A new twist to the No Miracles Argument for the success of science

J. D. Trout has recently developed a new defense of scientific realism, a new version of the No Miracles Argument. I critically evaluate Trout's novel defense of realism. I argue that Trout's argument for scientific realism and the related explanation for the success of science are self-defeating. In the process of arguing against the traditional realist strategies for explaining the success of science, he inadvertently undermines his own argument.     

Little-known and phylogenetically obscure South African estuarine microgastropods (Mollusca: Truncatelloidea) as living animals

Areas of the Knysna estuarine bay in the Western Cape are dominated by three endemic South African truncatelloid microgastropods, temporarily known as ‘Hydrobia’ knysnaensis (Krauss), ‘Assiminea’ capensis (Sowerby) and ‘Assiminea’ globulus Connolly. Although first described 80–170 years ago and present in abundance (up to 100,000 m^?2), they remain surrounded by confusion and still await taxonomic assignment, largely because they appear most atypical members of their groups by virtue of anatomy and/or biogeography and/or habitat. This study contributes in-life perspectives to morphological and phylogenetic analyses known to be on-going. At Knysna, they are syntopic: at least two occurring in >85% and all three in >40% of individual 0.0026 m² samples from their region of dominance. Nevertheless, they tend to greater abundance in divergent microhabitats; ‘A.’ globulus dominating higher tidal levels, and ‘A.’ capensis and ‘Hydrobia’ lower ones; the former especially unvegetated sediment, the latter, if anything, seagrass. Interspecific feeding interactions appear unlikely to be responsible for these patterns, other evidence suggesting that all are maintained below carrying capacity. Field biology of ‘H.’ knysnaensis generally appears equivalent to that of northern-hemisphere intertidal hydrobiids and that of ‘A.’ globulus is typically assimineid, albeit at atypically low shore height. Unlike assimineids, however, ‘A.’ capensis is truly aquatic. The success of these truncatelloids in unusual circumstances may be consequent on the absence from South Africa of other microgastropod groups that fill their niches elsewhere in the southern hemisphere.     

Constructing and evaluating core inflation measures from component‐level inflation data

This paper undertakes a comprehensive examination of 10 measures of core inflation and evaluates which measure produces the best forecast of headline inflation out‐of‐sample. We use the Personal Consumption Expenditure Price Index as our measure of inflation. We use two sets of components (17 and 50) of the Personal Consumption Expenditure Price Index to construct these core inflation measures and evaluate these measures at the three time horizons (6, 12 and 24 months) most relevant for monetary policy decisions. The best measure of core inflation for both sets of components and over all time horizons uses weights based on the first principal component of the disaggregated (component‐level) prices. Interestingly, the results vary by the number of components used; when more components are used the weights based on the persistence of each component is statistically equivalent to the weights generated by the first principal component. However, those forecasts using the persistence of 50 components are statistically worse than those generated using the first principal component of 17 components. The statistical superiority of the principal component method is due to the fact that it extracts (in the first principal component) the common source of variation in the component level prices that accurately describes trend inflation over the next 6–24 months.     

海、陆两用风力发电实验平台设计

在风电场通过现场测试分析研究风力机性能由于受到现场环境的限制,能够获得的研究数据有限,室内模拟实验平台能够有效弥补研究不足.为此提出了一种海、陆两用风力发电实验平台方案.该实验平台由来风装置、风轮、发电机、两段式塔架、漂浮台、波浪产生装置、传感检测和数据采集系统等构成.在实验平台整体方案基础上,进行了结构参数设计,建立了漂浮台受力分析模型并获得了合理的结构参数,以Lab VIEW为开发环境设计了上位机运行状态监控系统.最后,基于构建的实验平台,开展了部分风力机动态特性研究工作,对比分析了模拟陆地风力机和海上漂浮式风力机时塔架振动特性,为进一步深入开展风力机动态特性研究提供了基础.     

HARICH-CHANDRA MODULES OVER LIE SUPERAL GEBRAS

In this paper, we obtain a theorem for the classification of the irreducible Harich-Chandra modules over G, Where G is a basic classical Lie superalgebra of I type. And the list of the classi-ficatication is given for G=A(1,0).     

三峡库区移民区曲溪小流域能源利用分析

通过分析小流域的能源资源现状、不同时期能源需求变化对生态环境的影响、秸秆利用对坡耕地生产力的影响、经济发展对生物质能需求影响、节能及替代能源对生物质能需求的影响等,提出了解决能源问题,促进生态环境持续改善的对策.