Efficient image retrieval by fuzzy rules from boosting and metaheuristic

Fast content-based image retrieval is still a challenge for computer systems. We present a novel method aimed at classifying images by fuzzy rules and local image features. The fuzzy rule base is generated in the first stage by a boosting procedure. Boosting meta-learning is used to find the most representative local features. We briefly explore the utilization of metaheuristic algorithms for the various tasks of fuzzy systems optimization. We also provide a comprehensive description of the current best-performing DISH algorithm, which represents a powerful version of the differential evolution algorithm with effective embedded mechanisms for stronger exploration and preservation of the population diversity, designed for higher dimensional and complex optimization tasks. The algorithm is used to fine-tune the fuzzy rule base. The fuzzy rules can also be used to create a database index to retrieve images similar to the query image fast. The proposed approach is tested on a state-of-the-art image dataset and compared with the bag-of-features image representation model combined with the Support Vector Machine classification. The novel method gives a better classification accuracy, and the time of the training and testing process is significantly shorter. © 2020 Marcin Korytkowski et al., published by Sciendo.program of the Polish Minister of Science and Higher Education under the name "Regional Initiative of Excellence" in the years 2019-2022 [020/RID/2018/19

Повышение эффективности коррозионной защиты магистральных трубопроводов в грунтах с высокой коррозионной активностью

В работе изложен анализ существующих методов борьбы с коррозионными разрушениями трубопроводов в грунтах с высокой коррозионной активностью. В процессе исследования проводились: изучение теоретических основ процессов коррозионных разрушений; выявление факторов, оказывающих наибольшее влияние на возникновение коррозионных процессов; рассмотрение методов пассивной и активной защиты трубопроводов от коррозии. В результате исследования: произведен расчет электрохимической защиты. Область применения: линейная часть магистрального трубопровода.The article presents an analysis of existing methods for combating corrosion damage to pipelines in soils with increased corrosive activity. In the course of the research, the following were carried out: study of the theoretical foundations of corrosion destruction processes; identification of factors that have the greatest impact on the occurrence of corrosion processes; consideration of methods of passive and active protection of pipelines from corrosion. As a result of the research: the calculation of the electrochemical protection was made. Scope: linear part of the main pipeline

An enigmatic hypoplastic defect of the maxillary lateral incisor in recent and fossil orangutans from Sumatra (Pongo abelii) and Borneo (Pongo pygmaeus)

Developmental dental pathologies provide insight into health of primates during ontogeny, and are particularly useful for elucidating the environment in which extant and extinct primates matured. Our aim is to evaluate whether the prevalence of an unusual dental defect on the mesiolabial enamel of the upper lateral incisor, thought to reflect dental crowding during maturation, is lesser in female orangutans, with their smaller teeth, than in males; and in Sumatran orangutans, from more optimal developmental habitats, than in those from Borneo. Our sample includes 49 Pongo pygmaeus (87 teeth), 21 P. abelii (38 teeth), Late Pleistocene paleo-orangutans from Sumatra and Vietnam (67 teeth), Late Miocene catarrhines Lufengpithecus lufengensis (2 teeth), and Anapithecus hernyaki (7 teeth). Methods include micro-CT scans, radiography, and dental metrics of anterior teeth. We observed fenestration between incisor crypts and marked crowding of unerupted crowns, which could allow tooth-to-tooth contact. Tooth size does not differ significantly in animals with or without the defect, implicating undergrowth of the jaw as the proximate cause of dental crowding and defect presence. Male orangutans from both islands show more defects than do females. The defect is significantly more common in Bornean orangutans (71 %) compared to Sumatran (29 %). Prevalence among fossil forms falls between these extremes, except that all five individual Anapithecus show one or both incisors with the defect. We conclude that maxillary lateral incisor defect is a common developmental pathology of apes that is minimized in optimal habitats and that such evidence can be used to infer habitat quality in extant and fossil apes

Early Geometrical Thinking in the Environment of Patterns, Mosaics and Isometries

This book discusses the learning and teaching of geometry, with a special focus on kindergarten and primary education. It examines important new trends and developments in research and practice, and emphasizes theoretical, empirical and developmental issues. Further, it discusses various topics, including curriculum studies and implementation, spatial abilities and geometric reasoning, as well as the psychological roots of geometrical thinking and teacher preparation in geometry education. It considers these issues from historical, epistemological, cognitive semiotic and educational points of view in the context of students' difficulties and the design of teaching and curricula

Model-Derived Dispersal Pathways from Multiple Source Populations Explain Variability of Invertebrate Larval Supply

Background: Predicting the spatial and temporal patterns of marine larval dispersal and supply is a challenging task due to the small size of the larvae and the variability of oceanographic processes. Addressing this problem requires the use of novel approaches capable of capturing the inherent variability in the mechanisms involved. Methodology/Principal Findings: In this study we test whether dispersal and connectivity patterns generated from a biophysical model of larval dispersal of the crab Carcinus maenas, along the west coast of the Iberian Peninsula, can predict the highly variable daily pattern of wind-driven larval supply to an estuary observed during the peak reproductive season (March–June) in 2006 and 2007. Cross-correlations between observed and predicted supply were significant (p,0.05) and strong, ranging from 0.34 to 0.81 at time lags of 26 to+5 d. Importantly, the model correctly predicted observed cross-shelf distributions (Pearson r = 0.82, p,0.001, and r = 0.79, p,0.01, in 2006 and 2007) and indicated that all supply events were comprised of larvae that had been retained within the inner shelf; larvae transported to the outer shelf and beyond never recruited. Estimated average dispersal distances ranged from 57 to 198 km and were only marginally affected by mortality. Conclusions/Significance: The high degree of predicted demographic connectivity over relatively large geographic scales is consistent with the lack of genetic structuring in C. maenas along the Iberian Peninsula. These findings indicate that the dynamic nature of larval dispersal can be captured by mechanistic biophysical models, which can be used to provid

Towards Comprehensive Foundations of Computational Intelligence

Abstract. Although computational intelligence (CI) covers a vast variety of different methods it still lacks an integrative theory. Several proposals for CI foundations are discussed: computing and cognition as compression, meta-learning as search in the space of data models, (dis)similarity based methods providing a framework for such meta-learning, and a more general approach based on chains of transformations. Many useful transformations that extract information from features are discussed. Heterogeneous adaptive systems are presented as particular example of transformation-based systems, and the goal of learning is redefined to facilitate creation of simpler data models. The need to understand data structures leads to techniques for logical and prototype-based rule extraction, and to generation of multiple alternative models, while the need to increase predictive power of adaptive models leads to committees of competent models. Learning from partial observations is a natural extension towards reasoning based on perceptions, and an approach to intuitive solving of such problems is presented. Throughout the paper neurocognitive inspirations are frequently used and are especially important in modeling of the higher cognitive functions. Promising directions such as liquid and laminar computing are identified and many open problems presented.

Британсько-словацькі торгові відносини: наслідки BREXIT

Наслідки виходу Великобританії з Європейського Союзу наразі досліджуються низкою вчених. При цьому значна частина дослідждень присвячено питанням подальшого економічного розвитку Великобританії в умовах трансформаційних процесів. У статті визначено, що домовленості та рішення європейських та британських урядів є висхідною точкою майбутньої співпраці між двома суб'єктами. Основною метою статті є аналіз розвитку торговельних відносин між Великобританією та Словаччиною в умовах трансформаційних процесів викликаних BREXIT. Автором проаналізовано вплив BREXIT на економіку Словаччини та її конкурентоспроможність на міжнародній арені. У статті визначено особливості процесу BREXIT, його наслідки та їх вплив на подальше функціонування Словаччини, Великобританії та ЄС в цілому. Інформаційну базу дослідження сформовано на основі статистичних даних про результати торговельно-економічних відносин Великобританії та Словаччини, досліджень наукових та фахових видань. Для досягнення поставленої мети авторами використано такі методи дослідження, як: аналіз та порівняння для визначення тенденцій розвитку торговельних відносин між Великобританією та Словаччиною; синтезу при оцінюванні впливу BREXIT на економічний стан Словаччини. Емпіричні результати дослідження свідчать, що "жорсткі умови" BREXIT матимуть негативний вплив на розвиток словацької зовнішньої торгівлі. Визначено, що найбільш суттєвий вплив матиме введення нових митних тарифів, що спровокує зниження обсягу товарів та послуг, які експортуються Словаччиною до Великобританії. Отримані результати підтверджують та теоретично доводять, що процеси BREXIT спровокують уповільнення розвитку економіки Словаччини. Авторами наголошено, що процеси BREXIT матимуть негативний вплив не лише на розвиток британської та європейської економіки, але й світової. Вплив BREXIT на економіку Словаччини проявлятиметься не лише у зниженні темпів її зростання, а й у підвищенні цін.The possibility of the UK's withdrawal from the European Union has never been more realistic and upto-date since joining the European Communities (EC) as it is today. The UK is facing a unique situation. At present, this depends solely on the capabilities of European and British government officials, who negotiate the terms of withdrawal and future cooperation between the two entities. The main goal of this paper is based on the British – Slovak trade relations development analysis to figure out their impact within the Brexit consequences on the future Slovak economy and its current status in international economic relations. The paper also provides a basic overview of Brexit process and its possible impact on the EU's further functioning. Basic data will be drawn from generally accepted institutions, evaluating the UK and Slovak trade and economic performance. To accomplish this goal, methods such as analysis and comparison to illustrate the UK-Slovak foreign trade development, synthesis and logical deduction to discuss the Brexit impact on Slovak economic environment in the future are to be used; data from scientific and professional publications, periodical and non-periodical press. The paper presents the results of an empirical analysis, which showed that because of the size of economic relations between Slovakia and the United Kingdom and the number of goods and services being exported to the UK, the «hard» Brexit will be very unfavourable for Slovak foreign trade due to the possible tariffs being imposed. The research empirically confirms and theoretically proves that it can cause a significant weakening and slowdown in the Slovak economy. Either way, the upcoming Brexit process, that is the withdrawal of Great Britain from the European Union, would have a major impact not only on British, European but also on the world economy. The impact of Brexit on Slovakia's economy will not only be in reducing the possible growth of the economy, but also in employment and price increases

Influence of a carrier supply layer on carrier density and drift mobility of AlGaN/GaN/SiC high-electron-mobility transistors

Sheet carrier concentration and low-field drift mobility of intentionally undoped and modulation-doped AlGaN/GaN heterostructures on SiC substrate were evaluated by capacitance-voltage and channel conductivity measurements. Sheet carrier concentration and average mobility at 0 V gate bias correspond to standard Hall results. Sheet carrier density increases from 6.8x10(12) cm(-2) for the undoped sample up to 1x10(13) cm(-2) for the device with the highest doping concentration, while the mobility decreases from 1800 to 1620 cm(2)/V s. The local mobility, on the other hand, depends only on the actual sheet carrier density and is not influenced by the doping concentration of the carrier supply layer. It reaches a maximum value of 2100 cm(2)/V s at a carrier density of 3x10(12) cm(-2). (C) 2004 American Institute of Physics