Can Deep Learning Approach Be Virtually Cultivated Via Social Learning Network

With the development of information technology especially kinds of social interaction techniques, social learning networks as a new platform have changed students’ learning behaviors and improve their learning performance. However, how this change happens especially how social learning networks change students’ learning approaches were not very clear. To address this gap, in this research, we try to investigate the impacts of social learning network on students’ learning approaches by conducting an experiment. In the experiment, students were randomly divided into two groups: control group and experimental group. We try to investigate the differences of students’ leaning behavior in terms of learning approaches in the two groups. We also present the theoretical, practical implications and future research

Enhanced gross primary production and evapotranspiration in juniper-encroached grasslands.

Woody plant encroachment (WPE) into grasslands has been occurring globally and may be accelerated by climate change in the future. This land cover change is expected to alter the carbon and water cycles, but it remains uncertain how and to what extent the carbon and water cycles may change with WPE into grasslands under current climate. In this study, we examined the difference of vegetation indices (VIs), evapotranspiration (ET), gross primary production (GPP), and solar-induced chlorophyll fluorescence (SIF) during 2000-2010 between grasslands and juniper-encroached grasslands. We also quantitatively assessed the changes of GPP and ET for grasslands with different proportions of juniper encroachment (JWPE). Our results suggested that JWPE increased the GPP, ET, greenness-related VIs, and SIF of grasslands. Mean annual GPP and ET were, respectively, ~55% and ~45% higher when grasslands were completely converted into juniper forests under contemporary climate during 2000-2010. The enhancement of annual GPP and ET for grasslands with JWPE varied over years ranging from about +20% GPP (~+30% for ET) in the wettest year (2007) to about twice as much GPP (~+55% for ET) in the severe drought year (2006) relative to grasslands without encroachment. Additionally, the differences in GPP and ET showed significant seasonal dynamics. During the peak growing season (May-August), GPP and ET for grasslands with JWPE were ~30% and ~40% higher on average. This analysis provided insights into how and to what degree carbon and water cycles were impacted by JWPE, which is vital to understanding how JWPE and ecological succession will affect the regional and global carbon and water budgets in the future

Resource Allocation for Near-Field Communications: Fundamentals, Tools, and Outlooks

Extremely large-scale multiple-input-multiple output (XL-MIMO) is a promising technology to achieve high spectral efficiency (SE) and energy efficiency (EE) in future wireless systems. The larger array aperture of XL-MIMO makes communication scenarios closer to the near-field region. Therefore, near-field resource allocation is essential in realizing the above key performance indicators (KPIs). Moreover, the overall performance of XL-MIMO systems heavily depends on the channel characteristics of the selected users, eliminating interference between users through beamforming, power control, etc. The above resource allocation issue constitutes a complex joint multi-objective optimization problem since many variables and parameters must be optimized, including the spatial degree of freedom, rate, power allocation, and transmission technique. In this article, we review the basic properties of near-field communications and focus on the corresponding "resource allocation" problems. First, we identify available resources in near-field communication systems and highlight their distinctions from far-field communications. Then, we summarize optimization tools, such as numerical techniques and machine learning methods, for addressing near-field resource allocation, emphasizing their strengths and limitations. Finally, several important research directions of near-field communications are pointed out for further investigation

Multiple Criteria Group Decision-Making Method with Dempster–Shafer Theory and Probabilistic Linguistic Term Sets

The motivation of this study is to propose a novel multiple criteria group decision-making (MCDGM) method based on Dempster–Shafer theory (DST) and probabilistic linguistic term sets (PLTSs) to handle the distinctions between compensatory information at the criterion level and noncompensatory information at the individual level in the process of information fusion. Initially, the information at the individual level is extracted by BPA functions. Then, they are fused with DST considering ignorance and DMs’ reliabilities. Next, the obtained BPA functions are transformed into interval-valued PLTSs with the assistance of intermediate belief and plausibility. Subsequently, the interval-valued PLTSs are converted into standard PLTSs. After normalization, the holistic PLTS is obtained with weighted addition operation and the round function is applied to determine the ultimate evaluation result. Finally, a case simulation study of evaluating the marine ranching ecological security is presented to verify and improve the validity and feasibility of the proposed method and algorithm in practical application. The proposed method and its relevant algorithm are both innovative combination of DST and PLTSs from the perspective of compensatory and noncompensatory features of information, which provides a new angle of view for the development of probabilistic preference theory and is beneficial to apply probabilistic preference theory in practice

TIN-DS/AHP: An Intelligent Method for Group Multiple Attribute Decision Making

Abstract: The group decision-making problems with several experts and seriously different opinions are unable to be solved by current existing DS/AHP methods. In order to solve above problems, a derived model is constructed to recognize the optimal Basic Probability Assignment (BPA) functions from TIN knowledge matrices by introducing deviation variables. After that, a modified model and its corresponding modified theorems for improving TIN knowledge matrices are proposed to overcome matrix inconsistencies and provide expert group for defining discussed problem as well as guiding improvement direction. The intelligent decision making procedure is presented in terms of intelligent human-machine interaction and decision, and a comparative analysis with numerical values shows the proposed method is scientific, reasonable, and well applicable finally

TIN-DS/AHP: An Intelligent Method for Group Multiple Attribute Decision Making

The group decision-making problems with several experts and seriously different opinions are unable to be solved by current existing DS/AHP methods. In order to solve above problems, a derived model is constructed to recognize the optimal Basic Probability Assignment (BPA) functions from TIN knowledge matrices by introducing deviation variables. After that, a modified model and its corresponding modified theorems for improving TIN knowledge matrices are proposed to overcome matrix inconsistencies and provide expert group for defining discussed problem as well as guiding improvement direction. The intelligent decision making procedure is presented in terms of intelligent human-machine interaction and decision, and a comparative analysis with numerical values shows the proposed method is scientific, reasonable, and well applicable finally

Enhanced gross primary production and evapotranspiration in juniper-encroached grasslands.

Woody plant encroachment (WPE) into grasslands has been occurring globally and may be accelerated by climate change in the future. This land cover change is expected to alter the carbon and water cycles, but it remains uncertain how and to what extent the carbon and water cycles may change with WPE into grasslands under current climate. In this study, we examined the difference of vegetation indices (VIs), evapotranspiration (ET), gross primary production (GPP), and solar-induced chlorophyll fluorescence (SIF) during 2000-2010 between grasslands and juniper-encroached grasslands. We also quantitatively assessed the changes of GPP and ET for grasslands with different proportions of juniper encroachment (JWPE). Our results suggested that JWPE increased the GPP, ET, greenness-related VIs, and SIF of grasslands. Mean annual GPP and ET were, respectively, ~55% and ~45% higher when grasslands were completely converted into juniper forests under contemporary climate during 2000-2010. The enhancement of annual GPP and ET for grasslands with JWPE varied over years ranging from about +20% GPP (~+30% for ET) in the wettest year (2007) to about twice as much GPP (~+55% for ET) in the severe drought year (2006) relative to grasslands without encroachment. Additionally, the differences in GPP and ET showed significant seasonal dynamics. During the peak growing season (May-August), GPP and ET for grasslands with JWPE were ~30% and ~40% higher on average. This analysis provided insights into how and to what degree carbon and water cycles were impacted by JWPE, which is vital to understanding how JWPE and ecological succession will affect the regional and global carbon and water budgets in the future