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Actual Performance (actual + performance)
Selected AbstractsAdvanced eager scheduling for Java-based adaptive parallel computingCONCURRENCY AND COMPUTATION: PRACTICE & EXPERIENCE, Issue 7-8 2005Michael O. Neary Abstract Javelin 3 is a software system for developing large-scale, fault-tolerant, adaptively parallel applications. When all or part of their application can be cast as a master,worker or branch-and-bound computation, Javelin 3 frees application developers from concerns about inter-processor communication and fault tolerance among networked hosts, allowing them to focus on the underlying application. The paper describes a fault-tolerant task scheduler and its performance analysis. The task scheduler integrates work stealing with an advanced form of eager scheduling. It enables dynamic task decomposition, which improves host load-balancing in the presence of tasks whose non-uniform computational load is evident only at execution time. Speedup measurements are presented of actual performance on up to 1000 hosts. We analyze the expected performance degradation due to unresponsive hosts, and measure actual performance degradation due to unresponsive hosts. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Using BiowinÔ, Bayes, and batteries to predict ready biodegradabilityENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY & CHEMISTRY, Issue 4 2004Robert S. Boethling Abstract Wether or not a given chemical substance is readily biodegradable is an important piece of information in risk screening for both new and existing chemicals. Despite the relatively low cost of Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development tests, data are often unavailable and biodegradability must be estimated. In this paper, we focus on the predictive value of selected BiowinÔ models and model batteries using Bayesian analysis. Posterior probabilities, calculated based on performance with the model training sets using Bayes' theorem, were closely matched by actual performance with an expanded set of 374 premanufacture notice (PMN) substances. Further analysis suggested that a simple battery consisting of Biowin3 (survey ultimate biodegradation model) and Biowin5 (Ministry of International Trade and Industry [MITI] linear model) would have enhanced predictive power in comparison to individual models. Application of the battery to PMN substances showed that performance matched expectation. This approach significantly reduced both false positives for ready biodegradability and the overall misclassification rate. Similar results were obtained for a set of 63 pharmaceuticals using a battery consisting of Biowin3 and Biowin6 (MITI nonlinear model). Biodegradation data for PMNs tested in multiple ready tests or both inherent and ready biodegradation tests yielded additional insights that may be useful in risk screening. [source] Differential amygdala responses to winning and losing: a functional magnetic resonance imaging study in humansEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE, Issue 5 2000Tiziana Zalla Abstract The amygdala has been shown to respond to many distinct types of affective stimuli, including reward and punishment feedback in animals. In humans, winning and losing situations can be considered as reward and punishment experiences, respectively. In this study, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to measure regional brain activity when human subjects were given feedback on their performance during a simple response time task in a fictitious competitive tournament. Lexical stimuli were used to convey positive ,win' or negative ,lose' feedback. The frequency of positive and negative trials was parametrically varied by the experimenters independently from the subjects' actual performance and unbeknownst to them. The results showed that the parametric increase of winning was associated with left amygdala activation whereas the parametric increase of losing was associated with right amygdala activation. These findings provide functional evidence that the human amygdala differentially responds to changes in magnitude of positive or negative reinforcement conveyed by lexical stimuli. [source] The influence of success and failure experiences on agencyEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 3 2008Andrea E. Abele Agency is,besides communion,a basic dimension of traits. It can be specifically linked to behavioral outcomes, to status, mastery, self-esteem and to success. The present paper analyzes the situational malleability of agency. Two studies tested whether an individual's agency (but not communion) is situationally influenced by the experience of success versus failure at a task, as well as whether this effect is the same for men and women. Supporting our hypotheses, the induction of success versus failure experiences led to changes in agency that were independent of actual performance, independent of type of task (memorizing vs. face recognition), independent of induction methodology (easy vs. difficult task vs. manipulated performance feedback), and independent of self-esteem, initial level of agency and of the participants' gender. Communion was not influenced by this kind of experience. Implications for both the basic dimension of agency and for theories on gender and gender stereotypes are discussed. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Black economic empowerment, legitimacy and the value added statement: evidence from post-apartheid South AfricaACCOUNTING & FINANCE, Issue 1 2009Steven F. Cahan M41 Abstract We examine why companies in South Africa voluntarily provide a value added statement (VAS). The VAS can be used by management to communicate with employees and thereby establish a record of legitimacy. Since we want to establish if the VAS is used to establish symbolic or substantive legitimacy, we examine whether production of a VAS is associated with actual performance in labour-related areas. To measure labour-related performance, we use an independent Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) rating. We find that BEE performance is significantly and positively related to the voluntary publication of a VAS. Our results suggest that BEE performance and disclosure of a VAS are two elements of a strategy used by South African companies to establish their substantive legitimacy with labour. [source] Ireland's Foreign-Owned Technology Sector: Evolving Towards Sustainability?GROWTH AND CHANGE, Issue 3 2008PATRICK COLLINS ABSTRACT For some, Ireland's pursuit of an exogenous-led development model has proved to be the cornerstone of recent economic success. Others point to recent high-profile closures and argue that foreign-owned operations are attracted to Ireland solely because of the advantageous tax breaks and lucrative grants scheme offered by the Irish government. We pay tribute to both arguments by pushing the level of enquiry beyond that of supply and backward linkages to try and gauge the actual performance of affiliates themselves. This brings some interesting facets of the Irish foreign direct investment scene to light. We highlight complexity of process, attainment of broader investment remits, and the emergence of a managerial class as integral to the ability of affiliates to adapt to and exploit organisational change. By examining 10 case studies and making use of media searches and company interviews, we highlight evidence of Ireland's largest technology transnational corporation affiliates showing positive performance advances. With these movements come, what we term, increased nodal significance of Irish operations within the global production network of their corporations. We argue against policy and theories that see these movements as linear and provide evidence of how some Irish operations have leveraged control and gained significant regional and global remits that have resulted in their growing significance, both in the corporation and in the country in which they are based. In the same line we argue that embeddedness in terms of supply linkages does not fit the Irish case and instead employ the term "network anchoring" of affiliates as they increase their nodal weighting through increased mandates. [source] Narcissism, confidence, and risk attitudeJOURNAL OF BEHAVIORAL DECISION MAKING, Issue 4 2004W. Keith Campbell Abstract The present research addresses whether narcissists are more overconfident than others and whether this overconfidence leads to deficits in decision making. In Study 1, narcissism predicted overconfidence. This was attributable to narcissists' greater confidence despite no greater accuracy. In Study 2, participants were offered fair bets on their answers. Narcissists lost significantly more points in this betting task than non-narcissists, due both to their greater overconfidence and greater willingness to bet. Finally, in Study 3, narcissists' predictions of future performance were based on performance expectations rather than actual performance. This research extends the literature on betting on knowledge to the important personality dimension of narcissism. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Attention Problems in Very Low Birth Weight Preschoolers: Are New Screening Measures Needed for This Special Population?JOURNAL OF CHILD AND ADOLESCENT PSYCHIATRIC NURSING, Issue 2 2007Deborah Winders Davis DNS PROBLEM:,Children born prematurely have been shown to have a range of problems that often result in delayed academic achievement. METHODS:,The current study assessed both attention problem scores (Child Behavior Checklist) and actual performance on tasks tapping three attention networks in a sample of children (n = 94) born with very low birth weights (VLBW; , 1500 grams). FINDINGS:,Attention problem scores were extremely low and did not predict children's actual attention performance. CONCLUSIONS:,A body of research is developing that suggests VLBW children may have specific, yet subtle, attention problems that may differ from those of other children. [source] A multimodal behavioral approach to performance anxietyJOURNAL OF CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 8 2004Arnold A. Lazarus Cognitive-behavior therapy (CBT) stresses a trimodal assessment framework (affect, behavior, and cognition [ABC]), whereas the multimodal approach assesses seven discrete but interactive components,behavior, affect, sensation, imagery, cognition, interpersonal relationships, and drugs/biological factors (BASIC I.D.). Only complex or recalcitrant cases call for the entire seven-pronged range of multimodal interventions. Various case illustrations are offered as examples of how a clinician might proceed when confronted with problems that fall under the general heading of performance anxiety. The main example is of a violinist in a symphony orchestra whose career was in serious jeopardy because of his extreme fear of performing in public. He responded very well to a focused but elaborate desensitization procedure. The hierarchy that was eventually constructed contained many dimensions and subhierarchies featuring interlocking elements that evoked his anxiety. In addition to imaginal systematic desensitization, sessions were devoted to his actual performance in the clinical setting. As a homework assignment, he found it helpful to listen to a long-playing record of an actual rehearsal and to play along with the world-renowned orchestra and conductor. The subsequent disclosure by the client of an important sexual problem was dealt with concomitantly by using a fairly conventional counseling procedure. Therapy required 20 sessions over a 3-month period. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Psychol/In Session. [source] Performance monitoring during sleep inertia after a 1-h daytime napJOURNAL OF SLEEP RESEARCH, Issue 3 2010SHOICHI ASAOKA Summary Performance monitoring is an essential function involved in the correction of errors. Deterioration of this function may result in serious accidents. This function is reflected in two event-related potential (ERP) components that occur after erroneous responses, specifically the error-related negativity/error negativity (ERN/Ne) and error positivity (Pe). The ERN/Ne is thought to be associated with error detection, while the Pe is thought to reflect motivational significance or recognition of errors. Using these ERP components, some studies have shown that sleepiness resulting from extended wakefulness may cause a decline in error-monitoring function. However, the effects of sleep inertia have not yet been explored. In this study, we examined the effects of sleep inertia immediately after a 1-h daytime nap on error-monitoring function as expressed through the ERN/Ne and Pe. Nine healthy young adults participated in two different experimental conditions (nap and rest). Participants performed the arrow-orientation task before and immediately after a 1-h nap or rest period. Immediately after the nap, participants reported an increased effort to perform the task and tended to estimate their performance as better, despite no objective difference in actual performance between the two conditions. ERN/Ne amplitude showed no difference between the conditions; however, the amplitude of the Pe was reduced following the nap. These results suggest that individuals can detect their own error responses, but the motivational significance ascribed to these errors might be diminished during the sleep inertia experienced after a 1-h nap. This decline might lead to overestimation of their performance. [source] Reliability and validity of the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure for clients with psychiatric disorders in TaiwanOCCUPATIONAL THERAPY INTERNATIONAL, Issue 4 2003Dr Ay-Woan Pan Abstract The purpose of the study was to examine the reliability and validity of the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM) in Taiwanese clients with psychiatric disorders. The COPM was translated into Mandarin and tested on 141 Taiwanese clients. The average age of the clients was 35.6 years; 94% were diagnosed with schizophrenia. The results of the study showed that the test,retest reliability of the COPM was r=0.842. The COPM identified occupational performance problems that included self-care (37%), productivity (25%), and leisure occupations (20%). Fifty percent of the therapists were receptive in adapting the client-centred approach and applying the COPM in their clinical practice. It was concluded that the COPM can be applied reliably to Taiwanese clients. Furthermore, the COPM was valuable in identifying information related to occupational performance that could not be identified elsewhere. Since 50% of the therapists felt reluctant about the appropriateness of the client-centred approach in their culture, it was important to examine the gap between clients' judgements and actual performance, as well as to evaluate the feasibility of the client-centred concept in clinical practice. Finally, the concept of the client-centred approach needs to be disseminated and communicated to the occupational therapy profession in order that the COPM can be adequately applied in mental health practice. Copyright © 2003 Whurr Publishers Ltd. [source] Users' subjective evaluation of electronic vision enhancement systemsOPHTHALMIC AND PHYSIOLOGICAL OPTICS, Issue 2 2009Louise E. Culham Abstract The aims of this study were (1) to elicit the users' responses to four electronic head-mounted devices (Jordy, Flipperport, Maxport and NuVision) and (2) to correlate users' opinion with performance. Ten patients with early onset macular disease (EOMD) and 10 with age-related macular disease (AMD) used these electronic vision enhancement systems (EVESs) for a variety of visual tasks. A questionnaire designed in-house and a modified VF-14 were used to evaluate the responses. Following initial experience of the devices in the laboratory, every patient took home two of the four devices for 1 week each. Responses were re-evaluated after this period of home loan. No single EVES stood out as the strong preference for all aspects evaluated. In the laboratory-based appraisal, Flipperport typically received the best overall ratings and highest score for image quality and ability to magnify, but after home loan there was no significant difference between devices. Comfort of device, although important, was not predictive of rating once magnification had been taken into account. For actual performance, a threshold effect was seen whereby ratings increased as reading speed improved up to 60 words per minute. Newly diagnosed patients responded most positively to EVESs, but otherwise users' opinion could not be predicted by age, gender, diagnosis or previous CCTV experience. User feedback is essential in our quest to understand the benefits and shortcoming of EVESs. Such information should help guide both prescribing and future development of low vision devices. [source] The use of the Pareto shape parameter as a leading indicator of process safety performancePROCESS SAFETY PROGRESS, Issue 3 2009Fred Henselwood Abstract Metrics addressing process safety incident performance typically focus on frequency and severity statistics. Often, these lagging metrics are not overly sensitive to actual performance, making trending and forecasting difficult. This article presents the results from a statistical study of a large incident dataset where changes in the Pareto shape parameter were observed as a function of time. This approach has been found to give far better insight into process safety performance than traditional incident metrics and readily relates back to concepts such as the "incident triangle" and "layers of protection." Through the application of this approach, trends within process safety incident performance have been observed earlier, and more accurate forecasting has allowed for the identification of anomalies. In turn, these critical observations have allowed for the better structuring and targeting of process safety programs. Although incident data are generally considered as a lagging indicator, this approach has clearly reduced the lag time associated with this type of data and has given valuable insight into the current status of process safety performance. © 2009 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Process Saf Prog 2009 [source] Clearing the cervical spine in unconscious polytrauma victims, balancing risks and effective screeningANAESTHESIA, Issue 5 2004C. G. T. Morris Summary Cervical spine injury occurs in 5,10% of cases of blunt polytrauma. A missed or delayed diagnosis of cervical spine injury may be associated with permanent neurological sequelae. However, there is no consensus about the ideal evaluation and management of the potentially injured cervical spine and, despite the publication of numerous clinical guidelines, this issue remains controversial. In addition, many studies are limited in their application to the obtunded or unconscious trauma victim. This review will provide the clinician managing unconscious trauma victims with an assessment of the actual performance of clinical examination and imaging modalities in detecting cervical spine and isolated ligamentous injury, a review of existing guidelines in light of the available evidence, relative risk estimates and a proposed management scheme. [source] Commonsense beliefs and the identification of familiar voicesAPPLIED COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 3 2001A. Daniel Yarmey Two experiments are reported in which participants attempted to reject the tape-recorded voice of a stranger and identify by name the voices of three personal associates who differed in their level of familiarity. In Experiment 1 listeners were asked to identify speakers as soon as possible, but were not allowed to change their responses once made. In Experiment 2 listeners were permitted to change their responses over successive presentations of increasing durations of voice segments. Also, in Experiment 2 half of the listeners attempted to identify speakers who spoke in normal-tone voices, and the remainder attempted to identify the same speakers who spoke in whispers. Separate groups of undergraduate students attempted to predict the performance of the listeners in both experiments. Accuracy of performance depended on the familiarity of speakers and tone of speech. A between-subjects analysis of rated confidence was diagnostic of accuracy for high familiar and low familiar speakers (Experiment 1), and for moderate familiar and unfamiliar normal-tone speakers (Experiment 2). A modified between-subjects analysis assessed across the four levels of familiarity yielded reliable accuracy-confidence correlations in both experiments. Beliefs about the accuracy of voice identification were inflated relative to the significantly lower actual performance for most of the normal-tone and whispered-speech conditions. Forensic significance and generalizations are addressed. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] ROBUST TWO-DEGREE-OF-FREEDOM CONTROL OF AN ATOMIC FORCE MICROSCOPEASIAN JOURNAL OF CONTROL, Issue 2 2004G. Schitter ABSTRACT The performance of an atomic force microscope (AFM) is improved substantially by utilizing modern model-based control methods in comparison to a standard proportional-integral (PI) controlled AFM system. We present the design and implementation of a two-degree-of-freedom (2DOF)-controller to accomplish topography measurements at high scan-rates with reduced measurement error. An H, -controller operates the AFM system in a closed loop while a model-based feedforward controller tracks the scanner to the last recorded scan-line. Experimental results compare the actual performance of the standard PI-controlled AFM and the 2DOF controlled system. The new controller reduces the control error considerably and enables imaging at higher speeds and at weaker tip-sample interaction forces. [source] | |||||||||||||||||||