Evolutionary algorithms and machine learning: Synergies, Challenges and Opportunities

While Machine Learning (ML) techniques enjoyed growing popularity in recent years, the role of Evolutionary Algorithms in this field is still marginal — quite a surprising fact considering how deeply the origins of the two fields are related. In this tutorial we present success stories of EAs exploited in specific ML tasks, such as feature selection, adversarial ML, whitebox modeling, also mentioning the renowned neuroevolution. We show how similar concepts appear in both fields with different names. At the same time, we show well-known and emerging challenges that EAs need to overcome to become widely adopted in ML. For instance, a reduced ability to scale or a general distrust toward stochasticity. Finally, we point out opportunities arising for new research lines, that play on the strengths of EAs, such as potential improvements over currently-used optimization techniques; and the capability to go beyond simple model fitting, creating solutions that expand over the boundaries of the training data

Towards Drift Correction in Chemical Sensors Using an Evolutionary Strategy

Gas chemical sensors are strongly affected by the so-called drift, i.e., changes in sensors' response caused by poisoning and aging that may significantly spoil the measures gathered. The paper presents a mechanism able to correct drift, that is: delivering a correct unbiased fingerprint to the end user. The proposed system exploits a state-of-the-art evolutionary strategy to iteratively tweak the coefficients of a linear transformation. The system operates continuously. The optimal correction strategy is learnt without a-priori models or other hypothesis on the behavior of physical-chemical sensors. Experimental results demonstrate the efficacy of the approach on a real problem

Las facultades de los Vicarios capitulares porteños (1812-1853)

En los anales de la historia eclesiástica argentina hemos tropezado mñas de una vez con Vicarios Capitulares elegidos por un timepo determinado y con sus facultades cercenadas. Este hecho nos sorprende un tanto a nosotros, que vivimos habituados a la disciplina eclesiástica moderna, conforme a la cual el capítulo debe transferir integramente su jurisdicción al Vicario y no puede ponerle término a su duración en el gobierno de la Diócesis. Su administración cesa con el advenimiento del nuevo Obispo. Juzgadas las cosas a la luz de este criterio, fuerza nos sería tachar de nulas todas las elecciones hechas en Buenos Aires a partir de la muerte del Obispo Lúe (1812) hasta ek segundo Provisorato de Miguel García (1853).El planteo de este problema nos indujo a estudiar prolijamente la sucesión de todos los Vicarios Capitulares comprendidos entre las fechas expresadas. Para ahondar los detalles de este proceso y abocarnos decididamente a la averiguación de las razones que asistían a los Canónigos apara atenerse a esta práctica, nos vimos precisados a recorrer paso a paso la serie de Provisores que gobernaros la Diócesis porteña en sus período de sede-vacancia y poner en su luz verdadera los fundamentos que respaldan la legitimidad de sus decisiones sobre este particular

L’utilizzo delle protesi endoscopiche nella patologia dell’apparato digerente

L’utilizzo di protesi ad introduzione per via endoscopica per patologie dell’apparato digerente sia benigne che maligne ha avuto negli ultimi anni un considerevole sviluppo. Il posizionamento delle endoprotesi è ben tollerato dai pazienti, non necessita di anestesia e comporta rischi relativamente minimi. Le nuove protesi metalliche autoespansibili permettono di risolvere stenosi anche molto serrate senza quasi mai necessità di dilatazione, con riduzione dei rischi che da questa derivano. Viene riportata una revisione dell’esperienza di protesizzazione per patologie dell’apparato digerente e vengono discussi le indicazioni, i limiti e le complicanze, sulla scorta dei dati dalla letteratura internazionale

Assays to determine the proper season to practice agamic propagation in ornamental grasses : : Mendoza (Argentina)

La división de matas es una técnica de propagación difundida con gran éxito entre las Gramíneas. Cuando se trata de la producción comercial de este grupo de plantas, es importante conocer la época en que se realiza esta práctica para obtener plantas de la mejor calidad en el menor tiempo posible. Según algunos autores, la estación apropiada para dividir gramíneas está relacionada con el momento de activo crecimiento: primavera tardía para las especies estivales y otoño o primavera temprana para las invernales. En este trabajo se estudió la influencia de la época del año en la división de matas de Miscanthus sinensis "Variegatus", Miscanthus sinensis "Zebrinus", Miscanthus sinensis "Morning Light", Paspalum haumanii, Leymus arenarius, Pennisetum setaceum y Trichloris crinita en diciembre y febrero. Se evaluaron las características ornamentales y la precocidad, con fines comerciales, de las plantas obtenidas en otoño y primavera tardía. Las variables utilizadas fueron altura vegetativa, diámetro de canopia y de corona, número de cañas y porcentaje de sobrevivencia. Desde el punto de vista comercial y productivo, es conveniente realizar la división de matas en otoño para obtener precocidad sólo en M. sinensis "Variegatus" y M. sinensis "Zebrinus". En el caso de M. sinensis "Morning Light", P. setaceum, T. crinita, P. haumanii y Leymus es más adecuada la división de primavera.Division of clumps is the largest used technique of vegetative propagation spread with great success among the grasses. When it comes to commercial production of ornamental grasses, it is important to know the season that this practice is done to get plants of the best quality in the shortest possible time. According to some authors, division is usually best done when grasses are in active growth: late spring for the summer species and autumn or early spring for the winter ones. In this assay, the aim was to study the influence of the season in the division of Miscanthus sinensis "Variegatus", M. sinensis "Zebrinus", M. sinensis "Morning Light", Paspalum haumanii, Leymus arenarius, Pennisetum setaceum and Trichloris crinita in December and February, it was also evaluated the ornamental condition and precocity of plants obtained in autumn and into late spring with commercial purposes.The variables considered were: vegetative height, canopy diameter, and crown diameter, number of canes and percentage of survival. From commercial and productive point of view, it is advisable to realize the division in autumn to obtain precociousness only in M. sinensis "Variegatus" and in M. sinensis "Zebrinus". In the case of M. sinensis "Morning Light", P. setaceum, T. crinita, P. haumanii and Leymus is more appropriate spring division.Fil: Fioretti, Sonia B.. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias. Departamento de Producción AgropecuariaFil: Videla, Eugenia. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias. Departamento de Producción AgropecuariaFil: Ponce, María T.. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias. Departamento de Ciencias BiológicasFil: Tonda, Marta. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias. Departamento de Producción AgropecuariaFil: Carrieri, Sergio A.. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias. Departamento de Producción Agropecuari

Research on alcohol and other drug (AOD) use among sexual minority women: A global scoping review

Until the 1980s, the limited research on alcohol and other drug (AOD) use among sexual minority women (SMW) focused on alcohol and used samples recruited from gay bars, resulting in inflated estimates of hazardous drinking. Over the past several decades the number of AOD studies with SMW has increased dramatically. To characterize this literature, we conducted a scoping review to answer the following questions: What do we know, and what are the gaps in research about AOD use among SMW? We searched multiple electronic databases (Medline [PubMed], CINAHL, PsycInfo, and Web of Science) for peer-reviewed research articles about AOD use among adult SMW published between January 1, 2000 and May 31, 2017. After duplicates were removed the search identified 4,204 articles. We reviewed the titles and abstracts and removed articles that did not meet inclusion criteria. We used full-text review of the remaining 229 articles to make a final determination regarding inclusion and we retained 181 articles for review. Although the quantity of AOD research with SMW has grown substantially, the great majority of studies have been conducted in the United States (US) and most focus on hazardous drinking; relatively little research has focused on other drugs. In addition, although there has been marked improvement in theories and methods used in this research, many gaps and limitations remain. Examples are the lack of longitudinal research; reliance on samples that tend to over-represent white, well-educated, and relatively young women; sparse attention to mechanisms underlying the disproportionately high rates of AOD use among SMW; and the absence of intervention research. In general, more high-quality research on SMW\u27s use of AODs is needed, but gaps and limitations are particularly large in non-western countries. Addressing these research gaps and limitations is essential for providing information that can be used to develop more effective prevention and early intervention strategies, as well as for informing policies that can help to reduce risky drinking and drug misuse among SMW

A scoping review of alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use treatment interventions for sexual and gender minority populations

BackgroundAlcohol, tobacco, and other drug use are among the most prevalent and important health disparities affecting sexual and gender minority (SGM; e.g., lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) populations. Although numerous government agencies and health experts have called for substance use intervention studies to address these disparities, such studies continue to be relatively rare. MethodWe conducted a scoping review of prevention and drug treatment intervention studies for alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use that were conducted with SGM adults. We searched three databases to identify pertinent English-language, peer-reviewed articles published between 1985 and 2019. ResultsOur search yielded 71 articles. The majority focused on sexual minority men and studied individual or group psychotherapies for alcohol, tobacco, or methamphetamine use. ConclusionOur findings highlight the need for intervention research focused on sexual minority women and gender minority individuals and on cannabis and opioid use. There is also a need for more research that evaluates dyadic, population-level, and medication interventions