Nonlinear Complexity of Boolean Permutations

We introduce the concept of nonlinear complexity, where the complexity of a function is determined by the number of nonlinear building blocks required for construction. We group functions by linear equivalence, and induce a complexity hierarchy for the affine equivalent double cosets. We prove multiple invariants of double cosets over the affine general linear group, and develop a specialized double coset equivalence test. This is used to classify the 16! permutations over 4 bits into 302 equivalence classes, which have a maximal nonlinear depth of 6. In addition, we present a new complexity class defined in terms of nonlinearity

Important issues for feminist nutrition research – a case study from the savanna of West Africa

SUMMARY Nutrition education usually aims to change the practices of individual mothers. It may divert attention from real problems, increase anxiety or be dangerously inappropriate. This article argues that nutritionists should work at the community, policy and planning levels to create an environment where good nutrition becomes possible. The author describes her experiences with nutrition education, intersectoral cooperation, and nutritional monitoring. She summarises crucial issues for nutritional research and stresses the importance of learning from the mothers and taking their expressed needs as the major research orientation. RESUMEN Problemas importantes para la investigación de la nutrición feminista. Un estudio de caso en la sabana de Africa Occidental En general, la educación en nutrición intenta cambiar las prácticas de las madres a nivel individual. No obstante, puede distraeer la atencion de los problemas reales, incrementar la ansiedad en incluso resultar peligrosamente inadecuada. Este articulo argumenta que los nutricionistas deberian trabajar en los niveles de comunidad, planificación y politica para crear un ambiente en que la buena nutrición sea factible. La autora describe sus experiencias en educación nutricional, cooperación intersectorial y control de nutrición, resumen problemas cruciales para la investigación en esta área y enfatiza la importancia que tiene el aprender de las madres y adoptar sus necesidades explicitas como la orientación principal en la investigación. RESUMES L'importance de la recherche sur la nutrítion fémìnine: une étude de cas particulier dans la Savane d'Afrique de l'Quest L'enseignement de la nutrition a généralernent pour but de changer les habitudes de chaque mére. Il peut détourner l'attention des vrais problèmes augmenter l'anxiété ou être dangereusement inadéquat. Cet article soutient le fait que les hygiénistes alimentaires devraient tiavailler au niveau de la communauté, de la politique et de la planification afin de créer un environnement favorable a la bonne nutrition. L'auteur décrit ses experiences en ce qui concerne l'enseignement de la nutrition. la coopération íntersectorielle et la contrôle nutritionnel. Elle rèsume les points cruciaux pour les chercheurs en nutrition et souligne l'importance d'apprendre a partir des mères et de prendre leurs besoins comme ligne de conduite principale de la recherche

Simulating chemistry efficiently on fault-tolerant quantum computers

Quantum computers can in principle simulate quantum physics exponentially faster than their classical counterparts, but some technical hurdles remain. Here we consider methods to make proposed chemical simulation algorithms computationally fast on fault-tolerant quantum computers in the circuit model. Fault tolerance constrains the choice of available gates, so that arbitrary gates required for a simulation algorithm must be constructed from sequences of fundamental operations. We examine techniques for constructing arbitrary gates which perform substantially faster than circuits based on the conventional Solovay-Kitaev algorithm [C.M. Dawson and M.A. Nielsen, \emph{Quantum Inf. Comput.}, \textbf{6}:81, 2006]. For a given approximation error $\epsilon$, arbitrary single-qubit gates can be produced fault-tolerantly and using a limited set of gates in time which is $O(\log \epsilon)$ or $O(\log \log \epsilon)$; with sufficient parallel preparation of ancillas, constant average depth is possible using a method we call programmable ancilla rotations. Moreover, we construct and analyze efficient implementations of first- and second-quantized simulation algorithms using the fault-tolerant arbitrary gates and other techniques, such as implementing various subroutines in constant time. A specific example we analyze is the ground-state energy calculation for Lithium hydride.Comment: 33 pages, 18 figure

An NGS-based phylogeny of Orthotricheae (Orthotrichaceae, Bryophyta) with the proposal of the new genus Rehubryum from Zealandia

Phylogenomic data increase the possibilities of resolving the evolutionary and systematic relationships among taxa. This is especially valuable in groups with few and homoplasious morphological characters, in which systematic and taxonomical delimitations have been traditionally difficult. Such is the case of several lineages within Bryophyta, like Orthotrichaceae, the second most diverse family of mosses. Members of tribe Orthotricheae are common in temperate and cold regions, as well as in high tropical mountains. In extratropical areas, they represent one of the main components of epiphytic communities, both in dry and oceanic or hyperoceanic conditions. The epiphytic environment is considered a hostile one for plant development, mainly due to its low capacity of moisture retention. Thus, the diversification of the Orthotrichaceae in this environment could be seen as striking. Over the last two decades, great taxonomic and systematic progresses have led to a rearrangement at the generic level in this tribe, providing a new framework to link environment to patterns of diversification. Here, we use nuclear loci targeted with the GoFlag 408 enrichment probe set to generate a well-sampled phylogeny with well-supported suprageneric taxa and increasing the phylogenetic resolution within the two recognized subtribes. Specifically, we show that several genera with Ulota-like morphology jointly constitute an independent lineage. Within this lineage, the recently described Atlantichella from Macaronesia and Western Europe appears as the sister group of Ulota bellii from Zealandia. This latter species is here segregated in the new genus Rehubryum. Assessment of the ecological and biogeographical affinities of the species within the phylogenetic framework suggests that niche adaptation (including climate and substrate) may be a key evolutionary driver that shaped the high diversification of Orthotrichea

Barriers and facilitators to adherence to group exercise in institutionalized older people living with dementia: a systematic review

Objectives Research suggests targeted exercise is important for people living with dementia, especially those living in residential care. The aim of this review was to collect and synthesize evidence on the known barriers and facilitators to adherence to group exercise of institutionalized older people living with dementia. Methods We searched all available electronic databases. Additionally, we searched trial registries (clinicaltrial.gov, and WHO ICTRP) for ongoing studies. We searched for and included papers from January 1990 until September 2017 in any language. We included randomized, non-randomized trials. Studies were not eligible if participants were either healthy older people or people suffering from dementia but not living in an institution. Studies were also excluded if they were not focused on barriers and facilitators to adherence to group exercise. Results Using narrative analysis, we identified the following themes for barriers: bio-medical reasons and mental wellbeing and physical ability, relationships dynamics, and socioeconomic reasons. The facilitators were grouped under the following thematic frames: bio-medical benefits and benefits related to physical ability, feelings and emotions and confidence improvements, therapist and group relationships dynamics and activity related reasons. Conclusions We conclude that institutionalized older people living with dementia, even those who are physically frail, incontinent and/or have mild dementia can demonstrate certain level of exercise adherence, and therefore can respond positively to exercise programs. Tailored, individually-adjusted and supported physical activity, led by a knowledgeable, engaging and well communicating therapist/facilitator improves the adherence to group exercise interventions of institutionalized older people living with dementia

Oscillating focus of SopA associated with filamentous structure guides partitioning of F plasmid

The F plasmid is actively partitioned to daughter cells by the sopABC gene. To elucidate the partitioning mechanisms, we simultaneously analysed movements of the plasmid and the SopA ATPase in single living cells. SopA, which is a putative motor protein assembled densely near nucleoid borders and formed a single discrete focus associated with less dense filamentous distribution along the long axis of the cell. The dense SopA focus oscillates between cell poles. The direction of the plasmid motion switches as the SopA focus switches its position. The velocity of the plasmid motion stays constant while it oscillates moving towards the SopA focus. The low density filamentous distribution of SopA persisted throughout the SopA oscillation. The focus associated with filamentous distribution of SopA was also observed in a cell without nucleoid. The SopA filament may guide the movement of the plasmid as a railway track and lead it to cell quarters

Emission-line stars discovered in the UKST H-alpha survey of the Large Magellanic Cloud; Part 1: Hot stars

We present new, accurate positions, spectral classifications, radial and rotational velocities, H-alpha fluxes, equivalent widths and B,V,I,R magnitudes for 579 hot emission-line stars (classes B0 - F9) in the Large Magellanic Cloud which include 469 new discoveries. Candidate emission line stars were discovered using a deep, high resolution H-alpha map of the central 25 deg2 of the LMC obtained by median stacking a dozen 2 hour H-alpha exposures taken with the UK Schmidt Telescope. Spectroscopic follow-up observations on the AAT, UKST, VLT, the SAAO 1.9m and the MSSSO 2.3m telescope have established the identity of these faint sources down to magnitude R~23 for H-alpha (4.5 x 10^-17 ergs cm^2 s^-1 Ang). Confirmed emission-line stars have been assigned an underlying spectral classification through cross-correlation against 131 absorption line template spectra covering the range O1 to F8. We confirm 111 previously identified emission line stars and 64 previously known variable stars with spectral types hotter than F8. The majority of hot stars identified (518 stars or 89%) are class B. Of all the hot emission-line stars in classes B-F, 130 or 22% are type B[e], characterised by the presence of forbidden emission lines such as [SII], [NII] and [OII]. We report on the physical location of these stars with reference to possible contamination from ambient HII emission. Along with flux calibration of the H-alpha emission we provide the first H-alpha luminosity function for selected sub-samples after correction for any possible nebula or ambient contamination. We find a moderate correlation between the intensity of H-alpha emission and the V magnitude of the central star based on SuperCOSMOS magnitudes and OGLE-II photometry where possible. Cool stars from classes G-S, with and without strong H-alpha emission, will be the focus of part 2 in this series.Comment: 24 pages (main paper) 36 figures, 6 tables; Appendix Tables: 22 pages, MNRAS, 201

Socioeconomic inequalities in the rate of stillbirths by cause: a population-based study.

OBJECTIVE: To assess time trends in socioeconomic inequalities in overall and cause-specific stillbirth rates in England. DESIGN: Population-based retrospective study. SETTING: England. PARTICIPANTS: Stillbirths occurring among singleton infants born between 1 January 2000 and 31 December 2007. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Cause-specific stillbirth rate per 10 000 births by deprivation tenth and year of birth. Deprivation measured using the UK index of multiple deprivation at Super Output Area level. METHODS: Poisson regression models were used to estimate the relative deprivation gap (comparing the most and least deprived tenths) in rates of stillbirths (overall and cause-specific). Excess mortality was calculated by applying the rates seen in the least deprived tenth to the entire population at risk. Discussions with our local NHS multicentre ethics committee deemed that this analysis of national non-identifiable data did not require separate ethics approval. RESULTS: There were 44 stillbirths per 10 000 births, with no evidence of a change in rates over time. Rates were twice as high in the most deprived tenth compared with the least (rate ratio (RR) 2.1, 95% CI 2.0 to 2.2) with no evidence of a change over time. There was a significant deprivation gap for all specific causes except mechanical events (RR 1.2, 95% CI 0.9 to 1.5). The widest gap was seen for stillbirths due to antepartum haemorrhages (RR 3.1, 95% CI 2.8 to 3.5). No evidence of a change in the rate of stillbirth or deprivation gap over time was seen for any specific cause. CONCLUSION: A wide deprivation gap exists in stillbirth rates for most causes and is not diminishing. Unexplained antepartum stillbirths accounted for 50% of the deprivation gap, and a better understanding of these stillbirths is necessary to reduce socioeconomic inequalities