AutoOC: Automated multi-objective design of deep autoencoders and one-class classifiers using grammatical evolution

One-Class Classification (OCC) corresponds to a subclass of unsupervised Machine Learning (ML) that is valuable when labeled data is non-existent. In this paper, we present AutoOC, a computationally efficient Grammatical Evolution (GE) approach that automatically searches for OCC models. AutoOC assumes a multi-objective optimization, aiming to increase the OCC predictive performance while reducing the ML training time. AutoOC also includes two execution speedup mechanisms, a periodic training sampling, and a multi-core fitness evaluation. In particular, we study two AutoOC variants: a pure Neuroevolution (NE) setup that optimizes two types of deep learning models, namely dense Autoencoder (AE) and Variational Autoencoder (VAE); and a general Automated Machine Learning (AutoML) ALL setup that considers five distinct OCC base learners, specifically Isolation Forest (IF), Local Outlier Factor (LOF), One-Class SVM (OC-SVM), AE and VAE. Several experiments were conducted, using eight public OpenML datasets and two validation scenarios (unsupervised and supervised). The results show that AutoOC requires a reasonable amount of execution time and tends to obtain lightweight OCC models. Moreover, AutoOC provides quality predictive results, outperforming a baseline IF for all analyzed datasets and surpassing the best supervised OpenML human modeling for two datasets.- (undefined

Strategic quadrant for companies implementing open source ERP systems - Cases of Odoo ERP implementers in Portugal

The increasing adoption of ERP systems, in particular, open source systems implemented in SMEs continues to merit research because of their relevance. Although the use of ERP systems in SMEs is in percentage terms smaller than in large enterprises, the adoption of such open source systems represents a great opportunity for SMEs. This article presents an investigation that sought to clarify the rationale underlying the adoption of open source ERP solutions through the case study of three Odoo ERP implementers in Portugal. It was clarified that, although acting in the same market, one of these companies tended to adopt a value-driven business model and the others a cost-driven model. Finally, a methodological proposal is made for the positioning of implementing companies in a strategic quadrant, exemplified by the three cases studied. Future virtues and opportunities of the proposed strategic framework are discussed at the end

REEDCOB – Recover and innovation. Strategy of earth walls with reed and lime

Poster apresentado no XII World Congress on Earthen Architecture, 11-14 juliet, Centre de Congrès, Lyon, FranceFradical Ld

Técnica para diagnosticar o ceratocone

PURPOSE: To test whether corneal hysteresis (CH) and corneal resistance factor (CRF) can discriminate between keratoconus and normal eyes and to evaluate whether the averages of two consecutive measurements perform differently from the one with the best waveform score (WS) for diagnosing keratoconus. METHODS: ORA measurements for one eye per individual were selected randomly from 53 normal patients and from 27 patients with keratoconus. Two groups were considered the average (CH-Avg, CRF-Avg) and best waveform score (CH-WS, CRF-WS) groups. The Mann-Whitney U-test was used to evaluate whether the variables had similar distributions in the Normal and Keratoconus groups. Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curves were calculated for each parameter to assess the efficacy for diagnosing keratoconus and the same obtained for each variable were compared pairwise using the Hanley-McNeil test. RESULTS: The CH-Avg, CRF-Avg, CH-WS and CRF-WS differed significantly between the normal and keratoconus groups (p<0.001). The areas under the ROC curve (AUROC) for CH-Avg, CRF-Avg, CH-WS, and CRF-WS were 0.824, 0.873, 0.891, and 0.931, respectively. CH-WS and CRF-WS had significantly better AUROCs than CH-Avg and CRF-Avg, respectively (p=0.001 and 0.002). CONCLUSION: The analysis of the biomechanical properties of the cornea through the ORA method has proved to be an important aid in the diagnosis of keratoconus, regardless of the method used. The best waveform score (WS) measurements were superior to the average of consecutive ORA measurements for diagnosing keratoconus.OBJETIVO: Testar se a histerese corneana (CH) e o fator de resistência corneano (CRF) podem discriminar olhos com ceratocone e avaliar se a média de duas medidas consecutivas apresenta desempenho diferente da medida única com a melhor waveform score para diagnósticar o ceratocone. MÉTODOS: Foram realizadas medidas do ORA de um olho por indivíduo, selecionados aleatoriamente a partir de 53 pacientes normais e de 27 pacientes com ceratocone. Dois grupos foram considerados: a média (CH-médio, o CRF-médio) e melhor waveform score (CH-WS, CRF-WS). O teste de Mann-Whitney U-teste foi utilizado para avaliar se as variáveis apresentaram distribuições semelhantes entre os grupos. As curvas (ROC) foram calculadas para cada parâmetro para avaliar eficácia no diagnóstico e as obtidas para cada variável foram comparadas usando o teste de Hanley-McNeil. RESULTADOS: CH-médio, CRF-médio, CH-WS e CRF-WS diferiram significativamente entre os grupos (p<0,001). Já as áreas sob a curva ROC para CH-médio, CRF-médio, CH-WS, e CRF-WS foram 0,824, 0,873, 0,891, 0,931, respectivamente. CH-WS e CRF-WS obtiveram AUROCs significativamente melhores do que CH-médio e CRF-médio (p=0,001 e 0,002). CONCLUSÃO: A análise das propriedades biomecânicas da córnea através do ORA demonstrou ser um método auxiliar importante no diagnóstico de ceratocone, independente do método utilizado. As melhores medidas waveform score foram superiores à média das medições consecutivas para o diagnóstico de ceratocone.Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) Department for ophthalmologyHospital de Olhos de SergipeRio de Janeiro Corneal Tomography and Biomechanics Study GroupInstituto de Olhos Renato AmbrósioUNIFESP, Department for ophthalmologySciEL

SEASONAL VARIATIONS, METAL DISTRIBUTION AND WATER QUALITY IN THE TODOS OS SANTOS RIVER, SOUTHEASTERN BRAZIL: A MULTIVARIATE ANALYSIS

In aquatic habitats, metal contamination from natural and anthropogenic sources continues to pose a concern for human and environmental health. Thus, it is important to complete monitoring studies to assess patterns and the extent of metal contamination in these ecosystems. The objective of this study was to determine the concentrations of 31 chemical elements and water quality parameters of the Todos os Santos River located in the Mucuri Valley, Minas Gerais, Brazil and use multivariate statistical analyses to determine any seasonal and spatial patterns in the data. Results demonstrated that metals including Al, Fe, and Ni exceeded Brazilian and international guidelines for these elements with nutrients such as P also exceeding water quality standards. Principal components analysis indicated distinct geographical and seasonal patterns for multiple elements with hierarchical cluster analysis confirming the observed spatial patterns of contamination in the Todos os Santos River

Simple bone cyst : description of 60 cases seen at a Brazilian School of Dentistry and review of international literature

The aim of this study was to describe the relative frequency and the main demographic and clinic-radiographic features related to patients diagnosed with Simple bone cyst (SBC) in an Oral Diagnosis Service in Southeast Brazil and present a review and discussion of international literature on this topic. SBC cases from our service encompassing the period between 1978 and 2017 were selected. In addition, a literature search was performed in the Pubmed/MEDLINE online electronic database published between 1951 and 2019. A total of 2,459 cystic lesions were documented in our service, thus 60 patients were diagnosed with the SBC representing 2.4% of all jaw cystic. Most of cases were asymptomatic. Multiple SBC lesions were seen in two patients (3.4%) and association with cemento-osseous dysplasia was seen in one female patient (1.7%). A total of 793 cases were enrolled in this literature review. The SBC is an asymptomatic lesion often discovered in routine image exams in young patients. The unilocular, well defined margin with scalloped appearance is characteristic and helps the definition of diagnosis. This review suggests a different epidemiologic trend concerning to the sex and it confirms the posterior region of mandible as the more frequent location. The conservative treatment with limited exploration and curettage remains as the gold-standard treatment

International revenue share fraud prediction on the 5G edge using federated learning

Edge computing and multi-access edge computing (MEC) are two recent paradigms of distributed computing that are growing due to the rise of the fifth-generation (5G) of broadband cellular networks. The development of edge computing and MEC architectures involves the hosting of applications close to the end-users, allowing: an improved privacy, given that critical data is not shared with other systems; a reduced communication latency; an improved application speed; and a more efficient energy use. However, many applications are challenged by edge computing and MEC. In the case of machine learning (ML) applications, there can be privacy rules that do not allow data to be shared among distinct edges. Additionally, the devices used to train ML models might present lower computational capabilities than traditional computers. In this work, we present a Federated ML architecture that uses decentralized data and light ML training techniques to fit ML models on the 5G Edge. Our system consists of edge nodes that train models using local data and a centralized node that aggregates the results. As a case study, an international revenue share fraud task is addressed by considering two real-world datasets obtained from a commercial provider of Telecom analytics solutions. We test our architecture using two iterations of a Federated ML method, then compare it with a centralized ML model that is currently adopted by the provider. The results show that the Federated Learning decentralized approach produces an excellent level of class discrimination and that the main models maintain the performance across two rounds of decentralized training and even surpass the existing centralized model. After validating the results with the Telecom provider, we have built a prototype technological architecture that can be deployed in a real-world MEC scenario.This work was executed under the project Opti-Edge: 5G Digital Services Optimization at the Edge, Individual Project, NUP: POCI-01-0247-FEDER-045220, co-funded by the Incentive System for Research and Technological Development, from the Thematic Operational Program Competitiveness of the national framework program - Portugal2020. We wish to thank the anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments

What can the Macaronesian islands teach us about speciation? A case study of Tarphius beetles and Hipparchia butterflies: Final Report

Relatório Final do Projecto de I&D financiado pela FCT.Instituição Proponente: Fundação Gaspar Frutuoso (FGF); Instituições Participantes: Universidade dos Açores (UAçores) e University of East Anglia (UEA); Unidade de Investigação Principal: Centro de Investigação e Tecnologia Agrária dos Açores (CITAa/UAçores).As ilhas da Macaronésia, devido à sua localização geográfica, intervalo de idades geológicas e elevados níveis de endemismo, constituem um sistema ideal para a realização de estudos evolutivos. Neste projeto foram investigados padrões de diversificação em taxa que diversificaram em vários arquipélagos da Macaronésia, com especial ênfase nos Açores, o arquipélago mais recente e mais remoto. Os insetos estão entre os organismos que mais diversificaram nas ilhas da Macaronésia e os escaravelhos do género Tarphius e Laparocerus e as borboletas do género Hipparchia são insetos com distintas capacidades de dispersão que colonizaram estas ilhas e que posteriormente sofreram extensa especiação. Estes insetos foram assim utilizados para estudar padrões e processos de diversificação em ilhas, e para investigar a dinâmica a longo termo da diversificação e o seu impacto na riqueza específica. Neste projeto utilizaram-se técnicas moleculares e abordagens filogenéticas e de genética de populações para estudar colonização e diversificação em ilhas oceânicas. Caracterizou-se a diversidade molecular para vários genes mitocondriais e nucleares em Tarphius e Hipparchia dos Açores, Madeira, Canárias e das áreas continentais vizinhas (Norte de África e Península Ibérica), e Laparocerus das Canárias. Os dados gerados permitiram: i) estimar relações filogenéticas e filogeográficas, e assim investigar hipóteses sobre a origem dos colonizadores; ii) investigar os papeis desempenhados pela capacidade de dispersão e fluxo genético, idade geológica, geografia e distância a fontes de colonizadores nos níveis de diferenciação; iii) investigar a importância relativa de vários processos (e.g., hibridação, separação incompleta de linhagens, especiação in situ, especiação pós-colonização) na evolução dos géneros em estudo; iv) definir unidades evolutivas significativas para conservação; e v) clarificar a taxonomia dos grupos em estudo, conjuntamente com dados morfológicos. Uma vez que Tarphius e Hipparchia ocorrem em múltiplos arquipélagos, este estudo representa o primeiro esforço para inferir padrões de colonização e diversificação em animais a uma escala englobando vários arquipélagos da Macaronésia. O trabalho de campo realizado possibilitou ainda a atualização da distribuição dos taxa em estudo, tendo sido descobertas novas espécies de Tarphius em Marrocos e nos Açores. De modo a colmatar a recorrente falta de partilha de conhecimento científicos com o público em geral, este projeto possui uma componente educacional que visa dar a conhecer espécies insulares endémicas, em particular insetos, e promover a sua conservação. A apresentação de informação sobre esta temática num formato apelativo e compreensível pela população em geral foi uma prioridade cujo objectivo final é influenciar a tomada de medidas políticas que conduzam a um modelo de desenvolvimento mais sustentável em que a biodiversidade não seja entendida como um impedimento ao progresso económico. Neste sentido foram desenvolvidas várias iniciativas junto das populações locais no arquipélago dos Açores, nomeadamente estudantes do 7 ao 12º ano, Câmara do Comércio de Angra do Heroísmo e o público em geral. Os inquéritos realizados a estudantes sobre o património natural dos Açores está a ser utilizado para a criação de dispositivos de aprendizagem sobre a temática da especiação em ilhas e espécies endémicas usando exemplos da Macaronésia. Foi criado uma página na rede social Facebook (www.facebook.com/Chama.lhe.Nomes) que, de um modo interactivo, dá a conhecer espécies de insetos que só existem nos Açores. Também para o público em geral foram produzidas exposições itinerantes sobre insetos dos Açores, uma para ser exposta em espaços interiores e outra composta por telas de grande formato para afixação em fachadas de edifícios. Foram ainda iniciados contactos com a Câmara do Comércio de Angra do Heroísmo, uma associação para a promoção do tecido empresarial regional e que de momento está envolvida no programa PRIMEA (Programa de Requalificação da Imagem das Empresas Açorianas). O objectivo é estabelecer uma parceria activa em que a biodiversidade regional passe a ser aceite como uma mais valia para a economia local e na definição da “Marca Açores”. Os resultados deste projeto estão disponíveis para o público em geral no Portal da Biodiversidade dos Açores - www.azoresbioportal.angra.uac.pt (dados de distribuição de espécies), no Genbank - www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/genbank/ (sequências de ADN) e no site oficial do projeto - www.gba.uac.pt/projetos/ver.php?id=4.ABSTRACT: The Macaronesian islands, due to their geographical location, range of geological ages and high levels of endemism, are an excellent system to study a myriad of evolutionary questions. In this Project we investigated diversification patterns in taxa that diverged in several Macaronesian archipelagos, focusing in the youngest and most remote group of islands, the Azores Insects are among the organisms that have diversified most in the Macaronesian islands. Beetles of the genus Tarphius, weevils of the genus Laparocerus and butterflies of the genus Hipparchia are examples of insects with distinct dispersal abilities that colonized those islands and subsequently underwent extensive speciation. Therefore, they provide an excellent opportunity to study patterns and processes of diversification on islands, and to investigate long-term dynamics of diversification and its impact on species richness. We use molecular techniques and phylogenetic and population genetic approaches to study colonization and diversification on oceanic islands. We characterized molecular diversity at multiple mitochondrial and nuclear genes of Tarphius beetles and Hipparchia butterflies populations from the Azores, Madeira and Canary Islands, and from putative continental sources of colonists (North Africa and Iberia) and of Laparocerus weevils from the Canary Islands. The data generated allowed to: i) estimate phylogenetic and phylogeographic relationships, and thus to investigate hypotheses on the origin of colonizers; ii) investigate the roles of dispersal ability and gene flow, geological age, geography and distance to source of colonists on levels of differentiation; iii) investigate the relative roles of several processes (e.g., hybridization, incomplete lineage sorting, in situ speciation, post-colonization speciation) in the evolution of the study groups; iv) identify evolutionary significant units for conservation, i.e., unique populations that should be given protection priority to prevent further biodiversity loss; and v) clarify the taxonomy of the study groups, combined with morphological data. The fieldwork performed resulted in Tarphius species new to science from Morocco and the Azores, and allowed updating the distribution of the study taxa. To accomplish the often-neglected responsibility of sharing the outcome of scientific endeavours with the general public, we developed several educational activities that focus on the conservation of biodiversity on oceanic islands and, in particular, of island endemic insects. Information on biodiversity was prepared in an appealing and understandable format for the general population. The ultimate goal is to raise awareness on the issue and eventually influence political decisions towards a more sustainable governance model where biodiversity is not perceived as an impediment to economical growth. We developed several initiatives in the Azores, namely with 7-12th grade students, Chamber of Commerce (Câmara do Comércio de Angra do Heroísmo - Terceira) and the general public. The survey to students about the natural heritage of the Azores is being used to create learning devices about island speciation using Macaronesian examples. The page "Chama-lhe Nomes! was created on the social network Facebook (www.facebook.com/Chama.lhe.Nomes) to introduce, in an interactive manner, insects that only exist in the Azores and raise awareness about unknown biodiversity. We also produced two itinerants exhibit on Azorean insets for the general public, one indoor and one large format outdoor. Additionally we started dialogue with the Angra do Heroísmo Chamber of Commerce, an association that promotes regional business and is currently working on the image requalification of Azorean businesses (PRIMEA program). The goal is to establish an active partnership so that biodiversity is perceived as an asset for the local economy an for the creation of the Azores Brand (Marca Açores). Project outcomes were presented in meetings, published in scientific journals and are available to the general public at the Azorean Biodiversity Portal - www.azoresbioportal.angra.uac.pt (species distribution data), at Genbank - www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/genbank/ (DNA sequences) and at the Project website - www.gba.uac.pt/projetos/ver.php?id=4.Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia

Correlação entre Produções Parciais e Totais de Leite em um Rebanho Bubalino

Analisaram-se 404 lactações de 188 búfalas pertencentes a dois rebanhos diferentes, no estado de Goiás. Foram calculadas a produção diária media, a produção mensal (1 a 10), a produção total, a produção total ajustada para 270 dias e, a partir desses valores se calculou a correlação entre as produções totais e parciais. As médias (à± desvios padrão) da produção diária de leite, da produção total e da produção ajustada para 270 dias foram iguais a 3,53 à± 0,89, 573,74à±252,66 kg e 971,52 à± 254,74 kg de leite, respectivamente. As correlações encontradas entre as produções parcial e total foram de aproximadamente 60% sendo todas significativas (P < 0,01). Estes valores indicam ser possível a predição da produção total a partir das produções parciais. Houve diferença significativa entre as produções mensais de leite mas não foi possível estabelecer um padrão na variação desta produção ao longo dos meses de lactação. Para uma definição deste padrão e a estimação de parâmetros da curva de lactação nesta espécie, outros estudos deverão ser conduzidos, envolvendo um maior número de dados