Holism and qualitative research within the framework of the anthropology of complexity. A reflection on the methodological pertinence in socio-sanitary and human sciences

Este estudio se ha orientado partiendo de los siguientes objetivos: Vincular el principio de pertinencia metodológica e instrumental a las características del objeto-sujeto investigado en el marco epistemológico de una disciplina. Reflexionar sobre la pertinencia de la investigación cualitativa y las fuentes histórico-etnográficas en ciencias socio-sanitarias y humanas (particularmente la enfermería) y humanas (debido a su holismo). El desarrollo del tema se ha vertebrado mediante un proceso de análisis centrado en las tres fases cruciales en la obra de Edgar Morin: Dialéctica entre lo real y lo imaginario (antropología de la muerte); dialéctica antropocosmológica y, por último desarrolla la dialógica antropo-bio-cósmica. Conclusiones: A partir de Morin se vislumbra una visión de la realidad más multidimensional y holística, dado que hasta bien entrado el siglo XX, el conocimiento se basaba en abstracción, parcelación, simplificación, reduccionismo, generación de leyes, etc. Morin pretende humanizar la ciencia mediante una antropología transdisciplinar en la que la dinámica experiencial del ser humano se contempla de forma más global partiendo del paradigma de la complejidad, constituyendo la metodología cualitativa un instrumento pertinente para la clarificación holística.This study was organised around the following objectives: Relating the principle of methodological and instrumental pertinence to the characteristics of the object-subject on which research is done within the epistemological framework of a discipline, and Reflecting on the pertinence of qualitative research and historico-ethnographic sources in socio-sanitary sciences (particularly nursing) and human sciences (due to their holism) The theme development was structured through a process of analysis that focused on the three crucial phases in Edgar Morin’s work: the Dialectics between the real and the imaginary (anthropology of death); the anthropocosmological dialectics, and finally, the anthropo-bio-cosmic dialogics. Conclusions: From Morin on, the vision of reality became more multidimensional and holistic, since until well into the 20th century, knowledge had been based on abstraction, subdivision, simplification, reductionism, law generation, etc. Morin wanted to humanise science through a transdisciplinary anthropology in which the experiential dynamics of the human being was considered in a more global way starting from the paradigm of complexity, the qualitative methodology being a pertinent instrument for holistic clarification

Danger: local corruption is contagious!

Corruption is a major problem, and not only in developing countries. It impedes economic growth, weakens the rule of law and undermines the legitimacy of institutions. Although it has been studied at national level from different perspectives, there is a recent growing body of research on local corruption. As far as we know, these latter studies focused on corruption and its effects on votes. However, a further question arises as to whether there is a mimetic effect on neighbouring municipalities? We employ data from Spain, and the boom in local corruption in the 2000s, to respond to this question. Specifically we have constructed a panel database (2001-2010) on local characteristics, economic factors and corruption at local level in order to achieve this. Our spatial econometrics methodology supports the hypothesis that corruption is not local-specific, and leads to two opposing outcomes: on the one hand, local corruption is contagious and the probability of being ‘infected’ increases by 3.1 per cent for each corrupt neighbouring municipality; on the other hand the likelihood of a municipality being taken to court increases by 6.7 per cent for each neighbouring municipality accused. Although the former is alarming, the latter provides hope in the fight against local corruption

Aplicación de comités de expertos en el modelado del comportamiento humano en situaciones de distorsión visuo-motora

En este trabajo se presenta una aplicación de las arquitecturas neuronales basadas en comités de expertos en donde dan una buena solución en un problema de modelado del comportamiento visuomotor humano. La intención de este artículo ha sido la de mostrar la validez de las redes en comités sobre una aplicación de modelado de sistemas biológicos. Se trata por tanto de mostrar un modelo del comportamiento psicofísico humano, es decir, del comportamiento de las arquitecturas neuronales biológicas mediante redes neuronales artificiales en donde las redes en comité de expertos forman parte de la arquitectura global del modelo

A hipótese evolutiva na análise funcional da dislexia. Abordagem linguística do estudo de caso na geminação

La dislexia es el trastorno del uso escrito del lenguaje debido a la debilidad visoespacial en la percepción de las formas lingüísticas. En este trabajo, se postula que una posible caracterización funcional de los déficits de la naturaleza lingüística en hablantes pacientes que presentan dislexia cuando no se presupone todavía una total adquisición de la lectura y la escritura va a favorecer tanto el diagnóstico como la propuesta de intervención. Para demostrar esta hipótesis, estudiamos el caso de dos hablantes pacientes gemelos que comparten el diagnóstico de dislexia con el objetivo de comprobar el carácter genético-hereditario de la patología y proponer terapias específicas a partir del análisis funcional lingüístico. Así, presentamos el marco teórico que permite el conocimiento histórico y las definiciones ofrecidas sobre este trastorno, las dificultades que entraña su etiología y los diferentes modelos de intervención que existen actualmente para paliarlo. A continuación, realizamos el estudio de caso de los dos sujetos emparentados, comprobando, a partir de los resultados del estudio, que ambos hermanos sufren un retraso lector moderado con problemas de inversión y rotación y una escritura con problemas de inversión, rotación y disgrafía. El nivel de dislexia, aunque es similar, no es idéntico, lo que sugiere propuestas de intervención diferentes.Dyslexia is a disorder in the written use of language due to visuospatial weakness in the perception of linguistic forms. This paper postulates that a possible functional characterization of the deficits of a linguistic nature in patient speakers who present dyslexia when a full acquisition of reading and writing is not yet assumed will favor both the diagnosis and the intervention proposal. To demonstrate this hypothesis, we study the case of two twin patient-speakers who share the diagnosis of dyslexia, with the aim of checking the genetic-hereditary nature of the pathology and proposing specific therapies based on linguistic functional analysis. We thus present the theoretical framework that allows the historical knowledge and definitions offered on this disorder, the difficulties involved in its etiology, and the different models of intervention that currently exist to alleviate it. Then we then carry out a case study of the two related subjects, verifying, from the results of the study, that both siblings suffer a moderate reading delay with inversion and rotation problems, and a writing with problems also of inversion, rotation and dysgraphia. The level of dyslexia, although similar, is not identical, suggesting different intervention proposals).A dislexia é uma desordem no uso escrito da língua devido à fraqueza visuoespacial na percepção das formas linguísticas. Este artigo postula que uma possível caracterização funcional de défices de natureza linguística em falantes de pacientes que apresentam dislexia quando a aquisição completa da leitura e da escrita ainda não é assumida favorecerá tanto o diagnóstico como a proposta de intervenção. Para demonstrar essa hipótese, estudamos o caso de dois pacientes falantes gémeos que partilham o diagnóstico de dislexia, com o objectivo de verificar a natureza genética-hereditária da patologia e propor terapias específicas baseadas na análise funcional linguística. Apresentamos o quadro teórico que permite o conhecimento histórico e as definições oferecidas sobre esta patologia, as dificuldades envolvidas na sua etiologia e os diferentes modelos de intervenção actualmente existentes para a aliviar, e realizamos depois um estudo de caso dos dois temas relacionados, verificando, a partir dos resultados do estudo, que ambos os irmãos sofrem de atraso moderado na leitura com problemas de inversão e rotação, e escrita com problemas de inversão, rotação e disgrafia. O nível de dislexia, embora semelhante, não é idêntico, sugerindo propostas de intervenção diferentes)

Multi-Classification by Using Tri-Class SVM

The standard form for dealing with multi-class classification problems when biclassifiers are used is to consider a two-phase (decomposition, reconstruction) training scheme. The most popular decomposition procedures are pairwise coupling (one versus one, 1-v-1), which considers a learning machine for each Pair of classes, and the one-versus-all scheme (one versus all, 1-v-r), which takes into consideration each class versus the remaining classes. In this article a 1-v-1 tri-class Support Vector Machine (SVM) is presented. The expansion of the architecture of this machine into three categories specifically addresses the decomposition problem of how to prevent the loss of information which occurs in the usual 1-v-1 training procedure. The proposed machine, by means of a third class, allows all the information to be incorporated into the remaining training patterns when a multi-class problem is considered in the form of a 1-v-1 decomposition. Three general structures are presented where each improves some features from the precedent structure. In order to deal with multi-classification problems, it is demonstrated that the final machine proposed allows ordinal regression as a form of decomposition procedure. Examples and experimental results are presented which illustrate the performance of the new tri-class SV machine.Junta de Andalucía ACPAI-2003/014Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología TIC2002-04371-C02-0

Green Foot Syndrome

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Validación de la versión espanola de la escala multidimensional de orientaciones a la deportividad

The aim of this study was to translate into Spanish and validate the Multidimensional Sportspersonship Orientations Scale (MSOS), which was developed in English and validated by Vallerand et al. (1997). The MSOS consistsof five subscales that measure full commitment toward sport, respect for social conventions, respect and concern for rules and officials, respect and concern for opponents, and negative approach towards sportspersonship. The Spanish version of the scale showed acceptable levels of internal consistency and temporal stability over a four-week period. The results of a confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the five-factor structure of the MSOS. Correlations among the subscales confirmed the scales construct validity. Finally, gender differences were obtained. These findings support the use of the Spanish version of the MSOS for assessing individual differences in sportspersonship orientations