Preprocess, Set, Query!

Thorup and Zwick (J. ACM 52(1):1–24, 2005 and STOC’01) in their seminal work introduced the notion of distance oracles. Given an n-vertex weighted undirected graph with m edges, they show that for any integer k≥1 it is possible to preprocess the graph in $\tilde {O}(mn^{1/k})$ time and generate a compact data structure of size O(kn ^1+1/k ). For each pair of vertices, it is then possible to retrieve an estimated distance with multiplicative stretch 2k?1 in O(k) time. For k=2 this gives an oracle of O(n ^1.5) size that produces in constant time estimated distances with stretch 3. Recently, Pǎtra?cu and Roditty (In: Proc. of 51st FOCS, 2010) broke the theoretical status-quo in the field of distance oracles and obtained a distance oracle for sparse unweighted graphs of O(n ^5/3) size that produces in constant time estimated distances with stretch 2. In this paper we show that it is possible to break the stretch 2 barrier at the price of non-constant query time in unweighted undirected graphs. We present a data structure that produces estimated distances with 1+ε stretch. The size of the data structure is O(nm ^1?ε′) and the query time is $\tilde {O}(m^{1-\varepsilon '})$ . Using it for sparse unweighted graphs we can get a data structure of size O(n ^1.87) that can supply in O(n ^0.87) time estimated distances with multiplicative stretch 1.75.     

Approximate Pattern Matching with the <Emphasis Type="Italic">L</Emphasis><Subscript>1</Subscript>, <Emphasis Type="Italic">L</Emphasis><Subscript>2</Subscript> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">L</Emphasis><Subscript>∞</Subscript> Metrics

Given an alphabet Σ={1,2,…,|Σ|} text string T∈Σ ⁿ and a pattern string P∈Σ ^m , for each i=1,2,…,n−m+1 define L _p (i) as the p-norm distance when the pattern is aligned below the text and starts at position i of the text. The problem of pattern matching with L _p distance is to compute L _p (i) for every i=1,2,…,n−m+1. We discuss the problem for d=1,2,∞. First, in the case of L ₁ matching (pattern matching with an L ₁ distance) we show a reduction of the string matching with mismatches problem to the L ₁ matching problem and we present an algorithm that approximates the L ₁ matching up to a factor of 1+ε, which has an O(\frac1e²nlogmlog|S|)O(\frac{1}{\varepsilon^{2}}n\log m\log|\Sigma|) run time. Then, the L ₂ matching problem (pattern matching with an L ₂ distance) is solved with a simple O(nlog m) time algorithm. Finally, we provide an algorithm that approximates the L _∞ matching up to a factor of 1+ε with a run time of O(\frac1enlogmlog|S|)O(\frac{1}{\varepsilon}n\log m\log|\Sigma|) . We also generalize the problem of String Matching with mismatches to have weighted mismatches and present an O(nlog ⁴ m) algorithm that approximates the results of this problem up to a factor of O(log m) in the case that the weight function is a metric.     

Pyrolysis shaker reactor for the production of biochar

Intermediate pyrolysis reactors are preferred for processes focused on the production of high-quality biochar. The main types are rotary drums, augers, and moving beds agitated with either grates or paddles. These reactors are usually operated in continuous mode, and are designed to provide a pure, homogeneous biochar product by ensuring near plug flow of the reacting particles. There is a need for laboratory reactors that can provide enough biochar for testing in applications such as soil amendment, fillers for concrete or polymers, coke substitution, or pollutant capture. The pyrolysis shaker reactor (PSR) is a new laboratory reactor that is inexpensive, provides good mixing and temperature control, is easy to operate and allows for rapid turnaround between runs. It provides a homogeneous biochar product. Its use was demonstrated with digestate from the anaerobic digestion of food waste. The rapid and thorough testing program made possible with the PSR indicated that this digestate should be pyrolyzed at 250°C to maximize the release of mineral from the biochar to water, and at 400°C to minimize the release of minerals. Its biochar would require post-treatment to be applied as a substitute for activated carbon.     

Summarizing stories after reading and listening.

48 college students either listened to or read 3 tape-recorded stories, each about 2,000 words in length. Immediately after processing each story, Ss wrote a summary in 60–80 words. A comparison of the summaries written after reading with those written after listening revealed only minor differences. Ss tended to include a little more idiosyncratic detail in their summaries after listening than after reading, but the shared content of the summaries remained remarkably unchanged. It is concluded that these results can aid in the identification of the common core of comprehension processes that underlie both listening and skilled reading. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Phosphorus and potassium cycling in a long-term no-till integrated soybean-beef cattle production system under different grazing intensities insubtropics

Long-term integrated crop-livestock system enables constant and more efficient nutrient cycling because animal, pasture and crop residues release nutrients at different rates. Therefore, appropriate management of these systems is needed to maximize benefits from nutrient cycling. The objective of this study was to evaluate how grazing intensity affected the release rates of phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) in pasture, dung and soybean residues in a no-till long-term integrated crop-livestock system. The experiment was established in 2001 on a clayey Oxisol after soybean harvest. Treatments consisted of pasture with sward heights maintained at 1020, 30 and 40 cm by different cattle stocking rates and a non-grazed (NG) treatment. Decomposition and release rates of nutrients in the pasture and dung were determined using litter bags, which were installed at soybean seeding and pasture seeding during two pasture-crop cycles (2009–2011). Lighter grazing intensities resulted in greater P release rate from pasture and dung residues. Pasture and dung residues released K at a very high rate and were not influenced by grazing intensity. The P and K released from soybean residue were not affected by grazing intensity; however, decomposition of soybean leaves was greater than of stems. Greatest rates of total P and K released were from pasture and dung residues under lighter grazing intensities and in the NG areas. Large amounts of P (~25 kg ha^?1) and K (~130–180 kg ha^?1) were cycled in a complete soybean-beef cattle integrated system and must be considered in the fertilization management.     

Approximate string matching with address bit errors

A string S∈Σ^m$S\in {\Sigma }^m$ can be viewed as a set of pairs S={(_σi,i):i∈{0,…,m−1}}$S=\{({\sigma }_i,i):i\in \{0,\dots ,m-1\}\}$. We consider approximate pattern matching problems arising from the setting where errors are introduced to the location component (i$i$), rather than the more traditional setting, where errors are introduced into the content itself (_σi${\sigma }_i$). In this paper, we consider the case where bits of i$i$ may be erroneously flipped, either in a consistent or transient manner. We formally define the corresponding approximate pattern matching problems, and provide efficient algorithms for their resolution, while introducing some novel techniques.     

Investigation of the dominant point defects in tetragonal YBa2Cu3Ox at elevated temperatures

The manner in which oxygen is incorporated into YBa₂Cu₃O _x (YBCO) at 800°C for values ofx close to 6 is shown to be in the form of neutral oxygen interstitials, O _i ^x . The experimental data on which this conclusion is based are obtained from measurements of oxygen partial pressure,P(O₂), as a function of compositionx and temperatureT (5.99x 6.35, 825T1120 K). The data are obtained by a solid-state electrochemical method. Other conclusions of this study include: (a) O _i ^x are noninteracting forx 6. (b) The stoichiometric composition of YBCO isx 6.0. (c) The reaction enthalpy of oxidation is 179 kJ/mol O₂. (d) The Fermi level changes by –0.2 eV asx increases from 6.05 to 6.35.     

Review of Industrial conflict.

The subject of industrial conflict is so broad that one would hope for its treatment to be lengthy, interdisciplinary, and to encompass many specific topics and viewpoints. As such, this book, written under the sponsorship of SPSSI, meets all one's expectations. It sets out with the ambitious purposes of analyzing the determining factors and conditions which give rise to industrial conflict and of assessing various efforts of solution. The book is divided into five main parts: (a) basic issues concerning industrial conflict; (b) roots of industrial conflict (motivational analysis, organization and leadership of groups in conflict, social and economic influences); (c) dealing with industrial conflict (accommodating to conflict, efforts to remove sources of conflict, social control of industrial conflict); (d) industrial conflict in other societies, and (e) Industrial conflict, present and future. Thirty-nine different authors, including academicians, writers, labor leaders, and industrial representatives, have contributed to the book's forty chapters. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)