Core knowledge and its role in explaining uniquely human cognition: Some questions.

Questions can be raised about the central status that evolutionarily ancient core knowledge systems are given in Spelke's otherwise very compelling theory. So, the existence of domain-general learning capacities has to be admitted, too, and no clear reason is provided to doubt the existence of uniquely human cognitive adaptations. All of these factors should be acknowledged when explaining human thought.

Three Ways to (Pseudo)cubic Structure Models: Phase Transition and Pseudosymmetry in Orthorhombic CsMO ( = V, Nb, or Ta).

The new oxometalates CsNbO and CsTaO together with CsVO crystallize with the KNO structure type [, = 12.495(2) Å, = 9.0183(14) Å, and = 6.

Observation of ultrafast interfacial Meitner-Auger energy transfer in a Van der Waals heterostructure.

Atomically thin layered van der Waals heterostructures feature exotic and emergent optoelectronic properties. With growing interest in these novel quantum materials, the microscopic understanding of fundamental interfacial coupling mechanisms is of capital importance. Here, using multidimensional photoemission spectroscopy, we provide a layer- and momentum-resolved view on ultrafast interlayer electron and energy transfer in a monolayer-WSe/graphene heterostructure.

The evolutionary foundations of resource-rational analysis.

Resource-rational analysis would profit from being integrated more explicitly with an evolutionary psychological perspective. In particular, by taking more strongly into consideration the fact that efficiency considerations are a key driver of the evolution of human and animal minds, it becomes clearer: (1) why it is reasonable to assume that cognitive mechanisms trade-off accuracy against effort, (2) how this trade-off occurs, and (3) how to overcome some of the challenges of resource-rational analysis.

Electrical Transport Signature of the Magnetic Fluctuation-Structure Relation in α-RuCl Nanoflakes.

The small gap semiconductor α-RuCl has emerged as a promising candidate for quantum spin liquid materials. Thus far, Raman spectroscopy, neutron scattering, and magnetization measurements have provided valuable hints for collective spin behavior in α-RuCl bulk crystals. However, the goal of implementing α-RuCl into spintronic devices would strongly benefit from the possibility of electrically probing these phenomena.

Externalization of moral demands does not motivate exclusion of non-cooperators: A defense of a subjectivist moral psychology.

It is not clear how a moral demand alone can motivate an agent to exclude those who fail to act as the demand states. A more plausible hypothesis for the evolution of human moral cognition is based on seeing moral demands as subjective, but inherently conjunctive. This subjectivist-conjunctive proposal can still account for the apparent externalization of moral demands.

Structural and Magnetic Properties of the Trirutile-type 1D-Heisenberg Anti-Ferromagnet CuTaO.

We prepared trirutile-type polycrystalline samples of CuTaO by low-temperature decomposition of a Cu-Ta-oxalate precursor. Diffraction studies at room temperature identified a slight monoclinic distortion of the hitherto surmised tetragonal trirutile crystal structure. Detailed high-temperature X-ray and neutron powder diffraction investigations as well as Raman scattering spectroscopy revealed a structural phase transition at 503(3) K from the monoclinic structure to the tetragonal trirutile structure.

Altruism, egoism, or neither: A cognitive-efficiency-based evolutionary biological perspective on helping behavior.

I argue for differences in the cognitive efficiency of different psychologies underlying helping behavior, and present an account of the adaptive pressures that result from these differences. Specifically, I argue that organisms often face pressure to move away from only being egoistically motivated to help: non-egoistic organisms are often able to determine how to help other organisms more quickly and with less recourse to costly cognitive resources like concentration and attention. Furthermore, I also argue that, while these pressures away from pure egoism can lead to the evolution of altruists, they can also lead to the evolution of reciprocation-focused behaviorist helpers or even of reflex-driven helpers (who are neither altruists nor egoists).

Exaptation, adaptation, and evolutionary psychology.

One of the most well known methodological criticisms of evolutionary psychology is Gould's claim that the program pays too much attention to adaptations, and not enough to exaptations. Almost as well known is the standard rebuttal of that criticism: namely, that the study of exaptations in fact depends on the study of adaptations. However, as I try to show in this paper, it is premature to think that this is where this debate ends.

The benefits of rule following: A new account of the evolution of desires.

A key component of much current research in behavioral ecology, cognitive science, and economics is a model of the mind at least partly based on beliefs and desires. However, despite this prevalence, there are still many open questions concerning both the structure and the applicability of this model. This is especially so when it comes to its 'desire' part: in particular, it is not yet entirely clear when and why we should expect organisms to be desire-based-understood so as to imply that they consult explicit tokenings of what they ought to do-as opposed to being drive-based-understood so as to imply that they react to the world using behavioral reflexes.

It takes two: sexual strategies and game theory.

David Buss's Sexual Strategies Theory is one of the major evolutionary psychological research programmes, but, as I try to show in this paper, its theoretical and empirical foundations cannot yet be seen to be fully compelling. This lack of cogency comes about due to Buss's failure to attend to the interactive nature of his subject matter, which leads him to overlook two classic and well known issues of game theoretic and evolutionary biological analysis. Firstly, Buss pays insufficient attention to the fact that, since mate choice is a cooperative decision, what is adaptive for the two sexes individually is irrelevant to the evolutionary explanation of our sexual strategies; instead, all that matters is what is adaptive given the choices made by the other sex.

Defect structure in lithium-doped polymer-derived SiCN ceramics characterized by Raman and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy.

Lithium-doped polymer-derived silicon carbonitride ceramics (SiCN:Li) synthesized at various pyrolysis temperatures, have been investigated by means of multifrequency and multipulse electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and Raman spectroscopy in order to determine different defect states that may impact the materials electronic properties. In particular, carbon- and silicon-based 'dangling bonds' at elevated, as well as metallic networks containing Li0 in the order of 1 microm at low pyrolysis temperatures have been observed in concentrations ranging between 10(14) and 10(17) spins mg(-1).

Successful treatment of severe thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura with the monoclonal antibody rituximab.

The only established treatment for patients with thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) is plasma exchange against fresh frozen plasma. For cases refractory to plasma exchange, no generally treatment schedule exists. One option is immunosuppressive therapy with corticosteroids and vincristine.