A novel approach integrating ranking functions discovery, optimization and infernce to improve retrieval performance

The significant roles play by ranking function in the performance and success of Information Retrieval (IR) systems and search engines cannot be underestimated. Diverse ranking functions are available in IR literature. However, empirical studies show that ranking functions do not perform constantly well across different contexts (queries, collections, users). In this study, a novel three-stage integrated ranking framework is proposed for implementing discovering, optimizing and inference rankings used in IR systems. The first phase, discovery process is based on Genetic Programming (GP) approach which smartly combines structural and contents features in the documents while the second phase, optimization process is based on Genetic Algorithm (GA) which combines document retrieval scores of various well-known ranking functions. In the 3rd phase, Fuzzy inference proves as soft search constraints to be applied on documents. We demonstrate how these two features are combined to bring new tasks and processes within the three concept stages of integrated framework for effective IR

A novel document ranking algorithm that supports mobile healthcare information access effectiveness

This study presented DROPT; an acronym for Document ranking Optmization algorithm approach, a new idea for the effectiveness of meaningful retrieval results from the information source. Proposed method extracted the frequency of query keyword terms that appears within the user context of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) systems on HIV/AIDS content related-documents. The SMS messages were analyzed and then classified, with the aim of constructing a corpus of SMS related to HIV/AIDS. This study presented a novel framework of Information Retrieval Systems (IRS) based on the proposed algorithm. The developed DROPT procedure was used as an evaluation measure. This “Term Frequency-Inverse Document Frequency (TFIDF)” method was applied to obtain the experimental result that was found promising in ranking documents not only the order in which the relevant documents were retrieved, but also both the terms of the relevant documents in feedback and the terms of the irrelevant documents in feedback might be useful for relevance feedback, especially to define its fitness function (mean weight)

N-Domain Isoform of Angiotensin I Converting Enzyme as a Marker of Hypertension: Populational Study

The aim of this paper was to investigate the presence of the urinary 90 kDa N-domain ACE in a cohort of the population from Vitoria, Brazil, to verify its association with essential hypertension since this isoform could be a possible genetic marker of hypertension. Anthropometric, clinical, and laboratory parameters of the individuals were evaluated (n=1150) and the blood pressure (BP) was measured. The study population was divided according to ACE isoforms in urine as follows: ACE 65/90/190, presence of three ACE isoforms (n=795), ACE 90+ (65/90) (n=186), and ACE 90− (65/190) (n=169) based on the presence (+) or absence (−) of the 90 kDa ACE isoform. The anthropometric parameters, lipid profile, serum levels of uric acid, glucose, and the systolic and diastolic BP were significantly greater in the ACE 90+ compared with the ACE 90− and ACE 65/90/190 individuals. We found that 98% of individuals from the ACE 90+ group and 38% from the ACE 65/90/190 group had hypertension, compared to only 1% hypertensive individuals in the ACE 90− group. There is a high presence of the 90 kDa N-domain ACE isoform (85%) in the studied population. The percentile of normotensive subjects with three isoforms was 62%. Our findings could contribute to the development of new efficient strategy to prevent and treat hypertension to avoid the development of cardiovascular disease

Associação Entre As Isoformas Da Eca E Hipertensão Na Segunda Fase Do Estudo Prospectivo (Projeto Monica) Com A População De Vitória- Es, Brasil

Hypertension is considered a worldwide public health problem and identified as a risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The Renin Angiotensin System (RAS) has been a focus of interest of researchers in the area of hypertension both for the identification of its etiopathogenesis and for its treatment. In order to identify the components involved in the onset of hypertension and the participation of Angiotensin I Converting Enzyme (ACE) in this problem, the RAS has been the object of many studies. ACE has a great physiological importance for converting angiotensin I (Ang I) to angiotensin II (Ang II), a potent vasoconstrictor. Some papers suggest the association of ACE isoforms, especially the 90 kDa isoform, with hypertension. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between ACE isoforms and the presence of arterial hypertension in the second phase of the prospective study (MONICA Project) in the population of Vitória - ES, Brazil. The demographic, clinical and biochemical parameters of 220 individuals were evaluated. Urine samples were concentrated and ACE isoforms were identified by the Western Blotting technique. The groups were classified as Group 1 (presence of isoforms with 65, 90 and 190 KDa); Group 2 (presence of 65 and 90 kDa isoforms) and Group 3 (presence of 65 and 190 kDa isoforms). The results showed a high prevalence of the 90 kDa isoform with a higher incidence of hypertension (higher in group 2) after five years of segment. The groups containing 90 kDa isoform showed higher systolic and diastolic pressure profiles in the second phase and the frequency of normotensives expressing the isoforms with 65 and 190 kDa was higher than that the hypertensive ones. Loss of isoform expression at 190 kDa increases the chances of developing hypertension as well as family history of hypertension. The results suggest the 90-kDa N-domain isoform as a possible biological marker of hypertension, which confirms the results obtained in the first phase of the study.A hipertensão é considerada um problema de saúde pública mundial e é o fator de risco de maior impacto para os índices de morbidade e mortalidade cardiovascular. O Sistema Renina Angiotensina (SRA) tem sido foco de interesse dos pesquisadores da área de hipertensão tanto para a identificação de sua etiopatogenia como para o seu tratamento. Com o propósito de identificar os componentes envolvidos no surgimento de hipertensão e a participação da Enzima Conversora de Angiotensina I (ECA) neste problema, o SRA tem sido objeto de muitos estudos. A ECA apresenta grande importância fisiológica por converter a angiotensina I (Ang I) em angiotensina II (Ang II), um potente vasoconstritor. Alguns trabalhos sugerem associação das isoformas da ECA, em especial a isoforma com 90 kDa, com a hipertensão. Este trabalho teve como objetivo geral investigar a associação entre as isoformas da ECA e a presença de hipertensão arterial na segunda fase de estudo prospectivo (Projeto MONICA) na população de Vitória - ES, Brasil. Foram avaliados os parâmetros demográficos, clínicos e bioquímicos de 220 indivíduos. As amostras de urinas foram concentradas e as isoformas da ECA em urina foram identificadas pela técnica de Western Blotting. Os grupos foram classificados como Grupo 1( presença das isoformas com 65, 90 e 190 KDa); Grupo 2 (presença das isoformas com 65 e 90 kDa) e Grupo 3 (presença das isoformas com 65 e 190 kDa). Os resultados mostraram uma alta prevalência da isoforma com 90 kDa com uma incidência de hipertensão (maior no grupo 2), após 5 anos de segmento, os grupos apresentando a isoforma com 90 kDa mostraram perfis de pressão sistólica e diastólica mais elevados na segunda fase e a frequência de normotensos expressando as isoformas com 65 e 190 kDa foi maior em relação à de hipertensos. A perda da expressão da isoforma com 190 kDa, aumenta as chances no desenvolvimento de hipertensão assim como o histórico familiar de hipertensão. Os resultados encontrados sugerem a isoforma N-domínio com 90 kDa como um possível marcador biológico de hipertensão confirmando os dados da primeira fase do estudo.Dados abertos - Sucupira - Teses e dissertações (2017

Measurement of Losses in Dry-Type Air-Core Reactors Using Infrared Thermography

This paper aims to present a technique to estimate the losses of a dry-type air-core reactor (DTACR) assembled with one cylinder based on calorimetry principles while employing infrared thermography techniques. The technique is intuitive, practical, and easy to apply both in a laboratory and in the field. Nowadays, the losses on DTACR can be measured only inside of specific laboratories and the equipment shall be disconnected from system and powered-off. Instead of installing contact temperature sensors in the reactor’s internal and external surfaces, temperature measurements were remotely performed with equipment in regular operation and the losses can be obtained by the method proposed. The paper presents the nature of the losses and the theoretical basis of the proposed method. The results obtained from the proposed technique are compared to those achieved by the standard method and used to calculate results through tests performed on prototypes

Performance Limitations and Analysis of Silicon Heterojunction Solar Cells Using Ultra-Thin MoOx Hole-Selective Contacts

We recently showed that silicon heterojunction solar cell with MoOx-based hole-selective contact could reach 23.5% in efficiency with MoOx layers of 4 nm. Such thin MoOx layer enables a considerable current-density gain of over 1 mA/cm(2) compared to the use of p-type amorphous silicon, and outperforms thicker MoOx layers. In this article, we investigated the impact of the MoOx hole-selective layer for thickness between 0 and 4 nm. Based on optoelectrical characterization of the device at various processing stage, we discuss the optical and electrical effects of such variation on the solar-cell performances. We notably identify a loss of passivation and selectivity for MoOx films thinner than 4 nm, that we link to a reduced work-function for such thin MoOx films. We confirm experimentally that the optimal MoOx thickness is around 4 nm, yet evidence that close to 0.5 mA/cm(2) is still parasitically absorbed in such a thin layer

Autonomous sputter synthesis of thin film nitrides with composition controlled by Bayesian optimization of optical plasma emission

Autonomous experimentation has emerged as an efficient approach to accelerate the pace of materials discovery. Although instruments for autonomous synthesis have become popular in molecular and polymer science, solution processing of hybrid materials and nanoparticles, examples of autonomous tools for physical vapour deposition are scarce yet important for the semiconductor industry. Here, we report the design and implementation of an autonomous instrument for sputter deposition of thin films with controlled composition, leveraging a highly automated sputtering reactor custom-controlled by Python, optical emission spectroscopy (OES), and Bayesian optimization algorithm. We modeled film composition, measured by x-ray fluorescence, as a linear function of emission lines monitored during the co-sputtering from elemental Zn and Ti targets in N$_2$ atmosphere. A Bayesian control algorithm, informed by OES, navigates the space of sputtering power to fabricate films with user-defined composition, by minimizing the absolute error between desired and measured emission signals. We validated our approach by autonomously fabricating Zn$_x$Ti$_{1-x}$N$_y$ films with deviations from the targeted cation composition within relative 3.5 %, even for 15 nm thin films, demonstrating that the proposed approach can reliably synthesize thin films with specific composition and minimal human interference. Moreover, the proposed method can be extended to more difficult synthesis experiments where plasma intensity depends non-linearly on pressure, or the elemental sticking coefficients strongly depend on the substrate temperature