WorldWideScience

Sample records for concerted evolution

  1. Detecting regular sound changes in linguistics as events of concerted evolution.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hruschka, Daniel J; Branford, Simon; Smith, Eric D; Wilkins, Jon; Meade, Andrew; Pagel, Mark; Bhattacharya, Tanmoy

    2015-01-05

    Concerted evolution is normally used to describe parallel changes at different sites in a genome, but it is also observed in languages where a specific phoneme changes to the same other phoneme in many words in the lexicon—a phenomenon known as regular sound change. We develop a general statistical model that can detect concerted changes in aligned sequence data and apply it to study regular sound changes in the Turkic language family. Linguistic evolution, unlike the genetic substitutional process, is dominated by events of concerted evolutionary change. Our model identified more than 70 historical events of regular sound change that occurred throughout the evolution of the Turkic language family, while simultaneously inferring a dated phylogenetic tree. Including regular sound changes yielded an approximately 4-fold improvement in the characterization of linguistic change over a simpler model of sporadic change, improved phylogenetic inference, and returned more reliable and plausible dates for events on the phylogenies. The historical timings of the concerted changes closely follow a Poisson process model, and the sound transition networks derived from our model mirror linguistic expectations. We demonstrate that a model with no prior knowledge of complex concerted or regular changes can nevertheless infer the historical timings and genealogical placements of events of concerted change from the signals left in contemporary data. Our model can be applied wherever discrete elements—such as genes, words, cultural trends, technologies, or morphological traits—can change in parallel within an organism or other evolving group. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Non-concerted ITS evolution in Mammillaria (Cactaceae).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harpke, Doerte; Peterson, Angela

    2006-12-01

    Molecular studies of 21 species of the large Cactaceae genus Mammillaria representing a variety of intrageneric taxonomic levels revealed a high degree of intra-individual polymorphism of the internal transcribed spacer region (ITS1, 5.8S rDNA, ITS2). Only a few of these ITS copies belong to apparently functional genes, whereas most are probably non-functional (pseudogenes). As a multiple gene family, the ITS region is subjected to concerted evolution. However, the high degree of intra-individual polymorphism of up to 36% in ITS1 and up to 35% in ITS2 suggests a non-concerted evolution of these loci in Mammillaria. Conserved angiosperm motifs of ITS1 and ITS2 were compared between genomic and cDNA ITS clones of Mammillaria. Some of these motifs (e.g., ITS1 motif 1, 'TGGT' within ITS2) in combination with the determination of GC-content, length comparisons of the spacers and ITS2 secondary structure (helices II and III) are helpful in the identification of pseudogene rDNA regions.

  3. Concerted evolution of sea anemone neurotoxin genes is revealed through analysis of the Nematostella vectensis genome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moran, Yehu; Weinberger, Hagar; Sullivan, James C; Reitzel, Adam M; Finnerty, John R; Gurevitz, Michael

    2008-04-01

    Gene families, which encode toxins, are found in many poisonous animals, yet there is limited understanding of their evolution at the nucleotide level. The release of the genome draft sequence for the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis enabled a comprehensive study of a gene family whose neurotoxin products affect voltage-gated sodium channels. All gene family members are clustered in a highly repetitive approximately 30-kb genomic region and encode a single toxin, Nv1. These genes exhibit extreme conservation at the nucleotide level which cannot be explained by purifying selection. This conservation greatly differs from the toxin gene families of other animals (e.g., snakes, scorpions, and cone snails), whose evolution was driven by diversifying selection, thereby generating a high degree of genetic diversity. The low nucleotide diversity at the Nv1 genes is reminiscent of that reported for DNA encoding ribosomal RNA (rDNA) and 2 hsp70 genes from Drosophila, which have evolved via concerted evolution. This evolutionary pattern was experimentally demonstrated in yeast rDNA and was shown to involve unequal crossing-over. Through sequence analysis of toxin genes from multiple N. vectensis populations and 2 other anemone species, Anemonia viridis and Actinia equina, we observed that the toxin genes for each sea anemone species are more similar to one another than to those of other species, suggesting they evolved by manner of concerted evolution. Furthermore, in 2 of the species (A. viridis and A. equina) we found genes that evolved under diversifying selection, suggesting that concerted evolution and accelerated evolution may occur simultaneously.

  4. Evolutionary and polymorphism analyses reveal the central role of BTN3A2 in the concerted evolution of the BTN3 gene family.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Afrache, Hassnae; Pontarotti, Pierre; Abi-Rached, Laurent; Olive, Daniel

    2017-06-01

    The butyrophilin 3 (BTN3) receptors are implicated in the T lymphocytes regulation and present a wide plasticity in mammals. In order to understand how these genes have been diversified, we studied their evolution and show that the three human BTN3 are the result of two successive duplications in Primates and that the three genes are present in Hominoids and the Old World Monkey groups. A thorough phylogenetic analysis reveals a concerted evolution of BTN3 characterized by a strong and recurrent homogenization of the region encoding the signal peptide and the immunoglobulin variable (IgV) domain in Hominoids, where the sequences of BTN3A1 or BTN3A3 are replaced by BTN3A2 sequence. In human, the analysis of the diversity of these genes in 1683 individuals representing 26 worldwide populations shows that the three genes are polymorphic, with more than 46 alleles for each gene, and marked by extreme homogenization of the IgV sequences. The same analysis performed for the BTN2 genes shows also a concerted evolution; however, it is not as strong and recurrent as for BTN3. This study shows that BTN3 receptors are marked by extreme concerted evolution at the IgV domain and that BTN3A2 plays a central role in this evolution.

  5. Concertation rather than Consultation or Negotiation!

    CERN Multimedia

    Staff Association

    2017-01-01

    At CERN, the Concertation between the Management and the Personnel has been in effect since 1983, the year in which the Standing Concertation Committee (SCC) came to replace the Standing Consultation Committee. Since then, the concertation process has been enshrined in the Staff Rules and Regulations, which define its scope of application: “Any proposed measures of a general nature regarding the conditions of employment or association of members of the personnel shall be the subject of discussion within the SCC” (S VII 1.08). More generally, all questions relating to the employment and working conditions of the members of personnel are discussed in the SCC, including in particular issues of remuneration, social protection (CHIS and Pension Fund), career evolution... In Article S VII 1.07 of the Staff Rules and Regulations it is also stated that: “Discussion shall mean a procedure whereby the Director-General and the Staff Association concert together to try to reach a common po...

  6. Concerted evolution rapidly eliminates sequence variation in rDNA coding regions but not in intergenic spacers in Nicotiana tabacum allotetraploid

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Lunerová Bedřichová, Jana; Renny-Byfield, S.; Matyášek, Roman; Leitch, A.; Kovařík, Aleš

    2017-01-01

    Roč. 303, č. 8 (2017), s. 1043-1060 ISSN 0378-2697 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA17-11642S; GA ČR(CZ) GC16-02149J Institutional support: RVO:68081707 Keywords : Concerted evolution * Immunomodulation * Neutrophils Subject RIV: EB - Genetics ; Molecular Biology OBOR OECD: Genetics and heredity (medical genetics to be 3) Impact factor: 1.239, year: 2016

  7. Concert

    CERN Multimedia

    Swing de fou

    2011-01-01

    Swing de Fou, JAZZ New Orleans,  en concert Jeudi 24 Novembre - Versoix 20h00 - Les Caves de Bon-Séjour - Sextet 25 Novembre - Chêne-Bourg 20h30 - Salle Point Favre – Octet Concerts exceptionnels, Avec invitée spéciale : Rosana Mancarella, cantatrice Lyrique Mezzo Soprano des théâtres Arena di Verona et La Scala Di Milano Arrangements de Daniele Verdesca, professeur compositeur aux conservatoires de Nyon et Yverdon, & Gérôme Gautschi professeur compositeur de trombone à Genève Info : http://swingdefou.ch/concerts.php

  8. Trends in preference, programming and design of concert halls for symphonic music

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Gade, Anders Christian

    2008-01-01

    This paper discusses the evolution in taste regarding concert hall acoustics and how this can be reflected in the new halls being built today. The clients' and listener's preferences are not only based on listening in existing halls; but also on listening to reproduced music recorded with microph......This paper discusses the evolution in taste regarding concert hall acoustics and how this can be reflected in the new halls being built today. The clients' and listener's preferences are not only based on listening in existing halls; but also on listening to reproduced music recorded...

  9. The 5S rDNA family evolves through concerted and birth-and-death evolution in fish genomes: an example from freshwater stingrays

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-01-01

    Background Ribosomal 5S genes are well known for the critical role they play in ribosome folding and functionality. These genes are thought to evolve in a concerted fashion, with high rates of homogenization of gene copies. However, the majority of previous analyses regarding the evolutionary process of rDNA repeats were conducted in invertebrates and plants. Studies have also been conducted on vertebrates, but these analyses were usually restricted to the 18S, 5.8S and 28S rRNA genes. The recent identification of divergent 5S rRNA gene paralogs in the genomes of elasmobranches and teleost fishes indicate that the eukaryotic 5S rRNA gene family has a more complex genomic organization than previously thought. The availability of new sequence data from lower vertebrates such as teleosts and elasmobranches enables an enhanced evolutionary characterization of 5S rDNA among vertebrates. Results We identified two variant classes of 5S rDNA sequences in the genomes of Potamotrygonidae stingrays, similar to the genomes of other vertebrates. One class of 5S rRNA genes was shared only by elasmobranches. A broad comparative survey among 100 vertebrate species suggests that the 5S rRNA gene variants in fishes originated from rounds of genome duplication. These variants were then maintained or eliminated by birth-and-death mechanisms, under intense purifying selection. Clustered multiple copies of 5S rDNA variants could have arisen due to unequal crossing over mechanisms. Simultaneously, the distinct genome clusters were independently homogenized, resulting in the maintenance of clusters of highly similar repeats through concerted evolution. Conclusions We believe that 5S rDNA molecular evolution in fish genomes is driven by a mixed mechanism that integrates birth-and-death and concerted evolution. PMID:21627815

  10. Concerts-club

    CERN Multimedia

    Concerts-club

    2012-01-01

      Avis à tous les musiciens et mélomanes Le Concerts-Club du CERN reprend du service ! Après une longue pause due, entre autres, aux travaux de rénovation de l’Amphithéâtre, une nouvelle équipe s’est lancée dans la reprise de l’organisation du Concerts-Club, à raison d’un concert par mois. 1er concert : mardi 20 mars à 20h30 Lieu : CERN-Meyrin : Entrée B – Bâtiment 500 – Amphithéâtre Prochaines dates : Mardi 24 avril 2012 Mardi 15 mai  2012 Mardi 19 juin  2012 Pour donner au Club l’élan nécessaire au redémarrage, les changements suivants ont été mis en place : – Possibilité d’être membre du Club : carte à Fr 25.00 par an. – Entr&e...

  11. E-Infrastructure Concertation Meeting

    CERN Multimedia

    Katarina Anthony

    2010-01-01

    The 8th e-Infrastructure Concertation Meeting was held in the Globe from 4 to 5 November to discuss the development of Europe’s distributed computing and storage resources.   Project leaders attend the E-Concertation Meeting at the Globe on 5 November 2010. © Corentin Chevalier E-Infrastructures have become an indispensable tool for scientific research, linking researchers to virtually unlimited e-resources like the grid. The recent e-Infrastructure Concertation Meeting brought together e-Science project leaders to discuss the development of this tool in the European context. The meeting was part of an ongoing initiative to develop a world-class e-infrastructure resource that would establish European leadership in e-Science. The e-Infrastructure Concertation Meeting was organised by the Commission Services (EC) with the support of e-ScienceTalk. “The Concertation meeting at CERN has been a great opportunity for e-ScienceTalk to meet many of the 38 new proje...

  12. Concert Club

    CERN Document Server

    Concert Club

    2010-01-01

    CERN MEYRIN (terminus bus 56-CERN) Entrée B - Bâtiment 500 - Amphithéâtre Mardi 26 janvier à 20 h 30 Le quintette Liliane JAQUES, flûte traversière Jade AZKOUL, guitare Gaëlle POIRIER, accordéon Mirella VEDEVA, contrebasse Gueorgui POPOV, piano Au programme Portraits d’Astor PIAZZOLLA Entrée libre Nos concerts sur notre site : www.concerts-cern.com et sur les sites : www.whys.org et www.agendadegeneve.ch

  13. CONCERT CLUB

    CERN Document Server

    Concert club

    2010-01-01

    CERN MEYRIN (terminus bus 56-CERN) entrée B - bâtiment 500 - amphithéâtre Mardi 19 janvier 2010 à 20 h 30 Klaus MAURER violon Joanna BRZEZINSKA piano Au programme : Chopin, Rodrigo * * * * * Mardi 26 janvier 2010 à 20 h 30 Le quintette Liliane JAQUES flûte traversière Jade AZKOUL guitare Gaëlle POIRIER accordéon Mirella VEDEVA contrebasse Gueorgui POPOV piano Au programme : Portraits d’Astor Piazzlla   entrée libre Nos concerts sur notre site : www.concerts-cern.com et sur les sites : www.whys.org et www.agendadegeneve.ch

  14. Concert Club

    CERN Document Server

    Concert Club

    CERN MEYRIN (terminus bus 56-CERN) Entrée B - bâtiment 500 - Amphithéâtre Mardi 1er Décembre 2009 à 20 h 30 Patrick VO VANG PHUC piano Au programme : Scarlatti, Mozart, Schubert, Debussy * * * * * Mardi 8 Décembre 2009 à 20 h 30 « CRESCENDO » duo de guitares avec Danielle VILLARD et Luciano ROSSETTI Au programme : Johnson, J.S Bach, Vivaldi, Scheidler, Pujol, Albeniz, Granados, Rizzuti, Satie, Rivoal * * * * * Dimanche 13 décembre 2009 à 17 h 00 piano à 4 mains avec Christel BARBERI et Jean-Pierre VARONE Au programme : Brahms, Schubert, Rachmaninov Entrée libre Nos concerts sur notre site : www.concerts-cern.com et sur les sites : www.whys.org et www.agendadegeneve.ch  

  15. A Concert with Striking Force

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Steijn, Arthur

    2014-01-01

    An hour before the percussion concert, members of the audience are already filling the foyer of the Copenhagen Opera House. Something special is to happen before the doors to the concert hall open. Percussion instruments—bass drums, bongos, and even a marimba—are exhibited, and people are encoura...

  16. Concertation or Consultation. That is the question.

    CERN Multimedia

    Staff Association

    2018-01-01

    In April 2017 (as reported in Echo No. 268), the Staff Association, when invited to an Enlarged Directorate meeting, stressed that “concertation requires a positive attitude and mutual trust. […] The Staff Association is firmly committed in this respect but does not consider that the concertation process is as effective as we should like”. The continued lack, for the Staff Association, of an effective concertation process led to a revisiting of the situation in June 2017 (Echo No. 271), in an article that stressed the importance of the concertation process at CERN since it was introduced in 1983, the year in which the Standing Concertation Committee (SCC) replaced the Standing Consultation Committee. The importance of concertation was also highlighted by Mr Bernard Dormy, Chair of TREF, in an interview he gave to the Staff Association at the end of January 2018 (Echo No. 284), when he retired from his position as the Chair of the Forum. “To sum it up, I would certainl...

  17. “The Concert of Europe” In 20th Century British and American Historiography

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ekaterina V. Romanova

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The article provides a critical analysis of the interpretations of the Concert of Europe by British and American historians of the XXth century. The interest in the study of this phenomenon is rooted in its relation to the problems of the maintenance of international order and stability. It is not only academic, being partly determined by the fact that throughout the XX century first Britain and then the USA was at the top of the world hierarchy, and accordingly played a leading role in the construction and maintenance of the European order. Current international environment, the experience of the two World Wars of the XXth century determined the angle from which the phenomenon of the Concert of Europe was studied. Whereas in the second half of the 1910s - early 1920s historians pointed to the deficiencies of the international system of the preceding century (and in particular, the institution of the Concert of Europe, the students of the Vienna system working after the Second World War regarded the period of 1815-1914 as relatively stable, compared to the short interwar interlude. The Concert of Europe was named as one of the factors contributing to stability and peace. Certain logic can be discerned in the development of the historiography of the problem, which to some degree reflected the evolution of ideas about international relations management. At the same time, the differences in the interpretations of the Concert of Europe derive from the fact that this very concept in the XIXth century was not fixed and static. Great Powers' readiness to cooperation did not mean that there were no conflicts of interests. They struggled for leadership within the Concert and sought to impart to it their own interpretation.

  18. Concerts & Opera

    Index Scriptorium Estoniae

    2008-01-01

    Kristjan Järvi dirigeerimas Vienna Tonkünstler Orchestra't 16. veebr. Leedsis Town Hallis (esitusel ka Arvo Pärdi Symphony No. 3), 20. veebr. Bristolis ja 23. veebr. Basingstoke'is. Neeme Järvi dirigeerimas Royal Scottish National Orcestra't 23. veebr. Glasgowis Royal Concert Hallis ja 24. veebr. Edinburghis Queens Hallis

  19. Concert

    CERN Multimedia

    Staff Association

    2017-01-01

    Small Capella Friday 2 June at 18.00 CERN Meyrin, Main Auditorium Free admission Moscow chamber choir Small Capella arose within the walls of Children‘s musical school No. 10, and evolved over the years into a mixed choir of people of various age and occupation, open to anyone fond of choral music. The repertoire includes Russian and foreign classical music, sacred music, folk songs, contemporary choral compositions. The concert will include solo vocal and piano pieces.

  20. Cyclization in concert

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Fraaije, Marco W.; Mattevi, Andrea

    2008-01-01

    The berberine bridge enzyme catalyzes the crucial step in the biosynthesis of an important class of alkaloids through a reaction that cannot be carried out using conventional organic chemistry tools. Characterization of the enzyme demonstrates a concerted mechanism that couples two distinct chemical

  1. Musical Students’ Concert Practice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aleksandr S. Plokhotnyuk

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available . The article presents detailed analysis of performance training of future teachers of music at higher educational establishments and offers ways to overcome the problem of musical students’ concert practice organization.

  2. Prehospital severity scoring at major rock concert events.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Erickson, T B; Koenigsberg, M; Bunney, E B; Schurgin, B; Levy, P; Willens, J; Tanner, L

    1997-01-01

    Rock and contemporary music concerts are popular, recurrent events requiring on-site medical staffing. To describe a novel severity score used to stratify the level of acuity of patients presenting to first-aid stations at these events. Retrospective review of charts generated at the first-aid stations of five major rock concerts within a 60,000 spectator capacity, outdoor, professional sports stadium. Participants included all concert patrons presenting to the stadium's first-aid stations as patients. Data were collected on patient demographics, history of drug or ethanol usage while at the concert event, first-aid station time, treatment rendered, diagnosis, and disposition. All patients evaluated were retrospectively assigned a "DRUG-ROCK" Injury Severity Score (DRISS) to stratify their level of acuity. Individual concert events and patient dispositions were compared statistically using chi-square, Fisher's exact, and the ANOVA Mean tests. Approximately 250,000 spectators attended the five concert events. First-aid stations evaluated 308 patients (utilization rate of 1.2 per 1,000 patrons). The most common diagnosis was minor trauma (130; 42%), followed in frequency by ethanol/illicit drug intoxication (98; 32%). The average time in the first-aid station was 23.5 +/- 22.5 minutes (+/- standard deviation; range: 5-150 minutes). Disposition of patients included 100 (32.5%) who were treated and released; 98 (32%) were transported by paramedics to emergency departments (EDs); and 110 (35.5%) signed-out against medical advise (AMA), refusing transport. The mean DRISS was 4.1 (+/- 2.65). Two-thirds (67%) of the study population were ranked as mild by DRISS criteria (score = 1-4), with 27% rated as moderate (score = 5-9), and 6% severe (score > 10). The average of severity scores was highest (6.5) for patients transported to hospitals, and statistically different from the scores of the average of the treated and released and AMA groups (p rock concerts.

  3. ANALYSIS MUSIC CONCERTS ADOPTING THE MATHEMATICAL MODEL OF HIT PHENOMENA

    OpenAIRE

    Kawahata Yasuko; Genda Etsuo; Ishii Akira

    2013-01-01

    A mathematical model for the hit phenomenon in entertainment within a society is presented as a stochastic process of interactions of human dynamics. In this paper, we analyzed music to the concert.Knowing the cost of advertising the concert is difficult. But exposure to the media of the artist can be seen. We tried to analysis of music concert itself by performing a prediction of reputation of artists during the concert tour from this exposure.In this paper, The world most pop...

  4. “AGREEMENTS”, “DECISIONS” AND “CONCERTED PRACTICES”: KEY CONCEPTS IN THE ANALYSIS OF ANTICOMPETITIVE AGREEMENTS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    CRISTINA CUCU

    2013-05-01

    Full Text Available In their economic activity, undertakings conclude many agreements between them. But agreements between undertakings which can distort the competition -anticompetitive agreements- are prohibited. The Romanian and EU law prohibit “all agreements between undertakings, decisions by associations of undertakings and concerted practices which have as their object or effect the prevention, restriction or distortion of competition”. However, the terms ”agreements”, ”decisions” or ”concerted practices” are nowhere defined in the EU Treaties or in the Romanian law. These terms are key concepts in the analysis of anticompetitive agreements which can distort the competition. In the lack of a legal definition, these concepts have generated a complex body of jurisprudence, which has to be identified. The analysis of these key concepts necessarily entails the conceptual delimitation of the notions. On this purpose, the relevant legal provisions will be identified in the Romanian and EU law, as well as the decisions of the European Court of Justice in this matter. The present paper intends to present the conceptual evolution of the analysed notions, paying special attention to concerted practices and to parallel behaviour in price fixing on the market.

  5. Acoustic investigations of concert halls for rock music

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Adelman-Larsen, Niels Werner; Thompson, Eric Robert; Gade, Anders Christian

    2007-01-01

    Objective measurement data and subjective evaluations have been collected from 20 small-/medium-sized halls in Denmark used for amplified rhythmic music concerts (pop, rock, jazz). The purpose of the study was to obtain knowledge about optimum acoustic conditions for this type of hall. The study...... is motivated by the fact that most concert tickets sold in Denmark relate to concerts within these genres in this kind of venue. The subjective evaluations were carried out by professional musicians and sound engineers who responded on the basis of their experiences working in these (and other) halls. From...

  6. Cosmos in Concert: Combining astronomy and classical music

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kremer, Kyle

    2018-01-01

    Cosmos in Concert is an outreach initiative designed to combine astronomy education with classical music. Over the past several years, this program has presented large-scale multimedia shows for symphony orchestras, educational programs at K-12 schools, and research-oriented university collaborations designed to develop techniques for the sonification of data. Cosmos in Concert has collaborated with institutions including Fermi National Lab, the Adler Planetarium, the Bienen School of Music, and the Colburn School of Music. In this talk, I will give a brief overview of some of the main Cosmos in Concert initiatives and discuss ways these initiatives may be implemented at other institutions.

  7. CONCERT MANAGEMENT IN CROATIA: OBSTACLES AND CHALLENGES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Irina Basara

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available The concept of concert management in the Republic of Croatia encounters numerous obstacles in any attempt to institutionalize it. Unlike other countries in the European Union, there is no register of the concert stages, venues as well as facilities for the provision of hearing / consumption of music in the form of performances. Process management organization is incomplete, and institutions that are closely associated with such events do not carry out the classification, categorization and analysis of events that are within the concerts' domain. Commercial music, economically far most cost-effective, is completely ignored and within the framework of cultural events not even the slightest attention is given to it. On the contrary, it is considered the music of poor quality and completely irrelevant. This paper tries to frame the mentioned genre, which includes various musical directions that economically bring significant benefits and help the survival of these related activities indirectly, and ultimately have a positive impact on the economy. Comparing global trends it speaks about the position of the Croatian music industry and lists the main obstacles for setting up a solid foundation for the construction of an adequate system of indexation of concert businesses that, as part of the creative industries records a meteoric economic growth.

  8. Muddle or march: China and the 21st century Concert of Powers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Weizhun Mao

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Concert of Powers has emerged as an attractive modality in global governance. As an emerging power, China must seriously take this template into account. This article seeks to analyze the incentives, possibilities, and uncertainties for China to participate in Concert with reference to China's history memory on Concert, China's intellectual endeavors, as well as China's evolving foreign preferences. It concludes that China is generally qualified and capable of being a key participant in Concert of Powers with increasing willingness. Yet, China's involvement depends on 1 if Concert template can overcome its own deficiencies; 2 if Concert have competitive advantages compared with other governance alternatives for China; and 3 if China can keep its momentum on both willingness and capacity in power transition.

  9. Linguistics: evolution and language change.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bowern, Claire

    2015-01-05

    Linguists have long identified sound changes that occur in parallel. Now novel research shows how Bayesian modeling can capture complex concerted changes, revealing how evolution of sounds proceeds. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. 100 million years of multigene family evolution: origin and evolution of the avian MHC class IIB

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Goebel, J.; Promerová, Marta; Bonadonna, F.; McCoy, K. D.; Serbielle, C.; Strandh, M.; Yannic, G.; Burri, R.; Fumagalli, L.

    2017-01-01

    Roč. 18, č. 460 (2017), s. 1-9 ISSN 1471-2164 R&D Projects: GA ČR GAP505/10/1871 Institutional support: RVO:68081766 Keywords : Birds * Birth -death evolution * Concerted evolution * Gene duplication * Gene conversion * Major histocompatibility complex * Recombination Subject RIV: EG - Zoology OBOR OECD: Genetics and heredity (medical genetics to be 3) Impact factor: 3.729, year: 2016

  11. 100 million years of multigene family evolution: origin and evolution of the avian MHC class IIB

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Goebel, J.; Promerová, Marta; Bonadonna, F.; McCoy, K. D.; Serbielle, C.; Strandh, M.; Yannic, G.; Burri, R.; Fumagalli, L.

    2017-01-01

    Roč. 18, č. 460 (2017), s. 1-9 ISSN 1471-2164 R&D Projects: GA ČR GAP505/10/1871 Institutional support: RVO:68081766 Keywords : Birds * Birth-death evolution * Concerted evolution * Gene duplication * Gene conversion * Major histocompatibility complex * Recombination Subject RIV: EG - Zoology OBOR OECD: Genetics and heredity (medical genetics to be 3) Impact factor: 3.729, year: 2016

  12. Concert | United Nations Orchestra at CERN | 19 September

    CERN Multimedia

    2014-01-01

    The United Nations Orchestra will give a concert on the occasion of CERN’s 60th anniversary.   Under the baton of conductor and artistic director Antoine Marguier, the Orchestra will have the pleasure to accompany the soloist Maestro Matteo Fedeli, who, under the patronage of the Permanent Mission of Italy to the United Nations, will perform on a Stradivarius violin. The programme for the concert comprises: Jacques Offenbach, Orpheus in the Underworld Overture Franz von Suppé, Poet and Peasant Overture Camille Saint-Saëns, Introduction & Rondo Capriccioso for solo violin and orchestra Georges Bizet, Carmen Suite No. 1 Franz Lehár, Gold and Silver Waltz Gioachino Rossini, William Tell Overture   Doors open at 6 p.m. The concert will take place in a marquee behind the Globe of Science and Innovation, CERN Book your ticket here.

  13. Gala Concert for the 50th Anniversary of CERN

    CERN Multimedia

    2004-01-01

    The CERN 50th Anniversary celebrations will wrap up with music on 18 December with a Gala Concert by the Philharmonic Orchestra of London in Victoria Hall, Geneva. The orchestra will be directed by Tommaso Placidi, a young talented conductor, and will also enjoy the presence of Maxim Vengerov as first violin. This evening is organised by Mrs Suzanne Hurter, with the support of private companies as well as of the city and the canton of Geneva. The concert will begin with the Overture of Wagner's Flying Dutchman. Maxim Vengerov will then interpret Beethoven's Concert for violin and orchestra. The second part of the concert will be devoted to Tschaikovsky's Fourth Symphony. Tickets cost between 35CHF and 140 CHF according to the seat. People working at CERN will have a 10% discount. You may buy your tickets at the Kiosque FK inside the building Pfister Meubles in Meyrin (ch de Rianbosson 5-9) and get your discount by showing your CERN card. Find out more about the seats available, go to the Resaplus Ticket Book...

  14. Film in concert

    OpenAIRE

    2017-01-01

    From the very beginning of cinema, music always played an important role in the history of filmmaking. Nonetheless, film music is judged by critics as a kind of low-grade art form. However, the majority of film score composers enjoyed a classical education and composed as well for the silver screen as for the concert hall. Film music also has its roots in the musical era of romanticism. Therefore, symphonic film scores can be regarded as program music in a broader sense. These scores were inf...

  15. The evolution of increased competitive ability, innate competitive advantages, and novel biochemical weapons act in concert for a tropical invader.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qin, Rui-Min; Zheng, Yu-Long; Valiente-Banuet, Alfonso; Callaway, Ragan M; Barclay, Gregor F; Pereyra, Carlos Silva; Feng, Yu-Long

    2013-02-01

    There are many non-mutually exclusive mechanisms for exotic invasions but few studies have concurrently tested more than one hypothesis for the same species. Here, we tested the evolution of increased competitive ability (EICA) hypothesis in two common garden experiments in which Chromolaena odorata plants originating from native and nonnative ranges were grown in competition with natives from each range, and the novel weapons hypothesis in laboratory experiments with leachates from C. odorata. Compared with conspecifics originating from the native range, C. odorata plants from the nonnative range were stronger competitors at high nutrient concentrations in the nonnative range in China and experienced far more herbivore damage in the native range in Mexico. In both China and Mexico, C. odorata was more suppressed by species native to Mexico than by species native to China. Species native to China were much more inhibited by leaf extracts from C. odorata than species from Mexico, and this difference in allelopathic effects may provide a possible explanation for the biogeographic differences in competitive ability. Our results indicate that EICA, innate competitive advantages, and novel biochemical weapons may act in concert to promote invasion by C. odorata, and emphasize the importance of exploring multiple, non-mutually exclusive mechanisms for invasions. © 2012 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2012 New Phytologist Trust.

  16. Concerted and stepwise mechanisms in cycloaddition reactions: potential surfaces and isotope effects

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Houk, K.N.; Yi Li; Storer, Joey; Raimondi, Laura; Beno, Brett

    1994-01-01

    CASSCF/6-31G * calculations have been performed on concerted and stepwise Diels-Alder reactions of butadiene with ethene, the dimerization of butadiene, and the dimerization of cyclobutadiene. The relative energies of concerted and stepwise mechanisms are compared, and the factors influencing these ''energies of concert'' are discussed. The comparison of calculated isotope effects to experimental data provides support for theoretical results. (Author)

  17. Brain scaling in mammalian evolution as a consequence of concerted and mosaic changes in numbers of neurons and average neuronal cell size

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Suzana eHerculano-Houzel

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available Enough species have now been subject to systematic quantitative analysis of the relationship between the morphology and cellular composition of their brain that patterns begin to emerge and shed light on the evolutionary path that led to mammalian brain diversity. Based on an analysis of the shared and clade-specific characteristics of 41 modern mammalian species in 6 clades, and in light of the phylogenetic relationships among them, here we propose that ancestral mammal brains were composed and scaled in their cellular composition like modern afrotherian and glire brains: with an addition of neurons that is accompanied by a decrease in neuronal density and very little modification in glial cell density, implying a significant increase in average neuronal cell size in larger brains, and the allocation of approximately 2 neurons in the cerebral cortex and 8 neurons in the cerebellum for every neuron allocated to the rest of brain. We also propose that in some clades the scaling of different brain structures has diverged away from the common ancestral layout through clade-specific (or clade-defining changes in how average neuronal cell mass relates to numbers of neurons in each structure, and how numbers of neurons are differentially allocated to each structure relative to the number of neurons in the rest of brain. Thus, the evolutionary expansion of mammalian brains has involved both concerted and mosaic patterns of scaling across structures. This is, to our knowledge, the first mechanistic model that explains the generation of brains large and small in mammalian evolution, and it opens up new horizons for seeking the cellular pathways and genes involved in brain evolution.

  18. Women's Month 2006 to include a tribute concert to women composers

    OpenAIRE

    Lazenby, Jenna

    2006-01-01

    Virginia Tech will commemorate Women's Month 2006 in March with a variety of events and programs. Festivities will include a special concert to be held Wednesday, March 1 at 8 p.m. in the Squires Student Center Recital Salon. This concert will pay tribute to 400 years of women composers by featuring performances by Virginia Tech faculty, students, and guests. Admission to the concert is free, though a free-will donation will be taken to support the work of the Women's Resource Center of the N...

  19. Teaching bioinformatics in concert.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anya L Goodman

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available Can biology students without programming skills solve problems that require computational solutions? They can if they learn to cooperate effectively with computer science students. The goal of the in-concert teaching approach is to introduce biology students to computational thinking by engaging them in collaborative projects structured around the software development process. Our approach emphasizes development of interdisciplinary communication and collaboration skills for both life science and computer science students.

  20. Native Frames: Disentangling Sequential from Concerted Three-Body Fragmentation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rajput, Jyoti; Severt, T.; Berry, Ben; Jochim, Bethany; Feizollah, Peyman; Kaderiya, Balram; Zohrabi, M.; Ablikim, U.; Ziaee, Farzaneh; Raju P., Kanaka; Rolles, D.; Rudenko, A.; Carnes, K. D.; Esry, B. D.; Ben-Itzhak, I.

    2018-03-01

    A key question concerning the three-body fragmentation of polyatomic molecules is the distinction of sequential and concerted mechanisms, i.e., the stepwise or simultaneous cleavage of bonds. Using laser-driven fragmentation of OCS into O++C++S+ and employing coincidence momentum imaging, we demonstrate a novel method that enables the clear separation of sequential and concerted breakup. The separation is accomplished by analyzing the three-body fragmentation in the native frame associated with each step and taking advantage of the rotation of the intermediate molecular fragment, CO2 + or CS2 + , before its unimolecular dissociation. This native-frame method works for any projectile (electrons, ions, or photons), provides details on each step of the sequential breakup, and enables the retrieval of the relevant spectra for sequential and concerted breakup separately. Specifically, this allows the determination of the branching ratio of all these processes in OCS3 + breakup. Moreover, we find that the first step of sequential breakup is tightly aligned along the laser polarization and identify the likely electronic states of the intermediate dication that undergo unimolecular dissociation in the second step. Finally, the separated concerted breakup spectra show clearly that the central carbon atom is preferentially ejected perpendicular to the laser field.

  1. Concerted orientation induced unidirectional water transport through nanochannels.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wan, Rongzheng; Lu, Hangjun; Li, Jinyuan; Bao, Jingdong; Hu, Jun; Fang, Haiping

    2009-11-14

    The dynamics of water inside nanochannels is of great importance for biological activities as well as for the design of molecular sensors, devices, and machines, particularly for sea water desalination. When confined in specially sized nanochannels, water molecules form a single-file structure with concerted dipole orientations, which collectively flip between the directions along and against the nanotube axis. In this paper, by using molecular dynamics simulations, we observed a net flux along the dipole-orientation without any application of an external electric field or external pressure difference during the time period of the particular concerted dipole orientations of the molecules along or against the nanotube axis. We found that this unique special-directional water transportation resulted from the asymmetric potential of water-water interaction along the nanochannel, which originated from the concerted dipole orientation of the water molecules that breaks the symmetry of water orientation distribution along the channel within a finite time period. This finding suggests a new mechanism for achieving high-flux water transportation, which may be useful for nanotechnology and biological applications.

  2. Room acoustic properties of concert halls

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Gade, Anders Christian

    1996-01-01

    A large database of values of various room acoustic parameters has provided the basis for statistical analyses of how and how much the acoustic properties of concert halls are influenced by their size, shape, and absorption area (as deduced from measured reverberation time). The data have been...

  3. Chinese Islam: A Complete Concert

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zvi Ben-Dor Benite

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Matthew S. Erie, China and Islam: The Prophet, the Party, and Law. Cambridge University Press, 2016. 472 pp. $140 (cloth/e-book. Jonathan Lipman, ed., Islamic Thought in China: Sino-Muslim Intellectual Evolution from the 17th to the 20th Century. Edinburgh University Press, 2016. 288 pp. £70 (cloth; e-book. Roberta Tontini, Muslim Sanzijing: Shifts and Continuities in the Definition of Islam in China. Brill, 2016. 238 pp. $125 (cloth. Why study a Chinese “minority” and its history? The task of scholars of Chinese Islam since the 1990s has been twofold: on the one hand, we have wanted to study Islam in China in its Chinese social and cultural context, as opposed to imagining it as a single separate entity, and to show that its history is relevant and meaningful for Chinese history in general. One could almost say that this goal was achieved a while ago. The next task has been to make the study of Chinese Islam and its history meaningful and useful for the greater community of scholars of Islam in general. It seems to me that with the books reviewed here, and with others in the making, we are getting close to reaching this target. In 1910, Marshall Broomhall’s Islam in China declared that Chinese Islam was a “neglected problem.” These books show that it is no longer neglected, and no longer a “problem”; rather, it is an exciting topic. Indeed, a complete, even if not harmonious, concert.

  4. Practicing perfection: How concert soloists prepare for performance

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Roger Chaffin

    2006-01-01

    Full Text Available Musical performances by concert soloists in the Western classical tradition are normally memorized. For memory to work reliably under the pressures of the concert stage, the performance must be practiced until it is thoroughly automatic. At the same time, the performance must be fresh and spontaneous in order to communicate emotionally with the audience. The resolution of this apparent contradiction is provided by longitudinal case studies of concert soloists preparing new works for performance. Like expert memorists in other domains, experienced musicians use highly practiced retrieval schemes to accomplish their extraordinary feats of memory. Performers have a mental map of the piece in mind as they perform that tells them where they are and what comes next - a series of landmarks, hierarchically organized by the sections and subsections of the music. The musician attends to these performance cues in order to ensure that the performance unfolds as planned. Performance cues are established by thinking about a particular feature of the music during practice so that it later comes to mind automatically. Performance cues help the soloist consciously monitor and control the rapid, automatic actions of playing, while adjusting to the needs of the moment. During practice, the musician attends mostly to basic performance cues representing critical technical features (e.g., fingerings,andinterpretive performance cues, representing phrasings, and changes in dynamics, tempo, and timbre. During performance, the musician hopes to attend mainly to expressive performance cues representing the musical feelings to be conveyed to the audience (e.g. excitement. We illustrate this analysis with a typical case study of a concert pianist learning J.S. Bach's Italian Concerto (Presto.

  5. Interrupting the Symphony: Unpacking the Importance Placed on Classical Concert Experiences

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hess, Juliet

    2018-01-01

    The Toronto Symphony Orchestra presents a series of youth concerts each year to introduce and attract younger audiences to the symphony. Music teachers often attend these concerts with students, and the importance of such experiences is frequently emphasised and normalised. This article explores the historical roots of the following relations,…

  6. Concert: Harvestehuder Kammersymphonie

    CERN Multimedia

    Staff Association

    2017-01-01

    Harvestehuder Kammersymphonie (Hamburg) Tuesday 23 May at 18.00 Main Auditorium (CERN Meyrin)   Tradition et modernité constituent le lien entre tous les musiciens de l’orchestre. La littérature orchestrale de la période classique à l’époque moderne figure régulièrement à leurs programmes. Composé de près d’une centaine d’instrumentistes de toutes professions, l'enthousiasme et la qualité musicale constituent la priorité absolue de leur activité. Après des voyages gagnant en Brésil et Angleterre, une délégation de cet ensemble est de passage dans la région. Ils sont très heureux de pouvoir donner un concert au CERN.

  7. Music Genre as a Predictor of Resource Utilization at Outdoor Music Concerts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Westrol, Michael S; Koneru, Susmith; McIntyre, Norah; Caruso, Andrew T; Arshad, Faizan H; Merlin, Mark A

    2017-06-01

    The aim of this study was to examine the various modern music genres and their effect on the utilization of medical resources with analysis and adjustment for potential confounders. A retrospective review of patient logs from an open-air, contemporary amphitheater over a period of 10 years was performed. Variables recorded by the medical personnel for each concert included the attendance, description of the weather, and a patient log in which nature and outcome were recorded. The primary outcomes were associations of genres with the medical usage rate (MUR). Secondary outcomes investigated were the association of confounders and the influences on the level of care provided, the transport rate, and the nature of medical complaint. A total of 2,399,864 concert attendees, of which 4,546 patients presented to venue Emergency Medical Services (EMS) during 403 concerts with an average of 11.4 patients (annual range 7.1-17.4) each concert. Of potential confounders, only the heat index ≥90°F (32.2°C) and whether the event was a festival were significant (P=.027 and .001, respectively). After adjustment, the genres with significantly increased MUR in decreasing order were: alternative rock, hip-hop/rap, modern rock, heavy metal/hard rock, and country music (Pmusic (P=.033). Alternative rock, hip-hop/rap, modern rock, heavy metal/hard rock, and country music concerts had higher levels of medical resource utilization. High heat indices and music festivals also increase the MUR. This information can assist event planners with preparation and resource utilization. Future research should focus on prospective validation of the regression equation. Westrol MS , Koneru S , McIntyre N , Caruso AT , Arshad FH , Merlin MA . Music genre as a predictor of resource utilization at outdoor music concerts. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2017;32(3):289-296.

  8. Substance use patterns and in-hospital care of adolescents and young adults attending music concerts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ruest, Stephanie M; Stephan, Alexander M; Masiakos, Peter T; Biddinger, Paul D; Camargo, Carlos A; Kharasch, Sigmund

    2018-01-09

    Few studies describe medical complaints and substance use patterns related to attending music concerts. As such, the objective of this study is to describe patient demographics, substance use and intoxication patterns, and medical interventions provided to adolescents and young adults assessed in an emergency department (ED) for complaints directly related to concert attendance. A retrospective chart review of patients 13-30 years old who were transported to the ED directly from music concerts between January 2011 and December 2015 was conducted. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression were used to analyze patient demographic, intervention, and substance use data. There were 115 concerts identified, of which 48 (42%) were linked to 142 relevant ED visits; the total number of attendees at each concert is unknown. The mean age of the 142 described patients was 19.5 years (SD 3.3) with 72% pop and electronic dance music concerts was associated with the widest ranges of GCS scores (8-15 and 6-14 respectively), mass casualty incident declarations, and among the highest mean blood alcohol levels (246 and 244 mg/dL, respectively). Substance use is the predominant reason for music concert related ED visits and patients may have serious levels of intoxication, receiving multiple medical interventions. These data demonstrate the need for additional large-scale studies to confirm trends and increase awareness of this important public health problem.

  9. The heterothallic sugarbeet pathogen Cercospora beticola contains exon fragments of both MAT genes that are homogenized by concerted evolution.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bolton, Melvin D; de Jonge, Ronnie; Inderbitzin, Patrik; Liu, Zhaohui; Birla, Keshav; Van de Peer, Yves; Subbarao, Krishna V; Thomma, Bart P H J; Secor, Gary A

    2014-01-01

    Dothideomycetes is one of the most ecologically diverse and economically important classes of fungi. Sexual reproduction in this group is governed by mating type (MAT) genes at the MAT1 locus. Self-sterile (heterothallic) species contain one of two genes at MAT1 (MAT1-1-1 or MAT1-2-1) and only isolates of opposite mating type are sexually compatible. In contrast, self-fertile (homothallic) species contain both MAT genes at MAT1. Knowledge of the reproductive capacities of plant pathogens are of particular interest because recombining populations tend to be more difficult to manage in agricultural settings. In this study, we sequenced MAT1 in the heterothallic Dothideomycete fungus Cercospora beticola to gain insight into the reproductive capabilities of this important plant pathogen. In addition to the expected MAT gene at MAT1, each isolate contained fragments of both MAT1-1-1 and MAT1-2-1 at ostensibly random loci across the genome. When MAT fragments from each locus were manually assembled, they reconstituted MAT1-1-1 and MAT1-2-1 exons with high identity, suggesting a retroposition event occurred in a homothallic ancestor in which both MAT genes were fused. The genome sequences of related taxa revealed that MAT gene fragment pattern of Cercospora zeae-maydis was analogous to C. beticola. In contrast, the genome of more distantly related Mycosphaerella graminicola did not contain MAT fragments. Although fragments occurred in syntenic regions of the C. beticola and C. zeae-maydis genomes, each MAT fragment was more closely related to the intact MAT gene of the same species. Taken together, these data suggest MAT genes fragmented after divergence of M. graminicola from the remaining taxa, and concerted evolution functioned to homogenize MAT fragments and MAT genes in each species. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  10. Between Two Worlds: Concert-giving and Rioting in the Post-Yugoslav Area

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ana Petrov

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available Starting in the late 1990s, some musicians from the territory of former Yugoslavia gradually embarked on the project of giving concerts in Belgrade, the capital of the former country. Others refused to perform in Serbia after the wars, which fuelled a negative attitude toward these musicians. In this paper I deal with the reception of those concerts, pointing to the ways they have become specific affective sites of memory. I focus on two major issues: the discourse produced in the concerts by the performers themselves and members of the audience and the discourse produced by various protest groups (which resulted in the organization of protests in Belgrade against performances by musicians who ‘hate Serbs’.

  11. Synergistic Synthetic Biology: Units in Concert

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trosset, Jean-Yves; Carbonell, Pablo

    2013-01-01

    Synthetic biology aims at translating the methods and strategies from engineering into biology in order to streamline the design and construction of biological devices through standardized parts. Modular synthetic biology devices are designed by means of an adequate elimination of cross-talk that makes circuits orthogonal and specific. To that end, synthetic constructs need to be adequately optimized through in silico modeling by choosing the right complement of genetic parts and by experimental tuning through directed evolution and craftsmanship. In this review, we consider an additional and complementary tool available to the synthetic biologist for innovative design and successful construction of desired circuit functionalities: biological synergies. Synergy is a prevalent emergent property in biological systems that arises from the concerted action of multiple factors producing an amplification or cancelation effect compared with individual actions alone. Synergies appear in domains as diverse as those involved in chemical and protein activity, polypharmacology, and metabolic pathway complementarity. In conventional synthetic biology designs, synergistic cross-talk between parts and modules is generally attenuated in order to verify their orthogonality. Synergistic interactions, however, can induce emergent behavior that might prove useful for synthetic biology applications, like in functional circuit design, multi-drug treatment, or in sensing and delivery devices. Synergistic design principles are therefore complementary to those coming from orthogonal design and may provide added value to synthetic biology applications. The appropriate modeling, characterization, and design of synergies between biological parts and units will allow the discovery of yet unforeseeable, novel synthetic biology applications. PMID:25022769

  12. Synergistic Synthetic Biology: Units in Concert

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Trosset, Jean-Yves; Carbonell, Pablo

    2013-01-01

    Synthetic biology aims at translating the methods and strategies from engineering into biology in order to streamline the design and construction of biological devices through standardized parts. Modular synthetic biology devices are designed by means of an adequate elimination of cross-talk that makes circuits orthogonal and specific. To that end, synthetic constructs need to be adequately optimized through in silico modeling by choosing the right complement of genetic parts and by experimental tuning through directed evolution and craftsmanship. In this review, we consider an additional and complementary tool available to the synthetic biologist for innovative design and successful construction of desired circuit functionalities: biological synergies. Synergy is a prevalent emergent property in biological systems that arises from the concerted action of multiple factors producing an amplification or cancelation effect compared with individual actions alone. Synergies appear in domains as diverse as those involved in chemical and protein activity, polypharmacology, and metabolic pathway complementarity. In conventional synthetic biology designs, synergistic cross-talk between parts and modules is generally attenuated in order to verify their orthogonality. Synergistic interactions, however, can induce emergent behavior that might prove useful for synthetic biology applications, like in functional circuit design, multi-drug treatment, or in sensing and delivery devices. Synergistic design principles are therefore complementary to those coming from orthogonal design and may provide added value to synthetic biology applications. The appropriate modeling, characterization, and design of synergies between biological parts and units will allow the discovery of yet unforeseeable, novel synthetic biology applications.

  13. Molecular evolution of the keratin associated protein gene family in mammals, role in the evolution of mammalian hair.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Dong-Dong; Irwin, David M; Zhang, Ya-Ping

    2008-08-23

    Hair is unique to mammals. Keratin associated proteins (KRTAPs), which contain two major groups: high/ultrahigh cysteine and high glycine-tyrosine, are one of the major components of hair and play essential roles in the formation of rigid and resistant hair shafts. The KRTAP family was identified as being unique to mammals, and near-complete KRTAP gene repertoires for eight mammalian genomes were characterized in this study. An expanded KRTAP gene repertoire was found in rodents. Surprisingly, humans have a similar number of genes as other primates despite the relative hairlessness of humans. We identified several new subfamilies not previously reported in the high/ultrahigh cysteine KRTAP genes. Genes in many subfamilies of the high/ultrahigh cysteine KRTAP genes have evolved by concerted evolution with frequent gene conversion events, yielding a higher GC base content for these gene sequences. In contrast, the high glycine-tyrosine KRTAP genes have evolved more dynamically, with fewer gene conversion events and thus have a lower GC base content, possibly due to positive selection. Most of the subfamilies emerged early in the evolution of mammals, thus we propose that the mammalian ancestor should have a diverse KRTAP gene repertoire. We propose that hair content characteristics have evolved and diverged rapidly among mammals because of rapid divergent evolution of KRTAPs between species. In contrast, subfamilies of KRTAP genes have been homogenized within each species due to concerted evolution.

  14. Consumers’ Attitude to the Protest Against Lady Gaga’s Concert: An Exploratory Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kresno Agus Hendarto

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available Lady gaga is an American singer who has won 5 Grammy Awards. In the middle of 2012, she was requested to have concert in Jakarta with the contract value of tens billion. The concert was protested by a number of groups. The promoter had approached the pressure groups and negotiated the dressing. However, Lady Gaga’s management canceled the concert for security consideration. The objectives of the study are: (1 to explore consumers’ attitude to the protest for the cancelation of Lady Gaga’s concert; and (2 using classical conditioning and expectancy-value theory, to explain consumers’ attitude to the protest. The study used focus group to collect data. The collected data was then transcribed and analyzed by content analysis. The results show that informants’ opinions can be classified into two groups: agreement and disagreement with the protest for the cancelation of Lady Gaga’s concert. Informants either agree or disagree for some reasons. Classical conditioning theory can explain either consumer’s attitude. The difference is the object of consumers’ attitude who agreed was Lady Gaga herself, while the object of disagreement was the pressure group that sponsored the protest. The attitude of the disagreement can also be explained by expectancy-value theory.

  15. Blind Concert: The World and Its Transformation through Music

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nataša Milović

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents an analysis of a Blind Concert held in Belgrade. In a Blind Concert performance, the concept of “space” transforms not for the sake of transformation itself, but because of the effect it strives to achieve. This eliminates the predominance of an institution of art dictating how a musical work should be approached. Accompanying the interpretation of piano compositions, the vocalist let out screams, voices, and noises, which, one may say, could not be summoned inside us, because they have yet to be articulated. I will articulate the effects of the desired transitional forms that have remained trapped and unrepresented in social standardization in terms of Badiou’s inaesthetics.

  16. Christian rock concerts as a meeting between religion and popular culture

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andreas Häger

    2003-01-01

    Full Text Available Different forms of artistic expression play a vital role in religious practices of the most diverse traditions. One very important such expression is music. This paper deals with a contemporary form of religious music, Christian rock. Rock or popular music has been used within Christianity as a means for evangelization and worship since the end of the 1960s. The genre of "contemporary Christian music", or Christian rock, stands by definition with one foot in established institutional (in practicality often evangelical Christianity, and the other in the commercial rock musicindustry. The subject of this paper is to study how this intermediate position is manifested and negotiated in Christian rock concerts. Such a performance of Christian rock music is here assumed to be both a rock concert and a religious service. The paper will examine how this duality is expressed in practices at Christian rock concerts.

  17. Audience noise in concert halls during musical performances

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jeong, Cheol-Ho; Marie, Pierre; Brunskog, Jonas

    2012-01-01

    functions of the sound pressure levels were obtained in octave bands, which were fitted with three Gaussian distribution curves. The Gaussian distribution curve with the lowest mean value corresponds to a mixture of the technical background noise and audience generated noise, which is named the mixed...... background noise. Finally, the audience noise distribution is extracted by energy subtraction of the technical background noise levels measured in an empty condition from the mixed background noise levels. As a single index, L-90 of the audience noise distribution is named the audience noise level. Empirical...... prediction models were made using the four orchestra concert halls, revealing that the audience noise level is significantly correlated with the technical background noise level. It is therefore concluded that a relaxation of the current background noise recommendations for concert halls is not recommended...

  18. Audience noise in concert halls during musical performances

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Marie, Pierre; Jeong, Cheol-Ho; Brunskog, Jonas

    2012-01-01

    functions of the sound pressure levels were obtained in octave bands, which were fitted with three Gaussian distribution curves. The Gaussian distribution curve with the lowest mean value corresponds to a mixture of the technical background noise and audience generated noise, which is named the mixed...... background noise. Finally, the audience noise distribution is extracted by energy subtraction of the technical background noise levels measured in an empty condition from the mixed background noise levels. As a single index, L90 of the audience noise distribution is named the audience noise level. Empirical...... prediction models were made using the four orchestra concert halls, revealing that the audience noise level is significantly correlated with the technical background noise level. It is therefore concluded that a relaxation of the current background noise recommendations for concert halls is not recommended....

  19. [Public music concerts in a psychiatric hospital: effects on public opinion and as therapy for patients].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Takasaka, Y; Yokota, O; Tanioka, T; Nagata, K; Yasuoka, K; Toda, H

    2001-01-01

    We investigate the effects of music therapy concerts, which were held 60 times over a four year period, 1992 to 1996, in Geiyo Psychiatric Hospital, Kochi Prefecture and found that; 1) Musicians who performed at the concerts were not only from Kochi prefecture but also from other prefectures (10 times) and from four foreign countries (7 times). 2) Live concerts in a small hall had a positive influence on patients and drew the patient's attention and interest away from their hallucinations and delusions to the real world. Moreover, the concerts provided the patients with chances to acquire social graces such as being well-groomed. 3) Explanations by the musicians, interviews with the musicians and the seasonal choruses accompanied by the musicians were helpful to give the patients motives for recovering communication skills and to interact with society. 4) Inquiries to the patients about the concerts indicated discrepancies between the poor observed estimations during the concerts (83.3%) and the good subjective impressions expressed by the patients (82.0%), suggesting that the patients were not good at expressing their internal emotions through facial expressions or attitudes. 5) Many citizens including children came to the concerts and/or gave aid to the hospital because the concerts were open to the public and we suggest that this contributed to improving the general publics' image of psychiatric hospitals. Questionnaires revealed that 90% of people in a control group had a bad image of psychiatric hospitals in Japan, but only 32% of the members of the general public who attended our concerts had a bad image of psychiatric hospitals. In addition, the revolving ratio of the hospital beds rose from 0.4 to 1.2 over the four years, which also suggests a beneficial effect on the patients.

  20. Sound Design in Virtual Reality Concert Experiences using a Wave Field Synthesis Approach

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lind, Rasmus Bloustrød; Milesen, Victor; Smed, Dina Madsen

    2017-01-01

    In this paper we propose an experiment that evaluates the influence of audience noise on the feeling of presence and the perceived quality in a virtual reality concert experience delivered using Wave Field Synthesis. A 360 degree video of a live rock concert from a local band was recorded. Single...

  1. Standing Concertation Committee

    CERN Document Server

    HR Department

    2008-01-01

    ORDINARY MEETING ON 27 FEBRUARY 2008 The main items discussed at the meetings of the Standing Concertation Committee on 27 February 2008 included: Short-term Saved Leave Scheme The Committee noted that, by the end of February 2008, some 600 staff had enrolled in the short-term saved leave scheme: approx. 58% had signed up for 1 slice, 14% for two slices, 5% for three slices and 23% for four slices. Administrative Circular No. 4 (Rev. 4) - Unemployment Insurance Scheme The Committee agreed to recommend the Director-General to approve Administrative Circular No. 4 (Rev. 4) - Unemployment Insurance Scheme. Administrative Circular No. 30 (Rev. 2) - Financial benefits upon taking up appointment and termination of contract The Committee agreed to recommend the Director-General to approve Administrative Circular No. 30 (Rev. 2) - Financial Benefits upon taking up appointment and termination of contract. Progressive Retirement Programme The Progressive Retirement Programme (PR...

  2. Concert Viewing Headphones

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kazuya Atsuta

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available An audiovisual interface equipped with a projector, an inclina-tion sensor, and a distance sensor for zoom control has been developed that enables a user to selectively view and listen to specific performers in a video-taped group performance. Dubbed Concert Viewing Headphones, it has both image and sound processing functions. The image processing extracts the portion of the image indicated by the user and projects it free of distortion on the front and side walls. The sound processing creates imaginary microphones for those performers without one so that the user can hear the sound from any performer. Testing using images and sounds captured using a fisheye-lens camera and 37 lavalier microphones showed that sound locali-zation was fastest when an inverse square function was used for the sound mixing and that the zoom function was useful for locating the desired sound performance.

  3. Exploring the impact of music concerts in promoting well-being in dementia care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shibazaki, Kagari; Marshall, Nigel A

    2017-05-01

    This study explores the specific effects of live music concerts on the clients with dementia, their families and nursing staff/caregivers. Researchers attended 22 concerts in care facilities in England and Japan. Interviews were carried out with clients with dementia, nursing staff and family members. Observations were also carried out before, during and after the concerts. All observations were recorded in field notes. The effect of the concerts in both countries was seen to be beneficial to all clients and nursing staff, whether or not they attended the concert. Interviews with clients with mild to mid-stage dementia noted increased levels of cooperation, interaction and conversation. Those with more advanced forms of dementia exhibited decreased levels of agitation and anti-social behaviour. Staff members reported increased levels of care, cooperation and opportunities for assessment. Family members noted an increase in the levels of well-being in their partner/parent as well as in themselves. The study also suggested that the knowledge of musical components, an awareness of the rules of music and specific musical preferences appear to remain well beyond the time when other cognitive skills and abilities have disappeared. This initial study provided some further indication in terms of the uses of music as a non-pharmacological intervention for those living with all stages of dementia. These included opportunities for assessment of physical abilities as well as facilitating an increasing level of care.

  4. Concerted action on the retrievability of long lived radioactive waste in deep underground repositories - progress to date

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dodd, D.H.

    2000-01-01

    Within the EURATOM Framework Programme: Nuclear Fission Safety, a Concerted Action on the retrievability of long lived radioactive waste in deep underground repositories is being carried out. This Concerted Action commenced on the 1st of January 1998 and involves experts from nine different European countries. The Concerted Action will be completed by the 31st of December 1999. This paper gives a brief overview of the objectives of the Concerted Action, the work programme that has been defined to meet these objectives, the work performed to date, and the remaining work programme. (author)

  5. Standing Concertation Committee

    CERN Multimedia

    HR Department

    2009-01-01

    The main items discussed at the meetings of the Standing Concertation Committee in the first quarter of 2009 included: Merit Appraisal and Recognition Scheme (MARS) 2009 exercise The committee took note of 2009 MARS ceiling guidelines giving the advancement budget by career path and amounting to approx 1.80% of the basic salary bill. To this will be added 250 steps CERN-wide, financed by savings from implementation of the international indemnity for 2007, 2008 and the first half of 2009. The specific Senior Staff Guidelines, including the proposed number of promotions from Career Path E to F, were also noted. The guidelines with respect to step distribution were also noted: the minima and maxima remain the same as in previous years. Compliance with the guidelines will continue to be monitored closely (more details, including a frequently asked questions section). It was also noted that Financial Awards (awards for extraordinary service and responsibility allowances) may b...

  6. Standing Concertation Committee

    CERN Multimedia

    2007-01-01

    Ordinary meeting on 30 January 2007 The main items discussed at the meeting of the Standing Concertation Committee on 30 January 2007 included: Administrative Circular No. 26: with the introduction of the merit recognition system in the framework of the 5-yearly review of CERN employment conditions, Administrative Circular No. 26 has been revised. The committee took note of the revised document which is being finalized for submission to the Director-General for approval in the near future. Technical analysis of CERN Health Insurance Scheme: the Committee was informed that a group has been set up by the Director-General to analyse the financial situation of the CERN Health Insurance Scheme in the short and long term, and to propose measures to ensure that the Scheme remains in financial balance, with adequate cover, over the medium term. The group's terms of reference and membership were communicated. Voluntary programmes It was announced that the programmes: 'part-time work as a pre-retirement measure...

  7. Standing Concertation Committee

    CERN Multimedia

    2007-01-01

    ORDINARY MEETING ON 30 JANUARY 2007 The main items discussed at the meeting of the Standing Concertation Committee on 30 January 2007 included: Administrative Circular No. 26: with the introduction of the merit recognition system in the framework of the 5-yearly review of CERN employment conditions, Administrative Circular No. 26 has been revised. The Committee took note of the revised document which is being finalized for submission to the Director-General for approval in the near future. Technical analysis of CERN Health Insurance Scheme: the Committee was informed that a group has been set up by the Director-General to analyse the financial situation of the CERN Health Insurance Scheme in the short and long term, and to propose measures to ensure that the Scheme remains in financial balance, with adequate cover, over the medium term. The group's terms of reference and membership were communicated. Voluntary programmes It was announced that the programmes: 'part-time work as a pre-retirement mea...

  8. Standing Concertation Committee

    CERN Multimedia

    HR Department

    2009-01-01

    Ordinary Meeting on 11 May 2009 The meeting of the Standing Concertation Committee held on 11 May 2009 was entirely dedicated to the preparation of the TREF meeting on 19 & 20 May 2009. The Committee took note, discussed and agreed on some clarifications on a number of documents and presentations that the Management planned to submit and/or present to TREF on the following subjects: • Personnel statistics 2008: J. Purvis presented the Personnel Statistics for 2008 prepared by HR Department. In line with the previous year, key messages were firstly, a general reduction in staff (2544 to 2400, - 6%), secondly, a reduction in administrative services personnel (from 422 to 387, - 8%) and thirdly, a marked increase in the number of Users and Unpaid Associates (from 8369 to 9140, + 9%) • Five-Yearly Review 2010: A series of draft documents were submitted for discussion, comprising an introductory document explaining the statutory basis for the following four document...

  9. Standing Concertation Committee

    CERN Document Server

    HR Department

    2010-01-01

    Main issues examined at the meeting of 2 October 2009 The October 2009 meeting of the Standing Concertation Committee was entirely devoted to preparation of TREF’s meeting on 21-22 October. The Committee took note of, discussed and agreed on clarifications needed to some of the documents and presentations that the Management intended to submit and/or present to TREF on the following subjects: Equal opportunities The Committee took note of a preliminary report on equal opportunities at CERN drawn up by D. Chromek-Burckhart, the Equal Opportunities Officer, and T. Smith, Chairman of the Equal Opportunities Advisory Panel, containing in particular a proposal for a new process for resolving harassment conflicts. Technical analysis of the CERN Health Insurance Scheme - Actuary’s Report The Committee took note of a presentation by P. Charpentier, Chairman of the CERN Health Insurance Supervisory Board (CHIS Board), on the 2009 actuarial report on the CERN Health Insurance Scheme (CHIS). Th...

  10. Standing Concertation Commmittee

    CERN Multimedia

    HR Department

    2007-01-01

    Ordinary meeting on 27 February 2007 The main items discussed at the meeting of the Standing Concertation Committee on 27 February 2007 included: Saved Leave Scheme (SLS): It was announced that a Management/Staff Association working group had been set up to discuss the Saved Leave Scheme (SLS): Members: M. Büttner, E. Chiaveri (chair), Ph. Defert, D. Klem, M. Vitasse, J.-M. Saint-Viteux. It was noted that the Staff Association was launching a questionnaire on SLS and distributed to all members of the personnel. Merit Recognition Guidelines : in the context of the new Merit Appraisal and Recognition Scheme (MARS), the committee took note of the CERN-wide 2007 Merit Recognition Guidelines, including the Frequently Asked Questions on HR Department's dedicated website. Information on CERN's medium and long-term plans (MTP-LTP)/Contract renewals/ External mobility The Committee took note of the information provided on CERN's MTP-LTP and of documentation distributed at the meeting by the Staff Associatio...

  11. Standing Concertation Committee

    CERN Document Server

    HR Department

    2007-01-01

    ORDINARY MEETING ON 27 FEBRUARY 2007 The main items discussed at the meeting of the Standing Concertation Committee on 27 February 2007 included: Saved Leave Scheme (SLS): It was announced that a Management/Staff Association working group had been set up to discuss the Saved Leave Scheme (SLS): Members : M. Büttner, E. Chiaveri (chair), Ph. Defert, D. Klem, M. Vitasse, J.-M. Saint-Viteux. It was noted that the Staff Association was launching a questionnaire on SLS and distributed to all members of the personnel. Merit Recognition Guidelines: In the context of the new Merit Appraisal and Recognition Scheme (MARS), the committee took note of the CERN-wide 2007 Merit Recognition Guidelines, including the Frequently Asked Questions on HR Department's dedicated website. Information on CERN's medium and long-term plans (MTP-LTP)/Contract renewals/ External mobility The Committee took note of the information provided on CERN's MTP-LTP and of documentation distributed at the meeting by the Staff ...

  12. Standing Concertation Commmittee

    CERN Document Server

    HR Department

    2007-01-01

    Ordinary meeting on 2 november 2007 Extraordinary meeting on 12 November 2007 The main items discussed at the meetings of the Standing Concertation Committee on 2 November 2007 and 12 November included: Restaurants Supervisory Committee Report The committee took note of the report by the chairman of the Restaurants Supervisory Committee (RSC), T. Lagrange. In particular, it was recorded that, in Restaurant No. 1, the new kitchen and free flow arrangements had been inaugurated and all works had been commissioned on schedule in October 2007.The contractor, Novae, had taken over maintenance of the new kitchen. Some price increases were to be expected in the coming months due mainly to strong increases in the cost of basic ingredients. A problem with bad smells in the area of Restaurant No. 1 was being taken care of by tuning the ventilation system. The RSC wished to thank the management and staff of Restaurant No. 2 for their cooperation while Restaurant No 1 was ...

  13. STANDING CONCERTATION COMMMITTEE

    CERN Multimedia

    HR Department

    2008-01-01

    ORDINARY MEETING ON 27 FEBRUARY 2008 The main items discussed at the meetings of the Standing Concertation Committee on 27 February 2008 included: Short-term Saved Leave Scheme The committee noted that, by the end of February 2008, some 600 staff had subscribed to the short-term saved leave scheme: approx 58% had subscribed 1 slice, 14% two slices, 5% three slices and 23% four slices. Administrative Circular No. 4 (Rev. 4) - Unemployment Insurance Scheme The committee agreed to recommend Administrative Circular No. 4 (Rev. 4) - Unemployment Insurance Scheme to the Director-General for approval. Administrative Circular No. 30 (Rev. 2) - Financial benefits upon taking up appointment and termination of contract The committee agreed to recommend Administrative Circular No. 30 (Rev. 2) - Financial Benefits upon taking up appointment and termination of contract to the Director-General for approval. Progressive Retirement Programme The Progressive Retirement Programme (PRP) was extended for a further year to 3...

  14. STANDING CONCERTATION COMMITTEE

    CERN Multimedia

    2003-01-01

    ORDINARY MEETING ON 29 SEPTEMBER 2003 Original: English This meeting was devoted to the main topics summarised below. 1 Follow-up from the meetings of TREF and the Finance Committee in September 2003 The last meeting of TREF had been devoted to presentations and clarifications on the 5-Yearly Review process. The content and planning of the 2005 Review are matters for the next Management, which will be presented to TREF next year. Underlining that due account has to be taken of the limited resources available to conduct such an exercise, the Staff Association stated that it looks forward to the concertation process at the SCC in preparing the next 5-Yearly Review to define an optimum set of topics in order to ensure that CERN can attract, retain and motivate the personnel that it needs to remain a centre of excellence. The Chairman of the SCC recalled that an information document on the Cost-Variation Index for 2004 had been transmitted to the Finance Committee last September and that complete information o...

  15. Standing concertation commmittee

    CERN Multimedia

    HR Department

    2009-01-01

    MEETINGS ON 2 AND 9 DECEMBER 2008 The main items discussed at the meetings of the Standing Concertation Committee on 2 and 9 December 2008 included: Medical Service Report 2007 The Committee took note of the report by Dr. E. Reymond (see http://sc-me.web.cern.ch/sc-me/fr/indexFR.htm) and of a number of points raised during the discussion. It was noted that the number of professional accidents declined in 2007 (361 accidents) in comparison with 2006 (483), as well as their gravity and frequency. The CERN Medical Service carried out a study on cancer prevalence (number of cases) and incidence (new cases per year per 100000 people), between 1993 and 2007, which identified some prostate, breast and colorectal cancers, though less than in the two Host States. Specific preventive actions will be promoted by the CERN CHISboard and the Medical Service in this context as well as in other areas. The committee expressed its thanks to all members of the Medical Service for their work i...

  16. Parenting Priorities and Pressures: Furthering Understanding of "Concerted Cultivation"

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vincent, Carol; Maxwell, Claire

    2016-01-01

    This paper re-examines the purposes of a planned and intentional parenting style--"concerted cultivation"--for different middle-class groups, highlighting that social class fraction, ethnicity, and also individual family disposition, guides understandings of the purposes of enrolling children in particular enrichment activities. We…

  17. CONCERT-'European Joint Programme for the Integration at Radiation Protection Research'; CONCERT-''European Joint Programme for the Integration at Radiation Protection Research''

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Birschwilks, Mandy; Schmitt-Hannig, Annemarie [Bundesamt fuer Strahlenschutz, Oberschleissheim (Germany). Internationale und Nationale Zusammenarbeit im Strahlenschutz; Jung, Thomas [Bundesamt fuer Strahlenschutz, Oberschleissheim (Germany). Strahlenschutz und Gesundheit

    2016-08-01

    In 2009 the High Level Expert Group (HLEG) on low dose research recommended the development of a scientific platform for low dose radiation research. The foundation of MELODI (Multidisciplinary European Low Dose Initiative) occurred in 2010. In 2015 a new project on radiation protection research was established: CONCERT (European Joint Programme for the Integration at Radiation Protection Research). The aim is the coordination of the already existing scientific platforms MELODI (radiation effects and interactions), ALLIANCE (radioecology), NERIS (nuclear and radiological emergency protection) and EURADOS (radiation dosimetry). With CONCERT an efficient use of this infrastructure for research cooperation and transparency is intended.

  18. Standing Concertation Committee: Ordinary Meeting on 1 September 2004

    CERN Document Server

    2004-01-01

    Original: English This meeting was devoted to the main topics summarised below. Preparation for the 5-Yearly Review 2005 The Committee took note that preparatory work had started over the summer months on various topics for the 5-Yearly Review, in line with the internal planning presented to the SCC last June. Concertation process and working procedures Referring to its recent publications, the Staff Association raised this subject in connection with the organization and procedures of the HR study teams and CFO discussion group working on the various topics which are to be covered in the 5-Yearly Review. After some debate, both the Management and the Staff Association underlined the importance that they attach to an efficient concertation process. Both parties agreed to continue the discussion after the meeting. Data collection questionnaire The SCC discussed the content of the questionnaire for the data collection enquiry to be launched this autumn. Subject to some further clarifications and improv...

  19. STANDING CONCERTATION COMMITTEE: ORDINARY MEETING ON 5 FEBRUARY 2004

    CERN Multimedia

    2004-01-01

    Original : English This meeting was devoted to the main topics summarised below. 1-The internal concertation process Responding to various questions in this connection raised by the Staff Association, the Chairman stated that the Management wishes to diminish in no way the role of the SCC in the internal concertation process, as set out in chapter VII of the Staff Rules and Regulations. On the contrary, he underlined the importance of ensuring this process to debate strategic issues concerning employment conditions, prior to decisions taken by the Director-General. On a point of clarification, he confirmed that, as discussed at the January meeting of the Executive Board, the Management wishes to abolish the Long-Term Contract Board and the Senior Staff Advancement Committee; the SCC took note of this intention. Simplified procedures without the Committees would be presented as soon as possible to the SCC, together with amendments to the relevant Administrative Circulars. 2-MAPS The Committee discussed th...

  20. Neutral and Non-Neutral Evolution of Duplicated Genes with Gene Conversion

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jeffrey A. Fawcett

    2011-02-01

    Full Text Available Gene conversion is one of the major mutational mechanisms involved in the DNA sequence evolution of duplicated genes. It contributes to create unique patters of DNA polymorphism within species and divergence between species. A typical pattern is so-called concerted evolution, in which the divergence between duplicates is maintained low for a long time because of frequent exchanges of DNA fragments. In addition, gene conversion affects the DNA evolution of duplicates in various ways especially when selection operates. Here, we review theoretical models to understand the evolution of duplicates in both neutral and non-neutral cases. We also explain how these theories contribute to interpreting real polymorphism and divergence data by using some intriguing examples.

  1. Exposure and materiality of the secondary room and its impact on the impulse response of coupled-volume concert halls

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ermann, Michael; Johnson, Marty

    2005-06-01

    How does sound decay when one room is partially exposed to another (acoustically coupled)? More specifically, this research aims to quantify how operational and design decisions impact sound fields in the design of concert halls with acoustical coupling. By adding a second room to a concert hall, and designing doors to control the sonic transparency between the two rooms, designers can create a new, coupled acoustic. Concert halls use coupling to achieve a variable, longer, and distinct reverberant quality for their musicians and listeners. For this study a coupled-volume shoebox concert hall is conceived with a fixed geometric volume, form, and primary-room sound absorption. Aperture size and secondary-room sound absorption levels are established as variables. Statistical analysis of sound decay in this simulated hall suggests a highly sensitive relationship between the double-sloped condition and (1) architectural composition, as defined by the aperture size exposing the chamber and (2) materiality, as defined by the sound absorptance in the coupled volume. The theoretical, mathematical predictions are compared with coupled-volume concert hall field measurements and guidelines are suggested for future designs of coupled-volume concert halls.

  2. Choeur du CERN : Concert

    CERN Multimedia

    CERN Choir

    2017-01-01

    Une œuvre à découvrir! La grande Missa pro defunctis de François-Joseph Gossec (1734-1829) est le chef-d’œuvre tôt venu (à vingt-cinq ans) d’un compositeur qui vivra encore 70 ans après sa création. Elle a connu la gloire, puis s’est fait un peu oublier. Pas du tout le monde cependant : des musicologues ont montré ce que le Requiem de Mozart lui devait ; et il suffit de l’avoir entendue pour comprendre pourquoi Berlioz (qui avait vingt-six ans à la mort de Gossec) en a été impressionné : les nombreux cuivres et bois répartis dans des endroits plus ou moins cachés de la salle de concert pour exprimer les frayeurs du Jugement dernier annoncent son Requiem – et celui de Verdi. Mais « plus encore que par...

  3. THE ORIGIN OF CONCERT MUSIC IN NIGERIA, 1850 - 1920 ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Mitch

    Studies on the origins of concert music in Nigeria often dwell on aspects of the ... chronicle its development from its earliest beginnings to the present. ... their children, trying to live as much as possible like Victoria gentlemen.' (Ajayi .... entertainment began in 1822 the movement for a public hall that bore fruit in the building.

  4. Evidence of birth-and-death evolution of 5S rRNA gene in Channa species (Teleostei, Perciformes).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barman, Anindya Sundar; Singh, Mamta; Singh, Rajeev Kumar; Lal, Kuldeep Kumar

    2016-12-01

    In higher eukaryotes, minor rDNA family codes for 5S rRNA that is arranged in tandem arrays and comprises of a highly conserved 120 bp long coding sequence with a variable non-transcribed spacer (NTS). Initially the 5S rDNA repeats are considered to be evolved by the process of concerted evolution. But some recent reports, including teleost fishes suggested that evolution of 5S rDNA repeat does not fit into the concerted evolution model and evolution of 5S rDNA family may be explained by a birth-and-death evolution model. In order to study the mode of evolution of 5S rDNA repeats in Perciformes fish species, nucleotide sequence and molecular organization of five species of genus Channa were analyzed in the present study. Molecular analyses revealed several variants of 5S rDNA repeats (four types of NTS) and networks created by a neighbor net algorithm for each type of sequences (I, II, III and IV) did not show a clear clustering in species specific manner. The stable secondary structure is predicted and upstream and downstream conserved regulatory elements were characterized. Sequence analyses also shown the presence of two putative pseudogenes in Channa marulius. Present study supported that 5S rDNA repeats in genus Channa were evolved under the process of birth-and-death.

  5. Interactive painting. An evolving study to facilitate reduced exclusion from classical music concerts for the deaf community

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Brooks, Tony

    2005-01-01

    Exclusion from the joy of experiencing music, especially in concert venues, is especially applicable to those with an auditory impairment. There have been limited investigations into how to reduce the exclusion for this community in attending classical orchestra music concerts. Through utilizing ...

  6. The impact of local government cultural policies on the sales of tickets for private music concerts in Japan

    OpenAIRE

    谷口, みゆき

    2014-01-01

    This paper attempts to examine the effect of public cultural policy on the sales of tickets for private music concerts in Japan. In particular, it focuses on how the introduction of the Designated Manager System (DMS) in 2006 influenced the sales of tickets for private music concerts. The hypothesis that both local governments' cultural investments and the DMS have increased the sales of tickets for private music concerts is examined. Data from the Private Music Live Entertainment 2000-2008 i...

  7. Duplication and concerted evolution of MiSp-encoding genes underlie the material properties of minor ampullate silks of cobweb weaving spiders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vienneau-Hathaway, Jannelle M; Brassfield, Elizabeth R; Lane, Amanda Kelly; Collin, Matthew A; Correa-Garhwal, Sandra M; Clarke, Thomas H; Schwager, Evelyn E; Garb, Jessica E; Hayashi, Cheryl Y; Ayoub, Nadia A

    2017-03-14

    Orb-web weaving spiders and their relatives use multiple types of task-specific silks. The majority of spider silk studies have focused on the ultra-tough dragline silk synthesized in major ampullate glands, but other silk types have impressive material properties. For instance, minor ampullate silks of orb-web weaving spiders are as tough as draglines, due to their higher extensibility despite lower strength. Differences in material properties between silk types result from differences in their component proteins, particularly members of the spidroin (spider fibroin) gene family. However, the extent to which variation in material properties within a single silk type can be explained by variation in spidroin sequences is unknown. Here, we compare the minor ampullate spidroins (MiSp) of orb-weavers and cobweb weavers. Orb-web weavers use minor ampullate silk to form the auxiliary spiral of the orb-web while cobweb weavers use it to wrap prey, suggesting that selection pressures on minor ampullate spidroins (MiSp) may differ between the two groups. We report complete or nearly complete MiSp sequences from five cobweb weaving spider species and measure material properties of minor ampullate silks in a subset of these species. We also compare MiSp sequences and silk properties of our cobweb weavers to published data for orb-web weavers. We demonstrate that all our cobweb weavers possess multiple MiSp loci and that one locus is more highly expressed in at least two species. We also find that the proportion of β-spiral-forming amino acid motifs in MiSp positively correlates with minor ampullate silk extensibility across orb-web and cobweb weavers. MiSp sequences vary dramatically within and among spider species, and have likely been subject to multiple rounds of gene duplication and concerted evolution, which have contributed to the diverse material properties of minor ampullate silks. Our sequences also provide templates for recombinant silk proteins with tailored

  8. An Interactive Concert Program Based on Infrared Watermark and Audio Synthesis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Hsi-Chun; Lee, Wen-Pin Hope; Liang, Feng-Ju

    The objective of this research is to propose a video/audio system which allows the user to listen the typical music notes in the concert program under infrared detection. The system synthesizes audio with different pitches and tempi in accordance with the encoded data in a 2-D barcode embedded in the infrared watermark. The digital halftoning technique has been used to fabricate the infrared watermark composed of halftone dots by both amplitude modulation (AM) and frequency modulation (FM). The results show that this interactive system successfully recognizes the barcode and synthesizes audio under infrared detection of a concert program which is also valid for human observation of the contents. This interactive video/audio system has greatly expanded the capability of the printout paper to audio display and also has many potential value-added applications.

  9. Electronic Performance Monitoring: An Organizational Justice and Concertive Control Perspective.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alder, G. Stoney; Tompkins, Phillip K.

    1997-01-01

    Applies theories of organizational justice/concertive control to account for contradictions inherent in electronic monitoring of workers by organizations. Argues that results are usually positive when workers are involved in the design and implementation of monitoring systems, and monitoring is restricted to performance-related activities with…

  10. CONCERT. ''European joint programme for the integration of radiation protection research''; CONCERT. Gemeinsame Europaeische Forschungsfoerderung

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Schmitt-Hannig, A.; Birschwilks, M.; Jung, T. [Bundesamt fuer Strahlenschutz (Germany)

    2016-07-01

    CONCERT is a joint project of the EU and its member states which assume joint financing: Over the next five years the largest European radiation protection programme so far will have available about 28 Million Euros for research and integrative measures, whereby the European Commission will bear 70 per cent of the costs. Integrative measures include, among others, targeted vocational education and training of junior researchers in radiation protection, better access to research and irradiation facilities for scientists, as well as a stronger connection of universities and research centres in radiation protection research.

  11. Information concerning the results of the concerted work stoppage on 22 June 2011 (from 8-30 to 12-30)

    CERN Multimedia

    Human Resources Department

    2011-01-01

     Following the concerted work stoppage called by the Staff Association for 22 June 2011 concerning the measures aimed at restoring the financial equilibrium of the Pension Fund, HR Department invited staff members and fellows to declare whether or not they had participated in this action. As indicated in the communication sent to the persons concerned, it was assumed that those who did not complete the electronic declaration form did not take part in the work stoppage. The results are as follows:     Staff and fellows Declarations: Yes (took part in the concerted work stoppage) 373 Declarations: No (did not take part in the concerted work stoppage) 386 Those requisitioned 120 Those not able to participate in the concerted work stoppage (leave, absence, training…) ...

  12. Tightening the Iron Cage: Concertive Control in Self-Managing Teams.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barker, James R.

    1993-01-01

    Describes how an (industrial) organization's control system evolved in response to a managerial change from hierarchical, bureaucratic control to concertive control via self-management teams. The organization's members developed a system of value-based normative rules that controlled their actions more powerfully and completely than did the former…

  13. The European concerted action on air pollution epidemiology

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ackermann-Liebrich, U. [Basel Univ. (Switzerland). Inst. for Social and Preventive Medicine

    1995-12-31

    The European Concerted Action on Air Pollution Epidemiology was started in 1990 with the aim of bringing together European researchers in the field and improving research through collaboration and by preparing documents which would help to this end and by organizing workshops. A further aim was to stimulate cooperative research. Air pollution epidemiology investigates human effects of community air pollution by epidemiological methods. Epidemiology in general investigates the distribution and determinants of health-related states and events in populations. Diseases in which air pollution may play a significant role are mainly diseases of the respiratory system, for example chronic non-specific lung disease and lung cancer. Most diseases caused by air pollution can also be caused by other factors. Air pollution epidemiology is therefore specific in the expo variable (community air pollution) rather than in the type of health effects being studied. Air pollution epidemiology is beset with some specially challenging difficulties: ubiquitous exposure and as a consequence limited heterogeneity in exposure, low relative risks, few or specific health end points, and strong confounding. Further on the exposure-effect relationship is complicated by assumptions inherent to different study designs which relate to the exposure duration necessary to produce a certain health effect. In reports and workshops the concerted action tries to propose strategies to deal with these problems. (author)

  14. The European concerted action on air pollution epidemiology

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ackermann-Liebrich, U [Basel Univ. (Switzerland). Inst. for Social and Preventive Medicine

    1996-12-31

    The European Concerted Action on Air Pollution Epidemiology was started in 1990 with the aim of bringing together European researchers in the field and improving research through collaboration and by preparing documents which would help to this end and by organizing workshops. A further aim was to stimulate cooperative research. Air pollution epidemiology investigates human effects of community air pollution by epidemiological methods. Epidemiology in general investigates the distribution and determinants of health-related states and events in populations. Diseases in which air pollution may play a significant role are mainly diseases of the respiratory system, for example chronic non-specific lung disease and lung cancer. Most diseases caused by air pollution can also be caused by other factors. Air pollution epidemiology is therefore specific in the expo variable (community air pollution) rather than in the type of health effects being studied. Air pollution epidemiology is beset with some specially challenging difficulties: ubiquitous exposure and as a consequence limited heterogeneity in exposure, low relative risks, few or specific health end points, and strong confounding. Further on the exposure-effect relationship is complicated by assumptions inherent to different study designs which relate to the exposure duration necessary to produce a certain health effect. In reports and workshops the concerted action tries to propose strategies to deal with these problems. (author)

  15. Concerted Cultivation and Music Learning: Global Issues and Local Variations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ilari, Beatriz

    2013-01-01

    "Concerted cultivation" has been described as a common, urban middle-class practice concerning the enrollment of children in a variety of age-specific activities that may promote the learning of valuable life skills as well as the development of individual abilities (Lareau, 2003). Music is one such activity. This study investigated the…

  16. Family Music Concerts: Bringing Families, Music Students, and Music Together

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kenney, Susan Hobson

    2014-01-01

    This article describes how conductors of the top performing groups and music education faculty at one university collaborated to create a Family Concert Series for parents and children of all ages, including infants in arms. Recognizing the conflict between "The first three years of life are the most important for educating a young child in…

  17. Statistics regarding the concerted work stoppage of 28 April 2006

    CERN Multimedia

    HR Department

    2006-01-01

    Following the concerted work stoppage of Friday, 28 April, HR Department sent out a questionnaire to all staff members in order to determine the number of those who participated. Questionnaires sent out : 2665 Staff members asked not to return the questionnaire: (on official duty/special leave/sick leave/annual leave) -1006 of which, those who took one day only of annual leave linked to the weekend of 1st May [430] Staff members called upon to perform their duties: -217 Total number of forms expected to be returned 1442 It was presumed that all those who had not returned their forms had not taken part in the work stoppage. After a count and verification of the questionnaires (returned up to 11 May) together with a representative of the Staff Association, the results are the following: Those who specifically indicated that they took part in the concerted work stoppage: 166 11.5% YES Non-participation 1276 88.5% NO of which, those who wanted to indicate that they did not ta...

  18. The Concert system - Compiler and runtime technology for efficient concurrent object-oriented programming

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chien, Andrew A.; Karamcheti, Vijay; Plevyak, John; Sahrawat, Deepak

    1993-01-01

    Concurrent object-oriented languages, particularly fine-grained approaches, reduce the difficulty of large scale concurrent programming by providing modularity through encapsulation while exposing large degrees of concurrency. Despite these programmability advantages, such languages have historically suffered from poor efficiency. This paper describes the Concert project whose goal is to develop portable, efficient implementations of fine-grained concurrent object-oriented languages. Our approach incorporates aggressive program analysis and program transformation with careful information management at every stage from the compiler to the runtime system. The paper discusses the basic elements of the Concert approach along with a description of the potential payoffs. Initial performance results and specific plans for system development are also detailed.

  19. An adaptive, data driven sound field control strategy for outdoor concerts

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Heuchel, Franz Maria; Caviedes Nozal, Diego; Brunskog, Jonas

    2017-01-01

    One challenge of outdoor concerts is to ensure adequate levels for the audience while avoiding disturbance of the surroundings. We outline the initial concept of a sound field control (SFC) system for tackling this issue using sound-zoning. The system uses Bayesian inference to update a sound...

  20. Measured Early Lateral Energy Fractions in Concert Halls and Opera Houses

    Science.gov (United States)

    BARRON, M.

    2000-04-01

    In the 30 years since early lateral reflections were first suggested as important for concert halls, spatial impression and source broadening have become almost universally accepted as essential characteristics of halls with good acoustics. Two objective measures of source broadening have been proposed. Measured values of the best defined of these measures, the early lateral energy fraction (LF), are considered here. Results from two independent measurement surveys are discussed. Comparisons of LF values by hall show a significant link between hall mean LF and hall width. There is however considerable overlap between measured LF values in different halls so the relevance of describing halls by their mean early lateral energy fraction values is questionable. The behaviour of LF values within auditoria is discussed for different concert hall plan forms and within opera houses. A measure of source broadening including sound level is proposed and results considered in the context of auditorium design.

  1. Not your grandfather's concert hall

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cooper, Russell; Malenka, Richard; Griffith, Charles; Friedlander, Steven

    2004-05-01

    The opening of Judy and Arthur Zankel Hall on 12 September 2003, restores Andrew Carnegie's original 1891 concept of having three outstanding auditoriums of different sizes under one roof, and creates a 21st-century venue for music performance and education. With concerts ranging from early music to avant-garde multimedia productions, from jazz to world music, and from solo recitals to chamber music, Zankel Hall expands the breadth and depth of Carnegie Hall's offerings. It allows for the integration of programming across three halls with minifestivals tailored both to the size and strengths of each hall and to the artists and music to be performed. The new flexible space also provides Carnegie Hall with an education center equipped with advanced communications technology. This paper discusses the unique program planned for this facility and how the architects, theatre consultants, and acousticians developed a design that fulfilled the client's expectations and coordinated the construction of the facility under the floor of the main Isaac Stern Auditorium without having to cancel a single performance.

  2. Living Room vs. Concert Hall: Patterns of Music Consumption in Flanders

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roose, Henk; Stichele, Alexander Vander

    2010-01-01

    In this article we probe the interplay between public and private music consumption using a large-scale survey of the Flemish population in Belgium. We analyze whether public and private music consumption have different correlates and to what extent there is convergence between the genres that people listen to at home and at concerts. Results show…

  3. Concert | The CERN Choir hits the high notes | Victoria Hall | 30 September

    CERN Multimedia

    2014-01-01

    60 – 40 – 25: a series of numbers that have inspired an exceptional concert. They refer to the 60th anniversary of CERN, the 40th anniversary of the CERN Choir and the 25th anniversary of its direction by Gonzalo Martinez. On the occasion of this collision of anniversaries, the Committee of this CERN club decided to organise an appropriately significant event to celebrate the important worldwide role that CERN has played for 60 years, the fact that the CERN Choir has brought together amateur singers for 40 years, and finally the decisive role in the Choir’s history of its director, Gonzalo Martinez.   The work chosen for this concert also had to be something exceptional. A work which, through its monumental status, its brilliance, its innovation, its originality and its energy, symbolises CERN’s scientific discoveries, reflects the genius of its creator and represents the highest creative ambitions: Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis.  Perfor...

  4. Concert | The CERN Choir hits the high notes | Victoria Hall | 30 September

    CERN Document Server

    2014-01-01

    60 – 40 – 25: a series of numbers that have inspired an exceptional concert. They refer to the 60th anniversary of CERN, the 40th anniversary of the CERN Choir and the 25th anniversary of its direction by Gonzalo Martinez. On the occasion of this collision of anniversaries, the Committee of this CERN club decided to organise an appropriately significant event to celebrate the important worldwide role that CERN has played for 60 years, the fact that the CERN Choir has brought together amateur singers for 40 years, and finally the decisive role in the Choir’s history of its director, Gonzalo Martinez.   The work chosen for this concert also had to be something exceptional. A work which, through its monumental status, its brilliance, its innovation, its originality and its energy, symbolises CERN’s scientific discoveries, reflects the genius of its creator and represents the highest creative ambitions: Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis.  Perfo...

  5. The American Board of Emergency Medicine ConCert Examination: Emergency Physicians' Perceptions of Learning and Career Benefits.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marco, Catherine A; Wahl, Robert P; Counselman, Francis L; Heller, Barry N; Harvey, Anne L; Joldersma, Kevin B; Kowalenko, Terry; Coombs, Andrea B; Reisdorff, Earl J

    2016-09-01

    As part of the American Board of Emergency Medicine (ABEM) Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program, ABEM-certified physicians are required to pass the Continuous Certification (ConCert) examination at least every 10 years. With the 2015 ConCert examination, ABEM sought to better understand emergency physicians' perceptions of the benefits of preparing for and taking the examination and the career benefits of staying ABEM-certified. This was a prospective survey study. A voluntary postexamination survey was administered at the end of the 2015 ABEM ConCert examination (September 21-26, 2015). Physicians were asked about the benefits of preparing for the examination and maintaining ABEM certification. Examination performance was compared to perceptions of learning and career benefits. Of the 2,601 on-time test takers, 2,511 respondents participated (96.5% participation rate). The majority of participants (92.0%) identified a benefit to preparing for the ConCert examination, which included reinforced medical knowledge (73.9%), increased knowledge (66.8%), and making them a better clinician (39.4%). The majority of respondents (90.8%) identified a career benefit of maintaining ABEM certification, which included more employment options (73.8%), more positively viewed by other physicians (56.8%), and better financial outcomes (29.8%). There was a statistically significant association between the perception of knowledge reinforcement and examination performance (p Medicine.

  6. Concerted and nonconcerted evolution of the Hsp70 gene superfamily in two sibling species of nematodes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nikolaidis, Nikolas; Nei, Masatoshi

    2004-03-01

    We have identified the Hsp70 gene superfamily of the nematode Caenorhabditis briggsae and investigated the evolution of these genes in comparison with Hsp70 genes from C. elegans, Drosophila, and yeast. The Hsp70 genes are classified into three monophyletic groups according to their subcellular localization, namely, cytoplasm (CYT), endoplasmic reticulum (ER), and mitochondria (MT). The Hsp110 genes can be classified into the polyphyletic CYT group and the monophyletic ER group. The different Hsp70 and Hsp110 groups appeared to evolve following the model of divergent evolution. This model can also explain the evolution of the ER and MT genes. On the other hand, the CYT genes are divided into heat-inducible and constitutively expressed genes. The constitutively expressed genes have evolved more or less following the birth-and-death process, and the rates of gene birth and gene death are different between the two nematode species. By contrast, some heat-inducible genes show an intraspecies phylogenetic clustering. This suggests that they are subject to sequence homogenization resulting from gene conversion-like events. In addition, the heat-inducible genes show high levels of sequence conservation in both intra-species and inter-species comparisons, and in most cases, amino acid sequence similarity is higher than nucleotide sequence similarity. This indicates that purifying selection also plays an important role in maintaining high sequence similarity among paralogous Hsp70 genes. Therefore, we suggest that the CYT heat-inducible genes have been subjected to a combination of purifying selection, birth-and-death process, and gene conversion-like events.

  7. Statistical relations among architectural features and objective acoustical measurements of concert halls

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Gade, Anders Christian; Siebein, G. W.; Chiang, W.

    1993-01-01

    as for entire rooms. Measurements data from all three teams were used in the models to assess the sensitivity of the models to expect variations in measurements. The results were compared to the previous work of Barron, Gade, and Hook among others. [Work supported by the National Science Foundation and Concert...

  8. The virtual reconstruction of the ancient Roman concert hall in Aphrodisias, Turkey

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rindel, Jens Holger; Gade, Anders Christian; Nielsen, Martin Lisa

    2006-01-01

    About two thousand years ago one of the world’s earliest and most beautiful concert halls were built in the city Aphrodisias, named after the goddess Aphrodite. It was a rich society, renowned for its marble and mastery in sculptures. Like many other cities in the Roman Empire there was an open...

  9. Density functional theory study of the concerted pyrolysis mechanism for lignin models

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thomas Elder; Ariana Beste

    2014-01-01

    ABSTRACT: Studies on the pyrolysis mechanisms of lignin model compounds have largely focused on initial homolytic cleavage reactions. It has been noted, however, that concerted mechanisms may also account for observed product formation. In the current work, the latter processes are examined and compared to the former, by the application of density functional theory...

  10. Design of concert hall in uremia based on notification to hidden role ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The growth of sound in a concert hall is reviewed with emphasis on hearing the direct sound clearly. Architecture in its daily means provides renewed space and is replaced within a larger space and people are moving in it and in it's around. Music is purely mechanical conception, organized and deliberate scattering of ...

  11. A new concert hall for the city of Eindhoven : design and model tests

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Braat-Eggen, P.E.; van Luxemburg, Renz; Booy, L.G.; de Lange, P.A.

    1993-01-01

    A music centre containing a large (1300 seats) and a small (400 seats) concert hall has been built in the city of Eindhoven. The music centre is integrated into a larger building complex, called the ‘Heuvel-Galerie’, with shopping area (malls), recreational facilities, parking, offices and

  12. Brain structure evolution in a basal vertebrate clade: evidence from phylogenetic comparative analysis of cichlid fishes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kolm Niclas

    2009-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The vertebrate brain is composed of several interconnected, functionally distinct structures and much debate has surrounded the basic question of how these structures evolve. On the one hand, according to the 'mosaic evolution hypothesis', because of the elevated metabolic cost of brain tissue, selection is expected to target specific structures mediating the cognitive abilities which are being favored. On the other hand, the 'concerted evolution hypothesis' argues that developmental constraints limit such mosaic evolution and instead the size of the entire brain varies in response to selection on any of its constituent parts. To date, analyses of these hypotheses of brain evolution have been limited to mammals and birds; excluding Actinopterygii, the basal and most diverse class of vertebrates. Using a combination of recently developed phylogenetic multivariate allometry analyses and comparative methods that can identify distinct rates of evolution, even in highly correlated traits, we studied brain structure evolution in a highly variable clade of ray-finned fishes; the Tanganyikan cichlids. Results Total brain size explained 86% of the variance in brain structure volume in cichlids, a lower proportion than what has previously been reported for mammals. Brain structures showed variation in pair-wise allometry suggesting some degree of independence in evolutionary changes in size. This result is supported by variation among structures on the strength of their loadings on the principal size axis of the allometric analysis. The rate of evolution analyses generally supported the results of the multivariate allometry analyses, showing variation among several structures in their evolutionary patterns. The olfactory bulbs and hypothalamus were found to evolve faster than other structures while the dorsal medulla presented the slowest evolutionary rate. Conclusion Our results favor a mosaic model of brain evolution, as certain

  13. A tablet app to enrich the live and post-live experience of classical concerts

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Melenhorst, M.S.; Van der Sterren, R.; Arzt, A.; Martorell, A.; Liem, C.C.S.

    2015-01-01

    This demonstration paper describes a tablet application that is developed to make classical concerts more accessible and more enjoyable for a broader audience. The app offers interactive visualizations of a symphony’s instrumentation and its score. It also offers timed background information about

  14. Mutational analyses of the core domain of Avian Leukemia and Sarcoma Viruses integrase: critical residues for concerted integration and multimerization

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Moreau, Karen; Faure, Claudine; Violot, Sebastien; Gouet, Patrice; Verdier, Gerard; Ronfort, Corinne

    2004-01-01

    During replicative cycle of retroviruses, the reverse-transcribed viral DNA is integrated into the cell DNA by the viral integrase (IN) enzyme. The central core domain of IN contains the catalytic site of the enzyme and is involved in binding viral ends and cell DNA as well as dimerization. We previously performed single amino acid substitutions in the core domain of an Avian Leukemia and Sarcoma Virus (ALSV) IN [Arch. Virol. 147 (2002) 1761]. Here, we modeled the resulting IN mutants and analyzed the ability of these mutants to mediate concerted DNA integration in an in vitro assay, and to form dimers by protein-protein cross-linking and size exclusion chromatography. The N197C mutation resulted in the inability of the mutant to perform concerted integration that was concomitant with a loss of IN dimerization. Surprisingly, mutations Q102G and A106V at the dimer interface resulted in mutants with higher efficiencies than the wild-type IN in performing two-ended concerted integration of viral DNA ends. The G139D and A195V mutants had a trend to perform one-ended DNA integration of viral ends instead of two-ended integration. More drastically, the I88L and L135G mutants preferentially mediated nonconcerted DNA integration although the proteins form dimers. Therefore, these mutations may alter the formation of IN complexes of higher molecular size than a dimer that would be required for concerted integration. This study points to the important role of core domain residues in the concerted integration of viral DNA ends as well as in the oligomerization of the enzyme

  15. Les concerts européens à la radio dans l'entre-deux-guerres : mise en ondes d'une métaphore diplomatique

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Laborie, L.; Lommers, S.B.

    2008-01-01

    L’expression « concert européen » s’applique à la fois aux relations diplomatiques tissées entre les Etats au xixe siècle et à la diffusion d’émissions musicales à l’échelle continentale entre 1929 et 1939. Au-delà des prouesses techniques, l’ambition culturelle et pacifiste de ces concerts

  16. Ethanol dehydration in HZSM-5 studied by density functional theory: evidence for a concerted process.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Seonah; Robichaud, David J; Beckham, Gregg T; Paton, Robert S; Nimlos, Mark R

    2015-04-16

    Dehydration over acidic zeolites is an important reaction class for the upgrading of biomass pyrolysis vapors to hydrocarbon fuels or to precursors for myriad chemical products. Here, we examine the dehydration of ethanol at a Brønsted acid site, T12, found in HZSM-5 using density functional theory (DFT). The geometries of both cluster and mixed quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM:MM) models are prepared from the ZSM-5 crystal structure. Comparisons between these models and different DFT methods are conducted to show similar results among the models and methods used. Inclusion of the full catalyst cavity through a QM:MM approach is found to be important, since activation barriers are computed on average as 7 kcal mol(-1) lower than those obtained with a smaller cluster model. Two different pathways, concerted and stepwise, have been considered when examining dehydration and deprotonation steps. The current study shows that a concerted dehydration process is possible with a lower (4-5 kcal mol(-1)) activation barrier while previous literature studies have focused on a stepwise mechanism. Overall, this work demonstrates that fairly high activation energies (∼50 kcal mol(-1)) are required for ethanol dehydration. A concerted mechanism is favored over a stepwise mechanism because charge separation in the transition state is minimized. QM:MM approaches appear to provide superior results to cluster calculations due to a more accurate representation of charges on framework oxygen atoms.

  17. Correlated evolution of body and fin morphology in the cichlid fishes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Feilich, Kara L

    2016-10-01

    Body and fin shapes are chief determinants of swimming performance in fishes. Different configurations of body and fin shapes can suit different locomotor specializations. The success of any configuration is dependent upon the hydrodynamic interactions between body and fins. Despite the importance of body-fin interactions for swimming, there are few data indicating whether body and fin configurations evolve in concert, or whether these structures vary independently. The cichlid fishes are a diverse family whose well-studied phylogenetic relationships make them ideal for the study of macroevolution of ecomorphology. This study measured body, and caudal and median fin morphology from radiographs of 131 cichlid genera, using morphometrics and phylogenetic comparative methods to determine whether these traits exhibit correlated evolution. Partial least squares canonical analysis revealed that body, caudal fin, dorsal fin, and anal fin shapes all exhibited strong correlated evolution consistent with locomotor ecomorphology. Major patterns included the evolution of deep body profiles with long fins, suggestive of maneuvering specialization; and the evolution of narrow, elongate caudal peduncles with concave tails, a combination that characterizes economical cruisers. These results demonstrate that body shape evolution does not occur independently of other traits, but among a suite of other morphological changes that augment locomotor specialization. © 2016 The Author(s). Evolution © 2016 The Society for the Study of Evolution.

  18. The Flux Database Concerted Action (invited paper)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mitchell, N.G.; Donnelly, C.E.

    2000-01-01

    The background to the IUR action on the development of a flux database for radionuclide transfer in soil-plant systems is summarised. The action is discussed in terms of the objectives, the deliverables and the progress achieved by the flux database working group. The paper describes the background to the current initiative, outlines specific features of the database and supporting documentation, and presents findings from the working group's activities. The aim of the IUR flux database working group is to bring together researchers to collate data from current experimental studies investigating aspects of radionuclide transfer in soil-plant systems. The database will incorporate parameters describing the time-dependent transfer of radionuclides between soil, plant and animal compartments. Work under the EC Concerted Action considers soil-plant interactions. This initiative has become known as the radionuclide flux database. It is emphasised that the word flux is used in this case simply to indicate the flow of radionuclides between compartments in time. (author)

  19. Pilot study: Exposure and materiality of the secondary room and its impact in the impulse response of coupled-volume concert halls

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ermann, Michael; Johnson, Marty E.

    2002-05-01

    What does one room sound like when it is partially exposed to another (acoustically coupled)? More specifically, this research aims to quantify how operational and design decisions impact aural impressions in the design of concert halls with acoustical coupling. By adding a second room to a concert hall, and designing doors to control the sonic transparency between the two rooms, designers can create a new, coupled acoustic. Concert halls use coupling to achieve a variable, longer, and distinct reverberant quality for their musicians and listeners. For this study, a coupled-volume shoebox concert hall was conceived with a fixed geometric volume, form, and primary-room sound absorption. Aperture size and secondary-room sound-absorption levels were established as variables. Statistical analysis of sound decay in this simulated hall suggests a highly sensitive relationship between the double-sloped condition and (1) Architectural composition, as defined by the aperture size exposing the chamber and (2) Materiality, as defined by the sound absorbance in the coupled volume. Preliminary calculations indicate that the double-sloped sound decay condition only appears when the total aperture area is less than 1.5% of the total shoebox surface area and the average absorption coefficient of the coupled volume is less than 0.07.

  20. Concerted diurnal patterns in riverine nutrient concentrations and physical conditions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Scholefield, David; Le Goff, Thierry; Braven, Jim; Ebdon, Les; Long, Terry; Butler, Mark

    2005-01-01

    Several long-term sets of hourly nitrate concentration data were obtained through deployment of a nitrate sensor in an upper reach of the River Taw, a small moorland-fed river in the South West of the UK. Examination of the data obtained during periods of low flow and the absence of rainfall in the catchment revealed the presence of marked diurnal cycles, which were in concert and negatively correlated with diurnal cycles in water temperature. After verifying that these cycles were natural, an intensive 90-h field monitoring campaign was conducted, in which river water was sampled hourly and immediately analysed in the laboratory for molybdate-reactive phosphorus (P), nitrate, nitrite, ammonium, and pH. Coincident measurements of water temperature, river discharge and solar energy were also taken at, or close to, the site. All measurements revealed diurnal patterns and all patterns were concerted. The cycles of P, nitrate, nitrite, and discharge had two maxima and minima per 24 h, while the cycle of water temperature had one, with a maximum at 20.00 and a minimum at 08.00. The amplitudes of the cycles of P and nitrate were each about 30% of the mean values, while the amplitude of the nitrite cycle was as great as 80% of the mean value on occasions. Both biological and physical mechanisms for the cycling could operate through water temperature and/or incident radiation to account for the observed phenomenon, but there remains uncertainty of which is the more important. The observations have important implications for both the accuracy of pollution assessment in rivers and the physiological rhythms of riverine organisms

  1. Concerted diurnal patterns in riverine nutrient concentrations and physical conditions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scholefield, David; Le Goff, Thierry; Braven, Jim; Ebdon, Les; Long, Terry; Butler, Mark

    2005-05-15

    Several long-term sets of hourly nitrate concentration data were obtained through deployment of a nitrate sensor in an upper reach of the River Taw, a small moorland-fed river in the South West of the UK. Examination of the data obtained during periods of low flow and the absence of rainfall in the catchment revealed the presence of marked diurnal cycles, which were in concert and negatively correlated with diurnal cycles in water temperature. After verifying that these cycles were natural, an intensive 90-h field monitoring campaign was conducted, in which river water was sampled hourly and immediately analysed in the laboratory for molybdate-reactive phosphorus (P), nitrate, nitrite, ammonium, and pH. Coincident measurements of water temperature, river discharge and solar energy were also taken at, or close to, the site. All measurements revealed diurnal patterns and all patterns were concerted. The cycles of P, nitrate, nitrite, and discharge had two maxima and minima per 24 h, while the cycle of water temperature had one, with a maximum at 20.00 and a minimum at 08.00. The amplitudes of the cycles of P and nitrate were each about 30% of the mean values, while the amplitude of the nitrite cycle was as great as 80% of the mean value on occasions. Both biological and physical mechanisms for the cycling could operate through water temperature and/or incident radiation to account for the observed phenomenon, but there remains uncertainty of which is the more important. The observations have important implications for both the accuracy of pollution assessment in rivers and the physiological rhythms of riverine organisms.

  2. Unequal Academic Achievement in High School: The Mediating Roles of Concerted Cultivation and Close Friends

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carolan, Brian V.

    2016-01-01

    Building from the classic Wisconsin model of status attainment, this study examines whether a specific style of parenting, concerted cultivation, and a close friend's school-related attitudes and behaviors mediate the relationship between a family's socioeconomic status and their child's academic achievement in the United States. Using a recursive…

  3. Crisis behavior: An exploration of theories in concert.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McConnell, Jason B; Crudo, Christine

    2015-01-01

    How might prominent existing communication theory better explain behavior in a crisis context, when considered in concert with one another? This theoretical work highlights the insight to be gained using Situational Crisis Communication Theory and Bandura's notions of self-efficacy to heighten the explanatory power of the Theory of Planned Behavior as applied to communication during times of crisis. Situational Crisis Communication Theory better explains how past experience with crisis influences the attitudes and social norms of crisis behavior, while Bandura's notion of self-efficacy speaks more directly to the availability of resources as contributing factors to perceived behavioral control in a crisis situation. As such, the incorporation of these well-developed notions into the broader framework of the Theory of Planned Behavior affords greater understanding of the relationship between communication and behavior during a crisis. Further exploration of this theoretical relationship is warranted.

  4. GENESIS OF KHARKOV MUSIC CULTURE IN THE HIGHLIGHT OF THE CITY’S EDUCATION AND CONCERT LIFE FORMATION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Olena Kononova

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available The article highlights the genesis of Kharkov musical culture from the late 18th to the first half of the 19th century, studying it in terms of two aspects, the formation of education and the emergence of the city’s concert life.The relevance of the research subject chosen by the author is determined by the wish to give the fullest description of the multi-layered process of formation of Kharkov musical culture which played one of the leading roles in the history of Ukrainian culture, and to acquaint the Western public with the most interesting facts of the formation and development of a reputable East-European centre. The main range of issues discussed in the article covers the period of the innitial foundation of artistic education, and its influence on the expansion and perception of music in different social circles, presenting the structures and forms of the nascent musical life of Kharkov. The section "Specific features of the Ukrainian system of education" brings out the facts which indicate the progressive tendencies in education, especially, on the territory of Sloboda Ukraine. The formation of artistic education in the religious schools of the city is covered in the section "Genesis of musical education in Kharkov". One of the most productive periods of the city’s cultivation of concert life associated with the functioning of the University is analyzed in the section "The impact of the University music activities on the city's concert going." The Conclusion emphasizes the interaction of traditional and nontraditional in the musical culture of Kharkov that was clearly manifested in the concert activities of the University, in particular, in popularization of oratorios. Furthermore, it discusses the factors which participated in the development in the field of compositional achievement as well as the performing arts and opened new perspectives in the dynamics of the artistic life of the Ukrainian city.

  5. Stepwise or concerted? DFT study on the mechanism of ionic Diels-Alder reaction of chromanes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Haghdadi Mina

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The stepwise and concerted Ionic Diels-Alder reaction between phenyl (pyridin-2-ylmethylene oxonium and styrene derivatives are explored using theoretical method. The results support using computational method via persistent intermediates. The DFT method was essential to reproduce a reasonable potential energy surface for these challenging systems.

  6. Brain evolution and development: adaptation, allometry and constraint

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barton, Robert A.

    2016-01-01

    Phenotypic traits are products of two processes: evolution and development. But how do these processes combine to produce integrated phenotypes? Comparative studies identify consistent patterns of covariation, or allometries, between brain and body size, and between brain components, indicating the presence of significant constraints limiting independent evolution of separate parts. These constraints are poorly understood, but in principle could be either developmental or functional. The developmental constraints hypothesis suggests that individual components (brain and body size, or individual brain components) tend to evolve together because natural selection operates on relatively simple developmental mechanisms that affect the growth of all parts in a concerted manner. The functional constraints hypothesis suggests that correlated change reflects the action of selection on distributed functional systems connecting the different sub-components, predicting more complex patterns of mosaic change at the level of the functional systems and more complex genetic and developmental mechanisms. These hypotheses are not mutually exclusive but make different predictions. We review recent genetic and neurodevelopmental evidence, concluding that functional rather than developmental constraints are the main cause of the observed patterns. PMID:27629025

  7. Creating personalized memories from social events: community-based support for multi-camera recordings of school concerts

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    R.L. Guimarães (Rodrigo); P.S. Cesar Garcia (Pablo Santiago); D.C.A. Bulterman (Dick); V. Zsombori; I. Kegel

    2011-01-01

    htmlabstractThe wide availability of relatively high-quality cameras makes it easy for many users to capture video fragments of social events such as concerts, sports events or community gatherings. The wide availability of simple sharing tools makes it nearly as easy to upload individual fragments

  8. Bringing Astronomy Directly to New Audiences (50,000 People) at Outdoor Concerts and Music Festivals

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lubowich, D.

    2014-07-01

    My NASA-funded Music and Astronomy Under the Stars (MAUS) has brought astronomy to 50,000 music lovers at the National Mall (co-sponsor OSTP); Central Park Jazz, Newport Folk, Ravinia, or Tanglewood music festivals; and classical, folk, pop/rock, opera, Caribbean, or county-western concerts in parks assisted by astronomy clubs (55 events since 2009). Yo-Yo-Ma, the Chicago and Boston Symphony Orchestras, Ravi Coltrane, Esperanza Spalding, Phish, Blood Sweat and Tears, Deep Purple, Tony Orlando, and Wilco performed at these events. MAUS combines solar, optical, and radio telescope observations; large posters/banners (From the Earth to the Universe; Visions of the Universe); videos; hands-on activities (Night Sky Network; Harvard-Smithsonian CfA); imaging with a cell phone mount; and hand-outs (info on science museums, astronomy clubs, and citizen science) before and after the concerts or at intermission. MAUS reached underserved groups and attracted large enthusiastic crowds. Many young children participated in this family learning experience-often the first time they looked through a telescope. Outcomes: While education!

  9. Conference-concert with Frédéric Bernachon on Thursday, 8 March at 6 pm

    CERN Multimedia

    Staff Association

    2018-01-01

    The Staff Association is pleased to invite you to an educational conference-concert of classical piano by Frédéric Bernachon « Beethoven : sa vie et son destin au cœur de la sonate Pathétique » on Thursday, 8 March at 6 pm Main Auditorium (500-1-001) Length: 60-90 minutes. Free entrance, cocktails served after the concert. External visitors, please contact the Staff Association for a visitor card: staff.association@cern.ch or +41 22 76 63738 With the help of a piano, Frédéric Bernachon proposes to explain the tragedy of Beethoven, as transmitted in his musical legacy. The listeners will get to experience Ludwig van Beethoven's destiny, suspense, drama and great questions in all their range and variety. After a careful introduction to listening to Sonate Pathétique, Frédéric Bernachon himself interprets this unique piece, through which Beethowen has chosen...

  10. Aperture size, materiality of the secondary room and listener location: Impact on the simulated impulse response of a coupled-volume concert hall

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ermann, Michael; Johnson, Marty E.; Harrison, Byron W.

    2003-04-01

    By adding a second room to a concert hall, and designing doors to control the sonic transparency between the two rooms, designers can create a new, coupled acoustic. Concert halls use coupling to achieve a variable, longer and distinct reverberant quality for their musicians and listeners. For this study, a coupled-volume concert hall based on an existing performing arts center is conceived and computer-modeled. It has a fixed geometric volume, form and primary-room sound absorption. Ray-tracing software simulates impulse responses, varying both aperture size and secondary-room sound absorption level, across a grid of receiver (listener) locations. The results are compared with statistical analysis that suggests a highly sensitive relationship between the double-sloped condition and the architecture of the space. This line of study aims to quantitatively and spatially correlate the double-sloped condition with (1) aperture size exposing the chamber, (2) sound absorptance in the coupled volume, and (3) listener location.

  11. Standing Concertation Commmittee - Ordinary meeting on 10 May 2007

    CERN Multimedia

    2007-01-01

    At its meeting on 10 May 2007, the Standing Concertation Committee discussed the Management’s proposal for the revision of Annex A 1 of the Staff Rules and Regulations. Annex A 1 sets out the principles for future periodic reviews of the personnel’s financial and social conditions and the revision reflects the modifications to review methods decided by the CERN Council in December 2006. The aim is to simplify the processes involved and rationalize the use of resources. The data collection process will be outsourced to a greater extent. The new methods also aim to reduce the overall time required to complete future reviews. Details of procedure will be addressed in subsequent discussions. The Committee approved the document for submission to the Tripartite Employment Conditions Forum (TREF) at its meeting on 31 May and 1 June 2007.

  12. Standing Concertation Commmittee - Ordinary meeting on 10 May 2007

    CERN Multimedia

    HR Department

    2007-01-01

    At its meeting on 10 May 2007, the Standing Concertation Committee discussed the Management's proposal for the revision of Annex A 1 of the Staff Rules and Regulations. Annex A 1 sets out the principles for future periodic reviews of the personnel's financial and social conditions and the revision reflects the modifications to review methods decided by the CERN Council in December 2006. The aim is to simplify the processes involved and rationalize the use of resources. The data collection process will be outsourced to a greater extent. The new methods also aim to reduce the overall time required to complete future reviews. Details of procedure will be addressed in subsequent discussions. The Committee approved the document for submission to the Tripartite Employment Conditions Forum (TREF) at its meeting on 31 May and 1 June 2007.

  13. divergence, pseudogenes, and

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences are commonly used for phylogenetic reconstruction because they are highly reiterated as components of rDNA repeats, and hence are often subject to rapid homogenization through concerted evolution. Concerted evolution leads to intragenomic uniformity of repeats ...

  14. Concerted evolution of the tandemly repeated genes encoding primate U2 small nuclear RNA (the RNU2 locus) does not prevent rapid diversification of the (CT){sub n} {center_dot} (GA){sub n} microsatellite embedded within the U2 repeat unit

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Liao, D.; Weiner, A.M. [Yale Univ., New Haven, CT (United States)

    1995-12-10

    The RNU2 locus encoding human U2 small nuclear RNA (snRNA) is organized as a nearly perfect tandem array containing 5 to 22 copies of a 5.8-kb repeat unit. Just downstream of the U2 snRNA gene in each 5.8-kb repeat unit lies a large (CT){sub n}{center_dot}(GA){sub n} dinucleotide repeat (n {approx} 70). This form of genomic organization, in which one repeat is embedded within another, provides an unusual opportunity to study the balance of forces maintaining the homogeneity of both kinds of repeats. Using a combination of field inversion gel electrophoresis and polymerase chain reaction, we have been able to study the CT microsatellites within individual U2 tandem arrays. We find that the CT microsatellites within an RNU2 allele exhibit significant length polymorphism, despite the remarkable homogeneity of the surrounding U2 repeat units. Length polymorphism is due primarily to loss or gain of CT dinucleotide repeats, but other types of deletions, insertions, and substitutions are also frequent. Polymorphism is greatly reduced in regions where pure (CT){sub n} tracts are interrupted by occasional G residues, suggesting that irregularities stabilize both the length and the sequence of the dinucleotide repeat. We further show that the RNU2 loci of other catarrhine primates (gorilla, chimpanzee, ogangutan, and baboon) contain orthologous CT microsatellites; these also exhibit length polymorphism, but are highly divergent from each other. Thus, although the CT microsatellite is evolving far more rapidly than the rest of the U2 repeat unit, it has persisted through multiple speciation events spanning >35 Myr. The persistence of the CT microsatellite, despite polymorphism and rapid evolution, suggests that it might play a functional role in concerted evolution of the RNU2 loci, perhaps as an initiation site for recombination and/or gene conversion. 70 refs., 5 figs.

  15. Following Musical Shows: A Study with Focal Groups on Satisfaction of Musical Concerts Regular Visitors and Socialization between Them

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lúmia Massa Garcia Pires

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available This article aimed to identify which attributes impact more significantly on the satisfaction of concerts’ regular visitors and socialization between them when inserted in these kinds of events. Thus, we used a qualitative methodology, performing focus groups. Among the main results of this study, we found, regarding satisfaction of concerts’ visitors, the attributes that most influence the public are related to services - especially for beverage supply, cleaning of bathrooms and lines formed inside the event - organization, show infrastructure and performance artists. Furthermore, considering the socialization of the visitors, we found that most respondents often go to concerts together with other people, but some did not exclude the possibility to attend the concerts alone when it comes to a familiar artist.

  16. Evolution of homeobox genes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Holland, Peter W H

    2013-01-01

    Many homeobox genes encode transcription factors with regulatory roles in animal and plant development. Homeobox genes are found in almost all eukaryotes, and have diversified into 11 gene classes and over 100 gene families in animal evolution, and 10 to 14 gene classes in plants. The largest group in animals is the ANTP class which includes the well-known Hox genes, plus other genes implicated in development including ParaHox (Cdx, Xlox, Gsx), Evx, Dlx, En, NK4, NK3, Msx, and Nanog. Genomic data suggest that the ANTP class diversified by extensive tandem duplication to generate a large array of genes, including an NK gene cluster and a hypothetical ProtoHox gene cluster that duplicated to generate Hox and ParaHox genes. Expression and functional data suggest that NK, Hox, and ParaHox gene clusters acquired distinct roles in patterning the mesoderm, nervous system, and gut. The PRD class is also diverse and includes Pax2/5/8, Pax3/7, Pax4/6, Gsc, Hesx, Otx, Otp, and Pitx genes. PRD genes are not generally arranged in ancient genomic clusters, although the Dux, Obox, and Rhox gene clusters arose in mammalian evolution as did several non-clustered PRD genes. Tandem duplication and genome duplication expanded the number of homeobox genes, possibly contributing to the evolution of developmental complexity, but homeobox gene loss must not be ignored. Evolutionary changes to homeobox gene expression have also been documented, including Hox gene expression patterns shifting in concert with segmental diversification in vertebrates and crustaceans, and deletion of a Pitx1 gene enhancer in pelvic-reduced sticklebacks. WIREs Dev Biol 2013, 2:31-45. doi: 10.1002/wdev.78 For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website. The author declares that he has no conflicts of interest. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  17. Standing Concertation Committee - Ordinary Meeting on 3 September 2008

    CERN Multimedia

    HR Department

    2008-01-01

    The main items discussed at the meeting of the Standing Concertation Committee on 3 September 2008 included: Education fees: Indexation of the amounts for accommodation and meals The Committee approved the indexation calculations for accommodation and meals for the academic year 2008-2009. With the indexation of the lump sum payments, accommodation costs for the academic year 2007-2008 will be reimbursed at 529 CHF per month (previously CHF 500). Meals will be reimbursed at 17.50 CHF per meal (unchanged). The ceiling for school transport has been increased from 600 CHF to 622 CHF. Administrative Circular No. 26 (Rev. 8) The Committee took note of the modifications to Administrative Circular No. 26 (Rev. 8) ‘Recognition of merit of staff members’, concerning provision for the award of exceptional advancement outside the annual advancement exercise to recognize, for example, the completion of a major project. HR Survey The Committee took note of the Head of HR Department...

  18. STANDING CONCERTATION COMMMITTEE - ORDINARY MEETING ON 26 JUNE 2007

    CERN Multimedia

    HR Department

    2007-01-01

    The main items discussed at the meeting of the Standing Concertation Committee on 26 June 2007 included: Mutual Aid Fund The Committee took note of the annual report for 2006 by the Chairman of the Mutual Aid Fund and approved contributions to the Fund’s budget from the Management and the Staff Association and thanked the members of the Fund for their work. Administrative Circular No. 12 A (Rev. 1) - Education Fees The Committee agreed to recommend Administrative Circular No. 12 A entitled "Education Fees" to the Director-General for approval. The circular is applicable to staff, fellows and scientific associates recruited from 1st January 2007 and to staff who were recruited as Local Staff before that date. Further details of reimbursement of school fees will shortly be available in the form of Frequently Asked Questions on the HR Department website. Administrative Circular No. 31 (Rev. 1) - International Indemnity and Non-Resident Allowance The Committee agreed to reco...

  19. STANDING CONCERTATION COMMMITTEE - ORDINARY MEETING ON 3 APRIL 2008

    CERN Multimedia

    HR Department

    2008-01-01

    The main items discussed at the meetings of the Standing Concertation Committee on 3 April 2008 included: External mobility The Committee took note of a progress report on external mobility after a run-in period of about six months. Based on the experience gained, it was agreed to broaden the scope of the programme and in particular to extend eligibility conditions to include: All staff members whose limited duration contract will end in less than one year, as well as all those with indefinite contracts; Fellows who have been employed by CERN for more than 18 months; Doctoral students who have been in the CERN doctoral programme for more than 2.5 years; Apprentices in the final year of their apprenticeship; Ex-members of the personnel who are receiving CERN unemployment benefits. An article in the Weekly Bulletin will follow and the relevant web pages will be updated. LHC achievement awards The Committee took note of the outcome of discussions between the Management and t...

  20. STANDING CONCERTATION COMMMITTEE - ORDINARY MEETING ON 28 AUGUST 2007

    CERN Multimedia

    HR Department

    2007-01-01

    The main items discussed at the meeting of the Standing Concertation Committee on 28 August 2007 included: Administrative Circular No. 12 A (Rev. 1) - Education Fees The Committee agreed to recommend Administrative Circular No. 12 A, "Education Fees", to the Director-General for approval. The circular is applicable to staff, fellows and scientific associates recruited before 1 January 2007 (except for local staff). Administrative Circular No. 12 B applies to those recruited from 1 January 2007 and was examined by the Committee in June 2007. It was noted that, at the initiative of HR Department, a number of important simplifications have been introduced. These cover, in particular, lump-sum payments to compensate for accommodation, meals and journey expenses. Further details of payment of education fees will shortly be available in the form of Frequently Asked Questions on the HR Department website. The Chairman thanked HR Department as well as "Team 7" members for init...

  1. STANDING CONCERTATION COMMMITTEE - ORDINARY MEETING ON 28 AUGUST 2007

    CERN Document Server

    HR Department

    2007-01-01

    The main items discussed at the meeting of the Standing Concertation Committee on 28 August 2007 included: Administrative Circular No. 12 A (Rev. 1) - Education Fees The committee agreed to recommend Administrative Circular No. 12 A, Education Fees, to the Director-General for approval. The circular is applicable to staff, fellows and scientific associates recruited before 1 January 2007 (except for local staff). Administrative Circular No. 12 B applies to those recruited from 1 January 2007 and was considered by the committee in June 2007. It was noted that, at the initiative of HR Department, a number of important simplifications have been introduced. These cover in particular lump sum payments to compensate for accommodation, meals and journey expenses. Further details of payment of education fees will shortly be available in the form of Frequently Asked Questions on the HR Department website. The Chairman thanked HR Department as well as "Team 7" members for initiating these simp...

  2. Standing Concertation Commmittee - Ordinary meeting on 27 March 2007

    CERN Multimedia

    HR Department

    2007-01-01

    The main items discussed at the meeting of the Standing Concertation Committee on 27 March 2007 included: Merit Recognition Guidelines In the context of the new Merit Appraisal and Recognition Scheme (MARS), the committee took note of the documents entitled 'MARS Guidelines 2007' and the 'Guidelines for Senior Staff Advancement 2007'. Follow-up of Finance Committee and Council meetings The Committee took note of the information provided by S. Lettow, the Director for Finance and Human Resources, including the possibility for a phased increase in Member State contributions from 2008. Registered partnerships It was agreed that staff members with registered partners should be reminded of the social cover available to their partners. Cover is limited to the CERN Health Insurance Scheme and partners may be covered by the Scheme only while the staff member is working. On the staff member's retirement or other change in status, or death, partners are no longer eligible for CHIS cover. Retirement semi...

  3. Standing Concertation Commmittee - Ordinary meeting on 27 March 2007

    CERN Multimedia

    HR Department

    2007-01-01

    The main items discussed at the meeting of the Standing Concertation Committee on 27 March 2007 included: Merit Recognition Guidelines : in the context of the new Merit Appraisal and Recognition Scheme (MARS), the committee took note of the documents entitled MARS Guidelines 2007 and the Guidelines for Senior Staff Advancement 2007. Follow-up of Finance Committee and Council meetings The Committee took note of the information provided by S. Lettow, the Director for Finance and Human Resources, including the possibility for a phased increase in Member State contributions from 2008. Registered partnerships It was agreed that staff members with registered partners should be reminded of the social cover available to their partners. Cover is limited to the CERN Health Insurance Scheme and partners may be covered by the Scheme only while the staff member is working. On the staff members retirement or other change in status, or death, partners are no longer eligible for CHIS cover. Retirement seminars It...

  4. Standing Concertation Committee - Ordinary meeting on 25 June 2008

    CERN Multimedia

    HR Department

    2008-01-01

    The main items discussed at the meetings of the Standing Concertation Committee on 25 June 2008 included: Mutual Aid Fund The committee took note of the annual report for 2007 by the chairman of the Mutual Aid Fund and approved contributions to the Fund’s 2008 budget from the Management and the Staff Association. Results of 2008 MARS exercise and LHC achievement awards The committee took note of the Head of HR Department’s presentation of the results of the 2008 MARS exercise and the distribution of LHC achievement awards. It was noted that these awards would be granted with effect from 1 October 2008 (see Bulletin 18&19). The results show agreement with the 2008 MARS guidelines (see Bulletin 10&11) for the advancement ceilings per career path, the number of awards for extraordinary service, as well as the distribution of steps for the recognition of merit as shown in the SCC of 27 February (see Bulletin 14&15). Follow-up of Finance Committee and Council...

  5. Standing Concertation Committee - Ordinary Meeting on 30 September 2008

    CERN Multimedia

    HR Department

    2008-01-01

    The main items discussed at the meetings of the Standing Concertation Committee on 30 September 2008 included: Part-time work as a pre-retirement measure The Committee agreed to recommend the Director-General to extend the scheme of part-time work as a pre-retirement measure by one year, i.e. until 31 December 2009. Preparation of TREF on 7 October 2008 The Committee took note that the TREF agenda would cover: Annual salary adjustment; Voluntary programmes; Five-yearly review of financial & social conditions of members of the personnel; Update on 2005 review; Preparation for 2010 review; TREF workplan 2009; Update on CHIS actuarial study. The proposals and presentations which the Management planned to present to TREF were discussed and some clarifications were agreed. Follow-up of Finance Committee and Council The Committee took note of a report by the Chairman of points related to personnel matters discussed in those committees. He mentioned in particular the annu...

  6. Optimal Volume for Concert Halls Based on Ando’s Subjective Preference and Barron Revised Theories

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Salvador Cerdá

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available The Ando-Beranek’s model, a linear version of Ando’s subjective preference theory, obtained by the authors in a recent work, was combined with Barron revised theory. An optimal volume region for each reverberation time was obtained for classical music in symphony orchestra concert halls. The obtained relation was tested with good agreement with the top rated halls reported by Beranek and other halls with reported anomalies.

  7. An efficient algorithm to perform local concerted movements of a chain molecule.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stefano Zamuner

    Full Text Available The devising of efficient concerted rotation moves that modify only selected local portions of chain molecules is a long studied problem. Possible applications range from speeding the uncorrelated sampling of polymeric dense systems to loop reconstruction and structure refinement in protein modeling. Here, we propose and validate, on a few pedagogical examples, a novel numerical strategy that generalizes the notion of concerted rotation. The usage of the Denavit-Hartenberg parameters for chain description allows all possible choices for the subset of degrees of freedom to be modified in the move. They can be arbitrarily distributed along the chain and can be distanced between consecutive monomers as well. The efficiency of the methodology capitalizes on the inherent geometrical structure of the manifold defined by all chain configurations compatible with the fixed degrees of freedom. The chain portion to be moved is first opened along a direction chosen in the tangent space to the manifold, and then closed in the orthogonal space. As a consequence, in Monte Carlo simulations detailed balance is easily enforced without the need of using Jacobian reweighting. Moreover, the relative fluctuations of the degrees of freedom involved in the move can be easily tuned. We show different applications: the manifold of possible configurations is explored in a very efficient way for a protein fragment and for a cyclic molecule; the "local backbone volume", related to the volume spanned by the manifold, reproduces the mobility profile of all-α helical proteins; the refinement of small protein fragments with different secondary structures is addressed. The presented results suggest our methodology as a valuable exploration and sampling tool in the context of bio-molecular simulations.

  8. Outreach for Families and Girls- Astronomy at Outdoor Concerts and at Super Bowl or Halloween Star Parties

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lubowich, Donald A.

    2011-05-01

    Bring telescope to where the people are! Music and Astronomy Under the Stars (MAUS) is a NASA-funded as astronomy outreach program at community parks and music festivals (1000 - 25,000 people/event). While there have been many astronomy outreach activities and telescope observations at sidewalks and parks, this program targets a different audience - music lovers who are attending concerts in community parks or festivals. These music lovers who may not have visited science museums, planetariums, or star parties are exposed to telescope observations and astronomy information with no additional travel costs. MAUS includes solar observing, telescope observations including a live imaging system, an astronomical video, astronomy banners/posters, and hands-on activities. MAUS increased awareness, engagement, and interest in astronomy at classical, pop, rock, and ethnic music concerts. Since 2009 over 50,000 people have participated in these outreach activities including a significant number of families and young girls. In addition to concerts in local Long Island parks, there were MUAS events at Tanglewood (summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra), Jazz in Central Park, and Astronomy Night on the National Mall (co-sponsored by the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy). In 2011 MUAS will be expanded to include Ravinia (summer home of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra), the Newport Folk Festival, and the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts (site of the 1969 Woodstock festival). According to our survey results, music lovers became more informed about astronomy. Expanding Hofstra University's successful outreach programs, I propose the creation of a National Halloween Stars event targeting children and a National Super Bowl Star Party targeting girls, women, and the 2/3 of Americans who do not watch the Super Bowl. This can be combined with astronomers or amateur astronomers bringing telescopes to Super Bowl parties for football fans to stargaze during

  9. Warm-Up Activities of Middle and High School Band Directors Participating in State-Level Concert Band Assessments

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ward, Justin P.; Hancock, Carl B.

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine the warm-ups chosen by concert band directors participating in state-level performance assessments. We observed 29 middle and high school bands and coded the frequency and duration of warm-up activities and behaviors. Results indicated that most bands rehearsed music and played scales, long tones, and…

  10. Switching of the positive feedback for RAS activation by a concerted function of SOS membrane association domains.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nakamura, Yuki; Hibino, Kayo; Yanagida, Toshio; Sako, Yasushi

    2016-01-01

    Son of sevenless (SOS) is a guanine nucleotide exchange factor that regulates cell behavior by activating the small GTPase RAS. Recent in vitro studies have suggested that an interaction between SOS and the GTP-bound active form of RAS generates a positive feedback loop that propagates RAS activation. However, it remains unclear how the multiple domains of SOS contribute to the regulation of the feedback loop in living cells. Here, we observed single molecules of SOS in living cells to analyze the kinetics and dynamics of SOS behavior. The results indicate that the histone fold and Grb2-binding domains of SOS concertedly produce an intermediate state of SOS on the cell surface. The fraction of the intermediated state was reduced in positive feedback mutants, suggesting that the feedback loop functions during the intermediate state. Translocation of RAF, recognizing the active form of RAS, to the cell surface was almost abolished in the positive feedback mutants. Thus, the concerted functions of multiple membrane-associating domains of SOS governed the positive feedback loop, which is crucial for cell fate decision regulated by RAS.

  11. Chinese Dream——Concert in Commemoration of 115th Birth Anniversary of Premier Zhou Enlai Held

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Our; Staff; Reporter

    2013-01-01

    <正>The theme song of the film The Founding of a Republic sung by male vocalists Dai Yuqiang and Wei Song reverberated in the Opera Hall at the National Center for the Performing Arts on the `evening of March 14. It marked the start of the concert in commemoration of the 115th anniversary of the birth of Premier Zhou Enlai, with "Chinese Dream" as the theme.

  12. Philippine Tourism: Evolution towards Sustainability

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pilapil-Añasco Cherry

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Tourism industry in the Philippines has been identified as one of the powerful engines for a strong and sustained economic growth. To determine whether the Philippine tourism industry is moving towards sustainable development, this paper explores the evolution of the tourism industry in the Philippines by tracing its historical transformations and determining its typology. Four major periods has been recognized, namely: 1] pre-martial law era (years before 1972; 2] martial law era (1972-1986; 3] post-martial law era (1986-2000; and 4] 21st century era (2001-present. The eras are based on the country’s major political regimes. Corresponding events and numerous initiatives undertaken by the government agencies, non-government organizations and private sectors that significantly affect the tourism industry are described and analyzed. It is concluded that tourism is a well established industry in the Philippines that contributes to an inclusive economic growth of the country. The continued concerted efforts of all the stakeholders of the industry in the implementation of all these initiatives will surely lead to a sustainable Philippine tourism.

  13. CONCERT A high power proton accelerator driven multi-application facility concept

    CERN Document Server

    Laclare, J L

    2000-01-01

    A new generation of High Power Proton Accelerator (HPPA) is being made available. It opens new avenues to a long series of scientific applications in fundamental and applied research, which can make use of the boosted flux of secondary particles. Presently, in Europe, several disciplines are preparing their project of dedicated facility, based on the upgraded performances of HPPAs. Given the potential synergies between these different projects, for reasons of cost effectiveness, it was considered appropriate to look into the possibility to group a certain number of these applications around a single HPPA: CONCERT project left bracket 1 right bracket . The ensuing 2-year feasibility study organized in collaboration between the European Spallation Source and the CEA just started. EURISOL left bracket 2 right bracket project and CERN participate in the steering committee.

  14. STANDING CONCERTATION COMMITTEE: ORDINARY MEETING ON 15 JANUARY 2004

    CERN Document Server

    2004-01-01

    Original: English This meeting was devoted to the main topics summarised below. 1-Introduction by the Director-General Conveying his best wishes for the New Year to SCC members, the Director-General underlined the importance which he attaches to good relations with the staff and their representatives in the Staff Association. He would ensure open dialogue and make every effort to attend the SCC, at the request of the Staff Association or the Management representatives. The concertation process at the SCC and TREF is a most useful and necessary one for the Management in drawing up strategies that are clearly announced and understood by all parties. He trusted that the SCC would play a vital role in realising related programmes and in optimising their implementation. He also wished to pass a message to the staff at large on the importance of good, efficient management, understood in its widest sense and at all levels. The role of supervisors is not only to lead their teams in the scientific and technical doma...

  15. STANDING CONCERTATION COMMITTEE ORDINARY MEETING ON 24 JANUARY 2001

    CERN Multimedia

    2001-01-01

    This meeting was mainly devoted to follow-up from the meetings of the Finance Committee and Council in December 2000, as well as to the work planning of the SCC for 2001. The newly-appointed Chairman of SCC, J. van der Boon, welcomed the Director-General and members to this first meeting of the new year, underlining his objective of maintaining a positive climate of concertation in the best interests of the Organization and its personnel. The President of the Staff Association declared that the latter would actively pursue its role in the same spirit. 1. Follow-up from the meetings of the Finance Committee and Council in December 2000 The Director-General, underlining the positive outcome of the 5-yearly review, conveyed his thanks to all parties that had taken part and, in particular, to the Staff Association for its constructive contribution to reach the compromise accepted by the three parties. After discussion of decisions on the package of measures approved by Council last December and on related impleme...

  16. Standing Concertation Committee - Ordinary Meeting on 4 December 2007

    CERN Multimedia

    HR Department

    2008-01-01

    The main items discussed at the meeting of the Standing Concertation Committee on 4 December 2007 included: 2006 Medical Service Annual Report The Committee took note of the report by the head of the Medical Service, Dr V. Fassnacht, (see http://sc-me.web.cern.ch/sc-me/index.html) and of a number of points raised during the discussion, including the importance of further prevention measures. The Committee expressed its thanks to all members of the Medical Service for their work in 2006 and over the past year. Short-Term Saved leave Scheme As announced in Weekly Bulletins Nos. 28/2007 and 51/2007, the Saved Leave Scheme will be succeeded from 1 January 2008 by the Short-Term Saved Leave Scheme (see also https://hr-services.web.cern.ch/hr-services/services-Ben/sls_shortterm.asp). The Committee agreed to recommend the Director-General to adopt the relevant procedure. It was noted that staff could apply immediately to participate from 1 January 2008 and that applications to pa...

  17. STANDING CONCERTATION COMMITTEE ORDINARY MEETING ON 4 SEPTEMBER 2003

    CERN Multimedia

    2003-01-01

    This meeting was devoted to the main topics summarised below. 1. Information on the Organization's Human Resources Plan The SCC took note of the Chairman's presentation summarising the content of the HR Plan and the internal process that had been followed in drawing it up for approval by Council at the end of last year. The Staff Association expressed criticism concerning the lack of concertation in this process and, in particular, the Management's declared objective of achieving an overall 2:1 ratio of indefinite contracts to limited contracts of the staff by 2010, which it considers is not based on objective grounds. More importantly, the Staff Association criticised the fact that this ratio can only be arrived at under the assumption that no new project is initiated before 2010. The Management, recalling that planning issues are not in the remit of the SCC, underlined that this ratio concerning staff contracts is indeed the result of an analysis in the Divisions and, in any case, is considered as a guidel...

  18. The organization and evolution of the Responder satellite in species of the Drosophila melanogaster group: dynamic evolution of a target of meiotic drive.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Larracuente, Amanda M

    2014-11-25

    Satellite DNA can make up a substantial fraction of eukaryotic genomes and has roles in genome structure and chromosome segregation. The rapid evolution of satellite DNA can contribute to genomic instability and genetic incompatibilities between species. Despite its ubiquity and its contribution to genome evolution, we currently know little about the dynamics of satellite DNA evolution. The Responder (Rsp) satellite DNA family is found in the pericentric heterochromatin of chromosome 2 of Drosophila melanogaster. Rsp is well-known for being the target of Segregation Distorter (SD)- an autosomal meiotic drive system in D. melanogaster. I present an evolutionary genetic analysis of the Rsp family of repeats in D. melanogaster and its closely-related species in the melanogaster group (D. simulans, D. sechellia, D. mauritiana, D. erecta, and D. yakuba) using a combination of available BAC sequences, whole genome shotgun Sanger reads, Illumina short read deep sequencing, and fluorescence in situ hybridization. I show that Rsp repeats have euchromatic locations throughout the D. melanogaster genome, that Rsp arrays show evidence for concerted evolution, and that Rsp repeats exist outside of D. melanogaster, in the melanogaster group. The repeats in these species are considerably diverged at the sequence level compared to D. melanogaster, and have a strikingly different genomic distribution, even between closely-related sister taxa. The genomic organization of the Rsp repeat in the D. melanogaster genome is complex-it exists of large blocks of tandem repeats in the heterochromatin and small blocks of tandem repeats in the euchromatin. My discovery of heterochromatic Rsp-like sequences outside of D. melanogaster suggests that SD evolved after its target satellite and that the evolution of the Rsp satellite family is highly dynamic over a short evolutionary time scale (<240,000 years).

  19. Early reflection energy in concert halls: how much, how early, and from where (A)

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Gade, Anders Christian

    2001-01-01

    Today, the importance of distributing early reflection energy to listeners and performers in concert halls is well understood and accepted—also among architects. Still, implementation in the practical design of a large hall is not easy, partly because we still have difficulties quantifying...... to decide how far to promote the good cause on the basis of his/her experience, taste, and talent in influencing the decision process. The aural presentation will focus on the current limitations in our knowledge regarding the musicians' need for early reflections, which is a special challenge in the design...

  20. "Posh Music Should Equal Posh Dress": An Investigation into the Concert Dress and Physical Appearance of Female Soloists

    Science.gov (United States)

    Griffiths, Noola K.

    2010-01-01

    This study investigates the effects of concert dress and physical appearance on perceptions of female classical soloists' musical abilities over a range of genres. Four female violinists were recorded playing three pieces, in four styles of dress of varying formality. Each combination of performer, piece and dress was recorded twice, once as the…

  1. The Concert of Europe and Great Power Governance Today: What Can the Order of 19th-Century Europe Teach Policymakers About International Order in the 21st Century

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-01-01

    13 These differences became alarmingly clear once liberal revolutions broke out across multiple European polities in 1820.61 The eastern powers ...dealings with that eastern power that they had so often worked with in concert. For in that treat- ment, the western powers ultimately “ broke the first...KYLE LASCURETTES The Concert of Europe and Great- Power Governance Today What Can the Order of 19th-Century Europe Teach Policymakers About

  2. Computational Investigation of the Competition between the Concerted Diels-Alder Reaction and Formation of Diradicals in Reactions of Acrylonitrile with Non-Polar Dienes

    Science.gov (United States)

    James, Natalie C.; Um, Joann M.; Padias, Anne B.; Hall, H. K.; Houk, K. N.

    2013-01-01

    The energetics of the Diels-Alder cycloaddition reactions of several 1,3-dienes with acrylonitrile, and the energetics of formation of diradicals, were investigated with density functional theory (B3LYP and M06-2X) and compared to experimental data. For the reaction of 2,3-dimethyl-1,3-butadiene with acrylonitrile, the concerted reaction is favored over the diradical pathway by 2.5 kcal/mol using B3LYP/6-31G(d); experimentally this reaction gives both cycloadduct and copolymer. The concerted cycloaddition of cyclopentadiene with acrylonitrile is preferred computationally over the stepwise pathway by 5.9 kcal/mol; experimentally, only the Diels-Alder adduct is formed. For the reactions of (E)-1,3-pentadiene and acrylonitrile, both cycloaddition and copolymerization were observed experimentally; these trends were mimicked by the computational results, which showed only a 1.2 kcal/mol preference for the concerted pathway. For the reactions of (Z)-1,3-pentadiene and acrylonitrile, the stepwise pathway is preferred by 3.9 kcal/mol, in agreement with previous experimental findings that only polymerization occurs. M06-2X is known to give more accurate activation and reaction energetics but the energies of diradicals are too high. PMID:23758325

  3. COELIAC DISEASE IN CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA: time for a concerted approach to its epidemiology

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Affifa FARRUKH

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available Central and South America offer an opportunity to resolve some of the current controversies that surround the epidemiology of celiac disease. Through a concerted action which brings together clinicians, researchers and patients there is an opportunity to establish robust data sets which will allow detailed analysis of environmental and genetic factors. In this review available data from the continent together with data from Spain and Italy are drawn together to give a current picture in the hope that it will stimulate further research.

  4. Ventilating plant in the large concert hall of the music centre at Vredenburg/Utrecht, Holland

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Brockmeyer, H.; Detzer, R.; van Dijk, A.E.; Kouffeld, R.W.J.

    1979-01-01

    To form an opinion on the thermo-dynamic and flow-pattern conditions in large halls for air conditioning like e.g. concert halls, one will refer to the study of models which normally are prepared in a reduced scale. Comparisons between model studies and the executed object indicate that, even with difficult boundary conditions, reproducible data can be prepared the deviations being only minute. Presented are the results of a model study and the data of the executed plant of a large music centre in the Netherlands.

  5. Evolution of a G protein-coupled receptor response by mutations in regulatory network interactions

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Di Roberto, Raphaël B; Chang, Belinda; Trusina, Ala

    2016-01-01

    All cellular functions depend on the concerted action of multiple proteins organized in complex networks. To understand how selection acts on protein networks, we used the yeast mating receptor Ste2, a pheromone-activated G protein-coupled receptor, as a model system. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae......, Ste2 is a hub in a network of interactions controlling both signal transduction and signal suppression. Through laboratory evolution, we obtained 21 mutant receptors sensitive to the pheromone of a related yeast species and investigated the molecular mechanisms behind this newfound sensitivity. While...... demonstrate that a new receptor-ligand pair can evolve through network-altering mutations independently of receptor-ligand binding, and suggest a potential role for such mutations in disease....

  6. Creating personalized memories from social events: Community-based support for multi-camera recordings of school concerts

    OpenAIRE

    Guimaraes R.L.; Cesar P.; Bulterman D.C.A.; Zsombori V.; Kegel I.

    2011-01-01

    htmlabstractThe wide availability of relatively high-quality cameras makes it easy for many users to capture video fragments of social events such as concerts, sports events or community gatherings. The wide availability of simple sharing tools makes it nearly as easy to upload individual fragments to on-line video sites. Current work on video mashups focuses on the creation of a video summary based on the characteristics of individual media fragments, but it fails to address the interpersona...

  7. CONCERT. ''European joint programme for the integration of radiation protection research''

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schmitt-Hannig, A.; Birschwilks, M.; Jung, T.

    2016-01-01

    CONCERT is a joint project of the EU and its member states which assume joint financing: Over the next five years the largest European radiation protection programme so far will have available about 28 Million Euros for research and integrative measures, whereby the European Commission will bear 70 per cent of the costs. Integrative measures include, among others, targeted vocational education and training of junior researchers in radiation protection, better access to research and irradiation facilities for scientists, as well as a stronger connection of universities and research centres in radiation protection research.

  8. Dynamic distribution patterns of ribosomal DNA and chromosomal evolution in Paphiopedilum, a lady's slipper orchid

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Albert Victor A

    2011-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Paphiopedilum is a horticulturally and ecologically important genus of ca. 80 species of lady's slipper orchids native to Southeast Asia. These plants have long been of interest regarding their chromosomal evolution, which involves a progressive aneuploid series based on either fission or fusion of centromeres. Chromosome number is positively correlated with genome size, so rearrangement processes must include either insertion or deletion of DNA segments. We have conducted Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization (FISH studies using 5S and 25S ribosomal DNA (rDNA probes to survey for rearrangements, duplications, and phylogenetically-correlated variation within Paphiopedilum. We further studied sequence variation of the non-transcribed spacers of 5S rDNA (5S-NTS to examine their complex duplication history, including the possibility that concerted evolutionary forces may homogenize diversity. Results 5S and 25S rDNA loci among Paphiopedilum species, representing all key phylogenetic lineages, exhibit a considerable diversity that correlates well with recognized evolutionary groups. 25S rDNA signals range from 2 (representing 1 locus to 9, the latter representing hemizygosity. 5S loci display extensive structural variation, and show from 2 specific signals to many, both major and minor and highly dispersed. The dispersed signals mainly occur at centromeric and subtelomeric positions, which are hotspots for chromosomal breakpoints. Phylogenetic analysis of cloned 5S rDNA non-transcribed spacer (5S-NTS sequences showed evidence for both ancient and recent post-speciation duplication events, as well as interlocus and intralocus diversity. Conclusions Paphiopedilum species display many chromosomal rearrangements - for example, duplications, translocations, and inversions - but only weak concerted evolutionary forces among highly duplicated 5S arrays, which suggests that double-strand break repair processes are dynamic and ongoing. These

  9. [A concertation experience: prevention of WMSDs in workmanship of Parmigiano-Reggiano].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zecchi, G

    2012-01-01

    The dairy industry of Parmigiano-Reggiano represents in Emilia a resource and an important source of employment. A Protected Designation of Origin (DOP) regulates all stages of processing of milk into cheese "forms" in excess of 40 kg weight, favouring a "traditional" working which involves various manual steps tiring and stressful. From 2002 to 2008 the Service in charge of the Azienda USL of Reggio Emilia has developed a plan focused on musculoskeletal risks in this sector. The need for comparison on the conservation "craftsmanship" of the complex manufacturing process maintaining high attention to health and safety brought the AUSL of Reggio E. and later the AUSL of Modena and Parma, to choose the path of concertation with the social partners, aiming at substantial and non-formal application of the law. It is thus obtained the adoption of preventive measures in a sector so peculiar, complex and constantly changing. Conciliation remains privileged tool in relations between social partners and AUSL of Reggio E. in dairies.

  10. SPECIFIC FEATURES OF THE MUSICAL LANGUAGE AND TEXTURE IN THE CONCERT WALTZ FOR TWO PIANOS BY OLEG NEGRUTA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    MAMALÂGA MARINA

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available The article analyzes the Concert Waltz by Oleg Negruta written for piano duet. This work is considered in terms of form and content. Special attention is given to identifying the specificity of the musical language and texture. As a result, the conclusion is that the originality of the composer’s style is manifested in bright melody, relying on the classic-romantic harmony, enriched by jazz elements.

  11. Evolution in the block: common elements of 5S rDNA organization and evolutionary patterns in distant fish genera.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Campo, Daniel; García-Vázquez, Eva

    2012-01-01

    The 5S rDNA is organized in the genome as tandemly repeated copies of a structural unit composed of a coding sequence plus a nontranscribed spacer (NTS). The coding region is highly conserved in the evolution, whereas the NTS vary in both length and sequence. It has been proposed that 5S rRNA genes are members of a gene family that have arisen through concerted evolution. In this study, we describe the molecular organization and evolution of the 5S rDNA in the genera Lepidorhombus and Scophthalmus (Scophthalmidae) and compared it with already known 5S rDNA of the very different genera Merluccius (Merluccidae) and Salmo (Salmoninae), to identify common structural elements or patterns for understanding 5S rDNA evolution in fish. High intra- and interspecific diversity within the 5S rDNA family in all the genera can be explained by a combination of duplications, deletions, and transposition events. Sequence blocks with high similarity in all the 5S rDNA members across species were identified for the four studied genera, with evidences of intense gene conversion within noncoding regions. We propose a model to explain the evolution of the 5S rDNA, in which the evolutionary units are blocks of nucleotides rather than the entire sequences or single nucleotides. This model implies a "two-speed" evolution: slow within blocks (homogenized by recombination) and fast within the gene family (diversified by duplications and deletions).

  12. Sintering and microstructure evolution in columnar thermal barrier coatings

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Krishnamurthy, Ramanathan; Srolovitz, David J.

    2009-01-01

    Sintering of thermal barrier coatings changes their key properties, such as thermal conductivity and thermal shock resistance, thus adversely impacting their reliability. We present a novel modeling approach to study the evolution of coating structure during sintering. We model the sintering of individual columns using a thermodynamic principle, and incorporate the center-to-center approach rates for the columns calculated using this principle in a larger scale discrete dynamics model for the evolution of a large number of columns. Surface energies, grain boundary energies and strain energies associated with the deformation of the columns are all included in this framework, while sintering is assumed to occur by the concerted action of surface and grain boundary diffusion. Two sets of initial conditions corresponding to different extents of pre-sintering among neighboring columns are considered. When the extent of pre-sintering is small, we observe that small clusters containing 5-20 columns are formed. In contrast, where a larger amount of pre-sintering exists, we observe, especially at large column densities, that clusters containing 50-100 columns separated by large inter-cluster pores/channels that appear to organize themselves into a network are formed. These observations are in good agreement with recently published experimental observations. We also explain how these results can explain the development of a 'mud-crack'-like pattern

  13. Concerted practice and/or conscious parallelism on an oligopolistic market

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Đuričić Jovana

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available The competition represents a desirable state of the market in every society. Putting a lot of effort in trying to be better than each other, the competitors of the market, where there is a fair competition, contribute to making that market more advanced than the other one with the weaker competition. However it has become quite frequent to come across the violation of the competition in modern society. It is usually done by making different agreements or with explicit or tacit coordination of conduct on the market. Apart from these, there are many other ways for doing so, with the aim of getting certain benefits, especially making extra profit. In addition to that, there are some restrictions on the competition on oligopolistic markets too, yet, those markets are covered with different market forms which cannot be easily distinguished from the forbidden ones. This paper defines the relation between the concerted practice and conscious parallelism on an oligopolistic market, which is the example of a restricted market conduct, and the one which just seems to be legal, according to the practice of the European Court of Justice.

  14. Standing Concertation Committee - Meetings held on 6, 20 & 22 May 2008

    CERN Multimedia

    HR Department

    2008-01-01

    The main items discussed at the meeting of the Standing Concertation Committee on 6 May 2008 included: Carry-forward of leave The Committee discussed a proposal to increase, for the period 2008-2009, the carry forward of leave days at the end of the 2008 leave year (30 September 2008) so that staff members working on LHC installation and commissioning do not lose leave. It was agreed that departments would be consulted before finalizing a proposal on the number of extra days of carry-forward. Revision of CHIS Rules The Committee discussed a number of outstanding issues relating to the current revision of the CHIS Rules. This revision should be finalized before a market survey is launched for the service contract for the administration of the CHIS that is foreseen by the end of the year. Preparation for TREF on 28 May The following items were to be discussed at TREF on 28 May 2008: Equal Opportunities Report The Committee took note of the report for 2007 presented by the Equ...

  15. An European concerted action investigating the validity of perinatal mortality as an outcome indicator for the quality of antenatal and perinatal care

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Richardus, J.H.; Graafmans, W.C.; Pal-de Bruin, K.M. van der; Amelink-Verburg, M.P.; Verloove-Vanhorick, S.P.; Mackenbach, J.P.

    1997-01-01

    In this paper the concepts, objectives, design, and data analysis procedures of the EuroNatal study are described. This sutdy started in 1996 and is a concerted action including 14 countries in Europe. The EuroNatal study aims at determining the validity of national perinatal mortality rates as an

  16. t2prhd: a tool to study the patterns of repeat evolution

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pénzes Zsolt

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The models developed to characterize the evolution of multigene families (such as the birth-and-death and the concerted models have also been applied on the level of sequence repeats inside a gene/protein. Phylogenetic reconstruction is the method of choice to study the evolution of gene families and also sequence repeats in the light of these models. The characterization of the gene family evolution in view of the evolutionary models is done by the evaluation of the clustering of the sequences with the originating loci in mind. As the locus represents positional information, it is straightforward that in the case of the repeats the exact position in the sequence should be used, as the simple numbering according to repeat order can be misleading. Results We have developed a novel rapid visual approach to study repeat evolution, that takes into account the exact repeat position in a sequence. The "pairwise repeat homology diagram" visualizes sequence repeats detected by a profile HMM in a pair of sequences and highlights their homology relations inferred by a phylogenetic tree. The method is implemented in a Perl script (t2prhd available for downloading at http://t2prhd.sourceforge.net and is also accessible as an online tool at http://t2prhd.brc.hu. The power of the method is demonstrated on the EGF-like and fibronectin-III-like (Fn-III domain repeats of three selected mammalian Tenascin sequences. Conclusion Although pairwise repeat homology diagrams do not carry all the information provided by the phylogenetic tree, they allow a rapid and intuitive assessment of repeat evolution. We believe, that t2prhd is a helpful tool with which to study the pattern of repeat evolution. This method can be particularly useful in cases of large datasets (such as large gene families, as the command line interface makes it possible to automate the generation of pairwise repeat homology diagrams with the aid of scripts.

  17. State-of-the-art research: Reflections on a concerted Nordic-Baltic nuclear energy effort

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Husdal, Lars; Tveit, Jesper; Vaagen, Jan S; Ridikas, Danas

    2009-09-15

    Quite a few hold the view that nuclear energy will have its renaissance in the not too distant future. Technology is, however, a necessary, but not sufficient condition. The needed prerequisites represent a complex issue. With increasing energy demand and depletion of non-renewable energy resources, nuclear will have to prove its role in an increasing energy mix, globally, regionally and often also nationally. Based on its history, experience with coordinated interplay in electricity production from a variety of energy sources, and science engagements, we argue for a future Nordic/Baltic SHOWCASE: A nuclear weapons free and proliferation safe nuclear energy supplier in the region, with a concerted role in competence building and in international ventures, and with focus on operation, safety, economy and societal aspects. (Author)

  18. Music Audiences 3.0: Concert-Goers’ Psychological Motivations at the Dawn of Virtual Reality

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jean-Philippe Charron

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available Reviewing consumers’ motivations to attend performances in a continuously evolving social and technological context is essential because live concerts generate an important and growing share of revenues for the music industry. Evolving fans’ preferences and technological innovations constantly alter the way music is distributed and consumed. In a marketing 3.0 era, what consumers do with music is becoming more significant than simply owning or listening to a song. These changes are not only blurring the lines between production and consumption (i.e., co-creation, but also distorting the concept of live attendance altogether. Although mediated performances typically lack presence and authenticity, recent advances in immersive technologies, such as spherical videos and virtual reality goggles, could represent a new form of experiencing live music.

  19. Music Audiences 3.0: Concert-Goers' Psychological Motivations at the Dawn of Virtual Reality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Charron, Jean-Philippe

    2017-01-01

    Reviewing consumers' motivations to attend performances in a continuously evolving social and technological context is essential because live concerts generate an important and growing share of revenues for the music industry. Evolving fans' preferences and technological innovations constantly alter the way music is distributed and consumed. In a marketing 3.0 era, what consumers do with music is becoming more significant than simply owning or listening to a song. These changes are not only blurring the lines between production and consumption (i.e., co-creation), but also distorting the concept of live attendance altogether. Although mediated performances typically lack presence and authenticity, recent advances in immersive technologies, such as spherical videos and virtual reality goggles, could represent a new form of experiencing live music.

  20. Music Audiences 3.0: Concert-Goers’ Psychological Motivations at the Dawn of Virtual Reality

    Science.gov (United States)

    Charron, Jean-Philippe

    2017-01-01

    Reviewing consumers’ motivations to attend performances in a continuously evolving social and technological context is essential because live concerts generate an important and growing share of revenues for the music industry. Evolving fans’ preferences and technological innovations constantly alter the way music is distributed and consumed. In a marketing 3.0 era, what consumers do with music is becoming more significant than simply owning or listening to a song. These changes are not only blurring the lines between production and consumption (i.e., co-creation), but also distorting the concept of live attendance altogether. Although mediated performances typically lack presence and authenticity, recent advances in immersive technologies, such as spherical videos and virtual reality goggles, could represent a new form of experiencing live music. PMID:28588528

  1. State-of-the-art research: Reflections on a concerted Nordic-Baltic nuclear energy effort

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Husdal, Lars; Tveit, Jesper; Vaagen, Jan S.; Ridikas, Danas

    2009-09-01

    Quite a few hold the view that nuclear energy will have its renaissance in the not too distant future. Technology is, however, a necessary, but not sufficient condition. The needed prerequisites represent a complex issue. With increasing energy demand and depletion of non-renewable energy resources, nuclear will have to prove its role in an increasing energy mix, globally, regionally and often also nationally. Based on its history, experience with coordinated interplay in electricity production from a variety of energy sources, and science engagements, we argue for a future Nordic/Baltic SHOWCASE: A nuclear weapons free and proliferation safe nuclear energy supplier in the region, with a concerted role in competence building and in international ventures, and with focus on operation, safety, economy and societal aspects. (Author)

  2. Parametrization in models of subcritical glass fracture: Activation offset and concerted activation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rodrigues, Bruno Poletto; Hühn, Carolin; Erlebach, Andreas; Mey, Dorothea; Sierka, Marek; Wondraczek, Lothar

    2017-08-01

    There are two established but fundamentally different empirical approaches to parametrize the rate of subcritical fracture in brittle materials. While both are relying on a thermally activated reaction of bond rupture, the difference lies in the way as to how the externally applied stresses affect the local energy landscape. In the consideration of inorganic glasses, the strain energy is typically taken as an off-set on the activation barrier. As an alternative interpretation, the system’s volumetric strain-energy is added to its thermal energy. Such an interpretation is consistent with the democratic fiber bundle model. Here, we test this approach of concerted activation against macroscopic data of bond cleavage activation energy, and also against ab initio quantum chemical simulation of the energy barrier for cracking in silica. The fact that both models are able to reproduce experimental observation to a remarkable degree highlights the importance of a holistic consideration towards non-empirical understanding.

  3. Concerted Practice-Based Actions in Intimate Partner and Family Violence: When the Children’s Well-Being Is the Central Concern

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Geneviève Lessard

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available In Canada, the exposure of children to intimate partner violence is, along with negligence, one of the most frequent forms of maltreatment. Intimate partner violence raises important issues with regard to child custody and to the exercising of parental roles. The aid provided for children exposed to intimate partner violence covers a range of programs, in particular community services specializing in intimate partner violence, frontline social and health services, and child protection. However, these resource services do not share the same missions, or the same understanding of the problems and possible solutions, since they often operate in parallel networks. The complex situations of families confronted with intimate partner violence present considerable challenges in terms of collaboration between the different organizations. Action research was employed to develop an innovative concertation strategy that fostered collaboration between practitioners from different family resource services. The strategy, which was implemented in the Québec City region between 2011 and 2013, was then evaluated. This article presents the results of this evaluation as well as the positive outcomes that the concertation strategy had for the practitioners’ practice and for the improvement of family services.

  4. A concerted kinase interplay identifies PPARgamma as a molecular target of ghrelin signaling in macrophages.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Annie Demers

    2009-11-01

    Full Text Available The peroxisome proliferator-activator receptor PPARgamma plays an essential role in vascular biology, modulating macrophage function and atherosclerosis progression. Recently, we have described the beneficial effect of combined activation of the ghrelin/GHS-R1a receptor and the scavenger receptor CD36 to induce macrophage cholesterol release through transcriptional activation of PPARgamma. Although the interplay between CD36 and PPARgamma in atherogenesis is well recognized, the contribution of the ghrelin receptor to regulate PPARgamma remains unknown. Here, we demonstrate that ghrelin triggers PPARgamma activation through a concerted signaling cascade involving Erk1/2 and Akt kinases, resulting in enhanced expression of downstream effectors LXRalpha and ABC sterol transporters in human macrophages. These effects were associated with enhanced PPARgamma phosphorylation independently of the inhibitory conserved serine-84. Src tyrosine kinase Fyn was identified as being recruited to GHS-R1a in response to ghrelin, but failure of activated Fyn to enhance PPARgamma Ser-84 specific phosphorylation relied on the concomitant recruitment of docking protein Dok-1, which prevented optimal activation of the Erk1/2 pathway. Also, substitution of Ser-84 preserved the ghrelin-induced PPARgamma activity and responsiveness to Src inhibition, supporting a mechanism independent of Ser-84 in PPARgamma response to ghrelin. Consistent with this, we found that ghrelin promoted the PI3-K/Akt pathway in a Galphaq-dependent manner, resulting in Akt recruitment to PPARgamma, enhanced PPARgamma phosphorylation and activation independently of Ser-84, and increased expression of LXRalpha and ABCA1/G1. Collectively, these results illustrate a complex interplay involving Fyn/Dok-1/Erk and Galphaq/PI3-K/Akt pathways to transduce in a concerted manner responsiveness of PPARgamma to ghrelin in macrophages.

  5. An analysis of concert saxophone vibrato through the examination of recordings by eight prominent soloists

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zinninger, Thomas

    This study examines concert saxophone vibrato through the analysis of several recordings of standard repertoire by prominent soloists. The vibrato of Vincent Abato, Arno Bornkamp, Claude Delangle, Jean-Marie Londeix, Marcel Mule, Otis Murphy, Sigurd Rascher, and Eugene Rousseau is analyzed with regards to rate, extent, shape, and discretionary use. Examination of these parameters was conducted through both general observation and precise measurements with the aid of a spectrogram. Statistical analyses of the results provide tendencies for overall vibrato use, as well as the effects of certain musical attributes (note length, tempo, dynamic, range) on vibrato. The results of this analysis are also compared among each soloist and against pre-existing theories or findings in vibrato research.

  6. Distinctive patterns of evolution of the δ-globin gene (HBD in primates.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ana Moleirinho

    Full Text Available In most vertebrates, hemoglobin (Hb is a heterotetramer composed of two dissimilar globin chains, which change during development according to the patterns of expression of α- and β-globin family members. In placental mammals, the β-globin cluster includes three early-expressed genes, ε(HBE-γ(HBG-ψβ(HBBP1, and the late expressed genes, δ (HBD and β (HBB. While HBB encodes the major adult β-globin chain, HBD is weakly expressed or totally silent. Paradoxically, in human populations HBD shows high levels of conservation typical of genes under strong evolutionary constraints, possibly due to a regulatory role in the fetal-to-adult switch unique of Anthropoid primates. In this study, we have performed a comprehensive phylogenetic and comparative analysis of the two adult β-like globin genes in a set of diverse mammalian taxa, focusing on the evolution and functional divergence of HBD in primates. Our analysis revealed that anthropoids are an exception to a general pattern of concerted evolution in placental mammals, showing a high level of sequence conservation at HBD, less frequent and shorter gene conversion events. Moreover, this lineage is unique in the retention of a functional GATA-1 motif, known to be involved in the control of the developmental expression of the β-like globin genes. We further show that not only the mode but also the rate of evolution of the δ-globin gene in higher primates are strictly associated with the fetal/adult β-cluster developmental switch. To gain further insight into the possible functional constraints that have been shaping the evolutionary history of HBD in primates, we calculated dN/dS (ω ratios under alternative models of gene evolution. Although our results indicate that HBD might have experienced different selective pressures throughout primate evolution, as shown by different ω values between apes and Old World Monkeys + New World Monkeys (0.06 versus 0.43, respectively, these estimates

  7. Music and politics after the Holocaust: Menuhin’s Berlin concerts of 1947 and their aftermath

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Frühauf, Tina

    2011-10-01

    Full Text Available Between September 27 and October 3, 1947, Yehudi Menuhin gave six performances in Berlin, two of them together with Wilhelm Furtwängler, who had just been cleared by the denazification tribunals in Austria and Germany. Because of the German audience and the Furtwängler collaboration, these concerts led to a scandal in the Jewish community and the Displaced Persons camp in Germany as well as Jewish communities abroad. I turn first to the historical background of these performances, specifically the position of Menuhin and Furtwängler toward each other and their roles in postwar Germany. I will then chronicle the events of September and October 1947 through the lenses of Abraham S. Hyman, legal consultant to the American Advisers on Jewish Affairs in Germany, and Yehudi Menuhin and his biographers, to reveal the complexity of the events. Lastly, I will scrutinize the reception of the concerts to shed light on the reasons for and impact of the scandal. I argue that these concerts were mishandled in their organization and aims, in that politics played too large a role in the events during a time when the Jewish people suffered severe trauma in the aftermath of the Holocaust.

    Entre el 27 de septiembre y el 3 de octubre del 1947, Yehudi Menuhin ofreció seis conciertos en Berlín, dos de ellos con Wilhelm Furtwängler, quien acababa de ser declarado inocente por los tribunales de “desnazificación” en Austria y Alemania. Debido a que el público era alemán y a la participación de Furtwängler, estos conciertos provocaron un fuerte escándalo entre la comunidad judía y la población desplazada de los campos en Alemania, así como entre las comunidades judías en el extranjero. Mi investigación se centra, primero, en el contexto histórico de estos conciertos y, concretamente, la posición de Menuhin y Furtwängler hacia el uno al otro, así como sus respectivos papeles en la Alemania de la postguerra. Posteriormente ofrezco una relaci

  8. Computations on the primary photoreaction of Br2 with CO2: stepwise vs concerted addition of Br atoms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Kewei; Korter, Timothy M; Braiman, Mark S

    2015-04-09

    It was proposed previously that Br2-sensitized photolysis of liquid CO2 proceeds through a metastable primary photoproduct, CO2Br2. Possible mechanisms for such a photoreaction are explored here computationally. First, it is shown that the CO2Br radical is not stable in any geometry. This rules out a free-radical mechanism, for example, photochemical splitting of Br2 followed by stepwise addition of Br atoms to CO2-which in turn accounts for the lack of previously observed Br2+CO2 photochemistry in gas phases. A possible alternative mechanism in liquid phase is formation of a weakly bound CO2:Br2 complex, followed by concerted photoaddition of Br2. This hypothesis is suggested by the previously published spectroscopic detection of a binary CO2:Br2 complex in the supersonically cooled gas phase. We compute a global binding-energy minimum of -6.2 kJ mol(-1) for such complexes, in a linear geometry. Two additional local minima were computed for perpendicular (C2v) and nearly parallel asymmetric planar geometries, both with binding energies near -5.4 kJ mol(-1). In these two latter geometries, C-Br and O-Br bond distances are simultaneously in the range of 3.5-3.8 Å, that is, perhaps suitable for a concerted photoaddition under the temperature and pressure conditions where Br2 + CO2 photochemistry has been observed.

  9. Concerted evolution of body mass and cell size: similar patterns among species of birds (Galliformes) and mammals (Rodentia)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dragosz-Kluska, Dominika; Pis, Tomasz; Pawlik, Katarzyna; Kapustka, Filip; Kilarski, Wincenty M.; Kozłowski, Jan

    2018-01-01

    ABSTRACT Cell size plays a role in body size evolution and environmental adaptations. Addressing these roles, we studied body mass and cell size in Galliformes birds and Rodentia mammals, and collected published data on their genome sizes. In birds, we measured erythrocyte nuclei and basal metabolic rates (BMRs). In birds and mammals, larger species consistently evolved larger cells for five cell types (erythrocytes, enterocytes, chondrocytes, skin epithelial cells, and kidney proximal tubule cells) and evolved smaller hepatocytes. We found no evidence that cell size differences originated through genome size changes. We conclude that the organism-wide coordination of cell size changes might be an evolutionarily conservative characteristic, and the convergent evolutionary body size and cell size changes in Galliformes and Rodentia suggest the adaptive significance of cell size. Recent theory predicts that species evolving larger cells waste less energy on tissue maintenance but have reduced capacities to deliver oxygen to mitochondria and metabolize resources. Indeed, birds with larger size of the abovementioned cell types and smaller hepatocytes have evolved lower mass-specific BMRs. We propose that the inconsistent pattern in hepatocytes derives from the efficient delivery system to hepatocytes, combined with their intense involvement in supracellular function and anabolic activity. PMID:29540429

  10. Concerted evolution of body mass and cell size: similar patterns among species of birds (Galliformes and mammals (Rodentia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marcin Czarnoleski

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Cell size plays a role in body size evolution and environmental adaptations. Addressing these roles, we studied body mass and cell size in Galliformes birds and Rodentia mammals, and collected published data on their genome sizes. In birds, we measured erythrocyte nuclei and basal metabolic rates (BMRs. In birds and mammals, larger species consistently evolved larger cells for five cell types (erythrocytes, enterocytes, chondrocytes, skin epithelial cells, and kidney proximal tubule cells and evolved smaller hepatocytes. We found no evidence that cell size differences originated through genome size changes. We conclude that the organism-wide coordination of cell size changes might be an evolutionarily conservative characteristic, and the convergent evolutionary body size and cell size changes in Galliformes and Rodentia suggest the adaptive significance of cell size. Recent theory predicts that species evolving larger cells waste less energy on tissue maintenance but have reduced capacities to deliver oxygen to mitochondria and metabolize resources. Indeed, birds with larger size of the abovementioned cell types and smaller hepatocytes have evolved lower mass-specific BMRs. We propose that the inconsistent pattern in hepatocytes derives from the efficient delivery system to hepatocytes, combined with their intense involvement in supracellular function and anabolic activity.

  11. Species-specific evolution of class I MHC genes in iguanas (order: Squamata; subfamily: Iguaninae).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Glaberman, Scott; Caccone, Adalgisa

    2008-07-01

    Over the last few decades, the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) has emerged as a model for understanding the influence of natural selection on genetic diversity in populations as well as for investigating the genetic basis of host resistance to pathogens. However, many vertebrate taxa remain underrepresented in the field of MHC research, preventing its application to studies of disease, evolution, and conservation genetics in these groups. This is particularly true for squamates, which are by far the most diversified order of non-avian reptiles but have not been the subject of any recent MHC studies. In this paper, we present MHC class I complementary DNA data from three squamate species in the subfamily Iguaninae (iguanas): the Galápagos marine iguana (Amblyrhynchus cristatus), the Galápagos land iguana (Conolophus subcristatus), and the green iguana (Iguana iguana). All sequences obtained are related to the few published class I genes from other squamates. There is evidence for multiple loci in each species, and the conserved alpha-3 domain appears to be evolving in a species-specific manner. Conversely, there is some indication of shared polymorphism between species in the peptide-binding alpha-1 and alpha-2 domains, suggesting that these two regions have different phylogenetic histories. The great similarity between alpha-3 sequences in marine iguanas in particular suggests that concerted evolution is acting to homogenize class I loci within species. However, while less likely, the data are also compatible with a birth and death model of evolution.

  12. How Create an Astronomy Outreach Program to Bring Astronomy to Thousands of People at Outdoor Concerts Astronomy Festivals, or Tourist Sites

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lubowich, Donald

    2015-08-01

    I describe how to create an astronomy program for thousands of people at outdoor concerts based on my $308,000 NASA-funded Music and Astronomy Under the Stars (MAUS) program (60 events 2009 - 2013), and the Astronomy Festival on the National Mall (AFNM, 10,000 people/yr).MAUS reached 50,000 music lovers at local parks and at the Central Park Jazz, Newport Folk, Ravinia, or Tanglewood Music Festivals with classical, folk, pop/rock, opera, Caribbean, or county-western concerts assisted by astronomy clubs. Yo-Yo-Ma, the Chicago and Boston Symphony Orchestras, Ravi Coltrane, Esperanza Spalding, Phish, Blood Sweat and Tears, Deep Purple, Tony Orlando, and Wilco performed at these events. AFNM was started in 2010 with co-sponsorship by the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. MAUS and AFMN combine solar, optical, and radio telescope observations; large posters/banners; hands-on activities, imaging with a cell phone mount; citizen science activities; hand-outs; and teacher info packet. Representatives from scientific institutions participated. Tyco Brahe, Johannes Kepler, and Caroline Herschel made guest appearances.MAUS reached underserved groups and attracted large crowds. Young kids participated in this family learning experience-often the first time they looked through a telescope. While < 50% of the participants took part in a science activity in the past year, they found MAUS enjoyable and understandable; learned about astronomy; wanted to learn more; and increased their interest in science (ave. rating 3.6/4). MAUS is effective in promoting science education!Lessons learned: plan early; create partnerships with parks, concert organizers, and astronomy clubs; test equipment; have backup equipment; create professional displays; select the best location to obtain a largest number of participants; use social media/www sites to promote the events; use many telescopes for multiple targets; project a live image or video; select equipment that is easy to

  13. In-situ observations of young contrails – overview and selected results from the CONCERT campaign

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    C. Voigt

    2010-09-01

    Full Text Available Lineshaped contrails were detected with the research aircraft Falcon during the CONCERT – CONtrail and Cirrus ExpeRimenT – campaign in October/November 2008. The Falcon was equipped with a set of instruments to measure the particle size distribution, shape, extinction and chemical composition as well as trace gas mixing ratios of sulfur dioxide (SO2, reactive nitrogen and halogen species (NO, NOy, HNO3, HONO, HCl, ozone (O3 and carbon monoxide (CO. During 12 mission flights over Europe, numerous contrails, cirrus clouds and a volcanic aerosol layer were probed at altitudes between 8.5 and 11.6 km and at temperatures above 213 K. 22 contrails from 11 different aircraft were observed near and below ice saturation. The observed NO mixing ratios, ice crystal and soot number densities are compared to a process based contrail model. On 19 November 2008 the contrail from a CRJ-2 aircraft was penetrated in 10.1 km altitude at a temperature of 221 K. The contrail had mean ice crystal number densities of 125 cm−3 with effective radii reff of 2.6 μm. The presence of particles with r>50 μm in the less than 2 min old contrail suggests that natural cirrus crystals were entrained in the contrail. Mean HONO/NO (HONO/NOy ratios of 0.037 (0.024 and the fuel sulfur conversion efficiency to H2SO4S of 2.9 % observed in the CRJ-2 contrail are in the range of previous measurements in the gaseous aircraft exhaust. On 31 October 2010 aviation NO emissions could have contributed by more than 40% to the regional scale NO levels in the mid-latitude lowest stratosphere. The CONCERT observations help to better quantify the climate impact from contrails and will be used to investigate the chemical processing of trace gases on contrails.

  14. Scharoun versus Gehry : dos opciones metodológicas personales explícitas a partir del análisis de la Filarmónica de Berlín y el Walt Disney Concert Hall

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eneko Besa

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available

    Resumen

    Estudio de la Filarmónica de Berlín como ejemplo de las  diferentes aproximaciones y contradicciones que la arquitectura “traba” a través del argumento que la constituye. Acuerdo tenso entre interior‐exterior, lugar‐programa, simetría‐asimetría,  unidad sintética ‐ complejidad múltiple, continuidad orgánica ‐ discontinuidad fragmentada.
    Comparativa con el edificio Walt Disney Concert Hall, en el que  se utiliza la misma tipología de sala de conciertos. Sin embargo y al contrario que Scharoun, Gehry evita cualquier acuerdo sintético de unidad, constituyendo el edificio a partir de la pura  fragmentación y diversidad per se. Pues en su caso, la unidad necesaria para constituir la autonomía y ser de la obra, se buscará a través de la imagen y expresión del concepto de  belleza que el edificio alcanza.

    Palabras clave

    sala de conciertos, lugar, unidad, exterior, fragmento

    Abstract

    This article is a study of the Berlin Philharmonic Concert Hall as an example of the different approximations and contradictions that Architecture ties together as a result of the reasoning that makes it up. A tense agreement between interior and exterior, place and program, symmetry and asymmetry, synthetic unity and multiple complexity, organic continuity and fragmented discontinuity.
    A comparison to Walt Disney Concert Hall is made, where the same concert hall typology is used. Nevertheless, in contrast to Scharoun, Gehry avoids any kind of synthetic agreement of unity, conceiving the building out of pure fragmentation and  diversity per se. In Gehry’s case, the unity necessary to constitute the autonomy and essence of the building is sought  through the image and expression of the concept of beauty that it reaches.

    Key words

    concert hall, place, unity, exterior, fragment

  15. Rainforests as concert halls for birds: Are reverberations improving sound transmission of long song elements?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nemeth, Erwin; Dabelsteen, Torben; Pedersen, Simon Boel

    2006-01-01

    that longer sounds are less attenuated. The results indicate that higher sound pressure level is caused by superimposing reflections. It is suggested that this beneficial effect of reverberations explains interspecific birdsong differences in element length. Transmission paths with stronger reverberations......In forests reverberations have probably detrimental and beneficial effects on avian communication. They constrain signal discrimination by masking fast repetitive sounds and they improve signal detection by elongating sounds. This ambivalence of reflections for animal signals in forests is similar...... to the influence of reverberations on speech or music in indoor sound transmission. Since comparisons of sound fields of forests and concert halls have demonstrated that reflections can contribute in both environments a considerable part to the energy of a received sound, it is here assumed that reverberations...

  16. Distinct mechanisms act in concert to mediate cell cycle arrest.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Toettcher, Jared E; Loewer, Alexander; Ostheimer, Gerard J; Yaffe, Michael B; Tidor, Bruce; Lahav, Galit

    2009-01-20

    In response to DNA damage, cells arrest at specific stages in the cell cycle. This arrest must fulfill at least 3 requirements: it must be activated promptly; it must be sustained as long as damage is present to prevent loss of genomic information; and after the arrest, cells must re-enter into the appropriate cell cycle phase to ensure proper ploidy. Multiple molecular mechanisms capable of arresting the cell cycle have been identified in mammalian cells; however, it is unknown whether each mechanism meets all 3 requirements or whether they act together to confer specific functions to the arrest. To address this question, we integrated mathematical models describing the cell cycle and the DNA damage signaling networks and tested the contributions of each mechanism to cell cycle arrest and re-entry. Predictions from this model were then tested with quantitative experiments to identify the combined action of arrest mechanisms in irradiated cells. We find that different arrest mechanisms serve indispensable roles in the proper cellular response to DNA damage over time: p53-independent cyclin inactivation confers immediate arrest, whereas p53-dependent cyclin downregulation allows this arrest to be sustained. Additionally, p21-mediated inhibition of cyclin-dependent kinase activity is indispensable for preventing improper cell cycle re-entry and endoreduplication. This work shows that in a complex signaling network, seemingly redundant mechanisms, acting in a concerted fashion, can achieve a specific cellular outcome.

  17. Radical Abstraction Reactions with Concerted Fragmentation in the Chain Decay of Nitroalkanes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Denisov, E. T.; Shestakov, A. F.

    2018-05-01

    Reactions of the type X• + HCR2CH2NO2 → XH + R2C=CH2 + N•O2 are exothermic, due to the breaking of weak C-N bonds and the formation of energy-intensive C=C bonds. Quantum chemistry calculations of the transition state using the reactions of Et• and EtO• with 2-nitrobutane shows that such reactions can be categorized as one-step, due to the extreme instability of the intermediate nitrobutyl radical toward decay with the formation of N•O2. Kinetic parameters that allow us to calculate the energy of activation and rate constant of such a reaction from its enthalpy are estimated using a model of intersecting parabolas. Enthalpies, energies of activation, and rate constants are calculated for a series of reactions with the participation of Et•, EtO•, RO•2, N•O2 radicals on the one hand and a series of nitroalkanes on the other. A new kinetic scheme of the chain decay of nitroalkanes with the participation of abstraction reactions with concerted fragmentation is proposed on the basis of the obtained data.

  18. Efficacy of Role Play in Concert with Lecture to Enhance Student Learning of Immunology

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Samantha L. Elliott

    2010-11-01

    Full Text Available Despite numerous reports that active learning increases student understanding, many barriers still exist that prevent faculty from shedding the traditional passive lecture and adopting active learning strategies in the classroom. This study looks at the use of role play as an active learning technique to convey new material, or as reinforcement to traditional lecture. A pre- and post-test survey was utilized to determine student learning gains, along with an anonymous survey to determine student attitudes about role play. Student learning gains are similar regardless of class size, role-playing participation or learning style, and reflect an increase in lower order cognition. Attitudes and learning gains indicate role play is preferable as a reinforcement technique, although the order does not matter if both lecture and role play are utilized to convey information. These data provide insight into the best practices of role-playing implementation in concert with traditional lecture format.

  19. Hierarchical Oct4 Binding in Concert with Primed Epigenetic Rearrangements during Somatic Cell Reprogramming

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jun Chen

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available The core pluripotency factor Oct4 plays key roles in somatic cell reprogramming through transcriptional control. Here, we profile Oct4 occupancy, epigenetic changes, and gene expression in reprogramming. We find that Oct4 binds in a hierarchical manner to target sites with primed epigenetic modifications. Oct4 binding is temporally continuous and seldom switches between bound and unbound. Oct4 occupancy in most of promoters is maintained throughout the entire reprogramming process. In contrast, somatic cell-specific enhancers are silenced in the early and intermediate stages, whereas stem cell-specific enhancers are activated in the late stage in parallel with cell fate transition. Both epigenetic remodeling and Oct4 binding contribute to the hyperdynamic enhancer signature transitions. The hierarchical Oct4 bindings are associated with distinct functional themes at different stages. Collectively, our results provide a comprehensive molecular roadmap of Oct4 binding in concert with epigenetic rearrangements and rich resources for future reprogramming studies.

  20. Design and evaluation of a higher-order spherical microphone/ambisonic sound reproduction system for the acoustical assessment of concert halls

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clapp, Samuel W.

    Previous studies of the perception of concert hall acoustics have generally employed two methods for soliciting listeners' judgments. One method is to have listeners rate the sound in a hall while physically present in that hall. The other method is to make recordings of different halls and seat positions, and then recreate the environment for listeners in a laboratory setting via loudspeakers or headphones. In situ evaluations offer a completely faithful rendering of all aspects of the concert hall experience. However, many variables cannot be controlled and the short duration of auditory memory precludes an objective comparison of different spaces. Simulation studies allow for more control over various aspects of the evaluations, as well as A/B comparisons of different halls and seat positions. The drawback is that all simulation methods suffer from limitations in the accuracy of reproduction. If the accuracy of the simulation system is improved, then the advantages of the simulation method can be retained, while mitigating its disadvantages. Spherical microphone array technology has received growing interest in the acoustics community in recent years for many applications including beamforming, source localization, and other forms of three-dimensional sound field analysis. These arrays can decompose a measured sound field into its spherical harmonic components, the spherical harmonics being a set of spatial basis functions on the sphere that are derived from solving the wave equation in spherical coordinates. Ambisonics is a system for two- and three-dimensional spatialized sound that is based on recreating a sound field from its spherical harmonic components. Because of these shared mathematical underpinnings, ambisonics provides a natural way to present fully spatialized renderings of recordings made with a spherical microphone array. Many of the previously studied applications of spherical microphone arrays have used a narrow frequency range where the array

  1. Mechanisms of oxygen evolution

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Radmer, R; Cheniae, G

    1976-08-01

    The production of O/sub 2/ from water requires the collaboration of four oxidizing equivalents. When dark-adapted O/sub 2/ evolving photosynthetic material is illuminated by a sequence of short (less than 2 ..mu..sec) saturating flashes, the amount of O/sub 2/ evolved per flash oscillates with a period of four. This indicates that a charge-collector, operating with its own reaction center, successively collects and stores four oxidizing equivalents, which are used in a concerted oxidation of two water molecules. Luminescence, fluorescence, and pH changes also reflect this cycle of four. The O/sub 2/ precursor states are quite stable; under some conditions they can have a lifetime of several minutes. The O/sub 2/-yielding reactions and reactions associated with trap recovery are fast relative to the rate-limiting step of photosynthesis. The molecular identity of the charge-collector is unknown, but correlative evidence suggests that a manganese containing catalyst (approximately 4 Mn/charge collector) participates, possibly directly. Formation of the active Mn-containing catalyst occurs via a multi-quantum process occurring within the System II reaction center. The photoactivated catalyst, located on the inner face of the thylakoid membrane, remains permanently active and essentially inaccessible to chemicals other than analogs of H/sub 2/O (e.g., NH/sub 3/, NH/sub 2/OH). This O/sub 2/ evolving catalyst can be deactivated by a variety of treatments that do not alter the system II reaction center. Anions such as chloride seem to participate rather directly in the O/sub 2/ evolution process via unknown mechanism(s).

  2. Concerted Uranium Research in Europe (CURE): toward a collaborative project integrating dosimetry, epidemiology and radiobiology to study the effects of occupational uranium exposure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Laurent, Olivier; Gomolka, Maria; Haylock, Richard; Blanchardon, Eric; Giussani, Augusto; Atkinson, Will; Baatout, Sarah; Bingham, Derek; Cardis, Elisabeth; Hall, Janet; Tomasek, Ladislav; Ancelet, Sophie; Badie, Christophe; Bethel, Gary; Bertho, Jean-Marc; Bouet, Ségolène; Bull, Richard; Challeton-de Vathaire, Cécile; Cockerill, Rupert; Davesne, Estelle; Ebrahimian, Teni; Engels, Hilde; Gillies, Michael; Grellier, James; Grison, Stephane; Gueguen, Yann; Hornhardt, Sabine; Ibanez, Chrystelle; Kabacik, Sylwia; Kotik, Lukas; Kreuzer, Michaela; Lebacq, Anne Laure; Marsh, James; Nosske, Dietmar; O'Hagan, Jackie; Pernot, Eileen; Puncher, Matthew; Rage, Estelle; Riddell, Tony; Roy, Laurence; Samson, Eric; Souidi, Maamar; Turner, Michelle C; Zhivin, Sergey; Laurier, Dominique

    2016-06-01

    The potential health impacts of chronic exposures to uranium, as they occur in occupational settings, are not well characterized. Most epidemiological studies have been limited by small sample sizes, and a lack of harmonization of methods used to quantify radiation doses resulting from uranium exposure. Experimental studies have shown that uranium has biological effects, but their implications for human health are not clear. New studies that would combine the strengths of large, well-designed epidemiological datasets with those of state-of-the-art biological methods would help improve the characterization of the biological and health effects of occupational uranium exposure. The aim of the European Commission concerted action CURE (Concerted Uranium Research in Europe) was to develop protocols for such a future collaborative research project, in which dosimetry, epidemiology and biology would be integrated to better characterize the effects of occupational uranium exposure. These protocols were developed from existing European cohorts of workers exposed to uranium together with expertise in epidemiology, biology and dosimetry of CURE partner institutions. The preparatory work of CURE should allow a large scale collaborative project to be launched, in order to better characterize the effects of uranium exposure and more generally of alpha particles and low doses of ionizing radiation.

  3. Niš music festival and avant-garde music: Case studies concert of the Radio Belgrade Electronic Studio and 'John Cage's Evening'

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cvetković Sonja S.

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available In the period of domination of socialist realism and moderate modernism, which meant for the Serbian post-war musical creativity isolation from the European and world trends of musical avant-garde, during the sixties and seventies of the twentieth century music of the Serbian and Yugoslav composers of the younger generation becomes more open to a new sound concepts of serialism, aleatory, electronic media and minimalism. A radical break with tradition and changes in almost all aspects of the new music - aesthetics, notation, sound realization - made difficult to establish a clear criteria for its evaluation and therefore, the general reception of the most actual tendencies. Beside two institutional musical places where the contemporary world and national music was performed and promoted - International Music Biennale Zagreb, founded in 1961 and annual Review of Yugoslav Music in Opatija, founded in 1964 (since 1979 under the name Review of Musical Creativity of Yugoslavia, concert and festival stages in the leading musical centers in former Yugoslavia have shown considerable restraint to the contemporary music. In the case of the reception of electro-acoustic compositions created in the Radio Belgrade Electronic Studio and John Cage's sonatas for prepared piano that were performed at the Niš (October Music Festival during the eighties of the 20th century, the paper discusses about the representation of avant-garde music at this manifestation and openness of the local public towards the contemporary compositional streams. At the concert held in 1981 in the hall of the Niš Symphony Orchestra were presented the latest achievements of the composers Miloš Petrović (Anton with or without Webern, 1981, Paul Pignon (Cartoon, 1980, Janez Matičič (Fusions, 1979, Vladan Radovanović (Audiospacial, 1975-78 and Dragoslav Ortakov (Eleorp, 1976 realized in the Radio Belgrade Electronic Studio founded in 1971. Serbian pianist Nada Kolundžija performed in

  4. Molecular cloning of RBCS genes in Selaginella and the evolution of the rbcS gene family

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wang Bo

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Rubisco small subunits (RBCS are encoded by a nuclear rbcS multigene family in higher plants and green algae. However, owing to the lack of rbcS sequences in lycophytes, the characteristics of rbcS genes in lycophytes is unclear. Recently, the complete genome sequence of the lycophyte Selaginella moellendorffii provided the first insight into the rbcS gene family in lycophytes. To understand further the characteristics of rbcS genes in other Selaginella, the full length of rbcS genes (rbcS1 and rbcS2 from two other Selaginella species were isolated. Both rbcS1 and rbcS2 genes shared more than 97% identity among three Selaginella species. RBCS proteins from Selaginella contained the Pfam RBCS domain F00101, which was a major domain of other plant RBCS proteins. To explore the evolution of the rbcS gene family across Selaginella and other plants, we identified and performed comparative analysis of the rbcS gene family among 16 model plants based on a genome-wide analysis. The results showed that (i two rbcS genes were obtained in Selaginella, which is the second fewest number of rbcS genes among the 16 representative plants; (ii an expansion of rbcS genes occurred in the moss Physcomitrella patens; (iii only RBCS proteins from angiosperms contained the Pfam PF12338 domains, and (iv a pattern of concerted evolution existed in the rbcS gene family. Our study provides new insights into the evolution of the rbcS gene family in Selaginella and other plants.

  5. DRAWING MUSIC! ANAL Y Z ING AN EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITY OF VISUALI Z ING A CONCERT

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Váradi, Judit

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available According to the literature and recent studies, a high number of encounters with classical music during childhood and adolescence in the context of positive feelings closely correlates with the formation of classical music competencies. During the investigation of primary students’ attitudes towards classical music, it has been revealed that those who have more opportunities to enter music education will come closer to understanding classical music. At the University of Debrecen Faculty of Music, we have organised and staged various educational youth performances in the last decades. Our goal is to get elementary school children acquainted with live music, classical instruments. A key element of our mission is to form the preferences of children and young people who do not participate in art education, so that they may become interested and sophisticated adults. In our paper we analysis the creations of the drawing competition what connects in theme with the youth concert.

  6. Gene Conversion in Angiosperm Genomes with an Emphasis on Genes Duplicated by Polyploidization

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xi-Yin Wang

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Angiosperm genomes differ from those of mammals by extensive and recursive polyploidizations. The resulting gene duplication provides opportunities both for genetic innovation, and for concerted evolution. Though most genes may escape conversion by their homologs, concerted evolution of duplicated genes can last for millions of years or longer after their origin. Indeed, paralogous genes on two rice chromosomes duplicated an estimated 60–70 million years ago have experienced gene conversion in the past 400,000 years. Gene conversion preserves similarity of paralogous genes, but appears to accelerate their divergence from orthologous genes in other species. The mutagenic nature of recombination coupled with the buffering effect provided by gene redundancy, may facilitate the evolution of novel alleles that confer functional innovations while insulating biological fitness of affected plants. A mixed evolutionary model, characterized by a primary birth-and-death process and occasional homoeologous recombination and gene conversion, may best explain the evolution of multigene families.

  7. Mapping sound intensities by seating position in a university concert band: A risk of hearing loss, temporary threshold shifts, and comparisons with standards of OSHA and NIOSH

    Science.gov (United States)

    Holland, Nicholas Vedder, III

    Exposure to loud sounds is one of the leading causes of hearing loss in the United States. The purpose of the current research was to measure the sound pressure levels generated within a university concert band and determine if those levels exceeded permissible sound limits for exposure according to criteria set by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). Time-weighted averages (TWA) were obtained via a dosimeter during six rehearsals for nine members of the ensemble (plus the conductor), who were seated in frontal proximity to "instruments of power" (trumpets, trombones, and percussion; (Backus, 1977). Subjects received audiometer tests prior to and after each rehearsal to determine any temporary threshold shifts (TTS). Single sample t tests were calculated to compare TWA means and the maximum sound intensity exposures set by OSHA and NIOSH. Correlations were calculated between TWAs and TTSs, as well as TTSs and the number of semesters subjects reported being seated in proximity to instruments of power. The TWA-OSHA mean of 90.2 dBA was not significantly greater than the specified OSHA maximum standard of 90.0 dBA (p > .05). The TWA-NIOSH mean of 93.1 dBA was, however, significantly greater than the NIOSH specified maximum standard of 85.0 dBA (p OSHA, r = .20 for NIOSH); the correlation between TTSs and semesters of proximity to instruments of power was also considered weak (r = .13). TWAs cumulatively exceeded both association's sound exposure limits at 11 specified locations (nine subjects and both ears of the conductor) throughout the concert band's rehearsals. In addition, hearing acuity, as determined by TTSs, was substantially affected negatively by the intensities produced in the concert band. The researcher concluded that conductors, as well as their performers, must be aware of possible damaging sound intensities in rehearsals or performances.

  8. Visiting the cinema, concerts, museums or art exhibitions as determinant of survival: a Swedish fourteen-year cohort follow-up.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Konlaan, B B; Bygren, L O; Johansson, S E

    2000-09-01

    The aim of this study was to ascertain the possible influence of attending various kinds of cultural events or visiting cultural institutions as a determinant of survival. A cohort of individuals aged 25-74 years from a random sample were interviewed by trained non-medical interviewers in 1982 and 1983. The interviews covered standard-of-living variables. Our independent variables covered visiting cultural institutions and attendance at cultural events, reading books or periodicals, and music making. The non-response rate was about 25%. The cohort was followed with respect to survival for 14 years up to 31st December 1996. The background covariates that were used for control purposes were age, sex, cash buffer, educational standard, long-term disease, smoking, and physical exercise. Our setting was the Swedish survey of living conditions among the adult Swedish population aged 25-74 years. About 10,609 individuals were interviewed in 1982 and 1983. The outcome measure was survival until 31st December 1996. In all, 916 men and 600 women died during this period. We found a higher mortality risk for those people who rarely visited the cinema, concerts, museums, or art exhibitions compared with those visiting them most often. The significant relative risks ranging between RR 1.14 (95% CI. 1.01-1.31) of attending art exhibitions, and RR 1.42 (CI. 1.25-1.60) of attending museums, when adjusting for the nine other variables. Visits to the cinema and concerts gave significant RR in between. We could not discern any beneficial effect of attending the theatre, church service or sports event as a spectator or any effect of reading or music making. Our conclusion is that attendance at certain kinds of cultural events may have a beneficial effect on longevity.

  9. Evolution of microhabitat association and morphology in a diverse group of cryptobenthic coral reef fishes (Teleostei: Gobiidae: Eviota)

    KAUST Repository

    Tornabene, Luke; Ahmadia, Gabby N.; Berumen, Michael L.; Smith, David J.; Jompa, Jamaluddì n; Pezold, Frank L.

    2013-01-01

    Gobies (Teleostei: Gobiidae) are an extremely diverse and widely distributed group and are the second most species rich family of vertebrates. Ecological drivers are key to the evolutionary success of the Gobiidae. However, ecological and phylogenetic data are lacking for many diverse genera of gobies. Our study investigated the evolution of microhabitat association across the phylogeny of 18 species of dwarfgobies (genus Eviota), an abundant and diverse group of coral reef fishes. In addition, we also explore the evolution of pectoral fin-ray branching and sensory head pores to determine the relationship between morphological evolution and microhabitat shifts. Our results demonstrate that Eviota species switched multiple times from a facultative hard-coral association to inhabiting rubble or mixed sand/rubble habitat. We found no obvious relationship between microhabitat shifts and changes in pectoral fin-ray branching or reduction in sensory pores, with the latter character being highly homoplasious throughout the genus. The relative flexibility in coral-association in Eviota combined with the ability to move into non-coral habitats suggests a genetic capacity for ecological release in contrast to the strict obligate coral-dwelling relationship commonly observed in closely related coral gobies, thus promoting co-existence through fine scale niche partitioning. The variation in microhabitat association may facilitate opportunistic ecological speciation, and species persistence in the face of environmental change. This increased speciation opportunity, in concert with a high resilience to extinction, may explain the exceptionally high diversity seen in Eviota compared to related genera in the family. © 2012 Elsevier Inc.

  10. COMMUNICATIONAL THINKING IN THE STATE ORCHESTRA OF MATO GROSSO AND THE FIELD OF CONCERT MUSIC IN CUIABÁ

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yuji Gushiken

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Na perspectiva da “comunicação como cultura”, este artigo tem como questão central a relação entre pensamento comunicacional e a formação da música de concerto como campo artístico-cultural, num estudo de caso da Orquestra do Estado de Mato Grosso (OEMT. Criada em 2005, a OEMT instituiu um novo momento para a música de concerto em Cuiabá, capital de Mato Grosso, estado do Centro-Oeste com parte de seu território na Amazônia Legal. O funcionamento da OEMT na primeira década de atividade (2005-2015 atualiza-se com o desenvolvimento paralelo de estratégias de comunicação organizacional que redimensionam as relações da orquestra junto a seus diversos públicos. A interface entre distintos campos profissionais evidencia a dimensão comunicacional das práticas artísticas e culturais na contemporaneidade.   PALAVRAS-CHAVE: Comunicação; Música de concerto; Orquestra do Estado de Mato Grosso; Cuiabá.     ABSTRACT In the perspective of “communication as culture”, this article has as its central question the relationship between communicational thinking and the formation of concert music as an artistic-cultural field, in a case study of the State Orchestra of Mato Grosso (OEMT. Created in 2005, OEMT instituted a new moment for concert music in Cuiabá, capital of Mato Grosso, state of the Midwest with part of its territory in the Legal Amazon. The operation of OEMT in the first decade of activity (2005-2015 is updated with the parallel development of organizational communication strategies that reshape the relations of the orchestra with its different audiences. The interface between different professional fields evidences the communicational dimension of the artistic and cultural practices in the contemporaneity.   KEYWORDS: Communication; Concert music; State Orchestra of  Mato Grosso; Cuiabá.     RESUMEN Desde la perspectiva de la “comunicación como cultura”, este artículo tiene como cuestión central la

  11. Understanding and protecting the world's biodiversity: the role and legacy of the SCAR programme "Evolution and Biodiversity in the Antarctic".

    Science.gov (United States)

    di Prisco, Guido; Convey, Peter; Gutt, Julian; Cowan, Don; Conlan, Kathleen; Verde, Cinzia

    2012-12-01

    Current global changes are prompting scientists and governments to consider the risk of extinction of species inhabiting environments influenced by ice. Concerted, multidisciplinary, international programmes aimed at understanding life processes, evolution and adaptations in the Polar Regions will help to counteract such an event by protecting polar life and ecosystems. There is a long tradition of international scientific cooperation in Antarctica that provides a strong foundation for such approaches. While basic understanding is emerging, we still largely lack predictive biological models, and need to achieve further integration amongst biological and non-biological disciplines. The ongoing SCAR Science Research Programme, "Evolution and Biodiversity in the Antarctic (EBA)" has successfully carried out its crucial role of providing an overarching umbrella for SCAR research in Life Sciences. Now is the time for aiming to progress beyond this important role, and the Antarctic biology community is proposing two programmes, focussed on distinct but complementary aspects of polar biology and working across marine, freshwater and terrestrial environments: "State of the Antarctic Ecosystem (AntEco)", and "Antarctic Thresholds--Ecosystem Resilience and Adaptation (AnT-ERA)". These programmes are the legacy of EBA, and they are key to understanding and protect Antarctic biodiversity. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Human breast cancer: concerted role of diet, prolactin and adrenal C19-delta 5-steroids in tumorigenesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adams, J B

    1992-04-01

    The low incidence of breast cancer in Japan disappears within 2 generations in migrant Japanese in the USA. This is of fundamental importance if we are to understand, and perhaps reverse, the high rate seen in Western countries. Diet is the most likely factor involved, and a review of the topic of diet, body mass index, and gain in adult body mass, supports a relationship between these factors and breast-cancer risk in post-menopausal, but not pre-menopausal, women. A direct link between nutritional factors and secretion of the hormones prolactin and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate is proposed. An estrogen 5-androstene-3 beta, 17 beta-diol is formed peripherally from the latter steroid, and in Western women attains a blood concentration at which it is biologically active. Thus diet/fat provides factors, viz., fatty acids, prolactin and estrogen, which in concerted fashion provide a milieu conducive to mammary tumorigenesis.

  13. Phenotypic integration and the evolution of signal repertoires: A case study of treefrog acoustic communication.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reichert, Michael S; Höbel, Gerlinde

    2018-03-01

    Animal signals are inherently complex phenotypes with many interacting parts combining to elicit responses from receivers. The pattern of interrelationships between signal components reflects the extent to which each component is expressed, and responds to selection, either in concert with or independently of others. Furthermore, many species have complex repertoires consisting of multiple signal types used in different contexts, and common morphological and physiological constraints may result in interrelationships extending across the multiple signals in species' repertoires. The evolutionary significance of interrelationships between signal traits can be explored within the framework of phenotypic integration, which offers a suite of quantitative techniques to characterize complex phenotypes. In particular, these techniques allow for the assessment of modularity and integration, which describe, respectively, the extent to which sets of traits covary either independently or jointly. Although signal and repertoire complexity are thought to be major drivers of diversification and social evolution, few studies have explicitly measured the phenotypic integration of signals to investigate the evolution of diverse communication systems. We applied methods from phenotypic integration studies to quantify integration in the two primary vocalization types (advertisement and aggressive calls) in the treefrogs Hyla versicolor , Hyla cinerea, and Dendropsophus ebraccatus . We recorded male calls and calculated standardized phenotypic variance-covariance ( P ) matrices for characteristics within and across call types. We found significant integration across call types, but the strength of integration varied by species and corresponded with the acoustic similarity of the call types within each species. H. versicolor had the most modular advertisement and aggressive calls and the least acoustically similar call types. Additionally, P was robust to changing social competition

  14. Stress evolution in Ti-C:H films

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Kulikovsky, V.; Franc, František; Deineka, Alexander; Vorlíček, Vladimír; Jastrabík, Lubomír

    2000-01-01

    Roč. 33, - (2000), s. 2880-2883 ISSN 0022-3727 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR IAA1010827; GA MŠk LN00A015 Grant - others:Concerted European Action on Tribology (XE) COST516 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z1010914 Subject RIV: BM - Solid Matter Physics ; Magnetism Impact factor: 1.179, year: 2000

  15. Biological information systems: Evolution as cognition-based information management.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miller, William B

    2018-05-01

    An alternative biological synthesis is presented that conceptualizes evolutionary biology as an epiphenomenon of integrated self-referential information management. Since all biological information has inherent ambiguity, the systematic assessment of information is required by living organisms to maintain self-identity and homeostatic equipoise in confrontation with environmental challenges. Through their self-referential attachment to information space, cells are the cornerstone of biological action. That individualized assessment of information space permits self-referential, self-organizing niche construction. That deployment of information and its subsequent selection enacted the dominant stable unicellular informational architectures whose biological expressions are the prokaryotic, archaeal, and eukaryotic unicellular forms. Multicellularity represents the collective appraisal of equivocal environmental information through a shared information space. This concerted action can be viewed as systematized information management to improve information quality for the maintenance of preferred homeostatic boundaries among the varied participants. When reiterated in successive scales, this same collaborative exchange of information yields macroscopic organisms as obligatory multicellular holobionts. Cognition-Based Evolution (CBE) upholds that assessment of information precedes biological action, and the deployment of information through integrative self-referential niche construction and natural cellular engineering antecedes selection. Therefore, evolutionary biology can be framed as a complex reciprocating interactome that consists of the assessment, communication, deployment and management of information by self-referential organisms at multiple scales in continuous confrontation with environmental stresses. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Concerted bis-alkylating reactivity of clerocidin towards unpaired cytosine residues in DNA

    Science.gov (United States)

    Richter, Sara N.; Menegazzo, Ileana; Fabris, Daniele; Palumbo, Manlio

    2004-01-01

    Clerocidin (CL) is a topoisomerase II poison, which cleaves DNA irreversibly at guanines (G) and reversibly at cytosines (C). Furthermore, the drug can induce enzyme-independent strand breaks at the G and C level. It has been previously shown that G-damage is induced by alkylation of the guanine N7, followed by spontaneous depurination and nucleic acid cleavage, whereas scission at C is obtained only after treatment with hot alkali, and no information is available to explain the nature of this damage. We present here a systematic study on the reactivity of CL towards C both in the DNA environment and in solution. Selected synthetic derivatives were employed to evaluate the role of each chemical group of the drug. The structure of CL–dC adduct was then characterized by tandem mass spectrometry and NMR: the adduct is a stable condensed ring system resulting from a concerted electrophilic attack of the adjacent carbonyl and epoxide groups of CL towards the exposed NH2 and N3, respectively. This reaction mechanism, shown here for the first time, is characterized by faster kinetic rates than alkylation at G, due to the fact that the rate-determining step, alkylation at the epoxide, is an intramolecular process, provided a Schiff base linking CL and C can rapidly form, whereas the corresponding reaction of G N7 is intermolecular. These results provide helpful hints to explain the reversible/irreversible nature of topoisomerase II mediated DNA damage produced by CL at C/G steps. PMID:15494453

  17. The evolution, etiology and eventualities of the global health security regime.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoffman, Steven J

    2010-11-01

    Attention to global health security governance is more important now than ever before. Scientists predict that a possible influenza pandemic could affect 1.5 billion people, cause up to 150 million deaths and leave US$3 trillion in economic damages. A public health emergency in one country is now only hours away from affecting many others. Using regime analysis from political science, the principles, norms, rules and decision-making procedures by which states govern health security are examined in the historical context of their punctuated evolution. This methodology illuminates the catalytic agents of change, distributional consequences and possible future orders that can help to better inform progress in this area. Four periods of global health security governance are identified. The first is characterized by unilateral quarantine regulations (1377-1851), the second by multiple sanitary conferences (1851-92), the third by several international sanitary conventions and international health organizations (1892-1946) and the fourth by the hegemonic leadership of the World Health Organization (1946-????). This final regime, like others before it, is challenged by globalization (e.g. limitations of the new International Health Regulations), changing diplomacy (e.g. proliferation of global health security organizations), new tools (e.g. global health law, human rights and health diplomacy) and shock-activated vulnerabilities (e.g. bioterrorism and avian/swine influenza). This understanding, in turn, allows us to appreciate the impact of this evolving regime on class, race and gender, as well as to consider four possible future configurations of power, including greater authority for the World Health Organization, a concert of powers, developing countries and civil society organizations. This regime analysis allows us to understand the evolution, etiology and eventualities of the global health security regime, which is essential for national and international health

  18. Chromosomal evolution of the PKD1 gene family in primates

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Krawczak Michael

    2008-09-01

    transposition of the PKD1 gene and further amplification and evolution of the PKD1 pseudogenes may have arisen in a common ancestor of Homo, Pan and Gorilla ~8 MYA. Reticulate evolutionary processes such as gene conversion and non-allelic homologous recombination (NAHR may have resulted in concerted evolution of PKD1 family members in human and chimpanzee and, thus, simulate an independent evolution of the PKD1 pseudogenes from their master PKD1 genes in human and chimpanzee.

  19. Relations between the galactic evolution and the stellar evolution

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Audouze, J.

    1984-01-01

    After a quick definition of the galactic evolution and a summary of the basic ingredients (namely the abundances of the chemical elements observed in different astrophysical sites), the parameters directly related to the stellar evolution which govern the galactic evolution are outlined. They are the rates of star formation, the initial mass functions and the various nucleosynthetic yields. The 'classical' models of chemical evolution of galaxies are then briefly recalled. Finally, attention is drawn to three recent contributions concerning both the galactic evolution and the stellar evolution. They are (i) some prediction of the rate of star formation for low mass stars made from the planetary nebula abundance distribution (ii) the chemical evolution of C, O and Fe and (iii) the chemical evolution of the galactic interstellar medium. (Auth.)

  20. Visualization of multivalent histone modification in a single cell reveals highly concerted epigenetic changes on differentiation of embryonic stem cells

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hattori, Naoko; Niwa, Tohru; Kimura, Kana

    2013-01-01

    . Bivalent modification was clearly visualized by iChmo in wild-type embryonic stem cells (ESCs) known to have it, whereas rarely in Suz12 knockout ESCs and mouse embryonic fibroblasts known to have little of it. iChmo was applied to analysis of epigenetic and phenotypic changes of heterogeneous cell......Combinations of histone modifications have significant biological roles, such as maintenance of pluripotency and cancer development, but cannot be analyzed at the single cell level. Here, we visualized a combination of histone modifications by applying the in situ proximity ligation assay, which...... population, namely, ESCs at an early stage of differentiation, and this revealed that the bivalent modification disappeared in a highly concerted manner, whereas phenotypic differentiation proceeded with large variations among cells. Also, using this method, we were able to visualize a combination...

  1. Molecular organization and phylogenetic analysis of 5S rDNA in crustaceans of the genus Pollicipes reveal birth-and-death evolution and strong purifying selection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Perina, Alejandra; Seoane, David; González-Tizón, Ana M; Rodríguez-Fariña, Fernanda; Martínez-Lage, Andrés

    2011-10-17

    The 5S ribosomal DNA (5S rDNA) is organized in tandem arrays with repeat units that consist of a transcribing region (5S) and a variable nontranscribed spacer (NTS), in higher eukaryotes. Until recently the 5S rDNA was thought to be subject to concerted evolution, however, in several taxa, sequence divergence levels between the 5S and the NTS were found higher than expected under this model. So, many studies have shown that birth-and-death processes and selection can drive the evolution of 5S rDNA. In analyses of 5S rDNA evolution is found several 5S rDNA types in the genome, with low levels of nucleotide variation in the 5S and a spacer region highly divergent. Molecular organization and nucleotide sequence of the 5S ribosomal DNA multigene family (5S rDNA) were investigated in three Pollicipes species in an evolutionary context. The nucleotide sequence variation revealed that several 5S rDNA variants occur in Pollicipes genomes. They are clustered in up to seven different types based on differences in their nontranscribed spacers (NTS). Five different units of 5S rDNA were characterized in P. pollicipes and two different units in P. elegans and P. polymerus. Analysis of these sequences showed that identical types were shared among species and that two pseudogenes were present. We predicted the secondary structure and characterized the upstream and downstream conserved elements. Phylogenetic analysis showed an among-species clustering pattern of 5S rDNA types. These results suggest that the evolution of Pollicipes 5S rDNA is driven by birth-and-death processes with strong purifying selection.

  2. Protein crystal growth on board Shenzhou 3: a concerted effort improves crystal diffraction quality and facilitates structure determination

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Han, Y.; Cang, H.-X.; Zhou, J.-X.; Wang, Y.-P.; Bi, R.-C.; Colelesage, J.; Delbaere, L.T.J.; Nahoum, V.; Shi, R.; Zhou, M.; Zhu, D.-W.; Lin, S.-X.

    2004-01-01

    The crystallization of 16 proteins was carried out using 60 wells on board Shenzhou 3 in 2002. Although the mission was only 7 days, careful and concerted planning at all stages made it possible to obtain crystals of improved quality compared to their ground controls for some of the proteins. Significantly improved resolutions were obtained from diffracted crystals of 4 proteins. A complete data set from a space crystal of the PEP carboxykinase yielded significantly higher resolution (1.46 A vs. 1.87 A), I/sigma (22.4 vs. 15.5), and a lower average temperature factor (29.2 A 2 vs. 42.9 A 2 ) than the best ground-based control crystal. The 3-D structure of the enzyme is well improved with significant ligand density. It has been postulated that the reduced convection and absence of macromolecule sedimentation under microgravity have advantages/benefits for protein crystal growth. Improvements in experimental design for protein crystal growth in microgravity are ongoing

  3. Control of concerted two bond versus single bond dissociation in CH3Co(CO)4 via an intermediate state using pump-dump laser pulses

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ambrosek, David; González, Leticia

    2007-10-01

    Wavepacket propagations on ab initio multiconfigurational two-dimensional potential energy surfaces for CH3Co(CO)4 indicate that after irradiation to the lowest first and second electronic excited states, concerted dissociation of CH3 and the axial CO ligand takes place. We employ a pump-dump sequence of pulses with appropriate frequencies and time delays to achieve the selective breakage of a single bond by controlling the dissociation angle. The pump and dump pulse sequence exploits the unbound surface where dissociation occurs in a counterintuitive fashion; stretching of one bond in an intermediate state enhances the single dissociation of the other bond.

  4. Control of concerted two bond versus single bond dissociation in CH(3)Co(CO)(4) via an intermediate state using pump-dump laser pulses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ambrosek, David; González, Leticia

    2007-10-07

    Wavepacket propagations on ab initio multiconfigurational two-dimensional potential energy surfaces for CH(3)Co(CO)(4) indicate that after irradiation to the lowest first and second electronic excited states, concerted dissociation of CH(3) and the axial CO ligand takes place. We employ a pump-dump sequence of pulses with appropriate frequencies and time delays to achieve the selective breakage of a single bond by controlling the dissociation angle. The pump and dump pulse sequence exploits the unbound surface where dissociation occurs in a counterintuitive fashion; stretching of one bond in an intermediate state enhances the single dissociation of the other bond.

  5. Intercorrência audiológica em músicas após um show de rock Hearing incidents in musicians after a rock concert

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marcela Pfeiffer

    2007-09-01

    Full Text Available OBJETIVO: verificar mudança temporária do limiar de audição de músicos, após exposição a níveis de pressão sonora elevados de um show de rock. MÉTODOS: foi utilizada uma amostra com seis músicos componentes da banda. Foram feitos: anamnese ocupacional, determinação dos níveis mínimos de audição e reflexos acústicos, antes e após o show de rock. A mensuração do ruído da sala do exame e do palco foi realizada por meio de um dosímetro. Os resultados foram comparados e analisados estatisticamente, utilizando-se o teste t Student, com critério para determinação de significância de p maior do que 0,05. RESULTADOS: para a dosimetria, foi encontrada a exposição ao ruído do show com valor de LAVG igual a 98,5 dB. Dentre os aspectos comportamentais relacionados ao ruído, o zumbido foi a queixa mais presente entre os integrantes. Na audiometria tonal, as maiores diferenças pré e pós-exposição, foram encontradas nas freqüências altas, sendo a orelha direita a que apresentou maiores mudanças temporárias de limiar. Os resultados foram significantes nas freqüências de 2000, 3000, 4000 e 6000 Hz, na orelha direita (p=2,7; p=2,59; p=3,7 e p=2,86 e, na freqüência de 4000 Hz, na orelha esquerda (p=2,87. Na medida do reflexo acústico após o show, a orelha direita obteve o maior índice de ausência de reflexo, com o índice de 40%; entretanto, foram encontradas diferenças estatisticamente significantes, na presença de reflexo acústico na comparação pré e pós-exposição, apenas na orelha esquerda (p=3,64. CONCLUSÃO: músicos expostos a níveis de pressão sonora intensos apresentaram alteração temporária do limiar e alteração do reflexo acústico.PURPOSE: verifying the temporary threshold shift in musicians after a high sound pressure level music exposure in a rock concert. METHODS: the sample has been made up of six band's musicians, who underwent an occupational anamnesis, pure tone audiometry and

  6. Taxonomy of Cyrtochilum-alliance (Orchidaceae) in the light of molecular and morphological data

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Szlachetko, D. L.; Kolanowska, Marta; Naczk, A.; Gorniak, M.; Dudek, M.; Rutkowski, P.; Chiron, G.

    2017-01-01

    Roč. 58, JAN (2017), č. článku 8. ISSN 1999-3110 Institutional support: RVO:86652079 Keywords : ribosomal-rna genes * hybrid speciation * chloroplast dna * allopolyploid speciation * reconstructing patterns * phylogenetic inference * reticulate evolution * concerted evolution * horizontal transfer * sequence alignment * Cyrtochilum * Monophyly * New combinations * New species * Oncidiinae * Paraphyly * Taxonomy Subject RIV: EF - Botanics OBOR OECD: Plant sciences, botany Impact factor: 1.452, year: 2016

  7. Legami curati – Legami curanti "Cliniche della Concertazione" e violenze di quartiere / Liens soignés, liens soignant. « Cliniques de Concertation » et violences de quartiers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jean-Marie Lemaire

    2007-12-01

    Full Text Available Mahdi is twenty-six years old, he is tall and athletic. He is blind, because he was attacked. This kind of situation puts at work a complex network of professionals of help, care, education and control, beyond everything they can expect. The methodology of the « Clinic of Concertation », as a « Laboratory of applied communicational ethics », recognises that Mahdi and the members of his family are directly part of this network. If the professionals do not resist to this collective construction, they will see laying out different relational systems in balance from which they can exploit the resources in the process of reconstructive links. More than a narrative device, the "Clinic of Concertation" is a creative therapeutic device governed by random rules beyond an absolute mastery. It is, in a collective discussion that does not exclude any member of the collective, but on the contrary, that promotes every extensive step, about differentiating without dissociating, with all interested persons, what will belong to the private sphere and what will belong to the public sphere, while recognizing the legitimacy of the compensatory dynamics of revenge and the protective dynamics of future generations, by identifying their joints, their compatibilities and their incompatibilities, by developing preferentially those reconstructive and preventive.Mahdi a vingt-six ans, il est grand et de stature athlétique. Il est aveugle. Il a été victime d’une agression qui lui a ôté la vue. Une situation comme celle de Mahdi met au travail un réseau complexe associant des professionnels de l’aide, du soin, de l’éducation et du contrôle, au-delà de ce que ces mêmes professionnels peuvent imaginer. La Méthodologie de la « Clinique de Concertation », en tant que « Laboratoire d’éthique communicationelle appliquée», reconnaît que Mahdi et les membres de sa famille font d’emblée partie des architectes de ce réseau. Si les professionnels ne r

  8. Conditioning Methodologies for DanceSport: Lessons from Gymnastics, Figure Skating, and Concert Dance Research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Outevsky, David; Martin, Blake Cw

    2015-12-01

    Dancesport, the competitive branch of ballroom dancing, places high physiological and psychological demands on its practitioners, but pedagogical resources in these areas for this dance form are limited. Dancesport competitors could benefit from strategies used in other aesthetic sports. In this review, we identify conditioning methodologies from gymnastics, figure skating, and contemporary, modern, and ballet dance forms that could have relevance and suitability for dancesport training, and propose several strategies for inclusion in the current dancesport curriculum. We reviewed articles derived from Google Scholar, PubMed, ScienceDirect, Taylor & Francis Online, and Web of Science search engines and databases, with publication dates from 1979 to 2013. The keywords included MeSH terms: dancing, gymnastics, physiology, energy metabolism, physical endurance, and range of motion. Out of 47 papers examined, 41 papers met the inclusion criteria (validity of scientific methods, topic relevance, transferability to dancesport, publication date). Quality and validity of the data were assessed by examining the methodologies in each study and comparing studies on similar populations as well as across time using the PRISMA 2009 checklist and flowchart. The relevant research suggests that macro-cycle periodization planning, aerobic and anaerobic conditioning, range of motion and muscular endurance training, and performance psychology methods have potential for adaptation for dancesport training. Dancesport coaches may help their students fulfill their ambitions as competitive athletes and dance artists by adapting the relevant performance enhancement strategies from gymnastics, figure skating, and concert dance forms presented in this paper.

  9. Unique nucleotide polymorphism of ankyrin gene cluster in ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    gene order is nonrandomly distributed in eukaryote genomes. (Lercher et al. 2002 ... Birth in a birth-and-death process relates to the origin of paralogues, presumably ... are small, or the rate of concerted evolution is very slow (Nei et al. 2000).

  10. Concerted in vitro trimming of viral HLA-B27-restricted ligands by human ERAP1 and ERAP2 aminopeptidases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lorente, Elena; Barriga, Alejandro; Johnstone, Carolina; Mir, Carmen; Jiménez, Mercedes; López, Daniel

    2013-01-01

    In the classical human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I antigen processing and presentation pathway, the antigenic peptides are generated from viral proteins by multiple proteolytic cleavages of the proteasome (and in some cases other cytosolic proteases) and transported to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) lumen where they are exposed to aminopeptidase activity. In human cells, two different ER-resident enzymes, ERAP1 and ERAP2, can trim the N-terminally extended residues of peptide precursors. In this study, the possible cooperative effect of generating five naturally processed HLA-B27 ligands by both proteases was analyzed. We identified differences in the products obtained with increased detection of natural HLA-B27 ligands by comparing double versus single enzyme digestions by mass spectrometry analysis. These in vitro data suggest that each enzyme can use the degradation products of the other as a substrate for new N-terminal trimming, indicating concerted aminoproteolytic activity of ERAP 1 and ERAP2.

  11. Concerted in vitro trimming of viral HLA-B27-restricted ligands by human ERAP1 and ERAP2 aminopeptidases.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elena Lorente

    Full Text Available In the classical human leukocyte antigen (HLA class I antigen processing and presentation pathway, the antigenic peptides are generated from viral proteins by multiple proteolytic cleavages of the proteasome (and in some cases other cytosolic proteases and transported to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER lumen where they are exposed to aminopeptidase activity. In human cells, two different ER-resident enzymes, ERAP1 and ERAP2, can trim the N-terminally extended residues of peptide precursors. In this study, the possible cooperative effect of generating five naturally processed HLA-B27 ligands by both proteases was analyzed. We identified differences in the products obtained with increased detection of natural HLA-B27 ligands by comparing double versus single enzyme digestions by mass spectrometry analysis. These in vitro data suggest that each enzyme can use the degradation products of the other as a substrate for new N-terminal trimming, indicating concerted aminoproteolytic activity of ERAP 1 and ERAP2.

  12. Concerted changes in N and C primary metabolism in alfalfa (Medicago sativa) under water restriction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aranjuelo, Iker; Tcherkez, Guillaume; Molero, Gemma; Gilard, Françoise; Avice, Jean-Christophe; Nogués, Salvador

    2013-02-01

    Although the mechanisms of nodule N(2) fixation in legumes are now well documented, some uncertainty remains on the metabolic consequences of water deficit. In most cases, little consideration is given to other organs and, therefore, the coordinated changes in metabolism in leaves, roots, and nodules are not well known. Here, the effect of water restriction on exclusively N(2)-fixing alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) plants was investigated, and proteomic, metabolomic, and physiological analyses were carried out. It is shown that the inhibition of nitrogenase activity caused by water restriction was accompanied by concerted alterations in metabolic pathways in nodules, leaves, and roots. The data suggest that nodule metabolism and metabolic exchange between plant organs nearly reached homeostasis in asparagine synthesis and partitioning, as well as the N demand from leaves. Typically, there was (i) a stimulation of the anaplerotic pathway to sustain the provision of C skeletons for amino acid (e.g. glutamate and proline) synthesis; (ii) re-allocation of glycolytic products to alanine and serine/glycine; and (iii) subtle changes in redox metabolites suggesting the implication of a slight oxidative stress. Furthermore, water restriction caused little change in both photosynthetic efficiency and respiratory cost of N(2) fixation by nodules. In other words, the results suggest that under water stress, nodule metabolism follows a compromise between physiological imperatives (N demand, oxidative stress) and the lower input to sustain catabolism.

  13. Folding and membrane insertion of the pore-forming peptide gramicidin occur as a concerted process.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hicks, Matthew R; Damianoglou, Angeliki; Rodger, Alison; Dafforn, Timothy R

    2008-11-07

    Many antibiotic peptides function by binding and inserting into membranes. Understanding this process provides an insight into the fundamentals of both membrane protein folding and antibiotic peptide function. For the first time, in this work, flow-aligned linear dichroism (LD) is used to study the folding of the antibiotic peptide gramicidin. LD provides insight into the combined processes of peptide folding and insertion and has the advantage over other similar techniques of being insensitive to off-membrane aggregation events. By combining LD data with conventional measurements of protein fluorescence and circular dichroism, the mechanism of gramicidin insertion is elucidated. The mechanism consists of five separately assignable steps that include formation of a water-insoluble gramicidin aggregate, dissociation from the aggregate, partitioning of peptide to the membrane surface, oligomerisation on the surface and concerted insertion and folding of the peptide to the double-helical form of gramicidin. Measurement of the rates of each step shows that although changes in the fluorescence signal cease 10 s after the initiation of the process, the insertion of the peptide into the membrane is actually not complete for a further 60 min. This last membrane insertion phase is only apparent by measurement of LD and circular dichroism signal changes. In summary, this study demonstrates the importance of multi-technique approaches, including LD, in studies of membrane protein folding.

  14. The need for New In Situ Measurements to Understand the Climate, Geology and Evolution of Venus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grinspoon, D. H.

    2017-12-01

    Many measurements needed to address outstanding questions about current processes and evolution of Venus can only be made from in situ platforms such as entry probes, balloons or landers. Among these are precise determination of the value and altitude dependence of the deuterium-to-hydrogen ratio, an important tracer of water history which, while clearly greatly elevated compared to the terrestrial ratio, is still unknown within a large range of uncertainty and appears, based on Venus Express results, to display an enigmatic altitude dependence. Rare gas abundances and isotopes provide clues to volatile sources and histories of outgassing and exospheric escape. Modern mass spectrometry at Venus would yield abundances of the eight stable xenon isotopes, bulk abundances of krypton, and isotopes of neon. Altitude profiles of sulfur-containing chemical species would illuminate global geochemical cycles, including cloud formation, outgassing rates and surface-atmosphere interactions. The altitude profile of wind speeds and radiation fluxes, interpreted in light of the Venus Express and Akatsuki data, would enrich understanding of the global circulation and climate dynamics of Venus. Descent and surface images of carefully chosen locations would lend ground truth to interpretations of the near-global Magellan data sets and provide context for global remote sensing data obtained by future orbiter missions. Landed instruments would provide refinement and calibration for chemical abundance measurements by historical missions as well as direct mineralogical measurements of Venusian surface and subsurface rocks. In concert with atmospheric measurements these would greatly constrain geologic history as well as the nature of surface-atmosphere interactions. Such a suite of measurements will deepen our understanding of the origin and evolution of Venus in the context of Solar System and extrasolar terrestrial planets, determine the level and style of current geological activity

  15. Coordinated scaling of cortical and cerebellar numbers of neurons

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Suzana Herculano-Houzel

    2010-03-01

    Full Text Available While larger brains possess concertedly larger cerebral cortices and cerebella, the relative size of the cerebral cortex increases with brain size, but relative cerebellar size does not. In the absence of data on numbers of neurons in these structures, this discrepancy has been used to dispute the hypothesis that the cerebral cortex and cerebellum function and have evolved in concert and to support a trend towards neocorticalization in evolution. However, the rationale for interpreting changes in absolute and relative size of the cerebral cortex and cerebellum relies on the assumption that they reflect absolute and relative numbers of neurons in these structures across all species – an assumption that our recent studies have shown to be flawed. Here I show for the first time that the numbers of neurons in the cerebral cortex and cerebellum are directly correlated across 19 mammalian species of 4 different orders, including humans, and increase concertedly in a similar fashion both within and across the orders Eulipotyphla (Insectivora, Rodentia, Scandentia and Primata, such that on average a ratio of 3.6 neurons in the cerebellum to every neuron in the cerebral cortex is maintained across species. This coordinated scaling of cortical and cerebellar numbers of neurons provides direct evidence in favor of concerted function, scaling and evolution of these brain structures, and suggests that the common notion that equates cognitive advancement with neocortical expansion should be revisited to consider in its stead the coordinated scaling of neocortex and cerebellum as a functional ensemble.

  16. STANDING CONCERTATION COMMITTEE: ORDINARY MEETING ON 18 FEBRUARY 2004

    CERN Multimedia

    2004-01-01

    Original : English This meeting was devoted to the main topics summarised below. 1-Circulars • Administrative Circular no.26 - Procedure governing the career evolution of staff members (Revision 4) The Committee took note of textual amendments to this circular concerning mainly implementation aspects of Management's decision to abolish the Senior Staff Advancement Committee (SSAC). Henceforth, proposed advancement and promotion actions previously examined by the SSAC will be examined by the Executive Board, which will submit its recommendations to the Director-General. This revised document replaces the previous version of Revision 4 (dated January 2004), as published on the web. • Operational Circular no.8 - Dealing with alcohol-related problems This new operational circular was agreed subject to some minor amendments and additions to the text. It was pointed out that it replaces previous administrative circular no. 28 and brochures on the subject, and is applicable to all persons worki...

  17. MONTE CARLO SIMULATIONS OF GLOBULAR CLUSTER EVOLUTION. V. BINARY STELLAR EVOLUTION

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chatterjee, Sourav; Umbreit, Stefan; Rasio, Frederic A.; Fregeau, John M.

    2010-01-01

    We study the dynamical evolution of globular clusters containing primordial binaries, including full single and binary stellar evolution using our Monte Carlo cluster evolution code updated with an adaptation of the single and binary stellar evolution codes SSE and BSE from Hurley et al. We describe the modifications that we have made to the code. We present several test calculations and comparisons with existing studies to illustrate the validity of the code. We show that our code finds very good agreement with direct N-body simulations including primordial binaries and stellar evolution. We find significant differences in the evolution of the global properties of the simulated clusters using stellar evolution compared with simulations without any stellar evolution. In particular, we find that the mass loss from the stellar evolution acts as a significant energy production channel simply by reducing the total gravitational binding energy and can significantly prolong the initial core contraction phase before reaching the binary-burning quasi-steady state of the cluster evolution. We simulate a large grid of models varying the initial cluster mass, binary fraction, and concentration parameter, and we compare properties of the simulated clusters with those of the observed Galactic globular clusters (GGCs). We find that simply including stellar evolution in our simulations and assuming the typical initial cluster half-mass radius is approximately a few pc independent of mass, our simulated cluster properties agree well with the observed GGC properties such as the core radius and the ratio of the core radius to the half-mass radius. We explore in some detail qualitatively different clusters in different phases of their evolution and construct synthetic Hertzsprung-Russell diagrams for these clusters.

  18. Effective Strategies for Teaching Evolution: The Primary Evolution Project

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hatcher, Chris

    2015-01-01

    When Chris Hatcher joined the Primary Evolution Project team at the University of Reading, his goal was to find effective strategies to teach evolution in a way that keeps children engaged and enthused. Hatcher has collaborated with colleagues at the University's Institute of Education to break the evolution unit down into distinct topics and…

  19. When fathers are instant losers: homogenization of rDNA loci in recently formed Cardamine X schulzii trigenomic allopolyploid

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Zozomová-Lihová, J.; Mandáková, T.; Kovaříková, Alena; Muehlhausen, A.; Mummenhoff, K.; Lysák, M. A.; Kovařík, Aleš

    2014-01-01

    Roč. 203, č. 4 (2014), s. 1096-1108 ISSN 0028-646X R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GBP501/12/G090 Institutional support: RVO:68081707 Keywords : Brassicaceae * concerted evolution * hybridization Subject RIV: BO - Biophysics Impact factor: 7.672, year: 2014

  20. Long-term radio and X-ray evolution of the tidal disruption event ASASSN-14li

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bright, J. S.; Fender, R. P.; Motta, S. E.; Mooley, K.; Perrott, Y. C.; van Velzen, S.; Carey, S.; Hickish, J.; Razavi-Ghods, N.; Titterington, D.; Scott, P.; Grainge, K.; Scaife, A.; Cantwell, T.; Rumsey, C.

    2018-04-01

    We report on late time radio and X-ray observations of the tidal disruption event candidate ASASSN-14li, covering the first 1000 d of the decay phase. For the first ˜200 d the radio and X-ray emission fade in concert. This phase is better fitted by an exponential decay at X-ray wavelengths, while the radio emission is well described by either an exponential or the canonical t-5/3 decay assumed for tidal disruption events. The correlation between radio and X-ray emission during this period can be fitted as L_R∝ L_X^{1.9± 0.2}. After 400 d the radio emission at 15.5 GHz has reached a plateau level of 244 ± 8 μJy which it maintains for at least the next 600 d, while the X-ray emission continues to fade exponentially. This steady level of radio emission is likely due to relic radio lobes from the weak AGN-like activity implied by historical radio observations. We note that while most existing models are based upon the evolution of ejecta which are decoupled from the central black hole, the radio-X-ray correlation during the declining phase is also consistent with core-jet emission coupled to a radiatively efficient accretion flow.

  1. Host-microbe and microbe-microbe interactions in the evolution of obligate plant parasitism.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kemen, Ariane C; Agler, Matthew T; Kemen, Eric

    2015-06-01

    Research on obligate biotrophic plant parasites, which reproduce only on living hosts, has revealed a broad diversity of filamentous microbes that have independently acquired complex morphological structures, such as haustoria. Genome studies have also demonstrated a concerted loss of genes for metabolism and lytic enzymes, and gain of diversity of genes coding for effectors involved in host defense suppression. So far, these traits converge in all known obligate biotrophic parasites, but unexpected genome plasticity remains. This plasticity is manifested as transposable element (TE)-driven increases in genome size, observed to be associated with the diversification of virulence genes under selection pressure. Genome expansion could result from the governing of the pathogen response to ecological selection pressures, such as host or nutrient availability, or to microbial interactions, such as competition, hyperparasitism and beneficial cooperations. Expansion is balanced by alternating sexual and asexual cycles, as well as selfing and outcrossing, which operate to control transposon activity in populations. In turn, the prevalence of these balancing mechanisms seems to be correlated with external biotic factors, suggesting a complex, interconnected evolutionary network in host-pathogen-microbe interactions. Therefore, the next phase of obligate biotrophic pathogen research will need to uncover how this network, including multitrophic interactions, shapes the evolution and diversity of pathogens. © 2015 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2015 New Phytologist Trust.

  2. Chemical evolution coefficients for the study of galactic evolution

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mallik, D.C.V.

    1980-01-01

    A new evaluation of chemical evolution coefficients has been made using recent stellar evolution and nucleosynthesis data. The role of the low and intermediate mass stars in galactic nuclosynthesis has been emphasized. A significant amount of 4 He, 12 C and neutron-rich species is found to be contributed by these stars. Comparison with observed abundances suggests a primary origin of 14 N. The simple model of galactic evolution with the new coefficients has been used to derive the ratio of helium to heavy element enrichment in the Galaxy. The new stellar evolution data do not explain the large value of this ratio that has been determined observationally. (orig.)

  3. Chemical evolution coefficients for the study of galactic evolution

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mallik, D C.V. [Indian Inst. of Astrophysics, Bangalore

    1980-05-01

    A new evaluation of chemical evolution coefficients has been made using recent stellar evolution and nucleosynthesis data. The role of the low and intermediate mass stars in galactic nucleosynthesis has been emphasized. A significant amount of /sup 4/He, /sup 12/C and neutron-rich species is found to be contributed by these stars. Comparison with observed abundances suggests a primary origin of /sup 14/N. The simple model of galactic evolution with the new coefficients has been used to derive the ratio of helium to heavy element enrichment in the Galaxy. The new stellar evolution data do not explain the large value of this ratio that has been determined observationally.

  4. Om religion og evolution

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Geertz, Armin W.

    2011-01-01

    for kulturens kausale virkning på den menneskelige kognition og ikke mindst den hominine evolution. Ud fra, hvad vi ved om den menneskelige evolution, ses det, at den hominine evolution har en dybde, som sjældent medtænkes i teorier og hypoteser om den menneskelige evolution. Den menneskelige evolution er...

  5. Teaching genetics prior to teaching evolution improves evolution understanding but not acceptance

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mead, Rebecca; Hejmadi, Momna

    2017-01-01

    What is the best way to teach evolution? As microevolution may be configured as a branch of genetics, it being a short conceptual leap from understanding the concepts of mutation and alleles (i.e., genetics) to allele frequency change (i.e., evolution), we hypothesised that learning genetics prior to evolution might improve student understanding of evolution. In the UK, genetics and evolution are typically taught to 14- to 16-y-old secondary school students as separate topics with few links, in no particular order and sometimes with a large time span between. Here, then, we report the results of a large trial into teaching order of evolution and genetics. We modified extant questionnaires to ascertain students’ understanding of evolution and genetics along with acceptance of evolution. Students were assessed prior to teaching, immediately post teaching and again after several months. Teachers were not instructed what to teach, just to teach in a given order. Regardless of order, teaching increased understanding and acceptance, with robust signs of longer-term retention. Importantly, teaching genetics before teaching evolution has a significant (p Teaching genetics first additionally had positive effects on genetics understanding, by increasing knowledge. These results suggest a simple, minimally disruptive, zero-cost intervention to improve evolution understanding: teach genetics first. This same alteration does not, however, result in a significantly increased acceptance of evolution, which reflects a weak correlation between knowledge and acceptance of evolution. Qualitative focus group data highlights the role of authority figures in determination of acceptance. PMID:28542179

  6. Teaching genetics prior to teaching evolution improves evolution understanding but not acceptance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mead, Rebecca; Hejmadi, Momna; Hurst, Laurence D

    2017-05-01

    What is the best way to teach evolution? As microevolution may be configured as a branch of genetics, it being a short conceptual leap from understanding the concepts of mutation and alleles (i.e., genetics) to allele frequency change (i.e., evolution), we hypothesised that learning genetics prior to evolution might improve student understanding of evolution. In the UK, genetics and evolution are typically taught to 14- to 16-y-old secondary school students as separate topics with few links, in no particular order and sometimes with a large time span between. Here, then, we report the results of a large trial into teaching order of evolution and genetics. We modified extant questionnaires to ascertain students' understanding of evolution and genetics along with acceptance of evolution. Students were assessed prior to teaching, immediately post teaching and again after several months. Teachers were not instructed what to teach, just to teach in a given order. Regardless of order, teaching increased understanding and acceptance, with robust signs of longer-term retention. Importantly, teaching genetics before teaching evolution has a significant (p genetics was taught first. Teaching genetics first additionally had positive effects on genetics understanding, by increasing knowledge. These results suggest a simple, minimally disruptive, zero-cost intervention to improve evolution understanding: teach genetics first. This same alteration does not, however, result in a significantly increased acceptance of evolution, which reflects a weak correlation between knowledge and acceptance of evolution. Qualitative focus group data highlights the role of authority figures in determination of acceptance.

  7. Paul Wittgenstein's right arm and his phantom: the saga of a famous concert pianist and his amputation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boller, François; Bogousslavsky, Julien

    2015-01-01

    Reports of postamputation pain and problems linked to phantom limbs have increased in recent years, particularly in relation to war-related amputations. These problems are still poorly understood and are considered rather mysterious, and they are difficult to treat. In addition, they may shed light on brain physiology and neuropsychology. Functional neuroimaging techniques now enable us to better understand their pathophysiology and to consider new rehabilitation techniques. Several artists have suffered from postamputation complications and this has influenced not only their personal life but also their artistic work. Paul Wittgenstein (1887-1961), a pianist whose right arm was amputated during the First World War, became a famous left-handed concert performer. His case provides insight into Post-World War I musical and political history. More specifically, the impact on the artistic life of this pianist illustrates various postamputation complications, such as phantom limb, stump pain, and especially moving phantom. The phantom movements of his right hand helped him develop the dexterity of his left hand. Wittgenstein played piano works that were written especially for him (the most famous being Ravel's Concerto for the Left Hand) and composed some of his own. Additionally, several famous composers had previously written for the left hand. © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. The IGS-ETS in Bacillus (Insecta Phasmida: molecular characterization and the relevance of sex in ribosomal DNA evolution

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Passamonti Marco

    2008-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background DNA encoding for ribosomal RNA (rDNA is arranged in tandemly-repeated subunits, each containing ribosomal genes and non-coding spacers. Because tandemly-repeated, rDNA evolves under a balanced influence of selection and "concerted evolution", which homogenizes rDNA variants over the genome (through genomic turnover mechanisms and the population (through sexuality. Results In this paper we analyzed the IGS-ETS of the automictic parthenogen Bacillus atticus and the bisexual B. grandii, two closely related stick-insect species. Both species share the same IGS-ETS structure and sequence, including a peculiar head-to-tail array of putative transcription enhancers, here named Bag530. Sequence variability of both IGS-ETS and Bag530 evidenced a neat geographic and subspecific clustering in B. grandii, while B. atticus shows a little but evident geographic structure. This was an unexpected result, since the parthenogen B. atticus should lack sequence fixation through sexuality. In B. atticus a new variant might spread in a given geographic area through colonization by an all-female clone, but we cannot discard the hypothesis that B. atticus was actually a bisexual taxon in that area at the time the new variant appeared. Moreover, a gene conversion event between two Bag530 variants of B. grandii benazzii and B. grandii maretimi suggested that rRNA might evolve according to the so-called "library hypothesis" model, through differential amplification of rDNA variants in different taxa. Conclusion On the whole, Bacillus rDNA evolution appears to be under a complex array of interacting mechanisms: homogenization may be achieved through genomic turnover that stabilizes DNA-binding protein interactions but, simultaneously, new sequence variants can be adopted, either by direct appearance of newly mutated repeats, or by competition among repeats, so that both DNA-binding proteins and repeat variants drive each other's evolution. All this

  9. Evidence for concerted ring opening and C-Br bond breaking in UV-excited bromocyclopropane.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pandit, Shubhrangshu; Preston, Thomas J; King, Simon J; Vallance, Claire; Orr-Ewing, Andrew J

    2016-06-28

    Photodissociation of gaseous bromocyclopropane via its A-band continuum has been studied at excitation wavelengths ranging from 230 nm to 267 nm. Velocity-map images of ground-state bromine atoms (Br), spin-orbit excited bromine atoms (Br(∗)), and C3H5 hydrocarbon radicals reveal the kinetic energies of these various photofragments. Both Br and Br(∗) atoms are predominantly generated via repulsive excited electronic states in a prompt photodissociation process in which the hydrocarbon co-fragment is a cyclopropyl radical. However, the images obtained at the mass of the hydrocarbon radical fragment identify a channel with total kinetic energy greater than that deduced from the Br and Br(∗) images, and with a kinetic energy distribution that exceeds the energetic limit for Br + cyclopropyl radical products. The velocity-map images of these C3H5 fragments have lower angular anisotropies than measured for Br and Br(∗), indicating molecular restructuring during dissociation. The high kinetic energy C3H5 signals are assigned to allyl radicals generated by a minor photochemical pathway which involves concerted C-Br bond dissociation and cyclopropyl ring-opening following single ultraviolet (UV)-photon absorption. Slow photofragments also contribute to the velocity map images obtained at the C3H5 radical mass, but the corresponding slow Br atoms are not observed. These features in the images are attributed to C3H5 (+) from the photodissociation of the C3H5Br(+) molecular cation following two-photon ionization of the parent compound. This assignment is confirmed by 118-nm vacuum ultraviolet ionization studies that prepare the molecular cation in its ground electronic state prior to UV photodissociation.

  10. A new paradigma on the plant evolution: from a natural evolution to an artificial evolution?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bennici, Andrea

    2005-01-01

    After evidencing the great importance of plants for animals and humans in consequence of the photosynthesis, several considerations on plant evolution are made. One of the peculiar characteristics of the plant is the sessile property, due especially to the cell wall. This factor, principally, strengthened by the photosynthetic process, determined the particular developmental pattern of the plant, which is characterized by the continuous formation of new organs. The plant immobility, although negative for its survival, has been, in great part, overcome by the acquisition of the capacity of adaptation (plasticity) to the environmental stresses and changes, and the establishment of more adapted genotypes. This capacity to react to the external signals induced Trewavas to speak of "plant intelligence". The plant movement incapacity and the evolution of the sexual reproduction system were strongly correlated. In this context, the evolution of the flower in the Angiosperms has been particularly important to allow the male gamete to fertilize the immobile female gamete. Moreover, the formation of fruit and seed greatly improved the dispersal and conservation of the progeny in the environment. With the flower, mechanisms to favour the outcrossing among different individuals appeared, which are essential to increase the genetic variability and, then, the plant evolution itself. Although the Angiosperms seem highly evolved, the plant evolution is not surely finished, because many reported morpho-physiological processes may be still considered susceptible of further improvement. In the last years the relationships among humans, plants and environment are becoming closer and closer. This is due to the use of the DNA recombinant techniques with the aim to modify artificially plant characters. Therefore, the risk of a plant evolution strongly directed towards practical or commercial objectives, or "an artificial evolution", may be hypothesized.

  11. Invasive forest pathogens: Summary of issues, critical needs, and future goals for Forest Service Research and Development

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ned B. Klopfenstein; Jennifer Juzwik; Michael E. Ostry; Mee-Sook Kim; Paul J. Zambino; Robert C. Venette; Bryce A. Richardson; John E. Lundquist; D. Jean Lodge; Jessie A. Glaeser; Susan J. Frankel; William J. Otrosina; Pauline Spaine; Brian W. Geils

    2010-01-01

    Invasive pathogens have caused immeasurable ecological and economic damage to forest ecosystems. Damage will undoubtedly increase over time due to increased introductions and evolution of invasive pathogens in concert with complex environmental disturbances, such as climate change. Forest Service Research and Development must fulfill critical roles and responsibilities...

  12. Inlet Geomorphology Evolution

    Science.gov (United States)

    2015-04-01

    APR 2015 2. REPORT TYPE 3. DATES COVERED 00-00-2015 to 00-00-2015 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Inlet Geomorphology Evolution 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b...Std Z39-18 Coastal Inlets Research Program Inlet Geomorphology Evolution The Inlet Geomorphology Evolution work unit of the CIRP evaluates

  13. [The motive force of evolution based on the principle of organismal adjustment evolution.].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cao, Jia-Shu

    2010-08-01

    From the analysis of the existing problems of the prevalent theories of evolution, this paper discussed the motive force of evolution based on the knowledge of the principle of organismal adjustment evolution to get a new understanding of the evolution mechanism. In the guide of Schrodinger's theory - "life feeds on negative entropy", the author proposed that "negative entropy flow" actually includes material flow, energy flow and information flow, and the "negative entropy flow" is the motive force for living and development. By modifying my own theory of principle of organismal adjustment evolution (not adaptation evolution), a new theory of "regulation system of organismal adjustment evolution involved in DNA, RNA and protein interacting with environment" is proposed. According to the view that phylogenetic development is the "integral" of individual development, the difference of negative entropy flow between organisms and environment is considered to be a motive force for evolution, which is a new understanding of the mechanism of evolution. Based on such understanding, evolution is regarded as "a changing process that one subsystem passes all or part of its genetic information to the next generation in a larger system, and during the adaptation process produces some new elements, stops some old ones, and thereby lasts in the larger system". Some other controversial questions related to evolution are also discussed.

  14. The mitochondrial genome of Frankliniella intonsa: insights into the evolution of mitochondrial genomes at lower taxonomic levels in Thysanoptera.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yan, Dankan; Tang, Yunxia; Hu, Min; Liu, Fengquan; Zhang, Dongfang; Fan, Jiaqin

    2014-10-01

    Thrips is an ideal group for studying the evolution of mitochondrial (mt) genomes in the genus and family due to independent rearrangements within this order. The complete sequence of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) of the flower thrips Frankliniella intonsa has been completed and annotated in this study. The circular genome is 15,215bp in length with an A+T content of 75.9% and contains the typical 37 genes and it has triplicate putative control regions. Nucleotide composition is A+T biased, and the majority of the protein-coding genes present opposite CG skew which is reflected by the nucleotide composition, codon and amino acid usage. Although the known thrips have massive gene rearrangements, it showed no reversal of strand asymmetry. Gene rearrangements have been found in the lower taxonomic levels of thrips. Three tRNA genes were translocated in the genus Frankliniella and eight tRNA genes in the family Thripidae. Although the gene arrangements of mt genomes of all three thrips species differ massively from the ancestral insect, they are all very similar to each other, indicating that there was a large rearrangement somewhere before the most recent common ancestor of these three species and very little genomic evolution or rearrangements after then. The extremely similar sequences among the CRs suggest that they are ongoing concerted evolution. Analyses of the up and downstream sequence of CRs reveal that the CR2 is actually the ancestral CR. The three CRs are in the same spot in each of the three thrips mt genomes which have the identical inverted genes. These characteristics might be obtained from the most recent common ancestor of this three thrips. Above observations suggest that the mt genomes of the three thrips keep a single massive rearrangement from the common ancestor and have low evolutionary rates among them. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Stellar evolution

    CERN Document Server

    Meadows, A J

    2013-01-01

    Stellar Evolution, Second Edition covers the significant advances in the understanding of birth, life, and death of stars.This book is divided into nine chapters and begins with a description of the characteristics of stars according to their brightness, distance, size, mass, age, and chemical composition. The next chapters deal with the families, structure, and birth of stars. These topics are followed by discussions of the chemical composition and the evolution of main-sequence stars. A chapter focuses on the unique features of the sun as a star, including its evolution, magnetic fields, act

  16. The symphonic music of the national schools in 20th century Europe in the repertoire of the Philharmonic of Cluj (1955-1989. Creative perspectives of C. Silvestri’s Chants Nostalgiques op. 27 no. 1

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Simona Spiridon

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available The present work focuses on the national cultures of the early 20th century in several European countries, such as Czechoslovakia, Poland, Hungary, Spain, Russia and Romania. Since my PhD thesis analyses the evolution of the Philharmonic “Transilvania”of Cluj between 1955-1989, there will be a thorough statistic of the concerts which were held during that period in which the orchestra performed musical pieces of the composers mentioned in this essay. For some concerts, there will also be stated the date when the concert took place, as well as the conductor who was invited to Cluj. There will also be an analysis of a piano work of the Romanian composer Constantin Silvestri (Chants Nostalgiques op. 27 no. 1 which I personally played a few years ago. The study will contain a musical bibliography, as well as several footnotes stating the documents found in the archives of the Philharmonic of Cluj.

  17. Adaptability and evolution.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bateson, Patrick

    2017-10-06

    The capacity of organisms to respond in their own lifetimes to new challenges in their environments probably appeared early in biological evolution. At present few studies have shown how such adaptability could influence the inherited characteristics of an organism's descendants. In part, this has been because organisms have been treated as passive in evolution. Nevertheless, their effects on biological evolution are likely to have been important and, when they occurred, accelerated the pace of evolution. Ways in which this might have happened have been suggested many times since the 1870s. I review these proposals and discuss their relevance to modern thought.

  18. Evidence for concerted ring opening and C–Br bond breaking in UV-excited bromocyclopropane

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pandit, Shubhrangshu; Preston, Thomas J.; Orr-Ewing, Andrew J., E-mail: a.orr-ewing@bristol.ac.uk [School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Cantock’s Close, Bristol BS8 1TS (United Kingdom); King, Simon J.; Vallance, Claire [Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, Chemistry Research Laboratory, 12 Mansfield Road, Oxford OX1 3TA (United Kingdom)

    2016-06-28

    Photodissociation of gaseous bromocyclopropane via its A-band continuum has been studied at excitation wavelengths ranging from 230 nm to 267 nm. Velocity-map images of ground-state bromine atoms (Br), spin-orbit excited bromine atoms (Br{sup ∗}), and C{sub 3}H{sub 5} hydrocarbon radicals reveal the kinetic energies of these various photofragments. Both Br and Br{sup ∗} atoms are predominantly generated via repulsive excited electronic states in a prompt photodissociation process in which the hydrocarbon co-fragment is a cyclopropyl radical. However, the images obtained at the mass of the hydrocarbon radical fragment identify a channel with total kinetic energy greater than that deduced from the Br and Br{sup ∗} images, and with a kinetic energy distribution that exceeds the energetic limit for Br + cyclopropyl radical products. The velocity-map images of these C{sub 3}H{sub 5} fragments have lower angular anisotropies than measured for Br and Br{sup ∗}, indicating molecular restructuring during dissociation. The high kinetic energy C{sub 3}H{sub 5} signals are assigned to allyl radicals generated by a minor photochemical pathway which involves concerted C–Br bond dissociation and cyclopropyl ring-opening following single ultraviolet (UV)-photon absorption. Slow photofragments also contribute to the velocity map images obtained at the C{sub 3}H{sub 5} radical mass, but the corresponding slow Br atoms are not observed. These features in the images are attributed to C{sub 3}H{sub 5}{sup +} from the photodissociation of the C{sub 3}H{sub 5}Br{sup +} molecular cation following two-photon ionization of the parent compound. This assignment is confirmed by 118-nm vacuum ultraviolet ionization studies that prepare the molecular cation in its ground electronic state prior to UV photodissociation.

  19. Evolution: from cosmogenesis to biogenesis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lukacs, B.; Berczi, Sz.; Molnar, I.; Paal, G.

    1990-11-01

    The volume contains the material of an interdisciplinary evolution symposium. The purpose was to shed some light on possible connections between steps of evolution of matter on different levels of organisation. The topics involved are as follow: cosmogenesis; galactic and stellar evolution; formation and evolution of the solar system; global atmospheric and tectonic changes of Earth; viral evolution; phylogeny and evolution of terrestrial life; evolution of neural system; hominization. The material also includes some discussions of the underlying phenomena and laws of nature. (author)

  20. Has Human Evolution Stopped?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alan R. Templeton

    2010-07-01

    Full Text Available It has been argued that human evolution has stopped because humans now adapt to their environment via cultural evolution and not biological evolution. However, all organisms adapt to their environment, and humans are no exception. Culture defines much of the human environment, so cultural evolution has actually led to adaptive evolution in humans. Examples are given to illustrate the rapid pace of adaptive evolution in response to cultural innovations. These adaptive responses have important implications for infectious diseases, Mendelian genetic diseases, and systemic diseases in current human populations. Moreover, evolution proceeds by mechanisms other than natural selection. The recent growth in human population size has greatly increased the reservoir of mutational variants in the human gene pool, thereby enhancing the potential for human evolution. The increase in human population size coupled with our increased capacity to move across the globe has induced a rapid and ongoing evolutionary shift in how genetic variation is distributed within and among local human populations. In particular, genetic differences between human populations are rapidly diminishing and individual heterozygosity is increasing, with beneficial health effects. Finally, even when cultural evolution eliminates selection on a trait, the trait can still evolve due to natural selection on other traits. Our traits are not isolated, independent units, but rather are integrated into a functional whole, so selection on one trait can cause evolution to occur on another trait, sometimes with mildly maladaptive consequences.

  1. Quasars and galactic evolution

    CERN Document Server

    Woltjer, L

    1978-01-01

    The evolution of quasars is discussed. It is noted that substantial clustering may be present at faint magnitudes. The relationship between quasar evolution and galactic evolution is considered. (4 refs).

  2. Schumpeter's Evolution

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Andersen, Esben Sloth

    reworking of his basic theory of economic evolution in Development from 1934, and this reworking was continued in Cycles from 1939. Here Schumpeter also tried to handle the statistical and historical evidence on the waveform evolution of the capitalist economy. Capitalism from 1942 modified the model...

  3. Darwinian evolution

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Jagers op Akkerhuis, Gerard A.J.M.; Spijkerboer, Hendrik Pieter; Koelewijn, Hans Peter

    2016-01-01

    Darwinian evolution is a central tenet in biology. Conventionally, the defi nition of Darwinian evolution is linked to a population-based process that can be measured by focusing on changes in DNA/allele frequencies. However, in some publications it has been suggested that selection represents a

  4. Insights into the evolution, biogeography and natural history of the acorn ants, genus Temnothorax Mayr (hymenoptera: Formicidae).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prebus, Matthew

    2017-12-13

    Temnothorax (Formicidae: Myrmicinae) is a diverse genus of ants found in a broad spectrum of ecosystems across the northern hemisphere. These diminutive ants have long served as models for social insect behavior, leading to discoveries about social learning and inspiring hypotheses about the process of speciation and the evolution of social parasitism. This genus is highly morphologically and behaviorally diverse, and this has caused a great deal of taxonomic confusion in recent years. Past efforts to estimate the phylogeny of this genus have been limited in taxonomic scope, leaving the broader evolutionary patterns in Temnothorax unclear. To establish the monophyly of Temnothorax, resolve the evolutionary relationships, reconstruct the historical biogeography and investigate trends in the evolution of key traits, I generated, assembled, and analyzed two molecular datasets: a traditional multi-locus Sanger sequencing dataset, and an ultra-conserved element (UCE) dataset. Using maximum likelihood, Bayesian, and summary-coalescent based approaches, I analyzed 22 data subsets consisting of 103 ingroup taxa and a maximum of 1.8 million base pairs in 2485 loci. The results of this study suggest an origin of Temnothorax at the Eocene-Oligocene transition, concerted transitions to arboreal nesting habits in several clades during the Oligocene, coinciding with ancient global cooling, and several convergent origins of social parasitism in the Miocene and Pliocene. As with other Holarctic taxa, Temnothorax has a history of migration across Beringia during the Miocene. Temnothorax is corroborated as a natural group, and the notion that many of the historical subgeneric and species group concepts are artificial is reinforced. The strict form of Emery's Rule, in which a socially parasitic species is sister to its host species, is not well supported in Temnothorax.

  5. Large-scale evolution of the central-east Greenland margin: New insights to the North Atlantic glaciation history

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pérez, Lara F.; Nielsen, Tove; Knutz, Paul C.; Kuijpers, Antoon; Damm, Volkmar

    2018-04-01

    The continental shelf of central-east Greenland is shaped by several glacially carved transverse troughs that form the oceanward extension of the major fjord systems. The evolution of these troughs through time, and their relation with the large-scale glaciation of the Northern Hemisphere, is poorly understood. In this study seismostratigraphic analyses have been carried out to determine the morphological and structural development of this important sector of the East Greenland glaciated margin. The age of major stratigraphic discontinuities has been constrained by a direct tie to ODP site 987 drilled in the Greenland Sea basin plain off Scoresby Sund fan system. The areal distribution and internal facies of the identified seismic units reveal the large-scale depositional pattern formed by ice-streams draining a major part of the central-east Greenland ice sheet. Initial sedimentation along the margin was, however, mainly controlled by tectonic processes related to the margin construction, continental uplift, and fluvial processes. From late Miocene to present, progradational and erosional patterns point to repeated glacial advances across the shelf. The evolution of depo-centres suggests that ice sheet advances over the continental shelf have occurred since late Miocene, about 2 Myr earlier than previously assumed. This cross-shelf glaciation is more pronounced during late Miocene and early Pliocene along Blosseville Kyst and around the Pliocene/Pleistocene boundary off Scoresby Sund; indicating a northward migration of the glacial advance. The two main periods of glaciation were separated by a major retreat of the ice sheet to an inland position during middle Pliocene. Mounded-wavy deposits interpreted as current-related deposits suggest the presence of changing along-slope current dynamics in concert with the development of the modern North Atlantic oceanographic pattern.

  6. Cepheid evolution

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Becker, S.A.

    1984-05-01

    A review of the phases of stellar evolution relevant to Cepheid variables of both Types I and II is presented. Type I Cepheids arise as a result of normal post-main sequence evolutionary behavior of many stars in the intermediate to massive range of stellar masses. In contrast, Type II Cepheids generally originate from low-mass stars of low metalicity which are undergoing post core helium-burning evolution. Despite great progress in the past two decades, uncertainties still remain in such areas as how to best model convective overshoot, semiconvection, stellar atmospheres, rotation, and binary evolution as well as uncertainties in important physical parameters such as the nuclear reaction rates, opacity, and mass loss rates. The potential effect of these uncertainties on stellar evolution models is discussed. Finally, comparisons between theoretical predictions and observations of Cepheid variables are presented for a number of cases. The results of these comparisons show both areas of agreement and disagreement with the latter result providing incentive for further research

  7. Ecology and Evolution of Communication in Social Insects.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leonhardt, Sara Diana; Menzel, Florian; Nehring, Volker; Schmitt, Thomas

    2016-03-10

    Insect life strategies comprise all levels of sociality from solitary to eusocial, in which individuals form persistent groups and divide labor. With increasing social complexity, the need to communicate a greater diversity of messages arose to coordinate division of labor, group cohesion, and concerted actions. Here we summarize the knowledge on prominent messages in social insects that inform about reproduction, group membership, resource locations, and threats and discuss potential evolutionary trajectories of each message in the context of social complexity. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. The Evolution of Musicality: What Can Be Learned from Language Evolution Research?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ravignani, Andrea; Thompson, Bill; Filippi, Piera

    2018-01-01

    Language and music share many commonalities, both as natural phenomena and as subjects of intellectual inquiry. Rather than exhaustively reviewing these connections, we focus on potential cross-pollination of methodological inquiries and attitudes. We highlight areas in which scholarship on the evolution of language may inform the evolution of music. We focus on the value of coupled empirical and formal methodologies, and on the futility of mysterianism , the declining view that the nature, origins and evolution of language cannot be addressed empirically. We identify key areas in which the evolution of language as a discipline has flourished historically, and suggest ways in which these advances can be integrated into the study of the evolution of music.

  9. The Evolution of Musicality: What Can Be Learned from Language Evolution Research?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andrea Ravignani

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Language and music share many commonalities, both as natural phenomena and as subjects of intellectual inquiry. Rather than exhaustively reviewing these connections, we focus on potential cross-pollination of methodological inquiries and attitudes. We highlight areas in which scholarship on the evolution of language may inform the evolution of music. We focus on the value of coupled empirical and formal methodologies, and on the futility of mysterianism, the declining view that the nature, origins and evolution of language cannot be addressed empirically. We identify key areas in which the evolution of language as a discipline has flourished historically, and suggest ways in which these advances can be integrated into the study of the evolution of music.

  10. Concerted evolution of 18-5.8-26S rDNA repeats in Nicotiana allotetraploids

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Kovařík, Aleš; Matyášek, Roman; Lim, K. Y.; Skalická, Kamila; Koukalová, Blažena; Knapp, S.; Chase, M. W.; Leitch, A. R.

    2004-01-01

    Roč. 82, č. 4 (2004), s. 615-625 ISSN 0024-4066 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR IBS5004010 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z5004920 Keywords : gene conversion * intergenic spacer diversity * intergenomic interaction Subject RIV: BO - Biophysics Impact factor: 1.935, year: 2004

  11. Fall and rise of satellite repeats in allopolyploids of Nicotiana over c. 5 million years

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Koukalová, Blažena; Moraes, A.P.; Renny-Byfield, S.; Matyášek, Roman; Leitch, A.R.; Kovařík, Aleš

    2010-01-01

    Roč. 186, č. 1 (2010), s. 148-160 ISSN 0028-646X R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA521/07/0116 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50040507; CEZ:AV0Z50040702 Keywords : concerted evolution * interlocus homogenization * Nicotiana Subject RIV: BO - Biophysics Impact factor: 6.516, year: 2010

  12. Cross-Modal Perception of Noise-in-Music: Audiences Generate Spiky Shapes in Response to Auditory Roughness in a Novel Electroacoustic Concert Setting.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liew, Kongmeng; Lindborg, PerMagnus; Rodrigues, Ruth; Styles, Suzy J

    2018-01-01

    Noise has become integral to electroacoustic music aesthetics. In this paper, we define noise as sound that is high in auditory roughness, and examine its effect on cross-modal mapping between sound and visual shape in participants. In order to preserve the ecological validity of contemporary music aesthetics, we developed Rama , a novel interface, for presenting experimentally controlled blocks of electronically generated sounds that varied systematically in roughness, and actively collected data from audience interaction. These sounds were then embedded as musical drones within the overall sound design of a multimedia performance with live musicians, Audience members listened to these sounds, and collectively voted to create the shape of a visual graphic, presented as part of the audio-visual performance. The results of the concert setting were replicated in a controlled laboratory environment to corroborate the findings. Results show a consistent effect of auditory roughness on shape design, with rougher sounds corresponding to spikier shapes. We discuss the implications, as well as evaluate the audience interface.

  13. Galactic evolution

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pagel, B.

    1979-01-01

    Ideas are considered concerning the evolution of galaxies which are closely related to those of stellar evolution and the origin of elements. Using information obtained from stellar spectra, astronomers are now able to consider an underlying process to explain the distribution of various elements in the stars, gas and dust clouds of the galaxies. (U.K.)

  14. Evolution of complex dynamics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilds, Roy; Kauffman, Stuart A.; Glass, Leon

    2008-09-01

    We study the evolution of complex dynamics in a model of a genetic regulatory network. The fitness is associated with the topological entropy in a class of piecewise linear equations, and the mutations are associated with changes in the logical structure of the network. We compare hill climbing evolution, in which only mutations that increase the fitness are allowed, with neutral evolution, in which mutations that leave the fitness unchanged are allowed. The simple structure of the fitness landscape enables us to estimate analytically the rates of hill climbing and neutral evolution. In this model, allowing neutral mutations accelerates the rate of evolutionary advancement for low mutation frequencies. These results are applicable to evolution in natural and technological systems.

  15. To a cultural perspective of mixed reality events: a case study of event overflow in operas and concerts in mixed reality

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lucas, Jean-François; Cornish, Tracy; Margolis, Todd

    2012-12-01

    Mixed reality defines the sharing of a space-time between the real and the virtual world. The definition of this concept is further extended when virtual worlds such as Second Life® (SL) are included. Through cultural events such as concerts and operas, we will see that the main goal of these kinds of projects is not simply to offer a video and audio broadcast of these events in the digital dimension. The current challenge is to create interactions between the individuals who are in different shared spaces. By studying the unfolding of these events in its various phases-before, during, and after-we examine the culture of the event. We question how the culture of the event can be transposed in a mixed reality display, and how this kind of event can affect people on both sides of the "membrane" made by the technical configuration. Beyond the alignments and adjustments that we can see between the different individuals involved in these events, we examine more broadly the changes and mutations of the culture of the event in this specific configuration.

  16. Feminist Pedagogy, Body Image, and the Dance Technique Class

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barr, Sherrie; Oliver, Wendy

    2016-01-01

    This paper investigates the evolution of feminist consciousness in dance technique class as related to body image, the myth of the perfect body, and the development of feminist pedagogy. Western concert dance forms have often been taught in a manner where imitating the teacher is primary in the learning process. In this traditional scenario,…

  17. Cytogenetic features of rRNA genes across land plants: analysis of the Plant rDNA database

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Garcia, S.; Kovařík, Aleš; Leitch, A. R.; Garnatje, T.

    2017-01-01

    Roč. 89, č. 5 (2017), s. 1020-1030 ISSN 0960-7412 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GC16-02149J Institutional support: RVO:68081707 Keywords : in-situ hybridization * 5s rdna * 45s rdna * concerted evolution Subject RIV: EF - Botanics OBOR OECD: Plant sciences, botany Impact factor: 5.901, year: 2016

  18. Constrained evolution in numerical relativity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anderson, Matthew William

    The strongest potential source of gravitational radiation for current and future detectors is the merger of binary black holes. Full numerical simulation of such mergers can provide realistic signal predictions and enhance the probability of detection. Numerical simulation of the Einstein equations, however, is fraught with difficulty. Stability even in static test cases of single black holes has proven elusive. Common to unstable simulations is the growth of constraint violations. This work examines the effect of controlling the growth of constraint violations by solving the constraints periodically during a simulation, an approach called constrained evolution. The effects of constrained evolution are contrasted with the results of unconstrained evolution, evolution where the constraints are not solved during the course of a simulation. Two different formulations of the Einstein equations are examined: the standard ADM formulation and the generalized Frittelli-Reula formulation. In most cases constrained evolution vastly improves the stability of a simulation at minimal computational cost when compared with unconstrained evolution. However, in the more demanding test cases examined, constrained evolution fails to produce simulations with long-term stability in spite of producing improvements in simulation lifetime when compared with unconstrained evolution. Constrained evolution is also examined in conjunction with a wide variety of promising numerical techniques, including mesh refinement and overlapping Cartesian and spherical computational grids. Constrained evolution in boosted black hole spacetimes is investigated using overlapping grids. Constrained evolution proves to be central to the host of innovations required in carrying out such intensive simulations.

  19. Micro-droplet based directed evolution outperforms conventional laboratory evolution

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sjostrom, Staffan L.; Huang, Mingtao; Nielsen, Jens

    2014-01-01

    We present droplet adaptive laboratory evolution (DrALE), a directed evolution method used to improve industrial enzyme producing microorganisms for e.g. feedstock digestion. DrALE is based linking a desired phenotype to growth rate allowing only desired cells to proliferate. Single cells are con...... a whole-genome mutated library of yeast cells for α-amylase activity....

  20. Epigenetic silencing of BTB and CNC homology 2 and concerted promoter CpG methylation in gastric cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haam, Keeok; Kim, Hee-Jin; Lee, Kyung-Tae; Kim, Jeong-Hwan; Kim, Mirang; Kim, Seon-Young; Noh, Seung-Moo; Song, Kyu-Sang; Kim, Yong Sung

    2014-09-01

    BTB and CNC homology 2 (BACH2) is a lymphoid-specific transcription factor with a prominent role in B-cell development. Genetic polymorphisms within a single locus encoding BACH2 are associated with various autoimmune diseases and allergies. In this study, restriction landmark genomic scanning revealed methylation at a NotI site in a CpG island covering the BACH2 promoter in gastric cancer cell lines and primary gastric tumors. Increased methylation of the BACH2 promoter was observed in 52% (43/83) of primary gastric tumors, and BACH2 hypermethylation was significantly associated with decreased gene expression. Treatment with 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine and/or trichostatin. A restored BACH2 expression in BACH2-silenced gastric cancer cell lines, and knockdown of BACH2 using short hairpin RNA (i.e. RNA interference) increased cell proliferation in gastric cancer cells. Clinicopathologic data showed that decreased BACH2 expression occurred significantly more frequently in intestinal-type (27/44, 61%) compared with diffuse-type (13/50, 26%) gastric cancers (P<0.001). Furthermore, BACH2 promoter methylation paralleled that of previously identified targets, such as LRRC3B, LIMS2, PRKD1 and POPDC3, in a given set of gastric tumors. We propose that concerted methylation in many promoters plays a role in accelerating gastric tumor formation and that methylated promoter loci may be targets for therapeutic treatment, such as the recently introduced technique of epigenetic editing. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Acetic Acid Can Catalyze Succinimide Formation from Aspartic Acid Residues by a Concerted Bond Reorganization Mechanism: A Computational Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ohgi Takahashi

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Succinimide formation from aspartic acid (Asp residues is a concern in the formulation of protein drugs. Based on density functional theory calculations using Ace-Asp-Nme (Ace = acetyl, Nme = NHMe as a model compound, we propose the possibility that acetic acid (AA, which is often used in protein drug formulation for mildly acidic buffer solutions, catalyzes the succinimide formation from Asp residues by acting as a proton-transfer mediator. The proposed mechanism comprises two steps: cyclization (intramolecular addition to form a gem-diol tetrahedral intermediate and dehydration of the intermediate. Both steps are catalyzed by an AA molecule, and the first step was predicted to be rate-determining. The cyclization results from a bond formation between the amide nitrogen on the C-terminal side and the side-chain carboxyl carbon, which is part of an extensive bond reorganization (formation and breaking of single bonds and the interchange of single and double bonds occurring concertedly in a cyclic structure formed by the amide NH bond, the AA molecule and the side-chain C=O group and involving a double proton transfer. The second step also involves an AA-mediated bond reorganization. Carboxylic acids other than AA are also expected to catalyze the succinimide formation by a similar mechanism.

  2. Acetic acid can catalyze succinimide formation from aspartic acid residues by a concerted bond reorganization mechanism: a computational study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Takahashi, Ohgi; Kirikoshi, Ryota; Manabe, Noriyoshi

    2015-01-12

    Succinimide formation from aspartic acid (Asp) residues is a concern in the formulation of protein drugs. Based on density functional theory calculations using Ace-Asp-Nme (Ace = acetyl, Nme = NHMe) as a model compound, we propose the possibility that acetic acid (AA), which is often used in protein drug formulation for mildly acidic buffer solutions, catalyzes the succinimide formation from Asp residues by acting as a proton-transfer mediator. The proposed mechanism comprises two steps: cyclization (intramolecular addition) to form a gem-diol tetrahedral intermediate and dehydration of the intermediate. Both steps are catalyzed by an AA molecule, and the first step was predicted to be rate-determining. The cyclization results from a bond formation between the amide nitrogen on the C-terminal side and the side-chain carboxyl carbon, which is part of an extensive bond reorganization (formation and breaking of single bonds and the interchange of single and double bonds) occurring concertedly in a cyclic structure formed by the amide NH bond, the AA molecule and the side-chain C=O group and involving a double proton transfer. The second step also involves an AA-mediated bond reorganization. Carboxylic acids other than AA are also expected to catalyze the succinimide formation by a similar mechanism.

  3. Offshore Wind Energy Ready to Power a Sustainable Europe. Final Report. Concerted Action on Offshore Wind Energy in Europe

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2001-12-01

    The objective of the project Concerted Action on Offshore Wind Energy in Europe [CA-OWEE] is to define the current state of the art of offshore wind energy in Europe through gathering and evaluation of information from across Europe and to disseminate the resulting knowledge to all interested, in order to help stimulate the development of the industry. The project is being funded by the European Commission and will be completed at the end of 2001. The knowledge gathered will be freely available through an internet site, a workshop and a printed report. This project divides offshore wind energy into five clusters of subjects and reviews the recent history and summarise the current state of affairs, relating to: Cluster 1 offshore technology, of the wind turbines and the support structures, Cluster 2 grid integration, energy supply and financing, Cluster 3 resources and economics, Cluster 4 activities and prospects, Cluster 5 social acceptance, environmental impact and politics. The conclusions from these surveys are then used to define recommendations for the future RTD strategy for Europe. The project's 17 partners come from 13 countries, thus covering the majority of the European Community's coastline. The partners cover a wide range of expertise and include developers, utilities, consultants, research institutes and universities

  4. Experimental evolution and the dynamics of adaptation and genome evolution in microbial populations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lenski, Richard E

    2017-10-01

    Evolution is an on-going process, and it can be studied experimentally in organisms with rapid generations. My team has maintained 12 populations of Escherichia coli in a simple laboratory environment for >25 years and 60 000 generations. We have quantified the dynamics of adaptation by natural selection, seen some of the populations diverge into stably coexisting ecotypes, described changes in the bacteria's mutation rate, observed the new ability to exploit a previously untapped carbon source, characterized the dynamics of genome evolution and used parallel evolution to identify the genetic targets of selection. I discuss what the future might hold for this particular experiment, briefly highlight some other microbial evolution experiments and suggest how the fields of experimental evolution and microbial ecology might intersect going forward.

  5. Synergy: a framework for leadership development and transformation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pacini, Christine M

    2005-06-01

    The Synergy Model has been adopted as an organizing framework for nursing practice, education, and leadership at Clarian Health Partners, Inc. of Indiana. This article describes the evolution of educational programs at Clarian, in concert with the implementation of the Synergy Model. Philosophical and operational changes in staff orientation, professional development, and management development are described.

  6. IDRC: Fostering and engaging partnerships | CRDI - Centre de ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    "We continue to support the evolution of the CoPEHs," Dr Charron said. "We're making a concerted effort in our programming to support the CoPEHs, or to seek ways to link projects together." The CoPEHs still consist primarily of researchers and academic professors, but all are steadily expanding their reach to incorporate ...

  7. Gene conversion events and variable degree of homogenization of rDNA loci in cultivars of Brassica napus

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Sochorova, Jana; Coriton, O.; Kuderová, Alena; Lunerová Bedřichová, Jana; Chevre, A.-M.; Kovařík, Aleš

    2017-01-01

    Roč. 119, č. 1 (2017), s. 13-26 ISSN 0305-7364 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA13-10057S Institutional support: RVO:68081707 Keywords : ribosomal-rna genes * concerted evolution * intergenic spacer Subject RIV: EB - Genetics ; Molecular Biology OBOR OECD: Genetics and heredity (medical genetics to be 3) Impact factor: 4.041, year: 2016

  8. Contemporary evolution strategies

    CERN Document Server

    Bäck, Thomas; Krause, Peter

    2013-01-01

    Evolution strategies have more than 50 years of history in the field of evolutionary computation. Since the early 1990s, many algorithmic variations of evolution strategies have been developed, characterized by the fact that they use the so-called derandomization concept for strategy parameter adaptation. Most importantly, the covariance matrix adaptation strategy (CMA-ES) and its successors are the key representatives of this group of contemporary evolution strategies. This book provides an overview of the key algorithm developments between 1990 and 2012, including brief descriptions of the a

  9. Speed of quantum evolution of entangled two qubits states: Local vs. global evolution

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Curilef, S; Zander, C; Plastino, A R

    2008-01-01

    There is a lower bound for the 'speed' of quantum evolution as measured by the time needed to reach an orthogonal state. We show that, for two-qubits systems, states saturating the quantum speed limit tend to exhibit a small amount of local evolution, as measured by the fidelity between the initial and final single qubit states after the time τ required by the composite system to reach an orthogonal state. Consequently, a trade-off between the speed of global evolution and the amount of local evolution seems to be at work.

  10. Evolution of CAM and C4 carbon-concentrating mechanisms

    Science.gov (United States)

    Keeley, Jon E.; Rundel, Philip W.

    2003-01-01

    Mechanisms for concentrating carbon around the Rubisco enzyme, which drives the carbon-reducing steps in photosynthesis, are widespread in plants; in vascular plants they are known as crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) and C4 photosynthesis. CAM is common in desert succulents, tropical epiphytes, and aquatic plants and is characterized by nighttime fixation of CO2. The proximal selective factor driving the evolution of this CO2-concentrating pathway is low daytime CO2, which results from the unusual reverse stomatal behavior of terrestrial CAM species or from patterns of ambient CO2 availability for aquatic CAM species. In terrestrials the ultimate selective factor is water stress that has selected for increased water use efficiency. In aquatics the ultimate selective factor is diel fluctuations in CO2 availability for palustrine species and extreme oligotrophic conditions for lacustrine species. C4 photosynthesis is based on similar biochemistry but carboxylation steps are spatially separated in the leaf rather than temporally as in CAM. This biochemical pathway is most commonly associated with a specialized leaf anatomy known as Kranz anatomy; however, there are exceptions. The ultimate selective factor driving the evolution of this pathway is excessively high photorespiration that inhibits normal C3 photosynthesis under high light and high temperature in both terrestrial and aquatic habitats. CAM is an ancient pathway that likely has been present since the Paleozoic era in aquatic species from shallow-water palustrine habitats. While atmospheric CO2 levels have undoubtedly affected the evolution of terrestrial plant carbon-concentrating mechanisms, there is reason to believe that past atmospheric changes have not played as important a selective role in the aquatic milieu since palustrine habitats today are not generally carbon sinks, and the selective factors driving aquatic CAM are autogenic. Terrestrial CAM, in contrast, is of increasing selective value under

  11. Concert club

    CERN Multimedia

    Concert club

    2010-01-01

    CERN MEYRIN (terminus bus 56-CERN) entrée B - bâtiment 500 - amphithéâtre mardi 23 mars 2010 à 20 h 30 Eric Schmid, clarinette Muriel Slatkine, piano Au programme : Danzi, Delibes, Gounod, Lovreglio (Verdi), Poulenc, Rossini, Schubert * * * * * samedi 27 mars 2010 à 20 h 30 « Quart de ton » Orchestre et solistes Au programme : Leung Xiao, Lan www.myspace.com/lecardethon * * * * * Dimanche 28 mars 2010 à 17 h 00 et 19 h 00 Rachel Kolly d’Alba, violon Au programme : Bach, Ysaïe * * * * * mardi 30 mars 2010 à 20 h 30 ...

  12. Concert Club

    CERN Document Server

    Concert Club

    2010-01-01

    CERN MEYRIN (terminus bus 56-CERN) entrée B - bâtiment 500 - amphithéâtre Mardi 9 Février 2010 à 20 h 30 ”La fontaine aux larmes” Les pays de l’est et le choeur féminin Ensemble vocal féminin Polhymnia Célia Perrard, harpe Camille Girod, flûte Christophe Sturzenegger, piano Quartet Elixir Eléonore Giroud, violon Delphine Touzery, violon Priscille Oehninger, alto Elsa Dorbath, violoncelle Direction : Franck Marcon Au programme : Kodaly – Bartok – Donceanu - Janacek Francesco Hoch (création) ...

  13. Concerts & Opera

    Index Scriptorium Estoniae

    2006-01-01

    Arvo Pärdi teos "Cantus in memoriam Benjamin Britten" esitusel 2. dets. Aldeburghis, Pärdi "Annum per annum" 7. dets. Birminghamis, Kristjan Järvi dirigeerimas 7. dets. Liverpoolis, Neeme Järvi diregeerimas 15. dets. Edinburghis ja 16. dets. Glasgowis

  14. Concerts & Opera

    Index Scriptorium Estoniae

    2006-01-01

    Kammerorkestri Kremerata Baltica kontserdid: 19. apr. Londonis LSO St Lukesis, 21. apr. Oxfordis Sheldonian Theatre'is, 17. apr. Aldeburghis, 20. apr. Manchesteris Bridgewater Hallis, 23. apr. Wales Millennium Centre'is, 22. apr. Edinburghis Usher Hallis

  15. Concert club

    CERN Multimedia

    2010-01-01

    CERN MEYRIN (terminus bus 56-CERN) entrée B - bâtiment 500 - amphithéâtre mardi 9 mars 2010 à 20 h 30 Le trio «Impressions» avec Liliane Jaques, flûte traversière Isabelle Martin-Achard, harpe John Devore, violoncelle Au programme : Bolling, Dewey, Ibert, Vellon, Vellones, Molnar, Andres * * * * * mardi 16 mars 2010 à 20 h 30 Irina Chkourindina, piano Au programme : Chopin, Liszt, Schumann * * * * * vendredi 19 mars 2010 à 20 h 30 Pascal Salomon, piano Au programme : J. Brahms, F.Chopin, M. Ravel, S. Rachmaninoff * * * * * ...

  16. Concerts & Opera

    Index Scriptorium Estoniae

    2007-01-01

    Arvo Pärdi muusika esitusel 4. mail Londonis St Giles Cripplegate'is, 14. mail Queen Elizabeth Hallis, 3. mail Oxfordis; Eesti Filharmoonia Kammerkoor esitab Cyrillus Kreegi "Requiemi" 11. mail Manchesteris Bridgewater Hallis; Olari Elts dirigeerimas 10. mail Edinburghis Usher Hallis, 11. mail Glasgowis ja 12. mail Aberdeenis

  17. Statistical and physical evolution of QSO's

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Caditz, D.; Petrosian, V.

    1989-09-01

    The relationship between the physical evolution of discrete extragalactic sources, the statistical evolution of the observed population of sources, and the cosmological model is discussed. Three simple forms of statistical evolution: pure luminosity evolution (PLE), pure density evolution (PDE), and generalized luminosity evolution (GLE), are considered in detail together with what these forms imply about the physical evolution of individual sources. Two methods are used to analyze the statistical evolution of the observed distribution of QSO's (quasars) from combined flux limited samples. It is shown that both PLE and PDE are inconsistent with the data over the redshift range 0 less than z less than 2.2, and that a more complicated form of evolution such as GLE is required, independent of the cosmological model. This result is important for physical models of AGN, and in particular, for the accretion disk model which recent results show may be inconsistent with PLE

  18. Cross-Modal Perception of Noise-in-Music: Audiences Generate Spiky Shapes in Response to Auditory Roughness in a Novel Electroacoustic Concert Setting

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kongmeng Liew

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Noise has become integral to electroacoustic music aesthetics. In this paper, we define noise as sound that is high in auditory roughness, and examine its effect on cross-modal mapping between sound and visual shape in participants. In order to preserve the ecological validity of contemporary music aesthetics, we developed Rama, a novel interface, for presenting experimentally controlled blocks of electronically generated sounds that varied systematically in roughness, and actively collected data from audience interaction. These sounds were then embedded as musical drones within the overall sound design of a multimedia performance with live musicians, Audience members listened to these sounds, and collectively voted to create the shape of a visual graphic, presented as part of the audio–visual performance. The results of the concert setting were replicated in a controlled laboratory environment to corroborate the findings. Results show a consistent effect of auditory roughness on shape design, with rougher sounds corresponding to spikier shapes. We discuss the implications, as well as evaluate the audience interface.

  19. Anmeldelse af Evolution, Literature and Film

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Grodal, Torben Kragh

    2011-01-01

    Diskussion af basisproblemer i evolutionær fiktionsteori med udgangspunkt i en anmeldelse af Evolution, Literature and Film......Diskussion af basisproblemer i evolutionær fiktionsteori med udgangspunkt i en anmeldelse af Evolution, Literature and Film...

  20. The evolutionary history of the SAL1 gene family in eutherian mammals

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Callebaut Isabelle

    2011-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background SAL1 (salivary lipocalin is a member of the OBP (Odorant Binding Protein family and is involved in chemical sexual communication in pig. SAL1 and its relatives may be involved in pheromone and olfactory receptor binding and in pre-mating behaviour. The evolutionary history and the selective pressures acting on SAL1 and its orthologous genes have not yet been exhaustively described. The aim of the present work was to study the evolution of these genes, to elucidate the role of selective pressures in their evolution and the consequences for their functions. Results Here, we present the evolutionary history of SAL1 gene and its orthologous genes in mammals. We found that (1 SAL1 and its related genes arose in eutherian mammals with lineage-specific duplications in rodents, horse and cow and are lost in human, mouse lemur, bushbaby and orangutan, (2 the evolution of duplicated genes of horse, rat, mouse and guinea pig is driven by concerted evolution with extensive gene conversion events in mouse and guinea pig and by positive selection mainly acting on paralogous genes in horse and guinea pig, (3 positive selection was detected for amino acids involved in pheromone binding and amino acids putatively involved in olfactory receptor binding, (4 positive selection was also found for lineage, indicating a species-specific strategy for amino acid selection. Conclusions This work provides new insights into the evolutionary history of SAL1 and its orthologs. On one hand, some genes are subject to concerted evolution and to an increase in dosage, suggesting the need for homogeneity of sequence and function in certain species. On the other hand, positive selection plays a role in the diversification of the functions of the family and in lineage, suggesting adaptive evolution, with possible consequences for speciation and for the reinforcement of prezygotic barriers.

  1. Evolution across the Curriculum: Microbiology

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alita R. Burmeister

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available An integrated understanding of microbiology and evolutionary biology is essential for students pursuing careers in microbiology and healthcare fields. In this Perspective, we discuss the usefulness of evolutionary concepts and an overall evolutionary framework for students enrolled in microbiology courses. Further, we propose a set of learning goals for students studying microbial evolution concepts. We then describe some barriers to microbial evolution teaching and learning and encourage the continued incorporation of evidence-based teaching practices into microbiology courses at all levels. Next, we review the current status of microbial evolution assessment tools and describe some education resources available for teaching microbial evolution. Successful microbial evolution education will require that evolution be taught across the undergraduate biology curriculum, with a continued focus on applications and applied careers, while aligning with national biology education reform initiatives.

  2. Evolution across the Curriculum: Microbiology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burmeister, Alita R.; Smith, James J.

    2016-01-01

    An integrated understanding of microbiology and evolutionary biology is essential for students pursuing careers in microbiology and healthcare fields. In this Perspective, we discuss the usefulness of evolutionary concepts and an overall evolutionary framework for students enrolled in microbiology courses. Further, we propose a set of learning goals for students studying microbial evolution concepts. We then describe some barriers to microbial evolution teaching and learning and encourage the continued incorporation of evidence-based teaching practices into microbiology courses at all levels. Next, we review the current status of microbial evolution assessment tools and describe some education resources available for teaching microbial evolution. Successful microbial evolution education will require that evolution be taught across the undergraduate biology curriculum, with a continued focus on applications and applied careers, while aligning with national biology education reform initiatives. Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education PMID:27158306

  3. Chemical evolution of galaxies

    CERN Document Server

    Matteucci, Francesca

    2012-01-01

    The term “chemical evolution of galaxies” refers to the evolution of abundances of chemical species in galaxies, which is due to nuclear processes occurring in stars and to gas flows into and out of galaxies. This book deals with the chemical evolution of galaxies of all morphological types (ellipticals, spirals and irregulars) and stresses the importance of the star formation histories in determining the properties of stellar populations in different galaxies. The topic is approached in a didactical and logical manner via galaxy evolution models which are compared with observational results obtained in the last two decades: The reader is given an introduction to the concept of chemical abundances and learns about the main stellar populations in our Galaxy as well as about the classification of galaxy types and their main observables. In the core of the book, the construction and solution of chemical evolution models are discussed in detail, followed by descriptions and interpretations of observations of ...

  4. The concerted impact of galaxies and QSOs on the ionization and thermal state of the intergalactic medium

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kakiichi, Koki; Graziani, Luca; Ciardi, Benedetta; Meiksin, Avery; Compostella, Michele; Eide, Marius B.; Zaroubi, Saleem

    2017-07-01

    We present a detailed analysis of the ionization and thermal structure of the intergalactic medium (IGM) around a high-redshift (z = 10) QSO, using a large suite of cosmological, multifrequency radiative transfer simulations, exploring the contribution from galaxies as well as the QSO, and the effect of X-rays and secondary ionization. We show that in high-z QSO environments both the central QSO and the surrounding galaxies concertedly control the reionization morphology of hydrogen and helium and have a non-linear impact on the thermal structure of the IGM. A QSO imprints a distinctive morphology on H II regions if its total ionizing photon budget exceeds that of the surrounding galaxies since the onset of hydrogen reionization; otherwise, the morphology shows little difference from that of H II regions produced only by galaxies. In addition, the spectral shape of the collective radiation field from galaxies and QSOs controls the thickness of the I-fronts. While a UV-obscured QSO can broaden the I-front, the contribution from other UV sources, either galaxies or unobscured QSOs, is sufficient to maintain a sharp I-front. X-ray photons from the QSO are responsible for a prominent extended tail of partial ionization ahead of the I-front. QSOs leave a unique imprint on the morphology of He II/He III regions. We suggest that, while the physical state of the IGM is modified by QSOs, the most direct test to understand the role of galaxies and QSOs during reionization is to perform galaxy surveys in a region of sky imaged by 21 cm tomography.

  5. Stellar structure and evolution

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kippernhahn, R.; Weigert, A.

    1990-01-01

    This book introduces the theory of the internal structure of stars and their evolution in time. It presents the basic physics of stellar interiors, methods for solving the underlying equations, and the most important results necessary for understanding the wide variety of stellar types and phenomena. The evolution of stars is discussed from their birth through normal evolution to possibly spectacular final stages. Chapters on stellar oscillations and rotation are included

  6. Chemical evolution and life

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Malaterre Christophe

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available In research on the origins of life, the concept of “chemical evolution” aims at explaining the transition from non-living matter to living matter. There is however strong disagreement when it comes to defining this concept more precisely, and in particular with reference to a chemical form of Darwinian evolution: for some, chemical evolution is nothing but Darwinian evolution applied to chemical systems before life appeared; yet, for others, it is the type of evolution that happened before natural selection took place, the latter being the birthmark of living systems. In this contribution, I review the arguments defended by each side and show how both views presuppose a dichotomous definition of “life”.

  7. Dual phase evolution

    CERN Document Server

    Green, David G; Abbass, Hussein A

    2014-01-01

    This book explains how dual phase evolution operates in all these settings and provides a detailed treatment of the subject. The authors discuss the theoretical foundations for the theory, how it relates to other phase transition phenomena and its advantages in evolutionary computation and complex adaptive systems. The book provides methods and techniques to use this concept for problem solving. Dual phase evolution concerns systems that evolve via repeated phase shifts in the connectivity of their elements. It occurs in vast range of settings, including natural systems (species evolution, landscape ecology, geomorphology), socio-economic systems (social networks) and in artificial systems (annealing, evolutionary computing).

  8. Analysis of the Science and Technology Preservice Teachers' Opinions on Teaching Evolution and Theory of Evolution

    Science.gov (United States)

    Töman, Ufuk; Karatas, Faik Özgür; Çimer, Sabiha Odabasi

    2014-01-01

    In this study, we investigate of science and technology teachers' opinions about the theory of evolution and the evolution teaching. The aim of this study, we investigate of science and technology teachers' opinions about the theory of evolution and the evolution teaching. This study is a descriptive study. Open-ended questions were used to…

  9. Inlet Geomorphology Evolution Work Unit

    Science.gov (United States)

    2015-10-30

    Coastal Inlets Research Program Inlet Geomorphology Evolution Work Unit The Inlet Geomorphology Evolution work unit of the CIRP develops methods...morphologic response. Presently, the primary tool of the Inlet Geomorphology Evolution work unit is the Sediment Mobility Tool (SMT), which allows the user

  10. Toward Documentation of Program Evolution

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Vestdam, Thomas; Nørmark, Kurt

    2005-01-01

    The documentation of a program often falls behind the evolution of the program source files. When this happens it may be attractive to shift the documentation mode from updating the documentation to documenting the evolution of the program. This paper describes tools that support the documentatio....... It is concluded that our approach can help revitalize older documentation, and that discovery of the fine grained program evolution steps help the programmer in documenting the evolution of the program....

  11. Student Visual Communication of Evolution

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oliveira, Alandeom W.; Cook, Kristin

    2017-06-01

    Despite growing recognition of the importance of visual representations to science education, previous research has given attention mostly to verbal modalities of evolution instruction. Visual aspects of classroom learning of evolution are yet to be systematically examined by science educators. The present study attends to this issue by exploring the types of evolutionary imagery deployed by secondary students. Our visual design analysis revealed that students resorted to two larger categories of images when visually communicating evolution: spatial metaphors (images that provided a spatio-temporal account of human evolution as a metaphorical "walk" across time and space) and symbolic representations ("icons of evolution" such as personal portraits of Charles Darwin that simply evoked evolutionary theory rather than metaphorically conveying its conceptual contents). It is argued that students need opportunities to collaboratively critique evolutionary imagery and to extend their visual perception of evolution beyond dominant images.

  12. modelling of directed evolution: Implications for experimental design and stepwise evolution

    OpenAIRE

    Wedge , David C.; Rowe , William; Kell , Douglas B.; Knowles , Joshua

    2009-01-01

    In silico modelling of directed evolution: Implications for experimental design and stepwise evolution correspondence: Corresponding author. Tel.: +441613065145. (Wedge, David C.) (Wedge, David C.) Manchester Interdisciplinary Biocentre, University of Manchester - 131 Princess Street--> , Manchester--> , M1 7ND--> - UNITED KINGDOM (Wedge, David C.) UNITED KINGDOM (Wedge, David C.) Man...

  13. Multicolour Observations, Inhomogeneity & Evolution

    OpenAIRE

    Hellaby, Charles

    2000-01-01

    We propose a method of testing source evolution theories that is independent of the effects of inhomogeneity, and thus complementary to other studies of evolution. It is suitable for large scale sky surveys, and the new generation of large telescopes. In an earlier paper it was shown that basic cosmological observations - luminosity versus redshift, area distance versus redshift and number counts versus redshift - cannot separate the effects of cosmic inhomogeneity, cosmic evolution and sourc...

  14. The 5S rDNA in two Abracris grasshoppers (Ommatolampidinae: Acrididae): molecular and chromosomal organization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bueno, Danilo; Palacios-Gimenez, Octavio Manuel; Martí, Dardo Andrea; Mariguela, Tatiane Casagrande; Cabral-de-Mello, Diogo Cavalcanti

    2016-08-01

    The 5S ribosomal DNA (rDNA) sequences are subject of dynamic evolution at chromosomal and molecular levels, evolving through concerted and/or birth-and-death fashion. Among grasshoppers, the chromosomal location for this sequence was established for some species, but little molecular information was obtained to infer evolutionary patterns. Here, we integrated data from chromosomal and nucleotide sequence analysis for 5S rDNA in two Abracris species aiming to identify evolutionary dynamics. For both species, two arrays were identified, a larger sequence (named type-I) that consisted of the entire 5S rDNA gene plus NTS (non-transcribed spacer) and a smaller (named type-II) with truncated 5S rDNA gene plus short NTS that was considered a pseudogene. For type-I sequences, the gene corresponding region contained the internal control region and poly-T motif and the NTS presented partial transposable elements. Between the species, nucleotide differences for type-I were noticed, while type-II was identical, suggesting pseudogenization in a common ancestor. At chromosomal point to view, the type-II was placed in one bivalent, while type-I occurred in multiple copies in distinct chromosomes. In Abracris, the evolution of 5S rDNA was apparently influenced by the chromosomal distribution of clusters (single or multiple location), resulting in a mixed mechanism integrating concerted and birth-and-death evolution depending on the unit.

  15. Student Teachers' Approaches to Teaching Biological Evolution

    Science.gov (United States)

    Borgerding, Lisa A.; Klein, Vanessa A.; Ghosh, Rajlakshmi; Eibel, Albert

    2015-06-01

    Evolution is fundamental to biology and scientific literacy, but teaching high school evolution is often difficult. Evolution teachers face several challenges including limited content knowledge, personal conflicts with evolution, expectations of resistance, concerns about students' conflicts with religion, and curricular constraints. Evolution teaching can be particularly challenging for student teachers who are just beginning to gain pedagogical knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge related to evolution teaching and who seek approval from university supervisors and cooperating teachers. Science teacher educators need to know how to best support student teachers as they broach the sometimes daunting task of teaching evolution within student teaching placements. This multiple case study report documents how three student teachers approached evolution instruction and what influenced their approaches. Data sources included student teacher interviews, field note observations for 4-5 days of evolution instruction, and evolution instructional artifacts. Data were analyzed using grounded theory approaches to develop individual cases and a cross-case analysis. Seven influences (state exams and standards, cooperating teacher, ideas about teaching and learning, concerns about evolution controversy, personal commitment to evolution, knowledge and preparation for teaching evolution, and own evolution learning experiences) were identified and compared across cases. Implications for science teacher preparation and future research are provided.

  16. The theory of evolution

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Oleg Bazaluk

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available The book The Theory of Evolution: from the Space Vacuum to Neural Ensembles and Moving Forward, an edition of 100 copies, was published in Russian language, in December 2014 in Kiev. Its Russian version is here: http://en.bazaluk.com/journals.html. Introduction, Chapter 10 and Conclusion published in English for the first time. Since 2004 author have been researching in the field of theory of Evolution, Big History. The book was written on the base of analysis of more than 2000 primary sources of this research topic. The volume is 90,000 words (with Reference. The book is for a wide range of professionals, from students to professors and researchers working in the fields of: philosophical anthropology, philosophy, Big History, cosmology, biology, neuroscience and etc. In the book, the author defines the evolution as continuous and nonlinear complication of the structure of matter, the types of interaction and environments; analyzes existing in modern science and philosophy approaches to the research of the process of evolution, degree of development of the factors and causes of evolution. Unifying interdisciplinary researches of evolution in cosmology, biology, neuroscience and philosophy, the author presents his vision of the model of «Evolving Matter», which allows us to consider not only the laws of transition of space vacuum in neural ensembles but also to see our Universe as a complication, heterogeneous organization. Interdisciplinary amount of information on the theory of evolution is systematized and a new method of world perception is proposed in the book.

  17. Evolution of Constructivism

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Chu Chih; Chen, I Ju

    2010-01-01

    The contrast between social constructivism and cognitive constructivism are depicted in different ways in many studies. The purpose of this paper is to summarize the evolution of constructivism and put a focus on social constructivism from the perception of Vygotsky. This study provides a general idea of the evolution of constructivism for people…

  18. Evolution and transitions in complexity

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Jagers op Akkerhuis, Gerard A.J.M.

    2016-01-01

    This book discusses several recent theoretic advancements in interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary integration in the field of evolution. While exploring novel views, the text maintains a close link with one of the most broadly held views on evolution, namely that of "Darwinian evolution." This

  19. THE PSEUDO-EVOLUTION OF HALO MASS

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Diemer, Benedikt; Kravtsov, Andrey V.; More, Surhud

    2013-01-01

    A dark matter halo is commonly defined as a spherical overdensity of matter with respect to a reference density, such as the critical density or the mean matter density of the universe. Such definitions can lead to a spurious pseudo-evolution of halo mass simply due to redshift evolution of the reference density, even if its physical density profile remains constant over time. We estimate the amount of such pseudo-evolution of mass between z = 1 and 0 for halos identified in a large N-body simulation, and show that it accounts for almost the entire mass evolution of the majority of halos with M 200ρ-bar ≲ 10 12 h -1 M ☉ and can be a significant fraction of the apparent mass growth even for cluster-sized halos. We estimate the magnitude of the pseudo-evolution assuming that halo density profiles remain static in physical coordinates, and show that this simple model predicts the pseudo-evolution of halos identified in numerical simulations to good accuracy, albeit with significant scatter. We discuss the impact of pseudo-evolution on the evolution of the halo mass function and show that the non-evolution of the low-mass end of the halo mass function is the result of a fortuitous cancellation between pseudo-evolution and the absorption of small halos into larger hosts. We also show that the evolution of the low-mass end of the concentration-mass relation observed in simulations is almost entirely due to the pseudo-evolution of mass. Finally, we discuss the implications of our results for the interpretation of the evolution of various scaling relations between the observable properties of galaxies and galaxy clusters and their halo masses.

  20. Plant domestication slows pest evolution.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Turcotte, Martin M; Lochab, Amaneet K; Turley, Nash E; Johnson, Marc T J

    2015-09-01

    Agricultural practices such as breeding resistant varieties and pesticide use can cause rapid evolution of pest species, but it remains unknown how plant domestication itself impacts pest contemporary evolution. Using experimental evolution on a comparative phylogenetic scale, we compared the evolutionary dynamics of a globally important economic pest - the green peach aphid (Myzus persicae) - growing on 34 plant taxa, represented by 17 crop species and their wild relatives. Domestication slowed aphid evolution by 13.5%, maintained 10.4% greater aphid genotypic diversity and 5.6% higher genotypic richness. The direction of evolution (i.e. which genotypes increased in frequency) differed among independent domestication events but was correlated with specific plant traits. Individual-based simulation models suggested that domestication affects aphid evolution directly by reducing the strength of selection and indirectly by increasing aphid density and thus weakening genetic drift. Our results suggest that phenotypic changes during domestication can alter pest evolutionary dynamics. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd/CNRS.

  1. Oxygen evolution reaction catalysis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Haber, Joel A.; Jin, Jian; Xiang, Chengxiang; Gregoire, John M.; Jones, Ryan J.; Guevarra, Dan W.; Shinde, Aniketa A.

    2016-09-06

    An Oxygen Evolution Reaction (OER) catalyst includes a metal oxide that includes oxygen, cerium, and one or more second metals. In some instances, the cerium is 10 to 80 molar % of the metals in the metal oxide and/or the catalyst includes two or more second metals. The OER catalyst can be included in or on an electrode. The electrode can be arranged in an oxygen evolution system such that the Oxygen Evolution Reaction occurs at the electrode.

  2. American Muslim Undergraduates' Views on Evolution

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fouad, Khadija Engelbrecht

    2016-01-01

    A qualitative investigation into American Muslim undergraduates' views on evolution revealed three main positions on evolution: theistic evolution, a belief in special creation of all species, and a belief in special creation of humans with evolution for all non-human species. One can conceive of the manner in which respondents chose their…

  3. Restless 5S: the re-arrangement(s) and evolution of the nuclear ribosomal DNA in land plants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wicke, Susann; Costa, Andrea; Muñoz, Jesùs; Quandt, Dietmar

    2011-11-01

    Among eukaryotes two types of nuclear ribosomal DNA (nrDNA) organization have been observed. Either all components, i.e. the small ribosomal subunit, 5.8S, large ribosomal subunit, and 5S occur tandemly arranged or the 5S rDNA forms a separate cluster of its own. Generalizations based on data derived from just a few model organisms have led to a superimposition of structural and evolutionary traits to the entire plant kingdom asserting that plants generally possess separate arrays. This study reveals that plant nrDNA organization into separate arrays is not a distinctive feature, but rather assignable almost solely to seed plants. We show that early diverging land plants and presumably streptophyte algae share a co-localization of all rRNA genes within one repeat unit. This raises the possibility that the state of rDNA gene co-localization had occurred in their common ancestor. Separate rDNA arrays were identified for all basal seed plants and water ferns, implying at least two independent 5S rDNA transposition events during land plant evolution. Screening for 5S derived Cassandra transposable elements which might have played a role during the transposition events, indicated that this retrotransposon is absent in early diverging vascular plants including early fern lineages. Thus, Cassandra can be rejected as a primary mechanism for 5S rDNA transposition in water ferns. However, the evolution of Cassandra and other eukaryotic 5S derived elements might have been a side effect of the 5S rDNA cluster formation. Structural analysis of the intergenic spacers of the ribosomal clusters revealed that transposition events partially affect spacer regions and suggests a slightly different transcription regulation of 5S rDNA in early land plants. 5S rDNA upstream regulatory elements are highly divergent or absent from the LSU-5S spacers of most early divergent land plant lineages. Several putative scenarios and mechanisms involved in the concerted relocation of hundreds of 5S

  4. Dynamical patterning modules: physico-genetic determinants of morphological development and evolution

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Newman, Stuart A; Bhat, Ramray

    2008-01-01

    The shapes and forms of multicellular organisms arise by the generation of new cell states and types and changes in the numbers and rearrangements of the various kinds of cells. While morphogenesis and pattern formation in all animal species are widely recognized to be mediated by the gene products of an evolutionarily conserved 'developmental-genetic toolkit', the link between these molecular players and the physics underlying these processes has been generally ignored. This paper introduces the concept of 'dynamical patterning modules' (DPMs), units consisting of one or more products of the 'toolkit' genes that mobilize physical processes characteristic of chemically and mechanically excitable meso- to macroscopic systems such as cell aggregates: cohesion, viscoelasticity, diffusion, spatiotemporal heterogeneity based on lateral inhibition and multistable and oscillatory dynamics. We suggest that ancient toolkit gene products, most predating the emergence of multicellularity, assumed novel morphogenetic functions due to change in the scale and context inherent to multicellularity. We show that DPMs, acting individually and in concert with each other, constitute a 'pattern language' capable of generating all metazoan body plans and organ forms. The physical dimension of developmental causation implies that multicellular forms during the explosive radiation of animal body plans in the middle Cambrian, approximately 530 million years ago, could have explored an extensive morphospace without concomitant genotypic change or selection for adaptation. The morphologically plastic body plans and organ forms generated by DPMs, and their ontogenetic trajectories, would subsequently have been stabilized and consolidated by natural selection and genetic drift. This perspective also solves the apparent 'molecular homology-analogy paradox', whereby widely divergent modern animal types utilize the same molecular toolkit during development by proposing, in contrast to the Neo

  5. Expanding the Understanding of Evolution

    Science.gov (United States)

    Musante, Susan

    2011-01-01

    Originally designed for K-12 teachers, the Understanding Evolution (UE) Web site ("www.understandingevolution.org") is a one-stop shop for all of a teacher's evolution education needs, with lesson plans, teaching tips, lists of common evolution misconceptions, and much more. However, during the past five years, the UE project team learned that…

  6. Animal evolution

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, Claus

    This book provides a comprehensive analysis of evolution in the animal kingdom. It reviews the classical, morphological information from structure and embryology, as well as the new data gained from studies using immune stainings of nerves and muscles and blastomere markings, which makes it possi......This book provides a comprehensive analysis of evolution in the animal kingdom. It reviews the classical, morphological information from structure and embryology, as well as the new data gained from studies using immune stainings of nerves and muscles and blastomere markings, which makes...

  7. Software architecture evolution

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Barais, Olivier; Le Meur, Anne-Francoise; Duchien, Laurence

    2008-01-01

    Software architectures must frequently evolve to cope with changing requirements, and this evolution often implies integrating new concerns. Unfortunately, when the new concerns are crosscutting, existing architecture description languages provide little or no support for this kind of evolution....... The software architect must modify multiple elements of the architecture manually, which risks introducing inconsistencies. This chapter provides an overview, comparison and detailed treatment of the various state-of-the-art approaches to describing and evolving software architectures. Furthermore, we discuss...... one particular framework named Tran SAT, which addresses the above problems of software architecture evolution. Tran SAT provides a new element in the software architecture descriptions language, called an architectural aspect, for describing new concerns and their integration into an existing...

  8. Binary evolution and observational constraints

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Loore, C. de

    1984-01-01

    The evolution of close binaries is discussed in connection with problems concerning mass and angular momentum losses. Theoretical and observational evidence for outflow of matter, leaving the system during evolution is given: statistics on total masses and mass ratios, effects of the accretion of the mass gaining component, the presence of streams, disks, rings, circumstellar envelopes, period changes, abundance changes in the atmosphere. The effects of outflowing matter on the evolution is outlined, and estimates of the fraction of matter expelled by the loser, and leaving the system, are given. The various time scales involved with evolution and observation are compared. Examples of non conservative evolution are discussed. Problems related to contact phases, on mass and energy losses, in connection with entropy changes are briefly analysed. For advanced stages the disruption probabilities for supernova explosions are examined. A global picture is given for the evolution of massive close binaries, from ZAMS, through WR phases, X-ray phases, leading to runaway pulsars or to a binary pulsar and later to a millisecond pulsar. (Auth.)

  9. Understanding Collateral Evolution in Linux Device Drivers

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Padioleau, Yoann; Lawall, Julia Laetitia; Muller, Gilles

    2006-01-01

    no tools to help in this process, collateral evolution is thus time consuming and error prone.In this paper, we present a qualitative and quantitative assessment of collateral evolution in Linux device driver code. We provide a taxonomy of evolutions and collateral evolutions, and use an automated patch......-analysis tool that we have developed to measure the number of evolutions and collateral evolutions that affect device drivers between Linux versions 2.2 and 2.6. In particular, we find that from one version of Linux to the next, collateral evolutions can account for up to 35% of the lines modified in such code....

  10. Stakeholder Analysis for Sharing Agro-environment Issues Towards Concerted Action: A Case Study on Diffuse Nitrate Pollution

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pier Paolo Roggero

    2006-12-01

    Full Text Available There is increasing need for participatory approaches to support the development of sustainable farming systems, based on the active involvement of stakeholders in the definition of research objectives and priorities. This paper reports the experience of a team of agronomy researchers involved in the SLIM project (http://slim.open.ac.uk, around a case study of nitrate pollution. The agro-ecosystem analysis included biophysical processes at microcatchment scale and the stakeholders’ perceptions, interests and practices related to the nitrate issue (stakeholders analysis. The conceptual SLIM framework model supported new interactions among stakeholders, that were facilitated by researchers, using dialogical tools to enable them to use scientific data and to integrate their own knowledge on the farming system. The agro-environment policies, based on compulsory prescriptions, revealed weak assumptions and insufficient integration of scientific knowledge. The stakeholder analysis contributed to the identification of priorities both for scientific research and agro-environment policies. Researchers provided the site-specific scientific knowledge, in a way that enabled stakeholders to identify the relationships between agricultural practices, landscape values and the nitrate pollution issue and to elaborate shared strategies to develop concerted actions. New spaces for interaction between researchers and stakeholders should be created to face complex agro-environment issues at catchment scale, such as the nitrate pollution of groundwater. The implication for agronomy research is that the experiments should be designed to produce suitable results to facilitate participatory sessions and that it is worthwhile to invest in specific skills of communication science and group dynamics management within the agronomy researchers’ community, in order to integrate agronomy knowledge into high quality participatory processes.

  11. Stakeholder Analysis for Sharing Agro-environment Issues Towards Concerted Action: A Case Study on Diffuse Nitrate Pollution

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marco Toderi

    2011-02-01

    Full Text Available There is increasing need for participatory approaches to support the development of sustainable farming systems, based on the active involvement of stakeholders in the definition of research objectives and priorities. This paper reports the experience of a team of agronomy researchers involved in the SLIM project (http://slim.open.ac.uk, around a case study of nitrate pollution. The agro-ecosystem analysis included biophysical processes at microcatchment scale and the stakeholders’ perceptions, interests and practices related to the nitrate issue (stakeholders analysis. The conceptual SLIM framework model supported new interactions among stakeholders, that were facilitated by researchers, using dialogical tools to enable them to use scientific data and to integrate their own knowledge on the farming system. The agro-environment policies, based on compulsory prescriptions, revealed weak assumptions and insufficient integration of scientific knowledge. The stakeholder analysis contributed to the identification of priorities both for scientific research and agro-environment policies. Researchers provided the site-specific scientific knowledge, in a way that enabled stakeholders to identify the relationships between agricultural practices, landscape values and the nitrate pollution issue and to elaborate shared strategies to develop concerted actions. New spaces for interaction between researchers and stakeholders should be created to face complex agro-environment issues at catchment scale, such as the nitrate pollution of groundwater. The implication for agronomy research is that the experiments should be designed to produce suitable results to facilitate participatory sessions and that it is worthwhile to invest in specific skills of communication science and group dynamics management within the agronomy researchers’ community, in order to integrate agronomy knowledge into high quality participatory processes.

  12. Evolution, epigenetics and cooperation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bateson, Patrick

    2014-04-01

    Explanations for biological evolution in terms of changes in gene frequencies refer to outcomes rather than process. Integrating epigenetic studies with older evolutionary theories has drawn attention to the ways in which evolution occurs. Adaptation at the level of the gene is givingway to adaptation at the level of the organism and higher-order assemblages of organisms. These ideas impact on the theories of how cooperation might have evolved. Two of the theories, i.e. that cooperating individuals are genetically related or that they cooperate for self-interested reasons, have been accepted for a long time. The idea that adaptation takes place at the level of groups is much more controversial. However, bringing together studies of development with those of evolution is taking away much of the heat in the debate about the evolution of group behaviour.

  13. Spectral evolution of galaxies: current views

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bruzual, A.G.

    1985-01-01

    A summary of current views on the interpretation of the various evolutionary tests aimed at detecting spectral evolution in galaxies is presented. It is concluded that the evolution taking place in known galaxy samples is a slow process (perhaps consistent with no evolution at all), and that the early phases of rapid spectral evolution in early-type galaxies have not yet been detected. (author)

  14. Mechanisms of Evolution in High-Consequence Drug Resistance Plasmids.

    Science.gov (United States)

    He, Susu; Chandler, Michael; Varani, Alessandro M; Hickman, Alison B; Dekker, John P; Dyda, Fred

    2016-12-06

    The dissemination of resistance among bacteria has been facilitated by the fact that resistance genes are usually located on a diverse and evolving set of transmissible plasmids. However, the mechanisms generating diversity and enabling adaptation within highly successful resistance plasmids have remained obscure, despite their profound clinical significance. To understand these mechanisms, we have performed a detailed analysis of the mobilome (the entire mobile genetic element content) of a set of previously sequenced carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE) from the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center. This analysis revealed that plasmid reorganizations occurring in the natural context of colonization of human hosts were overwhelmingly driven by genetic rearrangements carried out by replicative transposons working in concert with the process of homologous recombination. A more complete understanding of the molecular mechanisms and evolutionary forces driving rearrangements in resistance plasmids may lead to fundamentally new strategies to address the problem of antibiotic resistance. The spread of antibiotic resistance among Gram-negative bacteria is a serious public health threat, as it can critically limit the types of drugs that can be used to treat infected patients. In particular, carbapenem-resistant members of the Enterobacteriaceae family are responsible for a significant and growing burden of morbidity and mortality. Here, we report on the mechanisms underlying the evolution of several plasmids carried by previously sequenced clinical Enterobacteriaceae isolates from the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center (NIH CC). Our ability to track genetic rearrangements that occurred within resistance plasmids was dependent on accurate annotation of the mobile genetic elements within the plasmids, which was greatly aided by access to long-read DNA sequencing data and knowledge of their mechanisms. Mobile genetic elements such as

  15. Characterisation of large catastrophic landslides using an integrated field, remote sensing and numerical modelling approach

    OpenAIRE

    Wolter, Andrea Elaine

    2014-01-01

    I apply a forensic, multidisciplinary approach that integrates engineering geology field investigations, engineering geomorphology mapping, long-range terrestrial photogrammetry, and a numerical modelling toolbox to two large rock slope failures to study their causes, initiation, kinematics, and dynamics. I demonstrate the significance of endogenic and exogenic processes, both separately and in concert, in contributing to landscape evolution and conditioning slopes for failure, and use geomor...

  16. Physical Complexity and Cognitive Evolution

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jedlicka, Peter

    Our intuition tells us that there is a general trend in the evolution of nature, a trend towards greater complexity. However, there are several definitions of complexity and hence it is difficult to argue for or against the validity of this intuition. Christoph Adami has recently introduced a novel measure called physical complexity that assigns low complexity to both ordered and random systems and high complexity to those in between. Physical complexity measures the amount of information that an organism stores in its genome about the environment in which it evolves. The theory of physical complexity predicts that evolution increases the amount of `knowledge' an organism accumulates about its niche. It might be fruitful to generalize Adami's concept of complexity to the entire evolution (including the evolution of man). Physical complexity fits nicely into the philosophical framework of cognitive biology which considers biological evolution as a progressing process of accumulation of knowledge (as a gradual increase of epistemic complexity). According to this paradigm, evolution is a cognitive `ratchet' that pushes the organisms unidirectionally towards higher complexity. Dynamic environment continually creates problems to be solved. To survive in the environment means to solve the problem, and the solution is an embodied knowledge. Cognitive biology (as well as the theory of physical complexity) uses the concepts of information and entropy and views the evolution from both the information-theoretical and thermodynamical perspective. Concerning humans as conscious beings, it seems necessary to postulate an emergence of a new kind of knowledge - a self-aware and self-referential knowledge. Appearence of selfreflection in evolution indicates that the human brain reached a new qualitative level in the epistemic complexity.

  17. A comparison of biological and cultural evolution.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Portin, Petter

    2015-03-01

    This review begins with a definition of biological evolution and a description of its general principles. This is followed by a presentation of the biological basis of culture, specifically the concept of social selection. Further, conditions for cultural evolution are proposed, including a suggestion for language being the cultural replicator corresponding to the concept of the gene in biological evolution. Principles of cultural evolution are put forward and compared to the principles of biological evolution. Special emphasis is laid on the principle of selection in cultural evolution, including presentation of the concept of cultural fitness. The importance of language as a necessary condition for cultural evolution is stressed. Subsequently, prime differences between biological and cultural evolution are presented, followed by a discussion on interaction of our genome and our culture. The review aims at contributing to the present discussion concerning the modern development of the general theory of evolution, for example by giving a tentative formulation of the necessary and sufficient conditions for cultural evolution, and proposing that human creativity and mind reading or theory of mind are motors specific for it. The paper ends with the notion of the still ongoing coevolution of genes and culture.

  18. European concerted action on offshore wind energy deployment: inventory and analysis of power transmission barriers in eight member states

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Woyte, Achim; Gardner, Paul; Snodin, Helen

    2007-01-01

    The European Concerted Action for Offshore Wind Energy Deployment (COD) was carried out by eight sea-bordering European Union member states, with the objective to remove not explicitly technical barriers to offshore wind energy. Within the COD, an inventory of relevant aspects affecting the grid integration of offshore wind energy on a large scale in the eight countries has been made. Collected data items for this inventory are national plans and prospects for offshore wind energy, information about the transmission system, possibilities for grid connection, aspects of the grid codes, balancing, connection and energy pricing. The comprehensive COD reports were published and presented in October 2005 during the Copenhagen Offshore wind conference. This paper provides a short description of the situation for each country. Thereafter, country-specific information is grouped based on geography and membership in a synchronous zone. Additionally, a view is developed on the desirable facilities for the trans-European exchange of power from large wind farms. Finally, we elaborate overall conclusions in order to arrive at generalized observations, recommendations for policy makers and issues that will emerge in the near future. As a general conclusion, many things need to be done on a technical level in order to integrate large amounts of offshore wind power into our power systems. However, none of these measures is technically unknown. Therefore, the feasibility of integrating large amounts of offshore wind power is mainly a question of finance and hence based on political decisions. (Author)

  19. A simple model for binary star evolution

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Whyte, C.A.; Eggleton, P.P.

    1985-01-01

    A simple model for calculating the evolution of binary stars is presented. Detailed stellar evolution calculations of stars undergoing mass and energy transfer at various rates are reported and used to identify the dominant physical processes which determine the type of evolution. These detailed calculations are used to calibrate the simple model and a comparison of calculations using the detailed stellar evolution equations and the simple model is made. Results of the evolution of a few binary systems are reported and compared with previously published calculations using normal stellar evolution programs. (author)

  20. Landscape Evolution Modelling-LAPSUS

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Baartman, J. E. M.; Temme, A. J. A. M.; Schoorl, J. M.; Claessens, L.; Viveen, W.; Gorp, W. van; Veldkamp, A.

    2009-07-01

    Landscape evolution modelling can make the consequences of landscape evolution hypotheses explicit and theoretically allows for their falsification and improvement. ideally, landscape evolution models (LEMs) combine the results of all relevant landscape forming processes into an ever-adapting digital landscape (e.g. DEM). These processes may act on different spatial and temporal scales. LAPSUS is such a LEM. Processes that have in different studies been included in LAPSUS are water erosion and deposition, landslide activity, creep, solidification, weathering, tectonics and tillage. Process descriptions are as simple and generic as possible, ensuring wide applicability. (Author) 25 refs.

  1. Landscape Evolution Modelling-LAPSUS

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Baartman, J. E. M.; Temme, A. J. A. M.; Schoorl, J. M.; Claessens, L.; Viveen, W.; Gorp, W. van; Veldkamp, A.

    2009-01-01

    Landscape evolution modelling can make the consequences of landscape evolution hypotheses explicit and theoretically allows for their falsification and improvement. ideally, landscape evolution models (LEMs) combine the results of all relevant landscape forming processes into an ever-adapting digital landscape (e.g. DEM). These processes may act on different spatial and temporal scales. LAPSUS is such a LEM. Processes that have in different studies been included in LAPSUS are water erosion and deposition, landslide activity, creep, solidification, weathering, tectonics and tillage. Process descriptions are as simple and generic as possible, ensuring wide applicability. (Author) 25 refs.

  2. Weathering and landscape evolution

    Science.gov (United States)

    Turkington, Alice V.; Phillips, Jonathan D.; Campbell, Sean W.

    2005-04-01

    In recognition of the fundamental control exerted by weathering on landscape evolution and topographic development, the 35th Binghamton Geomorphology Symposium was convened under the theme of Weathering and Landscape Evolution. The papers and posters presented at the conference imparted the state-of-the-art in weathering geomorphology, tackled the issue of scale linkage in geomorphic studies and offered a vehicle for interdisciplinary communication on research into weathering and landscape evolution. The papers included in this special issue are encapsulated here under the general themes of weathering mantles, weathering and relative dating, weathering and denudation, weathering processes and controls and the 'big picture'.

  3. Evolution algebras generated by Gibbs measures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rozikov, Utkir A.; Tian, Jianjun Paul

    2009-03-01

    In this article we study algebraic structures of function spaces defined by graphs and state spaces equipped with Gibbs measures by associating evolution algebras. We give a constructive description of associating evolution algebras to the function spaces (cell spaces) defined by graphs and state spaces and Gibbs measure μ. For finite graphs we find some evolution subalgebras and other useful properties of the algebras. We obtain a structure theorem for evolution algebras when graphs are finite and connected. We prove that for a fixed finite graph, the function spaces have a unique algebraic structure since all evolution algebras are isomorphic to each other for whichever Gibbs measures are assigned. When graphs are infinite graphs then our construction allows a natural introduction of thermodynamics in studying of several systems of biology, physics and mathematics by theory of evolution algebras. (author)

  4. Universal pacemaker of genome evolution.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Snir, Sagi; Wolf, Yuri I; Koonin, Eugene V

    2012-01-01

    A fundamental observation of comparative genomics is that the distribution of evolution rates across the complete sets of orthologous genes in pairs of related genomes remains virtually unchanged throughout the evolution of life, from bacteria to mammals. The most straightforward explanation for the conservation of this distribution appears to be that the relative evolution rates of all genes remain nearly constant, or in other words, that evolutionary rates of different genes are strongly correlated within each evolving genome. This correlation could be explained by a model that we denoted Universal PaceMaker (UPM) of genome evolution. The UPM model posits that the rate of evolution changes synchronously across genome-wide sets of genes in all evolving lineages. Alternatively, however, the correlation between the evolutionary rates of genes could be a simple consequence of molecular clock (MC). We sought to differentiate between the MC and UPM models by fitting thousands of phylogenetic trees for bacterial and archaeal genes to supertrees that reflect the dominant trend of vertical descent in the evolution of archaea and bacteria and that were constrained according to the two models. The goodness of fit for the UPM model was better than the fit for the MC model, with overwhelming statistical significance, although similarly to the MC, the UPM is strongly overdispersed. Thus, the results of this analysis reveal a universal, genome-wide pacemaker of evolution that could have been in operation throughout the history of life.

  5. Student Teachers' Approaches to Teaching Biological Evolution

    Science.gov (United States)

    Borgerding, Lisa A.; Klein, Vanessa A.; Ghosh, Rajlakshmi; Eibel, Albert

    2015-01-01

    Evolution is fundamental to biology and scientific literacy, but teaching high school evolution is often difficult. Evolution teachers face several challenges including limited content knowledge, personal conflicts with evolution, expectations of resistance, concerns about students' conflicts with religion, and curricular constraints. Evolution…

  6. Boussinesq evolution equations

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bredmose, Henrik; Schaffer, H.; Madsen, Per A.

    2004-01-01

    This paper deals with the possibility of using methods and ideas from time domain Boussinesq formulations in the corresponding frequency domain formulations. We term such frequency domain models "evolution equations". First, we demonstrate that the numerical efficiency of the deterministic...... Boussinesq evolution equations of Madsen and Sorensen [Madsen, P.A., Sorensen, O.R., 1993. Bound waves and triad interactions in shallow water. Ocean Eng. 20 359-388] can be improved by using Fast Fourier Transforms to evaluate the nonlinear terms. For a practical example of irregular waves propagating over...... a submerged bar, it is demonstrated that evolution equations utilising FFT can be solved around 100 times faster than the corresponding time domain model. Use of FFT provides an efficient bridge between the frequency domain and the time domain. We utilise this by adapting the surface roller model for wave...

  7. Helicity evolution at small x

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kovchegov, Yuri V.; Pitonyak, Daniel; Sievert, Matthew D.

    2016-01-01

    We construct small-x evolution equations which can be used to calculate quark and anti-quark helicity TMDs and PDFs, along with the g 1 structure function. These evolution equations resum powers of α s ln 2  (1/x) in the polarization-dependent evolution along with the powers of α s ln (1/x) in the unpolarized evolution which includes saturation effects. The equations are written in an operator form in terms of polarization-dependent Wilson line-like operators. While the equations do not close in general, they become closed and self-contained systems of non-linear equations in the large-N c and large-N c   N f limits. As a cross-check, in the ladder approximation, our equations map onto the same ladder limit of the infrared evolution equations for the g 1 structure function derived previously by Bartels, Ermolaev and Ryskin http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s002880050285.

  8. Formal Definitions of Unbounded Evolution and Innovation Reveal Universal Mechanisms for Open-Ended Evolution in Dynamical Systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adams, Alyssa; Zenil, Hector; Davies, Paul C W; Walker, Sara Imari

    2017-04-20

    Open-ended evolution (OEE) is relevant to a variety of biological, artificial and technological systems, but has been challenging to reproduce in silico. Most theoretical efforts focus on key aspects of open-ended evolution as it appears in biology. We recast the problem as a more general one in dynamical systems theory, providing simple criteria for open-ended evolution based on two hallmark features: unbounded evolution and innovation. We define unbounded evolution as patterns that are non-repeating within the expected Poincare recurrence time of an isolated system, and innovation as trajectories not observed in isolated systems. As a case study, we implement novel variants of cellular automata (CA) where the update rules are allowed to vary with time in three alternative ways. Each is capable of generating conditions for open-ended evolution, but vary in their ability to do so. We find that state-dependent dynamics, regarded as a hallmark of life, statistically out-performs other candidate mechanisms, and is the only mechanism to produce open-ended evolution in a scalable manner, essential to the notion of ongoing evolution. This analysis suggests a new framework for unifying mechanisms for generating OEE with features distinctive to life and its artifacts, with broad applicability to biological and artificial systems.

  9. Evolution of Things

    OpenAIRE

    Eiben, A. E.; Ferreira, N.; Schut, M.; Kernbach, S.

    2011-01-01

    Evolution is one of the major omnipresent powers in the universe that has been studied for about two centuries. Recent scientific and technical developments make it possible to make the transition from passively understanding to actively mastering evolution. As of today, the only area where human experimenters can design and manipulate evolutionary processes in full is that of Evolutionary Computing, where evolutionary processes are carried out in a digital space, inside computers, in simulat...

  10. Does rapid evolution matter? Measuring the rate of contemporary evolution and its impacts on ecological dynamics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ellner, Stephen P; Geber, Monica A; Hairston, Nelson G

    2011-06-01

    Rapid contemporary evolution due to natural selection is common in the wild, but it remains uncertain whether its effects are an essential component of community and ecosystem structure and function. Previously we showed how to partition change in a population, community or ecosystem property into contributions from environmental and trait change, when trait change is entirely caused by evolution (Hairston et al. 2005). However, when substantial non-heritable trait change occurs (e.g. due to phenotypic plasticity or change in population structure) that approach can mis-estimate both contributions. Here, we demonstrate how to disentangle ecological impacts of evolution vs. non-heritable trait change by combining our previous approach with the Price Equation. This yields a three-way partitioning into effects of evolution, non-heritable phenotypic change and environment. We extend the approach to cases where ecological consequences of trait change are mediated through interspecific interactions. We analyse empirical examples involving fish, birds and zooplankton, finding that the proportional contribution of rapid evolution varies widely (even among different ecological properties affected by the same trait), and that rapid evolution can be important when it acts to oppose and mitigate phenotypic effects of environmental change. Paradoxically, rapid evolution may be most important when it is least evident. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd/CNRS.

  11. Dynamical Evolution of Ring-Satellite Systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ohtsuki, Keiji

    2005-01-01

    The goal of this research was to understand dynamical processes related to the evolution of size distribution of particles in planetary rings and application of theoretical results to explain features in the present rings of giant planets. We studied velocity evolution and accretion rates of ring particles in the Roche zone. We developed a new numerical code for the evolution of ring particle size distribution, which takes into account the above results for particle velocity evolution and accretion rates. We also studied radial diffusion rate of ring particles due to inelastic collisions and gravitational encounters. Many of these results can be also applied to dynamical evolution of a planetesimal disk. Finally, we studied rotation rates of moonlets and particles in planetary rings, which would influence the accretional evolution of these bodies. We describe our key accomplishments during the past three years in more detail in the following.

  12. Kognition, evolution og Bibel

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jensen, Hans Jørgen Lundager

    2012-01-01

    En opfordring til, at Bibelvidneskaberne oprienterer sig i retning af aktuelle teorier om bio-kulturel evolution (Merlin Donald, aksetids-teori hos fx Robert Bellah)......En opfordring til, at Bibelvidneskaberne oprienterer sig i retning af aktuelle teorier om bio-kulturel evolution (Merlin Donald, aksetids-teori hos fx Robert Bellah)...

  13. Hydrogen evolution reaction catalyst

    Science.gov (United States)

    Subbaraman, Ram; Stamenkovic, Vojislav; Markovic, Nenad; Tripkovic, Dusan

    2016-02-09

    Systems and methods for a hydrogen evolution reaction catalyst are provided. Electrode material includes a plurality of clusters. The electrode exhibits bifunctionality with respect to the hydrogen evolution reaction. The electrode with clusters exhibits improved performance with respect to the intrinsic material of the electrode absent the clusters.

  14. Evolution: Theory or Dogma?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mayer, William V.

    In this paper the author examines the question of whether evolution is a theory or a dogma. He refutes the contention that there is a monolithic scientific conspiracy to present evolution as dogma and suggests that his own presentation might be more appropriately entitled "Creationism: Theory or Dogma." (PEB)

  15. Factorizing the time evolution operator

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Garcia Quijas, P C; Arevalo Aguilar, L M

    2007-01-01

    There is a widespread belief in the quantum physical community, and textbooks used to teach quantum mechanics, that it is a difficult task to apply the time evolution operator e itH-hat/h on an initial wavefunction. Because the Hamiltonian operator is, generally, the sum of two operators, then it is not possible to apply the time evolution operator on an initial wavefunction ψ(x, 0), for it implies using terms like (a-hat + b-hat). A possible solution is to factorize the time evolution operator and then apply successively the individual exponential operator on the initial wavefunction. However, the exponential operator does not directly factorize, i.e. e a-hat+b-hat ≠ e a-hat e b-hat . In this study we present a useful procedure for factorizing the time evolution operator when the argument of the exponential is a sum of two operators, which obey specific commutation relations. Then, we apply the exponential operator as an evolution operator for the case of elementary unidimensional potentials, like a particle subject to a constant force and a harmonic oscillator. Also, we discuss an apparent paradox concerning the time evolution operator and non-spreading wave packets addressed previously in the literature

  16. The evolution of Lean organizations

    OpenAIRE

    Serafinas, Dalius; Ruželė, Darius

    2014-01-01

    Remiantis evoliucijos tyrimų modeliais bei autorių sudarytu evoliucionuojančios organizacijos modeliu,straipsnyje analizuojama Lean vadybos metodologija ir tiriama, kaip evoliucionuoja ją įgyvendinančios Lietuvosgamybinės organizacijos. The purpose of this paper is to examine the evolution of Lean organizations.Design/methodology/approach: a conceptual literature on the evolution of species, organisms and organizations was reviewed and an original model (framework) of the evolution of orga...

  17. Chromosomal Evolution in Chiroptera.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sotero-Caio, Cibele G; Baker, Robert J; Volleth, Marianne

    2017-10-13

    Chiroptera is the second largest order among mammals, with over 1300 species in 21 extant families. The group is extremely diverse in several aspects of its natural history, including dietary strategies, ecology, behavior and morphology. Bat genomes show ample chromosome diversity (from 2n = 14 to 62). As with other mammalian orders, Chiroptera is characterized by clades with low, moderate and extreme chromosomal change. In this article, we will discuss trends of karyotypic evolution within distinct bat lineages (especially Phyllostomidae, Hipposideridae and Rhinolophidae), focusing on two perspectives: evolution of genome architecture, modes of chromosomal evolution, and the use of chromosome data to resolve taxonomic problems.

  18. Chromosomal Evolution in Chiroptera

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cibele G. Sotero-Caio

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Chiroptera is the second largest order among mammals, with over 1300 species in 21 extant families. The group is extremely diverse in several aspects of its natural history, including dietary strategies, ecology, behavior and morphology. Bat genomes show ample chromosome diversity (from 2n = 14 to 62. As with other mammalian orders, Chiroptera is characterized by clades with low, moderate and extreme chromosomal change. In this article, we will discuss trends of karyotypic evolution within distinct bat lineages (especially Phyllostomidae, Hipposideridae and Rhinolophidae, focusing on two perspectives: evolution of genome architecture, modes of chromosomal evolution, and the use of chromosome data to resolve taxonomic problems.

  19. Rethinking the evolution of specialization: A model for the evolution of phenotypic heterogeneity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rubin, Ilan N; Doebeli, Michael

    2017-12-21

    Phenotypic heterogeneity refers to genetically identical individuals that express different phenotypes, even when in the same environment. Traditionally, "bet-hedging" in fluctuating environments is offered as the explanation for the evolution of phenotypic heterogeneity. However, there are an increasing number of examples of microbial populations that display phenotypic heterogeneity in stable environments. Here we present an evolutionary model of phenotypic heterogeneity of microbial metabolism and a resultant theory for the evolution of phenotypic versus genetic specialization. We use two-dimensional adaptive dynamics to track the evolution of the population phenotype distribution of the expression of two metabolic processes with a concave trade-off. Rather than assume a Gaussian phenotype distribution, we use a Beta distribution that is capable of describing genotypes that manifest as individuals with two distinct phenotypes. Doing so, we find that environmental variation is not a necessary condition for the evolution of phenotypic heterogeneity, which can evolve as a form of specialization in a stable environment. There are two competing pressures driving the evolution of specialization: directional selection toward the evolution of phenotypic heterogeneity and disruptive selection toward genetically determined specialists. Because of the lack of a singular point in the two-dimensional adaptive dynamics and the fact that directional selection is a first order process, while disruptive selection is of second order, the evolution of phenotypic heterogeneity dominates and often precludes speciation. We find that branching, and therefore genetic specialization, occurs mainly under two conditions: the presence of a cost to maintaining a high phenotypic variance or when the effect of mutations is large. A cost to high phenotypic variance dampens the strength of selection toward phenotypic heterogeneity and, when sufficiently large, introduces a singular point into

  20. Evolution, epigenetics and cooperation

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Explanations for biological evolution in terms of changes in gene frequencies refer to outcomes rather than process. Integrating epigenetic studies with older evolutionary theories has drawn attention to the ways in which evolution occurs. Adaptation at the level of the gene is givingway to adaptation at the level of the ...

  1. Florida Teachers' Attitudes about Teaching Evolution

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fowler, Samantha R.; Meisels, Gerry G.

    2010-01-01

    A survey of Florida teachers reveals many differences in comfort level with teaching evolution according to the state's science teaching standards, general attitudes and beliefs about evolution, and the extent to which teachers are criticized, censured, disparaged, or reprehended for their beliefs about the teaching of evolution.

  2. Evolution of energy structures; Evolution des structures energetiques

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nifenecker, H. [Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), 38 - Grenoble (France)

    2005-07-01

    Because of the big inertia and long time constants of energy systems, their long-time behaviour is mainly determined by their present day state and by the trends of their recent evolution. For this reason, it is of prime importance to foresee the evolution of the different energy production sources which may play an important role in the future. A status of the world energy consumption and production is made first using the energy statistics of the IEA. Then, using the trends observed since 1973, the consequences of a simple extrapolation of these trends is examined. Finally, the scenarios of forecasting of energy structures, like those supplied by the International institute for applied systems analysis (IIASA) are discussed. (J.S.)

  3. Education and Evolution

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hjermitslev, Hans Henrik

    2015-01-01

    Herbert Spencer’s ideas were first introduced to a Scandinavian audience in the early 1870s when the Danish philosopher Harald Høffding published and lectured on his evolutionary philosophy. At this time, Høffding also played an important role in disseminating Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution...... and in discussing the philosophical consequences of an evolutionary worldview. In the late 1870s and 1880s several of Spencer’s works were translated into Danish and Swedish and he became a household name among liberal intellectuals who primarily discussed his views on education and evolution. His most influential...... known foreign thinkers in the general public at the time of his death in 1903. Moreover, in the decades around 1900 Spencer’s thoughts on education were part of the curricula at many colleges of education. Spencer’s ideas on evolution and education were thus widely circulated and positively received...

  4. Giant lobelias exemplify convergent evolution

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Givnish Thomas J

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Giant lobeliads on tropical mountains in East Africa and Hawaii have highly unusual, giant-rosette growth forms that appear to be convergent on each other and on those of several independently evolved groups of Asteraceae and other families. A recent phylogenetic analysis by Antonelli, based on sequencing the widest selection of lobeliads to date, raises doubts about this paradigmatic example of convergent evolution. Here I address the kinds of evidence needed to test for convergent evolution and argue that the analysis by Antonelli fails on four points. Antonelli's analysis makes several important contributions to our understanding of lobeliad evolution and geographic spread, but his claim regarding convergence appears to be invalid. Giant lobeliads in Hawaii and Africa represent paradigmatic examples of convergent evolution.

  5. Nonlinear Evolution of Alfvenic Wave Packets

    Science.gov (United States)

    Buti, B.; Jayanti, V.; Vinas, A. F.; Ghosh, S.; Goldstein, M. L.; Roberts, D. A.; Lakhina, G. S.; Tsurutani, B. T.

    1998-01-01

    Alfven waves are a ubiquitous feature of the solar wind. One approach to studying the evolution of such waves has been to study exact solutions to approximate evolution equations. Here we compare soliton solutions of the Derivative Nonlinear Schrodinger evolution equation (DNLS) to solutions of the compressible MHD equations.

  6. Evolution for Young Victorians

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lightman, Bernard

    2012-01-01

    Evolution was a difficult topic to tackle when writing books for the young in the wake of the controversies over Darwin's "Origin of Species." Authors who wrote about evolution for the young experimented with different ways of making the complex concepts of evolutionary theory accessible and less controversial. Many authors depicted presented…

  7. MDSplus evolution continues

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Manduchi, G.; Fredian, T.W.; Stillerman, J.A.

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► The paper describes the recent evolution of the MDSplus data system. ► It presents a Use Case to explain MDSplus expressions. ► It presents the features recently developed. ► It presents the features under development. - Abstract: The MDSplus data system has been in operation on several fusion machines since 1991 and it is currently in use at over 30 sites spread over 5 continents. A consequence is the extensive feedback provided by the MDSplus user community for bug fixes and improvements and therefore the evolution of MDSplus is keeping pace with the evolution in data acquisition and management techniques. In particular, the recent evolution of MDSplus has been driven by the change in the paradigm for data acquisition in long lasting plasma discharges, where a sustained data stream is transferred from the acquisition devices into the database. Several new features are currently available or are being implemented in MDSplus. The features already implemented include a comprehensive Object-Oriented interface to the system, the python support for data acquisition devices and the full integration in EPICS. Work is in progress for the integration of multiple protocols and security systems in remote data access, a new high level data view layer and a new version of the jScope tool for online visualization and the optimized visualization of very large signals.

  8. Continuous "in vitro" Evolution of a Ribozyme Ligase: A Model Experiment for the Evolution of a Biomolecule

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ledbetter, Michael P.; Hwang, Tony W.; Stovall, Gwendolyn M.; Ellington, Andrew D.

    2013-01-01

    Evolution is a defining criterion of life and is central to understanding biological systems. However, the timescale of evolutionary shifts in phenotype limits most classroom evolution experiments to simple probability simulations. "In vitro" directed evolution (IVDE) frequently serves as a model system for the study of Darwinian…

  9. Experimental evolution in biofilm populations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Steenackers, Hans P.; Parijs, Ilse; Foster, Kevin R.; Vanderleyden, Jozef

    2016-01-01

    Biofilms are a major form of microbial life in which cells form dense surface associated communities that can persist for many generations. The long-life of biofilm communities means that they can be strongly shaped by evolutionary processes. Here, we review the experimental study of evolution in biofilm communities. We first provide an overview of the different experimental models used to study biofilm evolution and their associated advantages and disadvantages. We then illustrate the vast amount of diversification observed during biofilm evolution, and we discuss (i) potential ecological and evolutionary processes behind the observed diversification, (ii) recent insights into the genetics of adaptive diversification, (iii) the striking degree of parallelism between evolution experiments and real-life biofilms and (iv) potential consequences of diversification. In the second part, we discuss the insights provided by evolution experiments in how biofilm growth and structure can promote cooperative phenotypes. Overall, our analysis points to an important role of biofilm diversification and cooperation in bacterial survival and productivity. Deeper understanding of both processes is of key importance to design improved antimicrobial strategies and diagnostic techniques. PMID:26895713

  10. A Python Calculator for Supernova Remnant Evolution

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leahy, D. A.; Williams, J. E.

    2017-05-01

    A freely available Python code for modeling supernova remnant (SNR) evolution has been created. This software is intended for two purposes: to understand SNR evolution and to use in modeling observations of SNR for obtaining good estimates of SNR properties. It includes all phases for the standard path of evolution for spherically symmetric SNRs. In addition, alternate evolutionary models are available, including evolution in a cloudy ISM, the fractional energy-loss model, and evolution in a hot low-density ISM. The graphical interface takes in various parameters and produces outputs such as shock radius and velocity versus time, as well as SNR surface brightness profile and spectrum. Some interesting properties of SNR evolution are demonstrated using the program.

  11. Titan Polar Landscape Evolution

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moore, Jeffrey M.

    2016-01-01

    With the ongoing Cassini-era observations and studies of Titan it is clear that the intensity and distribution of surface processes (particularly fluvial erosion by methane and Aeolian transport) has changed through time. Currently however, alternate hypotheses substantially differ among specific scenarios with respect to the effects of atmospheric evolution, seasonal changes, and endogenic processes. We have studied the evolution of Titan's polar region through a combination of analysis of imaging, elevation data, and geomorphic mapping, spatially explicit simulations of landform evolution, and quantitative comparison of the simulated landscapes with corresponding Titan morphology. We have quantitatively evaluated alternate scenarios for the landform evolution of Titan's polar terrain. The investigations have been guided by recent geomorphic mapping and topographic characterization of the polar regions that are used to frame hypotheses of process interactions, which have been evaluated using simulation modeling. Topographic information about Titan's polar region is be based on SAR-Topography and altimetry archived on PDS, SAR-based stereo radar-grammetry, radar-sounding lake depth measurements, and superposition relationships between geomorphologic map units, which we will use to create a generalized topographic map.

  12. Evolution of Scale Worms

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Gonzalez, Brett Christopher

    ) caves, and the interstitium, recovering six monophyletic clades within Aphroditiformia: Acoetidae, Aphroditidae, Eulepethidae, Iphionidae, Polynoidae, and Sigalionidae (inclusive of the former ‘Pisionidae’ and ‘Pholoidae’), respectively. Tracing of morphological character evolution showed a high degree...... of adaptability and convergent evolution between relatively closely related scale worms. While some morphological and behavioral modifications in cave polynoids reflected troglomorphism, other modifications like eye loss were found to stem from a common ancestor inhabiting the deep sea, further corroborating...... the deep sea ancestry of scale worm cave fauna. In conclusion, while morphological characterization across Aphroditiformia appears deceptively easy due to the presence of elytra, convergent evolution during multiple early radiations across wide ranging habitats have confounded our ability to reconstruct...

  13. Predicting Community Evolution in Social Networks

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stanisław Saganowski

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available Nowadays, sustained development of different social media can be observed worldwide. One of the relevant research domains intensively explored recently is analysis of social communities existing in social media as well as prediction of their future evolution taking into account collected historical evolution chains. These evolution chains proposed in the paper contain group states in the previous time frames and its historical transitions that were identified using one out of two methods: Stable Group Changes Identification (SGCI and Group Evolution Discovery (GED. Based on the observed evolution chains of various length, structural network features are extracted, validated and selected as well as used to learn classification models. The experimental studies were performed on three real datasets with different profile: DBLP, Facebook and Polish blogosphere. The process of group prediction was analysed with respect to different classifiers as well as various descriptive feature sets extracted from evolution chains of different length. The results revealed that, in general, the longer evolution chains the better predictive abilities of the classification models. However, chains of length 3 to 7 enabled the GED-based method to almost reach its maximum possible prediction quality. For SGCI, this value was at the level of 3–5 last periods.

  14. Tracing Cultural Evolution Through Memetics

    OpenAIRE

    Tiktik Dewi Sartika

    2004-01-01

    Viewing human being, as a part of evolution process is still a controversial issue for some people, in fact the evolution runs. As a sociocultural entity, human being has distinctive characters in its evolution process. A Theory inherited from Darwin may have only been able to answer how a simple unit such genes evolve to such complex animal like human. Yet, how among those complex animals interact, communicate, and replicate idea in so forth formed a such self-organized sociocultural complex...

  15. Reconstructing human evolution

    CERN Multimedia

    AUTHOR|(CDS)2074069

    1999-01-01

    One can reconstruct human evolution using modern genetic data and models based on the mathematical theory of evolution and its four major factors : mutation, natural selection, statistical fluctuations in finite populations (random genetic drift), and migration. Archaeology gives some help on the major dates and events of the process. Chances of studying ancient DNA are very limited but there have been a few successful results. Studying DNA instead of proteins, as was done until a few years ago, and in particular the DNA of mitochondria and of the Y chromosome which are transmitted, respectively, by the maternal line and the paternal line, has greatly simplified the analysis. It is now possible to carry the analysis on individuals, while earlier studies were of necessity based on populations. Also the evolution of ÒcultureÓ (i.e. what we learn from others), in particular that of languages, gives some help and can be greatly enlightened by genetic studies. Even though it is largely based on mechanisms of mut...

  16. Viral Evolution Core | FNLCR Staging

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brandon F. Keele, Ph.D. PI/Senior Principal Investigator, Retroviral Evolution Section Head, Viral Evolution Core Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc. Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research Frederick, MD 21702-1201 Tel: 301-846-173

  17. Molecular evolution of Adh and LEAFY and the phylogenetic utility of their introns in Pyrus (Rosaceae).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zheng, Xiaoyan; Hu, Chunyun; Spooner, David; Liu, Jing; Cao, Jiashu; Teng, Yuanwen

    2011-09-14

    The genus Pyrus belongs to the tribe Pyreae (the former subfamily Maloideae) of the family Rosaceae, and includes one of the most important commercial fruit crops, pear. The phylogeny of Pyrus has not been definitively reconstructed. In our previous efforts, the internal transcribed spacer region (ITS) revealed a poorly resolved phylogeny due to non-concerted evolution of nrDNA arrays. Therefore, introns of low copy nuclear genes (LCNG) are explored here for improved resolution. However, paralogs and lineage sorting are still two challenges for applying LCNGs in phylogenetic studies, and at least two independent nuclear loci should be compared. In this work the second intron of LEAFY and the alcohol dehydrogenase gene (Adh) were selected to investigate their molecular evolution and phylogenetic utility. DNA sequence analyses revealed a complex ortholog and paralog structure of Adh genes in Pyrus and Malus, the pears and apples. Comparisons between sequences from RT-PCR and genomic PCR indicate that some Adh homologs are putatively nonfunctional. A partial region of Adh1 was sequenced for 18 Pyrus species and three subparalogs representing Adh1-1 were identified. These led to poorly resolved phylogenies due to low sequence divergence and the inclusion of putative recombinants. For the second intron of LEAFY, multiple inparalogs were discovered for both LFY1int2 and LFY2int2. LFY1int2 is inadequate for phylogenetic analysis due to lineage sorting of two inparalogs. LFY2int2-N, however, showed a relatively high sequence divergence and led to the best-resolved phylogeny. This study documents the coexistence of outparalogs and inparalogs, and lineage sorting of these paralogs and orthologous copies. It reveals putative recombinants that can lead to incorrect phylogenetic inferences, and presents an improved phylogenetic resolution of Pyrus using LFY2int2-N. Our study represents the first phylogenetic analyses based on LCNGs in Pyrus. Ancient and recent duplications lead

  18. Molecular evolution of Adh and LEAFY and the phylogenetic utility of their introns in Pyrus (Rosaceae

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cao Jiashu

    2011-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The genus Pyrus belongs to the tribe Pyreae (the former subfamily Maloideae of the family Rosaceae, and includes one of the most important commercial fruit crops, pear. The phylogeny of Pyrus has not been definitively reconstructed. In our previous efforts, the internal transcribed spacer region (ITS revealed a poorly resolved phylogeny due to non-concerted evolution of nrDNA arrays. Therefore, introns of low copy nuclear genes (LCNG are explored here for improved resolution. However, paralogs and lineage sorting are still two challenges for applying LCNGs in phylogenetic studies, and at least two independent nuclear loci should be compared. In this work the second intron of LEAFY and the alcohol dehydrogenase gene (Adh were selected to investigate their molecular evolution and phylogenetic utility. Results DNA sequence analyses revealed a complex ortholog and paralog structure of Adh genes in Pyrus and Malus, the pears and apples. Comparisons between sequences from RT-PCR and genomic PCR indicate that some Adh homologs are putatively nonfunctional. A partial region of Adh1 was sequenced for 18 Pyrus species and three subparalogs representing Adh1-1 were identified. These led to poorly resolved phylogenies due to low sequence divergence and the inclusion of putative recombinants. For the second intron of LEAFY, multiple inparalogs were discovered for both LFY1int2 and LFY2int2. LFY1int2 is inadequate for phylogenetic analysis due to lineage sorting of two inparalogs. LFY2int2-N, however, showed a relatively high sequence divergence and led to the best-resolved phylogeny. This study documents the coexistence of outparalogs and inparalogs, and lineage sorting of these paralogs and orthologous copies. It reveals putative recombinants that can lead to incorrect phylogenetic inferences, and presents an improved phylogenetic resolution of Pyrus using LFY2int2-N. Conclusions Our study represents the first phylogenetic analyses based

  19. Cognition and the evolution of camouflage.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Skelhorn, John; Rowe, Candy

    2016-02-24

    Camouflage is one of the most widespread forms of anti-predator defence and prevents prey individuals from being detected or correctly recognized by would-be predators. Over the past decade, there has been a resurgence of interest in both the evolution of prey camouflage patterns, and in understanding animal cognition in a more ecological context. However, these fields rarely collide, and the role of cognition in the evolution of camouflage is poorly understood. Here, we review what we currently know about the role of both predator and prey cognition in the evolution of prey camouflage, outline why cognition may be an important selective pressure driving the evolution of camouflage and consider how studying the cognitive processes of animals may prove to be a useful tool to study the evolution of camouflage, and vice versa. In doing so, we highlight that we still have a lot to learn about the role of cognition in the evolution of camouflage and identify a number of avenues for future research. © 2016 The Author(s).

  20. Quantum Correlations Evolution Asymmetry in Quantum Channels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li Meng; Huang Yun-Feng; Guo Guang-Can

    2017-01-01

    It was demonstrated that the entanglement evolution of a specially designed quantum state in the bistochastic channel is asymmetric. In this work, we generalize the study of the quantum correlations, including entanglement and quantum discord, evolution asymmetry to various quantum channels. We found that the asymmetry of entanglement and quantum discord only occurs in some special quantum channels, and the behavior of the entanglement evolution may be quite different from the behavior of the quantum discord evolution. To quantum entanglement, in some channels it decreases monotonously with the increase of the quantum channel intensity. In some other channels, when we increase the intensity of the quantum channel, it decreases at first, then keeps zero for some time, and then rises up. To quantum discord, the evolution becomes more complex and you may find that it evolutes unsmoothly at some points. These results illustrate the strong dependence of the quantum correlations evolution on the property of the quantum channels. (paper)

  1. The chemical evolution of galaxies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chiosi, Cesare

    1986-01-01

    The chemical evolution of galaxies is reviewed with particular attention to the theoretical interpretation of the distribution and abundances of elements in stars and the interstellar medium. The paper was presented to the conference on ''The early universe and its evolution'', Erice, Italy, 1986. The metallicity distribution of the solar vicinity, age metallicity relationship, abundance gradients in the galaxy, external galaxies, star formation and evolution, major sites of nucleosynthesis, yields of chemical elements, chemical models, and the galactic disk, are all discussed. (U.K.)

  2. Hamiltonian evolutions of twisted polygons in RPn

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Beffa, Gloria Marì; Wang, Jing Ping

    2013-01-01

    In this paper we find a discrete moving frame and their associated invariants along projective polygons in RP n , and we use them to describe invariant evolutions of projective N-gons. We then apply a reduction process to obtain a natural Hamiltonian structure on the space of projective invariants for polygons, establishing a close relationship between the projective N-gon invariant evolutions and the Hamiltonian evolutions on the invariants of the flow. We prove that any Hamiltonian evolution is induced on invariants by an invariant evolution of N-gons—what we call a projective realization—and both evolutions are connected explicitly in a very simple way. Finally, we provide a completely integrable evolution (the Boussinesq lattice related to the lattice W 3 -algebra), its projective realization in RP 2 and its Hamiltonian pencil. We generalize both structures to n-dimensions and we prove that they are Poisson, defining explicitly the n-dimensional generalization of the planar evolution (a discretization of the W n -algebra). We prove that the generalization is completely integrable, and we also give its projective realization, which turns out to be very simple. (paper)

  3. Inter-subunit interactions across the upper voltage sensing-pore domain interface contribute to the concerted pore opening transition of Kv channels.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tzilhav Shem-Ad

    Full Text Available The tight electro-mechanical coupling between the voltage-sensing and pore domains of Kv channels lies at the heart of their fundamental roles in electrical signaling. Structural data have identified two voltage sensor pore inter-domain interaction surfaces, thus providing a framework to explain the molecular basis for the tight coupling of these domains. While the contribution of the intra-subunit lower domain interface to the electro-mechanical coupling that underlies channel opening is relatively well understood, the contribution of the inter-subunit upper interface to channel gating is not yet clear. Relying on energy perturbation and thermodynamic coupling analyses of tandem-dimeric Shaker Kv channels, we show that mutation of upper interface residues from both sides of the voltage sensor-pore domain interface stabilizes the closed channel state. These mutations, however, do not affect slow inactivation gating. We, moreover, find that upper interface residues form a network of state-dependent interactions that stabilize the open channel state. Finally, we note that the observed residue interaction network does not change during slow inactivation gating. The upper voltage sensing-pore interaction surface thus only undergoes conformational rearrangements during channel activation gating. We suggest that inter-subunit interactions across the upper domain interface mediate allosteric communication between channel subunits that contributes to the concerted nature of the late pore opening transition of Kv channels.

  4. Inter-subunit interactions across the upper voltage sensing-pore domain interface contribute to the concerted pore opening transition of Kv channels.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shem-Ad, Tzilhav; Irit, Orr; Yifrach, Ofer

    2013-01-01

    The tight electro-mechanical coupling between the voltage-sensing and pore domains of Kv channels lies at the heart of their fundamental roles in electrical signaling. Structural data have identified two voltage sensor pore inter-domain interaction surfaces, thus providing a framework to explain the molecular basis for the tight coupling of these domains. While the contribution of the intra-subunit lower domain interface to the electro-mechanical coupling that underlies channel opening is relatively well understood, the contribution of the inter-subunit upper interface to channel gating is not yet clear. Relying on energy perturbation and thermodynamic coupling analyses of tandem-dimeric Shaker Kv channels, we show that mutation of upper interface residues from both sides of the voltage sensor-pore domain interface stabilizes the closed channel state. These mutations, however, do not affect slow inactivation gating. We, moreover, find that upper interface residues form a network of state-dependent interactions that stabilize the open channel state. Finally, we note that the observed residue interaction network does not change during slow inactivation gating. The upper voltage sensing-pore interaction surface thus only undergoes conformational rearrangements during channel activation gating. We suggest that inter-subunit interactions across the upper domain interface mediate allosteric communication between channel subunits that contributes to the concerted nature of the late pore opening transition of Kv channels.

  5. Cyanobacterial evolution during the Precambrian

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schirrmeister, Bettina E.; Sanchez-Baracaldo, Patricia; Wacey, David

    2016-07-01

    Life on Earth has existed for at least 3.5 billion years. Yet, relatively little is known of its evolution during the first two billion years, due to the scarceness and generally poor preservation of fossilized biological material. Cyanobacteria, formerly known as blue green algae were among the first crown Eubacteria to evolve and for more than 2.5 billion years they have strongly influenced Earth's biosphere. Being the only organism where oxygenic photosynthesis has originated, they have oxygenated Earth's atmosphere and hydrosphere, triggered the evolution of plants -being ancestral to chloroplasts- and enabled the evolution of complex life based on aerobic respiration. Having such a strong impact on early life, one might expect that the evolutionary success of this group may also have triggered further biosphere changes during early Earth history. However, very little is known about the early evolution of this phylum and ongoing debates about cyanobacterial fossils, biomarkers and molecular clock analyses highlight the difficulties in this field of research. Although phylogenomic analyses have provided promising glimpses into the early evolution of cyanobacteria, estimated divergence ages are often very uncertain, because of vague and insufficient tree-calibrations. Results of molecular clock analyses are intrinsically tied to these prior calibration points, hence improving calibrations will enable more precise divergence time estimations. Here we provide a review of previously described Precambrian microfossils, biomarkers and geochemical markers that inform upon the early evolution of cyanobacteria. Future research in micropalaeontology will require novel analyses and imaging techniques to improve taxonomic affiliation of many Precambrian microfossils. Consequently, a better understanding of early cyanobacterial evolution will not only allow for a more specific calibration of cyanobacterial and eubacterial phylogenies, but also provide new dates for the tree

  6. Musical emotions: Functions, origins, evolution

    Science.gov (United States)

    Perlovsky, Leonid

    2010-03-01

    Theories of music origins and the role of musical emotions in the mind are reviewed. Most existing theories contradict each other, and cannot explain mechanisms or roles of musical emotions in workings of the mind, nor evolutionary reasons for music origins. Music seems to be an enigma. Nevertheless, a synthesis of cognitive science and mathematical models of the mind has been proposed describing a fundamental role of music in the functioning and evolution of the mind, consciousness, and cultures. The review considers ancient theories of music as well as contemporary theories advanced by leading authors in this field. It addresses one hypothesis that promises to unify the field and proposes a theory of musical origin based on a fundamental role of music in cognition and evolution of consciousness and culture. We consider a split in the vocalizations of proto-humans into two types: one less emotional and more concretely-semantic, evolving into language, and the other preserving emotional connections along with semantic ambiguity, evolving into music. The proposed hypothesis departs from other theories in considering specific mechanisms of the mind-brain, which required the evolution of music parallel with the evolution of cultures and languages. Arguments are reviewed that the evolution of language toward becoming the semantically powerful tool of today required emancipation from emotional encumbrances. The opposite, no less powerful mechanisms required a compensatory evolution of music toward more differentiated and refined emotionality. The need for refined music in the process of cultural evolution is grounded in fundamental mechanisms of the mind. This is why today's human mind and cultures cannot exist without today's music. The reviewed hypothesis gives a basis for future analysis of why different evolutionary paths of languages were paralleled by different evolutionary paths of music. Approaches toward experimental verification of this hypothesis in

  7. Phylogenomic Insights into Animal Evolution.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Telford, Maximilian J; Budd, Graham E; Philippe, Hervé

    2015-10-05

    Animals make up only a small fraction of the eukaryotic tree of life, yet, from our vantage point as members of the animal kingdom, the evolution of the bewildering diversity of animal forms is endlessly fascinating. In the century following the publication of Darwin's Origin of Species, hypotheses regarding the evolution of the major branches of the animal kingdom - their relationships to each other and the evolution of their body plans - was based on a consideration of the morphological and developmental characteristics of the different animal groups. This morphology-based approach had many successes but important aspects of the evolutionary tree remained disputed. In the past three decades, molecular data, most obviously primary sequences of DNA and proteins, have provided an estimate of animal phylogeny largely independent of the morphological evolution we would ultimately like to understand. The molecular tree that has evolved over the past three decades has drastically altered our view of animal phylogeny and many aspects of the tree are no longer contentious. The focus of molecular studies on relationships between animal groups means, however, that the discipline has become somewhat divorced from the underlying biology and from the morphological characteristics whose evolution we aim to understand. Here, we consider what we currently know of animal phylogeny; what aspects we are still uncertain about and what our improved understanding of animal phylogeny can tell us about the evolution of the great diversity of animal life. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Manipulation of quantum evolution

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cabera, David Jose Fernandez; Mielnik, Bogdan

    1994-01-01

    The free evolution of a non-relativistic charged particle is manipulated using time-dependent magnetic fields. It is shown that the application of a programmed sequence of magnetic pulses can invert the free evolution process, forcing an arbitrary wave packet to 'go back in time' to recover its past shape. The possibility of more general operations upon the Schrodinger wave packet is discussed.

  9. Quantum evolution across singularities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Craps, Ben; Evnin, Oleg

    2008-01-01

    Attempts to consider evolution across space-time singularities often lead to quantum systems with time-dependent Hamiltonians developing an isolated singularity as a function of time. Examples include matrix theory in certain singular time-dependent backgounds and free quantum fields on the two-dimensional compactified Milne universe. Due to the presence of the singularities in the time dependence, the conventional quantum-mechanical evolution is not well-defined for such systems. We propose a natural way, mathematically analogous to renormalization in conventional quantum field theory, to construct unitary quantum evolution across the singularity. We carry out this procedure explicitly for free fields on the compactified Milne universe and compare our results with the matching conditions considered in earlier work (which were based on the covering Minkowski space)

  10. Emergence and Evolution

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bullwinkle, Tammy J; Ibba, Michael

    2013-01-01

    ancestor and as such they provide insights into the evolution and development of the extant genetic code. Although the aaRSs have long been viewed as a highly conserved group of enzymes, findings within the last couple of decades have started to demonstrate how diverse and versatile these enzymes really...... are. Beyond their central role in translation, aaRSs and their numerous homologs have evolved a wide array of alternative functions both inside and outside translation. Current understanding of the emergence of the aaRSs, and their subsequent evolution into a functionally diverse enzyme family...

  11. Evolution 2.0

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Andersen, Casper; Bek-Thomsen, Jakob; Clasen, Mathias

    2013-01-01

    Studies in the history of science and education have documented that the reception and understanding of evolutionary theory is highly contingent on local factors such as school systems, cultural traditions, religious beliefs, and language. This has important implications for teaching evolution...... audiences readily available. As more and more schools require teachers to use low cost or free web-based materials, in the research community we need to take seriously how to facilitate that demand in communication strategies on evolution. This article addresses this challenge by presenting the learning...

  12. Diathesis sotto tensione. La sala per concerti del Centro culturale di Atene di Jan Despo / Diathesis under Tension. Concert Theatre of the Athens Cultural Center by Jan Despo

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tilemachos Adrianopoulos

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Nel 1959, l'architetto greco Jan Despo (1903-1992 fu insignito del primo premio nella competizione per il Centro culturale di Atene, rimasto irrealizzato eccezion fatta per il Conservatorio di Atene. La sala circolare per concerti, danza e conferenze era l'edificio nodale di una ambiziosa composizione urbana: la sbalorditiva forma geometrica della sala, la funzione tipicamente composita e l'ingegnosa conformazione strutturale furono integralmente concepite all'interno di una "diathesis spaziale". / In 1959, Greek architect Jan Despo (1903-1992 was awarded First Prize in the competition for the Athens Cultural Centre -that remained unrealized, however, with the exception of the Athens Conservatory. The circular concert, dance and conference theatre was the nodal building of an ambitious urban composition: the theatre’s stunning geometric form, distinctively composite function and ingenious structural conformation were all integrally conceived—within an essentially tense spatial diathesis.

  13. Using Real and Simulated TNOs to Constrain the Outer Solar System

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaib, Nathan

    2018-04-01

    Over the past 2-3 decades our understanding of the outer solar system’s history and current state has evolved dramatically. An explosion in the number of detected trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs) coupled with simultaneous advances in numerical models of orbital dynamics has driven this rapid evolution. However, successfully constraining the orbital architecture and evolution of the outer solar system requires accurately comparing simulation results with observational datasets. This process is challenging because observed datasets are influenced by orbital discovery biases as well as TNO size and albedo distributions. Meanwhile, such influences are generally absent from numerical results. Here I will review recent work I and others have undertaken using numerical simulations in concert with catalogs of observed TNOs to constrain the outer solar system’s current orbital architecture and past evolution.

  14. On the thermodynamics of multilevel evolution.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tessera, Marc; Hoelzer, Guy A

    2013-09-01

    Biodiversity is hierarchically structured both phylogenetically and functionally. Phylogenetic hierarchy is understood as a product of branching organic evolution as described by Darwin. Ecosystem biologists understand some aspects of functional hierarchy, such as food web architecture, as a product of evolutionary ecology; but functional hierarchy extends to much lower scales of organization than those studied by ecologists. We argue that the more general use of the term "evolution" employed by physicists and applied to non-living systems connects directly to the narrow biological meaning. Physical evolution is best understood as a thermodynamic phenomenon, and this perspective comfortably includes all of biological evolution. We suggest four dynamical factors that build on each other in a hierarchical fashion and set the stage for the Darwinian evolution of biological systems: (1) the entropic erosion of structure; (2) the construction of dissipative systems; (3) the reproduction of growing systems and (4) the historical memory accrued to populations of reproductive agents by the acquisition of hereditary mechanisms. A particular level of evolution can underpin the emergence of higher levels, but evolutionary processes persist at each level in the hierarchy. We also argue that particular evolutionary processes can occur at any level of the hierarchy where they are not obstructed by material constraints. This theoretical framework provides an extensive basis for understanding natural selection as a multilevel process. The extensive literature on thermodynamics in turn provides an important advantage to this perspective on the evolution of higher levels of organization, such as the evolution of altruism that can accompany the emergence of social organization. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Rank-dependant factorization of entanglement evolution

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Siomau, Michael

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • In some cases the complex entanglement evolution can be factorized on simple terms. • We suggest factorization equations for multiqubit entanglement evolution. • The factorization is solely defined by the rank of the final state density matrices. • The factorization is independent on the local noisy channels and initial pure states. - Abstract: The description of the entanglement evolution of a complex quantum system can be significantly simplified due to the symmetries of the initial state and the quantum channels, which simultaneously affect parts of the system. Using concurrence as the entanglement measure, we study the entanglement evolution of few qubit systems, when each of the qubits is affected by a local unital channel independently on the others. We found that for low-rank density matrices of the final quantum state, such complex entanglement dynamics can be completely described by a combination of independent factors representing the evolution of entanglement of the initial state, when just one of the qubits is affected by a local channel. We suggest necessary conditions for the rank of the density matrices to represent the entanglement evolution through the factors. Our finding is supported with analytical examples and numerical simulations.

  16. Hyperbolicity and constrained evolution in linearized gravity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Matzner, Richard A.

    2005-01-01

    Solving the 4-d Einstein equations as evolution in time requires solving equations of two types: the four elliptic initial data (constraint) equations, followed by the six second order evolution equations. Analytically the constraint equations remain solved under the action of the evolution, and one approach is to simply monitor them (unconstrained evolution). Since computational solution of differential equations introduces almost inevitable errors, it is clearly 'more correct' to introduce a scheme which actively maintains the constraints by solution (constrained evolution). This has shown promise in computational settings, but the analysis of the resulting mixed elliptic hyperbolic method has not been completely carried out. We present such an analysis for one method of constrained evolution, applied to a simple vacuum system, linearized gravitational waves. We begin with a study of the hyperbolicity of the unconstrained Einstein equations. (Because the study of hyperbolicity deals only with the highest derivative order in the equations, linearization loses no essential details.) We then give explicit analytical construction of the effect of initial data setting and constrained evolution for linearized gravitational waves. While this is clearly a toy model with regard to constrained evolution, certain interesting features are found which have relevance to the full nonlinear Einstein equations

  17. Dynamical evolution of galaxies in clusters

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ostriker, J.P.

    1977-01-01

    In addition to the processes involved in the evolution of star clusters, there are three kinds of processes that are peculiar to, or far more important in, galaxy clusters than in star clusters: galaxy interactions with gas, high-velocity tidal interactions, and accretion and cannibalism. The latter is discussed at some length; analytical calculations for the apparent luminosity evolution of the first brightest galaxy and the apparent luminosity evolution of M 12 are described, along with the numerical simulation of cluster evolution. It appears that many of the notable features of centrally condensed clusters of galaxies, particularly the presence of very luminous but low-surface-brightness central cD systems, can be understood in terms of a straightforward dynamical theory of galactic cannibalism. It is possible to maintain the hypothesis that dynamical evolution gradually transforms Bautz--Morgan III clusters to type II systems or type I systems. 36 references, 5 figures

  18. Angular correlations and high energy evolution

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kovner, Alex; Lublinsky, Michael

    2011-01-01

    We address the question of to what extent JIMWLK evolution is capable of taking into account angular correlations in a high energy hadronic wave function. Our conclusion is that angular (and indeed other) correlations in the wave function cannot be reliably calculated without taking into account Pomeron loops in the evolution. As an example we study numerically the energy evolution of angular correlations between dipole scattering amplitudes in the framework of the large N c approximation to JIMWLK evolution (the 'projectile dipole model'). Target correlations are introduced via averaging over an (isotropic) ensemble of anisotropic initial conditions. We find that correlations disappear very quickly with rapidity even inside the saturation radius. This is in accordance with our physical picture of JIMWLK evolution. The actual correlations inside the saturation radius in the target QCD wave function, on the other hand, should remain sizable at any rapidity.

  19. Enhancer evolution across 20 mammalian species

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Villar, Diego; Berthelot, Camille; Aldridge, Sarah

    2015-01-01

    The mammalian radiation has corresponded with rapid changes in noncoding regions of the genome, but we lack a comprehensive understanding of regulatory evolution in mammals. Here, we track the evolution of promoters and enhancers active in liver across 20 mammalian species from six diverse orders...... by profiling genomic enrichment of H3K27 acetylation and H3K4 trimethylation. We report that rapid evolution of enhancers is a universal feature of mammalian genomes. Most of the recently evolved enhancers arise from ancestral DNA exaptation, rather than lineage-specific expansions of repeat elements....... These results provide important insight into the functional genetics underpinning mammalian regulatory evolution....

  20. Divergent Cumulative Cultural Evolution

    OpenAIRE

    Marriott, Chris; Chebib, Jobran

    2016-01-01

    Divergent cumulative cultural evolution occurs when the cultural evolutionary trajectory diverges from the biological evolutionary trajectory. We consider the conditions under which divergent cumulative cultural evolution can occur. We hypothesize that two conditions are necessary. First that genetic and cultural information are stored separately in the agent. Second cultural information must be transferred horizontally between agents of different generations. We implement a model with these ...

  1. Dilation of non-quasifree dissipative evolution

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Varilly, J C [Costa Rica Univ., San Jose. Escuela de Matematica

    1981-03-01

    A semigroup evolution for the 1/2-spin which admits a conservative dilation is known to be governed by a Bloch equation in a standard form. Here we construct a conservative dilation directly from the Bloch equation, thus yielding an example of a dilation scheme for an evolution which is not quasifree. Moreover, we show that this conservative evolution is never ergodic in the non-quasifree case.

  2. Evolution of the radiation protection system; L'evolution du systeme de protection radiologique

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Clarke, R.H. [International Commission on Radiological Protection, Stockholm (Sweden); Schieber, C.; Cordoliani, Y.S. [Societe Francaise de Radioprotection, 92 - Fontenay aux Roses (France); Brechignac, F. [CEA Cadarache, Institut de Radioprotection et de Surete Nucleaire, Dept. de Protection de l' Environnement, 13 - Saint Paul Lez Durance (France)

    2003-07-01

    The evolution of the system of radiological protection: justification for new ICRP recommendations, thoughts of the SFRP work group about the evolution of the system of radiation protection proposed by the ICRP, protection of environment against ionizing radiations seen by the ICRP are the three parts of this chapter. (N.C.)

  3. Battery parameterisation based on differential evolution via a boundary evolution strategy

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Yang, Guangya

    2013-01-01

    the advances of evolutionary algorithms (EAs). Differential evolution (DE) is selected and modified to parameterise an equivalent circuit model of lithium-ion batteries. A boundary evolution strategy (BES) is developed and incorporated into the DE to update the parameter boundaries during the parameterisation......, as the equivalent circuit model is an abstract map of the battery electric characteristics, the determination of the possible ranges of parameters can be a challenging task. In this paper, an efficient yet easy to implement method is proposed to parameterise the equivalent circuit model of batteries utilising...

  4. Standing Concertation Committee

    CERN Document Server

    HR Department

    2009-01-01

    Main points examined at the meeting of 24 June 2009 Results of the 2009 MARS exercise The Committee took note of the results of the 2009 MARS exercise presented by the Head of the HR Department, expressing satisfaction for the early availability of the statistics and for the fact that the analysis of the results covered the last three years. Status report on the work on the five-yearly review The Committee took note of a presentation by P. Gildemyn on the data collection procedure for the 2010 five-yearly review (staff, fellows, associate members of the personnel, CHIS) and of the proposed work schedule. Implications for employment conditions of the discussions at the Finance Committee and Council on 17 and 18 June 2009 The Chairman briefly reported on the discussions at the meetings of the Finance Committee and Council in June 2009, on the 2010-2014 medium-term plan and the 2010 preliminary draft budget, as well as on the modified strategy and goals for 2009. The Committee ...

  5. Thinking-in-Concert

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Donnell, Aislinn

    2012-01-01

    In this essay, I examine the concept of thinking in Hannah Arendt's writings. Arendt's interest in the experience of thinking allowed her to develop a concept of thinking that is distinct from other forms of mental activity such as cognition and problem solving. For her, thinking is an unending, unpredictable and destructive activity without fixed…

  6. Co-Evolution.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McGhee, Robert

    2002-01-01

    Discusses the role of techniques of DNA analysis in assessing the genetic relationships between various species. Focuses on wolf-dog evolution using DNA evidence and historical data about human/wolf-dog relationships. (DDR)

  7. Chemical Evolution and the Evolutionary Definition of Life.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Higgs, Paul G

    2017-06-01

    Darwinian evolution requires a mechanism for generation of diversity in a population, and selective differences between individuals that influence reproduction. In biology, diversity is generated by mutations and selective differences arise because of the encoded functions of the sequences (e.g., ribozymes or proteins). Here, I draw attention to a process that I will call chemical evolution, in which the diversity is generated by random chemical synthesis instead of (or in addition to) mutation, and selection acts on physicochemical properties, such as hydrolysis, photolysis, solubility, or surface binding. Chemical evolution applies to short oligonucleotides that can be generated by random polymerization, as well as by template-directed replication, and which may be too short to encode a specific function. Chemical evolution is an important stage on the pathway to life, between the stage of "just chemistry" and the stage of full biological evolution. A mathematical model is presented here that illustrates the differences between these three stages. Chemical evolution leads to much larger differences in molecular concentrations than can be achieved by selection without replication. However, chemical evolution is not open-ended, unlike biological evolution. The ability to undergo Darwinian evolution is often considered to be a defining feature of life. Here, I argue that chemical evolution, although Darwinian, does not quite constitute life, and that a good place to put the conceptual boundary between non-life and life is between chemical and biological evolution.

  8. Experimental evolution in budding yeast

    Science.gov (United States)

    Murray, Andrew

    2012-02-01

    I will discuss our progress in analyzing evolution in the budding yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We take two basic approaches. The first is to try and examine quantitative aspects of evolution, for example by determining how the rate of evolution depends on the mutation rate and the population size or asking whether the rate of mutation is uniform throughout the genome. The second is to try to evolve qualitatively novel, cell biologically interesting phenotypes and track the mutations that are responsible for the phenotype. Our efforts include trying to alter cell morphology, evolve multicellularity, and produce a biological oscillator.

  9. Chaos and unpredictability in evolution.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Doebeli, Michael; Ispolatov, Iaroslav

    2014-05-01

    The possibility of complicated dynamic behavior driven by nonlinear feedbacks in dynamical systems has revolutionized science in the latter part of the last century. Yet despite examples of complicated frequency dynamics, the possibility of long-term evolutionary chaos is rarely considered. The concept of "survival of the fittest" is central to much evolutionary thinking and embodies a perspective of evolution as a directional optimization process exhibiting simple, predictable dynamics. This perspective is adequate for simple scenarios, when frequency-independent selection acts on scalar phenotypes. However, in most organisms many phenotypic properties combine in complicated ways to determine ecological interactions, and hence frequency-dependent selection. Therefore, it is natural to consider models for evolutionary dynamics generated by frequency-dependent selection acting simultaneously on many different phenotypes. Here we show that complicated, chaotic dynamics of long-term evolutionary trajectories in phenotype space is very common in a large class of such models when the dimension of phenotype space is large, and when there are selective interactions between the phenotypic components. Our results suggest that the perspective of evolution as a process with simple, predictable dynamics covers only a small fragment of long-term evolution. © 2014 The Author(s). Evolution © 2014 The Society for the Study of Evolution.

  10. Quantum evolution life in the multiverse

    CERN Document Server

    McFadden, Johnjoe

    2000-01-01

    Quantum Evolution presents a revolutionary new scientific theory by asking: is there a force of will behind evolution? In his astonishing first book, Johnjoe McFadden shows that there is. 'McFadden's bold hypothesis that quantum physics plays a key role in the origin and evolution of life looks increasingly plausible. The weird behaviour of matter and information at the quantum level could be just what is needed to explain life's astonishing properties. If these ideas are right, they will transform our understanding of the relationship between physics and biology.' PAUL DAVIES In this brilliant debut, Johnjoe McFadden puts forward a theory of quantum evolution. He shows how living organisms have the ability to will themselves into action. Indeed, such an ability may be life's most fundamental attribute. This has radical implications. Evolution may not be random at all, as recent evolutionary theories have taught: rather, cells may, in certain circumstances, be able to choose to mutate particular genes that pr...

  11. Miocene shoshonite volcanism in Sardinia: Implications for magma sources and geodynamic evolution of the central-western Mediterranean

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beccaluva, Luigi; Bianchini, Gianluca; Mameli, Paola; Natali, Claudio

    2013-11-01

    In this paper we document the existence of a Miocene shoshonite (SHO) volcanism in Northern Sardinia (Anglona). This occurrence completes the spectrum of orogenic magmas related to the subduction process which developed from the Eocene along the Palaeo-European continental margin, in concert with the opening of the Ligurian-Balearic back-arc basin and southeastward drift/rotation of the Sardinia-Corsica continental block. K-Ar ages show that the oldest volcanics of the area are calcalkaline (CA) basalts and andesites (~ 21 Ma), overlain by 19.7-18.4 Ma-old more potassic products such as high-potassium calcalkaline (HK-CA) and SHO lavas. CA, HK-CA and SHO suites include basalts and differentiated lavas of andesite and latite composition, respectively, that (according to the PELE software modelling) represent ~ 40-45% residual liquid fraction after shallow fractional crystallization. Application of the "Arc Magma Simulator" software suggests that the generation of primary melts of the distinct suites may occur at similar degrees of partial melting (5-8%) and melting pressures (2-2.2 GPa, ~ 60-70 km depth) in the mantle wedge. By contrast, the potassic character of parental melts of CA, HK-CA and SHO suites is controlled by 1) the amount of subducted continental components (possibly terrigenous sediments) and 2) the pressure (depth) at which these metasomatic agents are released from the slab. Results suggest that the slab depth beneath the volcanic district increased from ~ 80-100 to 100-120 km for CA and SHO magmas, respectively. Accordingly, the evolution from CA to SHO magmatism in the same plumbing system could be related to slab deepening and increase of the subduction angle of ~ 5-10° in the time span of 2-3 Ma. This tectono-magmatic scenario conforms to the major anticlockwise rotation (~ 30°) event of the Sardinia block (between 20.5 and 18 Ma). This geodynamic evolution preludes the development of the volcanism in the Apennine-Tyrrhenian domains, where the

  12. Towards physical principles of biological evolution

    Science.gov (United States)

    Katsnelson, Mikhail I.; Wolf, Yuri I.; Koonin, Eugene V.

    2018-03-01

    Biological systems reach organizational complexity that far exceeds the complexity of any known inanimate objects. Biological entities undoubtedly obey the laws of quantum physics and statistical mechanics. However, is modern physics sufficient to adequately describe, model and explain the evolution of biological complexity? Detailed parallels have been drawn between statistical thermodynamics and the population-genetic theory of biological evolution. Based on these parallels, we outline new perspectives on biological innovation and major transitions in evolution, and introduce a biological equivalent of thermodynamic potential that reflects the innovation propensity of an evolving population. Deep analogies have been suggested to also exist between the properties of biological entities and processes, and those of frustrated states in physics, such as glasses. Such systems are characterized by frustration whereby local state with minimal free energy conflict with the global minimum, resulting in ‘emergent phenomena’. We extend such analogies by examining frustration-type phenomena, such as conflicts between different levels of selection, in biological evolution. These frustration effects appear to drive the evolution of biological complexity. We further address evolution in multidimensional fitness landscapes from the point of view of percolation theory and suggest that percolation at level above the critical threshold dictates the tree-like evolution of complex organisms. Taken together, these multiple connections between fundamental processes in physics and biology imply that construction of a meaningful physical theory of biological evolution might not be a futile effort. However, it is unrealistic to expect that such a theory can be created in one scoop; if it ever comes to being, this can only happen through integration of multiple physical models of evolutionary processes. Furthermore, the existing framework of theoretical physics is unlikely to suffice

  13. A stochastic approach to chemical evolution

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Copi, C.J.

    1997-01-01

    Observations of elemental abundances in the Galaxy have repeatedly shown an intrinsic scatter as a function of time and metallicity. The standard approach to chemical evolution does not attempt to address this scatter in abundances since only the mean evolution is followed. In this work, the scatter is addressed via a stochastic approach to solving chemical evolution models. Three simple chemical evolution scenarios are studied using this stochastic approach: a closed box model, an infall model, and an outflow model. These models are solved for the solar neighborhood in a Monte Carlo fashion. The evolutionary history of one particular region is determined randomly based on the star formation rate and the initial mass function. Following the evolution in an ensemble of such regions leads to the predicted spread in abundances expected, based solely on different evolutionary histories of otherwise identical regions. In this work, 13 isotopes are followed, including the light elements, the CNO elements, a few α-elements, and iron. It is found that the predicted spread in abundances for a 10 5 M circle-dot region is in good agreement with observations for the α-elements. For CN, the agreement is not as good, perhaps indicating the need for more physics input for low-mass stellar evolution. Similarly for the light elements, the predicted scatter is quite small, which is in contradiction to the observations of 3 He in HII regions. The models are tuned for the solar neighborhood so that good agreement with HII regions is not expected. This has important implications for low-mass stellar evolution and on using chemical evolution to determine the primordial light-element abundances in order to test big bang nucleosynthesis. copyright 1997 The American Astronomical Society

  14. Correlations and discreteness in nonlinear QCD evolution

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Armesto, N.; Milhano, J.

    2006-01-01

    We consider modifications of the standard nonlinear QCD evolution in an attempt to account for some of the missing ingredients discussed recently, such as correlations, discreteness in gluon emission and Pomeron loops. The evolution is numerically performed using the Balitsky-Kovchegov equation on individual configurations defined by a given initial value of the saturation scale, for reduced rapidities y=(α s N c /π)Y<10. We consider the effects of averaging over configurations as a way to implement correlations, using three types of Gaussian averaging around a mean saturation scale. Further, we heuristically mimic discreteness in gluon emission by considering a modified evolution in which the tails of the gluon distributions are cut off. The approach to scaling and the behavior of the saturation scale with rapidity in these modified evolutions are studied and compared with the standard mean-field results. For the large but finite values of rapidity explored, no strong quantitative difference in scaling for transverse momenta around the saturation scale is observed. At larger transverse momenta, the influence of the modifications in the evolution seems most noticeable in the first steps of the evolution. No influence on the rapidity behavior of the saturation scale due to the averaging procedure is found. In the cutoff evolution the rapidity evolution of the saturation scale is slowed down and strongly depends on the value of the cutoff. Our results stress the need to go beyond simple modifications of evolution by developing proper theoretical tools that implement such recently discussed ingredients

  15. Chemical evolution of galaxies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Matteucci, F.; Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Frascati

    1989-01-01

    In principle, a good model of galactic chemical evolution should fulfil the majority of well established observational constraints. The goal of this paper is to review the observational data together with the existing chemical evolution models for the Milky Way (the disk), Blue Compact and Elliptical galaxies and to show how well the models can account for the observations. Some open problems and future prospects are also discussed. (author)

  16. Towards an alternative evolution model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Waesberghe, H

    1982-01-01

    Lamarck and Darwin agreed on the inconstancy of species and on the exclusive gradualism of evolution (nature does not jump). Darwinism, revived as neo-Darwinism, was almost generally accepted from about 1930 till 1960. In the sixties the evolutionary importance of selection has been called in question by the neutralists. The traditional conception of the gene is disarranged by recent molecular-biological findings. Owing to the increasing confusion about the concept of genotype, this concept is reconsidered. The idea of the genotype as a cluster of genes is replaced by a cybernetical interpretation of the genotype. As nature does jump, exclusive gradualism is dismissed. Saltatory evolution is a natural phenomenon, provided by a sudden collapse of the thresholds which resist against evolution. The fossil record and the taxonomic system call for a macromutational interpretation. As Lamarck and Darwin overlooked the resistance of evolutionary thresholds, an alternative evolution model is needed, the first to be constructed on a palaeontological and taxonomic basis.

  17. Adaptive evolution in ecological communities.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Martin M Turcotte

    Full Text Available Understanding how natural selection drives evolution is a key challenge in evolutionary biology. Most studies of adaptation focus on how a single environmental factor, such as increased temperature, affects evolution within a single species. The biological relevance of these experiments is limited because nature is infinitely more complex. Most species are embedded within communities containing many species that interact with one another and the physical environment. To understand the evolutionary significance of such ecological complexity, experiments must test the evolutionary impact of interactions among multiple species during adaptation. Here we highlight an experiment that manipulates species composition and tracks evolutionary responses within each species, while testing for the mechanisms by which species interact and adapt to their environment. We also discuss limitations of previous studies of adaptive evolution and emphasize how an experimental evolution approach can circumvent such shortcomings. Understanding how community composition acts as a selective force will improve our ability to predict how species adapt to natural and human-induced environmental change.

  18. Evolution of viral virulence: empirical studies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kurath, Gael; Wargo, Andrew R.

    2016-01-01

    The concept of virulence as a pathogen trait that can evolve in response to selection has led to a large body of virulence evolution theory developed in the 1980-1990s. Various aspects of this theory predict increased or decreased virulence in response to a complex array of selection pressures including mode of transmission, changes in host, mixed infection, vector-borne transmission, environmental changes, host vaccination, host resistance, and co-evolution of virus and host. A fundamental concept is prediction of trade-offs between the costs and benefits associated with higher virulence, leading to selection of optimal virulence levels. Through a combination of observational and experimental studies, including experimental evolution of viruses during serial passage, many of these predictions have now been explored in systems ranging from bacteriophage to viruses of plants, invertebrates, and vertebrate hosts. This chapter summarizes empirical studies of viral virulence evolution in numerous diverse systems, including the classic models myxomavirus in rabbits, Marek's disease virus in chickens, and HIV in humans. Collectively these studies support some aspects of virulence evolution theory, suggest modifications for other aspects, and show that predictions may apply in some virus:host interactions but not in others. Finally, we consider how virulence evolution theory applies to disease management in the field.

  19. Epochs of radioactivity in historical evolution of the earth with reference to evolution of biosphere

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Neruchev, S.G.

    1976-01-01

    Periodic epochs of intense contamination of the medium by uranium in the course of the Earth's evolution and the biogene mechanism of uranium accumulation in sediments during the lifetime are established. Global differentiation of the radioactivity epochs and essential effect of periodic radiation on the evolution of biosphere are shown. Radiational-mutational mechanism in shown to be extremely nonuniform during the evolution of the organic kingdom. It has been found that the intermittency in radioactive epochs is responsible for peculiarities in the stratigraphic distribution of sedimentary uranium, sapropelic shales, phosphorites, oil-producing rocks and other minerals

  20. Expressing stochastic unravellings using random evolution operators

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Salgado, D; Sanchez-Gomez, J L

    2002-01-01

    We prove how the form of the most general invariant stochastic unravelling for Markovian (recently given in the literature by Wiseman and Diosi) and non-Markovian but Lindblad-type open quantum systems can be attained by imposing a single mathematical condition upon the random evolution operator of the system, namely a.s. trace preservation (a.s. stands for almost surely). The use of random operators ensures the complete positivity of the density operator evolution and characterizes the linear/non-linear character of the evolution in a straightforward way. It is also shown how three quantum stochastic evolution models - continuous spontaneous localization, quantum state diffusion and quantum mechanics with universal position localization - appear as concrete choices for the noise term of the evolution random operators are assumed. We finally conjecture how these operators may in the future be used in two different directions: both to connect quantum stochastic evolution models with random properties of space-time and to handle noisy quantum logical gates

  1. Lossless Conditional Schema Evolution

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jensen, Ole Guttorm; Bøhlen, Michael Hanspeter

    2003-01-01

    The paper considers conditional schema evolution, where schema changes change the schema of the tuples that satisfy the change condition. When the schema of a relation change some tuples may no longer fit the current schema. Handling the mismatch between the intended schema of tuples and the reco......The paper considers conditional schema evolution, where schema changes change the schema of the tuples that satisfy the change condition. When the schema of a relation change some tuples may no longer fit the current schema. Handling the mismatch between the intended schema of tuples...... and the recorded schema of tuples is at the core of a DBMS that supports schema evolution. We propose to keep track of schema mismatches at the level of individual tuples, and prove that conditionally evolving schemas, in contrast to current commercial database systems, are lossless when the schema evolves...

  2. Student Visual Communication of Evolution

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oliveira, Alandeom W.; Cook, Kristin

    2017-01-01

    Despite growing recognition of the importance of visual representations to science education, previous research has given attention mostly to verbal modalities of evolution instruction. Visual aspects of classroom learning of evolution are yet to be systematically examined by science educators. The present study attends to this issue by exploring…

  3. Evolution of the TOR Pathway.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Dam, T.J.P. van; Zwartkruis, F.J.; Bos, J.L.; Snel, B.

    2011-01-01

    The TOR kinase is a major regulator of growth in eukaryotes. Many components of the TOR pathway are implicated in cancer and metabolic diseases in humans. Analysis of the evolution of TOR and its pathway may provide fundamental insight into the evolution of growth regulation in eukaryotes and

  4. Mammal Evolution, an mustrated Guide

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Mammal Evolution, an mustrated Guide. R.J.G. Savage and M.R. Long. British Museum of Natural ... structural anatomy of fossils can be related to their probable function. The body of the text discusses the ... gnawers, rooters and browsers, mammals on island continents, hoofed herbivores and ftnally primate evolution,.

  5. Schramm-Loewner evolution and Liouville quantum gravity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Duplantier, Bertrand; Sheffield, Scott

    2011-09-23

    We show that when two boundary arcs of a Liouville quantum gravity random surface are conformally welded to each other (in a boundary length-preserving way) the resulting interface is a random curve called the Schramm-Loewner evolution. We also develop a theory of quantum fractal measures (consistent with the Knizhnik-Polyakov-Zamolochikov relation) and analyze their evolution under conformal welding maps related to Schramm-Loewner evolution. As an application, we construct quantum length and boundary intersection measures on the Schramm-Loewner evolution curve itself.

  6. Evolution of helping and harming in heterogeneous groups.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rodrigues, António M M; Gardner, Andy

    2013-08-01

    Social groups are often composed of individuals who differ in many respects. Theoretical studies on the evolution of helping and harming behaviors have largely focused upon genetic differences between individuals. However, nongenetic variation between group members is widespread in natural populations, and may mediate differences in individuals' social behavior. Here, we develop a framework to study how variation in individual quality mediates the evolution of unconditional and conditional social traits. We investigate the scope for the evolution of social traits that are conditional on the quality of the actor and/or recipients. We find that asymmetries in individual quality can lead to the evolution of plastic traits with different individuals expressing helping and harming traits within the same group. In this context, population viscosity can mediate the evolution of social traits, and local competition can promote both helping and harming behaviors. Furthermore, asymmetries in individual quality can lead to the evolution of competition-like traits between clonal individuals. Overall, we highlight the importance of asymmetries in individual quality, including differences in reproductive value and the ability to engage in successful social interactions, in mediating the evolution of helping and harming behaviors. © 2013 The Author(s). Evolution © 2013 The Society for the Study of Evolution.

  7. Geohistory. Global evolution of the earth

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ozima, Minoru

    1987-01-01

    A full understanding of the earth's evolution can be achieved only by considering it as a continuous process starting with the birth of the solar system. This book traces the evolution of the earth, mainly on the basis of radiogenic isotopes from long half-life parent elements, and discusses it in terms of the latest developments in astrophysical theory, which impose unique constraints on the earth's origin and early evolution. By its 'historical' nature, geohistorical study also offers a unique approach to forecasting the future of the earth, yielding useful clues for the understanding of environmental problems, such as radioactive waste disposal. This book aims to provide an outline of global evolution of the planet earth for students of general science and for earth scientists.

  8. Why are there apes? Evidence for the co-evolution of ape and monkey ecomorphology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hunt, Kevin D

    2016-04-01

    Apes, members of the superfamily Hominoidea, possess a distinctive suite of anatomical and behavioral characters which appear to have evolved relatively late and relatively independently. The timing of paleontological events, extant cercopithecine and hominoid ecomorphology and other evidence suggests that many distinctive ape features evolved to facilitate harvesting ripe fruits among compliant terminal branches in tree edges. Precarious, unpredictably oriented, compliant supports in the canopy periphery require apes to maneuver using suspensory and non-sterotypical postures (i.e. postures with eccentric limb orientations or extreme joint excursions). Diet differences among extant species, extant species numbers and evidence of cercopithecoid diversification and expansion, in concert with a reciprocal decrease in hominoid species, suggest intense competition between monkeys and apes over the last 20 Ma. It may be that larger body masses allow great apes to succeed in contest competitions for highly desired food items, while the ability of monkeys to digest antifeedant-rich unripe fruits allows them to win scramble competitions. Evolutionary trends in morphology and inferred ecology suggest that as monkeys evolved to harvest fruit ever earlier in the fruiting cycle they broadened their niche to encompass first more fibrous, tannin- and toxin-rich unripe fruits and later, for some lineages, mature leaves. Early depletion of unripe fruit in the central core of the tree canopy by monkeys leaves a hollow sphere of ripening fruits, displacing antifeedant-intolerant, later-arriving apes to small-diameter, compliant terminal branches. Hylobatids, orangutans, Pan species, gorillas and the New World atelines may have each evolved suspensory behavior independently in response to local competition from an expanding population of monkeys. Genetic evidence of rapid evolution among chimpanzees suggests that adaptations to suspensory behavior, vertical climbing, knuckle

  9. The genetic origins of biosynthesis and light-responsive control of the chemical UV screen of land plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jorgensen, R.

    1994-01-01

    Most land plants possess the capacity to protect themselves from UV light, and do so by producing pigments that absorb efficiently in the UV-A and UV-B regions of the spectrum while allowing transmission of nearly all photosynthetically useful wavelengths. These UV-absorbing pigments are mainly phenylpropanoids and flavonoids. This chapter summarizes current understanding of the mechanism of UV protection in higher land plants, evaluates the information available from lower land plants and their green-algal relatives, and then considers the possible evolutionary origins of this use of chemical filters for selectively screening UV light from solar radiation. It is proposed that photo control over the biosynthesis of UV-absorbing phenylpropanoids and flavonoids may have evolved in concert with the evolution of the high biosynthetic activity necessary for UV protection. The toxicity of phenylpropanoids and flavonoids has been postulated to have been a barrier to the evolution of an effective chemical UV screen, and that some means for sequestering these compounds and/or for controlling their synthesis probably evolved prior to, or in concert with, the evolution of high rates of biosynthesis. The original photoreceptor and signal transduction system is speculated to have been based on photo isomerization of a phenylpropanoid ester and a pre-existing product feedback mechanism for controlling phenylpropanoid biosynthesis. Understanding the original mechanism for photo control of the chemical UV screen of land plants could be valuable for understanding the adaptability of extant land plants to rising levels of solar UV-B radiation and may suggest genetic strategies for engineering improved UV tolerance in crop plants. (author)

  10. The evolution of mollusc shells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McDougall, Carmel; Degnan, Bernard M

    2018-05-01

    Molluscan shells are externally fabricated by specialized epithelial cells on the dorsal mantle. Although a conserved set of regulatory genes appears to underlie specification of mantle progenitor cells, the genes that contribute to the formation of the mature shell are incredibly diverse. Recent comparative analyses of mantle transcriptomes and shell proteomes of gastropods and bivalves are consistent with shell diversity being underpinned by a rapidly evolving mantle secretome (suite of genes expressed in the mantle that encode secreted proteins) that is the product of (a) high rates of gene co-option into and loss from the mantle gene regulatory network, and (b) the rapid evolution of coding sequences, particular those encoding repetitive low complexity domains. Outside a few conserved genes, such as carbonic anhydrase, a so-called "biomineralization toolkit" has yet to be discovered. Despite this, a common suite of protein domains, which are often associated with the extracellular matrix and immunity, appear to have been independently and often uniquely co-opted into the mantle secretomes of different species. The evolvability of the mantle secretome provides a molecular explanation for the evolution and diversity of molluscan shells. These genomic processes are likely to underlie the evolution of other animal biominerals, including coral and echinoderm skeletons. This article is categorized under: Comparative Development and Evolution > Regulation of Organ Diversity Comparative Development and Evolution > Evolutionary Novelties. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  11. Radiation and the evolution of life

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gentner, N.E.; Myers, D.K.

    1980-08-01

    A general review is presented of the nature of various forms of radiation; radiant energy which reaches the earth from the sun; the role of this energy in prebiotic chemical evolution; current ideas on the origin of life; the dependence of living organisms upon radiant energy; the mechanisms responsible for the evolution of life, from the viewpoint of modern genetics and molecular biology; the biological consequences of alterations in the genetic material; and the role of ionizing radiation in production of genetic changes and in evolution. In the final analysis, the biosynthetic processes of life are driven by radiant energy from the sun. This overview is necessarily focussed on the infrared, visible and ultraviolet regions of the solar output spectrum since these particular radiations are responsible for most of the radiant energy that reaches the earth's surface. Ionizing radiation appears to have played at best a minor role in biological evolution. Small increments in the amounts of ionizing radiation are therefore unlikely to have a significant effect on life or its evolution. (auth)

  12. Mapping the evolution of scientific ideas

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Roberts, David C [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Herrera, Mark [UNIV OF MARYLAND; Gulbahce, Natali [NORTHEASTERN UNIV

    2008-01-01

    The importance of interdisciplinary research is ever increasing as challenging world problems require expertise across diverse fields. Despite the apparent conceptual boundaries of scientific fields, a formal description for their evolution is lacking. Here we describe a novel approach to study the dynamics and evolution of scientific ideas and fields using a network-based analysis. We build a idea network consisting of American Physical Society Pacs numbers as nodes representing scientific concepts. Two Pacs numbers are linked in the network if there exist publications that reference them simultaneously. We locate scientific fields using an overlapping community finding algorithm and describe the time evolution of these fields using a community evolution method over the course of 1985-2006. We find that the communities we find map to scientific fields, the lifetime of these fields strongly depends on their size, impact and activity, and longest living communities are least volatile. The described approach to quantify the evolution of ideas is expected to be relevant in making predictions about the future of science and how to guide its development.

  13. Nitrogen evolution during rapid hydropyrolysis of coal

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Xu, W.-C.; Kumagai, M. [Institute of Research and Innovation, Kashiwa (Japan)

    2002-12-01

    The behavior of nitrogen evolution during rapid hydropyrolysis of coal has been investigated at temperatures ranging from 923 to 1123 K and hydrogen pressure up to 5 MPa using a continuous free fall pyrolyzer. Three coals have been tested in this study. The dominant nitrogen gaseous species is ammonia, together with a little amount of HCN because most of HCN is converted to NH{sub 3} through secondary reactions. The results show that the evolution of nitrogen in coal is caused mainly by devolatilization at temperatures below 973 K, while the evolution of volatile nitrogen in char is accelerated with increasing temperature and hydrogen pressure. The mineral matter in coal act as catalysts to promote the evolution of volatile nitrogen in char to N{sub 2} apparently at high temperatures of 1123 K, as found during pyrolysis of coal by Ohtsuka et al. A pseudo-first-order kinetic model was applied to the evolution of nitrogen in coal during rapid hydropyrolysis. The model shows the activation energy for the nitrogen evolution from coal is 36.6 58.6 kJ/mol while the rate of the nitrogen evolution depends on hydrogen pressure in the order of 0.16 0.24. 41 refs., 11 figs., 3 tabs.

  14. Nonlinear evolution of MHD instabilities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bateman, G.; Hicks, H.R.; Wooten, J.W.; Dory, R.A.

    1975-01-01

    A 3-D nonlinear MHD computer code was used to study the time evolution of internal instabilities. Velocity vortex cells are observed to persist into the nonlinear evolution. Pressure and density profiles convect around these cells for a weak localized instability, or convect into the wall for a strong instability. (U.S.)

  15. An x-space analysis of evolution equations: Soffer's inequality and the non-forward evolution

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cafarella, Alessandro; Coriano, Claudio; Guzzi, Marco

    2003-01-01

    We analyze the use of algorithms based in x-space for the solution of renormalization group equations of DGLAP-type and test their consistency by studying bounds among partons distributions - in our specific case Soffer's inequality and the perturbative behaviour of the nucleon tensor charge - to next-to-leading order in QCD. A discussion of the perturbative resummation implicit in these expansions using Mellin moments is included. We also comment on the (kinetic) proof of positivity of the evolution of h1, using a kinetic analogy and illustrate the extension of the algorithm to the evolution of generalized parton distributions. We prove positivity of the non-forward evolution in a special case and illustrate a Fokker-Planck approximation to it. (author)

  16. Developing theology for evolution

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chris Wiltsher

    2013-07-01

    Full Text Available This speculative paper explores one idea for approaching some of the problems which arise when the doctrines of Christian theology meet the current scientific understanding of evolution through natural selection. The main suggestion is that Christian theology should relax the requirement that God controls everything. Some implications of this move are explored, with a brief look at how similar ideas might be of use for non-Christian religions entering into dialogue with the theory of evolution

  17. Software evolution with XVCL

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Zhang, Weishan; Jarzabek, Stan; Zhang, Hongyu

    2004-01-01

    This chapter introduces software evolution with XVCL (XML-based Variant Configuration Language), which is an XML-based metaprogramming technique. As the software evolves, a large number of variants may arise, especially whtn such kinds of evolutions are related to multiple platforms as shown in our...... case study. Handling variants and tracing the impact of variants across the development lifecycle is a challenge. This chapter shows how we can maintain different versions of software in a reuse-based way....

  18. Evolution of massive stars

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Loore, C. de

    1984-01-01

    The evolution of stars with masses larger than 15 sun masses is reviewed. These stars have large convective cores and lose a substantial fraction of their matter by stellar wind. The treatment of convection and the parameterisation of the stellar wind mass loss are analysed within the context of existing disagreements between theory and observation. The evolution of massive close binaries and the origin of Wolf-Rayet Stars and X-ray binaries is also sketched. (author)

  19. Novel Random Mutagenesis Method for Directed Evolution.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Feng, Hong; Wang, Hai-Yan; Zhao, Hong-Yan

    2017-01-01

    Directed evolution is a powerful strategy for gene mutagenesis, and has been used for protein engineering both in scientific research and in the biotechnology industry. The routine method for directed evolution was developed by Stemmer in 1994 (Stemmer, Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 91, 10747-10751, 1994; Stemmer, Nature 370, 389-391, 1994). Since then, various methods have been introduced, each of which has advantages and limitations depending upon the targeted genes and procedure. In this chapter, a novel alternative directed evolution method which combines mutagenesis PCR with dITP and fragmentation by endonuclease V is described. The kanamycin resistance gene is used as a reporter gene to verify the novel method for directed evolution. This method for directed evolution has been demonstrated to be efficient, reproducible, and easy to manipulate in practice.

  20. POET: Planetary Orbital Evolution due to Tides

    Science.gov (United States)

    Penev, Kaloyan

    2014-08-01

    POET (Planetary Orbital Evolution due to Tides) calculates the orbital evolution of a system consisting of a single star with a single planet in orbit under the influence of tides. The following effects are The evolutions of the semimajor axis of the orbit due to the tidal dissipation in the star and the angular momentum of the stellar convective envelope by the tidal coupling are taken into account. In addition, the evolution includes the transfer of angular momentum between the stellar convective and radiative zones, effect of the stellar evolution on the tidal dissipation efficiency, and stellar core and envelope spins and loss of stellar convective zone angular momentum to a magnetically launched wind. POET can be used out of the box, and can also be extended and modified.

  1. Embodied Evolution in Collective Robotics: A Review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nicolas Bredeche

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available This article provides an overview of evolutionary robotics techniques applied to online distributed evolution for robot collectives, namely, embodied evolution. It provides a definition of embodied evolution as well as a thorough description of the underlying concepts and mechanisms. This article also presents a comprehensive summary of research published in the field since its inception around the year 2000, providing various perspectives to identify the major trends. In particular, we identify a shift from considering embodied evolution as a parallel search method within small robot collectives (fewer than 10 robots to embodied evolution as an online distributed learning method for designing collective behaviors in swarm-like collectives. This article concludes with a discussion of applications and open questions, providing a milestone for past and an inspiration for future research.

  2. Evolution of simeprevir-resistant variants over time by ultra-deep sequencing in HCV genotype 1b.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Akuta, Norio; Suzuki, Fumitaka; Sezaki, Hitomi; Suzuki, Yoshiyuki; Hosaka, Tetsuya; Kobayashi, Masahiro; Kobayashi, Mariko; Saitoh, Satoshi; Ikeda, Kenji; Kumada, Hiromitsu

    2014-08-01

    Using ultra-deep sequencing technology, the present study was designed to investigate the evolution of simeprevir-resistant variants (amino acid substitutions of aa80, aa155, aa156, and aa168 positions in HCV NS3 region) over time. In Toranomon Hospital, 18 Japanese patients infected with HCV genotype 1b, received triple therapy of simeprevir/PEG-IFN/ribavirin (DRAGON or CONCERT study). Sustained virological response rate was 67%, and that was significantly higher in patients with IL28B rs8099917 TT than in those with non-TT. Six patients, who did not achieve sustained virological response, were tested for resistant variants by ultra-deep sequencing, at the baseline, at the time of re-elevation of viral loads, and at 96 weeks after the completion of treatment. Twelve of 18 resistant variants, detected at re-elevation of viral load, were de novo resistant variants. Ten of 12 de novo resistant variants become undetectable over time, and that five of seven resistant variants, detected at baseline, persisted over time. In one patient, variants of Q80R at baseline (0.3%) increased at 96-week after the cessation of treatment (10.2%), and de novo resistant variants of D168E (0.3%) also increased at 96-week after the cessation of treatment (9.7%). In conclusion, the present study indicates that the emergence of simeprevir-resistant variants after the start of treatment could not be predicted at baseline, and the majority of de novo resistant variants become undetectable over time. Further large-scale prospective studies should be performed to investigate the clinical utility in detecting simeprevir-resistant variants. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  3. Time evolution in quantum cosmology

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lawrie, Ian D.

    2011-01-01

    A commonly adopted relational account of time evolution in generally covariant systems, and more specifically in quantum cosmology, is argued to be unsatisfactory, insofar as it describes evolution relative to observed readings of a clock that does not exist as a bona fide observable object. A modified strategy is proposed, in which evolution relative to the proper time that elapses along the worldline of a specific observer can be described through the introduction of a ''test clock,'' regarded as internal to, and hence unobservable by, that observer. This strategy is worked out in detail in the case of a homogeneous cosmology, in the context of both a conventional Schroedinger quantization scheme, and a 'polymer' quantization scheme of the kind inspired by loop quantum gravity. Particular attention is given to limitations placed on the observability of time evolution by the requirement that a test clock should contribute only a negligible energy to the Hamiltonian constraint. It is found that suitable compromises are available, in which the clock energy is reasonably small, while Dirac observables are reasonably sharply defined.

  4. Modelling microstructural evolution under irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tikare, V.

    2015-01-01

    Microstructural evolution of materials under irradiation is characterised by some unique features that are not typically present in other application environments. While much understanding has been achieved by experimental studies, the ability to model this microstructural evolution for complex materials states and environmental conditions not only enhances understanding, it also enables prediction of materials behaviour under conditions that are difficult to duplicate experimentally. Furthermore, reliable models enable designing materials for improved engineering performance for their respective applications. Thus, development and application of mesoscale microstructural model are important for advancing nuclear materials technologies. In this chapter, the application of the Potts model to nuclear materials will be reviewed and demonstrated, as an example of microstructural evolution processes. (author)

  5. Topological structure of the solution set for evolution inclusions

    CERN Document Server

    Zhou, Yong; Peng, Li

    2017-01-01

    This book systematically presents the topological structure of solution sets and attractability for nonlinear evolution inclusions, together with its relevant applications in control problems and partial differential equations. It provides readers the background material needed to delve deeper into the subject and explore the rich research literature.  In addition, the book addresses many of the basic techniques and results recently developed in connection with this theory, including the structure of solution sets for evolution inclusions with m-dissipative operators; quasi-autonomous and non-autonomous evolution inclusions and control systems;evolution inclusions with the Hille-Yosida operator; functional evolution inclusions; impulsive evolution inclusions; and stochastic evolution inclusions. Several applications of evolution inclusions and control systems are also discussed in detail.  Based on extensive research work conducted by the authors and other experts over the past four years, the information p...

  6. Effects of mass loss on the evolution of massive stars. I. Main-sequence evolution

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dearborn, D.S.P.; Blake, J.B.; Hainebach, K.L.; Schramm, D.N.

    1978-01-01

    The effect of mass loss on the evolution and surface composition of massive stars during main-sequence evolution are examined. While some details of the evolutionary track depend on the formula used for the mass loss, the results appear most sensitive to the total mass removed during the main-sequence lifetime. It was found that low mass-loss rates have very little effect on the evolution of a star; the track is slightly subluminous, but the lifetime is almost unaffected. High rates of mass loss lead to a hot, high-luminosity stellar model with a helium core surrounded by a hydrogen-deficient (Xapprox.0.1) envelope. The main-sequence lifetime is extended by a factor of 2--3. These models may be identified with Wolf-Rayet stars. Between these mass-loss extremes are intermediate models which appear as OBN stars on the main sequence. The mass-loss rates required for significant observable effects range from 8 x 10 -7 to 10 -5 M/sub sun/ yr -1 , depending on the initial stellar mass. It is found that observationally consistent mass-loss rates for stars with M> or =30 M/sub sun/ may be sufficiently high that these stars lose mass on a time scale more rapidly than their main-sequence core evolution time. This result implies that the helium cores resulting from the main-sequence evolution of these massive stars may all be very similar to that of a star of Mapprox.30 M/sub sun/ regardless of the zero-age mass

  7. Evolution of interstellar grains

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Greenberg, J.M.

    1984-01-01

    The principal aim of this chapter is to derive the properties of interstellar grains as a probe of local physical conditions and as a basis for predicting such properties as related to infrared emissivity and radiative transfer which can affect the evolution of dense clouds. The first sections will develop the criteria for grain models based directly on observations of gas and dust. A summary of the chemical evolution of grains and gas in diffuse and dense clouds follows. (author)

  8. Validering av Evolution 220

    OpenAIRE

    Krakeli, Tor-Arne

    2013-01-01

    - Det har blitt kjøpt inn et nytt spektrofotometer (Evolution 220, Thermo Scientific) til BioLab Nofima. I den forbindelsen har det blitt utført en validering som involverer kalibreringsstandarder fra produsenten og en test på normal distribusjon (t-test) på to metoder (Total fosfor, Tryptofan). Denne valideringen fant Evolution 220 til å være et akseptabelt alternativ til det allerede benyttede spektrofotometeret (Helios Beta). På bakgrunn av noen instrumentbegrensninger må de aktuelle an...

  9. Reflecting on the philosophical implications of evolution

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    I.H. Horn

    2003-08-01

    Full Text Available Evolution as paradigm is a prescribed topic in contemporary South African education. This means that macro-evolution – the idea that life evolved progressively from inert matter to humankind’s coming into being – must form the foundation of South African education. The aim of this article is to reflect, in a spirit of respectful yet critical enquiry, on three issues with regard to macro-evolution: First, the theory of macro-evolution is placed in its historical context which indicates that although this theory owes its widespread acceptance to Charles Darwin, it did not originate with him. Second, the scientific status of the theory of macro-evolution is scrutinised. Karl Popper’s view of this theory as a metaphysical framework for research is given, accompanied by a brief discussion. Third, three evolutionary worldviews are identified and discussed.

  10. Conceptualizing the origin of life in terms of evolution

    Science.gov (United States)

    Takeuchi, N.; Hogeweg, P.; Kaneko, K.

    2017-11-01

    In this opinion piece, we discuss how to place evolution in the context of origin-of-life research. Our discussion starts with a popular definition: `life is a self-sustained chemical system capable of undergoing Darwinian evolution'. According to this definition, the origin of life is the same as the origin of evolution: evolution is the `end' of the origin of life. This perspective, however, has a limitation, in that the ability of evolution in and of itself is insufficient to explain the origin of life as we know it, as indicated by Spiegelman's and Lincoln and Joyce's experiments. This limitation provokes a crucial question: What conditions are required for replicating systems to evolve into life? From this perspective, the origin of life includes the emergence of life through evolution: evolution is a `means' of the origin of life. After reviewing Eigen's pioneering work on this question, we mention our ongoing work suggesting that a key condition might be conflicting multi-level evolution. Taken together, there are thus two questions regarding the origin of life: how evolution gets started, and how evolution produces life. Evolution is, therefore, at the centre of the origin of life, where the two lines of enquiry must meet. This article is part of the themed issue 'Reconceptualizing the origins of life'.

  11. Contrasting patterns of evolution of 45S and 5S rDNA families uncover new aspects in the genome constitution of the agronomically important grass Thinopyrum intermedium (Triticeae).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mahelka, Václav; Kopecky, David; Baum, Bernard R

    2013-09-01

    We employed sequencing of clones and in situ hybridization (genomic and fluorescent in situ hybridization [GISH and rDNA-FISH]) to characterize both the sequence variation and genomic organization of 45S (herein ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 region) and 5S (5S gene + nontranscribed spacer) ribosomal DNA (rDNA) families in the allohexaploid grass Thinopyrum intermedium. Both rDNA families are organized within several rDNA loci within all three subgenomes of the allohexaploid species. Both families have undergone different patterns of evolution. The 45S rDNA family has evolved in a concerted manner: internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences residing within the arrays of two subgenomes out of three got homogenized toward one major ribotype, whereas the third subgenome contained a minor proportion of distinct unhomogenized copies. Homogenization mechanisms such as unequal crossover and/or gene conversion were coupled with the loss of certain 45S rDNA loci. Unlike in the 45S family, the data suggest that neither interlocus homogenization among homeologous chromosomes nor locus loss occurred in 5S rDNA. Consistently with other Triticeae, the 5S rDNA family in intermediate wheatgrass comprised two distinct array types-the long- and short-spacer unit classes. Within the long and short units, we distinguished five and three different types, respectively, likely representing homeologous unit classes donated by putative parental species. Although the major ITS ribotype corresponds in our phylogenetic analysis to the E-genome species, the minor ribotype corresponds to Dasypyrum. 5S sequences suggested the contributions from Pseudoroegneria, Dasypyrum, and Aegilops. The contribution from Aegilops to the intermediate wheatgrass' genome is a new finding with implications in wheat improvement. We discuss rDNA evolution and potential origin of intermediate wheatgrass.

  12. Spatial evolution of quantum mechanical states

    Science.gov (United States)

    Christensen, N. D.; Unger, J. E.; Pinto, S.; Su, Q.; Grobe, R.

    2018-02-01

    The time-dependent Schrödinger equation is solved traditionally as an initial-time value problem, where its solution is obtained by the action of the unitary time-evolution propagator on the quantum state that is known at all spatial locations but only at t = 0. We generalize this approach by examining the spatial evolution from a state that is, by contrast, known at all times t, but only at one specific location. The corresponding spatial-evolution propagator turns out to be pseudo-unitary. In contrast to the real energies that govern the usual (unitary) time evolution, the spatial evolution can therefore require complex phases associated with dynamically relevant solutions that grow exponentially. By introducing a generalized scalar product, for which the spatial generator is Hermitian, one can show that the temporal integral over the probability current density is spatially conserved, in full analogy to the usual norm of the state, which is temporally conserved. As an application of the spatial propagation formalism, we introduce a spatial backtracking technique that permits us to reconstruct any quantum information about an atom from the ionization data measured at a detector outside the interaction region.

  13. Mapping the evolution of scientific ideas

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Roberts, David [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Herrera, Mark [UNIV OF MARYLAND; Gulbahce, Natali [UNIV OF BOSTON

    2009-01-01

    Despite the apparent conceptual boundaries of scientific fields, a formal description for their evolution is lacking. Here we describe a novel approach to study the dynamics and evolution of scientific fields using a network-based analysis. We build an idea network consisting of American Physical Society PACS numbers as nodes representing scientific concepts. Two PACS numbers are linked if there exist publications that reference them simultaneously. We locate scientific fields using Cfinder, an overlapping community finding algorithm, and describe the time evolution of these fields using a community evolution method over the course of 1985-2006. The communities we identify map to known scientific fields, and their age strongly depends on t.heir size, impact and activity. Our analysis further suggests that communities that redefine themselves by merging and creating new groups of ideas tend to have more fitness as measured by the impact per paper, and hence communities with a higher fitness tend to be short-lived. The described approach to quantify the evolution of ideas may be relevant in making predictions about the future of science and how to guide its development.

  14. Uniparental Inheritance Promotes Adaptive Evolution in Cytoplasmic Genomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Christie, Joshua R; Beekman, Madeleine

    2017-03-01

    Eukaryotes carry numerous asexual cytoplasmic genomes (mitochondria and plastids). Lacking recombination, asexual genomes should theoretically suffer from impaired adaptive evolution. Yet, empirical evidence indicates that cytoplasmic genomes experience higher levels of adaptive evolution than predicted by theory. In this study, we use a computational model to show that the unique biology of cytoplasmic genomes-specifically their organization into host cells and their uniparental (maternal) inheritance-enable them to undergo effective adaptive evolution. Uniparental inheritance of cytoplasmic genomes decreases competition between different beneficial substitutions (clonal interference), promoting the accumulation of beneficial substitutions. Uniparental inheritance also facilitates selection against deleterious cytoplasmic substitutions, slowing Muller's ratchet. In addition, uniparental inheritance generally reduces genetic hitchhiking of deleterious substitutions during selective sweeps. Overall, uniparental inheritance promotes adaptive evolution by increasing the level of beneficial substitutions relative to deleterious substitutions. When we assume that cytoplasmic genome inheritance is biparental, decreasing the number of genomes transmitted during gametogenesis (bottleneck) aids adaptive evolution. Nevertheless, adaptive evolution is always more efficient when inheritance is uniparental. Our findings explain empirical observations that cytoplasmic genomes-despite their asexual mode of reproduction-can readily undergo adaptive evolution. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution.

  15. Stable numerical method in computation of stellar evolution

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sugimoto, Daiichiro; Eriguchi, Yoshiharu; Nomoto, Ken-ichi.

    1982-01-01

    To compute the stellar structure and evolution in different stages, such as (1) red-giant stars in which the density and density gradient change over quite wide ranges, (2) rapid evolution with neutrino loss or unstable nuclear flashes, (3) hydrodynamical stages of star formation or supernova explosion, (4) transition phases from quasi-static to dynamical evolutions, (5) mass-accreting or losing stars in binary-star systems, and (6) evolution of stellar core whose mass is increasing by shell burning or decreasing by penetration of convective envelope into the core, we face ''multi-timescale problems'' which can neither be treated by simple-minded explicit scheme nor implicit one. This problem has been resolved by three prescriptions; one by introducing the hybrid scheme suitable for the multi-timescale problems of quasi-static evolution with heat transport, another by introducing also the hybrid scheme suitable for the multi-timescale problems of hydrodynamic evolution, and the other by introducing the Eulerian or, in other words, the mass fraction coordinate for evolution with changing mass. When all of them are combined in a single computer code, we can compute numerically stably any phase of stellar evolution including transition phases, as far as the star is spherically symmetric. (author)

  16. Mapping the evolution of scientific fields.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Herrera, Mark; Roberts, David C; Gulbahce, Natali

    2010-05-04

    Despite the apparent cross-disciplinary interactions among scientific fields, a formal description of their evolution is lacking. Here we describe a novel approach to study the dynamics and evolution of scientific fields using a network-based analysis. We build an idea network consisting of American Physical Society Physics and Astronomy Classification Scheme (PACS) numbers as nodes representing scientific concepts. Two PACS numbers are linked if there exist publications that reference them simultaneously. We locate scientific fields using a community finding algorithm, and describe the time evolution of these fields over the course of 1985-2006. The communities we identify map to known scientific fields, and their age depends on their size and activity. We expect our approach to quantifying the evolution of ideas to be relevant for making predictions about the future of science and thus help to guide its development.

  17. Framework for Computer-Aided Evolution of Object-Oriented Designs

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ciraci, S.; van den Broek, P.M.; Aksit, Mehmet

    2008-01-01

    In this paper, we describe a framework for the computer aided evolution of the designs of object-oriented software systems. Evolution mechanisms are software structures that prepare software for certain type of evolutions. The framework uses a database which holds the evolution mechanisms, modeled

  18. Evolution to Autonomy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Horace Lockwood Fairlamb

    2007-08-01

    Full Text Available Since both modern moral theory and evolutionary theory arose in the shadow of Newtonian and Humean conceptions of nature, debates about evolutionary ethics have typically been vexed by deeper problems with the nature of evolution itself as well as meta-ethical questions about the link between facts and values. Humean skepticism and mechanistic selectionism have recently coincided in postmodern attacks on essentialism,on meta-narratives of progress, on models of human nature, and on moral collectivism. Against this most recent wave of skepticism, however, contemporary reconstructions of evolution in light of complex systems science suggest useful ways of reinterpreting both evolutionary causation, the biology of human nature, and their implications for ethics.

  19. Human evolution: humanistic selection and looking to the future.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krsiak, Miloslav

    2006-10-01

    Cultural evolution has predominated over biological evolution in modern man (Homo sapiens sapiens). Cultural evolution differs from biological evolution not only by inheritance of acquired characteristics but also, as is proposed in the present essay, by another kind of selection mechanism. Whereas selection in biological evolution is executed according to a criterion of reproductive success (the natural selection), selection in cultural evolution appears to be carried out according to human and humanistic criteria (success or fitness in meeting human needs, interests and humanistic values--"humanistic selection"). Many humanistic needs or values do not seem to be prerequisite for reproductive success, yet some of them (e.g. a need for freedom) seem to be inborn. Innateness, humanistic selection (decisive at a community level) and hierarchy of some human needs, interests and values appear to give cultural evolution a generally upward trend although long periods of stagnation or even regression may occur. Modern humans appear to be still at the early stage of their cultural evolution. A further cultural evolution of man appears to be, in contrast to biological evolution, predictable (with an optimistic outlook) and testable. The problem is that the hopeful result of this test will probably be known only in the fairly remote future provided that this species will not become extinct before that.

  20. Evolution equations for Killing fields

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Coll, B.

    1977-01-01

    The problem of finding necessary and sufficient conditions on the Cauchy data for Einstein equations which insure the existence of Killing fields in a neighborhood of an initial hypersurface has been considered recently by Berezdivin, Coll, and Moncrief. Nevertheless, it can be shown that the evolution equations obtained in all these cases are of nonstrictly hyperbolic type, and, thus, the Cauchy data must belong to a special class of functions. We prove here that, for the vacuum and Einstein--Maxwell space--times and in a coordinate independent way, one can always choose, as evolution equations for the Killing fields, a strictly hyperbolic system: The above theorems can be thus extended to all Cauchy data for which the Einstein evolution problem has been proved to be well set

  1. Extinction Events Can Accelerate Evolution

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lehman, Joel; Miikkulainen, Risto

    2015-01-01

    Extinction events impact the trajectory of biological evolution significantly. They are often viewed as upheavals to the evolutionary process. In contrast, this paper supports the hypothesis that although they are unpredictably destructive, extinction events may in the long term accelerate...... evolution by increasing evolvability. In particular, if extinction events extinguish indiscriminately many ways of life, indirectly they may select for the ability to expand rapidly through vacated niches. Lineages with such an ability are more likely to persist through multiple extinctions. Lending...... computational support for this hypothesis, this paper shows how increased evolvability will result from simulated extinction events in two computational models of evolved behavior. The conclusion is that although they are destructive in the short term, extinction events may make evolution more prolific...

  2. Darwinian evolution on a chip.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Brian M Paegel

    2008-04-01

    Full Text Available Computer control of Darwinian evolution has been demonstrated by propagating a population of RNA enzymes in a microfluidic device. The RNA population was challenged to catalyze the ligation of an oligonucleotide substrate under conditions of progressively lower substrate concentrations. A microchip-based serial dilution circuit automated an exponential growth phase followed by a 10-fold dilution, which was repeated for 500 log-growth iterations. Evolution was observed in real time as the population adapted and achieved progressively faster growth rates over time. The final evolved enzyme contained a set of 11 mutations that conferred a 90-fold improvement in substrate utilization, coinciding with the applied selective pressure. This system reduces evolution to a microfluidic algorithm, allowing the experimenter to observe and manipulate adaptation.

  3. Institutional Evolution and Corporate Boards

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Chen, Victor Zitian; Hobdari, Bersant; Sun, Pei

    2014-01-01

    We argue that corporate boards are a dynamic repository of human- and social capital in response to external institutional evolution. Theoretically, integrating institutional economics, agency theory and resource dependence theory, we explain that evolution of market-, legal- and political......, since the board changes are typically proposed by the block shareholders, whose motivation for doing so is closely associated with a corporation’s financial performance, we further argue that financial performance is a key moderator of the relationships between institutional evolution and changes...... institutions restructures the particular context in which board members play their two primary roles: monitoring the CEO on behalf of the shareholders, suggested by the agency theory, and supporting the CEO by providing resources, knowledge and information, suggested by the resource dependence theory...

  4. Reversible evolution of charged ergoregions

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kokkotas, K.; Spyrou, N.

    1987-07-01

    The reversible evolution of a charged rotating ergoregion, due to the injection into it of particles with mass-energy and angular momentum, is studied systematically. As in the uncharged case, a bulge always forms on the outer boundary of the ergoregion due to the latter's angular momentum. The behavior of the bulge's position, relative to the black hole's rotation axis and equatorial plane, is studied, on the basis of the cosmic censorship hypothesis, during the ergoregion's reversible evolution. The range of the permitted values of the ergoregion's linear dimensions along the rotation axis and perpendicular to it is specified. Finally the differences with the evolution of an uncharged ergoregion are pointed out and discussed.

  5. On protostellar evolution

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Westbrook, C.K.; Tarter, C.B.

    1975-01-01

    An investigation of the evolution of spherically symmetric protostars with initial masses in the range 0.1less than or equal toM/M/sub sun/less than or equal to50 has been carried out. In order to perform the calculations, a numerical technique has been developed in which rapid dynamical motions in one region of the star and quasi-static evolution in another region can be simultaneously computed. The general evolutionary features are similar to those found by other workers: an initial free-fall collapse is followed by the creation of a core in hydrostatic equilibrium, and the core's subsequent accretion of the surrounding envelope. However, our final hydrostatic-equilibrium configurations have radii large compared with those of the protostellar models of Larson (but in reasonable agreement with those of conventional pre-main-sequence models). For low-mass protostars (Mless than or equal toM/sub sun/) the luminosity remains relatively small until late evolutionary times and the evolution is very sensitive to the treatment of convective energy transport. For large-mass protostars (Mgreater than or equal to3M/sub sun/) a convective phase never exists, and a fraction (increasing with mass) of the initial mass is ejected by the combined effects of heating and radiation pressure in the envelope

  6. On Yi Concert "China' s memory, A Torch in the cloud"%浅谈《中国记忆·云中火把》彝族音乐会

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    张虎

    2012-01-01

    《中国记忆·云中火把》在上海音乐厅的成功演出,标志着楚雄彝族音乐走向世界的开始,音乐会的演出成功是楚雄、上海两地艺术家们交流、合作、共同努力的结果。以此为契机,努力打造更加优秀的音乐作品,来赢得人们对彝族音乐的认可。%The successful performance of "China' s memory, a torch in the cloud" in Shanghai concert hall marks the beginning of Yi music going global, to which the artists contribute through their communication, cooperation and joint effort. Taking this opportunity, we should create more good music works to win the world' s recognition.

  7. Collaborative Problem-solution Co-evolution in Creative Design

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wiltschnig, Stefan; Christensen, Bo; J. Ball, Linden

    2013-01-01

    . The analysis revealed that co-evolution episodes occurred regularly and embodied various directional transitions between problem and solution spaces. Moreover, the team leader often initiated this co-evolution. Co-evolution episodes linked with other creative activities such as analogising and mental...

  8. Pleiotropic functions of embryonic sonic hedgehog expression link jaw and taste bud amplification with eye loss during cavefish evolution.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yamamoto, Yoshiyuki; Byerly, Mardi S; Jackman, William R; Jeffery, William R

    2009-06-01

    This study addresses the role of sonic hedgehog (shh) in increasing oral-pharyngeal constructive traits (jaws and taste buds) at the expense of eyes in the blind cavefish Astyanax mexicanus. In cavefish embryos, eye primordia degenerate under the influence of hyperactive Shh signaling. In concert, cavefish show amplified jaw size and taste bud numbers as part of a change in feeding behavior. To determine whether pleiotropic effects of hyperactive Shh signaling link these regressive and constructive traits, shh expression was compared during late development of the surface-dwelling (surface fish) and cave-dwelling (cavefish) forms of Astyanax. After an initial expansion along the midline of early embryos, shh was elevated in the oral-pharyngeal region in cavefish and later was confined to taste buds. The results of shh inhibition and overexpression experiments indicate that Shh signaling has an important role in oral and taste bud development. Conditional overexpression of an injected shh transgene at specific times in development showed that taste bud amplification and eye degeneration are sensitive to shh overexpression during the same early developmental period, although taste buds are not formed until much later. Genetic crosses between cavefish and surface fish revealed an inverse relationship between eye size and jaw size/taste bud number, supporting a link between oral-pharyngeal constructive traits and eye degeneration. The results suggest that hyperactive Shh signaling increases oral and taste bud amplification in cavefish at the expense of eyes. Therefore, selection for constructive oral-pharyngeal traits may be responsible for eye loss during cavefish evolution via pleiotropic function of the Shh signaling pathway.

  9. Lifetime monogamy and the evolution of eusociality

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Boomsma, Jacobus J

    2009-01-01

    and termites is thus analogous to the evolution of multicellularity. Focusing on lifetime monogamy as a universal precondition for the evolution of obligate eusociality simplifies the theory and may help to resolve controversies about levels of selection and targets of adaptation. The monogamy window...... underlines that cooperative breeding and eusociality are different domains of social evolution, characterized by different sectors of parameter space for Hamilton's rule....

  10. Experiences and Practices of Evolution Instructors at Christian Universities That Can Inform Culturally Competent Evolution Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barnes, M. Elizabeth; Brownell, Sara E.

    2018-01-01

    Students' religious beliefs and religious cultures have been shown to be the main factors predicting whether they will accept evolution, yet college biology instructors teaching evolution at public institutions often have religious beliefs and cultures that are different from their religious students. This difference in religious beliefs and…

  11. Time evolution of one-dimensional gapless models from a domain wall initial state: stochastic Loewner evolution continued?

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Calabrese, Pasquale; Hagendorf, Christian; Doussal, Pierre Le

    2008-01-01

    We study the time evolution of quantum one-dimensional gapless systems evolving from initial states with a domain wall. We generalize the path integral imaginary time approach that together with boundary conformal field theory allows us to derive the time and space dependence of general correlation functions. The latter are explicitly obtained for the Ising universality class, and the typical behavior of one- and two-point functions is derived for the general case. Possible connections with the stochastic Loewner evolution are discussed and explicit results for one-point time dependent averages are obtained for generic κ for boundary conditions corresponding to stochastic Loewner evolution. We use this set of results to predict the time evolution of the entanglement entropy and obtain the universal constant shift due to the presence of a domain wall in the initial state

  12. Evolution of planetary nebula nuclei

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shaw, R.A.

    1985-01-01

    The evolution of planetary nebula nuclei (PNNs) is examined with the aid of the most recent available stellar evolution calculations and new observations of these objects. Their expected distribution in the log L-log T plane is calculated based upon the stellar evolutionary models of Paczynski, Schoenberner and Iben, the initial mass function derived by Miller and Scalo, and various assumptions concerning mass loss during post-main sequence evolution. The distribution is found to be insensitive both to the assumed range of main-sequence progenitor mass and to reasonable variations in the age and the star forming history of the galactic disk. Rather, the distribution is determined by the strong dependence of the rate of stellar evolution upon core mass, the steepness of the initial mass function, and to a lesser extent the finite lifetime of an observable planetary nebula. The theoretical distributions are rather different than any of those inferred from earlier observations. Possible observational selection effects that may be responsible are examined, as well as the intrinsic uncertainties associated with the theoretical model predictions. An extensive photometric and smaller photographic survey of southern hemisphere planetary nebulae (PNs) is presented

  13. Factors Potentially Influencing Student Acceptance of Biological Evolution

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wiles, Jason R.

    This investigation explored scientific, religious, and otherwise nonscientific factors that may influence student acceptance of biological evolution and related concepts, how students perceived these factors to have influenced their levels of acceptance of evolution and changes therein, and what patterns arose among students' articulations of how their levels of acceptance of evolution may have changed. This exploration also measured the extent to which students' levels of acceptance changed following a treatment designed to address factors identified as potentially affecting student acceptance of evolution. Acceptance of evolution was measured using the MATE instrument (Rutledge and Warden, 1999; Rutledge and Sadler, 2007) among participants enrolled in a secondary-level academic program during the summer prior to their final year of high school and as they transitioned to the post-secondary level. Student acceptance of evolution was measured to be significantly higher than pre-treatment levels both immediately following and slightly over one year after treatment. Qualitative data from informal questionnaires, from formal course evaluations, and from semi-structured interviews of students engaged in secondary level education and former students at various stages of post-secondary education confirmed that the suspected factors were perceived by participants to have influenced their levels of acceptance of evolution. Furthermore, participant reports provided insight regarding the relative effects they perceived these factors to have had on their evolution acceptance levels. Additionally, many participants reported that their science teachers in public schools had avoided, omitted, or denigrated evolution during instruction, and several of these students expressed frustration regarding what they perceived to have been a lack of education of an important scientific principle. Finally, no students expressed feelings of being offended by having been taught about

  14. What are windows on language evolution?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Botha, Rudolf

    2008-01-01

    This chapter offers an elucidation of the idea that certain phenomena provide windows on language evolution. Non-metaphorically, such windows are shown to be conceptual constructs used for making inferences about aspects of language evolution from data or assumptions about properties of

  15. Evolution of the carabid ground beetles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Osawa, S; Su, Z H; Kim, C G; Okamoto, M; Tominaga, O; Imura, Y

    1999-01-01

    The phylogenetic relationships of the carabid ground beetles have been estimated by analysing a large part of the ND5 gene sequences of more than 1,000 specimens consisting of the representative species and geographic races covering most of the genera and subgenera known in the world. From the phylogenetic analyses in conjunction with the mtDNA-based dating, a scenario of the establishment of the present habitats of the respective Japanese carabids has been constructed. The carabid diversification took place ca. 40 MYA as an explosive radiation of the major genera. During evolution, occasional small or single bangs also took place, sometimes accompanied by parallel morphological evolution in phylogenetically remote as well as close lineages. The existence of silent periods, in which few morphological changes took place, has been recognized during evolution. Thus, the carabid evolution is discontinuous, alternatively having a phase of rapid morphological change and a silent phase.

  16. Optimal Control for Stochastic Delay Evolution Equations

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Meng, Qingxin, E-mail: mqx@hutc.zj.cn [Huzhou University, Department of Mathematical Sciences (China); Shen, Yang, E-mail: skyshen87@gmail.com [York University, Department of Mathematics and Statistics (Canada)

    2016-08-15

    In this paper, we investigate a class of infinite-dimensional optimal control problems, where the state equation is given by a stochastic delay evolution equation with random coefficients, and the corresponding adjoint equation is given by an anticipated backward stochastic evolution equation. We first prove the continuous dependence theorems for stochastic delay evolution equations and anticipated backward stochastic evolution equations, and show the existence and uniqueness of solutions to anticipated backward stochastic evolution equations. Then we establish necessary and sufficient conditions for optimality of the control problem in the form of Pontryagin’s maximum principles. To illustrate the theoretical results, we apply stochastic maximum principles to study two examples, an infinite-dimensional linear-quadratic control problem with delay and an optimal control of a Dirichlet problem for a stochastic partial differential equation with delay. Further applications of the two examples to a Cauchy problem for a controlled linear stochastic partial differential equation and an optimal harvesting problem are also considered.

  17. Two small RNAs, CrcY and CrcZ, act in concert to sequester the Crc global regulator in Pseudomonas putida, modulating catabolite repression.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moreno, Renata; Fonseca, Pilar; Rojo, Fernando

    2012-01-01

    The Crc protein is a translational repressor that recognizes a specific target at some mRNAs, controlling catabolite repression and co-ordinating carbon metabolism in pseudomonads. In Pseudomonas aeruginosa, the levels of free Crc protein are controlled by CrcZ, a sRNA that sequesters Crc, acting as an antagonist. We show that, in Pseudomonas putida, the levels of free Crc are controlled by CrcZ and by a novel 368 nt sRNA named CrcY. CrcZ and CrcY, which contain six potential targets for Crc, were able to bind Crc specifically in vitro. The levels of CrcZ and CrcY were low under conditions generating a strong catabolite repression, and increased strongly when catabolite repression was absent. Deletion of either crcZ or crcY had no effect on catabolite repression, but the simultaneous absence of both sRNAs led to constitutive catabolite repression that compromised growth on some carbon sources. Overproduction of CrcZ or CrcY significantly reduced repression. We propose that CrcZ and CrcY act in concert, sequestering and modulating the levels of free Crc according to metabolic conditions. The CbrA/CbrB two-component system activated crcZ transcription, but had little effect on crcY. CrcY was detected in P. putida, Pseudomonas fluorescens and Pseudomonas syringae, but not in P. aeruginosa. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  18. On the evolution of cluster scaling relations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Diemer, Benedikt; Kravtsov, Andrey V.; More, Surhud

    2013-01-01

    Understanding the evolution of scaling relations between the observable properties of clusters and their total mass is key to realizing their potential as cosmological probes. In this study, we investigate whether the evolution of cluster scaling relations is affected by the spurious evolution of mass caused by the evolving reference density with respect to which halo masses are defined (pseudo-evolution). We use the relation between mass, M, and velocity dispersion, σ, as a test case, and show that the deviation from the M-σ relation of cluster-sized halos caused by pseudo-evolution is smaller than 10% for a wide range of mass definitions. The reason for this small impact is a tight relation between the velocity dispersion and mass profiles, σ(evolution, halos approximately preserve their M-σ relation. This result highlights the fact that tight scaling relations are the result of tight equilibrium relations between radial profiles of physical quantities. We find exceptions at very small and very large radii, where the profiles deviate from the relations they exhibit at intermediate radii. We discuss the implications of these results for other cluster scaling relations and argue that pseudo-evolution should have a small effect on most scaling relations, except for those that involve the stellar masses of galaxies. In particular, we show that the relation between stellar-mass fraction and total mass is affected by pseudo-evolution and is largely shaped by it for halo masses ≲ 10 14 M ☉ .

  19. Uniparental Inheritance Promotes Adaptive Evolution in Cytoplasmic Genomes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Christie, Joshua R.; Beekman, Madeleine

    2017-01-01

    Eukaryotes carry numerous asexual cytoplasmic genomes (mitochondria and plastids). Lacking recombination, asexual genomes should theoretically suffer from impaired adaptive evolution. Yet, empirical evidence indicates that cytoplasmic genomes experience higher levels of adaptive evolution than predicted by theory. In this study, we use a computational model to show that the unique biology of cytoplasmic genomes—specifically their organization into host cells and their uniparental (maternal) inheritance—enable them to undergo effective adaptive evolution. Uniparental inheritance of cytoplasmic genomes decreases competition between different beneficial substitutions (clonal interference), promoting the accumulation of beneficial substitutions. Uniparental inheritance also facilitates selection against deleterious cytoplasmic substitutions, slowing Muller’s ratchet. In addition, uniparental inheritance generally reduces genetic hitchhiking of deleterious substitutions during selective sweeps. Overall, uniparental inheritance promotes adaptive evolution by increasing the level of beneficial substitutions relative to deleterious substitutions. When we assume that cytoplasmic genome inheritance is biparental, decreasing the number of genomes transmitted during gametogenesis (bottleneck) aids adaptive evolution. Nevertheless, adaptive evolution is always more efficient when inheritance is uniparental. Our findings explain empirical observations that cytoplasmic genomes—despite their asexual mode of reproduction—can readily undergo adaptive evolution. PMID:28025277

  20. Rupture

    CERN Multimedia

    Association du personnel

    2006-01-01

    Our Director-General is indifferent to the tradition of concertation foreseen in our statutes and is "culturally" unable to associate the Staff Association with problem-solving in staff matters. He drags his heels as long as possible before entering into negotiations, presents "often misleading" solutions at the last minute which he only accepts to change once a power struggle has been established. Faced with this rupture and despite its commitment to concertation between gentlemen. The results of the poll in which the staff is invited to participate this week. We therefore need your support to state our claims to the Governing Bodies. The Staff Association proposes a new medium of communication and thus hopes to show that it is ready for future negotiations. The pages devoted to the Staff Association are presented in a more informative, reactive and factual manner and in line with the evolution of the social situation at CERN. We want to establish strong and continuous ties between the members of CERN and ou...

  1. Bringing molecules back into molecular evolution.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Claus O Wilke

    Full Text Available Much molecular-evolution research is concerned with sequence analysis. Yet these sequences represent real, three-dimensional molecules with complex structure and function. Here I highlight a growing trend in the field to incorporate molecular structure and function into computational molecular-evolution work. I consider three focus areas: reconstruction and analysis of past evolutionary events, such as phylogenetic inference or methods to infer selection pressures; development of toy models and simulations to identify fundamental principles of molecular evolution; and atom-level, highly realistic computational modeling of molecular structure and function aimed at making predictions about possible future evolutionary events.

  2. The relation between stellar evolution and cosmology

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tayler, R.J.

    1984-01-01

    Observations of star clusters combined with the theory of stellar evolution enable us to estimate the ages of stars while cosmological observations and theories give us a value for the age of the Universe. This is the most important interaction between cosmology and stellar evolution because it is clearly necessary that stars are younger than the Universe. Stellar evolution also plays an important role in relating the present chemical composition of the Universe to its original composition. The author restricts the review to a discussion of the relation between stellar evolution and the big bang cosmological theory because there is such a good qualitative agreement between the hot big bang theory and observations. (Auth.)

  3. Within-Host Evolution of Human Influenza Virus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xue, Katherine S; Moncla, Louise H; Bedford, Trevor; Bloom, Jesse D

    2018-03-10

    The rapid global evolution of influenza virus begins with mutations that arise de novo in individual infections, but little is known about how evolution occurs within hosts. We review recent progress in understanding how and why influenza viruses evolve within human hosts. Advances in deep sequencing make it possible to measure within-host genetic diversity in both acute and chronic influenza infections. Factors like antigenic selection, antiviral treatment, tissue specificity, spatial structure, and multiplicity of infection may affect how influenza viruses evolve within human hosts. Studies of within-host evolution can contribute to our understanding of the evolutionary and epidemiological factors that shape influenza virus's global evolution. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. QSO evolution in the interaction model

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    De Robertis, M.

    1985-01-01

    QSO evolution is investigated according to the interaction hypothesis described most recently by Stockton (1982), in which activity results from an interaction between two galaxies resulting in the transfer of gas onto a supermassive black hole (SBH) at the center of at least one participant. Explicit models presented here for interactions in cluster environments show that a peak QSO population can be formed in this way at zroughly-equal2--3, with little activity prior to this epoch. Calculated space densities match those inferred from observations for this epoch. Substantial density evolution is expected in such models, since, after virialization, conditions in the cores of rich clusters lead to the depletion of gas-rich systems through ram-pressure stripping. Density evolution parameters of 6--12 are easily accounted for. At smaller redshifts, however, QSOs should be found primarily in poor clusters or groups. Probability estimates provided by this model are consistent with local estimates for the observed number of QSOs per interaction. Significant luminosity-dependent evolution might also be expected in these models. It is suggested that the mean SBH mass increases with lookback time, leading to a statistical brightening with redshift. Undoubtedly, both forms of evolution contribute to the overall QSO luminosity function

  5. The spontaneous market order and evolution.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beck, Naomi

    2016-08-01

    Darwin's theory of natural selection and the idea of a spontaneous order share a fundamental feature: the claim that apparent design or order do not necessarily imply a designer or rational planning. But they also present important differences, which touch upon central questions such as the evolution of morality, the role of human agency in social evolution, the existence (or not) of directionality in undesigned processes, and the presence (nor not) of a providential element in evolutionary accounts. In this article, I explore these themes and probe the relationship between the notion of a spontaneous order and the theory of evolution by natural selection. The reflections of Nobel laureate in economics, F.A. von Hayek, provide the beginning and endpoint in this voyage, for they constitute the most pronounced effort to develop a full-fledged theory combining evolution and economics in recent times. But along the way, I also investigate the influence of classical political economy on Darwin's thought, primarily that of Adam Smith, and consider the reasons for which Darwin did not refer to Smith when discussing the principle of natural selection in The Origin of Species. I conclude that the spontaneous order, as understood by Hayek, and evolution by natural selection constitute two disparate concepts. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Evolution of Linux operating system network

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xiao, Guanping; Zheng, Zheng; Wang, Haoqin

    2017-01-01

    Linux operating system (LOS) is a sophisticated man-made system and one of the most ubiquitous operating systems. However, there is little research on the structure and functionality evolution of LOS from the prospective of networks. In this paper, we investigate the evolution of the LOS network. 62 major releases of LOS ranging from versions 1.0 to 4.1 are modeled as directed networks in which functions are denoted by nodes and function calls are denoted by edges. It is found that the size of the LOS network grows almost linearly, while clustering coefficient monotonically decays. The degree distributions are almost the same: the out-degree follows an exponential distribution while both in-degree and undirected degree follow power-law distributions. We further explore the functionality evolution of the LOS network. It is observed that the evolution of functional modules is shown as a sequence of seven events (changes) succeeding each other, including continuing, growth, contraction, birth, splitting, death and merging events. By means of a statistical analysis of these events in the top 4 largest components (i.e., arch, drivers, fs and net), it is shown that continuing, growth and contraction events occupy more than 95% events. Our work exemplifies a better understanding and describing of the dynamics of LOS evolution.

  7. Evolution of the Cosmic Web

    Science.gov (United States)

    Einasto, J.

    2017-07-01

    In the evolution of the cosmic web dark energy plays an important role. To understand the role of dark energy we investigate the evolution of superclusters in four cosmological models: standard model SCDM, conventional model LCDM, open model OCDM, and a hyper-dark-energy model HCDM. Numerical simulations of the evolution are performed in a box of size 1024 Mpc/h. Model superclusters are compared with superclusters found for Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). Superclusters are searched using density fields. LCDM superclusters have properties, very close to properties of observed SDSS superclusters. Standard model SCDM has about 2 times more superclusters than other models, but SCDM superclusters are smaller and have lower luminosities. Superclusters as principal structural elements of the cosmic web are present at all cosmological epochs.

  8. A Constructive Approach To Software Evolution

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ciraci, S.; van den Broek, P.M.; Aksit, Mehmet

    2007-01-01

    In many software design and evaluation techniques, either the software evolution problem is not systematically elaborated, or only the impact of evolution is considered. Thus, most of the time software is changed by editing the components of the software system, i.e. breaking down the software

  9. Ecology and Evolution: Islands of Change.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Benz, Richard

    This book was designed for middle and junior high school science classes and focuses on island biogeography, ecology, and evolution. Sections include: (1) "Galapagos: Frame of Reference"; (2) "Ecology and Islands"; and (3) "Evolution." Nineteen standards-based activities use the Galapagos Islands as a running theme…

  10. Consciousness and biological evolution.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lindahl, B I

    1997-08-21

    It has been suggested that if the preservation and development of consciousness in the biological evolution is a result of natural selection, it is plausible that consciousness not only has been influenced by neural processes, but has had a survival value itself; and it could only have had this, if it had also been efficacious. This argument for mind-brain interaction is examined, both as the argument has been developed by William James and Karl Popper and as it has been discussed by C.D. Broad. The problem of identifying mental phenomena with certain neural phenomena is also addressed. The main conclusion of the analysis is that an explanation of the evolution of consciousness in Darwinian terms of natural selection does not rule out that consciousness may have evolved as a mere causally inert effect of the evolution of the nervous system, or that mental phenomena are identical with certain neural phenomena. However, the interactionistic theory still seems, more plausible and more fruitful for other reasons brought up in the discussion.

  11. Enhancer Evolution across 20 Mammalian Species

    Science.gov (United States)

    Villar, Diego; Berthelot, Camille; Aldridge, Sarah; Rayner, Tim F.; Lukk, Margus; Pignatelli, Miguel; Park, Thomas J.; Deaville, Robert; Erichsen, Jonathan T.; Jasinska, Anna J.; Turner, James M.A.; Bertelsen, Mads F.; Murchison, Elizabeth P.; Flicek, Paul; Odom, Duncan T.

    2015-01-01

    Summary The mammalian radiation has corresponded with rapid changes in noncoding regions of the genome, but we lack a comprehensive understanding of regulatory evolution in mammals. Here, we track the evolution of promoters and enhancers active in liver across 20 mammalian species from six diverse orders by profiling genomic enrichment of H3K27 acetylation and H3K4 trimethylation. We report that rapid evolution of enhancers is a universal feature of mammalian genomes. Most of the recently evolved enhancers arise from ancestral DNA exaptation, rather than lineage-specific expansions of repeat elements. In contrast, almost all liver promoters are partially or fully conserved across these species. Our data further reveal that recently evolved enhancers can be associated with genes under positive selection, demonstrating the power of this approach for annotating regulatory adaptations in genomic sequences. These results provide important insight into the functional genetics underpinning mammalian regulatory evolution. PMID:25635462

  12. Chance and necessity in eye evolution.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gehring, Walter J

    2011-01-01

    Charles Darwin has proposed the theory that evolution of live organisms is based on random variation and natural selection. Jacques Monod in his classic book Chance and Necessity, published 40 years ago, presented his thesis "that the biosphere does not contain a predictable class of objects or events, but constitutes a particular occurrence, compatible indeed with the first principles, but not deducible from those principals and therefore, essentially unpredictable." Recent discoveries in eye evolution are in agreement with both of these theses. They confirm Darwin's assumption of a simple eye prototype and lend strong support for the notion of a monophyletic origin of the various eye types. Considering the complexity of the underlying gene regulatory networks the unpredictability is obvious. The evolution of the Hox gene cluster and the specification of the body plan starting from an evolutionary prototype segment is discussed. In the course of evolution, a series of similar prototypic segments gradually undergoes cephalization anteriorly and caudalization posteriorly through diversification of the Hox genes.

  13. Security Evolution.

    Science.gov (United States)

    De Patta, Joe

    2003-01-01

    Examines how to evaluate school security, begin making schools safe, secure schools without turning them into fortresses, and secure schools easily and affordably; the evolution of security systems into information technology systems; using schools' high-speed network lines; how one specific security system was developed; pros and cons of the…

  14. Qutrit squeezing via semiclassical evolution

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Klimov, Andrei B; Dinani, Hossein Tavakoli; Medendorp, Zachari E D; Guise, Hubert de

    2011-01-01

    We introduce a concept of squeezing in collective qutrit systems through a geometrical picture connected to the deformation of the isotropic fluctuations of su(3) operators when evaluated in a coherent state. This kind of squeezing can be generated by Hamiltonians nonlinear in the generators of su(3) algebra. A simplest model of such a nonlinear evolution is analyzed in terms of semiclassical evolution of the SU(3) Wigner function. (paper)

  15. The Physics of Open Ended Evolution

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adams, Alyssa M.

    What makes living systems different than non-living ones? Unfortunately this question is impossible to answer, at least currently. Instead, we must face computationally tangible questions based on our current understanding of physics, computation, information, and biology. Yet we have few insights into how living systems might quantifiably differ from their non-living counterparts, as in a mathematical foundation to explain away our observations of biological evolution, emergence, innovation, and organization. The development of a theory of living systems, if at all possible, demands a mathematical understanding of how data generated by complex biological systems changes over time. In addition, this theory ought to be broad enough as to not be constrained to an Earth-based biochemistry. In this dissertation, the philosophy of studying living systems from the perspective of traditional physics is first explored as a motivating discussion for subsequent research. Traditionally, we have often thought of the physical world from a bottom-up approach: things happening on a smaller scale aggregate into things happening on a larger scale. In addition, the laws of physics are generally considered static over time. Research suggests that biological evolution may follow dynamic laws that (at least in part) change as a function of the state of the system. Of the three featured research projects, cellular automata (CA) are used as a model to study certain aspects of living systems in two of them. These aspects include self-reference, open-ended evolution, local physical universality, subjectivity, and information processing. Open-ended evolution and local physical universality are attributed to the vast amount of innovation observed throughout biological evolution. Biological systems may distinguish themselves in terms of information processing and storage, not outside the theory of computation. The final research project concretely explores real-world phenomenon by means of

  16. Dispatches from the evolution wars: shifting tactics and expanding battlefields.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Branch, Glenn; Scott, Eugenie C; Rosenau, Joshua

    2010-01-01

    Creationism continues to present a challenge to the teaching of evolution in the United States. With attempts to ban evolution education and to "balance" the teaching of evolution with creationism unavailing, creationists are increasingly favoring the approach of misrepresenting evolution as scientifically controversial. To understand the ongoing challenges facing evolution education in the United States, it is necessary to appreciate creationist actions at the different levels of educational governance--state legislatures, state boards of education, local boards of education, and finally the individual classroom--that serve as the battlegrounds for the evolution education wars. Scientists are in a unique position to defend the teaching of evolution, both by resisting creationist incursions as they occur and by helping to improve the teaching of evolution at both the precollege and college levels.

  17. Teaching Evolution: A Heuristic Study of Personal and Cultural Dissonance

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grimes, Larry G.

    Darwinian evolution is a robustly supported scientific theory. Yet creationists continue to challenge its teaching in American public schools. Biology teachers in all 50 states are responsible for teaching science content standards that include evolution. As products of their backgrounds and affiliations teachers bring personal attitudes and beliefs to their teaching. The purpose of this study was to explore how biology teachers perceive, describe, and value their teaching of evolution. This research question was explored through a heuristic qualitative methodology. Eight veteran California high school biology teachers were queried as to their beliefs, perceptions, experiences and practices of teaching evolution. Both personal and professional documents were collected. Data was presented in the form of biographical essays that highlight teachers' backgrounds, experiences, perspectives and practices of teaching evolution. Of special interest was how they describe pressure over teaching evolution during a decade of standards and No Child Left Behind high-stakes testing mandates. Five common themes emerged. Standards have increased the overall amount of evolution that is taught. High-stakes testing has decreased the depth at which evolution is taught. Teacher belief systems strongly influence how evolution is taught. Fear of creationist challenges effect evolution teaching strategies. And lastly, concern over the potential effects of teaching evolution on student worldviews was mixed. Three categories of teacher concern over the potential impact of evolution on student worldviews were identified: Concerned, Strategist, and Carefree. In the final analysis teacher beliefs and attitudes still appeared to he the most important factor influencing how evolution is taught.

  18. Exploring stellar evolution with gravitational-wave observations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dvorkin, Irina; Uzan, Jean-Philippe; Vangioni, Elisabeth; Silk, Joseph

    2018-05-01

    Recent detections of gravitational waves from merging binary black holes opened new possibilities to study the evolution of massive stars and black hole formation. In particular, stellar evolution models may be constrained on the basis of the differences in the predicted distribution of black hole masses and redshifts. In this work we propose a framework that combines galaxy and stellar evolution models and use it to predict the detection rates of merging binary black holes for various stellar evolution models. We discuss the prospects of constraining the shape of the time delay distribution of merging binaries using just the observed distribution of chirp masses. Finally, we consider a generic model of primordial black hole formation and discuss the possibility of distinguishing it from stellar-origin black holes.

  19. Overcoming Deception in Evolution of Cognitive Behaviors

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lehman, Joel; Miikkulainen, Risto

    2014-01-01

    When scaling neuroevolution to complex behaviors, cognitive capabilities such as learning, communication, and memory become increasingly important. However, successfully evolving such cognitive abilities remains difficult. This paper argues that a main cause for such difficulty is deception, i.......e. evolution converges to a behavior unrelated to the desired solution. More specifically, cognitive behaviors often require accumulating neural structure that provides no immediate fitness benefit, and evolution often thus converges to non-cognitive solutions. To investigate this hypothesis, a common...... evolutionary robotics T-Maze domain is adapted in three separate ways to require agents to communicate, remember, and learn. Indicative of deception, evolution driven by objective-based fitness often converges upon simple non- cognitive behaviors. In contrast, evolution driven to explore novel behaviors, i...

  20. Molecular evolution and the latitudinal biodiversity gradient.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dowle, E J; Morgan-Richards, M; Trewick, S A

    2013-06-01

    Species density is higher in the tropics (low latitude) than in temperate regions (high latitude) resulting in a latitudinal biodiversity gradient (LBG). The LBG must be generated by differential rates of speciation and/or extinction and/or immigration among regions, but the role of each of these processes is still unclear. Recent studies examining differences in rates of molecular evolution have inferred a direct link between rate of molecular evolution and rate of speciation, and postulated these as important drivers of the LBG. Here we review the molecular genetic evidence and examine the factors that might be responsible for differences in rates of molecular evolution. Critical to this is the directionality of the relationship between speciation rates and rates of molecular evolution.