386 research outputs found
On the Complexity of Quadratization for Polynomial Differential Equations
Chemical reaction networks (CRNs) are a standard formalism used in chemistry
and biology to reason about the dynamics of molecular interaction networks. In
their interpretation by ordinary differential equations, CRNs provide a
Turing-complete model of analog computattion, in the sense that any computable
function over the reals can be computed by a finite number of molecular species
with a continuous CRN which approximates the result of that function in one of
its components in arbitrary precision. The proof of that result is based on a
previous result of Bournez et al. on the Turing-completeness of polyno-mial
ordinary differential equations with polynomial initial conditions (PIVP). It
uses an encoding of real variables by two non-negative variables for
concentrations, and a transformation to an equivalent quadratic PIVP (i.e. with
degrees at most 2) for restricting ourselves to at most bimolecular reactions.
In this paper, we study the theoretical and practical complexities of the
quadratic transformation. We show that both problems of minimizing either the
number of variables (i.e., molecular species) or the number of monomials (i.e.
elementary reactions) in a quadratic transformation of a PIVP are NP-hard. We
present an encoding of those problems in MAX-SAT and show the practical
complexity of this algorithm on a benchmark of quadratization problems inspired
from CRN design problems
Effects of oral capsaicinoids and capsinoids supplementation on resistance and high intensity interval training: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials
Oral capsaicinoids and capsinoids supplementation has been studied recently for a plausible ergogenic impact on sports performance. However, non-aggregated literature has focused on the impact of this substances in healthy humansâ performance. The aim of the present systematic review was to explore the effects of capsaicinoids and capsinoids on resistance training (RT) and HIIT exercise. Studies searches were performed in the PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus and Web of Science electronic databases. Studies where healthy subjects consumed capsaicinoids or capsinoids acutely or chronically compared to placebo before a RT or HIIT intervention were included. The methodological quality of the included studies was assessed with PEDro checklist. A total of 7 excellent-good quality placebo-controlled trials (i.e., 5 RT and 2 HIIT experiments) were included. The most prevalent protocol used capsaicin (i.e., 6 capsacin and 1 capsiate studies) and acute (i.e., 5 of 7 interventions) supplementation designs. Positive effects were only noted for capsaicin in repetitions until failure (+14.4 to +21.7%), total weight lifted (+13.0 to +23.3%), perceived effort (-6.4%), fatigue index (+15.0%) and peak torque (+6.1%) compared to placebo. Neuromuscular HIIT variables (e.g., total and medium sprint time) were not highly affected by capsaicin except the time to reach 90% VO2 peak (+61.2%) and the number of efforts performed (+14.7%). Collectively, our findings suggest a positive effect of 12 mg of capsaicin on strength endurance, total weight lifted and perceived effort variables in healthy males after acute (i.e., 45 minutes pre-exercise) supplementation
Hybrid Rules with Well-Founded Semantics
A general framework is proposed for integration of rules and external first
order theories. It is based on the well-founded semantics of normal logic
programs and inspired by ideas of Constraint Logic Programming (CLP) and
constructive negation for logic programs. Hybrid rules are normal clauses
extended with constraints in the bodies; constraints are certain formulae in
the language of the external theory. A hybrid program is a pair of a set of
hybrid rules and an external theory. Instances of the framework are obtained by
specifying the class of external theories, and the class of constraints. An
example instance is integration of (non-disjunctive) Datalog with ontologies
formalized as description logics.
The paper defines a declarative semantics of hybrid programs and a
goal-driven formal operational semantics. The latter can be seen as a
generalization of SLS-resolution. It provides a basis for hybrid
implementations combining Prolog with constraint solvers. Soundness of the
operational semantics is proven. Sufficient conditions for decidability of the
declarative semantics, and for completeness of the operational semantics are
given
Trend-based analysis of a population model of the AKAP scaffold protein
We formalise a continuous-time Markov chain with multi-dimensional discrete state space model of the AKAP scaffold protein as a crosstalk mediator between two biochemical signalling pathways. The analysis by temporal properties of the AKAP model requires reasoning about whether the counts of individuals of the same type (species) are increasing or decreasing. For this purpose we propose the concept of stochastic trends based on formulating the probabilities of transitions that increase (resp. decrease) the counts of individuals of the same type, and express these probabilities as formulae such that the state space of the model is not altered. We define a number of stochastic trend formulae (e.g. weakly increasing, strictly increasing, weakly decreasing, etc.) and use them to extend the set of state formulae of Continuous Stochastic Logic. We show how stochastic trends can be implemented in a guarded-command style specification language for transition systems. We illustrate the application of stochastic trends with numerous small examples and then we analyse the AKAP model in order to characterise and show causality and pulsating behaviours in this biochemical system
Dietary supplementation habits in international natural bodybuilders during pre-competition
Bodybuilding is characterized by high-rates of sport supplementation. This is the first study to
compare the supplementation patterns of winners (WB) and non-winners (NWB) among international
natural bodybuilders during contest preparation. Fifty-six natural bodybuilders (5
women) (age = 28.85 ± 8.03 years; final body mass = 71.50 ± 10.28 kg), 19 WB (athletes who
had achieved victory in an official natural bodybuilding championship at least once) and 37 NWB
(athletes who never achieved victory), from 18 countries (55.36% from Spain) responded to this
cross-sectional online survey related to their nutritional habits, strategies and supplementation
practices. WB were significantly older (p = 0.024), completed more competitive seasons (p =
0.027) and participated in more competitions in the last contest year (p = 0.011). There were no
significant differences between WB and NWB for years training for bodybuilding (p = 0.055),
weeks of dieting for competition (p = 0.392), and body weight at the start (p = 0.553) and end (p
= 0.330) of the season. Beverage and supplement consumption, purchasing patterns, and information
sources did not differ between groups (p > 0.05). In conclusion, natural bodybuilding WB
tended to be older and had more competitive experience, but shared similar supplementation
protocols to NWB. Athletesâ supplementation patterns were influenced by different sources of
information. However, these natural bodybuilders mainly purchased their supplements through
the internet without guidance from a coach or dietitian
Synthesis, electrochemical and photochromic behaviour of a series of (1,4-dithiafulven-6-yl)substituted 3H-naphtho[2,1-b]pyran derivatives
The synthesis and electrochemical and photochromic properties of new 3,3-diphenyl-8-(1,4-dithiafulven-6-yl)-[3H]-naphtho[2,1-b]pyran derivatives containing differently substituted dithiafulvenyl units are described. An example of electrochemical dimerization is shown which gives access to electroactive bichromophoric systems. Such systems could allow the study of the interplay of photochromic and electrochemical properties
Reversibility in Chemical Reactions
open access bookIn this chapter we give an overview of techniques for the
modelling and reasoning about reversibility of systems, including outof-
causal-order reversibility, as it appears in chemical reactions. We consider
the autoprotolysis of water reaction, and model it with the Calculus
of Covalent Bonding, the Bonding Calculus, and Reversing Petri Nets.
This exercise demonstrates that the formalisms, developed for expressing
advanced forms of reversibility, are able to model autoprotolysis of
water very accurately. Characteristics and expressiveness of the three
formalisms are discussed and illustrated
Generating Random Logic Programs Using Constraint Programming
Testing algorithms across a wide range of problem instances is crucial to
ensure the validity of any claim about one algorithm's superiority over
another. However, when it comes to inference algorithms for probabilistic logic
programs, experimental evaluations are limited to only a few programs. Existing
methods to generate random logic programs are limited to propositional programs
and often impose stringent syntactic restrictions. We present a novel approach
to generating random logic programs and random probabilistic logic programs
using constraint programming, introducing a new constraint to control the
independence structure of the underlying probability distribution. We also
provide a combinatorial argument for the correctness of the model, show how the
model scales with parameter values, and use the model to compare probabilistic
inference algorithms across a range of synthetic problems. Our model allows
inference algorithm developers to evaluate and compare the algorithms across a
wide range of instances, providing a detailed picture of their (comparative)
strengths and weaknesses.Comment: This is an extended version of the paper published in CP 202
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