Higher-order Representation and Reasoning for Automated Ontology Evolution

Abstract: The GALILEO system aims at realising automated ontology evolution. This is necessary to enable intelligent agents to manipulate their own knowledge autonomously and thus reason and communicate effectively in open, dynamic digital environments characterised by the heterogeneity of data and of representation languages. Our approach is based on patterns of diagnosis of faults detected across multiple ontologies. Such patterns allow to identify the type of repair required when conflicting ontologies yield erroneous inferences. We assume that each ontology is locally consistent, i.e. inconsistency arises only across ontologies when they are merged together. Local consistency avoids the derivation of uninteresting theorems, so the formula for diagnosis can essentially be seen as an open theorem over the ontologies. The system’s application domain is physics; we have adopted a modular formalisation of physics, structured by means of locales in Isabelle, to perform modular higher-order reasoning, and visualised by means of development graphs.

The use of data-mining for the automatic formation of tactics

This paper discusses the usse of data-mining for the automatic formation of tactics. It was presented at the Workshop on Computer-Supported Mathematical Theory Development held at IJCAR in 2004. The aim of this project is to evaluate the applicability of data-mining techniques to the automatic formation of tactics from large corpuses of proofs. We data-mine information from large proof corpuses to find commonly occurring patterns. These patterns are then evolved into tactics using genetic programming techniques

Carers\u27 preferences for the delivery of therapy services for people with disability in rural Australia: Evidence from a discrete choice experiment

Background: The implementation of the Australian National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is expected to generate a responsive, person-centred system that will empower people with disability to choose the services and support they receive. However little attention has been paid to examine how users of the NDIS will choose and spend their individual budgets. This study aimed to determine quantitatively the relative importance that carers of people with a disability living in rural Australia place on different therapy service delivery characteristics. Methods: A stated preference discrete choice experiment (DCE) was incorporated into a survey of carers of people with disability living in rural Australia. Carers chose between therapy delivery services differing in attributes such as travel time to receive therapy, sector providing the service (i.e. Government, not-for-profit, private), out-of-pocket costs, person who delivers the therapy (therapist or other staff) and waiting time. Results: A total of 133 carers completed the DCE. The majority of respondents cared for a child with a disability (84%), the average age of the person they cared for was 17 years (SD 14.25). Participants expressed strong preferences for a short waiting time (0-3 months) to receive therapy services; services delivered by a therapist, no out of pocket cost and travelling up to 4 hours to receive a therapy session (p Conclusion: Carers of people with a disability in rural Australia exhibited strongest preferences for short waiting times (0-3 months). Therapy services that are delivered by therapy assistants or support workers will require careful introduction to achieve uptake and acceptability

Factors affecting retention of allied health professionals working with people with disability in rural New South Wales, Australia: discrete choice experiment questionnaire development

Objective: This paper describes the development of a discrete choice experiment (DCE) questionnaire to identify the factors (attributes) that allied health professionals (AHPs) working with people with disability identify as important to encouraging them to remain practising in rural areas. Methods: Focus groups and semi-structured interviews were conducted with 97 purposively selected service providers working with people with disability in rural New South Wales, Australia. Focus groups and interviews were digitally recorded, transcribed, and analysed using a modified grounded theory approach involving thematic analysis and constant comparison. Results: Six attributes that may influence AHPs working with people with disability in rural areas to continue to do so were inductively identified: travel arrangements, work flexibility, professional support, professional development, remuneration, and autonomy of practice. The qualitative research information was combined with a policy review to define these retention factors and ensure that they are amenable to policy changes. Conclusion: The use of various qualitative research methods allowed the development of a policy-relevant DCE questionnaire that was grounded in the experience of the target population (AHPs)

Should I stay or should I go? Exploring the job preferences of allied health professionals working with people with disability in rural Australia

Introduction: The uneven distribution of allied health professionals (AHPs) in rural and remote Australia and other countries is well documented. In Australia, like elsewhere, service delivery to rural and remote communities is complicated because relatively small numbers of clients are dispersed over large geographic areas. This uneven distribution of AHPs impacts significantly on the provision of services particularly in areas of special need such as mental health, aged care and disability services. Objective: This study aimed to determine the relative importance that AHPs (physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech pathologists and psychologists – “therapists”) living in a rural area of Australia and working with people with disability, place on different job characteristics and how these may affect their retention. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted using an online questionnaire distributed to AHPs working with people with disability in a rural area of Australia over a 3-month period. Information was sought about various aspects of the AHPs’ current job, and their workforce preferences were explored using a best–worst scaling discrete choice experiment (BWSDCE). Conditional logistic and latent class regression models were used to determine AHPs’ relative preferences for six different job attributes. Results: One hundred ninety-nine AHPs completed the survey; response rate was 51 %. Of those, 165 completed the BWSDCE task. For this group of AHPs, “high autonomy of practice” is the most valued attribute level, followed by “travel BWSDCE arrangements: one or less nights away per month”, “travel arrangements: two or three nights away per month” and “adequate access to professional development”. On the other hand, the least valued attribute levels were “travel arrangements: four or more nights per month”, “limited autonomy of practice” and “minimal access to professional development”. Except for “some job flexibility”, all other attributes had a statistical influence on AHPs’ job preference. Preferences differed according to age, marital status and having dependent children. Conclusions: This study allowed the identification of factors that contribute to AHPs’ employment decisions about staying and working in a rural area. This information can improve job designs in rural areas to increase retention

Guide to some minerals and rocks in Indiana

Indiana Geological Survey Circular 4The study of minerals and rocks is an important part of the science of geology, which treats of the history of the earth and its life, especially as recorded in the rocks. Surprisingly many of us accept as commonplace many of nature's creations because they are so familiar. Actually, we can find the earth we live on a fascinating world if only we open our eyes to see it. Geologically, Indiana is an interesting state. It has many fascinating geologic and scenic prospects in its more rugged regions., and even its flat areas possess much interesting geologic phenomenan. At one time or another everyone probably has been curious about some particular rock or other object originating in the earth. But most of us who have been curious about these rocks or objects could not identify them, and thus our curiosity remained unsatisfied because we could find no explanation for their existence. This circular was prepared with the hope that it may satisfy, at least in part, the curiosity aroused by finding rocks or minerals. It is hoped that those who have discovered rocks and minerals will be encouraged to become further acquainted with their finds by using this guide. It is impossible to cover fully in this brief report all the characteristics and variations of each kind of rock and mineral found in Indiana. For detailed information regarding Indiana geology, the reader should consult the more detailed reports of the Geological Survey and its predecessors.Indiana Department of Conservatio

AEGIS: Extinction and Star Formation Tracers from Line Emission

Strong nebular emission lines are a sensitive probe of star formation and extinction in galaxies, and the [O II] line detects star forming populations out to z>1. However, star formation rates from emission lines depend on calibration of extinction and the [O II]/H-alpha line ratio, and separating star formation from AGN emission. We use calibrated line luminosities from the DEEP2 survey and Palomar K magnitudes to show that the behavior of emission line ratios depends on galaxy magnitude and color. For galaxies on the blue side of the color bimodality, the vast majority show emission signatures of star formation, and there are strong correlations of extinction and [O II]/H-alpha with restframe H magnitude. The conversion of [O II] to extinction-corrected H-alpha and thus to star formation rate has a significant slope with M_H, 0.23 dex/mag. Red galaxies with emission lines have a much higher scatter in their line ratios, and more than half show AGN signatures. We use 24 micron fluxes from Spitzer/MIPS to demonstrate the differing populations probed by nebular emission and by mid-IR luminosity. Although extinction is correlated with luminosity, 98% of IR-luminous galaxies at z~1 are still detected in the [O II] line. Mid-IR detected galaxies are mostly bright and intermediate color, while fainter, bluer galaxies with high [O II] luminosity are rarely detected at 24 microns.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures. Accepted for publication in ApJ Letters AEGIS special editio

Identification and characterisation of enteroaggregative Escherichia coli subtypes associated with human disease

Enteroaggregative E. coli (EAEC) are a major cause of diarrhoea worldwide. Due to their heterogeneity and carriage in healthy individuals, identification of diagnostic virulence markers for pathogenic strains has been difficult. In this study, we have determined phenotypic and genotypic differences between EAEC strains of sequence types (STs) epidemiologically associated with asymptomatic carriage (ST31) and diarrhoeal disease (ST40). ST40 strains demonstrated significantly enhanced intestinal adherence, biofilm formation, and pro-inflammatory interleukin-8 secretion compared with ST31 isolates. This was independent of whether strains were derived from diarrhoea patients or healthy controls. Whole genome sequencing revealed differences in putative virulence genes encoding aggregative adherence fimbriae, E. coli common pilus, flagellin and EAEC heat-stable enterotoxin 1. Our results indicate that ST40 strains have a higher intrinsic potential of human pathogenesis due to a specific combination of virulence-related factors which promote host cell colonization and inflammation. These findings may contribute to the development of genotypic and/or phenotypic markers for EAEC strains of high virulence

Evolution of the Near-Infrared Tully-Fisher Relation: Constraints on the Relationship Between the Stellar and Total Masses of Disk Galaxies since z=1

Using a combination of Keck spectroscopy and near-infrared imaging, we investigate the K-band and stellar mass Tully-Fisher relation for 101 disk galaxies at 0.2 < z < 1.2, with the goal of placing the first observational constraints on the assembly history of halo and stellar mass. Our main result is a lack of evolution in either the K-band or stellar mass Tully-Fisher relation from z = 0 - 1.2. Furthermore, although our sample is not statistically complete, we consider it suitable for an initial investigation of how the fraction of total mass that has condensed into stars is distributed with both redshift and total halo mass. We calculate stellar masses from optical and near-infrared photometry and total masses from maximum rotational velocities and disk scale lengths, utilizing a range of model relationships derived analytically and from simulations. We find that the stellar/total mass distribution and stellar-mass Tully-Fisher relation for z > 0.7 disks is similar to that at lower redshift, suggesting that baryonic mass is accreted by disks along with dark matter at z < 1, and that disk galaxy formation at z < 1 is hierarchical in nature. We briefly discuss the evolutionary trends expected in conventional structure formation models and the implications of extending such a study to much larger samples.Comment: ApJ, in press, 9 page

Mock observations with the Millennium Simulation: cosmological downsizing and intermediate-redshift observations

Only by incorporating various forms of feedback can theories of galaxy formation reproduce the present-day luminosity function of galaxies. It has also been argued that such feedback processes might explain the counterintuitive behaviour of 'downsizing' witnessed since redshifts z ≃ 1–2. To examine this question, observations spanning 0.4 < z < 1.4 from the Deep Extragalactic Evolutionary Probe (DEEP)2/Palomar survey are compared with a suite of equivalent mock observations derived from the Millennium Simulation, populated with galaxies using the galform code. Although the model successfully reproduces the observed total mass function and the general trend of 'downsizing', it fails to accurately reproduce the colour distribution and type-dependent mass functions at all redshifts probed. This failure is shared by other semi-analytical models which collectively appear to 'over-quench' star formation in intermediate-mass systems. These mock lightcones are also a valuable tool for investigating the reliability of the observational results in terms of cosmic variance. Using variance estimates derived from the lightcones, we confirm the significance of the decline since z ∼ 1 in the observed number density of massive blue galaxies which, we argue, provides the bulk of the associated growth in the red sequence. We also assess the limitations arising from cosmic variance in terms of our ability to observe mass-dependent growth since z ∼ 1