The Systematic Design of Responsibility Analysis by Abstract Interpretation

Given a behavior of interest, automatically determining the corresponding responsible entity (i.e., the root cause) is a task of critical importance in program static analysis. In this article, a novel definition of responsibility based on the abstraction of trace semantics is proposed, which takes into account the cognizance of observer, which, to the best of our knowledge, is a new innovative idea in program analysis. Compared to current dependency and causality analysis methods, the responsibility analysis is demonstrated to be more precise on various examples. However, the concrete trace semantics used in defining responsibility is uncomputable in general, which makes the corresponding concrete responsibility analysis undecidable. To solve this problem, the article proposes a sound framework of abstract responsibility analysis, which allows a balance between cost and precision. Essentially, the abstract analysis builds a trace partitioning automaton by an iteration of over-approximating forward reachability analysis with trace partitioning and under/over-approximating backward impossible failure accessibility analysis, and determines the bounds of potentially responsible entities along paths in the automaton. Unlike the concrete responsibility analysis that identifies exactly a single action as the responsible entity along every concrete trace, the abstract analysis may lose some precision and find multiple actions potentially responsible along each automaton path. However, the soundness is preserved, and every responsible entity in the concrete is guaranteed to be also found responsible in the abstract.

Notes from the Editors, January 2022

buy this issue This number of Monthly Review is a special issue guest edited by Manolo De Los Santos and Vijay Prashad on The Cuban Revolution Today: Experiments in the Grip of Challenges. Although it covers the major internal struggles of the ongoing Cuban Revolution, along with the external attacks on it by Washington, one unaddressed area of critical importance, which deserves mention, is Cuba’s world leadership in sustainable human development.

The Functional Anatomy of the Cornea and Anterior Chamber in Lampreys: Insights From the Pouched Lamprey, Geotria australis (Geotriidae, Agnatha)

Extant lampreys (Petromyzontiformes) are one of two lineages of surviving jawless fishes or agnathans, and are therefore of critical importance to our understanding of vertebrate evolution. Anadromous lampreys undergo a protracted lifecycle, which includes metamorphosis from a larval ammocoete stage to an adult that moves between freshwater and saltwater with exposure to a range of lighting conditions. Previous studies have revealed that photoreception differs radically across the three extant families with the Pouched lamprey Geotria australis possessing a complex retina with the potential for pentachromacy. This study investigates the functional morphology of the cornea and anterior chamber of G. australis, which is specialised compared to its northern hemisphere counterparts. Using light microscopy, scanning and transmission electron microscopy and microcomputed tomography, the cornea is found to be split into a primary spectacle (dermal cornea) and a scleral cornea (continuous with the scleral eyecup), separated by a mucoid layer bounded on each side by a basement membrane. A number of other specialisations are described including mucin-secreting epithelial cells and microholes, four types of stromal sutures for the inhibition of stromal swelling, abundant anastomosing and branching of collagen lamellae, and a scleral endothelium bounded by basement membranes. The structure and function of the cornea including an annular and possibly a pectinate ligament and iris are discussed in the context of the evolution of the eye in vertebrates.

Electromagnetic transfer information in medicine

Background: Only recently has the critical importance of electromagnetic (EM) field interactions in biology and medicine been recognized. We review the phenomenon of resonance signaling, discussing how specific frequencies modulate cellular function to restore or maintain health. Evidence: Application of EM tuned signals represents more than merely a new tool in Information Medicine. It can also be viewed in the larger context of Electromagnetic Medicine, the all-encompassing view that elevates the electromagnetic over the biochemical. The discovery by Zhadin that ultrasmall magnetic intensities are biologically significant suggests that EM signaling is endogenous to cell regulation, and consequently that the remarkable effectiveness of EM resonance treatments reflects a fundamental aspect of biological systems. The concept that organisms contain mechanisms for generating biologically useful electric signals is not new, dating back to the 19th century discovery of currents of injury by Matteucci. The corresponding modern-day version is that ion cyclotron resonance magnetic field combinations help regulate biological information. Prospects: The next advance in medicine will be to discern and apply those electromagnetic signaling parameters acting to promote wellness, with decreasing reliance on marginal biochemical remediation and pharmaceuticals.

Photoaffinity capture compounds to profile the Magic Spot Nucleotide interactomes

Magic Spot Nucleotides (MSN) regulate the stringent response, a highly conserved bacterial stress adaptation mechanism, enabling survival when confronted with adverse external challenges. In times of antibiotic crisis, a detailed understanding of the stringent response is of critical importance, as potentially new targets for pharmacological intervention could be identified. In this study, we delineate the MSN interactome in Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium cell lysates applying a family of trifunctional photoaffinity capture compounds. We introduce different MSN probes covering diverse phosphorylation patterns, such as pppGpp, ppGpp, and pGpp. Our chemical proteomics approach provides datasets of diverse putative MSN receptors both from cytosolic and membrane fractions that, upon validation, unveil new MSN targets. We find, for example, that the dinucleoside polyphosphate hydrolase activity of the non-Nudix hydrolase ApaH is potently inhibited by pppGpp, which itself is converted to pGpp by ApaH. The photoaffinity capture compounds described herein will be useful to identify MSN interactomes under varying conditions and across bacterial species.

Archaeological Evidence of the Relationship of the Cimmerians with the Phrygian and Lydian Kingdoms in the 7th c. B.C.

В статье предпринята попытка обзора результатов раскопочных работ последних десятилетий, связанных с активностью киммерийцев в центральной и за- падной Малой Азии. Несмотря на то, что недавние исследования ставят под сомнение некоторые сообщения античных авторов о роли киммерийцев в военно-политических процессах в регионе в VII в. до н. э., в частности факт захвата и разрушения ими Гордио- на, выявленные к настоящему времени во фригийских и лидийских центрах артефакты в сочетании со следами интенсивного фортификационного строительства указыва- ют на критическую важность кочевнического фактора и серьезность созданной им для местных цивилизаций угрозы в рассматриваемый период. The article attempts to review the results of excavation work of recent decades related to the activity of the Cimmerians in central and western Asia Minor. Despite the fact that recent studies cast doubt on some reports of ancient authors about the role of the Cimmerians in the military and political processes in the region in the 7th c. B.C., particularly the fact of the capture and destruction of Gordion by them, artifacts found to date in the Phrygian and Lydian centers in combination with traces of intensive fortifi cation construction indicate the critical importance of the nomadic factor and the seriousness of the threat it created for local civilizations during the period under review.

Virtual Thermocouple: A Non-Invasive Multipoint Product Temperature Measurement for Lyophilization

Monitoring product temperature during lyophilization is of critical importance, especially during the process development stage, as the final product may be jeopardized if its process temperature exceeds a threshold value. While conventional thermocouples can track product temperature, they are invasive and can significantly alter the freezing and drying behavior. In this work, a new methodology for non-invasive product temperature monitoring and drying behavior during the entire lyophilization process is proposed and experimentally validated. The method is based on a new flexible wireless multi-point temperature sensing probe that is attached to the outside of the vial. Combining the wirelessly-collected data with advanced multi-physics simulations allows the accurate extraction of the product temperature non-invasively.

Distribution and Important Areas for the Conservation of Amphibians in the Province of Seville, Spain: Identifying Priorities

Amphibians are among the most threatened vertebrates in the world due to habitat destruction, emerging diseases, and climate change, and therefore, it is of critical importance to identify the risk and conservation measures for their populations. In this work, we aimed to identify the status of amphibian distribution in the province of Seville, in the south of Spain. We additionally wanted to identify critical conservation areas and propose measures of conservation for the whole community as well as specific taxa. To do this, we mapped the distribution of amphibians using our own data and bibliography and translated it into a 10 × 10 km2 UTM grid. Our work has allowed us to identify several areas of importance for amphibians in the province and populations of some species that need special attention.