Educating for Intellectual Virtue: a critique from action guidance

Virtue epistemology is among the dominant influences in mainstream epistemology today. An important commitment of one strand of virtue epistemology – responsibilist virtue epistemology (e.g., Montmarquet 1993; Zagzebski 1996; Battaly 2006; Baehr 2011) – is that it must provide regulative normative guidance for good thinking. Recently, a number of virtue epistemologists (most notably Baehr, 2013) have held that virtue epistemology not only can provide regulative normative guidance, but moreover that we should reconceive the primary epistemic aim of all education as the inculcation of the intellectual virtues. Baehr’s picture contrasts with another well-known position – that the primary aim of education is the promotion of critical thinking (Scheffler 1989; Siegel 1988; 1997; 2017). In this paper – that we hold makes a contribution to both philosophy of education and epistemology and, a fortiori, epistemology of education – we challenge this picture. We outline three criteria that any putative aim of education must meet and hold that it is the aim of critical thinking, rather than the aim of instilling intellectual virtue, that best meets these criteria. On this basis, we propose a new challenge for intellectual virtue epistemology, next to the well-known empirically-driven ‘situationist challenge’. What we call the ‘pedagogical challenge’ maintains that the intellectual virtues approach does not have available a suitably effective pedagogy to qualify the acquisition of intellectual virtue as the primary aim of education. This is because the pedagogic model of the intellectual virtues approach (borrowed largely from exemplarist thinking) is not properly action-guiding. Instead, we hold that, without much further development in virtue-based theory, logic and critical thinking must still play the primary role in the epistemology of education

Vascular biology of ageing—implications in hypertension

Ageing is associated with functional, structural and mechanical changes in arteries that closely resemble the vascular alterations in hypertension. Characteristic features of large and small arteries that occur with ageing and during the development of hypertension include endothelial dysfunction, vascular remodelling, inflammation, calcification and increased stiffness. Arterial changes in young hypertensive patients mimic those in old normotensive individuals. Hypertension accelerates and augments age-related vascular remodelling and dysfunction, and ageing may impact on the severity of vascular damage in hypertension, indicating close interactions between biological ageing and blood pressure elevation. Molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying vascular alterations in ageing and hypertension are common and include aberrant signal transduction, oxidative stress and activation of pro-inflammatory and pro-fibrotic transcription factors. Strategies to suppress age-associated vascular changes could ameliorate vascular damage associated with hypertension. An overview on the vascular biology of ageing and hypertension is presented and novel molecular mechanisms contributing to these processes are discussed. The complex interaction between biological ageing and blood pressure elevation on the vasculature is highlighted

The Effects of Harvest Regime, Irrigation, and Salinity on Stem Lignocellulosic Concentrations in Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.)

Rapid consumption of crude oil reserves has made it necessary to find methods of processing a renewable and sustainable feedstock for conversion into ethanol. Lignocellulosic feedstocks are promising because they are typically environmentally friendly and can meet the high-yield potential necessary for ethanol production. Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) has promise as a feedstock for ethanol production because of its high biomass yields, perennial-habit, relationship with nitrogen-fixing bacteria, and other co-products. This study focused on the effects of harvest regime, irrigation, and salinity on stem lignocellulosic concentrations in alfalfa for ethanol production during the 2010 and 2011 growing seasons in southern Minnesota. Stem cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin (lignocellulosic) concentrations, and theoretical ethanol yields were examined in eight alfalfa varieties with full bud and 50% flower harvest regimes, irrigation, and salinity as applied treatments. Plants received weekly applications of (1) 1.27 cm of well water (0.75 dS m-1), (2) 1.27 cm of saline (NaCl) water (5.0 dS m-1) or (3) ambient precipitation. Holocellulose concentrations were greatest during the full bud (2010) and 50% flower (2011) harvest regimes with concentrations averaging 45.50 and 45.23%, respectively. Holocellulose to lignin ratios increased from 2010 to 2011 and averaged 2.3 to 3.1. Theoretical ethanol yields were generally higher for the 50% flower harvest regime, suggesting the longer growth period increased holocellulose concentrations while not being hindered by the increased lignin typical with increased growth periods of alfalfa. Alfalfa plants that received saline treatments in 2010 had 3.2 and 3.5% more holocellulose than plants that were irrigated or received ambient precipitation (control), respectively. Holocellulose concentrations between the control and irrigated treatments were not different in 2010, which was a wet year and irrigation added no supplementary benefit. However, in 2011 plants growing in saline treatments had 1.3 and 6.1% more holocellulose than irrigated and control treatments, respectively. Lignin concentrations across all treatments were almost 23% lower during the second year of growth. Interestingly, plants growing under saline treatments had higher holocellulose to lignin ratios (and higher theoretical ethanol yields) during both field seasons suggesting that moderate levels of salt may stimulate holocellulose concentrations

The PARP-1 inhibitor Olaparib causes retention of γ-H2AX foci in BRCA1 heterozygote cells following exposure to gamma radiation

This article is made available through the Brunel Open Access Publishing Fund. Copyright © 2013 Emma C. Bourton et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution Li-cense, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.A novel treatment for cancer patients with homozygous deletions of BRCA1 and BRCA2 is to use drugs that inhibit the enzyme poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP). Specific inhibition of PARP-1 can induce synthetic lethality in irradi- ated cancer cells while theoretically leaving normal tissue unaffected. We recently demonstrated in a cell survival assay that lymphoblastoid cells with mono-allelic mutations of BRCA1 were hypersensitive to gamma radiation in the pres- ence of the PARP-1 inhibitor Olaparib compared to normal cells and mono-allelic BRCA2 cells. To determine if the enhanced radiation sensitivity was due to a persistence of DNA strand breaks, we performed γ-H2AX foci analysis in cells derived from two normal individuals, three heterozygous BRCA1 and three heterozygous BRCA2 cell lines. Cells were exposed to 2 Gy gamma radiation in the presence or absence of 5 μM Olaparib. Using immunofluorescence and imaging flow cytometry, foci were measured in untreated cells and at 0.5, 3, 5 and 24 hours post-irradiation. In all lymphoblastoid cells treated with 2 Gy gamma radiation, there was a predictable induction of DNA strand breaks, with a modest but significant retention of foci over 24 hours in irradiated cells treated with Olaparib (ANOVA P < 0.05). However, in mono-allelic BRCA1 cells, there was a failure to fully repair DNA double-strand breaks (DSB) in the pres- ence of Olaparib, evidenced by a significant retention of foci at 24 hours’ post irradiation (t-Test P < 0.05). These data show that the cellular hypersensitivity of mono-allelic BRCA1 lymphoblastoid cells to gamma radiation in the presence of the Olaparib is due to the retention of DNA DSB. These data may indicate that patients with inherited mutations in the BRCA1 gene treated with radiotherapy and PARP-1 inhibitors may experience elevated radiation-associated normal tissue toxicity.Vidal Sassoon Foundation of America

Computer Vision Detection of Explosive Ordnance: A High-Performance 9N235/9N210 Cluster Submunition Detector

The detection of explosive ordnance (EO) objects is experiencing a period of innovation driven by the convergence of new technologies including artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, open-source intelligence (OSINT) processing, and remote mobility capabilities such as drones and robotics.1 Advances are being made on at least two tracks: in the automated searching of photographic image archives, and in the real-time detection of objects in the field.2 Different technologies are responsive to different types of EO detection challenges, such as objects that are buried, semi-buried, or partially damaged. Computer vision—a type of artificial intelligence (AI) that enables computers and systems to derive meaningful information from digital images, videos, and other visual inputs, and take actions or make recommendations based on that information—is a promising AI technology that can greatly enhance humanitarian mine action (HMA), as well as support evidentiary documentation of the use of EO that are prohibited under international humanitarian law. This article describes a computer vision algorithm creation workflow developed to automate the detection of the 9N235/9N210 cluster submunition, a heavily deployed munition in the Ukraine conflict. The six-step process described here incorporates photography, photogrammetry, 3D-rendering, 3D-printing, and deep convolutional neural networks.3 The resulting high-performance detector can be deployed for searching and filtering images generated as part of OSINT investigations and soon, for real-time field detection objectives

Vascular fibrosis in aging and hypertension: molecular mechanisms and clinical implications

Aging is the primary risk factor underlying hypertension and incident cardiovascular disease. With aging, the vasculature undergoes structural and functional changes characterized by endothelial dysfunction, wall thickening, reduced distensibility, and arterial stiffening. Vascular stiffness results from fibrosis and extracellular matrix (ECM) remodelling, processes that are associated with aging and are amplified by hypertension. Some recently characterized molecular mechanisms underlying these processes include increased expression and activation of matrix metalloproteinases, activation of transforming growth factor-β1/SMAD signalling, upregulation of galectin-3, and activation of proinflammatory and profibrotic signalling pathways. These events can be induced by vasoactive agents, such as angiotensin II, endothelin-1, and aldosterone, which are increased in the vasculature during aging and hypertension. Complex interplay between the “aging process” and prohypertensive factors results in accelerated vascular remodelling and fibrosis and increased arterial stiffness, which is typically observed in hypertension. Because the vascular phenotype in a young hypertensive individual resembles that of an elderly otherwise healthy individual, the notion of “early” or “premature” vascular aging is now often used to describe hypertension-associated vascular disease. We review the vascular phenotype in aging and hypertension, focusing on arterial stiffness and vascular remodelling. We also highlight the clinical implications of these processes and discuss some novel molecular mechanisms of fibrosis and ECM reorganization

Study of an intermittent regenerative cycle for solar cooling

The study presented here is focused on the use of aqua-ammonia solution in a novel solar-powered refrigeration cycle intended to be suitable for use in the rural areas of developing countries. The cycle is referred to as a `intermittent regenerative' (IR) cycle, the term regenerative meaning in this context the use of heat recovery or recuperation. The first chapter describes the three better known cycles which may be considered for this application. The IR cycle is introduced as a hybrid development of these which offers the significant advantages of high efficiency while minimising complexity. Chapter 1 provides a methodology by which the novel aqua-ammonia system can be evaluated in comparison with existing systems. The second chapter surveys previous experimental work on solar driven aqua-ammonia cycles. Chapter 3 consists of a detailed design study of the new IR cycle based on computer modelling techniques. The study serves as an analysis of the cycle and allows the performance of the cycle, together with design features and component sizes, to be simulated in a variety of meteorological conditions. A number of original design proposals are evaluated through the modelling exercise. Chapter 4 summarises the results of a second separate modelling exercise which investigates the absorption phase of the cycle. Chapters 5 and 6 describe experimental work. The results of laboratory tests are compared with the predictions of the computer model and in the event serve to validate the theoretical characterisation made in chapter 3 of the performance of key components of the system. The energy efficiency of the system as measured by experiment is proved to correspond to theoretical prediction, so representing a significant advance on the performance of alternative systems. Chapter 7 addresses itself to the wider question of the social and economic validity of a device with the performance and cost of the IR device. A case study is undertaken which explores the potential role of the device in the fish trading economy of Zambia. The study provides data valuable in assessing the usefulness of the technology in helping to stimulate the under-capitalised rural economy of a developing country and in improving local food resource utilisation. Chapter 8 draws together the conclusions of the various chapters and provides an overall conclusion and comment on the value of the IR system. It is proved to have a high efficiency but not to have the robustness nor portability demanded for widespread application in remote locations. Nevertheless the likely life-time cost-effectiveness of the system is judged to be an improvement on existing alternatives and suggestions are made for further improvement

Factors Influencing Revenue Collection for Preventative Maintenance of Community Water Systems: A Fuzzy-Set Qualitative Comparative Analysis

This study analyzed combinations of conditions that influence regular payments for water service in resource-limited communities. To do so, the study investigated 16 communities participating in a new preventive maintenance program in the Kamuli District of Uganda under a public–private partnership framework. First, this study identified conditions posited as important for collective payment compliance from a literature review. Then, drawing from data included in a water source report and by conducting semi-structured interviews with households and water user committees (WUC), we identified communities that were compliant with, or suspended from, preventative maintenance service payments. Through qualitative analyses of these data and case knowledge, we identified and characterized conditions that appeared to contribute to these outcomes. Then, we employed fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) to determine the combinations of conditions that led to payment compliance. Overall, the findings from this study reveal distinct pathways of conditions that impact payment compliance and reflect the multifaceted nature of water point sustainability. Practically, the findings identify the processes needed for successful payment compliance, which include a strong WUC with proper support and training, user perceptions that the water quality is high and available in adequate quantities, ongoing support, and a lack of nearby water sources. A comprehensive understanding of the combined factors that lead to payment compliance can improve future preventative maintenance programs, guide the design of water service arrangements, and ultimately increase water service sustainability