Extending information processing in a Fuzzy Random Forest ensemble

Imperfect information inevitably appears in real situations for a variety of reasons. Although efforts have been made to incorporate imperfect data into classification techniques, there are still many limitations as to the type of data, uncertainty, and imprecision that can be handled. In this paper, we will present a Fuzzy Random Forest ensemble for classification and show its ability to handle imperfect data into the learning and the classification phases. Then, we will describe the types of imperfect data it supports. We will devise an augmented ensemble that can operate with others type of imperfect data: crisp, missing, probabilistic uncertainty, and imprecise (fuzzy and crisp) values. Additionally, we will perform experiments with imperfect datasets created for this purpose and datasets used in other papers to show the advantage of being able to express the true nature of imperfect information.     

Recycling of waste glasses into partially crystallized glass foams

Waste soda-lime glass, alone or mixed with wastes from the manufacturing of glass fibers, was successfully converted into partially crystallized glass foams by a particularly simple and economic processing, consisting of a direct heating of glass powders at temperatures from 900 to 1050 °C. The foaming operated by the oxidation of SiC, inserted as powder additive, was found to depend on a complex combination of processing temperature, soaking time, tendency of the investigated glasses toward devitrification, and amount of MnO₂, acting as oxidation promoter. Selected combinations led to foams with a good microstructural homogeneity and mechanical strength, suitable for application as aggregates in lightweight concrete.     

The HEPD particle detector of the CSES satellite mission for investigating seismo-associated perturbations of the Van Allen belts

CSES(China Seismo-Electromagnetic Satellite) is a mission developed by CNSA(Chinese National Space Administration) and ASI(Italian Space Agency), to investigate the near-Earth electromagnetic, plasma and particle environment, for studying the seismo-associated disturbances in the ionosphere-magnetosphere transition zone. The anthropogenic and electromagnetic noise,as well as the natural non-seismic electromagnetic emissions is mainly due to tropospheric activity. In particular, the mission aims to confirming the existence of possible temporal correlations between the occurrence of earthquakes for medium and strong magnitude and the observation in space of electromagnetic perturbations, plasma variations and precipitation of bursts with highenergy charged particles from the inner Van Allen belt. In this framework, the high energy particle detector(HEPD) of the CSES mission has been developed by the Italian LIMADOU Collaboration. HEPD is an advanced detector based on a tower of scintillators and a silicon tracker that provides good energy and angular resolution and a wide angular acceptance, for electrons of 3–100 Me V, protons of 30–200 Me V and light nuclei up to the oxygen. CSES satellite has been launched on February 2~(nd), 2018 from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center(China).     

Microfluidic chip for spatially and temporally controlled biochemical gradient generation in standard cell-culture Petri dishes

This paper reports the development, modeling, and testing of an original microfluidic chip capable of generating both time-evolving and spatially varying gradients in standard Petri dishes. It consists of three sets of five independently controlled parallel channels, and its architecture allows the generation of complex gradient profiles that can be flexibly positioned and dynamically altered in an open cell-chamber environment. A detailed fabrication protocol for the production of these chips using multilayer soft lithography is reported. A comprehensive computational model is also presented based on COMSOL Multiphysics software that includes both diffusion and advection of the fluid as it exits the microchannels. The results of the simulation are successfully applied to model single-channel experiments. The chip is then tested in multi-channel mode, and its ability to produce complex spatially varied concentration profiles is demonstrated. The achievement of steady state of the gradient profile in less than 5 min also allows for the dynamic variation of the profile. Finally, we apply the present chip architecture to investigate the migration of mouse neutrophils in an Interleukin-8 gradient. We report quantitatively on cell migration driven by Interleukin-8 gradient and provide migration speed distribution.     

Mass spectrometry‐based proteomics: The road to lung cancer biomarker discovery

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in men and women in Western nations, and is among the deadliest cancers with a 5‐year survival rate of 15%. The high mortality caused by lung cancer is attributable to a late‐stage diagnosis and the lack of effective treatments. So, it is crucial to identify new biomarkers that could function not only to detect lung cancer at an early stage but also to shed light on the molecular mechanisms that underlie cancer development and serve as the basis for the development of novel therapeutic strategies. Considering that DNA‐based biomarkers for lung cancer showed inadequate sensitivity, specificity, and reproducibility, proteomics could represent a better tool for the identification of useful biomarkers and therapeutic targets for this cancer type. Among the proteomics technologies, the most powerful tool is mass spectrometry. In this review, we describe studies that use mass spectrometry‐based proteomics technologies to analyze tumor proteins and peptides, which might represent new diagnostic, prognostic, and predictive markers for lung cancer. We focus in particular on those findings that hold promise to impact significantly on the clinical management of this disease. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc., Mass Spec Rev 32:129–142, 2013     

Compatible priors for Bayesian model comparison with an application to the Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium model

Suppose we entertain Bayesian inference under a collection of models. This requires assigning a corresponding collection of prior distributions, one for each model’s parameter space. In this paper we address the issue of relating priors across models, and provide both a conceptual and a pragmatic justification for this task. Specifically, we consider the notion of “compatible” priors across models, and discuss and compare several strategies to construct such distributions. To explicate the issues involved, we refer to a specific problem, namely, testing the Hardy–Weinberg Equilibrium model, for which we provide a detailed analysis using Bayes factors.     

Upgrading biomass wastes in chemical technology. Humic acid‐like matter isolated from compost as chemical auxiliary for textile dyeing

BACKGROUND: In the context of the modern concern regarding rapid consumption and low availability of fossil sources of energy and chemicals, urban and agro‐industrial sources of chemicals represent interesting environmentally friendly alternatives. A recent paper has shown that a humic acid‐like material extracted from urban and green wastes compost exhibits very good surfactant properties. A large number of technological applications could possibly use this material as a chemical auxiliary. This paper reports on the performance of the material as a chemical auxiliary in textile dyeing. RESULTS: The compost‐isolated humic acid‐like bio‐surfactant is shown to perform in nylon 6 microfiber dyeing by water soluble and insoluble dyes as well as and more conveniently than commercial sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS) and sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate (SDBS). With both types of dye the bio‐surfactant allows the same quality of dyed product as the synthetic surfactants do, but at lower additive concentration. From process cost and environmental impact points of view, the bio‐surfactant has the advantages of operating at much lower additive concentrations and should be available at significantly lower cost than the synthetic surfactants. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that biomass wastes may be a low cost renewable source of chemicals with friendly environmental impact. Such a perspective implies economic and environmental benefits deriving from a new waste management technology that considers biomass waste as a source of chemicals, and from lower oil consumption in the manufacture of synthetic surfactants. Copyright © 2007 Society of Chemical Industry     

The eutrophication of Lake Champlain's northeastern arm: Insights from paleolimnological analyses

The trophic history of Lake Champlain's northeastern arm was assessed using a multi-proxy paleolimnological approach to provide sub-basin specific information for restoration planning. Sediment cores collected from Missisquoi Bay, St. Albans Bay, and the central Northeast Arm (Inland Sea) were analyzed for nutrients, organic carbon, carbon stable isotopes, biogenic silica, pigments, diatoms and soft algae microfossils. Results indicate that this arm of Lake Champlain was oligotrophic when Europeans arrived in 1609, and that clearance of > 70% of catchment forest cover had minor impact on algal production. Instead, eutrophication of St. Albans Bay was concurrent with sewer installation and expansion in early 20th century, and again with urban development in the 1960–70s. In contrast, less urbanized Missisquoi Bay remained mesotrophic until agriculture intensified after 1970. Interpretation of central Northeast Arm trophic history is complicated because road and railroad causeways built in 19th century reduced sediment input to this basin for several decades. Nevertheless, high surface-sediment concentrations of nutrients, pigments and organic matter along with replacement of Cyclotella bodanica with more eutrophic Fragilaria crotonensis suggest substantial eutrophication in deep as well as shallow water after 1970. We conclude that effective restoration of the northeastern arm is possible, but will require stringent control of animal and human wastes and reduced use of crop fertilizers.     

Atom transfer radical polymerization synthesis and association properties of amphiphilic pullulan copolymers grafted with poly(methyl methacrylate)

Amphiphilic copolymers of pullulan grafted with poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) were synthesized by atom transfer radical polymerization under homogeneous mild conditions without using protecting group chemistry. The hydroxyl groups of pullulan were reacted with 2‐bromoisobutyryl bromide to prepare pullulan macroinitiators with various degrees of substitution. Kinetic study showed that the polymerization was first order. The copolymers were characterized using ¹H NMR spectroscopy and gel permeation chromatography. The molecular weights of the grafted chains were controlled and polydispersities were low. Association properties in aqueous solution were studied using ¹H NMR spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering and transmission electron microscopy. Spherical nanoparticles with size and size distribution significantly affected by the number and length of the grafted chains were formed. Graft copolymers with a degree of substitution of 5.3% and length of PMMA grafted chains from 5 to 35 repeating units formed well‐defined quite monodisperse spherical nanoparticles with hydrodynamic diameters in the range 20–40 nm. This means that nanoparticle size can be tuned by changing the length of the grafted chains for this degree of substitution. Less control of aggregate size was obtained for a degree of substitution of 1.0%. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry