A Developmental Learning Approach of Mobile Manipulator via Playing

Inspired by infant development theories, a robotic developmental model combined with game elements is proposed in this paper. This model does not require the definition of specific developmental goals for the robot, but the developmental goals are implied in the goals of a series of game tasks. The games are characterized into a sequence of game modes based on the complexity of the game tasks from simple to complex, and the task complexity is determined by the applications of developmental constraints. Given a current mode, the robot switches to play in a more complicated game mode when it cannot find any new salient stimuli in the current mode. By doing so, the robot gradually achieves it developmental goals by playing different modes of games. In the experiment, the game was instantiated into a mobile robot with the playing task of picking up toys, and the game is designed with a simple game mode and a complex game mode. A developmental algorithm, “Lift-Constraint, Act and Saturate,” is employed to drive the mobile robot move from the simple mode to the complex one. The experimental results show that the mobile manipulator is able to successfully learn the mobile grasping ability after playing simple and complex games, which is promising in developing robotic abilities to solve complex tasks using games

On Biology and Technology: The Economics of Managing Biotechnologies

This paper considers those sectors of the economy that operate under the same regimes of rewarding private innovators as others, but differ in that they face recurring problems of resistance, as occur in the pharmaceutical and agricultural industries. This recurrence originates in the natural processes of selection and evolution among humanity’s biological competitors. The paper examines the capacity for decentralised patent-based incentive mechanisms to result in socially optimal outcomes in these sectors under scale- and speed-dependent evolution of pathogens. It demonstrates that there is a fundamental incompatibility between the dynamics of the patent system and the dynamics of the resistance problem under both types of evolution. Under scale-dependent evolution, the externalities within a patent-based system indicate that decentralised mechanisms will result in systematic underinvestment in R&D that decreases further with an increasing severity of the resistance problem. Under speed-dependent evolution, a patent-based system will fail to target socially optimal innovation size. The overall conclusion is that patent-based incentive mechanisms are incapable of sustaining society against a background of increasing resistance problems. The paper concludes with appropriate policy implications of these results.Biotechnology, R&D, Patents

A business plan: TCM health-preservation club

This master project has the objective to develop a Business Plan which will enable the launch of a TCM health-preservation club which will offer TCM method servicess for modern female consumers in Anyang area, Henan Province, China. The health problems of modern females are rising rapidly due to the unhealthy lifestyle and environmental problems and the TCM in this area has highly potential market, especially targeting for females. However, based on a ground study, we quickly realised that all clinic or club look alike and propose the same local specialties with less professional and services level. By catching the markt opportunities, we analyse the current market with macro data and comparing them with field data I acquired with a questionnaire and a field trip, I decided to launch a TCM club - the new serves intends to change female relationship with TCM consumption providing them a solution specifically designed to satisfy their needs. It is aiming to use TCM therapy to not only solve females’ health problems, but also improve females' life quality, even achieve longevity. We show in this business plan that our business are low capital requirement business that become quickly profitable and we do not need to have a loan. It should reach a turnover of 47,617€ and a profit of 4,130€ the first year.O objetivo deste projeto de mestre é desenvolver um Plano de Negócios que poderá abrir um clube de preservação da saúde da Medicina Tradicional Chinesa (MTC), que oferecerá os serviços de métodos da MTC para as consumidoras femininas modernas na área da cidade de Anyang, Província de Henan, China. Devido ao estilo da vida pouco saudável e aos problemas ambientais, os problemas de saúde das mulheres modernas estão a aumentar rapidamente, por isso, a MTC nesta área tem um grande mercado potencial, especialmente direcionada para as mulheres. No entanto, de acordo com um estudo preliminar, percebemos rapidamente que todas clínicas ou clubes locais são parecidos e consideram que eles faltam as especialidades e têm um nível mais baixo. Para aproveitar as oportunidades do mercado, analisamos o mercado atual pelos dados macroeconómicos e comparamos os dados macroeconómicos com os dados adquiridos pelo inquérito e pela viagem de campo, decidi organizar um clube da MTC - os serviços novos que pretendem mudar o relacionamento entre as mulheres e o consumo da MTC a qual lhes fornecerá especificamente as soluções projetadas para satisfazer as suas necessidades. O Clube visa utilizar a terapia da MTC para não só resolver os problemas de saúde das mulheres, mas também para melhorar a qualidade de vida delas, até mesmo prolongar a vida. Manifestamos neste plano de negócios que o nosso negócio é capital baixa, ganha rapidamente o benefício e não precisa empréstimo. No primeiro ano, deve atingir um volume de negócios de 47.617 € e um lucro de 4.130€

Judicial Caution and the Supreme Court\u27s Labor Decisions, October Term 1971

Following is the text of an address by Theodore J. St. Antoine, Dean and Professor of Law, University of Michigan Law School, to the annual meeting of the American Bar Association\u27s Sect ion of Labor Relations Law held in San Francisco, August 12-15, 1972. Full title of the address is Judicial Caution and the Supreme Court\u27s Labor Decisions, October Term 1971

Selected Papers Compiled from Presentations - Leningrad Task Force Meeting, May 24-29, 1982, Leningrad, USSR

In line with the selected methodology, the Management and Technology area at IIASA decided to have the Innovation Management Task concentrate on sectors in an attempt to analyze the situation at this level of the economy before making any aggregations or conclusions relevant to management. In order to properly cover industry, it was suggested that branches that are at differing stages or that display different kinds of development be chosen for the study. Electrotechnology or power electrical engineering was one of the branches selected being an example of mature industry. The task force meeting held in Leningrad from May 24-29, 1982, was the first attempt LO scan problems in this branch and gain some kind of understanding as to the research that has been performed. The event was a multiobjective undertaking intended to identify the interest in this field. potential collaborators, and relevant issues. Due to the unique opportunity of becoming acquainted with the work of Soviet scientists, the papers presented were not only by researchers and scholars in this field, but also by decision makers on the different levels of management. For the first time, several issues are exposed for the English speaker, thus, rendering a service to the English speaking community of researchers, and enhancing the contacts with collaborators in socialist countries. The papers are arranged into four sections, each devoted to issues that can be viewed as interesting topics for further research. The discussion, found in the back of the proceedings as Appendix A, reflects the character of the productive and creative environment at the meeting. The reader must bear in mind that this is only an attempt to reflect the "milieu" as accurately as possible. It almost seems impossible to express the true working atmosphere created by the participants. The task force meeting was also the first attempt to see if IIASA could prepare a program of interest to representatives of industrial enterprises. Many questions were raised and discused. The reactions expressed by the participants at the meeting and later on significantly prove that the answer is generally positive

A conceptual framework for elementary social studies curriculum and instruction

It was the purpose of this study to build a conceptual framework for defining, clarifying, and understanding social studies curriculum and instruction. Through a systematic search of the literature surrounding the field of social studies education, five conceptually distinct traditions within the social studies have been identified, and these traditions comprise a comprehensive, consistent framework which will assist in bringing conceptual clarity to the field of study. The five traditions comprising the framework are: (1) Social Studies as Knowledge for the Sake of Knowledge, (2) Social Studies in the Child-Centered Tradition, (3) Social Studies as Reflective Inquiry, (4) Social Studies as Structure of the Disciplines, and (5) Social Studies as Socio-Political Involvement

Game design research: an introduction to theory & practice

Design research is an active academic field covering disciplines such as architecture, graphic, product, service, interaction, and systems design. Design research aims to understand not only the designed end products but also how design as an activity unfolds. The book demonstrates different approaches to design research in game design research

KISS1R Induces Human Mammary Epithelial Cell Invasiveness and Promotes Breast Cancer Cell Migration and Invasion via IQGAP1

Kisspeptins (KP), peptide products of the kisspeptin-1 (KISS1) gene are the endogenous ligands for a G protein-coupled receptor (KISS1R). KISS1 acts as a metastasis suppressor in numerous human cancers. However, recent studies have demonstrated that an increase in KISS1 and KISS1R expression in human breast tumors correlates with higher tumor grade and metastatic potential. We have previously shown that KP-10, the most potent KP, stimulates invasion of estrogen receptor (ER)-negative breast cancer cells via transactivation of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). Here, I report that KP-10 treatment of the ER-negative non-malignant mammary epithelial MCF10A cells, or stable expression of KISS1R in MCF10A and SKBR3 breast cancer cells stimulated cell invasiveness. KISS1R expression in these cells induced a partial epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-like phenotype. However, KP-10 had no effect on migration and invasion of the ER-positive T47D and MCF7 breast cancer cells. Furthermore, KP-10 stimulated EGFR transactivation in the ER-negative, but not in the ER-positive cells. KP-10-stimulated cell migration, invasion and EGFR transactivation were ablated upon stable expression of ERα in the ER-negative MDA-MB-231 cells. Lastly, I found that KISS1R was localized at the leading edge of motile cells, where it co-localized with the actin scaffolding protein, IQGAP1. Furthermore, I identified IQGAP1 as a novel binding partner of KISS1R and have demonstrated that KISS1R regulates breast cancer cell migration and invasion in an IQGAP1-dependent manner. Overall, these data reveal for the first time that the ER status of mammary cells may dictate whether KISS1R signaling pathway may be a novel target for breast cancer metastasis