A Neurogenetic Algorithm Based on Rational Agents

Lately, a lot of research has been conducted on the automatic design of artificial neural networks (ADANNs) using evolutionary algorithms, in the so-called neuro-evolutive algorithms (NEAs). Many of the presented proposals are not biologically inspired and are not able to generate modular, hierarchical and recurrent neural structures, such as those often found in living beings capable of solving intricate survival problems. Bearing in mind the idea that a nervous system's design and organization is a constructive process carried out by genetic information encoded in DNA, this paper proposes a biologically inspired NEA that evolves ANNs using these ideas as computational design techniques. In order to do this, we propose a Lindenmayer System with memory that implements the principles of organization, modularity, repetition (multiple use of the same sub-structure), hierarchy (recursive composition of sub-structures), minimizing the scalability problem of other methods. In our method, the basic neural codification is integrated to a genetic algorithm (GA) that implements the constructive approach found in the evolutionary process, making it closest to biological processes. Thus, the proposed method is a decision-making (DM) process, the fitness function of the NEA rewards economical artificial neural networks (ANNs) that are easily implemented. In other words, the penalty approach implemented through the fitness function automatically rewards the economical ANNs with stronger generalization and extrapolation capacities. Our method was initially tested on a simple, but non-trivial, XOR problem. We also submit our method to two other problems of increasing complexity: time series prediction that represents consumer price index and prediction of the effect of a new drug on breast cancer. In most cases, our NEA outperformed the other methods, delivering the most accurate classification. These superior results are attributed to the improved effectiveness and efficiency of NEA in the decision-making process. The result is an optimized neural network architecture for solving classification problems

Expert reports in alleged medical malpractice lawsuits: a critical analysis

A proposta deste trabalho é fazer uma apreciação crítica dos laudos periciais realizados em ações judiciais de responsabilidade civil por alegado erro médico. A prova pericial deve orientar o julgador para que este possa fixar os limites da responsabilidade do médico ou profissional de saúde. O perito deve responder adequadamente as questões discutidas no processo, bem como trazer ao juiz os elementos que considerar úteis ou necessários para auxiliar a decisão judicial. Na parte teórica são estudados os campos de apuração da responsabilidade por erro médico, os pressupostos da responsabilidade civil, os tipos de prova que podem ser produzidos no processo, quais são os elementos essenciais do laudo pericial e os critérios que devem ser usados pelo perito para determinar se estão presentes os requisitos do dever de indenizar. Em seguida, utilizando-se dados obtidos em processos judiciais, são abordados os aspectos mais relevantes nas ações desta espécie, como a incidência dos tipos de dano alegados pelos autores, as especialidades médicas mais acionadas judicialmente, o tempo médio entre o ajuizamento da ação e a sentença judicial e a relevância dos laudos nas decisões judiciais observadas. Ao final, é realizada uma análise crítica dos conteúdos dos laudos, verificando se eles contêm todos os elementos recomendados e descritos na parte teórica, fazendose críticas sobre se eles cumpriram sua função de forma adequada e propondo instrumentos para seu aperfeiçoamento.The aim of this work is to do a critical appreciation of the expert reports in judicial proceedings for alleged medical malpractice. The expert report should guide the judge and help to determine the limits of the physician’s or health professional’s responsibility. The expert must answer appropriately the questions discussed in the lawsuit, as well as bringing the elements that he or she might consider useful or necessary to aid the judicial decision. The theoretical section concerns the medical malpractice responsibility verification, the presupposed civil responsibility, the kinds of proof that can be produced in the process, what are the essential elements of the expert report, and which criteria that should be used by the expert to determine if the requirements of the duty of compensating are present. Then, using data obtained from judicial proceedings, the most important aspects in this kind of lawsuit are exposed, such as the incidence of types of damage alleged by the authors, the most prosecuted medical specialties, the average time between the beginning of the action and the judicial sentence, and the relevance of the expert reports in the observed judicial decisions. At the end, a critical analysis of the reports is accomplished, verifying if they contain all the recommended elements described in the theoretical part, criticizing the accomplishment of their function, and proposing instruments for their improvement

Analysis of the deforestation 2005-2015 in the Tarumã side of the west side of Manaus-am

The Tarumã district over the years has grown demographically in accelerated mode. In the neighborhood area, there is currently an environmental conflict due to the increase deforestation. These causes have been a major concern in this area. The study of this work relates this accelerated growth to the deforestation in the neighborhood, which is the object of study area. Images and shapes downloaded from the PRODES system were used in the site analysis, which were processed in the Arcgis 10. The results pointed out a very significant growth of deforestation at Tarumã area

High voltage electrical stimulation as an alternative treatment for chronic ulcers of the lower limbs

A estimulação elétrica de alta voltagem tem sido indicada para acelerar processos de cicatrização. Os efeitos da estimulação elétrica de alta voltagem, no tratamento de três voluntários com úlceras crônicas de membros inferiores, foram avaliados. Após quinze semanas de tratamento, pôde ser observada a redução da área de todas as úlceras, a qual sugere que a EEAV é um método eficaz no tratamento de úlceras crônicas.High voltage electrical stimulation has been recommended as a means of accelerating the wound healing process. The effects of high voltage electrical stimulation were evaluated in the treatment of three volunteers with chronic ulcers of the lower limbs. After fifteen weeks of treatment, a reduction was found in the area of all the ulcers, suggesting that high voltage electric stimulation is an effective therapeutic option for chronic ulcers

A psicanálise como formação do inconsciente: a dinâmica dos atos nas obras de Freud

O presente artigo consiste em uma breve apreciação sobre o jogo entre intenção e realização na psicanálise. Busca assinalar como o sucesso de Freud no estabelecimento de uma verdade sobre o psiquismo se dá ao preço de uma subversão de seus projetos iniciais e de boa parte de suas concepções epistemológicas. Partindo da caracterização do ato intencional e de seu correlato psicanalítico, o ato falho, busca, por meio de exemplos ilustrativos dos impasses e desvios da obra freudiana, sustentar que seu legado é, em parte uma formação do inconsciente. Nesse sentido, procura caracterizar o criador da psicanálise como um herói que venceu por seus fracassos e pela travessia do trágico, bem ao estilo do que caracteriza, acima de tudo, o sujeito da psicanálise: o sujeito do inconsciente.This paper approaches the interaction between intention and realization in psychoanalysis. It intends to show how Freud's successes in determine a truth about the psychic apparatus due to subversion on his initial project as well as on his epistemological conceptions. Beginning with the definition of intentional act and its psychoanalytical associate, the parapraxis, it intends, through illustrative examples of the impasses and detours on Freud’s work, to sustain that his legacy is, in part, an unconscious formation. In this sense, it tries to characterize Psychoanalysis´ initiator as a hero who won by its failures and working through tragedy, just like how it is defined, above all, the subject of Psychoanalysis: the subject of the unconscious

Estoques de carbono e nitrogênio de um Neossolo Quartzarênico sob cultivo de fruteiras irrigadas na região do semi-árido do Brasil

Soil organic matter accumulation provides benefits to soil productivity and reduces atmospheric carbon concentration. However, little is known about the accumulation of C and N by sandy soils under perennial irrigated crops in semiarid regions. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of irrigated fruit orchard cultivation on the stocks of soil organic carbon (SOC) and total nitrogen (N) of an Arenosol/Quartzpsament from Paraipaba-CE, Semiarid Brazil. Soil samples were taken from irrigated orchards of banana (Musa ssp.), cashew (Anacardium ocidentale), guava (Psidium guajava), bullock's heart (Annona reticulata), mango (Mangifera indica), and sapote (Manilkara zapota) in the wetted-bulb and non-irrigated area between the plant rows. Additional samples were collected from adjacent areas under secondary Caatinga forest, and under a 2-year-old deforested area. Sampling depths were: 0-0.1, 0.1-0.2, and 0.2-0.4 m. The highest contents of SOC and N were found in the surface layer. The soil bulk density did not change in depth. The stocks of SOC and total N under secondary forest at 0-0.40 m layer were 27.6 and 2.4 Mg ha-1, respectively. Caatinga Forest conversion into fruit orchard cultivation led to a decrease of 5 to 23% and 4 to 21% on SOC and N stocks, respectively. Compared to other soil uses, sapote and bullock's heart contributed for a lower decrease of SOC and N stocks after deforestation. Guava, bullock's heart, mango and sapote contributed for improving the SOC stratification index.O acúmulo de matéria orgânica beneficia a produtividade do solo e reduz a concentração do carbono atmosférico. Entretanto, pouco é sabido a respeito do acúmulo de C e N em solos arenosos cultivados com culturas perenes irrigadas em regiões semi-áridas. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o efeito do cultivo de fruteiras irrigadas nos estoques de C e N de um Neossolo Quartzarênico em Paraipaba, CE. Foram coletadas amostras na linha e na entrelinha de pomares irrigados de banana, caju, manga, sapoti, goiaba e graviola. Em áreas adjacentes sob vegetação de Caatinga hipoxerófila e após dois anos de desmatamento foram coletadas amostras adicionais. As profundidades de amostragem foram: 0 a 0.1, 0.1 a 0.2 e 0.2 a 0.4 m. Os teores de C e N no solo foram mais altos na camada superficial (0 a 0.1 m). Não houve efeito da profundidade de amostragem sobre a densidade do solo. Os estoques de C e N na área com vegetação de Caatinga na camada de 0 a 0.4 m foram de 27,6 and 2,4 Mg ha-1, respectivamente. A retirada da vegetação natural e o cultivo das fruteiras levaram a reduções de 5 a 23% e 4 a 21% nos estoques de C e N do solo, respectivamente. As culturas do sapoti e da graviola contribuíram para o aumento dos estoques de C e N após a retirada da vegetação natural. As culturas da goiaba, graviola, manga e sapoti contribuíram para a melhoria do índice de estratificação deste solo

Novas narrativas de Relações Públicas: transformadoras para uma sociedade mais inclusiva e humanizada

O artigo busca discutir como novas narrativas de relações públicas podem impactar pessoas e negócios ao trabalhar com individualidades pautadas numa relação de transparência, afetividade, respeito e confiança com seus diversos públicos. O estudo reflete sobre narrativas que podem levar profissionais de relações públicas a se tornarem agentes ativos de transformação para uma sociedade mais inclusiva e humanizada. Isso porque, para que uma sociedade conquiste a capacidade de ser mais equânime e justa, faz-se necessário também alterar a comunicação técnica das organizações, tornando-a interpessoal e centrada na diversidade de vozes que compõem o mundo

An alternative storage method for characterization of the intestinal microbiota through next generation sequencing

Gut microbiota has been the subject of various molecular studies mainly due to its importance and wide-ranging relationships with human hosts. However, the storage of fecal samples prior to DNA extraction is critical when characterizing the composition of intestinal microbiota. Therefore, we aimed to understand the effects of different fecal storage methods to characterize intestinal microbiota using Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) as well as to establish an alternative conservation method of bacterial genetic material in these samples using guanidine. Stool samples from 10 healthy volunteers were collected. Each sample was divided into five aliquots: one aliquot was extracted immediately after collection (fresh) and two aliquots were subjected to freezing at -20 °C or -80 °C and extracted after 48 h. The other two aliquots were stored in guanidine at room temperature or 4 °C and extracted after 48 h. The V4 hypervariable regions of the bacterial and archeal 16S rRNA gene were amplified by PCR and sequenced using an Ion Torrent PGM platform for NGS. The data were analyzed using QIIME software. Statistical significance was determined using a nonparametric Kruskal-Wallis test. A total of 11,494,688 reads with acceptable quality were obtained. Unweighted principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) revealed that the samples were clustered based on the host rather than by the storage group. At the phylum and genus levels, we observed statistically significant differences between two genera, Proteobacteria (p=0.013) and Suterella (p=0.004), comparing frozen samples with guanidine-stored samples. Our data suggest that the use of guanidine can preserve bacterial genetic materials as well as freezing, providing additional convenience

Geografia da música do Distrito Federal

A importância da música na cultura e por conseqüência na geografia cultural acontece, pois esta é uma das mais significativas representações culturais da sociedade, estabelecendo um inventário histórico e espacial. Sensível a esta realidade o presente trabalho tem por objetivo identificar e espacializar os diferentes eventos musicais no Distrito Federal anunciados na imprensa escrita, a fim de compreender quais os elementos que definem esta espacialização. A partir da distribuição dos eventos, é possível compreender a existência de padrões de consumo musical nas cidades satélites, bem como o acesso (de forma ampla) da população aos eventos anunciados, observando não só o custo necessário para o ingresso ao evento, mas também a sua localização e variação temporal no espaço. Para a realização deste trabalho foi pensada uma metodologia que permitisse compreender quais os elementos que contribuem para a quantificação e análise da distribuição espacial dos eventos musicais. Tal metodologia possibilitou entender a distribuição espacial da música e, conseqüentemente, da cultura que reafirma e define novas espacialidades, como no caso da diferenciação cultural entre o centro e o subcentro, bem como a configuração de espaços destinados à difusão e a construção da cultura local. _________________________________________________________________________________ ABSTRACTMusic is a relevant cultural manifestation in society and an important influence in the typically hybrid identities of people and places. Thus, attention to the role of music by human geographers is increasing in recent years with different emphasis and research topics. Despite the mapping is a way of uncovering pattern and process in the cultural landscape; the works neglected the music mapping and tend to be more descriptive. The difficulty of mapping music is because of its characteristics: cultural expression not materialized ephemeral disposition and absence of exact limits. This paper aims to identify a spatial distribution of musical events in Federal District of Brazil. The methodology can be subdivided in following steps: (a) data acquisition from the journal “Correio Brasiliense”; (b) data processing; and (c) spatial distribution using SIG. The music distribution in the satellite cities of Federal District considered not only the cost of the tickets but also their location and temporal variation in space. The methodology enables to understand spatial distribution of musical events as the cultural differentiation between center and sub-center. It also made possible the configuration of spaces devoted to local culture construction and diffusion