Music-reading expertise modulates the visual span for English letters but not Chinese characters.

Recent research has suggested that the visual span in stimulus identification can be enlarged through perceptual learning. Since both English and music reading involve left-to-right sequential symbol processing, music-reading experience may enhance symbol identification through perceptual learning particularly in the right visual field (RVF). In contrast, as Chinese can be read in all directions, and components of Chinese characters do not consistently form a left-right structure, this hypothesized RVF enhancement effect may be limited in Chinese character identification. To test these hypotheses, here we recruited musicians and nonmusicians who read Chinese as their first language (L1) and English as their second language (L2) to identify music notes, English letters, Chinese characters, and novel symbols (Tibetan letters) presented at different eccentricities and visual field locations on the screen while maintaining central fixation. We found that in English letter identification, significantly more musicians achieved above-chance performance in the center-RVF locations than nonmusicians. This effect was not observed in Chinese character or novel symbol identification. We also found that in music note identification, musicians outperformed nonmusicians in accuracy in the center-RVF condition, consistent with the RVF enhancement effect in the visual span observed in English-letter identification. These results suggest that the modulation of music-reading experience on the visual span for stimulus identification depends on the similarities in the perceptual processes involved

A Computational Tool to Interpret the Bulk Composition of Solid Exoplanets based on Mass and Radius Measurements

The prospects for finding transiting exoplanets in the range of a few to 20 Earth masses is growing rapidly with both ground-based and spaced-based efforts. We describe a publicly available computer code to compute and quantify the compositional ambiguities for differentiated solid exoplanets with a measured mass and radius, including the mass and radius uncertainties.Comment: PASP, in press. 20 pages including 5 figures. Try the MATLAB code and send us comment

Mathematical Modelling of the Evolution of Human Behaviours and Strategic Choice

Evolutionary anthropology seeks answers to the eternal philosophical question: how have we come to be? Studies in evolutionary anthropology attempt to explain the evolution of uniquely human behaviours by investigating the mechanisms that drive different trajectories. In this thesis dynamic mathematical models are built to investigate the tradeoffs defining divergent evolutionary pathways of strategic choice. This is done by comparing evolutionary equilibria at great ape-like and hunter-gatherer-like life histories. One investigation considers the evolution of pair bonding in humans. Mate guarding that pays off in increased likelihood of obtaining paternities outperforms strategies of paternal care at hunter-gatherer-like male-biased sex ratios while multiple mating is the evolutionary equilibrium at chimpanzee-like female-biased sex ratios. This demonstrates the promise of mate guarding as a pathway to social monogamy and links male reproductive strategies to the grandmother hypothesis through sex ratio dependence. Competition and care as male reproductive strategies are then investigated more generally in an ordinary differential equation model. Equilibria depend on life history and benefit parameters. An integro-difference equation model that explores the effect of non-parental imitation on the coevolution of low fertility at high socio-economic status is also given, applying Darwinian selection to a contemporary case of cultural evolution. This thesis shows that competitive strategies often pay off at human-like parameters despite the possibility of increased offspring survivorship through care. However, coexistence or persistence of a non-competitive strategy may also occur under specific parameters. Uncovering drivers of the evolution of different male reproductive strategies is important for guiding further research and shedding light on why we are so different from other great apes

Circular economy fashion strategies

Current design thinking focuses on incremental improvements to a linear system in which products are designed, produced and eventually disposed of. This continued consumption has resulted in over 1 million tonnes of discarded clothing and textiles entering into landfill each year in the UK. The effect of this high volume of waste is not only the loss of embodied energy and value, as re-useable items are disposed of, but continued environmental degradation through greenhouse gas emissions, toxic pollution and rapidly declining landfill space. Whilst consumers are increasingly aware of the consequences of continued consumption, there are limited options to act more responsibly. As much as 70% of textile waste is sent to landfill or incineration from municipal waste collections. In order to investigate these problems it was necessary to consider points at each stage in the cycle using an exploratory sequential mixed methods approach combining case studies, semi-structured interviews and a consumer survey. The practices of those collecting, sorting and grading post-consumer textiles, and those working within circular economy fashion to maximise the reuse and revaluation of such materials through their design practice, were analysed through semi-structured interviews, structured observation and process mapping. An online survey questionnaire evaluated how current consumer attitudes and behaviours would impact upon a circular economy fashion system, assessing how demographic categories define the way individuals view their own practice as consumers, users and eventual disposers. Results show the post-consumer textile collection industry to be in a state of flux. Organisations seeking to reuse and recycle post-consumer clothing and textiles face challenges in promoting the responsible disposal of these items in order to secure supply. Falling sale prices and uncertain collection volumes mean collectors are constantly struggling to extract as much value as possible through sorting and grading activities. Of the volumes collected for reuse and recycling, profit margins are low, resulting in drop in value of around 93% from new to used. Brands and designers working to create change by offering more conscientious product choices are struggling to connect with mainstream fashion consumers, hindered by a lack of industry acceptance and media coverage. Barriers to scaling up circular economy fashion strategies include a lack of market knowledge relating to consumers and the most effective promotional and retail strategies. Consumer insights show the youngest demographic group to be the most characteristic fashion leaders, but they also show the least regard for conscientious consumption. Regarding disposal, over one quarter of respondents across all demographic categories reported throwing old clothes in the bin, with convenience a major factor in such decisions. Indications from consumers show that those working within the industry, such as the brands, designers, producers and employers are viewed as having the greatest responsibility for making conscientious ethical and environmental choices. These findings present significant evidence to guide the development of an effective fashion communication strategy for a circular economy. The outcome is the proposal of a conceptual framework for transitioning towards a circular economy fashion system. This framework provides a guiding strategy for the successful integration of circular economy fashion practices into the mainstream

Hybrid statistical and mechanistic mathematical model guides mobile health intervention for chronic pain

Nearly a quarter of visits to the Emergency Department are for conditions that could have been managed via outpatient treatment; improvements that allow patients to quickly recognize and receive appropriate treatment are crucial. The growing popularity of mobile technology creates new opportunities for real-time adaptive medical intervention, and the simultaneous growth of big data sources allows for preparation of personalized recommendations. Here we focus on the reduction of chronic suffering in the sickle cell disease community. Sickle cell disease is a chronic blood disorder in which pain is the most frequent complication. There currently is no standard algorithm or analytical method for real-time adaptive treatment recommendations for pain. Furthermore, current state-of-the-art methods have difficulty in handling continuous-time decision optimization using big data. Facing these challenges, in this study we aim to develop new mathematical tools for incorporating mobile technology into personalized treatment plans for pain. We present a new hybrid model for the dynamics of subjective pain that consists of a dynamical systems approach using differential equations to predict future pain levels, as well as a statistical approach tying system parameters to patient data (both personal characteristics and medication response history). Pilot testing of our approach suggests that it has significant potential to predict pain dynamics given patients' reported pain levels and medication usages. With more abundant data, our hybrid approach should allow physicians to make personalized, data driven recommendations for treating chronic pain.Comment: 13 pages, 15 figures, 5 table

In situ structures of the genome and genome-delivery apparatus in a single-stranded RNA virus.

Packaging of the genome into a protein capsid and its subsequent delivery into a host cell are two fundamental processes in the life cycle of a virus. Unlike double-stranded DNA viruses, which pump their genome into a preformed capsid, single-stranded RNA (ssRNA) viruses, such as bacteriophage MS2, co-assemble their capsid with the genome; however, the structural basis of this co-assembly is poorly understood. MS2 infects Escherichia coli via the host 'sex pilus' (F-pilus); it was the first fully sequenced organism and is a model system for studies of translational gene regulation, RNA-protein interactions, and RNA virus assembly. Its positive-sense ssRNA genome of 3,569 bases is enclosed in a capsid with one maturation protein monomer and 89 coat protein dimers arranged in a T = 3 icosahedral lattice. The maturation protein is responsible for attaching the virus to an F-pilus and delivering the viral genome into the host during infection, but how the genome is organized and delivered is not known. Here we describe the MS2 structure at 3.6 Å resolution, determined by electron-counting cryo-electron microscopy (cryoEM) and asymmetric reconstruction. We traced approximately 80% of the backbone of the viral genome, built atomic models for 16 RNA stem-loops, and identified three conserved motifs of RNA-coat protein interactions among 15 of these stem-loops with diverse sequences. The stem-loop at the 3' end of the genome interacts extensively with the maturation protein, which, with just a six-helix bundle and a six-stranded β-sheet, forms a genome-delivery apparatus and joins 89 coat protein dimers to form a capsid. This atomic description of genome-capsid interactions in a spherical ssRNA virus provides insight into genome delivery via the host sex pilus and mechanisms underlying ssRNA-capsid co-assembly, and inspires speculation about the links between nucleoprotein complexes and the origins of viruses

Longitudinal wall motion of the common carotid artery can be assessed by velocity vector imaging

Velocity vector imaging (VVI) is novel ultrasound image analysis software, enabling simultaneous evaluation of longitudinal and radial tissue motion. This study aimed to investigate the possible usefulness of VVI in evaluating the longitudinal vessel wall movement of the common carotid artery (CCA). Sixteen healthy volunteers and 16 patients with established coronary artery disease (CAD) were included in the study. CCA was scanned and standard B-mode ultrasound images were analysed off-line with VVI. In healthy volunteers, total longitudinal displacements (tLoD) of the right and left CCA were similar, as were the movements of the near- and far wall of the right CCA. The CAD group showed significantly lower tLoD compared to the healthy volunteers (0·543 ± 0·394 versus 0·112 ± 0·074, P<0·0001). VVI is a highly feasible technique in assessing longitudinal CCA wall motion, which may be of potential relevance as a novel vascular biomarker

Far-Field Plasmonic Resonance Enhanced Nano-Particle Image Velocimetry within a Micro Channel

In this paper, a novel far-field plasmonic resonance enhanced nanoparticle-seeded Particle Image Velocimetry (nPIV) has been demonstrated to measure the velocity profile in a micro channel. Chemically synthesized silver nanoparticles have been used to seed the flow in the micro channel. By using Discrete Dipole Approximation (DDA), plasmonic resonance enhanced light scattering has been calculated for spherical silver nanoparticles with diameters ranging from 15nm to 200nm. Optimum scattering wavelength is specified for the nanoparticles in two media: water and air. The diffraction-limited plasmonic resonance enhanced images of silver nanoparticles at different diameters have been recorded and analyzed. By using standard PIV techniques, the velocity profile within the micro channel has been determined from the images.Comment: submitted to Review of Scientific Instrument