Aspects Of Novelty Research Articles

Qualitative novelty in seventeenth-century science: Hydrostatics from Stevin to Pascal

Two works on hydrostatics, by Simon Stevin in 1586 and by Blaise Pascal in 1654, are analysed and compared. The contrast between the two serves to highlight aspects of the qualitative novelty involved in changes within science in the first half of the seventeenth century. Stevin attempted to derive his theory from unproblematic postulates drawn from common sense but failed to achieve his goal insofar as he needed to incorporate assumptions involved in his engineering practice but not sanctioned by his postulates. Pascal's theory went beyond common sense by introducing a novel concept, pressure. Theoretical reflection on novel experiments was involved in the construction of the new concept and experiment also provided important evidence for the theory that deployed it. The new experimental reasoning was qualitatively different from the Euclidean style of reasoning adopted by Stevin. The fact that a conceptualization of a technical sense of pressure adequate for hydrostatics was far from obvious is evident from the work of those, such as Galileo and Descartes, who did not make significant moves in that direction.

Last-Meter Smart Grid Embedded in an Internet-of-Things Platform

The customer domain of the smart grid naturally blends with smart home and smart building systems, but typical proposed approaches are “distributor-centric” rather than “customer-centric,” undermining user acceptance, and are often poorly scalable. To solve this problem, we propose a detailed architecture and an implementation of a “last-meter” smart grid—the portion of the smart grid on customer premises—embedded in an internet-of-things (IoT) platform. Our approach has four aspects of novelty and advantages with respect to the state of the art: 1) seamless integration of smart grid with smart home applications in the same infrastructure; 2) data gathering from heterogeneous sensor communication protocols; 3) secure and customized data access; and 4) univocal sensor and actuator mapping to a common abstraction layer on which additional concurrent applications can be built. A demonstrator has been built and tested with purposely-developed ZigBee smart meters and gateways, a distributed IoT server, and a flexible user interface.

From West to East: Romeo Must Die but Shakespeare is the Sun

Abstract The paper presents a mini survey of the hallmark English language motion pictures which are explicitly based on William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. The selection of the six films under investigation takes into account various criteria such as aspects of chronology, culture, impact or novelty of approach. The analysis is based on four categories: genre, auteurism (authorship), reception and verisimilitude.

Facilitation of responses by task-irrelevant complex deviant stimuli

Novel stimuli reliably attract attention, suggesting that novelty may disrupt performance when it is task-irrelevant. However, under certain circumstances novel stimuli can also elicit a general alerting response having beneficial effects on performance. In a series of experiments we investigated whether different aspects of novelty – stimulus novelty, contextual novelty, surprise, deviance, and relative complexity – lead to distraction or facilitation. We used a version of the visual oddball paradigm in which participants responded to an occasional auditory target. Participants responded faster to this auditory target when it occurred during the presentation of novel visual stimuli than of standard stimuli, especially at SOAs of 0 and 200ms (Experiment 1). Facilitation was absent for both infrequent simple deviants and frequent complex images (Experiment 2). However, repeated complex deviant images did facilitate responses to the auditory target at the 200ms SOA (Experiment 3). These findings suggest that task-irrelevant deviant visual stimuli can facilitate responses to an unrelated auditory target in a short 0–200millisecond time-window after presentation. This only occurs when the deviant stimuli are complex relative to standard stimuli. We link our findings to the novelty P3, which is generated under the same circumstances, and to the adaptive gain theory of the locus coeruleus–norepinephrine system (Aston-Jones and Cohen, 2005), which may explain the timing of the effects.

The Concept of Novel Compositions of Matter: A Theoretical Analysis

Here is discussed in the manner of a review the nature and uses of information measures in the discipline of patenting. From one perspective, the information content in a patent diminishes rapidly as the broadness of the claims increases. Claims made by Markush representations facilitate the quantification of that. The equations will approach yielding zero information if a massive number of chemical themes were implied. Importantly, a more detailed examination of these equations have implications that allow discussion of various aspects of novelty, reasonable consistency with a specific purpose, and perhaps even how many arguments and counterarguments there should be between examiner and assignee.

Assessment of the therapeutic value of new medicines marketed in Australia.

Assessment of the therapeutic value of new medicines marketed in Australia.

Diet preference of lambs offered a choice of concentrate diets containing different proportions of wheat dried distiller's grain with solubles

This study aimed to determine if lambs alter the intake preference for diets based on the grain components of the diet. The concentrate diets consisted of either 20 or 40% wheat dried distiller's grain with solubles (WDDGS) or 60% barley (control), diets were formulated following NRC requirements for growing lambs. Crude protein concentration (% in the DM) for control, 20 and 40% WDDGS diets were 15.8, 17.3 and 18.9, respectively. A total of 36 lambs (105 days of age, live weight 33.5±4.6kg) were assigned at random to one of three pens each equipped with automatic sheep feeders. Lambs in each pen had ad libitum access to all three diets for 7 days, before the groups rotated between the three pens. This ensured the complete random design during the 45 day experimental period. Using automatic feeders allowed the recording of daily feed intake and therefore preference for a particular diet for each individual sheep. Preference of diet (measured by total feed intake) varied over the course of the trial on a weekly basis (interaction treatment by week P<0.001). Overall lambs had higher total feed intake of diets supplemented with WDDGS compared to the barley grain control. There are several possible explanations as to why the lambs may have preferred the WDDGS diets over the control, including the aspects of feed novelty, variety and palatability, as well as the higher crude protein (CP) content of the WDDGS diets.

Single locus affects embryonic segment polarity and multiple aspects of an adult evolutionary novelty

BackgroundThe characterization of the molecular changes that underlie the origin and diversification of morphological novelties is a key challenge in evolutionary developmental biology. The evolution of such traits is thought to rely largely on co-option of a toolkit of conserved developmental genes that typically perform multiple functions. Mutations that affect both a universal developmental process and the formation of a novelty might shed light onto the genetics of traits not represented in model systems. Here we describe three pleiotropic mutations with large effects on a novel trait, butterfly eyespots, and on a conserved stage of embryogenesis, segment polarity.ResultsWe show that three mutations affecting eyespot size and/or colour composition in Bicyclus anynana butterflies occurred in the same locus, and that two of them are embryonic recessive lethal. Using surgical manipulations and analysis of gene expression patterns in developing wings, we demonstrate that the effects on eyespot morphology are due to changes in the epidermal response component of eyespot induction. Our analysis of morphology and of gene expression in mutant embryos shows that they have a typical segment polarity phenotype, consistent with the mutant locus encoding a negative regulator of Wingless signalling.ConclusionsThis study characterizes the segregation and developmental effects of alleles at a single locus that controls the morphology of a lineage-specific trait (butterfly eyespots) and a conserved process (embryonic segment polarity and, specifically, the regulation of Wingless signalling). Because no gene with such function was found in the orthologous, highly syntenic genomic regions of two other lepidopterans, we hypothesize that our locus is a yet undescribed, possibly lineage-specific, negative regulator of the conserved Wnt/Wg pathway. Moreover, the fact that this locus interferes with multiple aspects of eyespot morphology and maps to a genomic region containing key wing pattern loci in different other butterfly species suggests it might correspond to a 'hotspot' locus in the diversification of this novel trait.

A guide to successful bioprospecting: informed by actinobacterial systematics

New structurally diverse natural products are discovered when novel screening procedures are introduced or when high quality biological materials from new sources are examined in existing screens, hence it is important to foster these two aspects of novelty in drug discovery programmes. Amongst prokaryotes, actinomycetes, notably streptomycetes, remain a rich source of new natural products though it has become increasingly difficult to find such metabolites from common actinomycetes as screening 'old friends' leads to the costly rediscovery of known compounds. The bioprospecting strategy which is the subject of this review is based upon the premise that new secondary metabolites can be found by screening relatively small numbers of dereplicated, novel actinomycetes isolated from marine sediments. The success of the strategy is exemplified by the discovery of a range of novel bioactive compounds, notably atrop-abyssomicin C and proximicins A, B and C from Verrucosispora strains isolated from sediment samples taken from the Sea of Japan and the Raune Fjord, respectively, and the dermacozines derived from Dermacoccus strains isolated from the Challenger Deep of the Mariana Trench in the Pacific Ocean. The importance of current advances in prokaryotic systematics in work of this nature is stressed and a plea made that resources be sought to train, support and employ the next generation of actinobacterial systematists.

Transgenic Mice Lacking NMDAR-Dependent LTD Exhibit Deficits in Behavioral Flexibility

While most studies have focused on the role of long-term potentiation in behavior, far less is known about the role of long-term depression (LTD). To examine the potential involvement of LTD in learning and memory, we generated transgenic mice that express a fragment of the SV40 small t antigen known to inhibit protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A). Small t antigen expression blocked both stimulus-induced and chemically induced NMDAR-dependent LTD at Schaffer collateral synapses but did not affect potentiation, depotentiation, or mGluR-dependent LTD. This physiological phenotype was associated with deficits in behavioral flexibility in both the Morris water maze and a delayed nonmatch to place T-maze task, suggesting that NMDAR-dependent LTD is required for behavioral flexibility and may act by weakening previously encoded memory traces when new information is learned.

The hippocampal-SN/VTA loop in functional imaging: insights into the motivational aspects of novelty

Event Abstract Back to Event The hippocampal-SN/VTA loop in functional imaging: insights into the motivational aspects of novelty E. Duzel1, 2* 1 University College London, United Kingdom 2 Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Germany Novelty provides a fundamental learning signal that motivates goal-directed exploratory behavior and promotes encoding and plasticity in long-term declarative memory. The goal of this talk is to illuminate how these effects of novelty are linked to functional properties that it shares with reward-processing within dopaminergic circuitry. Functional magnetic resonance imaging data from our lab show a number of commonalities between novelty and reward; (i) both activate the SN/VTA, (ii) in both cases this activation can be elicited already by anticipation, (iii) both share common coding principles (such as adaptive coding) within mesolimbic and mesocortical projection regions of the SN/VTA. However, there are also striking functional differences. For instance, unlike rewards, SN/VTA activation by novelty is correlated with the personality trait score of novelty-seeking but not reward-dependence. A direct assessment of the functional interaction of novelty and reward suggests that novelty may act as a motivational signal for exploration in the search for rewards rather than being rewarding itself. Motivational effects of novelty on exploration are also evident in its contextual effects: familiar stimuli that occur in the temporal context of novel events remain more salient learning signals than familiar stimuli that occur in a context without novel stimuli. I will integrate these observations to suggest that the hippocampus interacts with the SN/VTA in novelty-processing to contextually motivate exploratory behavior and that this exploratory drive is associated with improved declarative memory formation even though novelty itself is not rewarding. Conference: 10th International Conference on Cognitive Neuroscience, Bodrum, Türkiye, 1 Sep - 5 Sep, 2008. Presentation Type: Oral Presentation Topic: Symposium 8: Dopaminergic modulation of memory and cognitive control Citation: Duzel E (2008). The hippocampal-SN/VTA loop in functional imaging: insights into the motivational aspects of novelty. Conference Abstract: 10th International Conference on Cognitive Neuroscience. doi: 10.3389/conf.neuro.09.2009.01.038 Copyright: The abstracts in this collection have not been subject to any Frontiers peer review or checks, and are not endorsed by Frontiers. They are made available through the Frontiers publishing platform as a service to conference organizers and presenters. The copyright in the individual abstracts is owned by the author of each abstract or his/her employer unless otherwise stated. Each abstract, as well as the collection of abstracts, are published under a Creative Commons CC-BY 4.0 (attribution) licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) and may thus be reproduced, translated, adapted and be the subject of derivative works provided the authors and Frontiers are attributed. For Frontiers’ terms and conditions please see https://www.frontiersin.org/legal/terms-and-conditions. Received: 27 Nov 2008; Published Online: 27 Nov 2008. * Correspondence: E. Duzel, University College London, London, United Kingdom, Emrah.Duezel@dzne.de Login Required This action requires you to be registered with Frontiers and logged in. To register or login click here. Abstract Info Abstract The Authors in Frontiers E. Duzel Google E. Duzel Google Scholar E. Duzel PubMed E. Duzel Related Article in Frontiers Google Scholar PubMed Abstract Close Back to top Javascript is disabled. Please enable Javascript in your browser settings in order to see all the content on this page.

A system dynamic model of management of a television game show

PurposeSuccess of a television game show requires brand‐building effort and brand value management like any other product. However, aspects of information, entertainment, novelty, instant gratification, and experience dimensions are more salient in game shows. This has been amply proven by the television game show Who Wants To Be A Millionaire. The purpose of this research is to explore why some entertainment products succeed, while others fail.Design/methodology/approachIn this paper, we present the system dynamic model of brand management of the game show Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC), the Indian version of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire. Initially, we present the reference mode behaviour, drawn from published data. In the dynamic model, we include factors such as channel popularity, host popularity, prize money, and competition that work towards building the viewership and influencing operational revenues. Computer‐based simulation and experimentalism are then applied as a research method to the model to explore its dynamic behaviour.FindingsOur analysis shows that the right mix of host popularity, channel popularity and prize money has enabled KBC to achieve unprecedented success.Research limitations/implicationsValidation of the model is based on the strength that the simulation results can replicate the reference mode behaviour and produce behaviour expected under extreme conditions. The validated model is used to draw what‐if scenarios, some of which resemble the experiences of competing game shows.Originality/valueUnderstanding the dynamics of brand management of this game show can serve as an important tool for brand management of entertainment products. Further, the use of system dynamics for dynamic modelling of brand value has application in broader areas of marketing, and would be of interest to a wide managerial audience.

Cliometric metatheory: II. Criteria scientists use in theory appraisal and why it is rational to do so.

Definitive tests of theories are often impossible in the life sciences because auxiliary assumptions are problematic. In the appraisal of competing theories, history of science shows that scientists use various theory characteristics such as aspects of parsimony, the number, qualitative diversity, novelty, and numerical precision of facts derived, number of misderived facts, and reducibility relations to other accepted theories. Statistical arguments are offered to show why, given minimal assumptions about the world and the mind, many of these attributes are expectable correlates of verisimilitude. A statistical composite of these attributes could provide an actuarial basis for theory appraisal (cliometric metatheory).

Random Bernstein Polynomials

Random Bernstein polynomials which are also probability distribution functions on the closed unit interval are studied. The probability law of a Bernstein polynomial so defined provides a novel prior on the space of distribution functions on [0, 1] which has full support and can easily select absolutely continuous distribution functions with a continuous and smooth derivative. In particular, the Bernstein polynomial which approximates a Dirichlet process is studied. This may be of interest in Bayesian non‐parametric inference. In the second part of the paper, we study the posterior from a “Bernstein–Dirichlet” prior and suggest a hybrid Monte Carlo approximation of it. The proposed algorithm has some aspects of novelty since the problem under examination has a “changing dimension” parameter space.

Double dissociations of the effects of amygdala and insular cortex lesions on conditioned taste aversion, passive avoidance, and neophobia in the rat using the excitotoxin ibotenic acid.

The results in this article show that although electrolytic amygdala lesions disrupt learning of a conditioned taste aversion (CTA), ibotenic acid-induced, axon-sparing lesions of the amygdala do not. However, ibotenic acid lesions of the insular cortex do disrupt learning of a CTA. Electrolytic, but not ibotenic acid lesions of the amygdala, interrupt axons running between the insular (gustatory) cortex and the brain stem/hypothalamus. It is the destruction of these projections which appear to underly CTA deficits after amygdala lesions. Other results revealed that ibotenic acid lesions of the insular cortex attenuated the reaction to the novel taste of saccharin in a familiar environment but failed to affect the ingestion of a novel food in a novel environment or passive avoidance learning. Conversely, ibotenic acid lesions of the amygdala did not affect the reaction to novel saccharin in a familiar environment but did impair both the reaction to novel food in a novel environment and passive avoidance learning. We conclude that the insular cortex is involved in reactions to the novelty and associative salience exclusively of taste stimuli, whereas the amygdala is probably more concerned with the reaction to more general aspects of novelty in the environment and in fear-motivated behavior.