ALARP—What does it really mean?

This paper examines the requirements that might reasonably be regarded as being implied by the ALARP principle. The principle stipulates that those responsible should reduce risks of death and injury for workers and members of the public to levels that are ‘As Low As Reasonably Practicable’. The main aim of the paper is to resolve the apparent conflict between the ALARP principle on the one hand and, on the other, conventional social cost-benefit analysis. In particular, cost-benefit analysis prescribes that a safety improvement should be undertaken only if the cost of doing so is less than or equal to the resultant benefits, whereas some regulatory agencies interpret ALARP as requiring that the improvement must be undertaken provided that costs are not in ‘gross disproportion’ to benefits, which would clearly include cases in which costs might substantially exceed benefits.     

Can artificially intelligent agents really be conscious?

Mind and intelligence are closely related with the consciousness. Indeed, artificial intelligence (AI) is the most promising avenue towards artificial consciousness (AC). However, in literature, consciousness has been considered as the least amenable to being understood or replicated by AI. Further, computational theories of mind (CTMs) render the mind as a computational system and it is treated as a substantial hypothesis within the purview of AI. However, the consciousness, which is a phenomenon of mind, is partially tackled by this theory and it seems that the CTM is not corroborated considerably in this pursuit. Many valuable contributions have been incorporated by the researchers working strenuously in this domain. However, there is still scarcity of globally accepted computational models of consciousness that can be used to design conscious intelligent machines. The contributions of the researchers entail consciousness as a vague, incomplete and human-centred entity. In this paper, attempt has been made to analyse different theoretical and intricate issues pertaining to mind, intelligence and AC. Moreover, this paper discusses different computational models of the consciousness and critically analyses the possibility of generating the machine consciousness as well as identifying the characteristics of conscious machine. Further, different inquisitive questions, e.g., “Is it possible to devise, project and build a conscious machine?”, “Will artificially conscious machines be able to surpass the functioning of artificially intelligent machines?” and “Does consciousness reflect a peculiar way of information processing?” are analysed.     

Can pipes be actually really that smooth?

In some recent papers a few approximations to the implicit Nikuradse-Prandtl-Karman equation were shown. The Nikuradse-Prandtl-Karman equation for calculation of the hydraulic friction factor is valid for the hydraulically smooth regime of turbulence. Accuracy of these approximations for the friction factor in so called smooth pipes is checked and related problems from the hydraulics are analyzed in the spotlight of the recently developed equations. It can be concluded that pipes can be treated as smooth below certain value of the Reynolds number but after that even new polished pipes with a minor roughness follow the transitional and subsequently the rough law of flow at a higher values of the Reynolds number.     

What do we really know about dark energy?

In this paper, we discuss what we truly know about dark energy. I shall argue that, to date, our single indication for the existence of dark energy comes from distance measurements and their relation to redshift. Supernovae, cosmic microwave background anisotropies and observations of baryon acoustic oscillations simply tell us that the observed distance to a given redshift z is larger than the one expected from a Friedmann-Lema?tre universe with matter only and the locally measured Hubble parameter.     

University rankings: What do they really show?

Scientometrics - University rankings as developed by the media are used by many stakeholders in higher education: students looking for university places; academics looking for university jobs;...     

Will researching digital technology really empower green development?

The information industry has become a “new engine” driving the growth of the world economy. However, there are many controversies about whether digital technology can reduce the intensity of carbon emissions. Based on OECD data, KPWW method and multiple panel regression, this paper explores the impact and mechanism of digital technology innovation and technology spillover to the domestic carbon emission intensity. Through impulse response analysis and variance decomposition, the comprehensive impact of digital technology on carbon intensity is clarified. This paper concludes that technology innovation in the information industry will increase the intensity of carbon emissions, while cross-industry technology spillovers are persistent for reducing the intensity of domestic carbon emissions. Since the emission reduction effect of technology spillover is greater than the emission increase effect of technology innovation, the digital technology would empower domestic green development. Increasing the proportion of non-fossil energy use and optimizing the industrial structure are effective mechanisms for digital technology innovation to reduce carbon emission intensity.     

Do Rosenblatt and Nataf isoprobabilistic transformations really differ?

This article is the third in a series dedicated to the mathematical study of isoprobabilistic transformations and their relationship with stochastic dependence modelling, see [R. Lebrun, A. Dutfoy, An innovating analysis of the Nataf transformation from the viewpoint of copula, Probabilistic Engineering Mechanics (2008). doi: 10.1016/j.probengmech.2008.08.001] for an interpretation of the Nataf transformation in term of normal copula and [R. Lebrun, A. Dutfoy, A generalization of the Nataf transformation to distributions with elliptical copula, Probabilistic Engineering Mechanics (24) (2009), 172–178. doi:10.1016/j.probengmech.2008.05.001] for a generalisation of the Nataf transformation to any elliptical copula.In this article, we explore the relationship between two isoprobabilistic transformations widely used in the community of reliability analysts, namely the Generalised Nataf transformation and Rosenblatt transformation.First, we recall the elementary results of the copula theory that are needed in the remaining of the article, as a preliminary section to the presentation of both the Generalized Nataf transformation and the Rosenblatt transformation in the light of the copula theory.Then, we show that the Rosenblatt transformation using the canonical order of conditioning is identical to the Generalised Nataf transformation in the normal copula case, which is the most usual case in reliability analysis since it corresponds to the classical Nataf transformation. At this step, we also show that it is not possible to extend the Rosenblatt transformation to distributions with general elliptical copula the way the Nataf transformation has been generalised.Furthermore, we explore the effect of the conditioning order of the Rosenblatt transformation on the usual reliability indicators obtained from a FORM or SORM method. We show that in the normal copula case, all these reliability indicators, excepted the importance factors, are unchanged whatever the conditioning order one chooses.In the last section, we conclude the article with two numerical applications that illustrate the previous results: the equivalence between both transformations in the normal copula case, and the effect of the conditioning order in the normal and non-normal copula case.     

Whose criterion standard is it anyway?

A criterion-referenced standard is an important element of most successful professional testing programs. A growing body of evidence suggests that judge decisions are influenced by characteristics related to the normative experience of the individual judge (e.g. gender, age, etc.). This investigation used two health-care related boards to explore the effects of judge characteristics on the standards established. Two judge panels (composed of 26 and 30 members respectively) were used in a simplified Objective Standard Setting exercise to define examination cutoff points. Multi-faceted Rasch analyses were employed to detect and explore differences in judgment making. Significant but not necessarily consistent differences were found between panel judges on several examined characteristics. Results suggest that criterion-referenced standards defined by judge panels are inexorably connected to their normative experiences and are therefore wholly sample dependent. While stratification of judge panels is clearly an important element in defining standards, if they are ever to achieve the goals of Glaser (1963) and Majer (1962) including meaningful independence, more must be done to investigate these and other concerns. The case for the predictive validity of criterion-referenced standards has not thusfar been made in any convincing fashion.     

Patent families: When do different definitions really matter?

Data on patent families is used in economic and statistical studies for many purposes, including the analysis of patenting strategies of applicants, the monitoring of the globalization of inventions and the comparison of the inventive performance and stock of technological knowledge of different countries. Most of these studies take family data as given, as a sort of black box, without going into the details of their underlying methodologies and patent linkages. However, different definitions of patent families may lead to different results. One of the purposes of this paper is to compare the most commonly used definitions of patent families and identify factors causing differences in family outcomes. Another objective is to shed light into the internal structure of patent families and see how it affects patent family outcomes based on different definitions. An automated characterization of the internal structures of all extended families with earliest priorities in the 1990s, as recorded in PATSTAT, found that family counts are not affected by the choice of patent family definitions in 75% of families. However, different definitions may really matter for the 25% of families with complex structures and lead to different family compositions, which might have an impact, for instance, on econometric studies using family size as a proxy of patent value.     

Are dominant sputtering products from metal targets really monatomic?

We observed four experimental results which suggest the existence of unidentified species other than metal atoms and metal ions in magnetron sputtering discharges employing metal targets. The most probable species which are compatible with the experimental observations are clusters (mainly dimers and trimers) of metal atoms. According to the experimental results, it is speculated that the amount of clusters is comparable to that of metal atoms. In other words, the present experimental results suggest a possibility that dimers and trimers are major sputtering products from metal targets.     

Chemical genetics: how does it function?

This article highlights recent successes in the field of chemical genetics. It discusses the challenges inherent in this interdisciplinary research field and focuses on the essential role that the biologically aware synthetic chemist can play.     

Is it possible to check microcomponent coatings?

Optical microcomponents are increasingly used in laser optical systems because of their many and novel industrial applications. These components are coated in order to enhance their optical performance, but optical characterizations are very difficult due to the shapes and small size. Thus, to perform this kind of measurement, special devices are needed. It is difficult to check component optical responses after manufacturing. Thus a new method, developed by the French Atomic Energy and Alternative Energies Commission, is proposed to fill this gap.     

Is life what we make of it?

Although astrobiological or SETI detections are possible, actual invasions of sentient extra-terrestrials or plagues of escaped alien microbes are unlikely. Therefore, an anthropological perspective on the question suggests that in the event of a detection, the vast majority of humanity will be dealing not with extra-terrestrial life itself (whether intelligent or not, local or distant), but with human perceptions and representations of that alien life. These will, inevitably, derive from the powerful influences of culture and individual psychology, as well as from science. It may even be argued that in most detection scenarios, the scientific data (and debates about their interpretation) will be nigh-irrelevant to the unfolding of international public reaction. 'Extra-terrestrial life' will, in short, go wild. From this premise, some key questions emerge, including: what can scientists reasonably do to prepare, and what should their responsibilities be, particularly with respect to information dissemination and public discussions about policy? Then, moving beyond the level of immediate practicalities, we might also ask some more anthropological questions: what are the cultural substrates underneath the inquiries of Western science into extra-terrestrial life? In particular, what are the stories we have been told about discovery of rare life, and about contact with other beings, and do these stories really mean what we think they do? Might a closer look at those narratives help us gain perspective on the quest to find extra-terrestrial life, and on our quest to prepare for the consequences of detection?     

Is it wise to protect false targets?

The paper considers a system consisting of genuine elements and false targets that cannot be distinguished by the attacker's observation. The false targets can be destroyed with much less effort than the genuine elements. We show that even when an attacker cannot distinguish between the genuine elements and the false targets, in many cases it can enhance the attack efficiency using a double attack strategy in which it tries first to eliminate with minimal effort as many false targets as possible in the first attack and then distributes its entire remaining resource among all surviving targets in the second attack. The model for evaluating the system vulnerability in the double attack is suggested for a single genuine element, and multiple genuine elements configured in parallel or in series. This model assumes that in both attacks the attacking resource is distributed evenly among the attacked targets. The defender can optimize its limited resource distribution between deploying more false targets and protecting them better. The attacker can optimize its limited resource distribution between two attacks. The defense strategy is analyzed based on a two period minmax game. A numerical procedure is suggested that allows the defender to find the optimal resource distribution between deploying and protecting the false targets. The methodology of optimal attack and defense strategies analysis is demonstrated. It is shown that protecting the false targets may reduce the efficiency of the double attack strategy and make this strategy ineffective in situations with low contest intensity and few false targets.     

Worldwide Quality - is it Uniformly Controlled?

Abstract

Multiple controls during the manufacture of pharmaceutical products are considered essential for the achievement of consistent high quality in such products. The problem normally associated with manufacturing high quality products are multiplied in the international marketplace. Global scale problems associated with regional jurisdictions and varied control standards will be discussed in detail.