0000000000768652

AUTHOR

G. Oliveri

Pattern-Recognition: a Foundational Approach

This paper aims at giving a contribution to the ongoing attempt to turn the theory of pattern-recognition into a rigorous science. In this article we address two problems which lie at the foundations of pattern-recognition theory: (i) What is a pattern? and (ii) How do we come to know patterns? In so doing much attention will be paid to tracing a non-arbitrary connection between (i) and (ii), a connection which will be ultimately based on considerations relating to Darwin’s theory of evolution.

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On Representing Concepts in High-dimensional Linear Spaces

Producing a mathematical model of concepts is a very important issue in artificial intelligence, because if such a model were found this, besides being a very interesting result in its own right, would also contribute to the emergence of what we could call the ‘mathematics of thought.’ One of the most interesting attempts made in this direction is P. Gardenfors’ theory of conceptual spaces, a ¨ theory which is mostly presented by its author in an informal way. The main aim of the present article is contributing to Gardenfors’ theory of conceptual spaces ¨ by discussing some of the advantages which derive from the possibility of representing concepts in high-dimensional linear spaces.

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Mathematical Patterns and Cognitive Architectures

Mathematical patterns are an important subclass of the class of patterns. The main task of this paper is examining a particular proposal concerning the nature of mathematical patterns and some elements of the cognitive architecture an agent should have to recognize them.

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Extra-Intestinal Fluoroquinolone-Resistant Escherichia coli Strains Isolated from Meat

Extra-intestinal E. coli are emerging as a global threat due to their diffusion as opportunistic pathogens and, above all, to their wide set of antibiotic resistance determinants. There are still many gaps in our knowledge of their origin and spread pathways, although food animals have been adjudicated vehicles for passing mult-drug resistant bacteria to humans. This study analyzed 46 samples of meat purchased from retail stores in Palermo in order to obtain quinolone-resistant E. coli isolates. Strains were screened for their phylogenetic groups, ST131-associated single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), and then typed by ERIC-PCR. Their set of virulence factors, namely, kpsMII, papA, sfaS, …

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L'albero della vita

Le poesie sono come le foglie dell'albero della vita. Liberano da molti dèmoni esorcizzandoli in una canzone. Poems are like the leaves of the tree of life. They free you from many daemons exorcising them in a song.

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Assessment of the microbiological quality of fresh produce on sale in Sicily, Italy: preliminary results

Background Fresh produce occupies an increasingly important place in the human food supply because of its health-promoting nutritional properties. Most fresh produce is eaten raw or after minimal processing and, consequently, pathogen contamination can represent a serious health risk. There has been an increase in foodborne outbreaks and cases associated with fresh produce, but literature data about the prevalence of pathogen contamination are inconsistent. This study was undertaken to assess the hygienic quality and the prevalence of the most common bacterial pathogens in fresh produce sold in retail markets in Sicily. A total of 125 samples of different types of vegetables were examined b…

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Acting on Conceptual Spaces in Cognitive Agents

Conceptual spaces were originally introduced by G ardenfors as a bridge between symbolic and connectionist models of information representation. In our opinion, a cognitive agent, besides being able to work within his (current) conceptual space, must also be able to `produce a new space' by means of `global' operations. These are operations which, acting on a conceptual space taken as a whole, generate other conceptual spaces.

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