Inferring Energy Bounds via Static Program Analysis and Evolutionary Modeling of Basic Blocks

The ever increasing number and complexity of energy-bound devices (such as the ones used in Internet of Things applications, smart phones, and mission critical systems) pose an important challenge on techniques to optimize their energy consumption and to verify that they will perform their function within the available energy budget. In this work we address this challenge from the software point of view and propose a novel parametric approach to estimating tight bounds on the energy consumed by program executions that are practical for their application to energy verification and optimization. Our approach divides a program into basic (branchless) blocks and estimates the maximal and minimal energy consumption for each block using an evolutionary algorithm. Then it combines the obtained values according to the program control flow, using static analysis, to infer functions that give both upper and lower bounds on the energy consumption of the whole program and its procedures as functions on input data sizes. We have tested our approach on (C-like) embedded programs running on the XMOS hardware platform. However, our method is general enough to be applied to other microprocessor architectures and programming languages. The bounds obtained by our prototype implementation can be tight while remaining on the safe side of budgets in practice, as shown by our experimental evaluation.Comment: Pre-proceedings paper presented at the 27th International Symposium on Logic-Based Program Synthesis and Transformation (LOPSTR 2017), Namur, Belgium, 10-12 October 2017 (arXiv:1708.07854). Improved version of the one presented at the HIP3ES 2016 workshop (v1): more experimental results (added benchmark to Table 1, added figure for new benchmark, added Table 3), improved Fig. 1, added Fig.

Field theory for a reaction-diffusion model of quasispecies dynamics

RNA viruses are known to replicate with extremely high mutation rates. These rates are actually close to the so-called error threshold. This threshold is in fact a critical point beyond which genetic information is lost through a second-order phase transition, which has been dubbed the ``error catastrophe.'' Here we explore this phenomenon using a field theory approximation to the spatially extended Swetina-Schuster quasispecies model [J. Swetina and P. Schuster, Biophys. Chem. {\bf 16}, 329 (1982)], a single-sharp-peak landscape. In analogy with standard absorbing-state phase transitions, we develop a reaction-diffusion model whose discrete rules mimic the Swetina-Schuster model. The field theory representation of the reaction-diffusion system is constructed. The proposed field theory belongs to the same universality class than a conserved reaction-diffusion model previously proposed [F. van Wijland {\em et al.}, Physica A {\bf 251}, 179 (1998)]. From the field theory, we obtain the full set of exponents that characterize the critical behavior at the error threshold. Our results present the error catastrophe from a new point of view and suggest that spatial degrees of freedom can modify several mean field predictions previously considered, leading to the definition of characteristic exponents that could be experimentally measurable.Comment: 13 page

New plasmid calibrators for geminivirus-resistant (EMB-PV051-1 event) common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) quantitation using simplex and duplex qPCR.

The geminivirus-resistant common bean, Embrapa 5.1, was the first commercial genetically modified (GM) event developed in Latin America by the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corp.. Therein novel standard reference plasmids were constructed for species-specific (pLEC) and event-specific (pFGM) qualitative and quantitative detection of Embrapa 5.1 GM common bean. To establish these plasmids as certified reference materials (CRM) for Embrapa 5.1 GM common bean, two DNA extraction protocols, simplex and duplex qPCR using two different operators (experimenters) were tested. The efficiency values ranged from 92% to 110% for the simplex and duplex reactions considering both operators. The limit of detection was enough to detect at least 0.1% GM content. These plasmids are suitable to be used as CRM for Embrapa 5.1 GM common bean. They will be useful for survey of food labels for compliance with legislation about GMO content in Brazil and in other countries where GM common bean is not yet approved for commercialization

Application of Diamond Detectors in Tracking of Heavy Ion Slowed Down Radioactive Beams

Results of irradiation of thin Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) diamond detectors with low energy: p,α and 7Li beams are presented. Energy resolution: ΔE/E<1% of a single crystal detector was achieved. A coincident measurement with two diamond detectors showed time resolution of 100 ps and efficiency above 70%. Despite a high beam flux reaching 109 particles/s cm2 the tested detectors showed low dead-time and satisfactory radiation hardness. Perspectives of applying thin CVD diamond detectors in monitoring of a slowed down radioactive beam (RIB) are discussed.Spanish Ministry of Education and Science (MEC) FFPA2003-05958 and PA-2005-0446

Hygienization and control of Diplodia seriata fungus in vine pruning waste composting and its seasonal variability in open and closed systems

After the ban on sodium arsenite, waste management alternatives to the prevalent burning method, such as the hygienization and biodegradation in solid phase by composting, are required for the pruned material from grapevines affected by various fungi. In this work the dynamics of a fungus associated with vine decay (Diplodia seriata) during the composting process of a mixture of laying hen manure and vine pruning waste (2:1 w/w) have been investigated in an open pile and a discontinuous closed biodigester. Through the optimization of the various physical–chemical parameters, hygienization of the infected waste materials was attained, yielding class-A organo-mineral fertilizers. Nevertheless, important differences in the efficiency of each system were observed: whereas in the open pile it took 10 days to control D. seriata and 35 additional composting days to achieve full inactivation, in the discontinuous biodigester the fungus was entirely inactivated within the first 3–7 days. Finally, the impact of seasonal variability was assessed and summer temperatures shown to have greater significance in the open pile

The ArDM experiment

The aim of the ArDM project is the development and operation of a one ton double-phase liquid argon detector for direct Dark Matter searches. The detector measures both the scintillation light and the ionization charge from ionizing radiation using two independent readout systems. This paper briefly describes the detector concept and presents preliminary results from the ArDM R&D program, including a 3 l prototype developed to test the charge readout system.Comment: Proceedings of the Epiphany 2010 Conference, to be published in Acta Physica Polonica

SIOSE Andalucía, experiencia de integración y actualización de bases cartográficas multiescala

El objetivo de SIOSE en Andalucía ha sido la obtención de una base cartográfica de referencia a escala de detalle 1:10.000, escalable a 1:25.000, donde se sintetizan e integran tanto la información geométrica como la temática de cartografías ya existentes (usos del territorio, SIGPAC, coberturas del suelo, información de comunidades fitosociológicas, redes de comunicación, superficies húmedas, red hidrográfica, zonas de extracción, balsas, entramado urbano, etc.) siguiendo un protocolo establecido para, posteriormente, actualizarla al año de referencia mediante fotointerpretación. La integración de las diferentes cartografías se fundamentó en la definición de unos valores mínimos de tolerancia, tanto de distancia entre líneas como de tamaño mínimo de superficie en función del uso asignado al polígono. La generación de la cartografía a escala 1:25.000 se llevó a cabo a través de procesos automáticos de cambio de modelo de datos, cambio de escala y eliminación de pasillos. La inquietud de abordar la experiencia de SIOSE-Andalucía nace de la necesidad detectada desde hace tiempo de tener una base de referencia que combine parámetros bióticos con elementos administrativos y el parcelario de la propiedad.The aim of SIOSE in Andalucía has been obtaining a detailed scale 1:10.000 cartographic database of reference, scalable to 1:25.000, where geometry and also thematic information of existing cartographies have been combined and joined (land uses, SIGPAC, land covers, phytosociological plant communities, communication network, humid areas, hydrographic network, extraction zones, irrigation pools, urban network, etc.) following an established protocol for, afterwards, updating the cartography to the referred year using photo-interpretation. The integration of different cartographies is based on the definition of minimum values of tolerance for the distance between lines as well as minimum sizes of area, depending on the assigned land use to each polygon. The production of cartography 1:25.000 was carried out through automatic processes of data model converter, scale change and elimination of narrowing polygons. The interest of tackling the experience of SIOSE-Andalucia is sprung from the detected necessity of having a resource which combines biotic parameters with administrative elements and property divisions

Property (T) and rigidity for actions on Banach spaces

We study property (T) and the fixed point property for actions on $L^p$ and other Banach spaces. We show that property (T) holds when $L^2$ is replaced by $L^p$ (and even a subspace/quotient of $L^p$), and that in fact it is independent of $1\leq p<\infty$. We show that the fixed point property for $L^p$ follows from property (T) when 1. For simple Lie groups and their lattices, we prove that the fixed point property for $L^p$ holds for any $1< p<\infty$ if and only if the rank is at least two. Finally, we obtain a superrigidity result for actions of irreducible lattices in products of general groups on superreflexive Banach spaces.Comment: Many minor improvement