Im Kahne : In the Boat

https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/mmb-ps/1156/thumbnail.jp

Compact Phase Histograms for Guided Exploration of Periodicity

Periodically occurring accumulations of events or measured values are present in many time-dependent datasets and can be of interest for analyses. The frequency of such periodic behavior is often not known in advance, making it difficult to detect and tedious to explore. Automated analysis methods exist, but can be too costly for smooth, interactive analysis. We propose a compact visual representation that reveals periodicity by showing a phase histogram for a given period length that can be used standalone or in combination with other linked visualizations. Our approach supports guided, interactive analyses by suggesting other period lengths to explore, which are ranked based on two quality measures. We further describe how the phase can be mapped to visual representations in other views to reveal periodicity there.Comment: IEEE VIS 2023 Short Pape

Die Diffusion von nachhaltigem Konsum

Über zehn Jahre nach der Weltkonferenz für Umwelt und Entwicklung im Jahr 1992 ist die Weltgesellschaft in ihrem faktischen Verhalten von der angestrebten nachhaltigen Entwicklung nach wie vor noch weit entfernt. Studien aus den letzten Jahren belegen, dass der Begriff . "nachhaltige Entwicklung" weniger als 15 Prozent der Bundesdeutschen bekannt ist und was noch tragischer ist, noch weniger wissen, was er bedeutet. An dieser Stelle muss man die Frage stellen: Wieso kommt es zu keiner Verbreitung von nachhaltigem Verhalten? Es ist natürlich nicht so, dass sich in den letzten zehn Jahren nichts getan hätte. Die Wissenschaft hat sich auf theoretischer Ebene ausführlich mit dem Thema der Nachhaltigkeit auseinandergesetzt und reichlich Vorschläge fiir die Praxis erarbeitet, die in Kooperationen auch schon zum Einsatz gekommen sind. Und auch Vertreter der Anbieter- oder Verbraucherseite haben sich an Einzellösungen schon erfolgreich beteiligt. All diese Lösungen haben jedoch immer noch den Charakter von Pilotprojekten, die nur von Pionieren, Innovatoren und Umweltaktiven wahrgenommen werden. Wie die geringe Grundbekanntheit belegt, hat es bisher noch keinen Ruck gegeben, der weite Teile der Bevölkerung erfasst und zur Auseinandersetzung mit dem Thema Nachhaltigkeit gebracht hat. Es ist nicht anzunehmen, dass der Begriff der Nachhaltigkeit an sich als unattraktiv empfunden wird, denn in Politik und Wirtschaft erfreut er sich großer Beliebtheit und wird immer dann verwendet, wenn man die Zukunftsfähigkeit von Maßnahmen und Entscheidungen unterstreichen will. Liegt es vielleicht gerade daran, dass der Begriff zu häufig und zu schwammig verwendet wird und dadurch zu einer Schlagworthülse verkommt? Zu einer Leerformel statt einem Leitprinzip. Vielleicht gibt es diese Tendenz, doch das kann unmöglich die Ursache sein. Das Problem für die stockende Verbreitung liegt tiefer, in dem Konzept der Nachhaltigkeit selbst verankert. Diese tieferliegenden Ursachen für die langsame Diffusion von nachhaltigem Konsum sind das Thema der vorliegenden Arbeit. Um die Diffusionseigenschaften des nachhaltigen Konsums untersuchen zu können, wird in Kapitel2 zunächst das Konzept der Nachhaltigkeit vorgestellt und insbesondere auf die zentrale Bedeutung des Konsums für eine nachhaltigen Entwicklung eingegangen. Fast alle negativen ökologischen oder sozialen Folgen sind konsuminduziert und insofern ist der Konsum das zentrale Handlungsfeld einer nachhaltigen Entwicklung. Die Relevanz des Konsums für eine nachhaltige Entwicklung ist so hoch, dass man nachhaltiges Verhalten fast mit nachhaltigem Konsumieren gleichsetzen kann. Denn wer nicht nachhaltig konsumiert, kann langfristig nicht zu einer nachhaltigen Entwicklung beitragen. Aus diesem Grund untersucht diese Arbeit primär die Verbreitung von nachhaltigem Konsum. Besondere Aufmerksam1(eit wird im zweiten Kapitel auch dem multidimensionalen Anspruch (Ökologie, Soziales und Ökonomie) einer nachhaltigen Entwicklung gewidmet. Dieses Merkmal ist konstitutiv für die Nachhaltigkeit und führt gleichzeitig zu zahlreichen Zielkonflikte

Sparse grid datamining with huge datasets

Due to the inflated costs of disk space and the prevalence of sensor equipment everywhere, the scientific world is flooded by huge amounts of data. The intention being to somehow benefit from that data, data mining algorithms are used to evaluate those data. As conventional data mining methods scale at least linear with problem size and exponentially with input problem dimension, this poses a great problem as to the computing power required to mine these data. For the testing of data mining algorithms, very few real world reference datasets exist. Using an already in-place toolkit for data mining on sparse grids, the goal of this thesis is to generate one or more real world reference datasets for data mining purposes. For this purpose, multiple weather and photovoltaic datasets were used. It was possible to learn 6-dimensional datasets with 1.2 million data points and obtain a very good prediction of photovoltaic power. Thus, a dataset was obtained to test regression on. For classification, a 9-dimensional dataset with 200~000 data points was generated, which however didn't have overly good results, with a 41% hit rate over 4 classes. Here, further processing of the data will be necessary

Cholera Vaccination Campaign Contributes to Improved Knowledge Regarding Cholera and Improved Practice Relevant to Waterborne Disease in Rural Haiti

Background: Haiti's cholera epidemic has been devastating partly due to underlying weak infrastructure and limited clean water and sanitation. A comprehensive approach to cholera control is crucial, yet some have argued that oral cholera vaccination (OCV) might result in reduced hygiene practice among recipients. We evaluated the impact of an OCV campaign on knowledge and health practice in rural Haiti. Methodology/Principal Findings We administered baseline surveys on knowledge and practice relevant to cholera and waterborne disease to every 10th household during a census in rural Haiti in February 2012 (N = 811). An OCV campaign occurred from May–June 2012 after which we administered identical surveys to 518 households randomly chosen from the same region in September 2012. We compared responses pre- and post-OCV campaign. Post-vaccination, there was improved knowledge with significant increase in percentage of respondents with ≥3 correct responses on cholera transmission mechanisms (odds ratio[OR] 1.91; 95% confidence interval[CI] 1.52–2.40), preventive methods (OR 1.83; 95% CI 1.46–2.30), and water treatment modalities (OR 2.75; 95% CI 2.16–3.50). Relative to pre-vaccination, participants were more likely post-OCV to report always treating water (OR 1.62; 95% CI 1.28–2.05). Respondents were also more likely to report hand washing with soap and water >4 times daily post-vaccine (OR 1.30; 95% CI 1.03–1.64). Knowledge of treating water as a cholera prevention measure was associated with practice of always treating water (OR 1.47; 95% CI 1.14–1.89). Post-vaccination, knowledge was associated with frequent hand washing (OR 2.47; 95% CI 1.35–4.51). Conclusion: An OCV campaign in rural Haiti was associated with significant improvement in cholera knowledge and practices related to waterborne disease. OCV can be part of comprehensive cholera control and reinforce, not detract from, other control efforts in Haiti

Element signature analysis: its validation as a tool for geographic authentication of the origin of dried beef and poultry meat

Element concentrations of 56 poultry meat and 53 dried beef samples were determined and statistically analyzed using analysis of variance and linear discriminant analysis (LDA) to identify the single or combination of elements with the highest potential to determine the geographic origin. In order to validate the applicability of this technique, the results were additionally combined with data from an earlier assessment including 25 poultry meat and 23 dried beef samples. Validation was performed by estimating the origin of the first samples based on the data of the second, larger, dataset. Elements significantly discriminating among countries were As, Na, Rb, Se, Sr, and Tl for poultry meat and As, B, Ba, Ca, Cd, Cu, Dy, Er, Fe, Li, Mn, Pd, Rb, Se, Sr, Te, Tl, U, and V for dried beef out of about 50 elements each. The LDA gave mean correct classification rates of 77 and 79% for poultry meat and dried beef, respectively. Validation allowed identifying some, but not all, origins. For a higher discriminative power, this method should be combined with other ways of authenticatio

Indications for the applicability of element signature analysis for the determination of the geographic origin of dried beef and poultry meat

In order to determine the geographic origin of poultry and dried beef, concentrations of a total of 72 different elements (occasionally represented with several isotopes) were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma high resolution mass spectrometry (ICP-HRMS). Additionally, gross chemical composition (GCC) was analyzed. The 25 poultry breast filets samples originated from Switzerland, France, Germany, Hungary, Brazil, and Thailand, and the 23 dried beef samples, made from M. biceps femoris and M. semitendinosus, were produced in Switzerland, Austria, Australia, United States, and Canada out of raw meat originating either from these or from other countries. A total of 66 and 46 of the elements and isotopes followed were detected in beef and poultry, respectively. For statistical analyses, only the most abundant isotopes per element were used. For both poultry meat and dried beef, a differentiation of the origins was possible using those elements, which were significantly different across countries (As, Na, Rb, and Tl in poultry; B, Ca, Cd, Cu, Dy, Eu, Ga, Li, Ni, Pd, Rb, Sr, Te, Tl, Tm, V, Yb, and Zn in beef). No sufficient differentiation between origins was possible with GCC. Further studies have to confirm the suitability of this approach for meat authentication with more sample

Nonlinear Feed Formulation For Broiler: Modeling And Optimization

The current scenario requires the application of new computational tools for the feed formulation strategy that uses mathematical modeling in decision making. Noteworthy is the nonlinear programming, which aims not only to formulate a diet that meets the needs of the animal, but also the minimum cost and the maximum profit margin. Thus, the work aimed to validate the use of the nonlinear model (NLM), with maximization of the economic return, through estimates of animal performance and feed costs, according to the price variation of the kg of the broiler (price historical average of 2009 and 2010), the phases of creation and sex. For this purpose, 480 broiler broiler chickens, 240 males and 240 females of the same strain (Cobb 500) were used, from 1 to 56 days of age. The experimental design was entirely randomized, totaling 6 treatments (increasing or decreasing the average historical price of live chicken by 25% or 50%), with 4 replicates and 10 broiler chickens per experimental plot. Performance (weight gain and feed consumption), total energy consumption and profit margin were evaluated. Regarding the formulation principle (Linear and Nonlinear), the performance was very similar in relation to the studied parameters. However, when simulated values of 50% below the historical average, performance was significantly impaired in this specific condition. However, due to the profit margin, it demonstrated that the principle of nonlinear formulation allows to significantly reduce losses (P <0.05), mainly in unfavorable conditions of the price of chicken in the market. It is concluded that the nonlinear principle is more appropriate, since the requirements of all nutrients are automatically adjusted by the mathematical model and with the premise of increasing profitability, different from the linear one, which is to achieve maximum performance and not is directly related to the economic factor

Involvement of GPR17 in Neuronal Fibre Outgrowth

Characterization of new pharmacological targets is a promising approach in research of neurorepair mechanisms. The G protein-coupled receptor 17 (GPR17) has recently been proposed as an interesting pharmacological target, e.g., in neuroregenerative processes. Using the well-established ex vivo model of organotypic slice co-cultures of the mesocortical dopaminergic system (prefrontal cortex (PFC) and substantia nigra/ventral tegmental area (SN/VTA) complex), the influence of GPR17 ligands on neurite outgrowth from SN/VTA to the PFC was investigated. The growthpromoting effects of Montelukast (MTK; GPR17- and cysteinyl-leukotriene receptor antagonist), the glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) and of two potent, selective GPR17 agonists (PSB-16484 and PSB-16282) were characterized. Treatment with MTK resulted in a significant increase in mean neurite density, comparable with the effects of GDNF. The combination of MTK and GPR17 agonist PSB-16484 significantly inhibited neuronal growth. qPCR studies revealed an MTK-induced elevated mRNA-expression of genes relevant for neuronal growth. Immunofluorescence labelling showed a marked expression of GPR17 on NG2-positive glia. Western blot and RT-qPCR analysis of untreated cultures suggest a time-dependent, injury-induced stimulation of GPR17. In conclusion, MTK was identified as a stimulator of neurite fibre outgrowth, mediating its effects through GPR17, highlighting GPR17 as an interesting therapeutic target in neuronal regeneration