Quantifying conspicuousness and sexual dimorphism of the plumage in birds: a new approach

1997 ◽  
Vol 75 (12) ◽  
pp. 1972-1981 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yves de Repentigny ◽  
Henri Ouellet ◽  
Raymond McNeil
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Dimorphism ◽  
The Body ◽  
Human Vision ◽  
Long Distance ◽  
New Approach ◽  
Field Guides ◽  
Close Range ◽  
Colour System ◽  
High Degree ◽  
Munsell System

In studies of sexual selection in birds, it is necessary to quantify the conspicuousness and sexual dimorphism of the plumage. We present a method, based on the Munsell colour system, that is easier to use than spectroradiometric techniques. It is based on measurable and repeatable data, although it is dependent on human vision. It provides indices of sexual dimorphism and incorporates aspects of close-range and long-distance conspicuousness. Ten species of Emberezidae were chosen to illustrate the procedure, and it was tested using naive observers. It consists of dividing the body of a bird into regions and matching the colour of each region to chips in a colour guide. The following indices based on the parameters of the Munsell system were selected: value (V), chroma (C), and Munsell power (V∙C), which measure conspicuousness independently of the background; Wv, Wc, and Wv∙c, which measure the contrast between the colours in the plumage; Bv, Bc, and Bv∙c, which measure the contrast between the bird and its background; and Dv, Dc, and Dv∙c, which are the indices of sexual dimorphism of the plumage. There was a high degree of agreement among the naive observers, and the scores obtained using field guides did not differ significantly from those recorded on museum specimens. One of the dimorphism indices (Dv∙c) was found to give more information than the others. However, our results indicate that conspicuousness and dimorphism indices should not be used individually because they are interdependent, and that they should be used in conjunction with multivariate analyses. Also, the proposed method incorporates long-distance conspicuousness into the results.

Automated tongue area detection for computer‐aided diagnosis based on ASM and GA

Sensor Review ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 39-46 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhi Liu ◽  
Hongjun Wang ◽  
Wei Jiang
Keyword(s):  
The Body ◽  
New Approach ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Tongue Diagnosis ◽  
Human Tongue ◽  
Physiological Properties ◽  
Computer Aided ◽  
Point Distance ◽  
High Degree ◽  
Aided Diagnosis

PurposeThe human tongue is a unique organ that can be stuck out of the body for physical examination, and tongue diagnosis is very important in traditional Chinese medicine. Automated tongue area detection is crucial and indispensable for computer‐aided tongue diagnosis, but it is difficult to implement because of the physiological properties of the tongue. For example, as a non‐rigid organ, the tongue has a high degree of variability in size, shape, color, and texture. The purpose of this study is to address this problem.Design/methodology/approachThis paper presents a hybrid framework for tongue area detection based on active shape model and genetic algorithm with the prior knowledge of tongue shape deformation.FindingsA set of 612 tongue images was collected from both healthy and sick subjects. Using these images, the proposed method was compared with state‐of‐the‐art methods. The proposed method achieved an improvement of about 10 percent, 36 percent, and 6 percent over the existing methods in terms of mean Hausdorff distance, mean closest point distance, and Williams Index, respectively. The results demonstrate the efficacy of our proposed method in terms of both robustness and accuracy.Originality/valueThe proposed method gives a new approach for computer‐aided tongue diagnosis in medicine.

De se marking, logophoricity, and ziji

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hsiang-Yun Chen
Keyword(s):  
Blocking Effect ◽  
The Self ◽  
Critical Examination ◽  
Long Distance ◽  
Attitude Ascription ◽  
New Approach ◽  
De Se

This chapter addresses the assumed connection between de se attitude ascription and logophoricity in the case of Chinese ziji. It is widely believed that logophors are among the paradigm cases of de se marking, and that long-distance ziji is logophoric. Drawing on a critical examination of a variety of analyses, this chapter argues that long-distance anaphora, de se interpretation, and logophoric marking are overlapping but distinct phenomena. Even if ziji is logophoric, it does not automatically trigger de se requirement. A de se-neutral analysis of ziji is consistent with pragmatic derivations of interpretations that emphasize the self. The findings point to a new approach to long-distance binding, and identify the blocking effect as the key issue for further research.

scholarly journals Analysis of the Impact of a Multi-Strain Probiotic on Body Composition and Cardiorespiratory Fitness in Long-Distance Runners

Nutrients ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (12) ◽  
pp. 3758
Author(s):  
Joanna Smarkusz-Zarzecka ◽  
Lucyna Ostrowska ◽  
Joanna Leszczyńska ◽  
Karolina Orywal ◽  
Urszula Cwalina ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Composition ◽  
Cardiorespiratory Fitness ◽  
The Body ◽  
Double Blind Study ◽  
Distance Runners ◽  
Long Distance ◽  
Double Blind ◽  
Necrosis Factor Alpha ◽  
Total Body ◽  
The Impact

Use of probiotic supplements, the benefits of which have not been proven in sportspeople, is becoming more widespread among runners. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of a multi-strain probiotic on body composition, cardiorespiratory fitness and inflammation in the body. The randomised, double-blind study included 66 long-distance runners. The intervention factor was a multi-strain probiotic or placebo. At the initial and final stages of the study, evaluation of body composition and cardiorespiratory fitness was performed and the presence of inflammation determined. In the group of men using the probiotic, an increase in lean body mass (p = 0.019) and skeletal muscle mass (p = 0.022) was demonstrated, while in the group of women taking the probiotic, a decrease in the content of total body fat (p = 0.600) and visceral fat (p = 0.247) was observed. Maximum oxygen consumption (VO2max) increased in women (p = 0.140) and men (p = 0.017) using the probiotic. Concentration of tumour necrosis factor-alpha decreased in women (p = 0.003) and men (p = 0.001) using the probiotic and in women (p = 0.074) and men (p = 0.016) using the placebo. Probiotic therapy had a positive effect on selected parameters of body composition and cardiorespiratory fitness of study participants and showed a tendency to reduce inflammation.

scholarly journals Cardiovascular risks awareness in coaches and amateur athletes

2021 ◽  
Vol 28 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
A Markovich ◽  
O Mironova
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Cardiovascular Diseases ◽  
Heart Attack ◽  
Conflicts Of Interest ◽  
The Body ◽  
Treadmill Test ◽  
Cardiovascular Risks ◽  
Sports Cardiology ◽  
Long Distance ◽  
Endurance Sport

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: None. Background Regular physical activity is an important component of therapy for most сardiovascular diseases and is associated with reduced cardiovascular and all-cause mortality. The promotion of the physical activity and regular exercise is an important preventive measure that affects the prognosis. Purpose To assess the awareness of the prevalence of cardiovascular disease in exercising population and its influence on the safety of the patients and healthy adults among coaches and people actively engaged in sports activities. Methods An open non-randomized observation was conducted. The questionnaire created by our team included 45 questions about cardiovascular diseases and sport. 111 athletes and coaches aged from 19 to 46 were enrolled in the study. 61,5% (68) are men and 38,5% (42) of the respondents are women. 30,3% (33) of the respondents are coaches. 45,5% (15) of them have over 5 years of coaching experience. 44% (48) of all respondents prefer endurance sport, 25,7% (28) train strength exercise. 63,6% (70) train 3-8 hours per week, 12,7% (14 [7 women and 7 men]) train more than 8 hours each week. Results 18,5% (20 [6 women and 14 men]) think that ECG is enough for screening for cardiovascular diseases. 20% (4) of them are coaches. Only 69,5% (77) of all respondents know about treadmill test. And 41,6% (32/77) of them know about the necessary screening for arrhythmogenic condition. 13% (10/77) of them train more than 8 hours per week. And only 27,3% (21/77) of people who know about treadmill test, passed it themselves. Also 21,6% (24) of all respondents think that any episode of arrhythmia is the  contraindication for any sport. But 96,4% (107) of the respondents know that it is necessary to regularly screen the cardiovascular system, even in the absence of complaints. 9% (10) of the interviewed think that diet is not important for people with cardiovascular diseases. And 18,9% (21) of the respondents don’t know about the effect of electrolytes on the body and the work of the heart muscle. Only 53,2% (59 [21 women and 38 men]) of the respondents trust the doctors more than coaches or themselves. And this is one of the reasons why it is necessary to talk about the basic principles of sports cardiology not only to doctors. 8,1% (9) of the respondents have never heard about any cases of sudden death of an athlete during training or at competitions due to «heart problems». 63,6% (21) of the coaches would not train a person who has suffered a heart attack. 71,8% (56) of the sportsmen would like to return to training after a heart attack. Conclusions Despite the fact that most people prefer a sedentary lifestyle, high-intensity fitness and long-distance endurance sport is getting more popular. Our survey proves the relatively low level of education about the underlying health conditions and possible risks associated with sports not only among  athletes but  professional coaches as well. There are no conflicts of interest to declare.

scholarly journals TouchYou: A wearable touch sensor and stimulator for using our own body as a remote sex interface

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 147-160
Author(s):  
Leonardo Mariano Gomes ◽  
Rita Wu
Keyword(s):  
The Body ◽  
Haptic Interfaces ◽  
Long Distance ◽  
Human Relationships ◽  
Remote Transmission ◽  
Touch Sensor ◽  
Current State ◽  
Sex Toys ◽  
Wearable Interfaces ◽  
Electrical Muscle

AbstractIn this article, we present TouchYou, a pair of wearable interfaces that enable affective touch interactions with people at long-distance. Through a touch-sensitive interface, which works by touch, pressure and capacitance, the body becomes the own input for stimulating the other body, which has a stimulation interface that enables the feeling of being touched. The person receives an electrical muscle stimulation, thermal and mechanical stimulation that react depending on the touch sensed by the first interface. By using the TouchYou, people can stimulate each other, using their own body, not only for sexual relations at a distance but for the production of affection and another way of feeling. We discuss the importance of the touch for human relationships, the current state of the art in haptic interfaces and how the technology can be used for the affection remote transmission. We present the design process of the TouchYou sensitive and stimulation interfaces, with a contribution of a method for developing custom touch sensors, we explore usage scenarios for the technology, including sex toys and sex robots and we present the concept of using the body as a remote sex interface.

Comparative assessment of odontometric parameters for gender determination: A hospital based cross-sectional study

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 147-152
Author(s):  
Mosmi Lomi ◽  
Jonathan Daniel M
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Dimorphism ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Mean Value ◽  
The Body ◽  
Central Incisor ◽  
Maxillary Canine ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Mean Values ◽  
Gender Determination ◽  
Significant Difference

Determining gender is one of the most important procedure in forensics. Teeth are made of the most enduring mineralized tissues in the body, as such, they have an extraordinary resistance to putrefaction and the effects of external agents (physical, thermal, mechanical, chemical or biological) which makes them invaluable material for anthropological, genetic, odontologic and forensic examinations.i)To assess the degree of sexual dimorphism in maxillary canine using maxillary canine index, maxillary first molar and central incisor using mesiodistal (MD) and buccolingual/buccopalatal (BL) dimensions of the crown. ii) To determine the accuracy of maxillary canine index, first molar and central incisor dimensions (mesiodistal and buccolingual/buccopalatal) in determining sex.This study consisted of total 30 participants (males=15, females=15) of age group ranging from 20 to 35 yrs. Measurement of dimensions of selected teeth were performed on maxillary cast using digital Vernier caliper, resolution 0.01mm. Data thus obtained were analyzed statistically.The mean values of all the measurements in males were greater than females. There was statistical significant difference in mean value of bucco-lingual width of molar, mesiodistal width of canine (on left side, right side and average) and the inter-canine distance between males and females. The buccolingual width of molar showed the highest % of sexual dimorphism (5.33%) and the mesiodistal width of molar showed the least % of dimorphism (0.7%). Bucco-lingual width of molar posed the highest prediction accuracy for gender determination. We conclude that buccolingual width of maxillary first molar can be used to predict the gender when only teeth of maxillary arch are available for forensic examination.

The Shroud of Turin

1997 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 121-140
Author(s):  
Thaddeus J. Trenn ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Body Image ◽  
Scientific Evidence ◽  
The Body ◽  
Religious Art ◽  
Satisfactory Explanation ◽  
Marshall Mcluhan ◽  
Modern Age ◽  
Shroud Of Turin ◽  
High Degree ◽  
As If

The Shroud of Turin, a linen cloth with but a faint image, continues to capture the interest of many people of diverse beliefs. Although the measured age of the cloth is relatively recent, other scientific findings indicate an earlier provenance. Any firm conclusions regarding the cloth's history remain premature. No satisfactory explanation has been found as yet for how the image on the cloth was produced structurally or stylistically. Iconographic evidence suggests that the image was the source of facial peculiarities found in early works of religious art. The body image bears a striking yet preternatural correlation with Scriptural accounts of wounds. Curiously, the image on the cloth functions as a photographic negative, exhibiting a high degree of resolution, as if the original were produced in pixels. Despite serious efforts to discover some artistic origin md medium, scientific evidence points in the direction that it was not produced by hands. If it is tme that the medium is the message, as Marshall McLuhan wrote, then the Turin Shroud may be a parable for the modern age.

THE METHOD FOR EVALUATING ADAPTIVE CHANGES IN HUMAN MICROCIRCULATORY-TISSUE SYSTEMS

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 88-99
Author(s):  
A.V. DUNAEV
Keyword(s):  
Middle Finger ◽  
Analysis Data ◽  
The Body ◽  
Tissue Oxygen Saturation ◽  
Doppler Flowmetry ◽  
New Approach ◽  
Adaptive Changes ◽  
Palmar Surface ◽  
Tissue Systems ◽  
The Right

The work is aimed at developing a new approach to assessing adaptive changes in microcirculatory tissue systems when various loads are exerted on the body (sports or physiological stresses), based on the analysis of oscillations in microcirculatory blood flow and tissue oxygen saturation, measured by laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF) and tissue reflectance oximetry (TRO). The study involved eight healthy volunteers aged 21–49 years. Measurements were taken on the palmar surface of the middle finger of the right hand and the medial surface of the lower part of the forearm. The rhythmic oscillations of LDF and TRO were studied using wavelet analysis. Data analysis revealed resonant and synchronized oscillations in the LDF and TRO signals in the myogenic range as an adaptive change as a result of a reaction to physical activity and psychoemotional stress.

scholarly journals Body Flexibility Enhances Maneuverability in the World’s Largest Predator

2018 ◽  
Vol 59 (1) ◽  
pp. 48-60 ◽  
Author(s):  
P S Segre ◽  
D E Cade ◽  
J Calambokidis ◽  
F E Fish ◽  
A S Friedlaender ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Open Ocean ◽  
The Body ◽  
Long Distance ◽  
Active Surfaces ◽  
Aquatic Locomotion ◽  
And Performance ◽  
And Control ◽  
Blue Whales ◽  
Control Surfaces ◽  
Complex Trajectories

Abstract Blue whales are often characterized as highly stable, open-ocean swimmers who sacrifice maneuverability for long-distance cruising performance. However, recent studies have revealed that blue whales actually exhibit surprisingly complex underwater behaviors, yet little is known about the performance and control of these maneuvers. Here, we use multi-sensor biologgers equipped with cameras to quantify the locomotor dynamics and the movement of the control surfaces used by foraging blue whales. Our results revealed that simple maneuvers (rolls, turns, and pitch changes) are performed using distinct combinations of control and power provided by the flippers, the flukes, and bending of the body, while complex trajectories are structured by combining sequences of simple maneuvers. Furthermore, blue whales improve their turning performance by using complex banked turns to take advantage of their substantial dorso-ventral flexibility. These results illustrate the important role body flexibility plays in enhancing control and performance of maneuvers, even in the largest of animals. The use of the body to supplement the performance of the hydrodynamically active surfaces may represent a new mechanism in the control of aquatic locomotion.

scholarly journals Large elastic deformations of isotropic materials. I. Fundamental concepts

1948 ◽  
Vol 240 (822) ◽  
pp. 459-490 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
The Body ◽  
Elastic Behaviour ◽  
Stress And Strain ◽  
Elastic Deformations ◽  
Hooke’S Law ◽  
Widespread Agreement ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Hooke's Law ◽  
High Degree

The mathematical theory of small elastic deformations has been developed to a high degree of sophistication on certain fundamental assumptions regarding the stress-strain relationships which are obeyed by the materials considered. The relationships taken are, in effect, a generalization of Hooke’s law— ut tensio, sic vis . The justification for these assumptions lies in the widespread agreement of experiment with the predictions of the theory and in the interpretation of the elastic behaviour of the materials in terms of their known structure. The same factors have contributed to our appreciation of the limitations of these assumptions. The principal problems, which the theory seeks to solve, are the determination of the deformation which a body undergoes and the distribution of stresses in it, when certain forces are applied to it, and when certain points of the body are subjected to specified displacements. These problems are always dealt with on the assumption that the generalization of Hooke’s law is obeyed by the material of the body and that the deformation is small, i.e. the change of length, in any linear element in the material, is small compared with the length of the element in the undeformed state. Apart from the fact that the generalization of Hooke’s law is obeyed accurately by a very wide range of materials, under a considerable variety of stress and strain conditions, it has the further advantage that it leads to a mathematically tractable theory.

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