Evolutionary Trajectories of Cognitive Abilities and of their Putative Neuroanatomical and Allometric Correlates: Testing Novel Hypotheses of Cognitive Evolution and Cognitive Integration with Phylogenetic Comparative Methods

The study of primate intelligence, and specifically of general intelligence, has progressed rapidly in the last two decades, however several issues remain unexplored. While neuroanatomical volume measures (NVMs) such as brain size, neocortex size, and absolute or relative size of other brain regions have been frequently framed as substrates for general intelligence, such claims are largely based on simple correlative analyses. Furthermore, while factor analytical techniques have identified a general factor among cognitive abilities when using datasets of species’ mean performances, there have been no examinations of whether the common factor is predictably more strongly present in some primate lineages than in others, and whether relations among brain regions are similarly stronger in some primate lineages than in others. Here, such issues in the comparative literature on primate intelligence are addressed in a new set of studies that present two main novel contributions to the scientific understanding of primate intelligence: First, the evolutionary patterns of the history of changes in general intelligence in primates is examined and compared to those behind the history of changes in brain size and the size of brain regions most commonly used in comparative cognition studies. Studying evolutionary patterns behind a trait permits examining how conserved it is across evolutionary time, how fast it has evolved, and the degree to which it has evolved in a particular direction (i.e., if natural selection regimes have been consistent). Phylogenetic comparative methods employed on datasets of primate species reveal that general intelligence has evolved at a faster pace than NVMs and it has evolved more consistently towards a selection optimum. In contrast to the overall emphasis given in the literature to brain size and neocortex ratio as substrates for intelligence, the NVM with results that most strongly approached the patterns identified for general intelligence is residual cerebellar size (relative to body size). Secondly, a hypothesis is advanced that species higher on general intelligence exhibit a stronger manifold (i.e., higher factor loadings) as general intelligence has previously been empirically associated with ecological generalism, rather than with specialism. As such, cognitive specialization and independence among abilities should be a hallmark of species that have not evolved strong general intelligence. The Continuous Parameter Estimation Model (CPEM) is used in a dataset of cognitive abilities in primate species, and largely confirms the hypothesis forwarded. However, when the same analytical approach is replicated using data on sizes of brain regions, it is found that brain size fails to predict or coevolve with factor loadings of brain regions. Similarly, telencephalon size (a brain structure that holds several of the regions theoretically proposed to serve as substrates for intelligence) fails to predict the strength of factor loadings of telencephalic regions. This set of studies supports the notion that the comparability between the evolution of general intelligence and the evolution of volumes of neuroanatomical structures is more limited than previously thought. Alternative substrates for general intelligence are discussed

Equation of state for hard square lattice gases

A simple equation of state for a lattice gas of hard squares of side length $\lambda$ is presented. Comparing to the Monte Carlo simulations, the new equation of state is found to be quite accurate for the disordered fluid phase

On the Modeling of Droplet Evaporation on Superhydrophobic Surfaces

When a drop of water is placed on a rough surface, there are two possible extreme regimes of wetting: the one called Cassie-Baxter (CB) with air pockets trapped underneath the droplet and the one characterized by the homogeneous wetting of the surface, called the Wenzel (W) state. A way to investigate the transition between these two states is by means of evaporation experiments, in which the droplet starts in a CB state and, as its volume decreases, penetrates the surface's grooves, reaching a W state. Here we present a theoretical model based on the global interfacial energies for CB and W states that allows us to predict the thermodynamic wetting state of the droplet for a given volume and surface texture. We first analyze the influence of the surface geometric parameters on the droplet's final wetting state with constant volume, and show that it depends strongly on the surface texture. We then vary the volume of the droplet keeping fixed the geometric surface parameters to mimic evaporation and show that the drop experiences a transition from the CB to the W state when its volume reduces, as observed in experiments. To investigate the dependency of the wetting state on the initial state of the droplet, we implement a cellular Potts model in three dimensions. Simulations show a very good agreement with theory when the initial state is W, but it disagrees when the droplet is initialized in a CB state, in accordance with previous observations which show that the CB state is metastable in many cases. Both simulations and theoretical model can be modified to study other types of surface.Comment: 23 pages, 7 figure

Phase transitions in hard-core lattice gases on the honeycomb lattice

We study lattice gas systems on the honeycomb lattice where particles exclude neighboring sites up to order k (k = 1,..., 5) from being occupied by another particle. Monte Carlo simulations were used to obtain phase diagrams and characterize phase transitions as the system orders at high packing fractions. For systems with first-neighbors exclusion (1NN), we confirm previous results suggesting a continuous transition in the two-dimensional Ising universality class. Exclusion up to second neighbors (2NN) lead the system to a two-step melting process where, first, a high-density columnar phase undergoes a first-order phase transition with nonstandard scaling to a solidlike phase with short-range ordered domains and, then, to fluidlike configurations with no sign of a second phase transition. 3NN exclusion, surprisingly, shows no phase transition to an ordered phase as density is increased, staying disordered even to packing fractions up to 0.98. The 4NN model undergoes a continuous phase transition with critical exponents close to the three-state Potts model. The 5NN system undergoes two first-order phase transitions, both with nonstandard scaling. We, also, propose a conjecture concerning the possibility of more than one phase transition for systems with exclusion regions further than 5NN based on geometrical aspects of symmetries

Reciclagem dos Resíduos Sólidos de Rochas Ornamentais

Dimension stone industry produces a great amount of effluents, about 200,000 ton/year per solid residue. Espírito Santo State has about 600 companies, and their average consume per industry is around are 10,000 l/ day of water. Those rejects are displaced in decant lagoons, and landfill. In this work was used material provided by marble & granite industry from Cachoeiro de Itapemirim, ES. Those residues were characterized by chemical and mineral composition, physical properties, sintering process, and point load test. The results provided from physical indices and sintering material were compared with the results of commercial granite named in Industry as “granito rosa bavena”. Analysis allowed us to get a conclusion about the reject. These analyses showed that reject could be used as a source for ceramic material, with the possibility of choosing for a greater or lower resistance

Uma visão nutricional : estudo de frutas do cerrado como fonte de vitamina C

Monografia (graduação)—Universidade de Brasília, Instituto de Química, 2013.O trabalho aqui presente visa analisar frutas do Cerrado no que diz respeito a presença ou não de Vitamina C, ácido ascórbico. Com o intuído de apresentá-las como possíveis alternativas para maior variedade alimentar, a obra traz uma experimentação de fácil preparo que quantifica, de maneira superficial, a quantidade dessa vitamina nas amostras em questão. A utilização dessas frutas do Cerrado na alimentação da população, principalmente das crianças, pode gerar um campo lucrativo e com toda certeza auxilia na melhor utilização dos recursos da região, os quais muitas vezes são vistos como recursos pobres e/ou inúteis. O experimento utiliza-se de um processo de titulação de solução com o indicador Iodo e o seu complexo com amido

Estudo teórico de interações em complexos moleculares de CH4, N2 e CO com interesse astroquímico

Dissertação (mestrado)—Universidade de Brasília, Instituto de Química, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Química, 2018.Dada a grande quantidade de moléculas de N2, CH4 e CO em gelos espaciais presentes no espaço interestelar, bem como a suposta estabilidade da diazirinona, um composto formado da interação entre N2 e CO, foram estudadas as diferentes possibilidades de interações entre essas moléculas, formando sistemas complexos, por meio de métodos teóricos, com o intuito de melhor entendimento das interações entre essas moléculas. Os complexos entre esses gases que foram estudados são: N2...CO, N2...CH4, CH4....CO. Realizou-se a análise da estabilidade desses complexos, buscando entender a influência desses dímeros, associados à química pré-biótica. Para realizar essa análise, foram avaliadas as energias de interação e de formação, frequência vibracional e também as constantes espectroscópicas desses dímeros. Os cálculos foram feitos utilizando-se os métodos CCSD(T), a teoria de perturbação de Moller-Plesset de segunda ordem e a teoria do funcional de densidade, DFT, essa última utilizando-se diferentes funcionais. Dois conjuntos de funções de base foram usadas: aug-cc-pVDZ e aug-cc-pVQZ. O primeiro conjunto de bases foi usado para cálculos CCSD(T), devido ao alto custo de cálculos de frequências, enquanto que o segundo foi usado para a otimização dos sistemas. Os resultados obtidos neste trabalho auxiliaram em uma melhor compreensão do comportamento das moléculas de N2, CO e CH4, nos complexos estudados, Foi possível perceber uma correlação entre os resultados obtidos nos cálculos com um dos funcionais do método DFT, HCTH, quando comparados aos resultados obtidos pelos métodos CCSD(T) e MP2.Given the great amount of N2, CH4 and CO molecules on ice surface of interstellar systems and the suggested stability of diazirinone, a compound formed by the interaction between the molecules of N2 and CO, the different possibilities of interactions including these molecules were studied. The complex systems obtained from the interaction of these molecules were studied by means of theoretical methods in order to contribute to a better understanding of these interactions. The complex systems that have been studied in this work are: N2...CO, N2...CH4, and CH4...CO. Analysis of the stability of these complex were carried out, which is important to contribute to the understanding the influence of these dimers in Earth’s Prebiotic Chemistry. These analysis take into consideration include the formation and interaction energies, the vibrational frequency and also the spectroscopic constants of these dimers. We have used the CCSD(T), MP2 and DFT levels of theory. In the DFT we also used a variety of different functionals. Two basis sets were used: aug-ccpVDZ and aug-cc-PVQZ. The first one was used only for the CCSD(T) method, due to the large cost of frequency calculations, while the second one was used for the optimization of all studied systems. With the results obtained in this work we are able to have a better comprehension of the interaction regarding these molecules of N2, CO and CH4. We were able to notice a correlation between the results obtained from one of the DFT functionals, HCTH, when compared to the CCSD(T) e MP2 methods

Tumores cutâneos em animais de companhia e a importância do diagnóstico definitivo

O estágio curricular foi realizado na Clínica Veterinária Poplar Vets em Londres, Reino Unido, no âmbito de animais de companhia. A aluna auxiliou em consultas e realizou monitorizações anestésicas, assistências ao MV em cirúrgia, análises laboratoriais e prestou consultas de enfermagem veterinária. Nos últimos anos, a área da oncologia cutânea é considerada de extrema importância na prática clínica de animais de companhia, devido ao aumento dos casos oncológicos em animais de companhia, juntamente com o aumento da mortalidade. Os tumores cutâneos são as patologias oncológicas mais observadas na rotina clínica no Reino Unido, tanto que os mais incidentes foram os lipomas/lipomas infiltrativos, mastocitomas e fibrossarcomas. Contudo, a evolução da medicina veterinária tem vindo a proporcionar uma maior qualidade de vida aos nossos animais oncológicos, dado ao progresso dos meios tecnológicos e técnicas laboratoriais. A citologia aspirativa por agulha fina (CAAF) foi o método de eleição para o diagnóstico de tumores cutâneos, e ainda, a técnica histopatológica revelou-se também fundamental para o alcance eficiente do diagnóstico definitivo, sendo este essencial para o tratamento correto a cada tipo de tumor.The curricular internship was held at the Poplar Vets Veterinary Clinic in London, United Kingdom, in the field of pets. The student attended consultations and performed anesthetic monitoring, assistance in surgery, laboratory tests and performed veterinary nursing consultations. In the past few years, the area of skin oncology is considered of extreme importance in the clinical practice of pets, due to the increase of oncologic cases in pets, along with increased mortality. Cutaneous tumours are the most observed oncological pathologies in the clinical routine in the United Kingdom, so much so that the most incidents were infiltrative lipomas/lipomas, mastocytomas and fibrosarcomas. However, the evolution of veterinary medicine has been providing a better quality of life to our oncological animals, given the progress in technological methods and laboratory techniques. Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNA) was the method of choice for the diagnosis of skin tumors, and also, the histopathological technique proved to be fundamental for the efficient reach of the definitive diagnosis, being this essential for the correct treatment of each type of tumor.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

A Pré-História Recente no Douro Sul (concelhos de S. João da Pesqueira e Tabuaço) : um ensaio de arqueologia espacial

Apresenta-se neste trabalho o resultado das investigações levadas a cabo nos concelhos de S. João da Pesqueira e Tabuaço sobre a Pré-História Recente, no âmbito da Arqueologia Espacial. Assim apresenta-se a análise do Pensamento do VIº do Iº Milénio a.C. Esta tem por base a análise dos territórios teóricos de expansão dos diversos povoados quanto à sua orientação económica e aos recursos desponíveis. De igual modo se analisaram os Monumentos Megalíticos, desta feita no que toca aos denominados territórios de visibilidade (territórios visibilizados e intervisibilidades)