Picture recognition in animals and in humans : a review

The question of object–picture recognition has received relatively little attention in both human and comparative psychology; a paradoxical situation given the important use of image technology (e.g. slides, digitised pictures) made by neuroscientists in their experimental investigation of visual cognition. The present review examines the relevant literature pertaining to the question of the correspondence between and:or equivalence of real objects and their pictorial representations in animals and humans. Two classes of reactions towards pictures will be considered in turn: acquired responses in picture recognition experiments and spontaneous responses to pictures of biologically relevant objects (e.g. prey or conspecifics). Our survey will lead to the conclusion that humans show evidence of picture recognition from an early age; this recognition is, however, facilitated by prior exposure to pictures. This same exposure or training effect appears also to be necessary in nonhuman primates as well as in other mammals and in birds. Other factors are also identified as playing a role in the acquired responses to pictures: familiarity with and nature of the stimulus objects, presence of motion in the image, etc. Spontaneous and adapted reactions to pictures are a wide phenomenon present in different phyla including invertebrates but in most instances, this phenomenon is more likely to express confusion between objects and pictures than discrimination and active correspondence between the two. Finally, given the nature of a picture (e.g. bi-dimensionality, reduction of cues related to depth), it is suggested that object–picture recognition be envisioned in various levels, with true equivalence being a limited case, rarely observed in the behaviour of animals and even humans

Judgement of conceptual identity in monkeys

Baboons (Papio anubis) were tested on categorization tasks at two different conceptual levels. The monkeys showed their ability (1) to judge as identical or different the objects belonging to two categories, on a perceptual basis, and (2) to perform a judgment of conceptual identity—that is, to use the same/different relation between two previously learned categories. This latter experiment represents the first demonstration of judgment of conceptual identity in a monkey specie

Hard real-time performances in multiprocessor-embedded systems using ASMP-Linux

Multiprocessor systems, especially those based on multicore or multithreaded processors, and new operating system architectures can satisfy the ever increasing computational requirements of embedded systems.ASMP-LINUX is a modified, high responsiveness, open-source hard real-time operating system for multiprocessorsystems capable of providing high real-time performance while maintaining the code simple and not impacting on theperformances of the rest of the system. Moreover, ASMP-LINUX does not require code changing or application recompiling/relinking.In order to assess the performances of ASMP-LINUX, benchmarks have been performed on several hardware platformsand configurations

Electronic Structure of the YH3 Phase from Angle-Resolved Photoemission Spectroscopy

Yttrium can be loaded with hydrogen up to high concentrations causing dramatic structural and electronic changes of the host lattice. We report on angle-resolved photoemission experiments of the Y trihydride phase. Most importantly, we find the absence of metal d-bands at the Fermi level and a set of flat, H-induced bands located at much higher binding energy than predicted, indicating an increased electron affinity at H sites

National income inequality predicts cultural variation in mouth to mouth kissing

Romantic mouth-to-mouth kissing is culturally widespread, although not a human universal, and may play a functional role in assessing partner health and maintaining long-term pair bonds. Use and appreciation of kissing may therefore vary according to whether the environment places a premium on good health and partner investment. Here, we test for cultural variation (13 countries from six continents) in these behaviours/attitudes according to national health (historical pathogen prevalence) and both absolute (GDP) and relative wealth (GINI). Our data reveal that kissing is valued more in established relationships than it is valued during courtship. Also, consistent with the pair bonding hypothesis of the function of romantic kissing, relative poverty (income inequality) predicts frequency of kissing across romantic relationships. When aggregated, the predicted relationship between income inequality and kissing frequency (r=.67, BCa 95%CI[.32,.89]) was over five times the size of the null correlations between income inequality and frequency of hugging/cuddling and sex. As social complexity requires monitoring resource competition among large groups and predicts kissing prevalence in remote societies, this gesture may be important in the maintenance of long-term pair bonds in specific environments

Luminosity optimisation using beam-beam deflections at LEP

In maximizing the performance of the LEP electron-positron collider it is important to ensure that the beams collide head-on at the interaction points. The deflection of the beams due to the beam-beam interactions has been measured using orbit monitors located close to the interaction points. The dependence of the beam-beam deflection on the transverse distance between the beams has been used to optimise the overlap of the beams in the vertical plane and to measure the beam sizes at the interaction points

Potential reach of mHealth versus traditional mass media for prevention of chronic diseases : evidence from a nationally representative survey in a middle-income country in Africa.

BACKGROUND: Public radio and television announcements have a long tradition in public health education. With the global rise of computer and mobile device ownership, short message service (SMS) and email-based health services (mHealth) are promising new tools for health promotion. OBJECTIVE: Our objectives were to examine 1) self-reported exposure to programs related to noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) on national public television and radio during the 12 months preceding the survey (2013-2014), 2) current ownership of a mobile phone, smartphone, computer, or tablet, and use of the Internet, and 3) willingness of individuals to receive SMS or emails with information on health, with a focus on distribution of these variables across different demographic, socioeconomic status (SES), and NCD risk groups. METHODS: We obtained data in a population survey of 1240 participants aged 25-64 years conducted in 2013-2014 in the Seychelles, a rapidly developing small island state in the African region. We administered a structured questionnaire and measured NCD risk factors. Univariate and multivariate analyses explored the relationships between outcomes and sociodemographic variables. RESULTS: Of 1240 participants, 1037 (83.62%) reported exposure to NCD-related programs on public television, while a lower proportion of 740 adults (59.67%), reported exposure via public radio (P<.001). Exposure to NCD-related programs on public television was associated with older age (P<.001) and female sex (P<.001), but not with SES, while exposure to NCD-related programs on public radio was associated with older age (P<.001) and lower SES (P<.001). A total of 1156 (93.22%) owned a mobile phone and ownership was positively associated with female sex (P<.001), younger age (P<.001), and higher SES (P<.001). Only 396 adults (31.93%) owned a smartphone and 244 adults (19.67%) used their smartphone to access the Internet. A total of 1048 adults (84.51%) reported willingness to receive health-related SMS, which was positively associated with female sex (P<.001), younger age (P<.001), and higher SES (P<.001). Controlling for SES, exposure to NCD-related programs on public television or radio and willingness to receive health-related SMS were not independently associated with a person's NCD risk. CONCLUSIONS: Broadcasting health programs through traditional mass media (national public radio and television) reached the majority of the population under study, including older adults and those in lower socioeconomic groups. With a high penetration of mobile phones and willingness to receive health-related SMS, mHealth presents an opportunity for health programs, especially when targeted SMS messages are intended for younger adults and those in higher socioeconomic groups. By contrast, due to reduced Internet access, email-based programs had a more limited reach for health promotion programs. These findings emphasize the different reach of interventions using SMS or email versus traditional mass media, according to demographic and socioeconomic categories, for health education programs in a developing country