How Can a Robot Signal Its Incapability to Perform a Certain Task to Humans in an Acceptable Manner?

In this paper, a robot that is using politeness to overcome its incapability to serve is presented. The mobile robot “Alex” is interacting with human office colleagues in their environment and delivers messages, phone calls, and companionship. The robot's battery capacity is not sufficient to survive a full working day. Thus, the robot needs to recharge during the day. By doing so it is unavailable for tasks that involve movement. The study presented in this paper supports the idea that an incapability of fullfiling an appointed task can be overcome by politeness and showing appropriate behaviour. The results, reveal that, even the simple adjustment of spoken utterances towards a more polite phrasing can change the human's perception of the robot companion. This change in the perception can be made visible by analysing the human's behaviour towards the robot

Can models of agents be transferred between different areas?

One of the main reasons for the sustained activity and interest in the field of agent-based systems, apart from the obvious recognition of its value as a natural and intuitive way of understanding the world, is its reach into very many different and distinct fields of investigation. Indeed, the notions of agents and multi-agent systems are relevant to fields ranging from economics to robotics, in contributing to the foundations of the field, being influenced by ongoing research, and in providing many domains of application. While these various disciplines constitute a rich and diverse environment for agent research, the way in which they may have been linked by it is a much less considered issue. The purpose of this panel was to examine just this concern, in the relationships between different areas that have resulted from agent research. Informed by the experience of the participants in the areas of robotics, social simulation, economics, computer science and artificial intelligence, the discussion was lively and sometimes heated

Elucidation of the Molecular Mechanisms Responsible for the Central Folate Deficiency Associated with Mitochondrial Disease

5-Methyltetrahydrofolate (5-MTHF) is involved in over 100 metabolic reactions. Potentially treatable cerebral folate deficiency (CFD) of 5-MTHF in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is associated in mitochondrial disease. The prevalence and significance of CSF 5-MTHF deficiency in mitochondrial disease was initially investigated. Prevalence of CSF 5-MTHF deficiency in skeletal muscle mitochondrial respiratory chain enzyme (RCE) defects was 15% and the minimum population prevalence of mitochondrial disease with CSF 5-MTHF deficiency was at least one in 30,000. This suggests under-diagnosis of the condition. The most common RCE defect in CSF 5-MTHF deficient patients was isolated complex IV deficiency. Severe CSF 5-MTHF deficiencies (<10 nmol/L) were confined to Kearns-Sayre syndrome or FOLR1 mutations. A novel homozygous missense mutation in FOLR1 exon 5 was observed. Oral folinic acid supplementation restored CSF 5-MTHF levels to within the age-related reference range in the majority of cases. Measurement of CSF 5-MTHF and, where appropriate, FOLR1 mutation analysis, in suspected mitochondrial disease patients is recommended. The mechanisms responsible for CFD in mitochondrial disease are unclear. The potential role of oxidative stress as a contributing mechanism was also investigated. CSF conveyed antioxidant properties towards 5-MTHF, which were overcome by hydroxyl radicals. CSF antioxidants may include ascorbic acid (AA). A CSF AA reference range was established and a significant positive correlation between CSF 5-MTHF and AA demonstrated. In SH-SY5Y cells, inhibition of mitochondrial complex I caused increased mitochondrial superoxide generation and significantly increased loss of 5-MTHF from the extracellular medium. Selenium has been reported to be elevated in CFD. The latter observation was also seen following treatment of cells with the selenium compound selenite; selenite has previously been implicated in ROS generation. Addition of AA prevented 5-MTHF degradation. Oxidative stress may be a factor in the development of CFD. Co-supplementation of folinic acid and AA may be of therapeutic benefit

Inter-cultural differences in response to a computer-based anti-bullying intervention

Background and purpose: Many holistic anti-bullying interventions have been attempted, with mixed success, while little work has been done to promote a 'self-help' approach to victimisation. The rise of the ICT curriculum and computer support in schools now allows for approaches that benefit from technology to be implemented. This study evaluates the cross-cultural effects of a computer-based anti-bullying intervention on primary school-aged children's knowledge about bullying and relevant coping strategies. Programme description: FearNot! is an interactive computer-based virtual learning environment designed for use as an anti-bullying intervention. It includes interactive virtual agents who assume the most common participant roles found in episodes of bullying. FearNot! was used by children over three consecutive weeks to allow its effectiveness to be evaluated in a longitudinal in situ programme. Sample: Two comparable samples were drawn from the UK and Germany. In the UK, 651 participants (aged 8-11) were recruited from primary schools in Hertfordshire, Coventry and Warwickshire, whereas the 535 German participants (aged 7-10) were sourced from Grundschulen in the Bayern and Hessen regions. Because of lack of parental consent, late joiners and absences/missing responses, data from 908 participants (UK 493; Germany 415) were analysed. Design and methods: A quasi-experimental, pre/post-tests control group design employed pre-published and bespoke questionnaires to collect data. Descriptive and inferential analyses were conducted. Results: UK students possessed higher coping strategy knowledge scores than German participants, but German children's scores improved over time and as a result of the FearNot! intervention. Conclusions: Overall, while not effective at increasing children's coping strategy knowledge in this study, the FearNot! intervention could prove a useful classroom tool to approach the issue of bullying as part of a wider initiative. Cultural differences at baseline and reactions to the intervention are discussed

Interactive Radio: A New Platform for Calm Computing

Interactive radio is proposed as a platform for Weiser's calm computing vision. An evaluation of CereProc's MyMyRadio is presented as a case study to highlight the potential and challenges of an interactive radio approach: the difficulty of transitioning between passive and active modes of interaction, and the challenge of designing such services. The evaluation showed: 1) A higher workload for MyMyRadio for active tasks compared to default applications (e.g. Facebook app); 2) No significant difference in workload for passive tasks (e.g. listening to audio rendered RSS updates vs Browser app); 3) A higher workload when listening to music within MyMyRadio vs iTunes; and 4) A preference for RSS feed content compared to content from social media. We conclude by discussing the potential of interactive radio as a platform for pervasive eyes-free services

The development of a light-weight, long-life diphacinone rodent bait

Ross, J.G., Eason, C.T., Sam, S., Shapiro, L., Blackie, H., MacMorran, D., Aylett, P., Tucker, N., Razzaq, H

Encapsulated sodium nitrite as a new toxicant for possum control in New Zealand

Sodium nitrite (NaNO₂), a commonly used food preservative, has been researched in New Zealand for the control of brushtail possums (Trichosurus vulpecula). In sufficiently high doses, NaNO₂ is toxic because it disrupts circulatory transport of oxygen. As NaNO₂ is very bitter, encapsulation and mixing it through a highly palatable bait formulation is necessary to effectively deliver it to target pest species. In no-choice cage trials, 12/12 possums consumed a lethal dose of toxic paste bait and died on average after 95.6 minutes (±4.9 SE). In two-choice cage trials 7/8 possums consumed a lethal dose of toxic paste bait and died on average after 96.7 minutes (±11.4 SE). Two field trials targeting possums using this toxic paste in bait stations reduced their abundance by 81.2% (± 2.5% SE) and 72.7% (± 1.6% SE) respectively. NaNO₂ paste, known as BaitRite, has been registered in New Zealand as a vertebrate toxic agent for controlling possums

Interpreting and acting upon home blood pressure readings: A qualitative study

This article is made available through the Brunel Open Access Publishing Fund. Copyright @ 2013 Vasileiou et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.Background: Recent guidelines recognize the importance of home blood pressure monitoring (HBPM) as an adjunct to clinical measurements. We explored how people who have purchased and use a home blood pressure (BP) monitor make sense of, and act upon, readings and how they communicate with their doctor about the practice of home monitoring. Methods: A qualitative study was designed and participants were purposively recruited from several areas in England, UK. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with 18 users of home BP monitors. The transcribed data were thematically analysed. Results: Interpretation of home BP readings is complex, and is often characterised by uncertainty. People seek to assess value normality using ‘rules of thumb’, and often aim to identify the potential causes of the readings. This is done by drawing on lay models of BP function and by contextualising the readings to personal circumstances. Based on the perceived causes of the problematic readings, actions are initiated, mostly relating to changes in daily routines. Contacting the doctor was more likely when the problematic readings persisted and could not be easily explained, or when participants did not succeed in regulating their BP through their other interventions. Most users had notified their doctor of the practice of home monitoring, but medical involvement varied, with some participants reporting disinterest or reservations by doctors. Conclusions: Involvement from doctors can help people overcome difficulties and resolve uncertainties around the interpretation of home readings, and ensure that the rules of thumb are appropriate. Home monitoring can be used to strengthen the patient-clinician relationship

Diagnostic algorithm for children presenting with epilepsia partialis continua

Objective: To characterize a cohort of children with epilepsia partialis continua (EPC) and develop a diagnostic algorithm incorporating key differential diagnoses. / Methods: Children presenting with EPC to a tertiary pediatric neurology center between 2002 and 2019 were characterized. / Results: Fifty‐four children fulfilled EPC criteria. Median age at onset was 7 years (range 0.6‐15), with median follow‐up of 4.3 years (range 0.2‐16). The diagnosis was Rasmussen encephalitis (RE) in 30 of 54 (56%), a mitochondrial disorder in 12 of 54 (22.2%), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) lesion‐positive focal epilepsy in 6 of 54 (11.1%). No diagnosis was made in 5 of 54 (9%). Children with mitochondrial disorders developed EPC earlier; each additional year at presentation reduced the odds of a mitochondrial diagnosis by 26% (P = .02). Preceding developmental concerns (odds ratio [OR] 22, P < .001), no seizures prior to EPC (OR 22, P < .001), bilateral slowing on electroencephalogram (EEG) (OR 26, P < .001), and increased cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) protein level (OR 16) predicted a mitochondrial disorder. Asymmetry or hemiatrophy was evident on MRI at presentation with EPC in 18 of 30 (60%) children with RE, and in the remainder at a median of 6 months (range 3‐15) after EPC onset. The first diagnostic test is brain MRI. Hemiatrophy may permit a diagnosis of RE with unilateral clinical and EEG findings. For children in whom a diagnosis of RE cannot be made on first scan but the clinical and radiological presentation resembles RE, repeat imaging every 6 months is recommended to detect progressive unicortical hemiatrophy, and brain biopsy should be considered. Evidence of intrathecal inflammation (oligoclonal bands and raised neopterin) can be supportive. In children with bihemispheric EPC, rapid polymerase gamma testing is recommended and if negative, sequencing mtDNA and whole‐exome sequencing on blood‐derived DNA should be performed. / Significance: Children presenting with EPC due to a mitochondrial disorder show clinical features distinguishing them from RE and structural epilepsies. A diagnostic algorithm for children with EPC will allow targeted investigation and timely diagnosis