Not Aesopian Enough: A Chinese Publishing Fable

In April 2008, Ma Wanli, a professor of American history at Nanchang Hangkong University in Nanchang, China, emailed me to introduce himself as the translator of the Chinese version of my U.S. best seller, Lies My Teacher Told Me. He also invited me to write a preface for this new edition. I agreed

Teel territoriaalse sidususe poole? Kesk- ja Ida-Euroopa regionaalpoliitikate rajasõltuvus ja uuenemine

Väitekirja elektrooniline versioon ei sisalda publikatsiooneSee uuring vastab vajadusele mõista paremini regionaalarengu poliitilist ja institutsioonilist mõõdet Kesk- ja Ida-Euroopa (KIE) piirkondade suurenenud polariseerumise ja perifeerumise suunas. ELi regionaalpoliitika on suunanud investeeringud Euroopa mahajäänud piirkondadesse eesmärgiga edendada mitmetasandilist tasakaalustatud arengut, millest paljud riigid asuvad KIE riikides. ELi regionaalpoliitika käsitlustes on pööratud palju tähelepanu sisulisele poolele, kuid märgatavalt vähem on uuritud selle mõju KIE riikide institutsionaalsele arengule pärast ELiga liitumist. Võttes aluseks rajasõltuvuse mõiste ja ajaloolis- ja diskursiivne-institutsionaalne käsitlust, analüüsib käesolev uurimus muutusi ELi regionaalpoliitikas ja riikide institutsioonides, kasutades võrdlevat meetodit Tšehhi, Eesti ja Ungari näidete analüüsiks. Empiiriline analüüs heitis valgust erisustele riikliku regionaalpoliitika ja institutsionaalse arengu osas nii üleminekuperioodil ning samuti enne ja pärast ELga liitumist. Selles valguses võimaldab ajaloolis-institutsionaalne lähenemine analüüsida KIE riikides toimunud institutsionaalsete muutuste erinevaid mehhanisme nagu need hõlmavad seoseid sündmuste järjekorras ning reaktsioone ja tagasilööke Tšehhis ja Eestis ning institutsionaalset kihistumist Ungaris. Tulemused näitavad, et üleminekuperioodil ja ühinemiseelsel perioodil levis detsentraliseerimine ja / või piirkondadeks jaotamine, kuid peale ELga ühinemist toimus tsentraliseerimine. Lisaks võib tsentraliseerimist seostada institutsionaalse stabiilsuse ja suutlikkusega Tšehhis ja Eestis erinevalt Ungaris. ELi regionaalpoliitika raames aset leidnud tsentraliseerimine lükkab ümber detsentraliseerimise teoreetilised postulaadid ja ELi põhimõtted. Seepärast regionaalse ebavõrdsuse perspektiivist ei saa vaatlusaluste riikide näidete põhjal väita, et institutsionaalsed muutused aitasid pikas perspektiivis olukorra paranemisele kaasa. EL regionaalpoliitika reformid peaksid pöörama rohkem tähelepanu soovimatutele tulemustele, mis mõjutab institutsioone.This research addresses the need for greater understanding of the political-institutional dimension of regional development amidst growing regional polarization and peripheralization in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). With an aim to promote multi-scalar balanced development, EU Regional Policy has directed investment into Europe’s lagging regions, many of which are located in CEE. While ample attention has been directed to the policy content in the Regional Policy discourse, less attention has been paid to institutional development in CEE countries since their accession. Using the concept of path dependence and historical and discursive institutionalist approaches, the transformations of Regional Policy and its related national institutions are investigated through a comparative study of Czechia, Estonia and Hungary. The empirical studies shed light on variations in domestic regional policy and institutional development in the transition, pre-accession and post-accession periods and enable reflection on different mechanisms of institutional transformation such as event sequencing and reactions and backlashes in Czechia and Estonia and institutional layering in Hungary. The results show that decentralization and/or regionalization were prevalent in the transition and pre-accession periods, but centralization occurred across the case countries after accession. Furthermore, centralization can be associated with institutional stability and capacity in Czechia and Estonia but the opposite in Hungary. Centralization of Regional Policy contradicts the literature on decentralization and regional inequalities and political principles of the EU. Accordingly, it can hardly be said that the emergent political-institutional arrangements supported an improvement in regional inequalities over the long term, and Regional Policy reforms should pay closer attention to the unintended effects of policy on institutional arrangements

A pendant proton shuttle on [Fe4N(CO)12]- alters product selectivity in formate vs. H2 production via the hydride [H-Fe4N(CO)12].

Proton relays are known to increase reaction rates for H2 evolution and lower overpotentials in electrocatalytic reactions. In this report we describe two electrocatalysts, [Fe4N(CO)11(PPh3)]- (1-) which has no proton relay, and hydroxyl-containing [Fe4N(CO)11(Ph2P(CH2)2OH)]- (2-). Solid state structures indicate that these phosphine-substituted clusters are direct analogs of [Fe4N(CO)12]- where one CO ligand has been replaced by a phosphine. We show that the proton relay changes the selectivity of reactions: CO2 is reduced selectively to formate by 1- in the absence of a relay, and protons are reduced to H2 under a CO2 atmosphere by 2-. These results implicate a hydride intermediate in the mechanism of the reactions and demonstrate the importance of controlling proton delivery to control product selectivity. Thermochemical measurements performed using infrared spectroelectrochemistry provided pKa and hydricity values for [HFe4N(CO)11(PPh3)]-, which are 23.7, and 45.5 kcal mol-1, respectively. The pKa of the hydroxyl group in 2- was determined to fall between 29 and 41, and this suggests that the proximity of the proton relay to the active catalytic site plays a significant role in the product selectivity observed, since the acidity alone does not account for the observed results. More generally, this work emphasizes the importance of substrate delivery kinetics in determining the selectivity of CO2 reduction reactions that proceed through metal-hydride intermediates

Peak oxygen consumption and long-term all-cause mortality in nonsmall cell lung cancer

Identifying strong markers of prognosis is critical to optimize treatment and survival outcomes in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We investigated the prognostic significance of preoperative cardiorespiratory fitness (VO2peak) among operable candidates with NSCLC

Advanced EFL learners' beliefs about language learning and teaching: a comparison between grammar, pronunciation, and vocabulary

This paper reports on the results of a study exploring learners’ beliefs on the learning and teaching of English grammar, pronunciation and vocabulary at tertiary level. While the importance of learners’ beliefs on the acquisition process is generally recognized, few studies have focussed on and compared learners’ views on different components of the language system. A questionnaire containing semantic scale and Likert scale items probing learners’ views on grammar, pronunciation and vocabulary was designed and completed by 117 native speakers of Dutch in Flanders, who were studying English at university. The analysis of the responses revealed that (i) vocabulary was considered to be different from grammar and pronunciation, both in the extent to which an incorrect use could lead to communication breakdown and with respect to the learners’ language learning strategies, (ii) learners believed in the feasibility of achieving a native-like proficiency in all three components, and (iii) in-class grammar, pronunciation and vocabulary exercises were considered to be useful, even at tertiary level. The results are discussed in light of pedagogical approaches to language teaching

The Maunakea Spectroscopic Explorer Book 2018

(Abridged) This is the Maunakea Spectroscopic Explorer 2018 book. It is intended as a concise reference guide to all aspects of the scientific and technical design of MSE, for the international astronomy and engineering communities, and related agencies. The current version is a status report of MSE's science goals and their practical implementation, following the System Conceptual Design Review, held in January 2018. MSE is a planned 10-m class, wide-field, optical and near-infrared facility, designed to enable transformative science, while filling a critical missing gap in the emerging international network of large-scale astronomical facilities. MSE is completely dedicated to multi-object spectroscopy of samples of between thousands and millions of astrophysical objects. It will lead the world in this arena, due to its unique design capabilities: it will boast a large (11.25 m) aperture and wide (1.52 sq. degree) field of view; it will have the capabilities to observe at a wide range of spectral resolutions, from R2500 to R40,000, with massive multiplexing (4332 spectra per exposure, with all spectral resolutions available at all times), and an on-target observing efficiency of more than 80%. MSE will unveil the composition and dynamics of the faint Universe and is designed to excel at precision studies of faint astrophysical phenomena. It will also provide critical follow-up for multi-wavelength imaging surveys, such as those of the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope, Gaia, Euclid, the Wide Field Infrared Survey Telescope, the Square Kilometre Array, and the Next Generation Very Large Array.Comment: 5 chapters, 160 pages, 107 figure

Apelin Is Required for Non-Neovascular Remodeling in the Retina

Retinal pathologies are frequently accompanied by retinal vascular responses, including the formation of new vessels by angiogenesis (neovascularization). Pathological vascular changes may also include less well characterized traits of vascular remodeling that are non-neovascular, such as vessel pruning and the emergence of dilated and tortuous vessel phenotypes (telangiectasis). The molecular mechanisms underlying neovascular growth versus non-neovascular remodeling are poorly understood. We therefore undertook to identify novel regulators of non-neovascular remodeling in the retina by using the dystrophic Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) rat and the retinal dystrophy 1 (RD1) mouse, both of which display pronounced non-neovascular remodeling. Gene expression profiling of isolated retinal vessels from these mutant rodent models and wild-type controls revealed 60 differentially expressed genes. These included the genes for apelin (Apln) and for its receptor (Aplnr), both of which were strongly up-regulated in the mutants. Crossing RD1 mice into an Apln-null background substantially reduced vascular telangiectasia. In contrast, Apln gene deletion had no effect in two models of neovascular pathology [laser-induced choroidal neovascularization and the very low density lipoprotein receptor (Vldlr)-knockout mouse]. These findings suggest that in these models apelin has minimal effect on sprouting retinal angiogenesis, but contributes significantly to pathogenic non-neovascular remodeling

Potentiating antibacterial activity by predictably enhancing endogenous microbial ROS production

The ever-increasing incidence of antibiotic-resistant infections combined with a weak pipeline of new antibiotics has created a global public health crisis1. Accordingly, novel strategies for enhancing our antibiotic arsenal are needed. As antibiotics kill bacteria in part by inducing reactive oxygen species (ROS)2–4, we reasoned that targeting microbial ROS production might potentiate antibiotic activity. Here we show that ROS production can be predictably enhanced in Escherichia coli, increasing the bacteria’s susceptibility to oxidative attack. We developed an ensemble, genome-scale metabolic modeling approach capable of predicting ROS production in E. coli. The metabolic network was systematically perturbed and its flux distribution analyzed to identify targets predicted to increase ROS production. In silico–predicted targets were experimentally validated and shown to confer increased susceptibility to oxidants. Validated targets also increased susceptibility to killing by antibiotics. This work establishes a systems-based method to tune ROS production in bacteria and demonstrates that increased microbial ROS production can potentiate killing by oxidants and antibiotics