Lost in translation: data integration tools meet the Semantic Web (experiences from the Ondex project)

More information is now being published in machine processable form on the web and, as de-facto distributed knowledge bases are materializing, partly encouraged by the vision of the Semantic Web, the focus is shifting from the publication of this information to its consumption. Platforms for data integration, visualization and analysis that are based on a graph representation of information appear first candidates to be consumers of web-based information that is readily expressible as graphs. The question is whether the adoption of these platforms to information available on the Semantic Web requires some adaptation of their data structures and semantics. Ondex is a network-based data integration, analysis and visualization platform which has been developed in a Life Sciences context. A number of features, including semantic annotation via ontologies and an attention to provenance and evidence, make this an ideal candidate to consume Semantic Web information, as well as a prototype for the application of network analysis tools in this context. By analyzing the Ondex data structure and its usage, we have found a set of discrepancies and errors arising from the semantic mismatch between a procedural approach to network analysis and the implications of a web-based representation of information. We report in the paper on the simple methodology that we have adopted to conduct such analysis, and on issues that we have found which may be relevant for a range of similar platformsComment: Presented at DEIT, Data Engineering and Internet Technology, 2011 IEEE: CFP1113L-CD

Diferenças Fitossociológicas entre áreas de Ombrófila Mista em Sistema Faxinal no Paraná

A fitossociologia é o ramo da Ecologia Vegetal mais amplamente utilizado para diagnóstico qualitativo e quantitativo das formações vegetacionais. Vários pesquisadores defendem a aplicação de seus resultados no planejamento das ações de gestão ambiental, como no manejo florestal e na recuperação de áreas degradadas. O presente trabalho tem por objetivo realizar um levantamento dos principais estudos fitossociológicos realizados com floresta em sistema faxinal no Paraná. Foram analisados 16 faxinais distribuídos em 8 municípios do estado do Paraná, onde constatou-se uma densidade da floresta variando de 352 a 558 indivíduos por hectare para DAP > 10, e número de espécies de 13 a 58 espécies, com predomínio das famílias Myrtaceae, Lauraceae, Salicaceae. Com o presente estudo pode-se concluir que com a compilação dos resultados pode-se ter um melhor entendimento da Floresta Ombrófila Mista em Sistema Faxinal, possibilitando-se assim dar um melhor embasamento para a realização de possíveis planos de manejo, ou mesmo para a conservação dos mesmos. Phytosociology is the branch of Plant Ecology most used for qualitative and quantitative diagnosis of vegetal formations. Several researchers advocate the application of the results in the planning of environmental management, such as forest management and restoration of degraded areas. This work aims to study the phytosociological studies Faxinal forest in Paraná system. 16 faxinais in eight counties in the state of Paraná, where a density of forest ranging from 352-558 individuals per hectare for DBH> 10, and the number of species from 13 to 58 species were found, with a predominance of families analyzed Myrtaceae, Lauraceae, Salicaceae. This would allow a more detailed understanding of the composition and dynamics of vegetation and ecosystem in this type of vegetation. With this study, we can conclude that the compilation of the results can have a better understanding of Araucaria Forest in Faxinal system, allowing providing a better basis for the realization of potential management plans or conservation.Fitosociología el segmento de la ecología de las plantas más utilizado para el diagnóstico cualitativo y cuantitativo de las formaciones vegetales. Varios investigadores defienden por la aplicación de sus resultados en la planificación de acciones de gestión ambiental, como por ejemplo en la gestión forestal y la recuperación de áreas degradadas. Este trabajo tiene como objetivo realizar un inventario de los principales estudios fitosociológicas realizados en bosques con sistema Faxinal en el Paraná. Se analizaron 16 faxinais distribuidas en 8 condados del estado de Paraná, donde se encontró una densidad de bosques que van desde 352 a 558 individuos por hectárea para DAP>10, y el número de 13-58 especies, con predominio de Myrtaceae, lauráceas, salicáceas. Con este estudio se puede concluir que con la recopilación de los resultados se puede tener una mejor comprensión de Bosque de Ombrófila Mista en el sistema Faxinal, lo que permite dar una mejor base para la realización de posibles planes de gestión, o incluso a su conservación

Law, Environment, and the “Nondismal” Social Sciences

Over the past 30 years, the influence of economics over the study of environmental law and policy has expanded considerably, becoming in the process the predominant framework for analyzing regulations that address pollution, natural resource use, and other environmental issues. This review seeks to complement the expansion of economic reasoning and methodology within the field of environmental law and policy by identifying insights to be gleaned from various “nondismal” social sciences. In particular, three areas of inquiry are highlighted as illustrative of interdisciplinary work that might help to complement law and economics and, in some cases, compensate for it: the study of how human individuals perceive, judge, and decide; the observation and interpretation of how knowledge schemes are created, used, and regulated; and the analysis of how states and other actors coordinate through international and global regulatory regimes. The hope is to provide some examples of how environmental law and policy research can be improved by deeper and more diverse engagement with social science

Simulating Secondary Organic Aerosol Activation by Condensation of Multiple Organics on Seed Particles

The conditions under which semivolatile organic gases condense were studied in a Teflon particle chamber by scanning mobility particle sizing (SMPS) of the resultant particles. Benzaldehyde, maleic and citraconic anhydrides, n-decane, trans-cinnamaldehyde, and citral were introduced in various combinations into a particle chamber containing either particle-free nitrogen or nitrogen with dry seed particles made out of sodium chloride, d-tartartic acid, ammonium sulfate, or 1,10-decanediol. No organic gas was allowed to reach its saturation point relative to the vapor pressure of its pure liquid in any experiment. In the absence of seed particles, organic aerosol particles formed by ternary nucleation when the sum of the individual organic saturation levels reached a threshold between 1.17 and 1.86. With seed particles present, particle sizes began to increase when the sum of organic saturation levels reached 1.0. This size increase corresponds to the establishment and activation of ternary organic layers on the “clean” seed particles, as predicted by absorption partitioning theory. The observed increases in particle volume depended on initial seed particle volume, indicating that either gas diffusion rates or chemical reactions were controlling the rate of uptake