Sentiment Recognition in Egocentric Photostreams

Lifelogging is a process of collecting rich source of information about daily life of people. In this paper, we introduce the problem of sentiment analysis in egocentric events focusing on the moments that compose the images recalling positive, neutral or negative feelings to the observer. We propose a method for the classification of the sentiments in egocentric pictures based on global and semantic image features extracted by Convolutional Neural Networks. We carried out experiments on an egocentric dataset, which we organized in 3 classes on the basis of the sentiment that is recalled to the user (positive, negative or neutral)

A Linked Data Application for Harmonizing Heterogeneous Biomedical Information

In the biomedical field, there is an ever-increasing number of large, fragmented, and isolated data sources stored in databases and ontologies that use heterogeneous formats and poorly integrated schemes. Researchers and healthcare professionals find it extremely difficult to master this huge amount of data and extract relevant information. In this work, we propose a linked data approach, based on multilayer networks and semantic Web standards, capable of integrating and harmonizing several biomedical datasets with different schemas and semi-structured data through a multi-model database providing polyglot persistence. The domain chosen concerns the analysis and aggregation of available data on neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs), a relatively rare type of neoplasm. Integrated information includes twelve public datasets available in heterogeneous schemas and formats including RDF, CSV, TSV, SQL, OWL, and OBO. The proposed integrated model consists of six interconnected layers representing, respectively, information on the disease, the related phenotypic alterations, the affected genes, the related biological processes, molecular functions, the involved human tissues, and drugs and compounds that show documented interactions with them. The defined scheme extends an existing three-layer model covering a subset of the mentioned aspects. A client–server application was also developed to browse and search for information on the integrated model. The main challenges of this work concern the complexity of the biomedical domain, the syntactic and semantic heterogeneity of the datasets, and the organization of the integrated model. Unlike related works, multilayer networks have been adopted to organize the model in a manageable and stratified structure, without the need to change the original datasets but by transforming their data “on the fly” to respond to user requests

A Semantic Framework Supporting Multilayer Networks Analysis for Rare Diseases

Understanding the role played by genetic variations in diseases, exploring genomic variants, and discovering disease-associated loci are among the most pressing challenges of genomic medicine. A huge and ever-increasing amount of information is available to researchers to address these challenges. Unfortunately, it is stored in fragmented ontologies and databases, which use heterogeneous formats and poorly integrated schemas. To overcome these limitations, the authors propose a linked data approach, based on the formalism of multilayer networks, able to integrate and harmonize biomedical information from multiple sources into a single dense network covering different aspects on Neuroendocrine Neoplasms (NENs). The proposed integration schema consists of three interconnected layers representing, respectively, information on the disease, on the affected genes, on the related biological processes and molecular functions. An easy-to-use client-server application was also developed to browse and search for information on the model supporting multilayer network analysis

Vibrational Study on the Structure, Bioactivity, and Silver Adsorption of Silk Fibroin Fibers Grafted with Methacrylonitrile

Natural fibers have received increasing attention as starting materials for innovative applications in many research fields, from biomedicine to engineering. Bombyx mori silk fibroin has become a material of choice in the development of many biomedical devices. Grafting represents a good strategy to improve the material properties according to the desired function. In the present study, Bombyx mori silk fibroin fibers were grafted with methacrylonitrile (MAN) with different weight gains. The potential interest in biomedical applications of MAN functionalization relies on the presence of the nitrile group, which is an acceptor of H bonds and can bind metals. IR and Raman spectroscopy were used to characterize the grafted samples and the possible structural changes induced by grafting. Afterward, the same techniques were used to study the bioactivity (i.e., the calcium phosphate nucleation ability) of MAN-grafted silk fibroins after ageing in simulated body fluid (SBF) for possible application in bone tissue engineering, and their interaction with Ag+ ions, for the development of biomaterials with enhanced anti-microbial properties. MAN was found to efficiently polymerize on silk fibroin through polar amino acids (i.e., serine and tryptophan), inducing an enrichment in silk fibroin-ordered domains. IR spectroscopy allowed us to detect the nucleation of a thin calcium phosphate layer and the uptake of Ag+ ions through the nitrile group, which may foster the application of these grafted materials in biomedical applications

Spectroscopic and morphological data assessing the apatite forming ability of calcium hydroxide-releasing materials for pulp capping

A pulp capping material must perform as a barrier and protect the dental pulpal complex by inducing the formation of a new dentin bridge or dentin-like tissue. Being a favorable condition for the healing process, the apatite forming ability of TheraCal (light-curable Portland-dimethacrylate cement) and Dycal (calcium hydroxide-based) pulp capping materials was studied in two simulated body fluids, i.e. Dulbecco's Phosphate Buffered Saline (DPBS) and Hank's Balanced Salt Solution (HBSS). The cements were analyzed before and after soaking in these media for different times (1\u201328 days) by ESEM-EDX, micro-Raman and IR spectroscopy. This data article refers to \u201cAn in vitro study on dentin demineralization and remineralization: collagen rearrangements and influence on the enucleated phase\u201d (Di Foggia et al., 2019)

Few-shot re-identification of the speaker by social robots

Nowadays advanced machine learning, computer vision, audio analysis and natural language understanding systems can be widely used for improving the perceptive and reasoning capabilities of the social robots. In particular, artificial intelligence algorithms for speaker re-identification make the robot aware of its interlocutor and able to personalize the conversation according to the information gathered in real-time and in the past interactions with the speaker. Anyway, this kind of application requires to train neural networks having available only a few samples for each speaker. Within this context, in this paper we propose a social robot equipped with a microphone sensor and a smart deep learning algorithm for few-shot speaker re-identification, able to run in real time over an embedded platform mounted on board of the robot. The proposed system has been experimentally evaluated over the VoxCeleb1 dataset, demonstrating a remarkable re-identification accuracy by varying the number of samples per speaker, the number of known speakers and the duration of the samples, and over the SpReW dataset, showing its robustness in real noisy environments. Finally, a quantitative evaluation of the processing time over the embedded platform proves that the processing pipeline is almost immediate, resulting in a pleasant user experience

Vibrational Raman and IR data on brown hair subjected to bleaching

Brown human hair was bleached three times (45 min × 3) and four times (45 min × 3 + 15 min) with commercial formulations containing persulfate salts and hydrogen peroxide. The hair samples were characterized by Raman and IR spectroscopy in the Attenuated Total Reflectance (ATR) mode to gain more insights into the possible secondary structure and Cα-Cβ-S-S-Cβ-Cα conformational changes induced by bleaching. The latter were evaluated through band-fitting procedures; the relative content of the disulfide bridges and oxidized sulfur species (cysteic acid, Bunte salt, cystine oxides) was assessed. The observed conformational changes could be significant in developing restoring agents to be used after hair decoloration. The use of two different spectroscopic techniques allowed to discriminate the information coming from the cortical region of hair (Raman) and the cuticle (ATR/IR). This article refers to “Structural investigation on damaged hair keratin treated with α,β-unsaturated Michael acceptors used as repairing agents” (Di Foggia et al., Int. J. Biol. Macromol. 167 (2021) 620–632 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2020.11.194)

Interactions between Damaged Hair Keratin and Juglone as a Possible Restoring Agent: A Vibrational and Scanning Electron Microscopy Study

Juglone, a quinonic compound present in walnut extracts, was proposed as a restoring agent for hair keratin treated with permanent or discoloration processes. The proposed mechanism of restoration by juglone involves the formation of a Michael adduct between the quinone and the thiol moieties of cysteine residues. To this purpose, the first part of the present paper involved the spectroscopic study of the product of the reaction between juglone and N-acetyl-L-cysteine as a model compound. IR spectroscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) monitored the chemical and morphological variations induced by applying juglone to hair keratin. In order to simulate the most common hair treatments (i.e., permanent and discoloration), juglone was applied to hair that had been previously treated with a reducing agent, i.e., methyl thioglycolate (MT) or with bleaching agents (based on hydrogen peroxide and persulfates) followed by sodium hydrogen sulfite. IR spectroscopy allowed us to monitor the formation of Michael adducts between juglone and cysteine residues: the Michael adducts' content was related to the cysteine content of the samples. In fact, MT and sodium hydrogen sulfite favored the reduction of the disulfide bonds and increased the content of free cysteine residues, which can react with juglone. SEM analyses confirmed the trend observed by IR spectroscopy since hair samples treated with juglone adopted a more regular hair surface and more imbricated scales, thus supporting the possible use of juglone as a restoring agent for damaged hair keratins

The Influence of the Matrix on the Apatite-Forming Ability of Calcium Containing Polydimethylsiloxane-Based Cements for Endodontics

This study aimed to characterize the chemical properties and bioactivity of an endodontic sealer (GuttaFlow Bioseal) based on polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and containing a calcium bioglass as a doping agent. Commercial PDMS-based cement free from calcium bioglass (GuttaFlow 2 and RoekoSeal) were characterized for comparison as well as GuttaFlow 2 doped with dicalcium phosphate dihydrate, hydroxyapatite, or a tricalcium silicate-based cement. IR and Raman analyses were performed on fresh materials as well as after aging tests in Hank's Balanced Salt Solution (28 d, 37 degrees C). Under these conditions, the strengthening of the 970 cm(-1) Raman band and the appearance of the IR components at 1455-1414, 1015, 868, and 600-559 cm(-1) revealed the deposition of B-type carbonated apatite. The Raman I-970/I-638 and IR A(1010)/A(1258) ratios (markers of apatite-forming ability) showed that bioactivity decreased along with the series: GuttaFlow Bioseal > GuttaFlow 2 > RoekoSeal. The PDMS matrix played a relevant role in bioactivity; in GuttaFlow 2, the crosslinking degree was favorable for Ca2+ adsorption/complexation and the formation of a thin calcium phosphate layer. In the less crosslinked RoekoSeal, such processes did not occur. The doped cements showed bioactivity higher than GuttaFlow 2, suggesting that the particles of the mineralizing agents are spontaneously exposed on the cement surface, although the hydrophobicity of the PDMS matrix slowed down apatite deposition. Relevant properties in the endodontic practice (i.e., setting time, radiopacity, apatite-forming ability) were related to material composition and the crosslinking degree

On the Uniform Random Generation of Non Deterministic Automata Up to Isomorphism

In this paper we address the problem of the uniform random generation of non deterministic automata (NFA) up to isomorphism. First, we show how to use a Monte-Carlo approach to uniformly sample a NFA. Secondly, we show how to use the Metropolis-Hastings Algorithm to uniformly generate NFAs up to isomorphism. Using labeling techniques, we show that in practice it is possible to move into the modified Markov Chain efficiently, allowing the random generation of NFAs up to isomorphism with dozens of states. This general approach is also applied to several interesting subclasses of NFAs (up to isomorphism), such as NFAs having a unique initial states and a bounded output degree. Finally, we prove that for these interesting subclasses of NFAs, moving into the Metropolis Markov chain can be done in polynomial time. Promising experimental results constitute a practical contribution.Comment: Frank Drewes. CIAA 2015, Aug 2015, Umea, Sweden. Springer, 9223, pp.12, 2015, Implementation and Application of Automata - 20th International Conferenc