Testable models

Linden D. J. and Routtenberg A. (1989). The role of protein kinase C in long-term potentiation a testable model. Brain Res. Rev. 14 279-296. 

R. Stanford, An Experimentally Testable Model for Spontaneous Psi Events I. Extrasensory Events, II. Psychokinetic Events, Journal of the Society for Psychical Research (1974) 34-57, 321-356. 

Testable models of laboratory or field data are the final broad class of models. These types of models involve the derivation of specific testable predictions. Good theory should lead to models of this type. Throughout this book it should be recognized that many of the topics covered are tactical, strategic, or testable models of reality. 

SLIDING. Shear forces between filaments were suggested as a possible mitotic motile mechanism by BHaf (1929) even before the advent of the highly successful sUding filament model of force production in muscle. Since then such speculations have increased (Mazia, 1961 Bajer, 1968a,c Subirana, 1968 McIntosh et al., 1969). The commendably specific and testable model of McIntosh et al. will be considered first, followed by a more general discussion. 

In our own laboratory [14,20,22-25] we have utilized conformational, steric and topographical restrictions of peptide hormones to examine this problem. The conformational consequences of these restrictions have been investigated by biophysical methods (NMR, CD, Raman, etc.), and the results of these studies utilized to establish a testable model for the biologically active conformations related to binding and information transfer at specific receptors. 

Several testable models for stress-corrosion cracking (SCC) of metals are discussed in terms of the main experimental variables stress, metallurgy, and environment. Slip-dissolution, film-induced cleavage, and hydrogen embrittlement models are all shown to be consistent with experimental data in particular systems. Other models that cite effects of corrosion (without a film) or adsorption on crack tip deformation, leading to microcleavage or plastic microfracture, are less easy to test. No model can be universal in view of the demonstrable multiplicity of mechanisms. In many cases the atomistic mechanism is unknown, yet cracking can be controlled or predicted via the localized corrosion process that precedes SCC. 

By contrast, the other three-fingered toxins show full charge compensation within loop II. The interaction of fasciculin with the recognition site on AChE was investigated by estimating a precollision orientation, followed by the determination of the buried surface area of the most probable complexes formed, the electrostatic field contours, and the detailed topography of the interaction surface. This approach has led to testable models for the orientation and site of bound fasciculin. 

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