Estudio y consideraciones críticas al código de autorregulación de la publicidad infantil de juguetes, de la Asociación Española de Fabricantes de juguetes, junio de 2010

Los menores se encuentran inmersos en la sociedad de la información, pero su capacidad es limitada a la hora de evaluar la misma. En relación con la publicidad que se dirige especialmente a ellos, como es el caso de la publicidad de juguetes, son consumidores vulnerables, necesitados de una especial tutela que les garantice la adopción de decisiones libres y conscientes de consumo, coadyuve a la transmisión de valores, y potencie su comprensión crítica. En este contexto, este trabajo tiene por objeto analizar desde un punto de vista crítico los límites éticos a la publicidad de los juguetes contemplados en el Código de Autorregulación de la Publicidad Infantil de Juguetes, junio de 2010.Children are immersed in the information society, although they are limited to assess it. In relation to the advertising specifically addressed to them, as it is the case of toy advertising, they are vulnerable consumers in need of special protection that ensures their free and conscious decision-making in the market, contributes to the values transmission and enhances their critical understanding. In this context, this paper aims to analyze, from a critical view, the ethical limits of toys advertising covered by the Self-Regulation Code for Children's Toys Advertising, June 2010

Analysis of the interaction of polycyclic aromatic compounds in a model organism: integration of genotoxic and histopathological effects

Due to their toxicity, especially their carcinogenic potential, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) became priority pollutants in biomonitoring programmes and environmental policy, such as the European Water Framework Directive. The model substances tested in this study, namely benzo[b]fluoranthene (B[b]F), considered potentially carcinogenic to humans and an effector carcinogenic PAH to wildlife, and phenanthrene (Phe), deemed a non-carcinogenic PAH, are common PAHs in coastal waters, owning distinct properties reflected in different, albeit overlapping, mechanisms of toxicity. Still, as for similar PAHs, their interaction effects remain largely unknown. In order to study the genotoxic effects of caused by the interaction of carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic PAHs, and their relation to histopathological alterations, juvenile sea basses, Dicentrarchus labrax, a highly ecologically- and economically-relevant marine fish, were injected with different doses (5 and 10 μg.g-1 fish ww) of the two PAHs, isolated or in mixture, and incubated for 48 h. Individuals injected with B[b]F and the PAH mixture exhibited higher clastogenic/aneugenic effects and DNA strand breakage in blood cells, determined through the erythrocytic nuclear abnormalities (ENA) and Comet assays, respectively. Also, hepatic histopathological alterations were found in all animals, especially those injected with B[b]F and the PAH mixture, relating especially to inflammation. Still, Phe also exhibited genotoxic effects in sea bass, especially in higher doses, revealing a very significant acute effect that was accordant with the Microtox test performed undergone in parallel. Overall, sea bass was sensitive to B[b]F (a higher molecular weight PAH), likely due to efficient bioactivation of the pollutant (yielding genotoxic metabolites and reactive oxygen species), when compared to Phe, the latter revealing a more significant acute effect. The results indicate no significant additive effect between the substances, under the current experimental conditions. The present study highlights the importance of understanding PAH interactions in aquatic organisms, since they are usually present in the aquatic environment in complex mixtures

Detecting and Monitoring Hate Speech in Twitter

Social Media are sensors in the real world that can be used to measure the pulse of societies. However, the massive and unfiltered feed of messages posted in social media is a phenomenon that nowadays raises social alarms, especially when these messages contain hate speech targeted to a specific individual or group. In this context, governments and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are concerned about the possible negative impact that these messages can have on individuals or on the society. In this paper, we present HaterNet, an intelligent system currently being used by the Spanish National Office Against Hate Crimes of the Spanish State Secretariat for Security that identifies and monitors the evolution of hate speech in Twitter. The contributions of this research are many-fold: (1) It introduces the first intelligent system that monitors and visualizes, using social network analysis techniques, hate speech in Social Media. (2) It introduces a novel public dataset on hate speech in Spanish consisting of 6000 expert-labeled tweets. (3) It compares several classification approaches based on different document representation strategies and text classification models. (4) The best approach consists of a combination of a LTSM+MLP neural network that takes as input the tweet’s word, emoji, and expression tokens’ embeddings enriched by the tf-idf, and obtains an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.828 on our dataset, outperforming previous methods presented in the literatureThe work by Quijano-Sanchez was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation grant FJCI-2016-28855. The research of Liberatore was supported by the Government of Spain, grant MTM2015-65803-R, and by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme, under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie grant agreement No. 691161 (GEOSAFE). All the financial support is gratefully acknowledge

Construcción de la dimensión cognitiva de alfabetización científica en el estudiantado, a través de las Olimpiadas Costarricenses de Ciencias Biológicas

This research recognizes the cognitive contributions to the students participating in the Third Costa Rican Biological Sciences Olympics that will define the advancement and strengthening in the construction of its conceptual dimension in the scientific literacy.  This paper is based, mainly, on qualitative approach techniques (ethnographic design:  case study); however, some data are interpreted through quantitative methodologies (descriptive design with an explanatory and exploratory touch) for the analysis of a sample of 54 high school students, finalists in the category A of the Olympics, through the use of tools such as a documentary study and a survey, in July 2009.  The information generated was analyzed using elements of inferential and descriptive statistics, figures and histograms.  It was proved that there is a better cognitive management in the topics assessed, an increase in the students’ academic performance as the tests are applied, a commitment for the academic update supported by the development of several tasks for previous preparation, curriculum contributions unprecedented based on our sample, a consent to optimize student’s knowledge about Biology, which will allow the application of scientific notions to diversify and renew the knowledge, according to what is established in the principles of scientific literacy.Recibido 11 de noviembre de 2011 • Corregido 21 de mayo de 2012 • Aceptado 28 de junio de 2012   En esta investigación se reconocen las contribuciones cognitivas al estudiantado participante de la III Olimpiada Costarricense de Ciencias Biológicas que determinan avances y fortalecimiento en la construcción de su dimensión conceptual de alfabetización científica. Este trabajo se basó, predominantemente, en técnicas del enfoque cualitativo (diseño etnográfico: estudio de caso); sin embargo, algunos datos se interpretan mediante metodologías de corte cuantitativo (diseño descriptivo con un matiz explicativo y exploratorio) para el análisis de una muestra de 54 estudiantes de secundaria, finalistas en la categoría A de dichas competencias, con el empleo de instrumentos tales como un estudio documental y una encuesta, en julio del 2009. La información generada se analizó utilizando elementos de estadística inferencial y descriptiva, además de figuras e histogramas. Se comprobó que se genera un mejor manejo cognitivo en las temáticas evaluadas, un aumento en el rendimiento estudiantil conforme la aplicación de las pruebas, un compromiso por la actualización académica apoyado por el desarrollo de diversas labores de preparación previa, aportes curriculares inéditos sobre esta muestra, una anuencia por optimizar sus conocimientos referentes a la Biología, lo cual permitiría aplicar nociones científicas al diversificar y renovar los conocimientos, según lo planteado en los principios de la alfabetización científica

The protection of the traveler in the Directive (EU) 2015/2302 of the European Parliament and of the Council, of 25 november 2015, on package travel and linked travel arrangements

La Directiva (UE) 2015/2302 del Parlamento Europeo y del Consejo, de 25 de noviembre de 2015, relativa a los viajes combinados y a los servicios de viaje vinculados, ha derogado la Directiva 90/314/CEE del Consejo, con el fin de adaptar la protección del viajero a la evolución del mercado de viajes, en el que además de las cadenas de distribución tradicionales, internet se ha convertido en un medio cada vez más importante a través del que se ofrecen, venden o facilitan servicios de viaje, que además, no sólo se combinan en forma de viajes combinados preestablecidos tradicionales, sino que con frecuencia se combinan a medida. Los Estados deben transponer la nueva Directiva a más tardar el 1 de enero de 2018, siendo numerosas las cuestiones que plantea. Por ello, el objetivo de esta comunicación es reflexionar sobre diversos aspectos de la nueva Directiva que pueden delimitar el alcance de la protección del viajero, tales como su ámbito de aplicación, los requisitos de información precontractual, el contrato y su ejecución y la responsabilidad de los empresarios que participan en el viaje combinado

The binding scope of the offer program in the package travels, and the organizer or retailer responsibility faced with its failure to comply

En el ámbito de la normativa protectora de los consumidores se determina que el detallista o, en su caso, el organizador, deberá poner a disposición de los consumidores un programa o folleto informativo que contenga por escrito la correspondiente oferta sobre el viaje combinado, incluyendo información sobre los extremos que señala. Tal información adquiere especial relevancia al ser dotada por la norma de carácter vinculante para el organizador y el detallista del viaje combinado. En este trabajo se pretende delimitar el alcance vinculante del programa oferta, analizando los supuestos en que pueda excluirse el mismo, así como concretar el alcance de la responsabilidad ante su incumplimiento de organizadores y/o detallistas. El análisis de las cuestiones señaladas nos permite concluir, que si bien existen límites al carácter vinculante del programa oferta, éstos han de aplicarse atendiendo al principio de buena fe en la contratación con el consumidor, y que de los incumplimientos derivados del mencionado programa, frente al consumidor, son responsables solidariamente la organizadora y la detallista.In the field of consumer protection legislation determines that the retailer or, if necessary, the organizer shall make available to consumers a program or brochure that contains the relevant written offer on the package, including information on the extreme points. Such information is particularly relevant to be equipped by the standard binding for the organizer and retailer of the package. This paper aims to define the binding scope of the offer program, analyzing the cases where it can be excluded, as well as specify the scope of responsibility for the breach of organizers and / or retailers. The analysis of the points we can conclude that although there are limits to the binding nature of the program offering, they must be applied as the principle of good faith in contracting with consumers, and the resulting failures of that program, to the consumer, are jointly responsible organizer and retailer

Sintagmas nominais descontínuos

The phenomenon this paper focuses on is the noun phrase (Np) that presents non-canonical order of its constituent parts, called “discontinuous” by Keizer (2007). The analysis and description of discontinuity aims to examine which pragmatic, semantic and formal factors motivate the speaker’s choice to encode specific orderings to these Nps at the Morphosyntactic Level based on the theoretical framework of Functional Discourse Grammar (HENGEVELD; MACKENZIE, 2008). The sample is constituted from spoken language records from the Iboruna database, which represents the spoken variety in the northwest of São Paulo State, collected by the ALIP project, within the Functional Grammar Research Group, at UNESP, in São José do Rio Preto. For the purposes of this work, the following criteria are explored: (i) motivation for discontinuity; (ii) type of intervening material in the Np; (iii) morphosyntactic configuration of the discontinuous Np; and (iv) structural weight of the element displaced from the Np. The analysis shows that discontinuity is predominantly motivated by pragmatic aspects, in particular, by the focal status of information provided by part of the Np. Furthermore, the prototypical discontinuous Np is characterized by the interference of morphosyntactic material between the head noun and its postnuclear constituents. Although there is this linear distancing, the comprehension of discontinuous statements is not impaired due to a semantic link preserved at the Representational Level, a possible interpretation in a theoretical model such as FDG.O fenômeno sobre o qual este trabalho se debruça é o sintagma nominal (Np) que apresenta ordem não canônica de suas partes constituintes, denominado “descontínuo” por Keizer (2007). A análise e a descrição da descontinuidade têm por objetivo examinar, com base no arcabouço teórico da Gramática Discursivo-Funcional (HENGEVELD; MACKENZIE, 2008), que fatores pragmáticos, semânticos e formais motivam o falante a codificar ordenações específicas para esses Nps no Nível Morfossintático. O material de análise é constituído a partir de registros de língua falada retirados do banco de dados Iboruna, que representa a variedade falada no noroeste paulista, coletado pelo projeto ALIP, no interior do Grupo de Pesquisa em Gramática Funcional, na UNESP de São José do Rio Preto. Para os propósitos deste trabalho, exploram-se os seguintes critérios: (i) motivação para descontinuidade; (ii) tipo de material que intervém no Np; (iii) configuração morfossintática do Np descontínuo; e (iv) peso estrutural do elemento deslocado do Np. A análise dos dados mostra que a descontinuidade é, predominantemente, motivada por aspectos pragmáticos, em especial, pela focalização de informações veiculadas por parte do SN. Além disso, o Np descontínuo prototípico é caracterizado pela interferência de material morfossintático entre o núcleo do sintagma e seus constituintes pós-nucleares. Embora haja esse distanciamento linear, a compreensão de enunciados descontínuos não é prejudicada em virtude de um vínculo semântico preservado no Nível Representacional, interpretação possível num modelo teórico como a GDF

La información precontractual en el ámbito de los viajes combinados tras la Directiva (UE) 2015/2302 del Parlamento Europeo y del Consejo, de 25 de noviembre de 2015, relativa a los viajes combinados y a los servicios de viaje vinculados

The Directive (EU) 2015/2302 of the European Parliament and of the Council, 25 november 2015, on package travel and linked travel arrangements, has expanded the scope of the package travel regulations, because actually, the internet has become an increasingly important medium through which travel services are offered or sold, and travel services are not only combined in the form of traditional pre-arranged packages, but are often combined in a customised way. This paper focuses on the study of the duties of pre-contractual information imposed by the Directive in this new field, distinguishing between standardized information and more specific information in relation to the contracted trip, with the aim of knowing the treatment of integration of such information in the contract and the requirements for changes in such information are opposable traveler: the contracting parties expressly agree, having communicated all changes to the pre-contractual information to the traveller in a clear, comprehensible and prominent before the conclusion of the package travel contract.La Directiva (UE) 2015/2302 del Parlamento Europeo y del Consejo, de 25 de noviembre de 2015, relativa a los viajes combinados y a los servicios de viaje vinculados, ha ampliado el ámbito de aplicación de la normativa de los viajes combinados atendiendo a que actualmente internet se ha convertido en un medio cada vez más importante a través del que se ofrecen o venden servicios de viaje y a que los servicios de viaje, no sólo se combinan en forma de viajes combinados preestablecidos tradicionales, sino que, con frecuencia, se combinan a medida. El presente trabajo se centra en el estudio de los deberes de información precontractual que impone la Directiva en este nuevo ámbito, distinguiendo entre una información normalizada y una información más específica en relación con el viaje contratado, con el objetivo de conocer el tratamiento de la integración de tal información en el contrato, y los requisitos exigidos para que las modificaciones en dicha información sean oponibles al viajero: que las partes contratantes lo acuerden expresamente, habiéndose comunicado todos los cambios en la información precontractual al viajero, de forma clara, comprensible y destacada, antes de contratar el viaje combinado.The Directive (EU) 2015/2302 of the European Parliament and of the Council, 25 november 2015, on package travel and linked travel arrangements, has expanded the scope of the package travel regulations, because actually, the internet has become an increasingly important medium through which travel services are offered or sold, and travel services are not only combined in the form of traditional pre-arranged packages, but are often combined in a customised way. This paper focuses on the study of the duties of pre-contractual information imposed by the Directive in this new field, distinguishing between standardized information and more specific information in relation to the contracted trip, with the aim of knowing the treatment of integration of such information in the contract and the requirements for changes in such information are opposable traveler: the contracting parties expressly agree, having communicated all changes to the pre-contractual information to the traveller in a clear, comprehensible and prominent before the conclusion of the package travel contract