Generating sequential space-filling designs using genetic algorithms and Monte Carlo methods

In this paper, the authors compare a Monte Carlo method and an optimization-based approach using genetic algorithms for sequentially generating space-filling experimental designs. It is shown that Monte Carlo methods perform better than genetic algorithms for this specific problem

Evaluation plan

The overall objectives of TeleFOT are to assess the impacts of aftermarket and nomadic devices used in vehicles for driver support and to raise the awareness of the functions and potential that these devices offer. This report starts from the scientific and technological objectives that will make these overall objectives more concrete. They are 1. Build, mobilise and integrate European test communities for long term testing and assessment of driver support functions through aftermarket and nomadic devices 2. Create a methodological framework for executing the tests and analysing the data 3. Study aftermarket and nomadic devices in different technical contexts 4. Study different levels of impacts on drivers and society 5. Focus on functions and services for safe, efficient and economical travel 6. Investigate the contents of functions provided for cooperative driver support 7. Develop effective procedures of enhancing awareness and take-up of driver support ICT systems among the public 8. Focus also on aspects in the use of aftermarket and nomadic devices that may decrease safety TeleFOT is supposed adopt the approach of Field Operational Test (FOT). When going into the actual work in TeleFOT, as laid out in the DoW, it was seen as a useful step to make use of the structure of the deliverable D2.2.1 Testing and Evaluation strategy I, based on the FESTA FOT Chain (from the FESTA Handbook). This was done in order to identify what findings in the TeleFOT project (so far) has a unique and from the FESTA Handbook deviating approach. The intention has been to highlight these deviations (or improvements) in order to widen the potential use of the FOT methodology in the future. This IP-level deliverable is therefore focused on what constitutes the unique features of TeleFOT that could have an impact also on a more general level. This is especially important as new FOTs are planned in the area “cooperative driving”. Most of the TeleFOT deliverables until today have been consulted including the first series of deliverables addressing the Data Analysis Plans for all the impact areas to be covered by TeleFOT; they are Efficiency, Environment, Mobility, Safety and User Uptake. It is concluded that the first of the overall objectives has been met to quite a high degree, even if there still are some important steps that must be finished. The second overall objective is not yet addressed in a systematic way. However, there are WPs in the TeleFOT DoW that are supposed to cover these aspects in the last part of the project

Methylation profiling and evaluation of demethylating therapy in renal cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Despite therapeutic advances in targeted therapy, metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC) remains incurable for the vast majority of patients. Key molecular events in the pathogenesis of RCC include inactivation of the VHL tumour suppressor gene (TSG), inactivation of chromosome 3p TSGs implicated in chromatin modification and remodelling and de novo tumour-specific promoter methylation of renal TSGs. In the light of these observations it can be proposed that, as in some haematological malignancies, demethylating agents such as azacitidine might be beneficial for the treatment of advanced RCC. RESULTS: Here we report that the treatment of RCC cell lines with azacitidine suppressed cell proliferation in all 15 lines tested. A marked response to azacitidine therapy (>50% reduction in colony formation assay) was detected in the three cell lines with VHL promoter methylation but some RCC cell lines without VHL TSG methylation also demonstrated a similar response suggesting that multiple methylated TSGs might determine the response to demethylating therapies. To identify novel candidate methylated TSGs implicated in RCC we undertook a combined analysis of copy number and CpG methylation array data. Candidate novel epigenetically inactivated TSGs were further prioritised by expression analysis of RCC cell lines pre and post-azacitidine therapy and comparative expression analysis of tumour/normal pairs. Thus, with subsequent investigation two candidate genes were found to be methylated in more than 25% of our series and in the TCGA methylation dataset for 199 RCC samples: RGS7 (25.6% and 35.2% of tumours respectively) and NEFM in (25.6% and 30.2%). In addition three candidate genes were methylated in >10% of both datasets (TMEM74 (15.4% and 14.6%), GCM2 (41.0% and 14.6%) and AEBP1 (30.8% and 13.1%)). Methylation of GCM2 (P = 0.0324), NEFM (P = 0.0024) and RGS7 (P = 0.0067) was associated with prognosis. CONCLUSIONS: These findings provide preclinical evidence that treatment with demethylating agents such as azacitidine might be useful for the treatment of advanced RCC and further insights into the role of epigenetic changes in the pathogenesis of RCC

TeleFOT, field operational tests of aftermarket nomadic devices in vehicles, early results

This paper presents the European Large Scale Collaborative Project TeleFOT, describing its status and its first results. The paper is structured into two main sections: The first paragraph briefly introduces the justification and core elements of TeleFOT, showing the scope and primary objectives of the project. Significant research and development in Europe in recent years have been focusing on Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS), since they are contributing to a change in mobility. The number of devices supporting transportation is increasing. In particular, the market penetration of aftermarket nomadic devices as personal navigation devices (PND) or smart phones is growing exponentially according to the market trends, but no scientific evidence of impacts directly related to the use of aftermarket and nomadic devices in vehicle exist yet. Therefore there is a need to test via Field Operational Tests (FOT) the impacts of driver support functions on the driving task, including future interactive traffic services that will become part of driving environment systems. The second paragraph of this paper illustrates the Field Operational Tests to be conducted in TeleFOT and progress reached so far in the project. These include (but are not limited to) large scale test sites in 8 member states, FOT framework creation, benchmarking, piloting and data analysis planning

Virtual Constraints and Hybrid Zero Dynamics for Realizing Underactuated Bipedal Locomotion

Underactuation is ubiquitous in human locomotion and should be ubiquitous in bipedal robotic locomotion as well. This chapter presents a coherent theory for the design of feedback controllers that achieve stable walking gaits in underactuated bipedal robots. Two fundamental tools are introduced, virtual constraints and hybrid zero dynamics. Virtual constraints are relations on the state variables of a mechanical model that are imposed through a time-invariant feedback controller. One of their roles is to synchronize the robot's joints to an internal gait phasing variable. A second role is to induce a low dimensional system, the zero dynamics, that captures the underactuated aspects of a robot's model, without any approximations. To enhance intuition, the relation between physical constraints and virtual constraints is first established. From here, the hybrid zero dynamics of an underactuated bipedal model is developed, and its fundamental role in the design of asymptotically stable walking motions is established. The chapter includes numerous references to robots on which the highlighted techniques have been implemented.Comment: 17 pages, 4 figures, bookchapte

Stakeholder Forum activities

The Deliverable 5.4.2 (Stakeholder Forums activities) is conceived as a report to inform about activities carried out in the Stakeholder Fora. It is conceived as a dynamic document, following progresses in the Stakeholder Forum organization and set up and reporting relevant achievements. It is substantially divided into three sections: The first one, represented by the Executive Summary and the Introduction, is not expected to change during the project life, at least in its core elements; The second one, represented by activities carried out in the Stakeholder Fora (Chapter 1), as general information on specific events, summarizing relevant activities performed in specific events, is supposed to change and be enlarged during the project life, so to provide updates on the activities carried out in Task 5.4.2 – Stakeholder Forum Activities. Next Actions: in Chapter 2 an overview is done on the activities planned to organize the next Stakeholder Fora. Annex 1 presents the Dissemination material to be presented at the General Stakeholder Fora. Annex 2 shows the Dissemination material presented during the TeleFOT First General Stakeholder Forum

Computational Nuclear Physics and Post Hartree-Fock Methods

We present a computational approach to infinite nuclear matter employing Hartree-Fock theory, many-body perturbation theory and coupled cluster theory. These lectures are closely linked with those of chapters 9, 10 and 11 and serve as input for the correlation functions employed in Monte Carlo calculations in chapter 9, the in-medium similarity renormalization group theory of dense fermionic systems of chapter 10 and the Green's function approach in chapter 11. We provide extensive code examples and benchmark calculations, allowing thereby an eventual reader to start writing her/his own codes. We start with an object-oriented serial code and end with discussions on strategies for porting the code to present and planned high-performance computing facilities.Comment: 82 pages, to appear in Lecture Notes in Physics (Springer), "An advanced course in computational nuclear physics: Bridging the scales from quarks to neutron stars", M. Hjorth-Jensen, M. P. Lombardo, U. van Kolck, Editor

Apparent quality-of-life in nations : how long and happy people live

Quality-of-life in nations can be measured by how long and happy people live. This is assessed by combining data on life expectancy drawn from civil registration with survey data on subjective enjoyment of life as a whole. This measure of 'apparent' quality-of-life is a good alternative to current indexes of 'assumed' quality-of-life such as the Human Development Index. Data are available for 67 nations in the 1990s. The number of Happy-Life-Years varies considerably across nations. Switzerland is at the top with 63.0 years and Moldavia at the bottom with 20.5 years. China is in the middle with an average of 46.7. Happy lifetime has risen considerably in advanced nations over the last decade. People live longer and happier in nations characterised by economic affluence, freedom and justice. Together these three societal qualities explain 66% of the cross-national variance in Happy-Life-Years. Income equality and generous social security do not appear to be required for a long and happy life

Hippocampus, Amygdala and Basal Ganglia Based Navigation Control

In this paper we present a novel robot navigation system aimed at testing hypotheses about the roles of key brain areas in foraging behavior of rats. The key components of the control network are: 1. a Hippocampus inspired module for spatial localization based on associations between sensory inputs and places; 2. an Amygdala inspired module for the association of values with places and sensory stimuli; 3. a Basal Ganglia inspired module for the selection of actions based on the evaluated sensory inputs. By implementing this Hippocampus-Amygdala-Basal Ganglia based control network with a simulated rat embodiment we intend to test not only our understanding of the individual brain areas but especially the interaction between them. Understanding the neural circuits that allows rats to efficiently forage for food will also help to improve the ability of robots to autonomously evaluate and select navigation targets