Modeling of the Acute Toxicity of Benzene Derivatives by Complementary QSAR Methods

A data set containing acute toxicity values (96-h LC50) of 69 substituted benzenes for fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) was investigated with two Quantitative Structure- Activity Relationship (QSAR) models, either using or not using molecular descriptors, respectively. Recursive Neural Networks (RNN) derive a QSAR by direct treatment of the molecular structure, described through an appropriate graphical tool (variable-size labeled rooted ordered trees) by defining suitable representation rules. The input trees are encoded by an adaptive process able to learn, by tuning its free parameters, from a given set of structureactivity training examples. Owing to the use of a flexible encoding approach, the model is target invariant and does not need a priori definition of molecular descriptors. The results obtained in this study were analyzed together with those of a model based on molecular descriptors, i.e. a Multiple Linear Regression (MLR) model using CROatian MultiRegression selection of descriptors (CROMRsel). The comparison revealed interesting similarities that could lead to the development of a combined approach, exploiting the complementary characteristics of the two approaches

A ontologia performativa de Fichte

Que contribui\ue7\ue3o a filosofia de Fichte pode dar \ue0 ontologia? Fichte posicionou-se claramente contra a ontologia enquanto descri\ue7\ue3o dos entes, isto \ue9, contra a ontologia descritiva. A doutrina da ci\ueancia desenvolve pois uma ontologia prescritiva que pode ser entendida como um tipo de \u201contologia performativa\u201d

Gombrich, Danto, and the Question of Artistic Progress

The question Iam concerned with is the relevance of the notionof progress in the artistic \ufb01eld.Does the notion of artistic progress apply to art and,in the case it does,in what sense and how?In order to answerthis question Iwill discuss Ernst Gombrich and Arthur Danto\u2019s view of artistic progress (\ua7\ua7 2-3).Then,following the objections that the Spanishphilosopher Gerard Vilar recently raised against Danto\u2019s ideas on the endof art (\ua7 4),Iwill suggest a modest view concerning the requirements a theory of artistic progress must satisfy (\ua7 5)

Valore e autonomia dell'improvvisazione. Tra arti e pratiche

1In this paper I accept Georg Bertram’s criticism against what he calls the “autonomist paradigm” in philosophy of art and I will follow his theoretical suggestion: a coherent, informed, and accomplished philosophy of art should consider not only the specific nature of art, but also its value for the human practices and as one of the human practices. However, I show the connection between human practices and art in a different, although related, way. Instead of beginning from a reflection focused on art, I rather move from the human practices, showing that “art” may be a particular way to look at and to develop human practices. I argue that the theoretical link between human practices and art can be provided by the notion of improvisation. Improvisation is not only a particular artistic technique. Rather, improvisation can be more generally understood as the paradigm of art, in the interesting sense, defended by Bertram, of incorporating and showing in a genetic way, on the one hand, the autonomous art specificity and, on the other hand, the value of art, that is, the link between human practices and art as a specific human practice. In this sense, art (as specific human practice) both derives from and is a particular way to improvise (upon) the human practices, i.e. to develop them in ways that can be valuable (both in general and artistically or aesthetically). Accordingly, improvisation as a specific artistic procedure, will be understood as that kind of artistic production in which the human practice underlying art comes, as it were, to the fore.openopenBertinetto, AlessandroBertinetto, Alessandro Giovann

What do we know through improvisation?

In this paper, which is exploratory in character, I address the question of whether, how, and what we know through artistic improvisation. Has artistic improvisation a specific cognitive supply? Can this alleged cognitive supply contribute to the aesthetic merit of the performance? And how? In order to answer these questions I will first explain which is exactly the problem we face. Secondly, I will try to give some suggestions to solve this problem

Moral Concerns About Artistic Activity

A large part of the contemporary debate on art and morality is over the behavioural consequences of consuming artworks, the dependence or the independence between the aesthetic and the moral value of artworks, and whether ethical flaws or merits of artworks should also be considered as aesthetical flaws or merits (and viceversa). Here I will focus on a different, although related, topic. I will consider whether artists have duties towards art itself, as Luigi Pareyson argued in his Estetica. Teoria della formativit\ue0 (1954). In other words, I will raise the question whether the pursuit of artistic success requires, entails, or can result in a kind of moral stance towards artistic endeavour. I will suggest that the notion of authenticity not just as an obligation or a duty, but rather as a virtue, may be useful at this regard

\u201cMind the gap\u201d. L\u2019improvvisazione come agire intenzionale

n this paper I aim at discussing the following questions: is improvisation an intentional action? If it is an intentional action, in what sense is improvisation intentional? Can improvisation contribute to the understanding of intentional action? I will argue that improvisation is not a bizarre case of action or a weakened action, but an intentional action in the proper sense (provided with some specific properties). Moreover, improvisation exemplifies key features of intentional action as such

Prediction of Chemical-Physical Polymer Properties through Structure Neural Networks Application to Cyclic Compounds Predizione di Proprietà Chimico-Fisiche di Polimeri con Reti Neurali per Strutture Applicazione a Composti Ciclici

A predictive QSPR model based on recursive neural networks has already been successfully performed in previous publications to predict chemical and physical properties of acyclic molecules and polymers. The purpose of this thesis is to apply the method to cyclic compounds, concerning on the prediction of the glass transition temperature (Tg) of acrylic and methacrylic polymers. First, bibliographical data about the Tg of 110 poly(meth)acrylic esthers was collected. Second, possible methods to make the neural network able to deal with cycles were elaborated and discussed. Two ways to represent cycles were chosen to be used in the experimentation: the “block” representation of the phenyl ring and the “cycle cutting” representation, which makes use of molecular coding systems like Unique SMILES and InChI. Eleven experiments were carried out to test the efficiency of the methods. Seven of them used the block representation, and adjustments were made between each other in order to obtain better performance. The one with best results showed a mean absolute error of 15.32 K and a standard deviation of 19.57 K over the test samples. The last four experiments used the cycle cutting representation and the best one of them reached a mean absolute error of 14.92 K and a standard deviation of 19.38 K. Un metodo predittivo basato su reti neurali ricorsive è già stato applicato con successo in pubblicazioni precedenti per predire proprietà chimico-fisiche di molecule e polimeri aciclici. Lo scopo di questa tesi è di applicare il metodo a composti ciclici, concentrandosi sulla predizione della temperatura di transizione vetrosa (Tg) di polimeri acrilici e metacrilici. Per prima cosa sono stati raccolti dati bibliografici sulla Tg di 110 esteri poli(met)acrilici. Dopodichè sono stati elaborati e discussi dei possibili metodi per rendere la rete neurale atta a trattare i cicli. Sono stati scelti due metodi da usare nella sperimentazione: la rappresentazione “a blocco” dell’anello fenilico e la rappresentazione “a tagli”, che si serve di sistemi di codifica delle molecole come Unique SMILES e InChI. Undici esperimenti sono stati effettuati per verificare l’efficienza dei metodi. Sette di questi utilizzavano la rappresentazione a blocchi, e tra uno e l’altro sono stati fatti degli aggiustamenti per ottenere rendimenti migliori. Quello con migliori risultati mostrava un errore medio assoluto di 15.32 K e una deviazione standard di 19.57 K sui campioni di prova. Gli ultimi 4 esperimenti usavano la rappresentazione a tagli e il miglior di essi raggiungeva un errore assoluto medio di 14.92 K e una deviazione standard di 19.38

Prog imperfective drift in ancient Greek? Reconsidering eimi 'be' with present participle

In this paper, I reconsider the diachrony of the Ancient Greek periphrastic construction of eimi 'be' with present participle by means of Bertinetto’s recently proposed model for the development of progressive grams (a process called ‘PROG imperfective drift’). While Bertinetto’s proposal sheds new light on the diachronic development of the construction, at the same time the evidence from Ancient Greek brings to light the need for modification and further refinement of the model (most importantly with regard to the role of what I call the ‘stative’ function, next to the diachronic source(s) of the construction). I furthermore show that eimi with present participle never fully developed a (focalized) progressive function, which can be explained in terms of ‘constructional competition’

Ontologie musicali

This special issue of "Aisthesis" explores the ways in which contemporary ontologies have helped to deepen our understanding of music in its various genres and forms of expression: oral, written, and phonographic. Besides investigating the evolution of the ontological status of musical objects in the light of the technological innovations occurred over the last century, the articles collected here investigate the relationship between ontology and aesthetics and address the question of the criteria for the identification and the evaluation of musical works, musical performances, and improvisations