ÁFRICA SUBSAARIANA: ARENA INTERNACIONAL

The current geopolitical scenery of the Saharan region is guided by disputes between the central and average power in search of economic advantages to ensure the natural Saharan. With different geopolitical, all seeking the same goals, which do not consider the needs and shortcomings that the region possesses. The repetition of this type of neocolonial exploitation, of the nineteenth century, has in Brazil, as an average power, a differential and it is a geopolitics of government and needs to be incorporated as state policy.O atual cenário geopolítico da região subsaariana é pautado por disputas entre as potências centrais e médias na busca das vantagens econômicas, a fim de garantir as riquezas naturais subsaarianas. No atual cenário de disputas geopolíticas em palcos africanos, destacam-se ações de antigos Estados coloniais que visam a consecução de seus próprios interesses, em detrimento das demandas locais. Entre os governos petistas, no Brasil (2003-2016), contudo, esboçou-se um modus operandi diferente do geral. A inserção geopolítica brasileira se deu a nível de colaboração e multilateralidade. Este artigo tem como papel (role) analisar e discutir estas diferentes ações no continente africano, sob a pauta do capitalismo contemporâneo

Automation benefits in the formation process of lead-acid batteries

In this work, the automated formation process of lead-acid battery and its industrial positive impact on the battery efficiency are evaluated toward the manual process. The problems in the lead-acid batteries formation are related to the α-PbO2 and β-PbO2 production during the first electric charge. The lead-acid battery formation problems frequently occur when electrical current sources with manual control are used. The main drawback of the manual method is addressed to the electric current interruptions between the plates during the battery charging. Thus, the lead oxides phases in the plates were used as parameter to correlate the chemical composition to the failure on the batteries formation process. X-ray powder diffraction technique was used to identify the lead phases. The results showed that the use of automated electric power supply has higher efficiency than the manual one. The benefits of automation include the increased productivity, reduction on the production costs, and lower consumption of natural resources

Fully portable and wireless universal brain-machine interfaces enabled by flexible scalp electronics and deep-learning algorithm

Variation in human brains creates difficulty in implementing electroencephalography (EEG) into universal brain-machine interfaces (BMI). Conventional EEG systems typically suffer from motion artifacts, extensive preparation time, and bulky equipment, while existing EEG classification methods require training on a per-subject or per-session basis. Here, we introduce a fully portable, wireless, flexible scalp electronic system, incorporating a set of dry electrodes and flexible membrane circuit. Time domain analysis using convolutional neural networks allows for an accurate, real-time classification of steady-state visually evoked potentials on the occipital lobe. Simultaneous comparison of EEG signals with two commercial systems captures the improved performance of the flexible electronics with significant reduction of noise and electromagnetic interference. The two-channel scalp electronic system achieves a high information transfer rate (122.1 ± 3.53 bits per minute) with six human subjects, allowing for a wireless, real-time, universal EEG classification for an electronic wheelchair, motorized vehicle, and keyboard-less presentation

O CONCEITO ACCOUNTABILITY NA CIÊNCIA DA INFORMAÇÃO: uma pesquisa na literatura indexada pela BRAPCI

A promoção da transparência na atuação do Estado é um dos pilares da participação cidadã. Nesse contexto, emerge o movimento da accountability como forma de conhecimento, acompanhamento e controle da atuação dos agentes públicos. Este trabalho analisa a produção científica na temática publicada em periódicos brasileiros indexados pela Base de Dados em Ciência da Informação (BRAPCI), no campo da Ciência da Informação no Brasil. Parte do pressuposto de que a absorção do conceito de pela área da Ciência da Informação contribuirá para uma nova e relevante fronteira de ação e pesquisa nesse campo científico. Na execução da pesquisa, adotou-se o método indiciário e o brauseio como instrumentos para a identificação dos indícios da produção sobre a temática na literatura indexada. Os dados foram organizados em quadros que apresentam os indicadores da produção analisada e condicionam melhor entendimento acerca do movimento de no Brasil. Os resultados demonstram que, no período de 1978 a 2018, o número de publicações sobre a temática aumentou gradualmente e nos últimos anos apresenta 18 artigos de 46 autores e co-autores, que produziram literatura onde o termo é abordado ou citado. Conclui que a presença de pesquisas sobre a temática, na Ciência da Informação, já é uma realidade, mas há a necessidade da realização de estudos que contemplem teorias, metodologias e tecnologias que condicionem a efetividade da accoutability na promoção da transparência da atuação dos agentes públicos

Análise das vibrações emitidas por um Dispositivo de comunicação para pessoas surdocegas / Vibration analysis emitted by a Communication device for deafblind persons

O Dispositivo de Comunicação para Pessoas Surdocegas envolve o acionamento manual de teclas e a recepção de vibrações pelos dedos. Para a prevenção dos efeitos deletérios decorrentes da exposição a vibração após o uso prolongado desse dispositivo, o objetivo deste trabalho é verificar se seu uso contínuo poderá gerar a síndrome de Raynaud, também chamada de Síndrome do Dedo Branco. Uma amostra de sete pessoas surdocegas testaram o protótipo do dispositivo e as vibrações que foram transmitidas para seus dedos foram mensuradas por um acelerômetro triaxial durante um período de 10 dias, 2 horas por sessão.  Em todas as situações, os dados obtidos estão dentro dos limites aceitáveis estabelecidos pelas normas internacionais de saúde e segurança sobre o risco físico de vibração. Portanto, foi possível demonstrar que a tecnologia proposta não é prejudicial aos usuários e pode ser usada com segurança a longo prazo.

内皮細胞におけるHrt転写調節因子の血管形態形成に対する意義

The Hairy-related transcription factor family of Notch- and ALK1-downstream transcriptional repressors, called Hrt/Hey/Hesr/Chf/Herp/Gridlock, has complementary and indispensable functions for vascular development. While mouse embryos null for either Hrt1/Hey1 or Hrt2/Hey2 did not show early vascular phenotypes, Hrt1/Hey1; Hrt2/Hey2 double null mice (H1ko/H2ko) showed embryonic lethality with severe impairment of vascular morphogenesis. It remained unclear, however, whether Hrt/Hey functions are required in endothelial cells or vascular smooth muscle cells. In this study, we demonstrate that mice with endothelial-specific deletion of Hrt2/Hey2 combined with global Hrt1/Hey1 deletion (H1ko/H2eko) show abnormal vascular morphogenesis and embryonic lethality. Their defects were characterized by the failure of vascular network formation in the yolk sac, abnormalities of embryonic vascular structures and impaired smooth muscle cell recruitment, and were virtually identical to the H1ko/H2ko phenotypes. Among signaling molecules implicated in vascular development, Robo4 expression was significantly increased and activation of Src family kinases was suppressed in endothelial cells of H1ko/H2eko embryos. The present study indicates an important role of Hrt1/Hey1 and Hrt2/Hey2 in endothelial cells during early vascular development, and further suggests involvement of Robo4 and Src family kinases in the mechanisms of embryonic vascular defects caused by the Hrt/Hey deficiency.博士（医学）・乙第1352号・平成27年3月16日© 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.発行元が定める登録猶予期間終了の後、本文を登録予定（2015.11

Do particular design features assist people with aphasia to comprehend text? An exploratory study

Background Much of the evidence underlying guidelines for producing accessible information for people with aphasia focuses on client preference for particular design features. There is limited evidence regarding the effects of these features on comprehension. Aims To examine the effects of specific design features on text comprehension. It was hypothesized that font style, letter case and supporting images would all have a significant impact on people with aphasias’ ability to comprehend text. Methods & Procedures Participants (N = 9) read 35 paragraphs and selected the most appropriate word or phrase from a choice of four to finish the final sentence. Reading comprehension was assessed in three conditions: font style, letter case and text with a supporting image. One-way analyses of variance (ANOVAs) with Bonferroni post-hoc tests were used to test the effect of each design feature on reading comprehension. Outcomes & Results People with aphasia comprehended significantly more written information when presented in sans-serif font than in a serif style (p = .01) and when presented in lower case than in upper case (p = .03). The inclusion of a single supporting image to illustrate a paragraph of text did not have a significant effect on comprehension. Conclusions & Implications This research supports the premise that font style and letter case have a significant effect on text comprehension, but that illustrating a paragraph of text with a single image may not significantly improve comprehension when text is written at a low readability level. Although it is critical to produce accessible information, improving comprehension is only one rationale for modified text presentation and therefore these results must be viewed in the context of other recommendations

Form–function relationships in a marine foundation species depend on scale:A shoot to global perspective from a distributed ecological experiment

Form–function relationships in plants underlie their ecosystem roles in supporting higher trophic levels through primary production, detrital pathways, and habitat provision. For widespread, phenotypically-variable plants, productivity may differ not only across abiotic conditions, but also from distinct morphological or demographic traits. A single foundation species, eelgrass Zostera marina, typically dominates north temperate seagrass meadows, which we studied across 14 sites spanning 32–61°N latitude and two ocean basins. Body size varied by nearly two orders of magnitude through this range, and was largest at mid-latitudes and in the Pacific Ocean. At the global scale, neither latitude, site-level environmental conditions, nor body size helped predict productivity (relative growth rate 1–2% day-1 at most sites), suggesting a remarkable capacity of Z. marina to achieve similar productivity in summer. Furthermore, among a suite of stressors applied within sites, only ambient leaf damage reduced productivity; grazer reduction and nutrient addition had no effect on eelgrass size or growth. Scale-dependence was evident in different allometric relationships within and across sites for productivity and for modules (leaf count) relative to size. Zostera marina provides a range of ecosystem functions related to both body size (habitat provision, water flow) and growth rates (food, carbon dynamics). Our observed decoupling of body size and maximum production suggests that geographic variation in these ecosystem functions may be independent, with a future need to resolve how local adaptation or plasticity of body size might actually enable more consistent peak productivity across disparate environmental conditions

Automatic Calibration of Artificial Neural Networks for Zebrafish Collective Behaviours using a Quality Diversity Algorithm

During the last two decades, various models have been proposed for fish collective motion. These models are mainly developed to decipher the biological mechanisms of social interaction between animals. They consider very simple homogeneous unbounded environments and it is not clear that they can simulate accurately the collective trajectories. Moreover when the models are more accurate, the question of their scalability to either larger groups or more elaborate environments remains open. This study deals with learning how to simulate realistic collective motion of collective of zebrafish, using real-world tracking data. The objective is to devise an agent-based model that can be implemented on an artificial robotic fish that can blend into a collective of real fish. We present a novel approach that uses Quality Diversity algorithms, a class of algorithms that emphasise exploration over pure optimisation. In particular, we use CVT-MAP-Elites, a variant of the state-of-the-art MAP-Elites algorithm for high dimensional search space. Results show that Quality Diversity algorithms not only outperform classic evolutionary reinforcement learning methods at the macroscopic level (i.e. group behaviour), but are also able to generate more realistic biomimetic behaviours at the microscopic level (i.e. individual behaviour).Comment: 8 pages, 4 figures, 1 tabl

Seasonal variation of nutrients in macaw palm (Acrocomia aculeata) leaves and sampling time definition

ABSTRACT Macaw palm (Acrocomia aculeata) is a widespread tree in Brazil, and the oil industry has been increasing interest in this tree due to its high oil concentrations, rusticity, and adaptability to different environments. Currently, macaw palms are being domesticated and are in an early rational cultivation process. Foliar diagnosis can contribute to managing fertilization, but there is no protocol for leaf sampling. This study aimed to evaluate the seasonal variation of leaf nutrient contents and indicate an adequate period for leaf sampling. Leaf contents of macro (N, P, K, Ca, Mg and S) and micronutrients (Cu, Mn, Fe and Zn) from composed samples of leaflets collected from the middle part of the tenth leaf were evaluated in 12 uninterrupted sampling times (January to December 2016). The data were submitted to analysis of variance. The distance from Mahalanobis and Tocher optimization methods was used to group sampling times of similar seasonal variations. Contents of N, P, K, Ca, S, Mn and Fe varied throughout the months. May and June are adequate to sample diagnostic leaves of macaw palm to analyze the nutritional status. Seasonal variation of N, S and Ca mostly contributed to the indication of leaf sampling time of macaw palm