On Constructing Constrained Tree Automata Recognizing Ground Instances of Constrained Terms

An inductive theorem proving method for constrained term rewriting systems, which is based on rewriting induction, needs a decision procedure for reduction-completeness of constrained terms. In addition, the sufficient complete property of constrained term rewriting systems enables us to relax the side conditions of some inference rules in the proving method. These two properties can be reduced to intersection emptiness problems related to sets of ground instances for constrained terms. This paper proposes a method to construct deterministic, complete, and constraint-complete constrained tree automata recognizing ground instances of constrained terms.Comment: In Proceedings TTATT 2013, arXiv:1311.505

Perceptual representation and effectiveness of local figure–ground cues in natural contours

A contour shape strongly influences the perceptual segregation of a figure from the ground. We investigated the contribution of local contour shape to figure-ground segregation. Although previous studies have reported local contour features that evoke figure-ground perception, they were often image features and not necessarily perceptual features. First, we examined whether contour features, specifically, convexity, closure, and symmetry, underlie the perceptual representation of natural contour shapes. We performed similarity tests between local contours, and examined the contribution of the contour features to the perceptual similarities between the contours. The local contours were sampled from natural contours so that their distribution was uniform in the space composed of the three contour features. This sampling ensured the equal appearance frequency of the factors and a wide variety of contour shapes including those comprised of contradictory factors that induce figure in the opposite directions. This sampling from natural contours is advantageous in order to randomly pickup a variety of contours that satisfy a wide range of cue combinations. Multidimensional scaling analyses showed that the combinations of convexity, closure, and symmetry contribute to perceptual similarity, thus they are perceptual quantities. Second, we examined whether the three features contribute to local figure-ground perception. We performed psychophysical experiments to judge the direction of the figure along the local contours, and examined the contribution of the features to the figure-ground judgment. Multiple linear regression analyses showed that closure was a significant factor, but that convexity and symmetry were not. These results indicate that closure is dominant in the local figure-ground perception with natural contours when the other cues coexist with equal probability including contradictory cases

Formation and Its Mechanism of High-speed Micro-grooving on Metal Surface by Angled CW Laser Irradiation

In general, pulsed lasers with high peak power have been used for the micro-groove formation. However, the processing speed is limited by the pulse repetition rate. On the other hand, CW laser can be expected to perform the high-speed processing by continuous energy input. The mechanism of micro-groove formation by CW laser was investigated by high-speed observation and the thermal fluid analysis. In the perpendicular irradiation of CW laser, the molten metal flows symmetrically around the keyhole to the backward direction, and micro-grooves remain at both edges of molten region. In contrast, in the angled irradiation, the molten metal at the reflection-side scatters as spatters. The remained molten metal flows from the reflection-side to the incident-side through the bottom of keyhole, since the recoil pressure is generated from the reflection-side to the incident-side. In addition, high-speed scanning contributes to keeping the sufficient time and force to move the molten metal in the backward direction. Then, the micro-groove remains at the reflection-side, while the upheaval is formed at the incident-side by gathering the molten metal from the reflection-side and the front of keyhole. Asymmetrical behavior of molten metal flow in angled irradiation of CW laser can create micro-groove in the reflection-side

CO Binding onto Heterometals of [Mo₃S₄M] (M = Fe, Co, Ni) Cubes

We have previously shown that cyclopentadienyl (Cp[R])-supported [Mo₃S₄] platforms capture and stabilize halides of hetero-metals (M) under reducing conditions to give [Mo₃S₄M] cubes. Here we report Co and Ni variants with Cp[XL] ligands (Cp[XL] = C₅Me₄SiEt₃) and CO binding to the [Mo₃S₄M] clusters (M = Fe, Co, Ni). Properties of the isolated CO-bound [Mo₃S₄M] cubes were investigated by X-ray diffraction, IR, and electrochemical analyses. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations were performed for the isolated CO-bound clusters to evaluate M-CO interactions. These analyses constitute foundations to develop bio-mimetic molecular catalysts for the direct conversion of CO and/or CO₂ into hydrocarbons, which can contribute to the reduction of carbon emissions

Large-cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of lung with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene mutation and co-expression of adenocarcinoma markers: a case report and review of the literature

PURPOSE: A high rate of response to treatment with epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor (EGFR-TKI) has been observed in certain patients (women, of East Asian ethnicity, with non-smoking history and adenocarcinoma histology) with mutations in exons 18 to 21 of the tyrosine kinase domain of EGFR. Some cases of high-grade neuroendocrine carcinoma of the lung harboring mutations have been sporadically reported. METHODS: We describe the case of a 78-year-old woman with large-cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the lung, with mutation in exon 21 L858R and co-expression of adenocarcinoma markers. RESULTS: A mass (3.0 cm in diameter) was identified in the inferior lobe of the left lung, accompanied by metastases into ipsilateral mediastinal lymph nodes and elevations of serum pro-gastrin-releasing peptide and carcinoembryonic antigen. Initial transbronchial brushing cytology suggested high-grade neuroendocrine carcinoma favoring small-cell carcinoma in poorly smeared and degenerated preparations, and revealed exon 21 L858R mutation. Re-enlargement of the cancer and bone metastases was observed after chemotherapy, and further testing suggested large-cell neuroendocrine carcinoma with immunoreactivity to markers of primary lung adenocarcinoma and L858R mutation. High-grade neuroendocrine carcinoma with mutations in the tyrosine kinase domain of EGFR may be associated with adenocarcinoma, as reviewed from the literature and may also apply to our case. CONCLUSIONS: EGFR-TKI could provide better quality of life and survival in patients with advanced or relapsed high-grade neuroendocrine carcinoma with EGFR gene mutations. Further studies in this respect are warranted

Perpendicular magnetic anisotropy at Fe/Au(111) interface studied by M\"{o}ssbauer, x-ray absorption, and photoemission spectroscopies

The origin of the interfacial perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) induced in the ultrathin Fe layer on the Au(111) surface was examined using synchrotron-radiation-based M\"{o}ssbauer spectroscopy (MS), X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD), and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES). To probe the detailed interfacial electronic structure of orbital hybridization between the Fe 3$d$ and Au 6$p$ bands, we detected the interfacial proximity effect, which modulates the valence-band electronic structure of Fe, resulting in PMA. MS and XMCD measurements were used to detect the interfacial magnetic structure and anisotropy in orbital magnetic moments, respectively. $In$-$situ$ ARPES also confirms the initial growth of Fe on large spin-orbit coupled surface Shockley states under Au(111) modulated electronic states in the vicinity of the Fermi level. This suggests that PMA in the Fe/Au(111) interface originates from the cooperation effects among the spin, orbital magnetic moments in Fe, and large spin-orbit coupling in Au. These findings pave the way to develop interfacial PMA using $p$-$d$ hybridization with a large spin-orbit interaction

Two cases of possible neuro-Sweet disease with meningoencephalitis as the initial manifestation

We report 2 cases that were considered to be neuro-Sweet disease. They initially manifested with meningoencephalitis and no skin lesions, and rapidly improved with corticosteroid therapy. In both cases, patients complained of meningitic symptoms such as fever and headache, and HLA-B54 and -Cw1 turned out to be positive over the clinical course. Cerebrospinal fluid analysis showed increased levels of lymphocytes and protein. In case #1, fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and diffusion-weighted images (DWI) showed high-intensity signals in the right dorsal medulla oblongata, bilateral dorsal midbrain, and left thalamus. In case #2, FLAIR and DWI showed high-intensity signals in the bilateral cerebellar cortex and left caudate nucleus. Symptoms and MRI images were markedly improved in both cases after corticosteroid pulse therapy. According to published diagnostic criteria, these 2 cases were considered possible neuro-Sweet disease. These cases suggest that the combination of meningoencephalitis and HLA specificity is important to consider the possibility of neuro-Sweet disease, even without skin lesions