La sociedad del siglo XXI se encuentra inmersa en procesos de cambios económicos, políticos, sociales, científicos y tecnológicos. Existen nuevas formas de pensar, de producir y de relacionarse. Hoy se habla de una “cultura tecno-científica”, se acepta el lenguaje de la ciencia, sus procesos de producción y sus métodos. Es dentro de estos lineamientos, que resulta imprescindible la formación de ciudadanos científica y tecnológicamente alfabetizados (Fourez, 1997), para que puedan alcanzar una cultura científica básica, capaz de posibilitar su inserción en la sociedad del conocimiento.Este es el motivo de fondo por el que, en los últimos tiempos, y desde perspectivas diferentes, científicos sensibles y humanistas comprometidos están dando tanta importancia a la indagación de lo que podría ser una tercera cultura.Sin cultura científica no hay posibilidad de intervención razonable en el debate público actual sobre la mayoría de las cuestiones que de verdad importan a la comunidad de la que formamos parte. Esto se debe a que, como se ha dicho tantas veces, la ciencia es ya parte sustancial de nuestras vidas. Un importante número de las discusiones públicas, ético-políticas o ético-jurídicas, ahora relevantes, suponen y requieren cierto conocimiento del estado del arte de una o de varias ciencias naturales.

Se reseña y comenta la obra de M. Victoris Escandelll Vidal (2014) - La Comunicación: Lengua, Cognición y Sociedad. Madrid: AKAL.

Ni un paso atrás. Gustavo Petro sacrifica a sus seguidores más leales y se rodea de polémicos personajes de la política tradicional. La paradoja de la democracia. Los escombros del proceso. Premio a la independencia.

The mechanisms and pathways by which nitrogen in its various forms is removed from waste stabilization ponds (WSP) have been a subject of much debate. In order to improve current understanding of the dynamics of inorganic and organic nitrogen removal in WSP systems, a study using stable nitrogen isotopes (15N) was undertaken on an experimental pilot-scale WSP system at Esholt Wastewater Treatment Works (Bradford, UK) in summer 2005 and 2006. A primary maturation pond was spiked with 15N-labelled ammonia (15NH4Cl) and 15N-labelled algae (Chlorella vulgaris) to track nitrogen transformations and removal associated with ammonia volatilization, nitrification, and algal uptake and its subsequent sedimentation and retention/hydrolysis in the sludge layer. Stable isotope analysis of 15N, in conjunction with performance indicators, revealed that total nitrogen is poorly removed (? 8%) but ammonium nitrogen removal is very good in summer (effluent concentration <2 mg NH4 + -N/L). The nitrogen cycle in maturation ponds is dominated by biological uptake as ammonium nitrogen is rapidly transformed into algal biomass as suspended organic nitrogen which then either leaves in the pond effluent or is sedimented as dead cells. Ammonia removal by volatilization makes little or no contribution to nitrogen removal and biological nitrate uptake prevents classical nitrification. Thus algal uptake of ammonium and subsequent sedimentation and retention in the sludge layer, after parti al ammonification of the algal organic nitrogen, appears to be the dominant mechanism for permanent nitrogen removal in maturation ponds during warm summer months in England.

Flip chip interconnection design and process capability has been extended with the use of copper pillar, specially for finer pitches, beyond what was possible with area array and standard C4 reflow and solder bumps. Many trends in device packaging are fueling this trend, specially the needs for thin packaging, increased function integration, challenging thermal, mechanical and physical specifications. In terms of processing, devices using Cu Pillar are most commonly assembled using thermo-compression bonding due to sizable challenges in extending the conventional mass reflow solution, typical for solder bumps. TC is specially recommended for handling very thin die in sparse or peripheral bump layouts, which are a predominant share of all devices converting to Cu pillar, where a bonding head is used to both hold the die flat and in true alignment with the substrate while supplying the thermal energy necessary to complete the interconnection. This process most often also requires the use of a non-conductive paste/film for stress absorption in recognition to the fact that underfill materials have great limitations in filling the underdie cavity. In this paper, we explore avenues to extend the current processing envelope for Cu pillar bumped devices using C4 reflow. Benefits of this approach are shown as decreased cost of ownership for materials, lower fixed costs due to using mostly depreciated equipment. Yet, challenges in defining new design rules, reformulating materials and extending process flows are among some of the barriers for further adoption of this solution in production.

In this work, a hybrid, self-configurable, multilayered and evolutio-nary architecture for cognitive agents is developed. Each layer of the subsump-tion architecture is modeled by one different Machine Learning System MLS based on bio-inspired techniques. In this research an evolutionary mechanism supported on Gene Expression Programming to self-configure the behaviour arbitration between layers is suggested. In addition, a co-evolutionary mechan-ism to evolve behaviours in an independent and parallel fashion is used. The proposed approach was tested in an animat environment using a multi-agent platform and it exhibited several learning capabilities and emergent properties for self-configuring internal agent’s architecture.

In this work, an hybrid, self-configurable, multilayered and evolutionary subsumption architecture for cognitive agents is developed. Each layer of the multilayered architecture is modeled by one different Reinforcement Machine Learning System (RMLS) based on bio-inspired techniques. In this research an evolutionary mechanism based on Gene Expression Programming to self-configure the behaviour arbitration between layers is suggested. In addition, a co-evolutionary mechanism to evolve behaviours in an independent and parallel fashion is used too. The proposed approach was tested in an animat environment (artificial life) using a multi-agent platform and it exhibited several learning capabilities and emergent properties for self-configuring internal agent’s architecture.

IEEE 802.15.4e is emerging as a robust standard for industrial Internet of Things. This standard is particularly effective for low power, multi-hop networks, and typically supports applications with low throughput. However, with the advances in energy harvesting, the need for supporting better performing solutions is also gaining momentum. This paper presents and analyses a modified link scheduling algorithm for IEEE 802.15.4e based solutions. Three approaches are considered. With the first approach, only the gateway node is equipped with multiple radios. With the second approach, non-gateway nodes are equipped with multiple radios as well. With the third approach, multiple single radio gateways are considered. Results from simulations have been presented to demonstrate the improvement in performance compared to the typical single radio, single gateway deployments.

In this work, an hybrid, self-configurable, multilayered and evolutionary subsumption architecture for cognitive agents is developed. Each layer of the multilayered architecture is modeled by one different Machine Learning System (MLS) based on bio-inspired techniques such as Extended Classifier Systems (XCS), Artificial Immune Systems (AIS), Neuro Connectionist Q-Learning (NQL) and Learning Classifier Systems (LCS) among others. In this research an evolutionary mechanism based on Gene Expression Programming (GEP) to self-configure the behaviour arbitration between layers is suggested. In addition, a co-evolutionary mechanism to evolve behaviours in an independent and parallel fashion is used. The proposed approach was tested in an animat environment using a multi-agent platform and it exhibited several learning capabilities and emergent properties for self-configuring internal agent’s architecture.

Miel I is a 188 m high RCC dam in Colombia, at elevation 454 m a.s.l. The RCC mix has a cement content of 85 to 160 kg/m3. To meet contractual schedule, the original design of an upstream face made of slip formed reinforced concrete was changed to a Carpi drained exposed composite Polyvinylchloride geomembrane (= PVC geocomposite) system, placed on a 0.4 m thick zone of RCC material enriched with cement grout and vibrated. Placement of the geocomposite system in horizontal stages allowed starting of dam impoundment while RCC placement was still ongoing at higher elevation. The geocomposite system was completed in 2002, before finishing of complementary concrete works. ISAGEN, the owner of the dam, constantly monitors the dam’s and geocomposite system’s performance. The average leakage of the dam registered since the first impoundment of the reservoir has been of 2 l/s for the geocomposite’s drainage system, and of 25 l/s from the abutments. Such levels are below the design parameters that defined the maximum acceptable leakage through the geocomposite in 9.7 l/s and the maximum acceptable leakage through the abutments in 30 l/s. The measured leakage has never surpassed the historical values (with stable lecture through 11 years), or overcome the maximum allowed drainage design values defined during the design stage. After 11 years of good performance and operation, in summer 2013 ISAGEN decided to have a comprehensive monitoring of the general conditions and the weathering behaviour of the waterproofing geocomposite at Miel I. The objectives of the investigation were: assessing the reason of small cuts that had been detected and repaired (in total 15 in 11 years on a 31,000 square meters surface), assessing the conditions of the PVC geocomposite, ascertaining at which extent its characteristics had changed over service, and evaluating if the weathering behaviour was in accordance with the expected durability. Investigation started with inspection at the upstream face and in the drainage galleries, followed by sampling of the exposed PVC geocomposites. Testing in an independent laboratory allowed comparing the physical and chemical properties of the aged geocomposite sample collected at the dam with the physical and chemical properties of the same geocomposite as manufactured. Evaluation of test results, based also on most recent research on geomembrane weathering mechanisms, completed the investigation. Results confirmed that the behaviour of the PVC geocomposite is extremely good and fully in line with expectations. The paper, after a brief outline of the geocomposite system installed at the dam, will describe all steps of the investigation, and detail the test results and the conclusions drawn.