Abstract Graph Transformation

Graphs may be used as representations of system states in operational semantics and model checking; in the latter context, they are being investigated as an alternative to bit vectors. The corresponding transitions are obtained as derivations from graph production rules.In this paper we propose an abstraction technique in this framework: the state graphs are contracted by collecting nodes that are sufficiently similar (resulting in smaller states and a finite state space) and the application of the graph production rules is lifted to this abstract level. Since graph abstractions and rule applications can all be computed completely automatically, we believe that this can be the core of a practically feasible technique for software model checking.     

A Ssp I PCR-RFLP detecting a silent allele at the goat CSN2 locus

The goat calcium-sensitive caseins (alphas1, beta and alphas2) represent, over many years, an excellent model for demonstrating that the major part of the variability observed in the content of these proteins in goat milk is mostly due to the presence of autosomal alleles at single structural loci (CSN1S1, CSN2 and CSN1S2 respectively) clustered on a 200 kb segment of chromosome 6; furthermore, CSN1S1 and CSN2 are convergently transcribed and are only 12 kb apart (Rijnkels, 2002).     

Crystallization of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) from the oriented mesomorphic form

Yarns of different inherent viscosities, in the range 0.6–1.1 dL/g, spun in industrial plants, and drawn at room temperature to obtain mesomorphic samples, have been characterized. The evolution from the mesomorphic form toward the triclinic crystalline form has also been studied by combined differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), dynamic mechanical analyses (DMA), and accurate wide angle X-ray diffraction experiments. The DMA analysis of the mesomorphic samples allows better resolution of the glass transition and crystallization phenomena, which are superimposed in the DSC scans. The degree of molecular orientation in the mesomorphic samples, and the temperature of crystallization from the mesomorphic form (60–80°C), are essentially independent of the polymer molar mass. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Empathy in young children: Relation to parents' empathy, affection, and emphasis on the feelings of others.

Explored the relation between (a) the young child's empathy and (b) the parents' self-reported empathy, affection, and emphasis on another individual's feelings in discipline and nondiscipline situations. Ss were 25 boys and 28 girls in preschool and kindergarten classes in a middle-class community. Heightened empathy in 4–6 yr old girls was associated with a particular (i.e., sex-stereotyped) pattern of mother–father empathy. The factors believed to enhance the development of empathy were reported to be more prevalent in the mother's interaction with the child than in the father's. (7 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

An integrated model of problem solver

The purpose of this paper is to propose an unitary formal model, comprehensive of both the classical state-space and problem-reduction approaches, in order to define a new structure of problem solver. In particular, the model we propose, which is strictly related in its formal aspects to the graphs and AND/OR graphs theory, is primarily intended to allow the problem solver to choose, at each step during the solution process, the best representation for the problem (state-space or problem-reduction) and, hence, the optimal expected search strategy.In the paper, the basic functions and the fundamental structure of a problem solver are first presented. The formal definition of the integrated approach is then introduced, together with explanatory examples, and the new model is critically discussed in detail. The formal notions are globally illustrated by a complete example dealing with all the aspects of the solution process. A problem solver model, based on the new approach, is also proposed. Implementation of systems to support an integrated problem solver and the related linguistic problems are not discussed in the paper.     

Bounded Nondeterminism of Logic Programs

We introduce the notion of bounded nondeterminism for logic programs and queries. A program and a query have bounded nondeterminism if there are finitely many refutations for them via any selection rule. We offer a declarative characterization of the class of programs and queries that have bounded nondeterminism by defining bounded programs and queries. The characterization is provided in terms of Herbrand interpretations and level mappings, in the style of existing characterizations of universal termination. A direct application of the theoretical framework is concerned with the automatic generation of a terminating control. We present a transformational approach that given a bounded program and a bounded query yields a terminating program and query with the same set of refutations. Concerning the issue of automating the approach, by means of an example we sketch how an automatic method for proving left termination can be adapted to the purpose of inferring boundedness. Such an adaption reveals that the method does not scale up to medium/large sized programs due to scarce modularity of the required proof obligations. We provide then a modular refinement of boundedness for the significant class of well-moded programs and queries.     

The Age of Cortical Neural Networks Affects Their Interactions with Magnetic Nanoparticles

Despite increasing use of nanotechnology in neuroscience, the characterization of interactions between magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) and primary cortical neural networks remains underdeveloped. In particular, how the age of primary neural networks affects MNP uptake and endocytosis is critical when considering MNP‐based therapies for age‐related diseases. Here, primary cortical neural networks are cultured up to 4 weeks and with CCL11/eotaxin, an age‐inducing chemokine, to create aged neural networks. As the neural networks are aged, their association with membrane‐bound starch‐coated ferromagnetic nanoparticles (fMNPs) increases while their endocytic mechanisms are impaired, resulting in reduced internalization of chitosan‐coated fMNPs. The age of the neurons also negates the neuroprotective effects of chitosan coatings on fMNPs, attributing to decreased intracellular trafficking and increased colocalization of MNPs with lysosomes. These findings demonstrate the importance of age and developmental stage of primary neural cells when developing in vitro models for fMNP therapeutics targeting age‐related diseases.     

An IP-ERN architecture to enable hybrid E2E/ERN protocol and application to satellite networking

We propose an architecture based on a hybrid E2E-ERN approach allowing ERN protocols to be inter-operable with current IP-based networks. Without introducing complex operations, the resulting E2E-ERN protocol provides inter and intra protocol fairness and benefits from all ERN advantages when possible. We detail the principle of this novel architecture, called IP-ERN, and show that this architecture is highly adaptive to the network dynamics and is compliant with every TCP feature, IPv4, IPv6 as well as IP-in-IP tunneling solutions. As a possible use case, we test this architecture as a potential candidate to replace Performance Enhancing Proxies (PEPs) commonly-used over satellite IP-based networks. Compared to splitting PEP, the IP-ERN architecture does not break the E2E connectivity, still achieves high satellite link utilization and fairness without needs of extra fault tolerant mechanisms.     

Development and evaluation of an office ergonomic risk checklist: ROSA--rapid office strain assessment

The Rapid Office Strain Assessment (ROSA) was designed to quickly quantify risks associated with computer work and to establish an action level for change based on reports of worker discomfort. Computer use risk factors were identified in previous research and standards on office design for the chair, monitor, telephone, keyboard and mouse. The risk factors were diagrammed and coded as increasing scores from 1 to 3. ROSA final scores ranged in magnitude from 1 to 10, with each successive score representing an increased presence of risk factors. Total body discomfort and ROSA final scores for 72 office workstations were significantly correlated (R = 0.384). ROSA final scores exhibited high inter- and intra-observer reliability (ICCs of 0.88 and 0.91, respectively). Mean discomfort increased with increasing ROSA scores, with a significant difference occurring between scores of 3 and 5 (out of 10). A ROSA final score of 5 might therefore be useful as an action level indicating when immediate change is necessary. ROSA proved to be an effective and reliable method for identifying computer use risk factors related to discomfort.     

LODE: A distance-based classifier built on ensembles of positive and negative observations

Current work on assembling a set of local patterns such as rules and class association rules into a global model for the prediction of a target usually focuses on the identification of the minimal set of patterns that cover the training data. In this paper we present a different point of view: the model of a class has been built with the purpose to emphasize the typical features of the examples of the class. Typical features are modeled by frequent itemsets extracted from the examples and constitute a new representation space of the examples of the class. Prediction of the target class of test examples occurs by computation of the distance between the vector representing the example in the space of the itemsets of each class and the vectors representing the classes.It is interesting to observe that in the distance computation the critical contribution to the discrimination between classes is given not only by the itemsets of the class model that match the example but also by itemsets that do not match the example. These absent features constitute some pieces of information on the examples that can be considered for the prediction and should not be disregarded. Second, absent features are more abundant in the wrong classes than in the correct ones and their number increases the distance between the example vector and the negative class vectors. Furthermore, since absent features are frequent features in their respective classes, they make the prediction more robust against over-fitting and noise. The usage of features absent in the test example is a novel issue in classification: existing learners usually tend to select the best local pattern that matches the example and do not consider the abundance of other patterns that do not match it. We demonstrate the validity of our observations and the effectiveness of LODE, our learner, by means of extensive empirical experiments in which we compare the prediction accuracy of LODE with a consistent set of classifiers of the state of the art. In this paper we also report the methodology that we adopted in order to determine automatically the setting of the learner and of its parameters.