Compiling knowledge-based systems from KEE to Ada

The dominant technology for developing AI applications is to work in a multi-mechanism, integrated, knowledge-based system (KBS) development environment. Unfortunately, systems developed in such environments are inappropriate for delivering many applications - most importantly, they carry the baggage of the entire Lisp environment and are not written in conventional languages. One resolution of this problem would be to compile applications from complex environments to conventional languages. Here the first efforts to develop a system for compiling KBS developed in KEE to Ada (trademark). This system is called KATYDID, for KEE/Ada Translation Yields Development Into Delivery. KATYDID includes early prototypes of a run-time KEE core (object-structure) library module for Ada, and translation mechanisms for knowledge structures, rules, and Lisp code to Ada. Using these tools, part of a simple expert system was compiled (not quite automatically) to run in a purely Ada environment. This experience has given us various insights on Ada as an artificial intelligence programming language, potential solutions of some of the engineering difficulties encountered in early work, and inspiration on future system development

Comparing Apples and Oranges: Query Tradeoff in Submodular Maximization

Fast algorithms for submodular maximization problems have a vast potential use in applicative settings, such as machine learning, social networks, and economics. Though fast algorithms were known for some special cases, only recently Badanidiyuru and Vondr\'{a}k (2014) were the first to explicitly look for such algorithms in the general case of maximizing a monotone submodular function subject to a matroid independence constraint. The algorithm of Badanidiyuru and Vondr\'{a}k matches the best possible approximation guarantee, while trying to reduce the number of value oracle queries the algorithm performs. Our main result is a new algorithm for this general case which establishes a surprising tradeoff between two seemingly unrelated quantities: the number of value oracle queries and the number of matroid independence queries performed by the algorithm. Specifically, one can decrease the former by increasing the latter and vice versa, while maintaining the best possible approximation guarantee. Such a tradeoff is very useful since various applications might incur significantly different costs in querying the value and matroid independence oracles. Furthermore, in case the rank of the matroid is $O(n^c)$, where $n$ is the size of the ground set and $c$ is an absolute constant smaller than $1$, the total number of oracle queries our algorithm uses can be made to have a smaller magnitude compared to that needed by Badanidiyuru and Vondr\'{a}k. We also provide even faster algorithms for the well studied special cases of a cardinality constraint and a partition matroid independence constraint, both of which capture many real-world applications and have been widely studied both theorically and in practice.Comment: 29 pages, accepted to SODA 201

Uric acid enhances longevity and endurance and protects the brain against ischemia

Among mammals, there is a positive correlation between serum uric acid (UA) levels and life span. Humans have high levels of UA because they lack a functional urate oxidase (UOX) enzyme that is present in shorter lived mammals. Here, we show that male and female mice with UOX haploinsufficiency exhibit an age-related elevation of UA levels, and that the life span of female but not male UOX+/− mice is significantly increased compared to wild-type mice. Serum UA levels are elevated in response to treadmill exercise in UOX+/− mice, but not wild-type mice, and the endurance of the UOX+/− mice is significantly greater than wild-type mice. UOX+/− mice exhibit elevated levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor, reduced brain damage and improved functional outcome in a model of focal ischemic stroke. Levels of oxidative protein nitration and lipid peroxidation are reduced in muscle and brain tissues of UOX+/− mice under conditions of metabolic and oxidative stress (running in the case of muscle and ischemia in the case of the brain), consistent with prior evidence that UA can scavenge peroxynitrite and hydroxyl radical. Our findings reveal roles for UA in life span determination, endurance and adaptive responses to brain injury, and suggest novel approaches for protecting cells against injury and for optimizing physical performance.España, Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte EX2009–091

In Situ Localization and Characterization of Active Proteases in Chronically Inflamed and Healthy Human Gingival Tissues

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/141400/1/jper1303.pd

Design and Construction of a Micro Aerial Vehicle for the 2014 SAE Aero Design East Competition

This project involved the analysis, design, and fabrication of an aircraft meeting the requirements of the 2014 SAE Aero Design Competition, Micro-Class. Best competition scoring favored an aircraft of maximum payload that could be loaded into a 24”x18”x8” box. The team used various tools including wind tunnel and mathematical modeling to determine the Micro’s aerodynamics and power characteristics. Final design used a combination of conventional and high performance materials, balsa, carbon fiber, and UltraCote wing covering. Configuration was conventional with 4 wing panels totaling 90” span using an 1100 W motor. Outer wing panels were given +8 degrees of dihedral to permit two-axis control. The Micro is expected to carry 5-10 pounds of payload at speeds of 25-35 ft. /sec

Analysis of In Situ Protease Activity in Chronic Adult Periodontitis Patients: Expression of Activated MMP‐2 and a 40 kDa Serine Protease

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/141775/1/jper0353.pd

Early vocabulary development in deaf native signers: a British Sign Language adaptation of the communicative development inventories

Background: There is a dearth of assessments of sign language development in young deaf children. This study gathered age-related scores from a sample of deaf native signing children using an adapted version of the MacArthur-Bates CDI (Fenson et al., 1994). Method: Parental reports on children’s receptive and expressive signing were collected longitudinally on 29 deaf native British Sign Language (BSL) users, aged 8–36 months, yielding 146 datasets. Results: A smooth upward growth curve was obtained for early vocabulary development and percentile scores were derived. In the main, receptive scores were in advance of expressive scores. No gender bias was observed. Correlational analysis identified factors associated with vocabulary development, including parental education and mothers’ training in BSL. Individual children’s profiles showed a range of development and some evidence of a growth spurt. Clinical and research issues relating to the measure are discussed. Conclusions: The study has developed a valid, reliable measure of vocabulary development in BSL. Further research is needed to investigate the relationship between vocabulary acquisition in native and non-native signers

Observation of beta decay of In-115 to the first excited level of Sn-115

In the context of the LENS R&D solar neutrino project, the gamma spectrum of a sample of metallic indium was measured using a single experimental setup of 4 HP-Ge detectors located underground at the Gran Sasso National Laboratories (LNGS), Italy. A gamma line at the energy (497.48 +/- 0.21) keV was found that is not present in the background spectrum and that can be identified as a gamma quantum following the beta decay of In-115 to the first excited state of Sn-115 (9/2+ --> 3/2+). This decay channel of In-115, which is reported here for the first time, has an extremely low Q-value, Q = (2 +/- 4) keV, and has a much lower probability than the well-known ground state-ground state transition, being the branching ratio b = (1.18 +/- 0.31) 10^-6. This could be the beta decay with the lowest known Q-value. The limit on charge non-conserving beta decay of In-115 is set at 90% C.L. as tau > 4.1 10^20 y.Comment: 19 pages, 5 figures, 2 table