Ecosistemas circuitos de consumo de obras pìctóricas y escultóricas en Guayaquil y su extensión Samborondón, de octubre de 2012 a septiembre de 2013

Esta investigación, pretende hacer visibles los circuitos de arte pictórico y escultórico de la ciudad de Guayaquil, estudiando durante el periodo de octubre de 2012 a septiembre de 2013, la conformación de su sistema, la identificación de sus actores, sus visiones del arte, las interdependencias que los vinculan y la influencia del entorno, bajo una perspectiva de ecosistema. Este estudio no pretende ser un inventario de artistas, ni galerías, sino una primera exploración de la compleja temática del consumo del arte.

Leveraging Multiple Features for Image Retrieval and Matching

The goal of image retrieval and matching is to find and locate object instances in images from a large-scale image database. While visual features are abundant, how to combine them to improve performance by individual features remains a challenging task. In this work, we focus on leveraging multiple features for accurate and efficient image retrieval and matching. We first propose two graph-based approaches to rerank initially retrieved images for generic image retrieval. In the graph, vertices are images while edges are similarities between image pairs. Our first approach employs a mixture Markov model based on a random walk model on multiple graphs to fuse graphs. We introduce a probabilistic model to compute the importance of each feature for graph fusion under a naive Bayesian formulation, which requires statistics of similarities from a manually labeled dataset containing irrelevant images. To reduce human labeling, we further propose a fully unsupervised reranking algorithm based on a submodular objective function that can be efficiently optimized by greedy algorithm. By maximizing an information gain term over the graph, our submodular function favors a subset of database images that are similar to query images and resemble each other. The function also exploits the rank relationships of images from multiple ranked lists obtained by different features. We then study a more well-defined application, person re-identification, where the database contains labeled images of human bodies captured by multiple cameras. Re-identifications from multiple cameras are regarded as related tasks to exploit shared information. We apply a novel multi-task learning algorithm using both low level features and attributes. A low rank attribute embedding is joint learned within the multi-task learning formulation to embed original binary attributes to a continuous attribute space, where incorrect and incomplete attributes are rectified and recovered. To locate objects in images, we design an object detector based on object proposals and deep convolutional neural networks (CNN) in view of the emergence of deep networks. We improve a Fast RCNN framework and investigate two new strategies to detect objects accurately and efficiently: scale-dependent pooling (SDP) and cascaded rejection classifiers (CRC). The SDP improves detection accuracy by exploiting appropriate convolutional features depending on the scale of input object proposals. The CRC effectively utilizes convolutional features and greatly eliminates negative proposals in a cascaded manner, while maintaining a high recall for true objects. The two strategies together improve the detection accuracy and reduce the computational cost.

Virus diseases of chickpeas and pulse crops in Australia

Accurate identification of viruses is critical for resistance breeding and for development of management strategies. To this end, we are developing PCR diagnostics for the luteoviruses / poleroviruses that commonly affect chickpea and pulse crops in Australia. This is helping to overcome the shortfalls in virus identifications that often result from cross reactions of viruses to some antibodies. We compared these PCR tests with antibody based Tissue blot immune-assay (TBIA) in virus surveys of chickpea and pulse crops from eastern Australia. We used a multiplex PCR for Beet western yellows virus (BWYV), Bean leaf roll virus (BLRV), Phasey bean virus (PhBV – a new polerovirus species) and Soybean dwarf virus (SbDV) to investigate the importance of each virus and their host range from different locations. Important alternative hosts included Malva parviflora which was commonly found to be infected with BWYV from many locations and Medicago polymorpha was a host for BLRV, PhBV and SbDV. Using the virus species-specific PCR, 49 virus affected plants (mostly crop plants) from surveys in 2013 were screened, revealing the following infections; 38 SbDV, 5 PhBV, 3 BWYV, 2 BLRV and 1 mixed SbDV/BWYV. From the 45 samples that were not BWYV by PCR, 33 were false-positives in the BWYV TBIA. This demonstrates the BWYV antibody used was not useful for identifying BWYV and PCR indicated that SbDV was the dominant virus from the samples tested from the 2013 season. Preliminary results from the 2014 season indicate a significant change, with SbDV being only a minor component of the total virus population. Further work to clarify the Australian luteovirus complex through molecular techniques is in progress.

Privacy in data publishing for tailored recommendation scenarios

Personal information is increasingly gathered and used for providing services tailored to user preferences, but the datasets used to provide such functionality can represent serious privacy threats if not appropriately protected. Work in privacy-preserving data publishing targeted privacy guarantees that protect against record re-identification, by making records indistinguishable, or sensitive attribute value disclosure, by introducing diversity or noise in the sensitive values. However, most approaches fail in the high-dimensional case, and the ones that don’t introduce a utility cost incompatible with tailored recommendation scenarios. This paper aims at a sensible trade-off between privacy and the benefits of tailored recommendations, in the context of privacy-preserving data publishing. We empirically demonstrate that significant privacy improvements can be achieved at a utility cost compatible with tailored recommendation scenarios, using a simple partition-based sanitization method.

Quantification of variable palmar ligaments around the triquetrum-hamate joint determined by lunate type

The ligaments of the wrist are highly variable and poorly described, which is more obvious on the ulnar side of the wrist. Previous studies highlighted the potential differences within the ligaments of the wrist but no consensus has been reached. Poor tissue description and inconsistent use of terminology hindered the reproducibility of the results. Improved understanding of the morphological variations between carpal bones may facilitate improved understanding of the ligamentous structure within the wrist. This study aims to identify the potential variations between carpal bones that could be used to separate palmar ligamentous patterns around the triquetrum-hamate joint into subgroups within the sample population. Investigations were performed following a detailed nomenclature and a clear definition of ligamentous structures to facilitate detailed description and reproducible results. Quantitative analyses were conducted using 3D modelling technique. Histological sections were then analysed to identify the structure of each ligamentous attachment. Variable patterns of ligamentous attachments were identified. Differences were not only obvious between samples but also between the right and left hands of the same person. These identifications suggested that the palmar ligamentous patterns around the triquetrum-hamate joint are best described as a spectrum with a higher affinity of the triquetrum-hamate-capitate ligament and the lunate-triquetrum ligament to be associated with type I lunate wrists on one extreme and type II lunate wrists with the palmar triquetrum-hamate ligament, triquetrum-hamate-capitate ligament and palmar radius-lunate-triquetrum ligament attachments at the other extreme. Histological analyses confirmed pervious established work regarding the mechanical role of ligaments in wrist joint biomechanics. Also, there were no significant differences between the quantitative data obtained from the Genelyn-embalmed and unembalmed specimens (p>0.05). The current study demonstrated variable ligamentous patterns that suggest different bone restraints and two different patterns of motion. These findings support previous suggestions regarding separating the midcarpal joint into two distinct functional types. Type I wrists were identified with ligamentous attachments that are suggestive of rotating/translating hamate whilst type II wrists identified with ligamentous attachments that are suggestive of flexing/extending hamate motion based upon the patterns of the ligamentous attachments in relation to the morphological features of the underlying lunate type of the wrist. This opens the horizon for particular consideration and/or modification of surgical procedures, which may enhance the clinical management of wrist dysfunction.

Whiteness and news: the interlocking social construction of "realities"

This dissertation examines how mainstream U.S. journalism consistently serves white racial interests and the racial status quo, or what I call white incumbency, despite its push for diversity and its stated aims to improve coverage of nonwhite communities. It is based on an in-depth ethnographic study of two daily newspapers and extensive one-on-one interviews with 61 journalists. I found that although journalists strongly identify with the need for more diverse coverage in newspapers, they emphasize individual and personal stories that avoid recognition of historical racial power imbalances, exhibiting what Ruth Frankenberg calls power-evasive race cognizance. Journalists also demonstrate a number of often contradictory identifications and self-understandings about themselves and their work, such as commitments to diversity and not taking sides, but these conflicts are almost always resolved in favor of white incumbency. Journalistic conventions and practices, such as the watchdog function and its emphasis on public institutions, routinely produce stories that replay and reinforce racial hegemony by portraying nonwhites as problems or people seeking “special privileges.” Also, journalistic repertoires about those conventions and practices avoid interrogations of journalists’ ongoing complicity in the maintenance of white incumbency.

Caracterização da captura incidental de tartarugas marinhas pela pesca de espinhel pelágico no Nordeste do Brasil

The marine turtles biological characteristics and the impact they have been suffering in consequence of human activities have caused in the last decades the decrease of populations to unsustainable levels. All four of the species described in this paper are registered as endangered in a list by IUCN: Caretta caretta, Lepidochelys olivacea, Chelonia mydas, Dermochelys coriacea. The main causes of such impact include several fishing activities, mostly the surface longline. This paper discusses the monitoring of two foreigner longline fleet along the North East Brazilian coast between October of 2004 and September of 2005. Both operated in the West South Atlantic, one using the Chinese technique and the other the American. The American method s target species is the swordfish (Xiphias gladius), and it is characterized by using squid as bait, J 9/0 offset 5º hook, light sticks and night soaking. It also operates in shallower waters than the Chinese method. The source of information about the efforts and the catches came from onboard observers and were used to calculate the catching rate of turtles over 1000 hooks (CPUE). The American equipment caught more turtles (CPUE = 0,059; N= 103), mainly D. coriacea, while the Chinese longline caught mainly the L. olivacea and presented a CPUE= 0,018 (N= 89). The hooks were most frequently found attached to the mouth of C. caretta, C. mydas, and L. olivacea. The D. coriacea were most frequently caught by hooks externally attached to different parts of their body. There was no significant difference between the hook type catching and most turtles were still alive when released. The results suggest a greater potential of turtle catching by the American method. Besides the statistic tests have showed less interaction between the Chinese equipment and marine turtles, the catches of this fishing technique could have been underestimated due to miscommunication between the onboard observer and the vessel s crew plus the retrieve of the longline during night time

Identification and characterization of shallow impurity states in gallium arsenide and indium phosphide using photothermal ionization spectroscopy

A model of far infrared (FIR) dielectric response of shallow impurity states in a semiconductor has been developed and is presented for the specific case of the shallow donor transitions in high purity epitaxial GaAs. The model is quite general, however, and should be applicable with slight modification, not only to shallow donors in other materials such as InP, but also to shallow acceptors and excitons. The effects of the enormous dielectric response of shallow donors on the FIR optical properties of reflectance, transmittance, and absorptance, and photoconductive response of high purity epitaxial GaAs films are predicted and compared with experimental photothermal ionization spectra. The model accounts for many of the peculiar features that are frequently observed in these spectra, one of which was the cause of erroneous donor identifications in the early doping experiments. The model also corrects some commonly held misconceptions concerning photo-thermal ionization peak widths and amplitudes and their relationships to donor and acceptor concentrations. These corrections are of particular relevance to the proper interpretation of photothermal ionization spectra in the study of impurity incorporation in high purity epitaxial material. The model also suggests that the technique of FIR reflectance, although it has not been widely employed, should be useful in the study of shallow impurities in semiconductors.

Essai inter-analystes Ifremer pour l’évaluation de la qualité des connaissances en taxinomie et dénombrement du phytoplancton marin – Rapport d'évaluation des analystest du phytoplancton marin dans le cadre du REPHY

Les essais d'aptitude par comparaison inter-laboratoires ou inter-analystes sont utilisés pour évaluer les performances des laboratoires ou analystes sur des compétences spécifiques. Un exercice d’inter-comparaison international est organisé tous les ans par le Marine Institute Phytoplankton unit de Galway (Ireland), sous couvert du NMBAQC-BEQUALM, pour évaluer les performances en identification et en dénombrement du phytoplancton marin. La détermination des espèces phytoplanctoniques et l’estimation de leur abondance dans le cadre du Réseau d’observation et de surveillance du Phytoplancton et de l’Hydrologie, mis en oeuvre par l’Ifremer (REPHY) s’appuie sur 28 analystes, répartis dans 11 laboratoires. Onze d’entre eux ont été inscrits à titre individuel en 2015 pour participer à l’inter-comparaison réalisé par le Marine Institute de Galway (ICN-BEQUALM). Les échantillons envoyés aux analystes concernés ont été utilisés pour évaluer aussi les compétences des analystes non-inscrits à l’ICN-BEQUALM, mais réalisant également des analyses de phytoplancton dans ces mêmes laboratoires pour le REPHY. L’analyse statistique des résultats s’appuie sur la même mesure de performance que celle utilisée par le Marine Institute. Ce rapport décrit le déroulement de l’ICN-BEQUALM et de l’essai complémentaire Ifremer (EIA) et, présente seulement les résultats obtenus pour l’essai Ifremer. L'objectif est d'apporter des éléments à l'ensemble du personnel du REPHY afin d'entretenir une amélioration continue des pratiques et de déterminer des actions à mettre en oeuvre pour cette amélioration. En terme d'identification des taxa, les résultats reçus montrent que les analystes sont hautement qualifiés dans l'identification du phytoplancton marin et démontrent qu'il existe un consensus parmi les analystes sur la majorité des identifications des espèces présentes dans les échantillons de cet essai. Toutefois, des formations ciblées sur les espèces des genres Pseudo-nitszschia et Guinardia sont à envisager pour certains analystes. L'analyse des résultats des dénombrements obtenus cette année a mis principalement en évidence l'importance de la bonne application des protocoles et des instructions particulièrement en ce qui concerne la maitrise de la préservation des échantillons. Cette dernière, repose en grande partie sur les conditions ambiantes de stockage et sur les délais d'analyse. Les différents exercices d'inter-comparaison qui ont été menés jusqu'à présent apportent souvent des éléments différents et complémentaires. Ils s'intègrent dans la démarche qualité, et devront, avec leur pérennisation, attester des bonnes pratiques et de leur optimisation. L'Ifremer, prévoit donc de faire participer chaque année à l'ICN-BEQUALM un tiers des analystes du REPHY et continuer aussi l’évaluation des différents analystes.

Comércio de répteis exóticos: as suas implicações para a conservação da natureza

O comércio de espécies selvagens tem crescido bastante ao longo das últimas décadas. Atualmente é considerado o quarto maior tráfico ilegal no mundo, logo seguido da transação de drogas, de armas e de humanos. Estima-se que o comércio de espécies selvagens pode ultrapassar os 12 milhões de euros por ano na UE. Abrange tanto as plantas como os animais vivos; mas, nestes últimos, incluem-se também os seus derivados, tais como sejam as peles, os ossos, alimento, entre outros. O uso das espécies selvagens é bastante vastos, as espécies são utilizadas para alimentação, uso medicinal, investigação científica, comércio de peles, alimentação e o mais comum é para animais de estimação. As espécies exóticas muitas vezes tornam-se espécies exóticas invasoras, começam a ser um perigo para a biodiversidade e para as espécies nativas. O processo de invasão apresenta-se por quatro fases: dispersão ou transporte, estabelecimento, naturalização e por fim dispersão geográfica e/ou invasão. Vários são os mecanismos para combater as espécies exóticas invasoras, sendo que o mecanismo mais radical a erradicação de espécimes. Em Lisboa, estão descritas três espécies exóticas invasoras: a tartaruga da Florida Trachemys scripta, a tartaruga de Nelson Pseudemys nelsoni e a tartaruga corcunda do Mississipi Graptemys pseudogeographica; ABSTRACT: The wildlife trade is growing fast over the last decades. It is now considered the fourth largest illegal trade in the world, followed by the drugs, weapons and humans. It is estimated that trade with species can exceed 12 million € per year in the EU. This trade comprises plants or live animals; but also is derivatives, such as skins, bones, food, and others. The use of wildlife is diverse, can be for food, medical, scientific research, trade of skins, but the most common is for pets. Alien species can become invasive alien species and so they become a threat to biodiversity and for native species. The process of invasion has four phases: dispersion or transport, establishment, naturalization and geographic dispersion and/or invasion. There are several mechanisms to combat such invasive alien species: the most radical mechanism is eradication of specimens. In Lisbon, are described three invasive alien species: the red-eared slider turtle Trachemys Florida, the Florida red-bellied turtle Pseudemys nelsoni and the false map turtle Graptemys psedogeographica.

The New Voter in Western Europe: France and Beyond

This book presents the main results of an electoral panel study which is both unique and innovative not only in French political research but also among Western European electoral studies. The survey was conducted among a sample of 1,846 French voters interviewed on four separate occasions (2007 Presidential and Legislative elections). Electoral trajectories can thus be observed revealing the main trends in electoral behaviour and voting patterns across the electorate. The analysis of such trajectories and patterns mobilizes not only the usual explanatory factors (demographics, political leanings and identifications) but also another set of political variables (issues, the campaign and the media, the candidates' image, how electoral decisions are made, hesitation in voting intentions).This study also provides interesting findings on electoral volatility, including abstention. (Résumé éditeur)

Faunal remains from an Almohad (Ad XII/XIII) silo at the Castle of Aljezur (Portugal)

The analysis of a faunal collection from a storage silo found in the castle of Aljezur, dating from the Almohad period (XII/XIIIth centuries AD), is presented. It appears that the community occupying the castle concentrated on hunting species such as the rabbit, wild boar, red deer and Iberian lynx, while evidences of stockbreeding were scarce and centered upon caprines with horses and chicken playing minor role. The presence of a large dog has been assumed to be an aid for hunting but possibly also in herd keeping. With the exception of the lynx, all large mammals evidenced traces of consumption. The domestic cat is taken to represent a pet whereas the lynx had probably a role as a fur provider. It should be noted that equids and the pond turtle were probably food items. Rodents are taken to represent commensals whereas the toad of the Genus Bufo probably represented an intrusive element.

Lineup identification accuracy: the effects of alcohol, target presence, confidence ratings, and response time

Despite the intoxication of many eyewitnesses at crime scenes, only four published studies to date have investigated the effects of alcohol intoxication on eyewitness identification performance. While one found intoxication significantly increased false identification rates from target absent showups, three found no such effect using the more traditional lineup procedure. The present study sought to further explore the effects of alcohol intoxication on identification performance and examine whether accurate decisions from intoxicated witnesses could be postdicted by confidence and response times. One hundred and twenty participants engaged in a study examining the effects of intoxication (control, placebo, and mild intoxication) and target presence on identification performance. Participants viewed a simultaneous lineup one week after watching a mock crime video of a man attempting to steal cars. Ethanol intoxication (0.6 ml/kg) was found to make no significant difference to identification accuracy and such identifications from intoxicated individuals were made no less confidently or slowly than those from sober witnesses. These results are discussed with respect to the previous research examining intoxicated witness identification accuracy and the misconceptions the criminal justice system holds about the accuracy of such witnesses.

Estudo da zircônia reforçado com alumina

Ceramics materials have good properties including chemical stability, high hardness and wear resistance. Moreover, due to its fragility, can suffer failure under relatively low levels of tension. Actually zirconia is the material of choice in metal free dental prostheses used in dentistry due its inertia in physiological environment, good bending strength, hardness and fracture toughness. The alumina and mixed tungsten and titanium carbides additions, acting as reinforcement elements in the zirconia matrix, have as their main objective the improvement of mechanical properties of this material. In this work, samples of zirconia, zirconia with 30% wt of alumina and zirconia with 30% wt mixed carbides were analyzed. The samples were sintered by uniaxial hot pressing on 30 MPa pressure, for 1 hour in an argon atmosphere. They were physically characterized by porosity and density measurements, and mechanically by 3-points bending strength and Vickers microhardness. The X-ray diffraction was used for the phase identifications and microstructure was examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The addition of mixed carbides as reinforcement elements in zirconia matrix provides improvements in all properties analyzed in this work. The alumina addition has dropped the zirconia strength, although it caused improvement in other properties

Ambigüidades identitárias na “Feira Hippie”/ Brasil

Este trabalho tem por objetivo discutir as ambigüidades identitárias vivenciadas pelos atores sociais, representantes de organizações familiares que se agrupam na “Feira Hippie” de Belo Horizonte (Minas Gerais/Brasil). O embasamento teórico da discussão está ancorado na abordagem de identidade e nos processos de identificação social, enquanto que o material empírico provém de uma investigação em organizações familiares. O método de pesquisa adotado foi o qualitativo, baseado na Análise do Discurso e na história de vida dos gestores familiares ao longo dos seus 36 anos de atuação na Feira. A análise evidenciou os processos de construção e desconstrução de determinadas identificações por parte dos gestores familiares em relação à Feira em determinados contextos ao longo de sua história. Além disso, foi possível perceber que tais processos de identificação mantiveram uma estreita relação com a dinâmica dos grupos sociais na ocupação de um dado espaço físico e simbólico – onde os dois elementos: os grupos e o espaço – desempenharam papel ativo na construção dessas identificações sociais e organizacionais, no início como feira de artesanato e depois como feira de variedades.