Tense and the Logic of Change

In this paper it is shown how the DRT (Discourse Representation Theory) treatment of temporal anaphora can be formalized within a version of Montague Semantics that is based on classical type logic

Integrated DNA walking system to characterize a broad spectrum of GMOs in food/feed matrices

Background: In order to provide a system fully integrated with qPCR screening, usually used in GMO routine analysis, as well as being able to detect, characterize and identify a broad spectrum of GMOs in food/feed matrices, two bidirectional DNA walking methods targeting p35S or tNOS, the most common transgenic elements found in GM crops, were developed. These newly developed DNA walking methods are completing the previously implemented DNA walking method targeting the t35S pCAMBIA element. Results: First, the newly developed DNA walking methods, anchored on the sequences used for the p35S or tNOS qPCR screening, were tested on Bt rice that contains these two transgenic elements. Second, the methods were assessed on a maize sample containing a low amount of the GM MON863 event, representing a more complex matrix in terms of genome size and sensitivity. Finally, to illustrate its applicability in GMO routine analysis by enforcement laboratories, the entire workflow of the integrated strategy, including qPCR screening to detect the potential presence of GMOs and the subsequent DNA walking methods to characterize and identify the detected GMOs, was applied on a GeMMA Scheme Proficiency Test matrix. Via the characterization of the transgene flanking region between the transgenic cassette and the plant genome as well as of a part of the transgenic cassette, the presence of GMOs was properly confirmed or infirmed in all tested samples. Conclusion: Due to their simple procedure and their short time-frame to get results, the developed DNA walking methods proposed here can be easily implemented in GMO routine analysis by the enforcement laboratories. In providing crucial information about the transgene flanking regions and/or the transgenic cassettes, this DNA walking strategy is a key molecular tool to prove the presence of GMOs in any given food/feed matrix

Asymptotically Optimal Algorithms for Pickup and Delivery Problems with Application to Large-Scale Transportation Systems

The Stacker Crane Problem is NP-Hard and the best known approximation algorithm only provides a 9/5 approximation ratio. The objective of this paper is threefold. First, by embedding the problem within a stochastic framework, we present a novel algorithm for the SCP that: (i) is asymptotically optimal, i.e., it produces, almost surely, a solution approaching the optimal one as the number of pickups/deliveries goes to infinity; and (ii) has computational complexity O(n^{2+\eps}), where $n$ is the number of pickup/delivery pairs and \eps is an arbitrarily small positive constant. Second, we asymptotically characterize the length of the optimal SCP tour. Finally, we study a dynamic version of the SCP, whereby pickup and delivery requests arrive according to a Poisson process, and which serves as a model for large-scale demand-responsive transport (DRT) systems. For such a dynamic counterpart of the SCP, we derive a necessary and sufficient condition for the existence of stable vehicle routing policies, which depends only on the workspace geometry, the stochastic distributions of pickup and delivery points, the arrival rate of requests, and the number of vehicles. Our results leverage a novel connection between the Euclidean Bipartite Matching Problem and the theory of random permutations, and, for the dynamic setting, exhibit novel features that are absent in traditional spatially-distributed queueing systems.Comment: 27 pages, plus Appendix, 7 figures, extended version of paper being submitted to IEEE Transactions of Automatic Contro

Architecture of a Web-based Predictive Editor for Controlled Natural Language Processing

In this paper, we describe the architecture of a web-based predictive text editor being developed for the controlled natural language PENG^{ASP). This controlled language can be used to write non-monotonic specifications that have the same expressive power as Answer Set Programs. In order to support the writing process of these specifications, the predictive text editor communicates asynchronously with the controlled natural language processor that generates lookahead categories and additional auxiliary information for the author of a specification text. The text editor can display multiple sets of lookahead categories simultaneously for different possible sentence completions, anaphoric expressions, and supports the addition of new content words to the lexicon

Measure instrumental in russian

We will argue that some seemingly adverbial free DPs in the instrumental in Russian which are traditionally termed measure instrumental are best understood as secondary predicates. We present the relevant syntactic assumptions and propose a semantics of this use of DPs in the instrumental. This proposal hears on the distinction between adjunct modification and secondary predication

Atrial fibrillation in high-risk patients

La fibrillation auriculaire (FA) est la plus fréquente des arythmies cardiaques. La FA est associée à un risque accru d’accident vasculaire cérébral, d’insuffisance cardiaque et de mortalité, constituant un problème de santé publique majeur. L’avènement de nouvelles technologies permettant une surveillance électrocardiographique a démontré une haute prévalence de FA subclinique ou silencieuse chez les patients âgés à haut risque. Récemment, plusieurs efforts et essais thérapeutiques ont été dirigés vers une identification et un traitement plus précoces de la FA chez ces patients. L’anticoagulation orale a bien prouvé son efficacité dans la prévention thromboembolique chez les patients qui présentent un haut risque thromboembolique, mais au prix d’une augmentation significative des événements hémorragiques, un risque qui s’élève régulièrement chez les patients âgés et avec une comorbidité importante. Au cours des dernières années, des nouvelles alternatives non-pharmacologiques dans la prévention thromboembolique ont été développées. La fermeture percutanée de l’auricule gauche, site de formation de la majorité (~90%) des thrombus, est progressivement devenue une alternative valable à l’anticoagulation chez des patients avec FA non valvulaire à haute risque hémorragique. L’expérience des opérateurs et les innovations technologiques ont permis une amélioration remarquable des résultats en ce qui concerne la sécurité et l’efficacité. Cependant, quelques questions restent sans réponse. Les préoccupations les plus débattues suite à la fermeture de l’auricule gauche sont la prise en charge de l’anticoagulation postprocédure et la prévention/gestion de la thrombose de dispositif. Les objectifs de ce travail de recherche sont : (i) évaluer la charge arythmique silencieuse chez des patients à haut risque à l’aide de l’utilisation de nouveaux systèmes d’enregistrement électrocardiographique prolongé, et (ii) analyser l'impact hémodynamique et thrombogénique de la fermeture percutanée de l'auricule gauche avec les dispositifs actuels et émergents.Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia. AF is associated with an increased risk of stroke, heart failure and mortality, posing a major public health problem. The advent of new technologies for continuous electrocardiographic monitoring has demonstrated a high incidence of subclinical or silent AF in elderly high-risk patients. Recently, several therapeutic efforts and studies have been directed towards earlier identification and treatment of AF in these patients. Oral anticoagulation has proven to be effective in preventing thromboembolism in patients at high thromboembolic risk, albeit at the expense of a significant increase in hemorrhagic events; a risk that increases steadily in elderly patients with high comorbidity burden. In recent years, novel non-pharmacological alternatives have been developed for thromboembolic prevention. Percutaneous left atrial appendage (LAA) closure, site of origin of the vast majority (~ 90%) of thrombi, has progressively become a valid alternative to anticoagulation in patients with non-valvular AF at high bleeding risk. Increasing operators' experience and technological innovations have led to remarkable improvements in the safety and efficacy of the procedure. However, some issues remain unanswered or controversial. Two of the most debated concerns are post-procedural antithrombotic management and device-related thrombosis (DRT) following LAA closure. The aims of the present research study are: (i) to evaluate the silent arrhythmic burden in high-risk patients using novel prolonged continuous electrocardiographic monitoring systems, and (ii) to assess the hemodynamic and thrombogenic impact of percutaneous LAA closure using current and emerging devices

Similarities and differences in the dolomitization history of two coeval Middle Triassic carbonate platforms, Balaton Highland, Hungary

Dolomitization of platform carbonates is commonly the result of multiphase processes. Documentation of the complex dolomitization history is difficult if completely dolomitized sections are studied. Two Middle Anisian sections representing two coeval carbonate platforms were investigated and compared in the present study. Both sections are made up of meter-scale peritidal–lagoonal cycles with significant pedogenic overprint. One of the sections contains non-dolomitized, partially dolomitized, and completely dolomitized intervals, whereas the other is completely dolomitized. Based on investigations of the partially dolomitized section, penecontemporaneous dolomite formation and/or very early post-depositional dolomitization were identified in various lithofacies types. In shallow subtidal facies, porphyrotopic dolomite was found preferentially in microbial micritic fabrics. Microbially induced dolomite precipitation and/or progressive replacement of carbonate sediments could be interpreted for stromatolites. Cryptocrystalline to very finely crystalline dolomite, probably of pedogenic origin, was encountered in paleosoil horizons. Fabric-destructive dolomite commonly found below these horizons was likely formed via reflux of evaporated seawater. As a result of the different paleogeographic settings of the two platforms, their shallow-burial conditions were significantly different. One of the studied sections was located at the basinward platform margin where pervasive fabric-retentive dolomitization took place in a shallow-burial setting, probably via thermal convection. In contrast, in the area of the other, smaller platform shallow-water carbonates were covered by basinal deposits, preventing fluid circulation and accordingly pervasive shallow-burial dolomitization. In the intermediate to deep burial zone, recrystallization of partially dolomitized limestone and occlusion of newly opened fractures and pores by coarsely crystalline dolomite took place