Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Face valuing: Training user interfaces with facial expressions and reinforcement learning

An important application of interactive machine learning is extending or amplifying the cognitive and physical capabilities of a human. To accomplish this, machines need to learn about their human users' intentions and adapt to their preferences. In most current research, a user has conveyed preferences to a machine using explicit corrective or instructive feedback; explicit feedback imposes a cognitive load on the user and is expensive in terms of human effort. The primary objective of the current work is to demonstrate that a learning agent can reduce the amount of explicit feedback required for adapting to the user's preferences pertaining to a task by learning to perceive a value of its behavior from the human user, particularly from the user's facial expressions---we call this face valuing. We empirically evaluate face valuing on a grip selection task. Our preliminary results suggest that an agent can quickly adapt to a user's changing preferences with minimal explicit feedback by learning a value function that maps facial features extracted from a camera image to expected future reward. We believe that an agent learning to perceive a value from the body language of its human user is complementary to existing interactive machine learning approaches and will help in creating successful human-machine interactive applications.
Epidemiology of endometriosis.

EDITOR,-The design of the study reported by the Royal College of Radiologists Working Party' seems flawed. Using an uncontrolled study to report a reduction in referrals from general practice in the year after introduction of the guidelines and then to ascribe this drop to the guidelines themselves is somewhat naive. A control group is needed to exclude a secular trend contributing to the reported reduction in referral rates. This could easily have been a series of practices such as our own in areas where no education or communication with the local general practitioners took place. Such a control group could also have been identified easily as all practices have been keeping records of their referrals for x ray examinations since the introduction of the new contract in April 1990. Our practice shows a reduction in referrals for x ray examinations of 14 per 1000 patients between the last two full annual report years of 1990-1 and 1991-2. If this behaviour represents a national trend then the influence of these guidelines on the sample doctors' behaviour may not have been as pronounced as the study suggests.
Haptic Data Compression Based on a Linear Prediction Model and Quadratic Curve Reconstruction

In this paper, a new haptic data compression technique is presented. The algorithm partitions haptic data samples into subsets while relying on knowledge from human haptic perception. To reduce the number of data subsets, a prediction model based on a tangential direction concept is derived that adapts to local geometric changes of haptic signals. Furthermore, to improve signal approximation precision, each haptic data subset is fitted by a quadratic curve. Accordingly, only the coefficents of the quadratic curves are encoded. Experiments are performed on datasets acquired using a six-degrees-of-freedom haptic-enabled telepresence system. The experimental results demonstrated that the proposed haptic data compression algorithm can potentially outperform related methods in the literature.
Matrine suppresses the migration and invasion of NSCLC cells by inhibiting PAX2-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the major cause of deaths among all the cancer types worldwide. Most of the NSCLC is diagnosed at an advanced stage and the 5-year overall survival rate is low. The reason for the low survival rate of patients with NSCLC is mainly due to distant metastasis. Matrine, a traditional Chinese medicine, has been shown a significant anti-proliferation and anti-invasive effect in tumors. However, little is known on the anti-invasive mechanism of matrine in lung cancer. Therefore, we tried to investigate the molecular mechanism of matrine on the invasive ability of NSCLC cells in vitro. Cell Counting Kit-8 assay was used to evaluate the cell viability. Transwell assay was used to detect the migration and invasion abilities. Microarray assay was used to analyze the differentiated expression genes with or without matrine treatment. Western blotting and real-time polymerase chain reaction were applied to detect the expressions of PAX2, E-cadherin and N-cadherin. Our study showed that matrine could suppress the proliferative activity of NSCLC cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Further investigation discovered that the migration and invasion of NSCLC cells were significantly inhibited by treatment with different concentrations of matrine. Microarray assay, real-time polymerase chain reaction and western blotting showed that matrine could significantly decrease the expression of PAX2. In addition, epithelial-mesenchymal transition and related proteins were decreased. In conclusion, matrine may block PAX2 expression to interfere with epithelial-mesenchymal transition signaling pathway that ultimately inhibit the migration and invasion of NSCLC cells in vitro. Matrine might serve as a potential agent for NSCLC treatment.
Form classification and retrieval using bag of words with shape features of line structures

In this paper a document form classification and retrieval method using Bag of Words and newly introduced local shape features of form lines is proposed. In a preprocessing step the document is binarized and the form lines (solid and dotted) are detected. The shape features are based on the line information describing local line structures, e.g. line endings, crossings, boxes. The dominant line structures build a vocabulary for each form class. According to the vocabulary an occurrence histogram of structures of form documents can be calculated for the classification and retrieval. The proposed method has been tested on a set of 489 documents and 9 different form classes.
Self-tuning the parallelism degree in Parallel-Nested Software Transactional Memory

Transactional Memory is a promising parallel computing paradigm, increasingly used nowadays, that allows easy parallelization of sequential programs and can expose a great level of parallelism. Many different approaches exist. One such approach is parallel-nested Transactional Memory, where transactions are allowed to spawn their own child transactions, effectively exposing additional levels of fine-grained parallelism. Transactional Memory systems often have tuning mechanisms, which adjust parameters and internal dynamics according to system measurements, to increase performance. To the best of our knowledge, tuning nested Transactional Memory systems has not been explored in contemporary research. We propose modern tuning mechanisms can be created for parallel-nested Transactional Memory, and perform an analysis using a state of the art Transactional Memory system, JVSTM. We develop mechanisms to plug different tuning strategies into JVSTM, and evaluate their effects and improvements, or lack thereof, using a set of benchmarks designed for evaluating STM systems. The results we obtained offer insights on the different tuning strategies, as well as a framework with which future work can be developed.
Nonsense-Mediated Decay Enables Intron Gain in Drosophila

Intron number varies considerably among genomes, but despite their fundamental importance, the mutational mechanisms and evolutionary processes underlying the expansion of intron number remain unknown. Here we show that Drosophila, in contrast to most eukaryotic lineages, is still undergoing a dramatic rate of intron gain. These novel introns carry significantly weaker splice sites that may impede their identification by the spliceosome. Novel introns are more likely to encode a premature termination codon (PTC), indicating that nonsense-mediated decay (NMD) functions as a backup for weak splicing of new introns. Our data suggest that new introns originate when genomic insertions with weak splice sites are hidden from selection by NMD. This mechanism reduces the sequence requirement imposed on novel introns and implies that the capacity of the spliceosome to recognize weak splice sites was a prerequisite for intron gain during eukaryotic evolution.
Efficient multihop dual data upload clustering based mobile data collection in Wireless Sensor Network

The high efficiency of Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) purely depends on the data collection scheme. Several data gathering schemes such as multipath, tree, chain, cluster and hybrid topologies are available in literature for gathering data in WSNs. However, the existing data gathering schemes failed to provide a guaranteed reliable network in terms of traffic, mobility, and end-to-end connection. Recent work shows sink mobility can increase the energy efficiency in WSNs. However, data delivery latency often increases owing to the speed limit of Mobile Sink. Most of them utilize the mobility, to address the problem of data gathering in WSNs. In this project, first define WSNs with Mobile Sink and provide an exhaustive taxonomy of their architectures, based on the role of MS. Then, present an overview of load balanced cluster and dual data uploading data gathering process in such a scenario, and recognize the corresponding challenges and issues. On the basis of these issues, Delay Aware Adaptive Multi Hop Routing Protocol called DAMHR is proposed, which is a heuristic method that locates a near-optimal traveling tour that minimizes the energy consumption of sensor nodes and improves the data gathering. Path selection problem is focused in load balanced clustering and delay-guaranteed sensor networks with a path-constrained mobile sink and concentrate on an efficient data gathering scheme, that simultaneously increases the total amount of data and reduces the energy consumption. The optimal path is preferred to meet the necessary on delay as well as minimizes the energy consumption of entire network. Predictable sink mobility is demoralized to improve energy efficiency of sensor networks.
Breastfeeding Education, Treatment, and Referrals by Female Physicians

The female membership of the Mississippi State Medical Association and female physician employees of the Mississippi State Department of Health were surveyed (N = 350) to examine their practice-related decisions relative to breastfeeding; 215 (61%) responded to the survey. Discussion was commonly used for educating patients, with face-to-face demonstrations used by less than half of respondents. Female physicians with breastfeeding experience were more comfortable than others in treating sore nipples, plugged ducts, infected nipples, and inadequate infant weight gain. There was no difference in the proportion of physicians with and without breastfeeding experience who treated mastitis, low milk supply, and poor latch. The largest percentages of referrals to other providers were in response to infants' poor weight gain and poor latch; the fewest were for nipple infections. Seventy percent of the respondents were not taught lactation management in medical school or residency. Better education for physicians regarding lactation management is needed. J Hum Lact. 19(3):303-309.
DNA methylation, nuclear structure, gene expression and cancer

DNA methylation, chromatin structure, transcription, and cancer have traditionally been studied as separate phenomena. Recent data provide now direct physical and functional links between these processes revealing a complex network of interactions and mutual dependences. Methylated DNA is bound by methyl‐CpG binding protein (MeCP) complexes that include histone deacetylases (HDACs). This recruitment of HDACs is suggested to promote local chromatin condensation and thereby repress gene expression. Most recently, also complexes of DNA methyltransferase (Dnmt1) with transcriptional repressors, DMAP1 and pRB, have been described providing a direct link to transcriptional regulation and tumor suppression. Inactivation of the DNA methyltransferase genes (Dnmt1, 3a, and 3b) was found to be lethal in mice and several human diseases (ICF and Rett syndrome) turned out to be linked to DNA methylation. In particular, global hypomethylation has been found in tumor samples together with cancer‐type‐specific, local hypermethylation. Taken together, these lines of evidence clearly underscore the central role of DNA methylation in the regulation of gene expression and chromatin structure during normal development and diseases like cancer. J. Cell. Biochem. Suppl. 35:78–83, 2000. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
On Sequential Elimination Algorithms for Best-Arm Identification in Multi-Armed Bandits

We consider the best-arm identification problem in multi-armed bandits, which focuses purely on exploration. A player is given a fixed budget to explore a finite set of arms, and the rewards of each arm are drawn independently from a fixed, unknown distribution. The player aims to identify the arm with the largest expected reward. We propose a general framework to unify sequential elimination algorithms, where the arms are dismissed iteratively until a unique arm is left. Our analysis reveals a novel performance measure expressed in terms of the sampling mechanism and number of eliminated arms at each round. Based on this result, we develop an algorithm that divides the budget according to a nonlinear function of remaining arms at each round. We provide theoretical guarantees for the algorithm, characterizing the suitable nonlinearity for different problem environments described by the number of competitive arms. Matching the theoretical results, our experiments show that the nonlinear algorithm outperforms the state-of-the-art. We finally study the side-observation model, where pulling an arm reveals the rewards of its related arms, and we establish improved theoretical guarantees in the pure-exploration setting.
Mechanical properties of chicken feather fibers

Chicken feather fibers (CFFs) are attractive for composite applications. In this study, mechanical properties of the feather barbs were investigated statistically. The strain at break of CFFs had a Gaussian distribution with a mean value of 6.93%. The tensile modulus of CFFs was 3.59 ± 1.09 GPa and average tensile strength was 203 ± 74 MPa, respectively. Both tensile modulus and tensile strength among different feathers were significantly different. The failure of the CFFs followed a Weibull distribution with a scale parameter value of 178.7 MPa and a shape parameter value of 2.32. Overall, the well-investigated mechanical properties of the CFFs are beneficial for the further study of its applications in composite materials. POLYM. COMPOS. , 2011. © 2011 Society of Plastics Engineers
The performance of the Amoeba distributed operating system

Amoeba is a capability‐based distributed operating system designed for high‐performance interactions between clients and servers using the well‐known RPC model. The paper starts out by describing the architecture of the Amoeba system, which is typified by specialized components such as workstations, several services, a processor pool, and gateways that connect other Amoeba systems transparently over wide‐area networks. Next the RPC interface is described. The paper presents performance measurements of the Amoeba RPC on unloaded and loaded systems. The time to perform the simplest RPC between two user processes has been measured to be 1‐4 ms. Compared to SUN 3/50's RPC, Amoeba has one ninth of the delay, and over three times the throughput. Finally we describe the Amoeba file server. The Amoeba file server is so fast that it is limited by the communication bandwidth. To the best of our knowledge this is the fastest file server yet reported in the literature for this class of hardware.
A Triple Helix within a Pseudoknot Is a Conserved and Essential Element of Telomerase RNA

ABSTRACT Telomerase copies a short template within its integral telomerase RNA onto eukaryotic chromosome ends, compensating for incomplete replication and degradation. Telomerase action extends the proliferative potential of cells, and thus it is implicated in cancer and aging. Nontemplate regions of telomerase RNA are also crucial for telomerase function. However, they are highly divergent in sequence among species, and their roles are largely unclear. Using in silico three-dimensional modeling, constrained by mutational analysis, we propose a three-dimensional model for a pseudoknot in telomerase RNA of the budding yeast Kluyveromyces lactis. Interestingly, this structure includes a U-A·U major-groove triple helix. We confirmed the triple-helix formation in vitro using oligoribonucleotides and showed that it is essential for telomerase function in vivo. While triplex-disrupting mutations abolished telomerase function, triple compensatory mutations that formed pH-dependent G-C·C+ triples restored the pseudoknot structure in a pH-dependent manner and partly restored telomerase function in vivo. In addition, we identified a novel type of triple helix that is formed by G-C·U triples, which also partly restored the pseudoknot structure and function. We propose that this unusual structure, so far found only in telomerase RNA, provides an essential and conserved telomerase-specific function.
Effects of Aldosterone on Biosynthesis, Traffic, and Functional Expression of Epithelial Sodium Channels in A6 Cells

The collecting duct regulates Na+ transport by adjusting the abundance/activity of epithelial Na+ channels (ENaC). In this study we have investigated the synthesis, degradation, endocytosis, and activity of ENaC and the effects of aldosterone on these processes using endogenous channels expressed in the A6 cell line. Biochemical studies were performed with a newly raised set of specific antibodies against each of the three subunits of the amphibian ENaC. Our results indicate simultaneous transcription and translation of α, β, and γ subunits and enhancement of both processes by aldosterone: two- and fourfold increase, respectively. The biosynthesis of new channels can be followed by acquisition of endoglycosidase H–resistant oligosacharides in α and β subunits and, in the case of α, by the appearance of a form resistant to reducing agents. The half-life of the total pool of subunits (t 1/2 40–70 min) is longer than the fraction of channels in the apical membrane (t 1/2 12–17 min). Aldosterone induces a fourfold increase in the abundance of the three subunits in the apical membrane without significant changes in the open probability, kinetics of single channels, or in the rate of degradation of ENaC subunits. Accordingly, the aldosterone response could be accounted by an increase in the abundance of apical channels due, at least in part, to de novo synthesis of subunits.
Templating methods for preparation of porous structures

This article features recent research progress towards various templating methods for preparing porous structures with prescribed structural, surface, and morphological properties. It should be noted that this is not a comprehensive review article as such reviews are available in the literature. Instead, on the basis of our own research results we attempt to provide a brief summary of recent demonstrations of how templating strategies can be used to prepare porous architectures with desired properties to meet the specific requirements of new technological applications, such as environmentally friendly technology, nanotechnology, tissue engineering, and photonics.
Perturbed Lepton-Specific Two-Higgs-Doublet Model Facing Experimental Hints for Physics beyond the Standard Model.

BABAR, Belle, and LHCb Collaborations report evidence for new physics in B→Dτν and B→D^{*}τν of approximately 3. 8σ. There is also the long lasting discrepancy of about 3σ in the anomalous magnetic moment of the muon, and the branching ratio for τ→μνν is 1. 8σ (2.4σ) above the standard model expectation using the HFAG (PDG) values. Furthermore, CMS Collaboration finds hints for a nonzero decay rate of h→μτ. Interestingly, all these observations can be explained by introducing new scalars. In this Letter we consider these processes within a lepton-specific two-Higgs doublet model (i.e., of type X) with additional nonstandard Yukawa couplings. It is found that one can accommodate τ→μνν with modified Higgs-τ couplings. The anomalous magnetic moment of the muon can be explained if the additional neutral CP-even Higgs boson H is light (below 100 GeV). Also R(D) and R(D^{*}) can be easily explained by additional t-c-Higgs couplings. Combining these t-c couplings with a light H the decay rate for t→Hc can be in a testable range for the LHC. Effects in h→μτ are also possible, but in this case a simultaneous explanation of the anomalous magnetic moment of the muon is difficult due to the unavoidable τ→μγ decay.
Intonosyntactic Data Structures: The Rhapsodie Treebank of Spoken French

In this work, we present the data structures that were developed for the Rhapsodie project, an intonosyntactic annotation project of spoken French. Phoneticians and syntacticians work on different base units: a time aligned sound file for the former, and a partially ordered list of tokens for the latter. The alignment between the sound-file and the tokens is partial and non-trivial. We propose to encode this data with a small set of interconnected structures: lists, constituent trees, and directed acyclic graphs (DAGs). Our query language remains simple, similar to the Annis Query language, as the precedence and including relations are handled in accordance with the requested objects and their type of alignment: The order between prosodic units is time-based, whereas the order between syntactic units is lexeme-based.
Isolating the delay component of impulsive choice in adolescent rats

Impulsive choice—the preference for small immediate rewards over larger delayed rewards—has been linked to various psychological conditions ranging from behavioral disorders to addiction. These links highlight the critical need to dissect the various components of this multifaceted behavioral trait. Delay discounting tasks allow researchers to study an important factor of this behavior: how the subjective value of a rewards changes over a delay period. However, existing methods of delay discounting include a confound of different reward sizes within the procedure. Here we present a new approach of using a single constant reward size to assess delay discounting. A complementary approach could hold delay constant and assess the utility of changing quantities of a reward. Isolating these behavioral components can advance our ability to explore the behavioral complexity of impulsive choice. We present in detail the methods for isolating delay, and further capitalize on this method by pairing it with a standard peak interval task to test whether individual variation in delay discounting can be explained by differences in perception of time in male and female adolescent rats. We find that rats that were more precise in discriminating time intervals were also less impulsive in their choice. Our data suggest that differences in timing and delay discounting are not causally related, but instead are more likely influenced by a common factor. Further, the mean-level change in our measure between post-natal day 28 and 42 suggests this test may be capturing a developmental change in this factor. In summary, this new method of isolating individual components of impulsive choice (delay or quantity) can be efficiently applied in either adolescent or adult animal models and may help elucidate the mechanisms underlying impulsivity and its links to psychological disorders.