Word-level Symbolic Trajectory Evaluation

Symbolic trajectory evaluation (STE) is a model checking technique that has been successfully used to verify industrial designs. Existing implementations of STE, however, reason at the level of bits, allowing signals to take values in {0, 1, X}. This limits the amount of abstraction that can be achieved, and presents inherent limitations to scaling. The main contribution of this paper is to show how much more abstract lattices can be derived automatically from RTL descriptions, and how a model checker for the general theory of STE instantiated with such abstract lattices can be implemented in practice. This gives us the first practical word-level STE engine, called STEWord. Experiments on a set of designs similar to those used in industry show that STEWord scales better than word-level BMC and also bit-level STE.Comment: 19 pages, 3 figures, 2 tables, full version of paper in International Conference on Computer-Aided Verification (CAV) 201

A New Greenhouse Method to Assay Soybean Resistance to Brown Stem Rot

Greenhouse, growth chamber, and field experiments were conducted to develop a method to assess resistance of soybeans to Cadophora gregata (Phialophora gregata), causal agent of brown stem rot (BSR). In the new method, C. gregata is introduced at the base of the stems of 2-week-old soybeans, and the presence of the fungus is assessed in the tips of the stems 5 weeks later. To test the effectiveness of the method, two populations of soybeans and 10 checks were inoculated at the stem base and then assayed for fungal colonization of the stem tips, percentage of symptomatic leaflets, and percent internal stem length discolored. The lines also were planted in naturally infested fields to assess for percent internal stem length discolored, and were tested for the presence/absence of a BSR-resistant molecular marker. Greenhouse, field, and molecular marker data were compared. Linear regression analysis suggested that percentage of plants with colonized stem tips explained 41 to 64% of the variability (P \u3c 0.0001) in percent stem length discolored in the field and 58 to 85% of the variability (P \u3c 0.0001) in molecular marker data for BSR resistance. Percent stem length discolored assessed in the greenhouse had the lowest correlation with percent stem length discolored in the field and with the molecular marker. Of three incubation temperatures tested, 22°C was the most conducive for distinguishing resistant/susceptible soybeans using the colonization method

Optical fiber properties of individual human cones,"

The tuning properties of the ensemble of cone photoreceptors is due to the tuning properties of individual cones convolved with the disarray in pointing direction between the cones. We used direct imaging with the Rochester adaptive optics ophthalmoscope to directly image these properties in individual cones in living human eyes. We found that cone disarray is very small, accounting for less than 1% of the breadth of the tuning function of an ensemble of cones. The implication is that the optical fiber properties of an ensemble of cones mimic the tuning properties of a single cone

Spatiotemporal regulation of hydrogen sulfide signaling in the kidney

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) has long been recognized as a putrid, toxic gas. However, as a result of intensive biochemical research in the past two decades, H2S is now considered to be the third gasotransmitter alongside nitric oxide (NO) and carbon monoxide (CO) in mammalian systems. H2S-producing enzymes are expressed in all organs, playing an important role in their physiology. In the kidney, H2S is a critical regulator of vascular and cellular function, although the mechanisms that affect (sub)cellular levels of H2S are not precisely understood. H2S modulates systemic and renal blood flow, glomerular filtration rate and the renin-angiotensin axis through direct inhibition of nitric oxide synthesis. Further, H2S affects cellular function by modulating protein activity via post-translational protein modification: a process termed persulfidation. Persulfidation modulates protein activity, protein localization and protein-protein interactions. Additionally, acute kidney injury (AKI) due to mitochondrial dysfunction, which occurs during hypoxia or ischemia-reperfusion (IR), is attenuated by H2S. H2S enhances ATP production, prevents damage due to free radicals and regulates endoplasmic reticulum stress during IR. In this review, we discuss current insights in the (sub)cellular regulation of H2S anabolism, retention and catabolism, with relevance to spatiotemporal regulation of renal H2S levels. Together, H2S is a versatile gasotransmitter with pleiotropic effects on renal function and offers protection against AKI. Unraveling the mechanisms that modulate (sub)cellular signaling of H2S not only expands fundamental insight in the regulation of functional effects mediated by H2S, but can also provide novel therapeutic targets to prevent kidney injury due to hypoxic or ischemic injury

Translating the Dutch walking stairs, walking ability and rising and sitting questionnaires into German and assessing their concurrent validity with VAS measures of pain and activities in daily living

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The Dutch Walking Stairs, Walking Ability and Rising and Sitting Questionnaires are three validated instruments to measure physical activity and limitations in daily living in patients with lower extremity disorders living at home of which no German equivalents are available. Our scope was to translate the Walking Stairs, Walking Ability and Rising and Sitting Questionnaires into German and to verify its concurrent validity in the two domains pain and activities in daily living by comparing them with the corresponding measures on the Visual Analogue Scale.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We translated the Walking Stairs, Walking Ability and Rising and Sitting Questionnaires according to published guidelines. Demographic data and validity were assessed in 52 consecutive patients with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome 1 of the lower extremity. Information on age, duration of symptoms, type of Complex Regional Pain Syndrome 1 and type of initiating event were obtained. We assessed the concurrent validity in the two domains pain and activities in daily living by comparing them with the corresponding measures on the Visual Analogue Scale.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We found that variability in the German Walking Stairs, Walking Ability and Rising and Sitting Questionnaires was largely explained by measures of pain and activities in daily living on the Visual Analogue Scale.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our study shows that the domains pain and activities in daily living are properly represented in the German versions of the Walking Stairs, Walking Ability and Raising and Sitting Questionnaires. We would like to propagate their use in clinical practice and research alike.</p