Improve Learning Ability Research Articles

The potential role of the HCN1 ion channel and BDNF-mTOR signaling pathways and synaptic transmission in the alleviation of PTSD

The function of the hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated channel 1 (HCN1) and the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) may be involved in the pathogenesis of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This study aims to explore the role of the HCN1 channel, BDNF, and mTOR in the actions of PTSD and to examine whether synaptic transmission or plasticity is involved in the regulation of this disease. In the present study, rats were exposed to the single prolonged stress and electric foot shock (SPS&S) procedure, which can induce PTSD-like behaviors in rats. ZD7288 was administered by intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) injection to one experimental group to inhibit the function of the HCN1 ion channel while 8-Br-cAMP was administered to another group to activate the function of the HCN1 ion channel. A series of behavioral tests and biochemical assessments of certain proteins (HCN1, BDNF, and pmTOR) and synaptic ultrastructure in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and hippocampus (Hip) were then conducted. The SPS&S procedure induced apparent PTSD-like symptoms in rats. The administration of ZD7288 reduced the immobility time and escape latency time in the forced swim test (FST) and water maze test (WMT) with a decreased level of HCN1, upregulated BDNF-mTOR signaling pathways in the PFC and Hip, and synaptic ultrastructure changes in the PFC. In contrast, the administration of 8-Br-cAMP, which led to a higher level of HCN1 in PFC and Hip, resulted in a decreased number of entries to the open arms without significant change in total arm entries in the elevated plus maze test (EPMT) as well as a shorter center square distance and total distance in the open field test (OFT). Extended escape latency time was also observed in the WMT although there was no alteration of BDNF-mTOR signaling pathways and synaptic ultrastructure in the PFC and Hip. Overall, the inhibition of HCN1, which can alleviate PTSD-like behavior of rats by relieving depression and improving learning ability, may be related to the upregulated BDNF-mTOR signaling pathways and synaptic transmission.

Schisantherin A Improves the Learning and Memory by Reducing the Phosphorylation of Tau Protein of the Hippocampus in AD Mice

Memory disorders are the main symptoms of aging and Alzheimer’s disease and seriously affect the quality of life. Schisandra, as a famous traditional Chinese medicine, has been used for modulating “the internal organs” for a thousand years. The total lignans from Schisandra have been scientifically proved to improve learning and memory ability. Since it is unclear which monomer in Schisandra total lignans exerts such a function, we evaluated the potential effects of Schisantherin A (SCA), the main monomer from Schisandra, on improving learning ability and memory in amyloid β-protein (Aβ1-42)-induced Alzheimer’s disease (AD) model mice. We found that SCA (5 mg/kg) significantly prolonged the latency and reduced the number of errors in a step-through test. SCA significantly shortened the time of finding the platform and increased the number of crossing the platform and the residence time in a Morris water maze test. SCA increased superoxide dismutase activities and reduced the Malondialdehyde level of the hippocampal tissue, suggesting its role in reducing oxidative stress in the AD mice. Furthermore, we found that SCA significantly decreased the hyperphosphorylation of Tau by altering glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β) phosphorylation on Tyr216 and Ser9. Our results revealed the mechanism underlying SCA-mediated learning and memory improvement by regulating GSK-3β activity and lowering the hyperphosphorylation of Tau protein in the hippocampus of AD mice.

Mindfulness and Coaching to Improve Learning Abilities in University Students: A Pilot Study.

This pilot study investigated the effects of a short 10-module intervention called MEL (Mindful Effective Learning), which integrates mindfulness, coaching, and training on study strategies, to improve learning abilities among university students. Inspired by ample research on the learning topics that points out how effective learning and good academic results depend simultaneously on self-regulation while studying combined with emotional and motivational factors, the intervention aimed to train students simultaneously in these three aspects. The intervention group participants (N = 21) and the control group participants (N = 24) were surveyed pre- and post-intervention with the Italian questionnaire AMOS (Abilities and Motivation to Study) and the Italian version of the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS). The results showed that, regarding self-regulation in study, trained students improved their self-awareness, self-evaluation ability, metacognition skills, and organizational and elaborative ability to manage study materials; regarding emotional aspects, they improved their anxiety control; regarding motivation they developed an incremental theory of Self and improved their confidence in their own intelligence. Moreover, two follow-up self-report surveys were conducted, and trained students reported positive assessments of the MEL intervention. Findings suggest that a short intervention based on mindfulness and coaching and training on study strategies may improve students’ effective learning.

Elucidating the Effect of Learning Ability on Employees' Potential : A Study of IT Sector in India

It is seen that information technology (IT), being a knowledge-based sector, always faces a question of employee retention. Organizations have tried to get the answer of this question by exploring the ways to improve employees' satisfaction with their organizations. Proper exploitation of employees' potential may be felt as an answer to this question. Employees' potential is enhanced by improving learning ability. Thus, this study was designed with an aim to explore the effect of learning ability on employees' potential. An exhaustive literature review was done in order to confirm the variables of the study as well as to get the clear directions for the current research. A total of 455 employees of various IT sectors were investigated during the study. The survey was conducted during May 2016 and September 2017. Primary data were collected using a well-structured questionnaire. Employees' potential was explained through four dimensions, namely technical competencies, managerial competencies, interpersonal competencies, and personal competencies. The effect of learning ability on employees' potential was expounded by applying regression models. The results concluded that learning ability came out as a strong predictor of personal competencies and moderate predictor for managerial competencies. Technical competencies were not found to be significantly related to learning ability. Furthermore, a vice versa effect of personal competencies on learning ability was also extracted. In addition, managerial competencies, interpersonal competencies, and personal competencies exhibited a strong relationship.

Effects of Rattin on Cognitive Ability and Expressions of B-Cell Lymphoma 2 (BCL-2)/BCL2 Associated X (Bax) and Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) in Hippocampus of Rats with Vascular Dementia

Vascular dementia (VD) is a cerebral dysfunction. Brain neuropeptide analogue Rattin is firstly found in rat brain tissue and plays a treatment effect in Alzheimer’s disease. However, its function and related mechanism in VD rat still needs elucidation. Rats were randomly separated into sham group, VD model group and Rattin treatment group followed by analysis of learning ability by Morris water maze, Rattin level by real time PCR and Western blot, Bcl-2 and Bax levels by Western blot, BDNF expression by immunofluorescence. Rattin mRNA and protein expression was reduced, Bcl-2 was downregulated, Bax was upregulated, and BDNF expression was attenuated in the brain tissue of VD model group compared to sham group (P < 0005). Rattin significantly increased Rattin mRNA and protein expression, improved learning ability, upregulated Bcl-2 level, suppressed Bax expres- sion, and enhanced BDNF level in VD rats (P < 0005). Rattin ameliorates VD through regulating cell apoptosis, promoting BDNF expression, and improving learning ability.

Three-Dimensional Path Tracking Control of Autonomous Underwater Vehicle Based on Deep Reinforcement Learning

In this paper, the three-dimensional (3D) path tracking control of an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) under the action of sea currents was researched. A novel reward function was proposed to improve learning ability and a disturbance observer was developed to observe the disturbance caused by currents. Based on existing models, the dynamic and kinematic models of the AUV were established. Deep Deterministic Policy Gradient, a deep reinforcement learning, was employed for designing the path tracking controller. Compared with the backstepping sliding mode controller, the controller proposed in this article showed excellent performance, at least in the particular study developed in this article. The improved reward function and the disturbance observer were also found to work well with improving path tracking performance.

On Improving Learning Ability of Students with English Learning Disabilities by Using Metacognitive Strategies

Students are the main body of learning and development. Metacognition has irreplaceable significance in helping students learn effectively. Metacognition refers to learners' self-planning, self-control, self-regulation and self-reflection of their cognitive process on the basis of their awareness of their own cognitive process. It consists of three components, including metacognitive knowledge, metacognitive experience and metacognitive monitoring. Mastering metacognitive strategies can promote students to think from multiple perspectives in the learning process, so they can use various cognitive strategies flexibly and enhance the learning effect. Students with high metacognitive level usually have strong planning and purposefulness, strong self-control ability and insight ability. They can flexibly deal with the problems encountered in learning, choose their own learning goals and learning methods, and achieve better academic performance.

Intranasally Administered Exosomes from Umbilical Cord Stem Cells Have Preventive Neuroprotective Effects and Contribute to Functional Recovery after Perinatal Brain Injury

Perinatal brain injury (PBI) in preterm birth is associated with substantial injury and dysmaturation of white and gray matter, and can lead to severe neurodevelopmental deficits. Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) have been suggested to have neuroprotective effects in perinatal brain injury, in part through the release of extracellular vesicles like exosomes. We aimed to evaluate the neuroprotective effects of intranasally administered MSC-derived exosomes and their potential to improve neurodevelopmental outcome after PBI. Exosomes were isolated from human Wharton’s jelly MSC supernatant using ultracentrifugation. Two days old Wistar rat pups were subjected to PBI by a combination of inflammation and hypoxia-ischemia. Exosomes were intranasally administered after the induction of inflammation and prior to ischemia, which was followed by hypoxia. Infrared-labeled exosomes were intranasally administered to track their distribution with a LI-COR scanner. Acute oligodendrocyte- and neuron-specific cell death was analyzed 24 h after injury in animals with or without MSC exosome application using terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay and immunohistochemical counterstaining. Myelination, mature oligodendroglial and neuronal cell counts were assessed on postnatal day 11 using immunohistochemistry, Western blot or RT-PCR. Morris water maze assay was used to evaluate the effect of MSC exosomes on long-term neurodevelopmental outcome 4 weeks after injury. We found that intranasally administered exosomes reached the frontal part of the brain within 30 min after administration and distributed throughout the whole brain after 3 h. While PBI was not associated with oligodendrocyte-specific cell death, it induced significant neuron-specific cell death which was substantially reduced upon MSC exosome application prior to ischemia. MSC exosomes rescued normal myelination, mature oligodendroglial and neuronal cell counts which were impaired after PBI. Finally, the application of MSC exosomes significantly improved learning ability in animals with PBI. In conclusion, MSC exosomes represent a novel prevention strategy with substantial clinical potential as they can be administered intranasally, prevent gray and white matter alterations and improve long-term neurodevelopmental outcome after PBI.

HYBRIDisation – a resilient strategy in times of change and transformation

Our built environment consists of spaces, buildings, and cities that are subject to ever-changing social, economic, ecological and cultural demands. The demand for high quality living space is becoming ever more significant for densifying urban areas. When lifestyles, modes of working and recreational activities intertwine, new concepts on all scales must follow. Consideration of resilience of all kinds is becoming an important part of planning. It requires typologies with resilient characteristics, which can also take on new tasks perhaps not yet known of today. This paper recognises such a typology in the hybrid. Hybrids possess a variety of characteristics and benchmark parameters. A code inherent in them renders them capable of reacting to various situations and differing requirements. Depending on its constitution and purpose, the hybrid code affects a variety of architecturally relevant, environmental levels, namely district, neighbourhood, building, unit, components, infrastructure and processes. “Hybridisation” describes the process of the deliberate application of this code on all levels (“design and injection”), albeit also its decoding, i.e. activation of processes of change. In this way “new genetic alliances” are created, in which differing hybrids interact. By offering advanced adaptability through HYBRIDisation, buildings become resilient to change and allow for diverse modification and development throughout their lifespan, resulting in improved learning ability. This paper explores strategies of HYBRIDisation and the consequences for the interlinked levels to enable hybrid and resilient levels of environment.

AAV9-Mediated Cdk5 Inhibitory Peptide Reduces Hyperphosphorylated Tau and Inflammation and Ameliorates Behavioral Changes Caused by Overexpression of p25 in the Brain.

Under stress stimulation, p25 is generated by cleavage of p35 and acts as an activator of cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (Cdk5) like p35. Unlike Cdk5/p35, which is important for brain development, aberrant activity of Cdk5/p25 plays a pathological role in neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease, by inducing hyperphosphorylation of downstream substrates related to pathological progression. A truncated fragment of the c-terminus of p35, the Cdk5 inhibitory peptide (CIP), selectively inhibits Cdk5/ p25 activity in cultured neurons and in CIP/p25 tetra-transgenic mice. First, we aimed to establish a p25 overexpression adult mouse model, then to evaluate whether CIP delivered by adeno-associated virus serotype 9 (AAV9) can ameliorate neuronal toxicity induced by p25. The p25 overexpression mouse model was established by intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) injection of AAV8-GFP-p25 in 8-week-old mice. One month later, these mice were i.c.v. injected with AAV9-CIP-T2A-mCherry or AAV9 vector as control. Pathological and behavioral changes were assessed 3-months post-injection in all mice. The p25 overexpression mice displayed hyperphosphorylation of tau at multiple sites, activation of astrocytes, and elevated inflammatory factors, including IL-1 and TNF-α, which were significantly decreased by the administration of CIP. However, Aβ deposition and microgliosis were not obvious in p25 overexpression mice. In addition, a significant learning decline and anxiety-like behavior were induced by p25 toxicity, and CIP treatment improved learning ability in p25 mice. AAV-mediated p25 overexpression mouse model is easy to construct to study p25-induced neuronal toxicity. Application of CIP after p25 insult reverses the pathological changes and behavioral abnormalities.

Early Minds: a pilot randomised controlled trial of a mindfulness program in early learning centres

BackgroundOptimal mental health is critical for a child’s learning and academic functioning. As a universal service, early education centres play an important role in promoting children’s mental health. Social-emotional learning programs are efficacious in reducing behavioural difficulties, enhancing competence, and improving learning abilities. Mindfulness practices, known to promote health and wellbeing in adults, have been adapted to education programs for younger populations, including pre-school children. Despite an increasing use of mindfulness-based programs in pre-school settings, there is a limited number of randomised trials and paucity of data on implementation fidelity of these programs. ‘Early Minds’ is a mindfulness-based program developed by Smiling Mind for 3–5-year-old children. This paper describes a protocol of a pilot randomised control trial, evaluating the implementation of the program in early learning centres (ELCs, i.e. pre-schools) in Melbourne, Australia. The primary aim of this pilot study is to examine the feasibility, acceptability, and fidelity of the program. The secondary aims are to assess the acceptability of the design and measures and to investigate preliminary impacts of the program on child social-emotional outcomes.MethodsA convenience sample of six ELCs are recruited. Participants include educators, children, and their parents from 3- and/or 4-year-old ELC rooms. Upon completion of baseline surveys, rooms are randomly allocated to intervention and control arms by an independent statistician. ‘Early Minds’ is designed in a flexible delivery manner; meditations and activities are completed at least three times a week. Educators are trained in the program and have access to the activities and meditations on an app. Parents are encouraged to practice with their children at least three times a week. Educators document implementation fidelity throughout the 8 weeks of the program. Parents and educators complete follow-up surveys at 3 and 12 months post-randomisation, capturing feasibility and acceptability, child social-emotional behaviour and sleep, and educator, parent, and family wellbeing outcomes.DiscussionThis pilot study is the first to assess a mindfulness-based program in ELCs in Australia. Data on feasibility and acceptability, implementation fidelity, and potential impact on children’s behaviour will inform the design of adequately powered evaluation trials.Trial registration numberAustralian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry, ACTRN12618000435280. Date registered 26 March 2018.

A preliminary study of teaching effect of problem-based learning with arthroscopic simulated training

Objective To investigate the teaching effect of problem-based learning (PBL) for specific cases combined with arthroscopic simulated training in the clinical teaching of arthroscopy for orthopedics. Methods A total of 40 clinical interns in Department of Orthopaedics, the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical Hospital were selected and divided into experimental group and control group. The interns in the control group received traditional clinical training, and those in the experimental group received the clinical teaching of PBL for specific case combined with arthroscopic simulated training. SAS 9.2 software was used for a statistical analysis of teaching outcomes. Results The experimental group had a significantly higher score of comprehensive professional ability than the control group [(43.00±6.15) vs. (35.90±4.94), P<0.05]. Compared with the control group, the experimental group had significantly better scores of all items of professional ability assessment except patients' evaluation of interns (all P<0.05). As for the quality of teaching, compared with the control group, the experimental group had significantly higher numbers of interns who agreed to each assessment item except the item of improvement in coordination and cooperation ability. Conclusion The clinical teaching method of PBL for specific case combined with arthroscopic simulated training can improve learning enthusiasm and ability and proficiency of clinical operational skills among clinical interns, and therefore, it holds promise for application in clinical teaching. Key words: Problem-based learning; Simulated training; Arthroscopy; Clinical teaching

Penerapan Reciprocal Teaching Untuk Meningkatkan Berpikir Kritis Dan Kemandirian Belajar Siswa MA

The purpose of this study is to know: 1) How the application of reciprocal teaching approach can increase the ability of critical thinking and self-regulated learning; 2) whether there is a relationship between the ability to think critically self-regulated learningwith reciprocal teaching approach. This research is implemented Madrasah Aliyah Negeri Bandung Barat with the population are all MA students in West Bandung regency. The method used in this research is Quasi Eksperimen where there are two classes that one class by using reciprocal teaching and one class again using ordinary learning. The study design was a non-randomized control-treatment group, pretest-posttest design. The population of this study was all students in West Bandung regency and the sample subjects were two classes in MAN Bandung Barat with the total number of 72 students, 1 as experiment class and one class as control class. The results of research to improve learning ability by using reciprocal teaching and cognitive learning ability with student learning independence with the reciprocal teaching approachKeywords: reciprocal teaching approach, critical thinking, self-regulated learning.The purpose of this study is to know: 1) How the application of reciprocal teaching approach can increase the ability of critical thinking and self regulated learning; 2) whether there is a relationship between the ability to think critically self regulated learningwith reciprocal teaching approach. This research is implemented Madrasah Aliyah Negeri Bandung Barat with the population are all MA students in West Bandung regency. The method used in this research is Quasi Eksperimen where there are two classes that one class by using reciprocal teaching and one class again using ordinary learning. The study design was a non-randomized control-treatment group, pretest-posttes design. The population of this study were all students in West Bandung regency and the sample subjects were two classes in MAN Bandung Barat with total number of 72 students, 1 class as experiment class and one class class as control class. The results of research to improve learning ability by using reciprocal teaching and cognitive learning ability with student learning independence with reciprocal teaching approach. Keywords: reciprocal teaching approach, critical thinking, self regulated learning.

Using problem-based learning in a Chinese character class design: A case study of Korean learners of Chinese

This study attempted to try out Chinese-character education centering on experience and learners away from existing lecture-centered, teacher-centered education. For this purpose, problem-based learning (PBL) was proposed as one of the Chinese-language ability-enhancement measures for Korean learners of the Chinese language, and in order to examine the effect, we attempt to use the PBL tasks in the ‘Chinese-language reading’ class at a university for basic Chinese-language learners and analyze the results. PBL is a teaching-learning method in which learners focus on learning by using problems. In this study, we attempted to use PBL for the group work format. In this way, we can confirm that the class using the PBL has many advantages, such as improving learning ability and problem-solving ability, and strengthening cooperation. In addition, it was found that PBL is worthwhile to try because it is effective in inducing learning motivation, improving attention and interest in Chinese-character learning, improving learning attitudes of learners, and developing self-directed learning abilities.

Development of Conceptual Learning Model Based on Various Stability Features

To promote efficient and flexible learning, a conceptual learning model can be developed using the differences between the stable features of various concepts, thereby allowing scalable and continuous learning concepts to be obtained from a small number of labeled samples. By using a stable feature expressed as a vector to represent each concept, the conceptual learning model can distinguish the representative feature of each concept, thus increasing the interpretability of the model. In addition to adjusting the mapping relationship between concept instances and concept stability features, constraints on the differences between stable features of different concepts are also introduced into the model. Because this constraint can improve the sensitivity of the instance features to the stable features of each concept, the proposed model has the ability to learn from a small number of samples. In this paper, sub-networks of the same structure were applied to learn each concept, and unified learning methods were used to achieve scalability and the ability to easily manage new concepts. By training the proposed model using the MNIST dataset, the model demonstrates that prediction accuracy of 96% can be achieved as a result of using 100 labeled training samples for each concept. Furthermore, the proposed model not only demonstrated an improved learning ability for small samples, but it was also found to considerably reduce the training time, with each concept requiring only 18 s on average. Thus, the small-sample and continuous learning capabilities of the proposed model enable the construction of a conceptual space that promotes improved knowledge representation and complex scene understanding.

Effects of IL-1β on hippocampus cell apoptosis and learning ability of vascular dementia rats.

Vascular dementia (VD) is a type of memory, cognition, and behavior disorder caused by ischemic stroke or hemorrhagic stroke. It is a common pathogenesis of dementia that is only second to Alzheimer's disease. Inflammation plays a key role in VD. Interleukin-1β (IL-1β) is a kind of pro-inflammatory cytokine, while its mechanism in VD occurrence and development is still unclear. The healthy male rats were randomly divided into three groups, including sham group, VD model group (established by bilateral common carotid artery ligation), and IL-1β group (treated by IL-1β monoclonal antibody intracerebroventricular injection on based on model group). Rat learning ability was evaluated by Morris water maze assay. IL-1β expression in brain tissue and peripheral blood was examined by using Real Time-PCR and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), respectively. Hippocampus apoptosis was detected by caspase 3 activity detection kit. B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) protein levels were assessed by Western blot assay. IL-1β expression was increased, caspase 3 activity was enhanced, Bcl-2 level was declined, and p-P38 phosphorylation was elevated in brain tissue and peripheral blood from VD model group compared to sham group (p<0.05). IL-1β monoclonal antibody significantly reduced IL-1β expression, improved learning ability, attenuated caspase 3 activity, increased Bcl-2 level, and declined p-P38 expression in VD rats compared to model group (p<0.05). IL-1β can delay VD occurrence and development through the P38-MAPK signaling pathway to regulate cell apoptosis and improve learning ability.

Effects of n-butylphthalide on mitochondria in hippocampus and learning and memory abilities in rats with chronic alcoholism

Objective To explore the effects of n-butylphthalide (NBP) on mitochondria in hippocampus and learning and memory abilities in rats with chronic alcoholism. Methods 60 male SD rats were randomly divided into three groups on average, including normal group, model group and treatment group, with 20 rats in each group.Rats of model group and treatment group are given 6% (V/V) alcohol solution continuously for 28 d to establish the model of chronic alcoholism.Rats in the treatment group were given butylphthalide for 14 days from the fourteenth day after giving alcohol solution.The Y type electric maze was used to test the learning and memory ability of rats, the content of H2S in the hippocampus and the activity of mitochondrial ATP enzyme were measured by spectrophotometry, and the protein expression of F-actin was detected by Western blot. Results Compared with the normal group, the learning and memory ability of the rats in the model group were decreased, the content of H2S in the hippocampus were increased, and the activity of mitochondrial ATP enzyme and the expression of F-actin protein were decreased, and most of the mitochondria were damaged under the electron microscope.The training times of the rats in treatment group(61.88±3.61)was lower than that of the model group(82.19±4.87), the ability of learning and memory was improved(P<0.05). Compared with the model group ((1.50±0.07)U/mgprot, (0.08±0.01)), the activity of the mitochondrial ATP enzyme((1.84±0.11)U/mgprot) and the level of F-actin protein(0.12±0.01)in rat hippocampus of treatment group were increased, the difference was statistically significant(both P<0.05). The level of H2S in rat hippocampus of the treatment group ((34.56±2.47) nmol/g) was lower than that of the model group ((44.55±3.71) nmol/g), the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05). Compared with model group, the mitochondrial damage of the hippocampus in the treatment group was improved under electron microscope. Conclusion NBP can abate mitochondrial damage and improve learning and memory abilities in chronic alcoholism rats. Key words: N-butylphthalide; Chronic alcoholism rats; H2S; Mitochondria; F-actin

LiftingNet: A Novel Deep Learning Network With Layerwise Feature Learning From Noisy Mechanical Data for Fault Classification

The key challenge of intelligent fault diagnosis is to develop features that can distinguish different categories. Because of the unique properties of mechanical data, predetermined features based on prior knowledge are usually used as inputs for fault classification. However, proper selection of features often requires expertise knowledge and becomes more difficult and time consuming when volume of data increases. In this paper, a novel deep learning network (LiftingNet) is proposed to learn features adaptively from raw mechanical data without prior knowledge. Inspired by convolutional neural network and second generation wavelet transform, the LiftingNet is constructed to classify mechanical data even though inputs contain considerable noise and randomness. The LiftingNet consists of split layer, predict layer, update layer, pooling layer, and full-connection layer. Different kernel sizes are allowed in convolutional layers to improve learning ability. As a multilayer neural network, deep features are learned from shallow ones to represent complex structures in raw data. Feasibility and effectiveness of the LiftingNet is validated by two motor bearing datasets. Results show that the proposed method could achieve layerwise feature learning and successfully classify mechanical data even with different rotating speed and under the influence of random noise.

Deep Structured Learning for Visual Relationship Detection

In the research area of computer vision and artificial intelligence, learning the relationships of objects is an important way to deeply understand images. Most of recent works detect visual relationship by learning objects and predicates respectively in feature level, but the dependencies between objects and predicates have not been fully considered. In this paper, we introduce deep structured learning for visual relationship detection. Specifically, we propose a deep structured model, which learns relationship by using feature-level prediction and label-level prediction to improve learning ability of only using feature-level predication. The feature-level prediction learns relationship by discriminative features, and the label-level prediction learns relationships by capturing dependencies between objects and predicates based on the learnt relationship of feature level. Additionally, we use structured SVM (SSVM) loss function as our optimization goal, and decompose this goal into the subject, predicate, and object optimizations which become more simple and more independent. Our experiments on the Visual Relationship Detection (VRD) dataset and the large-scale Visual Genome (VG) dataset validate the effectiveness of our method, which outperforms state-of-the-art methods.

Adoption of Digital Technologies in Tertiary Education: Evidence From India

The article delineates the existing paradigm of educational technologies in Indian tertiary education institutions. The findings are expected to be useful for tertiary education institutions and policy makers so that they can reorient the existing policies that will be helpful in providing quality education commensurate with industrial needs. The study investigates the adoption of new educational technologies and its impact on students. The empirical findings are based on primary data collected from state and privately funded universities located in and around Delhi, India. The findings of the study suggest that there is a positive association between the intensity of technology used and its impact on students. We also find that the use of latest technologies makes students more creative and improves learning abilities. The other factors that influenced the degree of new technologies used are the opinion of students on the following descriptions: (a) Helps in understanding concepts more clearly, (b) Contributes in better illustration of ideas, (c) Provides opportunity to interact with students of other institutions effectively, and (d) Equates with international teaching methodologies.