Axiomatic thinking for information retrieval: introduction to special issue

4siopenopenAmigo E.; Fang H.; Mizzaro S.; Zhai C.Amigo, E.; Fang, H.; Mizzaro, S.; Zhai, C

A note on phi-contractions in probabilistic and fuzzy metric spaces

[EN] In a recent paper Fang (2015) [1], J.X. Fang generalized a crucial fixed point theorem for probabilistic phi-contractions on complete Menger spaces due to Jachymski (2010) [3]. In this note we show that actually Fang s theorem is an easy consequence of Jachymski s theorem. We also observe that the proof of a fixed point theorem for complete metric spaces deduced by Fang from his main result is not correct and present a new proof of it.Alegre Gil, MC.; Romaguera Bonilla, S. (2017). A note on phi-contractions in probabilistic and fuzzy metric spaces. Fuzzy Sets and Systems. 313:119-121. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fss.2016.06.014S11912131

Investigation of the water table in a tidal beach : final report

I. Instrumentation for Measurement of Water Table Fluctuations by John D. Boon, III, and W. Harrison II. The Beach Water Table as a Response Variable of the System by L. E. Fausak III. Changes in Foreshore Sand Volume: Role of Fluctuations in Water Table and Ocean Still Water Level by W. Harrison IV. One-dimensional Finite Element Analysis of the Groundwater Flow by W. Harrison, C. S. Fang, and S. N. Wang V. Two-dimensional Finite Element Analysis of the Groundwater Flow by C. S. Fang, S. N. Wang, and W. Harriso

Slowdown in branching Brownian motion with inhomogeneous variance

We consider a model of Branching Brownian Motion with time-inhomogeneous variance of the form \sigma(t/T), where \sigma is a strictly decreasing function. Fang and Zeitouni (2012) showed that the maximal particle's position M_T is such that M_T-v_\sigma T is negative of order T^{-1/3}, where v_\sigma is the integral of the function \sigma over the interval [0,1]. In this paper, we refine we refine this result and show the existence of a function m_T, such that M_T-m_T converges in law, as T\to\infty. Furthermore, m_T=v_\sigma T - w_\sigma T^{1/3} - \sigma(1)\log T + O(1) with w_\sigma = 2^{-1/3}\alpha_1 \int_0^1 \sigma(s)^{1/3} |\sigma'(s)|^{2/3}\,\dd s. Here, -\alpha_1=-2.33811... is the largest zero of the Airy function. The proof uses a mixture of probabilistic and analytic arguments.Comment: A proof of convergence added in v2; details added and minor typos corrected in v

Spitting Performance Parameters and Their Biomechanical Implications in the Spitting Spider, Scytodes thoracica

Spitting spiders Scytodes spp. subdue prey by entangling them at a distance with a mixture of silk, glue, and venom. Using high-speed videography and differential interference contrast microscopy, the performance parameters involved in spit ejection by Scytodes thoracica (Araneae, Scytodidae) were measured. These will ultimately need to be explained in biomechanical and fluid dynamic terms. It was found that the ejection of “spit” from the opening of the venom duct (near the proximal end of the fang) was orderly. It resulted in a pattern that scanned along a lateral-medial axis (due to fang oscillations) while traversing from ventral to dorsal (due to cheliceral elevation). Each lateral-to-medial sweep of a fang produced silk-borne beads of glue that were not present during each subsequent medial-to-lateral sweep. The ejection of “spit” was very rapid. A full scan (5–57 fang cycles, one upsweep of a chelicera) typically occupied less than 30 ms and involved fang oscillations at 278–1781 Hz. Ejection velocities were measured as high as 28.8 m/s. The “spit” was contractile. During the 0.2 s following ejection, silk shortened by 40–60% and the product of a full scan by both of the chelicerae could exert an aggregate contractile force of 0.1 – 0.3 mN. Based on these parameters, hypotheses are described concerning the biomechanical and fluid dynamic processes that could enable this kind of material ejection