Regular Language Distance and Entropy

This paper addresses the problem of determining the distance between two regular languages. It will show how to expand Jaccard distance, which works on finite sets, to potentially-infinite regular languages. The entropy of a regular language plays a large role in the extension. Much of the paper is spent investigating the entropy of a regular language. This includes addressing issues that have required previous authors to rely on the upper limit of Shannon\u27s traditional formulation of channel capacity, because its limit does not always exist. The paper also includes proposing a new limit based formulation for the entropy of a regular language and proves that formulation to both exist and be equivalent to Shannon\u27s original formulation (when it exists). Additionally, the proposed formulation is shown to equal an analogous but formally quite different notion of topological entropy from Symbolic Dynamics -- consequently also showing Shannon\u27s original formulation to be equivalent to topological entropy. Surprisingly, the natural Jaccard-like entropy distance is trivial in most cases. Instead, the entropy sum distance metric is suggested, and shown to be granular in certain situations

Cover slip external cavity diode laser

The design of a 671 nm diode laser with a mode-hop-free tuning range of 40 GHz is described. This long tuning range is achieved by simultaneously ramping the external cavity length with the laser injection current. The external cavity consists of a microscope cover slip mounted on piezoelectric actuators. In such a configuration the laser output pointing remains fixed, independent of its frequency. Using a diode with an output power of 5-7 mW, the laser linewidth was found to be smaller than 30 MHz. This cover slip cavity and feedforward laser current control system is simple, economical, robust, and easy to use for spectroscopy, as we demonstrate with lithium vapor and lithium atom beam experiments.Comment: 7 pages, 6 figures, submitted to Review of Scientific Instruments 7/29/0

Trehalose Is A Chemical Attractant In The Establishment Of Coral Symbiosis

Coral reefs have evolved with a crucial symbiosis between photosynthetic dinoflagellates (genus Symbiodinium) and their cnidarian hosts (Scleractinians). Most coral larvae take up Symbiodinium from their environment; however, the earliest steps in this process have been elusive. Here we demonstrate that the disaccharide trehalose may be an important signal from the symbiont to potential larval hosts. Symbiodinium freshly isolated from Fungia scutaria corals constantly released trehalose (but not sucrose, maltose or glucose) into seawater, and released glycerol only in the presence of coral tissue. Spawning Fungia adults increased symbiont number in their immediate area by excreting pellets of Symbiodinium, and when these naturally discharged Symbiodinium were cultured, they also released trehalose. In Y-maze experiments, coral larvae demonstrated chemoattractant and feeding behaviors only towards a chamber with trehalose or glycerol. Concomitantly, coral larvae and adult tissue, but not symbionts, had significant trehalase enzymatic activities, suggesting the capacity to utilize trehalose. Trehalase activity was developmentally regulated in F. scutaria larvae, rising as the time for symbiont uptake occurs. Consistent with the enzymatic assays, gene finding demonstrated the presence of a trehalase enzyme in the genome of a related coral, Acropora digitifera, and a likely trehalase in the transcriptome of F. scutaria. Taken together, these data suggest that adult F. scutaria seed the reef with Symbiodinium during spawning and the exuded Symbiodinium release trehalose into the environment, which acts as a chemoattractant for F. scutaria larvae and as an initiator of feeding behavior- the first stages toward establishing the coral-Symbiodinium relationship. Because trehalose is a fixed carbon compound, this cue would accurately demonstrate to the cnidarian larvae the photosynthetic ability of the potential symbiont in the ambient environment. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a chemical cue attracting the motile coral larvae to the symbiont

Distribution, composition and functions of gelatinous tissues in deep-sea fishes

Many deep-sea fishes have a gelatinous layer, or subdermal extracellular matrix, below the skin or around the spine. We document the distribution of gelatinous tissues across fish families (approx. 200 species in ten orders), then review and investigate their composition and function. Gelatinous tissues from nine species were analysed for water content (96.53 ± 1.78% s.d.), ionic composition, osmolality, protein (0.39 ± 0.23%), lipid (0.69 ± 0.56%) and carbohydrate (0.61 ± 0.28%). Results suggest that gelatinous tissues are mostly extracellular fluid, which may allow animals to grow inexpensively. Further, almost all gelatinous tissues floated in cold seawater, thus their lower density than seawater may contribute to buoyancy in some species. We also propose a new hypothesis: gelatinous tissues, which are inexpensive to grow, may sometimes be a method to increase swimming efficiency by fairing the transition from trunk to tail. Such a layer is particularly prominent in hadal snailfishes (Liparidae); therefore, a robotic snailfish model was designed and constructed to analyse the influence of gelatinous tissues on locomotory performance. The model swam faster with a watery layer, representing gelatinous tissue, around the tail than without. Results suggest that the tissues may, in addition to providing buoyancy and low-cost growth, aid deep-sea fish locomotion. © 2017 The Authors

Određivanje dužine korijenskog kanala: procjena CDR® intraoralnog radiografskog sustava in vivo

The Computed Dental Radiolography System® (CDR: Schick Technologies, Long Island City, NY) is a CCD-based digital intraoral radiographic device which possesses a measurement software algorithm that can be adjusted with respect to an object of known dimension. This “calibration ” algorithm was compared to the CDR® preset mode and analog film using 30 root canals in vivo. The three measurement methods differed significantly from each other for 40% o f the canals sampled. Two o f the three differed significantly for 50% o f canals. No difference existed between the methods for 10% o f the canals. Estimates of tooth length using the calibrated mode differed from those obtained using a conventional radiographic technique by an average o f 1.2 mm, while those using the calibrated mode differed by 1.9 mm. The 1.2 mm average for the calibrated CDR® was judged to be an acceptable degree o f clinical error for most root canal procedures and indicates that the calibration function of the CDR® system should be used when measuring endodontic working lengths. The results demonstrated that calibration to a 15 mm probe when using the Schick CDR® system is more consistent with a comparable measurement, if film is used as the “gold standard”, than are measurements of the tooth length using the CDR® without calibration.Sustav "Kompjuterizirane dentalne radiografije" (CDR: Schick Technologies. Long Island City. NY) je na CDD-u zasnovan uređaj za digitalnu intraoralnu radio grafiju koji posjeduje "Software-ski algoritam" za mjerenja koji se može prilagoditi prema objektu poznate veličine. Ovaj "kalibracijski" algoritam uspoređen je sa sustavom CDR (kompjutorizirane dentalne radiografije) bez mjernog algoritma i analognim filmom rabeći 30 korijenskih kanala in vivo. Tri postupka mjerenja značajno su se razlikovali u 40% mjerenih korijenskih kanala. Dva od tri postupka razlikovala su se u 50% mjerenih kanala. Nikakve razlike između postupaka nije bilo u 10% mjerenih korijenskih kanala. Procjena duljine zuba korištenjem kalibriranog načina razlikovala se od procjene dobivene konvencionalnom (analognom) radio grafskom tehnikom za otprilike 1,2 mm, dok se od digitalnog sustava bez mjernog algoritma razlikovala za prosječno 1,9 mm. Razlika od 1,2 mm za "kalibrirani CDR" se procjenjuje kao prihvatljiva klinička greška za većinu endodontskih postupaka i ukazuje da bi se "kalibracijski sustav CDRa" trebao rabiti pri mjerenju radne duljine korijenskog kanala. Rezultati ukazuju da je kalibracija sonde do 15 mm kad se rabi Schch-ov CDR sustav postojanija s usporednim mjerenjem ako se film koji se mjeri uzme kao "zlatni standard", nego je mjerenje duljine CDR sustavom bez kalibracije

Eosinophil-derived neurotoxin and clinical outcomes with mepolizumab in severe eosinophilic asthma

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Population-based Interventions Engaging Communities of Color in Healthy Eating and Active Living: A Review

INTRODUCTION: The U.S. obesity epidemic is escalating, particularly among communities of color. Obesity control efforts have shifted away from individual-level approaches toward population-based approaches that address socio-cultural, political, economic, and physical environmental factors. Few data exist for ethnic minority groups. This article reviews studies of population-based interventions targeting communities of color or including sufficient samples to permit ethnic-specific analyses. METHODS: Inclusion criteria were established, an electronic database search conducted, and non-electronically catalogued studies retrieved. Findings were aggregated for earlier (early 1970s to early 1990s) and later (mid-1990s to present) interventions. RESULTS: The search yielded 23 ethnically inclusive intervention studies published between January 1970 and May 2003. Several characteristics of inclusive interventions were consistent with characteristics of community-level interventions among predominantly white European-American samples: use of non-interpersonal channels for information dissemination directed at broad spheres of influence (e.g., mass media), promotion of physical activity, and incorporation of social marketing principles. Ethnically inclusive studies, however, also placed greater emphasis on involving communities and building coalitions from study inception; targeting captive audiences; mobilizing social networks; and tailoring culturally specific messages and messengers. Inclusive studies also focused more on community than individual norms. Later studies used "upstream" approaches more than earlier studies. Fewer than half of the inclusive studies presented outcome evaluation data. Statistically significant effects were few and modest, but several studies demonstrated better outcomes among ethnic minority than white participants sampled. CONCLUSION: The best data available speak more about how to engage and retain people of color in these interventions than about how to create and sustain weight loss, regular engagement in physical activity, or improved diet. Advocacy should be directed at increasing the visibility and budget priority of interventions, particularly at the state and local levels