Implementation of a Human-Computer Interface for Computer Assisted Translation and Handwritten Text Recognition

A human-computer interface is developed to provide services of computer assisted machine translation (CAT) and computer assisted transcription of handwritten text images (CATTI). The back-end machine translation (MT) and handwritten text recognition (HTR) systems are provided by the Pattern Recognition and Human Language Technology (PRHLT) research group. The idea is to provide users with easy to use tools to convert interactive translation and transcription feasible tasks. The assisted service is provided by remote servers with CAT or CATTI capabilities. The interface supplies the user with tools for efficient local edition: deletion, insertion and substitution.Ocampo Sepúlveda, JC. (2009). Implementation of a Human-Computer Interface for Computer Assisted Translation and Handwritten Text Recognition. http://hdl.handle.net/10251/14318Archivo delegad

Forms of Participatory Democracy: An Analytical Framework Based on the Experiences of Bolivia, Brazil and Colombia

Based on the experiences of Colombia, Brazil and Bolivia, the paper proposes a general analytical framework for participatory mechanisms. The analysis is oriented to detect the incentives in each system and the ethics and behavior sustaining them. It investigates about the sustainability of participatory democracy, in the face of tensions with representative democracy. The article presents a theoretical framework built from these experiences of institutional design and political practice, and confronts it against the theoretical conceptualizations of participatory democracy in Bobbio, Sartori, Elster and Nino, among others. In this context, different ways in wich those schemes can be inserted in the political systems become apparent, along with the variables that result from combinig elements of direct, representative and participatory democracy.********************************************************************************************************A partir de la experienca de Colombia, Brasil y Bolivia, el artículo propone un marco de análisis general de esquemas de democracia participativa. El análisis está orientado a detectar los incentivos presentes en cada uno de los sistemas y la ética y el comportamiento que sostiene estas instituciones. Investiga además su sostenibilidad al enfrentar tensiones en su interacción con la democracia representativa. El artículo presenta un marco teórico a partir de estas experiencias de diseño institucional y prácticas políticas, y su comparación con las conceptualizaciones teóricas de la democracia participativa de Bobbio, Sartori, Elster y Nino, entre otros. En este análisis se resaltan las diferentes maneras en que tales sistemas políticos son introducidos, así como las variables que resultan de la combinación entre democraica directa, participativa y representativa.democracy, participation, participatory budgets, local government

Resultados numéricos en el problema de la rejilla de Stokes

En este artículo se presenta un estudio numérico sobre el movimiento de un fluido viscoso incompresible que atraviesa una pared finamente perforada de espesor pequeño (una rejilla). Se muestran resultados numéricos para rejillas simétricas y no simétricas respecto a un plano de sustentación, los cuales confirman numéricamente ciertos resultados teóricos sobre el comportamiento del fluido cerca de la rejilla. En particular, se observa numéricamente que para rejillas muy finamente perforadas, el flujo se organiza cerca de la rejilla de modo de atravesarla con una velocidad constante. En el caso simétrico, esta velocidad es además perpendicular a la rejilla. Se estudian tres problemas tests.ljn this article we present a numerical analysis of a viscous incoinpressible fluid as it moves through a very thinly periodically perforated sieve with a non-zero thickness. Numerical results are obtained for symmetric and non symmetric sieves which confirm certain theorical results on the asymptotic behavior of the fluid flow near the sieve. In particular, we numerically verify that for a very thinly perforated sieve the fluid gets organized near the sieve in such a way that it crosses it with a constant velocity. In the symmetric case this velocity is also perpendicular to the sieve. We study three test problems.Peer Reviewe

Resultados numéricos en el problema de la rejilla de Stokes

En este artículo se presenta un estudio numérico sobre el movimiento de un fluido viscoso incompresible que atraviesa una pared finamente perforada de espesor pequeño (una rejilla). Se muestran resultados numéricos para rejillas simétricas y no simétricas respecto a un plano de sustentación, los cuales confirman numéricamente ciertos resultados teóricos sobre el comportamiento del fluido cerca de la rejilla. En particular, se observa numéricamente que para rejillas muy finamente perforadas, el flujo se organiza cerca de la rejilla de modo de atravesarla con una velocidad constante. En el caso simétrico, esta velocidad es además perpendicular a la rejilla. Se estudian tres problemas tests.ljn this article we present a numerical analysis of a viscous incoinpressible fluid as it moves through a very thinly periodically perforated sieve with a non-zero thickness. Numerical results are obtained for symmetric and non symmetric sieves which confirm certain theorical results on the asymptotic behavior of the fluid flow near the sieve. In particular, we numerically verify that for a very thinly perforated sieve the fluid gets organized near the sieve in such a way that it crosses it with a constant velocity. In the symmetric case this velocity is also perpendicular to the sieve. We study three test problems.Peer Reviewe

Semiclassical propagator of the Wigner function

Propagation of the Wigner function is studied on two levels of semiclassical propagation, one based on the van-Vleck propagator, the other on phase-space path integration. Leading quantum corrections to the classical Liouville propagator take the form of a time-dependent quantum spot. Its oscillatory structure depends on whether the underlying classical flow is elliptic or hyperbolic. It can be interpreted as the result of interference of a \emph{pair} of classical trajectories, indicating how quantum coherences are to be propagated semiclassically in phase space. The phase-space path-integral approach allows for a finer resolution of the quantum spot in terms of Airy functions.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure

Enfermedad de Huntington: estado del arte

La enfermedad de Huntington es un desorden monogenético autosómico dominante, que genera un trastorno neurodegenerativo caracterizado por la pérdida de neuronas en diferentes partes del cerebro. Se manifiesta principalmente en forma de alteraciones motoras (la conocida Corea de Huntington), alteraciones psiquiátricas y deterioro cognitivo. Se presenta a mayor o menor edad en relación con la cantidad de repeticiones trinucléicas de CAG en el extremo N-terminal de la proteína Huntington, localizada en el brazo corto del cromosoma 4. Los tratamientos actuales no permiten detener el avance ni prevenir la aparición de la enfermedad, simplemente atacan los síntomas que se presentan. A través de la presente revisión bibliográfica se abordan los diferentes aspectos que producen la enfermedad, así como posibles soluciones, como son los tratamientos con células madres y con antioxidantes, que aportan nuevas luces ante este problema.Huntington's disease is an autosomal dominant monogenic disorder that generates a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by loss of neurons in different parts of the brain. It occurs mainly in the form of motor impairment (known chorea), psychiatric disturbances and cognitive impairment. Occurs to varying age in relation to the number of CAG repeats trinucléicas at the N-terminus of the Huntington protein, located on the short arm of chromosome 4. Current treatments no blocks the progression or prevent the onset of extreme disease, simply address the symptoms that arise. Through this literature review the different aspects that cause the disease, and possible solutions are discussed, such as stem cell treatments with antioxidants that bring new light to this problem

Modelos de interacção genética de dois genes em fenótipos

Em trabalhos anteriores foram propostos diversos modelos estatísticos para a penetrância de forma a inferir a interacção de dois genes dial´elicos na construção de fenótipos binários complexos: modelos de acção independente, modelos de inibição e modelos de número mínimo de alelos. Estes modelos baseiam-se numa decomposição da penetrância através da abordagem por penetrâncias alélicas, que permitiu a inclusão dos conceitos mendelianos de dominância e recessividade alélica na sua modelação. Pretende-se aqui dar a conhecer os avanços mais recentes na parte da modelação da interacção genética, apresentando uma nova decomposição da penetrância e uma nova formulação matemática da dominância e da recessividade. Aplicam-se ainda ferramentas bayesianas para o ajustamento dos modelos de interacção genética a dados experimentais com recurso ao método de amostragem de Gibbs. Toda a metodologia é exemplificada num conjunto de dados de um estudo da susceptibilidade da malária cerebral em ratinhos

Sample size and power calculations for detecting changes in malaria transmission using antibody seroconversion rate.

BACKGROUND: Several studies have highlighted the use of serological data in detecting a reduction in malaria transmission intensity. These studies have typically used serology as an adjunct measure and no formal examination of sample size calculations for this approach has been conducted. METHODS: A sample size calculator is proposed for cross-sectional surveys using data simulation from a reverse catalytic model assuming a reduction in seroconversion rate (SCR) at a given change point before sampling. This calculator is based on logistic approximations for the underlying power curves to detect a reduction in SCR in relation to the hypothesis of a stable SCR for the same data. Sample sizes are illustrated for a hypothetical cross-sectional survey from an African population assuming a known or unknown change point. RESULTS: Overall, data simulation demonstrates that power is strongly affected by assuming a known or unknown change point. Small sample sizes are sufficient to detect strong reductions in SCR, but invariantly lead to poor precision of estimates for current SCR. In this situation, sample size is better determined by controlling the precision of SCR estimates. Conversely larger sample sizes are required for detecting more subtle reductions in malaria transmission but those invariantly increase precision whilst reducing putative estimation bias. CONCLUSIONS: The proposed sample size calculator, although based on data simulation, shows promise of being easily applicable to a range of populations and survey types. Since the change point is a major source of uncertainty, obtaining or assuming prior information about this parameter might reduce both the sample size and the chance of generating biased SCR estimates

Developing an automated system for shoe sole halogenation

This paper describes a project developed in the Department of Industrial Electronics for a shoe wear manufacturer. It envisaged the study and automation of a human operated position of a shoe production line. A trade of investment and operational costs, technical feasibility and environmental benefits pointed to the selection of the shoe’s sole halogenation position. This operation, manually performed, is done before glue application. Its purpose is the preparation of the shoe sole to receive, in good conditions, the glue. The chemical material used is toxic and harmful to operators. The developed system integrates a manipulator and an artificial vision system. The results that emerged from the experimental tests demonstrated that the proposed automated system works as desired. The system exhibits the additional advantage of performing the halogenation procedure in almost half of the time required by a human operator. The image processing algorithms included in the system software are fast enough to enable image acquisition and processing as well as the transmission of the path to the robot controller, on line