Stability Properties of Cerebellar Neural Networks: The Purkinje Cell — Climbing Fiber Dynamic Module

In the last few decades it has been proven, that the cerebellum takes part in learning the bulk of motor control. The mechanisms which provide such properties are still largely unknown, but an involvement of parallel fibers and climbing fibers in this process, as have been proposed decades ago in cerebellar learning theories, is now clear. Among difficulties of the learning theories is an evident necessity for spontaneous activity of the cerebellar climbing fibers [5]. Recently, the group of M. Mauk proposed an elegant explanation of this inconsistency [11, 12]. We present here a stochastic model of a cerebellar module, based on this new approach. Theoretical treatment yields some consequences for experimental verification. Besides an explanation of real cerebellar functions, the analyzed control system presents a new paradigm for neural network memorizing systems.     

Fourier transform infra-red study of uniaxially-oriented isotactic polystyrene

Fourier transform infra-red measurements have been made of the orientation in isotactic polystyrene as a function of draw ratio. Based on these results, new band assignments are made and orientation functions calculated.     

Factors responsible for rapid dissipation of acidic herbicides in the coastal lagoons of the Camargue (Rhône River Delta, France)

This study was aimed at investigating which processes cause acidic herbicides (e.g., bentazone, MCPA and dichlorprop) to rapidly disappear in the lagoons of the Rhône delta, which are peculiar brackish and shallow aquatic environments. The use of the model MASAS (Modeling of Anthropogenic Substances in Aquatic Systems) revealed that sorption, sedimentation, volatilization, flushing and abiotic hydrolysis had a minor role in the attenuation of the investigated herbicides. Laboratory scale biodegradation and photodegradation studies were conducted to better assess the significance of these two processes in the natural attenuation of herbicides in brackish (lagoons) waters with respect to fresh waters (canals draining paddy fields). Herbicide biodegradation rates were significantly lower in lagoon water than in canal water. Consequently, photodegradation was the main dissipation route of all investigated herbicides. The contribution of indirect photolysis was relevant for MCPA and dichlorprop while direct photolysis dominated for bentazone removal. There is a need to further investigate the identity of phototransformation products of herbicides in lagoons.     

A Pragmatic Approach to Reuse in Tactical Theorem Proving

In interactive theorem proving, tactics and tacticals have been introduced to automate proof search. In this scenario, user interaction traditionally is restricted to the mode in which the user decides which tactic to apply on the top-level, without being able to interact with the tactic once it has begun running.We propose a technique to allow the implementation of derivational analogy in tactical theorem proving. Instead of replaying tactics including backtracked dead ends our framework makes choice points in tactics explicit and thus avoids dead ends when reusing tactics. Additionally users can override choices a tactic has made or add additional steps to a derivation without terminating the tactic. The technique depends on an efficient replay of tactic executions without repeating search that the original computation may have involved.     

Quantification of two decades of shallow-water coral reef habitat decline in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary using Landsat data (1984–2002)

The loss of coral reef habitats has been witnessed at a global scale including in the Florida Keys and the Caribbean. In addition to field surveys that can be spatially limited, remote sensing can provide a synoptic view of the changes occurring on coral reef habitats. Here, we utilize an 18-year time series of Landsat 5/TM and 7/ETM+ images to assess changes in eight coral reef sites in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, namely Carysfort Reef, Grecian Rocks, Molasses Reef, Conch Reef, Sombrero Reef, Looe Key Reef, Western Sambo and Sand Key Reef. Twenty-eight Landsat images (1984–2002) were used, with imagery gathered every 2 years during spring, and every 6 years during fall. The image dataset was georectified, calibrated to remote sensing reflectance and corrected for atmospheric and water-column effects. A Mahalanobis distance classification was trained for four habitat classes (‘coral’, ‘sand’, ‘bare hardbottom’ and ‘covered hardbottom’) using in situ ground-truthing data collected in 2003–2004 and using the spectral statistics from a 2002 image. The red band was considered useful only for benthic habitats in depths less than 6 m. Overall mean coral habitat loss for all sites classified by Landsat was 61% (3.4%/year), from a percentage habitat cover of 19% (1984) down to 7.6% (2002). The classification results for the eight different sites were critically reviewed. A detailed pixel by pixel examination of the spatial patterns across time suggests that the results range from ecologically plausible to unreliable due to spatial inconsistencies and/or improbable ecological successions. In situ monitoring data acquired by the Coral Reef Evaluation and Monitoring Project (CREMP) for the eight reef sites between 1996 and 2002 showed a loss in coral cover of 52% (8.7%/year), whereas the Landsat-derived coral habitat areas decreased by 37% (6.2%/year). A direct trend comparison between the entire CREMP percent coral cover data set (1996–2004) and the entire Landsat-derived coral habitat areas showed no significant difference between the two time series (ANCOVA; F-test, p = 0.303, n = 32), despite the different scales of measurements.     

La représentation des causes de l'infériorité économique des québécois francophones.

Studied the causal interpretations of wage disparities among linguistic groups in Québec, assessed the effects of these interpretations on intergroup relations, and examined social and cultural dimensions of causal attributions. Human subjects: 36 male and female French-Canadian adults (university students). 36 male and female English-Canadian adults (university students). Ss' mean age was 21.7 yrs. Ss were given a questionnaire soliciting information on demographic factors and opinions on the importance of various factors in explaining the wage disparity between French-speaking and English-speaking Canadians. Two questionnaire forms were used, 1 containing an information sheet on the economic disadvantages of French-speaking Canadians, and 1 without the information sheet. Interpretations of the causes of the economic gap between French-speaking and English-speaking Canadians were evaluated using an analysis of variance (ANOVA) according to language and whether or not the Ss had received the information sheet. (English abstract) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Modélisation de l’impédance de transfert des câbles coaxiaux à blindages multiples

The shielding effectiveness of multishielded coaxial cables is determinated through the concept of the equivalent transfer impedance. The transfer impedance is computed from the main parameters of the coaxial structure. We describe in this paper the theoretical formulation to evaluate the amplitude of the disturbing voltage at the end of the cable flowed by the disturbing current. This result is used for the computation of the equivalent transfer impedance when the cable is made of various shields for exemple: homogeneous screens or braids. A comparison with the experimental results is also described.     

Size effects on the DC characteristics and low frequency noise of double polysilicon NPN bipolar transistors

DC and low frequency noise measurements have been carried out for double polysilicon NPN bipolar transistors. Our experiments have highlighted unexpected geometrical dependencies for the base saturation current density and low frequency noise. A model, taking into account a variation of the interfacial oxide thickness at the periphery of the emitter has been proposed and it has been successfully applied to the experimental results.