scholarly journals Game Changers

2014 ◽  
Vol 136 (09) ◽  
pp. 30-35
Author(s):  
Ahmed K. Noor
Keyword(s):  
Production Systems ◽  
Sensory Information ◽  
Electronic System ◽  
Neural Systems ◽  
Mammalian Brain ◽  
Electric Heater ◽  
Cognitive Computing ◽  
Computing Technology ◽  
Cognitive Technology ◽  
The Past

This article discusses the recent development in “cognitive computing” technology. Unlike expert systems of the past, which required inflexible hard-coded expert rules, cognitive computers interpret unstructured data (sensory information, images, voices, and numbers), navigate through vast amounts of information, learn by experience, and participate in dialogues with humans using natural language to solve extremely complex problems. The U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency is funding a program called SyNAPSE (Systems of Neuromorphic Adaptive Plastic Scalable Electronics) to develop machine technology that will function like biological neural systems. IBM, Hughes Research Labs, and several universities are working on this program. The aim is to build an electronic system that matches a mammalian brain in function, size, and power consumption. It would recreate 10 billion neurons and 100 trillion synapses, consume one kilowatt (same as a small electric heater), and measure less than 2,000 cubic centimeters. Several other projects are also under way to apply cognitive technology to robotics, cars, and production systems.

Brains as Engines of Association

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dale Purves
Keyword(s):  
Neural Systems ◽  
Neural Function ◽  
Trial And Error ◽  
Nervous Systems ◽  
The Past ◽  
Sensing Systems ◽  
Lifetime Experience ◽  
Survival And Reproduction ◽  
Pros And Cons ◽  
And Behavior

Brains as Engines of Association seeks an operating principle of the human brain and is divided into four parts. The first part (“What Nervous Systems Do for Animals”) is intended to set the stage for understanding the emergence of neural systems as promoting what all organisms must accomplish: survival and reproduction. The second part (“Neural Systems as Engines of Association”) lays out the general argument that biological sensing systems face a daunting problem: they cannot measure the parameters of the world in the way physical instruments can. As a result, nervous systems must make and update associations (synaptic connections) on the basis of empirical success or failure over both evolutionary and individual time. The third part (“Evidence that Neural Systems Operate Empirically”) reviews evidence accumulated over the past 20 years that supports this interpretation in vision and audition, the sensory systems that have been most studied from this or any other perspective. Finally, the fourth part (“Alternative Concepts of Neural Function”) considers the pros and cons of other interpretations of how brains operate. The overarching theme is that the nervous systems of humans and every other animal operate on the basis associations between stimuli and behavior made by trial and error over species and lifetime experience.

scholarly journals Environmental assessment of the Tung cultivation through life cycle analysis

2014 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 70 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcelo Bern�l ◽  
Rosana Schneider ◽  
�nio Machado
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Life Cycle Management ◽  
Assessment Method ◽  
Agroforestry Systems ◽  
Family Farms ◽  
Conventional Agriculture ◽  
The Past ◽  
Ecosystem Changes ◽  
Poor Soil

Over the past few decades, conventional agriculture has been facing serious crises caused by numerous factors, including poor soil management and the excessive application of pesticides. Thus, alternative production systems have been developed, including agroforestry systems, especially those that produce both energy and food. The objective of this study was to environmentally evaluate the culture of Aleurites fordii Hemls. (Tung) using the Life Cycle Assessment method with the SimaPro 7.3.2 software. The results revealed that in family farms that use less mechanization to harvest crops, the primary category of environmental impact was land use, which included the removal of animal and vegetable species and ecosystem changes. The full impact of this category was 1741.21 m2yr PDF (potentially disappeared fraction). Subsequently, prognostics were established for the reduction of such impacts, and we conclude that Tung has a high potential for agricultural installation with high responsibility to the environment. Keywords: Environmental factors, Aleurites fordii Hemls, Life Cycle Management, Tung.

scholarly journals Fermentative Succinate Production: An Emerging Technology to Replace the Traditional Petrochemical Processes

2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yujin Cao ◽  
Rubing Zhang ◽  
Chao Sun ◽  
Tao Cheng ◽  
Yuhua Liu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Production Cost ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Strain Improvement ◽  
Downstream Processing ◽  
Energy Resources ◽  
Petrochemical Process ◽  
Succinate Production ◽  
Fossil Energy ◽  
Renewable Biomass ◽  
The Past

Succinate is a valuable platform chemical for multiple applications. Confronted with the exhaustion of fossil energy resources, fermentative succinate production from renewable biomass to replace the traditional petrochemical process is receiving an increasing amount of attention. During the past few years, the succinate-producing process using microbial fermentation has been made commercially available by the joint efforts of researchers in different fields. In this review, recent attempts and experiences devoted to reduce the production cost of biobased succinate are summarized, including strain improvement, fermentation engineering, and downstream processing. The key limitations and challenges faced in current microbial production systems are also proposed.

Cloud Computing Technology Innovation Advances

2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 69-76 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vanessa Ratten
Keyword(s):  
Cloud Computing ◽  
Online Advertising ◽  
Technological Innovations ◽  
Adoption Process ◽  
Cognitive Computing ◽  
Computing Technology ◽  
Computing Services ◽  
Consumer Concerns ◽  
Cloud Computing Services

This paper seeks to investigate the advances in the consumer adoption process of technological innovations in cloud computing services. The paper aims to focus on the increased role of cognitive computing and big data affecting adoption of emerging technologies. As more consumers worldwide are using mobile computing, the role of online advertising is examined to understand the marketing affects of cloud technology. This leads to a discussion about how the value of social capital to consumers adopting cloud computing technology, which highlights how consumers learn and interact with emerging technological innovations. To overcome the concerns about security and transparency of data stored on cloud computing servers, the role of cloud computing technology in alleviating consumer concerns is stated. The findings highlight the importance of changing the mindsets of consumers when using a technological innovation and the obstacles to the use of cloud computing technology. The paper describes the advances in cloud computing technology in connection to emerging innovations that can be of use to practitioners as well as researchers in the field.

Low-dimensional versus high-dimensional chaos in brain function – is it an and/or issue?

2001 ◽  
Vol 24 (5) ◽  
pp. 823-824 ◽  
Author(s):  
Márk Molnár
Keyword(s):  
Brain Function ◽  
Sensory Information ◽  
Event Related Potentials ◽  
Cognitive Effort ◽  
Neural Systems ◽  
Sensory Information Processing ◽  
Related Potentials ◽  
Dimensional Complexity ◽  
Low Dimensional ◽  
The Brain

We discuss whether low-dimensional chaos and even nonlinear processes can be traced in the electrical activity of the brain. Experimental data show that the dimensional complexity of the EEG decreases during event-related potentials associated with cognitive effort. This probably represents increased nonlinear cooperation between different neural systems during sensory information processing.

Cognitive Imaging

2018 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 1-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vitaliy L. Rayz ◽  
David Saloner ◽  
Julia M. Rayz ◽  
Victor Raskin
Keyword(s):  
Blood Vessels ◽  
Blood Circulation ◽  
Image Artifacts ◽  
Cognitive Computing ◽  
Extended Version ◽  
Imaging Analysis ◽  
Post Processing ◽  
Computing Technology ◽  
Circulation Modeling ◽  
A Minor

This article, an extended version of ICCI*CC-2017 paper, co-authored by biomedical engineers specializing in brain blood circulation modeling and by experts in meaning-based NLP. This article suggests a cognitive computing technology for medical imaging analysis that removes image artifacts resulting in visual deviations from reality, such as discontinuous blood vessels or two vessels shown merged when they are not. It is implemented by supplying the pertinent knowledge that humans have to the computer and letting it initiate the corrective post-processing. The existing OST resource is centered on the ontology that is made to accommodate the domain with a minor adjustment effort; however, any ontology can be used, as demonstrated in this article. The examples from the ontology demonstrate the disparities between what the image shows and what the human knows. The computer detects them autonomously and can initiate the appropriate post-processing. If and when this cognitive imaging prevails, the post-processed images may replace the current ones as legitimate artifact-free MRIs.

scholarly journals Special Issue: Integrated Pest Management in Arable and Open Field Horticultural Crops

Insects ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 82
Author(s):  
Andrew G. S. Cuthbertson
Keyword(s):  
Integrated Pest Management ◽  
Pest Management ◽  
Open Field ◽  
Pest Control ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Special Issue ◽  
Horticultural Crops ◽  
The Past ◽  
Chemical Products ◽  
Invertebrate Pests

Invertebrate pest control within both agricultural and horticultural production systems continues to present many challenges. Over the past decades the commonly used method for pest control has been the direct application of chemical products. However, in response to environmental, economic, and other problems associated with the over-reliance on chemical insecticides there has been an increasing drive towards the development of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approaches. Many IPM strategies are now well developed under protected environments. However, within the open field in many situations targeted success is yet to be achieved. This special issue will seek to showcase original articles and reviews by leading research entomologists and associated experts. Articles presented will focus on the development and implementation of IPM strategies against various major arable and horticultural invertebrate pests (both indigenous and invasive species).

scholarly journals The Effect of Stress on Reproduction and Reproductive Technologies in Beef Cattle—A Review

Animals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 2096 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aitor Fernandez-Novo ◽  
Sonia S. Pérez-Garnelo ◽  
Arantxa Villagrá ◽  
Natividad Pérez-Villalobos ◽  
Susana Astiz
Keyword(s):  
Beef Cattle ◽  
Reproductive Performance ◽  
Stress Responses ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Reproductive Technologies ◽  
Neural Systems ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Health And Nutrition ◽  
Beef Herds ◽  
Major Factors

Researchers have contributed by increasing our understanding of the factors affecting reproduction in beef, mainly physical health and nutrition aspects, which have been main concerns during decades. Animal welfare is of outmost relevance in all animal production systems and it is strongly associated to stress. Stress responses involve endocrine, paracrine and neural systems and the consequences of this stress on the reproductive efficiency of specifically, beef cattle and bulls, need to be highlighted. We, therefore, describe the fundamentals of stress and its quantification, focusing in beef herds, reviewing the highly valuable pieces of research, already implemented in this field. We examine major factors (stressors) contributing to stress in beef cattle and their effects on the animals, their reproductive performance and the success of reproductive biotechnologies. We include terms such as acclimatization, acclimation or temperament, very relevant in beef systems. We examine specifically the management stress due to handling, social environment and hierarchy or weaning effects; nutritional stress; and thermal stress (not only heat stress) and also review the influence of these stressors on reproductive performance and effectiveness of reproductive biotechnologies in beef herds. A final message on the attention that should be devoted to these factors is highlighted.

scholarly journals Seasonal plasticity in the adult somatosensory cortex

2020 ◽  
Vol 117 (50) ◽  
pp. 32136-32144
Author(s):  
Saikat Ray ◽  
Miao Li ◽  
Stefan Paul Koch ◽  
Susanne Mueller ◽  
Philipp Boehm-Sturm ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Somatosensory Cortex ◽  
Activity Patterns ◽  
Adaptive Plasticity ◽  
Neural Systems ◽  
Mammalian Brain ◽  
Sensory Stimuli ◽  
Seasonal Plasticity ◽  
Layer 4 ◽  
Life On Earth

Seasonal cycles govern life on earth, from setting the time for the mating season to influencing migrations and governing physiological conditions like hibernation. The effect of such changing conditions on behavior is well-appreciated, but their impact on the brain remains virtually unknown. We investigate long-term seasonal changes in the mammalian brain, known as Dehnel’s effect, where animals exhibit plasticity in body and brain sizes to counter metabolic demands in winter. We find large seasonal variation in cellular architecture and neuronal activity in the smallest terrestrial mammal, the Etruscan shrew, Suncus etruscus. Their brain, and specifically their neocortex, shrinks in winter. Shrews are tactile hunters, and information from whiskers first reaches the somatosensory cortex layer 4, which exhibits a reduced width (−28%) in winter. Layer 4 width (+29%) and neuron number (+42%) increase the following summer. Activity patterns in the somatosensory cortex show a prominent reduction of touch-suppressed neurons in layer 4 (−55%), the most metabolically active layer. Loss of inhibitory gating occurs with a reduction in parvalbumin-positive interneurons, one of the most active neuronal subtypes and the main regulators of inhibition in layer 4. Thus, a reduction in neurons in layer 4 and particularly parvalbumin-positive interneurons may incur direct metabolic benefits. However, changes in cortical balance can also affect the threshold for detecting sensory stimuli and impact prey choice, as observed in wild shrews. Thus, seasonal neural adaptation can offer synergistic metabolic and behavioral benefits to the organism and offer insights on how neural systems show adaptive plasticity in response to ecological demands.

Truss Spar Vortex Induced Motions: Benchmarking of CFD and Model Tests

2006 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Halkyard ◽  
Sampath Atluri ◽  
Senu Sirnivas
Keyword(s):  
Fluid Dynamics ◽  
Best Practices ◽  
Turbulence Modeling ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Model Tests ◽  
The Past ◽  
Helical Strakes ◽  
Truss Spar ◽  
Computational Fluid Dynamics Cfd ◽  
Riser Design

Spar production systems are subject to Vortex Induced Motions (VIM) which may impact mooring and riser design. Helical strakes are employed to mitigate VIM. Model tests are typically required to validate the performance of the strakes. This paper will report on the results of benchmarking studies that have been conducted over the past few years to compare model tests with computational fluid dynamics (CFD). The paper discusses comparisons of CFD with model tests, “best practices” for the use of CFD for these classes of problems and issues related to turbulence modeling and meshing of problems at large Reynold’s numbers. This work is ongoing.

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