Brownian dynamics for the vowel sounds of human language

We present a model for the evolution of vowel sounds in human languages, in which words behave as Brownian particles diffusing in acoustic space, interacting via the vowel sounds they contain. Interaction forces, derived from a simple model of the language learning process, are attractive at short range and repulsive at long range. This generates sets of acoustic clusters, each representing a distinct sound, which form patterns with similar statistical properties to real vowel systems. Our formulation may be generalised to account for spontaneous self actuating shifts in system structure which are observed in real languages, and to combine in one model two previously distinct theories of vowel system structure: dispersion theory, which assumes that vowel systems maximize contrasts between sounds, and quantal theory, according to which non linear relationships between articulatory and acoustic parameters are the source of patterns in sound inventories. By formulating the dynamics of vowel sounds using inter-particle forces, we also provide a simple unifi ed description of the linguistic notion of push and pull dynamics in vowel systems.The authors are grateful to the Royal Society for an APEX award (2018-2020), funded by the Leverhulme trust

Explaining vowel systems: Dispersion theory vs natural selection

AbstractWe argue that the cross-linguistic distribution of vowel systems is best accounted for by grammar-external forces of learnability operating in tandem with cognitive constraints on phonological computation, as argued for other phonological phenomena by</jats:p

Stressors and threats to the flora of Acadia National Park, Maine: Current knowledge, information gaps, and future directions

Stressors and threats to the flora of Acadia National Park, Maine: Current knowledge, information gaps, and future directions. J. Torrey Bot. Soc. 139: 323–344. 2012.— Acadia National Park is a center of plant diversity in northeastern North America. The Park\u27s varied habitats and flora are sensitive to a number of natural and anthropogenic perturbations. Stressors such as invasive plants, pest and pathogens, ozone, acidic fog and sulfur deposition, nitrogen deposition, heavy metals, fire and fire suppression, over-browsing, visitor use, hurricanes, and climate change have all had effects on the Park\u27s habitats and plant species at some point and it is unclear how many of these stressors are currently affecting the flora of Acadia National Park. We discuss the botanical diversity of Acadia, assess the natural and anthropogenic stressors and threats affecting the Park\u27s flora, and summarize critical information gaps to better assess the known stressors and threats to the flora. Understanding these stressors and threats is critical to making informed management decisions to preserve the botanical diversity of Acadia and other regional parks

Real Time Global Tests of the ALICE High Level Trigger Data Transport Framework

The High Level Trigger (HLT) system of the ALICE experiment is an online event filter and trigger system designed for input bandwidths of up to 25 GB/s at event rates of up to 1 kHz. The system is designed as a scalable PC cluster, implementing several hundred nodes. The transport of data in the system is handled by an object-oriented data flow framework operating on the basis of the publisher-subscriber principle, being designed fully pipelined with lowest processing overhead and communication latency in the cluster. In this paper, we report the latest measurements where this framework has been operated on five different sites over a global north-south link extending more than 10,000 km, processing a ``real-time'' data flow.Comment: 8 pages 4 figure

Impact of a catch-up strategy of DT-IPV vaccination during hospitalization on vaccination coverage among people over 65 years of age in france: The HOSPIVAC study (Vaccination during hospitalization)

In France, diphtheria tetanus and inactivated polio vaccine (DT-IPV) coverage and immunization are insufficient in the elderly and decrease with age. The principal objective of this study was to assess the impact of a strategy of catch-up DT-IPV vaccination during hospitalization in people over the age of 65 years in central France (the Sarthe region). We performed a prospective, single-center, cluster-randomized study (four hospital wards). We included patients aged &ge;65 years, without mental impairment, contraindication and who accepted to participate, hospitalized in the internal medicine wards in Le Mans Hospital from 28 May 2018 to 27 May 2019. The DT-IPV vaccination status of the patients was determined at inclusion and the wards were randomized (intervention and control). In the intervention group, vaccination was up-dated during hospitalization. In case of temporary contraindication, vaccination was prescribed at hospital discharge. Patients hospitalized in the control wards received oral information only. Final immunization status was determined by calling the patient&rsquo;s general practitioner two months after hospital discharge. One hundred and fifty seven patients were included: 73 in the intervention and 84 in the control arm. Baseline immunization coverage was 46.5%. Vaccination coverage increased from 56.2% to 80.8% in the intervention group and from 38.1% to 40.5% in the control group (p &lt; 0.001). Having received sufficient information from the general practitioner was the only factor associated with vaccination being up-to-date in uni- and multivariate analysis: OR = 5.07 [2.45&ndash;10.51]. In a setting of low vaccination coverage DT-IPV vaccination during hospitalization is an effective catch-up strategy

Elongation dynamics of amyloid fibrils: a rugged energy landscape picture

Protein amyloid fibrils are a form of linear protein aggregates that are implicated in many neurodegenerative diseases. Here, we study the dynamics of amyloid fibril elongation by performing Langevin dynamic simulations on a coarse-grained model of peptides. Our simulation results suggest that the elongation process is dominated by a series of local minimum due to frustration in monomer-fibril interactions. This rugged energy landscape picture indicates that the amount of recycling of monomers at the fibrils' ends before being fibrilized is substantially reduced in comparison to the conventional two-step elongation model. This picture, along with other predictions discussed, can be tested with current experimental techniques

The Journal of the Friends' Historical Society vol. 5 No. 1

1. Notices. 2. Notes and Queries. 3. The Westmorland and Swaledale Seekers in 1651. 4. Extracts from the Minute Book of the Sufferings of Friends in Mansfield. 5. Reminiscences of the Friends' Meeting, Manchester. 6. Women Ministers stopped by Highwaymen. 7. Presentations of Quakers in Episcopal Visitations, 1662-1679. 8. Elisha Bates. 9. Keye-Worsley Marriage Certificate, 1666. 10. Thomas Areskine, Brewer, of Edinburgh. 11. Meeting Records. 12. A Glimpse of Ancient Friends in Dorset I. 13. Distribution of Literature in Cornwall, 1734. 14. William White, M.D. F.R.S. of York. 15. Friends in Barbadoes. 16. Some Quaker Teachers in 1736. 17. Friends in Current Literature. 18. Editors' Note. 19. Anecdote of Obed Cook, Schoolmaster. 20. Early Quaker Booksellers of York

Impact of green space connectivity on urban tick presence, density and Borrelia infected ticks in different habitats and seasons in three cities in southern England

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available on open access from Elsevier via the DOI in this recordData Availability: Data will be made available on request.Understanding the effects of local habitat and wider landscape connectivity factors on tick presence, nymph density and Borrelia species (spp.) prevalence in the tick population is important for identifying the public health risk from Lyme borreliosis. This multi-city study collected data in three southern England cities (Bath, Bristol, and Southampton) during spring, summer, and autumn in 2017. Focusing specifically on urban green space used for recreation which were clearly in urbanised areas, 72 locations were sampled. Additionally, geospatial datasets on urban green space coverage within 250 m and 1 km of sampling points, as well as distance to woodland were incorporated into statistical models. Distance to woodland was negatively associated with tick presence and nymph density, particularly during spring and summer. Furthermore, we observed an interaction effect between habitat and season for tick presence and nymph density, with woodland habitat having greater tick presence and nymph density during spring. Borrelia spp. infected Ixodes ricinus were found in woodland, woodland edge and under canopy habitats in Bath and Southampton. Overall Borrelia spp. prevalence in nymphs was 2.8%, similar to wider UK studies assessing prevalence in Ixodes ricinus in rural areas. Bird-related Borrelia genospecies dominated across sites, suggesting bird reservoir hosts may be important in urban green space settings for feeding and infecting ticks. Whilst overall density of infected nymphs across the three cities was low (0.03 per 100 m2), risk should be further investigated by incorporating data on tick bites acquired in urban settings, and subsequent Lyme borreliosis transmission.National Institute for Health Research (NIHR