Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Weakly Supervised Learning of Interactions between Humans and Objects

We introduce a weakly supervised approach for learning human actions modeled as interactions between humans and objects. Our approach is human-centric: We first localize a human in the image and then determine the object relevant for the action and its spatial relation with the human. The model is learned automatically from a set of still images annotated only with the action label. Our approach relies on a human detector to initialize the model learning. For robustness to various degrees of visibility, we build a detector that learns to combine a set of existing part detectors. Starting from humans detected in a set of images depicting the action, our approach determines the action object and its spatial relation to the human. Its final output is a probabilistic model of the human-object interaction, i.e., the spatial relation between the human and the object. We present an extensive experimental evaluation on the sports action data set from [1], the PASCAL Action 2010 data set [2], and a new human-object interaction data set.
Genetic learning as an explanation of stylized facts of foreign exchange markets

This paper revisits the Kareken-Wallace model of exchange rate formation. Following the seminal paper by Arifovic (1996) we investigate a dynamic version of the model in which agents' decision rules are updated using genetic algorithms. Time series analysis of simulated data indicates that for particular parameterizations, the characteristics of the exchange rate dynamics are very similar to those of empirical data. The similarity appears to be quite insensitive with respect to the ingredients of the GA algorithm. However, appearance or not of realistic time series characteristics depends crucially on the mutation probability (which should be low) and the number of agents (not more than about 1000).
An Optimal-Time Algorithm for Shortest Paths on a Convex Polytope in Three Dimensions

Abstract We present an optimal-time algorithm for computing (an implicit representation of) the shortest-path map from a fixed source s on the surface of a convex polytope P in three dimensions. Our algorithm runs in O(nlog n) time and requires O(nlog n) space, where n is the number of edges of P. The algorithm is based on the O(nlog n) algorithm of Hershberger and Suri for shortest paths in the plane (Hershberger, J., Suri, S. in SIAM J. Comput. 28(6):2215–2256, 1999), and similarly follows the continuous Dijkstra paradigm, which propagates a “wavefront” from s along ∂P. This is effected by generalizing the concept of conforming subdivision of the free space introduced by Hershberger and Suri and by adapting it for the case of a convex polytope in ℝ3, allowing the algorithm to accomplish the propagation in discrete steps, between the “transparent” edges of the subdivision. The algorithm constructs a dynamic version of Mount’s data structure (Mount, D.M. in Discrete Comput. Geom. 2:153–174, 1987) that implicitly encodes the shortest paths from s to all other points of the surface. This structure allows us to answer single-source shortest-path queries, where the length of the path, as well as its combinatorial type, can be reported in O(log n) time; the actual path can be reported in additional O(k) time, where k is the number of polytope edges crossed by the path. The algorithm generalizes to the case of m source points to yield an implicit representation of the geodesic Voronoi diagram of m sites on the surface of P, in time O((n+m)log (n+m)), so that the site closest to a query point can be reported in time O(log (n+m)).
Antistaphylococcal Nanocomposite Films Based on EnzymeNanotube

Infection with antibiotic-resistant pathogens such as methicillin-resistantStaphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is one of the primary causes of hospitalizations and deaths. To address this issue, we have designed antimicrobial coatings incorporating carbon nanotubeenzyme conjugates that are highly effective against antibiotic-resistant pathogens. Specifically, we incorporated conjugates of carbon nanotubes with lysostaphin, a cell wall degrading enzyme, intofilms to impart bactericidal properties againstStaphylococcus aureusand Staphylococcus epidermidis. We fabricated and characterized nanocomposites containing different conjugate formulations and enzyme loadings. These enzyme-based composites were highly efficient in killing MRSA (>99% within 2 h) without release of the enzyme into solution. Additionally, thesefilms were reusable and stable under dry storage conditions for a month. Such enzyme-basedfilm formulations may be used to prevent growth of pathogenic and antibiotic-resistant microorganisms on various common surfaces in hospital settings. Polymer and paintfilms containing such antimicrobial conjugates, in particular, could be advantageous to prevent risk of staphylococcal-specific infection and biofouling.
Development and validation of a scale to identify attitudes towards disability in Higher Education.

BACKGROUND Attitudes towards disability in educational settings have prompted various research projects, highlighting the importance of quality tools to measure them. However, there are few studies of disability in universities, and there are no tools that specifically measure this construct within a university context. METHOD The design and validation of the CUNIDIS ('Questions about University and Disability') Scale, a test aiming to identify attitudes towards disability in Higher Education, are described in this article. A large sample of university participants was included in the research (teaching staff, n = 422 and students, n = 2,767). RESULTS The results obtained provide evidence of the psychometric quality of the items, adequate reliability, homogeneity and high predictive validity of the tool. CONCLUSIONS It is concluded that the scale designed has adequate validity and reliability to detect attitudes towards disability in university contexts. It is therefore presented as a key element in promoting the social dimension of the European Higher Education Area due to its teaching and institutional implications.
An alternating split Bregman algorithm for multi-region segmentation

Multi-region image segmentation aims at partitioning an image into several “meaningful” regions. The associated optimization problem is non-convex and generally difficult to solve. Finding the global optimum, or good approximations of it, hence is a problem of first interest in computer vision. We propose an alternating split Bregman algorithm for a large class of convex relaxations of the continuous Potts segmentation model. We compare the algorithm to the primal-dual approach and show examples from the Berkeley image database and from live-cell fluorescence microscopy.
Surface water productivity and paleoceanographic implications in the Cenozoic Arctic Ocean

] Study of bulk nitrogen contents and isotopic composition in Arctic Ocean sequences (Integrated OceanDrilling Program Expedition 302) over the past 60 Ma revealed changes in the export flux and sources ofsedimentary nitrogen. The paleoproductivity calculated from the fraction of organic nitrogen to total nitrogen isdistinctly lower (<20 g C m
Ti Powder Sintering: Impurity, Sintering Atmosphere and Alloy Design

The recent acceptance and standardized certification of powder metallurgy titanium for commercial aircraft engineering applications marks a milestone in titanium powder metallurgy. However, there are still many issues to be addressed for the wider development of powder metallurgy of titanium such as in-depth identification of impurities arising from raw materials and sintering atmosphere, development of novel sintering methods and new alloy design. Since limited works currently focus on the study of residual magnesium chloride impurities originating from the mainstream Ti sponge production process — Kroll process, the starting point of this thesis is to identify the chloride impurities in titanium powders. Jigsaw-like agglomerates were observed on the particle surface of Kroll-processed hydrogenated-dehydrogenated (HDH) commercially pure (c. p.) titanium powders and further detailed surface chemical analysis revealed that the magnesium and chlorine mainly existed as Mg(OH)Cl and titanium chloride respectively. HDH c.p. titanium and pre-alloyed Ti-6Al-4V powders were sintered in a graphite furnace with a potential to generate low oxygen pressure. Spherical hollow Ti(CNO) particles were observed on the surfaces of sintered Ti samples, but not present on the sintered surface of pre-alloyed Ti-6Al-4V, which is considered as a Cl free powder. The formation of spherical hollow particles is considered to result from the reaction between the gaseous carbon and gaseous titanium atoms decomposed from titanium chlorides. Therefore the presence of chloride impurities in HDH powders is detrimental to the final sintering densification and a model is proposed to describe the evolution of magnesium chlorides in titanium powders during sintering period. With respect to sintering in the graphite furnace, a contaminated scale was formed on the surface identified as titanium oxycarbonitride (Ti(CNO)) while cross sections were composed of only
Probiotics for maintenance of remission in Crohn's disease.

BACKGROUND Crohn's disease (CD) is characterised by episodes of disease activity and symptom-free remission. Probiotics are microorganisms that can potentially benefit health, and have been evaluated as an alternate means of preventing relapse in patients with CD. OBJECTIVES To assess the effectiveness of probiotics for the maintenance of remission in CD. SEARCH STRATEGY The following databases were searched: the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (2005, Issue 3); the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (2005, Issue 3); the Cochrane IBD/FBD Group Trials Register (2005), MEDLINE (1966-2005); EMBASE (1980-2005); ISI Web of Knowledge (BIDS) 1981-2005; On-line clinical trials databases (2005); and review articles. Experts in the field were contacted for unpublished data. SELECTION CRITERIA Randomised controlled trials of probiotic therapy. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS Two independent reviewers performed data extraction and assessment of methodological quality. The primary outcome was the relative risk (RR) of relapse after maintenance treatment (and 95% confidence intervals [CI]). MAIN RESULTS Seven small studies were identified and varied according to probiotics tested, methodological quality and medication regimen. No studies were pooled for statistical analysis. There was no statistically significant benefit of E. coli Nissle for reducing the risk of relapse compared to placebo (RR 0.43, 95% CI 0.15 to 1.20), or Lactobacillus GG after surgically-induced remission (RR 1.58, 95% CI 0.30 to 8.40) or medically-induced remission (RR 0.83, 95% CI 0.25 to 2.80). There was no statistically significant benefit of probiotics for reducing the risk of relapse compared to maintenance therapy employing aminosalicylates or azathioprine (RR 0.67, 95% CI 0.13 to 3.30), and in this study the probiotic Lactobacillus GG was associated with adverse events. In children, there was there was no statistically significant difference between Lactobacillus GG and placebo for reducing the risk of relapse (RR 1.85, 95% CI 0.77 to 4.40). A small study using the yeast Saccharomyces boulardii demonstrated a difference that was not statistically significant in favour of probiotic combined with a reduced level of maintenance therapy over standard maintenance treatment alone (RR 0.17, 95% CI 0.02 to 1.23). AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS There is no evidence to suggest that probiotics are beneficial for the maintenance of remission in CD. All of the included studies enrolled small numbers of patients and may have lacked statistical power to show differences should they exist. Larger trials are required to determine if probiotics are of benefit in Crohn's disease.
DNA methylation and mRNA expression of developmentally important genes in bovine oocytes collected from donors of different age categories

Epigenetic changes are critical for the acquisition of developmental potential by oocytes and embryos, yet these changes may be sensitive to maternal ageing. Here, we investigated the impact of maternal ageing on DNA methylation and mRNA expression in a panel of eight genes that are critically involved in oocyte and embryo development. Bovine oocytes were collected from donors of three different age categories—prepubertal (9–12 months old), mature (3–7 years old), and aged (8–11 years old)—and were analyzed for gene‐specific DNA methylation (bTERF2, bREC8, bBCL‐XL, bPISD, bBUB1, bDNMT3Lo, bH19, and bSNRPN) and mRNA expression (bTERF2, bBCL‐XL, bPISD, and bBUB1). A total of 1,044 alleles with 88,740 CpGs were amplified and sequenced from 362 bovine oocytes. Most of the detected molecules were either fully methylated or completely unmethylated. Only 9 out of 1,044 alleles (<1%) were abnormally methylated (>50% of CpGs with an aberrant methylation status), and seven of the nine abnormally methylated alleles were within only two candidate genes (bDNMT3Lo and bH19). No significant differences were detected with regard to mRNA expression between oocytes from the three groups of donors. These results suggest that genes predominantly important for early embryo development (bH19 and bDNMT3Lo) are less resistant to abnormal methylation than genes critically involved in oocyte development (bTERF2, bBCL‐XL, bPISD, bBUB1, and bSNRPN). Establishment of DNA methylation in bovine oocytes seems to be largely resistant to changes caused by maternal ageing, irrespective of whether the genes are critical to achieve developmental competence in oocytes or early embryos. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 83: 802–814, 2016 © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The Multifunctional Protein Fused in Sarcoma (FUS) Is a Coactivator of Microphthalmia-associated Transcription Factor (MITF)*

Background: Regulation of osteoclast differentiation by MITF is dependent on its association with coactivators and corepressors. Results: FUS interacts with the phosphorylated, desumoylated form of MITF. Conclusion: FUS is a coactivator of MITF in osteoclasts. Significance: Understanding the mechanisms by which post-translational modifications affect protein interactions and target gene expression is vital for understanding complex cellular differentiation processes. The microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF) is required for terminal osteoclast differentiation and is a signaling effector engaged by macrophage colony-stimulating factor 1 (CSF-1) and receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL). MITF exerts its regulatory functions through its association with cofactors. Discovering the identity of its various partners will provide insights into the mechanisms governing gene expression during osteoclastogenesis. Here, we demonstrate that the proto-oncogene fused in sarcoma (FUS), the chromatin remodeling ATPase BRG1, and MITF form a trimeric complex that is regulated by phosphorylation of MITF at Ser-307 by p38 MAPK during osteoclast differentiation. FUS was recruited to MITF target gene promoters Acp5 and Ctsk during osteoclast differentiation, and FUS knockdown abolished efficient transcription of Acp5 and Ctsk. Furthermore, sumoylation of MITF at Lys-316, known to negatively regulate MITF transcriptional activity, inhibited MITF interactions with FUS and BRG1 in a p38 MAPK phosphorylation-dependent manner. These results demonstrate that FUS is a coregulator of MITF activity and provide new insights into how the RANKL/p38 MAPK signaling nexus controls gene expression in osteoclasts.
Distributed under Creative Commons Cc-by 4.0 Health-related Quality of Life and Emotional and Behavioral Difficulties after Extreme Preterm Birth: Developmental Trajectories

Background. Knowledge of long-term health related outcomes in contemporary populations born extremely preterm (EP) is scarce. We aimed to explore developmental trajectories of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and behavior from mid-childhood to early adulthood in extremely preterm and term-born individuals. Methods. Subjects born at gestational age ≤28 weeks or with birth weight ≤1,000 g within a region of Norway in 1991–92 and matched term-born control subjects were assessed at 10 and 18 years. HRQoL was measured with the Child Health Questionnaire (CHQ) and behavior with the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), using parent assessment at both ages and self-assessment at 18 years. Results. All eligible EP (n = 35) and control children participated at 10 years, and 31 (89%) and 29 (83%) at 18 years. At 10 years, the EP born boys were given significantly poorer scores by their parents than term-born controls on most CHQ and CBCL scales, but the differences were minor at 18 years; i.e., significant improvements had occurred in several CHQ (self-esteem, general health and parental impact-time) and CBCL (total problem, internalizing and anxious/depressed) scales. For the girls, the differences were smaller at 10 years and remained unchanged by 18 years. Emotional/behavioral difficulties at 10 years similarly predicted poorer improvement on CHQ-scales for both EP and term-born subjects at 18 years. Self-assessment of HRQoL and behavior at 18 years was similar in the EP and term-born groups on most scales. Conclusions. HRQoL and behavior improved towards adulthood for EP born boys, while the girls remained relatively similar, and early emotional and behavioral difficulties predicted poorer development in HRQoL through adolescence. These data indicate that gender and a longitudinal perspective should be considered when addressing health and wellbeing after extremely preterm birth.
Neurocritical Care Monitoring Correlates With Neuropathology in a Swine Model of Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury

BACKGROUND Small-animal models have been used in traumatic brain injury (TBI) research to investigate the basic mechanisms and pathology of TBI. Unfortunately, successful TBI investigations in small-animal models have not resulted in marked improvements in clinical outcomes of TBI patients. OBJECTIVE To develop a clinically relevant immature large-animal model of pediatric neurocritical care following TBI. METHODS Eleven 4-week-old piglets were randomly assigned to either rapid axial head rotation without impact (n = 6) or instrumented sham (n = 5). All animals had an intracranial pressure monitor, brain tissue oxygen tension (Pbto2) probe, and cerebral microdialysis probe placed in the frontal lobe and data collected for 6 hours following injury. RESULTS Injured animals had sustained elevations in intracranial pressure and lactate-pyruvate ratio (LPR), and decreased Pbto2 compared with sham. Pbto2 and LPR from separate frontal lobes had strong linear correlation in both sham and injured animals. Neuropathologic examination demonstrated significant axonal injury and infarct volumes in injured animals compared with sham at 6 hours postinjury. Averaged over time, Pbto2 in both injured and sham animals had a strong inverse correlation with total injury volume. Average LPR had a strong correlation with total injury volume. CONCLUSION LPR and Pbto2 can be utilized as serial nonterminal secondary markers in our injury model for neuropathology, and as evaluation metrics for novel interventions and therapeutics in the acute postinjury period. This translational model bridges a vital gap in knowledge between TBI studies in small-animal models and clinical trials in the pediatric TBI population. ABBREVIATIONS ANOVA: analysis of variance &bgr;-APP: &bgr;-amyloid precursor protein CPP: cerebral perfusion pressure H&E: hematoxylin and eosin ICP: intracranial pressure LPR: lactate-pyruvate ratio Pbto2: brain tissue oxygen tension TBI: traumatic brain injury
Ultrasound biomicroscopy for biomechanical characterization of healthy and injured triceps surae of rats

SUMMARY This work describes the use of ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM) to follow up the degeneration–regeneration process after a laceration injury induced in the lateral gastrocnemius (LG) and soleus (SOL) muscles of rats. UBM (40 MHz) images were acquired and used for biomechanical characterization of muscular tissue, specifically using pennation angle (PA) and muscle thickness (MT). The animals were distributed in three groups: the variability group (VG; N=5), the gastrocnemius injured group (GG; N=6) and the soleus injured group (SG; N=5). VG rats were used to assess data variability and reliability (coefficients of variation of 9.37 and 3.97% for PA and MT, respectively). GG and SG rats were submitted to the injury protocol in the LG and SOL muscles of the right legs, respectively. UBM images of muscles of both legs were acquired at the following time points: before and after injury (immediately, 7, 14, 21 and 28 days). We observed an increase in PA for the non-injured leg 28 days after injury for both GG and SG rats (GG=10.68 to 16.53 deg and SG=9.65 to 14.06 deg; P<0.05). Additionally, MT presented a tendency to increase (GG=2.92 to 3.13 mm and SG=2.12 to 2.35 mm). Injured legs maintained pre-injury PA and MT values. It is suggested that a compensatory hypertrophic response due to the overload condition imposed to healthy leg. The results indicate that UBM allows qualitative and quantitative muscle differentiation among healthy and injured muscle at different stages after lesion.
A Folk Theorem for Stochastic Games with Infrequent State Changes

We characterize perfect public equilibrium payoffs in dynamic stochastic games, in the case where the length of the period shrinks, but players' rate of time discounting and the transition rate between states remain fixed. We present a meaningful definition of the feasible and individually rational payoff sets for this environment, and we prove a folk theorem under imperfect monitoring. Our setting differs significantly from the case considered in previous literature (Dutta (1995), Fudenberg and Yamamoto (2011), and Horner, Sugaya, Takahashi, and Vieille (2011)) where players become very patient. In particular, the set of equilibrium payoffs typically depends on the initial state.
Incremental plan aggregation for generating policies in MDPs

Despite the recent advances in planning with MDPs, the problem of generating good policies is still hard. This paper describes a way to generate policies in MDPs by (1) determinizing the given MDP model into a classical planning problem; (2) building partial policies off-line by producing solution plans to the classical planning problem and incrementally aggregating them into a policy, and (3) using sequential Monte-Carlo (MC) simulations of the partial policies before execution, in order to assess the probability of replanning for a policy during execution. The objective of this approach is to quickly generate policies whose probability of replanning is low and below a given threshold. We describe our planner RFF, which incorporates the above ideas. We present theorems showing the termination, soundness and completeness properties of RFF. RFF was the winner of the fully-observable probabilistic track in the 2008 International Planning Competition (IPC-08). In addition to our analyses of the IPC-08 results, we analyzed RFF's performance with different plan aggregation and determinization strategies, with varying amount of MC sampling, and with varying threshold values for probability of replanning. The results of these experiments revealed how they impact the time performance of RFF to generate solution policies and the quality of those solution policies (i.e., the average accumulated reward gathered from the execution of the policies).