A protocol for performance evaluation of line detection algorithms

Accurate and efficient vectorization of line drawings is essential for any higher level processing in document analysis and recognition systems. In spite of the prevalence of vectorization and line detection methods, no standard for their performance evaluation protocol exists. We propose a protocol for evaluating both straight and circular line extraction to help compare, select, improve, and even design line detection algorithms to be incorporated into line drawing recognition and understanding systems. The protocol involves both positive and negative sets of indices, at pixel and vector levels. Time efficiency is also included in the protocol. The protocol may be extended to handle lines of any shape as well as other classes of graphic objects.     

Failed empathy--a central theme in the survivor's holocaust experience.

In this article, we concern ourselves with massive traumatic events deliberately inflicted on individuals by fellow human beings. Specifically, we focus on the Holocaust and the fact that massive failure of the environment to mediate needs, as in genocide, will throw into question the existence of empathy, human communication, and ultimately ones own humanity, to which any mirroring ceases to exist. Such a life experience will represent, to the survivor of trauma, failure of a responsive empathic agent or function. Because it is precisely representations of need-satisfying interactions that provide the basis for links between personal existence and social connectedness, undermining the individual's representation of the need-mediating context will deconstruct the link between self and other. Destruction of the victim's representational matrix of interpersonal relatedness results in a vulnerability and loneliness in his or her internal world representation which is the sine qua non of man-made trauma. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

From conceptual models to schemata: An object-process-based data warehouse construction method

Data warehouse modeling is a complex task, which involves knowledge of business processes of the domain of discourse, understanding the structural and behavioral system's conceptual model, and familiarity with data warehouse technologies. The suitability of current data warehouse modeling methods for large-scale systems is questionable, as they require multiple manual actions to discover measures and relevant dimensional entities and they tend to disregard the system's dynamic aspects. We present an Object-process-based Data Warehouse Construction (ODWC) method that overcomes these limitations of existing methods by utilizing the operational system conceptual model to construct a corresponding data warehouse schema. We specify the ODWC method, apply it on a case study, evaluate it, and compare it to existing methods.     

From object-process analysis to object-process design

The object-process methodology incorporates the system static-structural and dynamic-procedural aspects into a single, unified model. This unification bridges the gap that separates the static, object model from the dynamic, behavior, state, or function-oriented models found in many current object oriented methodologies. In this work we concentrate on the transition from object-process analysis to design within the development of information systems. We use a detailed case study as a running example throughout the paper to demonstrate how the structure-behavior unification, which characterizes object-process analysis, is carried on to object-process design. The case study first applies object-process analysis to perform the analysis stage. The sequence of steps that constitutes the design is then discussed and demonstrated through the case study. The design is divided into two phases: the analysis refinement phase and the implementation-dependent phase. Analysis refinement is concerned with adding details to the analysis results which are beyond the interest of the analysis itself, yet they are not related with a particular implementation. The implementation-dependent phase is concerned with code-level design, which takes place after specific implementation details, such as programming language, data organization, and user interface, have been made during the strategic design.     

Learning science via animated movies: Its effect on students’ thinking and motivation

Some researchers claim that animations may hinder students’ meaningful learning or evoke misunderstandings. In order to examine these assertions, our study investigated the effect of animated movies on students’ learning outcomes and motivation to learn. Applying the quantitative methodology, two pre- and post-questionnaires were administered: Science thinking skills and Motivation to learn science. Students’ overall achievement in science was examined by their report card scores. The research population (N = 1335) was divided into experimental (N = 926) and control (N = 409) groups from 11 elementary schools. Findings indicated that the use of animated movies promoted students’ explanation ability and their understanding of scientific concepts. Findings also indicated that students who studied science with the use of animated movies developed higher motivation to learn science, in terms of: self-efficacy, interest and enjoyment, connection to daily life, and importance to their future, compared to the control students. Following the definition of multimedia, the students who study with the use of animated movies, applied all three learning styles: visual, auditory and kinesthetic. The use of multimedia and the fact that the students were engaged in exploring new concepts, that were relevant to their daily life experiences, can explain the positive results.     

Education-Stratified Base-Rate Information on Discrepancy Scores Within and Between the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Third Edition and the Wechsler Memory Scale-Third Edition.

The Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale--Third Edition (WAIS-III; D. Wechsler, 1997a) and the Wechsler Memory Scale--Third Edition (WMS-III; D. Wechsler, 1997b) are 2 of the most frequently used measures in psychology and neuropsychology. To facilitate the diagnostic use of these measures in the clinical decision-making process, this article provides information on education-stratified, directional prevalence rates (i.e., base rates) of discrepancy scores between the major index scores for the WAIS-III, the WMS-III, and between the WAIS-III and WMS-III. To illustrate how such base-rate data can be clinically used, this article reviews the relative risk (i.e., odds ratio) of empirically defined "rare" cognitive deficits in 2 of the clinical samples presented in the WAIS-III--WMS-III Technical Manual (The Psychological Corporation, 1997). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Construction of Aho Corasick automaton in linear time for integer alphabets

We present a new simple algorithm that constructs an Aho Corasick automaton for a set of patterns, P, of total length n, in O(n) time and space for integer alphabets. Processing a text of size m over an alphabet Σ with the automaton costs O(mlog|Σ|+k), where there are k occurrences of patterns in the text.A new, efficient implementation of nodes in the Aho Corasick automaton is introduced, which works for suffix trees as well.     

OPM/Web – Object-Process Methodology for Developing Web Applications

Web applications can be classified as hybrids between hypermedia and information systems. They have a relatively simple distributed architecture from the user viewpoint, but a complex dynamic architecture from the designer viewpoint. They need to respond to operation by an unlimited number of heterogeneously skilled users, address security and privacy concerns, access heterogeneous, up-to-date information sources, and exhibit dynamic behaviors that involve such processes as code transferring. Common system development methods can model some of these aspects, but none of them is sufficient to specify the large spectrum of Web application concepts and requirements. This paper introduces OPM/Web, an extension to the Object-Process Methodology (OPM) that satisfies the functional, structural and behavioral Web-based information system requirements. The main extensions of OPM/Web are adding properties of links to express requirements, such as those related to encryption; extending the zooming and unfolding facilities to increase modularity; cleanly separating declarations and instances of code to model code transferring; and adding global data integrity and control constraints to express dependence or temporal relations among (physically) separate modules. We present a case study that helps evaluate OPM/Web and compare it to an extension of the Unified Modeling Language (UML) for the Web application domain.     

Intensive dialysis and pregnancy

Pregnancy in women with end stage renal disease on renal replacement therapy is uncommon due to the physiologic changes associated with renal failure as well as the complexities and risk involved in managing these patients. As most of these women had long periods of illness with chronic kidney disease, the effects of their chronic illness together with the current societal trends to delay child bearing to a more advanced maternal age can hamper fertility. For those able to conceive, intensified hemodialysis (HD), through longer and/or more frequent dialysis sessions, offers improved maternal and neonatal outcomes. Intensified HD is most conveniently offered in the patient's home, where possible. This review expands the scope of the Implementing Hemodialysis in the Home website and associated supplement published previously in Hemodialysis International and includes information tailored to women of reproductive age. We describe the necessary counseling that women should receive before conception and before intensification of HD, and provide a detailed management strategy that includes nephrologic and obstetric care, should pregnancy occur.     

Some Aspects of the Aqueous Chemistry of Molybdenum

Some aspects of the aqueous chemistry of molybdenum in the oxidation states +3, +4, +5 and +6 are reviewed. Mention is made only of well characterized species and complexes.