A philosophical inquiry on Artificial Intelligence

O objetivo deste artigo é investigar o conceito de inteligência artificial à luz da filosofia da mente contemporânea. Na primeira parte do artigo, analisaremos o argumento da Sala Chinesa de Searle e as respostas que suscitou. Na segunda parte, iremos abordar o conceito de inteligência artificial na perspectiva da relação corpo e mente.The objective of this article is to investigate the concept of artificial intelligence to the light of the contemporary philosophy of the mind. In the first part of the article, we will analyze the argument of the Chinese Room of Searle and the answers that it excited. In the second part, we will go to approach the concept of artificial intelligence in the perspective of the relation of body and mind

Developing critical thinking through distance learning

O artigo aborda a utilização da educação a distancia através da internet para o desenvolvimento do pensamento crítico. O artigo analisa a experiência do desenvolvimento de competências de argumentação através do ensino da disciplina de "Filosofia da Educação" e da disciplina de "Seminário Integrador".The article discusses the use of distance education via the Internet to the development of critical thinking. The article analyzes the experience to develop skills of argument by teaching the discipline of "Philosophy of Education" and the discipline of "Seminário Integrador"

The Tumor Necrosis Factor-α-blocking Agent Infliximab Inhibits Interleukin 1ß (IL-1ß) and IL-6 Gene Expression in Human Osteoblastic Cells

Objective.Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) is a proinflammatory cytokine involved in the pathogenesis of several rheumatic diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis (RA), associated with systemic bone loss and subchondral bone erosions. TNF-α-blocking agents such as infliximab have been successful in treatment of disease-modifying antirheumatic drug-resistant rheumatic diseases. Infliximab therapy in RA also had beneficial effects on local bone destruction and bone mineral density. We assessed effects of infliximab treatment on the bone tissue compartment and cytokine profile expression in vitro.Methods.Osteoblast-like cells were exposed for 24 h to sera of RA patients collected at baseline and after 1 month (T1) and 3 years (T2) of infliximab treatment. Total RNA was extracted, and expression of interleukin 1ß (IL-1ß), IL-6, and osteoprotegerin (OPG) was measured by RT-PCR.Results.IL-1ß gene expression was significantly reduced by the T1 serum, and the same decrease was elicited by the T2 serum. IL-6 downregulation was evident with the T2 serum. OPG was unaffected.Conclusion.The finding of downregulation of inflammatory cytokines was interesting, particularly IL-6, which plays a crucial role in arthritis-related bone loss due to its involvement in osteoclast recruitment and activation. These results may represent a biological explanation and a link for the clinical observation of the beneficial effects of anti-TNF-α agents on the progression of rheumatic diseases at the bone level

Polymorphisms of the SCN1A gene in children and adolescents with primary headache and idiopathic or cryptogenic epilepsy: is there a linkage?

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the distribution of the polymorphisms of the SCN1A gene in a series of children and adolescents with primary headache and idiopathic or cryptogenic epilepsy compared to controls. Five non-synonymous exonic polymorphisms (1748A > T, 2656T > C, 3199A > G, 5771G > A, 5864T > C) of the SCN1A gene were selected and their genotyping was performed, by high resolution melting (HRM), in 49 cases and 100 controls. We found that among the five polymorphisms, only 3199A > G was a true polymorphism. We did not find a statistically significant difference between distribution of 3199A > G genotypes between cases and controls. We excluded the role of the SCN1A gene in the pathogenesis of comorbidity between headache (especially migraine) and epilepsy. The SCN1A gene is a major gene in different epilepsies and epilepsy syndromes; the HRM could be the new methodology, more rapid and efficacious, for molecular analysis of the SCN1A gene

Metabolic Syndrome and All-Cause and Cardiovascular Mortality in an Italian Elderly Population: The Progetto Veneto Anziani (Pro.V.A.) Study

OBJECTIVE—The purpose of this study was to explore the association of metabolic syndrome and each of its components with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in a general Italian elderly population

Sleep-disordered breathing and pregnancy outcomes: The impact of maternal oxygen saturation

ObjectiveTo investigate pathological associations between sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) and pregnancy outcomes. MethodsFrom May 2016 to September 2019, obese women during their uncomplicated singleton pregnancies underwent screening sleep questionnaires, oxygen saturation monitoring, and, in proper cases, complete overnight polysomnography. Their medical records were also recorded. ResultsIn all, 112 pregnant women were included in the study cohort; 44 showed an oxygen desaturation index & GE;10, and their newborns had a significantly higher rate of congenital abnormalities and respiratory distress syndrome compared with the women with normal pulse oximetry. Stepwise multivariate regression analysis showed that basal oxygen saturation was independently associated with the occurrence of fetal growth restriction. ConclusionAmong obese pregnant women, the rate of congenital abnormalities is higher in the ones with altered pulse oximetry. Maternal basal oxygen saturation in the first trimester of pregnancy predicts fetal growth restriction independently of maternal age, ethnicity, body mass index, gravidity, and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy

Utilização do coagulante natural PG?21CA no tratamento de água para consumo humano/ Use of natural coagulant PG?21CA in water treatment for human consumpt

A água in natura é encontrada com diversos agentes poluentes. Para que ela se torne potável, utiliza-se coagulantes inorgânicos com a finalidade de retirar as pelaimpurezas, sendo o principal destes o sulfato de alumínio. Para encontrar alternativas aos coagulantes inorgânicos, optou-se por utilizar um coagulante orgânico feito a partir da soja que é o PG?21Ca (Poliglu), para verificar a eficácia do mesmo. Para realizar os testes com os coagulantes, utilizou-se o equipamento Jartest. A quantidade de coagulante a ser adicionada foi estimada mediante a turbidez que a amostra de água possuía.  Após realizado o procedimento no Jar test (Coagulação, floculação e decantação), foram coletados os sobrenadantes, para análises de turbidez, pH e condutividade elétrica. Com os resultados obtidos foi possível concluir que o Poliglu se apresentou satisfatório para os valores de pH e de turbidez, sendo estes condizentes com os padrões de água potável apresentados pela SANEPAR e pela FUNASA, é possível citar a amostra que inicialmente possuía turbidez igual a 26,0 NTU e pH de 7,07, e após o tratamento obteve-se 2,2 NTU e  6,27 de pH

scaffold characterization using nlo multimodal microscopy in metrology for regenerative medicine

Metrology in regenerative medicine aims to develop traceable measurement technologies for characterizing cellular and macromolecule behaviour in regenerative medicine products and processes. One key component in regenerative medicine is using three-dimensional porous scaffolds to guide cells during the regeneration process. The regeneration of specific tissues guided by tissue analogous substrates is dependent on diverse scaffold architectural properties that can be derived quantitatively from scaffolds images. This paper discuss the results obtained with the multimodal NLO microscope recently realized in our laboratory in characterizing 3D tissue engineered (TE) scaffolds colonized from human Mesenchimal stem cells (hMSC), focusing on the study of the three-dimensional metrological parameters

Comparison between Baden and Walker classification systems and ICS standardization of terminology of female pelvic organ prolapse

OBJECTIVE: to compare Baden and Walker's (BW) classification system to the International Continence Society (ICS) standardization of terminology of female pelvic organ prolapse. METHODS: information about urogynecological investigation on 101 women, performed by the Urogynecology and Vaginal Surgery Sector of UNIFESP/EPM, was retrospectively analyzed. Only patients who had undergone the standard ICS exam which quantifies the pelvic prolapse were selected. According to ICS, the prolapse is analyzed through a standard reference system relating the hymen to the anatomic position of six vaginal points: two in the anterior vaginal wall, two in the vaginal apex and other two in the posterior vaginal wall. The maximum amount of pelvic organ prolapse was viewed and recorded during a Valsalva's maneuver. The measurement of the most distal point of the prolapse was performed and it was compared to the BW classification system. The data were analyzed by kappa statistics, to assess the concordance between the two terminologies. RESULTS: There was total correspondence only for the posterior vaginal prolapse stage IV (one patient) and for the uterus prolapse stage 0 (29 patients) with severe rectocele and absence of prolapse, respectively, according to BW. In the three types of prolapses evaluated, the values of kappa statistics were below 0.4, indicating a weak concordance between the two terminologies. There is an extensive variation in the measurement of the most distal point of prolapse when the BW classification is perfomed. CONCLUSIONS: there is a weak concordance between the BW classification system and the ICS standardization of terminology of female pelvic organ prolapse.OBJETIVO: comparar a classificação de Baden e Walker (BW) para o prolapso pélvico feminino e a preconizada pela Sociedade Internacional de Continência (ICS). MÉTODOS: em trabalho retrospectivo foram analisadas as informações sobre 101 pacientes atendidas no setor de Uroginecologia e Cirurgia Vaginal do Departamento de Ginecologia da UNIFESP/EPM durante investigação uroginecológica. As pacientes foram selecionadas a partir da revisão do prontuário médico, onde foram identificadas aquelas que submeteram-se a exame padronizado pela ICS a fim de quantificar o prolapso pélvico feminino. Conforme preconiza a ICS, o prolapso foi analisado por um sistema padrão de referência que relaciona a carúncula himenal (ponto fixo) à posição anatômica de seis pontos definidos: 2 na parede vaginal anterior, 2 no ápice vaginal e 2 na parede vaginal posterior. A máxima protrusão do prolapso foi visualizada e registrada durante a manobra de Valsalva solicitada à paciente. Realizou-se a medida do ponto mais externo do prolapso (pontos Ba, Bp e C) comparando-o com a classificação de BW. A medida adotada para avaliar a concordância entre as duas terminologias foi a estatística kappa. RESULTADOS: observou-se correspondência de 100% somente para o prolapso de parede vaginal posterior estádio IV (1 paciente) e para o prolapso uterino estádio zero (29 pacientes), segundo Baden e Walker, com retocele severa e ausência de prolapso, respectivamente. Para os três tipos de prolapsos examinados, os valores da estatística kappa estavam abaixo de 0,4, indicando fraca concordância entre as duas terminologias. Concluímos que existe uma ampla variação nas medidas do ponto mais externo do prolapso ao se realizar a classificação de BW. Para um determinado grau de prolapso na classificação de BW encontramos mais de um estádio na classificação da ICS. CONCLUSÕES: existe fraca concordância entre as classificações de Baden e Walker e a da Sociedade Internacional de Continência para as distopias genitais.Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) Escola Paulista de Medicina Departamento de GinecologiaUNIFESP, EPM, Depto. de GinecologiaSciEL