Extraction of main levels of a building from a large point cloud

Horizontal levels are references entities, the base of man-made environments. Their creation is the first step for various applications including the BIM (Building Information Modelling). BIM is an emerging methodology, widely used for new constructions, and increasingly applied to existing buildings (scan-to-BIM). The as-built BIM process is still mainly manual or semi-automatic and therefore is highly time-consuming. The automation of the as-built BIM is a challenging topic among the research community. This study is part of an ongoing research into the scan-to-BIM process regarding the extraction of the principal structure of a building. More specifically, here we present a strategy to automatically detect the building levels from a large point cloud obtained with a terrestrial laser scanner survey. The identification of the horizontal planes is the first indispensable step to produce an as-built BIM model. Our algorithm, developed in C++, is based on plane extraction by means of the RANSAC algorithm followed by the minimization of the quadrate sum of points-plane distance. Moreover, this paper will take an in-depth look at the influence of data resolution in the accuracy of plane extraction and at the necessary accuracy for the construction of a BIM model. A laser scanner survey of a three floors building composed by 36 scan stations has produced a point cloud of about 550 million points. The estimated plane parameters at different data resolution are analysed in terms of distance from the full points cloud resolution

O controle interno como ferramenta da gestão para cooperativas do Rio Grande do Sul: um estudo de caso

Significant changes in market behavior arouse the need to adopt new processes and administration of tools to make them more competitive and sustainable cooperative organizations. Thus, the aim of this study is to “identify and analyze the tools of internal control of a cooperative of the Rio Grande do Sul state”. So we took as reference the internal control model defined by Crepaldi (2007). In terms of methodology this study was to supply a qualitative study, based on field research procedures, descriptive and exploratory. The method was the case study that allowed the thorough investigation of the theoretical aspects and its application in the practical context of a cooperative. The methodological techniques used were gathering, analysis and organization of data. To obtain the answers on the problem interviews were used, questionnaires, document analysis and direct observation. Essentially for the analysis of results were adopted some techniques such as categorization, percentage quantitative statistical and essentially content analysis. Finally, based on this detailed account of the results, concerning the internal control tools applied by Cotrijui, it was concluded that the routines and procedures meets in average degree, the model Crepaldi (2007).As mudanças significativas no comportamento do mercado despertam a necessidade da adoção de novos processos e ferramentas de gestão de modo a tornar as organizações cooperativas mais competitivas e sustentáveis. Dessa forma, o objetivo geral desse trabalho é “identificar e analisar as ferramentas de controle interno de uma cooperativa do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul”. Sendo assim, tomou-se como referência o modelo de controle interno definidos por Crepaldi (2007). Em termos metodológicos esse trabalho teve como aporte uma pesquisa qualitativa, apoiada em procedimentos de pesquisa de campo, descritiva e exploratória. O método foi estudo de caso que permitiu a investigação profunda dos aspectos teóricos e sua aplicabilidade no contexto prático de uma cooperativa. As técnicas metodológicas adotadas foram coleta, análise e organização dos dados. Para obtenção das respostas relativas ao problema foram utilizadas entrevistas, questionários, análise documental e observação direta. Essencialmente para a análise dos resultados foram adotadas algumas técnicas como: categorização, estatística quantitativa percentual e, essencialmente, análise de conteúdo. Por fim, com base nesse relato pormenorizado dos resultados, acerca das ferramentas de controle interno praticadas pela Cotrijui, concluiu-se, que as rotinas e os procedimentos atende em grau médio, ao modelo de Crepaldi (2007)

Multidisciplinary analysis of Italian Alpine wildflower honey reveals criticalities, diversity and value

Wildflower honeys produced in mountain grasslands are an expression of the biodiversity of these fragile habitats. Despite its importance, the botanical origin of honey is often defined without performing formal analysis. The aim of the study was to characterize six wildflower mountain honeys produced in the Italian Alps with different analytic techniques (SPME–GC–MS, HPLC-Orbitrap, cicatrizing and antioxidant activity) alongside melissopalynological analysis and botanical definition of the production area. Even though the apiaries were in mountain grasslands rich in Alpine herbaceous species, the honey could be defined as rhododendron/raspberry unifloral or raspberry and rhododendron bifloral while the honey produced at the lowest altitude differed due to the presence of linden, heather and chestnut. The non-compliance of the honey could be due to habitat (meadows and pastures) fragmentation, but also to specific compounds involved in the plant–insect relationship, such as kynurenic acid, present in a high quantity in the sample rich in chestnut pollen. 255 volatile compounds were detected as well as some well-known markers of specific botanic essences, in particular chestnut, linden and heather, also responsible for most of the differences in aroma profiling. A high correlation between nicotinaldehyde content and percentage of raspberry pollen (r = 0.853, p < 0.05) was found. Phenolic acid and hydroxy-fatty acid were predominant in the chestnut pollen dominant honey, which presented the highest antioxidant activity and the lowest cicatrizing activity, while the flavonoid fraction was accentuated in one sample (rhododendron pollen prevalent), that was also the one with the highest effect on wound closure, although all samples had similar cicatrizing effects apart from the chestnut pollen dominant honey (lowest cicatrizing activity). Our study highlighted the difficulty of producing mountain wildflower honey and the importance of a thorough characterization of this product, also to encourage its production and valorisation.Fil: Leoni, Valeria. Università degli Studi di Milano; ItaliaFil: Giupponi, Luca. Università degli Studi di Milano; ItaliaFil: Pavlovic, Radmila. Università degli Studi di Milano; ItaliaFil: Gianoncelli, Carla. Università degli Studi di Milano; ItaliaFil: Cecati, Francisco Miguel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - San Luis. Instituto de Investigaciones en Tecnología Química. Universidad Nacional de San Luis. Facultad de Química, Bioquímica y Farmacia. Instituto de Investigaciones en Tecnología Química; ArgentinaFil: Ranzato, Elia. Università degli Studi di Milano; ItaliaFil: Martinotti, Simona. Università degli Studi di Milano; ItaliaFil: Pedrali, Davide. Università degli Studi di Milano; ItaliaFil: Giorgi, Annamaria. Università degli Studi di Milano; ItaliaFil: Panseri, Sara. Università degli Studi di Milano; Itali

REQUIRED COMPETENCIES ON THE PART OF THE DIRECTOR AND THE COORDINATOR OF THE NURSING GRADUATION COURSE AT UNIVERSITY ESTÁCIO DE SÁ/RIO DE JANEIRO-BRAZIL

RESUMEN: Se trata de un relato de experiencia de la implantación del curso de graduación en enfermería de la Universidad Estácio de Sá – RJ. El objetivo fue saber las capacidades que deben tener los coordinadores y el director del curso deenfermería a fin de mejor manejar el proceso de implantación. La dirección y los coordinadores de campus se juntaron parahacer una autoevaluación. Fue aplicado un cuestionario con preguntas abiertas acerca de las capacidades que deberíanser desarrolladas para conducir el curso. El cuestionario fue contestado por todos los encargados, incluyendo el director.Esta autoevaluación ocurrió en el año de 2002, con los períodos 3° y 4° del curso, siendo hecha en cinco campus:Rebouças, Akxe, Bangu, Campos dos Goytacazes y Nova Friburgo. Se concluyó que, para llegar a una gerencia eficiente,es necesario que las siguientes capacidades sean desarrolladas: técnica (conocimiento del oficio de enfermera),administrativa, pedagógica y emocional.RESUMO: Trata-se de um relato de experiência de implantação do Curso de Graduação em Enfermagem da Universidade Estácio de Sá/RJ. O objetivo foi conhecer as competências requeridas pelos Coordenadores e pelo Diretor do Curso deGraduação em Enfermagem para melhor gerenciar o processo de implantação. A Diretora com as Coordenadoras dos campise reuniram para uma auto-avaliação mediante o uso de um questionário com perguntas abertas sobre quais competênciasdeveriam ser desenvolvidas para melhor gerenciar o Curso. O questionário foi respondido pelos gerentes e a Diretora.Essa auto avaliação ocorreu no ano de 2002, com os 3° e 4° períodos em curso ministrados em cinco campi: CampusRebouças, Campus Akxe, Campus Bangu, Campus Campos dos Goytacazes, Campus Nova Friburgo. Concluímos que para realizar uma gerência eficiente e eficaz é necessário que as seguintes competências devam ser desenvolvidas:competência técnica (conhecimento de Enfermagem), administrativa, pedagógica e emocional.ABSTRACT: It is an experience account about the implementation of the Nursing Graduation Course at University Estácio de Sá/Rio de Janeiro - Brazil. It objectified to learn about the competencies required by Coordinators and the Director of theNursing Graduation Course for a better management of the implementation process. The Director along with the campiCoordinators met in order to perform a self-assessment by means of a questionnaire with open questions on the requiredcompetencies for a better course management. The questionnaire was answered by managers and Director. This selfassessmentoccurred in the year of 2002, with the third and fourth terms of the course in five campi: Rebouças, Akxe,Bangu, Campos dos Goytacazes and Nova Friburgo. We concluded that efficient and effective management is deemednecessary so that the following competencies must be developed: technical competency (Nursing knowledge) as well asadministrative, pedagogical and emotional competencies

Mutations impairing GSK3-mediated MAF phosphorylation cause cataract, deafness, intellectual disability, seizures, and a down syndrome-like facies

Transcription factors operate in developmental processes to mediate inductive events and cell competence, and perturbation of their function or regulation can dramatically affect morphogenesis, organogenesis, and growth. We report that a narrow spectrum of amino-acid substitutions within the transactivation domain of the v-maf avian musculoaponeurotic fibrosarcoma oncogene homolog (MAF), a leucine zipper-containing transcription factor of the AP1 superfamily, profoundly affect development. Seven different de novo missense mutations involving conserved residues of the four GSK3 phosphorylation motifs were identified in eight unrelated individuals. The distinctive clinical phenotype, for which we propose the eponym Aymé-Gripp syndrome, is not limited to lens and eye defects as previously reported for MAF/Maf loss of function but includes sensorineural deafness, intellectual disability, seizures, brachycephaly, distinctive flat facial appearance, skeletal anomalies, mammary gland hypoplasia, and reduced growth. Disease-causing mutations were demonstrated to impair proper MAF phosphorylation, ubiquitination and proteasomal degradation, perturbed gene expression in primary skin fibroblasts, and induced neurodevelopmental defects in an in vivo model. Our findings nosologically and clinically delineate a previously poorly understood recognizable multisystem disorder, provide evidence for MAF governing a wider range of developmental programs than previously appreciated, and describe a novel instance of protein dosage effect severely perturbing developmen

A gestão por processos e as atividades intensivas em conhecimento: um estudo na indústria de bebidas

The growth of the beverage industry in Brazil, in the case of volumes produced and consumed, infers the constant pursuit of strategies, tools and innovative attitudes, in which the process management and knowledge management play a key role. Thus, the focus of this study is focused on analysis of knowledge-intensive activities in a given process in the organizations of the knowledge society, contextualized, through case study, in a beverage industry of the City of Santa Maria, in the State of Rio Grande do Sul. Descriptive and qualitative methods were needed to support the methodology, whose collection was done through interviews, document analysis and observation, so as to make possible the analysis of the data. That said, it was observed that the organization studied is knowledge intensive and recognizing process management as a tool for organizational management oriented optimization strategies and results. It is noteworthy, however, that it lacks proper structuring of these activities. Thus, after analysis it was possible contributing suggesting a new process more detailed and focused on knowledge-intensive activities considered.O crescimento da indústria de bebidas no Brasil, considerando os volumes produzidos e consumidos, requer uma constante busca de estratégias, ferramentas e atitudes inovadoras, no qual a gestão por processos e do conhecimento assumem papeis fundamentais nos resultados. Dessa forma, o foco desse estudo está centrado na análise das atividades intensivas do conhecimento, em um determinado processo nas organizações da sociedade do conhecimento, contextualizado, por meio do estudo de caso, em uma indústria de bebidas da Cidade de Santa Maria, no Estado do Rio Grande do Sul.  Métodos qualitativos e descritvos foram necessários para dar o suporte à metodologia.  A coleta de dados, para análise, foi feita por meio de entrevistas, análise documental e observação direta. Isso posto, observou-se que a organização estudada é intensiva em conhecimento e que reconhece a gestão por processos como ferramenta de gestão organizacional orientada para a otimização das estratégias e dos resultados. Destaca-se, porém, que esta mesma organização, ainda carece de estruturação adequada para tais atividades. Sendo assim, após a análise, foi possível contribuir sugerindo um processo mais detalhado e focado nas atividades consideradas intensivas em conhecimento

COVID-19-associated Guillain-Barré syndrome in the early pandemic experience in Lombardia (Italy)

Objective To estimate the incidence and describe clinical characteristics and outcome of GBS in COVID-19 patients (COVID19-GBS) in one of the most hit regions during the frst pandemic wave, Lombardia. Methods Adult patients admitted to 20 Neurological Units between 1/3–30/4/2020 with COVID19-GBS were included as part of a multi-center study organized by the Italian society of Hospital Neuroscience (SNO). Results Thirty-eight COVID19-GBS patients had a mean age of 60.7 years and male frequency of 86.8%. CSF albuminocytological dissociation was detected in 71.4%, and PCR for SARS-CoV-2 was negative in 19 tested patients. Based on neurophysiology, 81.8% of patients had a diagnosis of AIDP, 12.1% of AMSAN, and 6.1% of AMAN. The course was favorable in 76.3% of patients, stable in 10.5%, while 13.2% worsened, of which 3 died. The estimated occurrence rate in Lombardia ranges from 0.5 to 0.05 GBS cases per 1000 COVID-19 infections depending on whether you consider positive cases or estimated seropositive cases. When we compared GBS cases with the pre-pandemic period, we found a reduction of cases from 165 to 135 cases in the 2-month study period in Lombardia. Conclusions We detected an increased incidence of GBS in COVID-19 patients which can refect a higher risk of GBS in COVID-19 patients and a reduction of GBS events during the pandemic period possibly due to a lower spread of more common respiratory infectious diseases determined by an increased use of preventive measures