Mechanistic emergence : different properties, different levels, same thing! ; a commentary on Carl F. Craver

In this commentary I will briefly sketch the notion of “levels of mechanisms” as presented by Carl Craver and propose that we extend it to a more general notion of “level” that ensures wider applicability. The account of levels I develop is essentially based on an account of “properties”, claiming dependence of instantiation on a certain epistemic context. The main goal is then to reconcile Craver's notion of “mechanisms” with “emergence” resulting in a contemporary account of “mechanistic emergence” implementing the developed concept of a level. Such an account could provide explanatory potential for and elucidate on seemingly mysterious higher-level properties and their ontology

Properties of iterative Monte Carlo single histogram reweighting

We present iterative Monte Carlo algorithm for which the temperature variable is attracted by a critical point. The algorithm combines techniques of single histogram reweighting and linear filtering. The 2d Ising model of ferromagnet is studied numerically as an illustration. In that case, the iterations uncovered stationary regime with invariant probability distribution function of temperature which is peaked nearly the pseudocritical temperature of specific heat. The sequence of generated temperatures is analyzed in terms of stochastic autoregressive model. The error of histogram reweighting can be better understood within the suggested model. The presented model yields a simple relation, connecting variance of pseudocritical temperature and parameter of linear filtering.Comment: 3 figure

Longitudinal investigation of Salmonella spp. from farm to fork in the pig industry in Reunion Island

Salmonella is, after Campylobacter, the most reported zoonotic pathogen in Europe. Pork meat is frequently incriminated in salmonellosis. However, asymptomatic carrying of Salmonella by pigs makes its detection difficult. Despite its tropical situation, pig industry of Reunion Island is also concerned by this public health burden

Yersinia enterocolitica prevalence, on fresh pork, poultry and beef meat at retail level, in France

Y. enterocolitica is a zoonotic agent, and the third bacterial cause of human entiritis in Europe. The objective of this study was to assess consumer exposure to the pathogen Y. enterocolitica through meat consumption over a one-year period, in France. In this context, the prevalence of Y. enterocolitica was established on samples of fresh pork, beef and poultry collected at retail level in France. Of the 649 samples, 5.1% (34) were positive for Y. enterocolitica. No significant difference in prevalence between the categories of fresh meat was observed: the prevalence was 5.2 % for pork, 5.2% for beef and 5.9% for poultry meat. However, tongues of pork were highly contaminated by Y. enterocolitica (12.5%) compared to other type of meat

Prevalence and risk indicators associated with Salmonella infection in farrow-to-finish farm in Reunion Island

Salmonella is the second cause of foodborne diseases in France and pork products are regularly incriminated. For the implementation of control measures in farms, it is necessary to better understand the risks of infection of pigs by Salmonella at farms. Our epidemiological study aims to determine Salmonella prevalence of fattening pigs in Reunion Island, oversea territory of France, and the main risk indicators for pig infection. Fifty farms (farrow-to finish and multiplier) were randomly selected and visited 4 times: at slaughtered previous batch, after cleaning and disinfection, beginning and end of the fattening period for the studied batch. Pools of fresh faeces, gauze socks and gauze swabs were sampled to assess the bacteriological status of these pig farms. A questionnaire was submitted to farmers and analysed for the further identification of risk indicators

Dynamic of Campylobacter infection within pig farms from sows to fattening pigs

This work aimed at (i) describing Campylobacter excretion by conventional pigs in field conditions from sows to fattening pigs, and (ii) assessing the role of the environment as a source of pig contamination. Five sows and six piglets per sow were individually followed in two farrow-to-finish farms

The medium-term sustainability of organisational innovations in the national health service

Background: There is a growing recognition of the importance of introducing new ways of working into the UK's National Health Service (NHS) and other health systems, in order to ensure that patient care is provided as effectively and efficiently as possible. Researchers have examined the challenges of introducing new ways of working-'organisational innovations'-into complex organisations such as the NHS, and this has given rise to a much better understanding of how this takes place-and why seemingly good ideas do not always result in changes in practice. However, there has been less research on the medium-and longer-term outcomes for organisational innovations and on the question of how new ways of working, introduced by frontline clinicians and managers, are sustained and become established in day-to-day practice. Clearly, this question of sustainability is crucial if the gains in patient care that derive from organisational innovations are to be maintained, rather than lost to what the NHS Institute has called the 'improvement-evaporation effect'. Methods: The study will involve research in four case-study sites around England, each of which was successful in sustaining its new model of service provision beyond an initial period of pilot funding for new genetics services provided by the Department of Health. Building on findings relating to the introduction and sustainability of these services already gained from an earlier study, the research will use qualitative methods-in-depth interviews, observation of key meetings, and analysis of relevant documents-to understand the longer-term challenges involved in each case and how these were surmounted. The research will provide lessons for those seeking to sustain their own organisational innovations in wide-ranging clinical areas and for those designing the systems and organisations that make up the NHS, to make them more receptive contexts for the sustainment of innovation. Discussion: Through comparison and contrast across four sites, each involving different organisational innovations, different forms of leadership, and different organisational contexts to contend with, the findings of the study will have wide relevance. The research will produce outputs that are useful for managers and clinicians responsible for organisational innovation, policy makers and senior managers, and academics

High-pressure x-ray scattering and computer simulation studies of density-induced polyamorphism in silicon

A low- to high-density pressure-driven phase transition in amorphous silicon is investigated by synchrotron x-ray diffraction in the diamond anvil cell. Complementary atomistic molecular dynamics computer simulations provide insight into the underlying structural transformations and allow us to interpret the structure factors obtained from experiment. During compression the form of the scattering function S (Q) changes abruptly at 13.5 GPa, indicating significant structural rearrangement in the amorphous solid. In particular, the first peak in S (Q) shifts to larger Q values. The changes are correlated with the occurrence of a low- to high-density (LDA-HDA) polyamorphic transition observed previously using Raman scattering and electrical conductivity measurements. The data are analyzed to provide real space (pair distribution function) information. The experimental data are compared with results from molecular dynamics (MD) simulations using a modified Stillinger-Weber many-body potential energy function in order to extract structural information on the densified amorphous material. We deduce that the polyamorphic transition involves an abrupt increase in the proportion of 5- and 6-coordinate Si atoms. The overall structure of the HDA polyamorph can be related to that of the LDA form by creation of highly-coordinated "defects" within the tetrahedrally-bonded LDA network. However classical and quantum MD simulations indicate that an even higher density amorphous state might exist, based on structures that resemble the densely-packed metallic polymorphs of crystalline Si. © 2007 The American Physical Society

Estimating rainfall and water balance over the Okavango River Basin for hydrological applications

A historical database for use in rainfall-runoff modeling of the Okavango River Basin in Southwest Africa is presented. The work has relevance for similar data-sparse regions. The parameters of main concern are rainfall and catchment water balance which are key variables for subsequent studies of the hydrological impacts of development and climate change. Rainfall estimates are based on a combination of in-situ gauges and satellite sources. Rain gauge measurements are most extensive from 1955 to 1972, after which they are drastically reduced due to the Angolan civil war. The sensitivity of the rainfall fields to spatial interpolation techniques and the density of gauges was evaluated. Satellite based rainfall estimates for the basin are developed for the period from 1991 onwards, based on the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) and Special Sensor Microwave Imager (SSM/I) data sets. The consistency between the gauges and satellite estimates was considered. A methodology was developed to allow calibration of the rainfall-runoff hydrological model against rain gauge data from 1960-1972, with the prerequisite that the model should be driven by satellite derived rainfall products for the 1990s onwards. With the rain gauge data, addition of a single rainfall station (Longa) in regions where stations earlier were lacking was more important than the chosen interpolation method. Comparison of satellite and gauge rainfall outside the basin indicated that the satellite overestimates rainfall by 20%. A non-linear correction was derived used by fitting the rainfall frequency characteristics to those of the historical rainfall data. This satellite rainfall dataset was found satisfactory when using the Pitman rainfall-runoff model (Hughes et al., this issue). Intensive monitoring in the region is recommended to increase accuracy of the comprehensive satellite rainfall estimate calibration procedur