Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Desktop animation of multiple human figures

Life Forms, a desktop system specifically designed to develop a full-motion specification for multiple human figures is described. The Life Forms application complements a general-purpose animation system with full modeling, rendering, and composition capabilities. The system supports this process from concept development through detailed choreography and composition to visualization of the final result. Normally, Life Forms' output serves as input to a general-purpose animation system, where an environment is added, body models may be elaborated, and rendering of final images occurs. The enhanced images are then transferred to videotape or film and go on to postproduction. Several concepts of human figure animation are reviewed in discussing Life Forms. <<ETX>>
Closing in on Chemical Bonds by Opening up Relativity Theory

This paper develops a connection between the phenomenology of chemical bonding and the theory of relativity. Empirical correlations between electron numbers in atoms and chemical bond stabilities in molecules are first reviewed and extended. Quantitative chemical bond strengths are then related to ionization potentials in elements. Striking patterns in ionization potentials are revealed when the data are viewed in an element-independent way, where element-specific details are removed via an appropriate scaling law. The scale factor involved is not explained by quantum mechanics; it is revealed only when one goes back further, to the development of Einstein’s special relativity theory.
Evaluation of Lead Toxicity in Erica andevalensis as an Alternative Species for Revegetation of Contaminated Soils

Although revegetation using native flora is a low cost way to stabilize soil and restore the landscape contaminated with metals, little is known regarding the Pb-tolerance of many of these species. For this purpose, we evaluated the tolerance of Erica andevalensis to Pb by growing plants in nutrient solutions with increasing concentrations of Pb (up to 100 μM). Plant growth and different physiological parameters were determined to ascertain tolerance to metal stress. Additionally, an electron microscopy study coupled with EDX-analysis was performed to get clues on the Pb uptake and translocation from roots into stem and leaves. The LOEC (the lowest observed effect concentration) of Pb was 40 μM while the IC50 (inhibition concentration) was 80 μM Pb. Chemical analysis revealed a root>stem>leaf accumulation pattern. There was a severe reduction in fresh biomass and chlorophyll concentration at the highest Pb dose. The SEM-EDX study indicated that Pb was mostly located in root epidermal tissues. The blockage of Pb on the root probably avoided its toxic effects by limiting Pb transport to other tissues.
Trends in general practice in the Waikato, 1979-80/1991-92, II: Social variations in service use and clinical activity.

AIMS To document trends in ethnic group and occupational class differences in the use of general practitioner services and in patterns of clinical activity for the Hamilton Health District of the Waikato over the period 1979-80 to 1991-92. METHODS The data are drawn from a baseline and a follow-up survey of general practice in the Waikato region representing a one per cent sample of all in-surgery, in-hours, week-day encounters at two points in time. The data were recorded by participating general practitioners in four collection weeks spaced over the period of a year. In total, 9468 and 10,235 patient encounter forms were completed respectively. RESULTS Over a period in which service availability and rates of medical contact grew, there was a relatively greater increase in utilisation among Maori and lower socioeconomic groups: between the two surveys the ratio of Maori to non-Maori rates increased from 0.8 to 1.0 and the ratio of visits for lower to higher socioeconomic groups grew from a differential of 2.5 to one of 3.1. More serious conditions apart, these changes seemed to occur uniformly regardless of the severity, amenability or susceptibility of the condition presented to the general practitioner. Changes in ethnic group and occupational class patterns of service activity almost exactly mirrored these trends. CONCLUSIONS A notable relative increase in rates of contact for primary medical care among Maori and lower socioeconomic groups seems to have accompanied the growth in the 1980s of the availability of general practitioner services in this region of New Zealand.
Anaesthesia induction in small mammal's using an instrumented anaesthetic chamber

Anaesthesia chambers are a method to induce an anaesthetic state to small mammals in laboratory procedures (e.g. mice), when animal handling can alter the outcome of the tests performed due to induced stress [1]. Loss of rightning reflex (LORR) and respiratory rate (RR) are parameters in which the technician relies to evaluate the anaesthesia depth on a visual evaluation. Piezoelectric elements have been successfully presented as a method to monitor vital signs, namely RR, in mice as a non-invasive method [2]. In previous work of this research team, an instrumented chamber with built-in piezoelectric sensors was presented and an accurate measure of the subject's RR was achieved [3]. The aim for this work is to present a preliminary integrated solution for LORR detection and RR monitoring, in order to be implemented in future anaesthesia studies. The tests were conducted on three white NMRI female mice's, aging 2 months old and weighing between 38.6 and 40.8g. Each mice was placed inside the chamber and the anaesthetic state was induced at a 5% isoflurane concentration (Isoflo, Esteve Farma Lda., Carnaxide, Portugal) in 100% oxygen at 1 L/min until LORR. Then, the anaesthesia delivery was interrupted, and 100% oxygen at a delivery rate of 2 L/min was provided until recovery of the reflex was observed. One piezoelectric KPSG-100 (30 Vp-p, 1.2±0.2 kHz, Kingstate) sensor was placed underneath the anaesthesia chamber's footholds. The sensor was connected to a Kistler 5073-A model charge amplifier (Kistler Corporation, NY, USA). The charge amplifier was configured using Kirstler's ManuWare software. The amplified signal output was then measured using a NI DAQ USB-6251, 16-bit, Multifunction I/O device (National Instruments, Austin, TX, USA) and filtered using a point-to-point 2nd order Butterworth band-pass filter with bandwidth from 0.5 Hz to 5 Hz, in a developed acquisition application in LabVIEW 2013 (National Instruments, USA). LORR detection was achieved through the implementation of an identification algorithm, regarding piezoelectric signal obtained through the mice movement within the chamber or from its breathing cycle. RR was calculated using a peak-to-peak detection algorithm. In the tests performed, it was possible to correctly identify the LORR moment and to achieve RR monitoring during the anaesthesia protocol (Fig 1.). RR variation due to the anaesthesia depth was also noticeable, from a lowering RR right after LORR, to a dissipation of anaesthetic until the moment of recovery. Comparing with the previous results [3], the implementation of the new setup enables a simple LORR detection method with an enhanced RR related signal amplitude (8 mVp-p to 32 mVp-p). Further tests are recommended to observe the system response to mice weight variations and positioning within the chamber. Nonetheless, with the respective validation, the presented system indicates a novel method for anaesthesia related studies and laboratory animal handling.
An Extendable Approach to Computer-Aided Software Requirements Engineering

The development of system requirements has been recognized as one of the major problems in the process of developing data processing system software. We have developed a computer-aided system for maintaining and analyzing such requirements. This system includes the Requirements Statement Language (RSL), a flow-oriented language for the expression of software requirements, and the Requirements Engineering and Validation System (REVS), a software package which includes a translator for RSL, a data base for maintaining the description of system requirements, and a collection of tools to analyze the information in the data base. The system emphasizes a balance between the use of the creativity of human thought processes and the rigor and thoroughness of computer analysis. To maintain this balance, two key design principles–extensibility and disciplined thinking–were foliowed throughout the system. Both the language and the software are easily user-extended, but adequate locks are placed on extensions, and limitations are imposed on use, so that discipline is augmented rather than decreased.
I find my way in a maze but not in my own territory! Navigational processing in developmental topographical disorientation.

OBJECTIVE Developmental Topographical Disorientation (DTD) is a selective difficulty in way-finding showed by individuals with normal intellectual ability. We aimed to clarify whether getting lost even in familiar contexts could be because of a variety of developmental deficits that may affect the acquisition of one or more navigational competencies. METHOD Two DTD individuals were submitted to neuropsychological assessment and MRI exam, to verify the absence of further cognitive deficits and brain abnormalities; navigational and visuospatial tasks, and Radial Arm Maze (RAM) paradigms to assess spatial competencies; and switching paradigms to assess backward inhibition processes in spatial- and no-spatial contexts. DTD performances were compared with those of controls matched for gender, age, and education. RESULTS DTD participants were not able to retrace a previously showed route, but they could recognize previously seen landmarks. They performed RAM paradigms without significant differences from controls and adopted complex navigational strategies as the cognitive mapping. It is interesting that DTD participants exhibited a peculiar alteration of Backward Inhibition, a mechanism that allows flexibly adapting to continuously changing environments. CONCLUSIONS These findings demonstrate that getting lost for DTD participants did not imply the lack of basic navigational strategies and was not related to visuospatial or spatial memory deficits. We discuss the hypothesis that Backward Inhibition might play a role in updating environment representation during navigation.
The Research of Scale-Free Sensor Network Topology Evolution Based on the Energy Efficient

Topology control is one of core key factors which can influence performance of wireless-sensor networks (WSN). So how to design topology structure with high reliable and survivability is becoming the important subject on wireless-sensor networks. For the issue, a topology evolution strategy based on scale-free network with energy efficient is proposed. First by clustering algorithm cluster nodes are distributed evenly. Then those nodes start evolving in accordance with random walk processes on scale-free network. Since some key factors such as residual energy of node and node degree are taken into account in evolving procedure, network topology obtains quality features such as load and energy balance. So the network is quite practical. Finally the simulation shows that network topology from the evolution algorithm have good robustness regardless of deliberate and random attack. Consequently robustness feature of wireless-sensor network under severe environment is satisfied.
Recovery of Odorants from an Olfactometer Measured by Proton-Transfer-Reaction Mass Spectrometry

The aim of the present study was to examine the recovery of odorants during the dilution in an olfactometer designed according to the European standard for dynamic olfactometry. Nine odorants in the ppmv-range were examined including hydrogen sulfide, methanethiol, dimethyl sulfide, acetic acid, propanoic acid, butanoic acid, trimethylamine, 3-methylphenol and n-butanol. Each odorant was diluted in six dilution steps in descending order from 4,096 to 128 times dilutions. The final recovery of dimethyl sulfide and n-butanol after a 60-second pulse was only slightly affected by the dilution, whereas the recoveries of the other odorants were significantly affected by the dilution. The final recoveries of carboxylic acids, trimethylamine and 3-methylphenol were affected by the pulse duration and the signals did not reach stable levels within the 60-second pulse, while sulfur compounds and n-butanol reach a stable signal within a few seconds. In conclusion, the dilution of odorants in an olfactometer has a high impact on the recovery of odorants and when olfactometry is used to estimate the odor concentration, the recoveries have to be taken into consideration for correct measurements.
Effect of slope and sciatic nerve injury on ankle muscle recruitment and hindlimb kinematics during walking in the rat

Slope-related differences in hindlimb movements and activation of the soleus and tibialis anterior muscles were studied during treadmill locomotion in intact rats and in rats 4 and 10 weeks following transection and surgical repair of the sciatic nerve. In intact rats, the tibialis anterior and soleus muscles were activated reciprocally at all slopes, and the overall intensity of activity in tibialis anterior and the mid-step activity in soleus increased with increasing slope. Based on the results of principal components analysis, the pattern of activation of soleus, but not of tibialis anterior, changed significantly with slope. Slope-related differences in hindlimb kinematics were found in intact rats, and these correlated well with the demands of walking up or down slopes. Following recovery from sciatic nerve injury, the soleus and tibialis anterior were co-activated throughout much of the step cycle and there was no difference in intensity or pattern of activation with slope for either muscle. Unlike intact rats, these animals walked with their feet flat on the treadmill belt through most of the stance phase. Even so, during downslope walking limb length and limb orientation throughout the step cycle were not significantly changed from values found in intact rats. This conservation of hindlimb kinematics was not observed during level or upslope walking. These findings are interpreted as evidence that the recovering animals adopt a novel locomotor strategy that involves stiffening of the ankle joint by antagonist co-activation and compensation at more proximal joints. Their movements are most suitable to the requirements of downslope walking but the recovering rats lack the ability to adapt to the demands of level or upslope walking.
Digital control of negative imaginary systems: a discrete-time hybrid integrator-gain system approach

A hybrid integrator-gain system (HIGS) is a control element that switches between an integrator and a gain, which overcomes some inherent limitations of linear controllers. In this paper, we consider using discrete-time HIGS controllers for the digital control of negative imaginary (NI) systems. We show that the discrete-time HIGS themselves are step-advanced negative imaginary systems. For a minimal linear NI system, there always exists a HIGS controller that can asymptotically stablize it. An illustrative example is provided, where we use the proposed HIGS control method to stabilize a discrete-time mass-spring system.
Dbf2 is essential for cytokinesis and correct mitotic spindle formation in Candida albicans

We have characterized the DBF2 gene, encoding a protein kinase of the NDR family in Candida albicans, and demonstrate that this gene is essential for cell viability. Conditional mutants were constructed by using the MET3 promoter to analyse the phenotype of cells lacking this kinase. The absence of Dbf2 resulted in cells arrested as large‐budded pairs that failed to contract the actomyosin ring, a function similar to that described for its Saccharomyces cerevisiae orthologue. In addition to its role in cytokinesis, Dbf2 regulates mitotic spindle organization and nuclear segregation as Dbf2‐depleted cells have abnormal microtubules and severe defects in nuclear migration to the daughter cell, which results in a cell cycle block during mitosis. Taken together, these results imply that Dbf2 performs several functions during exit from mitosis and cytokinesis. Consistent with a role in spindle organization, the protein localizes to the mitotic spindle during anaphase, and it interacts physically with tubulin, as indicated by immunoprecipitation experiments. Finally, DBF2 depletion also resulted in impaired true hyphal growth.
Shaping Political Attitudes: The Impact of Interpersonal Communication and Mass Media

PART ONE: PARADIGMS OF MEDIA AND INTERPERSONAL EFFECTS Introduction Media Influences in Politics Levels of Interpersonal Influence Levels of Analysis PART TWO: DYNAMICS OF SOURCE INTERACTION Multi-methodology Experimental Evidence of Interaction Media and Three Levels of Interpersonal Influence PART THREE: THE PROCESS OF POLITICAL COMMUNICATION EFFECTS Total Information Flow Conclusions
The reliability of the ITU-t p.85 standard for the evaluation of text-to-speech systems

An evaluation of the reliability of the ITU-T P.85 recommended standard for the evaluation of voice output systems was conducted using six English TTS systems. The P.85 standard is based on mean-opinion-score judgements of a listening panel on a number of rating scales. The study looked at how the ranking of the six systems on the scales varied across four different text genres and across two listening sessions. Rankings were also compared with a much simpler pair-comparison test across genres and listening sessions. For the ITU test a large degree of correlation was found across scales, implying that these were not really testing different aspects of the systems. There were surprisingly similar results across sessions, implying that listeners were indeed making real judgements. In comparison, the pair comparison test gave (almost) identical rankings for systems with far less variability, making statistically significant comparisons between systems possible, even across genres.
Conformational changes in surface structures of isolated connexin 26 gap junctions

Gap junction channels mediate communication between adjacent cells. Using atomic force microscopy (AFM), we have imaged conformational changes of the cytoplasmic and extracellular surfaces of native connexin 26 gap junction plaques. The cytoplasmic domains of the gap junction surface, imaged at submolecular resolution, form a hexameric pore protruding from the membrane bilayer. Exhibiting an intrinsic flexibility, these cytoplasmic domains, comprising the C‐terminal connexin end, reversibly collapse by increasing the forces applied to the AFM stylus. The extracellular connexon surface was imaged after dissection of the gap junction with the AFM stylus. Upon injection of Ca2+ into the buffer solution, the extracellular channel entrance reduced its diameter from 1.5 to 0.6 nm, a conformational change that is fully reversible and specific among the divalent cations tested. Ca2+ had a profound effect on the cytoplasmic surface also, inducing the formation of microdomains. Consequently, the plaque height increased by 0.6 nm to 18 nm. This suggests that calcium ions induce conformational changes affecting the structure of both the hemichannels and the intact channels forming cell–cell contacts.
A meta‐analysis of serotonin metabolite 5‐HIAA and antisocial behavior

During the past 25 years, researchers have examined the relationship between neurochemical variables and antisocial behavior in human adults, but none has been studied more intensely than the serotonin metabolite 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA). The goal of the current study was to employ meta-analytic procedures to quantitatively evaluate selected evidence on the relationship between 5-HIAA and antisocial behavior. It was expected that antisocial groups would show reduced cerebrospinal fluid 5-HIAA compared with non-antisocial groups. This study also aimed to assess moderators that could influence the relationship between 5-HIAA and antisociality. An electronic search and strict inclusion criteria identified 20 reports used in this meta-analysis. Results showed a significant overall mean effect size (ES = -.45,P lt .05) in the direction of lowered 5-HIAA in antisocial vs. non-antisocial groups. A significant moderating effect for age indicated that groups comprised of antisocial individuals younger than 30 years exhibited larger negative effect sizes (ES = -1.37,P lt .05) than groups with older subjects (ES = -.31, P lt .05). There were no moderating effects for gender, target of violence, history of suicide, and alcoholism. Age effects may help explain age-related declines in crime. The fact that effects did not differ based on other moderating variables supports models of reduced serotonin in antisocial individuals, regardless of type of crime or psychiatric problems.
News and Notes: Autobiography of a Schizophrenic (1951) and the postwar anti-psychiatric movement: 1946—51

Autobiography of a Schizophrenic , published in 1951, is one of the earliest examples of the fictional mental breakdown memoir written in English. Its unknown author should also be considered prophetic of the anti-psychiatry movement that would flourish a decade later in the 1960s. The anonymous author trusts to Christian salvation rather than humanism or nihilism, and thinks faith in God the schizophrenic's only secure remedy.
Effects of Wi-Fi (2.45 GHz) Exposure on Apoptosis, Sperm Parameters and Testicular Histomorphometry in Rats: A Time Course Study

Objective In today’s world, 2.45-GHz radio-frequency radiation (RFR) from industrial, scientific, medical, military and domestic applications is the main part of indoor-outdoor electromagnetic field exposure. Long-term effects of 2.45-GHz Wi-Fi radiation on male reproductive system was not known completely. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the major cause of male infertility during short- and long-term exposure of Wi-Fi radiation. Materials and Methods This is an animal experimental study, which was conducted in the Department of Anatomical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, IRAN, from June to August 2014. Three-month-old male Wistar rats (n=27) were exposed to the 2.45 GHz radiation in a chamber with two Wi-Fi antennas on opposite walls. Animals were divided into the three following groups: I. control group (n=9) including healthy animals without any exposure to the antenna, II. 1-hour group (n=9) exposed to the 2.45 GHz Wi-Fi radiation for 1 hour per day during two months and III.7-hour group (n=9) exposed to the 2.45 GHz Wi-Fi radiation for 7 hours per day during 2 months. Sperm parameters, caspase-3 concentrations, histomorphometric changes of testis in addition to the apoptotic indexes were evaluated in the exposed and control animals. Results Both 1-hour and 7-hour groups showed a decrease in sperm parameters in a time dependent pattern. In parallel, the number of apoptosis-positive cells and caspase-3 activity increased in the seminiferous tubules of exposed rats. The seminal vesicle weight reduced significantly in both1-hour or 7-hour groups in comparison to the control group. Conclusion Regarding to the progressive privilege of 2.45 GHz wireless networks in our environment, we concluded that there should be a major concern regarding the timedependent exposure of whole-body to the higher frequencies of Wi-Fi networks existing in the vicinity of our living places.