The Promise and Perils of Pre-Publication Review: A Multi-Agent Simulation of Biomedical Discovery Under Varying Levels of Review Stringency

The Internet has enabled profound changes in the way science is performed, especially in scientific communications. Among the most important of these changes is the possibility of new models for pre-publication review, ranging from the current, relatively strict peer-review model, to entirely unreviewed, instant self-publication. Different models may affect scientific progress by altering both the quality and quantity of papers available to the research community. To test how models affect the community, I used a multi-agent simulation of treatment selection and outcome in a patient population to examine how various levels of pre-publication review might affect the rate of scientific progress. I identified a “sweet spot” between the points of very limited and very strict requirements for pre-publication review. The model also produced a u-shaped curve where very limited review requirement was slightly superior to a moderate level of requirement, but not as large as the aforementioned sweet spot. This unexpected phenomenon appears to result from the community taking longer to discover the correct treatment with more strict pre-publication review. In the parameter regimens I explored, both completely unreviewed and very strictly reviewed scientific communication seems likely to hinder scientific progress. Much more investigation is warranted. Multi-agent simulations can help to shed light on complex questions of scientific communication and exhibit interesting, unexpected behaviors

Accentuation of masculine monosyllabic nouns of Susak speakers in New Jersey

<p><strong>SUSAKO ŠNEKTOS, VARTOJAMOS NIU DŽERSYJE, VYRIŠKOSIOS GIMINĖS VIENSKIEMENIŲ DAIKTAVARDŽIŲ KIRČIAVIMAS</strong></p><p><em>Santrauka</em></p><p>Slavų akcentologijoje akcentinės paradigmos <em>d</em> teorija yra kontraversiška dėl keleto priežasčių, visų pirma dėl garso įrašų iš tarmių, kuriose manoma, kad ji turėtų egzistuoti, trūkumo. Straipsnyje problema nagrinėjama remiantis kroatų kalbos čakavų tarmės Susako šnektos, kurioje, kaip žinoma, akcentinė paradigma <em>d</em> egzistuoja (plg. Hamm et al. 1956), įrašais, atliktais Niu Džersyje, kur uždaroje bendruomenėje gyvena emigravusi į JAV dauguma Susako salos gyventojų. Tyrimas parodė, kad Susako tarmės vartotojai Niu Džersyje yra išlaikę a.p. <em>d</em> kirčiavimo modelį, tačiau tiek šiai paradigmai priklausą, tiek ir kiti daiktavardžiai paklūsta apibendrinimo bei analogijos reiškiniams dėl kitų kroatų kalbos tarmių, o ypač dėl bendrinės kalbos įtakos. Straipsnyje pateikiamas aprašas iš esmės sutampa su duodamu veikale Hamm et al. 1956, tačiau yra ir skirtumų: nurodoma daugiau oksitoninių a.p. <em>d</em> žodžių refleksų; teigiama, kad vienskiemeniuose žodžiuose neoakūtą pakeitęs cirkumfleksas, taigi ilgojo kamieno a.p. <em>b</em> žodžiai neskiriami nuo atitinkamų a.p. <em>d</em> žodžių: ir vieniems, ir kitiems būdingos baritoninės cirkumfleksinės vardininko ir oksitoninės netiesioginių linksnių formos; tuo tarpu daugumoje trumpojo kamieno žodžių a.p. <em>d</em> ir a.p. <em>b</em> skiriamos: a.p. <em>d</em> būdingas šaknies balsio pailgėjimas ir cirkumfleksas vardininko formoje, o a.p. <em>b </em>– trumpas kirčiuotas balsis šaknyje.</p

Invoking a Beginner\u27s Aid Processor by Recognizing JCL Goals

Typical help processors are invoked explicitly by the user or implicitly when an error occurs. Often a beginner will not know that he needs help because the inefficient use of commands will get the job done without raising errors. WIZARD is an expert system that recognizes beginner misbehaviors and can automatically start a help transaction. The WIZARD processor relies on a special purpose, dynamic, pattern matcher directed by a KL–One based knowledge network. An author studies logs of beginner interaction and develops sequence rules which parse and properly identify misbehaviors. Objects that drive the parser to understand VAX DCL commands are coded into the network and a set of semantic programming utilities is used to perform actual goal recognition. This thesis deals primarily with the implementation of such a goal recognizing expert invocation system. It is the WIZARD documentation and final working report. I discuss the motivations for the design of the system and detail the knowledge base and heuristics that support goal recognition. Some issues of generality are taken up and potential topics for later research are presented which will extend WIZARD\u27S capabilities

Eight Navy Seals

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Block and inactivation of sodium channels in nerve by amino acid derivatives. II. Dependence on temperature and drug concentration

The interaction of n-propylguanidinium (nPG) with sodium channels has been further characterized. From experiments at varying temperatures, the Q10 for the sodium current decay time constant in the two [Na+] gradients is 2.6–2.9 independent of drug. Testing several nPG concentrations we find that peak sodium current declines sharply with [nPG] at all levels, but the decay time constant approaches an asymptote above 4 mM. No "hooks" in sodium tail currents are seen. If the sodium current is allowed to decay completely before repolarization no tail current is observed. We have developed a kinetic model in which nPG acts at a single site within the sodium channel. Reaction of nPG with its receptor requires two steps. Fitting the temperature data shows that the first step involves diffusion of the drug to the site and close association with it. The second step may include molecular reorganization of the complex. The rate constants for the reaction are all simple exponential functions of voltage. Using them, the model successfully predicts decay time constants and peak currents, and their dependence on potential, [Na+] gradient, temperature, and nPG concentration. The results are consistent with the idea that an arginine residue may be closely associated with inactivation