Hownot to demarcate cognitive science and folk psychology: A response to Pickering and Chater

Pickering and Chater (P&C) maintain that folk psychology and cognitive science should neither compete nor cooperate. Each is an independent enterprise, with a distinct subject matter and characteristic modes of explanation. P&C's case depends upon their characterizations of cognitive science and folk psychology. We question the basis for their characterizations, challenge both the coherence and the individual adequacy of their contrasts between the two, and show that they waver in their views about the scope of each. We conclude that P&C do not so muchdiscover ascreate the gap they find between folk psychology and cognitive science. It is an artifact of their implausible and unmotivated attempt to demarcate the two areas, and of the excessively narrow accounts they give of each.     

Air damping of high performance resonating micro-mirrors with angular vertical comb-drive actuators

Microsystem Technologies - The maximum scan angle amplitude of resonating micro-mirrors, intended for micro-projection display applications is limited by air damping. Three-dimensional transient...     

Application of a hot-melt granulation process to enhance fenofibrate solid dose manufacturing

Evaluation of hot-melt granulation of fenofibrate and croscarmellose sodium and its cooling time for the molten mass in a ratio of 55:45 was conducted to assess the manufacturing process capability to produce an acceptable granulation which flows well on Korsch PH300 tablet compression machine. The formation of the drug-polymer eutectic mixture was investigated by differential scanning calorimetry, scanning electron microscopy and X-ray powder diffraction. The physical properties of the hot-melt was determined by examining the milled blocks after solidification and milling after cooling periods of 10, 20 and 30 d. The milled material was assessed for the effect of hold time of the blend on the solid dose compression characteristics. The impact of cooling on the processing of the blocks was assessed after 10, 20 and 30 d of cooling. The study suggests that after the hot-melt formed the fenofibrate crystallized independently and a solid solution with croscarmellose sodium was not formed. The age of the blocks determined the hardness of the crystals, changing the processing nature of the granules with respect to compression and powder flow characteristics. The blocks processed after 20 d and beyond produced granules with a characteristic suitable for holding the blend for 14 d in the bin with no impact on flow properties and compressibility of the blend. There was no chipping, capping, sticking or picking observed and a higher compression speed was achieved.     

Reactive Structural Materials: Preparation and Characterization

Reactive structural materials, which can serve both as structural elements as well as a source of chemical energy released upon initiation have emerged as an important class of metal‐based composites for use in various energetic systems. Such materials rely on a variety of exothermic reactions, from oxidation to formation of metal‐metalloid and intermetallic phases. The rates of these reactions are as important as the energy that may be released, in order for them to occur at the time scales compatible with the requirements of applications. Therefore, chemical composition, scale at which reactive components are mixed, and the structure and morphology of materials are important and can be controlled by the method of preparation and compaction of the composite materials. Methods of preparation of the composite structures are briefly reviewed as well as methods of characterization of their mechanical and energetic properties. In addition to common thermo‐analytical and static mechanical property measurements, dynamic tests of mechanical properties as well as ignition and combustion experiments are necessary to understand the fragmentation, initiation, and heat release expected for these materials when they are stimulated by an impact, shock, or rapid heating. Reaction mechanisms are studied presently for the thin layers and small samples of reactive materials initiated in carefully designed experiments. In other experiments, impact and explosive initiation are characterized for larger material compacts in the conditions imitating practical scenarios. Examples of results describing thermal, impact, and explosive initiation of some of the reactive materials are presented.

     

Developments in the treatment of alcoholism

The treatment of alcoholism has changed during the past 2 decades. Notable developments have occurred in pharmacotherapy, psychotherapy, and health-care delivery. A better understanding of the biologic basis for addiction has led to clinical trials of medications that target neuroreceptors. One such medication is the opiate antagonist naltrexone, which decreases the craving for alcohol. Psychosocial interventions continue to be the mainstay of alcohol treatment programs. The efficacy of three different therapies was demonstrated in a study called Project MATCH (Matching Alcoholism Treatments to Client Heterogeneity). This study, however, did not prove the patient-treatment "matching" hypothesis. In addition to therapies provided by addiction specialists, interest is growing in the use of brief motivational techniques in primary-care settings. As the field of addiction responds to an unfolding health-care delivery system, a broader range of treatment options in conjunction with a greater opportunity to individualize patient care is evolving.     

Information security management system standards

This article presents ISO’s most successful information security standard ISO/IEC 27001 together with the other standards in the family of information security standards — the socalled ISO/IEC 2700x family of information security management system (ISMS) standards and guidelines. We shall take a brief look at the history and progress of these standards, where they originated from and how became the common language of organizations around the world for engaging in business securely. We shall take a tour through the different types of standard at are included in the ISMS family and how the relate and fit together and we will finally conclude with a short presentation of ISMS third party certification. The material used in this article has been derived directly from the many articles and books by Prof. Humphreys on the ISO/IEC 2700x ISMS family and they are implemented and applied in practice in business, commerce and government sectors.