3,233 research outputs found
Buffered Simulation Games for B\"uchi Automata
Simulation relations are an important tool in automata theory because they
provide efficiently computable approximations to language inclusion. In recent
years, extensions of ordinary simulations have been studied, for instance
multi-pebble and multi-letter simulations which yield better approximations and
are still polynomial-time computable.
In this paper we study the limitations of approximating language inclusion in
this way: we introduce a natural extension of multi-letter simulations called
buffered simulations. They are based on a simulation game in which the two
players share a FIFO buffer of unbounded size. We consider two variants of
these buffered games called continuous and look-ahead simulation which differ
in how elements can be removed from the FIFO buffer. We show that look-ahead
simulation, the simpler one, is already PSPACE-hard, i.e. computationally as
hard as language inclusion itself. Continuous simulation is even EXPTIME-hard.
We also provide matching upper bounds for solving these games with infinite
state spaces.Comment: In Proceedings AFL 2014, arXiv:1405.527
A critical look at power law modelling of the Internet
This paper takes a critical look at the usefulness of power law models of the
Internet. The twin focuses of the paper are Internet traffic and topology
generation. The aim of the paper is twofold. Firstly it summarises the state of
the art in power law modelling particularly giving attention to existing open
research questions. Secondly it provides insight into the failings of such
models and where progress needs to be made for power law research to feed
through to actual improvements in network performance.Comment: To appear Computer Communication
Coherent, automatic address resolution for vehicular ad hoc networks
Published in: Int. J. of Ad Hoc and Ubiquitous Computing, 2017 Vol.25, No.3, pp.163 - 179. DOI: 10.1504/IJAHUC.2017.10001935The interest in vehicular communications has increased notably. In this paper, the use of the address resolution (AR) procedures is studied for vehicular ad hoc networks (VANETs). We analyse the poor performance of AR transactions in such networks and we present a new proposal called coherent, automatic address resolution (CAAR). Our approach inhibits the use of AR transactions and instead increases the usefulness of routing signalling to automatically match the IP and MAC addresses. Through extensive simulations in realistic VANET scenarios using the Estinet simulator, we compare our proposal CAAR to classical AR and to another of our proposals that enhances AR for mobile wireless networks, called AR+. In addition, we present a performance evaluation of the behaviour of CAAR, AR and AR+ with unicast traffic of a reporting service for VANETs. Results show that CAAR outperforms the other two solutions in terms of packet losses and furthermore, it does not introduce additional overhead.Postprint (published version
Reverse engineering of drug induced DNA damage response signalling pathway reveals dual outcomes of ATM kinase inhibition
The DNA Damage Response (DDR) pathway represents a signalling mechanism that is activated in eukaryotic cells following DNA damage and comprises of proteins involved in DNA damage detection, DNA repair, cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. This pathway consists of an intricate network of signalling interactions driving the cellular ability to recognise DNA damage and recruit specialised proteins to take decisions between DNA repair or apoptosis. ATM and ATR are central components of the DDR pathway. The activities of these kinases are vital in DNA damage induced phosphorylational induction of DDR substrates. Here, firstly we have experimentally determined DDR signalling network surrounding the ATM/ATR pathway induced following double stranded DNA damage by monitoring and quantifying time dependent inductions of their phosphorylated forms and their key substrates. We next involved an automated inference of unsupervised predictive models of time series data to generate in silico (molecular) interaction maps. We characterized the complex signalling network through system analysis and gradual utilisation of small time series measurements of key substrates through a novel network inference algorithm. Furthermore, we demonstrate an application of an assumption-free reverse engineering of the intricate signalling network of the activated ATM/ATR pathway. We next studied the consequences of such drug induced inductions as well as of time dependent ATM kinase inhibition on cell survival through further biological experiments. Intermediate and temporal modelling outcomes revealed the distinct signaling profile associated with ATM kinase activity and inhibition and explained the underlying signalling mechanism for dual ATM functionality in cytotoxic and cytoprotective pathways
Hybrid chiral domain walls and skyrmions in magnetic multilayers
Noncollinear spin textures in ferromagnetic ultrathin films are currently the
subject of renewed interest since the discovery of the interfacial
Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction (DMI). This antisymmetric exchange
interaction selects a given chirality for the spin textures and allows
stabilising configurations with nontrivial topology. Moreover, it has many
crucial consequences on the dynamical properties of these topological
structures, including chiral domain walls (DWs) and magnetic skyrmions. In the
recent years the study of noncollinear spin textures has been extended from
single ultrathin layers to magnetic multilayers with broken inversion symmetry.
This extension of the structures in the vertical dimension allows very
efficient current-induced motion and room-temperature stability for both N\'eel
DWs and skyrmions. Here we show how in such multilayered systems the interlayer
interactions can actually lead to more complex, hybrid chiral magnetisation
arrangements. The described thickness-dependent reorientation of DWs is
experimentally confirmed by studying demagnetised multilayers through circular
dichroism in x-ray resonant magnetic scattering. We also demonstrate a simple
yet reliable method for determining the magnitude of the DMI from static
domains measurements even in the presence of these hybrid chiral structures, by
taking into account the actual profile of the DWs. The advent of these novel
hybrid chiral textures has far-reaching implications on how to stabilise and
manipulate DWs as well as skymionic structures in magnetic multilayers.Comment: 22 pages, 5 figure
Sensitivity of a tonne-scale NEXT detector for neutrinoless double beta decay searches
The Neutrino Experiment with a Xenon TPC (NEXT) searches for the neutrinoless
double-beta decay of Xe-136 using high-pressure xenon gas TPCs with
electroluminescent amplification. A scaled-up version of this technology with
about 1 tonne of enriched xenon could reach in less than 5 years of operation a
sensitivity to the half-life of neutrinoless double-beta decay decay better
than 1E27 years, improving the current limits by at least one order of
magnitude. This prediction is based on a well-understood background model
dominated by radiogenic sources. The detector concept presented here represents
a first step on a compelling path towards sensitivity to the parameter space
defined by the inverted ordering of neutrino masses, and beyond.Comment: 22 pages, 11 figure
The chemical and magnetic structural characterisation of magneto-resistive devices using x-ray techniques
The academic and industrial interest in magnetic data storage has been fuelled by the information age. The number of applications for magnetic thin-films has increased rapidly, along with the popularity of using X-ray techniques as a tool by which to characterise them. Structural characterisation is a key process to their development and understanding, correlating chemical and magnetic structure to magneto-transport. In this thesis a number of magneto-resistive devices are studied, including spin-valves, magnetic tunnel junctions and magnetic multilayers. The credence of using grazing incidence X-ray techniques for characterisation is initially demonstrated by accounting for variations in MR from nominally identical spin-valves, through observing subtle fluctuations in the pinning NiO layer thickness. The study of magnetic tunnel junctions has revealed discrepancies in barrier thickness as measured by X-ray reflectivity and through fits to the 1-V profile using Simmonsâ model. This demonstrates localised tunnelling and the inaccuracy of 1-V modelling in determining average barrier thickness. Specular reflectivity and diffuse analysis have also determined a far larger than expected level of intermixing across Al bilayer interfaces with Al on X and X on Al, where X are transition metals from groups 3,4 and 5 of the periodic table. AF coupled multilayers are studied using polarised neutron reflectivity, the results of which have been compared directly with the relatively new technique: resonant soft X- ray magnetic scattering (SoXMaS). Specular and diffuse scattering studies reveal striking discrepancies between the two techniques, due to differences between the relative magnetic to chemical cross sections. Simulations further demonstrate SoXMaS and its sensitivity to magnetic structure. Finally, reflectivity data from Co/Cu Bragg peaks are used to calculate the refractive index of Co across the Co Lm and Ln edge under different magnetisation orientations
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