Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Human-Like Conversation with Gestures and Verbal Cues based on Three-Layer Attention-drawing Model

: When we talk about objects in an environment, we indicate to a listener which object is currently under consideration by using pointing gestures and reference terms as ‘this’ and ‘that’. Such reference terms play an important role in human interaction by quickly informing the listener of an indicated object’s location. In this research, we propose a three-layer attention-drawing model for humanoid robots that incorporates gestures and verbal cues. Our proposed three-layer model consists of three sub-models: the Reference Term Model (RTM), the Limit Distance Model (LDM), and the Object Property Model (OPM). The RTM selects an appropriate reference term using functions constructed by an analysis of human behavior. The LDM decides whether to use another property of the object, such as color, with a reference term for identifying the object. The OPM determines the most appropriate property for indicating the object by comparing object properties with each other. We have developed an attention-drawing system in a communication robot named ‘Robovie’ based on this model. We confirmed its effectiveness through experiments.
Image Recoloring with Valence‐Arousal Emotion Model

We introduce an affective image recoloring method for changing the overall mood in the image in a numerically measurable way. Given a semantically segmented source image and a target emotion, our system finds reference image segments from the collection of images that have been tagged via crowdsourcing with numerically measured emotion labels. We then recolorize the source segments using colors from the selected target segments while preserving the gradient of the source image to generate a seamless and natural result. User study confirms the effectiveness of our method in accomplishing the stated goal of altering the mood of the image to match the target emotion level.
Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Presenting with Kikuchi-Fujimoto’s Disease as a Long-Term Sequela of Drug-Induced Hypersensitivity Syndrome

Drug-induced hypersensitivity syndrome (DIHS) is a severe form of drug eruptions associated with viral reactivations. Autoimmune diseases have been reported to develop several months or years after the resolution of DIHS. We describe a 36-year-old man with cervical lymphadenopathy and an erythematous eruption affecting the face and neck, which evolved into clinically evident systemic lupus erythematosus. He had had an episode of DIHS 4 years previously, in which human herpesvirus-6 and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) were reactivated. Expression of EBV-encoded RNA was detected in the lymph node. On the basis of findings in this patient, we suggest that EBV is pathogenically important in the sequence of events leading to the onset of systemic lupus erythematosus and that patients with a history of DIHS may be at a risk of eventually developing autoimmune diseases.
Human computing and machine understanding of human behavior: a survey

A widely accepted prediction is that computing will move to the background, weaving itself into the fabric of our everyday living spaces and projecting the human user into the foreground. If this prediction is to come true, then next generation computing, which we will call human computing, should be about anticipatory user interfaces that should be human-centered, built for humans based on human models. They should transcend the traditional keyboard and mouse to include natural, human-like interactive functions including understanding and emulating certain human behaviors such as affective and social signaling. This article discusses a number of components of human behavior, how they might be integrated into computers, and how far we are from realizing the front end of human computing, that is, how far are we from enabling computers to understand human behavior.
The weekly structure of US stock prices

In this article, we use fractional integration techniques to examine the degree of integration of four US stock market indices, namely the Standard and Poor (S&P), Dow Jones, Nasdaq and New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), at a daily frequency from January 2005 till December 2009. We analyse the weekly structure of the series and investigate their characteristics depending on the specific day of the week. The results indicate that the four series are highly persistent; a small degree of mean reversion (i.e. orders of integration strictly smaller than 1) is found in some cases for S&P and the Dow Jones indices. The most interesting findings are the differences in the degree of dependence for different days of the week. Specifically, lower orders of integration are systematically observed for Mondays and Fridays, consistently with the ‘day of the week’ effect frequently found in financial data.
Recompiling a knowledge-based dependency parser into memory

Data-driven parsers tend to be trained on manually annotated treebanks. In this paper we describe two memory-based dependency parsers trained on treebanks that are automatically parsed by a knowledge-based parser for Dutch. When compared to training on a manual treebank of Dutch, the memory-based parsers exhibit virtually the same performance at the same amount of training material, and achieve markedly higher parsing accuracies when trained on more data. The first memory-based parser is based on a single classifier and operates in linear time, while the second parser employs constraint satisfaction inference (CSI) over three classifiers that each perform a parsing subtask. The nonlinear CSI-based parser outperforms the linear parser. Based on this case study we discuss the possibilities of re-engineering knowledge-based
A case study of mechanism design using LINCAGES 2000

This paper introduces the latest development of LINCAGES 2000, a mechanism design software package available on Windows 9x/NT and 2000. A case study of a motion generation mechanism design using LINCAGES 2000 is presented. Various design options are compared and their advantages and disadvantages are discussed. This software is proved to be a powerful tool for mechanism synthesis and
microRNAs and prostate cancer

• Introduction • miRNAs and human cancer • Aberrant expression of miRNAs in prostate cancer • Biological function of prostate cancer‐related miRNAs ‐ miR‐20a ‐ miR‐125b ‐ miR‐126* ‐ miR‐146a ‐ miR‐221/222 • Identification of targets of prostate cancer‐related miRNAs • Regulation of miRNAs in prostate cancer • Potential application of miRNAs in prostate cancer • Conclusions
The importance of the development of the intestinal microbiota in infancy

Purpose of review The development of the intestinal microbiota occurs primarily during infancy, and a distortion could potentially contribute to a wide range of diseases. This review summarizes the current understanding of the intestinal microbiota in infants. The potential consequences of different colonization patterns on child health and possible preventive interventions are discussed. Recent findings Recent studies and the use of culture-independent techniques have shown that Bifidobacterium is only a minor component of the infant gut microbiota. These techniques have also introduced the concept of a core microbiome in which metabolic function is more important than the presence of a particular bacterial species. A less diverse gut microbiota with high counts of Bacteroides, Clostridium, Enterobacteriaceae and Staphylococcus early in life has been associated with an increased risk for atopic disease. Changes in infant gut colonization were also found in relation to childhood obesity. Probiotics have no proven preventive effect on the development of asthma and an unconfirmed effect on atopic dermatitis. A prebiotic trial could show a preventive effect on the development of both atopic diseases. Summary Molecular techniques have improved our understanding of the infant gut ecosystem. The available probiotics for prevention of atopic disease are disappointing, and the results with prebiotics need further confirmation. New studies on the relation between gut microbiota and disease should consider asthma and atopic dermatitis separately. Future trials should focus on high-risk groups, determine their long-term effect and also investigate the effect on Bacteroides and Clostridium.
Chondroptosis in Alkaptonuric Cartilage

Alkaptonuria (AKU) is a rare genetic disease that affects the entire joint. Current standard of treatment is palliative and little is known about AKU physiopathology. Chondroptosis, a peculiar type of cell death in cartilage, has been so far reported to occur in osteoarthritis, a rheumatic disease that shares some features with AKU. In the present work, we wanted to assess if chondroptosis might also occur in AKU. Electron microscopy was used to detect the morphological changes of chondrocytes in damaged cartilage distinguishing apoptosis from its variant termed chondroptosis. We adopted histological observation together with Scanning Electron Microscopy and Transmission Electron Microscopy to evaluate morphological cell changes in AKU chondrocytes. Lipid peroxidation in AKU cartilage was detected by fluorescence microscopy. Using the above‐mentioned techniques, we performed a morphological analysis and assessed that AKU chondrocytes undergo phenotypic changes and lipid oxidation, resulting in a progressive loss of articular cartilage structure and function, showing typical features of chondroptosis. To the best of our knowledge, AKU is the second chronic pathology, following osteoarthritis, where chondroptosis has been documented. Our results indicate that Golgi complex plays an important role in the apoptotic process of AKU chondrocytes and suggest a contribution of chondroptosis in AKU pathogenesis. These findings also confirm a similarity between osteoarthritis and AKU. J. Cell. Physiol. 230: 1148–1157, 2015. © 2014 The Authors. Journal of Cellular Physiology Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Activity of Telavancin against Staphylococcus aureus Strains with Various Vancomycin Susceptibilities in an In Vitro Pharmacokinetic/Pharmacodynamic Model with Simulated Endocardial Vegetations

ABSTRACT We investigated the activity of telavancin, a novel lipoglycopeptide, alone and combined with gentamicin or rifampin (rifampicin) against strains of Staphylococcus aureus with various vancomycin susceptibilities. Strains tested included methicillin (meticillin)-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) 494, methicillin-sensitive S. aureus (MSSA) 1199, heteroresistant glycopeptide-intermediate S. aureus (hGISA) 1629, which was confirmed by a population analysis profile, and glycopeptide-intermediate S. aureus (GISA) NJ 992. Regimens of 10 mg/kg telavancin daily and 1 g vancomycin every 12 h were investigated alone and combined with 5 mg/kg gentamicin daily or 300 mg rifampin every 8 h in an in vitro model with simulated endocardial vegetations over 96 h. Telavancin demonstrated significantly greater killing than did vancomycin (P < 0.01) for all isolates except MRSA 494 (P = 0.07). Telavancin absolute reductions, in log10 CFU/g, at 96 h were 2.8 ± 0.5 for MRSA 494, 2.8 ± 0.3 for MSSA 1199, 4.2 ± 0.2 for hGISA 1629, and 4.1 ± 0.3 for GISA NJ 992. Combinations of telavancin with gentamicin significantly enhanced killing compared to telavancin alone against all isolates (P < 0.001) except MRSA 494 (P = 0.176). This enhancement was most evident against hGISA 1629, where killing to the level of detection (2 log10 CFU/g) was achieved at 48 h (P < 0.001). The addition of rifampin to telavancin resulted in significant (P < 0.001) enhancement of killing against only MSSA 1199. No changes in telavancin susceptibilities were observed. These results suggest that telavancin may have therapeutic potential, especially against strains with reduced susceptibility to vancomycin. Combination therapy, particularly with gentamicin, may improve bacterial killing against certain strains.
Fracture diagnostics for Single Point Incremental Forming of thin Aluminum alloy foils

Nowadays many industrial sectors, as automotive or aeronautic industry, use forming processes in order to produce sheet metal components. The most widely used are the stamping process and deep drawing, based on big and costly dies and presses. A specific application, the Single Point Incremental Forming (SPIF), for sheet metal forming will be discussed in this paper. Force estimation on AlMn1Mg1 sheets with 0.22 mm initial thickness is performed by continuous monitoring of servo motor currents. The aim of this research work is to apply a nontraditional force monitoring on Aluminum alloy foils and detect fracture.
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Starting from the Volterra approach and assuming fading memory, a very efficient method to identify weakly non-linear systems is presented. Making special assumptions on the Volterra kernels, one ends up in the Hammerstein model, which has less complexity than the Volterra model, thus reducing the numerical effort. Using FIR filters to realize the Hammerstein model, no starting values are necessary to solve the linear optimization problem. To deal with the ill-posedness of the inverse problem, special regularization techniques have been used. Applying these methods to a large scale analog integrated circuitry, namely a broadband SLIC (subscriber line interface circuitry) for a splitter-less ADSL-Lite central office application, results are given for the buffer, consisting of a few hundred components in BiCMOS technology.
A P-Tree based Outlier Detection Method

Outlier detection can discover unexpected and interesting knowledge, which is often important to the information society. In this paper, we developed an efficient density-based outlier detection method for large datasets. In our method, outliers are efficiently detected from the candidate data subsets which contain potential outliers. Furthermore, the algorithm is implemented using a vertical data organization model, P-Tree, which speed up the algorithm significantly. We tested our method with NHL data. Experiment shows that our method has an order of magnitude speed improvement over the contemporary approaches.
Towards a slam solution for a robotic airship

This article presents the authors ongoing work towards a six degrees of freedom simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) solution for the Project AURORA autonomous robotic airship. While the vehicle’s mission is being executed in an unknown environment, where neither predefined maps nor satellite help are available, the airship has to use nothing but its own onboard sensors to capture information from its surroundings and from itself, locating itself and building a map of the environment it navigates. To achieve this goal, the airship sensorial input is provided by an inertial measurement unit (IMU), whereas a single onboard camera detects features of interest in the environment, such as landmark information. The data from both sensors are then fused using an architecture based on an extended Kalman filter, which acts as an estimator of the robot pose and the map. The proposed methodology is validated in a simulation environment, composed of virtual sensors and the aerial platform simulator of the AURORA project based on a realistic dynamic model. The results are hereby reported.
Activation of the SARS coronavirus spike protein via sequential proteolytic cleavage at two distinct sites

The coronavirus spike protein (S) plays a key role in the early steps of viral infection, with the S1 domain responsible for receptor binding and the S2 domain mediating membrane fusion. In some cases, the S protein is proteolytically cleaved at the S1–S2 boundary. In the case of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV), it has been shown that virus entry requires the endosomal protease cathepsin L; however, it was also found that infection of SARS-CoV could be strongly induced by trypsin treatment. Overall, in terms of how cleavage might activate membrane fusion, proteolytic processing of the SARS-CoV S protein remains unclear. Here, we identify a proteolytic cleavage site within the SARS-CoV S2 domain (S2′, R797). Mutation of R797 specifically inhibited trypsin-dependent fusion in both cell–cell fusion and pseudovirion entry assays. We also introduced a furin cleavage site at both the S2′ cleavage site within S2 793-KPTKR-797 (S2′), as well as at the junction of S1 and S2. Introduction of a furin cleavage site at the S2′ position allowed trypsin-independent cell–cell fusion, which was strongly increased by the presence of a second furin cleavage site at the S1–S2 position. Taken together, these data suggest a novel priming mechanism for a viral fusion protein, with a critical proteolytic cleavage event on the SARS-CoV S protein at position 797 (S2′), acting in concert with the S1–S2 cleavage site to mediate membrane fusion and virus infectivity.
Therapeutic effects of probiotics on neonatal jaundice

Objective: To evaluate the therapeutic effects of probiotics on neonatal jaundice and the safety. Methods: Sixty-eight neonates with jaundice were divided into a control group and a treatment group (n=34) randomly, and treated by blue light phototherapy and that in combination with probiotics. The serum bilirubin levels were detected before and 1, 4, 7 days after treatment. The time when therapy showed effects and jaundice faded, clinical outcomes as well as adverse reactions were recorded. The categorical data were expressed as (±s) and compared by t test. The numerical data were expressed as (case, %) and compared by χ² test. P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Serum bilirubin levels of the two groups were similar before treatment (P>0.05). The levels significantly decreased 1, 4 and 7 days after treatment (P<0.05), but there was no significant inter-group difference on the post-treatment 1st day (P>0.05). The treatment group underwent more significant decreases on the 4th and 7th days than the control group did (P=0.002, 0.001). In the treatment group, the therapy exerted effects on (1.0±0.5) d and jaundice faded on (3.8±1.7) d, which were (2.6±0.6) d and (5.3±2.1) d respectively in the control group (P=0.001, 0.002). The effective rate of the treatment group significantly exceeded that of the control group (P=0.002). There were no obvious adverse reactions in either group. Conclusions: Probiotics lowered the serum bilirubin levels of neonates with jaundice rapidly, safely and significantly, and accelerated jaundice fading as well. This method is worthy of application in clinical practice.
Congestion reduction during placement with provably good approximation bound

This paper presents a novel method to reduce routing congestion during placement stage. The proposed approach is used as a post-processing step in placement. Congestion reduction is based on local improvement on the existing layout. However, the approach has a global view of the congestion over the entire design. It uses integer linear programming (ILP) to formulate the problem of conflicts between multiple congested regions, and performs local improvement according to the solution of the ILP problem. The approximation algorithm of the formulated ILP problem is studied and good approximation bounds are given and proved. Experiments show that the proposed approach can effectively alleviate the congestion of global routing results. The low computational complexity of the proposed approach indicates its scalability on large designs.
Searching with context

Contextual search refers to proactively capturing the information need of a user by automatically augmenting the user query with information extracted from the search context; for example, by using terms from the web page the user is currently browsing or a file the user is currently editing.We present three different algorithms to implement contextual search for the Web. The first, it query rewriting (QR), augments each query with appropriate terms from the search context and uses an off-the-shelf web search engine to answer this augmented query. The second, rank-biasing (RB), generates a representation of the context and answers queries using a custom-built search engine that exploits this representation. The third, iterative filtering meta-search (IFM), generates multiple subqueries based on the user query and appropriate terms from the search context, uses an off-the-shelf search engine to answer these subqueries, and re-ranks the results of the subqueries using rank aggregation methods.We extensively evaluate the three methods using 200 contexts and over 24,000 human relevance judgments of search results. We show that while QR works surprisingly well, the relevance and recall can be improved using RB and substantially more using IFM. Thus, QR, RB, and IFM represent a cost-effective design spectrum for contextual search.
Discovery of rice essential genes by characterizing a CRISPR‐edited mutation of closely related rice MAP kinase genes

&NA; The clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)/CRISPR‐associated protein 9 nuclease (Cas9) system depends on a guide RNA (gRNA) to specify its target. By efficiently co‐expressing multiple gRNAs that target different genomic sites, the polycistronic tRNA‐gRNA gene (PTG) strategy enables multiplex gene editing in the family of closely related mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MPK) genes in Oryza sativa (rice). In this study, we identified MPK1 and MPK6 (Arabidopsis AtMPK6 and AtMPK4 orthologs, respectively) as essential genes for rice development by finding the preservation of MPK functional alleles and normal phenotypes in CRISPR‐edited mutants. The true knock‐out mutants of MPK1 were severely dwarfed and sterile, and homozygous mpk1 seeds from heterozygous parents were defective in embryo development. By contrast, heterozygous mpk6 mutant plants completely failed to produce homozygous mpk6 seeds. In addition, the functional importance of specific MPK features could be evaluated by characterizing CRISPR‐induced allelic variation in the conserved kinase domain of MPK6. By simultaneously targeting between two and eight genomic sites in the closely related MPK genes, we demonstrated 45–86% frequency of biallelic mutations and the successful creation of single, double and quadruple gene mutants. Indels and fragment deletion were both stably inherited to the next generations, and transgene‐free mutants of rice MPK genes were readily obtained via genetic segregation, thereby eliminating any positional effects of transgene insertions. Taken together, our study reveals the essentiality of MPK1 and MPK6 in rice development, and enables the functional discovery of previously inaccessible genes or domains with phenotypes masked by lethality or redundancy. Significance Statement Here we used rice MAP kinase genes to illustrate the utility of a CRISPR/Cas9‐based genome editing strategy to genetically characterize and identify essential or lethal genes polycistronic tRNA‐gRNA gene editing allows efficient generation of a diversity of allelic mutations at multiple genomic sites and facilitates the functional discovery of redundant and/or essential genes.