Experimenting with Isabelle in ZF set theory

The theorem prover Isabelle has been used to axiomatise ZF set theory with natural deduction and to prove a number of theorems concerning functions. In particular, the well-founded recursion theorem has been derived, allowing the definition of functions over recursive types (such as the length and the append functions for lists). The theory of functions has been developed sufficiently within ZF to include PP, the theory of continuous functions forming the basis of LCF. Most of the theorems have been derived using backward proofs, with a small amount of automation.The work has been carried out at the Computer Laboratory of the University of Cambridge.     

Force Curve Measurements with the AFM: Application to the In Situ Determination of Grafted Silicon-Wafer Surface Energies

The atomic force microscope (AFM) can be used to perform surface force measurements in the quasi-static mode (cantilever is not oscillating) to investigate nanoscale surface properties. Nevertheless, there is still a lack of literature proposing a complete systematic and rigorous experimental procedure that enables one to obtain reproducible and significant quantitative data. This article focuses on the fundamental experimental difficulties arising when making force curve measurements with the AFM in air. On the basis of this AFM calibration procedure, quantitative assessment values were used to determine, in situ, SAM (or Self Assembled Monolayer)-tip thermodynamic work of adhesion at a local scale, which have been found to be in good agreement with quoted values. Finally, determination of surface energies of functionalised silicon wafers (as received, CH₃, OH functionalised silicon wafers) with the AFM (at a local scale) is also proposed and compared with the values obtained by wettability (at a macroscopic scale). In particular, the effect of the capillary forces is discussed.     

An Efficient Multibody Dynamics Model for Internal Combustion Engine Systems

The equations of motion for the major components in an internalcombustion engine are developed herein using a recursive formulation.These components include the (rigid) engine block, pistons, connectingrods, (flexible) crankshaft, balance shafts, main bearings, and enginemounts. Relative coordinates are employed that automatically satisfy allconstraints and therefore lead to the minimum set of ordinarydifferential equations of motion. The derivation of the equations ofmotion is automated through the use of computer algebra as the precursorto automatically generating the computational (C or Fortran) subroutinesfor numerical integration. The entire automated procedure forms thebasis for an engine modeling template that may be used to supportthe up-front design of engines for noise and vibration targets.This procedure is demonstrated on an example engine under free(idealized) and firing conditions and the predicted engine responses arecompared with results from an ADAMS model. Results obtained by usingdifferent bearing models, including linear, nonlinear, and hydrodynamicbearing models, are discussed in detail.     

Learning from Innate Behaviors: A Quantitative Evaluation of Neural Network Controllers

The aim was to investigate a method of developing mobile robot controllers based on ideas about how plastic neural systems adapt to their environment by extracting regularities from the amalgamated behavior of inflexible (nonplastic) innate subsystems interacting with the world. Incremental bootstrapping of neural network controllers was examined. The objective was twofold. First, to develop and evaluate the use of prewired or innate robot controllers to bootstrap backpropagation learning for Multilayer Perceptron (MLP) controllers. Second, to develop and evaluate a new MLP controller trained on the back of another bootstrapped controller. The experimental hypothesis was that MLPs would improve on the performance of controllers used to train them. The performances of the innate and bootstrapped MLP controllers were compared in eight experiments on the tasks of avoiding obstacles and finding goals. Four quantitative measures were employed: the number of sensorimotor loops required to complete a task; the distance traveled; the mean distance from walls and obstacles; the smoothness of travel. The overall pattern of results from statistical analyses of these quantities supported the hypothesis; the MLP controllers completed the tasks faster, smoother, and steered further from obstacles and walls than their innate teachers. In particular, a single MLP controller incrementally bootstrapped by a MLP subsumption controller was superior to the others.     

Market power and the deregulation of special access service by the Federal Communications Commission

In 1999, the Federal Communications Commission adopted an order granting complete deregulation of the rates for special access service for specific metropolitan statistical areas based on an objective showing that there was potential competition in that market. This was done in an environment where the local exchange carriers (LECs) subject to price caps were earning a rate of return in excess of 22% with the rate of return on an upward trend. By 2002, the average rate of return across all price cap LECs topped 35%. The questions investigated in this article are whether the price cap LECs have market power in supplying special access service and whether they have taken advantage of this. The data clearly show that this is the case. Given the prevailing situation, there is a clear need to revisit the pricing flexibility order. First, the product market for special access service needs to be more carefully examined and, second, the metrics used to define the potential for competition need to be revamped.     

Using cognitive artifacts to understand distributed cognition

Studies of patient safety have identified gaps in current work including the need for research about communication and information sharing among healthcare providers. They have also encouraged the use of decision support tools to improve human performance. Distributed cognition is the shared awareness of goals, plans, and details that no single individual grasps. Cognitive artifacts are objects such as: schedules, display boards, lists, and worksheets that form part of a distributed cognition. Cognitive artifacts that are related to operating room (OR) scheduling include: the availabilities sheet, master schedule, OR graph, and OR board. All provide a "way in" to understand how teams in the acute care setting dynamically plan and manage the balance between demand for care and the resources available to provide it. This work has import for the way that information technology supports the organization, management, and use of healthcare resources. Better computer-supported cognitive artifacts will benefit patient safety by making teamwork processes, planning, communications, and resource management more resilient.     

Functional genomics studies shed light on the nutrition and gene expression of non-typhoidal Salmonella and enterovirulent E. coli in produce

Despite the fact that plants are not traditionally considered as hosts for human enteric pathogens, recent evidence suggests that non-typhoidal Salmonella and enterovirulent Escherichia coli recognize plants and rely on a specific set of genes to multiply in plant-associated environments, eventually causing dramatic outbreaks of illness. The advent of sensitive functional genomics tools, including differential fluorescence induction and in vivo expression technology, set the stage for the characterization of the genes and behaviors used by enterics to colonize, persist and proliferate within plants and the associated microbial communities. Meta-analysis of published data suggests that Salmonella and enterovirulent E. coli persist in plants using strategies that differ from those in phytobacteria. Virulence genes were upregulated in E. coli O157:H7 in the presence of lettuce leaf exudates, however Salmonella SPI-1 genes associated with gastroenteritis were dispensable during plant growth. Microarray and mutant studies of plant responses to human pathogens reveal that plants generally do not recognize Salmonella and enterovirulent E. coli as phytopathogens or beneficial symbionts, although the full spectrum of plant responses to enterics remains to be elucidated. Defining plant responses to human enteric pathogens becomes increasingly important as the feasibility of breeding for resistance to these organisms is being evaluated.     

Water sorption and cooking time of red kidney beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.): part I – Effect of freezing and drying conditions on water sorption and cooking time

Water sorption and cooking time of kidney beans were determined. The beans were manually harvested at 19.2 ± 0.1% moisture content and stored at ?20 and ?10 °C for about half a year. The beans were further dried at 30, 40 and 50 °C inside a thin‐layer drier for 7.5 h or under room conditions for 4 week. The freezing storage temperature before the beans were dried did not influence their cooking time and water sorption. The saturated kernel volumes decreased approximately 7% after drying. The beans decreased their sphericity during water sorption and had a larger swelling ratio in the thickness direction than in other directions. Lower initial moisture content, especially with a higher drying temperature, decreased water sorptivity and resulted in higher percentage of uncooked kernels if the beans were not soaked before cooking. However, there was no relationship between initial moisture content and uncooked percentage if the beans were soaked before cooking. High drying temperature resulted in hard‐to‐cook (HTC) phenomenon.