Finite automata with advice tapes

We define a model of advised computation by finite automata where the advice is provided on a separate tape. We consider several variants of the model where the advice is deterministic or randomized, the input tape head is allowed real-time, one-way, or two-way access, and the automaton is classical or quantum. We prove several separation results among these variants, demonstrate an infinite hierarchy of language classes recognized by automata with increasing advice lengths, and establish the relationships between this and the previously studied ways of providing advice to finite automata.Comment: Corrected typo

Improved Pregnancy Outcome in Type 1 Diabetic Women With Microalbuminuria or Diabetic Nephropathy: Effect of intensified antihypertensive therapy?

OBJECTIVE—To describe pregnancy outcome in type 1 diabetic women with normoalbuminuria, microalbuminuria, or diabetic nephropathy after implementation of an intensified antihypertensive therapeutic strategy

Poor pregnancy outcome in women with type 1 diabetes is predicted by elevated HbA1c and spikes of high glucose values in the third trimester

OBJECTIVE: To analyse data from a randomised, controlled study of prandial insulin aspart versus human insulin, both with NPH insulin, in pregnant women with type 1 diabetes for potential factors predicting poor pregnancy outcomes. RESEARCH DESIGN/METHOD: Post hoc analysis including 91 subjects randomised prior to pregnancy with known outcome in early pregnancy and 259 subjects randomised prior to pregnancy/during pregnancy of <10 weeks’ gestation with known late-pregnancy outcomes. Poor early-pregnancy outcomes included fetal loss <22 gestational weeks and/or congenital malformation (n = 18). Poor late-pregnancy outcomes included: composite endpoint including pre-eclampsia, preterm delivery and perinatal death (n = 78); preterm delivery (n = 63); and excessive fetal growth (n = 88). RESULTS: 18 patients experienced a malformed/lost fetus in early pregnancy – none preceded by severe hypoglycaemia. Albuminuria in early pregnancy was a significant predictor of poor late-pregnancy outcome (composite endpoint; p = 0.012). In the third trimester, elevated HbA(1c), ≥ 1 plasma glucose (PG) measurement >11 mmol/L (198 mg/dL) and %PG values outside 3.9–7.0 mmol/L (70–126 mg/dL) were significant predictors of poor late-pregnancy outcomes (all p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Elevated HbA(1c), high glucose spikes and out-of-range %PG in the third trimester, and albuminuria in early pregnancy, are associated with poor late-pregnancy outcomes

Wende oder friedliche Revolution? Ungleiche Deutungen einer historischen Zäsur

Auch nach 20 Jahren ist die Debatte über die Ereignisse vom Herbst 1989 noch lebendig. Auch wenn sich inzwischen für den Sturz der SED-Diktatur der Begriff 'Wende' statt 'friedliche Revolution' durchgesetzt hat, lässt sich das Attribut 'friedlich' bei der Beschreibung der Ereignisse kaum vermeiden. Das Ende der DDR ist ein Musterbeispiel für einen neuen Typ demokratischer Revolutionen, die durch die Abwesenheit von Gewalt gekennzeichnet sind. Erstaunlich ist, das der gewaltfreie Charakter dieses revolutionären Herbstes bis jetzt kaum diskutiert worden ist. Er war schließlich keine Selbstverständlichkeit - vielfach schien der Ausbruch von Gewalt kurz bevor zu stehen. Zu den erstaunlichen Erkenntnissen gehört, dass die Demonstranten gleichzeitig strategisch und spontan handelten und so effektiv die Pläne der SED-Führung vereitelten. Die Spontaneität der 'friedlichen Revolution' scheint der Schlüssel zu ihrem Erfolg gewesen zu sein. (ICEÜbers)'Even almost 20 years later, the debate on the nature of the events of the autumn of 1989 is still in full flow. Although rather the term 'Wende' (Fundamental Change) than 'Peaceful Revolution' has pushed through for the fall of the SED dictatorship, it is hardly possible not to use the attribute - 'revolutionary' for the events: the end of the GDR is an example of a new type of 'democratic revolutions' which are characterized by non-violence. It is astonishing that for the time being the non-violent nature of this autumn of revolution has hardly been discussed, particularly in the field of the research on non-violence. After all, it was far from being a matter of course: in many situations a violent escalation seemed to be imminent. It is one of the most astonishing insights that the actors of the demonstration movement acted strategically but nevertheless spontaneously and thus effectively made the plans of the SED leadership come to nothing. After all, it seems as if the spontaneity of the 'Peaceful Revolution' was the key to its success.' (author's abstract)

Fe1-xNix alloy nanoparticles encapsulated inside carbon nanotubes: Controlled synthesis, structure and magnetic properties

In the present work, different synthesis procedures have been demonstrated to fill carbon nanotubes (CNTs) with Fe1-xNix alloy nanoparticles (x = 0.33, 0.5). CNTs act as templates for the encapsulation of magnetic nanoparticles, and provide a protective shield against oxidation as well as prevent nanoparticles agglomeration. By variation of the reaction parameters, the purity of the samples, degree of filling, the composition and size of filling nanoparticles have been tailored and therefore the magnetic properties. The samples were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Bright-field (BF) TEM tomography, X-ray powder diffraction, superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The Fe1-x Nix-filled CNTs show a huge enhancement in the coercive fields compared to the corresponding bulk materials, which make them excellent candidates for several applications such as magnetic storage devices

New species of Colletotrichum from wild Poaceae and Cyperaceae plants in Iran

Twenty-two Colletotrichum strains were isolated from anthracnose symptoms or leaf spots on leaves of various wild Poaceae and Cyperaceae plants collected in three provinces of Iran and tentatively identified as belonging to the Graminicola species complex based on morphology. All strains were studied via a polyphasic approach combining colony characteristics, morphology and phylogeny inferred from multi-locus sequences, including the nuc rDNA ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 (ITS), partial sequences of the β-tubulin (tub2), actin (act), manganese superoxide dismutase 2 (sod2), DNA lyase 2 (apn2) genes, a 200-bp intron of the glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (gapdh), and the intergenic spacer between the apn2 gene and the mat1 idiomorph (apn2/mat1). Six species were distinguished, including three new species, namely C. caspicum, C. persicum, and C. sacchari, and three previously described species, C. cereale, C. nicholsonii and C. sublineola. Comprehensive morphological descriptions and illustrations are provided for all species. Furthermore, this study provided new insights into the distribution and host range of known species

Supervisory hybrid model predictive control for voltage stability of power networks

International audienceEmergency voltage control problems in electric power networks have stimulated the interest for the implementation of online optimal control techniques. Briefly stated, voltage instability stems from the attempt of load dynamics to restore power consumption beyond the capability of the transmission and generation system. Typically, this situation occurs after the outage of one or more components in the network, such that the system cannot satisfy the load demand with the given inputs at a physically sustainable voltage profile. For a particular network, a supervisory control strategy based on model predictive control is proposed, which provides at discrete time steps inputs and set-points to lower-layer primary controllers based on the predicted behavior of a model featuring hybrid dynamics of the loads and the generation system