Time-Aware Probabilistic Knowledge Graphs

The emergence of open information extraction as a tool for constructing and expanding knowledge graphs has aided the growth of temporal data, for instance, YAGO, NELL and Wikidata. While YAGO and Wikidata maintain the valid time of facts, NELL records the time point at which a fact is retrieved from some Web corpora. Collectively, these knowledge graphs (KG) store facts extracted from Wikipedia and other sources. Due to the imprecise nature of the extraction tools that are used to build and expand KG, such as NELL, the facts in the KG are weighted (a confidence value representing the correctness of a fact). Additionally, NELL can be considered as a transaction time KG because every fact is associated with extraction date. On the other hand, YAGO and Wikidata use the valid time model because they maintain facts together with their validity time (temporal scope). In this paper, we propose a bitemporal model (that combines transaction and valid time models) for maintaining and querying bitemporal probabilistic knowledge graphs. We study coalescing and scalability of marginal and MAP inference. Moreover, we show that complexity of reasoning tasks in atemporal probabilistic KG carry over to the bitemporal setting. Finally, we report our evaluation results of the proposed model

Towards Log-Linear Logics with Concrete Domains

We present $\mathcal{MEL}^{++}$ (M denotes Markov logic networks) an extension of the log-linear description logics $\mathcal{EL}^{++}$-LL with concrete domains, nominals, and instances. We use Markov logic networks (MLNs) in order to find the most probable, classified and coherent $\mathcal{EL}^{++}$ ontology from an $\mathcal{MEL}^{++}$ knowledge base. In particular, we develop a novel way to deal with concrete domains (also known as datatypes) by extending MLN's cutting plane inference (CPI) algorithm.Comment: StarAI201

Birth outcome and HIV infection among labouring women in Assosa Hospital, Southwest Ethiopia

Background: Perinatal mortality rate is a sensitive indicator of quality of care provided to women in pregnancy, at and after childbirth and to the newborns in the first week of life. Regular prenatal audit would help in identifying all the factors that play a role in causing prenatal deaths and thus help take appropriate interventions to reduce the avoidable once, at least. Knowledge of mothers’ HIV positive status provides an entry point for appropriate care of the mothers, HIV exposed infants and other family members including children. Objectives: To assess birth outcomes and the magnitude of HIV infection among labouring mothers in Assosa hospital. Method: An institution-based cross-sectional survey was conducted in Assosa hospital from September 2008 to August 2009. A total of 581 labouring women were interviewed using a pretested structured questionnaire. Results: Data was obtained from 581 mothers. HIV infection among labouring women was 6.5%. Mothers, who had primary education [AOR=4.76, 95%CI= 1.81-12.52], no formal education [AOR=3.05, 95%CI= 1.08-8.64], mothers with two or more pregnancies [AOR=2.64, 95%CI= 1.08-6.49], and Muslims [AOR=0.32,95%CI= 0.13-0.82] were the independent predictors of HIV infection. There were 525 live births. The prenatal deaths were 69, making an overall prenatal mortality of 119 per 1000 total births. Bivariate analysis showed that rural women, women who had no ANC visit, mothers aged 30 years and above, with no formal education, housewives, Berta women of in ethnic group and Muslim were crudely associated with higher risk of prenatal mortality. Conclusion: The study identified high level of perinatal mortality and HIV infection. This study calls for effective antenatal care, delivering service, and a coordinated referral system and community interventions including HIV counseling, testing (VCT), treatment and support

Challenges and Opportunities of Public Diplomacy in Ethio-Egyptian Relations on the Nile Water: Since 2011

The central objective of the study is to explore the Challenges and Opportunities of Public Diplomacy in Ethio-Egyptian Relations on the Nile Water since 2011. To this end, the researcher has employed the pure qualitative method. The data are mainly obtained from secondary sources and unstructured interviews, and the researcher has employed qualitative methods of narrative and discourse data analysis. The bilateral relations between Ethiopia and Egypt mainly found on the Nile issue. Thus, Egypt dispatched the first public diplomacy delegation to Ethiopia in April 2011 and the Ethiopian public diplomacy delegation to Egypt in December, 2014 represents a new positive development in the Ethio-Egyptian relations. Based on the data, the study outlined: the legacy of colonialism and the status quo attitudes; deficient in understanding about public diplomacy; finance and time limitations; and Limitations of public diplomacy professionals and literatures are the major obstacles of conducting public diplomacy. Whereas, a method of resolving the mistrusts and conflicts; modifying negative attitudes; avoiding one side role of politicians and medias; and facilitate to have common agreement or treaties are the major opportunities of public diplomacy. Thus, to conclude that, there is an encouraging start which gives rise to optimism and Public diplomacy most importantly improves these problems in the relations between the two countries and thereby could boost up the mutual utilization of the Nile water with trusts and confidences. Following this conclusion, the study suggests that Ethiopia and Egypt should work hard to build trusts and confidences for mutual utilization of the Nile water by strengthening the two people’s relations via consolidating the public diplomacy roles, goals, and dimensions with having its own legal status, budgets, literature, professionals and coordination departments in their Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Keywords: Public Diplomacy, Soft Power, Ethiopia, Egypt, Nile, Mutual, Qualitative, Narrative, Discourse, Optimis

Political Security in Ethiopia: Situations and Legal Contests

Political security is the main integral component of human security and which is referring to the prevention of government repression, systematic violation of human rights and threats from militarization. Ethiopia has endorsed human rights from UDHR and by its FDRE, (1995) constitution in which such rights are accounts one third of the contents of the constitutions. The paper was aimed at examining the situations of political security and its challenge from legal perspective. It was investigated through qualitative research approach, secondary sources of data were highly employed, the time framed focused since 2005. According to the finding of the research the political security situations of Ethiopia characterized by torture and ill-treatment, political repression and enforced disappearances which are made by legal and institutional mechanisms by declaring different proclamations like Antiterrorism proclamation (ATP), Mass Media Proclamation (MMP), and Charity and Society proclamation (CSP) which are highly prohibiting the civil liberties and political rights of citizens’ of Ethiopia. Keywords: Political security, torture, political repression, disappearance DOI: 10.7176/IAGS/72-01 Publication date:May 31st 201

Screening for Social Determinants of Health in Diabetic Patients Served in Primary Healthcare Centers

Background: Social Determinants of Health (SDOH), such as food, transportation, housing, and financial status, plays a significant role in a diabetic patient’s health care outcome. However, primary healthcare centers lack a systematic method of identifying patients with unmet social needs in order to provide appropriate referrals to community resources. Objective: This project seeks to improve the screening methods of SDOH in a midwestern federally qualified primary healthcare center by incorporating an evidence based SDOH screening tool. This SDOH screening tool is tailored towards diabetic patients. Method: Kotter’s Eight Step Change model guided the implementation process of this quality improvement project. Results: There was no significant increase in the referral rates made to community services in relation to social needs, such as transportation, food, housing, and financial issues. This finding is related to (a) stakeholder’s limited time and resources to distribute the SDOH screening tool, (b) frequent modifications made to workflow, (c) patients having previous established community resources, and (d) patient-provider schedule fluctuations. Conclusions: Although no significant increase in the referral rates to community resources were seen, this project assisted the site in assessing the limitations and strengths of implementing a SDOH screening tool. Some of the recommendations presented after the project evaluation are incorporating an annual SDOH screening tool for all patients and track patient referrals through the Electronic Health Record (EHR)

Efficiency of Land and Aquatic Based Exercises on the Reduction of Blood Cholesterol and Triglyceride Levels among Haramaya University Gymnasium and Swimming Pool Users

A study was conducted to investigate the comparative efficiency of land and aquatic based exercises on the reduction of blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels with equal demand of intensity, duration, frequency, and types of exercise. Both overweight (BMI between 25 and 29.9 kg/m2) and obese (BMI ≥ 30.00 kg/m2) individuals were involved in the study and the evaluation lasted twelve consecutive weeks. Individuals used for the study were HU Gymnasium and Swimming Pool users, aged twenty up to thirty five years old and free from any impairment or chronic diseases. Purposive sampling techniques were used to select the study participants. Twenty five overweight and obese individuals, men (n = 8) and women (n = 17) were recruited for the study and randomly assigned to land based (n=12) and aquatic exercise groups (n=13) with matched mode of exercise. Assessments to measure progress made after the exercise program were conducted in terms of reduction made in blood cholesterol, triglyceride, and LDL levels; and promote HDL (good cholesterol) levels. Descriptive statistics and ANOVA (using SPSS version 16 software) were used to analyze the data collected and test the significance of the aquatic and land based exercises. The study confirmed that water or aquatic exercise resulted in higher reduction of blood cholesterol, and triglyceride levels for overweighed and obese individuals than land based exercise. Thus, overweighed and obese individuals are advised to use water based exercise than land based exercise to bring about significant reduction in blood cholesterol, triglyceride, and LDL levels and to promote HDL (good cholesterol) levels in the blood. Keywords: Obesity, Overweight, blood cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL (low density lipoprotein), and HDL (high density lipoprotein

Measuring Extent of Restoration Using Coffee (Coffea arabica L.) as a Bioassay Plant Species

This study was undertaken as part of the ongoing biological restoration with the objective of measuring extent of restoration over a degraded landscape using coffee plants (Coffea arabica L.) as bioassay organisms. The coffee plants were established beneath Acacia abyssinica Hochst.ex.Benth., Croton macrostachyus Hochst. ex Del. and Euclea divinorum Hiern. stands which were established 9-11 years ago in a degraded landscape. All the vegetative and reproductive data were collected on randomly selected 3- to 5-year-old coffee plants. The results showed that mean number of lateral stem branch, leaves, leaf area and internodal lengths were significantly (P<0.05) greater for those established beneath the shades of E. divinorum for 3-4 years, compared to those beneath the C. macrostachyus and A. abyssinica shades. Further, key biological indices such as mean number of fruiting nodes, berries per node, mature red berries harvested per plant, fresh weight of berries, size and weight of beans, bean to berry weight ratio, weight per 1000 beans and coffee bean yield (g/tree) were all significantly (P<0.05) higher for coffee plants established under the shade of A. abyssinica than those established under the shades of C. macrostachyus and E. divinorum, and on less-restored area. The levels of available phosphorous, total nitrogen and organic carbon were significantly (P<0.05) 54, 39 and 56 % higher, respectively, in the sites that were in the process of restoration than adjacent, non-restoring sites. This study showed that restoring native plants over degraded landscapes restores essential nutrient elements and favorable environmental conditions for the successful development productivity of economically useful crops such as C. arabica. Keywords: coffee reproductive traits, degraded landscapes, Ethiopia, indigenous trees, restoration bioassay