Reconfigurable distributed storage for dynamic networks

This paper presents a new algorithm for implementing a reconfigurable distributed shared memory in an asynchronous dynamic network. The algorithm guarantees atomic consistency (linearizability) in all executions in the presence of arbitrary crash failures of the processing nodes, message delays, and message loss. The algorithm incorporates a classic quorum-based algorithm for read/write operations, and an optimized consensus protocol, based on Fast Paxos for reconfiguration, and achieves the design goals of: (i) allowing read and write operations to complete rapidly and (ii) providing long-term fault-tolerance through reconfiguration, a process that evolves the quorum configurations used by the read and write operations. The resulting algorithm tolerates dynamism. We formally prove our algorithm to be correct, we present its performance and compare it to existing reconfigurable memories, and we evaluate experimentally the cost of its reconfiguration mechanism.     

Musculoskeletal complaints among nurses related to patient handling tasks and psychosocial factors--based on logbook registrations

The aims were to evaluate the inter-method reliability of a registration sheet for patient handling tasks, to study the day-to-day variation of musculoskeletal complaints (MSC) and to examine whether patient handling tasks and psychosocial factors were associated with MSC.Nurses (n = 148) fulfilled logbooks for three consecutive working days followed by a day off. Low back pain (LBP), neck/shoulder pain (NSP), knee pain (KP), psychosocial factors (time pressure, stress, conscience of the quality of work) and patient transfers and care tasks were reported.The logbook was reliable for both transfer and care tasks. The numbers of nurses reporting MSC and the level of pain increased significantly during the three working days (15%-30% and 17%-37%, respectively) and decreased on the day off. Stress and transfer task were associated with LPB and transfer tasks were associated with KP.Our results confirm a relationship between work factors and MSC and indicate that logs could be one way to obtain a better understanding of the complex interaction of various nursing working conditions in relation to MSC.     

3D noisy discrete objects: Segmentation and application to smoothing

We propose in this paper a segmentation process that can deal with noisy discrete objects. A flexible approach considering arithmetic discrete planes with a variable width is used to avoid the over-segmentation that might happen when classical segmentation algorithms based on regular discrete planes are used to decompose the surface of the object. A method to choose a seed and different segmentation strategies according to the shape of the surface is also proposed, as well as an application to smooth the border of convex noisy discrete objects.     

A structured P2P network based on the small world phenomenon

In this paper, we propose a new structured P2P overlay network, named SW-Uinta(small-world). In order to reduce the routing latency, we firstly construct the Uinta network in which both physical characteristics of network and data semantic are considered. Furthermore, based on Uinta, a nondeterministic caching strategy is employed to allow for poly-logarithmic search time while having only a constant cache size. Compared with the deterministic caching strategy proposed by previous P2P systems, the nondeterministic caching strategy can reduce communication overhead for maintaining the routing cache table. Cache entries in the cache table of peer nodes can be updated by subsequent queries rather than only by running stabilization periodically. In the following, a novel cache replacement scheme, named the SW cache replacement scheme, is used to improve lookup performance, which has proved to satisfy the small-world principle. So we call this network SW-Uinta(small-world). After that, according to the theoretical analysis, it can be proved that SW-Uinta(small-world) can get O((log ² N)/k) search time with O(k) cache size. Lastly, the performance of SW-Uinta(small-world) is compared with those of other structured P2P networks such as Chord and Uinta. It shows that SW-Uinta(small-world) can achieve improved object lookup performance and reduce maintenance cost.

Mobile phone use among college students is a sedentary leisure behavior which may interfere with exercise

Research suggests that cell phone use is related to sedentary behavior, that cell phone use during exercise reduces intensity, and that high frequency cell phone users are less fit than other users. Thus, cell phone use appears connected to health and fitness behaviors and should be better understood within this context. The present study investigated the sedentary nature of cell phone use, and examined the likelihood of cellphone use interfering with exercise behavior.DesignA validated survey was administered to a random sample of students from a public US university (N = 226).ResultsMean self-reported cell phone use was 380 min day⁻¹, 87% reported cell phone use primarily occurs while sitting, and 70% of use was for leisure. Cell phone use was positively related to sedentary behavior (β = 0.30, p < 0.001). It was not related to physical activity. However, the likelihood of cell phone use during moderate (p = 0.006) and mild (p < 0.001) intensity exercise increased as cell phone use increased.ConclusionLike other screens (e.g., TVs), cell phone use appears to be a sedentary leisure behavior. Furthermore, high frequency use increases the likelihood that it will occur during exercise, likely lowering exercise intensity.     

基于运动目标分类的双向人流量统计算法

提出了一种在智能视频监控中基于运动目标分类的双向人流量统计算法.本文首先对运动目标进行检测和跟踪,根据检测出的运动目标团块经过预设计数线时的特征信息,把目标划分为非行人、单行人和多行人.对于多行人的情况,利用HOG和SVM对目标团块中的头肩进行检测,判断出多目标团块包含的行人数目.在人流量的统计中,借助于运动目标方向信息和目标团块所包含的行人数目信息,对经过场景预设计数线的行人进行进出双向的统计.本文算在建筑物通道口环境下的人流量统计中取得了较好的效果.     

一种基于鲁棒局部纹理特征的背景差分方法

针对复杂场景下运动目标的精确检测这一问题,提出一种对噪声鲁棒并具备灰度尺度不变性的局部纹理特征描述子LBP_Center,将其与像素的颜色信息结合应用于背景建模中,采用随机抽样的机制更新模型,同时引入背景复杂度以去除多模态动态背景产生的噪点。在标准测试数据集上的实验结果表明,该算法对柔性阴影及光照缓慢变化具备良好的鲁棒性,综合性能更优。     

Participatory ergonomics in design processes: the role of boundary objects

The aim of this paper is to introduce the concept of boundary objects in order to better understand the role of objects in participatory ergonomics (PE) design processes. The research question is: What characterizes boundary objects in PE processes? Based on two case studies, we identify eight characteristics of boundary objects and their use, which make them particularly useful in PE design processes. These characteristics go beyond the object itself and extend into the context of their use. We argue that the selection of boundary objects in PE processes is of great importance, since different objects enable workers’ participation and collaborative design in different ways. The framework developed may serve to provide criteria to guide practitioners and intervention researchers in the selection of objects to facilitate a PE process. The paper concludes with a list of recommendations for ergonomic practitioners that are based on the framework.     

DOLAR: virtualizing heterogeneous information spaces to support their expansion

Users expect applications to successfully cope with the expansion of information as necessitated by the continuous inclusion of novel types of content. Given that such content may originate from ‘not‐seen thus far’ data collections and/or data sources, the challenging issue is to achieve the return of investment on existing services, adapting to new information without changing existing business‐logic implementation. To address this need, we introduce DOLAR (Data Object Language And Runtime), a service‐neutral framework which virtualizes the information space to avoid invasive, time‐consuming, and expensive source‐code extensions that frequently break applications. Specifically, DOLAR automates the introduction of new business‐logic objects in terms of the proposed virtual ‘content objects’. Such user‐specified virtual objects align to storage artifacts and help realize uniform ‘store‐to‐user’ data flows atop heterogeneous sources, while offering the reverse ‘user‐to‐store’ flows with identical effectiveness and ease of use. In addition, the suggested virtual object composition schemes help decouple business logic from any content origin, storage and/or structural details, allowing applications to support novel types of items without modifying their service provisions. We expect that content‐rich applications will benefit from our approach and demonstrate how DOLAR has assisted in the cost‐effective development and gradual expansion of a production‐quality digital library. Experimentation shows that our approach imposes minimal overheads and DOLAR‐based applications scale as well as any underlying datastore(s). Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Fruit Senescence and Decay Simulation

Aging and imperfections provide important visual cues for realism. We present a novel physically‐based approach for simulating the biological aging and decay process in fruits. This method simulates interactions between multiple processes. Our biologically‐derived, reaction‐diffusion model generates growth patterns for areas of fungal and bacterial infection. Fungal colony spread and propagation is affected by both bacterial growth and nutrient depletion. This process changes the physical properties of the surface of the fruit as well as its internal volume substrate. The fruit is physically simulated with parameters such as skin thickness and porosity, water content, flesh rigidity, ambient temperature, humidity, and proximity to other surfaces. Our model produces a simulation that closely mirrors the progression of decay in real fruits under similar parameterized conditions. Additionally, we provide a tool that allows artists to customize the input of the program to produce generalized fruit simulations.