Gesture recognition through angle space

As the notion of ubiquitous computing becomes a reality, the keyboard and mouse paradigm become less satisfactory as an input modality. The ability to interpret gestures can open another dimension in the user interface technology. In this paper, we present a novel approach for dynamic hand gesture modeling using neural networks. The results show high accuracy in detecting single and multiple gestures, which makes this a promising approach for gesture recognition from continuous input with undetermined boundaries. This method is independent of the input device and can be applied as a general back-end processor for gesture recognition systems

A formal model of emotional-response, inspired from human cognition and emotion systems

In this paper, we used the formalisms of decision-making theory and theories in psychology, physiology and cognition to proposing a macro model of human emotional-response. We believe that using such formalism can fill the gap between psychology, cognitive science and AI, and can be useful in the design of human-like agents. This model can be used in a wide variety of applications such as artificial agents, user interface, and intelligent tutoring systems. Using the proposed model, we can provide for human behaviors like mood, personality and biological response in machines. This capability will enable such systems, to adapt their responses and behaviors. In situations where there are multiple ways for performing an action, this model can help with the decision making process

Physical fitness and cardiovascular endurance status of iranian elite female taekwondo athletes

The present study aimed to determine the anthropometric indices and aerobic and cardiopulmonary capacity of Iranian elite female taekwondo athletes and also to investigate the relationship between the anthropometric indices and the cardiopulmonary capacity of this group of athletes at national and championship levels. For this purpose, 33 elite female taekwondo athletes (12 at national and 21 at championship levels) participated in this study. The body fat percentage was measured by body impedance analyzer, and cardiopulmonary evaluation was performed using an incremental exercise test. Mean height, BMI (body mass index), and the body fat percentage were determined as 169.86 ± 6.74 cm, 20.89 ± 2.57 kg.m-2, and 22.54 ± 5.44, respectively. The rates of VO2max and VO2@AT in the Cardiopulmonary Exercise testing (CPET) were 48.95 ± 7.11 mL/kg.min and 60.43 ± 6.43, respectively. Correlation results showed that VO2max was negatively correlated with the body fat percentage (r =-0.50, P = 0.003), BMI (r =-0.40 P = 0.02), and weight (r =-0.35, P = 0.044). Furthermore, it was found that the age factor was negatively correlated with HRMAX in CPET test (r =-0.46, P = 0.007) and exercise hours per week (r =-0.37, P = 0.031). The findings of this study revealed that the rate of VO2max, as the index of aerobic capacity among elite female taekwondo athletes, was about 50 mL/kg.min. Normal BMI, which was similar to that of the other taekwondo elites in the world, and an acceptable body fat percentage were reported in our study, while the body fat percentage was relatively higher than that of the other elite female taekwondo athletes in the world. © 2020, Author(s)

Electrical activity of crystal defects in multicrystalline Si

Producción CientíficaUpgraded metallurgical-grade silicon solar cells with different ranges of efficiencies have been characterized by light-beam-induced current (LBIC) measurements. The interaction between grain boundaries and metallic impurities is studied for cells fabricated on wafers from different solidification heights of the ingot. A tight relation is observed between the electrical activity of the grain boundaries and the position of the wafer in the ingot, which is related to the impurity contamination. The presence of a large amount of metallic impurities enhances the electrical activity of the grain boundaries. The main features of the LBIC images are discussed in relation to the presence of metallic impurities.Junta de Castilla y León (project VA283P18)Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Competitividad (project ENE2017-89561-C4-3-R

Deep and shallow electronic states associated to doping, contamination and intrinsic defects in ε-Ga2O3 epilayers

Deep and shallow electronic states in undoped and Si-doped ε-Ga2O3 epilayers grown by MOVPE on c-oriented Al2O3 were investigated by cathodoluminescence, optical absorption, photocurrent spectroscopy, transport measurements, and electron-paramagnetic-resonance. Nominally undoped films were highly resistive, with a room temperature resistivity varying in the range 107- 1013 Ωcm depending on the carrier gas used during growth. Films grown with He carrier were generally more resistive than those grown with H2 carrier and exhibited a Fermi level located at about 0.8 eV below the conduction band edge, which tends to shift deeper with temperature. This can tentatively be attributed to the combined action of deep donors (probably carbon impurities and oxygen vacancies) and deep acceptors (Ga vacancies and related complexes), which compensate residual shallow donors. There are strong experimental hints that nitrogen also behaves as deep acceptor. Room temperature resistivity as low as 0.42 Ωcm and electron concentrations around 1018 cm−3 were obtained by silicon doping. Si was confirmed to act as shallow donor with sufficiently high solubility. A variable range hopping conduction was observed in a wide temperature interval in the n-type layers, and compensation by native acceptors also plays a major role on conduction mechanisms. Previous evaluations of curvature and anisotropy of the conduction band are confirmed, which allows for the estimation of the electron effective mass. The present experimental data are discussed considering the theoretical predictions for point defect formation in the ε-polymorph as well as literature data on extrinsic and intrinsic defects in β-Ga2O3

Allograft or autograft in skeletally immature anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: A prospective evaluation using both partial and complete transphyseal techniques

Objective: We compared autografts and allograft using partial and complete transphyseal anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction techniques among skeletally immature individuals. Methods: Male and females younger than 18 and 16 years old, respectively, diagnosed with ACL tear from April 2006 to March 2012 entered the study. One group had four-strand hamstring autograft, and the other had tibialis posterior allograft reconstruction. Those who had allografts either had hyper-laxity or recurvatum. Results: Achieved mean (± SD) 2000 International Knee Documentation Committee subjective score was not statistically different (P = 0.385) between allograft (n = 13) (84.3 ± 3.2) and autograft groups (n = 18) (85.6 ± 4.4). Mean Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) subscale Knee-Related Quality of Life at 2 years was 78.0 ± 7.2 and 75 ± 7.4 for allograft and autograft groups, respectively (p = 0.261). Mean 2-year KOOS subscale Sports and Recreation was 82.1 ± 5.8 and 84.8 ± 6.6 for allograft and autograft groups, respectively (p = 0.244). No patient reported instability, giving way, or locking of the knee. Pivot shift test was negative in all patients; however, a minor positive Lachman test was found in six cases (46) within the allograft group and seven cases (39) in the autograft group. One postoperative septic arthritis was documented in the autograft group. Conclusion: Considering existing concern that joint laxity and recurvatum are among the precursors of non-contact ACL injury in adolescents, bone-patellar-bone autografts are not applicable in this age group because of the open physis; furthermore, considering that hamstring autografts are insufficient (size thickness and stretchability), we recommend soft tissue allografts for ACL reconstruction in skeletally immature patients. © 2019 The Author(s)

Corticosteroids or platelet-rich plasma injections for rotator cuff tendinopathy: a randomized clinical trial study

Background: Studies evaluating the role of both corticosteroids and platelet-rich plasma (PRP) in the treatment of rotator cuff (RC) tendinopathies have been contradicting. We compared structural and clinical changes in RC muscles after corticosteroids and PRP injections. Methods: This is a randomized double-blind clinical trial. All individuals with diagnosis of RC tendinitis during 2014�2017 were considered. Individuals were randomly allocated to either receive PRP or corticosteroids. Overall, 3cc of PRP was injected within the subacromial joint and another 3cc was injected at the site of the tendon tear, under the guide of sonography. For the corticosteroid group, 1cc of Depo-medrol 40mg and 1cc of lidocaine (2) was injected within the subacromial joint. Results: Overall, 58 patients entered the study. Comparison of pain, range of motion (ROM), Western Ontario RC (WORC), Disability of Arm-Hand-Shoulder (DASH) scores, and supraspinatus thickness showed significant improvement during follow-ups in both groups (p<0.05). During 3 months of follow-up, pain improvement was significantly better within the PRP group during (from 6.66±2.26 to 3.08±2.14 and 5.53±1.80 to 3.88±1.99, respectively; p=0.023). Regarding ROM, the PRP group had significant improvement in adduction (20.50°±8.23° to 28°±3.61° and 23.21°±7.09° to 28.46°±4.18° for the PRP and corticosteroid groups, respectively; p=0.011) and external rotation (59.66°±23.81° to 76.66°±18.30° and 57.14°±24.69° to 65.57°±26.39°, for the PRP and corticosteroid groups, respectively; p=0.036) compared to the corticosteroid group. Conclusion: We found that PRP renders similar results to that of corticosteroids in most clinical aspects among patients with RC tendinopathies; however, pain and ROM may show more significant improvement with the use of PRP. Considering that the use of corticosteroids may be contraindicated in some patients and may be associated with the risk of tendon rupture, we suggest the use of PRP in place of corticosteroid-based injections among patients with RC tendinopathy. Trial registration: Clinical trial registration code: IRCT201302174251N9 © 2021, The Author(s)

Prevalence of Transfusion-transmitted Virus (TTV) infection and its association with renal posttransplantation complications in iran

Background: Transfusion-transmitted virus (TTV) is a single-stranded DNA virus. Renal transplant patients have a higher risk of TTV infection. Objective: To evaluate the prevalence of TTV and its correlation with post-renal transplantation complications in a population of Iranian patients. Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed on 120 renal transplant recipients. TTV infection in the peripheral blood samples was detected by semi-nested polymerase chain reaction (semi-nested PCR). Then, the relationship between TTV and renal post-transplant complications was examined. Results: 34.2 renal transplant recipients were positive for TTV. There was a significant correlation between the presence of TTV and diabetes, acute transplant rejection, and urinary tract infection. We did not find any direct correlation between the presence of TTV infection and hypertension, hyperlipidemia, respiratory tract infection, and cytomegalovirus infection. Conclusion: We found an increased rate of TTV infection in renal transplant recipients associated with post-transplantation complications. TTV may be an important risk factor for some post-renal transplantation complications. © 2018, Iranian Society for Organ Transplantation

GaAs/GaP quantum dots: Ensemble of direct and indirect heterostructures with room temperature optical emission

Producción CientíficaWe describe the optical emission and the carrier dynamics of an ensemble of self-assembled GaAs quantum dots embedded in GaP(001). The QD formation is driven by the 3.6% lattice mismatch between GaAs and GaP in the Stranski-Krastanow mode after deposition of more than 1.2 monolayers of GaAs. The quantum dots have an areal density between 6 and 7.6 × 1010 per cm−2 and multimodal size distribution. The luminescence spectra show two peaks in the range of 1.7 and 2.1 eV. The samples with larger quantum dots have red emission and show less thermal quenching compared with the samples with smaller QDs. The large QDs luminescence up to room temperature. We attribute the high energy emission to indirect carrier recombination in the thin quantum wells or small strained quantum dots, whereas the low energy red emission is due to the direct electron-hole recombination in the relaxed quantum dots.Comisión Europea (project FP7-ICT-2013-613024-GRASP