Academic literature on the topic 'Best view selection'

Materialized views are queries whose results are stored and maintained in order to facilitate access to data in their underlying base tables of extremely large databases. Selecting the best materialized views for a given query workload is a hard problem. Studies on view selection have considered sharing common sub expressions and other multi-query optimization techniques. Multi-Query Optimization is a well-studied domain in traditional and advanced databases. It aims at optimizing a workload of queries by finding and reusing common sub-expression between queries. Finding the best shared expression is known as a NP-hard problem. The shared expressions usually identified by graph structure have been used to be candidate for materialized views. This shows the strong interdependency between the problems of materialized view selection (PVS) and multi query optimization (PMQO), since the PVS uses the graph structure of the PMQO. Exploring the existing works on PVS considering the interaction between PVS and PMQO figures two main categories of studies: (i) those considering the PMQO as a black box where the output is the graph and (ii) those preparing the graph to guide the materialized view selection process. In this category, the graph generation is based on individual query plans, an approach that does not scale, especially with the explosion of Big Data applications requiring large number of complex queries with high interaction. To ensure a scalable solution, this work proposes a new technique to generate a global processing plan without using individual plans by borrowing techniques used in the electronic design automation (EDA) domain. This paper first presents a rich state of art regarding the PVS and a classification of the most important existing work. Secondly, an analogy between the MQO problem and the EDA domain, in which large circuits are manipulated, is established. Thirdly, it proposes to model the problem with hypergraphs which are massively used to design and test integrated circuits. Fourthly, it proposes a deterministic algorithm to select materialized views using the global processing plan. Finally, experiments are conducted to show the scalability of our approach.

In most machine learning (ML) applications, data that arrive from heterogeneous views (i.e., multiple heterogeneous sources of data) are more likely to provide complementary information than does a single view. Hence, these are known as multi-view data. In real-world applications, such as web clustering, data arrive from diverse groups (i.e., sets of features) and therefore have heterogeneous properties. Each feature group is referred to as a particular view. Although multi-view learning provides complementary information for machine learning algorithms, it results in high dimensionality. However, to reduce the dimensionality, feature selection is an efficient method that can be used to select only the representative features of the views so to reduce the dimensionality. In this paper, an unsupervised feature selection for online dynamic multi-views (UFODMV) is developed, which is a novel and efficient mechanism for the dynamic selection of features from multi-views in an unsupervised stream. UFODMV consists of a clustering-based feature selection mechanism enabling the dynamic selection of representative features and a merging process whereby both features and views are received incrementally in a streamed fashion over time. The experimental evaluation demonstrates that the UFODMV model has the best classification accuracy with values of 20% and 50% compared with well-known single-view and multi-view unsupervised feature selection methods, namely OMVFS, USSSF, and SPEC.

Most multi-view based human pose estimation techniques assume the cameras are fixed. While in dynamic scenes, the cameras should be able to move and seek the best views to avoid occlusions and extract 3D information of the target collaboratively. In this paper, we address the problem of online view selection for a fixed number of cameras to estimate multi-person 3D poses actively. The proposed method exploits a distributed multi-agent based deep reinforcement learning framework, where each camera is modeled as an agent, to optimize the action of all the cameras. An inter-agent communication protocol was developed to transfer the cameras’ relative positions between agents for better collaboration. Experiments on the Panoptic dataset show that our method outperforms other view selection methods by a large margin given an identical number of cameras. To the best of our knowledge, our method is the first to address online active multi-view 3D pose estimation with multi-agent reinforcement learning.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to report a study in which analytical network process (ANP) was used for selecting the best concept from sustainability view point. Design/methodology/approach – The concept selection in the sustainability viewpoint is a typical multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) problem involving complex interrelationship among the decision criteria. The formulated MCDM problem of sustainable concept selection was solved using ANP. The sensitivity analysis was also being conducted to validate the results. Findings – The interrelationship among the decision criteria was analyzed using ANP, and the best alternative was selected based on the computation of Product Sustainability Weighted Index (PSWI). The selected best alternative was subjected to implementation in the case organization. Research limitations/implications – The study deals with the formulation of sustainable concept selection as a typical MCDM problem and providing solutions using ANP. The best alternative “weight reduction” was subjected to implementation. The developed MCDM problem also could be solved using hybrid MCDM methods. Practical implications – The study focuses on selecting the best sustainability concept for an Indian automotive component manufacturing organization. Hence, the inferences being derived from the study are practically feasible and contribute toward the improvement of product sustainability. Originality/value – The formulation of a hierarchical model for sustainable concept selection as MCDM problem and generating solution using ANP is the contribution of the authors.

A wind turbine generator output at a specific site depends on many factors, particularly cut- in, rated and cut-out wind speed parameters. Hence power output varies from turbine to turbine. The objective of this paper is to develop a mathematical relationship between reliability and wind power generation. The analytical computation of monthly wind power is obtained from weibull statistical model using cubic mean cube root of wind speed. Reliability calculation is based on failure probability analysis. There are many different types of wind turbinescommercially available in the market. From reliability point of view, to get optimum reliability in power generation, it is desirable to select a wind turbine generator which is best suited for a site. The mathematical relationship developed in this paper can be used for site-matching turbine selection in reliability point of view.

Materialized View Selection is one of the most studied problems in the database field, covering SQL and NoSQL technologies as well as different deployment infrastructures (centralized, parallel, cloud). This problem has become more complex with the arrival of data warehouses, being coupled with the physical de sign phase that aims at optimizing query performance. Selecting the best set of materialized views to optimize query performance is a challenging task. Given their importance and the complexity of their selection, several research efforts both from academia and industry have been conducted. Results are promising - some solutions are being implemented by commercial and open-source DBMSs -, but they do not factor in the following properties of nowadays analytical queries: (i) large scale queries, (ii) their dynamicity, and (iii) their high interaction. Studies to date fail to consider that complete set of properties. Considering the three properties simultaneously is crucial regarding today?s analytical requirements, which involve dynamic and interactive queries. In this paper, we first present a concise state of the art of the materialized view selection problem (VSP) by analyzing its ecosystem. Secondly, we propose a proactive re-selection approach that considers the three properties concurrently. It features twomain phases: offline and online. In the offline phase, we manage a set of the first queries based on a given threshold _ by selecting materialized views through a hypergraph structure. The second phase manages the addition of new queries by scheduling them, updates the structure of the hypergraph, and selects new views by eliminating the least beneficial ones. Finally, extensive experiments are conducted using the Star Schema Benchmark data set to evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of our approach.

Materialized view selection (MVS) plays a vital role for efficiently making decisions in a data warehouse. This problem is NP-hard and constrained optimization problem. The authors have handled both the space and maintenance cost constraint using penalty functions. Three penalty function methods i.e. static, dynamic and adaptive penalty functions have been used for handling constraints and Backtracking Search Optimization algorithm (BSA) has been used for optimizing the total query processing cost. Experiments were conducted comparing the static, dynamic and adaptive penalty functions on varying the space constraint. The adaptive penalty function method yields the best results in terms of minimum query processing cost and achieves the optimality, scalability and feasibility of the problem on varying the lattice dimensions and on increasing the number of user queries. The authors proposed work has been compared with other evolutionary algorithms i.e. PSO and genetic algorithm and yields better results in terms of minimum total query processing cost of the materialized views.

Most of the microbiome studies suggest that using ensemble models such as Random Forest results in best predictive power. In this study, we empirically evaluate a more powerful ensemble learning algorithm, multi-view stacked generalization, on pediatric inflammatory bowel disease and adult colorectal cancer patients’ cohorts. We aim to check whether stacking would lead to better results compared to using a single best machine learning algorithm. Stacking achieves the best test set Average Precision (AP) on inflammatory bowel disease dataset reaching AP = 0.69, outperforming both the best base classifier (AP = 0.61) and the baseline meta learner built on top of base classifiers (AP = 0.63). On colorectal cancer dataset, the stacked classifier also outperforms (AP = 0.81) both the best base classifier (AP = 0.79) and the baseline meta learner (AP = 0.75). Stacking achieves best predictive performance on test set outperforming the best classifiers on both patient cohorts. Application of the stacking solves the issue of choosing the most appropriate machine learning algorithm by automating the model selection procedure. Clinical application of such a model is not limited to diagnosis task only, but it also can be extended to biomarker selection thanks to feature selection procedure.

The purpose with the thesis was to create a general model that can help companies to take the best decision when it comes

to improving the quality of an object. The model was created to solve the problem formulation; How to find the best way to

improve the quality of an object, focusing primarily on the relationship between cost and quality but also take other

important aspects into consideration. Before the model was created a literature study was performed in ELIN without any

useable result. After the literature study was performed quality models like Quality Function Deployment (QFD) and Total

Quality Management (TQM) were studied. The study of QFD and TQM showed that they are somewhat complicated and

often consider the entire organisation. Simple Quality Model is a smaller model and focuses only at one object at a time.

TQM and QFD have however been good inspiration for the creation of SQM. The model was tested in a real-time situation

at Saab Communication. Together with Saab Communication we decided to apply SQM to the Swedish defence telenetwork

(FTN). In FTN the model was tested at the basic connections. SQM generated 7 different alternatives to improve

the dependability in a basic connection. After the application of SQM it showed that alternative 7 was the best alternative.

Alternative 7 was to decrease the switch over time. The switch over is today not handled by a special employee and is

instead shared among several workers. By employing two new employees there is a possibility to lower the switch over time

with 50% down from today’s 60 minutes to 30. To implement this alternative would bring a cost of 5 374 034 SEK and a

quality increase of 0,1398955% for the basic connections in the Swedish defence tele-network.

La present tesi doctoral s’ha centrat en el repte d’aconseguir, mitjançant Fabricació Additiva (FA), models per a assaig quirúrgic, sota la premissa que els equips per fer-los haurien de ser accessibles a l’àmbit hospitalari. L’objectiu és facilitar l’extensió de l’ús dels prototips com a eina de preparació d’operacions quirúrgiques, transformant la pràctica mèdica actual de la mateixa manera que en el seu moment ho van fer tecnologies com les que van facilitar l’ús de radiografies. El motiu d’utilitzar FA, en lloc de tecnologies més tradicionals, és la seva capacitat de materialitzar de forma directa les dades digitals obtingudes de l’anatomia del pacient mitjançant sistemes d’escanejat tridimensional, fent possible l’obtenció de models personalitzats. Els resultats es centren en la generació de nou coneixement sobre com aconseguir equipaments d’impressió 3D multimaterials accessibles que permetin l’obtenció de models mimètics respecte als teixits vius. Per facilitar aquesta buscada extensió de la tecnologia, s’ha focalitzat en les tecnologies de codi obert com la Fabricació per Filament Fos (FFF) i similars basades en líquids catalitzables. La recerca s’alinea dins l’activitat de desenvolupament de la FA al CIM UPC, i en aquest àmbit concret amb la col·laboració amb l’Hospital Sant Joan de Déu de Barcelona (HSJD). El primer bloc de la tesi inclou la descripció de l’estat de l’art, detallant les tecnologies existents i la seva aplicació a l’entorn mèdic. S’han establert per primer cop unes bases de caracterització dels teixits vius -sobretot tous- per donar suport a la selecció de materials que els puguin mimetitzar en un procés de FA, a efectes de millorar l’experiència d’assaig dels cirurgians. El caràcter rígid dels materials majoritàriament usats en impressió 3D els fa poc útils per simular tumors i altres referències anatòmiques. De forma successiva, es tracten paràmetres com la densitat, la viscoelasticitat, la caracterització dels materials tous a la indústria, l’estudi del mòdul elàstic de teixits tous i vasos, la duresa d’aquests, i requeriments com l’esterilització dels models. El segon bloc comença explorant la impressió 3D mitjançant FFF. Es classifiquen les variants del procés des del punt de vista de la multimaterialitat, essencial per fer models d’assaig quirúrgic, diferenciant entre solucions multibroquet i de barreja al capçal. S’ha inclòs l’estudi de materials (filaments i líquids) que serien més útils per mimetitzar teixits tous. Es constata com en els líquids, en comparació amb els filaments, la complexitat del treball en processos de FA és més elevada, i es determinen formes d’imprimir materials molt tous. Per acabar, s’exposen sis casos reals de col·laboració amb l’HJSD, una selecció d’aquells en els que el doctorand ha intervingut en els darrers anys. L’origen es troba en la dificultat de l’abordatge d’operacions de resecció de tumors infantils com el neuroblastoma, i a la iniciativa del Dr. Lucas Krauel. Finalment, el Bloc 3 té per objecte explorar nombrosos conceptes (fins a 8), activitat completada al llarg dels darrers cinc anys amb el suport dels mitjans del CIM UPC i de l’activitat associada a treballs finals d’estudis d’estudiants de la UPC, arribant-se a materialitzar equipaments experimentals per validar-los. La recerca ampla i sistemàtica al respecte fa que s’estigui més a prop de disposar d’una solució d’impressió 3D multimaterial de sobretaula. Es determina que la millor via de progrés és la de disposar d’una pluralitat de capçals independents a fi de capacitar la impressora 3D per integrar diversos conceptes estudiats, materialitzant-se una possible solució. Cloent la tesi, es planteja com seria un equipament d’impressió 3D per a models d’assaig quirúrgic, a fi de servir de base per a futurs desenvolupaments.
La presente tesis doctoral se ha centrado en el reto de conseguir, mediante Fabricación Aditiva (FA), modelos para ensayo quirúrgico, bajo la premisa que los equipos para obtenerlos tendrían que ser accesibles al ámbito hospitalario. El objetivo es facilitar la extensión del uso de modelos como herramienta de preparación de operaciones quirúrgicas, transformando la práctica médica actual de la misma manera que, en su momento, lo hicieron tecnologías como las que facilitaron el uso de radiografías. El motivo de utilizar FA, en lugar de tecnologías más tradicionales, es su capacidad de materializar de forma directa los datos digitales obtenidos de la anatomía del paciente mediante sistemas de escaneado tridimensional, haciendo posible la obtención de modelos personalizados. Los resultados se centran en la generación de nuevo conocimiento para conseguir equipamientos de impresión 3D multimateriales accesibles que permitan la obtención de modelos miméticos respecto a los tejidos vivos. Para facilitar la buscada extensión de la tecnología, se ha focalizado en las tecnologías de código abierto como la Fabricación por Hilo Fundido (FFF) y similares basadas en líquidos catalizables. Esta investigación se alinea dentro de la actividad de desarrollo de la FA en el CIM UPC, y en este ámbito concreto con la colaboración con el Hospital Sant Joan de Déu de Barcelona (HSJD). El primer bloque de la tesis incluye la descripción del estado del arte, detallando las tecnologías existentes y su aplicación al entorno médico. Se han establecido por primera vez unas bases de caracterización de los tejidos vivos – principalmente blandos – para dar apoyo a la selección de materiales que los puedan mimetizar en un proceso de FA, a efectos de mejorar la experiencia de ensayo de los cirujanos. El carácter rígido de los materiales mayoritariamente usados en impresión 3D los hace poco útiles para simular tumores y otras referencias anatómicas. De forma sucesiva, se tratan parámetros como la densidad, la viscoelasticidad, la caracterización de materiales blandos en la industria, el estudio del módulo elástico de tejidos blandos y vasos, la dureza de los mismos, y requerimientos como la esterilización de los modelos. El segundo bloque empieza explorando la impresión 3D mediante FFF. Se clasifican las variantes del proceso desde el punto de vista de la multimaterialidad, esencial para hacer modelos de ensayo quirúrgico, diferenciando entre soluciones multiboquilla y de mezcla en el cabezal. Se ha incluido el estudio de materiales (filamentos y líquidos) que serían más útiles para mimetizar tejidos blandos. Se constata como en los líquidos, en comparación con los filamentos, la complejidad del trabajo en procesos de FA es más elevada, y se determinan formas de imprimir materiales muy blandos. Para acabar, se exponen seis casos reales de colaboración con el HJSD, una selección de aquellos en los que el doctorando ha intervenido en los últimos años. El origen se encuentra en la dificultad del abordaje de operaciones de resección de tumores infantiles como el neuroblastoma, y en la iniciativa del Dr. Lucas Krauel. Finalmente, el Bloque 3 desarrolla numerosos conceptos (hasta 8), actividad completada a lo largo de los últimos cinco años con el apoyo de los medios del CIM UPC y de la actividad asociada a trabajos finales de estudios de estudiantes de la UPC, llegándose a materializar equipamientos experimentales para validarlos. La investigación amplia y sistemática al respecto hace que se esté más cerca de disponer de una solución de impresión 3D multimaterial de sobremesa. Se determina que la mejor vía de progreso es la de disponer de una pluralidad de cabezales independientes, a fin de capacitar la impresora 3D para integrar diversos conceptos estudiados, materializándose una posible solución. Para cerrar la tesis, se plantea cómo sería un equipamiento de impresión 3D para modelos de ensayo quirúrgico, a fin de servir de base para futuros desarrollos.

碩士
國立交通大學
網路工程研究所
107
Taking good photos for indoor scenes is important in business, such as housing market, room design and decoration, virtual reality and games, because the photos are used to attract customers. There have been many works presented to select the best view of a single object. Specifically, they analyze the target object and attempt to find a view that can capture the most salient points on the surface. These methods often focus on a single object. However, to take good photos for an indoor scene, we have to consider not only an object but also their relative positions. In addition, the definition of a good view is subjective and should not be measured by saliency. Therefore, we learn the way to take good photos by analyzing most viewed images on the Internet. Specifically, we apply the scene parsing technique to identify the furniture distributions on these most viewed images. Then, for each most viewed image, we search for a viewpoint in the indoor scene that have similar furniture distributions to the image. Since photos taken from an indoor scene can be many, yet these photos have similar views, we merge the photos by considering the camera positions, view angles, and the furniture distributions. We also rank the photos based on the numbers of the considered images, the referenced areas, and the furniture distributions.

Different views have been proposed about how Inference to the Best Explanation (IBE) and Bayesianism might be compatible with one another. One is a hybrid view, according to which explanatory considerations play a role in driving the Bayesian machinery. Another is an ‘emergent compatibilist’ view, in which an independently motivated Bayesian model of IBE is provided, so that explanatory considerations emerge from the Bayesian machinery rather than driving it. Specific scientific arguments can serve as test cases for these general views. The chapter argues that the case of Williams’ argument against group selection, discussed by Elliott Sober, is better understood with the emergent compatibilist picture, than with the hybrid view. This analysis of the case challenges Elliott Sober’s claim that the epistemic significance of appeals to the explanatory virtue of parsimony is highly case-specific. Instead, a more unified picture of IBE and its connection to Bayesianism is suggested.

This article shows how the material culture can sometimes be an even clearer lens through which scholars may view the Hittite imperial organization and modes of engagement. The evidence for the selective adoption of north-central Anatolian ceramic traditions in neighboring regions, changes and continuity in local settlement systems, the direction and intensity of Hittite administrative efforts, and the dialogue of territorial hegemony carried out via landscape monuments suggest that empire, rather than a monolithic entity, is best conceptualized as a complex web of interactions. Imperial–local relationships were less clear cut and in favor of all-encompassing central control than one might infer from the Hittite documents. Instead, we gain the impression of an ongoing process or negotiation of empire that is carried out on a range of different cultural, political, and social levels, and which is neither complete nor uncontested in its closest periphery and throughout its existence.

This book shows how a business version of rational leadership develops business corporations (and inspires people with confidence) by using the appropriate rational methods. The book presents classic examples of leaders using these corporation-developing methods to establish or enhance an iconic corporation. The main examples are Sloan (General Motors), Ohno (Toyota), Kroc (McDonalds), Walton (Walmart), Grove (Intel), and Whitman (eBay). These examples cover a wide range of different times, from the 1920s to the 2000s, and different industries, from fast-food and the automobile to microprocessors and e-commerce. In addition to being ‘best practice’ examples, they present a ‘leader’s-eye view’ through autobiographical writings, which are supplemented and corroborated by biographical and historical sources. (There are other supplementary examples that include Bezos of Amazon, Sandberg of Facebook, Jobs of Apple, Armani of Armani fashion, and Roddick of The Body Shop.) There is a comparative aspect, too, as the examples also describe the variation in leaders’ selection or emphasising of particular methods, which vary according to the circumstances or a leader’s personal preferences. The conclusion suggests that the book’s approach should also be applied to versions of military leadership and the political leaders of contemporary democracies. The book has been prepared as both an academic monograph and a graduate text, but will also appeal to general readers who are interested in leadership and/or business.

This volume is an edited collection of private letters and published epistles to and from English women philosophers of the early modern period (c. 1650–1700). It includes the letters and epistles of Margaret Cavendish, Anne Conway, Damaris Cudworth Masham, and Elizabeth Berkeley Burnet. These women were the correspondents of some of the best-known intellectuals of the period, including Constantijn Huygens, Walter Charleton, Henry More, Joseph Glanvill, John Locke, Jean Le Clerc, and Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz. Their epistolary exchanges range over a wide variety of philosophical subjects, from religion, moral theology, and ethics to epistemology, metaphysics, and natural philosophy. The volume includes a main introduction by the editor, which explains the significance of the letters and epistles with respect to early modern scholarship and the study of women philosophers. It is argued that this selection of texts demonstrates the intensely collaborative and gender-inclusive nature of philosophical discussion in this period. To help situate each woman’s thought in its historical-intellectual context, the volume also includes original introductory essays for each principal figure, showing how her correspondences contributed to the formation of her own views as well as those of her better-known male contemporaries. The text also provides detailed scholarly annotations, explaining obscure philosophical ideas and archaic words and phrases in the letters and epistles. Among its critical apparatus, the volume also includes a note on the texts, a bibliography, and an index.

Censorship has been an ongoing phenomenon even in "the land of the free." This examination of banned books across U.S. history examines the motivations and effects of censorship, shows us how our view of right and wrong has evolved over the years, and helps readers to understand the tremendous importance of books and films in our society. Books ranging from classics such as A Farewell to Arms, Lord of the Rings, The Catcher in the Rye, and The Color Purple as well as best-selling books such as Are You There, God? It's Me Margaret, titles in the Harry Potter series, and various books by bestselling novelist Stephen King have all been on the banned books list. What was the content that got them banned, who wanted them banned, and did the ban have the desired effect of minimizing the number of people who read the title―or did it have the opposite effect, inadvertently creating an even larger readership for the book? Silenced in the Library: Banned Books in America provides a comprehensive examination of the challenges to major books as well as the final results of these selections being deemed "unfit for public consumption." Included in its discussion are explanations of the true nature of the objections along with the motives of the authors, publishers, and major proponents of the books. Content is organized based on why the books were banned, such as sexual content, drug use, or religious objections. This approach helps readers to see trends in how people have approached the challenge of evaluating what is "proper" and shows how our societal consensus of what is acceptable has evolved over the years. Readers will come away with a fuller appreciation of the immense power of words on a page―or an eReader device―to inflame and outrage, influence opinion, incite thought, and even change the course of history.

AbstractTo successfully increase the share of renewable energy sources in the power system and for counteract their fluctuating nature in view of system stability, forecasts are required that suit downstream applications, such as demand side management or management of energy storage systems. However, whilst many forecast models to create these forecasts exist, the selection of the forecast model best suited to the respective downstream application can be challenging. The selection is commonly based on quality measures (such as mean absolute error), but these quality measures do not consider the value of the forecast in the downstream application. Thus, we introduce a meta-learning framework for forecast model selection, which automatically selects the forecast model leading to the forecast with the highest value in the downstream application. More precisely, we use a meta-learning approach that considers the selection task as a classification problem. Furthermore, we empirically evaluate the proposed framework on the downstream application of a smart building’s photovoltaic-battery management problem known as dispatchable feeder on building-level with a data set containing time series from 300 buildings. The results of our evaluation demonstrate that the proposed framework reduces the cost and improves the accuracy compared to existing forecast model selection heuristics. Furthermore, compared to a manual forecast model selection, it requires noticeably less computational effort and leads to comparable results.

AbstractAutomation solutions in production represent a sensible and long-term cost-effective alternative to manual work, especially for physically strenuous or dangerous activities. However, especially for small companies, automation solutions are associated with a considerable initial complexity and a high effort in planning and implementation. The ROBOTOP project, a consortium of industrial companies and research institutes has therefore developed a flexible web platform for the simplified, modular planning and configuration of robot-based automation solutions for frequent tasks. In this paper, an overview of the project’s scientific findings and the resulting platform is given. Therefore, challenges due to the scope of knowledge-based engineering configurators like the acquisition of necessary data, its description, and the graphical representation are outlined. Insights are given into the platform’s functions and its technical separation into different Microservices such as Best Practice selection, configuration, simulation, AML-data-exchange and spec-sheet generator with the focus on the configuration. Finally, the user experience and potentials are highlighted.

AbstractRecent advances in mobile connectivity as well as increased computational power and storage in sensor devices have given rise to a new family of software architectures with challenges for data and communication paths as well as architectural reconfigurability at runtime. Established in 2012, Fog Computing describes one of these software architectures. It lacks a commonly accepted definition, which manifests itself in the missing support for mobile applications as well as dynamically changing runtime configurations. The dissertation “Dynamically Scalable Fog Architectures” provides a framework that formalizes Fog Computing and adds support for dynamic and scalable Fog Architectures.The framework called xFog (Extension for Fog Computing) models Fog Architectures based on set theory and graphs. It consists of three parts: xFogCore, xFogPlus, and xFogStar. xFogCore establishes the set theoretical foundations. xFogPlus enables dynamic and scalable Fog Architectures to dynamically add new components or layers. Additionally, xFogPlus provides a View concept which allows stakeholders to focus on different levels of abstraction.These formalizations establish the foundation for new concepts in the area of Fog Computing. One such concept, xFogStar, provides a workflow to find the best service configuration based on quality of service parameters.The xFog framework has been applied in eight case studies to investigate the applicability of dynamic Fog Components, scalable Fog Architectures, and the service provider selection at runtime. The case studies, covering different application domains—ranging from smart environments, health, and metrology to gaming—successfully demonstrated the feasibility of the formalizations provided by xFog, the dynamic change of Fog Architectures by adding new components and layers at runtime, as well as the applicability of a workflow to establish the best service configuration.

AbstractIn the new context of the trialling and the development of the materials, buildings systems and innovative processes required to meet new challenges posed by environmental transition in Europe and across the globe, the construction sector urgently needs to define more sustainable development models to achieve decarbonisation, as is the case in other sectors. In this context, recent experiences of incorporating photovoltaics into architecture are a clear sign of a change in focus on how systems are integrated into architectural design: a new way of viewing the technological innovation of PV modules which is ever more closely linked to the architectural design right from the initial concept stages. The study we present is based on a critical analysis of the current international state of the art of architectural design incorporating photovoltaics, selecting case studies which illustrate best practice for technological innovation to demonstrate possible scenarios for future developments. Therefore, all the principle approaches identified by the international research will be described as well as the impact that these technological developments are having on architectural style and quality of life in cities. With regard to the aesthetic and formal properties that are the dominant feature of recent practice for the integration of photovoltaics, the study will highlight further areas of research with a view to defining a component of the building shell in which the generation of energy from renewable sources represents just one of the potential components of a system integrated into the architectural style. In addition, the intention is to demonstrate that the architectural designs analysed can be considered to be the result of a close relationship between designers, applied research and the industrial sector; therefore, technological innovation of photovoltaic products will inevitably be linked to a deeper and fundamental innovation of processes leading to these results.

Abstract Within-country social inequalities in health have widened while global health inequalities have (with some exceptions) narrowed since the Second World War. On commonly accepted prioritarian and sufficientist views of justice and health, these two trends together would be acceptable: the wealthiest of the wealthy are pulling ahead, but the worst off are catching up and more are achieving sufficiency. Such commitments to priority or sufficiency are compatible with a common “development” narrative about economic and social changes that accompany changes (“transitions”) in population health. I set out a very simple version of health egalitarianism (without commitment to any particular current theory of justice) and focus on two common objections to egalitarianism. Priority and sufficiency both address the levelling down and formalism objections, but these objections are distinct: giving content to equality (I argue here) places in question the claimed normative superiority of priority and sufficiency. Using examples of the role of antimicrobials in both these trends – and the future role of AMR – I clarify (first) the multiple forms and dimensions of justice at play in health, and (second) the different mechanisms at work in generating the two current patterns (seen in life course narratives and narratives of political economy). The “accelerated transition” that narrowed global health inequalities is fed by anti-microbials (among other technology transfers). It did not accelerate but replaced the causal processes by which current HICs achieved the transition (growing and shared economic prosperity and widening political franchise). The impact of AMR on widening social inequalities in health in HICs will be complex: inequality has been fed in part by tertiary care enabled by antimicrobials; AMR might erode the solidarity underlying universal health systems as the well-off seek to maintain current expectations of curative and rehabilitative surgery and chemotherapy while AMR mounts. In light of both speculations about the impact of AMR on social and global health inequalities, I close with practical and with theoretical reflection. I briefly indicate the practical importance of understanding AMR from the perspective of health justice for policy response. Then, from a broader perspective, I argue that the content by which I meet the formalism objection demonstrates that the two trends (broadening within-country inequality and narrowing global inequality) are selective and biased samples of a centuries-long pattern of widening social inequalities in health. We are not in the midst of a process of “catching up”. In light of the long-term pattern described here, is the pursuit of sufficiency or priority morally superior to the pursuit of equality as a response to concrete suffering – or do they rationalize a process more objectively described as the best-off continuing to take the largest share of one of the most important benefits of economic development?

ZusammenfassungMit dem anwachsenden Wolfsbestand nehmen auch die Übergriffe auf Nutztiere in Deutschland von Jahr zu Jahr zu. In einem Punkt sind sich Landwirtschaft, Naturschutz und Politik einig: Wolfsübergriffe auf Nutztiere sollen nachhaltig minimiert werden. Darüber, wie dieses Ziel am besten erreicht werden kann, gibt es jedoch unterschiedliche Ansichten. In der öffentlichen Debatte werden Forderungen nach einem vereinfachten Abschuss von Wölfen oder einer generellen Bejagung immer lauter. Dabei wird davon ausgegangen, dass durch solche Maßnahmen Nutztierschäden durch Wölfe nachhaltig minimiert werden könnten.Bevor Maßnahmen des Wildtiermanagements angewandt werden, braucht es klare Zielvorgaben. Die erste Frage muss daher lauten: Was ist das primäre Ziel der Managementmaßnahme? Auf Basis wissenschaftlicher Evidenz muss dann vorab evaluiert werden, ob die in Frage kommenden Maßnahmen geeignet sind, das Ziel zu erreichen. Dies ist zwingend, wenn die Maßnahmen auch das Töten von empfindungsfähigen und noch dazu streng geschützten Tieren beinhalten. Um überprüfen zu können, wie wirksam die gewählten Managementmaßnahmen im konkreten Einsatz sind, werden Kriterien zur Bewertung des Erfolgs benötigt.In diesem Kapitel gehen wir der Frage nach, welche Managementmaßnahmen nach aktuellem Wissensstand geeignet sind, das Ziel, Wolfsübergriffe auf Nutztiere nachhaltig zu minimieren, zu erreichen. Wir erläutern zunächst, warum Wölfe Nutztiere töten und ob es einen Zusammenhang zwischen der Anzahl der Wölfe und der Höhe der Nutztierschäden gibt. Dafür untersuchen wir unter anderem die Daten von Wolfsübergriffen auf Nutztiere in Deutschland. Anhand einer umfangreichen Literaturübersicht analysieren wir, ob die folgenden Managementmaßnahmen geeignet sind, Wolfsübergriffe auf Nutztiere nachhaltig zu minimieren: 1) eine generelle Bejagung von Wölfen, 2) die selektive Entnahme von einzelnen schadensverursachenden Wölfen und 3) nicht-letale Herdenschutzmethoden. Abschließend legen wir Empfehlungen zu einem evidenzbasierten und lösungsorientierten Wolfsmanagement in Bezug auf den Wolf-Nutztierkonflikt vor.In Deutschland steigen mit der Zunahme der Wolfsterritorien auch die Übergriffe auf Schafe und Ziegen. Allerdings unterscheidet sich die Stärke des Anstiegs zwischen den Bundesländern erheblich. Einzelne Bundesländer erreichen bei der gleichen Anzahl an Wolfsterritorien sehr unterschiedliche Schadensniveaus. Dies deutet darauf hin, dass das Ausmaß der Schäden nicht allein durch die Anzahl der Wölfe bestimmt wird. Wir vermuten, dass die Unterschiede im Schadensniveau vor allem in der unterschiedlichen Umsetzung von Herdenschutzmaßnahmen in den einzelnen Bundesländern begründet sind.Die Ergebnisse der Literaturrecherche bezüglich der Wirksamkeit von letalen und nicht-letalen Managementmaßnahmen zum Schutz von Nutztieren zeigen klar: Eine generelle Bejagung von Wölfen führt nicht zu einer Reduktion von Nutztierschäden. Es gibt keine wissenschaftlichen Belege dafür, dass durch eine Bejagung die Schäden deutlich und nachhaltig verringert werden, es sein denn, der Bestand wird drastisch reduziert oder ganz ausgelöscht. Das ist in Deutschland und in der Europäischen Union bei aktueller Rechtslage nicht möglich. Im Gegensatz zu einer undifferenzierten Bejagung des Wolfs kann der gezielte Abschuss von Einzeltieren wirksam sein, wenn es sich tatsächlich um Individuen handelt, die gelernt haben, empfohlene funktionstüchtige Schutzmaßnahmen zu überwinden. Allerdings sind solche Fälle selten, und es ist schwierig in der freien Natur, ein bestimmtes Individuum sicher zu identifizieren und zu töten. Nicht-letale Herdenschutzmaßnahmen sind im Vergleich zu letalen Maßnahmen deutlich besser geeignet, eine nachhaltige Reduktion der Schäden zu erreichen. Der einzige Weg, um in Koexistenz mit Wölfen eine dauerhafte Reduktion von Schäden an Nutztieren zu erreichen, ist die fachgerechte Umsetzung von Herdenschutzmaßnahmen in breiter Fläche. Übergriffe auf Nutztiere lassen sich zwar auch dadurch nicht vollständig verhindern, sie können jedoch durch korrekt angewandte Herdenschutzmaßnahmen deutlich reduziert werden.Das Wissen, wie Schäden an Weidetieren durch Herdenschutzmaßnahmen verringert werden können, ist auch in Deutschland vorhanden. Viele Tierhaltende haben hier inzwischen ein hohes Maß an Fachkompetenz entwickelt. Die Erfahrung aus den vergangenen 20 Jahren zeigt allerdings auch, dass die Auszahlung von Fördergeldern für Herdenschutzmittel allein nicht ausreicht, um die Anzahl der Übergriffe deutlich zu senken. Es muss auch gewährleistet werden, dass die fachliche Expertise für die korrekte Anwendung und Wartung zur Verfügung steht. Vor allem in Gebieten mit Prädations-Hotspots sollte aktiv auf die Tierhaltenden zugegangen werden und sollten die Gründe für die vermehrten Übergriffe analysiert und abgestellt werden.Bisher fehlen aus Deutschland Daten zur Funktionstüchtigkeit der geförderten und im Einsatz befindlichen Schutzmaßnahmen. Solche Daten sind notwendig, um zu verstehen, warum trotz steigender Präventionsausgaben die Nutztierschäden teilweise auch in Gebieten mit jahrelanger Wolfspräsenz nicht zurückgehen. Sie sind zudem die Grundlage für wissenschaftliche Studien zu möglichen Unterschieden in der Wirksamkeit verschiedener Herdenschutzmethoden. Daten zur Funktionstüchtigkeit von geförderten Herdenschutzmaßnahmen sollten zumindest stichprobenartig gesammelt werden, unabhängig davon, ob es in dem jeweiligen Gebiet Wolfsübergriffe gibt. Neben der Untersuchung der rein technischen Aspekte des Herdenschutzes ist es ebenso wichtig herauszufinden, wie die Akzeptanz gegenüber Herdenschutzmaßnahmen bei den Tierhaltenden verbessert und deren Eigenmotivation erhöht werden kann. Hierfür sind Daten zur Umsetzbarkeit und Akzeptanz der eingesetzten Herdenschutzmaßnahmen erforderlich. Nutztierhaltende sollten schon in die Konzeption entsprechender Studien mit eingebunden werden, um sicherzustellen, dass die Fragen untersucht werden, deren Beantwortung für sie am dringendsten ist.Der Weg von einem emotionsbasierten zu einem evidenzbasierten Wolfsmanagement führt über wissenschaftlich robuste Daten und Analysen. Entsprechende Untersuchungen sind nur in enger Zusammenarbeit zwischen Weidetierhaltung und Wissenschaft möglich. Basierend auf der Fachkompetenz und den praktischen Erfahrungen der Weidetierhaltenden kann die Wissenschaft helfen, die Herdenschutzmaßnahmen zu identifizieren und weiterzuentwickeln, die Nutztierübergriffe am effektivsten reduzieren.SummaryAs the wolf population grows, the number of attacks on livestock in Germany also increases from year to year. Agriculture, nature conservation and politics agree on one point: that wolf attacks on livestock should be reduced sustainably. However, there are differing views on how this goal can best be achieved. In the public debate, calls for simplified shooting of wolves or general hunting are becoming louder and louder. The assumption is that such measures could sustainably reduce livestock damage caused by wolves.Before wildlife management measures are applied, clear objectives are needed. The first question, therefore, must be: What is the primary objective of the management measure? Based on scientific evidence, it must be evaluated in advance whether the measures under consideration are suitable for achieving the objective. This is mandatory if the measures include the killing of sentient animals, particularly if they are strictly protected. Criteria for evaluating if the objective was reached are needed in order to be able to verify how effective the selected management measures are when applied.In this chapter, we address the question of which management measures are suitable, based on current knowledge, to achieve the goal of sustainably reducing wolf attacks on livestock. We first explain why wolves kill livestock and whether there is a relationship between the number of wolves and the amount of livestock damage. To do this, we examine, among other things, data on wolf attacks on livestock in Germany. Based on an extensive literature review, we analyse whether the following management measures are suitable to sustainably reduce wolf attacks on livestock: 1) a general hunting of wolves, 2) the selective removal of individual wolves causing damage, and 3) non-lethal livestock protection methods. Finally, we present recommendations for evidence-based and solution-oriented wolf management with respect to wolf-livestock conflict.In Germany, as wolf territories increase, attacks on sheep and goats also increase. However, the magnitude of the increase differs considerably among the federal states. Individual federal states achieve very different levels of damage with the same number of wolf territories. This suggests that the extent of damage is not solely determined by the number of wolves. We suspect that the differences in damage levels are mainly due to the different implementation of livestock protection measures in the individual federal states.The results of the literature review regarding the effectiveness of lethal and non-lethal management measures to protect livestock clearly show that general hunting of wolves does not reduce livestock damage. There is no scientific evidence that hunting significantly and sustainably reduces damage, unless the wolf population is drastically reduced or completely eradicated. This is not possible in Germany and in the European Union under the current legal situation. In contrast to an undifferentiated hunting of the wolf, the targeted shooting of individual animals can be effective if they are actually individuals that have learned to overcome recommended functional livestock protection measures. However, such cases are rare and it is difficult in the field to safely identify and kill a specific individual. Non-lethal livestock protection measures are much better at achieving sustained reductions in damage compared to lethal measures. The only way to achieve a lasting reduction of damage to livestock in coexistence with wolves is the professional implementation of livestock protection measures on a broad scale. Non-lethal livestock protection measures do not completely prevent attacks on livestock. However, if correctly applied they can significantly reduce wolf caused damages on livestock.The knowledge of how to reduce livestock depredation by wolves through herd protection measures is also available in Germany. Many livestock farmers have developed a high level of expertise in this field. However, experience from the past 20 years also shows that the funding of livestock protection measures alone is not enough to significantly reduce the number of wolf attacks. It is also necessary to ensure that technical expertise is available for proper application and maintenance of the measures. Especially in areas with predation hotspots, livestock owners should be actively approached and the reasons for increased attacks analysed and remedied.To date, there is a lack of data from Germany on the functionality of funded and applied protection measures. Such data are necessary to understand why, despite increasing prevention expenditures, livestock damage has not decreased in some cases, even in areas where wolves have been present for years. Moreover, such data are the basis for scientific studies on possible differences in the effectiveness of different livestock protection methods. Data on the functionality of funded protection measures should be collected at least on a random basis, regardless of whether there are wolf attacks in the respective area. In addition to investigating the purely technical aspects of herd protection, it is equally important to find out how the acceptance towards livestock protection measures can be improved among livestock owners and how their self-motivation can be increased. This requires data on the feasibility and acceptance of the applied protection measures. Livestock keepers should be involved already in the conception of appropriate studies to ensure that the investigations will answer the most urgent questions for them.The path from emotion-based to evidence-based wolf management is through scientifically robust data and analysis. Appropriate research is only possible through close collaboration between livestock owners and science. Based on the expertise and practical experience of farmers, science can help identify and improve the livestock protection measures that most effectively reduce wolf attacks on livestock.

This chapter stresses that no normal genes promote ageing, and nobody dies just of old age. As the chapter highlights, we age because random molecular damage accumulates in our cells over our lifetime, and our cells' ability to repair the damage decreases as we grow older. It points out that this is in line with Darwinian natural selection. From an evolutionary point of view, once we are past the age of reproduction and caring for our young, we are useless, so our cells' repair mechanisms become unnecessary. The chapter then shifts to emphasize that in genetics, our ignorance vastly exceeds our knowledge, and investigating cell life is mind-crushingly complex. It investigates how to keep the worst effects of ageing at bay within the limits of current life expectancy. The chapter discusses supplements and anti-ageing tonics, and disposes of most of the touted remedies. It also delves into raising the retirement age as well as the legalisation of voluntary euthanasia and assisted suicide for the terminally ill.

Abstract IT is to be supposed that all scientific men accept, at least in theory, the view that the advancement of biological knowledge will ultimately be of service in the practical affairs of mankind; but there can be little doubt that most would feel some embarrassment if their views had to be made the basis of practical, and therefore controversial, policy. There is good reason for this; for scientific men, no less than others, imbibe, before their profession is chosen, and perhaps later, the same passions and prejudices respecting human affairs as do the rest of mankind; and while the standard of critical impartiality necessary to science may, perhaps, be easily maintained, so long as we are discussing the embryology of a sea-urchin, or the structure of a stellar atmosphere, it cannot be relied on with confidence in subjects in which these prejudices are aroused. Any failure in this respect is, moreover, harmful to Science. The enthusiast whose sole interest in science is to find support for a preconceived social policy, not only deceives himself, and perhaps others, who are not aware of his bias, but inevitably brings some discredit upon all other workers in the same field. The investigator undoubtedly best preserves both his scientific reputation and his peace of mind, who refrains from any opinion respecting human affairs, and declines the responsibility for any practical action which might be based upon the facts he has brought to light. If such a one were to admit that mankind might, with advantage, make more use of scientific knowledge of all kinds, his practical policy would, apparently, go no further than to advocate a more general diffusion of this scientific knowledge, its application to mundane affairs being relegated to others (unspecified) who might make it their particular business.

The purpose of this paper is to identify best practices in the design and implementation of community-driven rural development (CDRD) projects in Central America with special emphasis on Nicaragua. The methodology used in this study is two-fold. First, a literature review of the academic literature (chapter 2) and donor agency project documents and consultant reports (chapter 3) for Central America was conducted to understand key advances in the field and to derive a set of common findings. Second, field inter-views with key stakeholders and focus group interviews (about 30) were held in Nicaragua, covering four different rural community development projects. The selection of communities to be interviewed (chapter 4) was done in a manner that permitted obtaining a nonrandom, but stratified sample in terms of geography (Pacific coastal plain, Central highlands, and Atlantic humid tropical forest) and type of sectoral intervention (a project that emphasized building productive agricultural activities; a project that emphasized improved on-farm natural resource management; and a project that emphasized construction of road and wharves). Findings from the review informed the fieldwork. Chapter 5 presents summary lessons learned from the field, while chapter 6 offers recommendations to improve new project design and implementation.

The body condition (BC) score is recognized in the dairy industry as an essential tool for managing the energy reserves of the dairy cow, which is essential for sustaining optimal and efficient production over several lactations. The current use of BC scoring depends on the accuracy of subjective visual estimates, and this limits its kusefulness as a management aid in the dairy industry. A measuring tool that would frequently provide objective data on the cow's body reserves would be a major contribution to efficient dairy herd management. Ultrasonic sensors have the potential to be developed into an efficient BC measuring device, and the experimental use of such sensors for subcutaneous fat thickness (SDFT) estimates, as an indication for BC in beef cattle, supports this assumption. The purposes of this project were: 1. To compare visual BC scoring and ultrasonic fat thickness with on-line automated body weight (BW) measurements as monitors of nutritional adequacy of dairy cows at various stages of lactation. 2. To determine the effects of variation in digestive fill in early and late lactation on the accuracy of body weight measurements in lactating cows. 3. To modify an existing ultrasonic system and develop a specialized, low-cost sensor for repeatable determination of body condition scores by users with minimal training and skill. 4. To develop a standard for the assignment of body condition scores based on ultrasonic measurements of subdermal fat thickness. The procedure to execute these objectives involved: 1. Frequent measurement of BW, milk yield (MY), BC (visually scored) and subdermal fat thickness ultrasonically measured of dairy cows, and data analysis on average and individual basis. 2. Testing and selection of an appropriate special-purpose sensor, finding an optimum body location for working an ultrasonic measurement, prcessing the signals obtained, and correlating the resulting measurements with performance responses in lactating cows. Linking the ultrasonic signals to BC scores, and developing a BC scoring data acquisition system are the first steps towards fulfilling the necessary requirements for incorporating this device into an existing dairy herd management system, in order to provide the industry with a powerful managment tool. From the results obtained we could conclude that: 1. BC does not correlate with BW changes during all stages of lactation, although in general terms it does. These results were confirmed by individual cow BW and BC data obtained during the course of lactation, that were supported by individual objective ultrasonic measurement of SDFT. 2. BW changes reflect energy metabolism reliably ony after peak milk yield; early in lactation, a decrease in BW expresses mobilization of body reserves only qualitatively, and not quantitatively. 3. Gastrointestinal content increases throughout the whole period during which dry matter intake (DMI) increases. The drastic increase very early in lactation prevents the use of BW changes as a basis for quantitative estimatio of energy meatabolism; at this stage of lactation, konly a BC score or any other direct measurements willl provide a quantitative estimate of energy metabolism. 4. Ultrasonic measurements of subdermal fat thickness can be used to quantify changes that correlate with the actual condition of the cow, as assessed by performance and the traditional way of scoring. 5. To find the best site on the cow's body at which to obtain responses to BC and its changes in the course of lactation, additional sites have to be examined. From the present study, it seems that the sites between ribs 12 and 13 have the potential for this purpose. 6. The use of templates made it easier to repeat measurements at a desired site and spot. However, the convenient easy-to-handle way to standardize the measurement, described in this study, koffers scope for improvement. 7. The RF peak values of the A-mode are better indicators of the location of fat layer borders than image analysis, from the point of view of future commercial development. 8. The distances between the RF peaks of the A-mode can be automatically measured by suitable software, for future commercial development. 9. Proper analysis of daily body weight and milk yield data can provide the necessary information on body condition changes during lactation, until a direct BC measurement device is developed. 10. In any case, at least one visual BC assessment has to be done, preferably immediately after calving, for calibration purposes.