General Centrality in a hypergraph

The goal of this paper is to present a centrality measurement for the nodes of a hypergraph, by using existing literature which extends eigenvector centrality from a graph to a hypergraph, and literature which give a general centrality measurement for a graph. We will use this measurement to say more about the number of communications in a hypergraph, to implement a learning mechanism, and to construct certain networks.Comment: 16 page

Is external control important for internal control?

In cybernetics, the basic assumption is that systems aim for control.But what and how are they controlling? I dierentiate two categories ofcontrol: internal and external control. In external control, one starts fromoutside, and tries to determine the environment completely. While withinternal control, one's own aspirations are taken as a starting point, anduseful synergies with the environment are sought. I'll dene these con-cepts in cybernetic terms, and argue why they are not necessary related.There are two aspects in this dierence. The rst lies in the locality: isthere an aim for global control, or only for control in the immediate envi-ronment? There is also a dierence in what one tries to change. An agentcould adapt its links, or try to change either the methods or the goals ofits neighbors.Several of these cases will be further explored by giving an existing modelthat falls under this circumstances. All of these models will be put intoan overarching framework. The model of controllability is a model aboutglobal control, while the others model local control, based on neural net-works or perceptual control theory

Nano-encapsulation : distribution d'un médicament dans une population de micelles polymères et mécanisme de perméabilisation de liposomes photosensibles

L’encapsulation de médicaments est un domaine en plein essor, car les améliorations thérapeutiques envisageables sont significatives. Dans ce cadre, nous avons étudié, par spectroscopie infrarouge à l’échelle nanométrique, la distribution d’un médicament, le SN-38, dans une population de micelles polymères qui en ont été chargées. La proportion médicament/polymère a été mesurée en comparant les intensités de longueurs d’onde propres au médicament et au polymère. Nous n’avons pas pu obtenir un signal satisfaisant pour une micelle isolée. En étudiant un film laissé par l’évaporation d’une suspension de micelles chargées, nous n’avons pas décelé de différence de teneur en médicament dans la population, dans un intervalle de 5 % autour de la composition théorique (10 (p/p) % de médicament), à part quelques rares amas, possiblement des artefacts dus à la préparation de l’échantillon. Dans un second temps, nous avons investigué les paramètres influençant la libération d’une sonde fluorescente (la sulforhodamine B, SRB) encapsulée dans des liposomes photosensibles. Cette libération est provoquée par l’isomérisation photoactivée d’un dérivé monoalkylé d’azobenzène (azo) dans la bicouche. L’azobenzène, lorsqu’il est illuminé avec des UV, passe d’une conformation trans, plane, à une conformation cis plus volumineuse, qui perturbe la bicouche et la rend plus perméable. Les liposomes sont composés de cet azo et de sulfate de cholestérol (SC) en proportion SC/azo 3/1 (mol/mol). Ces lipides sont en phase lo. Nous avons observé une libération très rapide pendant l’isomérisation même, puis une fuite passive en présence d’azo-cis plus importante qu’en présence d’azo-trans. Il a été démontré que la présence d’azo-trans diminue l’ordre d’une bicouche formée de SC et d’un monoalkyle, diminution accentuée lorsque l’azo est en conformation cis. En remplaçant le SC par d’autres lipides, nous avons testé le comportement de l’azo dans d’autres phases. L’isomérisation est plus lente en phase gel, et plus rapide en phase fluide lamellaire désordonnée (ld), par comparaison avec la phase liquide ordonnée (lo). En phase ld, il semble que la mobilité des lipides permette d’accommoder l’isomère cis sans changement de la perméabilité de la bicouche. Notre système en phase gel ne nous a pas permis de faire des mesures reproductibles de libération de SRB.Drug encapsulation is a thriving field, as potential therapeutic improvements are significant. In this framework, we have studied the distribution of a drug, SN-38, by infrared spectroscopy at the nanometric scale, in a population of drug-loaded polymeric micelles. The drug/polymer ratio was measured by comparing the wavelength intensities of the drug and the polymer. We were unable to obtain a satisfactory signal from an isolated micelle. By studying a film left by the evaporation of a suspension of charged micelles, we found no difference in the drug to polymer ratio of the population in a 5% interval around the theoretical composition (10% drug w/w), apart from a few clusters, possibly artefacts from the sample preparation. In a second step, we investigated the parameters influencing the release of a fluorescent probe (sulforhodamine B, SRB) encapsulated in photosensitive liposomes. This release is caused by the photoactivated isomerization of a monoalkylated azobenzene derivative (azo) in the bilayer. azobenzene, when illuminated with UV radiation, passes from a trans-plane conformation to a more voluminous cis conformation, which disrupts the bilayer and makes it more permeable. The liposomes are composed of this azo and cholesterol sulfate (SC) in SC/azo 3/1 (mol/mol) proportions. These lipids are in the liquid-ordered phase (lo). We observed a very rapid release during the isomerization itself, and then a passive leak in the presence of azo-cis, greater than in the presence of azo-trans. It has been demonstrated that the presence of azo-trans decreases the order of a bilayer formed of SC and a monoalkyle, sharper in presence of azo-cis. By replacing the SC with other lipids, we tested the behaviour of azo in other phases. The isomerization is slower in the gel phase and more rapid in the disordered lamellar fluid phase (ld), compared to the lo phase. In the ld phase, it seems that the mobility of the lipids makes it possible to accommodate the cis isomer without changing the permeability of the bilayer. Our gel phase system did not allow us to make reproducible SRB release measurements

Una investigación en las aulas de inglés como lengua extranjera en centros mejicanos: el asunto de acceso

This paper aims to contribute to the understanding of the process of gaining entry into Mexican English Language classrooms. After a very brief discussion of the basic concepts involved in the process of asking for permission to carry out research in educational settings, it then tells the story of our first-hand experience of gaining entry into public (and several private) preparatory schools in one city on the east coast of Mexico by starting at the top of the educational hierarchy at state level and working our way down into the actual English language classrooms. The paper finishes by raising some general issues that grew out of our anecdotal experience and that we claim may resonate or be helpful for other researchers approaching real EFL classrooms wishing to gain understanding of what is going on in practice in similar educational contexts.En este artículo queremos compartir nuestras experiencias sobre aspectos claves al hacer trabajo de campo en salones de lenguas extranjeras en contextos educativos en México. Particularmente nos centramos en el proceso de negociación de acceso y entrada a las aulas, tanto públicas como privadas, en donde se enseña/aprende el inglés como lengua extranjera. Desafortunadamente, en los estudios etnográficos que se han llevado a cabo en escuelas en México y que han sido publicados, este aspecto vital de la investigación cualitativa ha merecido, si acaso, una mínima descripción de qué y cómo se pudo, o no, conseguir el permiso. Reconocemos que, aunque cada contexto requiere de una aproximación única, creemos que nuestras experiencias resonarán y podrán ser de utilidad para nuevos investigadores en contextos similare

[PhD Thesis] Self-organization versus hierarchical organization

Self-organization versus hierarchical organization a mathematical investigation of the anarchist philosophy of social organization In combining anarchist theory with mathematics, this thesis wishes to better understand what power and hierarchy are in order to explore how we can live without coercion. My motivation to study these concepts stems from observing a lack of freedom in contemporary society despite a lack of obvious coercion or clear hierarchical structure. I divide this issue into three main research questions. What are, on the one hand, authority and hierarchy, and, on the other hand, what are freedom and autonomy? How does hierarchy evolve in social systems? And how can we shift from hierarchical control to a more free social organization? To answer these questions, I make use of social theory, anarchist theory, complex systems theory, mathematics and computer simulations. I distinguish several aspects of power: control, coercion, constraint, determination and hierarchy. Defining these aspects leads to different understandings of freedom. Internal control refers to control over your own situation, while external control is directed towards the (whole) environment. Coercion forces a person to do something he does not want to do, while constraint limits a person’s possibilities. External determination, wherein one is completely influenced by an external force, makes one vulnerable to coercion. Determination and coercion are associated with a hierarchical structure. In a hierarchy, each element has no more than one influence and this influence works in only one direction. These concepts are described using mathematical tools such as graphs and entropy in cybernetic models. Self-organization can lead to the development of a controller. Working together to reach your goals can lead to a higher-level system. This system can acquire goals of its own, which can become disconnected from the goals of the entities that created the system. The rise of such a controller can be avoided by constantly opposing any seed of hierarchy or coercion. In this manner, no power can grow too big. This mechanism of constant opposition is illustrated in a simulation. Overall, this thesis illustrates how to think in a less hierarchical way by focusing on local coherence. In this way, there can be jointly related ideas rather than a single, primary concept with several sub-concepts. The tension between hierarchy and local coherence recurs throughout the thesis—in the difference between Marxism and anarchism, in internal versus external control, in the structural component of hierarchy, in hierarchical models versus their non-hierarchical variants, and in human agency versus determination

Annex PhD Thesis "Self-organization versus hierarchical organization"

Additional files to my PhD thesis: A Supplementary Information document, with all text that did not made it in my thesis. A movie from the simulation of constant opposition. The code of my simulations: Constant Opposition Influence of network on function Network construction The code and intermediatie files to construct a network from the index. The original files of the networks that illustrate the structure of the thesis, including some networks that did not make it into the thesis. (The thesis itself is not included here, this can be find as another document.

Crowdsourcing - Lorsque le consommateur devient une ressource holistique du Brussels Beer Project

Ce mémoire a pour but de répondre à la question suivante : « de quelle manière les consommateurs deviennent-ils aujourd’hui une ressource holistique du Brussels Beer Project, via des initiatives de crowdsourcing ? ». Il répond à la problématique de l’entreprise, cherchant à formaliser ses pratiques de crowdsourcing à l’aide d’un état des lieux de celles-ci. Dans un premier temps, nous analysons la littérature et observons les initiatives de crowdsourcing que le Brussels Beer Project met actuellement en place auprès de sa communauté. A l’aide de la typologie de Howe (2009), nous identifions quatre facettes du crowdsourcing. Cette littérature est complétée par une pré-enquête visant à dégager des hypothèses, testées par la suite via un questionnaire qui sera complété par plus de 5% des crowdfunders. Il ressort de notre analyse que trois axes du crowdsourcing sont mobilisés régulièrement par le Brussels Beer Project : le crowdcreation est mis en place via un concours de co-création de bières. Le crowdvoting fait appel à l’avis de la foule afin de désigner, parmi quatre prototypes, une bière qui sera commercialisée. Le crowdfunding est organisé annuellement via des vagues d’appel à financement. Finalement, le crowdwisdom est la seule facette qui n’est pas pleinement exploitée par l’entreprise. Certes, elle tient compte des feedbacks de sa communauté mais ne tire pas profit de l’expertise et des connaissances de ses membres. L’état des lieux des initiatives de crowdsourcing du Brussels Beer Project, met en lumière la dimension innovante de son mode de création, de financement et son fonctionnement. L’entreprise exploite ce concept avec justesse et pourrait encore se développer, en poussant sa créativité toujours plus loin dans les facettes (déjà exploitées) du crowdsourcing d’une part, et en mettant pleinement en place le partage d’expertise et de compétences que le crowdwisdom promeut d’autre part.Master [120] en sciences de gestion, Université catholique de Louvain, 201

Investigating English Language Classrooms in Mexican Schools: The Issue of Entry and Access

En este artículo queremos compartir nuestras experiencias sobre aspectos claves al hacer trabajo de campo en salones de lenguas extranjeras en contextos educativos en México. Particularmente nos centramos en el proceso de negociación de acceso y entrada a las aulas, tanto públicas como privadas, en donde se enseña/ aprende el inglés como lengua extranjera. Desafortunadamente, en los estudios etnográficos que se han llevado a cabo en escuelas en México y que han sido publicados, este aspecto vital de la investigación cualitativa ha merecido, si acaso, una mínima descripción de qué y cómo se pudo, o no, conseguir el permiso. Reconocemos que, aunque cada contexto requiere de una aproximación única, creemos que nuestras experiencias resonarán y podrán ser de utilidad para nuevos investigadores en contextos similares.This paper aims to contribute to the understanding of the process of gaining entry into Mexican English Language classrooms. After a very brief discussion of the basic concepts involved in the process of asking for permission to carry out research in educational settings, it then tells the story of our first-hand experience of gaining entry into public (and several private) preparatory schools in one city on the east coast of Mexico by starting at the top of the educational hierarchy at state level and working our way down into the actual English language classrooms. The paper finishes by raising some general issues that grew out of our anecdotal experience and that we claim may resonate or be helpful for other researchers approaching real EFL classrooms wishing to gain understanding of what is going on in practice in similar educational contexts

Crowdsourcing : lorsque le consommateur devient une ressource holistique du Brussels Beer Project

Mémoire de Master [120] en sciences de gestion, Université catholique de Louvain, 201