Scientometrics: the project for a science of science transformed into an industry of measurements

This paper discusses the intellectual justification of scientometrics through the claim that it is part of the quest for a quantitative science of science. Initially, I will make a brief description of scientometrics' historical background. Next, I will explain that those disciplines that have been satisfactorily mathematized always contain two distinct basic components: an axiomatic, defining the operations that can be realized with the available data, and an interpretation of their meaning. Counting papers and citations is a way to collect statistical data about scientific activities, and therefore the axiomatic basis of scientometrics comes from statistics. Regarding the interpretation of scientometrics, I will argue that the meanings attributed to their key concepts are usually borrowed from economics. Then I discuss how the promise of a science of science becomes a too well adjusted historical narrative that apparently justifies the economic concerns of governments and private corporations

O Ministério Público na nova lei de falência : visão crítica

Aborda a Lei de Falências em vigor desde fevereiro de 2005, tratando do interesse público compreendido pela lei, destacando a necessidade de intervenção do Ministério Público no processo falimentar

Evaluation of type of treatment done in bone injuries : simple bone cysts, central giants cells lesions and odontogenic keratocysts : a retrospective analysis

Orientador: Marcio de MoraesDissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Odontologia de Piracicaba.Resumo: O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar separadamente a eficácia do tratamento realizado pelo serviço de cirurgia bucomaxilofacial da FOP-UNICAMP em três lesões ósseas que podem acometer a região maxilofacial: cisto ósseo simples (COS), lesão central de células gigantes (LCCG) e queratocisto odontogênico (QO). 1) 12 casos de COS, sendo a curetagem o tratamento de escolha. Nenhuma alteração dentária ou sensorial foi percebida e não houve recorrência; 2) 20 casos de LCCG, sendo o tratamento de escolha baseado na característica de lesão: 6 foram tratados por meio de cirurgia (3 ambulatoriais e 3 hospitalares). As demais lesões (14) foram tratadas com injeção intra-lesional de triancinolona semanalmente, associada a calcitonina (5 casos) ou enucleação (2 casos). Não houve recorrência; 3) 53 casos (59 lesões) de queratocisto, sendo que 47 foram tratadas por meio de descompressão e 12 por meio de enucleação. Ocorreu recidiva em 8 casos (6 por descompressão e 2 por enucleação). Todas estas foram tratadas em um segundo momento com enucleação/curetagem, associadas a ostectomia periférica. Não houve recorrência após esta segunda abordagem. De acordo com a metodologia empregada neste estudo concluímos que os tratamentos adotados se mostraram efetivos e com resultados semelhantes aos de outros trabalhos na literatura, sendo que a escolha do tratamento a ser realizado deve levar sempre em consideração o tipo e tamanho da lesão, bem como as condições clínicas/anatômicas e radiográficas da lesão, assim como a colaboração do pacienteAbstract: The objective of this study was to evaluate separately the effectiveness of the treatment by oral and maxillofacial surgery service by FOP-UNICAMP in three bone lesions that may affect the maxillofacial region: simple bone cyst (SBC), central giant cell lesion (CGCL) and odontogenic keratocysts (OQ). 1) 12 cases of SBC, and curettage treatment of choice. No dental or sensory changes were noted and no recurrence, 2) 20 cases of CGCL, and the treatment of choice based on characteristic lesions: six were treated by surgery (3 hospital and 3 outpatient). The remaining injuries (14) were treated with intra-lesional triamcinolone weekly associated with calcitonin (5 cases) or enucleation (two cases). No recurrence, 3) 53 cases (59 lesions) of OK, and 47 were treated by decompression and enucleation through 12. Relapse occurred in 8 cases (6 per second for decompression and enucleation). All these were treated in a second time with enucleation / curettage associated with periferic ostectomy. There was no recurrence after this second approach. According to the methodology used in this study, the standard treatment proved effective, with results similar to those of other studies in literature, and the choice of treatment to be performed must always take into account the type and size of the lesion, as well as clinical conditions/anatomical and radiographic lesion, as well as the collaboration of the patientMestradoCirurgia e Traumatologia Buco-Maxilo-FaciaisMestre em Clínica Odontológic

Detecção de linha de plantio de cana de açúcar a partir de imagens de VANT usando Segmentação Semântica e Transformada de Radon

In recent years, UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) have become increasingly popular in the agricultural sector, promoting and enabling the application of aerial image monitoring in both scientific and business contexts. Images captured by UAVs are fundamental for precision farming practices, as they allow activities that deal with low and medium altitude images. After the effective sowing, the scenario of the planted area may change drastically over time due to the appearance of erosion, gaps, death and drying of part of the crop, animal interventions, etc. Thus, the process of detecting the crop rows is strongly important for planning the harvest, estimating the use of inputs, control of costs of production, plant stand counts, early correction of sowing failures, more-efficient watering, etc. In addition, the geolocation information of the detected lines allows the use of autonomous machinery and a better application of inputs, reducing financial costs and the aggression to the environment. In this work we address the problem of detection and segmentation of sugarcane crop lines using UAV imagery. First, we experimented an approach based on \ac{GA} associated with Otsu method to produce binarized images. Then, due to some reasons including the recent relevance of Semantic Segmentation in the literature, its levels of abstraction, and the non-feasible results of Otsu associated with \ac{GA}, we proposed a new approach based on \ac{SSN} divided in two steps. First, we use a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) to automatically segment the images, classifying their regions as crop lines or as non-planted soil. Then, we use the Radon transform to reconstruct and improve the already segmented lines, making them more uniform or grouping fragments of lines and loose plants belonging to the same planting line. We compare our results with segmentation performed manually by experts and the results demonstrate the efficiency and feasibility of our approach to the proposed task.Dissertação (Mestrado)Nos últimos anos, os VANTs (Veículos Aéreos Não Tripulados) têm se tornado cada vez mais populares no setor agrícola, promovendo e possibilitando o monitoramento de imagens aéreas tanto no contexto científico, quanto no de negócios. Imagens capturadas por VANTs são fundamentais para práticas de agricultura de precisão, pois permitem a realização de atividades que lidam com imagens de baixa ou média altitude. O cenário da área plantada pode mudar drasticamente ao longo do tempo devido ao aparecimento de erosões, falhas de plantio, morte e ressecamento de parte da cultura, intervenções de animais, etc. Assim, o processo de detecção das linhas de plantio é de grande importância para o planejamento da colheita, controle de custos de produção, contagem de plantas, correção de falhas de semeadura, irrigação eficiente, entre outros. Além disso, a informação de geolocalização das linhas detectadas permite o uso de maquinários autônomos e um melhor planejamento de aplicação de insumos, reduzindo custos e a agressão ao meio ambiente. Neste trabalho, abordamos o problema de segmentação e detecção de linhas de plantio de cana-de-açúcar em imagens de VANTs. Primeiro, experimentamos uma abordagem baseada em Algoritmo Genético (AG) e Otsu para produzir imagens binarizadas. Posteriormente, devido a alguns motivos, incluindo a relevância recente da Segmentação Semântica, seus níveis de abstração e os resultados inviáveis obtidos com AG, estudamos e propusemos uma nova abordagem baseada em \ac{SSN} em duas etapas. Primeiro, usamos uma \ac{SSN} para segmentar as imagens, classificando suas regiões como linhas de plantio ou como solo não plantado. Em seguida, utilizamos a transformada de Radon para reconstruir e melhorar as linhas já segmentadas, tornando-as mais uniformes ou agrupando fragmentos de linhas e plantas soltas. Comparamos nossos resultados com segmentações feitas manualmente por especialistas e os resultados demonstram a eficiência e a viabilidade de nossa abordagem para a tarefa proposta

Probabilistic-based structural safety analysis of concrete gravity dams

The construction and operation of dams, associated with the use of water resources, aims generically at water supplying, the energy producing and, in many cases, flow regulating and flood controlling. Considering the dam dimensions and the potential risks associated with its structural failure, due to the occupation of the downstream valley, and to the costs of the construction, maintenance and rehabilitation, the use of probabilistic principles in its design, as it is already performed for other type of structures, is justified considering adequate levels of safety. The objections shared throughout the dam engineering community, regarding the difficulty in estimating the probability of failure for concrete dams, are expectedly overcome by the failure mode and uncertainty modeling, allowing the application of probabilistic principles for their safety analysis, based on conservative simplifications regarding the structural behavior, namely: (i) the definition of the failure surface (dam-foundation interface); (ii) the consideration of rigid body failure mechanisms; and (iii) the consideration of the residual shear strength, given only by the frictional component, corresponding to a limit analysis valid for ultimate limit states. For that purpose, the failure modes are derived from the current construction and design practice by comparing analytical and numerical models of a generic, though representative, case study. The uncertainties involved in the safety of concrete dams are statistically quantified, through the definition of probabilistic distributions for loads and material properties, using, in addition to the elements found in the literature, the information available at LNEC about those features, resulting from the monitoring of the concrete dam behavior during the construction, first filling and operation periods. This work explores the required tasks for the adoption of the partial safety factor method for the safety analysis of concrete gravity dams, at the design phase. Two representative studies regarding the reliability-based design of concrete gravity dams and partial safety factor calibration are presented, intending to stimulate the discussion on the applicability of probabilistic principles for the design of concrete dams, as well as, to influence the safety criteria to be considered in a future revision of the dam safety regulation. The obtained results confirm that the seismic load combination and the sliding failure modes are the most conditioning situations. It is also observed that cross-sections profiles flatter than currently used may be needed for high intensity seismic zones. Partial safety factors that approximate reasonably the reliability-based results could be derived

Cannabinoids help to unravel etiological aspects in common and bring hope for the treatment of autism and epilepsy

Desde 1843 que as propriedades anticonvulsivantes da Cannabis são conhecidas pela ciência ocidental. Em 1980, ensaios clínicos demonstraram que canabidiol possui atividade antiepilética em pacientes de epilepsia refratária, sendo sonolência o único efeito colateral. O embargo imposto pela proibição do uso medicinal da Cannabis, no entanto, prejudicou imensamente o desenvolvimento científico e a exploração dessas propriedades. Multiplicam-se, contudo, os casos bem sucedidos de uso ilegal e sem orientação para o tratamento de síndromes caracterizadas por epilepsia e autismo regressivo. Os resultados corroboram evidências científicas que indicam a existência de processos etiológicos comuns entre o autismo e a epilepsia. Estudos em modelos animais confirmam envolvimento do sistema endocanabinoide. Esses avanços apontam o início de uma revolução no entendimento e tratamento desses transtornos.Since 1843 the anticonvulsant properties of Cannabis are known by the Western science. In 1980, clinical trials have shown that cannabidiol has antiepileptic activity in refractory epilepsy patients, with drowsiness as the only side effect. The embargo imposed by banning medicinal Cannabis use, however, harmed scientific development and the exploration of these properties. However, there is a growing number of successful cases of illegal use without guidance for the treatment of syndromes characterized by epilepsy and regressive autism. The results corroborate scientific evidence that indicates the existence of common etiological aspects between autism and epilepsy. Studies in animal models have confirmed involvement of the endocannabinoid system. These advances indicate the beginning of a revolution in the understanding and treatment of these disorders