Environments for sonic ecologies

This paper outlines a current lack of consideration for the environmental context of Evolutionary Algorithms used for the generation of music. We attempt to readdress this balance by outlining the benefits of developing strong coupling strategies between agent and en- vironment. It goes on to discuss the relationship between artistic process and the viewer and suggests a placement of the viewer and agent in a shared environmental context to facilitate understanding of the artistic process and a feeling of participation in the work. The paper then goes on to outline the installation ‘Excuse Me and how it attempts to achieve a level of Sonic Ecology through the use of a shared environmental context

Molecular diversity and the fate of biochemical fractions of eucalypt tissues in soil

The molecular diversity of the source substrate has been regarded as a significant controller of the proportion of plant material that is either mineralized or incorporated into soil organic matter (SOM). However, quantitative parameters to express substrate molecular diversity remain elusive. In this research, we fractionated leaves, twigs, bark, and root tissues of 13C-enriched eucalypt seedlings into hot water extractables (HWE), total solvent (acetone) extractables (TSE), a cellulosic fraction (CF), and the acid unhydrolyzable residue (AUR). We used 13C NMR spectroscopy to obtain a molecular diversity index (MDI) based on the relative abundance of carbohydrate, protein, lignin, lipid, and carbonyl functional groups within the biochemical fractions. Subsequently, we obtained artificial plant organs containing fixed proportions (25%) of their respective biochemical fractions to be incubated with soil material obtained from a Haplic Ferralsol for 200-days, under controlled temperature (25 ± 1 ◦C) and moisture adjusted to 70–80% of the soil water holding capacity. Our experimental design was a randomized complete block design, arranged according to a factorial scheme including 4 plant organs, 4 biochemical fractions, and 3 blocks as replicates. During the incubation, we assessed the evolution of CO2 from the microcosms after 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 10, 13, 21, 28, 38, 45, 70, 80, 92, 112, 148, 178 and 200 days from the start of the incubation. After the incubation, soil subsamples were submitted to a density fractionation to separate the light fraction of SOM (LFOM) i.e., with density <1.8 g cm 3. The heavy fraction remaining was submitted to wetsieving yielding the sand-sized SOM (SSOM) and the mineral-associated SOM (MAOM), with particle-size greater and smaller than 53 μm, respectively. We found that HWE and AUR exhibited comparatively higher MDIs than the TSE and CF. During the incubation, HWE and CF were the primary sources of 13C-CO2 from all plant organs and after 92 days, the respiration of the TSE of bark and roots increased. Otherwise, the AUR contributed the least for the release of 13C-CO2. There were no significant relationships between the MDI and the amount of 13C transferred into the LFOM or SSOM. Otherwise, the transfer of 13C into the MAOM increased as a linear-quadratic function of MDI, which in turn was negatively correlated with the total 13C-CO2 loss. Overall, the MDI exerted a stronger control on the 13C-labeled MAOM than on 13C-CO2 emissions, highlighting the need to improve our ability to distinguish and quantify direct plant inputs from those of microbial origin entering soil C pools.publishedVersio

Story Map Caminhos d’O Conspirador: um percurso literário na vila de Marvão com Branquinho da Fonseca

Os autores pretendem apresentar uma nova forma de divulgação da investigação em turismo literário, num formato mais atrativo, recorrendo às novas tecnologias e bem assim, aferir as suas potencialidades. A ferramenta tecnológica utilizada foi o story map que permite combinar mapas na Web com aplicações e templates que incorporam funções interativas e mapas dinâmicos. Um dos recursos utilizados na produção do story map foi a base de dados do Museu Virtual de Turismo (MUVITUR) em cujo site o produto final será disponibilizado. Os conteúdos e itinerários turísticos literários organizados por especialistas permitem envolver os viajantes online nas geografias imaginárias, para as quais os escritores nos remetem. Experiências virtuais mais envolventes possibilitam a cada utilizador a descoberta dos melhores percursos por territórios literários. O objeto do presente trabalho foi o conto “O Conspirador”, de Branquinho da Fonseca (1905-1974) tendo o percurso na vila de Marvão sido enriquecido com desenhos e fotografias da sua autoriaThe authors intend to present a more attractive format to disseminate research in literary tourism, making use of new technologies. The story map is the technological tool used, and it allows the combination of online maps with apps and templates that incorporate interactive functions and dynamic maps. One of the resources the authors use in the production of the story map is the database of the Virtual Tourism Museum (MUVITUR) on whose website the final product will be made available. The literary content and tourist itineraries organized by specialists allow online travellers to be involved in imaginary geographies created by writers. More engaging virtual experiences enable users to discover the best routes through literary territories. The object of the present study was the short story “O Conspirador”, by Branquinho da Fonseca (1905-1974) and the itinerary in the village of Marvão was enhanced by drawings and photographs authored by the writer.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Bounded version vectors

Version vectors play a central role in update tracking under optimistic distributed systems, allowing the detection of obsolete or inconsistent versions of replicated data. Version vectors do not have a bounded representation; they are based on integer counters that grow indefinitely as updates occur. Existing approaches to this problem are scarce; the mechanisms proposed are either unbounded or operate only under specific settings. This paper examines version vectors as a mechanism for data causality tracking and clarifies their role with respect to vector clocks. Then, it introduces bounded stamps and proves them to be a correct alternative to integer counters in version vectors. The resulting mechanism, bounded version vectors, represents the first bounded solution to data causality tracking between replicas subject to local updates and pairwise symmetrical synchronization.FCT project POSI/ICHS/44304/2002, FCT under grant BSAB/390/2003

Scalable and accurate causality tracking for eventually consistent stores

Lecture Notes in Computer Science 8460, 2014In cloud computing environments, data storage systems often rely on optimistic replication to provide good performance and availability even in the presence of failures or network partitions. In this scenario, it is important to be able to accurately and efficiently identify updates executed concurrently. Current approaches to causality tracking in optimistic replication have problems with concurrent updates: they either (1) do not scale, as they require replicas to maintain information that grows linearly with the number of writes or unique clients; (2) lose information about causality, either by removing entries from client-id based version vectors or using server-id based version vectors, which cause false conflicts. We propose a new logical clock mechanism and a logical clock framework that together support a traditional key-value store API, while capturing causality in an accurate and scalable way, avoiding false conflicts. It maintains concise information per data replica, only linear on the number of replica servers, and allows data replicas to be compared and merged linear with the number of replica servers and versions.(undefined

A recovery-explicit error estimator in energy norm for linear elasticity

[EN] Significant research effort has been devoted to produce one-sided error estimates for Finite Element Analyses, in particular to provide upper bounds of the actual error. Typically, this has been achieved using residual-type estimates. One of the most popular and simpler (in terms of implementation) techniques used in commercial codes is the recovery-based error estimator. This technique produces accurate estimations of the exact error but is not designed to naturally produce upper bounds of the error in energy norm. Some attempts to remedy this situation provide bounds depending on unknown constants. Here, a new step towards obtaining error bounds from the recovery-based estimates is proposed. The idea is (1) to use a locally equilibrated recovery technique to obtain an accurate estimation of the exact error, (2) to add an explicit-type error bound of the lack of equilibrium of the recovered stresses in order to guarantee a bound of the actual error and (3) to efficiently and accurately evaluate the constants appearing in the bounding expressions, thus providing asymptotic bounds. The numerical tests with h-adaptive refinement process show that the bounding property holds even for coarse meshes, providing upper bounds in practical applications.The authors also thank the support of the Framework Programme 7 Initial Training Network Funding under grant number 289361 "Integrating Numerical Simulation and Geometric Design Technology".Nadal Soriano, E.; Díez, P.; Ródenas, J.; Tur Valiente, M.; Fuenmayor Fernández, FJ. (2015). A recovery-explicit error estimator in energy norm for linear elasticity. Computer Methods in Applied Mechanics and Engineering. 287:172-190. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cma.2015.01.013S17219028

From Linear to Nonlinear Response in Spin Glasses: Importance of Mean-Field-Theory Predictions

Deviations from spin-glass linear response in a single crystal Cu:Mn 1.5 at % are studied for a wide range of changes in magnetic field, $\Delta H$. Three quantities, the difference $TRM-(MFC-ZFC)$, the effective waiting time, $t_{w}^{eff}$, and the difference $TRM(t_{w})-TRM(t_{w}=0)$ are examined in our analysis. Three regimes of spin-glass behavior are observed as $\Delta H$ increases. Lines in the $(T,\Delta H)$ plane, corresponding to ``weak'' and ``strong'' violations of linear response under a change in magnetic field, are shown to have the same functional form as the de Almeida-Thouless critical line. Our results demonstrate the existence of a fundamental link between static and dynamic properties of spin glasses, predicted by the mean-field theory of aging phenomena.Comment: 9 pages, 10 figure

Linear Collider Test of a Neutrinoless Double Beta Decay Mechanism in left-right Symmetric Theories

There are various diagrams leading to neutrinoless double beta decay in left-right symmetric theories based on the gauge group SU(2)_L x SU(2)_R. All can in principle be tested at a linear collider running in electron-electron mode. We argue that the so-called lambda-diagram is the most promising one. Taking the current limit on this diagram from double beta decay experiments, we evaluate the relevant cross section e e to W_L W_R, where W_L is the Standard Model W-boson and W_R the one from SU(2)_R. It is observable if the life-time of double beta decay and the mass of the W_R are close to current limits. Beam polarization effects and the high-energy behaviour of the cross section are also analyzed.Comment: 17 pages, 6 figures. v2: minor changes, references added, to be published in EPJ

Distinguishing circumstellar from stellar photometric variability in Eta Carinae

The interacting binary Eta Carinae remains one of the most enigmatic massive stars in our Galaxy despite over four centuries of observations. In this work, its light curve from the ultraviolet to the near-infrared is analysed using spatially resolved HST observations and intense monitoring at the La Plata Observatory, combined with previously published photometry. We have developed a method to separate the central stellar object in the ground-based images using HST photometry and applying it to the more numerous ground-based data, which supports the hypothesis that the central source is brightening faster than the almost-constant Homunculus. After detrending from long-term brightening, the light curve shows periodic orbital modulation (V ∼ 0.6 mag) attributed to the wind–wind collision cavity as it sweeps around the primary star and it shows variable projected area to our line-of-sight. Two quasi-periodic components with time-scales of 2–3 and 8–10 yr and low amplitude, V < 0.2 mag, are superimposed on the brightening light curve, being the only stellar component of variability found, which indicates minimal stellar instability. Moreover, the light-curve analysis shows no evidence of ‘shell ejections’ at periastron. We propose that the long-term brightening of the stellar core is due to the dissipation of a dusty clump in front of the central star, which works like a natural coronagraph. Thus, the central stars appear to be more stable than previously thought since the dominant variability originates from a changing circumstellar medium. We predict that the brightening phase, due mainly to dust dissipation, will be completed around 2032 ± 4 yr, when the star will be brighter than in the 1600s by up to V ∼ 1 mag.Fil: Damineli, A.. Universidade do Sao Paulo. Instituto de Astronomia, Geofísica e Ciências Atmosféricas; BrasilFil: Fernandez Lajus, Eduardo Eusebio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Astrofísica La Plata. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Astronómicas y Geofísicas. Instituto de Astrofísica La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Almeida, L.A.. Universidade do Sao Paulo. Instituto de Astronomia, Geofísica e Ciências Atmosféricas; Brasil. Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte; BrasilFil: Corcoran, M.F.. National Aeronautics and Space Administration; Estados Unidos. The Catholic University of America; Estados UnidosFil: Damineli, D.S.C.. University of Maryland; Estados UnidosFil: Gull, T.R.. National Aeronautics and Space Administration; Estados UnidosFil: Hamaguchi, K. National Aeronautics and Space Administration; Estados Unidos. University of Maryland; Estados UnidosFil: Hillier, D.J.. University of Pittsburgh; Estados UnidosFil: Jablonski, F.J.. Centro de Previsao de Tempo e Estudos Climáticos. Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais; BrasilFil: Madura, T.I.. San Jose State University; Estados UnidosFil: Moffat, A.F.J.. Université du Québec a Montreal; CanadáFil: Navarete, F.. Universidade do Sao Paulo. Instituto de Astronomia, Geofísica e Ciências Atmosféricas; BrasilFil: Richardson, N.D.. University Of Toledo (utoledo); Estados UnidosFil: Ruiz, G.F.. Universidade do Sao Paulo. Instituto de Astronomia, Geofísica e Ciências Atmosféricas; BrasilFil: Salerno, N.E.. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Astronómicas y Geofísicas; ArgentinaFil: Scalia, María Cecilia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Astrofísica La Plata. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Astronómicas y Geofísicas. Instituto de Astrofísica La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Weigelt, G.. Max Planck Institute For Radio Astronomy; Alemani

Spin-gravity coupling and gravity-induced quantum phases

External gravitational fields induce phase factors in the wave functions of particles. The phases are exact to first order in the background gravitational field, are manifestly covariant and gauge invariant and provide a useful tool for the study of spin-gravity coupling and of the optics of particles in gravitational or inertial fields. We discuss the role that spin-gravity coupling plays in particular problems.Comment: 18 pages, 1 figur