99 research outputs found
Stem Cell Transplantation As A Dynamical System: Are Clinical Outcomes Deterministic?
Outcomes in stem cell transplantation (SCT) are modeled using probability
theory. However the clinical course following SCT appears to demonstrate many
characteristics of dynamical systems, especially when outcomes are considered
in the context of immune reconstitution. Dynamical systems tend to evolve over
time according to mathematically determined rules. Characteristically, the
future states of the system are predicated on the states preceding them, and
there is sensitivity to initial conditions. In SCT, the interaction between
donor T cells and the recipient may be considered as such a system in which,
graft source, conditioning and early immunosuppression profoundly influence
immune reconstitution over time. This eventually determines clinical outcomes,
either the emergence of tolerance or the development of graft versus host
disease. In this paper parallels between SCT and dynamical systems are explored
and a conceptual framework for developing mathematical models to understand
disparate transplant outcomes is proposed.Comment: 23 pages, 4 figures. Updated version with additional data, 2 new
figures and editorial revisions. New authors adde
VR-Participation & Dialogue: Towards Integrated Framework for Virtual Reality-Mediated Consensus and Community Building
Successful e-Participation requires a thriving community of users-citizens who engage and collaborate with governments and decision
makers on key democratic and social maters. Effective community building and meaningful social interactions are contingent
on strong, organic consensus achieved through engaging dialogue
rather than discussions or argumentation.
The emerging social Virtual Reality platforms offer new means of
immersive communication that brings an opportunity to overcome
some of the challenges identified to be hindering state-of-the-art e-Participation from supporting constructive citizen-to-government
dialogue. In this paper we investigate the key concepts and explore
the principles of dialogue and consensus building in the context of
e-Participation. We match those principles with specific VR affordances and propose an Integrative Framework for Virtual-Reality-Mediated Consensus and Community Building. Finally, we discuss
the application of the framework to e-Participation
Multitaxonomic Diversity Patterns along a Desert Riparian–Upland Gradient
Riparian areas are noted for their high biodiversity, but this has rarely been tested across a wide range of taxonomic groups. We set out to describe species richness, species abundance, and community similarity patterns for 11 taxonomic groups (forbs & grasses, shrubs, trees, solpugids, spiders, scarab beetles, butterflies, lizards, birds, rodents, and mammalian carnivores) individually and for all groups combined along a riparian–upland gradient in semiarid southeastern Arizona, USA. Additionally, we assessed whether biological characteristics could explain variation in diversity along the gradient using five traits (trophic level, body size, life span, thermoregulatory mechanism, and taxonomic affiliation). At the level of individual groups diversity patterns varied along the gradient, with some having greater richness and/or abundance in riparian zones whereas others were more diverse and/or abundant in upland zones. Across all taxa combined, riparian zones contained significantly more species than the uplands. Community similarity between riparian and upland zones was low, and beta diversity was significantly greater than expected for most taxonomic groups, though biological traits explained little variance in diversity along the gradient. These results indicate heterogeneity amongst taxa in how they respond to the factors that structure ecological communities in riparian landscapes. Nevertheless, across taxonomic groups the overall pattern is one of greater species richness and abundance in riparian zones, coupled with a distinct suite of species
Survey of Period Variations of Superhumps in SU UMa-Type Dwarf Novae. VIII: The Eighth Year (2015-2016)
Continuing the project described by Kato et al. (2009, arXiv:0905.1757), we
collected times of superhump maxima for 128 SU UMa-type dwarf novae observed
mainly during the 2015-2016 season and characterized these objects. The data
have improved the distribution of orbital periods, the relation between the
orbital period and the variation of superhumps, the relation between period
variations and the rebrightening type in WZ Sge-type objects. Coupled with new
measurements of mass ratios using growing stages of superhumps, we now have a
clearer and statistically greatly improved evolutionary path near the terminal
stage of evolution of cataclysmic variables. Three objects (V452 Cas, KK Tel,
ASASSN-15cl) appear to have slowly growing superhumps, which is proposed to
reflect the slow growth of the 3:1 resonance near the stability border.
ASASSN-15sl, ASASSN-15ux, SDSS J074859.55+312512.6 and CRTS J200331.3-284941
are newly identified eclipsing SU UMa-type (or WZ Sge-type) dwarf novae.
ASASSN-15cy has a short (~0.050 d) superhump period and appears to belong to EI
Psc-type objects with compact secondaries having an evolved core. ASASSN-15gn,
ASASSN-15hn, ASASSN-15kh and ASASSN-16bu are candidate period bouncers with
superhump periods longer than 0.06 d. We have newly obtained superhump periods
for 79 objects and 13 orbital periods, including periods from early superhumps.
In order that the future observations will be more astrophysically beneficial
and rewarding to observers, we propose guidelines how to organize observations
of various superoutbursts.Comment: 123 pages, 162 figures, 119 tables, accepted for publication in PASJ
(including supplementary information
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