Responsiveness in process calculi

A system guarantees responsive usage of a channel r$r$ if a communication along r$r$ is guaranteed to eventually take place. Responsiveness is important, for instance, to ensure that any request to a service be eventually replied. We propose two distinct type systems, each of which statically guarantees responsive usage of names in well-typed pi-calculus processes. In the first system, we achieve responsiveness by combining techniques for deadlock and livelock avoidance with linearity and receptiveness. The latter is a guarantee that a name is ready to receive as soon as it is created. These conditions imply relevant limitations on the nesting of actions and on multiple use of names in processes. In the second system, we relax these requirements so as to permit certain forms of nested inputs and multiple outputs. We demonstrate the expressive power of the two systems by showing that primitive recursive functions–in the case of the first system–and Cook and Misra’s service orchestration language orc–in the case of the second system–can be encoded into well-typed processes.     

A Multi-Modal Haptic Interface for Virtual Reality and Robotics

In this paper we present an innovative haptic device that combines the electro-tactile stimulation with the force and visual feedbacks in order to improve the perception of a virtual world. We discuss the sensation evoked in a user by the haptic, force, and the visual interface as provided by this device, implemented as a special glove, equipped with sensors and actuators connected to a PC. The techniques used to recreate tactile and kinesthetic sensations are based on an innovative use of cutaneous stimulation integrated with actuators and 3D modelling techniques. We discuss about the specificity of haptic interfaces, their controllers, their open problems. We present results about generating the sensation of touching virtual objects with our device. Experiments show also that, using a multi-modal sensorial pattern of stimulation, the subject perceives more realistically the virtual object. We discuss the possible use of the same technique as a way to interface intelligent robots.     

Defect and Contact Passivation for Perovskite Solar Cells

Metal‐halide perovskites are rapidly emerging as an important class of photovoltaic absorbers that may enable high‐performance solar cells at affordable cost. Thanks to the appealing optoelectronic properties of these materials, tremendous progress has been reported in the last few years in terms of power conversion efficiencies (PCE) of perovskite solar cells (PSCs), now with record values in excess of 24%. Nevertheless, the crystalline lattice of perovskites often includes defects, such as interstitials, vacancies, and impurities; at the grain boundaries and surfaces, dangling bonds can also be present, which all contribute to nonradiative recombination of photo‐carriers. On device level, such recombination undesirably inflates the open‐circuit voltage deficit, acting thus as a significant roadblock toward the theoretical efficiency limit of 30%. Herein, the focus is on the origin of the various voltage‐limiting mechanisms in PSCs, and possible mitigation strategies are discussed. Contact passivation schemes and the effect of such methods on the reduction of hysteresis are described. Furthermore, several strategies that demonstrate how passivating contacts can increase the stability of PSCs are elucidated. Finally, the remaining key challenges in contact design are prioritized and an outlook on how passivating contacts will contribute to further the progress toward market readiness of high‐efficiency PSCs is presented.     

Unraveling the molecular repertoire of tears as a source of biomarkers: Beyond ocular diseases

Proteomics and metabolomics investigations of body fluids present several challenges for biomarker discovery of several diseases. The search for biomarkers is actually conducted in different body fluids, even if the ideal biomarker can be found in an easily accessible biological fluid, because, if validated, the biomarker could be sought in the healthy population. In this regard, tears could be considered an optimum material obtained by noninvasive procedures. In the past years, the scientific community has become more interested in the study of tears for the research of new biomarkers not only for ocular diseases. In this review, we provide a discussion on the current state of biomarkers research in tears and their relevance for clinical practice, and report the main results of clinical proteomics studies on systemic and eye diseases. We summarize the main methods for tear samples analyses and report recent advances in “omics” platforms for tears investigations. Moreover, we want to take stock of the emerging field of metabolomics and lipidomics as a new and integrated approach to study protein-metabolites interplay for biomarkers research, where tears represent a still unexplored and attractive field.     

Interpretation of strokes in radial menus: The case of the KeyScretch text entry method

Most of the recently proposed text entry methods for touch screen devices are stroke-based: the traditional tapping interaction is being replaced with a more natural gesture, performed through a pointer (pen or finger) on a soft keyboard. These methods need an effective technique to interpret user strokes, in order to correctly obtain the text the user intends to enter. KeyScretch is a recent text entry method based on menu-augmented soft keyboards. The method introduces a new way of interacting with radial menus through compound strokes. In this paper we present the technology used for recognizing these strokes. In particular, the design of different recognizers is presented and their performances are compared. The evaluation shows that geometric stroke recognition techniques, associated to other calibrations, can significantly improve the accuracy achievable using a simple target-based method.     

Minimal Surfaces and Architecture: New Forms

Michele Emmer discusses the relations between soap films, arts, mathematics, visual arts, architecture with very recent examples. It’s because I don’t do anything, I chatter a lot, you see, it’s already a month that I’ve got into the habit of talking a lot, sitting for days on end in a corner with my brain chasing after fancies. It is perhaps something serious? No, it’s nothing serious. They are soap bubbles, pure chimeras that attract my imagination. Fedor Dostoevsky, Crime and Punishment      

Model checking mobile stochastic logic

The Temporal Mobile Stochastic Logic (MoSL) has been introduced in previous work by the authors for formulating properties of systems specified in StoKlaim, a Markovian extension of Klaim. The main purpose of MoSL is to address key functional aspects of global computing such as distribution awareness, mobility, and security and their integration with performance and dependability guarantees. In this paper, we present MoSL⁺${\text{<small-caps>MoSL</small-caps>}}^{+}$, an extension of MoSL, which incorporates some basic features of the Modal Logic for MObility (MoMo), a logic specifically designed for dealing with resource management and mobility aspects of concurrent behaviours. We also show how MoSL⁺${\text{<small-caps>MoSL</small-caps>}}^{+}$ formulae can be model-checked against StoKlaim specifications. For this purpose, we show how existing state-based stochastic model-checkers, like e.g. the Markov Reward Model Checker (MRMC), can be exploited by using a front-end for StoKlaim that performs appropriate pre-processing of MoSL⁺${\text{<small-caps>MoSL</small-caps>}}^{+}$ formulae. The proposed approach is illustrated by modelling and verifying a sample system.     

Proteomics in paediatric cardiac surgery: Is a personalised approach feasible?

The incidence of congenital cardiac abnormalities remains high. Paediatric patients with congenital cardiac defects often require surgery at a young age. The surgeries are often long and complex, rendering this population particularly vulnerable to the deleterious effects of cardiopulmonary bypass and cardiac surgery. The search for cardioprotective strategies is ongoing in an attempt to reduce the morbidity in this population. In the post-genomic era, it is apparent that simply determining the genomic sequences holds little diagnostic potential and means to determine progression of disease and response to treatment. The field of proteomics is expanding and application of proteomic techniques in the clinical setting holds great potential to advance our understanding of the proteomic changes involved in specific disease stages. This review will assess the application of proteomic techniques in the setting of paediatric cardiac surgery and highlight the need to obtain a clear understanding of the role of various proteins in children with cardiac conditions. The success and challenges of the available proteomic technology will be discussed as well as the future potential of proteomic methods for advancing our understanding of protein changes in children requiring cardiac surgery.