Reinforcement learning involves decision making in dynamic and uncertain environments and constitutes an important element of artificial intelligence (AI). In this work, we experimentally demonstrate ...that the ultrafast chaotic oscillatory dynamics of lasers efficiently solve the multi-armed bandit problem (MAB), which requires decision making concerning a class of difficult trade-offs called the exploration-exploitation dilemma. To solve the MAB, a certain degree of randomness is required for exploration purposes. However, pseudorandom numbers generated using conventional electronic circuitry encounter severe limitations in terms of their data rate and the quality of randomness due to their algorithmic foundations. We generate laser chaos signals using a semiconductor laser sampled at a maximum rate of 100 GSample/s, and combine it with a simple decision-making principle called tug of war with a variable threshold, to ensure ultrafast, adaptive, and accurate decision making at a maximum adaptation speed of 1 GHz. We found that decision-making performance was maximized with an optimal sampling interval, and we highlight the exact coincidence between the negative autocorrelation inherent in laser chaos and decision-making performance. This study paves the way for a new realm of ultrafast photonics in the age of AI, where the ultrahigh bandwidth of light wave can provide new value.
Optimal antiplatelet monotherapy during the chronic maintenance period in patients who undergo coronary stenting is unknown. We aimed to compare head to head the efficacy and safety of aspirin and ...clopidogrel monotherapy in this population.
We did an investigator-initiated, prospective, randomised, open-label, multicentre trial at 37 study sites in South Korea. We enrolled patients aged at least 20 years who maintained dual antiplatelet therapy without clinical events for 6–18 months after percutaneous coronary intervention with drug-eluting stents (DES). We excluded patients with any ischaemic and major bleeding complications. Patients were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive a monotherapy agent of clopidogrel 75 mg once daily or aspirin 100 mg once daily for 24 months. The primary endpoint was a composite of all-cause death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, stroke, readmission due to acute coronary syndrome, and Bleeding Academic Research Consortium (BARC) bleeding type 3 or greater, in the intention-to-treat population. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02044250.
Between March 26, 2014, and May 29, 2018, we enrolled 5530 patients. 5438 (98·3%) patients were randomly assigned to either the clopidogrel group (2710 49·8%) or to the aspirin group (2728 50·2%). Ascertainment of the primary endpoint was completed in 5338 (98·2%) patients. During 24-month follow-up, the primary outcome occurred in 152 (5·7%) patients in the clopidogrel group and 207 (7·7%) in the aspirin group (hazard ratio 0·73 95% CI 0·59–0·90; p=0·0035).
Clopidogrel monotherapy, compared with aspirin monotherapy during the chronic maintenance period after percutaneous coronary intervention with DES significantly reduced the risk of the composite of all-cause death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, stroke, readmission due to acute coronary syndrome, and BARC bleeding type 3 or greater. In patients requiring indefinite antiplatelet monotherapy after percutaneous coronary intervention, clopidogrel monotherapy was superior to aspirin monotherapy in preventing future adverse clinical events.
ChongKunDang, SamJin, HanMi, DaeWoong, and the South Korea Ministry of Health and Welfare.
High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) is the state-of-the-art video coding standard. It adopts a hierarchical quad-tree-based coding unit (CU) partitioning structure that is flexible in various texture ...and motion characteristics of a video signal. However, the exhaustive partitioning process for finding optimal CU partitions requires a dramatic increase in computational complexity of the HEVC encoder compared with previous video coding standards. In this paper, a fast CU partitioning algorithm is proposed for HEVC encoder, which early on terminates the CU partitioning process based on the Bayesian decision rule using joint online and offline learning. An online learning method is first presented based on the minimum error Bayesian decision rule using a training picture selection method with scene change detection. Next, a joint online and offline learning method is presented, which additionally trains the loss of decision making of the proposed method based on the minimum risk Bayesian decision rule. The proposed method is implemented on an HEVC test software 15.0. Experimental results show that the proposed method reduces the computational complexity of HEVC encoder to 53.6% on an average with a 0.71% acceptable Bjøntegaard delta bitrate loss in random access configuration. For other configurations, 48.4%, 48.5%, and 54.2% encoding time saving are obtained on an average for low delay, low delay-P, and all intra-configurations, respectively.
This study was designed to investigate associations among five factor personality traits, perceived stress, and depressive symptoms and to examine the roles of personality and perceived stress in the ...relationship between gender and depressive symptoms. The participants (N = 3,950) were part of a cohort study for health screening and examination at the Kangbuk Samsung Hospital. Personality was measured with the Revised NEO Personality Inventory (NEO-PI-R). Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). Perceived stress level was evaluated with a self-reported stress questionnaire developed for the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. A higher degree of neuroticism and lower degrees of extraversion, agreeableness, and conscientiousness were significantly associated with greater perceived stress and depressive symptoms. Neuroticism and extraversion had significant direct and indirect effects (via stress as a mediator) on depressive symptoms in both genders. Agreeableness and conscientiousness had indirect effects on depression symptoms in both genders. Multiple mediation models were used to examine the mediational roles of each personality factor and perceived stress in the link between gender and depressive symptoms. Four of the personality factors (except openness) were significant mediators, along with stress, on the relationship between gender and depressive symptoms. Our findings suggest that the links between personality factors and depressive symptoms are mediated by perceived stress. As such, personality is an important factor to consider when examining the link between gender and depression.
A new state-of-health (SOH) estimation method for lithium batteries that uses a dual-sliding-mode observer is presented. The capacity fade and resistance deterioration were estimated by the ...dual-sliding-mode observer. The dual-sliding-mode observer consists of a fast-paced time-varying observer and a slow-paced time-varying observer. The fast-paced time-varying observer estimates parameters, such as the state of charge and terminal voltage, and polarization effects. The slow-paced time-varying observer estimates the SOH in terms of the capacity fade and resistance deterioration. The convergence of the proposed observer was proved by the Lyapunov equation. The structure of the proposed system is simple and easy to implement and shows robust control properties against modeling errors and temperature variations. The test results show that the proposed observer system has superior tracking performance than previous ampere-counting method.
The two-way linear fixed effects regression (2FE) has become a default method for estimating causal effects from panel data. Many applied researchers use the 2FE estimator to adjust for unobserved ...unit-specific and time-specific confounders at the same time. Unfortunately, we demonstrate that the ability of the 2FE model to simultaneously adjust for these two types of unobserved confounders critically relies upon the assumption of linear additive effects. Another common justification for the use of the 2FE estimator is based on its equivalence to the difference-in-differences estimator under the simplest setting with two groups and two time periods. We show that this equivalence does not hold under more general settings commonly encountered in applied research. Instead, we prove that the multi-period difference-in-differences estimator is equivalent to the weighted 2FE estimator with some observations having negative weights. These analytical results imply that in contrast to the popular belief, the 2FE estimator does not represent a design-based, nonparametric estimation strategy for causal inference. Instead, its validity fundamentally rests on the modeling assumptions.
In this paper, we presented a robust and high performance plasmonic refractive index (RI) sensor based on graphene plasmon waveguide coupled to graphene nano-ring resonator. We analytically derived ...characteristics of the RI sensor such as resonance wavelength, wavelength sensitivity and figure of merit (FoM). And we showed a possibility of a high FoM by the structural symmetry of the resonator and a close relation between structural parameters, performance of the sensor and tunable physical properties of graphene. Based on the theoretical study, we suggested that one can achieve a high-performance of the sensor, regardless of a resonant mode selection and surrounding medium change, and can also compensate the fabrication defect of the sensor by adjusting chemical potential of the graphene ring resonator and waveguide. Numerical solution confirms the robust and high performance of the RI sensor, which would be a good candidate to develop practical nanoscale integrated sensors.
•A simple sensing structure consisting of graphene waveguide and ring resonator.•High-performance refractive index sensor with high figure of merit (FoM) based on the symmetry of the structure.•The compensation of fabrication defect by tuning the chemical potential of graphene.•The clear prediction of sensing characteristics.
A new maximum power point tracker (MPPT) for a grid-connected photovoltaic system without solar array current sensor is proposed. The solar array current information is obtained from the sliding-mode ...observer and fed into the MPPT to generate the reference voltage. The parameter values such as capacitances can be changed up to 50% from their nominal values, and the linear observer cannot estimate the correct state values under the parameter variations and noisy environments. The structure of a sliding-mode observer is simple, but it shows the robust tracking property against modeling uncertainties and parameter variations. In this paper, the sliding-mode observer for the solar array current has been proposed to compensate for the parameter variations. The mathematical modeling and the experimental results verify the validity of the proposed method
In this paper, a new state of charge estimation method for lithium battery has been presented. Contrary to the conventional methods which use complicated battery modeling, a simple resistor–capacitor ...battery model was used in order to reduce calculation time and system resource. Modeling errors caused by the simple model are compensated by the sliding mode observer. The structure of the proposed system is simple, but it shows robust control property against modeling errors and uncertainties. The state equation for battery model and the systematic design approach for sliding mode observer also have been presented. The convergence of proposed observer has been proved by the Lyapunov inequality equation and the performance of system has been verified by the sequence of urban dynamometer driving schedule test. The test results show the proposed observer system has robust tracking performance with reduced calculation time under the real driving environments.
Itch in atopic dermatitis (AD) is aggravated under warm conditions. Transient receptor potential vanilloid (TRPV) 3, a member of the thermosensitive transient receptor potential channels, is ...activated by innocuous heat and is abundantly expressed in keratinocytes. The potential role of TRPV3 in itch is illustrated in TRPV3 channelopathies of humans and mice. However, the role of TRPV3 in heat-induced itch in AD and the underlying mechanisms are unclear. Here we showed that keratinocytes isolated from patients with AD exhibit enhanced expression and heat sensitivity with hyperactive channel function of TRPV3. Heat stimulus induced enhanced secretion of thymic stromal lymphopoietin, nerve growth factor, and prostaglandin E2 by keratinocytes from patients with AD through TRPV3 activation. TRPV3 agonists increased thymic stromal lymphopoietin, nerve growth factor, prostaglandin E2, and IL-33 production in human keratinocytes and induced scratching behavior upon intradermal injection in mice. TRPV3 was upregulated in the skin of MC903-induced AD mouse model. Heat stimulation to MC903-treated mice increased scratching behavior and produced higher levels of thymic stromal lymphopoietin, nerve growth factor, prostaglandin E2, and IL-33 from the epidermis, which were attenuated by pharmacologic inhibition of TRPV3. Moreover, neutralization of thymic stromal lymphopoietin reduced heat-evoked scratching in MC903-challenged mice. These results suggest that TRPV3 is a potential therapeutic target for heat-induced itch in AD.