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The research considers experimental philosophy as a new philosophical movement. It emerged in Western intellectual thought in the 21st century against the background of the methodological crisis of analytic philosophy. Its representatives justify that the philosopher himself should actively master experimental methods of psychology and social sciences. They are opposing themselves to the so-called “cabinet” speculative philosophy. The main topic of their research is the “philosophical intuition” of ordinary consciousness. They also focus on the project of metaphilosophy. This movement has quite a few critics. They fear that if philosophy integrates with science it will lose its autonomy. Today one of the most promising interdisciplinary scientific fields is cognitive science, which actively uses experimental data. The research exploring the possibilities of dialogue between philosophy and cognitive science on a variety of issues, primarily on the question of consciousness and human cognitive activity. The research proves that by experimental philosophy we can mean a philosophy that is open to making sense of new data obtained experimentally. It retains its autonomy not being fully integrated into science but actively participates in scientific development, as well as acts as an ethical regulator of scientific and technological progress. We propose the interdisciplinary study of hybrid intelligence as one of the promising directions for the development of experimental philosophy. We reveal the main features of creating hybrid intelligent systems at the present stage. On the example of group collaboration of professionals of natural science and socio-humanities profile of the laboratory “Neurointerfaces” operating on the basis of the Research Center of neurotechnology of the Southern Federal University we demonstrate the feasibility of conducting research in experimental philosophy to study hybrid intelligence. The study emphasizes the importance and significance of bioethics and ethical regulation in the modern scientific and experimental field.

Abstract Recently, a three dimensional metal-organic framework (MOF) based on Dy(III) and the L-tartrate ligand was experimentally shown to exhibit a spin polarization (SP) power of 100% at room temperature. The material’s spin filtering ability was ascribed to the chiral-induced spin selectivity (CISS) effect. In this work, we computationally characterize the electronic structure of this MOF, revealing that the high SP of the material is linked to the asymmetric arrangement, around the Fermi level, of the alpha- and beta-spin electron states arising from the 4f-states of the lanthanide Dy atom, which results in two different conduction channels (band gaps) for each spin state. Based on the understanding gathered in this work, we propose that the substitution of the hydroxyl groups of the ligand by mercaptan groups should boost the electrical conductivity, while retaining the spin filtering power of the material.

Abstract Investigating the relationship between alcohol consumption and physical performance, we used data from the 2015–2018 Know Your Heart study on 4215 adults aged 35–69 from Arkhangelsk and Novosibirsk, Russia. We classified participants’ drinking status into non-drinking, non-problem drinking, hazardous drinking, and harmful drinking based on their self-reported drinking behaviors. To evaluate physical performance, we developed a Composite Physical Performance Scale (CPPS), which combined the results of three functional tests: grip strength (GS), closed-eyes balance, and chair rises (CR). We applied multivariable linear regression to assess the relationship between alcohol consumption and CPPS score, and ordinal logistic regression to explore the associations between alcohol consumption and the three functional tests separately. The results showed that harmful drinking was associated with lower CPPS scores compared to non-problem drinking. Among harmful drinking men, the decrease in CPPS scores was explained by all three tests equally and exceptionally by GS among women. Non-drinking was also associated with decreased CPPS, linked to lower GS and CR scores in men, and only lower GS scores in women. The study revealed a reduced physical performance in the non-drinking and harmful drinking groups compared to non-problem drinking.

In an aquaponic system, fish and plants are cultivated together in a symbiotic environment where they mutually benefit, using significantly less water than traditional farming methods. The main aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence of antimicrobial resistance in two aquaponic systems implemented in two Chilean high schools using rainbow trout and lettuce cultures. When water samples (fish tank, biofilter, and plant raft) were analyzed over a three-month period, no resistance to oxytetracycline was detected, whereas the occurrence of resistance to florfenicol was rather small, ranging from 0.01% to 3.1% of bacterial culturable counts. Eighteen isolates were recovered from various sources as representatives of the florfenicol-resistant population, and all of them belonged to the Pseudomonas genus, showing a multi-drug-resistance phenotype and exhibiting simultaneous resistance to 7–13 antimicrobials. All isolates exhibited resistance to amoxicillin, chloramphenicol, florfenicol, and furazolidone and susceptibility to meropenem, oxytetracycline, oxolinic acid, flumequine, ciprofloxacin, and enrofloxacin. Five and two isolates carried the amphenicol-resistance-encoding genes floR and cmlA, respectively, whereas no carriage of integrons or the fexA, fexB, pexA, optrA, and cfr genes encoding for florfenicol resistance was detected. Eleven isolates carried plasmids, but only two of them were able to transfer their plasmid content by conjugation. The knowledge of the microbiome associated with aquaponic systems is still scarce, and their role as potential reservoirs of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria and related genes of these systems must be elucidated.

AbstractDue to the importance of teachers in providing quality education, research in the last two decades has consistently focused on their effectiveness. However, there are inconclusive debates in the literature on the nature of relationships that exist between different supervisory strategies and their links to teachers’ job performance. This study used a predictive correlation design to assess how five principals’ supervisory practices contribute to teachers’ job effectiveness generally and across three specific areas. Secondary school teachers that participated in the study were 284 and were selected using simple and purposive sampling techniques. Data were collected using a questionnaire. A bootstrapping procedure in covariance-based structural equation modelling (CB-SEM) and multiple linear regression analysis were used for hypotheses testing at the .05 alpha level. Among others, findings revealed a significant joint prediction of classroom observation, supervision of sporting activities, instructional aids, team teaching and school record on teachers’ job effectiveness generally and in the dimensions of lesson note preparation and classroom management, but not the use of instructional materials. Teachers who reported frequent classroom observation by principals also reported a higher level of lesson preparation but not other aspects of teaching effectiveness. The supervision of sporting activities significantly predicted teachers’ overall effectiveness and specific aspects such as lesson preparation, instructional material use, and classroom management. This study can encourage school principals to gain more knowledge, facts and strategies required for effective and efficient school-based supervision.

Streptococcus pneumoniae is a gram-positive, aerotolerant bacterium that naturally colonizes the human nasopharynx, but also causes invasive infections and is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. This pathogen produces high levels of H2O2 to eliminate other microorganisms that belong to the microbiota of the respiratory tract. However, it also induces an oxidative stress response to survive under this stressful condition. Furthermore, this self-defense mechanism is advantageous in tolerating oxidative stress imposed by the host’s immune response. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the strategies employed by the pneumococcus to survive oxidative stress. These strategies encompass the utilization of H2O2 scavengers and thioredoxins, the adaptive response to antimicrobial host oxidants, the regulation of manganese and iron homeostasis, and the intricate regulatory networks that control the stress response. Here, we have also summarized less explored aspects such as the involvement of reparation systems and polyamine metabolism. A particular emphasis is put on the role of the oxidative stress response during the transient intracellular life of Streptococcus pneumoniae, including coinfection with influenza A and the induction of antibiotic persistence in host cells.

Durrantia arcanella is a recurring pest insect of oil palm in Colombia. Because the biology and ecology of D. arcanella are unknown, it was proposed to determine the life cycle and foliar consumption under laboratory conditions. Furthermore, through sequential sampling for two and a half years, its population fluctuation and natural enemies were determined in Agustín Codazzi and El Copey (Cesar, Colombia). Also, temperature, precipitation, and relative humidity were registered. The life cycle of D. arcanella lasted 48.0 ± 10.1 days, the egg 8.0 ± 0.7 days, larva 24.2 ± 6.2 days, pre-pupa 1.5 ± 0.5 days, pupa 7.1 ± 0.9 days, and adult 7.2 ± 2.0 days. The larvae consumed 8.2 ± 5.3 cm2 of leaflets. Correlations were found between the population fluctuation in D. arcanella and the temperature in El Copey (ρ = −0.45; p < 0.0043), relative humidity in Codazzi (ρ = 0.33; p < 0.034), and with the natural control in both locations ((ρ = 0, 61; p < 0.000044) and (ρ = 0.42; p < 0.006)). These results suggest monitoring the pest populations in the second semester of the year and show the importance of promoting native natural enemies.

Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) mutations are frequently found among NSCLC patients. Second-generation Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor (TKI) Afatinib is frequently used in this population of patients achieving better results than cytotoxic chemotherapy in terms of survival and progression. Afatinib-related cardiotoxicity has been rarely reported. Here we comment on a clinical case of a Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy Afatinib-induced in an NSCLC patient.

The economic and environmental sustainability of lignocellulosic biomass biorefineries is predicated on generating biofuels and bioproducts from cell-wall polysaccharide and lignin polymers. Historical efforts in plant genetic engineering have focused on the development of strategies that facilitate biomass deconstruction, with more recently efforts including the synthesis of high-value chemicals in planta. One such genetic modification is the expression of the bacterial quinate and shikimate utilization B (qsuB) gene that increases the accumulation of protocatechuic acid in lignocellulosic biomass. Herein, we evaluated the effectiveness of an alkaline pretreatment process to extract phenolics directly from wild-type and QsuB-transgenic lines of Arabidopsis, poplar, and sorghum, and then upgrade them to the polyester precursor 2-pyrone-4,6-dicarboxylic acid (PDC) with an engineered strain of Novosphingobium aromaticivorans. Protocatechuic acid extracted from all QsuB transgenic lines was found to be mostly in the glycosylated form. Glycosylated protocatechuic acid and other plant-derived phenolics were effectively metabolized by N. aromaticivorans, and PDC production was greatest using extracts from an Arabidopsis QsuB transgenic line (∼5% w/w), followed by QsuB sorghum (∼1.1% w/w), and QsuB poplar (∼0.4% w/w) lines. The comparison of PDC production from wild-type and QsuB transgenic lines of Arabidopsis, poplar, and sorghum demonstrates the utility of a mild alkaline pretreatment to liberate phenolics from plant biomass that are either naturally present or that accumulate as a consequence of genetic engineering strategies. All QsuB transgenic lines outperformed their wild-type counterparts with respect to observed PDC yields. In addition, microbial funneling to PDC was effective even when most of the protocatechuic acid extracted was in glycosylated form, clearly demonstrating that this bacterium can metabolize these aromatic conjugates. These findings illustrate the benefits of combining plant and microbial engineering for bioproduct formation from phenolics in lignocellulosic biorefineries.

The concept of continuous egg and adult separation was studied to evaluate the possibility of cultivating the copepod Acartia tonsa at high density (> 2.5 adults mL−1). First experiment: Densities of 5, 10, 15, 30, and 45 adults mL−1 were evaluated. For this, eggs spawned were allowed to settle quickly, harvested, and counted to determine the specific and relative egg production (SEP and REP, eggs female−1 day−1 and eggs mL−1 day−1, respectively). Second experiment: Mature females were spawned on slides to observe the shape of the freshly spawned eggs. Third experiment: respiratory rate under four corporal velocities in the filter system were evaluated (57, 115, 173 and 231 PL min−1; PL, prosome length), corresponding to four water exchange rates (50, 100, 150 and 200 volumes day−1). Fourth experiment: A high-density (7 adults mL−1) prototype based on continuous egg separation was designed and compared with daily egg harvest for siphon (control system). The specific egg production (SEP, egg female−1 day−1) and relative egg production were determined (REP, eggs mL−1 day−1). The SEP decreased with culture density (p 2.5 mL−1), which was confirmed by higher REP in the prototype (100 eggs mL−1 day−1) than in the control system. This study contributes to intensive A. tonsa culture; a superior density of 5 mL−1 is possible with a high water exchange rate and careful egg harvesting.

Abstract Background Computational biology requires the reading and comprehension of biological data files. Plain-text formats such as SAM, VCF, GTF, PDB and FASTA, often contain critical information which is obfuscated by the data structure complexity. Results bioSyntax (https://biosyntax.org/) is a freely available suite of biological syntax highlighting packages for vim, gedit, Sublime, VSCode, and less. bioSyntax improves the legibility of low-level biological data in the bioinformatics workspace. Conclusion bioSyntax supports computational scientists in parsing and comprehending their data efficiently and thus can accelerate research output.

Proca's electrodynamics describes a theory of massive photons which is not gauge invariant. In this paper we show that the gauge invariance is recovered if a scalar field is properly incorporated into the theory. We followed the Dirac's technique to perform a detailed analysis of the constraint structure of the theory. Appropriate gauge conditions were derived to eliminate the first class constraints and obtain the Dirac's brackets of the independent dynamical variables. Alternatively, the generalized symplectic formalism method is used to study the gauge invariance Proca's electrodynamics theory. After fixing the gauge, the generalized brackets are calculated and the equivalence with the Dirac's brackets is shown.

We study a self-organized critical system under the influence of turbulent motion of the environment. The system is described by the anisotropic continuous stochastic equation proposed by Hwa and Kardar [Phys. Rev. Lett.62: 1813 (1989)]. The motion of the environment is modelled by the isotropic Kazantsev–Kraichnan “rapid-change” ensemble for an incompressible fluid: it is Gaussian with vanishing correlation time and the pair correlation function of the form ∝δ(t−t′)/kd+ξ, where k is the wave number and ξ is an arbitrary exponent with the most realistic values ξ=4/3 (Kolmogorov turbulence) and ξ→2 (Batchelor’s limit). Using the field-theoretic renormalization group, we find infrared attractive fixed points of the renormalization group equation associated with universality classes, i.e., with regimes of critical behavior. The most realistic values of the spatial dimension d=2 and the exponent ξ=4/3 correspond to the universality class of pure turbulent advection where the nonlinearity of the Hwa–Kardar (HK) equation is irrelevant. Nevertheless, the universality class where both the (anisotropic) nonlinearity of the HK equation and the (isotropic) advecting velocity field are relevant also exists for some values of the parameters ε=4−d and ξ. Depending on what terms (anisotropic, isotropic, or both) are relevant in specific universality class, different types of scaling behavior (ordinary one or generalized) are established.

Iron deficiency is the most widespread and frequent nutritional disorder in the world. It affects a high proportion of children and women in developing countries and is also significantly prevalent in the industrialised world, with a clear predominance in adolescents and menstruating females. Iron is essential for optimal cognitive function and physical performance, not only as a binding site of oxygen but also as a critical constituent of many enzymes. Therefore iron deficiency at all levels – nonanaemic iron deficiency, iron deficiency with microcytosis or hypochromia and iron deficiency anaemia – should be treated. In the presence of normal stores, however, preventative iron administration is inefficient, has side effects and seems to be harmful. In symptomatic patients with fatigue or in a population at risk for iron deficiency (adolescence, heavy or prolonged menstruation, high performance sport, vegetarian or vegan diet, eating disorder, underweight), a baseline set of blood tests including haemoglobin concentration, haematocrit, mean cellular volume, mean cellular haemoglobin, percentage of hypochromic erythrocytes and serum ferritin levels are important to monitor iron deficiency. To avoid false negative results (high ferritin levels in spite of iron deficiency), an acute phase reaction should be excluded by history and measurement of C-reactive protein. An algorithm leads through this diagnostic process and the decision making for a possible treatment. For healthy males and females aged >15 years, a ferritin cut-off of 30 µg/l is appropriate. For children from 6–12 years and younger adolescents from 12–15 years, cut-offs of 15 and 20 µg/l, respectively, are recommended. As a first step in treatment, counselling and oral iron therapy are usually combined. Integrating haem and free iron regularly into the diet, looking for enhancers and avoiding inhibitors of iron uptake is beneficial. In order to prevent reduced compliance, mainly as a result of gastrointestinal side effects of oral treatment, the use of preparations with reasonable but not excessive elemental iron content (28–50 mg) seems appropriate. Only in exceptional cases will an intravenous injection be necessary (e.g., concomitant disease needing urgent treatment, repeated failure of first-step therapy).To measure the success of treatment, the basic blood tests should be repeated after 8 to 10 weeks. Patients with repeatedly low ferritin will benefit from intermittent oral substitution to preserve iron stores and from long term follow-up, with the basic blood tests repeated every 6 or 12 months to monitor iron stores. Long-term daily oral or intravenous iron supplementation in the presence of normal or even high ferritin values is, however, not recommended and is potentially harmful.

O texto clássico a seguir é importante por três razões: é de autoria de James Sully, um dos maiores filósofos-psicólogos britânicos do século XIX; apresenta uma interessante distinção entre os conceitos de ilusão e falácia; e oferece uma advertência velada sobre a eficiência epistemológica do método psicológico da introspecção. Cada um destes pontos serão brevemente tratados nesta introdução.

Esta investigación se centra en simular y analizar usando el Método de los Elementos Finitos, los esfuerzos obtenidos en un sistema sustrato+recubrimiento como consecuencia del contacto con una partícula rígida, sometida a carga normal y deslizamiento a lo largo de la superficie del sistema, la cual cuenta con una rugosidad Ra de 0,36μm. Los resultados evidencian la importancia de considerar larugosidad del sistema recubierto durante la simulación del ensayo de rayado, contrario a las simulaciones que reporta la literatura, ya que esta afecta el comportamiento de esfuerzos y deformaciones durante el contacto y deslizamiento. Además los resultados sugieren que al considerar la rugosidad del sistema, aumenta la posibilidad de surgimiento prematuro de grietas durante el ensayo de rayado.Palabras claves: método de los elementos finitos, sistemas recubiertos, rugosidad, esfuerzos.______________________________________________________________________________AbstractThis research focuses on simulate and to analyze using Finite Element Method, the stresses behavior obtained in a system (substrate+coating) as a result of the contact with a rigid particle under normal load and sliding along the surface of the system, which has roughness Ra of 0,36μm. The results show that in the scratch test simulation, the roughness of coated system must be considered contrary to the literature simulations of this field, since this affects the stresses and deformations behavior during contact and sliding. Thus, to increase surface roughness peaks greater possibility of inducing stress cracking.Key words: finite element method, coated systems, roughness, stresses.

O artigo que se segue é importante por ter redirecionado o estudo das alucinações para longe do contexto médico estreito que havia sido construído por Esquirol, Baillarger e Michéa (Berrios, 1996). A morte prematura de seu autor, um homem de Cambridge de raro talento, privou a epistemologia inglesa de um paladino importante.

A Psiquiatria ainda vive em um mundo kraepeliniano e os estudos sobre a obra de Kraepelin são, por conseguinte, ahistóricos. A exegese seletiva das várias edições de seu tratado levaram a uma visão rígida sobre sua contribuição. No entanto, Kraepelin viveu e escreveu durante um período importante da história intelectual da Europa e sua obra só pode ser entendida neste contexto. Este artigo analisa o desenvolvimento de suas opiniões em termos do "Programa de Pesquisas" que ele planejou precocemente em sua vida e cujo objetivo era a criação de uma descrição estável e da classificação das psicoses. Isso Kraepelin eventualmente alcançou estudando longitudinalmente coortes de pacientes em termos de critérios metodológicos, tais como o curso da doença e a incurabilidade. No caso, esta metodologia permitiu-lhe identificar por correlação "quadros clínicos" que tanto representavam a "essência" da doença quanto forneciam um critério taxonómico. Embora declaradamente ateórico, Kraepelin assim conseguiu construir (influenciado por Kahlbaum e por Wundt) um suporte empírico para sua categorização kantiana das psicoses. Uma discussão sobre as variáveis culturais que moldaram essas ideias está aqui incluída.

Durante a primeira metade do século XIX, a epilepsia e as insanidades foram consideradas estreitamente relacionadas às desordens "neuróticas". Sob a influência de fatores tais como o declínio do conceito setecentista de neurose de Cullen, o desenvolvimento da nova psicopatologia descritiva, a introdução da estatística e a disponibilidade de observações longitudinais de coortes de pacientes hospitalizados, a epilepsia foi redefinida como uma doença "neurológica" por volta de 1850. A reação da psiquiatria à exclusão do transtorno mental como uma característica definidora da epilepsia se manifestou na criação do conceito de "epilepsia mascarada". Essa noção está por trás do desenvolvimento posterior de categorias como "fronteiriça" e "equivalente", que ainda são de alguma relevância para os pontos de vista quanto à epilepsia no século XX.

Este artigo analisa historicamente o background ideológico que tornou possível a transformação da noção de melancolia nos conceitos de depressão e transtorno bipolar, a partir das mudanças médicas e psicológicas ocorridas no decorrer do século XIX. A antiga noção de melancolia foi remodelada e sua transição para a doença depressiva foi facilitada pelo conceito de Iipemania de Esquirol, que, pela primeira vez, enfatizou a natureza afetiva primária da doença. Finalmente, uma vez obtidas as condições conceituais necessárias, a melancolia e a mania foram combinadas no conceito de insanidade alternante, periódica, circular, ou de forma dupla, seus rígidos padrões descritivos foram flexibilizados, tendo culminado este processo na sinopse de Kraepelin.

Este artigo oferece uma análise conceitual e histórica da psicopatologia descritiva. A primeira seção a define como um sistema cognitivo constituído por termos, suposições e regras para a sua aplicação. Traça as implicações conceituais dessa definição e as relaciona à prática clínica. A segunda seção contém uma avaliação do trabalho histórico sobre a psicopatologia descritiva e oferece uma hipótese para explicar o seu desenvolvimento durante o século XIX. Sugere-se que o trabalho envolvido no teste de hipóteses deve ser realizado por psiquiatras com formação em história e enquanto uma especialidade separada. Conclui-se que a calibração histórica dos sintomas psiquiátricos deve ser considerada como uma etapa essencial na construção de uma psicopatologia descritiva viável.

Os transtornos do afeto não contribuíram muito para a definição diagnóstica da doença mental, e sua descrição fenomenológica nunca alcançou a riqueza da psicopatologia da percepção ou da cognição. Esse artigo mostra como o papel subordinado desempenhado pela afetividade na concepção ocidental do homem conduziu a uma visão inicial, mas persistente, da doença mental como um distúrbio exclusivo do intelecto. Tentativas dos psiquiatras do século XIX de contestar essa noção foram apenas parcialmente bem-sucedidas, devido às dificuldades de manejo conceitual da maior parte dos comportamentos afetivos e da redundância terminológica que isto engendrava. Esses esforços foram frustrados pelo renascimento do Associacionismo, o surgimento dos experimentos de localização cerebral, a definição periferialista das emoções e, finalmente, pelos desdobramentos do darwinismo. Como resultado, não se desenvolveu nenhuma psicopatologia autônoma da afetividade. O eventual reconhecimento dos assim chamados transtornos "primários" do humor não levou, contudo, a um refinamento na semiologia das próprias experiências. Isso foi impedido pelo uso dos substitutos descritivos comportamentais ou pelas descrições metapsicológicas do afeto como uma forma de energia ou como uma força pulsional. Nenhum desses desenvolvimentos contribuiu para a descrição clínica dos transtornos de humor.

A literatura, clássica ou recente, sobre os transtornos de percepção nos idosos é revisada. A utilidade do conceito de Síndrome de Charles Bonnet, um epônimo originalmente proposto para descrever as alucinações visuais nos idosos na ausência de prejuízos cognitivos e de oftalmopatia periférica é contestada, principalmente devido à síndrome ter sido progressivamente ampliada. Descrevemos três casos representativos de pacientes idosos que desenvolveram diferentes tipos de transtornos de percepção visual. Propomos a condução de estudos sistemáticos da frequência de tais transtornos nos idosos e de quais outras patologias, particularmente cognitivas e visuais que possam estar associadas a eles.

Uma breve análise histórica do conceito geral de alucinação é apresentada e sugere-se que ela surgiu como a generalização injustificada de um modelo perceptual que estava destinado a ser aplicado apenas para a visão e os "sentidos de distância". Neste contexto, considera-se a evolução das alucinações táteis e explora-se sua interação com a teoria psicológica vigente no século XIX. Conclui-se que as alucinações táteis são fenômenos sui generis que não se encaixam no modelo convencional e que a identificação de seu quadro clínico baseia-se, até o momento, em critérios pouco claros. Apresenta-se uma breve revisão da sua taxonomia e utilidade diagnóstica. Algumas implicações mais amplas são delineadas, as quais podem ser relevantes para a concepção geral da alucinação.

O artigo destaca a importante contribuição do professor de psiquiatria Henry Ey aos estudos sobre John Hughlings Jackson. Analisa historicamente uma interface pouco conhecida de Jackson com a psiquiatria: o diálogo sobre as "ideias obsessivas" que figura nas páginas da revista Brain, entre 1894 e 1895. Discute as razões históricas que podem explicar a não influência de Jackson na psiquiatria britânica, em contraste com a ampla difusão de suas posições no campo da neurologia.

O estupor é uma síndrome negligenciada. Isso pode ser devido à sua baixa incidência, complexidade intrínseca e boa resposta à ECT. A pobreza do material clínico não tem permitido análises estatísticas e científicas adequadas e, portanto, sua fenomenologia e neurofisiologia permanecem não esclarecidas. Questões importantes são: 1) se o estupor constitui uma forma estável de comportamento chegando a ser uma "síndrome complexa"; 2) se ele representa um comportamento pré-programado ou vestigial que pode ser desencadeado por noxa severa, seja psicogênica ou orgânica; 3) se a personalidade e causa subjacente desempenham um papel modulador e 4) se os estupores orgânicos e funcionais compartilham mecanismos subjacentes similares ou, alternativamente, se referem a estados clínicos não relacionados. Um ponto de vista evolucionário deveria integrar os estupores neurológicos e orgânicos e justificar o uso da resposta de "congelamento" ou cataléptica ao estresse em animais como um modelo de pesquisa. Isso deveria, por sua vez, sugerir predições farmacológicas de interesse para o manejo do estupor humano.

O delirium permaneceu uma categoria psiquiátrica estável até o início do século XIX, quando passou por uma redefinição etiológica e fenomenológica, precipitando a transformação das insanidades funcionais em psicoses. A confusão, introduzida pelos franceses ao longo da segunda metade do século, referia-se a uma síndrome mais ampla (porém incluindo) o delirium. Enfatizava o pensamento caótico e as falhas cognitivas. A noção de turvação da consciência (e desorientação temporoespacial) estabeleceu um denominador comum para as duas concepções, enquanto Chaslin e Bonhoeffer redefiniram a confusão e o delirium como as manifestações estereotipadas da insuficiência cerebral aguda.

The Danckwerts’ plot method is a commonly used graphical technique to independently determine the interfacial area and mass-transfer coefficient in gas–liquid contactors. The method was derived in 1963 when computational capabilities were limited and intensified process equipment did not exist. A numerical analysis of the underlying assumptions of the method in this paper has shown a bias in the technique, especially for situations where mass-transfer rates are intensified, or where there is limited liquid holdup in the bulk compared to the film layers. In fact, systematic errors of up to 50% in the interfacial area, and as high as 90% in the mass-transfer coefficients, can be expected for modern, intensified gas–liquid contactors, even within the commonly accepted validity limits of a pseudo-first-order reaction and Hatta numbers in the range of 0.3 < Ha < 3. Given the current computational capabilities and the intensified mass-transfer rates in modern gas–liquid contactors, it is therefore imperative that the equations for reaction and diffusion in the liquid films are numerically solved and subsequently used to fit the interfacial area and mass-transfer coefficient to experimental data, which would traditionally be used in the graphical Danckwerts’ method.