Synthesising Novel Movements through Latent Space Modulation of Scalable Control Policies

We propose a novel methodology for learning and synthesising whole classes of high dimensional movements from a limited set of demonstrated examples that satisfy some underlying ’latent’ low dimensional task constraints. We employ non-linear dimensionality reduction to extract a canonical latent space that captures some of the essential topology of the unobserved task space. In this latent space, we identify suitable parametrisation of movements with control policies such that they are easily modulated to generate novel movements from the same class and are robust to perturbations. We evaluate our method on controlled simulation experiments with simple robots (reaching and periodic movement tasks) as well as on a data set of very high-dimensional human (punching) movements.We verify that we can generate a continuum of new movements from the demonstrated class from only a few examples in both robotic and human data

Endosymbionts of Siboglinum fiordicum and the phylogeny of bacterial endosymbionts in Siboglinidae (Annelida)

Siboglinid worms are a group of gutless marine annelids that are nutritionally dependent upon endosymbiotic bacteria. Four major groups of siboglinids are known - vestimentiferans, moniliferans, Osedax spp. and frenulates. Although endosymbionts of vestimentiferans and Osedax spp. have been previously characterized, little is currently known about endosymbiotic bacteria associated with frenulate and moniliferan siboglinids. This is particularly surprising given that frenulates are the most diverse and widely distributed group of siboglinids. Here, we molecularly characterize endosymbiotic bacteria associated with the frenulate siboglinid Siboglinum fiordicum by using 16S rDNA ribotyping in concert with laser-capture microdissection (LCM). Phylogenetic analysis indicates that at least three major clades of endosymbiotic γ-proteobacteria associate with siboglinid annelids, with each clade corresponding to a major siboglinid group. S. fiordicum endosymbionts are a group of γ-proteobacteria that are divergent from bacteria associated with vestimentiferan or Osedax hosts. Interestingly, symbionts of S. fiordicum, from Norway, are most closely related to symbionts of the frenulate Oligobrachia mashikoi from Japan, suggesting that symbionts of frenulates may share common evolutionary history or metabolic features

Primary Invasive Aspergillosis of the Digestive Tract: Report of Two Cases and Review of the Literature

BACKGROUND: Disseminated aspergillosis is thought to occur as a result of vascular invasion from the lungs with subsequent bloodstream dissemination, and portals of entry other than sinuses and/or the respiratory tract remain speculative. METHODS: We report two cases of primary aspergillosis in the digestive tract and present a detailed review of eight of the 23 previously-published cases for which detailed data are available. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: These ten cases presented with symptoms suggestive of typhlitis, with further peritonitis requiring laparotomy and small bowel segmental resection. All cases were characterized by the absence of pulmonary disease at the time of histologically-confirmed gastrointestinal involvement with vascular invasion by branched Aspergillus hyphae. These cases suggest that the digestive tract may represent a portal of entry for Aspergillus species in immunocompromised patients

Multisociety Statement on COVID-19 Vaccination as a Condition of Employment for Healthcare Personnel

This consensus statement by the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA) and The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine (AMDA), The Association for Professionals in Epidemiology and Infection Control (APIC), the HIV Medicine Association (HIVMA), the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA), the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society (PIDS), and the Society of Infectious Diseases Pharmacists (SIDP), recommends that COVID-19 vaccination should be a condition of employment for all healthcare personnel. Exemptions from this policy apply to those with medical contraindications to all COVID-19 vaccines available in the United States and other exemptions as specified by federal or state law. The consensus statement also supports COVID-19 vaccination of non-employees functioning at a healthcare facility (for example, students, contract workers, volunteers, etc.)

TIC 172900988: A transiting circumbinary planet detected in one sector of TESS data

We report the first discovery of a transiting circumbinary planet detected from a single sector of Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) data. During Sector 21, the planet TIC 172900988b transited the primary star and then five days later it transited the secondary star. The binary is itself eclipsing, with a period P ≈ 19.7 days and an eccentricity e ≈ 0.45. Archival data from ASAS-SN, Evryscope, KELT, and SuperWASP reveal a prominent apsidal motion of the binary orbit, caused by the dynamical interactions between the binary and the planet. A comprehensive photodynamical analysis of the TESS, archival and follow-up data yields stellar masses and radii of M1 = 1.2384 ± 0.0007 Me and R1 = 1.3827 ± 0.0016 Re for the primary and M2 = 1.2019 ± 0.0007 Me and R2 = 1.3124 ± 0.0012 Re for the secondary. The radius of the planet is R3 = 11.25 ± 0.44 R (1.004 ± 0.039RJup). The planet's mass and orbital properties are not uniquely determined-there are six solutions with nearly equal likelihood. Specifically, we find that the planet's mass is in the range of 824 M3 981 M (2.65 M3 3.09MJup), its orbital period could be 188.8, 190.4, 194.0, 199.0, 200.4, or 204.1 days, and the eccentricity is between 0.02 and 0.09. At V = 10.141 mag, the system is accessible for high-resolution spectroscopic observations, e.g., the Rossiter-McLaughlin effect and transit spectroscopy

IMG 305 - PEMBUNGKUSAN MAKANAN NOV.05.

We discuss the use of Agent-based Modelling for the development and testing of theories about emergent social phenomena in marketing and the social sciences in general. We address both theoretical aspects about the types of phenomena that are suitably addressed with this approach and practical guidelines to help plan and structure the development of a theory about the causes of such a phenomenon in conjunction with a matching ABM. We argue that research about complex social phenomena is still largely fundamental research and therefore an iterative and cyclical development process of both theory and model is to be expected. To better anticipate and manage this process, we provide theoretical and practical guidelines. These may help to identify and structure the domain of candidate explanations for a social phenomenon, and furthermore assist the process of model implementation and subsequent development. The main goal of this paper was to make research on complex social systems more accessible and help anticipate and structure the research process