Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Spatial reference in simulated human-robot interaction involving intrinsically oriented objects

We present the results of a German Wizard-of-Oz (simulated dialogue) study involving referential communicati on with a (simulated) robot. Users were asked to refer to an object in a complex configuration involving various perspectives on a numb er of objects together with the robot’s position and a chair that cou ld serve as basis for intrinsic reference. Results showed that speak ers reliably use the robot’s perspective on the scene, that they attend ve ry much to distance when deciding upon a possible relatum, and that t he relatum’s orientation matters for the decision about a referenc e system. Furthermore, the data reflect clearly that, given the comple xity of the situation, speakers do not reliably account for potenti al ambiguities. Individual strategies vary considerably. The result s are valuable for the development of a robotic system capable of taking spe akers’ spontaneous spatial reference into account for the identifi cation of otherwise unrecognizable objects.
Symmetrical multilevel diversity coding

Multilevel diversity coding was introduced in recent work by Roche (1992) and Yeung (1995). In a multilevel diversity coding system, an information source is encoded by a number of encoders. There is a set of decoders, partitioned into multiple levels, with each decoder having access to a certain subset of the encoders. The reconstructions of the source by decoders within the same level are identical and are subject to the same distortion criterion. Inspired by applications in computer communication and fault-tolerant data retrieval, we study a multilevel diversity coding problem with three levels for which the connectivity between the encoders and decoders is symmetrical. We obtain a single-letter characterization of the coding rate region and show that coding by superposition is optimal for this problem. Generalizing to a symmetrical problem with an arbitrary number of levels, we derive a tight lower bound on the coding rate sum.
Herculean efforts are not enough: diversifying the teaching profession and the need for systemic change

Internationally educated teachers (IETs) seeking to resume their careers in Canada often demonstrate tremendous endurance, fortitude, and resilience in the process of navigating their new professional landscapes, yet neoliberalism and the myth of meritocracy obscure the pervasive systemic barriers characterizing their professional experiences. Critical action research undertaken with graduates of an academic and professional bridging program for IETs in Manitoba reveals a complex interplay of challenges with respect to diversifying the teaching force in intercultural settings. Data collected with IETs seeking full-time teaching positions suggest resuming their careers is by no means guaranteed for many IETs who, in spite of what can be deemed herculean efforts to follow the advice of mentors and make themselves as ‘marketable’ as possible, continue to face significant barriers to employment in a context largely characterized by an over-supply of qualified applicants. Guided by Cummins’ work on collaborative relations of power and a Polanyian critique of economic determinism, my analysis illuminates a multi-pronged systemic approach that has the potential to help ensure the numerous contributions of IETs in Canadian schools can be fully realized.
Sociological Presuppositions in Economic Theory

This essay concerns the presuppositions, and therefore the scope, of modern economics. Our purpose is not to formulate another definition of "scope," however; it is, rather, to indicate the extent to which "economic" events and processes are shaped by events and processes that are essentially noneconomic or sociological in character,l and the degree to which conclusions based upon analyses of intramarket groupings and relations rest upon assumptions relative to extramarket objects, events, and processes. More specifically, it will be contended that relationships within the complex of economic markets are not self-determined and selfdetermining, as price theory has it, but are governed in large measure by the noneconomic (or sociological) components of the cultural2 complex of which economic markets form a constituent
Risk Factors for Recurrent Stress Fractures in Athletes

Our aim was to identify factors predisposing athletes to multiple stress fractures, with the emphasis on biomechanical factors. Our hypothesis was that certain anatomic factors of the ankle are associated with risk of multiple stress fractures of the lower extremities in athletes. Thirty-one athletes (19 men and 12 women) with at least three separate stress fractures each, and a control group of 15 athletes without fractures completed a questionnaire focusing on putative risk factors for stress fractures, such as nutrition, training history, and hormonal history in women. Bone mineral density was measured by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry in the lumbar spine and proximal femur. Biomechanical features such as foot structure, pronation and supination of the ankle, dorsiflexion of the ankle, forefoot varus and valgus, leg-length inequality, range of hip rotation, simple and choice reaction times, and balance in standing were measured. There was an average of 3.7 (range, 3 to 6) fractures in each athlete, totaling 114 fractures. The fracture site was the tibia or fibula in 70% of the fractures in men and the foot and ankle in 50% of the fractures in women. Most of the patients were runners (61%); the mean weekly running mileage was 117 km. Biomechanical factors associated with multiple stress fractures were high longitudinal arch of the foot, leg-length inequality, and excessive forefoot varus. Nearly half of the female patients (40%) reported menstrual irregularities. Runners with high weekly training mileage were found to be at risk of recurrent stress fractures of the lower extremities.
Regulation of immune response by Plasmodium‐infected red blood cells

During the asexual blood stage infection of the human malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, parasite‐derived proteins are inserted onto the surface of the host red blood cell membrane. These proteins are highly variable and were originally thought only to mediate antigenic variation, and sequestration of parasites from peripheral circulation, thus enabling immune evasion. Recent studies have revealed that PfEMP‐1 and other molecules on the P. falciparum‐infected red blood cell (PfRBC) activate and modulate the immune response. In this review, we discuss how PfRBCs interact with antigen‐presenting cells (APCs) and other cells of the immune system, and how such interactions could modulate the host response to Plasmodium infections.
Embedded home surveillance system

Video surveillance system is widely adopted in order to secure life. This paper presents embedded home surveillance systems to detect intruder in home environment. Proposed system works on embedded Linux board which is equipped with an ordinary web camera. At software level, it uses Open Computer Vision library to detect intruder in two different steps, Histogram of Oriented Gradient and Haar Like Features in association with Support Vector Machine. Moreover, it compares reference histogram to histogram of current image frame by using correlation methods and interpolates change of contents or light intensity in order to optimize the system in terms of false alarm minimization. Along with the Video server, Internet of Things application architecture has been adopted that provides remote monitoring. Alarm service, follows service oriented architecture; execute a set of predefined tasks such as alarming bell, turn on or off switches. This system provides a way to validate each camera module, able to detect device fault, examine image quality and image content changes. The system software provides an architectural solution for intelligent home surveillance system by incorporating Computer Vision and Digital Image Processing algorithms.
Stable mode-locked operation up to 80 /spl deg/C from an InGaAs quantum-dot laser

We demonstrate the mode-locked operation of a two-section quantum-dot laser in a broad temperature range. Stable mode-locking was observed at temperatures ranging from 20 /spl deg/C to 70 /spl deg/C, with signal-to-noise ratios well over 20 dB and a -3-dB linewidth smaller than 80 kHz. In the temperature range between 70 /spl deg/C and 80 /spl deg/C, the mode-locking was less stable. It was found that in order to provide stable mode-locked operation with increasing temperature, the reverse bias on the absorber section must be reduced accordingly.
Footprint-efficient and power-saving monolithic IoT 3D+ IC constructed by BEOL-compatible sub-10nm high aspect ratio (AR>7) single-grained Si FinFETs with record high Ion of 0.38 mA/μm and steep-swing of 65 mV/dec. and Ion/Ioff ratio of 8

A footprint-efficient and power-saving BEOL compatible 3D<sup>+</sup>IC carrying monolithic 3D stackable FinFETs (3D<sup>+</sup> FinFETs) and W interconnect were demonstrated by low thermal budget laser spike anneal technology (Tsub<400<sup>o</sup>C) and body-nano-planarizing processes. The narrow single-grained Si fin structure with ultra-low defect surface were fabricated by anisotropic ICP plasma etching and surface modification processes. The thus fabricated sub-10 nm and high aspect ratio (HFin/WFin>7) 3D+ FinFETs exhibit steep subthreshold swing (S.S.∼65mV/dec.), record high driving current (I on per W<inf>Eff</inf> (W<inf>Eff</inf>=2H<inf>Fin</inf>+W<inf>Fin</inf>): 386 μA/μm (n-type) and 352μA/μm (p-type)), and high I<inf>on</inf>/I<inf>off</inf> (>10<sup>7</sup>), envisioning next generation low-cost heterogeneously integrated IoTs and wearable electronics.
Motivational and evolutionary aspects of a physical exercise training program: a longitudinal study

Several studies have indicated that motivational level and prior expectations influence one’s commitment to physical activity. Moreover, these aspects are not properly described in terms of proximal (SDT, Self Determination Theory) and distal (evolutionary) explanations in the literature. This paper aims to verify if level of motivation (BREQ-2, Behavioral Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire-2) and expectations regarding regular physical exercise (IMPRAF-54) before starting a 1-year exercise program could determine likelihood of completion. Ninety-four volunteers (53 women) included a completed protocol group (CPG; n = 21) and drop-out group (n = 73). The IMPRAF-54 scale was used to assess six different expectations associated with physical activity, and the BREQ-2 inventory was used to assess the level of motivation in five steps (from amotivation to intrinsic motivation). Both questionnaires were assessed before starting a regular exercise program. The CPG group presented higher sociability and lower pleasure scores according to IMPRAF-54 domains. A logistic regression analysis showed that a one-point increment on sociability score increased the chance of completing the program by 10%, and the same one-point increment on pleasure score reduced the chance of completing the protocol by 16%. ROC curves were also calculated to establish IMPRAF-54 cutoffs for adherence (Sociability – 18.5 points – 81% sensibility/50% specificity) and dropout (Pleasure – 25.5 points – 86% sensibility/20% specificity) of the exercise protocol. Our results indicate that an expectation of social interaction was a positive factor in predicting adherence to exercise. Grounded in SDT and its innate needs (competence, autonomy, relatedness), physical exercise is not an end; it is a means to achieve autonomy and self-cohesion. The association of physical activity with social practices, as occurs in hunter-gathering groups, can engage people to be physically active and can provide better results in adherence exercise programs for the general population.
Hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, and low platelet count (HELLP) syndrome as a complication of preeclampsia in pregnant women increases the amount of cell-free fetal and maternal DNA in maternal plasma and serum.

Fetal DNA in plasma and serum of pregnant women has been reported to be significantly increased in preeclampsia (1)(2). This increase may even precede clinical diagnosis (3). We hypothesized that subsequent development of hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, and low platelet count (HELLP) syndrome will further increase fetal DNA in maternal plasma and serum. In addition, total cell-free DNA may be increased in plasma as a result of tissue destruction, which generally occurs in HELLP syndrome. To confirm our hypothesis, we recruited three groups of pregnant women with informed consent and matched for maternal age [(MA), in years] and gestational age [(GA), in weeks+days] at the time of blood drawing; the median ages (and ranges) were as follows: normotensive women (n = 10), MA, 30 (24–37) and GA, 32+6 (27+0−34+3); preeclamptic women without HELLP syndrome (n = 7), MA, 28 (24–36) and GA, 33+0 (27+6−34+3); and preeclamptic women with HELLP syndrome (n = 10), MA, 31 (26–38) and GA, 26+6−33+6. All women in the latter group had HELLP syndrome at the time of the blood drawing, except two who developed HELLP only after delivery. All participants were carrying single male fetuses. Preeclampsia was defined as a diastolic blood pressure >90 mmHg on two or more consecutive occasions after 20 weeks of pregnancy in previously normotensive women, with proteinuria >0.3 g/L in a 24-h collection period. HELLP syndrome was defined as the simultaneous occurrence of hemolysis (lactate dehydrogenase, >600 U/L), increased liver enzymes (serum aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase >70 U/L), and low platelets (<100 × 109/L) (4). Diastolic blood pressure [median (ranges) in mmHg] was 70 (60–80), 120 (110–130), and 118 (110–140) for women with normotensive and preeclamptic pregnancies without and with HELLP …
Putting Google Scholar to the test: a preliminary study

Purpose – To describe a small‐scale quantitative evaluation of the scholarly information search engine, Google Scholar.Design/methodology/approach – Google Scholar's ability to retrieve scholarly information was compared to that of three popular search engines: Ask.com, Google and Yahoo! Test queries were presented to all four search engines and the following measures were used to compare them: precision; Vaughan's Quality of Result Ranking; relative recall; and Vaughan's Ability to Retrieve Top Ranked Pages.Findings – Significant differences were found in the ability to retrieve top ranked pages between Ask.com and Google and between Ask.com and Google Scholar for scientific queries. No other significant differences were found between the search engines. This may be due to the relatively small sample size of eight queries. Results suggest that, for scientific queries, Google Scholar has the highest precision, relative recall and Ability to Retrieve Top Ranked Pages. However, it achieved the lowest score .
Effect of a humid environment on the surface structure of RuO2(110)

Combining density-functional theory and thermodynamics we compute the phase diagram of surface structures of rutile ${\mathrm{RuO}}_{2}(110)$ in equilibrium with water vapor in the complete range of experimentally accessible gas phase conditions. Through the formation of hydroxyl or waterlike groups, already lowest concentrations of hydrogen in the gas phase are sufficient to stabilize an oxygen-rich polar oxide termination even at very low oxygen pressure.
Body-worn spiral monopole antenna for body-centric communications

A novel body-worn spiral monopole antenna is presented. The antenna consists of a ground plane and a spiral monopole. The antenna is designed for Ear-to-Ear (E2E) communication between In-the-Ear (ITE) Hearing Instruments (HIs) at 2.45 GHz and has been simulated, prototyped and measured. The antenna yields a measured and simulated Ear-to-Ear path gain at 2.45 GHz of -82.1 dB and -85.9 dB, respectively. The radiation pattern of the antenna when mounted in the ear is presented and discussed.
Genetic Map Refinement Using a Comparative Genomic Approach

Following various genetic mapping techniques conducted on different segregating populations, one or more genetic maps are obtained for a given species. However, recombination analyzes and other methods for gene mapping often fail to resolve the ordering of some pairs of neighboring markers, thereby leading to sets of markers ambiguously mapped to the same position. Each individual map is thus a partial order defined on the set of markers, and can be represented as a Directed Acyclic Graph (DAG). In this article, given a phylogenetic tree with a set of DAGs labeling each leaf (species), the goal is to infer, at each leaf, a single combined DAG that is as resolved as possible, considering the complementary information provided by individual maps, and the phylogenetic information provided by the species tree. After combining the individual maps of a leaf into a single DAG, we order incomparable markers by using two successive heuristics for minimizing two distances on the species tree: the breakpoint distance, and the Kemeny distance. We apply our algorithms to the plant species represented in the Gramene database, and we evaluate the simplified maps we obtained.
But neural network features for spontaneous Vietnamese in BABEL

This paper presents our work on speech recognition of Vietnamese spontaneous telephone conversations. It focuses on feature extraction by Stacked Bottle-Neck neural networks: several improvements such as semi-supervised training on untranscribed data, increasing of precision of state targets, and CMLLR adaptations were investigated. We have also tested speaker adaptive training of this architecture and significant gain was found. The results are reported on BABEL Vietnamese data.
Physical Activity as a Predictor of Absence of Frailty in Subjects With Stable COPD and COPD Exacerbation

BACKGROUND: Frailty is a key issue in the care of elderly patients. Patients with COPD are more likely to be frail, with a prevalence of 57.8%. Frailty is associated with a low level of physical activity. The aim of this study was to analyze the predictive power and identify the cutoffs of physical activity in their different domains (household, leisure time, and sport) for the absence of frailty in subjects with COPD exacerbation and stable COPD. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted. The participants underwent an individual interview, including sociodemographic and clinical aspects. The total physical activity and its domains were assessed by the modified Baecke questionnaire, and frailty was measured according to the modified version of Fried. A total of 212 subjects with COPD (104 stable and 108 with COPD exacerbation) were enrolled, along with 100 healthy subjects. RESULTS: The prevalence of frailty was higher in subjects with COPD compared with the control group. An activity level of 3.54 for COPD exacerbation, 3.88 for stable COPD, and 3.50 for healthy subjects assessed using the Baecke questionnaire were recommended as the cutoff points for frailty. Sensitivity and specificity values were 0.95 and 0.807; 0.95 and 0.815; and 0.95 and 0.947, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Physical activity level can predict the absence or presence of frailty in subjects with stable and exacerbated COPD.
Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor inStaphylococcus aureus-Induced Arthritis

ABSTRACT Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) is a cytokine that is able to increase not only the production of phagocytic cells but also their efficacy with respect to, e.g., bactericidal properties. In this study, we wanted to analyze the impact of GM-CSF on experimental Staphylococcus aureus-induced arthritis. For that purpose, mice were administered GM-CSF before and after bacterial inoculation. Although there was an increase in the total number of leukocytes as well as in the granulocyte fraction, there was no favorable effect on the severity of arthritis or on survival rates. There were no obvious differences between the GM-CSF-pretreated animals and controls with regard to growth of staphylococci in joints and kidneys 4 days after the bacterial inoculation. In contrast, mice that had been pretreated with GM-CSF prior to bacterial inoculation showed approximately four times lower numbers of bacteria in their blood 24 h later. These results, along with those of our previous studies, suggest that on the one hand the granulocyte is the main protective cell during the course of S. aureus infection but that on the other hand, upregulation of granulocyte-macrophage production will not exert any additional protective effects with respect to tissue injury.
CONVERGENCE OF THE LAGRANGE-NEWTON METHOD FOR OPTIMAL CONTROL PROBLEMS

Convergence results for two Lagrange-Newton-type methods of solving optimal control problems are presented. It is shown how the methods can be applied to a class of optimal control problems for nonlinear ODEs, subject to mixed control-state constraints. The first method reduces to an SQP algorithm. It does not require any information on the structure of the optimal solution. The other one is the shooting method, where information on the structure of the optimal solution is exploited. In each case, conditions for well-posedness and local quadratic convergence are given. The scope of applicability is briefly discussed.
A Novel Sialic Acid Utilization and Uptake System in the Periodontal Pathogen Tannerella forsythia

ABSTRACT Tannerella forsythia is a key contributor to periodontitis, but little is known of its virulence mechanisms. In this study we have investigated the role of sialic acid in biofilm growth of this periodontal pathogen. Our data show that biofilm growth of T. forsythia is stimulated by sialic acid, glycolyl sialic acid, and sialyllactose, all three of which are common sugar moieties on a range of important host glycoproteins. We have also established that growth on sialyllactose is dependent on the sialidase of T. forsythia since the sialidase inhibitor oseltamivir suppresses growth on sialyllactose. The genome of T. forsythia contains a sialic acid utilization locus, which also encodes a putative inner membrane sialic acid permease (NanT), and we have shown this is functional when it is expressed in Escherichia coli. This genomic locus also contains a putatively novel TonB-dependent outer membrane sialic acid transport system (TF0033-TF0034). In complementation studies using an Escherichia coli strain devoid of its outer membrane sialic acid transporters, the cloning and expression of the TF0033-TF0034 genes enabled an E. coli nanR nanC ompR strain to utilize sialic acid as the sole carbon and energy source. We have thus identified a novel sialic acid uptake system that couples an inner membrane permease with a TonB-dependent outer membrane transporter, and we propose to rename these novel sialic acid uptake genes nanO and nanU, respectively. Taken together, these data indicate that sialic acid is a key growth factor for this little-characterized oral pathogen and may be key to its physiology in vivo.
A Semismooth Newton Method for the Nearest Euclidean Distance Matrix Problem

The nearest Euclidean distance matrix problem (NEDM) is a fundamental computational problem in applications such as multidimensional scaling and molecular conformation from nuclear magnetic resonance data in computational chemistry. Especially in the latter application, the problem is often large scale with the number of atoms ranging from a few hundreds to a few thousands. In this paper, we introduce a semismooth Newton method that solves the dual problem of NEDM. We prove that the method is quadratically convergent. We then present an application of the Newton method to NEDM with $H$-weights. We demonstrate the superior performance of the Newton method over existing methods including the latest quadratic semidefinite programming solver. This research also opens a new avenue toward efficient solution methods for the molecular embedding problem.