Knowledge Partitioning in Categorization: Constraints on Exemplar Models.

The authors present 2 experiments that establish the presence of knowledge partitioning in perceptual categorization. Many participants learned to rely on a context cue, which did not predict category membership but identified partial boundaries, to gate independent partial categorization strategies. When participants partitioned their knowledge, a strategy used in 1 context was unaffected by knowledge demonstrably present in other contexts. An exemplar model, attentional learning covering map, was shown to be unable to accommodate knowledge partitioning. Instead, a mixture-of-experts model, attention to rules and instances in a unified model (ATRIUM), could handle the results. The success of ATRIUM resulted from its assumption that people memorize not only exemplars but also the way in which they are to be classified. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Service Curve Based Routing Subject to Deterministic QoS Constraints

We consider the problem of routing in packet-switching networks subject to deterministic QoS constraints with the objective of minimizing induced cost. In particular, we propose a novel blend of generic service curves as abstraction of network transport services, of the associated network calculus under min–plus algebra and of existing heuristics for the restricted shortest path problem. Since the minimum cost objective requires an unambiguous definition of link service cost, we derive a cost model for the deployed generic service curve abstraction. Furthermore we describe the details of the different steps of the developed routing algorithm in pseudo-code notation. Our approach is subdivided into a pre-computation and an on-demand phase. Within the on-demand phase we deploy tabu-search as local search heuristic to exploit the neighbourhood of a pre-computed minimum weight path. The presented approach provides a generic technical solution for minimum-cost routing subject to deterministic QoS constraints. It is specifically designed to provide a solution path whenever the computation is stopped. Although such solutions may be non-optimal and even infeasible with respect to the QoS demand, obtaining a possible path is important in the trade-off of required processing time and accuracy of results.     

Cubic equations of state for transport properties: An equation for the thermal conductivity of oxygen

A scheme for the development of equations for the transport properties in terms of pressure and temperature, so-called transport equations of state, is presented. The surfaces of transport properties and density as a function of pressure and temperature reveal similarities, which become even more evident when the residual transport property as a function of pressure and temperature is considered. Even the spinodals of transport and thermal properties coincide in the p, T plane, as can be shown mathematically and as was already empirically found for water and oxygen. Based on these similarities a cubic transport equation of state is evaluated for the residual thermal conductivity of oxygen. The new equation is only a little less accurate than the already established virial transport equation of state for oxygen. It is, however, much simpler and needs only a few parameters. The accuracy is still good enough for practical applications. The results demonstrate that cubic equations of state can describe transport properties and are a basis for generalized estimation methods for the transport properties of fluids.     

Information feedback for skill acquisition: Instantaneous knowledge of results degrades learning.

The role of acquired error-detection capabilities in skill learning was investigated by manipulating the delay of knowledge of results (KR). Compared with delayed feedback, instantaneous KR should be detrimental to the learning of error-detection capabilities because it should tend to block spontaneous subjective evaluation of response-produced feedback. Weaker error-detection capabilities should then be evident on delayed no-KR retention tests. During acquisition, one group of subjects received KR after a delay of a few seconds while another group received KR instantaneously; then both were evaluated on several retention tests. Using a timing task with two reversals in direction (Experiment 1) and a coincident-timing task (Experiment 2), we found that, relative to delayed feedback, instantaneous KR degraded learning as measured on delayed retention tests. Although the KR-delay interval has traditionally been considered of minor importance for skill learning, the present findings suggest that very short KR-delays interfere with learning, perhaps by degrading the acquisition of error-detection capabilities. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Der Tetraden-Test als aussagef?hige sensorische Methode

Zusammenfassung Es wird eine als Tetraden-Test bezeichnete Weiterentwicklung des Triangeltests beschrieben. Dabei wird eine Probe als Nullprobe (Standard) sowie 3 Analysenproben gereicht. Der Prüfer hat die abweichende oder die abweichenden Proben zu ermitteln. Der Tetraden-Test wurde anhand von etwa 150 Prüfungen mit 780 Fehlurteilen überprüft. Dabei ergab sich, daß bei den Prüfern keine Tendenz besteht, eine der sechs möglichen Antworten beim Fehlen eines eindeutigen sensorischen Unterschiedes als abweichend herauszustellen. Eine Tabelle zur statistischen Beurteilung der Prüferurteile wird für den Tetraden-Test gegeben.

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The tetrade-test as a capable sensorv methodI. method and application

Summary A further development of the triangel-test, named as tetrade-test, has been described. One standard sample plus 3 samples for analysis are presented. The judges have to find the differentiating sample or samples. The tetrade-test has been evaluated on 150 tests with 780 wrong scores. It was verified that there is no tendency amongst the judges of favouring one of the six possible answers in case of a unrecognizable sensory difference. A table for the statistical evaluation of the judgements according to the tetrade-test is presented.

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Vorveröffentlichung aus der Promotionsarbeit von Günter Römer an der Justus Liebig-Universität-Gießen.     

VIEWER: a program for visualising, recording, and analysing animal behaviour.

In order to determine the influence of environmental interventions, medical substances, drugs, or diseases on an animal, it is a common to observe the behaviour of the animal in the open field or in other environments. Changes in animal behaviour can be the first indicators for an influence of a substance or an intervention on the organism and certain kinds of behavioural changes can permit speculations about the underlying physiological mechanisms. Behavioural properties which are of interest in this respect are movement parameters such as velocity or direction, activity patterns, spatial distribution and occurrence of several types of standard behaviours of an animal. Observation of simple behaviours such as determining the average activity level can help to detect general changes of the internal state of an animal, while changes in complex behaviours may point to specific influences of a substance or an intervention. Our system 'VIEWER' uses a microcomputer (IBM-compatible PC running WINDOWS 95, WINDOWS 98, WINDOWS NT, or WINDOWS 2000), a low budget framegrabber card (e.g. WinTV, Hauppauge) and a standard black-and-white video camera (if necessary with infrared sensitivity). The software records the position of the animal online with a sample rate of up to 25 frames/s. After identification of the animal in the arena, animal location and orientation with respect to time is determined. In addition, movement velocity and direction, general activity level, and several other behavioural parameters which can include complex behavioural patterns are processed online. Data are presented as graphics and/or tables. Results may also be exported into those programs that are capable of importing graphics (wmf or bmp format) or ASCII-files. VIEWER offers an inexpensive, fast and easy way for analysing simple and complex behaviours of many species of animals in a variety of behavioural situations.