Trajectories to reconcile sharing and commercialization in the maker movement

Maker technologies, including collaborative digital fabrication tools like 3-D printers, enable entrepreneurial opportunities and new business models. To date, relatively few highly successful maker startups have emerged, possibly due to the dominant mindset of the makers being one of cooperation and sharing. However, makers also strive for financial stability and many have profit motives. We use a multiple case study approach to explore makers' experiences regarding the tension between sharing and commercialization and their ways of dealing with it. We conducted interviews with maker initiatives across Europe including Fab Labs, a maker REtD center, and other networks of makers. We unpack and contextualize the concepts of sharing and commercialization. Our cross-case analysis leads to a new framework for understanding these entrepreneurs' position with respect to common good versus commercial offerings. Using the framework, we describe archetypal trajectories that maker initiatives go through in the dynamic transition from makers to social enterprises and social entrepreneurs. (C) 2017 Kelley School of Business, Indiana University. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved

The structure of TTHA0988 from Thermus thermophilus, a KipI-KipA homologue incorrectly annotated as allophanate hydrolase

The Thermus thermophilus protein TTHA0988 is a protein of unknown function which represents a fusion of two proteins found almost ubiquitously across the bacterial kingdom. These two proteins perform a role regulating sporulation in Bacillus subtilis, where they are known as KipI and KipA. kipI and kipA genes are usually found immediately adjacent to each other and are often fused to produce a single polypeptide, as is the case with TTHA0988. Here, three crystal forms are reported of TTHA0988, the first structure to be solved from the family of `KipI-KipA fusion' proteins. Comparison of the three forms reveals structural flexibility which can be described as a hinge motion between the `KipI' and `KipA' components. TTHA0988 is annotated in various databases as a putative allophanate hydrolase. However, no such activity could be identified and genetic analysis across species with known allophanate hydrolases indicates that a misannotation has occurred. © 2011, Wiley-Blackwell. The definitive version is available at www3.interscience.wiley.co

Assessing the Gene Content of the Megagenome: Sugar Pine (Pinus lambertiana).

Sugar pine (Pinus lambertiana Douglas) is within the subgenus Strobus with an estimated genome size of 31 Gbp. Transcriptomic resources are of particular interest in conifers due to the challenges presented in their megagenomes for gene identification. In this study, we present the first comprehensive survey of the P. lambertiana transcriptome through deep sequencing of a variety of tissue types to generate more than 2.5 billion short reads. Third generation, long reads generated through PacBio Iso-Seq have been included for the first time in conifers to combat the challenges associated with de novo transcriptome assembly. A technology comparison is provided here to contribute to the otherwise scarce comparisons of second and third generation transcriptome sequencing approaches in plant species. In addition, the transcriptome reference was essential for gene model identification and quality assessment in the parallel project responsible for sequencing and assembly of the entire genome. In this study, the transcriptomic data were also used to address questions surrounding lineage-specific Dicer-like proteins in conifers. These proteins play a role in the control of transposable element proliferation and the related genome expansion in conifers

Stereopsis from contrast envelopes

We report two experiments concerning the site of the principal nonlinearity in second-order stereopsis. The first exploits the asymmetry in perceiving transparency with second-order stimuli found by Langley et al. (1998) (Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B, 265, 1837-1845) i.e. the product of a positive-valued contrast envelope and a mean-zero carrier grating can be seen transparently only when the disparities are consistent with the envelope appearing in front of the carrier. We measured the energy at the envelope frequencies that must be added in order to negate this asymmetry. We report that this amplitude can be predicted from the envelope sidebands and not from the magnitude of compressive pre-cortical nonlinearities measured by other researchers. In the second experiment, contrast threshold elevations were measured for the discrimination of envelope disparities following adaptation to sinusoidal gratings. It is reported that perception of the envelope's depth was affected most when the adapting grating was similar (in orientation and frequency) to the carrier, rather than to the contrast envelope. These results suggest that the principal nonlinearity in second-order stereopsis is cortical, occurring after orientation- and frequency-selective linear filtering

The Douglas-Fir Genome Sequence Reveals Specialization of the Photosynthetic Apparatus in Pinaceae.

A reference genome sequence for Pseudotsuga menziesii var. menziesii (Mirb.) Franco (Coastal Douglas-fir) is reported, thus providing a reference sequence for a third genus of the family Pinaceae. The contiguity and quality of the genome assembly far exceeds that of other conifer reference genome sequences (contig N50 = 44,136 bp and scaffold N50 = 340,704 bp). Incremental improvements in sequencing and assembly technologies are in part responsible for the higher quality reference genome, but it may also be due to a slightly lower exact repeat content in Douglas-fir vs. pine and spruce. Comparative genome annotation with angiosperm species reveals gene-family expansion and contraction in Douglas-fir and other conifers which may account for some of the major morphological and physiological differences between the two major plant groups. Notable differences in the size of the NDH-complex gene family and genes underlying the functional basis of shade tolerance/intolerance were observed. This reference genome sequence not only provides an important resource for Douglas-fir breeders and geneticists but also sheds additional light on the evolutionary processes that have led to the divergence of modern angiosperms from the more ancient gymnosperms

Surface orientation, modulation frequency and the detection and perception of depth defined by binocular disparity and motion parallax

Binocular disparity and motion parallax provide information about the spatial structure and layout of the world. Descriptive similarities between the two cues have often been noted which have been taken as evidence of a close relationship between them. Here, we report two experiments which investigate the effect of surface orientation and modulation frequency on (i) a threshold detection task and (ii) a supra-threshold depth-matching task using sinusoidally corrugated surfaces defined by binocular disparity or motion parallax. For low frequency corrugations, an orientation anisotropy was observed in both domains, with sensitivity decreasing as surface orientation was varied from horizontal to vertical. In the depth-matching task, for surfaces defined by binocular disparity the greatest depth was seen for oblique orientations. For surfaces defined by motion parallax, perceived depth was found to increase as surface orientation was varied from horizontal to vertical. In neither case was perceived depth for supra-threshold surfaces related to threshold performance in any simple manner. These results reveal clear differences between the perception of depth from binocular disparity or motion parallax, and between perception at threshold and supra-threshold levels of performance. © 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

The suitability and acceptability of a co-designed prototype psychoeducational activity book for seven- to eleven-year-olds with ADHD

Young people with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) can benefit from psychoeducation interventions. Co-design of these interventions increases engagement and impact. However, there are very few age-appropriate co-designed psychoeducational resources for young people with ADHD. Therefore an activity book prototype (‘ADHD Hero Activity Book’) was co-designed to teach 7–11-year-olds with ADHD about their condition and how to manage it more effectively. This paper describes the initial evaluation of this prototype. Nine parents and eleven children took part across nine online workshops and one phone call. The suitability and acceptability of the activity book prototype was explored, and areas of improvement identified. Sketch notes were taken for respondent validity and engagement purposes. Thematic analysis identified six themes: (1) Visual information; (2) Topic interest and engagement; (3) Importance of relatable content; (4) Importance of activity book interaction and age-appropriate content; (5) Positive aspects of ADHD and (6) The activity book as a communication aid. Improvement suggestions were also provided. Results indicate the activity book is suitable, acceptable and can act as a communication aid between young people and families. Future research may consider the development of versions of the activity book for adolescents with ADHD and young people with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Risk Factors for First Cerebrospinal Fluid Shunt Infection: Findings from a Multi-Center Prospective Cohort Study

ObjectiveTo quantify the extent to which cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) shunt revisions are associated with increased risk of CSF shunt infection, after adjusting for patient factors that may contribute to infection risk.Study designWe used the Hydrocephalus Clinical Research Network registry to assemble a large prospective 6-center cohort of 1036 children undergoing initial CSF shunt placement between April 2008 and January 2012. The primary outcome of interest was first CSF shunt infection. Data for initial CSF shunt placement and all subsequent CSF shunt revisions prior to first CSF shunt infection, where applicable, were obtained. The risk of first infection was estimated using a multivariable Cox proportional hazard model accounting for patient characteristics and CSF shunt revisions, and is reported using hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% CI.ResultsOf the 102 children who developed first infection within 12 months of placement, 33 (32%) followed one or more CSF shunt revisions. Baseline factors independently associated with risk of first infection included: gastrostomy tube (HR 2.0, 95% CI, 1.1, 3.3), age 6-12 months (HR 0.3, 95% CI, 0.1, 0.8), and prior neurosurgery (HR 0.4, 95% CI, 0.2, 0.9). After controlling for baseline factors, infection risk was most significantly associated with the need for revision (1 revision vs none, HR 3.9, 95% CI, 2.2, 6.5; ≥2 revisions, HR 13.0, 95% CI, 6.5, 24.9).ConclusionsThis study quantifies the elevated risk of infection associated with shunt revisions observed in clinical practice. To reduce risk of infection risk, further work should optimize revision procedures

Enantiomer-Specific Binding of Ruthenium(II) Molecular Wires by the Amine Oxidase of Arthrobacter globiformis

The copper amine oxidase from Arthrobacter globiformis (AGAO) is reversibly inhibited by molecular wires comprising a Ru(II) complex head group and an aromatic tail group joined by an alkane linker. The crystal structures of a series of Ru(II)-wire−AGAO complexes differing with respect to the length of the alkane linker have been determined. All wires lie in the AGAO active-site channel, with their aromatic tail group in contact with the trihydroxyphenylalanine quinone (TPQ) cofactor of the enzyme. The TPQ cofactor is consistently in its active (“off-Cu”) conformation, and the side chain of the so-called “gate” residue Tyr296 is consistently in the “gate-open” conformation. Among the wires tested, the most stable complex is produced when the wire has a −(CH_2)_4− linker. In this complex, the Ru(II)(phen)(bpy)_2 head group is level with the protein molecular surface. Crystal structures of AGAO in complex with optically pure forms of the C4 wire show that the linker and head group in the two enantiomers occupy slightly different positions in the active-site channel. Both the Λ and Δ isomers are effective competitive inhibitors of amine oxidation. Remarkably, inhibition by the C4 wire shows a high degree of selectivity for AGAO in comparison with other copper-containing amine oxidases