Temporal Planning with Intermediate Conditions and Effects

Automated temporal planning is the technology of choice when controlling systems that can execute more actions in parallel and when temporal constraints, such as deadlines, are needed in the model. One limitation of several action-based planning systems is that actions are modeled as intervals having conditions and effects only at the extremes and as invariants, but no conditions nor effects can be specified at arbitrary points or sub-intervals. In this paper, we address this limitation by providing an effective heuristic-search technique for temporal planning, allowing the definition of actions with conditions and effects at any arbitrary time within the action duration. We experimentally demonstrate that our approach is far better than standard encodings in PDDL 2.1 and is competitive with other approaches that can (directly or indirectly) represent intermediate action conditions or effects

Manuel de la philologie de l’édition

Dirigé par le regretté David Trotter, ce volume est le quatrième d’une collection ambitieuse de « Manuels de linguistique romane » qui en comprend pour l’instant 28, parus ou à paraître (https://www.degruyter.com/view/serial/203451 : page consultée le 29 décembre 2016), mais qui en prévoit 60 (p. V). Elle a pour but de couvrir tous les domaines de la linguistique et de la philologie romanes au sens traditionnel du terme : étude philologique et linguistique des variétés romanes médiévales, et ..

Quand les linguistes et les philologues s’accordent : l’exemple de quelques manuscrits tardifs du Livre de la cité des dames de Christine de Pizan

El objeto de este artículo es demostrar, mediante el análisis de un corpus circunscrito (tres manuscritos que contienen una versión anónima del Libro de la ciudad de las damas de Christine de Pizan, versión conocida como V1’), que las variantes lingüísticas, tradicionalmente consideradas inútiles para fines filológicos, pueden de hecho proporcionar datos interesantes para el estudio de la tradición manuscrita. Además, cruza el estudio de la estratificación de los diferentes sistemas gráficos de estos manuscritos (su «diasistema») con los datos proporcionados por la filología para explotarlos con el fin de datar y localizar esta versión V1’.La présente contribution voudrait démontrer, par le biais de l’analyse d’un corpus cir-conscrit (trois manuscrits qui contiennent une version anonyme du Livre de la cité des dames de Christine de Pizan, version connue comme V1’), que les variantes linguistiques, tradition-nellement considérées comme inutiles à des fins philologiques, peuvent en réalité apporter des données intéressantes à l’étude de la tradition manuscrite. Par ailleurs, elle croise l’étude de la stratification de systèmes graphiques différents dans ces manuscrits (leur « diasystème ») avec les données fournies par la philologie pour les exploiter à des fins de datation et de localisation de cette version V1’

L’ironie et le genre : spécificité du héros dans le roman occitan de Jaufré

Jaufré est le seul roman d’amour arthurien en occitan qui nous soit parvenu. Son auteur, qui écrivait probablement pendant le premier quart du xiiie siècle, n’adhérait plus aveuglément aux valeurs arthuriennes, qu’il considérait avec une certaine ironie. Par conséquent, les deux personnages principaux du poème se distinguent par des caractéristiques inhabituelles : Jaufré admet souvent avoir peur et fait preuve d’une certaine inconstance, qui est plus typique de la jeunesse que de l’âge adulte ; à l’opposé des héroïnes plus traditionnelles, Brunissen est parfois tyrannique et entêtée. Par l’intermédiaire d’une série de comparaisons et d’analyses littéraires, cet essai examine le rapport intime qui existe entre le genre de Jaufré et sa représentation du genre.Jaufré is the only surviving Arthurian romance in Occitan. Writing probably in the first quarter of the thirteenth century, its author no longer adhered unquestioningly to Arthurian values, which he regarded with a certain irony. As a result, the poem’s two main characters are distinguished by unusual features: Jaufré often admits to being afraid and displays traits such as fickleness, more typical of youth than of manhood; unlike more traditional heroines, Brunissen is at times tyrannical and headstrong. Through a series of comparisons and literary analyses, this essay examines how the genre of Jaufré and its representation of gender are intimately related

Moddicom: a Complete and Easily Accessible Library for Prognostic Evaluations Relying on Image Features

Decision Support Systems (DSSs) are increasingly exploited in the area of prognostic evaluations. For predicting the effect of therapies on patients, the trend is now to use image features, i.e. information that can be automatically computed by considering images resulting by analysis. The DSSs application as predictive tools is particularly suitable for cancer treatment, given the peculiarities of the disease –which is highly localised and lead to significant social costs– and the large number of images that are available for each patient. At the state of the art, there exists tools that allow to handle image features for prognostic evaluations, but they are not designed for medical experts. They require either a strong engineering or computer science background since they do not integrate all the required functions, such as image retrieval and storage. In this paper we fill this gap by proposing Moddicom, a user-friendly complete library specifically designed to be exploited by physicians. A preliminary experimental analysis, performed by a medical expert that used the tool, demonstrates the efficiency and the effectiveness of Moddicom

Metal free graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets and pristine-single wall carbon nanotubes (p-SWCNTs) biocompatibility investigation: a comparative study in different human cell lines

The in vitro biocompatibility of Graphene Oxide (GO) nanosheets, which were obtained by the electrochemical exfoliation of graphite electrodes in an electrolytic bath containing salts, was compared with the pristine Single Wall Carbon Nanotubes (p-SWCNTs) under the same experimental conditions in different human cell lines. The cells were treated with different concentrations of GO and SWCNTs for up to 48 h. GO did not induce any significant morphological or functional modifications (demonstrating a high biocompatibility), while SWNCTs were toxic at any concentration used after a few hours of treatment. The cell viability or cytotoxicity were detected by the trypan blue assay and the lactate dehydrogenase LDH quantitative enzymatic test. The Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy (CLSM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis demonstrated the uptake and internalization of GO sheets into cells, which was localized mainly in the cytoplasm. Different results were observed in the same cell lines treated with p-SWCNTs. TEM and CLSM (Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy) showed that the p-SWCNTs induced vacuolization in the cytoplasm, disruption of cellular architecture and damage to the nuclei. The most important result of this study is our finding of a higher GO biocompatibility compared to the p-SWCNTs in the same cell lines. This means that GO nanosheets, which are obtained by the electrochemical exfoliation of a graphite-based electrode (carried out in saline solutions or other physiological working media) could represent an eligible nanocarrier for drug delivery, gene transfection and molecular cell imaging tests

Beyond multi-view deconvolution for inherently-aligned fluorescence tomography

In multi-view fluorescence microscopy, each angular acquisition needs to be aligned with care to obtain an optimal volumetric reconstruction. Here, instead, we propose a neat protocol based on auto-correlation inversion, that leads directly to the formation of inherently aligned tomographies. Our method generates sharp reconstructions, with the same accuracy reachable after sub-pixel alignment but with improved point-spread-function. The procedure can be performed simultaneously with deconvolution further increasing the reconstruction resolution

Gingival reactive lesions in orally rehabilitated patients by free revascularized flap

The aim is to discuss four cases of gingival reactive hyperplastic lesions in patients with a history of excision of oral neoplastic lesions and rehabilitation by a free revascularized flap of the iliac crest. One female and 3 male patients were referred due to the presence of exophytic lesions at the rehabilitated sites. The clinical examination revealed that the poor oral hygiene was the common trigger factor in all the cases, in addition to trauma from the upper left second molar in the first case, pericoronitis related to a partially erupted lower right third molar in the third case, and poor stability of an upper removable partial denture in the fourth case. All the cases were subjected to elimination of these suspected triggering factors, exclusion of dysplasia, excisional biopsy by CO2 laser, and five follow-up visits. The histological examination of all the cases confirmed the diagnosis of pyogenic granuloma. These presented cases suggest that the limitations in oral functions and maintaining the oral hygiene measures following the free revascularized flap reconstruction surgery probably played a role in the development of gingival reactive hyperplastic lesions with presence of trigger factors such as local trauma, chronic infection, or inadequate prosthesis

Dermal regeneration template: reconstruction in oral cancer defects

BackgroundPost ablative oral mucosal defect resulting from the removal of tumors can be treated with various techniques.PurposeIn this paper, we are showing what, in our experience, are the advantages and disadvantages given using biosynthetic skin substitutes when dealing with this kind of lesions.Materials and methodsPatients included in the sample came to our attention with both neoplastic lesions (11 subjects) and important scar retraction after previous oncologic surgery (1 subject). All patients underwent trans-oral resection surgery following the same surgical protocol and post ablative oral mucosal defect were treated using the dermal regeneration template. The surgical defect location, size, and time of removal of the silicone layer varied from one subject to the other.ResultsMost patients showed good healing with reduced scarring and adequate remucosalisation of the defect. The main complications were shown in a palatal lesion treated with concomitant osteal resection, which developed an oroantral fistula at follow up, and tongue lesions which showed some scarring.ConclusionsGiven our experience, we would advise using dermal substitutes when reconstructing oral defects only after a cautious evaluation of the area of the lesion, the gap size, the possible adherence of the membrane to the gap, and the presence of tissue supporting the overlying membrane

Fourth generation head fracture in ceramic-on-polyethylene bearing after hip revision surgery: a case report

Fourth generation ceramic bearings (BIOLOX delta, CeramTec AG; Phlochingen, Germany) were developed to reduce wear debris and improve fracture resistance. A case of a fourth generation head fracture in ceramic-on-polyethylene (COP) coupling after hip revision surgery is reported. A 58-year-old man was admitted to our department for increasing hip pain following a direct trauma which occurred during skiing activity 4 months before. Six years earlier, he had undergone a right cementless revision surgery with a 36-mm BIOLOX delta femoral head on polyethylene liner for metallosis and foreign body reaction after primary total hip replacement for hip osteoarthritis. At admission, radiological evaluation revealed a fracture of ceramic femoral head requiring a new revision surgery. Extensive synovectomy, lavage and capsulectomy were performed. Both acetabular cup and femoral stem were well fixed with no damage of trunnion, and therefore they were retained. A 36-mm internal diameter polyethylene acetabular liner was inserted along a 36-mm BIOLOX delta head with a BioBall adapter XL. The postoperative course was uncomplicated. At 1-year follow-up, the patient had a complete functional recovery. To our knowledge, BIOLOX delta ceramic femoral head fracture after COP hip revision surgery has not been previously reported