The Intellectual Training Environment for Prolog Programming Language

In this work is described a new complex training system, named SPprolog, intended for training and self-training in logic programming language - Prolog. This system includes elements related to Prolog and logic programming, and the elements of independent, complex, self-sufficient training system which is capable considerably to increase the quality of self-training, and to be effective assistant in training. The most useful application of the system can be in distance education and self-training. The main elements of SPprolog system are: Functionally expanded (in comparison with existing systems) Prolog development environment, with the multipurpose code editor, the automated organization system of the personal tools, automated advice mode "Expert Advice", based on the incorporated expert system for cultivated, effective and optimized programming; Link to foreign Prolog programs compiler which allow to compile the program to independent executable; Built in intellectual, interactive, multimedia Prolog interpreter integrated with expert system and the elements of the intellectuality, allowing to lead detailed program interpretation, with popular and evident, explanation of the theory and mechanisms used in it, applying audiovisual effects to increase the level of naturalness of process of explanation; Full digital training course of Prolog programming language presented in the form of the matrix of knowledge and supplied system of consecutive knowledge reproduction for self-training and evaluation; an intensive course of training to the Prolog language and Spprolog system, based on the programmed, consecutive set of actions, allowing using the previous two mechanisms of sys-tem for popular and evident explanation of the main principles of work of system and Prolog language.training, prolog, environment, Spprolog

EVALUASI PRODUK PEMBELAJARAN MULTIMEDIA (PELIN) EVALUATION OF LEARNING MULTIMEDIA PRODUCT (PELIN)

This paper purpose is to discover shortcomings of multimedia product of Pelin and to conduct a survey to users of multimedia Pelin . Pelin is an online e-learning multimedia for students of Sekolah Tinggi Manajemen Informatika dan Komputer (STMIK) Bumigora Mataram, which is able the students to upload task file and download learning material. Pelin system is based on restful webservice that can provide distant learning. There are four levels of evaluation, those are reaction, learning, behavior and result. The formative evaluations result show: the Pelin multimedia disadvantages are: not supports interactive face to face learning, not facilitates audio communication, not be fully user friendly, could not upload graphic and image files, not be provided by feedback facility of test result and also not have help menus. The summative evaluation result found that the Pelin Multimedia is supports independent learning, provides web-client application, improves reaction of student to learn, increases student knowledge comprehension, increases learning behavior, and gives good learning result. Statistical comparison tests found there are significant differences influence the implementation of Pelin and there is no difference in terms of the level of reaction, learning and behavior towards the use of Pelin for S1 and D3 students

The long-term prognosis of epilepsy patients with medically treated over a period of eight years in Turkey.

OBJECTIVE:The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of demographic and clinical characteristics on temporal changes in seizure control and frequency in medically treated epilepsy patients to guide treatment modalities. METHODS:We retrospectively analyzed the association between clinical and demographic characteristics and seizure frequency in 1329 epilepsy patients who were followed up at an outpatient clinic for one to eight years, 2008-2015.. RESULTS:Younger age at first seizure (p = 0.0465) and a long disease duration (p = 0.0406) had a negative effect on seizure control in all the epilepsy patients. Febrile convulsions (FCs) (p > 0.0001), perinatal risk (PNR) (p > 0.0002), a family history of epilepsy (FHE) (p > 0.0016), antiepileptic drug (AED) use (p > 0.001), mental retardation (MR) (p > 0.001), and psychiatric disorders (p > 0.0478) were prognostic indictors of temporal changes in seizure frequency. The presence of PNR (p = 0.0416), age at onset of epilepsy (p = 0.034), central nervous system infection (CNSI) (p = 0.04), and AEDs number (p = 0.0282) were prognostic indicators of not remaining seizure free for one year. In those with partial epilepsy, a trauma history (p = 0.05), a longer epilepsy duration (p = 0.0057), and FHE (p = 0.0466) increased the frequency of seizures, whereas cerebrovascular event (CVE) history decreased the seizure frequency (p = 0.0413). In addition, FHE (p = 0.0438) and psychotic disorders (p = 0.0416) increased generalized seizures frequency. CONCLUSION:In all the epilepsy patients, a younger age at onset and longer duration of epilepsy were associated with a poor prognosis. The presence of PNR, age at onset of epilepsy, CNSI, and AEDs numbers were prognostic indicators of not remaining seizure free for one year. Increasing AEDs number was not effective in controlling seizures in partial epilepsy, but it was effective in controlling seizures in generalized epilepsy

Measuring Core Inflation for Turkey - Trimmed Means Approach

This paper is one of the the pioneers in measuring the core inflation for Turkey and uses the methodology developed by Bryan, Cecchetti and Wiggins II (1997). As the price change distributions are not normally distributed, weighted sample means are not the efficient estimators of inflation. In such leptokurtic distributions trimmed means provide statistically more efficient estimators of inflation. For the consumer prices, using historical data, the optimal trim is found to be 19 percent from the each tail of the cross sectional distribution and for the wholesale prices it is found to be 12 percent (percentage that minimizes MAD). Trimmed mean estimators of inflation move in line with the headline inflation in the long run, implying a potential use for future inflation forecasting.Core Inflation, Trimmed Mean Estimators, Turkey

Estimation of monetary policy preferences in a forward-looking model: a Bayesian approach. NBB Working Papers No. 129, 13 March 2008

In this paper, we adopt a Bayesian approach to estimating monetary policy preference parameters in a general equilibrium framework. We start out from the model presented by Smets and Wouters (2003) for the euro area, where, in the original set-up, monetary policy behaviour is described by an empirical rule. We abandon this way of representing monetary policy behaviour and instead assume that monetary policy authorities optimise an intertemporal quadratic loss function under commitment. We consider two alternative specifications for the loss function. The first specification includes inflation, the output gap and difference in the interest rate as target variables. The second loss function includes an additional wage inflation target. The weights assigned to the target variables in the loss functions, i.e. the preferences of monetary policy, are estimated jointly with the structural parameters in the model. The results imply that inflation variability remains the main concern of optimal monetary policy. In addition, interest rate smoothing and the output gap appear to be important target variables as well, albeit to a lesser extent. Comparing the marginal likelihood of the original Smets and Wouters (2003) model to our specification with optimal monetary policy indicates that the latter performs only slightly worse. Since we are faced with the time-inconsistency problem under commitment, we initialise our estimates by considering a pre-sample period of 40 quarters. This enables an empirical approach to the timeless perspective framework

Enterprise, Innovation and the Enviroment

This report aims to profile the activity of small and medium sized enterprises (SME) operating in the UK's environmental sector. The environmental sector is expected to be critical for the future economic development of the UK supporting a new low carbon economy. As many entrepreneurial and innovative firms require significant funding to support their innovative activities this report specifically investigates the innovation activity and financial requirements UK environmental companies. The survey report highlights the role of a variety of funding sources, including public investment for supporting these firms, particularly those active in R&D. Responding firms show a strong record of performance to date, particularly R&D active companies but also have expectations of additional finance being made available for the future in the form of loans, equity finance and government funding

Formalization of Indistinct Expert Representations about the Object of Research

It is offered additional possibilities on increase of expert’s estimations accuracy of by introduction in base model the factors considering a "pessimistic" or "optimistic" spirit of the expert and providing in next automated correction of the examination result.Model, Expert, Optimistic, Pessimistic, Automated correction.

Valiant Hearts ensimmäisen maailmansodan kuvaajana : Historian simulaatio, elävöitys ja pelisuunnittelu videopelissä

Tutkielmani käsittelee Montpellier peliyhtiön 2014 valmistaman Valiant Hearts: The Great War -pelin historiaa ja pelintekijöiden pelisuunnittelun päätöksentekoa historian ja pelitutkimuksen keinoin. Asemoin tutkimuksessa Valiant Hearts -pelin aikansa kontekstiin ja tutkin 2000-luvulla peliteollisuudessa tapahtuneita muutoksia, jotka mahdollistivat pelin valmistamisen. Tämän lisäksi syvennyn pelintekijöiden ratkaisuihin hyödyntää historiallisia lähteitä ja analysoin, miten ensimmäisestä maailmansodasta tehty historian tutkimus ja yhteistyö historioitsijoiden kanssa on vaikuttanut pelin kehitykseen. Valiant Hearts julkaistiin ensimmäisen maailmansodan juhlavuotena 2014. Ajoituksen yhtenä tavoitteena oli levittää tietoisuutta ensimmäisestä maailmansodasta nuoremmille sukupolville helpommin lähestyttävämmällä tavalla. Tutkimukseni koostuu kahdesta päälinjasta. Ensimmäinen päälinja keskittyy 2000-luvun alusta 2014 vuoden peliteollisuuden historiaan, minkä kautta tutkin Montpellier peliyhtiön päätöstä ryhtyä valmistamaan peliä ensimmäisen maailmansodan teemoista. Montpellier otti haasteekseen esittää ensimmäinen maailmansota uudella ja lähestyttävämmällä tavalla, samalla mukaillen historiallisia lähteitä ja aikansa tavoitteita luoda tietoa ensimmäisen maailmansodan vaikutuksista ja sodan kokeneiden yksilöiden elämästä. Tutkimuksessani argumentoin, että pelintekijöiden teknillisiin päätöksiin on selvästi vaikuttanut vuonna 2009 järjestetty International Society for First World War Studies (ISFWWS) -konferenssi. Tutkimukseni toinen päälinja koostuu Valiant Hearts -pelin tarkastelusta kolmen pelihistorioitsijan luoman menetelmän avulla. Tämä on mahdollistanut sekä pelin tarkemman tutkimisen, että miten pelintekijöiden peliteknilliset ratkaisut välittävät tietoa menneisyydestä. Kyseiset kolme menetelmää ovat mahdollistaneet kattavan lähestymistavan tutkia ja arvioida Valiant Hearts -peliä historian simulaationa, elävöityksenä ja ongelmatilanteiden luojana. Tämän avulla olen tutkielmassani syventynyt pelintekijöiden tavoitteiden analysoimiseen ja niiden vaikutukseen pelaajalle. Lisäksi näitä kolmea menetelmää hyödyntämällä olen osoittanut miten pelintekijöiden ratkaisut ovat välittyneet pelaajalle ja miten ne luovat menneisyyden esitystä juuri tässä kyseisessä pelissä. Olen tutkimuksessani avannut niitä tapoja, joilla Valiant Hearts esittää historiaa ja erityisesti mitkä eri pelitekniset ratkaisut vaikuttivat tuon menneisyyden esittämiseen. Tämän lisäksi tutkielmani osoittaa peliteollisuudella olleen vahvan vaikutuksen Valiant Hearts-pelin kehitykseen ja taiteellisiin lopputuloksiin, jotka kumpusivat sekä Montpellier peliyhtiön työntekijöiden omista mielenkiinnoista, että historiallisista referensseistä. Tutkimukseni osoittaa, että Valiant Hearts -pelintekijöiden tavoitteista löytyi huomattavia yhtenäisyyksiä 2010-luvun ensimmäisen maailmansodan tutkimusnäkökulmiin ja lähestymistapoihin. Näillä on pyritty korostamaan sekä pelin opettavaista puolta, että 100-vuotisjuhlan tavoitteita välittää sodan vaikutuksia ja sen herättämiä tunteita

Amyloid peptide mixtures: self-assembly, hydrogelation, nematic ordering and catalysts in aldol reactions

Morphological, spectroscopic and scattering studies of the self-assembly and aggregation process of mixtures of [RF]4 and P[RF]4 peptides (where: R = arginine; F = phenylalanine; P = proline), in solution and as hydrogels, were performed to obtain information about polymorphism. CD data confirmed a β-sheet secondary structure conformation for the solutions and TEM images revealed nanofibers with diameters of ~ 10 nm and micrometer lengths. SAXS curves were fitted using a mass fractal-component and a long cylinder shell form factor for the liquid samples, and only a long cylinder shell form factor for the gels. Increasing the P[RF]4 content in the systems leads to a reduction in cylinder radius and core density scattering, suggesting an increase in packing of the peptide molecules; however, the opposite effect was observed for the gels. Remarkably, the gels are birefringent, indicating nematic ordering of the gel fibrils. These compounds show potential as catalysts in the asymmetric aldol reactions, with cyclohexanone and p-nitrobenzaldehyde in aqueous media. A moderate conversion (36.9 %) and a good stereoselectivity (69:31) were observed for the system containing only [RF]4, and with the increase of the P[RF]4, a considerable decrease of the conversion was observed, suggesting differences in the self-assembly and packing factor. Rheological measurements were performed to determine the shear moduli for the soft gels. These model amyloid peptides demonstrate a range of tunable self-assembly behaviors and additionally have potential as biocatalysts