Zoology of a non-local cross-diffusion model for two species

We study a non-local two species cross-interaction model with cross-diffusion. We propose a positivity preserving finite volume scheme based on the numerical method introduced in Ref. [15] and explore this new model numerically in terms of its long-time behaviours. Using the so gained insights, we compute analytical stationary states and travelling pulse solutions for a particular model in the case of attractive-attractive/attractive-repulsive cross-interactions. We show that, as the strength of the cross-diffusivity decreases, there is a transition from adjacent solutions to completely segregated densities, and we compute the threshold analytically for attractive-repulsive cross-interactions. Other bifurcating stationary states with various coexistence components of the support are analysed in the attractive-attractive case. We find a strong agreement between the numerically and the analytically computed steady states in these particular cases, whose main qualitative features are also present for more general potentials

Antimicrobial peptides: key components of the innate immune system

Life-threatening infectious diseases are on their way to cause a worldwide crisis, as treating them effectively is becoming increasingly difficult due to the emergence of antibiotic resistant strains. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) form an ancient type of innate immunity found universally in all living organisms, providing a principal first-line of defense against the invading pathogens. The unique diverse function and architecture of AMPs has attracted considerable attention by scientists, both in terms of understanding the basic biology of the innate immune system, and as a tool in the design of molecular templates for new anti-infective drugs. AMPs are gene-encoded short (<100 amino acids), amphipathic molecules with hydrophobic and cationic amino acids arranged spatially, which exhibit broad spectrum antimicrobial activity. AMPs have been the subject of natural evolution, as have the microbes, for hundreds of millions of years. Despite this long history of co-evolution, AMPs have not lost their ability to kill or inhibit the microbes totally, nor have the microbes learnt to avoid the lethal punch of AMPs. AMPs therefore have potential to provide an important breakthrough and form the basis for a new class of antibiotics. In this review, we would like to give an overview of cationic antimicrobial peptides, origin, structure, functions, and mode of action of AMPs, which are highly expressed and found in humans, as well as a brief discussion about widely abundant, well characterized AMPs in mammals, in addition to pharmaceutical aspects and the additional functions of AMPs

Developing a Business Intelligence Process for a Training Module in SharePoint 2010

Prior to this project, training information for the employees of the National Center for Critical Processing and Storage (NCCIPS) was stored in an array of unrelated spreadsheets and SharePoint lists that had to be manually updated. By developing a content management system through a web application platform named SharePoint, this training system is now highly automated and provides a much less intensive method of storing training data and scheduling training courses. This system was developed by using SharePoint Designer and laying out the data structure for the interaction between different lists of data about the employees. The automation of data population inside of the lists was accomplished by implementing SharePoint workflows which essentially lay out the logic for how data is connected and calculated between certain lists. The resulting training system is constructed from a combination of five lists of data with a single list acting as the user-friendly interface. This interface is populated with the courses required for each employee and includes past and future information about course requirements. The employees of NCCIPS now have the ability to view, log, and schedule their training information and courses with much more ease. This system will relieve a significant amount of manual input and serve as a powerful informational resource for the employees of NCCIPS in the future

A Convergent Finite Volume Method for a Kinetic Model for Interacting Species

We propose an upwind finite volume method for a system of two kinetic equations in one dimension that are coupled through nonlocal interaction terms. These cross-interaction systems were recently obtained as the mean-field limit of a second-order system of ordinary differential equations for two interacting species. Models of this kind are encountered in a myriad of contexts, for instance, to describe large systems of indistinguishable agents such as cell colonies, flocks of birds, schools of fish, herds of sheep. The finite volume method we propose is constructed to conserve mass and preserve positivity. Moreover, convex functionals of the discrete solution are controlled, which we use to show the convergence of the scheme. Finally, we investigate the scheme numerically

On a novel gradient flow structure for the aggregation equation

The aggregation equation arises naturally in kinetic theory in the study of granular media, and its interpretation as a 2-Wasserstein gradient flow for the nonlocal interaction energy is well-known. Starting from the spatially homogeneous inelastic Boltzmann equation, a formal Taylor expansion reveals a link between this equation and the aggregation equation with an appropriately chosen interaction potential. Inspired by this formal link and the fact that the associated aggregation equation also dissipates the kinetic energy, we present a novel way of interpreting the aggregation equation as a gradient flow, in the sense of curves of maximal slope, of the kinetic energy, rather than the usual interaction energy, with respect to an appropriately constructed transportation metric on the space of probability measures.Comment: 37 pages. Restructured version. Comments welcom

Impacts of California Proposition 47 on Crime in Santa Monica, CA

We examine crime patterns in Santa Monica, California before and after passage of Proposition 47, a 2014 initiative that reclassified some non-violent felonies to misdemeanors. We also study how the 2016 opening of four new light rail stations, and how more community-based policing starting in late 2018, impacted crime. A series of statistical analyses are performed on reclassified (larceny, fraud, possession of narcotics, forgery, receiving/possessing stolen property) and non-reclassified crimes by probing publicly available databases from 2006 to 2019. We compare data before and after passage of Proposition 47, city-wide and within eight neighborhoods. Similar analyses are conducted within a 450 meter radius of the new transit stations. Reports of monthly reclassified crimes increased city-wide by approximately 15% after enactment of Proposition 47, with a significant drop observed in late 2018. Downtown exhibited the largest overall surge. The reported incidence of larceny intensified throughout the city. Two new train stations, including Downtown, reported significant crime increases in their vicinity after service began. While the number of reported reclassified crimes increased after passage of Proposition 47, those not affected by the new law decreased or stayed constant, suggesting that Proposition 47 strongly impacted crime in Santa Monica. Reported crimes decreased in late 2018 concurrent with the adoption of new policing measures that enhanced outreach and patrolling. These findings may be relevant to law enforcement and policy-makers. Follow-up studies needed to confirm long-term trends may be affected by the COVID-19 pandemic that drastically changed societal conditions.Comment: 41 pages, 19 figure

Randomly Evolving Idiotypic Networks: Structural Properties and Architecture

We consider a minimalistic dynamic model of the idiotypic network of B-lymphocytes. A network node represents a population of B-lymphocytes of the same specificity (idiotype), which is encoded by a bitstring. The links of the network connect nodes with complementary and nearly complementary bitstrings, allowing for a few mismatches. A node is occupied if a lymphocyte clone of the corresponding idiotype exists, otherwise it is empty. There is a continuous influx of new B-lymphocytes of random idiotype from the bone marrow. B-lymphocytes are stimulated by cross-linking their receptors with complementary structures. If there are too many complementary structures, steric hindrance prevents cross-linking. Stimulated cells proliferate and secrete antibodies of the same idiotype as their receptors, unstimulated lymphocytes die. Depending on few parameters, the autonomous system evolves randomly towards patterns of highly organized architecture, where the nodes can be classified into groups according to their statistical properties. We observe and describe analytically the building principles of these patterns, which allow to calculate number and size of the node groups and the number of links between them. The architecture of all patterns observed so far in simulations can be explained this way. A tool for real-time pattern identification is proposed.Comment: 19 pages, 15 figures, 4 table

Influence of Green IT on Consumers’ Buying Behavior of Personal Computers: Implications from a Conjoint Analysis

The increasing attention towards the environmental impact of IT (Information Technology) demands reorientation from IT hardware and service organisations. Consumers are more than ever sensitive about the environmental impact of products and services they buy. Environmental attributes therefore play an important role in the buying process. While the concept of Green IT has been primarily researched from the corporate perspective, the consumer perspective has widely been neglected. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the influence of Green IT attributes of PCs (Personal Computers) on the buying behaviour of consumers. As a contribution to the ongoing discussion of Green IT, we provide marketing data from 500 participants on the importance of Green IT using conjoint and cluster analysis. It is shown that the market share for Green IT PCs could be up to 26.6%. Especially female customers value environmentally friendly attributes. Thereafter, we draw recommendations for the marketing mix of IT hardware and service organisations. The results should provide researchers and practitioners with new insights and measures about the relevance and application of Green IT in the scope of PCs

Randomly Evolving Idiotypic Networks: Modular Mean Field Theory

We develop a modular mean field theory for a minimalistic model of the idiotypic network. The model comprises the random influx of new idiotypes and a deterministic selection. It describes the evolution of the idiotypic network towards complex modular architectures, the building principles of which are known. The nodes of the network can be classified into groups of nodes, the modules, which share statistical properties. Each node experiences only the mean influence of the groups to which it is linked. Given the size of the groups and linking between them the statistical properties such as mean occupation, mean life time, and mean number of occupied neighbors are calculated for a variety of patterns and compared with simulations. For a pattern which consists of pairs of occupied nodes correlations are taken into account.Comment: 14 pages, 8 figures, 4 table