Shape up! Perception based body shape variation for data-driven crowds

Representative distribution of body shapes is needed when simulating crowds in real-world situations, e.g., for city or event planning. Visual realism and plausibility are often also required for visualization purposes, while these are the top criteria for crowds in entertainment applications such as games and movie production. Therefore, achieving representative and visually plausible body-shape variation while optimizing available resources is an important goal. We present a data-driven approach to generating and selecting models with varied body shapes, based on body measurement and demographic data from the CAESAR anthropometric database. We conducted an online perceptual study to explore the relationship between body shape, distinctiveness and attractiveness for bodies close to the median height and girth. We found that the most salient body differences are in size and upper-lower body ratios, in particular with respect to shoulders, waist and hips. Based on these results, we propose strategies for body shape selection and distribution that we have validated with a lab-based perceptual study. Finally, we demonstrate our results in a data-driven crowd system with perceptually plausible and varied body shape distribution

On the Influence of Magnetic Fields on the Structure of Protostellar Jets

We here present the first results of fully three-dimensional (3-D) MHD simulations of radiative cooling pulsed (time-variable) jets for a set of parameters which are suitable for protostellar outflows. Considering different initial magnetic field topologies in approximate $equipartition$ with the thermal gas, i.e., (i) a longitudinal, and (ii) a helical field, both of which permeating the jet and the ambient medium; and (iii) a purely toroidal field permeating only the jet, we find that the overall morphology of the pulsed jet is not very much affected by the presence of the different magnetic field geometries in comparison to a nonmagnetic calculation. Instead, the magnetic fields tend to affect essentially the detailed structure and emission properties behind the shocks at the head and at the pulse-induced internal knots, particularly for the helical and toroidal geometries. In these cases, we find, for example, that the $H_\alpha$ emissivity behind the internal knots can be about three to four times larger than that of the purely hydrodynamical jet. We also find that some features, like the nose cones that often develop at the jet head in 2-D calculations involving toroidal magnetic fields, are smoothed out or absent in the 3-D calculations.Comment: 13 pages, 3 figures, Accepted by ApJ Letters after minor corrections (for high resolution figures, see http://www.iagusp.usp.br/~adriano/h.tar

Fermi-LAT and Suzaku Observations of the Radio Galaxy Centaurus B

Centaurus B is a nearby radio galaxy positioned in the Southern hemisphere close to the Galactic plane. Here we present a detailed analysis of about 43 months of accumulated Fermi-LAT data of the gamma-ray counterpart of the source initially reported in the 2nd Fermi-LAT catalog, and of newly acquired Suzaku X-ray data. We confirm its detection at GeV photon energies, and analyze the extension and variability of the gamma-ray source in the LAT dataset, in which it appears as a steady gamma-ray emitter. The X-ray core of Centaurus B is detected as a bright source of a continuum radiation. We do not detect however any diffuse X-ray emission from the known radio lobes, with the provided upper limit only marginally consistent with the previously claimed ASCA flux. Two scenarios that connect the X-ray and gamma-ray properties are considered. In the first one, we assume that the diffuse non-thermal X-ray emission component is not significantly below the derived Suzaku upper limit. In this case, modeling the inverse-Compton emission shows that the observed gamma-ray flux of the source may in principle be produced within the lobes. This association would imply that efficient in-situ acceleration of the radiating electrons is occurring and that the lobes are dominated by the pressure from the relativistic particles. In the second scenario, with the diffuse X-ray emission well below the Suzaku upper limits, the lobes in the system are instead dominated by the magnetic pressure. In this case, the observed gamma-ray flux is not likely to be produced within the lobes, but instead within the nuclear parts of the jet. By means of synchrotron self-Compton modeling we show that this possibility could be consistent with the broad-band data collected for the unresolved core of Centaurus B, including the newly derived Suzaku spectrum.Comment: Accepted for publication in A&A. 11 page

A microfabricated sensor for thin dielectric layers

We describe a sensor for the measurement of thin dielectric layers capable of operation in a variety of environments. The sensor is obtained by microfabricating a capacitor with interleaved aluminum fingers, exposed to the dielectric to be measured. In particular, the device can measure thin layers of solid frozen from a liquid or gaseous medium. Sensitivity to single atomic layers is achievable in many configurations and, by utilizing fast, high sensitivity capacitance read out in a feedback system onto environmental parameters, coatings of few layers can be dynamically maintained. We discuss the design, read out and calibration of several versions of the device optimized in different ways. We specifically dwell on the case in which atomically thin solid xenon layers are grown and stabilized, in cryogenic conditions, from a liquid xenon bath

Relationship between dietary intake and erythrocyte PUFA in adolescents from a Western Australian cohort

Background: Population-based studies show that the intake of omega-3 (n-3) and omega-6 (n-6) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) are associated with a range of health conditions. Therefore, the reliability of food frequency questionnaires (FFQ) as rapid and easily accessible screening tools for PUFA intake deserve investigation. Objective: We aimed to assess the relationship between erythrocyte fatty acids and fatty acid intake collected using the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) food frequency questionnaire in an adolescent cohort. Design: A cross-sectional study using data from 1155 young adolescents participating in the 14-year follow-up of the Raine Study. Bland–Altman plots were used to determine the agreement between dietary intake and erythrocyte levels of each fatty acid. Results: The main dietary source of n-3 long-chain (LC) PUFA was ‘fresh fish’ (53% of total n-3 LC-PUFA). Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) showed the strongest correlation between erythrocyte and diet assessment (r = 0.274; p \u3c 0.001), whilst linoleic acid (LA) (r = 0.103; p \u3c 0.001) and arachidonic acid (AA) (r = − 0.06; p = 0.042) showed weaker correlations, with limits of agreement relatively narrow. Bland–Altman plots showed a dose-dependent bias between the FFQ fatty acid data and corresponding erythrocyte data. Conclusions: For the major n-3 and n-6 PUFA, dietary intakes derived from the FFQ showed weaker correlations and poorer agreement with erythrocyte levels, and the deviation between the two increased with higher intake levels

Measurement of constriction size distributions using three grain-scale methods

The grain-scale justification for empirical rules for granular filters has largely been based on simplified models of sphere packings. The development of discrete element modelling (DEM) and micro computed tomography (μCT) enables a more scientific appraisal of the void space within granular filter materials. The constrictions or pore throats that govern the filter’s performance can now be directly measured. However, definitive partitioning of the void space is not possible for realistic grain packings and so multiple methods, with differing theoretical bases, have been proposed to identify constrictions. This contribution compares three such methods, each of which results in a constriction size distribution (CSD). The methods considered are the triangulation based weighted Delaunay method (Reboul et al. 2010), a contact based method (O’Sullivan et al. 2015) and an image analysis method based on watershed segmentation (Taylor et al. 2015). Each model, along with its relative advantages is introduced. Then CSDs resulting from applying each model to the same virtual filter samples created using DEM are presented. It is shown that there is reasonable agreement despite the different basis of each approach. A consideration of empirical filter rules is carried out by normalising the full CSDs by the characteristic diameters typically used to represent the retention capacity of granular filters in design. It is shown that similar CSD curves are obtained for different particle size distributions (PSDs) when curves are normalised by characteristic diameters, irrespective of the method used to identify the constrictions. This gives fundamental support to filter rules using characteristic particle diameters to represent the filtration capability of granular filters

The endocannabinoid anandamide causes endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation in human mesenteric arteries

The endocannabinoid anandamide (AEA) causes vasorelaxation in animal studies. Although circulating AEA levels are increased in many pathologies, little is known about its vascular effects in humans. The aim of this work was to characterise the effects of AEA in human arteries. Ethical approval was granted to obtain mesenteric arteries from patients (n = 31) undergoing bowel resection. Wire myography was used to probe the effects and mechanisms of action of AEA. RT‐PCR was used to confirm the presence of receptor mRNA in human aortic endothelial cells (HAECs) and intracellular signalling proteins were measured using multiplex technology. AEA caused vasorelaxation of precontracted human mesenteric arteries with an Rmax of ∼30%. A synthetic CB1 agonist (CP55940) caused greater vasorelaxation (Rmax ∼60%) while a CB2 receptor agonist (HU308) had no effect on vascular tone. AEA-induced vasorelaxation was inhibited by removing the endothelium, inhibition of nitric oxide (NO) synthase, antagonising the CB1 receptor and antagonising the proposed novel endothelial cannabinoid receptor (CBe). AEA‐induced vasorelaxation was not affected by CB2 antagonism, by depleting sensory neurotransmitters, or inhibiting cyclooxygenase activity. RT‐PCR showed CB1 but not CB2 receptors were present in HAECs, and AEA and CP55940 had similar profiles in HAECs (increased phosphorylation of JNK, NFκB, ERK, Akt, p70s6K, STAT3 and STAT5). Post hoc analysis of the data set showed that overweight patients and those taking paracetamol had reduced vasorelaxant responses to AEA. These data show that AEA causes moderate endothelium-dependent, NO-dependent vasorelaxation in human mesenteric arteries via activation of CB1 receptors