A Q-Learning-Based Approach for Simple and Multi-Agent Systems

This study proposes different machine learning-based solutions to both single and multi-agent systems, took place on a 2-D simulation platform, namely, Robocode. This dynamic and programmable platform allows agents to interact with the environment and each other by employing a variety of battling strategies. Q-Learning is one of the leading and popular machine learning-based solutions to be applied to such a problem. However, especially for continued spaces, the control problem gets deeper. Essentially, one of the main drawbacks of reinforcement learning (RL) is to design an appropriate reward function that the function can be described by only employing few parameters for simple tasks, whereas estimating the goal of the reward function may be a challenging problem. Recent studies prove that neural network-based approaches can handle these challenges and achieve to learn control strategies from 2-D or 1-D data. Besides those problems of RL algorithms for single robots, once the number of robots increases and the systems need to behave as multi-agent systems, the overall design requirements become more complex. Accordingly, the proposed system is validated by considering different battle scenarios. The performance of the Q-Learning-based system and the supervised learning techniques are compared by employing different scenarios for this problem. Results reveal the superiority of the ANN-based approach over other methods

A new algorithm for optimal solution of fixed charge transportation problem

summary:Fixed charge transportation problem (FCTP) is a supply chain problem. In this problem, in addition to the cost per unit for each transported product, a fixed cost is also required. The aim is to carry out the transportation process at the lowest possible cost. As with all supply chain problems, this problem may have one, two, or three stages. An algorithm that can find the optimal solution for the problem in polynomial time is not known, even if it is a single-stage problem. For this reason, new algorithms have been proposed in recent years to provide an approximate solution for the problem. The vast majority of these algorithms are meta-heuristic algorithms. In this study, we propose a new heuristic algorithm to find an optimal solution for the 1-stage FCTP. We compare the results of our algorithm with the results of other existing algorithms

Kent siluetlerine ilişkin tasarım niteliklerinin, entropi yaklaşımı ile değerlendirilmesi

Urban skylines present references that enable catchy visual effects of the urban scene to be clearly visible. They also reflect the urban identity in a compositional entirety. The design values constitute both the natural and the planned forms of cities. Design qualities are evaluated by the total impacts exercised by esthetic evaluation criteria that are analyzable in a visual environment. The concepts such as, diversity, clarity, harmony, meaning are composed design qualities. These design qualities are evaluated by the sum of total effects of esthetic evaluation criteria which can be analyzed in the visual environment. The characteristics of design properties that possess universally accepted standards and used in aesthetical evaluation studies for different dimensions and aspects are called esthetic evaluation criteria. For the impact evaluation, methodologies used can be differentiated as objective and subjective and they show diversity among themselves. Day by day, objective methodologies used for studies of design and aesthetics are becoming increasingly important. That is mostly because, they are able to present more precise approaches and innovations to the evaluation of properties based on interpretation. This research contains evaluation of diversity. The aim of the research is being investigated the design-value relation from an objective standpoint among the historic city skylines that represent cities' identity properties. In accordance with this aim, it is purposed to digitize the design values which defined the balanced diversity relations. Therefore objectivity and measurability of the design properties related to diversity are studied by the entropy approach which is among objective methodologies of design issues. The preliminary description of Entropy is in the law of thermodynamics whereas its second description is found in the information theory and the concept used in this research is related to the information theory. In its second description, entropy is defined as measuring the amount of information. Measuring the entropy is related to the distribution of positional figures of a message or information from the probabilities standpoint. Esthetic evaluation criteria are valuated as the visual codes of the urban skylines. Thus information values for the design qualities that rely upon the power of visual communications are obtained. Relations between design values are analyzed depending on the balanced diversity of the visual environment. The effect of diversity in a balanced relation of esthetic evaluation criteria made visual richness in the urban environment. In this study, historic urban skylines that reflect the identities of different cities that are doubtlessly possessing positive aesthetical values are considered. These samples are, Istanbul (Turkey), Cologne - Bavaria and Dresden (Germany), Mostar (Bosnia Herzegovina), Budapest (Hungary), Cordova (Spain), Liverpool (England), Rome (Italy) and Prague (Czech Republic). Harmony with the nature and shoreline relations is noted as a common feature in the formation of all these examples. Setting out from these similarities, it is thought that relations can also be observed between the design values of the urban skylines. Impressive urban skylines, though they have come to life in different geographies, through cultural build up and historical processes, have become permanent in time change processes because they have had the right design principles and criteria whether attained naturally or through a planning. When it is thought that these lasting visual qualities are gained through universal design properties, it is arrived at the conclusion that a relation can be set up between them. In order to represent this relation in digital figures, the entropy method that is capable of making an impact evaluation between estetic evaluation criteria is opted. By the use of  entropy method, contour effect that makes up skyline, mass unit, vertical and horizontal elements, elements of form, elements of color, hierarchical phasing, elements of dominant effect, elements of repetition, elements of continuity and  balanced distribution relations in terms of diversity between time layers that were analyzed. In the research study, applications that are made from the historic skylines representing the identities of ten different cities, visual qualities of which are comparable to each other. At the end, the entropy results for the examples are found to be identical to each other. Thus, in applications made by research methodology, a numerical proximity is determined in terms of design relations. This result points to a design value relation between the historic skylines representing the urban identity that can also be expressed in numerical values. Keywords: Urban Skylines, entropy, design quality, diversity.Kent siluetleri, kentsel çevrenin, akılda kalıcı görsel etkisinin yaratılması için referanslar sunmaktadır. Kentlerin, doğal ya da planlanmış biçimlerini oluşturan tasarım nitelikleri bulunmaktadır. Çeşitlilik, belirginlik, uyum, anlam gibi kavramlar tasarım niteliklerini oluşturmaktadır. Bu tasarım nitelikleri, görsel çevrede analiz edilebilen estetik değerlendirme ölçütlerinin toplam etkileri ile incelenmektedir. Araştırmanın amacı, tarihi kentlerin kimlik özelliklerini yansıtan siluetleri arasında, çeşitliliğe bağlı tasarım değer ilişkisini sorgulamaktır. Bu amaç doğrultusunda dengeli çeşitlilik ilişkisini tanımlayan özelliklerin, ölçülebilir hale getirilmesi gerekmektedir. Çeşitlilik ilişkisini tanımlayan estetik değerlendirme ölçütlerinin, sayısal olarak entropi yaklaşımı ile ölçülebileceği bir yöntem geliştirilmiştir. Entropi, ilk olarak termodinamik kanunları içinde, ikinci olarak enformasyon kuramı içinde tanımlanmış olup, kavram bu araştırmada, enformasyon kuramı içindeki anlamıyla, kullanılmaktadır. İkinci tanımında entropi, bir mesajın iletilmesindeki enformasyon miktarının ölçümüdür. Estetik değerlendirme ölçütleri, kent siluetlerinin, görsel kodları olarak değerlendirilmektedir. Böylece, tasarım niteliklerinin, görsel iletişim gücüne bağlı enformasyon değerleri, elde edilmektedir. Tasarım nitelikleri arasındaki ilişkiler, görsel çevrenin çeşitlilik özelliğine bağlı olarak incelenmektedir. Dengeli bir ilişki içinde çeşitlilik etkisi yaratan estetik değerlendirme ölçütleri, kentsel çevrede görsel açıdan zenginlik yaratmaktadır. Bu araştırmada, tarihi kentlerin kimlik özelliklerini yansıtan ve görsel niteliklerinin birbirleri ile karşılaştırılabileceği on siluet üzerinden uygulama yapılmıştır. Entropi yönteminin uygulandığı örneklerde, tasarım ilişkisi açısından sayısal bir yakınlık saptanmıştır. Bu sonuç, kentsel kimliği yansıtan tarihi siluetler arasında, çeşitlilik açısından sayısal olarak ifade edilebilen tasarım değer ilişkisini göstermektedir. Anahtar Kelimeler: Kent siluetleri, entropi, tasarım nitelikleri, çeşitlilik

Serum progranulin levels are elevated in infertile women with obesity

Introduction: The aim of the present study was to investigate the changes in serum progranulin and sex hormone levels in infertile women with obesity. Material and methods: A total of 171 infertile women who had fertility desire were included in this cross-sectional study. The initial assessment included measurements of weight, height, waist circumference, and hip circumference to calculate body mass index (BMI) and waist/hip ratio. All participants were categorised into two groups in accordance with BMI as a control group ( < 30 kg/m2, n = 135) and a study group (≥ 30 kg/m2, n = 36). After anthropometric measurements, venous blood samples were taken for analyses of oestradiol and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinising hormone, total testosterone (TT), 17-hydroxyprogesterone, dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate, anti-Müllerian hormone, and progranulin. Results: The present study demonstrated that the overweight women had higher FSH levels (p < 0.01). Elevated TT levels were detected in obese women (p < 0.05). Progranulin concentrations were higher in the study group than in the control group (p < 0.05). Regression analysis demonstrated that there was a relationship between the serum progranulin concentrations and BMI (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Our findings support that the elevated progranulin levels are associated with obesity in infertile women. Therefore, infertile and obese patients may benefit if their serum progranulin levels decrease. Further studies are needed to elucidate this issue