A Fully Attention-Based Information Retriever

Recurrent neural networks are now the state-of-the-art in natural language processing because they can build rich contextual representations and process texts of arbitrary length. However, recent developments on attention mechanisms have equipped feedforward networks with similar capabilities, hence enabling faster computations due to the increase in the number of operations that can be parallelized. We explore this new type of architecture in the domain of question-answering and propose a novel approach that we call Fully Attention Based Information Retriever (FABIR). We show that FABIR achieves competitive results in the Stanford Question Answering Dataset (SQuAD) while having fewer parameters and being faster at both learning and inference than rival methods.Comment: Accepted for presentation at the International Joint Conference on Neural Networks (IJCNN) 201

Crop response to gypsum application to subtropical soils under no-till in Brazil : a systematic review

The use of gypsum to improve the root environment in tropical soils in the southeastern and central-western regions of Brazil is a widespread practice with well-established recommendation criteria. However, only recently gypsum began to be used on subtropical soils in South of Brazil, so available knowledge of its effect on crop yield is incipient and mainly for soils under no-till (NT) systems. Avaiable studies span a wide range of responses, from a substantial increase to a slight reduction in crop yield. Also, the specific conditions leading to a favorable effect of gypsum application on crop yield are yet to be accurately identified. The primary objectives of this study were to examine previously reported results to assess the likelihood of a crop response to gypsum and to develop useful recommendation criteria for gypsum application to subtropical soils under NT in Brazil. For this purpose, we examined the results of a total of 73 growing seasons, reported in 20 different scientific publications that assessed grain yield as a function of gypsum rates. Four different scenarios were examined, by the occurrence or not of high subsurface acidity (viz., Al saturation >20 % and/or exchangeable Ca 3 cmolc dm-3) failed to increase crop yield, irrespective of the soil water status. Under these conditions, high gypsum rates (6-15 Mg ha-1) may even reduce grain yield, possibly by inducing K and Mg deficiency. On the other hand, applying gypsum to soils with high subsurface acidity increased yield by 16 % in corn (87 % of cases) and by 19 % in winter cereals (83 % of cases), whether or not the soil was water-deficient. By contrast, soybean yield was only increased by gypsum applied in the simultaneous presence of high soil subsurface acidity and water deficiency (average increase 27 %, 100 % of cases)

Anestesia peridural contínua para cesariana em paciente com arterite de Takayasu. Relato de caso

-JUSTIFICATIVA E OBJETIVOS: Anestesia peridural contínua com titulação das doses de anestésico local proporciona eficácia e segurança em pacientes que não toleram flutuações da pressão arterial. O objetivo deste relato é apresentar um caso em que foi utilizada com sucesso anestesia peridural contínua para cesariana em paciente com arterite de Takayasu. RELATO DO CASO: Paciente primigesta, 25 anos, 63 kg, portadora de arterite de Takayasu, com 34-35 semanas de gestação, apresentando sofrimento fetal agudo, PA de 155/85 mmHg, FC de 92 bpm, com ausência de pulsos carotídeos, assim como nos membros superiores e do membro inferior direito. Apresentava apenas pulso poplíteo esquerdo palpável. Foi realizado bloqueio peridural contínuo com doses fracionadas de 25 mg de bupivacaína a 0,5% com epinefrina (1:200.000), a intervalos de 5 em 5 minutos até um total de 100 mg, associando-se 2 mg de morfina e 100 µg de fentanil. CONCLUSÕES: A anestesia peridural contínua com doses tituladas de bupivacaína a 0,5% com epinefrina pode ser utilizada em pacientes com Arterite de Takayasu, tomando-se as medidas de precaução com portadoras dessa doença

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and brain metabolites from proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy : a systematic review and meta-analysis protocol

Despite major advances in the study of the brain, investigations on neurochemistry in vivo still lack the solid ground of more established methods, such as structural and functional magnetic resonance imaging. Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) is a technique that might potentially fill in this gap. Nevertheless, studies using this approach feature great methodological heterogeneity, such as varying voxel of choice, differences on emphasized metabolites, and absence of a standardized unit. In this study, we present a methodology for creating a systematic review and meta-analysis for this kind of scientific evidence using the prototypical case of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

Motivos que levam praticantes e não praticantes de exercício físico do Distrito Federal a não se exercitarem em academias

Objetivo: Identificar os motivos que levam praticantes e não praticantes de exercícios físicos do Distrito Federal (DF) a não procurarem uma academia para se exercitarem. Metodologia: Participaram 223 moradores do DF, de ambos os sexos, com idades entre 18 e 66 anos, que não frequentam academias. Os voluntários foram divididos em quatro grupos de acordo com o sexo e prática de atividades físicas. Foi utilizado um questionário estruturado, elaborado pelos próprios pesquisadores, que contém 16 perguntas. Resultados e discussão: De forma geral, os homens que não praticam exercícios físicos em academias não o fazem por falta de tempo (40,7%) e por indisposição (36,4%), seguido por questões financeiras, não gostar do ambiente de academia e outros motivos. Já as mulheres, os principais motivos foram não gostarem do ambiente da academia (45,7%) e indisposição (41,9%), seguido por falta de tempo, questões financeiras e outros motivos. Conclusão: Conclui-se que, para homens praticantes de exercício, os principais motivos para não procurarem uma academia para se exercitar são as questões financeiras e a falta de tempo. Já para as mulheres praticantes de exercício, os principais motivos são não gostar do ambiente de academia e a indisposição

Schistosomus reflexus in a Dog and a Cat

Background: Schistosomus reflexus (SR) is a congenital anomaly, that the animal presents exposed abdominal and thoracic organs. The alterations includes limbs malformation, abnormal spinal column, liver and diaphragm hypoplasia, genitourinary and gastrointestinal changes, on this way, the fetus can not survive. The aim of this study was to report the first SR case in dog and cat in Brazil, and describe anatomical, pathological and radiographic changes.Case: The puppy had ventral midline defect in the abdominal and thoracic wall extending from the sternum to the pubis with viscera exposition, including the heart, lung, liver, stomach, intestine, spleen, kidneys, moreover right army was abnormal, however no spinal column was present. It was performed radiography to evaluate bone abnormalities, and was diagnosed agenesis of carpal, metacarpal and phalange bones. The kitten had ventral midline defect measuring 4 x 2 cm, in the abdominal wall and exposition of liver, stomach, intestine and spleen, as well as tibiotarsal joint arthrogryposis on both lags. It was performed fetus radiography and no spinal column change was diagnosed.Discussion: Schistosomus reflexus is a congenital abnormality common in ruminants. Although it was few reported in dogs and cats. The two cases in this study are the firsts reposts in Brazil in these especies. In our case, the dog had exposition of abdominal and thoracic organs and died one hour after born, similar to this, another author reported a case where the thoracic and abdominal evisceration and the puppy died ten minutes after born. However, in another case with abdominal evisceration only, the puppy survived for eight days. Probably it happened because respiratore function was not compromised. The kitten had abdominal opening only, in turn, other authors reported a case whose abdominal viscera exposition was by pelvic fissure, and another case, what presented thoracic and abdominal evisceration, like our dog case. Some authors affirm that this defect causes fetal dystocia on ruminants, because of the vertebral column abnormality, what promote passage difficult at born moment. On the other hand, dogs did not present these kind of changes and dystocia was not related to this pathology on cases in dogs and cats, however most of these authors performed cesarean because the female did not get normal born. As well as, on two cases in kitten were reported vertebral column abnormalities, what can be related to dystocia. Even no animal of our study present any vertebral column abnormality, other bone changes were found, like carpal, metacarpal and phalange agenesis on army of the dog and tibiotarsal joint arthrogryposis on both lags of the cat fetus. The others report in dogs did not found vertebral column or bone changes, but in cats it was observed vertebral column abnormalities and other changes, like arthrogryposis on four limbs, skull flattening, mandibular brachignathism, reduced ossification of the cranial vault bones, palatoschisis and unfused eyelids. SR etiology is not clearly known, it may be related with genetic, mechanic, endocrine, metabolic, nutrition and infectious factors. The moment of embryonic development, where these factors influence the changes is related with abnormality grade. Although, Chromosomic abnormalities, like chromatid and chromosome breaks, non-homologous pairing of chromosomes was shown. In this study the bitch did not present any metabolic, endocrine or nutritional change, on other hand the queen was submitted to exogenous hormonal treatment to avoid pregnancy, what may be related to SR development. SR is a rare abnormality in dog and cat, fetus radiographic, anatomical and pathological findings confirmed to being this congenital defect, and this are the first reports in Brazil in these species

Panoramic snapshot of serum soluble mediator interplay in pregnant women with convalescent COVID-19: an exploratory study

IntroductionSARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy can induce changes in the maternal immune response, with effects on pregnancy outcome and offspring. This is a cross-sectional observational study designed to characterize the immunological status of pregnant women with convalescent COVID-19 at distinct pregnancy trimesters. The study focused on providing a clear snapshot of the interplay among serum soluble mediators.MethodsA sample of 141 pregnant women from all prenatal periods (1st, 2nd and 3rd trimesters) comprised patients with convalescent SARS-CoV-2 infection at 3-20 weeks after symptoms onset (COVID, n=89) and a control group of pre-pandemic non-infected pregnant women (HC, n=52). Chemokine, pro-inflammatory/regulatory cytokine and growth factor levels were quantified by a high-throughput microbeads array.ResultsIn the HC group, most serum soluble mediators progressively decreased towards the 2nd and 3rd trimesters of pregnancy, while higher chemokine, cytokine and growth factor levels were observed in the COVID patient group. Serum soluble mediator signatures and heatmap analysis pointed out that the major increase observed in the COVID group related to pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, TNF-α, IL-12, IFN-γ and IL-17). A larger set of biomarkers displayed an increased COVID/HC ratio towards the 2nd (3x increase) and the 3rd (3x to 15x increase) trimesters. Integrative network analysis demonstrated that HC pregnancy evolves with decreasing connectivity between pairs of serum soluble mediators towards the 3rd trimester. Although the COVID group exhibited a similar profile, the number of connections was remarkably lower throughout the pregnancy. Meanwhile, IL-1Ra, IL-10 and GM-CSF presented a preserved number of correlations (≥5 strong correlations in HC and COVID), IL-17, FGF-basic and VEGF lost connectivity throughout the pregnancy. IL-6 and CXCL8 were included in a set of acquired attributes, named COVID-selective (≥5 strong correlations in COVID and <5 in HC) observed at the 3rd pregnancy trimester.Discussion and conclusionFrom an overall perspective, a pronounced increase in serum levels of soluble mediators with decreased network interplay between them demonstrated an imbalanced immune response in convalescent COVID-19 infection during pregnancy that may contribute to the management of, or indeed recovery from, late complications in the post-symptomatic phase of the SARS-CoV-2 infection in pregnant women