In this thesis we propose a novel modification to Bayesian decision tree methods. We provide a historical survey of the statistics and computer science research in decision trees. Our approach facilitates covariate selection explicitly in the model, something not present in previous research. We define a transformation that allows us to use priors from linear models to facilitate covariate selection in decision trees. Using this transform, we modify many common approaches to variable selection in the linear model and bring these methods to bear on the problem of explicit covariate selection in decision tree models. We also provide theoretical guidelines, including a theorem, which gives necessary and sufficient conditions for consistency of decision trees in infinite dimensional spaces. Our examples and case studies use both simulated and real data cases with moderate to large numbers of covariates. The examples support the claim that our approach is to be preferred in large dimensional datasets. Moreover, our approach shown here has, as a special case, the model known as Bayesian CART. / Ph. D.

This dissertation proposes an approach for 3D micro-scale shape reconstruction using photometric stereo (PS) with surface normal integration (SNI). Based on the proposed approach, a portable cost-effective stationary system is developed to capture 3D shapes in the order of micrometer scale. The PS with SNI technique is adopted to reconstruct 3D microtopology since this technique is highlighted for its capability to reproduce fine surface details at pixel resolution. Furthermore, since the primary hardware components are merely a camera and several typical LEDs, the system based on PS with SNI can be made portable at low cost. The principal contributions are three folds. First, a PS method based on dichromatic reflectance model (DRM) using color input images is proposed to generalize PS applicable to a wider range of surfaces with non-Lambertian reflectances. The proposed method not only estimates surface orientations from diffuse reflection but also exploits information from specularities owing to the proposed diffuse-specular separation algorithm. Using the proposed PS method, material-dependent features can be simultaneously extracted in addition to surface orientations, which offers much richer information in understanding the 3D scene and poses more potential functionalities, such as specular removal, intrinsic image decomposition, digital relighting, material-based segmentation, material transfer and material classification. The second contribution is the development of an SNI method dealing with perspective distortion. The proposed SNI is performed on the image plane instead of on the target surface as did by orthographic SNI owing to the newly derived representation of surface normals. The motivation behind the representation is from the observation that spatially uniform image points are simpler for integration than the non-uniform distribution of surface points under perspective projection. The new representation is then manipulated to the so-called log gradient space in analogy to the gradient space in orthographic SNI. With this analogy, the proposed method can inherit most past algorithms developed for orthographic SNI. By applying the proposed SNI, perspective distortion can be efficiently tackled with for smooth surfaces. In addition, the method is PS-independent, which can keep the image irradiance equation in a simple form during PS. The third contribution is the design and calibration of a 3D micro-scale shape reconstruction system using the derived PS and SNI methods. This system is originally designed for on-site measurement of pavement microtexture, while its applicability can be generalized to a wider range of surfaces. Optimal illumination was investigated in theory and through numerical simulations. Five different calibrations regarding various aspects of the system were either newly proposed or modified from existing methods. The performances of these calibrations were individually evaluated. Efficacy of the developed system was finally demonstrated through comprehensive comparative studies with existing systems. Its capability for on-site measurement was also confirmed. / Ph. D. / Shapes in our world are three-dimensional (3D). How to measure and digitize shapes in 3D into computer understandable virtual models using cameras is called 3D shape reconstruction in the field of computer vision. This dissertation concerns the problem of 3D shape reconstruction, while concentrates on recovering shapes at micro-meter scale, referred to as 3D micro-scale shape reconstruction. Quantifying 3D shapes at micro-scale is significant for both industry and academia. In industry, quantification of 3D shapes at micro-meter scale can be employed in precision parts manufacturing, industrial quality control and rapid prototyping, whilst in academia, even finer resolution may be required to study the microtopography of a surface, such as for the purpose of investigating the nature of friction between surfaces. In this dissertation, a systematic solution is given for 3D micro-scale shape reconstruction using techniques called photometric stereo (PS) and surface normal integration (SNI) sequentially. PS estimates surface normals for each pixel-corresponding surface patch using images captured under various illumination directions from a fixed viewpoint. These surface normals are then integrated to reconstruct the surface in 3D via SNI. Based on these general principles, a prototype system was developed. The hardware of the system is simple, mainly contains a color digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) camera with a macro lens, multiple LEDs, a control circuit and a cover. During operation, the LEDs are sequentially turned on and create different illuminations upon the surface of concern. The DSLR camera simultaneously captures images with one LED lit at a time. Having these images for the target surface under various illuminations, the 3D surface at micro-scale is reconstructed through post-processing by PS with SNI algorithms. Three principal contributions are presented in this dissertation. First, a PS algorithm using color images is demonstrated to improve the shape reconstruction accuracy and its applicability for a wider range of surfaces with different reflectance properties. The proposed PS algorithm can also estimate material-dependent properties of the surface, making potential applications, such as material classification and inference, feasible. The second contribution is to improve the SNI algorithm to deal with the camera’s perspective distortion. Experimental results suggested that the algorithm has been successful in dealing with the distortion for smooth surfaces. The design and calibration of the prototype system are presented as the third contribution. The system can achieve high data acquisition rate due to its area scanning nature, dense measurements at micro-scale due to the PS with SNI approach, and low-cost due to the simple hardware configurations. Efficacy of the system was demonstrated through comprehensive comparative studies with existing systems. Its capability for on-site measurement was also proven.

No / The aim of this prospective randomized study was to evaluate the role of carbon dioxide (CO2) and normal saline for diagnostic accuracy in out-patient hysteroscopy. Women admitted to our Department in order to undergo total abdominal hysterectomy also underwent diagnostic hysteroscopy, 12¿24 h prior to surgery. The selection of distending medium was made after randomization. Two groups of patients were formed, group A (CO2; n=39) and group B (normal saline; n=35). More than half of the women in the study population were post-menopausal. Post-hysteroscopy, all women were asked to rank any symptom that they felt during the procedure on a 4-point scale (0 = none; 1 = mild; 2 = severe; 3 = inability to perform hysteroscopy). The hysteroscopic diagnosis was compared with the macroscopic findings and the histological examination of the surgical specimen after hysterectomy. The percentage who completed hysteroscopy was 89.74% within group A and 97.14% within group B. Most patients of both groups felt some pain of mild intensity. The diagnostic accuracy of hysteroscopy was similar for both media when major pathology [large polyps (group A 91.7%; group B 92.7%), myomas (group A 81.25%; group B 92.7%) and/or hyperplasia (group A 87.5%; group B 90.2%)] of the endometrial cavity was detected. In contrast, in cases of minor pathology (small polyps, mucosal elevations, crypts, hypervascularization), hysteroscopy with saline presented with significantly higher diagnostic accuracy (85.4%) compared with hysteroscopy with CO2 (64.6%). In out-patient hysteroscopy, CO2 and normal saline were comparable with regard to patient discomfort and for the detection of major pathology of the endometrial cavity. Normal saline seems to be the most appropriate medium for the detection of minor pathology of the endometrial cavity.

The vertical load on a moving tire was estimated by using accelerometers attached to the inner liner of a tire. The acceleration signal was processed to obtain the contact patch length created by the tire on the road surface. Then an appropriate equation relating the patch length to the vertical load is used to calculate the load. In order to obtain the needed data, tests were performed on a flat-track test machine at the Goodyear Innovation Center in Akron, Ohio; tests were also conducted on the road using a trailer setup at the Intelligent Transportation Laboratory in Danville, Virginia. During the tests, a number of different loads were applied; the tire-wheel setup was run at different speeds with the tire inflated to two different pressures. Tests were also conducted with a camber applied to the wheel. An algorithm was developed to estimate load using the collected data. It was then shown how the estimated load could be used in a control algorithm that applies a suitable control input to maintain the yaw stability of a moving vehicle. A two degree of freedom bicycle model was used for developing the control strategy. A linear quadratic regulator (LQR) was designed for the purpose of controlling the yaw rate and maintaining vehicle stability. / Master of Science

Yes / Bezier curves and surfaces are two very useful tools in Geometric Modeling, with many applications. In this paper, we will offer a new method to provide approximations of regular curves and surfaces by Bezier ones, with the corresponding examples.

Yes

Yes / The face is not the property of an individual; it is a key part of our communicating body. It is performed, in social interaction (Goffman, 1982) and seen and responded to within historicised and gendered ideals of the normal and of beauty. The normal and the beautiful have a particular resonance in a visually mediated consumer society, “looks matter”. But more than half-a million people in the UK have a significant disfigurement to their face (Changing Faces, 2007). This chapter explores the way facial difference illuminates debates on bodily representation. It explores how people living with visible facial difference invoke discursive formations of disfigurement (Garland-Thomson, 2009). It asks how we encounter and respond to facial difference and examines how close personal relationships can offer a source of support. The chapter contextualises the relevance of the face for communication and then examines implications for social selves in personal communities. Seventeen people living with visible facial difference were interviewed as part of a PhD study and interview extracts illuminate different aspects of the aesthetics of inclusion.

Este trabalho pretende analisar a construção de uma cultura escolar a partir do conhecimento pedagógico em curso na Escola Normal de São Paulo, no final do século XIX. Partimos da premissa de que os saberes entendidos como necessários ao exercício do magistério são reveladores da constituição de uma cultura profissional docente e de representações acerca de um ideal de professor e de escola que se pretende formar. Tais conhecimentos podem ser identificados nos manuais impressos de formação de professores e em suas apropriações presentes nos discursos dos aspirantes à carreira do magistério, através dos exames realizados pela Escola Normal. O período delimitado para este estudo compreende duas décadas, de 1875 a 1894. O ano de 1875 corresponde à segunda abertura da Escola Normal momento em que, pela primeira vez, são realizados exames escritos na referida escola, destinados aos seus alunos e aos aspirantes às cadeiras de instrução pública primária. O ano de 1894 marca o início de um período de inúmeras mudanças na estrutura e organização da escola, além da mudança da Escola Normal para prédio próprio, à Praça da República. Nessa empreita, procuramos demonstrar a relação existente entre a expansão da instrução primária e as iniciativas de formação de professores em instituições específicas, sobretudo na Província de São Paulo no último quartel do século XIX. A partir da análise das provas e dos manuais pedagógicos, procuramos identificar uma concepção de educação, de instrução, de escola e de métodos de ensino que circulavam no período, por entender que tais aspectos são fundamentais para a compreensão do perfil de professor e de um modelo de escola que se pretendia formar. Por último, pretendemos trazer à tona um ideal de professor presente no ideário da época. No período em estudo, o professor possui figura central e exemplar na formação de hábitos e condutas desejáveis para a população. A partir do momento em que o Estado assume a responsabilidade pela instrução do povo, ele institui um controle mais rigoroso sobre o processo educativo e, consequentemente, sobre o professor. Ao torná-lo funcionário público sob tutela do Estado, é possível criar dispositivos de controle mais rígidos que dizem respeito aos processos de seleção do pessoal docente, às instituições autorizadas para sua formação, e ao estabelecimento de um conjunto de saberes exigidos para o exercício da profissão. Nesse processo de constituição profissional, é possível perceber mudanças e permanências, articuladas a um projeto civilizador por meio da disseminação de hábitos, condutas e práticas, tipicamente escolares que orientam e permeiam toda a sociedade. / This essay intends to analyze the construction of a school culture assessed from the pedagogical knowledge in course in the Escola Normal de São Paulo, at the end of the 19th century. It assumes the premise that the knowledge thought of as necessary for the teaching profession are revealing of a professional teaching culture and of representations of ideal teachers and schools that one intends to form. Such knowledge can be identified in printed formation manuals offered to candidates to the magisterium and its appropriations made by these candidates, read through their discourses in exams at the Escola Normal. The period of time delimited for this study comprehends two decades, from 1875 to 1894. The year of 1875 corresponds to the second opening of the Escola Normal moment in which, for the first time, written exams were taken in this school, offered to its students and to the candidates for public primary teaching. The year of 1894 marks the beginning of many changes in the structure and organization of the school, besides the reallocation of the Escola Normal to its own building. We seek here to demonstrate the relationship between the expansion of primary instruction and the initiatives in teacher education in particular institutions, above all in the Province of São Paulo in the last quarter of the 19th century. From the analysis of the exams and pedagogical manuals, we try to identify certain conceptions of education, instruction, schools and teaching methods that were then circulating, as we understand that such aspects are essential to the understanding of the teachers profile and of a model of school that was then intended. At last, we intend to bring to the surface an ideal of teacher in that times ideology. In the period under scrutiny, the teacher has a central and exemplary role in the formation of desirable habits and conducts for the population. From the moment that the State assumes the responsibility for the instruction of its people, it institutes a more rigorous control over the educational process and, consequently, over the teacher. Turning him into a public employee under the tutorship of the State, it becomes possible to create control mechanisms that are more rigorous concerning the selection process for the teaching personnel, the authorized institutions for its formation, and the establishment of a group of requisite knowledge for the profession. In this process of professional constitution, it is possible to notice changing and permanent factors, articulated to a civilizational project through the dissemination of habits, conducts and practices, typically the scholar ones that orient and permeate society as a whole.

Nos anos recentes, suavização de superfícies é um assunto de intensa pesquisa em processamento geométrico. Muitas das abordagens para suavização de malhas usam um esquema de duas etapas: filtragem de normais seguido de um passo de atualização de vértices para corresponder com as normais filtradas. Neste trabalho, propomos uma adaptação de tais esquemas de duas etapas para superfícies representadas por nuvens de pontos. Para isso, exploramos esquemas de pesos para filtrar as normais. Além disso, investigamos três métodos para estimar normais, analisando o impacto de cada método para estimar normais em todo o processo de suavização da superfície. Para uma análise quantitativa, além da comparação visual convencional, avaliamos a eficácia de diferentes opções de implementação usando duas medidas, comparando nossos resultados com métodos de suavização de nuvens de pontos encontrados a literatura / In the last years, surface denoising is a subject of intensive research in geometry processing. Most of the recent approaches for mesh denoising use a twostep scheme: normal filtering followed by a point updating step to match the corrected normals. In this work, we propose an adaptation of such two-step approaches for point-based surfaces, exploring three different weight schemes for filtering normals. Moreover, we also investigate three techniques for normal estimation, analyzing the impact of each normal estimation method in the whole point-set smoothing process. Towards a quantitative analysis, in addition to conventional visual comparison, we evaluate the effectiveness of different choices of implementation using two measures, comparing our results against state-of-art point-based denoising techniques. Keywords: surface smoothing; point-based surface; normal estimation; normal filtering.

Os mecanismos do desgaste e atrito que ocorrem durante o desgaste por deslizamento, bem como, a transição do regime do desgaste moderado para o desgaste severo, são influenciados pela força aplicada, rugosidade, temperatura e umidade, sendo estas variáveis frequentemente estudadas. Entretanto, a avaliação da remoção de debris durante o deslizamento e a influência do aditivo lubrificante, em regime limítrofe/quase seco (e.g. Ácido Esteárico C18H32O2) ainda são necessários maiores entendimentos sobre os mecanismos de desgaste e também a força na qual ocorre a transição do regime do desgaste moderado para o desgaste severo durante o deslizamento. Para os testes a seco, com e sem a remoção dos debris, foram realizados ensaios tribológicos convencionais com as duas durezas de disco, 435 e 530 HV30. Os resultados mostraram que a transição do regime de desgaste é influenciada pela dureza e pela remoção dos debris. A influência da dureza é observada apenas quando os ensaios convencionais são realizados, nos quais foi observado que o aumento da dureza do contra corpo estende a transição do desgaste moderado para o severo em forças maiores. A remoção dos debris aumenta a extensão da força para ocorrer a transição moderado/severo. Para os testes lubrificados, foram realizados ensaios com a dureza de disco de 530 HV, variando a concentração do ácido esteárico. Os resultados mostram que o aumento da concentração do aditivo e da força normal aplicada são varáveis determinantes para a redução do coeficiente de atrito. A ação do aditivo lubrificante é fundamental nas forças baixas, sendo que nas forças elevadas apenas o aumento da força normal é suficiente para manter o baixo coeficiente de atrito. Adicionalmente, para as elevadas forças aplicadas, o filme lubrificante falha em função do tempo de deslizamento, e maiores concentrações de aditivo são necessárias para manter o coeficiente de atrito constante. / The wear and friction mechanisms that occur during the sliding wear, as well as the transition from mild to severe wear regimes are influenced by the normal load applied, roughness, temperature and humidity, the variables more frequently studied. However, the assessment of debris removal during the sliding wear and oil influence with lubricant additive (e.g. Stearic Acid C18H32O2) in the boundary/dry lubrication needs further understanding of the mechanisms and the load that occur a wear transition from mild to severe wear. The aim in this work is the characterization and evaluation the contact surface without debris in sliding surface (cleaning of the wear track) and the wear surface in boundary lubrication tests. The materials studied are: the pin AISI 4140 - 435 HV30 steel and the disc AISI H13 - 435 e 530 HV30 steel. Firstly were made conventional tribological tests with two disc hardness. Then, tests with the cleaning of the wear track were made. The results showed that the hardness and the absence of debris influence in the wear transition regime. The hardness influence is observed only when the conventional tests were made. When the counter body hardness increased, the transition from mild to severe wear extends to greater loads. The debris influence was evidenced in tests with the cleaning of the wear track, and showed that greater loads are needed from mild to severe wear transition. For the lubricated tests, the hardness of the disk was 530 HV. The results shown that the concentration of the lubricant additive and the normal load applied are determinant variables to decreasing the friction coefficient. The lubricant additive action is critical in low loads, and in high loads only the increasing of the load is needed to maintain the low friction. In addition, in the high load applied, the failure of the lubricant film occurs with the increase of the sliding time, and higher additive concentrations are needed to maintain constant the friction coefficient.