Policy analysis and policy analytics

Working from a description of what policy analysis entails, we review the emergence of the recent field of analytics and how it may impact public policy making. In particular, we seek to expose current applications of, and future possibilities for, new analytic methods that can be used to support public policy problem-solving and decision processes, which we term policy analytics. We then review key contributions to this special volume, which seek to support policy making or delivery in the areas of energy planning, urban transportation planning, medical emergency planning, healthcare, social services, national security, defence, government finance allocation, understanding public opinion, and fire and police services. An identified challenge, which is specific to policy analytics, is to recognize that public sector applications must balance the need for robust and convincing analysis with the need for satisfying legitimate public expectations about transparency and opportunities for participation. This opens up a range of forms of analysis relevant to public policy distinct from those most common in business, including those that can support democratization and mediation of value conflicts within policy processes. We conclude by identifying some potential research and development issues for the emerging field of policy analytics

Self-assembly of cyclic peptide monolayers by hydrophobic supramolecular hinges

Supramolecular polymerisation of two-dimensional (2D) materials requires monomers with non-covalent binding motifs that can control the directionality of both dimensions of growth. A tug of war between these propagation forces can bias polymerisation in either direction, ultimately determining the structure and properties of the final 2D ensemble. Deconvolution of the assembly dynamics of 2D supramolecular systems has been widely overlooked, making monomer design largely empirical. It is thus key to define new design principles for suitable monomers that allow the control of the direction and the dynamics of two-dimensional self-assembled architectures. Here, we investigate the sequential assembly mechanism of new monolayer architectures of cyclic peptide nanotubes by computational simulations and synthesised peptide sequences with selected mutations. Rationally designed cyclic peptide scaffolds are shown to undergo hierarchical self-assembly and afford monolayers of supramolecular nanotubes. The particular geometry, the rigidity and the planar conformation of cyclic peptides of alternating chirality allow the orthogonal orientation of hydrophobic domains that define lateral supramolecular contacts, and ultimately direct the propagation of the monolayers of peptide nanotubes. A flexible ‘tryptophan hinge’ at the hydrophobic interface was found to allow lateral dynamic interactions between cyclic peptides and thus maintain the stability of the tubular monolayer structure. These results unfold the potential of cyclic peptide scaffolds for the rational design of supramolecular polymerisation processes and hierarchical self-assembly across the different dimensions of space

Attentional gain is modulated by probabilistic feature expectations in a spatial cueing task: ERP evidence

Several theoretical and empirical studies suggest that attention and perceptual expectations influence perception in an interactive manner, whereby attentional gain is enhanced for predicted stimuli. The current study assessed whether attention and perceptual expectations interface when they are fully orthogonal, i.e., each of them relates to different stimulus features. We used a spatial cueing task with block-wise spatial attention cues that directed attention to either left or right visual field, in which Gabor gratings of either predicted (more likely) or unpredicted (less likely) orientation were presented. The lateralised posterior N1pc component was additively influenced by attention and perceptual expectations. Bayesian analysis showed no reliable evidence for the interactive effect of attention and expectations on the N1pc amplitude. However, attention and perceptual expectations interactively influenced the frontally distributed anterior N1 component (N1a). The attention effect (i.e., enhanced N1a amplitude in the attended compared to the unattended condition) was observed only for the gratings of predicted orientation, but not in the unpredicted condition. These findings suggest that attention and perceptual expectations interactively influence visual processing within 200 ms after stimulus onset and such joint influence may lead to enhanced endogenous attentional control in the dorsal fronto-parietal attention network

Approach to the Lower Pliocene marine-continental correlation from southern Spain. The micrommamal site of Alhaurín el Grande-1 (Málaga Basin, Betic Cordillera, Spain)

A new micromammal site at Alhaurín el Grande (Málaga, southern Spain) located above early Pliocene marine deposits allows an approach to the marine-continental correlation for this age. The early Pliocene marine filling throughout the Málaga Basin is developed in three transgressive-regressive sequences (Pl-1, Pl-2, and Pl-3 units) bounded by discontinuities. At the top of the intermediate sequence Pl-2, peaty sediments have yielded fossils of Rodentia, Lagomorpha, Insectivora, and Crocodylia. The presence of Cricetus barrieri Mein & Michaux, 1970 in combination with murids, both of primitive morphology, such as Apodemus gudrunae Van de Weerd, 1976, and more advanced forms (i.e. Occitanomys brailloni Michaux, 1969 and Stephanomys donnezani cordii Ruiz Bustos, 1986), points to an early Ruscinian age (MN 14 biozone). Based on the planktonic foraminifers, the biostratigraphic data indicate that marine sediments just below the micromammal beds belong to the MPl-2 biozone of the early Zanclean. Available paleomagnetic data from the marine sediments show that the micromammal bed must be located between the normal geomagnetic subchron C3n3n (4.89-4.80 Ma) and the subchron C3n2n (4.63-4.49 Ma), limiting the age of this site to the late part of the early Zanclean

Anisotropic thermally activated diffusion in percolation systems

We present a study of static and frequency-dependent diffusion with anisotropic thermally activated transition rates in a two-dimensional bond percolation system. The approach accounts for temperature effects on diffusion coefficients in disordered anisotropic systems. Static diffusion shows an Arrhenius behavior for low temperatures with an activation energy given by the highest energy barrier of the system. From the frequency-dependent diffusion coefficients we calculate a characteristic frequency $\omega_{c}\sim 1/t_{c}$, related to the time $t_c$ needed to overcome a characteristic barrier. We find that $\omega_c$ follows an Arrhenius behavior with different activation energies in each direction.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure

El matemático como un profesional en los recorridos de estudio e investigación

In this paper we describe a new didactic device: the trajectories of study and research (TSR). These didactic devices allow to articulate teaching and learning sequences.En este trabajo se describe un nuevo dispositivo didáctico que estamos diseñando y completando, los Recorridos de Estudio e Investigación (REI), que quieren contribuir a crear secuencias de enseñanza-aprendizaje

Study of the lubricant-surface system for in-cylinder applications Abstract

Study of the lubricant-surface system for in-cylinder applications Abstrac

Microglia promote anti-tumor immunity and suppress breast cancer brain metastasis

Breast cancer brain metastasis (BCBM) is a lethal disease with no effective treatments. Prior work has shown that brain cancers and metastases are densely infiltrated with anti-inflammatory, protumorigenic tumor associated macrophages (TAMs), but the role of brain resident microglia remains controversial because they are challenging to discriminate from other TAMs. Using single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq), genetic, and humanized mouse models, we specifically identify microglia and find that they play a distinct pro-inflammatory and tumor suppressive role in BCBM. Animals lacking microglia show increased metastasis, decreased survival, and reduced NK and T cell responses, showing that microglia are critical to promote antitumor immunity to suppress BCBM. We find that the pro-inflammatory response is conserved in human microglia, and markers of their response are associated with better prognosis in BCBM patients. These findings establish an important role for microglia in anti-tumor immunity and highlight them as a potential immunotherapy target for brain metastasis