Adaptive Entities Research Articles

Microbiota and lifestyle interactions through the lifespan

BackgroundThe human intestinal microbiota is an adaptive entity, being capable of adjusting its phylogenetic and functional profile in response to changes in diet, lifestyle and environment. Providing the host with functions important to regulate energetic homeostasis and immunological function, the gut microbiota is strategic to keep metabolic and immunological homeostasis during the entire lifespan. Scope and approachIn the present work we review studies exploring human gut microbiota variations at different age, describing the trajectory of ecosystem changes during the course of our life, from infancy to the old age. Gut microbiota variation mirroring subsistence strategy is also explored, with a particular focus on how the gut microbiota changes in response to modifications in the diet. Finally, we illustrate how an abnormal dietary intake could force microbiota to an obese-associated configuration, which concurs in compromising the host metabolic homeostasis. Key findings and conclusionsOur work allows appreciating the importance of the physiological flexibility conferred by the microbiota for modulating our metabolic and immunological phenotype along the course of our life. Further, the key role of the gut microbiota in providing an extra means of adaptive potential during our evolutionary history is highlighted, suggesting the importance of the intestinal microbiota-host interplay for the maintenance of human health and homeostasis in changing environments. On the other hand, different lifestyle and dietary factors, such as sanitization and antibiotic usage or high-fat diet, can force maladaptive changes in the microbiota configuration which could have negative effects on human health. Thus, it is important to modulate diet and lifestyle habits to keep a mutualistic gut microbiota layout along the course of our life.

T Helper Subsets, Peripheral Plasticity, and the Acute Phase Protein, α1-Antitrypsin.

The traditional model of T helper differentiation describes the naïve T cell as choosing one of several subsets upon stimulation and an added reciprocal inhibition aimed at maintaining the chosen subset. However, to date, evidence is mounting to support the presence of subset plasticity. This is, presumably, aimed at fine-tuning adaptive immune responses according to local signals. Reprograming of cell phenotype is made possible by changes in activation of master transcription factors, employing epigenetic modifications that preserve a flexible mode, permitting a shift between activation and silencing of genes. The acute phase response represents an example of peripheral changes that are critical in modulating T cell responses. α1-antitrypsin (AAT) belongs to the acute phase responses and has recently surfaced as a tolerogenic agent in the context of adaptive immune responses. Nonetheless, AAT does not inhibit T cell responses, nor does it shutdown inflammation per se; rather, it appears that AAT targets non-T cell immunocytes towards changing the cytokine environment of T cells, thus promoting a regulatory T cell profile. The present review focuses on this intriguing two-way communication between innate and adaptive entities, a crosstalk that holds important implications on potential therapies for a multitude of immune disorders.

Governing conservation tourism partnerships in Kenya

This article adopts the Policy Arrangements Approach to study how the stability of conservation tourism partnerships is governed. Our study compares two private-community partnerships in Kenya to explore how incongruences resulting from internal dynamics and external challenges are faced. Drawing on the notion of metagovernance, the article examines the roles of the actors involved in ensuring internal and external congruence. It is concluded that conservation tourism PCPs are adaptive entities that need to be actively governed, to ensure long term outcomes that are effective and democratic, and that both state and non-state actors can take on this role.

Self-regulated intelligent systems: where adaptive entities meet chemical oscillators

In a world where adaptive entities meet chemical oscillators, materials are in autonomic motion and assembly systems are completely self-regulated! We review herein the key challenges and new trends at the interface of the fields of adaptive entities and chemical oscillators, where the adaptive entities exhibit autonomous, reversible and periodical variation without any external stimuli. Particular attention is paid to the design philosophy of the recently reported autonomic actuators and self-regulated assembly systems.

Self-Assembling for Swarm Modular Robots Using MIMO Fuzzy Control

Modular robot are said to construct a diversity of morphogenesis with self-assembling strategies. They bring about an adaptive entity to deal with complex tasks. By analyzing integration design in module, perception, and control in detail, a swarm modular robot is presented with self-assembly scenario. Then, these active docking robots use the distance measured by infrared sensors between itself and edge of assembled structural entity as input. We design the fuzzy sets and if-then rules according to the human reasoning in following process. Based on Mamdani-type inference, the fuzzy controller can yield two outputs. The outputs are, respectively, used as steering angle speed and linear speed. Due to the diversity of self-assembled structure by the swarm modular robots, we conduct a series of simulated experiments. The results demonstrate the effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed controller in swarm robots' edge-following process.

Modelling insurgent and terrorist networks as self-organised complex adaptive systems

This paper introduces a multi-agent-based simulation toolkit (called SOTCAC) that uses autonomous, intelligent agents to represent the components of coevolving terrorist network (TNet) and counterterrorist network (CTNet). The model (currently in development) is predicated on the proposition that adaptive agents can be used to describe the self-organised, emergent behaviour of TNets – conceived as complex adaptive systems – on three interrelated dynamical levels: (1) dynamics on networks, in which notional terrorist agents process and interpret information, search and acquire resources and adapt to other agents' actions; (2) dynamics of networks, in which the TNet itself is a fully dynamic, adaptive entity and whose agents build, maintain and modify the network's local (and therefore, collectively, its global) topology and (3) dynamics between networks, in which the TNet and CTNet mutually coevolve. The TNet's ‘goal’ is to achieve the critical infrastructure (of manpower, weapons, financial resources and logistics) required to strike, while the CTNet's mission is to prevent the TNet from doing so. The ultimate goal for developing SOTCAC is to provide INTEL analysts with a larger context of ‘plausibly possible’ TNet ↔ CTNet coevolutions – as they could be – so that TNets can be better understood as they are and as they are likely to adapt. And since the way in which the CTNet collects, assimilates, fuses and derives inferences about what the terrorist ‘looks like’ is prescribed (via local, context-dependent properties and behaviours) – not scripted – SOTCAC may also help analysts discover novel data-fusion and ‘ground truth’ inference strategies.

Mobile Adaptive Networks

In this paper, we investigate the self-organization and cognitive abilities of adaptive networks when the individual agents are allowed to move in pursuit of a target. The nodes act as adaptive entities with localized processing and are able to respond to stimuli in real-time. We apply adaptive diffusion techniques to guide the self-organization process, including harmonious motion and collision avoidance. We also provide stability and mean-square performance analysis of the proposed strategies, together with computer simulation to illustrate results.

A Study of Group Dynamics in Educational Leadership Cohort and Non-Cohort Groups

The purpose of this study was to examine group dynamics of educational leadership students in cohorts and make comparisons with the group dynamics characteristics of non-cohort students. Cohorts have emerged as dynamic and adaptive entities with attendant group dynamic processes that shape collective learning and action. Cohort (n=42) and non-cohort (n=51) students were surveyed on group variables of participation, communication, influence, trust, cohesiveness, empowerment, collaboration, and satisfaction. Descriptive statistics and effect size analyses were used for data analysis. Significant differences were identified in trust, cohesiveness, and satisfaction. However, findings show little effect on cohort structures in the areas of participation, communication, influence, empowerment, and collaboration.

Industry dynamics with knowledge-based competition: a computational study of entry and exit patterns

I propose a computational model of industry evolution capable of matching many stylized facts. It views the firm as a myopic but adaptive entity whose survival depends on its ability to perform various activities with greater efficiency than its rivals. In this model, the shakeout pattern arises naturally in the early stage of industrial development. I provide a full comparative dynamics analysis of how various industry-specific factors determine the numbers and the rates of entries and exits over time as well as the ages of the exiting firms.

Industry Dynamics with Knowledge-Based Competition: A Computational Study of Entry and Exit Patterns

I propose a computational model of industry evolution capable of matching many stylized facts. It views the firm as a myopic but adaptive entity whose survival depends on its ability to perform various activities with greater efficiency than its rivals. In this model, the shakeout pattern arises naturally in the early stage of industrial development. I provide a full comparative dynamics analysis of how various industry-specific factors determine the numbers and the rates of entries and exits over time as well as the ages of the exiting firms.

The Transition Between Life and Death Exploring the Continuum

Where is the boundary between human life and death? Is there even such a boundary? Suggesting the existence of “boundary” raises the ageless problems of the continuum and discrete: Zeno’s paradox, the modern calculus, Heisenberg-type problems, and, indeed, quantum mechanics and cosmology. “Alive” and “dead” may just be visible signs of a deeper process of universal motion permeating every aspect of our universe. In this discussion, it is essential to identify parameters for ascertaining boundaries of “life” and “consciousness”, as well. Both have many definitions. I present three approaches to exploring how we might discover a boundary, if such exists: biological entities being progressively replaced by artificial ones, cell apoptosis (cell death), and extreme reductionism to the smallest scale known to us – Planck area. In each is considered the nature and type of homeostasis. While we can vary the environment to observe how those conditions for each are changed, there appears to us a “crossover” point when a self-sustaining or even an adaptive entity no longer may maintain its integrity as human. Thus, we might approach the transition of organically based homeostatic entities to non-hydrocarbon-based ones in terms of finite state machines, and adaptive automatons, while keeping in mind the conditions we discussed above for consciousness and life. However, in each case, there are collections of conditions that could be the minimal basis of what may be regarded as degrees of life or consciousness, and the clue resides in the third method and one that really is not new, at least to ancient philosophers.

Modelling adaptive, spatially aware, and mobile agents: Elk migration in Yellowstone

The potential utility of agent‐based models of adaptive, spatially aware, and mobile entities in geographic and ecological research is considerable. Developing this potential, however, presents significant challenges to geographic information science. Modelling the spatio‐temporal behaviour of individuals requires new representational forms that capture how organisms store and use spatial information. New procedures must be developed that simulate how individuals produce bounded knowledge of geographical space through experiential learning, adapt this knowledge to continually changing environments, and apply it to spatial decision‐making processes. In this paper, we present a framework for the representation of adaptive, spatially aware, and mobile agents. To provide context to this research, a multiagent model is constructed to simulate the migratory behaviour of elk (Cervus elaphus) on Yellowstone's northern range. In this simulated environment, intelligent agents learn in ways that enable them to mimic real‐world behaviours and adapt to changing landscapes.

Complexity, Chaos, and Nonlinear Dynamics: A New Perspective on Career Development Theory

The author presents a theory of career development drawing on nonlinear dynamics and chaos and complexity theories. Career is presented as a complex adaptive entity, a fractal of the human entity. Characteristics of complex adaptive entities, including (a) autopiesis, or self‐regeneration; (b) open exchange; (c) participation in networks; (d) fractals; (e) phase transitions between order and chaos, (f) search for fitness peaks; (g) nonlinear dynamics; (h) sensitive dependence, (i) attractors that limit growth; (j) the role of strange attractors in emergence; and (k) spirituality, are described and then applied to careers. The article concludes with a brief case analysis and implications for practice and research.

Temporarily Divide to Conquer: Centralized, Decentralized, and Reintegrated Organizational Approaches to Exploration and Adaptation

To create a competitive advantage, firms need to find activity configurations that are not only internally consistent, but also appropriate given the firm's current environment. This challenge is particularly acute after firms have experienced an environmental change that has shifted the existing competitive landscape and created new, high-performing sets of activity choices. How should firms organize to explore and search such an altered performance landscape? While it has been noted that adaptive entities need to maintain a balance of exploration and exploitation, little is known about how different organizational structures moderate this balance. With the help of an agentbased simulation model, we study the value of three different organizational structures: a centralized organization, in which decisions are made only at the level of the firm as a whole; a decentralized organization, in which decisions are made independently in two divisions; and a temporarily decentralized firm, which starts out with a decentralized structure and later reintegrates.We find that if interactions among a firm's activities are pervasive, neither the centralized nor the permanently decentralized organizational structure leads to high performance. In this case, temporary decentralization—an organizational structure that has not found much attention in the literature—yields the highest long-term performance. This organizational structure allows the firm both to avoid low-performing activity configurations and to eventually coordinate across its divisions. Thus, even if the decision problem a .rm faces is not fully decomposable, a temporary bifurcation can lead to a higher long-term performance outcome. Initial decentralized exploration is, however, costly in the short run, as compared to centralized exploration. As a result, a tradeoff exists between the short-term costs of decentralized exploration and the longterm benefits of reaching higher performance. As interactions across and within divisions increase, the optimal length of decentralized exploration tends to grow.Paralleling our first result, we further show that even if a decision problem is decomposable, that is, can be perfectly modularized, it can be beneficial to create a temporary decision allocation that creates "unnecessary" interdependencies across the subsystems. This benefit arises in particular when the modules are complex by themselves. In both cases, an initial phase of exploration, enabled by an appropriate organizational structure, followed by refinement and coordination, enabled by a different structure, leads to high performance. To illustrate our general model, we focus on incumbent firms' responses to the Internet and discuss implications for the product design process.

Temporarily Divide to Conquer: Centralized, Decentralized, and Reintegrated Organizational Approaches to Exploration and Adaptation

To create a competitive advantage, firms need to find activity configurations that are not only internally consistent, but also appropriate given the firm's current environment. This challenge is particularly acute after firms have experienced an environmental change that has shifted the existing competitive landscape and created new, high-performing sets of activity choices. How should firms organize to explore and search such an altered performance landscape? While it has been noted that adaptive entities need to maintain a balance of exploration and exploitation, little is known about how different organizational structures moderate this balance. With the help of an agentbased simulation model, we study the value of three different organizational structures: a centralized organization, in which decisions are made only at the level of the firm as a whole; a decentralized organization, in which decisions are made independently in two divisions; and a temporarily decentralized firm, which starts out with a decentralized structure and later reintegrates.We find that if interactions among a firm's activities are pervasive, neither the centralized nor the permanently decentralized organizational structure leads to high performance. In this case, temporary decentralization--an organizational structure that has not found much attention in the literature--yields the highest long-term performance. This organizational structure allows the firm both to avoid low-performing activity configurations and to eventually coordinate across its divisions. Thus, even if the decision problem a .rm faces is not fully decomposable, a temporary bifurcation can lead to a higher long-term performance outcome. Initial decentralized exploration is, however, costly in the short run, as compared to centralized exploration. As a result, a tradeoff exists between the short-term costs of decentralized exploration and the longterm benefits of reaching higher performance. As interactions across and within divisions increase, the optimal length of decentralized exploration tends to grow.Paralleling our first result, we further show that even if a decision problem is decomposable, that is, can be perfectly modularized, it can be beneficial to create a temporary decision allocation that creates unnecessary interdependencies across the subsystems. This benefit arises in particular when the modules are complex by themselves. In both cases, an initial phase of exploration, enabled by an appropriate organizational structure, followed by refinement and coordination, enabled by a different structure, leads to high performance. To illustrate our general model, we focus on incumbent firms' responses to the Internet and discuss implications for the product design process.

Conservation Science and NGOs

Conservation Science and NGOs

A future for publishers serving technology industry markets: adapting to the opportunity of the Internet era

The future possible roles of the publisher in industry markets are considered, especially for firms close to high technology. It is forecast that the Internet will become the dominant business space for firms. Even in physical manufacturing the advances of the Internet are becoming important with changes in supply and distribution patterns. In order to meet the new era of opportunity three scenarios are presented. Firstly, continuation of the current one with the publisher as information provider. Secondly, the publisher may become an orchestrator of interactivity. Hence they can be the hub of a new intelligence facility for firms to know their external environment better. This also would be an appropriate response to the expected steep increase in requests for more customised sources of information. Lastly, the publisher can go a stage further and become a consultant or facilitator of the agile enterprise based on the Internet. This would enable the client company to become a more adaptive and proactive entity afterwards. Recommendations are made for assisting the shift for these further scenarios to become possible.

Knowledge Management: Semantic Drift or Conceptual Shift?

This paper offers an exploration of knowledge (KM), a concept only partially understood in domains that use the term. Three such domains are described: library and science (LIS), business administration, and organization theory. In the first (KM1), KM is predominantly seen as information management by another name (semantic drift); in the second (KM2), it appears to be brought on board as an antidote to excessive focus on process at the expense of human expertise; the third (KM3) articulates a major conceptual shift, presenting organizations as adaptive entities that co-evolve with a given environment. What distinguishes KMl, KM2, and KM3? KM1 and KM2 may be distinguished from KM3 by an over-emphasis on codification, and a myopia with regard to human expertise, tacit knowledge, social learning, trust, and intuition. KM2 and KM3 (in contrast to KMl) focus on the internal as much as the external (reflexivity) and on the critical importance of relationships and exchange (reciprocity). The authors suggest that tensions will arise in any organization committed to KM where different domains have different understandings. KM is a complex and multidimensional concept that requires diverse insights

The City as an Adaptive Entity

The City as an Adaptive Entity

Evolutionary Adaptation in Autonomous Agent Systems — A Paradigm for the Emerging Enterprise

The enterprise of the future needs to be flexible, adaptive, and to respond rapidly to market demands and opportunities. This, in turn, demands a flexible, adaptive infrastructure. A plausible way to achieve such an infrastructure is to base its organisation on autonomous agents, where each agent responds locally to the intra- and extra-organisational forces it experiences. Enterprise adaptation then arises as an emergent effect. The theories of Holland, and related work on complex adaptive systems, have a direct bearing on the emergence of system adaptation from the interaction of locally adaptive entities. This paper ties Holland's theory of artificial and natural adaptive systems to autonomous agent systems. To illustrate the use of these theories in this context, the paper presents a system of evolving autonomous agents, interacting in a simulated producer/consumer economic world. The paper presents preliminary results with the producer/consumer, evolving agents system, and discusses the implications of these results for evolving, adaptive enterprise infrastructure systems.