Inferring Lower Bounds for Runtime Complexity

We present the first approach to deduce lower bounds for innermost runtime complexity of term rewrite systems (TRSs) automatically. Inferring lower runtime bounds is useful to detect bugs and to complement existing techniques that compute upper complexity bounds. The key idea of our approach is to generate suitable families of rewrite sequences of a TRS and to find a relation between the length of such a rewrite sequence and the size of the first term in the sequence. We implemented our approach in the tool AProVE and evaluated it by extensive experiments

Untersuchung der Rolle von B-Zellen und Zellen des angeborenen Immunsystems in der Autoimmunpathologie der Scurfy Maus

A multitude of immune dysregulations can result in destruction of healthy tissues and organs during autoimmune diseases. Regulatory T cells (TRegs) can suppress immune reactions against autoantigens, mediate tolerance and prevent autoimmunity. The failure to generate TRegs results in a severe systemic autoimmune disease in humans (IPEX syndrome, immune dysregulation, polyendocrinopathy, enteropathy, X-linked) and mice (Scurfy phenotype). In mice the X-linked Scurfy autoimmunity is characterized by an early death of affected animals, hypergammglobulinemia, inflammation and cellular infiltrates in multiple organs as well as an impaired B cell development and an expansion of CD11b+ myeloid cells. The aim of the project was to investigate the role of B cells and cells of the innate immune system in the onset of autoimmunity in Scurfy mice by using genetic as well as therapeutic interventions. Genetic deletion of B cells considerably ameliorated the Scurfy autoimmune pathology and caused significantly extended survival. Conversely, transfer of naïve B cells into B cell deficient Scurfy mice shortened the lifespan and resulted in the development of these B cells into antibody-secreting plasma cells. Consistently, Scurfy mice treated with a B cell depleting anti-CD20 antibody also had a prolonged lifespan. Recruitment of innate immune cells participates in the antibody-mediated inflammation. In CD11b deficient mice the recruitment of cells into tissues was impaired. Despite increased autoantibody titers CD11b deficient Scurfy animals revealed milder course of disease and a prolonged lifespan. Taken together, the experiments revealed a crucial role of B cells and innate immune effector cells for the severe autoimmune disease in Scurfy mice.Bei Autoimmunerkrankungen kommt es zu einer Vielzahl von Fehlregulationen, die letztendlich zur Zerstörung von gesundem Gewebe führen. Regulatorische T-Zellen (TRegs) können diese deregulierten Immunantworten gegen Autoantigene supprimieren und somit zur Erhaltung der Selbsttoleranz beitragen und Autoimmunität verhindern. Sowohl beim Menschen (IPEX-Syndrom, X-chromosomal vererbte Immundysregulation, Polyendokrinopathie und Enteropathie) als auch in der Maus (Scurfy-Phänotyp) kommt es zu einer besonders schweren systemischen Autoimmunerkrankung, durch einen genetisch bedingten Verlust der Funktion von TRegs. In der Maus ist die X-chromosomal vererbte Scurfy Autoimmunpathologie durch eine stark verminderte Lebenserwartung, Hypergammaglobulinämie, Inflammationen und zelluläre Infiltrationen in multiplen Organen, eine gestörte B-Zellentwicklung und eine Expansion CD11b+ myeloider Zellen charakterisiert. Ziel der Arbeit war es, mittels genetischer und therapeutischer Ansätze die Beteiligung von B-Zellen und Zellen des angeborenen Immunsystems an der Scurfy Autoimmunpathologie zu untersuchen. Besonderer Fokus lag hierbei auf der Untersuchung der Glomerulonephritis-artigen Erkrankung, der Immunthrombozytopenie (ITP) und der Entzündung in der Leber der betroffenen Scurfy Tiere. Durch genetische Deletion der B-Zellen konnte der Autoimmunphänotyp der Scurfy Maus erheblich verbessert werden. B-Zelldefiziente Scurfy Tiere überlebten signifikant länger. Wurden naive B-Zellen durch adoptiven Transfer in das B-Zelldefiziente Scurfy System zurückgebracht, nahm die Sterblichkeit erneut zu. Die naiven B-Zellen entwickelten sich nach kurzer Zeit zu Autoantikörper-produzierenden Plasmazellen. Da eine Immuntherapie mit einem B-Zelldepletierenden anti-CD20 Antikörper das Überleben der Scurfy Mäuse in analoger Weise verlängerte, wäre eine ähnliche Therapie für die Behandlung von IPEX-Patienten denkbar. Die Rekrutierung von Zellen des angeborenen Immunsystems spielt eine wichtige Rolle für Antikörper-vermittelten Entzündungsprozesse. In CD11b-defizienten Scurfy Tieren war diese Rekrutierung von Zellen aus dem Blut in das Gewebe stark eingeschränkt und auch bei diesen Tieren konnte ein milderer Krankheitsverlauf und ein längeres Überleben, trotz erhöhter Autoantikörpertiter beobachtet werden. Somit konnten in dieser Arbeit einige der wichtigen zellulären und molekularen Mechanismen identifiziert werden, die zumindest in Teilen für die schwere Autoimmunpathologie der Scurfy Maus verantwortlich sind

Professional judges’ disbelief in free will does not decrease punishment

There is a debate in psychology and philosophy on the societal consequences of casting doubts about individuals’ belief in free will. Research suggests that experimentally reducing free will beliefs might affect how individuals evaluate others’ behavior. Past research has demonstrated that reduced free will beliefs decrease laypersons’ tendency toward retributive punishment. This finding has been used as an argument for the idea that promoting anti-free will viewpoints in the public media might have severe consequences for the legal system because it may move judges toward softer retributive punishments. However, actual implications for the legal system can only be drawn by investigating professional judges. In the present research, we investigated whether judges ( N = 87) are affected by reading anti-free will messages. The results demonstrate that although reading anti-free will texts reduces judges’ belief in free will, their recommended sentences are not influenced by their (manipulated) belief in free will

UM OLHAR FILOSÓFICO SOBRE A QUESTÃO DO DESCARTE

The relation of mere utility toward things and the world itself is one of the concerns of Heidegger's phylosophy. In this regard, we bring at the moment some concepts developed by the philosopher, in order to propose a reflection on the action of the discard and its repercussions in the contemporary world.A relação de mera utilidade para com as coisas e com o próprio mundo é uma das preocupações da filosofia de Heidegger. A esse respeito, trazemos alguns conceitos desenvolvidos pelo filósofo a fim de propor uma reflexão sobre a ação do descarte e suas repercussões no mundo contemporâne

Filosofia política ambiental: propostas liberais, libertárias e socialistas

No primeiro momento, apresentamos três posições políticas liberais para a proteção do ambiente natural, representadas pelas propostas de Anderson e Leal, Paul Hawken e Avner de-Shalit. Apesar do traço liberal, comum a essas três propostas, elas distanciam-se em alguns pontos. No segundo momento, reconstituímos duas propostas libertárias, representadas por Snyder e por Manes. Por fim, reconstituímos duas propostas socialistas, para a redefinição da interação humana com a natureza ambiental, representadas por John Clark e James O’Connor.</p

A ética ambiental de Tom Regan: crítica, conceitos, argumentos e propostas

Tendo por objetivo introduzir o público de língua portuguesa no debate ambientalista internacional, este artigo reconstitui de forma introdutória a concepção de Tom Regan, sua filiação teórica, estratégia de argumentação, conceitos e propostas para uma ética genuinamente ambiental.</p

Como trabalhar teatro na sala de aula?

A abordagem deste relato de experiência é realizar uma reflexão dos procedimentos metodológicos e dos resultados adquiridos durante o processo de estágio V em 2005/2 e apresentar uma proposta uma nova forma para trabalhar o teatro na rede pública de ensino