Automated Motion Synthesis for Virtual Choreography

In this paper, we present a technique to automati-cally synthesize dancing moves for arbitrary songs. Our current implementation is for virtual characters, but it is easy to use the same algorithms for entertainer robots, such as robotic dancers, which fits very well to this year’s conference theme. Our technique is based on analyzing a musical tune (can be a song or melody) and synthesizing a motion for the virtual character where the character’s movement synchronizes to the musical beats. In order to analyze beats of the tune, we developed a fast and novel algorithm. Our motion synthesis algorithm analyze library of stock motions and generates new sequences of movements that were not described in the library. We present two algorithms to synchronize dance moves and musical beats: a fast greedy algorithm, and a genetic algorithm. Our experimental results show that we can generate new sequences of dance figures in which the dancer reacts to music and dances in synchronization with the music

Combined Controllers that Follow Imperfect Input Motions for Humanoid Robots

Humanoid robots have the potential to become a part of everyday life as their hardware and software challenges are being solved. In this paper we present a system that gets as input a motion trajectory in the form of motion capture data, and produces a controller that controls a humanoid robot in real-time to achieve a motion trajectory that is similar to the input motion data. The controller expects the input motion data not to be dynamically feasible for the robot and employs a combined controller with corrective components to keep the robot balanced while following the motion. Since the system can run in real-time, it can be thought of a candidate for teleoperation of humanoid robots using motion capture hardware

Completeness of hepatitis, brucellosis, syphilis, measles and HIV/AIDS surveillance in Izmir, Turkey

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>According to the surveillance system in Turkey, most diseases are notified only by clinicians, without involving laboratory notification. It is assumed that a considerable inadequacy in notifications exists; however, this has not been quantified by any researcher. Our aim was to evaluate the completeness of communicable disease surveillance in the province of Izmir, Turkey for the year of 2003 by means of estimating the incidences of diseases.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Data on positive laboratory results for the notifiable and serologically detectable diseases hepatitis A, B, C, brucellosis, syphilis, measles and HIV detected in 2003 in Izmir (population 3.5 million) were collected from serology laboratories according to WHO surveillance standards and compared to the notifications received by the Provincial Health Directorate. Data were checked for duplicates and matched. Incidences were estimated with the capture-recapture method. Sensitivities of both notifications and laboratory data were calculated according to these estimates.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Among laboratories performing serologic tests (n = 158) in Izmir, 84.2% accepted to participate, from which 23,515 positive results were collected. Following the elimination of duplicate results as well as of cases residing outside of Izmir, the total number was 11,402. The total number of notifications was 1802. Notification rates of cases found in laboratories were 31.6% for hepatitis A, 12.1% for acute hepatitis B, 31.8% for brucellosis, 25.9% for syphilis and 100% for HIV confirmation.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>It was discovered that for hepatitis A, B, C, brucellosis and syphilis, there is a considerable under-notification by clinicians and that laboratory data has the potential of contributing greatly to their surveillance. The inclusion of laboratories in the surveillance system of these diseases could help to achieve completeness of reporting.</p

Brain function assessment in different conscious states

Background: The study of brain functioning is a major challenge in neuroscience fields as human brain has a dynamic and ever changing information processing. Case is worsened with conditions where brain undergoes major changes in so-called different conscious states. Even though the exact definition of consciousness is a hard one, there are certain conditions where the descriptions have reached a consensus. The sleep and the anesthesia are different conditions which are separable from each other and also from wakefulness. The aim of our group has been to tackle the issue of brain functioning with setting up similar research conditions for these three conscious states.Methods: In order to achieve this goal we have designed an auditory stimulation battery with changing conditions to be recorded during a 40 channel EEG polygraph (Nuamps) session. The stimuli (modified mismatch, auditory evoked etc.) have been administered both in the operation room and the sleep lab via Embedded Interactive Stimulus Unit which was developed in our lab. The overall study has provided some results for three domains of consciousness. In order to be able to monitor the changes we have incorporated Bispectral Index Monitoring to both sleep and anesthesia conditions.Results: The first stage results have provided a basic understanding in these altered states such that auditory stimuli have been successfully processed in both light and deep sleep stages. The anesthesia provides a sudden change in brain responsiveness; therefore a dosage dependent anesthetic administration has proved to be useful. The auditory processing was exemplified targeting N1 wave, with a thorough analysis from spectrogram to sLORETA. The frequency components were observed to be shifting throughout the stages. The propofol administration and the deeper sleep stages both resulted in the decreasing of N1 component. The sLORETA revealed similar activity at BA7 in sleep (BIS 70) and target propofol concentration of 1.2 μg/mL.Conclusions: The current study utilized similar stimulation and recording system and incorporated BIS dependent values to validate a common approach to sleep and anesthesia. Accordingly the brain has a complex behavior pattern, dynamically changing its responsiveness in accordance with stimulations and states. © 2010 Ozgoren et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd

Global Variation of Nutritional Status in Children Undergoing Chronic Peritoneal Dialysis : A Longitudinal Study of the International Pediatric Peritoneal Dialysis Network

While children approaching end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) are considered at risk of uremic anorexia and underweight they are also exposed to the global obesity epidemic. We sought to investigate the variation of nutritional status in children undergoing chronic peritoneal dialysis (CPD) around the globe. The distribution and course of body mass index (BMI) standard deviation score over time was examined prospectively in 1001 children and adolescents from 35 countries starting CPD who were followed in the International Pediatric PD Network (IPPN) Registry. The overall prevalence of underweight, and overweight/obesity at start of CPD was 8.9% and 19.7%, respectively. Underweight was most prevalent in South and Southeast Asia (20%), Central Europe (16.7%) and Turkey (15.2%), whereas overweight and obesity were most common in the Middle East (40%) and the US (33%). BMI SDS at PD initiation was associated positively with current eGFR and gastrostomy feeding prior to PD start. Over the course of PD BMI SDS tended to increase on CPD in underweight and normal weight children, whereas it decreased in initially overweight patients. In infancy, mortality risk was amplified by obesity, whereas in older children mortality was markedly increased in association with underweight. Both underweight and overweight are prevalent in pediatric ESKD, with the prevalence varying across the globe. Late dialysis start is associated with underweight, while enteral feeding can lead to obesity. Nutritional abnormalities tend to attenuate with time on dialysis. Mortality risk appears increased with obesity in infants and with underweight in older children.Peer reviewe

Performance of some apple cultivars and rootstocks in subtropical ecological conditions of Mediterranean region in Turkey

The subtropical ecology of the Mediterranean region in Turkey has an important potential based on precocity for both stone and soft fruits. The aim of this study is to determine the yield and fruit quality properties of some apple cultivars on dwarf (M9) and semi-dwarf (MM106) rootstocks under the subtropical ecological conditions. Harvesting date, yield and pomological characteristics of apple cultivars ‘Vista Bella’, ‘Jerseymac’, ‘Starking Delicious’, ‘Golden Delicious’, and ‘Granny Smith’ were determined. The highest yield per tree was recorded from trees on rootstocks MM106, whereas the highest yield per hectare was detected from M9 rootstocks. Fruit quality varied dependent on cultivars but rootstocks were effective only on TSS and fruit skin color such as L*, b*, C, and h°. There was not found any effect of rootstocks on the other fruit characteristics such as fruit weight, pH, fruit length, and firmness. Result of this study revealed that summer apple cultivars were found to be very promising on both rootstocks (M9 and MM106) in the subtropical ecological conditions of the Mediterranean region in Turkey