A tolerant approach to reconstruct topology from unorganized trimmed surfaces

Presented in this paper is a topology reconstruction algorithm from a set of unorganized trimmed surfaces. Error-prone small geometric elements are handled to give proper topological information. It gives complete topology to topologically complete models, and it is also tolerant to incomplete models. The proposed algorithm is vertex-based in that clues for topological information are searched from the set of vertices first, not from that of edges.     

Data fitting with a spline using a real-coded genetic algorithm

To obtain a good approximation for data fitting with a spline, frequently we have to deal with knots as variables. The problem to be solved then becomes a continuous nonlinear and multivariate optimization problem with many local optima. Therefore, it is difficult to obtain the global optimum. In this paper, we propose a method for solving this problem by using a real-coded genetic algorithm. Our method can treat not only data with a smooth underlying function, but also data with an underlying function having discontinuous points and/or cusps. We search for the best model among candidate models by using the Bayes Information Criterion (BIC). With this, we can appropriately determine the number and locations of knots automatically and simultaneously. Five examples of data fitting are given to show the performance of our method.     

An integrated modelling environment for the embodiment of mechanical systems

The efficient, economical and often elegant transformation from a design schema to an embodied design solution containing real components is essential for the commercial success of a product. More often the ability of the designer to explore an optimum solution is severely frustrated by the analytically intensive and time-consuming aspects of embodying a concept. This paper presents a computer based system-modelling tool that is to be used by designers during the transformation of a concept to an embodied solution particularly to deal with standard components. This environment provides for the representation of conceptual schemas and subsequent embodiment from computer based component selection modules. These selection modules encompass the full range of electronic representations for standard mechanical components. The strategy for representing a mechanical system, its included components and their associated representations is discussed. The process of constructing a system model, specifying the desired performance characteristics and system resolution are also described.     

Controlling mechanical systems with backlash—a survey

Backlash is one of the most important non-linearities that limit the performance of speed and position control in industrial, robotics, automotive, automation and other applications. The control of systems with backlash has been the subject of study since the 1940s. This survey reveals that surprisingly few control innovations have been presented since the early path breaking papers that introduced the describing function analysis of systems with backlash. Promising developments are however taking place using adaptive and non-linear control strategies.     

Wiener models of direction-dependent dynamic systems

Analysis of systems with direction-dependent dynamics is currently limited to cases in which the dynamics in the two directions of the output are first order; results for such systems have been published for both pseudo-random maximum-length binary (MLB) and inverse-repeat maximum-length binary (IR-MLB) inputs. These relatively limited analytical results make it useful to examine alternative ways of modelling such systems and in this paper, Wiener models are considered for this purpose. Methods for optimising the Wiener model parameters by matching the system and model cross-correlation functions, outputs, and discrete Fourier transforms of the outputs are considered, and the results are compared. These methods are also applied to a first-order direction-dependent system with a maximum-length ternary (MLT) input, for which no analytical results are currently available, and to a second-order system with an IR-MLB input.     

Vote counting measures for ensemble classifiers

Various measures, such as Margin and Bias/Variance, have been proposed with the aim of gaining a better understanding of why Multiple Classifier Systems (MCS) perform as well as they do. While these measures provide different perspectives for MCS analysis, it is not clear how to use them for MCS design. In this paper a different measure based on a spectral representation is proposed for two-class problems. It incorporates terms representing positive and negative correlation of pairs of training patterns with respect to class labels. Experiments employing MLP base classifiers, in which parameters are fixed but systematically varied, demonstrate the sensitivity of the proposed measure to base classifier complexity.     

Selective interference with class I major histocompatibility complex presentation of the major immediate-early protein following infection with human cytomegalovirus

Responses of cytotoxic T-cells (Tc) to human cytomegalovirus (CMV) represent the predominant mechanism by which hosts resist CMV infection. The CMV major immediate-early protein (IE) is present throughout the virus replicative cycle. Studies were performed to determine whether Tc specific for IE effectively lyse CMV-infected targets and are thus capable of providing protective immunity against infection. After in vitro stimulation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells with CMV-infected autologous fibroblasts, Tc specific for IE were not readily detectable in CMV-reactive polyclonal Tc lines. However, after stimulation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells with cells selectively expressing IE, weak but detectable IE-specific Tc responses were observed. The frequency of IE-specific Tc clones derived from cultures stimulated with IE-expressing cells was 50 to 100 times lower than the frequency of Tc clones specific for other CMV proteins isolated from cultures stimulated with CMV-infected cells. All of the IE-specific Tc clones, which efficiently lysed targets selectively expressing IE, demonstrated minimal lysis of CMV-infected fibroblasts, despite abundant IE expression in these target cells. In contrast to these results with IE, other viral proteins were efficiently presented during all phases of CMV infection. These data suggest that CMV has evolved a unique mechanism for selectively limiting the presentation of the potentially immunogenic IE protein, which may preclude IE-specific Tc from providing protective immunity to CMV infection.