Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
INTERVIEW WITH AN AVATAR : A REAL-TIME ENGAGEMENT TRACKING-ENABLED CLOUD-BASED MULTIMODAL DIALOG SYSTEM FOR LEARNING AND ASSESSMENT

Recent advances in immersive computing technology have the potential to accelerate development of engaging intelligent agents that can guide one or multiple phases of learner instruction, learning, and assessment. Such technologies are also important since they offer opportunities for personalizing the learning environment to each learner or trainee, providing a natural and engaging interface that can adapt to their individual strengths and weakness in real time so as to increase the efficacy of training [1]. In this spirit, we present a multimodal dialog system equipped with a virtual human avatar interlocutor. The agent, developed in Unity with WebGL support, leverages the HALEF (Help Assistant–Language-Enabled and Free)1 open-source cloudbased standard-compliant dialog framework [2]; see Figure 1. The system records video and speech data from users and further, tracks and reacts to users’ state, such as engagement, in real time, based on a combination of visual and verbal features. We designed and implemented a conversational job interview task based on the proposed framework. In this scenario, the avatar plays the role of an interviewer and reacts to user disengagement in real-time with feedback strategies designed to re-engage the user in the job interview process, thus providing a more holistic and immersive user experience.
Sizing and grid integration of residential PV battery systems

This paper analyses residential PV battery systems in order to gain insights into their sizing and grid integration. For this purpose a simulation model was developed and system simulations on a timescale of one minute were performed. Furthermore, a sensitivity analysis was conducted varying the PV system and battery size to identify appropriate system configurations. Based on the simulation results, an economic assessment of PV battery systems was carried out and the cost-optimal configurations for various cost scenarios were determined. Another focus of this paper is the integration of PV battery systems into the electricity grid. The impact of different operation strategies on the peaks and ramps of the feed-in power is analysed. The results show that forecast-based operation strategies are able to improve the grid integration of PV battery systems.
Generation of On-Chip Code with Crosstalk

Capacitive and inductive coupling between bus lines results in crosstalk induced delays. Many bus encoding technique have been proposed to improve the performance. Existing implementation techniques and mapping algorithms in the literature only apply the specific encoding. This paper presents the first generalized framework for a stall-free on-chip codeword generation strategy that is scalable and easy to automate. It is applicable to the coupling aware encoding techniques that allow recursive codeword generation. The proposed implementation strategy iteratively generates codewords without explicitly enumerating them. The code-words are calculated on-chip using basic function blocks, such as adders and multiplexers. Three encoding techniques were implemented using the proposed strategy. Experimental results show significant reduction in the area and power dissipation over the existing method that uses random logic to implement
Lossy and Lossless Current-mode Integrators using CMOS Current Mirrors

Abstract:Analogue design has been historically viewed both in voltage-mode and current-mode dominated form of signal processing. In literature wide variety of techniques and circuits are available for the design of different current-mode signal processing circuits suitable for VLSI implementation. In this paper we present the major current-mode building blocks using complementary CMOS current-mirror pairs such as current adders and current integrators (lossy and lossless). These building blocks form the basic constitutional blocks for the implementation of second-order continuous-time current-mode active filters. All the proposed circuits presented in this paper were tested in SPICE using 0. 5μm CMOS process parameters provided by MOSIS (Agilent) and the results thus obtained were in accordance with the theoretical values.
Quasinormal Frequencies as Poles of Green ’ s Function

Based on the well known fact that the quasinormal frequencies are the poles of the frequency domain Green’s function we describe a method that allows us to calculate exactly the quasinormal frequencies of the Klein-Gordon field moving in the three-dimensional rotating Bañados-Teitelboim-Zanelli black hole. These quasinormal frequencies are already published and widely explored in several applications, but we use this example to expound the proposed method of computation. We think that the described procedure can be useful to calculate exactly the quasinormal frequencies of classical fields propagating in other backgrounds. Furthermore, we compare with previous results and discuss some related facts.
Parkinson’s Disease, Lithium and Stem Cells

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra. Current treatment only helps symptoms, and there is no effective treatment to delay or reverse PD. Scientists have regarded a number of genetic and environmental factors that may lead to developing PD. Lithium has been used for years in psychiatry as an effective mood stabilizer in manic depressive bipolar disorder (BD). This natural element is the most potent inhibitor of the enzyme glycogen synthetase kinase (GSK3) activity. Because of GSK3’s abundance in the body and over expression leading to PD, lithium has been postulated be used as a treatment for numerous neurodegenerative diseases and conditions where GSK3 is over expressed. Lithium has also been shown to be protective to cells against rotenone-induced PD. In contrast cellular based therapy, specifically the use of induced pluripotential stem cells (iPSCs), also pose a promising therapeutic modality for future use in order to more fully understanding the process of PD development.
A proposition of Intra-and Interspecies Cell-Cell Communication System

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jmbReview Programmed Cell Death in Bacterial Community : Mechanisms of Action , Causes and Consequences

Programmed cell death (PCD) has been classically investigated in the context of multicellular organisms [1]. PCD in eukaryotes is fundamental for many processes including immunological and stress response, tissue homeostasis, and embryogenesis. For a long period, the importance of PCD had been recognized in multicellular organisms [2]. The intrinsic pathway to apoptosis in eukaryotes is likely to be conserved in prokaryotes, where it provides important functions in response to stress [3]. Over the past two decades, enough evidence has demonstrated the existence of a genetically encoded cell death pathway in single cell organisms in response to environmental stimuli [1, 4]. The PCD system has been reported in various prokaryotes such as Bacillus spp. and Escherichia coli, Anabaena spp. , Caulobacter spp. , Streptococcus pneumonia, Staphylococcus aureus, Yersinia spp. , and Mycobacterium tuberculosis [5]. In optimizing adaptations in the population and development of these organisms, PCD plays critical roles in their survival and pathogenesis, unless they are killed or eaten by predators [1, 6]. This molecular mechanism releases nutrients from dying cells and supports the growth of the remaining cells in the community [7]. In an antibiotic crisis, novel ways to combat bacterial infections are desperately needed. Although the discovery of self-destruction in the unicellular organism was initially faced with disbelief and criticism, the possibility of developing innovative antibacterial agents that target the artificial activation of these mechanisms is increasingly being recognized [4, 8]. These pathways function during biofilm development of S. aureus, fruiting body formation of Myxococcus xanthus, and sporulation of Bacillus subtilis [9]. Bacterial PCD also functions as an altruistic mechanism promoting the survival of the bacterial population under stressful conditions such as phage infection and nutrient limitation [9]. Representative prokaryotic PCD pathways described to date are apoptosis-like death (ALD), thymineless death (TLD) and toxin-antitoxin (TA) systems [7]. The physical interaction with its specific target and the complex processes at the biochemical, molecular and ultrastructural Received: April 11, 2019 Revised: June 7, 2019 Accepted: June 11, 2019
MRI-Based Computational Torso/Biventricular Multiscale Models to Investigate the Impact of Anatomical Variability on the ECG QRS Complex

Aims Patient-to-patient anatomical differences are an important source of variability in the electrocardiogram, and they may compromise the identification of pathological electrophysiological abnormalities. This study aims at quantifying the contribution of variability in ventricular and torso anatomies to differences in QRS complexes of the 12-lead ECG using computer simulations. Methods A computational pipeline is presented that enables computer simulations using human torso/biventricular anatomically based electrophysiological models from clinically standard magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The ventricular model includes membrane kinetics represented by the biophysically detailed O’Hara Rudy model modified for tissue heterogeneity and includes fiber orientation based on the Streeter rule. A population of 265 torso/biventricular models was generated by combining ventricular and torso anatomies obtained from clinically standard MRIs, augmented with a statistical shape model of the body. 12-lead ECGs were simulated on the 265 human torso/biventricular electrophysiology models, and QRS morphology, duration and amplitude were quantified in each ECG lead for each of the human torso-biventricular models. Results QRS morphologies in limb leads are mainly determined by ventricular anatomy, while in the precordial leads, and especially V1 to V4, they are determined by heart position within the torso. Differences in ventricular orientation within the torso can explain morphological variability from monophasic to biphasic QRS complexes. QRS duration is mainly influenced by myocardial volume, while it is hardly affected by the torso anatomy or position. An average increase of 0.12 ± 0.05 ms in QRS duration is obtained for each cm3 of myocardial volume across all the leads while it hardly changed due to changes in torso volume. Conclusion Computer simulations using populations of human torso/biventricular models based on clinical MRI enable quantification of anatomical causes of variability in the QRS complex of the 12-lead ECG. The human models presented also pave the way toward their use as testbeds in silico clinical trials.
DGOPT : Dynamic Group Optimization to Find Better Group Formations in DCOPs

A substantial amount of study in multi-agent systems has focused on multi-agent coordination for over twenty years. Many challenges in multi-agent coordination can be modeled as Distributed Constraint Optimization (DCOP). Finding the optimal solution for a DCOP is NPhard, so using incomplete algorithms that are faster are more desirable. Many incomplete algorithms decompose a DCOP to subgraphs to find solutions to it and maintain the partitioning of the DCOP unchanged during algorithm execution. These algorithms provide local optimal solutions. Decomposition of a DCOP has direct influence on the quality of solutions. With the popularity of incomplete algorithms, finding the best decomposition of a DCOP becomes a major issue. In this paper, we propose the first known learning algorithm by which the leader of each group optimizes its group with the purpose of increasing total utility. The leader agents learn to add/remove agents of their groups. This algorithm works dynamically to optimize the existing groups and we call it Dynamic Group Optimization algorithm (DGOPT). From quality, and convergence time point of view, DGOPT outperforms recent algorithms.
Unobtrusive User Verification using Piezoelectric Energy Harvesting

With the capability to harvest energy from low frequency motions or vibrations, piezoelectric energy harvesting has become a promising solution to achieve self-powered wearable system. Apart from generating energy to power the wearable devices, the output electricity signal of the PEH can also be used as an information source as it reflects the activity or motion patterns of the user. In this paper, we have designed and built an insole-based user authentication system by leveraging the AC voltage generated by the PEH during human walking. Meanwhile, the generated power is also collected and stored, which could be later used as the power source of the mobile system. By using a dataset of 20 subjects, we have demonstrated that our system can achieve 89.76% of human recognition accuracy when using only one gait cycle signal, and the accuracy can be further increased to 95.86% when two gait cycles are utilized.
NREM Sleep Instability in Pediatric Migraine Without Aura

Children with migraine headaches appear to have a range of sleep disturbances. The aim of the present study was to assess the NREM sleep instability in a population of school-aged individuals affected by migraine without aura (MoA). Thirty-three children with MoA (20 males, 13 females, mean age 10.45 ± 2.06 years) underwent to overnight Polysomnographic (PSG) recordings and Cyclic Alternating Pattern (CAP) analyses accordingly with international criteria. MoA group showed a reduction in sleep duration parameters (TIB, SPT, TST; p ≤ 0.001 for all) and in arousal index during REM sleep and an increase in awakenings per hour (AWK/h) vs. Controls (C) (p = 0.008). In particular, MoA children showed a reduced CAP rate% (p ≤ 0.001), CAP rate% in S1 (p ≤ 0.001) and CAP rate% in SWS (p = 0.004) vs. C. Moreover, A phases distribution were characterized by a reduction in slow wave components (total number CAP A1%, CAP A1 index) (p ≤ 0.001) and an increase of fast components representation (total number of CAP A2% and CAP A3%) (p < 0.001) in MoA vs. C. Moreover, MoA children showed an increased A1 and A2 mean duration (p ≤ 0.001). Our findings show a reduction of arousability in MoA group and lower NREM lower sleep instability associated with MoA in children.
eview ow ecological engineering can serve in coastal protection as

Traditionally, protection of the coastal area from flooding is approached from an engineering perspective. This approach has often resulted in negative or unforeseen impacts on local ecology and is even known to impact surrounding ecosystems on larger scales. In this paper, the utilization of ecosystem engineering species for achieving civil-engineering objectives or the facilitation of multiple use of limited space in coastal protection is focused upon, either by using ecosystem engineering species that trap sediment and damp waves (oyster beds, mussel beds, willow floodplains and marram grass), or by adjusting hard substrates to enhance ecological functioning. Translating desired coastal protection functionality into designs
Moving spraying arm with internal airflow for air-assisted orchard sprayer

There are different ways of pesticide application on trees depending on available equipment, tree sizes, orchard structure, etc. For efficient spraying, a sprayer with continuously moving geometry of spraying arms, adapting to shape and density of tree crown, was developed. The basic idea was that for efficient spraying a pesticide must be applied locally according to canopy characteristics. For this purpose spray orientation and position must be variable and therefore spraying arms should have sufficient degrees of freedom. A prototype sprayer was successfully tested in real orchard conditions. Further on, a new shape of spraying arms was designed to overcome some weaknesses that were found in the first version. These were connected to moving load-bearing structure on which flexible piping was mounted to provide individual air streams for each spraying nozzle. Increased pressure drop due to long piping affected blower choice and overall power consumption. Such design was also space-consuming, storage of the sprayer was difficult and it looked complicated which was undesirable from the point of view of user-friendliness. From the spraying point of view, specific geometry of the existing design was such that positions of spraying arms were mutually dependent within certain range and therefore the geometry of the sprayer was limiting its functionality. An innovative solution was proposed for the sprayer of the second generation. The spraying arm for the new sprayer was made of a hollow load-bearing structure suitable to distribute air to the end of the arm where a spout was placed. Special attention was paid to the design of robust and air-tight joints, connecting individual straight sections. At the beginning, numerical analysis of the last two segments was done for different joint angles. Further on, experimental set-up containing fan, arm prototype and positioning system was built and velocities of the air exiting from the spout were measured in laboratory conditions. Velocity measurements were done for several joint angles and at different distances from the spout. Both numerical and experimental results showed that velocities were dependent on joint angle and decreased with increasing angle. Apart from this, joint angle also affected the symmetry of velocity profile. However, the new design showed possibilities for further truly independent positioning of spraying arms and scaling of the sprayer, as well as transfer of its design to other types of plants because it could easily adapt to different heights, shapes, row distances, etc.
Robotic Impedance Learning for Robot-Assisted Physical Training

Impedance control has been widely used in robotic applications where a robot has physical interaction with its environment. However, how the impedance parameters are adapted according to the context of a task is still an open problem. In this paper, we focus on a physical training scenario, where the robot needs to adjust its impedance parameters according to the human user's performance so as to promote their learning. This is a challenging problem as humans' dynamic behaviors are difficult to model and subject to uncertainties. Considering that physical training usually involves a repetitive process, we develop impedance learning in physical training by using iterative learning control (ILC). Since the condition of the same iteration length in traditional ILC cannot be met due to human variance, we adopt a novel ILC to deal with varying iteration lengthes. By theoretical analysis and simulations, we show that the proposed method can effectively learn the robot's impedance in the application of robot-assisted physical training.
PLANT EXTRACTS OF POPULAR USE AGAINST ORAL INFECTIONS

Objetive: To assess the antibacterial effect of plant extracts of popular use on bacteria related to the development of caries and endodontic infections. Methods: Experimental study conducted at the University of the Extreme South of Santa Catarina in 2015 in which dyes of Artemisia absinthium, Laurus nobilis, Bidens pilosa, Achillea millefolium L and Foeniculum vulgare at hydro-alcoholic concentrations of 5%, 10%, 15% and 20% in Mueller Hinton agar growth-medium had their antibacterial activity against strains of S. mutans and E. faecalis measured. The solid medium diffusion method was used and the inhibitory activity was analyzed according to the presence and size of inhibition halos – control and chlorhexidine 0.12%. Significance level was set at α=0.05. Results: There was no inhibition on the strains of E. faecalis in any of the dyes; however, it was observed an inhibitory effect of Artemisia absinthium, Laurus nobilis and Bidens pilosa dyes on the strains of S. mutans at the concentrations tested. Conclusion: The dyes of plants of popular use assessed showed no antimicrobial effects on E. faecalis, which causes endodontic infections; however, three of them presented inhibitory effects against S. mutans, which is mainly responsible for caries. Descriptors: Enterococcus faecalis; Streptococcus mutans; Plant Extracts.
Effects of Temporary Numerical Imbalances on Collective Exploratory Behavior of Young and Professional Football Players

The aim of this study was to explore how the use of temporary numerical imbalances during small-sided Game SSGs affects team’s exploratory behaviors (i.e., variety and quantity of responses given in an ever-changing game context and its rate of change) in different age groups. Two different age groups (under−15 and under−23) of football players participated in the study. For each age group, three teams of five players played six small-sided games of 5 min duration in different conditions: (i) numerical balance (GK + 4 vs. 4 + GK); (ii) temporary numerical imbalance, which consisted of a numerical change of teammates and opponents every one minute. Latitude and longitude GPS coordinates were used to determine the positioning-derived variables. The dynamic overlap (i.e. the measure of average similarity of the game patterns that take place in increasingly larger time intervals) was used to provide information of the rate and breadth of exploratory behavior. The results revealed that the long-term exploratory breadth increased for the under−23 age group. Non-clear effects were found for the short-term rate of exploration, but with an increasing trend. In the under−15 group, the exploratory behavior was more likely to increase in the long term. The increase for the short-term rate of exploration was unclear, but it follows an increasing trend. These results suggest that the use of temporary numerical imbalances could offer coaches more dynamic training situations and different adaptive training environments similar to matches.