Movement Primitive Learning and Generalization : Using Mixture Density Networks

Representing robot skills as movement primitives (MPs) that can be learned from human demonstration and adapted to new tasks and situations is a promising approach toward intuitive robot programming. To allow such adaptation, mapping between task parameters and MP parameters is needed, and different approaches have been proposed in the literature to learn such mapping. In human demonstrations, however, multiple modes and models exist, and these should be taken into account when learning these mappings and generalized MP representations

4D-EGB Black Holes in RPS Thermodynamics

In this paper, we study thermodynamics of charged and uncharged 4-Dimension Einstein-Gauss-Bonnet (4D-EGB) black holes. The context of this study is the Visser's holographic thermodynamics with a fixed anti-de Sitter radius and a variable Newton constant known as restricted phase space thermodynamics (RPST). Our setup is constructed by using the AdS/CFT correspondence and by introducing a conjugate quantity of the Gauss-Bonnet parameter. By this ansatz, we conclude that the Gauss-Bonnet action multiplied by a temperature, behaves as a free energy. We derive the conjugate quantities corresponding to the first law in the RPST formalism. The study of the $T-S$ processes and the effect of the Gauss-Bonnet constant, $\alpha$, show that thermodynamic properties of charged black holes depend on the Gauss-Bonnet term and the charge of black holes. For an uncharged black holes, the effect of Gauss-Bonnet becomes crucial, as it behaves as a charged black hole with an effective charge. Finally, we find that the Hawking-Page phase transition occurs between a large black hole and a thermal AdS space.Comment: 12 pages, 4 figure

Interest rates volatility and its consequences on stock returns: The case study from Amman Stock Exchange, Jordan

Abstract. This paper examines the special effects of interest rates on the stock market return by using monthly time series data for the economy of Jordan over the period of 2006 to 2016. An extensive variety of econometric procedures have been involved to analyze the relationship between the interest rate and stock market return. The study exposes a constant and significant long-run relationship between the variables. By using Cointegration methods the experimental in the long run represents that a one percent rise in interest rate causes (12.3459 %)reduction in market index. The assessed error correction coefficient highlight that (-0.678522) percent deviation of stock returns are corrected in the short run. Impulse response function of the study furthermore sustains the positive relationship between the variables. The result of Variance decompositions recommends that about (99.99705%) of the variation in stock market returns is referring to its own shock which denotes that stock market returns are mostly independent of the other variables in the structure. To go over the main points, Granger causality analysis yield that there is no presence of a unidirectional causality as of interest rate to the market index.Keywords. Stock market, Cointegration, Granger causality, Interest rate, ASE.JEL. E40, E43, G12

Wideband millimeter-wave perforated hemispherical dielectric resonator antenna

This paper presents a novel wideband circularly polarized millimeter-wave (mmWave) hemispherical dielectric resonator antenna (HDRA). Two distinct configurations of alumina dielectric resonator antennas (DRAs) are investigated, each featuring a different coating: the first configuration incorporates a polyimide layer, while the second involves a perforated alumina. Both configurations demonstrate promising characteristics, including impedance and axial ratio (AR) bandwidths of 58% and 17.7%, respectively, alongside a maximum gain of 10 dBic at 28 GHz. Leveraging additive manufacturing technology, the HDRA with the perforated coating layer is fabricated, simplifying assembly and eliminating potential air gaps between layers, thereby enhancing the overall performance. This innovative approach yields a circularly polarized (CP) HDRA suitable for Beyond 5G (B5G) communication systems. Agreement between measurements and simulations validates the efficacy of the proposed design, affirming its potential in practical applications

A Study of Daylighting Performance in Apartment Buildings with Reference to the Gaza Strip

Daylighting in residential buildings is an essential design parameter considering its impact on the visual comfort of users and energy efficiency of buildings. This is more challenging in apartment buildings, where collective residential configurations and deep plans are usually used. This is true in the case of the Gaza Strip, which makes daylighting quality in residential buildings a questionable issue. Thus, this study aims to examine daylighting performance in the Gaza Strip apartment buildings, and to propose some design recommendations to improve this performance. To achieve that, a simulation study has been carried out using Radiance program, where several cases have been examined. The study concluded that there is a direct relationship between the illuminance levels and space orientation, wall-to-window ratio, and reflectance of indoor surface materials. Also, light shelf has a crucial role in improving daylighting distribution in the space. The study therefore recommends applying these design strategies to improve daylighting performance and energy efficiency in the Gaza Strip apartment buildings. In this regard, a quantitative assessment may become part of the requirements of buildings licensing proces

Wideband millimeter-wave perforated cylindrical dielectric resonator antenna configuration

This article delves into the capabilities of 3D-printed millimeter-wave (mmWave) layered cylindrical dielectric resonator antennas (CDRAs). The proposed design yielded promising results, boasting a remarkable 53% impedance bandwidth spanning the frequency spectrum from 18 to 34 GHz. Furthermore, the axial ratio (AR) bandwidth achieved an impressive 17%, coupled with a maximum gain of 13.3 dBic. These notable results underscore the efficacy of the proposed design, positioning it as a viable solution for applications in Beyond 5G (B5G). A novel assembly technique was also investigated, employing additive manufacturing to seamlessly merge two layers with distinct dielectric constants into a singular layer. This innovative approach systematically eliminates the potential for air gaps between layers, enhancing the antenna’s overall performance. This approach exhibited potential, particularly in the performance of a millimeter-wave circularly polarized (CP) cylindrical DRA featuring a perforated coating layer. The synergy between measurements and simulations demonstrates a remarkable alignment, providing robust validation of the effectiveness of the proposed design

Global Guidelines in Dermatology Mapping Project (GUIDEMAP):a scoping review of dermatology clinical practice guidelines

Background Clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) play a critical role in standardizing and improving treatment outcomes based on the available evidence. It is unclear how many CPGs are available globally to assist clinicians in the management of patients with skin disease. Objectives To search for and identify CPGs for dermatological conditions with the highest burden globally. Methods We adapted a list of 12 dermatological conditions with the highest burden from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study 2019. A systematic literature search was done to identify CPGs published between October 2014 to October 2019. The scoping review was conducted and reported in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) framework. Results A total of 226 CPGs were included. Melanoma had the greatest representation in the CPGs, followed by dermatitis and psoriasis. Skin cancers had a relatively high CPG representation but with lower GBD disease burden ranking. There was an uneven distribution by geographical region, with resource-poor settings being under-represented. The skin disease categories of the CPGs correlated weakly with the GBD disability-adjusted life-years metrics. Eighty-nine CPGs did not have funding disclosures and 34 CPGs were behind a paywall. Conclusions The global production of dermatology CPGs showed wide variation in geographical representation, article accessibility and reporting of funding. The number of skin disease CPGs were not commensurate with its disease burden. Future work will critically appraise the methodology and quality of dermatology CPGs and lead to the production of an accessible online resource summarizing these findings.Dermatology-oncolog

Disposable silicon-based all-in-one micro-qPCR for rapid on-site detection of pathogens

cycle. Using TriSilix, we also detect the cDNA from SARS-CoV-2 (1 pg) with high specificity against SARS-CoV (2003)