On the Convergence of the Holistic Analysis for EDF Distributed Systems

Dynamic scheduling techniques, and EDF (Earliest Deadline First) in particular, have demonstrated their ability to increase the schedulability of real time systems compared to fixed-priority scheduling. In distributed systems, the scheduling policies of the processing nodes tend to be the same as in stand-alone systems and, although few EDF networks exist, it is foreseen that dynamic scheduling will gradually develop into real-time networks. There are some response time analysis techniques for EDF scheduled distributed systems, mostly derived from the holistic analysis developed by Spuri. The convergence of the holistic analysis in context of EDF distributed systems with shared resources had not been studied until now. There is a circular dependency between tasks’ release jitter values, response times and preemption level ceilings of shared resources. In this paper we present an extension of Spuri’s algorithm and we demonstrate that its iterative formulas are non-decreasing, even in the presence of shared resources. This result enables us to assert that the new algorithm converges towards a solution for the response times of the tasks and messages in a distributed system

Examination of Supernets to Facilitate International Trade for Indian Exports to Brazil

The objective of this paper is to investigate a more efficient cross-border payment and document handling process for the export of Indian goods to Brazil. The paper is structured into two sections: first, to explain the problems unique to the India-Brazil international trade corridor by highlighting the obstacles of compliance, speed, and payments; and second, to propose a digital solution for India-brazil trade utilizing Supernets, focusing on the use case of Indian exports. The solution assumes that stakeholders will be onboarded as permissioned actors (i.e. nodes) on a Polygon Supernet. By engaging trade and banking stakeholders, we ensure that the digital solution results in export benefits for Indian exporters, and a lawful channel to receive hard currency payments. The involvement of Brazilian and Indian banks ensures that Letter of Credit (LC) processing time and document handling occur at the speed of blockchain technology. The ultimate goal is to achieve faster settlement and negotiation period while maintaining a regulatory-compliant outcome, so that the end result is faster and easier, yet otherwise identical to the real-world process in terms of export benefits and compliance.Comment: 22 page

Algunas Estrategias Útiles en el Salón de Clase

El término \solución de problemas" se refiere a la tarea matemática que tiene el potencial para proveer retos intelectuales que ayudan a mejorar el entendimiento y el desarrollo de las matemáticas en los estudiantes. Tal tarea, un problema puede promover en los estudiantes el entendimiento conceptual y fomentar sus habilidades para razonar y comunicarse matemáticamente, capturando su interés y curiosidad. En este cursillo mostramos algunas estrategias, como buscar un patrón de comportamiento, explotar la paridad, el principio del palomar o de las casillas e invariantes. Estas estrategias son útiles en solución de problemas y son la esencia del quehacer matemático. Además al trabajar en forma de taller se muestra un modo de ense~nanza que posibilita y anima a la participación de cada estudiante. Se escogieron estas cuatro estrategias, ya que para utilizarlas cada participante no requiere mucho conocimiento y es más ellas motivan a la exploración y la abstración de propiedades de un tema relacionado

Phylogenetic relationships of the Amblyomma cajennense complex (Acari: Ixodidae) at mitogenomic resolution

The genus Amblyomma is the third most diverse in the number of species within the Ixodidae, with practically half of its species distributed in the Americas, though there are also species occurring in Africa, Asia, and Australia. Within the genus, there are several species complexes with veterinary and public health importance. The Amblyomma cajennense complex, in the Americas, is represented by six species with a wide distribution, from Texas to northern Argentina. We combined two sequencing techniques to generate complete mitogenomes of species belonging to the Amblyomma cajennense complex: genome skimming and long-range PCRs sequencing methods. Thus, we generated seven new mitochondrial genomes for all species of the Amblyomma cajennense complex, except for Amblyomma interandinum. Genetic distances between the mitogenomes corroborate the clear differentiation between the five species of the Amblyomma cajennense complex. The phylogenetic relationships of these species had previously been evaluated by combining partial nuclear and mitochondrial genes and here these relationships are corroborated with a more robust framework of data, which demonstrates that the conjunction of mitochondrial and nuclear partial genes can resolve close relationships when entire genes or genomes are unavailable. The gene order, structure, composition, and length are stable across these mitogenomes, and they share the general characteristics of Metastriata. Future studies should increase the number of available mitogenomes for this genus, especially for those species from the Indo-Pacific region and Africa, by means of a better understanding of their relationships and evolutionary process.EEA RafaelaFil: Cotes-Perdomo, Andrea P. Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (MNCN-CSIC), Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Evolutiva; EspañaFil: Cotes-Perdomo, Andrea P. University of South-Eastern. Faculty of Technology. Natural Sciences and Environmental Health Department. Natural Sciences and Maritime Sciences; NoruegaFil: Nava, Santiago. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Rafaela; ArgentinaFil: Nava, Santiago. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Nava, Santiago. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Instituto de Investigación de la Cadena Láctea (IDICAL); ArgentinaFil: Castro, Lyda R. Universidad del Magdalena. Facultad de Ciencias Básicas. Grupo de investigación Evolución, Sistemática y Ecología Molecular (GIESEMOL); ColombiaFil: Rivera-Paéz, Fredy A. Universidad de Caldas. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas. Grupo de Investigación en Genética, Biodiversidad y Manejo de Ecosistemas (GEBIOME); ColombiaFil: Cortés-Vecino, Jesús A. Universidad Nacional de Colombia. Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y de Zootecnia. Grupo de Investigación Parasitología Veterinaria; ColombiaFil: Uribe, Juan E. Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (MNCN-CSIC). Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Evolutiv; EspañaFil: Uribe, Juan E. Smithsonian Institution. National Museum of Natural History. Invertebrate Zoology Department; Estados Unido

Impact of an Integrated Classifier Using Biomarkers, Clinical and Imaging Factors on Clinical Decisions Making for Lung Nodules

BACKGROUND: An integrated classifier that utilizes plasma proteomic biomarker along with five clinical and imaging factors was previously shown to be potentially useful in lung nodule evaluation. This study evaluated the impact of the integrated proteomic classifier on management decisions in patients with a pretest probability of cancer (pCA) ≤50% in real-world clinical setting. METHODS: Retrospective study examining patients with lung nodules who were evaluated using the integrated classifier as compared to standard clinical care during the same period, with at least 1-year follow-up. RESULTS: A total of 995 patients were evaluated for lung nodules over 1 year following the implementation of the integrated classifier with 17.3% prevalence of lung cancer. 231 patients met the study eligibility criteria; 102 (44.2%) were tested with the integrated classifier, while 129 (55.8%) did not. The median number of chest imaging studies was 2 [interquartile range (IQR), 1–2] in the integrated classifier arm and 2 [IQR, 1–3] in the non-integrated classifier arm (P=0.09). The median outpatient clinic visit was 2.00 (IQR, 1.00–3.00) in the integrated classifier arm and 2.00 (IQR, 2.00–3.00) in the non-integrated classifier (P=0.004). Fewer invasive procedures were pursued in the integrated classifier arm as compared to non-integrated classifier respectively (26.5% vs. 79.1%, P\u3c0.001). All patients in the integrated classifier arm with post-pCA (likely benign n=39) had designated benign diagnosis at 1-year follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with lung nodules with a pCA ≤50%, use of the integrated classifier was associated with fewer invasive procedures and clinic visits without misclassifying patients with likely benign lung nodules results at 1-year follow-up

Evaluation of the efficacy and safety of text messages targeting adherence to cardiovascular medications in secondary prevention: the txt2heart Colombia randomised controlled trial protocol.

INTRODUCTION: Anti-platelet therapy, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin II receptor blockers, beta-blockers and statins are cost-effective in patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases (ASCVD) for reducing the risk of ASCVD events. Unfortunately, there is abundant evidence that adherence to these cardiovascular medications is far from ideal. A recent Cochrane review showed a potential beneficial effect of Short Message Service (SMS) interventions on adherence to medication in ASCVD patients. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: The txt2heart study is a pragmatic randomised single-blind controlled trial. The objective is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of an intervention with SMS messages delivered by mobile phones to improve adherence to cardiovascular medications in patients with ASCVD. The intervention consists of behavioural techniques delivered via SMS. The primary outcome is change in blood serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels as an indicator of adherence to statins. Secondary outcomes will include systolic blood pressure as an indicator of adherence to blood-lowering therapies and heart rate as an indicator of adherence to beta-blockers, urine levels of 11-dehydrothromboxane B2, self-reported adherence to cardiovascular medications and rates of cardiovascular death or hospitalisation due to cardiovascular disease. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The study will be performed in compliance with the protocol, regulatory requirements, Good Clinical Practice and ethical principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. The Ethics Committee of Fundación Cardiovascular de Colombia evaluated and approved the trial. The txt2heart Colombia trial aims to provide robust evidence to evaluate whether SMS messages delivered through mobile telephones change the behaviour of Colombian patients who have suffered a cardiovascular event. Trial results will be presented to the local health authorities, and if the intervention is effective and safe, we hope this strategy will be implemented quickly because of its low cost and wide-reaching impact on the population. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT03098186

Phylogenetic relationships of cone snails endemic to Cabo Verde based on mitochondrial genomes

Background: Due to their great species and ecological diversity as well as their capacity to produce hundreds of different toxins, cone snails are of interest to evolutionary biologists, pharmacologists and amateur naturalists alike. Taxonomic identification of cone snails still relies mostly on the shape, color, and banding patterns of the shell. However, these phenotypic traits are prone to homoplasy. Therefore, the consistent use of genetic data for species delimitation and phylogenetic inference in this apparently hyperdiverse group is largely wanting. Here, we reconstruct the phylogeny of the cones endemic to Cabo Verde archipelago, a well-known radiation of the group, using mitochondrial (mt) genomes. Results: The reconstructed phylogeny grouped the analyzed species into two main clades, one including Kalloconus from West Africa sister to Trovaoconus from Cabo Verde and the other with a paraphyletic Lautoconus due to the sister group relationship of Africonus from Cabo Verde and Lautoconus ventricosus from Mediterranean Sea and neighboring Atlantic Ocean to the exclusion of Lautoconus endemic to Senegal (plus Lautoconus guanche from Mauritania, Morocco, and Canary Islands). Within Trovaoconus, up to three main lineages could be distinguished. The clade of Africonus included four main lineages (named I to IV), each further subdivided into two monophyletic groups. The reconstructed phylogeny allowed inferring the evolution of the radula in the studied lineages as well as biogeographic patterns. The number of cone species endemic to Cabo Verde was revised under the light of sequence divergence data and the inferred phylogenetic relationships. Conclusions: The sequence divergence between continental members of the genus Kalloconus and island endemics ascribed to the genus Trovaoconus is low, prompting for synonymization of the latter. The genus Lautoconus is paraphyletic. Lautoconus ventricosus is the closest living sister group of genus Africonus. Diversification of Africonus was in allopatry due to the direct development nature of their larvae and mainly triggered by eustatic sea level changes during the Miocene-Pliocene. Our study confirms the diversity of cone endemic to Cabo Verde but significantly reduces the number of valid species. Applying a sequence divergence threshold, the number of valid species within the sampled Africonus is reduced to half.Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation [CGL2013-45211-C2-2-P, CGL2016-75255-C2-1-P, BES-2011-051469, BES-2014-069575, Doctorado Nacional-567]info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Study protocol and rationale of the “Cogniaction project” a cross-sectional and randomized controlled trial about physical activity, brain health, cognition, and educational achievement in schoolchildren

Background: Education and health are crucial topics for public policies as both largely determine the future wellbeing of the society. Currently, several studies recognize that physical activity (PA) benefits brain health in children. However, most of these studies have not been carried out in developing countries or lack the transference into the education field. The Cogni-Action Project is divided into two stages, a cross-sectional study and a crossover-randomized trial. The aim of the first part is to establish the associations of PA, sedentarism, and physical fitness with brain structure and function, cognitive performance and academic achievement in Chilean schoolchildren (10–13 years-old). The aim of the second part is to determinate the acute effects of three PA protocols on neuroelectric indices during a working memory and a reading task. Methods: PA and sedentarism will be self-reported and objectively-assessed with accelerometers in a representative subsample, whilst physical fitness will be evaluated through the ALPHA fitness test battery. Brain structure and function will be assessed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in a randomized subsample. Cognitive performance will be assessed through the NeuroCognitive Performance Test, and academic achievement by school grades. In the second part 32 adolescents (12–13 year-old) will be cross-over randomized to these condition (i) “Moderate-Intensity Continuous Training” (MICT), (ii) “Cooperative High-Intensity Interval Training” (C-HIIT), and (iii) Sedentary condition. Neuroelectric indices will be measures by electroencephalogram (EEG) and eye-tracking, working memory by n-back task and reading comprehension by a reading task