Spin entanglement in atoms and molecules

We investigate the effects of inhomogeneities on spin entanglement in many-electron systems from an ab-initio approach. The key quantity in our approach is the local spin entanglement length, which is derived from the local concurrence of the electronic system. Although the concurrence for an interacting systems is a highly nonlocal functional of the density, it does have a simple, albeit approximate expression in terms of Kohn-Sham orbitals. We show that the electron localization function -- well known in quantum chemistry as a descriptor of atomic shells and molecular bonds -- can be reinterpreted in terms of the ratio of the local entanglement length of the inhomogeneous system to the entanglement length of a homogenous system at the same density. We find that the spin entanglement is remarkably enhanced in atomic shells and molecular bonds

The organisational precursors to human automation interaction issues in safety-critical domains: the case of an automated alarm system from the air traffic management domain

Much has been written about the side effects of automation in complex safety-critical domains, such as air traffic management, aviation, nuclear power generation, and healthcare. Here, human factors and safety researchers have long acknowledged that the potential of automation to increase cost-effectiveness, quality of service and safety, is accompanied by undesired side effects or issues in human automation interaction (HAI). Such HAI issues may introduce the potential for increased confusion, uncertainty, and frustration amongst sharp end operators, i.e. the users of automation. These conditions may result in operators to refuse to use the automation, in impaired ability of operators to control the hazardous processes for which they are responsible, and in new, unintended paths to safety failure. The present thesis develops a qualitative framework of the organisational precursors to HAI issues (OPHAII) that can be found in safety-critical domains. Organisational precursors denote those organisational and managerial conditions that, although distant in time and space from the operational environment, may actually influence the quality of HAI found there. Such precursors have been extensively investigated by organisational safety (OS) scholars in relation to the occurrence of accidents and disasters—although not HAI issues. Thus, the framework’s development is motivated by the intent to explore the theoretical gap lying at the intersection between the OS area and the current perspectives on the problem—the human computer interaction (HCI) and the system lifecycle ones. While considering HAI issues as a design problem or a failure in human factors integration and/or safety assurance respectively, both perspectives, in fact, ignore, the organisational roots of the problem. The OPHAII framework was incrementally developed based on three qualitative studies: two successive, historical, case studies coupled with a third corroboratory expert study. The first two studies explored the organisational precursors to a known HAI issue: the nuisance alert problem relative to an automated alarm system from the air traffic management domain. In particular, the first case study investigated retrospectively the organisational response to the nuisance alert problem in the context of the alarm’s implementation and improvement in the US between 1977 and 2006. The second case study has a more contemporary focus, and examined at the organisational response to the same problem within two European Air Navigation Service Providers between 1990 and 2010. The first two studies produced a preliminary version of the framework. The third study corroborated and refined this version by subjecting it to the criticism from a panel of 11 subject matter experts. The resulting framework identifies three classes of organisational precursors: (i) the organisational assumptions driving automation adoption and improvement; (2) the availability of specific organisational capabilities for handling HAI issues; and (3) the control of implementation quality at the boundary between the service provider and the software manufacturer. These precursors advance current understanding of the organisational factors involved in the (successful and problematic) handling of HAI issues within safety-critical service provider organisations. Its dimensions support the view that HAI issues can be seen as and organisational phenomenon—an organisational problem that can be the target of analysis and improvements complementary to those identified by the HCI and the system lifecycle perspectives

Visual response of ventrolateral prefrontal neurons and their behavior-related modulation

The ventral part of lateral prefrontal cortex (VLPF) of the monkey receives strong visual input, mainly from inferotemporal cortex. It has been shown that VLPF neurons can show visual responses during paradigms requiring to associate arbitrary visual cues to behavioral reactions. Further studies showed that there are also VLPF neurons responding to the presentation of specific visual stimuli, such as objects and faces. However, it is largely unknown whether VLPF neurons respond and differentiate between stimuli belonging to different categories, also in absence of a specific requirement to actively categorize or to exploit these stimuli for choosing a given behavior. The first aim of the present study is to evaluate and map the responses of neurons of a large sector of VLPF to a wide set of visual stimuli when monkeys simply observe them. Recent studies showed that visual responses to objects are also present in VLPF neurons coding action execution, when they are the target of the action. Thus, the second aim of the present study is to compare the visual responses of VLPF neurons when the same objects are simply observed or when they become the target of a grasping action. Our results indicate that: (1) part of VLPF visually responsive neurons respond specifically to one stimulus or to a small set of stimuli, but there is no indication of a “passive” categorical coding; (2) VLPF neuronal visual responses to objects are often modulated by the task conditions in which the object is observed, with the strongest response when the object is target of an action. These data indicate that VLPF performs an early passive description of several types of visual stimuli, that can then be used for organizing and planning behavior. This could explain the modulation of visual response both in associative learning and in natural behavior

Preadolescents’ Smile Outcomes after Two Different Orthodontic Treatments: Traditional Interceptive Therapy with Rapid Maxillary Expansion (RME)/Schwarz Plate and Clear Aligners

to compare preadolescents’ smile outcomes after two different orthodontic treatments: RME/Schwarz plate (RS) and clear aligners (CAs). a sample of 31 patients (13 M, 18 F, mean age 8.3 ± 1.2 y.m) treated with RS and a sample of 28 patients (12 M, 16 F, mean age 7.9 ± 1.1 y.m) treated with CAS were included. pre-treatment and post-treatment records were taken before the treatment (T1) and at the end of treatment (T2). seventeen variables were evaluated. both therapies were effective in smile width increase (RS = p < 0.02; CAs = p < 0.04) and buccal corridor reduction (RS = p < 0.02; CAs = p < 0.04). the intragroup analysis showed in the RS group an increase of incisor gingival display (p < 0.02), overbite (OVB) (p < 0.04) alongside a reduction of overjet (OVJ) (p < 0.01). conversely, the CAs group evidenced a reduction in incisor gingival display (p < 0.04) and OVB (p < 0.01) with an increase in C angulation (p < 0.02) and maxillary incisor inclination (p < 0.04). an intergroup comparison evidenced a greater improvement in smile width, smile index and buccal corridor in the RS group with respect to the CAs group (p < 0.02; p < 0.02; p < 0.03). CAs were more effective in the management of gingival display, incisor position, midline correction (incisor gingival display p < 0.01; maxillary incisor position p < 0.04; maxillary dental midline p < 0.02), with a better control of OVJ (p < 0.01) and OVB (p < 0.02). the RS approach resulted in a greater smile width and a reduction in buccal corridor with respect to the CAs. the CAs provided a better management of both gingival display and smile aesthetics

3D-in-2D Displays for ATC.

This paper reports on the efforts and accomplishments of the 3D-in-2D Displays for ATC project at the end of Year 1. We describe the invention of 10 novel 3D/2D visualisations that were mostly implemented in the Augmented Reality ARToolkit. These prototype implementations of visualisation and interaction elements can be viewed on the accompanying video. We have identified six candidate design concepts which we will further research and develop. These designs correspond with the early feasibility studies stage of maturity as defined by the NASA Technology Readiness Level framework. We developed the Combination Display Framework from a review of the literature, and used it for analysing display designs in terms of display technique used and how they are combined. The insights we gained from this framework then guided our inventions and the human-centered innovation process we use to iteratively invent. Our designs are based on an understanding of user work practices. We also developed a simple ATC simulator that we used for rapid experimentation and evaluation of design ideas. We expect that if this project continues, the effort in Year 2 and 3 will be focus on maturing the concepts and employment in a operational laboratory settings

Draft genome of the lowland anoa (Bubalus depressicornis) and comparison with buffalo genome assemblies (Bovidae, Bubalina)

Genomic data for wild species of the genus Bubalus (Asian buffaloes) are still lacking while several whole genomes are currently available for domestic water buffaloes. To address this, we sequenced the genome of a wild endangered dwarf buffalo, the lowland anoa (Bubalus depressicornis), produced a draft genome assembly, and made comparison to published buffalo genomes. The lowland anoa genome assembly was 2.56 Gbp long and contained 103,135 contigs, the longest contig being 337.39 kbp long. N50 and L50 values were 38.73 kbp and 19.83 kbp, respectively, mean coverage was 44x and GC content was 41.74%. Two strategies were adopted to evaluate genome completeness: (i) determination of genomic features with de novo and homology-based predictions using annotations of chromosome-level genome assembly of the river buffalo, and (ii) employment of benchmarking against universal single-copy orthologs (BUSCO). Homology-based predictions identified 94.51% complete and 3.65% partial genomic features. De novo gene predictions identified 32,393 genes, representing 97.14% of the reference's annotated genes, whilst BUSCO search against the mammalian orthologues database identified 71.1% complete, 11.7% fragmented and 17.2% missing orthologues, indicating a good level of completeness for downstream analyses. Repeat analyses indicated that the lowland anoa genome contains 42.12% of repetitive regions. The genome assembly of the lowland anoa is expected to contribute to comparative genome analyses among bovid species. [Abstract copyright: © The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Genetics Society of America.

Protective Intestinal Effects of Pituitary Adenylate Cyclase Activating Polypeptide

Pituitary adenylate cyclase activating polypeptide (PACAP) is an endogenous neuropeptide widely distributed throughout the body, including the gastrointestinal tract. Several effects have been described in human and animal intestines. Among others, PACAP infl uences secretion of intestinal glands, blood fl ow, and smooth muscle contraction. PACAP is a well-known cytoprotective peptide with strong anti-apoptotic, anti-infl ammatory, and antioxidant effects. The present review gives an overview of the intestinal protective actions of this neuropeptide. Exogenous PACAP treatment was protective in a rat model of small bowel autotransplantation. Radioimmunoassay (RIA) analysis of the intestinal tissue showed that endogenous PACAP levels gradually decreased with longer-lasting ischemic periods, prevented by PACAP addition. PACAP counteracted deleterious effects of ischemia on oxidative stress markers and cytokines. Another series of experiments investigated the role of endogenous PACAP in intestines in PACAP knockout (KO) mice. Warm ischemia–reperfusion injury and cold preservation models showed that the lack of PACAP caused a higher vulnerability against ischemic periods. Changes were more severe in PACAP KO mice at all examined time points. This fi nding was supported by increased levels of oxidative stress markers and decreased expression of antioxidant molecules. PACAP was proven to be protective not only in ischemic but also in infl ammatory bowel diseases. A recent study showed that PACAP treatment prolonged survival of Toxoplasma gondii infected mice suffering from acute ileitis and was able to reduce the ileal expression of proinfl ammatory cytokines. We completed the present review with recent clinical results obtained in patients suffering from infl ammatory bowel diseases. It was found that PACAP levels were altered depending on the activity, type of the disease, and antibiotic therapy, suggesting its probable role in infl ammatory events of the intestine