Collaborative Listening and Cultural Difference in Contemporary Art

The research represented in this thesis has a relationship with my sustained interest in the subject of cultural difference that typified my earlier artistic practice. During my Ph.D. studies in Art and Visual Culture at Western University, I have advanced new perspectives on this problematic by elaborating on the potentialities of listening in dialogic and collaborative artistic practice. It comprises the discussion about the projects and activities developed within my doctoral studies, according to two main and related purposes. The first is the examination of hegemonic practices of production of meaning regarding cultural difference with a backdrop of the social, cultural and historical processes that underlie the constitution of the space of modernity in my home country, Ecuador, one of the five nations that integrate the Andean region. The second is the analysis of artistic and collaborative activities where the cultivation of modes of listening (sounding implication, acoustic presence) foregrounds subaltern agency and the production of community. These preoccupations inform the analytical core of the two essays composing my thesis. Mountains and Rivers without End––a collaborative project involving artists and scholars from Canada and Ecuador in research on the historical, social, and environmental effects of mining in the district of Portovelo and Zaruma in Ecuador. Soundscape Pasochoa––a collaborative project developed in collaboration with José Sangoquiza that expand critical perspectives on the practice of the soundscapes to focus on the conditions for subaltern cultural production in the Valle of the Chillos, Pichincha province (Ecuador). A second section involving the presentation of my practice dossier includes documentation of the art projects and activities carried out during my doctoral studies. It also provides a brief discussion of the conceptual lines of the activities I carried out while being part of the research team of Surviving Memory in Postwar El Salvador. A comprehensive documentation of these projects and activities is found at https://ulises-unda-phd.squarespace.com/

Fusión de información satelital con vuelos a baja altura de vehículos aéreos no tripulados para estimar la cobertura de malezas

The detection, geolocation, and classification of weeds in agricultural fields is a problem of interest associated with Precision Agriculture (PA). The main contribution of this work is to describe a workflow (feasible to automate) based on open-source software tools and open information to: 1) measure the spatiotemporal evolution of weed patches through satellite images, and 2) register high-resolution images (taken at low altitude) on top of the satellite image to identify the weeds that compose the detected patches. To merge the satellite and low-altitude information, the following problems must be solved: 1) correct distortions in the acquired images; 2) develop an image formation model that allows registering the low-altitude image on top of the satellite image, and 3) analyze green indices to measure patch coverage in both multiespectral satellite images and RGB images obtained from a camera mounted on an unmanned aerial vehicle. Finally, the feasibility of merging information is demonstrated through an analysis of the correlation in the coverage measures obtained from satellite and low-altitude images.La deteccion, geolocalizacion y clasificacion de malezas en campos agricolas es un problema de interes asociado a la Agricultura de Precision (AP). El aporte principal de este trabajo es describir un flujo de trabajo (factible de automatizar) basado en herramientas de software libre e informacion abierta para: 1) medir la evolucion espaciotemporal de los parches de malezas a traves de imagenes satelitales y; 2) registrar las imagenes de alta resolucion (tomadas a baja altura) sobre la imagen satelital, para identificar las malezas que componen los parches detectados. Para fusionar la informacion satelital y de baja altura, se deben resolver los siguientes problemas: 1) corregir las distorsiones en las imagenes adquiridas; 2) desarrollar un modelo de formacion de imagenes que permita registrar la imagen a baja altura sobre la imagen satelital; 3) analizar los indices de verde para medir la cobertura de los parches, tanto en las imagenes satelitales multiespectrales, como en las imagenes RGB obtenidas desde una camara montada en un vehıculo aereo no tripulado. Finalmente, se muestra la factibilidad de realizar la fusion de informacion a partir de un analisis de la correlacion en las medidas de cobertura obtenidas de las imagenes satelitales y de las de baja altura.Sociedad Argentina de Informática e Investigación Operativ

Analysis of rodent remains from the Las Vueltas 1 archaeological site, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina

Diversas especies de roedores se encuentran con frecuencia en los sitios arqueológicos del norte de Tierra del Fuego. Sin embargo, discriminar las vías de incorporación en los contextos arqueofaunísticos y su potencialidad resulta una tarea ardua. La identificación de aquellos restos que ingresaron por acción antrópica o por agentes naturales resulta necesaria para poder inferir el rol que tuvieron en la subsistencia humana. En este trabajo se estudian los restos de roedores del sitio arqueológico Las Vueltas 1 (Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego, Argentina), donde representan el segundo taxón más abundante en la muestra. Se identificaron un total de 2191 elementos esqueletarios; 1488 corresponden al caviomorfo Ctenomys magellanicus y 703 a representantes de la familia Cricetidae, con al menos 4 especies. La interpretación tafonómica efectuada sugiere un origen múltiple; buena parte del material parece haber ingresado por la acción acumuladora de aves rapaces y cánidos y también por incorporación natural a través de muerte en madrigueras. No obstante y aunque en menor grado, hay evidencias de consumo y descarte antrópico en C. magellanicus.It is frequent to find the remains of several rodent species among the many archaeological sites of Northern Tierra del Fuego. However, the taphonomic interpretation of rodents is a complex issue, given that it is necessary to identify if these were incorporated into the archaeological assemblages through anthropic or natural action or agents. Yet, the identification of those assemblages that accumulated through human action or due to natural agents is an important issue given that only then we can infer the role that rodents had in human subsistence. In this article, we study rodent remains recovered from the archaeological site of Las Vueltas 1 (Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego, Argentina); here rodents represented the second most common taxon present in the assemblage. A total of 2191 skeletal elements were recorded; 1488 remains belonged to the caviomorph, Ctenomys magellanicus, while 703 specimens belonged to at least four Cricetidae species. From a taphonomic perspective, a large number of the remains would have entered the archaeological assemblage through actions by raptors, carnivores, and as a result of natural death in burrows. Nevertheless, although to a lesser extent, there is also evidence of human consump- tion and discard of C. magellanicus.Fil: Santiago, Fernando Carlos. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas; ArgentinaFil: Salemme, Monica Cira. Universidad Nacional de Tierra del Fuego; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Pardiñas, Ulises Francisco J.. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Centro Nacional Patagónico. Instituto de Diversidad y Evolución Austral; Argentin

Yield of forage, grain and biomass in eight hybrids of maize with different sowing dates and environmental conditions

The aim was to evaluate yield of forage, grain and biomass and fibre content of eight hybrids of maize (Rio-Grande, Arrayan, Genex 778, Narro 2010, Advance 2203, DAS 2358, P4082W and HT9150W) during two sowing seasons (spring/summer) for two consecutive years at La Laguna in Torreon, Mexico. Once the grain progression of the kernel milk line was ⅓, green forage yield (GFY), dry matter (DM), neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and acid detergent fiber (ADF) were determined. When the corncobs were fully mature, grain yield (GY) and biomass production (TBP) were determined. Weather conditions were recorded during the experiment. The results indicated that maximum temperature was higher and rainfall lower in the summer sowing and second year. Spring sowing had significantly higher yields of GFY, DM, GY and TBP compared to summer sowing. The first year of study showed significantly higher yields regarding GFY, GY and TBP, but FDN, FDA, DM content compared to the second year. The best hybrid for GFY and DM was Rio-Grande; for FDN and FDA was Advance 2203; for GY was HT9150W and finally for TBP was Arrayan. Regardless of the hybrid used and the sowing season, production of maize depended on external factors such as maximum temperature and rainfall; therefore, producers need to consider sowing in spring to avoid the negative effect of high temperatures on plant development.The aim was to evaluate yield of forage, grain and biomass and fibre content of eight hybrids of maize (Rio-Grande, Arrayan, Genex 778, Narro 2010, Advance 2203, DAS 2358, P4082W and HT9150W) during two sowing seasons (spring/summer) for two consecutive years at La Laguna in Torreon, Mexico. Once the grain progression of the kernel milk line was ⅓, green forage yield (GFY), dry matter (DM), neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and acid detergent fiber (ADF) were determined. When the corncobs were fully mature, grain yield (GY) and biomass production (TBP) were determined. Weather conditions were recorded during the experiment. The results indicated that maximum temperature was higher and rainfall lower in the summer sowing and second year. Spring sowing had significantly higher yields of GFY, DM, GY and TBP compared to summer sowing. The first year of study showed significantly higher yields regarding GFY, GY and TBP, but FDN, FDA, DM content compared to the second year. The best hybrid for GFY and DM was Rio-Grande; for FDN and FDA was Advance 2203; for GY was HT9150W and finally for TBP was Arrayan. Regardless of the hybrid used and the sowing season, production of maize depended on external factors such as maximum temperature and rainfall; therefore, producers need to consider sowing in spring to avoid the negative effect of high temperatures on plant development

Unlocking Andean sigmodontine diversity: five new species of Chilomys (Rodentia: Cricetidae) from the montane forests of Ecuador

The Andean cloud forests of Ecuador are home to several endemic mammals. Members of the Thomasomyini rodents are well represented in the Andes, with Thomasomys being the largest genus (47 species) of the subfamily Sigmodontinae. Within this tribe, however, there are genera that have escaped a taxonomic revision, and Chilomys Thomas, 1897, constitutes a paradigmatic example of these “forgotten” Andean cricetids. Described more than a century ago, current knowledge of this externally unmistakable montane rodent is very limited, and doubts persist as to whether or not it is monotypic. After several years of field efforts in Ecuador, a considerable quantity of specimens of Chilomys were collected from various localities representing both Andean chains. Based on an extensive genetic survey of the obtained material, we can demonstrate that what is currently treated as C. instans in Ecuador is a complex comprising at least five new species which are described in this paper. In addition, based on these noteworthy new evidence, we amend the generic diagnosis in detail, adding several key craniodental traits such as incisor procumbency and microdonty. These results indicate that Chilomys probably has a hidden additional diversity in large parts of the Colombian and Peruvian territories, inviting a necessary revision of the entire genus.Fil: Brito, Jorge. Instituto Nacional de Biodiversidad; EcuadorFil: Tinoco, Nicolás. Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador; EcuadorFil: Pinto, C. Miguel. Observatorio de Biodiversidad Ambiente y Salud; EcuadorFil: García, Rubí. Instituto Nacional de Biodiversidad; EcuadorFil: Koch, Claudia. Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Chang; AlemaniaFil: Fernandez, Vincent. Natural History Museum; Reino UnidoFil: Burneo, Santiago. Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador; EcuadorFil: Pardiñas, Ulises Francisco J.. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Centro Nacional Patagónico. Instituto de Diversidad y Evolución Austral; Argentin

CuS2‐Passivated Au-Core, Au3Cu-Shell nanoparticles analyzed by Atomistic-Resolution Cs-Corrected STEM

Au-core, Au3Cu-alloyed shell nanoparticles passivated with CuS2 were fabricated by the polyol method, and characterized by Cs-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy. The analysis of the high-resolution micrographs reveals that these nanoparticles have decahedral structure with shell periodicity, and that each of the particles is composed by Au core and Au3Cu alloyed shell surrounded by CuS2 surface layer. X-ray diffraction measurements and results from numerical simulations confirm these findings. From the atomic resolution micrographs, we identified edge dislocations at the twin boundaries of the particles, as well as evidence of the diffusion of Cu atoms into the Au region, and the reordering of the lattice on the surface, close to the vertices of the particle. These defects will impact the atomic and electronic structures, thereby changing the physical and chemical properties of the nanoparticles. On the other hand, we show for the first time the formation of an ordered superlattice of Au3Cu and a self-capping layer made using one of the alloy metals. This has significant consequences on the physical mechanism that form multicomponent nanoparticles

CRITERIOS PARA LA EVALUACIÓN DEL IMPACTO ACADÉMICO DE PROGRAMAS DE MAESTRÍA EN LA MODALIDAD SEMIPRESENCIAL

Education programs with low component of presence are in great demand at the present time worldwide, especially in regard to graduate education. The proliferation of training actions both in classroom and at distance and with the support of electronic means require to measure, dynamically, how are reflected them in targeted students, ie, require the assessment of their academic impact. This work was developed from the need to know the impact, in professionals from the region, that have graduate programs that are developed in a blended format at the University of Las Tunas. There are presented criteria to consider in the design of procedures for evaluating the academic impact of blended graduate education programs and also it is provided the instrument developed for this purpose for the Master Programs in Teaching in Higher Education, which has been adopted by the Masters in Management and in Community Cultural Development of the same university.  Los programas de educación con una baja componente de presencialidad tienen una gran demanda en los momentos actuales a nivel mundial, sobre todo en lo que respecta a la educación de postgrado. La proliferación de acciones de capacitación tanto presenciales, como a distancia y con apoyo de medios telemáticos requiere de conocer, de manera dinámica, cómo se reflejan las mismas en los destinatarios de los programas, es decir, demandan de la evaluación de su impacto académico. El trabajo se desarrolló a partir de la necesidad de conocer la repercusión, que en los profesionales del territorio, que tienen los programas de postgrado que se desarrollan en la modalidad semipresencial enla Universidad de Las Tunas. Se aportan los criterios a tomar en consideración en el diseño de procedimientos para la evaluación del impacto académico de los programas de educación de postgrado a distancia y se ofrece el instrumento elaborado al efecto para el Programa de Maestría en Didáctica de la Educación Superior, el cual ha sido adoptado por las Maestrías en Dirección y en Desarrollo Cultural Comunitario de la propia universidad

SISTEMA PARA EL ACCESO A SERVICIOS EN ÁREAS UBICUAS ORIENTADO A PERSONAS CON DISCAPACIDAD MOTRIZ (SYSTEM FOR ACCESS TO SERVICES IN AREAS UBIQUITOUS ORIENTED PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES MOTRIZ)

En este artículo se presenta el diseño y desarrollo de un sistema basado en la integración de diferentes tecnologías relacionadas con el paradigma del cómputo ubicuo. La aplicación de este paradigma permite a personas con discapacidad motriz mejorar su calidad de vida, a partir de la manipulación de servicios disponibles en diferentes áreas ubicuas. El objetivo del desarrollo del sistema es que sea usable y factible, para el caso de la usabilidad se hace uso de la metodología Diseño Centrado en el Usuario y para la factibilidad se emplea tecnología a bajo costo. La arquitectura del sistema se basa en SEDINU (SErvice DIscovery for Nomadic Users). Para las pruebas de usabilidad heurísticas y test de usuario se montó un área ubicua con tres servicios disponibles (dos lámparas y un ventilador), donde los evaluadores probaron el funcionamiento del sistema. En conclusión, en base a los resultados el sistema es usable.This article presents the design and development of a system based on the integration of different technologies related to the paradigm of ubiquitous computing. The application of this paradigm allows people with motor disabilities to improve their quality of life, from the manipulation of services available in different ubiquitous areas. The objective of the development of the system is that it is usable and feasible, for the case of usability the use of the User Centered Design methodology is used and for the feasibility technology is used at low cost. The architecture of the system is based on SEDINU (SErvice DIscovery for Nomadic Users). For the heuristic usability tests and the user test, a ubiquitous area with three available services (two lamps and a fan) was set up, where the evaluators tested the system's operation. In conclusion based on the results the system is usable