Geometric quadrisection in linear time, with application to VLSI placement

We consider the following problem: given a set of points in the plane, each with a weight, and capacities of the four quadrants, assign each point to one of the quadrants such that the total weight of points assigned to a quadrant does not exceed its capacity, and the total distance is minimized.

This problem is most important in placement of VLSI circuits and is likely to have other applications. It is NP-hard, but the fractional relaxation always has an optimal solution which is “almost” integral. Hence for large instances, it suffices to solve the fractional relaxation. The main result of this paper is a linear-time algorithm for this relaxation. It is based on a structure theorem describing optimal solutions by so-called “American maps” and makes sophisticated use of binary search techniques and weighted median computations.

This algorithm is a main subroutine of a VLSI placement tool that is used for the design of many of the most complex chips.     

An example of a two-sided Wilcoxon signed rank test which is not unbiased

Although the theory of rank tests is rather complete in the one-sided case, it was not even known in 1959, whether the Wilcoxon two-sample test and other similar tests are unbiased against the two-sided alternatives (Lehmann (1959,Testing Statistical Hypotheses, p. 240, Wiley, New York)). A partial answer to this question was given by Sugiura in 1965, who found, that the test named above may be biased (Sugiura (1965,Ann. Inst. Statist. Math.,17, 261–263)). According to Lehmann (1986,Testing Statistical Hypotheses, 2nd ed., pp. 322–324, Wiley, New York) it seems to be still open, whether the same is true for the WILCOXON one-sample test, which is also known as WILCOXON signed rank test. This will be shown in the present paper.     

The de novo design of median molecules within a property range of interest

Summary In this paper an application is presented of the median molecule workflow to the de novo design of novel molecular entities with a property profile of interest. Median molecules are structures that are optimised to be similar to a set of existing molecules of interest as an approach for lead exploration and hopping. An overview of this workflow is provided together with an example of an instance using the similarity to camphor and menthol as objectives. The methodology of the experiments is defined and the workflow is applied to designing novel molecules for two physical property datasets: mean molecular polarisability and aqueous solubility. This paper concludes with a discussion of the characteristics of this method.     

Unbiased Bayes estimates and improper priors

Given two random variables (X, Y) the condition of unbiasedness states that:E(X |Y=y)=y andE(Y |X=x)=x both almost surely (a.s.). If the prior onY is proper and has finite expectation or non-negative support, unbiasedness impliesX=Y a.s. This paper examines the implications of unbiasedness when the prior onY is improper. Since the improper case can be meaningfully analysed in a finitely additive framework, we revisit the whole issue of unbiasedness from this perspective. First we argue that a notion weaker than equality a.s., named coincidence, is more appropriate in a finitely additive setting. Next we discuss the meaning of unbiasedness from a Bayesian and fiducial perspective. We then show that unbiasedness and finite expectation ofY imply coincidence betweenX andY, while a weaker conclusion follows if the improper prior onY is only assumed to have positive support. We illustrate our approach throughout the paper by revisiting some examples discussed in the recent literature.This work was partially supported by C.N.R. grant N.80.02970.10 (G.C.) and by C.N.R. grant altri interventi (P.V.). A preliminary draft was written while the Authors were visiting the Department of Statistics at Carnegie Mellon University.The paper is the result of close cooperation between the two authors. However subsections 3.1 and 3.3 are mainly due to G.C. while subsection 3.2 and section 4 are mainly due to P.V.     

Novel aromatic carboxamides from dehydroabietylamine as potential fungicides: Design,synthesis and antifungal evaluation

The present study was carried out to design and synthesize a number of novel aromatic carboxamide derivatives of dehydroabietylamine. The preliminary antifungal assay indicated that most of title compounds displayed moderate to good antifungal activity toward the six fungal strains in vitro. Compounds 3i, 3q, 4b and 4d showed significant antifungal activity against Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, with EC₅₀ values ranging from 0.067 ～ 0.393 mg/L. Compounds 3i, 4b and 4d also showed pronounced mycelial growth inhibition activities against B. cinerea and A. solani. Furthermore, in the in vivo assay, compound 4b exhibited brilliant protective activity against S. sclerotiorum-infected rape leaves. Meanwhile, the in vivo bioassay on tomato plants infected by B. cinerea showed that compound 3i and 4d displayed excellent protective activity at 200 mg/L, which were near to boscalid. Primary mechanistic study revealed that 4b could inhibit sclerotia formation as well as reduce the exopolysaccharide level. SEM and TEM analysis indicated that 4b possessed a strong ability to destroy the surface morphology of mycelia, cell structure and seriously interfere with the growth of the fungal pathogen. In addition, 4b exhibited good inhibitory activity (IC₅₀ = 23.3 ± 1.6 μM) toward succinate dehydrogenase (SDH). Molecular modeling study confirmed the binding modes between compound 4b and SDH. The above antifungal results and fungicidal mechanism study revealed that this class of dehydroabietylamine derivatives could be potential SDH inhibitors and lead compounds for novel fungicides development.     

微分中值定理与Newton-Leibniz公式可互相证明

首先用微分中值定理推出了Newton-Leibniz公式,同时也用Newton-Leibniz公式推出了三个微分中值定理,从而证明了微分中值定理与Newton-Leibniz公式可互相证明.     

Shorter nonparametric prediction intervals for an order statistic from a future sample

Standard nonparametric prediction intervals for a future order statistic are obtained by taking the interval between two order statistics of the initial sample. We obtain improved prediction intervals by taking the shortest of two or more standard intervals.     

基于粗糙集与小波变换的图像融合算法

粗糙集理论是处理不确定性问题的数学方法，本文提出了基于粗糙集与小波变换相结合的图像融合算法。该方法首先将粗糙集理论应用于图像滤波中，对含有椒盐噪声的图像进行粗糙中值滤波，然后对滤波后的图像进行小波融合。实验结果表明，粗糙中值滤波有较强的去噪能力，且较好地保持了图像的细节信息，在此基础上进行小波融合，使得融合结果图像具有良好的效果。     

On some multivariate density estimates and empirical Bayes problems

This paper consider estimates of multidimensional density functions and their derivatives. The asymptotic unbiasedness and the convergence properties of these estimates are established.Some applications to empirical Bayes problems are considered.     

A characterization of the logistic distribution by a sample median

Summary A functional form of the characteristic function of the sample median of three variates is shown to characterize the logistic distribution. A consequence of this is a characterization of the logistic in terms of the Laplace distribution. Research sponsored in part by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, Air Force Systems Command, USAF under Grant No. AFOSR-77-3360. The United States Govenment is authorized to reproduce and distribute reprints for governmental purposes notwith-standing any copyright notation hereon.