51 research outputs found
Psychology and aggression
Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/68264/2/10.1177_002200275900300301.pd
Size Doesn't Matter: Towards a More Inclusive Philosophy of Biology
notes: As the primary author, O’Malley drafted the paper, and gathered and analysed data (scientific papers and talks). Conceptual analysis was conducted by both authors.publication-status: Publishedtypes: ArticlePhilosophers of biology, along with everyone else, generally perceive life to fall into two broad categories, the microbes and macrobes, and then pay most of their attention to the latter. ‘Macrobe’ is the word we propose for larger life forms, and we use it as part of an argument for microbial equality. We suggest that taking more notice of microbes – the dominant life form on the planet, both now and throughout evolutionary history – will transform some of the philosophy of biology’s standard ideas on ontology, evolution, taxonomy and biodiversity. We set out a number of recent developments in microbiology – including biofilm formation, chemotaxis, quorum sensing and gene transfer – that highlight microbial capacities for cooperation and communication and break down conventional thinking that microbes are solely or primarily single-celled organisms. These insights also bring new perspectives to the levels of selection debate, as well as to discussions of the evolution and nature of multicellularity, and to neo-Darwinian understandings of evolutionary mechanisms. We show how these revisions lead to further complications for microbial classification and the philosophies of systematics and biodiversity. Incorporating microbial insights into the philosophy of biology will challenge many of its assumptions, but also give greater scope and depth to its investigations
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Efficient method that precisely characterizes laser-target defects more complex than nonconcentricity
An expansion of an efficient, fast Fourier technique for precisely characterizing complex laser target defects is described. The defects characterized are the traditional nonconcentricities and the more complex ellipticities and higher-order wall nonuniformities in single-layered targets. This characterization method uses experimentally derived molybdenum step-wedge data. The molybdenum steps (12.5 ..mu..m) were exposed to a 45-kV tungsten-bremsstrahlung source and were recorded on holographic plate emulsion. Using the step-wedge data, targets with 6.25-..mu..m-wall thickness and diameters of 150 and 300 ..mu..m were modeled with nonconcentricities and ellipticities. Sensitivities of +- 1/2 to 1% for nonconcentric defects and +- 1.4 to 2.8% for elliptic defects were calculated for target diameters between 300 and 150 ..mu..m, respectively. In addition, modeled targets with a combination of nonconcentric and elliptic defects were easily characterized in the presence of film noise
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Automated computer analysis of plasma-streak traces from SCYLLAC
An automated computer analysis technique that locates and references the approximate centroid of single- or dual-streak traces from the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory SCYLLAC facility is described. The technique also determines the plasma-trace width over a limited self-adjusting region. The plasma traces are recorded with streak cameras on Polaroid film, then scanned and digitized for processing. The analysis technique uses scene segmentation to separate the plasma trace from a reference fiducial trace. The technique employs two methods of peak detection; one for the plasma trace and one for the fiducial trace. The width is obtained using an edge-detection, or slope, method. Timing data are derived from the intensity modulation of the fiducial trace. To smooth (despike) the output graphs showing the plasma-trace centroid and width, a technique of ''twicing'' developed by Tukey was employed. In addition, an interactive sorting algorithm allows retrieval of the centroid, width, and fiducial data from any test shot plasma for post analysis. As yet, only a limited set of sixteen plasma traces has been processed using this technique
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Analysis of laser fusion targets using monochromatic x-ray microradiographs
A new contact microradiographic system for analyzing laser fusion targets with two-dimensional modeling and image-analysis techniques is described. This system, which uses a monochromatic x-ray source and Kodak High-Resolution Plate emulsion, is sensitive to spherical wall-thickness variations (eccentricities) as small as +- 200 A in hollow shells with a mean wall thickness of 1 ..mu..m. Measurements of wall thickness and of local and spherical wall-thickness variations by radiographic techniques, using two-dimensional video, digital image analysis, and optical interferometry, are compared. In addition, three digitizing systems are compared for converting the radiographic data to digital form
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Automated computer analysis of x-ray radiographs greatly facilitates measurement of coating-thickness variations in laser-fusion targets
An automated system was built to analyze x-ray radiographs of laser fusion targets which greatly facilitates the detection of coating thickness variations. Many laser fusion targets reqire opaque coatings 1 to 20 ..mu..m thick which have been deposited on small glass balloons 100 to 500 ..mu..m in diameter. These coatings must be uniformly thick to 1% for the targets to perform optimally. Our system is designed to detect variations as small as 100 A in 1-..mu..m-thick coatings by converting the optical density variations of contact x-ray radiographs into coating thickness variations. Radiographic images are recorded in HRP emulsions and magnified by an optical microscope, imaged onto television camera, digitized and processed on a Data General S/230 computer with a code by Whitman. After an initial set-up by the operator, as many as 200 targets will be automatically characterized
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