Nonparametric discovery of learning patterns and autism subgroups from therapeutic data

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is growing at a staggering rate, but, little is known about the cause of this condition. Inferring learning patterns from therapeutic performance data, and subsequently clustering ASD children into subgroups, is important to understand this domain, and more importantly to inform evidence-based intervention. However, this data-driven task was difficult in the past due to insufficiency of data to perform reliable analysis. For the first time, using data from a recent application for early intervention in autism (TOBY Play pad), whose download count is now exceeding 4500, we present in this paper the automatic discovery of learning patterns across 32 skills in sensory, imitation and language. We use unsupervised learning methods for this task, but a notorious problem with existing methods is the correct specification of number of patterns in advance, which in our case is even more difficult due to complexity of the data. To this end, we appeal to recent Bayesian nonparametric methods, in particular the use of Bayesian Nonparametric Factor Analysis. This model uses Indian Buffet Process (IBP) as prior on a binary matrix of infinite columns to allocate groups of intervention skills to children. The optimal number of learning patterns as well as subgroup assignments are inferred automatically from data. Our experimental results follow an exploratory approach, present different newly discovered learning patterns. To provide quantitative results, we also report the clustering evaluation against K-means and Nonnegative matrix factorization (NMF). In addition to the novelty of this new problem, we were able to demonstrate the suitability of Bayesian nonparametric models over parametric rivals.

Psychological impact of receiving genetic risk information for breast cancer, with and without lifestyle information

The psychological impact of receiving hypothetical genetic risk information for breast cancer, with and without lifestyle information, was investigated. The psychological responses included in the study were drawn from three theories of behaviour change and included perceived risk, beliefs in health behaviours, motivations to change health behaviours, and use of coping strategies. Vignettes were used to present hypothetical risk information to 198 female university students. Results indicated that lifestyle information had an impact on psychological measures, in particular, increased beliefs in health behaviours, increased motivation for exercise, and decreased rational problem solving. Suggestions for future research are discussed.

Geo-identity, urban school choice and education campaigns for public schools

Educational campaigning has received little attention in the literature. This study investigates long-term and organised urban campaigns that are collectively lobbying the Victorian State Government in Australia, for a new public high school to be constructed in their suburb. A public high school is also known as a state school, government school, or an ordinary comprehensive school. It receives the majority of its funding from the State and Federal Australian Government, and is generally regarded as ‘free’ education, in comparison to a private school. Whilst the campaigners frame their requests as for a ‘public school’, their primary appeal is for a local school in their community. This study questions how collective campaigning for a locale-specific public school is influenced by geography, class and identity. In order to explore these campaigns, I draw on formative studies of middle-class school choice from an Australian and United Kingdom perspective (Campbell, Proctor, & Sherington, 2009; Reay, Crozier, & James, 2011). To think about the role of geography and space in these processes of choice, I look to apply Harvey’s (1973) theory of absolute, relational and relative space. I use Bourdieu (1999b) as a sociological lens that is attentive to “site effects” and it is through this lens that I think about class as a “collection of properties” (Bourdieu, 1984, p. 106), actualised via mechanisms of identity and representation (Hall, 1996; Rose, 1996a, 1996b). This study redresses three distinct gaps in the literature: first, I focus attention on a contemporary middle-class choice strategy—that is, collective campaigning for a public school. Research within this field is significantly under-developed, despite this choice strategy being on the rise. Second, previous research argues that certain middle-class choosers regard the local public school as “inferior” in some way (Reay, et al., 2011, p. 111), merely acting as a “safety net” (Campbell, et al., 2009, p. 5) and connected to the working-class chooser (Reay & Ball, 1997). The campaigners are characteristic of the middle-class school chooser, but they are purposefully and strategically seeking out the local public school. Therefore, this study looks to build on work by Reay, et al. (2011) in thinking about “against-the-grain school choice”, specifically within the Australian context. Third, this study uses visual and graphic methods in order to examine the influence of geography in the education market (Taylor, 2001). I see the visualisation of space and schooling that I offer in this dissertation as a key theoretical contribution of this study. I draw on a number of data sets, both qualitative and quantitative, to explore the research questions. I interviewed campaigners and attended campaign meetings as participant observer; I collected statistical data from fifteen different suburbs and schools, and conducted comparative analyses of each. These analyses are displayed by using visual graphs. This study uses maps created by a professional graphic designer and photographs by a professional photographer; I draw on publications by the campaigners themselves, such as surveys, reports and social media; but also, interviews with campaigners that are published in local or state newspapers. The multiple data sets enable an immersive and rich graphic ethnography. This study contributes by building on understandings of how particular sociological cohorts of choosers are engaging with, and choosing, the urban public school in Australia. It is relevant for policy making, in that it comes at a time of increasing privatisation and a move toward independent public schools. This study identifies cohorts of choosers that are employing individual and collective political strategies to obtain a specific school, and it identifies this cohort via explicit class-based characteristics and their school choice behaviours. I look to use fresh theoretical and methodological approaches that emphasise space and geography, theorising geo-identity and the pseudo-private school

Children's play in the Australian Indigenous context: the need for a contemporary view

Despite an extensive search, very little literature was found on Australian Indigenous children’s play, and more specifically pretend play. Most of the literature found was written in the period from 1840 to the 1950s and was primarily descriptive. We argue that the literature found on Australian Indigenous children’s play could be interpreted through the prominent classical theories of the day. These theories emphasized the value of play in preparing children for adulthood. The literature is silent in regard to the value and significance of play in Indigenous Australian culture and on the contribution of play to children’s developmental skills such as language, cognition, problem-solving, literacy and learning. This paper presents a review of the available literature and argues for an analysis of contemporary Australian Indigenous children’s play which values play in the development of the child and interprets play behavior within an Indigenous cultural framework.

Students and staff perceptions of project/design based learning in an engineering curriculum

This paper focuses on the students and staff perceptions of project/design-based learning in an engineering curriculum. Engineering at Deakin University has used project/design based learning as one of its engineering learning principles for further development in learning and teaching. It is required to improve the learning and teaching process as a holistic approach from the perspective of students’ and staff over the entire degree program. Engaging students are an important aspect of the project/design based learning model which it helps students to be self-directed active learners. A project/design based learning environment helps a curriculum to practice career related skills for students, such as practical learning, problem solving, collaborative teamwork, innovative creative designs, active learning, and engagement with real-world assignments. The focus of this paper is to analyse the impact of project/design-based learning in an engineering curriculum. From the quantitative and qualitative analysis performed, the results are analysed and presented from a students’ and staff perspective about project/design based learning within the curriculum. This paper is also concerned with enhancing staff and students engagement through project/design based learning. The feedback was sought from students on project/design-based learning. Additional feedback is also needed from staff members who teach and perform research in engineering design. The survey results shows more than 50% of students and 75% of staff views on project/design based learning proven that the impact of project/design based learning is helps to enhance of student and staff interaction in the School of Engineering at Deakin University.

Ensaio sobre o agente racional: esparadrapos para um paciente terminal?

The Rational Agent model have been a foundational basis for theoretical models such as Economics, Management Science, Artificial Intelligence and Game Theory, mainly by the ¿maximization under constraints¿ principle, e.g. the ¿Expected Utility Models¿, among them, the Subjective Expected Utility (SEU) Theory, from Savage, placed as most influence player over theoretical models we¿ve seen nowadays, even though many other developments have been done, indeed also in non-expected utility theories field. Having the ¿full rationality¿ assumption, going for a less idealistic sight ¿bounded rationality¿ of Simon, or for classical anomalies studies, such as the ¿heuristics and bias¿ analysis by Kahneman e Tversky, ¿Prospect Theory¿ also by Kahneman & Tversky, or Thaler¿s Anomalies, and many others, what we can see now is that Rational Agent Model is a ¿Management by Exceptions¿ example, as for each new anomalies¿s presentation, in sequence, a ¿problem solving¿ development is needed. This work is a theoretical essay, which tries to understand: 1) The rational model as a ¿set of exceptions¿; 2) The actual situation unfeasibility, since once an anomalie is identified, we need it¿s specific solution developed, and since the number of anomalies increases every year, making strongly difficult to manage rational model; 3) That behaviors judged as ¿irrationals¿ or deviated, by the Rational Model, are truly not; 4) That¿s the right moment to emerge a Theory including mental processes used in decision making; and 5) The presentation of an alternative model, based on some cognitive and experimental psychology analysis, such as conscious and uncounscious processes, cognition, intuition, analogy-making, abstract roles, and others. Finally, we present conclusions and future research, that claims for deeper studies in this work¿s themes, for mathematical modelling, and studies about a rational analysis and cognitive models possible integration. .

Applying negotiation skills in the design of public policies: analysis of the city of São Paulo’s invoice program

The author argues that by applying problem-solving negotiation skills in the design of public policies, public administrators benefit from more effective and wide-ranging outcomes in the realization of their goals. In order to demonstrate this idea, the author analyzes how negotiation skills – such as identifying key actors and their interests, recognizing hardbargaining tactics and changing the players, knowing your best alternative, creating value and building trust – permeated and contributed to the success of the City of São Paulo’s Invoice Program (“Programa Nota Fiscal Paulistana”), a public policy aimed at combating tax evasion of service tax in the City of São Paulo.

Graphical constraints: a graphical user interface for constraint problems

A constraint satisfaction problem is a classical artificial intelligence paradigm characterized by a set of variables (each variable with an associated domain of possible values), and a set of constraints that specify relations among subsets of these variables. Solutions are assignments of values to all variables that satisfy all the constraints. Many real world problems may be modelled by means of constraints. The range of problems that can use this representation is very diverse and embraces areas like resource allocation, scheduling, timetabling or vehicle routing. Constraint programming is a form of declarative programming in the sense that instead of specifying a sequence of steps to execute, it relies on properties of the solutions to be found, which are explicitly defined by constraints. The idea of constraint programming is to solve problems by stating constraints which must be satisfied by the solutions. Constraint programming is based on specialized constraint solvers that take advantage of constraints to search for solutions. The success and popularity of complex problem solving tools can be greatly enhanced by the availability of friendly user interfaces. User interfaces cover two fundamental areas: receiving information from the user and communicating it to the system; and getting information from the system and deliver it to the user. Despite its potential impact, adequate user interfaces are uncommon in constraint programming in general. The main goal of this project is to develop a graphical user interface that allows to, intuitively, represent constraint satisfaction problems. The idea is to visually represent the variables of the problem, their domains and the problem constraints and enable the user to interact with an adequate constraint solver to process the constraints and compute the solutions. Moreover, the graphical interface should be capable of configure the solver’s parameters and present solutions in an appealing interactive way. As a proof of concept, the developed application – GraphicalConstraints – focus on continuous constraint programming, which deals with real valued variables and numerical constraints (equations and inequalities). RealPaver, a state-of-the-art solver in continuous domains, was used in the application. The graphical interface supports all stages of constraint processing, from the design of the constraint network to the presentation of the end feasible space solutions as 2D or 3D boxes.

Avaliação de efetividade do centro de reabilitação de adultos - CRA/NATAL/RN

Public services with an emphasis on rehabilitation treatment of disabled people, as established law, have aimed to ensure quality and equity assistance in a rehabilitation way to the segment highlighted. As for people with physical disabilities, the Unified Health System (hereby SUS) through the directive GM/ MS No. 818 of 2001, requires the creation of hierarchical and regionalized services networks at different levels of complexity to ensure appropriate assistance. This study whose title is Evaluation of effectiveness of the Adult Rehabilitation Center in Rn: elements for a discussion aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of rehabilitation services that institution, reference in the State of Rio Grande do Norte, has directed its patients, more specifically those who have had a stroke and therefore are disabled ones. From the standpoint of methodological conduction, it was prioritized a qualitative and empirical theoretical research which was carried out from the following courses: literature references with authors who are the themes pertaining to rehabilitation, inclusion, public policy evaluation, health policy and disability; documentary research through Regulation of Technical Procedures, files, records, informative booklets that were of great importance to the knowledge of the institution, as well as its functioning and dynamics of field research that was materialized with the managers, rehabilitation staff and Center s users, through the application of semi-structured interviews as a tool for data collection. The information obtained was analyzed from the critical analysis of discourse. As a result, it was identified some technical, administrative and financial difficulties which have obliterated the effectiveness of services provided, such as: lack of many professionals to meet existing demand, poor quality of equipment and the physical structure, limits on autonomy management as a result of dependence along with the SESAP/RN; besides the excessive bureaucratization in the administrative processes compromising Center s problem-solving needs. However, in the narratives of managers, rehabilitation staff of patients, despite the difficulties, treatment made by Centre has effectiveness to the extent that has been contributing even in a limited way to improve their quality of life

Agir, aprender, formar, intervir, agir uma experiência dos consultores internos na gestão do conhecimento da Petrobrás UN-RNCE

This research aims at studying the formation of internal consultants in organizational setting in the joint resolution of problems, around the conversion of knowledge. The objective of research is to understand and explain the meanings attributed by Petrobras internal consultants to their practice and training for the conversion process of tacit knowledge into explicit, around the joint resolution of their problems with their collaborators. It has directed the next question: what the meanings assigned by the consultants of Unidade de Negócios Rio Grande do Norte e Ceara (UN-RNCE) in Knowledge Management (KM), for their interventionist and formative practices in problem solving, as well as conversion of tacit knowledge in explicit? This paper has assumed that there is a dual logic integrated into its daily practices: solving troubles and converting knowledge. The thesis has considered the daily practices of these consultants are characterized as epistemic spaces and permanent education through the conversion of knowledge. It has adopted the principles of multi-referential approach as foundations, regarding the translation of a variety of angles, perspectives and prospects which allow the interpretation and understanding of complex issues that are part of conversion of knowledge. The understanding and explanation of the senses are based on the methodology of the comprehensive interview; taking ownership is the sensitive listening for comprehensive interpretation of oral discourses of ten consultants, in addition to the autoscopy that putting into practice, thus, the stance of the researcher as an intellectual craftsman. Furthermore, it has assessed that the limits and possibilities for training and learning in the conversion of knowledge arise, on one hand from a predominantly driven training culture by the paradigm of technical rationality and one the other hand, from a set of relationship to knowledge and relation to know , revealed in the search for training in other dimensions. There are tensions between the local and global demands located in a situation marked by a systemic organization of knowledge. However, the context is perceived by researchers as impregnated by the discontinuity, unpredictability and uncertainty; mobilizing a number of elements necessary for the mediation in training practices of these consultants. Finally, it has set an instrumental and technological support, restricting the formation and undermining the position of the consultancy as nuclear function in Knowledge Management

Navegando nas ondas dos saberes do ser: uma conversa com a sexualidade à luz da corporeidade.

This study aimed to provide a continuing education towards raising teachers for reflection and effective sexual education within the school environment as a possible route of self-education and training of teachers of elementary school. More specifically aim to facilitate through the Continuing Education to discuss the knowledge of the body and knowledge of human sexuality, presenting them as core knowledge in the integral formation of individuals and promote discussion of a Human-centered education Teaching in a vocational training and human .In this sense, we dialogue with the human teaching preconized by Arroyo (2002, 2004) along with the humanization (hominization) of the individuals through education, under Freire´s perspective of the being more (2003) as well as his ideas, Pineau´s (2003) and Josso´s (2004) about the educational practice understanding as a way to build up the autonomy of the individuals who we intend to educate. We defend the inclusion of the body as an essential learning element according to the principles of corporeity presented by Assman (2001), whose comprehension is that every learning experience has a corporal inscription. Furthermore, the knowledge about human sexuality cannot be excluded from this process since the sexuality is inherent of individuals and is constructed and reconstructed during their existence. Our view of the world and of man is supported by the knowledge of the complexity (Morim, 2004) trying to surpass the mechanist view that sees them through the duality view, fragmenting them. For the discussion and construction of knowledge that search for the confluence of these knowledges about the being and the educational practice, aiming at the individual integral formation starting from the process of self-formation/self-knowledge, we´ve directed our research-action-formation having as compass the theoretical-methodological postulate of the research-action (Barbier, 2002; Morin, 2004; Thiollent, 2004) because it makes the participation of all the involved people in the process of resolution or surpassing of problem solving possible. We´ve used the continuing formation as a way of access for data collection, applying a questionnaire with open questions for the ones involved in the research. Based on the findings it´s been possible to infer that for the teaching formation it is necessary the inclusion of the Human sexuality and corporeity theme, so that the teacher can surpass the biological view of sexuality and also the expansion of the mechanist view of the body. To do so, we suggest that the teaching formation happens supported by the teaching capacitation and formation according to Maturana (2004), bringing teaching knowledges (Tardiff, 2002), which contribute effectively for the responsibility to educate people for life.

O projeto politico pedagógico de enfermagem e o sistema único de saúde: a visão de discentes

This research aims to analyze, in the view of students, the pedagogic project of undergraduate nursing course, of UFRN, and its articulation with the SUS, in an attempt to understand the issues that permeate the teaching and learning of nursing. This is a qualitative study that used the focus group technique as a tool to collect empirical data. There were three meetings, where we had the collaboration of 23 graduating students from the eighth period of the semester 2009.1. For the analysis of information, we use a theoretical framework based on curriculum guidelines and basic principles of the SUS, making the analogy of the results with the metaphor of Greek mythology, Ariadne's thread, in dialogue with authors who discuss education as a transformative practice. Thus, the texture of the yarn was built of five thematic fields: joint the pedagogic project with the SUS; the teaching/service and theory/practice relation; interdisciplinarity or transdisciplinarity; didactic/methodological and relational approaches; and co-participation of students in the pedagogic project. According to the discussions, we find many difficulties in the teaching and learning process of undergraduate nursing in UFRN to strengthen the SUS, including: dislocation of educational institutions with services, professionals, managers and community; dichotomy between theory and practice; reality of services as a learning field and working process in health; posture adopted by professionals, teachers and other subjects included in the process of health education; decontextualization and fragmentation of teaching with the practice in health and nursing; excessive use of very illustrative methodologies, but little problem-solving; difficult and precarious situation in the relations between teachers and between teachers/students, regarding the acceptance of differences; absence of participation of students in the evaluation process and conduct of the educational project in progress. In this sense, we understand the need an auto-reflexive act of teaching and conducting collective pedagogical course with a view to achieving the SUS. Thus, it is necessary to support practices motivated by the polyphonic dialogue and the exercise of symbiosis and autopoiesis of subjects/actors jointly responsible for the ongoing process of learning for life.

Reinternações psiquiátricas no Rio Grande do Norte: implicações e impacto das novas estratégias de atenção à saúde mental

The Brazilian Psychiatric Reform based on the desinstitucionalization of the assistance, translated to the emphasis on community/territorial treatment and in the social inclusion of the mental suffering, promoted advances in the psychiatric restructuring. In the Rio Grande do Norte (RN), we can enumerate as advances of the Brazilian Psychiatric Reform the expansion of the mental health care chain and the implementation of some strategies that, together, aims to further the psychosocial attention of the individual with psych suffering and to reduce the indices of psychiatrics readmissions in the state. In the current Brazilian‟s mental health situation we were interesting in answered the following question: what the impact of the substitutes services‟ extension in the revolving door phenomenon? This search aims to analyze the revolving door phenomenon occurrences based on the news strategies of mental health care in the Rio Grande do Norte. This is a descriptive-exploratory study with a qualitative approach, oriented by the theoretical framework of critical-dialectical approach about the Brazilian Psychiatric Reform and using the thematic oral history as method of information collects. The search was realized on the Hospital João Machado (HJM), estate reference in psychiatric treatment, and the participants was 20 professionals that work on it. The collection of information had started after the approval of the UFRN Research Ethics Committee with the opinion number 216/2011 and CAAE number 0021.0.051.000-11 and was realized using the direct observation and semi-structured interview. The study‟s results were categorized in two categories and five subcategories of analysis. CATEGORY 1) Current situation of the mental health care chain in the RN, with the subcategories: 1.1 Impact of the new services of mental health care in the revolving door phenomenon in the RN; 1.2 Implications of the new services of mental health care in assisting user to the HJM; 1.3 Issues the permeate the mental health care chain in the RN. CATEORY 2) Main causes of the revolving door phenomenon in HJM, with the categories: 2.1 Family problems; 2.2 Lack of assistance after discharge from psychiatric hospital. In summary, we conclude that the extension of the mental health care chain contributed for the reduction of the psychiatrics re-hospitalization‟s indices in RN. However, we realized that territorial services of mental health care are not the only responsible for the revolving door phenomenon. Factors as family problems and the disarticulation of the assistance after the discharge from hospital influence on the perpetuation of hospitalizations and re-hospitalizations in the local scenario. To study the revolving door phenomenon that occur in the psychiatrics‟ assistance considering the news strategies of mental health care allowed us to approach the advances and challenges brought by the RPb and by the desinstitucionatization in the state, indicating the need for further discussions and problem-solving strategies of psychosocial care.

Ensino do processo de enfermagem: visão dos discentes de graduação de Natal/RN

The nursing process (NP) it s the systematized way of offering humanized care with the objective of reaching the expected results. The concern of the health and education institutions of elaborating implementation strategies of it is growing. The objective of this research was to know the vision of the senior students of the nursing graduation courses from Natal/RN, about the teaching of the NP. It s about a descriptive and exploratory study of the qualitative and quantitative type, done in five teaching institutions of the undergraduate nursing course of the municipality of Natal- RN in 2011. The research was composed by 48 students of the last 2 years of the nursing course. The gathering of the data was done through an online survey with open and closed questions via SurveyMonkey. For the quantitative data it was used the descriptive statistics from Microsoft Office Excel and for the qualitative data the Content Analysis of Bardin. The results pointed a predominance of female students (81,25%) with an age between 21- 39 years old (75,00%) and in the last year of the course (62,50%). As the opinion of the students about the NP two categories emerged: 1) Nursing Process as grounded method in scientific knowledge and established in two stages; 2) Nursing Assistance Quality, with two subcategories: Nursing Process as Nursing Practice and Nursing Process as instrument of improvement of the aid quality and promotion of well-being. In relation to the tuition of the NP the students (45,83%) said that the knowledge on the subject of the instructor was good; 81,25% reported that the professors use a traditional teaching methodology with the problem solving components and 45,83% answered that is addressed in specific disciplines in an isolated way starting from the professional line. The phase of NP that the nursing students have more difficulties of learning and implementing, being mentioned 22 times (29,70%). In relation to the student s difficulties, in the fields of supervised internships, in applying the NP it was stated for 83,50% that the barriers were related to the non implementation of the practice, overwork and the lack of trust of the nurse in the NP. The teaching-care strategies described as the internship fields were: the training of nurses to be able to contribute with the University in the implementation of the service and teaching; and the need of the universities to focus, continuously throughout the course, the NP with the involvement and incentive of the instructors in this process. These results show that the NP for the nursing students is a work methodology of the profession that needs to be implemented effectively in the practical reality for its teaching to turn effective and for the future professionals to be able to bring real contributions in the achievement of systematized actions trying to improve the assistance quality and the nursing actions. It is expected that this study could help bringing some strategies to facilitate the merging between theory and practice in teaching the NP and stimulate a discussion about the topic at the Nursing Schools where the research was held together with the coordinators, instructors and students