Modeling and Solving the Rush Hour puzzle

We introduce the physical puzzle Rush Hour and its generalization. We briefly survey its complexity limits, then we model and solve it using declarative paradigms. In particular, we provide a constraint programming encoding in MiniZinc and a model in Answer Set Programming and we report and compare experimental results. Although this is simply a game, the kind of reasoning involved is the same that autonomous vehicles should do for exiting a garage. This shows the potential of logic programming for problems concerning transport problems and self-driving cars

Diamonds are Forever

We defend the thesis that every necessarily true proposition is always true. Since not every proposition that is always true is necessarily true, our thesis is at odds with theories of modality and time, such as those of Kit Fine and David Kaplan, which posit a fundamental symmetry between modal and tense operators. According to such theories, just as it is a contingent matter what is true at a given time, it is likewise a temporary matter what is true at a given possible world; so a proposition that is now true at all worlds, and thus necessarily true, may yet at some past or future time be false in the actual world, and thus not always true. We reconstruct and criticize several lines of argument in favor of this picture, and then argue against the picture on the grounds that it is inconsistent with certain sorts of contingency in the structure of time

Penerapan Media Photo Story dalam Pembelajaran Menulis Cerita Rakyat Siswa Kelas X SMA Negeri 3 Pematang Siantar

Keterampilan menulis sebagai salah satu aspek berbahasa menjadi sesuatu hal yang penting untuk dipelajari dan dikuasai dengan baik oleh para siswa. banyak siswa cenderung menghindari pembelajaran menulis cerita rakyat. Mereka menganggap kegiatan menulis cerita rakyat adalah kegiatan yang sulit. Setelah peneliti melakukan rangkain penelitian yang dimulai dari persiapan penelitian, kemudian proses penelitian selama kurang lebih memakan waktu dua (2) minggu di SMA Negeri 3 Pematang Siantar hingga sampai kepada tahap mengolah data peneliti menemukan nilai mean Pre-test 41,11 dan nilai Post-tes 81,75. Nilai Standar Deviasi Pre-tes sebesar 12,76 dan nilai Standar Deviasi Pos-tes sebesar 5,23. Uji Normalitas pre test 0,006 > 0,005 ( normal) Dan post test 0,010 > 0,005 (normal). Nilai uji t hitung 19,659

Strategies for inorganic incorporation using neat block copolymer thin films for etch mask function and nanotechnological application

Block copolymers (BCPs) and their directed self-assembly (DSA) has emerged as a realizable complementary tool to aid optical patterning of device elements for future integrated circuit advancements. Methods to enhance BCP etch contrast for DSA application and further potential applications of inorganic nanomaterial features (e.g., semiconductor, dielectric, metal and metal oxide) are examined. Strategies to modify, infiltrate and controllably deposit inorganic materials by utilizing neat self-assembled BCP thin films open a rich design space to fabricate functional features in the nanoscale regime. An understanding and overview on innovative ways for the selective inclusion/infiltration or deposition of inorganic moieties in microphase separated BCP nanopatterns is provided. Early initial inclusion methods in the field and exciting contemporary reports to further augment etch contrast in BCPs for pattern transfer application are described. Specifically, the use of evaporation and sputtering methods, atomic layer deposition, sequential infiltration synthesis, metal-salt inclusion and aqueous metal reduction methodologies forming isolated nanofeatures are highlighted in di-BCP systems. Functionalities and newly reported uses for electronic and non-electronic technologies based on the inherent properties of incorporated inorganic nanostructures using di-BCP templates are highlighted. We outline the potential for extension of incorporation methods to triblock copolymer features for more diverse applications. Challenges and emerging areas of interest for inorganic infiltration of BCPs are also discussed

The Impact of Climate on Economic and Financial Cycles: A Markov-switching Panel Approach

This paper examines the impact of climate shocks on 13 European economies analysing jointly business and financial cycles, in different phases and disentangling the effects for different sector channels. A Bayesian Panel Markov-switching framework is proposed to jointly estimate the impact of extreme weather events on the economies as well as the interaction between business and financial cycles. Results from the empirical analysis suggest that extreme weather events impact asymmetrically across the different phases of the economy and heterogeneously across the EU countries. Moreover, we highlight how the manufacturing output, a component of the industrial production index, constitutes the main channel through which climate shocks impact the EU economies

Pathogen manipulation of chloroplast function triggers a light-dependent immune recognition

In plants and animals, nucleotide-binding leucine-rich repeat (NLR) proteins are intracellular immune sensors that recognize and eliminate a wide range of invading pathogens. NLR-mediated immunity is known to be modulated by environmental factors. However, how pathogen recognition by NLRs is influenced by environmental factors such as light remains unclear. Here, we show that the agronomically important NLR Rpi-vnt1.1 requires light to confer disease resistance against races of the Irish potato famine pathogen Phytophthora infestans that secrete the effector protein AVRvnt1. The activation of Rpi-vnt1.1 requires a nuclear-encoded chloroplast protein, glycerate 3-kinase (GLYK), implicated in energy production. The pathogen effector AVRvnt1 binds the full-length chloroplast-targeted GLYK isoform leading to activation of Rpi-vnt1.1. In the dark, Rpi-vnt1.1-mediated resistance is compromised because plants produce a shorter GLYK-lacking the intact chloroplast transit peptide-that is not bound by AVRvnt1. The transition between full-length and shorter plant GLYK transcripts is controlled by a light-dependent alternative promoter selection mechanism. In plants that lack Rpi-vnt1.1, the presence of AVRvnt1 reduces GLYK accumulation in chloroplasts counteracting GLYK contribution to basal immunity. Our findings revealed that pathogen manipulation of chloroplast functions has resulted in a light-dependent immune response

Alleviating inequality in climate policy costs: An integrated perspective on mitigation, damage and adaptation

Equity considerations play an important role in international climate negotiations. While policy analysis has often focused on equity as it relates to mitigation costs, there are large regional differences in adaptation costs and the level of residual damage. This paper illustrates the relevance of including adaptation and residual damage in equity considerations by determining how the allocation of emission allowances would change to counteract regional differences in total climate costs, defined as the costs of mitigation, adaptation, and residual damage. We compare emission levels resulting from a global carbon tax with two allocations of emission allowances under a global cap-and-trade system: one equating mitigation costs and one equating total climate costs as share of GDP. To account for uncertainties in both mitigation and adaptation, we use a model-comparison approach employing two alternative modeling frameworks with different damage, adaptation cost, and mitigation cost estimates, and look at two different climate goals. Despite the identified model uncertainties, we derive unambiguous results on the change in emission allowance allocation that could lessen the unequal distribution of adaptation costs and residual damages through the financial transfers associated with emission trading

Morphological evolution of lamellar forming polystyrene-block-poly(4-vinylpyridine) copolymer under solvent annealing

In this work, we are reporting a very simple and efficient method to form lamellar structures of symmetric polystyrene-block-poly(4-vinylpyridine) (PS-b-P4VP) copolymer thin films with vertically (to the surface plane) orientated lamellae using a solvent annealing approach. The methodology does not require any brush chemistry to engineer a neutral surface and it is the block neutral nature of the film-solvent vapour interface that defines the orientation of the lamellae. The microphase separated structure of two different molecular weight lamellar forming PS-block-P4VP copolymers formed under solvent vapour annealing was monitored using atomic force microscopy (AFM) so as to understand the morphological changes of the films upon different solvent exposure. In particular, the morphology changes from micellar structures to well-defined microphase separated arrangements. The choice of solvent/s (single and dual solvent exposure) and the solvent annealing conditions (temperature, time etc.) has important effects on structural transitions of the films and it was found that a block neutral solvent was required to realize vertically aligned P4VP lamellae. The results of the structural variation of the phase separated nanostructured films through the exposure to ethanol are also described

Pathology, infectious agents and horse- and management-level risk factors associated with signs of respiratory disease in Ethiopian working horses.

BACKGROUND:Respiratory disease is a common cause for presentation of working horses to clinics in Ethiopia and a priority concern for owners. OBJECTIVES:Identify risk factors for and association of pathogens with respiratory signs in working horses. Study design Unmatched case-control study. METHODS:Cases were those animals recently coughing (last 7 days) or observed with coughing, nasal discharge or altered respiration at the time of examination. A physical exam and respiratory endoscopy were performed including a tracheal wash sample to detect the presence of pathogens and serology performed on blood. An owner questionnaire was administered. Risk factors were determined using multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS:Data on 108 cases and 93 unmatched control horses were obtained. Case horses often had underlying lower airway pathology and were significantly more likely to have S zooepidemicus detected (OR 12.4, 95% CI 3.6-42.4). There was no evidence of a major role for viral respiratory pathogens. Risk factors included completion of strenuous work (OR 2.7, 95% CI 1.2-6.3), drinking from stagnant water sources (OR 2.3, 95% CI 1.0-5.2) or being housed on a cobbled floor (OR 2.0, 95% CI 1.1-3.8). There were increased odds of respiratory disease in young and old horses in this population. Main limitations Samples for pathogen detection and cytology were only taken from the trachea. CONCLUSION:S zooepidemicus, a common commensal, may play a role in clinical respiratory disease in this population