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Reinforcement learning employs heuristic intrinsic rewards to facilitate effective learning and exploration of the environment by intelligent agents. Particularly in environments with sparse rewards, it’s challenging for agents to reach goals or obtain extrinsic rewards through random exploration. Appropriate intrinsic rewards can significantly boost learning. However, using intrinsic rewards requires a careful balance between exploration and exploitation, which is typically adjusted by a coefficient. In addition, different settings of the intrinsic reward coefficient can lead to significant differences in learning efficiency and performance. Hence, this paper presents a novel approach to regulate intrinsic rewards by adaptively tuning their coefficients, with the aim of enhancing the performance of some existing intrinsic reward techniques. The primary contributions of this study can be summarized in three aspects: 1) Designing a coefficient that adjusts the magnitude of intrinsic rewards, which dynamically adapts based on the return curve. 2) Developing an episode-wise adjustment strategy to improve the sample efficiency of intrinsic reward methods. 3) Modifying the advantage function in gradient policy methods to mitigate training instability caused by changes in the regulated intrinsic rewards. To evaluate the proposed method, we conducted experiments in both 2D and 3D maze environments with sparse rewards, combining it with several intrinsic reward approaches. The results demonstrate that the proposed method effectively enhances learning efficiency and improves the performance of some existing approaches to a certain extent.

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This study aims to explore HOTS (Higher Order Thingking Skill) in Class VIII Arabic Textbooks. This research uses qualitative descriptive methods with document analysis techniques (content analysis). The document analyzed in this study is a Class VIII MTs Arabic textbook published by the Ministry of Religious Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia in 2020. This study concludes that HOTS problems are more complex, require deeper thinking, and often require the application of concepts in new or complex contexts. Of the 16 question commands on Tadrib Maharah Qiraah contained in 6 dars in the MTs Class VIII Arabic textbook, it was found that only 6 question commands included the cognitive level at the HOTS level with 3 categories of question commands, namely determining paragraph titles, answering questions based on text and making sentences based on images.

Comparing the Gutenberg Galaxy with what he called the Marconi Constellation (Understanding Media, 1964), Marshall McLuhan discussed “the effects of radio [as being] quite independent of its programming” (that is, “the medium is the message”), noting that electronic media represent “an ever-simultaneous flow which is a very far cry indeed from the one direction, one level flow of the printed page, or of the lecture platform.” Thinking of what he calls “the typographic trance of the West [that] has endured until today” (Playboy interview, 1969), McLuhan prophesized the shift from the visual culture of print to the acoustic culture of the electronic: “[T]he Gutenberg Galaxy is being eclipsed by the constellation of Marconi.” I propose that this concept has its roots in McLuhan’s deep interest in modernism but also that it leaves its imprint on his progressive pedagogy as formulated in “Education in the Electronic Age” (1967, 1970) where he proposes an experiential, collaborative, student-centered, project-based, integrated learning as a way of “the training of [students’] perception.” In this paper, I compare two brief passages, one from T.S. Eliot’s The Waste Land (1922) and the other from McLuhan’s Counterblast (1954) as examples of the progressive heuristic tool of exploration McLuhan called “mosaic” and offered as a tool for the training of readers’/students’ perception. Eliot’s poem offers a paradigm of a modernist experiment in which the reader is invited to inhabit the text’s intervals, learning to read the page which, though visual, aspires to be polyphonic, simultaneous, and (in McLuhan’s terms) acoustic--instead of just visual. The paper therefore argues that McLuhan’s emerging, radical, future-looking, electronic, post-modernist poetics is firmly rooted in the modernist praxis of “making it new” that looks both to its modernist past and the electronic/media/digital future.

The geotectonic environment of Central America provides the region with a high potential for harnessing geothermal energy, however, the use of this energy source continues to be scarce due to a variety of factors, including limited access to exploration-oriented resources. It is therefore a priority to generate information that facilitates the preliminary stages of geothermal projects in order to achieve a greater contribution of available renewable sources to the energy matrix. In this study, the MaxEnt model was employed to predict locations with geothermal potential in Honduras. The model incorporated the coordinates of 177 surface manifestations and utilized various predictors, including the distribution of volcanoes, geological formations, faults, aquifers, and surface temperature. These predictors were disaggregated into 23 environmental variables. A map with an adequate prediction precision (Area Under the Receiver Operating Characteristic Curve = 0.868) was generated, showing that except for the eastern central region of Honduras, the country has a significant prevalence of surface with high and very high probability of occurrence of geothermal manifestations. Among the variables analyzed, the occurrence of geothermal manifestations can be primarily attributed to the proximity to volcanoes in the region.

Cluster analysis is a statistical learning technique that aims to uncover hidden patterns in data by grouping it based on known explanatory variables. In multi-clustering algorithms, similar data in different sub-dimensions of categories are initially grouped separately and then re-categorized based on the obtained clusters, resulting in a more exploratory grouping. This research aims to conduct exploratory analysis of regencies/cities in West Java based on the Village Development Index (Indeks Desa Membangun/IDM), which consists of three sub-dimensions: Social Resilience Index, Economic Index, and Environmental Index. It also aims to observe how the regencies/cities in West Java are grouped based on these indices using a multi-clustering algorithm with KMeans for each sub-dimension. From the exploration and analysis results, regencies/cities are clustered based on the three sub-dimensions. Additionally, recommendations are obtained suggesting that the equal distribution of educational facilities, addressing crime rates, improving economic infrastructure, and enhancing environmental quality should be priorities for the government of West Java province

To explore the folklore of Tadulako Bulili as a literacy medium in learning the two-dimensional shape, a qualitative descriptive study was carried out with an ethnographic approach. Methods of observation, interviews, documentation, and literature studies were used to collect research data, which were analyzed using the Miles & Huberman interactive model. The subjects of this study were traditional leaders, 3rd-grade elementary school teachers, lecturers, and several students who lived in Sigi Regency. The findings show that Tadulako Bulili's folklore can be thematic contextual learning in two-dimensional material that supports Ausubel, Bruner, and Gagne's learning theory. The results found four fundamental mathematical activities: counting, locating, designing, and explaining. In addition, various two-dimensional shapes were found in the illustrations of objects in the story. The exploration results also provided knowledge and information on the mention of two-dimensional shapes in the Kaili language and replicas of objects that were thought to be found in the story. Folklore could also introduce students to the local wisdom of Central Sulawesi, such as traditional houses, traditional weapons, hunting and farming tools, and the stories themselves.

The point of this examination is to figure out the philosophy contained in the customary Kumango silat in West Sumatra region. The examining procedure utilized purposive testing method or with specific contemplations so there were 7 sources utilized in this examination. Information assortment methods in this examination utilized perception procedures, documentation studies and meetings with old Kumango Conventional Silat educators. The information obtained will be depicted in subjective expressive structure so an itemized and thorough picture can be obtained. The consequences of the exploration uncover that in Kumango Customary Silat there are numerous methods of reasoning, one of which is the colloquialism "Alam Takambang Jadi Guru" and that implies whatever is a sign in nature, when we learn silat we perceive how battles among tigers and tigers or other brutal creatures result. what should be visible can be utilized as an aide and concentrated in Minangkabau customs. Apart from that, there is also a philosophy in traditional Kumango silat that is applied by the martial artists, namely "Basiang Sabalun Tumbuah, Malantai Sabalun Luluih" applying the principle of introspection or caution.

Feature selection (FS) is a crucial task in machine learning applications, which aims to select the most appropriate feature subset while maintaining high classification accuracy with the minimum number of selected features. Despite the widespread usage of metaheuristics as wrapper-based FS techniques, they show reduced effectiveness and increased computational cost when applied to high-dimensional datasets. This paper presents a novel Binary Object-Oriented Programming Optimization Algorithm (BOOPOA) for FS of high dimensional datasets, where the Object-Oriented Programming Optimization Algorithm (OOPOA) is a novel optimization technique inspired by the inheritance concept of Object-Oriented programming (OOP) languages. The effectiveness of this method in solving high dimensional FS problems is validated by using 26 datasets, most of which are of high dimension (large number of features). Seven existing FS algorithms are compared with the proposed OOPOA using various metrics, including best fitness, average fitness (AVG), selection size, and computational time. The results prove the superiority of the proposed algorithm over the other FS algorithms, having an average performance of %92.5, 0.078, 0.084, %38.9, and 8.6 min for classification accuracy, best fitness, average fitness, size reduction ratio, and computational time. The outcomes demonstrate the proposed FS approach's superiority over currently used methods.

EELS-DARTS is a simulator designed for autonomy development and analysis of large degree of freedom snake-like robots for space exploration. A detailed description of the EELS-DARTS simulator design is presented. This includes the versatile underlying multibody dynamics representation used to model a variety of distinct snake robot configurations as well as an anisotropic friction model for describing screw–ice interaction. Additional simulation components such as graphics, importable terrain, joint controllers, and perception are discussed. Methods for setting up and running simulations are discussed, including how a snake robot’s autonomy stack closes the commands and information loop with the simulation via ROS. Multiple use cases are described to illustrate how the simulation is used to aid and inform robot design, autonomy development, and field test use throughout the project’s life cycle. A validation analysis of the screw–ice contact model is performed for the surface mobility case. Lastly, an overview of simulation use for planning operations during a recent field test to the Athabasca Glacier in Canada is discussed.

Ambidextrous innovation is considered to be a key framework for innovation that offers organizations the ability to maintain their current level of competitiveness and develop and sustain a long-term competitive advantage. However, the implementation of ambidextrous innovation is constrained by an organization’s culture. Thus, the aim and objective of the present research are to explore the literature deeply and attempt to understand both organizational culture and ambidextrous innovation, along with key cultural aspects with regard to ambidexterity. The present research deeply dived into the model of organizational culture and attempted to build synergy between each model with respect to ambidexterity. The results of the present research suggest that Cameron and Quinn’s competing value framework, once amalgamated with the Schein model, creates an organizational culture framework that can be used to develop a culture that is best suited to the implementation of ambidextrous innovation. The Schein model provides a comprehensive guideline for each value of the competing value framework. Further, the present research also extracted key insights with regard to the role culture can play in innovation in general and ambidextrous innovation in particular. Finally, the present research also attempted to build a list of culture enablers and inhibitors that can facilitate and impede the process of ambidextrous innovation.

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are increasingly deployed to enhance the operational efficiency of city services. However, finding optimal solutions for the gather–return task pattern under dynamic environments and the energy constraints of UAVs remains a challenge, particularly in dense high-rise building areas. This paper investigates the multi-UAV path planning problem, aiming to optimize solutions and enhance data gathering rates by refining exploration strategies. Initially, for the path planning problem, a reinforcement learning (RL) technique equipped with an environment reset strategy is adopted, and the data gathering problem is modeled as a maximization problem. Subsequently, to address the limitations of stationary distribution in indicating the short-term behavioral patterns of agents, a Time-Adaptive Distribution is proposed, which evaluates and optimizes the policy by combining the behavioral characteristics of agents across different time scales. This approach is particularly suitable for the early stages of learning. Furthermore, the paper describes and defines the “Narrow-Elongated Path” Problem (NEP-Problem), a special spatial configuration in RL environments that hinders agents from finding optimal solutions through random exploration. To address this, a Robust-Optimization Exploration Strategy is introduced, leveraging expert knowledge and robust optimization to ensure UAVs can deterministically reach and thoroughly explore any target areas. Finally, extensive simulation experiments validate the effectiveness of the proposed path planning algorithms and comprehensively analyze the impact of different exploration strategies on data gathering efficiency.

While the strategic marketing literature promotes ambidexterity as a critical innovation strategy that can enhance firm performance, its value in the international marketing context remains underexplored. Combining the ambidexterity and international marketing literatures, this study investigates how ambidexterity affects performance of the international joint ventures (IJVs) and how parent control asymmetry and cultural distance moderate the effects. Using polynomial analysis, this study simultaneously considers both the balance and intensity elements of ambidexterity and examines their effects on IJV performance in China. The authors argue that ambidexterity balance has a U-shaped effect on IJV performance, whereas ambidexterity intensity exerts an inverted U-shaped effect; such effects are further moderated by the unique features of IJVs—that is, parent control asymmetry and cultural distance. With a data set that combines survey and archival data on IJVs in China, the authors find strong empirical evidence for the hypotheses. These findings offer important advances to innovation research on IJVs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rhodaliids, a specific family of siphonophores inhabiting the benthic zone, have remained enigmatic due to their rarity and elusive nature. These unique organisms, primarily found in open ocean habitats, exhibit distinctive features and are characterized by complex structures. During the Red Sea Decade Expedition, two rhodaliid specimens were collected at the sea bed at water depths of 438 and 495 meters. Regardless of challenges in specimen preservation, detailed morphological analysis revealed unique characteristics. Genetic analysis, employing the 16S rRNA marker, revealed one specimen closely related to Thermopalia taraxaca, while the taxonomic traits of this specimen suggested the identification of Archangelopsis jagoa. While most of the morphological features of the second specimen were also very similar to A. jagoa, some differences in coloration suggest the discovery of either an unusual colour variant or a potential new species within this genus. Notably, this study reports the first sequencing of A. jagoa. This species demonstrated a capacity to thrive in low-oxygen environments, challenging conventional assumptions about their habitat requirements. Despite difficulties in specimen handling and genetic analysis limitations due to a lack of comprehensive data, this research sheds light on the elusive world of benthic rhodaliids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digital modelling stands as a pivotal step in the realm of Digital Twinning. The future trend of Digital Twinning involves automated exploration and environmental modelling in complex scenes. In our study, we propose an innovative solution for robot odometry, path planning, and exploration in unknown outdoor environments, with a focus on Digital modelling. The approach uses a minimum cost formulation with pseudo-randomly generated objectives, integrating multi-path planning and evaluation, with emphasis on full coverage of unknown maps based on feasible boundaries of interest. The approach allows for dynamic changes to expected targets and behaviours. The evaluation is conducted on a robotic platform with a lightweight 3D LiDAR sensor model. The robustness of different types of odometry is compared, and the impact of parameters on motion planning is explored. The consistency and efficiency of exploring completely unknown areas are assessed in both indoor and outdoor scenarios. The experiment shows that the method proposed in this article can complete autonomous exploration and environmental modelling tasks in complex indoor and outdoor scenes. Finally, the study concludes by summarizing the reasons for exploration failures and outlining future focuses in this domain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article offers an introspective, intentionally imperfect, and contradictory exploration of various dimensions of multiple selves, belonging, and the migrant experience. It focuses on the author's personal experiences, examining the contradictions and challenges inherent to constructing a diasporic identity. The author unravels the complexities of self-identification and external perceptions, emphasizing how labels, names, and physical appearance influence interactions and self-understanding in specific cultural and geographical contexts. The adequacy of conventional words and terminology is questioned, as is their capacity to fully capture the richness and diversity of migratory and diasporic experiences. An argument is made for a more flexible conceptualization capable of accommodating the wide range of different backgrounds, challenges, and realities of racialized people and migrants of East Asian origin. Overall, the article proposes a re-evaluation and re-orientation of the dominant narratives and discourses around identity and migration. Through a personal reflection, it seeks to celebrate the multiplicity and complexity of diasporic identities and experiences using contradiction as a starting point. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new bio-inspired metaheuristic algorithm named the Pufferfish Optimization Algorithm (POA), that imitates the natural behavior of pufferfish in nature, is introduced in this paper. The fundamental inspiration of POA is adapted from the defense mechanism of pufferfish against predators. In this defense mechanism, by filling its elastic stomach with water, the pufferfish becomes a spherical ball with pointed spines, and as a result, the hungry predator escapes from this threat. The POA theory is stated and then mathematically modeled in two phases: (i) exploration based on the simulation of a predator's attack on a pufferfish and (ii) exploitation based on the simulation of a predator's escape from spiny spherical pufferfish. The performance of POA is evaluated in handling the CEC 2017 test suite for problem dimensions equal to 10, 30, 50, and 100. The optimization results show that POA has achieved an effective solution with the appropriate ability in exploration, exploitation, and the balance between them during the search process. The quality of POA in the optimization process is compared with the performance of twelve well-known metaheuristic algorithms. The simulation results show that POA provides superior performance by achieving better results in most of the benchmark functions in order to solve the CEC 2017 test suite compared to competitor algorithms. Also, the effectiveness of POA to handle optimization tasks in real-world applications is evaluated on twenty-two constrained optimization problems from the CEC 2011 test suite and four engineering design problems. Simulation results show that POA provides effective performance in handling real-world applications by achieving better solutions compared to competitor algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing daily exploration is linked to improvements in affective well-being. However, COVID-19 elevated uncertainty when leaving the home, altering the risk-reward of balance of geospatial novelty. To this end, we simultaneously collected real-world geospatial tracking and experience sampling of emotion, prior to and during the first year of the pandemic in 630 individuals. COVID-19 reduced exploration and subjective well-being. Yet, despite the health risks of exploring during the pandemic, the days of highest affective well-being were those when individuals explored the most. However, this was not true for everyone: during the first months of the pandemic, at the height of the uncertainty surrounding the transmissibility and prognosis of a COVID-19 infection, more anxious individuals experienced no affective benefit to leaving home. Taken together, real-world exploration improved well-being regardless of the presence of real-world threat, but anxiety mitigated these benefits. General Scientific Summary: Evidence suggests that increasing the diversity of daily experience improves emotional well-being; however, the COVID-19 pandemic altered how we engage with our world, elevating the threat of leaving home. COVID-19 reduced exploration and subjective well-being, yet exploratory behavior still boosted positive emotion throughout the pandemic. During the first months of the pandemic, at peak COVID-19 uncertainty, heightened anxiety mitigated the emotional benefits of exploration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geological investigations planned for the Europa Clipper mission will examine the formation, evolution, and expression of geomorphic structures found on the surface. Understanding geologic features, their formation, and any recent activity are key inputs in constraining Europa’s potential for habitability. In addition to providing information about the moon’s habitability, the geologic study of Europa is compelling in and of itself. Here we provide a high-level, cross-instrument, and cross-discipline overview of the geologic investigations planned within the Europa Clipper mission. Europa’s fascinating collection of ice-focused geology provides an unparalleled opportunity to investigate the dynamics of icy shells, ice-ocean exchange processes, and global-scale tectonic and tidal stresses. We present an overview of what is currently known about the geology of Europa, from global to local scales, highlighting outstanding issues and open questions, and detailing how the Europa Clipper mission will address them. We describe the mission’s strategy for searching for and characterizing current activity in the form of possible active plumes, thermal anomalies, evidence for surface changes, and extremely fresh surface exposures. The complementary and synergistic nature of the data sets from the various instruments and their integration will be key to significantly advancing our understanding of Europa’s geology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Southeast Asia has great potential for mineral exploration, and this region is well-known to host huge economic ore deposits located in complex tectonic terranes. Amongst these ore deposits, the Ni(Co) laterite deposits are mainly distributed in Indonesia, the Philippines, and Myanmar. There are two main types of Ni(Co) laterite deposits consisting of hydrous Mg silicate (or garnierite) and oxide ores, with limited development of clay silicate type. These deposits are influenced and controlled by the lithology of ultramafic bedrock, topography, climate, weathering, structures, and tectonic environment. The degree of bedrock serpentinization has an important influence on the grade of Ni laterite ore. Given the growing demand of modern society for Ni(Co) ore resources, deep research should be focused on a better understanding of the genesis of this laterite deposit and geological features of Ni(Co) ore, as well as its exploration applications in southeastern Asia. Improving current research and exploration methods by means of cutting-edge technologies can enhance the understanding of the Ni(Co) enrichment mechanism in weathered laterite and lead to the discovery of new deposits in Southeast Asia. Ni(Co) laterite deposits from this region, especially Indonesia and the Philippines, have the potential to be a source of scandium, rare earth elements, and platinum group elements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Darwin's finch species in the Galápagos Islands are famously distinguished by their morphology but less attention has been given to behavioral differences between species. In this study, we compared behavior between four Darwin's finch species on Floreana Island: small ground finch (Geospiza fuliginosa), medium ground finch (G. fortis), small tree finch (Camarhynchus parvulus), and medium tree finch (C. pauper). After capturing birds using mist-nets, we measured three behavioral traits: (1) boldness during human handling, (2) exploration in a novel environment, and (3) aggressiveness towards their mirror image. First, we found that ground finches were bolder and more exploratory than tree finches, consistent with their distinct ecological niches on Floreana Island and with the theoretical prediction that diet generalists should be less wary of novelty. Second, we tested the ecological validity of these behavioral variables at the individual level by relating them to territory defense behavior and breeding success. We found that males that were more exploratory in the novel environment also reacted more aggressively to a simulated territory intruder and showed lower offspring hatching success during the breeding season. Hence, our findings support previous work showing behavioral differences between Darwin's finch species and also suggest pathways by which behavioral differences among individuals might influence fitness. Significance statement: Closely-related species that overlap in their geographical range may differ in their morphology and/or behavior, allowing them to occupy different ecological niches. In this study, we explored behavioral differences between four Darwin's finch species on Floreana Island in the Galápagos Archipelago. We found clear interspecies differences in behavior, with the ground finches struggling more often during handling (boldness) and visiting more sectors in a novel environment (exploration) compared to the tree finches. After birds were released, we continued to observe a subset of male finches in the wild. An individual's exploration behavior significantly predicted both its aggressive response to a territory intruder (simulated using song playback) and offspring hatching success during the breeding season. This suggests that individual differences in exploration behavior can potentially be used as a proxy for territorial behavior in the wild and may also predict fitness outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prior research has extensively discussed the incidence of exploration and exploitation capabilities on innovation. Theoretically, cultural factors are considered variables that benefit this relationship. However, this rationale has not been evaluated in previous research. The present study examines the moderating role of cultural factors in the relationship between exploration and radical innovation, as well as in the relationship between exploitation and incremental innovation. This was performed by means of Structural Equation Modelling (SEM), using Partial Least Squares (PLS), with data from 251 large Colombian firms that intensively use information and knowledge. The results hereof indicate that exploration and exploitation influence radical and incremental innovation, respectively. This is a novel finding on firms from developing countries, as it is a relationship that has been mainly studied in organisations from developed regions. It was also found that the cultural factor alignment strengthens the relationship between exploitation and incremental innovation. However, the cultural factor adaptability does not benefit the relationship between exploration and radical innovation. These results bridge the existing literature gap on how exploration/exploitation capabilities, cultural factors, and innovation behave as a whole. In addition, these findings are helpful in managerial terms, because they offer a better understanding of the ways in which firms can achieve innovation results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the research topic of enhancing the reliability of unmanned mobile exploration using LiDAR SLAM. Specifically, it proposes a technique to analyze waypoints where 3D LiDAR SLAM can be smoothly performed in potential exploration areas and points where there is a risk of divergence in navigation estimation. The goal is to improve exploration performance by presenting a method that secures these candidate regions. The analysis employs a 3D geometric observability matrix and its condition number to discriminate waypoints. Subsequently, the discriminated values are applied to path planning, resulting in the derivation of a final destination path connecting waypoints with a satisfactory SLAM position and attitude estimation performance. To validate the proposed technique, performance analysis was initially conducted using the Gazebo simulator. Additionally, experiments were performed with an autonomous unmanned vehicle in a real-world environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In an increasingly volatile world, staying employable throughout the course of one's career has become more important than ever. Whereas adaptability appears to be critical to employability, our understanding of the conditions under which employees' work-related adaptive behaviour renders them employable in the eyes of their leaders is underdeveloped. By taking a person-supervisor fit approach, we argue that leader-rated employability is contingent on the extent to which employee adaptive behaviours are compatible with leader behaviours that either facilitate or constrain adaptability. Based on the Career Roles Model, we propose that exploration career role enactment is positively associated with leader employability evaluations. Furthermore, drawing on supplementary fit and complementary fit theory, we advance competing hypotheses about the moderating roles of leader opening and closing behaviours in the relationship between exploration career role enactment and employability evaluations. Results of a multi-source field study of Dutch leader-subordinate dyads (N = 292) indicate that exploration career role enactment is positively related to leader-rated employability. Moreover, we find support for our complementary fit hypotheses: employee enactment of exploration career roles is positively related to employability evaluations when leader behaviour complements rather than supplements employee exploratory behaviours. We conclude with theoretical and practical implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The African turquoise killifish (Nothobranchius furzeri) has emerged as a popular model organism for neuroscience research in the last decade. One of the reasons for its popularity is its short lifespan for a vertebrate organism. However, little research has been carried out using killifish in behavioral tests, especially looking at changes in their behavior upon aging. Therefore, we used the open field and the novel tank diving test to unravel killifish locomotion, exploration-related behavior, and behavioral changes over their adult lifespan. The characterization of this behavioral baseline is important for future experiments involving pharmacology to improve the aging phenotype. In this study, two cohorts of fish were used, one cohort was tested in the open field test and one cohort was tested in the novel tank diving test. Each cohort was tested from the age of 6 weeks to the age of 24 weeks and measurements were performed every three weeks. In the open field test, we found an increase in the time spent in the center zone from 18 weeks onward, which could indicate altered exploration behavior. However, upon aging, the fish also showed an increased immobility frequency and duration. In addition, after the age of 15 weeks, their locomotion decreased. In the novel tank diving test, we did not observe this aging effect on locomotion or exploration. Killifish spent around 80% of their time in the bottom half of the tank, and we could not observe habituation effects, indicating slow habituation to novel environments. Moreover, we observed that killifish showed homebase behavior in both tests. These homebases are mostly located near the edges of the open field test and at the bottom of the novel tank diving test. Altogether, in the open field test, the largest impact of aging on locomotion and exploration was observed beyond the age of 15 weeks. In the novel tank diving test, no effect of age was found. Therefore, to test the effects of pharmacology on innate behavior, the novel tank diving test is ideally suited because there is no confounding effect of aging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Robotic Process Automation (RPA) has gained increasing significance in recent years. RPA leverages software bots to automate repetitive business processes traditionally performed by humans, making it one of the easiest, least invasive, and fastest automation approaches. Publications on the topic are scarce, however, and concerns regarding job loss and employee acceptance of new operational processes and technologies remain significant challenges. The additional motivation behind this study is to address the lack of research on the implementation strategy of RPA in the context of ambidexterity, i.e., optimizing enterprise capability in balancing between exploration and exploitation. The paper adopts a managerial perspective and aims to identify the key factors supporting the implementation of RPA in the context of ambidexterity, using an empirical study of service companies as an example. The research methodology employed includes literature review, opinion surveys, and statistical analysis. The paper highlights the stimulating role of the ambidexterity concept in RPA implementation projects and strategies, with a hybrid approach to dynamic balancing of exploitation and exploration. The findings of this paper will be of use for researchers and practitioners in developing effective RPA implementation strategies that balance the needs for exploitation and exploration while factoring in the concerns raised by employees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Adolescent delinquency has been suggested to evolve from a normative motivation to establish independence and identity. However, few studies have examined this in detail, especially in young women. The aim was, therefore, to investigate identity formation in adolescent females with limited delinquency by focusing on identity status and identity processes in narratives about committing crimes and being convicted. Methods: Interviews with 10 females, 15–18 years old, sentenced to youth service in three Swedish cities were conducted on Zoom. Results: The results showed an equal distribution of all identity statuses within the group. Thematic analysis of their stories about crime and conviction showed that delinquency was described in terms of exploration and commitment, although commitment appeared more clearly. Social relations, in particular peers, played an important role in both committing as well as desisting from delinquency. In terms of narrative processes, the stories contained elements of agency, although diminishing of one's own capability and/or responsibility was common, and meaning making, mostly lesson learning, usually pertained to behaviors, interactional rules, or norms. Conclusion: These findings point to the importance of viewing delinquency among young women in a social and developmental context, where delinquency may be a part of the process of identity formation. Interventions focusing on expressing needs of belonging as well as finding oneself in more adaptive ways are warranted, where supporting pro‐social relations and contexts is a suggested focus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bacterial leaf blight, caused by Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. allii, poses a substantial risk to shallot crops. Actinobacteria are promising candidates for biological control because of their ability to generate bioactive compounds. This research aimed to identify the most effective Actinobacteria isolates for managing bacterial leaf blight and boosting the growth and yield of shallot plants. The study was conducted in three phases: 1.) Isolation and characterization of Actinobacteria and X. axonopodis pv. allii, 2.) Selection of Actinobacteria to control X. axonopodis pv. allii and boost shallot plant growth with 21 treatments and three replications, and 3.) Molecular identification and testing of selected Actinobacteria for controlling X. axonopodis pv. allii. This research was carried out in the microbiology laboratory and experimental farm of the Faculty of Agriculture at Andalas University in West Sumatra, Indonesia. The study identified several indigenous Actinobacteria isolates (AT2aP7Y, AS3aA7Y, AA2aP7Y, AS1aP6Y, and AS1aP7Y) with high phosphate solubilizing indices, strong antagonistic activity, and significant abilities in nitrogen fixation and phytohormone (IAA) production. These isolates were identified as Streptomyces spp. and Micromonospora shersina R-Ac134 through 16sRNA sequencing. They demonstrated potential for effectively controlling bacterial leaf blight and enhancing the growth and yield of shallot plants. In conclusion, the indigenous Actinobacteria isolates from the regions of Solok, Tanah Datar, and Agam in West Sumatra show promise as biological control agents against bacterial leaf blight in shallot plants, while also promoting plant growth and productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research paper develops a novel hybrid approach, called hybrid particle swarm optimization–teaching–learning-based optimization (hPSO-TLBO), by combining two metaheuristic algorithms to solve optimization problems. The main idea in hPSO-TLBO design is to integrate the exploitation ability of PSO with the exploration ability of TLBO. The meaning of "exploitation capabilities of PSO" is the ability of PSO to manage local search with the aim of obtaining possible better solutions near the obtained solutions and promising areas of the problem-solving space. Also, "exploration abilities of TLBO" means the ability of TLBO to manage the global search with the aim of preventing the algorithm from getting stuck in inappropriate local optima. hPSO-TLBO design methodology is such that in the first step, the teacher phase in TLBO is combined with the speed equation in PSO. Then, in the second step, the learning phase of TLBO is improved based on each student learning from a selected better student that has a better value for the objective function against the corresponding student. The algorithm is presented in detail, accompanied by a comprehensive mathematical model. A group of benchmarks is used to evaluate the effectiveness of hPSO-TLBO, covering various types such as unimodal, high-dimensional multimodal, and fixed-dimensional multimodal. In addition, CEC 2017 benchmark problems are also utilized for evaluation purposes. The optimization results clearly demonstrate that hPSO-TLBO performs remarkably well in addressing the benchmark functions. It exhibits a remarkable ability to explore and exploit the search space while maintaining a balanced approach throughout the optimization process. Furthermore, a comparative analysis is conducted to evaluate the performance of hPSO-TLBO against twelve widely recognized metaheuristic algorithms. The evaluation of the experimental findings illustrates that hPSO-TLBO consistently outperforms the competing algorithms across various benchmark functions, showcasing its superior performance. The successful deployment of hPSO-TLBO in addressing four engineering challenges highlights its effectiveness in tackling real-world applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The U.S. government sent four major groups of explorers into the American West in the late nineteenth century. The United States Geographical Surveys West of the One Hundredth Meridian, more commonly known by the name of its director, George Montague Wheeler, was among these. This survey had the goal of mapping the West and producing an atlas of 143 sheets covering the United States west of the Mississippi River. Though 49 maps were completed, no final atlas was ever published and government surveyors criticised the work as obsolete and inadequate. Wheeler's mapping marked an important development in the mapping of the West, however, and provides a useful resource for understanding land use and settlement change in this region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although problem-solving tasks are frequently used to assess innovative ability, the extent to which problem-solving performance reflects variation in cognitive skills has been rarely formally investigated. Using wild breeding great tits facing a new non-food motivated problem-solving task, we investigated the role of associative learning in finding the solution, compared to multiple other non-cognitive factors. We first examined the role of accuracy (the proportion of contacts made with the opening part of a string-pulling task), neophobia, exploration, activity, age, sex, body condition and participation time on the ability to solve the task. To highlight the effect of associative learning, we then compared accuracy between solvers and non-solvers, before and after the first cue to the solution (i.e., the first time they pulled the string opening the door). We finally compared accuracy over consecutive entrances for solvers. Using 884 observations from 788 great tits tested from 2010 to 2015, we showed that, prior to initial successful entrance, solvers were more accurate and more explorative than non-solvers, and that females were more likely to solve the task than males. The accuracy of solvers, but not of non-solvers, increased significantly after they had the opportunity to associate string pulling with the movement of the door, giving them a first cue to the task solution. The accuracy of solvers also increased over successive entrances. Our results demonstrate that variations in problem-solving performance primarily reflect inherent individual differences in associative learning, and are also to a lesser extent shaped by sex and exploratory behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To address the issues of sustainability and transitions in the primary sector, many actors, scientists, R&D actors and agricultural advisors are designing tools or services to help farmers change their agricultural practices. They are looking for support in making future users a part of these design processes. In this article, we compare two interventions that we carried out with these actors while they were exploring new ideas for tools or services, i.e. at an early stage in the design process. We present the projects during which the interventions took place, and the way in which we have represented the activity of potential users to help designers profoundly rethink the tools and services conceived to support farmers' agroecological transitions. We focused on two key issues: representing the diversity of farmers' action logics, and highlighting the systemic and collective dimension of the activities to be equipped (in the sense that they involve actors other than farmers). After showing how this opened up new avenues of exploration for the designers, we discuss the issues involved in evaluating the effects that the supports and, more broadly, our approach, may have had on the transformation of the designers' activity. We also open the discussion by pointing out the need for ergonomists to acquire methods for representing a transforming activity such as the one implemented by farmers engaged in agroecological transitions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autonomous 3D environment exploration is a fundamental task for various applications such as navigation and object searching. The goal of exploration is to investigate a new environment and build a map efficiently. In this paper, we propose a new method which grants an agent two intertwined options of behaviors: “look-around” and “frontier navigation.” This is implemented by an option-critic architecture and trained by reinforcement learning algorithms. In each time step, an agent produces an option and a corresponding action according to the policy. We also take advantage of macro-actions by incorporating classic path-planning techniques to increase training efficiency. We demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method on two publicly available 3D environment datasets, and the results show our method achieves higher coverage than competing techniques with better efficiency. We also show that our method can be transferred and applied on a rover robot in real-world environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Individual exploration types are based on the cognitive speed-accuracy trade-off, which suggests that a higher speed of information acquisition is done by sacrificing information quality. In a mating context, fast exploration could thus increase the probability of finding mates at the cost of mating with kin or suboptimal partners. We tested this hypothesis by studying male mate choice patterns in a species with a scramble competition mating system. We used genotyping, localization by radio-collar, trapping, and repeated exploration measures from a long-term study on wild Eastern chipmunks (Tamias striatus). We predicted that, according to the speed-accuracy trade-off hypothesis, slower-thorough explorers should be choosier than faster-superficial ones, and thus avoid inbreeding. We found that slower males reproduced more often with less related females, but only on one site where variance in relatedness and female density were high. Males showed no preference for their mates' exploration type. Our results suggest that superficial exploration decreases male choosiness and increases the risk of inbreeding, but only under decreased mate search costs due to high variance in relatedness among mates (at high density). Our findings reveal exploration-related, among-individual variance in inbreeding, highlighting the complexity of mate choice, and showing that many aspects of an individual's life contribute to animal decision-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When establishing new peer relationships, animals may explore different modes of interaction, testing-out dominance roles, reciprocation of affiliation, and responses to investigation. This exploration is potentially risky, as higher variability may be counterproductive to establishing expectations and trust. There is therefore a tradeoff between exploration within a new social relationship and maintaining predictable, 'safe' behaviours, raising questions about how animals differ in how they engage with strangers. The Chilean degu offers an opportune case study to investigate novel social situations, as females form relationships relatively rapidly with unrelated peers. We presented degu dyads with a series of 20 min 'reunion' sessions and found that session-to-session variability in stranger females is, in fact, lower than in cagemates, and lower than stranger or cagemate males. Reduced variability was observed only after an initial social exposure, suggesting it was a feature of new relationships rather than novelty. There was no evidence that groups differed in predictability of behaviours within a reunion. It is known that in the wild, female degus differ from males by readily forming cooperative relationships with unrelated individuals. The data therefore raise the possibility that animals predisposed to cooperation might also show reduced behavioural variability across encounters with new individuals. This work offers new results and methods for considering strategies animals use to cope with social uncertainty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Curiosity, which is the human motive to seek information, is extremely valuable, since it enables people to widen their horizons and develop their capacities. However, there are many cases in which curiosity is harmful and not learning more information is preferable. In the romantic realm, this complexity is particularly relevant. Although knowledge is valuable in romantic relationships, there are circumstances in which ignorance and avoidance of information may be more beneficial. I suggest the restriction of central virtues of romantic love, such as curiosity and sensitivity, while giving some limited weight to oft-called vices in romantic relationships, such as ignorance and indifference. This suggestion has significant implications for the nature of romantic relationships, and in particular, for enhancing flexibility and diversity of such relationships, and the ongoing need to find an optimal balance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the effect of a firm's entrepreneurial orientation on the individual resilience of small business owners and how this relationship is moderated by firm-level ambidexterity. We build on social cognitive theory to discuss whether and how the three dimensions of entrepreneurial orientation that is, innovativeness, proactivity, and risk-taking) interact with the two components of ambidexterity (that is, exploration and exploitation) to jointly influence the resilience of small business owners. Our findings indicate that a risk-taking orientation is positively related to resilience and that an innovativeness orientation causes resilience to suffer when an exploitative approach is pursued. For firms with a proactivity orientation, however, exploitation has a positive moderating effect. Our study adds to the literature by linking firm-level determinants and individual-level outcomes in the special context of small businesses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we introduce an efficient path planning algorithm designed for floor cleaning applications, utilizing the concept of Spanning Tree Coverage (STC). We operate under the assumption that the environment, i.e., the floor, is initially unknown to the robot, which also lacks knowledge regarding obstacle positions, except for the workspace boundaries. The robot executes alternating phases of exploration and coverage, leveraging the local map generated during exploration to construct a STC tree, which then guides the subsequent coverage (cleaning) phase. The extent of exploration is determined by the range of the robot's sensors. The path generation algorithms for cleaning fall within the broader category of coverage path planning (CPP) algorithms. A key advantage of this algorithm is that the robot returns to its initial position upon completing the operation, minimizing battery usage since sensors are only active during the exploration phase. We classify the proposed algorithm as an offline-online scheme. To validate the effectiveness and nonrepetitive nature of the algorithm, we conducted simulations using VRep/MATLAB environments and implemented realtime experiments using Turtlebot in the ROS-Gazebo environment. The results substantiate the completeness of coverage and underscore the algorithm's significance in applications akin to floor cleaning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective - In the digital age, e-learning is increasingly being introduced into human resources training practices in Moroccan organization. This study aims to understand the practices that can help promote an e-learning culture in Moroccan organizations. Methodology/Technique - We collected data through 12 semi-structured interviews with human resources and training managers in Moroccan organizations that have introduced e-learning as a training practice. We used NVivo software to analyze the empirical data. Findings and Novelty - Our exploratory approach enabled us to identify practices related to a proactive organizational approach and others associated with a reactive approach. Similarly, a culture of openness to change is a support measure for an e-learning culture. The practices identified offer levers for action that can be exploited by human resources and training managers to increase the chances of success in implementing this project. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Bulletin of The Mineral & Energy Economy Research Institute of the Polish Academy of Sciences / Zeszyty Naukowe Instytutu Gospodarki Surowcami Mineralnymi Polskiej Akademii Nauk is the property of Mineral & Energy Economy Research Institute of the Polish Academy of Sciences and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Purpose: Prior research on business analytics has advanced substantially our understanding of how social media analytics affect business performance. However, the specific value of social media analytics to product innovation has not been fully explored and appreciated. To address this important issue, the present study draws on the resource-based view and the knowledge-based view to examine (1) whether the use of social media analytics strengthens radical product innovation to a greater extent than it does incremental product innovation and (2) how knowledge-exploration competence and knowledge-exploitation competence mediate the influence of social media analytics on radical and incremental product innovation. Design/methodology/approach: This study tested the proposed model using data collected from 205 manufacturing firms. Structural equation modeling was applied to test the research hypotheses using LISREL 8.80 software program. Findings: The statistical findings provide compelling evidence that the use of social media analytics is more likely to lead to radical product innovation than to incremental product innovation. In addition, knowledge-exploration competence only partially mediates the relationship between social media analytics and radical product innovation. Knowledge-exploitation competence not only partially mediates such a relationship, but also fully mediates the link between social media analytics and incremental product innovation. Originality/value: This study contributes to the social media analytics and innovation literature by offering novel theoretical and empirical insights into how firms can leverage the value of social media analytics to create superior product innovation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Razón Crítica is the property of La Fundacion Universidad de Bogota Jorge Tadeo Lozano and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Quantum sensing provides advanced technologies which significantly improve sensitivity and accuracy for sensing changes of motion, gravity, electric and magnetic field. Therein, quantum sensors for the detection of magnetic fields, so-called quantum magnetometers, are one of the most promising technological realizations. We firstly will provide a brief overview on methods in geophysical exploration benefitting from quantum magnetometers with resolution at the physical and technical limit. We will introduce recent developments on SQUID and OPM based sensors as specific implementations of a quantum magnetometer systems and application examples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The repeatable among-individual variation in behavior (animal personality) is considered to affect fitness. The variation in personality traits is shaped by complex evolutionary mechanisms involving energy allocation and resource acquisition. However, an association between personality and individual performance in energy gain in the natural environment still seems underexplored. The aim of our study was to test a hypothesis that consistent individual variation in behavior affects the energy acquisition of unpredictable food resources. We predicted that more explorative individuals would be finding ephemeral food resources with higher probability than those less explorative. The quasi-experiment with 'random-walking-feeders' was performed to assess the use of unpredictable food resources in the natural habitat occupied by free-ranging arboreal rodents — edible dormice Glis glis. A repeated open field test at laboratory conditions was conducted to assess whether male dormice show consistent among-individual variation in behavior. The open field test analysis indicated two main components of dormice behavior: exploration and boldness, from which only the first one was repeatable and thus considered as a component of animal personality. The probability of finding a feeder increased with exploration, independently of dormice age and body size. The results indicate that exploration can be considered an adaptive trait that improves energy acquisition. We suggest that the behavioral among-individual variation within populations persists due to the usage of distinct foraging strategies in the face of fluctuations in food resources availability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]