Object attributes combine additively in visual search

We perceive objects as containing a variety of attributes: local features, relations between features, internal details, and global properties. But we know little about how they combine. Here, we report a remarkably simple additive rule that governs how these diverse object attributes combine in vision. The perceived dissimilarity between two objects was accurately explained as a sum of (a) spatially tuned local contour-matching processes modulated by part decomposition; (b) differences in internal details, such as texture; (c) differences in emergent attributes, such as symmetry; and (d) differences in global properties, such as orientation or overall configuration of parts. Our results elucidate an enduring question in object vision by showing that the whole object is not a sum of its parts but a sum of its many attributes.

Plastic constitutive behavior of short-fiber/particle reinforced composites

A cylindrical cell model based on continuum theory for plastic constitutive behavior of short-fiber/particle reinforced composites is proposed. The composite is idealized as uniformly distributed periodic arrays of aligned cells, and each cell consists of a cylindrical inclusion surrounded by a plastically deforming matrix. In the analysis, the non-uniform deformation field of the cell is decomposed into the sum of the first order approximate field and the trial additional deformation field. The precise deformation field are determined based on the minimum strain energy principle. Systematic calculation results are presented for the influence of reinforcement volume fraction and shape on the overall mechanical behavior of the composites. The results are in good agreement with the existing finite element analyses and the experimental results. This paper attempts to stimulate the work to get the analytical constitutive relation of short-fiber/particle reinforced composites.

Image deconvolution using a Gaussian scale mixtures model to approximate the wavelet sparseness constraint

This paper proposes to use an extended Gaussian Scale Mixtures (GSM) model instead of the conventional ℓ1 norm to approximate the sparseness constraint in the wavelet domain. We combine this new constraint with subband-dependent minimization to formulate an iterative algorithm on two shift-invariant wavelet transforms, the Shannon wavelet transform and dual-tree complex wavelet transform (DTCWT). This extented GSM model introduces spatially varying information into the deconvolution process and thus enables the algorithm to achieve better results with fewer iterations in our experiments. ©2009 IEEE.

Revelation of a Functional Dependence of the Sum of Two Uniaxial Strengths/Hardness on Elastic Work/Total Work of Indentation

Dimensional and finite element analyses were used to analyze the relationship between the mechanical properties and instrumented indentation response of materials. Results revealed the existence of a functional dependence of (engineering yield strength sigma(E,y) + engineering tensile strength sigma(E,b))/Oliver & Pharr hardness on the ratio of reversible elastic work to total work obtained from an indentation test. The relationship links up the Oliver & Pharr hardness with the material strengths, although the Oliver & Pharr hardness may deviate from the true hardness when sinking in or piling up occurs. The functional relationship can further be used to estimate the SUM sigma(E,y) + sigma(E,b) according to the data of an instrumented indentation test. The sigma(E,y) + sigma(E,b) value better reflects the strength of a material compared to the hardness value alone. The method was shown to be effective when applied to aluminum alloys. The relationship can further be used to estimate the fatigue limits, which are usually obtained from macroscopic fatigue tests in different modes.

Manetho's Twenty-third Dynasty and the legitimization of kushite rule over Egypt

Resumen: Este artículo considera la identificación de los reyes en los epitomes de la Dinastía XIII de Manetón, y su función en las tradiciones historiográficas del antiguo Egipto. A pesar del rechazo de larga data de la Dinastía XXIII de Manetón como ahistórica, aquí se argumenta que los nombres preservados en la Dinastía XIII son parte de una auténtica tradición historiografíca originada con el rey kushita Taharka. El artículo va aún más allá para sugerir razones específicas de por qué la Dinastía XIII fue integrada con otras tradiciones de listas reales, así como una reconstrucción histórica de tal proceso. Más aún, éste análisis identifica funciones específicas para los nombres que aún no han sido identificados, Psammus y Zet, en la versión de Julio Africano del epitome de Manetón. El argumento considera la perspectiva política y cultural de los reyes kushitas que eran responsables de una rama de la tradición de la lista de reyes y ofrece algunas interpretaciones de las prácticas reales kushitas a la luz de estas conclusiones.

An Approximate Method for Evaluating the Shear Band Thickness in Saturated Soils

formula for the thickness of a shear band formed in saturated soils under a simple shear or a combined stress state has been proposed. It is shown that the shear band thickness is dependent on the pore pressure properties of the material and the dilatancy rate, but is independent of the details of the combined stress state. This is in accordance with some separate experimental observations.

Asymptotic behaviour of approximate Bayesian estimators

Although approximate Bayesian computation (ABC) has become a popular technique for performing parameter estimation when the likelihood functions are analytically intractable there has not as yet been a complete investigation of the theoretical properties of the resulting estimators. In this paper we give a theoretical analysis of the asymptotic properties of ABC based parameter estimators for hidden Markov models and show that ABC based estimators satisfy asymptotically biased versions of the standard results in the statistical literature.

Modelling of Laminar Plasma Jet Impinging on a Flatplate with Approximate Box Relaxation Method

Approximate Box Relaxation method was used t'o simulate a plasma jet flow impinging on a flatplate at atmospheric pressure, to achieve a better understanding of the characteristics of plasma jet in materials surface treating. The flow fields under different conditions were simulated and analyzed. The distributions of temperature, velocity and pressure were obtained by modelling. Computed results indicate that this numerical method is suitable for simulation of the flow characteristics of plasma jet: and is helpful for understanding of the mechanism of the plasma-material processing.

Filtering via approximate Bayesian computation

Approximate Bayesian computation (ABC) has become a popular technique to facilitate Bayesian inference from complex models. In this article we present an ABC approximation designed to perform biased filtering for a Hidden Markov Model when the likelihood function is intractable. We use a sequential Monte Carlo (SMC) algorithm to both fit and sample from our ABC approximation of the target probability density. This approach is shown to, empirically, be more accurate w.r.t.~the original filter than competing methods. The theoretical bias of our method is investigated; it is shown that the bias goes to zero at the expense of increased computational effort. Our approach is illustrated on a constrained sequential lasso for portfolio allocation to 15 constituents of the FTSE 100 share index.

An Approximate Method For Calculation Of Fluid Force And Response Of A Circular Cylinder At Lock-In

In this paper, equations calculating lift force of a rigid circular cyclinder at lock-in uniform flow are deduced in detail. Besides, equations calculating the lift force on a long flexible circular cyclinder at lock-in are deduced based on mode analysis of a multi-degree freedom system. The simplified forms of these equations are also given. Furthermore, an approximate method to predict the forces and response of rigid circular cyclinders and long flexible circular cyclinders at lock-in is introduced in the case of low mass-damping ratio. A method to eliminate one deficiency of these equations is introduced. Comparison with experimental results show the effectiveness of this approximate method.