The q-gradient method for global optimization

The q-gradient is an extension of the classical gradient vector based on the concept of Jackson's derivative. Here we introduce a preliminary version of the q-gradient method for unconstrained global optimization. The main idea behind our approach is the use of the negative of the q-gradient of the objective function as the search direction. In this sense, the method here proposed is a generalization of the well-known steepest descent method. The use of Jackson's derivative has shown to be an effective mechanism for escaping from local minima. The q-gradient method is complemented with strategies to generate the parameter q and to compute the step length in a way that the search process gradually shifts from global in the beginning to almost local search in the end. For testing this new approach, we considered six commonly used test functions and compared our results with three Genetic Algorithms (GAs) considered effective in optimizing multidimensional unimodal and multimodal functions. For the multimodal test functions, the q-gradient method outperformed the GAs, reaching the minimum with a better accuracy and with less function evaluations.Comment: 12 pages, 1 figur

Estudo de caso : análise de gastos do pós-entrega de um empreendimento imobiliário quanto a assistência técnica e proposta de melhorias

As obras de construção civil apresentam um ciclo de vida útil que está relacionado ao sucesso do projeto, à qualidade dos materiais e da mão de obra, ao ambiente em que estão inseridas e às manutenções realizadas. No entanto, além do ciclo de vida adequado, as edificações devem oferecer qualidade e segurança aos seus usuários. Mesmo com o avanço das tecnologias construtivas e dos sistemas de controle, obras relativamente novas frequentemente apresentam problemas, que além de comprometê-las, consomem recursos financeiros que poderiam ser evitados. Neste trabalho será apresentado o estudo de caso feito em uma obra residencial que passou a apresentar manifestações patológicas cerca de seis meses após a sua entrega. O estudo irá utilizar dados coletados do sistema interno da empresa para avaliar o impacto financeiro relacionado à manutenção das unidades afetadas, seguido de propostas de melhorias na estrutura interna da empresa, levantadas a partir da análise de cada processo. As melhorias visam evitar a ocorrência de problemas semelhantes em habitações futuras, atenuando as despesas e melhorando o prestígio da empresa frente aos seus consumidores.Construction works have a life cycle that is related to the success of the project, the quality of materials and labor, the environment in which they are inserted and the maintenance performed. However, beyond the proper life cycle, buildings must offer quality and safety to their users. Even with the advancement of construction technologies and control systems, relatively new works often present problems that, in addition to compromising them, consume avoidable financial resources. In this paper we will present the case study made in a residential work that started to present pathological manifestations about six months after its delivery. The study will use data collected from the internal system of the company to evaluate the financial impact related to the maintenance of the affected units, followed by proposals for improvements in the internal structure of the company, based on the analysis of each process. The improvements are intended to prevent similar problems occurring in future housing by mitigating expenses and improving the company's standing with its consumers

Rehabilitation for improving automobile driving after stroke (Protocol)

THIS IS NOT THE MOST RECENT VERSION OF THIS PROTOCOL please see: http://hdl.handle.net/2328/27805 Copyright © 2010 The Cochrane Collaboration. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. This review is made available in accordance with Cochrane Database of Systematic Review's repositories policyThis is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (Intervention). The objectives are as follows: This review aims to determine whether any intervention, with the specific aim of maximising driving skills or with an outcome of assessed driving skills, improves the driving performance for patients following stroke

Evaluating Medicinal Plants for Anticancer Activity

Plants have been used for medical purposes since the beginning of human history and are the basis of modern medicine. Most chemotherapeutic drugs for cancer treatment are molecules identified and isolated from plants or their synthetic derivatives. Our hypothesis was that whole plant extracts selected according to ethnobotanical sources of historical use might contain multiple molecules with antitumor activities that could be very effective in killing human cancer cells. This study examined the effects of three whole plant extracts (ethanol extraction) on human tumor cells. The extracts were from Urtica membranacea (Urticaceae), Artemesia monosperma (Asteraceae), and Origanum dayi post (Labiatae). All three plant extracts exhibited dose- and time-dependent killing capabilities in various human derived tumor cell lines and primary cultures established from patients’ biopsies. The killing activity was specific toward tumor cells, as the plant extracts had no effect on primary cultures of healthy human cells. Cell death caused by the whole plant extracts is via apoptosis. Plant extract 5 (Urtica membranacea) showed particularly strong anticancer capabilities since it inhibited actual tumor progression in a breast adenocarcinoma mouse model. Our results suggest that whole plant extracts are promising anticancer reagents

α-Synuclein Expression Selectively Affects Tumorigenesis in Mice Modeling Parkinson's Disease

Alpha Synuclein (α-Syn) is a protein implicated in mechanisms of neuronal degeneration in Parkinson's disease (PD). α-Syn is primarily a neuronal protein, however, its expression is found in various tumors including ovarian, colorectal and melanoma tumors. It has been hypothesized that neurodegeneration may share common mechanisms with oncogenesis. We tested whether α-Syn expression affects tumorigenesis of three types of tumors. Specifically, B16 melanoma, E0771 mammary gland adenocarcinoma and D122 Lewis lung carcinoma. For this aim, we utilized transgenic mice expression the human A53T α-Syn form. We found that the in vivo growth of B16 and E0771 but not D122 was enhanced in the A53T α-Syn mice. The effect on tumorigenesis was not detected in age-matched APP/PS1 mice, modeling Alzheimer's disease (AD), suggesting a specific effect for α-Syn- dependent neurodegeneration. Importantly, transgenic α-Syn expression was detected within the three tumor types. We further show uptake of exogenously added, purified α-Syn, by the cultured tumor cells. In accord, with the affected tumorigenesis in the young A53T α-Syn mice, over- expression of α-Syn in cultured B16 and E0771 cells enhanced proliferation, however, had no effect on the proliferation of D122 cells. Based on these results, we suggest that certain forms of α-Syn may selectively accelerate cellular mechanisms leading to cancer

Description and effectiveness of communication partner training in TBI: A systematic review

Objectives: Evaluate the current evidence on communication partner training and its effectiveness on outcomes for people with TBI and/or their communication partners. Methods: Information sources: Systematic searches of nine databases (AMED, CINAHL, EMBASE, Medline/EBSCOHOST, PsycINFO, PsycBITE, PsycARTICLES, PubMed, Scopus) from database inception to February 2019. Eligibility criteria: Empirical studies on interventions for adult communication partners where the primary focus of the program (>50%) was on improving communication skills of people with TBI and/or communication partners. Data: participants, characteristics of the training, outcome measures and findings. Risk of bias: standard checklists were used for methodological quality (PEDRO, ROBiN-T) and intervention description (TIDieR). Synthesis: narrative synthesis and effect sizes (Cohen’s d) for group-level studies. Outcomes: Ten articles (describing eight studies) met eligibility criteria: three randomized controlled trials, two non-randomised controlled trials and three single-case experimental designs. Studies included a total of 258 people with TBI and 328 communication partners, however all but one study had fewer than 65 participants. Methodological quality varied and intervention description poor. Three studies in the final synthesis (n=41 communication partners, n=36 people with TBI) reported positive intervention effects. Effect sizes in group studies were (d=0.80-1.13) for TBI and (d=1.16-2.09) for communication partners. Conclusions: The articles provided encouraging though limited evidence for training communication partners. Greater methodological rigour, more clearly described interventions, and consistent use of outcome measures and follow-up post-treatment are needed. Further research in this field is warranted

Effects of alirocumab on types of myocardial infarction: insights from the ODYSSEY OUTCOMES trial

Aims  The third Universal Definition of Myocardial Infarction (MI) Task Force classified MIs into five types: Type 1, spontaneous; Type 2, related to oxygen supply/demand imbalance; Type 3, fatal without ascertainment of cardiac biomarkers; Type 4, related to percutaneous coronary intervention; and Type 5, related to coronary artery bypass surgery. Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) reduction with statins and proprotein convertase subtilisin–kexin Type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitors reduces risk of MI, but less is known about effects on types of MI. ODYSSEY OUTCOMES compared the PCSK9 inhibitor alirocumab with placebo in 18 924 patients with recent acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and elevated LDL-C (≥1.8 mmol/L) despite intensive statin therapy. In a pre-specified analysis, we assessed the effects of alirocumab on types of MI. Methods and results  Median follow-up was 2.8 years. Myocardial infarction types were prospectively adjudicated and classified. Of 1860 total MIs, 1223 (65.8%) were adjudicated as Type 1, 386 (20.8%) as Type 2, and 244 (13.1%) as Type 4. Few events were Type 3 (n = 2) or Type 5 (n = 5). Alirocumab reduced first MIs [hazard ratio (HR) 0.85, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.77–0.95; P = 0.003], with reductions in both Type 1 (HR 0.87, 95% CI 0.77–0.99; P = 0.032) and Type 2 (0.77, 0.61–0.97; P = 0.025), but not Type 4 MI. Conclusion  After ACS, alirocumab added to intensive statin therapy favourably impacted on Type 1 and 2 MIs. The data indicate for the first time that a lipid-lowering therapy can attenuate the risk of Type 2 MI. Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol reduction below levels achievable with statins is an effective preventive strategy for both MI types.For complete list of authors see http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehz299</p

The effect of age on cognitive performance of frontal patients

Age is known to affect prefrontal brain structure and executive functioning in healthy older adults, patients with neurodegenerative conditions and TBI. Yet, no studies appear to have systematically investigated the effect of age on cognitive performance in patients with focal lesions. We investigated the effect of age on the cognitive performance of a large sample of tumour and stroke patients with focal unilateral, frontal (n=68), or non-frontal lesions (n=45) and healthy controls (n=52). We retrospectively reviewed their cross sectional cognitive and imaging data. In our frontal patients, age significantly predicted the magnitude of their impairment on two executive tests (Raven's Advanced Progressive Matrices, RAPM and the Stroop test) but not on nominal (Graded Naming Test, GNT) or perceptual (Incomplete Letters) task. In our non-frontal patients, age did not predict the magnitude of their impairment on the RAPM and GNT. Furthermore, the exacerbated executive impairment observed in our frontal patients manifested itself from middle age. We found that only age consistently predicted the exacerbated executive impairment. Lesions to specific frontal areas, or an increase in global brain atrophy or white matter abnormalities were not associated with this impairment. Our results are in line with the notion that the frontal cortex plays a critical role in aging to counteract cognitive and neuronal decline. We suggest that the combined effect of aging and frontal lesions impairs the frontal cortical systems by causing its computational power to fall below the threshold needed to complete executive tasks successfully