Using multiple related ontologies in a fuzzy information retrieval model.

With the Semantic Web progress many independently developed distinct domain ontologies have to be shared and reused by a variety of applications. The use of ontologies in information retrieval applications allows the retrieval of semantically related documents to an initial users´ query. This work presents a fuzzy information retrieval model for improving the document retrieval process considering a knowledge base composed of multiple domain ontologies that are fuzzy related. Each ontology can be represented independently as well as their relationships. This knowledge organization is used in a novel method to expand the user initial query and to index the documents in the collection. Experimental results show that the proposed model presents better overall performance when compared with another fuzzy-based approach for information retrieval.SBIA 2008

Resolving The Moth at Millimeter Wavelengths

HD 61005, also known as "The Moth," is one of only a handful of debris disks that exhibit swept-back "wings" thought to be caused by interaction with the ambient interstellar medium (ISM). We present 1.3 mm Submillimeter Array (SMA) observations of the debris disk around HD 61005 at a spatial resolution of 1.9 arcsec that resolve the emission from large grains for the first time. The disk exhibits a double-peaked morphology at millimeter wavelengths, consistent with an optically thin ring viewed close to edge-on. To investigate the disk structure and the properties of the dust grains we simultaneously model the spatially resolved 1.3 mm visibilities and the unresolved spectral energy distribution. The temperatures indicated by the SED are consistent with expected temperatures for grains close to the blowout size located at radii commensurate with the millimeter and scattered light data. We also perform a visibility-domain analysis of the spatial distribution of millimeter-wavelength flux, incorporating constraints on the disk geometry from scattered light imaging, and find suggestive evidence of wavelength-dependent structure. The millimeter-wavelength emission apparently originates predominantly from the thin ring component rather than tracing the "wings" observed in scattered light. The implied segregation of large dust grains in the ring is consistent with an ISM-driven origin for the scattered light wings.Comment: 10 pages, 6 figure

Avaliação da susceptibilidade de gametas e embriões caprinos ao vírus da artrite encefalite caprina.

Resumo: Um dos métodos de prevenção da artrite encefalite caprina (CAE) é a separação e sacrifício de animais soropositivos; levando assim a perdas de animais com alto valor genético. Neste contexto; o uso de biotécnicas reprodutivas surge como uma alternativa para o resgate e utilização do material genético desses animais. Por este motivo é que se faz necessário a realização de pesquisas para se avaliar a susceptibilidade dos gametas e embriões e ainda os parâmetros reprodutivos de fêmeas caprinas acometidas com o CAEV. Sendo assim; os objetivos da presente pesquisa foi o de realizar análise molecular e ultra-estrutural de espermatozóides caprinos de animais infectados naturalmente e experimentalmente e ainda em espermatozóides infectados in vitro; caracterizar a ocorrência de degeneração; e ainda presença do vírus da artrite encefalite caprina e susceptibilidade dos folículos ovarianos; espermatozóides e embriões caprinos ao mesmo; e por último avaliar a recuperação de embriões na produção in vivo de embriões de fêmeas caprinas naturalmente infectadas com o CAEV submetidas a um protocolo de superovulação; inseminação artificial e coleta de embriões. Para isto; o experimento foi divido em três etapas; na primeira delas; submeteu-se quatro fêmeas soropositivas para o CAEV e duas fêmeas negativas (grupo controle) a um protocolo de superovulação. Observou-se no grupo de fêmeas positivas para o CAEV um número maior de estruturas recuperadas (oócitos e embriões) do que no grupo controle. Na segunda etapa; foi pesquisada a presença do CAEV em espermatozóides de machos naturalmente e experimentalmente infectados; através das técnicas de reação em cadeia da polimerase (PCR) e microscopia eletrônica de transmissão. Posteriormente; foi testada a susceptibilidade de espermatozóides caprinos ao vírus; realizando-se para isto a técnica de swim up e a infecção in vitro dos mesmos; em três tempos distintos (30; 60 e 120 minutos); em seguida foram submetidos ao teste de PCR e microscopia eletrônica de transmissão. De todas as amostras testadas; apenas uma antes do swim up foi positiva na PCR. Em amostra oriunda de animal que havia sido infectado experimentalmente; foi visualizada uma partícula viral do CAEV na região da peça intermediária no interior de vacúolos. Foi observada a presença de vacúolos também na porção da peça intermediária; porém; sem partícula viral no seu interior em amostra oriunda de animal infectado naturalmente. Na última etapa do experimento; foram analisados espermatozóides e folículos ovarianos através das técnicas de imunohistoquímica e microscopia eletrônica de transmissão; antes e após infecção in vitro com o CAEV e ainda embriões caprinos produzidos in vivo oriundos de cabras negativas e positivas para o CAEV. Abstract - One method of prevention of caprine arthritis encephalitis (CAE) is the separation and sacrifice of seropositive animals, thus leading to losses of animals with high genetic value. In this context, the use of reproductive biotechnology emerges as an alternative to the purchase and use of genetic material of animals. For this reason it is necessary that the conduct of research to evaluate the susceptibility of gametes and embryos and the reproductive parameters of female goats affected with CAEV. Thus, the objectives of this research was to perform molecular analysis and ultrastructural spermatozoa of goats from naturally and experimentally infected animals and also in spermatozoa infected in vitro, to characterize the occurrence of degeneration, and presence of the virus caprine arthritis encephalitis and susceptibility of ovarian follicles, spermatozoa and embryos at the same goats, and finally evaluate the recovery of embryos in vivo production of embryos of female goats naturally infected with CAEV undergo a protocol of superovulation, artificial insemination and collection of embryos. For this, the experiment was divided into three stages, the first of them, put up four females seropositive for CAEV negative and two females (control group) to a protocol of superovulation. It was observed in the group of females positive for CAEV a greater number of structures recovered (oocytes and embryos) than in the control group. In the second step, was investigated the presence of CAEV in spermatozoa of males naturally and experimentally infected, through the techniques of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and transmission electron microscopy. It was subsequently tested the susceptibility of goat spermatozoa to the virus, making up for that swim up the technique of in vitro and infection of them in three different times (30, 60 and 120 minutes), then were tested with the PCR and transmission electron microscopy. In all samples tested, only one before the swim up was positive in PCR. In samples derived from animals that had been experimentally infected, was viewed a viral particle of CAEV in the region of midpiece inside vacuoles. Was observed also the presence of vacuoles in the portion of the midpiece, but no viral particles in its interior in a sample derived from naturally infected animal. In the last step of the experiment, we analyzed spermatozoa and ovarian follicles through the techniques of immunohistochemistry and transmission electron microscopy, before and after in vitro infection with CAEV and goat embryos produced in vivo from positive and negative goats to CAEV, the which were submitted to ultrastructural analysis. In immunohistochemistry of seminal samples, positive immunolabeling was observed in samples from animals infected naturally and artificiallyTese (Doutorado em Ciências Veterinárias - Área de concentração: Reprodução e Sanidade Animal) - Universidade Estadual do Ceará, Fortaleza. Orientadora: Maria Fátima da Silva Teixeira; Co-orientadora: Alice Andrioli Pinheiro - Embrapa Caprinos e Ovinos (CNPC)

Efectos moduladores de la personalidad y la valoración subjetiva en la respuesta autonómica ante una tarea de hablar en público

El objetivo de este estudio fue examinar en una muestra de 16 mujeres, el efecto los de rasgos de personalidad y la valoración subjetiva ante un estresor social de laboratorio (hablar en público) en la respuesta cardiovascular y electrodérmica. Se midieron las respuestas de conductancia de la piel, la frecuencia cardiaca (FC) y el volumen del pulso periférico (VPP) durante un periodo de descanso, preparación, tarea y recuperación ante un discurso académico. Los sujetos fueron clasificados según sus puntuaciones altas o bajas en el cuestionario de personalidad EPQ, el STAI y en las medidas subjetivas. Los sujetos mostraron un aumento de la activación fisiológica significativo durante las fases de preparación y ejecución del discurso, esta activación estuvo modulada por las variables de personalidad y la valoración subjetiva. Los sujetos más extrovertidos mostraron mayor frecuencia de respuestas electrodérmicas (RED) a lo largo de todo el registro. Los sujetos que percibieron la tarea como más difícil mostraron los valores más altos en frecuencia cardiaca. Por último, aquéllos que percibieron un mayor estrés y esfuerzo mostraron un porcentaje de cambio mayor en volumen de pulso. Estos resultados apoyan el uso de la tarea de hablar en público como un buen estresor de laboratorio y la importancia de la experiencia subjetiva y los rasgos de personalidad del individuo como variables que modulan dicha respuesta

A domain-theoretic approach to fuzzy metric spaces

We introduce a partial order (sic)(M) on the set BX of formal balls of a fuzzy metric space (X, M, Lambda) in the sense of Kramosil and Michalek, and discuss some of its properties. We also characterize when the poset (BX, (sic)(M)) is a continuous domain by means of a new notion of fuzzy metric completeness introduced here. The well-known theorem of Edalat and Heckmann that a metric space is complete if and only if its poset of formal balls is a continuous domain, is deduced from our characterizationSupported by the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness of Spain, under grant MTM2012-37894-C02-01.Ricarte Moreno, LA.; Romaguera Bonilla, S. (2014). A domain-theoretic approach to fuzzy metric spaces. Topology and its Applications. 163:149-159. doi:10.1016/j.topol.2013.10.014S14915916

First record of the bacterial endosymbiont Wolbachia for phytophagous hoverflies from genus Merodon (Diptera : Syrphidae)

Wolbachia is a widespread bacterial endosymbiont among arthropod species. It influences the reproduction of the host species and also mitochondrial DNA diversity. Until now there were only a few studies that detected Wolbachia infections in hoverflies (Diptera: Syrphidae), and this is the first broader study with the aim of examining the incidence of Wolbachia in the hoverfly genus Merodon. The obtained results indicate an infection rate of 96% and the presence of both Wolbachia supergroup A and B, which are characteristic for most of the infected arthropod species. Additionally, the presence of multiple Wolbachia strains in the Merodon aureus group species was detected and the mitochondrial DNA COI-based relationships of the group are discussed in the light of infection. Finally, we discuss plant-mediated horizontal transmission of Wolbachia strains among the studied hoverfly species.Peer reviewe

A Rare Case of an Intramedullary Metastasis of a Myxopapillary Ependymoma

Background: Myxopapillary ependimoma (MPE) is a benign slow-growing tumor, and it has been designated histologically as a Grade I neoplasm according to the 2016 World Health Organization classification. Despite the benign character, dissemination and metastasis have occasionally been reported. The retrograde dissemination to other levels of the neuraxis is extremely rare, being more frequent to the intracranial compartment. Case description: We hereby present a case of medullary metastasis of cauda equina MPE, with a history of having undergone a subtotal resection and postoperative adjuvant radiotherapy. The patient presents complaints of night dorsal pain attributable to intradural metastasis twenty-one years after the first surgical intervention. Conclusion: The case reported highlights the importance of long follow-up in patients with MPE, since the possibility of secondary seeding to distant craniospinal sites or local spinal sites after surgery, and radiotherapy should be considered in metastatic disease.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Resolved Millimeter-wavelength Observations of Debris Disks around Solar-type Stars

The presence of debris disks around young main-sequence stars hints at the existence and structure of planetary systems. Millimeter-wavelength observations probe large grains that trace the location of planetesimal belts. The Formation and Evolution of Planetary Systems Spitzer Legacy survey of nearby young solar analogues yielded a sample of five debris disk-hosting stars with millimeter flux suitable for interferometric follow-up. We present observations with the Submillimeter Array (SMA) and the Combined Array for Research in Millimeter-wave Astronomy at ~2'' resolution that spatially resolve the debris disks around these nearby (d ~ 50 pc) stars. Two of the five disks (HD 377, HD 8907) are spatially resolved for the first time and one (HD 104860) is resolved at millimeter wavelengths for the first time. We combine our new observations with archival SMA and Atacama Large Millimeter/Submillimeter Array data to enable a uniform analysis of the full five-object sample. We simultaneously model the broadband photometric data and resolved millimeter visibilities to constrain the dust temperatures and disk morphologies, and perform a Markov Chain Monte Carlo analysis to fit for basic structural parameters. We find that the radii and widths of the cold outer belts exhibit properties consistent with scaled-up versions of the Solar System's Kuiper Belt. All the disks exhibit characteristic grain sizes comparable to the blowout size, and all the resolved observations of emission from large dust grains are consistent with an axisymmetric dust distribution to within the uncertainties. These results are consistent with comparable studies carried out at infrared wavelengths