15282494
A performance model interchange format
Abstract A performance model interchange format (PMIF) provides a mechanism whereby system model information may be transferred among performance modeling tools. The PMIF allows diverse tools to exchange information and requires only that the importing and exporting tools support the PMIF. This paper presents the definition of a PMIF by describing a meta-model of the information requirements and the transfer format derived from it. It describes how tool developers can implement the PMIF, how the model interchange via export and import works in practice, and how the PMIF can be extended. A simple case study illustrates the format. The paper concludes with the current status of the PMIF, lessons learned, some suggestions for extensions, and current work in progress.
6961424
Designing High-Performance Distributed Applications Using Software Performance Engineering: A Tutorial
Summary This paper reviewed the purpose of SPE, the steps forapplying the SPE methods throughout the life cycle ofnew systems, the data requirements and illustrated aperformance walkthrough approach for gathering thedata. The software and system execution models forassessing the performance of alternatives weredescribed and their use throughout the life cycle wasreviewed.SPE is becoming increasingly popular for large,strategic systems to systematically manage theperformance. The models are relatively easy toconstruct and evaluate with the performance modelingtools available today. SPE’s current problems are notthe technical problems of constructing and evaluatingthe performance models. The chief barriers aremaking developers and managers aware of SPE’spotential, and persuading them to incorporate themethods into their development life cycle. References [HEID93] Ruth V. Heidel and George W. Dodson,(Editor), Special Issue on Client/Server Computing ,CMG Transactions, no. 82, 1993.[SMIT88a] Connie U. Smith, "Applying SynthesisPrinciples to Create Responsive Software Systems,"
25855174
General Principles for Performance Oriented Design
22904680
Software Performance Engineering Tutorial
192543
Performance Model Interchange Format: Semantic Validation
A Performance Model Interchange Format (PMIF) provides a mechanism whereby system model information may be transferred among queueing network model (QNM) based modeling tools. The PMIF allows diverse tools to exchange information and requires only that those tools provide importing/exporting mechanisms from/to the PMIF. The XML specification of the PMIF allows implementers to use widely available tools to parse the XML file, check the syntax, and simplify the translation to/from the XML format. Those tools, however, do not know the semantics of a QNM so they cannot check the XML to ensure that it contains a valid QNM. This paper presents the study of the validations needed to carry out such a semantic analysis, and the development of a semantic validation tool that can be used by any developer who wants to implement PMIF import/export mechanisms.
11071330
Performance Engineering of Software Systems
We may not be able to make you love reading, but performance engineering of software systems will lead you to love reading starting from now. Book is the window to open the new world. The world that you want is in the better stage and level. World will always guide you to even the prestige stage of the life. You know, this is some of how reading will give you the kindness. In this case, more books you read more knowledge you know, but it can mean also the bore is full.
6341521
Rethinking classical internal forces for active contour models
The classical active contour model has two basic internal forces: tension and curvature. These forces are included to provide cohe sion, equal control point spacing, and locally smooth shape. These classical internal forces have undesirable attributes that are in conflict with these original desired characteristics. Tension evenly spaces the control points, but also causes the models to collapse in weak image gradients. Curvature produces locally smooth curvature, but it does so by forcing the model toward a straight line. The paper returns to the original active contour model motivations to reformulate these internal forces. The desired properties are achieved without the introduction of unwanted model behavior A new spacing force and a new constant change in curvature force are introduced and their performance characteristics are discussed. The paper includes experimental results that demonstrate the efficacy and performance of the proposed reformulations.
45578333
Editor's Introduction
Editors’ Introduction We are pleased to present here the first issue of Studies in the Bible and Antiquity. Studies is dedicated to Latter-day Saint research on the Old Testament, New Testament, and other texts or topics that illuminate our understanding of the Bible and religion in antiquity. It is the first LDS periodical devoted exclusively to these subjects and will serve as a companion to the other periodicals of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship dedicated to the study of the scripture and faith of the Restored Gospel. Studies in the Bible and Antiquity serves the needs of two constituencies. Like its sister publications, Studies serves a broad community of general LDS readers who study and teach the Bible and who wish to better understand both the biblical text and its world. Yet Studies is also a journal by LDS scholars for LDS scholars, as well as for our academic colleagues who have an interest in LDS approaches to the Bible and religion in antiquity. Therefore, many of the articles published here will be technical in nature. But to serve our general readership, we will work with authors of more technical studies to ensure that even the most specialized articles are as accessible as possible to nonspecialists. This inaugural issue of Studies contains five excellent articles. In “A Comparison of the Communal Lament Psalms and the TreatyCovenant Formula,” Daniel Belnap examines the communal lament psalms within the context of the Hittite covenantal formula. Belnap aptly demonstrates through many examples from the lament psalms that the relationship between Israel and Jehovah fits comfortably within the ancient Hittite treaty-covenant formula, which provides insight into how the Lord taught the Israelites about repentance and forgiveness within the context of their own time. This article has implications for our understanding of LDS covenant making, covenant breaking, and the restoration of covenantal blessings through repentance. ii • Studies in the Bible and Antiquity 1 (2009) David Bokovoy’s article, “From the Hand of Jacob: A Ritual Analysis of Genesis 27,” analyzes the element of ritual in Jacob’s deception when receiving a blessing from Isaac. Insights gleaned from Hebrew and other ancient practices suggest that hand placement, exchange of clothing, and the seeking of blessing probably relate to rituals associated with the temple. Bokovoy believes that the deception of Jacob may be better understood as a ritual act common to his environment, giving insight into a difficult-to-understand part of the book of Genesis. In “And the Word Was Made Flesh: An LDS Exegesis of the Blood and Water Imagery in the Gospel of John,” Eric D. Huntsman examines a number of Greek words and phrases that illuminate how the Gospel of John presents the symbolic nature of blood and water. It is commonly known that John, more than the other three evangelists, employed symbolism very extensively, and Huntsman has illustrated this fact well with his discussion of blood and water as symbols of the atonement of Jesus Christ. Julie M. Smith’s “Pointing Our Souls to Christ: Lessons from Leviticus” examines the Book of Leviticus analogically and shows how the ritual laws of Leviticus pointed the Israelites towards Christ and the atonement. Smith’s rereading of Leviticus, informed by contemporary exegetical method, will help readers see Leviticus not as a “dry and irrelevant” legal code, but as a witness to Christ as Savior and Redeemer. Finally, Gaye Strathearn in “The Valentinian Bridal Chamber in the Gospel of Philip” examines whether the “bridal chamber” in the Gospel of Philip may be seen as providing evidence of a primitive practice like modern LDS temple marriage. Some LDS scholars have suggested that this is the case. Strathearn carefully describes the issues and provides an accurate and insightful assessment to help readers draw informed conclusions. We now present this debut issue of Studies in the Bible and Antiquity with our hope that readers will find in its original and carefully researched articles a greater understanding and appreciation of the Bible and the biblical world.
2626294
Computation of shape through controlled active exploration
Accurate knowledge of depth continues to be of critical importance in robotic systems. Without accurate depth knowledge, tasks such as inspection, tracking, grasping, and collision-free motion planning prove to be difficult and often unattainable. Traditional visual depth recovery has relied upon techniques that require the solution of the correspondence problem or require known lighting conditions and Lambertian surfaces. In this paper, we present a technique for the derivation of depth from feature points on a target's surface using the controlled active vision framework. We use a single visual sensor mounted on the end-effector of a robotic manipulator to automatically select feature points and to derive depth estimates for those features using adaptive control techniques. Movements of the manipulator produce displacements that are measured using a sum-of-squared difference (SSD) optical flow. The measured displacements are fed into the controller to alter the path of the manipulator and to refine the depth estimate.<<ETX>>
5529316
Mixture models for dynamic statistical pressure snakes
This paper introduces a new approach to statistical pressure snakes. It uses statistical modeling for both object and background to obtain a more robust pressure model. The Expectation Maximization (EM) algorithm is used to model the data into a Mixture of Gaussians (MoG). Bayesian theory is then employed as a decision making mechanism. Experimental results using the traditional pressure model and the new mixture pressure model demonstrate the effectiveness of the new models.
5822992
Active Deformable Models Using Density Estimation
This paper introduces a new approach to active deformable models. The paper starts with a brief review of the relevant approaches. We then use the Expectation Maximization and Parzen Window techniques to develop a more robust formulation for pressure snakes. The generic nature of the proposed model allows it to perform well on complex colored images. We show, by several examples, the enhanced performance of the snake under the new formulation, compared to the performance of other known snake formulations.