<Emphasis FontCategory="NonProportional">FEMPAR</Emphasis>: An Object-Oriented Parallel Finite Element Framework

FEMPAR is an open source object oriented Fortran200X scientific software library for the high-performance scalable simulation of complex multiphysics problems governed by partial differential equations at large scales, by exploiting state-of-the-art supercomputing resources. It is a highly modularized, flexible, and extensible library, that provides a set of modules that can be combined to carry out the different steps of the simulation pipeline. FEMPAR includes a rich set of algorithms for the discretization step, namely (arbitrary-order) grad, div, and curl-conforming finite element methods, discontinuous Galerkin methods, B-splines, and unfitted finite element techniques on cut cells, combined with h-adaptivity. The linear solver module relies on state-of-the-art bulk-asynchronous implementations of multilevel domain decomposition solvers for the different discretization alternatives and block-preconditioning techniques for multiphysics problems. FEMPAR is a framework that provides users with out-of-the-box state-of-the-art discretization techniques and highly scalable solvers for the simulation of complex applications, hiding the dramatic complexity of the underlying algorithms. But it is also a framework for researchers that want to experience with new algorithms and solvers, by providing a highly extensible framework. In this work, the first one in a series of articles about FEMPAR, we provide a detailed introduction to the software abstractions used in the discretization module and the related geometrical module. We also provide some ingredients about the assembly of linear systems arising from finite element discretizations, but the software design of complex scalable multilevel solvers is postponed to a subsequent work.     

<Emphasis FontCategory="NonProportional">umd-verification</Emphasis>: Automation of Software Validation for the EGI Federated e-Infrastructure

Supporting e-Science in the EGI e-Infrastructure requires extensive and reliable software, for advanced computing use, deployed across over approximately 300 European and worldwide data centers. The Unified Middleware Distribution (UMD) and Cloud Middleware Distribution (CMD) are the channels to deliver the software for the EGI e-Infrastructure consumption. The software is compiled, validated and distributed following the Software Provisioning Process (SWPP), where the Quality Criteria (QC) definition sets the minimum quality requirements for EGI acceptance. The growing number of software components currently existing within UMD and CMD distributions hinders the application of the traditional, manual-based validation mechanisms, thus driving the adoption of automated solutions. This paper presents umd-verification, an open-source tool that enforces the fulfillment of the QC requirements in an automated way for the continuous validation of the software products for scientific disposal. The umd-verification tool has been successfully integrated within the SWPP pipeline and is progressively supporting the full validation of the products in the UMD and CMD repositories. While the cost of supporting new products is dependant on the availability of Infrastructure as Code solutions to take over the deployment and high test coverage, the results obtained for the already integrated products are promising, as the time invested in the validation of products has been drastically reduced. Furthermore, automation adoption has brought along benefits for the reliability of the process, such as the removal of human-associated errors or the risk of regression of previously tested functionalities.     

<Emphasis FontCategory="SansSerif">Mnemonics</Emphasis>: type-safe bytecode generation at run time

Mnemonics is a Scala library for generating method bodies in JVM bytecode at run time. Mnemonics supports a large subset of the JVM instructions, for which the static typing of the generator guarantees the well-formedness of the generated bytecode.     

<Emphasis FontCategory="SansSerif">Snow</Emphasis>: A Parallel Computing Framework for the R System

This paper presents a simple parallel computing framework for the statistical programming language R. The system focuses on parallelization of familiar higher level mapping functions and emphasizes simplicity of use in order to encourage adoption by a wide range of R users. The paper describes the design and implementation of the system, outlines examples of its use, and presents some possible directions for future developments.     

Maximum <Emphasis Type="Italic">k</Emphasis>-Splittable <Emphasis Type="Italic">s</Emphasis>,<Emphasis Type="Italic">t</Emphasis>-Flows

Given a graph with a source and a sink node, the NP-hard maximum k-splittable s,t-flow (M k SF) problem is to find a flow of maximum value from s to t with a flow decomposition using at most k paths. The multicommodity variant of this problem is a natural generalization of disjoint paths and unsplittable flow problems. Constructing a k-splittable flow requires two interdepending decisions. One has to decide on k paths (routing) and on the flow values for the paths (packing). We give efficient algorithms for computing exact and approximate solutions by decoupling the two decisions into a first packing step and a second routing step. Usually the routing is considered before the packing. Our main contributions are as follows: (i) We show that for constant k a polynomial number of packing alternatives containing at least one packing used by an optimal M k SF solution can be constructed in polynomial time. If k is part of the input, we obtain a slightly weaker result. In this case we can guarantee that, for any fixed ε>0, the computed set of alternatives contains a packing used by a (1−ε)-approximate solution. The latter result is based on the observation that (1−ε)-approximate flows only require constantly many different flow values. We believe that this observation is of interest in its own right. (ii) Based on (i), we prove that, for constant k, the M k SF problem can be solved in polynomial time on graphs of bounded treewidth. If k is part of the input, this problem is still NP-hard and we present a polynomial time approximation scheme for it.     

Heidegger on technology and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Gelassenheit</Emphasis>: <Emphasis Type="Italic">wabi</Emphasis>-<Emphasis Type="Italic">sabi</Emphasis> and the art of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Verfallenheit</Emphasis>

The question of the contemporary relevance of Heidegger’s reflections on technology to today’s advanced technology is here explored with reference to the notion of “entanglement” towards a review of Heidegger’s understanding of technology and media, including the entertainment industry and modern digital life. Heidegger’s reflections on Gelassenheit have been connected with the aesthetics of the tea ceremony, disputing the material aesthetics of porcelain versus plastic. Here by approaching the art of wabi-sabi as the art of Verfallenheit, I argue that Gelassenheit may be understood in these terms.     

<Emphasis FontCategory="SansSerif">VeriSiMPL</Emphasis> 2: An open-source software for the verification of max-plus-linear systems

This work presents a technique to generate finite abstractions of autonomous Max-Plus-Linear (MPL) systems, a class of discrete-event systems employed to characterize the dynamics of the timing related to the synchronization of successive events. Abstractions of MPL systems are derived as finite-state transition systems. A transition system is obtained first by partitioning the state space of the MPL system into finitely many regions and then by associating a unique state of the transition system to each partitioning region. Relations among the states of the transition system are then set up based on the underlying dynamical transitions between the corresponding partitioning regions of the MPL state space. In order to establish formal equivalences, the obtained finite abstractions are proven either to simulate or to bisimulate the original MPL system. The approach enables the study of general properties of the original MPL system formalized as logical specifications, by verifying them over the finite abstraction via model checking. The article presents a new, extended and improved implementation of a software tool (available online) for the discussed formal abstraction of MPL systems, and is tested on a numerical benchmark against a previous version.     

Corepresentation of a sylow <Emphasis Type="Italic">p</Emphasis>-subgroup of a group <Emphasis Type="Italic">S</Emphasis><Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">n</Emphasis></Subscript>

The corepresentation of a Sylow p-subgroup of a symmetric group in the form of generating relations is investigated, and a Sylow subgroup of a group , i.e., an n-fold wreath product of regular cyclic groups of prime order, that is isomorphic to the group of automorphisms of a spherically homogeneous root tree is also studied. Translated from Kibernetika i Sistemnyi Analiz, No. 1, pp. 27–41, January–February 2009.     

Low-density incomplete <Emphasis Type="Italic">LDL</Emphasis><Superscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">T</Emphasis></Superscript> factorizations

A particular class of incomplete factorizations is proposed as preconditioners for the linear system Ax = b where A is a symmetric, large and sparse matrix. The ILDL ^T< (p) factorization (p = 1,2,3, …) determines the density of the lower triangular matrix L selecting the p largest off-diagonal entries of each column during the Gaussian elimination process. This selection may be computationally expensive, but the effectiveness of the preconditioner allows us to choose very low-density factors to reduce both work time and storage requirements. This incomplete factorization can be performed reliably on H-matrices. When A is a positive definite matrix, but not an H-matrix, one can perform an incomplete factorization if positive off-diagonal entries are removed or reduced and diagonally compensated. Numerical results for a variety of problems and comparisons with other incomplete factorizations are presented. Received: August 2002 / Accepted: December 2002 RID="*" ID="*"This work was supported by the Spanish grant BFM 2001-2641.     

EP<Emphasis Type="Italic">n</Emphasis>P: An Accurate <Emphasis Type="Italic">O</Emphasis>(<Emphasis Type="Italic">n</Emphasis>) Solution to the P<Emphasis Type="Italic">n</Emphasis>P Problem

We propose a non-iterative solution to the PnP problem—the estimation of the pose of a calibrated camera from n 3D-to-2D point correspondences—whose computational complexity grows linearly with n. This is in contrast to state-of-the-art methods that are O(n ⁵) or even O(n ⁸), without being more accurate. Our method is applicable for all n≥4 and handles properly both planar and non-planar configurations. Our central idea is to express the n 3D points as a weighted sum of four virtual control points. The problem then reduces to estimating the coordinates of these control points in the camera referential, which can be done in O(n) time by expressing these coordinates as weighted sum of the eigenvectors of a 12×12 matrix and solving a small constant number of quadratic equations to pick the right weights. Furthermore, if maximal precision is required, the output of the closed-form solution can be used to initialize a Gauss-Newton scheme, which improves accuracy with negligible amount of additional time. The advantages of our method are demonstrated by thorough testing on both synthetic and real-data.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">I-Quest</Emphasis>: an <Emphasis Type="Italic">i</Emphasis>ntelligent <Emphasis Type="Italic">que</Emphasis>ry <Emphasis Type="Italic">st</Emphasis>ructuring based on user browsing feedback for semantic retrieval of video data

In spite of significant improvements in video data retrieval, a system has not yet been developed that can adequately respond to a user’s query. Typically, the user has to refine the query many times and view query results until eventually the expected videos are retrieved from the database. The complexity of video data and questionable query structuring by the user aggravates the retrieval process. Most previous research in this area has focused on retrieval based on low-level features. Managing imprecise queries using semantic (high-level) content is no easier than queries based on low-level features due to the absence of a proper continuous distance function. We provide a method to help users search for clips and videos of interest in video databases. The video clips are classified as interesting and uninteresting based on user browsing. The attribute values of clips are classified by commonality, presence, and frequency within each of the two groups to be used in computing the relevance of each clip to the user’s query. In this paper, we provide an intelligent query structuring system, called I-Quest, to rank clips based on user browsing feedback, where a template generation from the set of interesting and uninteresting sets is impossible or yields poor results.

Intuitionistic (<Emphasis Type="Italic">S</Emphasis>, <Emphasis Type="Italic">T</Emphasis>)-fuzzy hyperquasigroups

The concept of intuitionistic fuzzy subhyperquasigroups in a hyperquasigroup with respect to an s-norm and a t-norm on intuitionistic fuzzy sets is introduced and their properties of such hyperquasigroups are studied. Intuitionistic (S, T)-fuzzy relations on a hyperquasigroup G are discussed. In particular, we investigate connections hyperquasigroups with binary quasigroups.     

3D virtual mosaics: <Emphasis Type="Italic">Opus Palladium</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">mixed</Emphasis> styles

One of the oldest art forms, mosaics are built by careful selection and placement of small pieces called tiles. Although 2D mosaics have attracted attention in computer graphics research, 3D virtual mosaic sculptures are less common. In this work, we present a method to simulate mosaic sculptures using tiles with irregular shapes, a method known by mosaicists as Opus Palladium, or simply “crazy paving,” due to the inherent freedom of mixing the tiles. In order to add expressiveness and emphasize some features, artists distribute the tiles following a high-level design over the shape. We use Voronoi polygons to represent the tiles computed from a distribution of points on the surface of the 3D object. We also address the simulation of mixed mosaics, where both irregular and squared-shape tiles are used on the same object. Previous works on such surface mosaics have used only square-shaped tiles, with fixed or variable size. Special mosaic-like effects are obtained with the help from texture maps, which control the high-level design of the tile distribution.     

The servicing system <Emphasis Type="Italic">MAP</Emphasis>(<Emphasis Type="Italic">PH</Emphasis>)+<Emphasis Type="Italic">MAP/PH/N/R</Emphasis> as a model of optimizing an <Emphasis Type="Italic">HTTP</Emphasis> server with blockings

We consider a multiline queueing system with joint or single queries. The number of queries in a connection is random and is not known when the connection is established. Queries arriving during each connection are described by the phase type input steam. Accepting a connection in the system is restricted by tokens. Connections arriving when no free tokens are present are refused. Single queries arrive without tokens. If the number of free slots in the system is not enough, the system is blocked.     

I—SATCHMORE：An Improvement of A—SATCHMORE

This paper presents an improvement of A-SATCHMORE (SATCHMORE with Availability).A-SATCHMORE incorporates relevancy testing and availability checking into SATCHMO to prune away irrelevant forward chaining.However ,considering every consequent atom of those non-Horn clauses being derivable,A-SATCHMORE may suffer from a potential explosion of the search space when some of such consequent atoms are actually underivable.This paper introduces a solution for this problem and shows its correctness.     

Emergence of anti-<Emphasis Type="Italic">F</Emphasis>(<Emphasis Type="Italic">R</Emphasis>) gravity in type-IV bouncing cosmology as due to <Emphasis Type="Italic">M</Emphasis><Subscript>0</Subscript>-brane

Recently, some authors considered the origin of a type-IV singular bounce in modified gravity and obtained the explicit form of F(R) which can produce this type of cosmology. In this paper, we show that during the contracting branch of type-IV bouncing cosmology, the sign of gravity changes, and antigravity emerges. In our model, M0 branes get together and shape a universe, an anti-universe, and a wormhole which connects them. As time passes, this wormhole is dissolved in the universes, F(R) gravity emerges, and the universe expands. When the brane universes become close to each other, the squared energy of their system becomes negative, and some tachyonic states are produced. To remove these states, universes are assumed to be compact, the sign of compacted gravity changes, and anti-F(R) gravity arises, which causes getting away of the universes from each other. In this theory, a Type-IV singularity occurs at t = t _s , which is the time of producing tachyons between expansion and contraction branches.     

The <Emphasis Type="Italic">MAP</Emphasis> + <Emphasis Type="Italic">MAP/PH</Emphasis>/1/<Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis> queuing system with single and batch arrivals of customers

The single-server queuing system with finite buffer was considered. The customers may arrive one-by-one or in batches. Arrivals of single customers and their batches obey the Markov input processes. The customers from a batch taken for servicing come one at a time at the exponentially distributed time intervals. The numbers of customers in batches are distributed geometrically. The time of customer servicing has a phase-type distribution. The numbers of batches and single customers that may be simultaneously accepted by the system are controllable parameters. The joint distribution of the number of batches and the number of customers in system, loss probabilities, distribution of the time of batch sojourn, and problems of optimization were analyzed.     

On the <Emphasis Type="Italic">k</Emphasis>-accessibility of cores of <Emphasis Type="Italic">TU</Emphasis>-cooperative games

This paper proposes a strengthening of the author’s core-accessibility theorem for balanced TU-cooperative games. The obtained strengthening relaxes the influence of the nontransitivity of classical domination αv on the quality of the sequential improvement of dominated imputations in a game v. More specifically, we establish the k-accessibility of the core C(α _v ) of any balanced TU-cooperative game v for all natural numbers k: for each dominated imputation x, there exists a converging sequence of imputations x₀, x₁,..., such that x₀ = x, lim x _r ∈ C(α _v ) and x_r?m is dominated by any successive imputation x _r with m ∈ [1, k] and r ≥ m. For showing that the TU-property is essential to provide the k-accessibility of the core, we give an example of an NTU-cooperative game G with a ”black hole” representing a nonempty closed subset B ? G(N) of dominated imputations that contains all the α _G -monotonic sequential improvement trajectories originating at any point x ∈ B.     

Pseudo-Randomness of Certain Sequences of <Emphasis Type="Italic">k</Emphasis> Symbols with Length <Emphasis Type="Italic">pq</Emphasis>

The theory of finite pseudo-random binary sequences was built by C. Mauduit and A. Sárközy and later extended to sequences of k symbols (or k-ary sequences). Certain constructions of pseudo-random sequences of k symbols were presented over finite fields in the literature. In this paper, two families of sequences of k symbols are constructed by using the integers modulo pq for distinct odd primes p and q. The upper bounds on the well-distribution measure and the correlation measure of the families sequences are presented in terms of certain character sums over modulo pq residue class rings. And low bounds on the linear complexity profile are also estimated.