Affordances in Psychology, Neuroscience, and Robotics: A Survey

The concept of affordances appeared in psychology during the late 60s as an alternative perspective on the visual perception of the environment. It was revolutionary in the intuition that the way living beings perceive the world is deeply influenced by the actions they are able to perform. Then, across the last 40 years, it has influenced many applied fields, e.g., design, human-computer interaction, computer vision, and robotics. In this paper, we offer a multidisciplinary perspective on the notion of affordances. We first discuss the main definitions and formalizations of the affordance theory, then we report the most significant evidence in psychology and neuroscience that support it, and finally we review the most relevant applications of this concept in robotics

A Comissão do Golfo da Guiné e a Zona de Paz e Cooperação do Atlântico Sul. Organizações interzonais para a persecução da segurança marítima na Bacia Meridional Atlântica

Nos anos mais recentes, a procura de recursos energéticos têm ganho uma maior proeminência no contexto geoestratégico energético internacional, nomeadamente devido ao facto do petróleo e do gás natural desempenharem um papel relevante no quadro da balança energética global. A sua utilização, tendo em conta a limitada disponibilidade destes recursos (não renováveis) contribui para desenvolver novas dinâmicas nas Relações Internacionais e conduziu, segundo Roland Pourtier, a uma reavaliação das estratégias energéticas, tanto nos países produtores, como nos países consumidores, com repercussão muito específica nas dinâmicas político-estratégicas em África e na América do Sul, e nomeadamente na região que os ligam o Atlântico Sul (2011, pp.240-242). Nesse contexto, o Oceano Atlântico, na sua vertente mais a sul passou a ser uma área de interesse estratégico para os Estados ribeirinhos, levando estes a associarem-se em Organizações Regionais com vista a colmatar as suas necessidades de segurança e defesa. Exemplo deste paradigma atual é a criação, relativamente recente, da “Zona de Paz e Cooperação do Atlântico Sul” (ZOPACAS)[1] e da “Comissão do Golfo da Guiné” (CGG) que têm em vista contribuir, entre outras áreas de cooperação estratégica, para uma maior segurança e desenvolvimento na região sul do Oceano Atlântico. A presente reflexão visa, neste contexto, analisar a intercolaboração estruturada e conjuntural entre estas duas organizações multidisciplinares (político-militares) do Atlântico Sul: a Zona de Paz e Cooperação do Atlântico Sul e a Comissão do Golfo da Guiné, incidindo especialmente na temática da segurança marítima e apontando cenários de cooperação estratégica para o futuro.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Uma reflexão estratégica sobre a segurança e defesa em Angola e a intervenção no contexto regional subsaariano

No inovador e complexo paradigma securitário subsariano, Angola vem assumindo uma postura de afirmação nacional conducente com a sua estratégia de afirmação como produto de segurança regional, reflexo de uma intervenção crescente no plano geopolítico e geoestratégico Africano. Após o período de conflito interno, após a sua independência em 1975, e depois da assinatura do Acordo de Luena em 2002, Angola vem assumindo internamente uma política de reconstrução, especialmente ao nível da Segurança e Defesa, tendo como principais protagonistas as suas Forças Armadas. Estas são cada vez mais, instrumento da política externa e no seio das organizações sub-regionais onde tem assento, elemento valorativo do posicionamento geoestratégico Angolano na região. Num quadro de crescimento institucional destas Organizações, Angola aposta num maior envolvimento, pois atuando externamente garante a paz e o equilíbrio interno nas fronteiras, contribuindo para prestigiar Angola em África e no Mundo.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Positive Influence Of A Dental Anaesthesia Simulation Model On The Perception Of Learning By Mexican Dental Students

Introduction: This study evaluated the influence of 3-repetition training with a dental anesthesia simulation model (DASM) on the perception of learning by dental students. Materials and methods: Dental students who had never used a dental anesthesia technique were randomly divided into 2 groups that were taught the anterior superior alveolar nerve infiltrative anesthesia technique. Group 1 (G1, N=10) followed a 3-stage learning method: 1st) theoretical lecture, 2nd) clinical demonstration, and 3rd) DASM training, including 3 repetitions of the anesthesia technique. Group 2 (G2, N=10) followed only the 1st and 2nd stages. The students in both groups then performed the anesthesia technique. The perception of the students was evaluated by 4 learning concepts. Each was evaluated with a 5-point Likert Scale questionnaire. The average score of each item of the questionnaire for G1 was compared with that of G2. Statistically significant differences were identified with the Mann-Whitney test. The average working time of each group was timed and compared by Student’s t-test to identify possible statistically significant differences. Results: Students in G1 showed higher average scores of perception in controlling the handling of the dental syringe and confidence in performing the injection (p\u3c0.05), and showed an average working time shorter than that of the students in G2 (p\u3c0.05). Conclusion: The DASM positively influenced the perception learning of the dental students; it increased their confidence and syringe handling ability, as well as skills to perform the injection of anesthesia more quickly

Selection of sorghum hybrids grown under aluminum saturation.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate 165 hybrids derived from lines previously selected for aluminum (Al) tolerance. Nine check cultivars were used, eight commercial hybrids and one experimental hybrid. Hybrids were evaluated at three levels of Al saturation (0, 20 and 40% on average). The differences between the environments were significant. Environment with 0% Al saturation yielded 29.5% more than that with 40% Al saturation, showing the importance of genotype selection for acid soils. The best check cultivar was the hybrid DKB550. The hybrids AG1020 and AG1040 also performed well, where the latter was more tolerant but the former more responsive to environment improvement. The hybrid BRS304 was susceptible to high levels of Al saturation. The three commercial BRS hybrids (BRS310, BRS330 and BRS332) performed better than BRS304 at high Al saturation. The hybrid BRS330 was the best BRS hybrid to grow on a field with high Al saturation. The hybrid DKB559 performed well at high Al saturation but did not respond to environment improvement. The hybrids 727029, 727039, 729041, 729095, 729109, AG1040, and DKB550 were tolerant to higher levels of Al saturation and responsive to environment improvement, and showed good stability and adaptability at both low and high Al saturation

Combining ability of grain sorghum lines selected for aluminum tolerance.

The purpose of this study was to estimate combining ability of 58 sorghum lines previously selected for Aluminum (Al) tolerance. One hundred sixty-five hybrids were evaluated at three levels of Al saturation (0%, 20% and 50%) at the same season. General Combining Ability (GCA) effects were significant for female lines for all three traits. GCA effects for male lines were significant only for plant height. Specific Combining Ability (SCA) effects were significant only for flowering time. The ratio GCA to SCA was greater than the unity, indicating the prevalence of additive effects for the control of Al tolerance. F7, F14, F17, F20, F21, F24, F29, F31, F41, F42, F48, F51, F54 and F55 lines contributed to increase yield, while F29, F48 and F51 also contributed to reduce flowering time. M2 was the best male line since it contributed to increase yield and plant height, and to reduce flowering time

Determination of the Ileal Digestibility of Proteins and Amino Acids from Biscuit Bran and Wheat Gluten in Swine

To determine the apparent (AIDCP) and standardized (SIDCP) ileal digestibility coefficients of the protein and the apparent (AIDAA) and standardized (SIDAA) ileal digestibility coefficients of amino acids from biscuit bran and wheat gluten were used six castrated males swine in growth, on average weight from 22 to 60kg, with a T cannula on the terminal ileum, distributed in a randomized block design with three treatments, two periods and two repetitions per period. Each animal was considered a repeat. Treatments consisted of a protein free diet (PFD) for determination of the endogenous loss, PFD + biscuit bran (BB) and PFD + wheat gluten (WG). Each period lasted for six days, five days of adaptation of animals to the diet and 24 hours of collection of ileal digestion. The AIDCP of BB and WG were 82.33 and 90.07%, respectively and the SIDCP of BB and WG were 89.17% and 95.60%, respectively. The SIDAA were on average 80.84% (lysine), 83.94% (threonine), 90.57% (methionine + cystine) and 87.15% (valine) to BB. The SIDAA for the WG were on average 91.01% (lysine), 90.97% (threonine), 95.82% (methionine + cystine) and 90.04% (valine). The SID of protein and essential amino acids and non-essential elements identified in this study were on average, respectively, 89.17%, 88.54% and 89.20% of biscuit branand 95.60%, 93.71% and 89.20% of wheat gluten