Event-related brain potentials in the study of inhibition: cognitive control, source localization and age-related modulations

In the previous 15 years, a variety of experimental paradigms and methods have been employed to study inhibition. In the current review, we analyze studies that have used the high temporal resolution of the event-related potential (ERP) technique to identify the temporal course of inhibition to understand the various processes that contribute to inhibition. ERP studies with a focus on normal aging are specifically analyzed because they contribute to a deeper understanding of inhibition. Three time windows are proposed to organize the ERP data collected using inhibition paradigms: the 200 ms period following stimulus onset; the period between 200 and 400 ms after stimulus onset; and the period between 400 and 800 ms after stimulus onset. In the first 200 ms, ERP inhibition research has primarily focused on N1 and P1 as the ERP components associated with inhibition. The inhibitory processing in the second time window has been associated with the N2 and P3 ERP components. Finally, in the third time window, inhibition has primarily been associated with the N400 and N450 ERP components. Source localization studies are analyzed to examine the association between the inhibition processes that are indexed by the ERP components and their functional brain areas. Inhibition can be organized in a complex functional structure that is not constrained to a specific time point but, rather, extends its activity through different time windows. This review characterizes inhibition as a set of processes rather than a unitary process

Reflecting on the Physics of Notations applied to a visualisation case study

This paper presents a critical reflection upon the concept of 'physics of notations' proposed by Moody. This is based upon the post hoc application of the concept in the analysis of a visualisation tool developed for a common place mathematics tool. Although this is not the intended design and development approach presumed or preferred by the physics of notations, there are benefits to analysing an extant visualisation. In particular, our analysis benefits from the visualisation having been developed and refined employing graphic design professionals and extensive formative user feedback. Hence the rationale for specific visualisation features is to some extent traceable. This reflective analysis shines a light on features of both the visualisation and domain visualised, illustrating that it could have been analysed more thoroughly at design time. However the same analysis raises a variety of interesting questions about the viability of scoping practical visualisation design in the framework proposed by the physics of notations

Formal specification of a self-sustainable holonic system for smart electrical micro-grids

Stand-alone micro-grids have emerged within the smart grids field, facing important challenges related to their proper and efficient operation. An example is the self-sustainability when the micro-grid is disconnected from the main utility, e.g., due to a failure in the main utility or due to geographical situations, which requires the efficient control of energy demand and production. This paper describes the formal specification of a holonic system architecture that is able to perform the automation control functions in electrical stand-alone micro-grids, particularly aiming to improve their self-sustainability. The system aims at optimizing the power flow among the different electrical players, both producers and consumers, to keep the micro-grid operating even under adverse situations. The behaviour of each individual holon and their coordination patterns were modelled, analysed and validated using the Petri net formalism, allowing the complete verification of the system correctness during the design phase.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Enthalpy-based System-Model for Pumped Two-phase Cooling Systems

The development of embedded chip cooling for 2D and 3D integrated circuits using pumped dielectric refrigerant has gained recent attention due to the ability to manage high heat densities and compatibility with electronics. Recent studies have focused on in-situ thermal and hydrodynamic phenomena (e.g. boiling and bubble dynamics) of two-phase flow boiling at micro-scales. In this paper we focus on the two-phase cooling system design including the cooling capability, size and coefficient of performance (COP). In implementing a two-phase cooling, a system-level computational model for two-phase cooling systems becomes necessary. Therefore, a computationally manageable and accurate one dimensional (1D) system model is described. Furthermore, the model can be easily customized for different two-phase cooling system configurations. By validating the model with experimental data from a two-phase cooling system, it is shown that model can generate accurate results, and therefore, can be used as a tool to study and predict the characteristics and performance of a pumped two-phase cooling systems