Automatic composition of music by means of Grammatical Evolution

This is the author's version of the work. It is posted here for your personal use. Not for redistribution. The definitive Version of Record was published in APL Quote Quad, http://dx.doi.org/10.1145/604444.602249Proceedings of the 2002 conference on APL: array processing languages: lore, problems, and applications (Madrid)This work describes how grammatical evolution may be applied to the domain of automatic composition. Our goal is to test this technique as an alternate tool for automatic composition. The AP440 auxiliary processor will be used to play music, thus we shall use a grammar that generates AP440 melodies. Grammar evolution will use fitness functions defined from several well-known single melodies to automatically generate AP440 compositions that are expected to sound like those composed by human musicians.This paper has been sponsored by the Spanish Interdepartmental Commission of Science and Technology (CICYT), project numbers TEL1999-0181 and TIC2001-0685-C02-1

JMSL - a language derived from APL

A new AFL-derived language called JMSL is presented which rnodifies seven aspects of APL so that many current and potential APL users could benefit from a language which is easier to learn, read, write, and maintain. JMSL uses ASCII tokens instead of APL symbols to remedy interfacing, extensibility, and readability problems with APL. JMSL revises and extends APL built-in capabilities to provide greater expression and improved symbol-meaning correspondence. JMSL includes a new notation for nested arrays (a powerful data structure which combines the array processing of APL with the tree processing of LISP). JMSL provides hierarchical directories (similar to PASCAL or PL/I records) to allow structures to be indexed by name. JMSL modifies the traditional APL library/workspace storage interface by unifying the syntax of system commands in a way which allows UNIX-like directory storage. JMSL provides high-level control structures similar to those found in block-structured languages, including an event-handling mechanism. JMSL amends the APL scope rules to alleviate problems with side effects and object localization. Some areas of future work are discussed, and a description of JMSL syntax and semantics is included

Construction of a duck whole genome radiation hybrid panel : an aid for NGS whole genome assembly and a contribution to avian comparative maps

Le canard est une espèce d'importance agronomique en France, principalement à travers l'industrie de foie gras, qui représente plus de 75% de la production mondiale. De plus, c'est aussi un modèle important pour l'étude de l'infection par le virus influenza, pour lequel les oiseaux aquatiques sont un réservoir naturel, car porteurs asymptomatiques. Les travaux réalisés lors de la thèse se situent dans le contexte international de l'étude du génome du canard, comportant la séquence du génome, le séquençage d'EST et l'identification et la cartographie de SNP. Le but à terme pour l'INRA étant de disposer des connaissances sur le génome nécessaires pour la cartographie fine de QTL et l'identification de gènes impliqués dans l'expression de caractères agronomiques. Un panel de 90 d'hybrides irradiés (panel RH) a été réalisé par fusion de cellules donneuses de canard irradiées avec des cellules receveuses de hamster. Afin d'éviter la culture à grande échelle des clones cellulaires, des méthodes de génotypage par PCR utilisant l'amplification complète du génome (WGA) et/ou la réduction des volumes réactionnels ont été testées et deux premières cartes de chromosomes ont ainsi été réalisées. Nous avons également utilisé le génotypage par PCR pour vérifier la qualité de l'assemblage des scaffolds du génome du canard, réalisés par séquençage nouvelle génération Illumina au Beijing Genome Institute (BGI, Chine). Finalement, afin de couvrir le génome complet, nous avons entrepris un séquençage léger (0,1X de profondeur) d'hybrides, permettant une réalisation de cartes plus rapides que par PCR. Ces cartes permettent la détection des réarrangements chromosomiques existant entre les génomes de la poule et du canard, qui sont distants de 80 millions d'années.Duck is a very important agronomic species in France, especially for fatty liver industry which presents 75% worldwide production. Moreover, duck is also a scientific model for avian influenza research as it is a natural reservoir for avian influenza viruses. The work presented here is part of the international collaboration on duck genome sequencing, including SNP detection and mapping, EST sequencing. Our goal is to provide a genome map allowing for fine mapping QTL and identifying candidate genes involved in expression of agronomic traits. A panel composed of 90 radiation hybrids was produced by fusing irradiated duck donor cells with hamster cells. To avoid large-scale culture of the clones, PCR genotyping involving Whole Genome Amplification (WGA) and/or reduction of reaction volumes were tested and two first maps for duck chromosomes were made. We also used the PCR genotyping method to test for the quality of duck sequence scaffold assemblies, which had been produced by the Beijing Genome Institute (BGI, China). Finally, to cover the whole genome, we performed a low-pass sequencing (0.1X depth) of hybrids, allowing for rapid map development. These maps allow the detection of chromosomal rearrangements that have taken place between the duck and chicken genomes, which have diverged 80 million years ago

Polymorphisms in Anopheles gambiae Immune Genes Associated with Natural Resistance to Plasmodium falciparum

Many genes involved in the immune response of Anopheles gambiae, the main malaria vector in Africa, have been identified, but whether naturally occurring polymorphisms in these genes underlie variation in resistance to the human malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, is currently unknown. Here we carried out a candidate gene association study to identify single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with natural resistance to P. falciparum. A. gambiae M form mosquitoes from Cameroon were experimentally challenged with three local wild P. falciparum isolates. Statistical associations were assessed between 157 SNPs selected from a set of 67 A. gambiae immune-related genes and the level of infection. Isolate-specific associations were accounted for by including the effect of the isolate in the analysis. Five SNPs were significantly associated to the infection phenotype, located within or upstream of AgMDL1, CEC1, Sp PPO activate, Sp SNAKElike, and TOLL6. Low overall and local linkage disequilibrium indicated high specificity in the loci found. Association between infection phenotype and two SNPs was isolate-specific, providing the first evidence of vector genotype by parasite isolate interactions at the molecular level. Four SNPs were associated to either oocyst presence or load, indicating that the genetic basis of infection prevalence and intensity may differ. The validity of the approach was verified by confirming the functional role of Sp SNAKElike in gene silencing assays. These results strongly support the role of genetic variation within or near these five A. gambiae immune genes, in concert with other genes, in natural resistance to P. falciparum. They emphasize the need to distinguish between infection prevalence and intensity and to account for the genetic specificity of vector-parasite interactions in dissecting the genetic basis of Anopheles resistance to human malaria

Some Schemes for Implementation of Arithmetic Operations with Complex Numbers Using Squaring Units

In this paper, new schemes for a squarer, multiplier and divider of complex numbers are proposed. Traditional structural solutions for each of these operations require the presence some number of general-purpose binary multipliers. The advantage of our solutions is a removing of multiplications through replacing them by less costly squarers. We use Logan's trick and quarter square technique, which propose to replace the calculation of the product of two real numbers by summing the squares. Replacing usual multipliers on digital squares implies reducing power consumption as well as decreases hardware circuit complexity. The squarer requiring less area and power as compared to general-purpose multiplier, it is interesting to assess the use of squarers to implementation of complex arithmetic.Comment: 3 pages. 3 figures, 2 table

The Split-Apply-Combine Strategy for Data Analysis

Many data analysis problems involve the application of a split-apply-combine strategy, where you break up a big problem into manageable pieces, operate on each piece independently and then put all the pieces back together. This insight gives rise to a new R package that allows you to smoothly apply this strategy, without having to worry about the type of structure in which your data is stored. The paper includes two case studies showing how these insights make it easier to work with batting records for veteran baseball players and a large 3d array of spatio-temporal ozone measurements.