Structural combination of neural network models

Forecasts combinations normally use point forecasts that were obtained from different models or sources ([1], [2], [3]). This paper explores the incorporation of internal structure parameters of feed-forward neural network (NN) models as an approach to combine their forecasts via ensembles. First, the generated NN models that could be part of the ensembles are subject to a clustering algorithm that uses the structure parameters and, from each of the clusters obtained, a small set of models is selected and their forecasts are combined in a two-stage procedure. Secondly, in an alternative and simpler implementation, a subset of the generated NN models is selected by using several reference points in the model structure parameter space. The choice of the reference points is optimised through a genetic algorithm and the models selected are averaged. Hourly electricity demand time series is used to assess multi-step ahead forecasting performance for up to a 12 hours horizon. Results are compared against several statistical benchmarks, the average of the individual forecasts and the best models in the ensembles. Results show that the clusterbased (CB) structural combinations do better than the genetic algorithm (GA) structural combinations in outperforming the average forecast, which is the traditional point forecast from an ensemble

Entangled electronic state via an interacting quantum dot

We study a device for entangling electrons as cotunneling occurs through a quantum dot where on-site electron-electron interactions $U$ are in place. The main advantage of this device is that single particle processes are forbidden by energy conservation as proposed by Oliver et al\cite{oli02}. Within this model we calculated two electron transition amplitude, in terms of the T-matrix, to all orders in the coupling to the dot, and consider a finite lead bandwidth. The model filters singlet entangled pairs with the sole requirement of Pauli principle. Feynman paths involving consecutive and doubly occupied dot interfere destructively and produce a transition amplitude minimum at a critical value of the onsite repulsion $U$. Singlet filtering is demonstrated as a function of a gate voltage applied to the dot with a special resonance condition when the dot levels are symmetrically placed about the input lead energy.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figure

Magnetization in AIIIBV semiconductor heterostructures with the depletion layer of manganese

The magnetic moment and magnetization in GaAs/Ga$_{0.84}$In$_{0.16}$As/GaAs heterostructures with Mn deluted in GaAs cover layers and with atomically controlled Mn $\delta$-layer thicknesses near GaInAs-quantum well ($\sim$3 nm) in temperature range T=(1.8-300)K in magnetic field up to 50 kOe have been investigated. The mass magnetization all of the samples of GaAs/Ga$_{0.84}$In$_{0.16}$As/GaAs with Mn increases with the increasing of the magnetic field that pointed out on the presence of low-dimensional ferromagnetism in the manganese depletion layer of GaAs based structures. It has been estimated the manganese content threshold at which the ferromagnetic ordering was found.Comment: 8 pages, 3 figure

QoSatAr: a cross-layer architecture for E2E QoS provisioning over DVB-S2 broadband satellite systems

This article presents QoSatAr, a cross-layer architecture developed to provide end-to-end quality of service (QoS) guarantees for Internet protocol (IP) traffic over the Digital Video Broadcasting-Second generation (DVB-S2) satellite systems. The architecture design is based on a cross-layer optimization between the physical layer and the network layer to provide QoS provisioning based on the bandwidth availability present in the DVB-S2 satellite channel. Our design is developed at the satellite-independent layers, being in compliance with the ETSI-BSM-QoS standards. The architecture is set up inside the gateway, it includes a Re-Queuing Mechanism (RQM) to enhance the goodput of the EF and AF traffic classes and an adaptive IP scheduler to guarantee the high-priority traffic classes taking into account the channel conditions affected by rain events. One of the most important aspect of the architecture design is that QoSatAr is able to guarantee the QoS requirements for specific traffic flows considering a single parameter: the bandwidth availability which is set at the physical layer (considering adaptive code and modulation adaptation) and sent to the network layer by means of a cross-layer optimization. The architecture has been evaluated using the NS-2 simulator. In this article, we present evaluation metrics, extensive simulations results and conclusions about the performance of the proposed QoSatAr when it is evaluated over a DVB-S2 satellite scenario. The key results show that the implementation of this architecture enables to keep control of the satellite system load while guaranteeing the QoS levels for the high-priority traffic classes even when bandwidth variations due to rain events are experienced. Moreover, using the RQM mechanism the user’s quality of experience is improved while keeping lower delay and jitter values for the high-priority traffic classes. In particular, the AF goodput is enhanced around 33% over the drop tail scheme (on average)

Bone Marrow Stem Cell Treatment for Ischemic Heart Disease in Patients with No Option of Revascularization: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

PMCID: PMC3686792This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited

Improved corrosion resistance of commercially pure magnesium after its modification by plasma electrolytic oxidation with organic additives

The optimal mechanical properties render magnesium widely used in industrial and biomedical applications. However, magnesium is highly reactive and unstable in aqueous solutions, which can be modulated to increase stability of reactive metals that include the use of alloys or by altering the surface with coatings. Plasma electrolytic oxidation is an efficient and tuneable method to apply a surface coating. By varying the plasma electrolytic oxidation parameters voltage, current density, time and (additives in the) electrolytic solution, the morphology, composition and surface energy of surface coatings are set. In the present study, we evaluated the influence on surface coatings of two solute additives, i.e. hexamethylenetetramine and mannitol, to base solutes silicate and potassium hydroxide. Results from in vitro studies in NaCl demonstrated an improvement in the corrosion resistance. In addition, coatings were obtained by a two-step anodization procedure, firstly anodizing in an electrolyte solution containing sodium fluoride and secondly in an electrolyte solution with hexamethylenetetramine and mannitol, respectively. Results showed that the first layer acts as a protective layer which improves the corrosion resistance in comparison with the samples with a single anodizing step. In conclusion, these coatings are promising candidates to be used in biomedical applications in particular because the components are non-toxic for the body and the rate of degradation of the surface coating is lower than that of pure magnesium

Wide-field global VLBI and MERLIN combined monitoring of supernova remnants in M82

From a combination of MERLIN (Multi-Element Radio-Linked Interferometer Network) and global VLBI (Very Long Baseline Interferometry) observations of the starburst galaxy M82, images of 36 discrete sources at resolutions ranging from ~3 to ~80 mas at 1.7 GHz are presented. Of these 36 sources, 32 are identified as supernova remnants, 2 are HII regions, and 3 remain unclassified. Sizes, flux densities and radio brightnesses are given for all of the detected sources. Additionally, global VLBI only data from this project are used to image four of the most compact radio sources. These data provide a fifth epoch of VLBI observations of these sources, covering a 19-yr time-line. In particular, the continued expansion of one of the youngest supernova remnants, 43.31+59.3 is discussed. The deceleration parameter is a power-law index used to represent the time evolution of the size of a supernova remnant. For the source 43.31+59.3, a lower limit to the deceleration parameter is calculated to be 0.53+/-0.06, based on a lower limit of the age of this source.Comment: 31 pages, 12 figures, 7 table

The Application Of Inventory Control And Purchasing to a Small Retail Business

This study was conducted to address the problem of inventory control of a small retail clothing business. An examination was made of the retail inventory control system and the open-to-buy purchasing method. Illustrations using hypothetical figures were presented in the application of these methods to a small retail clothing business. Several advantages and values of utilizing these methods were cited and illustrated. This study concludes that the implementation of these methods are highly recommended to the management of a small retail clothing business. Information obtained from these methods of inventory control would aid management in making successful merchandising decisions, and thus, enhance the overall business operations