Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Gaussian smoothing gradient descent for minimizing functions (GSmoothGD)

This work analyzes the convergence of a class of smoothing-based gradient descent methods when applied to optimization problems. In particular, Gaussian smoothing is employed to define a nonlocal gradient that reduces high-frequency noise, small variations, and rapid fluctuations in the computation of the descent directions while preserving the structure and features of the loss landscape. The resulting Gaussian smoothing gradient descent (GSmoothGD) approach can facilitate gradient descent in navigating away from and avoiding local minima with increased ease, thereby substantially enhancing its overall performance even when applied to non-convex optimization problems. This work also provides rigorous theoretical error estimates on the rate of convergence of GSmoothGD iterates. These estimates exemplify the impact of underlying function convexity, smoothness, input dimension, and the Gaussian smoothing radius. To combat the curse of dimensionality, we numerically approximate the GSmoothGD nonlocal gradient using Monte Carlo (MC) sampling and provide a theory in which the iterates converge regardless of the function smoothness and dimension. Finally, we present several strategies to update the smoothing parameter aimed at diminishing the impact of local minima, thereby rendering the attainment of global minima more achievable. Computational evidence complements the present theory and shows the effectiveness of the MC-GSmoothGD method compared to other smoothing-based algorithms, momentum-based approaches, and classical gradient-based algorithms from numerical optimization.
Experimental Validation of a Grid-Aware Optimal Control of Hybrid AC/DC Microgrids

This paper presents the experimental validation of a grid-aware real-time control method for hybrid AC/DC microgrids. The optimal control is leveraged by the voltage sensitivity coefficients (SC) that are computed analytically using the close-form expression proposed in the authors' previous work. The SCs are based on the unified power flow model for hybrid AC/DC grids that accounts for the AC grid, DC grid, and the Interfacing Converters (IC), which can operate in different control modes, e.g. voltage or power control. The SCs are used to express the grid constraints in the optimal control problem in a fully linear way and, therefore, allow for second- to subsecond control actions. The validation of the model is performed on the hybrid AC/DC grid, available at the EPFL. The network consists of 18 AC nodes, 8 DC nodes, and 4 converters to interface the AC and DC network. The network hosts multiple controllable and uncontrollable resources. The SC-based optimal control is validated in a generic experiment. It is shown that the real-time control is able to control the ICs optimally to redirect power through the DC grid, to avoid grid constraint violations while providing reactive power support to the upper layer AC grid. Furthermore, the computational time of the optimal control is analysed to validate its application in critical real-time applications.
Single-view 3D Scene Reconstruction with High-fidelity Shape and Texture

Reconstructing detailed 3D scenes from single-view images remains a challenging task due to limitations in existing approaches, which primarily focus on geometric shape recovery, overlooking object appearances and fine shape details. To address these challenges, we propose a novel framework for simultaneous high-fidelity recovery of object shapes and textures from single-view images. Our approach utilizes the proposed Single-view neural implicit Shape and Radiance field (SSR) representations to leverage both explicit 3D shape supervision and volume rendering of color, depth, and surface normal images. To overcome shape-appearance ambiguity under partial observations, we introduce a two-stage learning curriculum incorporating both 3D and 2D supervisions. A distinctive feature of our framework is its ability to generate fine-grained textured meshes while seamlessly integrating rendering capabilities into the single-view 3D reconstruction model. This integration enables not only improved textured 3D object reconstruction by 27.7% and 11.6% on the 3D-FRONT and Pix3D datasets, respectively, but also supports the rendering of images from novel viewpoints. Beyond individual objects, our approach facilitates composing object-level representations into flexible scene representations, thereby enabling applications such as holistic scene understanding and 3D scene editing. We conduct extensive experiments to demonstrate the effectiveness of our method.
ChatCoder: Chat-based Refine Requirement Improves LLMs' Code Generation

Large language models have shown good performances in generating code to meet human requirements. However, human requirements expressed in natural languages can be vague, incomplete, and ambiguous, leading large language models to misunderstand human requirements and make mistakes. Worse, it is difficult for a human user to refine the requirement. To help human users refine their requirements and improve large language models' code generation performances, we propose ChatCoder: a method to refine the requirements via chatting with large language models. We design a chat scheme in which the large language models will guide the human users to refine their expression of requirements to be more precise, unambiguous, and complete than before. Experiments show that ChatCoder has improved existing large language models' performance by a large margin. Besides, ChatCoder has the advantage over refine-based methods and LLMs fine-tuned via human response.
WARWICK ECONOMIC RESEARCH PAPERS

We test whether outside experts have information not available to insiders by using the voting record of the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee. Members with more private information should vote more often against conventional wisdom, which we measure as the average belief of market economists about future interest rates. We ﬁnd evidence that external members indeed have information not available to internals, but also use a quasi-natural experiment to show they may exaggerate their expertise to obtain reappointment. This implies that an optimal committee, even outside monetary policy, should potentially include outsiders, but needs to manage career concerns.
Distributed Task Allocation for Self-Interested Agents with Partially Unknown Rewards

This paper provides a novel solution to a task allocation problem, by which a group of agents decides on the assignment of a discrete set of tasks in a distributed manner. In this setting, heterogeneous agents have individual preferences and associated rewards for doing each task; however, these rewards are only known asymptotically. We start by formulating the assignment problem by means of a combinatorial partition game for known rewards, with no constraints on number of tasks per agent. We relax this into a weight game, which together with the former, are shown to contain the optimal task allocation in the corresponding set of Nash Equilibria (NE). We then propose a projected, best-response, ascending gradient dynamics (PBRAG) that converges to a NE in finite time. This forms the basis of a distributed online version that can deal with a converging sequence of rewards by means of an agreement sub-routine. We present simulations that support our results
Depositional system and its hydrocarbon characteristics of Shahejie group of Shengtuo region in Dongying depression

The early Tertiary Shahejie group is the most important reservoir in Shengtuo region,Dongying depression.Its depositional characteristics were researched by means of core observation,scanning electron microscope(SEM), core lab analysis data and seismic data.Glutenite suites of various genetic types developed in the northern abrupt slope,which take skirt-type distribution transversely along the northern Shengtuo region.High quality reservoir is mainly located in middle-fan plaiting channel sand body.Both fracture activity and hydrocarbon generation system seriously affect the prevailing reservoirs in studied area.Accordingly,lithologic hydrocarbon reservoir,structural hydrocarbon reservoir and stratigraphic hydrocarbon reservoir embed in downthrown side,fracture zone and upthrown side separately.According to oil-source correlation,oil found in the deep Es_4 and part in the upper layers is generated from Es_4 mature hydrocarbon.The low-mature heavy oil dominates in the Shengbei stratigraphic reservoir and upthrown side.Biomarkers reflect its upper-Es_4 origin.Oil in Es_3 is generated from downthrown side,while mixed source oil from Es_3 and Es_4 is observed in middle-shallow group.Hydrocarbon mainly migrates through reserve sandstone and faults.
A social learning perspective on the practice, rationale and condition of agricultural extension in Denmark with a rural development focus

This paper considers agricultural extension as a promising mechanism for social learning and sustainable rural development, in the Danish context. Three case studies, comprising a group of rural development extension agents, and two extension agencies, were performed in Danish context. The case studies brought insights about the practice, rationale and conditions of agricultural extension in Denmark with a rural development focus. These insights were then reflected upon from the theoretical perspective of social learning. All social learning, as a necessary first step, requires some kind of collaboration between multiple actors. We found that rural development projects that involve collaboration between multiple actors were not prevalent in the three extension cases studied here. Rather, those rural development projects directed towards individual farmers are. Sustainable development is often the ultimate rationale for social learning, but other rationale for social learning often precedes this rationale. We compared these underlying social learning principles to the rationale for rural development stated in the three extension cases, and found that only the group of rural development agents had rationales for rural development that for the most part matched with the social learning principles. The paper concludes that the Danish agricultural extension system only sporadically steps into character as a promising mechanism for social learning and sustainable rural development. Yet, when it happens, this can almost exclusively be credited to the single visionary extension agent who finds 'room to manoeuvre' among the many impeding structures. The constraining conditions indicate that a massive change at organizational level is needed.
Prace Komisji Geografii Przemysłu Polskiego Towarzystwa Geograficznego Studies of the Industrial Geography Commission of the Polish Geographical Society

This work aims to investigate the impact of popular UNESCO World Heritage objects on the country’s tourist arrivals as a factor of attractiveness, to estimate the strong correlation between these phenomena, and to mathematically validate the assumption that the number of such sites has a direct impact on the country’s tourism competitiveness. We used data from the UNWTO’s open sources, UNESCO, the World Economic Forum expert reports on the competitiveness of travels and tourism of the world’s countries for 2017. The analysis is based on three rankings of countries in terms of World Heritage assets, international touristic arrivals and the country’s tourism and travel competitiveness index, and correlation analysis between these values. Also, to determine the influence and interdependencies between the studied concepts, the method of paired correlation analysis was chosen as a convenient way to demonstrate the influence of one variable on another. Determination of the correlation coefficient allowed to speak about the complexity of the relationship and the linearity of these phenomena. In particular, the increase in the number of UNESCO World Heritage sites leads to an increase in tourist arrivals and makes the country attractive for tourism development. As a result, we have obtained estimates of the unidirectional impact of the number of World Heritage sites on the territory of a particular country on the volume of international tourist arrivals. However, not always the overall attractiveness and competitiveness of the country in the field of tourism is linked to the World Heritage, and our study only confirms the thesis that among the many ways to increase the attractiveness of the country, an increase in World Heritage sites leads to an increase in tourist traffic. In current trends, choosing public policy to enhance and preserve UNESCO sites one obviously can expect the growth of tourist flows to the countries.
The acquisition of reference : a cross-linguistic study

Reference involves both the area of morphosyntax and of pragmatics. In language acquisition, children are therefore faced with a double task. Not only do they have to acquire the relevant morphosyntactic forms for reference (e.g. nouns with determiners, pronouns), but also the pragmatic conditions under which these forms can or must be used. In this study, the acquisition of reference is examined on the basis of spontaneous speech data from three children acquiring Dutch, three children acquiring English and four children acquiring French. The input addressed to these children is also analyzed. The children's use of nouns without determiners, nouns with different determiners and different types of pronouns is investigated in relation to their developing sensitivity to three pragmatic conditions: specificity of the referent, the givenness of the referent in discourse and the assumed familiarity to the listener of referents that are new to discourse. The results of this study show that children's sensitivity to the morphosyntaxpragmatics interface in reference is related to the speed with which they acquire the relevant morphosyntactic forms. Cue frequency and cue consistency of associations between morphosyntax and pragmatics in the input also play an important role in the acquisition of reference. This study is of relevance to scholars who work in the field of language acquisition and who are interested in the acquisition of determiners and pronouns, the morphosyntax-pragmatics interface, cross-linguistic comparisons and the influence of the input on acquisition.
First-order topography of the Himalayan Mountain belt: a deep-crustal flow analysis

Abstract This study investigates the first-order Himalayan mountain topography from the perspective of deep-crustal flow patterns in the Indo-Asia collision zone. Using a thin-viscous-sheet model we theoretically predict that flat hinterland topography with a stable elevation (Type I) can develop only when the lithospheric slab underthrusts with a threshold velocity (Vs*). For Vs>Vs*, the hinterland continuously gains in elevation, leading to Type II topography. This type is characterized by varying first-order surface slopes, but always facing the mountain front. Conversely, the elevated hinterland masses undergo gravity-driven subsidence, forming a topography (Type III) with characteristic backward surface slopes when Vs<Vs*. We evaluate Vs* as a function of: (i) the regional slope of the initial first-order surface topography (α); (ii) the angle of underthrusting (β); and (iii) the relative width of foreland plain (λ), assuming little effects of surface erosion. Our model shows two characteristic deep-crustal flow patterns: corner flow and vortex flow. The corner flow pattern, described by upwardly pointed hyperbolic streamlines, is responsible for Type II topography. Conversely, the vortex flow leads to Type III, whereas the transition between the two gives rise to Type I. This corner-to-vortex type flow transition commences on decreasing Vs.
Toolbox Design to Demonstrate Application-Speciﬁc Conﬁgurable Space Robots Using Modular Components

In many space activities, robotic systems are indispensable. Existing systems are mission-speciﬁc in order to meet the individual needs. Rather than creating separate highly specialized systems, the goal is to create specialized and standardized modules that can be (re-)combined to conﬁgure a robot for certain tasks, hence greatly decreasing development work. This is where the MODKOM project (Modular Components as Building Blocks for Application-speciﬁc Conﬁgurable Space Robots) is heading, with the goal of creating a modular building block system that incorporates both specially produced components based on a standardized building block system and industrial third-party commercial off-the-shelf components. A software toolkit is developed in addition to the development of mechatronic and software modules for operation, helping non-expert users put those modular functional parts together to form robotic systems. Modules for system conﬁguration (ofﬂine) and modules for system reconﬁguration (online) are the two tiers of modules that the building block systematic distinguishes. To connect the toolkit modules, two types of interfaces are used: an active standard interconnect, which allows mechanical and electrical connection as well as data transfer, and a passive inter-module-interface, which allows the interconnection of atomic modules for conﬁguring and assembling the system or greater modules. The efﬁciency of the system developed in MODKOM will be demonstrated by building a complex mobile manipulation system entirely out of the robotic assembly kit. As a result, a manipulator based on the toolkit’s basic modules will be combined alongside a stationary modular platform and a mobile roving platform. The development of new systems based on modular payload components from the toolkit will then be accomplished using the manipulator, which will also be used to modify the built-in systems with additional function blocks. The purpose of the performance demonstration is to use the manipulator’s end effector to interchange modules for recon-ﬁguration, demonstrating the modular system’s capability. Finally, the outcomes of MODKOM will assist in the future by creating modules and standards that can be quickly and easily modiﬁed to meet new or changing requirements.
(2018). Variance estimation in the particle filter. Biometrika, 105(3)

This paper concerns numerical assessment of Monte Carlo error in particle ﬁlters. We show that by keeping track of certain key features of the genealogical structure arising from resampling operations, it is possible to estimate variances of a number of Monte Carlo approximations that particle ﬁlters deliver. All our estimators can be computed from a single run of a particle ﬁlter. We establish that as the number of particles grows, our estimators are weakly consistent for asymp-10
Incidence and mortality rates in breast, corpus uteri, and ovarian cancers in Poland (1980–2013): an analysis of population-based data in relation to socioeconomic changes

Objectives This study aimed to analyze incidence and mortality trends in breast cancer (BC), corpus uteri cancer (CUC), and ovarian cancer (OC) in Poland in the context of sociodemographic changes. Materials and methods Incidence and mortality data (1980–2013) were retrieved from the Polish National Cancer Registry, while socioeconomic data (1960–2013) were obtained from the World Bank. Age-standardized incidence and mortality rates were calculated by direct standardization, and join-point regression was performed to describe trends using the average annual percentage change (AAPC). Results A significant decrease in birth and fertility rates and a large increase in gross domestic product were observed together with a decrease in the total mortality rate among women, as well as an increase in life expectancy for women. A large, significant increase in BC incidence was observed (AAPC1980–1990 2.14, AAPC1990–1996 4.71, AAPC1996–2013 2.21), with a small but significant decrease in mortality after a slight increase (AAPC1980–1994 0.52, AAPC1994–2013 −0.66). During the period 1980–2013, a significant increase in CUC incidence (AAPC1980–1994 3.7, AAPC1994–2013 1.93) was observed, with an initial mortality-rate reduction followed by a significant increase (AAPC1980–2006 −1.12, AAPC2006–2013 3.74). After the initial increase of both OC incidence and mortality from 1994, the incidence rate decreased significantly (AAPC1980–1994 2.98, AAPC1994–2013 −0.49), as did the mortality rate (AAPC1980–1994 0.52, AAPC1994–2013 −0.66). Conclusion After 1994, a decrease in OC incidence was found, while the incidence of BC and CUC continued to increase. A reduction in mortality rate was observed for BC and OC predominantly at the end of the study period, while for CUC, after a long decreasing mortality trend, a significant increase was observed.
Distributed Shared Memory

: This paper presents the overview of parallel computer models. Practical parallel machines which are parallel virtual machine (PVP), symmetric multiprocessor (SMP), massively parallel processor (MPP), distributed shared memory (DSM), and clusters of workstation (COWs) are described. According to the classiﬁcation of practical parallel machines, this paper mainly deals with distributed shared memory (DSM). The concept of DSM is explained, and the comparison among software, hardware, and hybrid DSM implementations are presented.
A new survey of multiring impact basins on Mars

Literature data on Martian multiring impact basins with diameters greater than 500 km are summarized, and evidence is found for eight new such basins. The pattern of changes of basin morphology with increasing basin size suggests three subclasses of multiring basins: (1) multiring basins with diameters up to about 1850 km, which are characterized by the Orientale type concentric structure and cumulative frequency power law slope of -0.75; (2) the Argyre-type basins (with diameters between 1850 and 3600 km, defined by rugged concentric annnuli and a power law slope of nearly -2.0; and (3) the Chryse-type basins (with diameters greater than 3600 km), which exhibit multiple concentric rings and very shallow topographic profiles. Multiring basins are found in all parts of Mars, including the northern lowlands, Tharsis, and surrounding highlands, and are associated with much of the subsequent resurfacing of cratered terrain.
Abstract: Monitoring Growth of the Daisetta, Texas Sinkhole with Terrestrial Laser Scanning, Close Range Digital Photography, and GPS

Several overlapping scans incorporating several million data points were completed around the sinkhole with the Riegl LPM 800 HA laser profiler and numerous digital photographs were taken from a variety of locations. The TOPCON IS provided control for integrating Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) scans and for registration of digital photographs to the LiDAR image. The RTK-GPS was used to establish global location control points. The integrated survey was completed in one day. The point cloud laser data were merged using Polyworks software and a triangulated mesh (TIN) was created. The positions of the photographs were fixed to the TIN using UTD software at an accuracy of one pixel. The result is an accurate 3D photorealistic (virtual) model of the entire sinkhole. The sinkhole will be resurveyed in October 2008 and a new 3D photorealistic model developed to allow comparison with the physiographic feature measured in May. The two images of the sinkhole will be differenced using UTD software to develop a quantitative assessment of growth of the sinkhole over the intervening months. The differencing software takes into account the uncertainties associated with the original and rescanned conversion of point clouds to surfaces. Additional tests will be undertaken to assess the impact on accuracy of using different types of laser scanners. Monitoring of the Daisetta sinkhole provides the opportunity to develop protocols and workflows for near real-time measurement and quantitative assessment of change associated with geologic hazards. ￻