Development of forest structure and leaf area in secondary forests regenerating on abandoned pastures in Central Amazonia

The area of secondary forest (SF) regenerating from pastures is increasing in the Amazon basin; however, the return of forest and canopy structure following abandonment is not well understood. This study examined the development of leaf area index (LAI), canopy cover, aboveground biomass, stem density, diameter at breast height (DBH), and basal area ( BA) by growth form and diameter class for 10 SFs regenerating from abandoned pastures. Biomass accrual was tree dominated, constituting >= 94% of the total measured biomass in all forests abandoned >= 4 to 6 yr. Vine biomass increased with forest age, but its relative contribution to total biomass decreased with time. The forests were dominated by the tree Vismia spp. (> 50%). Tree stem density peaked after 6 to 8 yr ( 10 320 stems per hectare) before declining by 42% in the 12- to 14-yr-old SFs. Small-diameter tree stems in the 1-5-cm size class composed > 58% of the total stems for all forests. After 12 to 14 yr, there was no significant leaf area below 150-cm height. Leaf area return (LAI = 3.2 after 12 to 14 yr) relative to biomass was slower than literature-reported recovery following slash-and-burn, where LAI can reach primary forest levels ( LAI = 4 - 6) in 5 yr. After 12 to 14 yr, the colonizing vegetation returned some components of forest structure to values reported for primary forest. Basal area and LAI were 50% - 60%, canopy cover and stem density were nearly 100%, and the rapid tree-dominated biomass accrual was 25% - 50% of values reported for primary forest. Biomass accumulation may reach an asymptote earlier than expected because of even-aged, monospecific, untiered stand structure. The very slow leaf area accumulation relative to biomass and to reported values for recovery following slash-and-burn indicates a different canopy development pathway that warrants further investigation of causes ( e. g., nutrient limitations, competition) and effects on processes such as evapotranspiration and soil water uptake, which would influence long-term recovery rates and have regional implications

Los intertextos narrativos de "El lobo, el bosque y el hombre nuevo" y Fresa y chocolate

This text presents an analysis of the narrative intertextual relation between the short story "El lobo, el bosque y el hombre", written by Senel Paz and the film "Fresa y chocolate", directed by the Cuban Tomás Gutiérrez Alea and Juan Carlos Tabío; pointing up the cultural aspects which are shown through the film in regard to the Cuban nationalism, to the revolutionary regime of this country, and to the homosexual discrimination, particularly, the national writers and artists as José Lezama Lima, suffered during the last period of the 1970's in Cuba.El texto propone un análisis de la relación narrativa intertextual entre el cuento "El lobo, el hombre y el bosque", escrito por Senel Paz y el filme "Fresa y chocolate", dirigido por los Cubanos Tomás Gutiérrez Alea y Juan Carlos Tabío, destacando los aspectos culturales que se muestran a través del filme, con respecto al nacionalismo cubano, al régimen revolucionario de este país y a la discriminación homosexual que sufrieron, en especial, los artistas y escritores nacionales, como José Lezama Lima, durante el periodo final de la década de 1970 en Cuba

Handling Data Heterogeneity via Architectural Design for Federated Visual Recognition

Federated Learning (FL) is a promising research paradigm that enables the collaborative training of machine learning models among various parties without the need for sensitive information exchange. Nonetheless, retaining data in individual clients introduces fundamental challenges to achieving performance on par with centrally trained models. Our study provides an extensive review of federated learning applied to visual recognition. It underscores the critical role of thoughtful architectural design choices in achieving optimal performance, a factor often neglected in the FL literature. Many existing FL solutions are tested on shallow or simple networks, which may not accurately reflect real-world applications. This practice restricts the transferability of research findings to large-scale visual recognition models. Through an in-depth analysis of diverse cutting-edge architectures such as convolutional neural networks, transformers, and MLP-mixers, we experimentally demonstrate that architectural choices can substantially enhance FL systems' performance, particularly when handling heterogeneous data. We study 19 visual recognition models from five different architectural families on four challenging FL datasets. We also re-investigate the inferior performance of convolution-based architectures in the FL setting and analyze the influence of normalization layers on the FL performance. Our findings emphasize the importance of architectural design for computer vision tasks in practical scenarios, effectively narrowing the performance gap between federated and centralized learning. Our source code is available at https://github.com/sarapieri/fed_het.git.Comment: to be published in NeurIPS 202

Uma tradução de Dom Casmurro na Argentina em 1943: contexto e paratexto

The purpose of this article is to interpret, through empirical and descriptive research, the intended function and systemic position (Even-Zohar, 1990) given, in the Argentine cultural space, to the edition of the translation of Dom Casmurro, by Machado de Assis, published in 1943, at a time when the country's publishing sector was experiencing a great expansion due to the recession in the Spanish publishing industry. On the one hand, the intermediation of various agents of the translation in the target country, such as editors, translators, illustrators, critics and state actors, was taken into account by the approach (Heilbron & Sapiro, 2007); on the other hand, the paratexts were analyzed (Genette, 2009), including the cover illustration, interpreted as intermedial transposition, and other iconic elements. Through these analyses, it was verified that the intended function given to the novel’s translation edition in the Argentine cultural space varied between aesthetic, identity, political and ideological, according to the role of the agents.O objetivo deste artigo é interpretar, através de pesquisa empírica e descritiva, a função e posição sistêmica (Even-Zohar, 1990), que se procurou dar, no espaço cultural argentino, à edição da tradução de Dom Casmurro, de Machado de Assis, publicada em 1943, num momento em que o setor editorial do país passava por uma grande expansão devido à retração da indústria editorial espanhola. Por um lado, a intermediação de diversos agentes da importação no país de chegada, tais como editores, tradutores, ilustradores, críticos e atores estatais, foi considerada na abordagem (Heilbron & Sapiro, 2007); por outro, analisaram-se os paratextos (Genette, 2009), incluindo a ilustração da capa, entendida aqui como transposição intermidiática, e outros elementos icônicos. Por meio dessas análises, verificou-se que a função que se procurou dar à edição da tradução do romance no espaço cultural argentino variou entre a estética, a identitária, a política e a ideológica, segundo a atuação dos agentes

Um diálogo entre Dialética Negativa, de Theodor Adorno, e "O alienista", de Machado de Assis

This work proposes to establish a dialogue between the procedure called by Theodor Adorno “negative dialectics”, systematically explained in the book of the same name (ADORNO, 2009), and the aesthetic procedures used in the short story “O alienista”, by Machado de Assis, published in the book Papéis avulsos, 1882. Considering that art and philosophy offer different responses to the unitary order imposed by the concept on the object, an attempt is made to respect the specificity of each one in this dialogue. In “O alienista”, the focus will be on artistic mimesis, since art, by pointing to the object, undermines the rationality with which we apprehend reality; in Negative Dialectics, emphasis will be placed on questioning the insufficiency of conceptual thinking based on the concept itself. In the end, the self-reflexivity of Machado's narrative is approximated to “the effort to go beyond the concept through the concept” that Adorno proposed to philosophy (ADORNO, 2009, p. 14).Este trabajo se propone establecer un diálogo entre el procedimiento denominado por Theodor Adorno “dialéctica negativa”, explicado sistemáticamente en el libro del mismo nombre (ADORNO, 2009), y los procedimientos estéticos empleados en el cuento “O alienista”, de Machado de Assis, publicado en el libro Papéis avulsos, 1882. Considerando que el arte y la filosofía dan respuestas diferentes al orden unitario impuesto por el concepto sobre el objeto, se intenta respetar la especificidad de cada uno en este diálogo. En “O alienista”, el foco está en la mimesis artística, ya que el arte, al señalar al objeto, debilita la racionalidad con la que aprehendemos la realidad; en la Dialéctica Negativa, se pone énfasis en cuestionar la insuficiencia del pensamiento conceptual basado en el concepto mismo. Por fin, se aproxima la autorreflexividad de la narrativa de Machado de Assis al “esfuerzo por ir más allá del concepto a través del concepto” que Adorno propuso a la filosofía (ADORNO, 2009, p. 14).Este trabalho propõe-se estabelecer um diálogo entre o procedimento denominado por Theodor Adorno “dialética negativa”, explicitado sistematicamente no livro de mesmo nome (ADORNO, 2009), e os procedimentos estéticos utilizados no conto “O alienista”, de Machado de Assis, publicado no livro Papéis avulsos, de 1882. Tendo em vista que arte e filosofia dão respostas diferentes à ordem unitária imposta pelo conceito ao objeto, intenta-se respeitar a especificidade de cada uma neste diálogo. Em “O alienista”, enfoca-se a mimese artística, já que a arte, ao apontar para o objeto, prejudica a racionalidade com que apreendemos a realidade; na Dialética Negativa, enfatizam-se os questionamentos à insuficiência do pensamento conceitual efetuados a partir do próprio conceito. Ao final, aproxima-se a autorreflexividade da narrativa machadiana ao “esforço de ir além do conceito por meio do conceito” que Adorno propôs à filosofia (ADORNO, 2009, p. 14)

The neural mechanisms of mindfulness-based pain relief: a functional magnetic resonance imaging-based review and primer.

The advent of neuroimaging methodologies, such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), has significantly advanced our understanding of the neurophysiological processes supporting a wide spectrum of mind-body approaches to treat pain. A promising self-regulatory practice, mindfulness meditation, reliably alleviates experimentally induced and clinical pain. Yet, the neural mechanisms supporting mindfulness-based pain relief remain poorly characterized. The present review delineates evidence from a spectrum of fMRI studies showing that the neural mechanisms supporting mindfulness-induced pain attenuation differ across varying levels of meditative experience. After brief mindfulness-based mental training (ie, less than 10 hours of practice), mindfulness-based pain relief is associated with higher order (orbitofrontal cortex and rostral anterior cingulate cortex) regulation of low-level nociceptive neural targets (thalamus and primary somatosensory cortex), suggesting an engagement of unique, reappraisal mechanisms. By contrast, mindfulness-based pain relief after extensive training (greater than 1000 hours of practice) is associated with deactivation of prefrontal and greater activation of somatosensory cortical regions, demonstrating an ability to reduce appraisals of arising sensory events. We also describe recent findings showing that higher levels of dispositional mindfulness, in meditation-naïve individuals, are associated with lower pain and greater deactivation of the posterior cingulate cortex, a neural mechanism implicated in self-referential processes. A brief fMRI primer is presented describing appropriate steps and considerations to conduct studies combining mindfulness, pain, and fMRI. We postulate that the identification of the active analgesic neural substrates involved in mindfulness can be used to inform the development and optimization of behavioral therapies to specifically target pain, an important consideration for the ongoing opioid and chronic pain epidemic

Dominio de la voluntad mediante estructuras organizadas de poder: posibilidad de aplicación en el caso del conflicto armado con la guerrilla de las FARC-EP

In the context of the armed conflict with FARC-EP, most of the crimes are planned and defined by the guerrilla group senior commanders which, despite not intervening materially in the execution of the penal offenses, are those who make use of a series of subordinates who are part of an entire hierarchical organization. In the face of this complex criminal intervention, it is then necessary to determine, under what form and on what ground, criminal policy and dogmatically coherent, criminal liability will be imputed to those most responsible. In view of the insufficiencies of the answers of the classical guidelines of the concurrence of persons in the commission of crimes, carried out in the specific way described, Claus Roxin’s dogmatic proposals in criminal law are truly viable and integral to face the problem. The aim is to affirm the criminal liability, in the event that the criminal process has been concluded in this regard, of the maximum responsible based on the figure of perpetration-by-means by virtue of the organizational control. Consequently, it is appropriate to carry out a careful study of the applicability of this theory in the Colombian legal system, including definitely, the normative framework of Havana agreements signed with FARC-EP.En el contexto del conflicto armado con las FARC-EP, la mayor parte de los crímenes son planeados y definidos por los altos mandos del grupo guerrillero, los cuales, a pesar de no intervenir materialmente en la ejecución de las infracciones penales, se valen de una serie de subordinados que hacen parte de toda una organización jerarquizada. Entonces, frente a esta compleja intervención delictiva es necesario determinar bajo qué forma, y con qué fundamentos político-criminales dogmáticamente coherentes, se imputará la responsabilidad penal a los máximos responsables. Ante la insuficiencia de las respuestas de las pautas clásicas del concurso de personas en la comisión de delitos realizados en la específica forma descrita, se erigen las propuestas dogmáticas de Claus Roxin en derecho penal que se muestran realmente viables e integrales para hacer frente a la problemática. e trata de afirmar, en caso de haber concluido el proceso, la responsabilidad penal de los máximos responsables con base en la figura de la autoría mediata en virtud del dominio de organización. En consecuencia, es procedente realizar un juicioso estudio de la aplicabilidad de esta teoría en el ordenamiento jurídico colombiano, incluyendo por supuesto el marco normativo de los acuerdos de La Habana suscritos con las FARC-EP

Infección por SARS-COV-2 y enfermedad COVID-19: revisión literaria

El SARS-CoV2 representa al patógeno causante de una enfermedad altamente contagiosa y potencialmente mortal, denominada COVID-19. Dicha patología se ha extendido rápidamente a nivel mundial, constituyendo un importante problema de salud pública. La infección por SARS-CoV-2 afecta principalmente al sistema respiratorio, pero también puede existir el compromiso de otros órganos. En población susceptible la enfermedad puede cursar con manifestaciones clínicas graves, aumentando la tasa de complicaciones y tornando sombrío el pronóstico de estos individuos. Actualmente, el tratamiento es de soporte ya que no se cuenta con medicamentos terapéuticos específicos que tengan evidencia sólida para combatir la infección por SARS-CoV-2. Es por ello, que la piedra angular para evitar la propagación del nuevo coronavirus es la prevención. Se realiza una revisión de la literatura con base en la actual evidencia publicada, con la esperanza de ayudar al público a reconocer y dilucidar los aspectos más relevantes de la infección por SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19

Liana Impacts on Carbon Cycling, Storage and Sequestration in Tropical Forests

Mature tropical forests sequester large quantities of atmospheric CO2, which they store as plant biomass. These forests are changing however, including an increase in liana abundance and biomass over recent decades in Neotropical forests. We ask here how this increase in lianas might impact the tropical forest carbon cycle and their capacity for carbon storage and sequestration. Lianas reduce tree growth, survival, and leaf productivity; however, lianas also invest significantly in leaf production, and the increase in lianas could conceivably offset liana‐induced reductions in tree canopy productivity with no adverse effects to the forest‐level canopy productivity. By contrast, lianas decrease the total ecosystem uptake of carbon by reducing tree biomass productivity. Lianas themselves invest little in woody biomass, and store and sequester only a small proportion of the biomass in tropical forests. As lianas increase they may effectively displace trees, but the greater liana carbon stocks are unlikely to compensate for liana‐induced losses in net carbon sequestration and storage by trees. A potentially important additional consideration is the impact of lianas on the tree community. By competing more intensely with shade‐tolerant, more densely wooded trees than with fast‐growing, light‐wooded trees, lianas may shift tree composition toward faster‐growing species, which store relatively little carbon, and thereby further reduce the carbon storage capacity of tropical forests. Overall, current evidence indicates that the increase in lianas will negatively impact the carbon balance of tropical forests, with potentially far‐reaching consequences for global atmospheric CO2 levels and associated climate change