Uncertainty,belief, and probability1

We introduce a new probabilistic approach to dealing with uncertainty, based on the observation that probability theory does not require that every event be assigned a probability. For a nonmeasurable event (one to which we do not assign a probability), we can talk about only the inner measure and outer measure of the event. In addition to removing the requirement that every event be assigned a probability, our approach circumvents other criticisms of probability-based approaches to uncertainty. For example, the measure of belief in an event turns out to be represented by an interval (defined by the inner and outer measures), rather than by a single number. Further, this approach allows us to assign a belief (inner measure) to an event E without committing to a belief about its negation -E (since the inner measure of an event plus the inner measure of its negation is not necessarily one). Interestingly enough, inner measures induced by probability measures turn out to correspond in a precise sense to Dempster-Shafer belief functions. Hence, in addition to providing promising new conceptual tools for dealing with uncertainty, our approach shows that a key part of the important Dempster-Shafer theory of evidence is firmly rooted in classical probability theory. Cet article présente une nouvelle approche probabiliste en ce qui concerne le traitement de l'incertitude; celle-ci est basée sur l'observation que la théorie des probabilityés n'exige pas qu'une probabilityé soit assignée à chaque événement. Dans le cas d'un événement non mesurable (un événement pour lequel on n'assigne aucune probabilityé), nous ne pouvons discuter que de la mesure intérieure et de la mesure extérieure de l'évenément. En plus d'éliminer la nécessité d'assigner une probabilityéà l'événement, cette nouvelle approche apporte une réponse aux autres critiques des approches à l'incertitude basées sur des probabilityés. Par exemple, la mesure de croyance dans un événement est représentée par un intervalle (défini par la mesure intérieure et extérieure) plutǒt que par un nombre unique. De plus, cette approche nous permet d'assigner une croyance (mesure intérieure) à un événement E sans se compromettre vers une croyance à propos de sa négation -E (puisque la mesure intérieure d'un événement et la mesure intérieure de sa négation ne sont pas nécessairement une seule et unique mesure). II est intéressant de noter que les mesures intérieures qui résultent des mesures de probabilityé correspondent d'une manière précise aux fonctions de croyance de Dempster-Shafer. En plus de constituer un nouvel outil conceptuel prometteur dans le traitement de l'incertitude, cette approche démontre qu'une partie importante de la théorie de l'évidence de Dempster-Shafer est fermement ancrée dans la theorie classique des probabilityés.     

Properties of Edible Films from Total Milk Protein

The mechanical properties and water vapor permeability of edible films made from various total milk proteins (TMPs) were investigated. Two TMPs obtained from nonfat dry milk (NDM) by removing lactose and three TMPs obtained from a commercial source were studied. Lactose was extracted from NDM by ultrafiltration or suspension in ethanol followed by filtration. TMP concentrate obtained by ultrafiltration (UF) produced films with the lowest water vapor permeability (WVP) and the highest tensile strength at break. Commercial TMP concentrates produced films more ductile than those from the UF-TMP or retentate from ethanol extraction. Further research is needed to improve mechanical properties of UF-TMP films without increasing the WVP.     

A neural network based system for predicting earthmoving production

An artificial neural network based system (NN earth) is developed for construction practitioners as a simple tool for predicting earthmoving operations, which are modelled by back propagation neural networks with four expected parameters and seven affecting factors. These networks are then trained using the data patterns obtained from simulation because there are insufficient data available from industrial sources. The trained network is then incorporated as the computation engine of NN earth. To engender confidence in the results of neural computation, a validation function is implemented in NN earth to allow the user to apply the engine to historic cases prior to applying it to a new project. An equipment database is also implemented in NN earth to provide default information, such as internal cost rate, fuel cost, and operator's cost. User interfaces are developed to facilitate inputting project information and manipulating the system. The major functions and use of NN earth are illustrated in a sample application. In practice, NN earth can assist the user either in selecting a crew to minimize the unit cost of a project or in predicting the performance of a given crew.     

TWO CONCEPTIONS OF RELEVANCE

Courts use complex modes of relevance judgments in regulating the introduction of information and construction of factual narratives. Likewise, common law works both through and around relevance presuppositions in determining doctrine. This study examines different functions of relevance--conceived as different conceptions, at times competing, at times interdependent. The distinctions between these conceptions are arranged on three levels: (1) a normative/"causal" level, arguing for the status of relevance as a requirement for a "meaning-based" conception of entailment and drawing on discussions from relevance logic and modal logic; (2) a pragmatic/metapragmatic level that explores the ways in which law's "factfinding" and other epistemological functions are subjected to normative, practical purposes (under the heading "practical primacy"); and (3) the relevance/metarelevance distinction between the kinds of information admitted to the court's discursive space and the very notion of reliance on information in regulating decision making. All these levels are accommodated primarily by the law of evidence (although not exclusively); in an important sense, they define it. The study claims that although pragmatic and semantic relevance (corresponding to the "fit thesis") are at the center of most studies, it is relevance's metapragmatic function in constituting legal discourse that merits special attention, viz, the constitutive role of relevance in determining what may count as knowledge rather than merely its regulative or derivative function regarding relations between information and presupposed doctrine.     

COMPARISON OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE METHODS FOR MODELING PHARMACEUTICAL QSARS

A common step in pharmaceutical development is the formation of a quantitative structure-activity relationship *(QSAR) to model an exploratory series of compounds. A QSAR generalizes how the structure (shape) of a compound relates to its biological activity. A comparative study was carried out of six artificial intelligence and traditional algorithms for modeling QSAR's: GOLEM, CART, and MS from symbolic machine learning; back-propagation from neural networks; and linear regression and nearest-neighbor from traditional statistics. Two test case problems were studied: the inhibition of Escherichia coli dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) by pyrimidines, and the inhibition of ratlmouse tumor DHFR by triazines. It was found that there was no significant statistical difference between the methods in terms of their ability to rank unseen compounds by activity. However, symbolic machine learning methods, in particular relational ones, were found to generate rules that provided insight into the stereochemistry of compound receptor interactions.     

Approximating reachable sets for a class of linear control systems†

We present a technique for overestimating the reachable set from the origin for a class of n-dimensional linear control systems. The proposed ‘box’ method is based upon decomposing the system into one and two-dimensional subsystems for which bounds on the new variables can readily be found. Using these bounds enables the construction of a n-dimensional parallelepiped containing the reachable set of the original system. Examples of this procedure are given as well as a comparison to an overapproximation afforded by a Lyapunov approach.     

Parallelizing Imperative Functional Programs: the Vectorization Monad

Traditionally a vectorizing compiler matches the iterative constructs of a program against a set of predefined templates. If a loop contains no dependency cycles then amaptemplate can be used; other simple dependencies can often be expressed in terms offoldorscantemplates. This paper addresses the template matching problem within the context of functional programming. A small collection of program identities are used to specify vectorizable for-loops. By incorporating these program identities within a monad,allwell-typed for-loops in which the body of the loop is expressed using thevectorization monadcan be vectorized. This technique enables the elimination of template matching from a vectorizing compiler, and the proof of the safety of vectorization can be performed by a type inference mechanism.     

USE OF MALIC ACID AND OTHER QUALITY STABILIZING COMPOUNDS TO ASSURE THE SAFETY OF FRESH-CUT "FUJI" APPLES BY INACTIVATION OF LISTERIA MONOCYTOGENES, SALMONELLA ENTERITIDIS AND ESCHERICHIA COLI O157:H7

The effectiveness of malic acid in combination with physicochemical quality stabilizing compounds to inactivate Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella Enteritidis and Escherichia coli O157:H7 inoculated in fresh-cut "Fuji" apples packaged in air and stored at 5C was evaluated. Apple pieces were immersed for 1 min in solutions containing 1% w/v N-acetyl-L-cysteine, 1% w/v glutathione and 1% w/v calcium lactate with and without 2.5% w/v D-L malic acid to control apple browning, softening and reduce the populations of pathogenic microorganisms. Fresh-cut apples dipped in each solution were then inoculated with L. monocytogenes, S. Enteritidis or E. coli O157:H7 . The use of malic acid in combination with physicochemical quality stabilizing compounds caused more than 5 log₁₀ cfu/g of L. monocytogenes, S. Enteritidis and E. coli O157:H7 counts. The results obtained in this work pointed out the potential use of malic acid in combination with physicochemical quality stabilizing compounds as a good alternative for safety assurance of fresh-cut apples.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

The use of organic acids such as malic acid, as well as physicochemical quality stabilizing compounds such as N-acetyl-L-cysteine, glutathione and calcium lactate on fresh-cut fruits can benefit the fresh-cut products industry, since they can assure the safety and quality of these products. The main reason for their suitability is their natural origin, thus resulting in fruits that are both attractive and healthy for the consumers who demand fresh-like products.     

Signal standardization of the secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) microscope for quantification of halogens and calcium in biological applications

The secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) microscope is able to map chemical elements in tissue sections. Although absolute quantification of an element remains difficult, a relative quantitative approach is possible for soft tissue by using carbon (¹²C) as an internal reference present at large homogeneous and constant concentration in specimen and embedding resin. In this study, this approach is used to standardize the signal of an SIMS microscope for the quantification of halogens (¹⁹F^—, ³⁵Cl^— and ⁷⁹Br^—) and calcium (⁴⁰Ca⁺). Standard preparation was determined based on homogeneity and stability criteria by molecular incorporation (halogens) or mixing (calcium) in methacrylate resin. Standard measurements were performed by depth analysis on areas of 8 μm (halogens) and 150 μm (calcium) in diameter for 10–30 min, under Cs⁺ (halogens) or O₂⁺ (calcium) bombardment. Results obtained from 100–120 measurements for each standard dilution show that the relationship between the signal intensity measured and the elemental concentration (μg/mg of wet tissue or mm ) is linear in the range of biological concentrations. This quantitative approach was applied firstly to bromine of the 5-bromo-2′-deoxyuridine (BrdU) used as nuclear marker of rat hepatocytes in proliferation. The second model concerns depletion of calcium concentration in cortical compartment in Paramecium tetraurelia during exocytosis. Then signal standardization in SIMS microscopy allows us to correlate quantitative results with those obtained from other methods.