In the last two decades the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) has become one of the most investigated areas of the brain. Extensive neuroimaging evidence suggests countless functions for this region, ranging from conflict and error coding, to social cognition, pain and effortful control. In response to this burgeoning amount of data, a proliferation of computational models has tried to characteri...

In this paper we propose a macroblock skip-mode prediction algorithm to reduce the computational effort of video encoders. The algorithm classifies each macroblock as “skipped” or “not skipped” by estimating the energy of low-frequency quantized coefficients prior to coding, making it possible to significantly reduce computation by not coding these skipped macroblocks Results show that the algo...

Recent results on the solution of large, banded or sparse systems and on global unconstrained optimization problems including verification of the correctness of the result will be discussed. The computing time for the verification for large linear systems is the same as for the decomposition, the total computational effort for verifying the global optimum value is for well-known test examples c...

Does a performance measure which is a monotonous function of the benefit (a benefit measure) lead to a desirable allocation of effort between the tasks which create this benefit? We analyse two settings. If the mechanism designer knows the choice set of the agent, benefit measures generally do not result in the second-best effort allocation – unless restrictive assumptions about agent’s prefere...

Background. The VIMSS Computational Core group is tasked with data management, statistical analysis, and comparative and evolutionary genomics for the larger VIMSS effort. In the early years of this project, we focused on genome sequence analysis including development of an operon prediction algorithm which has been validated across a number of phylogenetically diverse species. Recently, the Co...

A method is developed to include solvation effects in linear-scaling semiempirical quantum calculations. Favorable scaling of computational effort for large molecules is achieved using a preconditioned conjugate gradient technique in conjunction with a linear-scaling recursive bisection method for evaluation of electrostatic interactions. The method requires approximately 30% computational over...

In many iterative schemes, the precision of each step depends on the computational effort spent on that step. A method of specifying a suitable amount of computation at each step is described. The approach is adaptive and aimed at minimizing the overall computational cost subject to attaining a final iterate that satisfies a suitable error criterion. General and particular cost functions are co...

In this paper we discuss technology appropriation in the context of close personal relationships. We review literature that reveals how collaborative appropriation is a natural and necessary feature of technology adoption by relational partners. We then advance a position whereby appropriations in close relationships can be characterised as a form of discretionary effort investment. We end by r...

In this paper a parallel and distributed computational procedure using a subspace method developed by Masanao Aoki for state space modeling of multivariate time series is proposed and implemented. The parallel solution of the Riccati equation due to the large computational effort it requires receives a special attention. For model evaluation, short time predictions, where a central role is play...