Exploring Hidden Coherent Feature Groups and Temporal Semantics for Multimedia Big Data Analysis

Thanks to the advanced technologies and social networks that allow the data to be widely shared among the Internet, there is an explosion of pervasive multimedia data, generating high demands of multimedia services and applications in various areas for people to easily access and manage multimedia data. Towards such demands, multimedia big data analysis has become an emerging hot topic in both industry and academia, which ranges from basic infrastructure, management, search, and mining to security, privacy, and applications. Within the scope of this dissertation, a multimedia big data analysis framework is proposed for semantic information management and retrieval with a focus on rare event detection in videos. The proposed framework is able to explore hidden semantic feature groups in multimedia data and incorporate temporal semantics, especially for video event detection. First, a hierarchical semantic data representation is presented to alleviate the semantic gap issue, and the Hidden Coherent Feature Group (HCFG) analysis method is proposed to capture the correlation between features and separate the original feature set into semantic groups, seamlessly integrating multimedia data in multiple modalities. Next, an Importance Factor based Temporal Multiple Correspondence Analysis (i.e., IF-TMCA) approach is presented for effective event detection. Specifically, the HCFG algorithm is integrated with the Hierarchical Information Gain Analysis (HIGA) method to generate the Importance Factor (IF) for producing the initial detection results. Then, the TMCA algorithm is proposed to efficiently incorporate temporal semantics for re-ranking and improving the final performance. At last, a sampling-based ensemble learning mechanism is applied to further accommodate the imbalanced datasets. In addition to the multimedia semantic representation and class imbalance problems, lack of organization is another critical issue for multimedia big data analysis. In this framework, an affinity propagation-based summarization method is also proposed to transform the unorganized data into a better structure with clean and well-organized information. The whole framework has been thoroughly evaluated across multiple domains, such as soccer goal event detection and disaster information management.

Semantics, knowledge and grids on big data

Semantics, knowledge and Grids represent three spaces where people interact, understand, learn and create. Grids represent the advanced cyber-infrastructures and evolution. Big data influence the evolution of semantics, knowledge and Grids. Exploring semantics, knowledge and Grids on big data helps accelerate the shift of scientific paradigm, the fourth industrial revolution, and the transformational innovation of technologies.

Framing the EU’s policy towards the neighbourhood:the strategic approach of the Seventh European Parliament (2009–2014)

The Lisbon treaty afforded the European Parliament (EP) increased powers in foreign policy. These have included new legislative competences in the area of international agreements or the European Union’s (EU) relations with third party states. This article analyses the way the last mandate of the EP, which was the first to benefit from the changes introduced by the Lisbon treaty, framed EU foreign policy. More specifically, it explores the way in which the EP strategically framed the EU’s approach towards the neighbourhood countries. The focus on the neighbourhood is justified by the fact that it is the most salient area of the EU’s foreign policy. The article shows that the EP pushed for the EU to have a stronger presence in the neighbourhood. The EP also strategically aimed that it should have a more central role in shaping the EU’s approach towards the neighbourhood.

Exoplanet atmospheres Characterization Observatory payload short-wave infrared channel: EChO SWiR

EChO (Exoplanet atmospheres Characterization Observatory), a proposal for exoplanets exploration space mission, is considered the next step for planetary atmospheres characterization. It would be a dedicated observatory to uncover a large selected sample of planets spanning a wide range of masses (from gas giants to super-Earths) and orbital temperatures (from hot to habitable). All targets move around stars of spectral types F, G, K, and M. EChO would provide an unprecedented view of the atmospheres of planets in the solar neighbourhood. The consortium formed by various institutions of different countries proposed as ESA M3 an integrated spectrometer payload for EChO covering the wavelength interval 0.4 to 16 µm. This instrument is subdivided into 4 channels: a visible channel, which includes a fine guidance system (FGS) and a VIS spectrometer, a near infrared channel (SWiR), a middle infrared channel (MWiR), and a long wave infrared module (LWiR). In addition, it contains a common set of optics spectrally dividing the wavelength coverage and injecting the combined light of parent stars and their exoplanets into the different channels. The proposed payload meets all of the key performance requirements detailed in the ESA call for proposals as well as all scientific goals. EChO payload is based on different spectrometers covering the spectral range mentioned above. Among them, SWiR spectrometer would work from 2.45 microns to 5.45 microns. In this paper, the optical and mechanical designs of the SWiR channel instrument are reported on.

A Kaleidoscope Perspective: Change in the Semantics and Structure of Facets and Isolates in Analytico-Synthetic Classification

Examines the limitations of the dynamic theory of classification in accommodating the changes and rapid growth of new topics in the universe of knowledge. Change in an analytico-synthetic scheme for classification is much more a web of connections and mapping these changes is a complex process. Suggests that there is need for exploration of this complexity for both improving systems, and revisiting our theory.

Empleo de la diplomacia preventiva por parte de la Organización de Naciones Unidas en el conflicto de Kosovo de 1998-1999

En el interés de alcanzar la estabilidad y promover el mantenimiento de la paz internacional, la diplomacia preventiva nace como un concepto generador de estrategias encaminadas a actuar antes, durante y después del conflicto. El siguiente documento busca analizar el funcionamiento de los instrumentos de diplomacia preventiva empleados por las Naciones Unidas en la crisis de Kosovo de 1998 y 1999. Esta crisis surgida a raíz del conflicto entre el gobierno serbio y un movimiento disidente, conocido como el Ejército de Liberación Albano-Kosovar, que pretendía darle un perfil más autónomo al territorio y a la población albano-kosovar, reveló una serie de debilidades estructurales que sigue enfrentando este mecanismo en la resolución de conflictos étnicos al interior de los Estados.

Factores asociados al desplazamiento activo en bicicleta al colegio en el Distrito Bogotá, Colombia. Estudio FUPRECOL

Introducción: El transporte activo (TA) puede ser una oportunidad para incrementar los niveles de actividad física diarios de los niños y adolescentes, además de destacarse como una estrategia práctica, accesible y sostenible a largo plazo. Objetivos: El objetivo del presente estudio es doble: Analizar los patrones de desplazamiento activo en bicicleta al y desde el centro educativo, y b) Identificar los factores asociados al uso de la bicicleta como TA; en una muestra de niños y jóvenes pertenecientes a escuelas oficiales de Bogotá, Colombia. Material y métodos: Se trata de un sub-análisis del estudio FUPRECOL en 8060 niños y adolescentes entre los 9-17 años de edad). El modo de desplazamiento del escolar fue determinado a través de la pregunta: “¿Durante los últimos 7 días, usaste bicicleta para ir al colegio/escuela y volver a la casa?. Dicha respuesta se categorizó en activos “Si” (si se desplazan en bicicleta) y pasivos “No” (si se desplazan en vehículo motorizado). Se midieron parámetros antropométricos de peso, talla y perímetro de cintura. El máximo nivel de estudios alcanzados por la madre/padre (no reporta, primaria o secundaria/técnico o tecnólogo/universitario o postgrado) y la composición del hogar (vive con padre/vive con madre/con ambos padres/con abuelos/otros familiares) se auto-reportó por los padres. Las relaciones entre el TA y los factores anteriormente descritos se analizaron mediante regresión logística binaria. Resultados: El 21,9% del total de la muestra reporta usar la bicicleta como medio de transporte y el 7,9% acumula más de 120 minutos al día. Se observó una mayor probabilidad de usar la bicicleta como medio de desplazamiento activo a la escuela en los varones, en los jóvenes entre 9 y 12 años, y en aquellos cuyo padre/madre reportaron mayor grado académico, es decir, “universitario/postgrado”. 3 Conclusión: Los hallazgos del presente estudio sugieren que es necesario promover el TA desde la niñez, poniendo mayor énfasis en el paso a la adolescencia y en las jóvenes, para así aumentar los niveles diarios de AF de estos.

Conceptos y prácticas de la actividad física que se reproducen en las clases sociales: aproximación desde el enfoque determinantes/ determinación social de la salud

El concepto de actividad física es concebido de diferentes formas. Mostrando que existen varios factores que afectan de manera directa e indirecta la percepción que los sujetos construyen entorno a él, generando así una aproximación a diferentes definiciones de la actividad física desde varias perspectivas y dimensiones, donde predomina una noción netamente biológica. Este estudio pretende analizar, como desde las clases sociales se concibe la actividad física en sus conceptos y prácticas considerando los modelos de determinantes y determinación social para la salud. Con fin de comprender como los autores de la literatura científica conciben la actividad física y la relación con las clases sociales, desde una perspectiva teórica de los determinantes sociales de la salud y la teoría de la determinación social, se realizó una revisión documental y análisis de contenido de los conceptos y prácticas de la actividad física que se han considerado en los últimos 10 años. Para ello se seleccionaron las bases de datos PubMed y BVS (Biblioteca Virtual de Salud) por sus énfasis en publicaciones de salud mundialmente. Mostrando que la actividad física es concebida dominantemente desde una perspectiva biológica que ejerce una mirada reduccionista. Las relaciones entre actividad física y las clases sociales están claramente establecidas, sin embargo, estas relaciones pueden discrepar teniendo en cuenta el concepto de clase social, el contexto y la orientación de los autores y las poblaciones objetos de estudio. Obteniendo como resultado que los estudios documentados, revisados y analizados muestran una clara tendencia al modelo de determinantes; no obstante, algunos estudios en sus análisis se orientan hacia el modelo de determinación social. En cuanto al concepto de clases sociales los autores consideran una combinación de factores culturales y económicos sin atreverse a adoptar un concepto específico.

On the semantics of 'pouco' (little/few) and 'um pouco' (a little/few)

this paper discusses the interpretation of expressions ‘pouco’ (‘few’) and ‘um pouco’ (‘a few/little’) from a referential approach of meaning (CHIERCHIA, 2003; among others). First, we aim to describe their syntactic and semantic behavior. After that, we search for the appropriate semantics to be attributed to ‘pouco’, which operates both on the domain of individuals and on the degree domain. In spite of this, there is a general operation that this modifier does (GUIMARÃES, 2007). We propose a semantics for ‘pouco’ which incorporates two aspects already seen in the literature: the value judgment, and the intuition that it means something like ‘less than a contextual standard’. To ‘um pouco’ we advocate a compositional approach.

LOGO: GRAMMATICALIZATION AND SEMANTICS IN MEDIA TEXTS

It is a fact that the study and the correct application of the rules of Portuguese grammar are necessary for the issuer to communicate adequately in most discursive genres. However this same grammar imposes certain rules that now left to be used due to historical developments that pervade any language, now began to be employed so not always equal to those advocated by the normative grammar. Wherefore to understand situations which are not justified by traditional grammar, theories that are sought to assist this understanding. The current adopted will be the Functionalism, which promotes linguistic analysis beyond established by normative grammar, it covers other aspects not considered by her. Looking enlarger the discussions about the different uses, this study is aimed at ascertaining what is mentioned by the normative and functionalists studies with respect to the word logo, traditionally defined as a coordinating conjunction conclusive. Furthermore, we seek to show the process of grammaticalization whereby the term came and expose the different semantic relations that he can express in language use. To prove this, was used everyday examples, took out from media texts, such as magazine Isto É and the newspaper Folha de S. Paulo.

USING SEMANTICS AS A WAY TO UNDERSTAND TEXTUAL GENRES

This paper examines the perception of the characteristics of a set of Textual Genres based on Linguistic Analysis, drawing on a Textual Linguistics investigation and offering Semantics considerations as support. This is an attempt to show how relevant semantic investigations are to extend a perception on the characteristics of Textual Genres, without excluding pragmatic and discourse elements. The texts analyzed in this study were taken from a questionnaire designed to assess freshman and senior university students from courses of Bachelor of Arts in Language, in terms of knowledge about different Textual Genres and their characteristics. The analyses focus on the semantic elements that act in respect of question and answer in the questionnaire, and which include: A Semantics-Pragmatics interface, the considerations of the propositional calculus, the theories of tense and aspect of verbal and semantic primitives. On these terms, it is set a relationship between the cognitive mechanisms that operate in the production and reception of texts and a look at the functions that organize semantic text processing. The main analysis in this paper will concern the interface of Textual Linguistics, from authors as Beaugrande and Dressler (1981) and Adam (2011), with Semantic investigations in terms of meaning processing.

The denouncement in the social textualization by interweavement of significant materialities

In this paper I analyse the discursive mechanics on a scene of the Brazilian film Ó paí, ó! , directed by Monique Gardenberg and based on Marcio Meirelles's play. As a start I reckon that the film textualises the social aspects parting from the relation between humour and denunciation. This relation mirrors at another one: the one between art and resistence, which is broadcast on the common  sense as well as on the theoretical-political and artistical field. I reckon humour as the expression of both exaggeration and irony that is formulated by the interweavement of images, gestures, sounds and text. The denunciation, however, is viewed as the textualisation of the conflict, once there is an element of denouncement in the play (as well as in the film), since it intends to portrait the situation of the inhabitants of Pelourinho (a historical neighbourhood in Salvador) during the 90's. This was the period when the neighbourhood was under refurbishment, motivated by touristic interests. The analysis is done under the analytical and theoretical premises of the Discourse Analysis, on a materialist perspective. I also use the notions of interdiscourse, resistence and denunciation against the analytical notions of intradiscourse and discursive memory. I believe to be able to show how the visual formulations textualise social aspects, considering the intersection between humour and denunciation as an axis of sustainability of these formulations.

Extending conceptual models for Web based applications

The next phase envisioned for the World Wide Web is automated ad-hoc interaction between intelligent agents, web services, databases and semantic web enabled applications. Although at present this appears to be a distant objective, there are practical steps that can be taken to advance the vision. We propose an extension to classical conceptual models to allow the definition of application components in terms of public standards and explicit semantics, thus building into web-based applications, the foundation for shared understanding and interoperability. The use of external definitions and the need to store outsourced type information internally, brings to light the issue of object identity in a global environment, where object instances may be identified by multiple externally controlled identification schemes. We illustrate how traditional conceptual models may be augmented to recognise and deal with multiple identities.

Two main challenges in service description : Web service tunnel vision and semantic myopia

Through media such as newspapers, letterbox flyers, corporate brochures and television we are regularly confronted with descriptions for conventional (bricks 'n' mortar style) services. These representations vary in the terminology utilised, the depth of the description, the aspects of the service that are characterised and their applicability to candidate service requestors. Existing service catalogues (such as the Yellow Pages) provide little relief for service requestors from the burdensome task of discovering, comparing and substituting services. Add to this environment the rapidly evolving area of web services with its associated surfeit of standards, and the result is a considerably fragmented approach to the description of services. It leaves the reality of the Semantic Web somewhat clouded. --------- Let's consider service description briefly, before discussing our concerns with existing approaches to description. The act of describing is performed prior to advertising. This simple fact provides an interesting paradox as services cannot be described exactly before advertisement. This doesn't mean they can't be described comprehensively. By "exactly", we are referring to the fact that context provided by a service requestor (and their service needs) will alter the description of the service that is presented to the discoverer. For example, a service provider who operates a cinema wants to describe the price of their service. Let's say the advertised price is $15. They also want to state that a pensioner discount and a student discount is available which provides a 50% discount. A customer (i.e. service requestor) uses the cinema web site to purchase tickets online. They find the movie of their choice at a time that suits. However, its not until some context is provided by the requestor that the exact price is determined. The requestor might state that they are a pensioner. The same is applicable for a service requestor who purchases multiple tickets perhaps on behalf of other people. The disconnect between when the service is described and when a requestor provides context introduces challenges to the description process. A service provider would be ill-advised to offer independent descriptions that represent all the permutations possible for a single service. The descriptive effort would be prohibitive.