Dao, harmony and personhood: towards a Confucian ethics of technology

A closer look at the theories and questions in philosophy of technology and ethics of technology shows the absence and marginality of non-Western philosophical traditions in the discussions. Although, increasingly, some philosophers have sought to introduce non-Western philosophical traditions into the debates, there are few systematic attempts to construct and articulate general accounts of ethics and technology based on other philosophical traditions. This situation is understandable, for the questions of modern sciences and technologies appear to be originated from the West; at the same time, the situation is undesirable. The overall aim of this paper, therefore, is to introduce an alternative account of ethics of technology based on the Confucian tradition. In doing so, it is hoped that the current paper can initiate a relatively uncharted field in philosophy of technology and ethics of technology

Computational Insights into the Mechanisms of H2 Activation and H2/D2 Isotope Exchange by Dimolybdenum Tetrasulfide Complexes

The mechanisms for H2 activation by [Cp*Mo]2(μ- S)2(μ-S2) (1-a, Cp* = pentamethylcyclopentadienyl) and its reaction product [Cp*Mo]2(μ-S)2(μ-SH)2 (2) have been investigated by DFT methods. The reaction of 1-a involves the homolytic addition of H2 to its μ-S ligands, followed by the cleavage of the S–S bond of the μ-S2 ligand in a subsequent step. Complex 2 can adopt five conformations that only differ in the stereochemistry of the μ-SH and μ-S ligands; although an isomer with adjacent μ-S ligands (2-a) is formed initially, it then isomerises into the experimentally observed 2-d. This species promotes H/ D scrambling in H2/D2 mixtures, and the mechanism of the process has also been studied. Notably, all of the computed pathways for the addition of D2 to 2-d present prohibitive barriers; instead, only those isomers with adjacent μ-S ligands are able to react further. The homolytic activation of D2 by these leads to isomers of [Cp2Mo2(μ-SH)2(μ-SD)2], the interconversion of which is the rate-determining step

Research in Monumental Constructions in Antiquity

Ancient civilizations have passed down to us a vast range of monumental structures. Monumentality is a complex phenomenon that we address here as ‘XXL’. It encompasses a large range of different aspects, such as sophisticated technical and logistical skills and the vast economic resources required. This contribution takes a closer look at the special interdependence of space and knowledge represented by such XXL projects. We develop a set of objective criteria for determining whether an object qualifies as ‘XXL’, in order to permit a broadly framed study comparing manifestations of the XXL phenomenon in different cultures and describing the functional and conceptional role of the phenomenon in antiquity. Finally, we illustrate how these criteria are being applied in the study of large construction projects in ancient civilizations through six case studies

Metal-catalyzed 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reactions of nitrile oxides

In the present review advances in the metal-catalyzed 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reactions of nitrile oxides, mainly in the last decade, will be presented and discussed. An overview on the structure, preparation, dimerization and related reactions as well as the relevant aspects in the cycloaddition chemistry of nitrile oxides (including mechanistic aspects) have also been considered

Effects of alirocumab on types of myocardial infarction: insights from the ODYSSEY OUTCOMES trial

Aims  The third Universal Definition of Myocardial Infarction (MI) Task Force classified MIs into five types: Type 1, spontaneous; Type 2, related to oxygen supply/demand imbalance; Type 3, fatal without ascertainment of cardiac biomarkers; Type 4, related to percutaneous coronary intervention; and Type 5, related to coronary artery bypass surgery. Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) reduction with statins and proprotein convertase subtilisin–kexin Type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitors reduces risk of MI, but less is known about effects on types of MI. ODYSSEY OUTCOMES compared the PCSK9 inhibitor alirocumab with placebo in 18 924 patients with recent acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and elevated LDL-C (≥1.8 mmol/L) despite intensive statin therapy. In a pre-specified analysis, we assessed the effects of alirocumab on types of MI. Methods and results  Median follow-up was 2.8 years. Myocardial infarction types were prospectively adjudicated and classified. Of 1860 total MIs, 1223 (65.8%) were adjudicated as Type 1, 386 (20.8%) as Type 2, and 244 (13.1%) as Type 4. Few events were Type 3 (n = 2) or Type 5 (n = 5). Alirocumab reduced first MIs [hazard ratio (HR) 0.85, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.77–0.95; P = 0.003], with reductions in both Type 1 (HR 0.87, 95% CI 0.77–0.99; P = 0.032) and Type 2 (0.77, 0.61–0.97; P = 0.025), but not Type 4 MI. Conclusion  After ACS, alirocumab added to intensive statin therapy favourably impacted on Type 1 and 2 MIs. The data indicate for the first time that a lipid-lowering therapy can attenuate the risk of Type 2 MI. Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol reduction below levels achievable with statins is an effective preventive strategy for both MI types.For complete list of authors see http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehz299</p

Fast Padé transform accelerated CSI for hyperpolarized MRS

The fast Padé transform (FPT) is a method of spectral analysis that can be used to reconstruct nuclear magnetic resonance spectra from truncated free induction decay signals with superior robustness and spectral resolution compared with conventional Fourier analysis. The aim of this study is to show the utility of FPT in reducing of the scan time required for hyperpolarized 13C chemical shift imaging (CSI) without sacrificing the ability to resolve a full spectrum. Simulations, phantom, and in vivo hyperpolarized [1-13C] pyruvate CSI data were processed with FPT and compared with conventional analysis methods. FPT shows improved stability and spectral resolution on truncated data compared with the fast Fourier transform and shows results that are comparable to those of the model-based fitting methods, enabling a reduction in the needed acquisition time in 13C CSI experiments. Using FPT can reduce the readout length in the spectral dimension by 2-6 times in 13C CSI compared with conventional Fourier analysis without sacrificing the spectral resolution. This increased speed is crucial for 13C CSI because T1 relaxation considerably limits the available scan time. In addition, FPT can also yield direct quantification of metabolite concentration without the additional peak analysis required in conventional Fourier analysis

Creating a clinical platform for carbon‐13 studies using the sodium‐23 and proton resonances

Purpose Calibration of hyperpolarized 13C‐MRI is limited by the low signal from endogenous carbon‐containing molecules and consequently requires 13C‐enriched external phantoms. This study investigated the feasibility of using either 23Na‐MRI or 1H‐MRI to calibrate the 13C excitation. Methods Commercial 13C‐coils were used to estimate the transmit gain and center frequency for 13C and 23Na resonances. Simulations of the transmit B1 profile of a Helmholtz loop were performed. Noise correlation was measured for both nuclei. A retrospective analysis of human data assessing the use of the 1H resonance to predict [1‐13C]pyruvate center frequency was also performed. In vivo experiments were undertaken in the lower limbs of 6 pigs following injection of hyperpolarized 13C‐pyruvate. Results The difference in center frequencies and transmit gain between tissue 23Na and [1‐13C]pyruvate was reproducible, with a mean scale factor of 1.05179 ± 0.00001 and 10.4 ± 0.2 dB, respectively. Utilizing the 1H water peak, it was possible to retrospectively predict the 13C‐pyruvate center frequency with a standard deviation of only 11 Hz sufficient for spectral–spatial excitation‐based studies. Conclusion We demonstrate the feasibility of using the 23Na and 1H resonances to calibrate the 13C transmit B1 using commercially available 13C‐coils. The method provides a simple approach for in vivo calibration and could improve clinical workflow.</p