Big data analytics:Computational intelligence techniques and application areas

Big Data has significant impact in developing functional smart cities and supporting modern societies. In this paper, we investigate the importance of Big Data in modern life and economy, and discuss challenges arising from Big Data utilization. Different computational intelligence techniques have been considered as tools for Big Data analytics. We also explore the powerful combination of Big Data and Computational Intelligence (CI) and identify a number of areas, where novel applications in real world smart city problems can be developed by utilizing these powerful tools and techniques. We present a case study for intelligent transportation in the context of a smart city, and a novel data modelling methodology based on a biologically inspired universal generative modelling approach called Hierarchical Spatial-Temporal State Machine (HSTSM). We further discuss various implications of policy, protection, valuation and commercialization related to Big Data, its applications and deployment

Understanding Hydrogen-Bond Patterns in Proteins using a Novel Statistical Model

Proteins are built from basic structural elements and their systematic characterization is of interest. Searching for recurring patterns in protein contact maps, we found several network motifs, patterns that occur more frequently in experimentally determined protein contact maps than in randomized contact maps with the same properties. Some of these network motifs correspond to sub-structures of alpha helices, including topologies not previously recognized in this context. Other motifs characterize beta-sheets, again some of which appear to be novel. This topological characterization of patterns serves as a tool to characterize proteins, and to reveal a high detailed differences map for comparing protein structures solved by X-ray crystallography, NMR and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Both NMR and MD show small but consistent differences from the crystal structures of the same proteins, possibly due to the pair-wise energy functions used. Network motifs analysis can serve as a base for many-body energy statistical energy potential, and suggests a dictionary of basic elements of which protein secondary structure is made

Continuing teacher professional development in post-Soviet Kyrgyzstan

After the collapse of the USSR, Kyrgyzstan became an independent Central Asian state in 1991. Since its independence, there have been enormous changes in the political, social and economic life of the young state, which strives to become a democratic and aspiring market-oriented economy. Its education system has also begun experiencing changes. However, most of the reforms brought in this area continue to be short-term and ever-changing. Economic hardship does not allow the continuation of the previously state-funded teacher retraining system, which further creates deteriorating quality education in the schools. On one hand, the country continues to follow the Soviet in-service teacher education system and procedures that became hard to accomplish. On the other hand, ‘lip service’ reforms continue to irritate teachers who are left in uncertainty and despair. This paper examines the existing continuing teacher professional development programs in post-Soviet Kyrgyzstan and identifies related issues of quality, access and lack of structure. These all reflect the overall economic decline of the region, which is one of the impoverished Central Asian states. It brings out the necessity for more teacher needs-based programs and the acknowledgement that teacher self-initiated programs/approaches to professional development are necessary

Role and immunomodulatory profile of histamine receptors by H1 and H2 antagonists

The present study was designed to delineate the immunomodulatory role of histamine receptors (H1- and H2-) on induction of antibody response to sheep red blood cells (SRBC), as well as the antibody generation profile, in rabbit system, systemically. The rabbits in two groups received pheniramine (H1-receptor antagonist) and ranitidine (H2-receptor antagonist), respectively, via intramuscular route and were immunized with SRBC intravenously to evaluate suppression or enhancement of antibody responses in sem. A third, control group, received vehicle and were immunized in a similar manner. Histamine released from effector cells (mast cells and basophils) _in vivo_ during inflammatory reactions could influence a detectable antibody response to SRBC as early as day 7-postimmunization (post-I), which lasted until day 28- post-I. Pheniramine-treated rabbits had significantly (*Pa ≤ 0.05 and **Pa ≤ 0.01) more suppressed total serum antibody (IgM + IgG) to SRBC as compared to ranitidine-treated ad cotrol rabbits, while ranitidine-treated rabbits showed different pattern (suppressed or enhanced) during the whole study period. Ranitidine suppressed total antibody level at days 7- and 14- post-I, and enhanced at days 21- and 28- post-I. IgM suppression at day 7- and enhancement at days 14-, 21- and 28- post-I, while IgG suppression during whole study period, as compared to control group was significant (*Pa ≤ 0.05 and **Pa ≤ 0.01) as assessed by direct hemagglutination assay* ad whole SBC-ELISA method**. Here we report that histamine receptor type 2 (H2R)-antagonists have a dominant role on immunosuppression and in immunoregulation of humoral immune responses. Histamine receptor type 2 (H2R)-antagonists are mainly involved in B cell differentiation and proliferation over histamine receptor type 1 (H1R)-antagonists