Logical operators for ontological modeling

We show that logic has more to offer to ontologists than standard first order and modal operators. We first describe some operators of linear logic which we believe are particularly suitable for ontological modeling, and suggest how to interpret them within an ontological framework. After showing how they can coexist with those of classical logic, we analyze three notions of artifact from the literature to conclude that these linear operators allow for reducing the ontological commitment needed for their formalization, and even simplify their logical formulation

Local limit theorems and mod-phi convergence

We prove local limit theorems for mod-{\phi} convergent sequences of random variables, {\phi} being a stable distribution. In particular, we give two new proofs of a local limit theorem in the framework of mod-phi convergence: one proof based on the notion of zone of control, and one proof based on the notion of mod-{\phi} convergence in L1(iR). These new approaches allow us to identify the infinitesimal scales at which the stable approximation is valid. We complete our analysis with a large variety of examples to which our results apply, and which stem from random matrix theory, number theory, combinatorics or statistical mechanics.Comment: 35 pages. Version 2: improved presentation, in particular for the examples in Section

Fine-grained visualization pipelines and lazy functional languages

The pipeline model in visualization has evolved from a conceptual model of data processing into a widely used architecture for implementing visualization systems. In the process, a number of capabilities have been introduced, including streaming of data in chunks, distributed pipelines, and demand-driven processing. Visualization systems have invariably built on stateful programming technologies, and these capabilities have had to be implemented explicitly within the lower layers of a complex hierarchy of services. The good news for developers is that applications built on top of this hierarchy can access these capabilities without concern for how they are implemented. The bad news is that by freezing capabilities into low-level services expressive power and flexibility is lost. In this paper we express visualization systems in a programming language that more naturally supports this kind of processing model. Lazy functional languages support fine-grained demand-driven processing, a natural form of streaming, and pipeline-like function composition for assembling applications. The technology thus appears well suited to visualization applications. Using surface extraction algorithms as illustrative examples, and the lazy functional language Haskell, we argue the benefits of clear and concise expression combined with fine-grained, demand-driven computation. Just as visualization provides insight into data, functional abstraction provides new insight into visualization

Multi-cultural visualization : how functional programming can enrich visualization (and vice versa)

The past two decades have seen visualization flourish as a research field in its own right, with advances on the computational challenges of faster algorithms, new techniques for datasets too large for in-core processing, and advances in understanding the perceptual and cognitive processes recruited by visualization systems, and through this, how to improve the representation of data. However, progress within visualization has sometimes proceeded in parallel with that in other branches of computer science, and there is a danger that when novel solutions ossify into `accepted practice' the field can easily overlook significant advances elsewhere in the community. In this paper we describe recent advances in the design and implementation of pure functional programming languages that, significantly, contain important insights into questions raised by the recent NIH/NSF report on Visualization Challenges. We argue and demonstrate that modern functional languages combine high-level mathematically-based specifications of visualization techniques, concise implementation of algorithms through fine-grained composition, support for writing correct programs through strong type checking, and a different kind of modularity inherent in the abstractive power of these languages. And to cap it off, we have initial evidence that in some cases functional implementations are faster than their imperative counterparts

LO STURZO "AMERICANO" (1940 - 1946): STRATEGIE POLITICHE E CULTURALI

L'indagine ha per oggetto il periodo americano di Luigi Sturzo (1940-1946), finora proco esplorato, soprattutto dal punto di vista delle fonti americane. E' stata messa in luce una serie di attività politiche e culturali, inquadrabili in precise strategie, volte alla diffusione dei valori della democrazia cristiana, a livello internazionale; alla formazione della classe politica; al più ampio sostegno alla patria lontana.The essay focuses the American period of Luigi Sturzo (1940-1946), which has not been sufficiently explored until now, expecially from the point of view of the American archives data. It has been highlighted a series of political and cultural activitie set up by Sturzo, and which can be contestualized in the sense of precise strategies, directed to the diffusion of the values Christian Democracy, in the international background; to the formation of the ruling classes; to the wide support to the constitution of the democratic system in Italy

An Innovation Index Based on Knowledge Capital Investment: Definition and Results for the UK Market Sector

We (a) propose an implementable innovation index, (b) relate it to existing innovation definitions and (c) show whole-economy and industry-specific results for the UK market sector, 2000-2005. Our innovation measure starts by observing that we could get more GDP without innovation by simply duplicating existing physical capital and labour (e.g. adding a second aircraft and crew on an existing route). Thus we propose to measure innovation as the additional GDP over and above the addition existing physical capital and labour. In our measure this is the contribution to GDP growth of market sector investment in knowledge (or intangible) capital. This contribution is measured from company spending on knowledge/intangible assets and TFP growth. We relate our measure to the literature on innovation definitions, TFP, creative industries and hidden innovation. We implement it for six UK market sector industries, 2000-2005, combining with output and tangible investment data from the EUKLEMS database. Our main findings are as follows. Over 2000-2005, market sector labour productivity grew at 2.74% per annum, of which the contribution of knowledge capital, our innovation measure, was 1.24% pa. In turn, manufacturing accounted for about 60% of this latter figure. If one includes increase in labour skill deepening (0.45% pa) as innovation, then innovation contributed 61% (=(1.24+0.45)/2.74)of labour productivity growth over the period.innovation, productivity growth

Strategies for Computational Protein Design with Application to the Development of a Biomolecular Tool-kit for Single Molecule Protein Sequencing

One of the key properties of proteins is that they exhibit remarkable affinities and specificities for small-molecule and peptide binding partners. To improve the success rate of rational, computational protein design and widen the scope of potential applications, it is useful to define generalized strategies and automated methodology to improve and/or alter the affinity and specificity of interactions. I have implemented several strategies for engineering protein-small molecule interactions including: improvement of substrate accessibility, stabilization of the bound state, truncation and surface engineering, and transplantation of residue level, native (or native-like) interactions. Each strategy was applied to one or more model protein, and the resulting changes in affinity, specificity, and activity were characterized experimentally. Finally, we designed a biomolecular tool-kit, consisting of 17 engineered proteins for amino acid side-chain recognition and a single enzyme to catalyze the Edman degradation. We profiled the affinity and specificity of each protein, and implemented a computational framework that demonstrates its utility for amino acid calling in a single molecule protein sequencing assay

The impetus of battle : visualizing antagonism in Leonardo

Publisher PD

Spheres, cubes and simple

In 1929 Tarski showed how to construct points in a region-based first-order logic for space representation. The resulting system, called the geometry of solids, is a cornerstone for region-based geometry and for the comparison of point-based and region-based geometries. We expand this study of the construction of points in region-based systems using different primitives, namely hyper-cubes and regular simplexes, and show that these primitives lead to equivalent systems in dimension n ≥ 2. The result is achieved by adopting a single set of definitions that works for both these classes of figures. The analysis of our logics shows that Tarski’s choice to take sphere as the geometrical primitive might be intuitively justified but is not optimal from a technical viewpoint