44 research outputs found
A minimalistic approach for fast computation of geodesic distances on triangular meshes
The computation of geodesic distances is an important research topic in
Geometry Processing and 3D Shape Analysis as it is a basic component of many
methods used in these areas. In this work, we present a minimalistic parallel
algorithm based on front propagation to compute approximate geodesic distances
on meshes. Our method is practical and simple to implement and does not require
any heavy pre-processing. The convergence of our algorithm depends on the
number of discrete level sets around the source points from which distance
information propagates. To appropriately implement our method on GPUs taking
into account memory coalescence problems, we take advantage of a graph
representation based on a breadth-first search traversal that works
harmoniously with our parallel front propagation approach. We report
experiments that show how our method scales with the size of the problem. We
compare the mean error and processing time obtained by our method with such
measures computed using other methods. Our method produces results in
competitive times with almost the same accuracy, especially for large meshes.
We also demonstrate its use for solving two classical geometry processing
problems: the regular sampling problem and the Voronoi tessellation on meshes.Comment: Preprint submitted to Computers & Graphic
Dictionary Learning-based Inpainting on Triangular Meshes
The problem of inpainting consists of filling missing or damaged regions in
images and videos in such a way that the filling pattern does not produce
artifacts that deviate from the original data. In addition to restoring the
missing data, the inpainting technique can also be used to remove undesired
objects. In this work, we address the problem of inpainting on surfaces through
a new method based on dictionary learning and sparse coding. Our method learns
the dictionary through the subdivision of the mesh into patches and rebuilds
the mesh via a method of reconstruction inspired by the Non-local Means method
on the computed sparse codes. One of the advantages of our method is that it is
capable of filling the missing regions and simultaneously removes noise and
enhances important features of the mesh. Moreover, the inpainting result is
globally coherent as the representation based on the dictionaries captures all
the geometric information in the transformed domain. We present two variations
of the method: a direct one, in which the model is reconstructed and restored
directly from the representation in the transformed domain and a second one,
adaptive, in which the missing regions are recreated iteratively through the
successive propagation of the sparse code computed in the hole boundaries,
which guides the local reconstructions. The second method produces better
results for large regions because the sparse codes of the patches are adapted
according to the sparse codes of the boundary patches. Finally, we present and
analyze experimental results that demonstrate the performance of our method
compared to the literature
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
Global variation in diabetes diagnosis and prevalence based on fasting glucose and hemoglobin A1c
Fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) are both used to diagnose diabetes, but these measurements can identify different people as having diabetes. We used data from 117 population-based studies and quantified, in different world regions, the prevalence of diagnosed diabetes, and whether those who were previously undiagnosed and detected as having diabetes in survey screening, had elevated FPG, HbA1c or both. We developed prediction equations for estimating the probability that a person without previously diagnosed diabetes, and at a specific level of FPG, had elevated HbA1c, and vice versa. The age-standardized proportion of diabetes that was previously undiagnosed and detected in survey screening ranged from 30% in the high-income western region to 66% in south Asia. Among those with screen-detected diabetes with either test, the age-standardized proportion who had elevated levels of both FPG and HbA1c was 29-39% across regions; the remainder had discordant elevation of FPG or HbA1c. In most low- and middle-income regions, isolated elevated HbA1c was more common than isolated elevated FPG. In these regions, the use of FPG alone may delay diabetes diagnosis and underestimate diabetes prevalence. Our prediction equations help allocate finite resources for measuring HbA1c to reduce the global shortfall in diabetes diagnosis and surveillance
Canagliflozin and renal outcomes in type 2 diabetes and nephropathy
BACKGROUND Type 2 diabetes mellitus is the leading cause of kidney failure worldwide, but few effective long-term treatments are available. In cardiovascular trials of inhibitors of sodiumâglucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2), exploratory results have suggested that such drugs may improve renal outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes. METHODS In this double-blind, randomized trial, we assigned patients with type 2 diabetes and albuminuric chronic kidney disease to receive canagliflozin, an oral SGLT2 inhibitor, at a dose of 100 mg daily or placebo. All the patients had an estimated glomerular filtration rate (GFR) of 30 to <90 ml per minute per 1.73 m2 of body-surface area and albuminuria (ratio of albumin [mg] to creatinine [g], >300 to 5000) and were treated with reninâangiotensin system blockade. The primary outcome was a composite of end-stage kidney disease (dialysis, transplantation, or a sustained estimated GFR of <15 ml per minute per 1.73 m2), a doubling of the serum creatinine level, or death from renal or cardiovascular causes. Prespecified secondary outcomes were tested hierarchically. RESULTS The trial was stopped early after a planned interim analysis on the recommendation of the data and safety monitoring committee. At that time, 4401 patients had undergone randomization, with a median follow-up of 2.62 years. The relative risk of the primary outcome was 30% lower in the canagliflozin group than in the placebo group, with event rates of 43.2 and 61.2 per 1000 patient-years, respectively (hazard ratio, 0.70; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.59 to 0.82; P=0.00001). The relative risk of the renal-specific composite of end-stage kidney disease, a doubling of the creatinine level, or death from renal causes was lower by 34% (hazard ratio, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.53 to 0.81; P<0.001), and the relative risk of end-stage kidney disease was lower by 32% (hazard ratio, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.54 to 0.86; P=0.002). The canagliflozin group also had a lower risk of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, or stroke (hazard ratio, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.67 to 0.95; P=0.01) and hospitalization for heart failure (hazard ratio, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.47 to 0.80; P<0.001). There were no significant differences in rates of amputation or fracture. CONCLUSIONS In patients with type 2 diabetes and kidney disease, the risk of kidney failure and cardiovascular events was lower in the canagliflozin group than in the placebo group at a median follow-up of 2.62 years
Global variations in diabetes mellitus based on fasting glucose and haemogloblin A1c
Fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) are both used to diagnose
diabetes, but may identify different people as having diabetes. We used data from 117
population-based studies and quantified, in different world regions, the prevalence of
diagnosed diabetes, and whether those who were previously undiagnosed and detected
as having diabetes in survey screening had elevated FPG, HbA1c, or both. We developed
prediction equations for estimating the probability that a person without previously
diagnosed diabetes, and at a specific level of FPG, had elevated HbA1c, and vice versa.
The age-standardised proportion of diabetes that was previously undiagnosed, and
detected in survey screening, ranged from 30% in the high-income western region to 66%
in south Asia. Among those with screen-detected diabetes with either test, the agestandardised
proportion who had elevated levels of both FPG and HbA1c was 29-39%
across regions; the remainder had discordant elevation of FPG or HbA1c. In most low- and
middle-income regions, isolated elevated HbA1c more common than isolated elevated
FPG. In these regions, the use of FPG alone may delay diabetes diagnosis and
underestimate diabetes prevalence. Our prediction equations help allocate finite
resources for measuring HbA1c to reduce the global gap in diabetes diagnosis and
surveillance.peer-reviewe