Simulating Knowledge-Generation and -Distribution Processes in Innovation Collaborations and Networks

An agent-based simulation model representing a theory of the dynamic processes involved in innovation in modern knowledge-based industries is described. The agent-based approach al-lows the representation of heterogeneous agents that have individual and varying stocks of knowledge. The simulation is able to model uncertainty, historical change, effect of failure on the agent population, and agent learning from experience, from individual research and from partners and collaborators. The aim of the simulation exercises is to show that the artificial innovation networks show certain characteristics they share with innovation networks in knowledge intensive industries and which are difficult to be integrated in traditional models of industrial economics.innovation networks, agent-based modelling, scale free networks

iDNA from terrestrial haematophagous leeches as a wildlife surveying and monitoring tool - prospects, pitfalls and avenues to be developed

Invertebrate-derived DNA (iDNA) from terrestrial haematophagous leeches has recently been proposed as a powerful non-invasive tool with which to detect vertebrate species and thus to survey their populations. However, to date little attention has been given to whether and how this, or indeed any other iDNA-derived data, can be combined with state-of-the-art analytical tools to estimate wildlife abundances, population dynamics and distributions. In this review, we discuss the challenges that face the application of existing analytical methods such as site-occupancy and spatial capture-recapture (SCR) models to terrestrial leech iDNA, in particular, possible violations of key assumptions arising from factors intrinsic to invertebrate parasite biology. Specifically, we review the advantages and disadvantages of terrestrial leeches as a source of iDNA and summarize the utility of leeches for presence, occupancy, and spatial capture-recapture models. The main source of uncertainty that attends species detections derived from leech gut contents is attributable to uncertainty about the spatio-temporal sampling frame, since leeches retain host-blood for months and can move after feeding. Subsequently, we briefly address how the analytical challenges associated with leeches may apply to other sources of iDNA. Our review highlights that despite the considerable potential of leech (and indeed any) iDNA as a new survey tool, further pilot studies are needed to assess how analytical methods can overcome or not the potential biases and assumption violations of the new field of iDNA. Specifically we argue that studies to compare iDNA sampling with standard survey methods such as camera trapping, and those to improve our knowledge on leech (and other invertebrate parasite) physiology, taxonomy, and ecology will be of immense future value

A Search for Water in the Atmosphere of HAT-P-26b Using LDSS-3C

The characterization of a physically-diverse set of transiting exoplanets is an important and necessary step towards establishing the physical properties linked to the production of obscuring clouds or hazes. It is those planets with identifiable spectroscopic features that can most effectively enhance our understanding of atmospheric chemistry and metallicity. The newly-commissioned LDSS-3C instrument on Magellan provides enhanced sensitivity and suppressed fringing in the red optical, thus advancing the search for the spectroscopic signature of water in exoplanetary atmospheres from the ground. Using data acquired by LDSS-3C and the Spitzer Space Telescope, we search for evidence of water vapor in the transmission spectrum of the Neptune-mass planet HAT-P-26b. Our measured spectrum is best explained by the presence of water vapor, a lack of potassium, and either a high-metallicity, cloud-free atmosphere or a solar-metallicity atmosphere with a cloud deck at ~10 mbar. The emergence of multi-scale-height spectral features in our data suggests that future observations at higher precision could break this degeneracy and reveal the planet's atmospheric chemical abundances. We also update HAT-P-26b's transit ephemeris, t_0 = 2455304.65218(25) BJD_TDB, and orbital period, p = 4.2345023(7) days.Comment: 9 pages, 8 figures, Accepted for publication in Ap

Group Buying Application Mobile Based with Na�ve Bayes Methods

Shopping is an activity that must be done by everyone, starting from shopping for primary, secondary, and tertiary needs. In shopping, it is better to get the cheapest price if possible. Sometimes this can be happened by buying in a large quantity, and then the price will be count as wholesale price. With the development of technology nowadays, shopping can be done online, no need to come to the store. However, by buying things online it is hard to find seller that gives wholesale price. Because of that, an application for helping user to find wholesale price is needed then, a Mobile-based Group Buying application was designed with Na�ve Bayes Methods. This application has features such as notifications, reviews and discussions, wish list, search, and join group buying to get wholesale prices for the user. The result of this application indicated that 82,5% of users considered that the application has a complete feature, 89,8% of users considered that the application has a very good design, and users considered that the application very easy to use

Bandwidth, expansion, treewidth, separators, and universality for bounded degree graphs

We establish relations between the bandwidth and the treewidth of bounded degree graphs G, and relate these parameters to the size of a separator of G as well as the size of an expanding subgraph of G. Our results imply that if one of these parameters is sublinear in the number of vertices of G then so are all the others. This implies for example that graphs of fixed genus have sublinear bandwidth or, more generally, a corresponding result for graphs with any fixed forbidden minor. As a consequence we establish a simple criterion for universality for such classes of graphs and show for example that for each gamma>0 every n-vertex graph with minimum degree ((3/4)+gamma)n contains a copy of every bounded-degree planar graph on n vertices if n is sufficiently large

Force Feedback for Assembly of Aircraft Structures

Variability in composite manufacture and the limitations in positional accuracy of common industrial robots have hampered automation of assembly tasks within aircraft manufacturing. One way to handle geometry variations and robot compliancy is to use force control. Force control technology utilizes a sensor mounted on the robot to feedback force data to the controller system so instead of being position driven, i.e. programmed to achieve a certain position with the tool, the robot can be programmed to achieve a certain force. This paper presents an experimental case where a compliant rib is aligned to multiple surfaces using force feedback and an industrial robot system from ABB. Two types of ribs where used, one full size carbon fiber rib, and one smaller metal replica for evaluation purposes. The alignment sequence consisted of several iterative steps and a search procedure was implemented within the robot control system. The technology has the potential to lessen the need for dedicated tooling, reduce the need for traditional workspace calibration and can be used in several other applications, such as pin and socket type assemblies found in pylons or landing gear or 'part to part' assemblies such as leading edge ribs to spar

The Extended Star Formation History of the Andromeda Spheroid at 35 Kpc on the Minor Axis

Using the HST ACS, we have obtained deep optical images reaching well below the oldest main sequence turnoff in fields on the southeast minor-axis of the Andromeda Galaxy, 35 kpc from the nucleus. These data probe the star formation history in the extended halo of Andromeda -- that region beyond 30 kpc that appears both chemically and morphologically distinct from the metal-rich, highly-disturbed inner spheroid. The present data, together with our previous data for fields at 11 and 21 kpc, do not show a simple trend toward older ages and lower metallicities, as one might expect for populations further removed from the obvious disturbances of the inner spheroid. Specifically, the mean ages and [Fe/H] values at 11 kpc, 21 kpc, and 35 kpc are 9.7 Gyr and -0.65, 11.0 Gyr and -0.87, and 10.5 Gyr and -0.98, respectively. In the best-fit model of the 35 kpc population, one third of the stars are younger than 10 Gyr, while only ~10% of the stars are truly ancient and metal-poor. The extended halo thus exhibits clear evidence of its hierarchical assembly, and the contribution from any classical halo formed via early monolithic collapse must be small.Comment: Accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal Letters. 4 pages, latex, 2 color figure

Use of endogenous signal sequences for transient production and efficient secretion by moss (Physcomitrella patens) cells

BACKGROUND: Efficient targeting to appropriate cell organelles is one of the bottlenecks for the production of recombinant proteins in plant systems. A common practice is to use the native secretory signal peptide of the heterologous protein to be produced. Though general features of secretion signals are conserved between plants and animals, the broad sequence variability among signal peptides suggests differing efficiency of signal peptide recognition. RESULTS: Aiming to improve secretion in moss bioreactors, we quantitatively compared the efficiency of two human signal peptides and six signals from recently isolated moss (Physcomitrella patens) proteins. We therefore used fusions of the different signals to heterologous reporter sequences for transient transfection of moss cells and measured the extra- and intracellular accumulation of the recombinant proteins rhVEGF and GST, respectively. Our data demonstrates an up to fivefold higher secretion efficiency with endogenous moss signals compared to the two utilised human signal peptides. CONCLUSION: From the distribution of extra- and intracellular recombinant proteins, we suggest translational inhibition during the signal recognition particle-cycle (SRP-cycle) as the most probable of several possible explanations for the decreased extracellular accumulation with the human signals. In this work, we report on the supremacy of moss secretion signals over the utilised heterologous ones within the moss-bioreactor system. Though the molecular details of this effect remain to be elucidated, our results will contribute to the improvement of molecular farming systems