Problems and Prospects of Interdisciplinarity: The Case of Philosophy of Science

In this paper, we discuss some problems and prospects of interdisciplinary encounters by focusing on philosophy of science as a case study. After introducing the case, we give an overview about the various ways in which philosophy of science can be interdisciplinary in Section 2. In Section 3, we name some general problems concerning the possible points of interaction between philosophy of science and the sciences studied. In Section 4 we compare the advantages and risks of interdisciplinarity for individual researchers and institutions. In Section 5, we discuss interdisciplinary PhD programs, in particular concerning two main problems: increased workload and the quality of supervision. In the final Section 6, we look at interdisciplinary careers beyond the PhD

Northern European retired residents in nine southern European areas: characteristics, motivations and adjustment

During the last two decades, northern European retirement residence in the southern European sunbelt has grown strongly and its forms have rapidly changed, but standard demographic and social statistical sources provide no information about the flows, the migrants or their increasingly mobile and complex residential patterns. Considerable primary research has however recently been undertaken into the causes, conditions, experiences and consequences of international retirement migration (IRM) by investigators from Germany, Spain, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Many collaborated when designing their studies and instruments, and all have subsequently worked together in a European Science Foundation Scientific Network. This paper compares the findings of six systematic social surveys in (to be more precise than the title) eight regions of southern Europe and the Canary Islands: all that have tackled similar research questions with similar methods and instruments. It presents interpretations of several comparative tables compiled from their original data, with a focus on the socio-economic backgrounds, motivations and behaviour of the various migrant groups and their relationship with the host and home countries. The paper presents new findings about the typical and variant forms of IRM, and additional understanding of the heterogeneity of the retirees of different nations and in the several regions

Multiplexed holographic transmission gratings recorded in holographic polymer-dispersed liquid crystals: static and dynamic studies

The optimization of the experimental parameters of two multiplexed holographic transmission gratings recorded in holographic polymer-dispersed liquid crystals is investigated. Two methods are used to record the holograms: simultaneous and sequential multiplexing. These two processes are optimized to produce two multiplexed Bragg gratings that have the same and the highest possible diffraction efficiencies in the first order. The two methods show similar results when suitable recording parameters are used. The parameters of the recorded gratings (mainly the refractive-index modulation) are retrieved by use of an extension of the rigorous coupled-wave theory to multiplexed gratings. Finally, the response of the holograms to an electric field is studied. We demonstrate few coupling effects between the behavior of both gratings, and we expect a possibility of switching from one grating to the other

Third-person overt pronoun and zero reference in Estonian. Insights from two experiments

This study reports two experiments that investigate the variation between two Estonian third-person referential devices – zero reference vs. the overt pronoun ta. First, in a speech-restoration paradigm (Experiment 1), we test whether the structure of a reference chain affects referential choice. Second, drawing on Experiment 1, we designed an acceptability judgement task (Experiment 2) to explore a possible systematic variation between zero reference vs. overt pronoun in different sentential configurations (two separated sentences vs. one coordinated sentence). Our findings suggest that sentential configuration affects referential choice. Thus, our study accords with earlier observations that salience-only accounts cannot fully explain referential choice. Furthermore, this study supports the form-specific account of reference, by showing that zero reference is more sensitive to sentential configuration than the overt pronoun. We suggest that along with microstructure and the local coherence effects on referential devices, it is necessary to consider macrostructure and the effect of discourse segmenting on referential devices. Kokkuvõte. Helen Hint, Maria Reile, Elsi Kaiser: Kolmanda isiku eksplitsiitne pronoomen ja nullviitamine eesti keeles. Tähelepanekuid kahe katse tulemustest. Artiklis analüüsime eesti keele kolmanda isiku nullviitamise ja eksplitsiitse personaalpronoomeni ta vaheldumist ja referentsiaalseid omadusi. Viisime läbi kaks katset. Esimeses katses uurisime, kas valikut nullviitamise ja ta vahel mõjutab viiteahela struktuur ehk see, millised on olnud eelnevad samale referendile osutavad viitevahendid. Teises katses testisime, kas viitevahendi vastuvõetavuse hinnangut mõjutab lausete omavahelise ühendamise viis (kas kasutatakse kaht iseseisvat lauset või üht kahe rindliikmega lauset). Katsete tulemused näitavad, et viiteahela struktuur nullviitamise ja eksplitsiitse pronoomeni valikut üksinda ei mõjuta, vaid on seotud lausungite ühendamisega. Viimane on aga oluline tunnus eraldiseisvana: nullviitamine on tavalisem siis, kui kasutatakse üht rinnastusseoses olevate liikmetega lauset, ta esineb pigem siis, kui kaks (liht)lauset on omavahel punktiga eraldatud. Teisalt mõjutab lausete ühendamise viis eelkõige nullviitamist, samas kui ta kasutus ei näita selle tunnuse suhtes olulisi erinevusi. Siinne uurimus osutab selgelt, et viitevahendite kasutuses peegeldub diskursuse töötluse mitmetahulisus. Lisaks kohesioonisuhetele mõjutab viitevahendi valikut diskursuse üldisem ülesehitus. Seega on siinse uurimuse tulemused kooskõlas mitmefaktorilise ja vormispetsiifilise lähenemisega viitamisele

Cosmic String in Scalar-Tensor Gravity

The gravitational properties of a local cosmic string in the framework of scalar-tensor gravity are examined. We find the metric in the weak-field approximation and we show that, contrary to the General Relativity case, the cosmic string in scalar-tensor gravitation exerces a force on non-relativistic, neutral test particle. This force is proportional to the derivative of the conformal factor $A^{2}(\phi)$ and it is always attractive. Moreover, this force could have played an important role at the Early Universe, although nowadays it can be neglegible. It is also shown that the angular separation $\delta\varphi$ remains unaltered for scalar-tensor cosmic strings.Comment: 15 pages, LATEX, no figure

10-Gabriel graphs are Hamiltonian

Given a set $S$ of points in the plane, the $k$-Gabriel graph of $S$ is the geometric graph with vertex set $S$, where $p_i,p_j\in S$ are connected by an edge if and only if the closed disk having segment $\bar{p_ip_j}$ as diameter contains at most $k$ points of $S \setminus \{p_i,p_j\}$. We consider the following question: What is the minimum value of $k$ such that the $k$-Gabriel graph of every point set $S$ contains a Hamiltonian cycle? For this value, we give an upper bound of 10 and a lower bound of 2. The best previously known values were 15 and 1, respectively

Autonomous optimization of UWB link access

We present a novel approach for interference management in low data rate IR-UWB networks that enables concurrent transmissions at full power while allows each source to independently adapt its pulse rate (transmitted pulses per second) to mitigate multi-user interference. The work is motivated by the fact that the distributed adaptation of IR-UWB pulse rate has not been sufficiently addressed in the literature before. Existing approaches rely on the presence of a central authority or assume a definite receiver technique. Our approach enables users to share the communication medium in an efficient way compatible with individual QoS requirements and it is independent of any particular modulation scheme or receiver technique

Editorial

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Early Developmental Screening in High-Risk Communities: Implications for Research and Child Welfare Policy

Early detection of developmental delays in children living in high-risk communities enables effective intervention and promotes positive outcomes. Until now, the mechanisms by which these risks and benefits arise and persist have yet to be documented from a synergistic perspective. We take a dynamic, ecological theoretical approach to examine the interplay between developmental surveillance, professional support and parental understanding of children's developmental progress. The Regional ASQ Developmental Screening Project* used geo-mapping to target the highest risk communities in three metropolitan Detroit counties. Statistical analyses using paired t tests compared screening results for 1,640 children in high-risk communities to results for 24,220 children living in surrounding communities. Children in high-risk communities had a substantially higher risk of developmental delay than the rest of Metro Detroit (43% vs. 28%). There were significant differences in the overall scores from the initial screens (M =2.38, SD = .788) to subsequent screens (M = 2.46, SD =.706): t (1,640) = -5.104 p < .05, suggesting that risk of delay decreases over time. There were statistically significant differences in the overall risk for developmental delay and within in the domain of fine motor development. These results 19 provide an empirical basis to develop prevention and intervention programs and child welfare policy. We suggest ways to build capacity at the individual, institutional, and societal levels. Future research should focus on exploring the unique interplay of community-level risk with family and child level risk and protective factors

PROTOGNATHODUS (CONODONTA) AND ITS POTENTIAL AS A TOOL FOR DEFINING THE DEVONIAN/CARBONIFEROUS BOUNDARY

The current definition of the Devonian/Carboniferous boundary is the first occurrence of the conodont Siphonodella sulcata. Due to difficulties in identification of the early siphonodellids, such as S. praesulcata and S. sulcata, investigation of Protognathodus which enters in the latest Devonian and extends into the Mississippian, was undertaken to determine use as a better indicator of the base of the Carboniferous. During the D/C boundary interval, Protognathus is represented by four species: Pr. meischneri, Pr. collinsoni, Pr. kockeli and Pr. kuehni.Although Pr. kockeli can be abundant in boundary interval sections, none of the four Protognathodus species has a high potential as a tool for redefining the D/C boundary, based on regional variation in first occurrence data, restricted stratigraphic ranges and global distribution, poorly understood facies occurrences, as well as general rarity of the taxa.