The cloud paradigm: Are you tuned for the lyrics?

Major players, business angels and opinion-makers are broadcasting beguiled lyrics on the most recent IT hype: your software should ascend to the clouds. There are many clouds and the stake is high. Distractedly, many of us became assiduous users of the cloud, but perhaps due to the legacy systems and legacy knowledge, IT professionals, mainly those many that work in business information systems for the long tail, are not as much plunged into producing cloud-based systems for their clients. This keynote will delve into several aspects of this cloud paradigm, from more generic concerns regarding security and value for money, to more specific worries that reach software engineers in general. Do we need a different software development process? Are development techniques and tools mature enough? What about the role of open-source in the cloud? How do we assess the quality in cloud-based development? Please stay tuned for more!Comment: Position paper to introduce a keynote, proceedings of WAMPS'2011 - VI Annual MPS.BR Workshop, pp. 20-25, Campinas, Brazil, October 201

Charmed mesons at finite temperature and chemical potential

We compute the masses of the pseudoscalar mesons $\pi^+$ , $K^0$ and $D^+$ at finite temperature and baryon chemical potential. The computations are based on a symmetry- preserving Dyson-Schwinger equation treatment of a vector-vector four quark contact interaction. The results found for the temperature dependence of the meson masses are in qualitative agreement with lattice QCD data and QCD sum rules calculations. The chemical potential dependence of the masses provide a novel prediction of the present computation

Optimal random sampling designs in random field sampling

A Horvitz-Thompson predictor is proposed for spatial sampling when the characteristic of interest is modeled as a random field. Optimal sampling designs are deduced under this context. Fixed and variable sample size are considered

The Importance of Food Perception in Food Choices and Nutrition

Nowadays, there is a growing interest in understanding and modulating consumer choices, both for healthy and economic reasons. However, food preferences are influenced by a diversity of factors, which interact among them to a final behaviour. The understanding of food choices is linked with the comprehension of how consumers perceive food and how the different levels of perception (sensorial, psychological, socio-economic) affect those choices. Traditionally, the effect of each discipline was studied independently. Nowadays, the complexity inherent to the decision process is recognized and multidisciplinary studies, where the different dimensions of choices are considered, are increasing. Motivation for consumption is greatly affected by the way individuals identify food. This recognition should be considered at different levels: sensorial, emotional, social and physiological. As such, variability in food characteristics, including food constituents and technological processing, as well as variations in individuals’ characteristics, such as believes, experiences and physiology, and variations in the context in which food is experienced, can greatly affect the final perception.FC

A contour matching approach for accurate NOAA-AVHRR image navigation

Although different methods for NOAA AVHRR image navigation have already been established, the multitemporal and multi-satellite character of most studies requires automatic and accurate methods for navigation of satellite images. In the proposed method, a simple Kepplerian orbital model for the NOAA satellites is considered as reference model, and mean orbital elements are given as input to the model from ephemeris data. In order to correct the errors caused by these simplifications, errors resulting from inaccuracies in the positioning of the satellite and failures in the satellite internal clock, an automatic global contour matching approach has been adopted. First, the sensed image is preprocessed to obtain a gradient energy map of the reliable areas (sea-land contours) using a cloud detection algorithm and a morphological gradient operator. An initial estimation of the reliable contour positions is automatically obtained. The final positions of the contours are obtained by means of an iterative local minimization procedure that allows a contour to converge on an area of high image energy (edge). Global transformation parameters are estimated based on the initial and final positions of all reliable contour points. Finally, the performance of this approach is assessed using NOAA 14 AVHRR images from different geographic areas.Postprint (published version

Parametric Design of Minimal Mass Tensegrity Bridges Under Yielding and Buckling Constraints

This paper investigates the use of the most fundamental elements; cables for tension and bars for compression, in the search for the most efficient bridges. Stable arrangements of these elements are called tensegrity structures. We show herein the minimal mass arrangement of these basic elements to satisfy both yielding and buckling constraints. We show that the minimal mass solution for a simply-supported bridge subject to buckling constraints matches Michell's 1904 paper which treats the case of only yield constraints, even though our boundary conditions differ. The necessary and sufficient condition is given for the minimal mass bridge to lie totally above (or below) deck. Furthermore this condition depends only on material properties. If one ignores joint mass, and considers only bridges above deck level, the optimal complexity (number of elements in the bridge) tends toward infinity (producing a material continuum). If joint mass is considered then the optimal complexity is finite. The optimal (minimal mass) bridge below deck has the smallest possible complexity (and therefore cheaper to build), and under reasonable material choices, yields the smallest mass bridge.Comment: 56 pages, 25 figures, 13 tables. Internal Report 2014-1: University of California, San Diego, 201

The great good place : coworking como espaço para aprender design uma framework exploratória

Abstract : In this paper we explore a conceptual framework based on three lines of thinking/work from Patrick Cohendet (Underground/Middleground/Upperground), Ray Oldenburg (The Great Good Place), and Fred Garneti (Heutagogy or Self-determined Learning). To demonstrate the relevance and feasibility of our proposed concept, we review the key factors and definitions of these authors and their work. Although not a theoretical framework, the present paper aims to help us map a part of our research work within the context of the Doctoral Programme in Design at IADE / Universidade Europeia, which triangulates Coworking, Design Learning, and Heutagogy or selfdetermined modes of learning. Ultimately, the aim is to generate new evidence on how such a model of Coworking Design Learning can benefit and betier suit contemporary Design learners.Neste artigo, exploramos uma estrutura conceptual baseada em três linhas de pensamento dos autores Patrick Cohendet (Underground / Middleground / Upperground), Ray Oldenburg (The Great Good Place) e Fred Garneti (Heutagogy or Self-determined Learning). Para demonstrar a relevância e a viabilidade da nossa proposta conceptual, revisitamos os principais fatores e definições destes autores e dos seus trabalhos. Embora não constitua uma framework teórica, o presente trabalho tem como objetivo ajudar a mapear parte do nosso trabalho de pesquisa no contexto do Programa de Doutoramento em Design do IADE / Universidade Europeia, que triangula Coworking, Aprendizagem de Design e Heutagogia ou modos autodeterminados de aprendizagem. Em última instância, o objetivo é tentar produzir novas evidências sobre como um modelo de aprendizagem de Design baseado em espaços de Coworking pode beneficiar e adequar-se melhor aos actuais alunos de Design.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio