Representing Imprecise Time Intervals in OWL 2

International audienceRepresenting and reasoning on imprecise temporal information is a common requirement in the field of Semantic Web. Many works exist to represent and reason on precise temporal information in OWL; however, to the best of our knowledge, none of these works is devoted to imprecise temporal time intervals. To address this problem, we propose two approaches: a crisp-based approach and a fuzzy-based approach. (1) The first approach uses only crisp standards and tools and is modelled in OWL 2. We extend the 4D-fluents model, with new crisp components, to represent imprecise time intervals and qualitative crisp interval relations. Then, we extend the Allen’s interval algebra to compare imprecise time intervals in a crisp way and inferences are done via a set of SWRL rules. (2) The second approach is based on fuzzy sets theory and fuzzy tools and is modelled in Fuzzy-OWL 2. The 4D-fluents approach is extended, with new fuzzy components, in order to represent imprecise time intervals and qualitative fuzzy interval relations. The Allen’s interval algebra is extended in order to compare imprecise time intervals in a fuzzy gradual personalized way. Inferences are done via a set of Mamdani IF-THEN rules

Application of Asymetrical and Hoke Designs for Optimization of Laccase Production by the White-Rot Fungus Fomes fomentarius in Solid-State Fermentation

Statistical approaches were employed for the optimization of different cultural parameters for the production of laccase by the white rot fungus Fomes fomentarius MUCL 35117 in wheat bran-based solid medium. first, screening of production parameters was performed using an asymmetrical design 2533//16, and the variables with statistically significant effects on laccase production were identified. Second, inoculum size, CaCl2 concentration, CuSO4 concentration, and incubation time were selected for further optimization studies using a Hoke design. The application of the response surface methodology allows us to determine a set of optimal conditions (CaCl2, 5.5 mg/gs, CuSO4, 2.5 mg/gs, inoculum size, 3 fungal discs (6 mm Ø), and 13 days of static cultivation). Experiments carried out under these conditions led to a laccase production yield of 150 U/g dry substrate

Effect of culturing processes and copper addition on laccase production by the white-rot fungus Fomes fomentarius MUCL 35117.

To produce high laccase activities from the white-rot fungus Fomes fomentarius.Journal ArticleFLWINinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

A Memory Training for Alzheimer Patients

International audienceNumerous studies have confirmed that Alzheimer’s patients may benefit from memory rehabilitation processes. In this context, we propose a non pharmacological training, named Autobiographical Training. It is an adaptive and accessible “Question/Answer” training. It has a purpose to stimulate the patient’s memory. It is proposed in the context of a memory prosthesis called Captain Memo. (1) Autobiographical Training do not use general facts or false examples, but it automatically propose for each user their specific questions related to his life e.g., events that he lived. (2) It adjusts automatically the level of difficulty of the generated question depending on the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. (3) It supports multilingualism and multiculturalism. (4) It offers accessible user interfaces. We evaluated the accessibility and the usability of Autobiographical Training. 18 participants entered the study. The results confirmed that it is accessible and the frequent use of this training helps patients in reminding some information, in which they received the training

Clarification of pomegranate juice by ultrafiltration: study of juice quality and of the fouling mechanism

Introduction. Ultrafiltration (UF) is a single-unit operation for the clarification and fining of fruit juices. The purpose of the UF is to remove suspended solids as well as haze-inducing and turbidity-causing substances to obtain a clear juice during storage. Specifically, the polymerization of phenolic compounds and their interaction with other components (e.g., proteins) could cause a haze complex and turbidity in fruit juices, which can foul the ultrafiltration membrane. Materials and methods. Fresh pomegranate juice was clarified by the ultrafiltration process on a laboratory scale. In experimental tests performed according to the total recycle and the batch concentration mode, the effects of transmembrane pressure (TMP) and enzyme pre-treatment on permeation flux and quality of juice were studied. Results. With the total recycle mode, the effect of TMP on the color and clarity of clarified pomegranate juice was significant. The initial color of the raw pomegranate juice was reduced from 74% to 33% and the clarity decreased from 77% to 42% by UF when the TMP increased from (1 to 3.6) bar. Total phenolic rejection decreased from 45% to 21% when the TMP rose from (1 to 2) bar and remained constant above this value. With the batch concentration mode at TMP = 2 bar and velocity 1 m·s–1, the enzymatic treatment (5 U·mL–1, 300 min, T = 20 °C) of pomegranate juice provided the highest permeate flux, a decrease in total phenolics of 50% and an increased clarity of 30%. Fouling of the UF membrane during pomegranate juice processing is mainly due to the retention of polyphenols and/or proteins; thus, several blocking mechanisms were studied, using a recently developed membrane-fouling model. Analysis revealed that the membrane separation process was controlled by the gel layer mechanism of raw pomegranate juice and complete pore blocking mechanism with enzymatic pre-treatment

Ontology-Based Representation and Reasoning about Precise and Imprecise Temporal Data: a Fuzzy-Based View

International audienceTemporal representation and reasoning are important facets in the design of many Semantic Web applications. Several approaches exist to represent and reason about precise temporal data in ontology. However, most of them handle only time intervals and associated qualitative relations. Besides, to the best of our knowledge, there is no approach devoted to handle imprecise temporal data (e.g., “late 1970s”). In this paper, we propose an ontology-based approach for representing and reasoning about precise and imprecise temporal data. Quantitative temporal data (i.e., time intervals and points) and qualitative ones (i.e., relations between time intervals, relations between a time interval and a time point and relations between time points) are taken into consideration. Our approach is three folds: (i) extending the 4D-fluents approach with new crisp and fuzzy components, to represent precise and imprecise temporal data, (ii) extending the Allen’s interval algebra to enable reasoning about precise and imprecise temporal data, and (iii) creating a Fuzzy-OWL 2 ontology TimeOnto that, based on the extended Allen’s interval algebra, instantiates our 4D-fluents-based representation. The extension that we propose for the Allen’s interval algebra handles precise and imprecise time intervals. Indeed, it enables expressing precise (e.g., “before”) and imprecise (e.g., “just before”) temporal relations. Compared to related work, our imprecise relations are personalized, in the sense that they are not limited to a defined set of interval relations and their meanings are determined by the domain expert. For instance, the classic Allen’s relation “Before” may be generalized in 5 imprecise relations, where “Before(1)” means “just before” and gradually the time gap between the two intervals increases until “Before(5)” which means “very long before”. To enable this representation, we propose an extension of the Vilain and Kautz’s point algebra and redefined the Allen’s relations by means of this extended algebra. We show in this paper that, unlike most related work, the resulting relations preserve many of the desirable properties of the Allen’s interval algebra. The definitions of the resulting interval relations are adapted to allow relating a time interval and a time point, and two time points, where time intervals and points maybe both precise or both imprecise. These relations can be used for temporal reasoning by means of four transitivity tables. Finally, we describe a prototype based on “TimeOnto” that infers new relations using a set of SWRL and fuzzy IF-THEN rules. This prototype was integrated in an ontology-based memory prosthesis for Alzheimer’s patients

Visualizing Large-scale Linked Data with Memo Graph

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Towards Accessibility Guidelines of Interaction and User Interface Design for Alzheimer’s Disease Patients

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