Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Generation of sensory reflex behavior versus intentional proactive behavior in robot learning of cooperative interactions with others

This paper investigates the essential difference between two types of behavior generation schemes, namely, sensory reflex behavior generation and intentional proactive behavior generation, by proposing a dynamic neural network model referred to as stochastic multiple-timescale recurrent neural network (S-MTRNN). The proposed model was employed in an experiment involving robots learning to cooperate with others under the condition of potential unpredictability of the others' behaviors. The results of the learning experiment showed that sensory reflex behavior was generated by a self-organizing probabilistic prediction mechanism when the initial sensitivity characteristics in the network dynamics were not utilized in the learning process. In contrast, proactive behavior with a deterministic prediction mechanism was developed when the initial sensitivity was utilized. It was further shown that in situations where unexpected behaviors of others were observed, the behavioral context was re-situated by adaptation of the internal neural dynamics by means of simple sensory reflexes in the former case. In the latter case, the behavioral context was re-situated by error regression of the internal neural activity rather than by sensory reflex. The role of the top-down and bottom-up interactions in dealing with unexpected situations is discussed.
Resiliency factors protecting against teenage alcohol use and smoking: influences of religion, religious involvement and values, and ethnicity in the Missouri Adolescent Female Twin Study

Abstract The objective of this study was to investigate the contribution of ethnicity (African American vs European/other ancestry), family religious affiliation, religious involvement, and religious values, to risk of alcohol and cigarette use in adolescent girls; and to estimate genetic and shared environmental effects on religious involvement and values. Telephone interviews were conducted with a sample of female like-sex twin pairs, aged 13–20 (n = 1687 pairs, including 220 minority pairs), as well as with one or both parents of twins aged 11–20 (n = 2111 families). These data, together with one-year follow-up twin questionnaire data, and two-year follow-up parent interview data, were used to compare ethnic differences. Proportional hazards regression models and genetic variance component models were fitted to the data. Despite higher levels of exposure to family, school and neighborhood environmental adversities, African American adolescents were less likely to become teenage drinkers or smokers. They showed greater religious involvement (frequency of attendance at religious services) and stronger religious values (eg belief in relying upon their religious beliefs to guide day-to-day living). Controlling for religious affiliation, involvement and values removed the ethnic difference in alcohol use, but had no effect on the difference in rates of smoking. Religious involvement and values exhibited high heritability in African Americans, but only modest heritability in EOAs. The strong protective effect of adolescent religious involvement and values, and its contribution to lower rates of African American alcohol use, was confirmed. We speculate about the possible association between high heritability of African American religious behavior and an accelerated maturation of religious values during adolescence.
A New Genotype Imputation Method with Tolerance to High Missing Rate and Rare Variants

We report a novel algorithm, iBLUP, to impute missing genotypes by simultaneously and comprehensively using identity by descent and linkage disequilibrium information. The simulation studies showed that the algorithm exhibited drastically tolerance to high missing rate, especially for rare variants than other common imputation methods, e.g. BEAGLE and fastPHASE. At a missing rate of 70%, the accuracy of BEAGLE and fastPHASE dropped to 0.82 and 0.74 respectively while iBLUP retained an accuracy of 0.95. For minor allele, the accuracy of BEAGLE and fastPHASE decreased to −0.1 and 0.03, while iBLUP still had an accuracy of 0.61. We implemented the algorithm in a publicly available software package also named iBLUP. The application of iBLUP for processing real sequencing data in an outbred pig population was demonstrated.
Brain Activation during Smooth-Pursuit Eye Movements

A potential application of studying eye movements with functional MRI (fMRI) is to examine patient populations with known eye movement dysfunction, but the reliability with which normal subjects demonstrate activity in specific brain regions has not been established. To date, fMRI studies of smooth-pursuit eye movements have used relatively small numbers of subjects and have been restricted to fixed-effects analyses. We extend these studies to whole brain imaging at 1.5 T, properly accounting for intersubject variation using random effects analysis. Smooth-pursuit eye movements elicited activation consistently in dorsal cortical eye fields and cerebellum. Subcortical activation was greatly attenuated, but not eliminated, with the random-effects second-level analysis. In addition, session-dependent changes in activation were greater in some regions than others and may indicate areas of brain, such as the supplementary eye fields, that are sensitive to attentional modulation of eye movements.
Fibroblast growth factor receptors control epithelial-mesenchymal interactions necessary for alveolar elastogenesis.

RATIONALE The mechanisms contributing to alveolar formation are poorly understood. A better understanding of these processes will improve efforts to ameliorate lung disease of the newborn and promote alveolar repair in the adult. Previous studies have identified impaired alveogenesis in mice bearing compound mutations of fibroblast growth factor (FGF) receptors (FGFRs) 3 and 4, indicating that these receptors cooperatively promote postnatal alveolar formation. OBJECTIVES To determine the molecular and cellular mechanisms of FGF-mediated alveolar formation. METHODS Compound FGFR3/FGFR4-deficient mice were assessed for temporal changes in lung growth, airspace morphometry, and genome-wide expression. Observed gene expression changes were validated using quantitative real-time RT-PCR, tissue biochemistry, histochemistry, and ELISA. Autocrine and paracrine regulatory mechanisms were investigated using isolated lung mesenchymal cells and type II pneumocytes. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS Quantitative analysis of airspace ontogeny confirmed a failure of secondary crest elongation in compound mutant mice. Genome-wide expression profiling identified molecular alterations in these mice involving aberrant expression of numerous extracellular matrix molecules. Biochemical and histochemical analysis confirmed changes in elastic fiber gene expression resulted in temporal increases in elastin deposition with the loss of typical spatial restriction. No abnormalities in elastic fiber gene expression were observed in isolated mesenchymal cells, indicating that abnormal elastogenesis in compound mutant mice is not cell autonomous. Increased expression of paracrine factors, including insulin-like growth factor-1, in freshly-isolated type II pneumocytes indicated that these cells contribute to the observed pathology. CONCLUSIONS Epithelial/mesenchymal signaling mechanisms appear to contribute to FGFR-dependent alveolar elastogenesis and proper airspace formation.
Male Lineages in Brazil: Intercontinental Admixture and Stratification of the European Background

The non-recombining nature of the Y chromosome and the well-established phylogeny of Y-specific Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (Y-SNPs) make them useful for defining haplogroups with high geographical specificity; therefore, they are more apt than the Y-STRs to detect population stratification in admixed populations from diverse continental origins. Different Y-SNP typing strategies have been described to address issues of population history and movements within geographic territories of interest. In this study, we investigated a set of 41 Y-SNPs in 1217 unrelated males from the five Brazilian geopolitical regions, aiming to disclose the genetic structure of male lineages in the country. A population comparison based on pairwise FST genetic distances did not reveal statistically significant differences in haplogroup frequency distributions among populations from the different regions. The genetic differences observed among regions were, however, consistent with the colonization history of the country. The sample from the Northern region presented the highest Native American ancestry (8.4%), whereas the more pronounced African contribution could be observed in the Northeastern population (15.1%). The Central-Western and Southern samples showed the higher European contributions (95.7% and 93.6%, respectively). The Southeastern region presented significant European (86.1%) and African (12.0%) contributions. The subtyping of the most frequent European lineage in Brazil (R1b1a-M269) allowed differences in the genetic European background of the five Brazilian regions to be investigated for the first time.
metroII

Cyber-Physical Systems are integrations of computation and physical processes and as such, will be increasingly relevant to industry and people. The complexity of designing CPS resides in their heterogeneity. Heterogeneity manifest itself in modeling their functionality as well as in the implementation platforms that include a multiplicity of components such as microprocessors, signal processors, peripherals, memories, sensors and actuators often integrated on a single chip or on a small package such as a multi-chip module. We need a methodology, tools and environments where heterogeneity can be dealt with at all levels of abstraction and where different tools can be integrated. We present here Platform-Based Design as the CPS methodology of choice and metroII, a design environment that supports it. We present the metamodeling approach followed in metroII, how to couple the functionality and implementation platforms of CPS, and the simulation technology that supports the analysis of CPS and of their implementation. We also present examples of use and the integration of metroII with another popular design environment developed at Verimag, BIP.
Colorimetric-Based Detection of TNT Explosives Using Functionalized Silica Nanoparticles

This proof-of-concept study proposes a novel sensing mechanism for selective and label-free detection of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT). It is realized by surface chemistry functionalization of silica nanoparticles (NPs) with 3-aminopropyl-triethoxysilane (APTES). The primary amine anchored to the surface of the silica nanoparticles (SiO2-NH2) acts as a capturing probe for TNT target binding to form Meisenheimer amine–TNT complexes. A colorimetric change of the self-assembled (SAM) NP samples from the initial green of a SiO2-NH2 nanoparticle film towards red was observed after successful attachment of TNT, which was confirmed as a result of the increased separation between the nanoparticles. The shift in the peak wavelength of the reflected light normal to the film surface (λpeak) and the associated change of the peak width were measured, and a merit function taking into account their combined effect was proposed for the detection of TNT concentrations from 10−12 to 10−4 molar. The selectivity of our sensing approach is confirmed by using TNT-bound nanoparticles incubated in AptamerX, with 2,4-dinitrotoluene (DNT) and toluene used as control and baseline, respectively. Our results show the repeatable systematic color change with the TNT concentration and the possibility to develop a robust, easy-to-use, and low-cost TNT detection method for performing a sensitive, reliable, and semi-quantitative detection in a wide detection range.
Impact of National HIV and AIDS Communication Campaigns in South Africa to Reduce HIV Risk Behaviour

In South Africa social and behavioural communication interventions are a critical component of HIV/AIDS prevention, and numerous communication campaigns have been implemented intensively across the country through government initiatives and nongovernmental organisations over the past decade. The aim of this paper is to assess the reach of HIV and AIDS communication campaigns in conjunction with contributions to knowledge, attitudes, and HIV risk behaviours in the general population in South Africa. The sample included in this nationally representative cross-sectional survey was 13234 people aged 15–55 years. Overall, the study found that there was high exposure to 18 different HIV communication programmes (median 6 programmes and 14 programmes more than 30%) across different age groups. Most programmes were more often seen or heard by young people aged between 15 and 24 years. In multivariate analysis, greater exposure to HIV mass communication programmes was associated with greater HIV knowledge, condom use at last sex, having tested for HIV in the past 12 months, and less stigmatizing attitude toward PLWHA.
SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS DOES NOT MODERATE THE FAMILIALITY OF COGNITIVE ABILITIES IN THE HAWAII FAMILY STUDY OF COGNITION

Data from 949 families of Caucasian and 400 families of Japanese ancestry who took part in the Hawaii Family Study of Cognition were used to ascertain the associations of parental cognitive ability, parental education and paternal occupation with offspring cognitive ability. In particular, analyses were focused on testing the possible moderating effects of parental socioeconomic status on the familial transmission of cognitive abilities. Parental cognitive ability was substantially associated and parental education and paternal occupation only trivially associated with offspring performance. In contrast to the findings of Turkheimer et al. (2003), there was no evidence in these data that familiality for cognitive abilities was lower in the lower as opposed to upper levels of socioeconomic status. These results were consistent across measures, ethnicity and sex of offspring.
Lullaby : Capturing the Unconscious in the Sleep Environment

Research has shown that environmental factors can be one of the major causes of poor sleep quality and interrupted sleep [8], which can contribute to daytime sleepiness and fatigue. In particular, a room that is too warm [11], has improper lighting [10], or is noisy [1] can have a negative impact on sleep. While some of these environmental factors are observable, others may be subtle. Individuals who have poor sleep quality can often have difficulty evaluating the cause or severity of their sleep difficulties [3]. We present preliminary results of an ongoing study of Lullaby, a capture and access system for the sleep environment, and discuss some aspects of designing capture and access for unconscious experience.
HETCP: A Hierachical Energy Efficient Topology Control Protocol for Wireless Sensor Networks

In many applications of wireless sensor networks, sensor nodes are densely deployed in the area of interest. It is nontrivial to establish an efficient topology that provides communication under energy constrains and system dynamics. In this paper, a new hierarchical energy aware topology control protocol named HETCP is proposed. It combines energy balance metric and energy conserving metric together to optimize topologies. It forms sensor nodes into clusters to balance energy load and improve the network scalability. Inside clusters, a subset of nodes is selected to work while others remained sleeping in order to save energy. Both clustering and sleeping schedule algorithm are introduced in detail. Simulation results show that HETCP has excellent stability and energy efficiency
Taste flashes: reaction times, intensity, and quality.

Human simple reaction times and magnitude estimates of taste intensity increased as the duration of 500-millimolar sodium chloride or 2-millimolar saccharin sodium pulses lengthened from 100 to 1000 milliseconds. Responses to "What was the taste? " ranged from 94 to 100 percent "sweet" for saccharin and 68 to 83 percent "salty" for salt across all pulse durations when both substances were randomized with water pulses.
A new decimation and interpolation algorithm and an efficient lossless compression technique for images

Efficient lossless compression using decimation and interpolation algorithms with low complexity and high quality is an important goal for multi-media distribution over the internet. This is because content is consumed at different sizes and over networks with different bandwidths. It is also because informational content, large screen advertisements, professional video and high quality computer animation have different quality requirements. In this paper we propose and study a novel decimation and interpolation scheme. Our method compares well in terms of PSNR with well-known Bi-cubic interpolation as well as other computationally more expensive methods available in the literature. We have compared the efficiency of our method with Bi-cubic in terms of computational complexity. In the second part of the paper we have used our decimation and interpolation scheme for developing a new lossless compression technique for images. This falls broadly under the spatial hierarchy schemes. Literature consists of many attempts to use decimation and interpolation for lossy compression of images. We have compared the efficiency of our method with Bi-cubic interpolation based approach. On an average our method has better compression efficiency than methods like lossless JPEG. Our experimental results show that ZIP, PNG and TIFF are 27%, 57% and 42% poorer in terms of compression efficiency respectively. However, this comes at the cost of increased computational complexity.
Composite Particles in Mudstones: Examples from the Late Cretaceous Tununk Shale Member of the Mancos Shale Formation

Despite recent advances in understanding the complex dynamics of mud deposition, it remains a challenging task to characterize the grain size, origin of different components, and sedimentary textures of mudstones through detailed petrographic analysis. In this study, the Tununk Shale in Utah has been examined by optical and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to determine how variations in petrographic characteristics (e.g., composition, texture) of this shelf mudstone succession reflect changing depositional environments. In the context of the general depositional setting, detailed petrographic studies indicate that most mud in the Tununk system were transported in bedload as siltto sand-size mud-dominated composite particles (MCPs), rather than specific components (e.g., clay minerals, silt grains, fossil fragments) of smaller size (micrometers to tens of micrometers). Three types of MCPs in the Tununk Shale can be identified and distinguished from each other. These include fecal pellets, altered volcanic rock fragments, and shale lithics. Two other types of MCPs, namely floccules and soft mud rip-up clasts, likely contributed significantly to the formation of the precursor mud matrix of the Tununk Shale. Due to their water-rich nature, however, floccules and mud rip-up clasts suffer significant compaction. Except in fortunate circumstances, they are therefore no longer discernible in the rock record. MCPs and their role in the formation of fine-grained sedimentary successions has largely gone unnoticed in previous studies. The recognition criteria, as well as petrographic characteristics of each type of MCP in different depositional environments of the Tununk Shale, are summarized here, with the intent that they may benefit future studies of other mudstone successions. The complex variability in the characteristics of different types of MCPs illustrated in this case study, however, highlights the need for additional systematic petrographic studies (integrating both optical and SEM) in order to develop and refine the current recognition criteria of MCPs in fine-grained sedimentary rocks. Detailed petrographic examination of mudstones, though labor intensive, can yield critical information regarding their provenance and depositional setting, as well as provide general insights into the underlying causes for mudstone heterogeneity.
Observation- and model-based study of the extratropical UT/LS

Coupling between processes of different nature, as radiation, dynamics and chemistry, in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere (UT/LS) makes this region highly sensitive to climate change. This thesis addresses the climatological representativeness of trace gases measured in–situ within the UT/LS as well as their temporal variability. Possible atmospheric processes which may contribute to the maintenance of tropopause related structures in the extratropics are discussed. These studies are based on the closely linked use of experimental data, statistical analyzes and atmospheric models. In the first part of this thesis, a statistical analysis is presented for the comparability of water vapor (H2O) and ozone (O3) data sets sampled during the SPURT aircraft campaigns and the MOZAIC passenger aircraft flights. A different variability character in both trace gas data sets is evident by a variance analysis. While the SPURT H2O data can only resolve atmospheric processes variable on a diurnal or synoptic time scale, MOZAIC H2O data also resolve processes on an inter–seasonal and a seasonal time scale. The SPURT H2O data set does not represent the full MOZAIC H2O variance in the UT/LS for climatological investigations, whereas the variance of O3 is much better represented. SPURT H2O data are better suited in the stratosphere, where the MOZAIC relative humidity sensor loses its sensitivity. This is the first analysis which addresses the ability of measured trace gases to detect the atmospheric variability in the UT/LS. In the second part of the thesis, the relationship between the static stability N2 within the tropopause inversion layer (TIL) in the extratropics and the atmospheric mixing in that region is investigated using the SPURT O3 and CO observations. For this purpose N2 is determined from ECMWF fields. A new measure of mixing degree based on O3–CO tracer correlations is developed. It is found that high N2 is related to an enhanced mixing degree in the extratropical mixing layer. A temporal variance analysis of N2 at the particular SPURT measurement locations suggests that the processes responsible for the composition of the TIL occur on a seasonal time scale. The Reading radiative transfer model is used to simulate the influence of a change in O3 and H2O vertical gradients on the temperature gradient and thus on the static stability above the tropopause. Zonal and time mean ECMWF O3 and H2O profiles, which
16S rRNA-based probes and polymerase chain reaction method to detect Listeria monocytogenes cells added to foods

A rapid polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method was developed for detection of Listeria monocytogenes in foods. This method used a pair of primers based on a unique region in the 16S rRNA sequence of L. monocytogenes, which were previously reported by us to yield a specific nucleic acid probe. Our method included use of a shorter denaturing time, a shorter annealing time, a rapid transition, and an increase in the number of cycles, resulting in good sensitivity. Just 3 h for PCR plus 1 h for electrophoresis was required. Additional time for DNA isolation and DNA hybridization was not needed. This method detected as few as 2 to 20 CFU of L. monocytogenes in pure cultures and as few as 4 to 40 CFU of L. monocytogenes in inoculated (10(8) CFU), diluted food samples. Seven of eight foods, including four poultry products, gave positive results. Only one food sample, soft cheese, gave interference. An internal probe hybridization test was used to confirm that the PCR products were from L. monocytogenes. A specificity test indicated that this PCR method was positive for all 13 strains of L. monocytogenes tested but negative for the other 6 species of Listeria, including 6 strains of L. innocua, and negative for 17 other gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria tested.