A deep reinforcement learning based homeostatic system for unmanned position control

Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL) has been proven to be capable of designing an optimal control theory by minimising the error in dynamic systems. However, in many of the real-world operations, the exact behaviour of the environment is unknown. In such environments, random changes cause the system to reach different states for the same action. Hence, application of DRL for unpredictable environments is difficult as the states of the world cannot be known for non-stationary transition and reward functions. In this paper, a mechanism to encapsulate the randomness of the environment is suggested using a novel bio-inspired homeostatic approach based on a hybrid of Receptor Density Algorithm (an artificial immune system based anomaly detection application) and a Plastic Spiking Neuronal model. DRL is then introduced to run in conjunction with the above hybrid model. The system is tested on a vehicle to autonomously re-position in an unpredictable environment. Our results show that the DRL based process control raised the accuracy of the hybrid model by 32%.N/

Adversarial Thresholding Semi-Bandits

The classical multi-armed bandit is one of the most common examples of sequential decision-making, either by trading-off between exploiting and exploring arms to maximise some payoff or purely exploring arms until the optimal arm is identified. In particular, a bandit player wanting to only pull arms with stochastic feedback exceeding a given threshold, has been studied extensively in a pure exploration context. However, numerous applications fail to be expressed, where a player wishes to balance the need to observe regions of an uncertain environment that are currently interesting (exploit) and checking if neglected regions have become interesting since last observed (explore). We introduce the adversarial thresholding semi-bandit problem: a non-stochastic bandit model, where a player wants to only pull (potentially several) arms with feedback meeting some threshold condition. Our main objective is to design algorithms that meet the requirements of the adversarial thresholding semi-bandit problem theoretically, empirically and algorithmically, for a given application. In other words, we want to develop a machine that learns to select options according to some threshold condition and adapts quickly if the feedback from selecting an option unexpectedly changes. This work has many real-world applications and is motivated by online detector control monitoring in high-energy physics experiments, on the Large Hadron Collider. We begin by describing the adversarial thresholding semi-bandit problem (ATSBP) in terms of a multi-armed bandit with multiple plays and extending the stochastic thresholding bandit problem to the adversarial setting. The adversarial thresholding exponentially-weighted exploration and exploitation with multiple plays algorithm (T-Exp3.M) and an algorithm combining label efficient prediction (LET-Exp3.M), are introduced that satisfy theoretical and computational Research specifications, but either perform poorly or fail completely under certain threshold conditions. To meet empirical performance requirements, we propose the dynamic label efficient adversarial thresholding exponentially-weighted exploration and exploitation with multiple plays algorithm (dLET-Exp3.M). Whilst computational requirements match those for T-Exp3.M, theoretical upper bounds on performance are proven to be worse. We also introduce an ATSBP algorithm (AliceBandit) that decomposes the action of pulling an arm into selection and observation decisions. Computational complexity and empirical performance under two different threshold conditions are significantly improved, compared with exponentially weighted adversarial thresholding semi-bandits. Theoretical upper bounds on performance are also significantly improved, for certain environments. In the latter part of this thesis, we address the challenge of efficiently monitoring multiple condition parameters in high-energy experimental physics. Due to the extreme conditions experienced in heavy-ion particle colliders, the power supply to any device exceeding safe operating parameters is automatically shut down or tripped, to preserve integrity and functionality of the device. Prior to recent upgrades, a device or channel trip would halt data-taking for the entire experiment. Post-trip recovery requires a costly procedure both in terms of expertise and data-taking time. After the completion of the current upgrading phase (scheduled for 2021), the detector will collect data continuously. In this new regime, a channel trip will result in only the affected components of the experiment being shut down. However, since the new upgraded experiment will enable data-taking to increase by a factor of 100, each trip will have a significant impact on the experiments ability to provide physicists with reliable data to analyse. We demonstrate that adversarial thresholding semi-bandits efficiently identify device channels either exceeding a fixed threshold or deviating by more than a prescribed range prior to a trip, extending the state-of-the-art in high-energy physics detector control.N/

Salinity tolerances of two Australian freshwater turtles, Chelodina expansa and Emydura macquarii (Testudinata: Chelidae)

Freshwater biota experience physiological challenges in regions affected by salinization, but often the effects on particular species are poorly understood. Freshwater turtles are of particular concern as they appear to have limited ability to cope with environmental conditions that are hyperosmotic to their body fluids. Here, we determined the physiological responses of two Australian freshwater chelid turtles, Emydura macquarii and Chelodina expansa, exposed to freshwater (0‰) and brackish water (15‰, representing a hyperosmotic environment). Brackish water is common in the Murray–Darling River Basin within the natural range of these species in Australia during periods of drought, yet it is unknown how well these species tolerate saline conditions. We hypothesized that these turtles would be unable to maintain homeostasis in the 15‰ water treatment and would suffer osmotic loss of water, increased ionic concentrations and a decrease in body mass. Results revealed that these turtles had elevated plasma concentrations of sodium, chloride, urea and uric acid in the plasma. Plasma ionic concentrations increased proportionally more in E. macquarii than in C. expansa. Individuals of both species reduced feeding in 15‰ water, indicating that behaviour may provide an additional means for freshwater turtles to limit ion/solute influx when in hyperosmotic environments. This osmoregulatory behaviour may allow for persistence of turtles in regions affected by salinization; however, growth rates and body condition may be affected in the long term. Although we demonstrate that these turtles have mechanisms to survive temporarily in saline waters, it is likely that sustained salinization of waterways will exceed their short- to medium-term capacity to survive increased salt levels, making salinization a potentially key threatening process for these freshwater reptiles

Isotopic composition of the precipitations in the central Mediterranean: Origin marks and orographic precipitation effects

The isotopic composition of the rainfall in northwestern Sicily (Italy, central Mediterranean) was investigated in the period February 2002 to March 2003. A rain gauge network was installed and sampled monthly. The monthly values of the D and 18O ratios showed a wide range that reflected seasonal climatic variations. Mean weighted values were used to define an isotopic model of precipitation. Temporal variations in deuterium excess were also investigated. Using mean volume weighted values, the Local Meteoric Water Line (LMWL) can be represented by the equation: \u3b4D = 4.7\u3b418O - 8.2 (r2 = 0.96). Deuterium excess (d = \u3b4D - 8\u3b418O) was found to be strongly related to orography. The coastline samples were characterized by mean weighted deuterium excess values close to 12.5\u2030 samples from inland areas showed values of 169\u2030, while samples taken from the main reliefs showed values close to 19%\ub7 In inland areas, isotopic exchange between raindrops and moisture could shift the deuterium excess values slightly. On the higher reliefs, the interaction between falling raindrops and orographic clouds could shift the deuterium excess values significantly. The low slope of the LMWL could be referred to the high deuterium excess values of the higher sites and is related to orographic precipitation rather than to evaporation processes during the fall of the raindrops. The results obtained suggest that local orographic features may significantly change the isotopic composition of precipitation. Copyright 2006 by the American Geophysical Union

A Wirelessly Controlled Smart Bandage with 3D-Printed Miniaturized Needle Arrays

PUBLIC ACCES

Identifying older adults with frailty approaching end-of-life: A systematic review

From SAGE Publishing via Jisc Publications RouterHistory: epub 2021-09-14Publication status: PublishedFunder: national institute for health research; FundRef: https://doi.org/10.13039/501100000272; Grant(s): PR-PRU-1217-21502Background:: People with frailty may have specific needs for end-of-life care, but there is no consensus on how to identify these people in a timely way, or whether they will benefit from intervention. Aim:: To synthesise evidence on identification of older people with frailty approaching end-of-life, and whether associated intervention improves outcomes. Design:: Systematic review (PROSPERO: CRD42020462624). Data sources:: Six databases were searched, with no date restrictions, for articles reporting prognostic or intervention studies. Key inclusion criteria were adults aged 65 and over, identified as frail via an established measure. End-of-life was defined as the final 12 months. Key exclusion criteria were proxy definitions of frailty, or studies involving people with cancer, even if also frail. Results:: Three articles met the inclusion criteria. Strongest evidence came from one study in English primary care, which showed distinct trajectories in electronic Frailty Index scores in the last 12 months of life, associated with increased risk of death. We found no studies evaluating established clinical tools (e.g. Gold Standards Framework) with existing frail populations. We found no intervention studies; the literature on advance care planning with people with frailty has relied on proxy definitions of frailty. Conclusion:: Clear implications for policy and practice are hindered by the lack of studies using an established approach to assessing frailty. Future end-of-life research needs to use explicit approaches to the measurement and reporting of frailty, and address the evidence gap on interventions. A focus on models of care that incorporate a palliative approach is essential

Surveying the Dynamic Radio Sky with the Long Wavelength Demonstrator Array

This paper presents a search for radio transients at a frequency of 73.8 MHz (4 m wavelength) using the all-sky imaging capabilities of the Long Wavelength Demonstrator Array (LWDA). The LWDA was a 16-dipole phased array telescope, located on the site of the Very Large Array in New Mexico. The field of view of the individual dipoles was essentially the entire sky, and the number of dipoles was sufficiently small that a simple software correlator could be used to make all-sky images. From 2006 October to 2007 February, we conducted an all-sky transient search program, acquiring a total of 106 hr of data; the time sampling varied, being 5 minutes at the start of the program and improving to 2 minutes by the end of the program. We were able to detect solar flares, and in a special-purpose mode, radio reflections from ionized meteor trails during the 2006 Leonid meteor shower. We detected no transients originating outside of the solar system above a flux density limit of 500 Jy, equivalent to a limit of no more than about 10^{-2} events/yr/deg^2, having a pulse energy density >~ 1.5 x 10^{-20} J/m^2/Hz at 73.8 MHz for pulse widths of about 300 s. This event rate is comparable to that determined from previous all-sky transient searches, but at a lower frequency than most previous all-sky searches. We believe that the LWDA illustrates how an all-sky imaging mode could be a useful operational model for low-frequency instruments such as the Low Frequency Array, the Long Wavelength Array station, the low-frequency component of the Square Kilometre Array, and potentially the Lunar Radio Array.Comment: 20 pages; accepted for publication in A