Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Mesolimbic Dopamine in Desire and Dread: Enabling Motivation to Be Generated by Localized Glutamate Disruptions in Nucleus Accumbens

An important issue in affective neuroscience concerns the role of mesocorticolimbic dopamine systems in positive-valenced motivation (e.g., reward) versus negative-valenced motivation (e.g., fear). Here, we assessed whether endogenous dopamine receptor stimulation in nucleus accumbens contributes to both appetitive behavior and fearful behavior that is generated in keyboard manner by local glutamate disruptions at different sites in medial shell. 6,7-Dinitroquinoxaline-2,3(1H,4H)-dione (DNQX) microinjections (450 ng) locally disrupt glutamate signals in <4 mm3 of nucleus accumbens, and generate either desire or fear (or both) depending on precise rostrocaudal location in medial shell. At rostral shell sites, local AMPA/kainate blockade generates positive ingestive behavior, but the elicited motivated behavior becomes incrementally more fearful as the same microinjection is moved caudally. A dopamine-blocking mixture of D1 and D2 antagonists (raclopride and SCH-23390 [R(+)-7-chloro-8-hydroxy-3-methyl-1-phenyl-2,3,4,5,-tetrahydro-1H-3-benzazepine hydrochloride]) was combined here in the same microinjection with DNQX to assess the role of endogenous local dopamine in mediating the DNQX-motivated behaviors. We report that local dopamine blockade prevented DNQX microinjections from generating appetitive behavior (eating) in rostral shell, and equally prevented DNQX from generating fearful behavior (defensive treading) in caudal shell. We conclude that local dopamine is needed to enable disruptions of corticolimbic glutamate signals in shell to generate either positive incentive salience or negative fearful salience (valence depending on site and other conditions). Thus, dopamine interacts with localization of valence-biased glutamate circuits in medial shell to facilitate keyboard stimulation of both appetitive and fearful motivations.
3-D Projective Moment Invariants ?

D projective moment invariants were flrstly proposed by Suk and Flusser in (12). We point out here that there is a useless projective moment invariant which is equivalent to zero in their paper. 3-D projective moment invariants are generated theoretically by investigating the property of signed volume of a tetrahedron. The main part is the selection of permutation invariant cores for multiple integrals to generate independent and nonzero 3-D projective moment invariants. We give the conclusion that projective moment invariants don't exist strictly speaking because of their convergence problem.
The Implementation of Domain Name System Clients and Servers using Knowledge Domains and Ontologies

We seek to modify the behaviour of a distributed system, such as t e Domain Name System (DNS), quickly, efficiently and robustly while only affecting a prescribed set of client s and servers. Thus, small sites and virtual organisations c an restructure their information within the DNS to suit their n eeds without compromising global interaction. We achieve t his by describing the DNS using knowledge domains and shared ontol ogies, resulting in faster reconfiguration and control over the area of effect of system changes. This paper focusses on the a ddition of operational semantics to the ontological model, in addition to the logical relationships, data structures and data representations.
Secrecy for Bounded Security Protocols without Freshness Check

The secrecy problem for security protocols is the problem to decide whether or not a given security protocol has leaky runs. The complexity of the secrecy problem for bounded security protocols without freshness check remained open. In this paper, we prove DEXPTIME-completeness of the secrecy problem for bounded security protocols without freshness check, solving the problem left open.
Media Presence and Inner Presence: The Sense of Presence in Virtual Reality Technologies

Abstract. Presence is widely accepted as the key concept to be considered in any research involving human interaction with Virtual Reality (VR). Since its original description, the concept of presence has developed over the past decade to be considered by many researchers as the essence of any experience in a virtual environment. The VR generating systems comprise two main parts: a technological component and a psychological experience. The different relevance given to them produced two different but coexisting visions of presence: the rationalist and the psychological/ecological points of view. The rationalist point of view considers a VR system as a collection of specific machines with the necessity of the inclusion of the concept of presence. The researchers agreeing with this approach describe the sense of presence as a function of the experience of a given medium (Media Presence). The main result of this approach is the definition of presence as the perceptual illusion of non-mediation produced by means of the disappearance of the medium from the conscious attention of the subject. At the other extreme, there is the psychological or ecological perspective (Inner Presence). Specifically, this perspective considers presence as a neuropsychological phenomenon, evolved from the interplay of our biological and cultural inheritance, whose goal is the control of the human activity. Given its key role and the rate at which new approaches to understanding and examining presence are appearing, this chapter draws together current research on presence to provide an up to date overview of the most widely accepted approaches to its understanding and measurement.
High Triglycerides Are Associated with Low Thrombocyte Counts and High VEGF in Nephropathia Epidemica

Nephropathia epidemica (NE) is a mild form of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome. Several reports have demonstrated a severe alteration in lipoprotein metabolism. However, little is known about changes in circulating lipids in NE. The objectives of this study were to evaluate changes in serum total cholesterol, high density cholesterol (HDCL), and triglycerides. In addition to evaluation of serum cytokine activation associations, changes in lipid profile and cytokine activation were determined for gender, thrombocyte counts, and VEGF. Elevated levels of triglycerides and decreased HDCL were observed in NE, while total cholesterol did not differ from controls. High triglycerides were associated with both the lowest thrombocyte counts and high serum VEGF, as well as a high severity score. Additionally, there were higher levels of triglycerides in male than female NE patients. Low triglycerides were associated with upregulation of IFN-γ and IL-12, suggesting activation of Th1 helper cells. Furthermore, levels of IFN-γ and IL-12 were increased in patients with lower severity scores, suggesting that a Th1 type immune response is playing protective role in NE. These combined data advance the understanding of NE pathogenesis and indicate a role for high triglycerides in disease severity.
2 . 1 Max-Relevance Min-Redundancy ( MRMR ) approach

Feature selection is a topic of great interest in applications dealing with high-dimensional datasets. These applications include gene expression array analysis, combinatorial chemistry and text processing of online documents. Using feature selection brings about several advantages. First, it leads to lower computational cost and time. Less memory is needed to store the data and less processing power is needed. Feature selection helps improve the performance of the predictors by avoiding overfitting. It can also capture the underlying connection between the data. And perhaps the most important aspect, it can break through the barrier of high-dimensionality. To select the most relevant subset of features, we need a mathematical tool to measure dependence among random variables. In this work, we use the concept of mutual information. Mutual information is a well-known dependence measure in information theory. For any arbitrary pair of discrete random variables, X ∈ X and Y ∈ Y , Mutual Information is defined as
Multipose audio-visual speech recognition

In this paper we study the adaptation of visual and audio-visual speech recognition systems to non-ideal visual conditions. We focus on the effects of a changing pose of the speaker relative to the camera, a problem encountered in natural situations. To that purpose, we introduce a pose normalization technique and perform speech recognition from multiple views by generating virtual frontal views from non-frontal images. The proposed method is inspired by pose-invariant face recognition studies and relies on linear regression to find an approximate mapping between images from different poses. Lipreading experiments quantify the loss of performance related to pose changes and the proposed pose normalization techniques, while audio-visual results analyse how an audio-visual system should account for non-frontal poses in terms of the weight assigned to the visual modality in the audio-visual classifier.
Can TCP be the transport protocol of the 21st century?

TCP is a transport layer network protocol that offers a reliable, connection-oriented, byte-stream service [19]. It is a full-duplex protocol, which means that each TCP connection supports a pair of byte-streams, one flowing in each direction. TCP supports flow control, which prevents the sender from overrunning the buffer capacity of the receiver. In addition, TCP implements congestion control, which prevents the sender from injecting too much traffic into the network. TCP is an end-to-end protocol. That is, TCP turns a host-to-host packet delivery service, provided by IP, into a process-to-process communication channel [19]. For a more detailed introduction to TCP, see [19] and [22].
Merging data driven and rule based prosodic models for unit selection TTS

Data driven models suffer from data sparsity and can be difficult to generalise. Rule based models suffer from being over prescriptive and insensitive to the contents of the unit selection database. To further complicate matters the space of acceptable prosody for any one utterance is large. However in some cases prosodic patterns for a particular speaker can be very homogeneous, for example the prosodic pattern used to read out a zip code. In this paper we describe a method for exploring and analysing the prosodic space within a limited domain, and a method for merging a simple rule based prosodic model with a set of data driven mini prosodic models. A listening test was carried out on the synthesis of zip codes with and without the mini models with promising results. The approach could be applied effectively to domains varying from numerical amounts to personal names.
Routing Protocols Analysis for Internet of Things

Internet of things (IoT) has become an emerging new technology. Things having identities and virtual personalities use intelligent interfaces to connect and communicate within social environmental and user contexts. This paper first studied the mechanisms of some existing routing protocols such as AODV, DSR and OLSR, which is widely used in Ad Hoc networks. And then their performance in IoT circumstances is exploited to find an appropriate routing mechanism for the future IoT. The routing overhead, average end to end delay and throughput were also compared to find a suitable routing protocol scheme for the IoT. Simulation result shows that DSR mechanism performs better in terms of routing overhead. The mechanism of AODV can have better performances in terms of throughput.
Multiresolution Motion Estimation/Segmentation Incorporating Feature Correspondence and Optical Flow

This paper is concerned with the segmentation of scene objects on the basis of their unique uniform motions. A number of previous approaches have been founded upon greyscale spatio-temporal gradient based estimation of the optic flow; these have shown some success. However optical flow only permits a limited range of recoverable motion displacements and exhibits a relatively low robustness to noise. Multiresolution image data can be used to increase the range of allowed motion displacements but the correct resolution at which to compute motion estimates is difficult to determine. It is postulated that with a priori knowledge of the elementary motions arising from the dynamic scene, the resolution level of a multiresolution support can be automatically set. These elementary motions may be used to increase noise robustness by permitting a relative rather than absolute classification of motion. We present a multi-stage algorithm in which feature correspondences are used to create a dictionary of elementary motions arising from the scene. The scene is initially segmented into small primitive regions using a maximum a posteriori (MAP) criterion in conjunction with a Markov random field (MRF) model and the motion dictionary. An affine motion model and maximum likelihood (ML) criterion are then used to fuse primitive regions of coherent motion into the full scene segmentation. Results for both synthetic and real imagery are given which demonstrate that scene segmentation may be performed across a wide range of motion displacements and at high levels of additive noise.
Inequalities in the uptake of Human Papillomavirus Vaccination: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background The human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine offers an opportunity to reduce health inequalities associated with cervical cancer provided the vaccine is delivered equitably at population level. Method We reviewed evidence of inequalities in HPV vaccine uptake in young women after undertaking a comprehensive search of databases from inception to March 2012. Studies that compared HPV vaccination initiation and/or completion by at least one ethnicity or socioeconomic-related variable in adolescent young women were included. There were no language restrictions. Data were extracted by two reviewers and pooled in a meta-analysis using a random-effects model; sub-analyses and meta-regression were undertaken to investigate sources of heterogeneity. Results In all, 29 publications related to 27 studies were included in the review. Black young women were less likely to initiate HPV vaccination compared with White young women (combined OR: 0.89, 95% CI: 0.82–0.97). In the USA, young women without healthcare insurance were less likely to initiate (combined OR: 0.56, 95% CI: 0.40–0.78). There was no strong evidence that lower family income (combined OR: 1.16, 95% CI: 1.00–1.34) or lower parental education (combined OR 1.06, 95% CI: 0.92–1.22) influenced HPV vaccination initiation. Conclusions We found strong evidence for differences in HPV vaccination initiation by ethnicity and healthcare coverage, but did not find a strong association with parental education or family income variables. The majority of studies originated from the USA. Population-based studies reporting both initiation and completion of the HPV vaccination programme are required to establish patterns of uptake in different healthcare contexts.
Validation of Regional-Scale Remote Sensing Products in China: From Site to Network

Validation is mandatory to quantify the reliability of remote sensing products (RSPs). However, this process is not straightforward and usually presents formidable challenges in terms of both theory and real-world operations. In this context, a dedicated validation initiative was launched in China, and we identified a validation strategy (VS). This overall VS focuses on validating regional-scale RSPs with a systematic site-to-network concept, consisting of four main components: (1) general guidelines and technical specifications to guide users in validating various land RSPs, particularly aiming to further develop in situ sampling schemes and scaling approaches to acquire ground truth at the pixel scale over heterogeneous surfaces; (2) sound site-based validation activities, conducted through multi-scale, multi-platform, and multi-source observations to experimentally examine and improve the first component; (3) a national validation network to allow for comprehensive assessment of RSPs from site or regional scales to the national scale across various zones; and (4) an operational RSP evaluation system to implement operational validation applications. Research progress on the development of these four components is described in this paper. Some representative research results, with respect to the development of sampling methods and site-based validation activities, are also highlighted. The development of this VS improves our understanding of validation issues, especially to facilitate validating RSPs over heterogeneous land surfaces both at the pixel scale level and the product level.
How Many Mechanisms Are Needed to Analyze Speech? A Connectionist Simulation of Structural Rule Learning in Artificial Language Acquisition

Some empirical evidence in the artificial language acquisition literature has been taken to suggest that statistical learning mechanisms are insufficient for extracting structural information from an artificial language. According to the more than one mechanism (MOM) hypothesis, at least two mechanisms are required in order to acquire language from speech: (a) a statistical mechanism for speech segmentation; and (b) an additional rule-following mechanism in order to induce grammatical regularities. In this article, we present a set of neural network studies demonstrating that a single statistical mechanism can mimic the apparent discovery of structural regularities, beyond the segmentation of speech. We argue that our results undermine one argument for the MOM hypothesis.
Virtual Science: Virutality and Knowledge Acquisition in Science and Cognition

The focus of this paper is the process of knowledge acquisition (KA) and which role virtuality plays in this context. We argue that there are three different modes of knowledge acquisition which can be identified both in the domains of cognition and science: the empirical, the "constructive", and the "synthetic" mode. We show that the method of constructing knowledge in the virtual domain (i.e., the synthetic mode of KA) is not only a principal mode of KA in our cognition (e.g., thought experiments, making plans, etc.). It becomes increasingly important in the field of (natural) science in the form of simulations and virtual experiments. The attempt to find an answer to the question of whether simulation can be an information source for science, and to validate the computational approach in science, leads to a new interpretation of the nature of virtual models. This new perspective renders the problem of "feature extraction" obsolete.
The dynamics of dynamics: A model of musical expression

A computational model of musical dynamics is proposed that complements an earlier model of expressive timing. The model, implemented in the artificial intelligence language LISP, is based on the observation that a musical phrase is often indicated by a crescendo/decrescendo shape. The functional form of this shape is derived by making two main assumptions. First, that musical dynamics and tempo are coupled, that is, "the faster the louder, the slower the softer. " This tempo/dynamics coupling, it is suggested, may be a characteristic of some classical and romantic styles perhaps exemplified by performances of Chopin. Second, that the tempo change is governed by analogy to physical movement. The allusion of musical expression to physical motion is further extended by the introduction of the concepts of energy and mass. The utility of the model, in addition to giving an insight into the nature of musical expression, is that it provides a basis for a method of performance style analysis. PACS numbers: 43.75. St Hence, again, it becomespossible for motion in music to imitate the peculiar characteristics of motive forces in space, that is, to form an image of the various impulses and forces which lie at the root of motion. And on this, as I believe, essentially depends the power of music to picture emotion. [Helmholtz, 1863]
The huggable social robot Probo for social story telling for robot assisted therapy with ASD children

Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Robotics and Multibody Mechanics Research Group, Brussels, Belgium 2 Babes-Bolyai University; Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania 3 Howest University College, Industrial Design Center, Kortrijk, Belgium 4 Mount Sinai School of Medicine, USA 5 Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Department of Clinical and Life Span Psychology Group, Brussel, Belgium bram.vanderborght@vub.ac.be http://probo.vub.ac.be
Near-end crosstalk cancellation in xDSL systems

An algorithm for reducing the computational load in near-end crosstalk (NEXT) cancellation is proposed. The algorithm first detects the major NEXT sources by taking the cross correlation of the adjacent transmitted signals with the received signal. A fast method for estimating the cross correlation is utilized to speed up the detection process. Upon detection, an adaptive filter cancels each NEXT source. The detection and cancellation are done simultaneously as the algorithm progresses. This helps the smaller NEXT signals to be detected as the larger NEXT signals are cancelled out.
Transgenic Mice Expressing Green Fluorescent Protein under the Control of the Melanocortin-4 Receptor Promoter

The melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4-R) is an important regulator of energy homeostasis, and evidence suggests that MC4-R-expressing neurons are downstream targets of leptin action. MC4-Rs are broadly expressed in the CNS, and the distribution of MC4-R mRNA has been analyzed most extensively in the rat. However, relatively little is known concerning chemical profiles of MC4-R-expressing neurons. The extent to which central melanocortins act presynaptically or postsynaptically on MC4-Rs is also unknown. To address these issues, we have generated a transgenic mouse line expressing green fluorescent protein (GFP) under the control of the MC4-R promoter, using a modified bacterial artificial chromosome. We have confirmed that the CNS distribution of GFP-producing cells is identical to that of MC4-R mRNA in wild-type mice and that nearly all GFP-producing cells coexpress MC4-R mRNA. For example, cells coexpressing GFP and MC4-R mRNA were distributed in the paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus (PVH) and the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus (DMV). MC4-R promotor-driven GFP expression was found in PVH cells producing thyrotropin-releasing hormone and in cholinergic DMV cells. Finally, we have observed that a synthetic MC3/4-R agonist, MT-II, depolarizes some GFP-expressing cells, suggesting that MC4-Rs function postsynaptically in some instances and may function presynaptically in others. These studies extend our knowledge of the distribution and function of the MC4-R. The transgenic mouse line should be useful for future studies on the role of melanocortin signaling in regulating feeding behavior and autonomic homeostasis.