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[EN] Puerto Rico is in dire need of transforming its education system to counter the current economic recession and ensure a future with talented Puerto Ricans at the forefront of scientific research and technology development. Here we present a group of neuroscientists and educators, the NeuroBoricuas, committed to revolutionize the scientific culture of Puerto Rico by incorporating neuroscience research training and inquiry-based activities in public and private schools. We carry out our vision through diverse methods, such as community outreach activities, where we promote neuroscience literacy using diverse learning activities. In parallel, we are designing a neuroscience course and textbook with educators to be implemented in schools. We also established neuroscience laboratories in K-12 schools and trained science teachers to manage such laboratories, using equipment from the company “Backyard Brains”. These laboratory experiences are integrated into the academic curriculum in high schools and the equipment is also available for students interested in designing their independent research projects. Lastly, we are expanding a network of committed scientists who partner with educators to help nurture future neuroscientists early in their academic endeavors. Here, we describe our trajectory and our approach to transform scientific education in Puerto Rico.

A new series of 8-alkenylBODIPY dyes were prepared via the Liebeskind-Srogl cross-coupling starting from 8-thiomethyl-substituted BODIPY. Ten derivatives were prepared using alkenylboronic acids in good to excellent yields (79-97%), and one additional example was prepared from an alkenylstannane in 74% yield. The products display Michael acceptor-like reactivity. The alkenyl fragment quenches the fluorescence of the BODIPY core, which is turned back on by reducing the double bond. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

One of the key issues in the computational representation of open societies relates to the introduction of norms that help to cope with the heterogeneity, the autonomy and the diversity of interests among their members. Research regarding this issue presents two omissions. One is the lack of a canonical model of norms that facilitates their implementation, and that allows us to describe the processes of reasoning about norms. The other refers to considering, in the model of normative multi-agent systems, the perspective of individual agents and what they might need to effectively reason about the society in which they participate. Both are the concerns of this paper, and the main objective is to present a formal normative framework for agent-based systems that facilitates their implementation.

One of the key issues in the computational representation of open societies relates to the introduction of norms that help to cope with the heterogeneity, the autonomy and the diversity of interests among their members. Research regarding this issue presents two omissions. One is the lack of a canonical model of norms that facilitates their implementation, and that allows us to describe the processes of reasoning about norms. The other refers to considering, in the model of normative multi-agent systems, the perspective of individual agents and what they might need to effectively reason about the society in which they participate. Both are the concerns of this paper, and the main objective is to present a formal normative framework for agent-based systems that facilitates their implementation.