Creativity and the working artist/teacher : the relationships

The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand the relationships between creativity and the working artist/teacher employed by an art college. The topic emerged from my job as an instructor at The Ontario College of Art which was used as the primary data resource and provided the highest caliber of professionals to chose from. Existent data were used to facilitate the study generated by the research of Cawelti, Rappaport, and Wood (1992). The data were generated by a group of 5 faculty members from The University of Northern Iowa, recognized for their expertise in the arts (a painter, a poet, a sculptor, a novelist, and a photographer). They were asked to respond to the following statement: "In as much detail as you like, list the things that you did, thought, or felt the last time you created an artistic product. II Cawelti, Rappaport, and Wood (1992) produced three models of the creative process, each building on the previous, with the resultant third,being in my opinion, an excellent illustration (text/visual) of the creative process. Model three (Appendix D) presented a "multi-dimensional view of the creative process: time, space, observatility, and consciousnessll (p. 90). Model three utilized a visual mapping device along the bottom of the page linked to text segments above. Both the visual and the text were interrelated so that they harmonized into a comprehensive "picture." The parti'cipants of this qualitative study were asked to consider model three from their professional perspective as artist/teachers. The interpretive sciences directed the methodology. The hermeneutic circle of continuous reflection from the whole to the part and back to the whole was an important aspect of the data analyses. Four members of the Foundation Department at The Ontario College of Art were the key participants. A series of conversational interviews was the primary source of data collection, this was augmented by observation, fie,ldnotes, and follow up telephone interviews. Transcripts of interviews were returned to participants for reflection and the telephone was used to discuss any additional -points raised. Analysis consisted of coding and organizing data according to emerging themes. These themes formed the basis for the narrative stories. The text of the narrative stories were given back to each participant for further comment. Revisions were made until both the researcher and the participants felt that the stories reflected reality. The resultant whole was critiqued from the researcher's perspective. The significance of this study was discussed as it pertains to the working artist/teacher and areas in need of further study are pointed out.

Efficient topology estimation for large scale optical mapping

Large scale image mosaicing methods are in great demand among scientists who study different aspects of the seabed, and have been fostered by impressive advances in the capabilities of underwater robots in gathering optical data from the seafloor. Cost and weight constraints mean that lowcost Remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) usually have a very limited number of sensors. When a low-cost robot carries out a seafloor survey using a down-looking camera, it usually follows a predetermined trajectory that provides several non time-consecutive overlapping image pairs. Finding these pairs (a process known as topology estimation) is indispensable to obtaining globally consistent mosaics and accurate trajectory estimates, which are necessary for a global view of the surveyed area, especially when optical sensors are the only data source. This thesis presents a set of consistent methods aimed at creating large area image mosaics from optical data obtained during surveys with low-cost underwater vehicles. First, a global alignment method developed within a Feature-based image mosaicing (FIM) framework, where nonlinear minimisation is substituted by two linear steps, is discussed. Then, a simple four-point mosaic rectifying method is proposed to reduce distortions that might occur due to lens distortions, error accumulation and the difficulties of optical imaging in an underwater medium. The topology estimation problem is addressed by means of an augmented state and extended Kalman filter combined framework, aimed at minimising the total number of matching attempts and simultaneously obtaining the best possible trajectory. Potential image pairs are predicted by taking into account the uncertainty in the trajectory. The contribution of matching an image pair is investigated using information theory principles. Lastly, a different solution to the topology estimation problem is proposed in a bundle adjustment framework. Innovative aspects include the use of fast image similarity criterion combined with a Minimum spanning tree (MST) solution, to obtain a tentative topology. This topology is improved by attempting image matching with the pairs for which there is the most overlap evidence. Unlike previous approaches for large-area mosaicing, our framework is able to deal naturally with cases where time-consecutive images cannot be matched successfully, such as completely unordered sets. Finally, the efficiency of the proposed methods is discussed and a comparison made with other state-of-the-art approaches, using a series of challenging datasets in underwater scenarios

Mapping Educational Specialist knowHow (MESH): the building of a knowledge management system for research informed practice

In this invited article the authors present an evaluative report on the development of the MESHGuides project (http://www.meshguides.org/). MESHGuides’ objective is to provide education with an international knowledge management system. MESHGuides were conceived as research summaries for supporting teachers’ in developing evidence-based practice. Their aim is to enhance teachers’ capacity to engage actively with research in their own classrooms. The original thinking for MESH arose from the work of UK-based academics Professor Marilyn Leask and Dr Sarah Younie in response to a desire, which has recently gathered momentum in the UK, for the development of a more research-informed teaching profession and for the establishment of an on-line platform to support evidence-based practice (DfE, 2015; Leask and Younie 2001; OECD 2009). The focus of this article is on how the MESHGuides project was conceived and structured, the technical systems supporting it and the practical reality for academics and teachers of composing and using MESHGuides. The project and the guides are in the early stages of development, and discussion indicates future possibilities for more global engagement with this knowledge management system.

Two-Phase Mapping for Projecting Massive Data Sets

Most multidimensional projection techniques rely on distance (dissimilarity) information between data instances to embed high-dimensional data into a visual space. When data are endowed with Cartesian coordinates, an extra computational effort is necessary to compute the needed distances, making multidimensional projection prohibitive in applications dealing with interactivity and massive data. The novel multidimensional projection technique proposed in this work, called Part-Linear Multidimensional Projection (PLMP), has been tailored to handle multivariate data represented in Cartesian high-dimensional spaces, requiring only distance information between pairs of representative samples. This characteristic renders PLMP faster than previous methods when processing large data sets while still being competitive in terms of precision. Moreover, knowing the range of variation for data instances in the high-dimensional space, we can make PLMP a truly streaming data projection technique, a trait absent in previous methods.

PokerMapper: : mapping executive functions, poker playing ability and responsible gambling in online environments

Research objectives Poker and responsible gambling both entail the use of the executive functions (EF), which are higher-level cognitive abilities. The main objective of this work was to assess if online poker players of different ability show different performances in their EF and if so, which functions are the most discriminating ones. The secondary objective was to assess if the EF performance can predict the quality of gambling, according to the Gambling Related Cognition Scale (GRCS), the South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS) and the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI). Sample and methods The study design consisted of two stages: 46 Italian active players (41m, 5f; age 32±7,1ys; education 14,8±3ys) fulfilled the PGSI in a secure IT web system and uploaded their own hand history files, which were anonymized and then evaluated by two poker experts. 36 of these players (31m, 5f; age 33±7,3ys; education 15±3ys) accepted to take part in the second stage: the administration of an extensive neuropsychological test battery by a blinded trained professional. To answer the main research question we collected all final and intermediate scores of the EF tests on each player together with the scoring on the playing ability. To answer the secondary research question, we referred to GRCS, PGSI and SOGS scores.  We determined which variables that are good predictors of the playing ability score using statistical techniques able to deal with many regressors and few observations (LASSO, best subset algorithms and CART). In this context information criteria and cross-validation errors play a key role for the selection of the relevant regressors, while significance testing and goodness-of-fit measures can lead to wrong conclusions.   Preliminary findings We found significant predictors of the poker ability score in various tests. In particular, there are good predictors 1) in some Wisconsin Card Sorting Test items that measure flexibility in choosing strategy of problem-solving, strategic planning, modulating impulsive responding, goal setting and self-monitoring, 2) in those Cognitive Estimates Test variables related to deductive reasoning, problem solving, development of an appropriate strategy and self-monitoring, 3) in the Emotional Quotient Inventory Short (EQ-i:S) Stress Management score, composed by the Stress Tolerance and Impulse Control scores, and in the Interpersonal score (Empathy, Social Responsibility, Interpersonal Relationship). As for the quality of gambling, some EQ-i:S scales scores provide the best predictors: General Mood for the PGSI; Intrapersonal (Self-Regard; Emotional Self-Awareness, Assertiveness, Independence, Self-Actualization) and Adaptability  (Reality Testing, Flexibility, Problem Solving) for the SOGS, Adaptability for the GRCS. Implications for the field Through PokerMapper we gathered knowledge and evaluated the feasibility of the construction of short tasks/card games in online poker environments for profiling users’ executive functions. These card games will be part of an IT system able to dynamically profile EF and provide players with a feedback on their expected performance and ability to gamble responsibly in that particular moment. The implementation of such system in existing gambling platforms could lead to an effective proactive tool for supporting responsible gambling. 

Sociedade civil no espaço de atuação com juventude: uma cartografia social

This report has as its objective the setting up of a social cartography, mapping and characterizing non-governmental organizations working with adolescents and young people (OSC) in the western districts of the city of Natal. Characteristics such as the profile, themes and principal activities, how the organizations fit into the public sector and their participation in social networks are observed. Thus common differences and similarities which serve as a means of indentification, take as reference the symbolic cartography of Boaventura of Sousa Santos. Since there are relatively few studies relating to civil society of Rio Grande do Norte and in particular, Natal, the starting point was the setting up of a database allowing for a general overview. Hence a panorama of the organizations could be observed: where they are located, when they were formed how they operate and their relationships with other sectors (the state, the market and civil society) in addition to basic facts and location. The principal lines of enquiry were a) the OSC which operate with the public comprising adolescents and young people and b) the OSC operating or having branches in four suburbs on the periphery of the western administrative region of the city (Felipe Camarão, Bom Pastor, Cidade Nova and Guararapes).The present report has identified the impacts of ongoing social transformation caused by the process of globalization ,by the various currently contested political projects which are as follows: the project of neoliberal globalized capitalism(hegemonic)and the project of social emancipation (contra-hegemonic),how these are seen from the local viewpoint and how they influence the profiles and operation of the cartographic organizations. The area of the OSC is a heterogenous one with political, cultural and ideological strains, characterized by its infiltration, its local/global and multicultural dimensions. As civil organizations are fundamental in the processes of transformation within society, and following the idea of social emancipation referred to by Boaventura Santos, the enquiry classified the organizations according to the afore-mentioned characteristics, establishing eight types of associations. These different types and their respective characteristics were analysed from a related perspective using the mechanisms of symbolic cartography: scale, projection and symbolisation. The theoretical references underpinning this research arise from the debate on civil society which becomes redefined as a result of the dispute involving the two afore-mentioned political projects. These demand the theoretical application of the comprehension of heterogeneity in its diversity and complexity together with the idea of social emancipation.The main authors consulted were Boaventura de Sousa Santos, Antonio Gramsci, through the texts translated by Marco Aurelio Nogueira; Carlos Nelson Coutinho and Alberto Rivera ,who supported the construction of the types of associations identified by the local reality.Finally this research enabled an understanding of the current form of social action happening in the Space of the Four Neighbourhoods (Espaço dos 4 Bairros) and how the distinct profiles analysed together with the ares of operation of the organizations define their emancipatory potencials within the following two poles: regulation/adaptation and emancipation/transformation

Mapping of serotonin-immunoreactive neurons of Anastrepha obliqua Macquart larvae

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

New class of spin projection operators for 3D models

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Design and evaluation of an advanced virtual reality system for visualization of dentistry structures

This paper presents the development of an application created to assist the teaching of dental structures, generate rich content information and different manners of interaction. An ontology was created to provide semantics informations for virtual models. We also used two devices gesture-based interaction: Kinect and Wii Remote. It was developed a system which use intuitive interaction, and it is able to generate three dimensional images, making the experience of teaching / learning motivating. The projection environment used by the system was called Mini CAVE. © 2012 IEEE.

The template of the primary lymphatic landing sites of the prostate should be revisited: results of a multimodality mapping study

OBJECTIVES: To map the primary prostatic lymphatic landing sites using a multimodality technique. METHODS: Thirty-four patients with organ-confined prostate cancer (cT1-cT2; cN0) underwent single-photon emission computed tomography fused with data from computed tomography (SPECT/CT) (n=33) or magnetic resonance imaging (SPECT/MRI) (n=1) 1h after ultrasound-guided intraprostatic injection of technecium (Tc-99m) nanocolloid. The presence of lymph nodes (LNs) containing Tc-99m was confirmed intraoperatively with a gamma probe. A backup extended pelvic lymphadenectomy (PLND) was performed to preclude missed primary lymphatic landing sites. The SPECT/CT/MRI data sets were used to generate a three-dimensional projection of each LN site. RESULTS: A total of 317 LNs (median, 10 per patient; range, 3-19) were detected by SPECT/CT/MRI, 314 of which were confirmed by gamma probe. With an "extended" PLND, two thirds of all primary prostatic lymphatic landing sites are resected compared with only one third with a "limited" PLND. CONCLUSIONS: The multimodality technique presented here enables precise mapping of the primary prostatic lymphatic landing sites. PLND for prostate cancer should include not only the external and obturator regions as well as the portions medial and lateral to the internal iliac vessels, but also the common iliac LNs at least up to the ureteric crossing, thus removing approximately 75% of all nodes potentially harbouring metastasis.

Evaluation of Binocular Eye Trackers and Algorithms for 3D Gaze Interaction in Virtual Reality Environments

Tracking user’s visual attention is a fundamental aspect in novel human-computer interaction paradigms found in Virtual Reality. For example, multimodal interfaces or dialogue-based communications with virtual and real agents greatly benefit from the analysis of the user’s visual attention as a vital source for deictic references or turn-taking signals. Current approaches to determine visual attention rely primarily on monocular eye trackers. Hence they are restricted to the interpretation of two-dimensional fixations relative to a defined area of projection. The study presented in this article compares precision, accuracy and application performance of two binocular eye tracking devices. Two algorithms are compared which derive depth information as required for visual attention-based 3D interfaces. This information is further applied to an improved VR selection task in which a binocular eye tracker and an adaptive neural network algorithm is used during the disambiguation of partly occluded objects.

Transfer of spatial knowledge from a virtual environment to reality: Impact of route complexity and subject’s strategy on the exploration mode

The use of virtual reality as tool in the area of spatial cognition raises the question of the quality of learning transfer from a virtual to a real environment. It is first necessary to determine with healthy subjects, the cognitive aids that improve the quality of transfer and the conditions required, especially since virtual reality can be used as effective tool in cognitive rehabilitation. The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of the exploration mode of virtual environment (Passive vs. Active) according to Route complexity (Simple vs. Complex) on the quality of spatial knowledge transfer in three spatial tasks. Ninety subjects (45 men and 45 women) participated. Spatial learning was evaluated by Wayfinding, sketch-mapping and picture classification tasks in the context of the Bordeaux district. In the Wayfinding task, results indicated that active learning in a Virtual Environment (VE) increased the performances compared to the passive learning condition, irrespective of the route complexity factor. In the Sketch-mapping task, active learning in a VE helped the subjects to transfer their spatial knowledge from the VE to reality, but only when the route was complex. In the Picture classification task, active learning in a VE when the route was complex did not help the subjects to transfer their spatial knowledge. These results are explained in terms of knowledge levels and frame/strategy of reference [SW75, PL81, TH82].

Increasing Realism and Supporting Content Planning for Dynamic Scenes in a Mixed Reality System incorporating a Time-of-Flight Camera

For broadcasting purposes MIXED REALITY, the combination of real and virtual scene content, has become ubiquitous nowadays. Mixed Reality recording still requires expensive studio setups and is often limited to simple color keying. We present a system for Mixed Reality applications which uses depth keying and provides threedimensional mixing of real and artificial content. It features enhanced realism through automatic shadow computation which we consider a core issue to obtain realism and a convincing visual perception, besides the correct alignment of the two modalities and correct occlusion handling. Furthermore we present a possibility to support placement of virtual content in the scene. Core feature of our system is the incorporation of a TIME-OF-FLIGHT (TOF)-camera device. This device delivers real-time depth images of the environment at a reasonable resolution and quality. This camera is used to build a static environment model and it also allows correct handling of mutual occlusions between real and virtual content, shadow computation and enhanced content planning. The presented system is inexpensive, compact, mobile, flexible and provides convenient calibration procedures. Chroma-keying is replaced by depth-keying which is efficiently performed on the GRAPHICS PROCESSING UNIT (GPU) by the usage of an environment model and the current ToF-camera image. Automatic extraction and tracking of dynamic scene content is herewith performed and this information is used for planning and alignment of virtual content. An additional sustainable feature is that depth maps of the mixed content are available in real-time, which makes the approach suitable for future 3DTV productions. The presented paper gives an overview of the whole system approach including camera calibration, environment model generation, real-time keying and mixing of virtual and real content, shadowing for virtual content and dynamic object tracking for content planning.

The MIRELA framework: modeling and analyzing mixed reality applications using timed automata

Mixed Reality (MR) aims to link virtual entities with the real world and has many applications such as military and medical domains [JBL+00, NFB07]. In many MR systems and more precisely in augmented scenes, one needs the application to render the virtual part accurately at the right time. To achieve this, such systems acquire data related to the real world from a set of sensors before rendering virtual entities. A suitable system architecture should minimize the delays to keep the overall system delay (also called end-to-end latency) within the requirements for real-time performance. In this context, we propose a compositional modeling framework for MR software architectures in order to specify, simulate and validate formally the time constraints of such systems. Our approach is first based on a functional decomposition of such systems into generic components. The obtained elements as well as their typical interactions give rise to generic representations in terms of timed automata. A whole system is then obtained as a composition of such defined components. To write specifications, a textual language named MIRELA (MIxed REality LAnguage) is proposed along with the corresponding compilation tools. The generated output contains timed automata in UPPAAL format for simulation and verification of time constraints. These automata may also be used to generate source code skeletons for an implementation on a MR platform. The approach is illustrated first on a small example. A realistic case study is also developed. It is modeled by several timed automata synchronizing through channels and including a large number of time constraints. Both systems have been simulated in UPPAAL and checked against the required behavioral properties.

Changing Tides and Changing Focus: Mapping the Challenges and Successes of One State's Implementation Of the Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997

In 1997, the Adoption and Safe Families Act shifted from the preservation of families to an emphasis on safety, permanency, and well-being through expediting the termination of parental rights, establishing exceptions to the reasonable efforts clause of preserving the family, and fiscal incentives for finalizing adoptions. The current project assessed the role of a full service array in achieving the outcomes set forth in ASF A. Concept mapping was utilized to elicit information from participants (both urban and rural) regarding the identified research question. Participants recognized family preservation versus safety, community connections, mandates versus reality, and worker recruitment and retention as critical components for meeting ASFA goals. Perceived importance and level of success in implementing these services was also highlighted. Recommendations supported through the data are also provided.