22,369 research outputs found
The eta-prime propagator in quenched QCD
The calculation of the eta-prime hairpin diagram is carried out in the
modified quenched approximation (MQA) in which the lattice artifact which
causes exceptional configurations is removed by shifting observed poles at
kappa<kappa_c in the quark propagators to the critical value of hop ping
parameter. By this method, the eta-prime propagator can be accurately
calculated even for very light quark mass. A determination of the topological
susceptibility for quenched QCD is also obtained, using the fermionic method of
Smit and Vink to calculate winding numbers.Comment: 3 pages, 3 postscript figure
Real-Time Dense Stereo Matching With ELAS on FPGA Accelerated Embedded Devices
For many applications in low-power real-time robotics, stereo cameras are the
sensors of choice for depth perception as they are typically cheaper and more
versatile than their active counterparts. Their biggest drawback, however, is
that they do not directly sense depth maps; instead, these must be estimated
through data-intensive processes. Therefore, appropriate algorithm selection
plays an important role in achieving the desired performance characteristics.
Motivated by applications in space and mobile robotics, we implement and
evaluate a FPGA-accelerated adaptation of the ELAS algorithm. Despite offering
one of the best trade-offs between efficiency and accuracy, ELAS has only been
shown to run at 1.5-3 fps on a high-end CPU. Our system preserves all
intriguing properties of the original algorithm, such as the slanted plane
priors, but can achieve a frame rate of 47fps whilst consuming under 4W of
power. Unlike previous FPGA based designs, we take advantage of both components
on the CPU/FPGA System-on-Chip to showcase the strategy necessary to accelerate
more complex and computationally diverse algorithms for such low power,
real-time systems.Comment: 8 pages, 7 figures, 2 table
EEG–fMRI mapping of asymmetrical delta activity in a patient with refractory epilepsy is concordant with the epileptogenic region determined by intracranial EEG
We studied a patient with refractory focal epilepsy using continuous EEG-correlated fMRI. Seizures were characterized by head turning to the left and clonic jerking of the left arm, suggesting a right frontal epileptogenic region. Interictal EEG showed occasional runs of independent nonlateralized slow activity in the delta band with right frontocentral dominance and had no lateralizing value. Ictal scalp EEG had no lateralizing value. Ictal scalp EEG suggested right-sided central slow activity preceding some seizures. Structural 3-T MRI showed no abnormality. There was no clear epileptiform abnormality during simultaneous EEG–fMRI. We therefore modeled asymmetrical EEG delta activity at 1–3 Hz near frontocentral electrode positions. Significant blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) signal changes in the right superior frontal gyrus correlated with right frontal oscillations at 1–3 Hz but not at 4–7 Hz and with neither of the two frequency bands when derived from contralateral or posterior electrode positions, which served as controls. Motor fMRI activations with a finger-tapping paradigm were asymmetrical: they were more anterior for the left hand compared with the right and were near the aforementioned EEG-correlated signal changes. A right frontocentral perirolandic seizure onset was identified with a subdural grid recording, and electric stimulation of the adjacent contact produced motor responses in the left arm and after discharges. The fMRI localization of the left hand motor and the detected BOLD activation associated with modeled slow activity suggest a role for localization of the epileptogenic region with EEG–fMRI even in the absence of clear interictal discharges
Advanced dendritic web growth development and development of single-crystal silicon dendritic ribbon and high-efficiency solar cell program
Efforts to demonstrate that the dendritic web technology is ready for commercial use by the end of 1986 continues. A commercial readiness goal involves improvements to crystal growth furnace throughput to demonstrate an area growth rate of greater than 15 sq cm/min while simultaneously growing 10 meters or more of ribbon under conditions of continuous melt replenishment. Continuous means that the silicon melt is being replenished at the same rate that it is being consumed by ribbon growth so that the melt level remains constant. Efforts continue on computer thermal modeling required to define high speed, low stress, continuous growth configurations; the study of convective effects in the molten silicon and growth furnace cover gas; on furnace component modifications; on web quality assessments; and on experimental growth activities
Drawing Planar Graphs with a Prescribed Inner Face
Given a plane graph (i.e., a planar graph with a fixed planar embedding)
and a simple cycle in whose vertices are mapped to a convex polygon, we
consider the question whether this drawing can be extended to a planar
straight-line drawing of . We characterize when this is possible in terms of
simple necessary conditions, which we prove to be sufficient. This also leads
to a linear-time testing algorithm. If a drawing extension exists, it can be
computed in the same running time
Unquenched QCD with Light Quarks
We present recent results in unquenched lattice QCD with two degenerate light
sea quarks using the truncated determinant approximation (TDA). In the TDA the
infrared modes contributing to the quark determinant are computed exactly up to
some cutoff in quark off-shellness (typically 2). This approach
allows simulations to be performed at much lighter quark masses than possible
with conventional hybrid MonteCarlo techniques. Results for the static energy
and topological charge distributions are presented using a large ensemble
generated on very coarse (6) but physically large lattices. Preliminary
results are also reported for the static energy and meson spectrum on 10x20
lattices (lattice scale =1.15 GeV) at quark masses corresponding to
pions of mass 200 MeV. Using multiboson simulation to compute the
ultraviolet part of the quark determinant the TDA approach becomes an exact
with essentially no increase in computational effort. Some preliminary results
using this fully unquenched algorithm are presented.Comment: LateX, 39 pages, 16 eps figures, 1 ps figur
Imaging memory in temporal lobe epilepsy: predicting the effects of temporal lobe resection
Functional magnetic resonance imaging can demonstrate the functional anatomy of cognitive processes. In patients with refractory temporal lobe epilepsy, evaluation of preoperative verbal and visual memory function is important as anterior temporal lobe resections may result in material specific memory impairment, typically verbal memory decline following left and visual memory decline after right anterior temporal lobe resection. This study aimed to investigate reorganization of memory functions in temporal lobe epilepsy and to determine whether preoperative memory functional magnetic resonance imaging may predict memory changes following anterior temporal lobe resection. We studied 72 patients with unilateral medial temporal lobe epilepsy (41 left) and 20 healthy controls. A functional magnetic resonance imaging memory encoding paradigm for pictures, words and faces was used testing verbal and visual memory in a single scanning session on a 3T magnetic resonance imaging scanner. Fifty-four patients subsequently underwent left (29) or right (25) anterior temporal lobe resection. Verbal and design learning were assessed before and 4 months after surgery. Event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging analysis revealed that in left temporal lobe epilepsy, greater left hippocampal activation for word encoding correlated with better verbal memory. In right temporal lobe epilepsy, greater right hippocampal activation for face encoding correlated with better visual memory. In left temporal lobe epilepsy, greater left than right anterior hippocampal activation on word encoding correlated with greater verbal memory decline after left anterior temporal lobe resection, while greater left than right posterior hippocampal activation correlated with better postoperative verbal memory outcome. In right temporal lobe epilepsy, greater right than left anterior hippocampal functional magnetic resonance imaging activation on face encoding predicted greater visual memory decline after right anterior temporal lobe resection, while greater right than left posterior hippocampal activation correlated with better visual memory outcome. Stepwise linear regression identified asymmetry of activation for encoding words and faces in the ipsilateral anterior medial temporal lobe as strongest predictors for postoperative verbal and visual memory decline. Activation asymmetry, language lateralization and performance on preoperative neuropsychological tests predicted clinically significant verbal memory decline in all patients who underwent left anterior temporal lobe resection, but were less able to predict visual memory decline after right anterior temporal lobe resection. Preoperative memory functional magnetic resonance imaging was the strongest predictor of verbal and visual memory decline following anterior temporal lobe resection. Preoperatively, verbal and visual memory function utilized the damaged, ipsilateral hippocampus and also the contralateral hippocampus. Memory function in the ipsilateral posterior hippocampus may contribute to better preservation of memory after surgery
Adoption of Computer Science in NZ schools
In 2011, Programming and Computer Science standards were made available as part of NCEA in New Zealand high
schools. Because little guidance and professional development was available initially, teachers have found it challenging
to present the content effectively to their students. In response to this, several resources and professional development
opportunities have been made available, including the widely used Computer Science Field Guide for Computer Science,
and several programming resources specific to the new standards. In this paper we outline the deployment of the new
standards and supporting material, and look at the uptake of the new standards over the first three years that they were
phased in. This reveals increasing participation at schools, and higher enrolments at university as a flow-on effect. The
introduction of Computer Science has also helped to address perception and stereotypes about the industry, with high
achievement by female students, although participation rates are not ideal
Presenting Computer Science Concepts to High School Students
Computer science at high school often focusses on programming, but a broader view of other areas of
computer science has key benefits for both writing programs that are more efficient and making more
theoretical concepts more accessible to those who do not find programming intrinsically interesting. With
the introduction of computer science at high schools, a lack of coherent resources for teachers and students
prompted the development of the NZ Computer Science Field Guide, an open-source, on-line textbook.
This paper describes the design of the Field Guide, which has fourteen chapters about various topics
of computer science. The design includes written text, videos, classroom activities and interactive applications.
The need for a broad view of computer science is discussed, and programming exercises to go with
the topics are suggested
Quantum Dynamics of the Slow Rollover Transition in the Linear Delta Expansion
We apply the linear delta expansion to the quantum mechanical version of the
slow rollover transition which is an important feature of inflationary models
of the early universe. The method, which goes beyond the Gaussian
approximation, gives results which stay close to the exact solution for longer
than previous methods. It provides a promising basis for extension to a full
field theoretic treatment.Comment: 12 pages, including 4 figure
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