Kernel performance in meeting hard real-time system characteristics (the ARTOS real-time kernel)

Describes the design and implementation of an operating system kernel specifically designed to support real-time applications. It emphasises portability and aims to support state-of-the-art concepts in real-time programming. Discusses architectural aspects of the ARTOS kernel, and introduces new concepts on the areas of interrupt processing, scheduling, mutual exclusion and inter-task communication. Also explains the programming environment of ARTOS kernal and its task model, defines the real-time task states and system data structures and discusses exception handling mechanisms which are used to detect missed deadlines and take corrective action.

The other side of social exclusion : interrogating the role of the privileged in reproducing inequality

As the chapters in this book demonstrate, social exclusion is a key concept used to understand various forms of inequality in contemporary capitalist societies. I argue in this chapter that while the concept of social exclusion has been important in illustrating the structural dimensions of unequal social relations and examining the costs of those relations for excluded groups, it has done little to address those of us who benefit most from existing social divisions and inequalities. Nor do most of the writings on social exclusion examine how these inequalities are reproduced by and through the daily practices and life-style pursuits of privileged groups.

In this chapter I will interrogate the concept of privilege as the other side of social exclusion and will argue that the lack of critical interrogation of the position of the privileged side of social divisions allows the privileged to reinforce their dominance. I aim to make privilege more visible and consider the extent to which those who are privileged can overcome their own self interest in the maintenance of dominance to enable them to challenge it.

A factor-analytic study exploring the factors of co-worker cohesion

Despite the applied importance of cohesion within organisational settings, researchers have yet to reach consensus about the dimensionality of group cohesion, and therefore appropriate tools for its measurement. The way that cohesion has generally been conceptualised has changed over time, but the measures appear not to reflect the underlying theory. This deficiency has impeded attempts to explore the relationship between co-worker cohesion and group performance (Beal et al., 2003; Mullen & Copper, 1994). Given inconsistent findings from previous factor analyses of cohesion, the present study employed exploratory means to help clarify the factor structure of cohesion within the workplace. Potential participants were recruited via the researchers' social networks. This snowballing technique led to 236 participants completing the online questionnaire. Exploratory factor analysis revealed four first-order factors of team commitment, friendliness, interpersonal conflict and communication that collectively accounted for 55.17% of the variance shared among the 75 cohesion items. Subsequently, a single higher-order factor was extracted which accounted for over half of the co-variation among the first order factors. This higher-order factor seems to reflect a general cohesion factor, as it was loaded by a diffuse collection of items, including those from the four lower-order factors as well as items that failed to load onto these lower-order factors. While there were similarities between these results and those of previous studies, the present factor structure did not map perfectly onto any of the existing conceptual models of cohesion. This finding highlights the need to incorporate some alternate factors that have previously been given little consideration.

Sequential fixed-width confidence bands for kernel regression estimation

We consider a random design model based on independent and identically distributed (iid) pairs of observations (Xi, Yi), where the regression function m(x) is given by m(x) = E(Yi|Xi = x) with one independent variable. In a nonparametric setting the aim is to produce a reasonable approximation to the unknown function m(x) when we have no precise information about the form of the true density, f(x) of X. We describe an estimation procedure of non-parametric regression model at a given point by some appropriately constructed fixed-width (2d) confidence interval with the confidence coefficient of at least 1−. Here, d(> 0) and 2 (0, 1) are two preassigned values. Fixed-width confidence intervals are developed using both Nadaraya-Watson and local linear kernel estimators of nonparametric regression with data-driven bandwidths.

The sample size was optimized using the purely and two-stage sequential procedure together with asymptotic properties of the Nadaraya-Watson and local linear estimators. A large scale simulation study was performed to compare their coverage accuracy. The numerical results indicate that the confidence bands based on the local linear estimator have the best performance than those constructed by using Nadaraya-Watson estimator. However both estimators are shown to have asymptotically correct coverage properties.

Sample size determination for kernel regression estimation using sequential fixed-width confidence bands

We consider a random design model based on independent and identically distributed pairs of observations (Xi, Yi), where the regression function m(x) is given by m(x) = E(Yi|Xi = x) with one independent variable. In a nonparametric setting the aim is to produce a reasonable approximation to the unknown function m(x) when we have no precise information about the form of the true density, f(x) of X. We describe an estimation procedure of non-parametric regression model at a given point by some appropriately constructed fixed-width (2d) confidence interval with the confidence coefficient of at least 1−. Here, d(> 0) and 2 (0, 1) are two preassigned values. Fixed-width confidence intervals are developed using both Nadaraya-Watson and local linear kernel estimators of nonparametric regression with data-driven bandwidths. The sample size was optimized using the purely and two-stage sequential procedures together with asymptotic properties of the Nadaraya-Watson and local linear estimators. A large scale simulation study was performed to compare their coverage accuracy. The numerical results indicate that the confi dence bands based on the local linear estimator have the better performance than those constructed by using Nadaraya-Watson estimator. However both estimators are shown to have asymptotically correct coverage properties.

Selecting the individual numerical scale and prioritization method in the analytic hierarchy process : a 2-tuple fuzzy linguistic approach

The validity of the priority vector used in the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) relies on two factors: the selection of a numerical scale and the selection of a prioritization method. The traditional AHP selects only one numerical scale (e.g., the Saaty scale) and one prioritization method (e.g., the eigenvector method) for each particular problem. For this traditional selection approach, there is disagreement on which numerical scale and prioritization method is better in deriving a priority vector. In fact, the best numerical scale and the best prioritization method both rely on the content of the pairwise comparison data provided by the AHP decision makers. By defining a set of concepts regarding the scale function and the linguistic pairwise comparison matrices (LPCMs) of the priority vector and by using LPCMs to unify the format of the input and output of AHP, this paper extends the AHP prioritization process under the 2-tuple fuzzy linguistic model. Based on the extended AHP prioritization process, we present two performance measure criteria to evaluate the effect of the numerical scales and prioritization methods. We also use the performance measure criteria to develop a 2-tuple fuzzy linguistic multicriteria approach to select the best numerical scales and the best prioritization methods for different LPCMs. In this paper, we call this type of selection the individual selection of the numerical scale and prioritization method. We also compare this individual selection with traditional selection by using both random and real data and show better results with individual selection.

Wavelets/multiwavelets bases and correspondence estimation problem : an analytic study

Correspondence estimation in one of the most active research areas in the field of computer vision and number of techniques has been proposed, possessing both advantages and shortcomings. Among the techniques reported, multiresolution analysis based stereo correspondence estimation has gained lot of research focus in recent years. Although, the most widely employed medium for multiresolution analysis is wavelets and multiwavelets bases, however, relatively little work has been reported in this context. In this work we have tried to address some of the issues regarding the work done in this domain and the inherited shortcomings. In the light of these shortcomings, we propose a new technique to overcome some of the flaws that could have significantly impact on the algorithm performance and has not been addressed in the earlier propositions. Proposed algorithm uses multiresolution analysis enforced with wavelets/multiwavelts transform modulus maxima to establish correspondences between the stereo pair of images. Variety of wavelets and multiwavelets bases, possessing distinct properties such as orthogonality, approximation order, short support and shape are employed to analyse their effect on the performance of correspondence estimation. The idea is to provide knowledge base to understand and establish relationships between wavelets and multiwavelets properties and their effect on the quality of stereo correspondence estimation.

Men in social work : challenging or reproducing an unequal gender regime?

This article is concerned with the reproduction of gender inequality in social work and the extent to which the presence of men in the profession challenges discriminatory processes and occupational segregation. Although it is argued that men need to take more responsibility for caring roles in professions like social work, many of the rationales for encouraging more men to enter social work are unlikely to support alternative masculinities that will challenge gender inequalities. Only a profeminist commitment informing antisexist practices will enable men to address gender inequality in social work.

Analytic solution for the three-layer multiple beam interferometer

We present a simple analytic solution for the condition of constructive interference for light transmitted through an interferometer incorporating three ideally transparent layers of arbitrary thickness and refractive index. We also consider the effect of adding two metallic coatings to the outer surfaces of the interferometer and give empirical expressions for the associated phase changes for silver coatings on silica, sapphire, and mica substrates. A particular application to fringes of equal chromatic order can be utilized to obtain precise measurements of the thickness of extremely thin films sandwiched between two substrates.

Software reliability growth models based on local polynomial modeling with kernel smoothing

Software reliability growth models (SRGMs) are extensively employed in software engineering to assess the reliability of software before their release for operational use. These models are usually parametric functions obtained by statistically fitting parametric curves, using Maximum Likelihood estimation or Least–squared method, to the plots of the cumulative number of failures observed N(t) against a period of systematic testing time t. Since the 1970s, a very large number of SRGMs have been proposed in the reliability and software engineering literature and these are often very complex, reflecting the involved testing regime that often took place during the software development process. In this paper we extend some of our previous work by adopting a nonparametric approach to SRGM modeling based on local polynomial modeling with kernel smoothing. These models require very few assumptions, thereby facilitating the estimation process and also rendering them more relevant under a wide variety of situations. Finally, we provide numerical examples where these models will be evaluated and compared.

Analytic study on pure bending of metal sheets

In this work, analytical models of pure bending are developed to simulate a particular type of bend test and to determine possible errors arising from approximations used in analyzing experimental data. Analytical models proposed for steels include a theoretical solution of pure bending and a series of finite element models, based on the von Mises yield function, are subjected to different stress and strain conditions. The results show that for steel sheets the difference between measured and calculated results of the moment-curvature behaviour is small and the numerical results from the finite element models indicate that experimental results obtained from the test are acceptable in the range of the pure bending operation. Further for magnesium alloys, which exhibit unsymmetrical yielding, the algorithm of the yield function with a linear isotropic hardening model is implemented by programming a user subroutine in Abaqus for bending simulations of magnesium. The simulations using the proposed user subroutine extract better results than those using the von Mises yield function.

Mathematics curriculum reform : reproducing social inequalities

This book is essential reading for Australasian mathematics educators and other researchers with an interest in the history of mathematics curriculum, the culture of mathematics, gender, and social justice issues in mathematics. Drawing on the results of research conducted by the Educational Outcomes Research Unit at the University of Melbourne and historical documents, Richard Teese argues that the education system fails to diffuse the economic and cultural benefits assumed to flow from the completion of secondary schooling.