bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Adaptive asymptotical funnel control for nonlinear systems with input quantization
Authors: Wang Huanqing , Shao Liyuan 
Published: October 2021

AbstractThis article focuses on the problem of output tracking control for a class of uncertain strict‐feedback nonlinear systems with input quantization and output tracking funnel constraint. On the basis of the backstepping design procedure, an adaptive quantized funnel control scheme is achieved by introducing a hysteresis quantizer and predefined funnel variable, where the true quantization parameters are allowed to be unknown. The proposed control scheme can guarantee that all closed‐loop signals are globally uniformly bounded, the system output asymptotically track the desired reference signal and the output tracking error is preserved within prescribed funnel performance bound all the time, simultaneously. Simulation results are provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed control scheme.
LPV modeling of nonlinear systems: A multi‐path feedback linearization approach
Authors: Abbas Hossam S. , Tóth Roland , Petreczky Mihály , Meskin Nader , Mohammadpour Velni Javad , Koelewijn Patrick J.W. 
Published: October 2021

AbstractThis article introduces a systematic approach to synthesize linear parameter‐varying (LPV) representations of nonlinear (NL) systems which are described by input affine state‐space (SS) representations. The conversion approach results in LPV‐SS representations in the observable canonical form. Based on the relative degree concept, first the SS description of a given NL representation is transformed to a normal form. In the SISO case, all nonlinearities of the original system are embedded into one NL function, which is factorized, based on a proposed algorithm, to construct an LPV representation of the original NL system. The overall procedure yields an LPV model in which the scheduling variable depends on the inputs and outputs of the system and their derivatives, achieving a practically applicable transformation of the model in case of low order derivatives. In addition, if the states of the NL model can be measured or estimated, then a modified procedure is proposed to provide LPV models scheduled by these states. Examples are included to demonstrate both approaches.
University of Guadalajara: Transforming and Innovating Through Stronger Collaboration Between Higher and Upper-Secondary Education During the Pandemic
Authors: Moreno Carlos Iván , Delgadillo Cesar Barba , Sigala Miguel Ángel , Cárdenas Ernesto Herrera 
Published: October 2021

AbstractThis chapter examines the context of higher education and upper-secondary education in Mexico, focusing on the role of the University of Guadalajara – the second largest in the country – and its response to the pandemic by strengthening collaboration with the upper-secondary system.During the pandemic, the lack of articulation between higher education and upper-secondary education posed a challenge for the transition to online education in the University of Guadalajara. This chapter discusses how the different initiatives advanced by the University to face this unprecedented situation helped to reduce the barriers between these levels and led to academic innovation, resulting in valuable discussions on the educational model and teaching practices for the post-Covid-19 world.Finally, the authors reflect on the views of faculty regarding the need for an innovative educational model, concluding that a closer collaboration between systems is needed for the benefit of students and faculty.
University as State Agent or Social Actor: Al Akhawayn University and Social Responsibility
Authors: Dahbi Mohammed , Darhmaoui Hassane 
Published: October 2021

AbstractUniversity Social Responsibility (USR) has been addressed in the academic literature and in professional educational meetings only in the last 10–15 years, but it is far from being unanimously accepted as part of a university’s mission. A university is all about serving society anyway; its mission has always been to educate people, to train professionals, and to prepare young men and women for their roles as good citizens of their countries and of the world. So, what other social role is a university to serve that it does not? This issue becomes more acute and compelling when society’s expectations of service from higher education institutions has to do with K-12 school education, as is the situation for the Covid-19 pandemic. The chapter considers the case of Al Akhawayn University (AUI) in Ifrane, Morocco (AUI), a university that has been established by the State as the first public, autonomous, non-governmental institution of higher education in the country. We describe several social roles that the university has taken on in its host region as well as nationally, most notably during the Covid-19 pandemic, and we argue that AUI has been able to do so because of its autonomy and its special legal status. We claim that non-autonomous state universities are not able to use the full potential of their sophisticated faculty and staff to contribute to the development of the country, and we call for the transformation of state universities into autonomous institutions that are able to serve their full Social Actor role and comply with their University Social Responsibility duties.
Supporting Schools in Times of Crisis: A Case of Partnerships and Networking with Schools by the Institute of Education at the University of Lisbon
Authors: Costa Estela , Baptista Monica , Dorotea Nuno 
Published: October 2021

AbstractThis chapter examines the Institute of Education at the University of Lisbon (IE-ULisbon) and its engagement with schools during the current COVID-19 pandemic. We aim to supplement knowledge about responses to unanticipated crises impacting schools, factors influencing schools’ coping strategies, and IE-ULisbon’s actions in this unfolding context. Therefore, this case study follows two IE-ULisbon experiences with school clusters (totaling 1700 students and 160 teachers), meeting the challenges posed by the pandemic. Both examples relate to longer-term projects aiming to improve students’ learning through innovative practices and teachers’ capacity-building. However, the crisis instigated new difficulties for teachers, and researchers responded by empowering and enabling teachers to create learning environments to facilitate educational consistency and foster academic achievement.
University-K-12 Collaboration During the Pandemic: The Case of Turkey
Authors: Atay Derin 
Published: October 2021

AbstractAs of March 2020, educational institutions across Turkey were closed, and distance learning was introduced as an early precaution to halt the spread of the coronavirus. The shift was especially hard for K-12 school students, parents, and teachers, and it required collaboration between universities and schools more than ever. This chapter presents the systematic academic and psychological support provided by the Faculty of Educational Science of Bahçeşehir University, Turkey. Based on a needs analysis, faculty instructors offered online training and seminars to K-12 teachers mainly on digital literacy and integration of technology to courses, and to students and parents on topics such as anxiety, stress, and resilience. The support of faculty members to both public and private schools throughout Turkey has been proved to be of great importance in navigating through the pandemic, and especially in areas with low bandwidth and connectivity. One of the most important issues realized during the pandemic was the need for robust and continuous university-K-12 relationships to ensure continuity of teaching and learning in hard times.
Fundação Getulio Vargas’ Efforts to Improve Basic Education Before, During, and After the Pandemic
Authors: Costin Claudia , Lins João , Paim José Henrique , de Moraes Ferreira Marieta , de Oliveira Raquel , Pontual Teresa , Santos Vinicius Farias 
Published: October 2021

AbstractThis chapter details FGV’s contributions to basic education during the pandemic. FGV created in 2003 an accessible tool that addresses the managerial gaps that schools and education departments face to evaluate and assess its students, called FGV High School. Since March 2020, when school closures took place, the rapid demand for digital education tools placed FGV High School in an advantageous position to establish partnerships with education departments across Brazil, benefiting millions of high school students. In the state of São Paulo alone, the FGV High School platform gives access to approximately 3.5 million students. In 2008, FGV became a member of Open Education Global (OEG), a consortium of educational institutions from different countries that provide online content and teaching materials free of charge. Since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, the demand for FGV’s online courses has substantially increased. In March 2020 alone, the program’s website registered more than 1.6 million hits, and the number has since then consistently increased. Additionally, FGV has recently created two policy centers that focus on basic education: The Center for Excellence and Innovation in Education Policy (CEIPE), created in 2016, and the Center for the Development of Public Management and Educational Policy (DGPE), in 2018. Since the beginning of the pandemic, both centers have organized a series of webinars and publications to support policymakers in the education sector to make better decisions regarding reopening of schools, online and digital education options, curriculum, etc. The high number of views and engagement that the FGV webinars attract reflects the desire for reliable information that education professionals have been seeking, despite the overwhelming number of online events that have surfaced with the pandemic.
Pontificia Universidad Católica Support for the School System During the Covid-19 Pandemic in Chile
Authors: Treviño Ernesto , Claro Magdalena , Medina Lorena 
Published: October 2021

AbstractThis chapter presents the case of the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile in supporting the school system during the Covid-19 pandemic. It shows how supporting individual faculty initiatives as well as interinstitutional collaborations and participating in and supporting specific policies shaped a complex array of support for a highly atomized school system because of its market-driven arrangements. The case study also shows that, beyond individual initiatives, collaboration among Chilean universities was key for rapidly responding to the emerging needs of schools.
Desafío TEP – Positive Educational Trajectories. A Public-Private Alliance to Strengthen Public Education During the Pandemic
Authors: Valenzuela Juan Pablo , Rodriguez Simon 
Published: October 2021

AbstractThis case study describes the Desafío TEP project, which arose from a public-private alliance between the Arauco Educational Foundation, the Center for Advanced Research in Education (CIAE) from the University of Chile, and the Andalién Sur Local Public Education Service (SLEP). The goal of the project is to develop a model for the prevention of school exclusion (resulting from repetition and dropout) in public schools.Although the initiative was in consideration to be suspended due to the closure of schools across the country caused by COVID-19, instead the proposal was completely redesigned, recognizing that the pandemic would increase the problems of school exclusion. The innovations generated in this redesign are anticipated to lead to long-term sustainability and scalability in the region through cost reductions and the promotion of remote interactions between different establishments working in networks, such as the SLEP, the schools, and the teams from the CIAE and Arauco Educational Foundation. This network is further supported by the actors in the educational system of the territory.
The Indigenous Paleolithic Cultural Inheritance in the “Maritime Region of Southeastern Asia” During the Early Neolithization Around 10,000 Years Ago
Authors: Wu Chunming 
Published: October 2021

AbstractThe “Maritime Region of Southeastern Asia” between the south coast of China and Southeast Asia was once an important cross-border community in the multicultural lineages of human history. During the Mesolithic age around ten thousand years ago and the era of synchronically global and tremendous cultural change in human prehistory, the indigenous cultural connotation in this region and its unique model of cultural evolution along with both inheritance, continuation, and innovation between the Paleolithic and Neolithic age, are of great significance in the cultural history of humankind and Asia–Pacific ethno-history.
A Comparative Study of the Astronomical Navigation Between Ancient China and Pacific Austronesian
Authors: Wu Chunming 
Published: October 2021

AbstractAstronomical navigation was a kind of sea route orientating and steering practice the ancient seamen used to judge the direction, relative position, and track of ships in the blue water of deep sea by observing the stars, other celestial bodies, and their regular occurrence in the sky, as one of maritime piloting methods employed by ancient Chinese navigators. The comparative study of ethno-archaeology revealed that the representative astronomical navigation practices recorded in the ancient Chinese literatures are highly consistent with the “star observation method” and “star measuring method” used by both the local seamen in south China and the Austronesian navigators in Pacific, showing the close cultural connection between them.
Biota communities influence on nutrients circulation in hyporheic zone—a case study in urban spring niches in Bialystok (NE Poland)
Authors: Jekatierynczuk-Rudczyk Elżbieta , Puczko Katarzyna , Żukowska Justyna , Sawicka Anna 
Published: October 2021

AbstractHyporheic zone (HZ) is an interstitial part of groundwater. Complex physical, chemical and biological processes in HZ impact water quality. We hypothesized that groundwater upwelling improves surface water with biogenic compounds in lowland spring niches, and it depends on among others biota communities. The research was conducted in two spring niches in suburbs of Białystok. Interstitial samples were collected with mini-piezometers. In the field, the physical parameters of water were examined, and the micro and macro elements were determined in the laboratory. The analysis of biota included: vascular plants and bryophytes, diatoms, macroinvertebrates and bacteria. The springs studied differed in their richness of organisms, which is associated with varying degrees of abiotic conditions and human transformation. In spring niche with high degree of naturalness were twice less nitrate ions in the surface water than in interstitial water, which indicates the assimilation of nitrate ions by plants growing on the bottom of the niche. Hydrophilic vegetation performs a stabilizing function by assimilating nitrogen compounds and contributing to a variation in nutrients concentration. Groundwater upwelling enrich surface water with DOC and TON. In spring niche No.1 with patches of vegetation, the largest number of macrozoobenthos was recorded. While, the heterogeneous bottom of spring niche No.2 affected the diversity of habitats, and greater biodiversity of benthic fauna. In interstitial waters, there were about twice as few bacteria as in spring waters. Psychrophilic bacteria were present in interstitial waters that influence natural hyporheic processes including circulation of organic matter in the microbiological loop and self-purification of water.
Computer‐Analyzed Ultrasound Predictors of the Treatment Efficacy of Radiofrequency Ablation for Benign Thyroid Nodules
Authors: Kuo Chi‐Yu , Wu Ming‐Hsun , Ko Wen‐Ching , Cheng Shih‐Ping 
Published: October 2021

AbstractAimRadiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a relatively safe and efficient alternative to surgery for patients with benign thyroid nodules. We investigated predictive factors associated with volume reduction using digital imaging analysis.MethodsIn this retrospective study, a prospectively maintained database containing the data of patients who received treatment from April 2019 to March 2020 was analyzed. Computerized analysis for quantitative measurement of echogenicity, heterogeneity, and the proportion of cystic components was performed on ultrasonographic images. The volume reduction rate (VRR) was calculated during follow‐up. Treatment efficacy was defined as a volume reduction greater than 50% of baseline volume.ResultsThe median volume of 58 benign thyroid nodules before RFA was 22.7 mL. Of 53 nodules with sufficient follow‐up, the median VRR was 46.4%, 61.5%, 63.4%, and 67.4% at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months, respectively. Overall, at one‐year follow‐up, treatment efficacy was achieved in 39 (74%) nodules. In a multivariate regression analysis, the proportion of cystic components and RFA treatment time were independently associated with treatment efficacy. A subgroup analysis focusing on solid nodules indicated a negative correlation between echogenicity and VRR.ConclusionsThe proportion of cystic components in thyroid nodules is the main predictor of RFA treatment efficacy. In solid nodules, higher echogenicity is associated with a lower volume reduction.
The current state of research on energy communities
Authors: Gruber Lia , Bachhiesl Udo , Wogrin Sonja 
Published: October 2021

AbstractThe introduction of the Clean energy for all Europeans package by the European Union (EU) led to a significant boost of public and research interest in energy communities. However, since neither their definition nor their goals are clearly defined, there is a very broad field of research on this topic. This paper aims to classify existing research on energy communities and to analyze what this umbrella term looks like in the literature. First, a literature review is conducted with regard to energy communities that have a local scope and are community-owned. The analysis of the results leads to the determination of the following categories for the existing literature on energy communities: the terminology used to refer to energy communities, components of energy communities, and their characteristics and structure. The review affirms that space-saving and easily constructible components are used the most, with photovoltaics (PV) and storage at the forefront. Our results also show that a third-party aggregator can be a vital part of an energy community with various functions, from managing the community’s energy flow and local market to trading energy with the grid. Taking this into consideration, we conclude that the use of aggregators is a good way to make the formation of energy communities easier, especially for people without an engineering background.
The Trials and Tribulations of Assembling Large Medical Imaging Datasets for Machine Learning Applications
Authors: Magudia Kirti , Bridge Christopher P. , Andriole Katherine P. , Rosenthal Michael H. 
Published: October 2021

AbstractWith vast interest in machine learning applications, more investigators are proposing to assemble large datasets for machine learning applications. We aim to delineate multiple possible roadblocks to exam retrieval that may present themselves and lead to significant time delays. This HIPAA-compliant, institutional review board–approved, retrospective clinical study required identification and retrieval of all outpatient and emergency patients undergoing abdominal and pelvic computed tomography (CT) at three affiliated hospitals in the year 2012. If a patient had multiple abdominal CT exams, the first exam was selected for retrieval (n=23,186). Our experience in attempting to retrieve 23,186 abdominal CT exams yielded 22,852 valid CT abdomen/pelvis exams and identified four major categories of challenges when retrieving large datasets: cohort selection and processing, retrieving DICOM exam files from PACS, data storage, and non-recoverable failures. The retrieval took 3 months of project time and at minimum 300 person-hours of time between the primary investigator (a radiologist), a data scientist, and a software engineer. Exam selection and retrieval may take significantly longer than planned. We share our experience so that other investigators can anticipate and plan for these challenges. We also hope to help institutions better understand the demands that may be placed on their infrastructure by large-scale medical imaging machine learning projects.
Genome-wide markers reveal differentiation between and within the cryptic sister species, sunset and vermilion rockfish
Authors: Longo Gary C. , Harms John , Hyde John R. , Craig Matthew T. , Ramón-Laca Ana , Nichols Krista M. 
Published: October 2021

AbstractThe vermilion rockfish complex, which consists of the cryptic sister species vermilion and sunset rockfish, is one of the most valuable recreational fisheries on the U.S. West Coast. These species are currently managed as a single complex, and because of uncertainty surrounding the relative contribution of each species within existing data sources, the stock status of each species is not fully known. A reliable and cost-effective method is needed to disentangle these species that will allow for the development of abundance indices, life history profiles, and catch histories that may potentially support species-specific stock assessments. Using restriction-site associated DNA sequence (RADseq) markers we generated 10,003 polymorphic loci to characterize the vermilion rockfish complex. PCA and Bayesian clustering approaches based on these loci clearly distinguished between sunset and vermilion rockfishes and identified hybrid individuals. These loci included 203 highly differentiated (FST ≥ 0.99) single nucleotide polymorphisms, which we consider candidates in the planned development of a diagnostic assay capable of distinguishing between these cryptic species. In addition to clearly delineating to species, subsets of the interspecific markers allowed for insight into intraspecific differentiation in both species. Population genetic analyses for sunset rockfish identified two weakly divergent genetic groups with similar levels of genetic diversity. Vermilion rockfish, however, were characterized by three distinct genetic groups with much stronger signals of differentiation and significantly different genetic diversities. Collectively, these data will contribute to well-informed, species-specific management strategies to protect this valuable species complex.
Non-Markovian Dynamics of Geometric Quantum Discord in a Double Quantum Dot System
Authors: Ablimit Arapat , Hitjan Dildar , Abliz Ahmad 
Published: October 2021

AbstractIn this paper, we study the geometric quantum discord dynamics of the double quantum dot charge qubit in the non-Markovian environment. We apply the non-perturbative non-Markovian quantum state diffusion method to obtain the exact master equation of the double quantum dot system coupled to two independent non-zero temperature electronic baths. Then, we use this master equation to investigate the effects of non-Markovianity, inter-dot coupling strength and bath temperature on the dynamics of geometric quantum discord. Our studies show that the geometric quantum discord of a double quantum dot system can be modified and enhanced in some cases via these factors.