256 research outputs found
On the relationship of congruence closureand unification
Congruence closure is a fundamental operation for symbolic computation. Unification closureis defined as its directional dual, i.e., on the same inputs but top-down as opposed to bottom-up. Unifying terms is another fundamental operation for symbolic computation and is commonly computed using unification closure. We clarify the directional duality by reducing unification closure to a special form of congruence closure. This reduction reveals a correspondence between repeated variables in terms to be unified and equalities of monadic ground terms. We then show that: (1) single equality congruence closure on a directed acyclic graph, and (2) acyclic congruence closure of a fixed number of equalities, are in the parallel complexity class NC. The directional dual unification closures in these two cases are known to be log-space complete for PTIME. As a consequence of our reductions we show that if the number of repeated variables in the input terms is fixed, then term unification can be performed in NC; this extends the known parallelizable cases of term unification. Using parallel complexity we also clarify the relationship of unification closure and the testing of deterministic finite automata for equivalence
Compositional Performance Modelling with the TIPPtool
Stochastic process algebras have been proposed as compositional specification formalisms for performance models. In this paper, we describe a tool which aims at realising all beneficial aspects of compositional performance modelling, the TIPPtool. It incorporates methods for compositional specification as well as solution, based on state-of-the-art techniques, and wrapped in a user-friendly graphical front end. Apart from highlighting the general benefits of the tool, we also discuss some lessons learned during development and application of the TIPPtool. A non-trivial model of a real life communication system serves as a case study to illustrate benefits and limitations
Development and validation of two self-reported tools for insulin resistance and hypertension risk assessment in a European cohort : the Feel4Diabetes-study
Early identification of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and hypertension (HTN) risk may improve prevention and promote public health. Implementation of self-reported scores for risk assessment provides an alternative cost-effective tool. The study aimed to develop and validate two easy-to-apply screening tools identifying high-risk individuals for insulin resistance (IR) and HTN in a European cohort. Sociodemographic, lifestyle, anthropometric and clinical data obtained from 1581 and 1350 adults (baseline data from the Feel4Diabetes-study) were used for the European IR
and the European HTN risk assessment index respectively. Body mass index, waist circumference, sex, age, breakfast consumption, alcohol, legumes and sugary drinks intake, physical activity and sedentary behavior were significantly correlated with Homeostatic Model Assessment of IR (HOMA-IR) and/or HTN and incorporated in the two models. For the IR index, the Area Under the Curve (AUC), sensitivity and specificity for identifying individuals above the 75th and 95th of HOMA-IR percentiles were 0.768 (95%CI: 0.721â0.815), 0.720 and 0.691 and 0.828 (95%CI: 0.766â0.890),
0.696 and 0.778 respectively. For the HTN index, the AUC, sensitivity and specificity were 0.778 (95%CI: 0.680â0.876), 0.667 and 0.797. The developed risk assessment tools are easy-to-apply, valid, and low-cost, identifying European adults at high risk for developing T2DM or having HTN
LOCUS: A Multi-Sensor Lidar-Centric Solution for High-Precision Odometry and 3D Mapping in Real-Time
A reliable odometry source is a prerequisite to enable complex autonomy
behaviour in next-generation robots operating in extreme environments. In this
work, we present a high-precision lidar odometry system to achieve robust and
real-time operation under challenging perceptual conditions. LOCUS (Lidar
Odometry for Consistent operation in Uncertain Settings), provides an accurate
multi-stage scan matching unit equipped with an health-aware sensor integration
module for seamless fusion of additional sensing modalities. We evaluate the
performance of the proposed system against state-of-the-art techniques in
perceptually challenging environments, and demonstrate top-class localization
accuracy along with substantial improvements in robustness to sensor failures.
We then demonstrate real-time performance of LOCUS on various types of robotic
mobility platforms involved in the autonomous exploration of the Satsop power
plant in Elma, WA where the proposed system was a key element of the CoSTAR
team's solution that won first place in the Urban Circuit of the DARPA
Subterranean Challenge.Comment: Accepted for publication at IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters,
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S24â A phase i feasibility study in establishing the role of ultrasound-guided pleural biopsies in pleural infection (the audio study)
Malignant pleural mesothelioma:An update on investigation, diagnosis and treatment
Malignant pleural mesothelioma is an aggressive malignancy of the pleural surface, predominantly caused by prior asbestos exposure. There is a global epidemic of malignant pleural mesothelioma underway, and incidence rates are predicted to peak in the next few years.This article summarises the epidemiology and pathogenesis of malignant pleural mesothelioma, before describing some key factors in the patient experience and outlining common symptoms. Diagnostic approaches are reviewed, including imaging techniques and the role of various biomarkers. Treatment options are summarised, including the importance of palliative care and methods of controlling pleural effusions. The evidence for chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery is reviewed, both in the palliative setting and in the context of trimodality treatment. An algorithm for managing malignant pleural effusion in malignant pleural mesothelioma patients is presented. Finally new treatment developments and novel therapeutic approaches are summarised
A First Look at Rotation in Inactive Late-Type M Dwarfs
We have examined the relationship between rotation and activity in 14
late-type (M6-M7) M dwarfs, using high resolution spectra taken at the W.M.
Keck Observatory and flux-calibrated spectra from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey.
Most were selected to be inactive at a spectral type where strong H-alpha
emission is quite common. We used the cross-correlation technique to quantify
the rotational broadening; six of the stars in our sample have vsini > 3.5
km/s. Our most significant and perplexing result is that three of these stars
do not exhibit H-alpha emission, despite rotating at velocities where previous
work has observed strong levels of magnetic field and stellar activity. Our
results suggest that rotation and activity in late-type M dwarfs may not always
be linked, and open several additional possibilities including a
rotationally-dependent activity threshold, or a possible dependence on stellar
parameters of the Rossby number at which magnetic/activity "saturation" takes
place in fully convective stars.Comment: 8 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in Ap
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