On Repairing Reasoning Reversals via Representational Refinements

Representation is a fluent. A mismatch between the real world and an agent’s representation of it can be signalled by unexpected failures (or successes) of the agent’s reasoning. The ‘real world ’ may include the ontologies of other agents. Such mismatches can be repaired by refining or abstracting an agent’s ontology. These refinements or abstractions may not be limited to changes of belief, but may also change the signature of the agent’s ontology. We describe the implementation and successful evaluation of these ideas in the ORS system. ORS diagnoses failures in plan execution and then repairs the faulty ontologies. Our automated approach to dynamic ontology repair has been designed specifically to address real issues in multi-agent systems, for instance, as envisaged in the Semantic Web

The application of radioactive tracer techniques in the elucidation of the mechanism of chemical reactions

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In vitro fermentation of gum acacia - impact on the faecal microbiota

Interest in the consumption of gum acacia (GA) has been associated with beneficial health effects, which may be mediated in part by prebiotic activity. Two doses of GA and fructooligosaccharide (FOS) (1 and 2%) were tested for their efficacy over 48 h in pH- and temperature-controlled anaerobic batch cultures inoculated with human faeces. Samples were taken after 0, 5, 10, 24 and 48 h of fermentation. The selective effects of GA (increases in Bifidobacterium spp. and Lactobacillus spp.) were similar to those of the known prebiotic FOS. The 1% dose of substrates showed more enhanced selectivity compared to the 2% dose. The fermentation of GA also led to SCFA production, specifically increased acetate after 10, 24 and 48 h of fermentation, propionate after 48 h and butyrate after 24 and 48 h. In addition, FOS led to significant increase in the main SCFAs. These results suggest that GA displays potential prebiotic properties

An Automatic Translator from KIF to PDDL

In this paper, we present a translation process that we have developed to convert KIF ontologies into PDDL. This allows us to define KIF-based agents that can plan efficiently. We discuss the difficulties inherent in such a translation process, and the steps we have taken to overcome them. This process is translates from only a subset of KIF to a corresponding subset of PDDL

Ways of Learning Through Experience, Navigation, and Impact: How the Fear of Job Loss Can Lead to a Changed Perspective

The purpose of this exploratory study of adult learning was to investigate the lived experience of 15 employees who encountered a significant job loss event (an unplanned loss of employment with no immediate replacement of employment—coupled with an unintentional and tangibly significant reduction in income), and how the resultant fear(s) from that event affected their navigation through unemployment in order to become successfully reemployed. This study used two theories in the field of adult learning—Transformative Learning (TL) and Learning From Experience (LFE)—with an aim of uncovering how the principles and methods of TL and LFE were relevant to the participants’ job loss episode and self-assessed, perceived workplace performance. TL offers adults a path for reframing a job loss episode. LFE can help advance an understanding of how the cumulative set of life events develops and shapes coping capacities (ways of learning) and skills relative to job loss episodes. This study was conducted using qualitative research methods, predominately exploratory participant interviews. The participants were 15 U.S.-based employees: five Black males, nine White males, and one White female. The participants were largely but not exclusively middle management staff. Through a series of one-on-one interviews, the research process captured the participants’ perceptions and learnings with respect to how they experienced their job-dismissed event, navigated unemployment, and applied learnings from their job loss episode. In addition, given the availability of five Black participants, discussions related to how race permeated the study were pursued when surfaced. Findings from the study indicated that participants experienced manifestations of fear from losing their job; used their intervening period of unemployment in a constructive, action-based manner; and saw themselves differently as a result of their job loss event. Several conclusions were derived from the study: (a) the job dismissal event is unlike onboarding—employees generally feel kicked out without care or warning; (b) navigation through unemployment requires self-awareness, self-determination, and both social and financial support; and (c) the richness of experience from a job loss episode can offer improvements to perceived workplace performance

Quantitative tandem affinity purification, an effective tool to investigate protein complex composition in plant hormone signaling : strigolactones in the spotlight

Phytohormones tightly regulate plant growth by integrating changing environmental and developmental cues. Although the key players have been identified in many plant hormonal pathways, the molecular mechanisms and mode of action of perception and signaling remain incompletely resolved. Characterization of protein partners of known signaling components provides insight into the formed protein complexes, but, unless quantification is involved, does not deliver much, if any, information about the dynamics of the induced or disrupted protein complexes. Therefore, in proteomics research, the discovery of what actually triggers, regulates or interrupts the composition of protein complexes is gaining importance. Here, tandem affinity purification coupled to mass spectrometry (TAP-MS) is combined with label-free quantification (LFQ) to a highly valuable tool to detect physiologically relevant, dynamic protein-protein interactions in Arabidopsis thaliana cell cultures. To demonstrate its potential, we focus on the signaling pathway of one of the most recently discovered phytohormones, strigolactones