Finite-tree analysis for constraint logic-based languages

Logic languages based on the theory of rational, possibly infinite, trees have much appeal in that rational trees allow for faster unification (due to the safe omission of the occurs-check) and increased expressivity (cyclic terms can provide very efficient representations of grammars and other useful objects). Unfortunately, the use of infinite rational trees has problems. For instance, many of the built-in and library predicates are ill-defined for such trees and need to be supplemented by run-time checks whose cost may be significant. Moreover, some widely used program analysis and manipulation techniques are correct only for those parts of programs working over finite trees. It is thus important to obtain, automatically, a knowledge of the program variables (the finite variables) that, at the program points of interest, will always be bound to finite terms. For these reasons, we propose here a new data-flow analysis, based on abstract interpretation, that captures such information. We present a parametric domain where a simple component for recording finite variables is coupled, in the style of the open product construction of Cortesi et al., with a generic domain (the parameter of the construction) providing sharing information. The sharing domain is abstractly specified so as to guarantee the correctness of the combined domain and the generality of the approach. This finite-tree analysis domain is further enhanced by coupling it with a domain of Boolean functions, called finite-tree dependencies, that precisely captures how the finiteness of some variables influences the finiteness of other variables. We also summarize our experimental results showing how finite-tree analysis, enhanced with finite-tree dependencies, is a practical means of obtaining precise finiteness information.     

Inverse Analysis of Impact Test Data: Experimental Study on Polymeric Materials Displaying Brittle Behaviour

This paper deals with the influence of the testing equipment on impact load measurements. A previously developed method of analysis and processing of the experimental data based on a refined analogical model of the impact event and inverse problem techniques is used. This method makes it possible to obtain the mechanical response of the material, notwithstanding the disturbance of the dynamic effects associated to the test. Results from tests carried out both on falling weight and swing pendulum instrumented testing machines are compared. It is shown that this method can give an accurate estimation of the actual bending force in impact testing independent of the testing equipment.     

Neural Gate Keeping: The Role of Interhemispheric Interactions in Resource Allocation and Selective Filtering.

The corpus callosum has been proposed to contribute to attention by modulating resource allocation between the hemispheres and filtering interhemispheric signal transmission (M. T. Banich, 1998). The resource allocation hypothesis predicts that interhemispheric interactions become more advantageous with increasing resource demands. The selective filtering hypothesis predicts that interhemispheric interactions become less advantageous as filtering requirements increase. The authors tested both predictions by comparing within- and across-hemisphere letter matching under dual-task (Experiment 1) and selective attention conditions (Experiment 2). Task-specific resource demands (i.e., letter processing load) alter the bihemispheric advantage, but the general demand imposed by an unrelated secondary task does not. Filtering requirements influenced the advantage from interhemispheric interactions, providing new evidence for the role of the corpus callosum in selective attention. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Parent and Child Psychological Factors in Pediatric Syncope and Other Somatic Symptoms.

The authors examined associations among parental and child adjustment, child syncope, somatic, and school problems. Participants were children (N = 56) ages 7-18 years with syncope. Measures included syncope severity, parental distress, and children's internalizing symptoms. For children diagnosed negative for neurocardiogenic syncope (NCS), their fathers' and their own psychological symptoms were positively associated with the severity of syncope, whereas their mothers' functioning was negatively associated with the severity of syncope. Also, for the negative NCS group, fathers' psychological functioning was associated with children's nonsyncope somatic complaints but not with their school problems. For the positive NCS group, few significant father-child associations were found, but several significant positive associations were revealed between mothers' psychological symptoms and their children's syncope as well as somatic and school problems. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Assessing Interactive Causal Influence.

The discovery of conjunctive causes--factors that act in concert to produce or prevent an effect--has been explained by purely covariational theories. Such theories assume that concomitant variations in observable events directly license causal inferences, without postulating the existence of unobservable causal relations. This article discusses problems with these theories, proposes a causal-power theory that overcomes the problems, and reports empirical evidence favoring the new theory. Unlike earlier models, the new theory derives (a) the conditions under which covariation implies conjunctive causation and (b) functions relating observable events to unobservable conjunctive causal strength. This psychological theory, which concerns simple cases involving 2 binary candidate causes and a binary effect, raises questions about normative statistics for testing causal hypotheses regarding categorical data resulting from discrete variables. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

A Task Model to Reduce Control Delays

Industrial control applications are usually developed in two phases: control design and real-time system implementation. In the control design stage a regulator is obtained and later it is translated into an algorithm in the implementation phase. Traditionally, these two phases have been developed in separate ways. Recently, some works have pointed out the necessity of the integration of the control design and its implementation. One of these works reduce the delay variance of control tasks (defined as the control action interval (CAI) and data acquisition interval (DAI) parameters) splitting every task into three parts. The CAI reduction method highly reduces the delay variance and improves the control performance. This work shows how to evaluate these delays under static and dynamic scheduling policies. A new task model is proposed in order to reduce the CAI and DAI parameters, which implies an improvement in the control performance. The new task model will be implemented in a real process, and the experimental measurements will show how, effectively, the control performance is highly improved with the methods presented in this paper.     

Alzheimer paired helical filaments (PHFs) studied by high-resolution TEM: what can vertical Pt-C replication tell us about the organization of the pronase-digested PHF core?

Untreated paired helical filaments (PHFs) and pronase-digested PHF-core filaments were stereoscopically imaged with a freeze-drying vertical platinum-carbon replication preparation method for TEM. The untreated PHF have an average wide region (W) = 22.8 +/- 2.4 nm, a narrow region (T) = 10.6 +/- 1.7 nm, and a helical turn period (L) = 78.6 +/- 13.4. The surfaces of the untreated PHF's fuzzy coat appears disorganized. The widths of the pronase-treated PHF-core filaments were significantly reduced (W(d) = 14.8 +/- 1.2 nm, T(d) = 5.7 +/- 1.0 nm, and L(d) = 75.4 +/- 17 nm). The surfaces of the untreated PHF contained approximately 1.1 nm strands, the same size as tau monomer ( approximately 1.0 nm). The pronase-digested PHF cores mostly contained approximately 1.6 +/- 0.3 nm strands although strand diameters ranged from 0.6-2.5 nm. The strands sometimes appear to be wrapped around the filament axis; less often, they appear to be roughly parallel to the PHF axis, and otherwise appear to be randomly oriented. Images of pronase-digested PHF core images are discussed in relation to the core's biochemical composition, its proposed beta structure, and structural subunit models. Images of the untreated and the pronase-digested PHF support a helical ribbon morphology.     

Comparison of friction measurements using the atomic force microscope and the surface forces apparatus: the issue of scale

Results are presented of lateral force measurements using the atomic force microscope (AFM) and the surface forces apparatus (SFA). Two different probes are used in the AFM measurements; a sharp silicon nitride tip (radius R20 nm) and a glass ball (R15 m). The lateral force is measured between the (silicon nitride or glass) probe and a mica surface which has been coated by a thin lubricant film. In the SFA, a thin lubricant film separates two molecularly smooth mica surfaces (R1 cm) which are slid relative to each other. Perfluoropolyether (PFPE) and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) were used as the lubricant films. In the SFA where the contact diameter is largest, the PFPE film shows much lower friction than PDMS. As the size of the probe decreases, the difference in the measured friction decreases. For sharp AFM tips, no clear distinction between the tribological properties of the films can be made. Hence, the measured coefficient of friction varies according to the length scale probed, at least for small dimensions.     

Behavioral medicine, clinical health psychology, and cost offset.

The use of medical services is a function of several interacting psychological and social variables as well as a function of physical malfunction. The clinical significance of addressing patients' psychosocial issues has only occasionally been considered. However, the shift in health care economics toward health care maintenance is responsible for the increased interest in interventions in the domain of behavioral medicine and health psychology. Evidence is reviewed for 6 mechanistic pathways by which behavioral interventions can maximize clinical care and result in significant economic benefits. The rationale for further integration of behavioral and biomedicine interventions is also reviewed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Near-Complete Remission of Glioblastoma in a Patient Treated with an Allogenic Dendritic Cell-Based Vaccine: The Role of Tumor-Specific CD4+T-Cell Cytokine Secretion Pattern in Predicting Response and Recurrence

Immunotherapy has brought hope to the fight against glioblastoma, but its efficacy remains unclear. We present the case of CST, a 25-year-old female patient with a large right-hemisphere glioblastoma treated with a dendritic–tumor cell fusion vaccine. CST showed a near-complete tumor response, with a marked improvement in her functional status and simultaneous increases in tumor-specific CD8+ and CD4+ T cells. Two months before recurrence, the frequency of tumor-specific T cells decreased, while that of IL-17 and CD4+ T cells increased. CST passed away 15 months after enrollment. In this illustrative case, the tumor-specific CD4+ T-cell numbers and phenotype behaved as treatment efficacy biomarkers, highlighting the key role of the latter in glioblastoma immunotherapy.