Interactive Embodied Agents for Cultural Heritage and Archaeological presentations

[EN] In this paper, Maxine, a powerful engine to develop applications with embodied animated agents is presented. The engine, based on the use of open source libraries, enables multimodal real-time interaction with the user: via text, voice, images and gestures. Maxine virtual agents can establish emotional communication with the user through their facial expressions, the modulation of the voice and expressing the answers of the agents according to the information gathered by the system: noise level in the room, observer’s position, emotional state of the observer, etc. Moreover, the user’s emotions are considered and captured through images. For the moment, Maxine virtual agents have been used as virtual presenters for Cultural Heritage and Archaeological shows.This work has been partially financed by the Spanish “Dirección General de Investigación'' (General Directorate of Research), contract number Nº TIN2007-63025, and by the Regional Government of Aragon through the WALQA agreement.Seron, F.; Baldassarri, S.; Cerezo, E. (2010). Interactive Embodied Agents for Cultural Heritage and Archaeological presentations. Virtual Archaeology Review. 1(1):181-184. https://doi.org/10.4995/var.2010.5143OJS18118411BALDASSARRI, S., CEREZO, E., SERON, F. (2007): An open source engine for embodied animated agents.In Proc. Congreso Español de Informática Gráfica: CEIG'07, pp. 89-98.BERRY, D.et al, (2005). Evaluating a realistic agent in an advice-giving task. In International Journal in Human-Computer Studies, Nº 63, pp. 304-327. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhcs.2005.03.006BOFF, E. et al, (2005). An affective agent-based virtual character for learning environments. Proceedings of the Wokshop on Motivation and Affect in Educational Software, 12th International Conference on Artificial Intelligence in Education. Amsterdam, Holland, pp 1-8.BURLESON, W. et al, (2004). A Platform for Affective Agent Research. Proceedings of the Workshop on Empathetic Agents, International Conference on Autonomous Agents and Multiagent Systems, New York, USA.CEREZO, E., BALDASSARRI, S., SERON, F. (2007): Interactive agents for multimodal emotional user interaction. In Proc. of IADIS International Conference Interfaces and Human Computer Interaction, pp. 35-42.CASELL, J. et al (eds), (2000), in Embodied Conversational Agents. MIT Press, Cambridge, USA.El-NASR, M. S. et al, (1999). A PET with Evolving Emotional Intelligence. Proceedings of the 3rd Annual Conference on Autonomous Agents. Seattle, USA, pp. 9 - 15. http://dx.doi.org/10.1145/301136.301150GRAESSER, A. et al, (2005). AutoTutor: An Intelligent tutoring system with mixed-initiative dialogue. In IEEE Transactions on Education, Vol. 48, Nº 4, pp. 612-618. http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/TE.2005.856149KASAP, Z. and N. MAGNENAT-THALMANN (2007): "Intelligent virtual humans with autonomy and personality: State-of-the-art", in IntelligentDecision Technologies. IOS PressMARSELLA S. C et al, (2000). Interactive Pedagogical Drama. Proceedings of the 4th International Conference on Autonomous Agents. Barcelona, Spain, pp. 301-308. http://dx.doi.org/10.1145/336595.337507MIGNONNEAU, L. and SOMMERER, C. (2005). Designing emotional, methaforic, natural and intuitive interfaces for interactive art, edutainment and mobile communications, in Computer & Graphics, Vol. 29, pp. 837-851.PRENDINGER, H. and ISHIZUKA, M., (2005). The Empathic Companion: A Character-Based Interface that Addresses Users' Affective States. In Applied Artificial Intelligence, Vol.19, pp.267-285. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/08839510590910174ROSIS, F. et al, (2003). From Greta's mind to her face: modelling the dynamics of affective status in a conversational embodied agent. In International Journal of Human-computer Studies. Special Issue on Applications of Affective Computing in HCI, Vol 59, pp 81-118. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/s1071-5819(03)00020-xYUAN, X. and CHEE, S. (2005). Design and evaluation of Elva: an embodied tour guide in an interactive virtual art gallery. In Computer Animation and Virtual Worlds, Vol. 16, pp.109-119. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/cav.6

Self-organized criticality, plasticity and sensorimotor coupling. Explorations with a neurorobotic model in a behavioural preference task

During the last two decades, analysis of 1/ƒ noise in cognitive science has led to a consider- able progress in the way we understand the organization of our mental life. However, there is still a lack of specific models providing explanations of how 1/ƒ noise is generated in cou- pled brain-body-environment systems, since existing models and experiments typically tar- get either externally observable behaviour or isolated neuronal systems but do not address the interplay between neuronal mechanisms and sensorimotor dynamics. We present a conceptual model of a minimal neurorobotic agent solving a behavioural task that makes it possible to relate mechanistic (neurodynamic) and behavioural levels of description. The model consists of a simulated robot controlled by a network of Kuramoto oscillators with ho- meostatic plasticity and the ability to develop behavioural preferences mediated by sensori- motor patterns. With only three oscillators, this simple model displays self-organized criticality in the form of robust 1/ƒ noise and a wide multifractal spectrum. We show that the emergence of self-organized criticality and 1/ƒ noise in our model is the result of three simul- taneous conditions: a) non-linear interaction dynamics capable of generating stable collec- tive patterns, b) internal plastic mechanisms modulating the sensorimotor flows, and c) strong sensorimotor coupling with the environment that induces transient metastable neuro- dynamic regimes. We carry out a number of experiments to show that both synaptic plastici- ty and strong sensorimotor coupling play a necessary role, as constituents of self-organized criticality, in the generation of 1/ƒ noise. The experiments also shown to be useful to test the robustness of 1/ƒ scaling comparing the results of different techniques. We finally discuss the role of conceptual models as mediators between nomothetic and mechanistic models and how they can inform future experimental research where self-organized critically in- cludes sensorimotor coupling among the essential interaction-dominant process giving rise to 1/ƒ noise

Confusion Assessment Method for the intensive care unit (CAM-ICU) for the diagnosis of delirium in adults in critical care settings

© 2018 The Cochrane Collaboration. This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (Diagnostic test accuracy). The objectives are as follows: To determine the diagnostic accuracy of the Confusion Assessment Method for the Intensive Care Unit (CAM-ICU) for the diagnosis of delirium in adult patients in critical care settings

Proposed Definitions of T Cell-Mediated Rejection and Tubulointerstitial Inflammation as Clinical Trial Endpoints in Kidney Transplantation

The diagnosis of acute T cell-mediated rejection (aTCMR) after kidney transplantation has considerable relevance for research purposes. Its definition is primarily based on tubulointerstitial inflammation and has changed little over time; aTCMR is therefore a suitable parameter for longitudinal data comparisons. In addition, because aTCMR is managed with antirejection therapies that carry additional risks, anxieties, and costs, it is a clinically meaningful endpoint for studies. This paper reviews the history and classifications of TCMR and characterizes its potential role in clinical trials: a role that largely depends on the nature of the biopsy taken (indication vs protocol), the level of inflammation observed (e.g., borderline changes vs full TCMR), concomitant chronic lesions (chronic active TCMR), and the therapeutic intervention planned. There is ongoing variability-and ambiguity-in clinical monitoring and management of TCMR. More research, to investigate the clinical relevance of borderline changes (especially in protocol biopsies) and effective therapeutic strategies that improve graft survival rates with minimal patient morbidity, is urgently required. The present paper was developed from documentation produced by the European Society for Organ Transplantation (ESOT) as part of a Broad Scientific Advice request that ESOT submitted to the European Medicines Agency for discussion in 2020. This paper proposes to move toward refined definitions of aTCMR and borderline changes to be included as primary endpoints in clinical trials of kidney transplantation.Copyright © 2022 Seron, Rabant, Becker, Roufosse, Bellini, Böhmig, Budde, Diekmann, Glotz, Hilbrands, Loupy, Oberbauer, Pengel, Schneeberger and Naesens

Proposed Definitions of Antibody-Mediated Rejection for Use as a Clinical Trial Endpoint in Kidney Transplantation

Antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) is caused by antibodies that recognize donor human leukocyte antigen (HLA) or other targets. As knowledge of AMR pathophysiology has increased, a combination of factors is necessary to confirm the diagnosis and phenotype. However, frequent modifications to the AMR definition have made it difficult to compare data and evaluate associations between AMR and graft outcome. The present paper was developed following a Broad Scientific Advice request from the European Society for Organ Transplantation (ESOT) to the European Medicines Agency (EMA), which explored whether updating guidelines on clinical trial endpoints would encourage innovations in kidney transplantation research. ESOT considers that an AMR diagnosis must be based on a combination of histopathological factors and presence of donor-specific HLA antibodies in the recipient. Evidence for associations between individual features of AMR and impaired graft outcome is noted for microvascular inflammation scores ≥2 and glomerular basement membrane splitting of >10% of the entire tuft in the most severely affected glomerulus. Together, these should form the basis for AMR-related endpoints in clinical trials of kidney transplantation, although modifications and restrictions to the Banff diagnostic definition of AMR are proposed for this purpose. The EMA provided recommendations based on this Broad Scientific Advice request in December 2020; further discussion, and consensus on the restricted definition of the AMR endpoint, is required.Copyright © 2022 Roufosse, Becker, Rabant, Seron, Bellini, Böhmig, Budde, Diekmann, Glotz, Hilbrands, Loupy, Oberbauer, Pengel, Schneeberger and Naesens

Proyecto esar. Trabajo colaborativo en red para la formación del profesorado

Uno de los retos que plantea la sociedad del conocimiento consiste en avanzar en una cultura educativa de la colaboración. La educación y la formación del profesorado también deben impulsar esta cultura y formar a los estudiantes para que desarrollen las capacidades necesarias para su integración en un mundo que está experimentando grandes cambios. La globalización implica, también, que las tareas y los proyectos necesariamente se ven afectados por la complejidad y requieren de la interacción y el intercambio entre personas del mundo entero. En este contexto, los agentes que intervienen o van a intervenir en un futuro en proyectos de investigación, de desarrollo y de innovación, deberán formar parte de redes sociales donde la colaboración es imprescindible. El proyecto ESAR pretende analizar los problemas que surgen al intentar asumir esta nueva cultura

Cellular Immunity to Predict the Risk of Cytomegalovirus Infection in Kidney Transplantation: A Prospective, Interventional, Multicenter Clinical Trial

Background: Improving cytomegalovirus (CMV) immune-risk stratification in kidney transplantation is highly needed to establish guided preventive strategies. Methods: This prospective, interventional, multicenter clinical trial assessed the value of monitoring pretransplant CMV-specific cell-mediated immunity (CMI) using an interferon-γrelease assay to predict CMV infection in kidney transplantation. One hundred sixty donor/recipient CMV-seropositive (D+/R+) patients, stratified by their baseline CMV (immediate-early protein 1)-specific CMI risk, were randomized to receive either preemptive or 3-month antiviral prophylaxis. Also, 15-day posttransplant CMI risk stratification and CMI specific to the 65 kDa phosphoprotein (pp65) CMV antigen were investigated. Immunosuppression consisted of basiliximab, tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetil, and corticosteroids in 80% of patients, whereas 20% received thymoglobulin induction therapy. Results: Patients at high risk for CMV based on pretransplant CMI developed significantly higher CMV infection rates than those deemed to be at low risk with both preemptive (73.3% vs 44.4%; odds ratio [OR], 3.44 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 1.30-9.08]) and prophylaxis (33.3% vs 4.1%; OR, 11.75 [95% CI, 2.31-59.71]) approaches. The predictive capacity for CMV-specific CMI was only found in basiliximab-treated patients for both preemptive and prophylaxis therapy. Fifteen-day CMI risk stratification better predicted CMV infection (81.3% vs 9.1%; OR, 43.33 [95% CI, 7.89-237.96]). Conclusions: Pretransplant CMV-specific CMI identifies D+/R+ kidney recipients at high risk of developing CMV infection if not receiving T-cell-depleting antibodies. Monitoring CMV-specific CMI soon after transplantation further defines the CMV infection prediction risk. Monitoring CMV-specific CMI may guide decision making regarding the type of CMV preventive strategy in kidney transplantation. Clinical Trials Registration: NCT02550639

Derivation and external validation of the SIMPLICITY score as a simple immune-based risk score to predict infection in kidney transplant recipients

Existing approaches for infection risk stratification in kidney transplant recipients are suboptimal. Here, we aimed to develop and validate a weighted score integrating non-pathogen-specific immune parameters and clinical variables to predict the occurrence of post-transplant infectious complications. To this end, we retrospectively analyzed a single-center derivation cohort of 410 patients undergoing kidney transplantation in 2008-2013 in Madrid. Peripheral blood lymphocyte subpopulations, serum immunoglobulin and complement levels were measured at one-month post-transplant. The primary and secondary outcomes were overall and bacterial infection through month six. A point score was derived from a logistic regression model and prospectively applied on a validation cohort of 522 patients undergoing kidney transplantation at 16 centers throughout Spain in 2014-2015. The SIMPLICITY score consisted of the following variables measured at month one after transplantation: C3 level, CD4+ T-cell count, CD8+ T-cell count, IgG level, glomerular filtration rate, recipient age, and infection within the first month. The discrimination capacity in the derivation and validation cohorts was good for overall (areas under the receiver operating curve of 0.774 and 0.730) and bacterial infection (0.767 and 0.734, respectively). The cumulative incidence of overall infection significantly increased across risk categories in the derivation (low-risk 13.7%; intermediate-risk, 35.9%; high-risk 77.6%) and validation datasets (10.2%, 28.9% and 50.4%, respectively). Thus, the SIMPLICITY score, based on easily available immune parameters, allows for stratification of kidney transplant recipients at month one according to their expected risk of subsequent infection

Efficacy of Metreleptin in Obese Patients With Type 2 Diabetes: Cellular and Molecular Pathways Underlying Leptin Tolerance

Objective: Metreleptin has been efficacious in improving metabolic control in patients with lipodystrophy, but its efficacy has not been tested in obese patients with type 2 diabetes. Research Design and Methods: We studied the role of leptin in regulating the endocrine adaptation to long-term caloric deprivation and weight loss in obese diabetic subjects over 16 weeks in the context of a double-blinded, placebo–controlled, randomized trial. We then performed detailed interventional and mechanistic signaling studies in humans in vivo, ex vivo, and in vitro. Results: In obese patients with diabetes, metreleptin administration for 16 weeks did not alter body weight or circulating inflammatory markers but reduced HbA$_{1c}$ marginally (8.01 $\pm$ 0.93–7.96 $\pm$ 1.12, P = 0.03). Total leptin, leptin-binding protein, and antileptin antibody levels increased, limiting free leptin availability and resulting in circulating free leptin levels of $\sim$50 ng/mL. Consistent with clinical observations, all metreleptin signaling pathways studied in human adipose tissue and peripheral blood mononuclear cells were saturable at $\sim$50 ng/mL, with no major differences in timing or magnitude of leptin-activated STAT3 phosphorylation in tissues from male versus female or obese versus lean humans in vivo, ex vivo, or in vitro. We also observed for the first time that endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in human primary adipocytes inhibits leptin signaling. Conclusions: In obese patients with diabetes, metreleptin administration did not alter body weight or circulating inflammatory markers but reduced HbA$_{1c}$ marginally. ER stress and the saturable nature of leptin signaling pathways play a key role in the development of leptin tolerance in obese patients with diabetes

Carnegie Supernova Project: The First Homogeneous Sample of Super-Chandrasekhar-mass/2003fg-like Type Ia Supernovae

We present a multiwavelength photometric and spectroscopic analysis of 13 super-Chandrasekhar-mass/2003fg-like Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia). Nine of these objects were observed by the Carnegie Supernova Project. The 2003fg-like SNe have slowly declining light curves (Δm 15(B) < 1.3 mag), and peak absolute B-band magnitudes of -19 < M B < -21 mag. Many of the 2003fg-like SNe are located in the same part of the luminosity-width relation as normal SNe Ia. In the optical B and V bands, the 2003fg-like SNe look like normal SNe Ia, but at redder wavelengths they diverge. Unlike other luminous SNe Ia, the 2003fg-like SNe generally have only one i-band maximum, which peaks after the epoch of the B-band maximum, while their near-IR (NIR) light-curve rise times can be ⪆40 days longer than those of normal SNe Ia. They are also at least 1 mag brighter in the NIR bands than normal SNe Ia, peaking above M H = -19 mag, and generally have negative Hubble residuals, which may be the cause of some systematics in dark-energy experiments. Spectroscopically, the 2003fg-like SNe exhibit peculiarities such as unburnt carbon well past maximum light, a large spread (8000-12,000 km s-1) in Si ii λ6355 velocities at maximum light with no rapid early velocity decline, and no clear H-band break at +10 days. We find that SNe with a larger pseudo-equivalent width of C ii at maximum light have lower Si ii λ6355 velocities and more slowly declining light curves. There are also multiple factors that contribute to the peak luminosity of 2003fg-like SNe. The explosion of a C-O degenerate core inside a carbon-rich envelope is consistent with these observations. Such a configuration may come from the core-degenerate scenario.Fil: Ashall, C.. University Hawaii Institute For Astronomy; Estados UnidosFil: Lu, J.. Florida State University; Estados UnidosFil: Hsiao, E. Y.. Florida State University; Estados UnidosFil: Hoeflich, P.. Florida State University; Estados UnidosFil: Phillips, M. M.. Las Campanas Observatory; ChileFil: Galbany, Lluís. Instituto de Ciencias del Espacio; EspañaFil: Burns, C. R.. Las Campanas Observatory; ChileFil: Contreras, C.. Las Campanas Observatory; ChileFil: Krisciunas, K.. Texas A&M University; Estados UnidosFil: Morrell, Nidia Irene. Las Campanas Observatory; ChileFil: Stritzinger, M. D.. University Aarhus; DinamarcaFil: Suntzeff, Nicholas B.. Texas A&M University; Estados UnidosFil: Taddia, F.. University Aarhus; DinamarcaFil: Anais, J.. Las Campanas Observatory; ChileFil: Baron, E.. Oklahoma State University; Estados Unidos. Universitat Hamburg; AlemaniaFil: Brown, P. J.. Texas A&M University; Estados UnidosFil: Busta, L.. Las Campanas Observatory; ChileFil: Campillay, A.. Universidad de La Serena; ChileFil: Castellón, S.. Las Campanas Observatory; ChileFil: Corco, C.. Las Campanas Observatory; Chile. Soar Telescope; ChileFil: Davis, S.. University of California at Davis; Estados UnidosFil: Folatelli, Gaston. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Astrofísica La Plata. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Astronómicas y Geofísicas. Instituto de Astrofísica La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Förster, F.. Universidad de Chile; Chile. Instituto Milenio de Astrofísica; ChileFil: Freedman, W. L.. University of Chicago; Estados UnidosFil: Gonzaléz, C.. Las Campanas Observatory; ChileFil: Hamuy, M.. Universidad de Chile; ChileFil: Holmbo, S.. University Aarhus; DinamarcaFil: Kirshner, R. P.. Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics; Estados UnidosFil: Kumar, S.. Florida State University; Estados UnidosFil: Marion, G. H.. University of Texas at Austin; Estados UnidosFil: Mazzali, P.. Liverpool John Moores University; Reino UnidoFil: Morokuma, T.. The University Of Tokyo; JapónFil: Nugent, P. E.. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory; Estados Unidos. University of California at Berkeley; Estados UnidosFil: Persson, S. E.. Las Campanas Observatory; ChileFil: Piro, A. L.. Las Campanas Observatory; ChileFil: Roth, M.. Las Campanas Observatory; ChileFil: Salgado, F.. Las Campanas Observatory; ChileFil: Sand, D.J.. University of Arizona; Estados UnidosFil: Seron, J.. Las Campanas Observatory; ChileFil: Shahbandeh, M.. Florida State University; Estados UnidosFil: Shappee, B. J.. University Hawaii Institute For Astronomy; Estados Unido