Models as products of interdisciplinary exchange: Evidence from evolutionary game theory

The development of evolutionary game theory (EGT) is closely linked with two interdisciplinary exchanges: the import of game theory into biology, and the import of biologists’ version of game theory into economics. This paper traces the history of these two import episodes. In each case the investigation covers what exactly was imported, what the motives for the import were, how the imported elements were put to use, and how they related to existing practices in the respective disciplines. Two conclusions emerged from this study. First, concepts derived from the unity of science discussion or the unification accounts of explanation are too strong and too narrow to be useful for analysing these interdisciplinary exchanges. Secondly, biology and economics—at least in relation to EGT—show significant differences in modelling practices: biologists seek to link EGT models to concrete empirical situations, whereas economists pursue conceptual exploration and possible explanation.     

What’s so special about model organisms?

This paper aims to identify the key characteristics of model organisms that make them a specific type of model within the contemporary life sciences: in particular, we argue that the term “model organism” does not apply to all organisms used for the purposes of experimental research. We explore the differences between experimental and model organisms in terms of their material and epistemic features, and argue that it is essential to distinguish between their representational scope and representational target. We also examine the characteristics of the communities who use these two types of models, including their research goals, disciplinary affiliations, and preferred practices to show how these have contributed to the conceptualization of a model organism. We conclude that model organisms are a specific subgroup of organisms that have been standardized to fit an integrative and comparative mode of research, and that it must be clearly distinguished from the broader class of experimental organisms. In addition, we argue that model organisms are the key components of a unique and distinctively biological way of doing research using models.     

复杂性管理对企业核心竞争力的提升

在分析企业系统复杂性影响因素的基础上,指出企业可以通过合理配置复杂性、组织设计、文化建设等方面降低不合理的复杂性;提高个体认知和处理复杂性的能力;为增加有效复杂性提供空间;形成企业核心竞争力。     

Dynamic density forecasts for multivariate asset returns

We propose a simple and flexible framework for forecasting the joint density of asset returns. The multinormal distribution is augmented with a polynomial in (time‐varying) non‐central co‐moments of assets. We estimate the coefficients of the polynomial via the method of moments for a carefully selected set of co‐moments. In an extensive empirical study, we compare the proposed model with a range of other models widely used in the literature. Employing a recently proposed as well as standard techniques to evaluate multivariate forecasts, we conclude that the augmented joint density provides highly accurate forecasts of the ‘negative tail’ of the joint distribution. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

堤坝型堆积体接触应力分布规律的数值研究

将堤坝型堆积体分为三类情形,基于有限差分法求解了三种情形下的接触应力分布规律及其影响因素,得出以下结论:同三棱柱堆积体类似,堤坝型堆积体的法向接触应力,并非人们认为的线性分布,而是呈曲线分布,堤坝高度开始出现变化的附近(对应三棱柱堆积体的中心)存在应力凹陷的现象;当相比于三棱柱堆积体,堤坝型堆积体的应力凹陷程度受到缓解(因堤坝自身的反压),同时应力凹陷的延伸范围也仅限于0.5~1倍堤坝高度的范围;对比底边有无水平约束两类情形,说明了接触面上的切向应力加重了应力凹陷的程度;下伏岩土体的刚度(弹模)也将影响到应力凹陷的程度,刚度相较上覆堆积体越大,应力凹陷越严重。     

The Constructive Realist Account of Science and Its Application to Ilya Prigogine’s Conception of Laws of Nature

Sciences are often regarded as providing the best, or, ideally, exact, knowledge of the world, especially in providing laws of nature. Ilya Prigogine, who was awarded the Nobel Prize for his theory of non-equilibrium chemical processes—this being also an important attempt to bridge the gap between exact and non-exact sciences [mentioned in the Presentation Speech by Professor Stig Claesson (nobelprize.org, The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 1977)]—has had this ideal in mind when trying to formulate a new kind of science. Philosophers of science distinguish theory and reality, examining relations between these two. Nancy Cartwright’s distinction of fundamental and phenomenological laws, Rein Vihalemm’s conception of the peculiarity of the exact sciences, and Ronald Giere’s account of models in science and science as a set of models are deployed in this article to criticise the common view of science and analyse Ilya Prigogine’s view in particular. We will conclude that on a more abstract, philosophical level, Prigogine’s understanding of science doesn’t differ from the common understanding.

极端嗜热微生物分子伴侣蛋白研究与嗜热功能蛋白质的规模化制备技术研究

极端微生物是丰富的资源宝库,有着巨大的生物技术开发前景。本文从特殊功能蛋白质的发现与表征、结构与功能及潜在性应用．以及特殊功能蛋白质的规模化制备技术两个方面,对极端微生物的资源开发与利用进行了探讨。重点介绍了极端嗜热古菌Pyrococcus furiosus分子伴侣蛋白系统的一些研究,并以P．furiosus胞外α-淀粉酶PFA为例,对工业生物技术领域重组蛋白质的规模化制备技术进行了讨论。     

从“技术”的概念定义看“丛林效应”

由"技术"的多样化定义出发,引出了认识事物进行定义时所表现的"丛林效应"现象,并给出了"丛林效应"的来源、产生的原因及其判断原则。     

文物术语“水银沁”“黑漆古”的分析

文物术语通常是在使用中约定俗成的。由于科学知识的局限和同一术语在不同文物之间借用,使术语与概念的对应出现偏离。文章对这种现象进行了举例剖析,并建议从术语的顾名思义性和科学性考量,明确术语和概念的一一对应关系,限定术语使用范围。     

基于Fluent的海底输油管道停输温降数值模拟

随着海上油田的大量开发,对海底输油管道停输过程传热问题的研究迫在眉睫。加热输送的原油管道在运行过程中,不可避免地会遭遇油田停电和管线维修等意外,造成停输。这时油管内原油的黏度随油温下降而升高。当油温降到一定值后,会给管道的再启动带来极大的困难,甚至造成凝管事故。为避免凝管事故发生,需要准确预测海底管道管内原油的温降情况及安全停输时间,分析影响停输时间的因素。利用Fluent软件对海底输油管道停输温降进行数值模拟。计算结果表明,保温层厚度和海水温度对停输时间影响非常明显。模拟结果可指导生产实践。