Detecting Hands in Egocentric Videos: Towards Action Recognition

Recently, there has been a growing interest in analyzing human daily activities from data collected by wearable cameras. Since the hands are involved in a vast set of daily tasks, detecting hands in egocentric images is an important step towards the recognition of a variety of egocentric actions. However, besides extreme illumination changes in egocentric images, hand detection is not a trivial task because of the intrinsic large variability of hand appearance. We propose a hand detector that exploits skin modeling for fast hand proposal generation and Convolutional Neural Networks for hand recognition. We tested our method on UNIGE-HANDS dataset and we showed that the proposed approach achieves competitive hand detection results

SHKÉNUK: Cuerpo y subjetividad en una propuesta metodológica para la educación primaria.

El cuerpo ha sido dividido desde los inicios de la modernidad como un accesorio del ser humano. Esta división del ser humano en cuerpo-mente y espíritu le ha dado un lugar privilegiado a la mente y a la racionalidad. La educación ha reproducido y mantenido esta división, despojando al cuerpo y a la corporalidad del proceso de aprendizaje. Se presenta a continuación la propuesta metodológica de Centro Educativo Shkénuk que plantea una alternativa a este paradigma de educación tradicional vigente, y que integra la corporalidad, emocionalidad y espiritualidad a través de tres pilares fundamentales: el ordenamiento espaciotemporal de los periodos escolares, la propuesta curricular flexible y la interdisciplinariedad. Palabras clave: educación, corporeidad, subjetividades, ambiente preparado, flexibilidad curricular, trabajo interdisciplinario, empoderamiento

La importancia del intervalo de la floración en el mejoramiento para la resistencia a sequía en maíz tropical

La longitud de intervalo entre la aparición de estigmas y antesis se incrementa cuando la sequía coincide con la época de floración del maíz (Zea mays L.). Cuatro poblaciones élite de maíz tropical del CIMMYT están siendo mejoradas para resistencia a sequía por esquemas de selección recurrente (S1 o hermanos completos) para rendimiento de grano y varias otras características, tanto bajo estrés de sequía, como bajo condiciones de buena humedad. Los datos recolectados de más de 2,000 famillas por población evaluadas en parcelas de un solo surco, bajo tres niveles de estrés de humedad de suelo (1. estrés severo durante el período de pre y postfloración; 2. estrés intermedio durante el llenado de grano; y 3. irrigación normal, todos en ausencia de lluvia), mostraron correlación débil o ausencia de ésta entre el rendimiento de grano y otras características relacionadas al balance hídrico de la planta, tales como: enrollamiento foliar y senescencia, foto-oxidación, concentración foliar de clorofila, tasa de elongación vegetativa, temperatura foliar y potencial hídrico matutino. El rendimiento bajo todos los niveles de estrés fue correlacionado negativamente con el intervalo de floración y el intervalo de floración se incrementó debido a la sequía. Asimismo, los granos y mazorcas por plantase redujeron significativamente. En todas las poblaciones el rendimiento disminuyó aproximadamente 10% por día de incremento en el intervalo de floración y hasta 8 días. En varias situaciones de estrés, la heredabilidad de sentido amplio para el intervalo de floración fue mayor que aquella del rendimiento de grano y la correlación genética entre rendimiento de grano y el intervalo de floración aproximadamente -1.00. Los sintéticos formados a partir de una de las poblaciones, seguidos de selección bidireccional y evaluados bajo sequía, demostraron ventajas adaptativas como baja temperatura foliar, baja senescencia foliar, un intervalo de floración reducido y hojas erectas, especialmente, cuando todas estas características fueron combinadas en un índice de selección. La selección por intervalo de floración corto y alto rendimiento de grano puede ser un medio eficaz de mejorar la tolerancia a la sequía en maíz tropical

Unparticle physics and neutrino phenomenology

We have constrained unparticle interactions with neutrinos and electrons using available data on neutrino-electron elastic scattering and the four CERN LEP experiments data on mono photon production. We have found that, for neutrino-electron elastic scattering, the MUNU experiment gives better constraints than previous reported limits in the region d>1.5. The results are compared with the current astrophysical limits, pointing out the cases where these limits may or may not apply. We also discuss the sensitivity of future experiments to unparticle physics. In particular, we show that the measurement of coherent reactor neutrino scattering off nuclei could provide a good sensitivity to the couplings of unparticle interaction with neutrinos and quarks. We also discuss the case of future neutrino-electron experiments as well as the International Linear Collider.Comment: 20 pages, 5 figures. Minor changes, final versio

La boleta de auxilio frente a la violencia intrafamiliar

Introduction: violence in its various forms and the causes that drive it is examined, with emphasis on domestic violence, as a manifestation of power relations between men and women, which is often naturalized in society and does not distinguish age, ethnicity, social status, or gender identity. To protect victims of violence, legal tools have been developed at the national and international levels, and Ecuador's laws addressing violence against women and femicide are mentioned. Objectives: To establish criteria to determine whether the distress ballot should be maintained or revoked after an investigation of domestic violence has been completed. Methodology: The study is based on a qualitative approach and uses documentary research methods to analyze the relief ticket against domestic violence in Ecuador. It examines relevant legal provisions, treaties, and scientific works, as well as the principles and criteria applied in protection against domestic violence. Desk research provides valuable and diverse information to support analysis. Results: it is highlighted that domestic violence entails high social, economic, and personal costs for the victim and the family, and can generate physical, mental illnesses and even death. Rates of domestic violence in Ecuador have been on the rise, and the help ticket has become an important tool to protect people at risk of aggression. Documentary, statistical, legal, and jurisprudential research has been carried out, all with the aim of fulfilling the general objective of establishing criteria for determining whether the distress ballot should be maintained or revoked after an investigation of domestic violence has been completed. Conclusions: it is concluded that the State must guarantee the protection of people at risk of violence, and the approach of protection measures to prevent future acts of violence. General area of study: Law. Specific area of study: Family Law / Criminal Law.Introducción: se examina la violencia en sus diversas formas y las causas que la impulsan, con énfasis en la violencia intrafamiliar, como una manifestación de las relaciones de poder entre hombres y mujeres, que a menudo se naturaliza en la sociedad y no distingue edad, etnia, condición social o identidad de género. Para proteger a las víctimas de la violencia, se han desarrollado herramientas legales a nivel nacional e internacional, y se mencionan las leyes de Ecuador que abordan la violencia contra las mujeres y el femicidio. Objetivos: Establecer criterios para determinar si la boleta de auxilio debe mantenerse o ser revocada después de terminada una investigación de violencia intrafamiliar. Metodología: El estudio se basa en un enfoque cualitativo y utiliza métodos de investigación documental para analizar la boleta de auxilio frente a la violencia intrafamiliar en Ecuador. Se examinan las disposiciones legales, los tratados y trabajos científicos relevantes, así como los principios y criterios aplicados en la protección contra la violencia intrafamiliar. La investigación documental proporciona información valiosa y diversa para respaldar el análisis. Resultados: se destaca que la violencia intrafamiliar conlleva altos costos sociales, económicos y personales para la víctima y la familia, y puede generar enfermedades físicas, mentales e incluso la muerte. Los índices de violencia intrafamiliar en Ecuador han ido en aumento, y la boleta de auxilio se ha convertido en una herramienta importante para proteger a las personas en riesgo de sufrir agresiones. Se ha desarrollado una investigación doctrinaria documental, estadística, legal y jurisprudencial, todo con el fin de cumplir con el objetivo general de establecer criterios para determinar si la boleta de auxilio debe mantenerse o ser revocada después de terminada una investigación de violencia intrafamiliar. Conclusiones: se concluye que el Estado debe garantizar la protección de las personas en riesgo de violencia, y el planteamiento de medidas de protección como una forma de prevenir futuros actos de violencia. Área de estudio general: Derecho. Área de estudio específica: Derecho de familia / Derecho penal

Experimental modulation of capsule size in Cryptococcus neoformans

Experimental modulation of capsule size is an important technique for the study of the virulence of the encapsulated pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans. In this paper, we summarize the techniques available for experimental modulation of capsule size in this yeast and describe improved methods to induce capsule size changes. The response of the yeast to the various stimuli is highly dependent on the cryptococcal strain. A high CO(2) atmosphere and a low iron concentration have been used classically to increase capsule size. Unfortunately, these stimuli are not reliable for inducing capsular enlargement in all strains. Recently we have identified new and simpler conditions for inducing capsule enlargement that consistently elicited this effect. Specifically, we noted that mammalian serum or diluted Sabouraud broth in MOPS buffer pH 7.3 efficiently induced capsule growth. Media that slowed the growth rate of the yeast correlated with an increase in capsule size. Finally, we summarize the most commonly used media that induce capsule growth in C. neoformans

Evaluation of Chromane Derivatives: Promising Privileged Scaffolds for Lead Discovery within Alzheimer’s Disease

The chromane ring system is widely distributed in nature and has proven to be a highly potent pharmacophore in medicinal chemistry, which includes the area of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. We report on the development of a gem-dimethylchroman-4-ol family that was shown to give good inhibition of equine serum butyrylcholinesterase (eqBuChE) (in the range 2.9 – 7.3 μM) and in the same range of currently used drugs. We also synthesized a small library of gem-dimethylchroman-4-amine compounds, via a simple reductive amination of the corresponding chromanone precursor, that were also selective for eqBuChE presenting inhibitions in the range 7.6 – 67 μM. Kinetic studies revealed that they were mixed inhibitors. Insights into their mechanism of action were obtained through molecular docking and STD-NMR experiments, and the most active examples showed excellent drug-likeness and pharmacological properties predicted using Swiss-ADME. We also prepared a set of propargyl gem-dimethylchromanamines, for monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibition but they were only moderately active (the best being 28% inhibition at 1 µM on MAO-B). Overall, our compounds were found to be best suited as inhibitors for BuChE

Probing nonstandard neutrino-electron interactions with solar and reactor neutrinos

Most neutrino mass extensions of the standard electroweak model entail non-standard interactions which, in the low energy limit, can be parametrized in term of effective four-fermion operators νανβf¯f. Typically of sub-weak strength, ϵαβGF, these are characterized by dimensionless coupling parameters, ϵαβ, which may be relatively sizeable in a wide class of schemes. Here we focus on non-universal (NU) flavor conserving couplings (α=β) with electrons (f=e) and analyse their impact on the phenomenology of solar neutrinos. We consistently take into account their effect both at the level of propagation where they modify the standard MSW behavior, and at the level of detection, where they affect the cross section of neutrino elastic scattering on electrons. We find limits which are comparable to other existing model-independent constraints

Measurement report: An exploratory study of fluorescence and cloud condensation nuclei activity of urban aerosols in San Juan, Puerto Rico

Many atmospheric aerosols are cloud condensation nuclei (CCN), capable of activating as cloud droplets when the relative humidity exceeds 100 %. Some primary biological aerosol particles (PBAPs), such as plant spores, pollen, or bacteria, have been identified as such CCN. Urban environments are a source of these bioaerosols, some of which are naturally produced by the local flora or are transported from surrounding regions and others of which are a result of human activities. In the latter case, open sewage, uncovered garbage, mold or other products of such activities can be a source of PBAPs. There have been relatively few studies, especially in the tropics, where PBAPs and CCN have been simultaneously studied to establish a causal link between the two. The metropolis of San Juan, Puerto Rico, is one such urban area with a population of 2 448 000 people (as of 2020). To better understand the fluorescent characteristics and cloud-forming efficiency of aerosols in this region, measurements with a wideband integrated bioaerosol spectrometer (WIBS), a condensation nuclei (CN) counter and a CCN spectrometer were made at the University of Puerto Rico – Río Piedras Campus. Results show that the CCN / CN activation ratio and the fraction of fluorescing aerosol particles (FAPs) have repetitive daily trends when the FAP fraction is positively correlated with relative humidity and negatively correlated with wind speed, consistent with previous studies of fungi spores collected on substrates. The results from this pilot study highlight the capabilities of ultraviolet-induced fluorescence (UV-IF) measurements for characterizing the properties of FAPs as they relate to the daily evolution of PBAPs. The use of multiple excitation and emission wavelengths, along with shape detection, allows the differentiation of different PBAP types. These measurements, evaluated with respect to previous, substrate-based analysis of the local fungal and pollen spores, have established a preliminary database of measurements that future, longer-term studies will build upon.</p