The essence of agency is discovered, not defined: a minimal mindreading argument

Abstract

In this paper I give a novel argument for this view that the AGENT concept has an externalist semantics. The argument argues the conclusion from two premises: first, that our first relationships to agents is through a subpersonal mechanism which requires for its function an agential proto-concept which refers directly; and second, that there is a continuity of reference between this proto-concept and the mature concept AGENT. I argue the first on the basis of results in the developmental psychology of social cognition. I argue the second on the basis of a process of elimination, by considering three possibilities for the relationship between the two concepts. On the basis of these two premises the conclusion is drawn that AGENT is a concept that refers directly. That has the following consequences for the philosophy of action: first, that "action" is not an appropriate term for reductive analysis, as the causal theory of action assumes; and second, that we should be looking to the appropriate empirical disciplines for an elucidation of the concept.

Effect of metals on zooplankton abundance and distribution in the coast of southwestern Taiwan

Abstract

Three transects were established along the southwestern coast of Taiwan; transects from north to south were respectively extended from the Kaohsiung Harbor, Kaoping River estuary, and Fangshan River estuary. Six metals including Pb, Cd, Cr, Cu, Zn, and Ni were analyzed in the zooplankton and seawater samples. A total of 24 groups of zooplankton were identified. Calanoid was the frequently collected group and accounted for greater than 40% of the relative abundance of zooplankton. Results showed that metal concentrations in seawater close to coast were higher than those in the outside of transect. The mean of metal concentrations in zooplankton followed the hierarchy: Zn > Cu > Pb > Ni > Cr > Cd. On the whole, metal concentrations in zooplankton from sampling sites in the coastal region were observed to be higher than those in the offshore region. The bioconcentration factor of zooplankton ranged within 10³–10⁵ for all studied metals and indicated that zooplankton in the seawater of southwestern Taiwan can accumulate metal even at background concentrations of metals. The value of diversity indices exhibited an increase in the distance to the coast, whereas the abundance showed no significant correlation with that. Consequently, the lowest mean abundance of zooplankton and the highest average metal bioaccumulation were found in transect outside Kaohsiung Harbor, representing that Kaohsiung Harbor has the contamination of anthropogenic metals that results in the impact on zooplankton.

Differential sensitivity to the antifouling chemical medetomidine between wood frog and American toad tadpoles with evidence for low-dose stimulation and high-dose inhibition of metamorphosis

Abstract

Antifouling chemicals are legacy contaminants in aquatic ecosystems. Previous experiments have shown that a 14-day exposure to the antifouling chemical medetomidine delays metamorphosis and reduces body mass in wood frog tadpoles. In the present study, we exposed wood frog tadpoles to medetomidine for 3, 7, and 10 days at 100 nM, 1 μM, and 10 μM. We also exposed American toad tadpoles to medetomidine for 3 days at four concentrations (10 nM, 100 nM, 1 μM, and 10 μM) in static renewal experiments. In each experiment, we measured growth, frequency and time to metamorphosis, and mass at metamorphosis. In both species, medetomidine significantly slowed development as measured by the Gosner stage. After 34 days in culture, wood frog tadpoles exposed to 1 and 10 μM medetomidine for as few as 3 days were significantly less developed compared to controls. Toads exposed to 1 μM medetomidine for 3 days were also significantly less developed on day 27, but by day 34, there was no difference from controls. For wood frogs, medetomidine significantly affected time to metamorphosis with a trend for tadpoles at lower concentrations metamorphosing sooner than those at higher concentrations. While medetomidine affected time to metamorphosis in wood frogs, it did not affect fresh mass, dry mass, or mortality compared to controls. Wood frog tadpoles that did not metamorphose after over 90 days in culture were more frequent in high-concentration groups than in the control. In toads, 10 μM medetomidine was 100% lethal within 23 days, but at the same concentration and duration, no wood frog tadpoles died. Lower concentrations were also significantly lethal to toads compared to controls, but tadpoles that survived in 10 and 100 nM metamorphosed sooner than those in 1 μM. Fresh mass of toad tadpoles exposed to 1 μm was significantly smaller at metamorphosis compared to that of controls. Medetomidine also affected the behavior of tadpoles. In toads, medetomidine significantly reduced both percent activity and startle response. In wood frogs, medetomidine significantly reduced percent activity, but increased startle response. We discuss our finding of low-dose stimulation and high-dose inhibition of different life history endpoints in terms of hormetic mechanisms. The differential sensitivity between species in terms of mortality, frequency of metamorphosis, and behavior highlights the potential negative environmental effects of medetomidine to amphibians.

Benzo(a)pyrene parallel measurements in PM 1 and PM 2.5 in the coastal zone of the Gulf of Gdansk (Baltic Sea) in the heating and non-heating seasons

Abstract

Parallel measurements of PM₁ and PM_2.5 aerosols were conducted in the urbanized coastal zone of the southern Baltic Sea. The main aim of the research was to assess and determine annual, seasonal (heating and non-heating), and daily concentration variability of benzo(a)pyrene in aerosols, these being the most dangerous constituents to human health. The average annual concentration of benzo(a)pyrene (B(a)P) was equal to 2.6 ng·m⁻³ in PM₁ and 4.6 ng·m⁻³ in PM_2.5, and both values were several times higher than the level of 1 ng·m⁻³ which was set out in the CAFE Directive. High mean daily concentrations of B(a)P persisted for 50 and 65% of the study period in PM1 and PM2.5, respectively. In order to determine the sources of B(a)P in both aerosol fractions, organic (OC) and elemental (EC) carbon concentrations were examined. The highest concentrations of all carbon species were reported during the heating season under local or regional land advection and at low air temperatures. The origin of pollutants was the same and was primarily related to the combustion of fossil fuels in the communal-utility sector. During the non-heating period, the role of transportation, both land and marine, increased and may have been significant in creating higher concentrations of carbon compounds in PM₁ and PM_2.5. Regardless of the size of the aerosol fractions, B(a)P loads introduced into the Baltic coastal zone were several times higher during the heating period compared to the non-heating season.

Graphical abstract

ᅟ

A Qualitative Analysis of Disclosing Sexual Victimization by #NotOkay During the 2016 Presidential Election

Violence and Gender, Ahead of Print.

Effects of Cr 2 O 3 nanoparticles on the chlorophyll fluorescence and chloroplast ultrastructure of soybean ( Glycine max )

Abstract

Chromic oxide nanoparticles (Cr₂O₃ NPs) are widely used in commercial factories and can cause serious environmental problems. However, the mechanism behind Cr₂O₃ NP-induced phytotoxicity remains unknown. In this study, the effects of Cr₂O₃ NPs on the growth, chlorophyll fluorescence, SEM-EDS analysis, and chloroplast ultrastructure of soybean (Glycine max) were investigated to evaluate its phytotoxicity. The growth of soybean treated with various Cr₂O₃ NP suspensions (0.01, 0.05, 0.1, and 0.5 g L⁻¹) was significantly inhibited. Specially, shoot and root biomass decreased by 9.9 and 46.3%, respectively. Besides, the maximum quantum yield of PSII (Fv/Fm) as well as the photochemical quenching (qP) decreased by 8–22 and 30–37%, respectively, indicating that the photosynthetic system was damaged when treated with Cr₂O₃ NPs. Moreover, the inhibition was confirmed by the reduction of Rubisco and MDH enzyme activity (by 54.5–86.4 and 26.7–96.5%, respectively). Overall, results indicated that the damage was caused by the destruction of chloroplast thylakoid structure, which subsequently reduced the photosynthetic rate. Our research suggests that Cr₂O₃ NPs can be transported and cause irreversible damage to soybean plants by inhibiting the activity of electron acceptors (NADP+) and destroying ultrastructure of chloroplasts, providing insights into plant toxicity issues.

Graphical abstract

ᅟ

Ethnic differences and comorbidities of 909 Prurigo Nodularis patients

•Prurigo nodularis (PN) is a pruritic dermatosis of unknown etiology.•PN is associated with an increased risk of chronic kidney disease, diabetes, Hepatitis C, HIV, and several psychiatric comorbidities•Clinicians should be aware of psychiatric, metabolic, and infectious disease associations when treating PN patients.

Steroid-Induced Changes Noted On Trichoscopy Of Patients With Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia

Thalidomide and thromboprophylaxis in dermatological indications: An unmet need for more evidence

Thromboprophylaxis and thalidomide in the non-cancer setting: toward an algorithm based on patient’s history and underlying disease? Reply to MS#JAAD-D-18-00595

Cutaneous toxicity as a predictive biomarker for clinical outcome in patients receiving anticancer therapy

•There is an association between clinical outcomes and development of cutaneous toxicities due to anticancer therapeutics.•Vitiligo, rash, nail toxicity, or alopecia induced by anticancer therapeutics may be potential biomarkers in predicting treatment efficacy.•Identification of cutaneous toxicities may be an early and non-invasive way to determine cancer treatment efficacy.

In situ pilot test for bioremediation of energetic compound-contaminated soil at a former military demolition range site

Abstract

Bioremediation was performed in situ at a former military range site to assess the performance of native bacteria in degrading hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX) and 2,4-dinitrotoluene (2,4-DNT). The fate of these pollutants in soil and soil pore water was investigated as influenced by waste glycerol amendment to the soil. Following waste glycerol application, there was an accumulation of organic carbon that promoted microbial activity, converting organic carbon into acetate and propionate, which are intermediate compounds in anaerobic processes. This augmentation of anaerobic activity strongly correlated to a noticeable reduction in RDX concentrations in the amended soil. Changes in concentrations of RDX in pore water were similar to those observed in the soil suggesting that RDX leaching from the soil matrix, and treatment with waste glycerol, contributed to the enhanced removal of RDX from the water and soil. This was not the case with 2,4-DNT, which was neither found in pore water nor affected by the waste glycerol treatment. Results from saturated conditions and Synthetic Precipitation Leaching Procedure testing, to investigate the environmental fate of 2,4-DNT, indicated that 2,4-DNT found on site was relatively inert and was likely to remain in its current state on the site.

The hierarchical porous structure bio-char assessments produced by co-pyrolysis of municipal sewage sludge and hazelnut shell and Cu(II) adsorption kinetics

Abstract

The co-pyrolysis technology was applied to municipal sewage sludge (MSS) and hazelnut shell with alkaline activating agent K₂CO₃ under N₂ atmosphere. The innovative bio-char produced by co-pyrolysis had significant physical and chemical characteristics. The specific surface area reached 1990.23 m²/g, and the iodine absorption number was 1068.22 mg/g after co-pyrolysis at 850 °C. Although hazelnut shell was a kind of solid waste, it also had abundant cellulose resource, which could contribute to porous structure of bio-char during co-pyrolysis with MSS and decrease total heavy metals contents of raw material to increase security of bio-chars. Meanwhile, the residual fractions of heavy metals in bio-char were above 92.95% after co-pyrolysis at 900 °C except Cd to prevent heavy metals digestion, and the bio-char presented significant immobilization behavior from co-pyrolysis technology. Moreover, the yield and the iodine absorption number of bio-chars under different process variables were analyzed, and it was confirmed that appropriate process variables could contribute the yield and the iodine absorption number of bio-char and prevent to etch pore structure excessively to collapse. The changes of surface functional groups and crystallographic structure before and after co-pyrolysis were analyzed by FTIR and XRD, respectively. The hierarchical porous structure of bio-char was presented by SEM and N₂ adsorption-desorption isotherm. The Cu(II) adsorption capacity of the bio-char was 42.28 mg/g after 24 h, and surface functional groups acted as active binding sites for Cu(II) adsorption. Langmuir model and pseudo-second-order model can describe process of Cu(II) adsorption well.

Multi-ray medical ultrasound simulation without explicit speckle modelling

Abstract

Purpose

To develop a medical ultrasound (US) simulation method using T1-weighted magnetic resonance images (MRI) as the input that offers a compromise between low-cost ray-based and high-cost realistic wave-based simulations.

Methods

The proposed method uses a novel multi-ray image formation approach with a virtual phased array transducer probe. A domain model is built from input MR images. Multiple virtual acoustic rays are emerged from each element of the linear transducer array. Reflected and transmitted acoustic energy at discrete points along each ray is computed independently. Simulated US images are computed by fusion of the reflected energy along multiple rays from multiple transducers, while phase delays due to differences in distances to transducers are taken into account. A preliminary implementation using GPUs is presented.

Results

Preliminary results show that the multi-ray approach is capable of generating view point-dependent realistic US images with an inherent Rician distributed speckle pattern automatically. The proposed simulator can reproduce the shadowing artefacts and demonstrates frequency dependence apt for practical training purposes. We also have presented preliminary results towards the utilization of the method for real-time simulations.

Conclusions

The proposed method offers a low-cost near-real-time wave-like simulation of realistic US images from input MR data. It can further be improved to cover the pathological findings using an improved domain model, without any algorithmic updates. Such a domain model would require lesion segmentation or manual embedding of virtual pathologies for training purposes.

Force estimation from OCT volumes using 3D CNNs

Abstract

Purpose

Estimating the interaction forces of instruments and tissue is of interest, particularly to provide haptic feedback during robot-assisted minimally invasive interventions. Different approaches based on external and integrated force sensors have been proposed. These are hampered by friction, sensor size, and sterilizability. We investigate a novel approach to estimate the force vector directly from optical coherence tomography image volumes.

Methods

We introduce a novel Siamese 3D CNN architecture. The network takes an undeformed reference volume and a deformed sample volume as an input and outputs the three components of the force vector. We employ a deep residual architecture with bottlenecks for increased efficiency. We compare the Siamese approach to methods using difference volumes and two-dimensional projections. Data were generated using a robotic setup to obtain ground-truth force vectors for silicon tissue phantoms as well as porcine tissue.

Results

Our method achieves a mean average error of \({7.7 \pm 4.3}\,{\hbox {mN}}\) when estimating the force vector. Our novel Siamese 3D CNN architecture outperforms single-path methods that achieve a mean average error of \({11.59 \pm 6.7}\,{\hbox {mN}}\) . Moreover, the use of volume data leads to significantly higher performance compared to processing only surface information which achieves a mean average error of \({24.38 \pm 22.0}\,{\hbox {mN}}\) . Based on the tissue dataset, our methods shows good generalization in between different subjects.

Conclusions

We propose a novel image-based force estimation method using optical coherence tomography. We illustrate that capturing the deformation of subsurface structures substantially improves force estimation. Our approach can provide accurate force estimates in surgical setups when using intraoperative optical coherence tomography.

Arsenic uptake, transformation, and release by three freshwater algae under conditions with and without growth stress

Abstract

This study was carried out using indoor controlled experiments to study the arsenic (As) uptake, biotransformation, and release behaviors of freshwater algae under growth stress. Three freshwater algae, Microcystis aeruginosa, Anabaena flosaquae, and Chlorella sp., were chosen. Two types of inhibitors, e.g., Cu²⁺ and isothiazolinone, were employed to inhibit the growth of the algae. The algae were cultivated to a logarithmic stage in growth media containing 0.1 mg/L P; then, 0.8 mg/L As in the form of arsenate (iAs^V) was added, while both inhibitors were simultaneously added at dosages of 0.1 and 0.3 mg/L, with no addition of inhibitors in the control. After 2 days of exposure, the average growth rate (μ_2d) was measured to represent the growth rates of the algae cells; the extra- and intracellular As concentrations in various forms, i.e., arsenate, arsenite (iAs^III), monomethyl arsenic (MMA), and dimethyl arsenic (DMA), were also measured. Without inhibitors, the average growth rate followed the order of M. aeruginosa, Chlorella sp., and A. flosaquae, with the growth rate of M. aeruginosa significantly higher than that of the other two algae. However, when Cu²⁺ was added as an external inhibitor, the order of the average growth rate for the three algae became partially reversed, suggesting differentiation of the algae in response to the inhibitor. This differentiation can be seen by the reduction in the average growth rate of M. aeruginosa, which was as high as 1730% at the 0.3-mg/L Cu²⁺ dosage when compared with the control, while for the other two algae, much fewer changes were seen. The great reduction in M. aeruginosa growth rate was accompanied by increases in extracellular iAs^V and iAs^III and intracellular iAs^V concentrations in the algae, indicating that As transformation is related to the growth of this algae. Much fewer or neglectable changes in growth were observed that were consistent with the few changes in the extra- and intracellular As speciation for the other two algae with Cu²⁺ inhibition and all the three algae with isothiazolinone inhibition, corroborating the above hypothesis again. All the algae tested in this study demonstrated great abilities for As transformation and release, as seen by the much higher rates of 86.11–99.98% and 81.11–99.89% for transformation and release when compared to the control, respectively. When inhibitors were added, the transformation and release values of only A. flosaquae decreased remarkably down to 72.37–86.79% and 64.67–85.24%, respectively, while no changes were seen for these values in the other two algae, indicating that growth stress did not affect the As transformation and release of the other algae. The biological productivity of As by the three algae followed the order of M. aeruginosa, Chlorella sp., and A. flosaquae, which was generally consistent with the As transformation and release in conditions with and without inhibitors, suggesting that the As behavior in the algae that was related to growth stress largely differed among algae species.

Distribution and health risks of aerosol black carbon in a representative city of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

Abstract

Although aerosol black carbon (BC) exerts strong influences on human health, research on potential health risks of aerosol BC around the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is very limited. This is the very first study to investigate the distribution of aerosol BC in a typical city of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and the resulting health risks. The results showed that the maximal real-time (5-min monitoring interval) concentration of aerosol BC was 22.34 μg/m³, much higher than day- and week-averaged concentrations which were in the range of 1.28–6.15 and 1.93–4.63 μg/m³, respectively. The health risks were evaluated using four different health endpoints including low birth weight (LBW), percentage lung function decrement of school-aged children (PLFD), cardiovascular mortality (CM), and lung cancer (LC). The highest risks of LBW, PLFD, CM, and LC had reached 69.5, 184.4, 67.4, and 31.8 numbers of equivalent passively smoked cigarettes (PSC), respectively. The concentrations and health risks of aerosol BC in the study area are at a middle level among the global cities/regions. In comparison, the cities of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau are experiencing high potential health risks resulting from aerosol BC to need more effective prevention and control of air pollution.

The 3D reconstructions of female pelvic autonomic nerves and their related organs based on MRI: a first step towards neuronavigation during nerve-sparing radical hysterectomy

Abstract

Objectives

To present in vivo female pelvic autonomous innervation and the relationship between nerves and their related organs by three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction based on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Methods

Thirty patients with cervical cancer who underwent pelvic MRI and agreed to undergo additional magnetic resonance neurography (MRN) sequences were enrolled in the present study. MRI images from the same patient were acquired using T2-weighted fat saturation (T2W FS) and 3D-STIR-SPACE sequences. Detailed two-dimensional (2D) segmentation and 3D reconstruction of pelvic autonomic nerves (PAN) were performed on the basis of the images of the two sequences using 3D reconstruction software. The 2D segmentation and 3D reconstruction of pelvic organs were based on T2W FS images. The consistency of the 3D models of pelvic autonomous innervation constructed from the two sequences were analysed and compared, the pelvic autonomous innervation was presented, and the relationship between nerves and their related organs was characterised.

Results

The 3D reconstructions of PAN were successfully obtained from 3D-STIR-SPACE and T2W FS sequences in 30 patients and showed high correspondence. T2W FS images also enabled 3D reconstructions of pelvic organs to visualise the 3D distribution of PAN and the positional relationships between nerves and their related organs.

Conclusion

The pelvic autonomic nerves and their related organs can be reconstructed on the basis of MRI to present personalised 3D anatomical information and offer individualised guidance during nerve-sparing radical hysterectomy (NSRH).

Key points

• Nerve-sparing radical hysterectomy is a developing trend in cervical cancer surgery

• MRI allows reconstructions of pelvic autonomic nerves and their related organs

• The 3D reconstructions provide detailed 3D anatomical information on nerves

LGE-CMR-derived texture features reflect poor prognosis in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy patients with systolic dysfunction: preliminary results

Abstract

Objectives

To evaluate the prognostic value of texture features based on late gadolinium enhancement cardiac magnetic resonance (LGE-CMR) images in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) patients with systolic dysfunction.

Methods

67 HCM patients with systolic dysfunction (41 male and 26 female, mean age ± standard deviation, 46.20 years ± 13.38) were enrolled. All patients underwent 1.5 T CMR cine and LGE imaging. Texture features were extracted from LGE images. Cox proportional hazard analysis and Kaplan-Meier analysis were used to determine the association of texture features and traditional parameters with event free survival.

Results

Family history (hazard ratio [HR]=2.558, 95 % confidence interval [CI]=1.060–6.180), NYHA III-IV (HR=5.627, CI=1.652–19.173), left ventricular ejection fraction (HR=0.945, CI=0.902–0.991), left ventricular end-diastolic volume index (HR=1.006, CI=1.000–1.012), LGE extent (HR=1.911, CI=1.348–2.709) and three texture parameters [X0_H_skewness (HR=0.783, CI=0.691–0.889), X0_GLCM_cluster_tendency (HR=0.735, CI=0.616–0.877) and X0_GLRLM_energy (HR=1.344, CI=1.173–1.540)] were significantly associated with event free survival in univariate analysis (p<0.05). The HR of LGE extent (HR=1.548 [CI=1.046–2.293], 1.650 [CI=1.122–2.428] and 1.586 [CI=1.044–2.409] per 10 % increase, p<0.05) remained significant when adjusted by one of the three texture features.

Conclusion

Increased LGE heterogeneity (higher X0_GLRLM_energy, lower X0_H_skewness and lower X0_GLCM_cluster_tendency) was associated with adverse events in HCM patients with systolic dysfunction.

Key Points

• Textural analysis from CMR can be applied in HCM.

• Texture features derived from LGE images can capture fibrosis heterogeneity.

• CMR texture analysis provides prognostic information in HCM patients.

Stereotactically navigated percutaneous microwave ablation (MWA) compared to conventional MWA: a matched pair analysis

Abstract

Purpose

To compare CT-navigated stereotactic microwave ablation (SMWA) to non-navigated conventional MWA (CMWA) for percutaneous ablation of liver malignancies.

Methods

A matched pair analysis of 36 patients who underwent MWA of primary or secondary liver malignancies (10 hepatocellular carcinoma and 8 metastases) was conducted. A total of 18 patients undergoing SMWA were included in this prospective study. Patients were matched in terms of tumor size, liver segment and entity to retrospective CMWA procedures. The endpoints were procedure time, accuracy of needle placement, technical success rate, complication rate and dose-length product (DLP).

Results

The procedure durations were 23.9 min (SD 3.7) for CMWA and 21.8 min (SD 16.3) for SMWA (p = 0.22). The procedural accuracy for SMWA and CMWA was identical for both groups (3.7 mm). The total DLP was significantly lower for SMWA than for CMWA (2115 mGy cm (SD 276) vs. 3109 mGy cm (SD 1137), respectively; p < 0.01). Complete ablation without residual tumor was observed in 94% (17 of 18) of SMWA and in 83% (15 of 18) of CMWA patients (p = 0.31). No complications occurred.

Conclusions

SMWA is highly accurate and reduces the radiation dose without increasing the procedure time.