Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Gaussian processes in inverse reinforcement learning

Inverse reinforcement learning (IRL) is the general problem of recovering a reward function from demonstrations provided by an expert. By incorporating Gaussian process (GP) into IRL, we present an approach to recovering both rewards and uncertainty information in continuous state and action spaces. To predicate value in every point in spaces, we use GP models for value function and reward function separately. Our contribution is threefold: First, we extend the existing IRL algorithm to the case of continuous spaces. Second, reward GP provides not only the reward function with flexible forms, but also uncertainty about rewards, which helps the learner make a tradeoff between exploitation and exploration. Third, by introducing the kernel function, our approach takes sample points in the demonstration as learning features. It prevents manually designating features. Experimental results show the proposed method works well and demonstrate good learning in a traditional learning setting.
Seed handling in chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) and redtail monkeys (Cercopithecus ascanius): implications for understanding hominoid and cercopithecine fruit-processing strategies and seed dispersal.

Primates are confronted with an array of constraints in feeding on fruit, including the removal of adhesive, energy-rich pulp from seeds. In this paper, I discuss how primates meet this challenge and present data on the fruit-processing and seed-handling behavior of chimpanzees and redtail monkeys in Kibale National Park, Uganda. These data are then related to these species' services as seed dispersers. Particular attention was paid to the methods by which primates removed pulp from seeds, the density of seed clumps that they deposited (by spitting, dropping, or defecating) to the forest floor, and the distance seeds were moved from parent trees. Distance and density differences in chimpanzee and redtail seed dispersal resulted from distinct fruit-processing and seed-handling methods. It was observed, in general, that redtail monkeys engaged in fine oral processing and were seed spitters: most seeds were dispersed in close proximity to parent trees (84% of spat seeds < 10 m of parent tree), and deposited singly (100% seeds spat singly). In contrast, chimpanzees were coarse fruit processors and seed swallowers: seeds were defecated in denser clumps (e.g., a mean of 149 large seeds/dung sample and hundreds of small seeds/dung sample), far from parent trees. I evaluate the factors that shape patterns of fruit processing in hominoids and cercopithecines, and argue that the observed seed handling differences can be attributed to differences in digestive retention times, oral anatomy, and alternative mechanisms by which to avoid the cost of seed ballast.
The relationship between torque and joint angle during knee extension in boys and men

The length-tension relationship of muscle contraction is well documented in adults. However, research on this relationship in children has been limited. The aim of this study was to compare differences in the torque-joint angle relationship of the quadriceps muscle in children and adults. Eight boys aged 8-10 years and eight men aged 20-26 years performed two maximal voluntary isometric contractions at six knee joint angles (20°, 40°, 60°, 80°, 90°, 100°). The mean of the two trials was used as the performance measure. Both groups demonstrated an expected increase in relative torque as the joint angle increased (P ≪ 0.05). The men produced significantly greater relative torque at 20°, 40° and 60° knee flexion (P ≪ 0.05). The percentage of maximal torque at these angles for the men and boys respectively were: 35.2 - 4.3 vs 15.2 - 12%, 63.6 - 9.1 vs 51.8 - 16.8% and 93.6 - 6.5 vs 84.4 - 14.4%. There were no group differences at 80° or 90°. Peak torque was attained at 80° in men, but decreased significantly (P ≪ 0.05) at 90° and 100°. For boys, peak torque was attained at joint angles of 80° and 90°. The reduction in peak torque at 100° was not statistically significant, but the relative torque at this angle was lower in men than in boys (77.9 - 13.7 vs 87.1 - 10.4%; P ≪ 0.05). In conclusion, the relationship between torque and joint angle appears to be affected by age.
The recovery of cognitive functions for patients with the organic amnestic syndrome by means of the non-invasive adaptive neuro-electrostimulation device

Actuality verifying the effectiveness of the dynamic correction of the sympathetic nervous system using a noninvasive multichannel neurostimulation device "SYMPATHOCOR-01". The task is to restore cognitive function in patients with organic amnestic syndrome. Three patients with clinical organic amnestic syndrome resulting of brain damage (poisoning, alcohol and trauma) held inpatient treatment for at least 12 months in the neurology or psychiatry department without a significantly improvement. As a result, the stimulation rate during the three weeks of recovery could achieve stable fixing of memory and other cognitive functions in all the patients according to clinical observation and methods of neuropsychological assessments FAB, MoCA and MMSE. A significant positive trend noted by the results of the data analysis of EEG and heart rate variability. A hypothesis mechanism for clinical effect is formulated. A serious clinical trial should be done to confirm hypothesis.
The Sharing Economy: The End of Employment and the Rise of Crowd-Based Capitalism

Sharing isn't new. Giving someone a ride, having a guest in your spare room, running errands for someone, participating in a supper club -- these are not revolutionary concepts. What is new, in the "sharing economy," is that you are not helping a friend for free; you are providing these services to a stranger for money. In this book, Arun Sundararajan, an expert on the sharing economy, explains the transition to what he describes as "crowd-based capitalism" -- a new way of organizing economic activity that may supplant the traditional corporate-centered model. As peer-to-peer commercial exchange blurs the lines between the personal and the professional, how will the economy, government regulation, what it means to have a job, and our social fabric be affected? Drawing on extensive research and numerous real-world examples -- including Airbnb, Lyft, Uber, Etsy, TaskRabbit, France's BlaBlaCar, China's Didi Kuaidi, and India's Ola, Sundararajan explains the basics of crowd-based capitalism. He describes the intriguing mix of "gift" and "market" in its transactions, demystifies emerging blockchain technologies, and clarifies the dizzying array of emerging on-demand platforms. He considers how this new paradigm changes economic growth and the future of work. Will we live in a world of empowered entrepreneurs who enjoy professional flexibility and independence? Or will we become disenfranchised digital laborers scurrying between platforms in search of the next wedge of piecework? Sundararajan highlights the important policy choices and suggests possible new directions for self-regulatory organizations, labor law, and funding our social safety net.
Activation of Cortical and Subcortical Auditory Structures at 3 T by Means of a Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Paradigm Suitable for Clinical Use

Objectives:Visualization of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) activation of subcortical auditory structures remains challenging because of the cardiac-related pulsatile movement of both the brainstem and the cerebrospinal fluid and involved, until now, special scanning, pre- and postprocessing techniques, which are not convenient in clinical settings. The aim of this study is to examine the activation in both cortical and subcortical auditory structures by means of an fMRI paradigm, which is suitable for clinical use. Materials and Methods:Twenty subjects (13 volunteers and 7 patients) were examined on a 3 T imaging system with binaural musical stimulation. Results:Both cortical and subcortical auditory structures are successfully visualized in volunteers and patients. Conclusions:Activation of both the cortical and subcortical auditory structures can be visualized by means of an appropriate fMRI setup at 3 T. This paradigm can easily be used in patients with tumors and/or hearing disorders.
A problem-oriented classification of visualization techniques

Progress in scientific visualization could be accelerated if workers could more readily find visualization techniques relevant to a given problem. The authors describe an approach to this problem, based on a classification of visualization techniques, that is independent of particular application domains. A user breaks up a problem into subproblems, describes these subproblems in terms of the objects to be represented and the operations to be supported by a representation, locates applicable visualization techniques in a catalog, and combines these representations into a composite representation for the original problem. The catalog and its underlying classification provide a way for workers in different application disciplines to share methods. <<ETX>>
Monophosphoryl Lipid A Enhances Efficacy of a Francisella tularensis LVS-Catanionic Nanoparticle Subunit Vaccine against F. tularensis Schu S4 Challenge by Augmenting both Humoral and Cellular Immunity

ABSTRACT Francisella tularensis, a bacterial biothreat agent, has no approved vaccine in the United States. Previously, we showed that incorporating lysates from partially attenuated F. tularensis LVS or fully virulent F. tularensis Schu S4 strains into catanionic surfactant vesicle (V) nanoparticles (LVS-V and Schu S4-V, respectively) protected fully against F. tularensis LVS intraperitoneal (i.p.) challenge in mice. However, we achieved only partial protection against F. tularensis Schu S4 intranasal (i.n.) challenge, even when employing heterologous prime-boost immunization strategies. We now extend these findings to show that both LVS-V and Schu S4-V immunization (i.p./i.p.) elicited similarly high titers of anti-F. tularensis IgG and that the titers could be further increased by adding monophosphoryl lipid A (MPL), a nontoxic Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) adjuvant that is included in several U.S. FDA-approved vaccines. LVS-V+MPL immune sera also detected more F. tularensis antigens than LVS-V immune sera and, after passive transfer to naive mice, significantly delayed the time to death against F. tularensis Schu S4 subcutaneous (s.c.) but not i.n. challenge. Active immunization with LVS-V+MPL (i.p./i.p.) also increased the frequency of gamma interferon (IFN-γ)-secreting activated helper T cells, IFN-γ production, and the ability of splenocytes to control intramacrophage F. tularensis LVS replication ex vivo. Active LVS-V+MPL immunization via heterologous routes (i.p./i.n.) significantly elevated IgA and IgG levels in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and significantly enhanced protection against i.n. F. tularensis Schu S4 challenge (to ∼60%). These data represent a significant step in the development of a subunit vaccine against the highly virulent type A strains.
A Comparative Study of Fixed Speed and Variable Speed Wind Energy Conversion Systems Feeding the Grid

In the early development of the wind energy, the majority of the wind turbines have been operated at constant speed. Subsequently, the number of variable-speed wind turbines installed in wind farms has increased. In this paper, a comparative study of fixed and variable speed wind turbines incorporating squirrel cage induction generator take into consideration all realistic constraints has been presented. These two systems are modeled and simulated using Matlab. The variable speed induction generator system has been modeled using power electronic converters and vector control technology combined with peak power extraction technique (PPET) enabling the system to run at the most optimal speed. The results are presented for 55 kW induction generator, and variable speed operation is highlighted as preferred mode of operation.
Parenting a child with cancer: promotion and prevention-focused parenting

Applying regulatory focus theory (RFT), it was predicted that, among survivors of childhood cancer, quality of life (QoL) may be compromised by prevention-focused parenting (the focus on avoiding negative outcomes), rather than promotion-focused parenting (the focus on approaching positive outcomes). Interviews with mothers of survivors of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (ALL) and tumours of the Central Nervous System (CNS) were coded for reports of parenting and related to child QoL. Parents reported overall more promotion than prevention; however, mothers of children with tumours of the CNS reported more prevention-focus than mothers of children with ALL. Furthermore, prevention focus was related to child QoL, regardless of diagnosis. The study points toward the value of further development of RFT in clinical contexts.
Marine synchronous generator ARCNN modeling

By the basic analysis and research about chaotic characteristic of Aihara neuron, an Aihara local recurrent chaotic neural network (ARCNN) is established based on Aihara neurons. The ability of global approximation of neural networks for nonlinear mapping is increased by introduced neuron of chaotic characteristic. In marine synchronous generator identification and modeling, power of torque of marine diesel engine and excitation current are chosen as input sample parameters, frequency and terminal voltage and current are chosen as output sample parameters for ARCNN modeling. In ARCNN training, a supervised learning method is used, a dynamic BP learning algorithm is applied with momentum and adaptive learning method for modeling. Then, the marine synchronous generator model is built. The results indicate that the neuron number of the ARCNN hidden layer is few in ARCNN modeling, and the ability of generalization of the ARCNN modeling is well.
Optimum estimation of growth and development parameters about early bodyweight of local goose breeds

Growth and development regularity and genetic parameters of average week bodyweight of local goose breeds of large,medium and small type from 1 weekold to 11 week-old were fitted with four non-lineared growth models,Logistic model,Gompertz model,Bertalanfy model and Cubics model.The results showed that growth process of three geese could be demonstrated very well by four models,and all indexes of fitness were very high(more than 0.99). But Gompertz model was the best model because of its less bias of feed practice.The inflection age of growth were 5.98 weeks,5.11 weeks and 6.16 weeks in Shitou goose,Wanxi white goose and Zi goose,respectively,and bodyweight at inflection age were 2115.77,1499.08 and 1409.62 g,respectively.
The outcome of unrelated donor stem cell transplantation for patients with multiple myeloma

Summary. We performed a retrospective analysis of outcome in 45 patients with multiple myeloma receiving unrelated donor stem cell transplants (UD‐SCT) in the UK between 1993 and 2002; 17 received myeloablative conditioning regimens and 28 received reduced intensity conditioning (RIC) protocols. Forty patients received pretransplant CAMPATH serotherapy. Forty‐two of 45 patients had detectable disease at transplant, but 33 of 45 were chemoresponsive. Sixty per cent of patients had received a previous autograft. Myeloid engraftment was seen in 95% of recipients and was significantly faster in recipients receiving peripheral blood stem cells (P = 0·07) and RIC (P = 0·001). The incidence of severe (grade 3/4) acute graft versus host disease (aGvHD) was 5% (2/40). The 100‐d non‐relapse mortality was 18% (5/38) following RIC and 53% (9/17) following myeloablative regimens. Twenty‐nine per cent of patients achieved a complete remission, 61% a partial remission, giving a 90% overall response rate. At median follow‐up (513 d), overall survival was 40%: 54% in the RIC group (median follow‐up: 489 d) and 18% in the myeloablative group (median follow‐up: 560 d). In recipients of UD‐SCT, RIC protocols that incorporated CAMPATH were associated with faster myeloid engraftment, less severe aGvHD and lower 100‐d non‐relapse mortality than myeloablative regimens, without a corresponding rise in relapse rate during the period of observation.
Neuropsychological Assessment of Subjects with Uncontrolled Epilepsy: Effects of EEG Feedback Training

Summary: A battery of neuropsychological tests was administered at baseline, postcontrol period, and post‐training period to 24 drug‐refractory subjects with epilepsy participating in a study of sensorimotor electroen‐cephalographic (EEG) normalization feedback training. Results revealed the following. First, subjects exhibited significant baseline deficits in psychosocial, cognitive and motor functioning. Second, certain tests discriminated subjects before training who were subsequently above and below the median in seizure reduction following EEG training. Subjects who showed the greatest seizure reduction performed better on a test of general problem‐solving ability but not on other cognitive tests and worse on tests involving strong motor components and were more intact psychosocially. These subjects also took significantly fewer medications in combination than did less successful subjects. Third, improvement on several measures occurred following participation in the study. Cognitive and motor functioning improved only in subjects with the greatest seizure reduction and only after actual training as opposed to control conditions. Psychological functioning, as measured by the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) improved in both outcome groups. MMPI improvement, unlike cognitive improvement, was as likely to occur after control conditions, when seizure reduction had not yet occurred, as after EEG training. Thus, MMPI changes apparently reflected the nonspecific benefits of participation in this study.
Design of an explainable machine learning challenge for video interviews

This paper reviews and discusses research advances on “explainable machine learning” in computer vision. We focus on a particular area of the “Looking at People” (LAP) thematic domain: first impressions and personality analysis. Our aim is to make the computational intelligence and computer vision communities aware of the importance of developing explanatory mechanisms for computer-assisted decision making applications, such as automating recruitment. Judgments based on personality traits are being made routinely by human resource departments to evaluate the candidates' capacity of social insertion and their potential of career growth. However, inferring personality traits and, in general, the process by which we humans form a first impression of people, is highly subjective and may be biased. Previous studies have demonstrated that learning machines can learn to mimic human decisions. In this paper, we go one step further and formulate the problem of explaining the decisions of the models as a means of identifying what visual aspects are important, understanding how they relate to decisions suggested, and possibly gaining insight into undesirable negative biases. We design a new challenge on explainability of learning machines for first impressions analysis. We describe the setting, scenario, evaluation metrics and preliminary outcomes of the competition. To the best of our knowledge this is the first effort in terms of challenges for explainability in computer vision. In addition our challenge design comprises several other quantitative and qualitative elements of novelty, including a “coopetition” setting, which combines competition and collaboration.
Relations between aging, space charge and polarization of polyethylene

The relations between aging, space charges and polarization of polyethylene (PE) under the influence of high electrical fields (above 20 kV/mm) are discussed in light of our electrical aging model. Below a so-called critical field, the activation volume of the aging process is dependent on the field-induced strain. It is our contention that strong charge injection occurs only after nanocavity formation, i.e. above the critical field. Above the critical field, the amorphous phase is significantly deformed and weak van der Waals bonds are broken, leading to another faster aging regime. This corresponds to the onset of permanent electroluminescence and also to the formation of the wave packets observed in space charge measurements. The possible relation between the nanocavity formation at moderate fields and bonds breaking at higher fields proposed in our aging model and various polarization measurements is discussed. It seems that the wave packets and the negative resistance observed above /spl sim/70 to 100 kV/mm in PE are associated with a steady state in the field-induced defect formation. Some calculations of the space charge concentrations based on the basic principles of our aging model and on the above discussed assumptions show an excellent agreement with experimental results.
Perceptual Video Summarization—A New Framework for Video Summarization

The enormous growth of video content in recent times has raised the need to abbreviate the content for human consumption. Thus, there is a need for summaries of a quality that meets the requirements of human users. This also means that the summarization must incorporate the peculiar features of human perception. We present a new framework for video summarization in this paper. Unlike many available summarization algorithms that utilize only statistical redundancy, we introduce for the first time the features of the human visual system within the summarization framework itself to allow for the emphasis of perceptually significant events while simultaneously eliminating perceptual redundancy from the summaries. The subjective and objective evaluation scores have evaluated the framework.
Esterified-Glucomannan in Broiler Chicken Diets-Contaminated with Aflatoxin, Ochratoxin and T-2 Toxin: Evaluation of its Binding Ability (in vitro) and Efficacy as Immunomodulator**

In vitro binding efficacy of esterified glucomannan (E-GM) (0.1%) on aflatoxin B1 (AF) (300 ppb), ochratoxin A (OA) (2 ppm) and T-2 toxin (T-2) (3 ppm), when present alone or in combination, was evaluated in toxin-contaminated feed at pH 4.5 and 6.5. Esterified glucomannan showed significantly (p<0.01) higher binding with AF (81.6%), whereas those recorded with T-2 (27.8%) and OA (25.6%) were moderate. Binding of each toxin decreased as the number of toxins in feed increased. pH of medium showed no effect on mycotoxin binding ability of E-GM. A 2×2×2×2 factorial experiment of 5 week duration was conducted to study the effects of two dietary levels each of AF (0 and 300 ppb), OA (0 and 2 ppm), T-2 (0 and 3 ppm ) and E-GM (0 and 0.1%) on the immune competence of a total of 960 day-old commercial broilers. Reductions in size of thymus (by AF and T-2) and bursa (by AF) and antibody titers against Newcastle disease and Infectious Bursal disease (by all the toxins) were noted. Additive and antagonistic interactions were seen among the toxins on certain parameters. Esterified glucomannan significantly (p<0.01) improved antibody titers and weights of bursa of Fabricius and thymus indicating its counteracting efficacy against immunosuppression in mycotoxicosis of multiple origin. (Asian-Aust. J. Anim. Sci. 2002. Vol 15, No. 7 : 1051-1056)