Frame of reference and adaptation to directional bias in a video-controlled reaching task

The present study (N=56) investigated spatio-temporal accuracy of horizontal reaching movements controlled visually through a vertical video monitor. Direct vision of the hand was precluded and the direction of hand trajectory, as perceived on the video screen, was varied by changing the angle of the camera. The orientation of the visual scene displayed on the fronto-parallel plane was thus congruent (0 degrees condition) or non-congruent (directional bias of 15 degrees, 30 degrees or 45 degrees counterclockwise) according to the horizontal working space. The goal of this study was to determine whether local learning of a directional bias can be transferred to other locations in the working space, but taking into account the magnitude of the directional bias (15 degrees, 30 degrees or 45 degrees ), and the position of the successive objectives (targets at different distances (TDD) or different azimuths (TDA)). Analysis of the spatial accuracy of pointing movements showed that when introducing a directional bias, terminal angular error was linearly related to the amount of angular perturbation (around 30%). Seven trials were, on average, necessary to eliminate this terminal error, whatever the magnitude of the directional bias and the position of the successive targets. When changing the location of the spatial objective, transfer of adaptation was achieved in the TDD condition but remained partial in the TDA condition. Furthermore, initial orientation of the trajectory suggested that some participants used a hand-centred frame of reference whereas others used an external one to specify movement vector. The adaptation process differed as a function of the frame of reference used, but only in the TDA condition. Adaptation for participants using a hand-centred frame of reference was more concerned with changes in the shape of the trajectory, whereas participants using an external frame of reference adapted their movement by up-dating the initial direction of hand trajectory. As a whole, these findings suggest that the processes involved in remote visual control of hand movement are complex with the result that tasks requiring video-controlled manipulation like video-controlled surgery require specific spatial abilities in actors and consequential plasticity of their visuo-motor system, in particular concerning the selection of the frame of reference for action.     

The ConWip production control system: a systematic review and classification

In the past decade, a growing body of literature has investigated the CONstant Work In Progress (ConWip) production control system (PCS). In view of the current industrial challenges entailing adaptability, product customisation, decreasing leadtimes and customer satisfaction, ConWip seems to be an effective and adaptive PCS for manufacturers. This paper aims to update the last ConWip systematic review that dates back to 2003 and to provide a guide for understanding through an original classification method. This method enables the differentiation of papers that concentrate on ConWip sizing, performance and context as well as a comparison with other PCSs. In addition to providing a key to interpreting the research approaches, the criteria considered answers questions on how to implement, how to optimise and why and when to use ConWip. Finally, the most relevant research avenues are highlighted to provide future lines of research.     

A rounding algorithm for approximating minimum Manhattan networks

For a set T$T$ of n$n$ points (terminals) in the plane, a Manhattan network   on T$T$ is a network N(T)=(V,E)$N\left(T\right)=(V,E)$ with the property that its edges are horizontal or vertical segments connecting points in V⊇T$V\supseteq T$ and for every pair of terminals, the network N(T)$N\left(T\right)$ contains a shortest _l1$l_1$-path between them. A minimum Manhattan network   on T$T$ is a Manhattan network of minimum possible length. The problem of finding minimum Manhattan networks has been introduced by Gudmundsson, Levcopoulos, and Narasimhan [J. Gudmundsson, C. Levcopoulos, G. Narasimhan, Approximating a minimum Manhattan network, Nordic Journal of Computing 8 (2001) 219–232. Proc. APPROX’99, 1999, pp. 28–37] and its complexity status is unknown. Several approximation algorithms (with factors 8, 4, and 3) have been proposed; recently Kato, Imai, and Asano [R. Kato, K. Imai, T. Asano, An improved algorithm for the minimum Manhattan network problem, ISAAC’02, in: LNCS, vol. 2518, 2002, pp. 344–356] have given a factor 2-approximation algorithm, however their correctness proof is incomplete. In this paper, we propose a rounding 2-approximation algorithm based on an LP-formulation of the minimum Manhattan network problem.     

An efficient and lightweight method for Service Level Agreement assessment

Traditional approaches to on-line end-to-end Service Level Agreement (SLA) assessment have focused on the estimation of network QoS parameters. These approaches, however, face a trade-off between accuracy and the amount of resources needed to achieve such accuracy. This paper offers an alternative approach, where instead of estimating QoS parameters, we propose an effective and lightweight solution for directly detecting SLA violations. Our solution monitors the Inter-Packet Arrival Time (IPAT) at an end-point, wherein current IPAT distributions are periodically compared with a set of reference IPAT distributions as the main basis for detecting SLA violations. A mapping of the IPAT distribution with the current network conditions is derived, and a training algorithm that dynamically acquires the set of reference IPAT distributions is designed. For the comparison of the IPAT distributions, we propose a variant of the Hausdorff Distance algorithm. Our variant provides a better accuracy than the traditional Hausdorff Distance, while presenting linear complexity. Our proposal is validated in a real testbed, by comparing the SLA violations detected and the resources required in terms of bandwidth, with other existing alternatives as well as with perfect knowledge of current network QoS status.     

Simple negotiation schemes for agents with simple preferences: sufficiency,necessity and maximality

We investigate the properties of an abstract negotiation framework where agents autonomously negotiate over allocations of indivisible resources. In this framework, reaching an allocation that is optimal may require very complex multilateral deals. Therefore, we are interested in identifying classes of valuation functions such that any negotiation conducted by means of deals involving only a single resource at a time is bound to converge to an optimal allocation whenever all agents model their preferences using these functions. In the case of negotiation with monetary side payments amongst self-interested but myopic agents, the class of modular valuation functions turns out to be such a class. That is, modularity is a sufficient condition for convergence in this framework. We also show that modularity is not a necessary condition. Indeed, there can be no condition on individual valuation functions that would be both necessary and sufficient in this sense. Evaluating conditions formulated with respect to the whole profile of valuation functions used by the agents in the system would be possible in theory, but turns out to be computationally intractable in practice. Our main result shows that the class of modular functions is maximal in the sense that no strictly larger class of valuation functions would still guarantee an optimal outcome of negotiation, even when we permit more general bilateral deals. We also establish similar results in the context of negotiation without side payments.     

Additive Spanners and Distance and Routing Labeling Schemes for Hyperbolic Graphs

δ-Hyperbolic metric spaces have been defined by M. Gromov in 1987 via a simple 4-point condition: for any four points u,v,w,x, the two larger of the distance sums d(u,v)+d(w,x),d(u,w)+d(v,x),d(u,x)+d(v,w) differ by at most?2δ. They play an important role in geometric group theory, geometry of negatively curved spaces, and have recently become of interest in several domains of computer science, including algorithms and networking. In this paper, we study unweighted δ-hyperbolic graphs. Using the Layering Partition technique, we show that every n-vertex δ-hyperbolic graph with δ≥1/2 has an additive O(δlog?n)-spanner with at most O(δn) edges and provide a simpler, in our opinion, and faster construction of distance approximating trees of δ-hyperbolic graphs with an additive error O(δlog?n). The construction of our tree takes only linear time in the size of the input graph. As a consequence, we show that the family of n-vertex δ-hyperbolic graphs with δ≥1/2 admits a routing labeling scheme with O(δlog?² n) bit labels, O(δlog?n) additive stretch and O(log?₂(4δ)) time routing protocol, and a distance labeling scheme with O(log?² n) bit labels, O(δlog?n) additive error and constant time distance decoder.     

A Self-stabilizing Algorithm for the Median Problem in?Partial Rectangular Grids and Their Relatives

Given a graph G=(V,E), a vertex v of G is a median vertex if it minimizes the sum of the distances to all other vertices of G. The median problem consists of finding the set of all median vertices of G. In this note, we present self-stabilizing algorithms for the median problem in partial rectangular grids and relatives. Our algorithms are based on the fact that partial rectangular grids can be isometrically embedded into the Cartesian product of two trees, to which we apply the algorithm proposed by Antonoiu and Srimani (J. Comput. Syst. Sci. 58:215–221, 1999) and Bruell et al. (SIAM J. Comput. 29:600–614, 1999) for computing the medians in trees. Then we extend our approach from partial rectangular grids to a more general class of plane quadrangulations. We also show that the characterization of medians of trees given by Gerstel and Zaks (Networks 24:23–29, 1994) extends to cube-free median graphs, a class of graphs which includes these quadrangulations.     

Effect of Denervation on XBP1 in Skeletal Muscle and the Neuromuscular Junction

Denervation of skeletal muscle is a debilitating consequence of injury of the peripheral nervous system, causing skeletal muscle to experience robust atrophy. However, the molecular mechanisms controlling the wasting of skeletal muscle due to denervation are not well understood. Here, we demonstrate that transection of the sciatic nerve in Sprague–Dawley rats induced robust skeletal muscle atrophy, with little effect on the neuromuscular junction (NMJ). Moreover, the following study indicates that all three arms of the unfolded protein response (UPR) are activated in denervated skeletal muscle. Specifically, ATF4 and ATF6 are elevated in the cytoplasm of skeletal muscle, while XBP1 is elevated in the nuclei of skeletal muscle. Moreover, XBP1 is expressed in the nuclei surrounding the NMJ. Altogether, these results endorse a potential role of the UPR and, specifically, XBP1 in the maintenance of both skeletal muscle and the NMJ following sciatic nerve transection. Further investigations into a potential therapeutic role concerning these mechanisms are needed.     

基于柔性聚合物薄膜的低维材料定点转移研究

针对目前低维材料转移方案中过程复杂和衬底适应性差的难题,提出了一种常温常压下基于柔性聚合物薄膜聚二甲基硅氧烷（polydimethylsiloxane, PDMS）的低维材料定点转移方法。PDMS柔性膜的受力形变是实现其与不同衬底紧密贴合的基础,针对不同的目标衬底,仅需要更换对应的衬底微调系统盖板,结合三维位移机械系统,即可实现一维和二维材料的通用定点转移。该方法避免了转移过程中的真空吸附及衬底加热等严格条件,降低了材料的定点转移难度并提高了其稳定性和通用性。此外该方法也可实现低维材料同质结或其它垂直结构的构建,从而极大提高低维材料结构的丰富性。