Evidence for divided automatic attention

A long-standing debate in the literature is whether attention can form two or more independent spatial foci in addition to the well-known unique spatial focus. There is evidence that voluntary visual attention divides in space. The possibility that this also occurs for automatic visual attention was investigated here. Thirty-six female volunteers were tested. In each trial, a prime stimulus was presented in the left or right visual hemifield. This stimulus was characterized by the blinking of a superior, middle or inferior ring, the blinking of all these rings, or the blinking of the superior and inferior rings. A target stimulus to which the volunteer should respond with the same side hand or a target stimulus to which she should not respond was presented 100 ms later in a primed location, a location between two primed locations or a location in the contralateral hemifield. Reaction time to the positive target stimulus in a primed location was consistently shorter than reaction time in the horizontally corresponding contralateral location. This attentional effect was significantly smaller or absent when the positive target stimulus appeared in the middle location after the double prime stimulus. These results suggest that automatic visual attention can focus on two separate locations simultaneously, to some extent sparing the region in between.CNPqFINE

Gradient test for generalised linear models with random effects.

This work develops the gradient test for parameter selection in generalised linear models with random effects. Asymptotically, the test statistic has a chi-squared distribution and the statistic has a compelling feature: it does not require computation of the Fisher information matrix. Performance of the test is verified through Monte Carlo simulations of size and power, and also compared to the likelihood ratio, Wald and Rao tests. The gradient test provides the best results overall when compared to the traditional tests, especially for smaller sample sizes

Time-periodic feedback stabilization for an ensemble of half-spin systems

Feedback stabilization of an ensemble of non interacting half spins described by Bloch equations is considered. This system may be seen as a prototype for infinite dimensional systems with continuous spectrum. We propose an explicit feedback law that stabilizes asymptotically the system around a uniform state of spin +1/2 or -1/2. The closed-loop stability analysis is done locally around the equilibrium. The local convergence is shown to be a weak asymptotic convergence for the H1 topology. The proof relies on an adaptation of the LaSalle invariance principle to infinite dimensional systems. Numerical simulations illustrate the efficiency of these feedback laws, even for initial conditions far from the equilibrium

Machine learning models for the prediction of diffusivities in supercritical CO2 systems

The molecular diffusion coefficient is fundamental to estimate dispersion coefficients, convective mass transfer coefficients, etc. Since experimental diffusion data is scarce, there is significant demand for accurate models capable of providing reliable diffusion coefficient estimations. In this work we applied machine learning algorithms to develop predictive models to estimate diffusivities of solutes in supercritical carbon dioxide. A database of experimental data containing 13 properties for 174 binary systems totaling 4917 data points was used in the training of the models. Five machine learning algorithms were evaluated and the results were compared with three commonly used classic models. The best results were found using the Gradient Boosted algorithm which showed an average absolute relative deviation (AARD) of 2.58 % (pure prediction). This model has five parameters: temperature, density, solute molar mass, solute critical pressure and solute acentric factor. For the same dataset, the classic Wilke-Chang equation showed AARD of 12.41 %. The developed model is provided as command line program.publishe

Effect of inclusion or non-inclusion of short lactations and cow and/or dam genetic group on genetic evaluation of Girolando dairy cattle

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of inclusion or non-inclusion of short lactations and cow (CGG) and/or dam (DGG) genetic group on the genetic evaluation of 305-day milk yield (MY305), age at first calving (AFC), and first calving interval (FCI) of Girolando cows. Covariance components were estimated by the restricted maximum likelihood method in an animal model of single trait analyses. The heritability estimates for MY305, AFC, and FCI ranged from 0.23 to 0.29, 0.40 to 0.44, and 0.13 to 0.14, respectively, when short lactations were not included, and from 0.23 to 0.28, 0.39 to 0.43, and 0.13 to 0.14, respectively, when short lactations were included. The inclusion of short lactations caused little variation in the variance components and heritability estimates of traits, but their non-inclusion resulted in the re-ranking of animals. Models with CGG or DGG fixed effects had higher heritability estimates for all traits compared with models that consider these two effects simultaneously. We recommend using the model with fixed effects of CGG and inclusion of short lactations for the genetic evaluation of Girolando cattle

First exposure to Arduino through peer-coaching: Impact on students' attitudes towards programming

In this paper we report the work that jeKnowledge (Júnior Empresa da Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologias da Universidade de Coimbra), a student-led initiative, has done in the ‘jeKnowledge academy’ courses to actively engage Portuguese high-school students in STEM education through hands-on projects based on the low-cost Arduino platform. F2F activities, based on a peer-assisted learning strategy, were complemented with tutorials and more advanced project suggestions in a blog. Pre and post surveys on students'' attitudes towards programming and peer-coaching were administered to pre-university and first year college participants, finding an overall increase in the Likert scale for all the programming-related constructs under study (confidence, interest, gender, usefulness and professional) after the introductory course. As regards the peer-based learning approach, younger students seemed to be more eager to be taught in a less formal way than their older counterparts. The course resulted in high degrees of satisfaction for both the student tutors and their tutees

Gradient test for generalised linear models with random effects

This work develops the gradient test for parameter selection in generalised linear models with random effects. Asymptotically, the test statistic has a chi-squared distribution and the statistic has a compelling feature: it does not require computation of the Fisher information matrix. Performance of the test is verified through Monte Carlo simulations of size and power, and also compared to the likelihood ratio, Wald and Rao tests. The gradient test provides the best results overall when compared to the traditional tests, especially for smaller sample sizes

Scale invariant scalar metric fluctuations during inflation: non-perturbative formalism from a 5D vacuum

We extend to 5D an approach of a 4D non-perturbative formalism to study scalar metric fluctuations of a 5D Riemann-flat de Sitter background metric. In contrast with the results obtained in 4D, the spectrum of cosmological scalar metric fluctuations during inflation can be scale invariant and the background inflaton field can take sub-Planckian values.Comment: final version to be published in Eur. Phys. J.

The role of serum levels of vitamin D in children’s muscle strength: A systematic review

This review aims to investigate the different levels of vitamin D and its role in muscle strength in healthy children and non-athletes. A search conducted in three databases (PubMed, Scopus, and Psycinfo) resulted in 655 articles, which were systematically analyzed and selected based on the following criteria: (a) original cross-sectional studies and clinical trials; (b) healthy children aged 5-11 years; (c) no language restriction or year of publication; and (d) studies that assessed the possible relationship between vitamin D levels and muscle strength. Six studies were included because they met all the inclusion criteria. According to the findings of this review, factors such as sex, skin color, and vitamin D supplementation early in life modulate the levels of vitamin D in the body, and there is a relationship between muscle strength and vitamin D levels. Interestingly, vitamin D supplementation is not always significantly associated with increased muscle grip strength. However, there is a scarcity of studies that aim to analyze the possible effects of different levels of vitamin D on muscle function and neuromuscular variables in physically inactive children and non-athletes without previously diagnosed disease. Further studies are warranted in the future to address the gap in the literature

Enhanced separation of bioactive triterpenic acids with a triacontylsilyl silica gel adsorbent: from impulse and breakthrough experiments to the design of a simulated moving bed unit

A simulated moving bed (SMB) unit was designed to separate oleanolic and ursolic acids, two naturally occurring triterpenoids with structural isomerism, with remarkable nutraceutical and pharmacological properties. A triacontylsilyl silica gel adsorbent (stationary phase of an Acclaim C30 column) was considered and impulse tests with different solvents were performed to select a mobile phase, from which methanol/water 95/5 (%, v/v) emerged as the most suitable. Equilibrium and global mass transport coefficients were then determined through breakthrough experiments using pure compound solutions and the C30 column. Afterwards, these parameters were applied to the simulation of two model binary mixture separations, whose breakthrough curves were also experimentally measured. Finally, the SMB unit was designed and optimized. It was demonstrated that using the packing of an Acclaim C30 column and methanol/water 95/5 (%, v/v) as mobile phase it is possible to separate both acids with purities of 99.9 wt.%, a productivity of 1.705 kg/(m3adsorbent day), and a configuration of two columns per section (2–2–2–2). The simulated results obtained in this work with the C30 stationary phase represent a significant improvement over literature data.publishe