Vector field reconstruction from sparse samples with applications

Abstract. We present a novel algorithm for 2D vector field reconstruction from sparse set of points–vectors pairs. Our approach subdivides the domain adaptively in order to make local piecewise polynomial approximations for the field. It uses partition of unity to blend those local approximations together, generating a global approximation for the field. The flexibility of this scheme allows handling data from very different sources. In particular, this work presents important applications of the proposed method to velocity and acceleration fields ’ analysis, in particular for fluid dynamics visualization

The Urban Toolkit: A Grammar-based Framework for Urban Visual Analytics

While cities around the world are looking for smart ways to use new advances in data collection, management, and analysis to address their problems, the complex nature of urban issues and the overwhelming amount of available data have posed significant challenges in translating these efforts into actionable insights. In the past few years, urban visual analytics tools have significantly helped tackle these challenges. When analyzing a feature of interest, an urban expert must transform, integrate, and visualize different thematic (e.g., sunlight access, demographic) and physical (e.g., buildings, street networks) data layers, oftentimes across multiple spatial and temporal scales. However, integrating and analyzing these layers require expertise in different fields, increasing development time and effort. This makes the entire visual data exploration and system implementation difficult for programmers and also sets a high entry barrier for urban experts outside of computer science. With this in mind, in this paper, we present the Urban Toolkit (UTK), a flexible and extensible visualization framework that enables the easy authoring of web-based visualizations through a new high-level grammar specifically built with common urban use cases in mind. In order to facilitate the integration and visualization of different urban data, we also propose the concept of knots to merge thematic and physical urban layers. We evaluate our approach through use cases and a series of interviews with experts and practitioners from different domains, including urban accessibility, urban planning, architecture, and climate science. UTK is available at urbantk.org.Comment: Accepted at IEEE VIS 2023. UTK is available at http://urbantk.or

WALK: um produto da inteligência artificial aplicada à engenharia de software

This report is a survey of the use of Artificial Intelligence technology on Software Engineering and its different levels of applications. it also focus on the WALK, an Expert System on Strutured Design that is an example of this subject, which is under development by GIA/UFRJ (AI Research Group).O trabalho pretende fazer uma revisão da utilização da Inteligência Artificial na Engenharia de Software em seus diversos níveis de aplicação, focalizando com maior cuidado o sistema WALK , um sistema especialista em Projeto Estruturado, em desenvolvimento pelo GIA/UFRJ, que está inserido no tema abordado

Desafios do apoio público à inovação no Brasil

Os fascículos, ao fim de cada ano, são reunidos em uma única publicação, intitulada "Visão do Desenvolvimento

Use of serological diagnostic techniques in the control and eradication of caprine arthritis encephalitis: an update

A artrite encefalite caprina (CAE) é uma enfermidade crônica causada por um lentivírus de pequenos ruminantes (LVPR), que ocasiona perdas significativas na caprinocultura. O estado real da infecção animal pelo LVPR é de difícil determinação em virtude da complexa patogenia do vírus, incluindo fatores como soroconversão tardia ou intermitente em testes sorológicos. Para o diagnóstico da enfermidade, diversas técnicas sorológicas estão disponíveis, como testes de triagem ou confirmatórios, com variações na sensibilidade e especificidade. Para escolha do teste a ser usado, a disponibilidade de imunorreagentes comerciais, o treinamento da equipe, o antígeno utilizado, e o custo das técnicas devem ser considerados. Esta revisão apresenta os métodos sorológicos disponíveis para uso em diferentes fases dos programas de controle e erradicação da CAE e as medidas de manejo que devem ser adotadas em conjunto com o diagnóstico sorológico da enfermidade.Caprine arthritis encephalitis (CAE) is a chronic disease caused by a small ruminant lentivirus (SRLV), which causes significant losses in goat breeding. The actual state of animal infection with SRLV is difficult to determine due to a complex pathogenesis of the virus, including factors such as delayed or intermittent seroconversion in serological tests. Several serological techniques are available for disease diagnosis, such as screening or confirmation tests, which are different in sensitivity and specificity. Regarding the choice of the test to be applied, availability of commercial immunoreagents, team training, antigen used, and cost of techniques must be considered. This review presents the serological methods available for use in different stages of CAE control and eradication programs, and management measures to be adopted in conjunction with serological diagnosis of the disease

Real Time Pixel Art Remasterization on GPUs

Abstract-Several methods have been proposed to overcome the pixel art scaling problem through the years. In this article we describe a novel approach to be applied through a massively parallel architecture that can address this issue in real time. To achieve this we design a local and context independent algorithm that enables an efficient parallel implementation on the GPU, delivering full frames output at response time for the user interaction. Our main goal is to apply the method on full frames of old games, which were based on pixel art graphics until the half of the 1990's, and keep the output frame rate good enough for playing

Contributions to the debate on the revision of the concept of cultural landscape: ICOMOS BRAZIL’s National Scientific Committee

The concept of landscape is polysemic and transdisciplinary, a basic condition for the recognition, planning and management of cultural landscapes, with a view to their integrated, shared and sustainable preservation. The recent extensions of the concept of cultural heritage have brought with them a breadth, diversity and complexity that prove to be counter-hegemonic, demanding greater participation and socio-cultural integration. The construction of the concept of cultural landscape has had in Brazil important thinkers, Charters and Regulations such as the Chancela del Landscape Cultural , the Portaria 375 or the Federal Constitution itself, in addition to various local initiatives and the declaration as World Heritage Sites of places like Rio, Pampulha or Paraty. The Constitution in its article 216 establishes as Brazilian cultural heritage tangible and intangible assets , highlighting that they must be taken not only individually but as a whole. Considering the conceptual revision in debate, the Brazilian committee reaffirms PRINCIPLES for a new approach and application of the concept of Cultural Landscape. The EPISTEMOLOGICAL ADVANCE makes us consider the systemic and complex character and its relationships, interactions, meanings, and interpretations. MAN - NATURE INTERACTION must be expressed through society. The DIVERSITY OF OBJECTIVES AND THEMES, built by groups associated with cultural practices and places, are considered true palimpsests. TERRITORIES AND TERRITORIAL SYSTEMS characterize the locus, sharing ecological or cultural functions and processes. SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT integrates conservation, requalification, and protection actions, considering an INTEGRAL AND INTEGRATED APPROACH to the landscape in its MATERIAL, INTANGIBLE AND NATURAL DIMENSIONS. The DYNAMICITY and evolutionary character of cultural landscapes implies the recognition of their TRANSFORMATIONS and their PUBLIC INTEREST, harmonizing public-private interactions, and the need for INTEGRATED, SHARED AND PARTICIPATORY MANAGEMENT. The Landscape is a fundamental piece to incorporate the Cultural Heritage in the policies of development and protection of the territory. Français: Le concept de paysage est polysémique et transdisciplinaire, condition de base pour la reconnaissance, l\u27aménagement et la gestion des paysages culturels, en vue de leur préservation intégrée, partagée et durable. Les extensions récentes du concept de patrimoine culturel ont apporté avec elles une ampleur, une diversité et une complexité qui s\u27avèrent contre-hégémoniques, exigeant une plus grande participation et une intégration socioculturelle. La construction du concept de paysage culturel a eu au Brésil d\u27importants penseurs, Lettres et Règlements tels que la Chancela del Landscape Cultural , la Portaria 375 ou la Constitution fédérale elle-même, en plus de diverses initiatives locales et de la déclaration, PatrimoineMundial, de lieux comme Rio, Pampulha ou Paraty. L\u27article 216 de la Constitution établit comme patrimoine culturel brésilien les « biens corporels et immatériels », soulignant qu\u27ils doivent être pris non seulement individuellement mais « dans son ensemble ». Face à cette révision conceptuelle, le comité brésilien réaffirme les PRINCIPES d\u27une nouvelle approche et application du concept de paysage culturel. L\u27AVANCE ÉPISTEMOLOGIQUE nous fait considérer le caractère systémique et complexe et ses relations, interactions, significations et interprétations. L\u27INTERACTION HOMME - NATURE doit s\u27exprimer à travers la société dans son ensemble. La DIVERSITÉ DES OBJECTIFS ET DES THÈMES, construits par des groupes associés à des pratiques et des lieux culturels, sont considérés comme de véritables palimpsestes. TERRITOIRES ET SYSTÈMES TERRITORIAUX caractérisent le locus, partageant des fonctions et des processus écologiques ou culturels. LE DÉVELOPPEMENT DURABLE intègre des actions de conservation, de requalification et de protection, en considérant une APPROCHE INTÉGRÉE ET INTÉGRÉE du paysage dans ses DIMENSIONS MATÉRIELLES, IMMATÉRIELLES ET NATURELLES. La DYNAMICITÉ et le caractère évolutif des paysages culturels impliquent la reconnaissance de leurs TRANSFORMATIONS et de leur INTÉRÊT PUBLIC, harmonisant les interactions public-privé, et la nécessité d\u27une GESTION INTÉGRÉE, PARTAGÉE ET PARTICIPATIVE. Le Paysage est une pièce fondamentale pour intégrer le Patrimoine Culturel dans les politiques de développement et de protection du territoire. Español: El concepto de paisaje es polisémico y transdisciplinario, condición básica para el reconocimiento, planificación y gestión de los paisajes culturales, con miras a su preservación integrada, compartida y sostenible. Las recientes ampliaciones del concepto de patrimonio cultural han traído consigo una amplitud, diversidad y complejidad que demuestran ser contrahegemónicas, exigiendo una mayor participación e integración sociocultural. La construcción del concepto de paisaje cultural ha tenido en Brasil importantes pensadores, Cartas y Reglamentos como la “Chancela del Paisaje Cultural”, la “Portaria 375” o la propia Constitución Federal, además de diversas iniciativas locales y la declaración, Patrimonio Mundial, de sitios como Rio, Pampulha o Paraty. El artículo 216 de la Constitución establece como patrimonio cultural brasileño “los bienes de carácter material e inmaterial”, destacando que deben ser tomados no solo individualmente sino “en conjunto”. Frente a esta revisión conceptual, el comité brasileño reafirma PRINCIPIOS para un nuevo abordaje y aplicación del concepto de Paisaje Cultural. El AVANCE EPISTEMOLÓGICO nos hace considerar el carácter sistémico y complejo y sus relaciones, interacciones, significados e interpretaciones. La INTERACIÓN HOMBRE- NATURALEZA debe expresarse a través de la sociedad en conjunto. La DIVERSIDAD DE OBJETIVOS Y TEMAS, construidos por grupos asociados a prácticas culturales y lugares, se consideran verdaderos palimpsestos. TERRITORIOS Y SISTEMAS TERRITORIALES caracterizan el locus, compartiendo funciones y procesos, ecológicos o culturales. El DESARROLLO SOSTENIBLE integra conservación, acciones de recualificación y protección, considerando un ENFOQUE INTEGRAL E INTEGRADO del paisaje en sus DIMENSIONES MATERIAL, INTANGIBLE Y NATURAL. La DINAMICIDAD y el carácter evolutivo de los paisajes culturales implica el reconocimiento de sus TRANSFORMACIONES y de su INTERÉS PÚBLICO, armonizando las interacciones público–privado, y la necesidad de una GESTIÓN INTEGRADA, COMPARTIDA Y PARTICIPATIVA. El Paisaje se constituye en pieza fundamental para incorporar el Patrimonio Cultural en las políticas de desarrollo y protección del territorio

Weight regain after a diet-induced loss is predicted by higher baseline leptin and lower ghrelin plasma levels

CONTEXT: Appetite-related hormones may play an important role in weight regain after obesity therapy. OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to investigate the potential involvement of ghrelin, leptin, and insulin plasma levels in weight regain after a therapeutic hypocaloric diet. DESIGN: A group of obese/overweight volunteers (49 women and 55 men; 35 ± 7 yr; 30.7 ± 2.4 kg/m(2)) followed an 8-wk hypocaloric diet (-30% energy expenditure) and were evaluated again 32 wk after treatment. Body weight as well as plasma fasting ghrelin, leptin, and insulin concentrations were measured at three points (wk 0, 8, and 32). RESULTS: After the 8-wk hypocaloric diet, the average weight loss was -5.0 ± 2.2% (P < 0.001). Plasma leptin and insulin concentrations decreased significantly, whereas ghrelin levels did not markedly change. In the group regaining more than 10% of the weight loss, leptin levels were higher (P < 0.01), whereas ghrelin levels were lower (P < 0.05). No differences were observed in insulin levels. Weight regain at wk 32 was negatively correlated with ghrelin and positively associated with leptin levels at baseline (wk 0) and endpoint (wk 8). These outcomes showed a gender-specific influence, being statistically significant among men for ghrelin and between women for leptin. Moreover, a decrease in ghrelin after an 8-wk hypocaloric diet was related to an increased risk for weight regain (odds ratio = 3.109; P = 0.008) whereas a greater reduction in leptin (odds ratio = 0.141; P = 0.001) was related to weight-loss maintenance. CONCLUSIONS: Subjects with higher plasma leptin and lower ghrelin levels at baseline could be more prone to regain lost weight, and hormones levels could be proposed as biomarkers for predicting obesity-treatment outcomes