Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Joint Attention Simulation Using Eye-Tracking and Virtual Humans

This article analyses the issues pertaining to the simulation of joint attention with virtual humans. Gaze represents a powerful communication channel illustrated by the pivotal role of joint attention in social interactions. To our knowledge, there have been only few attempts to simulate gazing patterns associated with joint attention as a mean for developing empathic virtual agents. Eye-tracking technologies now enable creating non-invasive gaze-contingent systems that empower the user with the ability to lead a virtual human's focus of attention in real-time. Although gaze control can be deliberate, most of our visual behaviors in everyday life are not. This article reports empirical data suggesting that users only have partial awareness of controlling gaze-contingent displays. The technical challenges induced by detecting the user's focus of attention in virtual reality are reviewed and several solutions are compared. We designed and tested a platform for creating virtual humans endowed with the ability to follow the user's attention. The article discusses the advantages of simulating joint attention for improving interpersonal skills and user engagement. Joint attention plays a major role in the development of autism. The platform we designed is intended for research and treatment of autism and tests included participants with this disorder.
Complexity metrics for Petri net based logic control algorithms

In the area of automatic control, more and more tasks formerly solved using special hardware are being solved using software. Hence, when discussing quality in automation, it is necessary to measure the quality of a software product. Software quality is a field of major interest for researchers and practitioners. However, in the area of control engineering, it is rarely studied. In previous publications the authors introduced the concept of transparency and defined corresponding metrics to measure the quality of logic controllers. In addition to these metrics, known complexity metrics from computer science are adapted to the area of logic control design and it is shown how the concepts of complexity and transparency are related. The metrics are introduced using the signal interpreted Petri net, but they are also valid for other Petri net types.
Microstructures and properties for titanium aluminide superalloy prototypes fabricated by electron beam melting and thermally processed

vi TABLE OF CONTENTS . vii LIST OF TABLES . ix LIST OF FIGURES . x PROBLEM STATEMENT . 1 PROPOSAL . 1 CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION . 2 CHAPTER 2: BACKGROUND . 4 2.1 Gamma Titanium Aluminides . 4 2.2 Additive Manufacturing . 5 2.3 Applications . 6 CHAPTER 3: DOCUMENTATION OF PUBLISHED WORK. 7 CHAPTER 4: MATERIAL AND METHODS . 8 4.1 Manufacturing of specimens: solid, reticulated mesh, and stochastic foam . 8 4.2 Mesh and Foam Building Strategy . 12 4.3 Sample Preparation . 14 4.4 Microscopy . 14 4.4.1 Optical Microscopy (OM) . 14 4.4.2 Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) . 14 4.4.3 Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) . 15 4.5 X-Ray Diffraction . 15 4.6 Hardness . 15 4.7 Dynamic Stiffness . 15 4.8 Thermal Post-Processing Treatment . 16 CHAPTER 5: RESULTS . 17 5.1 Microstructures for Two-Phase Gamma Titanium Aluminide Fabricated by Electron Beam Melting . 17 5.1. 1 As-Fabricated EBM Components . 17 viii 5.1. 2 Thermal Post-Processing . 38 5.1. 3 Discussion . 45 5.1. 4 Summary . 47 5.2 Microstructures and Properties for a Superalloy Powder Mixture Processed by Electron Beam Melting . 48 5.2.1 Comparative Microstructures for Solid Alloy 625, 2-Phase TiAl, and Blended TiAl . 52 5.2.3 Open Cellular Mesh and Foam Components . 63 5.2. 4 Hardness Measurements . 71 5.2. 5 Measurement of Dynamic Stiffness for Blended TiAl Mesh and Foam Components: Implications for Ideal Foam Model . 71 5.2. 6 Summary . 73 CHAPTER 6: DISCUSSION . 75 6.1 Transmission Electron Microscopy . 75 6.2 Hardness . 76 6.3 Dynamic Stiffness . 77 CHAPTER 7: CONCLUSIONS . 78 REFERENCES . 79 APPENDIX A: PERMISSION TO INCLUDE MATERIAL FROM THE JOURNAL METALLOGRAPHY, MICROSTRUCTURE, AND ANALYSIS . 82 APPENDIX B: PERMISSION TO INCLUDE MATERIAL FROM THE JOURNAL OF MATERIALS SCIENCE RESEARCH . 84 VITA . 85
A Rice Immunophilin Gene, OsFKBP16-3, Confers Tolerance to Environmental Stress in Arabidopsis and Rice

The putative thylakoid lumen immunophilin, FKBP16-3, has not yet been characterized, although this protein is known to be regulated by thioredoxin and possesses a well-conserved CxxxC motif in photosynthetic organisms. Here, we characterized rice OsFKBP16-3 and examined the role of this gene in the regulation of abiotic stress in plants. FKBP16-3s are well conserved in eukaryotic photosynthetic organisms, including the presence of a unique disulfide-forming CxxxC motif in their N-terminal regions. OsFKBP16-3 was mainly expressed in rice leaf tissues and was upregulated by various abiotic stresses, including salt, drought, high light, hydrogen peroxide, heat and methyl viologen. The chloroplast localization of OsFKBP16-3-GFP was confirmed through the transient expression of OsFKBP16-3 in Nicotiana benthamiana leaves. Transgenic Arabidopsis and transgenic rice plants that constitutively expressed OsFKBP16-3 exhibited increased tolerance to salinity, drought and oxidative stresses, but showed no change in growth or phenotype, compared with vector control plants, when grown under non-stressed conditions. This is the first report to demonstrate the potential role of FKBP16-3 in the environmental stress response, which may be regulated by a redox relay process in the thylakoid lumen, suggesting that artificial regulation of FKBP16-3 expression is a candidate for stress-tolerant crop breeding.
What single-cell stimulation has told us about neural coding

In recent years, single-cell stimulation experiments have resulted in substantial progress towards directly linking single-cell activity to movement and sensation. Recent advances in electrical recording and stimulation techniques have enabled control of single neuron spiking in vivo and have contributed to our understanding of neuronal coding schemes in the brain. Here, we review single neuron stimulation effects in different brain structures and how they vary with artificially inserted spike patterns. We briefly compare single neuron stimulation with other brain stimulation techniques. A key advantage of single neuron stimulation is the precise control of the evoked spiking patterns. Systematically varying spike patterns and measuring evoked movements and sensations enables ‘decoding’ of the single-cell spike patterns and provides insights into the readout mechanisms of sensory and motor cortical spikes.
Expression of bioluminescence by Escherichia coli containing recombinant Vibrio harveyi DNA

When isogenic strains of Escherichia coli, RR1 (rec+) and HB101 (recA), were transformed with mapped recombinant plasmids known to contain Vibrio harveyi luciferase genes and large regions of DNA flanking on both sides, a small percentage (0.005%) of the colonies expressed high levels of luminescence (up to 10(12) quanta s-1 ml-1) in the absence of added aldehyde. The altered ability to express light was found to be due to a mutation in the host and not to an alteration in the recombinant DNA. When these bright colonies were cured of plasmid, they could be retransformed with cloned V. harveyi gene fragments in cis and in trans to yield luminescent colonies at 100% frequency. The maximum length of V. harveyi DNA required to produce light-emitting E. coli was shorter (6.3 kilobase pairs) than that required for expression of the V. fischeri system in E. coli. Cell extracts from bright clones contained wild-type levels of activity for the heteropolymeric (alpha beta) luciferase; fatty acid labeling revealed the presence of the three acylated polypeptides of the fatty acid reductase system which is involved in aldehyde biosynthesis for the luminescence reaction. The increased light emission in the mutant bacteria appeared to arise in part from production of higher levels of polycistronic mRNAs coding for luciferase.
Establishment and Characterization of a Human Leukemic Cell Line with Megakaryocytic Features: Dependency on Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-stimulating Factor, Interleukin 3, or Erythropoietin for Growth and Survival1

A new human leukemia cell line with megakaryocytic features, desig nated UT-7, was established from the bone marrow of a patient with acute megakaryoblastic leukemia. Surface marker analysis revealed that the majority of the cells reacted with monoclonal antibodies against platelet glycoprotein Ib (CD42b), glycoprotein Ilb/IIIa (CD41a), MY 7 (CD13), MY 9 (CD33), and glycophorin A antigens. Cytogenetic analysis showed a human male near-tetraploid karyotype with a modal chromo some number of 92-96. Flow cytometry-derived DNA histograms dem onstrated that the majority of the cells spontaneously contained 4 N DNA ploidy levels. Ultrastructural study showed that platelet peroxidase activity was weakly positive but myeloperoxidase activity was negative. Ferritin and 0-granule, which have been used as ultrastructural markers for the erythroid lineage, could not be detected. In response to phorbol myristate acetate, platelet factor 4 and /8-thromboglobulin, which were specifically synthesized in the process of megakaryocyte maturation, dramatically increased in UT-7 cells. This was accompanied by an increase in cell size, ploidy level, platelet peroxidase activity, and the surface density of glycoprotein Ilb/IIIa antigen. These findings suggest that UT-7 is a new leukemic cell line with megakaryocytic features and with the potential to differentiate into cells with more mature megakar yocytic properties in response to phorbol myristate acetate. This cell line showed strict dependency on interleukin 3 (IL-3), granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, or erythropoietin. The maximal effective doses of IL-3, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimu lating factor, and erythropoietin for proliferation in liquid culture wer? 10 units/ml, 1 ng/ml, and 1 unit/ml, respectively. These concentrations were comparable to the doses that maximally stimulate the clonal growth of normal hemopoietic cells. II -6 could stimulate the proliferation of UT-7 cells but not maintain the line in long-term culture. UT-7 cells may be a useful model for (a) the analysis of gene regulation of megakaryocytic maturation-associated proteins expressed in the proc ess of megakaryocytic differentiation and (h) the study of signal transduction of hemopoietic factors associated with megakaryocytopoiesis.
Clock Recovery and Demultiplexing for 80Gbit/S OTDM System

Demultiplexing for OTDM networks utilizing a pair of concatenated electroabsorption modulators (EAMs) is presented and demonstrated experimentally. 80Gbit/s OTDM signal is demultiplexed to base rates of 20 and 10Gbit/s with the two EAMs, respectively. The two EAMs combined with a 10GHz clock recovery module based on phase-locked loop is introduced to extract the frame clock from 80Gbit/s OTDM signal. Keywords-optical time division multiplexing (OTDM); demultiplexing;clock recovery (CR), electrical absorption modulator(EAM).
The Effect of a Life Development Intervention on Sports Career Transition Adjustment

The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the effectiveness of a life development intervention on career transition adjustment in retired professional athletes. Intervention (n = 32) and control groups (n = 39) were recruited for this study, both of which contained recently retired male professional soccer players. Data were collected on measures of career termination adjustment and coping with transitions, and the intervention group also participated in a life development intervention package. Results revealed significant postintervention treatment group differences on career transition adjustment in favor of the life development intervention, while significant within-group differences on career transition adjustment over time were also achieved for the intervention group. Results are discussed in relation to the personal and developmental costs of pursuing performance excellence.
Using the Web in Machine Learning for Other-Anaphora Resolution

We present a machine learning framework for resolving other-anaphora. Besides morpho-syntactic, recency, and semantic features based on existing lexical knowledge resources, our algorithm obtains additional semantic knowledge from the Web. We search the Web via lexico-syntactic patterns that are specific to other-anaphors. Incorporating this innovative feature leads to an 11.4 percentage point improvement in the classifier's F-measure (25% improvement relative to results without this feature).
Core Ontology for Requirements Engineering

A requirement has been variously defined as a purpose, a need, a goal, a function(ality), a constraint, a behavior, a service, a condition, or a capability. Limited effort has been put into making explicit the assumptions and choices behind the various available definitions. In contrast to the available definitions, we propose one given in a restricted vocabulary of a foundational ontology. Assumptions and philosophical choices are discussed along with implications. We study various closely related concepts including ‘environment’, ‘system’, ‘machine’, ‘environment assumption’, along with the common taxonomic categories of the requirement concept. We argue for the introduction of new notions, namely those of ‘preference’ and ‘priority’. The various interwoven definitions build up to an ontology of core concepts in requirements engineering. The resulting, so-called CORE ontology, calls for a revision of the accepted understanding of the requirements problem. We outline the revised requirements problem and contrast it to the current variant. Status: Started on May 30, 2007; initial version finished in June 2007; first revision in July 2007; second revision in August 2007. This is the second complete draft.
Activation of microglia by secreted amyloid precursor protein evokes release of glutamate by cystine exchange and attenuates synaptic function

Microglial activation as part of a chronic inflammatory response is a prominent component of Alzheimer's disease. Secreted forms of the β‐amyloid precursor protein (sAPP) previously were found to activate microglia, elevating their neurotoxic potential. To explore neurotoxic mechanisms, we analyzed microglia‐conditioned medium for agents that could activate glutamate receptors. Conditioned medium from primary rat microglia activated by sAPP caused a calcium elevation in hippocampal neurons, whereas medium from untreated microglia did not. This response was sensitive to the NMDA receptor antagonist, aminophosphonovaleric acid. Analysis of microglia‐conditioned by HPLC revealed dramatically higher concentrations of glutamate in cultures exposed to sAPP. Indeed, the glutamate levels in sAPP‐treated cultures were substantially higher than those in cultures treated with amyloid β‐peptide. This sAPP‐evoked glutamate release was completely blocked by inhibition of the cystine–glutamate antiporter by α‐aminoadipate or use of cystine‐free medium. Furthermore, a sublethal concentration of sAPP compromised synaptic density in microglia–neuron cocultures, as evidenced by neuronal connectivity assay. Finally, the neurotoxicity evoked by sAPP in microglia‐neuron cocultures was attenuated by inhibitors of either the neuronal nitric oxide synthase (NG‐propyl‐l‐arginine) or inducible nitric oxide synthase (1400 W). Together, these data indicate a scenario by which microglia activated by sAPP release excitotoxic levels of glutamate, probably as a consequence of autoprotective antioxidant glutathione production within the microglia, ultimately causing synaptic degeneration and neuronal death.
AH-DB: collecting protein structure pairs before and after binding

This work presents the Apo–Holo DataBase (AH-DB, http://ahdb.ee.ncku.edu.tw/ and http://ahdb.csbb.ntu.edu.tw/), which provides corresponding pairs of protein structures before and after binding. Conformational transitions are commonly observed in various protein interactions that are involved in important biological functions. For example, copper–zinc superoxide dismutase (SOD1), which destroys free superoxide radicals in the body, undergoes a large conformational transition from an ‘open’ state (apo structure) to a ‘closed’ state (holo structure). Many studies have utilized collections of apo–holo structure pairs to investigate the conformational transitions and critical residues. However, the collection process is usually complicated, varies from study to study and produces a small-scale data set. AH-DB is designed to provide an easy and unified way to prepare such data, which is generated by identifying/mapping molecules in different Protein Data Bank (PDB) entries. Conformational transitions are identified based on a refined alignment scheme to overcome the challenge that many structures in the PDB database are only protein fragments and not complete proteins. There are 746 314 apo–holo pairs in AH-DB, which is about 30 times those in the second largest collection of similar data. AH-DB provides sophisticated interfaces for searching apo–holo structure pairs and exploring conformational transitions from apo structures to the corresponding holo structures.
The Mafic–Ultramafic Dykes in the Yanbian Terrane (Sichuan Province, SW China): Record of Magma Differentiation and Emplacement in the Emeishan Large Igneous Province

Numerous olivine-rich dykes intruded the late Proterozoic Yanbian terrane, Sichuan, SW China. The dykes are less than 10 m thick and show thin aphanitic chilled margins (c. 10–20 cm wide), whereas most of the dyke volume comprises coarse porphyric rocks made up of olivine grains up to 2 cm in size set in a groundmass consisting of clinopyroxene, plagioclase, Fe–Ti oxides, a second generation of olivine, hornblende and biotite. Chrome-spinel occurs mostly as inclusions in the olivine phenocrysts, but also in the groundmass. The geochemical investigation of 25 dykes suggested a meimechite-type composition of the coarse-grained rocks and a basaltic composition of the chill margins. The sum of REE contents is 46–67 ppm in the coarse rock and 104–137 ppm in the chill margins. Chondrite-normalized REE and primitive mantle-normalized values show identical trends in all dykes, suggesting that they are comagmatic. The initial Sr/Sr and eNd(t) (t1⁄4260 Ma) of the dykes display values in the ranges 0 7041–0 7060 and 0 66–5 25, respectively. Olivine composition varies greatly, with Mg# values of 72 0–93 9. The Cr number of the spinel is 0 62–0 76. Clinopyroxene is Carich (0 76–0 89 Ca atoms per formula unit). Although Ar/Ar investigations did not yield definitive results, the mineralogical and geochemical similarities between the studied dykes and the ultramafic lavas in the Emeishan large igneous province support their emplacement during Emeishan magmatism. Almost all elements unrelated to olivine (Ti, Al, Ca, P, Cu, Zr, Sr, Ba, Y, REE, U, Th, etc.) show strong positive inter-element correlation both in the chill margins and in the coarse-grained rocks, suggesting their concentration in the melt. The chilled margins (Mg#1⁄4 55–63) would have been in equilibrium with moderately Mg-rich olivine (Mg# up to 84). Therefore, the Mg-rich olivine crystallized from a more primitive magma and was transported in the dykes by a more evolved melt with a composition similar to that of the chill margins. Flow differentiation could explain the concentration of the olivine phenocrysts in the inner parts of the dykes while some melt was expelled towards the dyke walls. Based on the composition of the most Mg-rich olivine, the Mg# of the primary magma VC The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com 513 J O U R N A L O F P E T R O L O G Y Journal of Petrology, 2017, Vol. 58, No. 3, 513–538 doi: 10.1093/petrology/egx025 Advance Access Publication Date: 1 June 2017
Euclidean Quality Assessment for Binary Images

An objective quality assessment algorithm special for binary images is proposed. In the algorithm Euclidean distance between noise and signal points measures the noise energy and the Euler number change of images describes the structural effects caused by noise. Furthermore assessment on image quality is calculated in quantity in PSNR form. Generally image assessments could be classified into two categories: subjective and objective assessment. The latter is judged by the correlation coefficient with subjective quality measurement Mean Opinion Score (MOS). The experiments show that the results of the algorithm are highly correlative with subjective MOS and the algorithm is more simple and computational saving than traditional objective assessments
Generation of Smad7‐Cre recombinase mice: A useful tool for the study of epithelial‐mesenchymal transformation within the embryonic heart

Smad7 can be induced by various transforming growth factor‐β superfamily ligands and negatively modulates their signaling, thus acting in a negative, autocrine feedback manner. Previous analyses have demonstrated that although Smad7 is widely expressed, it is predominantly found in the vascular endothelium. Because of the restricted spatiotemporal reporter expression driven via a novel 4.3 kb Smad7 promoter in endocardial cells overlying the hearts atrioventricular (AV) cushions; we hypothesized that a transgenic Cre line would prove useful for the analysis of endocardial cushion and valve formation. Here we describe a mouse line, Smad7Cre, where Cre is robustly expressed within both cardiac outflow and AV endocardial cushions. Additionally, as endocardial cells are thought to contribute at least in part to the formation of the endocardial cushion mesenchyme, we crossed the Smad7Cre mice to the ROSA26eGFP‐DTA diphtheria toxin A‐expressing mice in order to genetically ablate Smad7Cre expressing cells. Ablation of Smad7Cre cells resulted in embryonic lethality by E11.5 and largely acellular endocardial cushions. genesis 47:469–475, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Notes on Collybia V. Gymnopus section Levipedes in tropical South America, with comments on Collybia

Five species of Gymnopus section Levipedes are reported for tropical South America. Two of these, Gymnopus macropus and G. nubicola, are newly described. Collybia laccata is considered synonymous with G. mucubajiensis comb. nov. now known from Andean Ecuador; both were originally described from the Venezuelan páramo. Gymnopus alkalivirens and G. semihirtipes are compared to G. mucubajiensis. Gymnopus spongiosus, previously known from the eastern United States, is newly reported from Colombian Quercus forests and is proposed as a new combination. Gymnopus dryophilus is, at present, not known from tropical South America, but extralimital material from nearby Costa Rica is described for comparison. No known species of Collybia s.str. have been identified from tropical South America.