Generating Labels for Regression of Subjective Constructs using Triplet Embeddings

Human annotations serve an important role in computational models where the target constructs under study are hidden, such as dimensions of affect. This is especially relevant in machine learning, where subjective labels derived from related observable signals (e.g., audio, video, text) are needed to support model training and testing. Current research trends focus on correcting artifacts and biases introduced by annotators during the annotation process while fusing them into a single annotation. In this work, we propose a novel annotation approach using triplet embeddings. By lifting the absolute annotation process to relative annotations where the annotator compares individual target constructs in triplets, we leverage the accuracy of comparisons over absolute ratings by human annotators. We then build a 1-dimensional embedding in Euclidean space that is indexed in time and serves as a label for regression. In this setting, the annotation fusion occurs naturally as a union of sets of sampled triplet comparisons among different annotators. We show that by using our proposed sampling method to find an embedding, we are able to accurately represent synthetic hidden constructs in time under noisy sampling conditions. We further validate this approach using human annotations collected from Mechanical Turk and show that we can recover the underlying structure of the hidden construct up to bias and scaling factors.Comment: 9 pages, 5 figures, accepted journal pape

Rovibrational Resonance Effects In Collision-Induced Electronic Energy Transfer: I2(E,v=0-2)+CF4

Collisions of I-2 in the E(0(g)(+)) electronic state with CF4 molecules induce electronic energy transfer to the nearby D, beta, and D-\u27 ion-pair states. Simulations of dispersed fluorescence spectra reveal collision-induced electronic energy transfer rate constants and final vibrational state distributions within each final electronic state. In comparison with earlier reports on I-2(upsilon(E)=0-2) collisions with He or Ar atoms, we find markedly different dynamics when I-2, excited to the same rovibronic states, collides with CF4. Final vibrational state distributions agree with the associated Franck-Condon factors with the initially prepared state to a greater degree than those found with He or Ar collision partners and suggest that internal degrees of freedom in the CF4 molecule represent a substantial means for accepting the accompanying loss of I-2 vibronic energy. Comparison of the E -\u3e D transfer of I-2 excited to the J=23 and J=55 levels of the upsilon(E)=0 state reveals the onset of specific, nonstatistical dynamics as the available energy is increased above the threshold for excitation of the low frequency nu(2) bending mode of CF4. (c) 2006 American Institute of Physics

Complete Genome Sequence of the Citrobacter freundii Type Strain.

Citrobacter freundii is a species of facultative anaerobic Gram-negative bacteria of the family Enterobacteriaceae The complete genome is composed of a single chromosomal circle of 4,957,773 bp with a G+C content of 52%

A spatiotemporal analysis of the correspondence of wave climates and weather events on the Washington and Oregon coasts: winters 1980-81 through 1989-1990

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the characters of winter wave climates of the Washington and Oregon coasts from 1980- 81 through 1989-90 and to compare these spatially and temporally with the occurrence of storm events. Of particular interest is the analysis of wave climates and weather events associated with the 1982-83 ENSO. It is accepted that the majority of the winter storms occur in the months of November-February (Jackson & Rosenfeld, 1987). However, the majority of the damage done by the large winter waves is not thought to occur until late December (Komar, 1976). During the months of November and December the beaches undergo a transformation due to the onslaught of high energy waves. These waves move the sand away from the shore, and into deeper offshore water, causing what is called the "winter profile" (Komar, 1976). The beaches are left with the least amount of sand during December and January. This allows the waves to reach the coastal property, therefore, most of the damage to the coast occurs during these months (Komar, 1976). The data set used for this research spans the months of December-March in order to evaluate the time when most of the beach erosion is thought to occur

Non-pharmacological interventions to improve sleep quality and quantity for hospitalized adult patients—co-produced study with surgical patient partners:systematic review

Background: Hospitalized patients experience sleep disruption with consequential physiological and psychological effects. Surgical patients are particularly at risk due to surgical stress and postoperative pain. This systematic review aimed to identify non-pharmacological interventions for improving sleep and exploring their effects on sleep-related and clinical outcomes. Methods: A systematic literature search was performed in accordance with PRISMA guidelines and was preregistered on the Open Science Framework (doi: 10.17605/OSF.IO/EA6BN) and last updated in November 2023. Studies that evaluated non-pharmacological interventions for hospitalized, adult patients were included. Thematic content analysis was performed to identify hypothesized mechanisms of action and modes of administration, in collaboration with a patient partner. Risk of bias assessment was performed using the Cochrane Risk Of Bias (ROB) or Risk Of Bias In Non-Randomized Studies – of Interventions (ROBINS-I) tools. Results: A total of 59 eligible studies and data from 14 035 patients were included; 28 (47.5%) were randomized trials and 26 included surgical patients (10 trials). Thirteen unique non-pharmacological interventions were identified, 17 sleep measures and 7 linked health-related outcomes. Thematic analysis revealed two major themes for improving sleep in hospital inpatients: enhancing the sleep environment and utilizing relaxation and mindfulness techniques. Two methods of administration, self-administered and carer-administered, were identified. Environmental interventions, such as physical aids, and relaxation interventions, including aromatherapy, showed benefits to sleep measures. There was a lack of standardized sleep measurement and an overall moderate to high risk of bias across all studies. Conclusions: This systematic review has identified several sleep interventions that are likely to benefit adult surgical patients, but there remains a lack of high-quality evidence to support their routine implementation

Modelling and forecasting mortality in Spain

[EN] Experience shows that static life tables overestimate death probabilities. As a consequence of this overestimation the premiums for annuities, pensions and life insurance are not what they actually should be, with negative effects for insurance companies or policy-holders. The reason for this overestimation is that static life tables, through being computed for a specific period of time, cannot take into account the decreasing mortality trend over time. Dynamic life tables overcome this problem by incorporating the influence of the calendar when graduating mortality. Recent papers on the topic look for the development of new methods to deal with this dynamism. Most methods used in dynamic tables are parametric, apply traditional mortality laws and then analyse the evolution of estimated parameters with time series techniques. Our contribution consists in extending and applying Lee–Carter methods to Spanish mortality data, exploring residuals and future trends.This work was partially supported by a grant from MEyC (Ministerio de Educacio´n y Ciencia, Spain, project MTM-2004-06231). The research of Francisco Montes has also been partially supported by a grant from DGITT (Direccio´ General d’Investigacio´ i Transfere`ncia Tecnolo`gica de la Generalitat Valenciana, project GRUPOS03/189).Debón Aucejo, AM.; Montes, F.; Puig, F. (2008). Modelling and forecasting mortality in Spain. European Journal of Operational Research. 189(3):624-637. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejor.2006.07.050S624637189

KAAS: an automatic genome annotation and pathway reconstruction server

The number of complete and draft genomes is rapidly growing in recent years, and it has become increasingly important to automate the identification of functional properties and biological roles of genes in these genomes. In the KEGG database, genes in complete genomes are annotated with the KEGG orthology (KO) identifiers, or the K numbers, based on the best hit information using Smith–Waterman scores as well as by the manual curation. Each K number represents an ortholog group of genes, and it is directly linked to an object in the KEGG pathway map or the BRITE functional hierarchy. Here, we have developed a web-based server called KAAS (KEGG Automatic Annotation Server: http://www.genome.jp/kegg/kaas/) i.e. an implementation of a rapid method to automatically assign K numbers to genes in the genome, enabling reconstruction of KEGG pathways and BRITE hierarchies. The method is based on sequence similarities, bi-directional best hit information and some heuristics, and has achieved a high degree of accuracy when compared with the manually curated KEGG GENES database