Extraction of cylinders and cones from minimal point sets

We propose new algebraic methods for extracting cylinders and cones from minimal point sets, including oriented points. More precisely, we are interested in computing efficiently cylinders through a set of three points, one of them being oriented, or through a set of five simple points. We are also interested in computing efficiently cones through a set of two oriented points, through a set of four points, one of them being oriented, or through a set of six points. For these different interpolation problems, we give optimal bounds on the number of solutions. Moreover, we describe algebraic methods targeted to solve these problems efficiently

BEAT: An Open-Source Web-Based Open-Science Platform

With the increased interest in computational sciences, machine learning (ML), pattern recognition (PR) and big data, governmental agencies, academia and manufacturers are overwhelmed by the constant influx of new algorithms and techniques promising improved performance, generalization and robustness. Sadly, result reproducibility is often an overlooked feature accompanying original research publications, competitions and benchmark evaluations. The main reasons behind such a gap arise from natural complications in research and development in this area: the distribution of data may be a sensitive issue; software frameworks are difficult to install and maintain; Test protocols may involve a potentially large set of intricate steps which are difficult to handle. Given the raising complexity of research challenges and the constant increase in data volume, the conditions for achieving reproducible research in the domain are also increasingly difficult to meet. To bridge this gap, we built an open platform for research in computational sciences related to pattern recognition and machine learning, to help on the development, reproducibility and certification of results obtained in the field. By making use of such a system, academic, governmental or industrial organizations enable users to easily and socially develop processing toolchains, re-use data, algorithms, workflows and compare results from distinct algorithms and/or parameterizations with minimal effort. This article presents such a platform and discusses some of its key features, uses and limitations. We overview a currently operational prototype and provide design insights.Comment: References to papers published on the platform incorporate

Excentricité et forme des sections transversales de bois. Définitions, méthodologie, exemples sur l'épicéa commun (Picea abies Karst.)

Cette note fait le point sur plusieurs définitions importantes lorsqu'il s'agit de caractériser l'asymétrie de la croissance du bois en section transversale. Lorsque le contour des rondelles est discrétisé par intersection avec un certain nombre de rayons pairs (2n) équirépartis en direction sur [0.2pi) et originaires de la moelle, il est possible de définir le centre de gravité des points, de la surface et du contour. Ces points sont généralement distincts et sensibles au nombre de rayons utilisés ainsi qu'à leurs orientations. Pour calculer l'excentricité (position de la moelle par rapport au centre de gravité de la surface de la rondelle), ou le méplat (rapport entre le plus grand diamètre de la rondelle et son perpendiculaire, passants tous deux par le centre de la rondelle) l'utilisation de I'un ou l'autre de ces points donne des résultats très différents. Les applications sont réalisées pour des figures géométriques simples (cercle. ellipse) et pour 168 rondelles d'épicéa commu

The Jungle Universe

In this paper, we exploit the fact that the dynamics of homogeneous and isotropic Friedmann-Lemaitre universes is a special case of generalized Lotka-Volterra system where the competitive species are the barotropic fluids filling the Universe. Without coupling between those fluids, Lotka-Volterra formulation offers a pedagogical and simple way to interpret usual Friedmann-Lemaitre cosmological dynamics. A natural and physical coupling between cosmological fluids is proposed which preserve the structure of the dynamical equations. Using the standard tools of Lotka-Volterra dynamics, we obtain the general Lyapunov function of the system when one of the fluids is coupled to dark energy. This provides in a rigorous form a generic asymptotic behavior for cosmic expansion in presence of coupled species, beyond the standard de Sitter, Einstein-de Sitter and Milne cosmologies. Finally, we conjecture that chaos can appear for at least four interacting fluids.Comment: 26 pages, 4 figure

Optical Quantum Random Number Generator

A physical random number generator based on the intrinsic randomness of quantum mechanics is described. The random events are realized by the choice of single photons between the two outputs of a beamsplitter. We present a simple device, which minimizes the impact of the photon counters' noise, dead-time and after pulses.Comment: 3 pages + 1 figur

Parametric Schedulability Analysis of Fixed Priority Real-Time Distributed Systems

Parametric analysis is a powerful tool for designing modern embedded systems, because it permits to explore the space of design parameters, and to check the robustness of the system with respect to variations of some uncontrollable variable. In this paper, we address the problem of parametric schedulability analysis of distributed real-time systems scheduled by fixed priority. In particular, we propose two different approaches to parametric analysis: the first one is a novel technique based on classical schedulability analysis, whereas the second approach is based on model checking of Parametric Timed Automata (PTA). The proposed analytic method extends existing sensitivity analysis for single processors to the case of a distributed system, supporting preemptive and non-preemptive scheduling, jitters and unconstrained deadlines. Parametric Timed Automata are used to model all possible behaviours of a distributed system, and therefore it is a necessary and sufficient analysis. Both techniques have been implemented in two software tools, and they have been compared with classical holistic analysis on two meaningful test cases. The results show that the analytic method provides results similar to classical holistic analysis in a very efficient way, whereas the PTA approach is slower but covers the entire space of solutions.Comment: Submitted to ECRTS 2013 (http://ecrts.eit.uni-kl.de/ecrts13

Fe(II)−Fe(III)-Bearing Phases As a Mineralogical Control on the Heterogeneity of Arsenic in Southeast Asian Groundwater

International audienceAlthough groundwater arsenic constitutes a major hazard to the health of the people of Southeast Asia, the exact mineralogical origin of the arsenic in these fluvial aquifers is still under debate. Fe(III) oxides are the dominant hosts of mobilizable arsenic in the sediments, with the role of secondary Fe(II)-bearing phases like mackinawite, siderite, vivianite, magnetite, and carbonate green rust (fougerite) still unclear. Based on published field data from Chakdaha (India), the importance of the phases for arsenic mobility is evaluated quantitatively using models of growing complexity. Arsenic heterogeneity can be explained by the presence of two contrasted redox zones in the aquifers, with Fe(III) oxides being the dominant sorbent for arsenic in the less reduced zones and Fe(II) sulfides and/or Fe(II) carbonates being the solid-phase hosts for arsenic under more reduced conditions below impermeable soils or close to rivers where sulfate is reduced. A 1D reactive transport model which simulates the transition between the two environments has been developed and compared to field data. The results show that microbial sulfate reduction followed by abiotic and/or biotic reduction of As(III)-bearing iron oxides accounts for the spatial heterogeneity of arsenic in such reduced aquifers

On the cut-off phenomenon for the transitivity of randomly generated subgroups

38 pagesInternational audienceConsider $K\geq2$ independent copies of the random walk on the symmetric group $S_N$ starting from the identity and generated by the products of either independent uniform transpositions or independent uniform neighbor transpositions. At any time n\in\NN, let $G_n$ be the subgroup of $S_N$ generated by the $K$ positions of the chains. In the uniform transposition model, we prove that there is a cut-off phenomenon at time $N\ln(N)/(2K)$ for the non-existence of fixed point of $G_n$ and for the transitivity of $G_n$, thus showing that these properties occur before the chains have reached equilibrium. In the uniform neighbor transposition model, a transition for the non-existence of a fixed point of $G_n$ appears at time of order $N^{1+\frac 2K}$ (at least for $K\geq3$), but there is no cut-off phenomenon. In the latter model, we recover a cut-off phenomenon for the non-existence of a fixed point at a time proportional to $N$ by allowing the number $K$ to be proportional to $\ln(N)$. The main tools of the proofs are spectral analysis and coupling techniques

Le cancer, une maladie de l'environnement

Le bilan de la lutte contre la cancer est ambigu. Des succès significatifs ont été enregistrés , notamment chez l'enfant et l'adolescent. En 1950, aux Etats-Unis, mille neuf cents enfants de moins de cinq ans mouraient d'un cancer. Leur nombre a diminué de plus de moitié. La chimiothérapie a transformé chez l'enfant le pronostic de la leucémie aiguë ou celui du cancer du rei