Deterministic Automata for Unordered Trees

Automata for unordered unranked trees are relevant for defining schemas and queries for data trees in Json or Xml format. While the existing notions are well-investigated concerning expressiveness, they all lack a proper notion of determinism, which makes it difficult to distinguish subclasses of automata for which problems such as inclusion, equivalence, and minimization can be solved efficiently. In this paper, we propose and investigate different notions of "horizontal determinism", starting from automata for unranked trees in which the horizontal evaluation is performed by finite state automata. We show that a restriction to confluent horizontal evaluation leads to polynomial-time emptiness and universality, but still suffers from coNP-completeness of the emptiness of binary intersections. Finally, efficient algorithms can be obtained by imposing an order of horizontal evaluation globally for all automata in the class. Depending on the choice of the order, we obtain different classes of automata, each of which has the same expressiveness as CMso.Comment: In Proceedings GandALF 2014, arXiv:1408.556

Thermal cycling behavior of EBPVD TBC systems deposited on doped Pt-rich γ–γ′ bond coatings made by Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS)

In the last decade, an increasing interest was given to Pt-rich γ–γ′ alloys and coatings as they have shown good oxidation and corrosion properties. In our previous work, Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS) has been proved to be a fast and efficient tool to fabricate coatings on superalloys including entire thermal barrier coating systems (TBC). In the present study, this technique was used to fabricate doped Pt-rich γ–γ′ bond coatings on AM1® superalloy substrate. The doping elements were reactive elements such as Hf, Y or Zr, Si and metallic additions of Ag. These samples were then coated by electron beam physical vapour deposition (EBPVD) with an yttria partially stabilized zirconia (YPSZ) thermal barrier coating. Such TBC systems with SPS Pt rich γ–γ′ bond coatings were compared to conventional TBC system composed of a β-(Ni,Pt)Al bond coating. Thermal cycling tests were performed during 1000-1 h cycles at 1100 °C under laboratory air. Spalling areas were monitored during this oxidation test. Most of the Pt rich γ–γ′ samples exhibited a better adherence of the ceramic layer than the β-samples. After the whole cyclic oxidation test, cross sections were prepared to characterize the thickness and the composition of the oxide scales by using scanning-electron microscopy. In particular, the influence of the doping elements on the oxide scale formation, the metal/oxide roughness, the TBC adherence and the remaining Al and Pt under the oxide scale were monitored. It was shown that RE-doping did not improve the oxidation kinetics of the studied Pt rich γ–γ′ bond coatings, nevertheless most of the compositions were superior to “classic” β-(Ni,Pt)Al bond coatings in terms of ceramic top coat adherence, due to lower rumpling kinetics and better oxide scale adherence of the γ–γ′-based systems

Solution of the Dirichlet boundary value problem for the Sine-Gordon equation

The sine-Gordon equation in light cone coordinates is solved when Dirichlet conditions on the L-shape boundaries of the strip [0,T]X[0,infinity) are prescribed in a class of functions that vanish (mod 2 pi) for large x at initial time. The method is based on the inverse spectral transform (IST) for the Schroedinger spectral problem on the semi-line solved as a Hilbert boundary value problem. Contrarily to what occurs when using the Zakharov-Shabat eigenvalue problem, the spectral transform is regular and in particular the discrete spectrum contains a finite number of eigenvalues (and no accumulation point).Comment: LaTex file, to appear in Physics Letters

Peyer's Patches: The Immune Sensors of the Intestine

The gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT) consists of isolated or aggregated lymphoid follicles forming Peyer's patches (PPs). By their ability to transport luminal antigens and bacteria, PPs can be considered as the immune sensors of the intestine. PPs functions like induction of immune tolerance or defense against pathogens result from the complex interplay between immune cells located in the lymphoid follicles and the follicle-associated epithelium. This crosstalk seems to be regulated by pathogen recognition receptors, especially Nod2. Although TLR exerts a limited role in PP homeotasis, Nod2 regulates the number, size, and T-cell composition of PPs, in response to the gut flora. In turn, CD4+ T-cells present in the PP are able to modulate the paracellular and transcellular permeabilities. Two human disorders, Crohn's disease and graft-versus-host disease are thought to be driven by an abnormal response toward the commensal flora. They have been associated with NOD2 mutations and PP dysfunction

{SAT} Solvers for Queries over Tree Automata with Constraints

International audienceTree automata turned out to be a very convenient framework for modeling and proving properties on infinite systems like communication protocols, Java programs and also in the context of XML programming. Unfortunately, these works are not always supported by efficient verification and validation tools. This paper investigates the use of two SAT solvers --- minisat and picosat--- to evaluate queries over tree automata with global equality and disequality constraints (TAGED s for short). Unlike general tree automata, TAGED s allow to express constraints useful for e.g., evaluating queries over XML documents, like "in the document, two nodes do not have the same key". These queries being based on the membership problem which is NP-complete for TAGEDs, we propose an efficient SAT encoding of the membership problem for TAGEDs and we show its correctness and soundness. The paper reports on the experimental results, and implementation details are given

From Linear Temporal Logic Properties to Rewrite Propositions

International audienceIn the regular model-checking framework, reachability analysis can be guided by temporal logic properties, for instance to achieve the counter example guided abstraction refinement (CEGAR) objectives. A way to perform this analysis is to translate a temporal logic formula expressed on maximal rewriting words into a "rewrite proposition" - a propositional formula whose atoms are language comparisons, and then to generate semi-decision procedures based on (approximations of) the rewrite proposition. This approach has recently been studied using a non-automatic translation method. The extent to which such a translation can be systematised needs to be investigated, as well as the applicability of approximated methods wherever no exact translation can be effected. This paper presents contributions to that effect: (1) we investigate suitable semantics for LTL on maximal rewriting words and their influence on the feasibility of a translation, and (2) we propose a general scheme providing exact results on a fragment of LTL corresponding mainly to safety formulæ, and approximations on a larger fragment

Redescription of Lemuricola (Madoxyuris) bauchoti (Nematoda, Oxyuridae) from Lemur catta in Madagascar

Lemuricola (Madoxyuris) bauchoti Chabaud, Brygoo et Petter, 1965 is redescribed from material collected from the ring-tailed lemur, Lemur catta, from the Beza Mahafaly Special Reserve in Madagascar using the scanning electron microscope. This is a new host record and the first oxyurid reported from the ring-tailed lemur. Previously, records of each species of the subgenus Madoxyuris have been restricted to a single host species, but the close relationship between these nematodes and their Strepsirrhini hosts will only be proven when additional records fill in the gaps in their distribution.Fil: Robles, Maria del Rosario. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Centro de Estudios Parasitológicos y de Vectores. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Centro de Estudios Parasitológicos y de Vectores; ArgentinaFil: Loudon, James E.. State University of Colorado at Boulder; Estados UnidosFil: Kinsella, John M.. Helm West Laboratory; Estados UnidosFil: Hunter Ishikawa, Mandala. State University of Colorado - Fort Collins; Estados UnidosFil: Miller, David S.. State University of Colorado - Fort Collins; Estados UnidosFil: Sauther, Michelle L.. State University of Colorado at Boulder; Estados UnidosFil: Cuozzo, Frank P.. University of North Dakota; Estados Unido

The Emptiness Problem for Tree Automata with at Least One Disequality Constraint is NP-hard

The model of tree automata with equality and disequality constraints was introduced in 2007 by Filiot, Talbot and Tison. In this paper we show that if there is at least one disequality constraint, the emptiness problem is NP-hard