Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Approximate solution of stochastic infinite horizon optimal control problems for constrained linear uncertain systems

We propose a Model Predictive Control (MPC) with a single-step prediction horizon to solve infinite horizon optimal control problems with the expected sum of convex stage costs for constrained linear uncertain systems. The proposed method relies on two techniques. First, we estimate the expected values of the convex costs using a computationally tractable approximation, achieved by sampling across the space of disturbances. Second, we implement a data-driven approach to approximate the optimal value function and its corresponding domain, through systematic exploration of the system's state space. These estimates are subsequently used as the terminal cost and terminal set within the proposed MPC. We prove recursive feasibility, robust constraint satisfaction, and convergence in probability to the target set. Furthermore, we prove that the estimated value function converges to the optimal value function in a local region. The effectiveness of the proposed MPC is illustrated with detailed numerical simulations and comparisons with a value iteration method and a Learning MPC that minimizes a certainty equivalent cost.
Reinforcement Learning for Graph Coloring: Understanding the Power and Limits of Non-Label Invariant Representations

Register allocation is one of the most important problems for modern compilers. With a practically unlimited number of user variables and a small number of CPU registers, assigning variables to registers without conflicts is a complex task. This work demonstrates the use of casting the register allocation problem as a graph coloring problem. Using technologies such as PyTorch and OpenAI Gymnasium Environments we will show that a Proximal Policy Optimization model can learn to solve the graph coloring problem. We will also show that the labeling of a graph is critical to the performance of the model by taking the matrix representation of a graph and permuting it. We then test the model's effectiveness on each of these permutations and show that it is not effective when given a relabeling of the same graph. Our main contribution lies in showing the need for label reordering invariant representations of graphs for machine learning models to achieve consistent performance.
Oscillatory and regularized shock waves for a modified Serre-Green-Naghdi system

The Serre-Green-Naghdi equations of water wave theory have been widely employed to study undular bores. In this study, we introduce a modified Serre-Green-Naghdi system incorporating the effect of an artificial term that results in dispersive and dissipative dynamics. We show that, over sufficiently extended time intervals, effectively approximates the classical Serre-Green-Naghdi equations and admits dispersive-diffusive shock waves as traveling wave solutions. The traveling waves converge to the entropic shock wave solution of the shallow water equations when the dispersion and diffusion approach zero in a moderate dispersion regime. These findings contribute to an understanding of the formation of dispersive shock waves in the classical Serre-Green-Naghdi equations and the effects of diffusion in the generation and propagation of undular bores.
Refined generalization analysis of the Deep Ritz Method and Physics-Informed Neural Networks

In this paper, we present refined generalization bounds for the Deep Ritz Method (DRM) and Physics-Informed Neural Networks (PINNs). For the DRM, we focus on two prototype elliptic PDEs: Poisson equation and static Schr\"odinger equation on the $d$-dimensional unit hypercube with the Neumann boundary condition. And sharper generalization bounds are derived based on the localization techniques under the assumptions that the exact solutions of the PDEs lie in the Barron space or the general Sobolev spaces. For the PINNs, we investigate the general linear second elliptic PDEs with Dirichlet boundary condition.
Sterol O-acyltransferase (SOAT/ACAT) activity is required to form cholesterol crystals in hepatocyte lipid droplets

Objective Excess unesterified (free) cholesterol can induce formation of cholesterol crystals in hepatocyte lipid droplets. Presence of such crystal distinguishes metabolic dysfunction associated steatohepatitis (MASH) from simple steatosis and may underlie its pathogenesis by causing cell damage that triggers liver inflammation. The mechanism linking cholesterol excess to its crystallization in lipid droplets is unclear. As cholesteryl esters localize to and accumulate in lipid droplets much more readily than free cholesterol, we investigated whether cholesterol esterification by sterol O-acyltransferase (SOAT), also known as acyl co-A cholesterol acyltransferase (ACAT) is required for hepatocyte lipid droplet crystal formation. Method Cholesterol crystals were measured in cholesterol loaded Hep3B hepatocytes, RAW264.7 macrophages and mouse liver using polarizing light microscopy. We examined the effect of blocking SOAT activity on crystal formation and compared these results to cholesterol metabolism and the progression to intracellular crystal deposits. Results Cholesterol loading of Hep3B cells caused robust levels of lipid droplet localized crystal formation in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Co-treatment with SOAT inhibitors and genetic ablation of SOAT1 blocked crystal formation. SOAT inhibitor also blocked crystal formation in low density lipoprotein (LDL) treated Hep3B cells, acetylated LDL treated RAW 264.7 macrophages, and in the liver of mice genetically predisposed to hepatic cholesterol overload and in mice fed a cholesterol enriched, MASH-promoting diet for 24 weeks. Conclusion SOAT1-mediated esterification may underlie cholesterol crystals associated with MASH by concentrating it in lipid droplets. These findings imply that inhibiting hepatocyte SOAT1 may alleviate cholesterol associated MASH. Moreover, that a lipid droplet localized cholesteryl ester hydrolase may be required for cholesterol crystal formation or, instead, that the crystals are composed of cholesteryl ester. Funding Sources Grants supporting this research were awarded to SBW from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC). SBW was supported by a National New Investigator Award and McDonald Scholarship from the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada. UN and MA were supported by a James Regan Cardiology Research scholarship from University of Saskatchewan’s College of Medicine.
Individual connectivity-based parcellations reflect functional properties of human auditory cortex

Neuroimaging studies of the functional organization of human auditory cortex have focused on group-level analyses to identify tendencies that represent the typical brain. Here, we mapped auditory areas of the human superior temporal cortex (STC) in 30 participants by combining functional network analysis and 1-mm isotropic resolution 7T functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Two resting-state fMRI sessions, and one or two auditory and audiovisual speech localizer sessions, were collected on 3–4 separate days. We generated a set of functional network-based parcellations from these data. Solutions with 4, 6, and 11 networks were selected for closer examination based on local maxima of Dice and Silhouette values. The resulting parcellation of auditory cortices showed high intraindividual reproducibility both between resting state sessions (Dice coefficient: 69–78%) and between resting state and task sessions (Dice coefficient: 62– 73%). This demonstrates that auditory areas in STC can be reliably segmented into functional subareas. The interindividual variability was significantly larger than intraindividual variability (Dice coefficient: 57%–68%, p<0.001), indicating that the parcellations also captured meaningful interindividual variability. The individual-specific parcellations yielded the highest alignment with task response topographies, suggesting that individual variability in parcellations reflects individual variability in auditory function. Furthermore, connectional homogeneity within networks was highest for the individual-specific parcellations. Our findings suggest that individual-level parcellations capture meaningful idiosyncrasies in auditory cortex organization.
Infrared gas analysis as a method of measuring seagrass photosynthetic rate in the face of desiccation stress

Photosynthesis, a core autotrophic metabolic process for aquatic and terrestrial organisms, is the backbone of the global carbon biogeochemical cycle. Inorganic assimilation of carbon in photosynthesis is relative difficult to measure in an aqueous medium since carbon readily reacts with ions in water. Therefore, aquatic photosynthesis is often measured using secondary methods that introduce uncertainty into measurements (e.g., oxygen evolution). One technique, infrared gas analysis (IRGA), uses a closed gas loop to calculate an accurate carbon budget. Multiple studies have successfully used IRGA with intertidal seagrasses, but it remains unknown how applicable the technology is for underwater plants. Here, we evaluate the potential of IRGA to mea-sure carbon assimilation of subtidal seagrasses temporarily removed from seawater, and evaluate how carbon fixation rates and chlorophyll fluorescence characteristics of subtidal seagrasses change as they desiccate. We use IRGA for four common seagrass species from the Western Gulf of Mexico (Halophila engelmannii, Halodule wrightii, Syringodium filiforme, and Thalassia testudinum) paired with pulse amplitude modulated fluorometry to measure desiccation stress. Halophila had the highest maximum carbon assimilation rate (6.06 µmol C m−2s−1), followed by Thalassia (5.58 µmol C m−2 s−1), Halodule (4.75 µmol C m−2 s−1), and Syringodium (3.63 µmol C m−2 s−1). Thalassia was most resistant to desiccation stress as reflected by the plant’s ability to maintain high maximum leaf quantum efficiency (Fv/Fm) while the other species were not. Additionally, Thalassia had a slower desiccation rate (2.3% min−1 cm−2) than 4.79% Syringodium filiforme (4.79% min−1 cm−2) and Halodule wrightii (30.17% min−1 cm−2). Together, our provide reasonable measures of carbon assimilation and support previous studies of seagrass desiccation stress gradients along depth. Overall, we recognize IRGA as a promising direction for future studies of seagrass productivity and recommend further investigation.
Improving Traffic Operations Using Real-time Optimal Lane Selection with Connected Vehicle Technology

To better regulate traffic flow and reduce the potential impacts due to uncoordinated lane changes, we proposed a real-time optimal lane selection (OLS) algorithm by using the information available from connected vehicle (CV) technology. Such information includes the location, speed, lane and desired driving speed of individual vehicle agents (VA) on a localized roadway. Microscopic traffic simulation studies show that the proposed algorithm can result in both mobility and environmental benefits for the entire traffic system. Specifically, the application of the OLS algorithm reduces the average travel time by up to 3.8% and the fuel consumption by around 2.2%. In addition, the reduction in emissions of criteria pollutants, such as CO, HC, NOx and PM2.5 ranges from 1% to 19%, depending on the congestion level of the roadway segment. Potential extensions of the proposed OLS algorithm are discussed at the end of this paper. Keywords—Lane selection, optimization, connected vehicles.
Large‐sized rare tree species contribute disproportionately to functional diversity in resource acquisition in African tropical forest

Abstract Increasing evidence is available for a positive effect of biodiversity on ecosystem productivity and standing biomass, also in highly diverse systems as tropical forests. Biodiversity conservation could therefore be a critical aspect of climate mitigation policies. There is, however, limited understanding of the role of individual species for this relationship, which could aid in focusing conservation efforts and forest management planning. This study characterizes the functional specialization and redundancy for 95% of all tree species (basal area weighted percentage) in a diverse tropical forest in the central Congo Basin and relates this to species' abundance, contribution to aboveground carbon, and maximum size. Functional characterization is based on a set of traits related to resource acquisition (wood density, specific leaf area, leaf carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus content, and leaf stable carbon isotope composition). We show that within both mixed and monodominant tropical forest ecosystems, the highest functional specialization and lowest functional redundancy are solely found in rare tree species and significantly more in rare species holding large‐sized individuals. Rare species cover the entire range of low and high functional redundancy, contributing both unique and redundant functions. Loss of species supporting functional redundancy could be buffered by other species in the community, including more abundant species. This is not the case for species supporting high functional specialization and low functional redundancy, which would need specific conservation attention. In terms of tropical forest management planning, we argue that specific conservation of large‐sized trees is imperative for long‐term maintenance of ecosystem functioning.
Riverine impact on future projections of marine primary 1 production and carbon uptake 2

Riverine transport of nutrients and carbon from inland waters to the coastal and finally the open ocean 12 alters marine primary production (PP) and carbon (C) uptake, not only regionally but also globally. So far, this 13 contribution is represented in the state-of-the-art Earth system models with limited effort. Here we assess changes 14 in marine PP and C uptake projected under the Representative Concentration Pathway 4.5 climate scenario using 15 the Norwegian Earth system model, with four riverine configurations: deactivated, fixed at a contemporary level, 16 coupled to simulated freshwater runoff, and following four plausible future scenarios. The inclusion of riverine 17 nutrients and carbon improves the modelled contemporary spatial distribution relative to observations, especially 18 on the continental margins (5.4% reduction in root mean square error [RMSE] for PP) and in the North Atlantic 19 region (7.4% reduction in RMSE for C uptake). Riverine nutrient inputs alleviate nutrient limitation, especially 20 under future warmer conditions as stratification increases, and thus lessen the projected future decline in PP by 21 up to 0.6 PgC yr-1 (27.3%) globally depending on the riverine configuration. The projected C uptake is enhanced 22 along continental margins where increased PP, due to riverine nutrient inputs, dominates over the CO2 outgassing 23 owing to riverine organic matter inputs. Conversely, where the riverine organic matter inputs dominate over the 24 nutrient inputs, the projected C uptake is reduced. The large range of the riverine input across our four riverine 25 configurations does not transfer to a large uncertainty of the projected global PP and ocean C uptake, suggesting 26 that transient riverine inputs are more important for high-resolution regional studies such as in the North Atlantic 27 and along the continental margins. 28
Guidelines for Endoscopic Sedation

Background Endoscopic sedation is performed to reduce the patient’s anxiety during the procedure. Due to the high satisfaction with sedation among both endoscopists and patients, the use of endoscopic sedation is on the rise. Although most sedation cases are performed without safety issues, the use of sedatives can result in adverse events (AEs) in some cases. Therefore, clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) for endoscopic sedation, delineating measures for early detection of potential AEs of sedation and prevention of AEs before they progress to fatal REVIEW
A State-of-the-Art Review of Data Stream Anonymization Schemes

Streaming data emerges from different electronic sources and needs to be processed in real time with minimal delay. Data streams can generate hidden and useful knowledge patterns when mined and analyzed. In spite of these benefits, the issue of privacy needs to be addressed before streaming data is released for mining and analysis purposes. In order to address data privacy concerns, several techniques have emerged. K-anonymity has received considerable attention over other privacy preserving techniques because of its simplicity and efficiency in protecting data. Yet, k-anonymity cannot be directly applied on continuous data (data streams) because of its transient nature. In this chapter, the authors discuss the challenges faced by k-anonymity algorithms in enforcing privacy on data streams and review existing privacy techniques for handling data streams.
GEMINATION IN DOGRI AND PUNJABI: EVIDENCE OF DEVIATION AMONG ‘LIKE’ LANGUAGES

This study (i) investigates the timing properties of Dogri singleton and geminate voiceless stops in CVCV word form, and (ii) compares the findings with a related Indo-Aryan language, Western Punjabi. LMER tests for part (i) confirm that the lengthened duration of the intervocalic consonant (C2) and contraction in the duration of the preceding vowel (V1) among geminates serve as the primary phonetic cues in differentiating Dogri geminate from a singleton. The comparison of singleton – geminate distribution between Dogri and Punjabi in part (ii) reveals that the main cue of difference between the two languages lies in the flanking vowels. Whereas the contracted V1 duration appears promising in Dogri, Punjabi, instead, relies upon reducing the duration of V2. The study concludes that different treatment to maintain singleton – geminate contrast in the two genealogically related languages is due to the respective phonotactics that governs the distribution of duration across segments.
CLEAR SPEECH FACILITATES WORD SEGMENTATION: EVIDENCE FROM EYE-TRACKING

Listener-oriented hyperarticulated clear speech improves word recognition in noise and auditory memory. Using visual-world eye-tracking, this study examined whether clear speech benefits spoken word segmentation and how its effect develops over time. English-speaking listeners heard clear and conversational sentences in which the target word (e.g., ham ) was temporarily ambiguous with a competitor (e.g., hamster ) across a word boundary (e.g., she saw the ham starting …). Analysis of the listeners’ eye fixations indicated that the likelihood of fixating the picture of the target compared to that of the competitor was higher for clear speech than conversational speech. The difference emerged even before segmental information for resolving the ambiguity was available in clear speech. The findings showed that speaking clearly facilitated listeners’ discovery of word boundaries. Improved speech segmentation and reduced lexical competition may in part underlie the clear speech processing benefits.
ACOUSTIC PROPERTIES OF PALATALIZED CONSONANTS IN JAPANESE

Palatalization affects the acoustics of segments in various ways. The present study investigates the spectral and durational properties of Japanese palatalized stops and fricatives in the data of 90 female and 111 male speakers taken from a large speech corpus. The results show, as expected, that palatalized consonants tend to have higher F2 and higher CoG (except /s j / ) of their release or frication noise and mostly (all but labial /p j / ) have longer VOT or total duration than their plain counterparts. The ﬁndings suggest that phonemically palatalized consonants in Japanese, though variously realized in phonetic terms, exhibit cross-linguistically common acoustic characteristics of palatalization.
From temporal to concessive meaning: a semantic analysis of ‘still’ *

We develop a new proposal about the historical connection between the durative and concessive readings of English still and Hebrew Q adain , a connection that shows striking parallels in the two languages. Building on a corpus study of Hebrew (Rubinstein forthcoming), we argue that durative ‘still’ precedes the concessive ‘still’ and that the latter first arises in bridging contexts (and earlier than previously thought). In contrast to previous literature, our proposal places the temporal-to-concessive development squarely in the semantics. We argue that concessive ‘still’ emerges when an originally durative ‘still’ gets “infected” with a concessive meaning that is expressed explicitly in the rest of the sentence.
Voice quality is not an obligatory stage in tonogenesis: A case study of Eastern Khmu

This paper examines the role of voice quality in the development of tonal and vowel height contrasts that accompany tonogenesis. The study focused on Eastern Khmu because it maintains a contrastive onset voicing, unlike other varieties of Khmu which have undergone tonogenesis and lost this contrast. The study shows that pitch and vowel height differences on following vowels accompany the onset voicing contrast without any concomitant voice quality difference. These findings suggest that voice quality is not an obligatory factor in deriving tonal and vowel height contrasts. Additionally, the study suggests that a tonal or vowel height language can emerge directly from a reanalysis of onset-induced acoustic perturbations such as pitch and vowel height without a stage where voice quality is contrastive.
Wader numbers at Raby Bay, Moreton Bay: Changes over three decades

Changes in wader numbers were analysed using data from the counts made by L. Amiet at Raby Bay (1953-56); and counts conducted by the Queensland Ornithological Society (1972- 1983); and the Royal Australasian Ornithological Union (1981- 85) at Raby Bay. Differences in counting techniques and the presentation of data make comparisons of wader numbers unreliable except where major differences are apparent. Numbers of Ruddy Turnstone, Eastern Curlew, Grey-tailed Tattler and Bar-tailed Godwit seem to have declined while Lesser Golden Plover and Great Knot may have increased since the counts made by Amiet in the 1950s.
The Light Spectrum for Plant Cultivation: A Source of Colourful Arguments

The concept of “wasted illumination” and its application to the design of light sources for plant cultivation is a good example of misuse of reductionism. Equating instantaneous rate of photosynthesis to crop yield is a prevailing but nonsensical idea, and in the case of the design of red plus blue light sources an 5 extreme case of ignoring the multiple regulatory mechanisms and interactions present in individual plants and crop canopies. The misconception about red plus blue LED growth lights has been challenged already, but in this article we describe in detail several of the mechanisms that have been ignored in early attempts to optimize the spectrum of light sources for plant cultivation. They exemplify very 10 well the dangers of a purely reductionist approach to scientific research that ignores the complexity inherent in biological systems, their multiple feedback loops and hierarchical organization. Translation of basic research results into applications that benefit growers is a complex up-scaling problem not amenable to easy short-cuts. 15