Why one must use reweighting in Estimation Of Distribution Algorithms

International audienceWe study the update of the distribution in Estimation of Distribution Algorithms, and show that a simple modification leads to unbiased estimates of the optimum. The simple modification (based on a proper reweighting of estimates) leads to a strongly improved behavior in front of premature convergence

Maximising microprocessor reliability through game theory and heuristics

PhD ThesisEmbedded Systems are becoming ever more pervasive in our society, with most routine daily tasks now involving their use in some form and the market predicted to be worth USD 220 billion, a rise of 300%, by 2018. Consumers expect more functionality with each design iteration, but for no detriment in perceived performance. These devices can range from simple low-cost chips to expensive and complex systems and are a major cost driver in the equipment design phase. For more than 35 years, designers have kept pace with Moore's Law, but as device size approaches the atomic limit, layouts are becoming so complicated that current scheduling techniques are also reaching their limit, meaning that more resource must be reserved to manage and deliver reliable operation. With the advent of many-core systems and further sources of unpredictability such as changeable power supplies and energy harvesting, this reservation of capability may become so large that systems will not be operating at their peak efficiency. These complex systems can be controlled through many techniques, with jobs scheduled either online prior to execution beginning or online at each time or event change. Increased processing power and job types means that current online scheduling methods that employ exhaustive search techniques will not be suitable to define schedules for such enigmatic task lists and that new techniques using statistic-based methods must be investigated to preserve Quality of Service. A new paradigm of scheduling through complex heuristics is one way to administer these next levels of processor effectively and allow the use of more simple devices in complex systems; thus reducing unit cost while retaining reliability a key goal identified by the International Technology Roadmap for Semi-conductors for Embedded Systems in Critical Environments. These changes would be beneficial in terms of cost reduction and system exibility within the next generation of device. This thesis investigates the use of heuristics and statistical methods in the operation of real-time systems, with the feasibility of Game Theory and Statistical Process Control for the successful supervision of high-load and critical jobs investigated. Heuristics are identified as an effective method of controlling complex real-time issues, with two-person non-cooperative games delivering Nash-optimal solutions where these exist. The simplified algorithms for creating and solving Game Theory events allow for its use within small embedded RISC devices and an increase in reliability for systems operating at the apex of their limits. Within this Thesis, Heuristic and Game Theoretic algorithms for a variety of real-time scenarios are postulated, investigated, refined and tested against existing schedule types; initially through MATLAB simulation before testing on an ARM Cortex M3 architecture functioning as a simplified automotive Electronic Control Unit.Doctoral Teaching Account from the EPSRC

The BG News October 23, 2008

The BGSU campus student newspaper October 23, 2008. Volume 99 - Issue 41https://scholarworks.bgsu.edu/bg-news/8981/thumbnail.jp

The Impact of the PEAK Relational Training System on Language and School Readiness Outcomes for Typically Developing Preschool Students

Objectives: PEAK Relational Training system is a comprehensive curriculum programme for children with autism that combines traditional Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) techniques with innovative research on stimulus equivalence and derived relational responding. The current research investigated the impact of the PEAK Relational Training Systems, specifically the Equivalence (PEAK-E) and Transformation (PEAK-T) Modules, on cognitive and language abilities of typically developing preschool children. Methods: Thirty-nine typically developing children from a preschool (age 3-4) were recruited for Study 1. Participants were randomised into either PEAK-E intervention (n=13) or PEAK-T intervention (n=13) or treatment as usual (TAU; n=13) groups. Outcome measures included The Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test, Fourth Edition (PPVT-4); The Theory of Mind Inventory (ToMI); and the Bracken School Readiness Assessment, Third Edition (BSRA-3). Results showed a statistically significant increase in pre-post intervention ToMI scores for the PEAK-E and PEAK-T groups, but not for the TAU group. Post-intervention BSRA-3 scores were significantly higher for the PEAK-E group than for PEAK-T and TAU groups. Survey data from n=2 teachers suggest that the PEAK curriculum is socially valid. Study 2 was designed to determine the intervention-stage at which the PEAK-E module impacted BSRA-3 scores; specifically, would halting the intervention mid-stage suffice to improve school readiness. Thirty-six typically developing children from a preschool (age 3-4) were randomised into either PEAK-E intervention (n=18) or TAU (n=18). Outcomes on the BSRA-3 were measured at baseline, mid-intervention and post-intervention. Generalisation probes were also taken to determine whether intervention effects generalised to novel classroom materials. Results showed a statistically significant difference between PEAK-E and control on BSRA-3 scores. Within group analysis indicated a statistically significant increase from baseline to mid-stage BSRA-3 scores for the PEAK-E treatment group. Generalisation scores for the PEAK-E group were significantly higher than TAU. Conclusions: The results suggest that PEAK-E may have utility in affecting school readiness scores; however further research is required

The Impact of the PEAK Relational Training System on Language and School Readiness Outcomes for Typically Developing Preschool Students

Objectives: PEAK Relational Training system is a comprehensive curriculum programme for children with autism that combines traditional Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) techniques with innovative research on stimulus equivalence and derived relational responding. The current research investigated the impact of the PEAK Relational Training Systems, specifically the Equivalence (PEAK-E) and Transformation (PEAK-T) Modules, on cognitive and language abilities of typically developing preschool children. Methods: Thirty-nine typically developing children from a preschool (age 3-4) were recruited for Study 1. Participants were randomised into either PEAK-E intervention (n=13) or PEAK-T intervention (n=13) or treatment as usual (TAU; n=13) groups. Outcome measures included The Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test, Fourth Edition (PPVT-4); The Theory of Mind Inventory (ToMI); and the Bracken School Readiness Assessment, Third Edition (BSRA-3). Results showed a statistically significant increase in pre-post intervention ToMI scores for the PEAK-E and PEAK-T groups, but not for the TAU group. Post-intervention BSRA-3 scores were significantly higher for the PEAK-E group than for PEAK-T and TAU groups. Survey data from n=2 teachers suggest that the PEAK curriculum is socially valid. Study 2 was designed to determine the intervention-stage at which the PEAK-E module impacted BSRA-3 scores; specifically, would halting the intervention mid-stage suffice to improve school readiness. Thirty-six typically developing children from a preschool (age 3-4) were randomised into either PEAK-E intervention (n=18) or TAU (n=18). Outcomes on the BSRA-3 were measured at baseline, mid-intervention and post-intervention. Generalisation probes were also taken to determine whether intervention effects generalised to novel classroom materials. Results showed a statistically significant difference between PEAK-E and control on BSRA-3 scores. Within group analysis indicated a statistically significant increase from baseline to mid-stage BSRA-3 scores for the PEAK-E treatment group. Generalisation scores for the PEAK-E group were significantly higher than TAU. Conclusions: The results suggest that PEAK-E may have utility in affecting school readiness scores; however further research is required

Spartan Daily, October 23, 1964

Volume 52, Issue 23https://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/spartandaily/4633/thumbnail.jp

Mustang Daily, June 8, 1989

Student newspaper of California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA.https://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/studentnewspaper/5039/thumbnail.jp

The isolation and characterisation of Proteus mirabilis bacteriophages and their effect on the colonisation and blockage of urinary catheters

Catheter associated urinary tract infection seriously complicates the care of an already vulnerable patient set and has been estimated to cost the UK National Health Service in excess of one billion pounds per annum. Approximately 50 % of patients catheterised for more than 28 days will experience catheter blockage due to the formation of crystalline biofilm on the eye holes, balloon and lumen of the catheter(Getliffe, 1994) as a result of colonisation by Proteus mirabilis. Blockage can lead to significant complications such as pyelonephritis and septicaemia. To date, strategies to reduce or prevent these infections from occurring have met with limited success. One potential approach to prevent catheter colonisation and blockage is the application of bacteriophages as a catheter coating. Natural parasites of bacteria, bacteriophages offer several advantages over conventional antimicrobial treatment including replication at the site of infection, specificity and, in some cases, biofilm degrading ability. Three novel bacteriophages vB_PmiS_NSM6, vB_PmiP_#3 and vB_PmiM_D3 were isolated from environmental sources and characterised phenotypically and genetically utilising electron microscopy, host range analysis and, for phages vB_PmiS_NSM6 and vB_PmiP_#3, genome sequencing via hybrid assembly. The isolated phages belong to the Caudovirales order and sequence data analysis indicated that they were lysogenic. They possess the characteristic modular architecture of their dsDNA genomes that are densely packed with coding sequence. Both phages displayed terminal redundancy which is indicative of a headful packaging strategy and both appear to be circularly permuted. Putative function was obtained for 63 % of the coding sequences for phage vB_PmiS_NSM6 and 52 % of genes identified in phage vB_PmiP_#3.The effect of these phages, either individually or as a cocktail, on P. mirabilis colonisation of urinary catheters in an in vitro bladder model was investigated. Models were run for 24 h and adhered bacteria used as an indicator of phage activity. A reduction of greater than 3 log10 was observed for phage vB_PmiS_NSM6 treated catheters in comparison to untreated controls across all three sections of catheter analysed. Phage vB_PmiP_#3 reduced bacterial adherence by 1 log10 across all sections and a similar reduction was observed with phage vB_PmiM_D3 of greater than 1 log10. These data were confirmed with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) which showed a significant reduction in crystalline deposits on the phage treated catheters. The time taken for the mineralised biofilm to occlude the catheter lumen in the presence of bacteriophages was also investigated. Time to blockage was extended by 61.49 %, 25.67 % and 52.31 % for phages vBPmiS_NSM6, vB_PmiP_#3 and vB_PmiM_D3, respectively, in comparison to controls. Phages vB_PmiS_NSM6 and vB_PmiM_D3 displayed activity on each other’s isolating strain. This enabled the assessment of a two phage cocktail. The cocktail increased time to blockage by approximately 7 % compared to single phage treatment for both bacterial isolates. These data provide some evidence of efficacy of bacteriophage pre-treatment of urinary catheters in an in vitro model of P. mirabilis infection of the catheterised bladder, despite the lysogenic nature of the phages investigated. As such, this suggests phage treatment of catheters warrants further investigation

Intelligence artificielle et optimisation avec parallélisme

This document is devoted to artificial intelligence and optimization. This part will bedevoted to having fun with high level ideas and to introduce the subject. Thereafter,Part II will be devoted to Monte-Carlo Tree Search, a recent great tool for sequentialdecision making; we will only briefly discuss other tools for sequential decision making;the complexity of sequential decision making will be reviewed. Then, part IIIwill discuss optimization, with a particular focus on robust optimization and especiallyevolutionary optimization. Part IV will present some machine learning tools, useful ineveryday life, such as supervised learning and active learning. A conclusion (part V)will come back to fun and to high level ideas.On parlera ici de Monte-Carlo Tree Search, d'UCT, d'algorithmes évolutionnaires et d'autres trucs et astuces d'IA;l'accent sera mis sur la parallélisation

Opioids and benzodiazepines combined misuse in clinical settings

This thesis provides background to the combined misuse of opioids and benzodiazepines in clinical settings and explores the experiences and perceptions of clinicians of working with this sub-population of drug misusers in services