Pyramo P Costa - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Pyramo P Costa

Learning in Non-Stationary Environments, 2012

Physical systems change over time and usually produce considerable amount of nonstationary data. ... more Physical systems change over time and usually produce considerable amount of nonstationary data. Evolving modeling of time varying systems requires adaptive and flexible procedures to deal with heterogeneous data. Granular computing provides a rich framework for modeling time varying systems using nonstationary granular data streams. This work considers interval granular objects to accommodate essential information from data streams and simplify complex real world problems. We briefly discuss a new class of problems emerging in data stream mining where data may be either singular or granular. Particularly, we emphasize interval data and interval modeling framework. Interval-based evolving modeling (IBeM) approach recursively adapts both parameters and structure of rulebased models. IBeM uses ∪-closure granular structures to approximate functions. In general, approximand functions can be time series, decision boundaries between classes, control or regression functions. Essentially, IBeM accesses data sequentially and discards previous examples; incoming data may trigger structural adaptation of models. The IBeM learning algorithm evolves and updates rules quickly to track system and environment changes. Experiments using heterogeneous streams of meteorological and financial data are performed to show the usefulness of the IBeM approach in actual scenarios.

The Journal of Immunology

γδ T lymphocytes are thought to play a role in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS) contri... more γδ T lymphocytes are thought to play a role in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS) contributing to demyelinization and fibrosis in the central nervous system. In this study, we show that, in MS patients with active disease, the percentage of circulating Vδ2+ γδ T cells coexpressing NKRP1A is significantly increased compared with healthy donors. Vδ2+ and Vδ1+ T cells were sorted from MS patients and healthy volunteers and cloned. At variance with Vδ1+ clones, all Vδ2+ clones expressed NKRP1A, which was strongly up-regulated upon culture with IL-12; this effect was neutralized by specific anti-IL-12 Abs. No up-regulation of NKRP1A by IL-12 was noted on Vδ1+ clones. RNase protection assay showed that IL-12R β2 subunit transcript was significantly less represented in Vδ1+ than Vδ2+ clones. This finding may explain the different effect exerted by IL-12 on these clones. In transendothelial migration assays, Vδ2+ NKRP1A+ clones migrated more effectively than Vδ1+ clones, and this m...

Value in Health, 2005

The International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), a condition-specific questionnaire originally ad... more The International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), a condition-specific questionnaire originally addressed to men, comprises seven items investigating symptoms (summed into a total score), plus 1 item on quality of life (QoL). The IPSS was translated into Italian and adapted to women. The soobtained W-IPSS was thus validated by the FLOW study group in a sample of Italian women with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). METHODS: The validation process consisted of forward and backward translation, test of comprehension, discriminant validity and test-retest reliability. A first set of women was interviewed after filling-in the questionnaire and a comprehension rate was built as the percentage of correctly understood questions and pre-coded answers. A case-control study was then performed. Women aged °18 year affected by LUTS for at least three months and with negative dipstick were consecutively enrolled as cases. Controls were defined as healthy women of comparable age. In order to evaluate reliability, cases were retested after seven days from baseline and a correlation analysis was performed (Pearson's r). Discriminant validity was assessed by comparing the scores of cases and controls with ANOVA. RESULTS: During the translation process the QoL question about "prostate symptoms" was changed into "urinary symptoms" to adapt the IPSS to a female population (now "W-IPSS"). The comprehension rate obtained on 15 women was 86%. Eighty cases and 80 controls were then enrolled at baseline. All cases were eligible for the test-retest. Pearson's coefficient between ratings was 0.81 for the symptom score and 0.89 for QoL. Cases and controls were discriminated by ANOVA (p < 0.001) for all items. CONCLUSION: Women-IPSS shows overall a satisfactory comprehension rate, a good test-retest reliability and high discriminant validity.

Animal : an international journal of animal bioscience, 2015

The aim of this study was to evaluate the carcass and meat characteristics of eight muscles from ... more The aim of this study was to evaluate the carcass and meat characteristics of eight muscles from bulls with distinct growth paths. A total of 40 Alentejana male calves were allocated to two distinct feeding regimes. In the continuous growth (CG) system, the animals were fed concentrates plus hay and were slaughtered at 18 months of age. On the other hand, in the discontinuous growth (DG) system, the animals were fed hay until 15 months of age; the cattle were then fed the same diet provided to the CG group from 15 to 24 months of age. The DG reduced hot carcass weight, fatness and dressing %, but the proportions of fat, bone and muscle tissues in the leg were not affected. In contrast, there was a positive impact of compensatory growth on supraspinatus, triceps brachii, semitendinosus, biceps femoris muscle tenderness, overcoming the negative effects of age at slaughter. The reasons for such improvement in meat tenderness were not related to intra-muscular fat content or myofibrilla...

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Progrès en urologie : journal de l'Association française d'urologie et de la Société française d'urologie, 2009

Numerous epidemiological studies in recent years have involved the search for the principal risk ... more Numerous epidemiological studies in recent years have involved the search for the principal risk factors of genitourinary prolapse. Although it has been agreed for a long time that vaginal delivery increases the risk of prolapse (proof level 1), on the other hand, the Cesarian section cannot be considered a completely effective preventative method (proof level 2). The pregnancy itself is a risk factor for prolapse (proof level 2). Certain obstetrical conditions contribute to the alterations of the perineal floor muscle: a foetus weighing more than four kilos, the use of instruments at birth (proof level 3). If the risk of prolapse increases with age, intrication with hormonal factors is important (proof level 2). The role of hormonal replacement therapy remains controversial. Antecedent pelvic surgery has also been identified as a risk factor (proof level 2). Other varying acquired factors have been documented. Obesity (BMI and abdominal perimeter), professional activity and intense...

European Journal of Cancer Supplements, 2010

Background: Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL) belong to the seventh most common cancer in Europe and con... more Background: Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL) belong to the seventh most common cancer in Europe and constitute the tenth most commonly diagnosed cancer worldwide. Apart from risk factors such as certain infectious agents and immunodeficiency syndromes, genetic variants related to immunity have been associated with lymphomagenesis. Previous studies suggested an important role of the JAK-STAT signalling pathway in tumour development. Therefore, we explored genetic variants in the JAK-STAT pathway associated with lymphoma risk. Material and Methods: In total, 1481 lymphoma cases and 1491 age, sex and study centre matched controls of the EpiLymph study, a multi-centre case-control study on the aetiology of lymphomas among adults in Europe, were genotyped for 1536 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) using GoldenGate BeadArray TM Technology (Illumina, San Diego, CA). Association between selected SNPs and haplotypes of the JAK-STAT pathway and risk of Hodgkin lymphoma (HL), NHL and most frequent NHL subtypes were estimated by calculating Odds Ratios (OR), the corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI) and p-values using unconditional logistic regression using SAS (version 9.2). Results: Among 220 relevant JAK-STAT pathway SNPs, polymorphisms in several genes (STAT3, STAT6, IFNG, BMF, STAT5A) were significantly associated with lymphoma risk. Reduced risk for NHL overall and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and follicular lymphoma (FL) were seen in association with seven STAT3 SNPs in high linkage disequilibrium and respective haplotypes. Variant rs4103200 conferred an about 20% reduced NHL risk (OR CG 0.79, 95% CI 0.66-0.94, OR GG of 0.78, 95% CI 0.66-0.91, ptrend = 0.002). Reduced risk in association with this variant was also evident for DLBCL and FL. A putatively functional variant in STAT6 previously associated with IgE levels (rs324011) was inversely associated with HL risk (OR TC/CC : 0.61, 95% CI 0.45-0.82, p = 0.001). Conclusion: Our results implicate a relevant role of the JAK-STAT signalling in the development of lymphoma. Furthermore, our data support previously found associations between genetic variants of STAT genes and immune phenotypes.

Progrès en Urologie, 2012

Thibault et al. sexuelle (p ≤ 0,05). La sévérité des symptômes pelviens étaient corrélés à un évi... more Thibault et al. sexuelle (p ≤ 0,05). La sévérité des symptômes pelviens étaient corrélés à un évitement des activités sexuelles (p ≤ 0,01), à l'existence de dyspareunies (p ≤ 0,05) ainsi qu'à l'altération qualitative de l'orgasme (p ≤ 0,05). Conclusion.-La sévérité clinique d'un prolapsus n'était pas associée à une altération de la sexualité. En revanche, la sévérité des symptômes urinaires, pelviens et ano-rectaux coexistant avec le prolapsus étaient associée à une altération de la sexualité du couple.

Proceedings of the Third ACM Symposium on Cloud Computing, 2012

The disconnect between the resource-centric interface exposed by today's cloud providers and tena... more The disconnect between the resource-centric interface exposed by today's cloud providers and tenant goals hurts both entities. Tenants are encumbered by having to translate their performance and cost goals into the corresponding resource requirements, while providers suffer revenue loss due to uninformed resource selection by tenants. Instead, we argue for a "job-centric" cloud whereby tenants only specify high-level goals regarding their jobs and applications. To illustrate our ideas, we present Bazaar, a cloud framework offering a jobcentric interface for data analytics applications. Bazaar allows tenants to express high-level goals and predicts the resources needed to achieve them. Since multiple resource combinations may achieve the same goal, Bazaar chooses the combination most suitable for the provider. Using large-scale simulations and deployment on a Hadoop cluster, we demonstrate that Bazaar enables a symbiotic tenant-provider relationship. Tenants achieve their performance goals. At the same time, holistic resource selection benefits providers in the form of increased goodput.

2014 9th International Conference on the Quality of Information and Communications Technology, 2014

This paper presents a study aiming to assess the feasibility of using the Pattern Based GUI Testi... more This paper presents a study aiming to assess the feasibility of using the Pattern Based GUI Testing approach, PBGT, to test mobile applications. PBGT is a new model based testing approach that aims to increase systematization, reusability and diminish the effort in modelling and testing. It is based on the concept of User Interface Test Patterns (UITP) that contain generic test strategies for testing common recurrent behaviour, the so-called UI Patterns, on GUIs through its possible different implementations after a configuration step. Although PBGT was developed having web applications in mind, it is possible to develop drivers for other platforms in order to test a wide set of applications. However, web and mobile applications are different and only the development of a new driver to execute test cases over mobile applications may not be enough. This paper describes a study aiming to identify the adaptations and updates the PBGT should undergo in order to test mobile applications.

Progrès en Urologie, 2009

Les avantages de la voie vaginale dans le traitement de la cystocèle sont connus : simplicité, ra... more Les avantages de la voie vaginale dans le traitement de la cystocèle sont connus : simplicité, rapidité, absence de passage intrapéritonal. Les techniques de raphie donnent lieu à des récidives fréquentes et les spinofixations à des décompensations d'autres compartiments. Enfin les cystocèles touchent tous les segments de soutien du hamac vaginal décrit par Delancey. C'est pourquoi il semble logique de proposer des implants de substitution au support naturel déficient, ce sont les matériaux de renfort. Ceux-ci couvrent la totalité du défect fascial. Les implants peuvent être biologiques, synthétiques résorbables ou synthétiques non résorbables. La mise en place requiert une incision vaginale courte, le respect de l'utérus s'il n'est pas pathologique, l'absence de résection de paroi vaginale. L'implant peut être posé, mais la fixation par kit avec quatre bras transobturateurs est actuellement l'option la plus fréquente. Globalement, la mise en place d'implants montre une diminution significative de la récidive de la cystocèle. Les complications sont devenues rares avec l'amélioration de la technique et des implants. Les principales complications à distance sont l'érosion (3 à 4 % des cas) ou la rétraction (11 % des cas). Les implants sont un progrès dans la cure de la cystocèle par voie vaginale, mais il s'agit d'une chirurgie en évolution qui demande une expertise de la voie vaginale et la tenue de registre.

Psicologia: Reflexão e Crítica, 2014

The aim of this study was to assess the psychometric properties (validity and reliability) of the... more The aim of this study was to assess the psychometric properties (validity and reliability) of the Portuguese adaptation of the NEO Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI) and to compare the obtained structure to the original North American version. The methods of analysis used for cross-validation of the factorial structure were the Principal Axis Factoring (PAF) and the Confi rmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). PAF reproduced the original structure of NEO-FFI and CFA revealed a satisfactory fi t of single-factor models for the fi ve dimensions. The reliability analysis showed high values of internal consistency which are congruent with previous international adaptations of the NEO-FFI. Multidimensional analysis showed signifi cant main effects of gender and academic qualifi cations on personality using age as covariant. The fi ndings suggest that the Portuguese version of the NEO-FFI is a reliable instrument to measure the fi ve dimensions of personality.

The Service Industries Journal, 2008

On n ' 'C Cr re ea at ti iv ve e C Ci it ti ie es s' ' g go ov ve er rn na an nc ce e m mo od de ... more On n ' 'C Cr re ea at ti iv ve e C Ci it ti ie es s' ' g go ov ve er rn na an nc ce e m mo od de el ls s: : a a c co om mp pa ar ra at ti iv ve e a ap pp pr ro oa ac ch h P Pe ed dr ro o C Co os st ta a, , M Mi ig gu ue el l M Ma ag ga al lh hã ãe es s, , B Br ru un no o V Va as sc co on nc ce el lo os s e e G Gu us st ta av vo o S Su ug ga ah ha ar ra a D De ez ze em mb br ro o d de e 2

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 1997

Receptor subunits for the neurocytokine ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) share sequence similar... more Receptor subunits for the neurocytokine ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) share sequence similarity with the receptor for leptin, an adipocyte-derived cytokine involved in body weight homeostasis. We report here that CNTF and leptin activate a similar pattern of STAT factors in neuronal cells, and that mRNAs for CNTF receptor subunits, similarly to the mRNA of leptin receptor, are localized in mouse hypothalamic nuclei involved in the regulation of energy balance. Systemic administration of CNTF or leptin led to rapid induction of the tis-11 primary response gene in the arcuate nucleus, suggesting that both cytokines can signal to hypothalamic satiety centers. Consistent with this idea, CNTF treatment of ob / ob mice, which lack functional leptin, was found to reduce the adiposity, hyperphagia, and hyperinsulinemia associated with leptin deficiency. Unlike leptin, CNTF also reduced obesity-related phenotypes in db / db mice, which lack functional leptin receptor, and in mice with d...

Physical Review C, 2004

We study the anomalous decays π 0 , η → γγ in the framework of the three-flavor Nambu-Jona-Lasini... more We study the anomalous decays π 0 , η → γγ in the framework of the three-flavor Nambu-Jona-Lasinio [NJL] model at finite temperature. The similarities and differences between these results and those obtained at zero temperature and finite density are discussed. In both cases the lifetimes of these mesons decrease significantly at the critical point, although this might not be sufficient to observe enhancement of these decays in heavy-ion collisions.

MHR: Basic science of reproductive medicine, 2008

Genomic imprinting marks in the male germ line are already established in the adult germinal stem... more Genomic imprinting marks in the male germ line are already established in the adult germinal stem cell population. We studied the methylation patterns of H19 and MEST imprinted genes in sperm of control and oligozoospermic patients, by bisulphite genomic sequencing. We here report that 7 out of 15 (46.7%) patients with a sperm count below 10 3 10 6 /ml display defective methylation of H19 and/or MEST imprinted genes. In these cases, hypomethylation was observed in 5.54% (1.2-8.3%) and complete unmethylation in 2.95% (0-5.9%) of H19 clones. Similarly, for the CTCF-binding site 6, hypomethylation occurred in 4.8% (1.2-8.9%) and complete unmethylation in 3.7% (0-6.9%) of the clones. Conversely, hypermethylation occurred in 8.3% (3.8-12.2%) and complete methylation in 6.1% (3.8-7.6%) of MEST clones. Of the seven patients presenting imprinting errors, two had both H19 hypomethylation and MEST hypermethylation, whereas five displayed only one imprinted gene affected. The frequency of patients with MEST hypermethylation was highest in the severe oligozoospermia group (2/5 patients), whereas H19 hypomethylation was more frequent in the moderate oligozoospermia (2/5 patients). In all cases, global sperm genome methylation analysis (LINE1 transposon) suggested that defects were specific for imprinted genes. These findings could contribute to an explanation of the cause of Silver-Russell syndrome in children born with H19 hypomethylation after assisted reproductive technologies (ART). Additionally, unmethylation of the CTCF-binding site could lead to inactivation of the paternal IGF2 gene, and be linked to decreased embryo quality and birth weight, often associated with ART.

Livestock Science, 2009

Fiber type and nutrient compositions from Biceps femoris (Bf), Longissimus dorsi (Ld) and Suprasp... more Fiber type and nutrient compositions from Biceps femoris (Bf), Longissimus dorsi (Ld) and Supraspinatus (Ss) muscles of 10 Barrosã calves were determined and the respective relationships investigated by principal component analysis (PCA). The Ss muscle had higher proportion of type IIA fibers than Bf (P < 0.001) and Ld (P < 0.01), higher percentage of oxidative fibers than Ld muscle (P < 0.01) and lower proportion of IIB fibers than Bf (P < 0.001) and Ld (P < 0.01). The latter muscle had higher intramuscular total lipids (ITL) (P < 0.01), neutral lipids (NL) (P < 0.01), C18:2c9t11-CLA (P < 0.001), saturated fatty acids (SFA) (P < 0.001), trans fatty acids (TFA) (P < 0.001) and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) (P < 0.01) contents than its counterparts. In contrast, Bf and Ss muscles had higher proportions of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) (P < 0.001), n-6 PUFA (P < 0.001), n-3 PUFA (P < 0.01), polyunsaturated/saturated fatty acids ratio (P/S) (P < 0.001) and hypocholesterolaemic/hypercholesterolaemic fatty acid ratio (h/H) (P < 0.001) than Ld muscle. The higher iron (P < 0.001) and phospholipids (PL) (P < 0.05) contents were found in Ss muscle. Cholesterol amount was unaffected by anatomical location and ranged from 0.50 to 0.54 mg/g. Barrosã muscles were not well distinguishable by PCA since, based on fiber and nutritional compositions, they did not clearly present different patterns. Barrosã-PDO veal is a low fat meat providing 367-558 mg of n-6 PUFA and 151-172 mg of n-3 PUFA of which 67-78 mg are EPA + DHA (based on 150 g consumption). The n-6/n-3 ratio was close to the recommended values for human diet and the p/s index was below those values.

Journal of Physics G: Nuclear and Particle Physics, 2005