Prodigy bidirectional planning

The PRODIGY system is based on bidirectional planning, which is a combination of goal-directed reasoning with simulated execution. Researchers have implemented a series of planners that utilize this search strategy, and demonstrated that it is an efficient technique, a fair match to other successful planners; however, they have provided few formal results on the common principles underlying the developed algorithms. We formalize bidirectional planning, elucidate some techniques for improving its efficiency and show how different strategies for controlling search complexity give rise to different versions of PRODIGY. In particular, we demonstrate that PRODIGY is not complete and discuss advantages and drawbacks of its incompleteness. We then develop a complete bidirectional planner and compare it experimentally with PRODIGY. We show that the complete planner is almost as fast as PRODIGY and solves a wider range of problems.     

Wave propagation at high dissociation temperatures

Waves in ideal dissociating gases are examined in the limit of large dissociation temperatures. Both strong shock waves and weak finite-amplitude signalling problems are considered. The shock analysis is based on the Freeman limit, and an extension to higher Mach numbers is given. Even small-amplitude near-field theories, which are concerned with times comparable to the signal scale, can contain nonlinear exponential terms when the dissociation temperature is large. A corresponding endothermic Clarke equation is derived and solutions are determined in the Newtonian limit. Far-field theory, involving both convective and chemical nonlinearities, is also discussed. Suitable high-frequency solutions are obtained, together with results for the evolution of the shock path and the decay of the signal amplitude.     

Non-linear electromagnetic wave propagation in an isotropic material

It is shown that small departures from the classical linear constitutive relations can have significant cumulative effects on the propagation of electromagnetic waves. A non-linear far field theory is developed for holohedral isotropic materials. It is found that the amplitude of the signal propagates independently of the direction, although the local direction field depends strongly on this amplitude. The evolution of weak electromagnetic shocks is also discussed.     

Paying your way [road tolls]

With the strong and persistent upward trend in the volume of road traffic, many major roads in urban areas, estuarial river crossings, national trunk roads and motorways are experiencing a rapid increase in congestion. Toll roads are one answer but it is difficult to collect tolls without more queues generating more delays. Automated collection of tolls is looked at including the problems of lack of privacy for individuals     

Convection in a porous layerConvection dans une couche poreuseKonvektion in einer porösen schichtКoнвeкция в пopиcтoм цooe

Steady convective motions inside a rectangular cavity filled with a porous material are examined in the large Rayleigh number limit for flows driven by a horizontal temperature gradient. The boundary-layer structure on the side walls is determined using an integral relations approach. This method leads to results for the core mass flux, for the core-temperature gradient and for the heat-transfer characteristics which are in excellent agreement with numerical solutions of the boundary-layer equations.     

Empagliflozin Treatment Attenuates Hepatic Steatosis by Promoting White Adipose Expansion in Obese TallyHo Mice

Sodium-glucose co-transporters (SGLTs) serve to reabsorb glucose in the kidney. Recently, these transporters, mainly SGLT2, have emerged as new therapeutic targets for patients with diabetes and kidney disease; by inhibiting glucose reabsorption, they promote glycosuria, weight loss, and improve glucose tolerance. They have also been linked to cardiac protection and mitigation of liver injury. However, to date, the mechanism(s) by which SGLT2 inhibition promotes systemic improvements is not fully appreciated. Using an obese TallyHo mouse model which recapitulates the human condition of diabetes and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), we sought to determine how modulation of renal glucose handling impacts liver structure and function. Apart from an attenuation of hyperglycemia, Empagliflozin was found to decrease circulating triglycerides and lipid accumulation in the liver in male TallyHo mice. This correlated with lowered hepatic cholesterol esters. Using in vivo MRI analysis, we further determined that the reduction in hepatic steatosis in male TallyHo mice was associated with an increase in nuchal white fat indicative of “healthy adipose expansion”. Notably, this whitening of the adipose came at the expense of brown adipose tissue. Collectively, these data indicate that the modulation of renal glucose handling has systemic effects and may be useful as a treatment option for NAFLD and steatohepatitis.