The Strange Case of Eugenics: A Subject’s Ontogeny in a Long-Lived Classification Scheme and the Question of Collocative Integrity

Classification schemes are built at a particular point in time; at inception, they reflect a worldview indicative of that time. This is their strength, but results in potential weak- nesses as worldviews change. For example, if a scheme of mathematics is not updated even though the state of the art has changed, then it is not a very useful scheme to users for the purposes of information retrieval. However, change in schemes is a good thing. Changing allows designers of schemes to update their model and serves as a responsible mediator between resources and users. But change does come at a cost. In the print world, we revise universal clas- sification schemes—sometimes in drastic ways—and this means that over time, the power of a classification scheme to collocate is compromised if we do not account for scheme change in the organization of affected physical resources. If we understand this phenomenon in the print world, we can design ameliorations for the digital world.

Collocative Integrity and Our Many Varied Subjects: What the Metric of Alignment between Classification Scheme and Indexer Tells Us About Langridge’s Theory of Indexing

As the universe of knowledge and subjects change over time, indexing languages like classification schemes, accommodate that change by restructuring. Restructuring indexing languages affects indexer and cataloguer work. Subjects may split or lump together. They may disappear only to reappear later. And new subjects may emerge that were assumed to be already present, but not clearly articulated (Miksa, 1998). In this context we have the complex relationship between the indexing language, the text being described, and the already described collection (Tennis, 2007). It is possible to imagine indexers placing a document into an outdated class, because it is the one they have already used for their collection. However, doing this erases the semantics in the present indexing language. Given this range of choice in the context of indexing language change, the question arises, what does this look like in practice? How often does this occur? Further, what does this phenomenon tell us about subjects in indexing languages? Does the practice we observe in the reaction to indexing language change provide us evidence of conceptual models of subjects and subject creation? If it is incomplete, but gets us close, what evidence do we still require?

Congenital thoracic vertebral malformations in brachycephalic “screw-tailed” dog breeds: Validation of a human classification scheme and a method of Cobb angle measurement in the assessment of vertebral column deformity

Congenital vertebral malformations are common in brachycephalic “screw-tailed” dog breeds such as French bulldogs, English bulldogs, Boston terriers, and Pugs. Those vertebral malformations disrupt the normal vertebral column anatomy and biomechanics, potentially leading to deformity of the vertebral column and subsequent neurological dysfunction. The initial aim of this work was to study and determine whether the congenital vertebral malformations identified in those breeds could be translated in a radiographic classification scheme used in humans to give an improved classification, with clear and well-defined terminology, with the expectation that this would facilitate future study and clinical management in the veterinary field. Therefore, two observers who were blinded to the neurologic status of the dogs classified each vertebral malformation based on the human classification scheme of McMaster and were able to translate them successfully into a new classification scheme for veterinary use. The following aim was to assess the nature and the impact of vertebral column deformity engendered by those congenital vertebral malformations in the target breeds. As no gold standard exists in veterinary medicine for the calculation of the degree of deformity, it was elected to adapt the human equivalent, termed the Cobb angle, as a potential standard reference tool for use in veterinary practice. For the validation of the Cobb angle measurement method, a computerised semi-automatic technique was used and assessed by multiple independent observers. They observed not only that Kyphosis was the most common vertebral column deformity but also that patients with such deformity were found to be more likely to suffer from neurological deficits, more especially if their Cobb angle was above 35 degrees.

Classification and staging of chronic liver disease from multimodal data

Chronic liver disease (CLD) is most of the time an asymptomatic, progressive, and ultimately potentially fatal disease. In this study, an automatic hierarchical procedure to stage CLD using ultrasound images, laboratory tests, and clinical records are described. The first stage of the proposed method, called clinical based classifier (CBC), discriminates healthy from pathologic conditions. When nonhealthy conditions are detected, the method refines the results in three exclusive pathologies in a hierarchical basis: 1) chronic hepatitis; 2) compensated cirrhosis; and 3) decompensated cirrhosis. The features used as well as the classifiers (Bayes, Parzen, support vector machine, and k-nearest neighbor) are optimally selected for each stage. A large multimodal feature database was specifically built for this study containing 30 chronic hepatitis cases, 34 compensated cirrhosis cases, and 36 decompensated cirrhosis cases, all validated after histopathologic analysis by liver biopsy. The CBC classification scheme outperformed the nonhierachical one against all scheme, achieving an overall accuracy of 98.67% for the normal detector, 87.45% for the chronic hepatitis detector, and 95.71% for the cirrhosis detector.

A sensor classification strategy for robotic manipulators

In practice the robotic manipulators present some degree of unwanted vibrations. The advent of lightweight arm manipulators, mainly in the aerospace industry, where weight is an important issue, leads to the problem of intense vibrations. On the other hand, robots interacting with the environment often generate impacts that propagate through the mechanical structure and produce also vibrations. In order to analyze these phenomena a robot signal acquisition system was developed. The manipulator motion produces vibrations, either from the structural modes or from endeffector impacts. The instrumentation system acquires signals from several sensors that capture the joint positions, mass accelerations, forces and moments, and electrical currents in the motors. Afterwards, an analysis package, running off-line, reads the data recorded by the acquisition system and extracts the signal characteristics. Due to the multiplicity of sensors, the data obtained can be redundant because the same type of information may be seen by two or more sensors. Because of the price of the sensors, this aspect can be considered in order to reduce the cost of the system. On the other hand, the placement of the sensors is an important issue in order to obtain the suitable signals of the vibration phenomenon. Moreover, the study of these issues can help in the design optimization of the acquisition system. In this line of thought a sensor classification scheme is presented. Several authors have addressed the subject of the sensor classification scheme. White (White, 1987) presents a flexible and comprehensive categorizing scheme that is useful for describing and comparing sensors. The author organizes the sensors according to several aspects: measurands, technological aspects, detection means, conversion phenomena, sensor materials and fields of application. Michahelles and Schiele (Michahelles & Schiele, 2003) systematize the use of sensor technology. They identified several dimensions of sensing that represent the sensing goals for physical interaction. A conceptual framework is introduced that allows categorizing existing sensors and evaluates their utility in various applications. This framework not only guides application designers for choosing meaningful sensor subsets, but also can inspire new systems and leads to the evaluation of existing applications. Today’s technology offers a wide variety of sensors. In order to use all the data from the diversity of sensors a framework of integration is needed. Sensor fusion, fuzzy logic, and neural networks are often mentioned when dealing with problem of combing information from several sensors to get a more general picture of a given situation. The study of data fusion has been receiving considerable attention (Esteban et al., 2005; Luo & Kay, 1990). A survey of the state of the art in sensor fusion for robotics can be found in (Hackett & Shah, 1990). Henderson and Shilcrat (Henderson & Shilcrat, 1984) introduced the concept of logic sensor that defines an abstract specification of the sensors to integrate in a multisensor system. The recent developments of micro electro mechanical sensors (MEMS) with unwired communication capabilities allow a sensor network with interesting capacity. This technology was applied in several applications (Arampatzis & Manesis, 2005), including robotics. Cheekiralla and Engels (Cheekiralla & Engels, 2005) propose a classification of the unwired sensor networks according to its functionalities and properties. This paper presents a development of a sensor classification scheme based on the frequency spectrum of the signals and on a statistical metrics. Bearing these ideas in mind, this paper is organized as follows. Section 2 describes briefly the robotic system enhanced with the instrumentation setup. Section 3 presents the experimental results. Finally, section 4 draws the main conclusions and points out future work.

A multidimensional scaling classification of robotic sensors

This chapter analyzes the signals captured during impacts and vibrations of a mechanical manipulator. Eighteen signals are captured and several metrics are calculated between them, such as the correlation, the mutual information and the entropy. A sensor classification scheme based on the multidimensional scaling technique is presented.

A sensor classification strategy for robotic manipulators using multidimensional scaling technique

This paper analyzes the signals captured during impacts and vibrations of a mechanical manipulator. To test the impacts, a flexible beam is clamped to the end-effector of a manipulator that is programmed in a way such that the rod moves against a rigid surface. Eighteen signals are captured and theirs correlation are calculated. A sensor classification scheme based on the multidimensional scaling technique is presented.

Image-Based Coral Reef Classification and Thematic Mapping

This paper presents a novel image classification scheme for benthic coral reef images that can be applied to both single image and composite mosaic datasets. The proposed method can be configured to the characteristics (e.g., the size of the dataset, number of classes, resolution of the samples, color information availability, class types, etc.) of individual datasets. The proposed method uses completed local binary pattern (CLBP), grey level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM), Gabor filter response, and opponent angle and hue channel color histograms as feature descriptors. For classification, either k-nearest neighbor (KNN), neural network (NN), support vector machine (SVM) or probability density weighted mean distance (PDWMD) is used. The combination of features and classifiers that attains the best results is presented together with the guidelines for selection. The accuracy and efficiency of our proposed method are compared with other state-of-the-art techniques using three benthic and three texture datasets. The proposed method achieves the highest overall classification accuracy of any of the tested methods and has moderate execution time. Finally, the proposed classification scheme is applied to a large-scale image mosaic of the Red Sea to create a completely classified thematic map of the reef benthos

Schémas de classification et repérage des documents administratifs électroniques dans un contexte de gestion décentralisée des ressources informationnelles

Les employés d’un organisme utilisent souvent un schéma de classification personnel pour organiser les documents électroniques qui sont sous leur contrôle direct, ce qui suggère la difficulté pour d’autres employés de repérer ces documents et la perte possible de documentation pour l’organisme. Aucune étude empirique n’a été menée à ce jour afin de vérifier dans quelle mesure les schémas de classification personnels permettent, ou même facilitent, le repérage des documents électroniques par des tiers, dans le cadre d’un travail collaboratif par exemple, ou lorsqu’il s’agit de reconstituer un dossier. Le premier objectif de notre recherche était de décrire les caractéristiques de schémas de classification personnels utilisés pour organiser et classer des documents administratifs électroniques. Le deuxième objectif consistait à vérifier, dans un environnement contrôlé, les différences sur le plan de l’efficacité du repérage de documents électroniques qui sont fonction du schéma de classification utilisé. Nous voulions vérifier s’il était possible de repérer un document avec la même efficacité, quel que soit le schéma de classification utilisé pour ce faire. Une collecte de données en deux étapes fut réalisée pour atteindre ces objectifs. Nous avons d’abord identifié les caractéristiques structurelles, logiques et sémantiques de 21 schémas de classification utilisés par des employés de l’Université de Montréal pour organiser et classer les documents électroniques qui sont sous leur contrôle direct. Par la suite, nous avons comparé, à partir d'une expérimentation contrôlée, la capacité d’un groupe de 70 répondants à repérer des documents électroniques à l’aide de cinq schémas de classification ayant des caractéristiques structurelles, logiques et sémantiques variées. Trois variables ont été utilisées pour mesurer l’efficacité du repérage : la proportion de documents repérés, le temps moyen requis (en secondes) pour repérer les documents et la proportion de documents repérés dès le premier essai. Les résultats révèlent plusieurs caractéristiques structurelles, logiques et sémantiques communes à une majorité de schémas de classification personnels : macro-structure étendue, structure peu profonde, complexe et déséquilibrée, regroupement par thème, ordre alphabétique des classes, etc. Les résultats des tests d’analyse de la variance révèlent des différences significatives sur le plan de l’efficacité du repérage de documents électroniques qui sont fonction des caractéristiques structurelles, logiques et sémantiques du schéma de classification utilisé. Un schéma de classification caractérisé par une macro-structure peu étendue et une logique basée partiellement sur une division par classes d’activités augmente la probabilité de repérer plus rapidement les documents. Au plan sémantique, une dénomination explicite des classes (par exemple, par utilisation de définitions ou en évitant acronymes et abréviations) augmente la probabilité de succès au repérage. Enfin, un schéma de classification caractérisé par une macro-structure peu étendue, une logique basée partiellement sur une division par classes d’activités et une sémantique qui utilise peu d’abréviations augmente la probabilité de repérer les documents dès le premier essai.

Classification et relations entre les traits fonctionnels des crustacés zooplanctoniques : de l’organisme à l’écosystème

Les écologistes reconnaissent depuis longtemps que les organismes sont soutenus par le flux, l’emmagasinage et le renouvellement d’énergie et de matériel de l’écosystème, puisqu’ils sont nécessaires au métabolisme biologique et à la construction de biomasse. L’importance des organismes dans la régularisation des processus écosystémiques est maintenant de plus en plus considérée. Situé au centre des chaînes trophiques aquatiques, le zooplancton influence les flux d’énergie et de matériel dans les écosystèmes. Plusieurs de leurs caractéristiques sont connues comme étant de bons indicateurs de leur effet sur l’environnement, notamment leur taille, contenu corporel et taux métabolique. La plupart de ces caractéristiques peuvent être appelées « traits fonctionnels ». Alors que l’emploi des traits devient de plus en plus populaire en écologie des communautés aquatiques, peu ont su utiliser cette approche afin de concrètement lier la structure des communautés zooplanctoniques aux processus écosystémiques. Dans cette étude, nous avons colligé les données provenant d’une grande variété de littérature afin de construire une base de données sur les traits du zooplancton crustacé contribuant directement ou indirectement aux flux de C, N et P dans les écosystèmes. Notre méta-analyse a permis d’assembler plus de 9000 observations sur 287 espèces et d’identifier par le fait même ce qu’il manque à nos connaissances. Nous avons examiné une série de corrélations croisées entre 16 traits, dont 35 étaient significatives, et avons exploré les relations entre les unités taxonomiques de même qu’entre les espèces marines et d’eaux douces. Notre synthèse a entre autres révélé des patrons significativement différents entre le zooplancton marin et dulcicole quant à leur taux de respiration et leur allométrie (masse vs. longueur corporelle). Nous proposons de plus une nouvelle classification de traits liant les fonctions des organismes à celles de l’écosystème. Notre but est d’offrir une base de données sur les traits du zooplancton, des outils afin de mieux lier les organismes aux processus écosystémiques et de stimuler la recherche de patrons généraux et de compromis entre les traits.

Palaeovegetation in China during the late Quaternary: Biome reconstructions based on a global scheme of plant functional types

Two previous reconstructions of palaeovegetation across the whole of China were performed using a simple classification of plant functional types (PFTs). Now a more explicit, global PFT classification scheme has been developed, and a substantial number of additional pollen records have become available. Here we apply the global scheme of PFTs to a comprehensive set of pollen records available from China to test the applicability of the global scheme of PFTs in China, and to obtain a well-founded reconstruction of changing palaeovegetation patterns. A total of 806 pollen surface samples, 188 mid-Holocene (MH, 6000 14C yr BP) and 50 last glacial maximum (LGM, 18,000 14C yr BP) pollen records were used to reconstruct vegetation patterns in China, based on a new global classification system of PFTs and a standard numerical technique for biome assignment (biomization). The biome reconstruction based on pollen surface samples showed convincing agreement with present potential natural vegetation. Coherent patterns of change in biome distribution between MH, LGM and present are observed. In the MH, cold and cool-temperate evergreen needleleaf forests and mixed forests, temperate deciduous broadleaf forest, and warm-temperate evergreen broadleaf and mixed forest in eastern China were shifted northward by 200–500 km. Cold-deciduous forest in northeastern China was replaced by cold evergreen needleleaf forest while in central northern China, cold-deciduous forest was present at some sites now occupied by temperate grassland and desert. The forest–grassland boundary was 200–300 km west of its present position. Temperate xerophytic shrubland, temperate grassland and desert covered a large area on the Tibetan Plateau, but the area of tundra was reduced. Treeline was 300–500 m higher than present in Tibet. These changes imply generally warmer winters, longer growing seasons and more precipitation during the MH. Westward shifts of the forest–shrubland–grassland and grassland–desert boundaries imply greater moisture availability in the MH, consistent with a stronger summer monsoon. During the LGM, in contrast, cold-deciduous forest, cool-temperate evergreen needleleaf forest, cool mixed forests, warm-temperate evergreen broadleaf and mixed forest in eastern China were displaced to the south by 300–1000 km, while temperate deciduous broadleaf forest, pure warm-temperate evergreen forest, tropical semi-evergreen and evergreen broadleaf forests were restricted or absent from the mainland of southern China, implying colder winters than present. Strong shifts of temperate xerophytic shrubland, temperate grassland and desert to the south and east in northern and western China and on the Tibetan Plateau imply drier conditions than present.

Sea surface temperature climate change initiative: alternative image classification algorithms for sea-ice affected oceans

We present a Bayesian image classification scheme for discriminating cloud, clear and sea-ice observations at high latitudes to improve identification of areas of clear-sky over ice-free ocean for SST retrieval. We validate the image classification against a manually classified dataset using Advanced Along Track Scanning Radiometer (AATSR) data. A three way classification scheme using a near-infrared textural feature improves classifier accuracy by 9.9 % over the nadir only version of the cloud clearing used in the ATSR Reprocessing for Climate (ARC) project in high latitude regions. The three way classification gives similar numbers of cloud and ice scenes misclassified as clear but significantly more clear-sky cases are correctly identified (89.9 % compared with 65 % for ARC). We also demonstrate the poetential of a Bayesian image classifier including information from the 0.6 micron channel to be used in sea-ice extent and ice surface temperature retrieval with 77.7 % of ice scenes correctly identified and an overall classifier accuracy of 96 %.

The classification of involuntary musical imagery: the case for earworms

Involuntary musical imagery (INMI) is the subject of much recent research interest. INMI covers a number of experience types such as musical obsessions and musical hallucinations. One type of experience has been called earworms, for which the literature provides a number of definitions. In this paper we consider the origins of the term earworm in the German language literature and compare that usage with the English language literature. We consider the published literature on earworms and conclude that there is merit in distinguishing between earworms and other types of types of involuntary musical imagery described in the scientific literature: e.g. musical hallucinations, musical obsessions. We also describe other experiences that can be considered under the term INMI. The aim of future research could be to ascertain similarities and differences between types of INMI with a view to refining the classification scheme proposed here.

Development of a CAD system for automatic classification of microcalcifications based on FPGA

This paper presents a Computer Aided Diagnosis (CAD) system that automatically classifies microcalcifications detected on digital mammograms into one of the five types proposed by Michele Le Gal, a classification scheme that allows radiologists to determine whether a breast tumor is malignant or not without the need for surgeries. The developed system uses a combination of wavelets and Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) and is executed on an Altera DE2-115 Development Kit, a kit containing a Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) that allows the system to be smaller, cheaper and more energy efficient. Results have shown that the system was able to correctly classify 96.67% of test samples, which can be used as a second opinion by radiologists in breast cancer early diagnosis. (C) 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.