Calculating Matter and Recombinant Subjects: The Infinitesimal and the Fractal Fold

Because different mathematical practices are aligned with different ontologies, it matters what kind of mathematics we bring to bear in social theory. This article explores the open and urgent question as to whether and how calculation becomes an inventive practice that doesn't simply serve the control society. In search of a non-axiomatic mathematical problematic, I examine the infinitesimal for its enigmatic role in calculation and show how Deleuze and Guattari use the infinitesimal to (a) rethink the relationship between matter and meaning, and (b) describe a recombinant fractal subject well suited to our digital times. The infinitesimal is a sort of changeling number with one foot in the virtual and one foot in the actual, and thus pivotal to considerations of vitalist new mixtures of number and matter

The natural wood regime in rivers

International audienc

Termite sensitivity to temperature affects global wood decay rates.

Deadwood is a large global carbon store with its store size partially determined by biotic decay. Microbial wood decay rates are known to respond to changing temperature and precipitation. Termites are also important decomposers in the tropics but are less well studied. An understanding of their climate sensitivities is needed to estimate climate change effects on wood carbon pools. Using data from 133 sites spanning six continents, we found that termite wood discovery and consumption were highly sensitive to temperature (with decay increasing >6.8 times per 10°C increase in temperature)-even more so than microbes. Termite decay effects were greatest in tropical seasonal forests, tropical savannas, and subtropical deserts. With tropicalization (i.e., warming shifts to tropical climates), termite wood decay will likely increase as termites access more of Earth's surface

Alcantarillado de San Joaquín

Para un diseño de un alcantarillado sanitario es muy importante la situación socio-económico y cultural de una zona ya que de esta depende el comportamiento al uso de este servicio. Luego tenemos que tomar la densidad existente en el sector por medio de zonificaciones y encuestas una vez recolectado estas informaciones procedemos a elegir que tipo de alcantarillado vamos a usar según la comveniencia y las normas de disseño que tenemos que respetar. Por último podemos realizar un presupuesto considerando todos los insumos necesarios para la construcción del sistema de alcantarillado tratadoIngeniero CivilCuenc

What is in a name? That which we call cecropia peltata by any other name would be as invasive?

The recent opinion piece by Sheil and Padmanaba (2011) argues that greater attention is required for invasive species management procedures that are relevant to and realistic for developing countries. They use the example of the Neotropical tree Cecropia as an introduction toWest Java to illustrate their point. In our invited response we contend that the assumptions and data on the dynamics of Cecropia in Java presented in their paper, as well as their review of global Cecropia introductions, are of reduced scientific value. Even so, we agree with the paper’s opinion that the naturalised species of Cecropia in West Java represent a considerable invasion risk and that funding must be improved so that the capacity for invasion ecology research and management of invasive alien species in developing countries is more effective. Unlike Sheil and Padmanaba (2011), however, we conclude that there is already enough evidence to be concerned by the threat of Cecropia to natural ecosystems, but that knowledge of the relevant taxa is currently insufficient to recommend the most appropriate control options not only for Java, but also for other Cecropia introductions elsewhere in the world. © 2011 Botanical Society of Scotland and Taylor & Francis

Potencial fotovoltaico en techumbre de edificios industriales de alta demanda energética, en zonas ecuatoriales.

La industria y edificaciones producen el 60% de gases de efecto invernadero en el mundo y, en concreto, consumen el 62% de la electricidad en Cuenca, Ecuador. Las zonas ecuatoriales andinas poseen en el sol una fuente energética consistente y relativamente estable durante el año. Las plantas industriales muestran superficies aptas para desplegar recolección solar fotovoltaica. Mediante un levantamiento volumétrico de una planta industrial de alto consumo, se realiza una propuesta de intervención en techumbre, para procurar una máxima ocupación de placas PV de sílice cristalino, considerando además aspectos de ventilación interior e iluminación natural. A través del modelo en BIM (Building Information Modeling) y de simulaciones en SAM@, se prevé un abastecimiento de un 22 % del alto consumo eléctrico actual, volumen equivalente a la demanda residencial de 17.328 habitantes o el 2 % del consumo total de la ciudad. A pesar de que, por políticas estatales de subsidio a combustibles, esta no constituye una inversión rentable, se demuestra aquí que es una alternativa para la eliminación de los mismos, considerando su carácter nocivo, tanto desde perspectivas económicas como ambientales

An improved smart medicine pill box system

Medicine non-adherence has become a major factor in the failure of medical treatments. Numerous solutions have been proposed to increase adherence between patients and the regimens. These include electronic aids, such as text messages, reminders and smart medicine pill boxes. Chan, Chua and Ramin have developed a smart medicine pill box which provides reminders and allows scheduling using an Android mobile application, but problems arose in terms of its timekeeping and ability to allow third-party applications from accessing the smart medicine pill box. This led the researchers of this study to improve and implement fixes based on the previous work of Chan et. al through a revised design and implementation of middleware. The key results of the experiment were improving the timekeeping, modularity and including a REST API. However, there were drawbacks that include the speed of the motor, the drop system, and the reminder module for the app. The researchers successfully augmented the previously designed Smart Medicine Pill Box and uncovered new areas which could be further improved

Lectures grothendieckiennes

International audienceLectures grothendieckiennes rassemble les textes qui font suite à un séminaire qui s’est tenu au département de mathématiques de l’École Normale Supérieure de 2017 à 2018. Le livre présente une pensée complexe à l’œuvre, celle de l’un des mathématiciens les plus influents et énigmatiques du 20e siècle : Alexander Grothendieck.Les auteurs, Pierre Cartier, Olivia Caramello, Alain Connes, Laurent Laforgue, Colin McLarty, Gilles Pisier, Jean-Jacques Szczeciniarz et Fernando Zalamea, dévoilent à leur façon les conséquences mathématiques ou philosophiques que l’on peut tirer d’une œuvre monumentale qui a transformé le paysage mathématique du 20e siècle et qui a probablement ouvert une nouvelle ère mathématique que nous avons seulement commencé à explorer.Préface de Peter Scholze