A fast ILP-based Heuristic for the robust design of Body Wireless Sensor Networks

We consider the problem of optimally designing a body wireless sensor network, while taking into account the uncertainty of data generation of biosensors. Since the related min-max robustness Integer Linear Programming (ILP) problem can be difficult to solve even for state-of-the-art commercial optimization solvers, we propose an original heuristic for its solution. The heuristic combines deterministic and probabilistic variable fixing strategies, guided by the information coming from strengthened linear relaxations of the ILP robust model, and includes a very large neighborhood search for reparation and improvement of generated solutions, formulated as an ILP problem solved exactly. Computational tests on realistic instances show that our heuristic finds solutions of much higher quality than a state-of-the-art solver and than an effective benchmark heuristic.Comment: This is the authors' final version of the paper published in G. Squillero and K. Sim (Eds.): EvoApplications 2017, Part I, LNCS 10199, pp. 1-17, 2017. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-55849-3\_16. The final publication is available at Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-55849-3_1

Evaluation de la qualité sanitaire des poudres de feuilles de Moringa oleifera Lam. commercialisées au profit des Personnes Vivant avec le VIH à Cotonou (Bénin)

Face au péril des carences nutritionnelles, la promotion des compléments alimentaires prend de l’ampleur au Bénin. L’objectif de cette étude est d’évaluer la qualité hygiénique des poudres de feuilles de Moringa oleifera commercialisées à Cotonou. 24 échantillons ont été achetés dans 12 points de vente et soumis à des analyses de laboratoire. L’enquête a révélé que, 25% des échantillons ne sont pas scellés, 58% des emballages sont non opaques, les dates de conditionnement et dates limites d’utilisation ne figurent pas sur 50% des échantillons. 43% des poids marqués ne sont pas conformes aux poids nets réels. La concentration moyenne des germes aérobies mésophiles (1,4.106 à 3.106 UFC/g) dépasse significativement la limite maximale d’acceptation du produit au plan microbiologique. Cette insalubrité des échantillons se confirme par la forte présence de Staphylocoques à coagulase positive (3.104), Escherichia coli (1,5.103 à 30.103), levures (1,1.103 à 15.103) et moisissures (3,4.103 à 30.103) respectivement dans 100%, 92%, 50% et 17% des poudres analysées. Par ailleurs, les bactéries Anaérobies Sulfito-Réductrices sont dans les limites d’acceptation de l’aliment. Au total, l’innocuité des poudres de Moringa commercialisées n’est pas garantie et il importe que les fabricants corrigent les failles en matière d’hygiène dans le processus de fabrication.Mots clés : Moringa oleifera, Complément alimentaire, nutrition, qualité, hygiène

Algorithm Engineering in Robust Optimization

Robust optimization is a young and emerging field of research having received a considerable increase of interest over the last decade. In this paper, we argue that the the algorithm engineering methodology fits very well to the field of robust optimization and yields a rewarding new perspective on both the current state of research and open research directions. To this end we go through the algorithm engineering cycle of design and analysis of concepts, development and implementation of algorithms, and theoretical and experimental evaluation. We show that many ideas of algorithm engineering have already been applied in publications on robust optimization. Most work on robust optimization is devoted to analysis of the concepts and the development of algorithms, some papers deal with the evaluation of a particular concept in case studies, and work on comparison of concepts just starts. What is still a drawback in many papers on robustness is the missing link to include the results of the experiments again in the design

Genomic and phenotypic insights from an atlas of genetic effects on DNA methylation

DNA methylation quantitative trait locus (mQTL) analyses on 32,851 participants identify genetic variants associated with DNA methylation at 420,509 sites in blood, resulting in a database of >270,000 independent mQTLs.Characterizing genetic influences on DNA methylation (DNAm) provides an opportunity to understand mechanisms underpinning gene regulation and disease. In the present study, we describe results of DNAm quantitative trait locus (mQTL) analyses on 32,851 participants, identifying genetic variants associated with DNAm at 420,509 DNAm sites in blood. We present a database of >270,000 independent mQTLs, of which 8.5% comprise long-range (trans) associations. Identified mQTL associations explain 15-17% of the additive genetic variance of DNAm. We show that the genetic architecture of DNAm levels is highly polygenic. Using shared genetic control between distal DNAm sites, we constructed networks, identifying 405 discrete genomic communities enriched for genomic annotations and complex traits. Shared genetic variants are associated with both DNAm levels and complex diseases, but only in a minority of cases do these associations reflect causal relationships from DNAm to trait or vice versa, indicating a more complex genotype-phenotype map than previously anticipated.Molecular Epidemiolog

A Petri-Net based Formalisation of Interaction Protocols applied to Business Process Integration

International audienceThis paper presents a new approach for Business Process Integration based on Interaction Protocols. It enables both integration and collaboration of autonomous and distributed business processes modules. We present a semantic formalisation of the interaction protocols notations used in our approach. The semantics and its application are described on the basis of translation rules to Coloured Petri Nets and the benefits of formalisation are shown. The verified and validated interaction protocols specification is exploited afterwards with an intermediate agent called « Integrator Agent » to enact the integration process and to manage it efficiently in all steps of composition and monitoring

Composition and Automation of Grid Services

A grid service is a Web service that provides a set of well-defined interfaces and that follows specific conventions. Composition of grid services combines the offerings of two or more grid services to achieve the desired computing goals. Candidate standards have been proposed, providing a foundation for service composition specifications. However, at a higher level, there is no framework that supports service composition construction and automation. In this paper, we propose a framework that facilitates the visual composition as well as automation of service compositions. The framework is based mainly on Service Composition Graph (SCG), the underlying formalism for service compositions. Using graph grammar and graph transformation defined on SCG, the static topological structure of a service composition can be described and the automation of the constructed service compositions is also facilitated. We also outline the design and implementation of the prototype.Department of ComputingRefereed conference pape

Epigenome-wide association study identifies DNA methylation markers for asthma remission in whole blood and nasal epithelium

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