Hello Barbie: First They Will Monitor You, Then They Will Discriminate Against You. Perfectly.

This Article argues that the evolution of software—and the looming age of the “Internet of Things”—will allow manufacturers to make use of consumer monitoring technologies and restrictive software licenses to price discriminate more perfectly. First, the increasing communication between software and its producers gives more opportunities to monitor consumer behavior and characteristics. Second, attaching restrictive copyright licenses to software—and to goods containing software—enables producers to restrict use and resale of their products. By combining monitoring and restrictive licensing, producers will have increasingly better ability and opportunities to price discriminate among their consumers. This Article explains that increased monitoring and price discrimination will not always happen because, in some cases, it will be against the manufacturers’ financial interests. But in other cases, manufacturers will indeed restrict use of products to facilitate price discrimination. The Article argues that the low marginal cost of distribution of software makes it more likely that price discrimination of software-enabled goods will be welfare enhancing and will result in cross-subsidization from rich to poor so that poor consumers can get more products for lower prices. The Article also demonstrates that the traditional policy reasons to disallow restraints on personal property do not apply to software-enabled devices. We conclude that rather than discouraging the use of restrictive software licenses, the law should adapt to better facilitate such licenses and the more perfect price discrimination that goes with them

A Sustainable Music Industry for the 21st Century

This essay argues that the current system of music licensing must be completely overhauled. At this time, songwriters are paid a mere pittance when their work is played through Internet streaming services. The paper traces the evolution of compulsory licensing from the early 20th century, when Congress put this system in place due to concerns over the monopolization of the player piano industry, to today. This essay shows how the separation between copyrights for compositions as opposed to public performances contributed to blanket licensing through royalty-collecting organizations like ASCAP and BMI, which — together with government intervention into pricing based on antitrust concerns via consent decrees — has led to an inflexible and tightly controlled market in this context. Last, the essay demonstrates how the focus on classifying streaming services like Pandora based simply on whether they are interactive or not relies on a misunderstanding of the substitution effects and hence decline in music sales that Pandora creates. Eliminating compulsory licenses would allow individual songwriters to set their own prices and negotiate with streaming services, including in ways that would allow for price differentiation grounded in factors such as song popularity. Giving songwriters the same control that copyright owners outside the music context already possess will ensure songwriters\u27 ability to continue providing the public with the works it loves

Synthesis and photochemical study of a new norbornadiene-derivative with potential as a molecular system for the storage of solar-thermal energy

Norbornadiene derivatives (NBD) have recently emerged as a promising alternative in the development of molecular systems for the storage of solar-thermal energy (MOST). In these systems, the energy is stored in the form of chemical bonds by photoisomerization reactions, and the stored energy can be released on demand in the form of heat. In this contribution, we present results regarding the photochemical behavior of a new NBD, i.e., 2-cyano-3-((4 (diethylamino)phenyl)ethinyl)norbornadiene (NBD1). This compound contains an electron-withdrawing group (CN), and an electron-donor group (ethinyl-derivative) in one of the double bonds of the bicycle-ring. As a consequence, a conjugated push-pull system was obtained, with led to an absorption band peaked at the visible region. The irradiation of NBD1 in toluene solution promotes the formation of the quadricyclane isomer, for which a maximum at about 310 nm was detected. Photoconversion seems to proceed almost quantitatively after ca. 30 minutes of irradiation.Agencia Nacional de Investigación e Innovació

Mercury in fishes from Augusta Bay (southern Italy): Risk assessment and health implication

Our study reports on the total mercury (HgT) concentrations measured in the muscles and livers of several benthic, demersal and pelagic fish species caught inside and outside of Augusta Bay (southern Italy), a semi-enclosed marine area, highly contaminated by the uncontrolled (since the 1950s to 1978s) discharge of the largest European petrochemical plant. Mercury levels in fish tissues are discussed with regard to specific habitat, size and/or age of the specimens and HgT distribution in the bottom sediments. Results suggest a still active Hg release mechanism from the polluted sediments to the marine environment. Also, the high HgT concentrations measured in fishes caught in the external area of the bay imply a potential role of Augusta Bay as a pollutant source for the Mediterranean ecosystem. Finally, values of hazard target quotient (THQ) and estimated weekly intake (EWI) demonstrate that consumption of fishes caught inside the bay represents a serious risk for human health. Also, data indicate that intake of fishes caught from the external area of the bay, especially for that concern demersal and benthic species, could be represent a significant component of risk for the local population

The lineage-specific, intrinsically disordered N-terminal extension of monothiol glutaredoxin 1 from trypanosomes contains a regulatory region

Glutaredoxins (Grx) are small proteins conserved throughout all the kingdoms of life that are engaged in a wide variety of biological processes and share a common thioredoxin-fold. Among them, class II Grx are redox-inactive proteins involved in iron-sulfur (FeS) metabolism. They contain a single thiol group in their active site and use low molecular mass thiols such as glutathione as ligand for binding FeS-clusters. In this study, we investigated molecular aspects of 1CGrx1 from the pathogenic parasite Trypanosoma brucei brucei, a mitochondrial class II Grx that fulfills an indispensable role in vivo. Mitochondrial 1CGrx1 from trypanosomes differs from orthologues in several features including the presence of a parasite-specific N-terminal extension (NTE) whose role has yet to be elucidated. Previously we have solved the structure of a truncated form of 1CGrx1 containing only the conserved glutaredoxin domain but lacking the NTE. Our aim here is to investigate the effect of the NTE on the conformation of the protein. We therefore solved the NMR structure of the full-length protein, which reveals subtle but significant differences with the structure of the NTE-less form. By means of different experimental approaches, the NTE proved to be intrinsically disordered and not involved in the non-redox dependent protein dimerization, as previously suggested. Interestingly, the portion comprising residues 65–76 of the NTE modulates the conformational dynamics of the glutathione-binding pocket, which may play a role in iron-sulfur cluster assembly and delivery. Furthermore, we disclosed that the class II-strictly conserved loop that precedes the active site is critical for stabilizing the protein structure. So far, this represents the first communication of a Grx containing an intrinsically disordered region that defines a new protein subgroup within class II Grx

Saúde Física e Mental dos professores: Uma investigação nas Escolas Públicas Estaduais de Pernambuco – Brasil / Physical and Mental Health of Teachers: An Investigation in the State Public Schools of Pernambuco – Brazil

Na realidade das escolas públicas do Brasil, os professores estão sujeitos a ambientes de trabalho com infraestrutura inadequada e excesso de carga de trabalho, o que gera um desgaste na saúde física e mental dos docentes. Diante desta situação, o presente trabalho teve como objetivo identificar as principais doenças e desgaste da saúde física e/ou mental que atingem os professores das escolas públicas estaduais do município de Jaboatão dos Guararapes - Brasil. A metodologia utilizada abrangeu a aplicação de um questionário à 135 docentes e coleta de dados junto ao Núcleo de Atenção ao Servidor - NAS e Secretaria de Educação do estado. Tais informações foram analisados e comparados. Através dos dados obtidos a partir do questionário, foi constatado que os problemas de saúde vocal são os que afetam o maior número de professores, seguido de doenças físicas e psíquicas. Entre os professores entrevistados, 51% já sofreu/sofre algum tipo de doença adquirida no trabalho. Entre estes, 24% dos precisaram ser afastados de suas atividades laborais e 60% tiveram a doença controlada. Além disso, apenas 23,5% dos docentes, que adquiriram doenças do trabalho, registraram junto ao NAS o que demonstra uma subnotificação na base de dados. Com base nos resultados obtidos, foram propostas recomendações para controle dos riscos identificados. Espera-se que os resultados apresentados alertem para a necessidade de um maior acompanhamento da saúde dos docentes, proporcionando ações com o objetivo de minimizar ou controlar esses efeitos prejudiciais

Epidemiology and pattern of resistance of gram-negative bacteria isolated from blood samples in hospitalized patients: A single center retrospective analysis from southern italy

Background: Blood culturing remains the mainstream tool to inform an appropriate treatment in hospital-acquired bloodstream infections and to diagnose any bacteremia. Methods: A retrospective investigation on the prevalence of Gram-negative bacteria (GNB) and their resistance in hospitalized patients by age, sex, and units from blood cultures (BCs) was conducted from January 2018 to April 2020 at Sant’Elia hospital, Caltanissetta, southern Italy. We divided the patient age range into four equal intervals. Results: Multivariate demographic and microbiological variables did not show an association between bacteria distributions and gender and age. The distribution by units showed a higher prevalence of Klebsiella pneumoniae and Acinetobacter baumannii in the intensive care unit (ICU) and Escherichia coli in the non-intensive care units (non-ICUs). The analysis of antibiotic resistance showed that E. coli was susceptible to a large class of antibiotics such as carbapenem and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. K. pneumoniae showed a significant susceptibility to colistin, tigecycline, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. From the survival analysis, patients with E. coli had a higher survival rate. Conclusions: The authors stress the importance of the implementation of large community-level programs to prevent E. coli bacteremia. K. pneumoniae and E. coli susceptibility patterns to antibiotics, including in the prescription patterns of general practitioners, suggest that the local surveillance and implementation of educational programs remain essential measures to slow down the spread of resistance and, consequently, increase the antibiotic lifespan

Optimised patient information materials and recruitment to a study of behavioural activation in older adults : an embedded study within a trial [version 1; peer review: awaiting peer review]

YesPrinted participant information about randomised controlled trials is often long, technical and difficult to navigate. Improving information materials is possible through optimisation and user-testing, and may impact on participant understanding and rates of recruitment. Methods: A study within a trial (SWAT) was undertaken within the CASPER trial. Potential CASPER participants were randomised to receive either the standard trial information or revised information that had been optimised through information design and user testing. Results: A total of 11,531 patients were randomised in the SWAT. Rates of recruitment to the CASPER trial were 2.0% in the optimised information group and 1.9% in the standard information group (odds ratio 1.027; 95% CI 0.79 to 1.33; p=0.202). Conclusions: Participant information that had been optimised through information design and user testing did not result in any change to rate of recruitment to the host trial. Registration: ISRCTN ID ISRCTN02202951; registered on 3 June 2009.UK National Institute of Health Research Health Technology Assessment Programme (project number 08/19/04)This article is included in the Studies Within A Trial (SWAT) collection (https://f1000research.com/collections/swat

Structural variability of E. coli thioredoxin captured in the crystal structures of single-point mutants

Thioredoxin is a ubiquitous small protein that catalyzes redox reactions of protein thiols. Additionally, thioredoxin from E. coli (EcTRX) is a widely-used model for structure-function studies. In a previous paper, we characterized several single-point mutants of the C-terminal helix (CTH) that alter global stability of EcTRX. However, spectroscopic signatures and enzymatic activity for some of these mutants were found essentially unaffected. A comprehensive structural characterization at the atomic level of these near-invariant mutants can provide detailed information about structural variability of EcTRX. We address this point through the determination of the crystal structures of four point-mutants, whose mutations occurs within or near the CTH, namely L94A, E101G, N106A and L107A. These structures are mostly unaffected compared with the wild-type variant. Notably, the E101G mutant presents a large region with two alternative traces for the backbone of the same chain. It represents a significant shift in backbone positions. Enzymatic activity measurements and conformational dynamics studies monitored by NMR and molecular dynamic simulations show that E101G mutation results in a small effect in the structural features of the protein. We hypothesize that these alternative conformations represent samples of the native-state ensemble of EcTRX, specifically the magnitude and location of conformational heterogeneity

Planning for Sustainability in Small Municipalities: The Influence of Interest Groups, Growth Patterns, and Institutional Characteristics

How and why small municipalities promote sustainability through planning efforts is poorly understood. We analyzed ordinances in 451 Maine municipalities and tested theories of policy adoption using regression analysis.We found that smaller communities do adopt programs that contribute to sustainability relevant to their scale and context. In line with the political market theory, we found that municipalities with strong environmental interests, higher growth, and more formal governments were more likely to adopt these policies. Consideration of context and capacity in planning for sustainability will help planners better identify and benefit from collaboration, training, and outreach opportunities