Solemate: A Music App for Runners

Solemate is a mobile application designed to enhance the running experience through music. Our feed-forward algorithm sets the runner’s pace by playing music that varies in tempo. By encouraging the user to match their steps to the beat, our application cultivates a run that feels natural and inspires intrinsic motivation, especially for the beginner runner

A computational framework for aesthetical navigation in musical search space

Paper presented at 3rd AISB symposium on computational creativity, AISB 2016, 4-6th April, Sheffield. Abstract. This article addresses aspects of an ongoing project in the generation of artificial Persian (-like) music. Liquid Persian Music software (LPM) is a cellular automata based audio generator. In this paper LPM is discussed from the view point of future potentials of algorithmic composition and creativity. Liquid Persian Music is a creative tool, enabling exploration of emergent audio through new dimensions of music composition. Various configurations of the system produce different voices which resemble musical motives in many respects. Aesthetical measurements are determined by Zipf’s law in an evolutionary environment. Arranging these voices together for producing a musical corpus can be considered as a search problem in the LPM outputs space of musical possibilities. On this account, the issues toward defining the search space for LPM is studied throughout this paper

Impact of rational and experiential thinking styles on interpersonal conflict resolution among young adults

This research aimed to find the relationship between thinking styles (rational or experiential) and interpersonal conflict resolution (ICR) in young adults. A sample of 99 females and 103 males, age range 18 to 40 years, was selected via convenient and snow-ball sampling. Thinking styles were assessed using Rational-Experiential Inventory-40, and ICR was measured using Conflict Resolution Questionnaire. Regression analysis was used to predict ICR based on thinking style covariates and several relevant demographic covariates, including gender and family birth order. Rational thinking style (RTS) was most prevalent among young adults and was the strongest predictor of ICR. In addition, gender was a significant predictor. These findings may help in coaching young adults toward a well-integrated personality by using rational thinking for effective ICR

Do consumer attitudes matter in capital markets? A study of mutual funds in Oman market

The financial sector particularly the mutual funds in Oman market have shown limited potential to attract consumers. Consumer attitudes towards financial investments have always been a challenge for the finance companies due to limited risk appetite of consumers which are largely attributed to both cognitive and affective components of attitude. Through a process of methodological triangulation data was collected from experts in the finance sector from a sample of 200 consumers. Pearson product moment correlation and standard multiple regressions through SPSS version 20 were used to study the hypothesized relationships in this study. This study throws light on critical variables that shape consumer attitudes towards mutual funds and recommends the scope for introducing new mutual funds which has significant implications on capital markets in Oman

Weather Based Photovoltaic Energy Generation Prediction Using LSTM Networks

Photovoltaic (PV) systems use the sunlight and convert it to electrical power. It is predicted that by 2023, 371,000 PV installations will be embedded in power networks in the UK. This may increase the risk of voltage rise which has adverse impacts on the power network. The balance maintenance is important for high security of the physical electrical systems and the operation economy. Therefore, the prediction of the output of PV systems is of great importance. The output of a PV system highly depends on local environmental conditions. These include sun radiation, temperature, and humidity. In this research, the importance of various weather factors are studied. The weather attributes are subsequently employed for the prediction of the solar panel power generation from a time-series database. Long-Short Term Memory networks are employed for obtaining the dependencies between various elements of the weather conditions and the PV energy metrics. Evaluation results indicate the efficiency of the deep networks for energy generation prediction

Constraints on dynamic stability during forward, backward and lateral locomotion in skilled football players

Abstract The aim of this study was to investigate effects of speed and plane of motion on stability during locomotion in skilled football players. Ten male national-level football players participated in this study to run forward, backward and in lateral directions on a treadmill at 80%, 100% and 120% of their preferred running speeds. The coordinate data of passive reflective markers attached to body segments were recorded using motion capture systems. Time series data obtained from the ankle marker were used for further analyses. The largest finite-time Lyapunov exponent and maximum Floquet multiplier were adopted to quantify local and orbital dynamic stabilities, respectively. Results showed that speed did not significantly change local and orbital dynamic stabilities in any of running patterns. However, both local and orbital dynamic stability were significantly higher in the secondary plane of progression. Data revealed that in running, unlike walking, stability in the direction perpendicular to the direction of running is significantly higher, implying that less active control is required in the secondary plane of progression. The results of this study could be useful in sports training and rehabilitation programmes where development of fundamental exercise programmes that challenge both speed and the ability to maintain stability might produce a tangible enhancement of athletic skill level

Quantifying foot placement variability and dynamic stability of movement to assess control mechanisms during forward and lateral running

Research has indicated that human walking is more unstable in the secondary, rather than primary plane of progression. However, the mechanisms of controlling dynamic stability in different planes of progression during running remain unknown. The aim of this study was to compare variability (standard deviation and coefficient of variation) and dynamic stability (sample entropy and local divergence exponent) in anterior–posterior and medio-lateral directions in forward and lateral running patterns. For this purpose, fifteen healthy, male participants ran in a forward and lateral direction on a treadmill at their preferred running speeds. Coordinate data of passive reflective markers attached to body segments were recorded using a motion capture system. Results indicated that: (1) there is lower dynamic stability in the primary plane of progression during both forward and lateral running suggesting that, unlike walking, greater control might be required to regulate dynamic stability in the primary plane of progression during running, (2) as in walking, the control of stability in anterior–posterior and medio-lateral directions of running is dependent on the direction of progression, and (3), quantifying magnitude of variability might not be sufficient to understand control mechanisms in human movement and directly measuring dynamic stability could be an appropriate alternative

Detection of Toxoplasma gondii from Native Cattle in Southwest of Iran

Abstract: Infections by protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii are prevalent worldwide in animals and human. T. gondii is the causative agent of toxoplasmosis, one of the most prevalent parasitic infections to humans and domestic animals. If first be during pregnancy, T. gondii may be transferred vertically by tachyzoites that are passed to the embryo via the placenta. T. gondii may be transmitted horizontally in three phases of the life cycle, ingesting infectious oocysts from the environment or tissue cysts or tachyzoites which are contained in gastrointestinal of many different animals. Transmission may also occur via tachyzoites contained in blood products, texture transplants or non-pasteurized milk. Like rest of the world toxoplasmosis is prevalent in Iran. The present study aimed to determine T. gondii isolates from native cattle in Chaharmahal Va Bakhtiari province located in south west of Iran by molecular methods. In this study, 155 blood samples were collected from native cattle. Genomic DNA was extracted using DNA extraction Kit (Cinna Gen, Iran) according to the manufacturer protocol and PCR was performed using specific primers (ITS-F and ITS-R). Sixteen (6.95%) cattle were positive to T. gondii infection. The positive control samples showed the excepted amplification product specific for T. gondii (171 bp). Although the present results showed relatively low prevalence of T.gondii infection in Chaharmahal Va Bakhtiari native cattle, control and eradication programs seem to be still necessary to prevent the prevalence of this infection factor and economic losses

Prediction Using LSTM Networks

Photovoltaic (PV) systems use the sunlight and convert it to electrical power. It is predicted that by 2023, 371,000 PV installations will be embedded in power networks in the UK. This may increase the risk of voltage rise which has adverse impacts on the power network. The balance maintenance is important for high security of the physical electrical systems and the operation economy. Therefore, the prediction of the output of PV systems is of great importance. The output of a PV system highly depends on local environmental conditions. These include sun radiation, temperature, and humidity. In this research, the importance of various weather factors are studied. The weather attributes are subsequently employed for the prediction of the solar panel power generation from a time-series database. LongShort Term Memory networks are employed for obtaining the dependencies between various elements of the weather conditions and the PV energy metrics. Evaluation results indicate the efficiency of the deep networks for energy generation prediction

Kinematics of Straight Right Punch in Boxing

The purpose of this study was to describe biomechanical parameters of head, upper and lower body extremities during a straight right punch throw related to performance and injury mechanism. Subjects were eight elite right-handed male (age 20.4 ± 2.1yrs; height 177.4 ± 8.5 cm; mass 70.4 ± 16.8 kg) amateur boxers. 3D motion analysis was used to assess the kinematics of the right side extremities and head. Ensemble averaging of time normalized kinematic parameters was used to have better visual inspection. Results showed a similar pattern between subjects with some considerable variation in some parameters that pointed out to individualized pattern in elite boxers. Investigation of lower body joints kinematics explained boxers throw punch using leg drive. Stretch-shortening cycle detected in the technique implies potential for performance enhancing using plyometrics. Head velocity measured in anterior-posterior and medial-lateral direction would intensify potential head injuries