Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Towards Socialized Machines: Emotions and Sense of Humour in Conversational Agents

From the beginning of computer era over half a century ago, humanity was fascinated by the idea of creating a machine substituting their mental capabilities. This New Age version of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein gave birth to S-F literature and was one of the motors for development of our civilisation. The mental functions digitalized as the first ones were fast processing of large numbers or sophisticated formulas for specialized fields like mathematics or physics. These functions were the most troublesome for humans, but the easiest to process mechanically. Ironically, the human mental functions said to be the most human-like, and thought of as the ones which make up a grown well-socialized man, such as a sense of humour or understanding emotions of others, were neglected in Computer Science for a long time as too subjective and therefore unscientific. With the development of the Artificial Intelligence research and the related fields, like Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) or Human Factors Design, shortly before the new millennium the door opened to the fields of research of what had been unscientific till then – Affective Computing (Picard, 1997), and Humour Processing (Binsted, 1996). When Kerstin Dautenhahn and colleagues talked about the Socially Intelligent Agents (SIA) on the AAAI Fall Symposium in 2000 (Dautenhahn et al., 2002), they signalised the need for the attempts to incorporate multiple human factors into conversational agents. However, completing the task of creating a userfriendly and human-like machine was still far ahead. In this chapter we present some of the first practical experiments on enhancing Japanese speaking conversational agent with human factors. In our research we focused on the two important features, said to make up an intelligent and socialized man: understanding emotions of others, and a sense of humour to evoke positive attitudes in other people for better socialization (Yip & Martin, 2006). These two features are also said to be the most creative and difficult to process by machines human factors (Boden, 1998). In our research we undertake the task to incorporate these two features in a conversational agent to make it more human like. A conversational agent is enhanced with a pun generator, and a system for affect analysis. The affect analysis system uses a novel method of estimating not only the valence and type of the conveyed emotions, but also, supported with a Web-mining procedure, verifies whether the emotion is appropriate for the present context of the 9
Mining Top-k High Persistent Causal Rules Through Non-graphic Methodology ?

Causality discovery plays an important role in the community of knowledge discovery. Current work on finding persistent causal relationship is rooted in the theory of Bayesian network which applying graphical structure to constrict causal relationship, however, proved to be a NP-complete problem. Several constraint-based algorithms focus on local dependence relationship and discover the relationship whose significance higher than a user-specified minimum significance threshold mini sign. However it is challenging to set an appropriate mini sign by trial and error for users. In this paper, we propose a nongraphical approach to mine top-k causal rules based on their persistency. An efficient top-k causal rule mining algorithm named TKCR is designed for mining such causal rules without predefining significance threshold. Experiments on real and synthetic datasets show that our algorithm can effectively discover causal rules in large databases and has good scalability.
Time-decorrelated multifocal micromachining and trapping

Temporally decorrelated multifocal arrays eliminate spatial interference between adjacent foci and allow multifocal imaging with the diffraction-limited resolution of a single focus, even for foci spaced by less than the focal diameter. In this paper, we demonstrate a high-efficiency cascaded-beamsplitter array for producing temporally decorrelated beamlets. These beamlets are used to produce a multifocal microscope with which we have demonstrated two-photon fluorescence imaging, multifocal micromachining of optical waveguides, and multifocal optical trapping.
A Theory for the Storage and Retrieval of Item and Associative Information.

A theory for the storage and retrieval of item and associative information is presented. In the theory, items or events are represented as random vectors. Convolution is used as the storage operation, and correlation is used as the retrieval operation. A distributed-memory system is assumed; all information is stored in a common memory vector. The theory applies to both recognition and recall and covers both accuracy and latency. Noise in the decision stage necessitates a two-criterion decision system
Predictive Lagrange Multiplier Selection for Perceptual Rate-Distortion Optimization

The rate-distortion optimization (RDO) framework allows a tradeoff between rate and distortion. However, objective distortion metrics such as mean square error traditionally used in the framework are poorly correlated with human perception. To address this issue, we incorporate the structural similarity index as the quality metric in the framework. A predictive Lagrange multiplier selection method is developed to resolve the chicken-and-egg dilemma of perceptual-based RDO. The resulting perceptual-based RDO framework is applied to H.264 mode decision. Given a perceptual quality level, up to 20% bit-rate reduction over the JM reference software is achieved. Subjective evaluation further confirms that, at the same bit-rate, the proposed RDO preserves more image details and prevents blocky artifact better than the traditional RDO.
Guest Editorial, part of a Special Feature on Effects of Roads and Traffic on Wildlife Populations and Landscape Function Effects of Roads and Traffic on Wildlife Populations and Landscape Function: Road Ecology is Moving toward Larger Scales

Road ecology has developed into a significant branch of ecology with steady growth in the number of refereed journal articles, books, conferences, symposia, and "best practice" guidelines being produced each year. The main objective of this special issue of Ecology and Society is to highlight the need for studies that document the population, community, and ecosystem-level effects of roads and traffic by publishing studies that document these effects. It became apparent when compiling this special issue that there is a paucity of studies that explicitly examined higher order effects of roads and traffic. No papers on landscape function or ecosystem-level effects were submitted, despite being highlighted as a priority for publication. The 17 papers in this issue, from Australia, Canada, the Netherlands, and USA, all deal to some extent with either population or community-level effects of roads and traffic. Nevertheless, many higher order effects remain unquantified, and must become the focus of future studies because the complexity and interactions among the effects of roads and traffic are large and potentially unexpected. An analysis of these complex interrelations requires systematic research, and it is necessary to further establish collaborative links between ecologists and transportation agencies. Many road agencies have "environmental sustainability" as one of their goals and the only way to achieve such goals is for them to support and foster long-term and credible scientific research. The current situation, with numerous small- scale projects being undertaken independently of each other, cannot provide the information required to quantify and mitigate the negative effects of roads and traffic on higher levels. The future of road ecology research will be best enhanced when multiple road projects in different states or countries are combined and studied as part of integrated, well-replicated research projects.
Polyisoprene/Nanostructured Carbon Composites for Applications in Temperature Sensors

The studies of electrical properties of the polyisoprene (PI) matrix/high structure carbon black (HSCB) composites (PCBC) with various concentrations (8, 9, 10 and 11 mass parts) of filler have been carried out in the temperature interval of 90K–330K. In this paper we focus on the investigation of direct current (DC) conductivity in a low-temperature region with negative temperature coefficient of resistivity (NTCR). It has been proven that variable range hopping (VRH) conduction is dominated by hopping of carriers among localized states in a low-temperature range. At higher temperatures the nearest neighbour hopping (NNH) conductivity or constant range hopping charge transport takes place. The reversibility as well as small hysteresis of resistance change versus temperature indicates prospective temperature sensor application for PCBC
Large-scale spatial dynamics of vole populations in Finland revealed by the breeding success of vole-eating avian predators

Summary 1. Voles in northern Europe have been shown to exhibit cyclic population dynamics, with a latitudinal gradient in cycle length, amplitude and interspecific synchrony. 2. Previous studies have been based on a relatively sparse network of sampling sites. In the absence of spatially comprehensive long-term records of vole dynamics, we analysed a proxy of vole density, bird-ringing data on vole-eating avian predators, Tengmalm’s owl ( Aegolius funereus L.), the Ural owl ( Strix uralensis Pall.), the long-eared owl ( Asio otus L.) and the rough-legged buzzard ( Buteo lagopus Pontoppidan) to study spatial population dynamics of voles. 3. We demonstrate that the breeding success of the avian predators is highly dependent on the abundance of voles, which is also reflected in the numbers of nestlings ringed in a particular area in each year. 4. Our results show the expected increase in cycle length from south to north in Finland, but also from west to east, and in contrast to previous studies, increasing irregularity of the cyclic dynamics towards the north. 5. Fluctuations of vole populations have been synchronous over large distances, up to several hundred kilometres. Such large-scale synchrony is more likely to be caused by movements of vole-eating predators and/or by climatic perturbations than by dispersal of voles. 6. We could not conclusively verify the recent suggestion that vole population dynamics have become less regular across Finland, although certain long-term changes are apparent.
Large deformations in oriented polymer glasses: Experimental study and a new glass‐melt constitutive model

An experimental study was made of the effects of prior molecular orientation on large tensile deformations of polystyrene in the glassy state. A new hybrid glass-melt constitutive model is proposed for describing and understanding the results, achieved by parallel coupling of the ROLIEPOLY molecularly-based melt model with a model previously proposed for polymer glasses. Monodisperse and polydisperse grades of polystyrene are considered. Comparisons between experimental results and simulations illustrate that the model captures characteristic features of both the melt and glassy states. Polystyrene was stretched in the melt state and quenched to below Tg, and then tensile tested parallel to the orientation direction near the glass transition. The degree of strain-hardening was observed to increase with increasing prior stretch of molecules within their entanglement tubes, as predicted by the constitutive model. This was explored for varying temperature of stretching, degree of stretching, and dwell time before quenching. The model in its current form, however, lacks awareness of processes of subentanglement chain orientation. Therefore, it under-predicts the orientation-direction strain hardening and yield stress increase, when stretching occurs at the lowest temperatures and shortest times, where it is dominated by subentanglement orientation.
Pseudacteon calderensis, a New Fly Species (Diptera: Phoridae) Attacking the Fire Ant Solenopsis interrupta (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Northwestern Argentina

Abstract A new species of Pseudacteon phorid fly, Pseudacteon calderensis (Diptera: Phoridae), is described from females attacking worker ants of Solenopsis interrupta Santschi in Salta and Jujuy provinces, northwestern Argentina. P. calderensis differs from almost all other South American Pseudacteon species by the structure of the female ovipositor. This new species is morphologically similar to Pseudacteon borgmeieri Schmitz, but it differs slightly in the shape of the apex of the ovipositor and differs strongly because of the absence of large and stout ventral hairs under the ovipositor.
Microbial conversion of inorganic carbon to dimethyl sulfide in anoxic lake sediment (Plußsee, Germany)

Abstract. In anoxic environments, volatile methylated sulfides like methanethiol (MT) and dimethyl sulfide (DMS) link the pools of inorganic and organic carbon with the sulfur cycle. However, direct formation of methylated sulfides from reduction of dissolved inorganic carbon has previously not been demonstrated. When studying the effect of temperature on hydrogenotrophic microbial activity, we observed formation of DMS in anoxic sediment of Lake Plussee at 55 °C. Subsequent experiments strongly suggested that the formation of DMS involves fixation of bicarbonate via a reductive pathway in analogy to methanogenesis and engages methylation of MT. DMS formation was enhanced by addition of bicarbonate and further increased when both bicarbonate and H2 were supplemented. Inhibition of DMS formation by 2-bromoethanesulfonate points to the involvement of methanogens. Compared to the accumulation of DMS, MT showed the opposite trend but there was no apparent 1:1 stoichiometric ratio between both compounds. Both DMS and MT had negative δ13C values of −62‰ and −55‰, respectively. Labeling with NaH13CO3 showed more rapid incorporation of bicarbonate into DMS than into MT. The stable carbon isotopic evidence implies that bicarbonate was fixed via a reductive pathway of methanogenesis, and the generated methyl coenzyme M became the methyl donor for MT methylation. Neither DMS nor MT accumulation were stimulated by addition of the methyl-group donors methanol and syringic acid or by the methyl-group acceptor hydrogen sulphide. The source of MT was further investigated in a H235S labeling experiment, which demonstrated a microbially-mediated process of hydrogen sulfide methylation to MT that accounted for only
Aggressive Mature Natural Killer Cell Neoplasms: from Disease Biology to Disease Manifestations

Nature killer (NK)/T cell lymphoma, nasal type, and aggressive NK-cell leukemia are rare tumors with higher prevalence in Asia, Central and South America, which are etiologically related to the Epstein Barr virus (EBV). Proteins encoded by EBV genes and non-coding viral RNAs expressed on the infected cells are involved in immune deregulation and cell transformation and lymphomagenesis occur as a consequence of multiple oncogenic events. Complex chromosomal abnormalities are frequent and loss of chromosomes 6q, 11q, 13q, and 17p are recurrent aberrations. In accordance, many genes are differentially expressed, often due to gene deletion, mutation or methylation. These include, among others, tumor suppressor genes and oncogenes, as wells as genes involved in cell signal transducer pathways, cell survival and apoptosis, cell cycle, cell motility and cell adhesion, as well as in cell communication through cytokine networks. Consequently many biochemical pathways are affected in NK-cell neoplasms, which could contribute to cancer development and progression, as well as to disease manifestations. This review focuses on the molecular and biochemical mechanisms by which EBV induces NK-cell lymphomagenesis, disrupting genes and molecules involved in crucial biological processes. Improving the knowledge in this subject will help to better understand the disease biology and clinical manifestations and to develop new treatment approaches for the NK-cell malignancies.
Carbon Doped InP/InGaAs Heterojunction Bipolar Transistors Grown By MOCVD

InGaAs/InP heterojunction bipolar transistors grown in a multi-wafer metal-organic chemicalvapor deposition system will be demonstrated.Excellent large and small area DC and RF results are obtained for single and double heterojunction structures. The large area DC current gain was increased by a factor of 3 at a given base sheet resistance via growth optimization. DHBT devices exhibit a current gain cut-off frequency of ft ~ 125 GHz and a unilateral gain cut-off frequency of fmax ~ 125 GHz.
Identity: A Very Short Introduction

The term identity is used ubiquitously, but rarely explained. What exactly is identity? Identity: A Very Short Introduction provides a survey of the many faces of the concept of identity, and discusses its significance and varied meanings in the fields of philosophy, sociology, psychology, linguistics, as well as politics and law. Tracing our concern with identity to its deep roots in Europe’s intellectual history, individualism, and the felt need to draw borderlines, it identifies the most important features used to mark off individual and collective identities, and demonstrates why they are deemed important. It concludes with a glimpse at the many ways in which literature has engaged with problems of identity throughout history.
Paris-Lille-3D: A Point Cloud Dataset for Urban Scene Segmentation and Classification

This article presents a dataset called Paris-Lille-3D. This dataset is composed of several point clouds of outdoor scenes in Paris and Lille, France, with a total of more than 140 million hand labeled and classified points with more than 50 classes (e.g., the ground, cars and benches). This dataset is large enough and of high enough quality to further research on techniques regarding the automatic classification of urban point clouds. The fields to which that research may be applied are vast, as it provides the ability to increase productivity in regards to the management of urban infrastructures. Moreover, this type of data has the potential to be crucial in the field of autonomous vehicles.
Mapping of Sewer Lines Using GPR: A Case Study in Tunisia

Many infrastructure enhancement projects require underground utility mapping before starting any excavation processes, especially in urban areas. In fact, mapping of an area provides a general overview of the infrastructure above and underground. This mapping can be done by Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR), which is commonly used as a Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) technique that allows, among others, the detection and localization of buried utilities without any damage to the surface. This paper presents the results of mapping sewer lines in an urban region of the city of Tunis, Tunisia, using GPR. In this study a ground-coupled GPR system with a frequency of 400MHz was used to detect and locate the sewer lines in the study area. In order to reduce the amount of collected data over the large study area, some subareas were selected where GPR testing was conducted and data were analyzed. Then, sewer lines were interpolated over the whole area using the GPR results and the locations of manholes visible from the surface. It was shown that using this technique mapping of the pipes in the entire area can be achieved. All data presented in this study were collected by the Office of Topography and Cadastre (OTC) in Tunisia.
Identification of Vibrio halioticoli by colony hybridization with non-radioisotope labeled genomic DNA probe

Vibrio halioticoli was isolated from the gut of abalone Haliotis discus hannai and identified as a new member of the genus Vibrio. Vibrio halioticoli was first identified as a non-motile fermenter (NMF) because of its facultative anaerobic, alginolytic, and non-motile traits. Most of the gut isolates from abalone H. discus hannai were identified as NMF using phenotypic characterization, and V. halioticoli strains were found to be dominant in the gut. From an ecophysiological view point, NMF strains have an alginate-degrading ability, which probably degrades the polyguluronate block, and might assist in the breakdown of the alginate-rich microalgae ingested by abalone. In other words, a symbiotic relationship similar to that of ruminants may be found between NMF and abalone. We have developed a species-specific detection and identification method for V. halioticoli that is able to differentiate precisely and rapidly V. halioticoli strains from other NMF isolates. An applicable fingerprinting technique based on 16S rDNA polymerase chain reaction/restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR/RFLP) has been reported previously by Tanaka et al. V. halioticoli strains were differentiated from others using RFLP; however, as the PCR/RFLP technique is suitable only for phenotypically characterized isolates, cost and time restricts its application to huge amounts of isolates. In the present study, we developed a colony hybridization technique for the species-specific detection of V. halioticoli using alkaline phosphatase-labeled genomic DNA probes instead of conventional radioisotope probes. This method allows the rapid identification and enumeration of V. halioticoli strains grown on agar plates without phenotypic characterization and isolation. Vibrio halioticoli IAM14596 genomic DNA was purified according to Marmur, and the DNA concentration was adjusted 20 ng/mL in a 1.5 mL microcentrifuge tube. The DNA was denatured at 100∞C for 5 min, then transferred immediately on ice and kept for 1 h. The denatured DNA solution was randomly broken by 30 times sonication at 50 W for 5 min. The denatured and sonicated DNA fragments were labeled using the Alkphos direct labeling system (Amersham Pharmacia Biotech, Chicago, IL, USA) according to the instruction manual. The labeled mixture, containing heatstable alkaline phosphatase provided from the labeling system, was added to 10 mL of the aboveprepared DNA solution, and incubated at 37∞C for 30 min The V. halioticoli genomic DNA probes (Vh probes) labeled with alkaline phosphatase were stored at 4∞C before hybridization. The nylon membrane (Hybond-N, 82 mm diameter, Amersham Pharmacia Biotech) spotted template DNA or transferred colonies were placed onto Whatman 3MM paper that had been immersed previously in a denaturation buffer (0.5 M NaOH–1.5 M NaCl) for 5 min at room temperature, hence causing lysis of cells and the denaturation of genomic DNA. The membrane was placed briefly onto Whatman paper to remove any Short Paper
Artificially Controlling Morphogenesis by Altering Plant Function Based on the Elucidation of Molecular Mechanism for Brassinosteroids and Gibberellins Signal Transduction

Brassinosteroids (BRs) and gibberellins (GAs) are essential plant growth-promoting natural products that are required for normal plant elongation and during development. The underlying molecular mechanisms for signal transduction involving these phytohormones will be elucidated using the methods of molecular genetics and protein chemistry, and information from the rice genome. Altering plant function will help the next generation of rice plants with the ideal grass type having high-yield and improved grain quality, which will greatly contribute to and enhance agricultural productivity. In this review, we discuss the molecular mechanism of BR- and GA-regulated genes based on the phonotype of our constructed transgenic rice.