Research in constraint-based layout, visualization, CAD, and related topics : a bibliographical survey

The present work compiles numerous papers in the area of computer-aided design, graphics, layout configuration, and user interfaces in general. There is nearly no conference on graphics, multimedia, and user interfaces that does not include a section on constraint-based graphics; on the other hand most conferences on constraint processing favour applications in graphics. This work of bibliographical pointers may serve as a basis for a detailed and comprehensive survey of this important and challenging field in the intersection of constraint processing and graphics. In order to reach this ambitious aim, and also to keep this study up-to-date, the authors appreciate any comment and update information

A Phase Transition of the Unconscious: Automated Text Analysis of Dreams in Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy

Aim: Psychotherapy could be interpreted as a self-organizing process which reveals discontinuous pattern transitions (so-called phase transitions). Whereas this was shown in the conscious process of awake patients by different measures and at different time scales, dreams came very seldom into the focus of investigation. The present work tests the hypothesis that, by dreaming, the patient gets progressively more access to affective-laden (i.e., emotionally charged) unconscious dimensions. Furthermore, the study investigates if, over the course of psychotherapy, a discontinuous phase transition occurs in the patient’s capacity to get in contact with those unconscious dimensions. Methods and Procedures: A series of 95 dream narratives reported during a psychoanalytic psychotherapy of a female patient (published as the “dreams of Amalie X”) was used for analysis. An automated text analysis procedure based on multiple correspondence analysis was applied to the textual corpus of the dreams, highlighting a 10-factor structure. The factors, interpreted as affective-laden unconscious meaning dimensions, were adopted to define a 10-dimensional phase space, in which the ability of a dream to be associated with one or more local factors representing complex affective-laden meanings is measured by the Euclidean distance (ED) from the origin of this hyperspace. The obtained ED time series has been fitted by an autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) model and by non linear methods like dynamic complexity, recurrence plot, and time frequency distribution. Change point analysis was applied to these non linear methods. Results: The results show an increased frequency and intensity of dreams to get access to affective-laden meanings. Non linear methods identified a phase transition-like jump of the ED dynamics onto a higher complexity level of the dreaming process, suggesting a non linear process in the patient’s capacity to get in contact with unconscious dimensions. Conclusion: The study corroborates the hypothesis that, by dreaming, the patient gets progressively more access to affective-laden meaning intended as unconscious dimensions. The trajectory of this process has been reproduced by an ARIMA model, and beyond this, non linear methods of time series analysis allowed the identification of a phase transition in the unconscious process of the psychoanalytic therapy under investigation

Passive blade ice protection using icephobic surfaces

Dissertação de mestrado integrado em Engenharia MecânicaIce accumulation on blade surfaces severely limits the normal operation of wind turbine generators. At present, commercially available technologies to mitigate this problem consist of expensive, energy hungry heating elements. An alternative is the implementation of icephobic coatings. The icephobicity of a surface can be quantified by measuring how strongly ice adheres to it. This simple statement implies rather complex tasks: creating artificial ice on a surface and removing the ice from the surface in a measurable and reproducible way. In the present research, a comprehensive study was conducted to characterize ice adhesion strength over various surfaces by using a custom-built shear strength tester. The studied surfaces include both laboratory developed and commercially available coatings. In addition, the contact angles for all the surfaces were also measured to correlate the wettability and the measured ice adhesion, that is, hydrophobicity with the icephobicity. Furthermore, two numerical simulations were performed to identify the measurement uncertainties of the ice adhesion test model and to analyse the effects of the aerodynamical forces that operate in a commercial turbine. The main results drawn from this work are that there is no direct relationship between icephobicity and hydrophobicity and that icing prevention on wind turbine blades by coating alone is not realistically enough. The alternative that best applies is the combination of an active ice mitigation system with the application of these coatings.A acumulação de gelo nas superfícies das pás limita severamente a operação normal das turbinas eólicas. Atualmente, as tecnologias comercialmente disponíveis para mitigar este problema consistem em elementos de aquecimento dispendiosos e que consomem muita energia. Uma alternativa é a implementação de revestimentos “gelofóbicos”. A “gelofobicidade” de uma superfície pode ser quantificada medindo o seu grau de aderência ao gelo. Esta simples afirmação implica tarefas bastante complexas: criar gelo artificial numa superfície e remover o gelo da superfície de forma mensurável e reprodutível. No presente projeto, foi realizado um estudo abrangente para analisar a resistência de várias superfícies à aderência do gelo, através de um equipamento de medição de tensão de corte adaptado. As superfícies estudadas incluem tanto revestimentos desenvolvidos em laboratório como revestimentos disponíveis comercialmente. Adicionalmente, também foram medidos os ângulos de contacto para todas as superfícies de forma a correlacionar a molhabilidade e a aderência de gelo medida, ou seja, a hidrofobicidade com a “gelofobicidade”. Para além disso, foram realizadas duas simulações numéricas para identificar as incertezas de medição do modelo de teste de aderência do gelo e para analisar os efeitos das forças aerodinâmicas a que uma turbina comercial está sujeita. Os principais resultados retirados deste trabalho são a não existência de uma relação direta entre a gelofobicidade e a hidrofobicidade e que a prevenção da formação de gelo nas pás das turbinas eólicas através da utilização única destes revestimentos não é suficientemente realista. Uma alternativa que melhor se aplica é a combinação de um sistema de mitigação do gelo ativo com a aplicação de revestimentos gelofóbicos

Genetic characterization of cassava (Manihot esculenta) landraces in Brazil assessed with simple sequence repeats

Based on nine microsatellite loci, the aim of this study was to appraise the genetic diversity of 42 cassava (Manihot esculenta) landraces from selected regions in Brazil, and examine how this variety is distributed according to origin in several municipalities in the states of Minas Gerais, São Paulo, Mato Grosso do Sul, Amazonas and Mato Grosso. High diversity values were found among the five above-mentioned regions, with 3.3 alleles per locus on an average, a high percentage of polymorphic loci varying from 88.8% to 100%, an average of 0.265 for observed heterozygosity and 0.570 for gene diversity. Most genetic diversity was concentrated within the regions themselves (HS = 0.52). Cluster analysis and principal component based scatter plotting showed greater similarity among landraces from São Paulo, Mato Grosso do Sul and Amazonas, whereas those from Minas Gerais were clustered into a sub-group within this group. The plants from Mato Grosso, mostly collected in the municipality of General Carneiro, provided the highest differentiation. The migration of human populations is one among the possible reasons for this closer resemblance or greater disparity among plants from the various regions

The application of sentiment analysis to a psychotherapy session : an exploratory study using four general-purpose lexicons

Dissertação de Mestrado apresentada no ISPA – Instituto Universitário para obtenção de grau de Mestre na especialidade de Psicologia Clínica.In this study we explore the application of sentiment analysis to a complete and in-person psychotherapy session. Sentiment analysis is a text mining technique that allows for the analysis, interpretation, and visualization of textual data. We investigate how we can apply a lexicon-based approach to analyze clinical session data, using four general-purpose lexicons available within an open-source statistical programming language environment, R. We conducted our study by comparing the performance of four general-purpose lexicons to the performance of n = 52 human raters, using inter-rater reliability (IRR) and intraclass correlation (ICC) measurements. Our findings suggest there is low to moderate agreement between human ratings and lexicon generated ratings, depending on the lexicon used. There are some benefits in applying a lexicon-based sentiment analysis approach to psychotherapy session data, namely the way it efficiently processes and analyses data and allows for novel visualizations of psychotherapy data. We recommend further investigation into the application of sentiment analysis as a technique, focusing on the performance of specific-purpose lexicons. We also recommend further research into comparing the performance of lexicon-based approaches to text classification approaches to the analysis of psychotherapy data

Tool support for context-based comprehension of large-scale software systems

Mémoire numérisé par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal

Release and fate of organic and inorganic matter from the Batagaika thaw slump to the Yana River in central Yakutia (Russia) due to rapid permafrost degradation

With ongoing climate change, permafrost soils and their function as carbon sinks are becoming more important as they might become carbon sources with rising global air temperatures. Landscapes are also changing, forming distinct features such as retrogressive thaw slumps, which not only release large amounts of organic carbon but also nitrogen, heavy metals, trace elements, major ions, sediment and fresh water into the environment depending on the regional settings. This thesis examines the release of dissolved and particulate matter due to the permafrost thaw in the Batagaika mega thaw slump in central Yakutia (Russia) (67�34'41.83" N, 134�45'46.91" E) and how it affects the subsequent streams the Batagaika and Yana River. In total 11 samples were taken: 5 slump, 4 Batagaika River and 2 Yana River samples, representing the flow path from the slump to the Yana River. The samples were analyzed for electrical conductivity, hydrogen carbonate content, DOC, nitrogen, major ion concentrations, heavy and trace metals, stable oxygen, hydrogen and carbon isotopes and were dated using radiocarbon measurements. When available, particulate matter in suspension was analyzed for total carbon, total organic carbon, total nitrogen and stable carbon isotopes, and were radiocarbon dated. The results show a significant release of dissolved organic and inorganic matter in the thaw slump affecting the water chemistry of the Batagaika River but showing no observable impact on the Yana River. Particulate matter does not seem to have had a strong impact on the subsequent rivers as sediment contents in suspension in the slump are >50% and <2% in the Batagaika and Yana River. Also TOC values are clearly lower in the slump compared to the Batagaika River. Trying to relate radiocarbon ages, stable isotopes and TOC values with specific stratigraphical units and ice wedges of the slumps headwall showed a connection to the upper sand unit of the NNE headwall and might lead to the conclusion of stronger erosion of a few units or sections of the headwall. However, the low sample resolution in this thesis both spatially and temporally must be considered in the interpretation of the results