102 research outputs found
{SETH}-Based Lower Bounds for Subset Sum and Bicriteria Path
Subset-Sum and k-SAT are two of the most extensively studied problems in computer science, and conjectures about their hardness are among the cornerstones of fine-grained complexity. One of the most intriguing open problems in this area is to base the hardness of one of these problems on the other. Our main result is a tight reduction from k-SAT to Subset-Sum on dense instances, proving that Bellman's 1962 pseudo-polynomial -time algorithm for Subset-Sum on numbers and target cannot be improved to time for any , unless the Strong Exponential Time Hypothesis (SETH) fails. This is one of the strongest known connections between any two of the core problems of fine-grained complexity. As a corollary, we prove a "Direct-OR" theorem for Subset-Sum under SETH, offering a new tool for proving conditional lower bounds: It is now possible to assume that deciding whether one out of given instances of Subset-Sum is a YES instance requires time . As an application of this corollary, we prove a tight SETH-based lower bound for the classical Bicriteria s,t-Path problem, which is extensively studied in Operations Research. We separate its complexity from that of Subset-Sum: On graphs with edges and edge lengths bounded by , we show that the pseudo-polynomial time algorithm by Joksch from 1966 cannot be improved to , in contrast to a recent improvement for Subset Sum (Bringmann, SODA 2017)
Separating Agent-Functioning and Inter-Agent Coordination by Activated Modules: The DECOMAS Architecture
The embedding of self-organizing inter-agent processes in distributed
software applications enables the decentralized coordination system elements,
solely based on concerted, localized interactions. The separation and
encapsulation of the activities that are conceptually related to the
coordination, is a crucial concern for systematic development practices in
order to prepare the reuse and systematic integration of coordination processes
in software systems. Here, we discuss a programming model that is based on the
externalization of processes prescriptions and their embedding in Multi-Agent
Systems (MAS). One fundamental design concern for a corresponding execution
middleware is the minimal-invasive augmentation of the activities that affect
coordination. This design challenge is approached by the activation of agent
modules. Modules are converted to software elements that reason about and
modify their host agent. We discuss and formalize this extension within the
context of a generic coordination architecture and exemplify the proposed
programming model with the decentralized management of (web) service
infrastructures
Hyperfine Spectroscopy of Optically Trapped Atoms
We perform spectroscopy on the hyperfine splitting of Rb atoms trapped
in far-off-resonance optical traps. The existence of a spatially dependent
shift in the energy levels is shown to induce an inherent dephasing effect,
which causes a broadening of the spectroscopic line and hence an inhomogeneous
loss of atomic coherence at a much faster rate than the homogeneous one caused
by spontaneous photon scattering. We present here a number of approaches for
reducing this inhomogeneous broadening, based on trap geometry, additional
laser fields, and novel microwave pulse sequences. We then show how hyperfine
spectroscopy can be used to study quantum dynamics of optically trapped atoms.Comment: Review/Tutoria
Models and algorithms for energy-efficient scheduling with immediate start of jobs
We study a scheduling model with speed scaling for machines and the immediate start requirement for jobs. Speed scaling improves the system performance, but incurs the energy cost. The immediate start condition implies that each job should be started exactly at its release time. Such a condition is typical for modern Cloud computing systems with abundant resources. We consider two cost functions, one that represents the quality of service and the other that corresponds to the cost of running. We demonstrate that the basic scheduling model to minimize the aggregated cost function with n jobs is solvable in O(nlogn) time in the single-machine case and in O(n²m) time in the case of m parallel machines. We also address additional features, e.g., the cost of job rejection or the cost of initiating a machine. In the case of a single machine, we present algorithms for minimizing one of the cost functions subject to an upper bound on the value of the other, as well as for finding a Pareto-optimal solution
Decomposition algorithms for submodular optimization with applications to parallel machine scheduling with controllable processing times
In this paper we present a decomposition algorithm for maximizing a linear function over a submodular polyhedron intersected with a box. Apart from this contribution to submodular optimization, our results extend the toolkit available in deterministic machine scheduling with controllable processing times. We demonstrate how this method can be applied to developing fast algorithms for minimizing total compression cost for preemptive schedules on parallel machines with respect to given release dates and a common deadline. Obtained scheduling algorithms are faster and easier to justify than those previously known in the scheduling literature
Degradation and selective ligninolysis of wheat straw and banana stem for an efficient bioethanol production using fungal and chemical pretreatment
Crosstalk between glial and glioblastoma cells triggers the "go-or-grow" phenotype of tumor cells
Background: Glioblastoma (GBM), the most malignant primary brain tumor, leads to poor and unpredictable clinical outcomes. Recent studies showed the tumor microenvironment has a critical role in regulating tumor growth by establishing a complex network of interactions with tumor cells. In this context, we investigated how GBM cells modulate resident glial cells, particularly their paracrine activity, and how this modulation can influence back on the malignant phenotype of GBM cells.
Methods: Conditioned media (CM) of primary mouse glial cultures unexposed (unprimed) or exposed (primed) to the secretome of GL261 GBM cells were analyzed by proteomic analysis. Additionally, these CM were used in GBM cells to evaluate their impact in glioma cell viability, migration capacity and activation of tumor-related intracellular pathways.
Results: The proteomic analysis revealed that the pre-exposure of glial cells to CM from GBM cells led to the upregulation of several proteins related to inflammatory response, cell adhesion and extracellular structure organization within the secretome of primed glial cells. At the functional levels, CM derived from unprimed glial cells favored an increase in GBM cell migration capacity, while CM from primed glial cells promoted cells viability. These effects on GBM cells were accompanied by activation of particular intracellular cancer-related pathways, mainly the MAPK/ERK pathway, which is a known regulator of cell proliferation.
Conclusions: Together, our results suggest that glial cells can impact on the pathophysiology of GBM tumors, and that the secretome of GBM cells is able to modulate the secretome of neighboring glial cells, in a way that regulates the "go-or-grow" phenotypic switch of GBM cells.Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (IF/00601/2012 to B.M.C.; IF/00111 to A.J.S; SFRH/BD/52287/2013 to A.I.O.; SFRH/BD/81495/2011 to S.I.A.; SFRH/BD/88121/2012 to J.V.C.; projects PTDC/SAU-GMG/113795/2009 to B.M.C.; PTDC/NEU-NMC/0205/2012, PTDC/NEU-SCC/7051/2014, PEst-C/SAU/LA0001/2013–2014 and UID/NEU/04539/2013 to B.M.), Liga Portuguesa Contra o Cancro (B.M.C.), Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian (B.M.C.) and Inter-University Doctoral Programme in Ageing and Chronic Disease (PhDOC; to A.I.O.). Project co-financed by Programa Operacional Regional do Norte (ON.2—O Novo Norte), Quadro de Referência Estratégico Nacional (QREN), Fundo Europeu de Desenvolvimento Regional (FEDER), Programa Operacional Factores de Competitividade (COMPETE), and by The National Mass Spectrometry Network (RNEM) under the contract REDE/1506/REM/2005info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
The role of Allee effect in modelling post resection recurrence of glioblastoma
Resection of the bulk of a tumour often cannot eliminate all cancer cells, due to their infiltration into the surrounding healthy tissue. This may lead to recurrence of the tumour at a later time. We use a reaction-diffusion equation based model of tumour growth to investigate how the invasion front is delayed by resection, and how this depends on the density and behaviour of the remaining cancer cells. We show that the delay time is highly sensitive to qualitative details of the proliferation dynamics of the cancer cell population. The typically assumed logistic type proliferation leads to unrealistic results, predicting immediate recurrence. We find that in glioblastoma cell cultures the cell proliferation rate is an increasing function of the density at small cell densities. Our analysis suggests that cooperative behaviour of cancer cells, analogous to the Allee effect in ecology, can play a critical role in determining the time until tumour recurrence
Intravascular ultrasound pulmonary artery denervation to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension (TROPHY1)
Objectives The aim of this study was to investigate whether therapeutic intravascular ultrasound pulmonary artery denervation (PDN) is safe and reduces pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) on a minimum of dual oral therapy. Background Early studies have suggested that PDN can reduce PVR in patients with PAH. Methods TROPHY1 (Treatment of Pulmonary Hypertension 1) was a multicenter, international, open-label trial undertaken at 8 specialist centers. Patients 18 to 75 years of age with PAH were eligible if taking dual oral or triple nonparenteral therapy and not responsive to acute vasodilator testing. Eligible patients underwent PDN (TIVUS System). The primary safety endpoint was procedure-related adverse events at 30 days. Secondary endpoints included procedure-related adverse events, disease worsening and death to 12 months, and efficacy endpoints that included change in pulmonary hemodynamic status, 6-min walk distance, and quality of life from baseline to 4 or 6 months. Patients were to remain on disease-specific medication for the duration of the study. Results Twenty-three patients underwent PDN, with no procedure-related serious adverse events reported. The reduction in PVR at 4- or 6-month follow-up was 94 ± 151 dyn·s·cm−5 (p = 0.001) or 17.8%, which was associated with a 42 ± 63 m (p = 0.02) increase in 6-min walk distance and a 671 ± 1,555 step (p = 0.04) increase in daily activity. Conclusions In this multicenter early feasibility study, PDN with an intravascular ultrasound catheter was performed without procedure-related adverse events and was associated with a reduction in PVR and increases in 6-min walk distance and daily activity in patients with PAH on background dual or triple therapy
Optimization of the machining economics problem for a multistage transfer machine under failure, opportunistic and integrated replacement strategies
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