Hitting Diamonds and Growing Cacti

We consider the following NP-hard problem: in a weighted graph, find a minimum cost set of vertices whose removal leaves a graph in which no two cycles share an edge. We obtain a constant-factor approximation algorithm, based on the primal-dual method. Moreover, we show that the integrality gap of the natural LP relaxation of the problem is \Theta(\log n), where n denotes the number of vertices in the graph.Comment: v2: several minor changes

Tight Bounds for MIS in Multichannel Radio Networks

Daum et al. [PODC'13] presented an algorithm that computes a maximal independent set (MIS) within $O(\log^2 n/F+\log n \mathrm{polyloglog} n)$ rounds in an $n$-node multichannel radio network with $F$ communication channels. The paper uses a multichannel variant of the standard graph-based radio network model without collision detection and it assumes that the network graph is a polynomially bounded independence graph (BIG), a natural combinatorial generalization of well-known geographic families. The upper bound of that paper is known to be optimal up to a polyloglog factor. In this paper, we adapt algorithm and analysis to improve the result in two ways. Mainly, we get rid of the polyloglog factor in the runtime and we thus obtain an asymptotically optimal multichannel radio network MIS algorithm. In addition, our new analysis allows to generalize the class of graphs from those with polynomially bounded local independence to graphs where the local independence is bounded by an arbitrary function of the neighborhood radius.Comment: 37 pages, to be published in DISC 201

Emergence of hyperons in failed supernovae: trigger of the black hole formation

We investigate the emergence of strange baryons in the dynamical collapse of a non-rotating massive star to a black hole by the neutrino-radiation hydrodynamical simulations in general relativity. By following the dynamical formation and collapse of nascent proto-neutron star from the gravitational collapse of a 40Msun star adopting a new hyperonic EOS table, we show that the hyperons do not appear at the core bounce but populate quickly at ~0.5-0.7 s after the bounce to trigger the re-collapse to a black hole. They start to show up off center owing to high temperatures and later prevail at center when the central density becomes high enough. The neutrino emission from the accreting proto-neutron star with the hyperonic EOS stops much earlier than the corresponding case with a nucleonic EOS while the average energies and luminosities are quite similar between them. These features of neutrino signal are a potential probe of the emergence of new degrees of freedom inside the black hole forming collapse.Comment: 11 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication in ApJ

Greedy D-Approximation Algorithm for Covering with Arbitrary Constraints and Submodular Cost

This paper describes a simple greedy D-approximation algorithm for any covering problem whose objective function is submodular and non-decreasing, and whose feasible region can be expressed as the intersection of arbitrary (closed upwards) covering constraints, each of which constrains at most D variables of the problem. (A simple example is Vertex Cover, with D = 2.) The algorithm generalizes previous approximation algorithms for fundamental covering problems and online paging and caching problems

Broadcasting in Noisy Radio Networks

The widely-studied radio network model [Chlamtac and Kutten, 1985] is a graph-based description that captures the inherent impact of collisions in wireless communication. In this model, the strong assumption is made that node $v$ receives a message from a neighbor if and only if exactly one of its neighbors broadcasts. We relax this assumption by introducing a new noisy radio network model in which random faults occur at senders or receivers. Specifically, for a constant noise parameter $p \in [0,1)$, either every sender has probability $p$ of transmitting noise or every receiver of a single transmission in its neighborhood has probability $p$ of receiving noise. We first study single-message broadcast algorithms in noisy radio networks and show that the Decay algorithm [Bar-Yehuda et al., 1992] remains robust in the noisy model while the diameter-linear algorithm of Gasieniec et al., 2007 does not. We give a modified version of the algorithm of Gasieniec et al., 2007 that is robust to sender and receiver faults, and extend both this modified algorithm and the Decay algorithm to robust multi-message broadcast algorithms. We next investigate the extent to which (network) coding improves throughput in noisy radio networks. We address the previously perplexing result of Alon et al. 2014 that worst case coding throughput is no better than worst case routing throughput up to constants: we show that the worst case throughput performance of coding is, in fact, superior to that of routing -- by a $\Theta(\log(n))$ gap -- provided receiver faults are introduced. However, we show that any coding or routing scheme for the noiseless setting can be transformed to be robust to sender faults with only a constant throughput overhead. These transformations imply that the results of Alon et al., 2014 carry over to noisy radio networks with sender faults.Comment: Principles of Distributed Computing 201

Aalenian to Cenomanian Radiolaria of the Bermeja Complex (Puerto Rico) and Pacific origin of radiolarites on the Caribbean Plate

The study of the radiolarian ribbon chert is a key in determining the origins of associated Mesozoic oceanic terranes and may help to achieve a general agreement regarding the basic principles on the evolution of the Caribbean Plate. The Bermeja Complex of Puerto Rico, which contains serpentinized peridotite, altered basalt, amphibolite, and chert (Mariquita Chert Formation), is one of these crucial oceanic terranes. The radiolarian biochronology presented in this work is mainly based by correlation on the biozonations of Baumgartner et al. (1995) and O'Dogherty (1994) and indicates an early Middle Jurassic to early Late Cretaceous (late Bajocian-early Callovian to late early Albian-early middle Cenomanian) age. The illustrated assemblages contain about 120 species, of which one is new (Pantanellium karinae), and belonging to about 50 genera. A review of the previous radiolarian published works on the Mariquita Chert Formation and the results of this study suggest that this formation ranges in age from Middle Jurassic to early Late Cretaceous (late Aalenian to early-middle Cenomanian) and also reveal a possible feature of the Bermeja Complex, which is the younging of radiolarian cherts from north to south, evoking a polarity of accretion. On the basis of a currently exhaustive inventory of the radiolarite facies s.s. on the Caribbean Plate, a re-examination of the regional distribution of Middle Jurassic sediments associated with oceanic crust, and a paleoceanographic argumentation on the water currents, we come to the conclusion that the radiolarite and associated Mesozoic oceanic terranes of the Caribbean Plate are of Pacific origin. Eventually, a discussion on the origin of the cherts of the Mariquita Formation illustrated by Middle Jurassic to middle Cretaceous geodynamic models of the Pacific and Caribbean realms bring up the possibility that the rocks of the Bermeja Complex are remnants of two different oceans

Computing a rectilinear shortest path amid splinegons in plane

We reduce the problem of computing a rectilinear shortest path between two given points s and t in the splinegonal domain \calS to the problem of computing a rectilinear shortest path between two points in the polygonal domain. As part of this, we define a polygonal domain \calP from \calS and transform a rectilinear shortest path computed in \calP to a path between s and t amid splinegon obstacles in \calS. When \calS comprises of h pairwise disjoint splinegons with a total of n vertices, excluding the time to compute a rectilinear shortest path amid polygons in \calP, our reduction algorithm takes O(n + h \lg{n}) time. For the special case of \calS comprising of concave-in splinegons, we have devised another algorithm in which the reduction procedure does not rely on the structures used in the algorithm to compute a rectilinear shortest path in polygonal domain. As part of these, we have characterized few of the properties of rectilinear shortest paths amid splinegons which could be of independent interest

Putative role of the adenosine A3 receptor in the antiproliferative action of N6-(2-isopentenyl)adenosine

We tested a panel of naturally occurring nucleosides for their affinity towards adenosine receptors. Both N6-(2-isopentenyl)adenosine (IPA) and racemic zeatin riboside were shown to be selective human adenosine A3 receptor (hA3R) ligands with affinities in the high nanomolar range (Ki values of 159 and 649 nM, respectively). These values were comparable to the observed Ki value of adenosine on hA3R, which was 847 nM in the same radioligand binding assay. IPA also bound with micromolar affinity to the rat A3R. In a functional assay in Chinese hamster ovary cells transfected with hA3R, IPA and zeatin riboside inhibited forskolin-induced cAMP formation at micromolar potencies. The effect of IPA could be blocked by the A3R antagonist VUF5574. Both IPA and reference A3R agonist 2-chloro-N6-(3-iodobenzyl)adenosine-5′-N-methylcarboxamide (Cl-IB-MECA) have known antitumor effects. We demonstrated strong and highly similar antiproliferative effects of IPA and Cl-IB-MECA on human and rat tumor cell lines LNCaP and N1S1. Importantly, the antiproliferative effect of low concentrations of IPA on LNCaP cells could be fully blocked by the selective A3R antagonist MRS1523. At higher concentrations, IPA appeared to inhibit cell growth by an A3R-independent mechanism, as was previously reported for other A3R agonists. We used HPLC to investigate the presence of endogenous IPA in rat muscle tissue, but we could not detect the compound. In conclusion, the antiproliferative effects of the naturally occurring nucleoside IPA are at least in part mediated by the A3R