Information Processing Tools Research Articles

D-Intuitionistic Hesitant Fuzzy Sets and their Application in Multiple Attribute Decision Making

Hesitant fuzzy sets (HFSs) and generalized hesitant fuzzy sets (GHFSs) provide useful tools for uncertain information processing in situations in which decision makers have doubts among several possible membership degrees. In practice, however, decision makers may have a degree of belief for hesitant memberships based on their knowledge and experience. The aim of our study is to propose a new manifestation of uncertain information, called D-intuitionistic hesitant fuzzy sets (D-IHFSs), by combining D numbers and GHFSs. First, arithmetic operations, score functions, and comparison laws related to D-IHFSs are introduced. Next, an extension principle is proposed for the application of aggregation operators of GHFSs to the D-intuitionistic hesitant fuzzy environment. Finally, a decision-making approach based on D-IHFSs is developed. An illustrative example shows the effectiveness and flexibility of D-IHFSs to handle uncertainties, such as fuzziness, hesitation, and incompleteness. D-IHFSs, combining D numbers and GHFSs, improve decision makers’ ability to handle uncertain information.

Temporal interference with frequency-controllable long photons from independent cold atomic sources

The interference of single photons from independent sources is an essential tool in quantum information processing. However, the interfering of photons with long temporal states in a time-resolved manner has rarely been studied. This is because without transmitting spectral filters or coupling to a cavity mode single photons generated in traditional nonlinear crystals suffer from a short temporal profile below 1 ns. With spectral correlation maintained in the biphotons generated from spontaneous four-wave mixing process in cold atom clouds, here we demonstrate the temporal interference of two frequency-tunable long photons from two independent cold atomic sources. We observe and analyze the interference of frequency-mismatched photons, where the phenomenon of the quantum beat at megahertz separation is displayed. Our paper provides more details for the quantum beat of two independent narrow-band single photons, which may find potential application in frequency-encoded photonic qubits in quantum information processing.

Intelligent Devices in a Decentralized Production System Concept

Current manufacturing research topics, like Cyber Physical Production Systems, Industry 4.0 and machine learning, deal with the enhancement of machine control systems to create self-controlling production systems. This paper shows an approach to add supplementary information acquisition and processing tools to former executive units in order to enable decentralized decision-making. Therefore computers with additional sensors and communication devices were added to each component of a production system in a production laboratory. This change from a production machine to a self-controlling cyber-physical device is illustrated through the implementation in a milling station consisting of an industrial robot, a milling machine and a logistic station. The paper deals with the distribution of tasks to different component types and also with the connection to employees by such a decentralized system.

Factors affecting long-term economic growth-consistency and stability by soft regression estimation

This study demonstrates a challenge of building and validating a model of factors associated with long-term economic success of economies, as reflected by measures of their aggregate value of output/income per capita. We use two quantitative modelling techniques including multiple linear regression (MLR) and a newer technique of soft regression, a modelling tool based on fuzzy information processing technology. The objective of this study is to test and compare the two information-processing tools to find the more reliable and potentially helpful tool for policy decision making. The conclusions of this study are: 1) the soft regression tool generated more consistent and comprehensible results in comparison to the MLR method; 2) based on soft regression tool, the model displayed solid stability over extensive period under study; 3) based on MLR method, we could interpret the results as supporting the validity of the model; however, some of the results were contradictory, thus undermining the reliability of conclusions.

Analyzing the LncRNA, miRNA, and mRNA Regulatory Network in Prostate Cancer with Bioinformatics Software.

Information processing tools and bioinformatics software have significantly advanced researchers' ability to process and analyze biological data. Molecular data from human and model organism genomes help researchers identify topics for study, which, in turn, improves predictive accuracy, facilitates the identification of relevant genes, and simplifies the validation of laboratory data. The objective of this study was to explore the regulatory network constituted by long noncoding RNA (lncRNA), miRNA, and mRNA in prostate cancer (PCa). Microarray data of PCa were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas database and DESeq package in R language were used to identify the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between PCa and normal samples. Gene ontology enrichment analysis of DEGs was conducted using the Database for Annotation, Visualization, and Integrated Discovery. TargetScan, microcosm, miRanda, miRDB, and PicTar were used to predict target genes. LncRNA associated with PCa was exploited in the lncRNASNP database, and the LncRNA-miRNA-mRNA regulatory network was visualized using Cytoscape. Our study identified 57 differentially expressed miRNAs and 1252 differentially expressed mRNAs; of these, 691 were downregulated genes primarily involved in focal adhesion, vascular smooth muscle contraction, calcium signaling pathway, and so on. The remaining 561 were upregulated genes principally involved in systemic lupus erythematosus, progesterone-mediated oocyte maturation, oocyte meiosis, and so on. Through the integrated analysis of correlation and target gene prediction, our studies identified 1214 miRNA:mRNA pairs, including 52 miRNAs and 395 mRNAs, and screened out 455 lncRNA-miRNA pairs containing 52 miRNAs. Therefore, owing to the interrelationship of lncRNAs and miRNAs with mRNAs, our study screened out 19,075 regulatory relationships. Our data provide a comprehensive bioinformatics analysis of genes, functions, and pathways that may be involved in the pathogenesis of PCa.

Organizing without Understanding

The paper focuses on the practice of using lists in the digitized society, where we do not only deal with lists on the web, but since a few decades tend to observe objects and services in general in the form of evaluative orderings like ratings and rankings. The difference and the relationship between lists, ratings and rankings are illustrated and discussed in historical perspective. In a second step, the paper specifically addresses the web and digital data processing, asking why lists are spreading right now, especially in the last three decades. It analyses the relationship of the form of the list with the web and with algorithms, which are its central tools of information processing.

The Dramatic Arc of the Theory of FSP: A Tentative Diachronic Excursion

Abstract The theory of functional sentence perspective (FSP) and its research methods have been considered one of the prominent tools of discourse analysis and information processing. It is widely known that, combining the approaches adopted both by formalists and functionalists, the theory of FSP draws on the findings presented by the scholars of the Prague Circle. The father of FSP himself - Jan Firbas - drew on the findings of his predecessor, Vilem Mathesius, who formulated the basic principles of what was to be labelled FSP only later. Apart from the principal FSP representatives and more recent followers (as a rule associated with Prague or Brno universities), this homage paper overviews somewhat less familiar - yet significant - pioneers in the field of theories of information structure, viz. Henri Weil, Samuel Brassai, Georg von der Gabelentz and Anton Marty. It will discuss some of their writings and achievements that were forming (and inspiring) the theory of FSP.

Stationary Signal Processing on Graphs

Graphs are a central tool in machine learning and information processing as they allow to conveniently capture the structure of complex datasets. In this context, it is of high importance to develop flexible models of signals defined over graphs or networks. In this paper, we generalize the traditional concept of wide sense stationarity to signals defined over the vertices of arbitrary weighted undirected graphs. We show that stationarity is expressed through the graph localization operator reminiscent of translation. We prove that stationary graph signals are characterized by a well-defined Power Spectral Density that can be efficiently estimated even for large graphs. We leverage this new concept to derive Wiener-type estimation procedures of noisy and partially observed signals and illustrate the performance of this new model for denoising and regression.

Experimental Minimum-Error Quantum-State Discrimination in High Dimensions.

Quantum mechanics forbids perfect discrimination among nonorthogonal states through a single shot measurement. To optimize this task, many strategies were devised that later became fundamental tools for quantum information processing. Here, we address the pioneering minimum-error (ME) measurement and give the first experimental demonstration of its application for discriminating nonorthogonal states in high dimensions. Our scheme is designed to distinguish symmetric pure states encoded in the transverse spatial modes of an optical field; the optimal measurement is performed by a projection onto the Fourier transform basis of these modes. For dimensions ranging from D=2 to D=21 and nearly 14 000 states tested, the deviations of the experimental results from the theoretical values range from 0.3% to 3.6% (getting below 2% for the vast majority), thus showing the excellent performance of our scheme. This ME measurement is a building block for high-dimensional implementations of many quantum communication protocols, including probabilistic state discrimination, dense coding with nonmaximal entanglement, and cryptographic schemes.

Prediction performance of reservoir computing systems based on a diode-pumped erbium-doped microchip laser subject to optical feedback.

Reservoir computing (RC) systems are computational tools for information processing that can be fully implemented in optics. Here, we experimentally and numerically show that an optically pumped laser subject to optical delayed feedback can yield similar results to those obtained for electrically pumped lasers. Unlike with previous implementations, the input data are injected at a time interval that is much larger than the time-delay feedback. These data are directly coupled to the feedback light beam. Our results illustrate possible new avenues for RC implementations for prediction tasks.

Information Processing in Nursing Information Systems: An Evaluation Study from a Developing Country.

Background:In recent years, information technology has been introduced in the nursing departments of many hospitals to support their daily tasks. Nurses are the largest end user group in Hospital Information Systems (HISs). This study was designed to evaluate data processing in the Nursing Information Systems (NISs) utilized in many university hospitals in Iran.Methods and Materials:This was a cross-sectional study. The population comprised all nurse managers and NIS users of the five training hospitals in Khorramabad city (N = 71). The nursing subset of HIS-Monitor questionnaire was used to collect the data. Data were analyzed by the descriptive-analytical method and the inductive content analysis.Results:The results indicated that the nurses participating in the study did not take a desirable advantage of paper (2.02) and computerized (2.34) information processing tools to perform nursing tasks. Moreover, the less work experience nurses have, the further they utilize computer tools for processing patient discharge information. The “readability of patient information” and “repetitive and time-consuming documentation” were stated as the most important expectations and problems regarding the HIS by the participating nurses, respectively.Conclusions:The nurses participating in the present study used to utilize paper and computerized information processing tools together to perform nursing practices. Therefore, it is recommended that the nursing process redesign coincides with NIS implementation in the health care centers.

Narzędzia i techniki informatyczne w procesie kodyfikacji wiedzy organizacyjnej

The main purpose of the article is to review the latest solutions in the field of IT tools for data and information processing and to try to determine their suitability in the knowledge management process. Knowledge management is often a key tool in building a competitive advantage and implementing innovations. Modern enterprises need more and more advanced tools and information technologies. The main reason is that today these are no longer individual companies, but consortia, company networks, holdings or clusters. The last decade is also a dynamic development in the use of new IT tools for this purpose. They are used at every stage of knowledge management. The publication presents the results of the analysis of which categories of tools and what effect is used at the stage of: (1) acquiring knowledge, (2) sharing knowledge and (3) using knowledge. More and more often, intelligent algorithms are used in the knowledge management stages, which by using selected tools allow for semi-automatic or automatic processing and even the use of knowledge. Currently, the work of scientists focuses on the use of methods that are referred to as machine learning, cognitive systems, or finally artificial intelligence. However, in order to be able to use advanced tools in the coding processes, it is necessary to have earlier, dedicated data and information processing taking into account the requirements of more intelligent algorithms.

Implementation of an Adapted Holonic Production Architecture

Recent developments in information and computation technologies open up possibilities for the practical implementation of flexible, self-controlling production systems. The decentralization of existing production systems and their control plays a decisive role in creating the demanded flexibility and achieving an overall self-controlled system. The basic concept of the decentralization of production systems was set by the paradigm of Holonic Manufacturing Systems (HMS). In a HMS an element (holon) of the production system works autonomously with its own schedule and properties. Just through the cooperation with other holons central tasks of the production system are determined and subsequently executed. In this paper the flexibility and self-control of the production system was applicated through the distribution of decision-making by adding supplementary information acquisition and processing tools to former executive units. The previously procedural connection of the machines was dissolved and replaced by a peer-to-peer communication protocol. Superordinate controlling units, mostly PLCs, were abolished and instead decentralized controlling agents were implemented. The automatic control of the entire system is reached just through the communication of all devices, a machine-based scheduling and additional monitoring agents. The underlying architecture is based on Holonic Manufacturing concepts including order agent, machine, resource, product, logistic and supply holons. In this paper the adapted architecture is presented and subsequently the practical implementation in a research laboratory is described.

High-order dispersion effects in two-photon interference

Two-photon interference and Hong-Ou-Mandel (HOM) effect are relevant tools for quantum metrology and quantum information processing. In optical coherence tomography, HOM effect is exploited to achieve high-resolution measurements with the width of the HOM dip being the main parameter. On the other hand, applications like dense coding require high-visibility performances. Here we address high-order dispersion effects in two-photon interference and study, theoretically and experimentally, the dependence of the visibility and the width of the HOM dip on both the pump spectrum and the downconverted photon spectrum. In particular, a spatial light modulator is exploited to experimentally introduce and manipulate a custom phase function to simulate the high-order dispersion effects.

Providing security for automated process control systems at hydropower engineering facilities

This article suggests the concept of a cyberphysical system to manage computer security of automated process control systems at hydropower engineering facilities. According to the authors, this system consists of a set of information processing tools and computer-controlled physical devices. Examples of cyber attacks on power engineering facilities are provided, and a strategy of improving cybersecurity of hydropower engineering systems is suggested. The architecture of the multilevel protection of the automated process control system (APCS) of power engineering facilities is given, including security systems, control systems, access control, encryption, secure virtual private network of subsystems for monitoring and analysis of security events. The distinctive aspect of the approach is consideration of interrelations and cyber threats, arising when SCADA is integrated with the unified enterprise information system.

Unravelling quantum dot array simulators via singlet-triplet measurements

Recently, singlet-triplet measurements in double dots have emerged as a powerful tool in quantum information processing. In parallel, quantum dot arrays are being envisaged as analog quantum simulators of many-body models. Thus motivated, we explore the potential of the above singlet-triplet measurements for probing and exploiting the ground state of a Heisenberg spin chain in such a quantum simulator. We formulate an efficient protocol to discriminate the achieved many-body ground state with other likely states. Moreover, the transition between quantum phases, arising from the addition of frustrations in a ${J}_{1}\ensuremath{-}{J}_{2}$ model, can be systematically explored using the same set of measurements. We show that the proposed measurements have an application in producing long distance heralded entanglement between well separated quantum dots. Relevant noise sources, such as nonzero temperatures and nuclear spin interactions, are considered.

The Meaning of Digitalization for Research Skills: Challenges for STI Policy

This paper gives an overview of the impact of the current digital evolution of S&T systems, in particular on STI policies and research skills development. Within this context digitalization demonstrates strong impact on human capital and tangible assets (infrastructures and information processing tools etc.) by means of enhancing sources of new knowledge. Hence, challenges arise on the useful and proper utilization of numerous opportunities which emerged from digitalization. What are the new challenges for S&T systems caused by digitalization and what mechanisms could be implemented for system adaptation to them? What are the new research skills that are a high priority to acquire both by individuals and system as a whole? The paper argues that STI policy thus far hasn’t demonstrated sufficient responses to the changing requirements on researcher skills but remains at the infrastructural discussion.

Quantum walks of interacting fermions on a cycle graph.

Quantum walks have been employed widely to develop new tools for quantum information processing recently. A natural quantum walk dynamics of interacting particles can be used to implement efficiently the universal quantum computation. In this work quantum walks of electrons on a graph are studied. The graph is composed of semiconductor quantum dots arranged in a circle. Electrons can tunnel between adjacent dots and interact via Coulomb repulsion, which leads to entanglement. Fermionic entanglement dynamics is obtained and evaluated.

Strategie di sostenibilità: dalle motivazioni ai sistemi di misurazione della performance

The paper aims to examine the main changes that performance measurement systems of firms have to face after the adoption of sustainability strategies. The relationship between sustainability strategies and performance measurement systems is analysed along three main dimensions: the reasons that lead to the implementation of sustainability strategies; the changes that these strategies produce within the performance measurement systems; the feedback effects that the revised performance measurement systems determine on the sustainability strategies. We adopted a qualitative research methodology analysing a single case study: ASIA Napoli S.p.A. The case study and the results have been achieved through a theoretical framework built in the first step of the research. The case study allowed to examine the role of legitimacy and reputation when a company chooses to implement sustainability strategies, and confirmed, overall, that the decision to integrate sustainability into business strategy produces changes in performance measurement systems. Our findings showed that the implementation of sustainability strategies produce some changes in the performance measurement systems with regard to the processes and the tools for information and data collection. However, tools for information processing and analysing for decision-making support are less developed. The results also suggested that the measurement of social performance represents an incentive to revise sustainability strategies.

Asymmetric Multiple-Image Encryption Based on Octonion Fresnel Transform and Sine Logistic Modulation Map

A novel asymmetric multiple-image encryption method using an octonion Fresnel transform (OFST) and a two-dimensional Sine Logistic modulation map (2D-SLMM) is presented. First, a new multiple-image information processing tool termed the octonion Fresneltransform is proposed, and then an efficient method to calculate the OFST of an octonion matrix is developed. Subsequently this tool is applied to process multiple plaintext images, which are represented by octonion algebra, holistically in a vector manner. The complex amplitude, formed from the components of the OFST-transformed original images and modulated by a random phase mask (RPM), is used to derive the ciphertext image by employing an amplitude- and phase-truncation approach in the Fresnel domain. To avoid sending whole RPMs to the receiver side for decryption, a random phase mask generation method based on SLMM, in which only the initial parameters of the chaotic function are needed to generate the RPMs, is designed. To enhance security, the ciphertext and two decryption keys produced in the encryption procedure are permuted by the proposed SLMM-based scrambling method. Numerical simulations have been carried out to demonstrate the proposed scheme's validity, high security, and high resistance to various attacks.