The effects of anxiety on visual search, movement kinematics, and performance in table tennis: A test of Eysenck and Calvo's processing efficiency theory

Processing efficiency theory predicts that anxiety reduces the processing capacity of working memory and has detrimental effects on performance. When tasks place little demand on working memory, the negative effects of anxiety can be avoided by increasing effort. Although performance efficiency decreases, there is no change in performance effectiveness. When tasks impose a heavy demand on working memory, however, anxiety leads to decrements in efficiency and effectiveness. These presumptions were tested using a modified table tennis task that placed low (LWM) and high (HWM) demands on working memory. Cognitive anxiety was manipulated through a competitive ranking structure and prize money. Participants' accuracy in hitting concentric circle targets in predetermined sequences was taken as a measure of performance effectiveness, while probe reaction time (PRT), perceived mental effort (RSME), visual search data, and arm kinematics were recorded as measures of efficiency. Anxiety had a negative effect on performance effectiveness in both LWM and HWM tasks. There was an increase in frequency of gaze and in PRT and RSME values in both tasks under high vs. low anxiety conditions, implying decrements in performance efficiency. However, participants spent more time tracking the ball in the HWM task and employed a shorter tau margin when anxious. Although anxiety impaired performance effectiveness and efficiency, decrements in efficiency were more pronounced in the HWM task than in the LWM task, providing support for processing efficiency theory.

A configurable approach to circuit simulation

This paper presents a configurable architecture which was designed to aid in the simulation of ULSI circuits at the transistor level. Elsewhere [1] this architecture was shown to be able to run such simulations several times as fast as standard circuit simulators such as SPICES. In this paper, after describing the overall idea and the the architecture of the system as a whole, I concentrate on the description of the architecture of the processing elements of the computing array.

Cognitive and olfactory deficits in Machado-Joseph disease: A dopamine transporter study

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Comparison of Reactive Power Support in Distribution Networks Provided by Capacitor Banks and Distributed Generators

This paper presents a comparison of reactive power support in distribution networks provided by switched Capacitor Banks (CBs) and Distributed Generators (DGs). Regarding switched CBs, a Tabu Search metaheuristic algorithm is developed to determine their optimal operation with the objective of reducing the power losses in the lines on the system, while meeting network constraints. on the other hand, the optimal operation of DGs is analyzed through an evolutionary Multi-Objective (MO) programming approach. The objectives of such approach are the minimization of power losses and operation cost of the DGs. The comparison of the reactive power support provided by switched CBs and DGs is carried out using a modified IEEE 34 bus distribution test system.

Library in virtual reality: An innovative way for accessing, disseminating, and sharing information

This paper focuses on Virtual Reality (VR) as a very powerful technology that can be applied to the libraries, aiming at contributing to the activities of accessing, disseminating, and sharing information. The paper presents the VR concept and describes some libraries in virtual reality under utilization in different countries. In the final considerations, it is pointed out the use of virtual reality to develop libraries as collaborative virtual environments.

Monitoring eLAC2007: progress and current state of development of Latin American and Caribbean information societies

Includes bibliography

Measuring and analyzing color and texture information in anatomical leaf cross sections: An approach using computer vision to aid plant species identification

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Application of ontologies in peer-to-peer database with routing queries based on ant colony algorithm

A significant set of information stored in different databases around the world, can be shared through peer-topeer databases. With that, is obtained a large base of knowledge, without the need for large investments because they are used existing databases, as well as the infrastructure in place. However, the structural characteristics of peer-topeer, makes complex the process of finding such information. On the other side, these databases are often heterogeneous in their schemas, but semantically similar in their content. A good peer-to-peer databases systems should allow the user access information from databases scattered across the network and receive only the information really relate to your topic of interest. This paper proposes to use ontologies in peer-to-peer database queries to represent the semantics inherent to the data. The main contribution of this work is enable integration between heterogeneous databases, improve the performance of such queries and use the algorithm of optimization Ant Colony to solve the problem of locating information on peer-to-peer networks, which presents an improve of 18% in results. © 2011 IEEE.

Optimization of query results in peer-to-peer database supported by semantics

The development of new technologies that use peer-to-peer networks grows every day, with the object to supply the need of sharing information, resources and services of databases around the world. Among them are the peer-to-peer databases that take advantage of peer-to-peer networks to manage distributed knowledge bases, allowing the sharing of information semantically related but syntactically heterogeneous. However, it is a challenge to ensure the efficient search for information without compromising the autonomy of each node and network flexibility, given the structural characteristics of these networks. On the other hand, some studies propose the use of ontology semantics by assigning standardized categorization of information. The main original contribution of this work is the approach of this problem with a proposal for optimization of queries supported by the Ant Colony algorithm and classification though ontologies. The results show that this strategy enables the semantic support to the searches in peer-to-peer databases, aiming to expand the results without compromising network performance. © 2011 IEEE.

Spatial clustering applied to health area

The significant volume of work accidents in the cities causes an expressive loss to society. The development of Spatial Data Mining technologies presents a new perspective for the extraction of knowledge from the correlation between conventional and spatial attributes. One of the most important techniques of the Spatial Data Mining is the Spatial Clustering, which clusters similar spatial objects to find a distribution of patterns, taking into account the geographical position of the objects. Applying this technique to the health area, will provide information that can contribute towards the planning of more adequate strategies for the prevention of work accidents. The original contribution of this work is to present an application of tools developed for Spatial Clustering which supply a set of graphic resources that have helped to discover knowledge and support for management in the work accidents area. © 2011 IEEE.

iSPD: An iconic-based modeling simulator for distributed grids

Simulation of large and complex systems, such as computing grids, is a difficult task. Current simulators, despite providing accurate results, are significantly hard to use. They usually demand a strong knowledge of programming, what is not a standard pattern in today's users of grids and high performance computing. The need for computer expertise prevents these users from simulating how the environment will respond to their applications, what may imply in large loss of efficiency, wasting precious computational resources. In this paper we introduce iSPD, iconic Simulator of Parallel and Distributed Systems, which is a simulator where grid models are produced through an iconic interface. We describe the simulator and its intermediate model languages. Results presented here provide an insight in its easy-of-use and accuracy.

Reunión Microcomputación y Sistemas de Información Documentales en América Latina: Problemas, Experiencias y Proyecciones = Meeting Microcomputers and Bibliographic Information Systems in Latin America: Problems, Experiences and Projections

Contiene objetivos, conclusiones y recomendaciones de la Reunion sobre Microcomputacion y Sistemas de Informacion Documentales en America Latina: Problemas, Experiencias y Proyecciones. Incluye ademas, lista de participantes y de siglas de instituciones, redes de informacion y paquetes de programas; resumenes de trabajos presentados; caracteristicas de paquetes de programas revisados y lista de documentos presentados.

Stress analysis in oral obturator prostheses over parallel and tilted implants: photoelastic imaging

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)