bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Divide-and-Conquer Subgoal-Ordering Algorithm for Speeding up Logic Inference
Authors: Ledeniov O. , Markovitch S.
Published: July 2018

It is common to view programs as a combination of logic and control: the logic part defines what the program must do, the control part -- how to do it. The Logic Programming paradigm was developed with the intention of separating the logic from the control. Recently, extensive research has been conducted on automatic generation of control for logic programs. Only a few of these works considered the issue of automatic generation of control for improving the efficiency of logic programs. In this paper we present a novel algorithm for automatic finding of lowest-cost subgoal orderings. The algorithm works using the divide-and-conquer strategy. The given set of subgoals is partitioned into smaller sets, based on co-occurrence of free variables. The subsets are ordered recursively and merged, yielding a provably optimal order. We experimentally demonstrate the utility of the algorithm by testing it in several domains, and discuss the possibilities of its cooperation with other existing methods.
Adaptive Parallel Iterative Deepening Search
Authors: Cook D. J. , Varnell R. C.
Published: July 2018

Many of the artificial intelligence techniques developed to date rely on heuristic search through large spaces. Unfortunately, the size of these spaces and the corresponding computational effort reduce the applicability of otherwise novel and effective algorithms. A number of parallel and distributed approaches to search have considerably improved the performance of the search process. Our goal is to develop an architecture that automatically selects parallel search strategies for optimal performance on a variety of search problems. In this paper we describe one such architecture realized in the Eureka system, which combines the benefits of many different approaches to parallel heuristic search. Through empirical and theoretical analyses we observe that features of the problem space directly affect the choice of optimal parallel search strategy. We then employ machine learning techniques to select the optimal parallel search strategy for a given problem space. When a new search task is input to the system, Eureka uses features describing the search space and the chosen architecture to automatically select the appropriate search strategy. Eureka has been tested on a MIMD parallel processor, a distributed network of workstations, and a single workstation using multithreading. Results generated from fifteen puzzle problems, robot arm motion problems, artificial search spaces, and planning problems indicate that Eureka outperforms any of the tested strategies used exclusively for all problem instances and is able to greatly reduce the search time for these applications.
Order of Magnitude Comparisons of Distance
Authors: Davis E.
Published: July 2018

Order of magnitude reasoning - reasoning by rough comparisons of the sizes of quantities - is often called `back of the envelope calculation', with the implication that the calculations are quick though approximate. This paper exhibits an interesting class of constraint sets in which order of magnitude reasoning is demonstrably fast. Specifically, we present a polynomial-time algorithm that can solve a set of constraints of the form `Points a and b are much closer together than points c and d.' We prove that this algorithm can be applied if `much closer together' is interpreted either as referring to an infinite difference in scale or as referring to a finite difference in scale, as long as the difference in scale is greater than the number of variables in the constraint set. We also prove that the first-order theory over such constraints is decidable.
Variational Cumulant Expansions for Intractable Distributions
Authors: Barber D. , De van Laar P.
Published: July 2018

Intractable distributions present a common difficulty in inference within the probabilistic knowledge representation framework and variational methods have recently been popular in providing an approximate solution. In this article, we describe a perturbational approach in the form of a cumulant expansion which, to lowest order, recovers the standard Kullback-Leibler variational bound. Higher-order terms describe corrections on the variational approach without incurring much further computational cost. The relationship to other perturbational approaches such as TAP is also elucidated. We demonstrate the method on a particular class of undirected graphical models, Boltzmann machines, for which our simulation results confirm improved accuracy and enhanced stability during learning.
Extensible Knowledge Representation: the Case of Description Reasoners
Authors: Borgida A.
Published: July 2018

This paper offers an approach to extensible knowledge representation and reasoning for a family of formalisms known as Description Logics. The approach is based on the notion of adding new concept constructors, and includes a heuristic methodology for specifying the desired extensions, as well as a modularized software architecture that supports implementing extensions. The architecture detailed here falls in the normalize-compared paradigm, and supports both intentional reasoning (subsumption) involving concepts, and extensional reasoning involving individuals after incremental updates to the knowledge base. The resulting approach can be used to extend the reasoner with specialized notions that are motivated by specific problems or application areas, such as reasoning about dates, plans, etc. In addition, it provides an opportunity to implement constructors that are not currently yet sufficiently well understood theoretically, but are needed in practice. Also, for constructors that are provably hard to reason with (e.g., ones whose presence would lead to undecidability), it allows the implementation of incomplete reasoners where the incompleteness is tailored to be acceptable for the application at hand.
Evolutionary Algorithms for Reinforcement Learning
Authors: Moriarty D. E. , Schultz A. C. , Grefenstette J. J.
Published: July 2018

There are two distinct approaches to solving reinforcement learning problems, namely, searching in value function space and searching in policy space. Temporal difference methods and evolutionary algorithms are well-known examples of these approaches. Kaelbling, Littman and Moore recently provided an informative survey of temporal difference methods. This article focuses on the application of evolutionary algorithms to the reinforcement learning problem, emphasizing alternative policy representations, credit assignment methods, and problem-specific genetic operators. Strengths and weaknesses of the evolutionary approach to reinforcement learning are presented, along with a survey of representative applications.
Efficient Heuristic Hypothesis Ranking
Authors: Chien S. , Stechert A. , Mutz D.
Published: July 2018

This paper considers the problem of learning the ranking of a set of stochastic alternatives based upon incomplete information (i.e., a limited number of samples). We describe a system that, at each decision cycle, outputs either a complete ordering on the hypotheses or decides to gather additional information (i.e., observations) at some cost. The ranking problem is a generalization of the previously studied hypothesis selection problem - in selection, an algorithm must select the single best hypothesis, while in ranking, an algorithm must order all the hypotheses. The central problem we address is achieving the desired ranking quality while minimizing the cost of acquiring additional samples. We describe two algorithms for hypothesis ranking and their application for the probably approximately correct (PAC) and expected loss (EL) learning criteria. Empirical results are provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of these ranking procedures on both synthetic and real-world datasets.
On Reachability, Relevance, and Resolution in the Planning as Satisfiability Approach
Authors: Brafman R. I.
Published: July 2018

In recent years, there is a growing awareness of the importance of reachability and relevance-based pruning techniques for planning, but little work specifically targets these techniques. In this paper, we compare the ability of two classes of algorithms to propagate and discover reachability and relevance constraints in classical planning problems. The first class of algorithms operates on SAT encoded planning problems obtained using the linear and Graphplan encoding schemes. It applies unit-propagation and more general resolution steps (involving larger clauses) to these plan encodings. The second class operates at the plan level and contains two families of pruning algorithms: Reachable-k and Relevant-k. Reachable-k provides a coherent description of a number of existing forward pruning techniques used in numerous algorithms, while Relevant-k captures different grades of backward pruning. Our results shed light on the ability of different plan-encoding schemes to propagate information forward and backward and on the relative merit of plan-level and SAT-level pruning methods.
Policy Recognition in the Abstract Hidden Markov Model
Authors: Bui H. H. , Venkatesh S. , West G.
Published: July 2018

In this paper, we present a method for recognising an agent's behaviour in dynamic, noisy, uncertain domains, and across multiple levels of abstraction. We term this problem on-line plan recognition under uncertainty and view it generally as probabilistic inference on the stochastic process representing the execution of the agent's plan. Our contributions in this paper are twofold. In terms of probabilistic inference, we introduce the Abstract Hidden Markov Model (AHMM), a novel type of stochastic processes, provide its dynamic Bayesian network (DBN) structure and analyse the properties of this network. We then describe an application of the Rao-Blackwellised Particle Filter to the AHMM which allows us to construct an efficient, hybrid inference method for this model. In terms of plan recognition, we propose a novel plan recognition framework based on the AHMM as the plan execution model. The Rao-Blackwellised hybrid inference for AHMM can take advantage of the independence properties inherent in a model of plan execution, leading to an algorithm for online probabilistic plan recognition that scales well with the number of levels in the plan hierarchy. This illustrates that while stochastic models for plan execution can be complex, they exhibit special structures which, if exploited, can lead to efficient plan recognition algorithms. We demonstrate the usefulness of the AHMM framework via a behaviour recognition system in a complex spatial environment using distributed video surveillance data.
The GRT Planning System: Backward Heuristic Construction in Forward State-Space Planning
Authors: Refanidis I. , Vlahavas I.
Published: July 2018

This paper presents GRT, a domain-independent heuristic planning system for STRIPS worlds. GRT solves problems in two phases. In the pre-processing phase, it estimates the distance between each fact and the goals of the problem, in a backward direction. Then, in the search phase, these estimates are used in order to further estimate the distance between each intermediate state and the goals, guiding so the search process in a forward direction and on a best-first basis. The paper presents the benefits from the adoption of opposite directions between the preprocessing and the search phases, discusses some difficulties that arise in the pre-processing phase and introduces techniques to cope with them. Moreover, it presents several methods of improving the efficiency of the heuristic, by enriching the representation and by reducing the size of the problem. Finally, a method of overcoming local optimal states, based on domain axioms, is proposed. According to it, difficult problems are decomposed into easier sub-problems that have to be solved sequentially. The performance results from various domains, including those of the recent planning competitions, show that GRT is among the fastest planners.
Monitoring Teams by Overhearing: A Multi-Agent Plan-Recognition Approach
Authors: Kaminka G. A. , Pynadath D. V. , Tambe M.
Published: July 2018

Recent years are seeing an increasing need for on-line monitoring of teams of cooperating agents, e.g., for visualization, or performance tracking. However, in monitoring deployed teams, we often cannot rely on the agents to always communicate their state to the monitoring system. This paper presents a non-intrusive approach to monitoring by 'overhearing', where the monitored team's state is inferred (via plan-recognition) from team-members' *routine* communications, exchanged as part of their coordinated task execution, and observed (overheard) by the monitoring system. Key challenges in this approach include the demanding run-time requirements of monitoring, the scarceness of observations (increasing monitoring uncertainty), and the need to scale-up monitoring to address potentially large teams. To address these, we present a set of complementary novel techniques, exploiting knowledge of the social structures and procedures in the monitored team: (i) an efficient probabilistic plan-recognition algorithm, well-suited for processing communications as observations; (ii) an approach to exploiting knowledge of the team's social behavior to predict future observations during execution (reducing monitoring uncertainty); and (iii) monitoring algorithms that trade expressivity for scalability, representing only certain useful monitoring hypotheses, but allowing for any number of agents and their different activities to be represented in a single coherent entity. We present an empirical evaluation of these techniques, in combination and apart, in monitoring a deployed team of agents, running on machines physically distributed across the country, and engaged in complex, dynamic task execution. We also compare the performance of these techniques to human expert and novice monitors, and show that the techniques presented are capable of monitoring at human-expert levels, despite the difficulty of the task.
Russian education in the perspective of sustainable development strategy
Authors: Ursul A. D. , Ursul T. A.
Published: July 2018

The article notes that education for sustainable development (ESD) is not only a prerequisite for the achievement of sustainable development (SD), but it means a priority. Move to SD actually begins with the formation of ESD, which has become like one of the key instruments for achieving the Millennium Development Goals, and the new 17-ti global sustainable development goals, which were adopted at the summit on sustainable development to establish itself in the area of sustainable development until 2030 Agenda. Thus, the ESD as a global process should precede the formation of a sustainable future in its «full format». This temporal feature ESD Russian scientists was recognized not only as a further greening of education, but also its futurization, ie a shift in focus on the study and modeling of the future. Leading mechanism futurization education consists of education inclusion in future issues, as well as much more rapid (in comparison with other types of human material activity) development. While primarily an ecological vision of the forms and directions of education, which has not been given a sufficiently clear vector of development at the official level. Therefore, the challenge is to create an enhanced total system and the concept of ESD and to identify optimum ways and forms of development.The process of transition of the Russian education highway «global sustainability» has already begun, but not yet acquired a wide scale. In the country it is important to take unconventional decisions at the state level, which will have to target the Russian system of education in the new global goals of transition on the path of SD.
STS and its Challenging Obligations: Pablo Schyfter Talks with Donald MacKenzie
Authors: Schyfter Pablo , MacKenzie Donald
Published: July 2018

In a wide-ranging interview, Donald MacKenzie and Pablo Schyfter discuss the former’s entry into science and technology studies (STS), the trajectory of the field since then, and his perspectives on its character today. MacKenzie recalls his discovery of STS through political activism, and his subsequent experiences at the young Edinburgh Science Studies Unit. He reflects on the field’s development and defining moments of transition, divergence and accomplishment. In reflecting on the field’s abilities, MacKenzie also considers STS’s potential for activism and intervention, and the challenges that accompany attempts to influence those things that it studies. Most importantly, he discusses the moral obligations and responsibilities that accompany engagement with controversial topics, like his own work studying nuclear weaponry and financial markets. In his reflection piece, Schyfter focuses on the notion of obligations, and expands MacKenzie’s views to discuss methodological, epistemic and critical duties. Schyfter suggests that ultimately STS is obliged to pursue complication and enable useful discomfort.
ST(&)S: Martyn Pickersgill Talks with Sheila Jasanoff
Authors: Pickersgill Martyn , Jasanoff Sheila
Published: July 2018

In this interview, Sheila Jasanoff and Martyn Pickersgill discuss the contested meanings of STS, defined as either “science and technology studies” (often associated with European origins) or “science, technology, and society” (commonly seen as originating in the US). The interview describes how Jasanoff entered STS, and the ways in which she sought to bring together different traditions within the field. Jasanoff underscores how her intellectual and professional journeys were shaped through a mix of institutional context and personal choices, and reflects on the role she has played in shaping STS networks, programs, and departments. Jasanoff remains excited about the future of STS, yet also highlights the need for disciplining within the field. For her, STS represents a distinct mode of researching, approaching, and engaging with the world. This distinctiveness, Jasanoff argues, needs to be carefully cultivated and reproduced through creative but rigorous teaching and training.  A reflection by Martyn Pickersgill follows the interview.
Introduction to the Russo-Japanese revolution in stabilometry
Authors: Gagey Pierre-Marie
Published: July 2018

We knew that the postural system was concerned with the venous return circulation and the stabilization of the body, but we did not know that the stabilometric signal was modified by the interference of these two functions. A new signal analysis is being made.
Medea en las fronteras entre nos(otros)
Authors: Garbero Maria Fernanda
Published: July 2018

Este artículo tiene como objetivo trazar una comparación entre el personajeMedea, de la tragedia griega de Eurípides, y tres piezas escritas en Argentina, Uruguay y Brasil. En contextos y tiempos completamente diversos de la Atenas de 431 a.C., es posible comprender la potencia que ese personaje sigue teniendo siempre que vuelve a los escenarios. La maternidad es el punto de encuentro elegido para esa lectura de las “Medeas”, pero una maternidad que desde el principio trae consigo la cicatriz bárbara, desautorizando al sujeto como portador de una herencia. El tema del filicidio conecta esos textos a la tragedia, a pesar de la inscripción del carácter violento presente en Eurípides. En las “Medeas” de Latinoamérica, las muertes de los hijos adquieren un aspecto que se suma a la reivindicación de identidad, actualizando debates y heridas que históricamente se encuentran en los legados de la colonización.
Euristeu, drama satírico de Eurípides
Authors: Alves Ribeiro Jr. Wilson
Published: July 2018

O drama satírico Euristeu, de Eurípides, de data desconhecida e com certeza identificado com o décimo segundo trabalho de Héracles, chegou até nossos dias em estado fragmentário e seu enredo é, até o momento, altamente conjetural. O objetivo deste artigo é, em primeiro lugar, apresentar uma tradução portuguesa dos fragmentos conhecidos e dos fragmentos incertamente atribuídos ao drama, com breves comentários e, em segundo lugar, examinar a posição desses fragmentos no enredo dramático, a partir de elementos míticos disponíveis em fontes literárias e iconográficas anteriores a 400 a.C.
La recepción clásica en el teatro cubano del siglo XXI: la “tetralogía” de Yerandy Fleites
Authors: Cancela Elina Miranda
Published: July 2018

Si bien desde mediados del siglo XX aparecen Antígonas, Electras, Medeas en la dramaturgia latinoamericana, ciertamente en el teatro cubano, después de un primer momento en los años sesenta en que se escriben o estrenan un buen número de tales versiones, es a partir de fines de los noventa y, sobre todo, en este siglo XXI, cuando el teatro cubano conoce un segundo auge en relación con la recepción clásica. Destaca el propósito de Yerandy Fleites, un joven dramaturgo, de escribir una especie de tetralogía sobre heroínas clásicas muy jóvenes: Antígona, Electra, Medea e Ifigenia. Comienza este proyecto alrededor de 2005, publica Antígona en 2007; Jardín de héroes, su versión de Electra, en 2009; Un bello sino, en torno a Medea, en 2010; mientras que la aparición de su Ifigenia (tragedia ayer) demora hasta el 2015. Analizar en estas cuatro obras las estrategias de recepción, marcadamente metateatrales, paródicas y de vínculos intertextuales multifacéticos, es el propósito asumido a fin de mostrar cómo se mantiene el diálogo con los clásicos, con variantes en relación a los recursos y perspectivas asumidos generalmente en la pasada centuria, pero con un propósito semejante de apropiación con vista a generar creativamente una nueva versión que no solo plasme sino haga reflexionar sobre inquietudes inherentes al momento y entorno social del autor.
İŞGÜCÜ PİYASASINA YÖNELİK HİSTERİ ETKİSİ: RATCHET MODELİ İLE TÜRKİYE ÖRNEĞİ
Authors: ÇELİK Cabir , KÜÇÜKKALE Yakup
Published: July 2018

Bu
çalışmada, ekonomilerde yaşanan geçici şokların kalıcı etkiler yaratabileceği
şeklinde tanımlanan histeri hipotezi Türkiye örneği için incelenmiştir. Ele
alınan dönem 1988S2-2015S1 iken, kullanılan yöntem Ratchet kademeli
artış/azalış yöntemidir. Analiz gerçekleştirilirken sadece genel işsizlik
oranları değil, kadın işsizliği, erkek işsizliği, genç işsizliği ve tarımdışı
işsizlik gibi oldukça geniş bir yelpaze dikkate alınmıştır. Elde edilen
sonuçlar histeri etkisinin Türkiye ekonomisi için geçerli olduğunu gösterirken,
yetişkin işsizliğinin histeri etkisine uygun olmadığı sonucu dikkat çekmiştir. Gözlem gruplarının
herbirinde histeri etkisi tespit edilirken, yetişkin işsizliğinde böyle bir
ilişkinin olmayışı, Türkiye’ye has demografik unsurlarla açıklanabilir.
Ülkemizde yetişkin nüfusun ailesine bakma sorumluluğu olduğu, ataerkil yaşam
tarzının yaygın olduğu, yetişkinlerin gençlere nispetle daha az iş değiştirme
eğiliminde olduğu, friksiyonel işsizlik dönemlerini bir an önce atlatıp
ailelerinin geçimini temin etmek için iş seçmeden bulduğu ilk işi kabul edişi,
gençlerin iş konusunda daha seçici davranması ve rezervasyon ücretlerinin
yetişkinlere oranla daha yüksek olması, yetişkin nüfus örneğinde histeri
etkisinin ortaya çıkmasını engelleyen unsurlar olarak değerlendirilebilir.
Pieter Brueghel. Triunfo de la Muerte
Authors: González  de  Zárate Jesús María
Published: July 2018

El "Triunfo de la Muerte" en pintura de Brueghel nos lleva a considerar algunos detalles que se dan cita y que explican el sentido final de la composición. Tratamos de ahondar en el lenguaje común entre los artistas del Humanismo por el que establecían un claro sentido semántico a través de sus formas. Así, los "Hieroglyphica" se convierten en fuente singular a la hora de considerar los presupuestos iconográficos que establecen una concreta lectura de la obra pictórica. Con ello, nuestro propósito es doble en el comentario: por un lado establecer la “historia que encierra la pintura”; por otro, “historiar la propia imagen” en sus detalles.
Entorno histórico y destrucción de la zona conventual del Monasterio de San Millán de la Cogolla, de Suso (La Rioja)
Authors: Arrúe Ugarte Begoña
Published: July 2018

Este artículo tiene por objetivo analizar lo que fue el entorno del monasterio de San Millán de la Cogolla, de Suso, y el devenir histórico de las construcciones de la zona conventual, a partir del estudio de las fuentes documentales e historiográficas desde el siglo X, y las descripciones y reparaciones a lo largo de la edad Moderna, hasta los proyectos de restauración del siglo XX, que dieron lugar al derribo parcial de los edificios conventuales en 1967 y el definitivo de 1973. Sólo la iglesia de este monasterio se ha conservado, lo que pone de relieve la problemática de comprensión del significado y conservación de este monumento, declarado por la UNESCO en 1997 Patrimonio de la Humanidad.
Arqueología en Sajazarra (La Rioja).Novedades en torno al sistema de fortificación medieval: La Torre Puerta del Arco
Authors: Martínez Mª Milagros
Published: July 2018

Recientes obras efectuadas en la casa colindante a la Puerta del Arco de Sajazarra nos han permitido definir este acceso como una torre puerta sobre un corredor fortificado, suponiendo un importante avance en la comprensión del programa de amurallamiento medieval de la villa. También se ha encontrado un enterramiento vinculado a la necrópolis altomedieval aledaña y ha sido posible trazar la evolución arquitectónica del espacio que albergo durante siglos al antiguo ayuntamiento del municipio.
Orden y desorden en la realidad
Authors: Blasco Roy Cristina
Published: July 2018

La cuestión de por que se produce el desorden en momentos de orden, es decir, de por que acontecen cambios en la realidad social, cultural, económica, etc. en momentos determinados de la historia de la humanidad, ha recibido múltiples respuestas de distinta índole. El objetivo que aquí nos planteamos es el de afirmar la hipótesis de que tales cambios se producen principalmente por azar, es decir, que no tienen una explicación causal y cerrada. Para ello, se verán algunas explicaciones sociales y ontológicas acerca de la existencia del orden y desorden, y defendemos aquellas posturas que apuestan por la necesidad de situarse en un nuevo paradigma de pensamiento, el pensamiento de la complejidad, por ser este el único enfoque que nos permitirá comprender a fondo el asunto del orden y el caos y establecer conclusiones al respecto.
Exilio vital y drama de España. El sustrato religioso en la poesía de León Felipe
Authors: Medrano Juan Manuel
Published: July 2018

El artículo pretende un acercamiento a la figura del poeta español Felipe Camino Galicia, León Felipe (1884-1968), a través de una interpretación de su obra, en la que el autor advierte la profunda influencia que el cristianismo –y también el Antiguo Testamento– tienen en su visión antropológica, en la construcción de sus imágenes poéticas y en el nervio ético-profético que recorre toda su obra. Para resaltar la dimensión de esta influencia, el autor recurre a la visión y postura que el poeta tiene del conflicto civil español de 1936-1939; además, confronta las imágenes y metáforas de León Felipe con la producción poética, también cargada de significaciones religiosas, que se esta realizando en el bando franquista, tanto en las interpretaciones clericales de la contienda, como entre los poetas falangistas de aquel momento.
Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) carriage among health care workers in a tertiary care hospital in Bhubaneswar
Authors: Singh Nipa , Mohanty Sourav , Panda Subhra Snigdha , Sahoo Smrutilata , Pattnaik Dipti , Jena Jagadananda
Published: July 2018

Background: Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a multidrug resistant organism emerging as a major cause of hospital acquired infection. In a healthcare setup a patient may acquire MRSA through the hands, clothes and equipments of health care workers. Screening of health care workers colonised with MRSA will be helpful in preventing the spread of this organism in a hospital. With this background the present study was undertaken to estimate the carriage rate of MRSA among healthcare workers in our hospital.Methods: Nasal swabs were collected from 120 health care workers working in Kalinga Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS), Bhubaneswar during the study period of July- September 2017. The swabs were inoculated onto mannitol salt agar plates for isolation of Staphylococcus aureus. MRSA strains were identified by cefoxitin disc method. Antibiogram of MRSA strains was determined.Results: The prevalence of MRSA carriage among health care workers was 7.5% with the carrier rate being highest among nurses (10%). All the MRSA isolates were 100% resistant to penicillin. MRSA isolates were 90% resistant to amoxyclav, 60% to cotrimoxazole and erythromycin and 50% to clindamycin.Conclusions: Although the prevalence of MRSA among health care workers in our hospital is not alarming, it is important to emphasize the need for stringent hospital infection control policies to reduce the spread of MRSA to susceptible individuals.
Análisis multiespectral y digital de los nevos melanocíticos adquiridos
Authors: Di Lorenzo V. Ariana C. , Romero H Reimer A. , Muñoz T. Aarón , Vivas Sandra C. , Paredes Irene
Published: July 2018

El objetivo del presente trabajo fue encontrar las diferencias entre los distintos tipos de nevos melanocíticos adquiridos con base en la información extraída de las imágenes multiespectrales. La dimensión fractal y la entropía se escogieron como medidas para distinguir entre los nevos (146 lesiones). El análisis de varianza (ANOVA unifactorial) considerando la dimensión fractal mostró diferencias significativas (p<0,05) entre los grupos, con mayor significación en la longitud de onda azul (p=7,87e-08), y menor en la roja. La medida de la entropía se comparada entre los pares de grupos mediante la prueba T de Student, y se encontraron diferencias entre los lunares benignos (U,C,I) y los displásicos (D), específicamente en los canales cyan (pUD=0,002, pCD=0,023, pID=0,012) y rojos (pUD=0,0001, pCD=2,55E-5, pID=0,005). El uso de imágenes multiespectrales, conjuntamente con las medidas de ordenamiento (dimensión fractal y entropía), permite caracterizar y diferenciar los grupos de nevos melanocíticos adquiridos, lo cual contribuiría al desarrollo de un tipo de evaluación dermatológica no invasiva y concluyente del ordenamiento de los nidos de melanina.
Propagación sexual y tolerancia a la desecación del agraz (Vaccinium meridionale Sw) de tres fuentes semilleras localizadas en Ráquira, San Miguel de Sema (Boyacá) y Gachetá (Cundinamarca)
Authors: Suárez-Ballesteros Carlos Iván , Calderón-Hernández Manuela , Mancipe-Murillo Carolina
Published: July 2018

Vaccinium meridionale es una especie con un alto potencial agroalimentario registrada en la región altoandina de Colombia. Actualmente no hay un proceso establecido para su producción y la cosecha de los frutos generalmente se hace en huertos silvestres mantenidos y propagados vegetativamente, lo que puede ocasionar pérdida de la diversidad genética. Por ello, se evalúo la propagación sexual en invernadero y la tolerancia a la desecación de V. meridionale. Se hicieron pruebas de viabilidad con tetrazolio y de tolerancia a la desecación, así como ensayos de propagación sexual en invernadero para evaluar la repuesta germinativa con dos beneficios (fermentado y sin fermentar) y cinco tratamientos pregerminativos (500 mgl-1 de ácido giberélico, GA3, 500 mgl-1 de nitrato de potasio, KNO3, agua de coco al 100 %, Aloe vera al 50 %, y control por “inmersión en agua”) de semillas recolectadas en tres fuentes semilleras localizadas en los municipios de Ráquira, San Miguel de Sema (Boyacá) y Gachetá (Cundinamarca). No se registraron diferencias en los porcentajes de germinación y el tiempo medio de germinación en cuanto a las fuentes semilleras, los beneficios y los tratamientos pregerminativos utilizados, por lo cual se recomienda evaluar otro tipo de sustratos y tratamientos de ruptura de latencia. Dado el carácter ortodoxo de las semillas de mV. meridionale, la especie es apta para su conservación ex situ utiliando la estrategia de bancos de semillas. © 2018. Acad. Colomb. Cienc. Ex. Fis. Nat.
XV Encuentro Nacional de Óptica – VI Conferencia Andina y del Caribe en Óptica y sus Aplicaciones
Authors: Meneses Fonseca Jaime Enrique
Published: July 2018

Promovido por la actual Sociedad Red Colombiana de Óptica, el Encuentro Nacional de Óptica (ENO) ha sido una actividad periódica desde su primera versión realizada en el año 1987 en la ciudad de Medellín. En el año 2006, la Red Colombiana de Óptica amplió la cobertura de promoción, fomento y fortalecimiento de la óptica y sus aplicaciones al invitar grupos de investigación de la región Andina (Chile, Perú, Bolivia y Venezuela) y del Caribe (Panamá, Cuba, Costa Rica, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, Jamaica y República Dominicana) realizando, en el marco del X ENO, la Primera Conferencia Andina y del Caribe en Óptica y sus Aplicaciones (CANCOA).
Augmenting in situ lake level measurements with Earth observation satellites
Authors: TEKELİ Ahmet Emre
Published: July 2018

In here, Ice, Cloud and Land Elevation
Satellite (ICESat) altimeter data were used with MODIS snow cover maps to
determine Akşehir Lake/wetland water levels which dried up in 2008. Since the
water level dropped below the gage in 2004, the ICESAT-MODIS (ICEM)-based lake
water levels could not be compared with gage levels. Instead, combined use of
Landsat-based lake surface area studies and Akşehir Lake bathymetry (LAB)
enabled ICEM assessment. ICEM and LAB differences are between -0.09m and 0.32m
and close to the standard deviations (s.d.) of pure ICESat-based studies
(0.02m-0.27m). The minimum and maximum water surface elevation changes of ICEM
between consecutive winter and spring are 0.30m and 1.35m and are in the
historical range. ICEM showed highest s.d. during October 2005, when the wind
velocities were highest.
Uso da emergia para análise da contabilidade ambiental na produção convencional de morango no município de Espírito Santo do Dourado (MG)
Authors: Gonçalves Luciana Ferreira , Da Silva Carlos Cézar , Oliveira José Hugo de , Moreira Letícia De Alcântara
Published: July 2018

O presente artigo teve como objetivo analisar e apresentar o resultado obtido pela contabilidade ambiental em emergia de um sistema de produção de morango convencional no munícipio de Espírito Santo do Dourado, Minas Gerais. Foram coletados dados qualitativos no Sítio São Pedro para cálculos emergéticos. O sistema foi analisado por meio dos indicadores ambientais que apresentaram os seguintes valores: Rendimento em Emergia (EYR) 1,20; Investimento em Emergia (EIR) 5,07; Carga Ambiental (ELR) 6,09; Índice de Sustentabilidade (ESI) 0,20; Percentual de Recursos Renováveis (%R) 14,11%; Emergia por Unidade (UEV) 1,58x1009 sej/ano; Transformidade 1,26x1009 sej/J. Os resultados da contabilidade ambiental em emergia e dos indicadores obtidos foram comparados com os de dois trabalhos realizados anteriormente encontrados na literatura: uma lavoura de morango tipo orgânico, no  município de Bueno Brandão (MG), e outro, também orgânico, no município de Piracicaba (SP). A produção convencional de morango estudada neste trabalho mostrou que há muito gasto emergético para o produto final, tanto no que concerne a energia provinda de recursos não renováveis quanto a recursos econômicos.
Caracterização da pesca artesanal no Lago Juá, Santarém, Pará
Authors: Corrêa Jerry Max Sanches , Rocha Moacir Dos Santos , Santos Anderson Araújo dos , Serrão Elizabete De Matos , Zacardi Diego Maia
Published: July 2018

A pesca artesanal realizada na região do Baixo Amazonas é uma atividade de grande importância socioeconômico e cultural, sendo responsável por gerar alimento, emprego e renda para a grande maioria dos usuários e comunitários desta região. Este estudo analisou o perfil socioeconômico eoperacional das práticas pesqueiras utilizadas cotidianamente na região do Lago Juá, Santarém, Pará, por meio da realização de entrevistas semiestruturadas, no período de maio de 2015 a junho de 2016, com os pescadores locais. As análises das informações relativas à temática foram agrupadas e analisadas de forma qualitativa e quantitativa, submetidas à estatística descritiva. Dos 26 pescadores entrevistados, a maioria foi do sexo masculino, com idades variando entre 23 e 67 anos, ensino fundamental incompleto e filiado à Colônia de Pescadores e Pescadoras. A pesca realizada possui caráter tradicional e apresenta características de cunho familiar e relações de vizinhança, com produção artesanal visando à subsistência familiar, como a venda do excedente e o uso de canoas aremo e motorizadas, combinando o emprego de vários apetrechos de pesca para explorar 17 categorias de pescados. Destaca-se o uso da malhadeira e a captura de jaraquis, pacus, tucunarés e aracus. Entretanto, a falta de fiscalização dos órgãos responsáveis e a péssima gestão ambiental por parte dos moradores locais e poder público comprometem a sustentabilidade dos recursos pesqueiros local.
Expediente
Authors: Agrogeoambiental Revista
Published: July 2018

Expediente
Interações dialógicas na experimentação investigativa em um Clube de Ciências: proposição de instrumento de análise metacognitivo
Authors: Rocha Carlos José Trindade da , Malheiro João Manoel da Silva
Published: July 2018

Este artigo objetiva apresentar proposições de instrumento de análise com potencial metacognitivo centrado em interações discursivas por meio de atividades experimentais investigativas em um Clube de Ciências. A proposta se articula com as ações experimentais investigativas do Clube como comunidade com postura investigativa em sua abordagem didática (sete passos). A metodologia de abordagem qualitativa concebe as novas tendências de metodologias ativas, para o desenvolvimento de práticas epistêmicas com formas interativas mais gerais do processo discursivo baseadas em Boulter e Gilbert (1995) e Compiani (1996). A tal efeito, o instrumento possibilita aplicação de análise e intervenção pedagógica em sequências de ensino investigativo (SEI), através da resolução de problemas. A execução de proposição intenciona o trabalho de maneira interativa e colaborativa, a fim de tentar analisar o entendimento da complexa dinâmica envolvendo os processos interativos dialógicos que têm motivado o desenvolvimento de pesquisas relacionadas ao discurso entre professores e alunos, e seu impacto na condução de argumentações no contexto do ensino de ciências.
School Britannia? Rhetorical and educational uses of 'British values'
Authors: Beck John
Published: July 2018

Schools in England are now required by law to 'actively promote British values' (DfE, 2014). This paper seeks to set this requirement within the context of a somewhat longer history of debates about values in Britain. It discusses the views of certain neoconservatives who claim that
multiculturalism has eroded or even abolished British values. It then discusses the refocusing of the debate in relation to the rise of Islamist terrorism and examines some of the key rhetorical responses of leading UK politicians. The view that 'promoting British values' will strengthen identities
and promote social cohesion is challenged. The concluding section of the paper develops an argument focused on liberal values, and stresses the importance in a pluralistic society of prioritizing certain values over others – notably rationality and autonomy – especially
in education. Aspects of the work of Amartya Sen, John Rawls, Bernard Crick and Charles Bailey are discussed in this regard.
Enhancing higher education curricula: A case study from the University of Waikato, New Zealand
Authors: Longhurst Robyn , Jones Alister
Published: July 2018

In 2014, the University of Waikato launched the Curriculum Enhancement Programme (CEP). As the leaders of this programme we have used auto-ethnography to reflect critically on our experience. Throughout the course of the CEP some things have gone well; others, in hindsight, have not
gone so well and in retrospect we would have done them differently. This includes using more channels of communication, more frequently, especially with staff; getting all of Waikato's faculties to pull together more effectively as one institution; and working harder to increase students'
opportunities for interdisciplinarity in teaching and research. These lessons, we hope, will be helpful for others also embarking on wide-scale curriculum change.
Preventing Tobacco-Related Cancer Disparities: A Focus on Racial/Ethnic Minority Populations
Authors: Webb Hooper Monica
Published: July 2018

Ethn Dis. 2018;28(3):129-132; doi:10.18865/ed.28.3.129.
Attitudes and Risk Perceptions toward Smoking among Adolescents who Modify Cigar Products
Authors: Trapl Erika , Koopman Gonzalez Sarah J
Published: July 2018

Objective: To examine high school youths’ perceptions of health risks, and personal and parental attitudes toward cigarette, cigar, and marijuana use among youth who use or modify cigars.

Design: Descriptive cross-sectional study.

Participants: The 2013 Cuyahoga County Youth Risk Behavior Survey used a two-stage cluster sample design to randomly sample public high schools and classrooms. Students in selected classrooms were eligible; 16,855 students completed the survey.

Main Outcome Measures: This study ex­amines the association between risk percep­tions of and youths’ personal and parental attitudes toward smoking cigarettes, cigars, and marijuana with current use of cigars, cigarillos or little cigars (CCLCs) or modified CCLCs (ie, freaking or blunting).

Results: 23.5% of youth reported current use of CCLCs in some way; 11.0% reported current freaking and 18.5% reported current blunt use. CCLC users tended to be male and Black. Perceiving all smoking behav­iors as risky, wrong, or wrong by parents reduced odds of using CCLCs. After multi­variate analysis, Blacks had increased odds of using CCLCs if they perceived smoking cigarettes as harmful, which was not found among other race/ethnicity categories. Having parents who believed that smoking CCLCs is wrong increased the odds of youth freaking or blunting among all CCLC users. Odds of blunting was greater for those who believed CCLCs were more risky among all CCLC users.

Conclusions: Findings suggest that CCLC users may think cigars are safer than ciga­rettes, and that modifiers may think their use is safer and more in line with their par­ents’ views than non-modified CCLCs.

Ethn Dis. 2018;28(3):135-144; doi:10.18865/ ed.28.3.135
The Association Between Menthol Perceptions and Support for a Policy Ban among US Smokers
Authors: Rath Jessica M. , Greenberg Marisa , Pitzer Lindsay , Emelle Brittany , Green Molly , Liu Shiyang (Michael) , Willett Jeffrey , Rose Shyanika W. , Hair Elizabeth C. , Vallone Donna
Published: July 2018

Objective: To examine the relationship between menthol perceptions and support for a national menthol ban.

Design: Descriptive cross-sectional study.

Participants: Data were collected from a nationally representative probability-based panel of adults aged ≥18 years during June 21, 2016 through July 18, 2016. A total of 1,303 respondents, including an oversample of 300 African Americans, completed the survey.

Main Outcome Measures: Weighted logistic regression models examined the relationship between menthol perceptions, specifically related to health and addiction, and the outcome measure: support for a menthol ban, by menthol smoking status. All models controlled for age, sex, education level, and race/ethnicity.

Results: The association between reporting accurate menthol health perceptions dif­fered by menthol preference. Among non-menthol smokers, there was no association between accurate menthol health percep­tions and support of a menthol ban while more accurate menthol perceptions of ad­diction were associated with greater support of a menthol ban (aOR=2.83, CI=1.19- 6.72). Among menthol smokers, more accurate health-related menthol percep­tions were associated with increased odds of supporting a menthol ban (aOR=3.90, CI=1.02-14.79) while more accurate men­thol addiction perceptions were not.

Conclusions: Fewer current menthol smok­ers support a menthol ban than current non-menthol smokers given its effect on their preferred product. Given the large proportions of smokers who have misper­ceptions of the health consequences and addictive properties of menthol, there is a moral imperative to inform those who use these products. Findings suggest the need for tailored messaging strategies targeted to reach menthol smokers who will be most impacted by a ban, but also have the most to gain from such a policy change.

Ethn Dis. 2018;28(3):177-186; doi:10.18865/ ed.28.3.177.
La Valorisation Des Ressources Forestières Au Niveau De La Wilaya De Saida
Authors: Meddah Fadéla , Zatla Najat
Published: July 2018

The forestry economy tends to become a privileged way of development, making it possible to offer to the territories in mutation an alternative means of production. Algeria has been trying since 2008 (in accordance with the master plan for natural areas and protected areas) a forest policy that takes into account the multiple roles that the forest can play : protection, production and social promotion. This work aims to study the process of valorization of forest resources in territory of Saida. The process is based mainly on two advances : the exhaustive identification of resources and the development of valorization mode. These advances can not be maintained, unless, a territorial dynamic associating the actors of the sector of the forests and the actors of the territory, will be created. An entry by the territory, the resources and territorial development is privileged. This theoretical entry is illustrated by a comprehensive approach based on the analysis of stakeholder surveys and articulated with quantitative analysis. This analysis conclude that the territorial dynamics are absent at the level of the territory , which has led to an under-exploitation of resources.
Análisis De Programas De Promoción De La Salud En Jóvenes Basados En Evidencia Desde El PYD
Authors: Alejandro González-González , Elisa Ortega Esteve Rosa , Fernanda Hernández Martínez María , Cristina Hinojosa Rodríguez Tiare , Lizbeth Zablah Soberón Jessica , Diana Betancourt Ocampo
Published: July 2018

Objective: Analyze health promotion programs based on the perspective of Positive Youth Development (PYD) to identify characteristics, advantages and limitations in order to promote health and prevent substance use. Method and procedure: Bibliographic research was used, analyzing 37 intervention programs, specifically focused on the area of substance abuse. Results: The main categories analyzed relate to the objective of preventing the consumption and / or abuse of substances, an average duration of 15 sessions, working with adolescent population, taught by teachers and parents previously trained, using questionnaires, interviews and scales as evaluation methods, based on an experimental and quasi-experimental design, within family, school and community context components, resulting in the prevention of substance use, better school performance and the development of lifetime skills. Conclusions: This type of analysis allows us to identify, guide and organize the information obtained from each program that uses the PYD model and that has been analyzed in detail, with the purpose of contributing to the development of a program to promote healthy development in the Mexican population.