Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Eye-Shield: protecting bystanders from being blinded by mobile projectors

This paper introduces Eye-Shield, a mobile projector-camera prototype designed for the purpose of protecting people from being accidently blinded with a handheld projector. Since they might be used regularly in public space, mobile projectors can be seen as an intrusive technology. The emitted projector light can easily annoy bystanders which might lead to negative social consequences, particularly, if the light shines directly into one's face. The proposed prototype uses a camera attached to a mobile projector to detect faces within the projection area in order to block out the part of the image that would otherwise be projected onto a human face.
Annotating Arguments: The NOMAD Collaborative Annotation Tool

The huge amount of the available information in the Web creates the need for effective information extraction systems that are able to produce metadata that satisfy user’s information needs. The development of such systems, in the majority of cases, depends on the availability of an appropriately annotated corpus in order to learn or evaluate extraction models. The production of such corpora can be significantly facilitated by annotation tools, which provide user-friendly facilities and enable annotators to annotate documents according to a predefined annotation schema. However, the construction of annotation tools that operate in a distributed environment is a challenging task: the majority of these tools are implemented as Web applications, having to cope with the capabilities offered by browsers. This paper describes the NOMAD collaborative annotation tool, which implements an alternative architecture: it remains a desktop application, fully exploiting the advantages of desktop applications, but provides collaborative annotation through the use of a centralised server for storing both the documents and their metadata, and instance messaging protocols for communicating events among all annotators. The annotation tool is implemented as a component of the Ellogon language engineering platform, exploiting its extensive annotation engine, its cross-platform abilities and its linguistic processing components, if such a need arises. Finally, the NOMAD annotation tool is distributed with an open source license, as part of the Ellogon platform.
Downward Nominal Rigidity and Monetary Policy

This paper addresses the question of whether there is downward rigidity in money wages and prices. It is an issue that is relevant to the choice of the level of the inflation target, as it has been argued that targeting too low a level of inflation will be harmful when downward rigidities exist. The existence of such rigidities is questioned from a theoretical perspective on the basis of the very strict conditions that would have to apply. Also it is argued that concern for 'fairness' or the presence of 'money illusion' do not in themselves justify positive inflation. Empirical evidence is investigated and it is found that the existence of downward rigidities is not proven.
Effective resonance representation of propagators in complex ducts-a multiresolution and homogenization approach

We use the multiresolution homogenization theory to study the effective resonances representation of transient electromagnetic propagation in complex random multilayer ducts. The theory permits explicit choice of the smoothing (homogenization) scale, and can be applied to a wide range of micro-scale properties. The analytical study is based on a Wroskian equivalence result, which establishes the relation between the "true" Wronskian W and that of the homogenized problem W/sup (eff)/. Since the roots of W in the complex /spl omega/ plane constitute the duct resonance, the Wronskian equivalence theorem is used as a basic apparatus for the effective resonance study. With this, the time-domain spectral properties of the multiresolution homogenization formulation are studied analytically and demonstrated numerically. Effective representations of reflection from complex random multilayer ducts are considered.
BeeParking: feedback interfaces for collective behavior change

Recent years have seen a growing interest for the study of feedback interfaces to support behavior change in different research areas, from personal healthcare and wellbeing, to energy saving and proenvironmental sustainability. While HCI design has been primarily inspired by behavior change models that best fit individual change, less attention has been deserved to test their validity in the context of collective behavior change, where interdependencies between people's choices and behaviors matter, as in the shared use of limited resources or public goods. We discuss some relevant directions to fill this gap, based on the iterative design of BeeParking, a feedback display aimed to induce more cooperative use of a parking facility within a work environment.
Distribution of LGR5 + Cells and Associated Implications during the Early Stage of Gastric Tumorigenesis

Lgr5 was identified as a promising gastrointestinal tract stem cell marker in mice. Lineage tracing indicates that Lgr5 + cells may not only be the cells responsible for the origin of tumors; they may also be the so-called cancer stem cells. In the present study, we investigated the presence of Lgr5 + cells and their biological significance in normal human gastric mucosa and gastric tumors. RNAscope, a newly developed RNA in situ hybridization technique, specifically labeled Lgr5 + cells at the basal glands of the gastric antrum. Notably, the number of Lgr5 + cells was remarkably increased in intestinal metaplasia. In total, 76% of gastric adenomas and 43% of early gastric carcinomas were positive for LGR5. Lgr5 + cells were found more frequently in low-grade tumors with active Wnt signaling and an intestinal gland type, suggesting that LGR5 is likely involved in the very early stages of Wnt-driven tumorigenesis in the stomach. Interestingly, similar to stem cells in normal tissues, Lgr5 + cells were often restricted to the base of the tumor glands, and such Lgr5 + restriction was associated with high levels of intestinal stem cell markers such as EPHB2, OLFM4, and ASCL2. Thus, our findings show that Lgr5 + cells are present at the base of the antral glands in the human stomach and that this cell population significantly expands in intestinal metaplasias. Furthermore, Lgr5 + cells are seen in a large number of gastric tumors ; their frequent basal arrangements and coexpression of ISC markers support the idea that Lgr5 + cells act as stem cells during the early stage of intestinal-type gastric tumorigenesis.
GAS STRIPPING IN SIMULATED GALAXIES WITH A MULTIPHASE INTERSTELLAR MEDIUM

Cluster galaxies moving through the intracluster medium (ICM) are expected to lose some of their interstellar medium (ISM) through ISM–ICM interactions. We perform high-resolution (40 pc) three-dimensional hydrodynamical simulations of a galaxy undergoing ram pressure stripping, including radiative cooling, in order to investigate stripping of a multiphase medium. The clumpy, multiphase ISM is self-consistently produced by the inclusion of radiative cooling, and spans six orders of magnitude in gas density. We find no large variations in the amount of gas lost whether or not cooling is involved, although the gas in the multiphase galaxy is stripped more quickly and to a smaller radius. We also see significant differences in the morphology of the stripped disks. This occurs because the multiphase medium naturally includes high-density clouds set inside regions of lower density. We find that the lower density gas is stripped quickly from any radius of the galaxy, and the higher density gas can then be ablated. If high-density clouds survive, through interaction with the ICM, they lose enough angular momentum to drift toward the center of the galaxy where they are no longer stripped. Finally, we find that low ram pressure values compress gas into high-density clouds that could lead to enhanced star formation, while high ram pressure leads to a smaller amount of high-density gas.
Exploring how social networking sites impact youth with anxiety: A qualitative study of Facebook stressors among adolescents with an anxiety disorder diagnosis

Adolescents with anxiety disorders often have low self-esteem, poor problem-solving, and a strong desire to be accepted. Combined, these qualities may predispose them to experience unique stressors when using social network sites (SNSs). Focus groups of adolescent Facebook users who have a primary anxiety diagnosis uncovered narratives describing individuals’ perspectives related to how Facebook can influence their anxiety. Qualitative analysis revealed six themes related to Facebook stressors: seeking approval, fearing judgment, escalating interpersonal issues, wanting privacy, negotiating self and social identity, and connecting & disconnecting. Many participants reported a fear of receiving negative comments online and discussed strategies to avoid them, such as posting less content (i.e., comments, photographs) than their peers. Some participants described feeling positive emotions when they received a “like” from a SNS user, however, they also tended to describe these positive emotions as “false”, “unreal” and “fleeting. ” Notably, many participants reported comparing themselves to peers on Facebook, which increased feelings of anxiety, as well as compulsive checking behaviours, such as monitoring posted content and friend lists. These findings were coupled with discussions surrounding rumination, privacy, and elevated personal conflict due in part to the public nature of Facebook. The narratives from our exploratory study suggest there are various mechanisms through which Facebook may exacerbate anxiety in adolescents who have pre-existing anxiety disorders and thereby may make them vulnerable to negative online experiences. Understanding the underlying themes of this phenomenon can aid clinicians, school staff, and parents in identifying potential stressors for anxious adolescents who use SNSs, and provide strategies around social media use for this specific patient population. Future quantitative studies are recommended to further understand the relationships between Facebook stressors and expressed anxiety in clinical populations.
Effect of Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine with Antiquorum Sensing Activity on Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Traditional Chinese herbal medicines (TCHMs) were tested for their ability of antiquorum sensing. Water extracts of Rhubarb, Fructus gardeniae, and Andrographis paniculata show antiquorumsensing activity when using Chromobacterium violaceum CV12472 as reporter; the sub-MIC concentrations of these TCHMs were tested against AHL-dependent phenotypic expressions of PAO1. Results showed significant reduction in pyocyanin pigment, protease, elastase production, and biofilm formation in PAO1 without inhibiting the bacterial growth, revealing that the QSI by the extracts is not related to static or killing effects on the bacteria. The results indicate a potential modulation of bacterial cell-cell communication, P. aeruginosa biofilm, and virulence factors by traditional Chinese herbal medicine. This study introduces not only a new mode of action for traditional Chinese herbal medicines, but also a potential new therapeutic direction for the treatment of bacterial infections, which have QSI activity and might be important in reducing virulence and pathogenicity of pathogenic bacteria.
Topology of the octonionic flag manifold

The octonionic flag manifold $Fl(\mathbb{O})$ is the space of all pairs in $\mathbb{O}P^2\times \mathbb{O}P^2$ (where $\mathbb{O}P^2$ denotes the octonionic projective plane) which satisfy a certain "incidence" relation. It comes equipped with the projections $\pi_1,\pi_2 : Fl(\mathbb{O})\to \mathbb{O}P^2$, which are $\mathbb{O}P^1$ bundles, as well as with an action of the group $Spin(8)$. The first two results of this paper give Borel type descriptions of the usual, respectively $Spin(8)$-equivariant cohomology of $Fl(\mathbb{O})$ in terms of $\pi_1$ and $\pi_2$ (actually the Euler classes of the tangent spaces to the fibers of $\pi_1$, respectively $\pi_2$, which are rank 8 vector bundles on $Fl(\mathbb{O})$). Then we obtain a Goresky-Kottwitz-MacPherson type description of the ring $H^*_{Spin(8)}(Fl(\mathbb{O}))$. Finally, we consider the $Spin(8)$-equivariant $K$-theory ring of $Fl(\mathbb{O})$ and obtain a Goresky-Kottwitz-MacPherson type description of this ring.
A ug 2 00 5 A PAMPHLET ON MOTIVIC COHOMOLOGY

This is an " elementary " introduction to the conjectural theory of motives along the lines indicated by Grothendieck. We further quote recent developments, also presenting some advances due to Vo-evodsky, and applications to the study of algebraic cycles and differential forms. In order to fix a general " philosophical " framework of what a theory of motives looks like let's draw the following picture Motives ր ց Spaces −→ Structures with the following explanation: • Spaces ⇒ Structures: we usually go from spaces to structures associating several kind of invariants of the shape we are investigating 1 and call them cohomology theories of our spaces along with the structures they carry on; • Spaces ⇒ Motives: when a concept of space is fixed and a concept of cohomology theory is involved we then seek for a universal coho-mology theory along with its structure of motive and call it motivic cohomology; • Motives ⇒ Structures: such a motive of the shape will be the finest invariant or structure associated to a space and would have several realizations yielding the various cohomology theories. 1 The most elementary is the dimension but we here imagine quite many other structures corresponding to homotopical, topological, differential or algebraic invariants which are linked to several visions of our spaces embodied in topological, differential and algebraic varieties or manifolds. 2 Exactly as in the common sense we here just think of a musical or visual motive being further realized with several different instruments.
An improved SIFT algorithm based on adaptive threshold canny

The traditional SIFT algorithm is popular to extract the feature points of target objects, but it also brings the feature points of non-target objects together, leading to mismatching. This paper proposes an improved SIFT algorithm based on adaptive threshold canny operator. In the proposed method, since it has the advantages of accurate edge detection and anti-noise ability, the adaptive threshold canny operator is first employed to detect the edges of an image, and then we can find the feature points by SIFT in the peripheral region of the edges. By introducing the adaptive threshold canny operator, the target objects can be separated from background, largely increasing the matching rate of SIFT algorithm. Experimental results demonstrate that, compared with the traditional SIFT and SURF algorithms, the proposed method can improve the robustness of feature points and further increase the matching rate, meanwhile reducing the cost of running time in a certain extent.
Supporting group relationships in mediated domestic environments

As everyday Internet use has become pervasive and natural, people use it effortlessly to find new acquaintances and nurture existing relationships. In this sense, Internet use can mimic and expand everyday social behavior from real life. However, in real life we often participate in gatherings with others not only as individuals but also as part of a group, for instance a family. Social gatherings involving several groups reinforces not only the individual network, but also the group-to-group relationships, adding another layer to social life. Our social identities, our "us"-feelings, are thus developed and enhanced. While there are numerous Internet-based tools and services for nurturing the individual's network, in analogy to real life, group-level interactions are barely touched upon. We explore some basic considerations for how computer-mediated communication systems could help nurturing group-to-group relationships, and how group, rather than individual, interaction with devices can be addressed in interaction design. Finally, we explore why games and gameplay might particularly well suited to motivate use of such systems. These issues will be the main focus of the TA2 (Together Anywhere, Together Anytime) research project.
Interpreting meaning from context: modeling the prosody of discourse markers in speech

In this paper we show how text, context and prosody of discourse markers reflect cognitive and discourse phenomena of uncertainty and certainty, intensity of emotional response, and interactive signals of knowledge state. We demonstrate how the subtle and finely differentiated meanings permeating spontaneous speech are communicated by prosodic variations and that it is the differences in shape that communicate the degree of uncertainty or certainty with respect to the speaker’s knowledge state, and cognitive status. We then propose a tri-partite model of prosody and discourse markers to account for the contextual determination of discourse maker interpretation.
Optimal Trading in a Limit Order Book Using Linear Strategies

We numerically determine the equilibrium trading strategies in a Continuous Double Auction (CDA). We consider heterogeneous and liquidity motivated agents, with private values and costs, that trade sequentially in random order under time constraints and are not aware of the type of the other agents in their session. We assume that they submit limit orders using a simple linear function of the current best quotes (ask and bid). In equilibrium, found using an Evolution Strategies algorithm, impatient agents do not always submit market orders, as in other models of CDAs, and agents take into account both sides of the book in their optimal decision. Finally, we provide a description of the price and of the ``small'' set of states of the equilibrium book.
Compact two-step laser time-of-flight mass spectrometer for in situ analyses of aromatic organics on planetary missions.

RATIONALE A miniature time-of-flight mass spectrometer measuring 20 cm in length has been adapted to demonstrate two-step laser desorption/ionization (LDI) in a compact instrument package for enhanced organics detection. Two-step LDI decouples the desorption and ionization processes, relative to traditional LDI, in order to produce low-fragmentation mass spectra of organic analytes. Tuning the UV ionization laser energy would allow control of the degree of fragmentation, which might enable better identification of constituent species. METHODS A reflectron time-of-flight mass spectrometer prototype was modified to allow a two-laser configuration, with IR (1064 nm) desorption followed by UV (266 nm) postionization. A relatively low ion extraction voltage of 5 kV was applied at the sample inlet. RESULTS The instrument capabilities and performance were demonstrated with analysis of a model polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, representing a class of compounds important to the fields of Earth and planetary science. Two-step laser mass spectrometry (L2MS) analysis of a model PAH, pyrene, was demonstrated, including molecular ion identification and the onset of tunable fragmentation as a function of ionizing laser energy. Mass resolution m/Δm = 380 at full width at half-maximum was achieved for gas-phase postionization of desorbed neutrals in this highly compact mass analyzer. CONCLUSIONS Achieving L2MS in a highly miniaturized instrument enables a powerful approach to the detection and characterization of aromatic organics in remote terrestrial and planetary applications. Tunable detection of molecular and fragment ions with high mass resolution, diagnostic of molecular structure, is possible on such a compact L2MS instrument. The selectivity of L2MS against low-mass inorganic salt interferences is a key advantage when working with unprocessed, natural samples, and a mechanism for the observed selectivity is proposed.
A new approach for satellite image analysis by means of a semantic network

This paper investigates synergy effects between satellite images and a digital topographic database. The use of such topographic databases, which are actually built up in many countries (e.g. ATKISDLM200 data in Germany), can support the satellite image analysis. This digital database offers a geometric as well as a semantic prediction for every object in the satellite image. Therefore, an automated, knowledge based feature extraction can be performed. Because of the relatively poor geometric resolution of common satellite sensors the project will concentrate on main areabased landuse classes like ’settlement’, ’forest’, ’water’ or ’agriculture’. The result of this feature extraction is a symbolic description of the image content. Both, the symbolic description and the digital database, are transfered in a semantic network, a compact formalism for structuring the entire knowledge. Beside this, the semantic network is used for verification and classification of the above mentioned objects. Therefore, suitable valuation and analysis functions have to be created. In the last step, a change detection between satellite image and database information will lead to an update process of the topographic database.
Sensorimotor transformation and information coding across cortex during perceptual decisions

Perceptual decision-making is an important and experimentally tractable paradigm for uncovering general principles of neural information processing and cognitive function. While the process of mapping sensory stimuli onto motor actions may appear to be simple, its neural underpinnings are poorly understood. The goal of this thesis is to better understand the neural mechanisms underlying perceptual decision-making by exploring three major questions: How is decision-relevant information encoded across the cortex? What cortical areas are necessary for perceptual decision-making? And finally, what neural mechanisms underlie the mapping of sensory percepts to appropriate motor outputs? We investigated the roles of visual (V1), posterior parietal (PPC), and frontal motor (fMC) cortices of mice during a memory-guided visual decision task. Large-scale calcium imaging revealed that neurons in each area were heterogeneous and spanned all task epochs (stimulus, delay, response). However, information encoding was distinct across regions, with V1 encoding stimulus, fMC encoding choice, and PPC multiplexing the two variables. Optogenetic inhibition during behavior showed that all regions were necessary during the stimulus epoch, but only fMC was required during the delay and response epochs. Stimulus information was therefore rapidly transformed into behavioral choice, requiring V1, PPC, and fMC during the transformation period, but only fMC for maintaining the choice in memory prior to execution. We further investigated whether the role of PPC was specific to visual processing or to sensorimotor transformation. Using calcium imaging during both engaged behavior and passive viewing, we found that unlike V1 neurons, most PPC neurons responded exclusively during task performance, although a minority exhibited contrast-dependent visual responses. By re-training mice on a reversed task contingency, we discovered that neurons in PPC but not V1 reflected the new sensorimotor contingency. Population analyses additionally revealed that task-specific information was represented in a dynamic code in PPC but not in V1. The strong task dependence, heterogeneity, and dynamic coding of PPC activity point to a central role in sensorimotor transformation. By measuring and manipulating activity across multiple cortical regions, we have gained insight into how the cortex processes information during sensorimotor decisions, paving the way for future mechanistic studies using the mouse system.