How is Dissensus Possible in Consensual Theories? Habermas and Brandom

The presentation focuses on the problem of dissensus in Brandom’s and Habermas’ theories of communication and social action. The main questions it raises concern: the concept of dissensus, the main characteristics if it, the possibility of its occurring and indispensable conditions for it. It also claims that Brandom’s account, in opposition to that of Habermas, is more likely to permit rationally based dissensus

Lorsque je ne pense pas ce que je pense: l'infaillibilité à l'épreuve de la pureté neurale?

National audienceL 'idée que je suis, sujet, réflexivement conscient de ce dont je suis conscient est certainement l'une des intuitions les plus spontanées qui accompagne notre vie mentale. D'une manière similaire à nombre d'intuitions spontanées que la conscience peut entretenir vis-à-vis d'elle-même, cette accessibilité complète et inconditionnelle de la conscience a connu nombre de raffinements aussi bien empiriques que conceptuels en vue de mener son étude dans la sure voie de la science. L'argument dit de la pureté neurale (APN), à l'analyse duquel nous consacrerons cet article, dépasse cependant de loin l'enjeu d'une accessibilité complète – telle que dans un débat qui animerait Phénoménologues et Psychologues – en cela que, biproduit d'une opposition scientifique majeure dans le paysage scientifique contemporain, se joue à travers cet argument la possibilité d'une expérience phénoménale pleine et entière sans conscience aucune de cette dernière en première personne. Nous entendons opposer à la possibilité d'une telle expérience soit, in fine, à l'APN, un contre-argument non-introspectif jusqu'alors négligé par la littérature

Llama single domain antibodies as a tool for molecular mimicry

In camelids, a subset of the immunoglobulins consists of heavy-chain homodimers devoid of light chains, and are thus called heavy-chain IgGs (hcIgGs). Their variable region (VHH) is the smallest antigen-binding fragment possible, and being just one polypeptide chain it is especially suitable for engineering. In particular, camelid single domain antibodies might be very useful for molecular mimicry and anti-idiotypic vaccination. In the present work, we show that llamas immunized with an anti-DNA mouse mAb develop an important anti-Id response. Selection of VHHs by phage display, with specific elution of bound phages with the external antigenic DNA, shows that selected private anti-Id VHHs compete for binding to the external antigen and bear a functional mimicry of the DNA. These results indicate that llama anti-Id single domain antibodies would be an excellent tool for molecular mimicry studies.Fil: Zarebski, Laura M.. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Buenos Aires. Fundación Instituto Leloir. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Buenos Aires; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Química Biológica de la Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Química Biológica de la Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; ArgentinaFil: Urrutia, Mariela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Buenos Aires. Fundación Instituto Leloir. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Buenos Aires; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Química Biológica de la Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Química Biológica de la Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; ArgentinaFil: Goldbaum, Fernando Alberto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Buenos Aires. Fundación Instituto Leloir. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Buenos Aires; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Química Biológica de la Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Química Biológica de la Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; Argentin

Analysis into the decays of K+ -> pi+ mu+ mu- and Bc+ -> phi K+ at LHCb

This thesis outlines the contributions made by the author to the LHCbPR framework, part of the software validation and testing framework for the LHCb experiment at European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), and analyses into the rare decays of $K^{\pm}\rightarrow \pi^{\pm} \mu^+\mu^-$ and $B_c^{\pm}\rightarrow \phi K^{\pm}$ with the LHCb detector. The testing of LHCb software during development is vital to ensuring an efficient and optimal dataflow. LHCbPR allows quick and easy monitoring of the effects of software changes on the system through the orchestrated execution of a set of pre-written tests the results of which are then displayed online. Three such tests, which monitor physics processes during the development of the simulation frameworks, have been migrated by the author from being offline user run scripts to becoming fully automated within LHCbPR. The decay of $K^{\pm}\rightarrow \pi^{\pm} \mu^+\mu^-$, although having been observed previously by other experiments, is investigated within this thesis to determine the prospects of a first observation within a collider experiment, and for the purpose of looking into the prospects of performing a more precise measurement in the future. Analysis is performed making use of the 3.6 $fb^{-1}$ collected from 13 TeV collisions at LHCb between 2015–2017, where additional improvements in triggering have been implemented to record events with lower pT such as those of rare kaon decays. A measurement for the branching ratio of the decay of $B(K^{\pm}\rightarrow \pi^{\pm} \mu^+\mu^-) = (6.3\pm 2.6)\times 10^{-8}$ was recorded, compatible within $1\sigma$ to the world average of $(9.4 \pm 0.6)\times 10^{-8}$. The results, although not yet competitive, hint that with the predicted levels of improvement at LHCb in Run 3, the experiment could indeed contribute to the future of kaon decay measurement

Agency issues surrounding A-REITS and the global financial crisis

 This thesis examines the optimal balance of debt and equity undertaken by Australian Real Estate Investment Trusts, the incentive-driven pay structure utilized to compensate management, and the factors of A-REIT composition and performance that appeal to large, powerful shareholders who are able to influence market prices

STRIDE-a fluorescence method for direct, specific in situ detection of individual single- or double-strand DNA breaks in fixed cells

We here describe a technique termed STRIDE (SensiTive Recognition of Individual DNA Ends), which enables highly sensitive, specific, direct in situ detection of single- or double-strand DNA breaks (sSTRIDE or dSTRIDE), in nuclei of single cells, using fluorescence microscopy. The sensitivity of STRIDE was tested using a specially developed CRISPR/Cas9 DNA damage induction system, capable of inducing small clusters or individual single- or double-strand breaks. STRIDE exhibits significantly higher sensitivity and specificity of detection of DNA breaks than the commonly used terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick-end labeling assay or methods based on monitoring of recruitment of repair proteins or histone modifications at the damage site (e.g. gammaH2AX). Even individual genome site-specific DNA double-strand cuts induced by CRISPR/Cas9, as well as individual single-strand DNA scissions induced by the nickase version of Cas9, can be detected by STRIDE and precisely localized within the cell nucleus. We further show that STRIDE can detect low-level spontaneous DNA damage, including age-related DNA lesions, DNA breaks induced by several agents (bleomycin, doxorubicin, topotecan, hydrogen peroxide, UV, photosensitized reactions) and fragmentation of DNA in human spermatozoa. The STRIDE methods are potentially useful in studies of mechanisms of DNA damage induction and repair in cell lines and primary cultures, including cells with impaired repair mechanisms

Modern Hybrid Excited Electric Machines

The paper deals with the overview of different designs of hybrid excited electrical machines, i.e., those with conventional permanent magnets excitation and additional DC-powered electromagnetic systems in the excitation circuit. The paper presents the most common topologies for this type of machines found in the literature—they were divided according to their electrical, mechanical and thermal properties. Against this background, the designs of hybrid excited machines that were the subject of scientific research of the authors are presented. Document type: Articl

OxCOVID19 Database, a multimodal data repository for better understanding the global impact of COVID-19

Oxford COVID-19 Database (OxCOVID19 Database) is a comprehensive source of information related to the COVID-19 pandemic. This relational database contains time-series data on epidemiology, government responses, mobility, weather and more across time and space for all countries at the national level, and for more than 50 countries at the regional level. It is curated from a variety of (wherever available) official sources. Its purpose is to facilitate the analysis of the spread of SARS-CoV-2 virus and to assess the effects of non-pharmaceutical interventions to reduce the impact of the pandemic. Our database is a freely available, daily updated tool that provides unified and granular information across geographical regions