The neural basis of responsibility attribution in decision-making

Social responsibility links personal behavior with societal expectations and plays a key role in affecting an agent's emotional state following a decision. However, the neural basis of responsibility attribution remains unclear. In two previous event-related brain potential (ERP) studies we found that personal responsibility modulated outcome evaluation in gambling tasks. Here we conducted a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study to identify particular brain regions that mediate responsibility attribution. In a context involving team cooperation, participants completed a task with their teammates and on each trial received feedback about team success and individual success sequentially. We found that brain activity differed between conditions involving team success vs. team failure. Further, different brain regions were associated with reinforcement of behavior by social praise vs. monetary reward. Specifically, right temporoparietal junction (RTPJ) was associated with social pride whereas dorsal striatum and dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) were related to reinforcement of behaviors leading to personal gain. The present study provides evidence that the RTPJ is an important region for determining whether self-generated behaviors are deserving of praise in a social context

Modelling and process analysis of hybrid hydration-absorption column for ethylene recovery from refinery dry gas

Effective recovery of ethylene from dry gas plays an increasingly important role to improve economic performance of refineries. Conventional approaches such as cryogenic separation and cold oil absorption are energy consuming. Hybrid hydration–absorption (HHA) process may be an effective way as hydrate formation takes place at temperature near the icing point. This paper aims to study the HHA column, which is the heart of the HHA process, through modelling and process analysis. A detailed steady state model was developed in gPROMS® for this vapour–liquid–water–hydrate (V–L–W–H) four phases system. A base case was analysed with real industry data as inputs. The composition distribution profiles inside the column were explored and the key parameters related with kinetics-controlled hydration process were investigated. Three case studies were carried out for different C₂H₄ concentrations in gas feed, L/G ratios and temperature profiles respectively. The results show (a) the separation performance of CH₄ and C₂H₄ in the HHA process remains significant for big range of C₂H₄ feed concentration; (b) L/G ratio has a great impact for hydrate formation and the separation performance of CH₄ and C₂H₄ improves when L/G ratio increases until reaching an optimal point; and (c) a cooling system is required to draw out the heat generated inside the HHA column so that the operating temperature of each plate can be at the temperature near the icing point to retain hydrate formation. This study indicates that the HHA process may be a more promising approach to recover ethylene from refinery dry gas in future industry application

(Dimethyl sulfoxide-κO)[3-hydr­oxy-2-hydroxy­methyl-2-(3-meth­oxy-2-oxido­benzyl­ideneamino-κ2 O 2,N)propanolato-κO]dioxomolybdenum(VI). Corrigendum

Corrigendum to Acta Cryst. (2006), E62, m1994–m1996

The Hamiltonian index of graphs

The Hamiltonian index of a graph G is defined as h ( G ) = min { m : L m ( G ) is Hamiltonian } . In this paper, using the reduction method of Catlin [P.A. Catlin, A reduction method to find spanning Eulerian subgraphs, J. Graph Theory 12 (1988) 29–44], we constructed a graph H ̃ ( m ) ( G ) from G and prove that if h ( G ) ≥ 2 , then h ( G ) = min{ m : H ̃ ( m ) ( G ) has a spanning Eulerian subgraph }

Observation of acoustic spin

Unlike optical waves, acoustic waves in fluids are described by scalar pressure fields, and therefore are considered spinless. Here, we demonstrate experimentally the existence of spin in acoustics. In the interference of two acoustic waves propagating perpendicularly to each other, we observed the spin angular momentum in free space as a result of the rotation of local particle velocity. We successfully measured the acoustic spin, and spin induced torque acting on a lossy acoustic meta-atom that results from absorption of the spin angular momentum. The acoustic spin is also observed in the evanescent field of a guided mode traveling along a metamaterial waveguide. We found spin-momentum locking in acoustic waves whose propagation direction is determined by the sign of spin. The observed acoustic spin could open a new door in acoustics and their applications for the control of wave propagation and particle rotation.Comment: 17 pages, 3 Figure

Current reversals and metastable states in the infinite Bose-Hubbard chain with local particle loss

We present an algorithm which combines the quantum trajectory approach to open quantum systems with a density-matrix renormalization group scheme for infinite one-dimensional lattice systems. We apply this method to investigate the long-time dynamics in the Bose-Hubbard model with local particle loss starting from a Mott-insulating initial state with one boson per site. While the short-time dynamics can be described even quantitatively by an equation of motion (EOM) approach at the mean-field level, many-body interactions lead to unexpected effects at intermediate and long times: local particle currents far away from the dissipative site start to reverse direction ultimately leading to a metastable state with a total particle current pointing away from the lossy site. An alternative EOM approach based on an effective fermion model shows that the reversal of currents can be understood qualitatively by the creation of holon-doublon pairs at the edge of the region of reduced particle density. The doublons are then able to escape while the holes move towards the dissipative site, a process reminiscent---in a loose sense---of Hawking radiation

Effect of dietary Ginkgo biloba leaf on the growth performance and nonspecific immunity of red swamp crayfish Procambarus clarkii

This trial investigated the effect of dietary Ginkgo biloba leaf (GBL) on the growth performance and nonspecific immunity of red swamp crayfish Procambarus clarkii. 180 Crayfishes were randomly divided into three groups. One group was fed with basic diet, whereas the other two groups were fed with diets containing 1% and 3% GBL. After 32 days of feeding, GBL addition tended to increase the body weight gain rate compared with control. In 3% GBL group, the bodyweight gain rate of male crayfish was higher than that of female crayfish. While female crayfish were advantageous in terms of meat yield. Liver-related indexes were influenced by GBL addition and 3% GBL could reduce glutamic pyruvic transaminase and glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase as well as total cholesterol in male crayfish, showing its function in liver protection. Moreover, GBL addition effects on liver protection was better in male crayfish than female crayfish

Early chemical diagenesis, sediment-water solute exchange, and storage of reactive organic matter near the mouth of the Changjiang, East China Sea

【Abstract】A substantial proportion of the material delivered to the modern oceans is supplied by a few large rivers such as the Changjiang. Early diagenetic reactions in surficial bottom sediments determine in large part both the eventual influence of these rivers on the sea and the nature of sedimentary deposits formed. The region off the mouth of the Changjiang exemplifies the interplay between physical, chemical, and biological factors which can produce particular spatial patterns of diagenesis and sediment-water exchange. To examine these patterns measurement of pore water solute profiles, sediment-water solute fluxes, and solute reaction rates in the upper few decimeters of sediment were made at 27 stations near the Changjiang in the East China Sea. Direct measurements of dissolved Si(OH)4, NH4+, and NO3−, fluxes from or into bottom sediments made during summer and autumn periods (15 to 24°C) range from 0.13 to 13.2, −2.6 to 3.4, and −1.4 to 3.2mmol m−2 day−1, respectively. Net solute flux from the sea floor is often lowest from deposits having the highest interstitial solute concentrations. In addition, bottom regions having the highest build up of reaction products or depletion of reactants in pore waters (with respect to overlying water) actually have the lowest rates of reaction. These same areas of elevated (products) or depleted (reactants) pore water solute concentrations, low reaction rates, and low net rate of solute exchange which are located near the mouth of the Changjiang are sites of high sedimentation rates and depauperate benthic communities. High water turbidity and resuspension apparently hinder water column production and input of reactive organic matter or other biogenic material which drive many diagenetic reactions. Rapid sedimentation or disturbance hinders benthic community development, lowers biogenic reworking, and allows build up or depletion of reaction products or reactants in bottom sediments. Offshore areas of lower sedimentation, higher productivity, and active bottom communities are sites of high initial reaction rates and increased sediment-water solute exchange compared with rapid sedimentation regions. A diagenetic paradox resulting from the interaction between benthic communities and the physical environment of sedimentation is that proportionally the greatest storage of diagenetic products related to organic matter decomposition can occur in sediments that are initially the least diagenetically reactive

ROSAT/ASCA Observations of a Serendipitous BL Lac Object PKS 2316-423: The Variable High-Energy Tail of Synchrotron Radiation

We present the analysis of archival data from ROSAT and ASCA of a serendipitous BL Lac object PKS 2316-423. Because of its featureless non-thermal radio/optical continuum, PKS 2316-423 has been called as a BL Lac candidate in the literature. PKS 2316-423 was evidently variable over the multiple X-ray observations, in particular, a variable high-energy tail of the synchrotron radiation is revealed. The X-ray spectral analysis provides further evidence of the synchrotron nature of its broad-band spectrum: a steep and downward curving spectrum between 0.1--10 keV, typical of high-energy peaked BL Lacs (HBL). The spectral energy distribution (SED) through radio-to-X-ray yields the synchrotron radiation peak at frequency Vp=7.3 10^{15} Hz, with integrated luminosity of Lsyn=2.1 10^{44} ergs s^{-1}. The averaged SED properties of PKS 2316-423 are very similar to those ``intermediate'' BL Lac objects (IBL) found recently in several deep surveys, such as Deep X-ray Radio Blazar, Radio-Emitting X-ray, and ROSAT-Green Bank surveys. We suggest that PKS 2316-423 is an IBL though it also shows some general features of a HBL. Actually, this double attribute of PKS 2316-423 provides a good test of the prediction that an IBL object can show either synchrotron or inverse-Compton characteristics in different variability states.Comment: 12 pages, including 4 figures, to appear in ApJ, 2000 July 2

Bioinformatic analysis of the human DHRS4 gene cluster and a proposed mechanism for its transcriptional regulation

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The human <it>DHRS4 </it>gene cluster consists of three genes, <it>DHRS4</it>, <it>DHRS4L2 </it>and <it>DHRS4L1</it>. Among them, <it>DHRS4 </it>encodes NADP(H)-dependent retinol dehydrogenase/reductase. In a previous study, we investigated the alternative splicing of <it>DHRS4 </it>and <it>DHRS4L2</it>. <it>DHRS4L1 </it>was added to the gene cluster recently, but little is known about its structure and expression. To reveal the regulatory mechanism of the <it>DHRS4 </it>gene cluster expression, we studied the structure and transcription of <it>DHRS4L1 </it>in the context of the transcriptional behaviors of the human <it>DHRS4 </it>gene cluster. Based on the results of bioinformatics analysis, we propose a possible mechanism for the transcriptional regulation of the human <it>DHRS4 </it>gene cluster.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The homologous comparison analysis suggests that <it>DHRS4</it>, <it>DHRS4L2 </it>and <it>DHRS4L1 </it>are three homologous genes in human. <it>DHRS4L1 </it>and <it>DHRS4L2 </it>are paralogues of <it>DHRS4</it>, and <it>DHRS4L2 </it>is the most recent member of the <it>DHRS4 </it>gene cluster. In the minus strand of the human <it>DHRS4 </it>gene cluster, a gene transcribed in an antisense direction was found containing a 5' sequence overlapping the region of exon 1 and promoter of <it>DHRS4</it>. By cloning the full length of RNA variants through 5'RACE and 3'RACE, we identified two transcription start sites, within exon <it>a2 </it>and exon 1, of this newly named gene <it>DHRS4L1 </it>using neuroblastoma cell line BE(2)-M17. Analysis of exon composition in the transcripts of <it>DHRS4 </it>gene cluster revealed that exon 1 was absent in all the transcripts initiated from exon <it>a1 </it>of <it>DHRS4L2 </it>and exon <it>a2 </it>of <it>DHRS4L1</it>.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Alternatively spliced RNA variants are prevalent in the human <it>DHRS4 </it>gene cluster. Based on the analysis of gene transcripts and bioinformatic prediction, we propose here that antisense transcription may be involved in the transcriptional initiation regulation of <it>DHRS4 </it>and in the posttranscriptional splicing of <it>DHRS4L2 </it>and <it>DRHS4L1 </it>for the homologous identity of <it>DHRS4 </it>gene cluster. Beside the alternative transcriptional start sites, the antisense RNA is novel possible factor serving to remove exon 1 from the transcripts initiated from exon <it>a1 </it>and exon <it>a2</it>.</p