bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ressenya a Cerdà i Ballester, Josep, Los caballeros y religiosos de la orden de Montesa en tiempo de los Austrias (1592-1700), Madrid, CSIC, 2014
Authors: Rodrigo Lizondo Mateu
Published: January 2016

Ressenya a Cerdà i Ballester, Josep, Los caballeros y religiosos de la orden de Montesa en tiempo de los Austrias (1592-1700), Madrid, CSIC, 2014, 509 pàgs., 13 làms.
Llengua i espiritualitat en la Vita Christi d’Isabel de Villena
Authors: Ferrando Francés Antoni
Published: January 2016

Resum:La Vita Christi de sor Isabel de Villena es gestà en la dècada dels 60 del segle XV a partir dels tractats que l’abadessa del monestir de la Trinitat de València usava per a formar les seues monges i per a suscitar en elles la contemplació de Jesús a través dels ulls de Maria i de les dones que l’envoltaren. La comparació de la llengua i de l’estil del Tractat de la Passió i els de les edicions de 1497 i 1513 ha permès comprovar que aquells s’adaptaren a la sensibilitat religiosa i lingüística de cada moment. El llenguatge de l’abadessa, culte i popular alhora, no es deixà influir pel de Corella. Tanmateix, sor Aldonça de Montsoriu, l’editora de l’incunable, intentà 'vendre' l’«elegant y dolç estil» de l’obra recorrent segurament a Miquel Peres perquè redactés la dedicatòria, adreçada a la reina Isabel de Castella.Paraules clau: Isabel de Villena. Vita Christi, Corella, Miquel Peres, llengua, estil, espiritualitat.Abstract: Isabel de Villena’s Vita Christi was conceived in the 60s of the XVth century from the treaties that the abbess of the Valencian Monastery of the Trinity used to indoctrinate her nuns and to raise them in the contemplation of Jesus through the eyes of Mary and the women that surrounded him. The comparison of the language and style of the Tractat de la Passió and those of the editions of 1497 and 1513 clearly show that they were adapted to religious and linguistic sensitivity of the moment. The language of the abbess, cultured and popular at the same time, was not influenced by Corella. However, Aldonça de Montsoriu, curator of the first edition, tried to 'sell' the «elegant and sweet style» of the Vita Christi probably asking Miquel Peres to write the dedication, addressed to Isabella, Queen of Castile.Keywords: Isabel de Villena. Vita Christi, Corella, Miquel Peres, language, style, spirituality.
La llavor de Teresa. En el V centenari del naixement de Teresa de Jesús (I)
Authors: Gras Casanovas Maria Mercè
Published: January 2016

Presentació al monogràfic. La llavor de Teresa. En el V centenari del naixement de Teresa de Jesús (I)
Insertion of interlayers in efficient polymer-based organic solar cells for control of phase separation
Authors: Taima Tetsuya , Tanaka Jun , Kuwabara Takayuki , Takahashi Kohshin
Published: January 2016

To improve the solar cell performance of polymer-based organic solar cells, the control of phase separation in the bulk heterojunction (BHJ) layer is important. In the case of a thienothiophene–benzodithiophene-based polymer (PTB7)-based solar cell, 1,8-diiodoctane (DIO) is added into the chlorobenzene solvent. However, it is well known that DIO addition causes degradation in long-term operation. Here, we try to improve the performance of the PTB7-based BHJ solar cell by controlling the phase separation in the BHJ layer through the insertion of an inorganic semiconducting copper iodide (CuI) interlayer between the BHJ layer and indium tin oxide. The power conversion efficiency of the PTB7-based solar cell is improved from 3.5 to 3.9% upon inserting the CuI interlayer without DIO addition.
Observation of ambipolar switching in a silver nanoparticle single-electron transistor with multiple molecular floating gates
Authors: Yamamoto Makoto , Shinohara Shuhei , Tamada Kaoru , Ishii Hisao , Noguchi Yutaka
Published: January 2016

Ambipolar switching behavior was observed in a silver nanoparticle (AgNP)-based single-electron transistor (SET) with tetra-tert-butyl copper phthalocyanine (ttbCuPc) as a molecular floating gate. Depending on the wavelength of the incident light, the stability diagram shifted to the negative and positive directions along the gate voltage axis. These results were explained by the photoinduced charging of ttbCuPc molecules in the vicinity of AgNPs. Moreover, multiple device states were induced by the light irradiation at a wavelength of 600 nm, suggesting that multiple ttbCuPc molecules individually worked as a floating gate.
Impact of demographics on human gut microbial diversity in a US Midwest population
Authors: Chen Jun , Ryu Euijung , Hathcock Matthew , Ballman Karla , Chia Nicholas , Olson Janet E , Nelson Heidi
Published: January 2016

The clinical utility of microbiome biomarkers depends on the reliable and reproducible nature of comparative results. Underappreciation of the variation associated with common demographic, health, and behavioral factors may confound associations of interest and generate false positives. Here, we present the Midwestern Reference Panel (MWRP), a resource for comparative gut microbiome studies conducted in the Midwestern United States. We analyzed the relationships between demographic and health behavior-related factors and the microbiota in this cohort, and estimated their effect sizes. Most variables investigated were associated with the gut microbiota. Specifically, body mass index (BMI), race, sex, and alcohol use were significantly associated with microbial β-diversity (P < 0.05, unweighted UniFrac). BMI, race and alcohol use were also significantly associated with microbial α-diversity (P < 0.05, species richness). Tobacco use showed a trend toward association with the microbiota (P < 0.1, unweighted UniFrac). The effect sizes of the associations, as quantified by adjusted R2values based on unweighted UniFrac distances, were small (< 1% for all variables), indicating that these factors explain only a small percentage of overall microbiota variability. Nevertheless, the significant associations between these variables and the gut microbiota suggest that they could still be potential confounders in comparative studies and that controlling for these variables in study design, which is the main objective of the MWRP, is important for increasing reproducibility in comparative microbiome studies.
Physical and antimicrobial properties of quinoa flour‐based films incorporated with essential oil
Authors: Pagno Carlos Henrique , Klug Tâmmila Venzke , Costa Tania Maria Haas , de Oliveira Rios Alessandro , Flôres Simone Hickmann
Published: January 2016

Films of quinoa flour (Chenopodium quinoa, W) incorporated with oregano (Origanum vulgare L.) and thyme (Thymus vulgaris L.) essential oils (EOs) at 0.5%, 1%, and 2% p/p were prepared to examine their physical and mechanical properties and antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. The type of EO was not significant for the physical and barrier parameters of the films. The increase in the EOs concentration led to an increase in the elongation at break, but decrease in the tensile strength, Young's modulus, solubility and water vapor permeability. Films containing 1% and 2% EOs exhibited an inhibitory effect on the growth of S. aureus and E. coli. However, S. aureus was more sensitive to both EOs and the oregano was more efficient in the inactivation to both microorganisms. The incorporation of EOs as natural antibacterial agents may lead to their potential application as active packaging materials to increase food safety. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016, 133, 43311.
Newborn Screening for Sickle Cell Disease in Liberia: A Pilot Study
Authors: Tubman Venée N. , Marshall Roseda , Jallah Wilhemina , Guo Dongjing , Ma Clement , Ohene‐Frempong Kwaku , London Wendy B. , Heeney Matthew M.
Published: January 2016

Background

In malaria‐endemic countries in West Africa, sickle cell disease (SCD) contributes to childhood mortality. Historically, Liberia had regions wherein hemoglobin S and beta‐thalassemia trait were mutually exclusive. Data on hemoglobinopathies in the Monrovia, the capital, are outdated and do not reflect urban migration. Updating the epidemiology of SCD is necessary to plan a public health and clinical agenda. Neither newborn screening (NBS) nor screening tools were available in country. This pilot study aimed to determine the feasibility of NBS using a South–South partnership and define the incidence of sickle cell trait (SCT) and SCD in Monrovia.

Procedure

This descriptive epidemiologic feasibility study collected dried blood spots from 2,785 consecutive newborns delivered at a hospital in Monrovia. Samples were analyzed by isoelectric focusing at a regional reference laboratory. Infants with SCD were referred for preventive care.

Results

SCT occurred in 10.31% of infants screened. SCD occurred in 33 infants screened [1.19% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.79–1.59%)] (FS: 28/33, FSB: 2/33, FSA: 2/33, FSX: 1/33). There were no infants with FSC phenotype observed. Nonsickling hemoglobin phenotypes “FC” and “F” were each present in three infants screened. Seventy‐six percent of infants with SCD were brought to care, demonstrating the feasibility of our approach.

Conclusions

The incidence of SCD and other hemoglobinopathies remains high in Liberia. Additional studies are needed to clarify sickle genotypes and identify the contribution of silent beta‐thalassemia alleles. By developing regional partnerships, countries similar to Liberia can acquire current data to inform NBS as an important public health initiative toward improving child health.
Biodegradable poly(lactic acid)/poly(butylene succinate)/wood flour composites: Physical and morphological properties
Authors: Chuayjuljit Saowaroj , Wongwaiwattanakul Chutima , Chaiwutthinan Phasawat , Prasassarakich Pattarapan
Published: January 2016

This work sought to improve the toughness and thermal stability of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) by incorporating poly(butylene succinate) (PBS) and wood flour (WF). The PLA/PBS blends showed a PBS‐dose‐dependent increase in the impact strength, elongation at break, degree of crystallinity, and thermal stability compared to the PLA, but the tensile strength, Young's modulus, and flexural strength were all decreased with increasing PBS content. Based on the optimum impact strength and elongation at break, the 70/30 (w/w) PLA/PBS blend was selected for preparing composites with five loadings of WF (5–30 phr). The impact strength, tensile strength, flexural strength, and thermal stability of the PLA/PBS/WF composites decreased with increasing WF content, and the degree of crystallinity was slightly increased compared to the 70/30 (w/w) PLA/PBS blend. Based on differential scanning calorimetry, the inclusion of PBS and WF into PLA did not significantly change the glass transition and melting temperatures of PLA in the PLA/PBS blends and PLA/PBS/WF composites. From the observed cold crystallization temperature of PLA in the samples, it was evident that the degree of crystallinity of PLA in all the blends and composites was higher than that of PLA. The PLA/PBS blend and PLA/PBS/WF composite degraded faster than PLA during three months in natural soil, which was due to the fast degradation rate of PBS. POLYM. COMPOS., 38:2841–2851, 2017. © 2016 Society of Plastics Engineers
Domains of accretive operators in Banach spaces
Authors: Garcia-Falset Jesús , Muñiz-Pérez Omar , Reich Simeon
Published: January 2016

LetD(A)be the domain of anm-accretive operatorAon a Banach spaceE. We provide sufficient conditions for the closure ofD(A)to be convex and forD(A)to coincide withEitself. Several related results and pertinent examples are also included.
Comparison of Aortic Collagen Fiber Angle Distribution in Mouse Models of Atherosclerosis Using Second-Harmonic Generation (SHG) Microscopy
Authors: Watson Shana R. , Liu Piaomu , Peña Edsel A. , Sutton Michael A. , Eberth John F. , Lessner Susan M.
Published: January 2016

Characterization of collagen fiber angle distribution throughout the blood vessel wall provides insight into the mechanical behavior of healthy and diseased arteries and their capacity to remodel. Atherosclerotic plaque contributes to the overall mechanical behavior, yet little is known experimentally about how collagen fiber orientation is influenced by atherogenesis. We hypothesized that atherosclerotic lesion development, and the factors contributing to lesion development, leads to a shift in collagen fiber angles within the aorta. Second-harmonic generation microscopy was used to visualize the three-dimensional organization of collagen throughout the aortic wall and to examine structural differences in mice maintained on high-fat Western diet versus age-matched chow diet mice in a model of atherosclerosis. Image analysis was performed on thoracic and abdominal sections of the aorta from each mouse to determine fiber orientation, with the circumferential (0°) and blood flow directions (axial ±90°) as the two reference points. All measurements were used in a multiple regression analysis to determine the factors having a significant influence on mean collagen fiber angle. We found that mean absolute angle of collagen fibers is 43° lower in Western diet mice compared with chow diet mice. Mice on a chow diet have a mean collagen fiber angle of ±63°, whereas mice on a Western diet have a more circumferential fiber orientation (~20°). This apparent shift in absolute angle coincides with the development of extensive aortic atherosclerosis, suggesting that atherosclerotic factors contribute to collagen fiber angle orientation.
Multi-reporter selection for the design of active and more specific zinc-finger nucleases for genome editing
Authors: Oakes Benjamin L. , Xia Danny F. , Rowland Elizabeth F. , Xu Denise J. , Ankoudinova Irina , Borchardt Jennifer S. , Zhang Lei , Li Patrick , Miller Jeffrey C. , Rebar Edward J. , Noyes Marcus B.
Published: January 2016

Engineered nucleases have transformed biological research and offer great therapeutic potential by enabling the straightforward modification of desired genomic sequences. While many nuclease platforms have proven functional, all can produce unanticipated off-target lesions and have difficulty discriminating between homologous sequences, limiting their therapeutic application. Here we describe a multi-reporter selection system that allows the screening of large protein libraries to uncover variants able to discriminate between sequences with substantial homology. We have used this system to identify zinc-finger nucleases that exhibit high cleavage activity (up to 60% indels) at their targets within the CCR5 and HBB genes and strong discrimination against homologous sequences within CCR2 and HBD. An unbiased screen for off-target lesions using a novel set of CCR5-targeting nucleases confirms negligible CCR2 activity and demonstrates minimal off-target activity genome wide. This system offers a straightforward approach to generate nucleases that discriminate between similar targets and provide exceptional genome-wide specificity.
Erratum: A biomimetic hybrid nanoplatform for encapsulation and precisely controlled delivery of theranostic agents
Authors: Wang Hai , Agarwal Pranay , Zhao Shuting , Yu Jianhua , Lu Xiongbin , He Xiaoming
Published: January 2016

Nature Communications 6: Article number: 10081 (2015); Published: 1 December 2015; Updated: 7 January 2016 The original version of this Article contained an error in the spelling of ‘theranostic’ in the title of the paper. This has now been corrected in both the PDF and HTML versions of the Article.
Correction: Corrigendum: Three Dimensional Hybrids of Vertical Graphene-nanosheet Sandwiched by Ag-nanoparticles for Enhanced Surface Selectively Catalytic Reactions
Authors: Zhao Jing , Sun Mengtao , Liu Zhe , Quan Baogang , Gu Changzhi , Li Junjie
Published: January 2016

Three dimensional (3D) plasmonic nanostructure is perfect for the surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) and also very suitable for surface catalytic reaction, but how to design and fabricate is still a robust task. Here, we show a 3D plasmonic nanohybrid of vertical graphene-nanosheet sandwiched by Ag-nanoparticles on the silicon nanocone array substrate for enhanced surface catalytic reaction. By SERS detection, we find that this hierarchical nanohybrid structure is highly efficient in the enhancement of catalytic reaction, even at a very low concentration of 10−11 M, which is far better than previous reports by four orders of magnitude. A strong electric field enhancement produced in the 3D framework nanohybrids of graphene nanosheet/Ag-nanoparticles is responsible for this great enhancement of catalytic reaction, due to larger electron collective oscillation in the composite system. Especially the oxygen adsorbed on the graphene and Ag nanoparticles can be excited to triplet excited states, and the electrons on the graphene and the nanoparticles can be effectively transferred to the oxygen, which plays very important role in molecular catalytic reactions. Our results demonstrate the contribution of graphene in plasmon-driven catalytic reactions, revealing a co-driven reaction process.This excellent SERS substrate can be used for future plasmon and graphene co-catalytic surface catalytic reactions, graphene-based surface plasmon sensors and so on.
Single-Readout High-Density Memristor Crossbar
Authors: Zidan M. A. , Omran H. , Naous R. , Sultan A. , Fahmy H. A. H. , Lu W. D. , Salama K. N.
Published: January 2016

High-density memristor-crossbar architecture is a very promising technology for future computing systems. The simplicity of the gateless-crossbar structure is both its principal advantage and the source of undesired sneak-paths of current. This parasitic current could consume an enormous amount of energy and ruin the readout process. We introduce new adaptive-threshold readout techniques that utilize the locality and hierarchy properties of the computer-memory system to address the sneak-paths problem. The proposed methods require a single memory access per pixel for an array readout. Besides, the memristive crossbar consumes an order of magnitude less power than state-of-the-art readout techniques.
Light scattering of rectangular slot antennas: parallel magnetic vector vs perpendicular electric vector
Authors: Lee Dukhyung , Kim Dai-Sik
Published: January 2016

We study light scattering off rectangular slot nano antennas on a metal film varying incident polarization and incident angle, to examine which field vector of light is more important: electric vector perpendicular to, versus magnetic vector parallel to the long axis of the rectangle. While vector Babinet’s principle would prefer magnetic field along the long axis for optimizing slot antenna function, convention and intuition most often refer to the electric field perpendicular to it. Here, we demonstrate experimentally that in accordance with vector Babinet’s principle, the incident magnetic vector parallel to the long axis is the dominant component, with the perpendicular incident electric field making a small contribution of the factor of 1/|ε|, the reciprocal of the absolute value of the dielectric constant of the metal, owing to the non-perfectness of metals at optical frequencies.
Targeted pruning of a neuron’s dendritic tree via femtosecond laser dendrotomy
Authors: Go Mary Ann , Choy Julian Min Chiang , Colibaba Alexandru Serban , Redman Stephen , Bachor Hans-A. , Stricker Christian , Daria Vincent Ricardo
Published: January 2016

Neurons are classified according to action potential firing in response to current injection. While such firing patterns are shaped by the composition and distribution of ion channels, modelling studies suggest that the geometry of dendritic branches also influences temporal firing patterns. Verifying this link is crucial to understanding how neurons transform their inputs to output but has so far been technically challenging. Here, we investigate branching-dependent firing by pruning the dendritic tree of pyramidal neurons. We use a focused ultrafast laser to achieve highly localized and minimally invasive cutting of dendrites, thus keeping the rest of the dendritic tree intact and the neuron functional. We verify successful dendrotomy via two-photon uncaging of neurotransmitters before and after dendrotomy at sites around the cut region and via biocytin staining. Our results show that significantly altering the dendritic arborisation, such as by severing the apical trunk, enhances excitability in layer V cortical pyramidal neurons as predicted by simulations. This method may be applied to the analysis of specific relationships between dendritic structure and neuronal function. The capacity to dynamically manipulate dendritic topology or isolate inputs from various dendritic domains can provide a fresh perspective on the roles they play in shaping neuronal output.
Correction: Corrigendum: Plant-microbe rhizosphere interactions mediated by Rehmannia glutinosa root exudates under consecutive monoculture
Authors: Wu Linkun , Wang Juanying , Huang Weimin , Wu Hongmiao , Chen Jun , Yang Yanqiu , Zhang Zhongyi , Lin Wenxiong
Published: January 2016

Under consecutive monoculture, the biomass and quality of Rehmannia glutinosa declines significantly. Consecutive monoculture of R. glutinosa in a four-year field trial led to significant growth inhibition. Most phenolic acids in root exudates had cumulative effects over time under sterile conditions, but these effects were not observed in the rhizosphere under monoculture conditions. It suggested soil microbes might be involved in the degradation and conversion of phenolic acids from the monocultured plants. T-RFLP and qPCR analysis demonstrated differences in both soil bacterial and fungal communities during monoculture. Prolonged monoculture significantly increased levels of Fusarium oxysporum, but decreased levels of Pseudomonas spp. Abundance of beneficial Pseudomonas spp. with antagonistic activity against F. oxysporum was lower in extended monoculture soils. Phenolic acid mixture at a ratio similar to that found in the rhizosphere could promote mycelial growth, sporulation, and toxin (3-Acetyldeoxynivalenol, 15-O-Acetyl-4-deoxynivalenol) production of pathogenic F. oxysporum while inhibiting growth of the beneficial Pseudomonas sp. W12. This study demonstrates that extended monoculture can alter the microbial community of the rhizosphere, leading to relatively fewer beneficial microorganisms and relatively more pathogenic and toxin-producing microorganisms, which is mediated by the root exudates.
Real-time monitoring AP site incision caused by APE1 using a modified hybridization probe
Authors: Liu Bin , Peng Lan
Published: January 2016

A real time fluorescence method with wide promising applications was developed for APE1 assay with high sensitivity and specificity by using a double-stranded linear probe as a substrate and reporter molecule.
Whole body radioprotective effect of phenolic extracts from the fruits of Malus baccata (Linn.) Borkh
Authors: Wang Lu , Li Xiaoyu , Wang Zhenyu
Published: January 2016

An evaluation of the radioprotective effect of the phenolics extracted from the fruits of Malus baccata (Linn.) Borkh.
N-Heterocyclic carbene catalyzed dehydrogenative coupling of enals: synthesis of monobactams
Authors: Li Fangyi , Zhao Changgui , Wang Jian
Published: January 2016

The novel NHC-catalyzed dehydrogenative coupling of enals is described to generate a wide range of monobactams.
Theoretical Entities in Statistical Explanation
Authors: Greeno James G.
Published: January 2016

The ideas in this paper are based on an analysis of statistical explanation that uses the information transmitted by a theory. Consider a theory that specifies a probability distribution on the events of some domain, where for purposes of analysis we divide the variables that describe the domain into two sets: [M], a set of variables whose values are to be explained, and [S], a set of variables whose values are used to explain the values of the variables in [M]. The information transmitted by the theory is

(1)

where H(S) and H(M) are the uncertainties of the events in [S] and [M], respectively, and H(S x M) is the uncertainty of the joint events.

To illustrate this idea, consider the problem of explaining medical symptoms such as fever, coughing, skin rash and abdominal pain.
Material Conditions on Tests of Statistical Hypotheses
Authors: Rogers Ben
Published: January 2016

Orthodox statistical theory, which is the theory used by most practicing statisticians, physicists, biologists, and social scientists, assumes there are objective probabilities which are properties of physical systems. Statistical hypothesis testing is a branch of statistical theory concerned with a theory for accepting or rejecting statements which ascribe these objective probabilities to particular physical systems. Since use of the theory of statistical hypothesis testing leads to the acceptance or rejection of a kind of empirical statement, I shall assume that this theory is a part of inductive logic. Recent philosophical inquiries have largely ignored orthodox statistical theory, and personalistic (or Bayesian) statisticians have attacked it. Since the theory is so widely used, it is important to reexamine its foundations and its place in the canon of inductive logic.
From Logical Systems to Conceptual Populations
Authors: Stephen Toulmin
Published: January 2016

It is hardly news today to report that philosophers of science share a widespread feeling that methods of analysis which have served them well for half a century are reaching the limits of their usefulness. During much of the twentieth century, they have been concentrating on those aspects of science which lend themselves most readily to analysis using the tools of formal logic; they have given detailed, sophisticated accounts of the ways in which the general principles of a natural science are - or might conceivably be - applied to entail statements about its particular phenomena; and they have done much to make clearer the part played in natural science by logical systems. The resulting debate has been complex and on a high level of abstraction: primitive terms, protocol-statements, hypothetico-deductive systems, inductivism … verification, falsification, confirmation, corroboration, refutation ….
Comments on Suppes’ Paper: The Essential but Implicit Role of Modal Concepts in Science
Authors: Bressan Aldo
Published: January 2016

In contrast to his views of some years ago Suppes in now convinced that modal concepts are essential to standard scientific talk. Yet he emphasizes two main points: (1) in a majority of cases the modal concepts remain implicit in that talk, and (2) this logic is scarcely used in either theoretical or experimental analysis of empirical phenomena. Furthermore, in dealing with probability and referring in particular to the sample space, he substantially says that modal concepts are left implicit to eliminate excess baggage.

In my opinion the situation emphasized by Suppes and described by him in detail, is quite natural and to be foreseen, up to details: Indeed, first, mathematization is the most important step in the qualitative development of science.
Statistical Explanations
Authors: Fetzer James H.
Published: January 2016

The purpose of this paper is to provide a systematic appraisal of the covering law and statistical relevance theories of statistical explanation advanced by Carl G. Hempel and by Wesley C. Salmon, respectively. The analysis is intended to show that the difference between these accounts is in-principle analogous to the distinction between truth and confirmation, where Hempel's analysis applies to what is taken to be the case and Salmon's analysis applies to what is the case. Specifically, it is argued

(a)

that statistical explanations exhibit the nomic expectability of their explanandum events, which in some cases may be strong but in other cases will not be;

(b)

that the statistical relevance criterion is more fundamental than the requirement of maximal specificity and should therefore displace it; and,

(c)

that if statistical explanations are to be envisioned as inductive arguments at all, then only in a qualified sense since, in particular, the requirement of high inductive probability between explanans and explanandum must be abandoned.
IQ, Heritability, and Human Nature
Authors: Daniels Norman
Published: January 2016

Scientific revolutions are no everyday affair. So it is of some importance that Fortune (Alexander, 1972) and several other major magazines have recently proclaimed that we are in the midst of a major Kuhnian revolution in the social sciences, one that has significant implications for social policy. According to these magazines, ‘environmentalist’ theories, which assume that equalization of human environments and opportunities will increase equality of achievement between individuals, groups, and races, are in ‘crisis'. The crisis exists because the egalitarian reform programs of the 1960's, which relied on such theories and thus constituted tests of them, failed to equalize achievement. In the face of this crisis, Fortune suggests, scientists are welcoming evidence from the study of ducks, baboons, and humans which points to “a basic intractability in human nature, a resistance to being guided and molded for improving society” (Alexander, 1972, p. 132).
On Defending the Covering-Law “Model”
Authors: Addis Laird
Published: January 2016

Hempel in Aspects of Scientific Explanation and Other Essays tells us that “all scientific explanation involves, explicitly or by implication, a subsumption of its subject matter under general regularities; that it seeks to provide a systematic understanding of empirical phenomena by showing that they fit into a nomic nexus.” This I take to be an informal statement of his covering-law, “model” of scientific explanation. In defense of his “model” against apparent examples of scientific explanations which do not fit it, Hempel's almost instinctive reaction has been to patch them up in some way so that they do conform. This, I believe, is the wrong way to defend the covering-law “model”. In the three parts of this brief essay I shall do the following: (1) show that Hempel's attempt to patch up a certain version of so-called “rational” explanation does not succeed of its purpose, (2) generalize that result with respect to all dispositional explanations, and (3) reflect momentarily on philosophic method and another way to defend the covering-law “model”.
Informal Aspects of Theory Reduction
Authors: Hull David L.
Published: January 2016

The issues which separate the members of this symposium concern the nature of reduction and scientific theories. However, these issues involve primarily informal aspects of theory reduction. But more than this, they concern the nature of philosophy of science itself.

Kenneth Schaffner (1967) has set out what he terms a general reduction paradigm, a development of earlier efforts by such philosophers as Ernest Nagel, J. H. Woodger, and Carl Hempel. This model, according to Schaffner, “represents an ideal standard for accomplished reductions, and does not characterize the research programmes of molecular biologists.” Following the lead of his predecessors, Schaffner does not intend for his model of theory reduction to characterize the ongoing process of science (Wimsatt’s rational) but an abstract, formal relation between atemporal rational reconstructions of scientific theories (Wimsatt’s rational).
A Cybernetic Analysis of Goal-Directedness
Authors: Simon Thomas W.
Published: January 2016

The issue of the admissibility into scientific discourse of teleological terms such as ‘function', ‘goal-direction, ‘purpose’ and ‘goal’ has not received widespread attention in recent years. In a provocative book, On Purposeful Systems, Ackoff and Emery claim that “the lack of more recent debate seems…no more than scholarly collusion in agreeing not to raise embarrassing questions” ([11], p. 15). Most of those who have attended to teleological problems have attempted to show that these teleological terms are eliminable in favor of non-teleological terms. ‘Function’ has been analyzed in this manner by Nissen [12], Nagel [11], Canfield [6], Hempel [8] et al. ‘Goal-direction’ and ‘purpose’ have been given similar treatment by Braithwaite [4], Nagel [11], Sommerhoff [21][22], inter alia. Notable exceptions to these reductionist analyses occur in the works of C. Taylor [23] and Wright [27].
Einstein's Second Treatment of Simultaneity
Authors: Bowman Peter A.
Published: January 2016

Much has been written on the 1905 paper in which Einstein founded the special theory of relativity, his justly famous “Zur Elektrodynamik bewegter Körper” [4]. In it he innovatively defined the simultaneity of events at two distant points by imagining a light signal to be sent from one point to the other and back. In effect he defined the midpoint of the time interval between the signal's emission and return at one point to be simultaneous with its reflection at the other. And a large fraction of the writing about this paper (e.g., [19], [20], [3], [12]) has been concerned to show that, without denying any physical fact, he could have chosen any other point in the interval and thereby given an equally satisfactory alternative definition.
The Infinite Ballot Box of Nature: De Morgan, Boole, and Jevons on Probability and the Logic of Induction
Authors: Strong John V.
Published: January 2016

Nature is to us like an infinite ballot box, the contents of which are being continually drawn, ball after ball, and exhibited to us. Science is but the careful observation of the succession in which balls of various character present themselves ([12], p. 150).

The project of formulating an account of scientific inference in terms of concepts drawn from probability theory, and based on the programmatic belief that inductive logic (that is, the theory of the principles of inductive reasoning) is the same as probability logic, is one usually associated in our own day with the names of such twentieth-century philosophers of science as John Maynard Keynes, Hans Reichenbach and Rudolf Carnap ([13], [27], [3]).
Sociobiology: Sound Science or Muddled Metaphysics?
Authors: Ruse Michael
Published: January 2016

The public image of science is that of an enterprise of dispassionate, cool objectivity: something involving sober, emotion-free, white-coated people, as they battle collectively to wrest secrets from the stubborn universe. Nor is this an image entirely unacceptable to scientists themselves. Witness, for example, the great fondness they have for Sir Karl Popper's philosophy of science, with its scenario of men of science ruthlessly discarding favoured brain-children in the face of ugly but falsifying facts. Even biologists avidly swallow and regurgitate this picture, despite the fact that Popper calmly tells them that their most important theory is but a collection of half-baked truisms.

However, as historians of science know only too well, much of the actual activity of science descends right down to (metaphorical) bare-knuckle fighting of the most bloody kind.
Is There a Philosophy of Medicine?
Authors: Engelhardt H. Tristram
Published: January 2016

As a part of a symposium on philosophy and medicine in May, 1974, Jerome Shaffer, Marx Wartofsky, and Edmund Pellegrino engaged in a discussion concerning the possibility of a philosophy of medicine. In his remarks, Shaffer argued that what has gone under the term ‘philosophy of medicine’ properly belongs within the philosophy of science, moral philosophy, and, perhaps, the philosophy of mind, and hence, that “there is nothing left for the Philosophy of Medicine to do” ([36], p. 218). Shaffer wanted to debunk the thesis that there are issues such as the status of concepts of health or disease which are unique to medicine and which would, therefore, constitute a special conceptual domain for a philosophy of medicine. According to Shaffer, “What for an organism is normal and abnormal, well-formed and malformed, healthy and unhealthy, non-pathological and physiological … [is] part and parcel of the theory and laws of biology”([36], p. 216).
Analyticity Without an Observational-Theoretical Distinction
Authors: Tamthai Mark
Published: January 2016

The problem we are concerned with in this paper is that of separating out, among the consequences of an empirical theory, those that play a purely linguistic role (the “analytic” consequences) from the rest. This problem we shall refer to as the problem of theoretical analyticity. In a sense, the problem was solved by Carnap's proposal (p. 270) to consider the analytic consequences to be exactly the consequences of a special sentence associated with each theory, along with results of Winnie, which gave further justification to this proposal. Besides Carnap's proposal there have been other attempts to solve the problem of theoretical analyticity (e.g.,). However, all such attempts (including Carnap's) have relied upon a distinction between observation and theoretical terms in the language of empirical theories. Since there has been much debate concerning this distinction, and since there do not seem to be any good reasons why “analyticity” should be tied so closely to it, we shall attempt to attack the problem of theoretical analyticity without assuming an observation-theory distinction among the vocabulary of empirical theories.
Scientific Problems and Constraints
Authors: Nickles Thomas
Published: January 2016

What is the relation between a scientific problem and the constraints on its satisfactory solution? To what extent can problems be identified with (or how far are they determined by) such constraints? What types of constraints are there, and how do the various types function to determine problems and their solutions? I wish to consider these questions in the context of a single historical case, the blackbody radiation problem, 1859-1900. Since only the most condensed treatment of even one historical problem is possible, I select one with a familiar and accessible history (see for details). Despite the historical attention it has received, I know of no philosophical treatment of the blackbody case from a problem oriented viewpoint.

More attention to constraints on problem solutions can help philosophers of science in several ways.
On the Likelihood Principle and a Supposed Antinomy
Authors: Loewer Barry , Laddaga Robert , Rosenkrantz Roger
Published: January 2016

It is natural to regard a given datum, x, as favoring that one of two rival hypotheses, H or K, which affords x higher probability, so that H is favored iff the likelihood ratio; P(x|H):P(x|K) exceeds one. More generally, the relative support x accords the different members of a partition of hypotheses, H1,…,Hn, is assessed by comparing their likelihoods, P(x|Hi). Considered as a function of the Hi, L(Hi) = P(x|Hi) is called the likelihood function. If we view the likelihood function associated with an observed experimental outcome, x, as conveying the entire evidential import of the experiment, then it follows that the two outcomes, x and y, whether of the same or different experiments, are evidentially equivalent just in case they give rise to the same relative likelihoods, P(x|Hi):P(x|Hi) = P(y|Hi):P(y|Hj) for all i,j, or , in other words, iff P(x|Hi) α P(y|Hi) for all i.
Combining Statistical-Thermodynamics and Relativity Theory: Methodological and Foundations Problems
Authors: Earman John
Published: January 2016

Classical statistical mechanics has commanded a modest but steady amount of attention from philosophers of science. By contrast, there has been an almost total neglect of relativistic statistical mechanics, or more precisely, a neglect of the prospects and problems of producing a relativistic version of classical statistical mechanics. The neglect is undeserved, for this area offers a fascinating array of case studies for those concerned with the history and sociology of science, with the structure and dynamics of scientific theories, or with foundations problems in physics. This paper is dedicated to the goal of ending the neglect. Towards this end, I will survey some of the issues which arise in attempting to marry statistical-thermodynamics with relativity theory. The choice of the issues to be discussed and their treatment naturally reflect my own preferences and prejudices, and I cannot hope for the reader’s agreement on all points.
The Limitations of Physics as a Chemical Reducing Agent
Authors: Bogaard Paul A.
Published: January 2016

Theories of chemistry have come to depend inescapably upon the framework provided by atomic physics. This is a dependency which is anchored upon the ability within quantum theory — in particular since the wave mechanics of Schrödinger — to account for chemical bonding by the pairing of electrons, the stability of their resulting structures, and thereby to provide a basis from which to deal with chemical behavior generally. The optimism generated fifty years ago by the initial attempts to apply this framework1 has bolstered the supposition, within the sciences, that chemistry is exclusively an experimental science, it has no theory except what it borrows from atomic physics. It seems to have established, within philosophy, so secure an example of intertheoretic reduction that however often we hear it cited, it remains a case rarely, if ever, examined.
Towards a Richer Model of Man: A Critique of Laudan’s Progress and Its Problems
Authors: Westman Robert S.
Published: January 2016

In setting forth a new theory of the growth of scientific knowledge, Larry Laudan shows that any account of scientific change has consequences for the relationship between the history, philosophy and sociology of science. It is a laudable feature of his work that he does not treat any of these disciplines as undifferentiated monoliths. In fact, one of his main goals is to show that his account of progress requires specific ways of doing and relating these three disciplines. As an historian invited to speak at the Philosophy of Science Association, it seemed appropriate for me to appraise the function of history of science in Laudan’s program. Without going into unnecessary detail, let me begin by examining some of his main claims.

The focus of Laudan’s argument is on science construed as a form of problem-solving activity and on progress and rationality as appraisals of problem-solving capabilities.
Some Problems about Solving Problems
Authors: Mellor D.H.
Published: January 2016

The two other commentators, being, like Professor Laudan, scholars, have commented on the whole of his book. As a mere philosopher, I may perhaps be forgiven if I get little further than the first chapter of Progress and Its Problems.

We know that the practice of science increases our knowledge and understanding of things and events, and consequently our capacity to predict and control them. That is why the practice of science interests philosophers who are concerned to say how such knowledge and understanding, such capacity for prediction and control, can be acquired. It challenges them to show why scientific practice should deliver these cognitive goods. Some who decline the challenge, or fail to meet it, may deny that it does deliver the goods; but their conscious practice, of preferring aircraft to broomsticks for flight and telephones to telepathy for communication, belies the sincerity of their denials.
Problem-solving, Research Traditions, and the Development of Scientific Fields
Authors: Frankel Henry
Published: January 2016

If science is essentially a problem-solving activity, it stands to reason that a good part of the rationale behind the development and growth of new scientific fields (or subfields) is the generation of problem-solutions. I should like to argue that the origin and, especially, the development of new scientific fields is primarily a research procedure for solving existing unsolved problems and generating and solving new unsolved problems. By a scientific field I have in mind the following:

A scientific field (F) has the following characteristics: (a) a given subject matter and (b) a data base about the subject matter, at least some of which is puzzling or problematic, (c) a set of problems arising from the puzzling subject matter (internal problems), (d) a set of problems arising from data in another field (applied or external problems), but thought solvable through appeal to the data base of F, (e) a set of techniques for expanding the data base, and (f) a set of theories or solutions to the internal problems.
Scientific Explanation and Norms in Science
Authors: Gruender David
Published: January 2016

For some thirty years, now, discussions of explanation in science have begun with the theory most clearly articulated by Hempel and Oppenheim (1948). It has been modified, extended, and defended by Hempel with perserverance and patience since then (1965). As a result, it has served as the standard against which competitors strived, and the clarity with which it has been set forth and defended has played a large role in the fecundity of the debate it has aroused.

It is not my intention here to attack or defend the theory in any of its versions, but to examine some aspects of the debate as they bear on the development of our concepts of what science is about. For the theory has been, taken by its friends and its enemies to play a dual role: it is, on the one hand, intended to be descriptive of what science does; while, at the same time, it is to serve as a model or ideal of what science ought to strive to be.
Is Sociobiology A Pseudoscience?
Authors: Thompson R. Paul
Published: January 2016

Among the numerous criticisms of sociobiology is the criticism that it is not genuine science. The attempts to support this charge are based on the beliefs that sociobiology is in some sense untestable (Allen et al 1976 and 1977; Sahlins 1977; Lewontin 1977) and untestable hypotheses and theories are pseudoscientific. There are, however, a number of difficulties with both of these beliefs. First, the testability criterion of genuine science is far from clear or well accepted. It is now obvious to most philosophers of science that hypotheses and theories do not occur in isolation. Numerous assumptions and hypotheses together form part of a general framework within which any hypothesis is formed, applied and tested (see, Quine 1951; Quine and Ullian 1978, pp. 96-107; and Kuhn 1970). The refusal to give up a hypothesis in the face of a negative test result is not only not grounds for considering it pseudoscientific but is also a common occurrence in scientific research.
Probabilistic Causality and Multiple Causation
Authors: Humphreys Paul
Published: January 2016

I shall argue in this paper that although much attention has been paid to causal chains and common causes within the literature on probabilistic causality, a primary virtue of that approach is its ability to deal with cases of multiple causation. In doing so I shall try to indicate some ways in which contemporary sine qua non analyses of causation are too narrow Cand ways in which probabilistic causality is not) and refine an argument by Relchenbach designed to provide a basis for the asymmetry of causation.

In his contribution to this symposium (Salmon 1981) Professor Salmon has emphasized the central role played by processes and interactions in causality. Whereas his discussion of common causes naturally has a futuristic orientation using causal fans of the type given in Fig. 1.,

I shall be rather more backwards-looking and concentrate on the advantages that probabilistic causation possesses for the analysis of multiple causes of the type in Fig. 2.