bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Objects and Structures in the Formal Sciences
Authors: Grosholz Emily 
Published: January 2016

The priority of mathematics in the construction and deployment of the physical sciences has recently come under attack. Empiricism in the philosophy of mathematics, an offshoot of the trend towards naturalized epistemologies, subordinates formal disciplines to empirical facts (conceived variously as experience or experiment). (Kitcher 1983 and Maddy 1991) When allied with structuralism (Chihara 1973 and Resnik 1981,1982,1990), which denies to mathematics any specific subject matter of its own, it displaces intelligibility, heuristic force, and explanatory power away from mathematics into the realm of “fact”.In this essay, I will argue that mathematics, and mechanics conceived as a formal science, do have their own proper subject matters, their own proper unities.
Adding Potential to a Physical Theory of Causation
Authors: Zangari Mark 
Published: January 2016

Recently, several authors have attempted to characterise causation by identifying causal connections with physical processes. While this approach may not live up to providing a complete analysis of causation in all its contexts, it has raised some significant points regarding the causal role played by various entities described in natural laws. To date, much of the discussion has involved the attempted identification of physical terms or concepts that necessarily or sufficiently characterise causal processes, and has centered around three main contentions:Cl.Causal processes involve the presence of forces, and that forces are themselves a species of primitive causes (e.g., Bigelow, et al. 1988).C2.Causal processes necessarily involve transfer of a physically measurable quantity, such as energy-momentum (e.g., Aronson 1982 and Fair 1979).C3.Causal processes necessarily involve microscopic interactions between “fundamental” entities, such as is described by quantum field theory (e.g., Heathcote 1989).
Dynamics of Theory Change: The Role of Predictions
Authors: Brush Stephen G. 
Published: January 2016

“What did the President know and when did he know it?”Senator Howard Baker, Watergate hearings, 1973Why do scientists accept or reject theories? More specifically: why do they change from one theory to another? What is the role of empirical tests in the evaluation of theories?This paper focuses on a narrowly-defined question: in judging theories, do scientists give greater weight (other things being equal) to successfulnovel predictionsthan to successful deductions of previously-known facts? The affirmative answer is called the “predictivist thesis” (Maher 1988).It is primarily philosophers who are interested in this question, and they have treated it mostly as a normative or logical problem. Can the writings of historians of science tell us how scientists have treated novel predictions in the past? Until recently historians have rarely addressed this point.
Engaging Science Through Cultural Studies
Authors: Rouse Joseph 
Published: January 2016

In this paper I sketch the project undertaken in my forthcoming book, Engaging Science (Rouse, 1995). This sketch inevitably sacrifices detail and argument, but I hope there is a commensurate gain from giving a sense of how the various aspects of the project hang together. The project itself has two parts: first, a criticism or what I call the “legitimation project” in philosophy and sociology of science; second, my treatment of some of the philosophical issues raised by an alternative approach to interdisciplinary science studies that I call cultural studies of science. I discuss the legitimation project only briefly, however, to set the stage for a discussion of the constructive alternative.The legitimation project is characterized by the belief that the epistemic standing and the cultural authority of the sciences are in need of a general justification, and that what can appropriately provide such justification (or show its impossibility) is to ascertain the general aim of the sciences as such, or the general nature of science as a practice or achievement.
Key comparison on pH of an unknown phosphate buffer
Authors: Bastkowski F , Spitzer P , Sander B , Máriássy M , Dimitrova L , Reyes A , Rodríguez A , Manzano V Lara , Vospelova A , Jakobsen P T , Pawlina M , Korol M , Kozlowski W , Delgado M , Ticona Canaza G , Dias J C , Gonzaga F B , Nagyné Szilágyi Z , Jakusovszky B , Nongluck T , Waters J , Pratt K W , Asakai T , Maksimov I , Hankova Z , Uysal E , Gavrilkin V , Prokunin S V , Ferreira E , Fajardo S 
Published: January 2016

Results of CCQM-K99 key comparison on unknown phosphate buffer pH ∼ 7.5 at 5 °C, 15 °C, 25 °C, 37 °C and 50 °C are reported. Good agreement is found between the majority of participants.

Main text

To reach the main text of this paper, click on Final Report. Note that this text is that which appears in Appendix B of the BIPM key comparison database kcdb.bipm.org/.
The final report has been peer-reviewed and approved for publication by the CCQM, according to the provisions of the CIPM Mutual Recognition Arrangement (CIPM MRA).
Hypercholesterolemia Impairs Nonstenotic Kidney Outcomes After Reversal of Experimental Renovascular Hypertension
Authors: Sun Dong , Chen Zhi , Eirin Alfonso , Zhu Xiang-Yang , Lerman Amir , Textor Stephen C. , Lerman Lilach O. 
Published: January 2016

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Revascularization of a stenotic renal artery improves kidney function only in select patients with renovascular hypertension (HT) secondary to atherosclerosis. However, the effects of reversal of renovascular HT (RRHT) on the nonstenotic kidney are unclear. We hypothesized that concurrent hypercholesterolemia (HC) attenuates nonstenotic kidney recovery.

METHODS
Female domestic pigs were randomized as Normal, renovascular HT, HT+RRHT, HTC (renovascular HT and HC), and HTC+RHT ( n = 7 each). RRHT or sham was performed after 6 weeks of HT. Nonstenotic renal blood flow, glomerular filtration rate, and injurious pathways were studied 4 weeks later.

RESULTS
Mean arterial pressure increased similarly in HT and HTC and decreased after RRHT. Oxidative stress increased in HT and HTC kidneys, and decreased in HT+RRHT, but remained elevated in HTC+RRHT. Renal interstitial fibrosis, glomerulosclerosis, and tubular injury were all attenuated in HT+RRHT, but not HTC+RRHT. Endothelin-1 signaling and PGF2α isoprostane levels were elevated in both HTC and HTC+RRHT pigs.

CONCLUSIONS
RRHT reverses nonstenotic kidney injury in experimental renovascular HT, but concurrent HC blunts regression of kidney injury, possibly due to predominant vasoconstrictors and oxidative stress. These findings reinforce the contribution of the nonstenotic kidney and of prevailing cardiovascular risk factors to irreversibility of kidney dysfunction after revascularization.
RTFBSDB: an integrated framework for transcription factor binding site analysis
Authors: Wang Zhong , Martins Andre L. , Danko Charles G. 
Published: January 2016

AbstractTranscription factors (TFs) regulate complex programs of gene transcription by binding to short DNA sequence motifs. Here we introducertfbsdb, a unified framework that integrates a database of more than 65,000 TF binding motifs with tools to easily and efficiently scan target genome sequences.Rtfbsdbclusters motifs with similar DNA sequence specificities and optionally integrates RNA-seq or PRO-seq data to restrict analyses to motifs recognized by TFs expressed in the cell type of interest. Our package allows common analyses to be performed rapidly in an integrated environment.Availability:rtfbsdbis available via github (https://github.com/Danko-Lab/rtfbsdb).
Earthquake disasters, marriage, and divorce: evidence from China 2000-2011
Authors: Xu Xian , Feng Jingbing 
Published: January 2016

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to identify the effects earthquakes may have on rates of marriage and divorce in China, a country strongly affected by losses due to earthquakes.

Design/methodology/approach
– This paper studies the effect of earthquakes on marriage and divorce rates in China between 2000 and 2011, using panel data from 31 provinces as well as from Sichuan at the prefecture level, a province that has a high frequency of earthquakes.

Findings
– The results show that when controlling for demographic, economic, and social factors, losses due to earthquakes are found to be associated with increases in both marriage and divorce rates. While the estimated elasticities are low, amounting to 1.92×10−2 and 6.102×10−2, respectively, they are highly significant, suggesting that a doubling of losses due to earthquakes increases marriages by 1.92 percent and divorces by 6.102 percent with a lag of one year. Since the first elasticity is smaller than the second, losses due to earthquakes may influence familial instability. Moreover, these effects increase in the second year but cannot be traced beyond three years after the disaster.

Originality/value
– In view of the cost imposed on society by instable family relationships, these findings point to a need to provide relief to families after earthquake disasters.
Synergies between adaptation and mitigation in climate change finance
Authors: Locatelli Bruno , Fedele Giacomo , Fayolle Virginie , Baglee Alastair 
Published: January 2016

Purpose
– As adaptation and mitigation are separated in international and national policies, there is also a division in the financial resources mobilized by the international community to help developing countries deal with climate change. Given that mitigation activities can benefit or hinder adaptation, and vice versa, promoting activities that contribute to both objectives can increase the efficiency of fund allocation and minimize trade-offs, particularly in land-related activities such as agriculture and forestry. The purpose of this study is to analyze how climate funding organizations consider the integration of adaptation and mitigation.

Design/methodology/approach
– The authors interviewed representatives of climate funds directed toward forestry and agriculture to gain a better understanding of how they perceive the benefits, risks and barriers of an integrated approach; whether they have concrete activities for promoting this approach; and how they foresee the future of adaptation–mitigation integration.

Findings
– Interviews revealed a diverse range of perceived benefits, risks and barriers at local, national and global scales. Most interviewees focused on the local benefits of this integration (e.g. increasing the resilience of forest carbon projects), whereas others emphasized global risks (e.g. decreasing global funding efficiency because of project complexity). Despite the general interest in projects and policies integrating adaptation and mitigation, few relevant actions have been implemented by organizations engaged in climate change finance.

Originality/value
– This paper provides new insight into how the representatives of climate funds perceive and act on the integration of adaptation and mitigation in forestry and agriculture. The findings by the authors can inform the development of procedures for climate change finance, such as the Green Climate Fund. While managers of climate funds face barriers in promoting an integrated approach to adaptation and mitigation, they also have the capacity and the ambition to overcome them.
Using PLS path modeling in new technology research: updated guidelines
Authors: Henseler Jörg , Hubona Geoffrey , Ray Pauline Ash 
Published: January 2016

Purpose
– Partial least squares (PLS) path modeling is a variance-based structural equation modeling (SEM) technique that is widely applied in business and social sciences. Its ability to model composites and factors makes it a formidable statistical tool for new technology research. Recent reviews, discussions, and developments have led to substantial changes in the understanding and use of PLS. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach
– This paper aggregates new insights and offers a fresh look at PLS path modeling. It presents new developments, such as consistent PLS, confirmatory composite analysis, and the heterotrait-monotrait ratio of correlations.

Findings
– PLS path modeling is the method of choice if a SEM contains both factors and composites. Novel tests of exact fit make a confirmatory use of PLS path modeling possible.

Originality/value
– This paper provides updated guidelines of how to use PLS and how to report and interpret its results.
Perception of cloud computing in developing countries
Authors: Yuvaraj Mayank 
Published: January 2016

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to explore the perceptions of librarians engaged in Indian academic libraries towards cloud computing.

Design/methodology/approach
– A structured questionnaire was used to collect responses from the library professionals engaged in Indian academic libraries. Overall, 339 respondents participated in the survey. Descriptive survey method was used in the study.

Findings
– The findings of the study reveal that library professionals are using cloud-computing tools in their daily works. They want to adopt cloud computing in the libraries to improve library services and avoid redundancy of works. Ubiquitous availability, economy and the various service layers are the core drivers of its adoption in the libraries. The respondents showed their concern over security and data privacy in cloud.

Practical implications
– The study establishes the fact that the benefits of cloud computing are inadequate to convince the libraries to migrate from the traditional computing paradigm to the cloud. Technological advancement may not transform the cloud into a mainstream technology. To motivate the expansion of cloud computing adoption, emphasis has to be laid upon collaboration between the cloud service providers supplemented by solid cloud legislations which need to be worked out.

Originality/value
– The paper provides the perceptions of library professionals in response to the adoption of cloud computing.
Knowledge sharing behaviors among non academic staff of higher learning institutions
Authors: Rahman Muhammad Sabbir , Osmangani Aahad M , Daud Nuraihan Mat , AbdelFattah Fadi Abdel Muniem 
Published: January 2016

Purpose– This paper aims to develop and combined an understanding of the antecedents of knowledge sharing behavior among the non-academic staff of different higher learning institutions in Malaysia.Design/methodology/approach– The researchers tested the hypotheses from the survey data from the non-academic staff of different private and public higher learning institutions in Malaysia. This research also applied confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling to examine the proposed hypothesis of this inquiry.Findings– The results indicate that attitude and subjective norms both influence the staff knowledge sharing behavior significantly and positively. Additionally, this research also revealed that intention of knowledge sharing variable plays a substantial role as a mediating variable in those relationships.Research limitations/implications– This research is a cross-sectional survey. As a result, the limited sample size in this study may affect the power of generalizability. Further research may prove the model across different times to respect the nature of the knowledge sharing behavior among the non-academic staff of higher learning institutions.Practical implications– The results of this research clearly explain how academic institutions may proceed for knowledge sharing culture in their respective department by considering the variables used in this inquiry. If the office of any academic institution feels that the knowledge sharing among the non-academic staff is still low, they can utilize the factors as a tool to facilitate the advancement of the knowledge sharing environment in their respective sections.Originality/value– Previous research primarily focuses on the knowledge sharing behavior of students and lectures ' perspective. This research minimizes the gap by including the non-academic staff of higher learning institutions. In summation, this research also examined the mediating role of knowledge sharing intention in the relationship between attitude, subjective norms and knowledge sharing behavior.
Prefrontal glutamate correlates of methamphetamine sensitization and preference
Authors: Lominac Kevin D. , Quadir Sema G. , Barrett Hannah M. , McKenna Courtney L. , Schwartz Lisa M. , Ruiz Paige N. , Wroten Melissa G. , Campbell Rianne R. , Miller Bailey W. , Holloway John J. , Travis Katherine O. , Rajasekar Ganesh , Maliniak Dan , Thompson Andrew B. , Urman Lawrence E. , Kippin Tod E. , Phillips Tamara J. , Szumlinski Karen K. 
Published: January 2016

AbstractMethamphetamine (MA) is a widely misused, highly addictive psychostimulant that elicits pronounced deficits in neurocognitive function related to hypo‐functioning of the prefrontal cortex (PFC). Our understanding of how repeated MA impacts excitatory glutamatergic transmission within the PFC is limited, as is information about the relationship between PFC glutamate and addiction vulnerability/resiliency. In vivo microdialysis and immunoblotting studies characterized the effects of MA (ten injections of 2 mg/kg, i.p.) upon extracellular glutamate in C57BL/6J mice and upon glutamate receptor and transporter expression, within the medial PFC. Glutamatergic correlates of both genetic and idiopathic variance in MA preference/intake were determined through studies of high vs. low MA‐drinking selectively bred mouse lines (MAHDR vs. MALDR, respectively) and inbred C57BL/6J mice exhibiting spontaneously divergent place‐conditioning phenotypes. Repeated MA sensitized drug‐induced glutamate release and lowered indices of N‐methyl‐d‐aspartate receptor expression in C57BL/6J mice, but did not alter basal extracellular glutamate content or total protein expression of Homer proteins, or metabotropic or α‐amino‐3‐hydroxy‐5‐methyl‐4‐isoxazolepropionic acid glutamate receptors. Elevated basal glutamate, blunted MA‐induced glutamate release and ERK activation, as well as reduced protein expression of mGlu2/3 and Homer2a/b were all correlated biochemical traits of selection for high vs. low MA drinking, and Homer2a/b levels were inversely correlated with the motivational valence of MA in C57BL/6J mice. These data provide novel evidence that repeated, low‐dose MA is sufficient to perturb pre‐ and post‐synaptic aspects of glutamate transmission within the medial PFC and that glutamate anomalies within this region may contribute to both genetic and idiopathic variance in MA addiction vulnerability/resiliency.
Identification of two rare and novel large deletions in ITGB4 gene causing epidermolysis bullosa with pyloric atresia
Authors: Mencía Ángeles , García Marta , García Eva , Llames Sara , Charlesworth Alexandra , de Lucas Raúl , Vicente Asunción , Trujillo‐Tiebas María José , Coto Pablo , Costa Marta , Vera Ángel , López‐Pestaña Arantxa , Murillas Rodolfo , Meneguzzi Guerrino , Jorcano José Luis , Conti Claudio J , Escámez Toledano María José , del Río Nechaevsky Marcela 
Published: January 2016

AbstractEpidermolysis bullosa with pyloric atresia (EB‐PA) is a rare autosomal recessive hereditary disease with a variable prognosis from lethal to very mild. EB‐PA is classified into Simplex form (EBS‐PA: OMIM #612138) and Junctional form (JEB‐PA: OMIM #226730), and it is caused by mutations in ITGA6, ITGB4 and PLEC genes. We report the analysis of six patients with EB‐PA, including two dizygotic twins. Skin immunofluorescence epitope mapping was performed followed by PCR and direct sequencing of the ITGB4 gene. Two of the patients presented with non‐lethal EB‐PA associated with missense ITGB4 gene mutations. For the other four, early postnatal demise was associated with complete lack of β4 integrin due to a variety of ITGB4 novel mutations (2 large deletions, 1 splice‐site mutation and 3 missense mutations). One of the deletions spanned 278 bp, being one of the largest reported to date for this gene. Remarkably, we also found for the first time a founder effect for one novel mutation in the ITGB4 gene. We have identified 6 novel mutations in the ITGB4 gene to be added to the mutation database. Our results reveal genotype–phenotype correlations that contribute to the molecular understanding of this heterogeneous disease, a pivotal issue for prognosis and for the development of novel evidence‐based therapeutic options for EB management.
Utility of ATRX immunohistochemistry in diagnosis of adult diffuse gliomas
Authors: Ikemura Masako , Shibahara Junji , Mukasa Akitake , Takayanagi Shunsaku , Aihara Koki , Saito Nobuhito , Aburatani Hiroyuki , Fukayama Masashi 
Published: January 2016

AimsWe performed an immunohistochemical analysis of alpha‐thalassaemia/mental retardation syndrome X‐linked (ATRX) expression in adult diffuse gliomas, with reference to clinicopathological and genetic features, to determine the utility of this analysis in diagnostic practice.Methods and resultsA total of 193 adult diffuse gliomas underwent immunohistochemical analysis. In areas in which internal controls, neurones, glia and blood vessels were properly stained, the ATRX immunoreactivity of tumour cells was either almost totally absent or completely retained in all cases. There was perfect concordance between the immunohistochemical results and ATRX mutation status, which was known in 19 cases. ATRX loss was observed in 54.5, 30.8 and 0.0% of grades II/III astrocytomas, oligoastrocytomas and oligodendrogliomas, respectively, and 12.7% of glioblastomas. In grades II/III gliomas, most ATRX‐loss cases (92.3%) had IDH1/2 mutations. ATRX loss was associated significantly with TP53 mutation and p53 overexpression (P < 0.001), but was never accompanied by 1p/19q co‐deletion. IDH1/2 mutation in ATRX‐loss tumours was less frequent in glioblastomas than in grades II/III gliomas (P < 0.001). Further, there was no significant association between ATRX loss and p53 overexpression in glioblastomas. ATRX‐loss glioblastomas affected younger patients (P < 0.001) and occurred more frequently in locations other than the cerebral hemispheres (P = 0.006). Most grades II/III gliomas (93.3%) were categorized into three molecular subtypes based on the status of IDH1/2 mutation, ATRX immunohistochemistry and 1p/19q co‐deletion.ConclusionsDistinct histological and molecular characteristics of adult diffuse gliomas with and without ATRX immunoreactivity indicate the utility of ATRX immunohistochemistry in diagnostic practice.