Strong Baselines for Simple Question Answering over Knowledge Graphs with and without Neural Networks

We examine the problem of question answering over knowledge graphs, focusing on simple questions that can be answered by the lookup of a single fact. Adopting a straightforward decomposition of the problem into entity detection, entity linking, relation prediction, and evidence combination, we explore simple yet strong baselines. On the popular SimpleQuestions dataset, we find that basic LSTMs and GRUs plus a few heuristics yield accuracies that approach the state of the art, and techniques that do not use neural networks also perform reasonably well. These results show that gains from sophisticated deep learning techniques proposed in the literature are quite modest and that some previous models exhibit unnecessary complexity.Comment: Published in NAACL HLT 201

Affordable interactive virtual reality system for the Dynamic Hip Screw surgery training in vitro

Interactive virtual reality systems provide safe and cost-effective training environment to improve the technical skills and competence of surgeons. The trainees can have as many practice sessions, without need to the trainer all the time, before even start carrying out the procedure on any real patient. In this paper, we present an affordable interactive virtual reality system for the Dynamic Hip Screw (DHS) surgery training in vitro, through 3D tracking. The system facilitates a safe (in vitro / off patient) training to improve the cognitive coordination of trainees and junior surgeons, in particular the Hands, Eyes and Brain coordination. The system is based on very cheap commercial off-the-shelf (COT) components, which are very affordable, and needs minimum setup effort and knowledge. It also provides a range of visual and quantitative feedback information and measures, such as position, orientation, insertion point, and depth of drilling. It is envisaged that improving this level of coordination, through the training system, will contribute to reducing the failure rate of the DHS procedure. This means better treatment for patients and less costs for the Health services systems (e.g. UK's NHS system)

Removal of Sulfate from Waste Water by Activated Carbon

Activated carbon was Produced from coconut shell and was used for removing sulfate from industrial waste water in batch Processes. The influence of various parameter were studied such as pH (4.5 9.) , agitation time (0 120)min and adsorbent dose (2 10) gm.<br />The Langmuir and frandlich adsorption capacity models were been investigated where showed there are fitting with langmmuir model with squre regression value ( 0.76). The percent of removal of sulfate (22% - 38%) at (PH=7) in the isotherm experiment increased with adsorbent mass increasing. The maximum removal value of sulfate at different pH experiments is (43%) at pH=7.<br /

Design, Analysis, and Optimization of Traffic Engineering for Software Defined Networks

Network traffic has been growing exponentially due to the rapid development of applications and communications technologies. Conventional routing protocols, such as Open-Shortest Path First (OSPF), do not provide optimal routing and result in weak network resources. Optimal traffic engineering (TE) is not applicable in practice due to operational constraints such as limited memory on the forwarding devices and routes oscillation. Recently, a new way of centralized management of networks enabled by Software-Defined Networking (SDN) made it easy to apply most traffic engineering ideas in practice. \par Toward creating an applicable traffic engineering system, we created a TE simulator for experimenting with TE and evaluating TE systems efficiently as this tool employs parallel processing to achieve high efficiency. The purpose of the simulator is two aspects: (1) We use it to understand traffic engineering, (2) we use it to formulate a new traffic engineering algorithm that is near-optimal and applicable in practice. We study the design of some important aspects of any TE system. In particular, the consequences of achieving optimal TE by solving the multi-commodity flow problem (MCF) and the consequences of choosing single-path routing over multi-path routing. With the help of the TE simulator, we compare many TE systems constructed by combining different paths selection techniques with two objective functions for rate adaptations: load balancing (LB) and average delay (AD). The results confirm that paths selected based on the theoretical approach known as Oblivious Routing combined with AD objective function can significantly increase the performance in terms of throughput, congestion, and delay.\par However, the new proposed system comes with a cost. The AD function has a higher complexity than the LB function. We show that this problem can be tackled by training deep learning models. We trained two models with two different neural network architectures: Multilayer Perceptron (MLP) and Long-Short Term Memory (LSTM), to get a responsive traffic engineering system. The input training data is based on synthetic data obtained from the simulator. The output of the two models is the split ratios that the SDN controller uses to instruct the switching devices about how to forward traffic in the network. The result confirms that both models are effective and can be used to forward traffic in an optimal or near-optimal way. The LSTM model has shown a slightly better result than MLP due to its ability to predict a longer output sequence

Plenum-to-plenum heat transfer characteristics under natural circulation in a scaled-down prismatic modular reactor

“Gas-cooled reactor (GCR) is being developed under the Next Generation Nuclear Plant Program (NGNP) in nuclear engineering studies. As the world searches for an energy source with high energy density, clean, abundant, and storable nature to avoid global warming issues, GCR seems to be a promising solution, particularly the possibility of producing hydrogen. Studying and developing the safety analysis and GCR technologies are required for the optimum design and safety of GCR system. Multiphase Reactors Engineering and Applications Laboratory (mReal) at Missouri University of Science and Technology (S&T) has developed a natural convection heat transfer test facility with one riser and one downcomer between two plena to investigate loss of flow accident scenario (LOFA) for a prismatic very high temperature reactor (VHTR). Using advanced heat transfer coefficient probe and T-thermocouples. The facility represents a scaled down prismatic modular reactor with a reference to High-Temperature Test Facility at Oregon State University (OSU-HTTF). The natural circulation heat transfer in terms of temperature fields and heat transfer coefficients across the core of current facility (i.e., channels) has been investigated at different conditions to understand the passive safety features of prismatic modular reactors (PMR). This dissertation advance knowledge and understanding of the intra core natural circulation phenomenon in the PMRs. Moreover, fill the gaps in the open literature and understanding of the natural circulation heat transfer and gaseous dynamics in the prismatic VHTR and provide experimental benchmark data, which is much needed and is missing in the literature for verification and validation”--Abstract, page iii

Computational fluid dynamics modeling and comparison of advanced techniques for heat transfer augmentation for nuclear applications

“Passive safety is the most important feature of NuScale’s reactor designs. Twist tape is one passive heat enhance heat technique. The present research investigated thermo-hydraulic characteristics of natural and forced convection of water under different configurations of twisted tape inserted in tube as well as NuScale rod bundles for uniform wall heat flux using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) using ANSYS Fluent 18.1. Results for twist tape inserted in tube under natural circulation showed that heat transfer enhanced and pressure drop increased to 28% and 102.8% over the plain tube respectively. Regularly spaced tapes, and different widths of the twisted tapes also played a significant role in both heat transfer and pressure drop. Moreover, the results revealed a strong effect of twist ratios on the inner wall temperature. The impact of twisted tapes along sub-channel for the water flow through NuScale SMR’s 2X2 RB at the normal operating conditions showed that the Nusselt number (Nu) and secondary flow were enhanced by 101% and 0.16 as compared to the case of plain sub-channel, respectively. On the other hand, the pressure drop for a sub-channel with twisted tape is always higher than the plain sub-channel. The flow in rod bundle sub-channels under natural convection with twist along the sub-channel showed that heat transfer and pressure drop are increased by 39.5% and 112.5% as compared to the case of plain sub-channel respectively. In addition, all results showed that Nu and pressure drop are influenced by changing the twist ratio, and tape geometry. Finally, twisted tapes were effective in enhancing the Nu in sub-channels under both natural and forced convection conditions. The smallest twist ratio in all cases resulted in the high pressure drop and Nu”--Abstract, page iii

International terrorism and its impact on civil freedoms in Iraq after 2003: A critical analysis of the right to life and personal security

Terrorism is one of the threats against which the international community, above all states, must protect their citizens. They have not only the right but also a duty to do so. States must take the greatest care to ensure that counter-terrorism does not become an all-embracing concept that could be used to justify violations of human rights. Many legal documents define terrorism as an organised system of intimidation with violence behaviour designed to generate fear in a community to accomplish the interests of certain individuals or groups, whether acting for or in opposition. The definition of terrorism is unclear, especially as the UN’s 1373 Resolution indicates a dual meaning of terrorism because one country’s terrorist can be another country’s freedom fighter and vice versa. This thesis revolves around the problems of lack of having a clear definition of the terms “international terrorism” and “terrorist acts” under the Iraqi Anti- Terrorism Act No. 13 of 2005 as well as the weaknesses of the international conventions on terrorism, which has made it difficult internationally to adopt a uniform standard in fighting terrorism. The main objective of this thesis is to analyse the impact of international terrorism on civil freedoms in Iraq after 2003 focusing mainly on the right to life and personal security by examining the Iraqi Anti-Terrorism Act No. 13 of 2005. In analysing the main objective of this thesis, one of the research questions posed is on the impact of international terrorism on civil freedoms that is, the right to life and personal security in Iraq after 2003. The methodologies adopted in this thesis are doctrinal legal research and empirical research approach. Based on the findings, the thesis concludes that the impact of international terrorism on civil freedoms in Iraq after 2003 has indeed affected the right to life and personal security. One of the recommendations put forward based on the findings is that, there is a need to amend/repeal the Iraqi Anti-Terrorism Act No. 13 of 2005 as far as the definitions of “international terrorism” and “terrorist acts” are concerned

The obstacles preventing the small firms in Iraq to export

Export performance is usually taken as one of the important factors in driving a country’s economic growth. Exports can improve the firm’s production efficiency, overcome higher trade barriers and address different market preferences in the competitive international markets. This study investigates the obstacles faced by the small Iraqi firms to export. Four obstacles are considered from a theoretical perspective, as variables that have affected the success of these firms to export, which are (i) the infrastructure, (ii) trade policies, (iii) corruption, crime and security and (iv) finance. The empirical research was conducted through a questionnaire distribution concerned with the textile and food industry sectors in Iraq. Both textile and food industry sectors are of high export potential, but are found to be struggling with international recognition. The impediments or barriers and also the incentives were labelled as the core factors. The results of data analysis obtained from data collected from respondents show that both food and textile sectors have produced similar outputs where their answers are nearly same. Both sectors face the same issues and problems in suggesting the way forward. The small firms in both sectors, with very different products and strategic advantages, require entrepreneurial leadership, strategy and innovation to take advantage of the changing international regulations, favourable domestic factor condition and government support to compete successfully in the international markets