Finite-state Strategies in Delay Games (full version)

What is a finite-state strategy in a delay game? We answer this surprisingly non-trivial question by presenting a very general framework that allows to remove delay: finite-state strategies exist for all winning conditions where the resulting delay-free game admits a finite-state strategy. The framework is applicable to games whose winning condition is recognized by an automaton with an acceptance condition that satisfies a certain aggregation property. Our framework also yields upper bounds on the complexity of determining the winner of such delay games and upper bounds on the necessary lookahead to win the game. In particular, we cover all previous results of that kind as special cases of our uniform approach

Synthesis of Deterministic Top-down Tree Transducers from Automatic Tree Relations

We consider the synthesis of deterministic tree transducers from automaton definable specifications, given as binary relations, over finite trees. We consider the case of specifications that are deterministic top-down tree automatic, meaning the specification is recognizable by a deterministic top-down tree automaton that reads the two given trees synchronously in parallel. In this setting we study tree transducers that are allowed to have either bounded delay or arbitrary delay. Delay is caused whenever the transducer reads a symbol from the input tree but does not produce output. We provide decision procedures for both bounded and arbitrary delay that yield deterministic top-down tree transducers which realize the specification for valid input trees. Similar to the case of relations over words, we use two-player games to obtain our results.Comment: In Proceedings GandALF 2014, arXiv:1408.556

Uniformization Problems for Tree-Automatic Relations and Top-Down Tree Transducers

For a given binary relation of finite trees, we consider the synthesis problem of deciding whether there is a deterministic top-down tree transducer that uniformizes the relation, and constructing such a transducer if it exists. A uniformization of a relation is a function that is contained in the relation and has the same domain as the relation. It is known that this problem is decidable if the relation is a deterministic top-down tree-automatic relation. We show that it becomes undecidable for general tree-automatic relations (specified by non-deterministic top-down tree automata). We also exhibit two cases for which the problem remains decidable. If we restrict the transducers to be path-preserving, which is a subclass of linear transducers, then the synthesis problem is decidable for general tree-automatic relations. If we consider relations that are finite unions of deterministic top-down tree-automatic relations, then the problem is decidable for synchronous transducers, which produce exactly one output symbol in each step (but can be non-linear)

Proven Family-Based Interventions in the Treatment of Pediatric Obesity

• Childhood obesity continues to be ever expanding. • This is leading to increasing health care needs and costs. • Despite numerous interventions, the rates continue to climb. • The purpose of this study is to identify family-based childhood obesity interventions that are proven to decrease the rates of childhood obesity. • A literature review explores multiple different family-based childhood obesity interventions. • The effective interventions are examined closely to discover commonalities between the interventions. • Family-based interventions that decrease childhood obesity share similar attributes. • The proven interventions may indicate the need to focus coordination of care with the patients and their families.https://commons.und.edu/pas-grad-posters/1126/thumbnail.jp

Decision Problems for Origin-Close Top-Down Tree Transducers

Tree transductions are binary relations of finite trees. For tree transductions defined by non-deterministic top-down tree transducers, inclusion, equivalence and synthesis problems are known to be undecidable. Adding origin semantics to tree transductions, i.e., tagging each output node with the input node it originates from, is a known way to recover decidability for inclusion and equivalence. The origin semantics is rather rigid, in this work, we introduce a similarity measure for transducers with origin semantics and show that we can decide inclusion, equivalence and synthesis problems for origin-close non-deterministic top-down tree transducers

Uniformization Problems for Synchronizations of Automatic Relations on Words

A uniformization of a binary relation is a function that is contained in the relation and has the same domain as the relation. The synthesis problem asks for effective uniformization for classes of relations and functions that can be implemented in a specific way. We consider the synthesis problem for automatic relations over finite words (also called regular or synchronized rational relations) by functions implemented by specific classes of sequential transducers. It is known that the problem "Given an automatic relation, does it have a uniformization by a subsequential transducer?" is decidable in the two variants where the uniformization can either be implemented by an arbitrary subsequential transducer or it has to be implemented by a synchronous transducer. We introduce a new variant of this problem in which the allowed input/output behavior of the subsequential transducer is specified by a set of synchronizations and prove decidability for a specific class of synchronizations

Identification of small extracellular RNA fragments of Mycobacterium tuberculosis

2014 Fall.Includes bibliographical references.In 2012, the World Health Organization reported 8.6 million estimated incident cases of tuberculosis, 1 million deaths among HIV-negative people, and 0.3 million deaths from HIV-associated tuberculosis. The Stop TB Partnership has a 2015 goal of reducing the 1990 prevalence rates by half. In order to accomplish this goal, there is a large effort to develop new vaccines, diagnostics, treatment, and therapeutics. Understanding how the pathogen, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, interacts with the host is critical to the development of these goals. An emerging area of interest is how host cells respond to bacterial nucleic acids; there are several bacteria that produce nucleic acids that impact pathogenesis through recognition by host pattern recognition receptors. Previous work by Obregón-Henao et al. found that the culture filtrate (CF) of M. tuberculosis was able to induce apoptosis in monocytes, and the material was identified as small stable RNAs. Through cloning, the M. tuberculosis small RNA present in the CF was found to predominantly consist of tRNA and rRNA with lengths between 30 and 70 bases. The goal of this work was to further understand the composition of the small, stable, extracellular RNA of M. tuberculosis. The first step in further elucidating the extracellular RNA population was to develop an RNA isolation method, allowing for the reliable purification of RNA from the CF of M. tuberculosis H37Rv. The method developed previously was not optimized for RNA purification, and a more streamlined method was needed. Available commercial kits did not fit the specific needs of the project as a method was needed to isolate small RNAs from large volumes of CF. The method developed resulted primarily in small RNAs and allowed for isolation of extracellular RNA free of contaminants that could interfere with biological assays, including DNA, protein, LAM, and LPS. The kinetics of RNA release into the CF was examined, comparing the rate of RNA release to that of protein. The RNA and protein were found to have parallel release rates, which could indicate active release rather than passive release of the RNA. Once a reliable RNA isolation method was developed, the composition of the extracellular RNA was interrogated utilizing Next Generation Sequencing as a high-throughput method. A pilot study was developed to determine the optimal concentration of extracellular RNA for sequencing. The Next Generation Sequencing provided a better understanding of the components of the secreted or released RNA. Ribosomal RNA and transfer RNA fragments were found to be present in the extracellular RNA, correlating to what was found by Obergón-Henao et al. A third group of small RNAs were also identified in this study, many of which corresponded to small RNAs previously reported in the literature, however novel small RNA sequences were also identified. The possibility of bias in the sequencing technology was investigated using synthesized tRNA DNA oligonucleotides (stDNA oligos) added at specific concentrations. The quantitation bias study indicated that some bias occurs, although the cause is unknown. All of the stDNA oligos in the sample were identified, giving some confidence in the qualitative nature of this technology. However, based on the possibility of bias, it may be too generous to state that the technology is truly quantitative. Based on these studies, it is possible to say with confidence that what is identified is present, but not that things are not missed. The long-term goals of this work are to fully understand how the extracellular RNA interacts with the host at a molecular level and to understand the mechanism of RNA release. In order to accomplish these goals, it will be necessary to evaluate more M. tuberculosis extracellular RNA using Next Generation Sequencing. A time course study with Next Generation Sequencing should also be done to see if the RNA composition changes over time, as well as for comparison to intracellular small RNAs. It would also be important to develop an assay to confirm fragments found using the Next Generation Sequencer, as well as to evaluate selective release from M. tuberculosis