Evidentialism and Moral Encroachment

Moral encroachment holds that the epistemic justification of a belief can be affected by moral factors. If the belief might wrong a person or group more evidence is required to justify the belief. Moral encroachment thereby opposes evidentialism, and kindred views, which holds that epistemic justification is determined solely by factors pertaining to evidence and truth. In this essay I explain how beliefs such as ‘that woman is probably an administrative assistant’—based on the evidence that most women employees at the firm are administrative assistants—motivate moral encroachment. I then describe weaknesses of moral encroachment. Finally I explain how we can countenance the moral properties of such beliefs without endorsing moral encroachment, and I argue that the moral status of such beliefs cannot be evaluated independently from the understanding in which they are embedded

Megahertz pulse trains enable multi-hit serial femtosecond crystallography experiments at X-ray free electron lasers

The European X-ray Free Electron Laser (XFEL) and Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) II are extremely intense sources of X-rays capable of generating Serial Femtosecond Crystallography (SFX) data at megahertz (MHz) repetition rates. Previous work has shown that it is possible to use consecutive X-ray pulses to collect diffraction patterns from individual crystals. Here, we exploit the MHz pulse structure of the European XFEL to obtain two complete datasets from the same lysozyme crystal, first hit and the second hit, before it exits the beam. The two datasets, separated by <1 µs, yield up to 2.1 Å resolution structures. Comparisons between the two structures reveal no indications of radiation damage or significant changes within the active site, consistent with the calculated dose estimates. This demonstrates MHz SFX can be used as a tool for tracking sub-microsecond structural changes in individual single crystals, a technique we refer to as multi-hit SFX

Evolution of sex-specific pace-of-life syndromes: genetic architecture and physiological mechanisms

Sex differences in life history, physiology, and behavior are nearly ubiquitous across taxa, owing to sex-specific selection that arises from different reproductive strategies of the sexes. The pace-of-life syndrome (POLS) hypothesis predicts that most variation in such traits among individuals, populations, and species falls along a slow-fast pace-of-life continuum. As a result of their different reproductive roles and environment, the sexes also commonly differ in pace-of-life, with important consequences for the evolution of POLS. Here, we outline mechanisms for how males and females can evolve differences in POLS traits and in how such traits can covary differently despite constraints resulting from a shared genome. We review the current knowledge of the genetic basis of POLS traits and suggest candidate genes and pathways for future studies. Pleiotropic effects may govern many of the genetic correlations, but little is still known about the mechanisms involved in trade-offs between current and future reproduction and their integration with behavioral variation. We highlight the importance of metabolic and hormonal pathways in mediating sex differences in POLS traits; however, there is still a shortage of studies that test for sex specificity in molecular effects and their evolutionary causes. Considering whether and how sexual dimorphism evolves in POLS traits provides a more holistic framework to understand how behavioral variation is integrated with life histories and physiology, and we call for studies that focus on examining the sex-specific genetic architecture of this integration

Diamagnetic properties of metamaterials: a magnetostatic analogy

The response of a metamaterial, consisting of a 3D lattice of lossy capacitively loaded metallic loops is studied theoretically when it is inserted into a homogeneous harmonically varying magnetic field. The current distribution is found by taking into account the magnetic coupling between any pair of loops in the approximation of no retardation. It is shown that in a frequency range above its resonant frequency the metamaterial behaves as a diamagnet expelling the applied magnetic field. As the resonant frequency is approached the magnetic field is shown to be expelled not only from the volume of the metamaterial but from a larger zone which in the vicinity of the resonant frequency takes the form of a sphere. In the lossless case the radius of this exclusion sphere tends to infinity. In the presence of losses the maximum radius is limited by the quality factor of the individual elements. The response of a single element is shown to be analogous to that of a sphere of magnetic material, an analogy that leads to an alternative definition of effective permeability. Copyright Springer-Verlag Berlin/Heidelberg 2004

Arginase deficiency masked by cerebral palsy and coagulopathy—Three varied presentations of Latin American origin

Abstract Arginase deficiency (ARG1‐D) is an autosomal recessive inborn error of metabolism that is often misdiagnosed. Classic presentation of ARG1‐D includes progressive symptoms of spasticity, delayed development, cognitive impairment, protein avoidance, and seizures. Patients who present atypically may evade diagnosis and require a thoughtful diagnostic workup. Here, we discuss three females of Latin American origin with differing clinical presentations, but who all have the same intronic pathogenic variant in ARG1. Importantly, we found that each case included elevated coagulopathy on laboratory testing and discussed one case in particular with manifestation of bleeding. When diagnosed early, treatment is favorable and can prevent progressive decline. While many states have added ARG1‐D to their expanded newborn screening panels, still many states and countries do not screen for ARG1‐D, and it can be missed in a healthy newborn. We aim to bring awareness to not only the classic presentation as a necessary consideration for otherwise unexplained spastic diplegia but also to the varied presentations of ARG1‐D

Palliative care clinical trials: How nurses are contributing to integrated, evidence-based care

The aim of this paper is to describe the emerging role of the palliative care clinical trials nurse in an era of evidence-based practice and increasing clinical trial activity in palliative care settings across Australia. An overview of the current clinical trials work is provided, with a focus on three aspects of clinical trials nursing practice that have significant implications for patients: managing the consent process, integrating clinical trials into multidisciplinary care, and establishing and building the evidence base to inform practice in palliative care settings. Clinical trials roles provide palliative care nurses with an opportunity to contribute to clinical research, help expand palliative care\u27s evidence base, and develop their own research capabilities