Irreducibility is Minimum Synergy Among Parts

For readers already familiar with Partial Information Decomposition (PID), we show that PID's definition of synergy enables quantifying at least four different notions of irreducibility. First, we show four common notions of "parts" give rise to a spectrum of four distinct measures of irreducibility. Second, we introduce a nonnegative expression based on PID for each notion of irreducibility. Third, we delineate these four notions of irreducibility with exemplary binary circuits. This work will become more useful once the complexity community has converged on a palatable $\operatorname{I}_{\cap}$ or $\operatorname{I}_{\cup}$ measure.Comment: 15 pages, 6 figures. Only minor changes from v

A Continuous Late Holocene Record of Paleoclimate Change from Grinnell Lake Sediment Cores, Glacier National Park, Montana

Grinnell Lake is a glacially-fed alpine lake in the northern Rocky Mountains of Montana. Limnological parameters and radiocarbon ages from a ~1.17 -meter-long sediment core from Grinnell Lake provide a ~1,200 year-long climate record. The objective of this thesis is to develop a multi-proxy record of glaciation by distinguishing periods of positive and negative mass balance chronologically. Two overlapping sediment cores (1P-1B-1 and 1C-2B-1) were described, photographed, and sampled at 0.5 cm, 1 cm, and 5 cm intervals and analyzed for % organic carbon, % inorganic carbon, mineral composition, bulk density, biogenic silica, and clastic sediment flux. Glacial fluctuations were identified based on downcore plots of these parameters, and correlated with previously constructed glacial and climate records from the Canadian Rockies. The results indicate that cold conditions ~1100 AD initiated the “Little Ice Age” and the expansion of the Grinnell Glacier. A warmer climate persisted from ~1120-1450 AD however two or three periods of glacial advance are possible during this time period. A subsequent cold climate ~1450-1900 AD coupled with increased precipitation ~1600-1900 AD initiated significant ice expansion reaching its maximum extent ~1900 AD. Anomalously high 20th century temperatures resulted in rapid glacial recession and mark the end of the “Little Ice Age”. These results contribute to existing climate records from the Little Ice Age period and will help to analyze small scale forcing mechanisms driving climate change and how these changes might spread globally

A Partial Magnetometer Survey of The Archaeological Conservancy’s Portion of the A. C. Saunders Site (41AN19)

The Texas Archeological Research Laboratory (TARL) at The University of Texas at Austin conducted a partial magnetometer survey of The Archaeological Conservancy-owned portion of the A. C. Saunders site (41AN19) during the period between 6-8 December 2005. This survey was sponsored by the Texas Department of Transportation Environmental Affairs Division (TxDOT/ENV) due to a proposed expansion of the right-of-way of U.S. Highway 175 and was conducted under a research design approved by The Archeological Conservancy and TxDOT/ENV. The work was conducted under the direction of Dale Hudler (Principal Investigator) from TARL with a joint TARL/Prewitt and Associates, Inc. field crew (Jonathan Jarvis, TARL and Tim Griffith, Prewitt and Associates, Inc.)

Duration of the Effects of Three Static Stretching Conditions With or Without a Dynamic Warm-Up in College Age Adults

Purpose. The purpose of this study was to determine the stretching duration (15, 30, 60 seconds) with or without a dynamic warm-up that resulted in the longest lasting acute effects in hamstring flexibility. Subjects. Forty subjects (17 male, 23 female) (age: 20-35 years) were selected to participate in this study using a sample of convenience from university graduate students. Methods. This study contained 7 treatment conditions in which each subject completed in random order. Three groups consisted of a 5-minute treadmill warm-up at a self-selected velocity (SSV) followed by one of three stretching durations (15, 30, or 60 sec). Three other groups consisted of only one of the three stretching conditions without the treadmill warm-up. The final group consisted of only walking for 5 min on the treadmill at SSV without receiving a static stretch. A baseline passive knee extension range of motion (ROM) was taken in supine followed by the stretching/treadmill intervention. Subsequent knee ROM measurements were taken each minute until knee ROM returned to baseline. Results. The presence of treadmill warm-up resulted in significantly greater duration of increased hamstring ROM (p≤0.0005). Within the four treadmill conditions, there was no significant difference in duration of increased hamstring ROM. There was no observed statistically significant difference among the three static stretch groups with no treadmill warm-up as well. Conclusion. The results suggest that a dynamic warm-up with or without a static stretch led to the longest duration of acute increase in hamstring ROM

Highly-functionalised difluorinated cyclohexane polyols via the Diels–Alder reaction : regiochemical control via the phenylsulfonyl group

A difluorinated dienophile underwent cycloaddition reactions with a range of furans to afford cycloadducts whichcould be processed regio- and stereoselectively via episulfonium ions, generated by the reaction between their alkenyl groups and phenylsulfenyl chloride. The oxabicyclic products were oxidised to the phenylsulfonyl level and ring opened via E1CB or reductive desulfonative pathways to afford, ultimately, difluorinated cyclohexene or cyclohexane polyols

A stereodivergent asymmetric approach to difluorinated aldonic acids

A (bromodifluoromethyl)alkyne has been deployed in a stereoselective route to difluorinated aldonic acid analogues, in which a Sharpless asymmetric dihydroxylation reaction and diastereoisomer separation set the stage for phenyl group oxidation

An exploratory study to investigate the association between age, physical activity, femoral trochlear cartilage thickness and biomarkers of tissue metabolism in adult males

PURPOSE: To investigate the association between age, physical activity, femoral trochlear cartilage thickness and biomarkers of tissue metabolism in a cross-sectional sample of adult males. This study utilizes several emerging biomarkers that have been associated with early joint degenerative changes; serum COMP (cartilage oligomeric matrix protein), HA (hyaluronan) and lubricin. METHODS: Eighty-one males (age: mean (range): 43(18–70) years; body mass index: 25.2 (21.0–30.6) kg/m(2)) volunteered. Resting serum COMP, HA and lubricin concentrations were determined via commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and femoral trochlear cartilage thickness via supra-patellar ultrasound imaging. Physical activity levels were assessed using questionnaires. Statistical analyses were performed using correlation and regression analyses. RESULTS: Age was correlated with lateral trochlear cartilage thickness (r = − 0.372; p  0.05). CONCLUSION: This study indicates that older age may be associated with thinner lateral trochlear cartilage and higher cartilage turnover. Being physically active may also be positive for lateral trochlear cartilage thickness. However, overall, both age and physical activity level only account for a small amount of the variability in cartilage thickness and serum biomarkers

Sizing Up Worker Center Income (2008-2014): A Study of Revenue Size, Stability, and Stream

Since the publication of Janice Fine’s path-breaking book, Worker Centers: Communities at the Edge o f the Dream in 2006, scholars and commentators on the left and the right of the political spectrum have grappled with how to characterize these emergent worker organizations on the US labor relations scene. This chapter deepens our understanding of the nature of worker centers by examining the funding trends that underlay the wide range of experimental organizing and advocacy strategies highlighted in other chapters of this volume. Undoubtedly, to emerge and survive, these organizations need money (Bobo and Pabellon 2016). But how financially stable are worker centers? How big are they? Where does the funding come from? How do they compare to labor unions? To address some of these questions, we compiled a large collection of available data to complete the first systematic empirical analysis of worker center funding across multiple years (2008 through 2014)