Bunge’s Mathematical Structuralism Is Not a Fiction

In this paper, I explore Bunge’s fictionism in philosophy of mathematics. After an overview of Bunge’s views, in particular his mathematical structuralism, I argue that the comparison between mathematical objects and fictions ultimately fails. I then sketch a different ontology for mathematics, based on Thomasson’s metaphysical work. I conclude that mathematics deserves its own ontology, and that, in the end, much work remains to be done to clarify the various forms of dependence that are involved in mathematical knowledge, in particular its dependence on mental/brain states and material objects

Availability analysis of post-combustion carbon capture systems: minimum work input

Published versio

Incorporating Ambipolar and Ohmic Diffusion in the AMR MHD code RAMSES

We have implemented non-ideal Magneto-Hydrodynamics (MHD) effects in the Adaptive Mesh Refinement (AMR) code RAMSES, namely ambipolar diffusion and Ohmic dissipation, as additional source terms in the ideal MHD equations. We describe in details how we have discretized these terms using the adaptive Cartesian mesh, and how the time step is diminished with respect to the ideal case, in order to perform a stable time integration. We have performed a large suite of test runs, featuring the Barenblatt diffusion test, the Ohmic diffusion test, the C-shock test and the Alfven wave test. For the latter, we have performed a careful truncation error analysis to estimate the magnitude of the numerical diffusion induced by our Godunov scheme, allowing us to estimate the spatial resolution that is required to address non-ideal MHD effects reliably. We show that our scheme is second-order accurate, and is therefore ideally suited to study non-ideal MHD effects in the context of star formation and molecular cloud dynamics

Reasons, Coherence, and Group Rationality

Philosophy and Phenomenological Research, EarlyView

Aerosol direct radiative effects under cloud-free conditions over highly-polluted areas in europe and mediterranean: A ten-years analysis (2007–2016)

This study investigates changes in aerosol radiative effects on two highly urbanized regions across the Euro-Mediterranean basin with respect to a natural desert region as Sahara over a decade through space-based lidar observations. The research is based on the monthly-averaged vertically-resolved aerosol optical depth (AOD) atmospheric profiles along a 1◦ × 1◦ horizontal grid, obtained from the Cloud-Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization (CALIOP) instrument measurements aboard the Cloud-Aerosol lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation (CALIPSO). To assess the variability of the anthropogenic aerosols on climate, we compared the aerosol vertical profile observations to a one-dimensional radiative transfer model in two metropolitan climate sensible hot-spots in Europe, namely the Po Valley and Benelux, to investigate the variability of the aerosol radiative effects and heating rate over ten years. The same analysis is carried out as reference on the Sahara desert region, considered subject just to natural local emission. Our findings show the efficacy of emission reduction policies implemented at government level in strongly urbanized regions. The total atmospheric column aerosol load reduction (not observed in Sahara desert region) in Po Valley and Benelux can be associated with: (i) an increase of the energy flux at the surface via direct effects confirmed also by long term surface temperature observations, (ii) a general decrease of the atmospheric column heating rate, and likely (iii) an increase in surface temperatures during a ten-year period. Summarizing, the analysis, based on the decade 2007–2016, clearly show an increase of solar irradiation under cloud-free conditions at the surface of +3.6 % and +16.6% for the Po Valley and Benelux, respectively, and a reduction of −9.0% for the Sahara Desert

The definability criterions for convex projective polyhedral reflection groups

Following Vinberg, we find the criterions for a subgroup generated by reflections \Gamma \subset \SL^{\pm}(n+1,\mathbb{R}) and its finite-index subgroups to be definable over $\mathbb{A}$ where $\mathbb{A}$ is an integrally closed Noetherian ring in the field $\mathbb{R}$. We apply the criterions for groups generated by reflections that act cocompactly on irreducible properly convex open subdomains of the $n$-dimensional projective sphere. This gives a method for constructing injective group homomorphisms from such Coxeter groups to \SL^{\pm}(n+1,\mathbb{Z}). Finally we provide some examples of \SL^{\pm}(n+1,\mathbb{Z})-representations of such Coxeter groups. In particular, we consider simplicial reflection groups that are isomorphic to hyperbolic simplicial groups and classify all the conjugacy classes of the reflection subgroups in \SL^{\pm}(n+1,\mathbb{R}) that are definable over $\mathbb{Z}$. These were known by Goldman, Benoist, and so on previously.Comment: 31 pages, 8 figure

The Complexity of Repairing, Adjusting, and Aggregating of Extensions in Abstract Argumentation

We study the computational complexity of problems that arise in abstract argumentation in the context of dynamic argumentation, minimal change, and aggregation. In particular, we consider the following problems where always an argumentation framework F and a small positive integer k are given. - The Repair problem asks whether a given set of arguments can be modified into an extension by at most k elementary changes (i.e., the extension is of distance k from the given set). - The Adjust problem asks whether a given extension can be modified by at most k elementary changes into an extension that contains a specified argument. - The Center problem asks whether, given two extensions of distance k, whether there is a "center" extension that is a distance at most (k-1) from both given extensions. We study these problems in the framework of parameterized complexity, and take the distance k as the parameter. Our results covers several different semantics, including admissible, complete, preferred, semi-stable and stable semantics

Coherent motion of stereocilia assures the concerted gating of hair-cell transduction channels

The hair cell's mechanoreceptive organelle, the hair bundle, is highly sensitive because its transduction channels open over a very narrow range of displacements. The synchronous gating of transduction channels also underlies the active hair-bundle motility that amplifies and tunes responsiveness. The extent to which the gating of independent transduction channels is coordinated depends on how tightly individual stereocilia are constrained to move as a unit. Using dual-beam interferometry in the bullfrog's sacculus, we found that thermal movements of stereocilia located as far apart as a bundle's opposite edges display high coherence and negligible phase lag. Because the mechanical degrees of freedom of stereocilia are strongly constrained, a force applied anywhere in the hair bundle deflects the structure as a unit. This feature assures the concerted gating of transduction channels that maximizes the sensitivity of mechanoelectrical transduction and enhances the hair bundle's capacity to amplify its inputs.Comment: 24 pages, including 6 figures, published in 200

Skeletal Muscle Acute and Chronic Metabolic Response to Essential Amino Acid Supplementation in Hypertriglyceridemic Older Adults

BACKGROUND: Supplementation with essential amino acids (EAAs) + arginine is a promising nutritional approach to decrease plasma triglyceride (TG) concentrations, which are an independent risk factor for ischemic heart disease. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to examine the effects of 8 wk of EAA supplementation on skeletal muscle basal metabolite concentrations and changes in metabolic response to acute EAA intake, with an emphasis on mitochondrial metabolism, in adults with elevated TGs to better understand the mechanisms of lowering plasma TGs. METHODS: Older adults with elevated plasma TG concentrations were given 22 g EAAs to ingest acutely before and after an 8-wk EAA supplementation period. Skeletal muscle biopsy samples were collected before and after acute EAA intake, both pre- and postsupplementation (4 biopsy samples), and targeted metabolomic analyses of organic acids and acylcarnitines were conducted on the specimens. RESULTS: Acute EAA intake resulted in increased skeletal muscle acylcarnitine concentrations associated with oxidative catabolism of the supplement components, with the largest increases found in acylcarnitines of branched-chain amino acid oxidative catabolism, including isovaleryl-carnitine (2200%) and 2-methylbutyryl-carnitine (2400%). The chronic EAA supplementation resulted in a 19% decrease in plasma TGs along with accumulation of long-chain acylcarnitines myristoyl- (90%) and stearoyl- (120%) carnitine in skeletal muscle and increases in succinyl-carnitine (250%) and the late-stage tricarboxylic acid cycle intermediates fumarate (44%) and malate (110%). CONCLUSIONS: Supplementation with EAAs shows promise as an approach for moderate reduction in plasma TGs. Changes in skeletal muscle metabolites suggest incomplete fatty acid oxidation and increased anaplerosis, which suggests a potential bottleneck in fatty acid metabolism