Algebraic topological analysis of time-sequence of digital images

This paper introduces an algebraic framework for a topological analysis of time-varying 2D digital binary–valued images, each of them defined as 2D arrays of pixels. Our answer is based on an algebraic-topological coding, called AT–model, for a nD (n=2,3) digital binary-valued image I consisting simply in taking I together with an algebraic object depending on it. Considering AT–models for all the 2D digital images in a time sequence, it is possible to get an AT–model for the 3D digital image consisting in concatenating the successive 2D digital images in the sequence. If the frames are represented in a quadtree format, a similar positive result can be derived

VIII Encuentro de Docentes e Investigadores en Historia del Diseño, la Arquitectura y la Ciudad

Acta de congresoLa conmemoración de los cien años de la Reforma Universitaria de 1918 se presentó como una ocasión propicia para debatir el rol de la historia, la teoría y la crítica en la formación y en la práctica profesional de diseñadores, arquitectos y urbanistas. En ese marco el VIII Encuentro de Docentes e Investigadores en Historia del Diseño, la Arquitectura y la Ciudad constituyó un espacio de intercambio y reflexión cuya realización ha sido posible gracias a la colaboración entre Facultades de Arquitectura, Urbanismo y Diseño de la Universidad Nacional y la Facultad de Arquitectura de la Universidad Católica de Córdoba, contando además con la activa participación de mayoría de las Facultades, Centros e Institutos de Historia de la Arquitectura del país y la región. Orientado en su convocatoria tanto a docentes como a estudiantes de Arquitectura y Diseño Industrial de todos los niveles de la FAUD-UNC promovió el debate de ideas a partir de experiencias concretas en instancias tales como mesas temáticas de carácter interdisciplinario, que adoptaron la modalidad de presentación de ponencias, entre otras actividades. En el ámbito de VIII Encuentro, desarrollado en la sede Ciudad Universitaria de Córdoba, se desplegaron numerosas posiciones sobre la enseñanza, la investigación y la formación en historia, teoría y crítica del diseño, la arquitectura y la ciudad; sumándose el aporte realizado a través de sus respectivas conferencias de Ana Clarisa Agüero, Bibiana Cicutti, Fernando Aliata y Alberto Petrina. El conjunto de ponencias que se publican en este Repositorio de la UNC son el resultado de dos intensas jornadas de exposiciones, cuyos contenidos han posibilitado actualizar viejos dilemas y promover nuevos debates. El evento recibió el apoyo de las autoridades de la FAUD-UNC, en especial de la Secretaría de Investigación y de la Biblioteca de nuestra casa, como así también de la Facultad de Arquitectura de la UCC; va para todos ellos un especial agradecimiento

Educação para o lazer : um desafio para a modernidade

Orientadora: Onilza Borges MartinsDissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal do Paraná, Setor de Educação, Curso de Pós-Graduação em EducaçãoInclui referências: p. 19-20, 48, 60, 65, 101, 118-119, 133, 157-161Resumo: As organizações têm dimensões socioculturais, políticas e econômicas. Entretanto o que está no centro das evidencias é o ser Humano Este ser tem necessidades vitais, entre as quais pode-se incluir o lazer. O problema principal é equacionar o conflito entre o trabalho e o lazer, uma vez que o movimento em torno do lazer é um fato irreversível. Entretanto deve-se evitar que o anti-lazer (um lazer obrigatório) se aposse das pessoas Educar para o tempo livre e para o lazer reveste-se da maior importância como fenômeno social global. A metodologia utilizada neste estudo foi a de análise documental, com procedimentos qualitativos e de reflexão. Fundamentalmente, o lazer surge com a conquista das oito horas de trabalho na sociedade industrial. Na atualidade porém, o tempo livre é utilizado conforme as instituições preconizam. O lazer tem três funções básicas: Descanso, Diversão e Desenvolvimento Pessoal Ao se alcançar o direito ao lazer e o tempo livre em sua plenitude, surge o questionamento: o que fazer neste tempo? A falta de Educação para o Lazer tem levado as pessoas a se utilizarem da indústria do lazer, tornando sua prática um ato alienado. A pressão cultural que valorizou sobremaneira o trabalho, recentemente também passou a reconhecer a humanização deste e a necessidade da qualidade de lazer. Pelos atrativos que reúne o lazer pode ser considerado como um campo fértil para a educação, entretanto como o lazer é uma atividade livre e prazerosa, não poderá ser submetido a excessiva disciplina escolar, embora seja um componente do sistema educacional . Deve-se encarar o lazer como uma atividade libertadora e não apenas uma situação de negação da opressão do trabalho. O lazer é uma forma de ser, uma condição humana que todos desejam e poucos alcançam. De qualquer forma o trabalho e o lazer são interdependentes. Assim, o processo de Educação para o Lazer não deve ficar restrito à Escola, mas sim dentro de uma perspectiva de Educação Permanente. A fim de se planejar a Educação para o Lazer deve-se ter leis e iniciativas viáveis de aplicação prática. Muitas iniciativas valem-se do lazer como forma de contornar problemas nas diversas instituições. Surge, desta forma, o lazer de consumo A transformação cultural advinda pela prática do lazer estará presente por toda a vida em cada indivíduo, com reflexos no desenvolvimento pessoal. O lazer abre um campo educativo para que cada vez mais se exercite a participação social, mediante uma mudança de valores e hábitos, na cultura das vidas do indivíduo Para o desenvolvimento da Educação para o Lazer, a presença do animador sociocultural, como agente de educação é fundamental, liderando e orientando os praticantes Desta forma é possível concluir que uma plena Educação para o Lazer só se efetivará quando a escola aceitar transformações para esta nova disciplina e não se deixar levar por um enfoque do lazer como "solucionador de problemas". Para uma verdadeira mudança, as ações de lazer deverão conhecer a realidade, o interesse da clientela, utilizar da interdisciplinaridade, qualificar os recursos humanos, manter intercâmbio permanente, utilizar corretamente os meios de comunicação de massa, otimizar recursos .entre outros Sugere-se desta forma que: 1- seja revisto o conceito de lazer na Constituição 2- reformulação democrática dos programas, 3- a promoção da busca de liberdade de lazer fora das instituições , 4- definir com exatidão as políticas de lazer, 5- comprometer as Universidades e as escolas de 2° Grau com a formação de educadores de lazer, 6- ampliação da utilização dos equipamentos pelas diversas categorias sociais. A Educação para o Lazer poderá ser alcançada por uma Revolução Cultural, fundamentada nela As transformações em curso na cultura são reforçadas pela Educação para o Lazer.Abstract: Organizations have social-cultural, political and economical dimensions. However, what is in the core of the evidences is the human being. This human has vital needs, among them, leisure can be included. The main problem is to balance the conflict between work and leisure, since the movement around leisure is an irreversible fact. Nevertheless, it has to be avoided that anti-leisure (a compulsory leisure) takes possession of people. To educate for the free time and for leisure is of great importance as whole social phenomenon. Methodology used in this study was documentary analysis, with quality and reflection procedures. Basically, leisure arises with the achievement of the eight hours work at the industrial society. Nowadays, however, free time is used as institutions recommend. Leisure has three basic functions Rest, Entertainment and Personal Development. By reaching the right to leisure and to free time in its fullness, the following question springs up what to do during this time? The lack of Education for Leisure has been leading people to use the leisure industry, turning is practice into a unconscious act. Cultural pressure, that is extraordinarily raised the work value, has lately also recognized humanization and the need for leisure quality. Because of its attractions, leisure can be considered as a fertile field for education however, being a free and pleasant activity, it cannot bee submitted to excessive school discipline, although it is a component of the educational system Leisure has to be faced as a liberating activity, not only as a work oppression deny situation Leisure is a way of being, a human condition that all desire and only a few reach. Anyhow, work and leisure are interdependent. Therefore, Education for Leisure process should not be restrict to school, but it has to be considered into a Permanent Education perspective. With the purpose to plan education for leisure it is needed to have feasible laws and initiatives for practical application. Many initiatives use leisure as a way to solve the problems in several institutions. It comes, in this way, consumption leisure. Cultural transformation, originated from the practice of leisure, will be present the whole life of each individual, with reflections in the personal development. Leisure opens an education field for social participation to be exercised even more, through a habits and values change, in the cultural life of the individuals. For the development of the Education for Leisure, the presence of the social-cultural animation person, as education agent is essential, leading and orienting the learners In this way, it is possible to conclude that an entire Education for Leisure will only be effective when school accepts transformation for this new discipline, not being influenced by a leisure focus as a "problems solver". For a true change, leisure actions will have to: know the reality, interest of the customers, use the interdisciplinary, qualify the human resources, keep permanent exchange, rightly use mass communication means, resources optimization, among others Based on this, it is suggested: 1. To revise the leisure concept in the Constitution; 2. democratic reformulation of programs , 3. promotion of the search of leisure freedom outside institutions; 4. to exactly define the leisure policies; 5. to compromise universities and high schools (2nd level schools) with leisure educators formation ; 6. enlargement of the equipments utilization by several social categories. Education for Leisure will be reached through a Cultural Revolution based on it. Current transformations in the culture will be reinforced by Education for Leisure

Can nuclear imaging accurately detect scar in ischemic cardiac resynchronization therapy candidates?

Accurate scar assessment is crucial in cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) candidates, since its presence is a negative predictor for CRT response. Therefore, we assessed the performance of different PET parameters to detect scar in CRT candidates. Twenty-nine CRT candidates underwent 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG)-PET/computed tomography (CT), resting 13N-NH3-PET/CT and cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) prior to CRT implantation. Segmental 18F-FDG uptake, late 13N-NH3 uptake and absolute myocardial blood flow (MBF) were evaluated for scar detection using late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) CMR as reference. A receiver operator characteristic (ROC) area under the curve (AUC) ≥0.8 indicated a good accuracy of the methods evaluated. Scar was present in 111 of 464 segments. None of the approaches could reliably identify segments with nontransmural scar, except for 18F-FDG uptake in the lateral wall (AUC 0.83). Segmental transmural scars could be detected with all methods (AUC ≥ 0.8), except for septal 18F-FDG uptake and MBF in the inferior wall (AUC < 0.8). Late 13N-NH3 uptake was the best parameter for transmural scar detection, independent of its location, with a sensitivity of 80% and specificity of 92% using a cutoff of 66% of the maximum tracer activity. Late 13N-NH3 uptake is superior to 13N-NH3 MBF and 18F-FDG in detecting transmural scar, independently of its location. However, none of the tested PET parameters was able to accurately detect nontransmural scar

Left ventricular regional glucose metabolism in combination with septal scar extent identifies CRT responders.

Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) is effective in selective heart failure (HF) patients, but non-response rate remains high. Positron emission tomography (PET) may provide a better insight into the pathophysiology of left ventricular (LV) remodeling; however, its role for evaluating and selecting patients for CRT remains uncertain. We investigated if regional LV glucose metabolism in combination with myocardial scar could predict response to CRT. Consecutive CRT-eligible HF patients underwent echocardiography, cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR), and F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET within 1 week before CRT implantation. Echocardiography was additionally performed 12 months after CRT and end-systolic volume reduction ≥ 15% was defined as CRT response. Septal-to-lateral wall (SLR) FDG uptake ratio was calculated from static FDG images. Late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) CMR was analyzed semi-quantitatively to define scar extent. We evaluated 88 patients (67 ± 10 years, 72% males). F-FDG SLR showed a linear correlation with volumetric reverse remodeling 12 months after CRT (r = 0.41, p = 0.0001). In non-ischemic HF patients, low FDG SLR alone predicted CRT response with sensitivity and specificity of more than 80%; however, in ischemic HF patients, specificity decreased to 46%, suggesting that in this cohort low SLR can also be caused by the presence of a septal scar. In the multivariate logistic regression model, including low FDG SLR, presence and extent of the scar in each myocardial wall, and current CRT guideline parameters, only low FDG SLR and septal scar remained associated with CRT response. Their combination could predict CRT response with sensitivity, specificity, negative, and positive predictive value of 80%, 83%, 70%, and 90%, respectively. FDG SLR can be used as a predictor of CRT response and combined with septal scar extent, CRT responders can be distinguished from non-responders with high diagnostic accuracy. Further studies are needed to verify whether this imaging approach can prospectively be used to optimize patient selection