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1
Ferguson, Elizabeth. "Humans." Pitzer College, 2009. http://ccdl.libraries.claremont.edu/u?/stc,58.
Full text
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Rotger, Moll Gemma. "Lifelike Humans: Detailed Reconstruction of Expressive Human Faces." Doctoral thesis, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 2021. http://hdl.handle.net/10803/671306.
Full textAbstract:
El desenvolupament de personatges digitals semblants a les persones és una
tasca difícil, ja que els humans estem acostumats a reconèixer-nos entre nosaltres i
trobar els CGI poc humanitzats. Per complir els estàndards de les produccions de
videojocs i pel·lícules digitals és necessari modelar i animar aquests personatges el
més proper als éssers humans. Tanmateix, és una tasca difícil i cara, ja que requereix
molts artistes i especialistes treballant en un sol personatge. Per tant, per complir
aquests requisits, trobem la creació automàtica de cares detallades mitjançant setups
de baix cost una opció interessant per estudiar. En aquest treball, desenvolupem
tècniques noves per aconseguir cares detallades combinant diferents aspectes que
destaquen a l’hora de desenvolupar personatges realistes, detalls de la pell, pèls i
expressions facials i microexpressions. Examinem cadascuna de les àrees esmentades
amb l’objectiu de recuperar-les automàticament sense interacció de l’usuari ni dades
de aprenentatge. Estudiem els problemes buscant la seva robustesa, però també la
simplicitat de la configuració, preferint solucions basades en una sola imatge amb
il·luminació incontrolada i mètodes que es poden calcular fàcilment amb un ordinador
portàtil estàndard. Una cara detallada amb arrugues i detalls de la pell és vital per
desenvolupar un personatge realista. En aquest treball, introduïm el nostre mètode
per descriure automàticament les arrugues facials de la imatge i transferir-les a la cara
base recuperada. A continuació, avancem a la recuperació del cabell facial mitjançant
la resolució d’un problema de parametrització amb un nou model de cabell facial.
Per últim, desenvolupem una funció de mapatge que permet transferir expressions i
microexpressions entre diferents malles facials, que proporciona animacions realistes a
la nostra cara detallada. Cobrim tots els punts esmentats parant atenció als aspectes clau
com (i) com descriure les arrugues facials d’una manera senzilla, (ii) com recuperar
3D a partir de deteccions 2D, (iii) com recuperar i modelar el cabell facial a partir de
2D a 3D, (iv) com transferir expressions entre models amb detalls de la pell i cabells
facials, (v) com realitzar totes les accions descrites sense dades d’aprenentatge ni
interacció de l’usuari. En aquest treball, presentem les nostres propostes per resoldre
aquests aspectes amb una configuració eficient i senzilla. Validem el nostre treball amb
diversos conjunts de dades tant sintètiques com reals, obtenint resultats remarcables
fins i tot en casos tan difícils com oclusions per ulleres, barbes denses, inclús treballant
amb diferents topologies facials com ciclops d’un sol ull.Desarrollar personajes digitales similares a los humanos es un reto, ya que los humanos estamos acostumbrados a reconocernos entre nosotros y a encontrar a los CGI poco humanos. Para cumplir con los estándares de las producciones de videojuegos y películas digitales, es necesario modelar y animar a estos personajes de la manera más parecida posible a los humanos. Sin embargo, es una tarea ardua y costosa, ya que se requiere a muchos artistas y especialistas trabajando en un solo personaje. Por lo tanto, para cumplir con estos requisitos, encontramos la creación automática de CGIs detallados a través de setups económicos una opción interesante para estudiar. En este trabajo, desarrollamos técnicas novedosas para conseguir personajes detallados combinando diferentes aspectos que se destacan al desarrollar el realismo como detalles de la piel, pelos faciales, expresiones y microexpresiones. Examinamos cada una de las áreas mencionadas con el objetivo de recuperar cada una de las partes automáticamente sin interacción del usuario ni datos para el aprendizaje. Estudiamos los problemas buscando su robustez, pero también la simplicidad de la configuración, prefiriendo soluciones que requieren una sola imagen con iluminación no controlada y cálculos que pueden obtenerse con la comodidad de un ordenador portátil estándar. Una cara detallada con arrugas y detalles de la piel es vital para desarrollar un personaje realista. En este trabajo, presentamos nuestro método para describir automáticamente las arrugas faciales en la imagen y transferirlas a la cara base recuperada. Luego proponemos la recuperación del vello facial resolviendo un problema de ajuste de parámetros con un nuevo modelo de vello facial parametrizable. Por último, introducimos una función de mapeo que permite transferir expresiones y microexpresiones entre diferentes mallas, lo que proporciona animaciones realistas a nuestra cara detallada. Cubrimos todos los puntos mencionados con el enfoque puesto en aspectos clave como (i) cómo describir las arrugas faciales de una manera simple y directa, (ii) cómo recuperar 3D a partir de las detecciones 2D, (iii) cómo recuperar y modelar el vello facial de 2D a 3D, (iv) cómo transferir expresiones entre modelos que contienen tanto el detalle de la piel como el vello facial, (v) cómo realizar todas las acciones descritas sin datos de entrenamiento ni interacción del usuario. En este trabajo, presentamos nuestras propuestas para resolver estos aspectos con una configuración eficiente y simple. Validamos nuestro trabajo con varios conjuntos de datos, tanto sintéticos como reales, demostrando resultados notables incluso en casos desafiantes como oclusiones por gafas, barbas densas y, incluso, trabajando con diferentes topologías faciales como cíclopes de un solo ojo.
Developing human-like digital characters is a challenging task since humans are used to recognizing our fellows, and find the computed generated characters inadequately humanized. To fulfill the standards of the videogame and digital film productions it is necessary to model and animate these characters the most closely to human beings. However, it is an arduous and expensive task, since many artists and specialists are required to work in a single character. Therefore, to fulfill these requirements we found an interesting option to study the automatic creation of detailed characters through inexpensive setups. In this work, we develop novel techniques to bring detailed characters by combining different aspects that stand out when developing realistic characters, skin detail, facial hairs, expressions, and microexpressions. We examine each of the mentioned areas with the aim of automatically recover each of the parts without user interaction nor training data. We study the problems for their robustness but also for the simplicity of the setup, preferring single-image with uncontrolled illumination and methods that can be easily computed with the commodity of a standard laptop. A detailed face with wrinkles and skin details is vital to develop a realistic character. In this work, we introduce our method to automatically describe facial wrinkles on the image and transfer to the recovered base face. Then we advance to the facial hair recovery by resolving a fitting problem with a novel parametrization model. As of last, we develop a mapping function that allows transfer expressions and microexpressions between different meshes, which provides realistic animations to our detailed mesh. We cover all the mentioned points with the focus on key aspects as (i) how to describe skin wrinkles in a simple and straightforward manner, (ii) how to recover 3D from 2D detections, (iii) how to recover and model facial hair from 2D to 3D, (iv) how to transfer expressions between models holding both skin detail and facial hair, (v) how to perform all the described actions without training data nor user interaction. In this work, we present our proposals to solve these aspects with an efficient and simple setup. We validate our work with several datasets both synthetic and real data, prooving remarkable results even in challenging cases as occlusions as glasses, thick beards, and indeed working with different face topologies like single-eyed cyclops.
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Klein, Alex C. (Alex Charles). "Whole human design : designing for Humans, not Users." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2018. https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/122887.
Full textAbstract:
Thesis: S.M. in Engineering and Management, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, System Design and Management Program, 2018Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.
Includes bibliographical references (pages 134-136).
In the past ten years, the Human-Centered Design methodology has exploded--permeating our organizational and academic worlds and becoming one of the most sought-after skills. The user-first mantra has become widely accepted and internalized. Develop empathy! Find users in their natural habitat! Design for their needs, not yours! Despite its vast popularity, I believe there is a great flaw and irony in the way we practice Human-Centered Design today: without the human. Though a human perceives his/her life as a dynamic whole (Gestalt Theory), we reduce him/her to a 'user', a shard of his/her full Self. This thesis explores the foundations of a new methodology, Whole Human Design[superscript TM], that seeks to re-unify the human and equip us to design for users in the context of their whole humanness. To that end, this thesis first seeks a usable definition of the Human and our human needs, by exploring a wide range of philosophical and psychological perspectives-from material/atomistic definitions (like those found in Behaviorism) to Phenomenology-inspired definitions (Existentialism, Humanistic Psychology, Positive Psychology) to Religious perspectives. From there, based on an ethnographic research with 50 individuals, this thesis introduces a design framework, the Periodic Table of Human Elements[superscript TM], a tool to connect functional and latent needs of a user to his/her deeper human roots. Finally, in order to illustrate how this methodology can be practiced, this thesis presents a case study of how Whole Human Design was used to solve a $300B real-world problem, medication adherence.
by Alex C. Klein.
S.M. in Engineering and Management
S.M.inEngineeringandManagement Massachusetts Institute of Technology, System Design and Management Program
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Föhr, Stephanie. "Beyond human (self-) care : Exploring fermentation as a practice of caring with humans, non-humans and the planet Earth." Thesis, Linnéuniversitetet, Institutionen för design (DE), 2020. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:lnu:diva-96699.
Full textAbstract:
The present thesis deals with the playful exploration of fermentation as a practice of care. Fermentation has a lot of positive impacts and can be seen as a practice of care in relation to human self-care, caring with human others, relationships to non-human beings, like microorganisms, and caring with the planet Earth. Based on the question ‘What can game design do to explore fermentation as a practice beyond human (self-) care?’ I developed an Online Fermentation Game. The game functioned as a conversational framework to explore together with co-creators the possibilities of more careful and sustainability-oriented food practices on the example of fermentation. The game involved the step by step and hands-on fermentation of fruits and vegetables while exploring the complexity of care in relation to fermentation. With this project, I aimed to offer a co-learning space to explore together with co-learners the possibilities of more careful and sustainable food practices on the example of fermentation in a playful way. To create a dialogue about more than human care in relation to food, in particular fermentation. To inspire the co-learners to question their relationships around food and discover which actors to care with. Beyond this project and in a larger context, I aim for a paradigm shift from the individualistic human benefit towards a notion of more than human care. This shift can make a huge difference regarding a more sustainability-oriented future of food. With this thesis project, I strived to make a small contribution to this long term vision. Starting from the human need for healthy food, the blind spot of acknowledging fermentation as a sustainability-oriented practice beyond human care, that the majority of other fermentation workshops is missing, was explored in a playful way. The global Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic that this project happened to be situated in challenged me in creating a safe and comfortable co-learning space. Therefore, this project focused on creating a digital- and home-based game experience. To hand over, other design practitioners and change agents can apply and transform the game as part of their fermentation projects. On a broader perspective, the concept of this explorative design game can be adapted inside but also outside the food sector. The project serves as inspiration for a playful and at the same time careful approach to design and change-making. Moreover, it shows an example of shifting community spaces provoked by crises.
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Campà, i. Molist Joan Enric. "El problema de la fundamentación filosófica de los Derechos Humanos: una genealogía y respuesta desde el pensamiento de Emmanuel Lévinas." Doctoral thesis, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 2021. http://hdl.handle.net/10803/673263.
Full textAbstract:
La humanitat, sofrint la imperant necessitat de fonamentar filosòficament els drets humans, es troba obligat a rescatar i repensar les propostes d'un valuós firmament filosòfic. Davant de tal exigència, es presenta una genealogia del «principi de justícia», entès com a nucli dels drets humans, per desbancar les fonamentacions heretades. Seguidament, i ja situats en un escenari regnat per l'obsolescència teòrica i les seves terribles conseqüències, es presenta la fórmula ètica d'Emmanuel Lévinas per concebre els drets humans com a drets de l'altre humà; es proposa l'alteritat transcendental com la senda de coneixement i revelació de el contingut del entès, avui dia, com a drets humans.La humanidad, sufriendo la imperante necesidad de fundamentar filosóficamente los derechos humanos, se halla obligado a rescatar y repensar las propuestas de un valioso firmamento filosófico. Ante tal exigencia, se presenta una genealogía del «principio de justicia», entendido como núcleo de los derechos humanos, para desbancar las fundamentaciones heredadas. Seguidamente, y ya ubicados en un escenario reinado por la obsolescencia teórica y sus terribles consecuencias, se presenta la fórmula ética de Emmanuel Lévinas para concebir los derechos humanos como derechos del otro humano; se propone la otredad transcendental como la senda de conocimiento y revelación del contenido de lo entendido, hoy día, como derechos humanos.
Enduring the prevailing necessity to philosophically fundament the human rights, humanity is obliged to salvage and reconsider the propositions of a valuable philosophical foundation. Confronted with such a demand, one «principle of justice» genealogy —understood as the human rights' core — is presented to supplant the inherited foundations. Following this —and already located in a scene ruled by theorical obsolescence and its terrible consequences", Emmanuel Lévinas' ethical formula is presented to conceive human rights as the rights of the other human; the transcendental otherness is proposed as the pathway of knowledge and the revelation of what is known at this time as Human Rights.
Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Programa de Doctorat en Filosofia
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Perrons, Christopher John. "Papovaviruses in humans." Thesis, University College London (University of London), 2001. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.368850.
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Parriego, Beltran Mònica. "Multinucleació en embrions humans preimplantacionals." Doctoral thesis, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/10803/382842.
Full textAbstract:
La presència de dos o més nuclis en una cèl·lula embrionària es defineix com a
multinucleació i va ser descrita per primera vegada en embrions humans cultivats in
vitro per Tesarik i col.laboradors al 1987 (Tesarik et al., 1987). Es considera que un
embrió és multinucleat quan s’ha observat més d’un nucli en alguna de les seves
cèl·lules en qualsevol moment del seu desenvolupament. Aquesta característica
embrionària es considera patològica i s’associa a mal pronòstic reproductiu.
La multinucleació pot generar-se per errors en el procés de divisió mitòtica o per
fragmentació del nucli i pot donar lloc patrons de multinucleació diferents: binucleació
(2 nuclis) o multi/micronucleació (>2 nuclis). Diversos autors han descrit una associació
entre multinucleació i morfologia embrionària compromesa que es tradueix en una
menor capacitat de desenvolupament d’aquests embrions quan es cultiven fins a
l’estadi de blastocist (Alikani et al., 2000; Yakin et al., 2005). A més, aquests embrions
exhibeixen una constitució cromosòmica anormal amb més freqüència.
Per tot això, i malgrat s’han descrit naixements sans a partir de la transferència
d’embrions multinucleats, la transferència d’aquests embrions en els cicles de
Fecundació in vitro sol realitzar-se només quan no n’hi ha d’altres disponibles.
En el nostre treball s’han analitzat les característiques de 763 cicles de FIV-ICSI amb i
sense embrions multinucleats a la cohort. S’han comparat les característiques dels
cicles i de les pacients dels dos grups.
En segon lloc, s’han analitzat les característiques de 1312 embrions multinucleats.
S’ha determinat la seva incidència, el moment d’aparició de la multinucleació i els
patrons de multinucleació. S’ha analitzat els paràmetres morfocinètics dels embrions
multinucleats comparant-los amb els d’embrions sense signes de multinucleació i
s’ha avaluat la capacitat de desenvolupament fins a blastocist dels embrions
multinucleats. S’han analitzat els resultats clínics dels embrions multinucleats que
han estat transferits.
A partir de les dades obtingudes de 199 cicles de Screening genètic
preimplantacional s’ha determinat la constitució cromosòmica dels embrions
multinucleats i s’ha comparat amb l’observada en embrions sense multinucleació
Els nostres resultats han mostrat que, tot i les millores recents del cultiu in vitro, la
multinucleació embrionària segueix essent un fenomen freqüent en els cicles de FIV.
(23.6%). En els cicles de FIV, el nombre d’oòcits recuperats en la punció fol·licular
s'associa a presència de multinucleació, però la presència d’embrions multinucleats
en una cohort no té un efecte negatiu en el pronòstic del cicle. La tecnologia de
monitorització dinàmica de la morfologia embrionària incorporada als laboratoris de
reproducció assistida darrerament possibilita una millor detecció de la
multinucleació i ha mostrat que embrions amb aquestes característiques mostren
una morfocinètica alterada. Amb aquest treball, s’ha confirmat una menor capacitat
per assolir l’estadi de blastocist i una major incidència d’anomalies cromosòmiques
dels embrions multinucleats, tot i que els embrions multinucleats euploides que
assoleixen l’estadi de blastocist tenen la mateixa capacitat d'implantació que els
blastocists euploides no multinucleats. Per últim, s’ha pogut concloure que el cultiu
dels embrions multinucleats fins a l'estadi de blastocist permet la selecció dels
potencialment viables.Abnormalities in the number of nuclei in cells from cleaving human embryos was demonstrated as early as 1987 (Tesarik et al., 1987) and it is known as multinucleation. Errors in the mitotic process or nuclear fragmentation can both lead to multinucleation. This phenomenon has been correlated with impaired cleavage, high rate of chromosomal abnormalities, diminished embryo developmental potential, lower implantation, clinical pregnancy and birth rate. In our study, we analyzed the characteristics of ICSI cycles with and without multinucleated embryos. Second, morphokinetic characteristics and developmental ability of multinucleated and non-multinucleated embryos were compared. And finally, data from 199 preimplantation genetic screening cycles was used to analyze the chromosomal constitution of multinucleated embryos. Our results have shown that although recent improvements in culture conditions have been introduced in assisted reproduction laboratories, multinucleation is still a common phenomenon in IVF cycles. Patients with multinucleated embryos had a higher number of oocytes retrieved when compared with patient without multinucleated embryos. Nevertheless, the presence of multinucleated embryos does not compromise the reproductive outcome of the ICSI cycle. Dynamic evaluation of embryo development performed with time-lapse technology allowed a better detection of the multinucleation phenomenon, and altered morphokinetics has been detected in these embryos. Data obtained has confirmed a diminished developmental ability to reach the blastocyst stage as well as increased incidence of chromosomal abnormalities has been confirmed from our results. Nevertheless, euploid blastocysts derived from multinucleated embryos have high implantation potential. Culture of multinucleated embryos to the blastocyst stage allows the selection of those potentially viable.
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Islas, Ramírez Omar Adair. "Learning Robot Interactive Behaviors in Presence of Humans and Groups of Humans." Thesis, Paris 6, 2016. http://www.theses.fr/2016PA066632/document.
Full textAbstract:
Au fil des dernières années les robots ont fait partie de notre quotidien. Même si nous ne les voyons pas, nous dépendons d'eux pour construire nos ordinateurs, téléphones mobiles, voitures, etcetera. Les robots sont utilisés aussi pour l'organisation des produits dans les usines. Un autre domaine de croissance est la robotique sociale. Nous pouvons voir des études tel que des robots d'aide aux enfants autistes. Il y a aussi des robots qui sont utilisés pour accueillir des personnes dans des hôtels ou dans centres commerciaux pour interagir avec les gens. Ainsi, le robot doit comprendre le comportement des personnes. Et, pour les robots mobiles, il faut savoir comment naviguer dans l'environnement humain. En ce qui concerne les environnements humains, ce travail explore la navigation acceptable socialement des robots en direction de personnes. Pour donner un exemple, quand un robot s'approche d'une personne, il ne doit pas traiter la personne comme un obstacle. Car si cette dernière est traitée comme un obstacle, le robot s'approcherait d'elle sans prendre en compte son espace personnel, ce qui la gênerait. Une personne est une entité qui doit être pris en compte sur la base des normes sociales que nous (en tant que personnes) utilisons tous les jours. Dans cette thèse, nous explorons comment un robot s'approche d'une personne. Celle-ci peut-être gênée si quelque chose ou quelqu'un envahit son espace personnel. La personne se sentira aussi menacée si elle est approchée par derrière. Ces normes sociales doivent être respectées par le robot. C'est pour cela que nous modélisons le comportement du robot à travers des algorithmes d'apprentissage. Nous faisons approcher (manuellement) un robot d'un personne plusieurs fois et le robot apprend à reproduire ce comportement. Un autre travail de cette thèse est la compréhension d'un groupe de personnes. Nous, en tant que humains, avons la capacité de le faire intuitivement. Toutefois, un robot nécessite impérativement un modèle mathématique. Enfin, nous abordons le sujet d'un robot qui s'approche d'un groupe de personnes. Nous utilisons des démonstrations pour faire apprendre le robot. Nous évaluons le bon déroulement du comportement du robot comme par exemple, en observant combien de fois le robot envahit l'espace personnel des personnes pendant la navigationIn the past years, robots have been a part of our every day lives. Even when we do not see them, we depend on them to build our computers, mobile phones, cars and more. They are also been used for organizing stocks in warehouses. And, with the growth of autonomous cars, we see them driving autonomously on highways and cities. Another area of growth is social robotics. We can see a lot of studies such as robots helping children with autism. Other robots are being used to receive people in hotels or to interact with people in shopping centers. In the latter examples, robots need to understand people behavior. In addition, in the case of mobile robots, they need to know how to navigate in human environments. In the context of human environments, this thesis explores socially acceptable navigation of robots towards people. To give an example, when a robot approaches one person, the robot shall by no means treat people as an obstacle because the robot get really close to the human and interfere with her personal space. The human is an entity that needs to be considered based on social norms that we (humans) use on a daily basis. In a first time, we explore how a robot can approach one person. A person is an entity that can be bothered if someone or something approaches invading her personal space. The person also will feel distressed when she is approached from behind. These social norms have to be respected by the robot. For this reason, we decided to model the behavior of the robot through learning algorithms. We manually approach a robot to a person several times and the robot learns how to reproduce this behavior. In a second time, we present how a robot can understand what is a group of people. We, humans, have the ability to do this intuitively. However, for a robot, a mathematical model is essential. Lastly, we address how a robot can approach a group of people. We use exemplary demonstrations to teach this behavior to the robot. We evaluate then the robot's movements by for example, observing if the robot invades people's personal space during the trajectory
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Islas, Ramírez Omar Adair. "Learning Robot Interactive Behaviors in Presence of Humans and Groups of Humans." Electronic Thesis or Diss., Paris 6, 2016. https://accesdistant.sorbonne-universite.fr/login?url=https://theses-intra.sorbonne-universite.fr/2016PA066632.pdf.
Full textAbstract:
Au fil des dernières années les robots ont fait partie de notre quotidien. Même si nous ne les voyons pas, nous dépendons d'eux pour construire nos ordinateurs, téléphones mobiles, voitures, etcetera. Les robots sont utilisés aussi pour l'organisation des produits dans les usines. Un autre domaine de croissance est la robotique sociale. Nous pouvons voir des études tel que des robots d'aide aux enfants autistes. Il y a aussi des robots qui sont utilisés pour accueillir des personnes dans des hôtels ou dans centres commerciaux pour interagir avec les gens. Ainsi, le robot doit comprendre le comportement des personnes. Et, pour les robots mobiles, il faut savoir comment naviguer dans l'environnement humain. En ce qui concerne les environnements humains, ce travail explore la navigation acceptable socialement des robots en direction de personnes. Pour donner un exemple, quand un robot s'approche d'une personne, il ne doit pas traiter la personne comme un obstacle. Car si cette dernière est traitée comme un obstacle, le robot s'approcherait d'elle sans prendre en compte son espace personnel, ce qui la gênerait. Une personne est une entité qui doit être pris en compte sur la base des normes sociales que nous (en tant que personnes) utilisons tous les jours. Dans cette thèse, nous explorons comment un robot s'approche d'une personne. Celle-ci peut-être gênée si quelque chose ou quelqu'un envahit son espace personnel. La personne se sentira aussi menacée si elle est approchée par derrière. Ces normes sociales doivent être respectées par le robot. C'est pour cela que nous modélisons le comportement du robot à travers des algorithmes d'apprentissage. Nous faisons approcher (manuellement) un robot d'un personne plusieurs fois et le robot apprend à reproduire ce comportement. Un autre travail de cette thèse est la compréhension d'un groupe de personnes. Nous, en tant que humains, avons la capacité de le faire intuitivement. Toutefois, un robot nécessite impérativement un modèle mathématique. Enfin, nous abordons le sujet d'un robot qui s'approche d'un groupe de personnes. Nous utilisons des démonstrations pour faire apprendre le robot. Nous évaluons le bon déroulement du comportement du robot comme par exemple, en observant combien de fois le robot envahit l'espace personnel des personnes pendant la navigationIn the past years, robots have been a part of our every day lives. Even when we do not see them, we depend on them to build our computers, mobile phones, cars and more. They are also been used for organizing stocks in warehouses. And, with the growth of autonomous cars, we see them driving autonomously on highways and cities. Another area of growth is social robotics. We can see a lot of studies such as robots helping children with autism. Other robots are being used to receive people in hotels or to interact with people in shopping centers. In the latter examples, robots need to understand people behavior. In addition, in the case of mobile robots, they need to know how to navigate in human environments. In the context of human environments, this thesis explores socially acceptable navigation of robots towards people. To give an example, when a robot approaches one person, the robot shall by no means treat people as an obstacle because the robot get really close to the human and interfere with her personal space. The human is an entity that needs to be considered based on social norms that we (humans) use on a daily basis. In a first time, we explore how a robot can approach one person. A person is an entity that can be bothered if someone or something approaches invading her personal space. The person also will feel distressed when she is approached from behind. These social norms have to be respected by the robot. For this reason, we decided to model the behavior of the robot through learning algorithms. We manually approach a robot to a person several times and the robot learns how to reproduce this behavior. In a second time, we present how a robot can understand what is a group of people. We, humans, have the ability to do this intuitively. However, for a robot, a mathematical model is essential. Lastly, we address how a robot can approach a group of people. We use exemplary demonstrations to teach this behavior to the robot. We evaluate then the robot's movements by for example, observing if the robot invades people's personal space during the trajectory
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Park, Sung Jun. "Social responses to virtual humans the effect of human-like characteristics /." Diss., Atlanta, Ga. : Georgia Institute of Technology, 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/1853/29601.
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Thesis (Ph.D)--Psychology, Georgia Institute of Technology, 2010.Committee Chair: Richard Catrambone; Committee Member: Gregory Corso; Committee Member: Jack Feldman; Committee Member: John T. Stasko; Committee Member: Wendy A. Rogers. Part of the SMARTech Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Collection.
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Bohn, Torsten. "Magnesium absorption in humans /." [S.l.] : [s.n.], 2003. http://e-collection.ethbib.ethz.ch/show?type=diss&nr=14930.
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Köditz, Franka. "Resourceful humans : mitarbeiterorientierte Fertigungsorganisation /." Wiesbaden : Wiesbaden : Dt. Univ.-Verl. ; Gabler, 1999. http://bvbr.bib-bvb.de:8991/F?func=service&doc_library=BVB01&doc_number=008668011&line_number=0001&func_code=DB_RECORDS&service_type=MEDIA.
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Petzschner, Frederike Hermi. "Magnitude estimation in humans." Diss., lmu, 2013. http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:19-155891.
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Kanda, Ravinder. "Genomic diversity in humans." Thesis, Imperial College London, 2003. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.409179.
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Foka, Anna. "Gods, Humans and Beasts." Thesis, University of Liverpool, 2009. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.507186.
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Mundy, Matthew Edward. "Perceptual learning in humans." Thesis, Cardiff University, 2006. http://orca.cf.ac.uk/56121/.
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Unsupervised exposure to confusable stimuli facilitates later discrimination between them. It is known that the schedule of exposure is critical to this perceptual learning effect, but several issues remain unresolved: I) it is not known whether a mechanism of mutual inhibition, taken by some to underpin perceptual learning in rats, is also evident in humans. II) Although simultaneous presentation of the to-be- discriminated stimuli has been suggested by some to be the most efficient way to promote perceptual learning, the associative mechanisms proposed by others (e.g., that of mutual inhibition) predict the opposite. Ill) Perceptual learning has been invoked as the process by which a face becomes familiar but surprisingly, this idea has received little empirical evaluation. The experimental work reported in this thesis addresses these three issues. Experiments 1 and 2, using flavours as stimuli, reveal that the inhibitory mechanisms that contribute to perceptual learning in rats also contribute to perceptual learning in humans. Experiments 3 and 4 demonstrate a perceptual learning effect using visual stimuli, pictures of human faces and that these effects too, exhibit parallels with studies of perceptual learning with rats. In particular they demonstrate that intermixed exposure results in greater perceptual learning than does blocked exposure. Experiments 5 to 7 indicate that perceptual learning seen following simultaneous exposure is, in turn, superior to intermixed exposure - implicating a process of stimulus comparison. Experiment 8 confirms that this novel effect is also observed with other visual stimuli, chequerboards, while those of Experiments 9 and 10 indicate that the face stimuli used exhibit some of the hallmarks of face processing. These findings establish, along with Experiments 3 to 6, that perceptual learning contributes to the process by which a face becomes familiar.
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Odeleye, I. P. "Reintegrating humans and nature." Thesis, Видавництво СумДУ, 2011. http://essuir.sumdu.edu.ua/handle/123456789/10149.
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Lambert, Enoch. "Species, Humans, and Transformations." Thesis, Harvard University, 2015. http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:23845431.
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Do biological species have essences? The debate over this question in philosophy of biology exhibits fundamental confusion both between and within authors. In What to Salvage from the Species Essentialism Debate, I argue that the best way forward is to drop the question and its terms in order to make progress on two issues: how to individuate species taxa; and how to make sense of changes in explanatory frameworks across the Darwinian historical divide. I further argue that a primary motivation for anti-essentialism, biological variation, matters differently to each project.
Anti-essentialism in the philosophy of biology has inspired influential rejections of the idea that there is such a thing as human nature. In More Bark than Bite, I show that the arguments are significantly weaker than supposed. Moreover, none of the weighty consequences thought to follow from any genuine sense in which there is no human nature, actually do follow. The evolution-based denial of human nature has little to contribute to inquiries into the human condition, both philosophical and scientific.
Decisions about whether to undergo experiences that could change the very preference-base on which the choice is made are “transformative”. L. A. Paul argues that transformative decisions present a problem for standard decision theory when approached in a way that leans on evaluations of the experiential consequences of the choices. Her solution proposes that we approach such decisions by asking ourselves how much we value the kind of discovery involved in transformative experience. In Shifting Attention on Transformative Choice, I present two problems for her solution and offer an alternative. Transformative decisions may be rationally approached by asking ourselves how much we judge the activities on the other side of transformation to be worthwhile. This proposal helps make better sense of our relationship to experiential consequences of transformation, which is more flexible than Paul acknowledges.Philosophy
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Leal, Nicole Aurora. "B₁₂ metabolism in humans." [Gainesville, Fla.] : University of Florida, 2004. http://purl.fcla.edu/fcla/etd/UFE0004348.
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Balarezo, Christine A. "Selling Humans: the Political Economy of Contemporary Global Slavery." Thesis, University of North Texas, 2013. https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc407818/.
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Human trafficking is a growing illegal crime, both in terms of numbers and profits. Thus, important to consider, as it is a human rights, political, criminal justice, national security, and economic issue. Previous studies have these examined these human trafficking factors independently, yet none have really taken into account how they work simultaneously. This study examines why human trafficker continues to occur, particularly at the domestic and transnational level, and also why some countries are better able to effectively deal with this problem in terms of criminalizing human traffickers. It is argued that at the domestic level, traffickers first must take into account the operating costs, illegal risks, bribery, and profits of the business. After considering these basic elements, they then need to consider the world, including economic, political, geographic, and cultural factors that may help facilitate human trafficking. However, human trafficking can occur across large geographic distances, though rare. This is more likely to happen based on the type of human trafficking group, available expatriate or immigrant networks, the origin-transit-destination country connection, or strength of the bilateral economic relationship between origin and destination countries. Finally, looking at why some countries are better able to criminalize traffickers helps us to better understand how human trafficking can be discouraged. In short, conformity of a country’s domestic anti-human trafficking law, as well as the degree of enforcement, should increase the probability of criminalizing a human trafficker. These three theoretical arguments help to better understand the nature of the business, and more importantly, why human trafficking continues.
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Nolan, Mark Andrew. "Construals of human rights law protecting subgroups as well as individual humans /." Connect to this title online, 2003. http://thesis.anu.edu.au/public/adt-ANU20050324.155005/.
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Thiranagama, R. "Comparative anatomy of the forelimb veins in humans and non-human primates." Thesis, Online version, 1986. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?did=1&uin=uk.bl.ethos.383521.
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Nolan, Mark Andrew, and mark nolan@anu edu au. "Construals of Human Rights Law: Protecting Subgroups As Well As Individual Humans." The Australian National University. Faculty of Science, 2003. http://thesis.anu.edu.au./public/adt-ANU20050324.155005.
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This research develops the social psychological study of lay perception of human rights and of rights-based reactions to perceived injustice. The pioneering work by social representation theorists is reviewed. Of particular interest is the use of rights-based responses to perceived relative subgroup disadvantage. It is argued that these responses are shaped by the historical development of the legal concept of unique subgroup rights; rights asserted by a subgroup that cannot be asserted by outgroup members or by members of a broader collective that includes all subgroups.
The assertion of unique subgroup rights in contrast to individual rights was studied by presenting participants with scenarios suggestive of human rights violations. These included possible violations of privacy rights of indigenous Australians (Study 1), civil and political rights of indigenous Australians under mandatory sentencing schemes (Study 2), privacy rights of students in comparison to public servants (Study 3), refugee rights (Study 4), and reproductive rights of lesbians and single women in comparison to married women and women in de facto relationships (Study 5). The scenarios were based on real policy issues being debated in Australia at the time of data collection. Human rights activists participated in Studies 4 and 5. In Study 5, these activists participated via an online, web-based experiment. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected.
A social identity theory perspective is used drawing on concepts from both social identity theory and self-categorization theory. The studies reveal a preference for an equality-driven construal of the purpose of human rights law (i.e. that all Australians be treated equally regardless of subgroup membership) in contrast to minority support for a vulnerable groups construal of the purpose of human rights (i.e. that the purpose of human rights law is to protect vulnerable subgroups within a broader collective).
Tajfelian social belief orientations of social mobility and social change are explicitly measured in Studies 3-5. Consistent with the social identity perspective, these ideological beliefs are conceptualised as background knowledge relevant to the subjective structuring of social reality (violation contexts) and to the process of motivated relative perception from the vantage point of the perceiver. There is some indication from these studies that social belief orientation may determine construals of the purpose of human rights. In Study 5 the observed preference for using inclusive human rights rhetoric in response to perceived subgroup injustice is explained as an identity-management strategy of social creativity. In Studies 4 and 5, explicit measurement of activist identification was also made in an attempt to further explain the apparently-dominant preference for an equality-driven construal of the purpose of human rights law and the preferred use of inclusive, individualised rights rhetoric in response to perceived subgroup injustice.
Activist identification explained some action preferences, but did not simply translate into preferences for using subgroup interest arguments. In Study 5, metastereotyping measures revealed that inclusive rights-based protest strategies were used in order to create positive impressions of social justice campaigners in the minds of both outgroup and ingroup audiences. Ideas for future social psychological research on human rights is discussed.
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Haug, Knut Hallvard Sverre. "Engineering humans : cultural history of the science and technology of human enhancement." Thesis, Birkbeck (University of London), 2016. http://bbktheses.da.ulcc.ac.uk/210/.
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This thesis investigates the technological imaginary of human enhancement: how it has been conceived historically and the scientific understanding that has shaped it. Human enhancement technologies have been prominent in popular culture narratives for a long time, but in the past twenty years they have moved out of science fiction to being an issue for serious discussion, in academic disciplines, political debate and the mass media. Even so, the bioethical debate on enhancement, whether it is pharmacological means of improving cognition and morality or genetic engineering to create smarter people or other possibilities, is consistently centred on technologies that do not yet exist. The investigation is divided into three main areas: a chapter on eugenics, two chapters on cybernetics and the cyborg, and two chapters on transhumanism. All three areas of enhancement thinking have a corresponding understanding of and reference to evolutionary theory and the human as a category. Insofar as ‘enhancement’ is a vague and relative turn, the chapters show how each approach wrestles with how to formulate what is good and desirable. When this has inevitably proven difficult, the technologies themselves dictate what and how ‘enhancement’ comes about. Eugenics treats the human in terms of populations – as a species, but also in abstract categories such as nation and race. I follow the establishment of eugenics from the development of a statistical understanding of measuring human aptitude, with emphasis on the work of Francis Galton and the formulation of the regression to the mean. The following two chapters on cybernetics and the cyborg analyses how the metaphor of the body as machine has changed relative to what is meant by ‘machine’: associated with Cartesian dualism, cybernetics marked a shift in how we understand the term. Through a reading of the original formulation of the cyborg, I connect it to evolutionary adaptationism and a cybernetic ‘black box’ approach. The last two chapters look at a more recent approach to enhancement as a moral imperative, transhumanism. Since some transhumanists seek to ground themselves philosophically as the inheritors to Enlightenment humanism, the concept of ‘morphological freedom’ is central, representing an extension of humanistic principles of liberty brought into an age which privileges information over matter. The final chapter looks at how the privileging of information leads to a universal computational ontology, and I specifically look at the work of Ray Kurzweil, a prominent transhumanist, and how the computationalist narrative creates a teleological understanding of both human worth and evolution.
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Seymour, Michael. "To Affinity and Beyond: Interactive Digital Humans as a Human Computer Interface." Thesis, The University of Sydney, 2019. https://hdl.handle.net/2123/21613.
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The field of human computer interaction is increasingly exploring the use of more natural, human-like user interfaces to build intelligent agents to aid in everyday life. This is coupled with a move to people using ever more realistic avatars to represent themselves in their digital lives. As the ability to produce emotionally engaging digital human representations is only just now becoming technically possible, there is little research into how to approach such tasks. This is due to both technical complexity and operational implementation cost. This is now changing as we are at a nexus point with new approaches, faster graphics processing and enabling new technologies in machine learning and computer vision becoming available. I articulate the issues required for such digital humans to be considered successfully located on the other side of the phenomenon known as the Uncanny Valley. My results show that a complex mix of perceived and contextual aspects affect the sense making on digital humans and highlights previously undocumented effects of interactivity on the affinity. Users are willing to accept digital humans as a new form of user interface and they react to them emotionally in previously unanticipated ways. My research shows that it is possible to build an effective interactive digital human that crosses the Uncanny Valley. I directly explore what is required to build a visually realistic digital human as a primary research question and I explore if such a realistic face provides sufficient benefit to justify the challenges involved in building it. I conducted a Delphi study to inform the research approaches and then produced a complex digital human character based on these insights. This interactive and realistic digital human avatar represents a major technical undertaking involving multiple teams around the world. Finally, I explored a framework for examining the ethical implications and signpost future research areas.
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Gómez, de Hinojosa Guerrero Alicia. "Seguridad privada global ¿Amenaza u oportunidad en el marco de las Naciones Unidas?" Doctoral thesis, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 2018. http://hdl.handle.net/10803/665545.
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El incremento de los servicios de seguridad privada a nivel mundial, tanto cuantitativo como cualitativo, ha generado en los últimos años posturas contrapuestas en cuanto al papel de la seguridad privada y su posible regulación a nivel global. Estas controversias llegan al punto de que las causas y los efectos de la seguridad privada global están siendo tratados en el marco de las Naciones Unidas por diferentes organismos que posicionan sus efectos desde el enfoque de amenaza para los derechos humanos, hasta el de oportunidad para la mejora de la seguridad humana.
De estos posicionamientos depende en gran medida la percepción y el reconocimiento social de los más de 20 millones de profesionales que trabajan en el sector de la seguridad privada a nivel mundial. De hecho, aunque estos profesionales están desempeñando cometidos aparentemente de gran valor para el conjunto de la sociedad, su reconocimiento no parece ser proporcional a la labor que desempeñan, y lo que es más, entre otras circunstancias, tras los efectos de la globalización y el inicio del debate de las empresas de seguridad privadas que actúan en entornos complejos desde una perspectiva transnacional, en ocasiones no sólo no se reconoce apropiadamente la contribución de la seguridad privada en relación con la seguridad de las personas y de las comunidades en general, sino que incluso llega a ser considerada como una amenaza para dicha seguridad.
Por ello, la presente tesis tiene como objeto analizar la situación actual de la seguridad privada desde un enfoque global, especialmente en relación con las opciones de regulación internacional debatidas en el entorno de las Naciones Unidas desde diferentes perspectivas de análisis y enfoques, ya que pretendemos demostrar que dicha regulación es uno de los principales instrumentos de reconocimiento social de los profesionales del sector de la seguridad privada y que sólo desde un planteamiento global de sus posibilidades y de sus limitaciones podría encontrar su espacio en la gobernanza global de la seguridad para, posteriormente, ser acotado y desarrollado a través de las legislaciones nacionales que constituirían la verdadera legitimización del papel de la seguridad privada en su contribución a la seguridad ciudadana, y por extensión a la seguridad humana.
Así pues, teniendo en cuenta todos los aspectos mencionados, la presente tesis se organiza a través de seis capítulos. En el primero de ellos se contextualiza la situación actual de la seguridad privada global, para dar paso en los capítulos posteriores al análisis desde los diferentes enfoques; en concreto, en el capítulo dos desde la perspectiva de la seguridad como amenaza, en el tres como oportunidad y en el cuarto como oportunidad ante la amenaza. Por último, en el capítulo cinco se introduce la importancia del derecho administrativo global para el posible establecimiento de un marco internacional para la regulación de la seguridad privada global, se analizan los principales instrumentos de dimensión global que se han generado o se están generando, y tras el análisis del alcance, la naturaleza, los contenidos, las potencialidades y las limitaciones de dichos instrumentos, realizamos una propuesta integradora que acabamos resumiendo en las conclusiones del capítulo seis, como complemento al conjunto de conclusiones de los cinco capítulos anteriores.The increase in worldwide private security services, both quantitative and qualitative, has in recent years generated conflicting positions regarding the role of private security and its possible global regulation. These controversies reach a point where the causes and effects of global private security being dealt with within the framework of the United Nations by different agencies that position their effects from the approach of threat to human rights, to the opportunity for the improvement of human security. The perception and social recognition of the more than 20 million professionals working in the private security sector worldwide depends to a large extent on these positions. In fact, though these professionals are apparently performing tasks of great value to society as a whole, their recognition does not seem to be proportional to the tasks they perform, and furthermore, due to other circumstances, after the effects of globalisation and start of the debate of private security companies operating in complex environments from a transnational perspective, sometimes not only is the contribution of private security in relation to the security of people and communities in general not properly recognised, but it can even come to be considered a threat to said security. With this in mind, this thesis aims to analyse the current situation of private security from a global approach, especially in relation to the international regulation options discussed in the United Nations environment from different perspectives of analysis and approaches, as we expect demonstrate that such regulation is one of the main instruments of social recognition of professionals in the private security sector and that only from a global perspective of its possibilities and limitations could it find its place in the global governance of security, subsequently, be limited and developed through the national legislations that would constitute the true legitimisation of the role of private security in its contribution to citizen security, and by extension to human security. Thus, taking into account all the aspects mentioned, this thesis is organised into six chapters. In the first chapter, the current situation of global private security is contextualised to make way for subsequent chapters to analyze from different approaches; in particular, in chapter two from the perspective of security as a threat, in the third as an opportunity and the fourth as an opportunity to face the threat. Lastly, chapter five introduces the importance of global administrative law for the possible establishment of an international framework for the regulation of global private security, discussing the main instruments of global dimension that have been generated or are being generated, and after analysing the scope, nature, contents, potentialities and limitations of these instruments, an integrative proposal is made that ends up summarizing in the conclusions of chapter six, as a complement to the set of conclusions from the previous five chapters.
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Alberch, i. Fugueras Ramon. "Arxius, memòria i drets humans." Doctoral thesis, Universitat de Girona, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/10803/404061.
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This thesis focuses on an aspect little discussed in searches relating to archives and historical memory : the use of archives as key elements of the policies of reparations for victims of repressive regimes and as witnesses informational purposes legal research and retrospective. Specifically, it presents the relationship between memory and history, a state of affairs of public policy for the archives of human rights, an analysis about the models archival institutions with responsibilities in human rights and historical memory and finally analyzes the case of the National Centre of Historical Memory of Colombia to the extent that displayed the power and diversity of remedial actions that can be carried out in the framework of archives accessible, organized and properly preservedAquesta tesi incideix sobre un aspecte poc tractat en les recerques referides als arxius i la memòria històrica: la utilització dels arxius com a elements cabdals de les polítiques de reparació a les víctimes de règims repressius i com a testimonis informatius amb finalitats jurídiques i de recerca retrospectiva. En concret, es presenta la relació entre memòria i història, un estat de la qüestió de les polítiques públiques per als arxius dels drets humans, es fa una anàlisi pormenoritzada dels models d’institucions arxivístiques amb competències en drets humans i memòria històrica i s’analitza el cas concret del Centre Nacional de la Memòria Històrica de Colòmbia en la mesura que visualitza la potència i la diversitat d’accions reparadores i memorialístiques que es poden dur a terme en el marc d’uns arxius accesibles, organitzats i adientment preservats
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Aronsson, Hanna. "On Sexual Imprinting in Humans." Doctoral thesis, Stockholms universitet, Zoologiska institutionen, 2011. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:su:diva-57270.
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In this thesis I investigate whether human sexual preferences develop through sexual imprinting. Sexual imprinting is the acquisition of sexual preferences through non-rewarded experiences with parents and siblings during an early sensitive period and it is known to exist in many other animals. Learning is often sex specific so that males, for instance, learn to prefer as sexual partners individuals that look like their mother, and avoid individuals that look like their father. First, sexual imprinting in animals and humans is reviewed and compared to prevailing evolutionary views presupposing genetically determined sexual preferences. Further, by means of web surveys, I have explored the relationship between childhood exposure to parents with certain natural and cultural traits and sexual attraction to these traits in a partner. Cultural traits were included because it is unlikely that preferences for them are genetically determined adaptations. Parental effects varied between traits. For instance, in heterosexual males, a positive effect of mother was found on attraction to smoking, but not glasses, while a negative paternal effect was found on attraction to glasses, but not smoking. However, when maternal and paternal effects were investigated for a large number of artificial and natural traits, including smoking and glasses, an overall positive effect of opposite sex parent emerged in both heterosexual males and females. Additionally, in the last study we explored a sexual preference for pregnant and lactating women. Results suggest that exposure to a pregnant and lactating mother had an effect if it occurred when the respondent was between 1,5 and 5 years old. In conclusion, these results suggest that human sexual preferences are the result of sex specific learning during a sensitive period. Sexual imprinting should therefore be recognised as a plausible explanation to human sexual preferences that deserves further scientific investigation.At the time of the doctoral defense, the following papers were unpublished and had a status as follows: Paper 3: Manuscript. Paper 4: Manuscript.
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Clarke, Michael William. "Vitamin E metabolism in humans." University of Western Australia. School of Medicine and Pharmacology, 2008. http://theses.library.uwa.edu.au/adt-WU2008.0191.
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[Truncated abstract] Vitamin E is comprised of a family of tocopherols (TOH) and tocotrienols. The most studied of these is [alpha]-tocopherol ([alpha]-TOH), as this form is retained within the body and any deficiency of vitamin E is corrected with this supplement. [alpha]-TOH is a lipid-soluble antioxidant required for the preservation of cell membranes and potentially acts as a defense against oxidative stress. Individuals who have a primary vitamin E deficiency such as low birth weight infants, secondary vitamin E deficiency due to fat malabsorption such as in abetalipoproteinaemia, or a genetic defect in TOH transport require supplementation. There is debate as to whether vitamin E supplementation in other patient groups is required. Vitamin E supplementation has been recommended for persons with FHBL, a rare disorder of lipoprotein metabolism that leads to low serum [alpha]-TOH and decreased LDL cholesterol and apolipoprotein B concentrations. We examined the effect of truncated apoB variants on vitamin E metabolism and oxidative stress in persons with heterozygous FHBL. We used HPLC with electrochemical detection to measure [alpha]- and [gamma]-TOH in serum, erythrocytes, and platelets, and GC-MS to measure urinary F2-isoprostanes and TOH metabolites as markers of oxidative stress and TOH intake, respectively. Erythrocyte [alpha]-TOH was decreased, but we observed no differences in lipid-adjusted serum TOHs, erythrocyte [gamma]-TOH, platelet [alpha]- or [gamma]-TOH, urinary F2-isoprostanes, or TOH metabolites. Taken together, our findings do not support the recommendation that persons with heterozygous FHBL should receive vitamin E supplementation. ... Sesame lignans are natural components of sesame seed oil and there is evidence that these lignans can inhibit CYP450 enzymes, in particular, those responsible for vitamin E metabolism. We hypothesised that sesame seed ingestion would increase serum [gamma]-TOH, lower plasma lipids and inhibit platelet function in human subjects with at least one cardiovascular risk factor. We used HPLC with electrochemical detection to measure [alpha]- and -TOH in serum and GC-MS to measure F2-isoprostanes and TOH metabolites as markers of oxidative stress and TOH intake, respectively. We used high-sensitive C-reactive protein as a measure of systemic inflammation. Platelet function was assessed using the PFA-100 platelet aggregation assay. Although serum [gamma]-TOH increased by 17%, we observed no effect on lipid metabolism, markers of inflammation, oxidative stress or platelet function following treatment with ~25 g/day sesame seeds for five weeks. Our findings challenge the hypothesis that sesame seed ingestion provides beneficial cardiovascular effects. In summary, we have studied the metabolism and transport of both [alpha]- and [gamma]-TOH in humans to evaluate the requirements for supplementation and the effects of vitamin E on platelet function and CYP3A4 activity. Specialised techniques using HPLC were developed to measure serum and cellular TOH concentrations both in supplemented and un-supplemented individuals. We also used GCMS to provide a sensitive, accurate assessment of TOH metabolites and midazolam pharmacokinetics in humans after vitamin E supplementation. We have examined the role vitamin E has on important biochemical endpoints, with emphasis on the implications for TOH supplementation in subjects at risk of CVD.
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Tan, Michael Nicholas. "Selective listening processes in humans." University of Western Australia. School of Psychology, 2009. http://theses.library.uwa.edu.au/adt-WU2009.0198.
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This thesis presents data which support cochlear involvement in attentional listening. It has been previously proposed that the descending auditory pathways, in particular the medial olivocochlear system, play a role in reducing the cochlea's response to noise in a process known as antimasking. This hypothesis was investigated in human subjects for its potential impact on the detection of signals in noise following auditory cues. Three experimental chapters (Chapters 3, 4 and 5) are described in this thesis. Experiments in the first chapter measured the effect of acoustic cues on the detection of subsequent tones of equal or different frequency. Results show that changes in the ability to detect signals following auditory cues are the result of both enhanced detection for tones at the cued frequency, and suppressed detection for tones at non-cue frequencies. Both effects were measured to be in the order of ~3 dB. This thesis has argued that the enhancement of a cued tone is the implicit result of an auditory cue, while suppression of a probe tone results from the expectation of a specific frequency based on accumulated experience of a listening task. The properties of enhancement support the antimasking hypothesis, however, the physiological mechanism for suppression is uncertain. In the second experimental chapter, auditory cues were replaced with visual cues (representing musical notes) whose pitch corresponded to the target frequency, and were presented to musician subjects who possessed absolute or relative pitch. Results from these experiments showed that a visual cue produces the same magnitude of enhancement as that produced by an acoustic cue. This finding demonstrates a cognitive influence on the detection of tones in noise, and implicates the role of higher centres such as those involved in template-matching or top-down control of the efferent pathways. The final experimental chapter repeated several of the experiments from the first chapter on subjects with various forms of hearing loss. The results indicate that subjects with an outer hair cell deficit (concomitant with a sensorineural hearing loss) do not exhibit an enhancement of cued frequencies or a suppression of unexpected frequencies to the same extent as the normal-hearing subjects. In addition, one subject with a long-standing conductive hearing loss (with normal cochlear function) produced an enhancement equivalent to that of the normalhearing subjects. These findings also support the role of the medial olivocochlear system and the outer hair cells in antimasking. It is the conclusion of this thesis that enhancement most likely results from a combination of changes in receptive field characteristics, at various levels of the auditory system. The medial olivocochlear system is likely to be involved in unmasking a portion of the signal at the cochlear level, which may be influenced by both acoustic reflex pathways or higher centres of the brain.
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Goussous, Faisal Amer. "Grasp planning for digital humans." Thesis, University of Iowa, 2007. http://ir.uiowa.edu/etd/158.
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Ekberg, Karin. "Quantitation of gluconeogenesis in humans /." Stockholm, 1998. http://diss.kib.ki.se/1998/91-628-2810-x.
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Schneider, Luke Aaron. "Non-contingency learning in humans /." Title page, table of contents and abstract only, 2004. http://web4.library.adelaide.edu.au/theses/09ARPS/09arpss3583.pdf.
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Li, Sen. "Inferring Evolutionary Processes of Humans." Doctoral thesis, Uppsala universitet, Evolutionsbiologi, 2012. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-183517.
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More and more human genomic data has become available in recent years by the improvement of DNA sequencing technologies. These data provide abundant genetic variation information which is an important resource to help us to understand the evolutionary history of humans. In this thesis I evaluated the performance of the Approximate Bayesian Computation (ABC) approach for inferring demographic parameters for large-scale population genomic data. According to simulation results, I can conclude that the ABC approach will continue to be a useful tool for analysing realistic genome-wide population-genetic data in the post-genomic era. Secondly, I implemented the ABC approach to estimate the pre-historic events connected with the “Bantu-expansion”, the spread of peoples from West Africa. The analysis based on genetic data with a large number of loci support a rapid population growth in west Africans, which lead to their concomitant spread to southern and eastern Africa. Contrary to hypotheses based on language studies, I found that Bantu-speakers in south Africa likely migrated directly from west Africa, and not from east Africa. Thirdly, I evaluated Thomson's estimator of the time to most recent common ancestor (TMRCA). It is robust to different recombination rates and the least-biased compared to other commonly used approaches. I used the Thomson estimator to infer the genome-wide distribution of TMRCA for complete human genome sequence data in various populations from across the world and compare the result to simulated data. Finally, I investigated and analysed the effects of selection and demography on genetic polymorphism patterns. In particular, we could detect a clear signal in the distribution of TMRCA caused by selection for a constant-size population. However, if the population was growing, the signal of selection will be difficult to detect under some circumstances. I also discussed and gave a few suggestions that might lead to a more realistic path of successful identification of genes targeted by selection in large-scale genomic data.
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Ahsan, Chowdhury Hafizul. "Pharmacokinetics of nifedipine in humans." Thesis, University of Southampton, 1991. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.303154.
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Lean, M. E. J. "Brown adipose tissue in humans." Thesis, University of Cambridge, 1986. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.333609.
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Bohlender, Ryan James. "Archaic admixture in modern humans." Thesis, The University of Utah, 2016. http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=10019581.
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Recent advances in the study of archaic hominin DNA have resulted in the rapid development and application of new methods designed to test our relationship to our nearest relatives. These methods have been applied with archaic samples in contexts with ghost admixture, sparse sampling, ascertainment bias, and poorly understood historical events. They have also been applied to modern samples with complex relationships which will exacerbate the same problems. Here, we introduce a new method for estimating the admixture fraction, and test it and several previous methods to determine their sensitivity to the above problems. Finally, we apply these methods to Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) microarray and whole genome data, and compare our estimates to those published previously.
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Cochrane, Alasdair David Charles. "Moral obligations to non-humans." Thesis, London School of Economics and Political Science (University of London), 2007. http://etheses.lse.ac.uk/2699/.
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My PhD thesis provides an account of the moral obligations we have to non-humans. The project is divided into two sections: the theoretical and the applied. In the first section I examine the foundations of our moral obligations, answering two key questions: what types of thing have moral status, and how can we delineate our obligations to them. I maintain that those entities with the capacity for 'well-being' have moral status. I refute the claim made by some that all living organisms have well-being, and argue that only beings with 'phenomenal consciousness' (sentience) have lives that can go well or badly for themselves. At this point then, the thesis turns its focus towards sentient animals. Next I consider just how we should structure our moral obligations. I argue that a utilitarian or aggregative framework fails to individuate entities with moral status, treating them as mere 'receptacles' of value. I thus propose that an interest-based rights theory provides the appropriate means for delineating our obligations to non-human animals. The second part of the thesis involves teasing out the implications of this interest-based rights theory for the ways in which we treat animals. To this end, I evaluate four different contexts in which we use non-human animals: in experiments, in agriculture, in entertainment, and by cultural groups. During these considerations, I argue that animals' interests in avoiding pain and continued life ground prima facie animal rights not to be made to suffer and not to be killed. This renders many of the ways we currently use animals impermissible, particularly with regards to factory farming and experimentation. However, unlike other proponents of animal rights, I do not see the use of animals as impermissible in itself. This is because I claim that animals have no intrinsic interest in liberty, whether liberty is construed as the absence of interference or as the ability to govern one's own life. Since animals have no interest in liberty for its own sake, this means that they ordinarily have no right not to be used or interfered with by humans. Thus, the ultimate conclusion of my thesis is that the moral obligations we have to animals do not involve liberating them from zoos, farms and our homes. Rather, they necessitate putting an end to the suffering and death that animals endure at our hands.
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Quinn, Thomas James. "Agency : humans, animals and objects." Thesis, Birkbeck (University of London), 2017. http://bbktheses.da.ulcc.ac.uk/273/.
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My aim in this thesis is to develop an account of the powers that are fundamental to human agency, by drawing out the similarities between human agency, the agency of non-human animals, and the agency of inanimate objects. Many accounts characterise our actions in terms of mental capacities unique to human agents. But focusing on what human agency has in common with agency of other kinds provides a novel perspective from which we can investigate the features of our agency that receive less attention in the literature. I develop the account by answering two closely related questions, both of which provide the opportunity to draw out the connections between human agency, the agency of non-human animals and the agency of inanimate objects. The first question is: what are the similarities and differences between dispositions and abilities? The second question is: what are the similarities and differences between human agency and agency of other kinds? I argue against the idea that the difference between dispositions and abilities lies in the former powers being necessitated to manifest in certain conditions. Rather, what distinguishes dispositions and abilities is that the exercise of ability involves selfmovement on the part of the agent. In light of this distinction, I argue that all human actions are exercises of bodily abilities of a kind possessed by many nonhuman animals. Possession of these abilities does not require high-level mental capacities, but only that the agent possesses a conscious perspective. There are many ways in which the things that we do require uniquely human mental capacities, but our agency is grounded in powers of a kind held in common with non-human agents.
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Smith, Caroline J. "Regional sweat rates in humans." Thesis, Loughborough University, 2009. https://dspace.lboro.ac.uk/2134/33780.
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Exposures to hot environments and high intensity exercise provide some of the greatest challenges to the thermoregulatory system. Under such conditions evaporation is the greatest avenue of heat loss from the body. Whilst regional sweat rate variations in humans are widely recognised, most studies only measure a small number of sites using a limited surface area, and generalise this data to larger regions. A consensus in the literature indicates that the highest sweat rates are on the forehead and torso, and lowest on the extremities. However, no study has quantitatively measured regional sweat rates over large surface areas of the body. Since sweating is related to the thermal state of the body, comparison of regional sweat rates between studies is further complicated by the use of different environmental conditions, exercise modes and work rates. A good meta-analysis of existing data is therefore problematic. The aim of this thesis was to produce detailed whole body sweat maps for male and female athletes, and untrained males, during two exercise intensities in moderate environmental conditions (25°C, 50% rh) with a 2 m.s-1 air velocity.
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Fukuoka, Miyuki. "Mechanically-evoked itch in humans." Kyoto University, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/2433/180346.
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Vakirtzis, Antonios. "Nonindependent mate choice in humans." Thesis, University of Liverpool, 2012. http://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/5433/.
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Mate choice copying is the most studied type of nonindependent mate choice, i.e. mate choice that is influenced by the choices of other same-sex conspecifics (usually females). In copying, the probability of a male being chosen by a female ('focal' female) increases if he has previously been chosen by other females ('model' females) and decreases if he has been rejected. I critically review the non-human literature and conclude that from an evolutionary perspective copying is ill-suited to monogamous or relatively monogamous species like humans. I propose instead a related process where females are influenced not by a male‟s success at securing mates but by the quality of females that choose him. Although sometimes described as copying, this type of nonindependent mate choice is characterized by distinct evolutionary dynamics and ecological requirements, leads to different testable predictions and must therefore be urgently distinguished from mate choice copying. The term mate quality bias is suggested as an appropriate term for this phenomenon. I also report experimental studies that presented female raters with both static and video images of model females and their supposed partners. The two main findings to emerge from these experiments are a) the main - and perhaps the only - relevant cue in the model female is attractiveness and b) experimental studies can suffer from reduced external validity and need to be supplemented with non-experimental approaches. In line with this latter finding, I report one of the first non-experimental studies of nonindependent mate choice in humans. This involved the administration of a novel questionnaire to a large sample (n=401) of male and female undergraduates. The results of this study provide strong support support for nonindependent mate choice in humans a) being an empirical reality and b)influencing female, but not male choice. Finally, I report two experimental studies which examined how a man's partner influences male-male assessment and competition. The first used the dictator and ultimatum games to examine if offers made to male recipients were influenced by the attractiveness of the recipient‟s partner. The second used the Wason selection task to examine whether male subjects' cheater detection faculties are influenced by the attractiveness of the target male‟s partner (used here as a proxy for dominance). Although the results were generally in the expected direction, experimental manipulation of female partner attractiveness did not significantly affect male raters' perceptions of, and behaviour towards, the target male. The thesis concludes with a critical evaluation of the results obtained herein and suggestions for future research.
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Strachan, Mark William John. "Insulin-induced hypoglycaemia in humans." Thesis, University of Edinburgh, 2001. http://hdl.handle.net/1842/22668.
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Acute hypoglycaemia was induced in 16 non-diabetic subjects using a modified hyperinsulinaemic glucose clamp technique and caused predictable decrements in cognitive performance. However, acute hypoglycaemia had no effect on the function of the peripheral nervous system, as assessed by nerve conduction studies performed on the dominant median and common peroneal nerves. This lack of effect of acute hypoglycaemia on peripheral nerve function suggests that peripheral neurones do not have the same obligate for glucose as a metabolic fuel as neurones of the central nervous system. The temporal changes in mood states and cognitive functions following a single, spontaneous episode of severe hypoglycaemia in 20 people with insulin-treated diabetes were examined. Recovery from any acute cognitive decrement following severe hypoglycaemia was complete by 1.5 days, although decreased levels of 'happiness' and 'energy' appeared to take longer to recover. Compared to 'control' subjects who had not experienced severe hypoglycaemia for over one year, the 'hypo' subjects had persistent cognitive decrements and altered mood states which may have been a consequence of previous exposure to recurrent episodes of severe hypoglycaemia. The identification of serum markers that could predict the degree of neuronal damage and prognosis of patients after severe hypoglycaemia would have considerable clinical value. Neurone-Specific Enolase (NSE) and Protein S-100 (S-100) are markers of acute neuronal damage in various neurological disorders. Serum concentrations of these markers did not rise in 16 diabetic subjects who experienced an episode of severe hypoglycaemia and who made a complete neurological recovery. However, serum concentrations of the markers did rise in two of three patients who died following an episode of severe hypoglycaemia. These preliminary results suggest that measurement of serum concentrations of NSE and S-100 may have a future role in evaluating clinical outcome following an episode of severe hypoglycaemia which is associated with neurological damage.
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Loukogeorgakis, Stavros. "Remote ischaemic preconditioning in humans." Thesis, University College London (University of London), 2006. http://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/1445675/.
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Ischaemia-reperfusion (IR) injury contributes to tissue damage that occurs in myocardial infarction and stroke, and limits the outcome of current reperfusion strategies. Ischaemic preconditioning (IPC) is an innate mechanism that protects tissues from injury during ischaemia and subsequent reperfusion. IPC has systemic effects that protect tissues remote for those undergoing preconditioning (remote IPC RIPC). RIPC might enable the clinical utility of ischaemic preconditioning to be tested, as protection of vital tissues against IR injury could be achieved by remotely preconditioning a non-vital tissue. This thesis sought to determine the optimal conditions for inducing RIPC in humans. The protective effects of RIPC were investigated in healthy volunteers, using an in vivo model of IR injury to the vascular endothelium of the brachial artery. RIPC of the limb protected against IR-induced endothelial dysfunction and the degree of protection depended on the characteristics of the preconditioning stimulus. Two phases of protection by RIPC were evident an early relatively short phase, active immediately, and a second window of protection, which is more prolonged lasting for up to 48 hours following the application of the RIPC stimulus. Repeated application of the RIPC stimulus caused tissue protection for up to 7 days. RIPC was shown to be dependent on intact autonomic function and the opening of ATP-sensitive potassium channels. The protective effects of RIPC were investigated in paediatric patients undergoing renal transplantation. Data from this clinical study are consistent with a beneficial effect of RIPC against IR injury to the renal graft and suggest that RIPC may have therapeutic potential in clinical IR syndromes.
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Earnshaw, Rae A., N. Magnenat-Thalmann, D. Terzopoulos, and D. Thalmann. "Computer animation for virtual humans." IEEE, 1998. http://hdl.handle.net/10454/3505.
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YesAdvances in computer animation techniques have spurred increasing levels of realism and movement in virtual characters that closely mimic physical reality. Increases in computational power and control methods enable the creation of 3D virtual humans for real-time interactive applications. Artificial intelligence techniques and autonomous agents give computer-generated characters a life of their own and let them interact with other characters in virtual worlds. Developments and advances in networking and virtual reality (VR) let multiple participants share virtual worlds and interact with applications or each other.
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Mulley, John Charles. "Genetic marker studies in humans /." Title page, contents and summary only, 1985. http://web4.library.adelaide.edu.au/theses/09PH/09phm958.pdf.
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Giannini, Colian <1989>. "Internet Of Things and Humans." Doctoral thesis, Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna, 2018. http://amsdottorato.unibo.it/8563/1/Giannini_Colian_PhDThesis_v1.1.pdf.
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The never ending demand for capacity and the need for ubiquitous radio coverage requires attention to the design of new radio networks. Incoming paradigms (industry 4.0, machine to machine communication and Internet of Things) will overburden even more cellular networks. Current (4G) and near-future (5G) architecture will not be able to support such traffic increase.
Moreover, space-time and content heterogeneity of data should be exploited to improve network performance. However, current networks performance are deteriorated by this heterogeneity. Pico- and femto-cell networks, with cell densification, are proposed as solution. A drawback, is the urgency of high-speed backhaul to connect the cells among themselves and the core network. Current research trends assume that the density of cells will be comparable to user density. In such a situation, deploying high-speed backhaul will be expensive. Moreover, regardless whatever deployment of cells, connectivity is a commodity given as always granted. Modern technologies and services rely on stable networks. Nonetheless, whenever also a basic connectivity fails because of a disaster, not even a basic form of radio communication can be provided. Flexible networks adapting to the environment "on the go", could reduce this problem.
A to alleviate the aforementioned problems, My work unfolds starting from a couple of intuitions.
1- Traffic demand is not just a data to be processed, transmitted and answered to. The kind of data producing the traffic matters. Thus, we should treat different traffic streams accordingly. This facet of my work is treated under different points of view in the dissertation.
2- In current networks, users are seen as "passive", being just source and/or destination of a traffic stream. There are reasons to envision that users could be exploited as "active" users participating to the network itself fostering its performance. This considerations are accounted in the so called Delay Tolerant Networks.
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Paolocci, Gianluca. "Guiding Humans through Wearable Haptics." Doctoral thesis, Università di Siena, 2021. http://hdl.handle.net/11365/1144448.
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This manuscript reports the research work done during my Ph.D. on the applications of haptic technology to guide humans, i.e. on the design of devices and strategies for instructing human users by means of haptic stimulation. The basic concept presented in this thesis is the exploitation of the tactile channel, that is the most underused but also the most distributed sensory input channel, to provide users with relevant and otherwise unaccessible information, e.g. environmental awareness or task-related instructions.
Over the past years, several wearable haptic devices have been developed to stimulate the users’ skin receptors and induce a variety of touch perceptions, from texture rendering to temperature and skin indentation. This manuscript investigates applications of the aforementioned haptic interfaces in guidance scenarios, with a particular interest toward the design of haptic patterns to deliver minimal, intuitive and effective cues. Indeed, the haptic policy design process has to take into account that guiding humans is different from guiding robots. Robots can receive an impressive amount of data, process it, and use it to plan and correct motions in an outstandingly short time.
Applying the same approach to humans would most probably yield instructions that are difficult to understand and apply, thus leading to poor task performance.
A better understanding of the human physical and mental capabilities is necessary to optimize the communication toward the operators and facilitate their acceptance and trust in technology. For this reason, the first part of this thesis work discloses the background literature on human locomotion, neural entrainment and haptic stimulation.
The dissertation then moves to specific facets of the human guidance mediated by haptics in individual and cooperative scenarios. The second chapter addresses the problem of instructing humans to modify their walking direction and velocity by means of haptic cues, for instance for indoor and outdoor navigation, and explores the topic of sharing tactile perceptions between users applied to a remote social walking experience.
The third chapter presents the developments in human-human cooperation scenarios mediated by wearable devices, i.e. instructing a formation of humans to accomplish a common objective coordinated by haptic stimuli.
The fourth chapter reports two minor projects on haptic guidance. The No-Face Touch system was developed during the current Covid-19 pandemic to support the population by detecting and alerting face-touch attempts. The guidance provided by the system does not instruct specific motions, but leverages the gesture-detection functionalities to notify unwanted behaviors, this way unburdening the users from constantly paying attention to their actions.
The latter project proposes a novel approach to Augmented Reality that was designed to minimize the encumbrance on users’ hands, so that the augmented experience can comply with different tasks and provide users with support and guidance by leveraging visual and haptic cues.
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Palathinkal, Joel. "The effectiveness of virtual humans vs. pre-recorded humans in a standardized patient performance assessment." Doctoral diss., University of Central Florida, 2011. http://digital.library.ucf.edu/cdm/ref/collection/ETD/id/4817.
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A Standardized Patient (SP) is a trained actor who portrays a particular illness to provide training to medical students and professionals. SPs primarily use written scripts and additional paper-based training for preparation of practical and board exams. Many institutions use various methods for training such as hiring preceptors for reenactment of scenarios, viewing archived videos, and computer based training. Currently, the training that is available can be enhanced to improve the level of quality of standardized patients. The following research is examining current processes in standardized patient training and investigating new methods for clinical skills education in SPs. The modality that is selected for training can possibly affect the performance of the actual SP case. This paper explains the results of a study that investigates if there is a difference in the results of an SP performance assessment. This difference can be seen when comparing a virtual human modality to that of a pre-recorded human modality for standardized patient training. The sample population navigates through an interactive computer based training module which provides informational content on what the roles of an SP are, training objectives, a practice session, and an interactive performance assessment with a simulated Virtual Human medical student. Half of the subjects interact with an animated virtual human medical student while the other half interacts with a pre-recorded human. The interactions from this assessment are audio-recorded, transcribed, and then graded to see how the two modalities compare. If the performance when using virtual humans for standardized patients is equal to or superior to pre-recorded humans, this can be utilized as a part task trainer that brings standardized patients to a higher level of effectiveness and standardization.; In addition, if executed properly, this tool could potentially be used as a part task trainer which could provide savings in training time, resources, budget, and staff to military and civilian healthcare facilities.ID: 030646195; System requirements: World Wide Web browser and PDF reader.; Mode of access: World Wide Web.; Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Central Florida, 2011.; Includes bibliographical references (p. 128-134).
Ph.D.
Doctorate
Psychology
Sciences
Modeling and Simulation
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Li, Jiaojiao. "Arsenic Biotransformations in Microbes and Humans, and Catalytic Properties of Human AS3MT Variants." FIU Digital Commons, 2017. http://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/etd/3460.
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Arsenic is the most pervasive environmental toxic substance. As a consequence of its ubiquity, nearly every organism has genes for resistance to inorganic arsenic. In one project I examined the role of glutaredoxin 2 (Grx2) in reduction of arsenate to arsenite. I demonstrated that Grx2 has both glutaredoxin thiol transfer activity and glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity. In a second project investigated arsenic resistance in a microbiome organism. I discovered that the human gut microflora B. vulgatus has eight continuous genes in its genome and these genes form an arsenical-inducible transcriptional unit. In two other projects I investigated the properties of two As(III) S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) methyltransferase (ArsM in microbes and AS3MT in animals). In this project we demonstrate that most fungal species have ArsM orthologs with only three conserved cysteine residues, and AfArsM from Aspergillus fumigatus methylates only MAs(III) and not As(III). For human, arsenic methylation process is thought to be protective from acute high-level arsenic exposure. However, with long term low-level exposure, hAS3MT is thought to produce intracellular methylarsenite (MAs(III)) and dimethylarsenite (DMAs(III)), which are considerably more toxic than inorganic As(III) and may contribute to arsenic-related diseases. Several single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in putative regulatory elements of the hAS3MT gene have been shown to be protective. In contrast, three previously identified exonic SNPs (R173W, M287T and T306I) may be deleterious. I identified five additional intragenic variants in hAS3MT (H51R, C61W, I136T, W203C and R251H). I purified the eight polymorphic hAS3MT proteins and characterized their enzymatic properties. Each enzyme had low methylation activity through decreased affinity for substrate, lower overall rates of catalysis and/or lower stability. I propose that amino acid substitutions in hAS3MT with decreased catalytic activity lead to detrimental responses to environmental arsenic and may increase the risk of arsenic-related diseases.