Complete trails of co-authorship network evolution

The rise and fall of a research field is the cumulative outcome of its intrinsic scientific value and social coordination among scientists. The structure of the social component is quantifiable by the social network of researchers linked via co-authorship relations, which can be tracked through digital records. Here, we use such co-authorship data in theoretical physics and study their complete evolutionary trail since inception, with a particular emphasis on the early transient stages. We find that the co-authorship networks evolve through three common major processes in time: the nucleation of small isolated components, the formation of a tree-like giant component through cluster aggregation, and the entanglement of the network by large-scale loops. The giant component is constantly changing yet robust upon link degradations, forming the network's dynamic core. The observed patterns are successfully reproducible through a new network model

Dialogue based interfaces for universal access.

Conversation provides an excellent means of communication for almost all people. Consequently, a conversational interface is an excellent mechanism for allowing people to interact with systems. Conversational systems are an active research area, but a wide range of systems can be developed with current technology. More sophisticated interfaces can take considerable effort, but simple interfaces can be developed quite rapidly. This paper gives an introduction to the current state of the art of conversational systems and interfaces. It describes a methodology for developing conversational interfaces and gives an example of an interface for a state benefits web site. The paper discusses how this interface could improve access for a wide range of people, and how further development of this interface would allow a larger range of people to use the system and give them more functionality

Generalized priority-queue network dynamics: Impact of team and hierarchy

We study the effect of team and hierarchy on the waiting-time dynamics of priority-queue networks. To this end, we introduce generalized priority-queue network models incorporating interaction rules based on team-execution and hierarchy in decision making, respectively. It is numerically found that the waiting time distribution exhibits a power law for long waiting times in both cases, yet with different exponents depending on the team size and the position of queue nodes in the hierarchy, respectively. The observed power-law behaviors have in many cases a corresponding single or pairwise-interacting queue dynamics, suggesting that the pairwise interaction may constitute a major dynamics consequence in the priority-queue networks. It is also found that the reciprocity of influence is a relevant factor for the priority-queue network dynamic

Self-similar disk packings as model spatial scale-free networks

The network of contacts in space-filling disk packings, such as the Apollonian packing, are examined. These networks provide an interesting example of spatial scale-free networks, where the topology reflects the broad distribution of disk areas. A wide variety of topological and spatial properties of these systems are characterized. Their potential as models for networks of connected minima on energy landscapes is discussed.Comment: 13 pages, 12 figures; some bugs fixed and further discussion of higher-dimensional packing

Students’ experiences, learning outcomes and satisfaction in e-learning

This study was aimed to examine whether students’ experiences in e-learning are related to learning outcomes and satisfaction. Three learning experiences, which are course design, interaction with the instructor and interaction with peer students were identified as the predictors of learning outcomes and satisfaction. Self-administered questionnaire was adopted. The paper questionnaires were distributed to students at a university in Malaysia. In total, 670 valid responses were obtained. Exploratory factor analysis was performed to confirm the underlying factor structure for the observed variables. Regression analyses indicated that course design, interaction with the instructor and interaction with peer students are positively related to the learning outcomes and satisfaction. Among all learning experiences, interaction with peer students make the strongest contributions to learning outcomes and satisfaction. This study demonstrates the importance for University administrators and instructors to design e-learning course to optimal students’ experiences to enhance their learning outcomes and satisfaction

Genomic and Resistome Analyses of <em>Elizabethkingia anophelis</em> Strain B2D isolated from Dental Plaque of Patient

\ua9 2024, HH Publisher. All rights reserved.In this study, strain B2D isolated from a dental plaque sample of a human patient was studied for its general characteristics, taxonomic identification, genome features, and resistome profile. The bacterium exhibited antibiotic resistance to all beta-lactam antibiotics, nitrofuran, and sulfonamides, with high minimum inhibitory concentrations. It was only sensitive to the fluoroquinolone ciprofloxacin and intermediately susceptible to aminoglycoside tobramycin. A preliminary identification through 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that it shared the highest sequence identity with Elizabethkingia anophelis subsp. endophytica JM-87T (100%) and Elizabethkingia anophelis subsp. anophelis R26T (99.31%). The draft genome of strain B2D was approximately 3.9 Mbp with 50 contigs and 35.5% GC content. A 16S rRNA gene and core genes-based phylogenetic analyses revealed a close phylogenetic relationship between strain B2D and the other Elizabethkingia type strains. An above species level threshold average nucleotide identity value confirmed its taxonomic identity as Elizabethkingia anophelis. Furthermore, we conducted a resistome analysis of strain B2D and Elizabethkingia type strains, revealing the presence of widespread antibiotic resistance genes, including beta-lactamases and genes associated with cationic antiseptic resistance and glycopeptide resistance. Overall, the multidrug resistant profile of strain B2D as elucidated and confirmed through whole genome analysis indicated its potential as a reservoir of beta-lactamase genes. Moreover, its presence within dental plaque in the human oral cavity prompts speculation regarding its role as an opportunistic pathogen capable of causing infections, particularly in immunocompromised individuals

SUSY Splits, But Then Returns

We study the phenomenon of accidental or "emergent" supersymmetry within gauge theory and connect it to the scenarios of Split Supersymmetry and Higgs compositeness. Combining these elements leads to a significant refinement and extension of the proposal of Partial Supersymmetry, in which supersymmetry is broken at very high energies but with a remnant surviving to the weak scale. The Hierarchy Problem is then solved by a non-trivial partnership between supersymmetry and compositeness, giving a promising approach for reconciling Higgs naturalness with the wealth of precision experimental data. We discuss aspects of this scenario from the AdS/CFT dual viewpoint of higher-dimensional warped compactification. It is argued that string theory constructions with high scale supersymmetry breaking which realize warped/composite solutions to the Hierarchy Problem may well be accompanied by some or all of the features described. The central phenomenological considerations and expectations are discussed, with more detailed modelling within warped effective field theory reserved for future work.Comment: 29 pages. Flavor and CP constraints on left-right symmetric structure briefly discussed. References adde

Pair production of charged Higgs bosons in the Left-Right Twin Higgs model at the ILC and LHC

Left-Right twin Higgs(LRTH) model predicts the existence of a pair of charged Higgs $\phi^{\pm}$. In this paper, we study the production of the charged Higgs bosons pair $\phi^{\pm}$ via the process $e^{+}e^{-}\to \phi^{+}\phi^{-}$ at the International Linear Collider(ILC). The numerical results show that the production rates are at the level of several tens fb, this process can produce the adequate distinct multi-jet final states and the SM background can be efficiently reduced. We also discuss the charged Higgs boson pair production via the process $q\bar{q}\to \phi^{+}\phi^{-}$ at the $CERN$ Large Hadron Collider(LHC) and estimate there production rates. We find that, as long as the charged Higgs bosons are not too heavy, they can be abundantly produced at the LHC. The possible signatures of these new particles might be detected at the ILC and LHC experiments.Comment: 15 pages, 5 figures, discussion extended, reference added, typos fixed, revised version to be published in Eur.Phys.J.

TeV-scale seesaw from a multi-Higgs model

We suggest new simple model of generating tiny neutrino masses through a TeV-scale seesaw mechanism without requiring tiny Yukawa couplings. This model is a simple extension of the standard model by introducing extra one Higgs singlet, and one Higgs doublet with a tiny vacuum expectation value. Experimental constraints, electroweak precision data and no large flavor changing neutral currents, are satisfied since the extra doublet only has a Yukawa interaction with lepton doublets and right-handed neutrinos, and their masses are heavy of order a TeV-scale. Since active light neutrinos are Majorana particles, this model predicts a neutrinoless double beta decay.Comment: 21 pages, 8 figure