2,261 research outputs found
Steven Fromholz Performing on Stage
No full textA black and white negative of singer/songwriter Steven Fromholz, performing at ETSU as part of the 1975 Homecoming festivities. He shared the bill with Willie Nelson. The performance was held in the University Field House. Fromholz was selected as Poet Laureate of Texas in 2007.https://lair.etamu.edu/scua-univ-photos-browse-all/2965/thumbnail.jp
The Singer or the Song? Developments in Performers' Rights from the Perspective of a Cultural Economist
No full textOver the last century, performers gradually acquired statutory protection of their economic and moral
rights. These rights are not copyright in the legal sense but neighboring rights and until recently, they
were mainly remuneration rights that are collectively administered. With the WPPT (WIPO
Performers and Phonograms Treaty), performers now have individual exclusive rights for digital
performances; this leads to the question: what has motivated this change – is it a change in the
perception of the value of performer or a change brought about by the changing technology of copying or,
indeed, a change that reflects different economic costs and benefits? The paper discusses the role of
copyright law as an incentive to performers and asks if the economic role of the performer is so different
from that of the author. The conclusion is that a complex interaction of the legal regulations, economic
conditions and institutional arrangements for administering these new rights will determine the outcome
Does Government Contracting Have a Remedies Problem? A Response to Eric M. Singer, Competitive Public Contracts
Get PDFIn his provocative article, Competitive Public Contracts, Eric M. Singer claims that deficient contractor performance is inherent in government contracting. Singer asserts that, “fundamentally,” public purchasing has a “contract-remedies problem”—the absence of both any “credible threat” and any “effective contract remedy to deter or correct [contractor] misbehavior.” Unlike private buyers, who have plausible threats to motivate contractors to perform properly, governments are said to “often” labor under intrinsic and extrinsic limitations that undermine remedial alternatives. Consequently, Singer argues that governments (especially state and local agencies) have no “effective contract remedy” to induce improved contractor performance. Among these “ineffective” remedies, according to Singer, are terminations for default and past performance assessments of contractors. This Response proceeds as follows: Part I disputes Singer’s charge that termination for default fails as a contractor control mechanism. Part II disagrees with Singer’s descriptive claim that agencies “underutilize[]” even “useful” past performance assessments. He contends, without empirical support, that government actors “frequently elect not to advertise” contractor performance failures for fears of both generating bid protests from the slighted firm and impugning the integrity of the procurement officer that awarded the earlier contract. Part III asserts that, besides raising efficiency issues, CDS is not legally workable because it conflicts with the principles of default terminations and contract options. Rather than being inherently problematic, current remedies in government contracting reflect the reality that “[t]he Government wields enormous powers in its contractual relations.
sj-docx-1-wso-10.1177_17474930241246156 – Supplemental material for Predicting post-stroke cognitive impairment using electronic health record data
No full textSupplemental material, sj-docx-1-wso-10.1177_17474930241246156 for Predicting post-stroke cognitive impairment using electronic health record data by Jeffrey M Ashburner, Yuchiao Chang, Bianca Porneala, Sanjula D Singh, Nirupama Yechoor, Jonathan M Rosand, Daniel E Singer, Christopher D Anderson and Steven J Atlas in International Journal of Stroke</p
Whole-Genome Sequence of Brevibacillus borstelensis SDM, Isolated from a Sorghum-Adapted Microbial Community
Get PDF: The isolation of novel microbes from environmental samples continues to be a key strategy for the discovery of new metabolic capacities for the degradation and transformation of lignocellulose. We report the draft genome sequence of a new strain of Brevibacillus borstelensis isolated from a sorghum-adapted microbial community derived from a compost sample
Can reforming global institutions help developing countries share more in the benefits from globalization?
Get PDFGlobalization could significantly expand trade, international investment, and technological advances, but the gains from global integration have been unevenly distributed across and within nations. Greater global interdependence has also brought greater macroeconomic volatility, resulting in several serious financial crises in the second half of the 1990s. The global matrix of Bretton Woods and United Nations institutions that developed starting in the 1940s, formed under a different balance of power, in a world of fixed exchange rates and limited capital mobility. Since the 1960s regional financial institutions have emerged because of the greater autonomy of different regions and the greater financial needs of development. The author reviews different proposals for reform of the international financial institutions and changes in the roles of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank. He highlights the implications for developing countries of (1) Policy conditionality. (2) The countercyclical role of multilaterals'lending. (3) Greater lending to middle-income than to low-income developing countries. (3) Access to liquidity at times of crisis. (4) Mechanisms for giving low-income countries a greater voice in IMF and World Bank decisionmaking. The author streses the overlapping responsibilities of the Bretton Woods and regional financial institutions and the need to reassess the allocation of responsibilities and to develop better coordination mechanisms between these institutions. Those designing institutional reform must consider the corporate capabilities of each type of institution. The corporate cultures of global and regional institutions differ. So does the kind of knowledge they generate and disseminate, and so do patterns of interactions with, and mechanisms for representation of, client countries.Finally, the author calls attention to the need to harmonize national and global growth-oriented policies in a way that reduces volatility and promotes social equity.Environmental Economics&Policies,Governance Indicators,Financial Intermediation,Economic Theory&Research,Banks&Banking Reform
Peter Singer foundations of Moral Philosophy
No full textThis research aims to reconstruct and explain the argument proposed by Peter
Singer to justify the principle of equal consideration of interests (PECI). The PECI is
the basic normative principle according to people should consider the interests of all
sentient beings affected when somebody taking a moral decision. It is the join that
Singer proposes between universalizability and the principle of equal consideration of
interests that constitutes a compelling reason to justify it. The universalizability
requires to disregard the numerical differences, putting yourself in other people s
shoes, and to consider preferences, interests, desires and ideals of those affected.
Singer joins universalizability to normative principle and molds the form and content
of his theory. The first chapter introduces the discussion will be developed in this
essay. The second chapter deals the historical and philosophical viewpoint from
which Singer starts his studies. The third chapter is about the Singer s critiques of
naturalism, intuitionism, relativism, simple subjectivism and emotivism. The fourth
chapter exposes the design of universal prescriptivism proposed by R. M. Hare. The
universal prescriptivism indicates, in the Singer s viewpoint, a consistent way to
create the join between the universalizability and PECI. It highlights also the criticism
designed by J. L. Mackie and Singer himself to universal prescriptivism. The second
part of this chapter shows briefly some of the main points of the classical conception
of utilitarianism and its possible relationship with the theory of Singer. The fifth
chapter introduces the Singer s thesis about the origin of ethics and the
universalizability as a feature necessary to the point of view of ethic, and the way
which this argument is developed to form the PECI. The sixth chapter exposes the
main distinctions that characterize the PECI. Finally the seventh chapter provides a
discussion about the reasons highlighted by Singer for one who wants orient his life
according to the standpoint of ethics. This structure allows explaining the main ideas
of the author concerning the theoretical foundations of his moral philosophyCoordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível SuperiorEsta investigação tem como objetivo reconstruir e explicitar o argumento proposto
por Peter Singer para justificar o princípio de igual consideração de interesses
(PICI). O PICI é o princípio normativo básico segundo o qual as pessoas devem
considerar igualmente os interesses de todos os seres sencientes afetados ao
tomarem uma decisão moral. É o vínculo que Singer estabelece entre a
universalizabilidade e o princípio de igual consideração de interesses que se
constitui em uma razão convincente para justificá-lo. A universalizabilidade consiste
na exigência de desconsiderar as diferenças numéricas, de colocar-se no lugar do
outro e de consideração igual pelas preferências, interesses, desejos e ideais dos
afetados. Singer ao vincular a universalizabilidade e o princípio normativo estabelece
a forma e o conteúdo da sua teoria. No primeiro capítulo, introduzimos a discussão
que será desenvolvida nesta dissertação. No segundo capítulo, apresentamos o
panorama histórico-filosófico no qual Singer inicia suas investigações. No terceiro
capítulo, apresentamos a sua crítica ao naturalismo, intuicionismo, relativismo e
subjetivismo simples e, por fim, ao emotivismo. No quarto capítulo, expomos a
concepção do prescritivismo universal proposta por R. M. Hare. O prescritivismo
universal indica, para Singer, uma forma consistente para estabelecer o vínculo
entre a universalizabilidade e o PICI. Apontamos, também, as críticas feitas por J. L.
Mackie e pelo próprio Singer ao prescritivismo universal. Na segunda parte do
capítulo, apresentamos resumidamente alguns pontos centrais da concepção
clássica do utilitarismo e uma possível relação com a teoria de Singer. No quinto
capítulo, apresentamos a tese de Singer sobre a origem da ética e sobre a
universalizabilidade como uma característica necessária do ponto de vista da ética,
bem como o argumento que é desenvolvido para estabelecer o PICI. No sexto
capítulo, expomos as principais distinções que caracterizam o PICI. Encerramos no
sétimo capítulo com uma discussão sobre as razões apresentadas por Singer para
que uma pessoa oriente a sua vida de acordo com o ponto de vista da ética. Essa
estrutura permite-nos explicitar as principais ideias do autor naquilo que concerne
aos fundamentos teóricos da sua filosofia mora
The role of Fas in pathological giardiasis
No full textM.S.Diarrheal disease presents a debilitating burden on many people and economies around the world. Many of these cases are caused by the protozoan parasite Giardia sp., which colonizes the small intestine of a wide range of hosts and disrupts normal digestive and absorptive processes within the gut. Malnutrition caused by giardiasis is largely immune-dependent; the pathology commonly observed within the infected small intestine is likely triggered by activated CD8+ T cells. Understanding the dynamic immune response to Giardia infection is paramount for eventually identifying therapeutic targets and improving preventative measures. We report an influx of FasL+ cells into the duodenum following infection in C57BL/6 mice. Ex vivo restimulation of splenic and mesenteric lymph node (MLN) lymphocytes revealed an IFN- dominant cytokine response, which is conducive for the expansion of activated, FasL expressing CD8+ T cell. This observation prompted us to explore the role of Fas as a potential mediator of Giardia-induced intestinal injury. We observed defective parasite clearance in mice lacking functional Fas (Faslpr). Despite a high parasite burden, Faslpr mice did not exhibit the hallmark signs of a Giardia-injured small intestine, such as reduced disaccharidase activity. Increased ezrin phosphorylation was observed to correlate with reduced disaccharidase in infected C57BL/6 but not Faslpr mice. Faslpr mice exhibited similar levels of enterocyte apoptosis compared to C57BL/6 mice throughout infection. Activated CD8+ T cells within the spleens of infected Faslpr mice were detected, which was likely a consequence of their lympho-proliferative phenotype as this phenomenon was absent in C57BL/6 mice
Host and parasite factors contributing to variation in immunity and pathology in giardiasis.
No full textPh.D.Infection with the flagellated protozoan Giardia duodenalis is a major cause of parasitic diarrheal disease worldwide. G. duodenalis is grouped into 8 assemblages (A through H) but only assemblage A and B parasites infect humans. Infection with G. duodenalis is typically self-limiting although chronic infections do develop in malnourished and immunocompromised hosts. Most cases of giardiasis are asymptomatic, but patients typically present with diarrhea, vomiting, nutrient malabsorption and cramps and these symptoms collectively amount to malnutrition. Giardiasis is estimated to affect 2% of adults and 6% to 8% of children in the developed world nearly 33% of the underdeveloped world. Pediatric cases can lead to growth stunting and this has global health and economic implications for impoverished endemic regions of the world. Attempts to correlate disease severity to a particular assemblage have been contradictory, likely due to variable host and parasite factors. A hallmark of immunopathology in the mouse model of giardiasis is the reduction of intestinal digestive enzymes which is due to CD8+ T cells. We report that the pathological reduction of intestinal sucrase and increased intestinal T cell presence is parasite strain-specific and is associated with assemblage B infection. A comparison of infections in C57BL/6 and BALB/c mouse strains revealed host-dependent variation in immunity against G. duodenalis. C57BL/6, but not BALB/c mice exhibited increased duodenal CD4+ T cell presence following infection with G. duodenalis. Both mouse strains exhibited activated CD4+ and CD8+ T cells within the duodenum but C57BL/6 mice also mounted responses in other immune compartments such as the intestinal epithelium and Peyer's patches. We found that the intestinal microbiota is an important host factor that plays a central role in determining disease severity in the mouse model. Antibiotic treatment ablated intestinal CD8+ T cell activation and alleviated sucrase deficiency in G. duodenalis infected mice. G. duodenalis-activated CD8+ T cells exhibit cytotoxic potential by expressing granzyme A and IFN-&gamma. These cells, however, differentiate into an unconventional phenotype as they lack the surface expression of death receptor ligands FasL and TRAIL and do not express the canonical cytotoxic molecule granzyme B. An in depth understanding of the biology of Giardia-activated CD8+ T cells will lead to the development of novel therapeutic techniques aimed at alleviating diarrheal disease caused by Giardia. Further, identifying key host and parasite factors that contribute to clinical outcomes is imperative for effective control strategies
Investigating the Role of Myeloid Cells in Giardia Immunity
No full textPh.D.Human infections with Giardia duodenalis (giardiasis) is regarded as one of the most common human diarrheal disease worldwide with 280 million cases estimated to occur worldwide each year. This parasite lives a biphasic lifestyle either as a dormant cyst or vegetative trophozoite. Previous work has demonstrated that the cells and mechanisms of the adaptive immune system are critical for clearance of Giardia parasites. However, the innate system has not been as well studied in the context of Giardia infection, including what innate recognition mechanisms the immune system uses to initiate protective or pathologic immune responses during a Giardia infection. This dissertation explores a role for the Mannose Receptor and Macrophage Galactose Lectin receptor in protective immunity and also builds upon past studies that have examined the role of macrophages during Giardia infection. We report a mechanism for macrophage accumulation during Giardia infection that does not correlate with other intestinal diseases in which tissue resident macrophages proliferate in response to infection; however, these resident cells are dispensable for protection. This work also identifies three C-type lectin receptors - MR, MGL1, and MGL2 - that appear to be involved in the signaling of immune responses leading to protection from this parasite. We report that mast cell recruitment appears to be inhibited in MR-deficient mice, suggesting that parasite clearance may be defective due to the loss of mast cells during infection. We also show that MGL2 receptor is required for protective Giardia immunity as depletion of MGL2+ cells lead to a defect in parasite clearance. These cells also may be sources of IL-6, which is known to induce development of Th17 responses. Lastly, our preliminary data suggest that MGL1 found on Macrophages mediate production of IL-10. However, MGL1 engagement must occur with simultaneous co-stimulation by LPS that results in enhanced IL-10 production. This study contributes to a greater understanding of the interaction between Giardia and the immune system. Future studies delving into this host-pathogen interaction is certainly deserved as better therapies and treatments can be developed that can improve the health and well-being of those affected by giardiasis
- …
