Toward an Energy Efficient Language and Compiler for (Partially) Reversible Algorithms

We introduce a new programming language for expressing reversibility, Energy-Efficient Language (Eel), geared toward algorithm design and implementation. Eel is the first language to take advantage of a partially reversible computation model, where programs can be composed of both reversible and irreversible operations. In this model, irreversible operations cost energy for every bit of information created or destroyed. To handle programs of varying degrees of reversibility, Eel supports a log stack to automatically trade energy costs for space costs, and introduces many powerful control logic operators including protected conditional, general conditional, protected loops, and general loops. In this paper, we present the design and compiler for the three language levels of Eel along with an interpreter to simulate and annotate incurred energy costs of a program.Comment: 17 pages, 0 additional figures, pre-print to be published in The 8th Conference on Reversible Computing (RC2016

Stream ecosystems respond to riparian invasion by Japanese knotweed (Fallopia japonica)

There are growing concerns about the rapid spread of exotic plants into riparian zones, yet little information is currently available on their influence on stream ecosystems. This study assessed the impact of riparian invasion by Japa- nese knotweed (Fallopia japonica), an aggressive invader, on leaf litter breakdown and its associated biota (aquatic hyphomycete fungi and benthic invertebrates) in heterotrophic, low-order streams in The Pennines (England) and the Pyre- nees (France). Our results suggest that leaf consumers (aquatic hyphomycetes and invertebrate shredders) can readily use knotweed leaf litter even in stream sites where it was not previously present. However, aquatic hyphomycete and inverte- brate assemblages differed between stream sites with and without knotweed. Leaf litter breakdown rate and relative abun- dance of large invertebrate shredders (mainly Trichoptera) were enhanced in the Pyrenean invaded site, whose channel contained a high proportion of knotweed leaf litter, whereas no such effects were observed in The Pennines, possibly be- cause of the less extensive knotweed invasion. Alteration of riparian vegetation by plant invaders could therefore increas- ingly influence instream community and ecological functions as the severity of invasion rises

Optimization of CABRI power transients with the SPARTE code and the URANIE uncertainty platform

International audienceIn a Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR), the rod ejection is a design basis accident for uncontrolled evolution of the nuclear reaction.In case of failure of a rod mechanism, the rod ejection is caused by the pressure differential between the primary loop (155 bar) and the confinement-s enclosure (atmospheric pressure).It leads to a local power transient and a fast fuel temperature increase.The power transient is limited by the reactivity feedbacks before the automatic reactor shutdown.The CABRI experimental pulsed reactor is funded by the French Nuclear Safety and Radioprotection Institute (IRSN) and is operated by CEA at the Cadarache research center.It is designed to study fuel rods behavior under Reactivity Initiated Accident (RIA) conditions.The tested fuel rod is placed at the center of the CABRI core, inside a pressurized water loop reproducing PWR conditions.CABRI is a pool type reactor, made of 1487 UO$_2$ fuel rods and controlled by 6 Hafnium control rods.A specific device allows the fast depressurization of $^3$He contained in 4 transient rods to reproduce control rods ejection conditions.Based on a BEPU approach, we developed a tool, named SPARTE, for CABRI power transients calculation.This tool is based on point kinetics, simplified thermal-hydraulics and thermal-mechanics.It computes the global behavior of the core by the calculation of a mean fuel rod. It includes models of reactivity insertion specific to the CABRI transient rods system, variable kinetics parameters and variable Doppler coefficient.This code is validated on the basis of 66 CABRI start-up power transients realized during the first quarter of 2017. One goal of the SPARTE code is to be used for the prediction of future CABRI power transients.This paper focuses on methods for optimizing a specific CABRI power transient (FWHM $\simeq$ 30 ms, Deposited energy $\simeq$ 130 $MJ$) using the target characteristics of the pulse. The selection of a method may help the experimentalists and the operation team to minimize the number of white- power transients to perform before the final test with the fuel sample. The optimization can lead to different results, that can be ranked according to their projected uncertainties. Different optimization methods are tested and compared in this paper. The Subplex method based on reiterations of the Nelder-Mead algorithm (simplex method) was selected for its high precision. Indeed, the CABRI power transients are not completely reproducible and present some uncertainties linked to the test parameters. This article focuses on the uncertainties propagation in order to identify and select the parameters that minimize the output uncertainties. The results are very satisfactory and lead to several optimized scenarios that will be tested during the next qualification test campaign

Maximum Power Efficiency and Criticality in Random Boolean Networks

Random Boolean networks are models of disordered causal systems that can occur in cells and the biosphere. These are open thermodynamic systems exhibiting a flow of energy that is dissipated at a finite rate. Life does work to acquire more energy, then uses the available energy it has gained to perform more work. It is plausible that natural selection has optimized many biological systems for power efficiency: useful power generated per unit fuel. In this letter we begin to investigate these questions for random Boolean networks using Landauer's erasure principle, which defines a minimum entropy cost for bit erasure. We show that critical Boolean networks maximize available power efficiency, which requires that the system have a finite displacement from equilibrium. Our initial results may extend to more realistic models for cells and ecosystems.Comment: 4 pages RevTeX, 1 figure in .eps format. Comments welcome, v2: minor clarifications added, conclusions unchanged. v3: paper rewritten to clarify it; conclusions unchange

Severe Mg-deficiency is not associated with endothelial cell activation in mouse lung

Abstract. Several experimental and clinical studies suggest that the lungs are a specific target of Mg-hypomagnesemia, which is a common side effect of cyclosporin A therapy. Due to the possible effect of hypomagnesemia on lung allograft function, the aim of this study was to evaluate endothelial cell (EC) activation and tissue remodelling (apoptosis) in the lungs from mice fed Mg-deficient diets. Immunocytochemical examinations did not reveal any inflammatory process in Mg-deficient mice, infiltration of leukocytes (CD45 + cells), expression of I-A b class II molecules, E-selectin or ICAM-1 on ECs, and apoptotic cells. Quantification of mRNAs for E-selectin, ICAM-1 and VCAM-1, which are the most pertinent adhesins expressed by ECs, and for the cytokines TNFa and IL-2, demonstrated that severe Mg-deficiency does not result in EC activation. The balance between the up-regulation of G-CSF-R and CCL4 genes, and the down-regulation of the OPN gene shown by the cDNA microarray technique might be responsible for the absence of development of an inflammatory response, lung EC activation, and lung remodelling. However, we can hypothesize that severe Mg deficiency results in a latent inflammatory status of the lungs, which might be expressed following immune stresses, like transplantation conditions

A survey among dermatologists: diagnostics of superficial fungal infections - what is used and what is needed to initiate therapy and assess efficacy?

BACKGROUND: Superficial fungal infections are common. It is important to confirm the clinical diagnosis by mycological laboratory methods before initiating systemic antifungal treatment, especially as antifungal sensitivity and in vitro susceptibility may differ between different genera and species. For many years, the gold standard for diagnosis of superficial fungal infections has been direct fungal detection in the clinical specimen (microscopy) supplemented by culturing. Lately, newer molecular based methods for fungal identification have been developed. OBJECTIVE: This study was initiated to focus on the current usage of mycological diagnostics for superficial fungal infections by dermatologists. It was designed to investigate whether it was necessary to differentiate between initial diagnostic tests and those used at treatment follow-up in specific superficial fungal infections. METHODS: An online questionnaire was distributed among members of the EADV mycology Task Force and other dermatologists with a special interest in mycology and nail disease. RESULTS: The survey was distributed to 62 dermatologists of whom 38 (61%) completed the whole survey, 7 (11%) partially completed and 17 (27%) did not respond. Nearly, all respondents (82-100%) said that ideally they would use the result of direct microscopy (or histology) combined with a genus/species directed treatment of onychomycosis, dermatophytosis, Candida- and Malassezia-related infections. The majority of the dermatologists used a combination of clinical assessment and direct microscopy for treatment assessment and the viability of the fungus was considered more important at this visit than when initiating the treatment. Molecular based methods were not available for all responders. CONCLUSION: The available diagnostic methods are heterogeneous and their usage differs between different practices as well as between countries. The survey confirmed that dermatologists find it important to make a mycological diagnosis, particularly prior to starting oral antifungal treatment in order to confirm the diagnose and target the therapy according to genus and species

A cost-effective method to quantify biological surface sediment reworking

We propose a simple and inexpensive method to determine the rate and pattern of surface sediment reworking by benthic organisms. Unlike many existing methods commonly used in bioturbation studies, which usually require sediment sampling, our approach is fully non-destructive and is well suited for investigating non-cohesive fine sediments in streams and rivers. Optical tracer (e.g., luminophores or coloured sand) disappearance or appearance is assessed through time based on optical quantification of surfaces occupied by tracers. Data are used to calculate surface sediment reworking (SSR) coefficients depicting bioturbation intensities. Using this method, we evaluated reworking activity of stream organisms (three benthic invertebrates and a fish) in laboratory microcosms mimicking pool habitats or directly in the field within arenas set in depositional zones. Our method was sensitive enough to measure SSR as low as 0.2 cm2.d-1, such as triggered by intermediate density (774 m-2) of Gammarus fossarum (Amphipoda) in microcosms. In contrast, complex invertebrate community in the field and a fish (Barbatula barabatula) in laboratory microcosms were found to yield to excessively high SSR (>60 cm2.d-1). Lastly, we suggest that images acquired during experiments can be used for qualitative evaluation of species-specific effects on sediment distribution

Effects of riparian plant diversity loss on aquatic microbial decomposers become more pronounced at longer times

We examined the potential long-term impacts of riparian plant diversity loss on diversity and activity of aquatic microbial decomposers. Microbial assemblages were obtained in a mixed-forest stream by immersion of mesh bags contain-ing three leaf species (alder, oak and eucalyptus), commonly found in riparian corridors of Iberian streams. Simulation of species loss was done in microcosms by including a set of all leaf species, retrieved from the stream, and non-colonized leaves of three, two or one leaf species. Leaves were renewed every month throughout six months, and microbial inoculum was ensured by a set of colonized leaves from the previous month. Microbial diversity, leaf mass loss and fungal biomass were assessed at the second and sixth months after plant species loss. Molecular diversity of fungi and bacteria, as the total number of operational taxonomic units per leaf diversity treatment, decreased with leaf diversity loss. Fungal biomass tended to decrease linearly with leaf species loss on oak and eucalyptus, suggesting more pronounced effects of leaf diver-sity on lower quality leaves. Decomposition of alder and eucalyptus leaves was affected by leaf species identity, mainly after longer times following diversity loss. Leaf decomposi-tion of alder decreased when mixed with eucalyptus, while decomposition of eucalyptus decreased in mixtures with oak. Results suggest that the effects of leaf diversity on microbial decomposers depended on leaf species number and also on which species were lost from the system, especially after longer times. This may have implications for the management of riparian forests to maintain stream ecosystem functioning.FEDER-POFC-COMPETE and the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology supported this study (PEst-C/ BIA/UI4050/2011, PTDC/AAC-AMB/113746/2009 and PTDC/AAC-AMB/117068/2010), S. Duarte (SFRH/BPD/47574/2008) and I. Fernandes (SFRH/BD/42215/2007)

WHO draft guidelines on dietary saturated and trans fatty acids: time for a new approach?

The 2018 WHO draft guidelines on dietary saturated fatty acids and trans fatty acids recommend reducing total intake of saturated fat and replacing it with polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids. The recommendations fail to take into account considerable evidence that the health effects of saturated fat varies depending on the specific fatty acid and on the specific food source. Maintaining general advice to reduce total saturated fatty acids will work against the intentions of the guidelines and weaken their effect on chronic disease incidence and mortality. A food based translation of the recommendations for saturated fat intake would avoid unnecessary reduction or exclusion of foods that are key sources of important nutrients