Particularism and the contingent a priori

Particularism renders the options for a sound moral epistemology few and the prospects dim. One leading approach treats basic knowledge of particular cases as derivable from an a priori moral principle and a posteriori knowledge of the contingent non-moral facts to which the principle applies. Particularists must forgo this approach because it requires principles. Yet a purely a posteriori moral epistemology is also implausible, especially when combined with particularism. Particularists such as Jonathan Dancy are thus led to the view that our basic moral knowledge is a priori knowledge of contingent moral facts. We argue that this epistemology is unsound. While some cases of a priori knowledge of (even deeply) contingent facts may be defensible, they are not sufficient for particularist purposes. Moreover, neither Dancy’s appeal to the distinction between positive and negative dependence nor his discussion of intuitive examples provides sufficient support for this epistemology.     

Diffusion and two-particle correlations

Fluctuation signals of the QCD phase transition in nuclear collisions can be dissipated due to diffusion. Diffusive modes in the standard formulation of relativistic hydrodynamics propagate with infinite speed, violating causality. We develop a causal diffusion equation study the dissipation of net-charge fluctuations. We find that causality restricts the extent to which diffusion can dissipate these fluctuations.     

Ab initio studies of hydrogen desorption from low index magnesium hydride surface

The low index Magnesium hydride surfaces, MgH₂(0 0 1) and MgH₂(1 1 0), have been studied by ab intio Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations. It was found that the MgH₂(1 1 0) surface is more stable than MgH₂(0 0 1) surface, which is in good agreement with the experimental observation. The H₂ desorption barriers vary depending on the crystalline surfaces that are exposed and also the specific H atom sites involved - they are found to be generally high, due to the thermodynamic stability of the MgH₂ system, and are larger for the MgH₂(0 0 1) surface. The pathway for recombinative desorption of one in-plane and one bridging H atom from the MgH₂(1 1 0) surface was found to be the lowest energy barrier amongst those computed (172 KJ/mol) and is in good agreement with the experimental estimates.     

Promoting convergence: The Phi spiral in abduction of mouse corneal behaviors

Why do mouse corneal epithelial cells display spiraling patterns? We want to provide an explanation for this curious phenomenon by applying an idealized problem solving process. Specifically, we applied complementary line‐fitting methods to measure transgenic epithelial reporter expression arrangements displayed on three mature, live enucleated globes to clarify the problem. Two prominent logarithmic curves were discovered, one of which displayed the ? ratio, an indicator of an optimal configuration in phyllotactic systems. We then utilized two different computational approaches to expose our current understanding of the behavior. In one procedure, which involved an isotropic mechanics‐based finite element method, we successfully produced logarithmic spiral curves of maximum shear strain based pathlines but computed dimensions displayed pitch angles of 35° (? spiral is ～17°), which was altered when we fitted the model with published measurements of coarse collagen orientations. We then used model‐based reasoning in context of Peircean abduction to select a working hypothesis. Our work serves as a concise example of applying a scientific habit of mind and illustrates nuances of executing a common method to doing integrative science. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Complexity 20: 22–38, 2015     

Cooperative effects of hydrogen,halogen and beryllium bonds on model halogen-bonded FCl … YZ (YZ = BF,CO, N2) complexes in FX′ … FCl … YZ trimers (FX′ = FH,FCl, F2Be)

A computational study of model halogen-bonded FCl?…?YZ dimers and FX′?…?FCl?…?YZ (FX′ = FH, FCl, F₂Be; YZ = BF, CO, N₂) trimers was undertaken at the MP2/6-311++G (2d, 2p) level of theory. Three different trimer arrangements are possible and the cooperative effect of hydrogen-, halogen- and beryllium-bonding in each of these trimers was assessed relative to the FCl?…?YZ dimer. It was found that the beryllium bond has the largest cooperative effect, while the halogen bond has the smallest, with the hydrogen bond being intermediate between the other two interactions. Interesting trends in selected properties were identified and discussed.     

Reaction of barbituric acid with organic azides and phosphonium ylides

Amination by organic azides has been carried out to provide aminobarbiturates by fusion of a triazole ring to the 5,6-positions of barbituric acid followed by cleavage and thermal elimination of nitrogen, whereas aza-Wittig reaction gave phosphoranylidene barbituric acid salts.      

Control of Stereoselectivity in Diverse Hapalindole Metabolites is Mediated by Cofactor‐Induced Combinatorial Pairing of Stig Cyclases

Stereospecific polycyclic core formation of hapalindoles and fischerindoles is controlled by Stig cyclases through a three‐step cascade involving Cope rearrangement, 6‐exo‐trig cyclization, and a final electrophilic aromatic substitution. Reported here is a comprehensive study of all currently annotated Stig cyclases, revealing that these proteins can assemble into heteromeric complexes, induced by Ca²⁺, to cooperatively control the stereochemistry of hapalindole natural products.     

Differential Cross Sections and Collision-Induced Rotational Alignment in Inelastic Scattering of NO(X) by Xe

Fully \begin{document}$ \Lambda $\end{document}-doublet resolved differential cross sections and collision-induced rotational alignment moments have been measured for the NO(X)–Xe collision system at a collision energy of 519 cm\begin{document}$ ^{-1} $\end{document}. The experiments combine initial quantum state selection, employing a hexapole inhomogeneous electric field, with quantum state resolved detection, using (1+1\begin{document}$ ' $\end{document}) resonantly enhanced multiphoton ionization and velocity map ion imaging. The differential cross sections and polarization dependent differential cross sections are shown to agree well with quantum mechanical scattering calculations performed on ab initio potential energy surfaces [J. K?os et al. J. Chem. Phys. 137 , 014312 (2012)]. By comparison with quasi-classical trajectory calculations, quantum mechanical scattering calculations on a hard-shell potential, and kinematic apse model calculations, the effects of the attractive part of the potential on the measured differential cross sections and collision-induced rotational alignment moments are assessed.     

Control of Stereoselectivity in Diverse Hapalindole Metabolites is Mediated by Cofactor-Induced Combinatorial Pairing of Stig Cyclases

Stereospecific polycyclic core formation of hapalindoles and fischerindoles is controlled by Stig cyclases through a three-step cascade involving Cope rearrangement, 6-exo-trig cyclization, and a final electrophilic aromatic substitution. Reported here is a comprehensive study of all currently annotated Stig cyclases, revealing that these proteins can assemble into heteromeric complexes, induced by Ca²⁺, to cooperatively control the stereochemistry of hapalindole natural products.     

Total Synthesis of Malacidin A by β-Hydroxyaspartic Acid Ligation-Mediated Cyclization and Absolute Structure Establishment

The development of novel antibiotics is critical to combating the growing emergence of drug-resistant pathogens. Malacidin A is a new member of the calcium-dependent antibiotic (CDAs) family with activity against antibiotic-resistant pathogens. Its mode of action is distinct from classical CDAs. However, the absolute structure of malacidin A has not been established. Herein, the total syntheses of malacidin A and its analogues are reported by a combination of Fmoc-based solid-phase peptide synthesis (SPPS) and β-hydroxyaspartic acid ligation-mediated peptide cyclization. The total synthesis enabled us to establish the absolute configuration of malacidin A, which is in agreement with those for natural malacidin A confirmed by advanced Marfey's analysis in our study.