Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Urbano, an Interactive Mobile Tour-Guide Robot

Autonomous service robot applications can be divided in two main groups: outdoor and field robots, and indoor robots. Autonomous lawnmowers, de-mining and search and rescue robots, mars rovers, automated cargo, unmanned aerial and underwater vehicles, are some applications of field robotics. The term indoor robotics usually applies to autonomous mobile robots that move in a typical populated indoor environment. Robotic vacuum cleaners, entertainment and companion robots or security and surveillance applications are also some examples of successful indoor robot applications. Probably, one of the first real world applications of indoor service robots has been that of mobile robots serving as tour guides in museums or exhibitions. Such one is an extremely interesting application for researchers because allows them to advance in knowledge fields as autonomous navigation in dynamic environments, human robot interaction, indoor environment modelling with simultaneous localization and map building, etc., while also serving as a showcase for attracting the general public as well as possible investors. We have developed our own interactive mobile robot called Urbano, especially designed to be a tour guide in exhibitions. This chapter describes the Urbano robot system, its hardware, software and the experiences we have obtained through its development and use until its actual mature stage. This chapter doesn’t pretend to be an exhaustive technical description of algorithms, mathematical or implementation details, but just an overview of the system. The interested reader will be referred to more specific bibliography for these details. The rest of the chapter is structured as follows: This section presents the related work, other existing systems, as well as our motivation to develop our own robot. Section 2 presents an overview of Urbano, the description of its hardware and also the software components in which the robot control is structured. These components are afterwards described in subsequent sections: Section 3 describes the feature based mapping and navigation subsystem, while the interaction capabilities including our own proprietary voice recognition and synthesis engine will be described in section 4. Section 5 briefly describes the web based remote visit that Urbano is also able to perform. The integration of all these components is managed through a programmable kernel that allows a high level management of all modules, described in section 6. The chapter ends with the presentation of some successful real deployments of Urbano in section 7, and our conclusions in section 8.
Compositional Variation on the Surface of Centaur 8405 Asbolus

Near-infrared 1-2 μm spectra of the Centaur 8405 Asbolus (1995 GO) have been obtained using the Hubble Space Telescope near-infrared camera and multiobject spectrometer. Strong and variable absorption features indicate a significantly inhomogeneous surface characterized by water ice mixed with additional unknown constituents. Over a 1.7 hr interval, the observed spectra varied from a nearly featureless spectrum to a very complicated absorption spectrum, and the integrated flux varied in a manner consistent with previous light-curve observations. The accepted rotation period of 8.9351 hr assumes a shape-dominated light curve. Our observations indicate that the light curve may in fact be dominated by a relatively bright spot with a period of 4.47 hr, i.e., half the previous value.
Pension Plan Provisions and Retirement: Men & Women, Medicare, and Models

The ongoing analysis of the effects of pension plan provisions on retirement is pursued in this paper. A primary objective of this paper is to test the validity of models previously developed and estimated with data from a Fortune 500 company, here using data from a second large company. The evidence confirms that changes in the retirement rates by age correspond closely to provisions of the firm pension plan. There is essentially no difference in the retirement behavior of men and women. As in previous work, it is found that simpler "option value model" of retirement yields very similar results to the considerably more complex stochastic dynamic programming specification. Both fit the data well and predict rather well the effect on retirement of a special retirement window plan, Some consideration is also given to the effects of firm health insurance and median coverage on retirement.
Impact of rhythm on forensic voice comparison reliability

It is common to see voice recordings being presented as a forensic trace in court. Generally, a forensic expert is asked to analyze both suspect and criminals voice samples in order to indicate whether the evidence supports the prosecution (same-speaker) or defence (different-speakers) hypotheses. This process is known as Forensic Voice Comparison (FVC). Since the emergence of the DNA typing model, the likelihood-ratio (LR) framework has become the new golden standard in forensic sciences. The LR not only supports one of the hypotheses but also quantifies the strength of its support. However, the LR accepts some practical limitations due to its estimation process itself. It is particularly true when Automatic Speaker Recognition (ASpR) systems are considered as they are outputting a score in all situations regardless of the case specific conditions. Indeed, several factors are not taken into account by the estimation process like the quality and quantity of information in both voice recordings, their phonological content or also the speakers intrinsic characteristics, etc. All these factors put into question the validity and reliability of FVC. In our recent study, we showed that intra-speaker variability explains 2/3 of the system losses. In this article, we investigate the relations between intra-speaker variability and rhythmic parameters.
High-Resolution Mapping of Structural Mutations in Prostate Cancer With Single Nucleotide Polymorphism Arrays

Abstract : The proposal focused on the systematic mapping of large-scale genetic alterations in prostate cancer, and relating these mutations to prostate cancer progression. To that end, the proposal suggested the application of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array technology to characterize large-scale genetic alterations in the prostate cancer genome. In the 11 months since the beginning of the award, significant progress has been made in all 3 specific aims. Multiple primary and metastatic prostate tumors have been collected and genome-wide maps loss of heterozygosity and copy number changes have been generated from 100K SNP array data. Regions of significant chromosomal aberrations have been identified, and in this preliminary analysis several of these aberrations have been found to correlate with prostate cancer progression. Unanticipated difficulties have arisen with laser capture microdissection of primary prostate cancers, however, and efforts are ongoing to surmount these difficulties. During the conduct of this research, a method for determination of loss of heterozygosity without the use of paired normals, was developed to account for the haplotype structure of the genome, and a manuscript describing this method is in review.
Is the Test Attitude Survey Psychometrically Sound?

Research in the realm of selection and educational testing has begun to explore test takers' attitudes toward tests. However, valid measurement of test-taking attitudes is required before concrete conclusions may be drawn. The purpose of this investigation was to examine the psychometric properties of a popular measure of test-taking attitudes that may be used in occupational or educational selection testing applications—the Test Attitude Survey (TAS). Participants included 242 undergraduate students, each of whom completed a battery that included personality and test attitude items. Although results indicated adequate convergent validity for scores on the TAS, there is room for improvement to the overall structural validity of scores on this measure.
Performance Evaluation of Manure Nitrogen Output Models Suitable for Lactating Dairy Cows in China

Manure nitrogen (N) output from dairy cattle is a major environmental concern in China. Various empirical models are available to predict manure N output from dairy cattle, but accuracy and precision of these models has not been assessed for Chinese conditions. The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of extant models that predict different forms of manure N output for lactating dairy cows in China with the aim of identifying the best-fit and most suitable prediction models. A total of 35 empirical models were evaluated for their ability to predict N excretion of dairy cows in China fed a wide range of diets. The data set consisted of 99 treatment means from 32 publications with information on animal and dietary characteristics and N output flows. Performance of models was evaluated using root mean square prediction error (RMSPE) and concordance correlation coefficient (CCC) analysis. The N intake (NI) based model of Kebreab et al. (2010) 2 was selected as best for predicting fecal N excretion (RMSPE = 15.8% and CCC = 0.75). The Reed et al. (2015) model, which also used NI as an input variable, was most suitable for predicting urinary N (RMSPE = 26.0% and CCC = 0.63) and total N (RMSPE = 15.8% and CCC = 0.81). Models predicting urinary urea N (UUN) and urinary N / total N performed poorly. Overall, the deviation of regression line from the equality line (y = x line) for even the best-fit urinary, fecal, and total N excretion models demonstrated the need to develop improved models for use under Chinese conditions. Using N output data from dairy cows in China to develop manure N output models may help improve environmental stewardship of the dairy
ANALISIS KETERKAITAN HARGA ANTAR KELOMPOK KOMODITAS PEMBENTUK INFLASI DI SUMATERA BARAT

This study analyzes the correlation and the interaction among commodity groups which determine the inflation rate in West Sumatera. Using the monthly data from January 2002 to December 2008, the estimation applies the Vector Error Correction Model (VECM) in order to analyze the dynamics of commodity prices in the model. The results show some groups have significant contributions in determining other group prices. We found that the volatility of Prepared Food, Drink, Cigarette, and Tobacco is affected by Food group, Transportation, Communication and Financial Services. All commodity group is mostly affected by its own movement, especially for the high regulated prices group; Water, Electricity, and Fuel group including Housing. This paper underlines that in controlling regional inflation, the partial effort by focusing only on the basket goods which gives the highest contribution to the regional inflation (i.e. foodstuff and prepared food) is not effective when the region faces high volatility in other basket goods (i.e. transportation). The price determining of basket goods is a simultaneous process, and controlling the regional inflation needs greater concern to all goods. The government intervention on the price setting is also one of the important parts in causing the volatility of the basket goods.
The Not-So-Simple Calculus of Winning: Potential U.S. House Candidates' Nomination and General Election Prospects

As the individual qualities of potential House candidates improve, their prospects in both the nomination and general election go up. The same is not true, however, for two key characteristics of the district context in which potential candidates might run: the party of the potential candidate in relation to the incumbent and the partisan makeup of the district. The direction of the effects of both incumbency and district partisanship on prospects, in contrast to the effects of quality, depends upon the stage of the election process. Using a survey of district informants in a random sample of House districts, we find that incumbent and potential-candidate quality both affect potential candidates' prospects of winning, with “strategic qualities” generally having a stronger direct effect than “personal qualities. ” District partisanship has offsetting and strong effects on potential candidates’ chances in both stages: Nomination prospects decline as the partisan makeup of the district favors the potential ca.
CO and Neutral Gas in the Disk of the Spiral Galaxy IC 342

We present "on-the-fly," fully sampled maps of CO(1–0) in the central 15′ of the spiral galaxy IC 342. In addition to the bright CO nuclear peak, there is a prominent CO 2′ × 5′ bar and an extensive CO disk. The bar and nucleus contain 30% of the total observed CO emission in IC 342. Beyond the bar the CO disk contains two spiral arms, which coincide with the two inner optical arms. The substantial interarm CO component within this inner region has a mean surface density of 8 M⊙ pc-2, close to the mean surface density of 10 M⊙ pc-2, that extends to a radius of 7′ (4 kpc). The total inferred H2 mass is 7 × 108 M⊙, which is 30% of the total H I mass. We combine the CO data with VLA H I maps to obtain a map of the total gas surface density (ΣH I + Σ) in IC 342. The gas surface density shows a centrally peaked disk, dominated by H2 to a radius of 5′ (3 kpc). Spiral arms run continuously from the inner to outer galaxy, transitioning smoothly from predominantly molecular in the inner galaxy to predominantly atomic at large radii. On a global scale, the gas surface density is spatially correlated with optical spiral arm structure. On 1′ (600 pc) scales the disk displays bar and arm asymmetries, azimuthal displacements of CO and H I emission, and structure that becomes increasingly complex with increasing galactic radii. We find an excellent correlation between 21 cm radio continuum and the total gas surface density.
WEIGHING GALAXY DISKS WITH THE BARYONIC TULLY–FISHER RELATION

We estimate the stellar masses of disk galaxies with two independent methods: a photometrically self-consistent color–mass-to-light ratio relation (CMLR) from population synthesis models, and the baryonic Tully–Fisher relation (BTFR) calibrated by gas-rich galaxies. These two methods give consistent results. The CMLR correctly converts distinct Tully–Fisher relations in different bands into the same BTFR. The BTFR is consistent with M b ∝ V f 4 ? > over nearly six decades in mass, with no hint of a change in slope over that range. The intrinsic scatter in the BTFR is negligible, implying that the IMF of disk galaxies is effectively universal. The gas-rich BTFR suggests an absolute calibration of the stellar mass scale that yields nearly constant mass-to-light ratios in the near-infrared (NIR): 0.57 M ☉ / L ☉ ? > in Ks and 0.45 M ☉ / L ☉ ? > at 3.6 μm. There is only modest intrinsic scatter (∼0.12 dex) about these typical values. There is no discernible variation with color or other properties: the NIR luminosity is a good tracer of stellar mass.
Issues in Environmental Sustainability in Africa

This paper examines the relationships between agricultural development. population movement, technology, and the human factor on one hand and the environment on the other. The paper argues that, until recently, many states in Africa were not able to appreciate the critical nature of the dialectical relationship between environment and development. Conceptualization of priorities was in terms of economic development which was thought to be synonymous with economic welfare and ultimately social development. Economic growth was perceived as the supreme objective that would bring about progressive reduction and eventual elimination of mass poverty, malnutrition, illiteracy, disease and squalor. The paper shows how uncontrolled developmental activities adversely affect the environment and how in turn devastation of the environment inadvertently affects development. Economic growth is viewed in terms of uncontrolled exploitation of the environment, resulting in deforestation, soil erosion, pollution of water and the atmosphere. Pula
Formulation and Development of Hydrogel for Poly Acrylamide-Co-acrylic acid

Controlled and sustained drug delivery has become the standard in modern pharmaceutical design and an intensive research work is going on in obtaining better drug product effectiveness, reliability and safety. In this regard, many polymers are very useful with majority of hydrogels, which undergo reversible volume and/or sol-gel phase transitions in response to physiological or other external stimuli. The first use of gels for medical applications was presented by Wichterle and Lim in 1960 and involved the manufacturing of soft contact lenses.Poly (Acrylamide-co-acrylic acid) hydrogels,poly(AAm-co-AAc),were synthesized by free radical crosslinking copolymerization in solution using N,N’-methylenebisacrylamide (MBAAm) as the crosslinker. The swelling behaviour of the hydrogels thus obtained was analyzed in buffer solutions at various pH.The pH sensitive hydrogel were characterizedby Fourier transform infrared analysis, differential scanning calorimetry and evaluated for swelling properties,SEM, and in vitro drug release. The use of hydrogels for drug release was investigated with Rabeprazole sodium as the model drug. The release data shows that, as the concentration of acrylic acid was increased, swelling increased resulting in increased release of the drug.
THE CLUSTER AND FIELD GALAXY ACTIVE GALACTIC NUCLEUS FRACTION AT z = 1–1.5: EVIDENCE FOR A REVERSAL OF THE LOCAL ANTICORRELATION BETWEEN ENVIRONMENT AND AGN FRACTION

The fraction of cluster galaxies that host luminous active galactic nuclei (AGNs) is an important probe of AGN fueling processes, the cold interstellar medium at the centers of galaxies, and how tightly black holes and galaxies co-evolve. We present a new measurement of the AGN fraction in a sample of 13 clusters of galaxies (M ⩾ 1014 M☉) at 1 < z < 1.5 selected from the Spitzer/IRAC Shallow Cluster Survey, as well as the field fraction in the immediate vicinity of these clusters, and combine these data with measurements from the literature to quantify the relative evolution of cluster and field AGN from the present to z ∼ 3. We estimate that the cluster AGN fraction at 1 < z < 1.5 is % for AGNs with a rest-frame, hard X-ray luminosity greater than LX, H ⩾ 1044 erg s−1. This fraction is measured relative to all cluster galaxies more luminous than , where is the absolute magnitude of the break in the galaxy luminosity function at the cluster redshift in the IRAC 3.6 μm bandpass. The cluster AGN fraction is 30 times greater than the 3σ upper limit on the value for AGNs of similar luminosity at z ∼ 0.25, as well as more than an order of magnitude greater than the AGN fraction at z ∼ 0.75. AGNs with LX, H ⩾ 1043 erg s−1 exhibit similarly pronounced evolution with redshift. In contrast to the local universe, where the luminous AGN fraction is higher in the field than in clusters, the X-ray and MIR-selected AGN fractions in the field and clusters are consistent at 1 < z < 1.5. This is evidence that the cluster AGN population has evolved more rapidly than the field population from z ∼ 1.5 to the present. This environment-dependent AGN evolution mimics the more rapid evolution of star-forming galaxies in clusters relative to the field.
Normal subgroups of GL~n(D) are not finitely generated

As a generalization of Wedderburn’s classic theorem, it is shown that the multiplicative group of a noncommutative (cid:12)nite dimensional division algebra cannot be (cid:12)nitely generated. Also, the following conjecture is investi-gated: An in(cid:12)nite non-central normal subgroup of GL n ( D ) cannot be (cid:12)nitely generated.
ON-SITE CUSTOMER PERCEPTIONS

In recent years, agile development methodologies have attracted great attention. Although the success of agile development projects depends considerably on the willingness of customers to actively participate, little research has examined which factors of such methodologies customers perceive as benefits or drawbacks. Employing an exploratory, primarily qualitative study design and the Diffusion of Innovations Theory as theoretical lens, we identify several acceptance factors of Scrum as a specific methodology and describe how customers perceive them. As basis for our examination, we use empirical data that was collected at a world-wide leading insurance company and a mixed-method approach that combines qualitative with quantitative data analyses. The results suggest that customers found Scrum to deliver relative advantages. Furthermore, they indicate that Scrum is perceived as more compatible to the way customers prefer to work in development projects. Factors that characterize the perceived complexity of Scrum were viewed as potential acceptance barriers, however.
Vertical hopper compositions for preflexive and feedback-stabilized quadrupedal bounding, pacing, pronking, and trotting

This paper applies an extension of classical averaging methods to hybrid dynamical systems, thereby achieving formally specified, physically effective and robust instances of all virtual bipedal gaits on a quadrupedal robot. Gait specification takes the form of a three parameter family of coupling rules mathematically shown to stabilize limit cycles in a low degree of freedom template: an abstracted pair of vertical hoppers whose relative phase locking encodes the desired physical leg patterns. These coupling rules produce the desired gaits when appropriately applied to the physical robot. The formal analysis reveals a distinct set of morphological regimes determined by the distribution of the body’s inertia within which particular phase relationships are naturally locked with no need for feedback stabilization (or, if undesired, must be countermanded by the appropriate feedback), and these regimes are shown empirically to analogously govern the physical machine as well. In addition to the mathematical stability analysis and data from physical experiments we summarize a number of extensive numerical studies that explore the relationship between the simple template and its more complicated anchoring body models.
Use of next-generation sequencing for the identification and characterization of Maize chlorotic mottle virus and Sugarcane mosaic virus causing maize lethal necrosis in Kenya

I. P. Adams*, D. W. Miano, Z. M. Kinyua, A. Wangai, E. Kimani, N. Phiri, R. Reeder, V. Harju, R. Glover, U. Hany, R. Souza-Richards, P. Deb Nath, T. Nixon, A. Fox, A. Barnes, J. Smith, A. Skelton, R. Thwaites, R. Mumford and N. Boonham Food and Environment Research Agency, Sand Hutton, York, YO41 1LZ, UK; Kenya Agricultural Research Institute, Nairobi, PO Box 14733–00800, Kenya; Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service, PO Box 49592-00100, Nairobi, Kenya; CAB International Africa Regional Centre, PO Box 633-00621, Nairobi, Kenya; CAB International, Egham, TY20 9TY, UK; University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington, LE12 5RD, UK; and Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat-785013, Assam, India
Sillaphyton, a new genus of the Umbelliferae, endemic to the Korean Peninsula

Sillaphyton, a monotypic Korean genus, is described here for the first time. The new genus, based on the rare species Peucedanum podagraria H. Boissieu (= P. insolens Kitag.), is clearly distinct from Peucedanum s. str. (P. officinale L. and its closest relatives) as well as from Peucedanum s. l. segregate genera in fruit and leaf characters, as well as in nrDNA ITS sequence data. The carpological differences relate to the pericarp structure and secretory system. On the other hand, ac cor­ ding to molecular data Sillaphyton appeared to be closer to Arcuatopterus Sheh Men glan & Shan Renhwa than to Peucedanum and any its segregates. Arcuatopterus, de scribed as the Chinese endemics, belonging to Peucedaneae, now numbers six species of Sino­Himalayan distribution. The latter differs from Sillaphyton in a set of morphological and carpoanatomical characters. K e y w o r d s : Apiaceae, Eastern Asia, fruit anatomy, nrDNA ITS, Korea, morphology, taxonomy, Peucedanum, Arcuatopterus