Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Monotonic Improvement Guarantees under Non-stationarity for Decentralized PPO

We present a new monotonic improvement guarantee for optimizing decentralized policies in cooperative Multi-Agent Reinforcement Learning (MARL), which holds even when the transition dynamics are non-stationary. This new analysis provides a theoretical understanding of the strong performance of two recent actor-critic methods for MARL, i.e., Independent Proximal Policy Optimization (IPPO) and Multi-Agent PPO (MAPPO), which both rely on independent ratios , i.e., computing probability ratios separately for each agent’s policy. We show that, despite the non-stationarity that independent ratios cause, a monotonic improvement guarantee still arises as a result of enforcing the trust region constraint over all decentralized policies. We also show this trust region constraint can be effectively enforced in a principled way by bounding independent ratios based on the number of agents in training, providing a theoretical foundation for proximal ratio clipping. Moreover, we show that the surrogate objectives optimized in IPPO and MAPPO are essentially equivalent when their critics converge to a ﬁxed point. Finally, our empirical results support the hypothesis that the strong performance of IPPO and MAPPO is a direct result of enforcing such a trust region constraint via clipping in centralized training, and the good values of the hyperparameters for this enforcement are highly sensitive to the number of agents, as predicted by our theoretical analysis.
DoCoM-SGT: Doubly Compressed Momentum-assisted Stochastic Gradient Tracking Algorithm for Communication Efficient Decentralized Learning

This paper proposes the Doubly Compressed Momentum-assisted Stochastic Gradient Tracking algorithm ( DoCoM-SGT ) for communication eﬃcient decentralized learning. DoCoM-SGT utilizes two compression steps per communication round as the algorithm tracks simultaneously the averaged iterate and stochastic gradient. Furthermore, DoCoM-SGT incorporates a momentum based technique for reducing variances in the gradient estimates. We show that DoCoM-SGT ﬁnds a solution ¯ θ in T iterations satisfying E [ (cid:13)(cid:13) ∇ f (¯ θ ) (cid:13)(cid:13) 2 ] = O (1 /T 2 / 3 ) for non-convex objective functions; and we provide competitive convergence rate guarantees for other function classes. Numerical experiments on synthetic and real datasets validate the eﬃcacy of our algorithm.
Floquet topological systems with flat bands: Edge modes, Berry curvature, and orbital magnetization

Results are presented for Floquet systems in two spatial dimensions where the Floquet driving breaks an effective time reversal symmetry. The driving protocol also induces flat bands that correspond to anomalous Floquet phases where the Chern number is zero and yet chiral edge modes exist. Analytic expressions for the edge modes, Berry curvature, and the orbital magnetization are derived for the flat bands. Results are also presented for the static Haldane model for parameters when the bands are flat. Floquet driving of the same model is shown to give rise to Chern insulators as well as anomalous Floquet phases. The orbital magnetization for these different topological phases are presented and are found to be enhanced at half filling by the broken particle-hole symmetry of the Haldane model.
Decentralized Stochastic Variance Reduced Extragradient Method

This paper studies decentralized convex-concave minimax optimization problems of the form $\min_x\max_y f(x,y) \triangleq\frac{1}{m}\sum_{i=1}^m f_i(x,y)$, where $m$ is the number of agents and each local function can be written as $f_i(x,y)=\frac{1}{n}\sum_{j=1}^n f_{i,j}(x,y)$. We propose a novel decentralized optimization algorithm, called multi-consensus stochastic variance reduced extragradient, which achieves the best known stochastic first-order oracle (SFO) complexity for this problem. Specifically, each agent requires $\mathcal O((n+\kappa\sqrt{n})\log(1/\varepsilon))$ SFO calls for strongly-convex-strongly-concave problem and $\mathcal O((n+\sqrt{n}L/\varepsilon)\log(1/\varepsilon))$ SFO call for general convex-concave problem to achieve $\varepsilon$-accurate solution in expectation, where $\kappa$ is the condition number and $L$ is the smoothness parameter. The numerical experiments show the proposed method performs better than baselines.
Research on Question Classification Methods in the Medical Field

Question classification is one of the important links in the research of question and answering system. The existing question classification models are more trained on public data sets. At present, there is a lack of question classification data sets in specific fields, especially in the medical field. To make up for this gap, this paper presents a data set for question classification in the medical field. Moreover, this paper proposes a multi-dimensional extraction of the characteristics of the question by combining multiple neural network models, and proposes a question classification model based on multi-dimensional feature extraction. The experimental results show that the proposed method can effectively improve the performance of question classification.
Detection of Increased Time Intervals of Anti-Vaccine Tweets for COVID-19 Vaccine with BERT Model

The most effective of the solutions against Covid-19 is the various vaccines developed. Distrust of vaccines can hinder the rapid and effective use of this remedy. One of the means of expressing the thoughts of society is social media. Determining the time intervals during which anti-vaccination increases in social media can help institutions determine the strategy to be used in combating anti-vaccination. Recording and tracking every tweet entered with human labor would be inefficient, so various automation solutions are needed. In this study, The Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers (BERT) model, which is a deep learning-based natural language processing (NLP) model, was used. In a dataset of 1506 tweets divided into four different categories as news, irrelevant, anti-vaccine, and vaccine supporters, the model was trained with a learning rate of 5e-6 for 25 epochs. To determine the intervals in which anti-vaccine tweets are concentrated, the categories to which 652840 tweets belong were determined by using the trained model. The change of the determined categories overtime was visualized and the events that could cause the change were determined. As a result of model training, in the test dataset, the f-score of 0.81 and AUC values for different classes were obtained as 0.99,0.91, 0.92, 0.92, respectively. In this model, unlike the studies in the literature, an auxiliary system is designed that provides data that institutions can use when determining their strategy by measuring and visualizing the frequency of anti-vaccine tweets in a time interval, different from detecting and censoring such tweets.
Internet of Things (IoT) and Machine-to-Machine (M2M) communications

Internet of Things (IoT) and Machine-to-Machine (M2M) communications describes how the Internet will expand as sensors and intelligence are connected to physical things such as physical assets or consumer devices and these things in turn are connected to the Internet. The vision and model have existed for years, but there has been acceleration in the number and types of things being connected and in the technologies for collecting, processing, and sharing information. The paper explores some of the key applications for IoT and M2M communications, including consumer electronics, automotive and transportation, energy and utilities, industrial and commercial buildings, and others.
Two Mode Photon Added Schrödinger Cat States: Nonclassicality and Entanglement

: The concept of photon added two-mode Schrödinger cat state in which both modes are independent is introduced, their non-classical properties and entanglement are studied. The introduced states emerge as the eigenstates of 𝑓 1 𝑓 2 𝑎 1 𝑎 2 , where 𝑓 1 , 𝑓 2 are nonlinear functions of the number operator and 𝑎 1 , 𝑎 2 are annihilation operators. We study the evolution of these states under the canonical transformation using the parity operator for the case of standard coherent states of the harmonic oscillator. The non-classical properties of these states are evaluated especially by considering sub-Poissonian photon statistics and photon number distribution. Interestingly, the addition of photons leads to shifting the region in which photon number distribution shows oscillatory behavior. In addition, the entanglement of introduced states has been quantitatively analyzed using concurrence. We observe that the state approaches the maximum entanglement more rapidly after the addition of photons.
On List Decoding Transitive Codes From Random Errors

We study the error resilience of transitive linear codes over F 2 . We give tight bounds on the weight distribution of every such code C , and we show how these bounds can be used to infer bounds on the error rates that C can tolerate on the binary symmetric channel. Using this connection, we show that every transitive code can be list-decoded from random errors. As an application, our results imply list-decoding bounds for Reed-Muller codes even when the rate exceeds the channel capacity.
The Neural Testbed: Evaluating Predictive Distributions

Posterior predictive distributions quantify uncertainties ignored by point estimates. This paper introduces The Neural Testbed : an opensource library for controlled and principled evaluation of agents that generate such predictions. Crucially, agents are assessed not only on the quality of their marginal predictions per input, but also on their joint predictions across many inputs. We evaluate a range of agents using a neural-network-based data generating process. Our results indicate that some well-known agents that produce accurate marginal predictions do not fare well with joint predictions. We show that the quality of joint predictions drives performance in downstream decision tasks, and highlight the importance of this observation to the community.
Distributed Dual Subgradient Methods with Averaging and Applications to Grid Optimization

We study finite-time performance of a recently proposed distributed dual subgradient (DDSG) method for convex constrained multi-agent optimization problems. The algorithm enjoys performance guarantees on the last primal iterate, as opposed to those derived for ergodic means for vanilla DDSG algorithms. Our work improves the recently published convergence rate of $\Ocal(\log T/\sqrt{T})$ with decaying step-sizes to $\Ocal(1/\sqrt{T})$ with constant step-size on a metric that combines suboptimality and constraint violation. We then numerically evaluate the algorithm on three grid optimization problems. Namely, these are tie-line scheduling in multi-area power systems, coordination of distributed energy resources in radial distribution networks, and joint dispatch of transmission and distribution assets. The DDSG algorithm applies to each problem with various relaxations and linearizations of the power flow equations. The numerical experiments illustrate various properties of the DDSG algorithm--comparison with vanilla DDSG, impact of the number of agents, and why Nesterov-style acceleration fails in DDSG settings.
On Market Design and Latency Arbitrage

We argue that contemporary stock market designs are, due to traders' inability to fully express their preferences over the execution times of their orders, prone to latency arbitrage. In turn, we propose a new order type which allows traders to specify the time at which their orders are executed after reaching the exchange. Using this order type, traders can synchronize order executions across different exchanges, such that high-frequency traders, even if they operate at the speed of light, can no-longer engage in latency arbitrage.
Composite System based Multi-Area Reliability Evaluation

Composite System Based Multi-Area Reliability Evaluation. (December 2009) Ramya Nagarajan, B.E. , College of Engineering Guindy, Anna University, India Chair of Advisory Committee: Dr. Chanan Singh Currently, major power systems almost invariably operate under interconnected conditions to transfer power in a stable and reliable manner. Multi-area reliability evaluation has thus become an invaluable tool in the planning and operation of such systems. Multi – area reliability evaluation is typically done by considering equivalent tie lines between different areas in an integrated power system. It gives approximate results for the reliability indices of a power system as it models each of the areas as a single node to which are connected the entire area generation and loads. The intratransmission lines are only indirectly modeled during the calculation of equivalent tie lines’ capacities. This method is very widely used in the power industry, but the influence of the various approximations and assumptions, which are incorporated in this method, on reliability calculations has not been explored. The objective of the research work presented in this thesis is the development of a new method called Composite system based multi – area reliability model, which does multi – area reliability evaluation considering the whole composite system. It models the transmission system in detail and also takes into account the loss sharing policy within
Addition of aerobic exercise to antidepressant drug monotherapy for major depressive disorder in adults.

Introduction Major depressive disorder is frequent and implies a high morbimortality. The addition of exercise has been proposed to improve the response rate to pharmacological monotherapy. However, this intervention is still controversial. Methods We searched Epistemonikos, the largest database of systematic reviews in health, maintained by screening multiple sources of information, including MEDLINE/PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane. We extracted data from the identified reviews, analyzed the data from the primary studies, performed a meta-analysis, and prepared a summary table of the results using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) method. Results and conclusions We identified 20 systematic reviews that together included 15 primary studies. Of these, eight were randomized trials. We con-clude that the addition of aerobic exercise to pharmacological monotherapy for patients with major depression could slightly decrease the severity of depressive symptoms with low certainty of evidence.
DC_104: Designing Co-Constructed Extended Live Event Coverage Experiences

Current broadcasting and media consumption technologies offer opportunities to make the coverage of live cultural and sports events a more personalised experience. The intended contribution of the doctoral research described in this paper is to understand what the current experience of such events is and to design novel services that support it. The first phase of this research has been to conduct studies of existing uses in the specific contexts of running races and a music festival. Findings from these studies point to opportunities for designing services that interleave the roles of performers, onsite spectators and remote spectators, that interleave building memories of events and experiencing them and finally that inscribe the souvenir of an event within a larger time scale. Future work will involve designing prototypes that implement these guidelines, evaluating the designs and refining the guidelines. Author Keywords
A Full-Scale Experimental Study on Cable Vibration Mitigation with Friction Damper

A full-scale free vibration test of stay cable with attached friction damper near cable anchorage was carried out.The logarithmic decrement of the cable-damper system was measured.Experiment results show that the logarithmic decrement of the cable-damper system can be greatly increased when compared to the free cable.The measured logarithmic decrement varies with cable vibration mode number and amplitude.The maximum attainable logarithmic decrement measured from the experiment is the same as the analytical result;and the changing trend of logarithmic decrement with amplitude and mode number of cable vibration is also consistent with the analytical results.On the other hand,the frequency difference was also found between the experimental results and the analytical results,which indicates that the analytical method proposed by wain should be revised for optimum design of strongly nonlinear damper,such as the friction damper.
Connecting Families: The Impact of New Communication Technologies on Domestic Life

New technologies are radically changing the way that families connect with one another: we can text our teenagers from work, eat dinner with far-away parents via video link, and instantly upload and share photos after a family day out. Whether we are bridging time or distance, and whether we are enhancing our closest relationships or strengthening the bonds of extended family, as computer technologies alter the communication landscape, they in turn are changing the way we conduct and experience family life. This state of the art volume explores the impact of new communication systems on how families interact how they share their lives and routines, engage in social touch, and negotiate being together or being apart by considering a range of different family relationships that shape the nature of communication. Composed of three sections, the first looks at what is often the core of a family, the couple, to understand the impact of technology on couple relationships, communication, and feelings of closeness. The second section studies immediate families that have expanded beyond just the individual or couple to include children. Here, the emphasis is on connection for communication, coordination, and play. The third section moves beyond the immediate family to explore connections between extended, distributed family members. This includes connections between adult children and their parents, grandparents and grandchildren, and adult siblings. Here family members have grown older, moved away from home, and forged new families. Researchers, designers and developers of new communication technologies will find this volume invaluable. Connecting Families: The Impact of New Communication Technologies on Domestic Life brings together the most up-to-date studies to help in understanding how new communication technologies shape and are shaped by family life, and offers inspiration and guidance for design by making clear what families need and value from technological systems.
CircSCAPER contributes to IL-1β-induced osteoarthritis in vitro via miR-140-3p/EZH2 axis

Aims Circular RNA (circRNA) S-phase cyclin A-associated protein in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) (circSCAPER, ID: hsa_circ_0104595) has been found to be highly expressed in osteoarthritis (OA) patients and has been associated with the severity of OA. Hence, the role and mechanisms underlying circSCAPER in OA were investigated in this study. Methods In vitro cultured human normal chondrocyte C28/I2 was exposed to interleukin (IL)-1β to mimic the microenvironment of OA. The expression of circSCAPER, microRNA (miR)-140-3p, and enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) was detected using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blot assays. The extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation, proliferation, and apoptosis of chondrocytes were determined using Western blot, cell counting kit-8, and flow cytometry assays. Targeted relationships were predicted by bioinformatic analysis and verified using dual-luciferase reporter and RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assays. The levels of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT) pathway-related protein were detected using Western blot assays. Results CircSCAPER was highly expressed in OA cartilage tissues and IL-1β-induced chondrocytes. Knockdown of circSCAPER reduced IL-1β-evoked ECM degradation, proliferation arrest, and apoptosis enhancement in chondrocytes. Mechanistically, circSCAPER directly bound to miR-140-3p, and miR-140-3p inhibition reversed the effects of circSCAPER knockdown on IL-1β-induced chondrocytes. miR-140-3p was verified to target EZH2, and overexpression of miR-140-3p protected chondrocytes against IL-1β-induced dysfunction via targeting EZH2. Additionally, we confirmed that circSCAPER could regulate EZH2 through sponging miR-140-3p, and the circSCAPER/miR-140-3p/EZH2 axis could activate the PI3K/AKT pathway. Conclusion CircSCAPER promoted IL-1β-evoked ECM degradation, proliferation arrest, and apoptosis enhancement in chondrocytes via regulating miR-140-3p/EZH2 axis, which gained a new insight into the pathogenesis of OA. Cite this article: Bone Joint Res 2022;11(2):61–72.
Coffee consumption and its interaction with the genetic variant AhR rs2066853 in colorectal cancer risk: A case-control study in Korea.

The bioactive compounds in coffee have several antioxidant properties that may beneficially impact colorectal cancer development (CRC). The aryl-hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is an important transcription factor that regulates an enzyme related to the caffeine metabolism pathway. We investigated the modification effect on coffee of AhR gene polymorphism in the risk of CRC. A case-control study was conducted with 699 cases and 1393 controls to investigate the interaction between coffee intake and the AhR rs2066853 variant in CRC risk. The odds ratios [ORs] and 95% confidence intervals [CIs] were assessed using multiple logistic regression analyses. We observed a significant protective effect of coffee against CRC in the overall and male populations. Consuming ≥3cups of coffee per day may significantly lower CRC risk in all subjects by 77% and in men by 83% (OR=0.23, 95%CI 0.14-0.39 and OR=0.17, 95%CI 0.09-0.34, respectively, p-trends<0.001). No association between AhR rs2066853 and CRC risk was found. In the dominant model, the G/G genotype had a strongest synergistic effect with coffee on protection against CRC (OR=0.12, 95%CI 0.06-0.26, p-interaction=0.014). The interaction remained significant in men and the distal colon cancer subgroup. In the additive model, the interaction was clearly shown strongest in G/G carriers (OR=0.12, 95%CI 0.06-0.27, p-interactions=0.039), followed by A/A and G/A carriers. The interaction remained significant in men and the rectal cancer subgroup. In conclusion, the protective effect of coffee on CRC risk might interact with the genetic variant AhR rs2066853, and this joint effect was determined by sex and site-specific cancer.
Experimental investigation on the added resistance of modified KVLCC2 hull forms with different bow shapes

The effect of different bow shapes on the added resistance in waves was observed through a series of model tests. To this end, three different hull forms of KRISO Very Large Crude Carrier 2 were considered: an original hull form and two modified hulls with different bow shapes, called ax-bow and leadge-bow. The model tests were conducted for a wide range of wavelengths with two wave amplitudes in a regular head-sea condition at the design speed. Each test condition was imposed at least twice in order to check the repeatability of measurement, considering the uncertainties in model test and the nonlinear nature of the added resistance. This article introduces a preliminary study on the effects of surge motion, amplitude of incident wave, and green-water allowance around bow region. This article briefly includes the uncertainty analysis of recent study regarding the performance of the original hull. Based on the results of the experimental study for three different bow shapes, the parameters which influence the added resistance and motion responses are discussed.