Trapping and Steering on Lattice Strings: Virtual Slow Waves, Directional and Non-propagating Excitations

Using a lattice string model, a number of peculiar excitation situations related to non-propagating excitations and non-radiating sources are demonstrated. External fields can be used to trap excitations locally but also lead to the ability to steer such excitations dynamically as long as the steering is slower than the field's wave propagation. I present explicit constructions of a number of examples, including temporally limited non-propagating excitations, directional excitation and virtually slowed propagation. Using these dynamical lattice constructions I demonstrate that neither persistent temporal oscillation nor static localization are necessary for non-propagating excitations to occur.Comment: 16 pages, 5 figures, RevTex4, references added, figure captions improved, to appear in Physical Review

Topological IIR Filters over Simplicial Topologies via Sheaves

Topology offers a means to formally generalize digital filtering methods based on digital linear translation-invariant (LTI) filters while also, in principle, incorporating translation-variant and nonlinear methods as well as studying large scale (global) properties of filter problems. In this letter we show how the full content of LTI digital filter theory can be incorporated into the formalism of topological filters as introduced by Robinson. In particular, we will give the feedback filter construction associated with infinite impulse responses (IIR). The result allows for direct translation of LTI filters into topological filters, which are sheaves of finite vector spaces and suitably constructed linear maps over simplicial topologies.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication: IEEE Signal Processing Letter

Hooking up Web Audio to WebGL Typography

Presented at the 2nd Web Audio Conference (WAC), April 4-6, 2016, Atlanta, Georgia.This presentation was presented as part of a poster/demo session on April 5, 2016. Timestamp: 09:41 - 10:31.This demo introduces programmable text rendering that enables temporal typography in web browsers. Textual interaction is seen not only as a dynamic but interactive process facilitating both scripted and live musical expression in various contexts such as audio-visual performance using keyboards and live coding visualization. We transform plain text into a highly audiovisual medium and a musical interface which is visually expressive by transforming textual properties using real-time web audio signal. Technical realization of the concept uses Web Audio API, WebGL and GLSL shaders. We show a number of examples that illustrate instances of the concept in various scenarios ranging from simple textual visualization, live coding environments and interactive writing platform

Crowd in C[loud] : Audience Participation Music with Online Dating Metaphor using Cloud Service

Presented at the 2nd Web Audio Conference (WAC), April 4-6, 2016, Atlanta, Georgia.In this paper, we introduce Crowd in C[loud], a networked music piece designed for audience participation at a music concert. We developed a networked musical instrument for the web browser where a casual smartphone user can play music as well as interact with other audience members. A participant composes a short tune with five notes and serving as a personal profile picture of each individual through- out the piece. The notion of musical profiles is used to form a social network that mimics an online-dating website. People browse the profiles of others, choose someone they like, and initiate interaction online and offline. We utilize a cloud service that helps build, without a server-side programming, a large-scale networked music ensemble on the web. This paper introduces the design choices for this distributed musical instrument. It describes details on how the crowd is orchestrated through the cloud service. We discuss how it facilitates mingling with one another. Finally we show how live coding is incorporated while maintaining the coherence of the piece. From rehearsal to actual performance, the crowd takes part in the process of producing the piece

Functionality and Cell Senescence of CD4/ CD8-Selected CD20 CAR T Cells Manufactured Using the Automated CliniMACS Prodigy® Platform

Clinical studies using autologous CAR T cells have achieved spectacular remissions in refractory CD19+ B cell leukaemia, however some of the patient treatments with CAR T cells failed. Beside the heterogeneity of leukaemia, the distribution and senescence of the autologous cells from heavily pretreated patients might be further reasons for this. We performed six consecutive large-scale manufacturing processes for CD20 CAR T cells from healthy donor leukapheresis using the automated CliniMACS Prodigy® platform. Starting with a CD4/CD8-positive selection, a high purity of a median of 97% T cells with a median 65-fold cell expansion was achieved. Interestingly, the transduction rate was significantly higher for CD4+ compared to CD8+ T cells and reached in a median of 23%. CD20 CAR T cells showed a good specific IFN-γ secretion after cocultivation with CD20+ target cells which correlated with good cytotoxic activity. Most importantly, 3 out of 5 CAR T cell products showed an increase in telomere length during the manufacturing process, while telomere length remained consistent in one and decreased in another process. In conclusion, this shows for the first time that beside heterogeneity among healthy donors, CAR T cell products also differ regarding cell senescence, even for cells manufactured in a standardised automated process

Biodiversity post-2020: Closing the gap between global targets and national-level implementation

National and local governments need to step up efforts to effectively implement the post-2020 global biodiversity framework of the Convention on Biological Diversity to halt and reverse worsening biodiversity trends. Drawing on recent advances in interdisciplinary biodiversity science, we propose a framework for improved implementation by national and subnational governments. First, the identification of actions and the promotion of ownership across stakeholders need to recognize the multiple values of biodiversity and account for remote responsibility. Second, cross-sectorial implementation and mainstreaming should adopt scalable and multifunctional ecosystem restoration approaches and target positive futures for nature and people. Third, assessment of progress and adaptive management can be informed by novel biodiversity monitoring and modeling approaches handling the multidimensionality of biodiversity change