Experiential science as a novel scientific discipline

This report was presented at the UK Organic Research 2002 Conference. This paper positions experiential science as a new discipline in science with its own characteristics and principles. New elements in experiential science are the recognition of unique patterns in relation to previous actions and the reflection on intuitive, unique actions. There is a need for a new vocabulary to develop experiential science as a novel discipline

A note on linear mappings between function spaces

summary:Arhangel'ski\v{\i} proved that if $X$ and $Y$ are completely regular spaces such that ${C_p (X)}$ and ${C_p (Y)}$ are linearly homeomorphic, then $X$ is pseudocompact if and only if $Y$ is pseudocompact. In addition he proved the same result for compactness, $\sigma$-compactness and realcompactness. In this paper we prove that if $\phi : {C_p (X)} \rightarrow {C_p (X)}$ is a continuous linear surjection, then $Y$ is pseudocompact provided $X$ is and if $\phi$ is a continuous linear injection, then $X$ is pseudocompact provided $Y$ is. We also give examples that both statements do not hold for compactness, $\sigma$-compactness and realcompactness

Repairing the Link? Civil Society’s Role Regarding Accountability Deficits of the German Government in EU Affairs

National governments acting in the Council of the European Union can rarely be held to account by parliaments and the public. This is because secrecy prevails in Council negotiations, and institutions of democratic scrutiny often lack information and resources to effectively control the executive. This study focuses on the involvement of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) as a potential remedy to the lack of democratic control over governments’ positions in Council negotiations. Examining the German case, a qualitative analysis of 13 interviews with German CSO representatives shows that CSO involvement concentrates on direct dialogue with the German government: Although lacking formal sanctioning powers, CSOs engage in an informal, voluntary consultation with policy-makers, based on co-dependency. Thus, they enact a loose form of social accountability with the German government. In this role, CSOs are however constrained by several factors, such as access to policy-making arenas. The paper further shows that CSOs seldom trigger formal scrutiny mechanisms by alarming the Bundestag or the public on potential governmental wrongdoings. Therefore, they rarely make use of their second potential role as political accountability facilitators. As a result, this raises the question whether CSOs’ impact on the accountability deficit can make up for the lack of popular scrutiny in EU policy-making

Analitička toksikologija: od nadziranja prisutnosti kemijskih supstancija u okolišu do mjerenja preostalih količina

Analytical toxicology is more than analytical chemistry. Although it does imply much analytical work, it should not stop with a statement about the more or less accurate level of a certain chemical in some biological or ecological matrix. The toxicologist performing analytical toxicology has to make clear which conclusions can be drawn from his/her analysis, and maybe even more important, which conclusions cannot be drawn. Generally, the analytical toxicologist has to find the balance between a very reliable analysis (which is often quite laborious and expensive) and the time and money available for performing the analysis; often the two demands are contradictory. In future, particular attention has to be paid to the quality assurance of toxicological analyses, to a more international collaboration, and to the development of new analytical approaches.Analitička toksikologija nije samo analitčika kemija. lako podrazumijeva mnogo analitičkog rada, ne bi se smjela ograničiti samo na utvrđivanje više ili manje točne koncentracije nekog kemijskog spoja u biološkom ili ekološkom sustavu. Na osnovi analize koju je načinio toksikolog analitičar mora izvesti odgovarajuće zaključke i, što je vjerojatno još važnije, utvrditi koji se zaključci ne mogu postaviti. To se može ilustrirati trima primjerima. Prvi je primjer u području biološkog nadziranja. Ispitivanja na pticama-grabežljivicama (sovi i škanjcu), kao mogućim modelima za biološki nadzor kvalitete okoliša, pokazali su da su različite koncentracije teških metala u organima u svezi s njihovim posebnostima u načinima hranjenja. Drugi primjer odnosi se na otkrivanje razloga neočekivanih popratnih štetnih učinaka Ijekovitih spojeva u svakodnevnoj uporabi. Tako je pri dodavanju karbadoksa (kirtoksalinskog spoja) krmivu u slučaju proljeva u mladih svinja uloga toksikologa analitičara bila utvrditi da su dodavane doze bile značajno više od propisanih i uzrokom ozbiljnih poremećaja funkcije hormona aldosterona sa smrtnim ishodom. U potonjem slučaju analitički toksikolog morao je biti u stanju izmjeriti različite vrste spojeva (aldosteron, natrij, kalij te karbadoks u plazmi, tkivima i u krmivu) i dobivene nalaze protumačiti na odgovarajući način. I treći primjer, nakon uporabe i prisutnosti svih mogućih vrsta kemijskih spojeva u poljoprivrednoj proizvodnji, nužne su sveobuhvatne analize preostalih količina. Općenito uzevši, toksikolog analitičar mora pronaći ravnotežu između veoma pouzdane analitičke metode (sto je i naporno i skupo) i vremena i novca kojima raspolaže za izvođenje analitičkog mjerenja; dva cesto kontradiktorna zahtjeva. U budućnosti bi posebnu pozornost trebalo posvetiti osiguravanju kvalitete toksikoloških analiza, međunarodnoj suradnji i razvoju novih analitičkih pristupa

Una Implicación Creciente en la Vida con los Demás. Hacia una Filosofía del Envejecimiento

Although many people are living longer and healthier than before and life expectancies have even more than doubled in the last 150 years, cultures of aging have not kept up with these developments. On the contrary: in most Western countries people are driven from the labor market at a younger age than was still the case in the 1960s and they are labeled as ‘aged ‘as soon as they have become 50 years old. Partly as a response to this early exclusion from normal adulthood, cultures of aging have developed which paradoxically define aging well as “staying young”. This article argues that contemporary developments in longevity ask for inspiring cultures of aging which do not deny its vulnerabilities nor belittle its potentials. As unique lives are deepened in aging, they may lead to inspiring cultures of aging which go beyond the dominant perspectives that emphasize either staying young or hopeless decline. Aunque muchas personas están viviendo más tiempo y con más salud que antes, y las expectativas de vida se han más que duplicado en los últimos 150 años, los comportamientos sociales ante el envejecimiento no se corresponden con estos desarrollos. Por el contrario, en la mayoría de países occidentales, las personas son excluidas del mercado laboral a una edad más temprana incluso que en la década de 1960, y son etiquetadas como 'mayores' tan pronto como cumplen 50 años de edad. En parte como respuesta a esta exclusión temprana de la edad adulta, los estudios sobre el envejecimiento han propuesto, paradójicamente, definiciones de envejecer bien como "mantenerse joven". Este artículo sostiene que la evolución contemporánea de la longevidad reclama nuevas propuestas sobre el envejecimiento que no nieguen sus vulnerabilidades ni menosprecien sus potencialidades. Puesto que con la edad se ahonda en la singularidad de la vida, esto debería inspirar nuevas aproximaciones al envejecimiento que vayan más allá de las perspectivas habituales, que se decantan, o bien por una cultura del mantenerse jóvenes, o por un declive sin esperanza

Biologische producten en gezondheid. Resultaten melkonderzoek 2005

In het verleden is al aangetoond dat de biologische productiemethode maatschappelijke voordelen heeft op terreinen als milieu, biodiversiteit, bodemkwaliteit, dierenwelzijn en pesticidenresidu. Indirect dragen deze kwaliteiten bij aan de gezondheid van de mens. Nu beginnen ook steeds meer onderzoeksresultaten beschikbaar te komen waaruit blijkt dat de biologische productiemethode ook leidt tot voedsel dat meer gezonde stoffen bevat. Biologische producten blijken gemiddeld gelijk of hoger te scoren op gezonde stoffen o.a. vitamine C gehaltes, mineralen, anti-oxidanten en eiwitkwaliteit dan reguliere producten. En biologische producten blijken gelijk of lager te scoren op ongezonde stoffen zoals nitraat, residuen van bestrijdingsmiddelen en contaminanten. Als verkennend onderzoek naar verschillen in koemelk werd in februari 2005 koemelk van 5 biologische en 5 gangbare buurbedrijven onderzocht. Een duidelijk verschil in bedrijfsvoering is dat biologische koeien minder krachtvoer en meer klaver en gras eten. De hoeveelheid CLA's en omega-3-vetzuren was in de onderzochte biologische melk significant hoger. In smaak was er geen eenduidig verschil in beoordeling. Ook de gezondheidstoestand van de koeien werd gemeten via immunologisch onderzoek. Hieruit bleek dat biologische koeien beter kunnen reageren op infecties, ze zijn dus robuuster. Deze gezondheidsmeting van de koe past in de hypothese dat de cyclus van een gezonde bodem, gezonde gewassen, gezonde dieren ook leidt tot gezonde producten voor de mens. Bij de vernieuwende meetmethoden voor 'geordendheid' van de structuur (biofotonen en voedingskristallisaties) scoort de biologische melk systematisch hoger op 'geordendheid', 'integratie’ en ‘coördinatie'. Uit onderzoek naar voederrantsoenen en naar moedermelk blijkt dat hogere CLA-gehaltes in de keten doorgeven worden via het voer (veel gras en klaver), naar de koemelk tot in de menselijke moedermelk

Concept of Contamination Control Door for DEMO and Proof of Principle Design

During the maintenance period of a future fusion reactor power plant, called DEMOnstration Power Plant (DEMO), remotely handled casks are required to confine and handle DEMO in-vessel components during their transportation between the reactor and the active maintenance facility. In order to limit the dispersion of activated dust, a Contamination Control Door (CCD) is designed to be placed at an interface between separable containments (e.g., vacuum vessels and casks) to inhibit the release of contamination at the interface between them. The remotely operated CCD—technically, a double lidded door system—consists of two separable doors (the cask door and port door) and three different locking mechanisms: (i) between the cask door and cask, (ii) between the cask door and port door and (iii) between the port door and port. The locking mechanisms are selected and assessed according to different criteria, and the structure of the CCD is optimized using an Abaqus Topology Optimization Module. Due to the elastic properties of the CCD, deflections will occur during the lifting procedure, which may lead to malfunctions of the CCD. A test rig is developed to investigate the performance of high-risk components in the CCD in the case of deflections and also malpositioning. Misalignment can be induced along three axes and three angles intentionally to test the single components and items. The aim is to identify a possible range of operating in the case of misalignments. It is expected that the proposed CCD design should be able to operate appropriately in the case of ±3 mm translational misalignments and ±1° rotational misalignments

Milk fatty acids in relation to feeding practices on Dutch organic farms

Various recent studies have indicated positive interactions between organic animal production and poly-unsaturated fatty acids, particularly CLA and omega-3. In this paper, we present the monitoring results of 15 organic farms concerning the rela-tionship between feeding practices and fatty acid pattern. The results indicate a strong negative effect of maize and grass silage and concentrate feeding on CLA levels in milk fat. On the other hand, feeding fresh grass has a positive effect. Omega-3 levels in milk fat seem less related to feed characteristics: similar relations to those with CLA seem to exist, but feed composition explains the variation in omega-3 levels only to a limited extent, while there is a large farm influence. This might be related to the energy balance of the cows. A comparison of measured CLA and omega-3 levels in organic milk with common levels in conventional milk shows a small difference during the stable period. Effects of adding oil - as a possibility to improve the level of CLA and omega-3 in a way that is organically acceptable - are explored, but effects remain small