Discrete Distance Research Articles

Conceptual rather than perceptual: Cross-modal binding of pitch sequencing is based on an underlying schematic structure

Theories on the origins of cross-modal correspondences involving pitch speculate on statistical, semantically-mediated, and structural factors. We hypothesize that five apparently different conceptualizations of pitch sequencing are based on an underlying structure consisting of at least two conceptual primitives: discrete distance and unidirectional scalar change. A total of 184 children and adults were asked to rate 52 animations set to a tonal and non-tonal scale and presented as a square moving vertically, shrinking/expanding in size, narrowing/thickening in width, rotating clockwise/counterclockwise, and changing in hue. We varied the underlying structure of each visual stimulus by including or excluding one or both postulated primitives. The scores generally increased as one and then two primitives were added but did not differ across animation type (“pitch/height,” “pitch/size,” “pitch/width,” “pitch/rotation,” “pitch/hue”) if the same number of primitives was present. Overt movement may be preferred to static representations as the third primitive factor. Results suggest that cross-modal binding of pitch-sequencing is a conceptual task – based on an abstract schematic structure rather than lexicalizations from the mother tongue or lower-level perceptual clues.

Similarity measures for identifying material parameters from hysteresis loops using inverse analysis

Sum-of-square based error formulations may be difficult to implement on an inverse analysis consisting of multiple tension-compression hysteresis loops. Five alternative measures of similarity between curves are investigated as useful tools to help identify parameters from hysteresis loops with inverse analyses. A new algorithm is presented to calculate the area between curves. Four additional methods are presented from literature, which include the Partial Curve Mapping value, discrete Frechet distance, Dynamic Time Warping, and Curve Length approach. These similarity measures are compared by solving a non-linear regression problem resembling a single load-unload cycle. The measures are then used to solve more complicated inverse analysis, where material parameters are identified for a kinematic hardening transversely anisotropic material model. The inverse analysis finds material parameters such that a non-linear FE model reproduces the behavior from five experimental hysteresis loops. Each method was shown to find useful parameters for these problems, and should be considered a viable alternative when sum-of-square based methods may be difficult to implement. It is important to consider multiple similarity measures in cases when it is impossible to obtain a perfect match.

EVALUATION METHODS OF IMAGE SEGMENTATION QUALITY

Context. The basic methods of quantitative evaluation of image segmentation quality are explored. They are used to select segmentation algorithms for specific image classes. The object of the study is cytological and histological images that are used in diagnosing the pathological processes in oncology. The subject of the study is quantitative methods for segmentation algorithms’ quality evaluation. Objective. The purpose of the work is to introduce the Gromov-Fr chet metric and develop a metric-based method for quantitative evaluation of segmentation quality for image segmentation algorithms’ comparison. Method. The quantitative evaluation criteria, which are based on comparison with etalon image and without the comparison with etalon image, are analyzed. The algorithms for measuring the distances between images based on the Fr chet, Hausdorff, and Gromov-Hausdorff metrics are analyzed. To calculate the distance between the contours of images, the Gromov-Fr chet distance was introduced. The condition of identity, symmetry and triangle is proved, and it is shown that the Gromov-Fr chet distance is a metric. The metric-based method of quantitative evaluation of segmentation quality is developed. It is based on the use of the Gromov-Hausdorff and Gromov-Fr chet metrics. The method is based on the algorithms for non-convex-into-convex polygon transformation, weighted chord algorithm, and algorithms for calculating the Fr chet and Hausdorff distances. To calculate the Hausdorff distance between convex regions, the Atalah’s algorithm was used. The Thierry and Manillo algorithm was used to find the discrete Fr chet distance. These algorithms have the lowest computational complexity among their class of algorithms. Results. The Gromov-Fr chet metric was introduced and the metric-based method of quantitative evaluation of segmentation quality was developed. Conclusions. The conducted experiments on the basis of cytological images confirmed the performance of software for evaluation the distances between images. The developed method showed a high accuracy of estimation the distances between images. The developed software module was used in intelligence systems for diagnosing the breast precancerous and cancerous conditions. The software can be used in various software systems of computer vision. Promising areas for further research are search for new metrics to evaluate the distances between images

АДАПТИВНИЙ МЕТОД СЕГМЕНТАЦІЇ ЗОБРАЖЕНЬ НА ОСНОВІ МЕТРИК

Проаналізовано сучасні алгоритми сегментації зображень, що дало змогу виділити їх переваги та недоліки для застосування в медичних цілях. Для діагностування передракових та ракових станів молочної залози використовують цитологічні та гістологічні зображення. Процес опрацювання таких зображень є важким і рутинним процесом, що потребує наявності спеціалізованих знань у медиків в галузі комп'ютерного зору. Недоліком біомедичних зображень є низька якість, неоднорідність освітлення у процесі формування зображень, низька контрастність. Неможливо застосувати одні і ті ж алгоритми і їх параметри до різних зображень, тому актуальним постає завдання розроблення адаптивних систем сегментації зображень. З'ясовано, що алгоритм сегментації методом водорозподілу у комбінації з методом порогової сегментації показав найкращі результати. Охарактеризовано закономірності між вхідними даними біомедичних зображень та алгоритмами сегментації. Сформовано правила нечіткої логіки для підбору параметрів алгоритмів біомедичних зображень. Розроблення автоматичної системи підбору параметрів сегментації цитологічних і гістологічних зображень є актуальним завданням, що підвищить якість опрацювання зображень.

Role of Homology and DNA Double‐Strand Breaks in Initiation of Intrachromosomal Recombination in Mammalian Cells

As part of our continuing investigations into the mechanisms of intrachromosomal recombination in mammalian cells, we stably transfected thymidine kinase deficient mouse fibroblasts with a DNA construct, pKM1, harboring a herpes thymidine kinase (tk) gene rendered nonfunctional by insertion of an oligonucleotide containing the recognition site for endonuclease I‐SceI. We refer to this latter tk sequence as the “recipient.” The construct also contained a closely linked truncated “donor” tk sequence. The recipient and donor were positioned as direct repeats with respect to transcriptional orientation. The donor could potentially restore function to the recipient gene via recombination with the recipient, and such events could be provoked by induction of a double‐strand break (DSB) at the I‐SceI site in the recipient. Such DSB repair events were recoverable by selection for tk‐positive clones. The donor contained 33 mismatches relative to the recipient. The mismatches were clustered, forming a localized segment of DNA sequence displaying about 20% divergence relative to the recipient, and the mismatched segment was surrounded by regions of high homology. When the donor was aligned with the recipient in pKM1, the DSB site in the recipient aligned opposite the mismatched segment, allowing us to potentially capture recombinational repair events initiating between diverged sequences. Our earlier work demonstrated that mammalian cells effectively avoid recombination between 20% diverged sequences. In work presented here, we asked whether flanking regions of high homology would enable genetic exchange between highly diverged sequences or, instead, would rejection of exchange between diverged sequences remain unchanged. We found that by surrounding mismatches with high homology, suppression of recombination between diverged sequences was overcome. Strikingly, we recovered a high frequency of gene conversion tracts positioned entirely within the mismatched sequences. We infer that such events were enabled by homologous pairing interactions between sequences surrounding the site of strand invasion. Our results suggest that the search for high homology prior to recombination is not mediated by an invading DNA terminus and may actually be independent of DSB formation. Further, the homology that enabled the recovered recombination events was located at a discrete distance from the actual invading DNA terminus. In an extension of our studies, we designed two additional constructs, pCW1 and pCW2. These constructs were similar to pKM1 except the recipient sequence in each was disrupted by an 8bp XhoI linker insertion and each construct contained a I‐SceI recognition site positioned within vector sequences at a location outside of either the recipient or donor sequence. Cells transfected with constructs pCW1 and pCW2 are being used to further explore whether a chromosomal DSB can induce and/or influence the nature of genetic exchanges occurring at a discrete distance from the DSB when the genetic exchanges themselves do not directly repair the DSB. Progress addressing this latter issue is presented.Support or Funding InformationThis work was supported by grant MCB 1157416 from the National Science Foundation to ASW and BCW.This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2018 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.

On a Roelcke-precompact Polish group that cannot act transitively on a complete metric space

We study when a continuous isometric action of a Polish group on a complete metric space is, or can be, transitive. Our main results consist of showing that certain Polish groups, namely $\mathrm{Aut}^*(\mu)$ and $\mathrm{Homeo}^+[0,1]$, such an action can never be transitive (unless the space acted upon is a singleton). We also point out ``circumstantial evidence'' that this pathology could be related to that of Polish groups which are not closed permutation groups and yet have discrete uniform distance, and give a general characterisation of continuous isometric action of a Roeckle-precompact Polish group on a complete metric space is transitive. It follows that the morphism from a Roeckle-precompact Polish group to its Bohr compactification is surjective.

Asia-Pacific Demand for Military Expenditure: Spatial Panel and SUR Estimates

This article investigates the demand for military expenditure for a sample of key Asia-Pacific countries. Spatial panel demand estimates are presented for three joined spatial units using a fixed-coefficient spatial lag model based on a two-step efficient GMM estimator. Spatial autoregression estimates are next presented for 1991–2015, founded on alternative kinds of country connectivities, such as contiguity, inverse distance, discrete distance, and power-projection considerations. Finally, 11 select countries’ demands for defense equations are estimated using seemingly unrelated regressions. From alternative perspectives, these estimated models indicate how Asia-Pacific countries respond to the defense spending of other countries. In the spatial runs, free riding is prevalent despite the growing military might of China, which apparently is not generally viewed as a threat. For the sample period, the projection of Chinese or American power is a relevant spatial factor. The main threat is reflected in non-U.S. allies’ reaction to U.S. allies’ defense spending during 1991–2015 and to Chinese defense spending after 2002.

Experimental investigation on overall thermal performance of fluid-flow in a rectangular channel with discrete V-pattern baffle

This work presents the results of an experimental study of thermohydraulic performance of rectangular channel having discrete V-pattern baffle attached on the broad wall. Measurements have been carried out for the aspect channel ratio of 10, Reynolds number from 3000 to 21000, relative baffle height value of 0.50, relative baffle pitch value of 1.5, relative gap width value of 1.0, flow attack angle value of 60°, and relative discrete distance values of 0.26 to 0.83. The heat transfer and friction factor data obtained were compared with the data obtained from a smooth wall channel under similar operating conditions. In comparison to the smooth wall channel the discrete V-pattern baffle channel enhanced the Nusselt number and friction factor by 3.89 and 6.08 times, respectively. The overall thermal performance parameter is found superior for the relative discrete distance of 0.67. Discrete V-pattern baffle roughness shape has also been shown to be overall thermal performance higher in comparison to other continuous (without discrete) V-pattern baffle shape rectangular channel.

Echoes of asymptotic silence in causal set quantum gravity

We explore the idea of asymptotic silence in causal set theory and find that causal sets approximated by continuum spacetimes exhibit behavior akin to asymptotic silence. We make use of an intrinsic definition of spatial distance between causal set elements in the discrete analogue of a spatial hypersurface. Using numerical simulations for causal sets approximated by and 4 dimensional Minkowski spacetime, we show that while the discrete distance rapidly converges to the continuum distance at a scale roughly an order of magnitude larger than the discreteness scale, it is significantly larger on small scales. This allows us to define an effective dimension which exhibits dimensional reduction in the ultraviolet, while monotonically increasing to the continuum dimension with increasing continuum distance. We interpret these findings as manifestations of asymptotic silence in causal set theory.

An experimental study of heat transfer enhancement in an air channel with broken multi type V-baffles

This work aims at studying the effect of broken multi type V-baffles on heat transfer, pressure drop, and thermal hydraulic performance characteristics in an air channel is experimentally investigated. The air channel had aspect ratio of 10.0 and the Reynolds number (Re) based upon the mass flow rate of air (m a ) at entrance of the channel varied from 3000 to 8000. The discrete baffle distance (D d /L v ) varied from 0.27 to 0.77, relative baffle gap width (G w /H B ) varied from 0.50 to 1.5, relative baffle height (H B /H D ) varied from 0.25 to 1.0, relative baffle pitch (P B /H B ) varied from 8.0 to 12, relative baffle width (W D /H D ) varied from 1.0 to 6.0, and flow attack angle (α a )varied from 30° to 70°. It has been found that performance of broken multi type V-baffles air channel is better than the performance of smooth surface air channel for the range of geometrical parameters investigated. Experimental results observed that maximum enhancement in overall thermal performance have been found at Dd/Lv value of 0.67, Gw/HB value of 1.0, HB/HD value of 0.50, P B /H B value of 10, and αavalue of 60°.

Eye Movement Characteristics of Cooperation Degree during Image Completion Test in Psychiatric Impairment Assessment

To explore the difference of eye movement characteristics between uncooperative and cooperative subjects with mental disorder after cerebral trauma. Thirty-nine subjects which needed psychiatric impairment assessment were selected. According to the binomial forced-choice digit memory test （BFDMT）, all subjects were divided into cooperative and uncooperative groups. The subjects were asked to take the image completion test from Wechsler adult intelligence scale. Meanwhile, the data of eye movement track, fixation, saccade, pupil and blink were recorded by the track system of eye movement. There were significantly differences （P<0.05） in the data of saccade between cooperative （10 cases） and uncooperative groups （29 cases）. The frequency, time, amplitude, acceleration of saccadic in uncooperative group were significantly higher than cooperation group. The saccade latencies of cooperation group increased more than uncooperative group. There was a significant difference （P<0.05） in total discrete distance, average distance and total time of fixation between two groups, while the average duration time, number and frequency of fixation had no significantly difference （P>0.05） between two groups. And the blink frequency of cooperation group was higher than uncooperative group. Eye movement can be an objective index for the primary judgment of cooperation level.

Optimized quantity-within-distance models of spatial welfare heterogeneity

Spatial welfare heterogeneity is frequently modeled within stated preference analysis as a function of discrete or continuous distance between households and affected resources. A common example is distance-decay analysis. Although distance-based models such as these are easily estimated, the ubiquity of this paradigm can lead to analyses that overlook other forms of analysis with equal or greater relevance. This paper develops an alternative approach to spatial heterogeneity in stated preference willingness to pay (WTP) based on the quantity or area of an affected resource surrounding each respondent at an optimized distance band or radius, with distance bands optimized using a grid-search algorithm that maximizes model likelihood. Methods and results are illustrated using a choice experiment on riparian land restoration in Maine, USA. The resulting quantity-within-distance model identifies systematic spatial patterns that are undetectable using distance-based analysis and directly relevant for welfare analysis.

Exact Zernike and pseudo-Zernike moments image reconstruction based on circular overlapping blocks and Chamfer distance

This study aims to explore a novel approach to reconstruct multi-gray-level images based on circular blocks reconstruction method using two exact and fast moments: Zernike (CBR-EZM) and pseudo-Zernike (CBR-EPZM): An image is first divided into a set of sub-images which are then reconstructed independently. We also introduced Chamfer distance (CD) to capitalize on the use of discrete distance instead of Euclidean one. The combination of our methods and CD leads to CBR-EZM-CD and CBR-EPZM-CD methods. Obviously, image partitioning offers significant advantages, but an undesirable circular blocking effect can occur. To mitigate this effect, we have implemented overlapping feature to our new methods leading to OCBR-EZM-CD and OCBR-EPZM-CD, by exploiting neighborhood information of the circular blocks. The main motivation of this novel approach is to explore new applications of Zernike and pseudo-Zernike moments. One of the fields is feature extraction for pattern recognition: Zernike and pseudo-Zernike moments are well known to capture only the global features, but thanks to the circular block reconstruction, we can now use those moments to extract also local features.

Developing heat transfer and pressure loss in an air passage with multi discrete V-blockages

The multi V blockage shapes in discrete type have been evaluated for augmentation in heat transfer and pressure loss in an air flow passage. The data points obtained during experimentation are correlated among different geometrical variations specified as: distance of blockage, width of the blockage, height of the blockage, pitch between the consecutive blockages, width of the discrete region of the blockage, and attack angle of the flow. These variations in the configuration of the multi discrete V-blockage has significant effect on heat transfer and pressure loss in an air flow passage. The aspect ratio of the air flow passage is 10. The flow Reynolds number is varied within the range: 3000–8000. The relative blockage height varied in the range: 0.25–1.0, relative blockage pitch in the range: 8.0–12, relative blockage distance in the range: 0.27–0.77, relative discrete width in the range: 0.50–1.5, flow attack angle in the range: 30–70° and relative blockage width in the range: 1.0–6.0. The investigation affirms the achievement of high thermohydraulic performance, the best achieved at relative blockage height of 0.5, relative blockage pitch of 10, discrete blockage distance of 0.67, relative discrete width of 1.0, flow attack angle of 60° and relative blockage width of 5.0 compared to an air passage without blockages. The investigation has been further carried out to develop Nusselt number and friction factor correlations in terms of flow and geometrical parameters. Further, the performance of different blockage shapes with that of present study has been carried out in terms of thermohydraulic performance parameter.

Optimizing discrete V obstacle parameters using a novel Entropy-VIKOR approach in a solar air flow channel

In this paper the experimental investigation and optimization of the performance of discrete V obstacles in solar air channel is reported. The discrete V obstacles have desperate trend on thermal boundary layer formation on the downside of heat conveying surface. Besides this, increase in friction losses deteriorates the overall performance of the air flow solar channel. Therefore, it becomes essential to optimize the performance defining criteria with their simultaneous consideration and evaluate an optimal parameter set that delivers higher thermal as well as collector efficiency and lower hydraulic performance at the same time. Hybrid Entropy-VIKOR method, a multi criteria decision making approach is therefore applied to the experimental data obtained, which quantifies these criteria as a mutual agreement. Based upon the Entropy-VIKOR optimization methodology, it has been observed that the relative angle of attack, discrete distance ratio and the discrete width ratio of the inserted V obstacle with gaps having numerical value of 0.666, 0.67 and 1.0 presents an optimal parameter set. The enhancement in thermal, hydraulic and collector efficiency yielded at an optimal parameter set is 4.2–6.2, 5.9–8.4 and 1.23–1.47 times respectively with discrete V obstacles compared to air flow channel without obstacles.

Effect of the repaired damage morphology of fused silica on the modulation of incident laser

Local CO2 laser treatment has proved to be the most promising method to extend the life-time of fused silica. However, previous experimental data show that some raised rims are observed around the mitigated sites left from the mitigation process, which will result in hazardous light modulation to the downstream optics. In this work, the morphology features of mitigated sites on the surface of fused silica optics were analyzed in detail. According to measured morphology features, a 3D analytical model for simulating the modulation value induced by mitigated site has been developed based on the scalar diffraction theory. The diffraction patterns at a discrete distance downstream from each mitigated site are measured. The influences of geometry, laser wavelength and refractive index of substrates on the modulation by repaired damage morphology at different distances are discussed, respectively. The analytical model is usable and representative to evaluate the hazardous modulation induced by repaired damage morphology to downstream optics. Results on this research suggest that the downstream intensification can be suppressed by controlling the morphology features of mitigated sites, which provides a direction for the development and improvement of the mitigated techniques of damage optics.

Intelligent Residential Energy Management in Smart Grid

Objectives: Providing efficient energy management for smart home through appropriate scheduling of household appliances is addressed in this paper, with two objectives namely, electricity peak demand minimization and electricity cost minimization. Methods/Statistical Analysis: The residential load scheduling problem requires the prior knowledge about the residential electricity demand and electricity price information, for scheduling the appliances. Two different algorithms namely, Discrete Non-dominated Multi-objective Particle Swarm Optimization (DNMPSO) algorithm and Manhattan distance based Non-dominated Multi-objective Genetic Algorithm (MNMGA) are proposed to solve the problem in this paper. Findings: Both the algorithms were simulated in order to evaluate their performance. The Peak-To-Average Ratio value is used as the measure to assessing the peak load in electricity demand. Based on the results, it is observed that the DNMPSO algorithm obtains significant cost reduction with the acceptable Peak-To-Average Ratio value than the MNMGA algorithm. In addition to that, the DNMPSO algorithm provides better diversity than the MNMGA algorithm. Application/Improvements: The proposed algorithm can be used to enhance the energy management for residential load in smart grid. Further, the cost efficiency can be improved by incorporating renewable energy resource.

Minkowski space is locally the Noldus limit of Poisson process causets

A Poisson process on with causal structure inherited from the the usual Minkowski metric on has a normalised discrete causal distance given by the height of the longest causal chain normalised by . We prove that restricted to a compact set Q converges in probability in the sense of Noldus (2004 Class. Quantum Grav. 21 839–50) to Q with the Minkowski metric.

A new electromagnetism-like mechanism for identical parallel machine scheduling with family setup times

Electromagnetism-like mechanism (EM) is an emerging and potential metaheuristic based on the attraction and repulsion forces in electromagnetic theory. EMs have been successfully applied to scheduling problems. However, few studies have been conducted regarding the application of EMs in parallel machine scheduling problems. We developed a new EM to solve identical parallel machine scheduling problems under the consideration of family setup times. The objective was to minimize the total weighted flow time. The new EM comprises a matrix representation, a discrete distance measurement, and a proposed attraction-repulsion operator to effectively search for a near-optimal solution. The experiment results indicated that the new EM renewed nearly all best-known solutions in the benchmark problems, and was superior to a genetic algorithm.

Fast and exact discrete geodesic computation based on triangle-oriented wavefront propagation

Computing discrete geodesic distance over triangle meshes is one of the fundamental problems in computational geometry and computer graphics. In this problem, an effective window pruning strategy can significantly affect the actual running time. Due to its importance, we conduct an in-depth study of window pruning operations in this paper, and produce an exhaustive list of scenarios where one window can make another window partially or completely redundant. To identify a maximal number of redundant windows using such pairwise cross checking, we propose a set of procedures to synchronize local window propagation within the same triangle by simultaneously propagating a collection of windows from one triangle edge to its two opposite edges. On the basis of such synchronized window propagation, we design a new geodesic computation algorithm based on a triangle-oriented region growing scheme. Our geodesic algorithm can remove most of the redundant windows at the earliest possible stage, thus significantly reducing computational cost and memory usage at later stages. In addition, by adopting triangles instead of windows as the primitive in propagation management, our algorithm significantly cuts down the data management overhead. As a result, it runs 4--15 times faster than MMP and ICH algorithms, 2-4 times faster than FWP-MMP and FWP-CH algorithms, and also incurs the least memory usage.