Measuring Mental Workload Using ERPs Based on FIR,ICA, and MARA

Mental workload is considered to be strongly linked to human performance, and the ability to measure it accurately is key for balancing human health and work. In this study, brain signals were elicited by mental arithmetic tasks of varying difficulty to stimulate different levels of mental workload. In addition, a finite impulse response (FIR) filter, independent component analysis (ICA), and multiple artifact rejection algorithms (MARAs) were used to filter event-related potentials (ERPs). Then, the data consisting of ERPs, subjective ratings of mental workload, and task performance, were analyzed through the use of variance and Spearman’s correlation during a simulated computer task. We found that participants responded faster and performed better in the easy task condition, followed by the medium and high-difficulty conditions, which verifies the validity of the ERP filtering. Moreover, larger P2 and P3 waveforms were evoked as the task difficulty increased, and a higher task difficulty elicited a more enhanced N300. Correlation analysis revealed a negative relationship between the amplitude of P3 and the subjective ratings, and a positive relationship between the P3 amplitude and accuracy. The results presented in this paper demonstrate that a combination of FIR, ICA, and MARA methods can filter ERPs in the non-invasive real-time measurement of workload. Additionally, frontocentral P2, N3, and parietal P3 components showed differences between genders. The proposed measurement of mental workload can be useful for real-time identification of mental states and can be applied to human–computer interaction in the future.     

基于神威·太湖之光的非结构网格计算加速算法

在国产异构众核平台神威·太湖之光上的非结构网格计算具有稀疏存储、离散访存、数据依赖等特点,严重制约了众核处理器的性能发挥。为解决稀疏存储和离散访存问题,提出一种N阶对角染色算法,以有效平衡主从核计算并利用从核将全局访存转化为LDM访问。针对数据依赖造成的计算竞争问题,采用自适应和无依赖的任务划分方法,避免并行计算时的数据冲突。为对处理器架构和非结构网格计算进行优化,采用主核与从核异步并行的方式,差异化使用主从核以充分利用硬件资源,同时,取消处理器提供的寄存器通信机制,降低从核阵列的同步开销同时便于扩展到新一代神威平台。此外,使用计算访存异步重叠技术来充分隐藏访存延迟。利用SpMV、Integration、calcLudsFcc算子进行实验,结果表明,相比主核实现,组合加速算法在不同算例规模下平均取得了10倍的加速效果,加速比最高可达24倍,N阶对角染色算法相比非染色分块算法取得了超过5.8倍的性能加速,有效提升了数据局部性和计算并行度。该算法对有依赖关系的计算冲突算子同样具有良好的加速性能,验证了自适应和无依赖任务划分方法的有效性。     

Determinants of internal and external R&D offshoring: evidence from Spanish firms

This paper analyses the determinants of R&D offshoring of Spanish firms using information from the Panel of Technological Innovation. We find that being an exporter, international technological cooperation, continuous R&D engagement, applying for patents, being a foreign subsidiary, and firm size are factors that positively affect the decision to offshore R&D. In addition, we find that a lack of financing is an obstacle relatively more important for independent firms than for firms that belong to business groups. For these latter, we also obtain that the factors that influence the decision to offshore R&D differ depending on whether the firm purchases the R&D services within the group or through the market: a higher degree of importance assigned to internal sources of information for innovation as compared to market sources increases (decreases) the probability of R&D offshoring only through the group (market).     

Simultaneous Imaging of Endogenous Survivin mRNA and On‐Demand Drug Release in Live Cells by Using a Mesoporous Silica Nanoquencher

The design of multifunctional drug delivery systems capable of simultaneous target detection, imaging, and therapeutics in live mammalian cells is critical for biomedical research. In this study, by using mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) chemically modified with a small‐molecule dark quencher, followed by sequential drug encapsulation, MSN capping with a dye‐labeled antisense oligonucleotide, and bioorthogonal surface modification with cell‐penetrating poly(disulfide)s, the authors have successfully developed the first mesoporous silica nanoquencher (qMSN), characterized by high drug‐loading and endocytosis‐independent cell uptake, which is able to quantitatively image endogenous survivin mRNA and release the loaded drug in a manner that depends on the survivin expression level in tumor cells. The authors further show that this novel drug delivery system may be used to minimize potential cytotoxicity encountered by many existing small‐molecule drugs in cancer therapy.     

独立学院计算机公共课程体系研究

针对当前独立学院计算机公共课程教学的现状及存在的问题,提出独立学院应结合自身特点,以培养应用型人才为目标,着重培养学生的计算机综合应用能力,构建分层次的1+1+X模式的非计算机专业计算机公共课程体系。     

独立学院本科计算机应用基础课程教改研究

为了提高教育质量,独立学院必须从自身的条件出发,进行深入的教学改革。针对计算机应用基础课程的特点,文章提出以社会需求为导向,改革教学内容;从实际出发,改进教学方法;发挥网络优势,构建立体化教学环境;加强教师队伍建设,为课程改革夯实基础。经过实践,这种做法取得了优良的效果。     

面向创新应用型人才培养的实验实践教学改革

针对独立学院创新应用型人才培养目标的需要,分析当前实验实践教学中存在的问题,提出构建完善的实验室开放体系,引导大学生创新科技竞赛服务于实验实践教学,探索大学生就业和创业创新模式等改革措施。     

P2P Web搜索中一种有效的查询路由策略

有效的多关键字查询路由是P2PWeb搜索中的一个关键问题。文章提出一种基于收益代价比的查询处理方法。该方法基于DHT的P2P覆盖网,挖掘关键字的关联性和节点间覆盖度和重叠度。利用最小独立置换进行重叠检测,因此避免了对相同记录的冗余路由。实验证明了该方法显著减少了查询时间,同时提高了查全率和查准率。     

独立学院公共计算机基础课程教学改革探索

首先对独立学院公共计算机基础课程的现状和问题进行了分析,问题主要包括学生的计算机水平参差不齐、教学效率低、学生解决实际问题的能力差等。然后针对上述问题,提出了教学改革方案,包括开展分类分层次教学,改革教学方法,还要提升教师队伍的素质,提高学生的学习兴趣等等。     

A Kharitonov‐like theorem for robust stability independent of delay of interval quasipolynomials

In this paper, a Kharitonov‐like theorem is proved for testing robust stability independent of delay of interval quasipolynomials, p(s)+∑eq_k(s), where p and q_k's are interval polynomials with uncertain coefficients. It is shown that the robust stability test of the quasipolynomial basically reduces to the stability test of a set of Kharitonov‐like vertex quasipolynomials, where stability is interpreted as stability independent of delay. As discovered in (IEEE Trans. Autom. Control 2008; 53 :1219–1234), the well‐known vertex‐type robust stability result reported in (IMA J. Math. Contr. Info. 1988; 5 :117–123) (See also (IEEE Trans. Circ. Syst. 1990; 37 (7):969–972; Proc. 34th IEEE Conf. Decision Contr., New Orleans, LA, December 1995; 392–394) does contain a flaw. An alternative approach is proposed in (IEEE Trans. Autom. Control 2008; 53 :1219–1234), and both frequency sweeping and vertex type robust stability tests are developed for quasipolynomials with polytopic coefficient uncertainties. Under a specific assumption, it is shown in (IEEE Trans. Autom. Control 2008; 53 :1219–1234) that robust stability independent of delay of an interval quasipolynomial can be reduced to stability independent of delay of a set of Kharitonov‐like vertex quasipolynomials. In this paper, we show that the assumption made in (IEEE Trans. Autom. Control 2008; 53 :1219–1234) is redundant, and the Kharitonov‐like result reported in (IEEE Trans. Autom. Control 2008; 53 :1219–1234) is true without any additional assumption, and can be applied to all quasipolynomials. The key idea used in (IEEE Trans. Autom. Control 2008; 53 :1219–1234) was the equivalence of Hurwitz stability and ?_‐o‐stability for interval polynomials with constant term never equal to zero. This simple observation implies that the well‐known Kharitonov theorem for Hurwitz stability can be applied for ?_‐o‐stability, provided that the constant term of the interval polynomial never vanishes. However, this line of approach is based on a specific assumption, which we call the CNF‐assumption. In this paper, we follow a different approach: First, robust ?_‐o‐stability problem is studied in a more general framework, including the cases where degree drop is allowed, and the constant term as well as other higher‐orders terms can vanish. Then, generalized Kharitonov‐like theorems are proved for ?_‐o‐stability, and inspired by the techniques used in (IEEE Trans. Autom. Control 2008; 53 :1219–1234), it is shown that robust stability independent of delay of an interval quasipolynomial can be reduced to stability independent of delay of a set of Kharitonov‐like vertex quasipolynomials, even if the assumption adopted in (IEEE Trans. Autom. Control 2008; 53 :1219–1234) is not satisfied. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.