New Multipath OLSR Protocol Version for Heterogeneous Ad Hoc Networks

From a basic refrigerator to a self-driving car, emerging technologies are increasingly involving various facets of our daily lives. These bring together many regularly used devices, each with its own characteristics, to communicate and collaborate within the same system. Computer network experts regard this so-called structure as a heterogeneous network made up of several connected objects that do not speak the same language. Communication is therefore ensured by additional types of nodes, such as gateways or converters. In this case, we can detect an increased complexity and a decreased level of security. And thus, the need to adopt a common slang for these kinds of networks has been brought to life. In this work, we compare two different routing protocols: optimized link-state routing (OLSR) and the multipath heterogeneous ad hoc network OLSR (MHAR-OLSR). The latter is an OLSR extension with new functionalities: nodes identification, paths calculation, paths classification, and paths choice that we designed for heterogeneous ad hoc networks composed of MANET, VANET, and FANET devices; it ensures direct communication between these diverse components. We verify and explain all the elements of our solution using colored Petri nets. We also present a global evaluation of Packet Delivery Ratio (PDR), End-To-End Delay, and energy consumption as QoS measures with different numbers of nodes in a heterogeneous scenario. To do this, we use NS-3 and BonnMotion as a tool-set of simulation. Experimental results show improvement in performance when compared to the classical routing protocol.

Spectra to Structure: Deep Reinforcement Learning for Molecular Inverse Problem

Spectroscopy is the study of how matter interacts with electromagnetic radiations of specific frequencies that has led to several monumental discoveries in science. The spectra of any particular molecule is highly information-rich, yet the inverse relation from the spectra to the molecular structure is still an unsolved problem. Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is one such critical tool in the tool-set for scientists to characterise any chemical sample. In this work, a novel framework is proposed that attempts to solve this inverse problem by navigating the chemical space to find the correct structure that resulted in the target spectra. The proposed framework uses a combination of online Monte- Carlo-Tree-Search (MCTS) and a set of offline trained Graph Convolution Networks to build a molecule iteratively from scratch. Our method is able to predict the correct structure of the molecule ∼80% of the time in its top 3 guesses. We believe that the proposed framework is a significant step in solving the inverse design problem of NMR spectra to molecule.

From LTL to unambiguous Büchi automata via disambiguation of alternating automata

Due to the high complexity of translating linear temporal logic (LTL) to deterministic automata, several forms of “restricted” nondeterminism have been considered with the aim of maintaining some of the benefits of deterministic automata, while at the same time allowing more efficient translations from LTL. One of them is the notion of unambiguity. This paper proposes a new algorithm for the generation of unambiguous Büchi automata (UBA) from LTL formulas. Unlike other approaches it is based on a known translation from very weak alternating automata (VWAA) to NBA. A notion of unambiguity for alternating automata is introduced and it is shown that the VWAA-to-NBA translation preserves unambiguity. Checking unambiguity of VWAA is determined to be PSPACE-complete, both for the explicit and symbolic encodings of alternating automata. The core of the LTL-to-UBA translation is an iterative disambiguation procedure for VWAA. Several heuristics are introduced for different stages of the procedure. We report on an implementation of our approach in the tool and compare it to an existing LTL-to-UBA implementation in the tool set. Our experiments cover model checking of Markov chains, which is an important application of UBA.

Constitutional chromothripsis of the APC locus as a cause of genetic predisposition to colon cancer

PurposeApproximately 20% of patients with clinical familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) remain unsolved after molecular genetic analysis of the APC and other polyposis genes, suggesting additional pathomechanisms.MethodsWe applied multidimensional genomic analysis employing chromosomal microarray profiling, optical mapping, long-read genome and RNA sequencing combined with FISH and standard PCR of genomic and complementary DNA to decode a patient with an attenuated FAP that had remained unsolved by Sanger sequencing and multigene panel next-generation sequencing for years.ResultsWe identified a complex 3.9 Mb rearrangement involving 14 fragments from chromosome 5q22.1q22.3 of which three were lost, 1 reinserted into chromosome 5 and 10 inserted into chromosome 10q21.3 in a seemingly random order and orientation thus fulfilling the major criteria of chromothripsis. The rearrangement separates APC promoter 1B from the coding ORF (open reading frame) thus leading to allele-specific downregulation of APC mRNA. The rearrangement also involves three additional genes implicated in the APC–Axin–GSK3B–β-catenin signalling pathway.ConclusionsBased on comprehensive genomic analysis, we propose that constitutional chromothripsis dampening APC expression, possibly modified by additional APC–Axin–GSK3B–β-catenin pathway disruptions, underlies the patient’s clinical phenotype. The combinatorial approach we deployed provides a powerful tool set for deciphering unsolved familial polyposis and potentially other tumour syndromes and monogenic diseases.

A Digital Communication Platform for Inter-Agency Collaboration to Manage High-Impact Domestic Abuse: Structure and Essentials

Interagency cooperation is a necessary response to domestic abuse to care best for victim-survivors. However, for many reasons especially pertaining data security, digital solutions to support such action remain scarce. This chapter explains what needs to be considered when installing such a tool into a network of front-line responders' activity by pointing to the advantages of digital communication platforms to manage high impact domestic abuse and summarising what IMPRODOVA researchers' expertise presented regarding the status quo of exchange of information in domestic abuse cases. Afterwards, criteria are defined that need to be fulfilled by an ICT tool set up for the management of domestic abuse by professional front-line responders. Moreover, criteria to be fulfilled by the users of the ICT tool set up for the management of domestic abuse by professional front-line responders are discussed. Finally, the stashcat® app is presented as a suitable tool meeting the before defined criteria to a great extent. This is also attested by the evaluation of the stashcat® app during its piloting by a Slovenian network of front-line responders. In sum, this chapter shows that digital solutions can assist professionals to communicate quick and effectively when supporting victim-survivors of domestic abuse.

Intangible Narratives; An investigation on immersive architectural visualisation in VR.

<p>Within the current context of digital architectural construction and immersive representation exists a problem of ‘ocularcentrism’ as defined by Pallasmaa. Recent immersive developments such as Google Earth VR, or Realities.io, focus primarily in working within the tangible experience, purely emphasising on geometric forms and physical artefacts. They largely ignore the more experiential and intangible qualities of space, which are crucial elements in a real embodied physical experience of architecture. Phenomenologists such as Pallasmaa, Holl, and Zumthor expand on this, identifying that architecture clearly exists as something beyond just the tangible. Architecture fundamentally is an experiential and spatial art, incorporating not just the geometric sense of space but also aspects of the intangible such as sound, movement, lighting and interaction. As a result of this tangible-bias, virtual-reality’s current use within architecture as an immersive medium is largely limited. Most developments can be described as ‘an immersive virtual photograph’ of architecture rather than an experience of one. This research is a response to studies that directly address the problem of ‘ocularcentrism’ while also exploring the methods and techniques that can translate intangible qualities into virtual architecture. Utilising a Real-Time Virtual Environment (RTVE) and Virtual Reality (VR) tool set, this paper virtually reconstructs the case study of the Kowloon Walled City. It proposes a novel working methodology for immersive architectural visualisation with VR and adds to the on-going research in the field of phenomenology within architecture.</p>

Intangible Narratives; An investigation on immersive architectural visualisation in VR.

<p>Within the current context of digital architectural construction and immersive representation exists a problem of ‘ocularcentrism’ as defined by Pallasmaa. Recent immersive developments such as Google Earth VR, or Realities.io, focus primarily in working within the tangible experience, purely emphasising on geometric forms and physical artefacts. They largely ignore the more experiential and intangible qualities of space, which are crucial elements in a real embodied physical experience of architecture. Phenomenologists such as Pallasmaa, Holl, and Zumthor expand on this, identifying that architecture clearly exists as something beyond just the tangible. Architecture fundamentally is an experiential and spatial art, incorporating not just the geometric sense of space but also aspects of the intangible such as sound, movement, lighting and interaction. As a result of this tangible-bias, virtual-reality’s current use within architecture as an immersive medium is largely limited. Most developments can be described as ‘an immersive virtual photograph’ of architecture rather than an experience of one. This research is a response to studies that directly address the problem of ‘ocularcentrism’ while also exploring the methods and techniques that can translate intangible qualities into virtual architecture. Utilising a Real-Time Virtual Environment (RTVE) and Virtual Reality (VR) tool set, this paper virtually reconstructs the case study of the Kowloon Walled City. It proposes a novel working methodology for immersive architectural visualisation with VR and adds to the on-going research in the field of phenomenology within architecture.</p>

IDENTIFYING DEVELOPMENT PRIORITIES OF UNDERGROUND INFRASTRUCTURE IN METROPOLISES USING SYSTEM METHODOLOGY

Purpose: Determining construction priorities of underground transport infrastructure objects by evaluating morphological models of car tunnels considering the impact on the ecological and technogenic safety of urbanized territories. Methodology: modified morphological analysis of geological environment, urbanized territories and transport infrastructure of sites in a metropolis, expert estimation method. Findings: a morphological model was tested as a tool set for determining construction priorities of underground transport infrastructure objects; inter-related morphological tables for geological environment and structural-functional factors of urbanized territories in a tunnel area were constructed; an estimation of models regarding development of underground infrastructure was conducted using the planned car tunnels in Kyiv as an example; the impact of tunnels on reducing the ecological and technogenic risks of urbanized space was justified, and the priority construction object was chosen according to these criteria. Originality: for the first time the reduction of ecological and technogenic risks of urbanized space was chosen as a goal function in morphological models for the development of underground transport infrastructure in metropolises; the systemic characteristics of urban territories were obtained that describe the favorability of the geological environment and structural-functional factors for car tunnel construction in center metropolis areas; an impact ratio was proposed for synthesizing morphological analysis results and determining the priorities of underground transport infrastructure objects by influence on the ecological and technogenic risks. Practical implications: the created methodology and tool set for determining priorities of underground object construction at the pre-project stage, the opportunity to consider the ecological and technogenic risks of urban space development by consecutive construction of underground transport infrastructure objects and identifying an order for this sequence.