An overview of the ciao multiparadigm language and program development environment and its design philosophy

We describe some of the novel aspects and motivations behind the design and implementation of the Ciao multiparadigm programming system. An important aspect of Ciao is that it provides the programmer with a large number of useful features from different programming paradigms and styles, and that the use of each of these features can be turned on and off at will for each program module. Thus, a given module may be using e.g. higher order functions and constraints, while another module may be using objects, predicates, and concurrency. Furthermore, the language is designed to be extensible in a simple and modular way. Another important aspect of Ciao is its programming environment, which provides a powerful preprocessor (with an associated assertion language) capable of statically finding non-trivial bugs, verifying that programs comply with specifications, and performing many types of program optimizations. Such optimizations produce code that is highly competitive with other dynamic languages or, when the highest levéis of optimization are used, even that of static languages, all while retaining the interactive development environment of a dynamic language. The environment also includes a powerful auto-documenter. The paper provides an informal overview of the language and program development environment. It aims at illustrating the design philosophy rather than at being exhaustive, which would be impossible in the format of a paper, pointing instead to the existing literature on the system.

A language exchange program: sustainability innovation in language and culture engagement

Spanish Educational Laws have been promoting the widespread use of English; as a result, Spanish Uni versities are looking for ways to give students more international training in order to prepare them for a future that will increasingly involve global problems and partnerships. Therefore, the Polytechnic University of Madrid, Spain (UPM), and the University of British Columbia, Okanagan, Canada (UBCO) have come together to offer opportunities for international collaboration and learning, thus facilitating virtual encounters among Spanish and Canadian students. The Language Exchange Program between the UPM and UBCO acts as a model for sustainability innovation in language and culture engagement as the students can interact with native speakers in communication tasks. This interdisciplinary initiative supports the latest methodological principles observed in the Common European Framework for Languages, such as autonomous and life-long learning, self-assessment and peer-assessment as well as the incorporation of new technologies to the learning process. Additionally the ‘virtual’ mobility is provided at no extra cost. This article presents the preliminary results of two virtual exchange programs that have been offering varied forms of study which are venue-independent, and have clearly expanded the range of scenarios for the students on both sides by promoting collaborative work and cultural exchange.

A language exchange program: sustainability innovation in language and culture engagement

The Language Exchange Program between the UPM and UBCO acts as a model for sustainability innovation in language and culture engagement as the students can interact with native speakers in communication tasks. This interdisciplinary initiative supports the latest methodological principles observed in the Common European Framework for Languages [1], such as autonomous and lifelong learning, self-assessment and peer-assessment as well as the incorporation of new technologies to the learning process

Generating Linked-Data based Domain-Specific Sentiment Lexicons from Legacy Language and Semantic Resources

We present a methodology for legacy language resource adaptation that generates domain-specific sentiment lexicons organized around domain entities described with lexical information and sentiment words described in the context of these entities. We explain the steps of the methodology and we give a working example of our initial results. The resulting lexicons are modelled as Linked Data resources by use of established formats for Linguistic Linked Data (lemon, NIF) and for linked sentiment expressions (Marl), thereby contributing and linking to existing Language Resources in the Linguistic Linked Open Data cloud.

The role of left prefrontal cortex in language and memory

This article reviews attempts to characterize the mental operations mediated by left inferior prefrontal cortex, especially the anterior and inferior portion of the gyrus, with the functional neuroimaging techniques of positron emission tomography and functional magnetic resonance imaging. Activations in this region occur during semantic, relative to nonsemantic, tasks for the generation of words to semantic cues or the classification of words or pictures into semantic categories. This activation appears in the right prefrontal cortex of people known to be atypically right-hemisphere dominant for language. In this region, activations are associated with meaningful encoding that leads to superior explicit memory for stimuli and deactivations with implicit semantic memory (repetition priming) for words and pictures. New findings are reported showing that patients with global amnesia show deactivations in the same region associated with repetition priming, that activation in this region reflects selection of a response from among numerous relative to few alternatives, and that activations in a portion of this region are associated specifically with semantic relative to phonological processing. It is hypothesized that activations in left inferior prefrontal cortex reflect a domain-specific semantic working memory capacity that is invoked more for semantic than nonsemantic analyses regardless of stimulus modality, more for initial than for repeated semantic analysis of a word or picture, more when a response must be selected from among many than few legitimate alternatives, and that yields superior later explicit memory for experiences.

Foreign MNEs and domestic innovative capabilities: are there conditions for reverse spillovers in the spanish industry?

We analyse, over 2004-2008, a sample of approximately 700 foreign subsidiaries and 4,500 domestic firms located in Spain in order to understand the relationship between local R&D cooperation and innovativeness of the firm. Our ultimate objective is to understand whether foreign subsidiaries are likely to make a contribution to local innovative capabilities or if, conversely, they may eventually benefit from conditions for reverse spillovers. Using a variety of specifications for the innovation-related activities of the firm, we find that foreign subsidiaries are more cooperative than the average firm located in Spain, but not necessarily more than affiliated domestic firms (entrepreneurial groups). However, foreign subsidiaries are more cooperative than affiliated domestic firms in sectors considered highly dynamic by international technological standards, whether Spain has a technical advantage in these specific sectors or not. When we focus on companies which are more innovative than the two-digit industries in which they operate, we find that foreign subsidiaries tend to be more cooperative than domestic firms in sectors where Spain displays technological advantage. These sectors comprise traditional industries displaying little innovation dynamism from an international point of view. This finding suggests that there may be conditions for reverse spillovers in these specific Spanish sectors (though measuring them is beyond the objectives of this paper).

How Language and Stereotypes Affect the Help-Seeking Behaviors of Victims of Female-on-Female Sexual Assault

While much attention has been paid to the experiences of the female victims of male-perpetrated sexual assault, relatively little attention has been paid to the experiences of female-on-female sexual assault. However, female-on-female sexual assault can and does occur within lesbian and queer communities. What literature there is on the topic demonstrates that gender stereotypes, as well as stereotypes about the lesbian and queer communities, play a role in the decision process to seek help. This paper seeks to analyze the role of language and stereotypes in the help-seeking behaviors of victims of female-on-female sexual assault, using Relational Frame Theory as a framework.

Examining the Complex Relationships of Early Intervention on Language and Psychosocial Development in Families Facing Multiple Risks with a Focus on Children of Hispanic Immigrants

Abundant research has shown that poverty has negative influences on young child academic and psychosocial development, and unfortunately, disparities in school readiness between low and high income children can be seen as early the first year of life. The largest federal early care and education intervention for these vulnerable children is Early Head Start (EHS). To diminish these disparate child outcomes, EHS seeks to provide community based flexible programming for infants and toddlers and their families. Given how relatively recent these programs have been offered, little is known about the nuances of how EHS impacts infant and toddler language and psychosocial development. Using a framework of Community Based Participatory Research (CBPR) this paper had 5 goals: 1) to characterize the associations between domain specific and cumulative risk and child outcomes 2) to validate and explore these risk-outcome associations separately for Children of Hispanic immigrants (COHIs), 3) to explore relationships among family characteristics, multiple environmental factors, and dosage patterns in different EHS program types, 4) to examine the relationship between EHS dosage and child outcomes, and 5) to examine how EHS compliance impacts child internalizing and externalizing behaviors and emerging language abilities. Results of the current study showed that risks were differentially related to child outcomes. Poor maternal mental health was related to child internalizing and externalizing behaviors, but not related to emerging child language skills. Although child language skills were not related to maternal mental health, they were related to economic hardship. Additionally, parent level Spanish use and heritage orientation were associated with positive child outcomes. Results also showed that these relationships differed when COHIs and children with native-born parents were examined separately. Further, unique patterns emerged for EHS program use, for example families who participated in home-based care were less likely to comply with EHS attendance requirements. These findings provide tangible suggestions for EHS stakeholders: namely, the need to develop effective programming that targets engagement for diverse families enrolled in EHS programs.

A structural model of cognitive-motivational variables as explanatory factors of academic achievement in Spanish Language and Mathematics

In recent years, several explanatory models have been developed which attempt to analyse the predictive worth of various factors in relation to academic achievement, as well as the direct and indirect effects that they produce. The aim of this study was to examine a structural model incorporating various cognitive and motivational variables which influence student achievement in the two basic core skills in the Spanish curriculum: Spanish Language and Mathematics. These variables included differential aptitudes, specific self-concept, goal orientations, effort and learning strategies. The sample comprised 341 Spanish students in their first year of Compulsory Secondary Education. Various tests and questionnaires were used to assess each student, and Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) was employed to study the relationships in the initial model. The proposed model obtained a satisfactory fit for the two subjects studied, and all the relationships hypothesised were significant. The variable with the most explanatory power regarding academic achievement was mathematical and verbal aptitude. Also notable was the direct influence of specific self-concept on achievement, goal-orientation and effort, as was the mediatory effect that effort and learning strategies had between academic goals and final achievement.

Myth, Language, and Complex Ideologies

Ideologies use for their conservation and propagation persuasive methods of communication: rhetoric. Rhetoric is analyzed from the semiotic and logical-mathematical points of view. The following hypotheses are established: (1) language L is a self-explanatory system, mediated by a successive series of systems of cultural conventions, (2) connotative significances of an ideological advertising rhetoric must be known, and (3) the notion of ideological information is a neutral notion that does not imply the valuation of ideology or its conditions of veracity or falsification. Rhetorical figures like metonymy, metaphor, parable analogy, and allegory are defined as relations. Metaphor and parable are order relations. Operations of metonymic and metaphoric substitution are defined and several theorems derived from these operations have been deduced.

Technology Language and Frankenstein Strategy

Teaching architecture is experiencing a moment of opportunity. New methods, like constructivist pedagogy, based on complexity and integration are yet to be explored. In this context of opportunity teaching architecture has a duty to integrate complexity in their curriculum. Teaching methods should also assume inherent indeterminacy and contingency of all complex process. If we accept this condition as part of any teaching method, the notion of truth or falsehood it becomes irrelevant. In this regard it could focus on teaching to contingency of language. Traditionally, technology is defined as the language of science. If we assume contingency as one of the characteristics of language, we could say that technology is also contingent. Therefore we could focus technology teaching to redefine its own vocabulary. So, redefining technological vocabulary could be an area of opportunity for education in architecture. The student could redefine their own tools, technology, to later innovate with them. First redefine the vocabulary, the technology, and then construct the new language, the technique. In the case of Building Technology subjects, it should also incorporate a more holistic approach for enhancing interdisciplinary transfer. Technical transfer, either from nature or other technologies to the field of architecture, is considered as a field of great educational possibilities. Evenmore, student get much broader technical approach that transgresses the boundaries of architectural discipline.

The International Conference Education and Creativity for a Knowledge–based Society – Social and Political Scinces, Communication, Foreign Languages and Public Relations. Vienna, Osterreichish Rumanischer Akademischer Verein, 2012. VIth edition

No abstract.