Echo State Networks: analysis, training and predictive control

The goal of this paper is to investigate the theoretical properties, the training algorithm, and the predictive control applications of Echo State Networks (ESNs), a particular kind of Recurrent Neural Networks. First, a condition guaranteeing incremetal global asymptotic stability is devised. Then, a modified training algorithm allowing for dimensionality reduction of ESNs is presented. Eventually, a model predictive controller is designed to solve the tracking problem, relying on ESNs as the model of the system. Numerical results concerning the predictive control of a nonlinear process for pH neutralization confirm the effectiveness of the proposed algorithms for the identification, dimensionality reduction, and the control design for ESNs.Comment: 6 pages,5 figures, submitted to European Control Conference (ECC

Effects of age, density, and seasonality on molt pattern in the mammal genus (Peromyscus)

Molting, or replacement of pelage (hair) in mammals, occurs during ontogeny as individuals transition from juveniles to adults. Environmental factors can cause variation in molt in many species for thermoregulatory and camouflage purposes. Within and among years molt can vary by time and age or by reproductive status. Past studies have found differences in molt pattern and timing depending upon age, and between captive reared and wild caught individuals. There has been little investigation into the molting characteristics of Peromyscus leucopus and P. maniculatus, specifically in comparison to adults and juveniles. I used molt observed from museum specimens collected at Bartlett Experimental Forest over a three-year period to determine if there are evident molt patterns in both Peromyscus spp. Specifically, I looked for differences in percent molt and number of individuals molting as a result of seasonality and age. Molts were digitized in Photoshop and pattern and symmetry were analyzed in ImageJ. In both species, individuals show a seasonal trend in molt timing and symmetry. This may reflect differences in resource availability and energy expenditure among years

Oregon Parenting Education Collaborative: Helping Parents Raise Children Who Thrive

This report summarizes the work of the Oregon Parenting Education Collaborative during its first five years, 2010-2015. OPEC is a multi-year initiative led by The Oregon Community Foundation, The Ford Family Foundation and Oregon State University. Financial supporters include The Oregon Community Foundation, The Ford Family Foundation, the Meyer Memorial Trust, The Collins Foundation, and OCF Donor Advised Funds. The initiative supports expanded access to best practice parenting education programs, with a focus on reaching parents of children prenatal to age six, and supports efforts to develop and strengthen regional parenting education "Hubs." OPEC is unique in its collaborative, foundation-led approach to building a statewide infrastructure for parenting education through community-based non-profits and public agencies. The OPEC initiative was launched in July 2010 with the funding of six regional parenting Hubs serving 12 counties, and nine Small Grant projects providing evidence-based classes and/or home visiting for specific groups of parents. As of fall 2015, 15 Hubs reach 26 Oregon counties and Siskiyou County, Calif., and OPEC has provided Small Grant funding to 17 additional Oregon organizations. OPEC has achieved strong outcomes in the building of regional infrastructure and parenting education partnerships, as well as increasing positive parenting capacities

Is Pro Bono Practice In Legal “Backwaters” Beyond The Scope of The Model Rules?

[Excerpt] While many private sector attorneys offer pro bono legal services that reflect the same level of diligence and skill characteristic of the work done on behalf of their paying clients, the egregious failures described in the MC v. GC case and those that occur in many unreported matters highlight the dangers of pro bono initiatives designed to bridge the “access to justice gap.” As used here, the term “justice gap” refers to the chasm between the need for legal representation in civil disputes and public interest attorneys available to serve poor and working class clients. Justice gap pro bono programs connect low-income individuals in need of legal assistance in matters such as eviction prevention, family disputes, and consumer debt collection cases with attorneys from large law firms that typically specialize in commercial litigation and corporate transactions. Though well intentioned, justice gap pro bono initiatives that succeed do so in spite of the impediments to ethical representation that pervade this method of legal service delivery. The market forces and “informal collegial control” that shape attorney conduct in the for-profit setting are often absent within the world of pro bono service. Moreover, the ethics rules that should govern pro bono attorneys offer inadequate guidance to lawyers grappling with the unique concerns of pro bono lawyering practiced in a for-profit context