Edith Cowan University

About: Edith Cowan University is a education organization based out in Perth, Western Australia, Australia. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Tourism. The organization has 4040 authors who have published 13529 publications receiving 339582 citations. The organization is also known as: Edith Cowan & ECU.

Rice crop yield prediction in India using support vector machines

Abstract: Food production in India is largely dependent on cereal crops including rice, wheat and various pulses. The sustainability and productivity of rice growing areas is dependent on suitable climatic conditions. Variability in seasonal climate conditions can have detrimental effect, with incidents of drought reducing production. Developing better techniques to predict crop productivity in different climatic conditions can assist farmer and other stakeholders in better decision making in terms of agronomy and crop choice. Machine learning techniques can be used to improve prediction of crop yield under different climatic scenarios. This paper presents the review on use of such machine learning technique for Indian rice cropping areas. This paper discusses the experimental results obtained by applying SMO classifier using the WEKA tool on the dataset of 27 districts of Maharashtra state, India. The dataset considered for the rice crop yield prediction was sourced from publicly available Indian Government records. The parameters considered for the study were precipitation, minimum temperature, average temperature, maximum temperature and reference crop evapotranspiration, area, production and yield for the Kharif season (June to November) for the years 1998 to 2002. For the present study the mean absolute error (MAE), root mean squared error (RMSE), relative absolute error (RAE) and root relative squared error (RRSE) were calculated. The experimental results showed that the performance of other techniques on the same dataset was much better compared to SMO.

The effect of maturation on adaptations to strength training and detraining in 11-15-year-olds

Abstract: To investigate how maturity status modifies the effects of strength training and detraining on performance, we subjected 33 young men to 8 weeks of strength training twice per week followed by 8 weeks without training Changes in performance tests were analyzed in three maturity groups based on years from/to age of predicted peak height velocity (PHV): pre-PHV (-17 ± 04 years; n = 10), mid-PHV (-02 ± 04 years; n = 11), and post-PHV (10 ± 04 years; n = 12) Mean training effects on one repetition maximum strength (36-100%), maximum explosive power (11-20%), jump length (65-74%), and sprint times (-21% to -47%) ranged from small to large, with generally greater changes in mid- and post-PHV groups Changes in force-velocity relationships reflected generally greater increases in strength at faster velocities In the detraining period, the pre-PHV group showed greatest loss of strength and power, the post-PHV group showed some loss of sprint performance, but all groups maintained or improved jump length Strength training was thus generally less effective before the growth spurt Maintenance programs are needed for most aspects of explosive performance following strength training before the growth spurt and for sprint speed after the growth spurt

Nanocrystalline Co0.85Se Anchored on Graphene Nanosheets as a Highly Efficient and Stable Electrocatalyst for Hydrogen Evolution Reaction

Abstract: For the first time, a porous and conductive Co0.85Se/graphene network (CSGN), constructed by Co0.85Se nanocrystals being tightly connected with each other and homogeneously anchored on few-layered graphene nanosheets, has been synthesized by a facile one-pot solvothermal method. Compared to unhybridized Co0.85Se, CSGN exhibits much faster kinetics and better electrocatalytic behavior for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). The HER mechanism of CSGN is improved to Volmer–Tafel combination, instead of Volmer–Heyrovsky combination, for Co0.85Se. CSGN has a very low Tafel slope of 34.4 mV/dec, which is much lower than that of unhybridized Co0.85Se (41.8 mV/dec) and is the lowest ever reported for Co0.85Se-based electrocatalysts. CSGN delivers a current density of 55 mA/cm2 at 250 mV overpotential, much larger than that of Co0.85Se (33 mA/cm2). Furthermore, CSGN shows superior electrocatalytic stability even after 1500 cycles. The excellent HER performance of CSGN is attributed to the unique porous and conducti...

Fas and Fas Ligand Messenger Ribonucleic Acid and Protein Expression in the Rat Corpus Luteum during Apoptosis-Mediated Luteolysis

Abstract: Apoptosis has been found to occur during regression of the corpus luteum (CL) in many species. The Fas (APO-1/CD95) receptor, a transmembrane protein that induces apoptosis in the cell when bound to Fas ligand (FasL), may be involved. This study established and quantitated the presence and regulation of Fas receptor and FasL in the rat CL during pregnancy and postpartum. Using immunohistochemistry, FasL was localized in CL during pregnancy and postpartum. Fas was localized at Day 1 of pregnancy and at the time of luteolysis. Both Fas and FasL mRNA were found to be expressed throughout pregnancy and postpartum using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Relative quantitative RT-PCR established that expression of FasL mRNA increased significantly at Day 22 of pregnancy and decreased by Day 3 postpartum. Spontaneous apoptosis of rat CL placed in an in vitro culture model with serum-free medium was examined by analysis of extracted DNA using 3' end-labeling. Treatment with an anti-rat Fas monoclonal antibody demonstrated a reduction in the occurrence of spontaneous apoptosis. These data support a role for Fas receptor and FasL in rat CL apoptosis during luteolysis.

The Forms of Bullying Scale (FBS): validity and reliability estimates for a measure of bullying victimization and perpetration in adolescence.

Abstract: The study of bullying behavior and its consequences for young people depends on valid and reliable measurement of bullying victimization and perpetration. Although numerous self-report bullying-related measures have been developed, robust evidence of their psychometric properties is scant, and several limitations inhibit their applicability. The Forms of Bullying Scale (FBS), with versions to measure bullying victimization (FBS-V) and perpetration (FBS-P), was developed on the basis of existing instruments, for use with 12- to 15-year-old adolescents to economically, yet comprehensively measure both bullying perpetration and victimization. Measurement properties were estimated. Scale validity was tested using data from 2 independent studies of 3,496 Grade 8 and 783 Grade 8-10 students, respectively. Construct validity of scores on the FBS was shown in confirmatory factor analysis. The factor structure was not invariant across gender. Strong associations between the FBS-V and FBS-P and separate single-item bullying items demonstrated adequate concurrent validity. Correlations, in directions as expected with social-emotional outcomes (i.e., depression, anxiety, conduct problems, and peer support), provided robust evidence of convergent and discriminant validity. Responses to the FBS items were found to be valid and concurrently reliable measures of self-reported frequency of bullying victimization and perpetration, as well as being useful to measure involvement in the different forms of bullying behaviors. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved).