Multi-objective evolutionary fuzzy clustering for high-dimensional problems

This paper deals with the application of unsupervised fuzzy clustering to high dimensional data. Two problems are addressed: groups (clusters) number discovery and feature selection without performance losses. In particular we analyze the potential of a genetic fuzzy system, that is the integration of a multi-objective evolutionary algorithm with a fuzzy clustering algorithm. The main characteristic of the integrated approach is the ability to handle the two problems at the same time, suggesting a Pareto set of trade-off solutions which could have a better chance of matching the real needs. We exhibit the high quality clustering and features selection results by applying our approach to a real-world data set

Impact of Users' Beliefs in Text-Based Linguistic Interaction

Linguistic interaction between humans and machines is one of the most challenging fields in the development of next-generation User Interfaces. In this work, we investigate the role of beliefs about the interlocutor in human-computer linguistic interaction. First, we introduced an experimental setup that makes use of filtered and post-processed web content to generate a realistic, generic linguistic interaction. Then, we collected dialogues from two different sets α and β, corresponding to users being unaware or aware of the artificial nature of the interlocutor, respectively. The results thus obtained, analyzed using a standard t-test procedure (N=30), demonstrate a statistically significant difference between the two sets in some of the linguistic features selected, i.e., sentence length and the number of adjectives, providing further insights to expand some of the evidence previously found in the literature

Automatización, ocupaciones y tareas

Technological changes have increasingly manifested themselves through greater task automation. Although there is abundant literature for more advanced countries, the evidence for Latin America is still scarce. This document analyzes the composition of employment in terms of occupations and type of tasks performed for four countries –Chile, Ecuador, Mexico and Peru–. The incidence of routine and flexible, manual and cog­nitive tasks is evaluated. Dimensions such as labor informality, income and gender are included to make the heterogeneity of situations observed in these labor markets visible. Informal workers, women, young people, workers with lower skills and lower incomes are the ones who carry out routine tasks in a greater proportion and, therefore, their exposure to automation rises.Los avances tecnológicos se han manifestado crecientemente a través de una mayor automatización en la realización de las tareas que se llevan a cabo en las diferentes ocupaciones. Si bien existe una abundante literatura para los países avanzados, resulta escasa aún la evidencia para los países de América Latina. En este documento se analiza para cuatro países –Chile, Ecuador, México y Perú– la composición del empleo en tér­minos de ocupaciones y de tipo de tareas realizadas. Se evalúa la incidencia de actividades rutinarias y flexibles, manuales y cognitivas. Dimensiones como la informalidad laboral, el ingreso y el género son incluidas para visibilizar la heterogeneidad de situaciones que se observan en estos mercados de trabajo. Los trabajadores informales, mujeres, jóvenes, de menores calificaciones y menores ingresos son quienes desarrollan en mayor proporción tareas rutinarias y, por ende, su exposición a la automatización se eleva

smARTworks: A Multi-sided Context-aware Platform for the Smart Museum

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Coupling Routing Algorithm and Data Encoding for Low Power Networks on Chip

The routing algorithm used in a Network-on-Chip (NoC) has a strong impact on both the functional and non functional indices of the overall system. Traditionally, routing algorithms have been designed considering performance and cost as the main objectives. In this study we focus on two important non functional metrics, namely, power dissipation and energy consumption. We propose a selection policy that can be coupled with any multi-path routing function and whose primary goal is reducing power dissipation. As technology shrinks, the power dissipated by the network links represents an ever more significant fraction of the total power budget. Based on this, the proposed selection policy tries to reduce link power dissipation by selecting the output port of the router which minimises the switching activity of the output link. A set of experiments carried out on both synthetic and real traffic scenarios is presented. When the proposed selection policy is used in conjunction with a data encoding technique, on average, 31% of energy reduction and 37% of power saving is observed. An architectural implementation of the selection policy is also presented and its impact on cost (silicon area) and power dissipation of the baseline router is discussed

Exploring the hidden riches: Recent remarkable faunistic records and range extensions in the bee fauna of Italy (Hymenoptera, Apoidea, Anthophila)

The area sourrounding the Mediterranean basin is recognised as a major biodiversity hotspot for bees, and Italy is amongst the European countries with the highest bee species richness. Detailed knowledge of bee distribution is crucial for understanding bee biology and designing tailored conservation strategies, but is still insufficient in southern European countries, especially in Italy.We report recent finds of 48 bee species that yield significant novelties for the Italian bee fauna. Eight species, namely Andrena confinis Stöckhert, Anthidiellum breviusculum Pérez, Coelioxys alatus Foerster, Lasioglossum algericolellum Strand, Megachile lapponica Thomson, Megachile opacifrons Pérez, Megachile semicircularis auct. nec Zanden and Trachusa integra Eversmann are reported as new for Italy. In addition, Andrena binominata Smith, Andrena compta Lepeletier, Colletes acutus Pérez, Lasioglossum strictifrons Vachal, Rhodanthidium siculum Spinola and Rhodanthidium sticticum Fabricius are newly recorded from mainland Italy, Osmia heteracantha Pérez from Sardegna and Nomada flavopicta Kirby from Sicilia. We also report significant range extensions for other bee species and recent records of species that had long gone unrecorded in Italy. The combination of morphology and DNA barcoding provided reliable identifications even for the most challenging specimens. As several of our records come from areas neglected by bee experts in the past, this study stands out as a key indicator of a bee faunistic richness still awaiting discovery and hopefully it will stimulate the interest of taxonomists and stakeholders in pursuing bee research in Italy in the near future

Genomic profiling by whole-genome single nucleotide polymorphism arrays in Wilms tumor and association with relapse

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Diagnostic Accuracy of Prion Disease Biomarkers in Iatrogenic Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease

Human prion diseases are classified into sporadic, genetic, and acquired forms. Within this last group, iatrogenic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (iCJD) is caused by human-to-human transmission through surgical and medical procedures. After reaching an incidence peak in the 1990s, it is believed that the iCJD historical period is probably coming to an end, thanks to lessons learnt from past infection sources that promoted new prion prevention and decontamination protocols. At this point, we sought to characterise the biomarker profile of iCJD and compare it to that of sporadic CJD (sCJD) for determining the value of available diagnostic tools in promptly recognising iCJD cases. To that end, we collected 23 iCJD samples from seven national CJD surveillance centres and analysed the electroencephalogram and neuroimaging data together with a panel of seven CSF biomarkers: 14-3-3, total tau, phosphorylated/total tau ratio, alpha-synuclein, neurofilament light, YKL-40, and real-time quaking induced conversion of prion protein. Using the cut-off values established for sCJD, we found the sensitivities of these biomarkers for iCJD to be similar to those described for sCJD. Given the limited relevant information on this issue to date, the present study validates the use of current sCJD biomarkers for the diagnosis of future iCJD cases.This research was funded by the Instituto Carlos III (grants CP/00041 and PI19/00144) and by the Fundació La Marató de TV3 (201821‐30‐31‐32) to FL and by the Robert Koch Institute through funds from the Federal Ministry of Health (grant No, 1369‐341) to IZ. This project was also funded at 65% by the Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER) through the Interreg V‐A España‐Francia‐Andorra (POCTEFA 2014‐2020) programme. SJC is funded in part by a NHMRC Practitioner Fellowship (identification #APP1105784).S