Marginal Influence Research Articles

Behaviour of stainless steel bolts after exposure to elevated temperatures

This paper presents experimental results of residual material properties of stainless steel bolts (austenitic grades A2–70 and A4–70) after exposure to elevated temperatures. Effects of temperature (20–900°C) and cooling method (cooling in air and cooling in water) on the mechanical properties (i.e., Young's modulus, yield stress, ultimate strength, ultimate strain and strain hardening exponent) of the two types of bolts are investigated. The residual properties of the stainless steel bolts are also compared with those of structural austenitic stainless steel and conventional high-strength structural bolts made of carbon steel. It was found that the exposure to elevated temperature only had a marginal influence on the residual behaviour of stainless steel bolts, which is consistent with the observation for structural austenitic stainless steel. In general, stainless steel bolts have superior post-fire performance compared with conventional carbon steel bolts. Based on the test data, an existing model proposed earlier for structural austenitic stainless steel was modified to predict stress-strain curves of stainless steel bolts after exposure to elevated temperatures.

Tolerance of citrus rootstocks to poor water quality is improved by root zone aeration via selective uptake of ions, higher photosynthesis and carbon storage

The effects of root zone aeration and irrigation water quality (WQ) were studied in two rootstocks with contrasting tolerances to abiotic stress. We hypothesized that the main influence of TWW is that of its salinity (especially Na and K and their ratios), that the organic load and its BOD have a marginal influence and that aeration facilitates selectivity of roots and/or leaves and therefore improves plant performance. The factorial experiment included root zone aeration, fresh water (FW), TWW, and fresh water with a salt concentration similar to TWW (FW + NaCl). One year old unworked rootstocks of sensitive Citrus volkameriana (Volka) and tolerant X639 (Cleopatra mandarin X Poncirus trifoliata) were treated for 4 months, followed by 2 months of recovery. Measurements included ionic and water relations, photosynthetic parameters, growth, morphology, tissue specific membrane properties, and sugar and starch contents. Volka was highly sensitive to WQ and aeration while X639 was influenced much less. During the first two months aeration increased Volka leaf photosynthesis and gas exchange by 15%, water and potassium (K) uptake by 20%, carbon storage by 15% and biomass by 20%; which compensated for the negative effects of poor WQ. Changes in distribution of K and Na ions hint at the mechanisms for the aeration influence on tolerance to poor WQ. Results indicate that aeration enhanced K transport from the roots to leaves and reduced Na concentrations in the roots of the sensitive rootstock. These, as well as changes in the wide range of leaf and root parameters measured, are discussed with relation to their implications for our understanding of plant response and tolerance to low WQ in poorly drained soils.

Supporting decision-making in retirement planning: Do diagrams on Pension Benefit Statements help?

AbstractThis paper investigates whether exposure to explanatory diagrams can affect a major financial decision. In a controlled experiment, participants were given Pension Benefit Statements with or without one or two diagrams, before answering incentivised questions that measured recall, comprehension and choice of contribution rate. The diagrams had at best a marginal influence on recall or comprehension. Nevertheless, a diagram relating contributions to income projections prompted more participants to advocate higher contributions, while both diagrams influenced the rationale participants gave for decisions. The implication is that although pension products remain hard to understand, diagrams may alter decisions by reinforcing relevant causal thinking.

Macrophage Lysophosphatidylcholine Acyltransferase 3 Deficiency-Mediated Inflammation Is Not Sufficient to Induce Atherosclerosis in a Mouse Model.

Mammalian cell membrane phosphatidylcholines (PCs), the major phospholipids, exhibit diversity which is controlled by Lands' cycle or PC remodeling pathway. Lysophosphatidylcholine acyltransferase (LPCAT) is one of the major players in the pathway and plays an important role in maintaining cell membrane structure and function. LPCAT3 is highly expressed in macrophages, however, its role in mediating inflammation is still not understood, since contradictory results were reported previously. The order of LPCAT mRNA levels in mouse macrophages is as follows: LPCAT3 > LPCAT1 > LPCAT2 >> LPCAT4. In order to investigate the role of LPCAT3 in macrophages, we prepared myeloid cell-specific Lpcat3 knockout (KO) mice and found that the deficiency significantly reduced certain polyunsaturated phosphatidylcholines, such as 16:0/20:4, 18:1/18:2, 18:0/20:4, and 18:1/20:4 in macrophage plasma membrane. Lpcat3 deficiency significantly increased toll like receptor 4 protein and phosphorylated c-Src in membrane lipid rafts, and increased LPS-induced IL-6 and TNFα releasing through activation of MAP kinases and NFκB. Moreover, the ablation of LPCAT3 in macrophages significantly increase of M1 macrophages. However, macrophage deletion of Lpcat3 in (LDL receptor) Ldlr KO mice, both male and female, on a Western type diet, did not have a significant impact on atherogenesis. In conclusion, LPCAT3 is one of LPCATs in macrophages, involved in PC remodeling. LPCAT3 deficiency has no effect on cholesterol efflux. However, the deficiency promotes macrophage inflammatory response, but such an effect has a marginal influence on the development of atherosclerosis.

Components of standard metabolic rate variability in three species of gammarids

Abstract. Standard metabolic rate is a major functional trait with large inter-individual variability in many groups of aquatic species. Here we present results of an experimental study to address variation in standard metabolic rates, over different scales of organisation and environments, within a specific group of aquatic macro-invertebrates (i.e. gammarid amphipods) that represent the primary consumers in detritus food webs. The study was carried out using flow-through microrespirometric techniques on male specimens of three gammarid species from freshwater, transitional water and marine ecosystems. We examined individual metabolic rate variations at three scales: (1) at the individual level, during an 8 h period of daylight; (2) at the within-population level, along body-size and body-condition gradients; (3) at the interspecific level, across species occurring in the field in the three different categories of aquatic ecosystems, from freshwater to marine. We show that standard metabolic rates vary significantly at all three scales examined, with the highest variation observed at the within-population level. Variation in individual standard metabolic rates during the daylight hours was generally low (coefficient of variation, CV<10 %) and unrelated to time. The average within-population CV ranged between 30.0 % and 35.0 %, with body size representing a significant source of overall inter-individual variation in the three species and individual body condition exerting only a marginal influence. In all species, the allometric equations were not as steep as would be expected from the 3∕4 power law, with significant variation in mass-specific metabolic rates among populations. The population from the transitional water ecosystem had the highest mass-specific metabolic rates and the lowest within-population variation. In the gammarid species studied here, body-size-independent variations in standard individual metabolic rates were higher than those explained by allometric body size scaling, and the costs of adaptation to short-term periodic variations in water salinity in the studied ecosystems also seemed to represent a major source of variation.

Inhibition of growth of canine-derived vascular endothelial cells by non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and atrial natriuretic peptide.

This study investigated the direct effects of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) on canine-derived vascular endothelial cells (VECs). VECs were isolated and cultured from canine arteries and veins. The mRNA expressions of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2, cyclooxygenase-2, and natriuretic peptide receptor 1 were detected in the cultured VECs. The viability of the cultured VECs was reduced in a dose-dependent manner by meloxicam, carprofen, and robenacoxib. By contrast, dose escalations of ANP had only marginal influence on the viability of cultured VECs. NSAIDs may potentially serve as not only analgesic agents against cancerous and perioperative pain but also as adjuvant anti-angiogenic drugs in dogs with malignant tumors.

The Influence of Loan Officers on Loan Contract Design and Performance

We investigate the extent to which loan officers generate independent, individual effects on the design and performance of syndicated loans. We construct a large database containing the identities of loan officers involved in structuring syndicated loan deals, allowing us to systematically disentangle borrower, bank, and loan officer fixed effects. We find that loan officers have significant influence on interest spreads, loan covenant design, and loan performance. Inclusion of borrower fixed effects increases our power to rule out the alternative that loan officer fixed effects reflect the matching of officers to borrowers based on time-invariant borrower characteristics. We document heterogeneity in loan officers’ influence across loan contract terms, with loan officers exerting stronger influence over covenant package design than over interest spreads, but marginal influence on loan maturity. Lead officers have greater influence than participant officers over covenant package design and loan performance, but less robust differential influence on interest spreads.

Friction and wear behavior of electroless Ni-P-W coating exposed to elevated temperature

The present study evaluates the effect of operating temperature on the tribological behaviour of electroless Ni-P-W coating developed over mild steel. The constituent of the coating is found to be uniformly distributed. The incorporation of tungsten increases the as-deposit hardness (670 HV0.1) of Ni-P coatings besides improving its crystallinity. The friction and wear tests are carried out under elevated temperature (100 to 500 °C) in a pin-on-disc setup. The results reveal that Ni-P-W coating (especially heat treated ones) display a stable friction and wear behaviour even when subjected to elevated working temperature. The as-deposited coating on the other hand shows increased wear resistance particularly when tested at 300 and 500 °C which is due to microstructural changes induced in the coating because of exposure to high temperature. This is also supported by the excellent hardness shown by the samples after test (46% increase in hardness after testing at 500 °C compared to as-deposited hardness). The applied load and sliding velocity exhibit marginal influence over the friction behavior of the coating especially for heat treated coatings. Study of worn surface reveals that the wear is governed by both abrasive and adhesive mechanisms. Moreover, the formation of oxide layers on the coating at high temperature is also believed to influence the tribological behavior of Ni-P-W coatings.

Performance of biochar derived from Cymbopogon winterianus waste at two temperatures on soil properties and growth of Bacopa monneri

ABSTRACT The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of biochar derived from the distilled waste of Cymbopogon winterianus at two different pyrolysis temperatures (450°C and 850°C) on the chemical and biological properties of sandy loamy soil (SLS) and its subsequent impact on plant growth. Pot experiments utilizing Bacopa monnieri were performed in a greenhouse with four different application rates of biochar (2%, 4%, 6%, and 8% (w/w)) for 120 days. Biochar induced alterations in soil properties (nutrients, enzymes, and microbes) and plant responses (yield, biocide and antioxidant content) to biochar addition were measured. Biochar application, notably improved the soil carbon, cation exchange capacity, and the availability of NH4 + and phosphorus. Initially, biochar produced at the lower temperature had more effect on the available nitrogen, phosphorus, soil enzymatic properties, and plant biomass growth. After 120 days, the pyrolysis temperature had only a marginal influence on biochar-induced effects on soil pH, WHC, and soil enzymatic activities. Our results suggest that C. winterianus derived biochar amendment leads to an overall amelioration of soil fertility and plant growth improvement. In specific biochar produced at lower temperatures (450°C) was more effective for improvement of plant biomass and soil characteristics.

Factors influencing the accuracy of ground-based tree-height measurements for major European tree species

Tree height is one of the most important forest characteristics and is one of the crucial measurements taken for either practical or scientific reasons. However, the accuracy of a tree-height measurement may vary in relation to many factors. The work described here thus sought to evaluate the accuracy of ground-based tree-height measurements for major forest-forming tree species of the temperate and boreal zones. The focus was on the importance of factors affecting accuracy of the measurements in question at larger geographical scales. In line with the above research goals, data were gathered from 299 stands throughout Poland and heights of 2388 sample trees of eight species, growing in different stands and site conditions, were measured; heights were then compared with measured lengths of felled trees as a reference. In total, 10 variables to determine factors that may influence ground-based tree-height measurement accuracy were used. We merged them into 4 groups: measurements, topography, stand and biometric-related factors. Results showed that biometric and topographic factors had the greatest relative influence on the accuracy of measurements of tree height. Tree length and species, followed by the slope of the terrain, tree age, and height above sea level were the most important factors found to affect accuracy. In most of the cases studied the terrestrial tree-height measurements were underestimated when set against definitive measurements of length. This was true for all species studied except oak, for which height measurements were typically overestimated. Notwithstanding the broad geographical scope of the work, the particular device used and the team factor were only found to have a marginal influence on measurement accuracy.

Ion beam sputter deposition of TiO2 films using oxygen ions

TiO2 thin films were grown by ion beam sputter deposition (IBSD) using oxygen ions, with the ion energy and geometrical parameters (ion incidence angle, polar emission angle, and scattering angle) being varied systematically. Metallic Ti and ceramic TiO2 served as target materials. The thin films were characterized concerning thickness, growth rate, surface topography, structural properties, mass density, and optical properties. It was found that the scattering geometry has the main impact on the film properties. Target material, ion energy, and ion incidence angle have only a marginal influence. Former studies on reactive IBSD of TiO2 using Ar and Xe ions reported equivalent patterns. Nevertheless, the respective ion species distinctively affects the film properties. For instance, mass density and the refractive index of the TiO2 thin films are remarkably lower for sputtering with oxygen ions than for sputtering with Ar or Xe ions. The variations in the thin film properties are tentatively attributed to the angular and the energy distribution of the film-forming particles, especially, to those of the backscattered primary particles.

Image guidance and positioning accuracy in clinical practice: influence of positioning errors and imaging dose on the real dose distribution for head and neck cancer treatment

BackgroundModern radiotherapy offers the possibility of highly accurate tumor treatment. To benefit from this precision at its best, regular positioning verification is necessary. By the use of image-guided radiotherapy and the application of safety margins the influence of positioning inaccuracies can be counteracted. In this study the effect of additional imaging dose by set-up verification is compared with the effect of dose smearing by positioning inaccuracies for a collective of head-and-neck cancer patients.MethodsThis study is based on treatment plans of 40 head-and-neck cancer patients. To evaluate the imaging dose several image guidance scenarios with different energies, techniques and frequencies were simulated and added to the original plan. The influence of the positioning inaccuracies was assessed by the use of real applied table shifts for positioning. The isocenters were shifted back appropriately to these values to simulate that no positioning correction had been performed. For the single fractions the shifted plans were summed considering three different scenarios: The summation of only shifted plans, the consideration of the original plan for the fractions with set-up verification, and the addition of the extra imaging dose to the latter. For both effects (additional imaging dose and dose smearing), plans were analyzed and compared considering target coverage, sparing of organs at risk (OAR) and normal tissue complication probability (NTCP).ResultsDaily verification of the patient positioning using 3D imaging with MV energies result in non-negligible high doses. kV imaging has only marginal influence on plan quality, primarily related to sparing of organs at risk, even with daily 3D imaging. For this collective, sparing of organs at risk and NTCP are worse due to potential positioning errors.ConclusionRegular set-up verification is essential for precise radiation treatment. Relating to the additional dose, the use of kV modalities is uncritical for any frequency and technique. Dose smearing due to positioning errors for this collective mainly resulted in a decrease of OAR sparing. Target coverage also suffered from the positioning inaccuracies, especially for individual patients. Taking into account both examined effects the relevance of an extensive IGRT is clearly present, even at the expense of additional imaging dose and time expenditure.

Selection of rainfall information as input data for the design of combined sewer overflow solutions

Combined sewer overflows (CSOs) cause environmental problems and health risks, but poor guidance exists on the use of rainfall data for sizing optimal CSO control solutions. This study first reviews available types of rainfall information as input for CSO modelling and, secondly, assesses the impacts of three rainfall data selection methods (continuous simulation, historical rainstorms selected based on rainfall depth or maximum intensity and IDF-derived storms) on the estimation of CSO volume thresholds to control in order to reach specific seasonal CSO frequency targets. The methodology involves hydrological/hydraulic modelling of an urban catchment in the Province of Québec (Canada). Continuous simulation provides the most accurate volume estimations and shows high sensitivity to the number of simulated years. Alternatively, when historical events extracted from rainfall data separated by a minimum inter-event time (MIT) criterion are selected based on their total rainstorm depth, the CSO volumes are underestimated significantly; whereas an analysis based on rainstorm maximum intensities over durations similar to the time of concentration provides more conservative volumes. Finally, synthetic storms constructed from multiple points of an IDF curve tend to underestimate slightly the CSO volumes, but provide acceptable results compared to single point derived storms. It was found that the overflow structures local characteristics had a marginal influence on results obtained from continuous simulation compared to event-based simulation. The use of design rainfall events should thus be restricted to preliminary assessment of CSO volume thresholds, and the final volume estimation for solution sizing should be reviewed under continuous simulation. The innovative contribution lies in the improvement of modelling procedures for solutions design to achieve a maximum CSO frequency, such as specified by many regulating agencies.

Comprehensive Study of the Reactions Between Chelating Phosphines and Ni(cod)2

A comprehensive study of the reactions of chelating phosphines with Ni(cod)2 to form (phosphine)Ni(cod), (phosphine)2Ni, or mixtures thereof is presented. A series of (phosphine)Ni(cod) complexes were isolated and characterized. The structural differences between the (phosphine)Ni(cod) and (phosphine)2Ni complexes were examined using X-ray crystallography and 1H and 31P NMR spectroscopy. In addition, the effects of ring size, rigidity, and bulk of the phosphine backbone on the formation of either (phosphine)Ni(cod) or (phosphine)2Ni were investigated. These studies show that the Ni–P bond lengths in both the (phosphine)Ni(cod) and (phosphine)2Ni complexes and the size of the ring formed by the chelating phosphine and Ni are crucial in determining whether or not (phosphine)Ni(cod) complexes can be isolated. Other factors such as π-stacking interactions were found to have marginal influence.

Electronic structure of Si nanocrystals codoped with boron and phosphorus

The electronic structure of Si nanocrystals (NCs) doped with B (acceptor) and P (donor) impurities is calculated. A tight-binding approach is employed, allowing us to investigate NCs of up to 10 nm diameter and to compare directly with recent experiments on colloidal Si NCs. The calculations show that the experimental data of optical and electrical spectroscopy are consistent with configurations of full compensation between donors and acceptors. The NC energy gap is narrowed in the presence of codopants and can be even smaller than in bulk Si, but at the same time it varies with NC size under the effect of quantum confinement. Measured energy gaps are compatible with NCs containing a small number $(\ensuremath{\sim}2\text{--}5$) of B-P pairs if we assume a random placement of the dopants in the NC core. B-P clusters in which the B and P atoms are nearest neighbors have a marginal influence on the NC energy gap. In the case of Si NCs doped with a single P impurity, the theory predicts the hyperfine splitting of electron spin resonance as a function of the NC size, in excellent agreement with experiments if the dopant is placed at random positions.

Switching of Dye Loading Mechanism in Electrochemical Self-Assembly of Cu­SCN-D­AST Hybrid Thin Films

We have found electrochemical self-assembly (ESA) of inorganic / organic hybrid thin films in which the inorganic is CuSCN, known to be a wide bandgap p-type semiconductor, whereas the organic is 4-N,N-dimethylamino-4’-N’-methylstilbazolium chromophore (abbreviated as DAS+) as its salt with tosylate (DAST) is known to exhibit second-order nonlinear optical property for terahertz emitters [1]. DAS+ is also known to yield a layered inorganic-organic hybrid crystal in a (DAS)(Cu5I6) composition [2]. Strong dipole-dipole interaction of the DAS+ chromophores aligned between the CuI layers results in a spontaneous photocarrier generation and ambipolar transport in a single absorber solar cell. Thus, CuSCN/DAS hybrid thin films can be attractive alternatives for such opto-electrical applications, when ordered arrangement of DAS+ chromophore is achieved during ESA. In our previous study, switching of dye loading mechanism has been suggested, depending on DAS+ concentration in the bath [1]. In low DAS+ concentration range, the loading is limited by diffusion so that DAS+ is entrapped within CuSCN crystal grains, while surface reaction of hybridization begins to limit the dye loading in high DAS+ concentration range, resulting in formation of unique nanostructures as well as phase separation of inorganic and organic domains. In this study, electrochemical analysis by employing rotating disk electrode (RDE) has been performed to verify the mechanism of ESA and also to explore the limit of DAS+ loading.Electrodeposition of CuSCN undergoes as limited by transport of 1 : 1 complex between Cu2+ and SCN- ions, namely {[Cu(SCN)]+} species, near 100% Faradic efficiency with marginal influence by the presence of DAS+. Thus, the rate of CuSCN growth is always proportional to the concentration of the active species, and also to ω1/2 (ω = angular speed of rotation of RDE). On the other hand, the rate of DAS+ precipitation, v(DAS)(SCN), should also be proportional to ω1/2 under the regime of diffusion limited loading with a given [DAS+], and is independent of CuSCN formation rate. When the rate surface complex formation begins to limit the rate of DAS+ precipitation, the amount of DAS+ loading should become proportional to the rate of CuSCN deposition, if a second order rate law as shown below holds,v(DAS)(SCN) (mol s-1 cm-2) = k[DAS+][site] (1)where, k (mol-1 cm3 s-1) is the second order reaction rate constant for formation of surface complex and [site] is the surface concentration of newly formed CuSCN sites, which should be expressed as,[site] (mol cm-2) = A × 0.62 × {[Cu(SCN)]+} × D{[Cu(SCN)]+}2/3 × ν(methanol, 298 K)-1/6 × ω1/2 (2)which is simply derived from Levich equation for diffusion limited electrodeposition of CuSCN, multiplied by a proportionality constant, A (s), to express the activity of the surface site.The amount of DAS+ loaded into the film electrodeposited for a given [DAS+] under variation of {[Cu(SCN)]+} in the bath was examined, and indeed such a trend as predicted from the above-mentioned model was found (Fig. 1). In the high {[Cu(SCN)]+} range, DAS+ loading is independent of {[Cu(SCN)]+} and appears proportional to [DAS+], because of the diffusion limited loading mechanism. When {[Cu(SCN)]+} goes below certain concentration, DAS+ loading changes proportionally to {[Cu(SCN)]+}, for a given [DAS+], but is also proportional to [DAS+] for a given {[Cu(SCN)]+}, as expected for the surface reaction limitation expressed by Eq. (1). The switching from surface reaction to diffusion limitation occurs at the lower {[Cu(SCN)]+} when [DAS+] goes lower, as recognized by the shift of the border between {[Cu(SCN)]+} dependent and independent parts.[1] Yuki Tsuda et al., Monatshefte für Chemie, 148, 845-854 (2017) [2] Elena Cariati et al., Adv. Mater., 13, 1665-1668 (2001). Figure 1

Differential HDAC6 Activity Modulates Ciliogenesis and Subsequent Mechanosensing of Endothelial Cells Derived from Pluripotent Stem Cells

The role of primary cilia in mechanosensation is essential in endothelial cell (EC) shear responsiveness. Here, we find that venous, capillary, and progenitor ECs respond to shear stress invitro in a cilia-dependent manner. We then demonstrate thatprimary cilia assembly in human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived ECs varies between different cell lines with marginal influence of differentiation protocol. hiPSC-derived ECs lacking cilia do not align to shear stress, lack stress fiber assembly, have uncoordinated migration during wound closure invitro, and have aberrant calcium influx upon shear exposure. Transcriptional analysis reveals variation in regulatory genes involved in ciliogenesis among different hiPSC-derived ECs. Moreover, inhibition of histone deacetylase 6 (HDAC6) activity in hiPSC-ECs lacking cilia rescues cilia formation and restores mechanical sensing. Taken together, these results show the importance of primary cilia in hiPSC-ECmechano-responsiveness and its modulation through HDAC6 activity varies among hiPSC-ECs.

Evaluation of bias induced by viral enrichment and random amplification protocols in metagenomic surveys of saliva DNA viruses

BackgroundViruses are key players regulating microbial ecosystems. Exploration of viral assemblages is now possible thanks to the development of metagenomics, the most powerful tool available for studying viral ecology and discovering new viruses. Unfortunately, several sources of bias lead to the misrepresentation of certain viruses within metagenomics workflows, hindering the shift from merely descriptive studies towards quantitative comparisons of communities. Therefore, benchmark studies on virus enrichment and random amplification protocols are required to better understand the sources of bias.ResultsWe assessed the bias introduced by viral enrichment on mock assemblages composed of seven DNA viruses, and the bias from random amplification methods on human saliva DNA viromes, using qPCR and deep sequencing, respectively. While iodixanol cushions and 0.45 μm filtration preserved the original composition of nuclease-protected viral genomes, low-force centrifugation and 0.22 μm filtration removed large viruses. Comparison of unamplified and randomly amplified saliva viromes revealed that multiple displacement amplification (MDA) induced stochastic bias from picograms of DNA template. However, the type of bias shifted to systematic using 1 ng, with only a marginal influence by amplification time. Systematic bias consisted of over-amplification of small circular genomes, and under-amplification of those with extreme GC content, a negative bias that was shared with the PCR-based sequence-independent, single-primer amplification (SISPA) method. MDA based on random priming provided by a DNA primase activity slightly outperformed those based on random hexamers and SISPA, which may reflect differences in ability to handle sequences with extreme GC content. SISPA viromes showed uneven coverage profiles, with high coverage peaks in regions with low linguistic sequence complexity. Despite misrepresentation of certain viruses after random amplification, ordination plots based on dissimilarities among contig profiles showed perfect overlapping of related amplified and unamplified saliva viromes and strong separation from unrelated saliva viromes. This result suggests that random amplification bias has a minor impact on beta diversity studies.ConclusionsBenchmark analyses of mock and natural communities of viruses improve understanding and mitigate bias in metagenomics surveys. Bias induced by random amplification methods has only a minor impact on beta diversity studies of human saliva viromes.

On Lenin’s Materialism and empiriocriticism

In May 1909, Lenin published Materialism and empiriocriticism, a polemical assault on forms of positivistic empiricism popular among members of the Bolshevik intelligentsia, especially his political rival Alexander Bogdanov. After expounding the core claims on both sides of the debate, this essay considers the relation of the philosophical issues at stake to the political stances of their proponents. I maintain that Lenin’s use of philosophical argument was not purely opportunistic, and I contest the view that his defence of realism was designed as a philosophical rationale for revolutionary vanguardism, arguing instead that Lenin primarily saw himself as defending the world-view of ordinary rank-and-file Marxists against varieties of philosophical obscurantism. Although of marginal influence at the time of its first publication, Materialism and empiriocriticism was later celebrated as a model of philosophical excellence, as the cult of Lenin was fashioned by Stalin. As a result of the text’s subsequent prominence, Lenin’s manner of philosophizing, with its vitriol and abuse, had a disastrous influence on the subsequent course of Soviet philosophical culture.

Does the Police-Monitored CCTV Scheme Really Matter on Crime Reduction? A Quasi-Experimental Test in Taiwan's Taipei City.

Although numerous public closed-circuit television (CCTV) initiatives have been implemented at varying levels in Taiwan's cities and counties, systematic evaluations of these crime reduction efforts have been largely overlooked. To address this void, a quasi-experimental evaluation research project was designed to assess the effect of police-monitored CCTV on crime reduction in Taipei City for a period of 54 months, including data for both before and after camera installation dates. A total of 40 viewsheds within a 100-m (328 feet) radius were selected as research sites to observe variations in four types of crime incidents that became known to police during the January 2008 to June 2012 period. While crime incidents occurring in both the target and control sites were reduced in frequency after CCTV installation, results derived from time-series analysis indicated that the monitoring had no significant effect on the reduction of property crime incidents with the sole exception of robbery. With respect to the effects of comparing target and control sites, the average Crime Reduction Quotient (CRQ) was 0.36, suggesting that CCTV has an overall marginal yet noteworthy influence. Viewed broadly, however, the police-installed CCTV system in Taipei City did not appear to be as efficient as one would expect. Conversely, cameras installed in some observation sites proved to be significantly more effective than cameras in other sites. As a recommendation, future researchers should identify how particular micro-level attributes may lead to CCTV cameras working more effectively, thereby optimizing location choices where monitoring will prove to be most productive.