BUILDING TOOLS FOR SOFTWARE ENGINEERING WITH ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE TECHNIQUES

In this paper we address the problem of building tools for improving the software engineering process by taking advantage of artificial intelligence techniques. More specifically, we provide a representation of the evolution of a software project by means of temporal logics. Such a representation is the basis for the construction of tools for the control and management of a software project. A system for Access and Version Control (SCAV) provides a suitable test bed for our approach. In the paper we present the formalization of the history of a software project developed under SCAV, and we show how several kinds of functionalities can be easily realized. The formalization is built within the framework of the event calculus in such a way that every step of the project development determined by the execution of a SCAV operation is described as an event in the calculus. We present an implementation of the system in PROLOG, which allows for a direct and natural formulation of the event calculus rules.     

CORRELATION AMONG METALLIC IONS,PHENOLIC COMPOUNDS AND ANTIMICROBIAL ACTION IN MEDICINAL PLANTS EXTRACTS

ABSTRACT

The extracts of three different medicinal plants –Calendula officinalis L., Maytenus ilicifolia Martius ex Reissek and Cymbopogon citratus (DC) Stapf – obtained with 70% and 95% v/v ethanol had their antimicrobial activity tested against five pathogenic microorganisms. A quantitative analysis of total phenols, flavonoids and mineral species was performed on the extracts using UV‐vis spectroscopy and atomic absorption spectroscopy. Klebsiella pneumoniae showed the greatest sensibility to the extracts tested. The mineral content of the medicinal herbs varied according to the type of plant (Cu = not detected to 10.90; Zn = 0.85 to 10.04; Na = 24.94 to 153.62; Al = 90.04 to 420.39; Mg = 9.62 to 1,129.15; Ca = 7.15 to 167.27 and K = 913.85 to 9,578.94 µg/g); however, the concentration of heavy elements (Pb, Cd and Cr) was null in the extracts. The concentrations of flavonoids ranged from 13.55 to 41.54 mg/g and 92.35 to 518.28 mg/g for phenolic acids.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

The use of plants with pharmacological activities has increased significantly because of their functional properties in the diet for the promotion of human health and antimicrobial effects. Moreover, medicinal herbs play an important role in public health, especially in developing countries. In Brazil, the use of plant extracts in the treatment of certain diseases is very common. This habit can be explained, at least in part, by the belief that herbs with therapeutic effects do not have toxic effects on the organism. In this paper, ethanolic extracts of three medicinal plants, widely cultivated and used by the population of Brazil and worldwide, had their levels of metals ions and total phenolic compounds determined. Antimicrobial activity of the extracts was evaluated against foodborne pathogens or food spoilage organisms or clinically isolates microorganisms.

     

Impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy on postnatal brain development: The potential role of glial cells

Glial cells are crucial for maintaining central nervous system (CNS) homeostasis. They actively participate in immune responses, as well as form functional barriers, such as blood-brain barrier (BBB), which restrict the entry of pathogens and inflammatory mediators into the CNS. In general, viral infections during the gestational period can alter the embryonic and fetal environment, and the related inflammatory response may affect neurodevelopment and lead to behavioral dysfunction during later stage of life, as highlighted by our group for Zika virus infection. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) induces a cytokine storm and, during pregnancy, may be related to a more severe form of the coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) and also to higher preterm birth rates. SARS-CoV-2 can also affect the CNS by inducing neurochemical remodeling in neural cells, which can compromise neuronal plasticity and synaptic function. However, the impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy on postnatal CNS, including brain development during childhood and adulthood, remains undetermined. Our group has recently highlighted the impact of COVID-19 on the expression of molecular markers associated with neuropsychiatric disorders, which are strongly related to the inflammatory response. Thus, based on these relationships, we discussed the impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection either during pregnancy or in critical periods of neurodevelopment as a risk factor for neurological consequences in the offspring later in life, focusing on the potential role of glial cells. Thus, it is important to consider future and long-term public health concerns associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy.     

CFD modelling of condensers for freeze-drying processes

The aim of the present research is the development of a computational tool for investigating condensation processes and equipment with particular attention to freeze-dryers. These condensers in fact are usually operated at very low pressures, making it difficult to experimentally acquire quantitative knowledge of all the variables involved. Mathematical modelling and CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) simulations are used here to achieve a better comprehension of the flow dynamics and of the process of ice condensation and deposition in the condenser, in order to evaluate condenser efficiency and gain deeper insights of the process to be used for the improvement of its design. Both a complete laboratory-scale freeze-drying apparatus and an industrial-scale condenser have been investigated in this work, modelling the process of water vapour deposition. Different operating conditions have been considered and the influence exerted by the inert gas as well as other parameters has been investigated.     

Evaluation of physicochemical,microbiological and sensorial characteristics of fermented milk beverages with buttermilk addition

This study evaluated three fermented milk beverages to which had been added sugar strawberry puree post‐fermentation. The base was composed of 70% of milk, with whey and buttermilk in the concentrations of 30% and 0%, 15% and 15%, and 0% and 30%, respectively. The starter culture developed well with all formulations reaching pH 4.7–4.9 in 180 min of fermentation. Lactic acid bacteria in the products were above 8 log cfu/mL throughout the study. The beverages presented similar pH, acidity and viscosity. Buttermilk and whey can be interesting ingredients to be added into fermented milk beverages, because the consumers liked all the products equally, which had an average acceptance score exceeding ‘liked moderately’.     

PERSPECTIVES IN KNOWLEDGE REPRESENTATION

In this paper we discuss recent developments in the research on knowledge representation, focusing on hybrid formalisms, nonmonotonic reasoning, and formalisms for reasoning about knowledge and reasoning in a multiagent scenario.