Machinery for artificial emotions

We present a preliminary definition and theory of artificial emotion viewed as a sequential process comprising the appraisal of the agent global state, the generation of an emotion-signal, and an emotion-response. This theory distinguishes cognitive from affective appraisal on an architecture-grounded basis. Affective appraisal is performed by the affective component of the architecture; cognitive appraisal is performed by its cognitive component. A scheme for emotion classification with seven dimensions is presented. Among them, we emphasize the roles played by emotions and the way these roles are fulfilled. It is shown how emotions are generated, represented, and used in the Salt & Pepper architecture for autonomous agents (Botelho, 1997). Salt & Pepper is a specific architecture comprising an affective engine, a cognitive and behavioral engine, and an interruption manager. Most properties of the cognitive and behavioral engine rely upon a hybrid associative, schema-based long-term memory. In Salt & Pepper, emotion-signals, represented by label, object of appraisal, urgency, and valence, are generated by the affective engine through the appraisal of the agent's global state. For each emotion-signal there are several nodes stored and interconnected in long-term memory. Each of these nodes contains an emotion response that may be executed when an emotion-signal is generated. Emotion intensity relates to the activation of the node. It is shown that the Salt & Pepper architecture for autonomous agents exhibits several properties usually related to emotion: state and mood congruence, compound emotions, autonomic emotion-responses, and different emotion-responses to the same stimulus including the generation of different motives. The implementation of a concrete example is described.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Elevated alpha-synuclein caused by SNCA gene triplication impairs neuronal differentiation and maturation in Parkinson's patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells

We have assessed the impact of α-synuclein overexpression on the differentiation potential and phenotypic signatures of two neural-committed induced pluripotent stem cell lines derived from a Parkinson´s disease patient with a triplication of the human SNCA genomic locus. In parallel, comparative studies were performed on two control lines derived from healthy individuals and lines generated from the patient iPS-derived neuroprogenitor lines infected with a lentivirus incorporating a small hairpin RNA to knock down the SNCA mRNA. The SNCA triplication lines exhibited a reduced capacity to differentiate into dopaminergic or GABAergic neurons and decreased neurite outgrowth and lower neuronal activity compared with control cultures. This delayed maturation phenotype was confirmed by gene expression profiling, which revealed a significant reduction in mRNA for genes implicated in neuronal differentiation such as delta-like homolog 1 (DLK1), gamma-aminobutyric acid type B receptor subunit 2 (GABABR2), nuclear receptor related 1 protein (NURR1), G-protein-regulated inward-rectifier potassium channel 2 (GIRK-2) and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH). The differentiated patient cells also demonstrated increased autophagic flux when stressed with chloroquine. We conclude that a two-fold overexpression of α-synuclein caused by a triplication of the SNCA gene is sufficient to impair the differentiation of neuronal progenitor cells, a finding with implications for adult neurogenesis and Parkinson´s disease progression, particularly in the context of bioenergetic dysfunction.Fil: Oliveira, L. M. A.. Max-Planck-Institut für biophysikalische Chemie; AlemaniaFil: Falomir Lockhart, Lisandro Jorge. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de La Plata "Prof. Dr. Rodolfo R. Brenner". Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de La Plata ; Argentina. Max-Planck-Institut für biophysikalische Chemie; AlemaniaFil: Botelho, M. G.. Max-Planck-Institut für biophysikalische Chemie; Alemania. Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro; BrasilFil: Lin, K. H.. Max-Planck-Institut für biophysikalische Chemie; AlemaniaFil: Wales, P.. Universität Göttingen; AlemaniaFil: Koch, J. C.. Universität Göttingen; AlemaniaFil: Gerhardt, Elizabeth. Universität Göttingen; AlemaniaFil: Taschenberger, H.. Max-Planck-Institut für biophysikalische Chemie; AlemaniaFil: Outeiro, T. F.. Universität Göttingen; AlemaniaFil: Lingor, P.. Universität Göttingen; AlemaniaFil: Schüele, B.. The Parkinson’s Institute; Estados UnidosFil: Arndt Jovin, D. J.. Max-Planck-Institut für biophysikalische Chemie; AlemaniaFil: Jovin, T. M.. Max-Planck-Institut für biophysikalische Chemie; Alemani

Modelagem matemática da contração volumétrica de grãos de sorgo.

PT-BR: Objetivou-se com o presente trabalho avaliar e modelar a contração volumétrica de grãos de sorgo durante o processo de secagem. Foram utilizados grãos de sorgo colhidos e debulhados manualmente das cultivares BRS 308 e Nidera A 9721. A secagem dos grãos de sorgo foi realizada em uma estufa com circulação forçada de ar nas temperaturas de 40, 50 e 60 °C, sendo o teor de água acompanhado por diferença de massa, conhecendo-se o teor de água inicial. O volume da massa de grãos de sorgo foi medido ao longo do processo de secagem utilizando-se uma proveta graduada com volume de 1000 ± 5 mL. A avaliação dos modelos de contração volumétrica utilizados foi realizada mediante a determinação e análise do erro cometido na estimação dos dados observados (erro médio relativo e desvio padrão da estimativa), na magnitude do coeficiente de determinação e na significância dos parâmetros pelo teste ?t?. Baseando-se nos índices estatísticos utilizados o modelo linear foi o que melhor descreveu a contração volumétrica da massa de grãos de sorgo ao longo do processo de secagem para as duas variedades e condições de secagem analisadas. | EN: The objective of this work was to evaluate and model the shrinkage of sorghum grains during drying process. Grains of sorghum manually was harvested and threshed of BRS 308 and Nidera A 9721 cultivars. The drying of sorghum grains was conducted in an oven with forced air, at temperatures of 40, 50 and 60 ºC, and the moisture content was accompanied by mass difference, knowing the initial moisture content. The mass volume of the sorghum grains was measured during the drying process by a volumetric flask with a volume of 1000 ± 5 mL. The evaluation of shrinkage models used was performed by determination and statistical analysis of the error in estimation of the observed data, the magnitude of the coefficient of determination and in the significance of the parameters for the test ?t?. Based on the statistical index used the linear model was the best in describing the shrinkage of bulk grain sorghum during the drying process for the two varieties and drying conditions analyzed

Massive Schwinger model and its confining aspects on curved space-time

Using a covariant method to regularize the composite operators, we obtain the bosonized action of the massive Schwinger model on a classical curved background. Using the solution of the bosonic effective action, the energy of two static external charges with finite and large distance separation on a static curved space-time is obtained. The confining behavior of this model is also explicitly discussed.Comment: A disscussion about the infrared regularization and also two references are added. Accepted for publication in Phys. Rev. D (2001

Well-Being at Work: A Cross-Sectional Study on the Portuguese Nutritionists

This exploratory, nationwide cross-sectional study was performed to investigate the well-being of Portuguese nutritionists, in addition to outlining their professional and demographic profile. Descriptive analyses were carried out to determine the measures relating to centralising tendency and dispersion of the sample. We compared means and proportions through t-tests and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). The sample size was 206 individuals, respecting a minimum of eight respondents per item to validate the instrument. We recruited Nutritionists from Portugal nationwide using the list of electronic mail provided by the Order of Nutritionists. We sent an electronic mail to all the Nutritionists registered in this Order. We also used messaging applications and social networks (Instagram, Facebook) to reach Nutritionists who were not accessing electronic mail. Most respondents are women (92.5%), young (mean age = 31.4 ± 8.07 years; 54.2% of participants aging under 30 years), single, and with no children. More than half are Catholic (73.8%) and have less than ten years of nutritionist undergraduate completion (55.4%). The only variable that influences well-being at work is the economic variable Household Monthly Income. Those who earn less than €500.00 per month perceive themselves at a lesser state of work well-being than those who earn from €2501.00 to €5000.00 per month.</jats:p

Seleção para resistência de linhagens de arroz de terras altas aos nematóides-das-galhas (Meloidogyne incognita).

A avaliação da resistência de linhagens aos nematóides formadores de galhas radiculares é onerosa e demanda muito trabalho. Como os programas de melhoramento trabalham com a avaliação de um grande número de linhagens, a avaliação da resistência pode se tornar mais prática utilizando-se como parâmetro a massa de ovos. Dessa forma, o presente trabalho teve como objetivo verificar se o índice massa de ovos pode ser utilizado como parâmetro de avaliação de resistência ao nematóide de galhas (Meloidogyne incognita) em linhagens de arroz de terras altas