Event-Object Reasoning with Curated Knowledge Bases: Deriving Missing Information

The broader goal of our research is to formulate answers to why and how questions with respect to knowledge bases, such as AURA. One issue we face when reasoning with many available knowledge bases is that at times needed information is missing. Examples of this include partially missing information about next sub-event, first sub-event, last sub-event, result of an event, input to an event, destination of an event, and raw material involved in an event. In many cases one can recover part of the missing knowledge through reasoning. In this paper we give a formal definition about how such missing information can be recovered and then give an ASP implementation of it. We then discuss the implication of this with respect to answering why and how questions.Comment: 13 page

What adaptation to research is needed following crises: a comparative, qualitative study of the health workforce in Sierra Leone and Nepal

Background: Health workers are critical to the performance of health systems; yet, evidence about their coping strategies and support needs during and post crisis is lacking. There is very limited discussion about how research teams should respond when unexpected crises occur during on-going research. This paper critically presents the approaches and findings of two health systems research projects that explored and evaluated health worker performance and were adapted during crises, and provides lessons learnt on re-orientating research when the unexpected occurs. Methods: Health systems research was adapted post crisis to assess health workers’ experiences and coping strategies. Qualitative in-depth interviews were conducted with 14 health workers in a heavily affected earthquake district in Nepal and 25 frontline health workers in four districts in Ebola-affected Sierra Leone. All data were transcribed and analysed using the framework approach, which included developing coding frameworks for each study, applying the frameworks, developing charts and describing the themes. A second layer of analysis included analysis across the two contexts, whereas a third layer involved the research teams reflecting on the approaches used to adapt the research during these crises and what was learned as individuals and research teams. Results: In Sierra Leone, health workers were heavily stigmatised by the epidemic, leading to a breakdown of trust. Coping strategies included finding renewed purpose in continuing to serve their community, peer and family support (in some cases), and religion. In Nepal, individual determination, a sense of responsibility to the community and professional duty compelled staff to stay or return to their workplace. The research teams had trusting relationships with policy-makers and practitioners, which brought credibility and legitimacy to the change of research direction as well as the relationships to maximise the opportunity for findings to inform practice. Conclusions: In both contexts, health workers demonstrated considerable resilience in continuing to provide services despite limited support. Embedded researchers and institutions are arguably best placed to navigate emerging ethical and social justice challenges and are strategically positioned to support the co-production of knowledge and ensure research findings have impact

Ionic Transport Properties in Nanocrystalline Ce0.8A0.2O2-δ (with A = Eu, Gd, Dy, and Ho) Materials

The ionic transport properties of nanocrystalline 20 mol% Eu, Gd, Dy, and Ho doped cerias, with average grain size of around 14 nm were studied by correlating electrical, dielectric properties, and various dynamic parameters. Gd-doped nanocrystalline ceria shows higher value of conductivity (i.e., 1.8 × 10−4 S cm−1 at 550°C) and a lower value of association energy of oxygen vacancies with trivalent dopants Gd3+ (i.e., 0.1 eV), compared to others. Mainly the lattice parameters and dielectric constants (ε∞) are found to control the association energy of oxygen vacancies in these nanomaterials, which in turn resulted in the presence of grain and grain boundary conductivity in Gd- and Eu-doped cerias and only significant grain interior conductivity in Dy- and Ho-doped cerias

The Conducting Ring Viewed as a Wormhole

We compute the exterior Green function for a grounded equi-potential circular ring in two-dimensional electrostatics by treating the system geometrically as a "squashed wormhole" with an image charge located in a novel but obvious position, thereby implementing a method first suggested in 1897 by Sommerfeld. We compare and contrast the strength and location of the image charge in the wormhole picture with that of the conventional point of view where an image charge is located inside the circular ring. While the two viewpoints give mathematically equivalent Green functions, we believe they provide strikingly different physics perspectives. We also comment on earlier Green function results by Hobson in 1900, and by Davis and Reitz in 1971, who applied Sommerfeld's method to analyze a grounded conducting circular disk in three-dimensional electrostatics.Comment: 13 figure

Where to put community-based forestry?: Reconciling conservation and livelihood in Lampung, Indonesia

Community-based forestry (CBF) has been promoted as a potential win-win solution for improving forest conservation and livelihood outcomes. Incorporating location-specific factors from participants’ perspectives in the design and implementation of CBF has been noted as an important prerequisite for ensuring positive outcomes. This study investigates benefits and challenges of CBF perceived by participating farmers in two Community Forests (HKM – Hutan Kemasyarakatan) in Lampung, Indonesia. Two sites were chosen systematically based on their distinct biophysical characteristics. Through qualitative assessments using interviews and focus group discussions with the farmers, we found that securing land tenure is the most important motivation for them to participate in CBF and abide by the government-imposed rules and regulations. Participants in both sites have experienced increased income, as well as other benefits, such as reduced fire incidents and illegal activities. However, benefits and challenges that the two HKMs face differ and are affected by their biophysical features, such as elevation, slope, proximity to village and roads. Participants, especially in the remote HKM in high elevation, perceive long-term and poorly monitored goals, such as reforestation, unrealistic. Site-specific and targeted technical supports are needed to identify overstory tree species that can also provide livelihood benefits. We argue for explicit considerations of biophysical features for CBF site designations and technical supports that meet site specific needs. This study provides a practical pathway to ensure economic benefits of CBF, which is an important factor for promoting CBF's success

Measurement of the creep behavior of thin ZrNi metallic glass films – a comparison between nanoindentation relaxation, nanoindentation creep and lab-on-chips experiments

The characterization of the time-dependent behavior of thin metallic glass films is one of the key-issue for surface engineering. Such a measurement requires loading a constant material volume located in the thin film. Unfortunately, this condition is not fulfilled in the commonly used creep nanoindentation testing, contrary to micro tensile lab-on-chip experiments or micropillar compression testing. In this paper, we show that nanoindentation relaxation is an efficient alternative to nanoindentation creep. For that purpose, an extensive study of ZrNi metallic glasses viscoplastic behavior is performed using several experimental set-up (lab on chips, nanoindentation relaxation, nanoindentation creep, constant strain rate, ...). An innovative nanoindentation methodology is used to perform long-term relaxation tests up to 10 h with excellent reproducibility. It consists in maintaining a constant contact area during the test by controlling the contact stiffness between the tip and the material. Nanoindentation relaxation, constant strain rate loading and lab-on-chips data lead to similar values of apparent activation volume and strain rate sensitivity, whereas nanoindentation creep clearly overestimates the activation volume (Fig 1). Finite element modelling of nanoindentation creep and nanoindentation relaxation also confirms this trend. We evidence, thanks to the long-term indentation relaxation test that the underlying deformation mechanisms remain unchanged on the entire investigated strain rate range. Please click Additional Files below to see the full abstract