Development of active matrix LCD for use in high‐resolution adaptive headlights

Conventional adaptive driving beam headlamps are limited in achieving still higher quantities of switchable pixels by the number of LEDs and movable elements needed. In this paper, it is shown that by integrating an active matrix liquid crystal display module, it is possible to realize fully adaptive high‐resolution headlights without mechanical elements and a finite number of LED with 30 k switchable pixels.     

A new approach of data clustering using a flock of agents

This paper presents a new bio-inspired algorithm (FClust) that dynamically creates and visualizes groups of data. This algorithm uses the concepts of a flock of agents that move together in a complex manner with simple local rules. Each agent represents one data. The agents move together in a 2D environment with the aim of creating homogeneous groups of data. These groups are visualized in real time, and help the domain expert to understand the underlying structure of the data set, like for example a realistic number of classes, clusters of similar data, isolated data. We also present several extensions of this algorithm, which reduce its computational cost, and make use of a 3D display. This algorithm is then tested on artificial and real-world data, and a heuristic algorithm is used to evaluate the relevance of the obtained partitioning.     

Formal aspects of computing: LATEX style guide for authors

This guide is for authors who are preparing papers forFormal Aspects of Computing using the \(LaT_E X\) document preparation system and the FAC style file.     

Das Problem der verantworteten Therapieentscheidung in der Neonatologie

Definition of the problem: Physicians and nurses who work in neonatology—as in intensive care at all—are often forced to decide whether to stop or to continue with the treatment of a severely ill patient. The literature provides several decision making instruments, which are meant to help and to rationalize such decisions. Method and conclusion: Two of these instruments (“Schema zur ethischen Urteilsbildung nach dem Muster der aristotelischen Ethik”, Honnefelder 1994; “Nimwegener Methode für ethische Fallbesprechung”, Gordijn 1998) were tested by retrospectively examining two cases of our NICU. Results of our study show that the use of a decision making instrument is basically helpful. But the above mentioned instruments showed also shortcomings when used in the framework of neonatology. Therefore we developed the “Kölner Arbeitsbogen zur ethischen Entscheidungsfindung in der Neonatologie”, which is adapted to the specific needs of neonatology.     

Opposing Effects of D? and D? Receptor Activation on Odor Discrimination Learning.

Dopaminergic modulation of cortical activity has been implicated in the formation of reward associations. There is abundant evidence for dopaminergic effects on olfactory processing. Using an olfactory discrimination task, the authors show that D? and D? dopamine receptors can regulate rats' olfactory discrimination capacities and that the effects of receptor activation functionally oppose one another. Injection of either the D? agonist SKF 38393 (10 mg/kg) or the D? antagonist spiperone (0.62 mg/kg) facilitated the discrimination of similar odorants but had no effect on the discrimination of dissimilar odorants, whereas both the D, antagonist SCH 23390 (0.025 mg/kg) and the D? agonist quinpirole (0.2 mg/kg) significantly impaired rats' ability to discriminate similar and dissimilar odorants. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

An Experimental Comparison of the Maintainability of Object-Oriented and Structured Design Documents

Several important questions still need to be answered regarding the maintainability of object-oriented design documents. This paper focuses on the following issues: are object-oriented design documents easier to understand and modify than structured design documents? Do they need to comply with quality guidelines such as the ones provided by Coad and Yourdon? What is the impact of such quality standards on the understandability and modifiability of design documents? Answers can be based on informed opinion or empirical evidence. Since software technology investments are substantial and contradictory opinions exist regarding design strategies, performing empirical studies on these topics is a relevant research activity. This paper presents a controlled experiment performed with computer science students as subjects. Results strongly suggest that quality guidelines based on Coad and Yourdon principles have a beneficial effect on the maintainability of object-oriented design documents. However, there is no strong evidence regarding the alleged higher maintainability of object-oriented design documents over structured design documents. Furthermore, results suggest that object-oriented design documents are more sensitive to poor design practices, in part because their cognitive complexity becomes increasingly unmanageable. However, because our ability to generalise these results is limited, they should be considered as preliminary, i.e., it is very likely that they can only be generalised to programmers with little object-oriented training and programming experience. Such programmers can, however, be commonly found on maintenance projects. As well as additional research, external replications of this study are required to confirm the results and achieve confidence in these findings.     

Pre-Omicron Vaccine Breakthrough Infection Induces Superior Cross-Neutralization against SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.1 Compared to Infection Alone

SARS-CoV-2 variants raise concern because of their high transmissibility and their ability to evade neutralizing antibodies elicited by prior infection or by vaccination. Here, we compared the neutralizing abilities of sera from 70 unvaccinated COVID-19 patients infected before the emergence of variants of concern (VOCs) and of 16 vaccine breakthrough infection (BTI) cases infected with Gamma or Delta against the ancestral B.1 strain, the Gamma, Delta and Omicron BA.1 VOCs using live virus. We further determined antibody levels against the Nucleocapsid (N) and full Spike proteins, the receptor-binding domain (RBD) and the N-terminal domain (NTD) of the Spike protein. Convalescent sera featured considerable variability in the neutralization of B.1 and in the cross-neutralization of different strains. Their neutralizing capacity moderately correlated with antibody levels against the Spike protein and the RBD. All but one convalescent serum failed to neutralize Omicron BA.1. Overall, convalescent sera from patients with moderate disease had higher antibody levels and displayed a higher neutralizing ability against all strains than patients with mild or severe forms of the disease. The sera from BTI cases fell into one of two categories: half the sera had a high neutralizing activity against the ancestral B.1 strain as well as against the infecting strain, while the other half had no or a very low neutralizing activity against all strains. Although antibody levels against the spike protein and the RBD were lower in BTI sera than in unvaccinated convalescent sera, most neutralizing sera also retained partial neutralizing activity against Omicron BA.1, suggestive of a better cross-neutralization and higher affinity of vaccine-elicited antibodies over virus-induced antibodies. Accordingly, the IC50: antibody level ratios were comparable for BTI and convalescent sera, but remained lower in the neutralizing convalescent sera from patients with moderate disease than in BTI sera. The neutralizing activity of BTI sera was strongly correlated with antibodies against the Spike protein and the RBD. Together, these findings highlight qualitative differences in antibody responses elicited by infection in vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals. They further indicate that breakthrough infection with a pre-Omicron variant boosts immunity and induces cross-neutralizing antibodies against different strains, including Omicron BA.1.     

Child-centered game development (CCGD): developing games with children at school

Children represent an increasingly relevant target group of the game industry. Nevertheless, they are rarely involved in development processes. This article introduces child-centered game development (CCGD) approaches for the game design within the context of the school. Therefore, suitable HCI approaches from user-centered and participatory design as well as educational principles and approaches were used as a foundation. The CCGD approaches illustrate how to guide the involvement and participation of children aged 10–14 years in school classes within the development process of games. Approaches for the analysis, conceptualization, and design phases were developed and applied.