Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Two-timescale stochastic gradient descent in continuous time with applications to joint online parameter estimation and optimal sensor placement

In this paper, we establish the almost sure convergence of two-timescale stochastic gradient descent algorithms in continuous time under general noise and stability conditions, extending well known results in discrete time. We analyse algorithms with additive noise and those with non-additive noise. In the non-additive case, our analysis is carried out under the assumption that the noise is a continuous-time Markov process, controlled by the algorithm states. The algorithms we consider can be applied to a broad class of bilevel optimisation problems. We study one such problem in detail, namely, the problem of joint online parameter estimation and optimal sensor placement for a partially observed diffusion process. We demonstrate how this can be formulated as a bilevel optimisation problem, and propose a solution in the form of a continuous-time, two-timescale, stochastic gradient descent algorithm. Furthermore, under suitable conditions on the latent signal, the filter, and the filter derivatives, we establish almost sure convergence of the online parameter estimates and optimal sensor placements to the stationary points of the asymptotic log-likelihood and asymptotic filter covariance, respectively. We also provide numerical examples, illustrating the application of the proposed methodology to a partially observed Bene\v{s} equation, and a partially observed stochastic advection-diffusion equation.
Reproduction in an endemic bird of a semiarid island: a food‐mediated process

We analyse the effects of rainfall, temperature, food availability and nest predation on the between-year variation in reproduction of the Canary Islands stonechat Saxicola dacotiae, a bird species endemic of the semiarid island of Fuerteventura (Canary Islands, Spain). We monitored the reproductive performance and output of the species across its whole distribution area during three consecutive breeding periods, also measuring rainfall, temperature and food (arthropod) availability on the ground monthly. Rainfall varied from 27.3 mm in 2000–2001 (dry year) to 124.5 mm and 125.1 mm (average years), respectively, in the 2001–2002 and 2002–2003 breeding seasons. The onset of breeding closely matched variation in the onset of the autumn-winter rains among years. Arthropod availability was strongly and positively related to rainfall one month before. Reproductive investment (number of clutches and clutch size) was correlated to arthropod availability both among years and among sites within years. Stonechat pairs bred once or did not breed at all in the dry year whereas they bred twice in the other two years. Clutch size was smaller in the dry year and larger in the second as compared with the first in the other two years. Reproductive investment largely determined reproductive output (number of fledglings) as there were no significant spatial or temporal variation in hatching success (90% on average) or nest predation (29% on average, mostly due to feral cats Felis catus). Within- and among years variability in temperature or predation did not match variability in the onset, length or reproductive investment and output recorded throughout the study years. These results suggest that variability in annual fecundity in the Canary Islands Stonechat was mainly driven by rainfall through a food-mediated process.
Word Embeddings: Stability and Semantic Change

Word embeddings are computed by a class of techniques within natural language processing (NLP), that create continuous vector representations of words in a language from a large text corpus. The stochastic nature of the training process of most embedding techniques can lead to surprisingly strong instability, i.e. subsequently applying the same technique to the same data twice, can produce entirely different results. In this work, we present an experimental study on the instability of the training process of three of the most influential embedding techniques of the last decade: word2vec, GloVe and fastText. Based on the experimental results, we propose a statistical model to describe the instability of embedding techniques and introduce a novel metric to measure the instability of the representation of an individual word. Finally, we propose a method to minimize the instability - by computing a modified average over multiple runs - and apply it to a specific linguistic problem: The detection and quantification of semantic change, i.e. measuring changes in the meaning and usage of words over time.
Intermittent resetting potentials

We study the non-equilibrium steady states (NESS) and first passage properties of a Brownian particle with position X subject to an external confining potential of the form V(X) = μ|X|, and that is switched on and off stochastically. Applying the potential intermittently generates a physically realistic diffusion process with stochastic resetting toward the origin, a topic which has recently attracted a considerable interest in a variety of theoretical contexts but has remained challenging to implement in lab experiments. The present system exhibits rich features, not observed in previous resetting models. The mean time needed by a particle starting from the potential minimum to reach an absorbing target located at a certain distance can be minimized with respect to the switch-on and switch-off rates. The optimal rates undergo continuous or discontinuous transitions as the potential strength μ is varied across non-trivial values. A discontinuous transition with metastable behavior is also observed for the optimal strength at fixed rates.
Blending Generative Adversarial Image Synthesis with Rendering for Computer Graphics

Conventional computer graphics pipelines require detailed 3D models, meshes, textures, and rendering engines to generate 2D images from 3D scenes. These processes are labor-intensive. We introduce Hybrid Neural Computer Graphics (HNCG) as an alternative. The contribution is a novel image formation strategy to reduce the 3D model and texture complexity of computer graphics pipelines. Our main idea is straightforward: Given a 3D scene, render only important objects of interest and use generative adversarial processes for synthesizing the rest of the image. To this end, we propose a novel image formation strategy to form 2D semantic images from 3D scenery consisting of simple object models without textures. These semantic images are then converted into photo-realistic RGB images with a state-of-the-art conditional Generative Adversarial Network (cGAN) based image synthesizer trained on real-world data. Meanwhile, objects of interest are rendered using a physics-based graphics engine. This is necessary as we want to have full control over the appearance of objects of interest. Finally, the partially-rendered and cGAN synthesized images are blended with a blending GAN. We show that the proposed framework outperforms conventional rendering with ablation and comparison studies. Semantic retention and Fr\'echet Inception Distance (FID) measurements were used as the main performance metrics.
Asynchronicity in root and shoot phenology in grasses and woody plants

Phenology is central to understanding vegetation response to climate change, as well as vegetation effects on plant resources, but most temporal production data is based on shoots, especially those of trees. In contrast, most production in temperate and colder regions is belowground, and is frequently dominated by grasses. We report root and shoot phenology in 7‐year old monocultures of 10 dominant species (five woody species, five grasses) in southern Canada. Woody shoot production was greatest about 8 weeks before the peak of root production, whereas grass shoot maxima preceded root maxima by 2–4 weeks. Over the growing season, woody root, and grass root and shoot production increased significantly with soil temperature. In contrast, the timing of woody shoot production was not related to soil temperature (r=0.01). The duration of root production was significantly greater than that of shoot production (grasses: 22%, woody species: 54%). Woody species produced cooler and moister soils than grasses, but growth forms did not affect seasonal patterns of soil conditions. Although woody shoots are the current benchmark for phenology studies, the other three components examined here (woody plant roots, grass shoots and roots) differed greatly in peak production time, as well as production duration. These results highlight that shoot and root phenology is not coincident, and further, that major plant growth forms differ in their timing of above‐ and belowground production. Thus, considering total plant phenology instead of only tree shoot phenology should provide a better understanding of ecosystem response to climate change.
Slightly Conservative Bootstrap for Maxima of Sums.

We study the bootstrap for the maxima of the sums of independent random variables, a problem of high relevance to many applications in modern statistics. Since the consistency of bootstrap was justified by Gaussian approximation in Chernozhukov et al. (2013), quite a few attempts have been made to sharpen the error bound for bootstrap and reduce the sample size requirement for bootstrap consistency. In this paper, we show that the sample size requirement can be dramatically improved when we make the inference slightly conservative, that is, to inflate the bootstrap quantile $t_{\alpha}^*$ by a small fraction, e.g. by $1\%$ to $1.01\,t^*_\alpha$. This simple procedure yields error bounds for the coverage probability of conservative bootstrap at as fast a rate as $\sqrt{(\log p)/n}$ under suitable conditions, so that not only the sample size requirement can be reduced to $\log p \ll n$ but also the overall convergence rate is nearly parametric. Furthermore, we improve the error bound for the coverage probability of the standard non-conservative bootstrap to $[(\log (np))^3 (\log p)^2/n]^{1/4}$ under general assumptions on data. These results are established for the empirical bootstrap and the multiplier bootstrap with third moment match. An improved coherent Lindeberg interpolation method, originally proposed in Deng and Zhang (2017), is developed to derive sharper comparison bounds, especially for the maxima.
Magnetohydrodynamic Accretion–Ejection: Jets Launched by a Nonisotropic Accretion-disk Dynamo. I. Validation and Application of Selected Dynamo Tensorial Components

Astrophysical jets are launched from strongly magnetized systems that host an accretion disk surrounding a central object. The origin of the jet-launching magnetic field is one of the open questions for modeling the accretion–ejection process. Here we address the question of how the accretion-disk magnetization and field structure required for jet launching are generated. Applying the PLUTO code, we present the first resistive magnetohydronamic simulations of jet launching including a nonscalar accretion-disk mean-field α2Ω dynamo in the context of large-scale disk-jet simulations. Essentially, we find the αϕ-dynamo component determining the amplification of the poloidal magnetic field, which is strictly related to the disk magnetization (and, as a consequence, to the jet speed, mass, and collimation), while the αR- and αθ-dynamo components trigger the formation of multiple, antialigned magnetic loops in the disk, with strong consequences for the stability and dynamics of the disk–jet system. In particular, such loops trigger the formation of dynamo-inefficient zones, which are characterized by a weak magnetic field and therefore a lower value of the magnetic diffusivity. The jet mass, speed, and collimation are strongly affected by the formation of the dynamo-inefficient zones. Moreover, the θ component of the α dynamo plays a key role when the dynamo interacts with a nonradial component of the seed magnetic field. We also present correlations between the strength of the disk toy dynamo coefficients and the dynamical parameters of the jet that is launched.
Non-celiac wheat sensitivity: a search for the pathogenesis of a self-reported condition

A significant percentage of the general population reports gastrointestinal and non-gastrointestinal symptoms caused by wheat and/or gluten ingestion, even though they do not suffer from celiac disease (CD) or wheat allergy (WS), because they test negative both for CD-specific serology and histopathology. All patients report improvement of symptoms on a gluten-free diet. This clinical condition has been named non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS). The objective of this paper was to review some studies regarding the pathogenesis of NCGS to summarize the current hypotheses about the mechanisms, which can lead to NCGS. Particular attention was given to the immunologic and the malabsorptive hypotheses. We reviewed data of our previous studies involving patients diagnosed with NCWS by means of double-blind placebo-controlled wheat challenge. The data indicating a possible wheat allergy diagnosis were examined and other data in the literature were reviewed; we also reviewed the putative role of fermentable oligosaccharides disaccharides monosaccharides and polyols (FODMAPs) and of α-amylasetrypsin inhibitors (ATIs) proteins in the NCGS pathogenesis. NCGS pathogenesis has been attributed to very different mechanisms, among others: i) activation of innate and adaptive immunity (the immune/allergic mechanisms) induced by gluten or the non-gluten ATI family; ii) incomplete digestion and/or absorption of FODMAPs (the intolerance mechanisms); and iii) psychological effect.We suggest that NCGS is a heterogeneous condition, which includes different subgroups of patients who have different pathogenic mechanisms: strong data suggest a direct pathogenic immunogenic/inflammatory role of wheat-cereal proteins (not only gluten) in a subgroup, probably the largest, of these patients.
Suicide Assessment and Treatment: Empirical and Evidence-Based Practices

PART ONE: INTRODUCTION Chapter One: Introduction to Suicidality Chapter Two: Ethical and Philosophical Issues in Suicide Chapter Three: The Role of Culture, Race, and Ethnicity in Suicide Chapter Four: Religion, Spirituality, and Suicide PART TWO: EVIDENCE-BASED TREATMENTS Chapter Five: Crisis Management Chapter Six: Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) Chapter Seven: Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) Chapter Eight: Psychopharmacology PART THREE: SPECIAL POPULATIONS Chapter Nine: Working with Children and Adolescents Chapter Ten: Working with Adults Chapter Eleven: Working with The Elderly Chapter Twelve: Working with Vulnerable Groups.
Are Restaurants Really Supersizing America

While many researchers and policymakers infer from correlations between eating out and body weight that restaurants are a leading cause of obesity, a basic identification problem challenges these conclusions. We exploit the placement of Interstate highways in rural areas to obtain exogenous variation in the effective price of restaurants and examine the impact on body mass. We find no causal link between restaurant consumption and obesity. Analysis of food-intake micro-data suggests that consumers offset calories from restaurant meals by eating less at other times. We conclude that regulation targeting restaurants is unlikely to reduce obesity but could decrease consumer welfare.
A retrospective study on the prevalence of dry socket in patients who attended a polyclinic for extraction

Dry socket is one of the most common post-operative complications following extraction of permanent teeth. The aetiology of dry socket is a subject of debate; it is probably multifactorial. However, its pathogenesis remains unclear. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the prevalence of dry socket following extraction of permanent teeth at Dental Polyclinic of Kulliyyah (Faculty) of Dentistry, International Islamic University Malaysia. Retrospective reviews of records of 3,452 extractions of permanent teeth for various reasons from June 2009 to July 2012, were studied. Information regarding biography of the patient, indications for extraction, extraction site (upper or lower arch), extraction technique and procedure were retrieved and analysed. There were 3,452 dental extractions carried out within the study period. The overall prevalence of dry socket was 1.13%. The prevalence of dry socket with regard to gender was 1.3% in males, and 1% in females. The peak prevalence (2.24%) was in the group of patients aged below 20 years. The prevalence of dry socket cases recorded from surgical removal of impacted teeth group was 5.8%. Data evaluation based on site of extraction showed that the prevalence in the upper jaw was less (0.98%) than that in the lower jaw (1.26%). Following surgical extractions, the prevalence of dry socket was 6.88%, while in simple extraction, the prevalence was 0.77%. These results strongly suggest that the aetiology of dry socket is multifactorial, and that the healing potential of the patient ultimately determines the severity and duration of the condition. The incidence of dry socket was higher in male patients, age group of 21 – 30 years, extractions due to caries, extraction of lower teeth, and in surgical extractions.
Inputs and Impacts in Charter Schools: KIPP Lynn

The charter school landscape includes a variety of organizational models and a few national franchises. The nation’s largest network of charter schools is the Knowledge is Power Program (KIPP), with 80 schools operating or slated to open soon. KIPP schools target low income and minority students and subscribe to an approach some have called No Excuses (Abigail Thernstrom and Stephen Thernstrom 2003). No Excuses schools feature a long school day and year, selective teacher hiring, strict behavior norms, and encourage a strong student work ethic. KIPP schools have often been central in the debate over whether schools alone can substantially reduce racial achievement gaps. Descriptive accounts of KIPP suggest positive achievement effects (see, e.g., Jay Mathews 2009), but critics argue that the apparent KIPP advantage reflects differences between students who attend traditional public schools and students that choose to attend KIPP schools (see, e.g., Martin Carnoy, Rebecca Jacobsen, Lawrence Mishel, and Richard Rothstein 2005). There are few well-controlled studies of KIPP schools that might help sort out these competing claims, and none that focus on KIPP. This paper reports on a quasi-experimental evaluation of the only KIPP school in New England, KIPP Academy Lynn. KIPP Lynn opened in the fall of 2004 and is the only charter school in Lynn, Mass. , a low income city north of
Food and feeding habits of Alloteuthis media in the Western Mediterranean Sea

Abstract The loliginid squid Alloteuthis media is not a commercial squid species in the Western Mediterranean Sea, and its trophic ecology is poorly known. Nevertheless, its importance as a prey resource for other squids, marine mammals and even crustaceans has been pointed out in the last decade. We analysed 124 organisms with a mantle length between 1.9 cm and 9.4 cm caught by commercial trawls in the Western Mediterranean Sea during the summer of 2013. Their diet consisted of mesopelagic and micronektonic organisms, mostly myctophid fish, and to a lesser extent crustaceans and molluscs. Based on our results, we can infer that A. media feeds on available prey suggesting active and opportunistic predatory behaviour. This agrees with information reported for other squid.
Net climate impacts of forest biomass production and utilization in managed boreal forests

In this work, we studied the potentials offered by managed boreal forests and forestry to mitigate the climate change using forest‐based materials and energy in substituting fossil‐based materials (concrete and plastic) and energy (coal and oil). For this purpose, we calculated the net climate impacts (radiative forcing) of forest biomass production and utilization in the managed Finnish boreal forests (60°–70°N) over a 90‐year period based on integrated use forest ecosystem model simulations (on carbon sequestration and biomass production of forests) and life‐cycle assessment (LCA) tool. When studying the effects of management on the radiative forcing in a system integrating the carbon sink/sources dynamics in both biosystem and technosystem, the current forest management (baseline management) was used a reference management. Our results showed that the use of forest‐based materials and energy in substituting fossil‐based materials and energy would provide an effective option for mitigating climate change. The negative climate impacts could be further decreased by maintaining forest stocking higher over the rotation compared to the baseline management and by harvesting stumps and coarse roots in addition to logging residues in the final felling. However, the climate impacts varied substantially over time depending on the prevailing forest structure and biomass assortment (timber, energy biomass) used in substitution.
A Study on Consumer Behaviour of Women with Special Reference to Durable Goods in Coimbatore City, Tamil Nadu

There are many underlying influences both internal and external from the social environment. The combination of these inputs and internal factors can never be complex indeed. Yet, the tools of market research can assess motivation and behaviour with considerable accuracy. Perfect prediction of behaviour is never possible, but properly designed research efforts can significantly lower the risks of the types of product failure. While the consumer cannot knowingly be induced to act in a way contradictory to his or her own goals, motivation and behaviour can be influenced by outside sources. This influence is understood through research.
Modelling stand growth of radiata pine thinned to varying densities

Growth trends in a radiata pine thinning experiment established 18 years ago in Kaingaroa Forest, New Zealand, are portrayed and analyzed. The six thinnings, to 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, and 700/ha, were carried out at age 7 years; four replicates of each thinning level were laid out in 0.2 ha plots in a randomized complete block design. The dbh outside bark of all trees and the heights of a sample of 12–15 trees per 0.1 ha inner plot were remeasured at least once each year up to age 20 and then at 2-year intervals thereafter. Mean top-height development after age 7 years was little affected by thinning intensity, although initial negative selection may have reduced the subsequent vigour of the most heavily thinned plots. Analysis of a Gompertz projection model for net basal area per hectare and a similar yield formulation indicated that thinning down to 300/ha progressively lowered basal-area production and the maximum attainable yield but did not impair the ability to capture fully the available growing .