Response to Invasion by Antigen and Effects of Threshold in an Immune Network Dynamical System Model with a Small Number of Degrees of Freedom

We study a dynamical system model of an idiotypic immune network with a small number of degrees of freedom, mainly focusing on the effect of a threshold above which antibodies can recognise antibodies. The response of the system to invasions by antigens is investigated in the both models with and without the threshold and it turns out that the system changes in a desirable direction for moderate magnitude of perturbation. direction for moderate magnitude of perturbation. Also, the propagation of disturbance by an antigen is investigated in the system of one-dimensionally connected basic units taking the closed 3-clone system as a unit, and it is clarified that the threshold of the system has effects to enhance the stability of the network and to localise the immune response.Comment: 6 pages, 6 figures. Submitted to Prog. Theor. Phy

Bell's theorem as a signature of nonlocality: a classical counterexample

For a system composed of two particles Bell's theorem asserts that averages of physical quantities determined from local variables must conform to a family of inequalities. In this work we show that a classical model containing a local probabilistic interaction in the measurement process can lead to a violation of the Bell inequalities. We first introduce two-particle phase-space distributions in classical mechanics constructed to be the analogs of quantum mechanical angular momentum eigenstates. These distributions are then employed in four schemes characterized by different types of detectors measuring the angular momenta. When the model includes an interaction between the detector and the measured particle leading to ensemble dependencies, the relevant Bell inequalities are violated if total angular momentum is required to be conserved. The violation is explained by identifying assumptions made in the derivation of Bell's theorem that are not fulfilled by the model. These assumptions will be argued to be too restrictive to see in the violation of the Bell inequalities a faithful signature of nonlocality.Comment: Extended manuscript. Significant change

Meta-stable memory in an artificial immune network

Abstract. This paper describes an artificial immune system algorithm which implements a fairly close analogue of the memory mechanism proposed by Jerne(1) (usually known as the Immune Network Theory). The algorithm demonstrates the ability of these types of network to produce meta-stable structures representing populated regions of the antigen space. The networks produced retain their structure indefinitely and capture inherent structure within the sets of antigens used to train them. Results from running the algorithm on a variety of data sets are presented and shown to be stable over long time periods and wide ranges of parameters. The potential of the algorithm as a tool for multivariate data analysis is also explored.

Fantom-gyerekek : a korai iskolaelhagyással, lemorzsolódással összefüggő oktatáspolitikai intézkedések az iskolai mulasztások statisztikai adatainak tükrében

Az Európa 2020 stratégia egyik kiemelt célja a korai iskolaelhagyás arányának 10 százalék alá csökkentése. E deklarált céllal ellentétben hazánkban az elmúlt években folyamatosan növekedett a korai iskolaelhagyók és a lemorzsolódók aránya. Jelen írásunkban a rendelkezésre álló közoktatásai statisztikai adatok összevetésével keressük a választ az iskolai hiányzások, a korai iskolaelhagyás, valamint a lemorzsolódás kapcsolatára. Vizsgáljuk továbbá, hogy a közelmúlt oktatáspolitikai döntései mennyiben segítették a Magyarország által is vállalt uniós célok megvalósulását

Kamaszok mondják…

Osztályfőnöke vagyok egy szakközépiskolás tizedik osztálynak, Budapesten. Az osztályba hivatalosan 21 tanuló jár, ebből négy azonban sosem jön iskolába, így a tényleges létszám 17 fő. „Bejáróknak” hívják magukat. Második éve vágyunk, a „bejárók” meg én, egy igazi, „ottalvós”, többnapos osztálykirándulásra, ám iskolánk pedagógiai elvei szerint ennek célja a közösségépítés, így csak azok az osztályok kaphatnak tanítási szünetet erre, ahol a bejárók kilencven százaléka elmegy a kirándulásra

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

A Simple Cellular Automaton Model for Influenza A Viral Infections

Viral kinetics have been extensively studied in the past through the use of spatially homogeneous ordinary differential equations describing the time evolution of the diseased state. However, spatial characteristics such as localized populations of dead cells might adversely affect the spread of infection, similar to the manner in which a counter-fire can stop a forest fire from spreading. In order to investigate the influence of spatial heterogeneities on viral spread, a simple 2-D cellular automaton (CA) model of a viral infection has been developed. In this initial phase of the investigation, the CA model is validated against clinical immunological data for uncomplicated influenza A infections. Our results will be shown and discussed.Comment: LaTeX, 12 pages, 18 EPS figures, uses document class ReTeX4, and packages amsmath and SIunit

Rhizomatic stories of representational faithfulness, decision making and control

There is a tendency in accounting theory, both external reporting and management accounting, to express a representational ideal. This to be understood in the sense that accounting information, independent on whether it is reported externally or used for control purposes internally, ought to represent something underlying, whether this is revenue, costs, performance or other things inscribed in the accounting information. In some cases the underlying is not an object, but a procedure which is developed with the purpose of standardising the calculations as to become comparable (Financial Accounting Standards Board, 1980a). In the beginning of the 1970’s in the accounting information literature, simultaneously with the foundation of the American Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB), an academic discussion regarding which qualitative characteristics accounting information ought to have, emerges (e.g. Ijiri, 1975, Hines, 1988 og Ingram and Rayburn, 1989). This was caused by FASB’s work on a conceptual framework Standard of Financial Accounting Concepts (SFAC), which was meant as a guide to the standard setters in the development of new accounting standards/principles. A new notion, representational faithfulness, was introduced in SFAC no. 2. The discussion about representational faithfulness is equivocal and no unambiguous definition of what representational faithfulness actually is. This has occasioned a range of dialogues about the representativity of accounting information, the accounting setters’ roles and effects of disclosure of accounting information..