bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Quantifying Randomness Versus Consensus in Wine Quality Ratings
Authors: Cao Jing
Published: April 2014

There has been ongoing interest in studying wine judges' performance in evaluating wines. Most of the studies have reached a similar conclusion: a significant lack of consensus exists in wine quality ratings. However, a few studies, to the author's knowledge, have provided direct quantification of how much consensus (as opposed to randomness) exists in wine ratings. In this paper, a permutation-based mixed model is proposed to quantify randomness versus consensus in wine ratings. Specifically, wine ratings under the condition of randomness are generated with a permutation method, and wine ratings under the condition of consensus can be produced by sorting the ratings for each judge. Then the observed wine ratings are modeled as a mixture of ratings under randomness and ratings under consensus. This study shows that the model can provide excellent model fit, which indicates that wine ratings, indeed, consist of a mixture of randomness and consensus. A direct measure is easily computed to quantify randomness versus consensus in wine ratings. The method is demonstrated with data analysis from a major wine competition and a simulation study. (JEL Classifications: C10, C13, C15)
Strategic Implications of the Relationship Between Price and Willingness to Pay: Evidence from a Wine-Tasting Experiment
Authors: Lewis Geoffrey , Zalan Tatiana
Published: April 2014

We empirically examine the relationship between price and willingness to pay (WTP) for wines by conducting a wine-tasting experiment with a manipulation of price similar to that used by Plassman et al. (2008); that is, with the same wines being presented at different prices. We find that for non-expert wine consumers a complex interaction exists between wine appreciation, price and WTP. The key conclusions from the study are that for non-expert wine consumers (1) there is no relationship between intrinsic wine character and enjoyment (individuals rated the same wines quite differently), and (2) price influences both appreciation of wine and WTP, but the latter more strongly. Buying decisions are determined by consumer surplus (the difference between WTP and price), and yet, for non-expert wine drinkers, WTP is itself strongly influenced by price. This complex interaction between the factors that determine buying behavior has strategic implications for competitors in the wine industry. We suggest an understanding of the relationship between WTP and price can be used to shed light on the crisis recently experienced by the Australian wine industry. (JEL Classifications: C91, D03, M30)
The power of partnerships: the Liverpool school of butterfly and medical genetics
Authors: ZALLEN DORIS T.
Published: April 2014

From the 1950s to the 1970s, a group of physician–researchers forming the ‘Liverpool school’ made groundbreaking contributions in such diverse areas as the genetics of Lepidoptera and human medical genetics. The success of this group can be attributed to the several different, but interconnected, research partnerships that Liverpool physician Cyril Clarke established with Philip Sheppard, Victor McKusick at Johns Hopkins University, the Nuffield Foundation, and his wife Féo. Despite its notable successes, among them the discovery of the method to prevent Rhesus haemolytic disease of the newborn, the Liverpool School began to lose prominence in the mid-1970s, just as the field of medical genetics that it had helped pioneer began to grow. This paper explores the role of partnerships in making possible the Liverpool school's scientific and medical achievements, and also in contributing to its decline.
Effectiveness of probiotics on the duration of illness in healthy children and adults who develop common acute respiratory infectious conditions: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: King Sarah , Glanville Julie , Sanders Mary Ellen , Fitzgerald Anita , Varley Danielle
Published: April 2014

Recent systematic reviews have reported a positive, although modest, effect of probiotics in terms of preventing common cold symptoms. In this systematic review, the effect of probiotics, specifically Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium strains, on the duration of acute respiratory infections in otherwise healthy children and adults was evaluated. To identify relevant trials, eight databases, including MEDLINE, Embase, the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (CDSR), the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), the Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects (DARE), Health Technology Assessment (HTA), Science Citation Index (SCI) and OAISTER, were searched from inception to 20 July 2012. Details regarding unpublished studies/databases were also obtained from probiotic manufacturers. Study selection, data extraction and quality assessment were carried out by two reviewers. Risk of bias was assessed using criteria adapted from those published by the Centre for Reviews and Dissemination. In this review, twenty randomised controlled trials (RCT) were included, of which twelve were considered to have a low risk of bias. Meta-analysis revealed significantly fewer numbers of days of illness per person (standardised mean difference (SMD) − 0·31 (95 % CI − 0·41, − 0·11), I2= 3 %), shorter illness episodes by almost a day (weighted mean difference − 0·77 (95 % CI − 1·50, − 0·04), I2= 80 %) (without an increase in the number of illness episodes), and fewer numbers of days absent from day care/school/work (SMD − 0·17 (95 % CI − 0·31, − 0·03), I2= 67 %) in participants who received a probiotic intervention than in those who had taken a placebo. Reasons for heterogeneity between the studies were explored in subgroup analysis, but could not be explained, suggesting that the effect sizes found may differ between the population groups. This systematic review provides evidence from a number of good-quality RCT that probiotics reduce the duration of illness in otherwise healthy children and adults.
The effect of dried plum on serum levels of receptor activator of NF-κB ligand, osteoprotegerin and sclerostin in osteopenic postmenopausal women: a randomised controlled trial
Authors: Hooshmand Shirin , Brisco Jayme R. Y. , Arjmandi Bahram H.
Published: April 2014

Although several studies have confirmed the bone-protective properties of dried plum, its exact mechanisms of action remain unclear. Recent research has shown that osteocytes may control bone formation via the production of sclerostin and bone resorption via the receptor activator of NF-κB ligand (RANKL) and its inhibitor osteoprotegerin (OPG). To investigate the mechanism of action of dried plum in reversing bone loss, we measured serum levels of RANKL, OPG and sclerostin in osteopenic postmenopausal women (n 160). Participants were randomly assigned to the treatment group of either 100 g dried plum/d or 75 g dried apple/d (comparative control) for 1 year. All participants received 500 mg Ca plus 400 IU (10 μg) vitamin D daily. Bone mineral densities (BMD) of the lumbar spine, forearm, hip and whole body were assessed at baseline and at the end of the study using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Blood samples were collected at baseline and after 12 months to assess bone biomarkers. Dried plum significantly increased the BMD of the ulna and spine in comparison with the control group. In comparison with corresponding baseline values, dried plum increased the RANKL levels by only +1·99 v. +18·33 % and increased the OPG levels by +4·87 v. − 2·15 % in the control group. Serum sclerostin levels were reduced by − 1·12 % in the dried plum group v. +3·78 % in the control group. Although percentage changes did not reach statistical significance (P≤ 0·05), these preliminary data may indicate that the positive effects of dried plum on bone are in part due to the suppression of RANKL production, the promotion of OPG and the inhibition of sclerostin.
Eine Als Ziqqurrat Gedeutete Skizze Einer Treppenanlage
Authors: Keetman Jan
Published: April 2014

This article studies a small Late Babylonian tablet inscribed with a drawing previously interpreted as showing a ziqqurrat. It is demonstrated that the tablet does not depict a whole ziqqurrat but most probably only a stairway to the first level of a ziqqurrat. The stairway is of a previously unknown type but there are parallels with the ziqqurrat of Ur-Namma at Ur.
Revisiting the Sealands: Report of Preliminary Ground Reconnaissance in the Hammar District, Dhi Qar and Basra Governorates, Iraq
Authors: Hritz Carrie , Pournelle Jennifer , Smith Jennifer
Published: April 2014

The flourit of early Sumerian civilization in southern Iraq marked a degree of economic differentiation, sociopolitical complexity, and urbanization previously unseen in the ancient world. This article reports the results of recent geo-archaeological investigation of three complementary resources in southern Mesopotamia that are thought to have offered an ecological advantage, thus laying the economic foundations for these developments: (1) expansive irrigable plains; (2) vast pasture lands; and (3) the littoral resources of levee back swamps/deltaic marshes. Focusing on the area of the Hawr al-Hammar marshes, the authors conducted preliminary archaeological, geological and landscape investigation over the course of 18 days in the autumn of 2010, funded by a U.S. National Science Foundation High Risk Research in Physical Anthropology and Archaeology grant.
Metal Wheel Tyres from the Ancient Near East and Central Asia
Authors: Crouwel J. H.
Published: April 2014

Important developments in wheel construction can be observed in Iraq and other parts of the Near East during the later third and earlier second millennium B.C. One such innovation is the appearance of clamped-on tyres made in bronze or copper segments. Recent, spectacular finds from Turkmenistan in Central Asia extend the already wide distribution of tyres of this distinctive form. They also shed light on the kinds of wheel and vehicle on which such metal tyres were used.
SevenNaptanum-Texts from the Reign of Rim-Sin I of Larsa
Authors: Sulaiman Muayad M. , Dalley Stephanie
Published: April 2014

Seven tablets from the National Museum of Iraq in Baghdad are edited here for the first time. They date early in the long reign of Rim-Sin I of Larsa, and presumably come from that site, modern Senkereh in southern Iraq. They throw light on rituals held in the palace, and on international relations through the envoys who attended.
Excavation at Bakr Awa 2010 and 2011
Authors: Miglus Peter A. , Bürger Ulrike , Fetner Rafał A. , Mühl Simone , Sollee Alexander
Published: April 2014

The site of Bakr Awa is situated in north-eastern Iraq, in the Plain of Shahrizor. Excavations were undertaken in 1960/61by the Iraqi Department of Antiquities and 2010/11 by the University of Heidelberg/Germany. Occupation layers from the beginning of the Early Bronze Age tothe Ottoman period were uncoveredin the lower city and on the citadel. Archaeological evidence from the secondmillennium B.C. shows the most intensive settlement activities and apparent prosperity at Bakr Awa. Several forms of pottery, small finds and architecture reflect dynamic processes of cultural and political transformation at this site located in an area of transition between northern and southern Mesopotamia and western Iran.
Threatened plants of arid ecosystems in the Mediterranean Basin: a case study of the south-eastern Iberian Peninsula
Authors: Mendoza-Fernández Antonio , Pérez-García Francisco J. , Martínez-Hernández Fabián , Medina-Cazorla José M. , Garrido-Becerra Juan A. , Merlo Calvente María E. , Guirado Romero José S. , Mota Juan F.
Published: April 2014

Networks of protected areas are one of the main strategies used to address the biodiversity crisis. These should encompass as many species and ecosystems as possible, particularly in territories with high biological diversity, such as the Spanish arid zones. We produce a priority ranking of the arid zones of south-east Spain according to the rarity and richness of their characteristic flora and the level of endangerment. The resulting hierarchy shows that optimal zones for the preservation of the flora are located outside the network of protected areas. In particular, it is important to extend the network and encourage the creation of microreserves in the depression of the River Guadiana Menor (Granada), where there is least protection. This river valley is a particularly important arid site because of its unique flora and fauna, and palaeontological and archaeological findings.
Conservation challenges and action for the Critically Endangered Singapore freshwater crab Johora singaporensis
Authors: Ng Daniel J.J. , Yeo Darren C.J. , Sivasothi N. , Ng Peter K.L.
Published: April 2014

The Singapore freshwater crab Johora singaporensis is known only from three streams in Singapore and is among the top 100 most threatened species in the world. It is the only member of the genus Johora, endemic to the Malay Peninsula, to be categorized as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List. Extensive surveys conducted over 1 year to determine the extent of the species’ distribution revealed that the population has declined significantly at its type locality in Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Singapore Island's oldest protected forest area. The species remains extant in two unprotected streams in Bukit Batok and Bukit Gombak, which are located outside the nature reserve. Acidification of streams as a result of acid precipitation may be a factor in the decline of the species. If so, this will be the first documented instance of a species being affected negatively by anthropogenic acidification of a tropical freshwater system. The occurrence of this threatened species in a protected area has not, therefore, guaranteed its survival. There is a need for long-term and continuous monitoring of species of high conservation value, together with other measures that focus on habitat protection. Conservation efforts by the National Parks Board of Singapore in collaboration with other government agencies are ongoing in an effort to ensure the survival of this important species.
Application of PCR-based methods for diagnosis of intestinal parasitic infections in the clinical laboratory
Authors: VERWEIJ JACO J.
Published: April 2014

For many years PCR- and other DNA-based methods of pathogen detection have been available in most clinical microbiology laboratories; however, until recently these tools were not routinely exploited for the diagnosis of parasitic infections. Laboratories were initially reluctant to implement PCR as incorporation of such assays within the algorithm of tools available for the most accurate diagnosis of a large variety of parasites was unclear. With regard to diagnosis of intestinal parasitic infections, the diversity of parasites that one can expect in most settings is far less than the parasitological textbooks would have you believe, hence developing a simplified diagnostic triage is feasible. Therefore the classical algorithm based on population, patient groups, use of immuno-suppressive drugs, travel history etc. is also applicable to decide when to perform and which additional techniques are to be used, if a multiplex PCR panel is used as a first-line screening diagnostic.
‘All in it Together’? Social Cohesion in a Divided Society: Attitudes to Income Inequality and Redistribution in a Residential Context
Authors: KEARNS ADE , BAILEY NICK , GANNON MARIA , LIVINGSTON MARK , LEYLAND ALASTAIR
Published: April 2014

This paper asks whether where someone lives bears any association with their attitudes to inequality and income redistribution, focusing on the relative contribution of neighbourhood income, density and ethnic composition. People on higher incomes showed higher support for redistribution when living in more deprived neighbourhoods. People with lower levels of altruism had higher levels of support for redistribution in neighbourhoods of higher density. People living in more ethnically mixed neighbourhoods had higher levels of support for redistribution on average, but this support declined for Whites with low levels of altruism as the deprivation of the neighbourhood increased. Current trends which sustain or extend income and wealth inequalities, reflected in patterns of residence, may undermine social cohesion in the medium- to long-term. This may be offset to some extent by trends of rising residential ethnic diversity.
The Selfish Goal: Autonomously operating motivational structures as the proximate cause of human judgment and behavior
Authors: Huang Julie Y. , Bargh John A.
Published: April 2014

We propose the Selfish Goal model, which holds that a person's behavior is driven by psychological processes called goals that guide his or her behavior, at times in contradictory directions. Goals can operate both consciously and unconsciously, and when activated they can trigger downstream effects on a person's information processing and behavioral possibilities that promote only the attainment of goal end-states (and not necessarily the overall interests of the individual). Hence, goals influence a person as if the goals themselves were selfish and interested only in their own completion. We argue that there is an evolutionary basis to believe that conscious goals evolved from unconscious and selfish forms of pursuit. This theoretical framework predicts the existence of unconscious goal processes capable of guiding behavior in the absence of conscious awareness and control (theautomaticity principle), the ability of the most motivating or active goal to constrain a person's information processing and behavior toward successful completion of that goal (thereconfiguration principle), structural similarities between conscious and unconscious goal pursuit (thesimilarity principle), and goal influences that produce apparent inconsistencies or counterintuitive behaviors in a person's behavior extended over time (theinconsistency principle). Thus, we argue that a person's behaviors are indirectly selected at the goal level but expressed (and comprehended) at the individual level.
Selfish goals must compete for the common currency of reward
Authors: Ainslie George
Published: April 2014

Selfish Goal Theory is compatible with a behaviorally based theory that recognizes mental processes as behaviors. Both envision choices as made by the competition of purposive processes, which are autonomous in that they are not coordinated by an agentic “self.” However, the survival of mental processes – termed “goals” or “interests,” respectively – depends on a well-documented active mechanism: reward.
Fashioning a selfish self amid selfish goals
Authors: Baumeister Roy F. , Winegard Bo M.
Published: April 2014

The selfish goal, at some point in evolution, gave rise to a selfish self. In humans, this selfish self might exert influence over goals, deciding upon which to execute and which to inhibit. This, in fact, may be one of the chief functions of the self.
Tag, you're it: Affect tagging promotes goal formation and selection
Authors: Bliss-Moreau Eliza , Williams Lisa A.
Published: April 2014

Building upon Huang & Bargh's (H&B's) theory, we propose a complementary view that goal formation and selection are both supported by affect. We suggest that goals may form when affect “tags” discrete behaviors and their outcomes. Further, we propose that goal-associated affect may help guide selection between competing goals, for example, in the case of short-term and long-term goals.
Unconscious habit systems in compulsive and impulsive disorders
Authors: Cuzen Natalie L. , Fineberg Naomi A. , Stein Dan J.
Published: April 2014

It may be useful to consider the application of Huang & Bargh's (H&B's) theory of unconscious motivational processes to psychopathology. In disorders of compulsivity and impulsivity, an unconscious habit system may play a key role in explaining ego-dystonic or self-destructive behaviour. H&B's theory may provide some insights into understanding conditions such as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and drug addiction; however, additional work is needed to address the neurocircuitry and neurochemistry mediating their abnormal underlying motivational processes.
What's in a goal? The role of motivational relevance in cognition and action
Authors: Eitam Baruch , Higgins E. Tory
Published: April 2014

We argue that it is possible to go beyond the “selfish goal” metaphor and make an even stronger case for the role of unconscious motivation in cognition and action. Through the relevance of a representation (ROAR) framework, we describe how not only value motivation, which relates to “selfish goals,” but also truth motivation and control motivation impact cognition and action.
Theoretical integration in motivational science: System justification as one of many “autonomous motivational structures”
Authors: Kay Aaron C. , Jost John T.
Published: April 2014

Recognizing that there is a multiplicity of motives – and that the accessibility and strength of each one varies chronically and temporarily – is essential if motivational scientists are to achieve genuine theoretical and empirical integration. We agree that system justification is a case of nonconscious goal pursuit and discuss implications of the fact that it conflicts with many other psychological goals.
The validity of Dawkins's selfish gene theory and the role of the unconscious in decision making
Authors: Mattei Tobias A.
Published: April 2014

Although the proposed Selfish Goal Theory constitutes a major theoretical tour de force for addressing the issue of inconsistencies in human actions and the role of motivational goals in behavior, as it is based on an unproven biological paradigm (Dawkins's selfish gene theory) and overemphasizes the role of unconscious processes in decision making, it provides a questionable model of the underlying psychological structure of human agency.
The effects of being conscious: Looking for the right evidence
Authors: Mazzone Marco
Published: April 2014

Huang & Bargh's (H&B's) general picture might underestimate the role played by conscious self and overestimate the behavioral inconsistencies at the personal level. This follows from how they delimit the goals under consideration: Their theses that goals are not consciously selected and that the conscious self is involved just in post hoc rationalization should also be tested against concrete and long-term goals.
Genes, hosts, goals: Disentangling causal dependencies
Authors: Merker Bjorn
Published: April 2014

The special sense in which the concept of “selfishness” is defined in Dawkins's popularization of basic evolutionary theory is analyzed with regard to its applicability to the relation between goals and those who entertain and pursue them. It is concluded that grounds analogous to those on which independent self-interest vis-á-vis their hosts is attributed to genes in Dawkins's sense are lacking in the case of goals in their relation to those who entertain and pursue them.
Unconscious goals: Specific or unspecific? The potential harm of the goal/gene analogy
Authors: Nanay Bence
Published: April 2014

Huang & Bargh's (H&B's) definition of goals is ambiguous between “specific goals” – the end-state of a token action I am about to perform – and “unspecific goals” – the end-state of an action-type (without specifying how this would be achieved). The analogy with selfish genes pushes the authors towards the former interpretation, but the latter would provide a more robust theoretical framework.
The selfish goal meets the selfish gene
Authors: Neuberg Steven L. , Schaller Mark
Published: April 2014

The connection between selfish genes and selfish goals is not merely metaphorical. Many goals that shape contemporary cognition and behavior are psychological products of evolutionarily fundamental motivational systems and thus are phenotypic manifestations of genes. An evolutionary perspective can add depth and nuance to our understanding of “selfish goals” and their implications for human cognition and behavior.
The role of mirror neurons in language acquisition and evolution
Authors: Behme Christina
Published: April 2014

I argue that Cook et al.'s attack of the genetic hypothesis of mirror neurons misses its target because the authors miss the point that genetics may specify how neurons may learn, not what they learn. Paying more attention to recent work linking mirror neurons to language acquisition and evolution would strengthen Cook et al.'s arguments against a rigid genetic hypothesis.
Mirror mechanism and dedicated circuits are the scaffold for mirroring processes
Authors: Fogassi Leonardo
Published: April 2014

In the past decade many studies have demonstrated the existence of a mirror mechanism that matches the sensory representation of a biological stimulus with its somatomotor and visceromotor representation. This mechanism, likely phylogenetically very old, explains several types of mirroring behaviours, at different levels of complexity. The presence in primates of dedicated neuroanatomical pathways for specific sensorimotor integrations processes implies, at least in the primate lineage, a hard-wired mirror mechanism for social cognitive functions.
The alluring but misleading analogy between mirror neurons and the motor theory of speech
Authors: Holt Lori L. , Lotto Andrew J.
Published: April 2014

Speech is commonly claimed to relate to mirror neurons because of the alluring surface analogy of mirror neurons to the Motor Theory of speech perception, which posits that perception and production draw upon common motor-articulatory representations. We argue that the analogy fails and highlight examples of systems-level developmental approaches that have been more fruitful in revealing perception–production associations.
Deciphering mirror neurons: Rational decision versus associative learning
Authors: Khalil Elias L.
Published: April 2014

The rational-decision approach is superior to the associative-learning approach of Cook et al. at explaining why mirror neurons fire or do not fire – even when the stimulus is the same. The rational-decision approach is superior because it starts with the analysis of the intention of the organism, that is, with the identification of the specific objective or goal that the organism is trying to maximize.
A developmental perspective on action and social cognition
Authors: Krogh-Jespersen Sheila , Filippi Courtney , Woodward Amanda L.
Published: April 2014

The target article argues that developmental processes are key to understanding the mirror neuron system, yet neglects several bodies of developmental research that are informative for doing so. Infants' actions and action understanding are structured by goals, and the former lends structure to the latter. Evaluating the origins and functions of mirror neurons depends on integrating investigations of neural, social-cognitive and motor development.
Understanding the role of mirror neurons in action understanding will require more than a domain-general account
Authors: Martin Alia , Santos Laurie R.
Published: April 2014

Cook et al. propose that mirror neurons emerge developmentally through a domain-general associative mechanism. We argue that experience-sensitivity does not rule out an adaptive or genetic argument for mirror neuron function, and that current evidence suggests that mirror neurons are more specialized than the authors' account would predict. We propose that future work integrate behavioral and neurophysiological techniques used with primates to examine the proposed functions of mirror neurons in action understanding.
Testing key predictions of the associative account of mirror neurons in humans using multivariate pattern analysis
Authors: Oosterhof Nikolaas N. , Wiggett Alison J. , Cross Emily S.
Published: April 2014

Cook et al. overstate the evidence supporting their associative account of mirror neurons in humans: most studies do not address a key property, action-specificity that generalizes across the visual and motor domains. Multivariate pattern analysis (MVPA) of neuroimaging data can address this concern, and we illustrate how MVPA can be used to test key predictions of their account.
Experiential effects on mirror systems and social learning: Implications for social intelligence
Authors: Reader Simon M.
Published: April 2014

Investigations of biases and experiential effects on social learning, social information use, and mirror systems can usefully inform one another. Unconstrained learning is predicted to shape mirror systems when the optimal response to an observed act varies, but constraints may emerge when immediate error-free responses are required and evolutionary or developmental history reliably predicts the optimal response. Given the power of associative learning, such constraints may be rare.
Configuration comparison among kinematically optimized continuum manipulators for robotic surgeries through a single access port
Authors: Xu Kai , Zhao Jiangran , Zheng Xidian
Published: April 2014

Many recent developments of surgical robots focus on less invasive paradigms, such as laparoscopic SPA (Single Port Access) surgery, NOTES (Natural Orifice Translumenal Endoscopic Surgery), laryngoscopic MIS (Minimally Invasive Surgery), etc. A configuration similarity shared by these surgical robots is that two or more manipulators are inserted through one access port (a laparoscope, an endoscope, or a laryngoscope) for surgical interventions. However, upon designing such a surgical robot, the structure of the inserted manipulators has not been thoroughly explored based on evaluation of their performances. This paper presents a comparison for kinematic performances among three different continuum manipulators. They all could be applied in the aforementioned surgical robots. The structural parameters of these continuum manipulators are firstly optimized to assure a more fair and consistent comparison. This study is conducted in a dimensionless manner and provides scalable results for a wide spectrum of continuum manipulator designs as long as their segments have a constant curvature. The results could serve as a design reference for future developments of surgical robots which use one access port and continuum mechanisms.
Kinematic analysis and workspace determination of hexarot-a novel 6-DOF parallel manipulator with a rotation-symmetric arm system
Authors: Qazani Mohammad Reza Chalak , Pedrammehr Siamak , Rahmani Arash , Danaei Behzad , Ettefagh Mir Mohammad , Rajab Aslan Khani Sheikh , Abdi Hamid
Published: April 2014

Parallel mechanisms possess several advantages such as the possibilities for high acceleration and high accuracy positioning of the end effector. However, most of the proposed parallel manipulators suffer from a limited workspace. In this paper, a novel 6-DOF parallel manipulator with coaxial actuated arms is introduced. Since parallel mechanisms have more workspace limitations compared to that of serial mechanisms, determination of the workspace in parallel manipulators is of the utmost importance. For finding position, angular velocity, and acceleration, in this paper, inverse and forward kinematics of the mechanism are studied and after presenting the workspace limitations, workspace analysis of the hexarot manipulator is performed by using MATLAB software. Next, using the obtained cloud of points from simulation, the overall borders of the workspace are illustrated. Finally, it is shown that this manipulator has the important benefits of combining a large positional workspace in relation to its footprint with a sizable range of platform rotations.
Introduction: Science, Technology, Medicine – and the State: The Science-State Nexus in Scandinavia, 1850–1980
Authors: Asdal Kristin , Gradmann Christoph
Published: April 2014

One of the common characteristics of science, technology, and medicine is their ambition to epistemologically and organizationally move beyond the confines of nation states. In practice, however, they develop differently in countries or regions. Scientists, engineers, and physicians are constrained as well as enabled by national boundaries and specific cultures. The cultural status of such practices in reverse is influenced by a country's history, politics, and the view of the role of science, technology, and medicine in society. It is the relation between a specific region, Scandinavia, and the history of science, technology, and medicine within this region that this issue ofScience in Contextsets out to explore. But what is this “Scandinavia”? To many, Scandinavia besides being a specific geographical region of three countries (Denmark, Sweden, and Norway) with entwined histories and closely related languages is a way of denoting a specific style or movement. “Scandinavian design” is renowned for three interrelated features; minimalism or simplicity, functionalism, and “design to the people” i.e. functional products for the average citizen (Beer 1975; Glambek 1997; Fallan 2012).
United in Separation: The Inventions of Gel Filtration and the Moral Economy of Research in Swedish Biochemistry, ca. 1950–1970
Authors: Widmalm Sven
Published: April 2014

Argument

The Uppsala school in separation science, under the leadership of Nobel laureates, The (Theodor) Svedberg and Arne Tiselius, was by all counts a half-century-long success story. Chemists at the departments for physical chemistry and biochemistry produced a number of separation techniques that were widely adopted by the scientific community and in various technological applications. Success was also commercial and separation techniques, such as gel filtration, were an important factor behind the meteoric rise of the drug company Pharmacia from the 1950s. The paper focuses on the story behind the invention of gel filtration and the product Sephadex in the 1950s and the emergence of streamlined commercially oriented separation science as a main activity at the department of biochemistry in the 1960s. The dynamics of this development is analyzed from the perspectives of moral economy and storytelling framed by the larger question of the social construction of innovation. The latter point is addressed in a brief discussion about the uses of stories like the one about Sephadex in current research policy.
Circumpolar Science: Scandinavian Approaches to the Arctic and the North Atlantic, ca. 1920 to 1960
Authors: Sörlin Sverker
Published: April 2014

Argument

The Scandinavian countries share a solid reputation as longstanding contributors to top level Arctic research. This received view, however, veils some deep-seated contrasts in the ways that Sweden, Norway, and Denmark have conducted research in the Arctic and the North Atlantic. In this paper it is argued that instead of focusing on the geographical determinism of science – the fact that the Arctic is close to, indeed part of, Scandinavian territories – we should look more closely at the geopolitics of science to understand the differences and similarities between these three Nordic countries. Through case studies of, mainly, Swedish Arctic and North Atlantic glaciology in the 1920s through to the 1940s, and of Norwegian preparations in the 1950s for the International Geophysical Year 1957/58, the paper demonstrates how different styles of research – research agendas, methodological choices, collaborative patterns, international networks, availability of infrastructure, relations to politics and power – are conditioned on economic interests and strategic and geopolitical trajectories, either these are explicitly put in the forefront of scientific priorities as in the case of Norway in the 1950s, or when they are manifestly disregarded in the name of scientific internationalism, as in the case of Swedish glaciology. The case of Danish colonial science in Greenland is only cursorily drawn into this analysis but corroborates the overall thesis. The analysis of this wider science politics of Scandinavian circumpolar science is exercised against a brief introductory backdrop of Arctic science historiography. Its chief message is that the analysis of polar science applying modern theory and method of the social studies of science is comparatively recent and that the full potential of merging the literature of Arctic science and exploration with those of security, geopolitics, indigenous voices, and the politics of nationalism is yet to be realized.
Versions of Milk and Versions of Care: The Emergence of Mother's Milk as an Interested Object and Medicine as a Form of Dispassionate Care
Authors: Asdal Kristin
Published: April 2014

Argument

At the turn of the twentieth century the Norwegian market flourished with milk products intended for infants. But medical doctors argued in favor of “going back to nature”: Women ought to breastfeed their children. This paper explores how a re-naturalization of mother's milk emerged within experimental medicine. The prescribed “natural way” did not develop within medicine alone. The paper demonstrates how the natural developed within a relational space of different versions of milk: the free-market milk, the dirty and decaying milk, and the non-nutritional milk. But why did Norwegian mothers, in contrast to the development in for instance the US, continue to breastfeed their infants? Drawing on the work of the leading pediatrician Theodor Frølich, the paper suggests that this may in part be explained by the development of a distinct version of care: A matter-of-fact, pragmatic and flexible version of care that nevertheless came to enact mother's milk as the supreme form of nutrition to which there was hardly a competing or healthy alternative. “The natural way” became a thought style and was made integral to everyday culture.
Building Transnational Bodies: Norway and the International Development of Laboratory Animal Science, ca. 1956–1980
Authors: Druglitrø Tone , Kirk Robert G. W.
Published: April 2014

Argument

This article adopts a historical perspective to examine the development of Laboratory Animal Science and Medicine, an auxiliary field which formed to facilitate the work of the biomedical sciences by systematically improving laboratory animal production, provision, and maintenance in the post Second World War period. We investigate how Laboratory Animal Science and Medicine co-developed at the local level (responding to national needs and concerns) yet was simultaneously transnational in orientation (responding to the scientific need that knowledge, practices, objects and animals circulate freely). Adapting the work of Tsing (2004), we argue that national differences provided the creative “friction” that helped drive the formation of Laboratory Animal Science and Medicine as a transnational endeavor. Our analysis engages with the themes of this special issue by focusing on the development of Laboratory Animal Science and Medicine in Norway, which both informed wider transnational developments and was formed by them. We show that Laboratory Animal Science and Medicine can only be properly understood from a spatial perspective; whilst it developed and was structured through national “centers,” its orientation was transnational necessitating international networks through which knowledge, practice, technologies, and animals circulated.
Galileo Signal and Positioning Performance Analysis Based on Four IOV Satellites
Authors: Cai Changsheng , Luo Xiaomin , Liu Zhizhao , Xiao Qinqin
Published: April 2014

With the availability of Galileo signals from four in-orbit validation (IOV) satellites, positioning with Galileo-only observations has become possible, which allows us to assess its positioning performance. The performance of the Galileo system is evaluated in respect of carrier-to-noise density ratio (C/N0), pseudorange multipath (including noise), Galileo broadcast satellite orbit and satellite clock errors, and single point positioning (SPP) accuracy in Galileo-only mode as well as in GPS/Galileo combined mode. The precision of the broadcast ephemeris data is assessed using the precise satellite orbit and clock products from the Institute of Astronomical and Physical Geodesy of the Technische Universität München (IAPG/TUM) as references. The GPS-Galileo time offset (GGTO) is estimated using datasets from different types of GNSS receivers and the results indicate that a systematic bias exists between different receiver types. Positioning solutions indicate that Galileo-only SPP can achieve a three-dimensional position accuracy of about six metres. The integration of Galileo and GPS data can improve the positioning accuracies by about 10% in the vertical components compared with GPS-only solutions.
ISO 9516-1 simplified borate fusion/WDXRF analytical method for iron ore including total iron analysis: Part 2
Authors: Bouchard Mathieu , Milliard Alex , Rivard Sebastien , Ness Sharon
Published: April 2014

A very efficient analytical method using an automated fusion machine as sample preparation tool and a wavelength-dispersive X-ray fluorescence (WDXRF) spectrometer for the determination of all the elements of interest for the iron ore industry has been optimized from the ISO 9516-1 standard method. This updated method allows for the simplification of both laboratory and spectrometry processes and so, in comparison with the original International Organization for Standardization (ISO) method, becomes less restrictive in practice. This method was used to prepare a large variety of iron ores and exploration samples from all over the world. Results of the prevailing XRF application based on pure oxide standards as described in the ISO standard method are compared to the results of a unique XRF calibration application based on certified reference materials (CRMs) for iron ores and iron ores exploration materials. The universal sample preparation fusion method for iron ores and exploration samples developed during the first phase of this project was used to select and evaluate a set of CRMs. Selected throughout the world from well-recognized sources, the chosen set of CRMs allows a wide coverage for all the elements of interest of the iron ore industry, excluding tin oxide. This fusion method allows a matrix match for materials from different origins. A critical evaluation of precision and accuracy has been performed against the ISO standard method. Reference materials not included in the calibration (control samples) was also investigated for accuracy evaluation. Furthermore, comparisons will be made between the data collected from this fusion method implemented in combination with a Bruker S4 Explorer WDXRF Spectrometer, and the analytical requirements of ISO. All deviations from the prevailing standard method parameters (calibration, standards, flux, Fluxer, etc.) will also be pointed out and discussed.
Improvement of surface and interface roughness estimation on X-ray reflectivity
Authors: Fujii Y.
Published: April 2014

In the conventional X-ray reflectivity (XRR) analysis, the reflectivity is calculated based on the Parratt formalism, incorporating the effect of the interface roughness according to Nevot and Croce. However, the results of calculations of the XRR have shown strange outcomes, where interference effects increase at a rough surface because of a lack of consideration of diffuse scattering within the Parratt formalism. Therefore, we have developed a new improved formalism in which the effects of the surface and interface roughness are included correctly. In this study, for deriving a more accurate formalism of XRR, we tried to compare the measurements of surface roughness of the same sample by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and XRR. It is found that the AFM result could not be completely reproduced even with the improved XRR formalism. By careful study of the AFM results, we determined the need for an additional effective roughness term within the XRR simulation that depends on the angle of incidence of the beam.
A new role for an ancient variable in Appalachia: Paradigm leveling and standardization in West Virginia
Authors: Hazen Kirk
Published: April 2014

In many rural English-speaking communities, linguistic processes such as paradigm leveling come into direct conflict with social processes of standardization. In the US region of Appalachia, an analysis of pastbeleveling illustrates the progression of the sociolinguistic clashes between these forces. A quantitative sociolinguistic examination of leveledwas(e.g.,We was there) for 67 native Appalachian speakers was conducted to assess the status of pastbein light of economic and educational improvements over the 20th century. The results indicate that leveledwasdeclined sharply, with the youngest speakers demonstrating more standardized patterns. Although the overall rate ofwasleveling declined across apparent time, the rate ofwascontraction (e.g.,We's there last night) increased, offering native Appalachians a reduced variant to contest the social push toward a fully standardized system.
Vowel variation and reverse acquisition in rural Syrian child and adolescent language
Authors: Habib Rania
Published: April 2014

Four vowel variables are investigated in the speech of 50 rural, nonmigrant children and adolescents aged 6 to 18 years in the Syrian village Oyoun Al-Wadi. Contrary to previous studies, the children initially acquire the urban and later the rural forms of these vowels. This process of acquisition shows the following. First, children show reversal in the acquisition of forms, and thus the rules associated with them; instead of acquiring the local forms first, they acquire the supralocal forms. Second, children can acquire the rules of the second dialect after the age of 8. Third, gender emerges as significant as boys and girls exhibit different linguistic behavior. Fourth, preadolescents emerge as the age group that is most active in building a social identity. Fifth, social-psychological factors motivate the shift from urban to rural forms. These include local identity, gendered social meanings of the variants, and the growth of the children's sociolinguistic competence throughout their preadolescence and adolescence.
The role of African Americans in Philadelphia sound change
Authors: Labov William
Published: April 2014

A number of studies of African American communities show a tendency to approximate the phonological patterns of the surrounding mainstream white community. An analysis of the vowel systems of 36 African American speakers in the Philadelphia Neighborhood Corpus compares their development over the 20th century with that of the mainstream community. For vowels involved in change in the white community, African Americans show very different patterns, often moving in opposite directions. The traditional split of short-a words into tense and lax categories is a more fine-grained measure of dialect relations. The degree of participation by African Americans is described by measures of bimodality, which are applied as well to the innovative nasal short-a system. The prototypical African American speakers show no bimodality in either measure, recombining the traditional tense and lax categories into a single short-a in lower mid, nonperipheral position. The lack of relation between the two short-a systems is related to the high degree of residential segregation, in that linguistic contact is largely diffusion among adults rather than the faithful transmission found among children.
KEYNES, FISHER, AND THE MARGINAL EFFICIENCY OF CAPITAL
Authors: Kent Richard J.
Published: April 2014

Based on archival evidence, this paper demonstrates that Keynes did not borrow the concept of the marginal efficiency of capital from Fisher, but, rather, developed it himself.