In this paper we establish equivalence between a theory of fuzzy functional dependences and a fragment of fuzzy logic. We give a way to interpret fuzzy functional dependences as formulas in fuzzy logic. This goal is realized in four steps. Truth assignment of attributes is defined in terms of closeness between two tuples in a fuzzy relation. A corresponding fuzzy formula is associated to a fuzzy functional dependence. It is proved that if a relation satisfies a fuzzy functional dependence, then the corresponding fuzzy formula is satisfied and vice verse. Finally, equivalence of a fuzzy formulas and a set fuzzy functional dependence is demonstrated. Thus we are in position to apply the rule of resolution from fuzzy logic, while calculating fuzzy functional dependences.

This paper deals with the design and implementation of a visual control of a robotic system composed of a dexterous hand and video camera. The aim of the proposed system is to reproduce the movements of a human hand in order to learn complex manipulation tasks or to interact with the user. A novel algorithm for robust and fast fingertips localization and tracking is presented. A suitable kinematic hand model is adopted to achieve a fast and acceptable solution to an inverse kinematics problem. The system is part of a cognitive architecture for posture learning that integrates the perceptions by a high-level representation of the scene and of the observed actions. The anthropomorphic robotic hand imitates the gestures acquired by the vision system in order to learn meaningful movements, to build its knowledge by different conceptual spaces, and to perform complex interactions with the human operator.

When released into an appropriate environment, mammalian spermatozoa begin to capacitate and then continue until fully capacitated and able to fertilize. During capacitation in vitro, some cells 'over-capacitate' and undergo spontaneous acrosome reactions; this would be highly undesirable in vivo since already acrosome-reacted spermatozoa are non-fertilizing. Recent studies have revealed that seminal plasma contains several small molecules that bind to specific receptors on the sperm plasma membrane and act as 'first messengers', causing biologically important changes in availability of the 'second messenger' cAMP. Fertilization promoting peptide (FPP), calcitonin and adenosine all regulate cAMP production, stimulating it in uncapacitated spermatozoa and then inhibiting it in capacitated cells; in contrast, angiotensin II stimulates cAMP throughout capacitation. The molecules that regulate cAMP appear to do so via G protein-modulated changes in membrane associated adenylyl cyclases (mACs). Both mouse and human spermatozoa have been shown to have Galphas and Galphai2, as well as several isoforms of mAC, located in the same regions as the specific receptors. Thus spermatozoa possess the required elements for several separate signal transduction pathways, many of which regulate mAC/cAMP and so maintain sperm fertilizing ability. In vivo, such responses could increase the chances of successful fertilization.

O Lynxacarus radovskyi e um acaro da pele do gato que se alimenta da superficie do pelo. O potencial das manifestacoesclinicas e proporcional ao numero de acaros fixados no animal e a duracao da infestacao. Com o objetivo de pesquisar apresenca de ectoparasitos em 10 felinos que apresentavam pontos avermelhados nos pelos foi realizado o tricograma eobservou-se a presenca de ovos e exemplares adultos de L. radovskyi aderidos aos pelos dos animais. Observou-se, ainda,que um canino, macho e adulto, que convivia com estes felinos, tambem estava parasitado por estes artropodes, emboraapresentando menor grau de infestacao. Em caes, nao existem relatos deste parasito na literatura mundial. Concluiu-se que,devido ao pequeno tamanho do parasito e as dificuldades no diagnostico, e necessario um estudo amplo que avalie aocorrencia deste parasito e suas implicacoes na sanidade dos felinos.