Weak values and consistent histories in quantum theory

A relation is obtained between weak values of quantum observables and the consistency criterion for histories of quantum events. It is shown that “strange” weak values for projection operators (such as values less than zero) always correspond to inconsistent families of histories. It is argued that using the ABL rule to obtain probabilities for counterfactual measurements corresponding to those strange weak values gives inconsistent results. This problem is shown to be remedied by using the conditional weight, or pseudo-probability, obtained from the multiple-time application of Lüders’ Rule. It is argued that an assumption of reverse causality (a form of time symmetry) implies that weak values obtain, in a restricted sense, at the time of the weak measurement as well as at the time of post-selection. Finally, it is argued that weak values are more appropriately characterized as multiple-time amplitudes than expectation values, and as such can have little to say about counterfactual questions.     

基于AutoCAD的露天矿煤岩量计算方法的改进研究

专门对AutoCAD＋进行二次开发,在剖面算量法的基础上,提出了一种计算煤岩量关系的方法——量定位置和轧刀算量。以内蒙古霍林河南露天矿为例,针对其复杂的地质条件,实现了在生成的剖面露天境界多边形范围内进行算量,对不同的设计方案快速的计算出煤岩量关系并绘制出V-P曲线,提高了采矿技术．人员编制采矿设计的精度和效率。     

A loose and separate certainty: Caves, Fuchs and Schack on quantum probability one

Carlton Caves, Fuchs, and Schack (2002) have recently appealed to an argument of mine (Stairs, 1983) to address a problem for their subjective Bayesian account of quantum probability. The difficulty is that on the face of it, quantum mechanical probabilities of one appear to be objective, but in that case, the Born Rule would yield a continuum of probabilities between zero and one. If so, we end up with objective probabilities strictly between zero and one. The authors claim that objective probabilities of one leads to a dilemma: give up locality or fall into contradiction. I argue that this conclusion depends on an overly strong interpretation of objectivism about quantum probabilities.     

家蚕基因组研究对蚕业学科和产业发展的影响

近年来，蚕业科学技术一直处于平台期，没有大的突破。影响产量、质量的关键性技术难题得不到有效解决，蚕丝业整体生产效益低下，严重影响产业稳定和持续发展。但是，随着家蚕基因组的完成，将为其注入新的活力与创新源泉，将使我们掌握参与蚕茧产量和质量形成的相关功能基因，了解这些基因的作用方式和特征，比较全面、准确地认识家蚕生物特性的遗传基础和分子调控机制，为提高蚕茧产量、改善蚕茧品质提供理论基础和技术支持。同时，家蚕作为模式昆虫，其基因组研究以及比较基因组学研究在农林科学与人类疾病研究等学科发展中意义重大，并将发挥着越来越重要的作用。因此家蚕基因组研究，在蚕丝产业与模式生物的研究方面均具有重要的科学价值。     

The physics and metaphysics of Tychistic Bohmian Mechanics

The paper takes up Bell's (1987) “Everett (?) theory” and develops it further. The resulting theory is about the system of all particles in the universe, each located in ordinary, 3-dimensional space. This many-particle system as a whole performs random jumps through 3N-dimensional configuration space – hence “Tychistic Bohmian Mechanics” (TBM). The distribution of its spontaneous localisations in configuration space is given by the Born Rule probability measure for the universal wavefunction. Contra Bell, the theory is argued to satisfy the minimal desiderata for a Bohmian theory within the Primitive Ontology framework (for which we offer a metaphysically more perspicuous formulation than is customary). TBM's formalism is that of ordinary Bohmian Mechanics (BM), without the postulate of continuous particle trajectories and their deterministic dynamics. This “rump formalism” receives, however, a different interpretation. We defend TBM as an empirically adequate and coherent quantum theory. Objections voiced by Bell and Maudlin are rebutted. The “for all practical purposes”-classical, Everettian worlds (i.e. quasi-classical histories) exist sequentially in TBM (rather than simultaneously, as in the Everett interpretation). In a temporally coarse-grained sense, they quasi-persist. By contrast, the individual particles themselves cease to persist.     

The bounded heavens: defining the limits of astrological practice in the Iberian indices

ABSTRACT

This paper explores the rules for the expurgation of texts of astrology in the Iberian Indices of forbidden books. It addresses the prohibitions put forward in Rule IX of the Index of Trent and the bull Coeli et terrae of Sixtus V, and studies its impact on the rules and their interpretation in the Spanish and Portuguese Indices, in particular, those published in the first decades of the seventeenth century: the Spanish Index librorum prohibitorum et expurgatorum of 1612 and the Portuguese Index auctorum damnatae memoriae of 1624. It shows how these indices offer a more meticulous examination of the prohibitions providing not only more detail regarding the different practices of astrology, but also explicitly accept the doctrine of inclinations of Thomas Aquinas as a central rule to deal with astrological judgments on human behaviour. It also highlights some specific details of the practice of censorship of astrological books by examining case studies of censored Portuguese and Spanish astrological publications. These provide new dimensions and highlight significant differences between the theoretical rules, practical guidelines, and actual restriction of astrological content.     

Heaps of moles? – Mediating macroscopic and microscopic measurement of chemical substances

In this paper I take a close look at the SI base quantity “amount of substance”, and its unit, the mole. The mole was introduced as a base unit in the SI in 1971, and there is currently a proposal to change its definition. The current definition of the mole shows a certain ambiguity regarding the nature of the quantity “amount of substance”. The proposed new definition removes the ambiguity, but at a cost: it becomes difficult to justify treating amount of substance as having its own dimension, and hence its own unit, the mole. I argue that the difficulties with amount of substance result from its role as a mediator between macroscopic and microscopic scales. To understand why amount of substance might have its own dimension, we need to connect amount of substance to mass, contra current proposals to separate them.     

The egg-lipid composition of the ‘living fossil’ reptile tuatara (Sphenodon punctatus)

Summary The lipid composition of two tuatara eggs was examined. The eggs contained triacylglycerol (80%) and phospholipid (12%) as their major lipid fractions. Fatty acid analyses of the individual lipid classes indicated the presence of essential fatty acids, linoleic and arachidonic acids. The quantity of such acids in the egg yolk lipids would suggest they are factors for survival as illustrated in other species.     

Dissociation of obesity,hypercholesterolemia and diabetes from atherosclerosis in ob/ob mice

Summary Genetically obese, diabetic and hypercholesterolemic C57BL/6J-ob/ob mice were placed on Purina Laboratory Chow containing 2% cholesterol for up to 4 months. They developed higher plasma cholesterol levels and accumulated an increased quantity of cholesterol in the liver but failed to develop atherosclerotic lesions in the aorta as would be expected in an obese, diabetic and hypercholesterolemic human adult.Acknowledgments. We wish to thank Mr. Willis M. Overton for his excellent technical assistance.     

基于交通流特征的可变信息板布局优化方法

为了引导交通流的合理分布并确定城市路网中可变信息板的布局方案,本文提出了一种基于路段交通流特征信息量评估的可变信息板布局优化方法。利用图论对城市路网进行描述,建立了基于信息熵的路段交通流特征信息量评估模型。并结合实际路网的拓扑结构特性,设计了可变信息板布局方案的初步生成方法。12节点的网络实例验证显示:该布局方法是有效的,且便于交通管理者所理解。同时,提出的交通流特征提取方法具有较强的应用性,可为道路规划与安全评估提供基础信息。     

Increase in superoxide dismutase activity induced by thyroid hormones in the brains of neonate and adult rats

Summary The activity of cytoplasmic superoxide dismutase (SOD) in the liver was about twice as high in adult rats as it was in neonates. In the brain and in the interscapular brown adipose tissue (IBAT), SOD activity was not changed during postnatal development, although it was slightly higher in the brain than in the IBAT (p>0.1). Thyroid hormones produced an increase in SOD activity in the brain of newborn rats, as well as in those animals 30 and 60 days old. The same quantity of hormones did not produce any significant changes in the liver or in the IBAT.     

Lagrange’s theory of analytical functions and his ideal of purity of method

We reconstruct essential features of Lagrange’s theory of analytical functions by exhibiting its structure and basic assumptions, as well as its main shortcomings. We explain Lagrange’s notions of function and algebraic quantity, and we concentrate on power-series expansions, on the algorithm for derivative functions, and the remainder theorem—especially on the role this theorem has in solving geometric and mechanical problems. We thus aim to provide a better understanding of Enlightenment mathematics and to show that the foundations of mathematics did not, for Lagrange, concern the solidity of its ultimate bases, but rather purity of method—the generality and internal organization of the discipline.     

Effect of the polychlorinated biphenyl preparation, Aroclor 1242, on the quantity of neurosecretory material in the medulla terminalis X-organ of the fiddler crab, Uca pugilator.

Exposure of the fiddler crab, Uca pugilator, to the PCB preparation, Aroclor 1242, produces an increase in the quantity of neurosecretory material in the medulla terminalis X-organ. This Aroclor apparently inhibits release, but not synthesis, of one or more neurohormones.     

胶凝面板堆石坝优化设计

采用非线性数学规划法对胶凝面板堆石坝进行断面优化设计,建立了以大坝的关键几何尺寸为设计变量,以造价为目标函数,以坝体稳定、应力、应力水平及几何尺寸为约束条件的优化设计数学模型,并采用罚函数法求解此优化模型。与原设计方案比较,优化设计方案的堆石方量少、造价低。与普通面板堆石坝相比,胶凝面板堆石坝的优化方案坝坡可以更陡,堆石方量更少、造价更低,且满足应力、稳定的约束条件,得到的断面安全可靠、经济合理。     

The realizers and vehicles of mental representation

The neural vehicles of mental representation play an explanatory role in cognitive psychology that their realizers do not. Cognitive psychology individuates neural structures as representational vehicles in terms of the specific causal properties to which cognitive mechanisms are sensitive. Explanations that appeal to properties of vehicles can capture generalisations which are not available at the level of their neural realizers. In this paper, I argue that the individuation of realizers as vehicles restricts the sorts of explanations in which they can participate. I illustrate this with reference to Rupert’s (2011) claim that representational vehicles can play an explanatory role in psychology in virtue of their quantity or proportion. I propose that such quantity-based explanatory claims can apply only to realizers and not to vehicles, in virtue of the particular causal role that vehicles play in psychological explanations.     

Aktivitätsverlauf der enzymatischen Phosphorylierung von Thymidin während der Entwicklung des SeeigelsPsammechinus miliaris von der Befruchtung bis zum Zweizeller

Summary Although the eggs of sea urchins contain a large quantity of d-nucleotides, the activity of TdR-kinase shows rhythmical variations during mitosis. The activity increased before the beginning of DNA-synthesis.     

Are host plants important in pheromone-mediated mating systems of lepidoptera?

Summary The role of host plants in the synthesis and release of lepidopteran sex pheromones is examined. Females synthesise pheromones de novo and pheromone quality is not markedly influenced by larval food sources. However, host plants may have a significant effect on different physiological and behavioural parameters associated with pheromone production. Males in some species of Nymphalidae and Arctiidae use secondary plant compounds, such as pyrrolizidine alkaloids, as a pheromone precursor. In such cases these plant compounds serve an additional role, such as protection against predation, and may reflect potential male reproductive investment. In the one instance where the effect of larval host plants on the de novo synthesis of a male sex pheromone was examined, larval nutrition did not alter either the quality or quantity of the hairpencil contents.     

Gibberellins and the break of bud dormancy in virus-infected stem cuttings of Euphorbia pulcherrima.

Break in bud dormancy in virus-infected stem cuttings of Euphorbia pulcherrima occurs because of the higher quantity of gibberellins present in them than in healthy cuttings in the dormant period of the plant.