Establishing Chemical Profiling For Ecstasy Tablets Based On Trace Element Levels And Support Vector Machine

Ecstasy is an amphetamine-type substance that belongs to a popular group of illicit drugs known as “club drugs” whose consumption is rising in Brazil. The effects caused by this substance in the human organism are mainly psychological, including hallucinations, euphoria and other stimulant effects. The distribution of this drug is illegal, and effective strategies are required in order to detain its growth. One possible way to obtain useful information on ecstasy trafficking routes, sources of supply, clandestine laboratories and synthetic protocols is by its chemical components. In this paper, we present a data mining and predictive analysis for ecstasy tablets seized in two cities of São Paulo state (Brazil), Campinas and Ribeirão Preto, based on their chemical profile. We use the concentrations of 25 elements determined in the ecstasy samples by ICP-MS as our descriptive variables. We develop classification models based on support vector machines capable of predicting in which of the two cities an arbitrary ecstasy sample was most likely to have been seized. Our best model achieved a 81.59% prediction accuracy. The F-score measure shows that Se, Mo and Mg are the most significant elements that differentiate the samples from the two cities, and they alone are capable of yielding an SVM model which achieved the highest prediction accuracy

Effectiveness of technology-enhanced learning to improve periodontics educational outcomes: A systematic review

Objectives: Technology-enhanced learning (TEL) has been suggested as a suitable learner-centered pedagogical approach in dental education. However, the results of TEL effectiveness in periodontics education are controversial. Therefore, this systematic review aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of TEL to improve educational outcomes in the periodontics field compared to traditional learning methods. Methods: The search comprised randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and crossover studies that were related to periodontics education from the following databases: MedLine, PsycINFO, Eric, Scopus, EMBASE, and Web of Science. Two authors independently performed study selection, data extraction, and assessed risk of bias. Kirkpatrick's 4-level evaluation model was used to evaluate educational outcomes. Results: From 1642 studies, after applying inclusion criteria, 7 studies remained for analysis. On level 1 (Reaction), undergraduate dental students reported positive attitudes related to TEL. On level 2 (Learning), 3 studies found that TEL improved knowledge gain compared to traditional learning methods. Three other studies did not show any difference between TEL and conventional learning methods, and one found that traditional learning methods presented superior results. On level 3 (Behavior), 1 study found that TEL application improved students’ performance. On level 4 (Results), 5 studies suggested that the implementation of TEL would improve educational outcomes in periodontics education if combined with traditional learning methods. Conclusion: The findings showed that the exclusive use of TEL does not significantly improve periodontics educational outcomes when compared to traditional learning methods. However, the combination of TEL and traditional learning methods can be the key to enhancing periodontics education

Teorias políticas medievais e a construção do conceito de unidade Medieval political theories and principles of construction of unit

Analisamos neste trabalho o sentido das construções teóricas medievais na definição dos limites de autoridade régia e sua função na institucionalização da monarquia. À luz disto, destacamos a recepção de valores e tradições clássicas nos tratados doutrinais baixo-medievais e a intermediação atualizadora dos agentes produtores destas obras. Iniciativas que visavam à eliminação de potenciais perigos ligados à excessiva concentração de poderes, num debate entre teorias defensoras de uma base colegiada do poder e a centralização monárquica.<br>I reviewed this work a sense of medieval buildings in the theoretical definition of the limits of royal authority and its role in the institutionalization of the monarchy. In light of this, highlight the reception of classical values and traditions treated in low-medieval doctrinal updater intermediation of agents and producers of these works. Initiatives aimed at the elimination of potential hazards related to excessive concentration of power in a debate between advocates of a basic theory of power and centralization collegiate monarchy

Pesquisa em enfermagem e o positivismo Nursing research and the positivism

Discute-se os fundamentos do positivismo; as influências mais marcantes para a formulação da filosofia comtiana; como as idéias de Comte, tanto como doutrina, quanto como método, passam a dominar o pensamento da sociedade, ultrapassando o século XIX e alcançando o século XX; e como a doutrina e o método empírico positivista influenciaram a Enfermagem em sua noção acerca da ciência e de homem/ ambiente/doença.<br>The authors discuss positivism foundations; the most remarkable influences to comtian's philosophy structuration; how Comte's ideas, as doctrine in so far as method, dominate society's thoughts, passing beyond XIX century and reaching XX century; and how the positivist doctrine and empirical method influenced Nursing conceptions about science and about human being/environment/disease

"África em Portugal": devoções, irmandades e escravidão no Reino de Portugal, século XVIII "Africa in Portugal": slavery, religious devotion and black brotherhoods during the 18

Este artigo discute a história das irmandades que congregaram escravos e libertos africanos e seus descendentes em Portugal, no século XVIII. Para tanto, leva em consideração um panorama mais geral da história e da historiografia da escravidão e da presença africana em Portugal. Busca compreender o contexto de surgimento e as singularidades das irmandades de negros no cenário das confrarias leigas portuguesas. E, finalmente, destaca com especial atenção, a importância destas organizações na configuração da vida comunitária e na defesa dos interesses das populações liberta e escrava.<br>The following article discusses the history of the brotherhoods that brought together slaves and free Africans as well as their descendants in Portugal during the 18th century. In this way, the article considers a more general panorama of the history and the historiography of slavery and the African presence in Portugal. It tries to understand the contextual appearance and the singularities of the black brotherhoods within the setting of the Portuguese lay fraternities. In conclusion it highlights the importance of these organizations in the constitution of community life and in defense of the interests of the black slave and free population in the kingdom of Portugal