Syntactic and phonological phrasing in Bemba relatives

Tone as a distinctive feature used to differentiate not only words but also clause types, is a characteristic feature of Bantu languages. In this paper we show that Bemba relatives can be marked with a low tone in place of a segmental relative marker. This low tone strategy of relativization, which imposes a restrictive reading of relatives, manifests a specific phonological phrasing that can be differentiated from that of non-restrictives. The paper shows that the resultant phonological phrasing favours a head-raising analysis of relativization. In this sense, phonology can be shown to inform syntactic analyses

A genetic algorithm for the vehicle routing problem with time windows

The objective of the vehicle routing problem (VRP) is to deliver a set of customers with known demands on minimum-cost vehicle routes originating and terminating at the same depot. A vehicle routing problem with time windows (VRPTW) requires the delivery be made within a speci¯c time frame given by the customers. Prins (2004) recently proposed a simple and e®ective genetic algorithm (GA) for VRP. In terms of average solution cost, it outperforms most published tabu search results. We implement this hybrid GA to handle VRPTW. Both the implementation and computational results will be discussed

Heuristics for two-machine flowshop scheduling with setup times and an availability constraint

This paper studies the two-machine flowshop scheduling problem with anticipatory setup times and an availability constraint imposed on only one of the machines where interrupted jobs can resume their operations. We present a heuristic algorithm from Wang and Cheng to minimize makespan and use simulation to determine the actual error bound

OPTICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF INHOMOGENEITIES IN BLUE-EMITTING INGAN/GAN MQWS

The growth of blue-emitting InGaN/GaN MQWs, the system setup of a low temperature PL/EL/IV system for temperature dependent PL/EL/IV spectroscopy, and the system setup of a CLSM with nanometer-scale spectrum measurement and TRPL measurement abilities are described. A range of temperature-dependent PL experimental work, CLSM imaging experimental work and TRPL experimental work on blue-emitting InGaN/GaN MQWs are presented. In temperature-dependent PL measurements, the decreasing of spectrum- integrated PL intensity with increasing temperature is explained with a two-nonradiative- channel model, in which the two nonradiative channels correspond to the thermal activation of carriers out of the strongly localized states and the weakly localized states, respectively. The ‘S-shaped’ red-blue-red shift of PL peak energy and the ‘inverse S- shaped’ change of PL FWHM when temperature increases from 10 K to 300 K are explained with carrier localization and carrier dynamics. CLSM imaging and nanometer-scale PL spectral measurements show that the PL intensity fluctuates in micrometer scale, and that the bandgap energy in bright region is tens of meV smaller than that in dark region. The small-bandgap-energy regions are localization centers which limit the diffusion of the carriers and prevent carriers from diffusing to the NRRCs. Nanometer-scale TRPL measurements are conducted on blue-emitting InGaN/GaN MQWs for the first time, as far as the author knows. The measurements show that both bright region and dark region are characterized by two lifetimes: fast decay lifetime t1 is smaller than 3 ns and slow decay lifetime t2 is longer than 10 ns. The fast decay with shorter lifetime t1 corresponds to the carrier localization in weakly localized states, where the radiative recombination is more quenched by NRRCs and also competes with carrier transfer intro strongly localized states. And the slow decay with longer lifetime t2 corresponds carrier localization in strongly localized states. The fact that both fast decay and slow decay exist in both bright region and dark region indicates that both bright region and dark region has small bandgap energy fluctuation in themselves. Measurements show that the slow decay lifetime t2 in bright region is longer than that in dark region, indicating a higher probability of nonradiative recombination in dark region or carrier transporting from dark region to bright region. Measurements show that larger bandgap energy difference between small- bandgap-energy regions and large-bandgap-energy regions provides stronger carrier localization effect, via the presence of higher CLSM image average intensity, larger PL intensity ratio and longer smaller-bandgap-energy slow decay lifetime t2 when larger bandgap energy difference occurs. The effect of MOCVD growth parameters on MQW bandgap energy fluctuations and average intensity was analyzed. It was found out that by increasing growth pressure, decreasing growth rate, increasing growth temperature, increasing effective V/III ratio, and increasing gas speed, the bandgap energy difference between bright region and dark region increases, leading to higher average PL intensity

Coordinating decentralized learning and conflict resolution across agent boundaries

It is crucial for embedded systems to adapt to the dynamics of open environments. This adaptation process becomes especially challenging in the context of multiagent systems because of scalability, partial information accessibility and complex interaction of agents. It is a challenge for agents to learn good policies, when they need to plan and coordinate in uncertain, dynamic environments, especially when they have large state spaces. It is also critical for agents operating in a multiagent system (MAS) to resolve conflicts among the learned policies of different agents, since such conflicts may have detrimental influence on the overall performance. The focus of this research is to use a reinforcement learning based local optimization algorithm within each agent to learn multiagent policies in a decentralized fashion. These policies will allow each agent to adapt to changes in environmental conditions while reorganizing the underlying multiagent network when needed. The research takes an adaptive approach to resolving conflicts that can arise between locally optimal agent policies. First an algorithm that uses heuristic rules to locally resolve simple conflicts is presented. When the environment is more dynamic and uncertain, a mediator-based mechanism to resolve more complicated conflicts and selectively expand the agents' state space during the learning process is harnessed. For scenarios where mediator-based mechanisms with partially global views are ineffective, a more rigorous approach for global conflict resolution that synthesizes multiagent reinforcement learning (MARL) and distributed constraint optimization (DCOP) is developed. These mechanisms are evaluated in the context of a multiagent tornado tracking application called NetRads. Empirical results show that these mechanisms significantly improve the performance of the tornado tracking network for a variety of weather scenarios. The major contributions of this work are: a state of the art decentralized learning approach that supports agent interactions and reorganizes the underlying network when needed; the use of abstract classes of scenarios/states/actions that efficiently manages the exploration of the search space; novel conflict resolution algorithms of increasing complexity that use heuristic rules, sophisticated automated negotiation mechanisms and distributed constraint optimization methods respectively; and finally, a rigorous study of the interplay between two popular theories used to solve multiagent problems, namely decentralized Markov decision processes and distributed constraint optimization

Three essays in real option models of real estate development

Real estate developments make great applications for real option theory. However, current real option models for real estate development do not pick up the important features of real estate development such as the land-use right as an on-going lease agreement or the entitlement processes in every development project. We build and solve mathematically parsimoneous yet plausible stochastic-control models to capture these features and the models yield rich implications. We then test these implications empirically using manually-collected data. In chapter one, we model the real estate development process as a compound real option in a parsimonious continuous-time feedback control framework. The acquisition of a land-use right is the first option, and the decision to begin construction is the second option. We model the cost of maintaining the land-use right as a running cost during the waiting period before construction. This feature allows the running cost to be stochastic and interacts with both the decision to obtain the right and the decision to start construction. We obtain a closed-form solution for the value of the compound option and demonstrate rich implications using numerical examples. A higher running cost squeezes the two decisions together while a lower running cost encourages the acquisition of the land-use right and delays construction simultaneously. In chapter two, we recognize that entitlement process is highly risky and out of control of the investors in reality. Moreover, the real estate market in the U.S. has shown a trend towards more stringent entitlement regulation. Therefore, we model entitlement process as a separate stage in development process in which the investor has little control. In particular, we model the entitlement stage as a European style real option with a stochastic entitlement cost. We solve the model analytically. Our main result implies that, to the contrary of tradition real option theory, higher entitlement risk urges the investors to start entitlement process earlier in order to counter the lack of control. In chapter three, we test the empirical implications of entitlement in the previous chapter using hand-collected Charlotte local data of rezoning petitions. In particular, we collect waiting time, number of revisions, size of lot, decision outcome as well as other characteristics for rezoning petition from 2001 to 2012, published on Charlotte-Mecklenburg City Planning website. The results of negative binomial regressions confirm our earlier theoretical prediction that the investors start earlier when facing more difficult and riskier entitlement process. Moreover, house price is overall negatively correlated with the entitlement riskiness, which aggravates the hastening effect of entitlement risk. In conclusion, our real option models of land-use right and entitlement in real estate development prove to be mathematically novel, economically insightful, and show potential for wide applications

Challenges and Solutions in the Development of Genomic Biomarker Panels: A Systematic Phased Approach

In the post-genome era, high throughput gene expression profiling has been successfully used to develop genomic biomarker panels (GBP) that can be integrated into clinical decision making. The development of GBPs in the context of personalized medicine is a scientifically challenging and resource-intense process. It needs to be accomplished in a systematic phased approach to address biological variation related to a clinical phenotype (e.g. disease etiology, gender, etc.) and minimize technical variation (noise). Here we present the methodological aspects of GBP development based on the experience of the Cardiac Allograft Rejection Gene Expression Observation (CARGO) study, a study that lead to the development of a molecular classifier for rejection screening in heart transplant patients

Kawasaki disease in Hong Kong, 1994 to 2000

OBJECTIVE. To describe the epidemiology, clinical characteristics, and management of Kawasaki disease in children in Hong Kong. DESIGN. Retrospective survey of medical records from July 1994 to June 1997, and prospective data collection from July 1997 to June 2000. SETTING. Hospitals with a paediatric unit in Hong Kong. PATIENTS. Patients diagnosed with Kawasaki disease between July 1994 and June 2000 in public hospitals in Hong Kong. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES. Incidence of Kawasaki disease and coronary artery aneurysm rates. RESULTS. A total of 696 cases of Kawasaki disease were reported. There were 435 (62.5%) boys and 261 (37.5%) girls giving a male to female ratio of 1.7:1. The age ranged from 1 month to 15 years 5 months with a median of 1.7 years. Infants (<1 year) constituted the largest group of patients (223,32.0%) and overall, 638 (91.7%) were younger than 5 years. Skin rash, conjunctivitis, and oral signs were among the principal clinical features present in over 80% of cases. Prominent cervical lymph nodes larger than 1.5 cm were less commonly found (24%). Coronary artery aneurysms or ectasia were present in 15.7% (109/696), 8.5% (59/696), and 5.0% (35/696) of patients at 2, 4, and 8 weeks, respectively. The incidence of Kawasaki disease per 100 000 children under 5 years was significantly higher in the prospective study period than in the retrospective period (39 vs 26, <0.001). CONCLUSION. The incidence of Kawasaki disease is high in Hong Kong and is 39 per 100 000 children below 5 years of age. The coronary artery aneurysm prevalence is 5%. Intravenous gamma-globulin and high-dose aspirin is the mainstay of treatment.published_or_final_versio

In-Flight Transmission of SARS-CoV-2.

Four persons with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection had traveled on the same flight from Boston, Massachusetts, USA, to Hong Kong, China. Their virus genetic sequences are identical, unique, and belong to a clade not previously identified in Hong Kong, which strongly suggests that the virus can be transmitted during air travel

Genetic and pharmacological targeting of transcriptional repression in resistance to thyroid hormone alpha

Background Thyroid hormones act in bone and cartilage via thyroid hormone receptor α (TRα). In the absence of T3, TRα interacts with co-repressors, including nuclear receptor co-repressor-1 (NCoR1), which recruit histone deacetylases (HDACs) and mediate transcriptional repression. Dominant-negative mutations of TRα cause resistance to thyroid hormone α (RTHα; OMIM 614450), characterized by excessive repression of T3 target genes leading to delayed skeletal development, growth retardation and bone dysplasia. Treatment with thyroxine has been of limited benefit even in mildly affected individuals and there is a need for new therapeutic strategies. We hypothesized that (i) the skeletal manifestations of RTHα are mediated by the persistent TRα/NCoR1/HDAC repressor complex containing mutant TRα, and (ii) treatment with the HDAC inhibitor suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA) would ameliorate these manifestations. Methods We determined the skeletal phenotypes of (i) Thra1PV/+ mice, a well characterized model of RTHα, (ii) Ncor1ΔID/ΔID mice, which express an NCoR1 mutant that fails to interact with TRα, and (iii) Thra1PV/+Ncor1ΔID/ΔID double mutant adult mice. Wild-type, Thra1PV/+, Ncor1ΔID/ΔID, and Thra1PV/+Ncor1ΔID/ΔID double mutant mice were also treated with SAHA to determine whether HDAC inhibition results in amelioration of skeletal abnormalities. Results Thra1PV/+ mice had a severe skeletal dysplasia characterized by short stature, abnormal bone morphology and increased bone mineral content. Despite normal bone length, Ncor1ΔID/ΔID mice displayed increased cortical bone mass, mineralization and strength. Thra1PV/+Ncor1ΔID/ΔID double mutant mice displayed only a small improvement of skeletal abnormalities compared to Thra1PV/+ mice. Treatment with SAHA to inhibit histone deacetylation had no beneficial or detrimental effects on bone structure, mineralization or strength in wild-type or mutant mice. Conclusions These studies indicate treatment with SAHA is unlikely to improve the skeletal manifestations of RTHα. Nevertheless, the findings (i) confirm that TRα1 has a critical role in the regulation of skeletal development and adult bone mass, (ii) suggest a physiological role for alternative co-repressors that interact with TR in skeletal cells, and (iii) demonstrate a novel role for NCoR1 in the regulation of adult bone mass and strength