Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Autonomy, social agency, and the integration of human and robot environments

There is a growing wave of new autonomous robots poised for use in human environments, from the self-driving car to the delivery drone. By leaving the confinement of factories and warehouses for city streets and office buildings, the field of robotics is on a collision course with the wider public, and must prepare to contend with society as a whole’s reaction to integrating human and robot spaces. In the research community, this is leading to a convergence of the fields of Autonomy and Human-Robot Interaction, producing new and emergent issues. This thesis proposes that one such issue is the problem of a robot’s “Social Agency”, whereby navigating among humans necessarily makes robotic agents part of society in the eyes of humans, and so robots must play a social role in order to achieve the acceptance they need to be effective. After grounding this idea within existing theory, we will examine the Social Agency proposition over three parts, representing three research projects. In part one, we investigate the potential of an “incidental interface” for human-robot interaction that adapts an existing autonomous, multi-robot system to use audio for inter-robot communication, allowing human co-workers to supervise their work through casual overhearing. Part two re-implements another autonomous system for human-robot and robot-robot doorway navigation, where a user study finds a link between social acceptance of the robot, accepting the robot’s right of way, and performance. Insights gained from that study are leveraged in part three with a redesigned doorway system that makes proactive, self-confident determinations about right of way, leading to the discovery of a polarizing reaction among participants dubbed “Agency Alienation”. We close with an examination of what this development arc demonstrates about the potential and pitfalls of developing a robot’s Social Agency, and what this may mean for the future of robotics in public spaces.
PRODUCTION AND SELECTION OF HIGH β‐CAROTENE MUTANTS OF DUNALIELLA BARDAWIL (CHLOROPHYTA) 1

We describe a procedure for the selection of β‐carotenerich mutants of the halotolerant alga Dunaliella bardawil Ben‐Amotz & Avron. Under normal growth conditions the isolated mutants had a several‐fold higher content of β‐carotene than the wild type. Under carotene‐induction conditions, the mutants also possessed a higher β‐carotene content than the wild type. Both the production rate of phytoene and the conversion rate of phytoene to lycopene and β‐carotene were accelerated in the mutants. Cycloheximide, which (in the wild type) inhibits the inductive synthesis of the proteins required for β‐carotene production, had a much smaller effect on β‐carotene biosynthesis in the mutants. We suggest that the mutants are affected in the regulatory path, which controls the induction of high β‐carotene production in Dunaliella.
Construction of a Minigenome Rescue System for Measles Virus, AIK-c Strain

Background:In the recent decade, the reverse genetics method has been broadly used for rescue of negative-stranded RNA viruses from cDNA or viral minigenomes. This technique has been applied to study different steps in virus replication and virus-host interactions. Reverse genetics could also be implemented for design of new vaccines. The T7 RNA polymerase activity as well as virus (nucleocapsid protein) N, (phosphoprotein) P and (Large) L proteins are necessary to rescue the virus or viral minigenome. Measles virus is a negative-stranded non-segmented RNA virus. There are useful vaccine strains to prevent measles disease. Objectives:Here, we describe the construction of a new helper cell line for rescue of measles virus minigenome. The helper cell line stably expresses T7 RNA polymerase as well as measles virus N and P proteins by tricistronic mRNA. Materials and Methods:For rescue of measles virus minigenome a stable helper cell line by using tricistronic expression vector was developed which expressed T7 RNA polymerase as well as measles virus N and P proteins. To construct the tricistronic expression vector, T7 RNA polymerase gene was cloned after cytomegalovirus (CMV) promoter and measles virus N and P proteins were under control of IRES (internal ribosome entry site) sequences. Results:Our results indicated that measles virus minigenome could be rescued in this constructed helper cell line. Conclusions:Through this system, the measles virus minigenome was rescued. Further studies are necessary to improve the rescue efficiency. This may be possible by replacing the CMV promoter with the T7 promoter.
Genetic and phenotypic relationships between insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and net feed intake, fat, and growth traits in Angus beef cattle

Insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) concentration measured in the blood plasma of 6520 seedstock Angus beef cattle (3622 bulls and 2898 heifers) from eastern Australia between 2002 and 2004 was used to estimate the heritability of IGF-I and phenotypic and genetic correlations with net feed intake (NFI) and other production traits. The average concentration of IGF-I was 314 ng/mL measured at the average age of 242 days. A moderate heritability of 0.35 was estimated for IGF-I. IGF-I was further defined as being measured either at, or prior to, weaning (average age of 201 days) or post-weaning (average age 310 days). The genetic correlation between IGF-I recorded at the different ages was 1.0 ± 0.04. IGF-I and NFI were found to have a genetic correlation of 0.41 ± 0.21. IGF-I had positive genetic correlations of 0.22 ± 0.14, 0.19 ± 0.14, and 0.26 ± 0.15 with ultrasound-scanned subcutaneous fat depth at the rump (P8) and 12/13th rib (RIB) sites and intramuscular fat % (IMF), respectively. Corresponding phenotypic correlations were 0.14, 0.13, and 0.12, respectively, for P8, RIB, and IMF. IGF-I had low to moderate negative genetic correlations with growth traits. Direct genetic correlations for IGF-I of –0.22 ± 0.08, –0.17 ± 0.09 and –0.10 ± 0.14 were estimated with birth (BWT), 200-day (WT200), and 400-day (WT400) weights, respectively. Genetic correlations between the direct component of IGF-I and maternal components of BWT and WT200 were 0.15 ± 0.13 and 0.31 ± 0.11, respectively. Phenotypic correlations of the direct component of IGF-I with the direct components of BWT, WT200, and WT400 were –0.10, 0.06, and 0.16, respectively. Ultrasound-scanned eye muscle area (EMA) and IGF-I had genetic and phenotypic correlations of –0.22 ± 0.15 and 0.13, respectively. This study showed that IGF-I is heritable and genetically correlated with important production traits. The genetic correlations indicate that selection for lower IGF-I concentrations would result in cattle that have lower NFI (i.e. more feed efficient), are leaner, with increased growth, and possibly decreased maternal weaning weight.
Evaluation of Noninvasive Genetic Sampling Methods for Cougars in Yellowstone National Park

ABSTRACT Conventional methods for monitoring cougar, Puma concolor, populations involve capture, tagging, and radio-collaring, but these methods are time-consuming, expensive, and logistically challenging. For difficult-to-study species such as cougars, noninvasive genetic sampling (NGS) may be a useful alternative. The ability to identify individuals from samples collected through NGS methods provides many opportunities for developing population-monitoring tools, but the utility of these survey methods is dependent upon collection of samples and accurate genotyping of those samples. In January 2003, we initiated a 3-yr evaluation of NGS methods for cougars using a radio-collared population in Yellowstone National Park (YNP), USA. Our goals were to: 1) determine which DNA collection method, hair snares or snow tracking, provided a better method for obtaining samples for genetic analysis, 2) evaluate reliability of the genetic data derived from hair samples collected in the field, and 3) evaluate the potential of NGS for demographic monitoring of cougar populations. Snow tracking yielded more hair samples and was more cost effective than snagging hair with rub pads. Samples collected from bed sites and natural hair snags (e.g., branch tips, thorn bushes) while snow tracking accurately identified and sexed 22 individuals (9 F, 13 M). The ratio of the count from snow tracking to the count from radio-telemetry was 15:24 in winter 2004,13:12 in 2005, and 22:29 for both years combined. Annual capture probabilities for obtaining DNA from snow tracking varied considerably between years for females (0.42 in 2004 and 0.88 in 2005) but were more consistent for males (0.77 in 2004 and 0.88 in 2005). Our results indicate that snow tracking can be an efficient, reliable NGS method for cougars in YNP and has potential for estimating demographic and genetic parameters of other carnivore populations in similar climates.
Diversity and In-Situ Conservation of Legume Species in the Mediterranean Ecosystem

To study the legume diversity in the north part of Jordan, three sites (Baoun, Samta and Rayyan) were selected in Ajloun area. The botanical survey was conducted over four successive spring seasons between the years 2000 and 2004. Our results indicated that the total number of species identified varied between sites, with the highest numbers of species recorded in Samta and Rayyan sites. The predominant species in the three sites were Lathyrus cicera and Trifolium tomentosum. Shannon-weiver diversity index values ranged from 1.75 to 2.46 for the sites. Baoun site showed the highest diversity index value. This study indicated that Ajloun mountainous areas have biodiversity -rich ecosystems wich require concurrent and substential efforts for ex situ and in situ conservation of species of global importance.
Methodological Approaches to Modelling the Assessment of Geo-Environmental Impact of Energy given the Quality of Life (on the Example of the Baikal Region and Belarusian Regions)

The paper is concerned with the results of an international project carried out together with researchers from Belarus and Armenia with the support of the EASR (The Eurasian Association for the Support of Scientific Research, established in July 2016 on the initiative of the Russian Foundation for Basic Research in cooperation with the partner organizations of Belarus, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan, and Mongolia.) Fund. The project aims to develop methods and technologies for assessing the geo-environmental impact of the energy industry in the region. The focus of the study is the negative impact on the environment and, as a consequence, a decrease in the quality of life. The study does not consider the power supply. Its priority is the development of tools for intelligent support of decision-making in this field.
Habitat Quality of Grassland Fragments Affects Dispersal Ability of a Mobile Grasshopper, Ornithacris cyanea (Orthoptera: Acrididae)

Habitat fragmentation and habitat quality interact synergistically and can drastically affect survival and fitness of insect herbivores. Here, we perform a case study to assess the effect of habitat quality and fragmentation on the morphology of a large, mobile, generalist insect herbivore, the bird locust, Ornithacris cyanea (Orthoptera: Acrididae). Four isolated, semi-natural grassland fragments within an exotic timber plantation matrix were ranked in terms of their habitat quality on the basis of vegetation surveys, management actions, and habitat context surrounding the fragments. Mark-release-recapture was used to estimate bird locust population size. Bird locusts from each fragment were measured for nine morphological characters: four length characters and five asymmetry and phenodeviation characters expected to be indicative of developmental instability. The highest density of individuals was found in an intermediate-quality fragment. Individuals from the poorest quality fragment had significantly shorter hind femurs than those from the best-quality fragment. Females from the poorest quality fragment also had significantly shorter forewings and more forewing pattern phenodeviation than females from other fragments. Morphological differences among the four populations indicated that they were distinct and that the population at the poorest quality site displayed adaptation for reduced mobility and increased developmental instability. Although we cannot determine whether populations were distinct due to inherent preferences of the species or as a result of reduced movement because of the inhospitable matrix, the correlation of morphological differences with habitat quality indicates that even highly mobile, generalist species can undergo rapid adaptations within isolated fragments and in response to varying habitat quality.
Factors affecting adhesion of coating to poultry skin: effect of age, method of chilling, and scald temperature on poultry skin ultrastructure [Batter and breading adhesion].

The scanning electron microscope was used to study the effect of age, method of chilling, and scald temperature on poultry skin ultra-structure. This knowledge was deemed important in understanding how the condition of poultry skin affects the adhesion of batters and breadings. Evidence obtained from scanning electron micrographs indicated that adhesion of batters and breadings to poultry skin could be affected by the ultrastructure of poultry skin. It is theorized that improved adhesion would result if batters and breadings were applied to poultry skin without the cuticle. Increased scald temperatures, which remove the cuticle, should improve batter and breading adhesion. Age (3, 5, 7, or 9 wk), ice-slush chilling, and nonchilling of broiler carcasses did not cause visible changes in broiler skin ultrastructure and therefore should not affect batter and breading adhesion.
Identification of Soybean Seed Oil QTLs with Little or No Impact on Seed Protein

The USA soybean seed contains 18.7% oil and 35.3% protein, and provides cooking oil and protein for livestock. Concurrent genetic improvement of seed protein (pro) and oil content has been difficult to achieve because of a negative genetic correlation of the two traits. It could be due to (1) a single pleiotropic pro & oil QTL, or (2) a tightly linked pro QTL and oil QTL with a repulsion-phase. Our lab is interested in oil QTLs with minimal effect on protein. Two high oil breeding lines were mated to the current cultivar Williams 82 and to each other. The three F2 populations were grown (along with the parents) in the greenhouse. A two-replicate NIR analysis was conducted on the F2.3 seed progenies and parental seed. The F2.3 seed were planted into progeny rows to obtain F2.4 seed that will be subjected to another two-replicate NIR analysis. After parent-offspring regression is used to estimate the heritability of seed oil content, the F2 parental DNA of progenies falling into the high and low decile tails of seed oil distribution will be assayed with 1536 SNP markers. This “selective genotyping” analysis is expected to identify SNP markers linked to segregating seed oil QTLs.
Detection of Pythium violae and Pythium sulcatum in carrots with cavity spot using competition ELISA

Summary Conventional methods indicated that Pythium violae was most commonly isolated from carrot cavity spot samples from 14 UK sites. For one site the most frequently isolated species was Pythium sulcatum. Results of similar isolation work were compared with the assay of cavity spot lesions using polyclonal antibodies, raised to P. violae or P. sulcatum, in competition ELISA. Where lesions were artificially induced the test confirmed which pathogen was causal. With cavities developed on the field-grown carrots P. violae again predominated and the ELISA confirmed this. In one sample P. sulcatum was also isolated from a small number of lesions and was not detected in ELISA. The competition ELISA did not indicate presence of either Pythium in a range of non-cavity spot lesions from which attempts at isolation were negative.
Altered gene expression in the brain and liver of female fathead minnows Pimephales promelas Rafinesque exposed to fadrozole

The fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) is a small fish species widely used for ecotoxicology research and regulatory testing in North America. This study used a novel 2000 gene oligonucleotide microarray to evaluate the effects of the aromatase inhibitor, fadrozole, on gene expression in the liver and brain tissue of exposed females. Exposure to 60 μg 1-1 fadrozole/L for 7 d, resulted in the significant (p<0.05; high-moderate agreement among multiple probes spotted on the array) up-regulation of approximately 47 genes in brain and 188 in liver, and the significant down-regulation of 61 genes in brain and 162 in liver. In particular, fadrozole exposure elicited significant up-regulation of five genes in brain involved in the cholesterol synthesis pathway and altered the expression of over a dozen cytoskeleton-related genes. In the liver, there was notable down-regulation of genes coding for vitellogenin precursors, vigillin, and fibroin-like ovulatory proteins which were consistent with an expected reduction in plasma estradiol concentrations as a result of fadrozole exposure and an associated reduction in measured plasma vitellogenin concentrations. These changes coincided with a general down-regulation of genes coding for non-mitochondrial ribosomal proteins and proteins that play a role in translation. With the exception of the fibroin-like ovulatory proteins,more » real-time PCR results largely corroborated the microarray responses. Overall, results of this study demonstrate the utility of high density oligonucleotide microarrays for unsupervised, discovery-driven, ecotoxicogenomics research with the fathead minnow and helped inform the subsequent development of a 22,000 gene microarray for the species. « less
13C Discrimination: A Stable Isotope Method to Quantify Root Interactions between C3 Rice (Oryza sativa) and C4 Barnyardgrass (Echinochloa crus-galli) in Flooded Fields

Abstract Assessing belowground plant competition is complex because it is very difficult to separate weed and crop roots from each other by physical methods. Alternative techniques for separating crop and weed roots from each other are needed. This article introduces a stable isotope method that can quantify the amounts of roots of rice and barnyardgrass intermixed in flooded field soils. It relies on the biological principle that rice, a C3 (photosynthetic pathway) species, discriminates more effectively than barnyardgrass, a C4 species, against a relatively rare isotopic form (13C) of CO2. This results in different 13C : 12C isotope ratios (expressed as δ13C) in root tissues of the two species. δ13C values for monoculture barnyardgrass and rice grown in a standard flood-irrigated system were highly stable over 4 crop-years, averaging −13.12 ± 0.80 (SD) and −28.5 ± 0.11 (SD)‰, respectively, based on analysis by an isotope ratio mass spectrometer. Standard concentration curves relating measured δ13C values to set proportions of rice : barnyardgrass root biomass were described by linear regressions, typically with r2 values of 0.96 or greater. Quantities of intermixed rice and barnyardgrass roots sampled 0 to 5 cm deep from soil between rice rows were estimated by extrapolation from standard curves based on δ13C values. About 50% more barnyardgrass root tissue was detected in plots of Lemont long-grain rice than in weed-suppressive PI 312777 indica rice, demonstrating the feasibility of using this stable carbon isotope method in flooded rice systems. Nomenclature: Barnyardgrass, Echinochloa crus-galli (L.) Beauv. ; rice, Oryza sativa L.
Genetic Evaluation of Holstein Friesian Cattle Using Milk Flow Rate (Research Note)

At Al-Nasr Animal Breeding Station 201 Holstein cows and 41 bulls were genetically evaluated for Milk Flow Rate (MFR) using the Animal Model. Random variances were estimated by REML method with account of the fixed effects. MFR was measured 60 days post- partum and repeated 2.5 months later. The overall mean of MFR was 1.58 kg/min. MFR increased with parity (P< 0.01). highest and lowest MFR were among cows having dish-and pendulous-shaped udders (p< 0.01). The effects of milk production, California Mastitis Test score, shape of teat and udder texture on MFR were not significant. Heritability and repeatability of MFR were 0.09 and 0.13, respectively. The overall mean predicted breeding values of MFR for bulls and dams was 0.013 and 0.040 kg/min, respectively. Average real producing ability of cows was 0.003 kg/min. Genetic and phenotypic trends for MFR over the birth years of cows were significant (p< 0.01) being 0.042 and 0.126 kg,/min/ year, respectively.
“The more we know”

Almost half of the articles in this issue of Neurology® Neuroimmunology & Neuroinflammation (N2) are focused on disorders related to autoantibodies against well-defined antigens expressed by astrocytes (aquaporin-4 [AQP4]), oligodendrocytes (myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein [MOG]), or neurons, either synaptic receptors (NMDA receptor, dipeptidyl-peptidase-like protein-6 [DPPX]) or intracellular proteins (glutamic acid decarboxylase [GAD], collapsing response-mediator protein 5 [CRMP-5]). Although these disorders are already known, a common theme of the current N2 articles is that when atypical syndromes occur, additional mechanisms or the presence of concurrent autoantibodies should be carefully investigated. This is particularly relevant when the involved autoantibodies are known to be unambiguously pathogenic in cultured cells (astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, or neurons) or in animal models.1–3 Indeed, if, after hundreds of patients are reported with a specific antibody-associated syndrome, one encounters a patient with atypical manifestations, it is more reasonable to search for an additional pathogenic mechanism than to label the case as an “expansion” of the syndrome.
Including Images into Message Veracity Assessment in Social Media

The extensive use of social media in the diffusion of information has also laid a fertile ground for the spread of rumors, which could significantly affect the credibility of social media. An ever-increasing number of users post news including, in addition to text, multimedia data such as images and videos. Yet, such multimedia content is easily editable due to the broad availability of simple and effective image and video processing tools. The problem of assessing the veracity of social network posts has attracted a lot of attention from researchers in recent years. However, almost all previous works have focused on analyzing textual contents to determine veracity, while visual contents, and more particularly images, remains ignored or little exploited in the literature. In this position paper, we propose a framework that explores two novel ways to assess the veracity of messages published on social networks by analyzing the credibility of both their textual and visual contents.