1,637 research outputs found
SAT Encoding and CSP Reduction for Interconnected Alldiff Constraints
Constraint satisfaction problems (CSP) or Boolean satisfiability problem (SAT) are two well known paradigm to model and solve combinatorial problems. Modeling and resolution of CSP is often strengthened by global constraints (e.g., Alldiff constraint). This paper highlights two different ways of handling specific structural information: a uniform propagation framework to handle (interleaved) Alldiff constraints with some CSP reduction rules; and a SAT encoding of these rules that preserves the reduction properties of CSP
Photo-fragmentation spectroscopy of benzylium and 1-phenylethyl cations
The electronic spectra of cold benzylium (C6H5-CH2+) and 1-phenylethyl
(C6H5-CH-CH3+)cations have been recorded via photofragment spectroscopy.
Benzylium and 1-phenylethyl cations produced from electrosprayed benzylamine
and phenylethylamine solutions, respectively, were stored in a cryogenically
cooled quadrupole ion trap and photodissociated by an OPO laser, scanned in
parts of the UV and visible regions (600-225 nm). The electronic states and
active vibrational modes of the benzylium and 1-phenylethyl cations as well as
those of their tropylium or methyl tropylium isomers have been calculated with
ab initio methods for comparison with the spectra observed. Sharp vibrational
progressions are observed in the visible region while the absorption features
are much broader in the UV. The visible spectrum of the benzylium cation is
similar to that obtained in an argon tagging experiment [V. Dryza, N. Chalyavi,
J.A. Sanelli, and E.J. Bieske, J. Chem. Phys. 137, 204304 (2012)], with an
additional splitting assigned to Fermi resonances. The visible spectrum of the
1-phenylethyl cation also shows vibrational progressions. For both cations, the
second electronic transition is observed in the UV, around 33 000 cm-1 (4.1
eV), and shows a broadened vibrational progression. In both cases the S2
optimized geometry is non planar. The third electronic transition observed
around 40 000 cm-1 (5.0 eV) is even broader with no apparent vibrational
structures, which is indicative of either a fast non-radiative process or a
very large change in geometry between the excited and the ground states. The
oscillator strengths calculated for tropylium and methyl tropylium are weak.
Therefore, these isomeric structures are most likely not responsible for these
absorption features. Finally, the fragmentation pattern changes in the second
and third electronic states: C2H2 loss becomes predominant at higher excitation
energies, for both cations
Overlapping Alldifferent Constraints and the Sudoku puzzle
Combinatorial problems can be modeled as constraint satisfaction problems (CSP). Modeling and resolution of CSP is often strengthened by global constraints (e.g., Alldiff constraint). We propose a formal system and some propagation rules for reducing domains of variables appearing in several Alldiff global constraints. We illustrate our approach on the well-known Sudoku puzzle which presents 27 overlapping Alldiffconstraints in its 9 x 9 standard size. We also present some preliminary results we obtained in CHR and GeCode
Rates of rat liver RNA degradation in vivo as determined from cytidine release during brief cyclic perfusion in situ
The fate of the homoctenids (Tentaculitoidea) during the Frasnian-Famennian mass extinction (Late Devonian)
The homoctenids (Tentaculitoidea) are small, conical-shelled marine animals which are amongst the most abundant and widespread of all Late Devonian fossils. They were a principal casualty of the Frasnian-Famennian (F-F, Late Devonian) mass extinction, and thus provide an insight into the extinction dynamics. Despite their abundance during the Late Devonian, they have been largely neglected by extinction studies. A number of Frasnian-Famennian boundary sections have been studied, in Poland, Germany, France, and the United States. These sections have yielded homoctenids, which allow precise recognition of the timing of the mass extinction. It is clear that the homoctenids almost disappear from the fossil record during the latest Frasnian “Upper Kellwasser Event”. The coincident extinction of this pelagic group, and the widespread development of intense marine anoxia within the water column, provides a causal link between anoxia and the F-F extinction. Most notable is the sudden demise of a group, which had been present in rock-forming densities, during this anoxic event. One new species, belonging to Homoctenus is described, but is not formally named here
Excited States of Proton-bound DNA/RNA Base Homo-dimers: Pyrimidines
We are presenting the electronic photo fragment spectra of the protonated
pyrimidine DNA bases homo-dimers. Only the thymine dimer exhibits a well
structured vibrational progression, while protonated monomer shows broad
vibrational bands. This shows that proton bonding can block some non radiative
processes present in the monomer.Comment: We acknowledge the use of the computing facility cluster GMPCS of the
LUMAT federation (FR LUMAT 2764
Selective involvement of serum response factor in pressure-induced myogenic tone in resistance arteries
OBJECTIVE: In resistance arteries, diameter adjustment in response to pressure changes depends on the vascular cytoskeleton integrity. Serum response factor (SRF) is a dispensable transcription factor for cellular growth, but its role remains unknown in resistance arteries. We hypothesized that SRF is required for appropriate microvascular contraction. METHODS AND RESULTS: We used mice in which SRF was specifically deleted in smooth muscle or endothelial cells, and their control. Myogenic tone and pharmacological contraction was determined in resistance arteries. mRNA and protein expression were assessed by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and Western blot. Actin polymerization was determined by confocal microscopy. Stress-activated channel activity was measured by patch clamp. Myogenic tone developing in response to pressure was dramatically decreased by SRF deletion (5.9+/-2.3%) compared with control (16.3+/-3.2%). This defect was accompanied by decreases in actin polymerization, filamin A, myosin light chain kinase and myosin light chain expression level, and stress-activated channel activity and sensitivity in response to pressure. Contractions induced by phenylephrine or U46619 were not modified, despite a higher sensitivity to p38 blockade; this highlights a compensatory pathway, allowing normal receptor-dependent contraction. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows for the first time that SRF has a major part to play in the control of local blood flow via its central role in pressure-induced myogenic tone in resistance arteries
The geographical distribution of lymphatic filariasis infection in Malawi
Mapping distribution of lymphatic filariasis (LF) is a prerequisite for planning national elimination programmes. Results from a nation wide mapping survey for lymphatic filariasis (LF) in Malawi are presented. Thirty-five villages were sampled from 23 districts excluding three districts (Karonga, Chikwawa and Nsanje) that had already been mapped and Likoma, an Island, where access was not possible in the time frame of the survey. Antigenaemia prevalence [based on immunochromatographic card tests (ICT)] ranged from 0% to 35.9%. Villages from the western side of the country and distant from the lake tended to be of lower prevalence. The exception was a village in Mchinji district on the Malawi-Zambia border where a prevalence of 18.2% was found. In contrast villages from lake shore districts [Salima, Mangochi, Balaka and Ntcheu (Bwanje valley)] and Phalombe had prevalences of over 20%
Charge separation relative to the reaction plane in Pb-Pb collisions at TeV
Measurements of charge dependent azimuthal correlations with the ALICE
detector at the LHC are reported for Pb-Pb collisions at TeV. Two- and three-particle charge-dependent azimuthal correlations in
the pseudo-rapidity range are presented as a function of the
collision centrality, particle separation in pseudo-rapidity, and transverse
momentum. A clear signal compatible with a charge-dependent separation relative
to the reaction plane is observed, which shows little or no collision energy
dependence when compared to measurements at RHIC energies. This provides a new
insight for understanding the nature of the charge dependent azimuthal
correlations observed at RHIC and LHC energies.Comment: 12 pages, 3 captioned figures, authors from page 2 to 6, published
version, figures at http://aliceinfo.cern.ch/ArtSubmission/node/286
Multiplicity dependence of jet-like two-particle correlations in p-Pb collisions at = 5.02 TeV
Two-particle angular correlations between unidentified charged trigger and
associated particles are measured by the ALICE detector in p-Pb collisions at a
nucleon-nucleon centre-of-mass energy of 5.02 TeV. The transverse-momentum
range 0.7 5.0 GeV/ is examined,
to include correlations induced by jets originating from low
momen\-tum-transfer scatterings (minijets). The correlations expressed as
associated yield per trigger particle are obtained in the pseudorapidity range
. The near-side long-range pseudorapidity correlations observed in
high-multiplicity p-Pb collisions are subtracted from both near-side
short-range and away-side correlations in order to remove the non-jet-like
components. The yields in the jet-like peaks are found to be invariant with
event multiplicity with the exception of events with low multiplicity. This
invariance is consistent with the particles being produced via the incoherent
fragmentation of multiple parton--parton scatterings, while the yield related
to the previously observed ridge structures is not jet-related. The number of
uncorrelated sources of particle production is found to increase linearly with
multiplicity, suggesting no saturation of the number of multi-parton
interactions even in the highest multiplicity p-Pb collisions. Further, the
number scales in the intermediate multiplicity region with the number of binary
nucleon-nucleon collisions estimated with a Glauber Monte-Carlo simulation.Comment: 23 pages, 6 captioned figures, 1 table, authors from page 17,
published version, figures at
http://aliceinfo.cern.ch/ArtSubmission/node/161
- …