The kingdom of Portugal, homage and papal 'fiefdom' in the second half of the twelfth Century

This paper examines the relationship between the newly formed kingdom of Portugal and the papacy in the second half of the twelfth century. The kings of Portugal sought a close alliance with the papacy and their relationship has been seen as that of ‘vassal’ and overlord. However, it seems likely that this alliance owed more to the tradition of monastic protection grants. The act of homage performed to the papal legate by King Afonso I is an example of a wider use of the homage ceremony. Homage was not only used to cement ‘feudal’ bonds, but also to make peace or to confirm pacts and agreements. The annual census paid by the kingdom to Rome was part of the same grant of protectio. The papal–Portuguese letters used the same language and terminology as ecclesiastical protectio, which was awarded by the papacy to monasteries, churches and eventually kingdoms and kings

Cardiac filling volumes versus pressures for predicting fluid responsiveness after cardiovascular surgery: the role of systolic cardiac function

ABSTRACT: INTRODUCTION: Static cardiac filling volumes have been suggested to better predict fluid responsiveness than filling pressures, but this may not apply to hearts with systolic dysfunction and dilatation. We evaluated the relative value of cardiac filling volume and pressures for predicting and monitoring fluid responsiveness, according to systolic cardiac function, estimated by global ejection fraction (GEF, normal 25 to 35%) from transpulmonary thermodilution. METHODS: We studied hypovolemic, mechanically ventilated patients after coronary (n = 18) or major vascular (n = 14) surgery in the intensive care unit. We evaluated 96 colloid fluid loading events (200 to 600 mL given in three consecutive 30-minute intervals, guided by increases in filling pressures), divided into groups of responding events (fluid responsiveness) and non-responding events, in patients with low GEF ( <20%) or near-normal GEF (≥20%). Patients were monitored by transpulmonary dilution and central venous (n = 9)/pulmonary artery (n = 23) catheters to obtain cardiac index (CI), global end-diastolic volume index (GEDVI), central venous (CVP) and pulmonary artery occlusion pressure (PAOP). RESULTS: Fluid responsiveness occurred in 8 (≥15% increase in CI) and 17 (≥10% increase in CI) of 36 fluid loading events when GEF was <20%, and 7 (≥15% increase in CI) and 17 (≥10% increase in CI) of 60 fluid loading events when GEF was ≥20%. Whereas a low baseline GEDVI predicted fluid responsiveness particularly when GEF was ≥20% (P = 0.002 or lower), a low PAOP was of predictive value particularly when GEF was <20% (P = 0.004 or lower). The baseline CVP was lower in responding events regardless of GEF. Changes in CVP and PAOP paralleled changes in CI particularly when GEF was <20%, whereas changes in GEDVI paralleled CI regardless of GEF. CONCLUSIONS: Regardless of GEF, CVP may be useful for predicting fluid responsiveness in patients after coronary and major vascular surgery provided that positive end-expiratory pressure is low. When GEF is low ( <20%), PAOP is more useful than GEDVI for predicting fluid responsiveness, but when GEF is near-normal (≥20%) GEDVI is more useful than PAOP. This favors predicting and monitoring fluid responsiveness by pulmonary artery catheter-derived filling pressures in surgical patients with systolic left ventricular dysfunction and by transpulmonary thermodilution-derived GEDVI when systolic left ventricular function is relatively norma

Nietzsche’s meta-axiology: against the skeptical readings

In this paper, I treat the question of the meta-axiological standing of Nietzsche's own values, in the service of which he criticizes morality. Does Nietzsche, I ask, regard his perfectionistic valorization of human excellence and cultural flourishing over other ideals to have genuine evaluative standing, in the sense of being correct, or at least adequate to a matter-of-fact? My goal in this paper is modest, but important: it is not to attribute to Nietzsche some sophisticated meta-axiological view, because I am doubtful that he has one. It is, however, to show that Nietzsche's texts do not necessitate the sceptical meta-axiological positions that have been attributed to him in the recent secondary literature. And it is thereby to suggest that we need not give up on the idea that Nietzsche takes the values he champions to have genuine evaluative standing – not because he has some sophisticated realist theory to this effect, but in a more philosophically unreflective way

A dual-fMRI investigation of the iterated Ultimatum Game reveals that reciprocal behaviour is associated with neural alignment

Dyadic interactions often involve a dynamic process of mutual reciprocity; to steer a series of exchanges towards a desired outcome, both interactants must adapt their own behaviour according to that of their interaction partner. Understanding the brain processes behind such bidirectional reciprocity is therefore central to social neuroscience, but this requires measurement of both individuals’ brains during realworld exchanges. We achieved this by performing functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) on pairs of male individuals simultaneously while they interacted in a modifed iterated Ultimatum Game (iUG). In this modifcation, both players could express their intent and maximise their own monetary gain by reciprocating their partner’s behaviour – they could promote generosity through cooperation and/or discourage unfair play with retaliation. By developing a novel model of reciprocity adapted from behavioural economics, we then show that each player’s choices can be predicted accurately by estimating expected utility (EU) not only in terms of immediate payof, but also as a reaction to their opponent’s prior behaviour. Finally, for the frst time we reveal that brain signals implicated in social decision making are modulated by these estimates of EU, and become correlated more strongly between interacting players who reciprocate one another

Multipoint genome-wide linkage scan for nonword repetition in a multigenerational family further supports chromosome 13q as a locus for verbal trait disorders

Verbal trait disorders encompass a wide range of conditions and are marked by deficits in five domains that impair a person’s ability to communicate: speech, language, reading, spelling, and writing. Nonword repetition is a robust endophenotype for verbal trait disorders that is sensitive to cognitive processes critical to verbal development, including auditory processing, phonological working memory, and motor planning and programming. In the present study, we present a six-generation extended pedigree with a history of verbal trait disorders. Using genome-wide multipoint variance component linkage analysis of nonword repetition, we identified a region spanning chromosome 13q14–q21 with LOD = 4.45 between 52 and 55 cM, spanning approximately 5.5 Mb on chromosome 13. This region overlaps with SLI3, a locus implicated in reading disability in families with a history of specific language impairment. Our study of a large multigenerational family with verbal trait disorders further implicates the SLI3 region in verbal trait disorders. Future studies will further refine the specific causal genetic factors in this locus on chromosome 13q that contribute to language traits. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s00439-016-1717-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users

The joy of lists the Provinciale Romanum, tribute and ad limina visitation to rome

In the thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, a large number of copies of the Provinciale Romanum – a list of all the dioceses in Christendom – were made. Many of these manuscripts include a list of how frequently prelates from different parts of Roman Christianity should visit the papal curia. Over the course of the later Middle Ages this list adapted to become a description of how frequently tribute should be paid to the pope, and how frequently archbishops and other exempt clergy should undertake ad limina visitations to Rome. This article examines the development of this list, and what it can tell us about papal relations with the localities. It is clear that, following the lead of other scholars, much work remains to be done on the Provinciale Romanum

An overview of genetic relationships of Canadian and adjacent populations of belugas (<i>Delphinapterus leucas</i>) with emphasis on Baffin Bay and Canadian eastern Arctic populations

Our current knowledge of the molecular genetics of High Arctic beluga (Delphinapterus leucas) populations (West Greenland, Lancaster Sound/Barrow Strait, Grise Fiord) and populations that are related (southeast Baffin, Beaufort Sea), is presented. In general, genetic analyses confirm the designation of putative stocks and suggest the existence of more stocks than previously described. Comparisons based on mitochondrial DNA haplotypes show that West Greenland (1992) belugas were significantly differentiated from Lancaster Sound/Barrow Strait, Kimmirut, Iqaluit, and/or Pangnirtung but not from Grise Fiord. Grise Fiord haplotypes were not significantly differentiated from Lancaster Sound/Barrow Strait and not from southeast Baffin locations in some years. Lancaster Sound and southeast Baffin collections were not significantly differentiated from each other. These patterns existed for most years within locations, however a few yearly collections within major locations had different patterns. The collections that differed were small groups with few haplotypes, most likely relatives. Patterns in microsatellite differentiation were slightly different than those for haplotypes. This may be due to the fact that individuals in sampled summering populations breed with individuals in other populations during migration or in overwintering areas. West Greenland and Grise Fiord microsatellites were not significantly differentiated from each other. However, Greenland differed from Lancaster Sound and southeast Baffin Island, while Grise Fiord did not. In southeast Baffin Island, Pangnirtung samples differed from Kimmirut using both haplotypes and microsatellites. Iqaluit samples had intermediate genetic characteristics between Pangnirtung and Kimmirut. Patterns of significant differentiation among collections within locations was believed to be due to a combination of temporal patterns, sampling of relatives, chance, seasonal hunting, small sample sizes, and actual differences among populations