A Conceptual and Computational Framework for Aspect-Based Collaborative Filtering Recommender Systems

Many datasets in E-commerce have rich information about items and users who purchase or rate them. This information can enable advanced machine learning algorithms to extract and assign user sentiments to various aspects of the items thus leading to more sophisticated and justifiable recommendations. However, most Collaborative Filtering (CF) techniques rely mainly on the overall preferences of users toward items only. And there is lack of conceptual and computational framework that enables an understandable aspect-based AI approach to recommending items to users. In this paper, we propose concepts and computational tools that can sharpen the logic of recommendations and that rely on users’ sentiments along various aspects of items. These concepts include: The sentiment of a user towards a specific aspect of a specific item, the emphasis that a given user places on a specific aspect in general, the popularity and controversy of an aspect among groups of users, clusters of users emphasizing a given aspect, clusters of items that are popular among a group of users and so forth. The framework introduced in this study is developed in terms of user emphasis, aspect popularity, aspect controversy, and users and items similarity. Towards this end, we introduce the Aspect-Based Collaborative Filtering Toolbox (ABCFT), where the tools are all developed based on the three-index sentiment tensor with the indices being the user, item, and aspect. The toolbox computes solutions to the questions alluded to above. We illustrate the methodology using a hotel review dataset having around 6000 users, 400 hotels and 6 aspects.

The Golden Ratio Theorem: A Framework for Interchangeability and Self-Similarity in Complex Systems

The Golden Ratio Theorem, deeply rooted in fractal mathematics, presents a pioneering perspective on deciphering complex systems. It draws a profound connection between the principles of interchangeability, self-similarity, and the mathematical elegance of the Golden Ratio. This research unravels a unique methodological paradigm, emphasizing the omnipresence of the Golden Ratio in shaping system dynamics. The novelty of this study stems from its detailed exposition of self-similarity and interchangeability, transforming them from mere abstract notions into actionable, concrete insights. By highlighting the fractal nature of the Golden Ratio, the implications of these revelations become far-reaching, heralding new avenues for both theoretical advancements and pragmatic applications across a spectrum of scientific disciplines.

Agricultural Heritage Systems Tourism： definition,characteristics and development framework

Architectural heritage comprises one o the most important elements of mountain settlements in Greece. It holds high cultural value, represents the tangible continuation of the past and forms the unique character and identity of each mountain region. Yet, controversy regarding funding for its preservation often arises. In this paper, we used two Contingent Valuation surveys to estimate the socia benefit deriving from protecting the traditiona architecture in the mountainous village of Sirako and through it, to examine perceptions and attitudes o local residents and visitors. Research findings revealed a strong social will in favor of the good＇s protection followed by high percentages of positive willingness to pay（WTP）. However, WTP is significantly higher among residents. Cultura heritage value, of the good, appears to prevail, along with the environmental one. However, both residents and visitors pointed out that local heritage, if wellpreserved, will boost tourism development. Residents appeared to better recognize the true level o architectural decay, expressed higher apprehension for its protection and were willing to pay higher amount of money. Tourists, on the other side expressed high satisfaction for their visit, appreciated the beauty and serenity emerging from local built and natural environment and spent several days visiting the surrounding area. The longer they stayed and gotfamiliar with the village, the more willing they were to contribute to local heritage＇s protection. Percentages reflecting indifference for protecting architecture were extremely low. Yet, they were higher among tourists. Traditional architecture is considered as public good; an opinion resulting in an important percentage of visitors stating that national government should provide the necessary funding. In addition, the architecture appears to hold a high level of topicality. Those descending from Sirako or emotionally connected to it, of both social groups,turned out to be more concerned about the good and with a stronger sense of responsibility for it. Usevalue of the good holds high economic value, as well,while higher percentages of zero WTP appeared among non-users. Research findings revealed social attitudes and perceptions on what constitutes architectural heritage, in its cultural and economic frame. If taken under consideration, they may form useful drivers for local, heritage-based, sustainable

A Study on the Explainability of Thyroid Cancer Prediction:SHAP Values and Association-Rule Based Feature Integration Framework

In the era of advanced machine learning techniques,the development of accurate predictive models for complex medical conditions,such as thyroid cancer,has shown remarkable progress.Accurate predictivemodels for thyroid cancer enhance early detection,improve resource allocation,and reduce overtreatment.However,the widespread adoption of these models in clinical practice demands predictive performance along with interpretability and transparency.This paper proposes a novel association-rule based feature-integratedmachine learning model which shows better classification and prediction accuracy than present state-of-the-artmodels.Our study also focuses on the application of SHapley Additive exPlanations(SHAP)values as a powerful tool for explaining thyroid cancer prediction models.In the proposed method,the association-rule based feature integration framework identifies frequently occurring attribute combinations in the dataset.The original dataset is used in trainingmachine learning models,and further used in generating SHAP values fromthesemodels.In the next phase,the dataset is integrated with the dominant feature sets identified through association-rule based analysis.This new integrated dataset is used in re-training the machine learning models.The new SHAP values generated from these models help in validating the contributions of feature sets in predicting malignancy.The conventional machine learning models lack interpretability,which can hinder their integration into clinical decision-making systems.In this study,the SHAP values are introduced along with association-rule based feature integration as a comprehensive framework for understanding the contributions of feature sets inmodelling the predictions.The study discusses the importance of reliable predictive models for early diagnosis of thyroid cancer,and a validation framework of explainability.The proposed model shows an accuracy of 93.48%.Performance metrics such as precision,recall,F1-score,and the area under the receiver operating characteristic(AUROC)are also higher than the baseline models.The results of the proposed model help us identify the dominant feature sets that impact thyroid cancer classification and prediction.The features{calcification}and{shape}consistently emerged as the top-ranked features associated with thyroid malignancy,in both association-rule based interestingnessmetric values and SHAPmethods.The paper highlights the potential of the rule-based integrated models with SHAP in bridging the gap between the machine learning predictions and the interpretability of this prediction which is required for real-world medical applications.

A GENERAL MATHEMATICAL FRAMEWORK OF COMPLEX SYSTEMS(Ⅰ)

The fundamental and simplest structure of a complex system is a network.According to this idea,we plan to develop a general methematical framework of complex systems.In this paper,we discuss in detail the concept of systems,a general description of systems:System=(Hardware,Software,Environment),and whole-part relations,including relations between elements and systems,subsystems and systems,and between systems.The rules of operations of systems are given,and the induced transformations between hardware and software of systems are briefly discussed.

A Triple Nexus Water-Energy-Housing (WEH) Framework Modelling towards Improved Decision-Making in Humanitarian Operations

Given the challenges facing most humanitarian operations worldwide, a change of approach is needed to ensure greater sustainability of humanitarian settlements right from the planning stage. Some studies attribute unsustainability to inadequate provision of basic resources and highlight the apparent bottlenecks that prevent access to the meaningful data needed to plan and remedy problems. Most operations have relied on an “ad hoc ism” approach, employing parallel and disconnected data processing methods, resulting in a wide range of data being collected without subsequent prioritization to optimize interconnections that could enhance performance. There have been little efforts to study the trade-offs potentially at stake. This work proposes a new framework enabling all subsystems to operate in a single system and focusing on data processing perspective. To achieve this, this paper proposes a Triple Nexus Framework as an attempt to integrate water, energy, and housing sector data derived from a specific sub-system within the overall system in the application of Model-Based Systems Engineering. Understanding the synergies between water, energy, and housing, Systems Engineering characterizes the triple nexus framework and identifies opportunities for improved decision-making in processing operational data from these sectors. Two scenarios illustrate how an integrated platform could be a gateway to access meaningful operational data in the system and a starting point for modeling integrated human settlement systems. Upon execution, the model is tested for nexus megadata processing, and the optimization simulation yielded 67% satisfactory results, demonstrating that an integrated system could improve sustainability, and that capacity building in service delivery is more than beneficial.

Research Framework of B3G Mobile Communications Systems

Compared with the services in 3G, services in Beyond 3G (B3G) have some distinctive characteristics such as the packet data services being the majority, more service types, larger scale of services, higher peak transmission rate, enlarged range of transmission rates, more spatial and temporal distribution differences, and more service transmission requests occurring in fast moving vehicles. In order to meet the requirements of B3G services, the B3G systems must have great improvement in network architecture, air interface scheme, radio resource allocation strategy, frequency bands, and Radio Frequency (RF) technology etc. Therefore, the research of the B3G systems should focus on the theory of generalized cellular communications networks, theory of the Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) wireless transmission system, matching of radio resources to new-type air interfaces, new iterative detection and adaptive link methods, and new-type antenna and RF technologies.

Framework for a System of Systems Design Oriented to Evolution

A framework was proposed for designing a system of systems(SoS) that takes account of the system' s evolution over time.Given the design space of the SoS analysis,construct a multiepoch scenario design,SoS optimization,and robust designs.A hybrid model based on multi-agent and system dynamic models was used to analyze the evolution of an SoS and find robust designs.The framework can help decision makers generate a robust SoS structure based on the SoS' s capabilities over multiple epochs.

Development of a Framework for Equipment Health Management in the Mining Industries in Zambia

The Zambian mining industry is crucial to the national economy but struggles with inconsistent equipment maintenance practices. This study developed an Equipment Maintenance Management Framework (EMMF) tailored to the industry’s needs. Using surveys, interviews, and on-site visits at eight major mining companies, we identified significant variations in maintenance strategies, CMMS usage, and reliability engineering. The EMMF prioritizes predictive maintenance, efficient CMMS implementation, ongoing training, and robust reliability engineering to shift from reactive to proactive maintenance. We recommend adopting continuous improvement practices and data-driven decision-making based on performance metrics, with a phased EMMF implementation aligning maintenance with strategic business objectives. This framework is poised to enhance operational efficiency, equipment reliability, and safety, fostering sustainable growth in the Zambian mining sector.

Integrating water use systems and soil and water conservation measures into a hydrological model of an Iranian Wadi system

Water resources are precious in arid and semi-arid areas such as the Wadis of Iran. To sustainably manage these limited water resources, the residents of the Iranian Wadis have been traditionally using several water use systems(WUSs) which affect natural hydrological processes. In this study, WUSs and soil and water conservation measures(SWCMs) were integrated in a hydrological model of the Halilrood Basin in Iran. The Soil and Water Assessment Tool(SWAT) model was used to simulate the hydrological processes between 1993 and 2009 at daily time scale. To assess the importance of WUSs and SWCMs, we compared a model setup without WUSs and SWCMs(Default model) with a model setup with WUSs and SWCMs(WUS-SWCM model). When compared to the observed daily stream flow, the number of acceptable calibration runs as defined by the performance thresholds(Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency(NSE)≥0.68, –25%≤percent bias(PBIAS)≤25% and ratio of standard deviation(RSR)≤0.56) is 177 for the Default model and 1945 for the WUS-SWCM model. Also, the average Kling–Gupta efficiency(KGE) of acceptable calibration runs for the WUS-SWCM model is higher in both calibration and validation periods. When WUSs and SWCMs are implemented, surface runoff(between 30% and 99%) and water yield(between 0 and 18%) decreased in all sub-basins. Moreover, SWCMs lead to a higher contribution of groundwater flow to the channel and compensate for the extracted water by WUSs from the shallow aquifer. In summary, implementing WUSs and SWCMs in the SWAT model enhances model plausibility significantly.

Concept and evaluation method of equipment system of systems contribution rate

To scientifically evaluate the equipment system of systems(SoS)contribution rate,a contribution rate calculation method based on a structural equation model(SEM)is proposed in this paper.The connotation and evaluation process of the equipment SoS contribution rate were redefined and standardized.To solve the existing problems in the application of the original contribution rate formula,a modified contribution rate calculation formula is proposed.Finally,the contribution rate evaluation index was divided into latent and explicit variables.The measurement and structural equations in the SEM were used to calculate and analyze the latent variables.The simulation results show that the number of defense lines of air defense weapon equipment has a greater impact on the linear configuration than the group configuration.When the number of K-type air defense weapons is sufficient,the two-layer linear configuration should be adopted with 20 air defense weapon systems.When the number of K-type air defense weapons is insufficient,the single-layer group configuration should be adopted with 12 air defense weapon systems.

Indicator system and evaluation framework for sustainable development

An indicator system of sustainable development was established and an evaluation framework for sustainable development was drawn in this study.

Framework of Distributed Coupled Atmosphere-Ocean-Wave Modeling System

In order to research the interactions between the atmosphere and ocean as well as their important role in the intensive weather systems of coastal areas, and to improve the forecasting ability of the hazardous weather processes of coastal areas, a coupled atmosphere-ocean-wave modeling system has been developed. The agent-based environment framework for linking models allows flexible and dynamic information exchange between models. For the purpose of flexibility, portability and scalability, the framework of the whole system takes a multi-layer architecture that includes a user interface layer, computational layer and service-enabling layer. The numerical experiment presented in this paper demonstrates the performance of the distributed coupled modeling system.

Towards an Efficient Information Systems Development Process and Management: A Review of Challenges and Proposed Strategies

Before Information Systems are developed, they must have undergone a process called Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC) using appropriate methodology. The SDLC consists of phases varying from author to author. However, an information systems project can only be successful with intense interaction amongst project manager, systems analyst, system designers and the end users. Viewed from the project manager’s perspective, the SDLC lacks the essence of project management activities. Similarly, end users involvement is not clearly specified. The main aim of this paper is to propose a framework for information systems management and development process which accommodates the views of the different participants. Furthermore, the paper sharpens the concept of conventional SDLC, on the basis of the proposed framework. In addition, tools and methods that are appropriate for the implementation of the framework are herein discussed.

Towards a Comprehensive Security Framework of Cloud Data Storage Based on Multi Agent System Architecture

The tremendous growth of the cloud computing environments requires new architecture for security services. Cloud computing is the utilization of many servers/data centers or cloud data storages (CDSs) housed in many different locations and interconnected by high speed networks. CDS, like any other emerging technology, is experiencing growing pains. It is immature, it is fragmented and it lacks standardization. Although security issues are delaying its fast adoption, cloud computing is an unstoppable force and we need to provide security mechanisms to ensure its secure adoption. In this paper a comprehensive security framework based on Multi-Agent System (MAS) architecture for CDS to facilitate confidentiality, correctness assurance, availability and integrity of users' data in the cloud is proposed. Our security framework consists of two main layers as agent layer and CDS layer. Our propose MAS architecture includes main five types of agents: Cloud Service Provider Agent (CSPA), Cloud Data Confidentiality Agent (CDConA), Cloud Data Correctness Agent (CDCorA), Cloud Data Availability Agent (CDAA) and Cloud Data Integrity Agent (CDIA). In order to verify our proposed security framework based on MAS architecture, pilot study is conducted using a questionnaire survey. Rasch Methodology is used to analyze the pilot data. Item reliability is found to be poor and a few respondents and items are identified as misfits with distorted measurements. As a result, some problematic questions are revised and some predictably easy questions are excluded from the questionnaire. A prototype of the system is implemented using Java. To simulate the agents, oracle database packages and triggers are used to implement agent functions and oracle jobs are utilized to create agents.

Investigations and practices on green manufacturing in machining systems

A machining system is a typical manufacturing system. A green manufacturing function framework of machining systems is structured to describe the traits of input, output and control elements in the system. Based on the function framework, the green manufacturing problem framework of machining systems is presented. The green manufacturing problems in machining systems are classified into three classes and related series of subclass problems. The three classes of problems in the green manufacturing problem framework are the problems of the minimization of resource consumption, the minimization of environmental discharge, and the synthesized minimization of both of them. A series of investigations and practices on green manufacturing in machining system, performed by the authors for quite a long period, are introduced in brief, such as the optimizing system for raw material cutting, the matching system for energy-saving in machining, the design of highly efficient dry hobbing machine tools, the multi-objective decision-making model for green manufacturing in machining systems, and the decision-making supporting system for green manufacturing in machining processes.

Study of component-ware & application software framework based decision support system development

The view that the traditional method of DSS development is outdated, which results to the diversiform disadvantages of DSS product. Therefore the ideas of application software framework based development to the generation process of DSS is introduced and a modified flow chat of DSS development is proposed. Moreover, a formal description of the DSS software framework and its development is given. The analysis results indicates that not only does the new development flow ensure the DSS development global stability but also improves the software reusability level of the development process.

The Study on the Framework and Implementation Scheme of the Railway Intelligent Cold Chain Logistics System

With the development of intelligent and communication technology, traditional logistics has gradually transformed into intelligent logistics. The construction of the railway intelligent cold chain logistics system is an effective measure to implement the structural adjustment of supply, which conforms to the times. Firstly, basic features and design principles of the railway intelligent cold chain logistics system were described. Secondly, target functions and the system framework of the railway intelligent cold chain logistics were put forward, which takes information service as a foundation, management service as a guarantee, business capability as kernel and expansion capability as support. Subsequently, the technical approaches were studied at the hardware, processing and software levels. Finally, development strategies of the railway intelligent cold chain logistics were discussed, including optimizing the layout of infrastructure, improving the performance of equipment, extending the reach of services, deepening the cooperation of technologies and promoting the formulation of standards which provides feasible references for the railway cold chain logistics to explore modern business models.

俄国文学研究的中国学派:可能性与路径——2023年俄罗斯文学研究分会年会主旨发言

建构俄国文学研究的中国学派是新时期我国斯拉夫学者面临的迫切任务。本文作者2015年萌生创建俄国文学研究中国学派之愿景,后借助课题申报、学术研讨会、讲座、论文发表等多种方式进一步探讨过创建这一学派的可能性与路径。本文是作者此类思考的最新表述之一,作者认为,中国的俄国文学研究具有悠久的历史传统、丰厚的学术遗产、完备的研究体系和齐整的人才队伍,我们在当下应充分利用好这些来之不易的条件以及千载难逢的学术机遇,在国家出台《面向2035高校哲学社会科学高质量发展行动计划》的语境中,从优化学科体系、完善学术体系、凸显话语体系三个方面着手,致力于建构俄国文学研究的中国学派。