The DSM sky hasn't fallen yet

Reports of the death of DSM at the hands of restructing are greatly exaggerated. Data that utilities have submitted to EIA show that DSM is alive and well, although the pace of program increases is slowing.     

Water transport in perfused scorpion ileum

Water transport in desert scorpion ileum involves two independent transfer pathways operating in parallel: 1) paracellular flow occurs through intercellular spaces in response to transmural osmotic or ionic gradients; and 2) transcellular water transport occurs across apical and basal cell membranes in response to a basal, energy-requiring sodium efflux process. The tissue exhibits no osmotic rectification over the range of transepithelial osmotic gradients imposed (Lp = hydraulic conductivity), Lp = 95 x 10(-7) cm - s-1 - atm-1), but displays apparent asymmetric ion permeability in response to transmural ion gradients, as determined by codiffusional water movements across the preparation. Osmotic permeability ((Pos), Pos = 1.13 x 10(-3) cm - s-1) of the tissue exceeds diffusional permeability ((Pd), Pd = 1.45 x 10(-5) cm - s-1) by almost two orders of magnitude. In the absence of osmotic or hydrostatic pressure gradients, transmural water transport requires cellular metabolism, is sodium-dependent, is inhibited by potassium, and produces an apparent strongly hypotonic absorbate. This water transport process appears to be adaptive, as scorpion dehydration results in alterations of luminal ion concentrations that favor increased net flow of water to the hemolymph.     

The “explicit-implicit” distinction

Much of traditional AI exemplifies the explicit representation paradigm, and during the late 1980's a heated debate arose between the classical and connectionist camps as to whether beliefs and rules receive an explicit or implicit representation in human cognition. In a recent paper, Kirsh (1990) questions the coherence of the fundamental distinction underlying this debate. He argues that our basic intuitions concerning explicit and implicit representations are not only confused but inconsistent. Ultimately, Kirsh proposes a new formulation of the distinction, based upon the criterion ofconstant time processing.The present paper examines Kirsh's claims. It is argued that Kirsh fails to demonstrate that our usage of explicit and implicit is seriously confused or inconsistent. Furthermore, it is argued that Kirsh's new formulation of the explicit-implicit distinction is excessively stringent, in that it banishes virtually all sentences of natural language from the realm of explicit representation. By contrast, the present paper proposes definitions for explicit and implicit which preserve most of our strong intuitions concerning straightforward uses of these terms. It is also argued that the distinction delineated here sustains the meaningfulness of the abovementioned debate between classicists and connectionists.     

The many uses of ‘belief’ in AI

Within AI and the cognitively related disciplines, there exist a multiplicity of uses of belief. On the face of it, these differing uses reflect differing views about the nature of an objective phenomenon called belief. In this paper I distinguish six distinct ways in which belief is used in AI. I shall argue that not all these uses reflect a difference of opinion about an objective feature of reality. Rather, in some cases, the differing uses reflect differing concerns with special AI applications. In other cases, however, genuine differences exist about the nature of what we pre-theoretically call belief. To an extent the multiplicity of opinions about, and uses of belief, echoes the discrepant motivations of AI researchers. The relevance of this discussion for cognitive scientists and philosophers arises from the fact that (a) many regard theoretical research within AI as a branch of cognitive science, and (b) even if theoretical AI is not cognitive science, trends within AI influence theories developed within cognitive science. It should be beneficial, therefore, to unravel the distinct uses and motivations surrounding belief, in order to discover which usages merely reflect differing pragmatic concerns, and which usages genuinely reflect divergent views about reality.     

Graphical inference for Infovis

How do we know if what we see is really there? When visualizing data, how do we avoid falling into the trap of apophenia where we see patterns in random noise? Traditionally, infovis has been concerned with discovering new relationships, and statistics with preventing spurious relationships from being reported. We pull these opposing poles closer with two new techniques for rigorous statistical inference of visual discoveries. The "Rorschach" helps the analyst calibrate their understanding of uncertainty and "line-up" provides a protocol for assessing the significance of visual discoveries, protecting against the discovery of spurious structure.     

Older adults fail to see the periphery in a Web site task

Eye movement deficiencies are inherent with age and tend to increase in distracting visual fields, in the useful field of view (UFoV), and when information is located in the periphery. Despite well-known age-related differences in eye movement, there has been limited empirical study into how older adults look at Web sites. The study of eye movement during Web site interaction is advantageous to the study of UFoV theory because Web sites are typically complex, with important navigational elements located in the periphery. Using non-invasive eye tracking, eye movement patterns were investigated in young, middle, and older adults while they initially interacted with a typical Web site (i.e., standard top and left navigation). Older adults looked less frequently at peripheral parts of the screen compared to young adults, with the left and top navigation accounting for the greatest age-related differences. Age-related differences in eye movement emerged during the initial 10 s and were independent from Internet experience, suggesting differences in eye movement while interacting with Web sites are inherent with aging. Results show age-related differences in eye movement during a Web site task. These applied, experimental results directly support UFoV cognitive theory in a real-world setting.     

The expression of parental identifications in lesbian mothers' work and family arrangements.

This paper employs a multiple case study approach to explore the complex influences of parental identification on lesbian mothers' decisions about paid work and family life, and on their comfort with those decisions. Through four clinical research vignettes, we describe the breadth of experience observed in a sample of 13 lesbian women assembled as part of a larger study (Stuart, 2007) exploring the psychology of conflict between paid work and motherhood. A psychoanalytic theoretical perspective and research approach allow us to argue against some oversimple conceptions of lesbian motherhood advanced by other theorists and researchers. Variations in lesbian mothers' work-family arrangements cannot be explained in terms of either egalitarian relations between two maternally identified partners, or more traditional relations between one maternally identified and one paternally identified partner. Like heterosexual women, lesbians express a mixture of maternal and paternal, female and male identifications through varied arrangements of paid work and family life. However, lesbian mothers may be somewhat more reluctant than heterosexual mothers to acknowledge either current conflict around work and motherhood or its roots in personal history. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Phenolic contents of lettuce,strawberry, raspberry,and blueberry crops cultivated under plastic films varying in ultraviolet transparency

The levels of health-related phytochemicals were determined in lettuce leaf and in strawberry, raspberry and blueberry fruits grown in near-commercial conditions under plastic films of three different UV transparencies. In the red lettuce Lollo Rosso, total phenolics, anthocyanin, luteolin and quercetin levels were all raised by changing from a UV blocking film to a film of low UV transparency, and to a film of high UV transparency. The related green lettuce, Lollo Biondo, cultivated under the same conditions, showed virtually no phytochemical responses to the same variation in UV levels. Overall, the phenolic levels of strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries were unresponsive to the UV transparency of the plastic film under which the crops were grown. The significance of these findings is discussed in relation to the nutritional quality of soft fruit and salad crops which are increasingly being grown commercially under plastic tunnels.     

Development of colour and firmness in strawberry crops is UV light sensitive, but colour is not a good predictor of several quality parameters

BACKGROUND: Strawberry ( Fragaria × ananassa Duchesne var. Elsanta) plants were grown in polytunnels covered with three polythene films that transmitted varying levels of ultraviolet (UV) light. Fruit were harvested under near‐commercial conditions and quality and yield were measured. During ripening, changes in the colour parameters of individual fruit were monitored, and the accuracy of using surface colour to predict other quality parameters was determined by analysing the correlation between colour and quality parameters within UV treatments. RESULTS: Higher exposure to UV during growth resulted in the fruit becoming darker at harvest and developing surface colour more quickly; fruit were also firmer at harvest, but shelf life was not consistently affected by the UV regime. Surface colour measurements were poorly correlated to firmness, shelf life or total phenolics, anthocyanins and ellagic acid contents. CONCLUSION: Although surface colour of strawberry fruits was affected by the UV regime during growth, and this parameter is an important factor in consumer perception, we concluded that the surface colour at the time of harvest was, contrary to consumer expectations, a poor indicator of firmness, potential shelf life or anthocyanin content. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry     

The capture of aerosol in a granular moving bed

Flue gas from process plants usually contains contaminants which require scrubbing prior to discharging to atmosphere. There are various techniques used to scrub the exit gas, such as packed columns, spray scrubbers, fluidised beds, filters, etc. One of the key design parameters required in order to select and design a scrubber is the capture efficiency. This efficiency is dependent on a number of factors such as the contacting mode, feed composition and operating conditions.This paper describes an experimental technique to quantify the efficiency of liquid aerosol capture in a bed of moving particles. The experimental technique provides an effective means of generating and capturing the tracer aerosol and determination of the overall aerosol capture efficiency. The results show the influence of the superficial gas and particle velocity, bed height, as well as the aerosol concentration, on the overall capture efficiency.Three possible predictive methods are considered to describe or quantify the aerosol capture efficiency. These are a capture parameter based on the available surface area, a capture parameter based on dimensionless groupings, and a dispersion model based on aerosol particle filtration by fixed bed porous filters. Each method is applied to the experimental data to determine their effectiveness in describing the capture in the granular moving bed. The dispersion model method showed good potential in quantifying the experimental capture efficiency.