Personal Guides: Heterogeneous Robots Sharing Personal Tours in Multi-Floor Environments

GidaBot is an application designed to setup and run a heterogeneous team of robots to act as tour guides in multi-floor buildings. Although the tours can go through several floors, the robots can only service a single floor, and thus, a guiding task may require collaboration among several robots. The designed system makes use of a robust inter-robot communication strategy to share goals and paths during the guiding tasks. Such tours work as personal services carried out by one or more robots. In this paper, a face re-identification/verification module based on state-of-the-art techniques is developed, evaluated offline, and integrated into GidaBot’s real daily activities, to avoid new visitors interfering with those attended. It is a complex problem because, as users are casual visitors, no long-term information is stored, and consequently, faces are unknown in the training step. Initially, re-identification and verification are evaluated offline considering different face detectors and computing distances in a face embedding representation. To fulfil the goal online, several face detectors are fused in parallel to avoid face alignment bias produced by face detectors under certain circumstances, and the decision is made based on a minimum distance criterion. This fused approach outperforms any individual method and highly improves the real system’s reliability, as the tests carried out using real robots at the Faculty of Informatics in San Sebastian show.This work has been partially funded by the Basque Government, Spain, grant number IT900-16, and the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (MINECO), grant number RTI2018-093337-B-I00

XVI International Congress of Control Electronics and Telecommunications: "Techno-scientific considerations for a post-pandemic world intensive in knowledge, innovation and sustainable local development"

Este título, sugestivo por los impactos durante la situación de la Covid 19 en el mundo, y que en Colombia lastimosamente han sido muy críticos, permiten asumir la obligada superación de tensiones sociales, políticas, y económicas; pero sobre todo científicas y tecnológicas. Inicialmente, esto supone la existencia de una capacidad de la sociedad colombiana por recuperar su estado inicial después de que haya cesado la perturbación a la que fue sometida por la catastrófica pandemia, y superar ese anterior estado de cosas ya que se encontraban -y aún se encuentran- muchos problemas locales mal resueltos, medianamente resueltos, y muchos sin resolver: es decir, habrá que rediseñar y fortalecer una probada resiliencia social existente - producto del prolongado conflicto social colombiano superado parcialmente por un proceso de paz exitoso - desde la tecnociencia local; como lo indicaba Markus Brunnermeier - economista alemán y catedrático de economía de la Universidad de Princeton- en su libro The Resilient Society…La cuestión no es preveerlo todo sino poder reaccionar…aprender a recuperarse rápido.This title, suggestive of the impacts during the Covid 19 situation in the world, and which have unfortunately been very critical in Colombia, allows us to assume the obligatory overcoming of social, political, and economic tensions; but above all scientific and technological. Initially, this supposes the existence of a capacity of Colombian society to recover its initial state after the disturbance to which it was subjected by the catastrophic pandemic has ceased, and to overcome that previous state of affairs since it was found -and still is find - many local problems poorly resolved, moderately resolved, and many unresolved: that is, an existing social resilience test will have to be redesigned and strengthened - product of the prolonged Colombian social conflict partially overcome by a successful peace process - from local technoscience; As Markus Brunnermeier - German economist and professor of economics at Princeton University - indicates in his book The Resilient Society...The question is not to foresee everything but to be able to react...learn to recover quickly.Bogot

Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Abstract Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries

Chop-bisección/Chop-trisección y Técnica de los palillos chinos para extracción de los fragmentos nucleares

Objective/Method: We develop an alternative form of manual phacofragmentation for small incision cataract surgery, which we have denominated chop-bisection, chop-trisection or chop-multisection. The division is carried out by slipping a phacochopper from the 6 hours to the 12 hours and doing counterpressure against another manipulator introduced between the nucleus and the posterior capsule at the 12 hours. The extraction of the nuclear fragments is carried out by viscoexpression, with the help of a vectis or by picking the fragments with the spatula and the chopper, with whose end we impale the fragment, as if Chinese chopsticks were. Results/Conclusions: The chop-bisection, chop-trisection or chop-multisection are an alternative to other forms of nuclear division for small incision surgery that allows to divide the nucleus in 2, 3 or more fragments, introducing instrumental of small dimensions in the anterior chamber, without creating space conflicts neither bigger traumatism than other described techniques. The extraction of the nuclear fragments with the Chinese chopsticks technique, allows a better adjustment of the final size of the incision to the size of the nuclear fragments.Objetivo/Método: Desarrollamos una forma alternativa de facofragmentación manual para cirugía de la catarata con pequeña incisión a la que hemos denominado chop-bisección, chop-trisección o chop-multisección. La división se realiza mediante deslizamiento y contrapresión de un facochop desde las 6 horas contra otro manipulador introducido entre el núcleo y la cápsula posterior a las 12 horas. La extracción de los fragmentos nucleares la realizamos mediante viscoexpresión, con la ayuda de un vectis o pinzando los fragmentos con la espátula y el chopper, con cuyo extremo empalamos el fragmento como si de unos palillos chinos se tratara. Resultados/Conclusiones: La chop-bisección, chop-trisección o chop-multisección son una alternativa a otras formas de división nuclear para cirugía de pequeña incisión, que permite dividir el núcleo en 2, 3 o más fragmentos, introduciendo instrumental de pequeñas dimensiones en cámara anterior, sin crear conflictos de espacio ni mayor traumatismo que otras técnicas descritas. La extracción de los fragmentos nucleares con la técnica de los palillos chinos, permite un mejor ajuste del tamaño final de la incisión al tamaño de los fragmentos nucleare

Estudio comparativo entre 5 técnicas de cirugía de pequeña y mediana incisión. Resultados prefinales

Objective: To establish the differences as for complications, visual recovery, astigmatism and incisional size among the following techniques of small and medium incision: Group A: Mininuc; Group B: nylon Handle with abocath; Group C: Chop-bisection; Group D: Chop-trisection; Group E: Phacoemulsification. Methods: We carry out a prospective study in 5 groups of 75 patients that are intervened by the same surgeon by means of each one of the techniques. We analyze the results obtained in 3 months of pursuit (1day, 1 week, 1 month and 3 months) of the 302 patients intervened until the moment of the date (65, 61, 67, 56 and 53 respectively). Results: Among the intraoperatory complications didn't exist relevant differences. The incisional size was of 7.67, 6.66, 5.76, 4.85 and 3.8 mm respectively, being significant the differences observed among the different groups. The visual recovery (without exclusions) was of 0.88 not existing differences among the different groups. The astigmatism observed in the groups A, B and C was significantly bigger that the one observed in the groups D and E in 1D and 1S revisions, and persisted in this way in all the revisions for the group A. Significant differences didn't exist among the groups B and C, neither among the groups D and E. Conclusions: The visual recovery was significantly more precocious in the patients of the groups D and E, not existing differences among these, although 1 mm of incisional size difference exists.Objetivo: Establecer las diferencias en cuanto a complicaciones recuperación visual, astigmatismo postquirúrgico y tamaño incisional entre las siguientes técnicas de pequeña y mediana incisión: Grupo A: Mininuc; Grupo B: Asa de nailon con abocath; Grupo C: Chop-Bisección; Grupo D: Chop-Trisección; Grupo E: Facoemulsificación. Métodos: Realizamos un estudio prospectivo en 5 grupos de 75 pacientes, que son intervenidos por el mismo cirujano mediante cada una de las técnicas. Analizamos los resultados obtenidos en 3 meses de seguimiento (1día, 1 semana, 1 mes y 3 meses) de los 302 pacientes intervenidos hasta el momento de la fecha (65, 61, 67, 56 y 53 respectivamente). Resultados: Entre las complicaciones intraoperatorias no existieron diferencias relevantes. El tamaño incisional conseguido fue de 7'67, 6'66, 5'76, 4'85 y 3,8 respectivamente, siendo significativas las diferencias observadas entre los diferentes grupos. La recuperación visual media final (sin exclusiones) fue de 0,88 no existiendo diferencias entre los diferentes grupos. El astigmatismo observado en los grupos A, B y C fue significativamente mayor que el observado en los grupos D y E en las revisiones 1D y 1S, que persistió en todas las revisiones para el grupo A. No existieron diferencias significativas entre los grupos B y C, ni entre los grupos D y E. Conclusiones: La recuperación visual fue significativamente más precoz en los pacientes de los grupos D y E, no existiendo diferencias entre estos aunque existe una diferencia de tamaño incisional de 1 mm

Allende vive 30 años

El Seminario Internacional 30 Años Allende Vive, convocado por la Revista América Libre, el Centro de Educación Popular, CEPIS, de Brasil, el Centro Martín Luther King de Cuba y el ICAL, en un momento en que las luchas populares retoman la iniciativa, se planteó rescatar la memoria del proceso de la Unidad Popular y del ejemplo de Salvador Allende y proyectarla a las búsquedas que los movimientos populares realizan para construir alternativas al neoliberalismo, la emergencia de nuevos gobiernos populares, los caminos de creación de poder popular, la perspectiva socialista como proyecto y como opción. La publicación del seminario 30 Años Allende Vive constituye un aporte para la reflexión de la izquierda latinoamericana, y una importante fuente de consulta tanto para referencias históricas como para los muy actuales debates sobre la construcción de alternativas de cambio con perspectiva socialista.Presentación; Discurso de Inauguración del Seminario Internacional 30 Años, Allende Vive; Inauguración del Seminario 30 Años, Allende Vive; Saludos; Transformaciones de Estructura y Redistribución del Ingreso; La educación y la cultura en el Gobierno Popular; Reforma Agraria y Soberanía Alimentaria; Los logros de la Unidad Popular y las perspectivas en diferentes sectores sociales; Soberanía sobre los Recursos Naturales. El Cobre; El programa de gobierno de Salvador Allende; La Verdad sobre la Unidad Popular y el Golpe de Estado; Unidad Popular, Impacto y Solidaridad Internacional; Presentación del libro Salvador Allende, Textos Escogidos; La política imperialista. El ALCA y la militarización del mundo. El Plan Colombia; La unidad de los pueblos contra la estrategia imperialista, guerrerista, desestabilizadora y golpista de Estados Unidos; Ponencia de las Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia Ejército del Pueblo (FARC-EP); Los cristianos en la lucha por el socialismo; Fuerzas Armadas, Democracia y Soberanía Nacional; Situación del movimiento sindical antes y después del golpe; Derechos Humanos antes y después del golpe de estado; Movimientos GLBTT y Procesos Revolucionarios en América Latina. Construyendo el nuevo sujeto histórico; Políticas de Género de la Izquierda Latinoamericana; Panel sobre Medios de comunicación; Gobernar la revolución. Por una gobernabilidad revolucionaria para la revolución bolivariana; La integración latinoamericana y el sueño bolivariano; Las alternativas populares en América Latina ayer y hoy. Izquierda e Institucionalidad, Reforma y Revolución; Los movimientos sociales y los partidos políticos en la construcción de las alternativas populares. Sujeto histórico, alianzas, programas, estrategias; La perspectiva socialista en la construcción de las alternativas populare

Relation of a fishing community in the Gulf of Urabá (Colombia) to mangrove ecosystems and their conservation

ABSTRACT: This article aims to characterize the relation of a community of fishermen in the Gulf of Urabá to the surrounding mangrove ecosystems and their conservation. The analysis was done following the ethnographic approach (participant observation and in-depth interviews). The analysis is based on the perspectives of political ecology and ethno-ecology. This approach reveals the existence of multiple overlapping territorialities and power relations underlying the inequitable attribution of responsibilities among local stakeholders in the conservation and restoration of the mangroves. The absence of favorable attitudes regarding the protection of marine and coastal resources is considered to be an expression of the sharp contradictions that permeate the economic, social and political life of the Urabá region.RESUMEN: Este artículo propone caracterizar la relación de una comunidad de pescadores del golfo de Urabá con los ecosistemas de manglar y su conservación. La investigación realizada siguió el método etnográfico (observación participante y entrevistas en profundidad). El análisis parte de las perspectivas de la ecología política y la etnoecología. Este acercamiento revela la existencia de la superposición de múltiples territorialidades y relaciones de poder que subyacen a la atribución inequitativa de responsabilidades entre los actores locales en la conservación y restauración de los manglares. La ausencia de actitudes favorables para la protección de los recursos marinos y costeros es considerada como una expresión de las agudas contradicciones que atraviesa la vida económica, social y política de la región de Urabá

Data from: Legume Abundance Along Successional And Rainfall Gradients In Neotropical Forests

This database is the product of the 2ndFOR collaborative research network on secondary forests. The database contains total basal area data (in m2 ha-1) of legume trees (Leguminosae) for 1207 secondary forest plots differing in time since abandonment. The plots belong to different chonosequence studies. For a description of the database, see Gei et al. 2018. Legume Abundance Along Successional And Rainfall Gradients In Neotropical Forests. Nature Ecology and Evolution. The file "Legume basal area 2ndFOR data.csv" contains the following variables: Chronosequence: name of the chronosequence site Age: age of the plot (in years), "OG" indicates old-growth forest of unknown age LBA: total basal area of legume trees (Leguminosae) of the plot in m2 ha-1 Reference: a citation for the chronosequence study, if available PI/contact person: name(s) of the principal investigator(s) or contact person(s) for the chronosequence study

Data from: Legume abundance along successional and rainfall gradients in neotropical forests

The nutrient demands of regrowing tropical forests are partly satisfied by nitrogen (N)-fixing legume trees, but our understanding of the abundance of those species is biased towards wet tropical regions. Here we show how the abundance of Leguminosae is affected by both recovery from disturbance and large-scale rainfall gradients through a synthesis of forest-inventory plots from a network of 42 Neotropical forest chronosequences. During the first three decades of natural forest regeneration, legume basal area is twice as high in dry compared to wet secondary forests. The tremendous ecological success of legumes in recently disturbed, water-limited forests is likely related to both their reduced leaflet size and ability to fix N2, which together enhance legume drought tolerance and water-use efficiency. Earth system models should incorporate these large-scale successional and climatic patterns of legume dominance to provide more accurate estimates of the maximum potential for natural N fixation across tropical forests