On the need for a new playing die

We model the rolling of a standard die, using a Markov matrix. Though a die may be called ‘fair’, its initial position influences a roll’s outcome. This being undesirable, a simple solution is proposed

Sex differences in variability across timescales in BALB/c mice.

BackgroundFemales are markedly underinvestigated in the biological and behavioral sciences due to the presumption that cyclic hormonal changes across the ovulatory cycle introduce excess variability to measures of interest in comparison to males. However, recent analyses indicate that male and female mice and rats exhibit comparable variability across numerous physiological and behavioral measures, even when the stage of the estrous cycle is not considered. Hormonal changes across the ovulatory cycle likely contribute cyclic, intra-individual variability in females, but the source(s) of male variability has, to our knowledge, not been investigated. It is unclear whether male variability, like that of females, is temporally structured and, therefore, quantifiable and predictable. Finally, whether males and females exhibit variability on similar time scales has not been explored.MethodsThese questions were addressed by collecting chronic, high temporal resolution locomotor activity (LA) and core body temperature (CBT) data from male and female BALB/c mice.ResultsContrary to expectation, males are more variable than females over the course of the day (diel variability) and exhibit higher intra-individual daily range than females in both LA and CBT. Between mice of a given sex, variability is comparable for LA but the inter-individual daily range in CBT is greater for males. To identify potential rhythmic processes contributing to these sex differences, we employed wavelet transformations across a range of periodicities (1-39 h).ConclusionsAlthough variability in circadian power is comparable between the sexes for both LA and CBT, infradian variability is greater in females and ultradian variability is greater in males. Thus, exclusion of female mice from studies because of estrous cycle variability may increase variance in investigations where only male measures are collected over a span of several hours and limit generalization of findings from males to females

Identification of a lineage of multipotent hematopoietic progenitors

All multipotent hematopoietic progenitors in C57BL-Thy-1.1 bone marrow are divided among three subpopulations of Thy-1.1^(lo) Sca-1^+ Lin^(-/lo) c-kit^+ cells: long-term reconstituting Mac-1^-CD4^-c-kit^+ cells and transiently reconstituting Mac-1^(lo)CD4^-or Mac-1^(lo) CD4^(lo) cells. This study shows that the same populations, with similar functional activities, exist in mice whose hematopoietic systems were reconstituted by hematopoietic stem cells after lethal irradiation. We demonstrate that these populations form a lineage of multipotent progenitors from long-term self-renewing stem cells to the most mature multipotent progenitor population. In reconstituted mice, Mac-1- CD4^-c-kit^+ cells gave rise to Mac-1^(lo)CD4^- cells, which gave rise to Mac-1^(lo)CD4^(lo) cells. Mac-1^- CD4^-c-kit^+ cells had long-term self-renewal potential, with each cell being capable of giving rise to more than 10^4 functionally similar Mac-1^-CD4^-c-kit^+ cells. At least half of Mac-1^(lo)CD4^- cells had transient self-renewal potential, detected in the spleen 7 days after reconstitution. Mac-1^(lo)CD4^(lo) cells did not have detectable self-renewal potential. The identification of a lineage of multipotent progenitors provides an important tool for identifying genes that regulate self-renewal and lineage commitment

Key Issues Generated from the XI International Rangeland Congress 2021: Summary and Way Forward

The important issues, knowledge gaps, and evolving research approaches for the global rangelands are summarised in this review of submissions to the Joint XXIV International Grasslands and XI International Rangelands Congress (IGC/IRC). In the big picture, it is concluded that stand-alone studies of livestock production are becoming rare compared to that of the past International Rangelands Congresses (IRC). Rather, added effort is now being directed at understanding the fuller context of social-ecological systems (SESs) on rangelands in a quest to improve the prospects for sustainable resource management as well as the enhancement of human welfare. Although climate change is upon us, there was still a dearth of papers that dealt with broad- scaled climate-adaptation per se; opportunities to improve local drought response were the default topics here with a focus on implementing better drought early warning systems and integrating perspectives among producers and scientists. Invasive species challenges remain as prominent global concerns, and woody encroachment is viewed as a major contributor to rangeland degradation. Treatments to combat rangeland degradation can involve innovative layering methods incorporating grazing management and use of prescribed fire. While there is an important backdrop concerning ecosystem services from rangelands, research in this area is still in its infancy. Analysing trade-offs between production and conservation for services such as carbon sequestration loom large going forward. There were relatively few papers concerning wildlife, tourism, and associated issues; successes and challenges for natural resource conservancies were noted, in particular. These are topics that merit more creative research and development attention in the future. Some contributions highlighted the important issue of landscape conversion from rangelands to cultivation; in conjunction with human population growth, loss of such key resources can be very negative for wildlife and associated values. In terms of pastoralism and related sub-themes, while it was noted that the majority of studies now embrace SESs and integrated, participatory, action- oriented approaches, there is little effort to standardize methodologies. A focus on repeatable methods can help grow sustainability science on rangelands, and this is a challenge for research and outreach education. The volume of studies submitted overall indicated a decided numerical advantage for the Global South over the Global North. Why this is the case remains unclear, however. Disciplinary research traditions in wealthier nations may not yet provide the incentives needed to spur innovative SES work. Finally, policy makers are seen by many investigators as being ignorant of rangeland development issues. It is argued, however, that this view has not changed for 40 years. How to better engage policy makers in comprehensive SES projects is an important future goal. Policy makers themselves can then also become human research subjects in the overall process. Based on our review the future for IRC stakeholders is clear: Continue the expansion of interdisciplinary SES and action-based approaches and increase attention to climate-change adaptation/mitigation, ecosystem services, community-based development, human empowerment, market development, poverty mitigation, and creation of effective policy frameworks

Manipulation Strategies for the Rank Maximal Matching Problem

We consider manipulation strategies for the rank-maximal matching problem. In the rank-maximal matching problem we are given a bipartite graph $G = (A \cup P, E)$ such that $A$ denotes a set of applicants and $P$ a set of posts. Each applicant $a \in A$ has a preference list over the set of his neighbours in $G$, possibly involving ties. Preference lists are represented by ranks on the edges - an edge $(a,p)$ has rank $i$, denoted as $rank(a,p)=i$, if post $p$ belongs to one of $a$'s $i$-th choices. A rank-maximal matching is one in which the maximum number of applicants is matched to their rank one posts and subject to this condition, the maximum number of applicants is matched to their rank two posts, and so on. A rank-maximal matching can be computed in $O(\min(c \sqrt{n},n) m)$ time, where $n$ denotes the number of applicants, $m$ the number of edges and $c$ the maximum rank of an edge in an optimal solution. A central authority matches applicants to posts. It does so using one of the rank-maximal matchings. Since there may be more than one rank- maximal matching of $G$, we assume that the central authority chooses any one of them randomly. Let $a_1$ be a manipulative applicant, who knows the preference lists of all the other applicants and wants to falsify his preference list so that he has a chance of getting better posts than if he were truthful. In the first problem addressed in this paper the manipulative applicant $a_1$ wants to ensure that he is never matched to any post worse than the most preferred among those of rank greater than one and obtainable when he is truthful. In the second problem the manipulator wants to construct such a preference list that the worst post he can become matched to by the central authority is best possible or in other words, $a_1$ wants to minimize the maximal rank of a post he can become matched to

A determination of the strange quark mass for unquenched clover fermions using the AWI

Using the O(a) Symanzik improved action an estimate is given for the strange quark mass for unquenched (nf=2) QCD. The determination is via the axial Ward identity (AWI) and includes a non-perturbative evaluation of the renormalisation constant. Numerical results have been obtained at several lattice spacings, enabling the continuum limit to be taken. Results indicate a value for the strange quark mass (in the MSbar-scheme at a scale of 2GeV) in the range 100 - 130MeV.Comment: 6 pages, contribution to Lattice2005(Hadron spectrum and quark masses), uses PoS.cl

Profile-Based Optimal Matchings in the Student-Project Allocation Problem

In the Student/Project Allocation problem (spa) we seek to assign students to individual or group projects offered by lecturers. Students provide a list of projects they find acceptable in order of preference. Each student can be assigned to at most one project and there are constraints on the maximum number of students that can be assigned to each project and lecturer. We seek matchings of students to projects that are optimal with respect to profile, which is a vector whose rth component indicates how many students have their rth-choice project. We present an efficient algorithm for finding agreedy maximum matching in the spa context – this is a maximum matching whose profile is lexicographically maximum. We then show how to adapt this algorithm to find a generous maximum matching – this is a matching whose reverse profile is lexicographically minimum. Our algorithms involve finding optimal flows in networks. We demonstrate how this approach can allow for additional constraints, such as lecturer lower quotas, to be handled flexibly

A Determination of the Lambda Parameter from Full Lattice QCD

We present a determination of the QCD parameter Lambda in the quenched approximation (n_f=0) and for two flavours (n_f=2) of light dynamical quarks. The calculations are performed on the lattice using O(a) improved Wilson fermions and include taking the continuum limit. We find Lambda_{n_f=0} = 259(1)(20) MeV and Lambda_{n_f=2} = 261(17)(26) MeV}, using r_0 = 0.467 fm to set the scale. Extrapolating our results to five flavours, we obtain for the running coupling constant at the mass of the Z boson alpha_s(m_Z) = 0.112(1)(2). All numbers refer to the MSbar scheme.Comment: 25 pages, 9 figure