An empirical investigation of socio-cultural factors of information sharing in China

Understanding information sharing is an important challenge to modern organizations, and is likely to be increasingly considered when IT investment decisions are made world-wide. Our research study investigated the influence of cultural factors on information sharing in China. It was postulated that social network structures such as guanxi, Confucian dynamism, and collectivism could explain the degree to which information sharing took place between people in China. It was found that guanxi, Confucian dynamism, and collectivism all had a significant influence on information sharing.     

Isolation and characterization of a novel 5-oxoprolinase (without ATP-hydrolyzing) from Alcaligenes faecalis N-38A

A screening test was undertaken to isolate a microorganism that produced 5-oxoprolinase (without ATP-hydrolyzing). The 5-oxoprolinase (without ATP-hydrolyzing) activity (decyclization activity toward L-pyroglutamate) was found in a cell-free extract of Alcaligenes faecalis N-38A, newly isolated from a soil sample. The enzyme was purified as a homogeneous preparation. The molecular weight of the enzyme was estimated to be 47,000. The decyclization activity was specific for L-pyroglutamate, and independent of ATP and metal ions. The reaction was a reversible one, i.e., cyclization reaction of L-glutamate to yield pyroglutamate was identified.     

Clonal composition of malignant fibrous histiocytoma: analysis by PCR-based assay of the human androgen receptor gene (HUMARA)

Poly(A)+ mRNA was isolated from leaves of potato plants (Solanum tuberosum L. cv. Desiree) according to standard protocols. This poly(A)+ mRNA was injected via glass microcapillaries into oocytes that were surgically removed from the African clawed toad Xenopus laevis. As a control, oocytes were either injected with H2O or remained untreated. Three days after injection the oocytes were analyzed by two electrode voltage clamping. Current voltage analysis revealed that a K+ channel from potato was functionally expressed in injected oocytes. The identity of this K+ channel was confirmed by its substrate specificity and a shift in the reversal potential. In particular, when the outside K+ concentration was increased the reversal potential of poly(A)+ injected oocytes shifted to more positive values. Furthermore, K+ outward currents declined when the outside K+ concentration was raised from 0.1 to 100 mM. Inward currents increased with an elevation of the K+ concentration. Several pharmaceuticals were tested for their potential to block this K+ channel. As a result, the channel was completely blocked by BaCl2. A three state reaction kinetic model was used to simulate the currents through the K+ transport protein as function of the extracellular K+ concentration. In particular, the simulation revealed current voltage relations that exactly matched the measured ones. Saturation of current voltage curves emerged from the simulation as a consequence of high extracellular potassium concentration.     

Purification and characterization of cysteine protease from Pleurotus ostreatus

Cysteine protease activity in mycelial culture increased 7.7-fold after fruit body formation in Pleurotus ostreatus, using the Leu pNA (LPNA) cleavage assay. The enzyme was purified from fruit bodies and its M(r) was 97,000 by gel filtration and 48,500 by SDS-PAGE, indicating that it is a dimer. The enzyme was sensitive to iodoacetic acid, p-chloromercuribenzoate, N-ethylmaleimide, and HgCl2. The sequence of the first 9 N-terminal amino acids of cysteine protease was ASGLXXAIL.     

Sesquiterpenoids of the drimane class from a sponge of the genus Dysidea

Ten sesquiterpenoids, including seven new ones, have been isolated from an undescribed sponge of the genus Dysidea. Compounds 1-8 are sesquiterpenoids of the drimane class, while 9 and 10 are 12-norsesquiterpenoids of the same structural class. The structures of novel compounds have been determined by combined spectroscopic methods. These compounds exhibited moderate antimicrobial and enzyme inhibitory (Na+/K(+)-ATPase and PLA2) activities.     

Modeling and control of a finger-like mechanism using bending shape memory alloys

Microsystem Technologies - In this research a biologically inspired finger-like mechanism similar to human musculoskeletal system is developed based on Shape Memory Alloys (SMAs). SMA actuators are...     

Some new volatile compounds from the non-enzymic browning reaction of glucose-glutamic acid system

Summary The volatile compounds from the Maillard reaction in the glucose - glutamic acid system were analysed by combined gas chromatography - mass spectrometry. Of the 50 peaks detected, 42 components comprising 2 acids, 2 alcohols, 5 carbonyls, 2 esters, 4 lactones, 17 furans, 4 pyrazines and 3 pyrroles were identified, four of which tentatively. Decadien 2,4-al, 2-n-pentyl furoate, 2-(2-fury()-pyrazine. -nonalactone, 2-(2-fury()-5- or 6-methylpyrazine were previously not reported to occur in heated sugar - amino acid browning systems. The new compound, 5-formyloxymethyl-2-furfural has apparently not yet been recorded in the chemical literature.The compound 5-acetoxymethyl-2-furfural had an aroma close to that of bread whereas 5-formyloxymethyl-2-furfural exhibited a very faint sweet burnt aroma.

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Einige neue flüchtige Verbindungen aus der nicht-enzymatischen Bräunungsreaktion des Glucose-Glutaminsäure-Systems

Zusammenfassung Die flüchtigen Verbindungen aus der Maillardreaktion des Glucose-Glutaminsäure-Systems wurde mit Hilfe der Gaschromatographie/Massenspektrometrie analysiert. Von den 50 nachgewiesenen Peaks wurden 42 identifiziert: 2 Säuren, 2 Alkohole, 5 Carbonyle, 2 Ester, 4 Lactone, 17 Furane, 4 Pyrazine, 3 Pyrrole und 4 weitere provisorisch. Deca-2,4-dienal, 2-n-Pentylfluorat, 2-(2-Furyl)-pyrazin, -Nonalacton, 2-(2-Furyl)-5 oder -6-Methylpyrazin wurden bisher nicht in dem erhitzten Zucker-Aminosäuren-Bräunungssystem registriert. Die neue Verbindung 5-Formyloxymethyl-2-furfural ist anscheinend noch nicht in der chemischen Literatur festgestellt worden. Die Verbindung 5-Acetoxymethyl-2-furfural hat an ein Brot erinnerndes Aroma, während die 5-Formyloxymethyl-2-furfural-Verbindung ein sehr schwaches süßlich-verbranntes Aroma aufweist.

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Taken in part from the Ph. D. thesis of the Senior Author     

A study on the dynamic characteristics of the Korean Yi-dynasty bell type structure

The dynamic characteristics of the Korean Yi-dynasty bell type structure, including the acoustic effects, are analyzed both theoretically and experimentally. The numerical solutions of natural frequencies and mode shape for membrane and flexural behavior are obtained by using the NASTRAN program for the finite element method with plate shell elements of triangular and quadrilateral types. Test bells, A and B types similar to the Kap-Sa bell in Kong-Ju chosen among typical Korean Yi-dynasty bells, are manufactured on different scales to the original bell. To consider the effects of the variation of the structural dimension on the dynamic response, these bells are analyzed with respect to the variation of the thickness of the wall and the bottom rim and the asymmetric Dang-Jwas. The impact method with the Fast Fourier Transform Analyzer is adopted to experimentally assess the dynamic response. Results are in good agreement with the numerical solutions.     

Annexin 1 Is a Component of eATP-Induced Cytosolic Calcium Elevation in Arabidopsis thaliana Roots

Extracellular ATP (eATP) has long been established in animals as an important signalling molecule but this is less understood in plants. The identification of Arabidopsis thaliana DORN1 (Does Not Respond to Nucleotides) as the first plant eATP receptor has shown that it is fundamental to the elevation of cytosolic free Ca²⁺ ([Ca²⁺]_cyt) as a possible second messenger. eATP causes other downstream responses such as increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) and nitric oxide, plus changes in gene expression. The plasma membrane Ca²⁺ influx channels involved in eATP-induced [Ca²⁺]_cyt increase remain unknown at the genetic level. Arabidopsis thaliana Annexin 1 has been found to mediate ROS-activated Ca²⁺ influx in root epidermis, consistent with its operating as a transport pathway. In this study, the loss of function Annexin 1 mutant was found to have impaired [Ca²⁺]_cyt elevation in roots in response to eATP or eADP. Additionally, this annexin was implicated in modulating eATP-induced intracellular ROS accumulation in roots as well as expression of eATP-responsive genes.     

Increased Histone Acetylation and Decreased Expression of Specific Histone Deacetylases in Ultraviolet-Irradiated and Intrinsically Aged Human Skin In Vivo

Histone deacetylases (HDACs) are conserved enzymes that remove acetyl groups from lysine side chains in histones and other proteins and play a crucial role in epigenetic regulation. Previously, we showed that histone acetylation is implicated in ultraviolet (UV)-induced inflammation and matrix impairment. To elucidate the histone acetylation status and specific HDACs involved in skin aging, we examined the changes in histone acetylation, global HDAC activity, and the expression of HDACs and sirtuins (SIRTs) in intrinsically aged and photoaged human skin as well as in UV-irradiated human skin in vivo. Following acute UV irradiation, the acetylated histone H3 (AcH3) level was increased, but HDAC activity and the expression levels of HDAC4, HDAC11, and SIRT4 were significantly decreased. In intrinsically aged skin, AcH3 levels were increased, but HDAC activity and the expression levels of HDAC4, HDAC5, HDAC10, HDAC11, SIRT6, and SIRT7 were significantly decreased. However, histone acetylation and HDAC expression in photoaged skin were not significantly different from those in intrinsically aged skin. Collectively, HDAC4 and HDAC11 were decreased in both UV-irradiated and intrinsically aged skin, suggesting that they may play a universal role in increased histone acetylation associated with skin aging.