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1.
Peter Godfrey-Smith 《Biology & philosophy》2007,22(3):429-437
Jablonka and Lamb's claim that evolutionary biology is undergoing a ‘revolution’ is queried. But the very concept of revolutionary
change has uncertain application to a field organized in the manner of contemporary biology. The explanatory primacy of sequence
properties is also discussed.
相似文献
Peter Godfrey-SmithEmail: |
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A key point in the analysis of dynamical models of biological systems is to handle systems of relatively high dimensions.
In the present paper we propose a method to hierarchically organize a certain type of piecewise affine (PWA) differential
systems. This specific class of systems has been extensively studied for the past few years, as it provides a good framework
to model gene regulatory networks. The method, shown on several examples, allows a qualitative analysis of the asymptotic
behavior of a PWA system, decomposing it into several smaller subsystems. This technique, based on the well-known strongly
connected components decomposition, is not new. However, its adaptation to the non-smooth PWA differential equations turns
out to be quite relevant because of the strong discrete structure underlying these equations. Its biological relevance is
shown on a 7-dimensional PWA system modeling the gene network responsible for the carbon starvation response in Escherichia coli.
相似文献
Laurent Tournier (Corresponding author)Email: |
Jean-Luc GouzéEmail: |
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Sub-Antarctic Marion Island has had a permanent research station for 50 years and the islands Wandering Albatrosses have been intensively studied for 20 years. The reactions of breeding birds to approaches by a human on foot were recorded. Three response variables were calculated: intensity of vocal reaction (IVR), intensity of non-vocal reaction (INR) and overall response index (ORI). At 5 m from the nest, twice as many birds stood and/or vocalised as at 15 m. Nearest neighbour distance, age and gender did not explain individual variability of responses. Study colony birds had higher IVR scores than non-study colony birds; birds at colonies closest to the station had the highest ORI scores. A better breeding record was associated with lower IVR and ORI scores, but a causative relationship remains to be demonstrated. A minimum viewing distance of 25 m is recommended for breeding Wandering Albatrosses.
相似文献
Marienne S. de VilliersEmail: Fax: +27-21-6503434 |
John CooperEmail: |
Peter G. RyanEmail: |
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Claes Andersson 《Biology & philosophy》2008,23(2):229-242
Human knowledge is a phenomenon whose roots extend from the cultural, through the neural and the biological and finally all
the way down into the Precambrian “primordial soup.” The present paper reports an attempt at understanding this Greater System
of Knowledge (GSK) as a hierarchical nested set of selection processes acting concurrently on several different scales of
time and space. To this end, a general selection theory extending mainly from the work of Hull and Campbell is introduced.
The perhaps most drastic change from previous similar theories is that replication is revealed as a composite function consisting
of what is referred to as memory and synthesis. This move is argued to drastically improve the fit between theory and human-related knowledge systems. The introduced theory
is then used to interpret the subsystems of the GSK and their interrelations. This is done to the end of demonstrating some
of the new perspectives offered by this view.
相似文献
Claes AnderssonEmail: |
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Philip Richard Sullivan 《Biology & philosophy》2009,24(1):65-79
This paper demonstrates that the human visual system, the primary sensory conduit for primates, processes ambient energy in
a way that obligatorily constructs the objects that we ineluctably perceive. And since our perceptual apparatus processes
information only in terms of objects (along with the properties and movements of objects), we are limited in our ability to comprehend ‘what
is’ when we move beyond our ordinary world of midsize objects—as, for example, when we address the micro microworld of quantum
physics.
相似文献
Philip Richard SullivanEmail: |
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Alejandro Rosas 《Biology & philosophy》2008,23(4):555-566
Recent developments in evolutionary game theory argue the superiority of punishment over reciprocity as accounts of large-scale
human cooperation. I introduce a distinction between a behavioral and a psychological perspective on reciprocity and punishment
to question this view. I examine a narrow and a wide version of a psychological mechanism for reciprocity and conclude that a narrow version is clearly distinguishable from punishment, but inadequate for
humans; whereas a wide version is applicable to humans but indistinguishable from punishment. The mechanism for reciprocity
in humans emerges as a meta-norm that governs both retaliation and punishment. I make predictions open to empirical investigation
to confirm or disconfirm this view.
相似文献
Alejandro RosasEmail: |
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Machado RR Lima Filho ES Jardim DF Ferreira MA de Faria CG Duarte RS Lesche B 《European biophysics journal : EBJ》2008,38(1):111-119
An interferometer that measures the refractive index changes due to bacterial metabolism is described. The apparatus permits
simultaneous and real time measurement of bacterial growth in several samples of slowly growing mycobacteria. The error sources
are discussed and the sensitivity of the apparatus is tested. For the species Mycobacterium bovis BCG and M. smegmatis, a relation between refractive index change and bacterial concentration is determined experimentally and the time constant
of bacterial growth is measured.
相似文献
B. LescheEmail: |
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Methanogens growing on C-1 substrates synthesize 2-carbon acetyl groups in the form of acetyl-CoA for carbon assimilation
using the multienzyme complex acetyl-CoA decarbonylase/synthase (ACDS) which contains five different subunits encoded within
an operon. In species growing on acetate ACDS also functions to cleave the acetate C-C bond for energy production by methanogenesis.
A number of species of Methanosarcina that are capable of growth on either C-1 compounds or acetate contain two separate ACDS operons, and questions have been
raised about whether or not these operons play separate roles in acetate synthesis and cleavage. Methanosarcina thermophila genomic DNA was analyzed for the presence of two ACDS operons by PCR amplifications with different primer pairs, restriction
enzyme analyses, DNA sequencing and Southern blot analyses. A single ACDS operon was identified and characterized, with no
evidence for more than one. MALDI mass spectrometric analyses were carried out on ACDS preparations from methanol- and acetate-grown
cells. Peptide fragmentation patterns showed that the same ACDS subunits were present regardless of growth conditions. The
evidence indicates that a single form of ACDS is used both for acetate cleavage during growth on acetate and for acetate synthesis
during growth on C-1 substrates.
Electronic Supplementary Material Supplementary material is available for this article at
相似文献
David A. Grahame (Corresponding author)Email: |
Edward DeMoll (Corresponding author)Email: |
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We present two computational models (i) long-range horizontal connections and the nonlinear effect in V1 and (ii) the filling-in
process at the blind spot. Both models are obtained deductively from standard regularization theory to show that physiological
evidence of V1 and V2 neural properties is essential for efficient image processing. We stress that the engineering approach
should be imported to understand visual systems computationally, even though this approach usually ignores physiological evidence
and the target is neither neurons nor the brain.
相似文献
Shunji SatohEmail: |
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Event-related brain potentials (ERP) are important neural correlates of cognitive processes. In the domain of language processing,
the N400 and P600 reflect lexical-semantic integration and syntactic processing problems, respectively. We suggest an interpretation
of these markers in terms of dynamical system theory and present two nonlinear dynamical models for syntactic computations
where different processing strategies correspond to functionally different regions in the system’s phase space.
相似文献
Peter beim GrabenEmail: |
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The recent contribution by Jarmila Kukalová-Peck on Hennigian phylogenetics and hexapod limb evolution is critically evaluated.
相似文献
Michael S. Engel (Corresponding author)Email: |
17.
Frank R. Thomas 《Human ecology: an interdisciplinary journal》2007,35(2):179-194
Focusing on contemporary shellfish exploitation among several atoll communities in Kiribati, Micronesia, this paper examines
the relationship between human foragers and their invertebrate prey via the prey choice or diet breadth model derived from
optimal foraging theory. Shellfish, like many other reef organisms, are relatively sedentary and predictable, but these characteristics
make them susceptible to over-harvesting. The research reveals that shellfish gatherers are foraging in a manner that matches
the predictions of optimal foraging theory. The work adds to our understanding of optimal foraging decisions in atoll settings
by critically evaluating the depiction of atoll dwellers as conservationists.
相似文献
Frank R. ThomasEmail: Email: |
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Douglas Medin Norbert Ross Douglas Cox Scott Atran 《Human ecology: an interdisciplinary journal》2007,35(3):315-329
There is a continuing controversy over Native American fishing and hunting rights. We show that Native American (Menominee)
and European American fish experts have a common knowledge base and share values and attitudes associated with fishing practices
(though organized around different ethical principles). Nonetheless, perceived group differences are dramatic (especially European American perceptions of Native Americans). Cultural differences in models
of nature and associated inference processes appear to mediate these stereotypes and may hold the key to reducing intergroup
conflict over resources.
相似文献
Douglas MedinEmail: |
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The presence of several types of allelochemicals has been reported from Ajuga, a Labiatae genus comprising more than 40 species of wide distribution in extratropical regions of both hemispheres. The
genus is of great medicinal and economic importance and among the biological properties of the secondary metabolites, the
antifeedant activity against pest insects appears to be related to the presence of neo-clerodane type diterpenes. This review focuses on the isolation and structural elucidation of this type of compounds from
Ajuga species and the hemisynthetic compounds of closely related structure obtained. The reported biological activity of crude
extracts and isolated diterpenes will be briefly commented.
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Josep CollEmail: |
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To our knowledge, this paper is the first record/report of a juvenile light-coloured Weddell seal (Leptonychotes weddellii) at Cape Shirreff, Livingston Island in January 1998, determining that it was an albino individual. Based on available literature,
three cases of albino seals have been reported exclusively for Harbour seal pups, and no albino has been reported for Antarctic
pagophilic true seals. Therefore, this is the first confirmed case of albinism in Antarctic pagophilic true seals species,
indicating that this phenomenon is indeed of a rare occurrence.
相似文献
Daniel TorresEmail: |