Interficies entre los componentes del lenguaje: “Bootstrapping” (cambio funcional) en “períodos sensibles” después de alcanzar una “masa crítica” en el uso

Conceiving the architecture of language components as modules requires not only specifying how they interact in terms of units and rules, but also how they change in the learning process. This paper specifically proposes that the progressive interactive bootstrap between language components (in a sensitive period and after a critical mass is attained) is the key factor of the expert learning and use of language. Partial evidence for this consideration are the non-linear learning curves in sequences over time that the different components exhibit. To this end, we present some evidence of changes in the lexicon, grammatical categories and inflection. Finally, we postulate that explicitly well documented learning relationships among components (in time and content) should be a central goal in the future language acquisition research.Considerar como módulos a los componentes del lenguaje requiere especificar,no solo como interactúan entre ellos, según sus reglas y unidades,sino también como van cambiando en los procesos de aprendizaje. Este artículopropone que el factor clave para un aprendizaje y un uso experto del lenguajees el bootstrapping entre dichos componentes (en un periodo sensible y despuésde alcanzar un nivel determinado de masa crítica). Los datos (todavía parciales)para fundamentar esta propuesta son las curvas no lineales de aprendizajeque se observan en las secuencias temporales de dichos componentes, y susposibles relaciones. Finalmente, se postula que un objetivo central en el futuro de la investigación en la adquisición del lenguaje debe consistir en documentar(según tiempo y contenido) el aprendizaje teniendo en cuenta las relacionesentre los componentes

Kissing number

Treballs Finals de Grau de Matemàtiques, Facultat de Matemàtiques, Universitat de Barcelona, Any: 2016, Director: Juan Carlos Naranjo del ValThe kissing number problem is a classic problem related to the Kepler conjecture and which was already the subject of discussion between David Gregory and Isaac Newton. The problem asks for the value of $κ(n)$, which is the maximal number of equal radius and nonoverlapping spheres in n-dimensional space that can touch a fixed sphere of the same radius? The answer is known for n = 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 24, in this work we will study the proof of Oleg R. Musin in the three dimensional case and discuss his strategy in the four dimensional one

Human enhancement and functional diversity : Ethical concerns of emerging technologies and transhumanism

The concepts of posthuman, transhuman, transhumanism and human enhancement, and their use of emerging technologies, are described together with their scientific and social implications. Genome editing techniques for enhancement purposes, as well as their scientific, societal, and ethical drawbacks are specifically discussed. In particular, we focus on a perspective of personal and collective responsibility and social inclusion, considering all people, with their functional diversity or different abilities. Pros and cons of proposals for radical transformation as endorsed by transhumanism (genome editing), their impact on future generations and on subjects with functional diversity, and the need of a global ethical frame, are discusse

Laboratory diagnosis of brucellosis in a rural endemic area in northeastern Spain

Sera obtained from 62 patients from four mountain counties in Catalonia (Northeastern Spain), in whom brucellosis had been diagnosed on the basis of clinical evidence and/or personal history, were analyzed using the rose Bengal test, standard serum agglutination test (SAT), Coombs’ test, ELISA, and complement fixation. The diagnosis was further confirmed through blood cultures. Clinical evidence, epidemiology, and the results from serologic tests were used to assign patients to one of two groups: group 1 (n = 38) patients had primary infections, whereas group 2 (n = 24) patients had been previously exposed to the microorganism, i.e. re-infection of group 2 individuals occurred after long periods of time during which no active infection by Brucella had been detected. Receivingoperating charts (ROC) were used to determine the diagnostic value of the different tests and to establish discriminant values. Blood culture was a valuable diagnostic tool in group 1 (0.92 sensitivity) but was inappropriate in group 2 (0.08). The combination of positive rose Bengal test and agglutination ≥1/160 was valid for diagnosis in group 1. In group 2, agglutination < 1/160 (including negative agglutination) did not rule out brucellosis. The combination of positive rose Bengal test and Coombs’ test ≥1/320 was the best diagnostic criterion (0.8 specificity; 1 sensitivity). ELISA (for IgG, IgM, or both) did not improve diagnostic accuracy. [Int Microbiol 7(1):53–58, 2004