Composite Entity Research Articles

Degree distributions of evolving alphabetic bipartite networks and their projections

Many real-world systems are modeled as evolving bipartite networks and their one-mode projections. In particular, Discrete Combinatorial Systems (DCSs), which consist of a finite set of elementary units and different combinations of these units, can be modeled by a subclass of bipartite networks known as Alphabetic Bipartite Networks or α-BiNs, where the bottom partite-set contains a fixed number of nodes (the elementary units) and the top partite-set grows unboundedly with time through the addition of nodes (the combinations). The principal questions in the study of α-BiN evolution are to predict the degree distribution of the bottom set and that of the projection onto the bottom set (the bottom projection), from a knowledge of the bipartite growth dynamics. In this paper, we propose a realistic growth model for α-BiNs, where the degree distribution of the top set (i.e., the distribution of the number of elementary units in the composite entities in the DCS) can be any arbitrary distribution with finite first and second moments. Utilizing an exact correspondence between the preferential growth of α-BiNs and the Polya Urn scheme, we analytically solve the model to compute exact degree distributions of the bottom (fixed) set and the bottom projection. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first work which proposes and solves such a generalized growth model for α-BiNs. We also derive that the degree distributions of both the bottom set and the bottom projection, suitably normalized with time, converge to distributions that are invariant over time. We also verify that this improved model can accurately explain the degree distributions of several real-world DCSs and their projections.

Partitioning standard base excess: a new approach

'Standard' or 'extracellular' base excess (SBE) is a modified calculation using one-third the normal hemoglobin concentration. It is a 'CO(2)-invariant' expression of meta- bolic acid-base status integrated across interstitial, plasma and erythrocytic compartments (IPE). SBE also integrates conflicting physical chemical influences on metabolic acid-base status. Until recently attempts to quantify individual contributions to SBE, for example the plasma strong ion gap, failed to span the 'CO(2-)stable' IPE dimension. The first breakthrough was from Anstey, who determined the con- centration of unmeasured charged species referenced to the IPE domain using Wooten's physical chemical version of the Van Slyke equation. In this issue Drs Wolf and DeLand present a diagnostic tool based on an IPE model which dissects a version of SBE (BEnet) into nine independent (BEind) components, all referenced to the IPE domain. The reported components are excess/deficits of free water, chlo- ride, albumin, unmeasured ions, sodium, potassium, lactate, 'Ca-Mg' (a composite divalent cation entity), and phosphate. The model also reports individualised volumes of plasma, erythrocytes and interstitial fluid. The tool is an original contribution, but there are concerns. The impact of assum- ing fixed relationships between arterial and venous acid-base and saturation values in sepsis, anaemia and in differing shock states is unclear. Clinicians are also unlikely to accept that unique, accurate IPE volume determinations can be derived from a single set of blood gas and biochemistry results. Nevertheless, volume determinations aside, the tool is likely to become a valuable addition to the diagnostic armamentarium.

Gradualness, uncertainty and bipolarity: Making sense of fuzzy sets

This paper discusses basic notions underlying fuzzy sets, especially gradualness, uncertainty, vagueness and bipolarity, in order to clarify the significance of using fuzzy sets in practice. Starting with the idea that a fuzzy set may represent either a precise gradual composite entity or an epistemic construction refereeing to an ill-known object, it is shown that each of this view suggests a different use of fuzzy sets. Then, it is argued that the usual phrase fuzzy number is ambiguous as it induces some confusion between gradual extensions of real numbers and gradual extensions of interval calculations. The distinction between degrees of truth that are compositional and degrees of belief that cannot be so is recalled. The truth-functional calculi of various extensions of fuzzy sets, motivated by the desire to handle ill-known membership grades, are shown to be of limited significance for handling this kind of uncertainty. Finally, the idea of a separate handling of membership and non-membership grades put forward by Atanassov is cast in the setting of reasoning about bipolar information. This intuition is different from the representation of ill-known membership functions and leads to combination rules differing from the ones proposed for handling uncertainty about membership grades.

Teaching and Learning Guide for: Recent Work on Propositions

Teaching and Learning Guide for: Recent Work on Propositions

Il Corano e l'arabo: la fine del binomio secolare

- Arabic has always played a strategically important role in the Islamic Umma, a composite and variegated entity in geographical, political and theological terms. On one dimension, the borders of the Islamic world do not coincide with those of the Arab world or the geographical borders of the Middle East. On another, Islam is characterised by the absence of a monopoly on the interpretation of the divine precepts, which is the cause of divisions and internecine conflicts. Within this context there hasbeen a deliberate exploitation of the Arabic language and its centuries-old association with the Koran by the Al Sau'ud dynasty since the 1970s.

Evolution of maternal effects: past and present.

It has been said that many original ideas reflect a convergence of related thought that coalesces into a unified representation of what many have been thinking. This is certainly true for the subfield of maternal effects evolution. The study of maternal effects has a long history. The first two

Surface forming and virtual model of simulation based on IGES

Modelling, sharing and transmission of three-dimensional (3D) graphics data are essential for extensive application of 3D virtual simulation technology. To achieve data transmission between general modelling software and a 3D virtual simulation system, and real-time interaction with the simulation model, the topology of the Initial Graphics Exchange Specification (IGES) has been studied in depth, and the storage structure of all geometry element information has been given. Non-uniform rational B-spline (NURBS) surfaces are used to construct complicated dimensional surfaces. The arithmetic of extracting the equation parameters of NURBS surfaces from the general rotation surfaces’ parameters is derived in detail. The respective data structures for the NURBS curve entity, line entity and composite curve entity and their program frameworks consistent with IGES are defined and designed. All data structures are stored as nodes in the respective chain lists and, in turn, all nodes are finally encapsulated in different classes. Description of the base surfaces of the IGES data and trimming of the outer and inner boundaries are realised with an Open Graphics Library, which is based on the reading data stored in the data chain list. Regeneration of complicated dimensional surfaces and interaction with the model are accordingly realised. This program reads an IGES file and the model is displayed successfully.

The Research of Multiparty Application Modeling Supported Network Architecture Description Method

The multiparty applications pattern of network is going to definitely play an important role on the Internet. However, the traditional research of network architecture almost exclusively uses the “one to one” direct interaction model to describe various kinds of network interactions. The INSA (Interactive Network Services Architecture) reference model and network description language INSADL developed by the Laboratory of Computer Network and Information Integration (Southeast University) have introduced the component-based thought and interactive viewpoint to the research of network architecture. Moreover, INSADL has provided support for the modeling of network multiparty applications to some extent. Nevertheless the modeling requirements of the multiparty applications are much more complicated than those of traditional network applications. The description of complex network interactions involving a non-fixed number of participating entities needs to be supported. It also raised the problem of how to represent the composite entity components, and sometimes the dynamic joining and leaving of entities from interactions should be dealt with. Therefore, INSADL still has some limitations. So we established a new network architecture formal description method on the basis of INSADL's component-based thought to support the depiction of multiparty application. We discussed the detailed modeling schemas for different modeling elements. For entity components, we defined the inheritance relations between component classes by using the “extends” field and set rules for the overriding of grammar units in derived classes. We also introduced the “symbol transformation method” of CSP to simplify the definition of similar processes. Furthermore, the definition production of functions which describe the data processing of entities is given. For the modeling of the interaction connector, we improved the description used by INSADL. We adjusted the production of nonterminal <INSA_Role>, and add a new nonterminal <Multiplicity_Expression>. Thus an uncertain number of roles in an interaction connector can be explicitly denoted. Concerning the connection configuration, we took a similar measure as interaction connector to alternate the definition of nonterminals related with the instances of entity component classes, using multiplicity expressions within the brackets to specify the number of instances. This paper establishes a foundation for further research of the multiparty application network system's properties using the formal method.

Preparation of Au nanoparticles-coated polystyrene beads and its application in protein immobilization

Au-coated micro-sized polystyrene beads have potential application in suspend chips. A simple approach to prepare well-covered, high-density and stable Au particles-coated micro-sized polystyrene beads (Au@PS) is described in this paper. First, citrate-stabilized and negative charged 20 nm Au nanoparticles were synthesized in the experiments, then different charged PS were prepared by grafting, and then the deposition and assembly of Au nanoparticles on the charged PS core were studied. The scanning electron microscope (SEM) images indicate that the electric charge has important influence on the deposition and assembly of Au nanoparticles. The assembly process might be initialized by the aggregation of Au nanoparticles from solution. And the results also indicate that this coating process could be accelerated by the positive electric charge on the PS. This method can be used to prepare well-covered Au@PS composite entities. For the potential application, human IgG as a sample was tested for the ability of protein immobilization. And the Au positive charged Au-coated PS has the protein loading of 16.1 μg/g, which is about 6 times of the uncoated beads.

SWARMORPH-script: a language for arbitrary morphology generation in self-assembling robots

In certain multi-robot systems, the physical limitations of the individual robots can be overcome using self-assembly—the autonomous creation of physical connections between individual robots to form a larger composite robotic entity. However, existing robotic systems capable of self-assembly have little or no control over the morphology of the self-assembled entities. This restricts the adaptability of such systems, since robots can carry out certain tasks more efficiently if their morphology is specialized to the task. In this paper, we extend the distributed mechanism presented in (Christensen et al. in IEEE Robot. Autom. Mag. 14(4):18–25, 2007) that allows autonomous mobile robots to self-assemble into specific morphologies. We present a simple language, SWARMORPH-script, that allows for concise descriptions of the rules that govern the distributed morphology growth process. Local visual communication allows physically connected robots to send and receive strings. A string can be a rule identifier that triggers execution of predefined logic for extending a morphology. Alternatively, whole scripts can be communicated and subsequently executed on the receiving robot. On real self-propelled robots capable of self-assembly, we demonstrate how specific morphologies can be constructed, how the size of a morphology can be regulated, and how multiple morphologies can be assembled. We also show how the transmission of entire scripts gives the robots the capacity to participate in the formation of morphologies of which they had no a priori knowledge.

Lead isotope variability in olivine-hosted melt inclusions from Iceland

The lead isotope and trace element compositions of a suite of olivine-hosted melt inclusions in primitive lava flows from the Reykjanes Peninsula in Iceland show extreme variability. Much of this variability is present in the composition of inclusions from one hand specimen of Háleyjabunga, a depleted picrite lava shield that erupted 13 ka. 208Pb/ 206Pb compositions in this sample span 50–90% of the total range found in Atlantic MORB, indicating that high-amplitude compositional heterogeneity is present in the mantle source of melts that aggregated to form a single eruption. The trace element and isotopic trends in the melt inclusions are coincident with those in whole rock samples from young lava flows of the Reykjanes Peninsula, and extend the total range of variation towards more depleted compositions. The incompatible trace element and lead isotope compositions of the inclusions are strongly coupled and lie close to binary mixing trends between the extreme melt inclusion compositions. These relationships indicate that the trace element variation in the melt inclusions reflects heterogeneity in the composition of the mantle source entering the melting region under the Reykjanes Peninsula. Large positive Sr concentration anomalies are present in three of the inclusions, but do not correlate with indicators of mantle melting or source variations and are likely to arise by reaction with plagioclase during crustal storage. Fractional melting of heterogeneous mantle is predicted to generate melts with a wide range of compositions, filling a large volume in trace element–isotope space. However, the compositional variations observed in the melt inclusions lie close to binary mixing curves. These observations may be accounted for by a two-stage model of melt mixing. The first stage occurs in porous channels that transport melt in the mantle and takes place before inclusion entrapment. This mixing stage generates a bimodal distribution of melt compositions that is supplied from the channels to sub-Moho and lower crustal magma lenses. The second stage of mixing occurs in these chambers, producing the binary mixing trends recorded in the inclusion compositions. The distribution of isotopic compositions observed in the melt inclusions and whole rock samples from the Reykjanes Peninsula is therefore controlled by melt mixing. These results have important implications for the interpretation of basalt composition in terms of distinct compositional entities within the upwelling solid mantle under mid-ocean ridges and ocean islands.

Hidden: How general studies of shopping centres mask store differences

Numerous studies that are conducted to provide an understanding of the attractiveness and conditions of shopping centres consider these complexes as composite entities. As a result, the studies measure and illustrate the overall shopping centres and not the individual retailers. The problem with this approach is the profiles of the individual stores may differ significantly from the aggregate profile of the overall shopping centre. The authors conducted a consumer assessment of the market conditions of a composite retail sector in Blair, Nebraska (US). The issues that composed the study were very similar to those of other contemporary market analyses. In the design of this study, the respondents, however, provide assessments and perceptions of the individual retailers of the shopping district. Therein, the study data profiled both the individual stores and compares them to the assessments as a composite of all stores. The intent of this paper is to sharpen the research methodologies addressing shopping centres and to distinguish the findings of overall assessments from the findings of store-specific assessments.

Applications = Components + GLoo

We are advocating a component-oriented software development approach that provides support for a clear separation between the computational and the compositional entities of an application. This principle is best captured by the application building paradigm “Applications = Components + Scripts.” However, the biggest obstacle for a successful use of this maxim originates from the choice of the scripting mechanisms being used to define applications as compositions of reusable software components. In this paper, we analyze GLoo, a novel component-oriented programming framework, which derives its expressive power from an extensible and open-ended scripting language. The design of GLoo aims at a higher-level, scalable, and problem-oriented software development approach, which enables simultaneously both small-scale and large-scale software development through the definition of specially-designed domain sublanguages.

Understanding and treating the metabolic syndrome

The metabolic syndrome conference, chaired by Alan G Harris (CMO, Manhattan Pharmaceuticals, Inc.), was a timely opportunity to review in depth the definitions, causes and novel treatments for the metabolic syndrome, a condition which, despite enormous scientific interest, remains an area bedeviled by controversy. Much of the interest in the metabolic syndrome stems from the fact that it is closely related to an increased risk of serious cardiovascular events. However, investigation and treatment of the metabolic syndrome is complicated by an inability to definitively separate the roles played by individual components (e.g., obesity and insulin resistance) from that of the syndrome as a composite entity. Put more simply, is metabolic syndrome more than the sum of its parts? This and other questions formed the focus of this multiday conference. Harris introduced the proceedings with a broad overview of the topic of the metabolic syndrome that charted its history from its original description by Ahmed Kissebah, to ‘Syndrome X’ by Reaven in 1988, to the advent of the multiple competing definitions of the metabolic syndrome that have been adopted between 1998 and 2005 (Box 1). The debate regarding the clinical utility and the relative merits and demerits of the metabolic syndrome as a composite measure of various interlinked cardiovascular risk factors has been particularly active over the last year. Major position statements and publications by Grundy, Kahn and others, in addition to multiple sessions at scientific congresses, have marked the progress of the debate over metabolic syndrome in 2006 [1–6]. Importantly for the field of drug development, 2006 has also seen regulatory agencies in the USA and elsewhere underline that evidence to support the metabolic syndrome as a unique entity with a unified underlying pathophysiology is lacking. Furthermore, the US FDA has stated that the metabolic syndrome as a discrete entity lacks clinical implications over and above those of its individual components. Some of the more recent reviews of this field have reemphasized the importance of focusing on treating known cardiovascular disease risk factors as the basis for prevention, whether or not patients fall within the definition of exhibiting the metabolic syndrome [1,5]. Indeed, as stated by Johnson and Weinstock, the important issue remains that physicians are encountering increasing numbers of patients with obesity and a variety of systemic vascular and metabolic abnormalities; these risk factors require urgent attention ‘for the health of the world’s population’ [6]. Therefore, despite the complicated landscape, the need for new drugs to treat components of the metabolic syndrome has never been greater. The goals of the conference were to obtain a clear understanding of the definitions of the metabolic syndrome, the pros and cons associated with targeting it as a composite entity versus treating its individual components, and to explore the tools and technologies underlying novel therapies that are relevant to the metabolic syndrome. In order to make the conference as relative as possible to the challenges of drug development in this field, a major focus was placed on the presentation of case studies from preclinical and clinical research groups from both the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors.

Reactivity of Substituted Benzotrichlorides toward Granular Iron, Cr(II), and an Iron(II) Porphyrin: A Correlation Analysis

Cross-correlations of rate constants between a system of interest and a better-defined one have become popular as a tool in studying transformations of organic pollutants. A slope of unity (if the correlation is conducted on a log-log basis) in such plots has been invoked as evidence of a common mechanism. To explore this notion, benzotrichloride and several of its substituted analogues were reacted with Cr(H2O)6(2+), an iron(II) porphyrin (iron meso-tetra(4-carboxyphenyl)porphine chloride, Fe(II)TCP), and granular iron. The first two reductants react with organohalides by dissociative inner sphere single-electron transfer, while mechanism(s) for organohalide reduction by granular iron are still debated. Apartfrom sterically hindered compounds, good correlations were obtained in comparing any two systems, although slopes (on a log-log basis) deviated from unity. We argue that a slope of unity is neither necessary nor sufficient evidence of a common mechanism. Overall rate constants may be composite entities, consisting in part of rate or equilibrium constants for adsorption onto surfaces or for precursor formation in solution; these components may differ between systems in their susceptibility to substituent effects. Cross-correlations may prove useful in predicting reactivity in the absence of steric effects, but additional evidence is required in deducing reaction mechanisms.

Singing of Satnam: Blind Simon Patros, "Dalit" Religious Identity, and "Satnami"-Christian Music in Chhattisgarh, India

Christianity in every context -- whether western or nonwestern, contemporary or ancient -- emerges as a composite entity, combining elements of the religions and cultures that predate it with aspects of the Christian faith, in whatever form it arrives. There is, of course, nothing distinctly Christian about this process, for just as the expansion of Christianity into India involved the Indianization of Christianity, so too did the growth of Hinduism in Bali entail the Balinization of Hinduism. Other religions follow a similar pattern when they cross cultural boundaries.

Origin of segmentation in the human structure

Crystallographic analysis of biological and non-biological minerals does not reveal any significant differences between the two, which is indicative of common crystallization processes. It can be supposed that the human organism is a biocrystalloid in a sense that it is regarded both at the level of the whole organism and individual cells as a composite entity consisting of a crystal-like structure and pericrystalline medium. A similarity can be found between the growing layer of a crystal in the crystal-forming medium and a cell structure with liquid washing it. A mineral organism therefore can be regarded as the active superficial part of a crystal taken together with pericrystalline crystal-forming medium which controls crystal growth and modifies the system depending on the structure of the growing system. Aggregation is one of the fundamental features of minerals as they are found primarily not only as separate objects but also as aggregates, i.e. regular cohesive masses or synmineralogical systems. Ability to aggregation in an orderly way is expressed as self-organization. This feature is inherent not only to compound molecules but also to associates of a higher order. The cell biology has shown that when similar cells touch each other they tend to cohere forming aggregates characteristic of the given cell population. Similar live systems and their components that perform the same function have an ability to integrate and form firstly a conglomerate (colony) and then an organism. Integration explains association of multi-segmented entities into a single organism and the resulting structure would consists of the two groups of segments, i.e. appearance of an organism consisting of two different but of the same type specimens, each of which had different number of segments. Phylogenetically, an early precursor of the man evolved from a simple cell into an integrated multi-segment organism through several stages--initially a simple cell, then a cell colony, then a single-segment organism, then an organism like a concave ball, then a colony of one-segment multicellular organisms and finally a multi-segment multicellular organism. Integration of five- and eight-segment organisms resulted in the formation of a 13-segment precursor organism of man. Segmentation is nothing else but traces of boundaries left following integration of separate multicellular non-segmented specimens with gradual fading of their differences and formation of a new entity in compliance with formation laws.

Geochronology and nature of the Palaeoproterozoic basement in the Central African Copperbelt (Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo), with regional implications

U–Pb SHRIMP zircon age data, together with geochemical analyses, from the basement to the Katanga Supergroup in the Central African Copperbelt reveal the existence of a widespread Palaeoproterozoic magmatic arc terrane. The Lufubu schists represent a long-lived calc-alkaline volcanic arc sequence and, where dated in both Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), yield ages of 1980 ± 7, 1968 ± 9, 1964 ± 12 and 1874 ± 8 Ma. The oldest dated unit from the region, the Mkushi granitic gneiss from south-east of the Zambian Copperbelt, has an age of 2049 ± 6 Ma. The copper-mineralized Mtuga aplites, which crosscut the foliation in the Mkushi gneisses, have mainly xenocrystic, zoned zircons with cores dated at ca. 2.07–2.00 Ga. Overgrowths on these cores are dated at 1059 ± 26 Ma, which is interpreted as the intrusive age of the aplites. An augen gneiss from the Mulungushi Bridge locality yielded an emplacement age of 1976 ± 5 Ma. The Mufulira Pink Granite has an age of 1994 ± 7 Ma, while the Chambishi granite has been dated at 1983 ± 5 Ma, an age within error of Lufubu schist metavolcanics from elsewhere in the Chambishi basin. The gneisses, granitoids and acid-intermediate calc-alkaline metavolcanics are considered to represent stages in the evolution of one or more magmatic arcs that formed episodically over a 200 million year period between 2050 and 1850 Ma. We suggest naming this assemblage of rocks the “Lufubu Metamorphic Complex”. The rocks of the Lufubu Metamorphic Complex are interpreted to be part of a regionally extensive Palaeoproterozoic magmatic arc terrane stretching from northern Namibia to northern Zambia and the DRC. This terrane is termed the Kamanjab–Bangweulu arc and is inferred to have collided with the Archaean Tanzanian craton during the ca. 2.0–1.9 Ga Ubendian orogeny, to produce a new composite minicontinental entity that we term the “Kambantan” terrane. The Kambantan terrane was accreted onto the southern margin of the Congo craton during the ca. 1.4–1.0 Kibaran orogeny.

Two-dimensional higher-band vortex lattice solitons.

We study self-localized second-band vortex states in two-dimensional photonic lattices and find stable ring solitons whose phase forms an array of counterrotating vortices. We also identify composite solitons in which a second-band vortex is jointly trapped with a mode arising from the first band and study their stability. When such a composite entity is unstable, it disintegrates while exchanging angular momentum between its constituents, eventually stabilizing into another form of composite soliton.

A comparison of ecological responses among aclonal (unitary), clonal and coalescing macroalgae

Based on growth patterns, regeneration capabilities and genetic make up, benthic macroalgae include three groups of species. Similar to land plants, they include clonal and aclonal species, and, similar to colonial aquatic animals, seaweeds also include coalescing species, that have the capacity to fuse forming composite (chimeric) entities. Since the awareness of the differences between these three kinds of seaweeds is rather recent, most ecological studies have not discriminated among them. However, ecological models based on one kind of seaweeds will not necessarily apply to all kinds of seaweeds. This study reviews ecological responses of algae at the individual and community levels, and describes similarities and differences among both the three algal groups and with parallel groups in land plants and chimeric marine animals. The ecological responses reviewed are plant sizes and shapes; patterns of resource acquisition; algal life phases, reproduction and dispersal; genetic variability, intraspecific and interspecific competition and herbivory. Analysis of these responses supports the idea in distinguishing among the above three algal group, reveals the need for numerous additional ecological studies and advices on incorporating concepts from the biology of chimeric aquatic animals and from clonal theory of land plants into the study of benthic macroalgae.