Colorful Strips

Given a planar point set and an integer $k$, we wish to color the points with $k$ colors so that any axis-aligned strip containing enough points contains all colors. The goal is to bound the necessary size of such a strip, as a function of $k$. We show that if the strip size is at least $2k{-}1$, such a coloring can always be found. We prove that the size of the strip is also bounded in any fixed number of dimensions. In contrast to the planar case, we show that deciding whether a 3D point set can be 2-colored so that any strip containing at least three points contains both colors is NP-complete. We also consider the problem of coloring a given set of axis-aligned strips, so that any sufficiently covered point in the plane is covered by $k$ colors. We show that in $d$ dimensions the required coverage is at most $d(k{-}1)+1$. Lower bounds are given for the two problems. This complements recent impossibility results on decomposition of strip coverings with arbitrary orientations. Finally, we study a variant where strips are replaced by wedges

How Long It Takes for an Ordinary Node with an Ordinary ID to Output?

In the context of distributed synchronous computing, processors perform in rounds, and the time-complexity of a distributed algorithm is classically defined as the number of rounds before all computing nodes have output. Hence, this complexity measure captures the running time of the slowest node(s). In this paper, we are interested in the running time of the ordinary nodes, to be compared with the running time of the slowest nodes. The node-averaged time-complexity of a distributed algorithm on a given instance is defined as the average, taken over every node of the instance, of the number of rounds before that node output. We compare the node-averaged time-complexity with the classical one in the standard LOCAL model for distributed network computing. We show that there can be an exponential gap between the node-averaged time-complexity and the classical time-complexity, as witnessed by, e.g., leader election. Our first main result is a positive one, stating that, in fact, the two time-complexities behave the same for a large class of problems on very sparse graphs. In particular, we show that, for LCL problems on cycles, the node-averaged time complexity is of the same order of magnitude as the slowest node time-complexity. In addition, in the LOCAL model, the time-complexity is computed as a worst case over all possible identity assignments to the nodes of the network. In this paper, we also investigate the ID-averaged time-complexity, when the number of rounds is averaged over all possible identity assignments. Our second main result is that the ID-averaged time-complexity is essentially the same as the expected time-complexity of randomized algorithms (where the expectation is taken over all possible random bits used by the nodes, and the number of rounds is measured for the worst-case identity assignment). Finally, we study the node-averaged ID-averaged time-complexity.Comment: (Submitted) Journal versio

A Time-Space Tradeoff for Triangulations of Points in the Plane

In this paper, we consider time-space trade-offs for reporting a triangulation of points in the plane. The goal is to minimize the amount of working space while keeping the total running time small. We present the first multi-pass algorithm on the problem that returns the edges of a triangulation with their adjacency information. This even improves the previously best known random-access algorithm

ОРГАНОЗБЕРІГАЮЧЕ ХІРУРГІЧНЕ ЛІКУВАННЯ ТА ЧАСТОТА РЕЦИДИВІВ ЕНДОМЕТРІОЗУ.

The aim of our study was to determine the dynamics of CA-125 UM patients before and after surgical treatment and in the process of pregravid preparation. Under our supervision there were 186 patients treated for external genital endometriosis. The control group consisted of 20 healthy non-pregnant women. The age of patients ranged from 22 to 42 years. Primary infertility was 70.8 %, secondary - 29.2 %. All patients surveyed in the first stage underwent surgery. Laparoscopy was performed using endoscopic equipment with a set of tools according to the standard technique. Overview when laparoscopy was found the magnitude of endometrioid heterotopias, their amount, maturity (color and shape), the presence of endometrial cysts and adhesions. At the approach to the selection of the intervention adhered to the principles sparing surgery, which is important for female patients of reproductive age who are interested in preserving or restoring fertility. We used the method of endometrioma cysts within healthy tissue with minimal coagulation in the wound. Patients included in this study, the surveys were conducted, which included a thorough history, physical examination, staging process during laparoscopic interventions and determination of CA-125, HE4 and index ROMA in the dynamics before treatment, after treatment (every 3 months). Quality marker activity endometrioma process is an indicator of CA-125. Particularly relevant is the definition of this indicator in dynamics to predict recurrence of the disease and evaluating the effectiveness of treatment, both surgical and medical.Целью нашего исследования было определение динамики СА-125 у больных ЭМ до и после хирургического лечения и в процессе прегравидарной подготовки. Под нашим наблюдением находилось 186 пациенток, лечившихся по поводу внешнего генитального эндометриоза. Контрольную группу составили 20 здоровых небеременных женщин. Всем обследованным больным на первом этапе было проведено оперативное вмешательство. Лапароскопию выполняли с использованием эндоскопической аппаратуры с комплектом инструментария по общепринятой методике. Пациентам, вошедшим в исследование, проводилось анкетирование, включающее в себя тщательный сбор анамнеза, осмотр, стадирования процесса во время лапароскопического вмешательства и определения СА-125, НЕ4 и индекса ROMA в динамике до лечения, после лечения (каждые 3 месяца). Качественным маркером активности эндометриоидного процесса является показатель СА-125. Особенно актуальным является определение этого показателя в динамике для прогнозирования рецидивов заболевания и оценки эффективности лечения как оперативного, так и медикаментозного. Метою нашого дослідження було визначення динаміки СА-125 у хворих на ендометріоз (ЕМ) до та після хірургічного лікування й у процесі прегравідарної підготовки. Під нашим спостереженням перебували 186 пацієнток, які лікувались з приводу зовнішнього генітального ендометріозу. Контрольну групу склали 20 здорових невагітних жінок. Усім обстеженим хворим на першому етапі було проведено оперативне втручання. Лапароскопію виконували з використанням ендоскопічної апаратури з комплектом інструментарію за загальноприйнятою методикою. Пацієнтам, що ввійшли в дослідження, проводилося анкетування, що включало в себе ретельний збір анамнезу, огляд, стадіювання процесу під час лапароскопічного втручання та визначення СА-125, НЕ4 та індексу ROMA в динаміці до лікування, після лікування (кожних 3 місяці). Якісним маркером активності ендометріоїдного процесу є показник СА-125. Особливо актуальним є визначення цього показника в динаміці для прогнозування рецидивів захворювання та оцінки ефективності лікування як оперативного, так і медикаментозного

ДЕЯКІ АСПЕКТИ РОЗВИТКУ ІСТМІКО-ЦЕРВІКАЛЬНОЇ НЕДОСТАТНОСТІ ПРИ ВАГІТНОСТІ В ТЕРМІНІ ДО 22 ТИЖНІВ, ТА II КОРЕКЦІЯ.

We found that one of the biochemical markers of collagen metabolism in women with Cervical incompetence during pregnancy on the background of connective tissue dysplasia is oxyproline levels in blood and urine. There was proposed the etiopathogenetical correction in the form of an integrated approach to the treatment of CIN by imposing circular seam on the cervix and the drug «Panthenol» applied and evaluated its clinical efficacy.Нами установлено, что одним из биохимических маркеров коллагенового обмена у женщин с истмико-цервикальной недостаточностью при беременности на фоне дисплазии соединительной ткани является уровень оксипролина в крови и моче. Предложена этиопатогенетическая коррекция в виде комплексного подхода к лечению ИЦН путем наложения циркулярного шва на шейку матки, применен препарат декспантенола и оценивается его клиническая эффективность. Нами встановлено, що одним із біохімічних маркерів колагенового обміну у жінок із істміко- цервікальною недостатністю при вагітності на тлі дисплазії сполучної тканини є рівень оксипроліну в крові і сечі. Запропонована етіопатогенетична корекція у вигляді комплексного підходу до лікування ІЦН шляхом накладання циркулярного шва на шийку матки, застосований препарат декспантенолу й оцінюється його клінічна ефективність

The Dominant Australian Community-Acquired Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Clone ST93-IV [2B] Is Highly Virulent and Genetically Distinct

Community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) USA300 has spread rapidly across North America, and CA-MRSA is also increasing in Australia. However, the dominant Australian CA-MRSA strain, ST93-IV [2B] appears distantly related to USA300 despite strikingly similar clinical and epidemiological profiles. Here, we compared the virulence of a recent Australian ST93 isolate (JKD6159) to other MRSA, including USA300, and found that JKD6159 was the most virulent in a mouse skin infection model. We fully sequenced the genome of JKD6159 and confirmed that JKD6159 is a distinct clone with 7616 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) distinguishing this strain from all other S. aureus genomes. Despite its high virulence there were surprisingly few virulence determinants. However, genes encoding α-hemolysin, Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) and α-type phenol soluble modulins were present. Genome comparisons revealed 32 additional CDS in JKD6159 but none appeared to encode new virulence factors, suggesting that this clone's enhanced pathogenicity could lie within subtler genome changes, such as SNPs within regulatory genes. To investigate the role of accessory genome elements in CA-MRSA epidemiology, we next sequenced three additional Australian non-ST93 CA-MRSA strains and compared them with JKD6159, 19 completed S. aureus genomes and 59 additional S. aureus genomes for which unassembled genome sequence data was publicly available (82 genomes in total). These comparisons showed that despite its distinctive genotype, JKD6159 and other CA-MRSA clones (including USA300) share a conserved repertoire of three notable accessory elements (SSCmecIV, PVL prophage, and pMW2). This study demonstrates that the genetically distinct ST93 CA-MRSA from Australia is highly virulent. Our comparisons of geographically and genetically diverse CA-MRSA genomes suggest that apparent convergent evolution in CA-MRSA may be better explained by the rapid dissemination of a highly conserved accessory genome from a common source

Design and Bolometer Characterization of the SPT-3G First-year Focal Plane

During the austral summer of 2016-17, the third-generation camera, SPT-3G, was installed on the South Pole Telescope, increasing the detector count in the focal plane by an order of magnitude relative to the previous generation. Designed to map the polarization of the cosmic microwave background, SPT-3G contains ten 6-in-hexagonal modules of detectors, each with 269 trichroic and dual-polarization pixels, read out using 68x frequency-domain multiplexing. Here we discuss design, assembly, and layout of the modules, as well as early performance characterization of the first-year array, including yield and detector properties.Comment: Conference proceeding for Low Temperature Detectors 2017. Accepted for publication: 27 August 201

Distributedly Testing Cycle-Freeness

International audienceWe tackle \emph{local distributed testing} of graph properties. This framework is well suited to contexts in which data dispersed among the nodes of a network can be collected by some central authority (like in, e.g., sensor networks). In local distributed testing, each node can provide the central authority with just a few information about what it perceives from its neighboring environment, and, based on the collected information, the central authority is aiming at deciding whether or not the network satisfies some property. We analyze in depth the prominent example of checking \emph{cycle-freeness}, and establish tight bounds on the amount of information to be transferred by each node to the central authority for deciding cycle-freeness. In particular, we show that distributedly testing cycle-freeness requires at least $\lceil{\log d}\rceil-1$ bits of information per node in graphs with maximum degree~$d$, even for connected graphs. Our proof is based on a novel version of the seminal result by Naor and Stockmeyer (1995) enabling to reduce the study of certain kinds of algorithms to order-invariant algorithms, and on an appropriate use of the known fact that every free group can be linearly ordered