评《中国古星图》

由陈美东先生主编的《中国古星图》一书,是最近出版的中国天文学史重要著作。该书不但对中国古代星图的诞生、发展、品种、成就和在世界星图史上的地位作了综合论述,而且对以前很少开展专门研究的明代星图,作了全面、系统的专题研究,从而使该书成为弘扬中国传统文化,全面研究中国古星图的传世之作。过去概略研究过的明代星图有６种,这次以《天文节候躔次全图》为重点,增加了新发现的７种明代星图,比较全面展现了明代星图发展、演变的概貌。     

《三家星经》可以复原成一份完整的星表

敦煌文献P2512号中的《三家星经》缺漏了8座星官,并有一些讹误,依《开元占经》补齐这8座星官后仍缺1星。潘鼐和邓文宽依晋、隋两书《天文志》将其中的天将军列为12星,比《开元占经》多1星,补足了这所缺的1星。受其所缺的1星应在所缺漏的8座星官中的思路的启迪,依《开元占经》中的夹注及按语、日本若杉家本《三家星官簿赞》、朝鲜《天象列次分野之图》等多种文献列文昌为7星,比《开元占经》多1星,仍列天将军为11星而补足了所缺的1星。此外,神宫1星是在《三家星经》之后出现在天文星占典籍中的,应视为中国传统星官的历史嬗变。     

Solving Non-Uniqueness in Agglomerative Hierarchical Clustering Using Multidendrograms

In agglomerative hierarchical clustering, pair-group methods suffer from a problem of non-uniqueness when two or more distances between different clusters coincide during the amalgamation process. The traditional approach for solving this drawback has been to take any arbitrary criterion in order to break ties between distances, which results in different hierarchical classifications depending on the criterion followed. In this article we propose a variable-group algorithm that consists in grouping more than two clusters at the same time when ties occur. We give a tree representation for the results of the algorithm, which we call a multidendrogram, as well as a generalization of the Lance andWilliams’ formula which enables the implementation of the algorithm in a recursive way. The authors thank A. Arenas for discussion and helpful comments. This work was partially supported by DGES of the Spanish Government Project No. FIS2006–13321–C02–02 and by a grant of Universitat Rovira i Virgili.     

关于科技名词规范若干问题的思考

着重讨论辞书中科技条目编写在术语规范方面具有共性的问题。从异形词、异名和读音三个方面入手,通过列举实例,对目前规范存在不同意见的词目在理论上加以探讨分析,在操作上提出具体意见。     

对工程进步中合规律性的探讨

工程合理性是对工程进步的本质和规律的评价。其中,将工程合理性表征为不充足理由律的认识在工程研究领域中具有重要影响。尽管这一认识揭示了工程合目的性的内涵,但它所具有的相对主义特征的建构论,造成了人们对工程合理性的片面认识,即忽视了工程合理性是合目的性和合规律性的统一。武钢和鞍钢连铸工艺的实践过程表明,工程合规律性是构成工程合理性中不容忽视的重要内容,它具体包括历史传承有序的依赖性,工序整体关联的依赖性,生产效率优先的依赖性和工序主客同一的依赖性等。对工程合理性的跨学科研究包括工程哲学、工程管理、工程科学与工程实践等,应当成为工程研究的重要途径。     

立足产业链的中美日集成电路材料技术布局差异分析

为助力我国集成电路材料产业的科技决策,对集成电路材料产业链各环节进行中美日技术布局差异分析与揭示。基于论文、专利数据,采用文献计量分析方法开展技术布局差异分析研究。具体地,通过梳理集成电路材料产业链,明确产业链各环节的7 种材料,分别从Web of Science和IncoPat数据库获取全球论文和专利数据,结合论文质量和专利价值判断标准,分析中美日三国的论文发表与专利申请趋势差异、机构数量差异、企业数量差异和技术差异。研究发现,近年来我国在集成电路材料产业链上的专利和论文情况均取得进步,高价值专利和高被引论文占比持续攀升;但在不同材料上的表现不均衡,在硅晶圆、光刻胶等领域更注重专利申请,而在电子气体、湿电子化学品等领域更注重论文发表;在专利申请机构总量上略有优势,但申请高价值专利的机构不足,呈现出论文数量多、机构少的特点;专利申请的机构中,企业占比较多,且高价值专利主要集中在企业。中美日三国的技术关注点存在差异,美日有部分共同关注点。     

John Dewey's pragmatist alternative to the belief-acceptance dichotomy

Defenders of value-free science appeal to cognitive attitudes as part of a wedge strategy, to mark a distinction between science proper and the uses of science for decision-making, policy, etc. Distinctions between attitudes like belief and acceptance have played an important role in defending the value-free ideal. In this paper, I will explore John Dewey's pragmatist philosophy of science as an alternative to the philosophical framework the wedge strategy rests on. Dewey does draw significant and useful distinctions between different sorts of cognitive attitudes taken by inquirers, but none can be used to support the wedge strategy.     

Alternative splicing of Bcl-2-related genes: functional consequences and potential therapeutic applications

Apoptosis is a morphologically distinct form of cell death. It is executed and regulated by several groups of proteins. Bcl-2 family proteins are the main regulators of the apoptotic process acting either to inhibit or promote it. More than 20 members of the family have been identified so far and most have two or more isoforms. Alternative splicing is one of the major mechanisms providing proteomic complexity and functional diversification of the Bcl-2 family proteins. Pro- and anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 family members should function in harmony for the regulation of the apoptosis machinery, and their relative levels are critical for cell fate. Any mechanism breaking down this harmony by changing the relative levels of these antagonistic proteins could contribute to many diseases, including cancer and neurodegenerative disorders. Recent studies have shown that manipulation of the alternative splicing mechanisms could provide an opportunity to restore the proper balance of these regulator proteins. This review summarises current knowledge on the alternative splicing products of Bcl-2-related genes and modulation of splicing mechanisms as a potential therapeutic approach.Received 5 January 2004; received after revision 31 March 2004; accepted 6 April 2004     

The range of life in amber: significance and implications in DNA studies

A survey of the major fossiliferous amber deposits is provided, including ages and various categories of life forms reported from each. The frequence of occurrence of the major groups of plants and animals in these amber deposits is also given. Thus far, DNA from four insect and one plant species has been extracted from amber fossils. In the case of the stingless bee in Dominican amber, evidence of reproducibility is provided, since two independent laboratories isolated DNA from six or more different specimens of the same insect.Amber sources for DNA studies are listed together with their advantages and disadvantages. The important points are the availability of desired pieces, the proper identification of the fossil, verification of the amber deposit, the cost involved, and the feasibility of causing damage to the specimen. The availability of several types of amber (Mexican, Dominican, Baltic, Chinese, Canadian, Siberian and Lebanese) at four major sources (academic collections, commercial dealers, private collections and amber mines) is discussed. The scientific implications of obtaining DNA from amber inclusions are presented.