BACKGROUND The visual system can adjust itself to different visual environments. One of the most well known examples of this is the shift in spatial tuning that occurs in retinal ganglion cells with the change from night to day vision. This shift is thought to be produced by a change in the ganglion cell receptive field surround, mediated by a decrease in the coupling of horizontal cells. MET...

The picture that emerges from phylogenetic gene content reconstructions is that genomes evolve in a dynamic pattern of rapid expansion and gradual streamlining. Ancestral organisms have been estimated to possess remarkably rich gene complements, although gene loss is a driving force in subsequent lineage adaptation and diversification. Here, we study genome dynamics in a model of virtual cells ...

Future rice (Oryza sativa) crops will likely experience a range of growth conditions, and root architectural plasticity will be an important characteristic to confer adaptability across variable environments. In this study, the relationship between root architectural plasticity and adaptability (i.e. yield stability) was evaluated in two traditional × improved rice populations (Aus 276 × MTU101...

Network forensics enables investigation and identification of network attacks through the retrieved digital content. The proliferation of smartphones and the cost-effective universal data access through cloud has made Mobile Cloud Computing (MCC) a congenital target for network attacks. However, confines in carrying out forensics in MCC is interrelated with the autonomous cloud hosting companie...

OBJECTIVE. We examined participation in goal planning and development of self-awareness for people with impaired self-awareness after traumatic brain injury. METHOD. We performed a mixed-methods study of 8 participants recently discharged from inpatient rehabilitation. Self-awareness was measured using discrepancy between self and significant other ratings on the Mayo-Portland Adaptability Inde...

Fungus-growing ants display symbiont preference in behavioral assays, both towards the fungus they cultivate for food and Actinobacteria they maintain on their cuticle for antibiotic production against parasites. These Actinobacteria, genus Pseudonocardia Henssen (Pseudonocardiacea: Actinomycetales), help defend the ants' fungal mutualist from specialized parasites. In Acromyrmex Mayr (Hymenopt...

We present a system that integrates robot task execution with user input and feedback at multiple abstraction levels in order to achieve greater adaptability in new environments. The user can specify a hierarchical task, with the system interactively proposing logical action groupings within the task. During execution, if tasks fail because objects specified in the initial task description are ...

Designing and maintaining systems in a dynamic contemporary environment requires a rethinking of how systems provide value to stakeholders over time. Classically, two different approaches to promoting value sustainment may include developing either alterable or robust systems. The first accomplishes value delivery through altering the system to meet new needs, while the second accomplishes valu...

OBJECTIVE To test the hypothesis that participants with stroke will exhibit appropriate increase in muscle activation of the paretic leg when taking a long step with the nonparetic leg compared to during steady-state walking, with a consequent increase in biomechanical output and symmetry during the stance phase of the modified gait cycle. DESIGN Single-session observational study. SETTING ...

In a downsizing, employees have to cope with major changes. Their coping strategy influences their level of adaptability. Coping proceeds through sensemaking, and may be either reactive or proactive. This paper reports a study on employees’ sensemaking of critical incidents in a multiple downsizing context. The organization studied, experienced two downsizings in one year. Its culture was based...