Query language-based inverses of schema mappings: semantics, computation, and closure properties

The inversion of schema mappings has been identified as one of the fundamental operators for the development of a general framework for metadata management. During the last few years, three alternative notions of inversion for schema mappings have been proposed (Fagin-inverse (Fagin, TODS 32(4), 25:1–25:53, 2007), quasi-inverse (Fagin et?al., TODS 33(2), 11:1–11:52, 2008), and maximum recovery (Arenas et?al., TODS 34(4), 22:1–22:48, 2009)). However, these notions lack some fundamental properties that limit their practical applicability: most of them are expressed in languages including features that are difficult to use in practice, some of these inverses are not guaranteed to exist for mappings specified with source-to-target tuple-generating dependencies (st-tgds), and it has been futile to search for a meaningful mapping language that is closed under any of these notions of inverse. In this paper, we develop a framework for the inversion of schema mappings that fulfills all of the above requirements. It is based on the notion of ${\mathcal{C}}$ -maximum recovery, for a query language ${\mathcal{C}}$ , a notion designed to generate inverse mappings that recover back only the information that can be retrieved with queries in ${\mathcal{C}}$ . By focusing on the language of conjunctive queries (CQ), we are able to find a mapping language that contains the class of st-tgds, is closed under CQ-maximum recovery, and for which the chase procedure can be used to exchange data efficiently. Furthermore, we show that our choices of inverse notion and mapping language are optimal, in the sense that choosing a more expressive inverse operator or mapping language causes the loss of these properties.     

Environmental-aware virtual data center network

Cloud computing services have recently become a ubiquitous service delivery model, covering a wide range of applications from personal file sharing to being an enterprise data warehouse. Building green data center networks providing cloud computing services is an emerging trend in the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) industry, because of Global Warming and the potential GHG emissions resulting from cloud services. As one of the first worldwide initiatives provisioning ICT services entirely based on renewable energy such as solar, wind and hydroelectricity across Canada and around the world, the GreenStar Network (GSN) was developed to dynamically transport user services to be processed in data centers built in proximity to green energy sources, reducing Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions of ICT equipments. Regarding the current approach, which focuses mainly in reducing energy consumption at the micro-level through energy efficiency improvements, the overall energy consumption will eventually increase due to the growing demand from new services and users, resulting in an increase in GHG emissions. Based on the cooperation between Mantychore FP7 and the GSN, our approach is, therefore, much broader and more appropriate because it focuses on GHG emission reductions at the macro-level. This article presents some outcomes of our implementation of such a network model, which spans multiple green nodes in Canada, Europe and the USA. The network provides cloud computing services based on dynamic provision of network slices through relocation of virtual data centers.     

Adenovirus-Mediated Inducible Expression of a PD-L1 Blocking Antibody in Combination with Macrophage Depletion Improves Survival in a Mouse Model of Peritoneal Carcinomatosis

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have demonstrated remarkable efficacy in a growing number of malignancies. However, overcoming primary or secondary resistances is difficult due to pharmacokinetics issues and side effects associated with high systemic exposure. Local or regional expression of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) using gene therapy vectors can alleviate this problem. In this work, we describe a high-capacity adenoviral vector (HCA-EFZP-aPDL1) equipped with a mifepristone-inducible system for the controlled expression of an anti-programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) blocking antibody. The vector was tested in an immune-competent mouse model of colorectal cancer based on implantation of MC38 cells. A single local administration of HCA-EFZP-aPDL1 in subcutaneous lesions led to a significant reduction in tumor growth with minimal release of the antibody in the circulation. When the vector was tested in a more stringent setting (rapidly progressing peritoneal carcinomatosis), the antitumor effect was marginal even in combination with other immune-stimulatory agents such as polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (pI:C), blocking mAbs for T cell immunoglobulin, mucin-domain containing-3 (TIM-3) or agonistic mAbs for 4-1BB (CD137). In contrast, macrophage depletion by clodronate liposomes enhanced the efficacy of HCA-EFZP-aPDL1. These results highlight the importance of addressing macrophage-associated immunoregulatory mechanisms to overcome resistance to ICIs in the context of colorectal cancer.     

Well-Known and Novel Serum Biomarkers for Risk Stratification of Patients with Non-ischemic Dilated Cardiomyopathy

Non-ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy encompasses a wide spectrum of myocardial disorders, characterized by left ventricular dilatation with systolic impairment and increased risk of sudden cardiac death. In spite of all the therapeutic progress that has been made in recent years, dilated cardiomyopathy continues to be an important cause of cardiac transplant, being associated with an enormous cost burden for health care systems worldwide. Predicting the prognosis of patients with dilated cardiomyopathy is essential to individualize treatment. Late gadolinium enhancement-cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, microvolt T-wave alternans, and genetic testing have emerged as powerful tools in predicting sudden cardiac death occurrence and maximizing patient’s selection. Despite all these new diagnostic modalities, additional tests to complement or replace current tools are required for better risk stratification. Therefore, biomarkers are an easy and important tool that can help to detect patients at risk of adverse cardiovascular events. Additionally, identifying potential biomarkers involved in dilated cardiomyopathy can provide us important information regarding the diagnostic, prognostic, risk stratification, and response to treatment for these patients. Many potential biomarkers have been studied in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy, but only a few have been adopted in current practice. Therefore, the aim of our review is to provide the clinicians with an update on the well-known and novel biomarkers that can be useful for risk stratification of patients with non-ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy.     

NH3-NO/NO2 SCR for diesel exhausts after treatment: mechanism and modelling of a catalytic converter

We review herein the key mechanistic and kinetic features of the reactions involved in the NH₃-NO/NO₂ SCR system investigated by dynamic reactive experiments over a V-based commercial powdered catalyst, eventually leading to the proposal of an original redox scheme which accounts for stoichiometry, selectivity and intrinsic kinetics of the global SCR process.     

A universal design resource for rich Internet applications based on design patterns

Rich Internet applications have removed most of the constraints of Web 1.0 while giving users more responsiveness and advanced browsing and interaction experiences. These new horizons, however, raise many challenges for people with disabilities or using limited hardware and software technologies, whose risk to be excluded from the benefits deriving from advanced web applications. To address this problem, WCAG 2.0 guidelines have been released as the newest World Wide Web Consortium recommendation for accessible web content, and WAI-ARIA is a candidate recommendation which provides reference specifications for accessible rich Internet applications. However, both specifications contain a huge amount of information that often discourages most web designers from dealing with accessibility issues. Moreover, guidelines are suitable and usually adopted to judge a design solution a posteriori, but they do not suggest how to face a design problem constructively. This paper proposes a design pattern language for accessibility. The language can be regarded as a universal design resource for helping web designers create accessible rich Internet applications compliant with the most recent standards. Knowledge representation through design patterns reflects the problem-solving approach usually followed by software and web designers, while pattern organization in a structured language aims to guide web designers throughout the design process. The language has been implemented as an accessible rich Internet application itself, thus allowing designers with disabilities to participate in web design. In order to evaluate the design pattern language, a three-step process was carried out including: (1) a heuristic analysis with a group of human–computer interaction experts, (2) a survey study with a group of web designers, and (3) a validation on the field with two designers who have been requested to apply the language in real design cases.     

茶树尺蛾科典型害虫成虫智能识别技术研究

以设计茶树害虫成虫智能识别应用系统为目的,提出了构建基于图像特征组合智能识别关键技术的三维空间结构（特征组合可分性结构、算法切合度和识别率）研究思想,系统地阐述了三维空间结构的内涵、指标体系、筛选条件、研究模型及实践方法;以尺蛾科典型害虫成虫为实例,认证了研究办法和实现途径的可行性,并对构建智能识别关键技术之三维空间结构知识库的实现路线图进行了展望。     

构建长江开发与保护的和谐关系

阐述了长江流域水资源利用在全国的战略突出地位及合理开发长江水资源的重要性。分析了以往水资源开发中暴露的重大生态环境问题,论述了构建长江水资源开发与生态保护和谐关系的紧迫性。提出了协调长江开发与保护需要探究的主要研究课题：辨识开发中的生态环境制约问题,研究开发对生态环境的叠加累积效应,探讨生态修复补偿及生态调度措施,研究维系健康长江的管理对策。     

丹江口水库水环境问题分析研究

为了掌握南水北调中线工程水源地丹江口水库的水质变化情况,依据多年的水质实测资料,对丹江口库区各地的水污染情况进行了全面分析。分析结果表明：按国家标准,丹江口水库水体水质总体良好,符合国家地面水环境质量标准Ⅱ类水标准;但由于库区经济的快速发展,库区水体水质存在恶化趋势,点源污染依然严重,面源污染日趋严重,部分库湾出现富营养化趋势,且存在一些潜在污染风险源。目前,需要加强丹江口水库库区水质的监测,并采取相应污染控制措施,保障未来南水北调工程的水源质量。     

Disjunctive databases for representing repairs

This paper addresses the problem of representing the set of repairs of a possibly inconsistent database by means of a disjunctive database. Specifically, the class of denial constraints is considered. We show that, given a database and a set of denial constraints, there exists a (unique) disjunctive database, called canonical, which represents the repairs of the database w.r.t. the constraints and is contained in any other disjunctive database with the same set of minimal models. We propose an algorithm for computing the canonical disjunctive database. Finally, we study the size of the canonical disjunctive database in the presence of functional dependencies for both subset-based repairs and cardinality-based repairs.