Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Towards Combining HTN Planning and Geometric Task Planning

In this paper we present an interface between a symbolic planner and a geometric task planner, which is different to a standard trajectory planner in that the former is able to perform geometric reasoning on abstract entities---tasks. We believe that this approach facilitates a more principled interface to symbolic planning, while also leaving more room for the geometric planner to make independent decisions. We show how the two planners could be interfaced, and how their planning and backtracking could be interleaved. We also provide insights for a methodology for using the combined system, and experimental results to use as a benchmark with future extensions to both the combined system, as well as to the geometric task planner.
Department-level change: Using social network analysis to map the hidden structure of academic departments

Efforts to improve teaching in higher education have often focused on individual faculty. However, there is a growing consensus that the academic department is a more productive focus of change initiatives. Yet, academic departments are not all the same. Understanding the structure of relationships within a department is important for identifying who should be involved in the change effort and in what roles. It is also likely that a successful change effort will modify the structure of relationships within a department. This paper presents the preliminary results from a study of two academic departments at a research university. A social network for each department was constructed based on a web survey that asked faculty to identify colleagues with whom they had teaching-related conversations. We identify characteristics of the individuals and departments and describe how learning about this hidden structure can be beneficial to change agents.
Simple Wi-Fi-Based Direction Estimation of Subjects Using Directional Antenna

In this paper, we propose a simple and low-cost direction estimation method for a subject (e.g., a photographic subject) by observing the Wi-Fi signal strength using a directional antenna. Our goal is to find a specific person in a crowded environment such as an athletics tournament, where many people are identically dressed and in close proximity to each other. Our method suggests the direction of the moving subject to the photographer. In our system, a compact directional antenna attached to a camera receives Wi-Fi signals that originate from a device attached to the subject, and estimates the subject's direction on the basis of variances in the signal strength. Through experimental evaluations, we show that 68% of the results estimated on the basis of the variation in signal strength versus the swinging angle of the camera are accurate.
The measurement of the Hong Kong-based ‘Baseline Survey of Students' Attitudes toward People with a Disability’: cross-cultural validation in Lebanon

The negative attitudes of nondisabled persons are among the most serious invisible barriers to the full participation and integration of disabled citizens into society. A big question is, ‘what is the current level of acceptance and recognition of disabled persons in a given society, and what kind of public awareness interventions shall be devised to promote positive changes? ’. The purpose of this pilot study was to assess the level of the existing attitudinal barriers in a war-torn, middle-income Arab country, Lebanon. The study attempted to determine the present level of prejudice against people with a disability in Lebanon, and to examine the relationship between the participants' attitudes, and their previous exposure to and personal experience with disability. An instrument, the ‘Baseline Survey of Students' Attitudes toward People with a Disability’, developed by the Equal Opportunity Commission of Hong Kong, was selected as the instrument. A total of 94 valid questionnaires were collected from three universities in Beirut, Lebanon. This instrument was able to differentiate the participating students' attitudes toward people with different types of disabilities. The scale and its subscales showed that students generally had less favorable attitudes toward people with intellectual impairment and mental illness (including the ex-mentally ill). The participating Lebanese university students (an older age group than the Hong Kong students) are more differentiating in their attitudes toward people with the two most-discriminated categories of disabled people (the intellectually disabled and those with mental illness history). The cross-cultural validity and reliability of this instrument has been confirmed, and the major findings of this study could inform future policy directions, public awareness-raising strategies and social interaction variables to foster positive public attitudes in Lebanon.
Gait recognition based on LLE

In order to reduce dimensionality and select parameters in LLE for gait recognition, two methods are discussed in the paper. One is to train samples in same class and recognize the identification; the other is to train samples in all classes, then recognize the identification. The experimental results indicate the maximal correct classification rates (CCR) for two methods are alike when the right parameters are selected. When the parameter of neighbor points is selected near the sample number in same classification and dimensionality in lower space for LLE is chose at right value, the correct classification rate is higher in both methods.
Joint Probabilistic Matching Using m-Best Solutions

Matching between two sets of objects is typically approached by finding the object pairs that collectively maximize the joint matching score. In this paper, we argue that this single solution does not necessarily lead to the optimal matching accuracy and that general one-to-one assignment problems can be improved by considering multiple hypotheses before computing the final similarity measure. To that end, we propose to utilize the marginal distributions for each entity. Previously, this idea has been neglected mainly because exact marginalization is intractable due to a combinatorial number of all possible matching permutations. Here, we propose a generic approach to efficiently approximate the marginal distributions by exploiting the m-best solutions of the original problem. This approach not only improves the matching solution, but also provides more accurate ranking of the results, because of the extra information included in the marginal distribution. We validate our claim on two distinct objectives: (i) person re-identification and temporal matching modeled as an integer linear program, and (ii) feature point matching using a quadratic cost function. Our experiments confirm that marginalization indeed leads to superior performance compared to the single (nearly) optimal solution, yielding state-of-the-art results in both applications on standard benchmarks.
Plasma cell immunoglobulin secretion. Arrest is accompanied by alterations the golgi complex

Conditions influencing Ig secretion by plasma cells have been studied with suspensions of murine plasma cells and myeloma cells by determining the release of (3)H-Ig after a pulse of biosynthetic labeling with L- [4,5-(3)H]-leucine. Ig secretion is insensitive to a variety of hormones, mediators, cyclic nucleotide derivatives, extracellular calcium depletion, and agents acting on mierotubules or microfilaments; i.e., to a number of factors which are involved in the regulation of secretion by cells with a storage compartment. On the other hand, Ig secretion is markedly inhibited by conditions which (a) lower intracellular calcium levels (ionophore A 23187 in Ca(++)-free medium), (b) induce partial sodium/potassium equilibration (the ionophores monensin and nigericin and, in the case of myeloma cells, ouabain and incubation in K(+)-free medium) or (c) uncouple oxidative phosphorylation. The first two situations are accompanied by striking alterations of the ultrastructural appearance of the Golgi complex, different in each case. These ultrastructural observations, together with autoradiographic experiments after a short pulse with L-[4,5-(3)H]-leucine, have led to the following hypothesis: (a) under Ca(++) depletion (3)H-Ig passes to Golgi vesicles but these vesicles are incapable of fusion or migration and therefore accumulate in exaggerated numbers in the Golgi area; (b) under partial Na(+)/K(+) equilibration, (3)H-Ig passes to Golgi vesicles which have an exaggerated tendency to fuse with other Golgi elements, thereby generating large vacuoles which store increasing amounts of Ig; (c) under energy block, multiple membrane fission and fusion events are inhibited and there is therefore, little intracellular transport of (3)H-Ig or alteration of cell ultrastructure.
Efficacy and safety of the “mother’s kiss” technique: a systematic review of case reports and case series

Background: Foreign bodies lodged in the nasal cavity are a common problem in children, and their removal can be challenging. The published studies relating to the “mother’s kiss” all take the form of case reports and case series. We sought to assess the efficacy and safety of this technique. Methods: We performed a comprehensive search of the Cochrane library, MEDLINE, CINAHL, Embase, AMED Complementary and Allied Medicine and the British Nursing Index for relevant articles. We restricted the results to only those studies involving humans. In addition, we checked the references of relevant studies to identify further possibly relevant studies. We also checked current controlled trials registers and the World Health Organization search portal. Our primary outcome measures were the successful extraction of the foreign object from the nasal cavity and any reported adverse effects. We assessed the included studies for factors that might predict the chance of success of the technique. We assessed the validity of each study using the Newcastle–Ottawa scale. Results: Eight relevant published articles met our inclusion criteria. The overall success rate for all of the case series was 59.9% (91/152). No adverse effects were reported. Interpretation: Evidence from case reports and case series suggests that the mother’s kiss technique is a useful and safe first-line option for the removal of foreign bodies from the nasal cavities of children.
Assessing Oracle Quality with Checked Coverage

A known problem of traditional coverage metrics is that they do not assess oracle quality -- that is, whether the computation result is actually checked against expectations. In this paper, we introduce the concept of checked coverage -- the dynamic slice of covered statements that actually influence an oracle. Our experiments on seven open-source projects show that checked coverage is a sure indicator for oracle quality -- and even more sensitive than mutation testing, its much more demanding alternative.
Is Voix Mixte, the Vocal Technique Used to Smoothe the Transition across the two Main Laryngeal Mechanisms, an Independent Mechanism?

From a physiological point of view, two main laryngeal vibratory mechanisms, M1 and M2, are used successively from the bottom to the top of the vocal range. From a musical point of view, singers distinguish many registers, most of which rely on resonance adjustements. Voix mixte, which is related to the area of overlap of M1 and M2, is a register found in different voice categories. Use of the voix mixte allows the singers to realize a homogeneous voice timber throughout their tessitura. Contradictory views have been expressed on the true nature of this register: laryngeal, or resonantial? The present study on French voix mixte, carried out with 5 professional singers of both sexes, shows, on the basis of glottal open quotient (Oq) measurements, that voix mixte is not related to a different, or "mixed", laryngeal mechanism. Voix mixte sounds are always clearly produced in a given laryngeal mechanism, M1 or M2.
Cocaine Upregulates the Dopamine Transporter in Fetal Rhesus Monkey Brain

Cocaine is a highly addictive drug that binds to the dopamine transporter (DAT), inhibits the reuptake of dopamine, and initiates multiple actions within midbrain dopaminergic systems. Using the rhesus monkey, we have investigated the consequences of in utero cocaine exposure on the expression of DAT in the fetal brain. By using the selective DAT ligand [125I]RTI-121and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) immunocytochemistry, we found that DAT binding sites are highly developed by day 70 of gestation and show a distribution pattern similar to TH. The rank order of specific 3β-(4-[125I]iodophenyl)tropane-2β-carboxylic acid isopropyl ester ([125I]RTI-121) binding densities was substantia nigra–ventral tegmental area > putamen > caudate > lateral hypothalamus > accumbens > linear/interfascicular nuclei ≥ globus pallidus > prefrontal cortex. Furthermore, we observed that DAT mRNA was differentially expressed within fetal midbrain dopamine neurons with the highest levels detected in the ventral tier of the substantia nigra pars compacta, and the lowest levels in the ventral tegmental area and the linear/interfascicular nuclei. In utero cocaine exposure between days 22 and 70 significantly increased DAT mRNA expression, and the density of [125I]RTI-121 binding sites within midbrain dopamine neurons in the 70-d-old fetus. This increased DAT expression is accompanied by other presynaptic and postsynaptic neuronal changes, which collectively suggest that midbrain dopamine neurons are hypoactive after prolonged cocaine exposure, a state that may be a contributing factor in the development of attention deficit disorders observed in subjects exposed prenatally to cocaine.
Fit and diverse

We introduce set evolution as a means for creative 3D shape modeling, where an initial population of 3D models is evolved to produce generations of novel shapes. Part of the evolving set is presented to a user as a shape gallery to offer modeling suggestions. User preferences define the fitness for the evolution so that over time, the shape population will mainly consist of individuals with good fitness. However, to inspire the user's creativity, we must also keep the evolving set diverse. Hence the evolution is "fit and diverse", drawing motivation from evolution theory. We introduce a novel part crossover operator which works at the finer-level part structures of the shapes, leading to significant variations and thus increased diversity in the evolved shape structures. Diversity is also achieved by explicitly compromising the fitness scores on a portion of the evolving population. We demonstrate the effectiveness of set evolution on man-made shapes. We show that selecting only models with high fitness leads to an elite population with low diversity. By keeping the population fit and diverse, the evolution can generate inspiring, and sometimes unexpected, shapes.
Recognizing the Non-religious: Reimagining the Secular

In recent years, the extent to which contemporary societies are secular has come under scrutiny. At the same time, many countries, especially in Europe, have increasingly large nonaffiliate, 'subjectively secular' populations, whilst nonreligious cultural movements like the New Atheism and the Sunday Assembly have come to prominence. Making sense of secularity, irreligion, and the relationship between them has therefore emerged as a crucial task for those seeking to understand contemporary societies and the nature of modern life. Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork in southeast England, Recognizing the Non-religious develops a new vocabulary, theory and methodology for thinking about the secular. It distinguishes between separate and incommensurable aspects of so-called secularity as insubstantial - involving merely the absence of religion - and substantial - involving beliefs, ritual practice, and identities that are alternative to religious ones. Recognizing the cultural forms that present themselves as non-religious therefore opens up new, more egalitarian and more theoretically coherent ways of thinking about people who are 'not religious'. It is also argued that recognizing the nonreligious allows us to reimagine the secular itself in new and productive ways. This book is part of a fast-growing area of research that builds upon and contributes to theoretical debates concerning secularization, 'desecularization', religious change, postsecularity and postcolonial approaches to religion and secularism. As well as presenting new research, this book gathers insights from the wider studies of nonreligion, atheism, and secularism in order to consolidate a theoretical framework, conceptual foundation and agenda for future research.
Strained Si and SiGe Nanowire Tunnel FETs for Logic and Analog Applications

Guided by the Wentzel-Kramers-Brillouin approximation for band-to-band tunneling (BTBT), various performance boosters for Si TFETs are presented and experimentally verified. Along this line, improvements achieved by the implementation of uniaxial strain in nanowires (NW), the benefits of high-k/metal gates, and newly engineered tunneling junctions as well as the effect of scaling the NW to diameters of 10 nm are demonstrated. Specifically, self-aligned ion implantation into the source/drain silicide and dopant segregation has been exploited to achieve steep tunneling junctions with less defects. The obtained devices deliver high on-currents, e.g., gate-all-around (GAA) NW p-TFETs with 10 nm diameter show ID = 64 μA/μm at VDS = VGS - Voff = -1.0 V, and good inverse subthreshold slopes (SS). Tri-gate TFETs reach minimum SS of 30 mV/dec. Dopant segregation helps to minimize the defect density in the junction and thus trap assisted tunneling (TAT) is reduced. Pulsed current-voltage (I-V) measurements have been used to investigate TAT. We could show that scaled NW devices with multigates are less vulnerable to TAT compared to planar devices due to a shorter tunneling path enabled by the inherently good electrostatics. Furthermore, SiGe NW homo- and heterojunction TFETs have been investigated. The advantages of a SiGe/Si heterostructure as compared to a homojunction device are revealed and the effect of line tunneling which results in an increased BTBT generation is demonstrated. It is also shown that complementary strained Si TFET inverters and p-TFET NAND gates can be operated at VDD as low as 0.2 V. This suggests a great potential of TFETs for ultralow power applications. The analysis of GAA NW TFETs for analog applications provided a high transconductance efficiency and large intrinsic gain, even higher than for state-of-the-art 20 nm FinFETs at low voltages.
Abstract Time and Affective Perception in the Sonic Work of Art

The purpose of this article is to explore the concept of rhythm as enabling relations and thus as an appropriate mode of analysis for digital sound art installation. In particular, the article argues for a rhythmanalysis of the sonic event as a ‘vibrating sensation’ (Deleuze and Guattari) that incorporates the virtual without necessarily actualizing it. Picking up on notions such as rhythm, time, affect, and event, particularly through their discussion in relation to Susanne Langer’s work, I argue for the consideration of the sonic event as an instance of a different kind of temporality subsisting underneath clock-time and sense perception. Ultimately, and this is the position of this essay, an investigation into experimental projects that interweave digital, sound, and aesthetic dimensions enables the articulation of a rhythmic time that helps account for the unknown, indeterminate, and unintentional forces immanent to the sonic.
A Survey of Dynamic Replication Strategies based on Content Popularity

Cloud computing is a large-scale parallel and distributed computing paradigm. It is a collection of virtualized and interconnected computing resources which are managed to be one unified high performance computing power. Cloud environment being highly dynamic and heterogeneous, failures on data nodes are common. Therefore, to improve the availability and reliability of the system, the data is to be replicated to numerous suitable locations. By analyzing the content popularity, the popular data is replicated and the replicas are allocated to preferable data nodes. This phenomenon increases the data availability, speeding up of data access and minimizing cloud system bandwidth consumption. In this paper, various strategies of data replication based on content popularity are studied and how the replication can be carried out effectively by considering a few parameters like number of replicas, replica placement and replica management is analyzed.
THE MOBILIZATION AND TURNOVER TIMES OF CELL POPULATIONS IN BLOOD AND BLOOD-FORMING TISSUE

1. A description is given of a technique for performing absolute and differential counts of the nucleated cells of guinea-pig bone marrow. Emphasis is placed on the importance of using animals of uniform age in marrow studies. 2. In a 400 gm. male guinea-pig of the Dunklin-Hartley strain, the total marrow volume is 7.0 cc. , the total blood volume 28.8 cc. , and exchanges of cell population between marrow and blood can be readily calculated on the basis of these figures. 3. Thoracic duct lymphocyte production per day is about 4 times the total lymphocytes normally present in the blood and about one sixth to one eighth of the total marrow lymphocyte population. 4. Lymphocytes in bone marrow are practically all small, and are not formed in the marrow, but come to it from the blood stream. 5. In respect to granulocytes, the marrow possesses about 150 times the number normally present in the blood, and two thirds of this myeloid reserve consists of mature or almost mature cells which can be rapidly discharged into the blood stream. 6. Leucocytosis Promoting Factor (Menkin) evokes in 4 hours a dual response by the marrow, namely a discharge of granulocytes into the blood and an uptake of lymphocytes from the blood. But most of the granulocytes thus entering the blood rapidly leave it. 7. Unlike the granulocytes, there is no large erythroid reserve in the bone marrow, and the quantitative data indicate that under normal conditions erythrocyte production just about keeps pace with requirements. 8. In animals subjected to hypoxia at the Jungfraujoch, about 3 days elapse before there is an appreciable discharge of additional erythrocytes into the blood. The nucleated erythroid cells of the marrow begin to increase on the second day, and reach a peak on the fourth day. 9. Morphological evidence indicates the existence of "Transitional" lymphocytes, intermediate between the small lymphocyte and the blast cell.
Towards Efficient Computation of Error Bounded Solutions in POMDPs: Expected Value Approximation and Dynamic Disjunctive Beliefs

While POMDPs (partially observable markov decision problems) are a popular computational model with wide-ranging applications, the computational cost for optimal policy generation is prohibitive. Researchers are investigating ever-more efficient algorithms, yet many applications demand such algorithms bound any loss in policy quality when chasing efficiency. To address this challenge, we present two new techniques. The first approximates in the value space to obtain solutions efficiently for a pre-specified error bound. Unlike existing techniques, our technique guarantees the resulting policy will meet this bound. Furthermore, it does not require costly computations to determine the quality loss of the policy. Our second technique prunes large tracts of belief space that are unreachable, allowing faster policy computation without any sacrifice in optimality. The combination of the two techniques, which are complementary to existing optimal policy generation algorithms, provides solutions with tight error bounds efficiently in domains where competing algorithms fail to provide such tight bounds.