Educational recommender systems and their application in lifelong learning

The almost unlimited access to educational information plethora came with a drawback: finding meaningful material is not a straightforward task anymore. Recommender algorithms can be used to make smart decisions in complex information systems and help the users decide upon useful materials; therefore, they become a promising area in academia and industry. The current paper presents a survey on educational recommender systems (RS): a set of analysis criteria are exposed and the technological specifications and challenges of each analysed system are provided, in the context of the main trends in the development of RS. Also, an ontology-based educational recommendation mechanism is proposed and its application to lifelong learning is highlighted, proving that RS can successfully support new learning paradigms.     

Lidar-based mapping of flood control levees in South Louisiana

Flood protection in south Louisiana is largely dependent on earthen levees, and in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina the state’s levee system has received intense scrutiny. Accurate elevation data along the levees are critical to local levee district managers responsible for monitoring and maintaining the extensive system of non-federal levees in coastal Louisiana. In 2012, high resolution airborne lidar data were acquired over levees in Lafourche Parish, Louisiana, and a mobile terrestrial lidar survey was conducted for selected levee segments using a terrestrial lidar scanner mounted on a truck. The mobile terrestrial lidar data were collected to test the feasibility of using this relatively new technology to map flood control levees and to compare the accuracy of the terrestrial and airborne lidar. Metrics assessing levee geometry derived from the two lidar surveys are also presented as an efficient, comprehensive method to quantify levee height and stability. The vertical root mean square error values of the terrestrial lidar and airborne lidar digital-derived digital terrain models were 0.038 m and 0.055 m, respectively. The comparison of levee metrics derived from the airborne and terrestrial lidar-based digital terrain models showed that both types of lidar yielded similar results, indicating that either or both surveying techniques could be used to monitor geomorphic change over time. Because airborne lidar is costly, many parts of the USA and other countries have never been mapped with airborne lidar, and repeat surveys are often not available for change detection studies. Terrestrial lidar provides a practical option for conducting repeat surveys of levees and other terrain features that cover a relatively small area, such as eroding cliffs or stream banks, and dunes.     

Hyper-arc consistency of polynomial constraints over finite domains using the modified Bernstein form

This paper describes an algorithm to enforce hyper-arc consistency of polynomial constraints defined over finite domains. First, the paper describes the language of so called polynomial constraints over finite domains, and it introduces a canonical form for such constraints. Then, the canonical form is used to transform the problem of testing the satisfiability of a constraint in a box into the problem of studying the sign of a related polynomial function in the same box, a problem which is effectively solved by using the modified Bernstein form of polynomials. The modified Bernstein form of polynomials is briefly discussed, and the proposed hyper-arc consistency algorithm is finally detailed. The proposed algorithm is a subdivision procedure which, starting from an initial approximation of the domains of variables, removes values from domains to enforce hyper-arc consistency.     

Working conditions in the engine department – A qualitative study among engine room personnel on board Swedish merchant ships

The specific problems associated with the work on board within the merchant fleet are well known and have over the years been a topic of discussion. The work conditions in the engine room (ER) are demanding due to, e.g. the thermal climate, noise and awkward working postures. The work in the engine control room (ECR) has over recent years undergone major changes, mainly due to the introduction of computers on board. In order to capture the impact these changes had implied, and also to investigate how the work situation has developed, a total of 20 engine officers and engine ratings were interviewed. The interviews were semi-structured and Grounded Theory was used for the data analysis. The aim of the present study was to describe how the engine crew perceive their work situation and working environment on board. Further, the aim was to identify areas for improvements which the engine crew consider especially important for a safe and effective work environment. The result of the study shows that the design of the ECR and ER is crucial for how different tasks are performed. Design which does not support operational procedures and how tasks are performed risk inducing inappropriate behaviour as the crew members’ are compelled to find alternative ways to perform their tasks in order to get the job done. These types of behaviour can induce an increased risk of exposure to hazardous substances and the engine crew members becoming injured.     

Supporting Different Dimensions of Adaptability in Workflow Modeling

This paper discusses the theme of workflow systemadaptability in relation to process modeling. Startingfrom a discussion on the role of formal constructs incooperation, the main claim is that adaptabilityinvolves different dimensions of process modeling.These dimensions concern the possibility to flexiblycombine a rich set of basic categories in order toobtain the most suitable language for modeling thetarget business process and the work practices aroundit; to take into account various levels of visibilityof the contexts of definition and use of a processmodel; and finally to allow for temporary as well aspermanent modifications of the process itself.Ariadne, a notation conceived for the above purpose,is illustrated by means of a working example.Moreover, the paper presents the main designprinciples governing Ariadne's implementation.     

The introduction of sit-stand worktables; aspects of attitudes, compliance and satisfaction

The introduction of sit-stand worktables was examined in this study. Purchasers at four companies were interviewed regarding preparations prior to purchase, follow-up after installation, and if expectations had been fulfilled. Personnel at the four companies answered a questionnaire examining use of the worktables' sit-stand function, and the influence of some variables on this. Utilisation of the sit-stand function was less than what could be expected to relieve static musculoskeletal loading during VDU work. Pain experienced during the past year, and education on the use of the worktable gave rise to modest increases in utilisation. Investment in sit-stand worktables was satisfactory to purchasers, in terms of providing flexible furniture to suit modern organisational dynamics. Users were, in general, positive to the worktables, but showed poor compliance in using them. User and purchaser satisfaction with regard to improving individual health ergonomics was questionable in respect of the low level of usage.     

Differential nanofiller cluster formations in dental adhesive systems

Nanofillers are added to dental adhesives to improve mechanical properties of the hybrid layer. Ethanol or water added to the demineralized dentin to improve adhesive infiltration may produce filler aggregation. OBJECTIVE: To assess the effect of 5 vol% water or ethanol addition on nanoparticles distribution in dental adhesives. METHODS: Six available commercial adhesives systems were selected: Clearfil SE Bond (CSE), Clearfil Protect Bond (CPB), FL‐Bond (FLB), Clearfil S3 (CS3), Bond Force (BF), One Up Bond F plus (OUB), and an experimental adhesive system without filler (EXP). Polymer films were obtained by adding 0 (control) or 5 vol% water or ethanol into the bonding resins. Preparations were light‐cured (40 s). Three specimens were analyzed for each mixture. Three phases and 3D images were taken from each specimen by means of an atomic force microscope in taping mode (TM/AFM). Cluster sizes and surface nanoroughness were assessed. RESULTS: Control specimens from CSE, FLB, OUB, and BF presented clusters. The addition of solvents lead to particles aggregation in tested bonding resins. Ethanol addition produced more aggregates, particularly in adhesives containing fluoraluminosilicate as fillers. CONCLUSIONS: Nanofillers aggregation occurred in all adhesive systems in presence of additional solvents. In general, aggregate sizes were higher after the addition of ethanol. Formed clusters size values are always above the dimensions of the spaces existing between the demineralized collagen fibers. Microsc. Res. Tech. 75:749–757, 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Predictable service overlay networks: Predictability through adaptive monitoring and efficient overlay construction and management

Providing bounded communication among participating nodes is significant for distributed systems. Internet-based applications suffer with lower performance due to absence of bounded latency. We describe PSON, an overlay network solution to this challenging problem. PSON has two components. The monitoring component, SyncProbe, utilizes efficient and adaptive monitoring techniques to measure latency, detect packet loss, and provide real-time estimates of maximum expected latency along paths of an Internet substrate. The QoSMap component constructs and manages overlay such that it yields application-level QoS and provides resilience against network failures. A distinctive feature of QoSMap is construction of QoS-compliant backup paths which facilitate in overlay management and operation during the period when primary overlay paths violate QoS. We evaluate PSON on PlanetLab to provide predictable communication for applications with different topology and QoS requirement. Our experiments confirm the effectiveness of PSON in providing an inexpensive and efficient application-layer solution to Internet’s unpredictable behavior.     

A mobility constraint model to infer sensor behaviour in forest fire risk monitoring

Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) play an important role in forest fire risk monitoring. Various applications are in operation. However, the use of mobile sensors in forest risk monitoring remains largely unexplored. Our research contributes to fill this gap by designing a model which abstracts mobility constraints within different types of contexts for the inference of mobile sensor behaviour. This behaviour is focused on achieving a suitable spatial coverage of the WSN when monitoring forest fire risk. The proposed mobility constraint model makes use of a Bayesian network approach and consists of three components: (1) a context typology describing different contexts in which a WSN monitors a dynamic phenomenon; (2) a context graph encoding probabilistic dependencies among variables of interest; and (3) contextual rules encoding expert knowledge and application requirements needed for the inference of sensor behaviour. As an illustration, the model is used to simulate the behaviour of a mobile WSN to obtain a suitable spatial coverage in low and high fire risk scenarios. It is shown that the implemented Bayesian network within the mobility constraint model can successfully infer behaviour such as sleeping sensors, moving sensors, or deploying more sensors to enhance spatial coverage. Furthermore, the mobility constraint model contributes towards mobile sensing in which the mobile sensor behaviour is driven by constraints on the state of the phenomenon and the sensing system.