Finding Convex Hulls Using Quickhull on the GPU

We present a convex hull algorithm that is accelerated on commodity graphics hardware. We analyze and identify the hurdles of writing a recursive divide and conquer algorithm on the GPU and divise a framework for representing this class of problems. Our framework transforms the recursive splitting step into a permutation step that is well-suited for graphics hardware. Our convex hull algorithm of choice is Quickhull. Our parallel Quickhull implementation (for both 2D and 3D cases) achieves an order of magnitude speedup over standard computational geometry libraries.Comment: 11 page

Universal Polynomials for Tautological Integrals on Hilbert Schemes

We show that tautological integrals on Hilbert schemes of points can be written in terms of universal polynomials in Chern numbers. The results hold in all dimensions, though they strengthen known results even for surfaces by allowing integrals over arbitrary "geometric" subsets (and their Chern-Schwartz-MacPherson classes). We apply this to enumerative questions, proving a generalised G\"ottsche Conjecture for all singularity types and in all dimensions. So if L is a sufficiently ample line bundle on a smooth variety X, in a general subsystem P^d of |L| of appropriate dimension the number of hypersurfaces with given singularity types is a polynomial in the Chern numbers of (X,L). When X is a surface, we get similar results for the locus of curves with fixed "BPS spectrum" in the sense of stable pairs theory.Comment: 44 pages, minor changes and correction

Close-packed dimers on nonorientable surfaces

The problem of enumerating dimers on an M x N net embedded on non-orientable surfaces is considered. We solve both the Moebius strip and Klein bottle problems for all M and N with the aid of imaginary dimer weights. The use of imaginary weights simplifies the analysis, and as a result we obtain new compact solutions in the form of double products. The compact expressions also permit us to establish a general reciprocity theorem.Comment: 13 pages, 1 figure, typo corrected to the version published in Phys. Lett. A 293, 235 (2002

Implicações do "feminino" na ética, a partir do pensamento de Carol Gilligan

A crítica de Carol Gilligan ao modelo de desenvolvimento moral de Kohlberg suscita novas considerações quanto à importância dos paradigmas na investigação e a necessidade de se encontrar uma perspetiva ética que ultrapasse o unilateralismo de género. A desconstrução deste modelo através da inclusão do “feminino” contempla a ideia de reciprocidade a partir da natureza contextual das relações, possibilitando uma visão mais global do desenvolvimento humano e alargando os limites da compreensão ética para além da interpretação intelectual do juízo moral. Ao introduzir a temporalidade e a relação entre pessoas como ingredientes da justiça, permite abarcar na definição de maturidade humana outras perspetivas e critérios que possibilitam a integração das dimensões dos direitos e da responsabilidade, articulando cuidado e justiça na reflexão ética. A sua relevância é, assim, não apenas ética, mas também axiológica, já que refletir sobre uma ética do cuidado é pensar essa “voz diferente” e é também um debate sobre os valores e sobre como deve ser uma ética para todos – uma ética inclusiva que permita a partilha do espaço público e do espaço privado, por mulheres e por homens, numa sociedade onde seja possível viver melhor; ABSTRACT: Carol Gilligan’s criticism to Kohlberg’s development model brings about new concerns related to the relevance of paradigms used in research and the need to define an ethical perspective in order to overcome unilateralism of gender. Deconstructing this approach by including the “feminine” view introduces the idea of reciprocity within the context of human relations. It, thus, provides a more comprehensive approach on human development and expands the boundaries of ethical understanding beyond the intellectual interpretation of moral judgment. Considering temporality and people’s relationships as part of the concept of justice, it allows other views and standards when defining human maturity because it opens up to the domains of rights and responsibility, articulating care and justice in the ethical thought. Its relevance is both ethical and axiological because reflecting upon the ethics of care is to consider that “different voice” and to set an argument about values and an ethics for all, an inclusive one that allows public and private places to be shared by men and women, within a society where we can hope for a better life

Effective assessment of use of sitters by nurses in inpatient care settings

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/75067/1/j.1365-2648.2008.04779.x.pd

Regular Expression Matching and Operational Semantics

Many programming languages and tools, ranging from grep to the Java String library, contain regular expression matchers. Rather than first translating a regular expression into a deterministic finite automaton, such implementations typically match the regular expression on the fly. Thus they can be seen as virtual machines interpreting the regular expression much as if it were a program with some non-deterministic constructs such as the Kleene star. We formalize this implementation technique for regular expression matching using operational semantics. Specifically, we derive a series of abstract machines, moving from the abstract definition of matching to increasingly realistic machines. First a continuation is added to the operational semantics to describe what remains to be matched after the current expression. Next, we represent the expression as a data structure using pointers, which enables redundant searches to be eliminated via testing for pointer equality. From there, we arrive both at Thompson's lockstep construction and a machine that performs some operations in parallel, suitable for implementation on a large number of cores, such as a GPU. We formalize the parallel machine using process algebra and report some preliminary experiments with an implementation on a graphics processor using CUDA.Comment: In Proceedings SOS 2011, arXiv:1108.279

Enhanced airway sensory nerve reactivity in non-eosinophilic asthma

BACKGROUND: Neural mechanisms may play an important role in non-eosinophilic asthma (NEA). This study compared airway sensory nerve reactivity, using capsaicin challenge, in eosinophilic asthma (EA) and NEA and non-asthmatics. METHODS: Thirty-eight asthmatics and 19 non-asthmatics (aged 14-21 years) underwent combined hypertonic saline challenge/sputum induction, fractional exhaled nitric oxide, atopy and spirometry tests, followed by capsaicin challenge. EA and NEA were defined using a sputum eosinophil cut-point of 2.5%. Airway hyperreactivity was defined as a ≥15% drop in FEV1 during saline challenge. Sensory nerve reactivity was defined as the lowest capsaicin concentration that evoked 5 (C5) coughs. RESULTS: Non-eosinophilic asthmatics (n=20) had heightened capsaicin sensitivity (lower C5) compared with non-asthmatics (n=19) (geometric mean C5: 58.3 µM, 95% CI 24.1 to 141.5 vs 193.6 µM, 82.2 to 456.0; p<0.05). NEA tended to also have greater capsaicin sensitivity than EA, with the difference in capsaicin sensitivity between NEA and EA being of similar magnitude (58.3 µM, 24.1 to 141.5 vs 191.0 µM, 70.9 to 514.0) to that observed between NEA and non-asthmatics; however, this did not reach statistical significance (p=0.07). FEV1 was significantly reduced from baseline following capsaicin inhalation in both asthmatics and non-asthmatics but no differences were found between subgroups. No associations with capsaicin sensitivity and atopy, sputum eosinophils, blood eosinophils, asthma control or treatment were observed. CONCLUSION: NEA, but not EA, showed enhanced capsaicin sensitivity compared with non-asthmatics. Sensory nerve reactivity may therefore play an important role in the pathophysiology of NEA

Canola Proteins for Human Consumption: Extraction, Profile, and Functional Properties

Canola protein isolate has been suggested as an alternative to other proteins for human food use due to a balanced amino acid profile and potential functional properties such as emulsifying, foaming, and gelling abilities. This is, therefore, a review of the studies on the utilization of canola protein in human food, comprising the extraction processes for protein isolates and fractions, the molecular character of the extracted proteins, as well as their food functional properties. A majority of studies were based on proteins extracted from the meal using alkaline solution, presumably due to its high nitrogen yield, followed by those utilizing salt extraction combined with ultrafiltration. Characteristics of canola and its predecessor rapeseed protein fractions such as nitrogen yield, molecular weight profile, isoelectric point, solubility, and thermal properties have been reported and were found to be largely related to the extraction methods. However, very little research has been carried out on the hydrophobicity and structure profiles of the protein extracts that are highly relevant to a proper understanding of food functional properties. Alkaline extracts were generally not very suitable as functional ingredients and contradictory results about many of the measured properties of canola proteins, especially their emulsification tendencies, have also been documented. Further research into improved extraction methods is recommended, as is a more systematic approach to the measurement of desired food functional properties for valid comparison between studies

Differential cross section measurements for the production of a W boson in association with jets in proton–proton collisions at √s = 7 TeV

Measurements are reported of differential cross sections for the production of a W boson, which decays into a muon and a neutrino, in association with jets, as a function of several variables, including the transverse momenta (pT) and pseudorapidities of the four leading jets, the scalar sum of jet transverse momenta (HT), and the difference in azimuthal angle between the directions of each jet and the muon. The data sample of pp collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 7 TeV was collected with the CMS detector at the LHC and corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 5.0 fb[superscript −1]. The measured cross sections are compared to predictions from Monte Carlo generators, MadGraph + pythia and sherpa, and to next-to-leading-order calculations from BlackHat + sherpa. The differential cross sections are found to be in agreement with the predictions, apart from the pT distributions of the leading jets at high pT values, the distributions of the HT at high-HT and low jet multiplicity, and the distribution of the difference in azimuthal angle between the leading jet and the muon at low values.United States. Dept. of EnergyNational Science Foundation (U.S.)Alfred P. Sloan Foundatio