Natural language and the genetic code: from the semiotic analogy to biolinguistics

[Abstract] With the discovery of the DNA structure (Watson and Crick, 1953), the idea of DNA as a linguistic code arose (Monod, 1970). Many researchers have considered DNA as a language, pointing out the semiotic parallelism between genetic code and natural language. This idea had been discussed, almost dismissed and somehow accepted. This paper does not claim that the genetic code is a linguistic structure, but it highlights several important semiotic analogies between DNA and verbal language. Genetic code and natural language share a number of units, structures and operations. The syntactic and semantic parallelisms between those codes should lead to a methodological exchange between biology, linguistics and semiotics. During the 20th century, biology has become a pilot science, so that many disciplines have formulated their theories under models taken from biology. Computer science has become almost a bioinspired field thanks to the great development of natural computing and DNA computing. Biology and semiotics are two different sciences challenged by the same common goal of deciphering the codes of the nature. Linguistics could become another «bio-inspired» science by taking advantage of the structural and «semantic» similarities between the genetic code and natural language. Biological methods coming from computer science can be very useful in the field of linguistics, since they provide flexible and intuitive tools for describing natural languages. In this way, we obtain a theoretical framework where biology, linguistics and computer science exchange methods and interact, thanks to the semiotic parallelism between the genetic code a natural language. The influence of the semiotics of the genetic code in linguistics is parallel to the need of achieving an implementable formal description of natural language. In this paper we present an overview of different bio-inspired methods — from theoretical computer science — that during the last years have been successfully applied to several linguistics issues, from syntax to pragmatics

Fuzzy Grammaticality Models: A Tool for Web Language Analysis

AbstractIn this paper, we highlight the need to propose formal models that consider grammaticality as a gradient property instead of the categorical view of grammaticality defended in theoretical linguistics. Given that deviations from the norm are inherent to the spontaneous use of language, linguistic analysis tools should account for different levels of grammaticality. Fuzzy grammaticality models may be a way to solve the problem that the so-called “noisy text” poses to parsing mechanisms used in Web language analysis–especially social networks language

Dificultades en la Accesibilidad Web de las Universidades Españolas de acuerdo a la Norma WCAG 2.0

The purpose of the study has been to learn of possible limitations in the level of accessibility of 74 Spanish universities’ web sites. The tool, TAW, was used to detect the existing barriers in each web, based on the WCAG 2.0 regulation. After an automatic and manual review of the principles, guidelines and criteria of priority levels A and AA, a percentage analysis showed that none of the universities surpassed these aspects entirely for either of the two web pages analysed, although the university with the best accessibility on both web pages was the University of Granada, followed by the University of Alicante. The study concludes by recommending revisions and adjustments to resolve these problems and to facilitate web accessibility.El propósito del estudio ha sido conocer posibles limitaciones en el nivel de accesibilidad de las páginas principales y de estudiantes, de los sitios web de 74 Universidades españolas, para lo cual se ha utilizado la herramienta TAW, que permite analizar, de acuerdo a la norma WCAG 2.0, la existencia de barreras en ellas. Después de revisar automática y manualmente los Principios, Pautas y Criterios de conformidad de la norma, en sus niveles de prioridad A y AA, un análisis porcentual constata que ni una sola de las universidades los supera en su totalidad en ninguna de las dos páginas analizadas, aunque la mejor situada en accesibilidad es la de Granada en ambas páginas, seguida de la de Alicante. Se concluye recomendando hacer chequeos y ajustes para resolver estos problemas y facilitar la accesibilidad web

The Role of Women on Dairy Goat Farms in Southern Spain

One of the factors involved in goat milk production is the role of women as farmers. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of women on dairy goat farms, considering: (1) the profile of women occupationally involved, (2) the organization of the women’s work, (3) the degree of involvement by women in the decision-making on these farms, and (4) the influence of women’s work on productive results. This study was conducted on 52 dairy goat farms in southern Spain. A descriptive analysis and means comparisons were performed to describe the farms where any women were involved or not. In 61.5% of the farms, at least one woman was involved, with an age of 42.2 ± 8.8 years. Very few women were farm owners, although women took binding decisions in 81.25% of these farms. Their work is dedicated to milking and caring for the kids. Women had a positive influence on the productive variables analysed, and for mastitis in herds, the incidence was lower in herds where women participated (p < 0.01). In conclusion, it is recommended to include women’s work as a factor when characterizing dairy goats farms’ systems to evaluate their positive effect on a farm’s performance

Biogeochemistry of surface sediments in mud volcanoes of the Gulf of Cádiz

The shallowest sediment of three mud volcanoes (MVs) located in the middle slope of the Gulf of Cádiz, Anastasya, Pipoca and St. Petersburg, have been seasonally studied during June and December 2016. These structures are locally important contributors of many biogeochemical active substances to the water column, with a special attention in the emission of methane (CH4). Along this study, the role of organic matter diagenesis and its contribution to the diffusive fluxes estimated in the sediment–water interface from the three MVs have been investigated mainly. For this, the first combined analyses of sediment properties (granulometry, porosity, density, organic carbon) and pore water chemistry (major elements, dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), nutrients, CH4 and nitrous oxide) have been carried out. Anastasya and St. Petersburg MVs presented similar behaviours, with a slight concentration variation for the chemical variables in the top layers of the sedimentary record followed by a more intense vertical variation in deeper layers. Anastasya MV showed some typical processes of these structures, such as the clay dehydration, the dissolution of halite and the precipitation of authigenic carbonates, which was also observed in St. Petersburg MV. Organic matter diagenesis clearly altered the biogeochemical profiles, except for Pipoca MV. Moreover, mud breccia with a mousse-like texture has been identified in the deepest levels of Anastasya and St. Petersburg MVs. Here, anaerobic oxidation of methane is linked to the decrease of SO2−4 and the increases of CH4 and DIC with the core depth. Changes across the sediment–water interface presented low diffusive fluxes in the three MVs due to the presence of other processes as the irrigation by benthic macrofauna, the action of bottom currents and/or the upward fluid migration. From the obtained results, we can conclude that Anastasya MV presents a certain venting activity at present.En prensa1,47

Espacios míticos: historias verdaderas, historias literarias

314 p.Las páginas de este libro buscan hurgar en las costuras abiertas del mito, seguir el hilo de sus metamorfosis, contemplarlo como sucesión dinámica y conflictiva de espacios míticos. Esa es la razón por la que el lector podrá encontrar aquí artículos atentos a la pre-historia y a la preliteratura del mito, a sus manifestaciones en el mundo clásico grecolatino, en el arte barroco o en el cine actual, en el santoral cristiano, en las culturas precolombinas o en las literaturas europeas y americanas

Dificultades en la Accesibilidad Web de las Universidades Españolas de acuerdo a la Norma WCAG 2.0

The purpose of the study has been to learn of possible limitations in the level of accessibility of 74 Spanish universities’ web sites. The tool, TAW, was used to detect the existing barriers in each web, based on the WCAG 2.0 regulation. After an automatic and manual review of the principles, guidelines and criteria of priority levels A and AA, a percentage analysis showed that none of the universities surpassed these aspects entirely for either of the two web pages analysed, although the university with the best accessibility on both web pages was the University of Granada, followed by the University of Alicante. The study concludes by recommending revisions and adjustments to resolve these problems and to facilitate web accessibility.<br><br>El propósito del estudio ha sido conocer posibles limitaciones en el nivel de accesibilidad de las páginas principales y de estudiantes, de los sitios web de 74 Universidades españolas, para lo cual se ha utilizado la herramienta TAW, que permite analizar, de acuerdo a la norma WCAG 2.0, la existencia de barreras en ellas. Después de revisar automática y manualmente los Principios, Pautas y Criterios de conformidad de la norma, en sus niveles de prioridad A y AA, un análisis porcentual constata que ni una sola de las universidades los supera en su totalidad en ninguna de las dos páginas analizadas, aunque la mejor situada en accesibilidad es la de Granada en ambas páginas, seguida de la de Alicante. Se concluye recomendando hacer chequeos y ajustes para resolver estos problemas y facilitar la accesibilidad web

As above, so below: deposition, modification, and reutilization of human remains at Marmoles cave (Cueva de los Marmoles: Southern Spain, 4000–1000 cal BCE)

The deposition and manipulation of human remains in natural caves are well known for the Neolithic of Southern Iberia. The cultural meaning of these practices is however still largely unclear. Cueva de los Marmoles (CM, Priego-Córdoba) is one of the most important cave contexts from Southern Spain, which returned a large number of commingled skeletal remains suggesting its funerary use from the Neolithic to the Late Bronze Age. Here we discuss CM from a chronological and cultural perspective based on new radiocarbon, anthropological, and taphonomic analyses. These include the estimation of the minimum number of individuals, the exploration of fragmentation patterns characterizing different skeletal regions, and the macroscopic and microscopic analysis of modifications to the remains of possible anthropic origin. Radiocarbon data point at a funerary use of CM between the 5th–2nd millennium cal. BCE. MNI estimates reveal the presence of at least 12 individuals (seven adults and five nonadults). The low representation of elements from hands and feet suggests that individuals were placed in the cave while partially decomposed. Anthropic traces on the remains (fresh fractures, modification of marrow canal, scraping marks) hint at their intentional fragmentation, cleaning from residual soft tissues, and in some cases reutilization. These practices are well-exemplified by the recovery of one «skull cup» and of two long bones used as tools. These data align with those from other cave contexts from the same geographic region, suggesting the presence, especially during the Neolithic period, of shared ideologies centered on the human body