2,037 research outputs found
The Truth in Compatibilism and the truth of Libertarianism
The paper offers the outlines of a response to the often-made suggestion is that it is impossible to see how indeterminism could possibly provide us with anything that we might want in the way of freedom, anything that could really amount to control, as opposed merely to an openness in the flow of reality that would constitute merely the injection of chance, or randomness, into the unfolding of the processes which underlie our activity. It is suggested that the best first move for the libertarian is to make a number of important concessions to the compatibilist. It should be conceded, in particular, that certain sorts of alternative possibilities are neither truly available to real, worldly agents, nor required in order that those agents should act freely; and it should be admitted also that it is the compatibilist who tends to give the most plausible sorts of analyses of many of the âcanâ and âcould haveâ statements which seem to need to be assertible of those agents we regard as free. But these concessions do not bring compatibilism itself in their wake. The most promising version of libertarianism, it is argued, should be based on the idea that agency itself (and not merely some special instances of it which we might designate with the honorific appellation âfreeâ) is inconsistent with determinism. This version of libertarianism, it is claimed, can avoid the objection that indeterminism is as difficult to square with true agential control as determinism can sometimes seem to be
People should be allowed to do what they likeâ: Autistic adultsâ views and experiences of stimming
This is the final version. Available from the publisher via the DOI in this record.Data from participants who consented will be deposited in the
UK Data Service, in 2019.âStereotyped or repetitive motor movementsâ are characterised as core features in the diagnosis of autism, yet many
autistic adults (and the neurodiversity movement) have reclaimed them as âstimmingâ. Supported by a growing body of
scientific research, autistic adults argue that these behaviours may serve as useful coping mechanisms, yet little research
has examined stimming from the perspective of autistic adults. Through interviews and focus groups, we asked 32
autistic adults to share their perceptions and experiences of stimming, including the reasons they stim, any value doing
so may hold for them and their perceptions of othersâ reactions to stimming. Using thematic analysis, we identified
two themes: stimming as (1) a self-regulatory mechanism and (2) lacking in social acceptance, but can become accepted
through understanding. Autistic adults highlighted the importance of stimming as an adaptive mechanism that helps
them to soothe or communicate intense emotions or thoughts and thus objected to treatment that aims to eliminate
the behaviour.Wellcome TrustLeverhulme Trus
Transient ultrasound stimulation has lasting effects on neuronal excitability
Background
Transcranial ultrasound stimulation can acutely modulate brain activity, but the lasting effects on neurons are unknown.
Objective
To assess the excitability profile of neurons in the hours following transient ultrasound stimulation.
Methods
Primary rat cortical neurons were stimulated with a 40 s, 200 kHz pulsed ultrasound stimulation or sham-stimulation. Intrinsic firing properties were investigated through whole-cell patch-clamp recording by evoking action potentials in response to somatic current injection. Recordings were taken at set timepoints following ultrasound stimulation: 0â2 h, 6â8 h, 12â14 h and 24â26 h. Transmission electron microscopy was used to assess synaptic ultrastructure at the same timepoints.
Results
In the 0â2 h window, neurons stimulated with ultrasound displayed an increase in the mean frequency of evoked action potentials of 32% above control cell levels (p = 0.023). After 4â6 h this increase was measured as 44% (p = 0.0043). By 12â14 h this effect was eliminated and remained absent 24â26 h post-stimulation. These changes to action potential firing occurred in conjunction with statistically significant differences between control and ultrasound-stimulated neurons in action potential half-width, depolarisation rate, and repolarisation rate, that were similarly eliminated by 24 h following stimulation. These effects occurred in the absence of alterations to intrinsic membrane properties or synaptic ultrastructure.
Conclusion
We report that stimulating neurons with 40 s of ultrasound enhances their excitability for up to 8 h in conjunction with modifications to action potential kinetics. This occurs in the absence of major ultrastructural change or modification of intrinsic membrane properties. These results can inform the application of transcranial ultrasound in experimental and therapeutic settings
Coupled Numerical Analysis of Variations in the Capacity of Driven Energy Piles in Clay
Energy piles are an emerging alternative for the reduction of energy consumption to heat and cool buildings. Most of the research to date has focused on thermodynamic properties or axial and radial stress and strain of piles. This paper focuses on the effects of temperature fluctuation on the capacity of driven energy piles in clayey soils. Consolidation of clay surrounding driven piles affects the pile capacity (i.e., set up in clay). The heating and cooling periods of energy piles can create the excess pore-water pressure (EPWP, ue) or relax the existing one (e.g., due to pile driving or previous thermal loads) in clayey soils (due to the contraction and expansion of water) affecting the pile capacity. In the meantime, the thermal expansion and contraction of the pile also generate or relax the EPWP in the soil, which can be computed using the cavity-expansion theory. This paper studies the resulting changes in the pile capacity due to the daily and seasonal thermal cycles. The results show that thermal cycles in an energy pile can cause a decrease in the pile capacity leading to a delay in reaching the capacity after a complete clay set up
Dynamical Instabilities of the Randall-Sundrum Model
We derive dynamical equations to describe a single 3-brane containing fluid
matter and a scalar field coupling to the dilaton and the gravitational field
in a five dimensional bulk. First, we show that a scalar field or an arbitrary
fluid on the brane cannot evolve to cancel the cosmological constant in the
bulk. Then we show that the Randall-Sundrum model is unstable under small
deviations from the fine-tuning between the brane tension and the bulk
cosmological constant and even under homogeneous gravitational perturbations.
Implications for brane world cosmologies are discussed.Comment: 12 pages, 2 figure
Validity and reliability of shortâterm heartârate variability from disposable electrocardiography leads
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Singleâuse electrocardiography (ECG) leads have been developed to reduce healthcareâassociated infection. This study compared the validity and reliability of shortâterm heart rate variability (HRV) obtained from singleâuse disposable ECG leads. METHODS: Thirty healthy subjects (33â±â10 years; 9 females) underwent 5âmin resting HRV assessments using disposable (single use) ECG cable and wire system (Kendall DLâą Cardinal Health) and a standard, reusable ECG leads (CardioExpress, Spacelabs Healthcare). RESULTS: Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) with 95% confidence interval (CI) between disposable and reusable ECG leads was for the time domain [RâR interval (ms); 0.99 (0.91, 1.00)], the root mean square of successive normal RâR interval differences (RMSSD) (ms); 0.91 (0.76, 0.96), the SD of normalâtoânormal RâR intervals (SDNN) (ms); 0.91 (0.68, 0.97) and frequency domain [lowâfrequency (LF) normalized units (nu); 0.90 (0.79, 0.95), high frequency (HF) nu; 0.91 (0.80, 0.96), LF power (ms(2)); 0.89 (0.62, 0.96), HF power (ms(2)); 0.90 (0.72, 0.96)] variables. The mean difference and upper and lower limits of agreement between disposable and reusable leads for timeâ and frequencyâdomain variables were acceptable. Analysis of repeated measures using disposable leads demonstrated excellent reproducibility (ICC 95% CI) for RâR interval (ms); 0.93 (0.85, 0.97), RMSSD (ms); 0.93 (0.85, 0.97), SDNN (ms); 0.88 (0.75, 0.95), LF power (ms(2)); 0.87 (0.72, 0.94), and HF power (ms(2)); 0.88 (0.73, 0.94) with coefficient of variation ranging from 2.2% to 5% (pâ>â0.37 for all variables). CONCLUSION: Singleâuse Kendall DLâą ECG leads demonstrate a valid and reproducible tool for the assessment of HRV
Estimating primary production at depth from remote sensing
By use of a common primary-production model and identical photosynthetic parameters, four different methods were used to calculate quanta 1Q2 and primary production 1P2 at depth for a study of high-latitude North Atlantic waters. The differences among the four methods relate to the use of pigment information in the upper water column. Methods 1 and 2 use pigment biomass 1B2 as an input and a subtropical, empirical relation between K d 1diffuse attenuation coefficient2 and B to estimate Q at depth. Method 1 uses measured B, but Method 2 uses B derived from the Coastal Zone Color Scanner 1subtropical algorithm2 as inputs. Methods 3 and 4 use the phytoplankton absorption coefficient 1a ph 2 instead of B as input, and Method 3 uses empirically derived a ph 14402 and K d values, and Method 4 uses analytically derived a ph 14402 and a 1total absorption coefficient2 values based on the same remote measurements as Method 2. When the calculated and the measured values of Q1z2 and P1z2 were compared, Method 4 provided the closest results 3for P1z2, r 2 5 0.95 1n 5 242, and for Q1z2, r 2 5 0.92 1n 5 1124. Method 1 yielded the worst results 3for P1z2, r 2 5 0.56 and for Q1z2, r 2 5 0.814. These results indicate that one of the greatest uncertainties in the remote estimation of P can come from a potential mismatch of the pigment-specific absorption coefficient 1a ph *2, which is needed implicitly in current models or algorithms based on B. We point out that this potential mismatch can be avoided if we arrange the models or algorithms so that they are based on the pigment absorption coefficient 1a ph 2. Thus, except for the accuracy of the photosynthetic parameters and the above-surface light intensity, the accuracy of the remote estimation of P depends on how accurately a ph can be estimated, but not how accurately B can be estimated. Also, methods to derive a ph empirically and analytically from remotely sensed data are introduced. Curiously, combined application of subtropical algorithms for both B and K d to subarctic waters apparently compensates to some extent for effects that are due to their similar and implicit pigment-specific absorption coefficients for the calculation of Q1z2
Essentially English : Sherlock Holmes at the BBC
Sir Arthur Conan Doyleâs Sherlock Holmes stories, currently enjoying renewed popularity on television via the BBCâs Sherlock (2010- ), have been adapted for the screen countless times around the world. Arguably best remembered are Granadaâs long-running strand with Jeremy Brett (1984-94), and the Universal film series of the 1940s, featuring Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce. Less frequently cited, however, are the two series produced by the BBC between 1965 and 1968, in which first Douglas Wilmer and later Peter Cushing took on the mantle of the Baker Street detective. Typically for the time â but against the wishes of the Conan Doyle estate - these programmes adopted a multi-camera studio model; a mode of production which made them less attractive to US networks than the single camera 35mm film output of commercial rivals such as ITC. Drawing upon material from the BBCâs Written Archives Centre, this article investigates the motivations underpinning the Corporationâs refusal to accommodate the estateâs exhortations to seek American co-production and utilise single camera filming, not least of which was the BBCâs stated desire to maintain the âessentially Englishâ quality of Sherlock Holmes. This decision would have significant repercussions for the seriesâ overseas saleability, and â despite impressive viewing figures and positive audience reaction at home in the UK â helped contribute to its âforgottenâ status with regard to the television canon
Identifying component modules
A computer-based system for modelling component dependencies and identifying component modules is presented. A variation of the Dependency Structure Matrix (DSM) representation was used to model component dependencies. The system utilises a two-stage approach towards facilitating the identification of a hierarchical modular structure. The first stage calculates a value for a clustering criterion that may be used to group component dependencies together. A Genetic Algorithm is described to optimise the order of the components within the DSM with the focus of minimising the value of the clustering criterion to identify the most significant component groupings (modules) within the product structure. The second stage utilises a 'Module Strength Indicator' (MSI) function to determine a value representative of the degree of modularity of the component groupings. The application of this function to the DSM produces a 'Module Structure Matrix' (MSM) depicting the relative modularity of available component groupings within it. The approach enabled the identification of hierarchical modularity in the product structure without the requirement for any additional domain specific knowledge within the system. The system supports design by providing mechanisms to explicitly represent and utilise component and dependency knowledge to facilitate the nontrivial task of determining near-optimal component modules and representing product modularity
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