“The past is a foreign country”? Acculturation theory and the anthropology of globalization

Etnográfica, 15 (2): 313-336

Decision Support for Energy Contracts Negotiation with Game Theory and Adaptive Learning

This paper presents a decision support methodology for electricity market players’ bilateral contract negotiations. The proposed model is based on the application of game theory, using artificial intelligence to enhance decision support method’s adaptive features. This model is integrated in AiD-EM (Adaptive Decision Support for Electricity Markets Negotiations), a multi-agent system that provides electricity market players with strategic behavior capabilities to improve their outcomes from energy contracts’ negotiations. Although a diversity of tools that enable the study and simulation of electricity markets has emerged during the past few years, these are mostly directed to the analysis of market models and power systems’ technical constraints, making them suitable tools to support decisions of market operators and regulators. However, the equally important support of market negotiating players’ decisions is being highly neglected. The proposed model contributes to overcome the existing gap concerning effective and realistic decision support for electricity market negotiating entities. The proposed method is validated by realistic electricity market simulations using real data from the Iberian market operator—MIBEL. Results show that the proposed adaptive decision support features enable electricity market players to improve their outcomes from bilateral contracts’ negotiations.

Three essays on game theory and bargaining

A PhD Dissertation, presented as part of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy from the NOVA - School of Business and Economics

Clinical use of growth hormone and glutamine in short bowel syndrome

Growth hormone (GH) and glutamine (GLN) are considered bowel trophic factors and are used experimentally after bowel resection. Their clinical uses in short bowel syndrome (SBS) are still not standardized. It is of interest to verify metabolic, nutritional and side effects of the association of GH and GLN in SBS. Three patients, 39 (A), 33 (B), and 01 years old (C) underwent bowel resection with jejunum anastomosis 15 cm (A) and 60 cm (B) distant from the Treitz angle, and 40 cm (C) preserving the ileo cecal valve. GH Saizen (Serono - A), Genotropin (Pharmacia - B), and Norditropin (Novonordisk C) were administered in doses of 0.14 mg /kg/day. GLN (0.4 g/kg/day) was given orally for 10 days (A), 30 days (B) and 60 days to patient C (0.28 g/kg/day). Central TPN and adequate oral diet was administered according to the bowel adaptation phase. On the first day after beginning treatment patient A exhibited symptoms of hypoglycemia. There were no other side effects. After treatment, body weight was higher and analysis by bioelectrical impedance showed more lean mass and less fat mass compared to pre-treatment measurements. Nitrogen retention was progressively higher with treatment. Simultaneous treatment with GH and GLN does not cause significant side effects, and is associated with a favorable distribution of the body compartments and nitrogen retention in patients with the short bowel syndrome.

Ancient materials and techniques to improve the earthen building durability

A substantial part of the world building heritage has been performed by earthen building. The durability of this existing heritage and mainly of the new buildings built with earth is particularly conditioned by the erosion caused by water action, especially in countries with high levels of rainfall. This research aims to contribute to the increase of knowledge about the ancient building techniques that provide enhanced durability. It is possible to analyse the ancestral practices used to protect the earth material from the water action in order to understand how the old earthen buildings were preserved over the centuries, resisting to harsh weather conditions. Among these techniques are: the incorporation of biopolymers (such as oils or fats from animal or vegetable origin); the addition of some minerals; and the earth stabilization with lime. However, this knowledge seems to be forgotten, probably due to the prejudice related to earthen constructions, which several times are associated with a poor building. This research also focuses on the study of new methods of earth stabilization with lime and biopolymers, adapting the ancient knowledge to improve the durability related to the water action. Therefore, alternative solutions can be obtained to improve the performance of earthen buildings, mainly the resistance of the material in the presence of water, reducing its permeability to water. In addition, with the proposed solutions it is possible to obtain good levels of water vapour permeability, one of the major advantages of the construction with earth.

Devices and Techniques for Blood Pressure Measurement and Criteria for Hypertension Adopted by Brazilian Physicians: Exploratory Study

OBJECTIVE: To determine technical procedures and criteria used by Brazilian physicians for measuring blood pressure and diagnosing hypertension. METHODS: A questionnaire with 5 questions about practices and behaviors regarding blood pressure measurement and the diagnosis of hypertension was sent to 25,606 physicians in all Brazilian regions through a mailing list. The responses were compared with the recommendations of a specific consensus and descriptive analysis. RESULTS: Of the 3,621 (14.1%) responses obtained, 57% were from the southeastern region of Brazil. The following items were reported: use of an aneroid device by 67.8%; use of a mercury column device by 14.6%; 11.9% of the participants never calibrated the devices; 35.7% calibrated the devices at intervals < 1 year; 85.8% measured blood pressure in 100% of the medical visits; 86.9% measured blood pressure more than once and on more than one occasion. For hypertension diagnosis, 55.7% considered the patient's age, and only 1/3 relied on consensus statements. CONCLUSION: Despite the adequate frequency of both practices, it was far from that expected, and some contradictions between the diagnostic criterion for hypertension and the number of blood pressure measurements were found. The results suggest that, to include the great majority of the medical professionals, disclosure of consensus statements and techniques for blood pressure measurement should go beyond the boundaries of medical events and specialized journals.

Darwin and after Darwin. An exposition of the Darwinian theory and a discussion of post-Darwinian questions, by George John Romanes ...

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Darwin and after Darwin. An exposition of the Darwinian theory and a discussion of post-Darwinian questions, by George John Romanes ...

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Darwin and after Darwin. An exposition of the Darwinian theory and a discussion of post-Darwinian questions, by George John Romanes ...

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Theory and application of nonlinear wave propagation phenomena in combined reaction/separation processes

Reaction separation processes, reactive distillation, chromatographic reactor, equilibrium theory, nonlinear waves, process control, observer design, asymptoticaly exact input/output-linearization

Theory and measurement of social intelligence as a cognitive performance construct

Social intelligence

Characterization of the avian designer cells AGE1.CR and AGE1.CR.plX considering growth, metabolism and production of influenza virus and Modified Vaccinia Virus Ankara (MVA)

Magdeburg, Univ., Fak. für Verfahrens- und Systemtechnik, Diss., 2014

Growth, molt and survival of Palaemonetes argentinus (Decapoda, Caridea) under different light-dark conditions

Growth, survival and molting rate in Palaemonetes argentinus Nobili, 1901 were compared under different light-dark conditions. During 80 days, 150 immatures of both sexes (initial mean weight 0.09±0.002g), from Los Padres lagoon, Mar del Plata, Argentina, were maintained in aquaria at 19±0.4°C under three light conditions: 0:24, 10:14 and 13:11 (L-D). They were fed daily on an artificial diet (45% proteins, 17.2% lipids, 7% water, 7% ash). Good weight increment was obtained with the three treatments, finding a positive linear correlation between mean weight and time (0:24, r=0.97; 10:14, r=0.99; 13:11, r=0.98). There were no significant differences in the percentage increment in mean weight among the treatments (0:24, 19.3%; 10:14, 29.3% and 13:11, 26.5%) (p<0.05). Molting rate was significantly higher at a long-day photoperiod (MR=1.7) than at a short-day (MR=0.6) or continuous dark condition (MR=0.3) (p<0.05). The lowest survival was found in animals maintained under 13:11 L-D conditions (77%), being statistically different of the other two treatments (92% and 89% at 10:14 and 0:24, respectively) (p<0.05). These results suggest that the best growth and survival in P. argentinus result with a 10:14 L-D cycle, and that the growth is less affected by photoperiod than molting rate and survival.

Differences on allocation of available resources, in growth, reproduction, and survival, in an exotic gastropod of Physidae compared to an endemic one

Physa acuta Draparnaud, 1805 is an invasive gastropod that can affect local species. In Argentina, it is widespread and abundant, even in environments inhabited by the native species Stenophysa marmorata Guilding, 1828. Its predominance raises the question whether this could be explained by a more successful energy allocation in functional requirements (growth, reproduction and survival) compared to S. marmorata. This study was aimed at comparing growth rates, as well as survival and fecundity, between both species under laboratory conditions. Individuals born on the same day were grouped in four per aquaria and kept under controlled conditions of food, light, and temperature. Snails were weekly measured (maximum shell length), and growth rates were calculated using the Von Bertalanffy's equation. The number of eggs and survivors were grouped by week. Stenophysa marmorata was larger at birth than Physa acuta and invested more energy in growth, delaying sexual maturity. This resulted in a disadvantage in fecundity and survival compared to P. acuta, which had a lower growth rate but matured earlier and survived longer. Furthermore, the growth of P. acuta was not affected by reproduction, its reproductive period was longer, consequently with more eggs laid than S. marmorata.