Explaining Adaptation in Genetic Algorithms With Uniform Crossover: The Hyperclimbing Hypothesis

The hyperclimbing hypothesis is a hypothetical explanation for adaptation in genetic algorithms with uniform crossover (UGAs). Hyperclimbing is an intuitive, general-purpose, non-local search heuristic applicable to discrete product spaces with rugged or stochastic cost functions. The strength of this heuristic lie in its insusceptibility to local optima when the cost function is deterministic, and its tolerance for noise when the cost function is stochastic. Hyperclimbing works by decimating a search space, i.e. by iteratively fixing the values of small numbers of variables. The hyperclimbing hypothesis holds that UGAs work by implementing efficient hyperclimbing. Proof of concept for this hypothesis comes from the use of a novel analytic technique involving the exploitation of algorithmic symmetry. We have also obtained experimental results that show that a simple tweak inspired by the hyperclimbing hypothesis dramatically improves the performance of a UGA on large, random instances of MAX-3SAT and the Sherrington Kirkpatrick Spin Glasses problem.Comment: 22 pages, 5 figure

Breastfeeding education: where are we going? A systematic review article

Background: UNICEF (United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund) and WHO estimate that if all babies were breastfed for at least the first six months of their lives, the rate of morbidity and malnutrition would sig-nificantly decrease all over the world. In this view, these two organizations promoted a worldwide campaign for breastfeeding, creating the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) that encourages good practices for the promotion of breastfeeding in hospitals. The aim of our study was to review the available evidence regarding the positive effects of breastfeeding, in order to suggest to most appropriate strategy to support it. Methods: The main databases including Scopus, PubMed, MEDLINE, Google scholar and Science Direct were researched to obtain the original papers related to breastfeeding education. The main terms used to literature search were "Breastfeeding education", Breastfeeding support", and “Breastfeeding healthcare policy”. The timeframe in-cluded the obtained articles was from 1980 to 2015. Results: Our analysis confirms that healthcare providers play a pivotal role in education and encouraging mothers to begin and continue breastfeeding. In this view, the adequate training of healthcare providers seems to be mandatory in order to support this practice. Moreover, adequate facilities are needed in order to promote and support breastfeeding. Conclusion: Considering the available evidence, breastfeeding should be supported among all the mothers. Based on the positive data emerging from the public awareness campaign in different Countries of the world, we strongly en-courage an accurate training for doctors and midwives and the implementation of adequate facilities in order to sup-port breastfeeding

Assessment of Agronomic Effectiveness of Phosphate Rocks Applied to an Ultisol

Phosphate rocks (PR) available in Malaysia market are originated from North Carolina (NCPR), Gafsa, Tunisia (GPR), China (CPR), Jordan (JPR), Morocco (MPR) and Christmas Island (CIPR). Little information is available on their fate when applied to Malaysian soils in terms of their dissolution and agronomic effectiveness. Thus, a laboratory and glasshouse experiments to evaluate the extent of agronomic effectiveness during one year after PR application to a Rengam series soil were carried out. The objectives of the study were: (1) to characterize the chemical and some mineralogical properties of these PR and evaluating their solubity and dissolution with time. (2) to characterize the immediate and residual availability of P in the different fractions or compartments during one year after PR application using a laboratory exchange kinetic experiment (E Value). (3) to determine the plant P uptake and the relative agronomic effectiveness (RAE) of these PR using isotopic dilution techniques (L Value )on oil palm seedling grown for 12 months in the glasshpouse. The indirect solubility tests assessed by 2% fonnic acid (FA), 2% citric acid (CA) and neutral ammonium citrate (NAC) gave positive correlation with P uptake by oil palm seedling in the glasshouse. Neutral ammonium citrate (NAC) proved a better indicator of PR solubility and its correlation coefficient with P uptake improved by expressing citrate solubility as percent of rock rather than as percent of total P 205' The direct method to detennine the PR dissolution in the soil planted with oil palm seedlings for one year after PR application in the glasshouse was assessed by determining the dissolved inorganic P (Pi) by O.SM NaOH, Pi strip and labile P (isotopic dilution technique) and dissolved Ca by 1M NH40Ac. The results varied quite greatly among PRo The more reactive PR (more soluble as determined with FA, CA and NAC) such as North Carolina (NCPR) and Gafsa (GPR), dissolved more than those from Christmas Island (CIPR) and China (CPR). All the direct methods tested gave high correlation with plant P uptake throughout the one year growing period, with O.5M NaOH being the best direct method for determining PR dissolution in the soil planted with oil palm seedling

A Feedback-Based Regularized Primal-Dual Gradient Method for Time-Varying Nonconvex Optimization

This paper considers time-varying nonconvex optimization problems, utilized to model optimal operational trajectories of systems governed by possibly nonlinear physical or logical models. Algorithms for tracking a Karush-Kuhn-Tucker point are synthesized, based on a regularized primal-dual gradient method. In particular, the paper proposes a feedback-based primal-dual gradient algorithm, where analytical models for system state or constraints are replaced with actual measurements. When cost and constraint functions are twice continuously differentiable, conditions for the proposed algorithms to have bounded tracking error are derived, and a discussion of their practical implications is provided. Illustrative numerical simulations are presented for an application in power systems

Goals of Exclusive Breastfeeding and the Effectiveness of Programs and Initiatives in Attaining Them

Over recent years, breastfeeding has gained renewed significance in research and practice. Both in the United States and around the world, especially in poor countries that do not have easy access to quality healthcare, breastfeeding has been shown to dramatically and positively affect the health and lifespan of infants. However, there is still a low prevalence of effective breastfeeding practices universally. Even with the presence of global programs and goals that are geared toward exclusive breastfeeding habits, global rates are lower than what is desired. There are various determinants of breastfeeding that factor into a woman’s decision and practice of breastfeeding. Suggestions can further improve healthy breastfeeding practices, especially in the form of exclusive breastfeeding

Apparatus and method for generating large mass flow of high temperature air at hypersonic speeds

High temperature, high mass air flow and a high Reynolds number test air flow in the Mach number 8-10 regime of adequate test flow duration is attained by pressurizing a ceramic-lined storage tank with air to a pressure of about 100 to 200 atmospheres. The air is heated to temperatures of 7,000 to 8,000 R prior to introduction into the tank by passing the air over an electric arc heater means. The air cools to 5,500 to 6,000 R while in the tank. A decomposable gas such as nitrous oxide or a combustible gas such as propane is injected into the tank after pressurization and the heated pressurized air in the tank is rapidly released through a Mach number 8-10 nozzle. The injected gas medium upon contact with the heated pressurized air effects an exothermic reaction which maintains the pressure and temperature of the pressurized air during the rapid release

Shot noise from action correlations

We consider universal shot noise in ballistic chaotic cavities from a semiclassical point of view and show that it is due to action correlations within certain groups of classical trajectories. Using quantum graphs as a model system we sum these trajectories analytically and find agreement with random-matrix theory. Unlike all action correlations which have been considered before, the correlations relevant for shot noise involve four trajectories and do not depend on the presence of any symmetry.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures (a mistake in version 1 has been corrected