Description:
Multiobjective reinforcement learning algorithms extend reinforcement learning techniques to problems with multiple conflicting objectives. This paper discusses the advantages gained from applying stochastic policies to multiobjective tasks and examines a particular form of stochastic policy known as a mixture policy. Two methods are proposed for deriving mixture policies for episodic multiobjective tasks from deterministic base policies found via scalarised reinforcement learning. It is shown that these approaches are an efficient means of identifying solutions which offer a superior match to the user’s preferences than can be achieved by methods based strictly on deterministic policies.
Description:
Multiobjective reinforcement learning algorithms extend reinforcement learning techniques to problems with multiple conflicting objectives. This paper discusses the advantages gained from applying stochastic policies to multiobjective tasks and examines a particular form of stochastic policy known as a mixture policy. Two methods are proposed for deriving mixture policies for episodic multiobjective tasks from deterministic base policies found via scalarised reinforcement learning. It is shown that these approaches are an efficient means of identifying solutions which offer a superior match to the user’s preferences than can be achieved by methods based strictly on deterministic policies.
Description:
Proteins are sequences of amino acids bound into a linear chain that adopt a specific folded three-dimensional (3D) shape. This specific folded shape enables proteins to perform specific tasks. The protein structure prediction (PSP) by ab initio or de novo approach is promising amongst various available computational methods and can help to unravel the important relationship between sequence and its corresponding structure. This article presents the ab initio protein structure prediction as a conformational search problem in low resolution model using genetic algorithm. As a review, the essence of twin removal, intelligence in coding, the development and application of domain specific heuristics garnered from the properties of the resulting model and the protein core formation concept discussed are all highly relevant in attempting to secure the best solution.
Description:
Proteins are sequences of amino acids bound into a linear chain that adopt a specific folded three-dimensional (3D) shape. This specific folded shape enables proteins to perform specific tasks. The protein structure prediction (PSP) by ab initio or de novo approach is promising amongst various available computational methods and can help to unravel the important relationship between sequence and its corresponding structure. This article presents the ab initio protein structure prediction as a conformational search problem in low resolution model using genetic algorithm. As a review, the essence of twin removal, intelligence in coding, the development and application of domain specific heuristics garnered from the properties of the resulting model and the protein core formation concept discussed are all highly relevant in attempting to secure the best solution.
Description:
This chapter explores awareness and compassion as essential elements in spiritual cultivation. Of the education of awareness, it describes the ideas of Aldous Huxley and J. Krishnamurthi as well as the Buddha’s teachings on mindfulness. The practice of awareness would reveal a holistic experience and multiple dimensions of reality. This chapter briefly describes the author’s view of “the five dimensions of reality” that include dimensions from the surface to the deepest, infinite reality. Drawing on Eastern perspectives, it explains that “pure awareness” is identical with infinite reality and that “great compassion” emerges as a manifestation of pure awareness. In addition, as for cultivating compassion, this chapter explores such concepts as the Four Immeasurable Minds, bodhichitta, bodhisattva, and also the mind training called lojong in Tibetan Buddhism. Finally, it suggests a vision of “the education of enlightenment,” in which both awareness and compassion are of central importance.
Description:
This chapter explores awareness and compassion as essential elements in spiritual cultivation. Of the education of awareness, it describes the ideas of Aldous Huxley and J. Krishnamurthi as well as the Buddha’s teachings on mindfulness. The practice of awareness would reveal a holistic experience and multiple dimensions of reality. This chapter briefly describes the author’s view of “the five dimensions of reality” that include dimensions from the surface to the deepest, infinite reality. Drawing on Eastern perspectives, it explains that “pure awareness” is identical with infinite reality and that “great compassion” emerges as a manifestation of pure awareness. In addition, as for cultivating compassion, this chapter explores such concepts as the Four Immeasurable Minds, bodhichitta, bodhisattva, and also the mind training called lojong in Tibetan Buddhism. Finally, it suggests a vision of “the education of enlightenment,” in which both awareness and compassion are of central importance.
Description:
In mid-2006, John Howard, conservative prime minister of Australia, convened a national history summit. The purported objective of the occasion was a commonly agreed national approach to the teaching and learning of Australian history in schools, a controversial issue at that time. This chapter, based on the personal involvement of the author in the process, outlines the background to the summit, details the inside story of the occasion and explains the political background to the John Howard’s hidden agenda in calling the 2006 history summit. This chapter discusses the events surrounding the Australian version of school history wars 2005-2007 as a memoir, but also as a study in high politics that deliberately emphasises the motivations and actions and roles of individuals, often quite obscure individuals, in the mechanics of political action and education policy formulation at the federal level.
Description:
In mid-2006, John Howard, conservative prime minister of Australia, convened a national history summit. The purported objective of the occasion was a commonly agreed national approach to the teaching and learning of Australian history in schools, a controversial issue at that time. This chapter, based on the personal involvement of the author in the process, outlines the background to the summit, details the inside story of the occasion and explains the political background to the John Howard’s hidden agenda in calling the 2006 history summit. This chapter discusses the events surrounding the Australian version of school history wars 2005-2007 as a memoir, but also as a study in high politics that deliberately emphasises the motivations and actions and roles of individuals, often quite obscure individuals, in the mechanics of political action and education policy formulation at the federal level.
Description:
In this paper, we propose a novel descriptor for shapes. The proposed descriptor is obtained from 3D spherical harmonics. The inadequacy of 2D spherical harmonics is addressed and the method to obtain 3D spherical harmonics is described. 3D spherical harmonics requires construction of a 3D model which implicitly represents rich features of objects. Spherical harmonics are used to obtain descriptors from the 3D models. The performance of the proposed method is compared against the CSS approach which is the MPEG-7 descriptor for shape contour. MPEG-7 dataset of shape contours, namely, CE-1 is used to perform the experiments. It is shown that the proposed method is effective
Description:
In this paper, we propose a novel descriptor for shapes. The proposed descriptor is obtained from 3D spherical harmonics. The inadequacy of 2D spherical harmonics is addressed and the method to obtain 3D spherical harmonics is described. 3D spherical harmonics requires construction of a 3D model which implicitly represents rich features of objects. Spherical harmonics are used to obtain descriptors from the 3D models. The performance of the proposed method is compared against the CSS approach which is the MPEG-7 descriptor for shape contour. MPEG-7 dataset of shape contours, namely, CE-1 is used to perform the experiments. It is shown that the proposed method is effective
Description:
This chapter describes molecular mechanisms of DNA damage response (DDR) and presents flow- and image-assisted cytometric approaches to assess these mechanisms and measure the extent of DDR in individual cells. DNA damage was induced by cell treatment with oxidizing agents, UV light, DNA topoisomerase I or II inhibitors, cisplatin, tobacco smoke, and by exogenous and endogenous oxidants. Chromatin relaxation (decondensation) is an early event of DDR chromatin that involves modification of high mobility group proteins (HMGs) and histone H1 and was detected by cytometry by analysis of the susceptibility of DNA in situ to denaturation using the metachromatic fluorochrome acridine orange. Translocation of the MRN complex consisting of Meiotic Recombination 11 Homolog A (Mre11), Rad50 homolog, and Nijmegen Breakage Syndrome 1 (NMR1) into DNA damage sites was assessed by laser scanning cytometry as the increase in the intensity of maximal pixel as well as integral value of Mre11 immunofluorescence. Examples of cytometric detection of activation of Ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM), and Check 2 (Chk2) protein kinases using phospho-specific Abs targeting Ser1981 and Thr68 of these proteins, respectively are also presented. We also discuss approaches to correlate activation of ATM and Chk2 with phosphorylation of p53 on Ser15 and histone H2AX on Ser139 as well as with cell cycle position and DNA replication. The capability of laser scanning cytometry to quantify individual foci of phosphorylated H2AX and/or ATM that provides more dependable assessment of the presence of DNA double-strand breaks is outlined. The new microfluidic Lab-on-a-Chip platforms for interrogation of individual cells offer a novel approach for DDR cytometric analysis.
Description:
This chapter describes molecular mechanisms of DNA damage response (DDR) and presents flow- and image-assisted cytometric approaches to assess these mechanisms and measure the extent of DDR in individual cells. DNA damage was induced by cell treatment with oxidizing agents, UV light, DNA topoisomerase I or II inhibitors, cisplatin, tobacco smoke, and by exogenous and endogenous oxidants. Chromatin relaxation (decondensation) is an early event of DDR chromatin that involves modification of high mobility group proteins (HMGs) and histone H1 and was detected by cytometry by analysis of the susceptibility of DNA in situ to denaturation using the metachromatic fluorochrome acridine orange. Translocation of the MRN complex consisting of Meiotic Recombination 11 Homolog A (Mre11), Rad50 homolog, and Nijmegen Breakage Syndrome 1 (NMR1) into DNA damage sites was assessed by laser scanning cytometry as the increase in the intensity of maximal pixel as well as integral value of Mre11 immunofluorescence. Examples of cytometric detection of activation of Ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM), and Check 2 (Chk2) protein kinases using phospho-specific Abs targeting Ser1981 and Thr68 of these proteins, respectively are also presented. We also discuss approaches to correlate activation of ATM and Chk2 with phosphorylation of p53 on Ser15 and histone H2AX on Ser139 as well as with cell cycle position and DNA replication. The capability of laser scanning cytometry to quantify individual foci of phosphorylated H2AX and/or ATM that provides more dependable assessment of the presence of DNA double-strand breaks is outlined. The new microfluidic Lab-on-a-Chip platforms for interrogation of individual cells offer a novel approach for DDR cytometric analysis.
Description:
Energy is only really valuable at its point of use and it therefore makes sense that the closer the point of generation is to the point of consumption, the less infrastructure is required for its distribution. This is less of a problem in largely populated areas where economies of scale make infrastructure installation more viable, or where distribution lines are only required to be relatively short due to settlements being close to each other. However, vast unpopulated countries such as Australia or even sparsely populated tracts of land such as in the world‘s deserts require a less capital and resource intensive solution to ensure the populations‘ access to power. All installations require energy, whether it be for digging holes in which to plant power poles, the production of concrete or the smelting of steel; and the less power that is used to make infrastructure to generate or distribute power, the cleaner the energy. It follows that the longer the infrastructure is made to last, the less energy is required for its maintenance and replacement. In some areas small-scale renewable energy production may be the best solution eliminating the need for large scale distribution systems. This chapter investigates, using Australia as the main example, how energy can be made cleaner by using different available renewable generation sources and materials and making those that are currently used last longer for cheaper and more energy efficient power distribution. The cost (and therefore environmental) benefits of using current distribution systems will be compared to those of small-scale renewable alternatives driven by recyclable or reusable materials and wastes. Barriers to implementation of such systems will be discussed with special reference to Australia. In essence, this chapter will discuss the choices that can be made for energy distribution and small-scale energy generation depending.
Description:
Energy is only really valuable at its point of use and it therefore makes sense that the closer the point of generation is to the point of consumption, the less infrastructure is required for its distribution. This is less of a problem in largely populated areas where economies of scale make infrastructure installation more viable, or where distribution lines are only required to be relatively short due to settlements being close to each other. However, vast unpopulated countries such as Australia or even sparsely populated tracts of land such as in the world‘s deserts require a less capital and resource intensive solution to ensure the populations‘ access to power. All installations require energy, whether it be for digging holes in which to plant power poles, the production of concrete or the smelting of steel; and the less power that is used to make infrastructure to generate or distribute power, the cleaner the energy. It follows that the longer the infrastructure is made to last, the less energy is required for its maintenance and replacement. In some areas small-scale renewable energy production may be the best solution eliminating the need for large scale distribution systems. This chapter investigates, using Australia as the main example, how energy can be made cleaner by using different available renewable generation sources and materials and making those that are currently used last longer for cheaper and more energy efficient power distribution. The cost (and therefore environmental) benefits of using current distribution systems will be compared to those of small-scale renewable alternatives driven by recyclable or reusable materials and wastes. Barriers to implementation of such systems will be discussed with special reference to Australia. In essence, this chapter will discuss the choices that can be made for energy distribution and small-scale energy generation depending.