Querying Spatio-temporal Patterns in Mobile Phone-Call Databases

Abstract — Call Detail Record (CDR) databases contain millions of records with information about cell phone calls, including the position of the user when the call was made/received. This huge amount of spatiotemporal data opens the door for the study of human trajectories on a large scale without the bias that other sources (like GPS or WLAN networks) introduce in the population studied. Also, it provides a platform for the development of a wide variety of studies ranging from the spread of diseases to planning of public transport. Nevertheless, previous work on spatiotemporal queries does not provide a framework flexible enough for expressing the complexity of human trajectories. In this paper we present the Spatiotemporal Pattern System (STPS) to query spatiotemporal patterns in very large CDR databases. STPS defines a regular-expression query language that is intuitive and that allows for any combination of spatial and temporal predicates with constraints, including the use of variables. The design of the language took into consideration the layout of the areas being covered by the cellular towers, as well as “areas ” that label places of interested (e.g. neighborhoods, parks, etc) and topological operators. STPS includes an underlying indexing structure and algorithms for query processing using different evaluation strategies. A full implementation of the STPS is currently running with real, very large CDR databases on Telefónica Research Labs. An extensive performance evaluation of the STPS shows that it can efficiently find complex mobility patterns in large CDR databases. I

Determination of iohexol in canine plasma – strong correlation between enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, high-performance liquid chromatography, and neutron activation analysis

Iohexol is a non-radioactive, iodinated, water-soluble radiographic contrast medium that is widely used in detection imaging for both clinical and scientific purposes. It has also been used as a marker for glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and intestinal permeability (IP) in both humans and animals, such as dogs, rats and cats. Currently, iohexol is determined mainly by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) methods which limit its use in veterinary clinical practice. The aim of this study was to validate an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and its accuracy for the measurement of iohexol in canine plasma by comparison with HPLC and neutron activation analysis (NAA). Blank and iohexol-containing blood samples (n=100) from Beagle dogs were collected from the jugular vein in lithium heparin tubes before and after intravenous application of 3.0 g iohexol/dog via the cephalic vein. The results of this study show that the correlation coefficients when comparing ELISA vs. HPLC (r=0.99), ELISA vs. NAA (r=0.99) and HPLC vs. NAA (r=0.98) are all excellent. In conclusion, the measurement of iohexol from canine plasma using ELISA is as reproducible and reliable as using HPLC or NAA. However, using ELISA for measuring iohexol may be more practical, economical and useful for clinical practice and research than using HPLC or NAA

Administración del Servicio de Tutoría en Estudios Generales de la Facultad de Humanidades de la Universidad de Panamá,- Guía para un nuevo modelo administrativo.

El presente trabajo consistió en un estudio exploratorio del proceso administrativo del servicio de Tutoría en Estudios Generales de la Facultad de Humanidades de la Universidad de Panamá. La investigación se realizó mediante observaciones, análisis de documentos, consultas bibliográficas relativas a la administración, encuestas y entrevistas. De esta manera se obtuvieron los siguientes datos: Las bases en que se fundamenta la tutoría son las normas concernientes a los estudiantes; algunas veces se toman en cuenta funciones del proceso administrativo de las cuales, las que mayor debilidad presentan son las de planificación y de control-evaluación; no se cuenta con objetivos y metas formulados en términos de tiempo y medición. Otra situación es la falta de impulso de una serie de procesos tales como: Una definición del servicio de Tutoría basado en un estudio de necesidades e intereses de los estudiantes de Estudios Generales y de los requerimientos administrativos. Otros procesos que se han descuidado son los relativos al perfil de los estudiantes de Estudios Generales y el perfil de ingreso a las carreras que ofrece la Facultad; como también un programa que responda a una realidad basada en estudios sobre necesidades, intereses y exigencias educativas. Un factor que ha afectado el buen desarrollo de la tutoría ha sido la falta de recursos económicos; sin embargo, se hace notorio la importancia y el vacío que ha llenado la tutoría en la formación integral de los estudiantes, sobre la necesidad de ajustes y mejoras que contribuyan a que la tutoría se lleve a cabo con mayor eficiencia y eficacia. Como resultado de la investigación, se ha elaborado una propuesta de mejoramiento organizacional basada en el enfoque de reingeniería (Re) de los procesos y estructuras de la unidad objeto de estudio

Reconceptualización del ser masculino. Nuevas formas dignas de ser y actuar

La investigación tiene como objetivo mostrar las diversas maneras en que estudiantes universitarios del ITESO se vinculan con su identidad masculina. En una sociedad en la que la violencia de género y la discriminación son una realidad, el replanteamiento de la masculinidad se convierte en una herramienta para enfrentar estos problemas. En las comunidades universitarias hay jóvenes que están desafiando las formas de ser masculinas tradicionales y adoptando otras. Esta investigación busca entender cómo estos jóvenes se alejan de esos modelos tradicionales de masculinidad y abrazan nuevas formas de ser que nos permiten sentirnos auténticos y seguros.ITESO, A.C

Consumption patterns: A proposed model for measurement of solution palatability in pigs

In animal production, the palatability of feeds or solutions has typically been inferred from measurements of preference or acceptance. However, laboratory studies in rats have demonstrated that palatability quantified through the analysis of the microstructure of licking can dissociate from simple measures of consumption. The aim of this study was to evaluate palatability in pigs by using consumption patterns. Pigs (n = 24) were exposed (in pairs, with video recording) to different sucrose solutions (0.5, 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, and 32%) over 7 consecutive 10-min tests (1 concentration/d). Total consumption, number of consumption approaches (A), and real consumption time (RCT) were measured. Palatability was estimated through consumption pattern (RCT/A), analogous to the licks/bout measure used in rats. Data was analyzed by sucrose concentration. Spearman correlation coefficients were estimated between the logarithm of sucrose concentration and total consumption, A, RCT, and RCT/A. Total consumption and RCT showed inverted U functions relative to sucrose concentration. Consumption pattern (RCT/A) presented a dose effect (P < 0.005) and positive correlations with sucrose concentration (R = 0.23, P = 0.034). As with rats, consumption pattern could represent an interesting and novel measure of feeding behavior, reflecting palatability in pigs

The mediating role of sense of coherence on mental health outcomes in carers of older dependent relatives: a longitudinal study

Background: Sense of coherence (SOC) is an important protective factor for carer well‐being but research to date remains cross‐sectional, focusing primarily on the direct effects of SOC on carers’ mental health. The study's aim was to investigate the mediating role of SOC in the longitudinal relationship between caregiver strain and carers’ psychological health, and its stability over time. / Methods: Prospective longitudinal study conducted in Jaén (Spain) with a probabilistic sample of 132 carers of older people, with data collected at baseline and at one‐year follow‐up. We measured SOC, caregiver strain, anxiety and depressive symptoms, and several care recipient characteristics and intensity of care provided. We used multiple linear regression modelling and the Sobel test to analyse mediation effects. / Results: SOC was significantly negatively longitudinally associated with both anxiety (β= ‐0.38, p= 0.001) and depressive symptoms (β= ‐0.28, p= 0.023), after controlling for several confounders. SOC mediated both the relationship between caregiver strain and anxiety and caregiver strain and depressive symptoms (Sobel test; p< 0.001 for anxiety and p< 0.001 for depressive symptoms). Differences between baseline and one‐year follow‐up SOC scores were not statistically significant (p= 0.617). / Conclusions: SOC appears to buffer the impact of caregiver strain on symptoms of depression and anxiety in informal carers of older people. Our data showed that SOC is an important psychological resource for carers that remained relatively stable under non‐experimental conditions over a period of one year in this sample. Findings suggest that interventions aimed at strengthening SOC may protect carer psychological well‐being

Affine convex body semigroups

In this paper we present a new kind of semigroups called convex body semigroups which are generated by convex bodies of R^k. They generalize to arbitrary dimension the concept of proportionally modular numerical semigroup of [7]. Several properties of these semigroups are proven. Affine convex body semigroups obtained from circles and polygons of R^2 are characterized. The algorithms for computing minimal system of generators of these semigroups are given. We provide the implementation of some of them

Colémbolos (Hexapoda, Collembola) asociados con carpóforos de basidiomicetes recolectados en el SW de Cataluña

Collembola (Hexapoda, Collembola) associated with Basidiomycetes sporocarps in SW Catalonia. We have studied the collembola species found in basidiomata of 41 different species of fungi belonging to the Class Basidiomycetes, collected in several districts of the mediterranean SW Catalonia. We have found 5575 individuals of collembola of nine different species. Ceratophysella tergilobata represents the 99,8% of the total individuals and is present in the 94,8% of analysed basidiomata. In consequence this species must be considered an habitual inhabitant of the basidiomata of the mediterranean districts of Catalonia. The examination of the gut content of the studied col1embola reveals that their relationship with the basidiomata is of nutritional type.Se han estudiado las especies de colémbolos presentes en basidiomas de 41 especies distintes de hongos de la Clase Basidiomicetes, recolectadas en diferentes comarcas de la Cataluña mediterrànea. Se han encontrado 5.575 ejemplares de colémbolos, pertenecientes a nueve especies. Ceratophysella tergilobata representa el 99,8% del total de ejemplares y esta presente en el 94,8% de los basidiomes examinados, por lo que se considera un habitante habitual de las setas de las comarcas de la Cataluña mediterránea. El examen del contenido intestinal de los colémbolos estudiados revela que su relación con los cuerpos fruetíferos de los hongos es de tipo nutricional