New variants of Perfect Non-crossing Matchings

Given a set of points in the plane, we are interested in matching them with straight line segments. We focus on perfect (all points are matched) non-crossing (no two edges intersect) matchings. Apart from the well known MinMax variation, where the length of the longest edge is minimized, we extend work by looking into different optimization variants such as MaxMin, MinMin, and MaxMax. We consider both the monochromatic and bichromatic versions of these problems and by employing diverse techniques we provide efficient algorithms for various input point configurations

Shape description and matching using integral invariants on eccentricity transformed images

Matching occluded and noisy shapes is a problem frequently encountered in medical image analysis and more generally in computer vision. To keep track of changes inside the breast, for example, it is important for a computer aided detection system to establish correspondences between regions of interest. Shape transformations, computed both with integral invariants (II) and with geodesic distance, yield signatures that are invariant to isometric deformations, such as bending and articulations. Integral invariants describe the boundaries of planar shapes. However, they provide no information about where a particular feature lies on the boundary with regard to the overall shape structure. Conversely, eccentricity transforms (Ecc) can match shapes by signatures of geodesic distance histograms based on information from inside the shape; but they ignore the boundary information. We describe a method that combines the boundary signature of a shape obtained from II and structural information from the Ecc to yield results that improve on them separately

Search for Standard Model Higgs Boson Production in Association with a W Boson using a Neural Network

Submitted to Phys. Rev. DWe present a search for standard model Higgs boson production in association with a W boson in proton-antiproton collisions at a center of mass energy of 1.96 TeV. The search employs data collected with the CDF II detector that correspond to an integrated luminosity of approximately 1.9 inverse fb. We select events consistent with a signature of a single charged lepton, missing transverse energy, and two jets. Jets corresponding to bottom quarks are identified with a secondary vertex tagging method, a jet probability tagging method, and a neural network filter. We use kinematic information in an artificial neural network to improve discrimination between signal and background compared to previous analyses. The observed number of events and the neural network output distributions are consistent with the standard model background expectations, and we set 95% confidence level upper limits on the production cross section times branching fraction ranging from 1.2 to 1.1 pb or 7.5 to 102 times the standard model expectation for Higgs boson masses from 110 to $150 GeV/c^2, respectively.We present a search for standard model Higgs boson production in association with a W boson in proton-antiproton collisions (pp̅ →W±H→ℓνbb̅ ) at a center of mass energy of 1.96 TeV. The search employs data collected with the CDF II detector that correspond to an integrated luminosity of approximately 1.9  fb-1. We select events consistent with a signature of a single charged lepton (e±/μ±), missing transverse energy, and two jets. Jets corresponding to bottom quarks are identified with a secondary vertex tagging method, a jet probability tagging method, and a neural network filter. We use kinematic information in an artificial neural network to improve discrimination between signal and background compared to previous analyses. The observed number of events and the neural network output distributions are consistent with the standard model background expectations, and we set 95% confidence level upper limits on the production cross section times branching fraction ranging from 1.2 to 1.1 pb or 7.5 to 102 times the standard model expectation for Higgs boson masses from 110 to 150  GeV/c2, respectively.Peer reviewe

Observation of exclusive charmonium production and gamma+gamma to mu+mu- in p+pbar collisions at sqrt{s} = 1.96 TeV

7 pages, 3 figures, 1 table. Version accepted for Phys.Rev.Lett. Phys.Rev.Lett. (to be published)We have observed the reactions p+pbar --> p+X+pbar, with X being a centrally produced J/psi, psi(2S) or chi_c0, and gamma+gamma --> mu+mu-, in proton- antiproton collisions at sqrt{s} = 1.96 TeV using the Run II Collider Detector at Fermilab. The event signature requires two oppositely charged muons, each with pseudorapidity |eta| mu+mu-. Events with a J/psi and an associated photon candidate are consistent with exclusive chi_c0 production through double pomeron exchange. The exclusive vector meson production is as expected for elastic photo- production, gamma+p --> J/psi(psi(2S)) + p, which is observed here for the first time in hadron-hadron collisions. The cross sections ds/dy(y=0) for p + pbar --> p + X + pbar with X = J/psi, psi(2S) orchi_c0 are 3.92+/-0.62 nb, 0.53+/-0.14 nb, and 75+/-14 nb respectively. The cross section for the continuum, with |eta(mu+/-)|In CDF we have observed the reactions p+p̅ →p+X+p̅ , with X being a centrally produced J/ψ, ψ(2S), or χc0, and γγ→μ+μ- in pp̅ collisions at √s=1.96  TeV. The event signature requires two oppositely charged central muons, and either no other particles or one additional photon detected. Exclusive vector meson production is as expected for elastic photoproduction, γ+p→J/ψ(ψ(2S))+p, observed here for the first time in hadron-hadron collisions. We also observe exclusive χc0→J/ψ+γ. The cross sections dσ/dy|y=0 for J/ψ, ψ(2S), and χc0 are 3.92±0.25(stat)±0.52(syst)  nb, 0.53±0.09(stat)±0.10(syst)  nb, and 76±10(stat)±10(syst)  nb, respectively, and the continuum is consistent with QED. We put an upper limit on the cross section for Odderon exchange in exclusive J/ψ production.Peer reviewe

Search for the Production of Narrow tb Resonances in 1.9 fb-1 of ppbar Collisions at sqrt(s) = 1.96 TeV

We present new limits on resonant tb production in proton-antiproton collisions at 1.96 TeV, using 1.9 fb^-1 of data recorded with the CDF II detector at the Fermilab Tevatron. We reconstruct a candidate mass in events with a lepton, neutrino candidate, and two or three jets, and search for anomalous tb production as modeled by W'->tb. We set a new limit on a right-handed W' with standard model-like coupling, excluding any mass below 800 GeV at 95% C.L. The cross-section for any narrow, resonant tb production between 750 and 950 GeV is found to be less than 0.28 pb at 95% C.L. We also present an exclusion of the W' coupling strength versus W' mass over the range 300 to 950 GeV.We present new limits on resonant tb̅ production in pp̅ collisions at √s=1.96  TeV, using 1.9  fb-1 of data recorded with the CDF II detector at the Fermilab Tevatron. We reconstruct a candidate tb̅ mass in events with a lepton, neutrino candidate, and two or three jets, and search for anomalous tb̅ production as modeled by W′→tb̅ . We set a new limit on a right-handed W′ with standard model-like coupling, excluding any mass below 800  GeV/c2 at 95% C.L. The cross section for any narrow, resonant tb̅ production between 750 and 950  GeV/c2 is found to be less than 0.28 pb at 95% C.L. We also present an exclusion of the W′ coupling strength versus W′ mass over the range 300–950  GeV/c2.Peer reviewe

Measurement of b hadron lifetimes in exclusive decays containing a J/psi in p-pbar collisions at sqrt(s)=1.96TeV

We report on a measurement of $b$-hadron lifetimes in the fully reconstructed decay modes B^+ -->J/Psi K+, B^0 --> J/Psi K*, B^0 --> J/Psi Ks, and Lambda_b --> J/Psi Lambda using data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 4.3 ${\rm fb}^{-1}$, collected by the CDF II detector at the Fermilab Tevatron. The measured lifetimes are $\tau$B^+ = $1.639 \pm 0.009 ({\rm stat}) \pm 0.009 {\rm (syst) ~ ps}$, $\tau$B^0 = $1.507 \pm 0.010 ({\rm stat}) \pm 0.008 {\rm (syst) ~ ps}$ and $\tau$Lambda_b = $1.537 \pm 0.045 ({\rm stat}) \pm 0.014 {\rm (syst) ~ ps}$. The lifetime ratios are $\tau$B^+/$\tau$B^0 = $1.088 \pm 0.009 ({\rm stat})\pm 0.004 ({\rm syst})$ and $\tau$Lambda_b/$\tau$B^0 = $1.020 \pm 0.030 ({\rm stat})\pm 0.008 ({\rm syst})$. These are the most precise determinations of these quantities from a single experiment.Comment: revised version. accepted for PRL publicatio

Search for High Mass Resonances Decaying to Muon Pairs in root s=1.96 TeV p(p)over-bar Collisions

We present a search for a new narrow, spin-1, high mass resonance decaying to mu(+)mu(-) + X, using a matrix-element-based likelihood and a simultaneous measurement of the resonance mass and production rate. In data with 4.6 fb(-1) of integrated luminosity collected by the CDF detector in p (p) over bar collisions at root s = 1960 GeV, the most likely signal cross section is consistent with zero at 16% confidence level. We therefore do not observe evidence for a high mass resonance and place limits on models predicting spin-1 resonances, including M > 1071 GeV/c(2) at 95% confidence level for a Z' boson with the same couplings to fermions as the Z boson

Measurement of b Hadron Lifetimes in Exclusive Decays Containing a J/Psi in p(p)over-bar Collisions at root s=1.96 TeV

We report on a measurement of b-hadron lifetimes in the fully reconstructed decay modes B+-> J/psi K+, B-0 -> J/psi K*(892)(0), B-0 -> J/psi K-s(0), and Lambda(0)(b)-> J/psi Lambda(0) using data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 4.3 fb(-1), collected by the CDF II detector at the Fermilab Tevatron. The measured lifetimes are tau(B+)=[1.639 +/- 0.009(stat)+/- 0.009(syst)]ps, tau(B-0)=[1.507 +/- 0.010(stat)+/- 0.008(syst)]ps, and tau(Lambda(0)(b))=[1.537 +/- 0.045(stat)+/- 0.014(syst)]ps. The lifetime ratios are tau(B+)/tau(B-0)=[1.088 +/- 0.009(stat)+/- 0.004(syst)] and tau(Lambda(0)(b))/tau(B-0)=[1.020 +/- 0.030(stat)+/- 0.008(syst)]. These are the most precise determinations of these quantities from a single experiment

Looking for metacognition: a knowledge taxonomy for psychotherapeutic games

Most of scientific literature on computer games aimed at offering or aiding in psychotherapy has little information on how the game exactly relates to the relatively recent development of the ‘third wave’ of behavioural psychotherapy, which includes metacognition. This paper first introduces metacognition and subsequently studies five cases of psychotherapeutic games (Personal Investigator, Treasure Hunt, Ricky and the Spider, Moodbot and SuperBetter) by looking at them through the lens of Blooms’ Revised Taxonomy of Knowledge. The paper offers design recommendations for future (metacognitive) psychotherapeutic games

The Game Jam as a format for formal applied game design and development education

This paper introduces the design and results of an applied game jam integrated in a game design and development curriculum, which took place February 2016 at HKU University of the Arts Utrecht in the Netherlands. The game jam followed a four-phased structure over the course of four days. Forty-five participants shared their demographics, baseline competency, attitude towards game jams, and learning expectations in a pre-jam questionnaire. In a post-jam questionnaire they assessed their collaboration and learning outcomes. Results are generally positive, although some measures of collaboration constructs were unreliable. Nevertheless, a game jam is in principal a format worthy of introduction into formal game design and development education. Several implications and next steps are discussed