Bayesian Networks (BNs) are graphical models which represent multivariate joint probability distributions which have been used successfully in several studies in many application areas. BN learning algorithms can be remarkably effective in many problems. The search space for a BN induction, however, has an exponential dimension. Therefore, finding the BN structure that better represents the dependencies among the variables is known to be a NP problem. This work proposes and discusses a hybrid Bayes/Genetic collaboration (VOGAC-MarkovPC) designed to induce Conditional Independence Bayesian Classifiers from data. The main contribution is the use of MarkovPC algorithm in order to reduce the computational complexity of a Genetic Algorithm (GA) designed to explore the Variable Orderings (VOs) in order to optimize the induced classifiers. Experiments performed in a number of datasets revealed that VOGAC-MarkovPC required less than 25% of the time demanded by VOGAC-PC on average. In addition, when concerning the classification accuracy, VOGAC-MarkovPC performed as well as VOGAC-PC did.
In Chajda's paper (2014), to an arbitrary BCI-algebra the author assigned an ordered structure with one binary operation which possesses certain antitone mappings. In the present paper, we show that a similar construction can be done also for pseudo-BCI-algebras, but the resulting structure should have two binary operations and a set of couples of antitone mappings which are in a certain sense mutually inverse. The motivation for this approach is the well-known fact that every commutative BCK-algebra is in fact a join-semilattice and we try to obtain a similar result also for the non-commutative case and for pseudo-BCI-algebras which generalize BCK-algebras, see e.g. Imai and Iséki (1966) and Iséki (1966).
This paper deals with a certain class of unbounded optimization problems. The optimization problems taken into account depend on a parameter. Firstly, there are established conditions which permit to guarantee the continuity with respect to the parameter of the minimum of the optimization problems under consideration, and the upper semicontinuity of the multifunction which applies each parameter into its set of minimizers. Besides, with the additional condition of uniqueness of the minimizer, its continuity is given. Some examples of nonconvex optimization problems that satisfy the conditions of the article are supplied. Secondly, the theory developed is applied to discounted Markov decision processes with unbounded cost functions and with possibly noncompact actions sets in order to obtain continuous optimal policies. This part of the paper is illustrated with two examples of the controlled Lindley's random walk. One of these examples has nonconstant action sets.
Data mining animal of genomes has been used before to identify endoparasites, and may be a particularly useful tool to surpass some difficulties faced by studies in the marine environment. We detected a species of Sarcocystis Lankester, 1882, contamination in the sperm whale (Physeter catodon Linnaeus) reference genome available in the GenBank database. We identified and extracted multiple gene fragments and placed the sequences in a phylogenetic framework. Our results indicate that the sequences of Sarcocystis sp. found in the genome do not correspond to any currently described species, despite a few other similar sequences having been identified in fur seals (Pinnipedia) and another sperm whale. Including data from previous studies, we suggest there is enough evidence to support the occurrence of at least four species of Sarcocystis in marine mammals. We also demonstrate that the term "S. canis-like" has been used for samples not closely related to Sarcocystis canis Dubey et Speer, 1991.
Determination of malondialdehyde is a widely used procedure for measurement of lipid peroxidation. In this paper we report an unusual temperature dependence of malondialdehyde formation in egg yolk phosphatidylcholine liposomes oxidized by the Fenton system (0.1 mmol/1 FeSC>4 and 0.05 mmol/1 H2O2). The amount of malondialdehyde formed was 37 % higher in samples kept at 22 °C than at 50 °C. An alternative method for determination of lipid peroxidation, measurement of oxygen uptake, revealed complete consumption of dissolved oxygen to peroxidized lipids at 22 °C as well as 50 °C. Since oxygen is essential for the formation of cyclic peroxides - precursors of malondialdehyde - we conclude that the nature of the observed effect consists in limitation of oxygen availability at elevated temperatures.
During the last two decades, genotyping of African rodents has revealed important hidden diversity within morphologically cryptic genera, such as Rhabdomys. Although the distribution of Rhabdomys is known historically, its diversity has been revealed only recently, and information about the distribution range of its constituent taxa is limited. The present study contributes to clarifying the distribution of Rhabdomys taxa, primarily in southern Africa, and identifies gaps in our knowledge, by: 1) compiling the available information on its distribution; and 2) significantly increasing the number of geo-localised and genotyped specimens (n = 2428) as well as the localities (additional 48 localities) sampled. We present updated distribution maps, including the occurrence and composition of several contact zones. A long-term monitoring of three contact zones revealed their instability, and raises questions as to the role of demography, climate, and interspecific competition on species range limits. Finally, an analysis of external morphological traits suggests that tail length may be a reliable taxonomic trait to distinguish between mesic and arid taxa of Rhabdomys. Tail length variation in Rhabdomys and other rodents has been considered to be an adaptation to climatic (thermoregulation) and/or to habitat (climbing abilities) constraints, which has still to be confirmed in Rhabdomys.