551 research outputs found
Completeness and Incompleteness of Synchronous Kleene Algebra
Synchronous Kleene algebra (SKA), an extension of Kleene algebra (KA), was
proposed by Prisacariu as a tool for reasoning about programs that may execute
synchronously, i.e., in lock-step. We provide a countermodel witnessing that
the axioms of SKA are incomplete w.r.t. its language semantics, by exploiting a
lack of interaction between the synchronous product operator and the Kleene
star. We then propose an alternative set of axioms for SKA, based on Salomaa's
axiomatisation of regular languages, and show that these provide a sound and
complete characterisation w.r.t. the original language semantics.Comment: Accepted at MPC 201
Bigraphical Refinement
We propose a mechanism for the vertical refinement of bigraphical reactive
systems, based upon a mechanism for limiting observations and utilising the
underlying categorical structure of bigraphs. We present a motivating example
to demonstrate that the proposed notion of refinement is sensible with respect
to the theory of bigraphical reactive systems; and we propose a sufficient
condition for guaranteeing the existence of a safety-preserving vertical
refinement. We postulate the existence of a complimentary notion of horizontal
refinement for bigraphical agents, and finally we discuss the connection of
this work to the general refinement of Reeves and Streader.Comment: In Proceedings Refine 2011, arXiv:1106.348
Noise auto-correlation spectroscopy with coherent Raman scattering
Ultrafast lasers have become one of the most powerful tools in coherent
nonlinear optical spectroscopy. Short pulses enable direct observation of fast
molecular dynamics, whereas broad spectral bandwidth offers ways of controlling
nonlinear optical processes by means of quantum interferences. Special care is
usually taken to preserve the coherence of laser pulses as it determines the
accuracy of a spectroscopic measurement. Here we present a new approach to
coherent Raman spectroscopy based on deliberately introduced noise, which
increases the spectral resolution, robustness and efficiency. We probe laser
induced molecular vibrations using a broadband laser pulse with intentionally
randomized amplitude and phase. The vibrational resonances result in and are
identified through the appearance of intensity correlations in the noisy
spectrum of coherently scattered photons. Spectral resolution is neither
limited by the pulse bandwidth, nor sensitive to the quality of the temporal
and spectral profile of the pulses. This is particularly attractive for the
applications in microscopy, biological imaging and remote sensing, where
dispersion and scattering properties of the medium often undermine the
applicability of ultrafast lasers. The proposed method combines the efficiency
and resolution of a coherent process with the robustness of incoherent light.
As we demonstrate here, it can be implemented by simply destroying the
coherence of a laser pulse, and without any elaborate temporal scanning or
spectral shaping commonly required by the frequency-resolved spectroscopic
methods with ultrashort pulses.Comment: To appear in Nature Physic
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Loss of CD103+ DCs and Mucosal IL-17+ and IL-22+ Lymphocytes is Associated with Mucosal Damage in SIV Infection
HIV/SIV disease progression is associated with multifocal damage to the GI tract epithelial barrier that correlates with microbial translocation and persistent pathological immune activation but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Investigating alterations in mucosal immunity during SIV infection, we found that damage to the colonic epithelial barrier was associated with loss of multiple lineages of IL-17-producing lymphocytes, cells that microarray analysis showed express genes important for enterocyte homeostasis, including IL-22. IL-22-producing lymphocytes were also lost after SIV infection. Potentially explaining coordinate loss of these distinct populations, we also observed loss of CD103+ DCs after SIV infection which associated with loss of IL-17 and IL-22-producing lymphocytes. CD103+ DCs expressed genes associated with promotion of IL-17/IL-22+ cells, and co-culture of CD103+ DCs and naïve T-cells led to increased IL17A and RORc expression in differentiating T-cells. These results reveal complex interactions between mucosal immune cell subsets providing potential mechanistic insights into mechanisms of mucosal immune dysregulation during HIV/SIV infection, and offer hints for development of novel therapeutic strategies to address this aspect of AIDS virus pathogenesis
A theorem proving framework for the formal verification of Web Services Composition
We present a rigorous framework for the composition of Web Services within a
higher order logic theorem prover. Our approach is based on the
proofs-as-processes paradigm that enables inference rules of Classical Linear
Logic (CLL) to be translated into pi-calculus processes. In this setting,
composition is achieved by representing available web services as CLL
sentences, proving the requested composite service as a conjecture, and then
extracting the constructed pi-calculus term from the proof. Our framework,
implemented in HOL Light, not only uses an expressive logic that allows us to
incorporate multiple Web Services properties in the composition process, but
also provides guarantees of soundness and correctness for the composition.Comment: In Proceedings WWV 2011, arXiv:1108.208
Managing Invasive Plants on Great Plains Grasslands: A Discussion of Current Challenges
The Great Plains of North America encompass approximately 1,300,000 km2 of land from Texas to Saskatchewan. The integrity of these lands is under continual assault by long-established and newly-arrived invasive plant species, which can threaten native species and diminish land values and ecological goods and services by degrading desired grassland resources. The Great Plains are a mixture of privately and publicly owned lands, which leads to a patchwork of varying management goals and strategies for controlling invasive plants. Continually updated knowledge is required for efficient and effective management of threats posed by changing environments and invasive plants. Here we discuss current challenges, contemporary management strategies, and management tools and their integration, in hopes of presenting a knowledge resource for new and experienced land managers and others involved in making decisions regarding invasive plant management in the Great Plains
Managing Invasive Plants on Great Plains Grasslands: A Discussion of Current Challenges
The Great Plains of North America encompass approximately 1,300,000 km2 of land from Texas to Saskatchewan. The integrity of these lands is under continual assault by long-established and newly-arrived invasive plant species, which can threaten native species and diminish land values and ecological goods and services by degrading desired grassland resources. The Great Plains are a mixture of privately and publicly owned lands, which leads to a patchwork of varying management goals and strategies for controlling invasive plants. Continually updated knowledge is required for efficient and effective management of threats posed by changing environments and invasive plants. Here we discuss current challenges, contemporary management strategies, and management tools and their integration, in hopes of presenting a knowledge resource for new and experienced land managers and others involved in making decisions regarding invasive plant management in the Great Plains
The read-across hypothesis and environmental risk assessment of pharmaceuticals
This article is made available through the Brunel Open Access Publishing Fund. Copyright © 2013 American Chemical Society.Pharmaceuticals in the environment have received increased attention over the past decade, as they are ubiquitous in rivers and waterways. Concentrations are in sub-ng to low μg/L, well below acute toxic levels, but there are uncertainties regarding the effects of chronic exposures and there is a need to prioritise which pharmaceuticals may be of concern. The read-across hypothesis stipulates that a drug will have an effect in non-target organisms only if the molecular targets such as receptors and enzymes have been conserved, resulting in a (specific) pharmacological effect only if plasma concentrations are similar to human therapeutic concentrations. If this holds true for different classes of pharmaceuticals, it should be possible to predict the potential environmental impact from information obtained during the drug development process. This paper critically reviews the evidence for read-across, and finds that few studies include plasma concentrations and mode of action based effects. Thus, despite a large number of apparently relevant papers and a general acceptance of the hypothesis, there is an absence of documented evidence. There is a need for large-scale studies to generate robust data for testing the read-across hypothesis and developing predictive models, the only feasible approach to protecting the environment.BBSRC Industrial Partnership Award BB/
I00646X/1 and BBSRC Industrial CASE Partnership Studentship
BB/I53257X/1 with AstraZeneca Safety Health and
Environment Research Programme
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