Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Decision making using Thompson Sampling

The ability to make decisions is a crucial ability of many autonomous systems. In many scenarios the consequence of a decision is unknown and often stochastic. The same decision may lead to a different outcome every time it is taken. An agent that can learn to make decisions based purely on its past experience needs less tuning and is likely more robust. An agent must often balance between learning the payoff of actions by exploring, and exploiting the knowledge they currently have. The multi-armed bandit problem exhibits such an exploration-exploitation dilemma. Thompson Sampling is a strategy for the problem, first proposed in 1933. In the last several years there has been renewed interest in it, with the emergence of strong empirical and theoretical justification for its use.This thesis seeks to take advantage of the benefits of Thompson Sampling while applying it to other decision-making models. In doing so we propose different algorithms for these scenarios. Firstly we explore a switching multi-armed bandit problem. In real applications the most appropriate decision to take often changes over time. We show that an agent assuming switching is often robust to many types of changing environment. Secondly we consider the best arm identification problem. Unlike the multi-armed bandit problem, where an agent wants to increase reward over the entire period of decision making, the best arm identification is concerned in increasing the reward gained by a final decision. This thesis argues that both problems can be tackled effectively using Thompson Sampling based approaches and provides empirical evidence to support this claim.
Implications of the New Manufacturing Environment for Management Control System Design

The modern manufacturing environment is characterized by intense international competition, rapid product innovation, turnover and obsolescence, increased use of automation, and significant organizational changes in response to new manufacturing technologies.It is generally accepted that these changes in the manufacturing environment should be accompanied by changes in performance evaluation and reward systems to derive higher performance.However, it is very complicated to identify the required design of a management control system in such a new environment.This paper gives a review of the relevant conceptual and empirical research in this field.It is concluded that evidence on the extent to which organizations have aligned management control systems with the manufacturing environment is both limited and inconclusive.Furthermore, some problems and issues related to the existing literature are addressed and perspectives for future research are indicated.The paper ends with propositions about the relationship between manufacturing environment and choice of management control systems.
Antihyperglycemic and Antioxidant Properties of Caffeic Acid in db/db Mice

This study investigated the blood glucose-lowering effect and antioxidant capacity of caffeic acid in C57BL/KsJ-db/db mice. Caffeic acid induced a significant reduction of the blood glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin levels than the control group. The plasma insulin, C-peptide, and leptin levels in caffeic acid group were significantly higher than those of the control group, whereas the plasma glucagon level was lower. Increased plasma insulin by caffeic acid was attributable to an antidegenerative effect on the islets. Caffeic acid also markedly increased glucokinase activity and its mRNA expression and glycogen content and simultaneously lowered glucose-6-phosphatase and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase activities and their respective mRNA expressions, accompanied by a reduction in the glucose transporter 2 expression in the liver. In contrast to the hepatic glucose transporter 2, adipocyte glucose transporter 4 expression was greater than the control group. In addition, caffeic acid significantly increased superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase activities and their respective mRNA levels, while lowering the hydrogen peroxide and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances levels in the erythrocyte and liver of db/db mice. These results indicate that caffeic acid exhibits a significant potential as an antidiabetic agent by suppressing a progression of type 2 diabetic states that is suggested by an attenuation of hepatic glucose output and enhancement of adipocyte glucose uptake, insulin secretion, and antioxidant capacity.
Extraterritorial Impacts of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act on External Corporate Governance - Current Evidence from a German Perspective

The paper analyzes the major direct impacts of SOX on the European Union (EU) and Germany as a Member State. The focus of the analysis is on rules concerning external corporate governance instruments. Additionally, the paper investigates whether the contemporary regulatory activities in the EU and Germany concerning external corporate governance can be explained as indirect institutional consequences of SOX. The paper demonstrates that several rules of SOX quite obviously served as a model for the EU regulatory activities. The same phenomenon can be observed for the new German regulations of external corporate governance.
Clinical characteristics of patients with vasovagal reactions presenting as unexplained syncope.

OBJECTIVE To describe the clinical characteristics of vasovagal syncope (VVS) in patients presenting to a tertiary referral centre with unexplained syncope, in whom the diagnosis of VVS was confirmed by tilt table testing (HUT) and in whom other causes of syncope excluded. DESIGN Prospective study of 62 consecutive patients with more than two episodes of syncope in the past year. SETTING A regional tertiary referral centre for patients with unexplained syncope. PATIENTS Sixty-two patients, mean age 50 +/- 21 years, 39 female, were studied. Mean duration of symptoms was 5 years. Average frequency of attacks was one episode per week. INTERVENTIONS Detailed semi-structured questionnaires were completed regarding presenting symptoms. RESULTS In over one-third of patients, episodes occurred suddenly, with no prodromal features. In those with prodrome, 71% had autonomic symptoms, but 27% had palpitations or dyspnoea and 21% had chest pain. Eleven percent of patients denied known provocative features. In the remainder, the most common were prolonged standing (37%), hot weather (27%) and lack of food (23%). One-fifth had symptoms sitting and 5% whilst driving. Seventy-five percent of patients suffered after effects, the most common being severe fatigue. Over half sustained an injury during syncope, and 13% sustained a fracture. Unwitnessed episodes occurred in 25%. Pallor was reported in half the cases, sweating in 13% and myoclonus in 5%. CONCLUSIONS Atypical presentations of VVS occur in many patients referred to a tertiary referral centre. Knowledge of the clinical characteristics of unexplained syncope for which VVS is the attributable diagnosis should assist in appropriate management of such patients.
Study on the Foamability and Its Influencing Factors of Foaming Agents in Foam-Combined Flooding

Based on a series of static foaming experiments of foam-combined system, and by introducing a parameter, the comprehensive foamability, this paper put forward a new method to evaluate the foaming characteristics and foam stability of foam-combined system. Moreover, this paper has set up corresponding empirical formula. In glass capillary test, the effects of surfactant type, surfactant texture, polymer molecular weight, alkaline concentration, salinity of formation water, temperature, and crude oil property on comprehensive foamability of foam-combined system were investigated and discussed, respectively. The results showed that the reasonable critical values of surfactant concentration, alkaline concentration and polymer concentration were desirable for foam-combined flooding. In addition, the comprehensive foamability decreases with the increases of water salinity, temperature and content of light crude. For different kinds of surfactants, the foamability of sulfate-type is the best, and the sulfonate-type is less. While for the same kind of surfactant, the foaming effect gets better with the increase of carbochain, but when the carbochain increases to a certain length, the foaming ability of this surfactant decreases. By use of the definition of comprehensive foamability, in glass capillary test method, many research works done by other workers under different added liquid amount and glass capillary diameters can be compared under the same operation condition determined by the author.
A New GNSS Single-Epoch Ambiguity Resolution Method Based on Triple-Frequency Signals

Fast and reliable ambiguity resolution (AR) has been a continuing challenge for real-time precise positioning based on dual-frequency Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) carrier phase observation. New GNSS systems (i.e., GPS modernization, BDS (BeiDou Navigation Satellite System), GLONASS (Global Navigation Satellite System), and Galileo) will provide multiple-frequency signals. The GNSS multiple-constellation and multiple-frequency signals are expected to bring great benefits to AR. A new GNSS single-epoch AR method for a short-range baseline based on triple-frequency signals is developed in this study. Different from most GNSS multiple-constellation AR methods, this technique takes advantage of the triple-frequency signals and robust estimation as much as possible. In this technique, the double difference (DD) AR of the triple-frequency observations is achieved in the first step. Second, the triple-frequency carrier phase observations with fixed ambiguities are used with the dual-frequency carrier phase observations to estimate their ambiguity. Finally, to realize reliable GNSS single-epoch AR, robust estimation is involved. The performance of the new technique is examined using 24 hours of GPS/GLONASS/BDS observation collected from a short-range baseline. The results show that single-epoch AR of the GNSS signals can be realized using this new technique. Moreover, the AR of BDS Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) satellites’ observations is easier than are those of the Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) and Inclined Geosynchronous Satellite Orbit (IGSO) satellites’ observations.
Potentiation of serum response factor activity by a family of myocardin-related transcription factors

Myocardin is a SAP (SAF-A/B, Acinus, PIAS) domain transcription factor that associates with serum response factor (SRF) to potently enhance SRF-dependent transcription. Here we describe two myocardin-related transcription factors (MRTFs), A and B, that also interact with SRF and stimulate its transcriptional activity. Whereas myocardin is expressed specifically in cardiac and smooth muscle cells, MRTF-A and -B are expressed in numerous embryonic and adult tissues. In SRF-deficient embryonic stem cells, myocardin and MRTFs are unable to activate SRF-dependent reporter genes, confirming their dependence on SRF. Myocardin and MRTFs comprise a previously uncharacterized family of SRF cofactors with the potential to modulate SRF target genes in a wide range of tissues.
Image-based localization of vehicle parts guided by visual attention

The automated servicing of vehicles is becoming more and more a reality in today's world. While certain operations, such as car washing, require only a rough model of the surface of a vehicle, other operations, such as changing of a wheel or filling the gas tank, require correct localization of the different parts of the vehicle on which operations are to be performed. The paper describes an image-based approach to roughly localize vehicle parts over the surface of a vehicle with a bounding box approach based on a model of human visual attention. The proposed method is automatically adapted for different views of a vehicle and obtains average localization rates for different vehicle parts of over 95% for a dataset of 120 vehicles belonging to three categories, namely sedan, SUV and wagon.
Optimal Monetary Policy under Asset Market Segmentation

This paper studies optimal monetary policy in a small open economy under flexible prices. The paperâ€™s key innovation is to analyze this question in the context of environments where only a fraction of agents participate in asset market transactions (i.e., asset markets are segmented). In this environment, we first show that there exist state contingent rules (based either on the rate of money growth or the devaluation rate) that can implement the first-best equilibrium. Such rules, however, would require the monetary authority to respond to contemporaneous shocks and would thus be dii¬ƒcult to implement. We then proceed to analyze optimal monetary policy rules within the class of non-state contingent rules. Our main result is that amongst non-state contingent rules, policies targeting monetary aggregates (which allow for nominal exchange rate flexibility) welfare-dominate rules that target the exchange rate. In particular, we find that a fixed exchange rate is never optimal. Our analysis would thus tend to support monetary policy arrangements that allow for nominal exchange rate flexibility
Endocrine disruption in aquatic systems: up‐scaling research to address ecological consequences

Endocrine‐disrupting chemicals (EDCs) can alter biological function in organisms at environmentally relevant concentrations and are a significant threat to aquatic biodiversity, but there is little understanding of exposure consequences for populations, communities and ecosystems. The pervasive nature of EDCs within aquatic environments and their multiple sub‐lethal effects make assessments of their impact especially important but also highly challenging. Herein, we review the data on EDC effects in aquatic systems focusing on studies assessing populations and ecosystems, and including how biotic and abiotic processes may affect, and be affected by, responses to EDCs. Recent research indicates a significant influence of behavioural responses (e.g. enhancing feeding rates), transgenerational effects and trophic cascades in the ecological consequences of EDC exposure. In addition, interactions between EDCs and other chemical, physical and biological factors generate uncertainty in our understanding of the ecological effects of EDCs within aquatic ecosystems. We illustrate how effect thresholds for EDCs generated from individual‐based experimental bioassays of the types commonly applied using chemical test guidelines [e.g. Organisation for Economic Co‐operation and Development (OECD)] may not necessarily reflect the hazards associated with endocrine disruption. We argue that improved risk assessment for EDCs in aquatic ecosystems urgently requires more ecologically oriented research as well as field‐based assessments at population‐, community‐ and food‐web levels.
The Groucho Effect of Uncertain Standards

Consumers are rarely sure of the exact standard that product labels and other certificates of quality represent. We show that any such uncertainty creates a “Groucho effect” in which seeing that a product has a label leads consumers to infer that the standard for the label itself is not very demanding. Label adoption is therefore always less likely to be an equilibrium than without uncertainty over the standard, and if it is an equilibrium it is always less informative than without such uncertainty. The Groucho effect leads to an information externality so better firms are reluctant to adopt labels if worse firms adopt them. Applying the model to eco-labels, we find that industry groups, governments, and NGOs can increase label adoption by publicizing labeling criteria, by encouraging consumers to expect label adoption when there are multiple equilibria, and by setting high standards that are less likely to be devalued by low quality firms.
Hyperelastic Modeling of Rubber-Like Photopolymers for Additive Manufacturing Processes

This chapter addresses design issues of components realized with rubber-like PhotoPolymers (PP) recently introduced in Rapid Prototyping. In particular, the determination of accurate, hyperelastic, constitutive models which describe the PP behavior is discussed in detail. In fact, Stereolithography and Polyjet processes allow the production of highly flexible objects by using photosensitive resins whose mechanical properties are, in some cases, similar to natural rubber. These parts, being fabricated with an additive approach, eventually represent a final product instead of a mere ‘prototype’. Therefore, the term Additive Manufacturing (AM) might be used in substitution to Rapid Prototyping (Gibson et al., 2010) in order to underline a closer link to the end-use component. From a designer’s point of view, AM technologies offer the possibility, before unknown, to customize and singularly optimize each product for the end user, such that focused design methods are needed. In the case of rubber-like PP, the considered materials usually experience deviatoric (isochoric), fully reversible deformations which can be well described by hyperelastic constitutive theories capable of dealing with large (finite) strains (Holzapfel, 2001). The capability to undergo finite deformations may intrinsically solve several functional design requirements but this requires an accurate representation of the material behavior through proper constitutive models. Unfortunately, the only data which are available (e.g. data from Objet Geometries Ltd., http://www.objet.com/docs/) are limited to basicmaterial properties, namely tensile strength, tensile modulus at few reference stretch ratios, compression set, and hardness. Hence, the correct design and verification of AM rubber-like products become impossible or, at least, very difficult. For example, every shape optimization through nonlinear Finite Element Analysis (FEA) requires a constitutive material law (i.e. a relation between stress and deformation) as a key input of the numerical model. In the same way, the calculation of hardness and friction influence on the product contact behavior requires a detailed description of its deformation state for given applied loads (Shallamach, 1952). If a rough estimate of any stress-strain field based on the aforementioned data may be acceptable for the first-attempt sizing of a prototype, nonetheless the design for direct manufacturing of 6
Enhanced responses of the basilar artery to activation of endothelin-B receptors in stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats.

We tested the hypothesis that responses of the basilar artery to selective activation of endothelin-B receptors are altered during chronic hypertension. Using a cranial window in anesthetized rats, we examined responses of the basilar artery to a selective endothelin-B receptor agonist, IRL 1620, in stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRSP). Under control conditions, baseline basilar artery diameter was smaller in SHRSP (196 +/- 8 microns [mean +/- SEM]) than in normotensive Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY) (245 +/- 9 microns, P < .05). Topical application of IRL 1620 (10(-8) mol/L) dilated the basilar artery by 27 +/- 5% in WKY and 56 +/- 4% in SHRSP (P < .05). Dilatation of the basilar artery in response to sodium nitroprusside was similar in WKY and SHRSP. In contrast, acetylcholine-induced vasodilatation in SHRSP was markedly impaired. NG-Nitro-L-arginine methyl ester and NG-nitro-L-arginine, inhibitors of nitric oxide synthase, inhibited IRL 1620-induced vasodilatation in WKY. Neither NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester nor indomethacin attenuated vasodilatation produced by IRL 1620 in SHRSP. The major finding is that dilator responses of the basilar artery to selective activation of endothelin-B receptors are paradoxically enhanced in SHRSP compared with WKY. Dilator responses of the basilar artery to endothelin-B receptor activation are mediated by endothelium-derived relaxing factor in WKY. In contrast, responses to activation of endothelin receptors in SHRSP do not depend on the production of nitric oxide or prostanoids.
Martial arts striking hand peak acceleration, accuracy and consistency

Abstract The goal of this paper was to investigate the possible trade-off between peak hand acceleration and accuracy and consistency of hand strikes performed by martial artists of different training experiences. Ten male martial artists with training experience ranging from one to nine years volunteered to participate in the experiment. Each participant performed 12 maximum effort goal-directed strikes. Hand acceleration during the strikes was obtained using a tri-axial accelerometer block. A pressure sensor matrix was used to determine the accuracy and consistency of the strikes. Accuracy was estimated by the radial distance between the centroid of each subject's 12 strikes and the target, whereas consistency was estimated by the square root of the 12 strikes mean squared distance from their centroid. We found that training experience was significantly correlated to hand peak acceleration prior to impact (r 2=0.456, p =0.032) and accuracy (r 2=0. 621, p=0.012). These correlations suggest that more experienced participants exhibited higher hand peak accelerations and at the same time were more accurate. Training experience, however, was not correlated to consistency (r 2=0.085, p=0.413). Overall, our results suggest that martial arts training may lead practitioners to achieve higher striking hand accelerations with better accuracy and no change in striking consistency.
Experimental thiamine deficiency in captive harp seals, Phoca groenlandica, induced by eating herring, Clupea harengus, and smelts, Osmerus mordax.

Freshwater smelts, and Atlantic herring, both shown to contain thiaminase, were fed to harp seals under a variety of experimental conditions. When thiamine was not administered, the seals developed thiamine deficiency which, in some cases, was fatal. Red blood cell transketolase was effective in demonstrating deficiency.In a controlled experiment, three seals ingesting smelts died within 80 days; two showed terminal signs of central nervous system disturbances and concomitant plasma electrolyte imbalance. Seals fed a diet of thiamine-free herring survived despite biochemical evidence of deficiency. This is attributed to the high fat content of herring.Thiamine administered either intramuscularly or orally, during the course of deficiency, effected prompt recovery. Thereafter, seals maintained on herring required 25–33 mg thiamine/kg of ingesta, if the vitamin was consumed in the diet; if administered 2 h before feeding, 35 mg/day was sufficient for normal maintenance.