Echo state network for occupancy prediction and pattern mining in intelligent environment

Pattern analysis and prediction of sensory data is becoming an increasing scientific challenge and a massive economical interest supports the need for better pattern mining techniques. The aim of this paper is to investigate efficient mining of useful information from a sensor network representing an ambient intelligence environment. The goal is to extract and predict behavioral patterns of a person in his/her daily activities by analyzing the time series data representing the behaviour of the occupant, generated using occupancy sensors. There are various techniques available for analysis and prediction of a continuous time series signal. However, the occupancy signal is represented by a binary time series where only discrete values of a signal are available. To build the prediction model, recurrent neural networks are investigated. They are proven to be useful tools to solve the difficulties of the temporal relationships of inputs between observations at different time steps, by maintaining internal states that have memory. In this paper, a special form of recurrent neural network, the so-called Echo State Network (ESN) is used in which discrete values of time series can be well processed. Then, a model developed based on ESN is compared with the most popular recurrent neural net-works; namely Back Propagation Through Time (BPTT) and Real Time Recurrent Learning (RTRL). The results showed that ESN provides better prediction results compared with BPTT and RTRL. Using ESN, large datasets are learnt in only few minutes or even seconds. It can be concluded that ESN are efficient and valuable tools in binary time series prediction. The results presented in this paper are based on simulated data generated from a simulator representing a person in a 1 bedroom flat

Low loss waveguide-based Butler matrix with iris coupling control method for millimeterwave applications

This paper proposes a low loss 4×4 Butler matrix based on rectangular waveguide cavity resonators technology for millimeterwave beamforming network using iris coupling method. This method has the advantage of controlling the electrical fields and the coupling factor inside a complex medium such as waveguide cavity resonators. The coupling factor of 6 dB for 4×4 Butler matrix is achieved by tuning the iris coupling k-value between the waveguide cavity resonators. Thus, avoiding a higher phase difference losses and component losses at upper millimeterwave bands. To validate the proposed method, CST software simulations are performed under several iris coupling k-values to achieve a 6 dB coupling factor. Then, the proposed 4×4 Butler matrix is 3D metal printed using selective laser melting (SLM) technique. The measured reflection and isolation coefficients are observed below −10 dB, with coupling coefficients ranging between −6 and −7 dB. The phase differences of −42.02°, 42.02°, −130.95°, and 133.3° are achieved at the outputs. It confirmed that using this proposed method has the superiority over the conventional microstrip and waveguide coupling methods by a 1 dB coupling factor loss and a 3° phase difference error

Exposure to the News Networks Through Social Media Sites and Their Reflections on Spreading Rumors among Students – Field Study

The scientific study aimed to identify rumors in the students society in the age of social media sites and confrontation mechanisms. The research community included a sample of experts who use new media. Descriptive and statistical approaches (interviews and questionnaires) are used to analyze and understand rumors through social media sites and how to confront them. The study came up with results, the most important of them are as follows: 62% of the research community believes that students (young people) use of news networks via social media sites affects the spread of rumors, while 63% of the research community considers that the quality of social media sites used by young people helps spread rumors, and 43% of the research community agree that technology users are predominantly young people, which helps spread the rumor. Finally, the study recommended that news sites pay attention to the method of dealing with crises, investigate accuracy and credibility, and increase the effective communication between the leaders and students institutions

Terminologia anatomica in the past and the future from perspective of 110th anniversary of Polish Anatomical Terminology

Professional terminology is commonplace, particularly in the fields of mathematics, medicine, veterinary and natural sciences. The use of the terminology can be international, as it is with Anatomical Terminology (AT). In the early age of modern education, anatomists adopted Latin as the international language for AT. However, at the end of the 20th century, the English language became more predominant around the world. It can be said that the AT is a specific collection of scientific terms. One of the major flaws in early AT was that body structures were described by varying names, while some of the terms was irrational in nature, and confusing. At this time, different international committees were working on preparing a unified final version of the AT, which in the end consisted of 5,640 terms (4,286 originally from the Basle Nomina Anatomica, BNA). Also, each country wanted to have its own nomenclature. In order to accomplish this, each country based their nomenclature on the international AT, and then translated it into their own language. The history of the Polish Anatomical Terminology (PAT) is unique, and follows the events of history. It was first published in 1898, at a time when its neighbours partitioned the territory of Poland. During 150 years, the Polish culture and language was under the Russification and Germanization policy. It is important to note, that even with such difficult circumstances, the PAT was the first national AT in the world. The PAT was a union of the accepted first BNA in Latin and the original Polish anatomical equivalents. This union formed the basis for theoretical and clinical medicine in Poland. (Folia Morphol 2008; 67: 87–97

An Electronically Reconfigurable Patch Antenna Design for Polarization Diversity with Fixed Resonant Frequency

In this paper, an electronically polarization reconfigurable circular patch antenna with fixed resonant frequency operating at Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) frequency band (2.4-2.48 GHz) is presented. The structure of the proposed design consists of a circular patch as a radiating element fed by coaxial probe, cooperated with four equal-length slits etched on the edge along x-axis and y-axis. A total of four switches was used and embedded across the slits at specific locations, thus controlled the length of the slits. By activating and deactivating the switches (ON and OFF) across the slits, the current on the patch is changed, thus modifying the electric field and polarization of the antenna. Consequently, the polarization excited by the proposed antenna can be switched into three types, either linear polarization, left-hand circular polarization or right-hand circular polarization. This paper proposes a simple approach that able to switch the polarizations and excited at the same operating frequency. Simulated and measured results of ideal case (using copper strip switches) and real case (using PIN diode switches) are compared and presented to demonstrate the performance of the antenna

Exploring The Effects Of Genetic Variation On Gene Regulation In Cancer In The Context Of 3D Genome Structure

Background Numerous genome-wide association studies (GWAS) conducted to date revealed genetic variants associated with various diseases, including breast and prostate cancers. Despite the availability of these large-scale data, relatively few variants have been functionally characterized, mainly because the majority of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) map to the non-coding regions of the human genome. The functional characterization of these non-coding variants and the identification of their target genes remain challenging. Results In this communication, we explore the potential functional mechanisms of non-coding SNPs by integrating GWAS with the high-resolution chromosome conformation capture (Hi-C) data for breast and prostate cancers. We show that more genetic variants map to regulatory elements through the 3D genome structure than the 1D linear genome lacking physical chromatin interactions. Importantly, the association of enhancers, transcription factors, and their target genes with breast and prostate cancers tends to be higher when these regulatory elements are mapped to high-risk SNPs through spatial interactions compared to simply using a linear proximity. Finally, we demonstrate that topologically associating domains (TADs) carrying high-risk SNPs also contain gene regulatory elements whose association with cancer is generally higher than those belonging to control TADs containing no high-risk variants. Conclusions Our results suggest that many SNPs may contribute to the cancer development by affecting the expression of certain tumor-related genes through long-range chromatin interactions with gene regulatory elements. Integrating large-scale genetic datasets with the 3D genome structure offers an attractive and unique approach to systematically investigate the functional mechanisms of genetic variants in disease risk and progression

Acute effects of active isolated stretching on vertical jump performance in active university students

The purpose of the study was to determine the acute effects of active isolated stretching on muscular peak power production. Sixty healthy, physically active volunteers (aged 18-28) participated as subjects in this study. Subjects were randomly assigned to two groups; the control group and the experimental group. Subjects performed pre and posttest measures of vertical jump test. The subjects in the control group were asked to perform a certain number of jumps with no stretching routine, while the subjects in the experimental group were asked to perform a set of jumps with active isolated stretching routine. The results calculated for this study did show to have a statistically significant difference in vertical jump performance between subjects who are put through an active isolated stretching regimen and subjects who do not perform any stretching exercises. Results showed that performing active isolated stretching prior to vertical jump performance resulted in significant drop in jumping height.Keywords: Active isolated stretching; vertical jump performance; stretch-shortening cycl

Evaluation of BIM Education for Quantity Surveying: A Review of Teaching Approaches

Building Information Modelling (BIM) technology has become increasingly well-known among construction industry players throughout the world. It is known as a process that offers numerous benefits by the implementation in the industry. Almost 50% of practitioners in construction industry is using BIM. Quantity Surveyors (QS) are one of the important main professionals in construction industry who should have an adequate and sufficient BIM knowledge and skills. Equivalent to this, based on the educational perspective it is clear that there is a growing need for universities to provide their graduates with appropriate BIM-related skills. Although the educational frameworks that have been established for academic purposes in Malaysia, still, it is in doubt whether this framework is parallel with industry’s demand and also whether the knowledge and skills provided sufficient with industry’s requirements. It is crucial to recognize the applicable teaching approach for BIM educations in order to ensure students capable in applying BIM tools and meet the expectation of industry. This paper reviews the BIM teaching approaches and the BIM module applied in QS undergraduate program.   Keywords: BIM, quantity surveyors, QS education, teaching approach, Malaysi