It has
long been believed that information technology (IT) has the potential to shift
the boundaries surrounding where production takes place. Specifically,
networked IT INVESTMENTS are supposed to reduce costs of monitoring behavior of
internal and external partners, thereby improving incentives and reducing the
risk of opportunistic behavior. Networked IT can also reduce costs of
coordinating economic activity within and between firms.
Tuesday, 9 June 2015
Signaling to Partially Informed Investors in the Newsvendor Model
Companies
face pressure from external investors that leads them to make suboptimal
operations decisions. This pressure arises from three forces: a strong prior
belief that firms are of a "low" type (one with a low quality
INVESTMENT opportunity), an inability for firms to mitigate the information
asymmetry regarding their actual type, and an emphasis on short-term valuation.
Website: http://www.arjonline.org/engineering/american-research-journal-of-computer-science-and-information-technology/
Website: http://www.arjonline.org/engineering/american-research-journal-of-computer-science-and-information-technology/
How IT Shapes Top-Down and Bottom-Up Decision Making
Enterprise
Resource Planning software is a decentralizing technology: It provides information
that enables lower-level managers to make more decisions without consulting
their superiors.
By
the same token, Computer-Assisted Design and Computer-Assisted Manufacturing
software creates a situation in which the plant worker needs less access to
superiors in order to make a decision.
The Determinants of Individual Performance and Collective Value in Private-Collective Software Innovation
Knowledge
creation and reuse are important dual goals of social systems organized to
collectively solve technical problems.
Collective
value relies on the ability of others to understand and comprehend the design
structure of knowledge to enable reuse. Thus deviations from commonly
understood rules of practice, while beneficial to the individual innovator,
impede adoption by others.
The Architecture of Complex Systems: Do Core-periphery Structures Dominate
Core-periphery structures dominate the sample, with 75-80 percent of
systems in the sample possessing such a structure.
It
is significant that a substantial number of systems lack such a structure. This
implies that a considerable amount of managerial discretion exists when
choosing the "best" architecture for a system.
Competing Ad Auctions
Participation
costs exist and matter, affecting bidders' decisions about which ad platforms
to use, and changing the welfare consequences of mergers or joins among
platforms.
By
creating a joined ad platform of larger size than Microsoft or Yahoo alone, the
transaction lets advertisers spread participation costs over a larger purchase,
making it worthwhile for small to midsize advertisers to sign up with the
joined Microsoft-Yahoo platform even though they do not use Microsoft or Yahoo
separately.
Gray Markets and Multinational Transfer Pricing
A
shift to arm's-length transfer pricing erodes domestic consumer surplus by
making the gray MARKET less competitive domestically.
In
the presence of a gray market, the transfer price that maximizes a
multinational's profits may also be the same one that maximizes the social
welfare of the domestic economy that houses it.
Optimal Deterrence when Judgment-Proof Agents Are Paid In Arrears—With an Application to Online Advertising Fraud
Online
advertising MARKETS are one of many MARKETS where agents may be effectively
unreachable through the legal system.
Online
advertising contracts presently lack any institution by which the payment
structure can enforce good practices.
Scale without Mass: Business Process Replication and Industry Dynamics
Since
the mid-1990s, IT-intensive industries have seen higher levels of turbulence
and concentration growth than have non-IT-intensive industries.
The
improved ability of firms to replicate business innovations affects not only
productivity, but also the nature of business competition itself.
The Business of Free Software: Enterprise Incentives, Investment, and Motivation in the Open Source Community
Cluster
1, the "money-driven cluster," consisted of projects that have
received almost all of vendor INVESTMENTS. The eighteen projects in this
cluster have received over $2 billion in INVESTMENT.
Cluster
2, the "community-driven cluster," has a large number of projects
that have received almost no vendor INVESTMENT. IT vendors have generally
ignored projects in this cluster and appear to have no coordinated strategy for
dealing with them.
Online Match-Making with Virtual Dates
Technology
influences the tone and trajectory of relationships.
The interface of online dating sites should be improved to help people
filter better.
Virtual Dates is an experimental interface that allows couples to
communicate in real time using colors, words, and images.
The
idea of virtual spaces for natural interactions may have applications for
managers and entrepreneurs.
Monday, 8 June 2015
Treating cutaneous aging with patented technologies
Cutaneous
aging is a multifactorial process affecting different constituents of the skin
(Reddy and Gilchrest 2011). During aging, distribution of subcutaneous fat is
altered. The subcutaneous fat is significantly lost from the dorsum of the
hand, face and shin, but accumulates in the waist or thigh (Kligman et al.1985;
Farage et al.2007). In the epidermis, signs of aging include lowering of the
levels of collagen IV and collagen VII at the basement membrane, flattening of
the rete ridge, thinning of the epidermis, and lowering of the levels of
ceramides, free fatty acids, squalene and epidermal cholesterol (El-Domyati et
al.2002; Hayashi et al.2003; Sandby-Moller et al.2003; Neerken et al.2004; Fore
2006). In the dermis, aging leads to fragmentation of elastin, an increase in
collagen degradation, and a decrease in production of dermal collagen,
proteoglycans and glycosaminoglycans.
Website: http://www.arjonline.org/biosciences/american-research-journal-of-biosciences/
Website: http://www.arjonline.org/biosciences/american-research-journal-of-biosciences/
Early postnatal exposure to lithium in vitro induces changes in AMPAR mEPSCs and vesicular recycling at hippocampal glutamatergic synapses
Lithium
is an effective mood stabilizer but its use is associated with many side
effects. Electrophysiological recordings of miniature excitatory postsynaptic
currents (mEPSCs) mediated by glutamate receptor AMPA-subtype (AMPARs) in
hippocampal pyramidal neurons revealed that CLi (therapeutic concentration of 1
mM lithium, from days in vitro 4-10) decreased the mean amplitude and mean
rectification index (RI) of AMPAR mEPSCs. Lowered mean RI indicate that
contribution of Ca2+-permeable AMPARs in synaptic events is higher in CLi
neurons (supported by experiments sensitive to Ca2+-permeable AMPAR
modulation). Co-inhibiting PKA, GSK-3β and glutamate reuptake was necessary to
bring about changes in AMPAR mEPSCs similar to that seen in CLi neurons. FM1-43
experiments revealed that recycling pool size was affected in CLi cultures.
Social and cultural issues in genetic counseling
Medical
genetics has rapidly emerged as a definitive branch of modern medicine with an
increasing number of illnesses described as having an aetiological basis in
alterations in one or more genes. Communication of the nature and implications
of these disorders to the ‘at risk’ family is the basis of genetic counselling.
The complexity of information to be given to a family necessitates a trained
genetic counsellor. This article is based on the author’s experience in
counselling families with genetic disorders, public perceptions and
misconceptions, and the influence of local customs and traditions on attitudes
towards such disorders .
Website: http://www.arjonline.org/biosciences/american-research-journal-of-biosciences/
Website: http://www.arjonline.org/biosciences/american-research-journal-of-biosciences/
Effects of nitric oxide modulating activities on development of enteric nervous system mediated gut motility in chick embryo model
The
enteric nervous system (ENS) arises from the enteric neural crest-derived cells
(ENCCs), and many molecules and biochemical processes may be involved in its
development. This study examined the effects of modulating embryonic nitric
oxide (NO) activity on the intestinal motility induced by ENS.
One-hundred-and-twenty fertilized chicken eggs were assigned to three main
groups and incubated at 37 degrees Centigrade and 60 percent humidity.
Website: http://www.arjonline.org/biosciences/american-research-journal-of-biosciences/
Website: http://www.arjonline.org/biosciences/american-research-journal-of-biosciences/
Prooxidative effects of aspartame on antioxidant defense status in erythrocytes of rats
When
compared with the control group, the group administrated with ASP indicated
higher values of serum glucose, cholesterol and triglycerides. Significantly
increased concentrations of superoxide anion (O2 .-), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2),
peroxynitrite (ONOO-) and lipid peroxides (LPO) were recorded in the erythrocytes
of ASP treated group in comparison to the control group. In the course of
chronic ASP administration, the following was observed: the concentration of
reduced glutathione (GSH) and the activity of catalase (CAT) increased. Thus,
these findings suggest that long-term consumption of ASP leads to hyperglycemia
and hyperlipidemia, as well as to oxidative stress in erythrocytes.
Variation in ion leakage parameters of two wheat genotypes with different Rht-B1 alleles in response to drought
The
reaction to soil drying was evaluated in two Triticum aestivum near-isogenic
lines carrying different alleles of the height-reducing gene Rht-B1 based on an
improved method for assessment of electrolyte leakage. The two lines were
previously shown to differ in their physiological responses to induced water
deficit stress. Drought was imposed for 6 days on 10-day-old seedlings. Ion
efflux from leaves was measured conductometrically in multiple time points
during the 24 h incubation period, and the obtained biphasic kinetics was
interpreted according to a previously developed theoretical model proposing
different leakage rates through the apoplast and the symplast. Most of the
model parameters were able to properly differentiate the two closely related
genotypes.
Website: http://www.arjonline.org/biosciences/american-research-journal-of-biosciences/
Website: http://www.arjonline.org/biosciences/american-research-journal-of-biosciences/
Identification and in silico analysis of helical lipid binding regions in proteins belonging to the amphitropic protein family
The
role of protein-lipid interactions is increasingly recognized to be of
importance in numerous biological processes. Bioinformatics is being
increasingly used as a helpful tool in studying protein-lipid interactions.
Especially recently developed approaches recognizing lipid binding regions in
proteins can be implemented. In this study one of those bioinformatics
approaches specialized in identifying lipid binding helical regions in proteins
is expanded. The approach is explored further by features which can be easily
obtained manually.
Websites: http://www.arjonline.org/biosciences/american-research-journal-of-biosciences/
Websites: http://www.arjonline.org/biosciences/american-research-journal-of-biosciences/
Functional genomics of tomato: Opportunities and challenges in post-genome NGS era
The
Tomato Genome Sequencing Project represented a landmark venture in the history
of sequencing projects where both Sanger's and next-generation sequencing (NGS)
technologies were employed, and a highly accurate and one of the best assembled
plant genomes along with a draft of the wild relative, Solanum
pimpinellifolium, were released in 2012. However, the functional potential of
the major portion of this newly generated resource is still undefined. The very
first challenge before scientists working on tomato functional biology is to
exploit this high-quality reference sequence for tapping of the wealth of
genetic variants for improving agronomic traits in cultivated tomatoes. The
sequence data generated recently by 150 Tomato Genome Consortium would further
uncover the natural alleles present in different tomato genotypes.
Website: http://www.arjonline.org/biosciences/american-research-journal-of-biosciences/
Website: http://www.arjonline.org/biosciences/american-research-journal-of-biosciences/
Insights into brain development and disease from neurogenetic analyses in Drosophila melanogaster
Groundbreaking
work by Obaid Siddiqi has contributed to the powerful genetic toolkit that is
now available for studying the nervous system of Drosophila. Studies carried
out in this powerful neurogenetic model system during the last decade now
provide insight into the molecular mechanisms that operate in neural stem cells
during normal brain development and during abnormal brain tumorigenesis. These
studies also provide strong support for the notion that conserved molecular
genetic programs act in brain development and disease in insects and mammals
including humans.
Website: http://www.arjonline.org/biosciences/american-research-journal-of-biosciences/
Website: http://www.arjonline.org/biosciences/american-research-journal-of-biosciences/
Molecular determinants of odorant receptor function in insects
The
olfactory system of Drosophila melanogaster provides a powerful model to study
molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying function of a sensory system. In
the 1970s Siddiqi and colleagues pioneered the application of genetics to
olfactory research and isolated several mutant Drosophila with odorant-specific
defects in olfactory behaviour, suggesting that odorants are detected
differentially by the olfactory system. Since then basic principles of
olfactory system function and development have emerged using Drosophila as a
model. Nearly four decades later we can add computational methods to further
our understanding of how specific odorants are detected by receptors.
Website: http://www.arjonline.org/biosciences/american-research-journal-of-biosciences/
Website: http://www.arjonline.org/biosciences/american-research-journal-of-biosciences/
Wednesday, 3 June 2015
Analysis of humpback whale sounds in shallow waters of the Southeastern Arabian Sea: An indication of breeding habitat
The primary objective of this work was to
present the acoustical identification of humpback whales, detected by using an
autonomous ambient noise measurement system, deployed in the shallow waters of
the Southeastern Arabian Sea (SEAS) during the period January to May 2011.
Seven types of sounds were detected. These were characteristically upsweeps and
downsweeps along with harmonics. Sounds produced repeatedly in a specific
pattern were referred to as phrases (PQRS and ABC). Repeated phrases in a
particular pattern were referred to as themes, and from the spectrographic
analysis, two themes (I and II) were identified. The variation in the acoustic
characteristics such as fundamental frequency, range, duration of the sound
unit, and the structure of the phrases and themes are discussed. Sound units
were recorded from mid-January to mid-March, with a peak in February, when the
mean SST is ~28°C, and no presence was recorded after mid-March. The temporal
and thematic structures strongly determine the functions of the humpback whale
song form. Given the use of song in the SEAS, this area is possibly used as an
active breeding habitat by humpback whales during the winter season.
Website: http://www.arjonline.org/biosciences/american-research-journal-of-biosciences/
Website: http://www.arjonline.org/biosciences/american-research-journal-of-biosciences/
Evolutionary change and phylogenetic relationships in light of horizontal gene transfer
Horizontal gene transfer has, over the past 25
years, become a part of evolutionary thinking. In the present paper I discuss
horizontal gene transfer (HGT) in relation to contingency, natural selection,
evolutionary change speed and the Tree-of-Life endeavour, with the aim of
contributing to the understanding of the role of HGT in evolutionary processes.
In addition, the challenges that HGT imposes on the current view of evolution
are emphasized.
Website: http://www.arjonline.org/biosciences/american-research-journal-of-biosciences/
Website: http://www.arjonline.org/biosciences/american-research-journal-of-biosciences/
Frost hardiness of tree species is independent of phenology and macroclimatic niche
The differences in timing in bud burst between
species have been interpreted as an adaptation to late frost events in spring.
Thus, it has been suggested that the degree of frost susceptibility of leaves
is species-specific and depends on the species' phenology and geographic
distribution range. To test for relationships between frost tolerance and
phenology as well as between frost tolerance and distribution range across
Central European tree species, we studied the frost hardiness of closed buds
before bud burst and of freshly opened buds at the time of bud burst. We
hypothesized that species with early bud burst and species distributed in
eastern and northern areas were more frost tolerant than species with late bud
burst and species distributed in western and southern areas. Frost hardiness
was estimated by exposing twigs to 11 frost temperatures between -4 degrees
Centigrade and -80 degrees Centigrade and by assessing tissue damage by the
electrolyte leakage method. In contrast to our hypotheses, neither frost
hardiness of closed buds nor frost hardiness of freshly opened buds were
related to any variable describing species' macroclimatic niche. Furthermore,
frost hardiness of freshly opened buds did not differ among species. Thus, the
investigated species with early bud burst take higher risks of frost damage
than the species with late bud bursts. These findings indicate that frost
hardiness might not play the key role in limiting the geographic distribution
ranges previously anticipated.
Website: http://www.arjonline.org/biosciences/american-research-journal-of-biosciences/
Website: http://www.arjonline.org/biosciences/american-research-journal-of-biosciences/
Collagen I-induced dendritic cells activation is regulated by TNF-α production through down-regulation of IRF4
Previously we have shown that collagen I
enhances the maturation and function of dendritic cells (DCs). Inflammatory
mediators such as tumour necrosis factor (TNF)- alpha, interleukin (IL)-1 beta
and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) are also known to activate DCs. Here we
investigated the involvement of TNF-alpha on the collagen I-induced DCs
activation. TNF-a neutralization inhibited collagen I-induced IL-12 secretions
by DCs. Additionally, we observed suppression of collagen I-induced
costimulatory molecules expression along with down-regulation of genes involved
in DCs activation pathway. Furthermore, TNF- alpha inhibition upon collagen
Istimulation up-regulated the expression of interferon regulatory transcription
factor IRF4, when COMPARED to collagen I only treated cells. Collectively, our
data demonstrate that collagen I induce TNF- alpha production, which is crucial
for the activation and function of DCs, through down-regulation of IRF4, and
implicates the importance in development of anti- TNF-alpha therapeutics for
several inflammatory diseases.
Website: http://www.arjonline.org/biosciences/american-research-journal-of-biosciences/
Website: http://www.arjonline.org/biosciences/american-research-journal-of-biosciences/
Stochastic developmental variation, an epigenetic source of phenotypic diversity with far-reaching biological consequences
This article reviews the production of different
phenotypes from the same genotype in the same environment by stochastic
cellular events, nonlinear mechanisms during patterning and morphogenesis, and
probabilistic self-reinforcing circuitries in the adult life. These aspects of
phenotypic variation are summarized under the term 'stochastic developmental
variation' (SDV) in the following. In the past, SDV has been viewed primarily
as a nuisance, impairing laboratory experiments, pharmaceutical testing, and
true-to-type breeding.
Website: http://www.arjonline.org/biosciences/american-research-journal-of-biosciences/
Website: http://www.arjonline.org/biosciences/american-research-journal-of-biosciences/
BARF1 gene silencing triggers caspase-dependent mitochondrial apoptosis in Epstein-Barr virus-positive malignant cells
Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-encoded BARF1 (BamH1-A
Rightward Frame-1) is expressed in EBV-positive malignancies such as
nasopharyngeal carcinoma, EBV-associated gastric cancer, B-cell lymphoma and
nasal NK/T-cell lymphoma, and has been shown to have an important role in
oncogenesis. However, the mechanism by which BARF1 elicits its biological
effects is unclear. We investigated the effects of BARF1 silencing on cell
proliferation and apoptosis in EBV-positive malignant cells. We observed that
BARF1 silencing significantly inhibits cell proliferation and induces
apoptosis-mediated cell death by collapsing the mitochondrial membrane
potential in AG876 and Hone-Akata cells. BARF1 knockdown up-regulates the
expression of pro-apoptotic proteins and downregulates the expression of
anti-apoptotic proteins.
Website: http://www.arjonline.org/biosciences/american-research-journal-of-biosciences/
Website: http://www.arjonline.org/biosciences/american-research-journal-of-biosciences/
Biochemical characterization of blood plasma of coronary artery disease patients by in vitro high-resolution proton NMR spectroscopy
This study aimed to investigate the biochemical
profile of blood plasma of patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) and
angiographically normal subjects (controls) to determine biomarkers for their
differentiation. In this double blind study, 5 mL venous blood was drawn before
angiography from CAD patients (n=60) and controls (n=13) comprising angiography
normal individuals. In vitro high-resolution NMR spectroscopy of these blood plasma
samples was carried out at 400 MHz, and intensity data were analysed with
partial least square discriminant analysis. Categorization of subjects as
controls or CAD patients and the patients further as single vessel disease
(SVD), double vessel disease (DVD) and triple vessel disease (TVD) was done at
the end of the study based on their angiography reports. Raised levels of
lipids, alanine (Ala) and isoleucine/leucine/valine (Ile/Leu/Val) were observed
in CAD patients COMPARED with controls. Partial least square discriminant
analysis showed separation between controls vs CAD patients. TVD patients
showed increased levels of Ile/Leu/Val and Ala compared with controls and SVD.
Alanine, Ile/Leu/Val, and LDL/VLDL appear as possible biomarkers for distinguishing
between controls and patients with SVD and TVD. A metabolic adaptation of
myocardium may play a role in raising the Ala level.
Website: http://www.arjonline.org/biosciences/american-research-journal-of-biosciences/
Website: http://www.arjonline.org/biosciences/american-research-journal-of-biosciences/
Lack of IL-6 increases blood–brain barrier permeability in fungal meningitis
The pathogenesis of increased blood-brain
barrier permeability during Cryptococcus meningitis is still largely unknown.
Interleukin (IL-6) is a multifunctional cytokine, and numerous studies have
shown that IL-6 influences the integrity of the blood-brain barrier. In this
study we investigated the role of IL-6 in Cryptococcus meningitis. First,
wild-type or IL-6-/- mice were injected with Cryptococcus neoformans (C.
neoformans) and the survival time in both groups was recorded. Second, the
number of fungi was measured in the brains of IL-6-/- wild-type mice. Finally,
the blood-brain barrier permeability index was detected in infected IL-6-/-
mice treated with recombinant human IL-6. The blood-brain barrier permeability
index was measured in infected wild-type mice treated with anti-IL-6 antibodies
as well. The survival of IL-6-/- mice injected with C. neoformans was
significantly lower than that of identically challenged wild-type mice. The
infected IL-6-/- mice had significantly larger brain fungal burdens than
wild-type mice. Furthermore, increased blood-brain barrier index was found in
infected IL-6-/- mice when COMPARED with that in infected control mice. Similar
results were obtained when mice challenged with C. neoformans were treated
systemically with neutralizing anti-IL-6 antibodies, resulting in an elevation
of vascular permeability. Our data revealed that IL-6 reduced the blood-brain
barrier permeability during Cryptococcus meningitis, and it might provide an
explanation for the significantly lower survival of infected IL-6-/- mice.
Website: http://www.arjonline.org/biosciences/american-research-journal-of-biosciences/
Website: http://www.arjonline.org/biosciences/american-research-journal-of-biosciences/
Anti-tumour immune effect of oral administration of Lactobacillus plantarum to CT26 tumour-bearing mice
Colorectal cancer
(CRC) is one of the most prevalent forms of cancer that shows a high mortality
and increasing incidence. There are numerous successful treatment options for
CRC, including surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and immunotherapy; however,
their side effects and limitations are considerable. Probiotics may be an
effective strategy for preventing and inhibiting tumour growth through
stimulation of host innate and adaptive immunity. We investigated and COMPARED
potential anti-tumour immune responses induced by two isolated Lactobacillus
strains, Lactobacillus plantarum A and Lactobacillus rhamnosus b, by
pre-inoculating mice with lactobacilli for 14 days. Subsequently, subcutaneous
and orthotopic intestinal tumours were generated in the pre-inoculated mice
using CT26 murine adenocarcinoma cells and were assessed for response against
the tumour. Our results indicated that oral administration with L. plantarum inhibited
CT26 cell growth in BALB/c mice and prolonged the survival time of
tumour-bearing mice compared with mice administered L. rhamnosus. L. plantarum
produced protective immunity against the challenge with CT26 cells by
increasing the effector functions of CD8+ and natural killer (NK) cell
infiltration into tumour tissue, up-regulation of IFN-γ (but not IL-4 or IL-17)
production, and promotion of Th1-type CD4+ T differentiation. Consequently, our
results suggest that L. plantarum can enhance the anti-tumour immune response
and delay tumour formation
Anti-tumour immune
effect of oral administration of Lactobacillus plantarum to CT26 tumour-bearing
mice.
Effects of nitric oxide modulating activities on development of enteric nervous system mediated gut motility in chick embryo model
The enteric nervous system (ENS) arises from the
enteric neural crest-derived cells (ENCCs), and many molecules and biochemical
processes may be involved in its development. This study examined the effects
of modulating embryonic nitric oxide (NO) activity on the intestinal motility
induced by ENS. One-hundred-and-twenty fertilized chicken eggs were assigned to
three main groups and incubated at 37 degrees Centigrade and 60 percent
humidity. The eggs were treated with NG-nitro-Larginine methyl ester (L-NAME),
sodium nitroprusside (SNP), L-arginine (L-Arg) or vehicle from days 3 (1st
group), 7 (2nd group) and 10 (3rd group) of incubation and continued up to day
18. On day 19, the embryos were sacrificed, the jejunal and colorectal segments
were taken and the intestinal motility was assessed using isolated organ
system.
Website: http://www.arjonline.org/biosciences/american-research-journal-of-biosciences/
Website: http://www.arjonline.org/biosciences/american-research-journal-of-biosciences/
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