Nanopype: A modular and scalable nanopore data processing pipeline

Long-read third-generation nanopore sequencing enables researchers to now address a range of questions that are difficult to tackle with short read approaches. The rapidly expanding user base and continuously increasing throughput have sparked the development of a growing number of specialized analysis tools. However, streamlined processing of nanopore datasets using reproducible and transparent workflows is still lacking. Here we present Nanopype, a nanopore data processing pipeline that integrates a diverse set of established bioinformatics software while maintaining consistent and standardized output formats. Seamless integration into compute cluster environments makes the framework suitable for high-throughput applications. As a result, Nanopype facilitates comparability of nanopore data analysis workflows and thereby should enhance the reproducibility of biological insights

Orientational order parameters of a de Vries–type ferroelectric liquid crystal obtained by polarized Raman spectroscopy and x-ray diffraction

The orientational order parameters 〈P2〉 and 〈P4〉 of the ferroelectric, de Vries–type liquid crystal 9HL have been determined in the SmA* and SmC* phases by means of polarized Raman spectroscopy, and in the SmA* phase using x-ray diffraction. Quantum density functional theory predicts Raman spectra for 9HL that are in good agreement with the observations and indicates that the strong Raman band probed in the experiment corresponds to the uniaxial, coupled vibration of the three phenyl rings along the molecular long axis. The magnitudes of the orientational order parameters obtained in the Raman and x-ray experiments differ dramatically from each other, a discrepancy that is resolved by considering that the two techniques probe the orientational distributions of different molecular axes. We have developed a systematic procedure in which we calculate the angle between these axes and rescale the orientational order parameters obtained from x-ray scattering with results that are then in good agreement with the Raman data. At least in the case of 9HL, the results obtained by both techniques support a “sugar loaf” orientational distribution in the SmA* phase with no qualitative difference to conventional smectics A. The role of individual molecular fragments in promoting de Vries–type behavior is considered

Field-Dependent Tilt and Birefringence of Electroclinic Liquid Crystals: Theory and Experiment

An unresolved issue in the theory of liquid crystals is the molecular basis of the electroclinic effect in the smectic-A phase. Recent x-ray scattering experiments suggest that, in a class of siloxane-containing liquid crystals, an electric field changes a state of disordered molecular tilt in random directions into a state of ordered tilt in one direction. To investigate this issue, we measure the optical tilt and birefringence of these liquid crystals as functions of field and temperature, and we develop a theory for the distribution of molecular orientations under a field. Comparison of theory and experiment confirms that these materials have a disordered distribution of molecular tilt directions that is aligned by an electric field, giving a large electroclinic effect. It also shows that the net dipole moment of a correlated volume of molecules, a key parameter in the theory, scales as a power law near the smectic-A--smectic-C transition.Comment: 18 pages, including 9 postscript figures, uses REVTeX 3.0 and epsf.st

Analysis of discontinuous Galerkin methods using mesh-dependent norms and applications to problems with rough data

We prove the inf-sup stability of a discontinuous Galerkin scheme for second order elliptic operators in (unbalanced) mesh-dependent norms for quasi-uniform meshes for all spatial dimensions. This results in a priori error bounds in these norms. As an application we examine some problems with rough source term where the solution can not be characterised as a weak solution and show quasi-optimal error control

A numerical method for the quasi-incompressible Cahn-Hilliard-Navier-Stokes equations for variable density flows with a discrete energy law

In this paper, we investigate numerically a diffuse interface model for the Navier-Stokes equation with fluid-fluid interface when the fluids have different densities \cite{Lowengrub1998}. Under minor reformulation of the system, we show that there is a continuous energy law underlying the system, assuming that all variables have reasonable regularities. It is shown in the literature that an energy law preserving method will perform better for multiphase problems. Thus for the reformulated system, we design a $C^0$ finite element method and a special temporal scheme where the energy law is preserved at the discrete level. Such a discrete energy law (almost the same as the continuous energy law) for this variable density two-phase flow model has never been established before with $C^0$ finite element. A Newton's method is introduced to linearise the highly non-linear system of our discretization scheme. Some numerical experiments are carried out using the adaptive mesh to investigate the scenario of coalescing and rising drops with differing density ratio. The snapshots for the evolution of the interface together with the adaptive mesh at different times are presented to show that the evolution, including the break-up/pinch-off of the drop, can be handled smoothly by our numerical scheme. The discrete energy functional for the system is examined to show that the energy law at the discrete level is preserved by our scheme

How Have Employment Transitions for Older Workers in Germany and the UK Changed?

Extending working life is an objective for many nations. However, the UK government has recently reported only modest improvement "compared to many nations". A comparison of European, Labour Force Surveys show that Germany has reversed early retirement much faster than the UK since 2003. This was not forecast by previous researchers. In particular, Ebbinghaus' influential cross-national analysis of early retirement, published in 2006, had predicted that liberal welfare states regimes like the UK would react faster than conservative ones like Germany. A review of changes to pensions and employment policies suggests the UK puts more emphasis on recruitment of older workers, flexible working and gradual retirement while Germany puts more emphasis on retention of older workers through age-management and employment protection. The paper compares the employment transitions of older workers using data covering 1993 to 2013 from the longitudinal surveys British Household Panel Survey, Understanding Society and the German Socio-Economic Panel. It finds little evidence for the recruitment of older workers or gradual retirement in either the UK or Germany and concludes it was the greater employment protection for older workers in Germany that enabled the employment rate for older workers to increase even during the recent recession