Meta-interpretive learning of higher-order dyadic datalog: predicate invention revisited

Since the late 1990s predicate invention has been under-explored within inductive logic programming due to difficulties in formulating efficient search mechanisms. However, a recent paper demonstrated that both predicate invention and the learning of recursion can be efficiently implemented for regular and context-free grammars, by way of metalogical substitutions with respect to a modified Prolog meta-interpreter which acts as the learning engine. New predicate symbols are introduced as constants representing existentially quantified higher-order variables. The approach demonstrates that predicate invention can be treated as a form of higher-order logical reasoning. In this paper we generalise the approach of meta-interpretive learning (MIL) to that of learning higher-order dyadic datalog programs. We show that with an infinite signature the higher-order dyadic datalog class$$H^2_2$$H22has universal Turing expressivity though$$H^2_2$$H22is decidable given a finite signature. Additionally we show that Knuth–Bendix ordering of the hypothesis space together with logarithmic clause bounding allows our MIL implementation Metagol$$_{D}$$Dto PAC-learn minimal cardinality$$H^2_2$$H22definitions. This result is consistent with our experiments which indicate that Metagol$$_{D}$$Defficiently learns compact$$H^2_2$$H22definitions involving predicate invention for learning robotic strategies, the East–West train challenge and NELL. Additionally higher-order concepts were learned in the NELL language learning domain. The Metagol code and datasets described in this paper have been made publicly available on a website to allow reproduction of results in this paper

The role of epigenetic dysregulation in the epidemic of allergic disease

The epidemic of allergic disease in early life is one of the clearest indicators that the developing immune system is vulnerable to modern environmental changes. A range of environmental exposures epidemiologically associated with allergic disease have been shown to have effects on the foetal immune function in pregnancy, including microbial burden, dietary changes and environmental pollutants. Preliminary studies now suggest that these early effects on immune development may be mediated epigenetically through a variety of processes that collectively modify gene expression and allergic susceptibility and that these effects are potentially heritable across generations. It is also possible that rising rates of maternal allergy, a recognised direct risk factor for infant allergic disease, may be further amplifying the effects of environmental changes. Whilst effective prevention strategies are the ultimate goal in reversing the allergy epidemic, the specific environmental drivers, target genes, and intracellular pathways and mechanisms of early life immune programming are still unclear. It is hoped that identifying genes that are differentially regulated in association with subsequent allergic disease will assist in identifying causal pathways and upstream contributing environmental factors. In this way, epigenetic paradigms are likely to provide valuable insights into how the early environment can be modified to more favourably drive immune development and reverse the allergic epidemic

A genomic catalog of Earth’s microbiomes

The reconstruction of bacterial and archaeal genomes from shotgun metagenomes has enabled insights into the ecology and evolution of environmental and host-associated microbiomes. Here we applied this approach to >10,000 metagenomes collected from diverse habitats covering all of Earth’s continents and oceans, including metagenomes from human and animal hosts, engineered environments, and natural and agricultural soils, to capture extant microbial, metabolic and functional potential. This comprehensive catalog includes 52,515 metagenome-assembled genomes representing 12,556 novel candidate species-level operational taxonomic units spanning 135 phyla. The catalog expands the known phylogenetic diversity of bacteria and archaea by 44% and is broadly available for streamlined comparative analyses, interactive exploration, metabolic modeling and bulk download. We demonstrate the utility of this collection for understanding secondary-metabolite biosynthetic potential and for resolving thousands of new host linkages to uncultivated viruses. This resource underscores the value of genome-centric approaches for revealing genomic properties of uncultivated microorganisms that affect ecosystem processes

Expanding our reach: marriage and family therapists in the public school system

As states change their legislation to include Marriage and Family Therapists (MFTs) as approved mental health providers in schools, it is important to understand the experiences of MFTs in this context to improve training and increase our effectiveness. MFTs with experience working in public schools (N = 21) discuss the advantages and rewards of working in schools, challenges they have experienced, how they have dealt with those challenges, and training they recommend for MFTs seeking to work in schools. Qualitative results have implications for practitioners, training, and supervision. The possibility of a specialization in School-Based Family Therapy is discussed

Typed meta-interpretive learning of logic programs

Meta-interpretive learning (MIL) is a form of inductive logic programming that learns logic programs from background knowledge and examples. We claim that adding types to MIL can improve learning performance. We show that type checking can reduce the MIL hypothesis space by a cubic factor. We introduce two typed MIL systems: Metagol T and HEXMIL T , implemented in Prolog and Answer Set Programming (ASP), respectively. Both systems support polymorphic types and can infer the types of invented predicates. Our experimental results show that types can substantially reduce learning times

Vivendo com o diabetes: a experiência contada pela criança Viviendo con la diabetes: la experiencia relatada por niños Living with diabetes: the experience as it is told by children

O diabetes mellitus como uma doença crônica exige adaptação nos âmbitos psicológico, social e físico. Este estudo tem por objetivo compreender a experiência da criança na vivência com a doença. Os referenciais teórico e metodológico utilizados foram o Interacionismo Simbólico e a Teoria Fundamentada nos Dados, respectivamente. Entrevistou-se 12 crianças na faixa etária entre 7 e 14 anos. Um total de 7 temas foram identificados nos dados coletados, sendo eles: "Vivendo algo inesperado", "Enfrentando uma dura realidade", "Tendo medo do que está acontecendo", "Vivendo sob controle", "Tentando adaptar-se à nova realidade", "Amadurecendo com a convivência", "Olhando para a doença de um jeito diferente". A vivência com o diabetes é algo que a criança enfrenta a cada dia, desde o momento do diagnóstico, tendo limitações na dieta, a inserção da insulinoterapia, a mudança no estilo de vida, fatos esses que desencadeiam sentimentos que oscilam entre medo, insegurança, revolta, aceitação e adaptação.<br>La diabetes mellitus es una enfermedad crónica que exige adaptación en los ámbitos psicológico, social y físico. El presente trabajo tuvo como objetivo comprender la experiencia del niño viviendo con la enfermedad. Los referenciales teórico y metodológico utilizados fueron el Interaccionismo Simbólico y la Teoría Fundamentada en los Datos, respectivamente. Entrevistamos niños con las edades de 7 hasta 14 años. Un total de 7 temas fueron identificados en los datos recopilados, siendo ellos: "Viviendo algo inesperado", "Enfrentando una dura realidad", "Sintiendo miedo sobre lo que está pasando", "Viviendo bajo control", "Intentando adaptarse a la nueva realidad", "Madurando con la convivencia", "Mirando la enfermedad de una manera diferente". La vivencia con la diabetes es algo que el niño enfrenta cada día, desde el momento del diagnóstico, teniendo limitaciones en la dieta, la inserción de la insulinoterapia, el cambio en el estilo de vida, hechos esos que desencadenan sentimientos que oscilan entre miedo, inseguridad, indignación y adaptación.<br>Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disease that demands adaptation in the psychological, social and physical sphere. This study aimed to understand the experiences of children with the disease. Symbolic Interactionism and Grounded Theory were used as a theoretical and methodological reference framework, respectively. We interviewed children in the age group between 7 and 14 years old. A total of 7 topics were identified in the collected data, which were: "Experiencing something unexpected", "Facing a harsh reality", "Being afraid of what is happening", "Living under control", "Trying to adapt to a new reality", "Maturing with this close relationship" and "Seeing this disease from a different angle". Living with diabetes is something these children are confronted with daily from the very moment it is diagnosed, having to live with a restricted diet, insulin therapy and life style changes, facts that bring about feelings that range from fear to insecurity, to revolt, to acceptance and adaptation