The use of pure carbon for permanent percutaneous electrical connector systems

Pure carbon was used as an electrode in the clinical application of long-term neuromuscular stimulation, as well as a connector for permanent neuroelectrodes. The history of this material and some examples of the material in use are presented

Resound: open-source live sound spatialisation

Resound is an open source cross-platform software tool for real time multi-channel sound spatialisation. This paper gives a non-technical account of the key capabilities of the system, predominantly from the standpoint of live performance in electroacoustic music, with specific examples of how the various functionalities might be used

Estimating the Impacts of Storage Dry Matter Losses on Switchgrass Production

This poster estimates dry matter losses as a function of harvest method, storage treatment, and time in storage. We then calculate the cost to store switchgrass bales under alternate harvest method and storage treatment scenarios; and determine the breakeven harvest method and storage treatment as a function of biomass price and time in storage.Biomass, bioenergy crops, function form, sustainable systems, Farm Management, Production Economics, Q10, Q42,

Functional organization and its implication in evolution of the human protein-protein interaction network

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Based on the distinguishing properties of protein-protein interaction networks such as power-law degree distribution and modularity structure, several stochastic models for the evolution of these networks have been purposed, motivated by the idea that a validated model should reproduce similar topological properties of the empirical network. However, being able to capture topological properties does not necessarily mean it correctly reproduces how networks emerge and evolve. More importantly, there is already evidence suggesting functional organization and significance of these networks. The current stochastic models of evolution, however, grow the network without consideration for biological function and natural selection.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>To test whether protein interaction networks are functionally organized and their impacts on the evolution of these networks, we analyzed their evolution at both the topological and functional level. We find that the human network is shown to be functionally organized, and its function evolves with the topological properties of the network. Our analysis suggests that function most likely affects local modularity of the network. Consistently, we further found that the topological unit is also the functional unit of the network.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>We have demonstrated functional organization of a protein interaction network. Given our observations, we suggest that its significance should not be overlooked when studying network evolution.</p

A concept-based system for the live diffusion of sound via multiple loudspeakers

This paper presents a conceptual framework for sound diffusion: the process of presenting multiple channels of audio to an audience in a live performance context, via loudspeakers. Terminology that allows us to concisely describe the task of sound diffusion is defined. The conceptual model is described using this terminology. The model allows audio channels (sources) and loudspeakers (destinations) to be grouped logically, which, in turn, allows for sophisticated abstract methods of control that supercede the restrictive 'one-fader-one-loudspeaker' approach. The Resound project - an open source software initiative conceived to implement and further develop the conceptual model - is introduced. The aim is, through further theoretical and practice led research into the conceptual model and software respectively, to address the technical, logistical and aesthetic issues inherent in the process of sound diffusion

M2 Diffusion: The Live Diffusion of Sound in Space

This paper outlines some of the rapid changes taking place in electroacoustic music performance and introduces the M2 diffusion system, currently in use at The University of Sheffield Sound Studios (USSS). The paper focuses upon a process commonly known as ‘sound diffusion’ and the performance of music usually played from CD or computer. The M2 system comprises bespoke software and hardware tools offering greater flexibility and improvisation in performance and new approaches to the musical composition of space. The paper speculates upon the future of the M2 system with SuperDiffuse software, and the new ‘composition opportunities’ it has triggered

Clinal adaptation and adaptive plasticity in Artemisia californica: implications for the response of a foundation species to predicted climate change.

Local adaptation and plasticity pose significant obstacles to predicting plant responses to future climates. Although local adaptation and plasticity in plant functional traits have been documented for many species, less is known about population-level variation in plasticity and whether such variation is driven by adaptation to environmental variation. We examined clinal variation in traits and performance - and plastic responses to environmental change - for the shrub Artemisia californica along a 700&nbsp;km gradient characterized (from south to north) by a fourfold increase in precipitation and a 61% decrease in interannual precipitation variation. Plants cloned from five populations along this gradient were grown for 3&nbsp;years in treatments approximating the precipitation regimes of the north and south range margins. Most traits varying among populations did so clinally; northern populations (vs. southern) had higher water-use efficiencies and lower growth rates, C&nbsp;:&nbsp;N ratios and terpene concentrations. Notably, there was variation in plasticity for plant performance that was strongly correlated with source site interannual precipitation variability. The high-precipitation treatment (vs. low) increased growth and flower production more for plants from southern populations (181% and 279%, respectively) than northern populations (47% and 20%, respectively). Overall, precipitation variability at population source sites predicted 86% and 99% of variation in plasticity in growth and flowering, respectively. These striking, clinal patterns in plant traits and plasticity are indicative of adaptation to both the mean and variability of environmental conditions. Furthermore, our analysis of long-term coastal climate data in turn indicates an increase in interannual precipitation variation consistent with most global change models and, unexpectedly, this increased variation is especially pronounced at historically stable, northern sites. Our findings demonstrate the critical need to integrate fundamental evolutionary processes into global change models, as contemporary patterns of adaptation to environmental clines will mediate future plant responses to projected climate change