Exact Algorithms for Maximum Clique: a computational study

We investigate a number of recently reported exact algorithms for the maximum clique problem (MCQ, MCR, MCS, BBMC). The program code used is presented and critiqued showing how small changes in implementation can have a drastic effect on performance. The computational study demonstrates how problem features and hardware platforms influence algorithm behaviour. The minimum width order (smallest-last) is investigated, and MCS is broken into its consituent parts and we discover that one of these parts degrades performance. It is shown that the standard procedure used for rescaling published results is unsafe.Comment: 40 pages, 14 figures, 10 tables, 12 short java program listings, code afailable to download at http://www.dcs.gla.ac.uk/~pat/maxClique/distribution

The Human Dimension of Pollution Policy Implementation: Air Quality in Rural China

The People's Republic of China is experiencing severe air pollution with very serious public health and economic consequences. Over the past decade, the Chinese government has sought to utilize bureaucratic, political, legal and educational vehicles to address these problems. This paper examines the ways in which those policy measures have been communicated to, understood by, and acted upon by the citizenry, drawing in important part on household and epidemiological surveys conducted in Anhui. Our study suggests that the central government's message has yet to be absorbed to the degree intended and then considers both why this has been the case and how the effectiveness of policy mechanisms might be enhanced

Educating a New Generation of Students

All Hong Kong universities have been actively influencing education in China since 1997. The major methods include: running an independent university in one case, and managing and transforming four colleges in another; training many mainland students in Hong Kong who upon graduation return there; and serving as a home base on the doorstep of the mainland from which academics can influence their colleagues across the border. This paper shows how all these methods transfer a new set of academic norms prevalent in Hong Kong to the mainland

Twenty Five Years of Asymptotic Freedom

On the occasion of the 25th anniversary of Asymptotic Freedom, celebrated at the QCD Euroconference 98 on Quantum Chromodynamics, Montpellier, July 1998, I described the discovery of Asymptotic Freedom and the emergence of QCD.Comment: 35 pages, LaTe

Essai photographique sur une réforme avortée

Au milieu des années 1970, avec la bénédiction de Mao, Deng Xiaoping lança des réformes qui s’attaquaient aux effets négatifs de la Révolution culturelle. Pour l’aider dans ses efforts, Mao plaça Deng au poste de deuxième dirigeant le plus important du régime, lui conférant une autorité majeure sur le Parti, le gouvernement et l’armée. Toutefois, en octobre 1975, Mao se retourna contre Deng et, en tout juste cinq mois, Deng se vit écarté du pouvoir par Mao et les radicaux. À l’époque étudiant étranger à l’Université de Pékin, David Zweig a pu observer et photographier quatre moments cruciaux de cette lutte historique : 1) l’ouverture d’une enceinte réservée aux dazibao (ou affiches à grands caractères) dans l’Université de Pékin ; 2) les manifestations de deuil sur la place Tiananmen peu après la mort de Zhou Enlai ; 3) l’intensification des assauts contre Deng sur ces dazibao en février 1976 à l’Université de Pékin ; et 4) l’immense manifestation sur la place Tiananmen les 3 et 4 avril en opposition aux maoïstes radicaux

A Photo Essay of a Failed Reform

In mid-1975, Deng Xiaoping, with Mao’s blessing, initiated reforms that targeted the negative consequences of the Cultural Revolution. To bolster Deng’s effort, Mao endowed him with penultimate authority over the Party, government, and military. However, in late October, Mao turned on Deng, and within five months, Mao and the radicals toppled Deng from power. As a foreign student at Peking University, David Zweig observed and photographed four key points in this historic struggle: (1) the initial establishment of a “big character poster” compound at Peking University; (2) emotional mourning for Zhou Enlai in Tiananmen Square following his death: (3) the intensified assault on Deng in February 1976 in the posters at Peking University; and (4) the massive demonstration of support in Tiananmen Square on 3-4 April for the end of Maoist politics

The BILAG-2004 systems tally-a novel way of representing the BILAG-2004 index scores longitudinally

Objective. This was an exploratory analysis to develop a new way of representing BILAG-2004 system scores longitudinally that would be clinically meaningful and easier to analyse in comparison with multiple categorical variables. Methods. Data from a multicentre longitudinal study of SLE patients (the BILAG-2004 index and therapy collected at every visit) were used. External responsiveness analysis of the index suggested the possibility of using counts of systems with specified transitions in scores as a basis to analyse the system scores. Exploratory analyses with multinomial logistic regression were used to examine the appropriateness of this new method of analysing BILAG-2004 system scores. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to assess the performance of this approach. Results. There were 1414 observations from 347 patients. A novel method was devised based on counts of systems with defined transitions in score (BILAG-2004 systems tally, BST). It has six components (systems with major deterioration, systems with minor deterioration, systems with persistent significant activity, systems with major improvement, systems with minor improvement and systems with persistent minimal or no activity). This was further simplified (simplified BST, sBST) into three components (systems with active/worsening disease, systems with improving disease and systems with persistent minimal or no activity). Both versions had expected associations with change in therapy. ROC curve analyses demonstrated that both versions had similar good performance characteristics (areas under the curve >0.80) in predicting increase in therapy. Conclusion. The BST and sBST provide alternative approaches to representing BILAG-2004 disease activity longitudinally. Further validation of their use is required

Reduced level of arousal and increased mortality in adult acute medical admissions: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract Background Reduced level of arousal is commonly observed in medical admissions and may predict in-hospital mortality. Delirium and reduced level of arousal are closely related. We systematically reviewed and conducted a meta-analysis of studies in adult acute medical patients of the relationship between reduced level of arousal on admission and in-hospital mortality. Methods We conducted a systematic review (PROSPERO: CRD42016022048), searching MEDLINE and EMBASE. We included studies of adult patients admitted with acute medical illness with level of arousal assessed on admission and mortality rates reported. We performed meta-analysis using a random effects model. Results From 23,941 studies we included 21 with 14 included in the meta-analysis. Mean age range was 33.4 - 83.8 years. Studies considered unselected general medical admissions (8 studies, n=13,039) or specific medical conditions (13 studies, n=38,882). Methods of evaluating level of arousal varied. The prevalence of reduced level of arousal was 3.1%-76.9% (median 13.5%). Mortality rates were 1.7%-58% (median 15.9%). Reduced level of arousal was associated with higher in-hospital mortality (pooled OR 5.71; 95% CI 4.21-7.74; low quality evidence: high risk of bias, clinical heterogeneity and possible publication bias). Conclusions Reduced level of arousal on hospital admission may be a strong predictor of in-hospital mortality. Most evidence was of low quality. Reduced level of arousal is highly specific to delirium, better formal detection of hypoactive delirium and implementation of care pathways may improve outcomes. Future studies to assess the impact of interventions on in-hospital mortality should use validated assessments of both level of arousal and delirium