SWAM: A logic-based mobile agent programming language for the Semantic Web

Once a big repository of static data, the Web has been gradually evolved into a worldwide network of information and services known as the Semantic Web. This environment allows programs to autonomously interact with Web-accessible information and services. In this sense, mobile agent technology could help in efficiently exploiting this relatively new Web in a fully automated way, since Semantic Web resources are described in a computer-understandable way. In this paper, we present SWAM, a platform for building and deploying Prolog-based intelligent mobile agents on the Semantic Web. The article also reports examples and experimental results in order to illustrate as well as to assess the benefits of SWAM.     

Determination of a representative area element (RAE) based on nonparametric statistics in bread

The concept of representative area element (RAE) was applied to quantify the air cell present in pre-sliced bread. Ten slices from bread were selected and each divided into nine subareas where 60 air cells were measured. To determine the RAE, one to nine sampling areas were considered and five positions in the image were randomly selected and compared by nonparametric statistic and the fluctuation of mean air cell area method. The RAE was attained when the air cell area size distribution curves for each sampling area did not present significant differences. Hence, the RAE size was 67% of the image using the nonparametric method (equivalent to six subareas of the nine subareas that form the image), whereas the RAE could not be estimated using the fluctuation of mean air cell area method. Therefore, nonparametric statistics are a useful tool to determine the RAE in structures with size distributions that do not fit a normal distribution.     

Partial Characterization of Ultrafiltrated Soy Protein Hydrolysates with Antioxidant and Free Radical Scavenging Activities

Soy protein isolate (SPI) was hydrolyzed with Flavourzyme® (SHF) or chymotrypsin (SHC). Hydrolysates were sequencially fractionated by ultrafiltration using different membrane pore sizes (50, 10, and 3 kDa). The antioxidant ability of each hydrolysate protein fraction was tested in a liposome oxidizing system and their free radical scavenging activity (FRSA) was evaluated with the DPPH method (diphenylpicrilhydrazine radical). Molecular weight (MW) distribution, solubility, surface hydrophobicity, and amino acid composition of each SPI hydrolysate fraction were measured and their effect on antioxidant and scavenging activities was established by multivariate correlation. The most active ultrafiltrated peptide fractions (P < 0.05), from SHF and SHC, had of MW of <3 kDa (F3 and C3, respectively). These fractions decreased liposome oxidation by 83.2% and 84.5%, respectively, and also showed the highest FRSA (F3: 21.3% and C3: 24.4%). In addition to molecular size, the antioxidant activity and FRSA of soy protein fractions were related to their amino acid composition, especially to an increased content of Phe and a lowered content of Lys. Also, hydrophobicity of ultrafiltrated peptide fractions was an important characteristic (P < 0.001) associated with their ability to trap free radicals. Ultrafiltered peptide fractions with low MW have a high potential to be used as natural alternatives to prevent lipid oxidation in foods.     

Detection algorithm and initial laboratory results using V-BLASTspace-time communication architecture

The signal detection algorithm of the vertical BLAST (Bell Laboratories Layered Space-Time) wireless communications architecture is briefly described. Using this joint space-time approach, spectral efficiencies ranging from 20-40 bit/s/Hz have been demonstrated in the laboratory under flat fading conditions at indoor fading rates. Early results are presented     

Statistical profiles of highly-rated learning objects

The continuously growth of learning resources available in on-line repositories has raised the concern for the development of automated methods for quality assessment. The current existence of on-line evaluations in such repositories has opened the possibility of searching for statistical profiles of highly-rated resources that can be used as priori indicators of quality. In this paper, we analyzed 35 metrics in learning objects refereed inside the MERLOT repository and elaborated profiles for these resources regarding the different categories of disciplines and material types available. We found that some of the intrinsic metrics presented significant differences between highly rated and poorly-rated resources and that those differences are dependent on the category of discipline to which the resource belongs and on the type of the resource. Moreover, we found that different profiles should be identified according to the type of rating (peer-review or user) under evaluation. At last, we developed an initial model using linear discriminant analysis to evaluate the strength of relevant metrics when performing an automated quality classification task. The initial results of this work are promising and will be used as the foundations for the further development of an automated tool for contextualized quality assessment of learning objects inside repositories.     

Dynamic TDD Fixed Cellular Systems Using Smart and Sectored Antennas

There are many benefits in using time division duplex (TDD) instead of frequency division duplex (FDD) schemes in fixed wireless cellular systems. For example, channel reciprocity for a single carrier frequency used on both uplinks and downlinks will allow easy access to channel state information, reduced complexity of RF design, much higher flexibility in handling dynamic traffic, simpler frequency plan, etc. However, there exists a serious limiting factor in using dynamic TDD (D-TDD) in cellular systems. This is due to a steady interference on an uplink in any cell caused by downlink transmissions in other cells. Simulation results show in D-TDD cellular systems, performance is unacceptable, when an omnidirectional antenna is used at base stations. Simulation results also suggest great potential for smart antennas in achieving substantial performance improvement in fixed D-TDD bandwidth-on-demand wireless systems.     

Adsorption and surface chemistry in tribology

Adsorption on sliding surfaces and the chemical changes occurring within a few nanometers of the surface are key to the performance of lubricants and lubricant additives in the boundary lubrication regime. By means of the methods of modern surface science, these phenomena are beginning to be elucidated on a molecular level. This knowledge will be essential, both for the development of higher-performance lubricants, capable of high-temperature operation, as well as for the design of environmentally benign alternatives to the lubricant systems in current use.