Theoretical Purposes Research Articles

Explication as a Method of Conceptual Re-engineering

Taking Carnap’s classic exposition as a starting point, this paper develops a pragmatic account of the method of explication, defends it against a range of challenges and proposes a detailed recipe for the practice of explicating. It is then argued that confusions are involved in characterizing explications as definitions, and in advocating precising definitions as an alternative to explications. Explication is better characterized as conceptual re-engineering for theoretical purposes, in contrast to conceptual re-engineering for other purposes and improving exactness for purely practical reasons. Finally, three limitations which call for further development of the method of explication are discussed.

Still foes: Benovsky on relationism and substantivalism

It is widely believed that relationism cannot make room for the possibility of intervals of time during which no changes occur. Benovsky has recently challenged this belief, arguing that relationists can account for the possibility of changeless time in much the same way as substantivalists do, thereby concluding that the two views are interchangeable for all theoretical purposes. This paper intends to defend the meaningfulness of the traditional dispute between substantivalists and relationists, by contending that the particular form of relationism on which Benovsky has based his criticism is in fact alien to that debate.

Kinetics and modeling for extraction of chrysin from Oroxylum indicum seeds

Research on extraction of chrysin is crucial for theoretical purposes and for food industrial bioprocesses. Optimization and kinetics of chrysin extraction from seeds of Oroxylum indicum (L.) Vent. were analyzed using agitated solid-liquid extractions with ethanol and water mixtures. The influence of extraction process parameters was investigated. Optimized conditions for chrysin extraction were a 0.2 mole fraction of ethanol as an extraction solvent, a temperature of 318 K, an agitation speed 1,400 rpm, and a solid to solvent ratio of 1:30. The extraction kinetic behavior of chrysin followed first order kinetics. The kinetic expression developed by Spiro and Siddique was used and the model was in agreement with experimental results. The diffusion coefficient ranged from 1.38×10−11 to 19.43×10−11 m2·s−1 and the activation energy for extraction kinetics was 21.85 kJ·mol−1.

Reproducibility of a 5-repetition maximum strength test in older adults

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Multiple repetition maximum (M-RM) strength tests are suitable alternatives to the 1repetition maximum (1-RM) strength test, particularly in the elderly. In comparison to the 1-RM strength test the research about the reproducibility of M-RM strength tests is very limited, leading to a lack of standardized test protocols for M-RM strength tests. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the test-retest reproducibility of a 5-repetition maximum (5-RM) strength test in older adults. METHODS: After a short preparation session, 28 healthy elderly people older than 60 years (14 men, 14 women) and with at least 3 months strength training experience passed a 5-RM strength test. The test included exercises for the upper body, namely bench press and seated row, and were performed twice within 7 days on the same day of the week at the same time of the day. RESULTS: Significant differences between test and retest ( p 0.90; p< 0.001) was found for the total sample as well as for both sub-samples (men, women). The coefficients of variation were very low and ranged between 0.7 and 2.8%. The high test-retest reproducibility was also demonstrated by the narrow limits of agreements, the very little standard errors of measurements and the minimal smallest real differences. CONCLUSION: The present study confirms the reproducibility of the 5-RM strength test for upper body exercises in older adults with strength training experience. The 5-RM strength test is a reliable and simple measurement and can be used in sports practice for theoretical and practical purposes.

Insurrectional Politics in Colonial Southeast Asia: Colonial Modernity, Islamic ‘Counterplots’, and Translocal (Anti-colonial) Connectivity

This article focuses on the idea of ‘colonial modernity’ to pursue a dual theoretical purpose: to interrogate the givenness of ‘modernity’ as an overarching and over-determining epistemological framework; and, secondly, to indicate how movements against colonial modernity were part of a ‘deep, global infrastructure of anti-colonial connectivity’. By examining a number of Islamic movements in the Dutch Indies and in British Malaya, this article seeks to map out some of the translocal spaces created and occupied by these movements, which linked North Africa to Saudi Arabia and to South East Asia. The focus on translocality speaks also to the existence and enactment of exteriorities to modernity. My deployment of ‘exteriority’ signals here certain historical, political, and cultural lateral relations among colonial spaces, through which the colonized generate and activate what June Nash calls ‘counterplots’ to colonial modernity.

Generic Histories of German Cinema: Genre and Its Deviations ed. by Jaimey Fisher (review)

Reviewed by: Generic Histories of German Cinema: Genre and Its Deviations ed. by Jaimey Fisher Roger F. Cook Generic Histories of German Cinema: Genre and Its Deviations. Edited by Jaimey Fisher. Rochester, NY: Camden House, 2013. Pp. 314. Cloth $95.00. ISBN 978-1571135704. This collection of twelve substantial essays fills a notable gap in scholarly work on German film and is a welcome addition to Camden House’s prominent series in German Studies. In the introduction the volume’s editor, Jaimey Fisher, documents convincingly the need for a volume that focuses on the history and theory of genre in German cinema. He provides a good overview of the scant existing scholarship on German genre films and then describes how Generic Histories addresses the topic in a way that can contribute both to the history of German film and to genre theory more broadly. He lays out two key goals of this anthology. One is to illuminate from [End Page 682] a new perspective the links between art cinema and popular film. The second, more central concern is the need to override the partitioning of German history into fixed periods that are seen as distinct and disconnected. Fisher asserts that in emphasizing “the ongoing histories of film genres and their ever mutating forms” (4), the essays in this volume read genre in the German context across the boundaries of these periods and, in doing so, seek to contribute to genre theory more broadly. After stating these objectives, Fisher addresses briefly the influence that German theorists (Adorno, Horkheimer, Kracauer) have had on genre theory, before offering a brief historical sketch of critical writing on film genre. He does so in order to spell out the specific contribution that the “historic-discursive approach” of Generic Histories has to offer. Tailoring his short account of a complex history to this end, Fisher argues that genre theory as a whole has tended to follow a triangulated model constructed around the filmic text, audiences, and industry institutions. The thrust of this historical account (which includes John Calweti, Rick Altman, and Steve Neale, among others) is to show that the various models of genre theory have struggled to find an approach that incorporates both a historical focus on institutions and practices and a discursive engagement with the filmic text. Generic Histories seeks to rectify this by offering a history of German genre film that does both and that can thus serve as a model for genre studies in general. The collection pursues this goal by assigning a certain structure to the individual contributions. Each essay provides a general history of its designated genre and then provides a reading of a particular film as a case study. For the most part, the articles follow the design laid out in the introduction and, in doing so, give a broad history of genre film in German cinema. The contributions cover the most important genres: horror films, the essay film, science fiction, musicals, war films, crime films, the Heimat film, romantic comedy, and detective/police thrillers. While the collection may not cover every genre (e.g., political thriller, Bergfilme, and historical films are not included), there are no glaring gaps. In most cases, the essays also trace the development of a particular genre across different periods in German history, delivering on the promise in the introduction of “transperiod genre criticism.” Of all the contributions, Lutz Koepnick’s piece adheres to the plan laid out in the introduction most effectively. It provides an excellent critical perspective on the history of science-fiction film in German cinema, explaining its limited success in relation to German social, political and cultural history. In a skilled balancing of case study with the larger scope of his piece, he frames his arguments with a discussion of two Fritz Lang science-fiction films of the 1920s (one classic and one minor), and then comes back to Metropolis in a strong conclusion that solidifies his argument with a superb analogy drawn from a classical moment of German science-fiction. Gerd Gemünden also contributes effectively to the theoretical purpose of the volume. He gives a strong reading of Edgar Ulmer’s 1934 horror film The Black Cat as...

BCVEGPY2.2: A newly upgraded version for hadronic production of the meson [formula omitted] and its excited states

A newly upgraded version of the BCVEGPY, a generator for hadronic production of the meson $B_c$ and its excited states, is available. In comparison with the previous one [C.H. Chang, J.X. Wang and X.G. Wu, Comput. Phys. Commun. {\bf 175}, 624 (2006)], the new version is to apply an improved hit-and-miss technology to generating the un-weighted events much more efficiently under various simulation environments. The codes for production of $2S$-wave $B_c$ states are also given here.

Accelerating collaboration to find a cure: a nonprofit's evolving business model

Synopsis This is a field-researched case about a nonprofit organization, the Accelerated Cure Project (ACP), dedicated to accelerating advances toward a cure for multiple sclerosis (MS). Inspired by the successful open source software development platform, ACP brings the strengths of that platform into the medical research and development environment. At the opening of the case, Robert McBurney, an Australian scientist with extensive experience in the biotech world, has been named CEO. McBurney and his team want to use ACP's bio-sample and data Repository to drive innovation in the search for the cure for MS by fostering collaborative research and development across research institutions, pharmaceutical and bio-tech companies. To encourage such collaboration ACP waives its rights to potentially lucrative Intellectual Property. This decision to foster collaboration at the expense of revenue sources appears problematic, since ACP does not have the staff or resources to undertake fundraising at the scale needed to fund current projects. ACP chooses to serve instead as an open access research accelerator making an impact on the field by functioning as an innovation driver rather than a profit maker. Is this an innovative recipe for success in finding a cure for MS or a recipe for financial disaster for ACP? Research methodology Interviews provided the primary source of data for this case. Four semi-structured interviews were conducted with the CEO of ACP, the Vice President of Scientific Operations, and a member of the organization's Board of Trustees, a collaborating university researcher, and the President of a bio-tech company working with ACP. Interview data was supplemented with additional information from ACP's web site, news reports, McBurney's comments at Suffolk University's Global Leadership in Innovation and Collaboration Award event, and follow-up conversations. Relevant courses and levels This case is intended for use in an undergraduate course examining strategic management issues midway through the term. The case discussion can center on issues relating to: first, the development of the business model; second, revenue resources and fundraising. Students are expected to spend two to three hours of outside preparation reviewing concepts of change leadership and the collaborative enterprise business model. They should read the case materials and brainstorm options for improved change leadership. The case can be taught in one two-hour class period. Theoretical basis The purpose of this case is to introduce students to the strategic management and funding challenges faced by an organization that is using a non-traditional business model in an increasingly complex environment. As a result of discussing this case, students should be able to: first, examine strategic organizational strengths, analyze opportunities created by business, market and environmental factors, and strategize to minimize weaknesses and to address threats identify an organization's strategic focus; recognize and recommend options at crucial decision making junctures in a business situation; second, assess an organization's revenue model; analyze how this model can be improved; third, analyze the functionality and sustainability of an organization's business model.

The Lifetime NAD(P)H Fingerprint of Salmonella Infection

The Lifetime NAD(P)H Fingerprint of Salmonella Infection

MICRO, SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES AND SOCIAL NETWORKS IN TOURISM INDUSTRY IN MANZANILLO, COLIMA, MEXICO

Nowadays, the use of social media has become an important tool to introduce new products and services in the world. However, in some countries social networks are very important to show what the company is and what they are doing with their businesses, it means that they sharing everything with their customers, like products, services, goals, some cases they try to educate their public about the use of the product or service, among other things. When people started using social networks on the internet, these were conceived as a mean to communicate with relatives or friends. However, with time, the social networks have evolved to a point that they now allow people to use them to generate sales and increase the competitiveness of enterprises. The purpose of this research is to demonstrate the lack of training and knowledge about the use of social networks by local businesses and the barriers they face when they decide to use them as sales platforms, and to demonstrate the impact it could have on their businesses. Four SMEs located in Colima State in Mexico were studied, selected to be sufficiently successful and representative in terms of industry and size, for theoretical generalization purposes. These tourism SMEs stem from various sectors, such as: travel agencies, tour operator, hotel and restaurant. Data were collected through semi-structured taperecorded interviews, ranging approximately one hour and a half each, with the ownermanager or the manager responsible for social media. Interview transcripts were then coded and analyzed following Miles and Huberman’s (1994) prescriptions with the assistance of the Atlas.ti application. The results allow us to conclude that the investigated companies believe that the use of social networks is extremely important to be able to compete in the market. However, due to a lack of training, they were not able to implement properly the utilization of social networks in their companies.

The early grade reading assessment (EGRA): Its theoretical foundation, purpose, and limitations

The rise and widespread adoption of the early grade reading assessment (EGRA) has produced an ample supply of critics and converts. This paper seeks to clarify the purpose of EGRA and its limitations. EGRA was created to inform education systems and programmes and alone, is not an intervention. Designed to measure some of the foundational literacy skills that readers need for beginning reading, EGRA is a collection of subtasks, each with a specific purpose. This paper includes a description and rationale for each subtask, as well as the conceptual framework that underpins the assessment. Key results from multiple surveys provide informative, grounded examples of how the assessment results are being used to inform both classroom practice and system-level policy. We conclude with a brief discussion on the potential uses of EGRA and similar oral assessments of early learning for informing the monitoring of the post-2015 education indicators.

Noise Response of P53 Oscillation against System Size Scaling

p53 is a DNA binding protein regulating the expression of various other proteins under DNA damaging cell stress. Based on different type and extent of DNA damage, p53 up-regulates different sets of proteins and triggers cell cycle arrest, DNA repair or Apoptosis. Given the importance of p53 regarding to its role in cell fate decision, it is only reasonable for such molecules to be under delicate regulation.One interesting observation on p53 dynamics is that when stress signal is activated, rather than staying in an activated higher level, the concentration of p53 pulses with a period of around 5.5 hours, in a rather noisy manner. mdm2, one of p53's main regulators, goes through a similar pulsing process, with a same period as the oscillation of p53 and a stable delay in phase. So far, different theories on both the origin of p53 oscillation and its variation on amplitude are explored. Yet the relation between the size of the system and the noise-driven oscillation, or rather, whether the oscillation is robust against the size variation is hardly mentioned. Given that the absolute number of molecules in a single cell being difficult to assess experimentally, along with the fact that cell size varies for different cell type in a single species, we believe a discussion on how such dynamics behaves under cell size variation being valid for both theoretical and application purposes. In our work, we adopted and modified an existing model. Based on it, we shall discuss its noise driven oscillation behaviour and explore its response against system size variation both numerically and analytically.

TEORI NAZHM ABDULQĀHIR AL-JURJANĪ DALAM DALĀ’ILU ‘L-I’JĀZ DAN PENGARUHNYA TERHADAP PERKEMBANGAN ILMU MA’ĀNĪ

A discipline of Arabic is determined by the views of creative scholars and influence significally to the development of the science discipline discussion. This article reviews the theory nazhm Abdulqāhir al-Jurjani and its influence on the development of Ma'ani science. Ma'ani Science is a part of balaghah science (rhetoric) reviewing the structure of the sentence in accordance with the context of the situation. This study has two objectives, namely a practical purpose and theoretical purpose. The practical purpose of this study is to explain the concept of nazhm Abdulqāhir influence on the development of science Ma'ani. While the theoretical goal is to prove a general view of historians that Abdulqāhir is the father of Ma'ani. This study is a qualitative study. The author collected data of Abdulqāhir through the reference of biography Arab scholars, explore ideas either directly or through studies of expert. The systematics of writing this article is divided into three parts, the first is biography of Abdulqāhir, the second is his work Dalā'ilu 'l-I'jaz and the third about nazhm theory.

Historiofotia, tropologia e história: além das noções de imagem nos escritos de Hayden White

"Historiofotia" foi o termo cunhado por Hayden White para designar a representação da história por meio de imagens visuais. Atualmente o termo é apropriado pelos historiadores para compreender como filmes produzem interpretações do passado. Para fins teóricos e metodológicos da prática histórica, deve-se identificar a gênese do conceito nos escritos de Hayden White. O visual parece ter sido questão menor na obra de White, ainda que jamais ausente, e o conceito de historiofotia faz parte de uma linhagem de noções alternativas, tais quais "aural", "espectral", "fantasmagoria", os quais aparecerem em distintos momentos nos seus escritos. O objetivo deste texto é evidenciar quais são as noções de "imagem" apresentadas por White em suas duas linhagens principais: a da imagem verbal, relacionada com a tropologia e as figuras de linguagem, e a da imagem não verbal, da qual fazem parte os termos mencionados acima. Nossa hipótese é que o esforço teórico de White na montagem de sua teoria dos tropos para explicar a construção do passado no texto histórico encontrou um limite nas imagens visuais. Para transpor este limite propomos uma problematização da historiofotia como uma ferramenta para compreensão dos usos públicos visuais das figurações do passado na cultura histórica das sociedades industriais e pós-industriais.

“To navigate safely in the vast sea of empirical facts”

This paper examines issues of ontology and methodology in behavioral economics: the attempt to increase the explanatory and predictive power of economic theory by providing it with more psychologically plausible foundations. Of special interest is the epistemological status of neoclassical economic theory within behavioral economics, the runaway success story of contemporary economics. Behavioral economists aspire to replace the fundamental assumptions of orthodox, neoclassical economic theory. Yet, behavioral economists have gone out of their way to praise those very assumptions. Matthew Rabin, for example, writes that behavioral economics “is not only built on the premise that [orthodox] economic methods are great, but also that most mainstream economic assumptions are great.” These apparently contradictory attitudes toward neoclassical theory raises the question of what, exactly, its epistemological status within behavioral economics is. This paper argues that the paradox can be resolved, and the question answered, by thinking of the epistemological status of neoclassical theory within behavioral economics in terms of Max Weber’s ideal types: analytical constructs that are not intended to be descriptively true of anything but which nevertheless can be used for a variety of theoretical purposes. The analysis is consistent with many of the insights from the philosophical literature on models in science and has important implications for the practice of economics—behavioral and neoclassical—as well as for the very nature of rationality.

Mastery, Autonomy and Transformational Approaches to Coaching: Common Features and Applications

The purpose of this paper is to provide a concise resource for coaches, coach educators, and coaching scientists by reviewing three common approaches to coaching: the mastery approach to coaching; autonomy-supportive coaching; and the transformational leadership approach to coaching. The theoretical foundations, purpose, evidence base, specifed behaviours, and translation into coaching and coach education of each approach are reviewed. Despite diverse theoretical foundations and variations in purpose, there is some overlap in the coaching behaviours prescribed by each approach. However, there is limited empirical evidence to support the use of the three approaches in coach education and this is detrimental to effective and evidence-based coach education. Efforts to integrate theoretical foundations are promising, and a comprehensive prescription of coaching behaviours based on an integration of the three approaches is possible. This approach can potentially lead to cumulative effects on positive athlete outcomes. Future research should elucidate the common and unique contributions of these approaches to athletes’ outcomes, and whether they differ by age, sex, type of sport, or competition level.

A local landscape mapping method for protein structure prediction in the HP model

The hydrophobic-polar (HP) model has been widely studied in the field of protein structure prediction both for theoretical purposes and as a benchmark for new optimization strategies. In this work we present results of the recently proposed Hybrid Monte Carlo Ant Colony Optimization heuristic in the HP model using a fragment assembly-like strategy. Moreover we extend that method introducing a general framework for optimization in the HP model, called Local Landscape Mapping, and we test it using the pull moves set to generate solutions. We describe the heuristic and compare results obtained on well known HP instances in the 3-dimensional cubic lattice to those obtained with standard Ant Colony optimization and Simulated Annealing. Fragment assembly-like tests were performed using a modified objective function to prevent the creation of overlapping walks. Results show that our method performs better than the other heuristics in all benchmark instances when the fragment assembly-like strategy is used while in the case of pull moves-based neighborhood its performance is comparable to that of simulated annealing.

Up, down, and all around: scale-dependent spatial variation in rocky-shore communities of Fildes Peninsula, King George Island, Antarctica.

Understanding the variation of biodiversity along environmental gradients and multiple spatial scales is relevant for theoretical and management purposes. Hereby, we analysed the spatial variability in diversity and structure of intertidal and subtidal macrobenthic Antarctic communities along vertical environmental stress gradients and across multiple horizontal spatial scales. Since biotic interactions and local topographic features are likely major factors for coastal assemblages, we tested the hypothesis that fine-scale processes influence the effects of the vertical environmental stress gradients on the macrobenthic diversity and structure. We used nested sampling designs in the intertidal and subtidal habitats, including horizontal spatial scales ranging from few centimetres to 1000s of metres along the rocky shore of Fildes Peninsula, King George Island. In both intertidal and subtidal habitats, univariate and multivariate analyses showed a marked vertical zonation in taxon richness and community structure. These patterns depended on the horizontal spatial scale of observation, as all analyses showed a significant interaction between height (or depth) and the finer spatial scale analysed. Variance and pseudo-variance components supported our prediction for taxon richness, community structure, and the abundance of dominant species such as the filamentous green alga Urospora penicilliformis (intertidal), the herbivore Nacella concinna (intertidal), the large kelp-like Himantothallus grandifolius (subtidal), and the red crustose red alga Lithothamnion spp. (subtidal). We suggest that in coastal ecosystems strongly governed by physical factors, fine-scale processes (e.g. biotic interactions and refugia availability) are still relevant for the structuring and maintenance of the local communities. The spatial patterns found in this study serve as a necessary benchmark to understand the dynamics and adaptation of natural assemblages in response to observed and predicted environmental changes in Antarctica.

The Application of Simulation Software in CNC Multi-Axis Machining Teaching

Combined with the requirements for multi-axis CNC machining technicians in manufacturing industry, the current situation and problems existed in CNC multi-axis machining teaching are analyzed initially in this paper. Afterwards, in order to solve these problems and achieve theoretical teaching and skills training purposes, the advantages of CNC simulation software are applied in CNC multi-axis machining teaching. Finally, the deficiencies of the CNC simulation software are discussed so as to avoid in teaching.

Study of shear-thinning/thickening effects on plane Couette-Poiseuille flow with uniform crossflow

The shear-thinning/thickening effects on the plane Couette-Poiseuille flow with a uniform crossflow are studied. The detailed solution procedures for both theoretical and numerical purposes are given. In order to clarify the difference between the Newtonian flow and the power-law flow, all cases of the plane Couette-Poiseuille flows with uniform crossflows for different power indexes are assigned to the phase diagram in the parameter plane corresponding to the Couette number and the crossflow Reynolds number. The effects of shear-thinning/thickening on the phase diagram are discussed. An important feature of the shear-thinning circumstance distinguished from the shearthickening circumstance is discovered.