Computer Programming (computer + programming)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


Computer programming and biomolecular structure studies: A step beyond internet bioinformatics

BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY EDUCATION, Issue 1 2006
Vladimir A. Liki
Abstract This article describes the experience of teaching structural bioinformatics to third year undergraduate students in a subject titled Biomolecular Structure and Bioinformatics. Students were introduced to computer programming and used this knowledge in a practical application as an alternative to the well established Internet bioinformatics approach that relies on access to the Internet and biological databases. This was an ambitious approach considering that the students mostly had a biological background. There were also time constraints of eight lectures in total and two accompanying practical sessions. The main challenge was that students had to be introduced to computer programming from a beginner level and in a short time provided with enough knowledge to independently solve a simple bioinformatics problem. This was accomplished with a problem directly relevant to the rest of the subject, concerned with the structure-function relationships and experimental techniques for the determination of macromolecular structure. [source]


An elaborate education of basic genetic programming using C++

COMPUTER APPLICATIONS IN ENGINEERING EDUCATION, Issue 3 2010
Nirod C. Sahoo
Abstract Evolutionary search is a global search method based on natural selection. In engineering curriculum, these techniques are taught in courses like Evolutionary Computation, Engineering Optimization, etc. Genetic algorithm (GA) is popular among these algorithms. Genetic programming (GP), developed by John Koza, is a powerful extension of GA where a chromosome/computer program (CP) is coded as a rooted point-labeled tree with ordered branches. The search space is the space of all possible CPs (trees) consisting of functions and terminals appropriate to the problem domain. GP uses, like GA, crossover and mutation for evolution. Due to tree-structured coding of individuals, the initial population generation, genetic operators' use, and tree decoding for fitness evaluations demand careful computer programming. This article describes the programming steps of GP implementation (using C++ language) for students' easy understanding with pseudocodes for each step. Two application examples are also illustrated. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Comput Appl Eng Educ 18: 434,448, 2010; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com; DOI 10.1002/cae.20165 [source]


Verification process and its application to network traffic simulation models

JOURNAL OF ADVANCED TRANSPORTATION, Issue 3 2002
Ryota Horiguchi
This paper summarizes a standardized verification process for network traffic simulation models. After the general introduction of philosophy of verification, we explain detailed processes of the verification and its application to several well-known simulation models. "Verification" here means several examination tests of simulation models using virtual data on a simple network so as to confirm their fundamental functions. In the course of model development, the developers have to examine whether the model performance is consistent with the specifications that they intend and also with the well-authorized traffic engineering theory. Because of several constraints in putting the model specifications into the computer programming such as discretizing of time and space and simplifying vehicle behaviors to some degree, the intended model specifications may not be fully achieved in a computer. Therefore, we strongly recommend the verification before applying the models to a real network. [source]


Micro-fabrication and monitoring of three-dimensional microstructures based on laser-induced thermoplastic formation

MICROSCOPY RESEARCH AND TECHNIQUE, Issue 10 2009
Leyan Wang
Abstract This article reports a novel laser-induced micro-fabrication method and its monitoring system for three-dimensional (3D) microstructures. The mechanism of the method is that a small zone of thermoplastic material melted by laser heating grows in liquid surrounding environment, solidifying into a convex microstructure, such as micro-dot or micro-pillar. A laser diode (808 nm) with maximum power output of 130 mW is used as power source, and a kind of paraffin mixed with stearic acid and paint serves as the thermoplastic material for 3D microstructure formation experiments. A light microscope system consisting of a charge-coupled device (CCD) and a computer is utilized to realize real-time observation of the micro-fabricating process. The distribution of local temperature rise on material surface created by laser irradiation is simulated. The effects of liquid environment on microstructure formation have been theoretically analyzed and experimentally studied. Experiments are further carried out to investigate the relationship between laser spot and fabricated microstructures. The results indicate that the widths of micro-dots or micro-pillars are mostly determined by the size of focal spot, and their heights increase with the enlargement of laser power density. With this method, a micro-dot array of Chinese characters meaning "China" has been successfully fabricated through computer programming. This method has the advantages of implementing direct, mask-less, real-time and inexpensive 3D microstructure fabrication. Therefore, it would be widely applied in the fields of micro/nano-technology for practical fabrication of different kinds of 3D microstructures. Microsc. Res. Tech., 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]


Changing Trends in Pacemaker and Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator Generator Advisories

PACING AND CLINICAL ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY, Issue 12 2002
WILLIAM H. MAISEL
MAISEL, W.H., et al.: Changing Trends in Pacemaker and Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator Generator Advisories. Pacemaker and implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) generator recalls and safety alerts (advisories) occur frequently, affect many patients, and are increasing in number and rate. It is unknown if advances in device technology have been accompanied by changing patterns of device advisory type. Weekly FDA Enforcement Reports from January 1991 to December 2000 were analyzed to identify all advisories involving pacemaker and ICD generators. This article represents additional analysis of previously cited advisories and does not contain additional recalls or safety alerts over those that have been previously reported. The 29 advisories (affecting 159,061 devices) from the early 1990s (1991,1995) were compared to the 23 advisories (affecting 364,084 devices) from the late 1990s (1996,2000). While the annual number of device advisories did not change significantly, ICD advisories became more frequent and a three-fold increase in the number of devices affected per advisory was observed. The number of devices affected by hardware advisories increased three-fold, due primarily to a 700-fold increase in electrical/circuitry abnormalities and a 20-fold increase in potential battery/capacitor malfunctions. Other types of hardware abnormalities (defects in the device header, hermetic seal, etc.) became less common. The number of devices recalled due to firmware (computer programming) abnormalities more than doubled. The remarkable technological advances in pacemaker and ICD therapy have been accompanied by changing patterns of device advisory type. Accurate, timely physician and patient notification systems, and routine pacemaker and ICD patient follow-up continue to be of paramount importance. [source]


A simple method for computer quantification of stage REM eye movement potentials

PSYCHOPHYSIOLOGY, Issue 3 2001
Xin Tan
We describe a simple method for computer quantification of eye movement (EM) potentials during REM sleep. This method can be applied by investigators using either period-amplitude (PA) or Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) spectral EEG analysis without special hardware or computer programming. It provides good correlations with visual ratings of EM in baseline sleep and after administration of GABAergic hypnotics. We present baseline data for both PA and FFT measures for 16 normal subjects, studied for 5 consecutive nights. Both visually rated and computer-measured EM density (EMD) showed high night-to-night correlations across baseline and drug nights and the computer measures detected the EMD suppression that is produced by GABAergic drugs. Measurement of EM in addition to stage REM provides biologically significant information and application of this simple computer method, which does not require pattern recognition algorithms or special hardware, could provide reliable data that can be compared across laboratories. [source]


Computer programming and biomolecular structure studies: A step beyond internet bioinformatics

BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY EDUCATION, Issue 1 2006
Vladimir A. Liki
Abstract This article describes the experience of teaching structural bioinformatics to third year undergraduate students in a subject titled Biomolecular Structure and Bioinformatics. Students were introduced to computer programming and used this knowledge in a practical application as an alternative to the well established Internet bioinformatics approach that relies on access to the Internet and biological databases. This was an ambitious approach considering that the students mostly had a biological background. There were also time constraints of eight lectures in total and two accompanying practical sessions. The main challenge was that students had to be introduced to computer programming from a beginner level and in a short time provided with enough knowledge to independently solve a simple bioinformatics problem. This was accomplished with a problem directly relevant to the rest of the subject, concerned with the structure-function relationships and experimental techniques for the determination of macromolecular structure. [source]