Maxwell's role in turning the concept of model into the methodology of modeling

This is a contribution towards a history and philosophy of modeling in its early stages in electromagnetism. In 1873, James Clerk Maxwell (1831–1879) hinted at the methodology of modeling at the end of his Treatise on Electricity and Magnetism. We focus on Maxwell's impact on physicists who immediately followed him, specifically Oliver Lodge (1851–1940) and George Francis FitzGerald (1851–1901). We begin with the role that the scientific concept of model played in the late nineteenth century, as assessed by Ludwig Boltzmann (1844–1906). We then discuss the role of hypothesis as a methodology, the appeal to (dynamical) illustration, and the way Maxwell applied model and working model in his studies of electromagnetism. We show that for Maxwell these key terms were kept distinct, but Lodge did not maintain these distinctions and, in this regard, FitzGerald followed Lodge. Notwithstanding Lodge's influence, Fitzgerald modified Maxwell's theory based on the mechanical model he designed, thereby implicitly taking the first step towards modeling. This methodology consists in drawing consequences from the (mechanical) model to the (electrodynamic) theory and modifying the latter in light of the functioning of the former. At the core of our argument is the thesis that it was a methodological novelty to move from the concept of model to the methodology of modeling. The introduction of modeling as a new methodology into physics in the late nineteenth century was a major event which deserves proper recognition.     

从服务中心到战略推动者:香港中文大学信息化建设的未来展望

香港中文大学历经半个世纪风雨,如今已发展成为世界知名研究型大学.与此同时,计算机和网络技术的日新月异,极大地改变着人们的生活、学习、工作和社交模式,也给大学提出了源源不断的新挑战.如今,IT已不再是实验室里高高在上的尖端科技,而是维持社会正常运作的基础设施和服务,并且拥有着巨大的潜力给生活带来更多的智慧.作为高等教育的IT部门,如何应对这业务格局的转变,如何了解和满足用户日益提升的服务需求,如何发挥IT技术的价值以推动大学战略发展,都是我们应当考虑的问题.本文将介绍香港中文大学的信息化管理与发展现状,讨论当前遇到的问题并分析应对方法,探索为实现大学信息化战略推动者之愿景应选择的未来道路.     

Exome sequencing of liver fluke-associated cholangiocarcinoma

Opisthorchis viverrini-related cholangiocarcinoma (CCA), a fatal bile duct cancer, is a major public health concern in areas endemic for this parasite. We report here whole-exome sequencing of eight O. viverrini-related tumors and matched normal tissue. We identified and validated 206 somatic mutations in 187 genes using Sanger sequencing and selected 15 genes for mutation prevalence screening in an additional 46 individuals with CCA (cases). In addition to the known cancer-related genes TP53 (mutated in 44.4% of cases), KRAS (16.7%) and SMAD4 (16.7%), we identified somatic mutations in 10 newly implicated genes in 14.8-3.7% of cases. These included inactivating mutations in MLL3 (in 14.8% of cases), ROBO2 (9.3%), RNF43 (9.3%) and PEG3 (5.6%), and activating mutations in the GNAS oncogene (9.3%). These genes have functions that can be broadly grouped into three biological classes: (i) deactivation of histone modifiers, (ii) activation of G protein signaling and (iii) loss of genome stability. This study provides insight into the mutational landscape contributing to O. viverrini-related CCA.     

探析新产品开发中影响因素的作用大小——论技术创新度的调节作用

从企业内部可控因素出发,具体从企业管理层行为、跨部门协同行为以及各部门具体操作行为等三个层次探讨高级管理层支持、跨部门目标一致性以及各部门早期参与对新产品开发的积极作用。并分析在不同技术创新程度对这三大积极因素作用效果的影响。结果表明,在创新程度高的情况下,高级管理层支持对新产品开发的促进作用减弱,跨部门目标一致性和各部门早期参与对其的积极作用增强。本文在此基础上提出6个命题,构建了概念模型。     

食品质量感官品评数据的合理处理

本文通过食品质量感官品评实例.介绍采用Crubbs法处理数据.以达到使用评分法的准确性.     

谈图书馆合并后的管理整合

从管理科学、图书馆学和系统科学出发，着重论述了高校图书馆合并后的管理理念、管理制度和管理技术整合3个问题，指出整合的关键在于把握管理目标的整体性，激活管理过程的动态性，推进管理效率的增值性。     

The induction of secondary seed dormancy by oxygen deficiency in a barnyard grassEchinochloa crus-galli

At 25°C, secondary dormancy was induced in seeds ofE. crus-galli exposed for 100 days to oxygen deficiency. By contrast, hypoxia did not induce dormancy at 15°C or prevent dormancy termination at 7°C. Secondary dormancy was terminated after 2 months stratification at 7°C. Oxygen deficiency may increase the proportion of dormant seeds in the soil, and affect the dynamics of the barnyard-grass soil seed bank.We thank Miss Jitka Králová for her excellent technical assistance.