Tree pattern mining with tree automata constraints

Most work on pattern mining focuses on simple data structures such as itemsets and sequences of itemsets. However, a lot of recent applications dealing with complex data like chemical compounds, protein structures, XML and Web log databases and social networks, require much more sophisticated data structures such as trees and graphs. In these contexts, interesting patterns involve not only frequent object values (labels) appearing in the graphs (or trees) but also frequent specific topologies found in these structures. Recently, several techniques for tree and graph mining have been proposed in the literature. In this paper, we focus on constraint-based tree pattern mining. We propose to use tree automata as a mechanism to specify user constraints over tree patterns. We present the algorithm CoBMiner which allows user constraints specified by a tree automata to be incorporated in the mining process. An extensive set of experiments executed over synthetic and real data (XML documents and Web usage logs) allows us to conclude that incorporating constraints during the mining process is far more effective than filtering the interesting patterns after the mining process.     

SVM practical industrial application for mechanical faults diagnostic

A large percentage of the total induction motor failures are due to mechanical faults. It is well known that, machine’s vibration is the best indicator of its overall mechanical condition, and an earliest indicator of arising defects. Support vector machines (SVM) is also well known as intelligent classifier with strong generalization ability. In this paper, both, machine‘s vibrations and SVM are used together for a new intelligent mechanical fault diagnostic method. Using only one vibration sensor and only four SVM’s it was achieved improved results over the available approaches for this purpose in the literature. Therefore, this method becomes more attractive for on line monitoring without maintenance specialist intervention. Vibration signals turns out to occur in different directions (axial, horizontal or vertical) depending on the type of the fault. Thus, to diagnose mechanical faults it is necessary to read signals at various positions or use more them one accelerometer. From this work we also determined the best position for signals acquisition, which is very important information for the maintenance task.     

Anodic stripping voltammetric determination of copper(II) using a functionalized carbon nanotubes paste electrode modified with crosslinked chitosan

The development and application of a functionalized carbon nanotubes paste electrode (CNPE) modified with crosslinked chitosan for determination of Cu(II) in industrial wastewater, natural water and human urine samples by linear scan anodic stripping voltammetry (LSASV) are described. Different electrodes were constructed using chitosan and chitosan crosslinked with glutaraldehyde (CTS-GA) and epichlorohydrin (CTS-ECH). The best voltammetric response for Cu(II) was obtained with a paste composition of 65% (m/m) of functionalized carbon nanotubes, 15% (m/m) of CTS-ECH, and 20% (m/m) of mineral oil using a solution of 0.05 mol L⁻¹ KNO₃ with pH adjusted to 2.25 with HNO₃, an accumulation potential of −0.3 V vs. Ag/AgCl (3.0 mol L⁻¹ KCl) for 300 s and a scan rate of 100 mV s⁻¹. Under these optimal experimental conditions, the voltammetric response was linearly dependent on the Cu(II) concentration in the range from 7.90 × 10⁻⁸ to 1.60 × 10⁻⁵ mol L⁻¹ with a detection limit of 1.00 × 10⁻⁸ mol L⁻¹. The samples analyses were evaluated using the proposed sensor and a good recovery of Cu(II) was obtained with results in the range from 98.0% to 104%. The analysis of industrial wastewater, natural water and human urine samples obtained using the proposed CNPE modified with CTS-ECH electrode and those obtained using a comparative method are in agreement at the 95% confidence level.     

Detection of Redundant Code Using R 2 D 2

We present the R ² D ² redundancy detector. R ² D ² identifies redundant code fragments in large software systems written in Lisp. For each pair of code fragments, R ² D ² uses a combination of techniques ranging from syntax-based analysis to semantics-based analysis, that detects positive and negative evidences regarding the redundancy of the analyzed code fragments. These evidences are combined according to a well-defined model and sufficiently redundant fragments are reported to the user. R ² D ² explores several techniques and heuristics to operate within reasonable time and space bounds and is designed to be extensible.     

How much nitrogen is fixed by biological symbiosis in tropical dry forests? 2. Herbs

Although biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) is considered the main input of N in mature and regenerating native tropical vegetation, it has seldom been quantified. Biomass and N accumulation and fixation were determined for spontaneously occurring herbaceous species in caatinga areas in four regeneration stages (2, 17, 39 and >50?years after abandonment from agricultural use). BNF was estimated using the ¹⁵N natural-abundance method. The 2-year regeneration area had the highest total herb (6,355?kg?ha^?1) and legume (262?kg?ha^?1) biomass production, N stocks (82?kg?ha^?1) and fixed N (5.0?kg?ha^?1). N₂-fixing legumes (nine species in the sampled area) contributed over 97?% of legume biomass in all areas. Macroptilium gracile added the largest amount of N (3.9?kg?ha^?1 in the 2-year regeneration area) because of its large biomass production (205?kg?ha^?1), although it was not the species with the highest proportion of fixed N (76?%). All of the N₂-fixing species obtained large proportions of their N from symbiosis, most of them more than 50?%.However, the amounts of fixed N per unit area were relatively low (0.22?C5.00?kg?ha^?1) because the biomass of N₂-fixing species was always less than 5?% of the total herb biomass.     

Energy harvesting with pairs of variable capacitors without control circuits

This work describes several electronic electrostatic generators that can be built using two pairs of complementary variable capacitors, in a way that dispenses control circuits for their operation. In all cases, a basic unstable generator based on an electrostatic charge multiplier is used to bias variable capacitors, and the current generated by these capacitors is then rectified and sent to the load. Experimental versions of the proposed generators were built using variable capacitors made with 3D-printing techniques, moved in a back-and-forth way by a small motor. As these generators operate at high impedance level, always with small currents, they are insensitive to the resistivity of the conductive plastic used to make the variable capacitors. Several new structures are presented, and their properties are evaluated theoretically and experimentally.     

Biocompatibility and cutaneous reactivity of cellulosic polysaccharide film in induced skin wounds in rats

The development of a skin substitute suitable for immediately performing the function of the lost dermis and epidermis could result in a positive impact on the treatment of patients with extensive skin lesions. A biopolymer film was applied to skin wounds to investigate the biocompatibility and cutaneous reaction and to test its activity as a mechanical barrier and conductor in the healing process. Forty Wistar rats of both sexes were used in the present study. Two excisions were performed in the dorsal part of the skin flaps. The polysaccharide film was applied over one of the incisions and other incision was washed with saline. The time spent for complete healing of both lesions was virtually the same in both groups, during 21 days of observation. The film remained attached to the bed of the exposed wound for an average period of 6 days. There were no statistically significant differences with regard to lesion measurement area at assessment times of 2nd, 7th and 14th postoperative days. At day 21, the scar area showed a significant difference (0.0229). After 40 days, all wounds were completely healed. No statistically significant differences were found between the histological parameters assessed in the experimental and control groups. The cellulosic polysaccharide film integrated well with the tissue showing high biocompatibility and low skin reactivity.     

Effects of porosity,dry unit weight,cement content and void/cement ratio on unconfined compressive strength of roof tile waste-silty soil mixtures

One of the conventional ways to improve the mechanical behavior of soils is to mix them with cementing agents such as cement, lime and fly ash. Recently, introduction to alternative materials or sub-products that can be adopted to improve the soil strength is of paramount importance. Therefore, the present study aims to investigate the effects of porosity (η), dry unit weight (γ_d) of molding, cement content (C) and porosity/volumetric cement content ratio (η/C_iv) or void/cement ratio on the unconfined compressive strength (q_u or UCS) of silty soil–roof tile waste (RT) mixtures. Soil samples are molded into four different dry unit weights (i.e. 13 kN/m³, 13.67 kN/m³, 14.33 kN/m³ and 15 kN/m³) using 3%, 6% and 9% cement and 5%, 15% and 30% RT. The results show that with the addition of cement, the strength of the RT–soil mixtures increases in a linear manner. On the other hand, the addition of RT decreases q_u of the samples at a constant percentage of cement, and the decrease in porosity can increase q_u. A dosage equation is derived from the experimental data using the porosity/volumetric cement content ratio (η/C_iv) where the control variables are the moisture content, crushed tile content, cement content and porosity.