Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Regret Minimization for Linear Quadratic Adaptive Controllers Using Fisher Feedback Exploration

In this letter, we study the trade-off between exploration and exploitation for linear quadratic adaptive control. This trade-off can be expressed as a function of the exploration and exploitation costs, called cumulative regret. It has been shown over the years that the optimal asymptotic rate of the cumulative regret is in many instances $\mathcal {O}(\sqrt {T})$ . In particular, this rate can be obtained by adding a white noise external excitation, with a variance decaying as $\mathcal {O}(1/\sqrt {T})$ . As the amount of excitation is pre-determined, such approaches can be viewed as open loop control of the external excitation. In this contribution, we approach the problem of designing the external excitation from a feedback perspective leveraging the well known benefits of feedback control for decreasing sensitivity to external disturbances and system-model mismatch, as compared to open loop strategies. We base the feedback on the Fisher information matrix which is a measure of the accuracy of the model. Specifically, the amplitude of the exploration signal is seen as the control input while the minimum eigenvalue of the Fisher matrix is the variable to be controlled. We call such exploration strategies Fisher Feedback Exploration (F2E). We propose one explicit F2E design, called Inverse Fisher Feedback Exploration (IF2E), and argue that this design guarantees the optimal asymptotic rate for the cumulative regret. We provide theoretical support for IF2E and in a numerical example we illustrate benefits of IF2E and compare it with the open loop approach as well as a method based on Thompson sampling.
Simulated & Ex.perimental In-Wall Temperatures !or 120 mm Ammunition

\Bore al)d chamber surtioce, as well as subsurface, temperature predictions are made for the US Army M256 120 nun chromium-plated cannon firing M865, M829, and DM 13 cartridges. The surt.ace temperature predictions are validated by co/nparison wi th other numerical modelling results, 'fhi le the subsurface temperature predictions are compared directly with experimental measurements. made by in-wall thermocouples. The surface temperature predictions fall in line with other numerical estimates, and, in general, the simulated probe temperatures at each axial location are within the circumferential' and round-tolround variation in the experimentalli'robe temlJt;rdtures.
A Power Line Signaling Based Scheme for Anti-islanding Protection of Distributed Generators: Part II: Field Test Results

Summary form only given: Anti-islanding protection of distributed generators (DG) is a significant technical barrier to the emerging DG industry. In response to this challenge, a power line signaling based anti-islanding protection scheme has been proposed in a companion paper. The scheme broadcasts a signal from a substation to the DG sites using the distribution feeders as signal paths. A DG is considered as islanded from the upstream system if the signal is not detected at the DG site. This paper presents extensive field test results and experiences obtained for the proposed scheme. The results confirm that the proposed scheme is a very promising and economical method to satisfy anti-islanding protection requirements for synchronous DG interconnections.
Characterization of Drug Release from Mesoporous SiO2-Based Membranes with Variable Pore Structure and Geometry

Transdermal drug delivery systems (TDDSs) play important roles in therapy due to distinct advantages over other forms and types of drug application. While common TDDS patches mainly consist of polymeric matrices so far, inorganic carriers show numerous advantages such as high mechanical stability, possible re-use and re-loading of drugs, and a broad chemical compatibility with therapeutically relevant compounds and chemical enhancers. Mesoporous glasses can be prepared in different monolithic shapes, and offer a particularly wide range of possible pore volumes, pore diameters, and specific surface areas. Further, they show high loading capacities and favorable physical, technical, and biological properties. Here, we explored for the first time monolithic SiO2-based carriers as sustained release systems of therapeutic drugs. In an ideally stirred vessel as model system, we systematically analyzed the influence of pore diameter, pore volume, and the dimensions of glass monoliths on the loading and sustained release of different drugs, including anastrozole, xylazine, imiquimod, levetiracetam, and flunixin. Through multilinear regression, we calculated the influence of different parameters on drug loading and diffusion coefficients. The systematic variation of the mesoporous glass properties revealed pore volumes and drug loading concentrations, but not pore diameter or pore surface area as important parameters of drug loading and release kinetics. Other relevant effectors include the occurrence of lateral diffusion within the carrier and drug-specific properties such as adsorption. The structure–property relationships derived from our data will allow further fine-tuning of the systems according to their desired properties as TDDS, thus guiding towards optimal systems for their use in transdermal drug applications.
A Proprioceptive Soft Robot Module Based on Supercoiled Polymer Artificial Muscle Strings

In this paper, a multi-functional soft robot module that can be used to constitute a variety of soft robots is proposed. The body of the soft robot module made of rubber is in the shape of a long strip, with cylindrical chambers at both the top end and bottom end of the module for the function of actuators and sensors. The soft robot module is driven by supercoiled polymer artificial muscle (SCPAM) strings, which are made from conductive nylon sewing threads. Artificial muscle strings are embedded in the chambers of the module to control its deformation. In addition, SCPAM strings are also used for the robot module’s sensing based on the linear relationship between the string’s length and their resistance. The bending deformation of the robot is measured by the continuous change of the sensor’s resistance during the deformation of the module. Prototypes of an inchworm-like crawling robot and a soft robotic gripper are made, whose crawling ability and grasping ability are tested, respectively. We envision that the proposed proprioceptive soft robot module could potentially be used in other robotic applications, such as continuum robotic arm or underwater robot.
Voltage Stability Constrained Unit Commitment in Power Systems With High Penetration of Inverter-Based Generators

With the increasing penetration of renewable energy sources, power system operation has to be adapted to ensure the system stability and security while considering the distinguished feature of the Inverter-Based Generator (IBG) interfaced generators. The static voltage stability which is mainly compromised by heavy loading conditions in conventional power systems, faces new challenges due to the large scale integration of IBG units. This paper investigates the static voltage stability problem in high IBG-penetrated system. The analytic criterion that ensures the voltage stability at the IBG buses are derived with the interaction of different IBGs being considered. Based on this, an optimal system scheduling model is proposed to minimize the overall system operation cost while maintaining the voltage stability during normal operation through dynamically optimizing the active and reactive power output from IBGs. The highly nonlinear voltage stability constraints are effectively converted into Second-Order Cone (SOC) form, leading to an overall Mixed-Integer SOC Programming (MISOCP), together with the SOC reformulation of AC power flow and frequency constraints. The effectiveness of the proposed model and the impact of various factors on voltage stability are demonstrated in thorough case studies.
INFLUENCE OF E-LEARNING POLICY PEDAGOGY ON STUDENT-CENTERED COLLABORATIVE LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT IN HIGHER INSTITUTIONS

Background: this research on E-learning was geared towards determining how E-learning policy pedagogy influences student-centred collaborative learning and development in higher institutions. Objectives: the objectives were to determine: the effect of E-learning on students' achievement; the extent of the relationship between learner-centered pedagogy and students' performance; the extent to which students-centered collaborative learning affect development. Design: 246 was realised as sample size using Topmans formula at 5% level of tolerance and 95% level of confidence from infinite population. Questionnaire was used to collect data, 246 copies of the questionnaire were distributed and 230 copies were returned. Method: Descriptive research method was adopted for the study. Three hypotheses were tested; the first and the third were tested using linear regression while the second was tested using Pearson product moment correlation coefficient statistics. Findings: The findings show that E-learning had a significant positive effect on students' achievement; secondly, there is a significant relationship between learner-centered pedagogy and students' performance; thirdly, Student-centered collaborative learning had a significant positive effect on development. Result: Teachers, students and other administrative staff should be involved in the full utilisation of the educational system of teaching, learning and the use of modern information and communication technologies (ICT). Recommendation: The study recommends that for e-learning to be effective, E-learning facilities should be appropriately maintained. Stable internet should be provided to support easy and fast learning and teaching; the staff and students should learn the basic knowledge on how to operate the computer and its peripheral devices; electricity is a basic requirement needed for the computer and its peripheral devices to function, so government should ensure that all institutions are connected to a stable electric grid.
Age as a Moderator of the Association Between Anticipated Regret and the Posting and Deleting of Alcohol-Related Content on Social Networking Sites Among Adolescents and Young Adults

Research demonstrates associations between alcohol consumption and posting alcohol-related content on social networking sites (SNS); less is known regarding motivations behind deleting alcohol content on SNS and differences by age. The present study examined the associations of anticipated regret with posting and deleting alcohol-related content; age was examined as a moderator. Participants (N = 306; 47.1% male) aged 15 – 20 completed a baseline survey for a larger experimental study. Results indicated significant interactions between anticipated regret and age, such that higher levels of both increased the odds of both posting (OR = 1.37) and deleting (OR = 1.30) alcohol-related content on SNS. Specifically, the association between anticipated regret and posting was stronger for younger individuals, whereas the relationship between anticipated regret and deleting was stronger for older individuals. A personalized age-specific intervention aimed at alcohol-related anticipated SNS regret may lead to changes in posting and deleting of alcohol-related SNS content, which may have implications for subsequent alcohol use.
Análise Transparente de Malware com Suporte por Hardware

A análise dinâmica é uma das principais técnicas utilizadas para caracterização de malware, identificação de suas funcionalidades e desenvolvimento de contra-medidas. Portanto, desenvolvedores de malware buscam continuamente por formas de impedir a execução de seus códigos nesses ambientes, dificultando a detecção. Além disso, avanços nos sistemas operacionais criaram obstáculos para sua instrumentação. Para superar tais problemas, surgiram abordagens de análise assistidas por hardware. Neste artigo, propõe-se um sistema de análise dinâmica de malware baseado em monitoramento de branches com suporte de hardware (monitores dos processadores Intel), alcançando a transparência necessária para evitar a identificação do ambiente e apresentando baixo overhead.
Optic Flow Speed and Retinal Stimulation Influence Microsaccades

Microsaccades are linked with extraretinal mechanisms that significantly alter spatial perception before the onset of eye movements. We sought to investigate whether microsaccadic activity is modulated by the speed of radial optic flow stimuli. Experiments were performed in the dark on 19 subjects who stood in front of a screen covering 135 × 107° of the visual field. Subjects were instructed to fixate on a central fixation point while optic flow stimuli were presented in full field, in the foveal, and in the peripheral visual field at different dot speeds (8, 11, 14, 17, and 20°/s). Fixation in the dark was used as a control stimulus. For almost all tested speeds, the stimulation of the peripheral retina evoked the highest microsaccade rate. We also found combined effects of optic flow speed and the stimulated retinal region (foveal, peripheral, and full field) for microsaccade latency. These results show that optic flow speed modulates microsaccadic activity when presented in specific retinal portions, suggesting that eye movement generation is strictly dependent on the stimulated retinal regions.
Comparing University Design Students’ and Tutors’ Perceptions of Creativity

Abstract This paper explores the perceptions and views of creativity amongst UK-based architecture and product design tutors and design students. This study is an extension of the authors’ earlier work that examined a group of design tutors’ views on creativity in design in a UK university design education context. The authors adopted a semi-structured interview approach and collected a series of rich insights into how design tutors and design students conceptualize creativity and how both perceive their role in developing creativity. The findings of the research indicate clear differences in the way that design tutors and design students assess their creative potential. Yet, at the same time, they both find it very difficult to define and conceptualize. The results also show that the design students generally acknowledge the role that design tutors play in promoting cultures of creativity in the university design studio, but also stressed the importance of the wider socio-cultural system. Lastly, the research reveals that many aspects of creativity in the university design studio remain shrouded in mystery and this lack of knowledge of creativity and how it facilitates design may well be compromising the education of design students. There is, however, clear interest from both the design tutors and students regarding creativity, and the value of domain-specific versus general notions of the concept of creativity in developing this cognitive skill.
Replica Scheduling Strategy for Streaming Data Mining

— In a distributed storage and computing framework, traditional streaming data mining techniques are inefficient when processing massive amounts of data. In this paper, we take the copy in cloud storage as an allocatable resource for scheduling and propose a RepRM strategy to improve the efficiency of data mining and analysis. The key idea of this work is to take the data copy as the resource to be allocated, and use the backward inference method of dynamic programming to solve the data copy ratio, the optimal number of copies is obtained. Experiments and observations have proved that compared with the traditional scheduling method of Hadoop, after adopting the RepRM strategy scheduling, the memory resources of the homogeneous cluster are saved by about 40-50% during parallel mining of streaming data, and the throughput rate is increased by 20% to 30%.
Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive: naar herziening van de Europese duurzaamheidsverslaggeving

Op 21 april 2021 publiceerde de Europese Commissie een voorstel voor een richtlijn over duurzaamheidsrapportage door ondernemingen, de ‘Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive’ (CSRD). Ongeveer 49.000 ondernemingen in Europa zullen onder de reikwijdte van de CSRD vallen en dienen in hun bestuursverslagen de vereisten uit de CSRD toe te passen, tegenover ongeveer 11.000 ondernemingen nu. De Europese Commissie stelt voor om de informatie waarover gerapporteerd moet worden te specificeren, de rapportages beter toegankelijk en onderling vergelijkbaar te maken door standaardisering en digitalisering, en de rapportage van assurance te voorzien. In dit artikel onderzoeken wij het voorstel voor de CSRD. Wij sluiten deze bijdrage af met enkele conclusies.
Tailoring of Narrow Pores, Pore Size Distribution and Structural Details in Asymmetric Nanofiltration Membranes via Polyvinyl-pyrrolidone Additive

The roles of polyvinyl-pyrrolidone (PVP) additive in the tailoring of pores, pore size distribution, morphologies and molecular weight cut-off (MWCO) in phase inversion asymmetric nanofiltration membranes was addressed. Using established solute transport method, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Minitab software, details analysis of the enhanced performance-properties of narrow pores nanofiltration membranes were verified. Experimental and analysis data revealed that the membranes prepared with 2 wt% of PVP demonstrated fine performance-properties. At this concentration, the fabricated nanofiltration membranes possessed narrow pore size and molecular weight cut-off of 1.14 nm and 2290 Da, respectively. In addition, the fabricated nanofiltration membranes displayed fine structural details of narrow pore size distribution, good morphology and critical key properties. With the combinations of thinner skin layer, fine structures and narrow pores, it can be concluded that the 2 wt% of PVP is the optimum PVP concentration to produce selective narrow pore nanofiltration membranes. Eventually, summary data on pores, pore size distributions (PSDs) and key properties proved that the PVP additive is effective for controlling performances-properties and structural details in asymmetrical based membranes.
Level of knowledge of women of childbearing age, about cervical cancer in a city in the interior of Pernambuco

Cancer causes a high rate of morbidity and mortality in the world, following the second etiology of deaths in several countries. To evaluate the knowledge about cervical cancer of women of childbearing age registered in a Basic Health Unit of a city in the interior of Pernambuco. Cross-sectional descriptive study, with quantitative approach conducted with women of childbearing age registered in a Basic Health Unit. Most of these women 52.5% (n=31) are unaware of the concept of cervical cancer. With regard to the knowledge of uterine cancer, the analysis shows an unfamiliarity on the part of women, and it is evident that there is a failure in professional-patient communication at the time of consultation of the cytological examination, and it is then up to the nurse to perform health education, since the consultation period is a great opportunity to instruct these women. 2 Nascimento, R.M.S.; Carneiro, K.R. C. ; Oliveira, N.C. ; Araújo, V.S. ; Andrade, C.H. S. ; Brandão, C.P.; Calazans, F.A. ; Silva, A.L. ; Nascimento, C.V. F. ; Nascimento, V.S. ; Bonnaneti, A.C. N.R. ; Lopes, L.G. F. ; Souza, A.C. A. ; Costa, S.L. A. Level of knowledge of women of childbearing age, about cervical cancer in a city in the interior of Pernambuco.
Academy IRIS® Registry Analysis of Incidence of Laser Capsulotomy Due to Posterior Capsule Opacification After Intraocular Lens Implantation

Purpose Academy IRIS® (Intelligent Research in Sight) Registry was used to determine the incidence of postoperative neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet laser capsulotomy (Nd:YAG) and time to posterior capsular opacification (PCO) diagnosis based on intraocular lens (IOL) type and brand. Methods This retrospective analysis included eyes implanted with 1 of 2 IOL brands, with ≥365 days of follow-up available in the IRIS Registry, and ≥2 visits within 180 days of surgery. Analyses included Nd:YAG incidence due to PCO within 1 year after surgery by IOL type and brand, mean time to PCO diagnosis, and mean time to Nd:YAG. Results Of 89,947 eyes after cataract surgery, 24,834 (28%) had PCO diagnosis within 365 days, and 9262 (10%) underwent Nd:YAG; 4.1% of 57,523 eyes with monofocal and 21.2% of 32,424 eyes with diffractive multifocal (MF) or diffractive extended depth of focus (EDOF) IOLs had Nd:YAG. Nd:YAG was 3.2 times more likely in eyes with diffractive MF or diffractive EDOF IOLs versus monofocal. For monofocal IOLs, 3.2% of eyes with AcrySof® and 8.1% of eyes with Tecnis® had Nd:YAG (P<0.0001). For diffractive MF or diffractive EDOF IOLs, 13.0% of eyes with AcrySof and 21.7% of eyes with Tecnis had Nd:YAG (P<0.0001). Nd:YAG risk was 2.4 times higher in eyes with Tecnis versus AcrySof IOLs. Overall, mean time to PCO diagnosis and Nd:YAG was 150.7 and 180.7 days. Mean time to PCO for monofocal versus diffractive MF or diffractive EDOF IOLs was 165.3 versus 139.7 days (P<0.0001). Mean time to Nd:YAG for monofocal versus diffractive MF or diffractive EDOF IOLs was 196.4 versus 175.3 days (P<0.05). Conclusion Real-world data for AcrySof and Tecnis IOLs revealed lower Nd:YAG rates and longer time to PCO diagnosis and Nd:YAG after monofocal versus diffractive multifocal or diffractive EDOF implantation. Nd:YAG rates were significantly lower with AcrySof versus Tecnis IOLs.
Evaluation of Postmortem Protein Expression in Determining Cause of Death

Cause of death differentiation during a medicolegal autopsy can be complicated by several factors, including sample conditions which can create uncertainty. Postmortem protein analysis has potential to be used as an additional evidentiary tool in determining cause of death. Proteomic biomarkers offer a method to directly measure physiological conditions at time of death that are stable in a postmortem state. Specific protein expression levels have been studied for their postmortem application in significantly differentiating many different causes of death. Work done in regard to asphyxial, toxicological, and traumatic deaths will be specifically discussed here. Proteins will be reviewed for potential diagnostic efficacy through specificity, sensitivity, and detailed thresholds with attention to the research conditions. While significant trends have been recognized, further work is required to validate potential applications in forensic pathology. For many biomarkers, significant correlation to cause of death, the agonal period, or the influence of a postmortem state is still being determined. The use of one protein by itself has not yet been able to differentiate cause of death with high enough specificity and sensitivity. Therefore, the use of a panel of validated biomarkers is suggested to increase significance in diagnostic efficacy.
Anesthesia in a child with arthrogryposis multiplex congenita – how to proceed: A case report

Arthrogryposis multiplex congenita (AMC) consists of a heterogenous group of disorders characterized by non-progressive congenital joint contractures. They have tense skin, minimal subcutaneous tissue, and muscle mass. The anesthetic management of these children is complicated by associated congenital abnormalities, airway anomalies, congenital heart disease, pulmonary hypoplasia, and vertebral anomalies. We managed a case of AMC with bilateral contractures of both upper and lower limb and neck who presented for correction of bilateral equino varus.