Patterns of semantic relations to improve image content search

This paper reports on a study to explore how semantic relations can be used to expand a query for objects in an image. The study is part of a project with the overall objective to provide semantic annotation and search facilities for a virtual collection of art resources. In this study we used semantic relations from WordNet for 15 image content queries. The results show that, next to the hyponym/hypernym relation, the meronym/holonym (part-of) relation is particularly useful in query expansion. We identified a number of relation patterns that improve recall without jeopardising precision.     

Metal Chemistry of Scandium in Binary Systems Formed with Platinum-Group Metals as the Basis for Construction Multicomponent Systems Based on Those Metals

Major trends are considered in the physicochemical interaction in binary systems formed by scandium with the platinum metals (ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, osmium, iridium, and platinum) from the characteristic features of the phase diagrams and the use of metal-chemical factors governing the formation of intermetallides with various stoichiometry and structure types in those systems (the size, electron-concentration and electronegativity factors). The values for those factors have been established that are favorable to the formation of phases with Sc:Pt´ stoichiometry (Pt´ is a platinum metal), namely: 1:3 (structure type AuCu₃, 1:1 (CsCl type), 11:4 (Zr₁₁Os₄ type), and 44:7 (Mg₄₄Rh₇ type). Published data and the authors' own evidence on the structure of bounding binary systems have been used with evidence on the physicochemical interactions in the Sc Ru Rh system in forecasting the type of phase equilibria occurring in systems of Sc Pt´ Pt´ ´ type (where Pt´, Pt´´ = Ru, Rh, Pd, Ir).     

Scattering optics of foam

The multiple scattering of light by aqueous foams is systematically studied as a function of wavelength, bubble size, and liquid fraction. Results are analyzed in terms of the transport mean free path of the photons and an extrapolation length ratio for the diffuse photon concentration field. The wavelength dependence is minimal and may be attributed entirely to the wavelength dependence of the refractive index of water rather than thin-film interference effects. The transport mean free path is found to be proportional to the bubble diameter and the reciprocal of the square root of liquid fraction. The extrapolation length ratio varies almost linearly with liquid fraction between the values for water-glass-air and air-glass-air interfaces.     

Evaluation of the effects of a school breakfast program on attention and memory

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the impact of a school breakfast program in Sonora, Mexico. The study was conducted in four counties classified as extremely poor. Three hundred children from twelve schools pertaining to three counties under research received a school breakfast; one hundred and fifty children from four schools pertaining to a fourth county did not received school breakfast. Children were four to six years old. Attention, memory and cognition tests were applied before and after the program. Results showed an improvement for those groups receiving the breakfast program, specially on response speed and behavior executions. Group without breakfast showed better results on the pre-test, nevertheless, on the post-test, performances in both groups appear the same. At the beginning of school courses any county was different, but speed in selection and running show significatives differences for the schools. The program shows similar results on response speed, no matter social condition, nevertheless, program differentially affects the number of correct behavior executions on stimulus selection and reproduction. The breakfast program benefit children, but its effects are differentially distributed improving behavioral, repertories depending of children's group vulnerability.     

Thermal pyrolysis and kinetic analysis of a ZnxCo1−x ZiF-8 metal–organic framework for recent applications

Zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIFs) are interesting materials for use in several aspects: energy storage material, gas sensing, and photocatalysis. The thermal stability and pyrolysis process are crucial to determine the active phase of the material. A deep understanding of the pyrolysis mechanism is in demand. So, the thermodynamics and combustion process with different heating rates were examined, and the kinetic parameters were computed employing thermogravimetric tests. Based on the TG analysis of combustion, pyrolysis moves to the high-temperature region with an increase in heating rate. The decomposition process can be separated into dehydration (300–503 K) and pyrolysis reaction (703–1100 K). Three points of the decomposition process are performed by dynamical analysis owing to shifts of slopes, but the combustion process has only one stage. Dynamical parameters, for instance, the possible mechanism, the pre-exponential factor, and the apparent activation energy were obtained through comparison using the Kissinger formula. The thermodynamics analysis of the Zn_1?xCo_x ZIF-8 materials is an effective way to explore the temperature influence on the process of pyrolysis, which can benefit in several recent applications.

     

Refugee Food Insecurity & Technology: Surfacing Experiences of Adaptation,Navigation, Negotiation and Sharing

With the Syrian crisis still ongoing, 91% of Syrian refugee families in Lebanon do not have adequate access to safe and sufficient food. There has been a drive for technological innovation in humanitarian food assistance. To further inform such innovation, we used an Experience-Centred Design approach to gain a holistic understanding of the experiences of refugee food insecurity and how refugees envision technologies can support them. Design engagements with 13 women in an informal refugee settlement in Lebanon were conducted. The findings presented in this paper highlight that coping with food insecurity consists of experiences of adaptation, navigation, negotiation and sharing. We found that a multitude of technologies may be designed to enhance the aforementioned experiences and enable refugees to better cope with food insecurity. Through the lens of our findings, we discuss how technologies may support information sharing, the furthering of new practices and sharing of resources to support refugee food security.

     

One isoform for one task? The second hydrogenase of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii prefers hydrogen uptake

Gaining knowledge about the algal hydrogen metabolism is prerequisite for the biotechnological exploitation of photosynthetic H₂ production. Model organism Chlamydomonas reinhardtii encodes two [FeFe]-hydrogenases, which are individually capable of catalysing the reversible reduction of protons to molecular hydrogen. While physiological results indicated that HYDA1, connected to the photosynthetic electron transfer pathway via plant-type ferredoxin PETF, is accountable for a major part of algal H₂ evolution, the role of HYDA2 in the algal metabolism is not understood yet. Herein, a comprehensive screening of enzymatic attributes was conducted, revealing that the two enzymes differ in their affinity to oxidised PETF. Notably, utilising protein film voltammetry, a higher catalytic preference of HYDA2 to consume H₂ was observed. Site directed exchange mutagenesis revealed the contribution of a hydroxyl group in place of threonine 226, present in HYDA1, but not in HYDA2, potentially influencing the electronic properties of the active site, thereby fine-tuning catalytic function.     

Advances in the knowledge of the double perovskites derived from the conformation and substitution of the material Sr2MgMoO6-δ as anode with potential application in SOFC cell

Regardless of the manufacturing process such as solid-state reaction, sol-gel, etc., applied in obtaining anodes in solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs), Sr₂MgMoO_6-δ (SMMO) double perovskites are recognized worldwide and widely used as anodic material with potential application in SOFC. This is due to several factors such as high electronic conductivity, high electrocatalytic activity, structural stability under reducing atmosphere, high transition temperature, giant magnetoresistance, reasonable tolerance to carbon formation, and its desired ability to reduce sulfur poisoning. In this review article, the advances of the SMMO double perovskite are analyzed.     

Sudden unexpected death in patients with epilepsy receiving renal replacement therapy with dialysis: a 17-year experience at a single institution

Epilepsy is the most common acquired chronic neurological disorder; each year about 1 in a 1000 patients with chronic epilepsy die suddenly, unexpectedly, and without explanation, even with postmortem examination (SUDEP). Seizure incidence is approximately 10% in patients with chronic renal failure and hemodialysis-associated seizure has been considered to be a common complication of people on hemodialysis treatment. Considering this, we evaluated the incidence of seizures in 189 patients under dialytic treatment.