Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Top-Down Synthesis of Multiagent Formation Control: An Eigenstructure Assignment Based Approach

We propose a top-down approach for formation control of heterogeneous multiagent systems, based on the method of eigenstructure assignment. Given the problem of achieving scalable formations on the plane, our approach globally computes a state feedback control that assigns desired closed-loop eigenvalues/eigenvectors. We characterize the relation between the eigenvalues/eigenvectors and the resulting interagent communication topology, and design special (sparse) topologies such that the synthesized control may be implemented locally by the individual agents. Moreover, we present a hierarchical synthesis procedure that significantly improves computational efficiency. Finally, we extend the proposed approach to achieve fixed-size formation and circular motion, and illustrate these results by simulation examples.
‘HYSTERESIS AND

Van Breedam et al. quantify the CO2-thresholds for glaciation and deglaciation of the Early Cenozoic Antarctic ice sheet using an ice sheet model coupled to a climate model through a process emulator. They investigate the influence of the choice of bedrock topography, glacial isostatic adjustment, and orbital parameters (eccentricity and obliquity) on these thresholds. Their main findings are: 1) the choice of bedrock topography significantly affects both thresholds, but not the difference between them (hysteresis); 2) excluding glacial isostatic adjustment raises the CO2 level of glaciation but does not change the deglaciation threshold value; 3) the long eccentricity cycle has a significant impact on the timing of glaciation. The topic of the study is interesting and timely, the methodology is sound, and the results are robust. My only concern is that the implications of the study are mostly left for the reader to deduce. In principle, the study achieves its stated aim of identifying the forcing needed to initiate and end a continental-scale glaciation, under various assumptions on bedrock topography, GIA and CO2. But what do the results actually mean for ephemeral glaciations prior to the EOT? What is the consequence of the hysteresis and orbital variations for the stability of the transiently evolving ice sheet? It could be worthwhile to include a (brief) discussion of proxy CO2 or ice volume data in this respect. The discussion section could be further improved for instance through a comparison, either present-day to Early Cenozoic Antarctica, or Antarctica to other ice sheets (the comparison to Greenland in the discussion section that is there, is a bit half-hearted). With some more discussion in this direction, the manuscript would in my opinion reach a wider audience.
Modèles d’identification de tissu basés sur des images acquises avec un tomodensitomètre à double énergie pour des photons à faible énergie en curiethérapie

Clinical Dual-Energy Computed Tomography (DECT) images provide the determination of the effective atomic number and the electronic density. The purpose of this study is to develop a new assessment model of tissues, named the reduced three elements tissue model, for dose calculations from DECT images in brachytherapy and compare it to a known identification method, assignment through the Mahalanobis distance. Both models are applied to DECT scans of the Gammex RMI 467 phantom and for a subset of 10 human tissues. Dose distributions are calculated from Monte Carlo simulations with a point source having the energy spectrum of I. The reduced three elements tissue model provides dose equivalence to reference tissues and is equivalent to the calculation of the Mahalanobis distance. The model constructed can be used as a scheme to assess tissues from DECT images for dose calculation.
Sentiment Analysis of Movies Based on Natural Language Processing

Movies are an important spiritual food for people to satisfy their spiritual needs in contemporary society. Each person’s evaluation of one movie is different. The data mining of movie-related data can make a certain accuracy prediction of the ﬁnal rating of a movie. This paper shows a new movie rating prediction model is proposed by using nlp technology. It analyzes the data recorded in Movielens for nearly 45,000 movies. Some of the selected data include ﬁnal rating, movie duration, title, budget, story overview, genre, and so on. This includes a large amount of textual data that needs to be converted into vector data using nlp techniques. In this paper, random forest and neural network are chosen as the main models and a lot of tuning is done to obtain a relatively accurate model, i.e., a random forest movie rating prediction model using natural language processing. This research can be used for upcoming or newly released movies that lack ratings, which is a good reference for audiences’ viewing choices and movie producers’ promotion and investment decisions.
Mätningar och utvecklingsorienterat lärande

I detta kapitel vill jag utmana bada dessa standpunkter genom att lyfta fram ett perspektiv pa matningar som inte har diskuterats sa utforligt i forskningen, namligen organisering av matetalsanvandning for ett utvecklingsorienterat larande. Jag menar att under vissa betingelser fungerar matetal och matningar som stod for verksamhetsinriktad utveckling och larande. Jag forsoker ta fasta pa argumentet att mer avancerade former av larande i arbetet kraver arbetsplatser som har en inbyggd design for larande (Ellstrom, 2011). Fragan blir da hur anvandningen av matetal kan bli en del av den inbyggda designen for larande pa arbetsplatsen och hur man kan forsta pa vilka satt organisering kan ga till. Finns det nagon systematik for detta? Genom tre berattelser av tillampningar av matningar som stimulerat och aven lett till utveckling i en vardverksamhet belyser jag mojligheter och begransningar i larandet med stod av matetal. Vad som speciellt lyfts fram i dessa fall ar att matningar mojliggor upptackter av avvikelser i arbetsrutiner och processer. Sadana avvikelser kan upptackas genom olika former av matsystem, har illustrerat genom manatliga matningar av vardhygien, patientdagbok och kvalitetsregister. Matningarna blir har en processens rost som byggs in i larandet pa arbetsplatsen. En slutsats ar att nar matningar ar relevant och meningsfullt inbaddade i organisatoriska sammanhang mojliggors reflektion och utvecklingsorienterat larande.
Optimal control method for solution of inverse problem

In this contribution we deal with using of the optimal control method for solution of an inverse problem for nonlinear Gao beam which was published by Gao in [1]. The inverse problem will be formulated as the minimization of a cost functional which depends on a state problem. The state problem is represented by the Gao beam equation    σIu − σα(u′)2u′′ = f in (0, L), u(0) = u′(0) = 0, u(L) = u′(L) = 0, (1)
Revision of Late Miocene and Pliocene Cricetinae (Rodentia, Mammalia) from Spain and France

A large number of populations of Cricetinae from the Late Miocene and the Pliocene of Spain and France is analyzed. After a discussion on the validity of the available genus names, four different genera are recognized: Cricetulodon Hartenberger, 1966, Rotundomys Mein, 1966, Neocricetodon Schaub, 1934, and Apocricetus nov. gen. Cricetulodon bugesiensis and Neocricetodon ambarrensis are new species, recognized in the Late Vallesian of France. Apocricetus alberti is a new species name, that replaces most of the previous citations of Cricetus kormosi Schaub, 1930, or Cricetus cf. kormosi, in our area. The Cricetulodon group may be a local evolution, derived from some species of Democricetodon Fahlbusch, 1964 in the Early Vallesian, and evolving towards Rotundomys. Neocricetodon, on the other hand, is interpreted as a group immigrating from the East in the Late Vallesian. A second immigration wave in the Early Turolian brings Apocricetus into our area. During the Middle and Late Turolian we see a continuous appearing, disappearing and re-appearing of these groups, that may be linked to the strong climatic changes of the Messinian. After the Messinian the situation is stabilized, and the only cricetine remaining is Apocricetus, characteristic for many Pliocene faunas. Key words: Cricetinae, Rodentia, Spain, France, Miocene, Pliocene.
14. Sociogenomics: theoretical and empirical challenges of integrating molecular genetics into sociological thinking *

As of November 1, 2020, a total of 4,761 discoveries have been made about the genetic basis of many traits, ranging from when one has their first child, predilection to caffeine consumption to type 2 diabetes (Mills & Rahal 2020). With the advent of genome-wide association studies (GWAS) in the early 2000s, we have moved from knowing that a particular outcome might have a 10 or 20 percent genetic basis to isolating the actual genetic loci and their potential biological function. A GWAS is a hypothesis-free search across the entire genome, examining each genetic locus (or region) one by one to see if there is a statistical relationship (association) with a particular outcome. This burst of knowledge has been a revelation, but also a challenge and opportunity for sociological and social science thinking. In the past decade the sub-discipline of sociogenomics has emerged, or some would argue re-emerged, which is the integration of social science and molecular genetic research. Although previous work has extensively reviewed the challenges and possibilities of infusing genetics into sociological research (Conley 2016; Freese & Shostak 2009; Mills & Tropf 2020), several questions deserve further introspection. The aim of this chapter is to explore the implications of recent advances in molecular genetic research for theory, data and methodological applications in rigorous empirical sociology. I first chronicle a brief history of social status and mobility research in the late nineteenth century by Galton and work by Sorokin in the 1920s on social mobility. This is the birth of the nature versus nurture debate, but at the time was largely used as a means to reinforce existing social status. I then present an abridged history of contemporary genetic research from behavioral genetics and twin studies on a multitude of sociological topics from the early twentieth century to the use of whole genome molecular genetic data, the GWAS, the application of polygenic scores and advanced causal modeling. The chapter then explores how genetics fits with agency and rational choice-based models, examining communalities and challenges. Here, I also explore how genetically informed research can inform rational choice theory as a window to preferences and interrelated and latent genetic elements that may drive behavior. This is followed by an explanation of gene-environment interaction (G×E), outlining the main theories and exemplary studies. I conclude with a reflection of this area of research and Sociogenomics
Pesticides toxicity study using small mammals as bioindicators: comparison between conventional and biological agriculture

Pesticides are widely used for pest control in conventional agriculture, despite their negative impacts. Biological agriculture can represent a valuable option, avoiding the use of pesticides, but it does not appear to have the potential to respond to the mass production of food to feed humanity. Mancozeb is a widely used fungicide mainly because of its low acute toxicity in mammals and scarce persistence in the environment. However, it has been considered a multipotent carcinogen, mutagenic and possibly teratogenic in a longterm exposure context. Small mammals can be used as bioindicators of environmental toxicity of pesticides, accumulating a wide spectrum of pollutants, and significant correlations between pesticides and genetic damage in free-living rodents have already been detected. The main aim of this study was the in situ assessment of pesticide toxicity, using two small mammals’ species (Mus spretus and Apodemus sylvaticus) from a conventional agriculture (CA) versus a biological agriculture (BA) zone. It was found that exposure to a mixture of pesticide, where Mancozeb represents more than 50% of that mixture, has the ability to cause DNA damage in small mammals, assessed by comet, micronucleus and sperm abnormality assays. Moreover, both species from CA zone, exposed to pesticides, with greater genetic damage, have also greater levels of Manganese. Thus, considering that Mancozeb is the widely used pesticide in the CA zone, we can conclude that this pesticide will be the source of the highest levels of manganese found in small mammals and it is the genotoxic agent at issue. Moreover, acetylcholinesterase activity revealed that organophosphates and carbamates insecticides also applied are not involved in that genotoxic action. In conclusion, the present work contributes to alert about hazard effects resulting from pesticide exposure, particularly Mancozeb, a pesticide legally authorized for use in European community.
Non-parametric Distance-based Approach for Oﬁ-line Signature Veriﬂcation

A non-parametric distance-based method for oﬁ-line signature veriﬂcation is presented. Given genuine signatures and a questioned(test) signature, ver-iﬂcation is the task of classifying the questioned into one of two classes: genuine or forgery(skilled). Veriﬂca-tion involves three steps: (i) mapping from feature space to distance space by comparing all genuine pairs to obtain the known distribution, (ii) the questioned is compared to each genuine to obtain the questioned distribution, and (iii) the questioned distribution is tested for its being the same as the known distribution. Eight different approaches for comparing distributions are evaluated: Kolmogorov-Smirnov, K-L divergence, other information theoretic measures and kernel-based methods. A combination of Kolmogorov-Smirnov and K-L divergence was found to outperform the other measures and is a new contribution. Performance of the method is compared to that of a second approach where a parametric distance-based classiﬂer is learnt using two large sets of ensemble of pairs - (i) genuine-genuine and (ii) genuine-forgery. The non-parametric approach performs better( > 5% accuracy ) than the parametric approach although forgeries are not used in learning. Improvement in performance of the non-parametric approach with increasing number of genuines is observed. Noisy distance distributions that could form due to the presence of multiple signature types is avoided by detecting such samples in advance by using a normalized cut algorithm.
Assessing sampling and retrieval errors of GPROF precipitation estimates over the Netherlands

Abstract. The Goddard Profiling algorithm (GPROF) converts radiometer observations from Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) constellation satellites into precipitation estimates. Typically, high-quality ground-based estimates serve as reference to evaluate GPROF's performance. To provide a fair comparison, the ground-based estimates are often spatially aligned to GPROF. However, GPROF combines observations from various sensors and channels, each associated with a distinct footprint. Consequently, uncertainties related to the representativeness of the sampled areas are introduced in addition to the uncertainty when converting brightness temperatures into precipitation intensities. The exact contribution of resampling precipitation estimates, required to spatially and temporally align different resolutions when combining or comparing precipitation observations, to the overall uncertainty remains unknown. Here, we analyze the current performance of GPROF over the Netherlands during a 4-year period (2017–2020) while investigating the uncertainty related to sampling. The latter is done by simulating the reference precipitation as satellite footprints that vary in size, geometry, and applied weighting technique. Only GPROF estimates based on observations from the conical-scanning radiometers of the GPM constellation are used. The reference estimates are gauge-adjusted radar precipitation estimates from two ground-based weather radars from the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI). Echo top heights (ETHs) retrieved from the same radars are used to classify the precipitation as shallow, medium, or deep. Spatial averaging methods (Gaussian weighting vs. arithmetic mean) minimally affect the magnitude of the precipitation estimates. Footprint size has a higher impact but cannot explain all discrepancies between the ground- and satellite-based estimates. Additionally, the discrepancies between GPROF and the reference are largest for low ETHs, while the relative bias between the different footprint sizes and implemented weighting methods increase with increasing ETHs. Lastly, our results do not show a clear difference between coastal and land simulations. We conclude that the uncertainty introduced by merging different channels and sensors cannot fully explain the discrepancies between satellite- and ground-based precipitation estimates. Hence, uncertainties related to the retrieval algorithm and environmental conditions are found to be more prominent than resampling uncertainties, in particular for shallow and light precipitation.
4. Self-Organization and Emergent Complex Behavior

Self-organization is usually understood as the process by which systems of many components tend to reach a particular state, a set of cycling states, or a small volume of their state space (attractor basins), with no external interference. This attractor behavior is often recognized at a different level of observation as the spontaneous formation of well-organized structures, patterns, or behaviors, from random initial conditions (emergent behavior). The systems used to study this behavior are referred to as dynamical systems or statedetermined systems, since every trajectory is perfectly determined by its initial state. Dynamical systems are traditionally studied by continuous variables and sets of discrete-time difference equations (such as the logistic map) or continuous-time differential equations (such as models of the motion of bodies under gravitational forces). However, self-organization is more easily studied computationally with discrete dynamical systems (DDS) such as Boolean networks or cellular automata [Rocha, 2022].
Prevent Cardiovascular in Rheumatoid Arthritis by Inhibiting Plaque Formation and Stabilizing High-Risk Lesions.

Biologics May Events Coronary Objective. To explore incidence and progression of coronary atherosclerosis and identify determinants in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We specifically evaluated the impact of inflammation, cardiac risk factors, duration of medication exposure, and their interactions on coronary plaque progression. Methods. One hundred one participants with baseline coronary computed tomography angiography findings underwent follow- up assessment a mean ± SD of 83 ± 3.6 months after baseline. Plaque burden was reported as the segment involvement score (describing the number of coronary segments with plaque) and the segment stenosis score (characterizing the cumulative plaque stenosis over all evaluable segments). Plaque composition was classified as noncalcified, mixed, or calcified. Coronary artery calcium (CAC) was quantified using the Agatston method. Results. Total plaque increased in 48% of patients, and progression was predicted by older age, higher cumulative inflammation, and total prednisone dose ( P < 0.05). CAC progressors were older, more obese, hypertensive, and had higher cumulative inflammation compared to nonprogressors ( P < 0.05). Longer exposure to biologics was associated with lower likelihood of noncalcified plaque progression, lesion remodeling, and constrained CAC change in patients without baseline calcification, independent of inflammation, prednisone dose, or statin exposure (all P < 0.05). Longer statin treatment further restricted noncalcified plaque progression and attenuated the effect of inflammation on increased plaque and CAC ( P < 0.05). Stringent systolic blood pressure (BP) control further weak-ened the effect of inflammation on total plaque progression. determinants of increasing plaque and CAC burden, and specifically investigated the role of cumulative inflammation, cardiac risk factors, RA- specific or ancillary medications, and their interactions on plaque progression. We hypothesized that higher cumulative inflammation may predict greater coronary plaque load at follow- up, and we further posited that duration of exposure to RA- specific medications such as glucocorticoids, conventional synthetic and biologic disease- modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), traditional cardiac risk factors, and statin treatments may exert opposing effects on plaque growth or composition.
Reducing Urban Heat Islands: Compendium of Strategies - Cool Pavements

Heat islands in urban and suburban areas are created when impervious concrete and asphalt pavements heat up during the day and the heat is released into the atmosphere at night. Peak summertime surface course temperatures can be as much as 120 degrees F - 150 degrees F on the pavements. One way to cool the pavements, and diminish heat islands is to use different paving materials that will store the heat less. This paper describes the materials and cooling mechanisms. It has the following topic headings: Cool Pavements: 1. How It Works - 1.1 Solar Energy, 1.2 Solar Reflectance (Albedo), 1.3 Thermal Emittance, 1.4 Permeability, 1.5 Other Factors to Consider, 1.6 Temperature Effects; 2. Potential Cool Pavement Types; 3. Benefits and Costs - 3.1 Benefits, 3.2 Costs, 3.3 Benefit-Cost Considerations; 4. Cool Pavement Initiatives.
Network Information Flow : Gossiping in Groups

In this paper, we consider a networking scenario in which a group of nodes wants retrieve a function of data that are stored by another group of nodes. Here we assume that the function can be cast into a sum of functions of the local varia bles, a case that subsumes several interesting types of queries. O ne approach to solve this problem is to route the information from each node to the interested destinations one at a time, relay ing it over a tree of paths. A second strategy is to reuse the paths when possible, multicasting to the intended recipients thedata. A third one, that we are interested in exploring, computes al ong the routes as well. More specifically, the goal of this paper i s to examine how the sought information be forwarded to the intended recipients, computing along the routes by gossipi ng with selected neighbors. Unlike in standard gossiping, in o ur problem the information needs to flow in a specific direction.In this work we provide a sufficient condition for the convergence to the desired result, and propose a method for designing the information flow for a given network configuration.