended these findings to a new set of stimuli. Exp IV (6 Ss) found that large amounts of consistent practice did not generally eliminate capacity limitations. It is concluded that the notion of capacity-free letter perception has limited generality. (24 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Distributed Simulation with Cellular Automata Using the Multispin Coding Technique

Cellular automata (CA) are discrete dynamical mathematical systems that have been used for modeling many physical and engineering systems. Usually they are used as an alternative to more complex models based on partial differential equations. CA models can be implemented efficiently in parallel hardware due to the properties of locality, uniformity, and spatial regularity of the rules that govern their behavior. At the same time, CA simulations make intensive use of memory and processing time. For a widespread use of these models, implementations able to run in short periods of time without requiring specialized hardware are needed. This work presents a generic library able to simulate efficiently CA models, using the multispin coding technique and parallel processing on a network of conventional personal computers. Results of three different models tested show that it is possible to obtain a linear speedup. The observed speedup improves as the domain size increases or the simulated models become more complex, as in the case of a heterogeneous biofilm model used for designing wastewater treatment systems.     

安装时间和机器受限的订单接受与并行机调度

订单接受与不相关并行机调度是订单接受与订单调度的联合决策, 广泛存在于面向定制的多品种混合生产环境中. 针对这一问题, 考虑了顺序与机器依赖的安装时间以及可加工机器限制, 并以最小化总成本为优化目标. 其中, 总成本由被接受订单的总拖期成本和被拒绝订单的总拒绝成本构成. 通过分析订单拒绝对目标的影响, 提出了列表拒绝方法和订单拒绝规则, 进而设计了协同进化遗传算法. 算法将染色体编码分解为订单列表和订单指派两个个体, 提出了基于列表拒绝方法的解码方案来进行订单拒绝决策. 由于两个个体相互独立, 且二者的进化约束不同, 因而引入协同进化策略, 并根据个体的编码特征, 分别采用单亲遗传算子和传统遗传算子进行遗传操作. 数据实验验证了算法的有效性和求解效率, 并对问题规模和订单拒绝成本对算法性能的影响进行了分析.      

Axonal collateral-collateral transport of tract tracers in brain neurons: false anterograde labelling and useful tool

It is well established that some neuroanatomical tracers may be taken up by local axonal terminals and transported to distant axonal collaterals (e.g., transganglionic transport in dorsal root ganglion cells). However, such collateral-collateral transport of tracers has not been systematically examined in the central nervous system. We addressed this issue with four neuronal tracers--biocytin, biotinylated dextran amine, cholera toxin B subunit, and Phaseolus vulgaris-leucoagglutinin--in the cerebellar cortex. Labelling of distant axonal collaterals in the cerebellar cortex (indication of collateral-collateral transport) was seen after focal iontophoretic microinjections of each of the four tracers. However, collateral-collateral transport properties differed among these tracers. Injection of biocytin or Phaseolus vulgaris-leucoagglutinin in the cerebellar cortex yielded distant collateral labelling only in parallel fibres. In contrast, injection of biotinylated dextran amine or cholera toxin B subunit produced distant collateral labelling of climbing fibres and mossy fibres, as well as parallel fibres. The present study is the first systematic examination of collateral-collateral transport following injection of anterograde tracers in brain. Such collateral-collateral transport may produce false-positive conclusions regarding neural connections when using these tracers for anterograde transport. However, this property may also be used as a tool to determine areas that are innervated by common distant afferents. In addition, these results may indicate a novel mode of chemical communication in the nervous system.     

Immunologic aspects of bovine injectable collagen in humans. A review

Both flow cytometry and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) are useful techniques in the analysis of cancer tissues. When the two are used in the study of the same specimens, they are usually performed in parallel, separately. This is problematic where there is a scarcity of material, making completion of both studies impossible. Fluorescence in situ hybridization procedures that will utilize excess material discarded from flow cytometry would be advantageous. The present report describes an optimized protocol for performing sequential flow cytometry and FISH using formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded archival material. Although breast cancer tissues were used in this initial study, the protocol is applicable to other cancer tissues as well.     

Visual attention and stimulus identification.

Previous research has provided evidence for parallel stimulus processing in visual search tasks; however, it has frequently been noted that detecting prespecified targets might be accomplished without actually identifying targets and/or distractors. In the present 5 experiments, with 61 university students, a novel task was employed to require exhaustive identification. In this task, Ss named the highest digit in an array. RTs and display size effects in this task were strikingly similar to those obtained in conventional search tasks. Manipulation of display size and visual quality was used to test predictions of serial and parallel encoding models. Display size was additive with 2 different visual quality factors in the highest digit task, a finding that argues against serial execution of the corresponding stages. Interactions with decision-related factors suggest that visual quality may have affected the rate of character recognition, not just feature extraction. Thus, results strengthen the case for parallel (though perhaps capacity-limited) identification of multiple familiar stimuli. It is pointed out that parallel identification need not entail late selection, and some alternative possibilities are suggested. (43 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The effect of changing excitation frequency on parallel conductance in different sized hearts

OBJECTIVE: An important component of the ventricular volume measured using the conductance catheter technique is due to parallel conductance (Vc), which results from the extension of the electric field beyond the ventricular blood pool. Parallel conductance volume is normally estimated using the saline dilution method (Vc(saline dilution)), in which the conductivity of blood in the ventricle is transiently increased by injection of hypertonic saline. A simpler alternative has been reported by Gawne et al. [12]. Vc(dual frequency) is estimated from the difference in total conductance measured at two exciting frequencies and the method is based on the assumption that parallel conductance is mainly capacitive and hence is negligible at low frequency. The objective of this study was to determine whether the dual frequency technique could be used to substitute the saline dilution method to estimate Vc in different sized hearts. METHODS: The accuracy and linearity of a custom-built conductance catheter (CC) system was initially assessed in vitro. Subsequently, a CC and micromanometer were inserted into the left ventricle of seven 5 kg pigs (group 1) and six 50 kg pigs (group 2). Cardiac output was determined using thermodilution (group 1) and an ultrasonic flow probe (group 2) from which the slope coefficient (alpha) was determined. Steady state measurements and Vc estimated using saline dilution were performed at frequencies in the range of 5-40 kHz. All measurements were made at end-expiration. Finally, Vc was estimated from the change in end-systolic conductance between 5 kHz and 40 kHz using the dual frequency technique of Gawne et al. [12]. RESULTS: There was no change in measured volume of a simple insulated cylindrical model when the stimulating frequency was varied from 5-40 kHz. Vc(saline dilution) varied significantly with frequency in group 1 (8.63 +/- 2.74 ml at 5 kHz; 11.51 +/- 2.65 ml at 40 kHz) (p = 0.01). Similar results were obtained in group 2 (69.43 +/- 27.76 ml at 5 kHz; 101.24 +/- 15.21 ml at 40 kHz) (p < 0.001). However, the data indicate that the resistive component of the parallel conductance is substantial (Vc at 0 Hz estimated as 8.01 ml in group 1 and 62.3 ml in group 2). There was an increase in alpha with frequency in both groups but this did not reach significance. The correspondence between Vc(dual frequency) and Vc(saline dilution) methods was poor (group 1 R2 = 0.69; group 2 R2 = 0.22). CONCLUSION: At a lower excitation frequency of 5 kHz a smaller percentage of the electric current extends beyond the blood pool so parallel conductance is reduced. While parallel conductance is frequency dependent, it has a substantial resistive component. The dual frequency method is based on the assumption that parallel conductance is negligible at low frequencies and this is clearly not the case. The results of this study confirm that the dual frequency technique cannot be used to substitute the saline dilution technique.     

Comparison of non parallel immunoassay curves resulting from mixtures of competing antigens

Relative potency is a measure that has been used for many years to summarize the comparison of dose-response curves in parallel line bioassays. When response curves for two preparations are not parallel the traditional definition of relative potency no longer applies. We review the concept of relative potency and show that, in some situations, it can be given meaning for non-parallel curves as the ratio of biological activity in full strength assay preparations. Under an assumption that non-parallel curves result from the competition of mixtures of antigens for receptor binding sites, estimation of relative potency for non-parallel curves can be accomplished. We show that estimation of models for both parallel curve and response attenuation situations may be accomplished within the framework of generalized linear models. This estimation depends on the ability to deal with non-linear parameters appearing in the link function, and an iterative algorithm depending on direct parameter updates is outlined. The topics discussed are illustrated with the analysis of data from two immunoassays conducted with veterinary vaccines. The models developed here depend in an essential way on the assumption of response attenuation by competing antigens. Our methods may not be appropriate for non-parallel curves caused by other phenomena.     

Effects of somatosensory and parallel-fiber stimulation on neurons in dorsal cochlear nucleus

1. Single units and evoked potentials were recorded in the dorsal cochlear nucleus (DCN) of paralyzed decerebrate cats in response to electrical stimulation at two sites: 1) in the somatosensory dorsal column nuclei (together called MSN below for medullary somatosensory nuclei), which activates mossy-fiber inputs to granule cells in superficial DCN, and 2) on the free surface of the DCN, which activates granule cell axons (parallel fibers) directly. The goal was to evaluate hypotheses about synaptic interactions in the cerebellum-like circuitry of the superficial DCN. A four-pulse facilitation paradigm was used (50-ms interpulse interval); this allows identification of three components of the responses of DCN principal cells (type IV units) to these stimuli. The latencies of the response components were compared with the latency of the evoked potential in DCN, which signals the arrival of the parallel fiber volley at the recording site. 2. The first component is a short-latency inhibitory response; this component is seen only with MSN stimulation and is seen almost exclusively in units also showing the second component, the transient excitatory response. The short-latency inhibitory component precedes the evoked potential. No satisfactory explanation for the short-latency component can be given at present; it most likely reflects a fast-conducting inhibitory input that arrives at the type IV unit before the slowly conducting parallel fibers. 3. The second component is a transient excitatory response; this component is seen with both MSN and parallel fiber stimulation; it is weak and appears to be masked easily by the inhibitory response components. The excitatory component occurs at the same latency as the evoked potential and probably reflects direct excitation of principal cells by granule cell axons. The excitatory component is seen in about half the type IV units for both stimulating sites. With MSN stimulation, the lack of excitation in some units suggests a heterogeneity of cochlear granule cells, with some carrying somatosensory information and some not carrying this information; with parallel fiber stimulation, excitation probably requires the stimulating and recording electrodes to be lined up on the same "beam" of parallel fibers. 4. The third component is a long-lasting inhibitory response that is observed in virtually all type IV units with both MSN and parallel-fiber stimulation; its latency is longer than the evoked potential. Evidence suggests that it is produced by inhibitory input from cartwheel cells. The appearance of this inhibitory component in almost all type IV units can be accounted for by the considerable spread of cartwheel-cell axons in the direction perpendicular to the parallel fibers. 5. The evoked potential and all three components of the unit response vary systematically in size over the four pulses of the electrical stimulus. These results can be accounted for by two phenomena: 1) a facilitation of the granule cell synapses on all cell types that produces a steadily growing response through the four pulses, resembles presynaptic facilitation, and is seen with both MSN and parallel-fiber stimulation; and 2) a strong reduction in the granule cell response between the first and second pulse for MSN stimulation only. This reduction probably occurs presynaptically in the glomerulus or in the granule cell itself and could reflect inhibitory inputs. 6. The response components described above are seen in type IV units recorded in both the fusiform-cell and deep layers of the DCN; this suggests that both pyramidal and giant cells are activated similarly. The simplest interpretation is that both principal cell types are activated by the cerebellum-like circuitry in superficial DCN. Alternatively, because giant cells appear to make limited contact with the granule-cell circuits of superficial DCN, this finding may suggest the existence of currently undescribed granule cell circuits in deep DCN that are si     

Parallelism and the perception of illusory contours

The role of symmetry in the perception of illusory contours has been a subject of controversy ever since Kanizsa proposed his theory of illusory contours based on Gestalt principles. Today it is widely agreed that illusory contours do not necessarily occur more readily with inducers that can be 'amodally' completed to symmetrical objects than with inducers that cannot. But the question of whether symmetrical inducers produce weaker illusory contours than do unsymmetrical ones is still controversial. A novel determinant of illusory contour strength, parallelism, is proposed. Experiments are reported which indicate that illusory contours induced by 'blobs' which have boundaries that are nearby and parallel to the illusory contour are weaker than illusory contours induced by blobs that do not have this property. It is suggested that the display that has been most widely used by researchers to support their claims for a weakening of illusory contours with symmetrical inducers is weak primarily because of parallelism.