How good are MatLab, Octave and Scilab for Computational Modelling?

In this article we test the accuracy of three platforms used in computational modelling: MatLab, Octave and Scilab, running on i386 architecture and three operating systems (Windows, Ubuntu and Mac OS). We submitted them to numerical tests using standard data sets and using the functions provided by each platform. A Monte Carlo study was conducted in some of the datasets in order to verify the stability of the results with respect to small departures from the original input. We propose a set of operations which include the computation of matrix determinants and eigenvalues, whose results are known. We also used data provided by NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology), a protocol which includes the computation of basic univariate statistics (mean, standard deviation and first-lag correlation), linear regression and extremes of probability distributions. The assessment was made comparing the results computed by the platforms with certified values, that is, known results, computing the number of correct significant digits.Comment: Accepted for publication in the Computational and Applied Mathematics journa

Noise robustness of the nonlocality of entangled quantum states

We study the nonlocal properties of states resulting from the mixture of an arbitrary entangled state rho of two d-dimensional systems and completely depolarized noise, with respective weights p and 1-p. We first construct a local model for the case in which rho is maximally entangled and p at or below a certain bound. We then extend the model to arbitrary rho. Our results provide bounds on the resistance to noise of the nonlocal correlations of entangled states. For projective measurements, the critical value of the noise parameter p for which the state becomes local is at least asymptotically log(d) larger than the critical value for separability.Comment: 5 pages, no figures. It contains only minor changes, published versio

Gender Matters! Analyzing Global Cultural Gender Preferences for Venues Using Social Sensing

Gender differences is a phenomenon around the world actively researched by social scientists. Traditionally, the data used to support such studies is manually obtained, often through surveys with volunteers. However, due to their inherent high costs because of manual steps, such traditional methods do not quickly scale to large-size studies. We here investigate a particular aspect of gender differences: preferences for venues. To that end we explore the use of check-in data collected from Foursquare to estimate cultural gender preferences for venues in the physical world. For that, we first demonstrate that by analyzing the check-in data in various regions of the world we can find significant differences in preferences for specific venues between gender groups. Some of these significant differences reflect well-known cultural patterns. Moreover, we also gathered evidence that our methodology offers useful information about gender preference for venues in a given region in the real world. This suggests that gender and venue preferences observed may not be independent. Our results suggests that our proposed methodology could be a promising tool to support studies on gender preferences for venues at different spatial granularities around the world, being faster and cheaper than traditional methods, besides quickly capturing changes in the real world

Laboratório Gilberto Freyre: ressinificando a cidadania nos entornos de União da Vitória, Paraná à luz de práticas extensionistas

Anais do 35º Seminário de Extensão Universitária da Região Sul - Área temática: Direitos Humanos e JustiçaO Laboratório de pesquisa/extensão Gilberto Freyre, cadastrado na Pró- Reitoria de Extensão da Universidade Estadual do Paraná – Unespar, Campus de União da Vitória, é um Programa de Extensão que, entre outras coisas, busca a promoção da vida humana, por meio de ações extensionistas. Desse modo, o objetivo é garantir aos espaços marginalizados de União da Vitória o direito à cidadania. Nesse sentido, o objetivo aqui proposto é apresentar resultados finais de ações dos projetos contação de histórias, identidade e pré-universitário que lograram êxito nos entornos da Unespa

Treatment of the Prominent Mandibular Angle by Using a Custom Made Surgical Splint

In this case report, we would like to present an alternative surgical technique for the treatment of the bilateral prominent mandibular angles by using a custom-made resin splint (template). The prefabricated template provided a precise outline for the osteotomy, which alleviated the uncertainty of the osseous cut. Furthermore, masseter muscle myomectomy was not necessary in this case which decreased morbidity, and procedure and recovery time, while assuring a more symmetric outcome

El triángulo mágico : escuela, familia y comunidad en una intervención con jóvenes de contextos sociales desfavorecidos

En este artículo se presenta un estudio de casos llevado a cabo en la zona serrana de la región del Algarbe, Portugal. Se intenta comprender algunos aspectos del trabajo educativo con jóvenes de un medio social desfavorecido. Se plantea que los patrones de cambio cultural que han emergido pueden ser parcialmente explicados por un trabajo coordinado entre una diversidad de agentes educativos, que han buscado nuevas formas de diálogo. De esta forma, las relaciones entre familia, escuela y comunidad parecen fundamentales para producir cambios positivos en el trabajo educativo.__________________________________ In this paper we present a case studies research done in the mountainous area of the region of Algarve, Portugal. In it we try to understand some dimensions of the educational work concerning children of a clearly deprived social context. We sustain that the patterns of cultural change which have emerged can be partially explained by the coordinated work between a diversity of educational agents, who have searched new ways to dialogue. That being, the relationships between family, school and community seem fundamental to produce positive changes in educational work

Grid-Brick Event Processing Framework in GEPS

Experiments like ATLAS at LHC involve a scale of computing and data management that greatly exceeds the capability of existing systems, making it necessary to resort to Grid-based Parallel Event Processing Systems (GEPS). Traditional Grid systems concentrate the data in central data servers which have to be accessed by many nodes each time an analysis or processing job starts. These systems require very powerful central data servers and make little use of the distributed disk space that is available in commodity computers. The Grid-Brick system, which is described in this paper, follows a different approach. The data storage is split among all grid nodes having each one a piece of the whole information. Users submit queries and the system will distribute the tasks through all the nodes and retrieve the result, merging them together in the Job Submit Server. The main advantage of using this system is the huge scalability it provides, while its biggest disadvantage appears in the case of failure of one of the nodes. A workaround for this problem involves data replication or backup.Comment: 6 pages; document for CHEP'03 conferenc

Insights from analysing tourist expenditure using quantile regression

Mature tourism destinations are increasingly needing to diversify their products and markets. To be successful, such strategies require a very detailed understanding of potential tourists’ levels and patterns of spending. Empirical studies of tourist expenditure have tended to employ ordinary least squares regression for this purpose. There are, however, a number of important limitations to this technique, chief among which is its inability to distinguish between tourists who have higher- and lower-than-average levels of spending. As such, some researchers recommend the use of an alternative estimation technique, known as quantile regression, which does allow such distinctions to be made. This study uses a single data set, collected among rural tourists in Madeira, to analyse the determinants of tourist expenditure using both techniques. This enables direct comparison to be made and illustrates the additional insights to be gained using quantile regression.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Museos, desarrollo y cambio : la reacción de los espacios banales

Los museos son territorios simbólicos privilegiados de la contemporaneidad. A lo mejor puede ser una afirmación precipitada o apenas otra utopía museológica. Pero lo que es cierto es que los museos cambiaron o están en movimiento y no se parecen más con aquellos que Fillippo Marinetti quería destruir (Manifestó Futurista, 1909) o con aquellos que Paúl Valéry decía en no morirse de amores (O problema dos museus, 1923), para apenas nombrar dos de los más conocidos detractores. Entre los cambios más importantes verificados en los últimos años está el aparecimiento de las iniciativas espontáneas de la creación de nuevos museos, nacidos a partir de la articulación de los movimientos populares organizados, que no eran más únicamente conducidos por los poderes públicos. Una explicación para tal fenómeno es que los museos pasaron a ser vistos y reivindicados como un derecho esencial hasta el día de hoy, en su gran mayoría, negado como un espacio contemporáneo de participación y de reacción. Sin embargo, hasta qué punto podemos relacionar los museos, el desarrollo y los cambios sociales.Universidad Tecnológica de El Salvado

Particulate carriers as immunological adjuvants

In recent years, much interest has focused on the significance of inducing not only systemic immunity but also good local immunity at susceptible mucosal surfaces. A new field of mucosal immunity has been established as information accumulates on gut-associated lymphoid tissue, bronchus-associated lymphoid tissue and nasal-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT, BALT and NALT, respectively) and on their role in both local and systemic immune responses. This project, following the line of investigation started by other workers, was designed to study the use of microspheres to deliver antigens by the mucosal routes (oral and nasal). Antigen-containing microspheres were prepared with PLA and PLGA, by either entrapment within the particles or adsorption onto the surface. The model protein antigens used in this work were mainly tetanus toxoid (TT), bovine serum albumin (BSA) and γ-globulins.In vitro investigations included the study of physicochemical properties of the particulate carriers as well as the assessment of stability of the antigen molecules throughout the formulation procedures. Good loading efficiencies were obtained with both formulation techniques, which did not affect the immunogenicity of the antigens studied. The influence of the surfactant employed on the microspheres' surface properties was demonstrated as well as its implications on the adsorption of proteins. Preparations containing protein adsorbed were shown to be slightly more hydrophobic than empty PLA microspheres, which can enhance the uptake of particles by the antigen presenting cells that prefer to associate with hydrophobic surfaces. Systemic and mucosal immune responses induced upon nasal, oral and intramuscular administration have been assessed and, when appropriate, compared with the most widely used vaccine adjuvant, aluminium hydroxide. The results indicate that association of TT with PLA microspheres through microencapsulation or adsorption procedures led to an enhancement of specific mucosal IgA and IgG and systemic IgG responses to the mucosal delivered antigens. Particularly, nasal administration of TT produced significantly higher serum levels of specific IgG in test animals, as compared to control groups, suggesting that this is a potential route for vaccination. This implies the uptake and transfer of particles through the nasal mucosa, which was further demonstrated by the presence in the blood stream of latex particles as early as 10 min after nasal administration