Delta-Complete Decision Procedures for Satisfiability over the Reals

We introduce the notion of "\delta-complete decision procedures" for solving SMT problems over the real numbers, with the aim of handling a wide range of nonlinear functions including transcendental functions and solutions of Lipschitz-continuous ODEs. Given an SMT problem \varphi and a positive rational number \delta, a \delta-complete decision procedure determines either that \varphi is unsatisfiable, or that the "\delta-weakening" of \varphi is satisfiable. Here, the \delta-weakening of \varphi is a variant of \varphi that allows \delta-bounded numerical perturbations on \varphi. We prove the existence of \delta-complete decision procedures for bounded SMT over reals with functions mentioned above. For functions in Type 2 complexity class C, under mild assumptions, the bounded \delta-SMT problem is in NP^C. \delta-Complete decision procedures can exploit scalable numerical methods for handling nonlinearity, and we propose to use this notion as an ideal requirement for numerically-driven decision procedures. As a concrete example, we formally analyze the DPLL framework, which integrates Interval Constraint Propagation (ICP) in DPLL(T), and establish necessary and sufficient conditions for its \delta-completeness. We discuss practical applications of \delta-complete decision procedures for correctness-critical applications including formal verification and theorem proving.Comment: A shorter version appears in IJCAR 201

Examining the impacts of plant species diversity and rooting characteristics on the accumulation of soil organic matter in temporary grasslands

Global soils are under increasing pressure from a range of drivers including intensive agriculture, deforestation, urbanisation and climate change. These are leading to dangerous losses of soil organic matter (SOM) which is vital for effective soil function. Soils provide a range of essential ecosystem services including food provision, flood prevention and carbon sequestration. Soil degradation through the loss of SOM could reduce the range and quality of ecosystem services that global societies receive from soil. It has been proposed that SOM in grasslands may be enhanced by increasing the plant species diversity of swards. However, research has previously not investigated this process within the context of temporary agricultural grasslands, nor have such SOM gains been quantified down to the composite fraction level to identify how responses vary in labile and persistent SOM fractions respectively. Two projects were conducted; firstly, a sampling exercise of an agricultural grassland which involved extracting deep soil cores for subsequent SOM fractionation and analysis; and secondly a glasshouse experiment which involved six herbaceous grassland species (selected from three functional groups determined by rooting characteristics) grown both in monoculture and 2-species diversity treatments. A subsidiary experiment was conducted concurrently allowing a detailed assessment of rooting characteristics of all six herbaceous species grown in the main glasshouse experiment. The combined study found that SOM was not higher in the higher diversity treatment, although some individual SOM fractions were. Additionally, SOM was not consistently correlated with a specific rooting characteristic or with total root biomass. While some trends were observed linking higher SOM with more extensive root structures, these trends were inconsistent and SOM values were not proportional to root biomass. Finally, an inconsistent relationship was observed between SOM and soil depth, which may have resulted from variable water content and or bulk density at different depths between the two projects

A broad typology of dry rainforests on the western slopes of New South Wales

Dry rainforests are those communities that have floristic and structural affinities to mesic rainforests and occur in parts of eastern and northern Australia where rainfall is comparatively low and often highly seasonal. The dry rainforests of the western slopes of New South Wales are poorly-understood compared to other dry rainforests in Australia, due to a lack of regional scale studies. This paper attempts to redress this by deriving a broad floristic and structural typology for this vegetation type. Phytogeographical analysis followed full floristic surveys conducted on 400 m2 plots located within dry rainforest across the western slopes of NSW. Cluster analysis and ordination of 208 plots identified six floristic groups. Unlike in some other regional studies of dry rainforest these groups were readily assigned to Webb structural types, based on leaf size classes, leaf retention classes and canopy height. Five community types were described using both floristic and structural data: 1) Ficus rubiginosa–Notelaea microcarpa notophyll vine thicket, 2) Ficus rubiginosa–Alectryon subcinereus–Notelaea microcarpa notophyll vine forest, 3) Elaeodendron australe–Notelaea microcarpa–Geijera parviflora notophyll vine thicket, 4) Notelaea microcarpa– Geijera parviflora–Ehretia membranifolia semi-evergreen vine thicket, and 5) Cadellia pentastylis low microphyll vine forest. Floristic groupings were consistent with those described by previous quantitative studies which examined smaller portions of this study area. There was also general agreement between the present analytical study and a previous intuitive classification of dry rainforest vegetation throughout the study area, but little concurrence with a continental scale floristic classification of rainforest

In the Case of Federalism v. Charter: The Processes and Outcomes of a Federalist Dialogue

The Charter of Rights has long been criticized for the supposed failure of its processes and outcomes to comply with Canadian federalism. This paper challenges those suppositions. The examination of five Supreme Court cases [Ford (1988); Lavigne (1991); Advance Cutting (2001a); Dunmore (2001b); and Solski (2005a)] through the lens of a "federalist dialogue" reveals a process of Charter interpretation in which provinces, far from being excluded, actually play a central role. Furthermore, this dialogue has the potential to generate an outcome—Charter-federalism—that is consistent with Canada's moral foundations.On reproche depuis longtemps à la Charte des droits la présumée impossibilité de rendre ses processus et ses résultats conformes au fédéralisme canadien. Ce document conteste ces suppositions. L’examen de cinq arrêts de la Cour suprême (Ford (1988), Lavigne (1990), Advance Cutting (2001a), Dunmore (2001b) et Solski (2005s)) sous l’angle d’un « dialogue fédéraliste » révèle un processus d’interprétation de la Charte dans lequel les provinces, loin d’être exclues, jouent un rôle central. En outre, ce dialogue peut produire un résultat — le fédéralisme axé sur la Charte — qui est conforme aux bases morales du Canada

Learning to distinguish hypernyms and co-hyponyms

This work is concerned with distinguishing different semantic relations which exist between distributionally similar words. We compare a novel approach based on training a linear Support Vector Machine on pairs of feature vectors with state-of-the-art methods based on distributional similarity. We show that the new supervised approach does better even when there is minimal information about the target words in the training data, giving a 15% reduction in error rate over unsupervised approaches

The Asian Electronics Industry Looks to the Future

SUMMARY In recent years, the electronics industries in some Idcs have become a focus of attention, due to their success in creating employment and promoting exports. This article assesses the future of the Asian electronics industry, distinguishing the early entrants, such as South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore, from the latecomers, such as Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia and Sri Lanka. The former group has been able to develop a relatively independent industry, both with regard to ‘mature’ consumer goods industries and in relation to components. The new entrants, by contrast, remain heavily dependent upon MNC investment and technology. Three factors affect the future of the industry—domestic markets, protectionism and technical change. After assessing each of these factors, the article concludes on a rather pessimistic note, but points to the potential for greater intra?Third World trade. RESUME L'électronique asiatique est tournée vers l'avenir Depuis peu, l'industrie électronique de certains PVD force l'attention, car elle a réussi à créer des emplois et à gonfler les exportations. Cet article évalue l'avenir de l'industrie asiatique, en distinguant les premiers arrivés tels que la Corée du Sud, Taïwan, Hong Kong et Singapour, des derniers venus tels que la Malaisie, les Philippines, I.Indonésie et Sri Lanka Le premier groupe a su développer une industrie relativement autonome, tant pour les biens de consommation “élaborés” que pour les composants. Le deuxième reste par contre étroitement dépendant des investissements et des techniques des multinatinaux. Ces facteurs jouent sur l'avenir du secteur: marché intérieur, protectionnisme et progrès technique. Après avoir étudié chacun de ces facteurs, l'article conclut sur une note pessimiste, mais souligne la possibilité d'une intensification des échanges au sein du tiers monde. RESUMEN La industria electrónica asiática mira hacia el futuro En años recientes, las industrias electrónicas en algunos países menos desarrollados ha constituido un foco de atención, debido a su éxito en la creación de empleo y promoción de exportaciones. En este artículo se evalúa el futuro de la industria electrónica asiática, distinguiendo entre los primeros participantes, tales como Corea del Sur, Taiwán, Hong Kong y Singapur y los recién llegados, tales como Malasia, las Filipinas, Indonesia y Sri Lanka. El antiguo grupo ha podido desarrollar una industria relativamente independiente, tanto respecto a las industrias “maduras” de productos de consumo como en relación con la de componentes. Los nuevos participantes, en contraste, siguen dependiendo muchísimo de la inversión y tecnología de las multinacionales. Hay tres factores que influyen en el futuro de la industria: el de los mercados nacionales, el proteccionismo y el cambio tecnológico. Después de evaluar cada uno de estos factores, el artículo concluye con una nota más bien pesimista, pero señala las posibilidades para un mayor comercio entre los países del Tercer Mundo

3-D Photogrammetry for LiDAR Calibration

The growth of drone technology has provided an avenue to create 3-D images of a desired region. We combined photographs to create a point cloud model which we compared to a point cloud created from the LiDAR (Light Detection And Radar) data. By comparing these two point clouds, we can later determine calibration variables for the LiDAR system.https://digitalcommons.mtech.edu/urp_aug_2018/1007/thumbnail.jp

Life in Dickens-World : reading the read text

Such has been Dickens’ popularity, that we see today evidence of the activity of his readers all around us. This is the read text of the Dickens-World, inexact and distinctive. What is it like and how did it come to be? Dickens’ public readings encapsulate a number of important themes. The model, or exemplar, that can take these themes forward is that of the Heritage, a term here used to describe both the physical evidence of the ‘national past’ and a treatment of it. The ‘truth’ of Heritage lies in the animated projection of the self into the arena of history, creating a performance that convinces by an affective adjacency. A Heritage Dickens brand has been growing in North Kent for some years. It is expressed through the built environment, in museums and visitor attractions, and in events such as the Charles Dickens Festivals. With its mix-and-match approach to the novels, and its cavalier attitude towards history, its rationality is not immediately apparent. However, the peculiar coherence asserted by Dickens’ work, additionally promoted by serial publication and the presence of illustrations, means that his novels are being continually spun out into the space of the world where they can grow. And be read again. The Dickens Fellowship has celebrated this kind of reading for many years. In this radical openness of the Dickens-World, each reader is compelled to seek sense in the performance of reading. This is a dynamic in which the individual is both participant and observer at the same time, ethically engaged but aesthetically active. The pleasure of encountering the determinate world of fiction in the fluid unknown of the lived life is held in joyful tension with the revelation of seeing the self fixed in the world of art

Eating and drinking interventions for people at risk of lacking decision-making capacity: who decides and how?

Abstract Background Some people with progressive neurological diseases find they need additional support with eating and drinking at mealtimes, and may require artificial nutrition and hydration. Decisions concerning artificial nutrition and hydration at the end of life are ethically complex, particularly if the individual lacks decision-making capacity. Decisions may concern issues of life and death: weighing the potential for increasing morbidity and prolonging suffering, with potentially shortening life. When individuals lack decision-making capacity, the standard processes of obtaining informed consent for medical interventions are disrupted. Increasingly multi-professional groups are being utilised to make difficult ethical decisions within healthcare. This paper reports upon a service evaluation which examined decision-making within a UK hospital Feeding Issues Multi-Professional Team. Methods A three month observation of a hospital-based multi-professional team concerning feeding issues, and a one year examination of their records. The key research questions are: a) How are decisions made concerning artificial nutrition for individuals at risk of lacking decision-making capacity? b) What are the key decision-making factors that are balanced? c) Who is involved in the decision-making process? Results Decision-making was not a singular decision, but rather involved many different steps. Discussions involving relatives and other clinicians, often took place outside of meetings. Topics of discussion varied but the outcome relied upon balancing the information along four interdependent axes: (1) Risks, burdens and benefits; (2) Treatment goals; (3) Normative ethical values; (4) Interested parties. Conclusions Decision-making was a dynamic ongoing process with many people involved. The multiple points of decision-making, and the number of people involved with the decision-making process, mean the question of ‘who decides’ cannot be fully answered. There is a potential for anonymity of multiple decision-makers to arise. Decisions in real world clinical practice may not fit precisely into a model of decision-making. The findings from this service evaluation illustrate that within multi-professional team decision-making; decisions may contain elements of both substituted and supported decision-making, and may be better represented as existing upon a continuum