Trajectory Mapping ("TM''): A New Non-Metric Scaling Technique

Trajectory Mapping "TM'' is a new scaling technique designed to recover the parameterizations, axes, and paths used to traverse a feature space. Unlike Multidimensional Scaling (MDS), there is no assumption that the space is homogenous or metric. Although some metric ordering information is obtained with TM, the main output is the feature parameterizations that partition the given domain of object samples into different categories. Following an introductory example, the technique is further illustrated using first a set of colors and then a collection of textures taken from Brodatz (1966)

Optimum flux-detection in the absence of a priori knowledge about the signal

Detection systems based on photon counting have to discriminate between two types of fluctuations in the photon count: those resulting from statistical fluctuations (=noise) and those caused by changes in the radiance set by the source (=signal). In contrast with earlier studies on ways of discriminating noise from signal changes, no specific assumptions are made about the source. An optimal discrimination-method has been developed for a detector that has no prior information about the mean of the Poisson distribution that describes its input signal. Because the detector has no prior information at its disposal it has to assume an a priori probability for the mean in a unique and objective way and it has to estimate the actual mean using Bayes rule of inference. This new discrimination-method is discussed in the context of signal processing in the visual system, but is generally applicable in all systems where photon-noise is important

Новые книги

In our study, for a small number of antonyms, we investigate whether they are cross-modally or ideaesthetically related to the space of colors. We analyze the affinities of seven antonyms (cold-hot, dull-radiant, dead-vivid, soft-hard, transparent-chalky, dry-wet, and acid-treacly) and their intermediate connotations (cool-warm, matt-shiny, numb-lively, mellow-firm, semi-transparent-opaque, semi-dry-moist, and sour-sweet) as a function of color. We find that some antonyms relate to chromatic dimensions, others to achromatic ones. The cold-hot antonym proves to be the most salient dimension. The dry-wet dimension coincides with the cold-hot dimension, with dry corresponding to hot and wet to cold. The acid-treacly dimension proves to be transversal to the cold-hot dimension; hence, the pairs mutually span the chromatic domain. The cold-hot and acid-treacly antonyms perhaps recall Hering's opponent color system. The dull-radiant, transparent-chalky, and dead-vivid pairs depend little upon chromaticity. Of all seven antonyms, only the soft-hard one turns out to be independent of the chromatic structure

From science to practice: Bringing innovations to agronomy and forestry

The challenge of the work presented here is to make innovative research output in the agronomy and forestry domain accessible to end-users, so that it can be practically applied. We have developed an approach that consists of three key-elements: an ontology with domain knowledge, a set of documents that have been annotated and meta-annotated, and a system (ask-Valerie) that is based on a dialogue to represent the interaction between end user and system.<br/> We show that the dialogue-metaphor is a good way of modelling the interaction between user and system. The system helps the user in formulating his question and in answering it in a useful way. Meta-annotations of key-paragraphs in the document-base turn out to be relevant in assessing in one glance what the content of a document is. <br/> End-users are very enthusiastic about the possibilities that ask-Valerie offers them in translating scientific results to their own situation

Особенности формирования системы резервов в Украине

Проблемы формирования системы резервов на всех уровнях, является важным для экономической устойчивости государства. Особенности формирования системы резервов по ее уровням и подуровням, группировка и характеристика факторов резервов дают возможность прогнозировать объемы самих резервов и выявлять их дефицит.Проблеми формування системи резервів на всіх рівнях, є важливим для економічної стійкості держави. Особливості формування системи резервів по її рівнях і підрівнях, угрупування і характеристика чинників резервів дають можливість прогнозувати об'єми самих резервів і виявляти їх дефіцит.Problems of forming of the system of backlogs at all levels, is important for economic stability of the state. The features of forming of the system of backlogs on its levels and sublevels, groupment and description of factors of backlogs enable to forecast the volumes of backlogs and expose their deficit

Transmembrane Domain Single-Nucleotide Polymorphisms Impair Expression and Transport Activity of ABC Transporter ABCG2

To study the function and expression of nine naturally occurring single-nucleotide polymorphisms (G406R, F431L, S441N, P480L, F489L, M515R, L525R, A528T and T542A) that are predicted to reside in the transmembrane regions of the ABC transporter ABCG2. The transport activity of the variants was tested in inside-out membrane vesicles from Sf9 insect and human derived HEK293 cells overexpressing ABCG2. Lucifer Yellow and estrone sulfate were used as probe substrates of activity. The expression levels and cellular localization of the variants was compared to the wild-type ABCG2 by western blotting and immunofluorescence microscopy. All studied variants of ABCG2 displayed markedly decreased transport in both Sf9-ABCG2 and HEK293-ABCG2 vesicles. Impaired transport could be explained for some variants by altered expression levels and cellular localization. Moreover, the destructive effect on transport activity of variants G406R, P480L, M515R and T542A is, to our knowledge, reported for the first time. These results indicate that the transmembrane region of ABCG2 is sensitive to amino acid substitution and that patients harboring these ABCG2 variant forms could suffer from unexpected pharmacokinetic events of ABCG2 substrate drugs or have an increased risk for diseases such as gout where ABCG2 is implicated.Peer reviewe

Perceptual Qualities of Optically Mixed Materials

We present a novel setup in which real objects made of two different materials can be mixed optically in a linearly weighted manner. We conducted a psychophysical experiment in which observers rated optical mixtures of the three combinations of glossy, matte, and velvety green birds. The observers rated the materials on four scales: matte–glossy, hard–soft, cold–warm, and light-heavy. The judgments were found to be consistent and varied systematically with the weights of the contributions. This record was migrated from the OpenDepot repository service in June, 2017 before shutting down

Verdrängung widerständiger Lesarten? : Medien und Macht bei Jean Baudrillard und Stuart Hall

Die Arbeit behandelt einen Vergleich der Medientheorien Jean Baudrillards und Stuart Halls. Im Fokus steht die Frage nach der ‚Macht der Medien’: Versteht man Massenmedien als wichtigen Integrationsfaktor pluralistischer Gesellschaften – sie geben einen Orientierungsrahmen ‚relevanten’ Wissens an –, so sind sie gleichzeitig auch Machtfaktoren. Als radikal-apokalyptischer Theoretiker einer von medialen ‚Simulationen’ durchdrungenen Welt, sah Jean Baudrillard durch Massenmedien eine allumfassende gesellschaftliche Kontrolle eingerichtet. Aus Sicht der Cultural Studies, für deren Beschäftigung mit den Medien Stuart Hall wegweisend war und ist, treffen Medieninhalte auf ein Publikum, das immer schon über Erfahrungen, Wissen und Prägungen verfügt und daraus seine Präferenzen im Mediengebrauch ableitet – und auch entsprechende Kompetenzen ausbildet. Die Verbindung von Medien und Macht geschieht anhand des von Michel Foucault aufgestellten Modells des ‚Dipositivs’, das von Johanna Dorer für die Analyse öffentlicher Kommunikation fruchtbar gemacht worden ist. Der Blick wird hier auch auf das Internet gerichtet, durch dessen Verbreitung sich die Kommunikationslandschaft grundlegend gewandelt hat