A Vertical PRF Architecture for Microblog Search

In microblog retrieval, query expansion can be essential to obtain good search results due to the short size of queries and posts. Since information in microblogs is highly dynamic, an up-to-date index coupled with pseudo-relevance feedback (PRF) with an external corpus has a higher chance of retrieving more relevant documents and improving ranking. In this paper, we focus on the research question:how can we reduce the query expansion computational cost while maintaining the same retrieval precision as standard PRF? Therefore, we propose to accelerate the query expansion step of pseudo-relevance feedback. The hypothesis is that using an expansion corpus organized into verticals for expanding the query, will lead to a more efficient query expansion process and improved retrieval effectiveness. Thus, the proposed query expansion method uses a distributed search architecture and resource selection algorithms to provide an efficient query expansion process. Experiments on the TREC Microblog datasets show that the proposed approach can match or outperform standard PRF in MAP and NDCG@30, with a computational cost that is three orders of magnitude lower.Comment: To appear in ICTIR 201

Prosperity prospects in contested forest areas: evidence from community forestry development in Guatemala and Nicaragua

Tropentag, September 18-21, 2016, Vienna, Austria “Solidarity in a competing world — fair use of resources” Prosperity Prospects in Contested Forest Areas: Evidence from Community Forestry Development in Guatemala and Nicaragua Dietmar Stoian 1 , Aldo Rodas 2 , Jessenia Arguello 3 1 Bioversity International, Healthy Diets from Sustainable Food Systems Initiative, France 2 Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, Guatemala, Natural Resources and Agrotourism, 3 Independent Consultant, Abstract Community forestry is carried out under diverse institutional, environmental, and socio-economic conditions. Local communities may have de jure rights to forest resources, but de facto protection is often weak. This study focuses on 25-year community concessions in the Maya Biosphere Reserve (MBR) in Guatemala and indigenous territories in the North Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region (RACCN), Nicaragua. In both cases, communities are struggling to enforce their rights as powerful external groups seek to expand cattle ranching, cash crops, tourism, and oil exploration. We found evidence that community forestry can generate significant socio-economic benefits that, along with contributions to forest conservation, substantiate the communities’ claim for strengthened and extended community forest stewardship. We selected six community forest enterprises (CFEs) along a business development gradient and assessed their context, economic viability, and livelihood benefits among randomly selected CFE members (n=180). Adopting an asset lens, we determined human, social, natural, physical and financial capital endowments at household and enterprise levels. Enterprise assets varied widely, both within and across countries. CFEs were well endowed with natural capital (7,000–54,000 ha of broadleaf forests) but highly dependent on precious woods, such as mahogany ( Swietenia macropylla ) or andiroba ( Carapa guianensis ). Human capital was sufficiently developed for managing forests, but less so for processing wood and doing business. Social capital has been built in Guatemala through internal organisation, bringing CFEs under the umbrella of a regional association, and developing relationships with buyers. In Nicaragua, however, building of social capital has been insufficient for inducing a self-sustaining process of CFE development. Physical capital for logging and wood processing was moderate but, in Guatemala, conditions facilitate significant value adding. CFEs there were profitable, while those in the RACCN struggled to break even. Household assets varied widely but, in the MBR, we found evidence that forest-based income can lift people out of poverty. Our analyses reveal that critical success factors for community forestry to reduce poverty, conserve forests and enhance equity are: secure long-term forest usufruct rights or ownership, efficient business organisation, credible advocacy, a conducive service environment, and differentiated opportunities for women, men and youth

Apoptosis-Inducing TNF Superfamily Ligands for Cancer Therapy

Cancer is a complex disease with apoptosis evasion as one of its hallmarks; therefore, apoptosis induction in transformed cells seems a promising approach as a cancer treatment. TNF apoptosis-inducing ligands, which are naturally present in the body and possess tumoricidal activity, are attractive candidates. The most studied proteins are TNF-α, FasL, and TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL). Over the years, different recombinant TNF family-derived apoptosis-inducing ligands and agonists have been designed. Their stability, specificity, and half-life have been improved because most of the TNF ligands have the disadvantages of having a short half-life and affinity to more than one receptor. Here, we review the outlook on apoptosis-inducing ligands as cancer treatments in diverse preclinical and clinical stages and summarize strategies of overcoming their natural limitations to improve their effectiveness

Al2o3 Coated With 3-n-propyl-1-azonia-4-azabicyclo[2. 2.2]octane Silsesquioxane Chloride And Its Use For Immobilization Of Cobalt(ii) Tetrasulfonated Phthalocyanine In Oxalic Acid Electrooxidation

A water-soluble polymer prepared by sol-gel process, 3-n-propyl-1-azonia-4- azabicyclo[2.2.2]octane silsesquioxane chloride, was adsorbed on alumina surface. This polymer-coated alumina was able to effectively immobilize cobalt(II) tetrasulfonated phthalocyanine complexes as counter ions. Cobalt phthalocyanine immobilized in this way is well and tightly adsorbed on Al 2O3/3-n-propyl-1-azonia-4-azabicyclo[2.2.2]octane silsesquioxane chloride surface. Furthermore, when incorporated to a carbon paste electrode showed a good electrocatalytic response toward the acid oxalic oxidation, making it a suitable electrode material. A linear relationship (r = 0.998) between the current responses obtained by chronoamperometric measurements and the oxalic acid concentration in the range of 7.4 × 10-5 - 9.1 × 10-4 mol L-1 was observed. A detection limit of 18 μmol L-1 was also determined. ©2008 Sociedade Brasileira de Química.194755761Templin, M., Franck, A., Du Chesne, A., Leist, H., Zhang, Y., Ulrich, R., Schädler, V., Wiesner, U., (1997) Science, 278, p. 1795Lee, K., Itharaju, R.R., Puleo, D.A., (2007) Acta Biomaterialia, 3, p. 515Yuan, J., Zhou, S., You, B., Wu, L., (2005) Chem. Mater, 17, p. 3587Fujiwara, M., Nishiyama, M., Yamamura, I., Ohtsuki, S., Nomura, R., (2004) Anal. Chem, 76, p. 2374Sayari, A., Hamoudi, S., (2001) Chem. Mater, 13, p. 3151Tien, P., Chau, L.K., Shieh, Y.Y., Lin, W.C., Wei, G.T., (2001) Chem. Mater, 13, p. 1124Gushikem, Y., Alfaya, R.V.S., Alfaya, A.A.S., (1998) Br PI, , 9.803.053-AArenas, L.T., Langaro, A., Gushikem, Y., (2003) J. Sol-Gel Sc. Tech, 28, p. 51Tundo, P., Venturello, P., Angeletti, E., (1982) J. Am. Chem. Soc, 104, p. 6547Wotring, V.J., Johnson, D.M., Bachas, L.G., (1990) Anal. Chem, 62, p. 1506Scindia, Y.M., Pandey, A.K., Reddy, A.V.R., (2005) J. Membr. Sci, 249, p. 143Arenas, L.T., Vaghetti, J.C.P., Moro, C.C., Lima, E.C., Benvenutti, E.V., Costa, T.M.H., (2004) Mater. Lett, 58, p. 895Kobayasbit, J., Anson, F.C., (1991) J. Phys. Chem, 95, p. 2595Ribeiro, E.S., Gushikem, Y., (1999) Electroanalysis, 11, p. 1280Lucho, A.M.S., Pissetti, F.L., Gushikem, Y., (2004) J. Sol-Gel Sc. Tech, 275, p. 251Arenas, L.T., Aguirre, T.A.S., Langaro, A., Gushikem, Y., Benvenutti, E.V., Costa, T.M.H., (2003) Polymer, 44, p. 5521Castellani, A.M., Gonçalves, J.E., Gushikem, Y., (2002) J. New Mat. Electrochem. Syst, 5, p. 169Arenas, L.T., Dias, S.L.P., Moro, C.C., Costa, T.M.H., Benvenutti, E.V., Lucho, A.M.S., Gushikem, Y., (2006) J. Colloid Interface Sci, 297, p. 244Min Jin, Z., Jiang Pan, Y., Feng Li, X., Lin Hu, M., Shen, L., (2003) J. Mol. Struct, 660, p. 67Marzocchi, M.P., Sbrana, G., Zerbi, G., (1965) J. Am. Chem. Soc, 87, p. 1429Fidalgo, A., Ilharco, L.M., (2004) Chem. Eur. J, 10, p. 392Ray, S., Vasudevan, S., (2003) Inorg. Chem, 42, p. 1711Tackley, D.R., Dent, G., Smith, W.E., (2001) Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys, 3, p. 1419Anson, F.C., (1966) Anal. Chem, 38, p. 54Xuan, G.S., Jang, S., Kwag, G., Kim, S., (2005) Bull. Korean Chem. Soc, 26, p. 671Lucho, A.M.S., Oliveira, E.C., Pastore, H.O., Gushikem, Y., (2004) J. Electroanal. Chem, 73, p. 55Bard, A.J., Faulkner, L.R., (2001) Electrochemical Methods. Fundamentals and Applications, , 2nd ed, Wiley: New York, ch. 9Yamazaki, S., Yamada, Y., Fujiwara, N., Ioroi, T., Siroma, Z., Senoh, H., Yasuda, K., (2007) J. Electroanal. Chem, 602, p. 96Casella, I.G., (1999) Electrochim. Acta, 44, p. 3353Mandanas, M.M., Shaffer, W., Adair, J.H., (2002) J. Am. Ceram. Soc, 85, p. 2156Shaidarova, L.G., Chelnokova, I.A., Gedmina, A.V., Budnikov, G.K., Ziganshina, S.A., Mozhanova, A.A., Bukharaev, A.A., (2006) J. Anal. Chem, 61, p. 37

The Effect of Channel Errors in the Differential Pulse-Code-Modulation Transmission of Sampled Imagery

This Paper Presents an Analysis, Simulation, and Discussion of the Effects of Communication Errors on Four-Bit Differential Pulse-Code Modulation (DPCM) Sampled Imagery. Simulations Are Presented that Describe the Effects of Inserting Periodic PCM Updates in Order to Correct Communication Errors in the DPCM Transmission of Photographic Scenes that Have Been Scanned and Sampled at the Nyquist Rate. Copyright © 1971 by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc

A Business Model Assessment and Evaluation Framework for City Logistics Collaborative Strategic Decision Support

Several City Logistics (CL) initiatives have emerged in the last two decades with the aim to reduce the negative externalities of freight distribution in urban areas. Such initiatives can be public and/or private but need to not break or impeach current operations efficiency so to not hinder their profitability. In order to provide business value to CL initiatives and thus fostering their long-term success, it is necessary to understand the decision-making of private companies operating in the urban freight ecosystem. This paper proposes an ex-ante assessment and evaluation framework built around the concept of an ecosystem business modelling that includes the decision-making by CL stakeholders. A theoretical framework previously developed is extended to evaluate a collaborative business model of an Urban Consolidation Centre (UCC). Cost-Benefit analysis (CBA is used estimate the impact of the business model configuration. Finally, research and practice implications are also addressed

Specific requirements for MRE foundation analysis

PublishedMarine Renewable Energy (MRE) systems involve single or arrays of devices that are secured to the seafloor via foundations and/or anchors. These MRE devices will transmit long-term cyclic loads to the seafloor sediment or rock, which may affect seafloor material properties and hence the overall physical performance of the MRE system. The response of seafloor sediments or rock formations is uncertain for the novel MRE systems and especially large arrays of 10s to >1000s of devices. This report summarizes critical inputs and tools for the design and analysis of foundations, anchors, and the response of the seafloor materials. Followed by an introduction in Section 1, Section 2 reviews the offshore structure and MRE literature to highlight current approaches and needed inputs for assessing interactions between foundations or anchors and seafloor materials, including potential environmental impacts. Section 3 addresses relevant marine geological settings that control key geotechnical engineering properties. Data collection activities are described, including in-situ site surveys and laboratory testing. Section 4 considers the unique interactions between MRE systems and seafloor materials, particularly cyclic loading and sediment response. Section 5 describes analytical and numerical tools and associated inputs for the design process of MRE foundations and anchors. Constitutive models are key to simulating sediment response and thus are discussed in detail. Important summary tables relate key variables of geology, geotechnical parameters, foundation or anchor type, and quantitative assessment tools including numerical analysis. Section 5 also addresses the incorporation of the geotechnical analysis into system-level tools to support decision making for MRE arrays. Section 6 presents conclusions and recommendations for future work.European Commission’s 7th Framework; Grant agreement number: 60859