Modeling short-range ballistic missile defense and Israel's Iron Dome system

This paper develops a model of short-range ballistic missile defense and uses it to study the performance of Israel’s Iron Dome system. The deterministic base model allows for inaccurate missiles, unsuccessful interceptions, and civil defense. Model enhancements consider the trade-offs in attacking the interception system, the difficulties faced by militants in assembling large salvos, and the effects of imperfect missile classification by the defender. A stochastic model is also developed. Analysis shows that system performance can be highly sensitive to the missile salvo size, and that systems with higher interception rates are more “fragile” when overloaded. The model is calibrated using publically available data about Iron Dome’s use during Operation Pillar of Defense in November 2012. If the systems performed as claimed, they saved Israel an estimated 1778 casualties and $80 million in property damage, and thereby made preemptive strikes on Gaza about 8 times less valuable to Israel. Gaza militants could have inflicted far more damage by grouping their rockets into large salvos, but this may have been difficult given Israel’s suppression efforts. Counter-battery fire by the militants is unlikely to be worthwhile unless they can obtain much more accurate missiles.

Modeling camera orientation and 3D structure from a sequence of images taken by a perambulating commercial video camera

In this paper we report the degree of reliability of image sequences taken by off-the-shelf TV cameras for modeling camera rotation and reconstructing 3D structure using computer vision techniques. This is done in spite of the fact that computer vision systems usually use imaging devices that are specifically designed for the human vision. Our scenario consists of a static scene and a mobile camera moving through the scene. The scene is any long axial building dominated by features along the three principal orientations and with at least one wall containing prominent repetitive planar features such as doors, windows bricks etc. The camera is an ordinary commercial camcorder moving along the axial axis of the scene and is allowed to rotate freely within the range +/- 10 degrees in all directions. This makes it possible that the camera be held by a walking unprofessional cameraman with normal gait, or to be mounted on a mobile robot. The system has been tested successfully on sequence of images of a variety of structured, but fairly cluttered scenes taken by different walking cameramen. The potential application areas of the system include medicine, robotics and photogrammetry.

Interactive Visualization of the Building of University of Economics – Varna via 3D Modeling

The object of this paper is presenting the University of Economics – Varna, using a 3D model with 3Ds MAX. Created in 1920, May 14, University of Economics - Varna is a cultural institution with a place and style of its own. With the emergence of the three-dimensional modeling we entered a new stage of the evolution of computer graphics. The main target is to preserve the historical vision, to demonstrate forward-thinking and using of future-oriented approaches.

Accurate depth-color scene modeling for 3D contents generation with low cost depth cameras

In this paper, we present a depth-color scene modeling strategy for indoors 3D contents generation. It combines depth and visual information provided by a low-cost active depth camera to improve the accuracy of the acquired depth maps considering the different dynamic nature of the scene elements. Accurate depth and color models of the scene background are iteratively built, and used to detect moving elements in the scene. The acquired depth data is continuously processed with an innovative joint-bilateral filter that efficiently combines depth and visual information thanks to the analysis of an edge-uncertainty map and the detected foreground regions. The main advantages of the proposed approach are: removing depth maps spatial noise and temporal random fluctuations; refining depth data at object boundaries, generating iteratively a robust depth and color background model and an accurate moving object silhouette.

Desenvolupament d'un videojoc en 3D

La industria de los videojuegos crece exponencialmente y está ya superando a otras industrias punteras del ocio. En este proyecto, nos hemos planteado la realización de un videojuego con visualización en el espacio real 3D. Para la realización del videojuego se ha usado el siguiente software: Blender para diseñar los modelos 3D, C++ como lenguaje de programación para desarrollar el código y un conjunto de librerías básicas para desarrollar un videojuego llamadas Ogre3d (Motor Gráfico). La lógica del movimiento 3D y los choques entre las partículas del juego ha sido diseñada enteramente en este proyecto acorde con las necesidades del videojuego, y de forma compatible a los ficheros de Blender y a las librerías OGRE3D.

Estudo e modelagem 3D de um cabeçote para um motor monocilíndrico, 400cc, 4 T

The cylinder head contains the combustion chamber for the air-fuel mixture and the intake and exhaust valves, the valve guide and the valve seat. The cylinder head also is a support for the camshaft and valve rocker. The holes where the spark plugs are connected are designed to fit the better place in the combustion chamber. The cylinder heads often are manufactured using materials such as aluminum and cast iron. The cooling fins located in the outside of the cylinder head are designed for a good heat transfer and therefore their dimensions and positioning are important. This work aims the calculation for a cylinder head to be installed in a 400 cc displacement, gasoline powered, four stroke, single cylinder engine. According to the displacement it will be analyzed the combustion chamber, the intake and exhaust valves, as well as the camshaft and rocker arms. This also a work to help to accomplish the design of a single cylinder engine, where the alternatives parts, cylinder block and crankcase are all already machined and assembled in this campus

Um processo para utilizar a tecnologia de impressão 3D na construção de instrumentos didáticos para o ensino de Ciências

Pós-graduação em Educação para a Ciência - FC

La Ricostruzione 3D di Bologna nel XVI Secolo

Il lavoro presentato ha come oggetto la ricostruzione tridimensionale della città di Bologna nella sua fase rinascimentale. Tale lavoro vuole fornire un modello 3D delle architetture e degli spazi urbani utilizzabile sia per scopi di ricerca nell’ambito della storia delle città sia per un uso didattico-divulgativo nel settore del turismo culturale. La base del lavoro è una fonte iconografica di grande importanza: l’affresco raffigurante Bologna risalente al 1575 e situato in Vaticano; questa è una veduta a volo d’uccello di grandi dimensioni dell’intero tessuto urbano bolognese all’interno della terza cerchia di mura. In esso sono rappresentate in maniera particolareggiata le architetture civili e ecclesiastiche, gli spazi ortivi e cortilivi interni agli isolati e alcune importanti strutture urbane presenti in città alla fine del Cinquecento, come l’area portuale e i canali interni alla città, oggi non più visibili. La ricostruzione tridimensionale è stata realizzata tramite Blender, software per la modellazione 3D opensource, attraverso le fasi di modellazione, texturing e creazione materiali (mediante campionamento delle principali cromie presenti nell’affresco), illuminazione e animazione. Una parte della modellazione è stata poi testata all’interno di un GIS per verificare l’utilizzo delle geometrie 3D come elementi collegabili ad altre fonti storiche relative allo sviluppo urbano e quindi sfruttabili per la ricerca storica. Grande attenzione infine è stata data all’uso dei modelli virtuali a scopo didattico-divulgativo e per il turismo culturale. La modellazione è stata utilizzata all’interno di un motore grafico 3D per costruire un ambiente virtuale interattivo nel quale un utente anche non esperto possa muoversi per esplorare gli spazi urbani della Bologna del Cinquecento. In ultimo è stato impostato lo sviluppo di un’applicazione per sistemi mobile (Iphone e Ipad) al fine di fornire uno strumento per la conoscenza della città storica in mobilità, attraverso la comparazione dello stato attuale con quello ricostruito virtualmente.

Can 3D ultrasound identify trochlea dysplasia in newborns? Evaluation and applicability of a technique.

Femoro-patellar dysplasia is considered as a significant risk factor of patellar instability. Different studies suggest that the shape of the trochlea is already developed in early childhood. Therefore early identification of a dysplastic configuration might be relevant information for the treating physician. An easy applicable routine screening of the trochlea is yet not available. The purpose of this study was to establish and evaluate a screening method for femoro-patellar dysplasia using 3D ultrasound. From 2012 to 2013 we prospectively imaged 160 consecutive femoro-patellar joints in 80 newborns from the 36th to 61st gestational week that underwent a routine hip sonography (Graf). All ultrasounds were performed by a pediatric radiologist with only minimal additional time to the routine hip ultrasound. In 30° flexion of the knee, axial, coronal, and sagittal reformats were used to standardize a reconstructed axial plane through the femoral condyle and the mid-patella. The sulcus angle, the lateral-to-medial facet ratio of the trochlea and the shape of the patella (Wiberg Classification) were evaluated. In all examinations reconstruction of the standardized axial plane was achieved, the mean trochlea angle was 149.1° (SD 4.9°), the lateral-to-medial facet ratio of the trochlea ratio was 1.3 (SD 0.22), and a Wiberg type I patella was found in 95% of the newborn. No statistical difference was detected between boys and girls. Using standardized reconstructions of the axial plane allows measurements to be made with lower operator dependency and higher accuracy in a short time. Therefore 3D ultrasound is an easy applicable and powerful tool to identify trochlea dysplasia in newborns and might be used for screening for trochlea dysplasia.

Structure-Based, Rational Design of T Cell Receptors.

Adoptive cell transfer using engineered T cells is emerging as a promising treatment for metastatic melanoma. Such an approach allows one to introduce T cell receptor (TCR) modifications that, while maintaining the specificity for the targeted antigen, can enhance the binding and kinetic parameters for the interaction with peptides (p) bound to major histocompatibility complexes (MHC). Using the well-characterized 2C TCR/SIYR/H-2K(b) structure as a model system, we demonstrated that a binding free energy decomposition based on the MM-GBSA approach provides a detailed and reliable description of the TCR/pMHC interactions at the structural and thermodynamic levels. Starting from this result, we developed a new structure-based approach, to rationally design new TCR sequences, and applied it to the BC1 TCR targeting the HLA-A2 restricted NY-ESO-1157-165 cancer-testis epitope. Fifty-four percent of the designed sequence replacements exhibited improved pMHC binding as compared to the native TCR, with up to 150-fold increase in affinity, while preserving specificity. Genetically engineered CD8(+) T cells expressing these modified TCRs showed an improved functional activity compared to those expressing BC1 TCR. We measured maximum levels of activities for TCRs within the upper limit of natural affinity, K D = ∼1 - 5 μM. Beyond the affinity threshold at K D < 1 μM we observed an attenuation in cellular function, in line with the "half-life" model of T cell activation. Our computer-aided protein-engineering approach requires the 3D-structure of the TCR-pMHC complex of interest, which can be obtained from X-ray crystallography. We have also developed a homology modeling-based approach, TCRep 3D, to obtain accurate structural models of any TCR-pMHC complexes when experimental data is not available. Since the accuracy of the models depends on the prediction of the TCR orientation over pMHC, we have complemented the approach with a simplified rigid method to predict this orientation and successfully assessed it using all non-redundant TCR-pMHC crystal structures available. These methods potentially extend the use of our TCR engineering method to entire TCR repertoires for which no X-ray structure is available. We have also performed a steered molecular dynamics study of the unbinding of the TCR-pMHC complex to get a better understanding of how TCRs interact with pMHCs. This entire rational TCR design pipeline is now being used to produce rationally optimized TCRs for adoptive cell therapies of stage IV melanoma.

Modelagem de proteínas por homologia

Modeling methods to derive 3D-structure of proteins have been recently developed. Protein homology-modeling, also known as comparative protein modeling, is nowadays the most accurate protein modeling method. This technique can produce useful models for about an order of magnitude more protein sequences than there have been structures determined by experiment in the same amount of time. All current protein homology-modeling methods consist of four sequential steps: fold assignment and template selection, template-target alignment, model building, and model evaluation. In this paper we discuss in some detail the protein-homology paradigm, its predictive power and its limitations.

Sexualidade(S) em cena: as contribuições do discurso audiovisual para a problematização das diferenças no espaço escolar

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Análise in silico de um novo “cluster” de PKS II Metagenômico

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

PIBID e ensino de línguas estrangeiras: o impacto no projeto Luz, câmera... action!

PIBID's subproject from the Letras course at a public university from the interior of Sao Paulo has, as a vision, the teaching of languages in a different way, where the culture is something to be known, not only mentioned, and, because of that, students feel close to the language learning process, for the language is not something to be learned just as grammar, it is, in fact, to be learned as something more complex than that, making the connection between student and language and its values. The students have, as an objective the knowledge and formation in teaching, by participation in public schools where they could put the theory learned during the Letras course in the university in practice with students that could benefit from learning new languages. The public school, mentioned in this research, offered the opportunity for the PIBID students to participate in a project that already existed in this school, where the students were supposed to produce a script based in a tale, and with the script, they were supposed to produce a short movie and a trailer. In 2014, in the first year of the participation of PIBID in the project, PIBID students were asked to choose a tale in the languages that are currently part of the subproject, for the students could use as a base to the production of the short movie. This project is called Luz, Câmera… Action! and the main objective of this research was to verify the participation of PIBID in the project. For such, it was used a semi-structured open questionnaire, which sought to investigate how students and supervisors from the school understood and analyzed PIBID's participation in the project