Visualising the influence of data structure choice on the performance of a distributed database system

The choice of data structure is an important decision in any software project. Application developers do not necessarily have a good understanding of how a particular system manages its data structures and how this might influence performance. We provide visualisations representing the behaviour of different data structures in an object oriented distributed database system. The data is obtained from cache monitoring software and the visualisations therefore represent the actual, as opposed to the theoretical, behaviour. The visualisations can be used as a supplement to the textual description of how a particular system manages its data structures so providing developers, educators and students with a clearer understanding of the implications of their choice of data structure

Pragmatic data modelling and design for end users

Many people are dependent on desktop end user tools such as spreadsheets and databases to manage their data. While they may have the technical skills to set up data repositories, many end users lack the analysis skills to design data models which reflect their often deceptively complex requirements. We advocate that a comprehensive data model should always be developed, with expert help, so that the end user can feel confident the subtleties of the data are fully understood. We then suggest that some pragmatic decisions can be made to simplify the model so that the end user can retain control over setting up and maintaining the application

An analysis of the feasibility of using image processing to estimate the live weight of sheep

One of the difficulties in successfully managing the supply and use of animal feed in sheep farming is in knowing the live weight of the sheep in the various mobs a farmer may be using. Most farmers make intuitive estimates of whether their sheep are increasing, maintaining or losing weight. A few farmers will weigh samples from the mobs, but this is an expensive and tedious operation, and consequently not carried out very often. If an inexpensive and simple method could be devised for quickly obtaining the average live weight of a mob of sheep this would markedly aid their successful management. This discussion paper contains outlines of the various methods that might be used as well as the problems with each method. There are also discussions covering the efforts made, as explained in the literature, for use in estimating the live weight of other species. This provides a means of generating ideas. The discussion paper concludes with recommendations on what appear to be the most promising approaches that might be further investigated. If such a system could be devised there is no doubt many farmers around the world would utilise it to assist in the management of their feed supplies, and consequently improve the efficient production of meat and wool

Investigating the potential role of visualisation in natural resource decision-making

Computer-aided visualisation can be applied to natural environments to understand the impact of proposed developments or management strategies, but little evaluation of the effectiveness of these tools has been undertaken. In seeking to manage natural environments, it is desirable to model and understand these complex interactions in order to compare the outcomes of applying different management strategies. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether there are significant differences in knowledge outcomes depending on the form in which visualisation of environmental changes is presented, using a case study of Te Waihora/Lake Ellesmere, a broad, shallow lagoon in the South Island of New Zealand. Te Waihora/Lake Ellesmere is separated from the Pacific Ocean by the long narrow sandy Kaitorete Spit. Its unique position allows for it to be opened to the sea periodically to provide drainage and prevent flooding of surrounding farmlands. There is a lack of agreement among the diverse stakeholders regarding the appropriate levels at which the lake level should be maintained throughout the year. We describe an interactive visualisation tool (ElleVis) which shows the effects of different water levels on the flora and fauna, as well as plants and animals living in and around the Lake. The tool allows users to input different opening scenarios and visualise the resulting impact on water levels around the lake at various times. It incorporates historical rainfall data from New Zealand’s National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research to deliver a graphical map display, including a summary table with a ‘traffic light’ status for lake values - birds, fish, farming and other stakeholder interests at different locations around the lake. The interactive nature of the ElleVis tool allows the stakeholders to compare Te Waihora/Lake Ellesmere under different opening scenarios using one interactive tool. However, it is possible, for example, that providing information about changes in lake behaviour in a carefully and clearly presented non-interactive form may be as successful as providing it in an interactive form of ElleVis. In order to test for the effect of interactive versus non-interactive forms of visualization, we conducted an experiment with forty participants (randomly assigned to two test groups) who have various interests at Te Waihora. We provided them with either an interactive or a non-interactive form of visualisation. Results were recorded from a structured interview after the test. The findings revealed that interactive visualisation was key to advantageous learning about changes in environmental behaviour. We argue that the techniques presented have the potential to stimulate meaningful discussions in natural resource situations that involve contested resources or a multiplicity of interests, but at the same time, there is an urgent need for evaluation of such tools in participatory decision-making processes

Genetic Variations in IL28B and Allergic Disease in Children

Environmental changes affecting the relationship between the developing immune system and microbial exposure have been implicated in the epidemic rise of allergic disease in developed countries. While early developmental differences in T cell function are well-recognised, there is now emerging evidence that this is related to developmental differences in innate immune function. In this study we sought to examine if differences associated with innate immunity contribute to the altered immune programming recognised in allergic children. Here, we describe for the first time, the association of carriage of the T allele of the tagging single nucleotide polymorphism rs12979860 3 kb upstream of IL28B, encoding the potent innate immune modulator type III interferon lambda (IFN-λ3), and allergy in children (p = 0.004; OR 4.56). Strikingly, the association between rs12979860 genotype and allergic disease is enhanced in girls. Furthermore, carriage of the T allele at rs12979860 correlates with differences in the pro-inflammatory profile during the first five years of life suggesting this contributes to the key differences in subsequent innate immune development in children who develop allergic disease. In the context of rising rates of disease, these immunologic differences already present at birth imply very early interaction between genetic predisposition and prenatal environmental influences

Dark sectors 2016 Workshop: community report

This report, based on the Dark Sectors workshop at SLAC in April 2016, summarizes the scientific importance of searches for dark sector dark matter and forces at masses beneath the weak-scale, the status of this broad international field, the important milestones motivating future exploration, and promising experimental opportunities to reach these milestones over the next 5-10 years

A 'synthetic-sickness' screen for senescence re-engagement targets in mutant cancer backgrounds.

Senescence is a universal barrier to immortalisation and tumorigenesis. As such, interest in the use of senescence-induction in a therapeutic context has been gaining momentum in the past few years; however, senescence and immortalisation remain underserved areas for drug discovery owing to a lack of robust senescence inducing agents and an incomplete understanding of the signalling events underlying this complex process. In order to address this issue we undertook a large-scale morphological siRNA screen for inducers of senescence phenotypes in the human melanoma cell line A375P. Following rescreen and validation in a second cancer cell line, HCT116 colorectal carcinoma, a panel of 16 of the most robust hits were selected for further validation based on significance and the potential to be targeted by drug-like molecules. Using secondary assays for detection of senescence biomarkers p21, 53BP1 and senescence associated beta-galactosidase (SAβGal) in a panel of HCT116 cell lines carrying cancer-relevant mutations, we show that partial senescence phenotypes can be induced to varying degrees in a context dependent manner, even in the absence of p21 or p53 expression. However, proliferation arrest varied among genetic backgrounds with predominantly toxic effects in p21 null cells, while cells lacking PI3K mutation failed to arrest. Furthermore, we show that the oncogene ECT2 induces partial senescence phenotypes in all mutant backgrounds tested, demonstrating a dependence on activating KRASG13D for growth suppression and a complete senescence response. These results suggest a potential mechanism to target mutant KRAS signalling through ECT2 in cancers that are reliant on activating KRAS mutations and remain refractory to current treatments

Introduction: new research in monetary history - A map

This handbook aims to provide a comprehensive (though obviously not exhaustive) picture of state-of-the-art international scholarship on the history of money and currency. The chapters of this handbook cover a wide selection of research topics. They span chronologically from antiquity to nowadays and are geographically stretched from Latin America to Asia, although most of them focus on Western Europe and the USA, as a large part of the existing research does. The authors of these chapters constitute, we hope, a balanced sample of various generations of scholars who contributed to what Barry Eichengreen defined as "the new monetary and financial history" – an approach that combines the analysis of monetary aggregates and policies with the structure and dynamics of the banking sector and financial markets. We have structured this handbook in ten broad thematic parts: the historical origins of money; money, coinage, and the state; trade, money markets, and international currencies; money and metals; monetary experiments; Asian monetary systems; exchange rate regimes; monetary integration; central banking and monetary policy; and aggregate price shocks. In this introduction, we offer for each part some historical context, a few key insights from the literature, and a brief analytical summary of each chapter. Our aim is to draw a map that hopefully will help readers to organize their journey through this very wide and diverse research area